John 7:25-44 – Questions About Jesus’ Identity
Quick Summary
In John 7:25–44, debate about Jesus’ identity intensifies during the Festival of Booths. Some wonder if he is the Messiah, others are confused by his Galilean background, and temple guards marvel at his teaching. The passage reveals the division that Jesus brings and the hope he offers as the source of living water.
Introduction
The Festival of Booths (Sukkot, also called the Feast of Tabernacles) was a time of joy, remembering God’s provision in the wilderness. In the temple courts, Jesus taught openly, and the crowds could not ignore him. Some believed he was the Messiah, others rejected him because of their assumptions about where the Messiah should come from. In the middle of this festival, with its rituals of water and light, Jesus makes a striking promise about rivers of living water flowing from those who believe in him.
This passage brings us to the heart of the tension in John’s Gospel. Who is Jesus? Can he really be the Messiah? And if so, what kind of Messiah is he? John shows us that Jesus’ identity cannot be confined to human expectations—he is the one sent from the Father, the true source of life.
John 7:25–27 – The People Question Jesus’ Origins
“Now some of the people of Jerusalem were saying, ‘Is not this the man whom they are trying to kill? And here he is, speaking openly, but they say nothing to him! Can it be that the authorities really know that this is the Messiah? Yet we know where this man is from; but when the Messiah comes, no one will know where he is from.’” (John 7:25–27)
The people are baffled. On the one hand, the authorities want Jesus dead, yet he teaches freely in the temple. Could this mean the leaders secretly believe he is the Messiah? At the same time, they dismiss him because they think they know his origins. Their expectation was that the Messiah would appear in a mysterious or hidden way. Because Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee, they struggle to reconcile their expectations with his reality.
John highlights a recurring theme: people see Jesus, but they do not truly perceive him. His true origin is not Galilee but the Father himself.
John 7:28–31 – Sent from the Father
“Then Jesus cried out, as he was teaching in the temple, ‘You know me, and you know where I am from. I have not come on my own. But the one who sent me is true, and you do not know him. I know him, because I am from him, and he sent me.’ Then they tried to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him, because his hour had not yet come. Yet many in the crowd believed in him and were saying, ‘When the Messiah comes, will he do more signs than this man has done?’”(John 7:28–31)
Jesus raises his voice in the temple, insisting that his true origin is from God. This is the heart of his identity—he has been sent by the Father. The people think they know him because they see only his human background in Nazareth and Galilee, but they miss his divine origin. John has already stressed in the prologue that the Word was with God and was God before taking on flesh (John 1:1–14). Jesus is not a self-made teacher but the one sent from the Father’s presence.
The authorities’ rejection shows they do not truly know God, even though they claim to guard his law. Their opposition reveals spiritual blindness—the very Scriptures they cherish point to Jesus, yet they refuse to come to him for life (John 5:39–40). John notes that no one could arrest him because “his hour had not yet come.” God’s sovereign timing governs the story; human anger cannot hasten or delay it.
Meanwhile, some in the crowd believe. They reason that if the Messiah were to come, he could not do more signs than Jesus has already performed—from turning water into wine (John 2:1–11) to feeding thousands in the wilderness (John 6:1–15). Their reasoning shows that miracles point beyond themselves to Jesus’ identity. Here we see the dividing line clearly drawn: rejection and belief stand side by side, and each person must choose how to respond to the one sent by the Father.
John 7:32–36 – Where I Am, You Cannot Come
“The Pharisees heard the crowd muttering such things about him, and the chief priests and Pharisees sent temple police to arrest him. Jesus then said, ‘I will be with you a little while longer, and then I am going to him who sent me. You will search for me, but you will not find me; and where I am, you cannot come.’ The Jews said to one another, ‘Where does this man intend to go that we will not find him? Does he intend to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks and teach the Greeks? What does he mean by saying, “You will search for me and you will not find me” and “Where I am, you cannot come”?’” (John 7:32–36)
The authorities send guards to arrest Jesus, but his words again baffle the people. He speaks of returning to the Father—the place where his opponents cannot follow. They misunderstand, thinking he might leave Judea to teach Jews scattered among the Greeks. Ironically, their speculation points to the gospel’s future expansion into the Gentile world. The Festival of Booths, which celebrated God dwelling with his people, becomes a stage for Jesus to declare that his presence will not remain with them long.
John 7:37–39 – Rivers of Living Water
“On the last day of the festival, the great day, while Jesus was standing there, he cried out, ‘Let anyone who is thirsty come to me, and let the one who believes in me drink. As the scripture has said, “Out of the believer’s heart shall flow rivers of living water.”’ Now he said this about the Spirit, which believers in him were to receive; for as yet there was no Spirit, because Jesus was not yet glorified.” (John 7:37–39)
During Sukkot, the water-pouring ceremony recalled God’s provision in the wilderness and prayed for rain. Against this backdrop, Jesus invites the thirsty to come to him. He promises living water, a reference to the Holy Spirit that will flow through believers after his glorification.
This is one of the Gospel’s richest moments of symbolism. Jesus fulfills the deepest hopes of the Festival of Booths. He is the true source of life-giving water, echoing the promise to the Samaritan woman (John 4:14).
John 7:40–44 – Division Among the People
“When they heard these words, some in the crowd said, ‘This is really the prophet.’ Others said, ‘This is the Messiah.’ But some asked, ‘Surely the Messiah does not come from Galilee, does he? Has not the scripture said that the Messiah is descended from David and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David lived?’ So there was a division in the crowd because of him. Some of them wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him.” (John 7:40–44)
The crowd is split. Some see Jesus as the prophet like Moses, others as the Messiah, and still others reject him because they assume he cannot fulfill the biblical expectation. They are unaware of his true birth in Bethlehem, fulfilling Micah 5:2. Division marks the entire scene—Jesus cannot be ignored, and people must decide who he is.
John 7:25–44 Meaning for Today
This passage reminds us that Jesus provokes a response. Some are drawn to him, others reject him, but no one remains neutral. His identity forces a decision. The living water he promises speaks to our deepest thirst, offering life through the Spirit.
We also see how human assumptions can blind us. The crowd dismissed Jesus because of his Galilean background, overlooking the truth of his divine origin. We are called to judge not by appearances but with discernment, recognizing Jesus as the one sent from the Father. His invitation still stands: “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me.”
FAQ: John 7:25–44
Why were the people divided about Jesus?
Some believed he was the Messiah, others rejected him because they thought the Messiah could not come from Galilee. Their confusion reveals both expectation and misunderstanding.
What does Jesus mean by rivers of living water?
It refers to the Holy Spirit, whom believers would receive after Jesus’ glorification. The Spirit would become an inner source of life, overflowing to others.
Why couldn’t the authorities arrest Jesus?
Because his hour had not yet come. John emphasizes that God’s timing, not human schemes, governs the unfolding of events.
What role does the Festival of Booths play in this passage?
Its rituals of water and joy provide the backdrop for Jesus’ promise of living water and highlight his fulfillment of God’s provision.
Sources / Further Reading
Raymond E. Brown, John (AYB), John 7
D. A. Carson, John (PNTC), John 7
Gail R. O’Day, John (NIB), John 7
Craig S. Keener, The Gospel of John, John 7
Andreas J. Köstenberger, John (BECNT), John 7
Related Content
John 4 – The Samaritan Woman at the Well (connection with living water)
John 6:22–59 – The Bread of Life Discourse (parallel imagery of life and sustenance)
Revelation 7:9–17 – The Great Multitude in White Robes (living water theme fulfilled in Revelation)
1 John 5:1–12 – Faith in the Son of God (believing Jesus is the Son = life through him)
