The Gospel of John, Chapter 7: Not Yet Time
After that big argument with the authorities about eating flesh and drinking blood, Jesus decides he is better off staying in Galilee, away from Judea, because “the Jews were looking for an opportunity to kill him.”
The Jewish festival of Sukkoth is approaching. Jesus’ brothers encourage him to go to Judea so he can be more widely known. The text says in verse 5 “(For not even his brothers believed in him.)” Jesus says, my time has not yet come, the world hates me; you go on to Judea but I’m staying here in Galilee.
Except (!) Jesus sneaks into Judea anyway!
Some in the crowds are complaining about Jesus (verse 12). Jesus goes to the temple (i.e. in Jerusalem, which is in Judea) and begins teaching. This astonishes The Jews, but Jesus says, it’s not my teaching but the teaching of the one who sent me. He accuses them of not keeping the law of Moses (quite daring!). And asks why are you looking for a chance to kill me? The crowd says “You have a demon! Who is trying to kill you?” (verse 20)
Apparently the issue still is that Jesus healed someone on the sabbath.
Jesus says “the one who sent me” a lot in this gospel. He spends a lot of his time insisting that he is not speaking of his own accord, but speaking on behalf of God. He also speaks of himself in the third person. Clearly, the authority of Jesus is a main theme of this gospel.
People in Jerusalem begin asking, is this the Messiah?
The Pharisees and chief priests send police to arrest Jesus (verse 32). But the police don’t carry out their orders, because “his hour had not yet come.” Jesus speaks metaphorically, “I am going to him who sent me. You will search for me but you will not find me…” The Jews take his statement literally - is he saying he is going to teach the Greeks?
On the last day of the festival, Jesus again refers to himself as living water. His declaration causes some in the crowd to believe he is the Messiah, but others say that the Messiah couldn't possibly come from Galilee. (verses 41-43)
The police have not arrested Jesus, because he speaks in a way no one else ever has. The Pharisees are incensed and accuse the police of being duped by Jesus. They present themselves as having the appropriate judgment and they say the crowd doesn’t know the law the way the Pharisees do. The crowd are “accursed” (ignorant, guilty, damned). Again the polemic nature of the gospel shows.
The Pharisee Nicodemus (who back in Chapter 3 had gone to see Jesus), speaks up for Jesus, saying he deserves a hearing. The rest of the Pharisees mock Nicodemus, saying, don’t you know there is no prophet to come from Galilee?
The insults are really flying in this chapter. and there is an ominous tone, a sense of foreboding.
Metaphors: thirst, water
Images and themes: Jesus teaches ‘from God’, failing to arrest Jesus,
People/Beings: Jesus, his [unbelieving] brothers, “The Jews”, the crowds, some of the people of Jerusalem, the Pharisees, the temple police, Nicodemus.
Places: Galilee, the Festival of Booths in Jerusalem, the temple.
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