Monday 13 July 2026

Psalm 73:15-28

Background
Knowing the religious authorities were keen to have him killed, Jesus wanted to stay in the northern province of Galilee and avoid going to the southern province of Judea, which contained the city of Jerusalem. Judea was more strictly under Roman control, and it would be easy for the Jewish leaders to present Jesus as a promoter of unwanted discord and seek his death.

However, the brothers of Jesus urged him to abandon confining his ministry to rural Galilee and instead to showcase his miraculous powers at the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles (or Booths) in Jerusalem. John 's Gospel says the brothers did not yet believe that Jesus was the Messiah and so their demand for public miracles was probably as much to convince themselves as to convince others of Jesus’ true status.

The Feast celebrated God’s protection of the Israelites during their 40 years in the desert after escaping from slavery in Egypt, but it had become a kind of autumn harvest festival, drawing immense crowds on a par with the festivals of Passover and Shavuot (or Pentecost). In Matthew 13:55 the four brothers are named as being James, Joseph, Simon and Judas (or Jude). Christians have disagreed on the precise relationship of these four men with Jesus. Protestant churches usually describe them as being half-brothers, but the Eastern Orthodox church says they were stepbrothers and the Catholic Church says they were cousins because those churches believe Mary remained a virgin. James later became the leader of the Early Church in Jerusalem and epistles thought to have been written by him and Jude were included in the New Testament.

Jesus opted not to go with his brothers, but to go secretly to Jerusalem. Amid the immense crowds he sought to remain unidentified.

To Ponder:

• Jesus refused to let his brothers dictate his schedule. Do I allow the expectations of friends, family or society to rush me into decisions before the time is right?
• The brothers wanted Jesus to provide miracles for public recognition. Am I motivated by a desire for validation, applause and visibility, or am I content to serve in secret if that is what God wants?
• The people in Jerusalem spoke in whispers about Jesus because they feared the religious leaders. Am I holding back from standing up for my faith or speaking the truth because I fear the social consequences?

Prayer
Lord, you knew the right time to step forward. When I face pressure, misunderstanding or the judgment of the world, guide me into making the right moves and give me the courage to stand firm in your truth and love. Amen.

Bible notes author: Gary Best
Gary was headmaster of Kingswood School from 1987 to 2008 and volunteer warden of the New Room in Bristol from 2009 to 2019. He has published over 20 books, including The Christian Alphabet, a study book for home groups.