Only the Apostle John covers this happening at the Temple.

John 7:25 Then some of the people of Jerusalem began saying, “This is the man they are trying to kill, isn’t it? 

Residents of the city of Jerusalem understood the purposes of the rulers,  (vs. visitors were ignorant what was going on).

John 7:26 But look! He speaks boldly, and they say nothing to Him. Do the rulers know indeed that this is truly the Christ?

Wondering why Jewish Leadership letting Jesus teach openly and boldly, not contradict him or forbid him from speaking.  Is He truly the Messiah.

John 7:27 However, we know where this Man is from; but when the Christ comes, no one knows where He is from.”

This seems to refer to some current opinion that Messiah’s origin would be mysterious, from which they concluded that Jesus could not be He, since they knew all about His family at Nazareth.

The Jewish Leaders admission that the Messiah was to be supernaturally born: of a virgin!  And would come from Bethlehem {Micah 5:2}

John 7:28 At this point Jesus, still teaching in the Temple, shouted, “So you know me and know where I have come from? I have not come on my own accord. But the one who sent me is true, and he is the one you do not know.              {people of Jerusalem}

Jesus shouted and reminded the leaders that they knew His origin. Their problem was that they did not know God, who sent Jesus. He explained to them that 1} He knew God, 2} He was from God, and 3} He was sent by God 

John 7:29 I know him because I have come from him and He sent me.”

**Hebrews 5:5 In the same way, the Messiah did not take upon himself the glory of being a high priest. No, it was God who said to him, “You are my Son. Today I have become your Father.” 

John 7:30 Then they tried to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him because his hour had not yet come.

• It’s interesting that even though they were anxious to take Jesus, they couldn’t touch Him until His hour had come.
• The wicked cannot do what they desire, but what the Father has appointed what they can do.

The leaders {mob} try to seize Jesus because many believed in Him.

John 7:31 However, many in the crowd believed in him, saying, “When the Messiah comes, he won’t do more signs than this man has done, will he?”

In contrast to the leaders, many of the Jewish people believed because of the miracles Jesus performed

Officers Sent to Arrest Jesus

John 7:32 The Pharisees heard the crowd debating these things about him, so the high priests and the Pharisees sent officers to arrest Jesus.

• The Pharisees and chief priests, that is, the Sanhedrim, sent officers to seize him.
• This was an official act, I believe the first official attempt of the Sanhedrim to take Jesus life.
• They had wanted to do it before, but had not taken action.

John 7:33 Then Jesus said, “I will be with you only a little while longer, and then I am going back to the one who sent me.

Jesus foretells His death and then return to heaven and sit at the right hand of the Father.

John 7:34 You will look for me but will not find me. And where I am, you cannot come.”

The Jews did not understand these plain words. Jesus in Heaven. Not while on earth or after life is over, if you die in your sins.

• We know Jesus’ time on earth was limited; soon He would be crucified, died and resurrected and then ascend to the Father.
• His life was not determined by any of the Jewish religious leaders, but by only the Father.

John 7:35 The Jews said to one another, “Where does this man intend to go that we cannot find him? Will he go where our people live scattered among the Greeks, and teach the Greeks?

• The Jewish leaders were puzzled by this statement. “Where is he planning to go?” they asked.
• “Maybe he is thinking of leaving the country and going as a missionary among the Jews in other lands, or maybe even to the Gentiles!

John 7:36 What does this statement mean that he said, ‘You will look for me but will not find me,’ and ‘Where I will be, you cannot come’?”

The Jews still did not understand what Jesus said

Jesus talks about the Rivers of Living Water

John 7:37 On the last and most important day of the festival, Jesus stood up and shouted, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink!

Probably the eighth day, possibly the seventh. The eighth was a day of holy rest added to the seven days of the feast.

• Jewish writers says on each day of the feast, the people came with palm branches and marched around the great altar.
• The priest had water that was brought every day of the feast in a golden pitcher from the pool of Siloam and poured upon the altar, as an offering, singing to one to another, blew their trumpets and shouted.

On the last day of the feast, the 7^th or 8^th day, the people marched seven times around the altar in memory of the seven circuits around the walls of Jericho

It is thought that it was when this water was poured out that Jesus shouted; and pointed to the living water: “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink!”

On this day likewise they remember God’s miracle of giving water out of the rock, and offered up solemn prayers for season rains.

• The 8^th day is the day for prayers for rains for their crops for the next year.
• On the seven days the Jews professed to offer sacrifices for the seventy nations of the earth,
• but on the eighth day they offered sacrifices for Israel; therefore the eighth day was more highly esteemed than any of the others. Numbers 29:12-34, 35 {1-Bull},36-40

John 7:38 The one who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, will have rivers of living water flowing from his heart.”

Seven days in booths; the 8th day—the Great Day—the special Sabbath, is when Jesus made His first announcement of the coming of the Holy Spirit.

• In contrast to the small amount of water poured out each day during the feast, there will be a river of water coming out of those who believe in Christ.
• Not only will they be satisfied themselves, but they will also become a river so that others may drink and be satisfied.
• Jesus made His announcement of the coming of the Holy Spirit, in individuals and flowing out to others.

John 7:39 By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.

• The Holy Spirit had not yet been given because Jesus was not yet glorified.
• The Holy Spirit did not come until the Day of Pentecost.
• Then the Holy Spirit came to indwell believers and to form them into one body.

The coming of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost assures us that Jesus had arrived back at the Father’s throne.

There is a Division Among the People

John 7:40-41 When they heard these words, some in the crowd were saying, “This really is the Prophet,” (41) while others were saying, “This is the Messiah!“ But some were saying, “The Messiah doesn’t come from Galilee, does he?

These individuals thought Jesus was from Galilee 

John 7:42 Doesn’t the Scripture say that the Messiah is from David’s family and from Bethlehem, the village where David lived?”

• These people knew that the Messiah was to come from Bethlehem
• How could the people forget that Jesus was born there, because had not Herod given them a terrible reason to remember it.

John 7:43 So there was a division in the crowd because of him.

They knew the Scripture, but they did not take the time to know Jesus.

John 7:44 Some of them were wanting to seize him, but no one laid hands on him.

Some of the people would on their own responsibility wished they would carry Jesus before the Sanhedrin.

John 7:45-46 Then the officers returned to the high priests and Pharisees, who asked them, “Why didn’t you bring him?” (46) The officers answered, “No man ever spoke like that!” 

• The soldiers could have stated that they failed to arrest Christ because of the danger of the crowd but they did not.
• Instead, they reported that Jesus was not like anyone they had ever heard speak. 

John 7:47-49 Then the Pharisees replied to them, “You haven’t been deceived, too, have you? (48) None of the authorities or Pharisees has believed in him, have they? (49) But this mob that does not know the Law, they’re under a curse!”   {quoted Deut 28:15}

• Jews reasoned, if the religious rulers did not believe in Jesus, He could not be the Messiah.
• In fact, though the poor heard Jesus gladly, the religious rulers were among the least likely to believe in Christ.
• He threatened their positions. They had sold out to power and riches.

John 7:50-51 One of their own, Nicodemus (the man who had previously met with Jesus), asked them, (51) “Surely our Law does not condemn a person without first hearing from him and finding out what he is doing, does it?”

“Nicodemus”: It has been a year and a half since John Chapter 3:

John 7:52 They answered him, “You aren’t from Galilee, too, are you? Search and see that no prophet comes from Galilee.”

Nicodemus tries to reason with the Jewish leaders, made a plea for justice, but his plea was rejected.

John 7:53 Then each of them went to their own home.

• And every man went to his own house – So that short plain question of Nicodemus spoiled all their measures; and broke up the council.
• Their plot could not at this time be carried into effect.
• A word spoken in season; how good it is! Especially when God gives it his blessing.

Now, the Feast of Tabernacles being now over.