“If any man willeth to do his will, he shall know of the teaching whether it be of God, or whether I speak from myself” (John 7:17).
John 7 is a chapter from Jesus’ life in which there is a picture of the many different opinions Jesus’ nation held about Him. The chapter records the doubts and challenges of Jesus’ own brethren (vv. 1-9). Then in verses 11 and 15 the “Jews” are mentioned, a reference to the rulers. One of the unique features of the gospel is that often John uses the word “Jew” to refer to the rulers, not to the people. An illustration of this is in verses 12-13 when the multitude conversed among themselves about Jesus, yet “no man spoke openly of him for fear of the Jews” (v. 13). They were themselves “Jews,” but they were in fear of the Jews. That multitude was divided also in their opinion of Jesus; some of them said, “He is a good man, others said, not so for he leadeth the multitude astray” (v. 12). The “multitude” in this instance was probably a reference to Jews from regions of Galilee or elsewhere in Judaea other than Jerusalem, as well as Jews from other nations who had come to the city to keep the Feast of Tabernacles as Moses had commanded them.
The Jews, the rulers, were mostly united in opposition to Jesus. While they could not deny the genuineness of Jesus’ miracles, they attributed them to demon powers rather than from God (John 11:47). By this time they were already seeking to kill him (John 7:25).
Then, there were the inhabitants of Jerusalem. They were more informed of the intrigues and plotting of the rulers, unlike the multitude, who, when Jesus asked, “Why seek ye to kill me?” responded, “Who seeks to kill you?” (John 7:19-20). On the other hand, inhabitants of Jerusalem asked of Jesus, “Is this not him whom they seek to kill?” (John 7:25). A few in the group did believe in Jesus, but the majority followed the rulers in seeking to kill Him. Then there were the soldiers who were commanded by the rulers to arrest Jesus and bring Him to them (John 7:32). When they sought to take Him, the press of the crowd apparently caused them to listen to Jesus’ teaching and, after doing so, they returned to the rulers without Him. When asked why they hadn’t brought Him, they responded, “Never man so spake” (John 7:45-46).
There was also Nicodemus who had come to Jesus “by night” (John 3:1). When he heard the rulers plotting against Jesus he asked them, “Doth our law judge a man, except it first hear from himself and know what he doeth?” (John 7:50). The rulers answer (which was no answer at all) was, “Art thou also of Galilee? Search and see that out of Galilee ariseth no prophet” (John 7:52).
In the end, this great variation of opinions merged into two groups, those who gave Him audience, saw His signs, and believed He was the Son of God. The second group (a much larger one), while unable to prove His miracles were false, rejected His claims and clamored for His blood until finally Pilate consented to His death and crucified Him. They then sought to eradicate all remnants of His believers. They failed, of course, as the existence of the many Christians today demonstrates.
The smaller group included the soldiers sent to take Jesus. Apparently they wanted to do the will of God, for they heard Jesus’ teaching and came to recognize God had sent him. In that group would also be Nicodemus, for he acknowledged from the first, “We know thou art a teacher come from God for no man doeth the signs thou doest except God be with him” (John 3:1) and he continued to believe in Jesus, and when Jesus was crucified, joined Joseph of Arimathea to provide a burial for Jesus (John 19:38-42).
Then there were Jesus’ brethren who simply did believe on Him. Yet, when we see a faithful band of 120 disciples waiting in Jerusalem for the fall of the Holy Spirit, Jesus’ brethren were there (Acts 1:14). We are not told what evidence it was that changed their unbelief to faith — perhaps it was that after His resurrection Jesus appeared to His brother James (1 Corinthians 15:7). James wrote of him as “our Lord Jesus Christ” and “the Lord of glory” (James 2:1). Jude (another brother of Jesus) called Him “Jesus Christ our Lord” (v. 24).
When the Spirit came on Pentecost, 3,000 came to believe the message preached by Peter. From sea to sea, islands, continents, near and far away, the message of Jesus was preached and the apostles confirmed that story by “signs that followed” (Mark 16:20). Thousands upon thousands obeyed the gospel call.
Just as then, so now “he that willeth to do his will shall know of the teaching whether it is of God, or whether I speak from myself” (John 7:17). So shall it be until our Lord comes and carries His own to glory with him. “Maranatha — Oh Lord, come!” (1 Corinthians 16:22).
Jim McDonald