He Attends the Feast of Tabernacles at Jerusalem and Meets His Enemies

["Click here for John's account"]

We have passed the mid-point of the three-year ministry of Christ. We have studied 87 events that have occurred up to this time. Of those 87 events, only 12 have been recorded by John, but the next 6 events are recorded only by John.

We begin this study of these five events with the Feast of the Tabernacles. This feast occurred in October and lasted 8 days. It was an autumn festival, celebrating the harvest. The harvest season lasted three months and ended with the Feast of Dedication, which we now call Hanukkah that falls in December. Three months in the life of Christ of which we only have these five events recorded.

First, Jesus' encounter with his (half) brothers, verses 1 thru 10. Jesus was going about Galilee, teaching and healing. He would not go down into Judea because the Jews there, sought to kill him. Now His brothers came to Him and suggested that He go down to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Tabernacles, where others might see the works that He did. They said to Him, "No man works in secret if he seeks to be known openly." But Jesus told them to go on to the Feast without Him and He would stay in Galilee, as His time had not come. After His brothers had gone, He also went up to Jerusalem, but in private.

Question. Why did Jesus tell His brothers that he was not going to Jerusalem and then go later? Many reasons can be found and they are all justifiable.

  1. The first is obvious, He knew that they were lying in wait in Jerusalem to kill Him. They would be looking for Him to come with His brothers. With them He might put them in jeopardy, without them, He might be able to enter Jerusalem without the authorities knowing it.
  2. This may very well have been a lesson that He was teaching His Disciples. First, it is not always the first to arrive that is important, but the one who arrives most prepared. Secondly, God's work is best done with the least fanfare.

Another question. Why would His brothers have wanted Him to go up to Jerusalem in light of the danger there? They obviously wanted to be a part of His fame and glory regardless of what danger it might put Jesus in. Notice the way they try to entice Him into going. One, it would be encouragement to those of His followers in Jerusalem. They intimated that the ones in Jerusalem were certainly more important than the Galileans that were presently following Him around. Secondly, It would be for His own advancement. What good does it do to do these miracles out in the country somewhere or in secrete where no one will hear about them? If you want to be known, you must do them openly.

Now, what was going on in Jerusalem when His brothers showed up and He didn't? (verses 11 thru 13). First, John says that "the Jews" were looking for Him. We are left to our own imagination as to who John was referring to as "the Jews", but it would seem from the text that most of those who had come to the Feast had heard of Jesus and had, in one way or another, formed an opinion about him, and they had hoped to see Him at the Feast. Certainly the Jewish Leaders were looking for Him in hopes of entrapping Him. Some of the opinions of those who were there are recorded for us.

Some said, "He is a good man", which was true but far short of the whole truth. Others said, "He is leading the people astray", and if we are honest, we might well have found ourselves in this last group. Why? Most of us do not like or accept those who deviate from the "established" religion, and this was what Jesus was doing.

I suspect that most of the Jews found themselves in a rather awkward position. They feared the reprisals of the Scribes and Pharisees yet they could find no fault in Him, so they could not say anything openly about Him.

Notice what happens when Jesus does show up. (Verses 14 thru 24) Well He certainly did not try to hide. He went right up into the Temple and proceeded to teach. Notice how these people received His teaching. "They marveled at it." "So much understanding and so little education." Jesus had not been educated in the Schools of the Prophets nor at the "feet of the Rabbi's". So how could He have so much knowledge? He had received the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit and the knowledge of God and did not need the knowledge of men. But in those days, there were only two types of "learned men". Those who had been educated and those who used witchcraft. Sense Jesus had not been educated, He obviously was possessed by the Devil. Thus they sought to kill Him . Notice what He did that made them think He was possessed by the Devil. He healed a man on the Sabbath. Thus He had broken the Law of the Sabbath. How did Jesus respond to this? "Do you not perform circumcision on the Sabbath?" "Surly, the healing of the whole man is more beneficial than circumcision." "Do not judge by appearances but judge with right judgment." What do we believe Jesus meant by this? Well, appearances are sometimes deceiving. The Pharisees were a good example of this. They "appeared" to be right with God, and most would have judged them so. But those who took the time to look at their heart and see what motivated them would see their deceit and self-indulgence.

In verses 25 thru 31, we see that the people are beginning to ask questions. "Is this not the man that they seek to kill?" "Can it be that the authorities really know that this is the Christ?" "When the Christ comes, will he really do more that this man has done?" They were puzzled. If he really was of Satan, why did the authorities allow him to remain in Jerusalem without arresting him? Is it possible that they know that He is the Christ? No, this man cannot be the Christ for we know where he comes from. When the Christ appears, no one will know where He comes from. Yes they knew He was from Nazareth, but they did not know who sent Him. "He who sent me is true, and you do not know Him."

So they sought to arrest Him, but His time had not come and no one laid hands on Him and many of the people believed on Him. Matthew Henry, in his commentary says, "Christ had His hour set by God". The powers of Hell and earth could not prevail against it until He had finished His testimony."

In verses 37 to the end of the chapter, we see a "timeless" discussion going on as to who Jesus really was. Here in Jerusalem at the time of the Feast of Tabernacles, you would find a "cross section" of all the people in the Middle East. Notice how some of them reacted:

  1. "Some believed." These were the ones that listened with their hearts. "This is the Christ", they said. It did not bother them that He came from Galilee. It did not bother them that He had not received the approval of the religious establishment. They accepted what they saw and heard on face value. "If this is not the Christ, when the Christ does come, will He do more signs than this man has done?"
  2. "Some were afraid." Afraid of loosing their power and leadership. To the Scribes and Pharisees, Jesus was a threat to their position. They had kept the people "buffaloed" for so long, now here was a man who would share His knowledge, openly approve of the poor, the lame, the sick, the mentally ill. Here was a man who would have all men to come boldly to God, who even showed compassion toward Samaritans and Gentiles. If he was allowed to continue, He would jeopardize their position as "keepers" of the faith. "So go out and arrest Him."
  3. "Some were spell bounded." These were officers, who worked with the Chief Priest. They were sent out by the Pharisees to do their dirty work. They were to go out and arrest Jesus. Notice what happened to this group. They became "spellbound" by the words of Jesus. They had made the mistake of listening to His message and they went back empty handed. Their excuse, "No man ever spoke like this man." The Pharisees were curious. "Had they been led astray also?" "How could they have found any good in this man?" Had any of the authorities believed in Him?"
  4. "Some doubted." They had problems with His "credentials".
    1. The Christ was not supposed to come from Galilee.
    2. The Christ was supposed to be a descendant of David and come from Bethlehem.
    3. Is this not the man that the Pharisees seek to kill?
    4. Besides, this man speaks in riddles. Where can He go that we cannot go?
  5. "Some were feeling the pangs of conscience." Some were beginning to feel the need to speak up for this man. Such a man was Nicodemus. "Does our law judge a man before giving him a hearing?" Nicodemus risked much by saying this. Had he not visited Jesus earlier in His ministry? They questioned him if he to was a Galilean, a name that bore much reproach. Jesus was often called a "Galilean". His followers, for the most part, were Galileans. To Nicodemus they said, "Are you a deserter of the truth?" "Do you not know that no Prophet is to arise out of Galilee?"

What had Jesus said that caused these people to go in so many different directions? He made statements that most could not relate to their understanding of a Messiah. He made statements that they simply could not understand.


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