Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of John 7:26
But, lo, he speaketh boldly, and they say nothing unto him. Do the rulers know indeed that this is the very Christ?
26. boldly ] Or, with frankness, or openness; the same word as in Joh 7:4, where (as in Joh 16:29) it has a preposition; here and Joh 7:13 it is the simple dative.
Do the rulers know ] The word here translated ‘know’ is not the one translated ‘know’ in Joh 7:28-29. The latter is the most general word for ‘know:’ this means rather to ‘acquire knowledge.’ Have the rulers come to know (or recognised)? See on Joh 1:10. In the next verse we have both words. Comp. Joh 8:55.
that this is the very Christ ] ‘Very’ is wanting in authority: that this man is the Christ is the right reading. This suggestion, however, is only a momentary thought. They at once raise a difficulty which for them demolishes the suggestion.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Do the rulers know indeed … – It seems from this that they supposed that the rulers had been convinced that Jesus was the Messiah, but that from some cause they were not willing yet to make it known to the people. The reasons of this opinion were these:
- They knew that they had attempted to kill him.
- They now saw him speaking boldly to the people without interruption from the rulers.
They concluded, therefore, that some change had taken place in the sentiments of the rulers in regard to him, though they had not yet made it public.
The rulers – The members of the Sanhedrin, or great council of the nation, who had charge of religious affairs.
Indeed – Truly; certainly. Have they certain evidence, as would appear from their suffering him to speak without interruption?
The very Christ – Is truly or really the Messiah.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 26. That this is the very Christ?] In most of the common printed editions is found, the VERY Christ; but the word is wanting in BDKLTX, twenty-two others, several editions; all the Arabic, Wheelock’s Persic, the Coptic, Sahidic, Armenian, Slavonic, Vulgate, and all the Itala but one, Origen, Epiphanius, Cyril, Isidore, Pelusian, and Nonnus. Grotius, Mill, Bengel, and Griesbach, decide against it. Bishop Pearce says, I am of opinion that this second , in this verse, should be omitted, it seeming quite unnecessary, if not inaccurate, when the words , had just preceded it.
Calmet observes that the multitude which heard our Lord at this time was composed of three different classes of persons:
1. The rulers, priests, and Pharisees, declared enemies of Christ.
2. The inhabitants of Jerusalem, who knew the sentiments of their rulers concerning him.
3. The strangers, who from different quarters had come up to Jerusalem to the feast, and who heard Christ attentively, being ignorant of the designs of the rulers, &c., against him.
Our Lord addresses himself in this discourse principally to his enemies. The strange Jews were those who were astonished when Christ said, Joh 7:20, that they sought to kill him, having no such design themselves, and not knowing that others had. And the Jews of Jerusalem were those who, knowing the disposition of the rulers, and seeing Christ speak openly, no man attempting to seize him, addressed each other in the foregoing words, Do the rulers know indeed that this is the Christ? imagining that the chief priests, &c., had at last been convinced that Jesus was the MESSIAH.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The first search being over, it is probable that the rulers had not heard that Christ was come up to the feast; this made the people think that they had some knowledge that he was the Messias, otherwise they would have taken some course to have restrained his so free and open discoursing: but we shall in the latter part of this chapter find that they were mistaken; for as soon as they heard where he was, and what he was doing, they used all means they could to apprehend him.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
26. Do the rulers know, &c.Havethey got some new light in favor of His claims?
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
But lo, he speaketh boldly,…. And with great freedom, and openly and publicly in the temple, as if he had a licence from the chief priests for so doing:
and they say nothing to him; do not contradict him, or forbid him speaking; he goes on without control; though he takes great liberty in charging the Jews with an intention to kill him, in arguing from their practices in vindication of himself, and in suggesting that they judged in favour of men, and not according to the truth of things.
Do the rulers know indeed that this is the very Christ? have they changed their minds concerning him, and so their conduct towards him? are they convinced, and do they know by plain demonstrations, and full proof, that he is really the Messiah that has been promised of old, and long expected?
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
They say nothing unto him ( ). But only make sneering comments about him (7:16) in spite of his speaking “openly” (, for which word see John 7:13; John 18:20) before all. lt was sarcasm about the leaders, though an element of surprise on the part of “these shrewd townsmen” (Bernard) may have existed also.
Can it be that the rulers indeed know ( ). Negative answer expected by and yet there is ridicule of the rulers in the form of the question. See a like use of in Lu 3:15, though nowhere else in John. (second aorist ingressive active indicative of ) may refer to the examination of Jesus by these rulers in 5:19ff. and means, “Did they come to know or find out” (and so hold now)?
That this is the Christ ( ). The Messiah of Jewish hope.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Do the rulers know indeed? The interrogative particle mhpote may be rendered by the familiar expression they do not, do they? Rev., can it be that the rulers, etc. Indeed [] ; literally, truly.
The very [] . Omit.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “But, lo, he speaketh boldly,” (kai ide parresia lalei) “And take notice that he speaks openly,” with boldness and courage, Joh 7:4; Joh 7:13.
2) “And they say nothing unto him.” (kai ouden auto legousin) “And they say not a thing to him,” personally or directly at all. They do not attempt to refute His arguments or even attempt to arrest Him. They officially do not try to arrest or detain Him from His teaching and miracle working, right here in our holy city and in the temple, Joh 7:14; Joh 2:23-24; Joh 5:5-18.
3) “Do the rulers know indeed,” (mepote alethos egnosan hou archontes) “Do the rulers perhaps know indeed;- Surely the rulers do not know and attempt to conceal from us, do they? Joh 7:48; Joh 12:43; Joh 12:43.
4) “That this is the very Christ?” (hoti houtos estin ho Christos) “That this one is (exists as), the Christ?” the anointed one. This shows how wide spread was the idea the Jesus was perhaps the Christ, the Messiah who was to come, so that even these Jerusalem dwellers waited for their rulers to tell them, give them their opinions, Joh 7:25, Deu 18:15; Deu 18:19.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(26) But they, too, have reason for wonder. They hear Him speaking openly, and those who sought His death listen to Him without reply. Are they, then, convinced of the truth of His claim?
Do the rulers know indeed . . .?Read, Have the rulers come to know indeed that this Man is the Christ? The word very is omitted by the best MSS. The word indeed shows that the questioners think it impossible that the rulers can have recognised Him.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
26. Do the rulers know indeed Do they now cease to assail him because they have secretly discovered the truth of his Messiahship. So strong were these proofs that these Jerusalemites suspect that the rulers in their hearts believe him to be the Christ.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
26 But, lo, he speaketh boldly, and they say nothing unto him. Do the rulers know indeed that this is the very Christ?
Ver. 26. But lo, he speaketh boldly, and they say nothing to him ] God restrained them, putting his bit in their jaws, his hook in their nostrils. In the year 1159, lived John, bishop of Salisbury, qui et praesens praesentem Pontificem redarguit, et Polycraticon conscripsit, in quo clerum libere flagellat, who reproved the pope to his face, and wrote his Polycraticon, wherein he freely scourgeth the clergy. (Jacob. Revius.) After this, Robert Grosthead, bishop of Lincoln, called the pope in a letter, Antichrist sitting in the chair of Pestilence, and next to Lucifer himself. As in battle they that stand it out do usually speed best; so here, many times.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
But = And.
lo. Figure of speech Asterismos. App-6. Greek. ide. App-133.
boldly = openly, as in Joh 7:4.
nothing. Greek ouden. Compound of ou.
Do the rulers know indeed? = The rulers have not ascertained, have they?
indeed. Greek. alethos = truly or really.
very. Same as “indeed” above. All the texts omit “very”, but not the Syriac. See App-94. note 3, p. 136.
Christ = the Messiah. Ste App-98.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Joh 7:26. , freely) Psa 40:10, I have not hid Thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared Thy faithfulness and Thy salvation; I have not concealed Thy loving-kindness and Thy truth from the great congregation.-, truly) The people might have doubted, whether the rulers would affirm, that Jesus is the Christ; but withdrawing themselves from this doubt, the people begin to affirm concerning that [supposed] affirmation.-, have they known) in mind, and by word of mouth. [The before in the Rec. Text is omitted in [187][188][189][190][191][192][193] Vulg.]
[187] the Vatican MS., 1209: in Vat. Iibr., Rome: fourth cent.: O. and N. Test. def.
[188] Bez, or Cantabrig.: Univ. libr., Cambridge: fifth cent.: publ. by Kipling, 1793: Gospels, Acts, and some Epp. def.
[189] Cod. Reg., Paris, of the Gospels: the text akin to that of B: edited by Tisch.
[190] Borgiana: Veletri: part of John: fourth or fifth cent.: publ. by Georgi, 1789.
[191] Vercellensis of the old Itala, or Latin Version before Jeromes, probably made in Africa, in the second century: the Gospels.
[192] Veronensis, do.
[193] Colbertinus, do.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Joh 7:26
Joh 7:26
And lo, he speaketh openly, and they say nothing unto him. Can it be that the rulers indeed know that this is the Christ?-[They are bewildered. They neither condemn or approve the purpose of the rulers, but they cannot understand why it is not carried out. Is it possible that the rulers have found out that this is the Christ? Is this the reason for their failure to carry out their purpose?]
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
he speaketh: Psa 40:9, Psa 40:10, Psa 71:15, Psa 71:16, Pro 28:1, Isa 42:4, Isa 50:7, Isa 50:8, Mat 22:16, Act 4:13, Eph 6:19, Eph 6:20, Phi 1:14, 2Ti 1:7, 2Ti 1:8
Do: Joh 7:48, Joh 9:22, Joh 11:47-53, Joh 12:42, Luk 7:30
Reciprocal: Psa 22:22 – I will Isa 45:19 – spoken Luk 22:53 – I was Joh 7:46 – Never Joh 18:20 – I spake Act 3:17 – through
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
6
These people observed that Jesus was speaking boldly without being molested. They wondered if the rulers had concluded that Jesus was actually the Christ who was predicted by the Scriptures, and that they better not interfere with him.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Joh 7:26. And, lo, he speaketh boldly, and they say nothing unto him. Can it be that the rulers know that this is the Christ? No opinion as to these designs is expressed; there is neither sympathy nor blame; there is only bewilderment, occasioned by the inconsistency between the supposed wishes of the rulers and the boldness and freedom with which Jesus is allowed to speak. Can it be that there is some secret reason for this,that the rulers have really made a discovery, which they will not allow, that this is the Christ? The question is no sooner asked than it is answered by themselves: