This is a simplified version of the Bible story found in John 7:1-13, written for children to understand. For the original version, please refer to the Bible passage.
Jesus was traveling around a place called Galilee. He didn’t want to go to Judea because some people there wanted to hurt him. It was time for a big festival called the Feast of Booths.
Jesus’ brothers told Him, “Why don’t you go to Judea and show your disciples the amazing things you can do? If you want people to know about your great works, you should not keep them a secret. Go and show yourself to the world.”
But Jesus’ brothers didn’t really believe in Him, so he told them, “My time has not yet come, but your time is always here. The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify about it that its works are evil. You go up to the feast. I am not going up to this feast, for my time has not yet fully come.”
After his brothers left, Jesus went to the festival too, but He didn’t go openly. The people there were wondering and they were asking, “Where is he?” Some people were talking about him in whispers, saying, “He’s a good man,” while others said, “No, he’s leading the people astray.” No one said anything openly about him because they were afraid of the leaders.
Biblical Lessons
- Jesus knew when it was the right time to show himself to the world.
- Jesus’ reluctance to go to the festival publicly shows that he was not seeking fame or recognition, but instead focused on doing God’s will.
- The story highlights the persecution that Jesus faced for speaking the truth about the world’s evil works. This shows us that following God’s path may lead to difficulties and hardships, but it is important to remain steadfast in our faith.