1 After this Jesus went about in Galilee; he would not go about in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill him. 2 Now the Jews’ feast of Tabernacles was at hand. 3 So his brothers said to him, “Leave here and go to Judea, that your disciples may see the works you are doing. 4 For no man works in secret if he seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, show yourself to the world.” 5 For even his brothers did not believe in him. 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 of it that its works are evil. 8 Go to the feast yourselves; I am not going up to this feast, for my time has not yet fully come.” 9 So saying, he remained in Galilee.
7:1 και περιεπατει ο ιησους μετα ταυτα εν τη γαλιλαια ου γαρ ηθελεν εν τη ιουδαια περιπατειν οτι εζητουν αυτον οι ιουδαιοι αποκτειναι 7:2 ην δε εγγυς η εορτη των ιουδαιων η σκηνοπηγια 7:3 ειπον ουν προς αυτον οι αδελφοι αυτου μεταβηθι εντευθεν και υπαγε εις την ιουδαιαν ινα και οι μαθηται σου θεωρησωσιν τα εργα σου α ποιεις 7:4 ουδεις γαρ εν κρυπτω τι ποιει και ζητει αυτος εν παρρησια ειναι ει ταυτα ποιεις φανερωσον σεαυτον τω κοσμω 7:5 ουδε γαρ οι αδελφοι αυτου επιστευον εις αυτον 7:6 λεγει ουν αυτοις ο ιησους ο καιρος ο εμος ουπω παρεστιν ο δε καιρος ο υμετερος παντοτε εστιν ετοιμος 7:7 ου δυναται ο κοσμος μισειν υμας εμε δε μισει οτι εγω μαρτυρω περι αυτου οτι τα εργα αυτου πονηρα εστιν 7:8 υμεις αναβητε εις την εορτην ταυτην εγω ουπω αναβαινω εις την εορτην ταυτην οτι ο καιρος ο εμος ουπω πεπληρωται 7:9 ταυτα δε ειπων αυτοις εμεινεν εν τη γαλιλαια
22 Genesis 17:10; Leviticus 12:3
23 Mark 3:5; John 5:9
16-18 H. E. Fosdick, The Meaning of Prayer, p. 73 f.
17 C. Christopher Smith and John Pattison, Slow Church, p. 56
Slow Church
We find out who Jesus is along the way. We walk the way with Jesus, only to discover that Jesus himself has been the Way and also the destination. Jesus invited people who were skeptical about his teachings to try them on for size: “Anyone who resolves to do the will of God will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own” (Jn 7:17). This is the language of experimentation and a call to apprenticeship.
10 But after his brothers had gone up to the feast, then he also went up, not publicly but in private. 11 The Jews were looking for him at the feast, and saying, “Where is he?” 12 And there was much muttering about him among the people. While some said, “He is a good man,” others said, “No, he is leading the people astray.” 13 Yet for fear of the Jews no one spoke openly of him.
14 About the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and taught. 15 The Jews marveled at it, saying, “How is it that this man has learning, when he has never studied?” 16 So Jesus answered them, “My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me; 17 if any man’s will is to do his will, he shall know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority. 18 He who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory; but he who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood.
19 Did not Moses give you the law? Yet none of you keeps the law. Why do you seek to kill me?” 20 The people answered, “You have a demon! Who is seeking to kill you?” 21 Jesus answered them, “I did one deed, and you all marvel at it. 22 Moses gave you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and you circumcise a man upon the sabbath. 23 If on the sabbath a man receives circumcision, so that the law of Moses may not be broken, are you angry with me because on the sabbath I made a man’s whole body well?
24 Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.”
7:10 ως δε ανεβησαν οι αδελφοι αυτου τοτε και αυτος ανεβη εις την εορτην ου φανερως αλλ ως εν κρυπτω 7:11 οι ουν ιουδαιοι εζητουν αυτον εν τη εορτη και ελεγον που εστιν εκεινος 7:12 και γογγυσμος πολυς περι αυτου ην εν τοις οχλοις οι μεν ελεγον οτι αγαθος εστιν αλλοι ελεγον ου αλλα πλανα τον οχλον 7:13 ουδεις μεντοι παρρησια ελαλει περι αυτου δια τον φοβον των ιουδαιων
7:14 ηδη δε της εορτης μεσουσης ανεβη ο ιησους εις το ιερον και εδιδασκεν 7:15 και εθαυμαζον οι ιουδαιοι λεγοντες πως ουτος γραμματα οιδεν μη μεμαθηκως 7:16 απεκριθη ουν αυτοις ο ιησους και ειπεν η εμη διδαχη ουκ εστιν εμη αλλα του πεμψαντος με 7:17 εαν τις θελη το θελημα αυτου ποιειν γνωσεται περι της διδαχης ποτερον εκ του θεου εστιν η εγω απ εμαυτου λαλω 7:18 ο αφ εαυτου λαλων την δοξαν την ιδιαν ζητει ο δε ζητων την δοξαν του πεμψαντος αυτον ουτος αληθης εστιν και αδικια εν αυτω ουκ εστιν
7:19 ου μωσης δεδωκεν υμιν τον νομον και ουδεις εξ υμων ποιει τον νομον τι με ζητειτε αποκτειναι 7:20 απεκριθη ο οχλος και ειπεν δαιμονιον εχεις τις σε ζητει αποκτειναι 7:21 απεκριθη ιησους και ειπεν αυτοις εν εργον εποιησα και παντες θαυμαζετε 7:22 δια τουτο μωσης δεδωκεν υμιν την περιτομην ουχ οτι εκ του μωσεως εστιν αλλ εκ των πατερων και εν σαββατω περιτεμνετε ανθρωπον 7:23 ει περιτομην λαμβανει ανθρωπος εν σαββατω ινα μη λυθη ο νομος μωσεως εμοι χολατε οτι ολον ανθρωπον υγιη εποιησα εν σαββατω 7:24 μη κρινετε κατ οψιν αλλα την δικαιαν κρισιν κρινατε
25 Some of the people of Jerusalem therefore said, “Is not this the man whom they seek to kill? 26 And here he is, speaking openly, and they say nothing to him! Can it be that the authorities really know that this is the Christ? 27 Yet we know where this man comes from; and when the Christ appears, no one will know where he comes from.” 28 So Jesus proclaimed, as he taught in the temple, “You know me, and you know where I come from? But I have not come of my own accord; he who sent me is true, and him you do not know. 29 I know him, for I come from him, and he sent me.” 30 So they sought to arrest him; but no one laid hands on him, because his hour had not yet come. 31 Yet many of the people believed in him; they said, “When the Christ appears, will he do more signs than this man has done?”
32 The Pharisees heard the crowd thus muttering about him, and the chief priests and Pharisees sent officers to arrest him. 33 Jesus then said, “I shall be with you a little longer, and then I go to him who sent me; 34 you will seek me and you will not find me; where I am you cannot come.” 35 The Jews said to one another, “Where does this man intend to go that we shall not find him? Does he intend to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks and teach the Greeks? 36 What does he mean by saying, ‘You will seek me and you will not find me,’ and, ‘Where I am you cannot come’?”
7:25 ελεγον ουν τινες εκ των ιεροσολυμιτων ουχ ουτος εστιν ον ζητουσιν αποκτειναι 7:26 και ιδε παρρησια λαλει και ουδεν αυτω λεγουσιν μηποτε αληθως εγνωσαν οι αρχοντες οτι ουτος εστιν αληθως ο χριστος 7:27 αλλα τουτον οιδαμεν ποθεν εστιν ο δε χριστος οταν ερχηται ουδεις γινωσκει ποθεν εστιν 7:28 εκραξεν ουν εν τω ιερω διδασκων ο ιησους και λεγων καμε οιδατε και οιδατε ποθεν ειμι και απ εμαυτου ουκ εληλυθα αλλ εστιν αληθινος ο πεμψας με ον υμεις ουκ οιδατε 7:29 εγω οιδα αυτον οτι παρ αυτου ειμι κακεινος με απεστειλεν 7:30 εζητουν ουν αυτον πιασαι και ουδεις επεβαλεν επ αυτον την χειρα οτι ουπω εληλυθει η ωρα αυτου 7:31 πολλοι δε εκ του οχλου επιστευσαν εις αυτον και ελεγον οτι ο χριστος οταν ελθη μητι πλειονα σημεια τουτων ποιησει ων ουτος εποιησεν
7:32 ηκουσαν οι φαρισαιοι του οχλου γογγυζοντος περι αυτου ταυτα και απεστειλαν υπηρετας οι φαρισαιοι και οι αρχιερεις ινα πιασωσιν αυτον 7:33 ειπεν ουν ο ιησους ετι μικρον χρονον μεθ υμων ειμι και υπαγω προς τον πεμψαντα με 7:34 ζητησετε με και ουχ ευρησετε και οπου ειμι εγω υμεις ου δυνασθε ελθειν 7:35 ειπον ουν οι ιουδαιοι προς εαυτους που ουτος μελλει πορευεσθαι οτι ημεις ουχ ευρησομεν αυτον μη εις την διασποραν των ελληνων μελλει πορευεσθαι και διδασκειν τους ελληνας 7:36 τις εστιν ουτος ο λογος ον ειπεν ζητησετε με και ουχ ευρησετε και οπου ειμι εγω υμεις ου δυνασθε ελθειν
Helmut Thielicke, “How Do I Overcome Life’s Boredom and Anxiety?,” How to Believe Again, p. 194-206
37 Leviticus 23:36; Matthew 5:6
38 Isaiah 44:3, 55:1, 58:11; Ezekiel 47:1; Zechariah 14:8
40-52 John 3:1-12
42 2 Samuel 7:12; Psalm 89:4; Micah 5:2
50 John 3:1-2
37-38 Denise Levertov, “The Fountain,” Jacob’s Ladder, p. 36
"The Fountain"
Don’t say, don’t say there is no water
to solace the dryness at our hearts.
I have seen
the fountain springing out of the rock wall
and you drinking there. And I too
before your eyes
found footholds and climbed
to drink the cool water.
…
Don’t say, don’t say there is no water.
That fountain is there among its scalloped
green and gray stones,
it is still and always there
with its quiet song and strange power
to spring in us,
up and out through the rock.
41-42 John Dominic Crossan, The Historical Jesus, p. 371
37 On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and proclaimed, “If any one thirst, let him come to me and drink. 38 He who believes in me, as the scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart shall flow rivers of living water.’” 39 Now this he said about the Spirit, which those who believed in him were to receive; for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
40 When they heard these words, some of the people said, “This is really the prophet.” 41 Others said, “This is the Christ.” But some said, “Is the Christ to come from Galilee? 42 Has not the scripture said that the Christ is descended from David, and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was?” 43 So there was a division among the people over him. 44 Some of them wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him.
45 The officers then went back to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, “Why did you not bring him?” 46 The officers answered, “No man ever spoke like this man!” 47 The Pharisees answered them, “Are you led astray, you also? 48 Have any of the authorities or of the Pharisees believed in him? 49 But this crowd, who do not know the law, are accursed.” 50 Nicodemus, who had gone to him before, and who was one of them, said to them, 51 “Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he does?” 52 They replied, “Are you from Galilee too? Search and you will see that no prophet is to rise from Galilee.” 53 They went each to his own house,
7:37 εν δε τη εσχατη ημερα τη μεγαλη της εορτης ειστηκει ο ιησους και εκραξεν λεγων εαν τις διψα ερχεσθω προς με και πινετω 7:38 ο πιστευων εις εμε καθως ειπεν η γραφη ποταμοι εκ της κοιλιας αυτου ρευσουσιν υδατος ζωντος 7:39 τουτο δε ειπεν περι του πνευματος ου εμελλον λαμβανειν οι πιστευοντες εις αυτον ουπω γαρ ην πνευμα αγιον οτι ιησους ουδεπω εδοξασθη
7:40 πολλοι ουν εκ του οχλου ακουσαντες τον λογον ελεγον ουτος εστιν αληθως ο προφητης 7:41 αλλοι ελεγον ουτος εστιν ο χριστος αλλοι ελεγον μη γαρ εκ της γαλιλαιας ο χριστος ερχεται 7:42 ουχι η γραφη ειπεν οτι εκ του σπερματος δαυιδ και απο βηθλεεμ της κωμης οπου ην δαυιδ ο χριστος ερχεται 7:43 σχισμα ουν εν τω οχλω εγενετο δι αυτον 7:44 τινες δε ηθελον εξ αυτων πιασαι αυτον αλλ ουδεις επεβαλεν επ αυτον τας χειρας
7:45 ηλθον ουν οι υπηρεται προς τους αρχιερεις και φαρισαιους και ειπον αυτοις εκεινοι δια τι ουκ ηγαγετε αυτον 7:46 απεκριθησαν οι υπηρεται ουδεποτε ουτως ελαλησεν ανθρωπος ως ουτος ο ανθρωπος 7:47 απεκριθησαν ουν αυτοις οι φαρισαιοι μη και υμεις πεπλανησθε 7:48 μη τις εκ των αρχοντων επιστευσεν εις αυτον η εκ των φαρισαιων 7:49 αλλ ο οχλος ουτος ο μη γινωσκων τον νομον επικαταρατοι εισιν 7:50 λεγει νικοδημος προς αυτους ο ελθων νυκτος προς αυτον εις ων εξ αυτων 7:51 μη ο νομος ημων κρινει τον ανθρωπον εαν μη ακουση παρ αυτου προτερον και γνω τι ποιει 7:52 απεκριθησαν και ειπον αυτω μη και συ εκ της γαλιλαιας ει ερευνησον και ιδε οτι προφητης εκ της γαλιλαιας ουκ εγηγερται 7:53 και απηλθεν εκαστος εις τον οικον αυτου