THRU THE BIBLE EXPOSITION

John: Believing On The Christ, The Son Of God, For Eternal Life

Part XX: Trusting In Christ By His Righteous Contrast To His Unbelieving Earthly Brothers

(John 7:1-10)

I. Introduction

A. John's Gospel presents Jesus as having come unto His own earthly people, Israel, with that people as a whole not believing on Him as the Messiah and Son of God Incarnate, John 1:10-11 with 20:31.

B. One of the clearest evidences of that lack of belief in Jesus appears in John 7:1-10 where Jesus interacted with his own earthly brothers who were still unbelievers, and this passage provides invaluable application for us believers who need to relate to unbelieving members in our families or extended family units (as follows):

II. Trusting In Christ By His Righteous Contrast To His Unbelieving Earthly Brothers, John 7:1-10.

A. Jesus' spiritual insight contrasted with His unbelieving brothers' spiritual blindness, John 7:1-7:

1. Jesus knew some in Judaea meant to kill Him, so he avoided the area until the Father's time, John 7:1, 3, 6, 10. In striking contrast to Jesus, His unbelieving earthly brothers were blinded to this danger to Christ, and so urged Him to go into Judaea and display His miraculous powers there for His disciples, John 7:3.

2. Jesus knew that His words, exposing sin in men, created a negative response from them (John 7:7), but His unbelieving earthly brothers were blind to this reality, wanting Jesus publicly to show Himself, John 7:3-4.

B. Jesus' selfless aim to heed the Father's will contrasted with His unbelieving brothers' wish that Jesus selfishly promote Himself to the world to gain a following in feeding the worldly pride of life, John 7:3-6; 1 John 2:16.

C. Jesus' value of the Father's will contrasted with His unbelieving earthly brothers' worldly values, John 7:3-8: Christ followed the Father's directives in ministry (John 7:6, 8) where His unbelieving earthly brothers wanted Him to impress people visibly, feeding the lust of the eyes in doing miracles to impress onlookers, John 7:3.

D. Jesus' heeding of the Father's will contrasted with His unbelieving earthly brothers' "political correctness":

1. Jesus meant to do God the Father's will instead of the will of the world or even His own will, John 6:38.

2. Conversely, His unbelieving earthly brothers stated that no other man with the power to impress others would function in secret, that Jesus should thus work openly in line with "political correctness," John 7:4a.

E. Jesus' submission to obey the Father in relative obscurity in Galilee contrasted with His brothers' goal that He be publicly famous, John 7:4: Jesus was content to minister for a while longer in the despised land of Galilee (John 7:1 with 1:46; 7:52 and Ryrie Study Bible, KJV, 1978, ftn. to Matt. 2:23) while his unbelieving brothers wanted Him to present Himself openly in Judaea where He could impress the leaders of the nation, John 7:3-4.

F. Jesus' righteousness that left Him at enmity with the world required that He restrict His actions to avoid needless persecution in contrast to his unbelieving earthly brothers who could function in liberty because they in their unbelief and darkness had rapport with the spiritually dark world around them, John 7:6-8.

G. Jesus' negative rapport with the world contrasted with His unbelieving earthly brothers' positive rapport with it: He said the world hated Him since His words exposed its works as evil while his unbelieving earthly brothers could not experience such conflict as they did not expose the world's sin, John 7:7a,b.

H. Jesus' alignment with the Father's timing contrasted with His unbelieving earthly brothers' timing, John 7:3, 7-8: Jesus aimed to attend the Feast of Tabernacles when the Father directed Him to attend it (John 7:10) while His brothers wanted Him to go up at the beginning of the feast in order to promote Himself, John 7:3.

I. Jesus' righteousness at times geographically alienated Himself from His unbelieving earthly brothers where they in contrast due to their mutual spiritual darkness remained compatible with one another: Jesus in righteousness had to remain behind in separation from His earthly brothers in Galilee for a while though His unbelieving brothers could go together as a group to the feast in Jerusalem, John 7:9-10!

J. Jesus' righteousness at times led Him to act contrary to His unbelieving brothers advice: His brothers advised Him not to minister in secret, but to show Himself publicly to the world (John 7:4a), but to do God's will, Jesus countered their advice, not initially going to the feast publicly, but doing so later in secret, John 7:9-10.

Lesson: Jesus' life that aligned with God the Father's will put Him in sharp conflict with the world, significantly altering His way of life to where it even contrasted with and thus conflicted with the thinking and actions of his unbelieving earthly brothers. Jesus was thus righteous as the Son of God, and we must trust in Him.

Application: (1) May we trust in Jesus as God Incarnate Who contrasted sharply with His unbelieving earthly brothers. (2) May we also live rightly even if it makes us contrast with or conflict with ungodly family members.