Joh 7:3 | RWP | e4.org | His brethren ( ο αδελφο αυτου ). "His brothers" (half-brothers actually), who "were not believing on him" ( ουδε επιστευον εις αυτον ) as stated in verse . They were hostile to the Messianic assumptions of Jesus, a natural attitude as one can well see, though at first they were friendly ( ). Depart hence ( μεταβηθ εντευθεν ). Second aorist active imperative of μεταβαινω , to pass to another place ( ; ). It was impertinence on their part. That thy disciples also may behold ( ινα κα ο μαθητα σου θεωρησουσιν ). Final clause with ινα and the future active indicative of θεωρεω . Jesus had many disciples in Judea at the start ( ; ) and had left it because of the jealousy of the Pharisees over his success ( ). The brothers may have heard of the great defection in the synagogue in Capernaum ( ), but the advice is clearly ironical. Which thou doest ( α ποιεις ). To what works they refer by this language we do not know. But Jesus had been away from Galilee for some months and from Judea for a year and a half. Perhaps the brothers of Jesus may actually have been eager to rush Jesus into the hostile atmosphere of Jerusalem again.

‏ John 7:3

His brethren ( ο αδελφο αυτου ). "His brothers" (half-brothers actually), who "were not believing on him" ( ουδε επιστευον εις αυτον ) as stated in verse 5. They were hostile to the Messianic assumptions of Jesus, a natural attitude as one can well see, though at first they were friendly (2:12).

Depart hence ( μεταβηθ εντευθεν ). Second aorist active imperative of μεταβαινω, to pass to another place (5:24; 13:1). It was impertinence on their part.

That thy disciples also may behold ( ινα κα ο μαθητα σου θεωρησουσιν ). Final clause with ινα and the future active indicative of θεωρεω. Jesus had many disciples in Judea at the start (2:23; 4:1) and had left it because of the jealousy of the Pharisees over his success (4:3). The brothers may have heard of the great defection in the synagogue in Capernaum (6:66), but the advice is clearly ironical.

Which thou doest ( α ποιεις ). To what works they refer by this language we do not know. But Jesus had been away from Galilee for some months and from Judea for a year and a half. Perhaps the brothers of Jesus may actually have been eager to rush Jesus into the hostile atmosphere of Jerusalem again.