Opposition and claims to Deity:
The feast of booths or Tabernacles was one of three feasts which all Jewish males were required to attend (Duet 16:16) along with the Feast of unleavened bread and the feast of weeks)
The feast was celebrated at the end of the harvest season after crops were gathered and processed. It took place in the month Tishri which would correspond with September/ October in the Georgian Calendar.
The feast was for 7 days with an eighth day added to the end, so it began and ended on a Sabbath. Each day included sacrifices beginning with 13 bulls and decreasing one each day until the final Sabbath, for a total of 70 bulls. There were also libation offerings and lamps were lit and continued to burn for the week.
As it was practiced in Jesus’ day, the feast involved 3 distinct emphases. The past, the present and the future were all bundled together in this one event.
- As a re-enactment of Israel’s time in the wilderness, it commemorated the miraculous way that God sustained his people in the desert.
- It was a harvest festival celebrating God’s ongoing benevolence in the lives of his people.
- And it looked forward in anticipation to the coming of God’s messiah.
As mentioned, all Jewish males were expected to attend, which of course included Jesus. By this time in his ministry, Jesus has gained considerable notoriety, especially in Galilee. Between John 6:4, where Passover is mentioned and John 7, where we have the feast of booths, considerable time has passed covering the events of Mat 15-18; Mk 7-9; Lk 9:18-50. Given Jesus reputation and the large number of people going to Jerusalem. Expectations were running high.
The people were also aware that tensions existed between Jesus and the religious leadership. If Jesus appeared at the feast, no one knew if this would be the showdown that would end the life and ministry of Jesus, or, provide the moment that he stepped into his role as political leader and messiah. At the very least, people were excited and full of expectation and speculation.
Rather treating John 7-8 chronologically, let’s set out to answer three questions.
- What are people thinking about Jesus?
- What does Jesus say about himself?
- And finally, what is Jesus thinking about the people especially his opponents.
Perceptions of Jesus
John introduces the Lord’s trip to Jerusalem by highlighting a conversation while he was still in Galilee. Jesus’ brothers were aware of the situation that we have been discussing and so they bring it up. They ask “are you going to Judea?”. Everyone is expecting you and it seems that if you want to be legitimate and recognized, this is the time and place (Jn 7:2-9). As a side note, Mk 6:3 relates, that His brother’s were: James, Joses, Judas and Simon along with his sisters. Jesus responded that he is not going up with them. And he seems to let them think that he may not go at all, but he doesn’t say that. He just tells them to go on ahead of him. His refusal is perhaps best understood in terms of declining to go on their terms or for the purposes that they suggest.
John specifically points out that they didn’t believe in Jesus, so it is hard to know exactly what his brothers intended. What they said may have been a blend of sarcasm and disbelief, but in any case they seem to be calling Jesus out to some degree. Time to put up or shut up. To which Jesus responded – that he and they are in different situations and that his purposes are not to fulfill worldly expectations.
John next takes us to Jerusalem itself where the crowds are speculating about what Jesus will do. Some are grumbling about him or as the NIV translates it, they are “whispering” which is probably a good way to put it (Jn 7:10-13). Some say that “he is a good man,” while others replied that “he is leading the people astray.” But everyone was wondering…“where is he?”
Those who believed that he was the messiah asked “When the Christ appears, will he do more signs than this man has done?” (Jn 7:31). Others held him to be a prophet but not necessarily the messiah. The situation was further exacerbated by a general fear of the religious leaders – so no one is speaking up publicly..
The Jews (John’s way of referring to the religious establishment) wonder how Jesus is so knowledgeable when he has not been trained by an established Rabbi? What would we think if we heard someone with no formal education, speak with knowledge and insight on a subject that is difficult (Jn7:15). We would be impressed. Yet the leaders dismissed the idea that he might be the messiah and were not in any way favourably disposed toward him.
So, when Jesus did arrive, “The Pharisees and chief priests sent officers (temple guards) to arrest Him” (Jn 8:32-36). When the guards returned empty-handed, they were asked, “why didn’t you arrest him?” They exclaimed “No one ever spoke like this man” (Jn 8:46).
The Pharisees dismiss the thought that Jesus spoke with knowledge and authority since it does not take much to impress an ignorant crowd. So they ask instead “Not one of the rulers or Pharisees has believed in Him, has he?”
When the leaders dismissed Jesus so lightly, they were committing the logical fallacy of arguing from authority. Nicodemus weighed in at this point and asked if they pass judgment without investigation?. Jesus had already said, “Do not judge by appearance but judge with right judgment.” Now Nicodemus points out that they are doing that very thing. His advice may be part of the reason that Jesus was able to continue teaching as he does. But John explains that the real reason he was not arrested was because “his time had not yet come.”
It may be helpful for us to reflect on our own response to Jesus in light of the opinions of others around us. How are we affected by the opinions of others?
Jesus was not content to let people draw their own conclusions. In the midst of these conversations He made a series of powerful claims.
He said: “If anyone thirsts let him come to me and drink. Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” John explains that this was a reference to the Holy Spirit who had not been given because Jesus has not yet been glorified (Jn 7:37-39).
The feast of Tabernacles thanked God for sending rain in its season, to ensure a successful harvest. It also commemorated God’s providence in the wilderness, with water from ‘the rock’. But the feast was also forward looking. The leaders associated the salvation that Isaiah promised (12:3) with the coming of the messiah. Isaiah wrote of a time to come for Israel, saying… “therefore you will joyously draw water from the springs of salvation.” In anticipation of that day, and on each morning of the feast, a priest would take a golden pitcher filled with water from the pool of Siloam to the temple and pour it out at the base of the alter. This ceremony was accompanied by rejoicing before the Lord and blowing the rams horn (shofar).
It was then while the celebrants thanked God for life-giving water, that Jesus identified himself as the source of living water. He was repeating a promise that he had made to the woman at the well in John chapter four. Reading to the end of Acts, we come to understand that it is those who are baptized into Christ for the forgiveness of their sins who receive the blessing of the indwelling Holy Spirit.
Jesus went on to say – “I am the Light of the world, whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (Jn 8:12). He was drawing on another tradition observed at the feast of tabernacles.
The feast was a reenactment of Israel’s time in the wilderness. While there, the presence of God was visible as a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. To symbolize the fire of the God’s presence, there was a ‘lamp-lighting’ ceremony on the first night of the feast in the court of women. There were four large menorah’s – seventy five feet high and the light was so brilliant that the Mishna says there was not a courtyard in Jerusalem that did not reflect the light. So, when Jesus claimed to the ‘the light of the world’, in the context of this feast, he was claiming to be the God who was symbolized by that light.
Now in scripture, the word light is sometimes used metaphorically. In John 1, the writer described Jesus as “the life…which upon coming to earth, was the light of men” (Jn 1:4). It has the quality of being “the light that shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it. It is “The true light, which gives light to everyone was coming into the world.”
What John means is that Jesus is both the source of physical life and of eternal life. Those who want to see must accept his words as truth, and those who want eternal life must have faith in Jesus and obey his commands.
The Pharisees objected, saying that he is bearing witness about himself. Jesus responds that based on two witnesses’, truth can be established and he offers himself and the father. Everyone who is put on trial can testify on their own behalf and their testimony is as valid as that of any other witness.
Jesus also said: “Before Abraham was I AM,”
John has made it clear that Jesus was God and that he existed in heaven with the Father before creation. So while others debated the identity of Jesus, he claimed to be God, in no uncertain terms. The Jews had just asked him how, he could have known Abraham, since he is not yet 50 years of age. Jesus answered, “before Abraham ever existed I AM.” He applied the words that God spoke to Moses from the burning bush, to himself. This was the clearest possible claim to deity yet and the Jews knew it. It would be blasphemy except for the fact that Jesus really is God.
He then turned the tables on them. While they were putting him on trial, they were the ones on trial before almighty God. And their relationship with God would turn on their acceptance and obedience to Jesus, or their rejection of him.
To illustrate this, Jesus pointed that if anyone is truly setting out to obey God, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority 7:17.
In the address that follows:
- Jesus accused them of not following Moses because they took issue with healing on the Sabbath but not with circumcising someone. 7:19-22
- He explained that the Pharisees know neither him nor the father, for if they knew him they would know the father 8:19. “Know” here is a reference to accept. John had previously explained “no one has ever seen God; the only God who is at the Fathers side he has made him known” 1:18
- Jesus identified his opponents as from below and of the world just as he had done in regards to his brothers. 8:23
- To the Jews who had believed in Him he said “If you abide in my word you are truly my disciples and you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.
- But the leaders demonstrated that they still didn’t understand what he meant by claiming Abraham as their father. 8:31-32
- But Jesus pointed out that if you are Abraham’s children you would be doing the works that Abraham did, that is when you hear the truth from God you obey it. Rather they are of their father the devil. Because they are more interested in lies than truth. This discussion ultimately leads to the self-identification above. 8:44-45
John 7:24 summarizes much of Jesus interaction with those at the feast as well as John’s overall description of the situation. It reads: “I told you that you would die in your sins for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.”
It is only when we trust in Jesus as our Divine King and Saviour that we can have any hope of redemption. John 7-8 reminds us that while we are making a decision about Jesus, God is making a decision about us. Everything turns on this.
The point is, that we don’t get to choose our own version of Jesus. He claimed to be the Son of God. We either accept that or we do not, but Jesus does not give us the option of redefining who He is.
Today, Jesus calls us to believe that he is God’s Son. To repent of sin, make our faith known to others and to be immersed for the forgiveness of sin. God will forgive us on the strength of Jesus sacrifice and indwell us in the person of the Holy Spirit.
Nothing we will ever do will be more important than how we respond to Jesus.
Barrie ON