Bible Study Notes - John 7:1-13

Bible Study Notes - John 7:1-13

Chances are you have heard the phrase, “Timing is everything” numerous times.  This brief interlude amongst the miracle stories of the first half of John’s gospel differentiates divine timing which seeks the “good, pleasing and perfect” will of Almighty God with human history which unfolds in accordance with sociological, economic, political and religious factors.  As human disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, we are creatures of time; perhaps, we are even prisoners of time.  We expect fallaciously for our Heavenly Father to accomplish His will within our lives according to our timeframe.  When He does not because in His infinite foreknowledge, He understands all of the necessary factors have not been synchronized perfectly, we fall prey to the thoughts of abandonment and neglect.  We actually believe His has forgotten us or is indifferent to our emotions and circumstances.  The tendency of focusing upon the product and ignoring the process in which it emerges really robs disciples of myriad intangible but very valuable blessings. 

God makes us wait in order that He many change our minds, hearts and character as His will manifests in our lives.  A few biblical writers utilize the imagery of making and fermenting wine to illustrate how divine favor and blessings enter our lives.  Like fresh grapes which are crushed and squeezed before being poured into vats for fermentation, we are subjected providentially to daily living in which we mature spiritually and develop personally.  In time, we realize we are actually ready for the blessings which we would squander were they given to us prematurely.  Paul Masson sold lots of good wine with the advertisement, “We will sale not wine before its time.”  Again, “Timing is everything.”

King Solomon places upon the lips of the Teacher in Ecclesiastes the immortal words, “There is time for everything and season for every activity under the heavens.”  Love and the very best blessings in life emerge in time.”  We lose our appreciation of the necessity of preparation and planning in our rapidly advancing, technological and scientific world.  A “fast food” mentality coerces ours demands for instantaneous gratification of physical instincts.  Rather than wait for a well-seasoned and masterly prepared meal, many people will put a frozen dinner in the microwave.  Satisfying their ravenous hunger pangs, they overlook the lasting benefits of a nutritious and healthy diet. 

Applying this impatience to spiritual matters, disciples expect answers to their prayers in a similar vein.  They erroneously focus upon the product of their petitions rather than the process that God providentially and mystically designs to renew their characters as they wait upon Him.  However with our Heavenly Father, we must seek “the right time.”  He cultivates the spiritual fruit of patience within us so that we accept Solomon’s wisdom and learn how to wait patiently for God’s will to unfold.

Time has two significant dimensions: eternal and earthly.  The Greek word, kairos, refers to divine revelation in “the fullness of time.”  Practically, God’s will emerges as the minute details of any situation cohere perfectly with His perfect intention.  When it appears that God is slow in fulfilling a promise or His will has been thwarted inexplicably, He is mysteriously refining the minutia in order to bless a disciple in accordance with His “good, pleasing and perfect” will.  The delay resembles the period of intermission in a Broadway performance in which it seems the action stops completely but behind the curtain the stage crew rearranges the setting to further the plot.  When the stage is set perfectly, the drama resumes to it completion.    

Chronos, the Greek word for time, is the basis of the English word, chronology, which records human history.  As “hindsight is perfect,” history reveals the myopia and limited perspective of politicians, celebrities and other major figures.  Past generations did not clearly see their sins and injustices.  Winthrop Jordan, author of the enduring historical scholarly monograph on American slavery and racism, posits the institutionalization and legalization of chattel slavery, White supremacy, racism and myriad other social ills was “an unthinking decision.”  It stands to reason had colonial political, social and economic leaders fully understood the longstanding dire consequences of their decision to relegate Africans to being property and the continual problems it would cause the United States of America, they would have chosen more wisely. 

God is not subject to human timeframes.  “A thousand years is as a day in His sight.”  Accomplishing His divine intentions often seem glacial to disciples.   We cannot expect Him to conform to our expectations and schedules.  Rather discipleship development necessitates synchronization of divine and human time.    We seek synergy with the will of Almighty God.  A friend spells TIME as an acronym for “things I must earn.”  Spiritually, he insists disciples cannot short change the necessary process of introspection, reflection and decision to change as they wait for the will of God.  As they wait, they willingly embrace the process of preparation and adaptation in anticipation of the answers to their prayers.

In this passage in the gospel, Jesus’ brothers tempt Him to defy the Heavenly Father’s timing and use the occasion of a feast to transform Himself into a celebrity.  Realizing their suggestion did not accord with the Father’s will, Jesus informs them that it is not the right time.  Essentially, this brief passage exhorts disciples to develop the spiritual disciplines of prayer and meditation as they learn to discern the will of Almighty God and obey His timing as to their choices and decisions.  Clear, concise and cogent revelation comes to those disciples who steadfastly progress in their relationship with the Heavenly Father.  Jesus sidesteps a potential crisis and tragedy as He listens for His Father’s guidance and willingly adheres to His timing.

Consider the following ideas and questions as you study the text.

·                     The Jews sought to kill him because of the miracles and teachings were turning the allegiance of the crowd away from the religious leaders and towards Jesus.  The Pharisees, scribes and teachers of the Law fear the growth of the Jesus movement would affect adversely their political and economic agreements with the Roman government.  Thy resolve they must contain Him and His disciples lest the Israelite nation suffer dire consequences if the Romans suspect a rebellion is being planned.

·                     In response to their plot, Jesus utilizes the advice He previously gave the disciples.  “Be as wise as serpents but as gentle as doves.”  He withdraws from public appearances until the Father grants Him permission to do so.  More practically, in the parlance of today, Jesus refuses to believe His own press.  He does not allow His ego to overshadow the Father’s plan.  Instead, Jesus waits patiently for the Father’s guidance.

·                     John delineates this time as the Feast of Tabernacles which commemorates Israel’s wilderness wandering years.  Many people celebrated this feast.  Jesus would have had a captive audience but He wisely rejects the fickleness of the crowd and obeys the Father’s direction.

·                     Sometimes, great temptation comes from people, who are nearest to us, our circle of family and friends.  Jesus’ brothers strongly encourage Him to show Himself to the world.  They insist His work should not be done in secret places or secluded areas.  Contemporarily, they ponder how Jesus can resist instantaneous celebrity acclaim.  Public affirmation certifies Him as the new leader of Israel.  In the world of extensive and expanding social media, may persons share inappropriately their private lives with the fallacious and morally vacuous quest for fame.  Had Jesus not known His mission and purpose and submitted to the Father’s guidance, He too could have been led astray by the unpredictability of public acclamation.

·                     The fifth verse of this passage states blandly and sorrowfully that Jesus brothers did not believe in Him.  This is John’s wording for the old adage, “A prophet is without honor at home.”  Familiarity breeds contempt.  Mistakenly, the people who are nearest and dearest to us sometimes believe they know us better than we know ourselves.  Family members and friends seek to define our strengths and weaknesses.  They think we stood ask their permission rather than advice before undertaking projects as they believe they can tell us whether we will fail or succeed.  Additionally, jealousy, resentment and other volatile emotions negatively affect close relationships.  Conceivably, Jesus’ brothers’ refusal to believe originated in any and all of these emotions.

·                     Please note the evangelist’s mention of Jesus’ brothers as this fact is often overlooked.  Consult Mark’s gospel for more details.  Also, consider Almighty God’s rewards of an extended family to Joseph and Mary for their obedience to the divine call to be the human instruments through which the Messiah and Savior of the world came.

·                     Jesus responds to His brothers by informing them His time has not yet arrived although any time seems appropriate to them considering their very short-sighted objectives.  Jesus advocates process, preparation and discernment as a means of cultivating willingness to obey God’s will.  Jesus knows betrayal, denial, desertion, two unjust trials and crucifixion lay in the future.  In His infinite foreknowledge, He realizes the fickle crowd will turn against Him in exchange for Barabbas.  Wisely, He waits for the Father’s encouragement and empowerment in the Garden of Gethsemane.  Divine delays often afford a person to develop spiritually within mind, heart, soul, spirit, psyche, body and will as he or she aligns with God’s perfect plan.

·                     The willingness to wait for personal transformation and divine orchestration is a fundamental challenge for many disciples.

·                     In the seventh verse, Jesus differentiates the values of the world and those of the kingdom of God.  He tells His brothers that the world does not hate them because they do not challenge any of the predominant views or customs.  Rather, He steadfastly critiques the policies and practices of the world.  As H. Richard Niebuhr in his compelling brief book, Christ and Culture, posits, the mores of the Christian gospel definitively challenge the surrounding cultural values; they clash irreconcilably.  Jesus firmly resists the temptation of His brothers and their myopic reach for celebrity and public approval. Instead, Jesus steadfastly defines and adheres to the values of the kingdom of God which the Father sends Him to inaugurate.

·                     Straightforwardly, Jesus tells His brothers to go to the festival if they wish to do so.  He simply will not go as His time to enter center stage has not arrived.  He knows He cannot violate the Father’s timing.  To do so is an act of willfulness, disobedience and infidelity.  As a consequence, Jesus remains in Galilee as a part of further preparation.

·                     There are times along the journey of discipleship when we live with juxtapositions and ironies.  We do not understand why God is not creating opportunities to enable us to exercise fully our talents and abilities.  We wonder why we sit idly as less educated and gifted people surpass us in achievements and success.  We fight cynicism as we begin to suspect we are wasting our time being faithful to God and the kingdom. 

·                     Interestingly, Jesus actually follows His brothers to the feast.  He goes in secret.  He attends in accordance with His own terms.  Militarily, Jesus attends as a reconnaissance mission in which He assesses the crowd, religious leaders and other significant events.  This silent and secretive evaluation is a critical aspect of preparation for divine timing.  It parallels the work necessary in formulating a business plan before acquiring a loan or opening the establishment.

·                     Evidently, Jesus approach to attending this feast was wise as He learns that the Jews are looking for Him.  This biblical detail reminds us of the importance of discernment and humility.  Had Jesus submitted to the self-centered impulses of His ego and the possible flattery of His brothers and assumed a prominent public role at the feast, He would have given His enemies a clear opportunity to kill Him before the plan of salvation had been accomplished.  Instead, Jesus waits for the Father’s direction with His timeframe.

·                     A friend periodically reminds me that only a few people in any crowd are actually going in a definite direction.  He mentions the number of people who gather to see someone depart for a flight.  Once, I was in the New York City Port Authority bus terminal on 42^nd Street and Eighth Avenue in Manhattan.  To clear the waiting room near midnight, NYC police officers announced loudly, “Anyone without a bus ticket must leave now.”  Nearly ninety-five percent of the people left.  Yet, the place was crowded.  This duet of stories reveals the aimlessness of most crowds.  John records a major division amongst the crowd regarding Jesus and His public ministry.  Some observers characterize Jesus as a good man.  Others allege He deceives people.  Quite possibly, the religious leaders heavily influence the latter group which would have surrendered Jesus to them had they been instructed to assist in capturing Him. 

·                     By adhering strictly to divine timing, Jesus avoids becoming a victim of a mob mentality or some other casualty that certainly would have occurred had He exploited this brewing public fervor at the feast.

·                     The evangelist concludes this brief passage with a reminder that fear of the Jews lurks predominantly in the background of Jesus’ public ministry.  The religious leaders fear the unrestrained growth of Jesus’ public ministry will eradicate their power and money.  Some people in the crowd are afraid to believe in Him as they fear expulsion from the synagogue. 

·                     Have you ever been afraid to confess boldly and forthrightly your faith in Christ because you fear reprisal?