Back to the Action

After revisiting the nativity story for a few segments in Luke, we will now return to our study in John, as we’ve been with the crowd following the adult Jesus of Nazareth and listening to His words. We are among those who are positive to His Person and His Work, even though at this stage of His public ministry, we cannot really comprehend His mission. We also are observing those who are negative to Him, questioning and opposing Him in various ways, but not ignoring Him. They were very nervous about this man who worked among them. He was decidedly different. He demonstrated great power. He spoke of the One Who sent Him, and of eternal truth. He showed no respect for their man-made religion, yet honored the Law that was given through Moses and the feasts that were designed to commemorate His perfect provision for Israel throughout their history and into the distant future.

The last we observed in John’s narrative was John 7:36 (published on 12-11-13 “Is Not This the Man”). Jesus had told the crowd surrounding Him that even though they would seek Him, they could not go where He was going. This set them to quibbling among themselves about what He could possibly mean by this statement. He didn't plead with them to understand, He simply stated His truth to them and allowed them to receive it or not. Then He would move on to the next situation or event, with the crowds still following His movements and His words.

These events in John chapter 7 took place during the Feast of Tabernacles.  It was a week-long fall festival in which the native-born Israelites were required to build booths to dwell in as their wilderness journey was remembered. This explains the bustling crowds to whom Jesus spoke during those days:

“Three times a year,” Moses had commanded the children of Israel, “all your males shall appear before the Lord your God.” And so, just before the year’s great religious feasts – Passover, Shavuot (the Festival of Weeks), and Succoth (the Feast of Tabernacles) – enormous numbers of Jews made their way to the Temple in Jerusalem. From all over Palestine they came, indeed from every corner of the Roman world, crowding the four major roads that led to Jerusalem and swelling the city’s population several times  over. – from Jesus and His Times, a very well written and illustrated Reader’s Digest publication.

The last day of Tabernacles (Lev 23:36) was the most solemn and climactic of the entire festal cycle. It was the eighth day of rest and holy assembly. During the seven days symbolizing their wilderness wandering, water was drawn from the pool of Siloam and then poured out, commemorating the water supplied Israel in the desert. The eighth day signified the enjoyment of the springs of the land itself and no water was poured out. That was the memorial aspect. The prophetic aspect looked forward to the regathering of Israel after her present worldwide dispersion and the fulfillment of the kingdom ode of Isa 12:1-6, when the nation will joyously ‘draw water from the wells of salvation’ (Isa 12:3; cf. Joel 2:28-32; Zech 14:8).

Unger, Merrill F.; Unger, Merrill F. F. (2005-04-01). The New Unger's Bible Handbook (Kindle Locations 13445-13450). Moody Publishers. Kindle Edition.

On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. John 7:37-39

Jesus was stating the all-important prophecy that the Holy Spirit would indwell all who would believe in Him, and would produce in those believers the wonderful knowledge of God’s perfect plan of grace (rivers of living water) which would overflow to all of their surroundings. This was a prophecy of near future events. The Holy Spirit had always worked in the world and in the ministries of certain believers at certain times, but the universal indwelling of the Holy Spirit in all who would believe in Jesus Christ would not become reality until after His resurrection and ascension. It would happen on the Day of Pentecost, and that would be the beginning of the Church Age. We must keep in mind that though we are reading this from our vantage point IN the Church Age, those who heard it in real time had no frame of reference for universal indwelling of the Holy Spirit. They just had to believe that He was giving them truth, and that God’s plan and purpose for them would become clearer as they continued to learn from Him. That is, they must have faith alone in Christ alone. We must obey first, then we come to understand.

Some of those listening were thirsty for truth, meaning they had positive volition toward God’s plan of grace and just needed someone to show it to them. “Drinking” is receiving the refreshing “water” (truth) being freely offered by “Me” (Jesus Christ). All this was proclaimed to them by Jesus at the very feast where water symbolized the fulfillment of God’s plan and purpose for His people. Many of them were thirsting. Some were ready to drink.

When they heard these words, some of the people said, “This really is the Prophet.” Others said, “This is the Christ.” But some said, “Is the Christ to come from Galilee? Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the offspring of David, and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was?”  So there was a division among the people over him. Some of them wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him. John 7:40-44

“The Prophet” and “The Christ” are different terms for the same person, the Messiah. The Anointed One, Who is coming to save His people. He had the gift of prophesy and held the office of prophesy. Unlimited ability and absolute authority to proclaim God’s policy of grace and to enforce God’s standard of righteousness.

There’s that geographical detail again: Galilee? This is not what we’ve been told to look for. These were Judeans who were speaking contemptuously of Galilee. It was pure bigotry, expressed by the blue-blood Jews of Judea.  They did not want to believe Him. So, there was a division, of course. Jesus Christ divides – families, nations, cities, peoples – resulting in bitterness and hatred among unbelievers. There are no shades of grey. Biblical faith in Christ is dogmatic. One Way. Some were willing to believe Him, and others were diligently looking for any excuse not to, so they nitpicked the facts they knew and kept looking for a reason to arrest Him. Nobody was volunteering for that job. There was an air of authority about Jesus that discouraged any who would want to manhandle Him. This tells us a great deal about His presence. It also gives evidence that He would be under the Father’s total protection until God’s time for Him to meet His destiny. We saw in verse 32 that the temple authorities had sent officers to arrest Jesus, but….

The officers then came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, “Why did you not bring him?” The officers answered, “No one ever spoke like this man!” John 7:45-46

No one. Ever. This man spoke with authority, not as the scribes. The officers were afraid of Him.

The Pharisees answered them, “Have you also been deceived? Have any of the authorities or the Pharisees believed in him? But this crowd that does not know the law is accursed.” Nicodemus, who had gone to him before, and who was one of them, said to them, “Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he does?” They replied, “Are you from Galilee too? Search and see that no prophet arises from Galilee.” John 7:47-52

Evading the issue and ignoring their own law, the Pharisees assumed that their rejection of Jesus was enough to condemn Him. Anyone who disagreed with their opinions of Jesus were just deceived incompetents. Accursed fools, who couldn’t follow a simple command.

Remember Nicodemus, the Pharisee from John chapter 3? Having had a close encounter with Jesus, he cautioned fairness. We know that even if Nicodemus had not yet fully committed to believe Jesus, he had been impressed with Jesus’ speech and demeanor, and was willing to give Him the benefit of the doubt. “Let’s at least hear what the man has to say for himself.” By this mild suggestion, Nicodemus brought insult upon himself. What they said to him was the equivalent of “you’re just a Galilean-lover!” (You get the drift). They insisted that no prophet was promised out of Galilee.

The momentum was building in the Jews’ determination to kill Jesus.

The time was not yet.