The Feast of Tabernacles

 

The midst of the feast.... continued debate   John 7v25-36  

The people were blinded by ignorance   John 7v25-27

Then said some of them of Jerusalem is not this He whom they seek to kill?  But lo he speaketh boldly, and they say nothing to Him: do the rulers know indeed that this is the very Christ?  Howbeit we know this man whence He is: but when Christ cometh no man knoweth whence He is.”

 

Obviously, the rulers made as if they didn't know there was a plot to kill him and sought to keep it quiet; but the people in Jerusalem were no fools and they knew their rulers were against Him, and were seeking to kill Him!  Marvellous, isn't it, that ruling men still treat the common people as fools.  Yet they were truly confused because here was a man they were plotting to kill speaking boldly and they were doing nothing about it.  Is there something they know we don't?  Is this man really the Christ? Do they actually know that he is the Christ, and want to keep it from us?  Yet, we know this man, where he comes from and when the Messiah comes we won't know Him.  So they remain confused and strange things are happening.  Their leaders had caused confusion in the minds of the people.

 

Jesus knows their very thoughts    v28-31     At this Jesus lifts His voice in the temple...He knew, while teaching, what they were thinking.  “Ye both know me and you know whence I am and I am not come of myself, but He that sent me is true, whom ye know not; but I know Him. For I am from Him and He hath sent me.”  There need be no doubt who I am; I am come on a mission from the Father and I am telling you the truth for He is the truth.  By your reaction it is evident you don't know Him; but I know Him, and I am come to tell you about Him.  This produced a division of opinion in the temple. The rulers sought to take Him but no man laid hands on Him because the hour was not yet come.  The sovereign hand of God restrained them.  God not only chooses the means but the timing.  However, in the same company, “…many of the people believed on Him and said, when Christ comes, will He do more miracles than this man has done?”  At last, a breath of fresh air, some saying it as it is! 

 

Ungodly men exposed in their prejudice and utterly frustrated in their evil intent    v30-36

Word of all this came to the ears of the Pharisees, who intensified efforts to stop Him. They sent armed officers to arrest Him.  We shall see they could not do their bidding because the moral authority of Jesus was so striking.  Meanwhile Jesus continued, “Yet a little while am I with you, and then I go unto Him that sent me, Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me, and where I am you cannot come.  Then said the Jews among themselves, whither will he go that we shall not find him?  Will he go unto the dispersed among the Gentiles and teach the Gentiles?  What manner of saying is this that he said ye shall seek me and shall not find me and where I am ye cannot come.”

 

Jesus takes control of the situation and reveals Himself to people who really didn't understand.  God was in control of everything and anything they planned would only fulfil His will.  His mission was about to end, and their rejection of Him would mean their eternal loss.