Monday 25th September
Read John 7:1-10
“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.” (NIVUK)
The Jewish Festival of Tabernacles was one of the many mass gatherings of the people in Jerusalem. It was also the favourite (according to Josephus anyway). It occurred around this time of year (late September/early October) for a week and celebrated the final incoming of the harvest. So a Festival around grapes and olives rather than grain. The highlight of the Festival were ceremonies involving water and light – both of which, when Jesus eventually speaks half-way through the festival, He alludes to (John 7:37-38; 8:12).
Most people when they read this passage though are less awed by the echoes with water and light and more concerned by the seeming deceit involved in Jesus pronouncement that He was not going to the Festival, only to then secretly show up. I suspect this involves failure to appreciate just how concerned with obedience to the Father’s will Jesus was. We will spend time this week pondering God’s timings, but what is clear in this story is that Jesus responds specifically, and only, to God’s timings. He will not listen to alternate timings. Definitely not his unbelieving brother’s! Even when He does go up, it is clear He is not attending because they suggested He do so (v10).
Jesus was uniquely attuned to the Father’s will. If we think about the reason for the Festival, to celebrate God’s salvation of His people and His keeping them safe in the wilderness (cf Leviticus 23:39-42), anything that distracts people from that saving purpose should be deliberately avoided. I wonder how many things we do each day that don’t align with God’s already revealed will and distract people from His saving purposes for them?
