Three Years That Changed The World – Lesson 9

The Claims of Christ – Deceiver or Deliverer

(John 7)

The events recorded by John in chapter 6 would have taken place shortly before the Passover which would have been in our month of April. Since the Feast of Tabernacles was about to begin (John 7:1-2) and that festival was celebrated in our month of October we can conclude that about 6 months had passed since the events of John 6 took place.

It was during that 6-month period that Jesus ministered in the region of Galilee and the detail of what took place during that time is recorded in the Gospel accounts of Matthew, Mark and Luke. In addition to the healings, miracles and teaching of Jesus during this 6-month period, it becomes evident that Jesus was avoiding an open confrontation with the religious leaders. It wasn’t because he was afraid to face them (as we will see) but it was because it wasn’t his time for once that open confrontation begins, it will start the final clock that leads to his crucifixion and the timing of that was in God’s hands and not man’s.

Somewhere in the middle of the Feast of Tabernacles, Jesus shows up at the temple courts and begins to teach. Many of the listeners were amazed at his teachings and it confounded them for, in their minds, Jesus was the son of a carpenter with no formal religious training. How could someone like that teach the way Jesus did? What many of them weren’t willing to accept was Jesus’ claim to be from the Father. The key takeaway from this chapter is when Jesus claims; “Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own”. Jesus is claiming to be the promised Messiah and rather than seek to kill him they should instead follow him and then they would know his words are true! This chapter of John shows the unwillingness of the religious leaders to accept Jesus as the promised Messiah, the Son of God who came to seek and to save those who were lost. It really shows how, even with God standing right there in their midst they chose their ways over God’s Way and in the end, they seek to do all they can to silence Jesus by having him crucified on a cross. The very ones who should have known who Jesus was and should have embraced him as their Savior and Lord instead choose to openly reject him. Although they rejected Jesus – God’s plan was for Jesus to go to the cross, be crucified and rise from the dead to give life to all who believe. I hope after reading this lesson that you will find Jesus not to be a deceiver but instead accept him as you Deliverer and follow him with you heart and soul.