Bible Commentaries

Walked in Galilee; continued there,--as it was in Galilee that the occurrences described in the last chapter took place.--Jewry; Judea.--The Jews sought to kill him. They formed the design when he was in Jerusalem, as stated John 5:16-18.

Feast of tabernacles; an annual celebration commemorative of the dwelling of the Israelites in tents or tabernacles. It was held in the autumn, the passover occurring in the spring. It continued several days, (John 7:37,) during which time the people assembled at Jerusalem, and lived in tents and booths, and imitated the modes of life and usages of their fathers in the wilderness, as particularly described in Nehemiah 8:13-18. For other allusions to this feast in the Old Testament, see Deut. 16:13-15.

His brethren; his relatives and friends.

Show thyself to the world. Galilee was a retired and mountainous region, and thinly peopled, while Jerusalem was the great centre of movement and attraction.

Your time is always ready. The meaning is, that they might go in safety at any time, as they were not, like him, objects of hate and conspiracy.

Jews; Jewish rulers. The state of opinion among the common people is described in the John 7:12. The expression the Jews is used in this manner repeatedly by John, as, for example, in John 7:13, where it is limited, by its connection, to this signification.

My doctrine; my teaching, my instruction.

Of God; from God. A readiness to do our duty is essential to enable us to form opinions on subjects affecting duty; so that he who is not doing the will of God ought to place no reliance upon any religious opinions which he may be inclined to form.

He that speaketh of himself. It does not mean concerning himself, but from himself; that is, of his own accord and on his own responsibility.

Thou hast a devil. The people, not knowing the secret plots which the rulers had formed, attributed his fears to a disordered mind, produced, as they supposed, by an evil spirit.

Marvel; express surprise and displeasure.

Not--of Moses; not originally instituted by Moses, though by him enacted into law.

Whence he is; his parentage and origin.

His hour; the time predetermined for his sufferings and death.

Unto them; unto the people.

Shall flow, &c.; an image very similar to that expressed John 4:14.

They supposed that Jesus had been born where he had resided from infancy, in Nazareth of Galilee.

This people; the common people, whom they looked down upon with contempt.

Ariseth no prophet; no prophet has ever arisen.