The rulers claimed knowledge of the law that was superior to that of the common people (Gr. ochlos, crowd or mob) who accepted Jesus. They condescendingly judged the officers" opinion of Jesus as worthy only of the uneducated. The rabbis taught, "It is forbidden to have mercy on one who has no knowledge." [1] If more of these leaders had taken the time to listen to Jesus, as Nicodemus did, they may have formed a different opinion of how well He fulfilled the law. Pride in one"s knowledge often results in spiritual blindness. The mob was supposedly under God"s curse since they did not obey it ( Deuteronomy 28:15). Really it was the leaders who were under His curse for not believing in Jesus ( John 3:36). [source][source][source]
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
1Jesus reproves the ambition and boldness of his kinsmen; 10goes up from Galilee to the feast of tabernacles; 14teaches in the temple 40Various opinions of him among the people 45The Pharisees are angry that their officers took him not, 50and chide with Nicodemus for taking his side
Greek Commentary for John 7:49
This multitude [ο οχλος ουτος] The Pharisees had a scorn for the οχλος amhaaretz or “people of the earth” (cf. our “clod-hoppers”) as is seen in rabbinic literature. It was some of the ο μη γινοσκων ochlos (multitude at the feast especially from Galilee) who had shown sympathy with Jesus (John 7:12,John 7:28.). Which knoweth not the law Present active articular participle of μη ginōskō with αγραμματοι και ιδιωται mē usual negative of the participle in the Koiné. “No brutish man is sin-fearing, nor is one of the people of the earth pious” (Aboth, II. 6). See the amazement of the Sanhedrin at Peter and John in Acts 4:13 as “unlettered and private men” No wonder the common people The rabbis scouted and scorned them. Are accursed Construction according to sense (plural verb and adjective with collective singular Επαρατοι ochlos). επαραομαι Eparatoi is old verbal adjective from eparaomai to call down curses upon, here only in the N.T. [source]
This people [ὁ ὄχλος οὗτος] Better, multitude, as contrasted with the orthodox Jews. See on John 1:19. [source]
Cursed [] As specimens of Rabbinical utterances concerning this class may be cited the expressions vermin, people of the earth, and the saying, “the ignorant is impious; only the learned shall have part in the resurrection.” Even more abusive and abominable is this: “He shall not take a daughter of the people of the earth, because they are an abomination, and their wives are an abomination, and concerning their daughters it is said, Deuteronomy 27:21” -! [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for John 7:49
John 8:17In your law [ἐν τῷ νόμῳ τῷ ὑμετέρῳ] Literally, in the law, that which is yours. Yours has an emphatic force: of which you claim a monopoly. See John 7:49. [source]
John 7:20The multitude [ο οχλος] Outside of Jerusalem (the Galilean crowd as in John 7:11.) and so unfamiliar with the effort to kill Jesus recorded in John 5:18. It is important in this chapter to distinguish clearly the several groups like the Jewish leaders (John 7:13,John 7:15,John 7:25,John 7:26,John 7:30,John 7:32, etc.), the multitude from Galilee and elsewhere (John 7:10-13,John 7:20,John 7:31,John 7:40,John 7:49), the common people of Jerusalem (John 7:25), the Roman soldiers (John 7:45.). Thou hast a devil “Demon,” of course, as always in the Gospels. These pilgrims make the same charge against Jesus made long ago by the Pharisees in Jerusalem in explanation of the difference between John and Jesus (Matthew 11:18; Luke 7:33). It is an easy way to make a fling like that. “He is a monomaniac labouring under a hallucination that people wish to kill him” (Dods). [source]
John 7:51Doth our law judge a man? [μη ο νομος ημων κρινει τον αντρωπον] Negative answer expected and “the man,” not “a man.” These exponents of the law (John 7:49) were really violating the law of criminal procedure (Exodus 23:1; Deuteronomy 1:16). Probably Nicodemus knew that his protest was useless, but he could at least show his colours and score the point of justice in Christ‘s behalf. Except it first hear from himself Third-class negative condition with εαν μη ean mē and first aorist active subjunctive of ακουω akouō That is common justice in all law, to hear a man‘s side of the case (“from him,” παρ αυτου par' autou). And know what he doeth Continuation of the same condition with second aorist active subjunctive of γινωσκω ginōskō with indirect question and present active indicative There was no legal answer to the point of Nicodemus. [source]
John 8:17Yea and in your law [και εν τωι νομωι δε τωι υμετερωι] Same use of καιδε kai -de as in John 8:16. They claimed possession of the law (John 7:49) and so Jesus takes this turn in answer to the charge of single witness in John 8:13. He will use similar language (your law) in John 10:34 in an argumentum ad hominem as here in controversy with the Jews. In John 15:24 to the apostles Jesus even says “in their law” in speaking of the hostile Jews plotting his death. He does not mean in either case to separate himself wholly from the Jews and the law, though in Matthew 5 he does show the superiority of his teaching to that of the law. For the Mosaic regulation about two witnesses see Deuteronomy 17:6; Deuteronomy 19:15. This combined witness of two is not true just because they agree, unless true in fact separately. But if they disagree, the testimony falls to the ground. In this case the Father confirms the witness of the Son as Jesus had already shown (John 5:37). [source]
John 9:41If ye were blind [ει τυπλοι ητε] Condition of second class with imperfect indicative in the protasis. The old word τυπλος tuphlos is from τυπω tuphō to raise a smoke, to blind by smoke (literally and metaphorically). Here, of course, it is moral blindness. If the Pharisees were born morally blind, they would, like idiots, be without responsibility. Ye would not have sin Regular form for conclusion of second-class condition, αν an with imperfect. But now ye say In contrast to the previous condition. See like contrast in John 15:22,John 15:24. They arrogantly asserted superior knowledge. We see The ignorant mob do not (John 7:49). It is sin against light and is hopeless (Mark 3:29; Matthew 12:31.). “Ye are witnesses against yourselves” (μαρτυρειτε εαυτοις martureite heautois Matthew 23:31). [source]
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: γινώσκω
Sense: to learn to know, come to know, get a knowledge of perceive, feel.
Greek Commentary for John 7:49
The Pharisees had a scorn for the οχλος amhaaretz or “people of the earth” (cf. our “clod-hoppers”) as is seen in rabbinic literature. It was some of the ο μη γινοσκων ochlos (multitude at the feast especially from Galilee) who had shown sympathy with Jesus (John 7:12, John 7:28.). Which knoweth not the law Present active articular participle of μη ginōskō with αγραμματοι και ιδιωται mē usual negative of the participle in the Koiné. “No brutish man is sin-fearing, nor is one of the people of the earth pious” (Aboth, II. 6). See the amazement of the Sanhedrin at Peter and John in Acts 4:13 as “unlettered and private men” No wonder the common people The rabbis scouted and scorned them. Are accursed Construction according to sense (plural verb and adjective with collective singular Επαρατοι ochlos). επαραομαι Eparatoi is old verbal adjective from eparaomai to call down curses upon, here only in the N.T. [source]
Better, multitude, as contrasted with the orthodox Jews. See on John 1:19. [source]
As specimens of Rabbinical utterances concerning this class may be cited the expressions vermin, people of the earth, and the saying, “the ignorant is impious; only the learned shall have part in the resurrection.” Even more abusive and abominable is this: “He shall not take a daughter of the people of the earth, because they are an abomination, and their wives are an abomination, and concerning their daughters it is said, Deuteronomy 27:21” -! [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for John 7:49
Literally, in the law, that which is yours. Yours has an emphatic force: of which you claim a monopoly. See John 7:49. [source]
Outside of Jerusalem (the Galilean crowd as in John 7:11.) and so unfamiliar with the effort to kill Jesus recorded in John 5:18. It is important in this chapter to distinguish clearly the several groups like the Jewish leaders (John 7:13, John 7:15, John 7:25, John 7:26, John 7:30, John 7:32, etc.), the multitude from Galilee and elsewhere (John 7:10-13, John 7:20, John 7:31, John 7:40, John 7:49), the common people of Jerusalem (John 7:25), the Roman soldiers (John 7:45.). Thou hast a devil “Demon,” of course, as always in the Gospels. These pilgrims make the same charge against Jesus made long ago by the Pharisees in Jerusalem in explanation of the difference between John and Jesus (Matthew 11:18; Luke 7:33). It is an easy way to make a fling like that. “He is a monomaniac labouring under a hallucination that people wish to kill him” (Dods). [source]
Negative answer expected and “the man,” not “a man.” These exponents of the law (John 7:49) were really violating the law of criminal procedure (Exodus 23:1; Deuteronomy 1:16). Probably Nicodemus knew that his protest was useless, but he could at least show his colours and score the point of justice in Christ‘s behalf. Except it first hear from himself Third-class negative condition with εαν μη ean mē and first aorist active subjunctive of ακουω akouō That is common justice in all law, to hear a man‘s side of the case (“from him,” παρ αυτου par' autou). And know what he doeth Continuation of the same condition with second aorist active subjunctive of γινωσκω ginōskō with indirect question and present active indicative There was no legal answer to the point of Nicodemus. [source]
Same use of καιδε kai -de as in John 8:16. They claimed possession of the law (John 7:49) and so Jesus takes this turn in answer to the charge of single witness in John 8:13. He will use similar language (your law) in John 10:34 in an argumentum ad hominem as here in controversy with the Jews. In John 15:24 to the apostles Jesus even says “in their law” in speaking of the hostile Jews plotting his death. He does not mean in either case to separate himself wholly from the Jews and the law, though in Matthew 5 he does show the superiority of his teaching to that of the law. For the Mosaic regulation about two witnesses see Deuteronomy 17:6; Deuteronomy 19:15. This combined witness of two is not true just because they agree, unless true in fact separately. But if they disagree, the testimony falls to the ground. In this case the Father confirms the witness of the Son as Jesus had already shown (John 5:37). [source]
Condition of second class with imperfect indicative in the protasis. The old word τυπλος tuphlos is from τυπω tuphō to raise a smoke, to blind by smoke (literally and metaphorically). Here, of course, it is moral blindness. If the Pharisees were born morally blind, they would, like idiots, be without responsibility. Ye would not have sin Regular form for conclusion of second-class condition, αν an with imperfect. But now ye say In contrast to the previous condition. See like contrast in John 15:22, John 15:24. They arrogantly asserted superior knowledge. We see The ignorant mob do not (John 7:49). It is sin against light and is hopeless (Mark 3:29; Matthew 12:31.). “Ye are witnesses against yourselves” (μαρτυρειτε εαυτοις martureite heautois Matthew 23:31). [source]