The Meaning of John 7:46 Explained

John 7:46

KJV: The officers answered, Never man spake like this man.

YLT: The officers answered, 'Never so spake man -- as this man.'

Darby: The officers answered, Never man spoke thus, as this man speaks.

ASV: The officers answered, Never man so spake.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

The officers  answered,  Never  man  spake  like  this  man. 

What does John 7:46 Mean?

Context Summary

John 7:40-53 - The Blindness Of Prejudice
These short descriptions of the impressions made on His hearers by the discourses of Jesus indicate the double development which was resulting from His ministry. Those in favor spoke of the Prophet and the Christ. Compare John 1:21; John 6:14. Others raised objections, John 7:41-42. Others again desired to take action, John 7:44.
Though it was a holy day, the Sanhedrin was in session to receive the report of their officers. These, by their candid statement, unconsciously passed a strange criticism on the religious speakers to whom they were wont to listen. Compare John 7:48 with John 7:50 and John 3:1-36.
How greatly Nicodemus had grown since his night-visit to Jesus! And he was to advance still further, John 19:39. The appeal to history was apparently true. Jonah is the only prophet who might have been quoted as an apparent exception, but he may only have been a resident in Galilee when the summons came to him. The reasoning of John 7:52, however, was not conclusive. Even if none had arisen, it was the more likely that the Divine Spirit should choose the most humble origin; and the one most in keeping with the peasant-birth of the manger-bed. [source]

Chapter Summary: John 7

1  Jesus reproves the ambition and boldness of his kinsmen;
10  goes up from Galilee to the feast of tabernacles;
14  teaches in the temple
40  Various opinions of him among the people
45  The Pharisees are angry that their officers took him not,
50  and chide with Nicodemus for taking his side

Greek Commentary for John 7:46

Never man so spake [ουδεποτε ελαλησεν ουτως αντρωπος]
Police officers are not usually carried away by public speech. They had fallen under the power of Jesus “as the Galilean peasants had been impressed” (Bernard) in John 7:28. It was the words of Jesus that had so gripped these officers, not his works (John 15:24). It was most disconcerting to the Sanhedrin. [source]
Like this man []
Some of the best texts omit. [source]
Deceived [πεπλάνησθε]
Rev., led astray. See on John 7:12. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for John 7:46

John 6:63 That quickeneth [το ζωοποιουν]
Articular present active participle of ζωοποιεω — zōopoieō for which see John 5:21. For the contrast between πνευμα — pneuma (spirit) and σαρχ — sarx (flesh) see note on John 3:6. The words Those in this discourse (I have just spoken, λελαληκα — lelalēka), for they are the words of God (John 3:34; John 8:47; John 17:8). No wonder they “are spirit and are life” The breath of God and the life of God is in these words of Jesus. Never man spoke like Jesus (John 7:46). There is life in his words today. [source]

What do the individual words in John 7:46 mean?

Answered the officers Never spoke like this a man as this speaks - man
Ἀπεκρίθησαν οἱ ὑπηρέται Οὐδέποτε ἐλάλησεν οὕτως ἄνθρωπος 〈ὡς οὗτος λαλεῖ ἄνθρωπος〉

Ἀπεκρίθησαν  Answered 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Passive, 3rd Person Plural
Root: ἀποκρίνομαι  
Sense: to give an answer to a question proposed, to answer.
ὑπηρέται  officers 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: ὑπηρέτης  
Sense: servant.
Οὐδέποτε  Never 
Parse: Adverb
Root: οὐδέποτε  
Sense: never.
ἐλάλησεν  spoke 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἀπολαλέω 
Sense: to utter a voice or emit a sound.
οὕτως  like  this 
Parse: Adverb
Root: οὕτως  
Sense: in this manner, thus, so.
ἄνθρωπος  a  man 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ἄνθρωπος  
Sense: a human being, whether male or female.
οὗτος  this 
Parse: Demonstrative Pronoun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: οὗτος  
Sense: this.
λαλεῖ  speaks 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἀπολαλέω 
Sense: to utter a voice or emit a sound.
  - 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ἄνθρωπος〉  man 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ἄνθρωπος  
Sense: a human being, whether male or female.

What are the major concepts related to John 7:46?

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