John 7:2, John 7:37 KJV

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - John 7:2-9

John 7:2-9. Now the Jews’ feast of tabernacles was at hand Instituted in commemoration of the Israelites dwelling in tents in the wilderness, and celebrated in booths erected for that purpose, with great solemnity and joy. For a particular account of the time, manner, and reason of this feast, see Leviticus 23:34-43. His brethren, therefore So called, according to the Jewish way of speaking: namely, his near kinsmen, probably his cousins, the sons of his mother’s sister; said unto him,... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - John 7:1-13

IN JERUSALEM FOR JEWISH FESTIVALS85. Family opposition (John 7:1-13)At one stage of his ministry Jesus spent time in Jerusalem attending some annual Jewish festivals. The first of these was the Feast of Tabernacles (GNB: Festival of Shelters), when Jews lived in temporary shelters in memory of the time their ancestors dwelt in the wilderness. It also marked the end of the agricultural year, when all the produce of the land had been gathered in and the people rejoiced in thanksgiving to God... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - John 7:2

the Jews' feast. See note on John 2:13 . of tabernacles = of booths. Not sleaze, as in Septuagint. (Leviticus 23:34 .Deuteronomy 16:13 . 2 Chronicles 8:13 .Ezra 3:4; Ezra 3:4 ); but skenopegia = booth-making, as in Deuteronomy 16:16 ; Deuteronomy 31:10 . Zechariah 14:16 , Zechariah 14:18 , Zechariah 14:19 . Only direct reference to this feast in N.T. See App-179 . at hand = near. read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - John 7:2

Now the feast of the Jews, the feast of tabernacles, was at hand.This feast was the equivalent of a harvest festival, "tabernacles" referring to booths, or arbors made of tree branches, in which the people camped out in commemoration of the wilderness sojourn of Israel (Leviticus 23:34-36). It occurred in October, indicating that John here passed over a full six months of Jesus' Galilean ministry. read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - John 7:2

2. feast of tabernacles . . . at hand—This was the last of the three annual festivals, celebrated on the fifteenth of the seventh month (September). (See Leviticus 23:33; Deuteronomy 16:13; Nehemiah 8:14-18). read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - John 7:1-9

The response of the Jews 7:1-9"John 7 has three time divisions: before the feast (John 7:1-10), in the midst of the feast (John 7:11-36), and on the last day of the feast (John 7:37-52). The responses during each of those periods can be characterized by three words: disbelief, debate, and division." [Note: Ibid., p. 314.] This section relates the reaction of another significant group of people to Jesus. They were the Jews generally, including Jesus’ brothers. The section also prepares the... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - John 7:2

The feast of Tabernacles occurred six months after Passover (John 6:4). That year it fell on September 10-17, A.D. 32. [Note: Hoehner, p. 143.] It was a fall grape and olive harvest festival (Exodus 23:16; Leviticus 23:33-36; Leviticus 23:39-43; Deuteronomy 16:13-15). In Jesus’ day it was the most popular of the three required Jewish feasts. [Note: Josephus, Antiquities of . . ., 8:4:1.] It commemorated the Israelites’ sojourn in the wilderness. Many devout Jews built temporary shelters out of... read more

John Dummelow

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - John 7:1-53

The Feast of TabernaclesJohn 7:1 to John 10:21. Jesus at the Feast of Tabernacles, October, 28 a.d.After the discourse of John 6, delivered just before Passover 28 a.d., Jesus did not go up to Jerusalem (John 7:1), but devoted Himself for five or six months to active work in various parts of Galilee, of which St. John says nothing. At the close of this period He visited the country of Tyre and Sidon (Mark 7:24), made a tour through Decapolis, where He fed the 4,000 (Mark 8:1), retired to... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - John 7:2

(2) The Jews’ feast of tabernacles.—This began on “the fifteenth day of the seventh month” (Leviticus 23:34), i.e., the 15th of Tishri, which answers to our September. The interval, then, from Passover to Tabernacles is one of about five months. The feast continued for seven days, during which all true Israelites dwelt in booths, in remembrance of their dwelling in tabernacles when they came out of the land of Egypt. Like the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Passover) and the Feast of Harvest... read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Dictionary of Texts - John 7:1-53

John 7:17 Romanes, Thoughts on Religion, pp. 167-168. 'He that doeth My will shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God.' Were it not for that text I think I should sometimes sit down 'astonished,' and pray to die and get it all cleared up. From a letter of Kingsley (in 1845). References, VII. 17. Bishop Winnington-Ingram, Under the Dome, p. 28. Hugh Black, Christian World Pulpit, vol. 1. p. 38. H. Drummond, The Ideal Life, p. 297. F. C. Spurr, Christian World Pulpit, vol. lx. p. 228.... read more