What does John 7:43 mean?

Chapter 7 shows a steady progression in the people's reaction to Jesus. Earlier, that response was mostly gossip and private discussion (John 7:12–13). Eventually it became complaint and questioning (John 7:20, 25–27, 32). Here, Jesus' claims about Himself have created "a division" among the people. The Greek term used here is schisma, which means more than a simple argument. The term implies a bitter, volatile, unhappy breach between different groups; the root word comes almost untouched into English as schism.

This division is not entirely unexpected. Jesus predicted His ministry would result in these kinds of rifts (Matthew 10:34). It's important to realize that some follow Scripture and evidence to accept Christ (John 7:31, 40–41). Others misunderstand Scripture or do not have all the facts, so they reject Him (John 7:27, 42). Still others accept Scripture but misunderstand or reject evidence (John 5:39–40; 7:48). The most powerful factor is each person's intent: those who don't want to obey God will not see the truth, no matter what (John 7:17). That same set of responses persists even today, among those who either accept or reject Christ, for their various reasons.

This division is probably heightened because no one in the crowd is willing to "step up" and seize Jesus. Any such attempt by a common person would risk a riot between supporters and critics. The officials sent by the religious leaders, however, should not have the same concerns. They will also leave Jesus alone, but for a different reason (John 7:45–46).