Many of Jesus" hearers did not realize the depth of the animosity of Israel"s leaders toward Him. They naively thought He was crazy to think that someone was trying to kill Him. The Jews of Jesus" day commonly thought of mental illness, in this case paranoia, as being demon-induced. This explains their reference to Jesus having a demon (cf. John 10:20). These people were not charging Jesus with getting His power from Satan, as others had ( Matthew 9:34; Matthew 10:25; Matthew 12:24; Mark 3:22; Luke 11:15; cf. Matthew 11:18). There are several cases of demon possession in the Synoptics, but there are none in John. [source][source][source]
Context Summary
John 7:14-24 - How To Know The Truth Of Jesus' Word
Jesus now went up to the feast, not because he was prompted by the worldly policy suggested by His brethren, but because He was led by His Father's will. We must be on our guard against unspiritual advisers, and must wait till the hour and the minute-hands of the clock have reached the precise moment of the Father's appointment.
Here is an easy method of ascertaining whether our Lord's words about God, Himself, and the future are merely the words of a human teacher, or are really God's. Be willing to do as He says! Stand prepared to fulfill whatever is revealed to your mind and witnessed to by the inner voice! Live with your face toward the dawn, for though it tarry long it will certainly break. See John 3:21. Faith in the gospel does not come by logic, but as the result of obeying the highest truth that you know. Follow on and your path will lead you out to where Jesus stands, the revealed Son of God and the Savior of men. The old quarrel as to the miracle wrought at Bethesda on the Sabbath was still alive, John 7:22-23. His critics did not hold that the Mosaic law was violated if a child's submission to the Jewish initiatory rite was performed on the Sabbath. How foolish, then, to blame Jesus for an act of mercy and healing! [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 7:20
The 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]
A devil [δαιμόνιον] Or more correctly, a demon. See on Mark 1:34. The name was applied to Jesus by the multitude ( ὄχλος ) and not by those whom He was addressing in John 7:19, because of the gloomy suspicions which they thought He entertained, and in entire ignorance of the design of the Jews which Jesus had penetrated. The same term was applied to John the Baptist, the ascetic, as one who withdrew from social intercourse (Matthew 11:18). [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for John 7:20
John 10:20He has a demon and is mad [δαιμονιον εχει και μαινεται] As some had already said (John 7:20; John 8:48 with the addition of “Samaritan”). So long before in Mark 3:21. An easy way of discounting Jesus. [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 8:37Yet ye seek to kill me [αλλα ζητειτε με αποκτειναι] As at the recent feast (John 7:20,John 7:25,John 7:30,John 7:32; John 8:20). Some of these very professed believers were even now glowering with murderous vengeance. Hath not free course in you Intransitive use of χωρεω chōreō old verb from χωρος chōros (space, place), to have space or room for. They would not abide in Christ‘s word (John 8:31). They had no longer room for his word when once they understood the spiritual aspect of his message. Jerusalem was now just like Galilee once before (John 6:60-66). [source]
Greek Commentary for John 7:20
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]
Or more correctly, a demon. See on Mark 1:34. The name was applied to Jesus by the multitude ( ὄχλος ) and not by those whom He was addressing in John 7:19, because of the gloomy suspicions which they thought He entertained, and in entire ignorance of the design of the Jews which Jesus had penetrated. The same term was applied to John the Baptist, the ascetic, as one who withdrew from social intercourse (Matthew 11:18). [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for John 7:20
As some had already said (John 7:20; John 8:48 with the addition of “Samaritan”). So long before in Mark 3:21. An easy way of discounting Jesus. [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]
As at the recent feast (John 7:20, John 7:25, John 7:30, John 7:32; John 8:20). Some of these very professed believers were even now glowering with murderous vengeance. Hath not free course in you Intransitive use of χωρεω chōreō old verb from χωρος chōros (space, place), to have space or room for. They would not abide in Christ‘s word (John 8:31). They had no longer room for his word when once they understood the spiritual aspect of his message. Jerusalem was now just like Galilee once before (John 6:60-66). [source]