Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary John 7:27

"Howbeit we know this man whence he is: but when the Christ cometh, no one knoweth whence he is." — John 7:27 (ASV)

The people were confused about the conflict between Jesus and the religious authorities. They wondered why he wasn’t censored if he was such a threat to the nation. The reason the authorities did not promptly have him arrested was that they were uncertain of the sentiments of the people and that an arrest could cause an uprising that would most assuredly bring disciplinary action from the Romans (cf. Matthew 26:3–5).

The people themselves were uncertain of Jesus’ real identity. They knew the authorities sought to kill him, but their reluctance to act led the people to conclude that perhaps there was some validity to Jesus’ messianic claim. What further confused them, however, was that they believed the Messiah would rise up out of total obscurity, that no one would “know where he is from.” Such an attitude reflected an ignorance of the prophetic Scriptures (Matthew 2:5).