Jesus messing with the Authorities in Judea

Fugitive 5: Dodging Arrest at the Feast of Tabernacles

Jews lived in booths to remember their 40 years in the desert.

"Go to the Feast of Tabernacles," say his brothers.

The four brothers of Jesus advised him that if he were to be taken seriously as a prophet, he needed to be seen in Judea. The 7-day Feast of Tabernacles was at hand (October 12-18, AD 29), but Jesus said he wasn't going, at least publicly (John 7:1-9). He did indeed go, and that may have occasioned the incident with the woman caught in the act of adultery. Jesus alternately kept hidden, or appeared in great crowds where the authorities hesitated to arrest him lest it cause a riot.

Jesus was busy. John records 4 other events during this sojourn in Judea, while Luke records no less than 12 additional events. All these took place within a month or so after the Feast of Tabernacles.

A. Jesus travels to the Feast of Tabernacles in secret, making a public appearance teaching in the temple on the 4th day of the feast, and again on the final day. Officers were actually sent to arrest Jesus, but they were instead astounded at his teaching (John 7:10-52). The captain of the temple guard  was an ex officio member of the Sanhedrin, the supreme council of the Jews. Although the chief priests had issued a warrant for Jesus' arrest, the temple guard was not cooperative. There is no mention of an appeal to the Roman authorities for his arrest;  possibly that would have been denied out of hand.

B. During this visit it is possible that the woman caught in adultery was brought to Jesus, although it may have occurred during some other visit of Jesus to the temple. (John 7:53-8:11 was not in the original Gospel as written by John, but was inserted some time later.)

C. Four more events recorded by John's Gospel:

-  In the treasury of the temple, Jesus calls himself the light of the world (8:12-30).

-  The Pharisees won't accept Jesus' prophecy and plot to destroy him (8:21-59).

-  Jesus heals a man born blind on the Sabbath, infuriating the Pharisees (9:1-41).

-  Jesus relates the Parable of the Good Shepherd (10:1-41).

D. Twelve events recorded by Luke's Gospel:

-  Jesus teaches on the cost of following Jesus (9:58-62).

-  72 disciples are sent out to the villages and towns of Judea, and return later with their testimonies (10:1-24). Jesus wanted to follow this up with a personal visit to each of the villages, but there was not enough time left in his ministry to accomplish that. Instead, the risen Jesus gives that as his first command for what his disciples are to do.

-  A teacher of the Law hears the story of the Good Samaritan (10:25-37).

-  Jesus takes refuge with Martha and Mary in Bethany (10:38-42). This was not far from Jerusalem, but apparently the chief priests and Pharisees either did not know where he was, or lacked the wherewithal to send out an arresting party.

-  Jesus gives a lesson on prayer, including the Lord's Prayer (11:1-13).

-  Jesus is accused of being from Beelzebub, an insulting name for the devil (11:14-36).

-  Jesus tells of judgment coming against Pharisees and teachers of the law (11:37-54).

-  Jesus deals with hypocrisy, etc., and tells the parable of the rich fool (12:1-59).

-  Jesus' teaching: news of the day vs. "repent or perish" (13:1-5).

-  Jesus tells the parable of  the non-producing fig tree (13:6-9).

-  A crippled woman is healed on the Sabbath, right after the synagogue service, further infuriating the Pharisees (13:10-17).

After these things, Jesus went to hide out across the Jordan River in Perea.

This is the fifth of an 8-part series on the visits of Jesus to Judea.