What is the meaning of John 7:6?

Therefore Jesus told them,

Jesus addresses His unbelieving brothers (John 7:3-5) in direct, personal terms.

• “Therefore” links back to their suggestion that He display Himself publicly; He answers with loving firmness.

• Christ’s words carry divine authority, echoing the Father’s perfect plan (John 5:19; John 12:49).

• Speaking truth even to skeptical family members models faithful witness (Matthew 13:57).

Cross reference: Luke 4:30 shows Jesus calmly walking away when the Father’s timing is not right, underscoring His sovereign control over every moment.

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Although your time is always at hand,

• His brothers could go to the Feast whenever they pleased; they operated on human schedules.

• Apart from faith, people act on convenience rather than calling (Proverbs 16:9; James 4:13-15).

• The phrase highlights the world’s freedom—yet danger—to act without regard for God’s timetable (Ephesians 2:2).

• It contrasts earthly urgency with heavenly direction, reminding believers to “make the most of every opportunity” (Ephesians 5:16) according to God’s will.

Cross reference: Psalm 31:15, “My times are in Your hands,” describes the safe place of trusting divine timing.

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My time has not yet come.

• Jesus’ life moved by the Father’s clock; every step pointed to the predestined hour of the cross (John 12:27).

• Earlier He said, “My hour has not yet come” at Cana (John 2:4) and later repeated it as crowds sought to seize Him (John 8:20), proving sovereign protection until the appointed moment.

• The phrase affirms prophetic precision: Daniel 9:26 predicted Messiah’s cut-off, and Galatians 4:4 declares He came “when the fullness of time had come.”

• Believers learn patient trust—waiting, not rushing—confident that God’s purposes ripen on schedule (Habakkuk 2:3).

Cross reference: John 13:1, “Jesus knew that His hour had come,” shows the shift from waiting to stepping into sacrificial mission exactly when ordained.

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summary

John 7:6 draws a sharp line between human impulse and divine appointment. Christ, fully aligned with the Father, refuses to act on merely convenient timing, teaching us to reject self-directed urgency and rest in God’s sovereign schedule. Our days may feel “always at hand,” yet true fruitfulness comes only when we walk in step with the Lord whose perfect time never fails.