John 7:48 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Have any of the authorities or the Pharisees believed in him?

NIV: "Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed in him?

NASB: Not one of the rulers or Pharisees has believed in Him, has he?

CSB: Have any of the rulers or Pharisees believed in him?

NLT: Is there a single one of us rulers or Pharisees who believes in him?

KJV: Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him?

NKJV: Have any of the rulers or the Pharisees believed in Him?

The ultimate spiritual arrogance is assuming that your sect, denomination, group, or clique is so pure that they cannot possibly be wrong about anything. This is effectively why the Pharisees are so enraged: men they sent to arrest Jesus instead remark on His impressive words (John 7:46). While others are debating evidence (John 7:31), or Scripture (John 7:40–42), the Pharisees have a single, simple reason to ridicule those who accept Christ: the Pharisees haven't believed in Him, therefore anyone who does is a fool.

According to Pharisaical thought, only those blessed by God could obtain knowledge. Also included in their view was confidence that their knowledge was superior to everyone else's. Jesus, on the other hand, has already taught that a willingness to submit to God must come before a person gains understanding (John 7:17).

The Pharisees' self-importance is so out of control that they will turn on one of their own. Nicodemus is the same man who approached Jesus in private (John 3:1) and made specific mention of miracles (John 3:2). At the very least, he seems interested in careful discussion (John 7:50–51). But even making such a suggestion earns him insults from his peers (John 7:52).

Before we look down on the Pharisees, it's important to remember that this mistake is repeated in many ways, even today. When we dismiss an argument or intentionally seek to discredit some claim, only because it comes from some "other" perspective, we're guilty of the same error.

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.