Do You Make Decisions Based on What Others Want You To Do? John 7:1-13

Jesus Goes to the Festival of Tabernacles - John 7

7 After this, Jesus went around in Galilee. He did not want to go about in Judea because the Jewish leaders there were looking for a way to kill him. 2 But when the Jewish Festival of Tabernacles was near, 3 Jesus’ brothers said to him, “Leave Galilee and go to Judea, so that your disciples there may see the works you do. 4 No one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret. Since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world.” 5 For even his own brothers did not believe in him. 6 Therefore Jesus told them, “My time is not yet here; for you any time will do. 7 The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify that its works are evil. 8 You go to the festival. I am not going up to this festival, because my time has not yet fully come.” 9 After he had said this, he stayed in Galilee.10 However, after his brothers had left for the festival, he went also, not publicly, but in secret. 11 Now at the festival the Jewish leaders were watching for Jesus and asking, “Where is he?” 12 Among the crowds there was widespread whispering about him. Some said, “He is a good man.” Others replied, “No, he deceives the people.” 13 But no one would say anything publicly about him for fear of the leaders.

After 71 verses in chapter 6 of John, we move on to chapter 7. The Festival of Tabernacles was one of three, annual feasts the Jews came to Jerusalem for. All Jews from all over would make the journey to Judea, and then to Jerusalem for the feast. 

"This was a joyful, weeklong celebration in September or October when families camped out in temporary shelters to remember God’s faithfulness to Israel in the wilderness on the way from Egypt to Canaan under Moses." (Guzik)

Due to the increasing animosity between Jesus and the Jewish leaders he decided to stay in Galillee, where he had been been teaching. His brothers meanwhile had other ideas for him. Having seen many of the disciples leave in response to the teaching about partaking of his flesh and blood, they hoped doing some miracles at such a strategic time might help Jesus' approval ratings.

"The people of Jerusalem often looked down on the Jews of Galilee. Since Jesus did most of His miraculous works there, it gave the religious leaders in Jerusalem another reason to say that Jesus wasn’t the Messiah, because He didn’t do most of His work in front of the right audience." (Guzik)

Interestingly it says his brothers still, "Did not believe in him". They too had not yet understood the type of Messiah he was. Brothers means his "literal brothers", as in other places the scripture affirms he had real brothers. (John 2;12, Matthew 12:46-47, Matthew 13:55-56) They had believed in his miracles, but not submitted to him as their Messiah, but later they will. 

Jesus is aware of their impatience and so he reminds them that they are working on a different time table than he is. Jesus is not impulsively doing miracles at their or the crowd's bidding, but revealing himself on His Father's timetable. Jesus warns them of the type of opposition he knows he is going to receive at the festival, so he urges them to go ahead of him. He knows that as he nears Jerusalem, the opposition will grow to such a point so as trigger his arrest and crucifixion. 

Later, at a time unbeknownst to his brothers, he showed up at the festival. Sure enough, the Jewish leaders were expecting and looking for him. They had already asked where he was. Meanwhile, there was no lack of discussion concerning him among the people. This shows that he was widely known as a public figure and charismatic teacher. Everybody had at the very least heard of Jesus. Their viewpoints were mixed. Some saw him as a good and decent man, others thought he was a deceiver. As is often the case, Jesus often divides people. He often causes division among people because of his exclusive claims to be the Messiah, the only Son of God, and the only source of salvation from sin. 

It is pretty hard to be "neutral" about Jesus, though some like to say about, "Oh he is a good teacher!" Though he was a good teacher, he claimed to be much more than that and demanded a response to what he said about himself. I.e. "I am the way, the truth and the life and no one comes to the Father except by me." John 14:6 These are not the words of JUST a good teacher. They are the words of someone who claims to be the only way to God. Either he is or he isn't. It is not a neutral statement.  

 “Whether they approved of disapproved of him, they did not voice their opinions too loudly or too publicly. The authorities did not wish him to be discussed at all, and any one who disregarded their wishes was liable to feel their displeasure.” (Bruce)

How do you make important decisions about where you will go or what you will do in life? Do you take the time to ask God where he wants you to be, or do you act impulsively to please others around you? Are you more attune to God's agenda for your life, or are you driven by anxiety of others? How do most people react when the topic of Jesus' identity comes up in public conversation? Who do you say He is? Do you think it is possible to just say, "He is a really good teacher" and nothing else?