A Hated Spectacle

In John 7:1-13, as Jesus approached Jerusalem for the Feast of Booths, even those closest to him failed to understand his mission. His own brothers urged him to go public and "show himself to the world." But John tells us why plainly: they did not believe in him. Meanwhile, the religious leaders sought to kill him, and crowds muttered in confusion about whether he was a good teacher or a dangerous deceiver. Why couldn't anyone accept Jesus as he truly was? The problem wasn't lack of evidence: they'd witnessed miracles. It wasn't lack of information: they'd heard his teaching. The problem was the human heart's inability to come to Christ apart from God's sovereign grace. This passage confronts us with an urgent question: Has God drawn you to Jesus? Without divine grace, even Jesus's own family rejected him. But those whom the Father draws will come and find forgiveness, righteousness, and eternal life in Christ alone. May God grant us eyes to see Jesus as he is: our only hope and our greatest treasure.