Not Speaking Openly About Jesus - John 7:13

The apostle John wrote how Jesus told His brothers, “Go you up unto this feast: I go not up yet unto this feast; for my time is not yet full come. When he had said these words unto them, he abode still in Galilee. But when his brethren were gone up, then went he also up unto the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret. Then the Jews sought him at the feast, and said, Where is he? And there was much murmuring among the people concerning him: for some said, He is a good man: others said, No; but he deceives the people”, and in chapter seven and verse thirteen of his book, John shared how, “no man spoke openly of him for fear of the Jews” where we read:

Howbeit no man spoke openly of him for fear of the Jews.

The verse reads, “Howbeit no man spoke openly of him ...” John began with the words, “howbeit no man” or “nevertheless not one person whether male or female” “spoke openly of him” which means “uttered or talked unreservedly, frankly or without concealment about Jesus”. John shared how no one would talk “unreservedly” about Jesus.

The verse continues, “... for fear of the Jews.” John added the words, “for fear” which means “because, since and on account that they had dread, terror and were exceedingly afraid” “of the Jews” or “pertaining to the Jewish leaders”. John shared how the people were “fearful” to speak about Jesus “openly” because they were “exceedingly afraid” of the Jewish religious leaders.

When we meditate upon John's words in this verse, we discover though the people had their “opinions and judgments” concerning Jesus, nobody would talk “unreservedly” about Him. The Jewish leaders intimidated them, and they knew if they said something about Jesus publicly, they would be subject to the judgment of the leaders. God wants all people to be able to speak about His Son Jesus, and those who have submitted their life to Him sometimes pay a price for declaring their allegiance to Him. God will bring every person into judgment to give an account of what they say, He declared, “That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment” (See Matthew 12:36), and those who are wise will use their words to exalt, praise, glorify and bless their Creator God and His Son Jesus who is the “Savior and Lord” of the world.

Next time John shares how, “about the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".