John Chapter 7

From The Open Bible Project

7:1 After these things, Jesus was walking in Galilee, for he wouldn't walk in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill him.

7:2 Now the feast of the Jews, the Feast of Booths, was at hand.

• (a) This feast was so called because of the booths and tents which they made out of different types of boughs, and sat under them seven days altogether; and during this entire time the feast went on.

7:3 His brothers therefore said to him, "Depart from here, and go into Judea, that your disciples also may see your works which you do.

• (1) The grace of God comes not by inheritance, but it is a gift that comes in another way: because of this it occurs that the children of God often suffer more affliction from their own relatives than from strangers.

7:4 For no one does anything in secret, and himself seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, reveal yourself to the world."

7:5 For even his brothers didn't believe in him.

• (b) His relatives: for the Hebrews used to speak in this way.

7:6 Jesus therefore said to them, "My time has not yet come, but your time is always ready.

• (2) We must not follow the foolish desires of our friends.

7:7 The world can't hate you, but it hates me, because I testify about it, that its works are evil.

7:8 You go up to the feast. I am not yet going up to this feast, because my time is not yet fulfilled."

7:9 Having said these things to them, he stayed in Galilee.

7:10 But when his brothers had gone up to the feast, then he also went up, not publicly, but as it were in secret.

• (3) An example of horrible confusion in the very bosom of the Church. The pastors oppress the people with terror and fear: the people seek Christ, when he does not appear: when he offers himself, they neglect him. Some also that know him condemn him rashly: only a very few think well of him, and even then in secret.

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

7:12 There was much murmuring among the multitudes concerning him. Some said, "He is a good man." Others said, "Not so, but he leads the multitude astray."

7:13 Yet no one spoke openly of him for fear of the Jews.

• (c) Or, boldly and freely: for the majority of the Jews wanted nothing more than to extinguish his fame and his name.

7:14 But when it was now the midst of the feast, Jesus went up into the temple and taught.

• (4) Christ uses goodness to strive against the wickedness of the world: in the meanwhile most men are offended even by that fame by which they ought to have been stirred up to embrace Christ.
• (d) About the fourth day of the feast.

7:15 The Jews therefore marveled, saying, "How does this man know letters, having never been educated?"

7:16 Jesus therefore answered them, "My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me.

• (5) Therefore there are few to whom the gospel appeals, because the giving of serious attention to godliness is very rare.
• (e) See above in (John 5:22); and he speaks this in accordance with the opinion of the Jews, as if he said, "My doctrine is not mine, that is, it is not the doctrine of myself, whom you consider to be just a mere man and therefore treat me lightly, but it is his that sent me."

7:17 If anyone desires to do his will, he will know about the teaching, whether it is from God, or if I am speaking from myself.

7:18 He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory, but he who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.

• (6) The true doctrine of salvation differs from the false in this, that the true doctrine sets forth the glory of God, and the false doctrine by puffing up men, dishonouring the glory of God.

7:19 Didn't Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keeps the law? Why do you seek to kill me?"

• (7) None boast more confidently that they themselves are the defenders of the law of God than they that break it most impudently.

7:20 The multitude answered, "You have a demon! Who seeks to kill you?"

7:21 Jesus answered them, "I did one work, and you all marvel because of it.

• (8) The sabbath day (which is here set before us as a standard of all ceremonies) was not appointed to hinder, but to further and practise God’s works, amongst which the main one is the love of our neighbour.

7:22 Moses has given you circumcision (not that it is of Moses, but of the fathers), and on the Sabbath you circumcise a boy.

7:23 If a boy receives circumcision on the Sabbath, that the law of Moses may not be broken, are you angry with me, because I made a man completely healthy on the Sabbath?

• (f) That is to say, if the law of circumcision which Moses gave matters so much to you that you do not hesitate to circumcise upon the sabbath, do you rightly reprove me for thoroughly healing a man?

7:24 Don't judge according to appearance, but judge righteous judgment."

• (9) We must judge according to the truth of things, lest men turn us from the truth and carry us away.
• (g) By the show that I make: for I seem to be a despicable person from among the rabble of Galilee, and a carpenter’s son, whom no man considers to be very important: but mark the matter itself well, and judge the tree by the fruit.

7:25 Therefore some of them of Jerusalem said, "Isn't this he whom they seek to kill?

• (10) Many marvel that the endeavours of the enemies of God have no success, but in the meanwhile they do not acknowledge the strength and power of God.

7:26 Behold, he speaks openly, and they say nothing to him. Can it be that the rulers indeed know that this is truly the Christ?

7:27 However we know where this man comes from, but when the Christ comes, no one will know where he comes from."

• (11) Men are very wise to have checks and balances for their own thoughts.

7:28 Jesus therefore cried out in the temple, teaching and saying, "You both know me, and know where I am from. I have not come of myself, but he who sent me is true, whom you don't know.

• (12) The truth of Christ does not depend upon the judgment of man.

7:29 I know him, because I am from him, and he sent me."

7:30 They sought therefore to take him; but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come.

• (13) The wicked cannot do what they desire, but what God has appointed.

7:31 But of the multitude, many believed in him. They said, "When the Christ comes, he won't do more signs than those which this man has done, will he?"

7:32 The Pharisees heard the multitude murmuring these things concerning him, and the chief priests and the Pharisees sent officers to arrest him.

• (14) As the kingdom of God increases, so increases the rage of his enemies, till at last they seek in vain for those missing blessings which they despised when they were present.

7:33 Then Jesus said, "I will be with you a little while longer, then I go to him who sent me.

7:34 You will seek me, and won't find me; and where I am, you can't come."

7:35 The Jews therefore said among themselves, "Where will this man go that we won't find him? Will he go to the Dispersion among the Greeks, and teach the Greeks?

• (h) Literally, "to the dispersion of the Gentiles" or "Greeks", and under the name of the Greeks he refers to the Jews who were dispersed among the Gentiles.

7:36 What is this word that he said, 'You will seek me, and won't find me; and where I am, you can't come'?"

7:37 Now on the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink!

• (15) There are two principles of our salvation: the one is to be thoroughly touched with a true feeling of our extreme poverty: the other to seek in Christ only (whom we catch hold of by faith) the abundance of all good things.
• (i) The last day of the feast of tabernacles, that is, the eighth day, was as celebrated a day as the first.

7:38 He who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, from within him will flow rivers of living water."

• (k) The scripture being referred to is not found anywhere word for word, but rather Christ seems to be referring to many different places where mention is made of the gifts of the Holy Spirit; see (Joel 2:28-29; Isaiah 44:3) and especially (Isaiah 55:1-13).

7:39 But he said this about the Spirit, which those believing in him were to receive. For the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus wasn't yet glorified.

• (l) What is meant by the Holy Spirit he expressed a little before, speaking of the Spirit which they that believed in him should receive. So that by the name of Holy Spirit are meant the powers and mighty workings of the Holy Spirit.
• (m) That is, those things were not yet seen and perceived which were to show and set forth the glory of the only begotten.

7:40 Many of the multitude therefore, when they heard these words, said, "This is truly the prophet."

• (16) There is contention even in the Church itself about the main point of religion: neither has Christ any more cruel enemies than those that occupy the seat of truth: yet they cannot do what they would.

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

7:42 Hasn't the Scripture said that the Christ comes of the seed of David,[19] and from Bethlehem,[20] the village where David was?"

7:43 So there arose a division in the multitude because of him.

7:44 Some of them would have arrested him, but no one laid hands on him.

7:45 The officers therefore came to the chief priests and Pharisees, and they said to them, "Why didn't you bring him?"

• (17) God scorns from heaven those who are his Son’s enemies.

7:46 The officers answered, "No man ever spoke like this man!"

7:47 The Pharisees therefore answered them, "You aren't also led astray, are you?

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

• (18) False pastors are so stupid and foolish that they consider the Church of God to be of value according to the number of people in it, and from the outward show of it.

7:49 But this multitude that doesn't know the law is accursed."

7:50 Nicodemus (he who came to him by night, being one of them) said to them,

7:51 "Does our law judge a man, unless it first hears from him personally and knows what he does?"

• (n) What the one who is accused has committed.

7:52 They answered him, "Are you also from Galilee? Search, and see that no prophet has arisen out of Galilee.[21]"

7:53 Everyone went to his own house,

• (19) There is no counsel against the Lord.