John 7:6 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Jesus said to them, "My time has not yet come, but your time is always here.

NIV: Therefore Jesus told them, "My time is not yet here; for you any time will do.

NASB: So Jesus *said to them, 'My time is not yet here, but your time is always ready.

CSB: Jesus told them, "My time has not yet arrived, but your time is always at hand.

NLT: Jesus replied, 'Now is not the right time for me to go, but you can go anytime.

KJV: Then Jesus said unto them, My time is not yet come: but your time is alway ready.

NKJV: Then Jesus said to them, “My time has not yet come, but your time is always ready.

Jesus' response to His brothers' mocking provides an important perspective. Their teasing assumed that Jesus was merely seeking attention, and so He should want to go out in public and put on a show. However, Christ's intent was not to simply draw a crowd; His goal was to explain the truth (John 6:25–29). For many people, truth conflicts with their preferences, causing them to ignore the message (John 6:66).

In addition, Jesus has been keeping away from Jerusalem to delay the inevitable conflict with the Jewish religious leaders (John 7:1). His time to be publicly proclaimed as Messiah is yet in the future (John 12:12–15), as is His sacrificial death (John 19:18). Jesus' brothers, on the other hand, are already fulfilling their purpose. Their "time had already come," in that sense. Jesus has greater concerns to keep in mind.

In parallel with this, Jesus' brothers did not face the same spiritual hostility as He did. Jesus' life and ministry were focused on exposing the sin of the world, pointing to a need for a savior (John 7:7). When, where, and how His brothers attended such festivals was unimportant. Christ, on the other hand, had to carefully consider how He presented Himself, and when.

John 7:1–13 describes Jesus' surprisingly quiet entry to a major Jewish festival. Jesus' brothers—other biological sons of Mary—tease Him about seeking publicity. Instead, Jesus attends alone, and does not teach or preach publicly until the middle of the week-long festival. In the meantime, the people of Jerusalem are ''muttering'' about Jesus, wondering when or if He will appear.

Six months after the feeding of thousands, and the public debate which followed, Jesus plans to attend the Feast of Booths, also called the Festival of Tabernacles. Rather than going publicly, He chooses to arrive privately, and after His family. While teaching and preaching there, Jesus once again comes into conflict with local religious leaders. The crowds take note of His profound words, history of miracles, and the inability of the religious leaders to silence Him. This causes the people to openly question their spiritual leaders. This embarrassment is a milestone in the effort to permanently silence Jesus.

John chapter 7 is the beginning of the end of Jesus' public ministry. The feeding of thousands in chapter 6 was the pinnacle of His earthly popularity. That enthusiasm was dampened when Jesus explained the true meaning of His ministry. Here, in chapters 7 and 8, Jesus will confront His critics at a major Jewish festival, using metaphors drawn from ritual celebrations to highlight themes from His preaching. The following chapters include additional miracles and teachings from Jesus, as His eventual crucifixion draws nearer.

The disciple John wrote the gospel of John decades after the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke were written. The author assumes that a reader is already familiar with the content of these other works. So, John presents a different perspective, with a greater emphasis on meaning. John uses seven miracles—which he calls "signs"— to prove that Jesus is, in fact, God incarnate. Some of the most well-known verses in the Bible are found here. None is more famous than the one-sentence summary of the gospel found in John 3:16.