Back and Forth

John 7:1-24

¹After this Jesus went about in Galilee. He would not go about in Judea, because the Jews were seeking to kill him. ²Now the Jews’ Feast of Booths was at hand. ³So his brothers said to him, “Leave here and go to Judea, that your disciples also may see the works you are doing. ⁴For no one works in secret if he seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, show yourself to the world.” ⁵For not even his brothers believed in him. ⁶Jesus said to them, “My time has not yet come, but your time is always here. ⁷The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify about it that its works are evil. ⁸You go up to the feast. I am not going up to this feast, for my time has not yet fully come.” ⁹After saying this, he remained in Galilee. ¹⁰But after his brothers had gone up to the feast, then he also went up, not publicly but in private. ¹¹The Jews were looking for him at the feast, and saying, “Where is he?” ¹²And there was much muttering about him among the people. While some said, “He is a good man,” others said, “No, he is leading the people astray.” ¹³Yet for fear of the Jews no one spoke openly of him. ¹⁴About the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and began teaching. ¹⁵The Jews therefore marveled, saying, “How is it that this man has learning, when he has never studied?” ¹⁶So Jesus answered them, “My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me. ¹⁷If 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. ¹⁸The 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. ¹⁹Has not Moses given you the law? Yet none of you keeps the law. Why do you seek to kill me?” ²⁰The crowd answered, “You have a demon! Who is seeking to kill you?” ²¹Jesus answered them, “I did one work, and you all marvel at it. ²²Moses gave you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath. ²³If 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? ²⁴Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.” 

 

This is one of the few stories in the Gospels of Jesus and His natural half-brothers. They did not believe that He was the Messiah until after the resurrection, so at this point in the story they are antagonists. There’s nothing like contention between brothers, right? Our siblings will call us out in a heartbeat and Jesus’ were no different. They goad Him to go to Jerusalem and work a few magic tricks. To them, He just wants attention and this festival looks like the perfect time to get some. I always read these words with a sarcastic, teasing slant for that how they appear to be delivered. Jesus’ answer to them is very serious. He sets them straight and sends them on their way.

Since Jesus was always bound to the Father’s timing, He does go the festival in an extremely understated fashion. After arriving toward the end of the week-long event, He remains hidden and unseen until the time is right, then He goes to the Temple to teach the people. They marvel at His words. He then reminds them of their misunderstanding of Him and really of their own law.

What I see here is Jesus patiently following the lead of His Father into whatever situation comes along. What I always want to hear about are the people standing in the fringes of these conversations, just listening and taking it all in. I believe there were many people who observed Jesus and listened to His words, thus becoming believers. They didn’t care about the battle between Jesus and the Pharisees. Instead they let the Spirit work on their hearts and they embraced Jesus. You always have to keep those quiet, side-line people in mind for they make up the bulk of believers. Let the loud mouths say what they will. You’ve been given a mind and a spirit. Allowing God to inform and transform both is the path to take.