John 7 Commentary

John chapter 7 commentary Bible study

JOHN 7 COMMENTARY

John 7:10-14 Feast of Tabernacles
John 7:15-21 Rabbinic School
John 7:22-23 Circumcision in the Bible
John 7:24 Do Not Judge
John 7:25-31 When Christ Comes
John 7:32-36 Pharisees
John 7:37-49 Rivers of Living Water
John 7:50-53 Nicodemus
John 7 Bible Study Questions (Handout)

JOHN 7:1 1 And after these things Jesus walked in Galilee, for He did not wish to walk in Judea because the Jews were seeking to kill Him.

Where is “Judea” (John 7:1)?
See Judea.

Why did Jesus “not want to walk” (John 7:1) there?
The Jewish authorities - “Jews” - were concentrated in Jerusalem of Judea and “sought to kill Him” (John 7:1).

Was Jesus afraid of them?
No, and He would eventually leverage them to bring about His crucifixion, but now was not the time.

JOHN 7:2-5 2 Now the Jews’ Feast of Tabernacles was at hand. 3 So His brothers said to Him, “Depart from here and go into Judea, that Your disciples also may see the works that You are doing. 4 For no one who seeks himself to be in public does anything in secret. If You do these things, show Yourself to the world.” 5 For not even His brothers were believing in Him.

Who were “His brothers” (John 7:2)?
See Jesus' Brothers.

Did they believe in Jesus?
Acts 1:14 says that Jesus' disciples “all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.” So Jesus' brothers eventually became believers and one of them, James, even became a Christian leader. But that's after Jesus' resurrection. At this point, they did not believe in Him, considered Him to be an embarrassment to the family, and are taunting Him to “depart from here and go into Judea” (John 7:3) and “show Yourself to the world” (John 7:4).

JOHN 7:6-9 6 Then Jesus said to them, “My time has not yet come, but your time is always ready. 7 The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify concerning it, that its works are evil. 8 You go up to this feast. I am not yet going up to this feast, for My time has not yet been fulfilled.” 9 And having said these things to them, He remained in Galilee.

Did Jesus say that He wasn’t going to go to the feast?
No, He said He wasn’t “yet” (John 7:8) going.

Why does “the world” (John 7:7) hate Jesus?
“Because I testify concerning it, that its works are evil” (John 7:7).

How is that different today?
It isn't. The world still hates those who testify that its works are evil and loves those who leave their sins covered up. If a preacher tells unrepentant sinners that Jesus loves them and has a wonderful plan for their lives, and never addresses their sins, they will continue to love him, attend his 'church,' and support his 'ministry.'

What will they do after they die?
Curse him from hell for the rest of eternity.

What must a true servant of God point out?
The sins of the hell-bound around him so that they can repent, get right with Jesus, and go to heaven. True love requires caring about the 'vertical' relationship between God and them more than the 'horizontal' relationship between him (the preacher) and them.

Is it different for a non-preacher Christian among sinners?