John 7:9

Joh 7:9. Ἔμεινεν, He abode) He did not wish to go up with those who were not believers: He did not, however, avoid attending the feast itself on account of them.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Joh 7:9 . He therefore remained where He was.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

9. He remained in Galilee. The Evangelist here places before our eyes the cousins of our Lord Jesus Christ, who, in compliance with ordinary customs, pretend to worship God, but yet are on friendly terms with unbelievers, and therefore walk without any alarm. On the other hand, he places before our eyes Christ himself, who hated by the world, comes secretly into the city, till the necessity arising out of his office compels him to show himself openly. But if there be nothing more wretched than to be separated from Christ, accursed be that peace which costs so high a price as to leave and abandon the Son of God.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

(9) He abode still in Galilee.—We find Him in Jerusalem between the 16th and 20th of Tishri (Joh_7:14), and He could not therefore have remained behind them more than three or four days. We have no record of any companion with Him until Joh_9:2; but it is probable that some at least of the Apostolic band remained with Him in Galilee and went with Him to Jerusalem. (Comp. Note on Luk_9:51.) If John returned to Jerusalem after the discourse at Capernaum (comp. Introduction), we have an explanation of the brevity with which he treats the period between Passover and Tabernacles.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

9. he abode still in Galilee] This in conjunction with Joh_7:1 shews that S. John is quite aware that Galilee is the main scene of Christ’s ministry, as the Synoptists represent. The gaps in his narrative leave ample room for the Galilean ministry.

This opening scene (1–9) “is described by M. Renan as a ‘gem of history’ (un petit trésor historique). He argues justly that an apologist, writing merely ad probandum; would not have given so much prominence to the unbelief which Jesus met with in His own family. He insists, too, on the individualising traits which the whole section bears. The brethren of Jesus are not ‘types’ but living men; their ill-natured and jealous irony is only too human.” S. pp. 144, 145.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

But when his brethren were gone up,.... To the feast, as all the Oriental versions read, from the next clause:

then went he also up unto the feast; the Ethiopic version reads, "he went up that day"; which is very likely, and no ways contrary to what is said, in Joh 7:14; for though he did not go up to the temple to teach, till the middle of the feast, he might be up at the feast sooner: and according to the law, it was necessary that he should be there on the first and second days, and keep the Chagigah, and make his appearance in the court; though there was a provision made for such that failed, the canon runs thus (m);

"he that does not make his festival sacrifice, on the first good day of the feast, may make it throughout the whole feast, and on the last good day of the feast; and if the feast passes, and he has not made the festival sacrifice, he is not obliged to a compensation; and of this it is said, Ecc 1:15, "That which is crooked cannot be made straight"; &c.''

But however, whatever day he went on, he went up

not openly, but as it were in secret: as he was made under the law, and came to fulfil all righteousness, it was necessary that he should observe every precept, and fulfil the whole law: and therefore he went up to this feast; yet in the most private manner, that he might escape those who would lie in wait for him, and sought to kill him: and this he did, not through fear of death, but because his hour was not yet come; this was not the feast he was to suffer at, but the passover following; which when near at hand, he went up to it, and entered Jerusalem in the most public manner.

(m) Misn. Chagiga, c. 1. sect. 6. Maimon. Hilch. Chagiga, c. 2. sect. 4, 5, 6, 7.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

9 When he had said these words unto them, he abode still in Galilee.

Ver. 9. He abode still in Galilee] Which he needed not to have done, could he but have complied with the world, as his kinsmen did. But that man purchaseth his peace at too dear a rate that payeth his honesty to get it.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

He let them take their journey to Jerusalem to the feast without him, and himself still abode in Galilee.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

9. Abode still in Galilee—So that this conversation took place some days before the departure of his brothers to the feast. Did Jesus during this time send forward his disciples to prepare his quiet way through Samaria, in order that he might thence perform the solemn symbolical act of commissioning the Seventy? This might fully explain why he had no conscious certainty that the Divine Will would call him to stem the torrent of hate and fury at the metropolis.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Having said these things to them, he abode in Galilee. Such a respite cannot mean a few days only. Not until after this period, and possibly after the brethren]rod started on the pilgrimage, did "he steadfastly set his face to go up to Jerusalem." A great question arises as to the possibility of harmonizing this journey with the great intercalated portion of Luke"s Gospel. (Luk 9:51-18:31) This is not the place to consider the numerous and complicated problems involved. One thing is certain that the synoptists all describe the final departure from Galilee, which followed a period of partial retirement from the multitude, and of instructions, miracles, and advice rendered in the inner circle of his immediate followers. They also (Mat_17:24 Mat_19:1 Mat_20:17; and Mar_10:1 especially) indicate that, on our Lord"s journey to Jerusalem after closing his Galilaean ministry, he went into Judaea, and thence to the land of Peraea on the other side of the Jordan. This latter statement is perfectly in harmony with John"s representation, (Joh_10:40) where, after an extended journey in Judaea and the neighbourhood of Jerusalem, we hear that he spent three months beyond Jordan Numerous critics, whose views are well entitled to consideration, urge that on this occasion our Lord did resume his Galilaean ministry and effect his final departure as described in Mat_19:1. Now, the circumstantial way in which Luke describes incidents upon the last journey to Jerusalem leads many to look for the full chronological detail of this last transaction. It contains, however, many incidents between Joh_9:5 and Joh_18:31, where the final events of the last approach to Jerusalem are brought into chronological relations with the other three Gospels, which could not all have been connected with the journey to the Feast of Tabernacles. Edersheim and Weiss alike infer that, since Luke says nothing of the Feast of Tabernacles, he has reckoned in this period the events appertaining to the Peraean ministry and the return to the Feast of Dedication, as well as the final determination to challenge the authorities at Jerusalem, with his assertion of true Messiahship, and the last approach to Jerusalem. Luke does not describe the route taken, but implies on several occasions Christ"s growing determination to confront Jerusalem; and also implies that he had visited it "often", (Luk_13:31-34) with the purpose of gathering it under his gracious sway and protection. There are, moreover, a few incidents mentioned which synchronize with the journey to the Feast of Tabernacles. He went through Samaria instead of by the frequented Peraean route on the other side of Jordan. (Luk_9:52) There the Samaritans refuse to receive him, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem, and the Boanerges are rebuked for their Elijah-like desire. The incident of the cure of ten lepers, one of them a Samaritan, probably belongs to the same journey; and, above all, the interesting fragment of the visit to Martha and Mary at a certain village. This village may, as Edersheim suggests, have been the retirement from which our Lord emerged in the midst of the Feast of Tabernacles. Many other of the narratives belong to the closing period of our Lord"s life. The most difficult event to harmonize with the suggestions of this passage of John and with the subsequent hints of chronological arrangement, is the choice of the seventy disciples, which Weiss regards as a kind of misapprehension, but which Edersheim (loc cit., vol. 2: 135) believes to have been one of the great events of this journey to the Feast of Tabernacles. It must be admitted that it is strangely inconsistent with the journey which was conducted as it were "in secret." It would be more natural to believe that it was one of the incidents of the ministry in Peraea, of which Mark gives traces, and for which John provides the true place. (Joh_10:40) Lunge and Godet argue that between the departure from the capital (Joh 9) and the Feast of Dedication, our Lord resumed his work in Galilee, and there pursued the abundant ministry recorded between Lu 10 and Lu 18 (see notes of Godet and Lunge, 10:22; 10:40); and that the final departure from Galilee was with a great convoy. Ewald and Meyer regard this as a violent attempt at harmonistic arrangement of the details before us. To resume the narrative

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

9. Once more we see (Joh 7:1, Joh 1:43, Joh 2:1; Joh 2:12, Joh 4:2; Joh 4:43, Joh 6:1; Joh 6:59) that S. John is quite aware that Galilee is the main scene of Christ’s ministry, as the Synoptists represent. The gaps in his narrative leave ample room for the Galilean ministry.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

9. ταῦτα δὲ εἰπὼν αὐτὸς ἔμεινεν κτλ. So אD*LNW, while BTΓΔΘ have αὐτοῖς. But the emphatic αὐτός is thoroughly Johannine.

Jesus Goes Up Secretly to the Feast of Tabernacles (Vv. 10-13)

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Vv. 9, 10. “Having said this to them he remained in Galilee. 10. But when his brethren had gone up to the feast, then he also went up himself, not openly, but as it were in secret.”

The ninth verse signifies that He allowed His brethren to depart, and Joh 7:10 gives us to understand that, when He went up Himself afterwards, it was either entirely alone or with one or two only of His most intimate associates. Thus are the words: as it were in secret, most naturally explained. ῾Ως, which is certainly authentic, softens the expression ἐν κρυπτῷ : Jesus was not really a man who concealed Himself, although He for the moment acted as such. But why go up, if this act might so soon bring the end of His activity? The answer is simple. Jesus was not able, even to the end, to withdraw from the obligation of giving testimony before the assembled people in Jerusalem. But He avoided going thither in company with the numerous caravans which were at that time proceeding on their way towards the capital. A new movement of enthusiasm might manifest itself, like that in ch. 6, and without the possibility on His part of restraining it. The state of men’s minds, as it is described in Joh 7:11-13, proves that the danger was a very real one. It could not be prevented except by a course of action such as He adopts here. Besides, He thereby prevented the hostile measures which might have been taken against Him in advance by the authorities. What a sad gradation or rather degradation, since the first Passover in ch. 2! There, He entered the temple as Messiah-King; in ch. 5, He had arrived as a simple pilgrim; here He can no more even come publicly to Jerusalem in this character: He is reduced to the necessity of going thither incognito.

An hypothesis of Wieseler has found favor with some interpreters. According to this scholar, this journey is identical with that which is spoken of in Luk 9:51 ff. This uniting of the two cannot be sustained. In Luke 9 Jesus gives to His departure from Galilee the character of the greatest publicity: He sends, two and two, His seventy disciples into all the cities and villages through which He is to pass (Joh 10:1); He makes long stays (Joh 13:22; Joh 17:11); multitudes accompany Him (Joh 14:25). And this, it is said, is to go to Jerusalem, as it were, in secret! It would be better to give up all harmony between John and the Synoptics, than to obtain it by thus violating the texts. Exegesis simply establishes the fact, as we have said above, that the journey of which John here speaks, as well as those of chaps. 2 and 5, is omitted by the Synoptics. And, as Gess observes, the omission of the last two journeys (chaps. 5 and 7) is the less surprising, since Jesus seems to have gone to Jerusalem both times alone or almost alone. Hengstenbergthinks that this journey (together with the sojourn in Perea Joh 10:40), corresponds to the departure mentioned in Mat 19:1; Mar 10:1. But the exegesis of the passage in Matthew by means of which this scholar tries to reach this result, is unnatural. See on Joh 7:1 and Joh 10:22 for the relation between the journeys of John and those of the Synoptics, Luk 9:51; Mat 19:1; Mar 10:1.

The following verses describe in an animated and dramatic way what occurred at Jerusalem before the arrival of Jesus, as soon as the fact of His absence was discovered.

Frédéric Louis Godet — Commentaries on Luke, John, Romans, and 1 Corinthians — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1870s–1890s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.