John 7:52 - Printer Friendly

ESV: They replied, “Are you from Galilee too? Search and see that no prophet arises from Galilee.”

NIV: They replied, 'Are you from Galilee, too? Look into it, and you will find that a prophet does not come out of Galilee.'

NASB: They answered and said to him, 'You are not from Galilee as well, are you? Examine the Scriptures, and see that no prophet arises out of Galilee.'

CSB: "You aren't from Galilee too, are you? " they replied. "Investigate and you will see that no prophet arises from Galilee."

NLT: They replied, 'Are you from Galilee, too? Search the Scriptures and see for yourself — no prophet ever comes from Galilee!'

KJV: They answered and said unto him, Art thou also of Galilee? Search, and look: for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet.

NKJV: They answered and said to him, “Are you also from Galilee? Search and look, for no prophet has arisen out of Galilee.”

The Pharisees have attempted to have Jesus arrested (John 7:32). However, the men sent on this mission came back commenting on how unique Jesus' words were (John 7:46). This sends the Pharisees into a rage—they are incensed at the idea that anyone could doubt their opinions. In more or less direct terms, these religious authorities claim that anyone who disagrees with them must, by definition, be wrong (John 7:48). And, those who lack their level of knowledge are cursed into spiritual error (John 7:49). However, one of their own, Nicodemus (John 3:1–2), points out that Jesus should be given a fair hearing before being dismissed as a fraud (John 7:51). Rather than accepting their own law, which makes that very demand (Exodus 23:1; Deuteronomy 1:16–17; Proverbs 18:13), the other Pharisees turn on him.

The comment about Nicodemus being from Galilee is meant to be an insult. As prior verses showed, the Pharisees considered themselves well above the common people, mostly by virtue of their education. However, there was a cultural basis to this, as well. Most of the Pharisees were from the (relatively) urban Jerusalem, and they instinctively saw people from the surrounding (relatively) rural areas as backwards, low-class hicks. Suggesting that Nicodemus is "from Galilee, too," is the equivalent of calling him a rube or insulting his family. This is how hatefully arrogant the Pharisees are with respect to Jesus: they are willing to ignore their own laws while calling each other names.

Also, it should be noted that Scripture does, in fact, refer to a prophet from Galilee. Jonah, according to traditional accounts, was from that region. Jesus has already pointed out that the Scriptures point to Him as the Messiah (John 5:39–47), but those who are determined not to believe will never be convinced by evidence (John 7:17).

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.