John 7:8

Go ye up unto this feast: I go not up yet unto this feast; for my time is not yet full come.

Go {G305} ye {G5210} up {G305} unto {G1519} this {G5026} feast {G1859}: I {G1473} go {G305} not {G3768} up {G305} yet {G3768} unto {G1519} this {G5026} feast {G1859}; for {G3754} my {G1699} time {G2540} is {G4137} not yet {G3768} full come {G4137}.

You, go on up to the festival; as for me, I am not going up to this festival now, because the right time for me has not yet come.”

Go up to the feast on your own. I am not going up to this feast, because My time has not yet come.”

Go ye up unto the feast: I go not up unto this feast; because my time is not yet fulfilled.

John 7:8 captures a pivotal moment where Jesus strategically navigates His public ministry in relation to the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles. His response to His brothers reveals deep insights into His divine timing and sovereignty.

Context

This verse is set during the lead-up to the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot), one of the three major annual pilgrimage festivals in Jerusalem. Jesus was in Galilee, and His biological brothers, who did not yet believe in Him, urged Him to go to Judea to perform miracles and gain public recognition. They suggested He should openly display His works to His disciples in Jerusalem, implying a desire for Him to prove His claims.

The Feast of Tabernacles was a joyful celebration commemorating God's provision for Israel during their wilderness wanderings and looking forward to the Messianic age. Attending it was a significant act for any devout Jew, and His brothers' challenge was rooted in their worldly understanding of His mission.

Key Themes

  • Divine Timing and Sovereignty: Jesus explicitly states, "my time is not yet full come." This highlights His consistent reliance on God's perfect, appointed schedule (kairos), not human expectations or pressures. Unlike His brothers, who sought immediate public display, Jesus operated according to a divine plan that unfolded in specific, predestined moments. This theme is crucial throughout John's Gospel, where Jesus often speaks of "My hour" or "My time," particularly in relation to His ultimate mission and sacrifice.
  • Strategic Wisdom: Jesus' initial refusal to go openly ("I go not up yet") demonstrates His strategic wisdom. He knew that a premature or highly visible entrance into Jerusalem could ignite opposition or lead to misunderstanding of His true purpose before the appointed "hour" for His passion. His eventual secret ascent to the feast later (John 7:10) further underscores this careful, deliberate approach.
  • Contrast with Unbelief: The exchange with His brothers starkly contrasts their worldly ambition and lack of faith with Jesus' spiritual understanding and submission to the Father's will. Their desire for Him to seek fame reveals their misunderstanding of His spiritual kingdom.

Linguistic Insights

The KJV's inclusion of the word "yet" (from the Greek oupō) in "I go not up yet unto this feast" is significant. While some ancient manuscripts omit it, its presence in strong textual traditions indicates that Jesus was not refusing to go entirely, but rather delaying His ascent and changing the manner of His arrival. This nuance is critical for understanding why He later went to the feast "not openly, but as it were in secret" (John 7:10). The word "time" here is kairos, referring to a specific, opportune, or appointed season, emphasizing the divine nature of His schedule, as opposed to chronos, which denotes chronological time.

Related Scriptures

  • For other instances where Jesus refers to His "hour" or "time," demonstrating divine timing, see John 2:4 (Wedding at Cana) and especially John 12:23, where He declares, "The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified."
  • This interaction also sets the stage for the escalating tension and debate surrounding Jesus at the Feast of Tabernacles, as detailed in the rest of John chapter 7.

Practical Application

John 7:8 offers a powerful lesson on trusting God's perfect timing in our own lives. Just as Jesus did not rush ahead of His Father's schedule, we are called to exercise patience and discernment, even when external pressures or personal desires urge us to act prematurely. It reminds us that true wisdom often involves waiting for God's appointed moment and acting in accordance with His will, not human expectations or worldly ambition. Our "time" for certain actions or outcomes is also in His sovereign hands.

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.

  • John 7:6

    Then Jesus said unto them, My time is not yet come: but your time is alway ready.

  • John 8:20

    These words spake Jesus in the treasury, as he taught in the temple: and no man laid hands on him; for his hour was not yet come.

  • John 7:30

    Then they sought to take him: but no man laid hands on him, because his hour was not yet come.

  • 1 Corinthians 2:15

    But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.

  • 1 Corinthians 2:16

    For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

  • John 11:6

    When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was.

  • John 11:7

    Then after that saith he to [his] disciples, Let us go into Judaea again.

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