So his brothers said to him, “Leave here and go to Judea so that your disciples can see your works that you are doing. For no one does anything in secret while he’s seeking public recognition. If you do these things, show yourself to the world.” (For not even his brothers believed in him.) Jesus told them, “My time has not yet arrived, but your time is always at hand.” (7:3-6)
These chapters in John are packed with a lot of dialogue and a lot of details regarding the ministry of Jesus. He was at the height of His public ministry and was revealing Himself to the people of Israel and the world through His preaching, teaching, and miracles. However, as you can see, His brothers did not quite believe in Him yet. We know that after the resurrection they came to believe in Him and even became church leaders. At this point, though, they are skeptics and mockers. I wonder how they looked back on those early years with regret after they came to know Him as Lord and not just a brother?
These chapters are also rife with the theme of the timing and sovereignty of God. Jesus understood that the Father had a will and a plan for Him and He was intent on following the Father’s instructions above all else. This not only entailed “what” He did but also the “when” and the “how” He did it. Like the brothers of Jesus, we tend to be pragmatic about things. If this is what you are after, then rush off and do this obvious thing. Jesus was never about doing the obvious thing; He was always about doing the things the Father had given Him to do.
In the verses above, Jesus criticizes His brothers and tells them, “your time is always at hand.” In other words, you live lives of expediency. You do what you want when you want and you are operating out of the realm of your own wisdom, ideas, and pragmatism. For most people, everything is always about the “here and now.” There is little thought for the future and there is typically little thoughtfulness about anything. Most people who don’t know God live for themselves and the flesh, and they are always after getting what they want as soon as they can get it. Jesus is always on the Father’s timetable and as children of God, we should strive to be the like Him. It is not about what you want or when you want it; life is about following God’s path and doing it at His speed. After all, He has a plan for you.
