What does John 7:41 mean?
Jesus' preaching is causing division and bickering among the people of Jerusalem. Some of the crowd have seen Jesus' miracles, heard His words, and concluded that He speaks the truth (John 7:31). Some think this makes Jesus the prophet predicted by Moses (John 7:40; Deuteronomy 18:15). Others say this means Jesus is "the Christ:" the Savior promised by God using the term "anointed One" (Daniel 9:25–26; Psalm 2:2).Others reject that Jesus is from God. Among these are His own brothers (John 7:5), as well as the religious leaders of Jerusalem (John 7:1, 48), and many present in Jerusalem. A key argument being raised against Jesus involves His family history. For His brothers, it's possible that they fell into the common expression "familiarity breeds contempt;" perhaps their daily contact with Jesus made it hard for them to see Him with objective eyes. For others, Jewish tradition suggested the Messiah would be totally anonymous (John 7:27). So, those who know Jesus, but not the Scriptures, think this disqualifies Him.
Others seem to better understand Scripture, but not Jesus' personal history. The people point out that Messiah is supposed to come from Bethlehem (John 7:42). In their minds, Jesus is "from" Nazareth. Of course, Jesus was born in Bethlehem (Luke 2:15–17), making Him the fulfillment of that prophecy (Micah 5:2).
John 7:37–52 shows how Jesus' public ministry challenges the traditional views of Judaism. This causes infighting among both the people and the Jewish leaders themselves. The people hear His words, see His miracles, and begin to wonder if Jesus really is the Promised One. Once again, the religious leaders attempt to arrest Jesus, but the officers are so impressed by His words that they leave Him alone. When Nicodemus, a Pharisee, makes a plea for due process, he is mocked and his suggestion is ignored. Moments such as this will eventually lead the Jewish leaders to extreme measures against Jesus.
Six months after the feeding of thousands, and the public debate which followed, Jesus plans to attend the Feast of Booths, also called the Festival of Tabernacles. Rather than going publicly, He chooses to arrive privately, and after His family. While teaching and preaching there, Jesus once again comes into conflict with local religious leaders. The crowds take note of His profound words, history of miracles, and the inability of the religious leaders to silence Him. This causes the people to openly question their spiritual leaders. This embarrassment is a milestone in the effort to permanently silence Jesus.
