JOHN CHAPTER 7

During the time when the Jewish people sought to kill Jesus, He spent time in Galilee, the northern part of Israel. Jerusalem is in Judæa, which is the southern region of Israel. Now the Jew's feast of tabernacles was nearing, so Jesus’ brothers said to Him, Leave here and go into Judæa, so your disciples can also see the works that you do, because there is no man that does anything in secret, and he himself seeks to be known openly. If you do these works, show yourself to the world. Did you catch that? Even Jesus’ own brothers didn’t believe in Him and they were mocking Him. Well, as Jesus said before, a prophet has no honor in his home country.

Then Jesus said to them, My time has not yet come: but your time is always ready.
The world cannot hate you; but me it hates, because I testify of it, that the works of it are evil. You go to this feast. I won’t go yet, because my time has not yet arrived. So Jesus remained in Galilee, but when his brothers had gone, then He also went to the feast, not openly, but in secret.
Then the Jews looked for Him at the feast, and said, Where is he? There was much murmuring among the people concerning Him. Some said, He is a good man: others said, No, He deceives the people. However, nobody spoke openly of Him for fear of the Jews.

Now about the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the Temple, and taught. And the Jews were in awe, saying, How does this man know how to teach, having never learned? Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but His that sent me. If any man will do His will, He will know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself. He that speaks of himself seeks his own glory: but he that seeks His glory that sent Him, he is true, and no unrighteousness is in him. Didn’t Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keeps the law?

Why do you go about to kill me? The people answered, You have a devil, who goes about to kill you? Jesus answered, I have done one work, and you all marvel. Moses gave to you circumcision; (not because it is of Moses, but of the fathers;) and you on the Sabbath day circumcise a man. If a man on the Sabbath day receive circumcision, that the law of Moses should not be broken; are you angry at me, because I have made a man healed on the Sabbath day? Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.

Then some of them of Jerusalem said, Isn’t this He, whom they seek to kill? But look, He speaks boldly, and they say nothing to Him. Do the rulers know for a fact that this is the very Christ? We know where this man is from, but when Christ comes, no man will know where He came from.
Then Jesus cried in the Temple as He taught, saying, You both know me, and you know where I’m from, and I have not come of my own will, but He that sent me is true, whom you know not. But I know Him, for I am from Him, and He has sent me.

Then they sought to take Him: but no man laid hands on Him, because His hour had not yet come. Many of the people believed in Him, and said, When Christ comes, will He do more miracles than these which this man has done?

The Pharisees heard that the people murmured such things concerning Him; and the Pharisees and the chief priests sent officers to take Him. Then Jesus said to them, For yet a little while I will be with you, and then I go to Him that sent me.

You shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, there you cannot come.
The Jews said among themselves, Where will He go, that we shall not find Him? Will he go to the dispersed among the Gentiles, and teach the Gentiles? What kind of talk is this that He said, You shall seek me, and shall not find me, and where I am, there you cannot come?

In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried saying, If any man thirst, let him come to me, and drink. He that believes in me, as the scripture (Deuteronomy 18:15) has said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water (Isaiah 12:3). (Jesus was speaking of the Spirit, which they that believe in Him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because Jesus was not yet glorified.) Many of the people then, when they heard this saying said, Of a truth this is the Prophet. Others said, This is the Christ. But some said, Shall Christ come out of Galilee? Doesn’t the scripture say that Christ comes of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was? So there was a division among the people because of Him. And some of them wanted to take Him; but no man laid hands on Him.

Then the officers went to the chief priests and Pharisees; and they said to them, Why haven’t you brought Him? The officers answered, No man has ever spoken like this man. The Pharisees asked the officers, Are you also deceived? Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed in Him? But these people who don’t know the law are cursed.

Then Nicodemus said to them (Nicodemus was the Pharisee that came to Jesus by night, being one of them), Does our law judge any man, before it hears him, and knows what he does? They answered him, Are you also from Galilee? Search, and look, no prophet has ever arisen out of Galilee. And every man went to his own house.

THROWING STONES