Gospel of John - 7

Gospel of John – 7

7:1-52

Introduction

Chapters 7-8 are one big unit, taking place at the Feast of Tabernacles (Booths). The smoldering dislike of Jesus in chapters 5-6 erupts into full-blown hatred and rejection. This will culminate in 11:45-57 when the Jews definitely declare they are going to kill Jesus. At this Feast, both light and water play a huge role…Jesus will incorporate both of them.

7:1-13

- V. 1 – after this…6 months have passed since the Passover Feast of chapter 6. There are three major Jewish Feasts per year (Passover – Pentecost – Booths). The very next Feast is the Passover where Jesus will be killed.

- V. 2 – Feast of Booths…longest of the year (8 days)

o Lived in booths/tabernacles for the week to celebrate God’s faithfulness to Israel in the Exodus.

o Done each Fall to help celebrate harvest

§ Leviticus 23:33-44 / Deuteronomy 16:13-17

o Ceremonial water-drawing / Lamp-lighting ceremony (talk about in a minute)

§ Numbers 20:2-13 (Meribah)

- V. 3-4 – brothers…natural brothers of Jesus (half-brothers)

o Matthew 13:55 / Mark 6:3

§ Contra Roman Catholic doctrine of Mary’s Perpetual Virginity

o Their advice comes from unbelief/misunderstanding of Jesus’ messianic identity.

§ Motivation: could be to see miracles themselves to test genuineness

· Or could be to personally take advantage…social and political Messiah.

o No one works in secret – Matthew 12:15-21…quietly bringing salvation.

- V. 5 - Some brothers eventually believe – Acts 1:14; 1 Corinthians 15:7

o So real was his humanity, and so veiled was his deity, they did not believe in him.

- V. 6 – your time…to go to the Feast

o My time not yet come…theme in this chapter. They likely think he is referring to going to the Feast, but he is speaking of the cross. God has a timetable and nothing will thwart his plan.

- V. 7 – world doesn’t hate you…an unbelievers, they are on world’s side.

- V. 8 – not going to Feast; yet he does go…Greek present tense…could translate as ‘not yet going.’

- V. 11 – Jews searching…contrast with v. 12 ‘people.’ Meaning this is referring to Jewish leaders seeking Jesus with hostile intent.

- V. 12 – Division – a theme in chapter 7. Later Jewish literature shows the Jews settled on an identity for Jesus…”Deceiver.”

7:14-24

- V. 14 – goes in middle of the Feast…perhaps to avoid a premature “triumphal entry”

- V. 15 – never studied…lacked formal Rabbinical training, as did Jesus’ disciples

o Acts 4:13 – idiotes (ordinary men)

o Jesus’ teaching and authority come from God, not from education.

§ John 8:28

o Matthew 5:21ff…you’ve heard that it was said, but I tell you…

o Matthew 7:28-29

- V. 16 – his who sent me…Rabbis relied on man/tradition…so and so said this

o ILL – student at SLCC who was Byzantine/Greek Orthodox church

§ Nothing but quotes from other scholars…not authoritative

- V. 17 – if genuinely seeking to follow Jesus (obey), will be intellectually convinced

- V. 18 – true and trustworthy because he is not for his own glory

- V. 20 – demon…false charged (8:48; 10:20; Matthew 12:24)

o Same thing said of John the Baptist in Matthew 11:18

o Accused of:

§ breaking Sabbath (John 5:16,18; 9:16)

§ Blasphemy (5:18; 8:59; 10:31,33,39; 19:7)

§ Deceit (7:12,47)

§ Samaritan (8:48)

§ Madness (10:20)

§ Criminal activity (18:30)

- V. 21 – one work – healing of the invalid in 5:1-15

- V. 22 – fathers…Abraham, Isaac, Jacob (Genesis 17)

- V. 22-24 – argument from lesser to greater

o Had to circumcise on the 8th day, even if Sabbath

o If can ceremonially cleanse one part of body on Sabbath, how much more is healing an entire body right and good on the Sabbath.

7:25-31

- V. 26 – authorities…Sanhedrin

- V. 27 – we know…some Rabbis taught Messiah would have an unknown origin

o misinterpretation of Malachi 3:1

o others knew their OT better (Matthew 2:1-6)

- v. 28 – you know me…likely sarcasm…know him in earthly, physical sense

- v. 30 – hour not yet come…confident assurance that God is in charge over circumstances of his life. Nothing will happen until it is supposed to.

o Dangerous to apply this principle to ourselves. We become victims of chance and blame it on God.

o Decretive will of God…life a script. No, you make choices. You are not the victim of chance.

o “Everything happens for a reason” …don’t blame on God. He does take what we choose and uses it to accomplish his plan.

- V. 31 – if Messiah was like Moses (Prophet), then it would make sense that he would do miracles like Moses did them. Obvious that Jesus would be a candidate.

7:32-36

- V. 32 – chief priests and Pharisees…Sanhedrin

o Officers…Levites charged with keeping peace and order on Temple grounds

o Arrest…alleged criminal activity…disturbing peace.

§ If upset Rome, things get ugly quickly.

§ 11:48

- V. 34 – not find me…not contra Matthew 7:7 or Jeremiah 29. He is going to Heaven and they are outside of God’s family and cannot get there.

- V. 35 – confused about the origin and destination of Jesus…heaven.

o Dispersion – all Jews living outside of Palestine.

o Not happy at potential of him going to Greeks (unclean)

§ Ironic though, as the Gospel will go to them

7:37-39

- V. 37 – on last day of Feast…ceremony each day of Feast of carrying a Golden vessel of water from the Pool of Siloam, through the Water Gate, announced with 3 trumpet blasts, then poured over the Temple Mount. On final day, this was done 7 times.

o If anyone thirsts…Isaiah 55:1; 12:3

o Drinks…equals ‘believes’ in v. 38

- V. 38 – summary of many OT verses, not a specific verse that matches this (Proverbs 4:23; Isaiah 58:11)

o He is the fulfillment of it all.

- V. 39 – Spirit not yet given…not meaning Spirit is not at work. Has been since Genesis 1:2.

o HS at work within believers prior to Jesus

o Numbers 27:18; Dt. 34:9; Ezekiel 2:2; 3:24; Daniel 4:8-9,18; 5:11; Micah 3:8

o Referring here to the full sense of the Messianic/Apostolic Age (Acts 2)

§ John 14:17; 1 Corinthians 6:19

7:40-52

Jesus made this outstanding claim in v. 37-38. Now we will see the reactions of different groups of people to him.

1. Convinced (v. 40-41a)

- V. 40-41 – Prophet and Messiah expected to be separate people…Jesus is both.

o We will see this division over his identity by the same misunderstanding we’ve seen already…physical v. spiritual.

2. Contrary (v. 41b-42)

- V. 42 – Bethlehem (Micah 5:2)

3. Hostile (v. 43-44)

4. Confused (v. 45-46)

- No one spoke like him…because he is God incarnate!

5. Authorities (v. 47-52)

- Strong prejudice against Jesus

o Condemn temple guards (v. 47-48)

o Condemn crowd (v. 49)

o Condemn Nicodemus (v. 52) …he is one of their own.

§ Law and judges are to be unbiased.

§ No prophet from Galilee…viewed as a mixed-race region where law was not zealously followed.

§ Also…not true.

· Jonah (2 Kings 14:25)

· Elijah (1 Kings 17:1)

· Nahum (1:1)

§ They are willing to distort facts to trap Jesus.

Application

- Family rejection/ridicule

o Love and pray for them…eventual conversion of brothers

- Different opinions of Jesus abound…be sure you know the true one.