John 7:32-36, Officers Sent to Arrest Jesus

32 The Pharisees heard the crowd muttering these things about him, and the chief priests and Pharisees sent officers to arrest him. 33 Jesus then said, "I will be with you a little longer, and then I am going to him who sent me. 34 You will seek me and you will not find me. Where I am you cannot come." 35 The Jews said to one another, "Where does this man intend to go that we will not find him? Does he intend to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks and teach the Greeks? 36 What does he mean by saying, 'You will seek me and you will not find me,' and, 'Where I am you cannot come'?"

Jesus is talking about his death, burial, resurrection, ascension, but no one listening to him understands what he means. He does have a mission to the Jews dispersed among the Greeks, or Gentiles, and a mission to the Gentiles. This mission, however, must wait until after his death and resurrection and ascension when he will send his Spirit to direct this mission through his disciples and especially through the Apostle Paul.

There are officers at Jesus’ side in verse 32 to arrest him, yet Jesus treats them as though they are not there. In the next verse they aren’t! In John’s Gospel we see the Father and the Son working perfectly together in their sovereignty at all times to fulfill their plans for salvation. Jesus is secure from the plans of the Jewish leaders until they align with the Father’s timing. Then he will go to be with the Father at his right hand, and from there he will direct the Spirit to realize his purposes across all ages for those called to him by the Father.

Do you comprehend the sovereignty of God in Christ? In your prayer time, try reading this prayer from the Book of Common Prayer:

Almighty and everlasting God, whose will it is to restore all things in your well-beloved Son, the King of kings and Lord of lords: Mercifully grant that the people of the earth, divided and enslaved by sin, may be freed and brought together under his most gracious rule; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (BCP p. 254)