Church Fathers Commentary John 7:40-53

"[Some] of the multitude therefore, when they heard these words, said, This is of a truth the prophet. Others said, This is the Christ. But some said, What, doth the Christ come out of Galilee? Hath not the scripture said that the Christ cometh of the seed of David, and from Bethlehem, the village where David was? So there arose a division in the multitude because of him. And some of them would have taken him; but no man laid hands on him. The officers therefore came to the chief priests and Pharisees; and they said unto them, Why did ye not bring him? The officers answered, Never man so spake. The Pharisees therefore answered them, Are ye also led astray? Hath any of the rulers believed on him, or of the Pharisees? But this multitude that knoweth not the law are accursed. Nicodemus saith unto them (he that came to him before, being one of them), Doth our law judge a man, except it first hear from himself and know what he doeth? They answered and said unto him, Art thou also of Galilee? Search, and see that out of Galilee ariseth no prophet. And they went every man unto his own house:" — John 7:40-53 (ASV)

St. Augustine of Hippo: After our Lord invited those who believed in Him to drink of the Holy Spirit, a division arose among the crowd: Many of the people therefore, when they heard this saying, said, “Of a truth this is the Prophet.”

Theophylact of Ohrid: That is, the Prophet who was expected. Others, namely the people, said, This is the Christ.

Alcuin of York: These had now begun to drink, satisfying that spiritual thirst, and had set aside their unbelieving thirst. But others still remained dried up in their unbelief. Some said, “Shall Christ come out of Galilee? Has not the Scripture said that Christ comes of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was?”

They knew the predictions of the prophets concerning Christ but did not know that they were all fulfilled in Him. They knew He had been brought up in Nazareth, but they did not know His birthplace and did not believe it aligned with the prophecies.

St. John Chrysostom: But even if they did not know His birthplace, were they also ignorant of His lineage—that He was of the house and family of David? Why did they ask, “Has not the Scripture said that Christ comes of the seed of David?” They wished to conceal His lineage and therefore brought up where He had been educated.

For this reason, they did not go to Christ and ask, “How can the Scriptures say that Christ must come from Bethlehem, when you come from Galilee?” They purposely and with malicious intent avoided doing this. And because they were so inattentive and indifferent to knowing the truth, Christ did not answer them.

He did this even though He had praised Nathanael—who was a lover of truth and well-learned in the ancient Scriptures—when he asked, “Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?” and called him an Israelite indeed.

Theophylact of Ohrid: This division was not among the rulers, for they were resolved on one course: not to acknowledge Him as Christ. The more moderate among them only used malicious words to oppose Christ’s path to glory, but the more malevolent wished to lay hands on Him: And some of them would have taken Him.

St. John Chrysostom: The Evangelist says this to show that they had no concern for, and no desire to learn, the truth.

Alcuin of York: This was because He who had the power to control their plans did not permit it.

St. John Chrysostom: This should have been enough to stir some remorse in them. But no, such malice believes nothing; it looks for only one thing: blood.

St. Augustine of Hippo: However, those who were sent to take Him returned not only guiltless of the offense but also full of admiration: Then the officers came to the chief priests and Pharisees, and they said to them, “Why have you not brought Him?”

Alcuin of York: Those who wished to seize and stone Him now reprimanded the officers for not bringing Him.

St. John Chrysostom: The Pharisees and Scribes gained nothing from seeing the miracles and reading the Scriptures. In contrast, their officers, who had done neither, were captivated by hearing Him just once. Those who went to seize Him were themselves seized by the miracle of His words.

They did not say, “We could not because of the crowd,” but instead made themselves proclaimers of Christ’s wisdom. The officers answered, Never man spoke like this Man.

St. Augustine of Hippo: He spoke this way because He was both God and man.

St. John Chrysostom: We should admire not only their wisdom—for they were convinced by His teaching alone without requiring miracles—but also their boldness in saying this to the Pharisees, who were such enemies of Christ. They did not say, “Never has a man performed such miracles,” but rather, “Never man spoke like this Man.”

They had not heard a long discourse, but minds that were not prejudiced against Him did not need one.

St. Augustine of Hippo: The Pharisees, however, rejected their testimony: Then the Pharisees answered them, “Are you also led away?” This was as if to say, “We see that you are charmed by His discourse.”

Alcuin of York: And so they were led away—and commendably so, for they had left the evil of unbelief and had gone over to the faith.

St. John Chrysostom: They used the most foolish argument against them: “Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed in Him? But this crowd who does not know the law is accursed.” This, then, was their basis for accusation: that the common people believed, but they themselves did not.

St. Augustine of Hippo: Those who did not know the law believed in Him who had given the law, and those who taught the law condemned Him, thus fulfilling our Lord’s words: I am come that they which see not might see, and that they which see might be made blind.

St. John Chrysostom: How then are they cursed, who are convinced by the law? Rather, you are the ones who are cursed, for you have not observed the law.

Theophylact of Ohrid: The Pharisees answer the officers courteously and gently because they are afraid they will immediately separate from them and join Christ.

St. John Chrysostom: When they said that none of the rulers believed in Him, the Evangelist contradicts them: Nicodemus said to them (he that came to Jesus by night, being one of them).

St. Augustine of Hippo: He was not an unbeliever, but was fearful. Therefore, he came by night to the Light, wishing to be enlightened but afraid of being seen. He replied, “Does our law judge any man before it hears him and knows what he does?”

He thought that if they would only hear Him patiently, they would be persuaded, just as the officers had been. But they preferred to obstinately condemn Him rather than to know the truth.

He calls the law of God “our law” because it was given to men.

St. John Chrysostom: Nicodemus shows that they knew the law but did not act according to it. They, instead of disproving this, resorted to rude and angry contradiction: They answered and said to him, “Are you also of Galilee?”

St. Augustine of Hippo: That is, “Are you also deceived by a Galilean?” Our Lord was called a Galilean because His parents were from the town of Nazareth; by “parents,” I mean Mary.

St. John Chrysostom: Then, as an insult, they direct him to the Scriptures, as if he were ignorant of them: “Search and look, for out of Galilee arises no prophet.” This was as if to say, “Go and learn what the Scriptures say.”

Alcuin of York: They knew the place where He had lived but never thought to inquire where He was born. Therefore, they denied not only that He was the Messiah but even that He was a prophet.

St. Augustine of Hippo: Indeed, no prophet arises out of Galilee, but the Lord of prophets arose from there.

Alcuin of York: Having accomplished nothing, being devoid of faith and therefore incapable of being helped, they returned to their home of unbelief and ungodliness.