After these things Jesus walked in Galilee; for he would not walk in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill him.

“(Tr. xxviii. 2) As the believer in Christ would have in time to come to hide himself from persecution, that no guilt might attach to such concealment, the Head began with doing Himself, what He sanctioned in the member; After these things Jesus walked in Galilee: for he would not walk in Jewry, because the Jews sought to kill Him.”

“The connexion of this passage admits of much taking place in the interval previously. Judæa and Galilee are divisions of the province of Palestine. Judæa has its name from the tribe of Judah; but it embraces not only the territories of Judah, but of Benjamin, all of which were called Judæa, because Judah was the royal tribe. Galilee has its name, from the milky, i. e. white, colour of its inhabitants; Galilee being Greek for milk.”

“After the Lord treated of spiritual life and nourishment, here he consequently treats of instruction or teaching, which is necessary for those spiritually regenerated, as was said above; and first he shows the origin of his teaching; second, he makes manifest its usefulness, from the eighth chapter onward. Concerning the first he does three things. First, the place is set down where he made manifest the origin of his teaching; second, the occasions of manifesting it are set down, at the place "The Jews therefore sought him," etc.; third, the manifestation itself is set down, at the place "Jesus answered them, and said: My doctrine is not mine," and so forth. Concerning the first he does three things. First, the incitement of Christ to go to the place is set down, where he published the origin of his teaching; second, the Lord's refusal is set down, at the place "Jesus therefore says to them," etc.; third, it is added how Christ arrived at that place, at the place "When he had said these things, he himself remained in Galilee." Concerning the first he does two things. First, he sets down the occasions why they incited Christ to go; second, he adds the incitement itself, at the place "His brothers therefore said to him." Now they were moved by three things to incite Christ to go into Judea: first indeed from his delay; second from his purpose; third from the fitness of the time. From his delay indeed in Galilee, in which Christ showed that he wished to remain: and therefore he says after these things — namely, the words which were spoken in Capernaum — Jesus walked in Galilee; that is, he had taken the journey from Capernaum, which was the metropolis of Galilee, so as to travel about through Galilee. The Lord dwells more frequently in Galilee for this reason, that he might show us that we must pass over from vices to virtues; Ezekiel 12:3: "Therefore, son of man, make thee vessels of removing, and thou shalt remove by day in their sight." From the purpose of Christ, moreover, which perhaps had become known to them through his words; and therefore he says: for he was not willing to walk in Judea. The reason for this is that the Jews sought to kill him; above, John 5:18: "The Jews sought to kill him: because he not only broke the sabbath, but also said that God was his Father, making himself equal to God." But could he not have gone there, and walked among the Jews, and not been killed by them, just as he did below, John 8:59? I answer that a threefold reason is assigned for this. The first is from Augustine: because it was going to happen that some faithful follower of Christ would hide himself lest he be found by persecutors. Therefore, lest flight be cast up against that one as a crime, the Lord willed, for our consolation, to show that this had gone before in himself: which he also taught by word. Matthew 10:23: "If they shall persecute you in one city, flee into another." Another reason indeed is that Christ was both God and man, and therefore by the power of his divinity he was able not to be harmed by his persecutors. But he did not wish to do this continually, because in that case his divinity would have been declared, yet his humanity would have come into doubt. And therefore, at one time fleeing persecutors as a man, he asserts his humanity, so as to confound all who say that he was not a true man. At another time, passing through them unharmed, he shows his divinity, confounding all who say that he was a mere man. And therefore Chrysostom has another reading, namely: "for he did not have the power, even if he wished, to walk into Judea": which is said according to the human manner; just as if it were said: someone cannot go somewhere, even if he wished, on account of ambushes. The third reason is that the time of the Passion was not yet at hand: for it was going to happen that he would suffer at the Passover, when the lamb was immolated, so that thus one victim might succeed another victim; below, John 13:1: "Jesus knowing that his hour was come, that he should pass out of this world to the Father." From the fitness of the time, indeed, because it was a fitting time to go into Jerusalem: and this is what he says: "Now the Jews' feast of Tabernacles was near." Now "Scenopegia" is a Greek word, composed from "scenos," which is shade, and "phagim," which is to eat; as if to say: it was the time in which they ate in tabernacles. For the Lord commanded the children of Israel, Leviticus 23:41, that in the seventh month, for seven days, they should dwell in tabernacles, in memory of the fact that for forty years they dwelt in tabernacles in the desert. And this feast the Jews were then celebrating. The Evangelist recalls this, in order to show that he passed over a great deal of time from the time when the foregoing things about spiritual food were said, up to this time. For when he worked the miracle of the loaves, it was near the day of the Passover; but this feast of Tabernacles is much after the Passover; and thus the Evangelist here recounts nothing of the things which were done by the Lord in the five intervening months: so that it may be understood that, although he unfailingly worked signs, as is clear below at the end, the Evangelists took special care to relate those things for which either complaint or contradiction from the Jews followed. Consequently, when he says "His brothers therefore said to him," the incitement of the Lord's brothers is set down; and first their admonition is set down; second the reason for the admonition is assigned, at the place "that thy disciples also may see thy works"; third, the cause of such a reason is assigned by the Evangelist, at the place "for neither did his brothers believe in him." Concerning the first, first those who incite him are set down; hence he says "His brothers therefore said to him" — not brothers by flesh and womb, as Helvidius blasphemed, which the Catholic faith abhors: that that most holy virginal womb, which brought forth God and man, should afterward have brought forth another mortal man. Therefore they were his brothers by kinship, because they were blood relations of the Blessed Virgin Mary; for this is the custom of Scripture, to call blood relations brothers, according to that saying of Genesis 13:8: "Let there be no quarrel, I beseech thee, between me and thee... for we are brothers"; although Lot was in fact the nephew of Abraham. And, as Augustine says, just as in the tomb where the Lord's body had been laid, no body lay either before or after, so the womb of Mary, neither before nor after, conceived anything mortal. But because some of the blood relations of the Blessed Virgin were apostles, such as the sons of Zebedee, and James the son of Alphaeus, and others, it is therefore not to be understood that these were among those who incited Christ; rather, those were other relatives of his, who did not love Christ. Second, their admonition is set down, when they say "Pass from hence" — namely from Galilee — "and go into Judea," where Jerusalem is, a solemn place, fitting for teachers; Amos 7:12: "Thou seer, go into the land of Judah: and there thou shalt eat thy bread, and there thou shalt prophesy." Then they add the reason, saying, "that thy disciples also may see thy works," where they show themselves, first, desirous of vainglory; second, suspicious; and third, unbelieving. They show themselves desirous of vainglory indeed, when they say "that thy disciples also may see thy works." For they were affected by something human toward Christ, and wished to catch at glory from the human honor that would be shown to Christ by the crowds; and therefore they were urging him to do his works in public. For it is proper to one desirous of vainglory that whatever is glorious in himself or in his own be shown in public; Matthew 6:5: "they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men"; of whom it is said below, John 12:43: "they loved the glory of men more than the glory of God." But they show themselves suspicious, and first they charge Christ with fearfulness; hence they say to him, "for no man doth anything in secret," as if they were saying: you say that you work miracles, but you do them in secret, and this out of fear — otherwise you would go into Jerusalem and do them there before the multitude. Yet the Lord says below, John 18:20: "in secret I have spoken nothing." Second, they charge him with love of glory; hence they say, "and he himself seeketh to be known openly," as if they were saying: you seek glory from the things you do, and yet out of fear you hide yourself. This is proper to evil men, that they believe others have passions of soul similar to their own. See how irreverently the prudence of the flesh was accusing the Word made flesh: against whom Job 4:3 says: "Thou reprovest him who is not like thee, and speakest what is not expedient for thee." They show themselves to be unbelieving, when they say, "If thou do these things, manifest thyself to the world"; as though they put in doubt whether he actually worked miracles; Isaiah 21:2: "he who is unbelieving acts unfaithfully." But the cause why they spoke in this way, the Evangelist adds, when he says, "for neither did his brothers believe in him." For it happens that carnal blood-relations are especially opposed to their own, and envy them their spiritual goods, and hold them in contempt. Hence Augustine says: they were able to have Christ as a blood-relation, but in that very kinship they disdained to believe in him. Micah 7:6: "a man's enemies are they of his own household"; Job 19:13: "He hath put my brethren far from me, and my acquaintance like strangers have departed from me: my kinsmen have forsaken me, and they that knew me have forgotten me." Consequently, when he says "Jesus therefore said to them: My time is not yet come," etc., the response of Christ is set down: and first he designates the unfitness of the time for going up; second he assigns the reason for what was said, at the place "the world cannot hate you"; third he sets down his refusal to go up, at the place "Go you up to this festival day," and so forth. Now it must be known that the whole following text is expounded in one way according to Augustine, and in another way according to Chrysostom. For, according to Augustine, the Lord's brothers were inviting him to human glory. Now there is a time in which the saints arrive at glory, namely the future time, which they reach through sufferings and tribulations. Wisdom 3:6: "As gold in the furnace he hath proved them, and as a victim of a holocaust he hath received them, and in time there shall be respect had to them." But there is another time in which worldly men acquire their glory, namely the present time. Wisdom 2:7-8: "let not the flower of the time pass by us: let us crown ourselves with roses before they be withered: let no meadow escape our riot," etc. The Lord therefore wished to show that he was not seeking the glory of this present time; but wished to arrive at the height of heavenly glory through his passion and his humility. Luke 24:26: "It behooved Christ to suffer, and so to enter into his glory." And therefore he says to them, namely to his brothers, "my time," that is, the time of my glory, "is not yet come": because it is necessary that sorrow be turned into joy. Romans 8:18: "the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory to come, that shall be revealed in us." But "your time," that is, the glory of the world, "is always ready." He assigns the reason for this diversity of time when he says, "the world cannot hate you; but me it hateth." For worldly men have the time of glory ready, because they love the same things that the world loves, and they consent with the world. But the saints, who seek spiritual glory, do not have this time ready, because they seek the things that displease the world, namely poverty, mourning, hunger, and the like. They also censure what the world loves; indeed, they hold the world itself in contempt; Galatians 6:14: "the world is crucified to me, and I to the world." And therefore he says, "the world cannot hate you"; as if he were saying: the time of your glory is ready for this reason, that the world does not hate you, who agree with it, and every animal loves its like. "But me it hateth"; and therefore my time is not always ready. And the reason for the hatred is, "because I give testimony of it" — namely, of the world — "that the works thereof are evil"; that is, I do not neglect to reprove worldly men, although I know that from this I incur hatred and that death is threatened. Amos 5:10: "They have hated him that rebuketh in the gate" — namely, those who love wickedness. And Proverbs 9:8: "Rebuke not a scorner." But are not some worldly men held in hatred by the world, that is, by another worldly man? The response must be given that, in a particular case, one worldly man indeed is held in hatred by another, insofar as he has those things which the other would wish to have, or impedes him in the things that pertain to the glory of the world; but insofar as he is worldly, no one is hated by the world. But the saints are universally hated by the world, because they are contrary to it; and if anyone belonging to the world loves them, this is not insofar as he belongs to the world, but insofar as there is something spiritual in him. The Lord, moreover, refuses to go up, when he says, "Go you up to this festival day; but I go not up." For just as there are two glories, so there are two different feasts. For worldly men have temporal feasts, namely to rejoice and to feast, and other such outward delights. Isaiah 22:12-13: "the Lord called to weeping, and to mourning, to baldness, and to girding with sackcloth: and behold joy and gladness, to kill calves, and slay rams, to eat flesh, and drink wine"; and again, Isaiah 1:14: "my soul hateth your solemnities." But the saints have spiritual feasts, which consist in the delights of the spirit. Isaiah 33:20: "Look upon Sion, the city of thy solemnity." And therefore he says: "you," who seek the glory of the world, "go up to this festival day," that is, to the feasts of temporal gladness; "but I will not go up" to this festival day, but to the festival day of eternal solemnity; and this, because my time — namely, of true glory, which will be a permanent joy without end forever, an eternity without labor, a brightness without cloud — "is not yet fulfilled." According to Chrysostom, the same division being kept, it is expounded thus: namely, that the Lord's brothers had conspired with the Jews for Christ's death, and hence were urging him to go, wishing to betray him and hand him over to the Jews. And therefore he says, "my time" — namely, of the cross and of death — "is not yet come," for me to go into Judea and be killed; "but your time is always ready," because you will be able to associate with them without danger. And the reason for this is, that they cannot hate you, who are zealous for the same things and love the same things as they do; "but me it hateth: because I give testimony of it, that the works thereof are evil." By which it is clear that the Jews hate me, not on account of the breaking of the sabbath, but on account of public reproof. "You therefore go up to this festival day," namely to the beginning of the feast (for it was celebrated for seven days, as was said); "but I will not go up" to this festival day, namely with you, that is, to the beginning of the feast, because "my time is not yet fulfilled," in which I am to suffer: for he was to be crucified at the Passover to come. The reason, then, he did not go up with them was so that he might more easily remain hidden, and so forth.”

“We have here, I. The reason given why Christ spent more of his time in Galilee than in Judea (Joh 7:1): because the Jews, the people in Judea and Jerusalem, sought to kill him, for curing the impotent man on the sabbath day, Joh 5:16. They thought to be the death of him, either by a popular tumult or by a legal prosecution, in consideration of which he kept at a distance in another part of the country, very much out of the lines of Jerusalem's communication. It is not said, He durst not, but, He would not, walk in Jewry; it was not through fear and cowardice that he declined it, but in prudence, because his hour was not yet come. Note, 1. Gospel light is justly taken away from those that endeavour to extinguish it. Christ will withdraw from those that drive him from them, will hide his face from those that spit in it, and justly shut up his bowels from those who spurn at them. 2. In times of imminent peril it is not only allowable, but advisable, to withdraw and abscond for our own safety and preservation, and to choose the service of those places which are least perilous, Mat 10:23. Then, and not till then, we are called to expose and lay down our lives, when we cannot save them without sin. 3. If the providence of God casts persons of merit into places of obscurity and little note, it must not be thought strange; it was the lot of our Master himself. He who was fit to have sat in the highest of Moses's seats willingly walked in Galilee among the ordinary sort of people. Observe, He did not sit still in Galilee, nor bury himself alive there, but walked; he went about doing good. When we cannot do what and where we would, we must do what and where we can. II. The approach of the feast of tabernacles (Joh 7:2), one of the three solemnities which called for the personal attendance of all the males at Jerusalem; see the institution of it, Lev 23:34, etc., and the revival of it after a long disuse, Neh 8:14. It was intended to be both a memorial of the tabernacle state of Israel in the wilderness, and a figure of the tabernacle state of God's spiritual Israel in this world. This feast, which was instituted so many hundred years before, was still religiously observed. Note, Divine institutions are never antiquated, nor go out of date, by length of time: nor must wilderness mercies ever be forgotten. But it is called the Jews' feast, because it was now shortly to be abolished, as a mere Jewish thing, and left to them that served the tabernacle. III. Christ's discourse with his brethren, some of his kindred, whether by his mother or his supposed father is not certain; but they were such as pretended to have an interest in him, and therefore interposed to advise him in his conduct. And observe, 1. Their ambition and vain-glory in urging him to make a more public appearance than he did: "Depart hence," said they, "and go into Judea (Joh 7:3), where thou wilt make a better figure than thou canst here." (1.) They give two reasons for this advice: [1.] That it would be an encouragement to those in and about Jerusalem who had a respect for him; for, expecting his temporal kingdom, the royal seat of which they concluded must be at Jerusalem, they would have had the disciples there particularly countenanced, and thought the time he spent among his Galilean disciples wasted and thrown away, and his miracles turning to no account unless those at Jerusalem saw them. Or, "That thy disciples, all of them in general, who will be gathered at Jerusalem to keep the feast, may see thy works, and not, as here, a few at one time and a few at another." [2.] That it would be for the advancement of his name and honour: There is no man that does any thing in secret if he himself seeks to be known openly. They took it for granted that Christ sought to make himself known, and therefore thought it absurd for him to conceal his miracles: "If thou do these things, if thou be so well able to gain the applause of the people and the approbation of the rulers by thy miracles, venture abroad, and show thyself to the world. Supported with these credentials, thou canst not fail of acceptance, and therefore it is high time to set up for an interest, and to think of being great." (2.) One would not think there was any harm in this advice, and yet the evangelist noted it is an evidence of their infidelity: For neither did his brethren believe in him (Joh 7:5), if they had, they would not have said this. Observe, [1.] It was an honour to be of the kindred of Christ, but no saving honour; they that hear his word and keep it are the kindred he values. Surely grace runs in no blood in the world, when not in that of Christ's family. [2.] It was a sign that Christ did not aim at any secular interest, for then his kindred would have struck in with him, and he would have secured them first. [3.] There were those who were akin to Christ according to the flesh who did believe in him (three of the twelve were his brethren), and yet others, as nearly allied to him as they, did not believe in him. Many that have the same external privileges and advantages do not make the same use of them. But, (3.) What was there amiss in the advice which they gave him? I answer, [1.] It was a piece of presumption for them to prescribe to Christ, and to teach him what measures to take; it was a sign that they did not believe him able to guide them, when they did not think him sufficient to guide himself. [2.] They discovered a great carelessness about his safety, when they would have him go to Judea, where they knew the Jews sought to kill him. Those that believed in him, and loved him, dissuaded him from Judea, Joh 11:8. [3.] Some think they hoped that if his miracles were wrought at Jerusalem the Pharisees and rulers would try them, and discover some cheat in them, which would justify their unbelief. So. Dr. Whitby. [4.] Perhaps they were weary of his company in Galilee (for are not all these that speak Galileans?) and this was, in effect, a desire that he would depart out of their coasts. [5.] They causelessly insinuate that he neglected his disciples, and denied them such a sight of his works as was necessary to the support of their faith. [6.] They tacitly reproach him as mean-spirited, that he durst not enter the lists with the great men, nor trust himself upon the stage of public action, which, if he had any courage and greatness of soul, he would do, and not sneak thus and skulk in a corner; thus Christ's humility, and his humiliation, and the small figure which his religion has usually made in the world, have been often turned to the reproach of both him and it. [7.] They seem to question the truth of the miracles he wrought, in saying, "If thou do these things, if they will bear the test of a public scrutiny in the courts above, produce them there." [8.] They think Christ altogether such a one as themselves, as subject as they to worldly policy, and as desirous as they to make a fair show in the flesh; whereas he sought not honour from men. [9.] Self was at the bottom of all; they hoped, if he would make himself as great as he might, they, being his kinsmen, should share in his honour, and have respect paid them for his sake. Note, First, Many carnal people go to public ordinances, to worship at the feast, only to show themselves, and all their care is to make a good appearance, to present themselves handsomely to the world. Secondly, Many that seem to seek Christ's honour do really therein seek their own, and make it serve a turn for themselves. 2. The prudence and humility of our Lord Jesus, which appeared in his answer to the advice his brethren gave him, Joh 7:6-8. Though there were so many base insinuations in it, he answered them mildly. Note, Even that which is said without reason should be answered without passion; we should learn of our Master to reply with meekness even to that which is most impertinent and imperious, and, where it is easy to find much amiss, to seem not to see it, and wink at the affront. They expected Christ's company with them to the feast, perhaps hoping he would bear their charges: but here, (1.) He shows the difference between himself and them, in two things: - [1.] His time was set, so was not theirs: My time is not yet come, but your time is always ready. Understand it of the time of his going up to the feast. It was an indifferent thing to them when they went, for they had nothing of moment to do either where they were, to detain them there, or where they were going, to hasten them thither; but every minute of Christ's time was precious, and had its own particular business allotted to it. He had some work yet to do in Galilee before he left the country: in the harmony of the gospels betwixt this motion made by his kindred and his going up to this feast comes in the story of his sending forth the seventy disciples (Luk 10:1, etc.), which was an affair of very great consequence; his time is not yet, for that must be done first. Those who live useless lives have their time always ready; they can go and come when they please. But those whose time is filled up with duty will often find themselves straitened, and they have not yet time for that which others can do at any time. Those who are made the servants of God, as all men are, and who have made themselves the servants of all, as all useful men have, must not expect not covet to be masters of their own time. The confinement of business is a thousand times better than the liberty of idleness. or, it may be meant of the time of his appearing publicly at Jerusalem; Christ, who knows all men and all things, knew that the best and most proper time for it would be about the middle of the feast. We, who are ignorant and short-sighted, are apt to prescribe to him, and to think he should deliver his people, and so show himself now. The present time is our time, but he is fittest to judge, and, it may be, his time is not yet come; his people are not yet ready for deliverance, nor his enemies ripe for ruin; let us therefore wait with patience for his time, for all he does will be most glorious in its season. [2.] His life was sought, so was not theirs, Joh 7:7. They, in showing themselves to the world, did not expose themselves: "The world cannot hate you, for you are of the world, its children, its servants, and in with its interests; and no doubt the world will love its own;" see Joh 15:19. Unholy souls, whom the holy God cannot love, the world that lies in wickedness cannot hate; but Christ, in showing himself to the world, laid himself open to the greatest danger; for me it hateth. Christ was not only slighted, as inconsiderable in the world (the world knew him not), but hated, as if he had been hurtful to the world; thus ill was he requited for his love to the world: reigning sin is a rooted antipathy and enmity to Christ. But why did the world hate Christ? What evil had he done to it? Had he, like Alexander, under colour of conquering it, laid it waste? "No, but because" (saith he) "I testify of it, that the works of it are evil." Note, First, The works of an evil world are evil works; as the tree is, so are the fruits: it is a dark world, and an apostate world, and its works are works of darkness and rebellion. Secondly, Our Lord Jesus, both by himself and by his ministers, did and will both discover and testify against the evil works of this wicked world. Thirdly, It is a great uneasiness and provocation to the world to be convicted of the evil of its works. It is for the honour of virtue and piety that those who are impious and vicious do not care for hearing of it, for their own consciences make them ashamed of the turpitude there is in sin and afraid of the punishment that follows after sin. Fourthly, Whatever is pretended, the real cause of the world's enmity to the gospel is the testimony it bears against sin and sinners. Christ's witnesses by their doctrine and conversation torment those that dwell on the earth, and therefore are treated so barbarously, Rev 11:10. But it is better to incur the world's hatred, by testifying against its wickedness, than gain its good-will by going down the stream with it. (2.) He dismisses them, with a design to stay behind for some time in Galilee (Joh 7:8): Go you up to this feast, I go not up yet. [1.] He allows their going to the feast, though they were carnal and hypocritical in it. Note, Even those who go not to holy ordinances with right affections and sincere intentions must not be hindered nor discouraged from going; who knows but they may be wrought upon there? [2.] He denies them his company when they went to the feast, because they were carnal and hypocritical. Those who go to ordinances for ostentation, or to serve some secular purpose, go without Christ, and will speed accordingly. How sad is the condition of that man, though he reckon himself akin to Christ, to whom he saith, "Go up to such an ordinance, Go pray, Go hear the word, Go receive the sacrament, but I go not up with thee? Go thou and appear before God, but I will not appear for thee," as Exo 33:1-3. But, if the presence of Christ go not with us, to what purpose should we go up? Go you up, I go not up. When we are going to, or coming fRom. solemn ordinances, it becomes us to be careful what company we have and choose, and to avoid that which is vain and carnal, lest the coal of good affections be quenched by corrupt communication. I go not up yet to this feast; he does not say, I will not go up at all, but not yet. There may be reasons for deferring a particular duty, which yet must not be wholly omitted or laid aside; see Num 9:6-11. The reason he gives is, My time is not yet fully come. Note, Our Lord Jesus is very exact and punctual in knowing and keeping his time, and, as it was the time fixed, so it was the best time. 3. Christ's continuance in Galilee till his full time was come, Joh 7:9. He, saying these things to them (tauta de eipōn) abode still in Galilee; because of this discourse he continued there; for, (1.) He would not be influenced by those who advised him to seek honour from men, nor go along with those who put him upon making a figure; he would not seem to countenance the temptation. (2.) He would not depart from his own purpose. He had said, upon a clear foresight and mature deliberation, that he would not go up yet to this feast, and therefore he abode still in Galilee. It becomes the followers of Christ thus to be steady, and not to use lightness. 4. His going up to the feast when his time was come. Observe, (1.) When he went: When his brethren were gone up. He would not go up with them, lest they should make a noise and disturbance, under pretence of showing him to the world; whereas it agreed both with the prediction and with his spirit not to strive nor cry, nor let his voice be heard in the streets, Isa 42:2. But he went up after them. We may lawfully join in the same religious worship with those with whom we should yet decline an intimate acquaintance and converse; for the blessing of ordinances depends upon the grace of God, and not upon the grace of our fellow-worshippers. His carnal brethren went up first, and then he went. Note, In the external performances of religion it is possible that formal hypocrites may get the start of those that are sincere. Many come first to the temple who are brought thither by vain-glory, and go thence unjustified, as he, Luk 18:11. It is not, Who comes first? that will be the question, but, Who comes fittest? If we bring our hearts with us, it is no matter who gets before us. (2.) How he went, ōs en kruptō - as if he were hiding himself: not openly, but as it were in secret, rather for fear of giving offence than of receiving injury. He went up to the feast, because it was an opportunity of honouring God and doing good; but he went up as it were in secret, because he would not provoke the government. Note, Provided the work of God be done effectually, it is best done when done with least noise. The kingdom of God need not come with observation, Luk 17:20. We may do the work of God privately, and yet not do it deceitfully. 5. The great expectation that there was of him among the Jews at Jerusalem, Joh 7:11-14. Having formerly come up to the feasts, and signalized himself by the miracles he wrought, he had made himself the subject of much discourse and observation. (1.) They could not but think of him (Joh 7:11): The Jews sought him at the feast, and said, Where is he? [1.] The common people longed to see him there, that they might have their curiosity gratified with the sight of his person and miracles. They did not think it worth while to go to him into Galilee, though if they had they would not have lost their labour, but they hoped the feast would bring him to Jerusalem, and then they should see him. If an opportunity of acquaintance with Christ come to their door, they can like it well enough. They sought him at the feast. When we attend upon God in his holy ordinances, we should seek Christ in them, seek him at the gospel feasts. Those who would see Christ at a feast must seek him there. Or, [2.] Perhaps it was his enemies that were thus waiting an opportunity to seize him, and, if possible, to put an effectual stop to his progress. They said, Where is he? pou esin ekeinos - where is that fellow? Thus scornfully and contemptibly do they speak of him. When they should have welcomed the feast as an opportunity of serving God, they were glad of it as an opportunity of persecuting Christ. Thus Saul hoped to slay David at the new moon, Sa1 20:27. Those who seek opportunity to sin in solemn assemblies for religious worship profane God's ordinances to the last degree, and defy him upon his own ground; it is like striking within the verge of the court. (2.) The people differed much in their sentiments concerning him (Joh 7:12): There was much murmuring, or muttering rather, among the people concerning him. The enmity of the rulers against Christ, and their enquiries after him, caused him to be so much the more talked of and observed among the people. This ground the gospel of Christ has got by the opposition made to it, that it has been the more enquired into, and, by being every where spoken against, it has come to be every where spoken of, and by this means has been spread the further, and the merits of his cause have been the more searched into. This murmuring was not against Christ, but concerning him; some murmured at the rulers, because they did not countenance and encourage him: others murmured at them, because they did not silence and restrain him. Some murmured that he had so great an interest in Galilee; others, that he had so little interest in Jerusalem. Note, Christ and his religion have been, and will be, the subject of much controversy and debate, Luk 12:51, Luk 12:52. If all would agree to entertain Christ as they ought, there would be perfect peace; but, when some receive the light and others resolve against it, there will be murmuring. The bones in the valley, while they were dead and dry, lay quiet; but when it was said unto them, Live, there was a noise and a shaking, Eze 37:7. But the noise and rencounter of liberty and business are preferable, surely, to the silence and agreement of a prison. Now what were the sentiments of the people concerning him? [1.] Some said, he is a good man. This was a truth, but it was far short of being the whole truth. He was not only a good man, but more than a man, he was the Son of God. Many who have no ill thoughts of Christ have yet low thoughts of him, and scarcely honour him, even when they speak well of him, because they do not say enough; yet indeed it was his honour, and the reproach of those who persecuted him, that even those who would not believe him to be the Messiah could not but own he was a good man. [2.] Others said, Nay, but he deceiveth the people; if this had been true, he had been a very bad man. The doctrine he preached was sound, and could not be contested; his miracles were real, and could not be disproved; his conversation was manifestly holy and good; and yet it must be taken for granted, notwithstanding, that there was some undiscovered cheat at the bottom, because it was the interest of the chief priests to oppose him and run him down. Such murmuring as there was among the Jews concerning Christ there is still among us: the Socinians say, He is a good man, and further they say not; the deists will not allow this, but say, He deceived the people. Thus some depreciate him, others abuse him, but great is the truth. [3.] They were frightened by their superiors from speaking much of him (Joh 7:13): No man spoke openly of him, for fear of the Jews. Either, First, They durst not openly speak well of him. While any one was at liberty to censure and reproach him, none durst vindicate him. Or, Secondly, They durst not speak at all of him openly. Because nothing could justly be said against him, they would not suffer any thing to be said of him. It was a crime to name him. Thus many have aimed to suppress truth, under colour of silencing disputes about it, and would have all talk of religion hushed, in hopes thereby to bury in oblivion religion itself.”

“After these things - St. John passes from the preceding discourse of our Lord, which he delivered a little before the passover, Joh 6:4, to the Feast of Tabernacles, which happened six months after, and thus omits many things mentioned by the other evangelists, which our blessed Lord said and did during that time. He had already gone over Galilee four or five times; and he continued there, because he found that the hatred of the Jews was such that they would kill him if they could meet with him in Judea; and his time to suffer was not yet come. For he would not walk in Jewry - Instead of this, some MSS., versions, and fathers read, ουγαρ ειχεν εξουσιαν, he had not authority, or liberty to walk, etc. That is, he was no longer tolerated, and could not preach publicly in Judea, but at the risk of his life. He found greater scope for the exercise of his important ministry in Galilee than in Judea, as the chief priests, etc., were continually plotting his death.”