The Gospel of John: John 7.1-24

Read and meditate on John 7.1, 2.
John offers us a place to catch our breath before Jesus heads into His next confrontation with those who were seeking to destroy Him. But that dark tone of foreboding remains, and is growing.

                                 ¹After these
things, Jesus walked again in Galilee,
for He would not go to Judea, where
the Jews determined they would kill Him there.
²The Feast of Tabernacles was at hand.

- John 7.1, 2

Reflect
1.  We recall that Jesus had been ministering around the Sea of Galilee, where He fed the thousands and taught in the synagogue at Capernaum. There we saw the tension around Him increasing, because people were amazed at His signs, but could not get their minds around His teaching. Some were offended and turned away. Others pondered how to get rid of Him. Jesus was aware of all this, so He remained in Galilee rather than return to Judea. Why would this brief caesura in Galilee have been important for Jesus and His disciples? Complete this prayer: Lord, You were never in a hurry. You always managed Your pace in ministry, and always did things Your way. Help me also to…

2.  The last time Jesus had been in Jerusalem in Judea was back in chapter 5, when He healed a lame man. He will refer to that incident in John 7, so it seems to have been significant in brewing up the state of things in Judea. He had healed a lame man on the Sabbath. Why would this have inflamed the Jews against Him? What threat was Jesus to them? I don’t expect everyone to be happy to hear the Good News, Lord, but…

3.  Jesus certainly knew that He was going to be killed by the Jews in Judea. He had alluded to His death in His conversation with Nicodemus, during a previous visit to Jerusalem. This being so, why was Jesus reluctant to go to Judea and let Himself be taken and killed? Lord, You have a time for everything, and You are the Lord of all time. Let me use the time You give me today for…

4.  The mention of the Feast of Tabernacles points us back to Jerusalem, where the Feast would have drawn pilgrims from all over Judea, Samaria, and Galilee. Review the Feast of Tabernacles in Deuteronomy 16.13-15, Ezra 3.4-7, and Deuteronomy 31.9-13. What about this Feast would have offered Jesus a unique opportunity to advance His message? You teach us, Lord, to make the most of all the opportunities You give us. Help me today to…

5.  By this time, most people in Judea, Samaria, and Galilee had heard about Jesus, and they were forming opinions about Him. What had they heard? How did what they’d heard challenge their settled views about God, religion, and life? Should we expect our witness for Christ to be unsettling to people? Explain. Bring together into one the prayers you composed for questions 1-4.

Summary
“The law of Moses commanded that the Jews should hurry to Jerusalem from the surrounding countryside to celebrate there in a type the Feast of Tabernacles. And the spiritual person will from this perceive the gathering together of all the saints into Christ when they shall be brought together from the whole world after the resurrection of the dead to the city that is above, the heavenly Jerusalem, there to offer the thank offerings of the true pitching of tabernacles, that is, of the framing and permanence of bodies, corruption having been destroyed and death fallen into death.” Cyril of Alexandria (375-444 AD)

We can be sure that, while He remained in Galilee, Jesus was busy about the work for which He had been sent. The time with His disciples must have been important, as were the needs of the many people in Galilee. Paul says we should make the best use of the time God gives us. Jesus certainly did. How do you try to make certain you are doing the same?

Closing Prayer
I was glad when they said to me,
“Let us go into the house of the LORD.”
Our feet have been standing
Within your gates, O Jerusalem!
Jerusalem is built
As a city that is compact together,
Where the tribes go up,
The tribes of the Lord,
To the Testimony of Israel,
To give thanks to the name of the LORD.
For thrones are set there for judgment,
The thrones of the house of David.
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
“May they prosper who love you.”

Psalm 122.1-6

Psalm 122.1-9 (Nettleton: Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing)
I was glad when they said to me, “To the Lord’s house let us go!”
Holy City, let our feet be firmly planted in your soil.
Jesus builds His Church forever, where His people sing His praise!
As Your Word decrees forever, we will thank You all our days.

On the throne of David, Jesus sits to judge the nations all.
As our holy peace increases, we are safe who on You call.
Grant us peace, Lord, by Your favor, for Your people’s sake, we pray.
For the Church’s sake, O Savior, we will seek Your good today.

T. M. Moore

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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All psalms for singing adapted from The Ailbe Psalter. All quotations from Church Fathers from Ancient Christian Commentary Series IV a and b: John, edited by Joel C. Elowsky, General Editor Thomas C. Oden (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2006. Verse translation of John by T. M. Moore.