John 7:1

CHAPTER VII.

Jesus continues in Galilee, 1.

He is desired to go to the feast of tabernacles, 2-5.

His answer, 6-9.

He goes up, and the Jews seek him at the feast, 10-13.

He teaches in the temple, 14-24.

The Jews are confounded by his preaching, 25-27.

He continues to teach; they wish to slay him, 28-30.

Many of the people believe on him, 31.

The Pharisees murmur, and our Lord reasons with them, 32-36.

His preaching on the last day of the feast, 37-39.

The people are greatly divided in their opinions concerning

him, 40-44.

The officers, who were sent by the Pharisees to take him,

return, and because they did not bring him, their employers

are offended, 45-49.

Nicodemus reasons with them, 50-53.

NOTES ON CHAP. VII.

Verse John 7:1. After these things] St. John passes from the preceding discourse of our Lord, which he delivered a little before the passover, John 6:4, to the Feast of Tabernacles, which happened six months after, and thus omits many things mentioned by the other evangelists, which our blessed Lord said and did during that time. He had already gone over Galilee four or five times; and he continued there, because he found that the hatred of the Jews was such that they would kill him if they could meet with him in Judea; and his time to suffer was not yet come.

For he would not walk in Jewry] Instead of this, some MSS., versions, and fathers read, ουγαρ ειχεν εξουσιαν, he had not authority, or liberty to walk, c. That is, he was no longer tolerated, and could not preach publicly in Judea, but at the risk of his life. He found greater scope for the exercise of his important ministry in Galilee than in Judea, as the chief priests, c., were continually plotting his death.