John 7:35
in John 7At this, the Jews said to one another, “Where does He intend to go that we will not find Him? Will He go where the Jews are dispersed among the Greeks, and teach the Greeks?
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
The Jews therefore said among themselves, Whither will this man go that we shall not find him? will he go unto the Dispersion among the Greeks, and teach the Greeks?
KJV
Then said the Jews among themselves, Whither will he go, that we shall not find him? will he go unto the dispersed among the Gentiles, and teach the Gentiles?
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This verse in John 7
Commentary
15 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
The dispersed among the Gentiles - To the Jews scattered among the Gentiles, or living in distant parts of the earth. It is well known that at that time there were Jews dwelling in almost every land. There were multitudes in Egypt, in Asia Minor, in Greece, in Rome, etc., and in all these places they had synagogues. The question which they asked was whether he would leave an ungrateful country, and go into those distant nations and teach them. Gentiles - In the original, Greeks.
This site's exposition
the Jews are dispersed among the Greeks
on John 7:35-36
They guess at the diaspora, the Jews dispersed among the Greeks in the cities of the empire. The guess lands near a truth they cannot see, and the word does reach the Greeks, carried by the men He leaves behind. The question stays open in their mouths.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
"Then said the Jews," not to Him, but "to themselves, Whither will this man go, that we shall not find him? will he go unto the dispersion among the Gentiles, and teach the Gentiles?" For they knew not what they said; but, it being His will, they prophesied. The Lord was indeed about to go to the Gentiles, not by His bodily presence, but still with His feet. What were His feet? Those which Saul desired to trample upon by persecution, when the Head cried out to him, "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?" What is this saying that He said, "Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither ye cannot come?" Wherefore the Lord said this they knew not, and yet they did predict something that was to be without knowing it. For this is what the Lord said that they knew not the place, if place however it must be called, which is the bosom of the Father, from which Christ never departed; nor were they competent to conceive where Christ was, whence Christ never withdrew, whither He was to return, where He was all the while dwelling. How was it possible for the human heart to conceive this, least of all to explain it with the tongue? This, then, they in no wise understood; and yet by occasion of this they foretold our salvation, that the Lord would go to the dispersion of the Gentiles, and would fulfill that which they read but did not understand. "A people whom I have not known served me, and by the hearing of the ear obeyed me." They before whose eyes He was, heard Him not; those heard Him in whose ears He was sounded. For of that Church of the Gentiles which was to come, the woman that had the issue of blood was a type: she touched and was not seen; she was not known and yet was healed. It was in reality a figure what the Lord asked: "Who touched me?" As if not knowing, He healed her as unknown: so has He done also to the Gentiles. […]
(Tract. xxxi. 10) Whither I go, i. e. to the bosom of the Father. This they did not at all understand: and yet even their mistake is an unwitting prophecy of our salvation; i. e. that our Lord would go to the Gentiles, not in His own person, but by His feet, i. e. His members. He sent to us those whom He had made His members, and so made us His members.
Undoubtedly, by not receiving Christ, the "fount of water of life," they have begun to have "worn-out tanks," that is, synagogues for the use of the "dispersions of the Gentiles," in which the Holy Spirit no longer lingers, as for the time past He was wont to tarry in the temple before the advent of Christ, who is the true temple of God.
"Then said the Jews among themselves, Whither will he go?" Yet they who had wished to be rid of Him, who did all in their power not to see Him, ought not to have asked this question, but to have said, "we are glad of it, when will the departure take place?" but they were somewhat affected at His words, and with foolish suspicion question one another, "whither will he go?" "Will he go unto the dispersion of the Gentiles?" What is, "the dispersion of the Gentiles"? The Jews gave this name to other nations, because they were everywhere scattered and mingled fearlessly with one another. And this reproach they themselves afterwards endured, for they too were a "dispersion." For of old all their nation was collected into one place, and you could not anywhere find a Jew, except in Palestine only; wherefore they called the Gentiles a "dispersion," reproaching them, and boasting concerning themselves.
A commentator
Cyril of AlexandriaCommentary on the Gospel of John, Book 5 · Written before 444.
proposed
Seest thou herein again the wretchedness of Jewish reasonings? seest thou the most miserable surmise of grovelling mind? for they do not say that He will ascend up to Heaven, although they clearly heard, Yet a little while am I with you, and I go unto Him that sent Me, but they are imagining the country of the Gentiles, as though among them were He That sent Him, unto Whom He promised to return. But the people of the Jews is hereby, as it seems, prophesying, albeit not knowing what it is saying.
8 more voices on this verse
The Church Fathers1 voice
(Hom. l. 3) They did not mean, that our Lord was going to the Gentiles for their hurt, but to teach them. Their anger had subsided, and they believed what He had said. Else they would not have thought of asking each other, What manner of saying is this that He said, Ye shall seek Me, and shall not find Me: and whither I am, ye cannot come.
The Medieval Church3 voices
The Jews said: "Does He intend to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks?" See, they changed somewhat and were softened by His words. This is evident from the question "Does He intend to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks?" For if this were …
Here the consequent doubt of the Jews is noted, arising from the fact that they did not understand him; whence they say: "The Jews therefore said: Where is this man about to go, that we will not find him?" And conversing among themselves, they ask …
Then we see that this was bewildering to the Jews, who, although they thought of Christ in a worldly way, still did believe to a certain extent. And three things happen here. First, they are bewildered; secondly, they form an opinion, and thirdly, they argue …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Then said the Jews among themselves,....
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: John (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1869)
We see in these verses, the obstinate blindness of the unbelieving Jews. We find them defending their denial of our Lord's Messiahship, by saying, "But we know where this man comes from. Whenever the Christ comes, no one will know where he comes from." And yet in both these assertions they were wrong! They were wrong in saying that they "knew where our Lord came from." They meant no doubt to say that He was born at Nazareth, and belonged to Nazareth, and was therefore a Galilean.
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: John (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1869)
proposed
We see in these verses, the obstinate blindness of the unbelieving Jews. We find them defending their denial of our Lord's Messiahship, by saying, "But we know where this man comes from. Whenever the Christ comes, no one will know where he comes from." And yet in both these assertions they were wrong! They were wrong in saying that they "knew where our Lord came from." They meant no doubt to say that He was born at Nazareth, and belonged to Nazareth, and was therefore a Galilean. Yet the fact was, that our Lord was born at Bethlehem, that He belonged legally to the tribe of Judah, and that His mother and Joseph were of the house and lineage of David. It is incredible to suppose that the Jews could not have found this out, if they had honestly searched and inquired. It is notorious that pedigrees, genealogies, and family histories were most carefully kept by the Jewish nation. Their ignorance was without excuse. They were wrong again in saying, "Whenever the Christ comes, no one will know where he comes from." There was a well-known prophecy, with which their whole nation was familiar, that Christ was to come out of the town of Bethlehem. (Micah 5:2; Matt. 2:5; John 7:42.) It is absurd to suppose that they had forgotten this prophecy. But apparently they found it inconvenient to remember it on this occasion. Men's memories are often sadly dependent on their wills. The Apostle Peter, in a certain place, speaks of some as "willingly ignorant." (2 Pet. 3:5.) He had good reason to use the expression. It is a sore spiritual disease, and one most painfully common among men. There are thousands in the present day just as blind in their way as the Jews. They shut their eyes against the plainest facts and doctrines of Christianity. They pretend to say that they do not understand, and cannot therefore believe the things that we press on their attention, as needful to salvation.
The dispersed among the Gentiles - Or Greeks. By the dispersed, are meant here the Jews who were scattered through various parts of that empire which Alexander the Great had founded, in Greece, Syria, Egypt, and Asia Minor, where the Greek language was used, and where the Jewish Scriptures in the Greek version of the Septuagint were read. Others suppose that the Gentiles themselves are meant - others, that the ten tribes which had been long lost are here intended.
How the passage was read
On John 7:1-53On John 7:1-53
The water ceremony He interrupted
“The Feast of Booths” is Tabernacles, in Hebrew Sukkot: the autumn week when Israel lived (and Jewish families still eat) in leafy shelters remembering the wilderness. In Temple times each morning of the feast a priest carried water in gold from the pool of Siloam up to the altar and poured it out, praying for the year's rain, while the crowds sang: the Mishnah calls it the Rejoicing at the Place of the Water-Drawing, and the Talmud says whoever never saw it “has never seen rejoicing in his life” (Sukkah 51a).
That is the scene on “the last day of the feast, the great day,” when Jesus stood and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink”: a claim staged inside the feast's own ceremony, at the moment all Jerusalem was thinking about water from God.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Sources: Mishnah Sukkah 4:9 (the water-drawing rite) · Sukkah 51a (“has never seen rejoicing”)
The words behind it
27 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| εἶπον | eipon | Said | G2036 → | 925 times |
| οὖν | oun | therefore | G3767 → | 497 times |
| οἱ | hoi | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| Ἰουδαῖοι | ioudaioi | Jews | G2453 → | 192 times |
| πρὸς | pros | among | G4314 → | 700 times |
| ἑαυτούς· | he'autous | themselves; | G1438 → | 322 times |
| ποῦ | pou | Where | G4226 → | 47 times |
| οὗτος | houtos | He | G3778 → | 1381 times |
| μέλλει | mellei | is about | G3195 → | 109 times |
| πορεύεσθαι | poreuesthai | to go | G4198 → | 147 times |
| ὅτι | hoti | that | G3754 → | 1292 times |
| ἡμεῖς | hemeis | we ourselves | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| οὐχ | ouch | not | G3756 → | 1664 times |
| εὑρήσομεν | heuresomen | will find | G2147 → | 175 times |
| αὐτόν; | auton | Him? | G846 → | 5565 times |
| μὴ | me | Surely | G3361 → | 1066 times |
| εἰς | eis | to | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| τὴν | ten | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| διασπορὰν | diasporan | Dispersion | G1290 → | |
| τῶν | ton | among the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| Ἑλλήνων | hellenon | Greeks | G1672 → | 25 times |
| μέλλει | mellei | is He about | G3195 → | 109 times |
| πορεύεσθαι | poreuesthai | to go | G4198 → | 147 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| διδάσκειν | didaskein | to teach | G1321 → | 96 times |
| τοὺς | tous | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| Ἕλληνας; | hellenas | Greeks? | G1672 → | 25 times |
εἶπονSaid
eiponG2036 →925 times
οὖνtherefore
ounG3767 →497 times
οἱthe
hoiG3588 →19766 times
ἸουδαῖοιJews
ioudaioiG2453 →192 times
πρὸςamong
prosG4314 →700 times
ἑαυτούς·themselves;
he'autousG1438 →322 times
ποῦWhere
pouG4226 →47 times
οὗτοςHe
houtosG3778 →1381 times
μέλλειis about
melleiG3195 →109 times
πορεύεσθαιto go
poreuesthaiG4198 →147 times
ὅτιthat
hotiG3754 →1292 times
ἡμεῖςwe ourselves
hemeisG3165 →1936 times
οὐχnot
ouchG3756 →1664 times
εὑρήσομενwill find
heuresomenG2147 →175 times
αὐτόν;Him?
autonG846 →5565 times
μὴSurely
meG3361 →1066 times
εἰςto
eisG1519 →1755 times
τὴνthe
tenG3588 →19766 times
διασπορὰνDispersion
diasporanG1290 →
τῶνamong the
tonG3588 →19766 times
ἙλλήνωνGreeks
hellenonG1672 →25 times
μέλλειis He about
melleiG3195 →109 times
πορεύεσθαιto go
poreuesthaiG4198 →147 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
διδάσκεινto teach
didaskeinG1321 →96 times
τοὺςthe
tousG3588 →19766 times
Ἕλληνας;Greeks?
hellenasG1672 →25 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
James 1:1James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes of the Dispersion: Greetings.
it leads to
- Ezekiel 12:15
And they will know that I am the LORD, when I disperse them among the nations and scatter them throughout the countries.
- 1 Peter 1:1
Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To the elect who are exiles of the Dispersion throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, chosen
- Acts 8:1
And Saul was there, giving approval to Stephen’s death. On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.
- Ezekiel 12:15
Through
Isaiah 11:10On that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples. The nations will seek Him, and His place of rest will be glorious.
it leads to
- Romans 15:9–12
so that the Gentiles may glorify God for His mercy. As it is written: “Therefore I will praise You among the Gentiles; I will sing hymns to Your name.”
- Luke 2:32
a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to Your people Israel.”
- Isaiah 11:1
Then a shoot will spring up from the stump of Jesse, and a Branch from his roots will bear fruit.
- Matthew 2:1–2
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem,
- Romans 15:9–12
Through
1 Peter 1:1Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To the elect who are exiles of the Dispersion throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, chosen
it leads to
- James 1:1
James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes of the Dispersion: Greetings.
- James 1:1
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About John
This page draws on 15 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Gospels; Augustine of Hippo, Tractates on John 31; Augustine of Hippo, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Bonaventure, Commentary on John, Chapter 7; Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on the Gospel of John, Book 5; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: John (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition); John Chrysostom, Homily on the Gospel of John 50; John Chrysostom, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Tertullian, An Answer to the Jews; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on John and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on John.