Near the end of the latter book, Tozer used John 7:1-8 to show how seemingly normal Christian notions are worldly:
1After this, Jesus went around in Galilee, purposely staying away from Judea because the Jews there were waiting to take his life. 2But when the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles was near, 3Jesus' brothers said to him, "You ought to leave here and go to Judea, so that your disciples may see the miracles you do. 4No one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret. Since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world." 5For even his own brothers did not believe in him.In this passage, Jesus' brothers give Jesus some sensible marketing advice. But Jesus tells them plainly their advice is worldly minded. Tozer points out that such "wisdom" as that which Jesus' brothers gave is all-too-common in the church today. (Well, actually, Tozer wrote 50 years ago, but his words ring all the more true today.)
6Therefore Jesus told them, "The right time for me has not yet come; for you any time is right. 7The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify that what it does is evil. 8You go to the Feast. I am not yet[a] going up to this Feast, because for me the right time has not yet come." 9Having said this, he stayed in Galilee.
10However, after his brothers had left for the Feast, he went also, not publicly, but in secret.
Jesus' brothers counselled Him to be selfishly ambitious and to prove Himself against His enemies with miraculous signs. James talks about such worldly wisdom, and it's opposite, in his letter:
13Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. 16For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.Anyway, I was thinking about these things when I re-read John 7. Being somewhat worldly myself still, I couldn't help but notice that Jesus apparently lied to His brothers. He told them He wouldn't go down to the Feast of Tabernacles, but later did. Moreover, the NIV footnote says early manuscripts do not have the word "yet." Could it be that later scribes added the word to hide such an obvious inconsistency?
17But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.
(Note: Don't go worrying about my salvation yet. I trust the Word of God more than anything, but am intrigued by this particular question. Any thoughts?)
2 comments:
What a very interesting point! No, I don't have any particular wisdom on this. Either the Bible is 100% accurate or there is error here and there. I tend to believe there is error occasionally (even though in many ways I lean more toward the conservative fundamentalist viewpoints, there are areas in which we disagree). So it's not a real problem for me. To me, salvation hinges on belief in Christ as Savior and trying to adhere to most of the principles out of respect for him.
However, if you want to get literal about it, and are convinced the Bible is 100% inerrant, then I would say that perhaps it's possible that Jesus changed his mind. Maybe something happened that freed him to go and he chose to go incognito. I know in the Bible it says that GOD doesn't change, but if circumstances changed and an earthly embodiment of him was subject to those changes, he probably adapted.
:) hey bro... maybe i missed somethin but it doesnt seem like a problem even without the 'yet' word:
"The right time for me has not come; for you any time is right. The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify that what it does is evil. You go to the Feast. I am not going up to this Feast, because for me the right time has not come."
The reason why He is not going with them is because the right time has not come. When it comes, He would go. This theme of Jesus working by his father's timetable and not doing anything apart from His recurs throughout the Gospel of John
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