Religious Leaders Attempt to Arrest Jesus

7:32-53, "The chief priests and the Pharisees sent temple guards to arrest Him (Jesus). Jesus said, 'I am with you for only a short time and then I go to the One Who sent Me. You will look for Me but you will not find Me, and where I am you cannot come.' The Jews said to one another, 'Where does this man tend to go that we cannot find him. What did he mean when he said you will look for me but will not find me; and where I am you cannot come?' Verse 39-By this, He meant the Spirit, whom those who believe in Him would later receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified. Some said, 'Surely this man is a prophet.' Others said, 'He is the Christ.' The people were divided because of Jesus. Some wanted to seize Him, but no one laid a hand on Him. The temple guards went back to the Pharisees who asked, 'Why haven't you brought him?' No, this mob that knows nothing of the law-there is  curse on them. Nicodemus asked them, 'Does our law condemn anyone without first hearing him to find out what he is doing?' They replied, 'Look into it and you will find that a prophet does not come out of Galilee.' "

Hardened hearts blind lost men to the Spiritual things of Almighty GOD. It was so in Jesus' day and it is even more so in today's world. They had The Christ right before their eyes and they still were in unbelief. All the more important today is the Spirit of GOD to those who have not seen Christ Jesus! Upon believing Jesus died for your sins and asking His forgiveness, His Holy Spirit enters you and reconciles you to Almighty GOD! Then your eyes, your heart and mind are opened to the truths and promises of our Awesome, Almighty, Creator, Savior, Holy Father GOD!

Jesus Teaches in the Temple

John 7:10-31, "After His brothers left the feast, He also left. The Jews asked, 'Where is the man?' There was widespread whispering in the crowds, saying, 'He is a good man.' Others said, 'No, he deceives the people.' But no one would say it publicly for fear of the Jews. Jesus went up to the temple courts and began to teach. Jesus said, 'My teaching is not My own. It comes from Him Who sent Me. If anyone chooses to do GOD's will, he will find out whether My teaching comes from GOD or whether I speak on My own. He who speaks on his own does so to gain honor for himself, but he who works for the honor of the One Who sent Him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about Him. Has not Moses given you the law? Yet, not one of you keeps the law. Why are you trying to kill Me?' 'You are demon possessed,' the crowd called out. 'Who is trying to kill you?' Jesus answered out, 'I did one miracle and you all are astonished, yet because Moses gave you circumcision, you circumcise a child on the Sabbath, why are you angry with Me for healing on the Sabbath? STOP judging by mere appearances and make a right judgment!' 'We know where this man is from, when the Christ comes, no one will know where He is from.' Jesus still teaching in the temple said, 'Yes, you know Me and you know where I am from. I am not here on My own, but He Who sent Me is true. You do not know Him because I am from Him and He sent Me.' They tried to seize Him, but no one laid a hand on Him. Still many in the crowd put their faith in Him. They said, 'When the Christ comes, will He do more miraculous signs than this Man?' "

There is none so blind than he who refuses to see! The miracles Jesus Christ performed were numerous: feeding thousands with two fish and five loaves of bread, walking on the water, calming the storm, healing the blind, healing the deaf, healing those with seizures, raising the dead, casting out demons...the list goes on. Yet, these refuse to  accept the truth! My prayer is for those who do not know the salvation of Jesus Christ will realize what He did upon the Cross by taking away your sin, but you must humble yourself, realize you were born in sin and cannot save yourself. It is a gift from GOD and you receive it by faith. When you do, the Holy Spirit comes into you and confirms your salvation! Come to Jesus today and you will reap the joy of our Awesome, Almighty, Creator, Savior, Holy Father GOD! 

Jesus' Brothers Ridicule Him

      James, Jesus' Brother

John 7:1-9, "Jesus went around in Galilee purposely staying away from Judea because the Jews were there waiting to take His life. When the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles was near, Jesus' brothers said to Him, 'You ought to leave here and go to Judea so that Your disciples may see the miracles You do. No one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret. Since You are doing these things, show Yourself to the world.' For even His own brothers did not believe in Him. Therefore, Jesus told them, 'The right time for Me has not yet come, for you anytime is right. The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify that what it does is evil. You go to the feast, I am not yet going upto this Feast, because for Me the right time has not yet come.' Having said this He stayed in Galilee."

Commentary:

"Jesus' brothers had a difficult time believing Jesus. After He died and rose from the dead, seeing Him, they believed. We today have every reason to believe because we have the full record of Jesus' miracles, death, and resurrection. We also have the evidence of what the gospel has done in people's lives through the centuries." We also have the Holy Spirit in us Who was promised to us upon salvation in Jesus Christ. He is the greatest witness of all. You too can personally know Jesus! He offers salvation as a free gift. All you need do is recognize you are a sinner, repent to Jesus of your sin and ask Him to come into your heart... And He will! 

Proverbs 3:4-5 explains this best, "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding. Acknowledge Him in all you do and He will guide your paths."

Romans 10:9 "If you confess with your mouth Jesus is LORD and believe in your heart that GOD raised Him from the dead, you will be saved."  

Desertion

John 6:61-71 "Aware that many of His disciples (followers) were grumbling...Jesus said to them,

"Does this offend you? What if you see the Son of Man ascend to where He was before? (Jesus in heaven before He came to earth as a Man) The Spirit gives life, the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life. Yet there are some of you who do not believe." For Jesus knew from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray Him. He went on to say, "This is why I told you that no one can come to Me unless the Father has enabled him." From this time many of His disciples (followers) turned back and no longer followed Him. ' You do not want to leave too, do you?' Jesus asked the Twelve. Simon Peter answered Him, 'LORD, to whom, shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that You are the Holy One of GOD.' Then Jesus replied, 'Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil.' (He meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, who, though one of the Twelve, was later to betray Him.)"

Are you a true believer in your spirit and heart, or do you think of Jesus with only your mind. There is a great difference! Just as many of Jesus' previous "followers" turned away from Him (as would Judas Iscariot) those who believe only with their minds will do the same. These are the ones at judgment day that Christ will say, "Depart from Me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels..." (Matthew 25:41) You know you are saved to Jesus' salvation because His Holy Spirit enters you upon salvation. You then have a spiritual knowledge and not just a "head" knowledge of Who Christ is!