zackabba1 wrote:In John 8, Jesus says that he would not go up to the feast, yet in verse 10 it says that he went in secret.
Was Jesus lying when he told them he wouldn't go? Because it says that he did indeed go after saying this.
This passage is often lifted up out of context and as well as no attention paid to the original Greek text usage of the words translated in verse 8 ‘
not go up’ mean in the context used in verse 8. So people attempt to make Jesus out as lying. He is not.
Look at context of Verse one:
John 7:1, "
After these things Jesus was walking in Galilee, for He was unwilling to walk in Judea because the Jews were seeking to kill Him."
The religious leaders (Pharisees, scribes, Sadducees are indentified in John’s gospel - Jews) were seeking to entrap Jesus so they could kill Jesus. It was not the appointed time for this to happen. Next in…
John 7:2-5, "
Now the feast of the Jews, the Feast of Booths, was near. 3 Therefore His brothers said to Him, "Leave here and go into Judea, so that Your disciples also may see Your works which You are doing. 4 "For no one does anything in secret when he himself seeks to be known publicly. If You do these things, show Yourself to the world." 5 For not even His brothers were believing in Him."
In verses two thru four speaks of those wanting Jesus to be the warrior messiah and expose himself as such to the Romans and Leadership and basically kick a-- and set up the kingdom of David again. They did not believe He was the real Messiah (God manifest in the flesh) to set people free from sin and death etc… That is why they stated –‘ show yourself to the world…’
John 7:6-8, "
So Jesus said to them, "My time is not yet here, but your time is always opportune. 7 "The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it, that its deeds are evil. 8 "Go up to the feast yourselves; I do not go up to this feast because My time has not yet fully come."
The New King James Version, LITV, KJV and a few others translations translate the words used in NASB -
Not go up – in a truer rendering of the Greek as – as ‘
not yet’ Note the NKJV quote below:
"
You go up to this feast. I am not yet going up to this feast, for My time has not yet fully come." John 7:8 NKJV
Notice that Jesus does not say that He is never going to the feast but rather –
not yet going up with the crowd – openly as they wanted him to do. Never did Jesus say he was never going up to the feast but rather –
not yet going up. There is a big difference between the two phrases. Jesus, knowing what is in each human heart, knew best to go in secret so the people would not make him king before his appointed time (Psalms 2:1-12 and Psalms 72:1-20). So He said – oúpo -
not yet - rather than
I will not. See the wisdom of this and the shrewdness He used?
Jesus did not lie. He was avoiding entrapment. Sadly - people today still seek to entrap Jesus in his own words...
John: 7:9-11, "
Having said these things to them, He stayed in Galilee. 10 But when His brothers had gone up to the feast, then He Himself also went up, not publicly, but as if, in secret. 11 So the Jews were seeking Him at the feast and were saying, "Where is He?" NASB
Verses nine thru eleven goes back to verse one indicating that the religious leaders were seeking to kill him and that is why he did not go openly with a crowd who would demand him to act early to set up the Messianic Kingdom prophesized that the Messiah would set up. This commotion would be all that was needed to have him seized by the authorities
and thus circumvent the atoning actions later on the Cross and Resurrection.
Jesus had a higher calling than be entrapped by men and the devil to act contrary to His purpose and Calling.
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