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1 After these things, Yeshua [Salvation] was walking in Galilee [District, Circuit], for he would not walk in Judea [Praise], because the Jews [Praisers] sought to kill him. 2 Now the festival of Sukkot ·Tabernacles·, the Festival of Booths, was at hand. (The seventh month * Note: The seventh month is called just that in the Bible; also called in Babylonian Tishri ·Beginning·, or in Hebrew Ethanim ·Ever flowing streams·. 15th day). 3  † MP: Messiah is refused to be associated with even by his own siblings, children of the same mother. (Ps 69:8) His brothers therefore said to him, “Depart from here, and go into Judea [Praise], that your disciples also may see your works which you do. 4  For no one does anything in secret, and himself seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, reveal yourself to the world.” 5  For even his brothers didn’t believe in him.
6 Yeshua [Salvation] therefore said to them, “My time has not yet come, but your time is always ready. 7 The world can’t hate you, but it hates me, because I testify about it, that its works are evil. 8 You go up to the feast. I am not yet going up to this feast, because my time is not yet fulfilled.”
9 Having said these things to them, he stayed in Galilee [District, Circuit]. 10 But when his brothers had gone up to the feast, then he also went up, not publicly, but as it were in secret. 11 The Jews [Praisers] therefore sought him at the feast, and said, “Where is he?” 12 There was much murmuring among the multitudes concerning him. Some said, “He is a good man.” Others said, “Not so, but he leads the multitude astray.” 13 Yet no one spoke openly of him for fear of the Jews [Praisers]. 14 But when it was now the middle of the feast, Yeshua [Salvation] went up into the temple and taught. 15  ‡ MP: Messiah has the Spirit of Knowledge of God (Ex 31:3; John 16:13). (Is 11:2) The Jews [Praisers] therefore marveled, saying, “How does this man know so much, without having studied?”
16  Yeshua [Salvation] therefore answered them, “My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me. 17 If anyone desires to do his will, he will know about the teaching, whether it is from God, or if I am speaking from myself. 18 He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory, but he who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and no unrighteousness is in him. 19 Didn’t Moses [Drawn out] give you the Torah ·Teaching·? Yet none of you keeps the law! Why do you seek to kill me?”
20 The multitude answered, “You have a demon! Who seeks to kill you?”
21 Yeshua [Salvation] answered them, “I did one work, and you all marvel because of it. 22 Moses [Drawn out] has given you circumcision § Quoted from Lev 12:3 (not that it is of Moses [Drawn out], but of the fathers), and on the Sabbath ·To cease· you circumcise a boy. 23 If a boy receives circumcision on the Sabbath ·To cease·, that the Torah ·Teaching· of Moses [Drawn out] may not be broken, are you angry with me, because I made a man completely healthy on the Sabbath ·To cease·? 24 Don’t judge according to appearance, but judge upright judgment.”
25 Therefore some of them of Jerusalem [City of peace] said, “Is not this he whom they seek to kill? 26 Behold, he speaks openly, and they say nothing to him. Can it be that the rulers indeed know that this is truly the Messiah [Anointed one]? 27 However we know where this man comes from, but when the Messiah [Anointed one] comes, no one will know where he comes from.”
28 Yeshua [Salvation] therefore cried out in the temple, teaching and saying, “You both know me, and know where I am from. I have not come of myself, but he who sent me is true, whom you don’t know. 29 I know him, because I am from him, and he sent me.”
30 They sought therefore to take him; but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come. 31 But of the multitude, many believed in him. They said, “When the Messiah [Anointed one] comes, he won’t do more signs than those which this man has done, will he?” 32 The Pharisees [Separated] heard the multitude murmuring these things concerning him, and the chief priests and the Pharisees [Separated] sent officers to arrest him.
33 Then Yeshua [Salvation] said, “I will be with you a little while longer, then I go to him who sent me. 34 You will seek me, and won’t find me; and where I am, you can’t come.”
35 The Jews [Praisers] therefore said among themselves, “Where will this man go that we won’t find him? Will he go to the Dispersion among the Greeks, and teach the Greeks? 36 What is this word that he said, ‘You will seek me, and won’t find me; and where I am, you can’t come’?”
37  * MP: Rivers of Living Water come from the inner person. (One who was spiritually dry then watered by God’s Spirit). (See also Is 29:18-19). † MP: By quotation, Messiah is declaring himself a parallel Feast Day fulfillment. “Every one come who is thirsty” (John 7:37-39) is applied Messiah’s ministry.
Note: By quoting the first lines of this chapter, Messiah is referencing the entire chapter (as was a common custom of rabbis of his day because all Jews memorized the whole of Bible books), therefore the entire chapter is used to allude to his Messianic claim and be as a witness to this prophetic fulfillment. (Is 55:1-2)
By quoting this passage, the Messiah applied the Tabernacles Water Pouring ceremony and the intention of the ceremony to himself and to the effusion and permeation of the Holy Spirit (Is 44:3). The Holy Spirit is promised to be given by Messiah and even accompanying His ministry.
Bishop Lowth, in 1846, quoted an undefined passage in Jerusalem Talmud, concluding that the song in (Num 21:16-18) is to be sung in the times of the Messiah, possibly at this ceremony.
The water is said to be “drawn from the wells of salvation” (Is 12:3), signifying the influences of the Holy Spirit to be given in the days of Messiah. Now on the last day of the festival ‡ Context: “The last day of the Festival;” Tabernacles is 7 days long It is commonly said to be eight, but that is incorrect. The seventh day is Hoshana Rabbah ·Save now Great· and the water libation ceremony happens on this day (Sukkah 51-b). The Cohen Gadol ·High Priest· would lead a procession to the pool of Siloam. (See also John 9:5-11) There he would fill a golden pitcher with water as the crowd would wave their lulavs before God and chant Hossanah ·Save now·! They would all sing (Psalm 128:25-26) while the libation was prepared. All were silent as the water was being poured out on the altar of sacrifice.
After this water ceremony, as the night fell Sh'mini Atrzeret ·Eighth day Assembly· started, this is a separate and linked Festival for one day. (See also John 8:12). There was a great party like none other! The four menorahs were lit and Rabbis and students alike would put on a “light show” and “torch dances” while the Levites sang and played music; dancing before God like David danced (Sukkah 5:1)! (of Tabernacles, the seventh day called Hoshana Rabbah ·Save now Great·, the seventh month 21st day), Yeshua [Salvation] stood and cried out, “If anyone is thirsty, § Quoting from Is 55:1 let him come to me and drink! 38  * MPr: Implying the Messiah will cause a fountain to miraculously to spring up, just as Moses did in the wilderness (Joel 3:18 in Midrash Eccl 1:9). (Joel 3:18) Whoever puts his trust in me, as the Scripture says, rivers of living water † Quoting from Is 12:3, 44:3; Jer 2:13 will flow from his inmost being!” 39  But he said this about the Spirit, which those trusting in him were to receive. For the Holy Spirit ‡ Quoting from Is 44:3; Joel 2:28-29 was not yet given, because Yeshua [Salvation] was not yet glorified.
40  § MP: God confirms His intention to raise up a Prophet like Moses [Drawn out], and put His words the mouth of His Prophet. (Deut 18:17-19) Many of the multitude therefore, when they heard these words, said, “This is truly the prophet.” * Quoting from Deut 18:15 41 Others said, “This is the Messiah [Anointed one].” But some said, “What, does the Messiah [Anointed one] come out of Galilee [District, Circuit]? 42  † MP: Messiah is born in Bethlehem Ephrathah. This defines the ancient Bethlehem originally called Ephrath in (Gen 35:16, 19; 48:7; Ruth 4:11). This place was also called Beth-lehem Ephratah (Mic 5:2), Beth-lehem-Judah (1 Sam 17:12), and “the city of David” (Luke 2:4). At the time of Yeshua's birth, Bethlehem Ephrathah, also called “Bethlehem in Judea” in (Matt 2:5), was a village about five miles south of Jerusalem in Judea. This is different from the Zebulun tribe's city of Bethlehem in the Galilee, about six miles west of Nazareth menioned only in (Josh 19:15). (Mic 5:2) Has not the Scripture said that the Messiah [Anointed one] comes of the offspring of David [Beloved], ‡ Quoting from 2 Sam 7:12; Ps 89:3-4, 132:11-12 and from Bethlehem [House of Bread], § Quoting from Mic 5:2 the village where David [Beloved] lived?” * Context: (1 Sam 16:1) identifies Bethlehem as David’s hometown. 43 So there arose a division in the multitude because of him. 44 Some of them would have arrested him, but no one laid hands on him. 45 The officers therefore came to the chief priests and Pharisees [Separated], and they said to them, “Why didn’t you bring him?”
46  † MP: Messiah is called Wonderful Counselor, by Christian interpretation this is one name. Judaism sees this as two names. “Wonderful” as in (Judges 13:18) by the Angel of Yahweh to Judge Manoah. Also “Counselor,” one who brings wisdom from God like Moses and Aaron did (Num 11:16-17). (Is 9:6) The officers answered, “No man ever spoke like this man!”
47 The Pharisees [Separated] therefore answered them, “You are not also led astray, are you? 48 Have any of the rulers believed in him, or of the Pharisees [Separated]? 49 True, these 'am-ha'aretz ·people of the land· do, but they know nothing about the Torah ·Teaching·, they are under a curse!”
50 Nicodemus [Victory people] (he who came to him by night, being one of them) said to them, 51 “Our Torah ·Teaching· does not condemn a man, does it, until after hearing from him personally and finding out what he’s doing?”
52 They answered him, “Are you also from Galilee [District, Circuit]? Search, and see that no prophet has arisen out of Galilee [District, Circuit].” ‡ “No prophet from Galilee” This is an inaccurate statement, Jonah is a prophet from Gath-hepher which is in the western Galilee region (2 Kings 14:25). This passage also establishes that Jonah was a prophet to Israel before he was called to the Assyrians in Nineveh.
53 Everyone went to his own house.

*7:2 Note: The seventh month is called just that in the Bible; also called in Babylonian Tishri ·Beginning·, or in Hebrew Ethanim ·Ever flowing streams·.

†7:3 MP: Messiah is refused to be associated with even by his own siblings, children of the same mother. (Ps 69:8)

‡7:15 MP: Messiah has the Spirit of Knowledge of God (Ex 31:3; John 16:13). (Is 11:2)

§7:22 Quoted from Lev 12:3

*7:37 MP: Rivers of Living Water come from the inner person. (One who was spiritually dry then watered by God’s Spirit). (See also Is 29:18-19).

†7:37 MP: By quotation, Messiah is declaring himself a parallel Feast Day fulfillment. “Every one come who is thirsty” (John 7:37-39) is applied Messiah’s ministry. Note: By quoting the first lines of this chapter, Messiah is referencing the entire chapter (as was a common custom of rabbis of his day because all Jews memorized the whole of Bible books), therefore the entire chapter is used to allude to his Messianic claim and be as a witness to this prophetic fulfillment. (Is 55:1-2) By quoting this passage, the Messiah applied the Tabernacles Water Pouring ceremony and the intention of the ceremony to himself and to the effusion and permeation of the Holy Spirit (Is 44:3). The Holy Spirit is promised to be given by Messiah and even accompanying His ministry. Bishop Lowth, in 1846, quoted an undefined passage in Jerusalem Talmud, concluding that the song in (Num 21:16-18) is to be sung in the times of the Messiah, possibly at this ceremony. The water is said to be “drawn from the wells of salvation” (Is 12:3), signifying the influences of the Holy Spirit to be given in the days of Messiah.

‡7:37 Context: “The last day of the Festival;” Tabernacles is 7 days long It is commonly said to be eight, but that is incorrect. The seventh day is Hoshana Rabbah ·Save now Great· and the water libation ceremony happens on this day (Sukkah 51-b). The Cohen Gadol ·High Priest· would lead a procession to the pool of Siloam. (See also John 9:5-11) There he would fill a golden pitcher with water as the crowd would wave their lulavs before God and chant Hossanah ·Save now·! They would all sing (Psalm 128:25-26) while the libation was prepared. All were silent as the water was being poured out on the altar of sacrifice. After this water ceremony, as the night fell Sh'mini Atrzeret ·Eighth day Assembly· started, this is a separate and linked Festival for one day. (See also John 8:12). There was a great party like none other! The four menorahs were lit and Rabbis and students alike would put on a “light show” and “torch dances” while the Levites sang and played music; dancing before God like David danced (Sukkah 5:1)!

§7:37 Quoting from Is 55:1

*7:38 MPr: Implying the Messiah will cause a fountain to miraculously to spring up, just as Moses did in the wilderness (Joel 3:18 in Midrash Eccl 1:9). (Joel 3:18)

†7:38 Quoting from Is 12:3, 44:3; Jer 2:13

‡7:39 Quoting from Is 44:3; Joel 2:28-29

§7:40 MP: God confirms His intention to raise up a Prophet like Moses [Drawn out], and put His words the mouth of His Prophet. (Deut 18:17-19)

*7:40 Quoting from Deut 18:15

†7:42 MP: Messiah is born in Bethlehem Ephrathah. This defines the ancient Bethlehem originally called Ephrath in (Gen 35:16, 19; 48:7; Ruth 4:11). This place was also called Beth-lehem Ephratah (Mic 5:2), Beth-lehem-Judah (1 Sam 17:12), and “the city of David” (Luke 2:4). At the time of Yeshua's birth, Bethlehem Ephrathah, also called “Bethlehem in Judea” in (Matt 2:5), was a village about five miles south of Jerusalem in Judea. This is different from the Zebulun tribe's city of Bethlehem in the Galilee, about six miles west of Nazareth menioned only in (Josh 19:15). (Mic 5:2)

‡7:42 Quoting from 2 Sam 7:12; Ps 89:3-4, 132:11-12

§7:42 Quoting from Mic 5:2

*7:42 Context: (1 Sam 16:1) identifies Bethlehem as David’s hometown.

†7:46 MP: Messiah is called Wonderful Counselor, by Christian interpretation this is one name. Judaism sees this as two names. “Wonderful” as in (Judges 13:18) by the Angel of Yahweh to Judge Manoah. Also “Counselor,” one who brings wisdom from God like Moses and Aaron did (Num 11:16-17). (Is 9:6)

‡7:52 “No prophet from Galilee” This is an inaccurate statement, Jonah is a prophet from Gath-hepher which is in the western Galilee region (2 Kings 14:25). This passage also establishes that Jonah was a prophet to Israel before he was called to the Assyrians in Nineveh.

© 2016 Thomas Robinson