John 7:1-6
 
John 7:1 (KJB)
After these things Jesus walked in Galilee: for he would not walk in Jewry, because the Jews sought to kill him.
 
Jewry - Judaea
 
Jesus had done much of His ministry in Galilee which was about 70 miles north of Judea, in fact, probably about 18 months. This chapter begins after the things which Jesus did such as the feeding of the 5,000 and the discourse about Him being the living bread and seeing many of the counterfeit disciples go back. Jesus, at this time, had stayed out of Judea because the Jews had sought to kill Him. He did not fear death but His time was not yet. The Jews wanted to kill Him because of his declarations of deity plus He healed a man on the Sabbath which to the Jews was a capital offense.
 
John 7:2 (KJB)
Now the Jews' feast of tabernacles was at hand.
 
The feast of Tabernacles lasted about 7 days but later another day was added. The feast came in October and was also called the feast of Ingathering. (Exo 34:22 KJV) And thou shalt observe the feast of weeks, of the firstfruits of wheat harvest, and the feast of ingathering at the year's end. This feast was celebrated since the time of Moses. It was also required that all the males in Israel appear before the Lord three time per year. (Exo 34:23 KJV) Thrice in the year shall all your menchildren appear before the Lord GOD, the God of Israel. The feast of Tabernacles was the most joyous of all the feasts.
 
John 7:3 (KJB)
His brethren therefore said unto him, Depart hence, and go into Judaea, that thy disciples also may see the works that thou doest.
 
The brethren spoken of in this verse are the half brothers of Jesus. Their names are “Joses, Jude, James and Simon. It is not known if they followed Him in His ministry or they just came to see Him at the time of the approaching feast. Nevertheless, they had urged Him to go to the feast since maybe the hostility of the Jews had subsided since it was about 18 months since Jesus was in Judea. The disciples in view are not the twelve but those whom Jesus had made when He was in Judea. His bothers were chiding Him that He should go and do some miracles for them since it was a while since they saw Him.
 
John 7:4 (KJB)
For there is no man that doeth any thing in secret, and he himself seeketh to be known openly. If thou do these things, show thyself to the world.
 
Here they continue the chiding accusing Him of wanting notoriety and that is why He was doing the miracles. They wanted Him to finally, once and for all, show Himself to the world with all His miracles. They did not understand the reason for the miracles and the strategic use behind them, which were used for teaching and conveying some aspect of the Gospel. Jesus did not come from Heaven just to be a miracle worker for the world’s entertainment, but came to die for the sins of His people. It is apparent that Jude eventually became saved because he penned the book of Jude under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. We do not know if any of His other brethren or sisters became saved.
 
John 7:5 (KJB)
For neither did his brethren believe in him.
 
Here is the essence of unbelief. Those who were born into the family of Jesus did not believe on Him at this time. They saw and heard of the miracles which He had done and instead of investigating them, they just ignored them which is what typical unbelief does. They were not even moved by the fact of all the events which surrounded His birth. That alone would cause one to think that there was something different about Him. I think many Christians who are the only ones saved in their family can identify with this because we all got hit with the “I remember you when” or “do you think you are better than us?” Trying to witness to our families is probably the hardest ministry to do.
 
John 7:6 (KJB)
Then Jesus said unto them, My time is not yet come: but your time is alway ready.
 
Everything Jesus did in His ministry was tied to specific timing. He was not to be crucified for another 6 months during the Passover which came in April. He knew that anger for Him was still boiling among the Jews in Jerusalem. So the time which Jesus has in view is probably the public appearance of Himself which would lead to the trial and crucifixion. These things had to be done at a certain time to fulfill the Scriptures and this is what His brethren did not understand. It was not a question of Him going to the feast, it was always the question of timing. His brethren could go to Jerusalem any time they wanted and could stay there for any amount of time but Jesus was on a specific, heavenly schedule which did not include frivolities with time. Everything had to be perfectly timed to fulfill the Scriptures.

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