It always amazed me that people got so mad at Jesus that they wanted him dead. Here is a man telling people how to have everything that will make life worth living and teaching about true love. He was God in human form. Yet people hate him. Even today, he divides people.
There are those that will follow him, those that are somewhere in the middle and refuse to pick a side, and then those that hate everything he stands for. Those that will follow will not back down. Those that want to destroy will not back down. It is all the people in the middle that seem to be buffers and who get hurt the most. The sad thing is they too will eventually end up with the haters in hell, so they might as well chose a side.
Jesus avoided Judea because it was not his time to die. Jesus was hated there. When it came time for the Feast of Tabernacles his family wanted him with them. It was a family holiday. (Does that sound familiar?) His brothers, and probably sisters, did not believe that he was the Messiah. Yet the came to ask him to come home with their taunting attitude. They probably only came for the sake of their mother.
Jesus' siblings probably grew up resenting him hearing about how special their brother was. It doesn't mean that they didn't love him, but it probably made it hard to have a close relationship. This means there was division within his own family. Families are complicated. Holidays can be stressful in good times. Jesus responded truthfully, respectfully, and lovingly to his brothers that he would not be coming home for the holiday.
Jesus did go to the festival, but in secret to combat false expectations and avoid opposition. He loved his family, but in his journey they did not have his back. He did not want any harm to come to them. Yet, I am sure that he wanted to be with or at least near them during the holiday too. The Jewish leaders used his secrecy to start calling him Jesus a deceiver. They even accused him of being possessed by a demon.
People talked about who Jesus was. No one really understood, but everyone seemed to be interested. He was talked about like gossip, in secret, because the people feared being associated with him. He was either loved, revered, respect, or hated and the people with power seemed to hate him. To ally themselves with Jesus could be dangerous for themselves and their families. Jesus heard what the people said. He knew their motivations and reservations.
Half way through the feast, Jesus began to teach in the temple courts. He taught of God's will. He did not hold back. All that he said was true. Everything about Jesus is truth. He taught about being the light of the world. His teaching highlights judgment. We should not judge people or situations by appearance. That means don't a judgment on first impressions. Judgment is something that comes in time with proof. The heart is what is judged and that always reveals itself.
On the last day of the Festival, Jesus told the people about the Holy Spirit. It was the most important day of the festival, so it was appropriate that Jesus give the most important message on that day. If you believe in Jesus, then you believe in the scripture. If you believe in the scripture, then you get all your soul needs from the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit would not live within the soul until after Jesus fulfilled his purpose on Earth. It would be fulfilled in six months.
The Jews tried to seize Jesus, but no one could lay hands on him because it was not his time to be take yet. It was too late anyway. The people had heard his words and many believed. This only angered the Pharisees and chief priest more. They tried to find him to arrest him, but the temple guards returned without Jesus. Nicodemus had heard Jesus and allied himself with Jesus. He defended Jesus even if it didn't make him popular. He acted as a true friend.
Jesus warned them that once he was gone, that those whom did not have a relationship with him could not follow. He told them that he was the living water that flows from the scripture. He gave them the source of abundant power of the Holy Spirit. All the truth did was divide the people: faithful vs. hateful.
John 7
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