R.A. Torrey explores the events surrounding Jesus at the Feast of Tabernacles, emphasizing the disbelief of His own brothers and the mixed reactions of the people. He highlights how Jesus, aware of the danger posed by the Jewish leaders, chose to go to the feast secretly and teach in the temple, demonstrating His divine authority and the need for true understanding of His message. Torrey discusses the importance of seeking God's glory rather than personal recognition, and how Jesus' teachings challenge the status quo, often leading to misunderstanding and opposition. The sermon underscores the unreasonableness of unbelief and the necessity of a surrendered will to truly grasp the teachings of Christ.

DISCOVERY OF THE FACTS 1. Our Lord and His Unbelieving Brothers, vv. 1–9 What was the attitude of the leaders of the people in Judea toward our Lord at this time? Why did they wish to kill Him? (5:16–18; Matt. 12:10–14; 21:37, 38.) What did this necessitate on His part? Was there any other time in the life of Christ when He retired from Judea to avoid the peril of arrest and death? (John 11:53, 54.) Was it right for Him to retire because of the peril there? Is it ever right for a follower of Jesus to go from a place of peril to some other place of comparative security? (Matt. 10:23.) On what occasion did He go up again to Judea (v. 2)? What was the Feast of Tabernacles? (Ex. 23:16, 17; Lev. 23:34–43; Num. 29:12–38; Deut. 16:13–16.) What did our Lord’s brethren suggest that He do? Why? What does this reveal as to the character of His brethren? Was it His spirit to do things in order that men might see what great things He could do? (Matt. 12:18–20; Is. 42:2, 3.) Will it be the spirit of any true follower of Jesus? What reason did these brethren give why He should show His works to His disciples (v. 4)? Was He seeking to be known openly? What lay at the root of the suggestion made by the brethren of Jesus? (Luke 6:45.) What was the attitude of His own brethren toward Him (v. 5)? What reasons had His brethren for believing in Him? Why then did they not believe (v. 3, 4; compare 5:44)? Did the time ever come when they did believe? (Acts 1:14; 15:13; 1 Cor. 15:7; Gal. 1:19.) Had the brothers of Jesus on any other occasion shown that they did not understand Him and truly believe in Him? (Mark 3:21, 31; John 1:11–13; Micah 7:5, 6.) If we are true to Christ, where very likely will we find those who misunderstand us and oppose us? (Matt. 10:34–36.) Ought opposition in our own homes deter us from loyalty to Christ? (Matt. 10:37–39.) From whom had the suggestion come earlier in His history that He make a public display of His powers? (Matt. 4:6.) What did He answer His brethren? What did He mean by: “My time is not yet come” (vv. 8, 30; 8:20; 13:1; 17:1)? What connection was there between this answer and the suggestions of His brothers? What did He say was the attitude of the world toward His brothers (v. 7)? Why could not the world hate them? (15:19; James 4:4; 1 John 4:5.) Is it always a good sign when the world agrees with us and applauds us? (Luke 6:26.) What did our Lord say was the attitude of the world toward Himself? Is that the attitude of the world toward Him today? (Ro. 8:7.) Of what prophecy was it a fulfillment? (15:23–25; Ps. 35:19; 69:4; Is. 49:7; 53:3.) Why did the world hate Him (v. 7)? How did He testify of the world that its works were evil by word, or by His life? (3:19–21; Luke 11:39–54.) How does the world usually feel toward one who rebukes its sin? (1 Kings 22:8; Prov. 9:7, 8; Amos 7:7–13; Acts 5:28–33; 7:51–54.) How only can a preacher keep the favor of the world? 2. Our Lord and the Perplexed People, vv. 10–13 Did our Lord go up to the feast at all (v. 10)? Why secretly? (11:54; Is. 42:2, 3; Matt. 10:16.) Who were watching for Him at the feast? (11:56.) What different opinions about Him did the people express? Was either of these opinions the whole truth about Him? Was there a similar diversity of opinion about Him on any other occasion? (vv. 26, 27, 40–43; 9:16; 10:19–21; Matt. 16:13–16; Mark 6:14, 15.) What did this reveal as to the people themselves? (Luke 6:45.) Is what a man thinks of our Lord today any test of what he is in his heart? (John 3:18–21.) By what were those who believed in Him deterred from an open confession of Him? (v. 13; 9:22, 23, 34; 12:42, 43; 19:38; Gal. 2:12, 13; 2 Tim. 2:9–13.) Is it enough to believe in Jesus in secret? (Matt. 10:32, 33; Ro. 10:9, 10.) 3. Our Lord and the Wondering People, vv. 14–24 When did our Lord first appear in public during the feast? What did He then do? Was He accustomed to go to the temple to teach? (8:2; 18:20; Luke 19:47.) Why? What prophecy was thus fulfilled? (Hag. 2:7–9; Mal. 3:1.) What was the effect of His teaching? (vv. 15, 46; Matt. 7:28, 29; 22:22, 33; Luke 2:47.) Does His teaching appear equally remarkable to fair-minded men today? What made it especially difficult for the Jews to understand how He should be such a remarkable teacher of the truth? What did they mean by saying He had “never learned”? Are there any today who think a man can know nothing unless he has been to the rabbinical schools? What was His own answer to the question: “How knoweth this Man letters” (v. 16, R. V.)? Was this a reasonable answer? Is there any other reasonable way in which to account for the unparalleled wisdom of the teaching of our Lord? To what extent is His teaching the teaching of God? (3:11, 31–34; 8:28; 12:49, 50; 14:10, 24; 17:8, 14.) What must a man do if he is to know for himself to a certainty that the teaching of Jesus is the teaching of God (v. 17)? Whose glory is that man seeking who speaks for himself? Was our Lord seeking His own glory? (5:41; 8:49, 50.) Whose glory was He seeking? Whose glory should each one of us seek? If one feels hurt when he hears of some one else who has been greatly used in God’s work, what does it prove as to whose glory he is seeking? If one rejoices when he hears that others are being used more than he is, what does it prove as to whose glory he is seeking? (Num. 11:29.) What does our Lord say of the man who seeks not his own glory but the glory of Him that sent him (v. 18)? Who did Jesus say gave the law? To what law did He refer? Is it the opinion of all scholars today that Moses gave this law? Who is right about this, Jesus or these modern scholars? How many of the Jews kept the law? (v. 19; Matt. 23:2–4; Ro. 2:12, 13, 17–29; 3:10–23; Gal. 6:13.) What startling question did our Lord now put to them? What did the people reply? Was He accused on any other occasion of having a devil or being crazy? (8:48, 52; 10:20; Mark 3:21.) Ought we to grieve if people accuse us of being crazy because of our loyalty to the truth? (Matt. 10:25; Acts 26:24.) Was our Lord right in supposing that they were trying to kill Him? (5:16–18; 10:31, 32, 39; 11:53; Mark 3:4–6.) Did not the people know that they were trying to kill Him? (v. 25.) To what work does He refer in v. 21? (5:9–11.) How does He prove that it was right according to their own law and usage for Him to heal this man on the Sabbath day (22, 23)? How did He tell them to judge? (8:15; Is. 11:3, 4.) CLASSIFICATION OF TEACHINGS 1. God Sent our Lord into the world, gave Him the doctrine that He should teach, 16; reveals to any man who wills to do His will that the doctrine of our Lord is His own doctrine, 17; man should seek God’s glory—not his own, should teach God’s doctrine—not his own, should surrender his will absolutely to God, 16–18. 2. Our Lord (1). What He did: Retired from Judea where the Jews sought to kill Him, to Galilee where He would be comparatively safe, 1; avoided publicity, 4, 10; patiently awaited His time, 6, 8; testified to the world that its works were evil, 7; obeyed the Mosaic law, 10; went up into the temple and taught, 14; spoke not from Himself but from God, 16; sought not His own glory, sought the glory of Him that sent Him, 18; made an entire man sound on the Sabbath day, 23; judged not according to appearance but judged righteous judgment, 24. (2). How He was treated: Misunderstood and disbelieved in by His own brothers, 3–5; hated by the world, 7; called a deceiver by some of the people, considered a good man by some, 12; not confessed by the multitude for fear of man, 13; marvelled at because of His teaching, 15; the Jews sought to kill Him, 19; accused of having a devil by the people, 20. 3. The Brothers of Our Lord Longed for the praise of men, 3, 4; disbelieved in Jesus, 5; in agreement with the world, 7; observed the outward forms of religion, 10. 4. Unbelief Its unreasonableness—refuses to be convinced by sufficient evidence, 5; cannot see the beauty in our Lord though it is right before its eyes, 5; ostentatious vanity, 3, 4; agreement with the world, 7; unfairness, misrepresentations, 20; cure, a surrendered will, 17.