John 7 (KJV)

John 7:1–13

Jesus and his brothers

After these things Jesus walked in Galilee: for he would not walk in Jewry, because the Jews sought to kill him. Now the Jews’ feast of tabernacles was at hand. His brethren therefore said unto him, Depart hence, and go into Judæa, that thy disciples also may see the works that thou doest. 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 neither did his brethren believe in him. Then Jesus said unto them, My time is not yet come: but your time is alway ready. The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil. Go ye up unto this feast: I go not up yet unto this feast; for my time is not yet full come. When he had said these words unto them, he abode still in Galilee.

But when his brethren were gone up, then went he also up unto the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret. Then the Jews sought him at the feast, and said, Where is he? 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. Howbeit no man spake openly of him for fear of the Jews.

As the autumn Feast of Booths approaches, Jesus' brothers urge him to go to Judea and show himself publicly; John notes they did not believe in him. Jesus says his time has not yet come and stays behind, then later goes up to Jerusalem quietly. There, the crowds argue about him in low voices.

What does this mean?

"The feast of tabernacles" (KJV) or "Feast of Booths" (WEB) is the festival Jews call Sukkot. "My time" echoes Jesus' "hour" (2:4). "Shew thyself" means show yourself.

Historical context

At Booths, families lived in temporary shelters made of branches, remembering Israel's journey through the wilderness and celebrating the harvest; it was one of three pilgrimage festivals that drew crowds to Jerusalem. "Brothers" of Jesus are named in Mark 6:3. Christians differ on whether they were sons of Mary and Joseph, Joseph's sons by an earlier marriage, or cousins.

Why does it matter?

In verse 13, people who are themselves Jewish are afraid of "the Jews", which shows that John often uses the term for the authorities rather than the Jewish people as a whole. Chapters 7 and 8 are set during this festival.

Editorial notes, not scripture.

John 7:14–24

Teaching in the temple at Booths

Now about the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and taught. And the Jews marvelled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned? Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself. 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. Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keepeth the law? Why go ye about to kill me? The people answered and said, Thou hast a devil: who goeth about to kill thee? Jesus answered and said unto them, I have done one work, and ye all marvel. 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. 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? Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.

Midway through the festival, Jesus teaches openly in the temple. People wonder how he is so learned without formal training. Jesus says his teaching comes from the one who sent him, and he defends his Sabbath healing: if a boy may be circumcised on the Sabbath, why not make a whole man well?

What does this mean?

"Letters" means learning, particularly the formal study of Scripture under a teacher. "Hath a devil" (KJV) or "have a demon" (WEB) was a way of calling someone mad or deluded. "Judge righteous judgment" means judge fairly, not by appearances.

Historical context

The law required boys to be circumcised on the eighth day after birth, even if that day was a Sabbath, so one command could take priority over another. Jewish teachers debated exactly such cases. Jesus' "one work" refers back to the Sabbath healing at Bethesda in chapter 5.

Why does it matter?

The question of where Jesus' authority comes from runs throughout these chapters. Typically in John, the crowd and the authorities react differently: the crowd denies anyone is trying to kill him, though the reader knows otherwise (5:18, 7:1).

Editorial notes, not scripture.

John 7:25–36

Where does the Christ come from?

Then said some of them of Jerusalem, Is not this he, whom they seek to kill? But, lo, he speaketh boldly, and they say nothing unto him. Do the rulers know indeed that this is the very Christ? Howbeit we know this man whence he is: but when Christ cometh, no man knoweth whence he is. 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. But I know him: for I am from him, and he hath sent me. Then they sought to take him: but no man laid hands on him, because his hour was not yet come. 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?

The Pharisees heard that the people murmured such things concerning him; and the Pharisees and the chief priests sent officers to take him. Then said Jesus unto them, Yet a little while am I with you, and then I go unto him that sent me. Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither ye cannot come. 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? 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?

Some Jerusalem residents wonder whether the leaders now think Jesus is the Christ, but object that they know where he comes from. Jesus answers that they do not know the one who sent him; many believe, and the chief priests and Pharisees send officers to arrest him. Jesus says he will soon go where they cannot come.

What does this mean?

"The Dispersion" (WEB), or "the dispersed among the Gentiles" (KJV), means Jews living outside the land of Israel, scattered across the Greek-speaking world. "Officers" were temple police under the chief priests.

Historical context

Some Jewish traditions held that the Messiah's origins would be hidden until he appeared, which explains verse 27. The chief priests were the leading priestly families who controlled the temple; working with some Pharisees, they formed much of the Jerusalem leadership.

Why does it matter?

John often uses irony: the speakers think they know where Jesus comes from (Nazareth), while the Gospel's readers know from the prologue that he comes from God. The phrase "his hour had not yet come" explains why repeated attempts to seize him fail until the time of his death.

Editorial notes, not scripture.

John 7:37–44

Rivers of living water

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

Many of the people therefore, when they heard this saying, said, Of a truth this is the Prophet. Others said, This is the Christ. But some said, Shall Christ come out of Galilee? Hath not the scripture said, That Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was? So there was a division among the people because of him. And some of them would have taken him; but no man laid hands on him.

On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus cries out that anyone who is thirsty should come to him and drink, and that rivers of living water will flow from within the one who believes. The narrator explains this refers to the Spirit. The crowd divides over whether he is the prophet, the Christ, or neither.

What does this mean?

"Belly" (KJV) means one's inner being. "Glorified" in John often refers to Jesus' death and resurrection as the moment his glory is revealed.

Historical context

Later Jewish sources describe a ceremony during the Feast of Booths in which water was drawn from the pool of Siloam and poured out at the altar, with prayers for rain. If this was practised in Jesus' day, as many scholars think, his words would have had special force. The Scripture Jesus refers to in verse 38 is not clearly identified; several passages have been suggested.

Why does it matter?

Some in the crowd object that the Christ must come from Bethlehem, not Galilee. Matthew and Luke place Jesus' birth in Bethlehem; John does not mention it, and interpreters differ on whether the passage is ironic.

Editorial notes, not scripture.

John 7:45–53

Nicodemus speaks up

Then came the officers to the chief priests and Pharisees; and they said unto them, Why have ye not brought him? The officers answered, Never man spake like this man. Then answered them the Pharisees, Are ye also deceived? Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him? But this people who knoweth not the law are cursed. Nicodemus saith unto them, (he that came to Jesus by night, being one of them,) Doth our law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth? They answered and said unto him, Art thou also of Galilee? Search, and look: for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet. And every man went unto his own house.

The officers return without Jesus, saying no one has ever spoken like him, and the Pharisees scorn them and the crowd that "doesn't know the law". Nicodemus, one of their own, asks whether the law condemns a man without first hearing him, and is mocked as a Galilean. Then everyone goes home.

What does this mean?

"Rulers" are members of the governing council. "Cursed" here is contemptuous, meaning ignorant and beyond help. The claim that no prophet comes from Galilee is surprising, since 2 Kings 14:25 says Jonah came from a Galilean town; one early manuscript reads "the prophet".

Historical context

Jewish law did require that an accused person be heard before being condemned, so Nicodemus' point was legally sound. Verse 53 begins the story of the woman taken in adultery, which continues into chapter 8. That passage, 7:53 to 8:11, is in the KJV and WEB but absent from the earliest manuscripts.

Why does it matter?

Nicodemus moves from a night-time enquirer (chapter 3) to a cautious defender, and later appears at Jesus' burial (19:39).

Editorial notes, not scripture.