Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of John 7:9
When he had said these words unto them, he abode [still] in Galilee.
9. he abode still in Galilee ] This in conjunction with Joh 7:1 shews that S. John is quite aware that Galilee is the main scene of Christ’s ministry, as the Synoptists represent. The gaps in his narrative leave ample room for the Galilean ministry.
This opening scene (1 9) “is described by M. Renan as a ‘gem of history’ ( un petit trsor historique). He argues justly that an apologist, writing merely ad probandum; would not have given so much prominence to the unbelief which Jesus met with in His own family. He insists, too, on the individualising traits which the whole section bears. The brethren of Jesus are not ‘types’ but living men; their ill-natured and jealous irony is only too human.” S. pp. 144, 145.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
He let them take their journey to Jerusalem to the feast without him, and himself still abode in Galilee.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
When he had said these words unto them,…. Had exhorted them to go up to the feast, and told them that he should not go yet, and the reason of it:
he abode [still] in Galilee; and went not up with his brethren, nor at all at present; showing hereby a firmness and resolution of mind, not using lightness of speech; and his words being not yea, and nay, but all of a piece, and by which he abode.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
He abode still in Galilee ( ). No “still” () in the Greek text. The constative aorist active indicative covers a period of some days.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
1) “When he had said these words unto them,” (tauta de eipon autois) “Then upon saying these things directly to them,” to His own flesh brothers, His paternal brothers, had told them to go up for a time of booth-building and to make or take part in the sacrifices and libations, for He would not go up yet, though He appeared later, Joh 7:10.
2) “He abode still in Galilee.” (ememen en te Galilaia) “He remained in the Galilean area,” where He then was with His four brothers, Joh 7:1-3. There He remained doing His Father’s will, Joh 4:34.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
9. He remained in Galilee. The Evangelist here places before our eyes the cousins of our Lord Jesus Christ, (182) who, in compliance with ordinary customs, pretend to worship God, but yet are on friendly terms with unbelievers, and therefore walk without any alarm. On the other hand, he places before our eyes Christ himself, who hated by the world, comes secretly into the city, till the necessity arising out of his office compels him to show himself openly. But if there be nothing more wretched than to be separated from Christ, accursed be that peace which costs so high a price as to leave and abandon the Son of God. (183)
(182) “ Les cousins de nostre Seigneur Jesus Christ.”
(183) “ De quitter et renoncer le Fils de Dieu.”
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(9) He abode still in Galilee.We find Him in Jerusalem between the 16th and 20th of Tishri (Joh. 7:14), and He could not therefore have remained behind them more than three or four days. We have no record of any companion with Him until Joh. 9:2; but it is probable that some at least of the Apostolic band remained with Him in Galilee and went with Him to Jerusalem. (Comp. Note on Luk. 9:51.) If John returned to Jerusalem after the discourse at Capernaum (comp. Introduction), we have an explanation of the brevity with which he treats the period between Passover and Tabernacles.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
9. Abode still in Galilee So that this conversation took place some days before the departure of his brothers to the feast. Did Jesus during this time send forward his disciples to prepare his quiet way through Samaria, in order that he might thence perform the solemn symbolical act of commissioning the Seventy? This might fully explain why he had no conscious certainty that the Divine Will would call him to stem the torrent of hate and fury at the metropolis.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
9 When he had said these words unto them, he abode still in Galilee.
Ver. 9. He abode still in Galilee ] Which he needed not to have done, could he but have complied with the world, as his kinsmen did. But that man purchaseth his peace at too dear a rate that payeth his honesty to get it.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Joh 7:9 . He therefore remained where He was.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
words = things.
abode. See note on Joh 1:32,
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Joh 7:9. , He abode) He did not wish to go up with those who were not believers: He did not, however, avoid attending the feast itself on account of them.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Joh 7:9
Joh 7:9
And having said these things unto them, he abode still in Galilee.-What the reasons were are not known, but he remained in Galilee.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
9
Having explained his reason for not going to Jerusalem with the others, Jesus continued his stay in Galilee for a short time only.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Joh 7:9. And when he had said these things unto them he abode still in Galilee. How long, we are not informed. As, however, it would seem that His brothers were on the point of setting out for Jerusalem, to be present at the beginning of the festival, and as He Himself was teaching in the temple when the sacred week had half expired (Joh 7:14), the interval spent in Galilee can hardly have been more than two or three days.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Vv. 9, 10. Having said this to them he remained in Galilee. 10. But when his brethren had gone up to the feast, then he also went up himself, not openly, but as it were in secret.
The ninth verse signifies that He allowed His brethren to depart, and Joh 7:10 gives us to understand that, when He went up Himself afterwards, it was either entirely alone or with one or two only of His most intimate associates. Thus are the words: as it were in secret, most naturally explained. , which is certainly authentic, softens the expression : Jesus was not really a man who concealed Himself, although He for the moment acted as such. But why go up, if this act might so soon bring the end of His activity? The answer is simple. Jesus was not able, even to the end, to withdraw from the obligation of giving testimony before the assembled people in Jerusalem. But He avoided going thither in company with the numerous caravans which were at that time proceeding on their way towards the capital. A new movement of enthusiasm might manifest itself, like that in ch. 6, and without the possibility on His part of restraining it. The state of men’s minds, as it is described in Joh 7:11-13, proves that the danger was a very real one. It could not be prevented except by a course of action such as He adopts here. Besides, He thereby prevented the hostile measures which might have been taken against Him in advance by the authorities. What a sad gradation or rather degradation, since the first Passover in ch. 2! There, He entered the temple as Messiah-King; in ch. 5, He had arrived as a simple pilgrim; here He can no more even come publicly to Jerusalem in this character: He is reduced to the necessity of going thither incognito.
An hypothesis of Wieseler has found favor with some interpreters. According to this scholar, this journey is identical with that which is spoken of in Luk 9:51 ff. This uniting of the two cannot be sustained. In Luke 9 Jesus gives to His departure from Galilee the character of the greatest publicity: He sends, two and two, His seventy disciples into all the cities and villages through which He is to pass (Joh 10:1); He makes long stays (Joh 13:22; Joh 17:11); multitudes accompany Him (Joh 14:25). And this, it is said, is to go to Jerusalem, as it were, in secret! It would be better to give up all harmony between John and the Synoptics, than to obtain it by thus violating the texts. Exegesis simply establishes the fact, as we have said above, that the journey of which John here speaks, as well as those of chaps. 2 and 5, is omitted by the Synoptics. And, as Gess observes, the omission of the last two journeys (chaps. 5 and 7) is the less surprising, since Jesus seems to have gone to Jerusalem both times alone or almost alone. Hengstenbergthinks that this journey (together with the sojourn in Perea Joh 10:40), corresponds to the departure mentioned in Mat 19:1; Mar 10:1. But the exegesis of the passage in Matthew by means of which this scholar tries to reach this result, is unnatural. See on Joh 7:1 and Joh 10:22 for the relation between the journeys of John and those of the Synoptics, Luk 9:51; Mat 19:1; Mar 10:1.
The following verses describe in an animated and dramatic way what occurred at Jerusalem before the arrival of Jesus, as soon as the fact of His absence was discovered.