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Notes on John 7 v1-10

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John 7:1-10New International Version (NIV)

7 After this, Jesus went around in Galilee. He did not want[a] to go about in Judea because the Jewish leaders there were looking for a way to kill him. 

  • Themes appearing: Persecution and tribulation already in view for Christ and His people.
  • Jesus was hated because he was scandalous to them. He was scandalous because he claimed to come from heaven and that he had to be believed upon for salvation. It was also scandalous because Jesus told them that "no one can come to me unless the Father enables them." This again was offensive to them.  
  • They despised him because he taught that the whole world needed salvation and not just the Gentiles. 
  • They despised the truth of total depravity. This was an offensive doctrine to the self-righteous. They wanted to think that there was something righteous about themselves. 

2 But when the Jewish Festival of Tabernacles was near, 3 Jesus’ brothers said to him, “Leave Galilee and go to Judea, so that your disciples there may see the works you do. 4 No one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret. Since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world.” 5 For even his own brothers did not believe in him.

  • Unbelief and an earthly focus contrast real faith and the Kingdom of Heaven that Christ was preaching. 

  • The disciples believed that more signs would convince people. However, that was there misunderstanding and a sign of their unbelief. No amount of signs would convince the public; only a changed heart wrought by the Holy Spirit. 

  • The disciples do not understand that the first coming of the Lord Jesus was to give himself as a sacrifice. A suffering Messiah was offensive. The idea that it would take God himself to come down from heaven and offer himself as a substitute seemed unacceptable to them. 
6 Therefore Jesus told them, “My time is not yet here; for you any time will do.7 The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify that its works are evil. 8 You go to the festival. I am not[b] going up to this festival, because my time has not yet fully come.” 9 After he had said this, he stayed in Galilee.
10 However, after his brothers had left for the festival, he went also, not publicly, but in secret.
  • God's providence continues to be seen. Jesus' own life would not be taken prematurely and not by the will of men. God's plan works out in God's timing. We have ability and choice, but God is still in total control, working all things together. 

  • The world hates the Gospel because it addresses sin and evil in each of us. When ever sin is testified to and when we are faithful to the message of the Gospel, we can expect to be hated. Sin hates the light. Humanity hates the light for fear of exposure. We are to continue to share faithfully until our time has come. 

Footnotes:

  1. John 7:1 Some manuscripts not have authority
  2. John 7:8 Some manuscripts not yet

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