Did Jesus lie to His brothers in John 7:8–10?

from the old testament

• This question relates to a moment recorded in the Gospel of John, which is not found in the Old Testament.

from the new testament

• The concern is whether Jesus contradicted Himself when He told His brothers He was not going up to the Feast of Booths and then went later (John 7:8–10). John reminded the readers about the real hostility He would have faced, saying, “He would not go about in Judea, because the Jews were seeking to kill him” (John 7:1).
• John wrote that the brothers, who did not believe in Him (John 7:5), were teasing Him to reveal who He was publicly (John 7:3–4). So, they were not inviting Him—they were mocking Him and, unintentionally, pushing for His likely death if He showed up. Jesus discerns motives (John 2:24–25) and wisely declined their plan.
• The core of this answer lies in how John repeatedly mentioned Jesus’ “hour” not yet arriving (John 2:4; John 8:20). In this exchange, Jesus said, “My time has not yet come, but your time is always here. The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify about it that its works are evil. You go up to the feast. I am not going up to this feast, for my time has not yet fully come” (John 7:6–8). He was indicating that if He went, He would be killed, and it was not yet His time to die.
• Unlike the public way his brothers wanted, Jesus left quietly afterward to arrive secretly (John 7:10). So, Jesus rejected his brothers’ method of revealing Himself and chose a path that aligned with the Father’s will and avoided an early public confrontation.
• A small detail in the text helps clarify the reading. Some older manuscripts include the word “yet” in verse 8, reflected in translations that read, “I am not yet going” (KJV, NKJV). Even though “yet” is not in the primary manuscripts, that is a reasonable deduction based on the context. He was not going then or with His brothers, but He still planned to go His own way.
• Scripture consistently portrays Jesus as divine (i.e., John 1:1) and, therefore, incapable of sinning (Hebrews 4:15; 1 Peter 2:22; 1 John 3:5). As a result, lying would conflict with His nature. John gives no indication of deception during the interaction with Jesus and the brothers. Instead, it seems to be a refusal to give in to unbelieving pressure.

implications for today

Because Jesus always tells the truth, you can trust what He says. Every promise He makes is sure, every warning is real, and every command is trustworthy. Unlike people, whose words fail, His are unshakable (Titus 1:2).

This means your faith has a strong foundation. When Jesus says He gives eternal life, you can feel secure in that promise (John 10:28). When He promises to return, you can live with hope and readiness (John 14:3). And when He declares Himself as the way, the truth, and the life, you can be confident that only through Him do we find the Father (John 14:6).

So, why not lean on Jesus with confidence? In a world full of confusing voices, Jesus remains honest and faithful. Building your life on His words isn’t just safe—it’s life-giving. His integrity guarantees salvation for everyone who believes. Trust in Him and experience the peace and hope that come from a solid, unshakeable foundation.