7：1 这事以后，耶稣在加利利游行，不愿在犹太游行，因为犹太人想要杀他。2 当时犹太人的住棚节近了。
1After this Jesus went about in Galilee. He did not wish to go about in Judea because the Jews were looking for an opportunity to kill him.2Now the Jewish festival of Booths was near.
从第六章的叙述看，这事是指耶稣关于生命之粮的演讲以后，许多门徒厌弃了，离开了耶稣，耶稣甚至对他的十二个门徒说：你们也要去吗？彼得代表大家，表了一个坚决不离弃耶稣的态：“主啊，你有永生之道，我们还归从谁呢？我们已经信了，又知道你是神的圣者。”（约翰福音 6:68-69）可是，从这里的叙述看，耶稣的外部环境更加恶化，他与门徒之间的张力似乎也有增无减。
7：3 耶稣的弟兄就对他说：“你离开这里上犹太去吧！叫你的门徒也看见你所行的事。4 人要显扬名声，没有在暗处行事的，你如果行这些事，就当将自己显明给世人看。”5 因为连他的弟兄说这话，是因为不信他。 3So his brothers said to him, "Leave here and go to Judea so that your disciples also may see the works you are doing;4for no one who wants to be widely known acts in secret. If you do these things, show yourself to the world."5(For not even his brothers believed in him.)
耶稣的弟兄，可以泛指耶稣身边的亲密门徒，包括肉身的兄弟。他们与耶稣之间的张力，是因为他们不理解耶稣的行为处事：人要显扬名声，没有在暗处行事的，你如果行这些事，就当将自己显明给世人看。在世人看来，弟兄的话句句在理。圣经说，弟兄之所以如此说，是因为不信他。我们也可以这样说，弟兄之所以如此说，是因为信他是“神的圣者”（彼得语），所以何必偷偷摸摸，不行在明处呢？我们应该如何解释耶稣的行为？耶稣又是如何解释自己的行为？
7：6 耶稣就对他们说：“我的时候还没有到，你们的时候常是方便的。7 世人不能恨你们，却是恨我，因为我指证他们所作的事是恶的。8 你们上去过节吧！我现在不上去过这节，因为我的时候还没有满。”9 耶稣说了这话，仍旧住在加利利。 6 Jesus said to them, "My time has not yet come, but your time is always here.7The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify against it that its works are evil.8Go to the festival yourselves. I am not going to this festival, for my time has not yet fully come."9After saying this, he remained in Galilee.
耶稣的回答里有三个要点：（1）时间性。涉及到耶稣在地上事工的特殊性。一切都按照父神的旨意和预定的计划，向前推进。（2）身份不同。为什么这里说，世人不能恨你们，而在后面的章节里（第 15 章）说，世人要恨你们，因为恨你们以先，已经恨我了。可见，世人对待门徒的态度，会随着时间和门徒身份的变化而发生变化。（3）时间一到，耶稣就不再秘密行事了。(我还注意到，耶稣在解释世人的行为时（恨耶稣），再次重申：因为我指证他们所作的事是恶的，世人不是因为本质是恶的，乃是因为行为是恶的。) 弟兄们目前听不懂耶稣的话，问题还是出在眷顾和追求人的荣耀。
7：10 但他弟兄上去以后，他也上去过节，不是明去，似乎是暗去的。11 正在节期，犹太人寻找耶稣说：“他在哪里？”12 众人为他纷纷议论，有的说：“他是好人。”有的说：“不然，他是迷惑众人的。”13 只是没有人明明地讲论他，因为怕犹太人。10But after his brothers had gone to the festival, then he also went, not
publicly but as it were in secret.11The Jews were looking for him at the festival and saying, "Where is he?"12And there was considerable complaining about him among the crowds. While some were saying, "He is a good man," others were saying, "No, he is deceiving the crowd."13Yet no one would speak openly about him for fear of the Jews.
耶稣在拒绝了弟兄们的请求后，自己还是私下里去了。耶稣为什么这样做？因为弟兄们的价值观还没有跟上来，还没有进入耶稣的旨意。所以，主目前只能单独行动。有时候，我们在为主做事的时候，也会遇到类似（单独行动）的情况。
7：14 到了节期，耶稣上殿里去教训人。15 犹太人就希奇说：“这个人没有学过，怎么明白书呢？”16 耶稣说：“我的教训不是我自己的，乃是那差我来者的。17 人若立志遵着他的旨意行，就必晓得这教训或是出于神，或是我凭着自己说的。18 人凭着自己说，是求自己的荣耀；惟有求那差他来者的荣耀，这人是真的，在他心里没有不义。14About the middle of the festival Jesus went up into the temple and began to teach.15The Jews were astonished at it, saying, "How does this man have such learning, when he has never been taught?"16Then Jesus answered them, "My teaching is not mine but his who sent me.17Anyone who resolves to do the will of God will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own.18Those who speak on their own seek their own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and there is nothing false in him.
一个人是否具备属灵的鉴别力，要看这个人是否愿意尊父的旨意行。换言之，一个愿意尊父的旨意行的人，也就是一个活在父的旨意中、在灵里重生的人。还有，一个人是否尊父的旨意行，就看他是否求自己的荣耀。如果不在求自己的荣耀，他就是一个重生的、活在真理中的人了。可见，在这一点上，犹太人不及格，门徒们此时也是不及格。
7：19 摩西岂不是传律法给你们吗？你们却没有一个人守律法。为什么想要杀我呢？”20 众人回答说：“你是被鬼附着了，谁想要杀你？”21 耶稣说：“我作了一件事，你们都以为希奇。22 摩西传割礼给你们（其实不是从摩西起的，乃是从祖先起的），因此你们也在安息日给人行割礼。23 人若在安息日受割礼，免得违背摩西的律法，我在安息日叫一个人全然好了，你们就向我生气吗？24 不可按外貌断定是非，总要按公平断定是非。” 19"Did not Moses give you the law? Yet none of you keeps the law. Why are you looking for an opportunity to kill me?"20The crowd answered, "You have a demon! Who is trying to kill you?"21Jesus answered them, "I performed one work, and all of you are astonished.22Moses gave you circumcision (it is, of course, not from Moses, but from the patriarchs), and you circumcise a man on the sabbath.23If a man receives circumcision on the sabbath in order that the law of Moses may not be broken, are you angry with me because I healed a man's whole body on the sabbath?24Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment."
在第五章里，为了安息日的理由，犹太人就起意杀耶稣。该不该杀耶稣，主要的争议是如何看待律法。按律法的条文看，不守安息日是要被处死的。所以应该说，是耶稣不守律法，犹太人守了律法。但耶稣的结论是，你们却没有一个人守律法。耶稣的逻辑是，人若在安息日受割礼，免得违背摩西的律法，我在安息日叫一个人全然好了，你们就向我生气吗？那么，关于律法条文的表面矛盾，人应该如何应对呢？耶稣说：不可按外貌断定是非，总要按公平断定是非。Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment. “外貌”为什么不可取？因为“外貌”是表层的，将被岁月消磨褪去，而上帝的公义是永存的。为什么守不守律法条文（安息日）只与“外貌”相干，而不是与上帝的公义有关？因为律法条文，尽管也是出于上帝之口，与律法的精义相比，仍然属于表层的。也就是说，是否遵守律法，不能只看表面的条文，要应用正确的公义判断。那么，什么是正确的公义判断呢？就是：18 人凭着自己说，是求自己的荣耀；惟有求那差他来者的荣耀，这人是真的，在他心里没有不义。否则，他心中就有不义，因为他求自己的荣耀（法利赛人的问题所在）。这是耶稣教导我们如何判断是非公义的一个简单标准。这是基督吗 Is This the Christ?
7：25 耶路撒冷人中有的说：“这不是他们想要杀的人吗？26 你看他还明明地讲道，他们也不向他说什么，难道官长真知道这是基督吗？27 然而我们知道这个人从哪里来；只是基督来的时候，没有人知道他从哪里来。” 25Now some of the people of Jerusalem were saying, "Is not this the man whom they are trying to kill?26And here he is, speaking openly, but they say nothing to him! Can it be that the authorities really know that this is the Messiah?27Yet we know where this man is from; but when the Messiah comes, no one will know where he is from."
这里是世人判断是非公义的一个实例。世人用两个标准判断耶稣的不义。（1）官长的意志。（2）圣经的条文与耶稣的出生。
7：28 那时，耶稣在殿里教训人，大声说：“你们也知道我，也知道我从哪里来；我来并不是由于自己，但那差我来的是真的，你们不认识他。29 我却认识他，因为我是从他来的，他也是差了我来。” 28Then Jesus cried out as he was teaching in the temple, "You know me, and you know where I am from. I have not come on my own. But the one who sent me is true, and you do not know him.29I know him, because I am from him,and he sent me."
耶稣说，你们错了。关于我从哪里来，你们不能凭表面。你们也不能凭长官意志，而要认识天父的旨意。世人的一切问题都处于不认识、也不愿意认识天父和天父所差来的人子。
7：30 他们就想要捉拿耶稣，只是没有人下手，因为他的时候还没有到。31 但众人中间有好些信他的，说： “基督来的时候，他所行的神迹岂能比这人所行的更多吗？” 30Then they tried to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him, because his hour had not yet come.31Yet many in the crowd believed in him and were saying, "When the Messiah comes, will he do more signs than this man has done?"
耶稣还没有遭到毒手，乃是因为神的时间还没有到。那些信耶稣的人又是因为什么信了耶稣的呢？是因为耶稣所行的事情而信他的：他所行的神迹岂能比这人所行的更多吗？而不是看他有没有遵守律法的条文。为什么遵守不遵守律法的条文对于耶稣来说没有意义？耶稣为什么不能象征性地遵守律法条文，以便避开很多冲突？难道耶稣如此做是有含义的？其中的含义又是什么呢？
7：32 法利赛人听见众人为耶稣这样纷纷议论，祭司长和法利赛人就打发差役去捉拿他。33 于是耶稣说： “我还有不多的时候和你们同在，以后就回到差我来的那里去。34 你们要找我，却找不着；我所在的地方你们不能到。”35 犹太人就彼此对问说：“这人要往哪里去，叫我们找不着呢？难道他要往散住希腊中的犹太人那里去教训希腊人吗？36 他说‘你们要找我，却找不着；我所在的地方，你们不能到’，这话是什么意思呢？” 32The Pharisees heard the crowd muttering such things about him, and the chief priests and Pharisees sent temple police to arrest him.33Jesus then said, "I will be with you a little while longer, and then I am going to him who sent me.34You will search for me, but you will not find me; and where I am, you cannot come."35The Jews said to one another, "Where does this man intend to go that we will not find him? Does he intend to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks and teach the Greeks?36What does he mean by saying, 'You will search for me and you will not find me' and 'Where I am, you cannot come'?"
这是在约翰福音里第一次提到这个话题。在后面的章节里还会多次重复这个主题。在第 16 章，耶稣甚至用反问（你们中间并没有人问我：你往哪里去？）回到这个主题：耶稣要到哪里去？回到差我来的那里去。就是回到天父那里去。你们要找我，却找不着；我所在的地方你们不能到。他在的地方，人不能去。人为什么不能去？人死了以后不是可以去天堂见天父吗？这不就是犹太人的信念吗？在约翰福音第 16 章，耶稣对这个主题做了重要的深入，说：“等不多时，你们就不得见我；再等不多时，你们还要见我。”耶稣所指的那地方，到底是哪里？
37 节期的末日，就是最大之日，耶稣站着高声说：“人若渴了，可以到我这里来喝。38 信我的人，就如经上所说‘从他腹中要流出活水的江河来’。”39 耶稣这话是指着信他之人要受圣灵说的，那时还没有赐下圣灵来，因为耶稣尚未得着荣耀。37On the last day of the festival, the great day, while Jesus was standing there, he cried out, "Let anyone who is thirsty come to me,38and let the one who believes in me drink. As the scripture has said, 'Out of the believer's heart shall flow rivers of living water.'"39Now he said this about the Spirit, which believers in him were to receive; for as yet there was no Spirit, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
圣经明确地说，耶稣这话是指着信他之人要受圣灵说的。与前面的经文相联系，赐下圣灵与耶稣去的地方，就发生了联系了。我认为，就是门徒的新生命。
7：40 众人听见这话，有的说：“这真是那先知。”41 有的说：“这是基督。”但也有的说：“基督岂是从加利利出来的吗？42 经上岂不是说‘基督是大卫的后裔，从大卫本乡伯利恒出来的’吗？”43 于是众人因着耶稣起了纷争。44 其中有人要捉拿他，只是无人下手。
Division among the People 40When they heard these words, some in the crowd said, "This is really the prophet."41Others said, "This is the Messiah." But some asked, "Surely the Messiah does not come from Galilee, does he?42Has not the scripture said that the Messiah is descended from David and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David lived?"43So there was a division in the crowd because of him.44Some of them wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him.
耶稣使群众产生分裂，我们对此不能惊奇。这个世界在耶稣里面合一，但是世界在耶稣外面分裂。从纷争的内容看，还是因为一部分人看重耶稣做的事，另一部分人看重经上说的话，以致于因为经上的话，反而看不见耶稣所做的事所透露出来的真理的光芒了。
7：45 差役回到祭司长和法利赛人那里，他们对差役说：“你们为什么没有带他来呢？”46 差役回答说：“从来没有像他这样说话的。”47 法利赛人说：“你们也受了迷惑吗？48 官长或是法利赛人岂有信他的呢？49但这些不明白律法的百姓是被咒诅的。” 50 内中有尼哥底母，就是从前去见耶稣的，对他们说：51“不先听本人的口供，不知道他所作的事，难道我们的律法还定他的罪吗？”52 他们回答说：“你也是出于加利利吗？你且去查考，就可知道加利利没有出过先知。” The Unbelief of Those in Authority 45Then the temple police went back to the chief priests and Pharisees, who asked them, "Why did you not arrest him?"46The police answered, "Never has anyone spoken like this!"47Then the Pharisees replied, "Surely you have not been deceived too, have you?48Has any one of the authorities or of the Pharisees believed in him?49But this crowd, which does not know the law-- they are accursed." 50Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus before, and who was one of them, asked,51"Our law does not judge people without first giving them a hearing to find out what they are doing, does it?"52They replied, "Surely you are not also from Galilee, are you? Search and you will see that no prophet is to arise from Galilee." 53Then each of them went home,
可见律法条文的捆绑，使人往往看不见简单的事实真相了，那就是耶稣的所言所行，是前无古人，后无来者，不是为了荣耀自己，乃是荣耀天父。
2011 年 7 月 6 日