INTRO TO THE GOSPEL OF JOHN, Sarah Barry
JESUS' TIME AND HIS BROTHER'S TIME
Passage: John 7:1~13  
Key verse: 6
Jesus Goes to the Festival of Tabernacles
7 After this, Jesus went around in Galilee. He did not want[a] to go about in Judea because the Jewish leaders(A) there were looking for a way to kill him.(B) 2 But when the Jewish Festival of Tabernacles(C) was near, 3 Jesus’ brothers(D) said to him, “Leave Galilee and go to Judea, so that your disciples there may see the works you do. 4 No one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret. Since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world.” 5 For even his own brothers did not believe in him.(E)
6 Therefore Jesus told them, “My time(F) is not yet here; for you any time will do. 7 The world cannot hate you, but it hates me(G) because I testify that its works are evil.(H) 8 You go to the festival. I am not[b] going up to this festival, because my time(I) has not yet fully come.” 9 After he had said this, he stayed in Galilee.
10 However, after his brothers had left for the festival, he went also, not publicly, but in secret. 11 Now at the festival the Jewish leaders were watching for Jesus(J) and asking, “Where is he?”
12 Among the crowds there was widespread whispering about him. Some said, “He is a good man.”
Others replied, “No, he deceives the people.”(K) 13 But no one would say anything publicly about him for fear of the leaders.(L)
Cross references
- John 7:1 : S Jn 1:19
- John 7:1 : ver 19, 25; S Mt 12:14
- John 7:2 : Lev 23:34; Dt 16:16
- John 7:3 : S Mt 12:46
- John 7:5 : Ps 69:8; Mk 3:21
- John 7:6 : S Mt 26:18
- John 7:7 : Jn 15:18, 19
- John 7:7 : Jn 3:19, 20
- John 7:8 : ver 6; S Mt 26:18
- John 7:11 : Jn 11:56
- John 7:12 : ver 40, 43
- John 7:13 : Jn 9:22; 12:42; 19:38; 20:19
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source:  BibleGateway
1. Jesus' brothers' unbelief (1-5)
The Jews tried to kill Jesus because he had healed a paralyzed man on the Sabbath and had claimed equality with God (Ch. 5). Jesus retreated to Galilee because it was not God's right time for him to die. He demonstrated his shepherd's love and his almighty power when he fed 5000 people. Jesus' brothers wanted to get some human benefit. 'His own brothers didn't believe in him' means that they were unspiritual men.
2. The world hates me; it cannot hate you (6-13)
Jesus lived and died on God's time schedule. He did not compromise with the world, but rather exposed its evil, so the world hated him. He could not compromise with his unbelieving brothers--they were friends of the world--so he did not travel with them. The crowds did not know who he was, but they would know.
Prayer: Lord, help me to live in your history and see people and events with spiritual eyes.
One Word: Live in God's history