For even His brothers did not believe in Him

After these things Jesus walked in Galilee; for He did not want to walk in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill Him. Now the Jews’ Feast of Tabernacles was at hand. His brothers therefore said to Him, “Depart from here and go into Judea, that Your disciples also may see the works that You are doing. For no one does anything in secret while he himself seeks to be known openly. If You do these things, show Yourself to the world.” For even His brothers did not believe in Him. Then Jesus said to them, “My time has not yet come, but your time is always ready. The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it that its works are evil. You go up to this feast. I am not yet going up to this feast, for My time has not yet fully come.” When he had said these things to them, He remained in Galilee.

But when His brothers had gone up, then He also went up to the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret. Then the Jews sought Him at the feast, and said, “Where is He?” And there was much complaining among the people concerning Him. Some said, “He is good”; others said, “No, on the contrary, He deceives the people.” However, no one spoke openly of Him for fear of the Jews.

- John 7:1-13

In today’s reading, we find that the Lectionary has skipped over John Chapter 6, on the Bread of Life, which we will read after next week.

After these things Jesus walked in Galilee; for He did not want to walk in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill Him. Now the Jews’ Feast of Tabernacles was at hand. The Feast of Tabernacles, or Succoth, is an eight-day festival which occurs in the Autumn. It commemorates the wanderings of ancient Israel in the desert of Sinai. It is a harvest festival, and, as my study bible points out, it commemorates “a time when the chosen people lived in tents (or ‘tabernacles’). Along with Passover and Pentecost, Tabernacles was one of the three most important festivals of the ancient Jews.” The text teaches us that Jesus is a marked man in Judea, and has remained in Galilee, His home.

His brothers therefore said to Him, “Depart from here and go into Judea, that Your disciples also may see the works that You are doing. For no one does anything in secret while he himself seeks to be known openly. If You do these things, show Yourself to the world.” For even His brothers did not believe in Him. In the Middle East today, cousins are referred to as “brothers.” My study bible notes here that “His brothers are members of His wider family clan who themselves do not believe in Him. The Eastern Fathers understood ‘brothers’ as stepbrothers, sons of Joseph by a previous wife; while the Western Fathers understood them to be first or second cousins. Never are they openly called sons of Mary.” Regardless of the interpretation we want to give to the word “brothers” the implication here is clear: there are those among His own family and relations who do not believe in Him. This teaches us a great deal about the power of relationships in Christ, and that they in some sense break all other bonds and barriers we know. It also teaches us about Jesus, that those humanly closest to Him in His home doubt Him and ridicule Him, even as He is a “wanted” man. The taunts are pretty typical, and resemble the temptations He underwent in the wilderness to show Himself and to prove Himself. In our previous readings, Jesus has established that He cares for the honor from God, and not the honor from men.

Then Jesus said to them, “My time has not yet come, but your time is always ready. The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it that its works are evil. You go up to this feast. I am not yet going up to this feast, for My time has not yet fully come.” When he had said these things to them, He remained in Galilee. Again, it is a play on the study of what one values: the honor that comes from men or the honor that comes from God. “Showing oneself” depends on worldly opinion, which Jesus here has said He has testified against. He alludes to the “prince of this world” – and the time to come in which that “prince” will fully play out the hand of crucifixion.

But when His brothers had gone up, then He also went up to the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret. Then the Jews sought Him at the feast, and said, “Where is He?” And there was much complaining among the people concerning Him. Some said, “He is good”; others said, “No, on the contrary, He deceives the people.” However, no one spoke openly of Him for fear of the Jews. Jesus does go to the Festival, as He attends festivals at Jerusalem during His three-year ministry, as reported in John’s Gospel. But He does it on the terms that are appropriate to Himself, not succumbing to the temptations handed to Him with a “worldly” perspective on showing Himself. This He will do at His Passion, when it is “His time,” but not before. But what we have here is a sort of snapshot of the population at the time, and where Jesus stands among them. There are those in the leadership who search for Him because they wish to do away with Him. And among the crowds He is in fact a controversial figure – opinion is divided as to His authority and authenticity. But none of the crowd will speak openly about Him for fear of the religious leadership.

So, a stage is set in some sense, for Jesus to enter. In all events concerning His life, we know that He follows the will of the Father for what He is to do in His public ministry. Each setting, every incident, is a stage for God’s use of the energies and power Jesus can bring to bear in His life as a human being: all is a sacrament for the glory of the Father. Thus, we see how He will enter Jerusalem and the Festival of Tabernacles at this time, just as He (and we) await His time which will come at the Passover. For the moment, we receive His wisdom in His actions in responding to those who will not believe, even among those of His own clan, and we await to see what unfolds at the Festival. In all things, He manifests for us the reality of the Presence of God, and unfolds His teachings, and fulfillment of the ancient Scriptures and our understanding of them. This He will do at the Festival as well, and we await His “signs.” If we think about it, that crowd pretty much sums up the way we ourselves feel among others in the world and the struggles with faith we all undergo in one way or another. The authorities who seek to persecute Him perhaps represent the “worldly” view that would condemn what it does not understand, and cannot perceive. How do you walk in your reality as it mirrors His? We will learn from Him.