But when his brethren were gone up, then went he also up unto the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret.
The feast is the Feast of Tabernacles at Jerusalem, one of the required yearly gatherings intended to remind the people of God's goodness and mercy, though its religious purpose had largely been forgotten by the priests and leaders. It was a seven-day celebration that drew people to Jerusalem from across Palestine and from other lands. After His brothers had gone up, He also went up to the feast, not openly with them but quietly, privately, and without public notice, as it were in secret. He traveled alone by an unfrequented route rather than joining the caravans and crowds of travelers on the way to Jerusalem, so as to avoid the crowds.
The secrecy was necessary because hostility in Judea made it dangerous to be recognized as the one the Jews sought to kill, with watchers disappointed not to find Him among His relatives and intending to seize Him to stop His bold speaking, reproof of sin, and exposure of guilty hearts. He stayed apart from His brothers because people would have recognized Him and sought to restrict His freedom or take His life. He delayed going with His brothers because it was unsafe while people sought to kill Him, so that later, undistinguished amid the crowd, He could teach the people. He avoided drawing public attention on the way because a popular demonstration in His favor could have stirred the authorities against Him.
Having first taught and warned the people, His private going reflects His practice of leaving places of great interest for more obscure places to prevent a violent outbreak among both enemies and friends, and by avoiding a mob He protected the continuation of His work until the appointed time to leave it. He later entered the temple courts in the middle of the feast, to the surprise of the crowd whose remarks about His absence had suggested He feared the priests and rulers. He later entered the temple openly in the middle of the feast when debate about Him was intense, and His unexpected arrival and courageous bearing astonished the people. Though arriving without drawing attention, He then appeared unexpectedly in the temple court while crowd and rulers were disputing about Him, and His quiet arrival followed by sudden public appearance showed calm courage before men who wanted to condemn Him and thirsted for His life.
He comes up to the feast to be found by those who gather at the sacred yearly convocations, being present there to do for each one what they most need to have done. Perverted ideas must never be allowed to imperil the cause of God and personal influence, and God works with a person as long as that person follows Him and heeds His counsel.
The feast is the Feast of Tabernacles at Jerusalem, one of the required yearly gatherings intended to remind the people of God's goodness and mercy, though its religious purpose had largely been forgotten by the priests and leaders. It was a seven-day celebration that drew people to Jerusalem from across Palestine and from other lands. After His brothers had gone up, He also went up to the feast, not openly with them but quietly, privately, and without public notice, as it were in secret. He traveled alone by an unfrequented route rather than joining the caravans and crowds of travelers on the way to Jerusalem, so as to avoid the crowds.
The secrecy was necessary because hostility in Judea made it dangerous to be recognized as the one the Jews sought to kill, with watchers disappointed not to find Him among His relatives and intending to seize Him to stop His bold speaking, reproof of sin, and exposure of guilty hearts. He stayed apart from His brothers because people would have recognized Him and sought to restrict His freedom or take His life. He delayed going with His brothers because it was unsafe while people sought to kill Him, so that later, undistinguished amid the crowd, He could teach the people. He avoided drawing public attention on the way because a popular demonstration in His favor could have stirred the authorities against Him.
Having first taught and warned the people, His private going reflects His practice of leaving places of great interest for more obscure places to prevent a violent outbreak among both enemies and friends, and by avoiding a mob He protected the continuation of His work until the appointed time to leave it. He later entered the temple courts in the middle of the feast, to the surprise of the crowd whose remarks about His absence had suggested He feared the priests and rulers. He later entered the temple openly in the middle of the feast when debate about Him was intense, and His unexpected arrival and courageous bearing astonished the people. Though arriving without drawing attention, He then appeared unexpectedly in the temple court while crowd and rulers were disputing about Him, and His quiet arrival followed by sudden public appearance showed calm courage before men who wanted to condemn Him and thirsted for His life.
He comes up to the feast to be found by those who gather at the sacred yearly convocations, being present there to do for each one what they most need to have done. Perverted ideas must never be allowed to imperil the cause of God and personal influence, and God works with a person as long as that person follows Him and heeds His counsel.