Jn. 7:11 Then the Jews sought Him at the feast, and said, “Where is He?”
Jn.7:12 And there was much murmuring among the people concerning Him. Someone said, “He is good;” Others said, “No, on the contrary, He deceives the people.”
As can be seen in this verse, there is a great division among the people concerning Yeshua. Unfortunately, public opinion will gradually begin to swing against Him and in favor of the Pharisees
Jn. 7:13 However, no one spoke openly of Him for fear of the Jews.
At this point it might be wise to explain Yochanan’s usage of the term “Jews,” because he doesn’t always use it in the same sense. The term “Jews” can mean any one of three things: (1) sometimes Yochanan means Jews in general, that is, all descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; (2) he also uses the term in the sense of Judeans as over against Galileans; and (3) he uses the term for Jewish leaders. It is very important to make the correct determination as to who Yochanan is talking about. For instance, in this verse, it is the only time that he is referring to the Jewish leadership. Pretty well the rest of the time in this segment he is referring to the general population.
Jn. 7:14 Now about the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the Temple and taught.
Jn. 7:15 And the Jews marveled, saying, “How does this man know letters, having never studied?”
The term “letters” refers to sacred learning of the rabbinic tradition. The term “learning” refers to study in a rabbinic academy. The people here are making an assumption about Yeshua that they really have no knowledge of. The very fact that He is called “Rabbi” tells us that He went through a period of several years of intensive study under another rabbi. People still do the same thing today, making false assumptions without knowing all the facts.
Jn. 7:16 Jesus answered them and said, “My doctrine is not mine, but He who sent Me.”
Here we have the fourth of Yochanan’s seven discourses.
Jn. 7:17 “If anyone wants to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God. Or whether I speak on My own authority.”
Jn. 7:18 “He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is true, and no unrighteousness is in Him.”
Jn. 7:19 “Did not Moses give you the Law, and yet none of you keeps the Law? Why do you seek to kill Me?”
Yeshua now accuses them of violating the Mosaic Law by seeking to kill Him unjustifiably. Later, during His arrest and trial, the Pharisees will violate 24 of their own laws.
Jn. 7:20 The people answered, “You have a demon who is seeking to kill You.”
The people here try to escape the blame on themselves by claiming a demon trying to kill Him. Maybe this is the beginning of the use of the saying, “the devil made me do it.”
Jn. 7:21 Yeshua answered and said to them, “I did one work, and you all marveled.”
Jn. 7:22 “Moses therefore gave you circumcision (not that it was from Moses, but from the Father), and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath.”
Jn. 7:23 “If a man receives circumcision on the Sabbath so that the Law of Moses should not be broken, are you angry with Me because I made a man completely well on the Sabbath?”
Using the rabbinic method Kal Vachomer of interpretation, Yeshua is saying, “If mutilation is allowed on the Sabbath, then healing is too.”
Jn. 7:24 “Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.”
Jn. 7:25 Then some of them from Jerusalem said, “Is this not He whom they seek to kill?”
Jn. 7:26 “But look! He speaks boldly, and they say nothing to Him. Do the rulers know indeed that this is the Messiah?”
According to this verse, at least some people had come to believe that He was the Messiah. Unfortunately, at the critical point in time, they would remain silent.
Jn. 7:27 “However, we know where this man is from; but when the Messiah comes, no one knows where He is from.”
Again, some of the people plainly show their ignorance of the Scriptures. Micah 5:2 very specifically tells where the Messiah will be born — Bethlehem of Judea.
Jn. 7:28 Then Yeshua cried out, as He taught in the Temple, saying, “You both know Me and you know where I am from; and I have not come of Myself, but He who sent Me is true, whom you do not know.”
Jn. 7:29 “But I Know Him, for I am from Him, and He sent Me.”
Jn. 7:30 Then they sought to take Him; but no one laid a hand on Him, because His hour had not yet come.
At the instigation of Satan, a number of premature attempts to kill Yeshua have been made. For if Yeshua had died at any other time than Passover, in any other way than crucifixion, there would be no atonement. It all had to be just as God had prophesied in His Word. Even though Satan wants Him dead, he doesn’t want Him to die on the cross.
Jn. 7:31 And many more people believed in Him, and said, “When the Messiah comes, will He do more signs than these which this man has done?”
Jn. 7:32 The Pharisees heard the crowd murmuring these things concerning Him, and the Pharisees and chief priests sent officers to take Him.
Jn. 7:33 Then Yeshua said to them, “I shall be with you a little while longer, and then I go to Him who sent Me.”
Jn. 7:34 “You will seek Me and not find Me, and where I am you cannot come.”
Jn. 7:35 Then the Jews said among themselves, “Where does He intend to go that we shall not find Him? Does He intend to go to the dispersion among the Greeks and teach the Greeks?”
Jn. 7:36 “What is this thing that He said ‘You will seek Me and not find Me, and where I am you cannot come?’”
Jn. 7:37 On the last day, that great day of the feast, Yeshua stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.”
The ceremony known as Beit haShoveah (the House of the Water Pouring) was conducted daily during the Feast of Sukkoth. At the time of the special Sukkoth offerings, the priests assigned to perform this ceremony set about slaughtering the sacrifices. A second group of priests went out the Eastern Gate of the Temple to the Valley of Motza. There they would cut willow trees at least twenty-five feet in length. The priests would then align themselves shoulder to shoulder in several rows approximately thirty feet apart. At a signal, they each stepped forward on the right foot, swinging the willow trees to the left in unison. As they stepped forward on the left foot, the willows were swung to the right. Thus they proceeded to the city. The waving of the willows produced an effect of rushing wind (Ruach or Spirit) approaching the Temple. Meanwhile, the High Priest and his assistant had left the Temple from the Water Gate and had gone to the Pool of Siloam and retrieved a vase of water known as maiyim haiyim (living water). This water was placed in a gold vessel while the assistant held a silver vessel full of wine. As the priests in the Valley of Motza started back to the Temple, so did the group at Siloam. As each party approached their respective gates, a shofar was blown, and then a single flute
The priests with the sacrifices ascended the altar, placing the animals on the fire. Those with the willows circled the altar one time, then laid their willows against the base of the altar, forming a sukka over its top. The High Priest and assistant also ascended the altar pouring out the water and the wine. As this was done, the people sang Isaiah 12:3-6 which says, "Joyfully shall you draw water from the fountains of triumph, and you shall say on that day: ‘Praise the Lord“. Make His deeds known among the peoples; declare that His name is exalted. Hymn the Lord, for He had done gloriously; let this be made known in all the world! Oh, shout for joy, you who dwell in Zion! For great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.’” M:Sukkah 55:1 says that “whosoever that has not seen the rejoicing of the outpouring of the water has not seen rejoicing yet.” This outpouring was a symbol of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on all of Israel in the last days.
Jn. 7:38 “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”
On the last day of the feast the Hoshanah took place, where instead of the priests circling around the altar once, they went seven times. When He cried out, Yeshua gave the outpouring of water as an individual application of the Holy Spirit, not a national one.
Jn. 7:39 But this He spoke concerning the spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
Jn. 7:40 Therefore many from the crowd, when they heard this saying, said, “Truly this is the Prophet.”
Here again, we see someone using the term The Prophet, which is a reference to Deut. 18:15-18.
Source: Deut. 18:15-18
Jn. 7:41 Others said, “This is the Messiah.” But someone said, “Will the Messiah come out of Galilee?”
Jn. 7:42 “Has not the Scriptures said that the Messiah comes from the seed of David and from the town of Bethlehem, where David was?”
Jn. 7:43 So there was a division among the people because of Him.
Jn. 7:44 And some of them wanted to take Him, but no one laid hands on Him.
Jn. 7:45 Then the officers came from the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, “Why have you not brought Him?”
Jn. 7:46 The officers answered, “No man ever spoke like this man.”
Jn. 7:47 Then the Pharisees answered them, “Are you also deceived?”
Jn. 7:48 “Have any of the rulers or Pharisees believed in Him?”
Jn. 7:49 “But this crowd that does not know the Law is accursed.”
In Hebrew the common people were referred to as the Am haEretz (people of the land).They were mostly looked down upon by the Pharisees because a lot of them were unfaithful in tithing. M:Demai 2:3 says, “He who takes upon himself to become a Pharisee does not sell to the common people or associate with them.”
Source: M:Demai 2:3
Jn. 7:50 Nicodemus (he came to Yeshua by night, being one of them), said to them,
Jn. 7:51 “Does our Law judge a man before it hears him and knows what he is doing?”
Jn. 7:52 They answered and said to him, “Are you also from Galilee? Search and look, for no prophet has risen out of Galilee.”
Nicodemus asks a very dangerous question here. He could have very easily been accused of being a sympathizer of Yeshua’s. The response he receives to his question shows that the other Pharisees were not ready to worry about right or wrong. They were so filled with hate that they make a statement that shows their wrong thinking. This is an overstatement there were at least three O.T. prophets that did come out of Galilee: Hosea, Jonah, and Elisha.
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