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JOHN 7

The gospels of Luke and John give to us details about the last journeys of the Lord Jesus to Jerusalem that are not found in Matthew and Mark. (It is interesting to notice that Matthew does not record the Lord as being in Jerusalem, (except when the Devil took Him to the temple during the temptation, but this is hardly a journey), until He went there to die, and this in the gospel of the King who would reign from Jerusalem, the city of the great King, Matthew 5:35. He mentions Babylon, Satan’s city, twice in his opening chapter, but not Jerusalem, to show the formidable opposition God’s King will have to combat and defeat).

John’s practice is to concentrate on events in the city itself, for ideally this was the “Place of the Name”, where the glory of God could be seen. The inhabitants of Jerusalem were given the opportunity to see the glory of the Divine Name within their walls. Their response when they saw that glory should have been the same as with Moses, for we read, “And Moses made haste, and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshipped.” Exodus 34:8.

Luke, however, is more concerned with the way in which Christ mingled as a man amongst men, eating and drinking with them in their houses, frequenting the synagogues with them, dealing with the problems and difficulties of the common people, as the Physician of the souls of men.

From John 7:1 until 10:21 the Lord Jesus is in Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles. There are at least eight matters that would come up for consideration at that feast, and these chapters show us how the Lord Jesus relates to these, as follows:

(a) The family feast
We learn from Deuteronomy 16:13,14 that the feast was to be a family feast, when the household would be united together in a common rejoicing for the goodness of God. This corresponds to John 7:1-13, where the Lord Jesus is found conversing with the children of Joseph and Mary.

(b) The reading of the Law
It was God’s command that the law should be read in its entirety every seven years, and this was to be done during the days of this feast, Deuteronomy 31:10,11. So in John 7:14-36 the relationship between the teaching of Moses and Christ is dealt with.

(c) The water from the rock remembered
As they lived in their temporary booths during the seven-day feast, they commemorated the journey of their ancestors from Egypt to Canaan. As they did this, they would remember God’s provision in the desert by way of water from the rock. The Lord Jesus declares in John 7:37-8:1 that He is the true source of living water. The people had been hostile to Moses before the water was given, for he said, “what shall I do unto this people ? They be almost ready to stone me”, Exodus 17:4. Sadly, the people of Jerusalem were not “almost ready” to stone Christ, but in a few months they would crucify Him.

(d) The pillar of cloud
The Lord had led them through the wilderness by means of a pillar of cloud, which not only told them the way to go, Exodus 13:21, but also protected them from the heat of the sun, Psalm 105:39. So in John 8:2-11 the Lord Jesus protects the woman spoken of there from the unkind and unjust actions of the Pharisees, and also tells her the way to go, for He said to her, “Go, and sin no more”.

(e) The pillar of fire
They would remember that the pillar of cloud became a pillar of fire at night, to lead them through the trackless wilderness. In John 8:12-29 the Lord presents Himself as the light of the world, not just Israel. There is also the reminder that when God judged sinners He did so as He looked through the pillar of fire, Exodus 14:24, and those who contend with Christ are warned that they are in danger of the same sort of judgement, for they were in danger of dying in their sins.

(f) The land was for the seed of Abraham
As the Chosen Seed, they laid claim to the land they had travelled to from Egypt. This matter of being the seed of Abraham comes up in John 8:30-59.

(g) They followed the ark as it led the way
As they travelled through the desert, the ark, the symbol of God’s presence with them, went before to search out a resting-place for them, Numbers 10:33,34. So it is that in John chapter 9 a blind man is healed, so that he may follow the Lord Jesus intelligently.

(h) They were led as a flock
The nation had been led through the wilderness as if they were a flock of sheep following their shepherd, see Psalm 80 and Psalm 95. So John 10 is the chapter that presents the Lord Jesus as the Good Shepherd.

(a)   7:1-13
The feast of tabernacles and the family

7:1
After these things Jesus walked in Galilee: for he would not walk in Jewry, because the Jews sought to kill him.

After these things Jesus walked in Galilee- The “after these things” must refer to the events in Jerusalem of chapter 5, when the Jews sought to slay Him, 5:16,18. The events of chapter 6 took place in Galilee. John is giving us the context of the words of Christ’s brethren in verses 3-5. He is also recognising the account that Luke gives of the ministry in Galilee at this time.

For he would not walk in Jewry, because the Jews sought to kill him- notice the hatred of the Jews for Christ, but also the fact that He would not court danger, even though He knew that His hour was not yet come. By far the greater part of the Lord’s ministry was in Galilee, for that was where the prophet said He would be found, Isaiah 9:1,2; Matthew 4:12-16.

The word Jewry is another name for Judaea, but whereas the latter emphasises the tribal territory, the former relates more to the people who lived there. In John’s gospel in particular, “the Jews” means the Jewish authorities. This situation illustrates the statement of John, “he came unto his own, and his own received him not”, John 1:11. He came to His own territory, (for He was a descendant of Judah), and His own people received Him not.

The Jews had sought to kill Him because of His claim to be the Son of God, equal with the Father, John 5:16-18. As a result, they were deprived of the major part of His ministry, in which He showed conclusively that He was the Son of God. Those who thought themselves enlightened were left in the dark, whilst the Galileans, sitting in the shadow of death, upon them the light shined.

7:2
Now the Jews’ feast of tabernacles was at hand.

Now the Jews’ feast of tabernacles was at hand- one of the journeys prominent in the ministry of Christ was to this feast of tabernacles, about six months before His crucifixion. The feast had two aspects, as detailed in Leviticus 23:33-38, and 39-44. There was that aspect which emphasised the thanksgiving for the in-gathering of the harvest, and Luke deals with this side of things as he records the Lord’s teaching at this time in regard to giving, covetousness, riches, and so on, Luke 12:13-40. Opportunity was given to Israel to give to God as He had prospered them during the year, “Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord thy God which he hath given thee.” Deuteronomy 16:17, words no doubt on the mind of the apostle Paul when he exhorts the believer to give “as God hath prospered him”, 1 Corinthians 16:2.

John, however, focuses on the other aspect to the feast, that of the dwelling in booths. The basic requirement during the feast of tabernacles or booths was that the Israelites should leave their permanent homes for seven days, and construct for themselves temporary shelters from tree branches.

This had a three-fold purpose, to do with the past, the then-present, and the future. As to the past, it would give them opportunity to remember the goodness of God to their forbears as they travelled as pilgrims though the wilderness. As to the then-present, the feast afforded time to reflect on their situation now that they were in the land. As to the future, they had opportunity to look forward to the day when Messiah would come and they would be in the land under Him, with no oppressors to tread them down.

Now the Lord Jesus, as one made under the law, Galatians 4:4, and who magnified the law and made it honourable, Isaiah 42:21, went up to the feast of tabernacles. John records what took place immediately before the feast, during the feast, and afterwards, in chapters 7 to 10 of his gospel. As he does so, he presents Christ to us in relation to various matters that would come to attention during the feast.

7:3
His brethren therefore said unto him, Depart hence, and go into Judaea, that thy disciples also may see the works that thou doest.

His brethren therefore said unto him- John opens his long passage about the feast of tabernacles with the only record of a conversation between Christ and the sons of Joseph and Mary, John 7:1-9. The matters they raise were possibly prompted by the family character of the feast we have noticed from Deuteronomy 16:14. The words of these brothers are said to be Old Testament in character, and reflect the fact that they were religious Israelites, waiting for the manifestation of Messiah’s kingdom, even though they did not believe in Christ personally as yet.

Depart hence, and go into Judaea- these words were spoken in Galilee, verse 9, so they are exhorting Him to go to Jerusalem and Judaea from the place where most of His mighty works had been done, but where, also, He had been largely rejected, see Matthew 11:20-24. The brothers are suggesting that He should go to Judaea, since His ministry in Galilee did not seem to have succeeded. There does not seem to be any sinister connection between the fact that the Jews in Judaea were seeking to kill Him, and their suggestion that He should go there. No doubt they were embarrassed at the idea of being associated with Him at the feast. To be offended by Christ is a sorry position to be in.

That thy disciples also may see the works that thou doest- by “thy disciples”, they either mean those He had baptised in Judaea, 3:22; 4:1, (“more disciples than John”, as was said at the time, 4:1), who would be encouraged, they suggest, by further miracles, with its potential for more disciples, those who would follow Him because of His miracles, as they had done at Jerusalem before, John 2:23-25. They are careful to distance themselves from His disciples, for they made no profession of following Him. They have made no progress since the beginning of Christ’s ministry, when John has to distinguish between His brethren and His disciples, John 2:12.

7:4
For there is no man that doeth any thing in secret, and he himself seeketh to be known openly. If thou do these things, shew thyself to the world.

For there is no man that doeth any thing in secret, and he himself seeketh to be known openly- to them it was not Messianic to take the lowly place, for did He not claim to be the the glorious King-Messiah? They are clearly frustrated by His refusal to court the acclaim of the crowds, which they feel, if He is the true Messiah, He should do. How could He hide Himself? They had not learnt the lesson of Isaiah 42:2, that the Anointed One would not strive or cry, or lift up His voice in the streets. They are not prepared to give Him the pre-eminent place, but link Him with other men, as if He should be bound by their attitudes.

If thou do these things, shew thyself to the world- to these men, the world was centred in Jerusalem. Alas, it was the princes of this world at Jerusalem that crucified the Lord of Glory, 1 Corinthians 2:8. He would hang upon a cross outside the city walls of Jerusalem so that, in His words, “the world may know that I love the Father”, John 14:31. But that was not the sort of manifestation to the world His brothers were looking for.

Sadly, their suggestions are a mild form of temptation that the Devil attacked Christ with at the beginning of His ministry. They are a combination of “Cast thyself down”, to attract attention, and the offer of the glory of the kingdoms of the world.

7:5
For neither did his brethren believe in him.

For neither did his brethren believe in him- this is John’s explanation for their attitude. This unbelief is all the more interesting because after the resurrection of Christ they did believe in Him, for they were found in the upper room with the apostles and other believers, Acts 1:14. So after living with Him for thirty years, after seeing His works and hearing His words, they did not believe on Him. And then He was crucified between two malefactors, seemingly confirming the rightness of their disbelief, for they were not looking for a defeated Messiah! Yet a few weeks later they are convinced believers! Such is the power of the resurrection of Christ. Nothing but a true resurrection from the dead could have brought about this dramatic change in attitude.

7:6
Then Jesus said unto them, My time is not yet come: but your time is alway ready.

Then Jesus said unto them, My time is not yet come- the response of Christ to their complaint is most interesting. He speaks of His time, and their time. His time was the time of the national recognition of Him as the Messiah by Israel, (“shew thyself unto the world”, verse 4), whether we think of this as when He would ride into Jerusalem at the next passover season, or whether we think more long-term, and relate it to His manifestation to Israel at His return to earth. It is interesting that Zechariah especially mentions the feast of tabernacles when he is writing about Christ’s reign. Whether or not men will go up for that feast to “worship the King” shows what their attitude to the King is, Zechariah 14:16,17. As the apostle Paul wrote to Timothy about the Lord Jesus Christ, “Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords”, 1 Timothy 6:15.

But your time is alway ready- their time was the personal opportunity they had even then to receive Him as Messiah. These words must have encouraged His brethren after His resurrection, for they knew that He had said these words beforehand, and they responded in faith. When He lamented over the city of Jerusalem the Lord had to say, “thou knewest not the time of thy visitation”, Luke 19:44.

7:7
The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil.

The world cannot hate you- they needed to learn that although they were religious and fervent, they were part of the world that hated Him. This must have been a great shock to them. They had used the word world in a less-than-sinister sense, meaning the religious world of Israel. He sees the world of Jerusalem as being a sample of the world of men in general.

But me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil- Christ exposes that world for what it is. Until men come to terms with Christ’s exposure of their sin, they will hate Him, for darkness hates light, John 3:20. To be told, in effect, that they were part of the world, must have shaken them to the very foundations. The whole basis of being an Israelite was that you were the chosen people, and were different to the world of the Gentiles.

This word reinforced what He had taught them previously, when He had exclaimed that His mother, brothers, and sisters were those who did the will of God because they responded to the word of God, Matthew 12:46-50. And also when He had said to His mother, “Woman, what have I to do with thee, mine hour is not yet come”, John 2:4. They must learn that relationship with Him can only be on a spiritual level, and that can only be achieved through what He would do during “His hour” at the cross.

It was not that He was indifferent to them, for He showed supreme care for His mother even while in agony upon the cross. And He cares for them as brothers too, not only by reminding them that their time is always ready, thus encouraging them to believe in Him, which will secure their highest blessing, but also exhorting them to go up to the feast, for that will give them further opportunity to hear Him teaching in the temple. He will not go up to the feast in the spirit of opportunism they advocate, but in humility, and a total absence of self-seeking. Once He was risen from the dead He would call His disciples His brethren, for a new relationship would have been established by death and resurrection, as Psalm 22:22 had long before predicted. And this is not reserved for those from Israel alone, for all, whether Jew or Gentile, who are God’s chosen and called are predestined to be conformed to the image of God’s Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren, Romans 8:29.

7:8
Go ye up unto this feast: I go not up yet unto this feast: for my time is not yet full come.

Go ye up unto this feast- He does not wish His apparent reluctance to go to the feast to prevent them going. He came not to destroy the law, and the law said they must go. They had dared to dictate to Him in verse 3, and now He asserts His authority. They do not realise yet that He is the one who commanded that Israelites should go to the feast of tabernacles after the Exodus.

I go not up yet unto this feast- He had no intention of going to the feast in the spirit of self-seeking advocated by His brethren. He would go unobserved, to demonstrate He was not craving popular acclaim.

For my time is not yet full come- His time to manifest Himself as Israel’s King-Messiah was not fully come, as it would be at the next passover, when He would ride into Jerusalem and fulfil the words of the prophet when he said to Jerusalem, “Behold thy King cometh unto thee”, Zechariah 9:9. Immediately after saying that, the prophet spoke of the defeat of His enemies, making His entry into Jerusalem the guarantee that He would come victoriously to reign, even though when He came the first time it was to die. The reigning is based on the suffering. So the entry into Jerusalem as King was the clear signal that He claimed to be king, but the manner in which he did it, “lowly, and riding upon an ass” was also a signal, that His time to reign was not yet full come, but would fully come later, After all, if we take account of the fact that the church age is not contained within Daniel’s Seventy Weeks, the riding into Jerusalem was just seven years from when He would come as the conqueror King; in other words, “as not yet full come”. See Danieol 9:25-27. The present age is God’s secret, unknown to Old Testament prophets; see Ephesians 3.

7:9
When he had said these words unto them, he abode still in Galilee.

When he had said these words unto them, he abode still in Galilee- He would not allow men, even His brothers, to dictate to Him. He was guided only by His Father. “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way.” Psalm 37:23, and He was the supremely Good Man.

7:10
But when his brethren were gone up, then went he also up unto the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret.

But when his brethren were gone up, then went he also up unto the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret- once His brothers were gone, He made His way unnoticed to the feast, for He was not willing to allow the religious fervour of the crowds to sweep Him along. If He had gone up with the pilgrim caravans, there was a danger that the desire to force Him to be king that was expressed when He fed the five thousand, John 6:15, would resurface. He would present Himself as king eventually, but at the feast of passover, John 12:1,15. He would bide His Father’s time for everything.

We learn from John 11:55 that devout Jews would go early to the feast in order to purify themselves in the large pools provided for the purpose alongside the walls of the temple mount. The fact that His brothers seemed to be doing this was testimony to their religious fervour; yet they did not believe on Him! They had a form of godliness, but denied the power thereof, 2 Timothy 3:5.

He very possibly had a booth on the mount of Olives, for we read that at the end of the feast “And every man went to his own house. And Jesus went to the mount of Olives.” John 8:1.

7:11
Then the Jews sought him at the feast, and said, Where is he?

Then the Jews sought him at the feast, and said, Where is he? This bears testimony to the fact that they expected Him at the feast, for He had never been known to miss. Every Israelite male was required to be present at Jerusalem for the three seasons of feasts, the two at the beginning of the year, these being the feast of unleavened bread and the feast of weeks, and the one at the end of the religious year, the feast of tabernacles, Deuteronomy 16:16. The fact that they do not give Him a name here shows there was only one person of their minds. John calls the authorities, Jews, and this distinguishes them from the multitude, the common people.

7:12
And there was much murmuring among the people concerning him: for some said, He is a good man: others said, Nay; but he deceiveth the people.

And there was much murmuring among the people concerning him- even amongst those who were more inclined to follow Him there was a difference of opinion. He had not come to bring that sort of peace on the earth which is the result of compromise, see Luke 12:51,52. Man can provide that spurious peace if he is so minded. Christ came to divide men into those who believed in Him and those who did not, between the light and the darkness, which cannot mix.

For some said, He is a good man- it is clear from verse 21 that the healing of the impotent man at the Pool of Bethesda had made a great impression on the people. Because of the healing, He was reckoned to be good.

Others said, Nay; but he deceiveth the people- because of the claim to Deity that He made after the healing of the impotent man, John 5:16-31, those who rejected His claim would excuse themselves by saying that the fault lay with Him in that He was deceiving the people about the sabbath law, and about the oneness of God.

7:13
Howbeit no man spake openly of him for fear of the Jews.

Howbeit no man spake openly of him for fear of the Jews- the religious authorities had a great deal of power, for those who criticised them were liable to be put out of the synagogue, with all that implied in terms of social rejection. The man who had been blind was treated like this when he spoke up for Christ, John 9:24-34.

“The fearful” are amongst those persons who shall be in the lake of fire, Revelation 21:8. Those who believe on Him are not ashamed, Romans 10:11, even if, like Nicodemus, they are slow to make a public stand. The Jews were clearly unsure of themselves, as all are who seek to maintain their religion by force of one sort or another.

This verse shows that “the Jews”, as far as John’s gospel is concerned, means the authorities.

(b)    7:14-36
The feast of tabernacles and the reading of the law

7:14
Now about the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and taught.

Now about the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and taught- go to the feast He did, but not in the manner His brothers suggested, for about the midst of the feast He is found teaching. The feast of tabernacles was eight days long, so we can understand why John says “about” the midst of the feast, for there is no middle day in a sequence of eight.

As we have noted, Deuteronomy 31:10,11 instructed the people to read the law at the feast of tabernacles. (That is not to say that this was the end of a seventh-year cycle). There is brought together then at this feast the reading of the law and the teaching of Christ in the temple courts, with ample opportunity to test His doctrine by what Moses had written.

No doubt the Lord had been at the feast the previous days, mingling with the many thousands of pilgrims in the temple courts, but only in the middle of the week-long festival did He begin to teach. It was customary for rabbis to teach publicly on feast days, sitting on the raised platform that surrounded the temple building on three sides. We learn from 8:20 that the Lord taught in the Treasury area, which the Pharisees thought of as their special place.

7:15
And the Jews marvelled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?

And the Jews marvelled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned? He had never been to the schools of the Rabbis to be instructed in their commentaries. How then, did He acquire the things He taught? The Lord Jesus had increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man, Luke 2:52 tells us, and at every stage of His development, whether mentally, physically, spiritually or socially, He was perfect. Yet not in such a manner as to draw attention to Himself. He was not, in that sense, a child prodigy, with abilities inappropriate for His years. Certainly He did not do miracles as a child, as some of the false gospels that heretics circulated, (and which modern novelists and film-makers love to dredge up for money-making purposes), suggested. John assures us, (and he was present, as the writers of the false gospels were most probably not), that the Lord’s first miracle was in Cana of Galilee, after He had been baptised and entered into His public ministry. His miracles were a support of His doctrine, and an illustration of it. This being the case, the public teaching and the miracles must begin at the same time.

7:16
Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.

Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me- perhaps there was the implication in their question that He was self-taught, and was making His doctrine up as He went along. To answer this, the Lord gives them the true source of His teaching. He could say later, “I speak to the world those things which I have heard from Him”, John 8:26.

Isaiah tells us of this communion between the persons of the Godhead, as follows:

“The Lord God hath given Me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: He wakeneth morning by morning, He wakeneth Mine ear to hear as the learned.” Isaiah 50:4.

It is important to notice the great difference between the manner of speaking of the Old Testament prophets, and the manner of speaking of the Son of God. Hebrews 1:1,2 puts it concisely, “God, who at sundry times and in diverse manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;” In Old Testament times God’s servants the prophets were scattered both in time and in place, and their ministry was diverse. Now it is different, for all is concentrated in Him who is the Son of God, and who therefore shares the nature and attributes of God, and consequently is able to directly communicate the mind of God to men.

This difference is highlighted by the fact that the prophets often prefaced their announcements with the words “Thus saith the Lord”, making it clear from the outset of their speaking that they were acting for God. The Lord Jesus, however, began His discourses by saying “I say unto you”, or “Verily, verily I say unto you”, making it equally clear that they were His words. But all the time He spoke to them “from the Father”.

So Isaiah tells us that the Servant of the Lord speaks, and declares that He has been given the tongue of the learned. When we read of the Lord Jesus being given things, it always involves the fact that He has come into manhood. His Father gave Him every resource to enable Him to carry out the purpose for which He was sent into the world. God’s promise to Him was, “I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son”, Hebrews 1:5. The Father gives the support, the Son responds as a true Son should. Here He is given the tongue of the learned to fit Him to teach. When He was anointed at the beginning of His public ministry, He was anointed to preach, Luke 4:18. When He did this, men “wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth”, verse 22. Others said, “Never man spake like this man”, John 7:46. And we read that “He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes”, Matthew 7:29.

The secret of this excellence is given to us here, for He was given the tongue of the learned. Note that it is not the tongue of the ignorant, but of the learned. Nor is it the tongue of the instructed ones, as the margins of some translations suggest, for that would mean that He moved from ignorance to knowledge, and this is not the point of the passage. We shall learn at the end of the verse that He heard as the learned hear, and not as the ignorant hear. The ignorant hear to become learned, the learned hear because they are already learned. Of course it is true that “Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man”, Luke 2:52, but that is a reference to His growth as a person who is developing normally into manhood, and is not the subject here.

We could think of two university professors who are both experts in the same subject. They are discussing that subject, and do so as those who are learned. They hear one another as the learned. They then go to their respective lecture halls, and there they teach their students, who hear as those who are not learned. The Lord Jesus and His Father heard one another as those who are learned. Those who listened to the Son did so as those who were unlearned. He had not come to support some particular Rabbi’s teaching, nor had He come to set forth some novel ideas of His own, but to speak His Father’s words in the ears of the people.

7:17
If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.

If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine- such is the character of the teaching He gives, that those who are willing to do God’s will discover the true nature of His doctrine, that it is indeed of the Father. This is a principle that is true for sinner and saint alike. When the word of God is approached with an honest and unbiased heart, God graciously reveals His truth. As the parable of the sower makes clear, the good ground into which the seed of the Word of God falls and brings forth fruit for God, is defined as “an honest and good heart”, Luke 8:15. Of course this is in a relative sense, for “there is none that doeth good, no not one”, and “there is none good but God”. But in the context, an honest and good heart is one which is sincere in its search after God’s truth, and will approach the Word of God without prejudice. Any who claim to want to know whether Christ speaks truth, must want to obey Him when they find out He does.

There are three major proofs that the scriptures are of God. There is the fulfilment of prophecy; the conviction that comes when the Bible is read with an unbiased mind; and the change brought about in the life of the one who believes. These are the very best proofs, for they do not depend upon the influence of preachers, but the inner conviction produced by the Spirit of God.

There are at least two classes of people that shut themselves off from the knowledge of God. They are the self-opinionated, who feel their opinion is the only one worth having; and the self-righteous, who see no need of God’s forgiveness.

Whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself- the Bible is like no other book, being self-authenticating, and those who come to it with an earnest desire to find the truth will surely do so. There is produced in their hearts by the Holy Spirit a consciousness that they are reading that which is of God. It follows from this that such persons will be convinced that Jesus of Nazareth is, indeed, the Son of God. That being the case, He is equal with God, and therefore His doctrine is of God, and not the fabrication of a mere man.

The believer may also come to the Word of God for guidance in any department of life, and may rest assured that God will reveal His mind through it. Note the close connection between the law of God being in the heart, and doing God’s will, in Psalm 40:8. Also, the close connection between being obedient to things already learnt, and then waiting upon God for further guidance, as expressed by Abraham’s servant, “I being in the way, the Lord led me”, Genesis 24:27.

7:18
He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.

He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory- the second issue raised about Christ’s teaching was concerning His motives. Because He insisted that He did not speak from Himself but from His Father, there was a clear-cut distinction between Himself and the rabbis. They tended to seek glory for themselves, priding themselves on their prowess as exponents of the law, all the while holding the unlearned in contempt, as in their remark, “But this people that knoweth not the law are cursed.” John 7:49. Christ however was marked by a total lack of this spirit of self-seeking, for He sought the glory of His Father alone in His teaching ministry.

But he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him- the word for true used here means literally “not concealing”. He has no hidden agenda, and He has nothing to hide in His life which would compromise the doctrine He brings. It is also the case that He does not hold back anything for the sake of advantage, or to avoid the opposition of men.

The word unrighteousness may be looked at legally and morally. The teaching of the Lord Jesus was in strict conformity to God’s righteous character, and in no way went against it, even though He was accused of breaking the law of Moses. It is also true that His teaching has no moral defect in it, being a reflection of His own nature, which likewise had no moral defect. Truth may be defined as that which corresponds to reality.

7:19
Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keepeth the law? Why go ye about to kill me?

Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keepeth the law? The Lord shows that He is able to read their thoughts, a thing no rabbi could do, however wise he might be. He challenges the Jews as to whether they really did keep the law they professed to love. They preferred the rabbis as they taught the law, and thought that trying to keep it was enough. God had entrusted the law to Moses, and he had faithfully passed it on to them at Sinai. But the mention of being true, not having unrighteousness, and not seeking one’s own glory have perhaps come home to their consciences, and they realise that they fall short.  They totally failed the test of verse 17, showing by their attitude that they had no intention of obeying Him if they discovered Him to be right.

Why go ye about to kill me? instead of humbling themselves before God for their failure, however, they reacted by hating the one whose life and teaching exposed their sin. He that hateth his brother is a murderer, see 1 John 3:15, and they are intent on expressing their deep hatred towards Him by seeking His death.

He also gives them opportunity to show a righteous reason why they should kill Him. If they can do so, then perhaps the charge of unrighteousness would not be levelled against them. It was the duty of those in Israel to stone false prophets, Deuteronomy 18:20, and this they think Him to be.

7:20
The people answered and said, Thou hast a devil: who goeth about to kill thee?

The people answered and said, Thou hast a devil- the answer comes, not from the Jewish authorities, but from the multitude, who accuse Him of having a devil, and therefore with mind deranged. This is the over-reaction of those who have a guilty conscience, and are ignorant of God because they have not willed to do His will, but are content with mere religion. They lash out with wild accusations which are so obviously false.

The law condemned a prophet who sought to turn the people away from their God, saying “Let us go and serve other gods”, Deuteronomy 13:6. Other gods are agents of the Devil, and to encourage their worship is to be on the side of the Devil. The Lord Jesus said that Judas was a devil, John 6:70, because the Lord knew that he was in danger of siding with the Devil to such a degree that he could be said to be a devil, apart from the matter of having Satan entering in to enable him to betray Him, John 13:27.

They are coming close here to committing the sin against the Holy Spirit, which consists of attributing Christ’s ministry to the power of the Devil, Matthew 12:22-32. All the while a person persists in that belief, there is no hope for him, for it is by the Spirit’s moving that a person is born again.

Who goeth about to kill thee? The answer to this question is simple, for at the feast of John 5, they had sought to slay Him, John 5:16,18. (Although it is possible that the general population did not yet realise that the authorities were plotting His death). This is one reason why the Lord next refers to the miracle He performed then.

7:21
Jesus answered and said unto them, I have done one work, and ye all marvel.

Jesus answered and said unto them, I have done one work- if they will not say, or do not know, then He will tell them why they seek to kill Him. It is because of a work done months before, at the un-named feast of John 5. The impression left by the healing of the impotent man, and the doctrine of His equality with God that was based on it, reverberated still. And understandably so, for His claim to Deity was central, and breathtaking in its boldness.

And ye all marvel- in chapter 5 the Lord had distinguished between marvelling and believing. Alas, they still seem to come into the former category. As the apostle Paul warned the Jews in the synagogue in Antioch in Pisidia, quoting the words of the prophet Habakkuk, “Behold ye despisers, and wonder, and perish”, Acts 13:41.

7:22
Moses therefore gave unto you circumcision; (not because it is of Moses, but of the fathers;) and ye on the sabbath day circumcise a man.

Moses therefore gave unto you circumcision- the word “therefore” is not here the usual idea of logical consequence of something that has gone before, but something that will come after. It is used in this way in Mark 12:24, where the Lord says, “Do ye not therefore err”, and then gives the explanation as to how they erred. Again, in John 10:17, “Therefore doth my Father love me”, and then comes the reason.

(Not because it is of Moses, but of the fathers)- circumcision was given to Abraham first, and it later became the sign of commitment to the law of Moses. The Lord is establishing the link between the law they had been given, (which law they did not keep), and His miracle of healing on the sabbath day, which was the cause of them going about to kill Him, John 5:16.

And ye on the sabbath day circumcise a man- here is the reason, (prompted by the “therefore” of the beginning of the verse), why they circumcise a male child on the eighth day, even if it is the sabbath day. They do so to comply with Moses’ law. They are careful to circumcise the eighth day, even if the child is born on Friday. They thereby seem to break the law of the sabbath so that they do not break the law. Even as the priests seemed to do when they changed the shewbread on the sabbath, Matthew 12:5; Leviticus 24:8.

7:23
If a man on the sabbath day receive circumcision, that the law of Moses should not be broken; are ye angry at me, because I have made a man every whit whole on the sabbath day?

If a man on the sabbath day receive circumcision, that the law of Moses should not be broken- so God required them to carry out circumcision, even though it seemed to break the law of the sabbath, which allowed no work. So God built in to the law the permission to “break” the law in pursuit of a higher demand. It was most important, (and the most merciful, seeing that the eighth day of one’s life is when you are least likely to bleed to death), that a male child should be circumcised at the time God stipulated.

Are ye angry at me- anger is the start of a process which leads to murder, for the Lord taught that the one who killed, and the one who was angry with his brother without a cause, faced the same consequence, namely, being in danger of the judgement, Matthew 5:21,22. This is why the apostle John wrote, “Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer”, 1 John 3:15.

Because I have made a man every whit whole on the sabbath day? When a Hebrew parent circumcised a male child, there was a physical aspect, and a moral one. The physical aspect was that he now bore the mark of an Israelite upon him. He was now of The Circumcision, the nation of Israel. But the moral side was that he was now committed to keeping the law of Moses. So important were these two aspects, that God sanctioned the work of circumcising on the day of rest, if the child had been born eight days before. After all, He who controls the timing of everything, even the birth of children, did not ordain that no Hebrew son should be born on a Friday.

Now no one was angry at a Hebrew parent who did this. Nor did they seek to kill him. Rather, they would applaud that he had kept the law. All this being the case, and they felt free to “break” the sabbath in this God-appointed way, then surely He could make entirely whole, and not merely ceremonially whole, on the sabbath.

The healing of the impotent man in John 5 did make him entirely whole. He was healed as to the body, so that he was able to rise at Christ’s bidding. He was healed as to the soul, for the misery of the last thirty-eight years was for ever gone, symbolised by his taking up his bed, for he would not need to lay at the pool again. And he was healed as to the spirit, for as he walked at Christ’s command, he went straight into the temple to praise God. Thereafter the moral implications of Christ’s words to him would be uppermost in his mind, “sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon thee”.

The Jews should ask themselves, which was better, to be miserable at the Pool of Bethesda, or to be in the temple with spiritual joy? The law required that Israel “remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy”, Exodus 20:8. But that holiness was not merely a negative idea, keeping the day as a special one, different to the rest of the week. It had its very important positive side, to set the day apart for spiritual purposes. And this Christ had done. He had enabled an impotent man to sanctify the sabbath day in a way he could not have done while he still had his infirmity.

So we could summarise the argument as follows: if the people who were angry with Christ to the extent of wishing to kill Him, were free to do a lesser thing on the sabbath in order to obey God’s law, surely He could do the greater thing. They did the lesser thing at God’s commandment, He acted likewise at the command of God His Father.

7:24
Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgement.

Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgement- they were quite content to not judge a Hebrew parent as a law breaker simply because he “worked” on the sabbath day when he circumcised his son, for they knew there was a higher object in view. In this way they would judge righteously. They should likewise judge Him in a righteous way, and not jump to conclusions.

It would be possible to assume from the fact that a man was circumcised, that he was true to God. This would be judging according to the appearance. The apostle Paul wrote, “For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh: but he is a Jew, which is one outwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.” Romans 2:28,29. A righteous judgement upon a person can only be made by asking what are the fruits of his life, for “by their fruits ye shall know them”, Matthew 7:20.

Believers need constantly to be aware of this, for so often we allow outward impressions to influence us in our judgment of things, and fail to see the principle at work. We are not able to read the heart of our fellow-believer, so we should not be hasty in our assessment of his motive. “Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him to stand.” Romans 14:4.

7:25
Then said some of them of Jerusalem, Is not this he, whom they seek to kill?

Then said some of them of Jerusalem- these had lived in Jerusalem long enough to be described as “them of Jerusalem”, rather than pilgrims come from elsewhere for the feast.

Is not this he, whom they seek to kill? They had been in Jerusalem when the impotent man had been healed, and so knew that the Jews sought to kill Him as a result. What a sad commentary on the nation that He is known as “He whom they seek to kill”, as if that is His only claim to be noticed.

7:26
But, lo, he speaketh boldly, and they say nothing unto him. Do the rulers know indeed that this is very Christ?

But, lo, he speaketh boldly, and they say nothing unto him- unbelief is perplexed, as it always will be. In verses 12 and 13 they were perplexed about His character, whether He was good or bad. Here they are perplexed as to His person, whether He was the Messiah or not. There will always be doubt about His claim to be Messiah, if there is doubt about His character. The character-issue must be settled first, for a deceiving messiah is not the true Messiah. He is sought by the authorities, yet He speaks boldly in their centre of power, the temple.

Do the rulers know indeed that this is very Christ? Can it be because the rulers secretly know He is truly the Messiah, and are keeping this from us? Is this some conspiracy, they seem to be thinking, for the authorities seem to have double standards, pretending to plot to kill Him, but not arresting Him even when He is within their reach in the temple courts.

7:27
Howbeit we know this man whence he is: but when Christ cometh, no man knoweth whence he is.

Howbeit we know this man whence he is- they knew He was Jesus of Nazareth, yet they realised that He taught and acted as if He was more than man. One of the ways the Lord made Himself of no reputation was by being known as Jesus of Nazareth, (the place from which no good thing was expected, John 1:46), and not as Jesus of Bethlehem, the city of David. Even after He had gone to live in Capernaum, Matthew 4:13, He was still known as Jesus of Nazareth. And He still answers to that name now that He is back in heaven, for He spoke to Saul of Tarsus from heaven and said, “I am Jesus of Nazareth”, Acts 22:8.

But when Christ cometh, no man knoweth whence he is- the tradition had grown up amongst the Jews that the Messiah would burst upon the scene without warning, so that they would not have the opportunity to know Him during His life. “The Lord whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple”, Malachi 3:1, was the sort of text they would quote to support this idea. They must have forgotten Micah 5:2, which specified that the place of His birth was Bethlehem Ephratah, the city of David.

7:28
Then cried Jesus in the temple as he taught, saying, Ye both know me, and ye know whence I am: and I am not come of myself, but he that sent me is true, whom ye know not.

Then cried Jesus in the temple as he taught, saying- in verse 37 He will stand and cry, breaking off His teaching to do so, but here He remains seated and raises His voice a little, an expression of His deep feeling when faced with the unbelief of men. He is about to counteract the ideas expressed in the previous verses.

Ye both know me- the “people of Jerusalem” were in doubt about two things. First, who He was, and second, whence He was. They described who He was in the words, “He whom they seek to kill”, verse 25. As to whence He came, they say, “We know not whence he is”, verse 27.

As those who were living in Jerusalem they would have known about His discourse in John 5, where He explained both these things. He had declared then that He was equal with the Father in every respect, John 5:16-29; so they knew Him, in the sense that He had declared it to them.

And ye know whence I am- He stated six times over in His discourse in John 5 that He was sent. In the first three, He gives the consequences of the Father sending Him. First, so men could have the opportunity of honouring Him, verse 23. Second, so men might have the opportunity of hearing Him and receiving eternal life, verse 24. Third, so that men might realise He was here to do, not His own will, but His Father’s. And it will be in accordance with that will that He will judge men in the future, verse 30.

In the second three mentions of being sent, He gives three proofs that it was from the Father. First, the works He performed were evidence of it, verse 36. Second, the voice from heaven at His baptism proved it, verse 37. Third, the testimony of the Father in the Old Testament Scriptures showed it, verse 38. Furthermore, even if they had not been in Jerusalem when those truths were stated, they had just heard Him claim to be sent of the Father in verse 16 and 18. Thus they knew whence He was intellectually, but not personally and believingly.

And I am not come of myself- His was not independent action, for, as He said before, “The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise”, 5:19. So He only does in practice, what He sees the Father doing in purpose. And He perfectly understands that purpose, being equal with the Father. Since it was His Father’s will and purpose that He should come, then come He will. The fact that He had come is a sign of His Sonship, and His equality with the Father.

The fact that He had not appeared unsent amongst them was a sign that His mission was of the utmost importance, and therefore to deny the truth God was setting before them in Christ was serious indeed. He described Himself as having come in His Father’s name, 5:43, which means He came with all the authority of His Father behind Him. Whatever His Father would have done if He had come, the Son did.

But he that sent me is true, whom ye know not- the reason they currently did not know Him in a meaningful way was because they had not accepted the truth that He brought. That truth was from the very source of truth Himself, the God who is true in every sense of the word. Because the one who sent Him was true, then His mission was authentic. But they knew not the truth that God disclosed to them through Him when He was here, therefore they knew not the true God who had sent Him. This is the reason why they are so uncertain about Him, for there has not been the establishment of a link between themselves and the true God.

7:29
But I know him: for I am from him, and he hath sent me.

But I know him- they reason from a position of ignorance, He teaches from a position of full insight into the things of God, because He, as the Son, has intimate knowledge of the Father.

For I am from him- He was conscious of having come from the Father, and as such was fully in harmony with Him, and came with His full authority.

And he hath sent me- that He was from the Father shows His awareness of His Father’s will. That He was sent shows His awareness of His responsibility to unfold the truth. He had come for a purpose. The three components of this verse, His knowledge, His authority, His awareness of responsibility, all encourage us to listen to His word, and believe the truth He brings.

7:30
Then they sought to take him: but no man laid hands on him, because his hour was not yet come.

Then they sought to take him- John has identified three classes of people in the temple courts that day. There are ‘the Jews’, verse 15, ‘the people’ in verse 20, ‘and some of them of Jerusalem’ in verse 25. Since the people tended to side with Christ during His ministry, (with the exception, sadly, of the men of Nazareth, Luke 4:28,29), it seems that the Jews are the ones who seek to take or arrest Him here. Perhaps this is the beginning of the arrest attempt that is mentioned in verse 45-48.

But no man laid hands on him, because his hour was not yet come- even though He was in the confines of the temple courts, and was surrounded by people who could prevent His escape if they chose to, no man laid hands on Him. The reason was not they were half-hearted about arresting Him, but that His Father’s time for Him to die had not arrived. He is the Lamb of God, and must die at passover time, and that was a few months in the future. The time of the cutting off of the Messiah was to be four hundred and eighty-three years after the command to restore and build Jerusalem, Daniel 9:25,26, and clearly this period had not yet elapsed.

7:31
And many of the people believed on him, and said, When Christ cometh, will he do more miracles than these which this man hath done?

And many of the people believed on him- we have come across imperfect faith in John 2:23-25, and there it was because they were enthusiastic about His miracles, and believed on Him simply as a miracle-worker. The Lord did not commit to them on such a basis. Here the belief seems to be of a similar sort, perhaps prompted by the Lord’s allusions to His healing of the impotent man.

And said, When Christ cometh, will he do more miracles than these which this man hath done? This imperfect faith is for them only an interim one, until the proper Messiah comes. They probably still cling to the notions expressed by the Lord’s brothers at the beginning of the chapter, that the Messiah is necessarily, and only, a glorious conquering hero, a warrior-king who shall subdue their enemies. They are prepared to accept that He worked miracles, for who could honestly deny it? But they did not make the connection the Lord appealed for when He speaks of His works bearing testimony to His person.

Later on, many would resort to Him when He went beyond Jordan, and they said, “John did no miracle, but all things that John spake of this man were true”. So the ability to work a miracle is not the test for whether a man is a true prophet. After all, the False Prophet will do miracles, Revelation 13:14. John then tells us, “And many believed on him there”, John 10:40,41. So whether Christ could do few or many miracles was immaterial. And by extension, whether Christ did few or many miracles does not determine whether He is the true Messiah.

7:32
The Pharisees heard that the people murmured such things concerning him; and the Pharisees and the chief priests sent officers to take him.

The Pharisees heard that the people murmured such things concerning him- these hostile men, who were looking for a suitable opportunity to rid themselves of Christ, take advantage of the murmurings of the people, as they discuss whether Jesus of Nazareth is a good man or not, a deceiver or not, the Christ or not.

And the Pharisees and the chief priests sent officers to take him- the Pharisees think it a good time to arrest Him, when the people are undecided about Him, but they cannot act without the authority of the chief priests, who controlled the temple courts. Despite the fact that in normal times they were at odds over doctrine, (for the chief priests were mainly Sadducees), they are united in their desire to destroy Christ. The return of the arrest party mentioned here is recorded in verses 45-52.

7:33
Then said Jesus unto them, Yet a little while am I with you, and then I go unto him that sent me.

Then said Jesus unto them- the Lord’s response to the plan to send an arrest party is to continue teaching, in order that it might be made very clear who it is the authorities wish to arrest. This will expose their wickedness.

Yet a little while am I with you- in the face of a threatened arrest, the Lord assures the people that He will be with them a little while longer. He knows His Father’s will, and that the authorities have no power to arrest Him until God’s time comes. This is not just a prediction, but is also a warning, that they have not much longer to hear His teaching and believe on Him.

And then I go unto him that sent me- further, instead of being at the mercy of the Jews, He makes His own dignified way to heaven, by way of the cross. The one who sent Him is the one who shall welcome Him back with honour. He will not be recalled from His mission, as if He has failed, but will Himself go in the full consciousness that He has done the Father’s will. He will sit down on the right hand of the Majesty on high, having maintained the majesty of God in the world, Hebrews 1:3.

7:34
Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither ye cannot come.

Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me- they could very easily find Him in the temple courts with an arrest party, but when He left them to go to the Cross, He would no longer be available to them in person. They should take the opportunity that was presented to them there and then. They should seek Him in the best sense, with the desire to hear and believe His word. Those who do this are promised a welcome and salvation.

And where I am, thither ye cannot come- when He had gone back to heaven, He would be out of their reach. Note the “where I am”, not “where I shall be”, for the Lord Jesus was conscious of being in His Father’s presence at all times. He is “the only-begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father”, John 1:18. Compare 3:13, “the Son of Man which is in heaven”. If they do not seek the Lord while he may be found, and call upon him while he is near, Isaiah 55:6, they will certainly not be able enter heaven where He is.

7:35
Then said the Jews among themselves, Whither will he go, that we shall not find him? will he go unto the dispersed among the Gentiles, and teach the Gentiles?

Then said the Jews among themselves- they very pointedly avoid speaking directly to Him, but discuss among themselves this matter. They clearly have no intention of seeking His help.

Whither will he go, that we shall not find him? Being unbelieving, their horizon is limited to earth. They would perhaps not be prepared to mingle with the Gentiles if that is where He was going. How ignorant these men are, for He has told them in verse 33 that He is going back to Him that sent Him. They have failed to see that this means back to heaven.

Will he go unto the dispersed among the Gentiles, and teach the Gentiles? Being Jews, they would not be free to associate with Gentiles, but they would be prepared to go amongst the Jews of the diaspora, those who were still scattered after being taken into captivity.

7:36
What manner of saying is this that he said, Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither ye cannot come?

What manner of saying is this that he said- they reason that perhaps His “manner of saying” is in the form of a parable, whose solution evades them. They would rather, like many today, remain in doubt, than apply to Him for light. Indeed, they have already been given the light, but they prefer the darkness of ignorance and unbelief.

Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither ye cannot come? They have heard His words correctly, for they quote them word for word. It is the meaning of the words that escapes them. It is possible to know the letter of the Word of God, but not understand its meaning because the will has put up barriers to accepting it.

(c)   7:37-8:1
The feast of tabernacles and water from the rock

Introduction to the section
The feast of tabernacles was one of rejoicing, for the harvest and vintage was safely gathered in, and Israel could relax and reflect on the goodness of God to them. Not just for the previous year, but also in the historical past. Had He not supplied their needs in the wilderness, giving them bread from heaven and water from the rock? To commemorate the latter, there had grown up a ceremony carried out during the feast of tabernacles. Whether it was done every day of the feast, or only on the last day is not clear, since the actual ceremony is not detailed in Scripture.

The procedure, according to Jewish historians, was as follows. Three companies would assemble in the temple courts. One to prepare the altar; another with palm branches they had cut down, with which they decorated the altar; a third to follow a priest as he made his way to the Pool of Siloam, where he would fill a golden urn with water and make his way back to the temple courts. As that company returned with him, they sang such words as “Save now, I beseech thee, O Lord: O Lord, I beseech thee, send now prosperity.” Psalm 118:25, and, “Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.” Isaiah 12:3. Arriving at the altar, the water would be poured through a silver funnel situated at the corner of the altar. The Jews saw in the pouring out of the water a prefiguring of the pouring out of the Spirit when Messiah comes, as Joel 2:28,29 foretells.

Little did they realise, however, that there was one in their midst who could bring in the reality of which this ceremony was a faint foreshadowing. After all, had they not used the word “yeshua” as they sang about the wells of salvation? This is the Hebrew equivalent of the name “Jesus”. So, unwittingly, they had said that Jesus was the well of salvation!

7:37
In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.

In the last day, that great day of the feast- so we have been told that Christ went up to the feast at its beginning, that about the middle of the week He had started to teach, and now it is the last day. The feast of tabernacles was a seven-day feast, like the passover and unleavened bread festivals, but it had a unique addition, an eighth day which was a sabbath. Now it is possible that the water-ceremony took place on each of the days, so that all who attended the temple courts could have an opportunity of seeing it and participating in the joy of it. Now it is the last day of the last feast, and the religious calendar of Israel is in its closing hours, and the last water-pouring is going on at that very moment.

Jesus stood and cried, saying- He had cried in verse 28, but had not stood to do so, for He intended to continue teaching, and this was done from a sitting position. Here He rises from the teacher’s seat, and stands as one able to command the attention of the people, and offer them the highest blessing. When God promised water from the rock, He said to Moses, “Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb”, Exodus 17:6. Horeb is a range of mountains of which Sinai is a part, and is called the mountain of God in Exodus 3:1. It is closely associated with the Law, therefore, as we see from Malachi 4:4. But instead of standing in association with the giving of the Law, the Lord stands in grace to offer joy beyond that which law-keeping could bring.

With impeccable timing, a voice rang out across the temple courts, possibly during that interval as the altar received its final preparations for the sacrifice. With loud voice, full of earnestness and power, One stands in those courts claiming that He, Jesus, “Yeshua”, is the true well of salvation. His words were clear and confident, and He is claiming to be the true rock whence flows that water which satisfies the thirst once and for all.

If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink- for all their enthusiastic singing, every one in the crowd would have to admit to an unsatisfied longing in the heart. Sing about joy as they might, they realised they had not yet found its true source. It was the last day of the last feast, and religion had nothing more to offer them. Yet here in their midst was one claiming to fulfil their deepest longing. Did they truly thirst for the things of God, for righteousness? Then let them come to Him and drink. So doing, they will find true joy and salvation.

7:38
He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

He that believeth on me- this gift is to all who believe in Him. A Gentile does not have to embrace Judaism to receive it. The apostle Paul makes clear that Jew and Gentile have been made to drink into one Spirit when they believed, 1 Corinthians 12:13. Not “made to drink” as if unwilling, but made to drink by force of circumstances, for there is only one thing to drink. Every believer has the Spirit as a gift from God the moment they believe. Galatians 3:2 and Romans 8:9, and other scriptures besides, make that abundantly clear. The verses the people have quoted as they followed the priest with the golden churn of water spoke of joy, the joy of salvation. Yet those who believe are not always as joyous as they might be, which is why the apostle prayed that the Lord might fill us “with all joy and peace in believing”, Romans 15:13. So the secret is in the believing, that trustful attitude of heart which causes us to lean upon Him, and not rely on ourselves. Even the apostle made the mistake of looking within himself in Romans 7. He used the words “I” and me” over 40 times, and concluded the chapter with the words “O wretched man that I am”, which is no surprise, because only those whose lives are governed in practice by the Spirit of God have real joy, for they “joy in God”, Romans 5:11.

When we think of those things which should give us joy, we think of things which are outside of ourselves, such as fellowship with the Father and the Son, 1 John 1:3,4; hearing of other believers walking in the truth, 3 John 4; hearing of sinners believing, Acts 11:20-23; even tribulations, for they are part of God’s process of educating and refining us, Romans 5:3. Yet the fact is that as believers we too often hew to ourselves cisterns, broken cisterns, which hold no water, Jeremiah 2:13. And by so doing we forsake the fountain of living waters, God Himself. In the modern world we are confronted by a bewildering array of means of entertainment. Yet each one is a broken cistern! Why do we take so long to realise it?

Occupation with that spurious joy the world offers will bring barrenness into our souls, and coldness into our hearts. And this will translate into having nothing worthwhile to say when we come together to remember the Lord. The old preachers used to tell us that what we did on Saturday evening would affect what we did on Sunday morning. And they were right- although why limit it to Saturday evening?

When the Lord spoke to the Samaritan woman about water, He indicated that it was the Spirit of God, who would motivate and energise the believer to worship the Father. There would be an up-flow. In this chapter there is an out-flow, for the Saviour promises that after we have come to Him to drink, there flows out of our belly, or innermost being, rivers of living water. And this “as the scripture hath said”. Apparently the readings in the synagogue for feast of tabernacle week included one from Ezekiel 47:1-12, which foretold that a living stream of water would flow from within the millenial temple, and eventually reach the sea. If this is the allusion, how significant it is, for the believer’s body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, 1 Corinthians 6:19. Just as there shall be an outflow from the physical temple in a day to come, so there should be an outflow from the temple of the believer now.

We may learn important lessons from Ezekiel’s experience at the side of that river. The prophet first found the waters to be ankle-deep, reminding us that the Spirit enables the believer to walk in the Spirit, Galatians 5:16,25. Like the man at the beautiful gate of the temple, our ankle bones have received strength. Acts 3:7. Then the water was to the prophet’s knees, reminding us that a Spirit-led walk is fostered by Spirit-led prayer, “praying in the Holy Ghost”, Jude 20. Then the waters were to the loins, reminding us that the apostle bowed his knees in prayer that the believers might be strengthened in might by His Spirit in the inner man, Ephesians 3:14-16. Finally, the prophet found there was water enough to swim in, too deep to cross, enough to immerse himself in, reminding us that the native environment for the Christian is the Spirit, for we are no longer in the flesh, but in the Spirit, Romans 8:9.

Note that the water is in the form of rivers, plural. The psalmist said, “There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High.” Psalm 46:4. And Zechariah foretold, “And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and winter shall it be.” Zechariah 14:8. So having issued forth from under the threshhold of the house, they divide, and one stream goes to the former sea, that is, the Dead Sea, and the other to the Mediterranean.

7:39
(But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified).

(But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive- at this point John, who writes for the world, not just Jews, explains to us the meaning of this saying. The water Christ offers is the Spirit of God. To have Him within is to have the source of true joy within. For the Spirit will always point to Christ and glorify Him, thus filling the believer with joy as he contemplates Him, see John 16:14.

For the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified). John makes clear that this receiving of the Spirit as one who dwells within, (as opposed to being upon a person as in Old Testament times), could not happen until Jesus was glorified. Not, indeed, glorified at His coming to the earth as Israel’s Messiah, (the event at the back of the minds of the Jews in the temple courts that day), but when He would return to heaven after the cross, for God raised Him up from the dead and gave Him glory, 1 Peter 1:21. There is not to be a long delay, but it is necessary that the foundation of all blessing is firmly laid at Calvary, before the Spirit can be given. The Spirit of God does not indwell sinners. Only those who have repented and believed are fit recipients of the great blessing. So when a person believes in Him and is given the Spirit of God, that belief includes belief in Him as the one who was crucified, buried and raised.

7:40
Many of the people therefore, when they heard this saying, said, Of a truth this is the Prophet.

Many of the people therefore, when they heard this saying, said, Of a truth this is the Prophet- the prophet promised by God in Deuteronomy 18:18 would be like unto Moses, but would bring the word of God to them without the terror of Sinai. They recognise that Christ is of that character, but sadly do not progress to real faith in Him.

7:41
Others said, This is the Christ. But some said, Shall Christ come out of Galilee?

Others said, This is the Christ- they are speaking of the Prophet and Christ as two different people, as their leaders did in John 1:20,21 in their questioning of John the Baptist. Even the Samaritans did not make this mistake, John 4:19,42. To these, who only accepted the five books of Moses, the prophet of Deuteronomy 18 was the only prophet expected, yet they called Him Christ also. The apostle Peter left the Jews in no doubt that He was the same person, Acts 3:22-26, for he quoted the words of Deuteronomy 18 in connection with Christ.

But some said, Shall Christ come out of Galilee? Matthew records the move of the Lord from Nazareth to Capernaum as being in fulfilment of Isaiah 9:1,2. The contrast in that passage is between the march of the ruthless Assyrians through the land on the “Way of the Sea”, the highway that swept down from the north, along the coast, inland through the Plain of Megiddo, and so out of Palestine, through Damascus, and back to Babylon. This conquering army would bring darkness, gloom and death in its wake. The coming of Christ to the same region, however, would result in light, life and salvation. It could be said, therefore, that Christ did come out of Galilee, for He made Capernaum His base. So He came out of Nazareth of Galilee as to His hidden years, and came out of Capernaum of Galilee as to His public years in ministry.

7:42
Hath not the scripture said, That Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was?

Hath not the scripture said, That Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was? Others emphasise that the Messiah is the son of David, and therefore must come from where David was before he became king. These are right also, for Micah 5:2 had foretold the birthplace of Christ, Bethlehem Ephratah, a city in the territory of Judah, and David’s home town.

7:43
So there was a division among the people because of him.

So there was a division among the people because of him- those who reject the truth that Christ came down from heaven must expect to be in the dark about Him. They are limited in their thinking to earthly locations, but the most important point is that He came from the Father.

7:44
And some of them would have taken him; but no man laid hands on him.

And some of them would have taken him- when He stated that some of them were going about to kill Him, they protested that it was not true, verse 19,20, and that He must have a devil if He suggested such a thing. Here the Lord is vindicated for His accusation, for they did wish to arrest and execute Him.

But no man laid hands on him- this would include those sent to arrest Him, as we read in the next verse. It seems that some, in their apparent zeal for the law, were willing to take the initiative, and not wait for the authorities to act.

7:45
Then came the officers to the chief priests and Pharisees; and they said unto them, Why have ye not brought him?

Then came the officers to the chief priests and Pharisees; and they said unto them, Why have ye not brought him? He has no bodyguards, the crowds would not be prepared to shield Him, He is a lone and apparently defenceless man confronted by the armed guards of the Temple Police. They cannot think what would prevent His arrest.

7:46
The officers answered, Never man spake like this man.

The officers answered, Never man spake like this man- such was the power of the word of Christ, such was the newness of His doctrine, such was the greatness of His claims, that they could not bring themselves to believe that they had been sent to the right man. They had probably been led to believe that their target was a rabble-rousing pretender to the Messianic throne, stirring up the people to revolt.

7:47
Then answered them the Pharisees, Are ye also deceived?

Then answered them the Pharisees, Are ye also deceived? The authorities at once think in terms of themselves being right, without for a moment considering whether they may be wrong. Such is the stubbornness of unbelief. They imply that if they as teachers in Israel believe something, then it must be true. They are not only arrogant but stubborn.

7:48
Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him?

Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him? They speak as if they are the test of truth, such is their pride. The apostle Paul, (an ex-Pharisee), tells us that the princes of this world were ignorant, 1 Corinthians 2:8. Such was their blindness, they would not have crucified the Lord if they believed it would advance God’s truth.

7:49
But this people who knoweth not the law are cursed.

But this people who knoweth not the law are cursed- they dismiss the obvious response to their statement, that there are thousands of ordinary folk that believe in Him. That must be, they say, because they do not understand the law, and are therefore under the judgment of God. But as the apostle Paul wrote later, “But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; and base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are.” 1 Corinthians 1:27,28. They were right in thinking that to know the law brought a blessing, but they ignored the fact that to know it and not respond believingly to it, brought a curse even for a Pharisee.

7:50
Nicodemus saith unto them, (he that came to Jesus by night, being one of them,)

Nicodemus saith unto them- perhaps Nicodemus was moved to action by the question, “Have any of the rulers believed on him?” He knows that the implication of that question is that none have. His sense of right impels him to speak up. He has been criticised for not openly confessing Christ until the end., but at least he was amongst the Sanhedrin at this moment to offer a word of wisdom.

(he that came to Jesus by night, being one of them,) John describes him in a two-fold way in his aside, (note the comma between the two phrases in the text), “He that came to Jesus by night”, and “being one of them”. He is torn between the two, but thankfully sided publicly with Christ at the cross, John 19:39.

7:51
Doth our law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth?

Doth our law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth? The law of Moses, which they say the people do not know, they claim to know. And it requires that no penalty may be inflicted before the judges have satisfied themselves about the details of the case. In the particular case of one who claims to be a prophet, they must assess his teaching by hearing him, hence the “hear him”, and then they must assess what the effect of his teaching is, hence the “know what he doeth”. Luke is happy to record that which Jesus began both to do and teach, Acts 1:1.

7:52
They answered and said unto him, Art thou also of Galilee? Search, and look: for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet.

They answered and said unto him, Art thou also of Galilee? Their response to Nicodemus is not a fresh resolve to re-assess the teachings of Christ, and to note what the effect of His teaching is. They have long ago made up their minds about Him. Their only response to Nicodemus was to ridicule him, and to suggest he was no better than the “ignorant” rustics from unsophisticated Galilee. The Galileans were looked down on by the men of Jerusalem as being unlearned. They are accusing Nicodemus of being like one of these, instead of an “orthodox” Jerusalemite and Pharisee. Perhaps this answer finally convinced Nicodemus that it was no longer appropriate for him to associate with these men.

Search, and look: for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet- God said He would raise up the Prophet, but He did not say from where. So it was perfectly right to state that the prophet did not necessarily come from Galilee. In their arrogance they do not think it possible for anyone of learning to arise from Galilee, and not from Jerusalem. But this prophet does not depend upon the schools of the Rabbis for His insight.

Do they mean “Search and look in the Old Testament prophecies”, or, “Search and look at the situation as it is currently in Israel”? Had they forgotten that Jonah was from Gath-Hepher, a place in the territory of Zebulon, in Galilee? 2 Kings 14:25. See also Joshua 19:10,13.

7:53
And every man went unto his own house.

And every man went unto his own house- it was customary for the residents of Jerusalem and the surrounding areas to offer hospitality to those who had come from foreign lands to worship at the feast. It is a sad commentary on the state of heart of these people that at such a time, The Visitor, not from the uttermost parts of the earth, but from heaven itself, was not entertained, for Jesus went to the Mount of Olives, 8:1. It is still sadly true that oftentimes the Lord’s people are not given hospitality as they should, so that yet again the Lord is left outside, for “inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not unto me”, and, “I was a stranger, and ye took me not in”, Matthew 25:45,43.

As He sat upon the Mount of Olives, perhaps the Lord mused on the scriptures that spoke of the rivers of living water, as found in Zechariah 14. Living waters shall go forth from Jerusalem in a coming day, and the Lord shall be King over all the earth, but only after His feet have stood on the Mount of Olives when He comes to judge and reign. That will be the signal for the true feast of tabernacles to begin, the rest and rejoicing of the kingdom age. But His feet must be nailed to a cross first.

“Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.

And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be. And the Lord shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one Lord, and his name one.

And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles.” Zechariah 14:4,8,9,16.