A common objection claims that Jesus violated his own command for honesty ('Let what you say be simply yes or no' - Matthew 5:37) when he told his brothers he would not go to the Feast of Tabernacles, but later went secretly (John 7:8-10). This objection fundamentally misunderstands the cultural context. In the ancient world, control of one's speech was a paramount concern, and ritual etiquette demanded that one not give offense to others in public.

Like in many Eastern societies today, a person might purposely give an indirect or incomplete answer to avoid conflict. Modern Westerners consider this a vice, but the ancients did not. It was a matter of moral hierarchy: if speaking openly betrayed the interest of a higher mission or someone to whom one was loyal, etiquette dictated saying one thing publicly and doing another privately. Jesus' initial response allowed him to act on terms favorable to his interests as the mediator of the new covenant, rather than the interests of outsiders. Notably, nowhere in the Gospels is Jesus criticized by his contemporaries for this, because such behavior was considered honorable and wise, not deceptive.