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In this thirteenth installment, expounding the book of John, John Ritenbaugh, reflecting upon Jesus' calculation upon the time of arrival at the Feast of Tabernacles, indicates that Jesus carefully took into account many variables (His notoriety, the maximum density of the crowd, the possibility of egress from intense persecution) in order to maximize His effectiveness at this event. The myriad opinions of the crowd concerning Jesus (Pharisee, Sadducee, etc) were all conditioned from their parochial perspectives and traditions (judging by superficial surface appearances rather than righteous judgment), but hardly ever from God's perspective. Jesus demonstrated that the only way to learn the doctrine of God is by doing it. He also taught us to look for God not only in the extraordinary, but also in the ordinary. Jesus warns the crowd [and us by extension] that the time to seek God is now, while we still have a sense of spiritual need (or hunger) lest we permanently miss out on the opportunity. Cuing in on a water ceremony performed daily at the Feast, Jesus drew a spiritual lesson on the Last Great Day, dramatizing the need for God's Holy Spirit (symbolized by water) without measure. Amazingly, throughout these dramatic encounters with the public, Jesus had deliberately chosen a course that would lead to His death rather than to immediate power and adulation.

Academic credentials Blasphemy Cast out of synagogue Circumcision Concision Galilee Healing on the Sabbath Hora Judge with righteousness Mutilation Nicodemus Opportunity Pharisees Pharisee's attitude toward common ordinary person Rabbinic law Water ceremony Yentil

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