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The Gospel of John, The Period of Conflict, Jesus Urged to Go to the Feast of Tabernacles, Part VIII, John 7:28-36 - Lesson 55
Read Verses John 7:28,29, 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. But I know him: for I am from him, and he hath sent me.
Jesus tells the Jews in an ironic form if speech that they do not know him.
They do not know the Father because they do not know him.
A similar message is recorded in Matthew and Luke.
Mat 11:27, All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.
Luke 10:22, All things are delivered to me of my Father: and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him.
God cannot be known unless attention is paid to the one who is his Word.
His word reveals the Father.
And they were not about to pay attention to Jesus Christ, the Father's word.
If you do not pay attention to the Father's word you cannot pay attention to the Father.
They were paying too much attention to their leaders.
They were bound in the snare, the trap of fear of their leaders instead of fear of God.
They had not ears to hear.
Fear of man will close ears but fear of God will open ears.
John 7:30, Then they sought to take him: but no man laid hands on him, because his hour was not yet come.
We will see a similar phrase in John 8:20, These words spake Jesus in the treasury, as he taught in the temple: and no man laid hands on him; for his hour was not yet come.
Jesus had an appointment with a certain hour and Jesus always keeps his appointments.
But the Feast of Tabernacles was not that hour.
The power of God prevented the hands of all mankind from laying hands on Jesus Christ at this time.
His hour had not yet come.
There is no power that is not of God, and all power is in God's control.
John tells us in this passage that they (the Jews, the religious leaders) sought to take him.
But it was not the sovereign will of God that he should be arrested at this time.
The appointment was 6 months following this event and no power on earth could change that appointment.
Prov 21:30, There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the LORD.
God had decreed that the Son of Man should be betrayed by a familiar friend, and sold for 30 pieces of silver.
He had decreed that the Messiah would be cut off after the 69th week.
Satan's efforts or man's efforts would not change that.
How then was it possible for these men to seize him?
They couldn't stop the sun from shining.
Neither could they seize him.
Prov. 19:21, There are many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand.
God teaches us here of his protecting power for his children.
His purpose is not hindered in those that are called to do his will.
You are immortal in this life until your appointed time comes.
Psa 91:2. I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.
Psa 91:5. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;
Psa 91:6. Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.
Psa 91:7. A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.
What comfort there is for the child of God!
John 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?
Did these really put their trust in him or were these of the same ilk of those we learned about in John 2:23, those that believed in his name because they saw the miracles which he did?
The time when Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men?
These reasoned and counted the miracles and their reason told them something was different about this man.
Whether or not this was saving faith I cannot tell.
The phrase "when Christ cometh" seems to indicate that they did not regard Jesus Christ as the true Messiah.
John 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.
This event is but six months before the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.
Events are moving quickly.
The opposition to the person of Jesus Christ is definite and directed.
The forces of man are gathering as the force of man must always gather because man depends on many to be effective.
Man does not work alone but always seeks others of like mind to carry out evil.
The religious leaders, the Sanhedrin, sense they are losing control over the people.
They hear the murmuring of the people and fear a loss of power over the people.
Jesus is a threat to their position and their beloved system.
Their authority has been questioned so they send the temple police officers to take Jesus Christ.
This police force of Levites was responsible for maintaining law and order within the temple areas.
As the police officers approach to take Jesus, he continues to teach about himself and his mission.
He knows his hour has not yet come.
It is impossible for this puny force, let alone any force, to take him.
It is impossible for them to obey the Pharisees and the chief priests because Jesus is not finished doing the Father's will.
John 7:33,34 Then said Jesus unto them, 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, thither ye cannot come.
The police join the crowd and begin to listen to the words of Jesus.
He tells them that he will not be with them much longer.
He knows that he is a thorn in the side of the Sanhedrin but it will not be for long.
He speaks with complete authority in the situation.
He does not physically resist the officers.
But his words resist the officers.
"Never man spake like this man," they say.
None could remove him until his work was finished.
He says he will be a little while.
That little while was completely controlled by Jesus Christ.
No power on earth could shorten that little while by even one minute.
And when the little while was over Jesus Christ would go back to him that sent him.
He tells them that where he will go will be beyond any power on earth to follow him.
Ye cannot come! he tells them.
These are ominous words for the lost.
They too apply to those who refuse the grace and truth of Jesus Christ.
Someday the Holy Spirit of Christ will be removed and where he goes billions will not be able to come.
Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded.
Isa 55:6, Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:
There will be a time when the Lord will not be found.
How much better to have the words of Christ in John 14:2-4, apply to you,
In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.
John 7:35,36, 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, thither ye cannot come?
We see 1 Cor. 2:14 lived out in this passage: But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
The Jews are spiritually empty.
As usual they think in this world's way.
They think in the physical.
How do you think? Is this your way?
They cannot think in spiritual terms for they are natural.
They are born only once.
They cannot receive things from the Spirit of God because they are natural and they are not spiritual.
So they ask, Will he go among the scattered Jews?
Will he go to the dispersed Jews throughout the world?
Is he talking about teaching the hated Gentiles?
Unbelief is in evidence all over Israel.
Unbelief thinks about everything but God.
There is no room for God in unbelief.
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?
There is no understanding of spiritual things by the unregenerate.
The newest babe in Christ has more understanding than that which is known by the most intelligent unregenerate man or woman.
Jesus knew their heart. They could not come where he was going because he knew their heart. |