“A JOURNEY THROUGH THE GOSPEL OF JOHN” JOHN 7:1 – 13 THE CONTROVERSY SURROUNDING THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES

The grand passage before us begs and warrants our careful attention.  Our blessed Lord’s ministry in Galilee was coming to a close.  He wrought some wonderful miracles in Galilee, such as the changing of water to wine (John 2:1-11), the healing of the nobleman’s son (John 4:43-54) and the two miracles of John 6, namely the feeding of the five thousand (John 6:1-3), and the miracle of Jesus walking on water (John 6:16-21).  These miracles demonstrated His claim that He is Deity; yet, when Christ began to press His claim on that rabid crowd, that crowd deserted Him, for John 6:66, says – “From that time many of His disciples (not the twelve chosen disciples) went back, and walked no more with Him.  Isn’t that something!  This once enthusiastic crowd in the beginning of John 6 is now seen as rejecting the Messiah, the One who they wanted to be King (John 6:15).

Although Christ’s ministry was closing in Galilee, He remained in Galilee due to the fact that the Judeans wanted to kill Him (John 7:1).  The controversy surrounding this passage takes place during one of the three grand Jewish feasts.  The feast in verse 2 is the feast of Tabernacles; another name for this feast is the feast of ingathering (Deuteronomy 16:16).  The feast commemorated the time in which Israel’s forefathers dwelt in booths.  Certainly this occasion alone will draw a crowd, for the people were thankful to God for the harvest.  In verse 3, we are presented with Jesus’ brothers – children of Mary and Joseph born after Jesus’ birth – making a request that He would display Himself in a powerful way in Judea.  In their minds, such a display will enhance His claim of being the Messiah!

It was evident that these brothers of Jesus were blind to His Divine glory, for such a request revealed that they had no spiritual discernment and that they  were reasoning according to their carnal minds.  It is evident that Christ’s brethren wanted Jesus to go to Jerusalem, the headquarters of Judaism, and display His glory in an effort to reveal that He is indeed the Messiah, however, they did not understand the program of God – that before there can be a crown, there must be a cross!  Christ must go by way of the cross and be humiliated before He could publicly manifest His glory!

Christ’s own brethren who were reared with Him in Galilee did not believe in Him (John 7:5).  Christ makes it plain to His brethren that He is following His Father’s schedule (John 2:4; 7:6, 8, 30; 8:20; 12:23; 13:1; 17:1).  The world poses no peril to Christ’s brethren, for they were a part of it; however, the world is at enmity with Christ because He is not a part of it (John 7:7).  In verses 8-10, at the outset of this grand occasion of the feast of Tabernacles, our Lord did not go up to Jerusalem with His brethren (v. 8-9), but finally goes to the feast secretly (v. 10).  We find our blessed Lord being obedient to the Word – having now chosen to attend this feast in fulfillment of the Word (Deuteronomy 16:16).

As we bring this study to a close (7:10-13), we find that Jesus’ enemies were really in opposition to His person, which resulted in a heated debate (7:11-12).  They said that He deceived the people, which was a serious charge, of being stoned to death by the law.  In verse 13, because of the fear of the Jewish authorities, no man spoke openly of Christ.  As Christians today, we should not allow anyone to silence us as we faithfully witness for Christ in this age.  May God bless!