John: The Teacher

Exegetical Point: Jesus is working for the Father, on His timeline, for His Glory. The World hates Jesus and tries to Kill him.

Intro

Kids engagement:

Draw, or write as you try to listen.

Last time we finished the episode of John 6, surrounding the miracle of feeding the 5000, and ending with many of Jesus disciples giving up. The teaching of Jesus was too hard for them.

Now we’re some time down the road in this next chapter, maybe 6 months or so, but, as we will see, the next part of the story builds on stuff that had happened way back in John 5, where Jesus healed a disable man on the Sabbath, and told him to take his sleeping mat with him.

This passage has a few weird bits that can be a bit jolting, but we should be able to untangle them as we move through the text together.

One of the intriguing themes of John is the way that Jesus is continually misunderstood by other people in the narrative. The author John continually points out where people just didn’t get Jesus. He was on another wavelength. He was from another world.

The same thing is going on in our passage today. Jesus has to counter the perceptions of those around him to show how he is doing something better.

Lets look at 3 ways Jesus is better than human schemes!

A Better Timeline (v1-10)

Discussion Q: What is the Better Timeline?

After the events of John 5, Jesus had been mainly hanging out in the norther provence of Gallille, because last time he was down south, people had tried to kill him!

But, there is a big festival coming up, and Jesus brothers take it upon themselves to give Jesus advice about how he can raise his public profile, maybe gain a few disciples to make up for those he had lost!

John 7:1–5 NIV

After this, Jesus went around in Galilee. He did not want to go about in Judea because the Jewish leaders there were looking for a way to kill him. But when the Jewish Festival of Tabernacles was near, Jesus’ brothers said to him, “Leave Galilee and go to Judea, so that your disciples there may see the works you do. No one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret. Since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world.” For even his own brothers did not believe in him.

Knowledge curve: We all know people who have a little bit of knowledge on a particular topic, who think they’re experts! Jesus brothers think that they’re in a position to comment on Jesus ministry!

But here’s the irony, they don’t even think he’s the real deal! So the advice isn’t even sincere.

But you can empathize with them right? It makes pretty obvious sense that if you want a bigger following and to have a greater impact, you need to reach more people!

These brothers have missed an important key - Jesus is not working on a human timeline. He’s not trying to get on trend, or hit growth goals, or promote his brand. He has an a better timeline, and a better plan.

John 7:6–10 NIV

Therefore Jesus told them, “My time is not yet here; for you any time will do. The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify that its works are evil. You go to the festival. I am not going up to this festival, because my time has not yet fully come.” After he had said this, he stayed in Galilee. However, after his brothers had left for the festival, he went also, not publicly, but in secret.

Another one of the recurring themes in John is the topic of “the hour”. Jesus refers to a specific time in the future where his earthly ministry will reach it’s climactic moment. And others around him try to pull Jesus toward that moment before he’s ready.

“the hour” is when Jesus will offer himself as an sacrifice for Sin. It is the key moment when his mission purpose is fully revealed. It is the lynch pin of salvation: He will be killed by the religious leaders, crucified. He will carry all of our sin and make atonement. He will die, but, he will rise again and defeat Death itself!

Now wevry time that people try to pull Jesus toward that revelation, or that death to early, Jesus resists, saying “my time is not yet come”.

It seems like he is doing that here, but he is also just talking about travel plans. The author ingeniously weaves this double meaning into the text. Jesus brothers think Jesus is talking about travel plans, but Jesus is also indicating that an early arrival at the festival will mess with the timeline.

Why will it mess with the timeline? Because the World hates Jesus. They will inevitably try to kill Jesus when he points out that their works are evil (v7). This is what happened last time he was down near Jerusalem for a festival.

He has to go at the right time, and the the Brother’s plan is not it.

Some of the translations make it seem like Jesus definitively says he’s NOT going to the feast. But as we can see from the context, he did intend to go up, just not at the behest of others. Contextually, he is saying “I’m not going up with you”, or “I’m not going up yet”.

When the right time for the festival had come, Jesus set out. But not with a big crowd, stirring up a bit of a hub-bub. He just went quietly.

What it the feast of Booths/Tabernacles?

Harvest festival

Remembers God’s provision as they lived in tents in the wilderness.

Camping to remember.

Take branches and leaves to build little huts.

Jesus does go up to celebrate, living out his ability to Worship God perfectly and fulfill all of the law.

Application: We can be tempted to complain, or try and alter God’s plans when His timeline doesn’t suit us. Even when it seems to be something God has promised!

Abraham & Sarah got sick of waiting for God and took matters into their own hands. They ended up causing pain and hardship for others.

Patiently wait upon the Lord, and at the proper time he will exult you.

1 Peter 5:6–7 NIV

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

A Better Teacher (v11-20)

Discussion Q: Who is the Better Teacher? Why?

Just as well Jesus went up secretly, because there were people looking for him. Jesus would later come up to a festival with a lot of fanfare, the week before he was crucified! But that’s not this time. Because he came up quietly, he was able to slip in and get teaching People about God.

John 7:11–15 NIV

Now at the festival the Jewish leaders were watching for Jesus and asking, “Where is he?” Among the crowds there was widespread whispering about him. Some said, “He is a good man.” Others replied, “No, he deceives the people.” But no one would say anything publicly about him for fear of the leaders. Not until halfway through the festival did Jesus go up to the temple courts and begin to teach. The Jews there were amazed and asked, “How did this man get such learning without having been taught?”

As Jesus goes up to the festival, there are people on the look out for him. Some said he was a good bloke, other’s thought Jesus had nefarious intentions. Nobody wanted to stick their neck out though, because the religious authorities might just kick you out of the synagogue if they didn’t like what you say...

So Jesus find a place and time to teach people about what God says. But, this knocks back the Jewish leaders. There’re blown away by what they’re hearing! Unfortunately they’re not humble enough to listen and respond to the teaching...

The reason their surprised is, not that Jesus couldn’t read, but that Jesus hadn’t been through one of their sanctioned Bible college programmes. Jesus wasn’t teaching in the style of the rabbis.

They would constantly refer back to their rabbis, and their rabbis before them. And they would have to go through years of training to be considered a worthy teacher. Now here is this tradie from Gallilee who is teaching the good stuff without any aides from Rabbi So-and-so!

The Jews are baffled at how this can happen, and they are wondering who sanctioned this. Who gave Jesus the authority to speak?

Back in the day, the university campus used to be a place for the free exchange of ideas. It was a public forum where you share your thoughts and could have your ideas tested. Now, for the most part, academia has become a corporate bureaucracy, and university campuses have established dogma that you cannot challenge. You rock up uninvited on a Uni campus and start saying something that goes against the Uni dogma, and it won’t be long before a security guard arrives and asks “What are you doing here? Who gave you permission? I’m going to ask you to leave”

Similar thing going on here. These folks are so sttled in their monopoly on religion that they can’t fathom an outside influence, even when it is God himself!

Nevertheless, Jesus responds to show not only that he has authority to teach, but the people who are challenging Him have no “moral” authority to be teachers!

John 7:16–20 NIV

Jesus answered, “My teaching is not my own. It comes from the one who sent me. 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. 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. Has not Moses given you the law? Yet not one of you keeps the law. Why are you trying to kill me?” “You are demon-possessed,” the crowd answered. “Who is trying to kill you?”

Jesus in on a mission from the Father, and everything he does is directly in response to his faithful obedience.

Jesus isn’t there to toot his own horn, or big-note himself, everything he does is to seek the glory of God. There is something special about that kind of service: it shows authenticity when you work so hard and faithfully for someone else. Jesus is worthy of all the earthly glory we could give him, but he selflessly puts aside that right for the sake of redeeming God’s people. His selfless obedience is a demonstration of the legitimacy of the message.

Jesus also points out that those who truly, humbly want to follow God, will be able to see whether or not Jesus is speaking on God’s behalf. God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. When someone puts aside their own agenda and preconceptions, and seeks God on His terms, the Lord kindly opens their hearts and minds to be able to understand.

So the Jews were having a swipe at Jesus for apparently having no authority to be a teacher of religious things, so he has a swipe back! One of the important parts of Christianity, and Judaism before the coming of Jesus, is the Law of God. It is integral to the Bible. These religious leaders prided themselves on not only knowing the law, but following it scrupulously!

But, they weren’t really following it as Jesus points out: You’re plotting murder! You don’t keep the law; you’re trying to kill me!

The crowd denies it. Many of them are probably from out of town, who have traveled up to the feast. Many of them probably didn’t know that the leaders were trying to kill Jesus. So they says “you’re possessed”, what other explanation could there be for this strange accusations? Maybe that they’re true?

We don’t want to consider the hard truths. We’d rather wave them off with a dismissive comment.

Jesus is a better teacher than any the world has to offer, we would gain eternity if we would come and be instructed by him. He is the source of truth, so why won’t we come to him to learn?

A Better Healing (v21-24)

Discussion Q: What is the Better Healing? Why is this

Discussion Q: How do you find yourself judging by appearances?

Jesus Continues his engagement with the crowd, though it seems he is addressing the Jewish leaders among them, those who had been involved in the incident at Bethezda, when Jesus healed a disabled man on the Sabbath.

Jesus gives a defense for what he did by arguing a lesser principle to a greater principle. He will mention something that they all take fro granted, then apply the principle more broadly...

John 7:21–23 NIV

Jesus said to them, “I did one miracle, and you are all amazed. 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. 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?

They were amazed (and offended) at Jesus healing miracle. Jesus then notes that the Jews will do circumcision on the Sabbath, even though “work” is prohibited.

The Law says to circ. on the 8th day after a boy is born. If that falls on a Sabbath, they circ. anyway.

Under the Old Covenant this is a sign that the child is part of God’s chosen people. The ritual “perfected” one part of the child’s body for life with God’s people. Jesus then argues, if you can make one body part better on the Sabbath, why not make a whole person better by healing them?

Jesus exposes the futility of their way of thinking. They think they’re doing God a favour by living and behaving the way they do, but they are really just fully of hypocrisy and contradiction. So Jesus ends with these potent words:

John 7:24 NIV

Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly.”

God doesn’t judge by outward appearance - he Judges better than any human could!

He sees our sin and depravity, yet...

Jesus Offers to heal our whole body.

The coming of the HS is a sign that the timeline is unfolding. Ezekiel ties the coming of the HS with healing.... water from the throne that brings abundacne and healing.

Paul too connects these things together, and appropriately with the idea of Tents!

2 Corinthians 5:2–5 NIV

Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

We’re in our “booths” longing for our heavenly home. Broken bodies ready for resurrection bodies. Perishable put on the imperishable!

The Spirit has come, showing us that the timeline is unfolding.

So What?

A Better Timeline

A Better Teacher

A Better healing

References:

Carson’s Pillar Commentary on John.

Hutcheson’s commentary on John

Hendrickson’s commentary on John

Sermons by Richard D. Philips,

Sproul, R. C., ed. The Reformation Study Bible: English Standard Version. Orlando, FL; Lake Mary, FL: Ligonier Ministries, 2005.

Phillips, Richard D. John. Edited by Richard D. Phillips, Philip Graham Ryken, and Daniel M. Doriani. 1st ed. Vol. 1 & 2 of Reformed Expository Commentary. Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing, 2014.