THE RESURRECTION IS COMING!

“After this, Jesus went around in Galilee. He did not want to go about in Judea because the Jewish leaders were looking for a way to kill Him. But when the Jewish Festival of Tabernacles was near, Jesus’ brothers said to Him, ‘Leave Galilee and go to Judea, so that your disciples may see the works you do. No one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret. Since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world.’ For even His own brothers did not believe in Him.

“Therefore, Jesus told them, ‘My time is not yet here; for you any time will do. The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify that its works are evil. You go to the festival. I am not going up to this festival because my time has not yet fully come.’ After He had said this, He stayed in Galilee.” John 7:1-9 (NIV).

It must have been tough for Jesus to have been rejected by His own brothers!

However, it was to be expected because they were part of “His own who did not receive Him.” It was probably the old story of being offended by His goodness. They grew up with Him. He was their flesh and blood. How could they accept that He was not a mere human being like they were?

Their words were not a suggestion but a taunt. One can read their hostility between the lines. Their words were accusing, revealing and a challenge to Him. ‘If you are who you say you are, go public and prove it. You have a golden opportunity to go to the festival in Jerusalem where everybody who is anybody will be gathered.’ Every word was full of venom and unbelief.

Jesus did not seem to be offended. He simply explained why it was not appropriate for Him to go to Jerusalem then. The Jewish leaders would be looking out for Him. Perhaps they even hoped to grab Him and assassinate Him before the crowd arrived so that He would have no opportunity to wow the people and win them over.

His brothers were free to come and go as they pleased because they were not controversial public figures. They were not living according to a strict timetable as He was. No one was watching out for them with murderous intent. They were not hated for exposing evil.

Jesus was smart. He knew that if He arrived in Jerusalem before or during the festival, His enemies would either waylay Him or stir up a riot against Him. Lynching was not God’s plan. Jesus had to be tried, found guilty and offered publicly as a sacrifice at the exact moment when the slaughtering of the Passover lambs began. His guilt and execution had to be a decision of the representatives of both the Jewish and Gentile world. He had to be offered up for the whole world.

Jesus confined His ministry to Galilee for the moment where He was out of sight of the members of the ruling party. The Pharisees were everywhere, no doubt spying on Him and reporting back to their superiors, but the common people were happy to have Him around as long as He ministered to the sick and demon-possessed and taught them about the kingdom of God.

Contrary to the undertones of His brothers’ accusation, Jesus was not seeking fame or popularity. He was not trying to make himself a “public figure”. It was unfortunate that the works He did forced him into the limelight. He often cautioned the people He had healed not to tell anyone about it. He did not want fans, but followers; people who accepted His yoke and committed to being His disciples because they believed in Him, not because of what He could do for them.

How unfortunate that many people “follow” Jesus today because of what they think He can do for them! How much better to be like His brothers who were at least honest about their scepticism. It took the resurrection to convince them that He was the Son of God and, once convinced they wholeheartedly threw in their lot with His disciples and were part of the group on whom the Holy Spirit fell in the day of Pentecost.

We may judge Jesus’ brothers for not recognizing who He was, but it was part of the process by which they came to faith in Him. Their attitude was not set in concrete. Thank God that even the attitude of our loved ones, which may cause us concern, is only a part of the process by which many of them may yet come to faith. The resurrection and Pentecost are still coming for them!

Acknowledgement

Scripture taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.