THE ORIGIN OF JESUS.
John 7:25-31.
JOHN 7:25. “Then said some of them of Jerusalem, Is not this He, whom they seek to kill?”
These evidently are not the same as the people who had earlier asked, ‘Who goeth about to kill thee?’ (John 7:20). These are residents of Jerusalem, who knew fine well that “the rulers” sought to kill Him (cf. John 7:1).
JOHN 7:26. “But, lo, He speaketh boldly, and they say nothing unto Him. Do the rulers know indeed that this is the very Christ?”
What these city dwellers were observing was the restraining power of God. For the time being, the power of God thwarted every attempt to harm Jesus because “His hour was not yet come” (cf. John 7:30).
The Greek of this question asks, “Have those who rule truly recognised that this is truly the Christ?” It is an expression of amazement at the apparent inaction of Jesus’ would-be persecutors.
JOHN 7:27. “Howbeit we know this man whence He is: but when Christ cometh no man knoweth whence He is.”
These people thought they knew all about Jesus’ origins. He was widely known as ‘Jesus of Nazareth.’ And the popular belief was that Messiah’s appearance would be sudden, unexpected, and would catch people by surprise.
JOHN 7:28. “Then cried Jesus in the temple as He taught, saying, Ye both know me, and ye know whence I am: and I am not come of myself, but He that sent me is true, whom ye know not.”
Jesus cried out, in full hearing of all the people, in effect, ‘As to the flesh, you think you know who I am, and where I am from.’ However, “I am come not of myself” but of the Father which sent me (cf. John 6:38-40). He is the true and living God of Israel, whom ye think ye know, but “whom ye know not.”
JOHN 7:29. “But I know Him: for I am from Him, and He hath sent me.”
“I am from Him” declares the relationship which has existed between the Father and the Son from all eternity. Jesus is come from God, not just as a prophet is come from God: but He is THE Sent One of the Father, the Redeemer of mankind, the only Saviour of sinners, the Christ of God.
JOHN 7:30. “Then they sought to take Him: but no man laid hands on Him, because His hour was not yet come.”
The people obviously understood Jesus to be claiming that He is the Messiah. Earlier He had said ‘that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God’ (John 5:18). Now He was saying, “I am come from Him, and He hath sent me” (John 7:29). This excited the anger of the unbelieving, but again we see the restraining power of God: “no man laid hands on Him because His hour was not yet come.”
JOHN 7:31. “And many of the people believed on Him, and said, When Christ cometh, will He do more miracles than these which this man hath done?”
For some, what Jesus had done in His ministry so far was quite sufficient to convince them that this was indeed the Christ. They “believed on Him.”
As for the rest, well, the proverb is true: there are none so blind as those who do not want to see.
