The Passover feast had its antitype at the cross. (1 Cor. 5). Pentecost was fulfilled when the Holy Spirit descended. (Acts 2). The Feast of Tabernacles has yet had no fulfillment, but will have when the harvest and vintage of Israel has come, and Israel can look back and celebrate all the way by which the Lord hath brought them. The eighth day, the great day of the feast, will be when God’s rest has come.
It was therefore impossible that the Lord should go up to Jerusalem to keep this feast, and not proclaim Himself the King and Judge, and it was not yet, in the purposes of God, the time for this. He would go up to Jerusalem to teach those who had ears to hear of the Father who had sent Him, and in spite of man’s enmity and opposition, show Himself to be the Fountain of living waters to the soul that thirsted for God, and to make such a soul rivers of living waters to others.
Verse 1. He is aware that they want to kill Him.
Verse 2. The feast is called the Jews feast of tabernacles. Jehovah could not delight in it, (Isa. 1:10-15).
Verses 3-5. His brethren did not believe on Him, and He cannot explain His actions to them. They could not understand.
Verses 6-9. They were of the world, and could go as they pleased, but He must abide His time to do the Father’s will.
Verses 10-13. Afterward He goes up, but it is not to show Himself, but as it were in secret and to teach them.
Verse 14. He is outside of all that was going on at the feast. He, the Son of God was outside as in fellowship with the Father, a heaven-sent Messenger to wait on their need. If the Father was rejected, so was He, but they were of the world.
Verses 15-24. They are surprised at His teaching, they do not see beyond the human vessel. “How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?” They know not that His teaching came with Him from heaven. Like the blind leaders of the blind of the present day, they do not know the Son of God. And the doctrine He teaches is only known to those who desire to do the Father’s will. “He that speaketh from Himself seeketh his own glory,” but He was seeking the Father’s glory, and there was no unrighteousness in Him. They boasted of Moses, but they did not keep his law, and murder was in their hearts. (But this was the Jews of Jerusalem, the people were not all like them. Compare Verses 20, 25, 31, 49. They were angry at Him for healing a man on the Sabbath, yet they would circumcise a man on that day. Mercy to the needy was in the Father’s heart, and seen in His ways. Theirs was law keeping. “Judge not according to appearance, but judge righteous judgment.”
Verses 25-27. He spoke boldly, (fulfilled Psa. 40:9,10). His teachings and His works witnessed who He was.
Verse 30. Again they sought to take Him, but his hour was not yet come. And many of the people were convinced that He was the Christ.
Verse 32. This only stirred up the Pharisees and Chief Priests to send officers to take Him.
Verses 33, 34. The Lord announces that He was with them only a little while, then He would be gone to Him that sent Him, and they would seek Him, and would not find Him. They would be shut out forever.
Verses 35, 36. Eternal things are beyond them, and their hearts are enmity against God.
O! had they but known, had they but hearkened.. He would have fed them with the finest of the wheat. He would have made them drink of the fountain of living waters. (Jer. 2:12,13. Psa. 81:13-16).
How could the Lord sanction a feast with such moral darkness filling their soul? They had no title to the rest it spoke of, and were He to act as King, He must judge their wickedness. What will He do now? Is He not still the Fountain of the water of life? Yes, and He will prove His blessed sufficiency for the thirsty one who will drink.
Verses 37-39. In the last day, that great day of the feast, (the new eighth day, Lev. 23:39, is pictured by it, when blessing to the earth will be full,) Jesus stood and cried, saying, “If any man thirst, let him come unto Me and drink. He that believeth on Me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.” This looks on to the time when He is glorified, when each believer is sealed by the Holy Spirit, not till then would the Holy Spirit be given to men.
The thirsty soul is not only satisfied, but is also made a source of blessing to others from the inner man of his soul should flow streams of living water.
Is this not what we Christians should be? Jesus is now glorified. Believers are now sealed. Do streams of living water flow out from us to others? Is the testimony of the glorified One seen in our ways? Is it filling our hearts to overflowing? Israel’s rejection of Christ has postponed their blessing. Only postponed, for God’s promises cannot pass away unfulfilled. But let us who are Christ’s members now think what a portion and privilege we have to be channels of blessing to the world around.
Verses 40-43. Here is another discussion which shows how little the facts of His birth were known. The people are divided over it.
Verse 44. Some would have taken Him, but they are powerless till He allows it. No man laid hands on Him.
Verses 45-49. Then came the officers to the Chief Priests and Pharisees, who had sent them to take Jesus, and they said to them, “Why have ye not brought Him?” They answered, “Never man spake like this Man.” Another testimony from His enemies to His superlative worth. The Pharisees answered with bitter enmity, “Are ye also deceived? Have any of the rulers, or the Pharisees believed on Him? But this people who know not the law are cursed.”
Verses 50-53. Nicodemus, one of themselves, and one of Jesus’ secret disciples, saith, “Doth our law judge any man before it hear him, and know what he doeth?” That was enough to mark him out as a sympathizer. They turn on him, “Art thou also of Galilee? Search, and look: for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet.” It scattered them for the present. Every man went to his own house.
Chapter 8, Verse 1. Jesus retired to the Mount of Olives, to the place where He so often held communion with His Father.