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Retreat to Galilee; His Brethren Urge Jesus to Show Himself at Jerusalem (7:1-9)
7:1. κὶμτ τῦαπρεάε κλ SO אΓΘ but א with most syrr. latt. om. κί which may be an editorial addition. N has κὶπρεάε μτ ατνὁἸς κλ and the rec. also goes wrong with κὶπρεάε ὁἸς μτ τῦακλ
μτ τῦαis the beginning of a new section of the narrative, and reasons have been given (Introd., p. xix) for placing 7:1-14 in direct sequence to cc. 5, 7:15-24.
After the severe rebukes which Jesus had addressed to the Rabbis, already exasperated by the breach of the Sabbath and His lofty claims (5:18), it was natural that He should withdraw from the neighbourhood of Jerusalem for a while. He had gone up to Jerusalem for the Passover, and after that He healed the impotent man (5:8). Then controversy ensued, and in 5:19-47, 7:15-24 we have a summary of the main points on which stress was laid, the discussions probably extending over some days. If we suppose that He left Jerusalem about the month of May, there is time for a ministry of four or five months in Galilee, before He returned to Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles at the end of September. Jn. gives no details of this Galilæ ministry, but there is room in these months for many of the incidents recorded in the Synoptic Gospels as having taken place in Galilee (see on v. 3).
The narrative of the events in Jerusalem after Jesus went up to the Feast of Tabernacles (v. 10) is full of movement and of local colour. Presumably (see on 5:1) the Twelve attended the Feast of Tabernacles, and were again in the company of Jesus after He went up.
πρεάε. This is the natural word for the itinerant ministry of a Rabbi accompanied by His disciples; cf. 6:66, 11:54. (For the larger meaning of πρπτῖ, see on 8:12.) Jesus was “walking in Galilee,” because the Jews, as has just been said (7:19), were seeking His life.
For the phrase ἐήονατνο Ἰυαο ἀοιῖα, see on 5:18.
2. ἦ δ ἐγςἡἑρήκλ This was the Feast of Tabernacles of the year 28 a.d. See on 5:1.
The Feast of Tabernacles (σηοηί) was originally a Feast of Ingathering or a Harvest Festival, and was not at first held on a fixed date, but “at the year’s end” (Exo_34:22), according to the time when the harvest was gathered. The Deuteronomic Code calls it “the Feast of Tabernacles” (Deu_16:13), and prescribes that it is to be kept for seven days. The reason for its name assigned in the Priest’s Code is that “I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt” (Lev_23:43). In the same Code the annual date is fixed; it was to begin on the fifteenth day of the seventh month (Tishri), going on for seven days (Lev_23:34). That is, it was held at the end of September or the beginning of October. In Num_29:35 an eighth day of observance appears, on which was to be “a solemn assembly,” and we find this eighth day observed in post-exilic times (Neh_8:18, Neh_8:2 Macc. 10:6). Josephus, who mentions the eighth day (Anti. iii. x. 4), calls this feast ἑρὴσόρ πρ τῖ Ἑρίι ἁιττ κὶμγση(Anti. viii. iv. i), thus marking its important place in Jewish life, it being, pre-eminently, the Feast of the Jews. For the ritual observed, see on 7:37 and 8:12.
For the phrase ἡἑρὴτνἸυαω, see on 2:13.
3. For the “brethren of Jesus,” see on 2:12. They were older than He was, and this may explain their venturing to offer Him advice as to His conduct. The discussion between them and Him, which is reported vv. 3-8, could only have been known to one who was in intimate relations with the family; and there could be no motive for setting it down in narrative, if it had not actually taken place.
μτβθ ἐτῦε, “depart hence”: μτβίενis used 13:1 of departing from this world, and metaphorically 5:24, 1Jn_3:14.
κὶὕαε(a favourite word with Jn.; see on v. 33) εςτνἸυαα, ἵακὶο μθτίσυθωήοσντ ἔγ συἅπιῖ. The advice seems to have been ironical, for they go on to express doubts about His alleged “works,” saying ε τῦαπιῖ, “if you do such things.” The suggestion is that the rumour of these ἔγ was confined to Galilee, and that if He were to establish His reputation in Judæ it would be desirable that His disciples there should have an opportunity of seeing what He could do.
We have already heard of many disciples in Judæ (2:23, 4:1); indeed, it was because their number excited the jealousy of the Pharisees that He had left Judæ on a former occasion (4:3). But there was little of miracle there on His last visit; the cure of the impotent man is not described as a “sign,” and it had attracted attention rather because it had been wrought on a Sabbath day, than because of its marvellousness (5:5f.; and cf. 7:21, where see note). The “works” to which the brethren of Jesus make reference here are those of Galilee, perhaps the Miracle of Cana (2:1f.) or the Healing of the Nobleman’s Son and other sick folk (4:46f., 6:2), or the Feeding of the Five Thousand (6:5f.), or more probably healings wrought between His departure from Jerusalem and His going up again for the Feast of Tabernacles (vv. 1, 14), i.e. during the summer of the year 28. Nothing is told about them by Jn., but the words τ ἔγ συἅπιῖ, “the works which you are doing,” suggest that the reference is not to anything that He had done months before the date of the conversation, but to quite recent events. And, as has been suggested on v. 1, some of the Galilæ miracles recorded by the Synoptists may be placed at this period in the ministry as narrated by Jn.
The allusion to the μθτίhere cannot be to the Twelve, for they had been witnesses of many of the wonderful things that Jesus had done, and were already convinced of the truth of His claims. Nor can the allusion be to the Galilæ disciples who were disheartened by the difficulty of His teaching and left Him on a former occasion (6:66), for they would not be in the way of seeing miracles wrought at Jerusalem, whither His brethren advised Him to transfer His activities. We conclude, then, that the μθτίwhom His brethren suggested He should confirm in their allegiance by displays of His power, were those in Judæ and at Jerusalem. If, indeed, He was to succeed in the Mission for which He claimed the highest sanctions, He must convince Jerusalem. And His brethren were right in the view they took of this. They did not accept His claims, as yet at any rate (v. 5), but they understood clearly that it was at the Holy City that they must either be proved or disproved.
θωήοσν So א although ἵαwith the future indic. is rare in Jn. (cf. 17:2). א has θωοσν and ΓΘread θωήωι.
B places συbefore τ ἔγ, but om. א
4. The principle laid down by the brethren of Jesus is sound, sc. that no one who seeks public recognition can afford to keep his deeds a secret. οδὶ γρτ ἐ κυτ πιῖκὶζτῖατςἐ πρηί ενι “No one does anything in secret, and (at the same time) himself seeks to be in the public eye.”
κίis used like κίο (see on 1:10).
For ατςBD*W have ατ, through misunderstanding. πρηί (from πνῥμ) expresses primarily a complete openness and freedom of speech (cf. Mar_8:32, the only place where the word occurs in the Synoptics), and in this sense it is a favourite word with Joh_7:13; Joh_7:26; Joh_10:24; Joh_16:25; Joh_16:29; Joh_18:20 (where ἐ κυτ and ἐ πρηί are again contrasted). It is thus, according to Pro_1:20, that Wisdom speaks: ἐ παεαςπρηίνἄε. The word then comes to connote intrepidity or courage; and it is used in 1Jn_2:28, 1Jn_3:21, 1Jn_4:17, 1Jn_5:14 of boldness in man’s attitude to God (cf. Job_27:10).
In this passage ἐ πρηί ενιsignifies “to be boldly in public view,” as in 11:54, where we have οκτ πρηί πρεάε ἐ τῖ Ἰυαος cf. Wisd. 5:1, Col_2:15. What the brethren of Jesus suggest is that to hide Himself in Galilee is incompatible with the claim for public recognition, as One sent by God, which He makes for Himself.
ε τῦαπιῖ, “if you do these things,” sc. the wonderful works with which rumour associated His name. The brethren do not express definite unbelief, but they are sceptical.
φνρσυσατντ κσῳ “show thyself to the world,” i.e. to the great public at Jerusalem (cf. v. 7), where multitudes would be gathered at the Feast of Tabernacles. The wider meaning of κσα (see on 1:9) cannot be intended, as present to the minds of the brethren of Jesus. For φνρω see on 1:31; and cf. 14:22.
5. οδ γρο ἀεφὶατῦἐίεο (DLW have ἐίτυα, which is plainly wrong) εςατν The form of the sentence suggests that it is remarkable that His own kinsfolk did not believe in Jesus, the imperfect tense indicating their general attitude. For the constr. πσεενεςατν see on 1:12. It is a favourite constr. in Jn., and it implies a belief in Jesus, as distinct from mere belief in His doctrine. It is used thus throughout this chapter (vv. 31, 38, 39, 48; and cf. 8:30), and its use at this point means that the brethren of Jesus did not believe in Him as Messiah. Their incredulity, as reported by Jn., is in accordance with the Synoptic narratives (cf. Mar_3:21, Mat_12:46, Mat_13:57).
6. λγιον So אΓΘ but om. ονא and syrr. For ονin Jn., see on 1:22.
ὁκιὸ ὁἐὸ οπ πρσι, “my time is not yet come.” κιό is a word which Jn. uses only in this passage; it stands for the moment of opportunity, the fitting occasion, rather than for the “predestined hour” (ὥα on which the Fourth Gospel dwells with such insistence (see on 2:4). The fitting time had not yet come, Jesus says in reply to the suggestion, “reveal Thyself to the world” (v. 4); and by this is meant not the hour of His Passion, but rather the best time for that public manifestation of Himself as Messiah, which He would make when He went up to the Feast of Tabernacles (v. 8). Such public declaration was made, when He did go up: cf. vv. 29, 33, 8:12, 28 etc.
ὁδ κιὸ ὁὑέεο πνοέἐτνἕομς Their case was different from His. It did not matter when they went up to the feast; it was one of strict obligation, but the exact day on which they would present themselves in Jerusalem was of no consequence, provided that they attended. Any day would be a fitting day (κιό) for them to arrive, for they would not be received with hostility, but rather with indifference.
7. ο δντιὁκσο μσῖ ὑᾶ, “the world (see on v. 4) cannot hate you,” ὑᾶ being emphatic. We have adopted (see on 2:12) the ancient belief that “the Lord’s brethren” were children of Joseph by his first wife, and were not numbered among the Twelve. The language of this verse shows, at any rate, that Jn. did not regard them as members of that select company, for it assumes that there was no reason why they should be regarded with disfavour by the Jews who were hostile to Jesus, as His accredited followers would certainly be (cf. 15:18).
ἐὲδ μσῖ Cf. 15:18, 23, 24. The κσο which “hates” Jesus is that world which Jn. describes as lying in wickedness, 1Jn_5:19 (see on 1:9). But here the reference is only to the hostile Jews, as appears from the words which follow.
ὅιἐὼμρυῶπρ ατῦὅιτ ἔγ ατῦπνρ ἐτν He had denounced the Jews recently, and had said that their unbelief was due to moral causes (5:42-45), wherefore they hated Him. Such denunciation was a form of His “witness” to the truth (cf. 18:37). See on 3:19, where the phrase ἦ ατνπνρ τ ἔγ has already appeared.
8. ὑεςἀάηε(the regular word for going up to Jerusalem; see on 2:13) εςτνἑρή. אΓ add τύη here, but om. אΘ ὑεςis emphatic, “Go ye up to the feast.”
ἐὼοπ ἀααν εςτνἑρὴ τύη, “I (on the other hand) am not yet going up to this feast.”οπ is read by BLTNWΓΘ but א Syr. cur. have οκ If οπ be read, Jesus is represented as saying that He is not going up immediately, as His brethren would have Him do. If we read οκ His words would seem to convey to His hearers that He was not going up at all to this particular feast; and in that case He altered His plans afterwards (v. 10).
ὅιὁἐὸ κιὸ (this is the true reading here, as against ὁκιὸ ὁἐό, which the rec. text reads, from v. 6 above) οπ ππήωα. This is a repetition of the reason given in v. 6, with slight verbal changes, the stronger word ππήωα being substituted for πρσι. The fitting moment had not yet arrived for His public proclamation of His Messiahship. The repetition of the same thought in slightly different words is a feature of Jn.’s style. See on 3:16.
9. τῦαδ επνατςἔεννκλ So א while BTΓΘhave ατῖ. But the emphatic ατςis thoroughly Johannine.
Jesus Goes Up Secretly to the Feast of Tabernacles (Vv. 10-13)
10. ὡ δ ἀέηα κλ “when His brethren had gone up to the feast,” the aor. being used like a pluperfect cf. 2:9 and 4:44).
ττ κὶατςἀέη This was His farewell to Galilee, as the scene of His public ministry.
ο φνρςἀλ ὡ ἐ κυτ, “not openly” (i.e. not with the usual caravan of pilgrims), “but, as it were, in secret,” or privately. ὡ is omitted by א but, ins. BLTNW. There was nothing secret about His movements or His teaching when He reached Jerusalem (7:26, 28; and cf. 18:20), but He did not go up publicly with the other pilgrims from Galilee. We find mention of disciples with Him at 9:2, but it is not certain that these were the Twelve (see note in loc.).
11. ο ονἸυαο ἐήονατνκλ “So the Jews (i.e. the hostile leaders; see on 1:19) were looking for Him at the feast”; ονperhaps being not merely conjunctival, but having reference to the fact that Jesus, having gone up to Jerusalem privately, was not in public view.
πῦἐτνἐενς “Where is He?” So at 9:12. ἐενς ille, does not carry with it any suggestion of rudeness or hatred, as Chrysostom supposed. It occurs very often in Jn. (see on 1:8).
12. κὶγγυμςπρ ατῦἦ πλςἐ τῖ ὄλι. The order of the words is uncertain, but the variants are of no consequence. For γγυμς the murmuring of a crowd, not necessarily hostile, see on 6:61, and cf. v. 32. The plural of ο ὄλιoccurs only here in Jn. The reference is to the different groups of people that were gathered in the city, the Galilæ visitors among them. א have ἐ τ ὄλ, but the plural is probably right.
As might have been expected, the gossip of the crowds was partly favourable, partly hostile. Some said ἀαό ἐτν(cf. vv. 40, 43). This was an adjective of which He had deprecated the application to Himself, as really saying too little (Mar_10:18). Others said παᾷτνὄλν “He leads the people astray,” probably with allusion to His healing on the Sabbath day at the previous Passover season, and His claim to Divine prerogatives (5:18); cf. v. 47.
For τνὄλν the Leicester cursive 69 has τὺ ὄλυ, an eccentric reading which would hardly call for notice were it not that the Vulgate, in common with the O.L. ef, has turbas. This is one of the instances in which Jerome has been supposed to have used Greek manuscripts no longer extant.
13. οδὶ μνο πρηί ἐάε πρ ατῦ For πρηί, see on v. 4; and for πρηί λλῖ, cf. 7:26, 16:29, 18:20.
δὰτνφβντνἸυαω. The phrase is repeated 19:38, 20:19, in both cases, as here, the reference being to the ecclesiastical authorities who terrorised the people; cf. 9:22, 12:42. The common people were afraid to express any opinion in favour of Jesus, recollecting that, on His last visit, “the Jews” had been anxious to put Him to death (5:18).
Jesus Teaches in the Temple: He Attracts the People, But the Sanhedrim Seek His Arrest (Vv. 14, 25-36)
14. ἤηδ τςἑρῆ μσύη κλ “When the feast was half over.” The Feast of Tabernacles lasted for eight days (see on v. 2), so that this note of time (see Introd., p. cii, for Jn.’s liking for such notes) means that it was about the fourth day of the feast that Jesus presented Himself publicly in the Temple. The verb μσῦ is not found again in the N.T., but it occurs in the LXX; cf. μσύη τςνκο (Exo_12:29, Judith 12:5).
ἀέηἸσῦ εςτ ἱρν The Temple was on a hill, so that ἀέηis the appropriate word (cf. Luk_18:10). The art. ὁis omitted before Ἰσῦ here by א appearing in DNWΓΘ(but see on 1:29).
κὶἐίακν “and began to teach”; cf. v. 28, 8:20; 18:20. This is the first notice of the public teaching of Jesus in Jerusalem, as distinct from the answers to objectors recorded in c. 5.
7:15. We have given above (see Introd., p. xix) the reasons for taking vv. 15-24 of c.7 as following directly on 5:47. Jesus has appealed to the γάμτ of Moses as establishing His claims, and had probably (see on 5:47) quoted specific passages, commenting on them as He went along. This amazed the Jewish leaders, who had thought that such learning was confined to those trained in the Rabbinical schools, and they had never heard of Jesus as a disciple of any prominent Rabbi.
ἐαμζνον “So they began to express wonder”; cf. v. 46 and Mar_12:17, Luk_2:47, Luk_4:22.
πςοτςγάμτ οδνμ μμθκς It was not so much the wisdom of His words that astonished them as His knowledge of the Jewish writings, which probably included the Rabbinical traditions that had gathered round the Old Testament, as well as the Old Testament itself. In Isa_29:12 μ ἐιτμνςγάμτ means a man who cannot read, an “illiterate.” For ἀρμαο in Act_4:13, see Introd., p. xxxvi. But in the present passage, μ μμθκςseems to mean rather “not having been the μθτςof a recognised teacher.” The tradition of His scribbling upon the ground [8:6] shows that Jesus was not illiterate in the strict sense; and it is unlikely that this would have been suggested by the Jewish Rabbis who had engaged in controversy with Him.
16. Ἡἐὴδδχ οκἔτνἐήκλ Here only does Jesus call His message δδχ, a “teaching”; it is a significant word, as He is now dealing with the professional δδσάο. That His teaching is not His own, but the Father’s, is repeated often (8:28, 12:49, 14:10, 24); and this has already been said in effect at 5:30. δδχ occurs again in Jn. only at 18:19; cf. 2Jn_1:9, 2Jn_1:10.
The answer of Jesus to the Jews’ objection that He had never learnt from a recognised Rabbi is remarkable. He does not say (which might seem to us the natural answer) that He needed no Master. Indeed, Mk. reports that it was a feature of His teaching to the multitudes that it was given “with authority, and not as the scribes” (Mar_1:22), i.e. that He appealed in His popular teaching to no Rabbinical precedents; and the Synoptic discourses sufficiently illustrate this. But in Son_5 and 7:15-24 we have the report of a long-drawn-out argument with the Rabbis, and it is conducted throughout (see on 5:31) in the style of the Jewish schools. If Jesus had said, in reply to their implied question “Whose disciple are you?” that He was no man’s disciple, but that He spoke of His own authority, they would at once have told Him that He was an
impostor and adventurer. But, exactly as at 5:31, He follows their line of thought. He does not claim to be self-taught, which would only have aroused contemptuous indignation; but He claims that His teacher was the Father who had sent Him, as He had said so often before (cf. especially 5:36-38).
17. ἐντςθλ τ θλμ ατῦπιῖ κλ “If any man set his will (θλ, is expressive of deliberate purpose) to do His will, he shall know of the doctrine, etc.” The Synoptic form of this saying is to the effect that it is only the man who does God’s will who can enter into the kingdom of heaven (Mat_7:21). That right conduct is a necessary preliminary to accurate belief about Divine things, and conversely that the cause of unbelief is often a moral cause, are propositions which are repeated frequently in Jn. They are specially pressed in this controversy with the Jewish leaders. Jesus had claimed that He sought, not His own will, but τ θλμ τῦπματςμ (5:30); and He goes on to suggest that it is just because this could not be said of the Rabbis that they had failed to accept His Divine mission. It is their moral nature that is at fault (5:38, 42). Cf. for similar teaching 8:31, 32, 47, 14:21; it is all summed up in the tremendous assertion, “Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice” (18:37). Cf. Psa_25:14.
πτρνἐ τῦθο ἑτνἢἐώκλ The classical constr. πτρν…ἢ…occurs only here in the N.T. πτρνis found again in the Greek Bible only in the Book of Job (cf., e.g., Job_7:12).
ἐ θο is the reading of א but BLTWΘhave ἐ τῦθο, which is the regular Johannine form (1Jn_4:1, 1Jn_4:2, 1Jn_4:3, 1Jn_4:4, 1Jn_4:6, 1Jn_4:7).
That Jesus did not “speak from Himself” is repeated 12:49, 14:10, al. it is also said of the Spirit, “He shall not speak from Himself” (16:13). Jesus, again and again, repudiates the idea that He does or says anything apart from the Father (cf. 5:30, 7:28; and see 8:28). The repeated disclaimer of originality for His teaching is foreign to modern habits of thought. But originality, or departure from precedent, or the idea that there is any merit in being self-taught, were all equally distasteful to Jewish scholasticism.
18. ὁἀʼἐυο λλντνδξντνἰίνζτῖκλ He returns to what He has said at 5:41 (where see note), and He repeats it again 8:50, 54. The contrast is between the teacher who represents himself as the fount of knowledge, and him who speaks as a herald and ambassador of a superior from whom he has what he has. The former seeks his own honour (for δξ means “honour” here, see on 1:14); the latter is only concerned to proclaim the truth that he has received, and in proclaiming it he seeks to bring honour to him from whom he received it. The former, therefore, may be under suspicion of false teaching; but the latter has no self-interest to further, οτςἀηή ἐτν There is no ἀιί “unrighteousness,” in him, such as is several times contrasted by Paul with “truth” (Rom_2:8, 1Co_13:6, 2Th_2:12).
For the emphatic use of οτς cf. 6:46.
The special form of ἀιί with which Jesus had been charged was that of Sabbath-breaking (5:10, 18), and He now brings the discussion back to this, by making a direct attack on His Jewish critics. They blamed Him for a technical breach of the Sabbath, but it was their own practice to condone such breaches in special circumstances (v. 23). His argument from v. 19 to v. 24 is ad hominem.
Psa_40:8 provides a parallel for the sequence of thought, vv. 17-19, which perhaps is fortuitous:
τῦπισιτ θλμ συ ὁθό μυ ἐολθν
κὶτννμνσυἐ μσ τςκρίςμυ
In Psa_40:8 τννμνσυin the second line corresponds, after the fashion of Hebrew poetry, to τ θλμ συin the first line. The argument, implied but not explicitly stated, of vv. 17-19, is that if a man does not will to do God’s will, he has not God’s law in his heart, and does not keep it.
19. ο Μϋῆ ἔωε (so BD; א ΓNWΘhave δδκν ὑῖ τννμν Moses gave the Law in all its bearings for a Jew (see on 1:19), but here the reference is specially to the Mosaic law of the Sabbath (v. 23). Jesus turns their appeal to the authority of Moses against themselves, as at 5:46.
κὶ(κὶbeing used for κίο, as at 5:38, 40; see on 1:10) οδὶ ἐ ὑῶ (cf. 16:5, 17:12: Mar_11:1, Luk_14:24 preferring to omit ἐ in similar constructions; cf. 13:28, 21:12, and see on 1:40) πιῖτννμν No one, He urges, keeps the Mosaic law of the Sabbath with minute scrupulosity in all circumstances, and He goes on to mention an admitted exception (v. 23).
τ μ ζτῖεἀοτῖα; See on 5:18, where it has been recorded, ἐήονατνο Ἰυαο ἀοτῖα.
20. ἀερθ ὁὄλςκλ The crowd had been listening with eagerness to the controversial discussion between Jesus and the Rabbis (ο Ἰυαο, v. 15); and they interrupt now to disclaim the idea that there was any thought of killing Him. This is a lifelike touch. It was not the “people,” but the “Jews,” who had begun the plot; the people knew nothing of it.
διόινἔες The same thing was said of John the Baptist, as an explanation of his asceticism (Mat_11:18); and later on, Jn. records that the Jewish leaders, or some of them, accused Jesus of being possessed with a demon (8:48, 49, 10:20; cf. Mar_3:22). But here it is the people who say “Thou hast a demon,” meaning not to impute moral blame but mental infirmity. It is a well-known sign of insanity to believe that other people are in league against one. “Who seeks to kill you?” It is only your disordered imagination which makes you suspect it (cf. Mar_3:21). See Introd., p. clxxvii.
21. Jesus does not answer the insulting suggestion that He is out of His mind. He goes back to His statement that no Jew keeps the Sabbatical law after a fashion which admits of no exception.
ἓ ἔγνἐοηακὶπνε θυάεε This has generally been interpreted as meaning, “I did one miracle, and you all marvel.” But such a pronouncement is not in harmony with the context. Nothing has been said throughout 5:1-47 or 7:15-24 to indicate that the observers, whether the simple folk or the Jewish leaders, had seen anything extraordinary in the cure of the impotent man, or had expressed any wonder. Indeed, 5:20 suggests that “greater works” would be necessary, if their wonder was to be aroused. Nor, again, would an appeal made by Jesus at this point to the miraculous nature of what He had done be apposite to the argument which He is developing. That argument has to do with one point only, sc. His alleged breach of the Sabbath; and it would be no answer to the charge of breaking the Sabbath to tell His critics that what He had done had been miraculous, and to remind them that they had been astonished.
We have seen above (5:20) that Jn. frequently speaks of the wonderful works of Jesus as His ἔγ; but there is no instance of a specific miracle being referred to as ἔγνin the singular (as σμῖνis used, 4:54), unless 10:32 be regarded as an exception: πλὰκλ ἔγ ἔεξ ὑῖ …δὰπῖνατνἔγνλθζτ μ; ἔγνin the sing. occurs again in Jn. only at 4:34, 17:4 (of the work which the Father prescribes to the Son) and at 6:29 (of the work which God desires of man).
Furthermore, stress is laid here on the singularity of the “work” that has been “done” by Jesus. “I did one work.” But in the course of the preceding argument He had appealed to the “works,” in the plural, which bore witness to His claims (5:36, where see note). There would be no point in now singling out one ἔγνonly, as having excited wonder because of its extraordinary character; and it would be surprising if that one were singled out, of which it is not recorded that it caused any astonishment.
Accordingly we render ἓ ἔγνἐοηα “I did one work,” sc. of labour, and interpret it as having reference to the matter originally in dispute, sc. that He had broken the Sabbath.1 The law was, πςὃ πισιἔγντ ἡέᾳτ ἐδμ, θντθστι(Exo_31:15, Exo_35:2). Jesus admits, in terms, that He has broken this law on the particular occasion to which His critics refer. ἓ ἔγνἐοηακλ “I did one work,” sc. on the Sabbath, “and you are all astonished,” θυάενindicating that they were puzzled, as at 3:7, 4:27. Their astonishment was not caused by the extraordinary nature of the cure, but by the circumstance that Jesus had ventured to cure the man on a Sabbath day.
We take θυάεεwith δὰτῦοwhich follows: “you are all astonished by this.” Cf. ἐαμσνδὰτνἀιτα ατν(Mar_6:6), where the reason of astonishment is indicated by δάwith the acc., as here. δὰτῦοis often used by Jn. in relation to what follows (see on 5:16); while the more common usage, in accordance with which it relates to what has gone before, is also adopted several times in the Gospel (see on 9:23), although there is no other instance in Jn. Of δὰτῦοcoming at the end of a sentence.
The tendency of the versions is to take δὰτῦοas beginning the next sentence: “Therefore Moses, etc.” But, in that case, δὰτῦοis difficult to interpret, and involves a very elliptical construction. It would mean “For this very cause, Moses gave you the ordinance of circumcision, knowing that it would conflict with the strict law of the Sabbath; sc. in order that he might teach you that the Sabbatical precepts admit of exceptions and are not always to be enforced literally.” This would give a tolerable sense, but it strains the force of δὰτῦοtoo far, and introduces a very subtle reason (not suggested elsewhere) for the rule that circumcision must always be on the eighth day after birth. It is simpler to take πνε θυάεεδὰτῦοas one sentence, “You are all astonished at this act of mine.”
א Omits δὰτῦο thus cutting the knot of the difficulty by treating the words as a later gloss.
22. Μϋῆ δδκνὑῖ τνπρτμ. πρτμ does not occur elsewhere in the Gospels; but we have πρτμεν(Luk_1:59, Luk_2:21). The ordinance of circumcision on the eighth day after birth is re-enacted, Lev_12:3.
οχὅιἐ τῦΜϋέςἐτνἀλ ἐ τνπτρν This is an evangelistic comment on the words of Jesus, interpolated exactly as at 12:6, οκὅι…ἀλ (see Introd., p. xxxiv). The covenant of circumcision went back to Abraham (Gen_17:10, Gen_21:4, Act_7:8). For τνπτρν see on 6:58.
κὶἐ σβάῳκλ B om. ἐ, but ins. אΘ (cf. 5:16).
Even if the eighth day after the birth of the child fell on a Sabbath, the act of circumcision was performed. Lightfoot (Hor. Hebr. in loc.) cites the Rabbinical rule: “Rabbi Akiba saith, ‘Work that may be done on the eve of the Sabbath must not be done on the Sabbath, but circumcision …may be done on the Sabbath.’”1
Justin uses the argument of the text in the Dialogue with Trypho (§27), appealing to the injunction to circumcise on the Sabbath.
23. ε πρτμνκλ “If a man receives circumcision on a sabbath, in order that the law of Moses (sc. the law relating to circumcision, Lev_12:3) may not be broken, are you angry with me because on a Sabbath I made the whole man healthy?” A somewhat similar idea appears in the Rabbinical writings: “Circumcision, which has to do with one member only, breaks the Sabbath; how much more the whole body of a man?”2 The contrast is between the treatment of one member, and of the whole body (ὅο ἄθωο). If the lesser thing is permitted, why not the greater? The argument is comparable with that of Mat_12:11, Luk_13:15, by which a technical breach of the Sabbath is defended, but is unlike that of 5:17, where see the note.
For λεν of “breaking” a law, see on 5:18.
ὁνμςΜϋέςis a comprehensive term for the whole Jewish law, or for a particular enactment: cf. Luk_2:22, Luk_24:44, Act_15:5 (this passage referring to the law of circumcision), 1Co_9:9 etc. λενis used at 5:18 of breaking the law of the Sabbath. The word ὑιςgoes back to 5:9, 14.
24. μ κίεεκτ ὄι, “do not judge by looks,” i.e. superficially, the too frequent weakness of the Pharisees, which is rebuked again ὑεςκτ τνσρακίεα(8:15). Cf. Isa_11:3 ο κτ τνδξνκιε, and 2Co_10:7. ὄι occurs again in the N.T. only at 11:44 and Rev_1:16, and then in the sense of “face.”
ἀλ τνδκίνκίι κίαε “but judge righteous judgment,” i.e. be fair. The expression is used of the judgments of God, Tob. 3:2. Cf. also Zec_7:9 κίαδκινκίαε The constr. κίι κιενis common (Isa_11:4) and is also classical (Plato, Rep. 360 E).
25. The section introduced by v. 14, and then including vv. 25-36, has no reference to the Sabbatical Controversy.1 The discussion about the breach of the Sabbath by Jesus, begun in c. 5, and ending with 7:15-24, is not continued on this visit to Jerusalem, which took place some months after the former one (see on 7:1). About the fourth day of the celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles (7:14) Jesus began to teach publicly in the Temple, and His teaching attracted the attention of the citizens, who began to ask themselves if He might not be the Messiah after all, although the Jewish leaders were seeking to arrest and silence Him (7:25-27). At this point, Jesus declares openly that His mission is from God, and that in a short time He will return to Him (7:28-33). His strange language about Himself disconcerts the Pharisees, who say scornful words (7:35, 36), but they do not arrest Him on this occasion.
Some of the Jews were impressed by the public teaching now begun (v. 14). τνςἐ τνἹοουετν sc. the inhabitants of Jerusalem, as distinct from the multitudes of country folk who had come up for the feast. The term Ἱρσλμῖα is found in N.T. only here and Mar_1:5 (cf. 4 Macc. 4:22, 18:5).
The Vulgate has ex Hierosolymis here instead of ex Hierosolymitanis, which the Oxford editors suggest may be due to the use by Jerome of some Greek text now lost. But Hierosolymitanis appears in d f q as Hierosolymitis, from which the transition is easy to Hierosolymis.
These shrewd townsmen were surprised that their religious leaders were seeking the death of One who spoke with such power. With ὅ ζτῦι ἀοτῖα, Cf. v. 1.
26. κὶἴε For ἴε see on 1:29.
πρηί. For this word see on v. 4, and for πρηί λλῖ the openness with which Jesus taught, see on 18:20. The citizens were surprised that He had been allowed to teach without interference from the rulers, κὶοδνατ λγυι.
μ πτ is not used elsewhere by Jn. Cf. its similar use in Luk_3:15, where the people are wondering about John the Baptist, μ πτ ατςεηὁΧιτς So here: “Can it be that the rulers in truth know that this is the Christ?” ο ἄχνε describes generally the members of the Sanhedrim (for the constitution of which, see below on v. 32). Cf. v. 48, 3:1, 12:42; and see Luk_23:13, Luk_23:35, Luk_23:24:20.
The rec. ins. ἀηῷbefore ὁΧιτς but om. אΘ
27. However, the Jews dismiss as untenable the thought which had passed through their minds that Jesus might be the Messiah (cf. 4:29), and that their “rulers” knew it. ἀλ … Nay, but …
τῦο οδμνπθνἐτν “this man, we know whence he is.” Cf. 6:42, where “the Jews” said that they knew the family of Jesus. There was no mystery about Him now, as they thought. Many people knew His home at Nazareth (Mat_13:55). Presumably His disciples were with Him hence forward.
ὁδ Χιτςὅα ἔχτι οδὶ γνσε πθνἐτν The birthplace of Messiah was held to be known, sc. Bethlehem (see on v. 42), but all else as to the time or the manner of His Advent was believed to be hidden. Westcott quotes a Rabbinical saying, “Three things come wholly unexpected—Messiah, a godsend, and a scorpion” (Sanhedr. 97a). The phrase “will be revealed” used of His appearance, 2 Esd. 7:28, 13:32, and in Apocalypse of Baruch xxix. 3, suggests (as Charles has pointed out) an emergence from concealment; and with this agrees the Jewish doctrine described in Justin, Tryph. 110, “They say that He has not yet come …and that even if He has come, it is not known who He is (ο γνσεα ὅ ἐτν but that when He has become manifest and glorious then it shall be known who He is.” At an earlier point (Tryph. 8) the Jewish interlocutor says of the Christ, “If He be born and is anywhere, He is unknown, and does not even know Himself (ἄνσό ἐτ κὶοδ ατςπ ἑυὸ ἐίττι nor has He any power until Elijah having come anoints Him and makes Him manifest to all.” These passages show that the evangelist accurately reports here the Jewish doctrine as to the mysterious emergence of Messiah from obscurity.
ἔχτι So BDLTW; אΘhave ἔχτι ὅα with the pres. subj. is rare in Jn. (cf. 8:44, 16:21), although not uncommon elsewhere (e.g. Mar_12:25, Mar_13:4, Luk_11:2, Luk_11:21).
28. ἔρξν κάενis used only once in the Synoptists of Christ’s utterances, viz. Mat_27:50, where it is applied to the cry from the Cross. Jn. does not so apply it, but it is used by him three times to describe public and solemn announcements of doctrine by Jesus (7:37, 12:44; cf. also 1:15, where it is used of the Baptist’s proclamation). Cf. ἐρύαε, 11:43.
ἐρξνονἐ τ ἱρ δδσω … “So then (ον in reply to the scepticism displayed by His audience) Jesus cried aloud, as He was teaching in the temple” (cf. v. 14). There was nothing secret about this teaching (cf. 18:20 and Mat_26:55).
κμ οδτ κὶοδτ πθνεμ. This is not ironical or interrogative, but affirmative. It was true that they knew Him and His family (v. 27), but there was more to know. There is no inconsistency with 8:14, where see note.
κὶἀʼἐατῦοκἐήυα “and yet I have not come of myself.” κίis used for κίο as it is in v. 30 below, in accordance with an idiom frequent in Jn. (see on 1:10). The phrase ἀʼἐατῦακἐήυαis repeated 8:42 (where see note). Cf. 5:30, 8:28, 12:49, 14:10.
ἀλ ἔτνἀηιὸ ὁπμα μ, “but He that sent me is genuine” (see on 1:9 for ἀηιό as distinct from ἀηή). The mission of Jesus was a genuine mission; He did not come to earth of Himself, but was sent by the Father (see on 3:17). The Father was genuinely His Sender.
ὅ ὑεςοκοδτ. Despite the fact that the Jews “knew what they worshipped” (4:22), they did not know God’s character and purposes, and this scathing rebuke is addressed to them again (8:19, 55). That it might be said of heathen was not surprising (Gal_4:8, 1Th_4:5, 2Th_1:8), and the persecutions of Christians in the future were mainly to spring from this ignorance (cf. 15:21); but here the sting of the words “whom ye know not,” is that they were addressed to Jews, the chosen people.
29. After ἐώ א add δ; but om. BLTWΓΘ
ἐὼοδ ατν This is repeated verbally 8:55, and again at 17:25 in the form ἐὼδ σ ἔνν These three words contain the unique claim of Jesus, which is pressed all through the chapters of controversy with the Jews. But it is not more explicit, although it is more frequently expressed, in Jn. than in Mat_11:27, Luk_10:22.
ὅιπρ ατῦεμ, “because I am from Him.” See on 6:46 for similar phrases in Jn., which imply a community of being between the Father and the Son (cf. 1:14 and 16:27, 28).
κκῖό μ ἀέτιε. This sentence is not dependent upon ὅι “I know Him, because I am from Him,” is the first point. “And He sent me” is the second (see on 3:17), ἐενςemphasising the main subject of the sentence, as so often in Jn. (see on 1:8).
For ἀέτιε (BLTNW), א have ἀέτλε.
30. ἐήονονατνπάα, “Then (sc. in consequence of the claims for Himself made by Jesus, vv. 28, 29) they (sc. the Jewish leaders already indicated as His opponents, vv. 1, 25) sought to arrest Him.” This had been their purpose ever since the healing at the pool of Bethesda on a Sabbath day (5:16), their desire being to put Him to death (5:18, 7:1, 25). The impf. ἐήονmarks in each case that the action was not completed; and so again at 7:44 (ἤεο) and 10:39 (ἐήον The original offence, of breaking the Sabbath (5:16, repeated 9:16), comes less into prominence now, because of the greater offence of blasphemy (5:18) with which they henceforth charge Him.
πάεν to “take,” is not found in the Synoptists; Jn. uses it again vv. 32, 44, 8:20, 10:39, 11:57 of “arresting” Jesus (cf. Act_12:4, 2Co_11:32), and at 21:3, 10 of “catching” fish.
κὶοδςἐέαε ἐʼατντνχῖα “and yet (κίbeing used for κίο, as often in Jn.; see on 1:10) no one laid his hand on Him,” the ecclesiastical authorities, no doubt, fearing to arrest one who had won attention from the people (cf. Mat_21:46). These words are repeated almost verbatim at v. 44 τνςδ ἤεο ἐ ατνπάα ατν ἀλ οδὶ ἐέαε ἐʼατντςχῖα: cf. also 8:20, 10:39.
Jn. is at pains to bring out at every point that the persecution and death of Jesus followed a predestined course. The Jews could not hasten the hour determined in the Divine purpose, and so the evangelist adds here, ὅιοπ ἐηύε ἡὥαατῦ the same words being added in a similar context at 8:20 (cf. vv. 6, 8; and see on 2:4).
31. ἐ τῦὄλυδ πλο ἐίτυα εςατν Those who “believed on Him” (see for the phrase on 4:39) were of the common people rather than of the upper classes (cf. vv. 48, 49). See 9:16.
κὶἔεο κλ “and they were saying, When the Christ shall come, will He do more signs than this man did?” (cf. Mat_12:23). Jesus had not yet told them plainly that He was Messiah (10:24).
After ἔεο the rec. ins. ὅιrecitantis, but om. אΘ After ὅα ἔθ the rec. has μτ, but the better reading is μ (א After σμῖ the rec. has τύω, but om. אΘ For ἐοηε (א אΘand some vss. have πιῖ
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