20160517 Tuesday, May 17 2016
John 07: Why Was The South A Dangerous Place?

by Wayne Blank
See also 1 Year Holy Bible Reading Plan

"Jesus walked in Galilee because the Jews of Judea sought to kill Him"

The religious authorities of Judaism (see Israel In History and Prophecy: Judaism and Israel Never Knew Purim, Hanukkah Or Judaism) were concentrated in Judea, particularly in Jerusalem. As such, the Messiah (who was a Jew as much as the religious authorities were i.e. "the Jews sought to kill Him" could have been more accurately translated as "some of the other Jews sought to kill Him") spent much of the time of His Ministry in the north, in Galilee (see The Prophet Of The Lake) and Samaria (see The Messiah And The Samaritan Woman). The Messiah was always in the greatest danger in the south (see The Night Of The Messiah And The Lynch Mob).

"7:1 After these things Jesus walked in Galilee: for he would not walk in Jewry, because the Jews sought to kill him. 7:2 Now the Jews' feast of tabernacles was at hand. 7:3 His brethren therefore said unto him, Depart hence, and go into Judaea, that thy disciples also may see the works that thou doest. 7:4 For there is no man that doeth any thing in secret, and he himself seeketh to be known openly. If thou do these things, shew thyself to the world. 7:5 For neither did his brethren believe in him.

7:6 Then Jesus said unto them, My time is not yet come: but your time is alway ready. 7:7 The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil. 7:8 Go ye up unto this feast: I go not up yet unto this feast; for my time is not yet full come. 7:9 When he had said these words unto them, he abode still in Galilee.

7:10 But when his brethren were gone up, then went he also up unto the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret. 7:11 Then the Jews sought him at the feast, and said, Where is he?

7:12 And there was much murmuring among the people concerning him: for some said, He is a good man: others said, Nay; but he deceiveth the people. 7:13 Howbeit no man spake openly of him for fear of the Jews." (John 7:1-13 KJV)

The Messiah observed the Feast of Tabernacles (see the Fact Finder question below), and all of the other true Messianic Holy Days (see Leviticus 23: The True Christian Holy Days), because they were about Him, not those who made the observances into something else that thereafter failed to recognize Who and what they were actually about (see The Identity Of The LORD God and The LORD God Our Saviour).

"7:14 Now about the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and taught. 7:15 And the Jews marvelled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?

7:16 Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. 7:17 If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself. 7:18 He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him. 7:19 Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keepeth the law? Why go ye about to kill me?

7:20 The people answered and said, Thou hast a devil: who goeth about to kill thee?

7:21 Jesus answered and said unto them, I have done one work, and ye all marvel. 7:22 Moses therefore gave unto you circumcision; (not because it is of Moses, but of the fathers;) and ye on the sabbath day circumcise a man. 7:23 If a man on the sabbath day receive circumcision, that the law of Moses should not be broken; are ye angry at me, because I have made a man every whit whole on the sabbath day? 7:24 Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment." (John 7:14-24 KJV)

The original Temple in Jerusalem was built in the time of King Solomon (as shown in the city map; see A History Of Jerusalem: The Temple Of The LORD). By the time of the Messiah's coming, the original temple had been destroyed in 586 BC, rebuilt 70 years later (see A History Of Jerusalem: Ezra And Nehemiah) and then greatly expanded by the Roman dictator Herod the Great (see A History Of Jerusalem: The Herodian Dynasty) in the time of the Messiah - Who spent many hours there, right from the time of His birth when John the Baptist's father served there as a priest (see The Messiah's Levitical Birth and What Did John The Baptist's Father Do At The Temple?).

"7:25 Then said some of them of Jerusalem, Is not this he, whom they seek to kill? 7:26 But, lo, he speaketh boldly, and they say nothing unto him. Do the rulers know indeed that this is the very Christ? 7:27 Howbeit we know this man whence he is: but when Christ cometh, no man knoweth whence he is.

7:28 Then cried Jesus in the temple as he taught, saying, Ye both know me, and ye know whence I am: and I am not come of myself, but he that sent me is true, whom ye know not. 7:29 But I know him: for I am from him, and he hath sent me.

7:30 Then they sought to take him: but no man laid hands on him, because his hour was not yet come. 7:31 And many of the people believed on him, and said, When Christ cometh, will he do more miracles than these which this man hath done?

7:32 The Pharisees heard that the people murmured such things concerning him; and the Pharisees and the chief priests sent officers to take him.

7:33 Then said Jesus unto them, Yet a little while am I with you, and then I go unto him that sent me. 7:34 Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither ye cannot come.

7:35 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? 7:36 What manner of saying is this that he said, Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither ye cannot come?

7:37 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. 7:38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. 7:39 (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)

7:40 Many of the people therefore, when they heard this saying, said, Of a truth this is the Prophet.

7:41 Others said, This is the Christ. But some said, Shall Christ come out of Galilee? 7:42 Hath not the scripture said, That Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was? 7:43 So there was a division among the people because of him. 7:44 And some of them would have taken him; but no man laid hands on him." (John 7:25-44 KJV)

Nicodemus was a Pharisee who became a believer and follower of the Messiah while most of the other Pharisees did not - yet (among them was Saul, who later became the apostle Paul; see Paul's Blindness Lesson).

It was to Nicodemus that the famous "born again" and "John 3:16" teachings were given by the Messiah (see What Was The Lesson Of John 3:16?). Nicodemus was one of the two courageous men who claimed the Messiah's Body off the Cross and placed it in the Tomb (see Joseph and Nicodemus: Making A Stand). Nicodemus was not only fearless, but feared by the other Pharisees - Nicodemus spoke in defense of the Messiah while among "the officers and the chief priests and Pharisees" who were then conspiring to commit murder of the Messiah and of Lazarus (see Who Else Did They Want To Kill At Passover?).

"7:45 Then came the officers to the chief priests and Pharisees; and they said unto them, Why have ye not brought him?

7:46 The officers answered, Never man spake like this man.

7:47 Then answered them the Pharisees, Are ye also deceived? 7:48 Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him? 7:49 But this people who knoweth not the law are cursed.

7:50 Nicodemus saith unto them, (he that came to Jesus by night, being one of them,) 7:51 Doth our law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth?

7:52 They answered and said unto him, Art thou also of Galilee? Search, and look: for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet. 7:53 And every man went unto his own house." (John 7:45-53 KJV)

Fact Finder: After the Messiah's return, will everyone, everywhere on Earth, observe the Feast of Tabernacles?
See The Christian Feast Of Tabernacles In History and Prophecy