“For even His own Brothers did not believe in Him.” John 7:5

We continue our study through the Gospel of John.  Picking up at verse One of Chapter Seven from the Book that the Apostle wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit,

“After this, Jesus went around in Galilee.  He did not want to go about in Judea because the Jewish leaders there were looking for a way to kill Him.  But when the Jewish Festival of Tabernacles was near, Jesus’ brothers said to Him, ‘Leave Galilee and go to Judea, so that your disciples there may see the works You do.  No one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret.  Since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world.’.  For even His own brothers did not believe in Him.”  (John 7: 1-5.)
This was a Major Festival.  One of the seven, God had ordained for His people to celebrate with Him.  It commemorated the days when the Israelites wandered in the desert and lived in Tabernacles – booths.  It was a week long, and Jews from all over came to Judea.  All able Jewish men were to attend these Festivals, and bring their families if possible.  It was high level.  So the Brothers of Jesus were using this opportunity to make light of His new found following, and taking some ‘jabs’ at ‘the works’ He was doing with smirking remarks about going to the Festival to ‘show His stuff.’
Of course they had grown up with Jesus – they knew Him as their older Brother – so they saw Him as just that.  Obviously His Mother and His Stepdad Joseph, never spoke to them as to who Jesus was, and strangely did not tell His siblings plainly what they were told when He was conceived, and How He was conceived, and who He really was.  Nevertheless, His brothers and sisters did not believe in Him as the Messiah, nor even as a Prophet it seems, while He was in His Ministry here on earth.
This all changed after His death on the cross, and His resurrection from the dead.  His Brother James, became ‘The Leader’ of the Church in Jerusalem – even over Peter and John, and wrote the Book of James.  His Brother Judas (Jude) also wrote an Epistle that is included in the New Testament.  He began His Epistle with:  “Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ, and a brother of James.”  He would not put Himself at the level of a brother of Jesus.   Brother James began His Epistle with “James, a servant of God, and of the Lord Jesus Christ.”  Neither did he put himself at the level of brother to Jesus.
The Scripture does not say if Jesus’ Mother Mary did tell them all of it after His death on the Cross, and Resurrection, but whatever the Lord used to bring Light to them, they totally believed in and accepted their Brother as Lord, and Messiah, and served Him for the rest of their days – just as the Apostles, and many of His Disciples did. They then had the truth of His Word, and a visual to base their faith on.  So do we.   We have the Word – which is the documentation from people from all walks of life, and the Gospel, the Good News of who He is, and the visual of lives we have seen literally changed when they accepted and believed who He is.  May we be as His Brothers, and Disciples, and put our faith in Him because we believe what we have seen and heard.  That He is our Savior;  and all that He said He was, and is – is Truth.   May we open our minds and hearts to the Holy Spirit, and to the Father who enables us to come unto Him, and believe in Him.
Based upon personal experience, I can assure you life will never be the same after you believe in Him, and receive Him into your heart, and make Him Lord of your Life.                                                                                                                       “Old things are passed away.  All things become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)  So it was for them.  So it is for whosoever will.
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