After this, Jesus went around in Galilee. He did not want to go about in Judea because the Jewish leaders there were looking for a way to kill him. But when the Jewish Festival of Tabernacles was near, Jesus’ brothers said to him, “Leave Galilee and go to Judea, so that your disciples there may see the works you do. No one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret. Since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world.” For even his own brothers did not believe in him.
Therefore Jesus told them, “My time is not yet here; for you any time will do. The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify that its works are evil. You go to the festival. I am not going up to this festival, because my time has not yet fully come.” After he had said this, he stayed in Galilee. However, after his brothers had left for the festival, he went also, not publicly, but in secret. Now at the festival the Jewish leaders were watching for Jesus and asking, “Where is he?” Among the crowds there was widespread whispering about him. Some said, “He is a good man.” Others replied, “No, he deceives the people.”
Jesus practice seems to have been to live and preach in Galilee and to go up to Jerusalem for the feasts. However, he had to be circumspect about his visits to Jerusalem since he had already raise the antagonism of the Jewish leaders and he had not yer completed his preparation for the final Passover act. Therefore, when his brothers advise him to go to the capital, for what are worldly reasons, he easily resists them while intending to go up secretly afterwards.
Although his brother James later became leader of the church in Jerusalem, at this time his brothers were unbelievers.
We must all be circumspect about taking advice from the world even if it comes from people close to home.
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