[B-Greek] John 8:31ff
Harold R. Holmyard III
hholmyard at ont.com
Sun Feb 8 15:15:33 EST 2004
Dear Iver,
>This discourse takes place in one of the temple courts (court of the women)
>so a number of ordinary Jews would be present. But the dialogue partners are
>Jesus and a group of Pharisees who are hostile to him. That this group,
>introduced in v. 13, is referred to as IOUDAIOI in v. 22 does not change the
>reference, only adds that they represent the Jewish religious establishment.
>When the word IOUDAIOI is used in this context it is used by metonymy (or
>specifically synecdoche) to refer to those religious leaders.
>I cannot see that v. 40 could imply that the whole crowd of Jews were
>seeking to kill Jesus. The text says NUN DE ZHTEITE ME APOKTENAI. And since
>Jesus is in a continuing and rather long verbal exchange with the Pharisees,
>this must refer to the hostile Pharisaic leaders of the Jews. In this
>exchange Jesus is not addressing the crowd as if he was teaching in
>parables, but the Pharisaic leaders, although the crowd would be listening
>in, presumably with some siding with Jesus, others with the Pharisees, and
>most undecided and somewhat confused.
HH: I had never looked at it that way, although it is possible. I've taken
a number of the questions by the Jews as reflecting an ignorance that the
people could have expressed. And Jesus' words to the crowd about their
trying to kill Him is just like 7:19, where Jesus seems to be addressing
the entire crowd. He is teaching (7:14). The Jews in 7:15 sounds like a
crowd that appreciates His wisdom. Moses gave 'you," that is, Israel as a
whole, the Law (7:19). Jesus says, in a broad generalization, that "none of
you," the people, keep the Law. He accuses His addressees of trying to kill
Him (7:19). The people do not understand what He is saying and think he is
demon-possessed for making such a claim (7:20). They don't think they're
trying to kill him and so think he's demon-possessed. But Jesus seems to be
saying that the action of a few is really representative of the entire
nation. Jesus says that they all, that is all the people, marvel when he
does a miracle (v. 20). And it goes on.
So if Jesus in chapter 7 could say that the people were trying to kill Him,
He could say the same thing in chapter 8.
John 7:14 Now about the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple,
and taught.
John 7:15 And the Jews marvelled, saying, How knoweth this man letters,
having never learned?
John 7:16 Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his
that sent me.
John 7:17 If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine,
whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.
John 7:18 He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that
seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness
is in him.
John 7:19 Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keepeth the
law? Why go ye about to kill me?
John 7:20 The people answered and said, Thou hast a devil: who goeth about
to kill thee?
John 7:21 Jesus answered and said unto them, I have done one work, and ye
all marvel.
John 7:22 Moses therefore gave unto you circumcision; (not because it is of
Moses, but of the fathers;) and ye on the sabbath day circumcise a man.
Yours,
Harold Holmyard
More information about the B-Greek
mailing list