Now the Jews' feast of tabernacles was at hand.
But the festival of Sukkot in Y’hudah was near;
However, the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles was near.
Now the feast of the Jews, the feast of tabernacles, was at hand.
Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.
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Zechariah 14:16
¶ And it shall come to pass, [that] every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles. -
Zechariah 14:19
This shall be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all nations that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles. -
Deuteronomy 16:13
Thou shalt observe the feast of tabernacles seven days, after that thou hast gathered in thy corn and thy wine: -
Deuteronomy 16:16
Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the LORD thy God in the place which he shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles: and they shall not appear before the LORD empty: -
Numbers 29:12
¶ And on the fifteenth day of the seventh month ye shall have an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work, and ye shall keep a feast unto the LORD seven days: -
Numbers 29:38
And one goat [for] a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, and his meat offering, and his drink offering. -
Exodus 23:16
And the feast of harvest, the firstfruits of thy labours, which thou hast sown in the field: and the feast of ingathering, [which is] in the end of the year, when thou hast gathered in thy labours out of the field.
John 7:2 introduces a pivotal moment in Jesus' public ministry, setting the stage for His profound teachings and interactions during one of Israel's most important annual celebrations. This verse immediately places the narrative within a significant historical and religious context, highlighting the timing of events as purposeful.
Context
The "Feast of Tabernacles" (also known as Sukkot, or the Feast of Booths) was one of the three major annual pilgrimage festivals when all Jewish males were commanded to appear before the Lord in Jerusalem (Deuteronomy 16:16). It was a week-long celebration held in the autumn (late September/early October), commemorating two primary things:
By stating that the feast "was at hand," John emphasizes the immediate proximity of this significant event, which would become a crucial backdrop for Jesus' public declarations about Himself as the source of living water and the light of the world, as recorded later in this chapter.
Key Themes
Linguistic Insights
The Greek word for "Feast of Tabernacles" is skēnopēgia (σκηνoπηγία), which literally means "tent-pitching" or "dwelling in tents." This term vividly captures the essence of the festival, where participants built and lived in temporary booths (sukkot) to remember their ancestors' transient dwellings in the wilderness. The KJV's "Tabernacles" accurately conveys the temporary nature of these dwellings.
Practical Application
This verse serves as a reminder that God often operates within the framework of human events and seasons, using them to reveal His truth. For us today, understanding the background of the biblical feasts helps us appreciate the depth of Jesus' ministry and how He perfectly fulfills the Old Testament's shadows and types. It encourages us to look for God's divine timing in our own lives and to recognize how the historical acts of God continue to speak to our present needs, particularly through the person of Jesus Christ, who is our ultimate provision and dwelling place.