Daily Devotions
John
Understanding the movements of Jesus
Text: John 7 : 1-10
UNDERSTANDING THE MOVEMENTS OF JESUS
How do we understand the movements of Jesus? One moment, we read that He was in Galilee and then the next He was found in Judea. He did not seem to stay too long in one place before He would move to another locale to minister. We cannot help but ask whether there was a rationale behind the movements of Jesus. Let us consider the following things:-
1. Personal Wisdom and Discretion
John recorded for us that right from the start; The Jews had it in for Jesus. They had been shamed and exposed for their unbelief, for their lack of sincerity in the practice of their religion and lots more, by Jesus. Instead of repenting from their sinful ways, they had chosen the alternative of silencing Him.
“After these things Jesus walked in Galilee;
for He did not want to walk in Judea,
because the Jews sought to kill Him.”
John 7:1
John recorded this fact to explain why Jesus moved from His ministry in Judea to Galilee. This was one of the reasons that explained the movements of Jesus. Jesus knew how to read the situation in His life and thus responded accordingly.
2. Unerring Guidance from God the Father
This was by no means the only reason though. We have to bear in mind that there was a powerful and intimate relationship between the Lord Jesus and His Father. Much depends on His Father’s leading. On the human side, Jesus was led by wisdom and discretion. On the spiritual and divine side, He was led by His Father to go where He directed! These reasons are not incompatible.
Jesus was most conscious of the fact that He was “sent” by His Father. Consider the following texts.
“My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me,
and to finish His work.”
John 4:34
“…I do not seek My own will but the will of My Father
who sent Me.”
John 5:30
“This is the work of God, that you believe in Him
whom He sent.”
John 6:29 (cf. John 6:38, 44)
Jesus always spoke of His Father’s involvement in His life and ministry. His movements are therefore to be read and understood in the context described in the following text.
“My Father has been working until now,
and I have been working…
Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself,
but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son
also does in like manner.”
John 5:17, 19
3. In Fulfilment of the Scriptures
If we recall what we have read earlier, we would note that Jesus went to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover (John 2:13). In John 7, we read about Jesus celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem (John 7:2). We are reminded of an old Mosaic commandment:-
“Three times a year all your males shall appear before the LORD
your God in the place which He chooses:
at the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Passover),
at the Feast of Weeks (Pentecost),
and at the Feast of Tabernacles…”
Deuteronomy 16:16
In a brief conversation with John the Baptizer, Jesus told him why He had come to be baptized by him.
“Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us
to fulfill all righteousness.”
Matthew 3:15
Jesus knew the Scriptures and He desired to fulfill all that God had spoken through His servant Moses. Thus His movements were guided by what He knew of the Feasts of the LORD.
4. Establishing of a Circuit
There was a fourth factor that we need to consider. Jesus had in fact established an itinerary for Himself. The Gospel of Mark made a note of this.
“…Then He went about the villages in a circuit, teaching.”
Mark 6:6
Jesus essentially ministered in Galilee, in fulfillment of what Isaiah prophesied (Isaiah 9:1-2). He made it a point to minister in this region, but interspersed it with visits to Jerusalem to celebrate the Feasts of the LORD, again to fulfill what was taught there.
The ministry of Jesus was not haphazard. It was well thought out and unerringly led by His Father’s own hand. In His God-given wisdom, Jesus planned His ministry.