John 7

I didn't get to a second blog posting yesterday, but I'll catch up soon. As usual, here's the chapter: http://www.esvbible.org/John+7/

At the beginning of the chapter, John tells us that even Jesus' own brothers didn't believe in Him. We cant be quite sure if John meant Mary and Joseph's other children, the disciples, or just the other Jews around, but at any rate, Jesus is incredibly unpopular at this point in the story. He goes to a Jewish festival, the Festival of Booths, and listens to what the people sy about Him, and they are pretty divided about whether or not they like Him for the most part, but none of them will speak to freely because they fear the Jewish officials. Halfway through, Jesus begins teaching in the temple, and the people around are amazed. They ask how a man can be so smart if he didn't go to school. Jesus replies that His knowledge is not from Him but from the one who sent Him. He again condemns them for trying to kill Him because they believe He can't possibly be the Messiah because He came from Galilee. John says the Jews tried to arrest Him but couldn't. They were unable to do so because it wasn't time, and no one, no matter how powerful, can interfere with God's plan and timing. Jesus says He'll be around for awhile, but then He's leaving, and no one can go with Him where He is going.He is going to conquer death, but the Jews don't yet understand that, so they are confused as to where He wants to go. Even after all Jesus says and does at the festival, the people are divided about Him, and some continue to want to arrest Him.  The Pharisees sent guards to arrest Him, but they came back empty handed because they had never heard a human speak as Jesus had. The Pharisees claim that the crowd is stupid for believing in Jesus so easily, and that they are not educated enough to know the teachings of Moses. Nicodemus is there, and he asks the others how their knowledge of Moses's teachings qualify them to judge people without hearing the other side of the story, but the others discount him because he is also from Galilee and go about their ways.