Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary John 7

Although the writer evidently knew of Jesus’ later Galilean ministry, he chose not to record it. He shows that Jesus did not return to Judea at once after the feeding of the multitude, because his life would be in danger. Ever since the healing of the paralytic in Jerusalem, his opponents had been attempting to kill him (5:18); and as time progressed, their hatred increased (7:19, 30, 32, 44; 8:59; 10:39; 11:8, 53) until they finally accomplished his death. From this point the opposition to Jesus becomes increasingly prominent in this gospel.

The Feast of Tabernacles was celebrated in the autumn (Leviticus 23:33–36), beginning five days after the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) and lasting eight days. Each family constructed a temporary shelter of branches to live in for the period of the feast. This typified the years of wandering in the desert before the people entered the Promised Land. The feast itself was a joyful time of thanksgiving for the harvest they now enjoyed. It was one of the three annual feasts at which attendance was required of all Jewish men .

Because the gathering in Jerusalem brought together pilgrims from every section of Palestine, Jesus’ brothers saw an excellent opportunity for him to acquire some publicity, especially since he seemed to have such miraculous powers. They advised him to join the crowds in Jerusalem so that he might enhance his reputation and gain more followers, though their suggestion may have been more sarcastic than serious, since they did not believe in him (v.5). In other words, they may have been suggesting he abandon the idealism of teaching multitudes in obscurity and of risking death.

Because the gathering in Jerusalem brought together pilgrims from every section of Palestine, Jesus’ brothers saw an excellent opportunity for him to acquire some publicity, especially since he seemed to have such miraculous powers. They advised him to join the crowds in Jerusalem so that he might enhance his reputation and gain more followers, though their suggestion may have been more sarcastic than serious, since they did not believe in him (v.5). In other words, they may have been suggesting he abandon the idealism of teaching multitudes in obscurity and of risking death.

Because the gathering in Jerusalem brought together pilgrims from every section of Palestine, Jesus’ brothers saw an excellent opportunity for him to acquire some publicity, especially since he seemed to have such miraculous powers. They advised him to join the crowds in Jerusalem so that he might enhance his reputation and gain more followers, though their suggestion may have been more sarcastic than serious, since they did not believe in him (v.5). In other words, they may have been suggesting he abandon the idealism of teaching multitudes in obscurity and of risking death.