February 3
JOHN 7
After this Jesus went about in Galilee. He would not go about in Judea, because the Jews were seeking to kill him. 2 Now the Jews’ Feast of Booths was at hand. 3 So his brothers said to him, “Leave here and go to Judea, that your disciples also may see the works you are doing. 4 For no one works in secret if he seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, show yourself to the world.” 5 For not even his brothers believed in him. 6 Jesus said to them, “My time has not yet come, but your time is always here. 7 The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify about it that its works are evil. 8 You go up to the feast. I am not going up to this feast, for my time has not yet fully come.” 9 After saying this, he remained in Galilee.
– John 7:1-9
JOHN 7 JESUS’ BROTHERS PROD HIM TO GO PUBLIC
A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses
Jesus will never go against his Father’s timing and plan
Even when his own brothers prodded him to go to Judea
They wanted him to show off his signs to the world and go public
They didn’t believe that Jesus will only do what the Father tells him.
In this account, we hear of the Feast of Booths. The “Feast of Booths,” also known as Sukkot in Hebrew, is a major Jewish holiday where people build temporary shelters called “sukkot” and live in them for a week, commemorating the 40 years the Israelites spent wandering in the wilderness after the Exodus, living in makeshift booths made of branches; it’s a time to remember God’s protection and provision during their journey to the Promised Land. One can understand why Jesus’ own siblings want to take the opportunity for Jesus to be publicly seen in this feast since there will be a lot of people present in it. They truly didn’t believe that their brother is the Son of God or they wouldn’t have prodded him to go to this feast. I think it is an insult for them to do so because it only shows that they were mocking their own brother for thinking that he is truly from above. Their limited minds didn’t have that understanding that God can use anyone and anything to bring glory to himself. We witness Christ’s total submission and surrender to God’s plan and his timing. He will never go against God’s will.
REFLECTION
• Why do humans make a spectacle to prove who they say they are?
