John 7:1–9

  ¹ After these things Jesus walked in Galilee; for He did not want to walk in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill Him. ² Now the Jews’ Feast of Tabernacles was at hand. ³ His brothers therefore said to Him, “Depart from here and go into Judea, that Your disciples also may see the works that You are doing. ⁴ For no one does anything in secret while he himself seeks to be known openly. If You do these things, show Yourself to the world.” ⁵ For even His brothers did not believe in Him. ⁶ Then Jesus said to them, “My time has not yet come, but your time is always ready. ⁷ The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it that its works are evil. ⁸ You go up to this feast. I am not yet going up to this feast, for My time has not yet fully come.” ⁹ When He had said these things to them, He remained in Galilee.

Commentary

Vs. 1 “After these things Jesus walked in Galilee; for He did not want to walk in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill Him.”

 Having declared His Word openly and shown Himself to be the Son of God in Judea; indeed, Jesus was declared as much by His Father; Jesus now walks in Galilee (the northern part of Israel) because the Jews in Judea (the southern region) sought to kill Him. Now the Jews mentioned here generally is indicating the leadership of the Jews that was centered in Judea. For these hated Jesus most bitterly, though this does not exclude the people there.

Vs. 2 “Now the Jews’ Feast of Tabernacles was at hand.”

 The Feast of Tabernacles was a yearly Jewish feast at the end of the harvest. In keeping it Israel was to recall how God made Israel dwell in booths when He delivered them from Egypt (Lev. 23:39-44; Deut. 16:13-17), and as with the other feasts all the males in Israel were required to attend it.

Vs. 3-5 ³ His brothers therefore said to Him, “Depart from here and go into Judea, that Your disciples also may see the works that You are doing. ⁴ For no one does anything in secret while he himself seeks to be known openly. If You do these things, show Yourself to the world.” ⁵ For even His brothers did not believe in Him.

 The Lord Jesus Christ’s brothers now urge Him to go to Judea to prove Himself to His disciples that He is the Messiah, and thus show Himself openly to the world as such (vs. 3-4). Now this they say to Him after His disciples had departed from Him, and thus they are not saying this as men who believed in Him, rather in their own unbelief, they too are only seeking proof of His Messiahship from Him. Nonetheless both His Word and His Works prove that He is the Messiah! And later His death on the Cross and Resurrection from the grave will solidify it in the hearts and minds of all who will come to believe in Him. For who can deny the Presence and Power of His Holy Spirit now working in through all His disciples after His Ascension back to God in heaven! And yet the ones closest to Jesus, by family association, did not want to see Jesus (at that time) as the One come from God to them. Nonetheless their cynicism about Him now will later change into true faith as they themselves will later become disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ. Finial note: Jesus brothers here are those whom Mary bore after the birth of Jesus, for until then she had remained a virgin, and thus they were the naturally conceived sons of Joseph.

 Vs. 6 Then Jesus said to them, “My time has not yet come, but your time is always ready.

 Here the Lord Jesus makes it clear that His time, i.e. manifestation to the world will not come yet, at least not until His Death and Resurrection and then Ascension, for then the Holy Spirit being poured out will convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. For then no one can deny what they themselves feel and experience (John 16:7-10). That said, when the Lord Jesus Christ Himself is revealed to the world in all of His heavenly glory, it will be for the Judgment of this world, and at that time it will be a terrifying time for the world, and those who belong to it and the ruler of it! Now that Jesus says to them that their time is always ready, means that at anytime they could come and go as they please with no one regarding them. For the world does not see anyone who agrees with, (or aligns themselves with it), as a “threat,” only those who take a stand against its ungodly works and ways. The preacher of righteousness then is never more unwelcomed (and persecuted) then when he comes into contact with the world, and those who belong to it. Which may explain why many preachers much prefer to preach to the congregation, then preach repentance to the world! And yet it is only by repentance towards God and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ that the world maybe saved!

Vs. 7 “The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it that its works are evil.”

 Therefore, the Lord Jesus Christ makes it clear that world cannot hate them, His brothers, or anyone else who is living according to it. However, it hates Him, (and all who belong to Him), because not only does He testify that its works are evil, but His people in obeying Him, by their very persons and lives likewise show that this worlds works are evil! For only when sin and every kind of degenerate behavior becomes acceptable and “normalized” does the world get their “crowd immunity” from conviction of wrong doing.

Vs. 8-9 ⁸ You go up to this feast. I am not yet going up to this feast, for My time has not yet fully come.” ⁹ When He had said these things to them, He remained in Galilee.

 Therefore, in rebuking His brothers the Lord Jesus Christ tells them to go up to the feast, for His time has not fully come. For He will be fully revealed to them, and to all in His own time, not theirs, or anyone else’s! And so, having sent them away Jesus now remains in Galilee (vs. 9).

Scripture Quotations

New King James (1982):Thomas Nelson.