About the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and began teaching. The Jews therefore marveled, saying, “How is it that this man has learning, when he has never studied?” So Jesus answered them, “My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me. If anyone's will is to do God's will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority. The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood. Has not Moses given you the law? Yet none of you keeps the law. Why do you seek to kill me?” The crowd answered, “You have a demon! Who is seeking to kill you?” Jesus answered them, “I did one work, and you all marvel at it. Moses gave you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath. If on the Sabbath a man receives circumcision, so that the law of Moses may not be broken, are you angry with me because on the Sabbath I made a man's whole body well? Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.”Half-way through the feast, Jesus makes a move. He had been hidden until now or hadn't shown up yet. Now, these Jews who had been looking for him, finally get word of him now that he has made himself known. He does so by teaching in the temple. This begins the first of three questions (plus one extra) the Jews or the crowd has of Jesus.
Some of the people of Jerusalem therefore said, “Is not this the man whom they seek to kill? And here he is, speaking openly, and they say nothing to him! Can it be that the authorities really know that this is the Christ? But we know where this man comes from, and when the Christ appears, no one will know where he comes from.” So Jesus proclaimed, as he taught in the temple, “You know me, and you know where I come from. But I have not come of my own accord. He who sent me is true, and him you do not know. I know him, for I come from him, and he sent me.” So they were seeking to arrest him, but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come. Yet many of the people believed in him. They said, “When the Christ appears, will he do more signs than this man has done?”
The Pharisees heard the crowd muttering these things about him, and the chief priests and Pharisees sent officers to arrest him. Jesus then said, “I will be with you a little longer, and then I am going to him who sent me. You will seek me and you will not find me. Where I am you cannot come.” The Jews said to one another, “Where does this man intend to go that we will not find him? Does he intend to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks and teach the Greeks? What does he mean by saying, ‘You will seek me and you will not find me,’ and, ‘Where I am you cannot come’?”
On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
When they heard these words, some of the people said, “This really is the Prophet.” Others said, “This is the Christ.” But some said, “Is the Christ to come from Galilee? Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the offspring of David, and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was?” So there was a division among the people over him. Some of them wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him.
The officers then came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, “Why did you not bring him?” The officers answered, “No one ever spoke like this man!” The Pharisees answered them, “Have you also been deceived? Have any of the authorities or the Pharisees believed in him? But this crowd that does not know the law is accursed.” Nicodemus, who had gone to him before, and who was one of them, said to them, “Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he does?” They replied, “Are you from Galilee too? Search and see that no prophet arises from Galilee.”
John 7:14-52
Question 1: Teaching
The Jews therefore marveled, saying, “How is it that this man has learning, when he has never studied?”Jesus' teaching was so amazing that it caused the Jews to marvel. It was quite a feat to amaze the religious leaders. Can you imagine someone teaching the bible in front of a group of well known biblical theologians and amazing them? You might think or expect this person to also be a pastor or theologian of some sort. However, this would be truly amazing if this person were instead an electrician and had never gone to bible school. This is what Jesus did. He had never formally studied the Torah or studied under a Rabbi. He was a carpenter. And this lowly carpenter taught in such a way that caused the religious leaders to marvel. They must have known that he was a carpenter and knew that he had never studied under a rabbi since they commented that "he had never studied".
v15
Obviously, Jesus could easily amaze them because he's God. He created all and knows all. But they didn't know that and they didn't believe in him. If they believed in him it would make more sense to them, but they were clearly confused.
Answer 1: God
So Jesus answered them, “My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me.Where does Jesus' teaching come from? It comes from the one who sent him. It comes from God. This is the answer to why he has learning when he has never studied.
v16
Teaching Source and Implications
v17-18
To claim that your teaching came from God is a giant claim, especially since Jesus never formally studied. So, Jesus goes on to explain how they will know or prove what Jesus says. The test is about their will or intention. If they really do intend to follow God and do his will, then they will know if his teaching is really from God. This in itself is perhaps an attack against the Jewish leaders. They claim to be in the know about God, but if they truly were about God then they would know if Jesus' teaching is from God. In other words, the fact that they don't know that his teaching is from God shows that they don't really will to do God's will.
It's interesting to note the contrast Jesus makes with regards to his teaching being from God. Jesus contrasts teaching from God to speaking on his own authority. In other words, there are really only two options: either the teaching is from God or the teaching is his own. This is very important, because it is about the origin of the teaching. Where did Jesus really get his teaching that caused the Jews to marvel?
Jesus goes on to explain the ramifications for teaching that comes from ones own self or teaching that comes from God. Jesus quickly moves on to refer to teaching that comes from ones own self as speaking on ones own authority. Those who speak on their own authority seek their own glory. They're really about themselves and making themselves look good. Essentially, they're selfish and self-proclaimers. These people are in direct contrast to Jesus, whose teaching comes from God. Jesus seeks the glory of God, and not his own glory. Jesus speaks the truth and not lies. And I guess by saying that, Jesus is calling the opposition (those who speak on their own authority) liars.
Those false teachers are so eager to win your favor, but their intentions are not good. They are trying to shut you off from me so that you will pay attention only to them.Galatians 4:17 is a verse that highlights what Jesus is talking about here. False teachers desire to win favor, but their true intention is really about their own glory. Just like here in John 7, they speak lies and seek their own glory. I guess they are one in the same because the Jews in John 7 are speaking falsehood, and so they are also false teachers.
Galatians 4:17 (NLT)
An Example: Moses and the Law
v19-24
The Jews were seeking to kill Jesus for healing on the Sabbath. Why is healing on the Sabbath such a big deal to the Jews? The Jews were just trying to follow the commandments and in particular the ones surrounding the Sabbath.
“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
Exodus 20:8-11
Moses assembled all the congregation of the people of Israel and said to them, “These are the things that the Lord has commanded you to do. Six days work shall be done, but on the seventh day you shall have a Sabbath of solemn rest, holy to the Lord. Whoever does any work on it shall be put to death. You shall kindle no fire in all your dwelling places on the Sabbath day.”You'll notice that it doesn't say anything about healing someone. Instead, the command is against doing work on the Sabbath. So, what constitutes as doing work? The Jews made all kinds of rules about what work was and what work wasn't so they could know what they could do and what they could not do on the Sabbath. Unfortunately, they were obviously incorrect in persecuting Jesus for healing on the Sabbath as he will attempt to show them.
Exodus 35:1-3
Here in chapter 7, Jesus brings up Moses in order to show them their error. Specifically, Jesus brings up Moses' law of circumcision. According to Genesis 17 and Leviticus 12, an eight day old male is to be circumcised. Jesus points out that it is possible for the circumcision to fall on the Sabbath and the Jews would have no issue with circumcising someone on the Sabbath if it happened to fall on that day. However, the Jews have a problem with Jesus healing someone on the Sabbath. This begs the question, "Why is it okay to circumcise a person on the Sabbath, but not okay to heal a person on the Sabbath?" Jesus even describes it as "I made a man's whole body well". So another way to compare it is the effect on the body. Circumcision has to do with the genitals of a boy, but the healing Jesus did affects the entire body.
Jesus uses this example to show the Jews their error in their judgment. He ends by telling them to "judge with right judgment" and not by appearances. The Jews are clearly wrong in their judgment of Jesus. This also applies to their teaching. This has very much to do with what they teach and since they are shown to be wrong, it shows that their teaching is in error. Since the original question had to do with Jesus' teaching, we not only see Jesus' teaching for what it is, but also the Jews' teaching for what it is.
Reaction 1
v15, 20
In reaction to his teaching, initially the crowd marveled. They were surprised, saying "how is it that this man has learning, when he has never studied". His teaching surprises them and it is unexpected coming from a man who has never studied. However, after hearing his response, they respond by saying: “You have a demon! Who is seeking to kill you?” They may have marveled at his teaching earlier, but they are now insulting him. AMP translates it this way: “You have a demon [You are out of Your mind]! Who wants to kill You?” It is interesting how quickly the crowd turns on Jesus. They are clearly repulsed and perhaps a bit confused with regards to his response.
Question 2: Christ (Origin/Commission)
v25-27
The people react and are surprised at what they are seeing. There is a man, Jesus, whom the Jews seek to kill. However, the Jews cannot say anything in response to Jesus. It would be typical for the Jews to have something to say and perhaps condemn Jesus for something that he has done. Since they were people of the Old Testament Law, they probably would've fought back against Jesus using the Old Testament Law as their basis. Sadly, they have no leg to stand on and cannot say anything. The Jews have been put in their place and are unable to assert their dominance over a single man. As a result, the people wonder whether the authorities (the Jews) actually believe Jesus to be the Christ. Is Jesus really the messiah that they have been waiting for all this time?
The possibility that Jesus really is the Christ is quickly distinguished. The people conclude that he cannot be the Christ because they know where Jesus comes from. Because they know his origin, he cannot be the Christ since "when the Christ appears, no one will know where he comes from". The people answer the question themselves, but they have failed to ask the question which Jesus asks (and answers): who sent Jesus?
Answer 2: God
v28-29
There are three main things that Jesus states in his answer to them. They can all be found in verse 29.
Firstly, Jesus knows God. This is in contrast to Jesus' earlier statement saying, "and him you do not know". This is also in contrast to their seeming knowledge of Jesus himself. They don't actually know Jesus nor do they know God, but Jesus knows him. The people of Jerusalem were the ones who were most likely to know God. Sadly, though they may have thought they did, God's chosen people did not know God.
Secondly, Jesus comes from him. The people claim to know where Jesus came from. This probably meant that they knew his parents and the place where he grew up. This is similar to when the Jews took offense to Jesus' claim that he was the bread that came down from heaven. In response to this, the Jews claim to know Jesus' father and mother. But the people do not know that Jesus actually came from God.
Lastly, Jesus was sent by God. Jesus is following orders from the Father. This shows his obedience to the Father. It also shows that the reason for his actions are ultimately from the Father and not himself. His sender is in contrast to their "knowing" of him. They may "know" Jesus, but they don't know who sent him. In missing this they have missed an important factor when it comes to Jesus.
If we step back for a second and look at all three of these points, we should consider how they are all connected. It is important to recognize that the main point is that Jesus knows God. The fact that Jesus came from God and was sent by God are explanations of why or how he does in fact know God. This is shown in verse 29 when the word "for" (or "because" in NLT") is used to connect "I know him" to the rest of the verse. The fact that Jesus came from the Father and was sent by the Father explains why Jesus knows the Father.
Reaction 2a: Arrest Attempt
v30
The people react to Jesus' words by trying to arrest him. It doesn't specify what caused this, but it must've been something Jesus said. There was something in Jesus' words that caused some of the people to take offense. However, they were unsuccessful in their arrest attempt. They were so unsuccessful that they weren't even able to lay a hand on him. They couldn't even touch him. The text doesn't describe this much further, so we don't really know the details of this arrest attempt and how it was foiled. We only know that they were unsuccessful.
Though we may not know the details of how the arrest was attempted and foiled, we know why they failed to arrest Jesus. The reason why they weren't able to arrest him was "because his hour had not yet come". It wasn't yet time for Jesus to be arrested. There is this pre-appointed time for Jesus to be arrested and this time wasn't it. Things seem to be working according to plans that have been set in motion. The attempts of the people to arrest Jesus will not thwart these plans. Though this is probably not the best example, I am reminded of Psalm 2.
Why do the nations rageThese kings and rulers and nations and peoples plot against the Lord, but God just laughs at them. They can't do anything.
and the peoples plot in vain?
The kings of the earth set themselves,
and the rulers take counsel together,
against the Lord and against his Anointed, saying,
“Let us burst their bonds apart
and cast away their cords from us.”
He who sits in the heavens laughs;
the Lord holds them in derision.
Then he will speak to them in his wrath,
and terrify them in his fury, saying,
“As for me, I have set my King
on Zion, my holy hill.”
Psalm 2:1-6
I am also reminded of Nebuchadnezzar's account in Daniel 4. After God made him like an animal, this is what happened:
At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever,There is nothing anyone can do in the face of God and his plans. As it says, "none can stay his hand".
for his dominion is an everlasting dominion,
and his kingdom endures from generation to generation;
all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing,
and he does according to his will among the host of heaven
and among the inhabitants of the earth;
and none can stay his hand
or say to him, “What have you done?”
Daniel 4:34-35
Reaction 2b: Belief
v31
Even though some sought to arrest Jesus, there are actually many who believe in Jesus. They can't even comprehend someone showing more signs than Jesus, saying “When the Christ appears, will he do more signs than this man has done?” This is a big development in the book thus far. So far, there are only a few who have expressed belief or support in Jesus: The Disciples, John the Baptist, Mary (?), The woman from Samaria, many Samaritans, an Official and his household. Far more reject and oppose Jesus than accept him. This probably the first time a group of Jews accept Jesus (aside from John the Baptist and the Disciples). To be fair, in the previous chapter the crowd sought after Jesus and wanted to make him king. However, that wasn't really belief in Jesus, but it was because they ate their fill of the loaves.
Reaction 2c: Arrest (by the Pharisees and Chief priests)
v32
Now, this case is a bit different but I guess it kinda fits in here. The reason why it doesn't really fit is because this is not a reaction to Jesus. Instead, the Pharisees and chief priests are reacting to the reaction that the crowd has to Jesus. They are not reacting to those in the crowd who seek to arrest Jesus, but those who now believe in Jesus. They hear the crowd muttering the things they are saying about Jesus and this causes the Pharisees and the chief priests to react.
The reaction of the Pharisees and the chief priests is to send officers to arrest Jesus. I guess if they cannot say anything in response to Jesus, they must resort to quieting him another way. In this case, it does not say that Jesus was able to evade their attempts, but we can assume that they were unsuccessful. Perhaps what Jesus says to them stops them in their tracks?
Question 3: Jesus' lead-up to the question
v33-34
The Pharisees and chief priests send officers to arrest Jesus. So what does Jesus do? First, spoiler alert: they don't arrest him. Second, he kinda taunts them. He tells them that he is "going to him who sent me", that they will look for him but not find him, and that they cannot come to where he is going. In response to what Jesus says comes the question: "where is Jesus going?"
The text doesn't actually make mention of whether or not Jesus was arrested. However, I think it's safe to assume that he wasn't arrested by them. First of all, it mentioned earlier that his hour had not yet come (v30). It doesn't say how much time has passed from verse 30 to verse 36, but I think it's safe to say that his hour still has not yet come. Also, we know when his hour comes and that's when they do in fact arrest him in the garden (ch 18).
Jesus begins his "taunt" by telling them "I am going to him who sent me". It's not just that, but he also says "I will be with you a little longer". So he is telling them that he is leaving, but only after remaining for a little longer. The amount of time he stays or when he leaves isn't specified, it is simply stated as "a little longer". But even if we aren't told when, we know he is going to the Father, who is the one who sent him. He was sent by the Father, and soon he is returning. I guess this doesn't really sound like much of a taunt, but you need to keep mind the fact that they are trying to arrest him. In spite of their attempts, Jesus claims to be in control of where and when he chooses to go.
Jesus continues by saying "You will seek me and you will not find me". What's interesting is that they will in fact seek him. If you think about it, if Jesus goes away, why would they seek him? They hate Jesus and for him to disappear shouldn't be a problem to them. That's actually a good thing, isn't it? I'll be that in their minds it doesn't even make sense that they would seek him if he were to disappear or leave. They even wonder about this statement, trying to discern Jesus' meaning (v36). As you may already know, it is because of the way in which Jesus leaves that causes them to seek for him. Jesus rose from the dead and was seen by many eyewitnesses. The Jews sought to find his body to prove that he was still dead, but they could not find him.
Jesus ends by saying "Where I am you cannot come". They will not be able to find him and this is mostly because they cannot come to where he is. Jesus is going back to the Father and that is exactly where they cannot go. Though Jesus does not explain why they cannot come, we can understand why from what Jesus has already said. The fact is that they do not believe in Jesus, the one whom the Father has sent. This is why they cannot come.
Question 3: Where is Jesus Going?
v33-36
As a result of what Jesus has just said, the Jews begin to have a number of different questions that they ask themselves. Their main question is, "where does Jesus intend to go?" It's not as if Jesus is simply claiming to go to the corner store. He is claiming to go to somewhere where they cannot find him. The Jews do have one possibility, and that is that Jesus plans to go to the Dispersion. To them, this was one place that Jesus could realistically go to that they could not find him.
The text ends this little incident with the Jews questioning. It doesn't say that they tried to arrest Jesus again or that they even bothered to ask Jesus to clarify himself. They are simply left questioning among themselves. It's really too bad that they question among themselves because Jesus has already given the answer in what he said. He already said, "I am going to him who sent me". They remain questioning and they have not come to believe in Jesus.
The Last Day: Jesus' Words
v37-39
On the last day of the feast, Jesus has one last thing to say. This last day is an important day and the climax of the feast. Jesus uses this opportunity to say something quite important to coincide with this important day.
On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’”Jesus is inviting the people who are thirsty to come and drink. This is quite an odd statement, but not that odd if you consider what he said in previous chapters. In chapter 4, Jesus told the woman at the well that the water he gives will become a spring of water welling up to eternal life (4:14). In chapter 6, Jesus said, "I am the bread of life" (6:35) and told them that this bread was his flesh (6:51). Jesus is inviting people to come and believe in him.
John 7:37-38
Jesus is not only inviting people to believe in him, but he is also telling them what will happen if they do. Though, they won't literally have a river of water flowing out of their heart, there will certainly be an exponential and beautiful change from a drink to a river of living water. Here, Jesus is actually referring to the Holy Spirit, which the believers were to receive. However, this is not to happen yet. We actually get an interesting bit of information here because the text explains that it hinges on Jesus being glorified.
The Last Day: Reaction - Some People Believe
v40-41
We know how the Jews feel about Jesus, but now we get to see the reaction of the people. The first reaction is of belief. Some believe that Jesus is the Prophet and some believe that Jesus is the Christ. These words that Jesus has spoken move some of the people to believe in him.
The Last Day: Reaction - Some People Disbelieve
v41-44
In contrast to those who believe in Jesus, there are some of the people who do not believe in Jesus. Instead, they begin to question Jesus' origin. They wonder if Jesus could really be the Christ since he is from Galilee. They find it hard to believe that Jesus is the Christ since the Christ is supposed to come from Bethlehem and is supposed to be from the offspring of David. There are things they bring up as reasons why they do not believe that Jesus is the Christ However, Jesus is of the lineage of David and he was born in Bethlehem. Jesus could've easily told them that, and maybe he did and it is not written here. Though perhaps they still would not believe. Earlier in this chapter, Jesus does address his origin and perhaps if his answer was not enough for them they still would not believe if Jesus told them he was born in Bethlehem and is of the lineage of David.
We also learn a little bit about what results from this disbelief. It does not say much about the actions of those who believe. However, of those who do not believe, not only do they pose these questions, some wanted to arrest Jesus. Perhaps these are the exact same people who wanted to arrest Jesus back in verse 30. Just like that verse, they are unable to arrest him.
The Last Day: Reaction - Officers
v45-46
We see officers return to the chief priests and Pharisees. They are returning because they were initially sent to arrest Jesus and have decided not to arrest Jesus. The chief priests and Pharisees obviously wonder why they are returning empty handed. So, their answer is that they were amazed with Jesus' words. His words are so amazing that they decided to not arrest Jesus. It is quite amazing that these officers who were initially sent to arrest Jesus end up not going through with it because of Jesus' words.
The Last Day: Chief Priests and Pharisees
v47-49, 52
The chief priests and Pharisees are obviously in opposition to Jesus. They send officers to arrest Jesus with no success. Upon hearing that the officers choose not to arrest Jesus, they say that the officers have been deceived. To them, anyone who is a follower or believer in Jesus is obviously deceived. To back up their case, they point to the authorities and the Pharisees. To them, the fact that none of the authorities or Pharisees have believed in Jesus is solid evidence that Jesus is deceiving them. What's interesting is that they are doing exactly what Jesus taught about earlier in this chapter. They are speaking from their own authority and pointing to their own authority as proof that Jesus is wrong. Unfortunately, they do not seek the glory of God but instead seek their own glory.
The Last Day: Nicodemus
v50-52
Nicodemus chooses this moment to add his two cents. In case readers missed this, the text reminds us that this is the same Nicodemus from chapter 3 who met secretly with Jesus. We are also reminded that Nicodemus was one of them (a Pharisee). Nicodemus points out that according to the law, a man must be given a hearing before he is convicted. He is pointing out that these people are going ahead with arresting Jesus before properly hearing him out. Nicodemus seems to be on Jesus' side or at least is not against Jesus like the rest of the Pharisees. Interestingly, he is an example of a Pharisee that does believe in Jesus. The Pharisees argued that since none of the authorities or Pharisees believed in Jesus, Jesus was obviously deceiving them. But their argument doesn't really stand since Nicodemus is an example of a Pharisee who seems to believe in Jesus. In any case, the chief priests and Pharisees dismiss Nicodemus's words. To them, Jesus being from Galilee is enough proof that Jesus is not a prophet and not to be believed in.
The Result: Division
There are many things going on in this chapter. Jesus says a lot of different things and people have many different questions and there are many different reactions as a result. Some people believe in Jesus and some people want to arrest Jesus. There are some, like the religious leaders, who you might expect to believe in Jesus but do not. Yet, there are some, like the crowds, who you might not expect to believe in Jesus but do. Even the officers, who were supposed to arrest Jesus, seem to have a change of heart. Or better yet, Nicodemus who was one of the Pharisees stands up for Jesus. We see that Jesus creates division because you must stand on one side or the other. Is he truly sent by God or one deserving of arrest? There is division when it comes to Jesus.
I am reminded of Jesus' words in Matthew 10
“Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a person's enemies will be those of his own household. Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.Matthew 10:34-39
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