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Notes on John 7 v11-33

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John 7:11-33 New International Version (NIV)

11 Now at the festival the Jewish leaders were watching for Jesus and asking, “Where is he?”
12 Among the crowds there was widespread whispering about him. Some said, “He is a good man.” Others replied, “No, he deceives the people.” 13 But no one would say anything publicly about him for fear of the leaders.

·         Some people truly think Jesus is a “good man”, but they have no intention on following Him as Lord.
·         Those who reject Christ outright belief him to be a deceiver. They rather believe their own broken views and understand themselves to be in no need of salvation. 
·         Some are afraid to say anything about Jesus because they want to wait and see what the crowds says. This is a fear of man more than a fear of God. 

 14 Not until halfway through the festival did Jesus go up to the temple courts and begin to teach. 15 The Jews there were amazed and asked, “How did this man get such learning without having been taught?”
16 Jesus answered, “My teaching is not my own. It comes from the one who sent me. 17 Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own. 18 Whoever speaks on their own does so to gain personal glory, but he who seeks the glory of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him. 19 Has not Moses given you the law? Yet not one of you keeps the law. Why are you trying to kill me?” 20 “You are demon-possessed,” the crowd answered. “Who is trying to kill you?”

·         Jesus decided to go up when he was ready. It was according to His will demonstrating that God teaches and instructs when He deems it wise.
·         Jesus demonstrated supernatural understanding which He credited to knowing the Father.
·         Jesus teaching is the truth because He is God and is of the same mind with the Father. There is unity. The truth offends and that is why Jesus offends. 
·         Some teachers teach from their own instruction yet sadly try to attach God's authority to it. This another reason for expositional preaching because in the faithful preaching of the Scriptures we will avoid false teaching. 
·         The mark of a false teacher, no matter how subtle, is their own agenda for power and glory becomes their motive and focus.
·         There are those who claimed to be disciples of Moses and yet they failed to keep the law in obedience and live by faith in God. They had faith in their ability rather who the law pointed to and that was God himself.
·         Jesus knew they wanted to stone him as if he were a deceiver and they were shocked by his words.

21 Jesus said to them, “I did one miracle, and you are all amazed. 22 Yet, because Moses gave you circumcision (though actually it did not come from Moses, but from the patriarchs), you circumcise a boy on the Sabbath. 23 Now if a boy can be circumcised on the Sabbath so that the law of Moses may not be broken, why are you angry with me for healing a man’s whole body on the Sabbath? 24 Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly.”

·         Jesus referenced the miracle in chapter 5 when he healed the crippled man. The Jewish leaders had a discerning issue that relates to their heart. They were using the Law to forbid the doing of good and refused to see it. The Sabbath was made for the man, not man for the Sabbath.  They failed to see how they themselves did not let the Sabbath trump the command to circumcise which preceded the Law. The circumcision command predated the Sabbath command and Jesus illustrates that the healing of the entire crippled man was greater than keeping the Sabbath according to the Jews leadership.
·         There can be a critical spirit in all of us. We can all pick and choose righteousness that best glamorizes us and we fail to see the both the error in ourselves and the good of others.


25 At that point some of the people of Jerusalem began to ask, “Isn’t this the man they are trying to kill? 26 Here he is, speaking publicly, and they are not saying a word to him. Have the authorities really concluded that he is the Messiah? 27 But we know where this man is from; when the Messiah comes, no one will know where he is from.”

·         The crowd is confused about who the Jews have determined Jesus to be. Yet it is revealed again the desire to kill Jesus.


28 Then Jesus, still teaching in the temple courts, cried out, “Yes, you know me, and you know where I am from. I am not here on my own authority, but he who sent me is true. You do not know him, 29 but I know him because I am from him and he sent me.”

·         Jesus addresses their desire to resist the truth. He affirms again that He is from heaven and has come down from the Father.  He in some mysterious was is both equal as God as submitted to the Father.

30 At this they tried to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come. 31 Still, many in the crowd believed in him. They said, “When the Messiah comes, will he perform more signs than this man?”
32 The Pharisees heard the crowd whispering such things about him. Then the chief priests and the Pharisees sent temple guards to arrest him.
33 Jesus said, “I am with you for only a short time, and then I am going to the one who sent me.

  • Though their evil plan was to seize Jesus, they could not because God was in control. Even sinners in rebellion against God will not boast of their rebellion.
  • The Pharisees were upset about some who were believing and they seek to arrest him. The idea of Christ being worshiped and believed upon is not enough for some to reject, but they also hate to see others give Christ glory.
  • Jesus reveals again that He is control. 

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