John Seven
by Dr. Henry M. Morris
(taken from the Defender's Study Bible)
John 7:2 Now the Jews' feast of tabernacles was at hand.
John 7:5 For neither did his brethren believe in him.
believe in him. This is hard to understand, except as a sad commentary on human nature. It is also a fulfilled prophecy: “I am become a stranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto my mother's children” (Psalm 69:8).
John 7:6 Then Jesus said unto them, My time is not yet come: but your time is alway ready.
not yet come. This was the same answer Jesus gave His mother when she wanted him to provide wine for the drunken wedding guests at Cana (see note on John 2:4).
John 7:9 When he had said these words unto them, he abode still in Galilee.
then went he also. He had declined the sarcastic invitation of his brothers to go with them to Jerusalem, although He intended to go later for other reasons than intended by His brothers. It was not yet time to reveal Himself as the promised Messiah.
John 7:11 Then the Jews sought him at the feast, and said, Where is he?
John 7:13 Howbeit no man spake openly of him for fear of the Jews.
John 7:14 Now about the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and taught.
John 7:15 And the Jews marvelled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?
the Jews marvelled. Jesus' wisdom was, indeed, a marvel. He had never studied in a rabbinical school, but He had studied the Scriptures on His own from childhood, so that He had “increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man” (Luke 2:52). His profound knowledge of Scripture, acquired through application of His own perfect humanity, uncontaminated by either inherent sin or actual sin, is indicated by His frequent quoting and incisive interpretation of Scripture. Just when or how or by what process His human nature became aware of His eternally preexistent divine nature must remain unfathomably mysterious to our own limited understanding. By this time in His life, however, both natures were fully manifest to Himself, so that we can see both co-existing in His life and teachings.
John 7:16 Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.
If any man will. This could be read: “If any man sincerely wants to do His will, he shall know …. ” Thus the first prerequisite to ascertaining God's leading in some matter, or the truth about some doctrinal question, is a genuine willingness to believe the truth and to follow God's will before they are made known, even if the answer goes against one's preference.
John 7:20 The people answered and said, Thou hast a devil: who goeth about to kill thee?
John 7:21 Jesus answered and said unto them, I have done one work, and ye all marvel.
John 7:24 Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.
judge righteous judgment. This does not contradict Christ's earlier command to “judge not” (Matthew 7:1). The latter command has to do with arbitrary condemnationonly God can “judge” in that sense. We are, however, expected to discern and evaluate doctrine and practice, and govern our own actions accordingly.
John 7:25 Then said some of them of Jerusalem, Is not this he, whom they seek to kill?
John 7:29 But I know him: for I am from him, and he hath sent me.
John 7:34 Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither ye cannot come.
shall not find me. After His resurrection, the Jews must have been very anxious to find His body, for they knew the tomb was empty, but they would never be able to find it, for He had returned to heaven.
the last day. This phrase is referring to the final day of the eight-day annual Feast of Tabernacles (Leviticus 23:34-36; John 7:2).
come unto me. Here is still another clear affirmation by Jesus of His own deity. Only God (or a madman thinking he was God) could make such a statement as recorded here in John 7:37-38. The promise was abundantly fulfilled with the coming of the Holy Spirit after Jesus returned to the Father (Acts 2:17-21, 38-41) and His indwelling presence and guidance of believers ever since.
the Prophet. This passage refers to the Prophet like Moses promised in Deuteronomy 18:15, 18.
John 7:41 Others said, This is the Christ. But some said, Shall Christ come out of Galilee?
Galilee. Nazareth was in Galilee, and most of Christ's ministry had been in Galilee. The people at this time apparently were unaware of His background.
seed of David. See, for example, 2 Samuel 7:12; Psalm 132:11; Jeremiah 23:5. Bethlehem. Note Micah 5:2 and Luke 2:4.
John 7:43 So there was a division among the people because of him.
John 7:44 And some of them would have taken him; but no man laid hands on him.
John 7:46 The officers answered, Never man spake like this man.
Never man spake. Jesus was God's “Wonderful Counselor” (Isaiah 9:6), and “His word was with power” (Luke 4:32). Note also Psalm 45:2; Luke 4:22.
John 7:47 Then answered them the Pharisees, Are ye also deceived?
John 7:48 Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him?
John 7:49 But this people who knoweth not the law are cursed.
John 7:50 Nicodemus saith unto them, (he that came to Jesus by night, being one of them,)
Nicodemus. Nicodemus, already deeply impressed by Jesus, thus took an unpopular stand for Him here before his fellow members of the Council. Much must have transpired in his life between John 3:1 and John 19:39, when he fully identified himself with Jesus.
John 7:51 Doth our law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth?