In the verses prior to this section we find Jesus' brothers headed to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Tabernacles. Jesus didn't leave with his brothers, but stayed behind in Galilee, secretly making His way there after they left. (John 7:10)
The Feast of the Tabernacles took place at harvest time, starting on the 15th day of the seventh month of the Hebrew calendar (this falls somewhere between September and October on our calendar). God instructed His people to celebrate the feast for seven days in the way He outlined for them in Leviticus 23:33-43. They were to go to Jerusalem and build booths to stay in during the celebration. The booths were a reminder that God had them live in similar dwellings when He brought them out of Egypt (Leviticus 23:43)
Side note: This feast is still celebrated, and the booths are still erected today. Here's an artist's rendering:
These are called "sukkahs", and a web search will show you all sorts of creative sukkahs or booths that are used in celebrating the feast.
I wondered why Jesus would leave Galilee to go to Jerusalem. It would've been safer at home, so why leave? It was God's will. How do we know it was God's will? By reading Deuteronomy 16:16, "Three times a year all your men must appear before the Lord your God at the place He will choose: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks and the Feast of Tabernacles..." Jesus left Galilee to obey God.
The feast is halfway over when Jesus begins to teach in the temple courts. The people are amazed; Jesus knows what He is talking about - how is this possible when He hasn't studied? Jesus surprised everyone in a similar way when, at the age of twelve was found sitting among the teachers in the temple, and, "Everyone who heard Him was amazed at His understanding and His answers..." (Luke 2:47)
These words from Psalm 119:97-104 certainly describe Him:
"Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long. Your commands make me wiser than my enemies, for they are ever with me. I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on your statutes. I have more understanding than the elders, for I obey your precepts. I have kept my feet from every evil path so that I might obey your word. I have not departed from your laws, for you yourself have taught me. How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path."
What was the source of Jesus' insight and understanding? According to Him, "My teaching is not my own. It comes from He who sent Me."
Which gives me reason to wonder; what's the source of my insight and understanding?
If it's anything less than the truth found in God's Word, then it falls short.
In the last verse of this section, John 7:24, Jesus says to "Stop judging by mere appearances, and make a right judgment." How can we ever hope to do that if we haven't studied His Word?
No comments:
Post a Comment