John 7:42 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the offspring of David, and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was?”

NIV: Does not Scripture say that the Messiah will come from David's descendants and from Bethlehem, the town where David lived?'

NASB: Has the Scripture not said that the Christ comes from the descendants of David, and from Bethlehem, the village where David was?'

CSB: Doesn't the Scripture say that the Messiah comes from David's offspring and from the town of Bethlehem, where David lived? "

NLT: For the Scriptures clearly state that the Messiah will be born of the royal line of David, in Bethlehem, the village where King David was born.'

KJV: Hath not the scripture said, That Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was?

NKJV: Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the seed of David and from the town of Bethlehem, where David was?”

Some people have seen Jesus' miracles, listened to His words, and concluded that He is everything He claims to be (John 7:31; 7:40–41). Others are confused by Jewish traditions and reject Jesus' role as the Messiah as a result (John 5:27). Still others are ready to search the Scriptures (John 7:41), but don't know enough about Jesus to make the right decision, as shown in this verse. This last group rightly sees that the Old Testament predicts Messiah coming from Bethlehem, the city of David (Micah 5:2), and being of David's family. For the crowd, Jesus is "from" Nazareth, where He has lived since He was very young. However, these same people do not realize that Jesus was, in fact, born in Bethlehem, making Him the fulfillment of that prophecy.

This tangled web of interpretations, intentions, and arguments leads to more than just civil debate. The Greek term used in verse 43 is schisma, which implies a contentious, unhappy split between groups. This is much more than just a "controversy."

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 (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 gospel of John was written by the disciple John, decades later than the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. 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”—in order to prove that Jesus is, in fact, God incarnate. Some of the most well-known verses in all of the Bible are found here. None is more famous than the one-sentence summary of the gospel found in John 3:16.

Accessed 5/3/2024 8:37:07 PM