Heaven to Earth - by Jeff Byerley

Study Reflection - John 7:25-52 From Heaven to Earth.

There are several common themes in this rather long passage, so we felt compelled to study these verses all together.

From Heaven to Earth

The key verse may well be V.29 "I know him, for I come from him and he sent me."
In verse 33 Jesus says "I shall be with you a little longer, and then I go to him who sent me".
in verse 38 Jesus refers to the coming of the Holy Spirit from heaven, ("living water").

Scripture and Jesus as Messiah.

The people compare Jesus' profound claims against scripture.
This should be a good thing, but they do it in a presumptuous and ignorant manner.
"V.27 "no-one will know where he comes from".
Perhaps this idea came from Malachi 3:1
"and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple;"
Yet Jesus had already done this in John 2:12-22.
And some people (v.31) note the signs that Jesus does as evidence of the Messiah (Dan. 6:27).
In verse 38 Jesus claims that he will give living water.
This matches messianic prophecy (Isa 55:1 Ezek.47:1-12, Joel 2:28).
In verses 41-42 the people note that the Messiah is to come from Bethlehem (Micah 5:2).
They wrongly assume he was born in Galilee where he grew up.
Likewise in verse 52 the religious leaders claim that "no prophet is to arise from Galilee."
Well Nahum came from Galilee (Nahum 1:1).
Matthew 4:15-16 also quote the Messiah was to come from Galilee (Isa 9:1-2)

The Irony of it all.

The people knew that the authorities intended to kill Jesus (v25).
Earlier they declared him to be demon-possessed (v.21) for expressing such thoughts!
The Messiah was identifying himself as Saviour, yet the people refused to be saved (v.27).
The opposition attempted to arrest Jesus (v.30, 32, 44).
But their plans failed as his time had not yet come (v.30, 44).
The religious leaders were breaking the very laws they professed to uphold (v.51).