In today’s Daily Devotional on John 7, we encounter a moment of intense debate and division among the people regarding the true identity of Jesus. The chapter captures the various perspectives of those who either embrace Him as the Messiah or reject Him outright. This ongoing controversy is a central theme in John’s Gospel, compelling readers to confront their own beliefs about who Jesus is. As we delve into this chapter, it’s important to approach it with an open mind, ready to explore the deep and often challenging questions it raises about faith and identity. If you wonder what the will of God is for your life, read the Daily Devotional on John 6.
Did They Believe in Him?
In John 7, we will see the connection between leadership, pride, and sin while reflecting on Jesus’ teachings. We will also notice that Jesus had a deliberate, unhurried pace, and His impactful presence in the temple. We will also ponder the disbelief of Jesus’ own brothers and the varied opinions about Jesus’ nature, and the metaphor of living water.
Who Is Jesus to Us?
As we examine the early verses of John 7, we are immediately introduced to the skepticism of Jesus’ brothers. This skepticism sets the stage for broader questions about Jesus’ identity, echoed by the varied reactions of the crowds and religious leaders. Huth’s commentary invites us to reflect on these questions ourselves: Who is Jesus to us? Through thoughtful exploration of the text and personal introspection, we are encouraged to seek a deeper understanding of Jesus’ role in our lives and the implications of our belief in Him.
Is Jesus God?
In John 7, Jesus divides the people over whether He is the Christ, the Messiah, or not. What do you think? Please read or listen to John 7.
John 7 Commentary by Allen J. Huth
In 1990, at thirty-five years old, I read John 7, and referred to one verse, “If anyone is willing to do His will, he shall know of the teachings, whether it is of God” (v. 17). Then I wrote, “Sometimes leadership = pride = sin.”
Fifteen years later, in 2005, at fifty years old, I read John 7, and wrote, “Jesus walked. He wasn’t in a hurry through life. He walked. Jesus went to church. He went to the temple. He taught with passion. He cried out. He caused division. Some believed. Others wanted to kill him.”
Thirteen years later, in 2018, when I was sixty-three years old, I was in Taiwan on a Gideon assignment when I read John 7. I wrote in my journal, “Jesus had brothers, yet they didn’t believe in Him,” referring to verses 3-5. Next, I wrote, “The question in chapter 7 is, who is Jesus: a good man, a deceiver, uneducated, demon possessed, the Christ, a prophet, special? I have come to Jesus. Does living water flow out of me?”
Let’s take a look at this chapter beginning with those opening few verses about Jesus’ brothers. Did Jesus have brothers or not? Verse 3 says, “So his brothers said to him”. Verse 5 says, “For not even his brothers believed in him.” Verse 10 says, “But after his brothers had gone up to the feast”. If these are not Jesus’ brothers, who are they? My English Standard Version Study Bible footnote explains:
Jesus’ brothers are best understood to be other naturally born sons of Mary, for that is the ordinary and natural sense of the Greek word ‘brothers.’ However, Roman Catholics believe that Mary remained a ‘perpetual virgin’ and did not have other naturally born children, so they commonly explain this verse by saying that Joseph must have had other children from a previous marriage (or less frequently, by saying that these must be Jesus’ cousins (p. 2036).
In the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 13, people are trying to figure out who Jesus was, too. Matthew 13:55-56 says, “Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? And are not all his sisters with us?”. Later in the New Testament, the Book of James is attributed to be written by James, the brother of Jesus.
The footnote on Matthew 13:55-56 says:
Since they know Jesus’ human roots, the people of Nazareth assume he cannot be anything special. He is a hometown son making fantastic claims for himself. His brothers and his sisters refers to other children born to Joseph and Mary after the birth of Jesus. Some interpreters, seeking to defend a doctrine of the “perpetual virginity of Mary,” have suggested that these were cousins, or children of Joseph from another marriage, but no evidence in the Greek words, adelpha (“brother”) and adelphai (“sisters”) or in any other historical information, gives support to that view (p. 1850).
So Did Jesus Have Brothers?
So, did Jesus have brothers? I suppose that depends on whether you are of Protestant faith or of Roman Catholic faith. Either way, verse 5 tells us, “For not even his brothers believed in him.” How is your testimony to those who are closest to you? Do you proclaim your Christianity? Does your family believe you? I think my family believes I am a Christian, but that does not mean they believe in Christianity.
This chapter is filled with skeptics. In verse 17, Jesus says, “If anyone’s will is to do God’s will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority.” Are you seeking God’s will in your life? If so, you will know whether these teachings are true or not. As people debated who Jesus was, verse 31 says, “Yet many of the people believed in him. They said, ‘When the Christ appears, will he do more signs than this man has done?’” In the history of the world, no one has done more signs than Jesus has done.
Verse 46 goes on to say, “‘No one ever spoke like this man!’” No, in the history of the world, no one has claimed to be the Son of God. No one has claimed to be sent by the Father. No one has claimed to be able to forgive sin. No one has said, “I am the bread of life” (John 6:48). No one has said, “I am the Lamb of God.” No one else has said, “‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me’” (John 14:6).
John 7 People Question Who Jesus Is
In John 7, people question who Jesus is. As we continue in this gospel, it will be clear who He is. But for now, I hope we can all hear the voice and the words of Jesus Himself in this chapter, in the Book of John, and throughout the Bible. Decide today who Jesus is to you.
I close with verse 42, “Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the offspring of David, and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was?” Yes, the Scriptures say that, and yes, that describes our Jesus.
Jesus, we bow humbly before You. May we not be like the folks in this chapter, questioning Your identity. The Book of John proclaims who You are. The Bible proclaims who You are. The question is not who You are, the question is what do we believe about who You are? For those of us who believe, strengthen our belief. For those of us who are unsure, help our unbelief. Thank You for the clarity of Your Word. We thank You for it. In Jesus’ name, amen.
