Brotherly Love
7 After this, Jesus went around in Galilee. He did not want[a] 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[b] going up to this festival, because my time has not yet fully come.” 9 After he had said this, he stayed in Galilee.
John 7:1–9
After this Jesus went about in Galilee. He would not go about in Judea, because the Jews 1 were seeking to kill him. 2 Now the Jews Feast of Booths was at hand. 3 So his brothers 2 said to him, Leave here and go to Judea, that your disciples also may see the works you are doing. 4 For no one works in secret if he seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, show yourself to the world. 5 For not even his brothers believed 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 about it that its works are evil. 8 You go up to the feast. I am not 3 going up to this feast, for my time has not yet fully come. 9 After saying this, he remained in Galilee.
The Feast of Tabernacles was approaching and as was the custom, Jews ventured down from Galilee to celebrate in Judea. However, Jesus did not think going was a good idea because the Jews there wanted to kill him. A wise decision from my perspective but his brothers saw it differently. Jesus’ brothers try to convince him to go to Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles. The reasoning was that Jesus was a public figure and as a public figure he should be, well.. public!
Jesus’ disciples once argued amongst themselves who would be the greatest among them in heaven. After all, they were right under Jesus so it only made sense that they would hold great authority in heaven. What they did was look ahead to the grand event. That defining moment when all the work is shown and the medals are handed out.
Jesus’ brothers were doing the same thing. They wanted the main event. This sneaking around and avoiding people seemed down right silly. Why would Jesus, with all his authority and influence, need to avoid anyone? However, were not the brothers worried about their brother being killed? The logical reasoning is that they thought of him as a leader, not as a savior. They, like the Jews in Galilee who tried to make him king, including his own disciples, thought he could muster up a political coup who could overthrow the leadership. This is what the bothers wanted.
Now the previous chapter, in verse 66, tells us that many of his disciples left him. They were sickened by his teaching saying that a person must eat of his (Jesus’) flesh to have eternally life. In 7:3 the brothers add that he should go down and perform miracles so that his disciples believe again. This must be in reference to the disciples that left and likely joined the rest in Judea proclaiming he is deceptive (7:12b). Yet, in v5 we are told that his brothers did not really believe in him. Perhaps they to needed to see more miracles, or they needed to see him take a stand as a political leader. They were frustrated that Jesus kept avoiding becoming king. In fact, I wonder if his brothers were offended that he did not let the people on the shores of Galilee make him king right after the feeding of the 5000. If Jesus was made king in Galilee this would of created a civil war in Israel since the Jews in Judea were against him.
Jesus answered his brothers by telling them the right time had not come. And then he sort of slams his brothers by saying “for you any time is right.” For them, they wanted immediate gratification. They saw the opportunity of political power. But they missed the message. Jesus’ mission was to seek and save the lost. Jesus could have told them more about his death and resurrection but they would not have been willing to receive it.
Jesus purposely avoided Judea because he knew the Jews wanted to kill him. But, aren’t we talking about Jesus here? A man with more power than any person or anything? Why would he need to move in secret? Because true Godly power does not unleash at every opportunity. The power is in changing hearts and minds, not forceful dictatorship. And this is the message to us. We wield the greatest power on this earth through Jesus Christ. This power we use to change the hearts and mind of those around us. It is our nature to want God to smite our enemies, to right the wrongs against us. And, there is a time for that, but our mission that Jesus gave us is to go and seek the lost. That was Jesus’ mission over any power he had and it is to be ours as well.
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