João 7
Steven Cole · Citado em PreceptAustin
João 7
Cole - The arrogance and contempt of the Pharisees for anyone who was even remotely supportive of Jesus is not disguised here! They incredulously ask the temple officers (Jn 7:47-48), “You have not also been led astray, have you? No one of the rulers or Pharisees has believed in Him, has he?” (Again, with some irony, John is setting the stage for Nicodemus’ protest in Jn 7:51.) A T
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Cole - Nicodemus, whom John reminds us had come to Jesus before, who was one of them (a Pharisee), said (Jn 7:51), “Our Law does not judge a man unless it first hears from him and knows what he is doing, does it?” Warren
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Cole - The brothers’ advice to Jesus was similar to the temptation that Satan put before Jesus to jump off the pinnacle of the temple and let the angels carry Him safely to the ground so that everyone who saw it would be astonished and bow before Him as the Son of God (Matt. 4:5-7; Luke 4:5-8). The brothers here are saying, “Go up to Jerusalem and do a few more spectacular miracles and everyone will follow You.” It was a worldly-wise publicity and marketing strategy, but it was satanic at its core. John
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Cole - John Stott points out (Borrow Basic Christianity = The Egocentric Character of Christ's Teaching, rev. ed., pp. 23-26) that if Jesus was not God in human flesh, His claims would have meant that He was not a good man, but a very self-centered man. He was always talking about Himself and telling people that they should believe in Him as the only way to have eternal life. He claimed that the Old Testament was written about Him (Jn 5:39, 46). He claimed to be the bread of life, who could satisfy the hunger of all who come to Him (Jn 6:35). He claimed that whoever believes in Him would have rivers of living water flowing from his innermost being (Jn 7:38). He claimed to be the Light of the world (Jn 8:12). He claimed that before Abraham was born, He existed (Jn 8:58). No good man, who was not God in human flesh, could say such things without being considered a deluded megalomaniac. Such is the corruption of human nature, that Christ is the cause of division among men, wherever He is preached. -- J C Ryle Others (cf. John 7:40-44) were saying, "No, on the contrary, He (present tense - continually) leads (planao) the people astray - Both verbs were saying are in the imperfect tense signifying this was an ongoing disagreement, stating their points over and over. On the contrary is alla a strong adversative or word of contrast. Based on Deuteronomy 13:1-5 the charge was very serious. But what a lie! The naysayers saw Jesus as a rabble rouser who was deceiving the populace and leading them astray, presumably from their legalistic practices of Judaism in which ritual had replaced relationship. The tragic irony was that Jesus came speaking as the Way, the Truth and the Life. He was not misleading but leading them on the narrow path (cf Mt 7:13,14+), but they were not interested in a spiritual Savior to lead them, but an earthly savior who would free them from Roman rule. THOUGHT - "If you believe that He was a good man, and you do not surrender your life to Him as your Lord, you are in worse shape than those who said, "He deceiveth the people." Theirs could be a sin of ignorance, but yours is a deliberate rejection of the light." (Chuck Smith) Brian Bell - Some were for Him because of His miracles; Some were opposed to Him because he broke the Sabbath laws; Some waited to see what their leaders would do; & the leaders wanted to kill Him. D A Carson - Others, of a more cynical disposition (for the punishment of the liar is not so much that he is not believed but that he does not believe), suspect he is a charlatan: No, he deceives the people. The latter view became dominant in some Jewish circles after the resurrection. (The Babylonian Talmud (Sanhedrin 43a) preserves a tradition that says Jesus was executed on Passover Eve because he was a deceiver who practised sorcery and led Israel astray. Similar opinions are found in Justin Martyr’s Dialogue with Trypho, 69, 108.) (Borrow The Gospel according to John) John MacArthur on leads the people astray - Sadly, it was this second view of Jesus—that He was a deceiver—that eventually prevailed among the majority of the Jewish people. The second-century apologist Justin Martyr wrote that the Jews "dared to call Him a magician, and a deceiver of the people" (See Dialogue of Justin with Trypho, a Jew, page 70, cf. page 104). (See John Commentary) Bruce Barton - In the events that follow, a lot happened behind the scenes. Not only did Jesus travel to Jerusalem in secret, but intrigue and subterfuge were at work everywhere. The crowds were buzzing with opinions about Jesus, yet there was no clear consensus. The Jewish leaders were busily conferring and watching for the right time to legitimately arrest him. The tension-laden atmosphere fostered both excitement and treachery. (BORROW John - Life Application Commentary) J C Ryle -What think we of Christ ourselves? This is the one question with which we have to do. Let us never be ashamed to be of that little number who believe on Him, hear His voice, follow Him, and confess Him before men. While others waste their time in vain jangling and unprofitable controversy, let us take up the cross and give all diligence to make our calling and election sure. The children of this world may hate us, as it hated our Master, because our religion is a standing witness against them. But the last day will show that we chose wisely, lost nothing, and gained a crown of glory that fadeth not away. (John 7 Commentary) D L Moody - I HEARD of an infidel once who said, “Look at your convert; it is all moonshine.” The young convert replied to him, “I thank you for the compliment. We are perfectly willing to be called that. The moon borrows the light from the sun, and so we borrow ours from Christ.” Grumbling (1112) goggusmos from goggúzo = to say anything in a low tone, English = gong) is an audible expression of an unwarranted dissatisfaction = expression of one's discontent. The word literally means, “A secret displeasure in the heart, and a sullen discontent that leads to criticism.” Expression in low tones of disapprobation (act or state of disapproving). Grumbling, grudging, murmuring, complaining (= making formal accusation or expressing dissatisfaction, resentment, displeasure or annoyance). It can reflect a secret debate or secret displeasure not openly avowed (see use in John 7:12). Goggusmos - 4x - complaint(2), grumbling(2). Jn. 7:12; Acts 6:1; Phil. 2:14; 1 Pet. 4:9 Leads...astray (deceives)(4105) planao from plane which was used of planets that did not follow regular orbits of the constellations and called "the wanderers") means literally made to wander and so to go (active sense) or be led (passive sense as of sheep in Mt 18:12-13) astray. In the active voice (as in Jn 7:12) it meant to lead astray, cause to wander; mislead, deceive, cause to be mistaken. The only other use by John is in John 7:47. Planao was used of false teachers (i.e., Matt. 24:11; 2Ti 3:13; 1Jn 1:8; 2:26; 3:7), false Messiahs (i.e., Mt. 24:4-5,24), in the Gospel of John of what the Jews thought Jesus was (cf. Jn 7:12,47; Mt 27:63), of people deceiving themselves (1Co 3:18; 1Jn 1:8) or of people who were being deceived (cf. 1Co 6:9; 1Co 15:33; Gal. 6:7; Jas 1:16 ILLUSTRATION ON "WHO IS JESUS"? - Dr. James Boice, the late pastor of Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, tells (The Gospel of John [Zondervan], 1-vol. ed., p. 471) of when the staff of his radio program went out on the streets of Philadelphia to ask people, “Who is Jesus Christ?” Sometimes they asked, “Do you think Jesus Christ is God?” The answers they received revealed the confusion that many have with regard to those crucial questions. One young woman responded, “Jesus Christ was a man who thought He was God.” Another young woman, a biology student, replied, “Jesus Christ is pure essence of energy. God to me is energy, electric energy because it’s something that’s not known.” A man answered, “I think that’s something you have to decide for yourself, but He had some beautiful ideas.” Others replied, “He is an individual who lived 2,000 years ago who was interested in the betterment of all classes of people.” “He was well liked; He meant well; He was a good man.” But most people were just confused. They answered, “I haven’t any idea…. I don’t know.” ILLUSTRATION - The second group of people who misinterpret Jesus is the admirers (John 7:11-12). These people think Jesus to be a good man, based on his ethic, but they don’t understand his divinity. As an example of this type, consider another towering intellect: Benjamin Franklin. In a letter to Ezra Stiles dated March 9, 1790, Franklin said this, “As to Jesus of Nazareth, my opinion of whom you particularly desire, I think the system of morals and his religion, as he left them to us, the best the world ever saw or is likely to see; but I apprehend it has received various corrupting changes, and I have ... some doubts as to his Divinity.” (See page 337) Do you hear that? Franklin is saying he thinks Jesus is a good man, but not fully the Son of God. To further hammer this problem out, listen to this list of doctrines that Franklin drafted in 1731 as a list of what should be preached. “That there is one God Father of the Universe That he is infinately good, poowerful and wise That he is omnipotent That he ought to be worshipped, by Adoration Prayer and Thanksgiving both in Publick and private That he loves such of his Creatures as love and do good to others and will reward them either in this world or hereafter. That men’s minds do not die with their Bodies, but are made more happy or miserable after this Life according to their Actions. That Virtuous men ought to league together to strengthen the Interest of Virtue in the world, and so strengthen themselves in virtue. That knowledge and learning is to be cultivated and ignorance dissipated. That none but the Virtuous are wise That man’s perfection is in Virtue...” (See page 336 in Benjamin Franklin, The Autobiography and Other Writings ) What’s missing there? Grace. Franklin and Jefferson (SEE ILLUSTRATION ABOVE) both adopt Christian language, but they leave out the centerpiece of the Christian faith: grace. Radical grace. Grace that we don’t earn, but is bestowed upon us. As Paul says in Ephesians 2:8-9, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.” We don’t come to God because we’re virtuous, we become virtuous because God has come to us. The admirers get the order all wrong. (Russell Smith) John 7:13 Yet no one was speaking openly of Him for fear of the Jews. BGT John 7:13 οὐδεὶς μέντοι παρρησίᾳ ἐλάλει περὶ αὐτοῦ διὰ τὸν φόβον τῶν Ἰουδαίων. KJV John 7:13 Howbeit no man spake openly of him for fear of the Jews. NET John 7:13 However, no one spoke openly about him for fear of the Jewish leaders. CSB John 7:13 Still, nobody was talking publicly about Him because they feared the Jews. ESV John 7:13 Yet for fear of the Jews no one spoke openly of him. NIV John 7:13 But no one would say anything publicly about him for fear of the Jews. NLT John 7:13 But no one had the courage to speak favorably about him in public, for they were afraid of getting in trouble with the Jewish leaders. NRS John 7:13 Yet no one would speak openly about him for fear of the Jews. NJB John 7:13 Yet no one spoke about him openly, for fear of the Jews. NAB John 7:13 Still, no one spoke openly about him because they were afraid of the Jews. YLT John 7:13 no one, however, was speaking freely about him, through fear of the Jews. GWN John 7:13 Yet, no one would talk openly about him because they were afraid of the Jews. BBE John 7:13 But no man said anything about him openly for fear of the Jews. speaking: John 3:2 Jn 9:22,34 Jn 12:42,43 Jn 19:38 Jn 20:19 Pr 29:25 Ga 2:12,13 2Ti 2:9-13 Rev 2:13 John 7 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passages: John 9:22 His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews; for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone confessed Him to be Christ, he was to be put out of the synagogue. John 12:42-43 Nevertheless many even of the rulers believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they were not confessing Him, for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue; 43 for they loved the approval of men rather than the approval of God. FEAR OF THE JEWISH LEADERS Yet (term of contrast) no one was speaking openly (boldly, publicly - parrhesia) of Him for fear of the Jews - John explains why the interchange neer arose above a subdued murmuring. What a paradox - everyone was talking about Jesus, but no one was willing to speak of Him in public. The NLT has an accurate paraphrase - "But no one had the courage to speak favorably about him in public, for they were afraid of getting in trouble with the Jewish leaders." What was their great fear? They feared "excommunication" from the synagogue (Jn 9:22, Jn 12:42-43, Jn 16:2). After the crucifixion Jesus' disciples had another fear, that they too would be killed (Jn 20:19). The Jews in this context refers to the Jewish leaders who were antagonistic toward Jesus and were seeking to kill Him. The timidity of the people parallels the words of Pr 29:25 that states "The fear of man brings a snare, but he who trusts in the LORD will be exalted." The snare of fear of men would ultimately trap them in disbelief and result in their eternal death. It is notable that the same word parrhesia describing their hesitancy to speak boldly was the very way John describes Jesus' speaking in John 7:26! J C Ryle on not speaking openly....for fear - This expression of course applies especially to those who favoured our Lord. Those who hated Him would not fear to say so openly. This verse shows the length to which the enmity of the Jewish rulers against our Lord had already gone. It was a notorious fact among the lower orders that the heads of the nation hated Jesus, and that it was a dangerous thing to talk favourably of Him, or to manifest any interest in Him. The fear of man is a powerful principle among most people. (John 7 Commentary) THOUGHT - Does fear of man stifle your witness for Christ? I admit even after 38 years of walking with Jesus, I still experience some degree of trepidation when I witness for Jesus. I think it is normal and usually reflects a fear that they will reject us (which in turn reflects the fallen flesh's desire to please others more than a desire to please our Father). Believers are sadly not that different from the Jewish populace in general, for all talked about Him when it was safe (we love to talk about Jesus in church on Sunday or in our small groups) but far fewer are willing to speak out when it is potentially costly (rejection, loss of a job, etc). Mt 10:32+ should encourage us to speak up for Jesus declares "everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven." And what is the best way to be bold? It is to be continually filled with the Spirit (Eph 5:18+), even as we witness in the first believers in Acts 4:31+, Luke recording that "when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness." R C H
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Cole adds "These critics took pride in their theological knowledge. They loved to point out their knowledge of the truth. Their syllogism was, “The Messiah does not come from Galilee. Jesus comes from Galilee. Therefore, Jesus cannot be the Messiah.” That’s airtight—if the two premises are true. The first one is true, but the second one is not true in terms of Jesus’ birth and lineage. Therefore, the conclusion is false. To hold to this sort of reasoning, these critics had to ignore Jesus’ many miracles, some of which they had no doubt seen with their own eyes or heard credible reports of. They had to dismiss Jesus’ powerful teaching, which even the arresting officers admit is like no other teaching they’ve ever heard (Jn 7:46). They had to shrug off Jesus’ astounding claims, such as the one He just issued, to be able to give rivers of living water to all who believed in Him. But the truth is, they weren’t interested in believing in Jesus. If they had been interested, they could have cleared up the question of His origins very easily. But they didn’t want to believe; they just wanted a comfortable excuse to reject Him. They would have seized Jesus if they could, but they could not lay their hands on Him, because God is sovereign over His enemies (Jn 7:30, 44; Dan. 4:35). Like these critics, many liberal theologians today come up with all sorts of reasons why Jesus could not have done the miracles that the eyewitness accounts of the New Testament attribute to Him. Their syllogism is, “Miracles contradict modern science. Thus miracles are not possible. Therefore, Jesus’ miracles could not have happened as reported.” Such critics also reject Jesus’ teaching. They debate over which words in the Gospels Jesus may really have spoken and which were put in His mouth by later redactors. With these flimsy reasons that are really excuses, they do not believe in Jesus as Savior and Lord. Has not the Scripture (graphe = in context = OT) said that the Christ (Christos) comes from the descendants (sperma - lit "from the seed") of David, and from Bethlehem, the village where David was? - This rhetorical question calls for a "YES." This is the very fact quoted by the chief priests and scribes in response to Herod's inquiry Matthew 2:6+. The leaders were not ignorant of Messiah's birthplace. This question demonstrates that some of the audience were literate in the Scriptures and had made an accurate interpretation of some of the Messianic passages. Regarding from the descendants of David see 2Sa 7:12, Ps 132:11, Jer 23:5, Mt 21:9; Mt 22:42. All they would have needed to do was ask Jesus where He had been born and if they had checked Mary's lineage, they would have discovered He was from the descendants of David! So close, but yet so far! Merrill Tenney - The very passage that convinced his critics that he could not be the Messiah was one of the strongest to prove that he was.” (See The Expositor's Bible Commentary) C H Spurgeon This was blessed testimony even out of the mouth of Christ’s enemies. They objected against Christ what was indeed the fact, for he did come of the seed of David, and from the town of Bethlehem. There was he born; and though they called him the Nazarene,—and he refused not the title,—though over his head Pilate wrote, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews,” yet is he the Son of David, and his birthplace was at Bethlehem, though some of them knew it not. William
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Cole - The temple guards, who were Levites, came back from their mission to arrest Jesus (Jn 7:32) empty-handed, so the chief priests and Pharisees asked them (Jn 7:45), “Why did you not bring Him?” The guards easily could have said, “Because the crowd would have been upset with us!” But instead, they candidly admitted (Jn 7:46), “Never has a man spoken the way this man speaks.” Although the guards did not intend this meaning, John probably wants his readers to think, “Precisely! Jesus is not merely a man! He speaks as He does because He is the eternal Word of God made flesh!” But the impression is that these temple guards were too fearful of the chief priests and Pharisees to take a bold stand with Jesus. That would have meant their jobs! So they fade from view. In the same way, there are many in our day who are impressed with Jesus’ eloquence or His wisdom. They think He was a great man and a brilliant religious teacher. But they don’t see Him as the eternal Word of God in human flesh and so they don’t believe in Him as their Savior and Lord. Out of fear of what others may think, they don’t take a bold public stand of faith in Christ. C H Spurgeon The charm of his eloquence, the dignity of his person, his awe-inspiring demeanour, and a singular something,—they knew not what,—that Divinity that doth hedge about such a King as he was,—restrained their hands. They said, “Never man spake like this man.” Edwin Blum - The Gospels often reveal Jesus as a most impressive Teacher and Speaker (e.g., Matt. 7:29; 22:46). Though Jesus was opposed, many of those who heard Him were moved by Him (cf. John 7:15; 12:19). (See Bible Knowledge Commentary scroll up/down for more text) Merrill Tenney - “‘Never did any man talk in this fashion.’ In the Greek the word ‘man’ (anthropos) occurs in the emphatic position at the end of the sentence and implies by contrast that he must be more than an ordinary human being.” (The Expositor's Bible Commentary) A T
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Cole - But then, referring to the general crowd that was thronging the temple for the feast, the Pharisees arrogantly pronounce (Jn 7:49), “But this crowd which does not know the Law is accursed.” John wants us to see that it is really the proud Pharisees who are under a curse because the wrath of God abides on all who do not obey the Son (Jn 3:36). By virtue of their position as religious leaders, the Pharisees should have been loving, caring shepherds over God’s people, teaching them His Word, binding up their wounds, and leading them by example in the ways of the Lord (Ezek. 34). But here they show their true colors. They despised the common people as a bunch of ignoramuses. Even when one of their own, Nicodemus, pointed out how they were violating the Law that they proclaimed to know by judging a man without hearing his case, they reviled him as being a Galilean (Jn 7:52). These Pharisees lived in Jerusalem, the capital, and they viewed the northern Galileans as a bunch of ignorant hicks from the sticks. They hated Jesus because He repeatedly confronted their hypocrisy and challenged their man-made traditions. He threatened their power and made them look bad in front of the crowds. So their pride blinded them to the truth about Jesus that their own Scriptures testified to (Jn 5:39). We see this same sort of arrogance today among supposed intellectuals who proclaim evolution as the only scientific view and ridicule anyone who believes in the Bible as being a “flat-earth,” uneducated country bumpkin. In the recent debate between Answers in Genesis founder, Ken Ham, and Bill Nye, the so-called “Science Guy,” Nye often disparagingly referred to “your scientists,” as if Ham hired them to support his “unscientific” views! Even though Ken repeatedly pointed out that there are many men with Ph.D’s who believe in the biblical account of creation, but have no connection with Answers in Genesis, Nye persisted in his put-down. But Nye is the true fool, who attributes God’s intricately designed creation to pure chance (Ps. 14:1; Rom. 1:19-22). A T
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Cole - Nicodemus registered a mild defense of Jesus and disagreement with his fellow leaders, only to be put down by them (Jn 7:50-52). QUESTION - Who was Nicodemus in the Bible? ANSWER - All that we know of Nicodemus in the Bible is from the Gospel of John. In John 3:1, he is described as a Pharisee. The Pharisees were a group of Jews who were fastidious in keeping the letter of the Law and often opposed Jesus throughout His ministry. Jesus often strongly denounced them for their legalism (see Matthew 23). Saul of Tarsus (who became the apostle Paul) was also a Pharisee (Philippians 3:5). John 3:1 also describes Nicodemus as a leader of the Jews. According to John 7:50–51, Nicodemus was a member of the Sanhedrin, which was the ruling body of the Jews. Each city could have a Sanhedrin, which functioned as the “lower courts.” Under Roman authority in the time of Christ, the Jewish nation was allowed a measure of self-rule, and the Sanhedrin in Jerusalem was the final court of appeals for matters regarding Jewish law and religion. This was the body that ultimately condemned Jesus, yet they had to get Pilate to approve their sentence since the death penalty was beyond their jurisdiction under Roman law. It appears that Nicodemus was part of the Great Sanhedrin in Jerusalem. John reports that Nicodemus came to speak with Jesus at night. Many have speculated that Nicodemus was afraid or ashamed to visit Jesus in broad daylight, so he made a nighttime visit. This may very well be the case, but the text does not give a reason for the timing of the visit. A number of other reasons are also possible. Nicodemus questioned Jesus. As a member of the Jewish ruling council, it would have been his responsibility to find out about any teachers or other public figures who might lead the people astray. In their conversation, Jesus immediately confronts Nicodemus with the truth that he “must be born again” (John 3:3). When Nicodemus seems incredulous, Jesus reprimands him (perhaps gently) that, since he is a leader of the Jews, he should already know this (John 3:10). Jesus goes on to give a further explanation of the new birth, and it is in this context that we find John 3:16, which is one of the most well-known and beloved verses in the Bible. The next time we encounter Nicodemus in the Bible, he is functioning in his official capacity as a member of the Sanhedrin as they consider what to do about Jesus. In John 7, some Pharisees and priests (presumably with authority to do so) sent some of the temple guard to arrest Jesus, but they return, unable to bring themselves to do it (see John 7:32–47). The guards are upbraided by the Pharisees in authority, but Nicodemus presents the opinion that Jesus should not be dismissed or condemned until they have heard from Him personally: “Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he does?” (John 7:51). However, the rest of the Council rudely dismisses Nicodemus’s suggestion out of hand—they appear to have already made up their minds about Jesus. The final mention of Nicodemus in the Bible is in John 19 after Jesus’ crucifixion. We find Nicodemus assisting Joseph of Arimathea in Jesus’ burial. Joseph is described in John as a rich man and in Mark 15:43 as a member of the Council. He is also described in John 19:38 as a disciple of Jesus, albeit a secret one because he was afraid of the Jews. Joseph asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Nicodemus brought 75 pounds of spices for use in preparing the body for burial and then assisted Joseph in wrapping the body and placing it in the tomb. The sheer amount of burial spices would seem to indicate that Nicodemus was a rich man and that he had great respect for Jesus. The limited account in John’s Gospel leaves many questions about Nicodemus unanswered. Was he a true believer? What did he do after the resurrection? The Bible is silent on these questions, and there are no reliable extra-biblical resources that give answers. It would appear that Nicodemus may have been similar to Joseph of Arimathea in that perhaps he, too, was a disciple of Jesus but had not yet mustered the courage to declare his faith openly. Perhaps Nicodemus’ final recorded act was his declaration of faith—although we are not told how public it was. His presentation in the Gospel of John is generally favorable, which suggests that his faith was indeed genuine. GotQuestions.org John 7:51 "Our Law does not judge a man unless it first hears from him and knows what he is doing, does it?" BGT John 7:51 μὴ ὁ νόμος ἡμῶν κρίνει τὸν ἄνθρωπον ἐὰν μὴ ἀκούσῃ πρῶτον παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ καὶ γνῷ τί ποιεῖ; KJV John 7:51 Doth our law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth? NET John 7:51 "Our law doesn't condemn a man unless it first hears from him and learns what he is doing, does it?" CSB John 7:51 "Our law doesn't judge a man before it hears from him and knows what he's doing, does it?" ESV John 7:51 "Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he does?" NIV John 7:51 "Does our law condemn anyone without first hearing him to find out what he is doing?" NLT John 7:51 "Is it legal to convict a man before he is given a hearing?" he asked. NRS John 7:51 "Our law does not judge people without first giving them a hearing to find out what they are doing, does it?" NJB John 7:51 'But surely our Law does not allow us to pass judgement on anyone without first giving him a hearing and discovering what he is doing?' NAB John 7:51 "Does our law condemn a person before it first hears him and finds out what he is doing?" YLT John 7:51 'Doth our law judge the man, if it may not hear from him first, and know what he doth?' GWN John 7:51 "Do Moses' Teachings enable us to judge a person without first hearing that person's side of the story? We can't judge a person without finding out what that person has done." BBE John 7:51 Is a man judged by our law before it has given him a hearing and has knowledge of what he has done? RSV John 7:51 "Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he does?" NKJ John 7:51 "Does our law judge a man before it hears him and knows what he is doing?" ASV John 7:51 Doth our law judge a man, except it first hear from himself and know what he doeth? MIT John 7:51 "Our law does not judge a man unless it first hears from him and knows what he is up to, does it?" De 1:17 Dt 17:8-11 Dt 19:15-19 Pr 18:13 John 7 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passages: Exodus 23:1+ “You shall not bear a false report; do not join your hand with a wicked man to be a malicious witness. Deuteronomy 1:16-17+ (MOSAIC LAW STIPULATED ACCUSED WAS TO HAVE A FAIR HEARING) Then I charged your judges at that time, saying, ‘Hear the cases between your fellow countrymen, and judge righteously between a man and his fellow countryman, or the alien who is with him. 17 ‘You shall not show partiality in judgment; you shall hear the small and the great alike. You shall not fear man, for the judgment is God’s. The case that is too hard for you, you shall bring to me, and I will hear it.’ Deuteronomy 19:15-19+ “A single witness shall not rise up against a man on account of any iniquity or any sin which he has committed; on the evidence of two or three witnesses a matter shall be confirmed. 16 “If a malicious witness rises up against a man to accuse him of wrongdoing, 17 then both the men who have the dispute shall stand before the LORD, before the priests and the judges who will be in office in those days. 18 “The judges shall investigate thoroughly, and if the witness is a false witness and he has accused his brother falsely, 19 then you shall do to him just as he had intended to do to his brother. Thus you shall purge the evil from among you. NICODEMUS APPEALS TO LAW FOR JUSTICE Nicodemus was willing to take a stand for the truth. Could this reflect germination of a seed of faith? (see Jn 12:42+, Jn 19:38-39+) Our Law does not judge (krino) a man unless it first hears from him and knows (ginosko) what he is doing, does it? - The question calls for a negative answer. Nicodemus was attempting to reason with his fellow Pharisees. His rhetorical question would have (SHOULD HAVE) called for his fellow Pharisees to agree, "NO, you are correct. There is no judgment without a hearing," but watch how they respond in v52. Knows (ginosko) in this context conveys the sense of to be informed. It is common justice in all law, to hear a man’s side of the case, but not with these Pharisees. C H
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Cole - Nicodemus' statement of truth in Jn 7:51 "led to their put-down, “You are not also from Galilee, are you? Search, and see that no prophet arises out of Galilee.” A few commentators argue that we can never be sure that Nicodemus came to genuine faith in Christ, but most hold that his courageous act of helping Joseph of Arimathea bury Jesus (Jn 19:38-40) indicates that he did finally believe. But here we cannot be sure where he’s at in the process. He was at least sympathetic towards Jesus and concerned about the irrational hostility that he saw the Jewish leaders taking towards Him. So he registers this mild objection to their murderous intent. But when they vilify him as being a Galilean, he says no more. He could see that they weren’t in the mood for a rational discussion. But his point was valid: In contradiction of the law that they purported to uphold, they were judging a man without hearing his case (Dt. 1:16-17). Also, their put-down (Jn 7:52), “Search, and see that no prophet arises out of Galilee,” was incorrect. Jonah, Nahum, and perhaps other prophets had arisen out of Galilee. But they were so upset with the direction that they saw things going that they were not using sound reason, but just illogical ridicule. I still remember an incident from when I was in college (back in the Dark Ages!). An agnostic philosophy professor told our class that Jesus never claimed to be God. I raised my hand and said, “What about when He said, ‘I and the Father are one’? Or what about when He told His disciples, ‘He who has seen me has seen the Father’?” But rather than deal honestly with my objection, she ridiculed me by asking, “Which Bible are you reading—the Catholic Bible or the Protestant Bible?” The class laughed and my point was brushed aside. Even though this professor taught us the logical fallacy of ad hominem arguments, she used one against me to dodge the uncomfortable truth that Jesus did in fact claim to be God. A T
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Cole - Conclusion I conclude with five practical lessons that we can glean from these divided responses to Jesus’ clear gospel invitation: 1) The clearest gospel presentation in the world will not result in conversions unless the Holy Spirit opens blind eyes. Jesus here had not said anything gross or controversial, like in chapter 6. True, His claim to be able to cause rivers of living water to flow from those who believed in Him was a claim that only God could make. But it was a wonderful, open invitation to all and was not inherently divisive. But while there was some mild intellectual agreement (“He is the prophet”; “He is the Christ”), some amazement (“Never has a man spoken the way this man speaks”), and even hesitant support (from Nicodemus), there is no clear response of faith in Jesus. There still was confusion, misunderstanding, and even aggressive hostility. Satan blinds people to “the light of the gospel of the glory Christ” (2 Cor. 4:4). So saving faith is always a God-thing. Pray for Him to open blind eyes! 2) The human heart apart from God’s grace is helplessly, hopelessly incapacitated by sin. Pride is often the main sin that keeps people from Christ, as was true of these Pharisees. Learning and knowledge are good if they point you to the majesty and greatness of God, thereby humbling your heart. But they are dangerous if they lead you to pride over how much you know. Because they suppress the truth in unrighteousness, even so-called intellectuals are futile in their speculations and their foolish hearts are darkened (Rom. 1:18, 21). So salvation is always the gift of God’s grace. 3) Expect to be ridiculed when you take a stand for Christ. You will be accused of being narrow-minded, bigoted, homophobic, anti-intellectual, unscientific, and probably more pejorative labels. If they treated Jesus that way, they will treat His servants the same. Count it as an honor! 4) People are quick to hide behind excuses rather than dig deeper in search of the truth that might threaten their worldview. People don’t want to face their sin and rebellion against God. So rather than investigating the truth about Jesus, they’d rather hide behind flimsy excuses: “Evolution proves that the Bible is not true.” “The Bible is full of contradictions.” “How can a good God allow innocent children to suffer?” The list goes on! Ask the critic, “If I can give you a reasonable answer to that problem, will you submit your life to Jesus?” 5) Jesus does not allow neutrality: to be neutral is to be against Him. These people who held to favorable opinions about Jesus (“He is the Prophet; He is the Christ”) were on the side of the truth, but there’s no indication that they were committed to Him. Nicodemus would eventually come out of the closet for Christ. So must you! Jesus warns (Mark 8:38), “For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.” But He promises the suffering church of Smyrna (and us, Rev. 2:10), “Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.” Application Questions When is it both necessary and right to divide from those who profess to be Christians? What biblical guidelines apply? What is the biblical basis for true Christian unity? Are denominational divisions sinful? Why is a correct view about Christ necessary, but not sufficient, for eternal life? What else is needed? Give Scriptures. How can you discern whether a critic’s reasons for not believing are really just excuses? How can you probe deeper? Related Resources: What is the significance of Galilee in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org John 7:53 Everyone went to his home. BGT John 7:53 [καὶ ἐπορεύθησαν ἕκαστος εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ, KJV John 7:53 And every man went unto his own house. NET John 7:53 [ And each one departed to his own house. CSB John 7:53 [So each one went to his house. ESV John 7:53 [They went each to his own house, NIV John 7:53 Then each went to his own home. NLT John 7:53 Then the meeting broke up, and everybody went home. NRS John 7:53 Then each of them went home, NJB John 7:53 They all went home, NAB John 7:53 Then each went to his own house, YLT John 7:53 and each one went on to his house, but Jesus went on to the mount of the Olives. GWN John 7:53 Then each of them went home. BBE John 7:53 And every man went to his house; RSV John 7:53 They went each to his own house, NKJ John 7:53 And everyone went to his own house. ASV John 7:53 And they went every man unto his own house: MIT John 7:53 They filed out each to his own home. Job 5:12,13 Ps 33:10 76:5,10 John 7 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Warren Wiersbe sums up John 7 with these words - You cannot help but feel sorry for the people described in this chapter, people who responded to Jesus in the wrong ways. His half brothers responded with disbelief; various people responded with debate; and the result was division. Had they willingly received the truth, and had they acted with sincere obedience, they would have ended up at the feet of Jesus, confessing Him as Messiah and Son of God. But people today commit the same blunder and permit their prejudices and superficial evaluations to blind them to the truth. Don’t let it happen to you! (Bible Exposition Commentary) Everyone went to his home - It is as if John says after that last statement by the Pharisees, there is not much that can be said. So for the time being, the debate on Jesus' identity was tabled. C H