John 7:45-49

Lack of Belief

7:45 Then the officers ¹  returned ²  to the chief priests and Pharisees, ³  who said to them, “Why didn’t you bring him back with you?” ⁴  7:46 The officers replied, “No one ever spoke like this man!” 7:47 Then the Pharisees answered, ⁵  “You haven’t been deceived too, have you? ⁶  7:48 None of the rulers ⁷  or the Pharisees have believed in him, have they? ⁸  7:49 But this rabble ⁹  who do not know the law are accursed!”

[7:45]  ¹ tn Or “servants.” The “chief priests and Pharisees” is a comprehensive term for the groups represented in the ruling council (the Sanhedrin) as in John 7:45; 18:3; Acts 5:22, 26. As “servants” or “officers” of the Sanhedrin, their representatives should be distinguished from the Levites serving as temple police (perhaps John 7:30 and 44; also John 8:20; 10:39; 19:6; Acts 4:3). Even when performing ‘police’ duties such as here, their “officers” are doing so only as part of their general tasks (See K. H. Rengstorf, TDNT 8:540).

[7:45]  ² tn Grk “came.”

[7:45]  ³ sn See the note on Pharisees in 1:24.

[7:45]  ⁴ tn Grk “Why did you not bring him?” The words “back with you” are implied.

[7:47]  ⁵ tn Grk “answered them.”

[7:47]  ⁶ tn Questions prefaced with μή (mh) in Greek anticipate a negative answer. This can sometimes be indicated by using a “tag” at the end in English (here the tag is “have you?”).

[7:48]  ⁷ sn The chief priests and Pharisees (John 7:45) is a comprehensive term for the groups represented in the ruling council (the Sanhedrin) as in John 7:45; 18:3; Acts 5:22, 26. Likewise the term ruler here denotes a member of the Sanhedrin, the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews. Note the same word (“ruler”) is used to describe Nicodemus in John 3:1, and Nicodemus also speaks up in this episode (John 7:50).

[7:48]  ⁸ tn Questions prefaced with μή (mh) in Greek anticipate a negative answer. This can sometimes be indicated by using a “tag” at the end in English (here the tag is “have they?”).

[7:49]  ⁹ tn Grk “crowd.” “Rabble” is a good translation here because the remark by the Pharisees is so derogatory.