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Gospel of John
Chapter
VII |
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King James
Bible Text |
Study Notes
Commentary |
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1 After these things
Jesus walked in Galilee: for he would not walk in Jewry, because
the Jews sought to kill him.
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Verse 1 Jewry
refers here to the guys who want to "get him!" (Jewry is actually
the Kingdom of Judea.) Just remember Jesus is no fool – he knows
what is being secretly planned – His death!
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2 Now the Jew’s feast of
tabernacles was at hand.
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Verse 2 The feast of
tabernacles is one of the three yearly Jewish religious
festivals!
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3 His brethren therefore
said unto him, Depart hence, and go into Judaea, that thy
disciples also may see the works that thou doest. |
Verse 3 Brethren
means family! Can this be to "show off" Jesus and His miracles to
the disciples? Wait a minute – haven’t they already seen
His miracles?
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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.
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Verse 4 Jesus’ brothers
are challenging Him to show Himself to the world! (You don’t need
to prove anything to anyone!) It is your private
contact with God!
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5 For neither did his
brethren believe in him.
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Verse 5 Jesus’ own family
can’t believe their brother is the Christ, the Son of the living
God! Can you see the Christ in your brother – or in anyone (friend
or enemy) you think you know well?
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6 Then Jesus said unto
them, My time is not yet come: but
your time is alway ready.
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Verse 6 Jesus knows God
is in charge! He’s telling you to be ready for your own spiritual
awakening! Are you?
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7
The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth,
because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil. |
Verse 7 Whenever Jesus
says, "Give up the world and follow me," He is immediately hated!
Now you are being asked to look at where you find yourself
and make your decision! Give up the world – it is a place
of vengeance!
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8
Go ye up unto this feast: I go not up yet
unto this feast: for my time is not yet full come.
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Verse 8 Beloved Jesus! He
is offering you everything right now! "I’ll be there in a moment!"
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9 When he had said these
words unto them, he abode still in Galilee. |
Verse 9 Abode
means stayed. Jesus is waiting for His direction from God! |
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10 But when his brethren
were gone up, then went he also up unto the feast, not openly, but
as it were in secret.
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Verse 10 Now Jesus
is on the move, but He doesn’t want to be noticed yet!
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11 Then the Jews sought
him at the feast, and said, Where is he?
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Verse 11 The Jews are
expecting Him to show up! They’re out to get Him! They want Him
killed! |
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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.
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Verse 12 You can always
find gossip and opinions in a group! Some say Jesus is good – some
say He cheats people! One thing for sure, Jesus always stirs up
the crowd!
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13 Howbeit no man spake
openly of him for fear of the Jews.
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Verse 13 Howbeit
means although. They don’t talk about Jesus in the open because
they are afraid of the Jews! Is your life "run" by fear? |
14 Now about the midst of
the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and taught.
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Verse 14 Now is the time
for Jesus to make Himself known to the people and teach the Love
of God! "Give up the world and follow me!"
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15 And the Jews marvelled,
saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned? |
Verse 15 The Jews are
amazed at Jesus’ teaching! They wonder how He can teach without
having had a "proper education!"
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16 Jesus answered them,
and said, My doctrine is not mine,
but his that sent me.
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Verse 16 Here’s the
answer! God is the One doing the teaching – not Jesus! Let
God teach you of forgiveness and love! Then He’ll teach
others through you! |
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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.
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Verse 17 If you have a
clear mind of your own, then you will know it is true that
Jesus is speaking from God – not just from himself as a man! |
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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. |
Verse 18 If a man is
speaking just to hear himself, then he is speaking for his own
glory! If he is speaking from God, then he is speaking the Truth,
and there is no trickery in his heart!
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19
Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none
of you keepeth the law? Why go ye about to kill me? |
Verse 19 Jesus reminds
the people that they already have a commandment from God, through
Moses, telling them, "Thou shalt not kill!" Yet, they want to kill
Jesus! |
20 The people answered
and said, Thou hast a devil: who goeth about to kill thee?
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Verse 20 The people
answer Jesus, "You’re crazy – who wants to kill you?" (As if they
don’t know!) Remember this is the trickery of a human being – lie
to save your own butt! Stop it right now!
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21 Jesus answered and
said unto them, I have done one
work, and ye all marvel. |
Verse 21 Marvel
means to act surprised! Jesus does one miracle, and they
all act surprised! Why is that?
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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.
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Verse 22 To circumcise
means to remove the foreskin! For generations circumcision has
been done on the Sabbath! Jesus does one miracle,
and they want to "cut him off" – kill him! Do you want to be "cut
off" from being saved? No way! |
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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?
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Verse 23 Every whit
means every bit, or completely! How come the law isn’t broken when
a man is circumcised on the Sabbath? Yet, Jesus is being accused
of breaking the law by healing a sick man on the Sabbath!
This is a reasonable question! |
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24
Judge not according to the appearance, but
judge righteous judgment.
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Verse 24 Righteous
judgment is God’s judgment – God does not judge!! No
matter what you think you have done; you are still God’s
beloved son! Amen!
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25 Then said some of them
of Jerusalem, Is not this he, whom they seek to kill?
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Verse 25 Some of the
people from Jerusalem recognize Jesus and ask, "Is this really the
man they want to kill ? We know him!"
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26 But, lo, he speaketh
boldly, and they say nothing unto him. Do the rulers know indeed
that this is the very Christ? |
Verse 26 Again the people
are asking, "How is it that Jesus is speaking out so boldly, and
no one is stopping him? – maybe the rulers really do believe this
is the Christ!" |
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27 Howbeit we know this
man whence he is: but when Christ cometh, no man knoweth whence he
is.
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Verse 27 "How can that
be? We know where Jesus is from, but no one knows where the Christ
comes from?"
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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. |
Verse 28 Jesus is telling
the people that He is from God – not from where they think
He’s from! (They don’t know where His "home" really is!) His
home is in heaven with His Father!
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29
But I know him: for I am from him, and he
hath sent me.
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Verse 29 Jesus knows God
and knows God sent Him to the world to bring God’s Word!
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30 Then they sought to
take him: but no man laid hands on him, because his hour was not
yet come. |
Verse 30
God’s plan is always in action! Just have
faith that this is so, and you will forever be safe from harm!
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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?
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Verse 31 Many believe
Jesus is the Christ! What are you waiting for? He’s here!
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32 The Pharisees heard
that the people murmured such things concerning him; and the
Pharisees and the chief priests sent officers to take him.
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Verse 32 Now the
Pharisees have "something on" Jesus and send soldiers to arrest
him!
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33 Then said Jesus unto
them, Yet a little while am I with
you, and then I go unto him that sent me.
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Verse 33 Jesus tells his
followers, "I’m with you for just a short while, and then I’m
going to God" – not through death but eternal life! (There are no
secrets in Jesus!) |
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34
Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and
where I am, thither ye cannot come. |
Verse 34 Thither
means in that direction! Open your mind and let Jesus show
you the way to God! You
can’t do it by yourself! |
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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? |
Verse 35 Whither
means to what place; dispersed means scattered! Jesus’
teaching and healing is causing a lot of confusion amongst the
Jews!
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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?
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Verse 36 More questions –
more fear of Jesus! The Jews know they are going to arrest Jesus,
yet they still ask, "What does Jesus mean by all that talk?"
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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.
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Verse 37 The last day of
a feast is the greatest day – when the "goodies" are brought out
for all to share! Today is the last day – now is
when you get to enjoy the spiritual "goodies" that Jesus is
speaking of! |
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38
He that believeth on me, as the scripture
hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. |
Verse 38 Since this is
your last (and only) day, why don’t you let Jesus’ message of
love fill you up right now?
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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.)
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Verse 39 Glorified
means to be honored by God! You, as well as Jesus, are
undergoing your own "being born again" experience! The
Holy Ghost (Holy Spirit) does this for you, through the love of
God! |
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40 Many of the people
therefore, when they heard this saying, said, Of a truth this is
the Prophet. |
Verse 40 They recognize
Jesus as the Son of God realizing that He really is the
Prophet, as John the Baptist had declared!
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41 Others said, This is
the Christ. But some said, Shall Christ come out of Galilee? |
Verse 41 Again it’s true
some choose to hear – and some still ask, "How could
the Christ possibly come from Galilee? That’s the wrong place!"
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42 Hath not the scripture
said, That Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out of the town
of Bethlehem, where David was?
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Verse 42 They ask,
"Doesn’t the scripture say the Christ will be born in Bethlehem of
the family of David?" Hey – how many times have you moved?
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43 So there was a
division among the people because of him. |
Verse 43 The people are
taking sides now – some believe Jesus, and some don’t! |
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44 And some of them would
have taken him; but no man laid hands on him. |
Verse 44 Jesus is always
"upsetting" things – He’s a rebel! Some people want him arrested –
some don’t! They’re all afraid of him! Why is that? |
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45 Then came the officers
to the chief priests and Pharisees; and they said unto them, Why
have ye not brought him? |
Verse 45 The priests and
Pharisees want to know why Jesus was not brought to them to be
arrested!
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46 The officers answered,
Never man spake like this man.
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Verse 46 The officers are
amazed by Jesus! They never heard such things as He had spoken! |
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47 Then answered them the
Pharisees, Are ye also deceived? |
Verse 47 So the Pharisees
are asking the officers, "Has Jesus tricked you, too?"
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48 Have any of the rulers
or of the Pharisees believed on him?
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Verse 48 What a load of
questions – each checking out the other! No trust in either
Pharisees or rulers, is there?
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49 But this people who
knoweth not the law are cursed. |
Verse 49 Now the
Pharisees are laughing at the people – calling them cursed
because they do believe Jesus! |
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50 Nicodemus saith unto
them, (he that came to Jesus by night, being one of them,)
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Verse 50 It’s time for
Nicodemus to stand up and speak of Jesus’ Truth – and now, his own
truth, as a follower of Jesus! |
51 Doth our law judge any
man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth?
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Verse 51 Nicodemus is
asking the Pharisees, "Wait a minute! Does our law convict a
person even before his trial?"
When you declare for
Jesus, don’t be surprised if you’re rejected! But don’t worry! He
has come, and you are not alone!
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52 They answered and said
unto him, Art thou also of Galilee? Search, and look: for out of
Galilee ariseth no prophet.
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Verse 52 "Why, Nicodemus!
– do you come from Galilee? – are you a friend of Jesus?"
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53 And every man went
unto his own house. |
Verse 53 They’ve had
enough for one day!!!
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