John 7:45 - Printer Friendly

ESV: The officers then came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, "Why did you not bring him?"

NIV: Finally the temple guards went back to the chief priests and the Pharisees, who asked them, "Why didn’t you bring him in?"

NASB: The officers then came to the chief priests and Pharisees, and they said to them, 'Why did you not bring Him?'

CSB: Then the servants came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who asked them, "Why didn’t you bring him?"

NLT: When the Temple guards returned without having arrested Jesus, the leading priests and Pharisees demanded, 'Why didn’t you bring him in?'

KJV: Then came the officers to the chief priests and Pharisees; and they said unto them, Why have ye not brought him?

NKJV: Then the officers came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, “Why have you not brought Him?”

Earlier in this account, religious authorities from Jerusalem sent officers—the religious equivalent of police—to arrest Jesus (John 7:32). Jesus' words have generated significant controversy. The contention has risen from gossip (John 7:12–13) to debate (John 7:32) to a full-blown schism (John 7:43) among the people. This incident occurs during one of the most important festivals of the Jewish year: the Feast of Booths (Deuteronomy 16:16). Crowds in and around Jerusalem would have been enormous, adding the risk of a mob or large-scale riot to the mix (John 7:30). For that reason, those in the crowd who want to see Jesus arrested will, for now, leave Him be.

The officials sent to arrest Jesus, on the other hand, have the weight of local law and government on their side. In the modern world, private citizens might fear backlash at times when police are empowered to act. These officials had the ability to simply march through the crowd, if necessary, and take Jesus by force. Yet they are among those who fail to "lay hands on" Jesus (John 7:44). Rather than being intimidated, these officials seem impressed (John 7:46). Hearing Jesus in person leads them to believe that there's a better response than arrest.

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.

John chapter 7 is the beginning of the end of Jesus' public ministry. The feeding of thousands in chapter 6 was the pinnacle of His earthly popularity. That enthusiasm was dampened when Jesus explained the true meaning of His ministry. Here, in chapters 7 and 8, Jesus will confront His critics at a major Jewish festival, using metaphors drawn from ritual celebrations to highlight themes from His preaching. The following chapters include additional miracles and teachings from Jesus, as His eventual crucifixion draws nearer.

The disciple John wrote the gospel of John decades after the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke were written. The author assumes that a reader is already familiar with the content of these other works. So, John presents a different perspective, with a greater emphasis on meaning. John uses seven miracles—which he calls "signs"— to prove that Jesus is, in fact, God incarnate. Some of the most well-known verses in the Bible are found here. None is more famous than the one-sentence summary of the gospel found in John 3:16.