Teaching and Treachery

Part of the problem was that was that they thought they knew Jesus’ origins and they did not. Part of it was because they did not like Him questioning there faith in God and making Himself equal to God.

Many questions.

Starts and ends with wanting to seize Him

Some believed

The whole teaching on the coming of the Holy Spirit was new to them and had never happened that way before so again they had trouble comprehending and believing Jesus or His teaching. So, what better way to shut Him up than to have Him arrested and let the religious leaders deal with the problem.

confusion.

3. Second Reading ESV

In the end what Jesus had said about them really not knowing Him proved to be true and while some believed many did not and sought to have Him arrested.

30-31 Results of teaching about who He is

32-36 Officers sent to arrest Jesus

40- 44 Divisions among the people

The word "arrest" instead of "seize" is used

Out of his heart will flow streams of living

water rather than inner most being

Moves from teaching to prophecy and back

again but the people don't seem to follow

the flow

5. Fourth reading NET Bible

Prophecy of His crucifixion and ascension also the giving of the Holy Spirit.

6. Changes

whispering to muttering

scattered to Dispersion

on to now on

Feast to Festival

Flow from him to out of his heart

from his innermost being

out of his belly

out of the believers heart

Christ to Messiah

V.42 verifies what Jesus said about them not really knowing Him.

Analysis

I. V. 30-31 Reaction to Teaching

7:30 Response - At this

Act - they tried to seize Him,

Contrast - BUT

Results - no one laid a had on Him

Reason - Because His time had not yet come.

This verse is a response to the previous section where Jesus had told them they did not know Him because they did not know the Father that had sent Him. BUT His time or hour had not yet come so the result was that no one laid a hand on Him

:31 Concept - Still,

Act - many in the crowd put their faith in Him.

They said,

Quote - "When the Christ comes

Question - will He do more miraculous signs than

this man?"

Even through the discord and unbelief some believed. The word "still" could be translated "but" which is what ESV and others have done. This highlights the fact that the work of the Father goes on even in conflict. They put there trust, belief and confidence in Jesus because they saw His work and could not see any way the Messiah would or could do more. The tense used here suggest that it was at this very point they came to believe.

II. V. 32- 36 Sending Guards

:32 Act - The Pharisees heard

Specific - the crowd whisper (murmur) such

things about Him.

Time - Then

People - the chief priests

AND

the Pharisees

Act - sent

temple guards

to arrest Him.

Not willing to let this teacher get a foot hold on the people the leaders send out the temple police to arrest Jesus.

:33 Act - Jesus said, (therefore)

Quote - "I am with you for only a short time,

AND

Then I go to the one who sent Me.

Jesus is telling them of His death and ascension. For Jesus this was a time of hope and a keen sense that His time among these people was indeed coming to a close.

:34 Act - You will look for me,

But

you will not find Me

AND

Where I am you cannot come."

For some they would look but die without faith in Jesus.

Where Jesus was going none of them could follow at this time, not even His closest disciples. They would one day but not now not till after Jesus had paid the price and gone back to the Father to prepare a place for them.

:35 Response - The Jews said to one another,

Quote - "Where does this man intend to go that we cannot

find Him?

Question - Will He go where our people live scattered

among the Greeks,

AND

Teach the Greeks?

At this time the Israelites have been scattered among many different nations. Some had come back but some had decided to stay in the places where they had been sent. So was Jesus talking about taking His message to them. Once again these people have completely misunderstood what Jesus was saying and are asking the wrong question. Notice the irony here. Even as they scoff at Jesus going to teach the Greeks or Gentiles so the Apostles would end up doing just that.

:36 Question - What did He mean when He said,

Quote - 'You will look for me

BUT

you will not find Me'

AND

'Where I am you cannot come'?"

Could it be that while angry at Jesus for showing up there lack of real spiritual depth and knowledge they are still curious about if His words might have some truth they are missing.

III. V. 37 - 39 Rivers of Living Water

:37 Time -On the last

AND

greatest day of the Feast,

Act - Jesus stood

AND

said

Specific - in a loud voice,

Condition - If anyone is thirsty,

Act - let him come to Me

AND

drink.

Again the spiritual call to be satisfied in Jesus come drink to the full. This last day was a time of worship, sacrifice and a close to the week it is the eight day no work is done. This is the third time Jesus has used this kind of a reference. First with the woman at the well. Second in chapter 6 when He calls for those who are thirsty to come and drink and now here where the emphases is primarily on the water that Jesus can give that satisfies.

See

:38 Person - Whoever believes in Me,

Comparison - as the Scripture has said,

Quote - streams of living water will flow from within

him"

See In we have an allusion to the law and the Spirit as a combination that provides this same kind of picture. The people of God were to find in the Law the very Spirit that would lead to living and life. Here the picture is living water flowing from the innermost being of those who come to Christ and believe. This Gospel of the change brought by Jesus for life and health was to permeate them and all they came in contact with. Ezek has a vision of this stream representing the Christ flowing from temple and spreading out to the whole world which it has and is still doing.

:39 Note - By this He meant the Spirit.

People - whom those who believed in Him were later to

receive.

Reason - Up to that time the Spirit had not been given,

since Jesus had not yet been glorified.

Seems to be a note of explanation by John as to why Jesus was saying this. In the O.T. the Spirit was mainly given to certain people for special purposes or a certain time. Now the Jesus is saying hat the Spirit will become available to all people for everyday living. Here we see also the beginning stages of developing the fact that Jesus death was not a defeat but part of Hid glorification. This would be fully accomplished when Jesus returned to heaven after the resurrection. The Spirit who was already present in the world would then come in Hid fulness on believers.

IV. V.40-44 Division Among the People

:40 Affect - On hearing His words,

People - some of the people

Act - said,

Quote - "Surely this man is the Prophet."

The Prophet was for told by Moses as one who would come and would be like himself. Jesus was more that just the prophet He was and is the living Son of God, Son of Man.

:41 People - Others said,

Quote - "He is the Christ."

Still others asked,

Question - "How can the Christ come

from Galilee?

As we can see again the crowd was divided. Some thought He was the Prophet like Moses, Some thought He was the Christ but some still could not get past His Galilean involvement. Often our prejudices and our misinformation clouds our ability to see what is right in front of us.

:42 Question - Does not the Scripture say that

the Christ will come from David's family

AND

from Bethlehem, the town where David

lives?"

Again we run into John's irony. While some of the people judge Jesus as not a possible candidate for being the Messiah because He was not born in Bethlehem John knows that He was. This accusation only makes it clear they are of the "world" not believers in the Christ.

:43 Conclusion - Thus the people were divided

Reason - because of Jesus.

The division was not so much because of Jesus as because of what He taught them about Himself. Similar divisions are still present when it comes to Who Jesus really is.

:44 Contrast - Some wanted to seize Him,

BUT

no one laid a hand on Him

Once again they want to silence Him by arresting Him but no one laid a hand on Him

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