because our religion is a standing witness against them.
But the last clay will show that we chose wisely, lost
nothing, and gained a crown of glory that facleth not
away.
Notes. John VII. 1—13.
1. — [After these things Jesus walked in Galilee.'] These words cover a space of about six months. The events of the last chapter took place about the time of the Passover, in spring. The events of the chapter we now begin took place in autumn, at the feast of tabernacles. What our Lord did in Galilee during these six months St. John passes over in silence. His Gospel, with the exception of the 1st, 2nd, 4th, and 6th chapters, is almost entirely taken up with our Lord's doings in or near Jerusalem. He was, at this period of His ministry, entirely absent from Jerusalem, it would seem, for about eighteen months.
The expression "walked" must be taken figuratively. It simply means, that our Lord " lived, dwelt, sojourned, was going to and fro, and passing his time." The Greek word is in the imperfect tense, and denotes a continuous action or habit.
[He would not walk in Jewry.] This would be more literally rendered, " He did not will, or desire, or choose to walk." The use of the word "Jewry " by our translators is to be regretted, and seems uncalled for. The Greek word so rendered is the same that is rendered "Judaea " in the third verse.
[Because the Jews sought to kill him.] By "the Jews" we must understand the leaders and rulers of the Jewish nation. There is no proof that the lower orders felt the same enmity that the upper classes did against our Lord. "The common people heard Him gladly." (Mark xii. 37.) The depth and bitterness of this hatred against Christ may be seen in their wish to kill Him. It seems to have been a settled plan with the Jews from the time when the miracle was wrought at the pool of Bethesda. (John v. 16, 18..) They could neither answer Him, nor silence Him, nor prevent the common people listening to Him. They resolved therefore to kill Him.
Our Lord's example recorded in this verse shows clearly that Christians are not meant to court martyrdom, or wilfully expose themselves to certain death, under the idea that it is their duty. Many primitive martyrs seem not to have understood this.
2.— [Jeics' feast of tabernacles.] This expression, like many others in St. John's Gospel, shows that he wrote for the Gentiles, who knew little of Jewish customs and feasts. Hence "the Jews' feast."
The feast of tabernacles was one of the three great feasts in the Jewish year, wheu, by God's command, all pious Jews went