Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of John 7:30
Then they sought to take him: but no man laid hands on him, because his hour was not yet come.
30. Then they sought ] Better, Therefore they kept seeking (imperfect of continued action) in consequence of His publicly claiming Divine origin and mission. ‘They’ means the rulers, the Sanhedrin; not the people, who are mentioned in the next verse.
but no man laid hands ] Rather, and no man laid hands, ‘and’ introducing a contrast as in Joh 7:28. See on Joh 21:3. That ‘and’ in S. John often = ‘and yet,’ as here, is most true; that ‘and’ ever = ‘but’ is true neither of S. John nor of any other Greek writer.
because his hour ] The hour appointed by God for His Passion (Joh 13:1), this meaning being clearly marked by the context (see on Joh 7:6 and Joh 2:4). The immediate cause of their not seizing Him was that they were as yet afraid to do so; but S. John passes through proximate causes to the prime cause of all, the Will of God. When the hour was come God no longer allowed their fear, which still existed (Mat 26:5), to deter them.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Then they sought to take him – The rulers and their friends. They did this:
1.Because of his reproof; and,
2.For professing to be the Messiah.
His hour – The proper and the appointed time for his death. See Mat 21:46.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
By this time the news was come to the sanhedrim, the great court of the Jews, to whom belonged the cognizance of church affairs, false prophets, blasphemy, violation of the sabbath, &c.: they took counsel, and used endeavours to apprehend him; or it may be, some of the ruder sort of people that were his enemies used some such endeavours, but not with any effect; for by the mighty providence of God, who had set the time when Christ should suffer, till that hour was come, mentioned also Joh 8:20; 12:23, there was such a restraint upon the rage of the rabble, yea, (as we shall hereafter hear), upon the spirits of the officers, who were sent from the sanhedrim to apprehend him, that they had no power to lay hold upon him. Men shall do us no hurt, till Gods time comes. A sparrow falls not to the ground without the will of our Father.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
30-32. sought to take . . . nonelaid handstheir impotence being equal to theirmalignity.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Then they sought to take him,…. By force, and carry him before the sanhedrim, in order to be tried and condemned as a blasphemer, being enraged to hear him claim a descent from God, whom they took to be a mere man, the son of Joseph the carpenter:
but no man laid hands on him; though they had a good will to it, they had no power to do it, being restrained by the, secret providence of God from it, and awed by the majesty of Christ, which showed itself in his looks and words; and perhaps also they might be afraid of the people, lest they should rise in his favour; and so every man being fearful of being the first that should seize him, no man did: however, so it was ordered by divine providence, that he should not be apprehended at, this time,
because his hour was not yet come; to suffer and die, to depart out of this world, and go to the Father: there was a precise time fixed for this in the council and covenant of God, by mutual compact, called “due time”; as his coming into the world is called “the fulness of time”; nor could he die before that time, and therefore no man was suffered to lay hands on him, whatever good will he had to it. And there is a time for every man’s death, nor can any man die before that time, or live beyond it; see Ec 3:2; and this is the sense of the ancient Jews; for they say h,
“a man before his years, or his time, does not die;”
that is, before he comes to the years appointed for him: and they ask i,
“who is there that goes before his time? i.e. dies before his time?”
And it is said k of a certain person who was in his house, and
, “his time was come”; and he died without sickness: though it must be owned some of them were otherwise minded, and say l, that death, by the hand of heaven, or God, shortens a man’s years; and that there are some reasons for which righteous men depart out of this world before their time is come; and particularly of Enoch they say, God took him before his time was come m.
h T. Bab. Yebamot, fol. 114. 2. & Sanhedrin, fol. 29. 1. & Bava Metzia, fol. 85. 1. i T. Bab. Chagiga, fol. 4. 2. k Zohar in Exod. fol. 71. 4. l Piske Tosephot. Sabbat, art. 113. m Zohar in Exod. fol. 4. 4.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
They sought therefore ( ). Imperfect active of , inchoative or conative, they began to seek. Either makes sense. The subject is naturally some of the Jerusalemites (Westcott) rather than some of the leaders (Bernard).
To take him ( ). First aorist active infinitive, Doric form from , from the usual , occasionally so in the papyri, but always in N.T. except Lu 6:38.
And (). Here = “but.”
Laid his hand ( ). Second aorist active indicative of , to cast upon. Old and common idiom for arresting one to make him a prisoner (Mt 26:50). See repetition in verse 44.
His hour ( ). In 13:1 we read that “the hour” had come, but that was “not yet” (). “John is at pains to point out at every point that the persecution and death of Jesus followed a predestined course” (Bernard), as in John 2:4; John 7:6; John 7:8; John 8:10; John 10:39; John 13:1, etc.
Was not yet come ( ). Past perfect active of , as John looks back on the story.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Then. Another of the frequent instances in which the A. V. of this Gospel renders the logical particle as a particle of time. Translate as Rev., therefore; because of His claim to be sent from God.
To take [] . See on Act 3:7.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “Then they sought to take him; (ezetoun oun auton piasai) “Then they sought to arrest him,” to nab Him, to seize Him by subtle force, Joh 7:1; Joh 7:23; Joh 7:26. They diligently tried to figure out an opportune time to take Him into physical custody, with malice and murder in their hearts. They were exasperated, Mar 11:18; Luk 20:19; Joh 8:37.
2) “But no man laid hands on him,” (kai oudeis epebalen ep’ auton ten cheira) “And no one laid the hand upon him at all,” though it was in their hearts. Yet, He had a multitude of disciples, following believers, His church, whom they politically feared, for they were yet under Roman law.
3) “Because his hour was not yet come.” (hoti oupo eleluthei he hora autou) ”Because his hour had not yet arrived,” the hour for Him to terminate His teaching and miracle ministry and surrender to the cross where He would bear their sins and ours, Joh 17:4-5; 1Pe 2:24; fulfilling Isa 53:1-12.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
30. Therefore they sought to seize him. They had no want of will to do him mischief; they even made the attempt, and they had strength to do it. Why, then, amidst so much ardor, are they benumbed, as if they had their hands and feet bound? The Evangelist replies, because Christ ’ s hour was not yet come; by which he means that, against all their violence and furious attacks, Christ was guarded by the protection of God. And at the same time he meets the offense of the cross; for we have no reason to be alarmed when we learn that Christ was dragged to death, not through the caprice of men, but because he was destined for such a sacrifice by the decree of the Father. And hence we ought to infer a general doctrine; for though we live from day to day, still the time of every man’s death has been fixed by God. It is difficult to believe that, while we are subject to so many accidents, exposed to so many open and concealed attacks both from men and beasts, and liable to so many diseases, we are safe from all risk until God is pleased to call us away. But we ought to struggle against our own distrust; and we ought to attend first to the doctrine itself which is here taught, and next, to the object at which it aims, and the exhortation which is drawn from it, namely, that each of us, casting all his cares on God, (Psa 55:22; 1Pe 5:7,) should follow his own calling, and not be led away from the performance of his duty by any fears. Yet let no man go beyond his own bounds; for confidence in the providence of God must not go farther than God himself commands.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(30) Then they sought to take him.The tense is imperfect, marking the continuance of a series of efforts to take Him. The persons who thus sought to take Him are, of course, the members of the Sanhedrin. The people are mentioned in contrast in the next verse. For the present their efforts are confined to plots. No one attempts to use actual force.
His hour was not yet come.This is the writers explanation of the fact that they did not seek to take Him. Jesus had Himself used these words at the first sign at Cana of Galilee (Joh. 2:4), and again before going up to this very festival (Joh. 7:6). The beloved disciple has learnt the religious interpretation of history. That the hour was not yet come, was not the immediate cause which influenced those who desired, but dared not, to lay hands upon Him. The next verse points out that there was a division in the multitude (comp. Joh. 7:43-44), and in the uncertainty of what the consequences may be, no one was bold enough to take the decisive step. But if not the immediate cause, the writer regards it as the primary cause. Looking back on the life of his Lord, from the old age of his own life, so full of eventful issues, he has learnt that every deed of that life, as every deed of every life, had its hour mapped out in the eternal counsels of God.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Attempts to apprehend Jesus, and his response, Joh 7:30-36.
This bold self-assertion by Jesus, rung in loud tones through the temple audience room, excites some of the Judaists to the earnest wish to seize his person; but a supernatural awe unnerves their purpose. His hour for submission had not come. See note on Joh 2:4.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘So they sought to arrest him.’
Again ‘they’ means the Judaisers and the authorities. Yet they were clearly having difficulty in arresting Him. But why? Elsewhere we are told it was because they were afraid of the people who saw Jesus as a prophet (Mar 12:12; Luk 20:19). In other words they would not do it openly but were striving to find some means to do it privately so that no one knew. Jesus would later accuse them of this when He said, ‘I was daily with you teaching in the Temple yet you did not arrest me’ (Mat 26:55).
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
‘But no man laid his hands on him because his hour was not yet come’.
Their fear and hesitancy was all part of God’s plan. His hour (the hour of His death) was not yet come. Until God was ready they would not be able to touch Him. God can work through human vacillation to bring about His purposes.
‘His hour was not yet come.’ Compare Joh 8:20; Joh 12:27; Joh 13:1. The hour would gradually approach, and then finally came.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Joh 7:30-32. Then they sought to take him, &c. The defence made by our Lord did not pacify his enemies; for some of them would gladly have apprehended him: however, none of them had the courage to lay hold of him, being restrained by his Divine Providence, because the season of his sufferings was not yet come. In the mean time, the miracle which he had lately performed on the infirm man was so great, and so well known, and this defence by which he justified himself so clear, and so convincing, that many of the people believed on him, publicly affirming that he was the Messiah, Joh 7:31. This attachment of the common peopleto the Lord Jesus greatly incensed the chief priests and Pharisees, with their adherents; and therefore on the last great day of the feast, being met in council, (as appears from comparing Joh 7:32; Joh 7:45; Joh 7:50; Joh 7:53.) they sent their officers to apprehend him, and bring him before them, thinking to confute his pretensions, and punish him.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Joh 7:30 . ] Because He had so clearly asserted His divine origin and mission, His adversaries regarded this as blasphemy (comp. Joh 5:18 ).
The subject of is , the hierarchy, as is self-evident from the words and from the contrasted statement of Joh 7:31 .
] as in Joh 7:28 .
, . . .] because the hour appointed for Him (by God the hour when He was to fall under the power of His enemies) was not yet come ; comp. Joh 8:20 . The reason here assigned is that higher religious apprehension of the history, which does not, however, contradict or exclude the immediate historical cause, viz. that through fear not of conscience (Hengstenberg, Godet), but of the party who were favourably inclined to Christ, Joh 7:31 they dared not yet lay hands on Him. But John knows that the threads upon which the outward history of Jesus runs, and by which it is guided, unite in the counsels of God. Comp. Luthardt, I. 160.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
30 Then they sought to take him: but no man laid hands on him, because his hour was not yet come.
Ver. 30. Because his hour was not yet come ] i.e. God would not suffer them. Those that bandy and bend their forces against the Lord and his Anointed are bounded by him, in whose hands alone are the issues of death, with the manner and time.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
30. ] Namely, the rulers , instigated by what had been above remarked by the people, Joh 7:25-26 . There was some secondary hindrance to their laying hands on Him, possibly the fear of the people: but the Evangelist passes at once to the real cause; that God’s appointed time was not yet come.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
sought = were seeking.
take = arrest. See in verses: Joh 7:32, Joh 7:44, and Act 12:4. 2Co 11:32.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
30.] Namely, the rulers,-instigated by what had been above remarked by the people, Joh 7:25-26. There was some secondary hindrance to their laying hands on Him,-possibly the fear of the people: but the Evangelist passes at once to the real cause;-that Gods appointed time was not yet come.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Joh 7:30-31. Then they sought to take him: but no man laid hands on him, because his hour was not yet come. And many of the people believed on him, and said, When Christ cometh, will he do more miracles than these which this man hath done?
Well might they ask that question, for Jesus had wrought such marvellous miracles that they could not imagine anything greater. Surely this must be the Christ; or if he were not, when the Christ did come could he and would he do any greater miracles than this man had done?
Joh 7:32. The Pharisees heard that the people murmured such things concerning him;
Whispered these things, afraid to speak out boldly because of the Pharisees, and therefore they quietly said it among themselves, and, after all, there is no fire more to be dreaded than a smouldering fire.
Joh 7:32-33. And the Pharisees and the chief priests sent officers to take him. Then said Jesus unto them, Yet a little while am I with you, and then I go unto him that sent me.
That was a blessed way for Christ to describe his return to the heavenly world: I go unto him that sent me. Possibly he said this to the very men who were sent to take him.
Joh 7:34. Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither ye cannot come.
No officers can arrest him now that he has gone up into his Fathers glory; there is no fear of any of them being there to catch him in his speech, or to drag him before the ecclesiastical and secular judges, as they did when he was here;
Joh 7:35-36. Then said the Jews among themselves, Whither will he go, that we shall not find him? will he go unto the dispersed among the Gentiles, and teach the Gentiles? What manner of saying is this; that he said, Ye shall seek me and shall not find me: and where I am, thither ye cannot come?
They appear to have had some intimation of that glorious love of Christ which was not to be confined within the bounds of the Jewish nation, yet they could not or would not understand his words.
Joh 7:37. In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried,
Shouted, spoke with all his might; and he stood, although he usually sat to deliver his message. But now, as if his whole being was roused to it utmost energy, on account of the last day of the gathering having come, when perhaps the people would go home, and he would be unable thus to speak with them again, Jesus stood and cried,
Joh 7:37. Saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.
O blessed invitation, how sweet it should be to every thirsty soul! If any man prince or pauper, any man moral or utterly debauched, if any man thirst, let him come unto me, not to ordinances, nor to human priests, let him come unto me, and drink, as much as he will without money, and without price.
Joh 7:38. He that believeth on me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
He will not only drink enough to satisfy his own thirst, but he will himself become a fountain, streams of grace shall be communicated to his fellow-men through him.
Joh 7:39. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)
He was not given then; but later, on the day of Pentecost, he was given, and he has never been withdrawn.
Joh 7:40-43. Many of the people therefore, when they heard this saying, said, Of a truth this is the Prophet. Others said, This is the Christ. But some said, Shall Christ come out of Galilee? Hath not the scripture said, That Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was? So there was a division among the people because of him.
It is still true that Christ is a cause of division, as he himself foretold that he would be.
Joh 7:44. And some of them would have taken him but no man laid hands on him.
In the 30th verse of this chapter, and in the 20th verse of the next chapter, we are told why they did not take him: His hour was not yet come. And, like their Lord, saints are immortal till their work is done.
Joh 7:45-48. Then came the officers to the chief priest and Pharisees; and they said unto them, Why have ye not brought him? The officers answered, Never man spake like this man. Then answered them the Pharisees, Are ye also deceived? Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him?
They professed to be the spiritual leaders of the nation, and expected all to follow them.
Joh 7:49-51. But the people who knoweth not the law are cursed. Nicodemus saith unto them, (he that came to Jesus by night, being one of those,) Doth our law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth?
Nicodemus asked a simple question, but they could not answer it without convicting themselves of disobeying that very law of which they pretended to be the exponents.
Joh 7:52-53. They answered and said unto him Art thou also of Galilee? Search, and look: for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet. And every man went unto his own house.
Joh 8:1. Jesus went unto the mount of Olives.
Fuente: Spurgeon’s Verse Expositions of the Bible
Joh 7:30. , not yet) ch. Joh 8:20.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Joh 7:30
Joh 7:30
They sought therefore to take him: and no man laid his hand on him, because his hour was not yet come.-The Jews were anxious to arrest him, but circumstances hindered. These circumstances were controlled by God. [No one could as yet do him harm, for the set time had not come.]
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
they: Joh 7:19, Joh 7:32, Joh 8:37, Joh 8:59, Joh 10:31, Joh 10:39, Joh 11:57, Mar 11:18, Luk 19:47, Luk 19:48, Luk 20:19
but: Joh 7:6, Joh 7:8, Joh 7:44-46, Joh 8:20, Joh 9:4, Joh 11:9, Joh 11:10, Psa 76:10, Isa 46:10, Luk 13:32, Luk 13:33, Luk 22:53
Reciprocal: Psa 31:15 – My times Ecc 3:2 – and a time Mat 26:18 – My time Mar 12:12 – feared Mar 14:41 – the hour Joh 2:4 – mine Joh 13:1 – knew Joh 17:1 – the hour Joh 19:11 – Thou
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
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It seems that any reference to the divinity of Christ always stirred up the anger of the Jews. Jesus asserted again that he had come from a source with which the Jews were unacquainted. That could only mean to them that the one they were hating was claiming to be of a higher origin than they. It was more than they could stand, but they were not able to do anything about it. The explanation for it is in the words his hour was not yet come. As long as the work of Jesus was unfinished, the Father saw to it that nothing would seriously interfere with it.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Joh 7:30. They sought therefore to seize him. Jesus had not mentioned the name of God, but those with whom He spoke (familiar with modes of speech in which the Divine Name was left unspoken and replaced by a pronoun, as here, or by some attribute) did not miss His meaning. He had denied to them the knowledge of God, and at the same time had claimed for Himself the closest fellowship with Him, to be indeed the very expression of what He was.
And no man laid his hand on him, because his hour was not yet come. Their zeal and enmity were at once aroused; the men of Jerusalem followed in the steps of the Jews (Joh 7:1). Yet they could not touch Him, for it was not yet Gods time.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Joh 7:30-32. Then they sought to take him The defence which he made did not pacify his enemies, for some of them would gladly have apprehended him; however, none of them had the courage to lay hands on him, being restrained by Providence, because the season of his sufferings was not yet come. And many of the people believed on him In the mean time the miracle which he had lately performed on the infirm man was so great and so well known, and this defence, by which he justified himself, so clear and convincing, that many of the people believed on him publicly affirming, that he was the Messiah. The Pharisees heard that the people murmured Or, whispered, rather, see on Joh 7:12; such things concerning him And were greatly displeased and alarmed at it; and, with the other members of the sanhedrim, particularly the chief priests, among whom were many Sadducees, (Act 4:1,) sent officers From the chamber in which they held their council, into the adjacent court of the temple; to take him To apprehend and bring him before them, thinking thus, it seems, to confute his pretensions, and punish him. This, as appears from Joh 7:45; Joh 7:50; Joh 7:53, took place on the last and great day of the feast.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Ver. 30. They sought therefore to take him; and yet no one laid hands on him, because his hour was not yet come.
The result of this strong protestation (therefore) was to confirm His declared enemies in the design of arresting Him. It is clear that the (to seek) was an affair of the rulers, as in Joh 5:16; Joh 5:18. They were strengthened in their resolution of accomplishing it and in the search for the means of arriving at the result. But the appointed hour had not yet struck. The expression: his hour, does not designate that of His arrest (Joh 18:12), as Hengstenberg thinks, but that of His death as the result of His arrest (comp. Joh 7:8).
The divine decree, to which the evangelist alludes thereby, does not exclude second causes; on the contrary, it implies them. Among these, the interpreters make especially prominent the veneration with which the multitudes at this time regarded Jesus. Yes, assuredly; comp. Luk 20:19. But we may also think, with Hengstenberg, of the resistance which the conscience of His enemies was still opposing to the extreme measures to which their hatred was impelling them. When the hardening of their hearts was consummated and the Spirit of God ceased to restrain their hands, then the hour of Jesus struck. There is, therefore, no reason to assert, with Reuss, that the historical interpretation of this verse creates a contradiction. The sequel is about to show us a first attempt in the sense indicated, but one which fails precisely because the moral ground was not yet sufficiently prepared. This verse is thus the transition to the following narrative, which relates the first judicial measure taken against Jesus.
Fuente: Godet Commentary (Luke, John, Romans and 1 Corinthians)
Verse 30
His hour; the time predetermined for his sufferings and death.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
7:30 {13} Then they sought to take him: but no man laid hands on him, because his hour was not yet come.
(13) The wicked cannot do what they desire, but what God has appointed.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Evidently those Jews who tried to seize (Gr. piazo) Jesus did so to restrain Him (cf. Joh 7:32; Joh 7:44; Joh 8:20; Joh 10:39). However they could not because His hour (Gr. hora), the time for His crucifixion and its consequences, had not yet arrived. God prevented Jesus’ premature arrest. Even though some of the Jews tried to arrest Jesus, many from the multitude believed on Him. Jesus’ presence provoked a division among His hearers (cf. Joh 1:11-12; Joh 3:18-21).
Some believed because of the signs that He had performed. This was not a strong basis for faith (cf. Joh 2:11; Joh 2:23; Joh 4:48). They concluded that He was the Messiah, but the common understanding of Messiah was that He would be a powerful human deliverer. Probably few if any of these Jews believed that Jesus was also God incarnate.
"But throughout this Gospel it is better to believe on the basis of miracles than not to believe at all, so there is no condemnation of this faith as inadequate." [Note: Morris, pp. 367-68.]