Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of John 7:48
Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him?
48. What right have you to judge for yourselves, contrary to the declared opinion of the Sanhedrin and of the orthodox party? What right have you to wear our livery and dispute our resolutions?
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The rulers – The members of the Sanhedrin, who were supposed to have control over the religious rites and doctrines of the nation.
The Pharisees – The sect possessing wealth, and office, and power. The name Pharisees sometimes denotes those who were high in honor and authority.
Believed on him – Is there any instance in which those who are high in rank or in office have embraced him as the Messiah? This shows the rule by which they judged of religion:
- They claimed the right of regulating the doctrines and rites of religion.
- They repressed the liberty of private judgment, stifled investigation, assumed that a new doctrine must be heresy, and labored to keep the people within inglorious bondage.
- They treated the new doctrine of Jesus with contempt, and thus attempted to put it down, not by argument, but by contempt, and especially because it was embraced by the common people. This is the way in which doctrines contrary to the truth of God have been uniformly supported in the world; this is the way in which new views of truth are met; and this the way in which those in ecclesiastical power often attempt to lord it over Gods heritage, and to repress the investigation of the Bible.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 48. Have any of the rulers – believed on him?] Very few. But is this a proof that he is not of God? No, truly. If he were of the world, the world would love its own. The religion of Christ has been in general rejected by the rulers of this world. A life of mortification, self-denial, and humility, does not comport with the views of those who will have their portion in this life. It has ever been a mark of the truth of God that the great, the mighty, and the wise have in general rejected it. They are too much occupied with this world to attend to the concerns of the next.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
You ought to be ruled by us, and guided by us, who are your rulers, and your teachers: so early did the doctrine of implicit faith and obedience creep into the world; which is indeed to suppose an infallibility in teachers and rulers; to whom indeed we owe all imaginable reverence, but we must live by our own faith. And though the Jews were bound to do according to the sentence that the priests and Levites in Jerusalem should show them, Deu 17:10,11; yet it must be the sentence of the law, and it was in civil matters, as appeareth by Joh 7:8, controversies between blood and blood, plea and plea, stroke and stroke.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
48. any of the rulers or . . .Pharisees believed“Many of them” did, includingNicodemus and Joseph, but not one of these had openly “confessedHim” (Joh 12:42), andthis appeal must have stung such of them as heard it to the quick.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Have any of the rulers,…. In the sanhedrim, or of the synagogues; or the civil magistrates, the noble, rich, and wealthy:
or of the Pharisees, believed on him; men famous for wisdom, learning, and holiness. It must be owned, there were but very few of this sort, and perhaps not an instance of this kind had as yet occurred to them; there was Nicodemus, who is mentioned in the context, who was both a ruler and a Pharisee; and Joseph of Arimathea, a rich counsellor; but they neither of them openly showed themselves to be the disciples of Christ till his death: and besides these, there were some women, as Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward, Susanna, and some other women, who ministered to him of their substance; but the far greater part of his followers were poor and illiterate: and this has been the common case of those that have believed in Jesus, for the most part, ever since, and therefore should not be a stumbling to any. God is pleased to hide the great things of the Gospel from the wise and prudent, the rich and noble, and preach and reveal them to the poor and foolish: nor is a doctrine a whit the truer for being espoused by the rich, and wise men of this world, but rather to be suspected on that account.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Hath any of the rulers believed on him? ( ;). Negative answer sharply expected. First aorist active indicative of . “Did any one of the rulers believe on him?” “What right have subordinates to have a mind of their own?” (Dods). These police were employed by the temple authorities (rulers). “Power was slipping through their fingers” (Dods) and that was the secret of their hostility to Jesus.
Or of the Pharisees ( ). A wider circle and the most orthodox of all.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Of the rulers or of the Pharisees. The Greek order, as followed by Rev., is more suggestive : Hath any of the rulers believed on Him, or (to appeal to a larger circle) of the Pharisees ?
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “Have any of the rulers,” (me tis ek ton archonton) “Not anyone out of or from among the rulers;” Yes, Nicodemus had, Joh 3:2; Joh 19:38-42; 1Co 1:26. And some from Galilee had also expressed faith in Him, Joh 4:46, Luk 7:36. See also Joh 18:15.
2) “Or of the Pharisees believed on him?” (episteusen eis auton e ek ton Pharisaion) “Or out of or from among the Pharisees believed in him has he?” Has even one from among us believed in Him? Yes, Nicodemus had, and perhaps some others who kept a “low profile,” for fear of being put out of the synagogue, Joh 9:22; Joh 9:34; Joh 12:42; Joh 3:21; Joh 7:50-51; Joh 19:38-42.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
48. Has any of the rulers, or of the Pharisees, believed in him? “He has none on his side,” they say, “but low and ignorant men; the rulers, and every person of distinction, are opposed to him.” They expressly name the Pharisees, because they had a reputation above others, both for knowledge and holiness, so that they might be said to be the princes of the people. This objection appears to have some plausibility; for if the rulers and governors of the Church do not retain their authority, it is impossible that any thing shall ever be properly done, or that the good order of the Church shall long continue. We know what are the fierce passions of the common people; in consequence of which the most frightful disorder must follow, when every man is allowed to do what he pleases. The authority of those who rule is therefore a necessary bridle for preserving the good order of the Church; and, accordingly, it was provided by the Law of God that, if any question or controversy should arise, it should be submitted to the decision of the High Priest, (Deu 17:8.)
But they err in this respect, that, while they claim for themselves the highest authority, they are unwilling to submit to God. It is true that God conferred the power of judgment on the high priest, but God did not intend that the high priest should decide, except according to his Law. All the authority that is possessed by pastors, therefore, is subject to the word of God, that all may be kept in their own rank, from the greatest to the smallest, and that God alone may be exalted. If pastors who honestly and sincerely discharge their duty, claim authority for themselves, this glorying will be holy and lawful; but when the mere authority of men is supported, without the authority of God’s word, it is vain and useless boasting. But it often happens that wicked men rule in the Church; and therefore we must beware of giving any authority to men, as soon as they depart from the word of God.
We see that nearly all the prophets were tormented by this kind of annoyance; for, in order to bury their doctrine, men continually brought against them the magnificent titles of Princes, of Priests, and of the Church. Provided with the same armor, Papists in the present day rage not less fiercely than did the adversaries of Christ and of the Prophets in former times. It is a horrible blindness, indeed, when a mortal man is not ashamed to oppose himself to God; but to such a pitch of madness does Satan carry those who set a higher value on their own ambition than on the truth of God. Meanwhile, it is our duty to cherish such a reverence for the word of God as shall extinguish all the splendor of the world, and scatter its vain pretensions; for miserable would be our condition, if our salvation depended on the will of princes, and far too unsteady would our faith be, if it were to stand or fall according to their pleasure.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(48) The rulers were the Sanhedrin, among whose official duties it was to prevent the introduction of false doctrines. (Comp. Note on Johnm 1:19.) The Pharisees were the orthodox party of the day, and they are the persons who ask the question. The matter was to be decided by authority, and not by truth. In the pride of the certainty that no one in a position of power or authority had believed on Jesus, they ask the scornful question, Hath any one of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed? They are stung to the very heart at seeing first the multitude, then their own officials, going after Him. They know not that there is one sitting in their midst, both ruler and Pharisee, who long before had listened to the teaching of the Galilean, and was in heart, if not in name, a disciple (John 3), and that during this very feast many of the chief Jews will believe on Him (Joh. 8:30-31).
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
48. Any of the Pharisees The Pharisees are infallible authority for Pharisees.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
48 Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him?
Ver. 48. Have any of the rulers, &c. ] Argumentum stultum, saith Theophylact. Sapientes sapienter in infernum descendunt, saith one. And Potentes potenter torquebuntur, saith another. None so deep in hell as knowing men; they are too wise to be saved by the foolishness of preaching. But Paul, the babbler, must be heard, ere heaven can be had.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Have . . . ? Figure of speech Erotesis. App-6.
rulers. Members of the Sanhedrin.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Joh 7:48. , whether has any) This is their inference: Men ought not to believe in Him, in whom the rulers do not believe. Zealots of the present day, especially the Romanists, use a similar mode of reasoning and blustering.- , of the Pharisees) knowing the law, they mean.[211]
[211] As opposed to this people, who knoweth not the law, ver. 49.-E. and T.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Joh 7:26, Joh 7:50, Joh 12:42, Jer 5:4, Jer 5:5, Mat 11:25, Act 6:7, 1Co 1:20, 1Co 1:22-28, 1Co 2:8
Reciprocal: Job 32:9 – Great Pro 11:12 – that Mar 8:11 – Pharisees Mar 10:2 – the Pharisees Luk 6:20 – Blessed Luk 11:35 – General Luk 11:45 – thou Joh 9:34 – and dost Joh 11:49 – Ye Act 17:34 – the Areopagite Jam 2:5 – Hath not
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
8
It was bad enough for their officers to be thus influenced by the hated Teacher, but they thought it would be a great misfortune for any of the religious leaders to be “deceived” by him.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
7:48 {18} Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him?
(18) False pastors are so stupid and foolish that they consider the Church of God to be of value according to the number of people in it, and from the outward show of it.