After this, Jesus moved about within Galilee; but he did not wish to travel in Judea, because the Jews were trying to kill him. 2 But the Jewish feast of Tabernacles was near. 3 So his brothers said to him, “Leave here and go to Judea, so that your disciples also may see the works you are doing. 4 No one works in secret if he wants to be known publicly. If you do these things, manifest yourself to the world.” 5 For his brothers did not believe in him. 6 So Jesus said to them, “My time is not yet here, but the time is always right for you.
10 But when his brothers had gone up to the feast, he himself also went up, not openly but [as it were] in secret. 11 The Jews were looking for him at the feast and saying, “Where is he?” 12 And there was considerable murmuring about him in the crowds. Some said, “He is a good man,” [while] others said, “No; on the contrary, he misleads the crowd.” 13 Still, no one spoke openly about him because they were afraid of the Jews. 14 When the feast was already half over, Jesus went up into the temple area and began to teach.
25 So some of the inhabitants of Jerusalem said, “Is he not the one they are trying to kill? 26 And look, he is speaking openly and they say nothing to him. Could the authorities have realized that he is the Messiah? 27 But we know where he is from. When the Messiah comes, no one will know where he is from.” 28 So Jesus cried out in the temple area as he was teaching and said, “You know me and also know where I am from. Yet I did not come on my own, but the one who sent me, whom you do not know, is true. 29 I know him, because I am from him, and he sent me.” 30 So they tried to arrest him, but no one laid a hand upon him, because his hour had not yet come. 31 But many of the crowd began to believe in him, and said, “When the Messiah comes, will he perform more signs than this man has done?”
After Jesus had fed a large crowd with a few loaves and fish and then spoke about giving a deeper, spiritual nourishment that many found difficult to accept, many of his followers began to turn away (Jn. 6:1–15, 6:60–66). He remains in Galilee, aware that opposition is growing.
The Feast of Tabernacles is approaching, a major pilgrimage feast that recalled both the harvest and Israel’s time in the wilderness, when they lived in temporary shelters and depended entirely on God. His own relatives urge him to go up to Judea and make himself known. Their reasoning is straightforward: if he is doing such works, he should present himself publicly. Yet the text makes clear that they do not truly believe in him. They are thinking in human terms—public recognition, visible success, and timing that makes sense from a worldly perspective. Jesus responds with a distinction that becomes central to the passage: “My time is not yet here, but the time is always right for you” (v. 6).
This “time” refers to the decisive moment of his mission, ultimately pointing toward his suffering and death. Throughout the passage, Jesus makes it clear that his actions are not directed by human expectations or pressure. He acts in complete dependence on the Father who sent him, and his mission unfolds according to that will. Others may act freely according to ordinary plans, but Jesus acts according to a divine plan that unfolds at a precise moment.
Although he says he will not go up to the feast in the way his brothers suggest, he later goes quietly. The hostility against him is real, and yet he is not avoiding the mission—he is carrying it out in the way and at the time determined by the Father.
At the feast, the atmosphere is marked by uncertainty and division. People are speaking about him in hushed tones. Some say, “He is a good man,” while others claim, “He misleads the crowd” (v. 12). Fear prevents open discussion. This division becomes a recurring theme. The presence of Jesus does not leave people neutral; it forces a response, even if that response is confusion or hesitation.
When Jesus finally appears in the temple and begins to teach, the focus shifts to the origin of his authority. He makes a clear claim: his teaching is not his own but comes from the one who sent him. The passage shows that the real issue is whether people are truly open to God. Those who desire to do God’s will are in a position to recognize that Jesus’ teaching comes from God, while those guided by their own interests remain unable to see clearly. Jesus does not present himself as acting independently; everything he says and does is rooted in the Father.
As the discussion continues, some people in Jerusalem raise a practical question: if the authorities are trying to kill him, why is he speaking openly without interference? This leads to speculation—could he be the Messiah? Yet their reasoning quickly turns in another direction. They believe they know where Jesus is from, and according to their expectation, the Messiah’s origin would be hidden or unknown. They are judging only by what they can see—his earthly background—without recognizing his true origin from the Father.
Jesus responds directly: “You know me and also know where I am from. Yet I did not come on my own, but the one who sent me, whom you do not know, is true” (v. 28). This statement brings the issue into focus. The problem is not lack of information but lack of true knowledge. They recognize him on a human level, but they do not know the Father who sent him. True knowledge of Jesus is inseparable from knowledge of God.
At this point, the tension intensifies. Some attempt to arrest him, but no one is able to lay a hand on him. The reason is given clearly: “his hour had not yet come” (v. 30). This confirms what Jesus said earlier. Events are not unfolding according to human plans—whether those plans come from his relatives or from his enemies. Everything is governed by the Father’s timing.
Even within this tension, the response remains divided. Some begin to believe in him, reasoning that no one could perform greater signs than he has done. Others remain opposed or uncertain. The presence of Jesus continues to draw out both faith and resistance.
This passage fits well within the season of Lent because it highlights the movement toward the “hour” that has not yet come but is drawing nearer. Lent is a time of preparation for that hour—the mystery of Christ’s suffering, death, and resurrection. The Gospel shows that this moment is not accidental or forced; it unfolds according to God’s plan. At the same time, it reveals how people respond differently when confronted with Christ. Some believe, others hesitate, and others resist. Lent invites a clear and honest response to who Jesus is, recognizing that God’s plan is unfolding even when it is not immediately understood.
Lord Jesus, you act according to the wisdom of the Father and not according to human expectations. Grant that we may seek to understand your will, recognize your truth, and follow you with faith as your plan unfolds in our lives. Amen.
___________________
Sources and References
- New American Bible, Revised Edition (NABRE), Jn. 7:1–6, 10–14, 25–31.
- Ignatius Catholic Study Bible, New Testament, notes on Jn. 7:1–31.
- José María Casciaro, gen. ed., The Navarre Bible: New Testament, Expanded Edition (Dublin: Four Courts Press; New York: Scepter Publishers, 2008), notes on Jn. 7:1–31.
- Raymond E. Brown et al., The New Jerome Biblical Commentary (Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1990), paras. 105–109.
- John J. Collins et al., eds., The Jerome Biblical Commentary for the Twenty-First Century (London: Bloomsbury T&T Clark, 2022), pp. 1409–1410.
- José Enrique Aguilar Chiu et al., eds., The Paulist Biblical Commentary (New York: Paulist Press, 2018), pp. 1142–1143.
Comments