Commentary on the Four Gospel Books
The Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ
G084 The Lord Jesus Attends the Festival of Tabernacles
and Teaches in the Temple
John 7:1-24

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All the Bible verses quoted in this article are from the King James Version, unless otherwise noted.

John 7:1-24

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

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

3 His brethren therefore said unto Him, Depart hence, and go into Judaea, that Thy disciples also may see the works that Thou doest.

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.

5 For neither did His brethren believe in Him.

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

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

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

9 When He had said these words unto them, He abode still in Galilee.

10 But when His brethren were gone up, then went He also up unto the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret.

11 Then the Jews sought Him at the feast, and said, Where is He?

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.

13 Howbeit no man spake openly of Him for fear of the Jews.

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

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

16 Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not Mine, but His that sent me.

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.

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.

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

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

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

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.

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?

24 Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.

In this lesson, we will learn about the event where the Lord Jesus returned to Jerusalem to attend the Feast of Tabernacles and teach in the Temple of God.

John 7:1

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” refers to the events recorded in chapter 6. The events in chapter 6 occurred before the Passover. What we are studying now took place during the Feast of Tabernacles. These two feasts are about six months apart. This means that John omitted many of the Lord Jesus’ teachings and works during that time frame. However, the Holy Spirit used Matthew, Mark, and Luke to record what the Apostle John did not include. Since John was likely the last to write a book about the Lord Jesus, he may have avoided repeating what Matthew, Mark, and Luke had already written, except for some significant events concerning the divinity of the Lord Jesus.

Although many Israelites lived in Galilee, they were not as fanatically devoted to Judaism as those living in Judea, where the Holy City of Jerusalem was located and served as the center of Jewish authority. For this reason, the Lord Jesus chose to avoid traveling in Judea to prevent persecution before the appointed time.

John 7:2

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

The Feast of Tabernacles mentioned here refers to the one that fell on Monday, September 14, 26 AD, before the Passover of 27 AD, during which the Lord Jesus was crucified. Please refer to the article “The Day of the Lord’s Death and the Day of the Lord’s Resurrection” on the website preachingfromthebible.net [1] to see how comparing biblical events with historical data allows us to determine the exact dates of the Lord’s death and resurrection. From there, we can also deduce the dates of other events recorded in the Bible.

The phrase “εσκηνωσεν εν” (G4637 G1722) means “to encamp in,” translated as “to dwell among,” which means to live with and integrate into someone’s environment. The Feast of Tabernacles symbolizes the Word of God becoming flesh, living among mankind on earth (John 1:14), to preach the Gospel and accomplish the redemption of humanity. It also foreshadows Christ’s presence among people on earth during the Millennial Kingdom (Revelation 20:1-6) and God and the Word, in the name of the Lamb, dwelling among people in the Eternal Kingdom (Revelation 21-22).

The first Sabbath of the Feast of Tabernacles, which falls on the 15th day of the seventh month, symbolizes the rest God’s people will enjoy from the corruption of this sinful world in the Millennial Kingdom. The last Sabbath, on the 22nd day of the seventh month, symbolizes the eternal rest from all suffering and labor in the Eternal Kingdom. This final Sabbath is also referenced in Hebrews 4:9-10.

John 7:3-5

3 His brethren therefore said unto Him, Depart hence, and go into Judaea, that Thy disciples also may see the works that Thou doest.

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.

5 For neither did His brethren believe in Him.

At that time, the Lord Jesus was renowned for His teaching and His power to heal all kinds of diseases and cast out various demons throughout the land of Canaan, including regions of the Gentiles, such as the cities of Sidon, Tyre, and the areas east of the Jordan River. However, His brothers still did not believe that He was the Christ, as they did not see Him showing any desire to become king. They wanted the Lord Jesus to become even more famous and likely hoped that He would soon rise as king of Israel to overthrow the Roman Empire’s rule.

They wanted Him to go to Judea, specifically to Jerusalem, to perform the miracles He had done in Galilee. The Feast of Tabernacles was a major festival that required every male Israelite aged 20 and above to come to Jerusalem, according to the law. Therefore, the Feast of Tabernacles presented a significant opportunity, lasting seven days, with both the first and eighth days being Sabbaths, for the Lord to reveal Himself to the public. Not only did Israelites from all over gather in Jerusalem, but many Gentiles also came to trade and visit. If the Lord Jesus were to perform miracles publicly during this time, it would indeed mean He “shew Himself to the world.”

However, this was not the will of *God. The Lord Jesus did not come into the world to do His own will or the will of anyone else, but only to do the will of *God:

“For I came down from heaven, not to do Mine own will, but the will of Him that sent Me.” (John 6:38)

The Lord Jesus would go to Jerusalem to attend the Feast of Tabernacles as required by law, but He would not “show Himself to the world” as suggested by His brothers.

The brothers of the Lord Jesus believed that the miracles He performed were from God. They regarded Him as a prophet sent by God, based on His teachings and miracles. However, they did not believe that He was the Christ. In their view, the Christ was expected to be the leader of Israel, restoring the Kingdom of Israel. Perhaps their attitude was one of “waiting to see.”

John 7:6-9

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

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

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

9 When He had said these words unto them, He abode still in Galilee.

“My time is not yet come” does not refer to the time to go up to Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles, but rather to the time to “show Himself to the world.” However, the Lord Jesus’s showing Himself to the world would not be as His brothers imagined. He would reveal Himself to the world by being hung on the cross to die, completing the redemption of humanity from the power and consequences of sin.

His self-showing would not only be for the world at that time but for generations to come, until the new heavens and new earth are established. The sacrifice of the Lord Jesus on the cross will be remembered at the final judgment so that all who rejected His atoning death will fully realize the depth of their regret. At that moment, they will kneel and glorify the Lord Jesus for the love He showed them.

“Wherefore *God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:9-11).

“Your time is always ready” means that the Lord’s brothers could reveal themselves to the world at any time and in any way they chose, as their self-showing would not cause the world to hate or kill them. However, when the Lord Jesus reveals Himself to the world, the world will hate Him and put Him to death. This was certain to happen, but it had to occur at the appointed time set by *God, and that time had not yet come.

The Lord Jesus would indeed go to Jerusalem to attend the Feast of Tabernacles, but He could not go many days in advance. If He did, the Pharisees would send people to arrest Him before the festival began. Therefore, the Lord Jesus told His brothers to go ahead to the feast while He remained in Galilee for the time being.

In our walk with the Lord, especially in serving Him, we must learn when to act in alignment with *God’s will. We can only discern *God’s will through a close relationship with Him. This relationship is not limited to the moments we set aside for prayer but extends throughout the day and night as we meditate on His Word and converse with Him in our spirit. Even in our sleep, we can commune with the Triune God when our spirit is directed toward Him. This is the essence of “I sleep, but my heart waketh” (Song of Songs 5:2).

John 7:10-13

10 But when His brethren were gone up, then went He also up unto the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret.

11 Then the Jews sought Him at the feast, and said, Where is He?

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.

13 Howbeit no man spake openly of Him for fear of the Jews.

We do not know how long after the Lord Jesus’ brothers went up to Jerusalem that He followed. However, He traveled discreetly, as if acting in secrecy. It is possible that He did not travel with the larger group of disciples but only with Peter, John, and James. Perhaps He and the three disciples avoided traveling near other groups of people. They may have refrained from stopping at roadside shops. It’s also possible that the Lord Jesus and the three disciples wore scarves to cover their heads and faces discreetly. They might have chosen a less-traveled route, such as the one passing through Samaria.

At that time, the Lord Jesus’ fame had spread widely, so many people deliberately searched for Him at the festival. Knowing that He was required to attend the festival according to the law, they kept an eye out for Him. Those who had previously heard His teachings and witnessed His miracles longed to experience more of Him. However, those who had not yet heard Him teach or seen Him perform miracles were skeptical about the testimonies concerning Him.

The people whispered among themselves about Him. There were two opposing viewpoints. Some said He was a good man, implying that He was a prophet. However, many others, perhaps those who had only heard reports and had not witnessed the Lord Jesus teaching or performing miracles, believed that He was a deceiver of the people. The miracles that the Lord Jesus performed were hard to believe if one had only heard about them without seeing them firsthand. Nevertheless, the crowd did not dare openly discuss the Lord Jesus. His fame had caused the authorities in Judaism, namely, the elders, the priests, and the teachers of the law, to be jealous and make life difficult for anyone who spoke about Him.

The term “Jews” is derived from the name of the tribe of Judah among the people of Israel. After King Solomon’s death, the nation of Israel was divided into two kingdoms. The northern kingdom retained the name Israel and consisted of ten tribes. The southern kingdom was named Judah, comprising the tribes of Judah, Benjamin, and Levi. The northern kingdom, because of its sins and lack of repentance, was destroyed by *God through the Assyrian Empire in 722 BC (2 Kings 17). The southern kingdom, also due to its sins and lack of repentance, was destroyed by *God through the Babylonian Empire in 587 BC (2 Kings 24-25). The people of Jerusalem were exiled for 70 years in Babylon. After the 70-year exile, they were allowed to return and rebuild Jerusalem and the Temple of God. From then on, the people of Israel were collectively referred to as “Jews.” However, the phrase “the Jews” in this context implies those in positions of authority within Judaism.

John 7:14-15

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

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

Verse 14 does not mean that the Lord Jesus only arrived to attend the festival in the middle of it. He had to be present from the very beginning of the festival, as mandated by the law. However, He only entered the Temple in the middle of the festival for the purpose of teaching. This was the first time He taught in the Temple.

During the time of the Lord Jesus, the people of Israel learned to read and write through the Scriptures at synagogues. Children in Israel began to memorize verses from the Scriptures around the age of five. They could start learning at home or at the synagogue. Usually, there were two classes at the synagogue: a primary class for ages 5 to 12, and a secondary class for ages 13 to 15. The classes were taught by scribes or rabbis, who were the teachers of the law. In addition, larger cities had advanced classes taught by rabbis to train future rabbis. These classes could be held in the private homes of the rabbis. The scribes taught the basic meanings and reading and writing of the Scriptures. The rabbis taught the deeper meanings of the Scriptures and how to apply them to life. Students were encouraged to ask questions and debate with each other about the meanings of the Scriptures. Many students followed the rabbis, living with them to learn their way of life.

The phrase “the Jews” still implies the powerful elite within Judaism. They knew well that the Lord Jesus was not a disciple of any of them, so they were astonished at His literacy, specifically His ability to read and understand the Scriptures. In the time of the Lord Jesus, those who taught the Scriptures would often open the Bible, read a passage, and then explain the meaning of that passage. When the powerful figures in Judaism saw the Lord Jesus reading and interpreting the Scriptures, they were very surprised by His understanding of them. In fact, when the Lord Jesus was 12 years old, He had engaged in discussions about the Scriptures with the rabbis, astonishing them with His understanding and responses (Luke 2:46-47).

John 7:16-18

16 Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not Mine, but His that sent me.

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.

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.

Although the Jews did not directly ask the Lord Jesus, He spoke up to address their concerns. His teaching comes from the One who sent Him, which is *God. The words of the Lord Jesus help us understand that He received direct instruction from *God. *God taught Him His will for humanity so that He could reveal it to them.

Anyone who listens to the Lord Jesus’ teaching and wishes to follow it will recognize whether that teaching comes from *God or is based on the Lord Jesus’ personal opinions. We understand that those who want to follow the teachings of the Lord Jesus are believers in those teachings, and thus God, in the person of the Holy Spirit, grants them understanding of what they hear and believe. As a result, they gain insight into the Scriptures and recognize that the teachings of the Lord Jesus are in accordance with the Scriptures and come from *God. The teachings of the Lord Jesus do not aim to glorify Himself but to honor the Scriptures, which means to honor *God. Honoring the Scriptures by preaching them and living according to them is indeed honoring *God. The Word of God teaches that “Thou hast magnified Thy Word above all Thy name” (Psalm 138:2).

A person who is called by the Lord to preach His Word with a heart that honors *God possesses wisdom from God to teach the truth. That person “is true, and no unrighteousness is in him,” meaning there is no sin in him. Many preach the Word of God with pride and arrogance. Their preaching does not come from *God; even if they correctly convey the meaning of the Word of God, their preaching is based on their own opinions, not according to the will of *God. Today, there are many individuals who take upon themselves the role of preaching the Word of God or are appointed by religious organizations that bear the name of the Lord. They are not genuine preachers of the Word of God. Anyone with a heart that believes and lives according to the Word of God will discern who the true preacher of the Word is and who the false preacher is.

John 7:19-20

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

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

The Ten Commandments of *God form the foundation of *God’s law, received by Moses from *God and passed on to the people of Israel. Among them, the fifth commandment prohibits the sin of murder (Exodus 20:13; Deuteronomy 5:17). Yet the Jewish leaders, who claimed to understand the Word of God and preach it, sought to kill the Lord Jesus. They were the law teachers, yet in their hearts, they deliberately broke the law. Jesus directly called out their secret sins.

The crowd listening to Jesus teach reacted strongly to His accusatory question. Most of them had come from various places to Jerusalem for the festival, so they were unaware of the plot to kill the Lord by the authorities in Judaism in Jerusalem.

The phrase “Thou hast a devil” was a common expression among the people of Israel when they believed that someone was speaking or acting abnormally. A typical case is that of John the Baptist:

“For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil.” (Matthew 11:18)

“For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine; and ye say, He hath a devil.” (Luke 7:33)

Specifically regarding the Lord Jesus, there were at least four occasions when they said He had a devil.

John 7:21

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

What the Lord Jesus did that astonished those following Judaism was His healing of a sick person at the Pool of Bethesda on a Sabbath day (John 5:1-18). They were amazed because His healing of the sick was less surprising, but the fact that He healed on the Sabbath was much more remarkable. At that moment, they sought to kill Him because He healed on the Sabbath and called *God His Father.

The people of Israel did not understand that on the Sabbath, it is permissible to do good and help one another. Judaism had misinterpreted the meaning of the Sabbath and imposed many additional laws regarding it, turning the observance of the Sabbath into a burden.

There is a strange thing about the people of Israel: they acknowledge the Scriptures affirming that *God is their Father and they are His children (Exodus 4:22; Deuteronomy 32:6; Isaiah 63:16; Jeremiah 31:9), yet they accused the Lord Jesus of blasphemy for calling *God His Father. This demonstrates that they neither truly understood nor genuinely believed in the Scriptures.

John 7:22-23

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.

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?

The term “therefore” in verse 22 means: because of the good deeds allowed to be done on the Sabbath, as the Lord Jesus did.

Circumcision was commanded by *God to the patriarch of the people of Israel, Abraham (Genesis 17:10-14). Later, Moses, following *God’s command, reiterated the practice of circumcision to the people of Israel. *God’s command was that male children born to the descendants of Abraham and the servants bought should be circumcised on the eighth day after birth, regardless of what day of the week it fell on. Because of this, the people of Israel consistently performed circumcision for their sons on the eighth day after birth. This means that circumcision was performed on the Sabbath. It is a good deed, as it follows *God’s command.

In fact, the Lord Jesus’ healing required no labor. He only needed to speak a word or make a few gestures. In terms of effort, the person performing the circumcision expended more time and energy than the Lord Jesus did when healing. The Lord Jesus healing many people was *God’s will and a blessing from *God for humanity.

The Lord Jesus compared the Israelites being circumcised on the Sabbath to avoid violating *God’s law, as passed down by Moses, with His healing the sick to grant them relief from their ailments. Both are good deeds that are permitted on the Sabbath. Additionally, during the time of Joshua, the people of Israel obeyed *God’s command and walked around the city of Jericho for seven days, including the Sabbath. Because of this, the people of Israel today still attack their enemies on the Sabbath.

John 7:24

24 Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.

Judging by appearances means judging according to the way the law is applied and based on the surface meaning of the text. For example, if one judges by appearances, the priests replacing the Showbread and offering sacrifices every Sabbath would be considered a violation of the prohibition against work on the Sabbath.

Judging righteously means judging based on the standard that all actions must reflect *God’s love and mercy, promote the common good, ensure security for everyone, and align with the purpose of God’s Word, glorifying *God.

A person truly obeys the law of *God only when they understand the purpose behind the laws He has enacted. When one comprehends the purpose of each law, then no law becomes a burden (1 John 5:3) but rather a source of joy and blessing for those who follow it. Psalm 119 consists of songs that celebrate the joy and blessings of living according to *God’s laws.

We conclude this lesson here.

May the Holy Spirit guide us into all the truths of God’s Word (John 16:13). May the Word of God sanctify us (John 17:17). May the Faithful *God of Peace Himself sanctify our spirit, soul, and body entirely, without blame (1 Thessalonians 5:23), at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, our Beloved Savior. Amen!

Timothy Christian Huynh
Priscilla Christian Huynh
10/19/2024

Notes:

[1] https://preachingfromthebible.net/the-day-of-the-lords-death-and-the-day-of-the-lords-resurrection/

About Using “*God” and “holy spirit”

Wherever the Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts of the Bible uses a definite article with a noun to denote GOD, we translate it into English as *God or “the God” to refer to God the Father. We understand that “God,” without a definite article, was used as a collective noun for all and any of the three Persons of the Godhead. And “God,” with a definite article, was used to refer to God the Father.

In the Greek manuscripts of the New Testament, the term “holy spirit” (πνευματι αγιω) without the definite article “the” (το) is used to denote the power of God, which is given by God the Holy Spirit. “The Holy Spirit” (το πνευματι το αγιω) is God, and “holy spirit” (πνευματι αγιω) is the power that comes from God.