Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of John 7:43
So there was a division among the people because of him.
43. a division ] Schisma, whence our word ‘schism.’ It means a serious and possibly violent division: Joh 9:16, Joh 10:19; 1Co 1:10; 1Co 12:25; comp. Act 14:4; Act 23:7. In N.T. it is never used in the modern sense of a separation from the Church, but of parties in the Church. In the Synoptists it is used only in its original sense of physical severing; ‘a worse rent is made;’ Mat 9:16; Mar 2:21.
among the people ] In the multitude.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 43. There was a division] , a schism; they were divided in sentiment, and separated into parties. This is the true notion of schism.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
A division as to their opinions about him, as was before expressed.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
40-43. Many . . . when they heardthis . . . said, Of a truth, &c.The only wonder is theydid not all say it. “But their minds were blinded.”
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
So there was a division among the people concerning him. Some, though they did not go so far as to believe him to be the Messiah, yet took him to be a prophet, and a very extraordinary one; others made no difficulty to assert him to be the Christ; and others objected to it on account of the country from whence he came, and so fulfilled the words of Christ, Lu 12:51.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
A division (). A clear split. See Mt 9:16 for the word from , to rend. Used again in John 9:16; John 10:19.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
There was a division [ ] . More correctly, as Rev., “there arose a division.” See on 1 3.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “So there was a division among the people,” (schisma oun egeneto en to ochlo) “Then a division came to exist in the crowd,” as a result of the teachings of Jesus. Two parties and opposing views had come to focus; One was altogether opposed to Him; The other was favorable, though yet somewhat divided in their opinions, not fully persuaded in their own conscience, Rom 14:5.
2) “Because of him.” (di’ auton) “Because of him,” because of Jesus Christ, who claimed to be the Son of God, on a mission to man, and for man and the universe, Joh 7:40-42; Joh 6:38-44; Joh 6:57. There was a violent party-split (Gk. schisma) in the crowd on that seventh and last day of the feast.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(43) There was a division among the people.The word for division is our word schism. It is found in the earlier Gospels in one instance only, the rent is made worse (Mat. 9:16; Mar. 2:21). This is nearer to the older meaning of the word, which is used, for example, of the hoofs of animals, and the leaves of trees. St. John uses it only to mark this rent into two parties of the Jewish multitude, here and in Joh. 9:16; Joh. 10:19. In St. Paul it is used of the divisions of the Church at Corinth (1Co. 1:10; 1Co. 11:18; 1Co. 12:25). The use of the word in its ethical sense may belong in some special way to Ephesus, for only in writings from this city do we find it in Biblical Greek. Later, both the word and the fact denoted by it passed into the history of the Church.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
43. A division Some adducing, doubtless, the well known truth of his descent and birth; while others are so incensed that they are ready, if some one will only lead the way in laying hands upon him, to join in his apprehension. This failure is followed by a closing defeat, which our Evangelist proceeds to narrate.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘So there arose a division in the crowd because of him. And some of them would have taken him, but no man laid hands on him.’
And so there was division among them. Some wanted His arrest, others wanted to support Him. The city was divided. And this was demonstrated by the fact that even the officials present (see v. 45) were impressed, and did not fulfil their duty (although this may well have also been due to the feeling that if they did so amongst such a divided and enthusiastic crowd, anything could happen).
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
The Woman Taken In Adultery ( Joh 7:53 to Joh 8:11 ).
This passage is in fact omitted by almost all the most ancient manuscripts (it is only in D), and by the oldest versions (Syriac, Coptic and some of the old latin), and is not mentioned by the earliest fathers, with the exception of Papias (early 2nd century) who is said to have commented on it. In this regard it is connected with the Gospel according to the Hebrews. Many later manuscripts mark it in such a way as to show that there was doubt about its position. Of the manuscripts that do contain it some place it here in John’s Gospel, others after Luk 21:38, one places it after Joh 7:36, and another after Joh 21:24. It was well known among the early fathers in the 4th century AD.
It would seem probable therefore that it was not part of John’s original Gospel, although some have argued that it was deliberately taken out of the original Gospel in days when asceticism was seen as important because of its content. By its very nature such an argument cannot be disproved, although there are aspects in the account itself which militate against Johannine authorship. That being said its very content, and the constancy with which it was later accepted, suggest that it is a piece of authentic tradition, which was finally considered to be worthy of a place in Scripture, although its text has not been preserved with quite such purity as the remainder of John’s Gospel. We intend therefore to treat it on its own as a piece of separate tradition.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
43 So there was a division among the people because of him.
Ver. 43. So there was a division ] And yet these were the visible Church and favourers of Christ. That is no just cause of offence then that some take at our dissensions. Rare enim abit sine aliquibus dissensionibus etiam inter bonos et sanclos haee vita (Bucholcer), still Satan is thus busy, and Christians are thus improvident, that as if they lacked enemies, they deal blows among themselves, and fly in one another’s faces. It was never well since the Church was “all of one heart and one soul, neither was there any controversy at all among them,” as one ancient Greek copy hath added to that text, Act 4:32 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Joh 7:43-44 . . On this verse Calvin has the following pertinent remark: “quaecunque dissidia emergunt quum praedicatur Evangelium, eorum causa et semen prius in hominibus latebant; sed tunc demum quasi ex somno expergefacti se movere incipiunt, qualiter vapores aliunde quam a sole procreantur, quamvis nonnisi exoriente sole emergant”. To this divided state of opinion He owed His immunity on this occasion.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
So = Therefore.
was = arose
a division. The first of three instances. See Joh 9:16, and Joh 10:19.
because of Him. Not only in the three cases noted above, but down to the present day.
because of = on account of. Greek. dia. App-104. Joh 7:2.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Joh 7:43. , a division) So ch. Joh 9:16, Some of the Pharisees said, This man is not of God, because He keepeth not the Sabbath day. Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them; Joh 10:19. A division is generally of a manifold character; on one dogma, or on many dogmas; and of good men from bad men, or else of the bad from the good, or of the good from the good, or of the bad from the bad.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Joh 7:43
Joh 7:43
So there arose a division in the multitude because of him.-[They were rent into two parties and there was sharp contention.] The teaching of Jesus impressed his hearers variously. Some thought he must be a prophet, some that he was the Christ, others could not see how he could be the Christ, for the Christ was to come out of Bethlehem. The very prophecies to which they referred to prove him not the Christ really confirmed that he was the Christ and only their ignorance of where he was born obscured the proof or what really confirmed the truth to those who knew the facts hid the truth from those ignorant of these facts. It is not infrequently so with men. Their ignorance often changes proof of what is true into evidence against the truth.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
Joh 7:12, Joh 9:16, Joh 10:19, Mat 10:35, Luk 12:51, Act 14:4, Act 23:7-10
Reciprocal: 1Co 1:10 – divisions
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
3
There was a division (in sentiment) among the people. That means with regard to their attitude toward Jesus; some for and others against him.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Joh 7:43-44. There arose therefore a division among the multitude because of him. And some of them would have seized him; but no man laid hands on him. Compare Joh 7:30. Here, as there, the result of the division of opinion is a more eager attempt to apprehend Him about whom the dispute has arisen. The last words of Joh 7:30 may be again supplied in thought: his hour was not yet come.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
These opinions divided the people then as they still do today. Some of them wanted to arrest Jesus (cf. Joh 7:30; Joh 7:32; Joh 8:20; Joh 10:39), but no one did, undoubtedly because such action was contrary to the Father’s sovereign will.
This concludes John’s account of Jesus’ teaching on this occasion.