Now about the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and taught.
About the middle of the Feast of Tabernacles, the closing seven-day gathering of rejoicing and thanksgiving for the harvest, Jesus went up into the temple court at Jerusalem and taught there. Having come to Jerusalem quietly by an unfrequented route to avoid attention, He then appeared openly and courageously before the crowd at the height of interest and dispute about Him, surprising those who thought He feared the rulers who sought His life. His teaching was clear, convincing and forceful scriptural reasoning with divine authority that surpassed the formal learning of priests, scribes and teachers and astonished the hearers, yet His doctrine was not His own but from God who sent Him, in agreement with the Old Testament and restoring old truths obscured by human tradition. Whoever is willing to do God's will as expressed in the Ten Commandments can know whether the doctrine is from God, and even men who hated Him listened spellbound and felt powerless to harm Him as the Holy Spirit impressed hearts. Jesus Himself is present in the midst speaking through His servants who faithfully speak and live His sacred message, and He comes to sacred gatherings to do for those who seek Him what they most need, strengthening them in grace with peace, hope and willing obedience of greater value than earthly treasures.
Feast Setting and Arrival
The feast is the Feast of Tabernacles, the closing religious gathering of the year. It was a seven-day gathering that brought people from across Palestine and other lands to Jerusalem. It was a time of rejoicing and thanksgiving for God's goodness and mercy and His care in providing the harvest of the year. Its original purpose had largely been forgotten by the priests and leaders.
About the middle, midway, or halfway through the feast, Jesus went up into the temple and into the temple court in Jerusalem and taught there. His going up was about the middle of the feast and His teaching was in the temple at its midpoint. He went into the temple about halfway through and taught there.
He had come up to Jerusalem quietly, by an uncommon and unfrequented route, to avoid drawing attention and provoking the authorities. After going up quietly He then entered the temple and the temple court publicly and began to teach. His arrival was quiet and then His appearance was public.
He appeared openly and courageously before the assembled crowd when interest in Him and dispute about Him were at their height, and He became the center of attention. His sudden and unexpected presence surprised everyone, especially those who had supposed He feared the priests and rulers and would not dare face the chief priests and rulers. Many of those rulers wanted to condemn Him and take His life, yet He taught openly in their presence. His coming astonished the crowd and silenced their discussion and dispute, and He stood before them with calm dignity, calm courage, and courage. Though powerful leaders sought His life, He stood before the crowd unafraid.
Teaching With Divine Authority
His teaching in the temple was clear and convincing scriptural reasoning, marked by a power that astonished and amazed the hearers. It was clear and forceful, so that the people marveled even while they sought words with which to accuse Him.
His knowledge had not come from training under the learned scribes and teachers, yet it surpassed that of the learned priests, elders, scribes, and teachers. He taught with divine, unquestionable authority they had never dared to claim, and His words, because they were divine, drew the attention of the people and filled them with awe. His doctrine was not His own and not new, but from God the Father who sent Him. It agreed with the Old Testament Scriptures and the law given at Sinai, restoring old truths from the errors and human traditions that had obscured them.
A person who is willing to do God's will can know whether the doctrine is from God. God's will is expressed in the Ten Commandments, so obedience to them enables people to recognize true doctrine. Even men who hated Him, were hostile to Him, and were ready to harm Him listened spellbound and awed and felt powerless to act against Him. The Holy Spirit impressed hearts, so that even some priests not ruled by prejudice were moved by the truths He taught. Yet His teaching also brought Him into conflict with people who questioned His work and sought words with which to accuse and trap Him.
Presence and Application Today
His teaching is the sacred message of God, which His messengers are to both speak and live faithfully. Jesus Himself is present in the midst speaking through His servants, so that hearers marvel at the clear, precious truth presented as it is in Jesus. The seed is sown and the truth is spoken with certainty, and as the truth is presented the Holy Spirit makes the impression, so the effect does not depend merely on what the minister says but on what the Lord does in impressing the hearers.
Jesus comes up to the feast and is present there to teach and to do for those who seek Him what they most need to have done. Those who come to the yearly sacred convocation meetings to find Jesus will meet Him there and become strong in Him and in the power of His grace. They receive peace and hope, a strong clear sense of eternal things, and a heart of willing obedience yielding all to Christ. These blessings are of more value than farms, riches, pleasures, and glories of this world, so earthly treasures and interests must not be counted of greater value than attending. As His teaching brought Him into conflict with people who questioned His work and sought to trap Him, some of God’s people would later face similar experiences.
About the middle of the Feast of Tabernacles, the closing seven-day gathering of rejoicing and thanksgiving for the harvest, Jesus went up into the temple court at Jerusalem and taught there. Having come to Jerusalem quietly by an unfrequented route to avoid attention, He then appeared openly and courageously before the crowd at the height of interest and dispute about Him, surprising those who thought He feared the rulers who sought His life. His teaching was clear, convincing and forceful scriptural reasoning with divine authority that surpassed the formal learning of priests, scribes and teachers and astonished the hearers, yet His doctrine was not His own but from God who sent Him, in agreement with the Old Testament and restoring old truths obscured by human tradition. Whoever is willing to do God's will as expressed in the Ten Commandments can know whether the doctrine is from God, and even men who hated Him listened spellbound and felt powerless to harm Him as the Holy Spirit impressed hearts. Jesus Himself is present in the midst speaking through His servants who faithfully speak and live His sacred message, and He comes to sacred gatherings to do for those who seek Him what they most need, strengthening them in grace with peace, hope and willing obedience of greater value than earthly treasures.
Feast Setting and Arrival
The feast is the Feast of Tabernacles, the closing religious gathering of the year. It was a seven-day gathering that brought people from across Palestine and other lands to Jerusalem. It was a time of rejoicing and thanksgiving for God's goodness and mercy and His care in providing the harvest of the year. Its original purpose had largely been forgotten by the priests and leaders.
About the middle, midway, or halfway through the feast, Jesus went up into the temple and into the temple court in Jerusalem and taught there. His going up was about the middle of the feast and His teaching was in the temple at its midpoint. He went into the temple about halfway through and taught there.
He had come up to Jerusalem quietly, by an uncommon and unfrequented route, to avoid drawing attention and provoking the authorities. After going up quietly He then entered the temple and the temple court publicly and began to teach. His arrival was quiet and then His appearance was public.
He appeared openly and courageously before the assembled crowd when interest in Him and dispute about Him were at their height, and He became the center of attention. His sudden and unexpected presence surprised everyone, especially those who had supposed He feared the priests and rulers and would not dare face the chief priests and rulers. Many of those rulers wanted to condemn Him and take His life, yet He taught openly in their presence. His coming astonished the crowd and silenced their discussion and dispute, and He stood before them with calm dignity, calm courage, and courage. Though powerful leaders sought His life, He stood before the crowd unafraid.
Teaching With Divine Authority
His teaching in the temple was clear and convincing scriptural reasoning, marked by a power that astonished and amazed the hearers. It was clear and forceful, so that the people marveled even while they sought words with which to accuse Him.
His knowledge had not come from training under the learned scribes and teachers, yet it surpassed that of the learned priests, elders, scribes, and teachers. He taught with divine, unquestionable authority they had never dared to claim, and His words, because they were divine, drew the attention of the people and filled them with awe. His doctrine was not His own and not new, but from God the Father who sent Him. It agreed with the Old Testament Scriptures and the law given at Sinai, restoring old truths from the errors and human traditions that had obscured them.
A person who is willing to do God's will can know whether the doctrine is from God. God's will is expressed in the Ten Commandments, so obedience to them enables people to recognize true doctrine. Even men who hated Him, were hostile to Him, and were ready to harm Him listened spellbound and awed and felt powerless to act against Him. The Holy Spirit impressed hearts, so that even some priests not ruled by prejudice were moved by the truths He taught. Yet His teaching also brought Him into conflict with people who questioned His work and sought words with which to accuse and trap Him.
Presence and Application Today
His teaching is the sacred message of God, which His messengers are to both speak and live faithfully. Jesus Himself is present in the midst speaking through His servants, so that hearers marvel at the clear, precious truth presented as it is in Jesus. The seed is sown and the truth is spoken with certainty, and as the truth is presented the Holy Spirit makes the impression, so the effect does not depend merely on what the minister says but on what the Lord does in impressing the hearers.
Jesus comes up to the feast and is present there to teach and to do for those who seek Him what they most need to have done. Those who come to the yearly sacred convocation meetings to find Jesus will meet Him there and become strong in Him and in the power of His grace. They receive peace and hope, a strong clear sense of eternal things, and a heart of willing obedience yielding all to Christ. These blessings are of more value than farms, riches, pleasures, and glories of this world, so earthly treasures and interests must not be counted of greater value than attending. As His teaching brought Him into conflict with people who questioned His work and sought to trap Him, some of God’s people would later face similar experiences.