Jesus at the Festival: Faith, Doubt, and Truth in the Open (John 7:1-31)
Sometimes, people have mixed feelings about Jesus—some believe, others doubt, and a few even get angry. That’s exactly what happens in this part of the Gospel of John. Jesus goes to a big festival in Jerusalem, and while He’s there, people talk, question, argue, and listen. Through it all, Jesus stays calm, faithful, and focused on what He came to do.
Let’s take a closer look at what happened and what it means for us today.
Jesus Waits for the Right Time
At the beginning of the story, Jesus is in Galilee. He doesn’t go to Judea right away because people there are trying to kill Him. His own brothers tell Him, “If You really want people to know who You are, go to the festival and show off Your miracles.”
But Jesus doesn’t jump at their advice. Instead, He says, “It’s not the right time for Me yet.”
What does this show us?
Jesus didn’t let pressure from others—even His family—push Him to do something before the right time. He listened to God and waited patiently.
People Whisper and Wonder
Later, Jesus goes to the festival quietly, without drawing attention to Himself. Meanwhile, the crowd is buzzing. Some say, “He’s a good man.” Others argue, “No, He’s fooling people.”
But no one speaks too loudly. They’re afraid of how the leaders might react.
What does this mean?
People still have different opinions about Jesus today. And sometimes, fear of others keeps us from speaking up. But Jesus shows that truth doesn’t depend on what people say—it stands on its own.
Jesus Teaches Openly
Halfway through the festival, Jesus begins teaching in the temple. Everyone is surprised. “How does He know so much? He hasn’t even been trained like the teachers!”
Jesus tells them, “My teaching comes from God, not from Me. If you really want to do God’s will, you’ll recognize that what I say is true.”
What can we learn here?
Jesus wasn’t looking for praise or popularity. He simply shared what God gave Him to say. And He invites people to listen with open hearts.
Jesus Points Out Hypocrisy
Jesus challenges the crowd: “You say you follow Moses, but some of you are trying to kill Me. You’re angry because I healed someone on the Sabbath, but you also do certain things on the Sabbath yourselves.”
The people are confused and even accuse Jesus of being out of His mind.
What’s going on?
Jesus is showing that some people care more about keeping rules than showing love and mercy. He tells them, “Don’t judge by appearances. Judge with fairness.”
That’s a good reminder for us—to look deeper and not jump to conclusions about people or situations.
The Crowd is Divided, but Jesus Stays Bold
As Jesus keeps teaching, some people are puzzled. “Isn’t this the man they want to kill? Why is He speaking so openly?” Others think He can’t be the Messiah because they know where He’s from—and they believe the Messiah’s arrival will be a mystery.
Jesus responds boldly: “You don’t really know Me or the One who sent Me. But I know Him, because I came from Him.”
The leaders try to arrest Jesus, but they can’t—not yet. His time hasn’t come.
What does this show us?
Jesus knew who He was and where He came from. Even when people didn’t understand or accept Him, He stayed focused on His purpose.
Final Thoughts: Following the Truth, Even When It’s Hard
In this part of John’s Gospel, we see Jesus face pressure, doubts, confusion, and even danger. But He stays steady. He keeps teaching, keeps loving, and keeps pointing people to the truth.
Here’s a simple question to think about:
Are we willing to follow Jesus even when it’s unpopular, unclear, or difficult?
Jesus didn’t hide from tough moments—and He promises to be with us when we face them too.
John 7:1-31 (WEB)
7:1 After these things, Jesus was walking in Galilee, for he wouldn’t walk in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill him. 2 Now the feast of the Jews, the Feast of Booths, was at hand. 3 His brothers therefore said to him, “Depart from here and go into Judea, that your disciples also may see your works which you do. 4 For no one does anything in secret while he seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, reveal yourself to the world.” 5 For even his brothers didn’t believe in him.6 Jesus therefore said to them, “My time has not yet come, but your time is always ready. 7 The world can’t 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 yet going up to this feast, because my time is not yet fulfilled.”9 Having said these things to them, he stayed in Galilee. 10 But when his brothers had gone up to the feast, then he also went up, not publicly, but as it were in secret. 11 The Jews therefore sought him at the feast, and said, “Where is he?” 12 There was much murmuring among the multitudes concerning him. Some said, “He is a good man.” Others said, “Not so, but he leads the multitude astray.” 13 Yet no one spoke openly of him for fear of the Jews. 14 But when it was now the middle of the feast, Jesus went up into the temple and taught. 15 The Jews therefore marveled, saying, “How does this man know letters, having never been educated?”16 Jesus therefore answered them, “My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me. 17 If anyone desires to do his will, he will know about the teaching, whether it is from God or if I am speaking from myself. 18 He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory, but he who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and no unrighteousness is in him. 19 Didn’t Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keeps the law? Why do you seek to kill me?”20 The multitude answered, “You have a demon! Who seeks to kill you?”21 Jesus answered them, “I did one work and you all marvel because of it. 22 Moses has given you circumcision (not that it is of Moses, but of the fathers), and on the Sabbath you circumcise a boy. 23 If a boy receives circumcision on the Sabbath, that the law of Moses may not be broken, are you angry with me because I made a man completely healthy on the Sabbath? 24 Don’t judge according to appearance, but judge righteous judgment.”25 Therefore some of them of Jerusalem said, “Isn’t this he whom they seek to kill? 26 Behold, he speaks openly, and they say nothing to him. Can it be that the rulers indeed know that this is truly the Christ? 27 However, we know where this man comes from, but when the Christ comes, no one will know where he comes from.”28 Jesus therefore cried out in the temple, teaching and saying, “You both know me, and know where I am from. I have not come of myself, but he who sent me is true, whom you don’t know. 29 I know him, because I am from him, and he sent me.”30 They sought therefore to take him; but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come. 31 But of the multitude, many believed in him. They said, “When the Christ comes, he won’t do more signs than those which this man has done, will he?”