Joh 7:30 | KingComments | STEP | After the Jews and the crowd, some people of Jerusalem are a third group that speaks out about the Lord Jesus. They are the inhabitants of Jerusalem, while the Jews come from the immediate vicinity of Jerusalem and the crowd has come from all over Israel on the occasion of the Passover. The Jerusalem people are more familiar with Christ. They also know the murder plans of the Jewish leaders. Astonished, they wonder if it is not He Whom the rulers are trying to kill. But He speaks publicly, without anything done to Him. According to them, this could indicate that the leaders have recognized Him as the Christ after all. Could their superiors have changed their minds? That consideration brings them into doubt. Their rulers are important to them, but they also have their own thoughts about the Lord Jesus. They know that He comes from Nazareth. They will also know from the Scriptures that the Christ would be born in Bethlehem according to the prophecy in Micah 5 ( ). But it is unknown to them, when He would come and they believe that no one knows where He would come from once He came. It’s just reflections, without a real desire to know the truth about Christ. The human side of Christ is obvious to them. They know that He comes from Nazareth. The Lord connects to that when He says that they know Him. But with respect to His Godhead they are completely blind. That is because they do not know Him Who sent Him. He did not come of His own initiative, but was sent by Him Who is true. That is why everything the Lord Jesus does and speaks is in truth and exposes all enmity and ignorance of all who hear and see Him. The Lord says that He knows the Father as He knew Him from eternity. He went out from Him, which means that He was always with Him. Also the Father is active in the coming of the Son, for He has sent Him. The Son knows the Father because He is always with Him and He knows His will in His mission. His words about His Father make them furious. They want to seize Him. Yet they do not. Only when His hour is come, will they be able to seize Him. Only then will the Father allow it, in view of the fulfillment of His plans. Nor can it be done other than only at His hour.

‏ John 7:30

Opinions of Men

After the Jews and the crowd, some people of Jerusalem are a third group that speaks out about the Lord Jesus. They are the inhabitants of Jerusalem, while the Jews come from the immediate vicinity of Jerusalem and the crowd has come from all over Israel on the occasion of the Passover. The Jerusalem people are more familiar with Christ. They also know the murder plans of the Jewish leaders. Astonished, they wonder if it is not He Whom the rulers are trying to kill. But He speaks publicly, without anything done to Him. According to them, this could indicate that the leaders have recognized Him as the Christ after all. Could their superiors have changed their minds? That consideration brings them into doubt.

Their rulers are important to them, but they also have their own thoughts about the Lord Jesus. They know that He comes from Nazareth. They will also know from the Scriptures that the Christ would be born in Bethlehem according to the prophecy in Micah 5 (Mic 5:2). But it is unknown to them, when He would come and they believe that no one knows where He would come from once He came. It’s just reflections, without a real desire to know the truth about Christ.

The human side of Christ is obvious to them. They know that He comes from Nazareth. The Lord connects to that when He says that they know Him. But with respect to His Godhead they are completely blind. That is because they do not know Him Who sent Him. He did not come of His own initiative, but was sent by Him Who is true. That is why everything the Lord Jesus does and speaks is in truth and exposes all enmity and ignorance of all who hear and see Him.

The Lord says that He knows the Father as He knew Him from eternity. He went out from Him, which means that He was always with Him. Also the Father is active in the coming of the Son, for He has sent Him. The Son knows the Father because He is always with Him and He knows His will in His mission.

His words about His Father make them furious. They want to seize Him. Yet they do not. Only when His hour is come, will they be able to seize Him. Only then will the Father allow it, in view of the fulfillment of His plans. Nor can it be done other than only at His hour.