A Tour Through John, Lesson 15

<p>For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ <a href="https://www.douglasjacoby.com/tour-john-lesson-15/" target="_blank"><strong>website.</strong></a></p><p>7:1 After this Jesus went about in Galilee. He did not wish to go about in Judea because the Jews were looking for an opportunity to kill him. 2 Now the Jewish festival of Booths was near. 3 So his brothers said to him, “Leave here and go to Judea so that your disciples also may see the works you are doing; 4 for no one who wants to be widely known acts in secret. If you do these things, show yourself to the world.” 5 (For not even his brothers believed in him.)</p><ul><li>"The Jews" (the leaders, the authorities) want to kill Jesus.</li><li>Jesus is avoiding the southern part of Israel (Judea), staying instead in the upper reaches (Galilee). His reputation has made his presence in the capital not only controversial but also dangerous.</li><li>And yet one of the three annual <i>mandatory</i> trips to Jerusalem (in Judea) is near: the Feast of Tabernacles (v.2).</li><li>The Feast of Tabernacles (or Booths) (v.2) was the most popular gathering at the Temple, according to 1st century Jewish historian Josephus (<i>Jos. Ant.</i> 8.100). <i>Skēnopēgía </i>comes from <i>skēnē, </i>tying in to 1:14: The Word <i>eskēnōsen </i>among us.</li><li>Jesus' (four) brothers presume to advise him on how to be a successful Messiah (vv.3-4).<ul><li>Their advice is essentially the same as that of the Tempter (Matthew 4:5-7)!</li><li>They neither understood his mission nor believed in him (v.5).</li><li>And yet in the future, his brothers would play key roles in church leadership!</li></ul></li><li>The question is hanging: Will Jesus go back to Jerusalem, or not?</li></ul><p>6 Jesus said to them, “My time has not yet come, but your time is always here. 7 The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify against it that its works are evil. 8 Go to the festival yourselves. I am not going to this festival, for my time has not yet fully come.” 9 After saying th