John Calvin Commentary John 7:30

"They sought therefore to take him: and no man laid his hand on him, because his hour was not yet come." — John 7:30 (ASV)

Therefore they sought to seize him. They had no lack of will to do him harm; they even made the attempt, and they had strength to do it. Why, then, in the midst of so much ardor, are they numbed, as if they had their hands and feet bound? The Evangelist replies, because Christ's hour was not yet come; by this he means that, against all their violence and furious attacks, Christ was guarded by the protection of God.

And at the same time he addresses the offense of the cross; for we should not be alarmed when we learn that Christ was dragged to death, not by human whim, but because he was destined for such a sacrifice by the decree of the Father.

Therefore, we should infer a general doctrine: although we live from day to day, the time of every person’s death has still been fixed by God. It is difficult to believe that, while we are subject to so many accidents, exposed to so many open and concealed attacks from humans and animals, and liable to so many diseases, we are safe from all risk until God is pleased to call us away.

But we should struggle against our own distrust. We should attend first to the doctrine taught here, and next, to its objective and the exhortation drawn from it: namely, that each of us, casting all his cares on God (Psalms 55:22; 1 Peter 5:7), should follow our own calling and not be led away from performing our duty by any fears. Yet no one should go beyond their own bounds, for confidence in God’s providence must not go further than God himself commands.