Boldness in His time, Gracious Speech, and His Origin and Mission from God

John 7:25–30 (NKJV)

Christ’s Origin from the Father

²⁵ Now some of them from Jerusalem said, “Is this not He whom they seek to kill? ²⁶ But look! He speaks boldly, and they say nothing to Him. Do the rulers know indeed that this is truly the Christ? ²⁷ However, we know where this Man is from; but when the Christ comes, no one knows where He is from.”

²⁸ Then Jesus cried out, as He taught in the temple, saying, “You both know Me, and you know where I am from; and I have not come of Myself, but He who sent Me is true, whom you do not know. ²⁹ But I know Him, for I am from Him, and He sent Me.”

³⁰ Therefore they sought to take Him; but no one laid a hand on Him, because His hour had not yet come.

Message

I. Boldness in His Time (25, 26)

See v25.

²⁵ Now some of them from Jerusalem said, “Is this not He whom they seek to kill?

This verse supports the fact that Jesus was in danger indeed. John 7:1 says the Jews sought to kill Him. John 7:11 shows the Jews sought Him. The people complained concerning Him (John 7:12) and were angry with Him (John 7:20, 23). The world hates Him (John 7:7). They couldn’t speak openly for fear of the Jews (John 7:13).

See v26.

²⁶ But look! He speaks boldly, and they say nothing to Him. Do the rulers know indeed that this is truly the Christ?

Jesus spoke boldly (26^a). They said nothing to Him (26^b) as if they had not sought (to kill) Him (John 7:1, 11).  Jesus was waiting for ‘His time’ (John 7:6, 8). Based on John 7:14, ‘His time’ came about in the middle of the feast. When it came, He spoke boldly (26^a). They marveled at His work (or speech) (John 7:15) and they (or the Jewish leaders) said nothing to Him. The people wondered whether the rulers knew indeed that Jesus was the Christ (26^c). This shows that ‘His time’ to show up came and ‘His hour’ for the sacrifice had not yet come (30).

II. His Gracious Way of Speech (27, 28^a)

See v27.

²⁷ However, we know where this Man is from; but when the Christ comes, no one knows where He is from.”

They knew His earthly parents (27^a). They thought no one would know the origin of Jesus if He were the Christ (27).

See v28^a.

^28a Then Jesus cried out, as He taught in the temple, saying, “You both know Me, and you know where I am from;

Jesus knew their thoughts. Jesus didn’t say that they didn’t know His real origin such as His mother’s conception by the Holy Spirit. Instead, Jesus acknowledged that they both knew Him and where He was from (28^a). This is just as He acknowledged (John 4:17^b) the answer of the Samaritan woman who said, ‘I have no husband’ (John 4:17^a). See John 4:17^b-18.

^17b Jesus said to her, “You have well said, ‘I have no husband,’ ¹⁸ for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; in that you spoke truly.”

We learn this gracious way of speech to maintain a good relationship with the other person so that we may continue to help him/her.

III. Recognising God’s Presence, who is the Origin and gave the Mission (28^b,c,d, 29, 30)

^28b and I have not come of Myself, ^28c but He who sent Me is true, ^28d whom you do not know.
^29a But I know Him, ^29b for I am from Him, ^29c and He sent Me.”

What they should realise is that the invisible God who sent Him was with Him at the very present (28^b). God who sent Him to them is real, trustworthy and truthful (28^c). Jesus pointed out that yet they did not know or acknowledge God (28^d). Differently to them, Jesus knew God (29^a) because

• Jesus was from God (29^b): Jesus was conceived in the Virgin Mary through the Holy Spirit without a human male. His biological Father was God. Jesus is the Word who became flesh (John 1:14^a). The Word existed from the eternal past (John 1:1^a), and was together and intimate with God (John 1:1^b). The Word is God (John 1:1^c) and the Creator (John 1:3). The Word is the only Son of God and has the closest relationship with God (John 1:18^b).
• God sent Jesus (29^c).: God so loved the world that He sent His only Son so that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). Jesus had the mission to save the world (Matthew 1:21, John 4:42, Acts 4:12). Jesus served them by teaching, healing, and becoming a ransom for many (Matthew 20:28, Mark 10:44).

When a person is spiritually reborn, he/she becomes a new creation and a child of God. Then he/she becomes more like Jesus and can tell that he/she is ‘from God’ (29^b). If God gives him/her a mission to do, he/she can say ‘God sent him/her.’ But the people may not see the rebirth or the emission revealed in him/her. V28~29 are what he/she could say to them.

See v30.

³⁰ Therefore they sought to take Him; but no one laid a hand on Him, because His hour had not yet come.

‘His hour had not yet come’ is why no one laid a hand on Him despite their murderous intent (John 7:1, 25).