John 7:3-9 (WEL) Then his brothers said to him, “Get out of here, and go to Judea, so your disciples may also see your works that you do.” 4 “For no one does anything in secret, for he seeks publicity. If you do these things, show yourselves to the world.” 5 For even his brothers did not believe in him. 6 Then Jesus said to them, “The right time for me has not yet come, but your time is always ready.” 7 “The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I give testimony about them, that their actions are evil.” 8 “You go up to this festival. I’m not going up yet, for my time has not fully come.” 9 After saying this to them, he remained in Galilee.
V3 Then his brothers said to him, “Get out of here, and go to Judea, so your disciples may also see your works that you do.”
This is pure sarcasm motivated by hate and envy. They have rejected Messiah. The disciples have already seen miracles.
Later, these same brothers believed and trusted that their half-brother, Jesus, is Israel’s and their own personal Messiah.
Principle: When people mock the Lord Jesus, reject Him, and ridicule Christians, do not lose hope. Still pray for them that their eyes, hearts, and minds would be opened and that they would believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
V4 “For no one does anything in secret, for he seeks publicity. If you do these things, show yourselves to the world.”
The sarcasm continues. Jesus did most of His works publicly. The brothers are just lying to bully and express their hate and contempt for Him.
Principle: People act like the devil to kill, destroy, and steal. Don’t be surprised when they come for us. Compare John 10:10.
V5 For even his brothers did not believe in him.
Some have thought that this is an addition to Scripture and not in the original. They reason that if Joseph and Mary believed God and His messenger (angel), then they also would believe.
Principle: There are no guarantees that our children will place their faith and trust in the Lord Jesus. We pray and they so they do, but it is up to them.
V6 Then Jesus said to them, “The right time for me has not yet come, but your time is always ready.”
Jesus always did things at the perfect time, not just when He could, etc. (1 Timothy 2:5-6 and Romans 5:6). Compare Habakkuk 2:3, Luke 1:20, and Revelation 2:10.
Principle: God works in our lives according to the educational plan for us as the Holy Spirit teaches, disciplines, and guides us in our Christian life.
V7 “The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I give testimony about them, that their actions are evil.”
Exposing sin, lies, false doctrine will bring hate, rejection, slander, etc. Christians are hated because we follow Jesus in our worldview, lifestyle, rules, character traits, etc.
John 7:3 (NET 2nd Ed.) “Should the advice by Jesus’ brothers, Leave here and go to Judea so your disciples may see your miracles that you are performing, be understood as a suggestion that he should attempt to win back the disciples who had deserted him earlier (John 6:66)? Perhaps. But it is also possible to take the words as indicating that if Jesus is going to put forward messianic claims (i.e., through miraculous signs) then he should do so in Jerusalem, not in the remote parts of Galilee. Such an understanding seems to fit better with the following verse. It would also indicate misunderstanding on the part of Jesus’ brothers of the true nature of his mission—he did not come as the royal Messiah of Jewish apocalyptic expectation, to be enthroned as king at this time.”
Jesus exposed their sins and attitudes (John 3:19-21), so they hated Him (John 15:22-25).
Now, the Holy Spirit does the same (John 16:8).
V8 “You go up to this festival. I’m not going up yet, for my time has not fully come.”
Jesus has a timetable. Since Jesus did not go, we ask why? Perhaps there would be danger if Jesus came with His brothers as the religious leaders would expect. Later we read that Jesus went up secretly (John 7:10).
Albert Barnes writes:
“Jesus remained until about the middle of the feast, John 7:14. That is, he remained about four days after his brethren had departed, or until the mass of the people had gone up, so that his going might excite no attention, and that it might not be said he chose such a time to excite a tumult. We have here a signal instance of our Lord’s prudence and opposition to parade. Though it would have been lawful for him to go up at that time, and though it would have been a favorable period to make himself known, yet he chose to forego these advantages rather than to afford an occasion of envy and jealousy to the rulers, or to appear even to excite a tumult among the people.”
J. C. Ryle comments:
“Our Lord did not say He would not go to the feast, but Not yet. There was “a time” for all His actions and every step of His Ministry, and that time had not yet fully arrived; or, as the Greek literally means, was not “fulfilled.” True Christians should remember that, like their Master on this occasion, they and worldly men cannot well work and act and move together. They will often find it so. Their principles are different. Their reasons and motives of action are different. They will often find that “two cannot walk together except they are agreed.”
V9 After saying this to them, he remained in Galilee.
He remained for only a short time.
We learn:
- Evil people do not like to be exposed for who they really are (Ephesians 5:11).
- Sometimes we do not travel with others who might destroy and damage our faith and testimony.
- Sometimes we do not travel with others as some others might associate that we all believe the same.
Questions:
- How do you handle exposure of sins?
- How do you handle mockery, bullying, sarcasm, etc.?