John Calvin Commentary John 7:41

"Others said, This is the Christ. But some said, What, doth the Christ come out of Galilee?" — John 7:41 (ASV)

Others said, He is the Christ. The second group has a more correct opinion than the first, for they plainly acknowledge that He is the Christ; but the third group rises up against them, and from this the debate proceeds. By this example we are warned that we should not think it strange today if people are divided among themselves by various controversies.

We learn that Christ’s sermon produced a schism, and not among Gentiles who were strangers to the faith, but in the middle of the Church of Christ, and even in the main center of the Church. Should the doctrine of Christ be blamed for that reason, as if it were the cause of disturbances?

No, rather, even if the whole world were in commotion, the word of God is so precious that we should wish for it to be received, at least by a few. Therefore, there is no reason why our consciences should be distressed when we see those who wish to be considered the people of God fighting with each other over conflicting opinions.

Yet it should also be observed that divisions do not truly originate from the Gospel, for there can be no firm agreement among people except in unquestionable truth.

As for the peace maintained among those who do not know God, it arises more from dullness than from true agreement. In short, for all the differences that spring up when the Gospel is preached, the cause and seed previously lay concealed in people; but when they are awakened, so to speak, out of sleep, they begin to stir, just as vapors are produced by something other than the sun, although it is not until the sun rises that they become visible.

But will Christ come out of Galilee? So that they might not be thought to reject Christ on insufficient grounds, they fortify themselves with the testimony of Scripture; and though they do violence to this passage by turning it improperly against Christ, they still have some appearance of truth. They are wrong only on this point: that they make Christ a Galilean.

But from where does this ignorance arise, if not from contempt? For if they had taken the trouble to inquire, they would have seen that Christ was honored with both titles: that He was born in Bethlehem, and that He was the son of David. But such is our natural disposition: in matters of little consequence we are ashamed of being lazy, while in the mysteries of the heavenly kingdom, we slumber without any concern.

It is also important to observe that these people are diligent and industrious in seeking an excuse to turn away from Christ, but at the same time are astonishingly slow and dull in receiving sound doctrine.

In this way, out of the Scriptures themselves, which lead us by the hand to Christ, people frequently create obstacles for themselves so that they may not come to Christ.