What profound wisdom is in this verse! Why did Jesus walk in Galilee? Because he wouldn't walk in Jewry. Why wouldn't he walk in Jewry? Because the Jews sought to kill him! I'm confident that the Jews would have loved the company of Jesus. They would have no doubt welcomed him with open arms, but to what end? I suppose we need not go everywhere  we are welcomed. Our Lord once preached in a synagogue in Nazareth. He preached those folks a truth. He preached a truth of the gospel called election. It was met with the same response that election is met with from so many of the so-called religious people today. When our Lord preached about the graciousness of God toward the widow in Sidon when there were plenty of widows in Israel and the graciousness of God to Naaman the Syrian when there were plenty of lepers in Israel the Jews didn't take kindly to that truth. They were filled with wrath and rose up and thrust him out of the city and took him to the brow of the hill to cast him off headlong but the scriptures say that he passed through the midst of them went his way.

Going on into the 7th chapter of John we see that our Lord did eventually go to Jerusalem and in the 30th verse we read that "they sought to take him but no man laid hands on him , because his hour was not yet come." Consider the fact that our Lord knew the exact time that he would be given over to the Jews and the exact time that he would die on the cross for his friends. Why then would he not then walk in Jewry? The Jews would have delighted to abuse him. Our Lord had no desire to walk with those that did not love him. He knew that they sought to kill him even though they had no power to fulfill their desires. Is this a bad example for us to follow? Those that exhibit no desire to walk in the love of the truth but have rather shown contempt for the truth should not be fellowshipped.

His brethren therefore said unto him, Depart hence, and go into Judaea, that thy disciples also may see the works that thou doest. For there is no man that doeth any thing in secret, and he himself seeketh to be known openly. If thou do these things, shew thyself to the world. For neither did his brethren believe in him John 7:3-5. These that were called "his brethren" exhorted our Lord to take all his gifts and go before the great men of the world. Man seeks to be known openly, at least the men of this world seek such things. What the Lamb of God accomplished on that cross is still the greatest mystery withheld from the worldling. It is past finding out by the world at large. The "religious world" will not embrace the truth that Christ died to save his people, the elect from their sins. Since many are ignorant of what our Lord accomplished in this world should we be surprised that some cannot understand his walk?

There are still many that call themselves brethren who seek not the cause of Christ and the peace of Zion. They would love your company as they sought the Lord … to kill him. Behold there are still wolves, and there are still sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.10/14/03 Elder Marty Hoogasian