REACTIONS TO JESUS.
John 7:40-53.
JOHN 7:40. “Many of the people therefore, when they heard this saying, said, Of a truth this is the Prophet.”
Moses had prophesied that ‘The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto Him shalt thou hearken” (Deuteronomy 18:15). “The saying” refers to Jesus’ calling believers to Himself as the fountain of life (John 7:37-38). “Many of the people” were therefore convinced that Jesus “is truly the Prophet.”
JOHN 7:41a. “Others said, This is the Christ
Expectations were running high, that “the Christ,” or “Messiah” (understood as some kind of temporal redeemer) was about to appear in order to deliver Judaea from Roman rule.
JOHN 7:41b. “But some said, Shall Christ come out of Galilee?”
This comment sounds both sarcastic and prejudiced. These speakers evidently had a better knowledge of the scriptures prophesying that Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2). Yet here He was, and they mistakenly thought that they knew all about His origins, so they rejected Him.
JOHN 7:42. “Hath not the scripture said, That Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was?”
It is possible to have head knowledge of the Scriptures, and yet still not to see Jesus for who He is. This was the tragedy of these particular well-versed would-be Bible students.
JOHN 7:43. “So there was a division among the people because of Him.”
Jesus Himself said, somewhat prophetically, ‘that He came not to bring peace, but rather division’ (Luke 12:51).
JOHN 7:44. “And some of them would have taken Him; but no man laid hands on Him.”
Some of them were desirous to apprehend Jesus. Yet the miracle continued: Jesus had His own timetable, and no man could yet touch Him.
JOHN 7:45-46. “Then came the officers to the chief priests and Pharisees; and they said unto them, Why have ye not brought Him?. The officers answered, Never man spake like this man.”
These men were not the first to be impressed by Jesus’ teaching. ‘He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes’ (Matthew 7:29).
Furthermore, they were impressed by His hold over the people. They could hardly apprehend Him while so many of the people were lapping up His teaching.
JOHN 7:47. “Then answered the Pharisees, Are ye also deceived?”
These words are angry: ‘You have failed in your mission; have you also been led astray?’
JOHN 7:48. “Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on Him?
This is sarcasm: ‘None of the rulers or Pharisees (the people who really count!) have believed on Him.’
JOHN 7:49. “But this people who knoweth not the law are cursed.”
This is contempt: ‘These people who know nothing (unlike us!) are cursed.’
JOHN 7:50-51. “Nicodemus saith unto them, (he that came to Jesus by night, being one of them,) Doth our law judge any man before it hear him, and know what he doeth?’
So, from a secret admirer of Jesus (John 3:1-2), Nicodemus became a fearless upholder of justice on His behalf. Now they knew that they were wrong to imagine that none of their number believed in Jesus!
The question was quite reasonable, and would be appropriate in any fair society. To condemn without trial is the work of a lynch mob.
JOHN 7:52. “They answered and said unto Him, Art thou also of Galilee? Search, and look: for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet.”
Literally, “A prophet out of Galilee has not arisen.” What, never? What about Elijah, Elisha, and Ahab? Or had they not heard how that Messiah’s light was to shine in ‘Galilee of the nations’ (Isaiah 9:1-2)?
JOHN 7:53. “And every man went unto his own house.”
In this unreasonable temper, the council all went home.
