Jesus was confusing to the jews

JESUS WAS CONFUSINGTO THE JEWS
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
John 7:33-3633Jesus said, "I am with you for only a
short time, and then I am going to the one who sent
me. 34Youwill look for me, but you will not find me;
and where I am, you cannot come." 35The Jews said
to one another, "Wheredoes this man intend to go
that we cannot find him? Will he go where our people
live scatteredamong the Greeks, and teach the
Greeks? 36Whatdid he mean when he said, 'Youwill
look for me, but you will not find me,' and 'WhereI
am, you cannot come'?"
BIBLEHUB RESOURCES
The coming of the bailiffs
T. Whitelaw, D. D.
I. A HOSTILE EMBASSY.
1. Its occasion— the favourable impression made on the multitude.

2. Its promoters. The chief priests and the Pharisees, who resolvedto take a
forward step by dispatching their constables to the Temple (ver. 82).
3. Its object. To mingle with the crowd, show as much favour as possible, so as
to throw them and Christ off their guard, and then embrace the first
opportunity of detaching them from Him, or Him from them, and took Him
prisoner to the council chamber.
II. AN UNEXPECTEDGREETING.Having observedthe officers and their
intention, our Lord replied to this forward movement by announcing His
departure.
1. It,would be soon, "a little while." "The increasing hostility of the rulers,
and the fickle characterofthe populace, made it apparent that the final
collisioncould not be long delayed.
2. It would be voluntary. The designs of the rulers would in the providence of
God lead to His departure but would not be its cause (John10:18). "I go."
3. It would be a homegoing (ver. 33; John 6:62), like an ambassadorto report
about His mission, or like a Sonto the presence ofHis Father (John 14:2).
4. It would terminate their day of grace. His appearance had been a day of
salvation(Luke 19:42), which at His departure would be over (ver. 34;Luke
17:22).

5. It would place an impassable gulf betweenHim and them (ver. 34). Without
foreclosing heaven's gate upon the crowd, many of whom were probably
afterwards converted(Acts 2:41), or upon individual members of the
Sanhedrim (John 19:38, 39; Acts 6:7), the words announced that when Christ
departed their day of grace as a nation would be over for impenitent
individuals.
III. A MELANCHOLY RESULT.
1. Perplexity. They failed to understand the Saviour's meaning, or pretended
to do so (ver. 36); as the apostles did an analogous expression(John 16:17).
Yet Christ's language was plain. But they did not wish Christ's words to have
the sense they conveyed, and so pronounced them nonsensical.
2. Ridicule. They endeavouredto sport with Him and His words. Tomorrow
they will ask Him if He purposes to commit suicide (chap. John 8:12), to-day
they inquire if He contemplates playing at Messiahamong the Greeks (ver.
35).
3. Rejection. The true reasonwhy they could not understand Him was, that
already in their hearts they had rejectedHim and them.Lessons:
1. The day of grace to all is of limited duration.
2. Those who improve that day so as to find Christ will ultimately be with
Him.

3. To such as find Christ, death will be going home.
4. Those who rejectChrist here will not be able to acceptHim hereafter.
5. Christ's sayings are enigmas to those who do not wish to understand Him.
6. Scoffing at goodmen marks the last stage ofdepravity.
(T. Whitelaw, D. D.)
The boldness of Christ
C. H. Spurgeon.
The officers were after our Lord, and He knew it. He could spy them out in
the crowd, but He was not therefore in the leastafraid or disconcerted. He
reminds me of that minister who, when he was about to preach, was stopped
by a soldier, who held a pistol at his head, and threatened that if he spake he
would kill him. " Soldier," saidhe, "do your duty; I shall do mine"; and he
went on with his preaching.
(C. H. Spurgeon.)
Then said Jesus unto them, yet a little while am I with you
One saying with two meanings
A. Maclaren, D. D.
(text and John 13:33): —

1. No greatercontrastcan be conceivedthan betweenthese two groups. The
one consists ofthe officers sent to seize Christ, but were restrained by an awe
inexplicable even to themselves. The other consists ofthe little company of His
faithful, though slow scholars. Hatred animated the one, love the other.
2. Christ speaks to them both nearly the same words, but with what a
different tone, meaning, and application. To the officers they exhibit the
triumphant confidence that their Makeris omnipotent. When He wills He will
go, not be dragged, to a safe asylum, where foes cannotfollow Him. The
officers do not understand. They think, that bad Jew as they have always
believed Him to be, He may consummate His apostasyby going over to the
Gentiles altogether; but at any rate they feel that He is going to escape their
hands. The disciples understand little more, and though the upper side of the
saying seems to be full of separation, there is an underside that suggests
reunion.
3. The words are nearly the same, but they are not quite identical.
I. THE TWO SEEKINGS.
1. The enemies are told they will never find Him.(1) No man with hostile
intent seeking for Christ can ever find Him. All the antagonismthat has
stormed againstHim and His cause has been impotent and vain. The pursuers
are like dogs chasing a bird which all the while carols in the sky. As in the
days of His flesh His foes could not touch His person till He chose, so ever
since no weaponthat is formed againstHis cause or His friends shall prosper.
All Christian service is a prolongationof Christ's, and both are immortal and
safe.(2)But it is not only hostile seeking that is vain. When the dark days came
over Israel, and amidst the agonies ofthat lastseige, do you not think that
many of these people said, "Ah! if we had only Jesus back for a day or two."

They sought Him not in angerany more, nor in penitence, or they would have
found Him, but simply in distress, and wishing that they could have back
againwhat they had caredso little for when they had it. And are there none to
whom the words apply, "He that will not when he may, when he will it shall
be nay."(3) There is another kind of vain seeking — intellectual, without the
preparation of the heart. Many a man goes in quest for religious certainty and
looks at, if not for Jesus, and is not capable of discerning Him when He sees
Him because His eye is not single, or his heart is full of worldliness and
indifference, or he begins with a foregone conclusion. He will never find Him.
2. The seeking that is not vain. "Ye shall seek Me," to any heart that loves
Christ is not a sentence of separation, but the blessedlaw of Christian life.(1)
That life is one great seeking afterChrist. Love seeksthe absent. If we care
anything for Him at all our hearts will turn to Him as naturally as when the
winter begins to pinch, the birds seek the sunny south. The same law which
sends loving thoughts across the globe to seek husband, child, or friend, sets
the Christian heart seeking for Christ.(2)And if you do not seek Him you will
lose Him, for there is no wayof keeping a personwho is not before our eyes
near us except by diligent effort — thought meditating, love going out towards
Him, will submitting. Unless there be this effort you will lose your Masterlike
the child in a crowdloses his nurse if his hand slips from the protecting
hand.(3) And that seeking in this threefold form is neither a seeking which
starts from a sense of non-possession, norone which ends in disappointment.
We seek Him because we possessHim, and that we may have Him more
abundantly, and it is as impossible that such a searchshallbe vain as that
lungs dilated shall not fill with air. A mother will sometimes hide that the
child's delight may be the greaterin searching and finding; and so Christ has
gone awayfor one thing that He may stimulate our desires afterHim.
II. THE TWO CANNOTS. "WhitherI go ye cannot come," says He to His
enemies, with no limitation or condition. To His friends He only says, "now,"
and "thou shalt follow Me afterwards." So then Christ is somewhere, He has

gone into a place as well as a state, and there friend and enemy alike cannot
enter while compassedwith "the earthly house." But the incapacity goes
deeper, no sinful man can pass within. Heaven is a prepared place for
prepared people. Our power to enter there depends on our union with Christ
by faith, and that will effect the preparation.
(A. Maclaren, D. D.)
I go
Bp. Westcott.
Three Greek words are thus translatedin St. John, and two of them in similar
connections. Eachexpresses a distinct aspectof departure, and its special
force must be takeninto accountin the interpretation of the passagein which
it is found.
1. ὑπάγω, which is used here, emphasizes the personal actof going in itself, as
a withdrawal (John 8:14, 21;John 13:3, 33, 36; John 14:4, 28; John 16:5, 10,
16).
2. πορεῢομαι marks the going as connectedwith a purpose, a mission, an end
to be gained(ver. 35;14:3, 12, 28;16:7, 28).
3. ἀπεοχομαιexpresses simple separation, the point left (John 6:68; John 16:7,
("go away"). The differences are very clearly seenin a comparisonof chap.
John 16:10 (ὑπάγω) with John 14:28 (πορεύομαι)and the successionofwords
in John 16:7-10.
(Bp. Westcott.)

While Christ is near we must cry to Him for pardon
Moody.
A few years ago, when Pennsylvania had a Christian governor, there was a
young man down in one of the counties who was arrestedfor murder. He was
brought before the Court, tried, found guilty, and sentencedto death. His
friends thought there would be no trouble in getting a reprieve or pardon.
Becausethe governorwas a Christian man they thought he would not sign the
death warrant. But he signed it. They called on the governorand begged of
him to pardon the young man. But the governorsaid "No;the law must take
its course, and the man must die." I think the mother of the young man called
on the governorand pleaded with him; but the governorstood firm and said,
"No;the man must die." A few days before the man was executed, the
governortook the train to the county where the man was imprisoned. He went
to the sheriff of the county and saidto him, "I wish you to take me to that
man's cell, and leave me alone with him for a little while; and do not tell him
who I am until I am gone." The governorwent to the prison and talked to the
young man about his soul, and told him that, although he was condemned by
man to be executed, Godwould have mercy upon him and save him, if he
would acceptpardon from God. He preachedChrist, and told him how Christ
came to seek and to save sinners; and, having explained as he best knew how
the plan of salvation, he got down and prayed, and after praying he shook
hands with him and bade him farewell. Some time after the sheriff passedby
the condemned man's cell, and he called him to the door of the cell and said,
"Who was that man who talkedand prayed with me so kindly?" The sheriff
said, "Thatwas GovernorPollock."The man turned deathly pale, and he
threw up both his hands and said, "Was that Governor Pollock?was that
kind-hearted man the governor? Oh, sheriff, why did not you tell me? If I had
known that was the governorI would have fell at his feetand askedfor
pardon; I would have pleaded for pardon and for my life. Oh, sir, the
governorhas been here, and I did not know it." Sinner, I have got goodnews
to tell you. There is one greaterthan the governorhere to-night, and He wants
to pardon every one.

(Moody.)
Seeking in vain
T. Mahon.
A young policemanwas in the Edinburgh infirmary with an injured leg.
There was a man lying on the next bed to him exceedinglyill, and his life
despairedof by the physicians, but who would not allow any one to speak to
him on religious subjects, or pray either for his recovery, or for the salvation
of his soul. At first he himself had no idea that death was so near him; but
when its ghastlypresence could no longer be denied, then this bold impenitent
sinner became a victim of despair. Again and againdid he cry out for the
chaplain to pray for his soul. Of course there were many prayers offered for
him, but his day of grace was over, and he continued to shriek aloud for
mercy, until finally his voice became too weak forutterance, and full of
dreadful apprehensions of "the wrath to come," he expired.
(T. Mahon.)
Resisting the light will prove our undoing
Biblical Museum.
It is related of Jeine, the chief of one of the South Sea Islands, who had offered
no small amount of oppositionto the introduction of Christianity, that, during
a sicknesswhichterminated in his death, he manifested more mental distress
than is usually seenin a heathen. He often expresseda wish that "he had died
ten years before." And why? The light of life and love had been shining
around him, but he had opposedits entrance into his heart, and its powerover
his people. And now, having loved darkness, in darkness of soul, stung by an
upbraiding of conscience, he must die.
(Biblical Museum.)

Those who refuse Christ when offered may soonseek Him in vain
J. East.
I was once calledupon to visit a dying man in Bristol, under the following
circumstances:He had not entered the church for many years. At last he
made up his mind to go, and on the morning of the Sabbath he and his wife
went. But the door was closed, the church being under repair. They returned
home disappointed. In the evening they went to another church. But it was so
crowdedthat they could get no farther than the doorway, and were unable to
hear a word. On the following Sunday he resolvedto make another effort; but
while he was dressing he fell down in an apoplectic fit, and never spoke again
I He knew me when I entered his chamber. I preached the gospelin his dying
ear, but he was speechless, andI could not learn the state of his mind. This
case illustrates some paris of the first chapter of Proverbs: "Thenshall they
call upon Me, but I will not answer;they shall seek Me early, but they shall
not find Me." The procrastinating sinner may say, "I will serve God by and
by. He shall have the services ofmy age:" and God may say, "No;thou shalt
not have old age to offer Me."
(J. East.)
The imperilled condition of the impenitent sinner
W. Hay Aitken., Bp. Westcott.
Two friends were in the Highlands recently, shooting, and one of them
observedan animal on a jutting rock. He inquired, "Is that a sheep?" and
looking through his field-glass he saw that it was. In searchofherbage the
sheephad descendedfrom one grass-coveredledge to another, and found it
impossible to return. No shepherd in Scotlanddare risk his life by going down
the declivity. The sheepmust remain there till an eagle observedit, when in
eddying circles it would hover over the poor animal, drawing nearer and
nearer, until at last the affrighted sheep would take a dreadful leap into space,
to be dashedto pieces onthe rocks below, and then become the eagle's prey.

(W. Hay Aitken.)The dispersedamong the Gentiles, or simply the Dispersion
was the generaltitle applied to those Jews who remained settled in foreign
countries after the return from Babylon, and during the period of the second
Temple. The Hebrew word applied to these foreignsettlers (see Jeremiah
24:5; Jeremiah28:4; Ezra 6:16) conveys the notion of spoliationand
bereavement, as of men removed from the Temple and home of their fathers;
but in the LXX. the ideas of "sojourning," and of a "colony," were combined
with that of a "captivity," while the term "dispersion" (Deuteronomy 28:25;
cf. Jeremiah34:17), which finally prevailed, seemedto imply that the people
thus scattered(Deuteronomy30:4) in bondage (2 Macc. 1:27), and shut out
from the privileges of the human race (text), should yet be as a seedsownfor a
future harvest (cf. Isaiah 49:6, Hebrews) in the strange lands where they
found a temporary resting-place (1 Peter1:1). The schism which had divided
the first kingdom was forgottenin the results of the generalcalamity. The
Dispersionwas not limited to the exiles of Judah, but included "the twelve
tribes" (James 1:1), which expressedthe completeness ofthe whole Jewish
nation (Acts 26:7). The Dispersionreally dates from the Babylonish exile.
Uncertain legends point to earliersettlements in Arabia, Ethiopia, and
Abyssinia, but these must have been isolatedand casual, while the Dispersion
was the outward proof that a faith had succeededto a kingdom. Apart from
the necessaryinfluence which Jewishcommunities, bound by common laws,
ennobled by the possessionofthe same truths, and animated by kindred hopes
must have exercisedon the nations among whom they were scattered, the
difficulties which set aside the literal observance ofthe Mosaic ritual led to a
wider view of the scope of the law, and a strongersense of its spiritual
significance. Outwardly and inwardly, by its effects, both on the Gentiles and
on Israel, the Dispersionwas the clearestprovidential preparation for
Christianity. But while the fact of a recognizedDispersionmust have
weakenedthe localand ceremonialinfluences which were essentialto the first
training of the people of God, the Dispersionwas still bound togetherin itself
and to its mother country by religious ties. The Temple was the acknowledged
centre of Judaism, and the faithful Jew everywhere contributed the half-
shekeltowards its maintenance (Matthew 17:24;Jos. Ant. 16:06). The tribute
was indeed the simplest and most striking outward proof of the religious unity
of the nation. Treasuries were establishedto receive the payments of different

districts, and the collectedsums were forwarded to Jerusalem, as in later
times the Mohammedan offerings were sent to Mecca.At the beginning of the
Christian era the Dispersionwas divided into three greatsections, the
Babylonian, the Syrian, and the Egyptian. Precedencewas yieldedto the first.
The jealousywhich had originally existed betweenthe poor who remained in
Jerusalemand their wealthier countrymen at Babylon had passedaway. From
Babylon the Jews spreadthroughout Persia, Media, and Parthia; but the
settlements in China belong to a modern date. The Greek conquests in Asia
extended the limits of the Dispersion. Selencus Nicatortransplanted large
bodies of Jewishcolonists from Baby. lonia to the capitals of his western
provinces. His policy was followedby his successor, Antiochus the Great, and
the persecutions ofAntiochus Epiphanes only served to push forward the
Jewishemigrationto the remoter districts of the empire. In Armenia the Jews
arrived at the greatestdignities, and Nisibis became a new centre of
colonization. The Jews ofCappadocia (1 Peter1:1) are mentioned in the
Mishna; and a prince and princess of Adiabene adopted the Jewishfaith only
thirty years before the destructionof the Temple. Large settlements were
establishedin Cyprus, in the islands of the AEgean, and on the westerncoast
of Asia Minor. The Romans confirmed to them the privileges obtained from
the Syrian kings; and though they were exposedto sudden outbursts of
popular violence, the Jews ofthe Syrian provinces gradually formed a closer
connectionwith their new homes, and, togetherwith the Greek language,
adopted in many respects Greekideas. This Hellenizing tendency, however,
found its most free development at Alexandria. The Jewishsettlements
establishedthere by Alexander and Ptolemy I. became the source of the
African Dispersion, which spreadover the north coastofAfrica, and perhaps
inland to Abyssinia. At Cyrene and Berenice (Tripoli) the Jewishinhabitants
formed a considerable portion of the population. But the distinction in
language led to wider differences, which were averted in Babylon by the
currency of an Aramaic dialect. The Scriptures were no longer read on the
Sabbath, and no fire signals conveyedthe dates of the new moons to Egypt.
Still, the spirit of the African Jews was notdestroyed. After the destruction of
the Temple the zealots found a receptionin Cyrene, and in A.D. 115 the
Jewishpopulation in Africa rose with terrible ferocity, and were put down by
a war of extermination, and the remnant who escapedestablishedthemselves

on the opposite coastofEurope, as the beginning of a new Dispersion. The
Jewishsettlements in Rome were consequenton the occupationof Jerusalem
by Pompey B.C. 63. The captives and emigrants whom he brought with him
were locatedin the Trans-Tiberine quarter, and by degrees rose in station and
importance. They were favoured by Augustus and Tiberius after the fall of
Sejanus, and a Jewishschoolwas founded at Rome. In the reign of Claudius
the Jews became objectsofsuspicion from their immense numbers; and the
internal disputes, consequent, perhaps, upon the preaching of Christianity, led
to their banishment from the city (Acts 18:2). But this was only temporary, for
in a few years the Jews atRome were numerous (Acts 28:17), and continued
to be sufficiently conspicuous to attractthe attention of the satirists. The
influence of the Dispersionon the rapid growth of Christianity can scarcelybe
overrated. The course of apostolic preaching followedin a regular progress
the line of Jewishsettlements. The mixed assemblyfrom which the first
converts were gatheredon the day of Pentecostrepresentedeachdivision of
the Dispersion, and these converts naturally prepared the way for the
apostles. The names of the sevendeacons are all Greek, and one was a
proselyte. The Church at Antioch, by which St. Paul was entrusted with his
greatwork among the heathen(Acts 13:1), included Barnabus of Cyprus,
Lucius of Cyrene, and Simeon, surnamed Niger; and among his fellow
labourers at a later time are found Apollos of Alexandria, Urbanus, and
Clement, whose names, at least, are Roman. Antioch itself became a centre of
the Christian Church, as it had been of the JewishDispersion;and throughout
the apostolic journeys the Jews were the class to whom "it was necessarythat
the Word of God should be first spoken" (Acts 13:46), and they in turn were
united with the mass of the population by the intermediate body of "the
devout " who had recognizedin various degrees "the faith of the God of
Israel."
(Bp. Westcott.)

John 7:34 You shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither
you cannotcome.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
(34) Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me.—These words are to be
interpreted in connectionwith John 8:21, where they are repeated, and with
John 13:33, where they are quoted and applied to the disciples. This will
exclude any specialreference,suchas to the destruction of Jerusalemand to
the seeking Him in the miseries which should follow, which most expositors
have found here. The words refer rather to the more generaltruth now
present to His mind, and applicable to all alike, that the time was at hand
when He would return to the Father, and His bodily presence wouldbe
unapproachable, alike by those who should seek in hatred, or those who
should seek in love.
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
7:31-36 The discourses ofJesus convincedmany that he was the Messiah;but
they had not courage to own it. It is comfort to those who are in the world, but
not of it, and therefore are hated by it and wearyof it, that they shall not be in
it always, that they shall not be in it long. Our days being evil, it is well they
are few. The days of life and of grace do not lastlong; and sinners, when in
misery, will be glad of the help they now despise. Mendispute about such
sayings, but the event will explain them.
Barnes'Notes on the Bible
Ye shall seek me - This probably means simply, Ye shall seek the Messiah.
Such will be your troubles, such the calamities that will come on the nation,
that you will earnestly desire the coming of the Messiah. You will seek for a
Deliverer, and will look for feign that he may bring deliverance. This does not
mean that they would seek for Jesus and not be able to find him, but that they

would desire the aid and comfort of the Messiah, and would be disappointed.
Jesus speaksofhimself as the Messiah, andhis own name as synonymous with
the Messiah. Seethe notes at Matthew 23:39.
Shall not find me - Shall not find the Messiah. He will not come, according to
your expectations, to aid you. See the notes at Matthew 24.
Where I am - This whole clause is to be understood as future, though the
words AM and cannot are both in the present tense. The meaning is, Where I
shall be you will not be able to come. That is, he, the Messiah, wouldbe in
heaven; and though they would earnestlydesire his presence and aid to save
the city and nation from the Romans, yet they would not be able to obtain it -
representedhere by their not being able to come to him. This does not refer to
their individual salvation, but to the deliverance of their nation. It is not true
of individual sinners that they seek Christ in a proper manner and are not
able to find him; but it was true of the Jewishnation that they lookedfor the
Messiah, andsought his coming to deliver them, but he did not do it.
Jamieson-Fausset-BrownBible Commentary
33, 34. Yet a little while, &c.—thatis, "Your desire to be rid of Me will be for
you all too soonfulfilled. Yet a little while and we part company—for ever; for
I go whither ye cannot come:nor, even when ye at length seek Him whom ye
now despise, shallye be able to find Him"—referring not to any penitential,
but to purely selfish cries in their time of desperation.
Matthew Poole's Commentary
Some think the meaning is, Ye shall seek me to execute your malice upon me,
but to no purpose, for you
shall not find me. Or, You shall seek me to destroy me in my church, and to
root out my name; but to no purpose. But the most probable sense is this: You

wickedJews, thatnow contemn the means of grace by me offeredto you, shall
one day be in distress and calamity enough; and when you are so, then you
will wish I were againamongstyou; but I shall be ascendedto my Father, and
as deaf to your prayers as above the reach of your malice. There is much the
same thing said in Matthew 23:39. That he here speakethofhis ascensionis
plain from John 13:33. He speakethofheaven as a place where he was at that
time, for so he was as to his Divine nature. It is upagw, whither I go, which
makes some think it should not here be eimi, but eimi, vado. But others reject
it, because it is a poeticalword, hardly used in the New Testament.
Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible
Ye shall seek me,.... Thatis, the Messiah, who he was;meaning, that after his
departure they should be in greatdistress, and be very much on the inquiry
after, and solicitous for the coming of the Messiah, to be a Redeemerand
Delivererof them out of their troubles:
and shall not find me; no Messiahwill appear, no Saviour will be sent, no
Redeemerwill come to relieve them; they shall inquire, and look for one in
vain, as they did.
And where I am, thither ye cannot come;intimating hereby, that not only
their temporal estate and condition would be very distressedand miserable,
but also their eternalestate;since they should not be able to come where he
would be in his human nature, and where he now was as a divine person,
namely, in heaven.
Geneva Study Bible
Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither ye cannot
come.
EXEGETICAL(ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)
Expositor's Greek Testament

John 7:34. In John 7:34 He views with pity (cf. “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem,”
etc.)their too late awakening to a sense oftheir need: ζητήσετέ με καὶ οὐκ
εὑρήσετε. “The tragic history of the Jewishpeople since their rejectionof
Jesus as Christ is condensedinto these words,” Reith. Cf. Luke 17:22, “The
days will come when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man,
and ye shall not see it”; also Luke 19:43-44;and Isaiah55:6. εἰκὸς γὰρ
πολλοὺς … ζητεῖν αὐτὸνβοηθὸνκαὶ μᾶλλονἁλισκομένωνἹεροσολύμων,
Euthymius. Even though they may then know where He has gone, they cannot
follow Him, ὅπου εἰμὶ ἐγώ ὑμεῖς οὐ δύνασθε ἐλθεῖν, “where I am” [not εἶμι, “I
will go”], i.e., in the presence of Him that sent me, “ye cannot,” as ye now are
and by your own strength, “come”. Forthe full meaning see chap. John 8:21-
24.
Cambridge Bible for Schools andColleges
34. Ye shall seek me] From John 13:33 it seems almostcertainthat these
words are not to be understood of seeking His life: rather of seeking for help
at His hands. Comp. John 8:21. It is best, however, not to limit their
application to any particular occasion, suchas the destruction of Jerusalem,
the greathour of Jewishneed.
where I am, thither ye cannotcome] ‘Thither’ is not in the Greek and is
perhaps better omitted, so as to bring out the emphatic opposition between‘I’
and ‘ye.’
Bengel's Gnomen
John 7:34. [203]ΖΗΤΉΣΕΤΈ ΜΕ, ye shall seek Me)Me, whom ye now see,
and despise. These words are a kind of text, on which the discourses ofthis
and the following chapter are built as a superstructure; ch. John 8:21, “I go
My way, and ye shall seek Me, and shall die in your sins; whither I go, ye
cannot come,” etc. Sucha text occurs also, ch. John 16:16, “A little while, and
ye shall not see Me, and again a little while and ye shall see me, because I go to
the Father.”—καὶ οὐχ εὑρήσετε, and ye shall not find Me)Afterwards He
speaks more sternly, “ye shall die in your sin,” ch. John 8:21.—ὅπου, whither)

namely, to heaven: ch. John 3:13, “No man hath ascendedup to heaven, but
He that came down from heaven, even the Sonof Man, which is in heaven.”
The Lord sometimes put forth a discourse of such a nature, as that a meaning
of it, in some degree, was, for the time being, apparent to His hearers:the
deeper meaning became so subsequently. Comp. with this passagech. John
13:33, “Yet a little while, I am with you. Ye shall seek Me;and as I said unto
the Jews, WhitherI go, ye cannotcome, so now I say to you.” Such a discourse
also occurs, ch. John 13:16, “The servant is not greaterthan his lord.” Comp.
ch. John 15:20.
[203]μικρὸνχοόνον, a little time) It proved to be truly so;for hardly the half
of a year elapsedfrom this discourse to the time of His passion.—Harm., p.
355.
Pulpit Commentary
Verse 34. - Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me. Many interpretations are
given of this.
(1) Origen and Grotius refer it to a hostile searchfor him which would not be
gratified; but the whole story of the arrestwhich follows, as wellas the
quotation of these words in John 13:33, prove that this was not his meaning.
(2) Augustine and others imagine penitential seeking whenit would be too
late. This is not justified by the connection. The limitation of the day of grace
for seeking souls is not the theme of this address, and it is, save under special
circumstances, no teaching of the New Testament.
(3) The ideas of Hengstenberg and others, so largely built on the greattexts in
Proverbs 1:28 and Amos 8:12, show that the Messiahwould be sought by
them when they had utterly rejectedJesus. We do not believe that a genuine

searchfor the Lord will ever be disappointed, but a vicious and vain search
may be possible when the opportunity for due approach has gone by forever.
Moments, catastrophes,did arrive in their tragic history when they had
passionatelydesired, but in vain, to see one of the days of the Son of man. The
individuals who turned to him found the veil which concealedhim takenaway
(2 Corinthians 3:16). The nation as a whole was blinded; they crucified their
King, the Lord of glory; and they brought uttermost extinction on themselves
as a nation. "They sought their Messiahin vain" (Weiss). Where I am - in the
glory in which I dwell, and to which I belong, and to which I am now inviting
you - you cannot come. "The door will be shut;" you will not "have known the
day of your visitation." "How often would I have gatheredyou, but ye would
not!" The seeking cannotbe the searchof penitence, but of unavailing
despair. You have the opportunity now. In a little while I go, and then you will
find it impossible to follow me.
Vincent's Word Studies
Ye shall seek me
Not as now, for disputation or violence, but for help.
Where Iam
In absolute, eternal being and fellowshipwith the Father. I am (ἐγω εἰμι) is
the formula of the divine existence (John8:58). The phrase carries a hint of
the essentialnature of Jesus, and thus prepares the way for ye cannot come
(see on John 7:7). The difference in characterwill make it essentially
impossible.

John 7:35 Then said the Jews among themselves, Where will he go, that we
shall not find him? will he go to the dispersedamong the Gentiles, and teach
the Gentiles?
(35) Whither will he go that we shall not find him?—He had said in John 7:33,
“I go unto Him that sent Me,” and in Joh 7:28. He had declared that they
knew not Him that sentHim. There is, then, no contradiction betweenthese
verses, and their question, strange as it seems, is but another instance of their
total want of power to read any meaning which does not lie upon the surface.
He is going away, and they will not be able to find Him, and they can only
think of distant lands where other Jews had gone, as of Babylon, or of Egypt,
or of Greece. Will He join some distant colonyof Jews where they cannot
follow Him? They have no thought of His death and return to His Father’s
home.
Will he go unto the dispersed among the Gentiles, and teachthe Gentiles?—
Better, Will He go unto the dispersion among the Gentiles, and teachthe
Gentiles? The word for “dispersion” (διασπορά, diaspora)occurs again, in the
New Testament, only in the opening verses of the Epistle of St. James and of
the First Epistle of St. Peter, and is in both these passagesrepresentedby the
English word “scattered.”The only other instance of its occurrence in the
Bible, is in the Greek version(LXX.) of Psalm 146:2. (In Authorised version,
Psalm147:2, “He gathereth togetherthe outcasts ofIsrael.”)It is also found in
2 Maccabees1:27, “Gatherthose togetherthat are scatteredfrom us.” (Comp.
Jos. Wars, vii. 3, § 3; Ant. xii. 1-3;15:3, § 1.) The abstractword is used like
“the circumcision,” e.g., as a comprehensive title for the individuals included
in it. These were the Jews who did not dwell within the limits of the Holy
Land, but spreading from the three chief centres, Babylonia, Egypt, and
Syria, were found in every part of the civilised world. The Babylonian
Diaspora owedits origin to the vast number of exiles who preferred to remain
in the positions they had acquired for themselves in their new homes, and did
not return to Palestine after the Captivity. They were by far the greaterpart

of the nation, and were scatteredthrough the whole extent of the Persian
empire. Of the origin of the Egyptian Diaspora, we find traces in the Old
Testament, as in Jeremiah41:17; Jeremiah42:18. Their numbers were
greatly increasedunder Alexander the Greatand his successors, so that they
extended over the whole country (Jos. Ant. xvi. 7, §2). Much less numerous
than their brethren of Babylonia, and regardedas less pure in descent, they
have, through their contactwith Western thought and the Greek language,
left a deeperand wider influence on after ages. To them we owe the LXX.
translation of the Old TestamentScriptures, and the Alexandrian schoolof
Jewishphilosophers, two of the most important influences which first
prepared the way for, and afterwards moulded the forms of, Christianity. The
Syrian Diaspora is traced by Josephus (Ant. vii. 3, § 1) to the conquests of
Seleucus Nicator(B.C. 300). Under the persecutionof Antiochus Epiphanes,
they spread overa wider area, including the whole of Asia Minor, and thence
to the islands and mainland of Greece. Itwas less numerous than either that
of Babylonia or that of Egypt, but the synagoguesofthis Diaspora formed the
connecting links betweenthe older and the newerrevelation, and were the
first buildings in which Jesus was preachedas the Messiah.
But though thus scatteredabroad, the Jews ofthe Diaspora regarded
Jerusalemas the common religious centre, and maintained a close communion
with the spiritual authorities who dwelt there. They sent liberal offerings to
the Temple, and were representedby numerous synagoguesin the city, and
flockedin large numbers to the chief festivals. (Comp. Notes on Acts 2:9-11.)
The Diaspora, then, was a network of Judaism, spreading to every place of
intellectual or commercialimportance, and linking it to Jerusalem, and a
means by which the teaching of the Old Testamentwas made familiarly
known, even in the cities of the Gentiles. “Mosesofold time hath in every city
them that preach him, being read in the synagogueseverysabbath day” (Acts
15:21).

Such was the dispersion among the Gentiles of which these rulers of the Jews
speak. Theyask the question in evident scorn. “Will this Rabbi, leaving
Jerusalem, the centre of light and learning, go to those who dwell among the
heathen, and become a teacherof the very heathen themselves?”We feelthat
there is some fact which gives point to their question, and is not apparent in
the narrative. We shall find this, it may be, if we remember that He Himself
had before this crossedthe limits of the Holy Land, and had given words to
teachand powerto save, in the case ofthe Greek womanwho was a Syro-
Phœnician by nation. (Comp. Notes onMatthew 15:21-28;Mark 7:24-30.)
More fully still do the words find their interpretation in the after history.
They are, like the words of Caiaphas (John 11:49-51), anunconscious
prophecy, and may be takenas summing up in one sentence the method of
procedure in the earliestmission-work of the church. The greathigh-roads of
the Diaspora were those whichthe Apostles followed. Every apostolic church
of the Gentiles may be said to have grown out of a synagogue ofthe Jews.
There is a striking instance of the irony of history, in the fact that the very
words of these Jews ofPalestine are recordedin the Greek language, by a Jew
of Palestine, presiding overa Christian church, in a Gentile city.
For “Gentiles,”the margin reads “Greeks,”andthis is the more exact
translation, but the almostconstantNew Testamentuse of the word is in
distinction from Jews, andour translators felt rightly that this is better
conveyedto the reader by the word “Gentiles.”(Comp. Notes on Mark 7:26
and Acts 11:20.)We must be careful to avoid the not unfrequent mistake of
rendering the word as though it were “Hellenist,” which means a Græcised
Jew. This is to miss the point of their scorn, which is in the idea of His
teaching those outside the pale of Judaism.
BensonCommentary
John 7:35-36. Then said the Jews, Whither will he go — Jesus spake
concerning his death, resurrection, and ascension, but the Jews did not
understand him; for they imagined that he threatened to leave them, and go

among their brethren of the dispersion. Will he go unto the dispersed among
the Gentiles — Greek, τωνΕλληνων, of the Greeks, thatis, the Jews scattered
abroad in different nations, Greece particularly; and teach the Gentiles —
Τους Ελληνας, the Greeks, the heathen themselves. By Greeks, we are here to
understand idolatrous Gentiles, and not Hellenists, or Jews, who used the
Greek language;for these were the dispersed among them. There is,
therefore, says Dr. Doddridge, a sarcasm“in these words, beyond what
commentators have observed. They insinuate that if he was to go into foreign
countries, to address himself to the Jews there, who might be supposednot so
well instructed as those who lived in Judea and at Jerusalem, he would not be
able to make any proselytes, evenamong these;but would be constrainedto
apply himself to the ignorant and stupid Gentiles, to seek disciples among
them; which, to be sure, appearedto these haughty scorners one of the most
infamous circumstances that could be imagined, and most incompatible with
the characterofthe true Messiah.”Whatmanner of saying is this — This
saying is unintelligible and absurd: for though his meaning be, that he is going
to preach among the Gentiles, surely it is possible for us to follow him thither.
The dispersedamong the Gentiles - To the Jews scatteredamong the Gentiles,
or living in distant parts of the earth. It is wellknown 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 askedwas whetherhe would leave an
ungrateful country, and go into those distant nations and teachthem.

Gentiles - In the original, Greeks. All those who were not Jews were called
Greeks, because theywere chiefly acquainted with those pagans only who
spake the Greek language. Itis remarkable that Jesus returned no answerto
these inquiries. He rather chose to turn off their minds from a speculation
about the place to which he was going, to the greataffairs of their own
personalsalvation.
35, 36. Whither will he go, &c.—Theycannotcomprehend Him, but seem
awedby the solemn grandeur of His warning. He takes no notice, however, of
their questions.
The Jews, notat all believing the Divine nature of Christ, notwithstanding all
that Christ had said, and all the miracles he had wrought, are at a mighty loss
to conclude what our Saviour spake of, and whither he would go;they thought
he could go no where in the land of Jewry, but they should hear of him, and be
able to come where he was;they conclude therefore that he would go into
some pagan country. In the Greek it is, Will he go into the dispersion of the
Grecians? There were two most famous dispersions, ofwhich we read in
history. The first was of the Jews, ofwhich we read in sacredhistory, in the
captivities of Assyria, whither the ten tribes were carried, 2 Kings 17:6; and
Babylon, whither the two tribes were carried, 2 Kings 24:14. And that of the
Grecians by the Macedonians;when also many of the Jews were dispersedby
Alexander the Great, and his successors. Peterdirectethhis Epistle to the
strangers scatteredthroughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and
Bithynia, 1 Peter1:1. And James directs his Epistle to the twelve tribes
scatteredabroad. They fancy that our Saviourwould go into some of these
places, and preach; by which means the Gentiles would be taught the
mysteries of the Jewishreligion, which was what above all things they were
impatient of hearing; and yet had reasonfrom the prophecies of the Old
Testamentto fear, viz. their ownrejection, and the receiving in of the
Gentiles, which afterward came to pass, Romans 11:15.

Then said the Jews among themselves,.... Thatis, the unbelieving, scoffing
Jews;it may be the officers, at leastsome of them, that were sent to take him:
whither will he go that we shall not find him? what distant, or obscure part of
the world will he betake himself to, and there hide himself, that so he cannot
be found?
will he go unto the dispersedamong the Gentiles? orGreeks;and so may
design the Jews, who were scatteredabroadin the times of the Grecian
monarchy, under the successorsofAlexander, and particularly Antiochus, in
distinction from the Babylonish dispersion; or the strangers scatteredthrough
Pontus Galatia, &c. to whom Peterwrites, 1 Peter1:1. The Arabic version
renders it, "the sectof the Greeks"by which the Hellenistic Jews seemto be
meant: or the Jews in general, wherever, and by whomsoeverscattered, who
might be thought to be more ignorant than the Jews in Judea, and therefore
more easilyto be imposed upon: hence, in a flouting manner, they inquire,
whether he will go to those when he is rejectedby them. The Syriac and
Ethiopic versions read, "will he go into the countries, or country of the
Gentiles";into Heathen countries, not to the Jews there, but to the Gentiles
themselves:
and teachthe Gentiles? suggesting, thathe was more fit to be a teacherof
them, than of the Jews, andmight meet with more encouragementand success
among them, who would not be able to detecthim.
Geneva Study Bible
Then said the Jews among themselves, Whither will he go, that we shall not
find him? will he go unto the {h} dispersedamong the Gentiles, and teachthe
Gentiles?

(h) Literally, to the dispersion of the Gentiles or Greeks, andunder the name
of the Greeks he refers to the Jews who were dispersedamong the Gentiles.
Meyer's NT Commentary
John 7:35-36. An insolent and scornful supposition, which they themselves,
however, do not deem probable (therefore the question is askedwith μή),
regarding the meaning of words to them so utterly enigmatical. The bolder
mode of teaching adopted by Jesus, His universalistic declarations, His partial
non-observance ofthe law of the Sabbath, would lead them, perhaps, to
associate withthe unintelligible statement a mocking thought like this, and all
the more because much interest was felt among the heathen, partly of an
earnestkind, and partly (comp. St. Paul in Athens) arising from curiosity
merely, regarding the oriental religions, especiallyJudaism; see Ewald, Gesch.
Chr. p. 110 f. ed. 3.
πρὸς ἑαυτούς]the same as πρὸς ἀλλήλους, yet so that the conversationwas
confined to one party among the people, to the exclusion of the others. See
Kühner, ad Xen. Mem. ii. 6. 20.
οὗτος]contemptuously, that man!
ὅτι] not to be arbitrarily supplemented by a supposedλέγων put before it, or
in some other way(Buttmaim, N. T. Gr. p. 305 [E. T. p. 358]);but the simple
because:“Where will this man go, because, orseeing, that we are not
(according to his words) to find him?” It thus states the reasonwhy the ποῦ is
unknown.

εἰς τ. διασπ. τ. Ἑλλ.] to the dispersionamong the Greeks. Comp. Winer, p. 176
[E. T. p. 234];and upon the thing referred to, Schneckenburger, N. T.
Zeitgesch. p. 94 ff. The subjects of the διασπορά are the Jews,[268]who lived
beyond Palestine dispersedamong the heathen, and these latter are denoted
by the genitive τῶν Ἑλλήν. Comp. 1 Peter1:1, and Steigerand Huther
thereon. Differently in 2Ma 1:27; LXX. Psalm 146:2. The abstractδιασπορά is
simply the sum-total of the concretes, like περιτομή and other words. See 2Ma
1:27. Ἕλληνες in the N. T. invariably means the heathen, Gentiles, not the
Hellenists (GraecianJews), so evenin John 12:20;and it is wrong, therefore,
to understand τῶν Ἑλλήν. of the latter, and to take these words as the subject
of the διασπορά (Scaliger, Lightfoot, Hammond, B. Crusius, Ammon), and
render διδάσκ. τ. Ἑλλ.: “teachthe Hellenists.” The thought is rather: “Will
Jesus go to the Jews scatteredamong the Gentiles, in order to unite there with
the Gentiles, and to become their teacher?” This was really the course of the
subsequent labours of the apostles.
John 7:36. τίς ἐστιν] Their scornful conjecture does not even satisfy
themselves;for that they should seek Him, and not be able to come to Him—
they know not what the assertioncan mean (τίς ἐστιν, κ.τ.λ.).
[268]Not the heathen, as if ἡ διασπ. τ. Ἑλλ. were the same as DispersiGraeci
(Chrysostomand his followers, Rupertius, Maldonatus, Hengstenberg, and
most). Against this Beza wellsays: “Vix conveniretipsis indigenis populis
nomen διασπορᾶς.”
Expositor's Greek Testament
John 7:35. This was quite unintelligible to the Jews, εἶπονοὖν … ἐλθεῖν. The
only meaning they could put upon His words was that, finding no reception
among the Jews ofJudaea and Galilee, He intended to go to the Jews of the
Dispersionand teachthem and the Greeks among whom they lived. The
διασπορὰ τῶν Ἑλλήνων does not mean, as Chrysostomand Euthymius
suppose, the Gentiles διὰ τὸ διεσπάρθαι πανταχοῦ, but the Jews dispersed

among the Gentiles, see Deuteronomy28:25, Jeremiah34:17, 1 Peter1:1, Jam
1:1 (cf. Schürer, Div. II., vol. ii., and Morrison, Jews under Roman Rule). But
the following clause, καὶ διδάσκειντοὺς Ἕλληνας, indicates that they
supposedHe might teachthe Greeks themselves:thus ignorantly anticipating
the course Christianity took;what seemedunlikely and impossible to them
became actual.—τίς ἐστινοὗτος ὁ λόγος … The saying has impressed itself on
their memory, though they find it unintelligible. How they could not go where
He could, they could not fathom. Cf. Peter’s “Lord, why can I not follow Thee
now?” and the whole conversation, chap. John 13:33 to John 14:6, “No one
comes to the Father but through me”.
35. Then said the Jews]The Jews therefore said, i.e. in consequence ofwhat
Christ had said, shewing that it is to the officialrepresentatives of the nation
that His words are addressed.
Whither will he go, &c.] Better, Where does this fellow intend to go, seeing
that we shall not find Him? Does He intend to go unto the dispersion among
the Gentiles, &c.
the dispersed]Or, the dispersion, meaning those Jews who were dispersed
among the heathen outside Palestine;the abstractfor the concrete, like ‘the
circumcision’ for the Jews generally. The word for ‘dispersion’ (diaspora),
occurs James 1:1 and 1 Peter 1:1 (see notes there), and nowhere else in N.T.
There were three chief colonies ofthese ‘dispersed’ or ‘scattered’Jews, in
Babylonia, Egypt, and Syria, whence they spreadover the whole world.
‘Moses ofold time hath in every city them that preachhim,’ Acts 15:21. These
opponents of Christ, therefore, suggestthat He means to go to the Jews
scatteredamong the Gentiles in order to reachthe Gentiles and teachthem—
the very mode of proceeding afterwards adopted by the Apostles. But here it
is spokenin sarcasm. Christ’s utter disregardof Jewishexclusivenessand
apparent non-observance of the ceremoniallaw gave a handle to the sneer;

which would be pointless if the word translated ‘Gentiles’(margin ‘Greeks’)
were rendered ‘Hellenists,’ i.e. GrecisedJews. Hellenes,or‘Greeks,’in N.T.
always means Gentiles or heathen. See on John 12:20.
Bengel's Gnomen
John 7:35. Ποῦ, whither) More unseasonablythey afterwards say, Whether
will He kill Himself? ch. John 8:22—διασποράν)So the Septuag.,
Deuteronomy 28:25 [ἔσῃ διασπορὰ ἐν πάσαις βασιλείαις τῆς γης, thou shalt be
a dispersion—a dispersedremnant—among all the kingdoms of the earth]
Deuteronomy 30:4.—τῶνἙλλήνων, of the Greeks)in other words, the Jews
outside of Palestine. Theythink that they will drag Him forth to the light by
means of letters, whereverthroughout the world He may take His dwelling
among Jews.
Pulpit Commentary
Verse 35. - The Jews therefore saidamong themselves, Whither will this Man
go, that we shall not find him? With their murderous designs they are blinded
even to the meaning of his words. They pretend that he was not making any
reference to their swornpurpose of rejecting his claims. They would not lift
their thoughts to that eternal glory in which he would soon, by their own
execrable acts, be enshrouded. They could not graspthe eternallife involved
in the acceptanceofthe Father's revelation in him. They are resolvedto put
ironical and confusing meaning into his words, to pour an air of contempt
over his reply; and to insert veritable though unconscious prophecy of their
own into his words. Will he go to the Dispersion(of) - or, among - the Greeks,
and teachthe Greeks?The word "Greek"is, throughout the New Testament,
the Gentile, the Paganworld, at that time so largely Greek in speech, if not in
race. Another word, "Grecian" or"Hellenist," is used for the Jews who had
adopted Greek ideas, habits, and speech. Whatevermay be the strict meaning
of that word (see Roberts's 'Discussions onthe Gospels,'and other works,
where that writer seeksto establishthe Greek-speakingpeculiarity of all
PalestinianJews, andlimits the word to Greek ideas rather than to Greek
speech), the word "Greek" is the antithesis to "Jew" inevery respect. The
Dispcrsion(τῶν Ἑλλήνων) may mean

(1) the Jewishdispersionamong the Greeks beyond the limits of Palestine (2
Macc. 1:27). It is also found in Josephus for the outcastof Israel(see LXX.
Psalm146:2; cf. James 1:1; 1 Peter1:1). There was a wide "dispersion" in
Babylon and Syria, throughout Persia, Egypt, Asia Minor, and Cyprus, even
in Achaia, Macedonia,and Italy. The Dispersionwas the GreaterIsrael. Most
intimate relations subsisted betweenthese scatteredIsraelites andtheir
political and ecclesiasticalcentre in the metropolis. Often those at the greatest
distance front the temple were the most passionatelyloyaland patriotic. But
for the Messiahto commence a prophetic careeramong them, after having
been repudiated by the greatcouncil of the nation, was a bitter sarcasm. But
(2) the "Dispersion" mayrefer to the wide scattering of the Greeks
themselves, the natural antithesis to God's covenantedpeople. Now
(1) is certainly a very awkwardand unique rendering of the genitive, and
(2) applies the "dispersion" in a peculiar sense not elsewhere used. Alford says
the word means the land where the Jews are scattered. Still,
(2) appears to me a fair rendering of the words, especially as it is followedby
"and teachthe Greeks."Nothing could more adequately express the utter
scornof the Jewishmind for a pseudo-Messiahwho, failing with his own
people, and here in the courts of the Lord's house, would turn to the Gentiles.
Such a bare supposition would bring utter discomfiture, as they thought, upon
his claims. What a forecastthey made in their malicious suggestions!Long
before John reported this speechhe himself had takenup his seatin Ephesus.
In all the greatcities of the empire it was avowedon both sides that "in Christ
Jesus there was neither Jew nor Greek." Had not Jesus alreadygiven
indication of this laxity as to the privileges of Israel:"Many shall come," etc.

(Matthew 8:11)? Had he not referred to the ministry of Elijah and Elisha
severallyto the Syro-Phoenicianand the Syrian (Luke 4:25-27)? Had he not
shown culpable leniency to the hated Samaritan? Surely they meant to suggest
the uttermost treasonto the traditions of Israel, when they thus chose to put a
meaning into his words. Like Caiaphas in John 11:49-51, they said and
prophesied more than they knew. ArchdeaconWatkins says, "The irony of
history is seenin the factthat the very words of these Jews of Palestine are
recordedin Greek, by a Jew of Palestine, presiding over a Christian Church
in a Gentile city."
Will He go (οὗτος μέλλει πορεύεσθαι)
Literally, whither does this man intend to go, or whither is He thinking of
going? The A.V. misses the contemptuous insinuation in this man (Rev.).
We shall not find him (ἡμεῖς)
The pronoun is emphatic; we, the religious leaders, the wise men, who
scrutinize the claims of all professedteachers andkeepa watchful eye on all
impostors.
The dispersedamong the Gentiles (τὴν διασπορὰντῶν Ἑλλήνων).
Literally, the dispersion of the Greeks. The Jewswho remained in foreign
lands after the return from the Captivity were called by two names: 1. The
Captivity, which was expressedin Greek by three words, viz., ἀποικία, a
settlement far from home, which does not occurin the New Testament;
μετοικεσία, changeofabode, which is found in Matthew 1:11, Matthew 1:12,
Matthew 1:17, and always ofthe carrying into Babylon; αἰχμαλωσία, a taking
at the point of the spear;Ephesians 4:8; Revelation 13:10. 2. The Dispersion

(διασπορά). See on 1 Peter1:1; see on James 1:1. The first name marks their
relation to their own land; the secondto the strange lands.
The Gentiles (Ἕλληνας)
Literally, the Greeks. So Rev. See on Acts 6:1.
John 7:36 What manner of saying is this that he said, You shall seek me, and
shall not find me: and where I am, thither you cannot come?
(36) What manner of saying is this . . .?—We geta better sense by omitting the
words in italics, and reading, “What saying is this . . .?” Their scorndoes not
solve their difficulty, and gives place to wonder. They feel His words cannot
mean what they have said. “What, then, do they mean? What is the force of
His saying?”

personalsalvation.
35, 36. Whither will he go, &c.—Theycannotcomprehend Him, but seem
awedby the solemn grandeur of His warning. He takes no notice, however, of
their questions.
This saying stuck in their stomachs, and they knew not what sense to put upon
it; owning nothing of the Divine nature of Christ.
What manner of saying is this that he said,.... It is not easyto be understood;
and if that is not meant, which is suggested, whatshould he mean by saying,
ye shall seek me, and shall not find me, and where I am, thither ye cannot
come? repeating the words of Christ just now expressedby him.
Geneva Study Bible

What manner of saying is this that he said, Ye shall seek me, and shall not
find me: and where I am, thither ye cannot come?
36. What manner of saying is this] Or, What is this saying? ‘this’ being
contemptuous, like ‘this precious saying.’ They know that their scornful
suggestionis not true.
Bengel's Gnomen
John 7:36. Οὗτος ὁ λόγος, this saying) They the more readily retain in
memory His saying, as moulded in rhythm. Comp. ch. John 16:17, The
disciples, “Whatis this that He saith unto us, A little while, and we shall not
see Me, and againa little while, and ye shall see me; and because I go to the
Father.”
Pulpit Commentary
Verse 36. - What is this word (λόγος)which he spake, Ye shall seek me, and ye
shall not find (me), and where I am, ye cannotcome? This verse is simply a
repetition of the Lord's sentence, which, notwithstanding their damaging
interpretation and unconscious prophecy of greatevents, haunted them with a
weird power, and left them, as his word left the officers who were silencedand
paralyzed by it, with a sense ofundiscovered and awful meaning. Both here
and in ver. 45 we see that the evangelisthad accessto the ideas and converse
of the "Jews," whichproves that he had specialsources ofinformation to
which the ordinary synoptic tradition was strange. The thought grows upon
one that John was more than the mere fisherman of the lake. He was a friend
of Nicodemus, and knownto Caiaphas. It is clearthat some further time
elapses. This conversation, ofwhich we have the prominent items, the chief
utterances, was producing its effectupon the two-sidedmultitude, upon "the
Jews,"the "Pharisees," the city party, the chief priests. The Lord probably
retired once more to the house of Lazarus or of John.

What manner of saying is this (τίς ἐστιν ουτος ὁ λόγος)?
Rev., more simply and literally, what is this word?
END OF BIBLEHUB RESOURCES
John 7: 32-36
Leave a Comment / John / By JD Stewart
faith-and-worksThe Phariseesheardthe crowdmuttering these things about
him, and the chief priests and Pharisees sentofficers to arrest him. Jesus then
said, “I will be with you a little longer, and then I am going to him who sent
me. You will seek me and you will not find me. Where I am you cannot come.”
The Jews saidto one another, “Where does this man intend to go that we will
not find him? Does he intend to go to the Dispersionamong the Greeks and
teachthe Greeks?Whatdoes he mean by saying, ‘You will seek me and you
will not find me,’ and, ‘Where I am you cannot come’?
Understanding And Applying the Text
The Pharisees heardthe people talking among themselves. They were asking
if Jesus was the Christ. The Phariseesneededto put a stopto that. So the chief
priests and the Pharisees sentofficers to arrest Jesus.
The chief priests were not the same as the High Priest. The High Priestwas a
chief priest. There was only one High Priestbut there were severalchief
priests. The chief priests were the group of men in charge of temple worship

in Jerusalem. The Roman’s regardedthem as the leading representatives of
the Jewishpeople.
The Pharisees cherishedtheir reputation as the greatestzealots forthe Law.
Jesus came preaching the forgiveness of sins by grace alone. Righteousness
did not come by the Law. This contradictedeverything the Phariseesbelieved.
The Pharisee’s efforts were not enoughto oppose Christ. So, they enlisted the
aid of the chief priests. The two groups now conspiredunder the guidance of
Satanagainstthe Sonof God.
Some think that Jesus’response was to the entire crowd. But I believe Jesus
was addressing the officers and those who sent them. I think the context better
supports this view. The chief priests and Pharisees were trying to destroy
Him. They had not heeded Christ’s message.
Jesus ridicules their efforts. Their efforts were ineffective and would remain
so until the time came the Fatherhad decreed.
It is ironic. The Pharisees were trying to earn their righteousness by works of
the Law. It was hard work keeping the Law. No one exceptChrist was perfect
in keeping it. So here is Christ offering them righteousness by grace alone. He
is just going to give it to them. And they are trying to kill Him for giving them
the thing they were working so hard to get. Christ offered them the greatest
gift they could ever receive. And they tried to kill Him for it.
Jesus rebukes their ingratitude as well as alluding to His death when He says
He is with them a little longer. He warns them God will not allow them to

abuse His grace much longer. His death is not in their hands. It will be at a
time and place determined by the Father.
When Jesus says I am going to Him who sent me, He says His death is not the
end. He would rise from the dead. It was not the end but a new beginning.
There would be a new covenantwith all mankind, a covenantof grace. If we
acceptthe gracious offer, He leads us to the Father.
What did Jesus meanby, “You will seek me and you will not find me.” He was
right there in front of them. It looks like they found him. Some think this is a
reference to the doctrine of works. The Jews were seekingrighteousnessby
works. Of course, they failed. It is impossible to getrighteousness by works.
(Romans 9:30-33 Romans 3:10-12)
Some think Christ is referring to the person of the Messiah. Theysoughtfor
the Messiahandcould not find Him. The Jews had a wrong understanding of
who and what the Messiahwas.
Calvin believes this refers to the searchof God. They soughtGod by their
efforts and works. Wickedmen, which we all are, cannot look upon a holy
God. In scripture, whenevermen got a peek into the holiness of God, it struck
them with terror.
So we learn here that Christ’s offer of grace is not unlimited. God will one day
withdraw it. So, we should acceptthe offer without delay. The opportunity to
enjoy Him may pass us by. Once Godremoves that opportunity it is gone
forever. As Isaiahsays, Seek the Lord while He may be found. (Isaiah55:6)

The tense Jesus using is interesting. “Where I am you cannot come.” He
speaks in the present tense, not the future tense. Christ was in an intimate
relationship with the Father. The officers, ChiefPriests, and Pharisees could
not come into that relationship. They rejectedGod’s gracious offer.
Jesus enemies missedthe tense. They heard future tense. As a result, they ask,
where was he going. They guessedJesus was going to the Jews who were living
outside of Palestine. At this point, they could not imagine Christ going to the
uncircumcised. They (we) were unclean. They forgot the Jews were to be a
light to the nations. They were to bring the glory of God to all nations.
Jesus Christ sent His Gospelto the Gentiles. The entire world has God’s
glorify proclaimedto them. Jesus offers forgivenessand righteousness.He
offers it by God’s grace alone. It comes through faith alone in Him alone. It is
all for the glory of God alone. Receive it while you can.
PRECEPTAUSTIN RESOURCES
WILLIAM BARCLAY
SEARCHING--IN TIME (John 7:31-36)
7:31-36 Many of the crowdbelieved in him. "When the Anointed One of God
comes," theysaid, "surely he cannot do greatersigns than this man has
done?" The Phariseesheardthe crowds carrying on these discussions about
him; and the chief priests and Phariseesdespatchedofficers to arresthim. So

Jesus said:"Fora little while I am to be with you, and then I go back to him
who sent me. You will searchfor me and you will not find me. You cannot
come where I am." So the Jew., saidto eachother: "Where is this fellow going
to go that we will not be able to find him? Surely he is not going to go to the
Jews who are dispersedamong the Greeks and teachthe Greeks? Whatcan
this word of his mean--'You will searchfor me and you will not find me' and
'You cannot come where I am'?"
Certain of the crowdcould not help believing that Jesus was the Anointed One
of God. They believed that no one could possibly do greaterthings than he
was doing. That was in fact the argument which Jesus himself used when John
the Baptistwas in doubt about whether he was the one who was to come or if
they had to look for another. When John sent his messengers, Jesus'answer
was:"Go and tell John what you hear and see" (Matthew 11:1-6). The very
fact that there were those who were trembling on the brink of acceptance
moved the authorities to action. They sent their officers--mostlikely, the
Temple police--to arrest him. Jesus saidthat he was only with them for a little
time; and the day would come when they would searchfor him, not to arrest
him, but to obtain what only he could give, and it would be too late. He would
be gone where they could never follow.
Jesus meant that he would return to his Father, from whom by their
disobedience they had shut themselves out. But his hearers did not
understand. Throughout the centuries the Jews had been scatteredacrossthe
world. Sometimes they had been forcibly removed as exiles;sometimes in the
time of their country's misfortune they had emigrated to other lands. There
was one comprehensive term for the Jews who lived outside Palestine. They
were calledthe Diaspora, the dispersion, and scholars stilluse this term to
describe the Jews who live outside Palestine. Thatis the phrase the people
used here. "Is Jesus going awayto the Diaspora? Willhe even go the length of
going awayand preaching to the Greeks andso become lost in the masses of
the Gentile world? Is he going to run awayso far that he will be completely

out of reach?" It is amazing how a taunt became a prophecy. The Jews meant
it for a jest, but as the years went on it became blessedlytrue that it was to the
Gentiles that the Risen Christ went out.
This passagebrings us face to face with the promise and the threat of Jesus.
Jesus had said: "Seek andyou will find" (Matthew 7:7). Now he says:"You
will seek me and you will not find me" (John 7:34). Long ago the ancient
prophet had put the two things togetherin a wonderful way: "Seek the Lord
while he may be found" (Isaiah55:6). It is characteristic ofthis life that time
is limited. Physical strength decays and there are things a man can do at thirty
that he cannot do at sixty. Mental vigour weakens andthere are mental tasks
to which a man canaddress himself in his youth and in his prime which are
beyond him in his age. Moral fibre grows less muscular; and if a man allows
some habit to dominate him there may come the day when he cannotbreak
himself of it, even if at the beginning he could easilyhave ejectedit from his
life.
It is like that with us and Jesus Christ. What Jesus was saying to these people
was:"You can awakento a sense ofneed too late." A man may so long refuse
Christ, that in the end he does not even see his beauty; evil becomes his good
and repentance becomes impossible. So long as sin still hurts us, and the
unattainable goodstill beckons us, the chance to seek andfind is still there.
But a man must have a care lesthe grow so used to sin that he does not know
that he is sinning and neglectGodso long that he forgets that he exists. For
then the sense ofneed dies, and if there is no sense ofneed, we cannot seek,
and if we cannot seek, we will never find. The one thing a man must never lose
is his sense ofsin.

ALBERT BARNES
Verse 32
The people murmured such things - That is, that the question was agitated
whether he was the Messiah;that it excited debate and contention; and that
the consequencewas, he made many friends. They chose, therefore, if
possible, to remove him from them.
Verse 33
Yet a little while am I with you - It will not be long before my death. This is
supposedto have been about six months before his death. This speechof Jesus
is full of tenderness. They were seeking his life. He tells them that he is fully
aware of it; that he will not be long with them; and implies that they should be
diligent to seek him while he was yet with them. He was about to die, but they
might now seek his favor and find it. When we remember that this was said to
his persecutors andmurderers; that it was said even while they were seeking
his life, we see the specialtenderness of his love. Enmity, and hate, and
persecutiondid not prevent his offering salvationto them.
I go unto him that sent me - This is one of the intimations that he gave that he
would ascendto God. Compare John 6:62.
Verse 34
Ye shall seek me - This probably means simply, Ye shall seek the Messiah.
Such will be your troubles, such the calamities that will come on the nation,
that you will earnestly desire the coming of the Messiah. You will seek for a
Deliverer, and will look for feign that he may bring deliverance. This does not
mean that they would seek for Jesus and not be able to find him, but that they
would desire the aid and comfort of the Messiah, and would be disappointed.

Jesus speaksofhimself as the Messiah, andhis own name as synonymous with
the Messiah. Seethe notes at Matthew 23:39.
Shall not find me - Shall not find the Messiah. He will not come, according to
your expectations, to aid you. See the notes at Matthew 24.
Where I am - This whole clause is to be understood as future, though the
words AM and cannot are both in the present tense. The meaning is, Where I
shall be you will not be able to come. That is, he, the Messiah, wouldbe in
heaven; and though they would earnestlydesire his presence and aid to save
the city and nation from the Romans, yet they would not be able to obtain it -
representedhere by their not being able to come to him. This does not refer to
their individual salvation, but to the deliverance of their nation. It is not true
of individual sinners that they seek Christ in a proper manner and are not
able to find him; but it was true of the Jewishnation that they lookedfor the
Messiah, andsought his coming to deliver them, but he did not do it.
Verse 35

personalsalvation.
KEN BOA
John 7:32, “The Pharisees heardthe crowd muttering these things about Him,
and the chief priests and the Pharisees sentofficers to seize Him.” If you look
in John 7:44-45, you will see they heard Him speak before they were supposed
to seize Him and they actually left empty-handed. This doesn’t happen. There
must’ve been a power, an authority, in Him and they saw it as statedin verse
46.
John 7:33-34, “Therefore Jesus said, “Fora little while longer I am with you,
then I go to Him who sent Me. You will seek Me, and not find Me; and where
I am, you cannot come.”
John 7:35, “The Jews then said to one another, “Where does this man intend
to go that we will not find Him? He is not intending to go to the Dispersion
among the Greeks, andteach the Greeks, is He?” That’s the one place where
the Jews wouldnot go. They would not be among the Greeks especiallyif they
were orthodox Jews. Theyfigured that the one place where He could go where
they can’t go is there. He’s saying again, it’s that misunderstanding, an
illustration, that unaided human understanding cannot graspthe mystery that
He’s revealing.
John 7:36, “Whatis this statement that He said, “You will seek Me, and will
not find Me; and where I am, you cannot come?” The idea here is that Jesus
would answerthat the one place that I can come is going to be in fact, to My

heavenly Father. It’s interesting that He said, “ Where I go, you cannot
come.” Whatdoes He sayto His men later on in chapter 14? I go to prepare a
place so that where I am there you may be also. These people howeverwho
are unwilling to respond to Him will never be able to go where He goes. If a
person wishes to know Him then He will prepare a place. There’s that
contrastagain. It comes down to the heart’s desire.
CALVIN
Verse 32
32.The Phariseesheard. Hence it appears that the Pharisees, like persons set
on the watch, were anxious on all occasionsnot to permit Christ to be known.
In the first instance the Evangelistcalls them only Pharisees,and next he adds
to themthe priests of whom the Pharisees were a part. There can be no doubt
that, as they wishedto be reckonedthe greatestzealots forthe Law, they
opposedChrist more bitterly than all the other sects;but finding that their
unaided exertions were not sufficient to oppress Christ, they committed the
affair to the whole order of the priests. Thus they who, in other respects,
differed among themselves now conspire together, under the guidance of
Satan, againstthe Son of God. Meanwhile, since the Pharisees hadsuch
ardent zealand such incessanttoil for defending their tyranny and the
corrupt state of the Church, how much more zealous ought we to be in
maintaining the kingdom of Christ! The Papists in the present day are not less
mad or less eagerto extinguish the Gospel;and yet it is monstrously wicked
that their example does not, at least, whet our desires, and cause us to labor
with greaterboldness in the defense of true and sound doctrine.
Verse 33

33.Yeta little while am I with you. Some think that this sermon was addressed
to the assemblyof the people who were present, and others, that it was
addressedto the officers who had been sent to seize Christ. But for my own
part, I have no doubt that Christ particularly addresses his enemies, who had
takencounselto destroy him; for he ridicules their efforts, because they will
be utterly ineffectual, until the time decreedby the Fatherbe come And at the
same time, he reproaches them for their obstinacy, because theynot only
reject, but furiously oppose, the grace which is offeredto them; and threatens
that ere long it will be taken from them. When he says, I am with you, he
rebukes their ingratitude, because,though he had been given to them by the
Father, though he had come down to them from the heavenly glory, though,
by calling them to be his familiar associates, he desirednothing more than to
assistthem, still there were few who receivedhim. When he says, Yet a little
while, he warns them that God will not long endure that his grace should be
exposedto such shameful contempt. Yet he also means, that neither his life
nor his death is placedat their disposal, but that his Father has fixed a time,
which must be fulfilled.
I go to him who hath sent me. By these words he testifies that he will not be
extinguished by his death, but, on the contrary, when he shall have laid aside
his mortal body, will be declaredto be the Son of God by the magnificent
triumph of his resurrection;as if he had said, “Labour as much as you please,
yet you will never hinder my Father from receiving me into his heavenly
glory, when I have dischargedthe embassy which he has committed to me.
Thus not only will my rank remain undiminished after my death, but a more
excellentcondition is then provided for me.” Besides, we oughtto draw from
it a generaladmonition; for as often as Christ calls us to the hope of salvation
by the preaching of the Gospel, he is present with us. For not without reasonis
the preaching of the GospelcalledChrist’s descentto us, where it is said,
he came and preached peace to those who were far off, and to those who were
near,

(Ephesians 2:17.)
If we acceptthe hand which he holds out, he will lead us to the Father; and so
long as we must sojourn in the world, not only will he show himself to be near
us, but will constantly dwell in us. And if we disregardhis presence, he will
lose nothing, but, departing from us, will leave us altogetherstrangers to God
and to life.
Verse 34
34.Youshall seek me. They sought Christ, to put him to death. Here Christ
alludes to the ambiguous signification of the word seek,for soonthey shall
seek him in another manner; as if he had said, “My presence, whichis now
irksome and intolerable to you, will last for a short time; but ere long you
shall seek me in vain, for, far removed from you, not only by my body, but
also by my power, I shall behold from heavenyour destruction.” But here a
question may be put, of what nature was this seeking ofChrist? For it is plain
enough that Christ speaks ofthe reprobate, whose obstinacyin rejecting
Christ had reachedthe utmost point. Some refer it to doctrine, because the
Jews, by foolishly pursuing the righteousness ofworks, did not obtain what
they desired, (Romans 9:31.)Many understand it as referring to the person of
the Messiah, because the Jews, reducedto extremities, in vain implored a
Redeemer. But for my own part, I explain it as merely denoting the groans of
distress uttered by the wicked, when, compelledby necessity, they look in
some manner towards God.
And shall not find me. When they seek him, they do not seek him; for unbelief
and obstinacy— by shutting up their hearts, as it were — hinders them from
approaching to God. They would desire, indeed, that God should aid them,
and should be their Redeemer, but, by impenitence and hardness of heart,
they obstruct their path. We have a very striking example (192)in Esau, who,
on accountof having lost his birthright, not only is oppressedwith grief, but

groans and gnashes his teeth, and breaks out into furious indignation,
(Genesis 27:38;Hebrews 12:17.)But yet so far is he from the right way of
seeking the blessing, that, at the very time when he is seeking it, (193) he
renders himself more unworthy of it. In this manner God usually punishes the
contempt of his grace in the reprobate, so that, either afflicted by severe
punishments, or oppressedby a conviction of their misery, or reduced to other
extremities, they complain, and cry, and howl, but without reaping any
advantage;for, being always like themselves, they nourish within their hearts
the same cruelty which they formerly displayed, and do not go to God, but
rather wish that he were changed, since they cannot destroy him. Hence let us
learn that we ought to receive Christ without delay, while he is still present
with us, that the opportunity of enjoying him may not pass awayfrom us; for
if the door be once shut, it will be vain for us to try to open it.
Seek the Lord, says Isaiah, while he may be found; callupon him, while he is
near,
(Isaiah 55:6.)
We ought therefore to go to God early, while the time of his goodpleasure
lasts, as the prophet speaks, (Isaiah49:8;) for we know not how long God will
bear with our negligence.In these words, where I am, you cannotcome, he
employs the presenttense insteadof the future, where I shall be, you shall not
be able to come
Verse 35
35.Whitherwill he go? This was added by the Evangelist, for the express
purpose of showing how greatwas the stupidity of the people. Thus not only
are wickedmen deaf to hear God’s instruction, but even dreadful
threatenings are allowedby them to pass by in mockery, as if they were

listening to a fable. Christ spoke expresslyof the Father, but they remain fixed
on the earth, and think of nothing else than a departure to distant countries.
Will he go to the dispersion of the Greeks?It is well known that the Jews gave
the name of Greeks to all nations beyond the sea;but they do not mean that
Christ will go to the uncircumcised nations, but to the Jews, who were
dispersedthrough the various countries of the world. For the word dispersion
would not apply to those who are natives of the place, and who inhabit their
native soil, but applies well to the Jews, who were fugitives and exiles. Thus
Peterinscribes his First Epistle παρεπιδήμοις διασπορᾶς,to the strangers of
the dispersion, that is, to the strangers who are scattered(194)through
Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, (1 Peter1:1;) and James
salutes the twelve tribes ἐν τὣ διασπορᾷ, in the dispersion, that is, scattered
abroad, (James 1:1.) The meaning of the words therefore is, “Will he cross the
sea, to go to Jews who dwell in a world unknown to us?” And it is possible
that they intended to teaze Christ by this mockery. “If this be the Messiah,
will he fix the seatof his reign in Greece, since Godhas assignedto him the
land of Canaanas his own habitation?” But howeverthat may be, we see that
the severe threatening which Christ had uttered did not at all affect them.
THOMAS CONSTABLE
Verse 32
The Pharisees heardsome of the Jews presentvoicing their belief that Jesus
must be the Messiah. Thesecomments moved them to actimmediately to
arrestJesus. When the common people turned to Jesus, they turned away
from the Phariseesand their teachings. Togetherwith the chief priests, who
were mainly Sadducees andnot friendly to the Pharisees, theyordered the

temple soldiers to seize Jesus. This attempt illustrates the seriousnessofthe
situation as the authorities viewedit. Probably the arrestwarrant came from
the Sanhedrin. The temple police were Levites responsible to the Sanhedrin.
Verse 33-34
Jesus againsaidthat His hour had not yet come, only in different words.
When His hour came, He would return to the Father. The Jews would search
for Him but be unable to find Him. He was going where they could not come,
namely, to heaven. Deathwas not the end. They could not come where He was
going in their presentcondition. That required regenerationand translation
(cf. John 8:21; John 13:33).
Time was running out both for Jesus to finish His work and for the Jews to
believe on Him. The Jews had only a little longer to place their faith in Him
before He would leave them and depart to heaven. After that, many Jews
would seek their Messiahbut not find Him. That is what has been happening
since Jesus ascended, and it will happen until He returns to the earth at His
secondcoming ( Zechariah 12:10-13;Revelation1:7). Jesus was, ofcourse,
referring enigmatically to His death.
Verse 35-36
Again Jesus" hearers thought that He was speaking ofphysical matters and
earthly places. The Dispersionwas the term that describedthe Jews who had
scatteredfrom Palestine and were living elsewherein the world. They thought
Jesus was referring to ministering to Jews orperhaps Gentile proselytes who
were living outside Palestine. In the New Testamentthe word "Greek" is
synonymous with Gentiles (cf. Colossians3:11). This seemedtoo fantastic to
be a messianic activity.

"Here, as more than once in this Gospel, the Jews are unconsciously
prophesying. The departure of Jesus in death would indeed be beneficial, but
not because it would remove from the earth a false Messiah, as they supposed,
but because, as a result of the proclamationof the gospelwhich would follow
His death and resurrection, Gentiles would be brought into the people of
God." [Note:Tasker, p106.]
These Jews did not understand where Jesus was going any more than they
understood where He had come from ( John 7:27). They were so exclusive in
their thinking that they thought it very improbable that Jesus wouldleave
Palestine. Ironicallythe Christian apostles did go to those very areas and
people to preachthe Christ whom the Jews rejected.
W. Hall Harris III
3 E The Attempt to Arrest Jesus 7:32-36
7:32 Here John specifies whatgroups are involved: the High Priests and the
Pharisees.
7:33 Note Jesus’ response:“Yet a little time I am with you and I am going to
the one who sent me.” Jesus againhas his return to the Father in view.
7:34 Note the Jews’misunderstanding of Jesus’words, as made clearin verses
35-36. Theydidn’t realize he spoke of his departure out of the world. This is
another example of the Evangelist’s use of misunderstanding as a literary
device to emphasize a point.

When will the events Jesus alluded to in verse 34 take place? Jesus’words in
7:34 may be compared to those of Wisdom in Proverbs 1:24-29 [NASB]:
“Because Icalled, and you refused;
I stretchedout my hand, and no one paid attention;
And you neglectedallmy counsel,
And did not want my reproof;
I will even laugh at your calamity;
I will mock when your dread comes,
When your dread comes like a storm,
And your calamity comes on like a whirlwind,
When distress and anguish come on you.
Then they will callon me, but I will not answer;
They will seek me diligently, but they shall not find me,
Becausethey hated knowledge,
And did not choose the fear of the LORD.”
Amos 8:11-12 also states:
“Behold, days are coming,” declares the Lord GOD,
When I will send a famine on the land,
Not a famine for bread or a thirst for water,
But rather for hearing the words of the LORD.
“And people will staggerfrom sea to sea,
And from the north even to the east;

They will go to and fro to seek the word of the LORD,
But they will not find it.”
Similar themes may also be found in the OT in Job28:12 ff.; Isaiah55:6; Deut
4:29; and Hosea 5:6.
JOHN MACARTHUR
Shut Out of Heaven Forever
Sermons John 7:25–36 43-42 Feb16, 2014
A + A - RESET
Open your Bible now to the seventh chapter of John. As we come back to the
seventh chapter, we come back to a day in the life of our Lord. It’s
interesting, isn’t it, that the story of the Gospelof John goes from eternity past
to the life and ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ on earth. It covers a vast
amount of time and even throws in some of eternity.
And yet there are huge chunks of the Gospelof John that focus on one day or
one week. This is one of those. It’s mid-week. We don’t know what day, but
it’s in the middle of a week. It’s in the autumn as we come into chapter 7.
Harvest is past, the work of harvestis pretty well done. And gold has begun
to streak the leaves around the city of Jerusalemand the rest of the
Mediterraneanworld. It is now six months until the spring Passoverwhen
Jesus will be crucified, so as we come to chapter7, we’re really coming into
the lastleg of his journey on earth, his ministry leading up to the cross.
And there were three greatfeasts in the Jewishcalendarthat were the
monumental feasts that were celebratedby everyone. This is one of them
calledthe feastof tabernacles in which they remembered their wilderness

wandering and staying in tents for 40 years before they entered the land of
promise, having been delivered from Egypt. And at this feast, like all the
other major feasts, the city of Jerusalemwas teaming with tens of thousands
of people, if not hundreds of thousands. There was the population of
Jerusalemitself, and then there were all the other folks from all around the
land of Israel. People had come from Galilee, and they had come from Perea,
as well as all parts of Judea to mingle in the streets of Jerusalem.
And then you had to add all of the Jews who came from the rest of the world
who came back for the feastfrom being dispersedthroughout the gentile
realm. All of them were pretty much gatheredunder the massive shadow of
the Herodian temple which stoodmade of cedarand marble and gold, shining
brilliantly on the mount on the easternside of Jerusalem. The temple yard is
massivelypacked, just bodies crushed together, as all the activities of that
celebratoryevent were going on.
In the midweek of that week, Jesus arrivedin Jerusalem, waiting until then
because He wanted to delay His coming to avoid the hatred and the vicious
intention of the leaders who soughtto kill Him. So we waited until everything
was settleddown, and then He showedup. And upon arrival there, He went
immediately to the temple and began teaching. That’s where we find Him
when we come to our text, which is chapter 7 of John’s gospeland verses 25 to
verse 36. What we’re going to see in this passage is a trend continuing to
escalate.
It is the trend of rejection. Progressive rejectionmarks His whole ministry.
You can go back early in the gospelinto the first chapterand be reminded of
verses 10 and 11. “He was in the world. The world was made by Him. The
world knew him not. He came unto His ownpeople. His own people received
Him not.” That’s the story of Jesus. He came. He was rejected. He was
crucified.
We’re seeing the progressionof that rejection. There were a number of
different groups of people who rejectedHim back in chapter 6 in verse 66.
We read that many of His disciples rejectedHim. They’d been following Him
for some time, but they had decidedas He talked about His life and more

particularly about His death to come, His bloodshed. They turned to walk
away. So He was rejectedby His disciples. In chapter 7 in verse 5, we read
that He was rejectedby His family.
In chapter 7 verse 1 and verse 19, He was rejectedby the leaders of Israel, and
in chapter 7 verses 7 and 20, He was rejectedby the population, the people.
So everyone rejectedHim. He had only a meagernumber of followers. In
fact, when it was all over with, there were only 120 in the room on the day of
Pentecost, so it’s a story of progressive rejectionof the most wonderful person
that ever walkedthis earth, which speaks profoundly of the sinfulness of sin
and the wretchedness ofthe human heart.
From here on, having been rejectedby many if not most of His followers,
having been rejectedby His family, having been rejectedby the population of
the city and the nation, both those who were from Judea and Galilee and those
who were the pilgrims from the Gentile world, and mostly rejectedby the
leaders, He spends the last six months of His ministry walking in the looming
shadow of the cross.
All of them will converge atthe end and cry for His blood and His execution
by crucifixion with the exceptionof his brothers who don’t appear there but
do come to believe in Him after His resurrection. Now as we look at verses 25
down to verse 36, it’s really part of that day in the middle of the week and the
feastof tabernacles in the temple, but it speaks farbeyond that. Let me read
it to you.
“So some of the people of Jerusalemwere saying, ‘This is not the man whom
they’re seeking to kill? Look, He’s speaking publicly, and they’re saying
nothing to him. The rulers do not really know that this is the Christ or the
Messiah, do they? However, we know where this man is from. But whenever
the Christ may come, no one knows where He is from.’ And Jesus criedout in
the temple, teaching and saying, ‘You both know me and know where I am
from, and I have not come of myself, but He who sent me is true whom you do
not know. I know Him because I am from Him, and he sentme.’ So they
were seeking to seize Him. And no man laid his hand on Him because His
hour had not yet come. But many of the crowd believed in Him, and they

were saying, ‘When the Christ comes, he will not perform more signs than
those which this man has. Will He?’ The Phariseesheardthe crowd
muttering these things about Him, and the chief priest in the Phariseessent
officers to seize Him. Therefore, Jesus said, ‘Fora little while longer, I’m
with you. Then I go to Him who sentme. You will seek me and will not find
me, and where I am, you cannot come.’”
“The Jews then said to one another, ‘Where does this man intent to go that we
will not find Him? He’s not intending to go to the dispersionamong the
gentiles and teachthe gentiles, is He? What is this statementthat He said?
You will seek me and will not find me, and where I am, you cannot come.’”
Left ringing in your ears, verse 34, repeatedin verse 36. In verse 34, Jesus
says, “You will seek me and will not find me, and where I am, you cannot
come,” and that statementcomes out of all of the other parts of conversation
to stick in their minds so that they repeatit in verse 36.
“You will seek me and will not find me, and where I am, you cannotcome.”
What does this statementmean? What does it mean? It means that there will
come a time in your life when you will see me, and I won’t be there. That’s
not a new idea in Scripture. Genesis 6. “Myspirit will not always strive with
man. It is possible to seek too late, to seek ata time when the Lord will not
hear.” That’s why the prophet Isaiahsays, “Seekthe Lord while He may be
found. Call upon Him while He’s near.” There are replete warnings all
through the Old Testamentand the New about waiting too long.
Hell is, after all, itself truth discoveredtoo late. Jesus makesa penetrating
and powerful statement. Two sides to it. You will seek me and not find me,
which says that sinners will seek Him and not be able to find Him. Part of
what hell is is suffering for sin. Hell is also resentment. Hell is also unrelieved
bitterness under the destructive hand of God. But hell is also eternalregret
without remedy. Everlasting remorse without hope. That’s why there’s
weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth in the tormenting darkness. You
will seek me. What a horrible reality. You will not find me. Hell is not where
Christ is forgotten. It is where He is unavailable.

Where I am, you cannot come. Shut out of heaven. Shut out of heaven
forever. Common conceptionis God is basically good, and everybody who is
goodis going to go to heaven. We’re all going to go to heaven. Right? We’re
all going to go to heaven. Anybody who is goodis certainly going to go to
heaven, and I’m good. I’m one of the good people, so I’m going to go to
heaven. That’s how people think. It’s hard to imagine a more clearand
devastating statementthan this. You will seek me and you will not find me,
and where I am, you cannot come. Heavenis not for everybody.
Heaven is clearly not for everyone. So this is a warning passage,and I want
you to just mark in your mind that the statementis made to two groups. It’s
made to the people in general, and it’s made to the leaders. They’re different
characteristically. The people face Jesus with one perspective. The leaderis
facedwith a different perspective, but both are given the same sentence. The
common people and the rulers. Doesn’tmatter. There is no class separating
the condemned.
There’s no hierarchy of condemned people. The flames of judgment will fall
on the people, and we’ll say it this way, who are just confusedabout Jesus.
And the same hell will be the eternal abode of the people who hate Jesus,
whether you’re a rejecteror whether you’re a person who is sort of
undecided. The same warning is given. So let’s break this passageinto those
component parts and look first of all at the peoples’confusion, and then at the
ruler’s rejection, and then at the Savior’s exclusion. Now there’s no
mistaking the attitude of the people here. They’re confused. Verse 25
introduces us to their confusion. Some of the people of Jerusalem, and it’s
really important that you note this, some of the people of Jerusalemwere
saying, “Is this not the man who they’re seeking to kill?”
When you compare that with just a few verses earlier, verse 19, did not Moses
give you the law, and yet none of you carries out the law, Jesus says, “Whydo
you seek to kill me,” and the crowd answered, “Youhave a demon who seeks
to kill you. What are you talking about?” Well how canthey say, “Who seeks
to kill you,” in verse 19, and in verse 25 say, “Is this not the man whom
they’re seeking to kill?” The distinguishing mark is this is the people of
Jerusalemwho are well acquainted with their leaders. Theylive in Jerusalem.

Jerusalemis a small, confined place. Theyknow the attitude of the leaders.
They know they want to kill Jesus.
Go back to chapter 5, verses 16 to 18. Back to chapter 7 verse 1. It was well
known to them, but the crowdof people from Perea and Galilee and all the
gentile areas that had collectedfor this, they didn’t have that knowledge. So
John is very careful to say some of the people of Jerusalemunderstood that
the leaders wantedJesus dead, and so they say, “Is this not the man whom
they are seeking to kill?” They’re confused. Why? BecauseHe’s in the
temple. They know they want Him dead, chapter 7, verse 1. “They were
seeking to kill Him. And they’re letting Him teach, and nobody is stopping
Him. They know how the rulers feel, and they’re confused as to why they
don’t stop His teaching, why they don’t seize Him and execute Him if that’s
what they want. It’s their space. It’s their temple. It’s their territory.
They’re in charge.” Now the rules don’t say anything, but they know this is
the man they’re seeking to kill.
“Look.” Verse 26. “He’s speaking publicly, boldly, and they’re saying
nothing to Him. They’re just letting Him speak.” “He is,” like Proverbs 28:1
says, “Is bold as a lion. He’s teaching about salvation, and He’s teaching
therefore about the law and sin and judgment and righteousness and
forgiveness and mercy and grace and the kingdom, and He’s claiming again to
be the son of God come down from heaven. Everything he said about Himself
throughout His whole ministry and even what He had been saying as John
recordedit in previous chapters. And they’re not stopping Him. They’re just
letting Him go on, and He’s making these strong claims about His identity. In
the minds of the rulers, blasphemous claims. Why don’t they stop Him?
They want Him dead.”
Then in verse 26, they begin to mull over that notion. “The rulers do not
really know that this is the Messiah, do they?” This is a thought that comes
into their mind. “No, it can’t be.” They haven’t decided he’s the Messiah,
have they? Well, you say, “Why would they ever think that?” Well down in
verse 31, “No one had ever or would ever or could everperform more signs
than He did. The rulers haven’t decided this is the Messiah, have they?” It
requires the constructionof the Greek, requires a negative answer, but the

question has been raised. It’s a kind of question that carries with it its own
denial.
If they want Him dead, why aren’t they stopping Him? Have they the faint
remote thought enters their minds, have they decided He’s actually the
Messiah? They’re not doing anything. “However,” verse 27, “the thought
goes awayreallyfast. However, on the other hand, we know where this man
is from. We know this can’t be the Messiah. We know His history. We know
where He’s from. Yeah, this is the son of a carpenter, a man named Joseph
and a girl named Mary. And of all places, they’re from a town called
Nazareth, and as you know the testimony of Scripture, can anything good
come out of Nazareth, backwatercrossroadtownon the slopes of Galilee, out
of the main pattern of life, religious life for sure?” No, this can’t be the
Messiah. We know Him. We know where He came from. We know His
family. We know His town.
You know, this is constantlywhere they found their safe zone in rejecting
Jesus. Theydidn’t want to acceptJesus. Eventhe people didn’t because no
matter what he offered, in order to receive the offer, you had to acceptthe
indictment, and they hated the indictment. In fact, in His own town, when He
told them they were essentiallygoing to have to be recognizing themselves as
poor prisoners blind and oppressedand headedfor judgment, and if they
didn’t do that, they’d never be saved, they tried to kill Him. This is the
people.
This is typical at Nazareth. He goes to Nazarethin His hometown. He begins
teaching in the synagogue. This is Matthew 13. And they’re all saying,
“Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?” Then
they say this. This is the default position. “Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is
not His mother calledMary, and his brothers James and Josephand Simon
and Judas? We know His family. And His sisters, are they not all with us?
Where then did this man getall these things?” And they took offense atHim,
and Jesus then gave that maxim, that proverb, “Oh, profit is not without
honor, except in his own country, his own town.”

They always fell back to the fact that He can’t be the Messiahbecause we
know where He came from. We know about Him. Back in chapter6, verse
42. The Jews are grumbling, mumbling about Him, and saying this. “Is not
this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose fatherand mother we know? How does
He now say, ‘I have come down out of heaven?’ We know Him. We know
about Him. We know his family.” Go down to verse 41 of chapter 7. Some
were saying, “This is the Messiah.” Stillothers were saying, “Well, the
Messiahis not going to come from Galilee, is He?” Then there were some who
recognizedthat the Scripture said the Messiahwouldcome as a descendent
from David and from Bethlehem, the village where David was. So a division
occurred, verse 43 says.
This is their confusion. Some thought it had to be Bethlehem, and they were
right. Micah 5:2 said that He would come from Bethlehem, but not Nazareth.
Oh, they could have checkedthe records at the temple that He had actually
been born in Bethlehem. And He would have had to have been, as far as some
knew, a child of the Davidic and they could have checkedHis genealogythat
his mother’s line was Davidic, in both families, He was the son of David.
They could have checkedthat, but they didn’t check that. They didn’t check
that. All they were looking for was justification for their rejection because He
didn’t fit their pattern. And by the way, some traditions had developedthat
led them to saythis. This is kind of an interesting statement. The end of verse
27. “We know where this man is from, but wheneverthe Messiahmaycome,
no one knows where He’s from.” Well wait a minute, what about Bethlehem?
But this popular notion had developedthat the Messiahwouldhave some kind
of a grand entrance. Theydrew it out of a couple passages. One would be
Malachi3:1, “That He would suddenly come to his temple. That there would
be something like a bolt out of heaven. They would come to the temple, and it
would be the Messiah.” OrIsaiah53, “Who shall declare His generation?” In
other words, who would know anything about His family?
They misinterpreted both of those passages, came up with this popular kind of
notion that the Messiahwouldhave some kind of supernatural arrival at the
temple, and not in the normal way, and they wouldn’t know anything about
His family. That’s what they decided. This can’t be the Messiah. We know

about His family, and we know He came from Nazareth, didn’t come suddenly
from heaven to the temple. This can’t be the anointed one. This can’t be the
Messiah.
The rulers could have helped them because back in Matthew 2, Herod
gatheredthe chief priests and the scribes of the people, and he saidto them,
“Where is the Messiahto be born,” and they said to him, “In Bethlehem of
Judea, for thus has been written by the prophet, and you Bethlehem, land of
Judah, are by no means leastamong the leaders of Judah, for out of you will
come forth a ruler who will shepherd my people, Israel.”
All the leaders knew Messiahcomes from Bethlehem. The records show Jesus
had come from Bethlehem. All the leaders knew He would come in the
Davidic line. The recordof the temple showedthat Jesus was born to two
Davidic families. They conveniently didn’t want to help the people with their
dilemma. People neverseemto lack support for their desired beliefs, do they?
They can always justify their rejections. So there they are in this confusion.
The leaders aren’t about to help them. The leaders aren’t going to tell the
people what the leaders told Herod, that He would come from Bethlehem.
They’re not going to say, “And this man, Jesus, was born in Bethlehem, and
we checkedHis genealogy, andit’s Davidic.” They’re not going to say that.
They’re just going to leave these people in confusion about whether or not He
is the Messiah, andif so, why hasn’t He done what Messiah – they expectedto
do? And if He’s not the Messiah, whyhaven’t they arrestedHim? At this
point, verse 28, it’s dramatic.
“Jesus yells. Jesuscriedout in the temple.” Four times in the New
Testament, it says that Jesus did this at ekrazen. Fourtimes in the New
Testament. It’s yelling at the top of His voice. There’s a strongerword. This
is a very strong word for yelling, but there’s a strongerword. The stronger
word is anaboa. It’s only used one time of Jesus. A strongercry, and it was
on the cross. Onthe cross. He had enough energy on the cross to cry even
louder than He did in the temple to the crowdbecause no one took his life
from Him. He gave it up by Himself.

So Jesus yells so everyone can hear, top of His voice, teaching and saying,
“You both know me and know where I’m from, and I have not come of
myself, but He who sent me is true whom you do not know.” How are you to
interpret that? I would interpret it ironically. So you know me and you know
where I’m from. That’s what you think. You don’t know me. This is irony.
This is Jesus saying, “The very idea that in your unbelief and confusion, you
know me is ridiculous. You don’t know me. You don’t know where I am
came from, and you don’t know who sent me.”
In John 8:19, He says to them, “You neither know me nor my Father. You
don’t know me. You don’t know anything about me. Oh, yes, you know the
family in Nazareth, the town of Nazareth, but you don’t know me. You know
nothing. I have not come of myself. I haven’t risen on my own ambition. I’m
not the product of the family or the town of Nazareth. I didn’t reachthis
position by my own desire, crafting my own way in life. You may know that
I’m from Galilee. You may know that I lived in the town of Nazareth. You
may know my public deeds. You may have heard my words, but you have no
idea who I am. You have no idea where I came from. You have no idea who
sent me, and you have no knowledge ofthe one that you claim to know. You
haven’t begun to know anything.”
The problem, of course, is delineated in chapter 8, verse 43. “Why do you not
understand what I’m saying? It’s because you can’t hear my word. You
can’t understand you are of your father, the devil. You want to do the desires
of your father.” That’s the whole point. You want to serve the devil who is
your father. Consequently, you can’t hear the truth. He’s a murderer from
the beginning, doesn’t stand in the truth. There’s no truth in him. He speaks
lies. He speaks from his ownnature. He’s a liar and a father of lies. So
because I speak the truth, you don’t believe me. Why? You’re caughtup in a
kingdom of lies. You can’t know the truth. You can’t believe the truth. You
can’t comprehend the truth. You’re in a kingdom of lies.”
So they’re saying proudly, “We know him. He can’t be the Messiah. We
know him. We know where he came from.” Jesus says, “Youdon’t know
anything.” Let me tell you, knowing a few minor details about Jesus, external
things about Jesus is to know nothing about Him. To know a little bit about

His history, to know a little bit about the Christian stories that you may have
heard is to know nothing about Him. Nothing. He says, “You don’t know
anything.” What an indictment of Israel. People destroyedfor lack of
knowledge. We see ittoday in a culture where Jesus is a household word.
People use His name in vain all the time. Use His name as a swearword.
People could tell you little stories about Jesus. Theywould even talk about
Jesus in some understanding of biblical history. Bibles all over the land, the
name of Jesus everywhere. Churches everywhere. People don’t know Jesus.
He says, “You don’t know me, and you don’t know the one who sent me.”
Verse 29. “But I know Him because I’m from Him, and He sent me.” This is
the supreme indictment of Israel. Theyprided themselves on being the people
of God who knew God, and He says, “You don’t know God.”
Back in chapter 5, verse 23, He said, “If you don’t honor me, you don’t honor
the Father. You don’t know me. You don’t know God.” That is the
indictment of the people who are confused. You know, I would say maybe in
our country, maybe in the westernworld, this is probably the dominating
reality. People just – they don’t know. They say they know Jesus. Theyknow
the name Jesus. Theyknow some things about Jesus. Theydon’t know Him,
and they don’t know God, who sentHim, and that’s a horrible position to be
in because there will come a time when you’ll seek to know Him, and He will
not be available.
There will come a time when He will be shutting you out of heavenforever.
Confusion is not the place to be. The confusedcrowd, vacillating, trying to
figure it out, is in the same situation exactly as the hateful vicious rejecting
rulers. Let’s turn to them for a minute. From the peoples’confusionto the
rulers’ rejection, verse 30. Again, they see this as blasphemy. The rulers now
know the people are expecting them to act, not let Him keepdoing this.
There are many in the crowd who have already said, “You have a demon.”
They want the rulers to act, and the rulers need to actbefore Jesus has a
positive effect, so they’re seeking to seize Him. Seeking to seize Him. They
tried to do that back in chapter 5, verse 18. Theywanted to do that in chapter
7, verse 1. There are many of these citizens who are irritated in their

confusion. They want the rulers to do something. They’re now excited. Their
confusionhas turned into a kind of openness and a – they expecttheir leaders
to do something so they know how to resolve this thing. They needed
somebody to lead them. The leaders just can’t let it go on. So they finally step
in, and they want to seize Him. But no man lays hands on Him. Nobody
touches Him. Why would that be the case? WellI don’t know. From a
human viewpoint, I mean just looking at the human side of it, they may have
said, “He’s very powerful.” They would have been right because He attacked
the temple and vacatedthe place at the beginning of His ministry.
He had supernatural powerover demons, which means He would have
supernatural power of them. He had supernatural power over disease and
deformity and all of that. There was also, I think, a measure of fear, but a
measure of respect. He commanded, demanded respect. So from a human
viewpoint, they’re paralyzed, and the crowd is mixed, and there are people
who are very open and being persuaded by the power of His words. They
don’t want to start a riot in the middle of the feast.
That might be the human explanation, but the divine explanation is the only
one the Bible gives us. The reasonno man laid hands on Him to arrestHim
was because His hour hadn’t come. They were restrainedby the invisible
hand of God. I don’t even know if they thought through the process. They
couldn’t act because theywere under divine control. I wish I had time to
develop that concept, that powerful, overwhelming reality of the invisible
hand of God which controls everything that happens in the universe.
Redemptive history is planned by God and executedby God sovereignly, and
everything happens according to His purpose and plan and timing.
They thirsted for His blood. They were determined to kill Him. Yet, by
invisible restraint from above, they were powerless to do anything. Not a hair
of His head could be touched without divine permission because Godis in
control of absolutely everything. Notonly in His life, but in ours. So they’re
paralyzed. Verse 31. “The stakes beginto geta little higher. Many of the
crowdbelieved in Him. They were saying, ‘When the Christ comes or the
Messiahcomes,He will not perform more signs than those which this man
has, will He?’ The crowdis starting to maybe lean in a certain direction. In

the midst of their confusion, maybe He is the Messiah. After all, nobody will
ever do more miracles than He has done. In fact, they’ve never known
anybody that did any.”
There can’t be more than what we’ve seenfrom Him, and they’re believing.
What kind of belief is this? Probably like chapter 2. “Many believed in Him
because ofthe miracles that He did, but He didn’t commit himself to them
because he knew their hearts.” Maybe the kind of believing of the disciples in
six who followedHim and followedHim and followedHim, and then
eventually abandon Him, a kind of temporary faith. Nothing here to indicate
that this was some permanent, genuine, saving faith, although in some cases,
that’s possible. But the leaders see this, and they are really concernednow
because the crowd is starting to buy into the fact that He might actually be the
Messiahbasedupon this record of years of doing these amazing miracles.
So verse 32, “The Phariseesheardthe crowdmuttering these things about
Him.” The confused crowdis muttering, and if you want to use a
contemporary word, the thing is trending, and it’s trending toward, “Hey,
we’re going to lose out here if this crowdbegins to embrace Him.” So finally,
the chief priest and the Pharisees sentofficers to seize Him. Temple police are
dispatched to go and arrest Him.
So they go. That’s the last we see of them in our passage, but if you want to
pick up the story, verse 45, those officers, those temple police came back to the
chief priests and Pharisees, andthey said to them, “Why did you not bring
Him? We sentyou to arrest Him. Why didn’t you bring Him?”
The officers answered, “Neverhas a man spokenthe way this man speaks.”
The Pharisees thenansweredhim, “You have not also been led astray, have
you?” So they see the crowd moving in the direction of believing in Jesus, and
their solution is, verse 48, “No one of the rulers or Pharisees has believedin
Him. Has he? The crowd, what do they know? This crowdwhich doesn’t
know the law is accursed. Don’tfollow the people. Follow us.” Soldiers come
back empty handed. So there the rulers are, lockedinto rejecting Him.
And then in verse 33, Jesus speaks. This may have been to everyone. This
may have been to the officers who came to arrestHim. This may have been to

the leaders. We don’t know. But it’s, again, I think it’s just generally to the
people with a particular emphasis on the officers who came to arrest Him
because ofwhat He says. “Fora little while longer, I’m with you. Then I go
to Him who sent me.”
This is sad, really hear wrenching. This is Jesus saying, “It’s not going to be
long. It’s going to be over. I’m going to be out of your hair. I’m going to be
out of your life. You’re not going to have to deal with me at all.” This takes
us to the final point going from the peoples’confusion to the leader’s rejection
to the Savior’s exclusion. Notgoing to be here long. This is with serenity and
majesty, calm, sadness. Youwon’t have to put up with me for very long.
There’s a loneliness here. There’s a sorrow here. Six months, that’s all. Such
pathos. God’s son, loving a world that hated Him. Loving a nation that hated
Him now starts to count the days, the weeks before He is leaving. This is an
infinite agonyfor Him. His story was so full of sorry. I’m going back to the
one who sentme. You don’t have to dealwith me much longer. “Sadthing is
you will seek me,” – verse 34 – “and will not find me, and where I am, you
cannot come.”
Forty years later, Romans came and sackedthe city. Hundreds of thousands
of Jews were massacred. Iwonder if the ones who were still alive
remembered that He saidthat that day, and sought Him and couldn’t find
Him. Certainly, that would be true for people facing death who would think
about that. But it’s certainly true after death. As I said, that’s part of hell,
seeking whatyou will never find forever.
And then He says, “Where I am, you can’t come.” Where are you? What
does He mean where I am? “I’m going to my Father. I came down from
heaven. I’m going back to heaven. You will never go to heaven. You will
never go to heaven. Heaven is not for everybody. Heaven is for those who
believe in the Lord Jesus Christand no one else who believe in the true Christ
and the true gospeland no one else.” The Jewsin their rejectionmock His
statement.
They said to one another, “This is just scorn. Where does this man intend to
go that we will not find Him? He’s not intending to go to the dispersion

among the gentiles and teachthe gentiles, is He?” This is a joke. “He’s not
going to leave the land and go out and talk to the Jews dispersedin the gentile
world and maybe even talk to the gentiles,” which would have been a horror
to them. They didn’t want their religion even handed over to the low-life
Jewishpeople, let alone gentiles.
They are sick and faithless fools who mock the son of God with blasphemous
words. It’s all sarcasmbasedon stupid ignorance and rejection, willful
rejection. But then that statementhaunts them. What is this statement that
He said, “You will seek me and not find me. Where I am, you cannot come.”
That statement applies both to the confusedand the rejecting. There’s no
difference. It’s the same end, whether you rejectedChrist out of confusionor
out of hatred. The end is the same. The end is the same.
Look at chapter 8, and we’ll close with this passage,verse 21. “Thenhe said
againto them, I go away, and you will seek me and will die in your sin. Where
I’m going, you cannot come.” It’s the same statement. “You will die in your
sin. You will seek me. You will die in your sin. Where I go, you cannotcome.
Shut out of heaven forever.” The Jews said, “Surely, He will not kill himself,
will He?” They thought suicide was a sin that sent people to hell, so maybe
He’s going to kill Himself, and that’ll send Him to hell, and He’ll go to hell,
and we’ll never go there. But that’s not what He meant at all.
Surely, He will not kill Himself. They mock, and He says, “Where I am
going,” – again, obviously, “to heaven, back to the Father, you cannot come.”
Then verse 24, the reason. “Isaid to you you will die in your sin, for unless
you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.” So they said, “Well who
are you?” And Jesus saidto them, “WhatI have been saying to you from the
beginning.”
You die in your sins, you go to hell, shut out of heavenforever because you
believe not my claims. Unless you believe that I am the one I claim to be, you
will die in your sins. These people are religious, by the way. This is all
illustrated graphically in Matthew 25 in the parable of the virgins. Remember
that? All depicted as religious people, there for the greatevent of the coming
of the bridge groom and the greatwedding. There were some of the virgins

didn’t have the oil. They had all the religious accoutrements. Theyhad all
the moral values. But they didn’t have life from God.
They weren’t his. They weren’t true believers. And when the bride groom
came, the door was shut, and they were shut out forever. That’s illustrated in
that parable, Matthew 25. So the warning of our Lord here is a stark
warning. You’re going to come to a point in your life when you’re going to
seek me, and you’re never going to find me. You’re going to be shut out of
heaven forever. Where I am, you will never be.
There is no greaterwarning. There is no strongerwarning. There is no more
unmistakable warning than that. You will die in your sins unless you believe
in me. Seek the Lord while He may be found. Let’s pray together. It is with
heavy hearts, Lord, that we experience the situation with our Lord that day,
and the heaviness in His own heart, sadness, the sense ofalienationfrom the
people that He had loved.
But at the same time, there is sadness there for Him. We can’t simply stop at
that point. We know He’s a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief, and as
the prophet said, that sorrow was connectedto how He was treated by His
people. But He will in the end triumph, and He will be and is already all
glorious, and so we lift up the Lord Jesus Christ. Not as some kind of tragic,
pathetic, unfulfilled person, but as someone who really loved and really
sorrowedand genuinely caredand was grievedtruly, over those who
remained in a state of willful confusion or adamant rejection, and warns that
the end for both is the same.
Lord, I pray for those who are here today who in the hearing of this message
might find themselves being exposedas those who have remained somehow
indifferent towards the son of God, not being able to decide. Lord, save them
from the eternalconsequence ofthat indecision. Graciouslyrevealthe truth
of the gospeland the personof Christ to every mind and heart, and maybe,
there are hard-hearted rejecters.
Surely, somewhere along the line, these words will be heard by such. While
there is some time, would you be gracious evento them to see the glory of
Christ and embrace him?

Father, again, it’s an overwhelming thing to think about eternity. It’s beyond
our graspto imagine heaven and hell. All we cando is take what you have
said, understanding that it’s the truth, and help us to live in the light of
eternity, in the light of heavenly joys and the judgment on the other hand and
its sorrows. Give us that perspective, and don’t let us trivialize our lives. Be
honored in the way we hear and apply what you’ve told us today through
your Word, we pray in the Savior’s name.
ALEXANDER MACLAREN
Verse 33-34
John
ONE SAYING WITH TWO MEANINGS
John 7:33 - John 7:34. - John 13:33.
No greatercontrastcan be conceivedthan that betweenthese two groups to
whom such singularly similar words were addressed. The one consists ofthe
officers, tools of the Pharisees andof the priests, who had been sent to seize
Christ, and would fain have carried out their masters’commission, but were
restrained by a strange awe, inexplicable even to themselves. The other
consists ofthe little company of His faithful, though slow, scholars, who made
a greatmany mistakes, and sometimes all but tired out even His patience, and
yet were forgiven much because they loved much. Hatred animated one
group, loving sorrow the other.

Christ speaksto them both in nearly the same words, but with what a
different tone, meaning, and application! To the officers the saying is an
exhibition of His triumphant confidence that their malice is impotent and
their arms paralysed; that when He wills He will go, not be draggedby them
or any man, but go to a safe asylum, where foes can neither find nor follow.
The officers do not understand what He means. They think that, bad Jew as
they have always believed Him to be, He may very possibly consummate His
apostasyby going over to the Gentiles altogether;but, at any rate, they feel
that He is to escape theirhands.
The disciples understand little more as to whither He goes, as they themselves
confess a moment after; but they gatherfrom His words His loving pity, and
though the upper side of the saying seems to be menacing and full of
separation, there is an under side that suggeststhe possibility of a reunion for
them.
The words are nearly the same in both cases,but they are not absolutely
identical. There are significantomissions and additions in the secondform of
them. ‘Little children’ is the tenderest of all the names that ever came from
Christ’s lips to His disciples, and never was heard on His lips except on this
one occasion, forparting words ought to be very loving words. ‘A little while I
am with you,’ but He does not say, ‘And then I go to Him that sentMe.’ ‘Ye
shall seek Me,’but He does not say, ‘And shall not find Me.’ ‘As I said unto
the Jews, whitherI go ye cannotcome, so now I say to you,’ that little word
‘now’ makes the announcement a truth for the presentonly. His disciples shall
not seek Him in vain, but when they seek they shall find. And though for a
moment they be parted from Him, it is with the prospectand the confidence of
reunion. Let us, then, look at the two main thoughts here. First, the two
‘seekings,’the seeking whichis vain, and the seeking whichis never vain; and
the two ‘cannots,’the inability of His enemies for evermore to come where He
is, and the inability of His friends, for a little season, to come where He is.

I. The two seekings.
As I have observed, there is a very significantomissionin one of the forms of
the words. The enemies are told that they will never find Him, but no such
dark words are spokento the friends. So, then, hostile seeking ofthe Christ is
in vain, and loving seeking of Him by His friends, though they understand
Him but very poorly, and therefore seek Him that they may know Him better,
is always answeredand over-answered.
Let me deal just for a moment or two with eachof these. In their simplest use
the words of my first text merely mean this: ‘You cannot touch Me, I am
passing into a safe asylum where your hands can never reachMe.’
We may generalisethat for a moment, though it does not lie directly in our
path, and preach the old blessedtruth that no man with hostile intent seeking
for Christ in His person, in His Gospel, or in His followers and friends, can
ever find Him. All the antagonismthat has stormed againstHim and His
cause and words, and His followers and lovers, has been impotent and vain.
The pursuers are like dogs chasing a bird, sniffing along the ground after
their prey, which all the while sits out of their reachon a bough, and carols to
the sky. As in the days of His flesh, His foes could not touch His person till He
chose, and vainly sought Him when it pleasedHim to hide from them, so ever
since, in regard to His cause, and in regard to all hearts that love Him, no
weaponthat is formed againstthem shall prosper. They shall be wrapped,
when need be, in a cloud of protecting darkness, andstand safe within its
shelter. Take goodcheer, all you that are trying to do anything, howeverlittle,
howeversecularit may appearto be, for the goodand well-being of your
fellows!All such service is a prolongation of Christ’s work, and an effluence
from His, if there be any goodin it at all; and it is immortal and safe, as is His.
‘Ye shall seek Me and shall not find Me.’

But then, besides that, there is another thought. It is not merely hostile
seeking ofHim that is hopeless vain. When the dark days came over Israel,
under the growing pressure of the Roman yoke, and amidst the agonies ofthat
last siege, andthe unutterable sufferings which all but annihilated the nation,
do you not think that there were many of these people who said to themselves:
‘Ah! if we had only that Jesus ofNazareth back with us for a day or two; if we
had only listened to Him!’ Do you not think that before Israeldissolvedin
blood there were many of those who had stoodhostile or alienated, who
desired to see ‘one of the days of the Son of Man,’ and did not see it? They
sought Him, not in angerany more; they sought Him, not in penitence, or else
they would have found Him; but they sought Him simply in distress, and
wishing that they could have back againwhat they had caredso little for when
they had it.
And are there no people listening to me now, to whom these words apply?-
‘He that will not, when he may,
When he will it shall be-Nay!’
Although it is {blessedbe His name} always true that a seeking heartfinds
Him, and whensoeverthere is the faintest trace of penitent desire to get hold
of Christ’s hand it does grasp ours, it is also true that things neglectedonce
cannot be brought back;that the sowing time allowedto pass can never
return; and that they who have turned, as some of you have turned, dear
friends, all your lives, a deaf ear to the Christ that asks you to love Him and
trust Him, may one day wish that it had been otherwise, and go to look for
Him and not find Him.

There is anotherkind of seeking thatis vain, an intellectual seeking without
the preparation of the heart. There are, no doubt, some people here to-day
that would say, ‘We have been seeking the truth about religion all our lives,
and we have not gotto it yet.’ Well, I do not want to judge either your motives
or your methods, but I know this, that there is many a man who goes onthe
quest for religious certainty, and looks at, if not for Jesus Christ, and is not
really capable of discerning Him when he sees Him, because his eye is not
single, or because his heart is full of worldliness or indifference, or because he
begins with a foregone conclusion, and looks for facts to establishthat; or
because he will not castdown and put awayevil things that rise up between
him and his Master.
My brother! if you go to look for Jesus Christwith a heart full of the world, if
you go to look for Him while you wish to hold on by all the habitudes and
earthlinesses ofyour past, you will never find Him. The sensualistseeksfor
Him, the covetous man seeks forHim, the passionate, ill-tempered man seeks
for Him; the woman plunged in frivolities, or steepedto the eyebrows in
domestic cares,-thesemay in some feeble fashion go to look for Him and they
will not find Him, because they have soughtfor Him with hearts overcharged
with other things and filled with the affairs of this life, its trifles and its sins.
I turn for a moment to the seeking that is not vain. ‘Ye shall seek Me’is not on
Christ’s lips to any heart that loves Him, howeverimperfectly, a sentence of
separationor an appointment of a sorrowfullot, but it is a blessedlaw, the law
of the Christian life.
That life is all one greatseeking afterChrist. Love seeks the absentwhen
removed from our sight. If we care anything about Him at all, our hearts will
turn to Him as naturally as, when the winter begins to pinch, the migrating
birds seek the sunny south, impelled by an instinct that they do not themselves
understand.

The same law which sends loving thoughts out acrossthe globe to seek for
husband, child, or friend when absent, sets the really Christian heart seeking
for the Christ, whom, having not seen, it loves, as surely as the ivy tendril feels
out for a support. As surely as the roots of a mountain-ash growing on the top
of a boulder feel down the side of the rock till they reachthe soil; as surely as
the stork follows the warmth to the sunny Mediterranean, so surely, if your
heart loves Christ, will the very heart and motive of your action be the search
for Him.
And if you do not seek Him, brother, as surely as He is parted from our sense
you will lose Him, and He will be parted from you wholly, for there is no way
by which a personwho is not before our eyes may be kept near us exceptonly
by diligent effort on our part to keepthought and love and will all in contact
with Him; thought meditating, love going out towards Him, will submitting.
Unless there be this effort, you will lose your Masteras surely as a little child
in a crowd will lose his nurse and his guide, if his hand slips from out the
protecting hand. The dark shadow of the earth on which you stand will slowly
stealover His silvery brightness, as when the moon is eclipsed, and you will
not know how you have lostHim, but only be sadly aware that your heaven is
darkened. ‘Ye shall seek Me,’is the condition of all happy communion
betweenChrist and us.
And that seeking, dearbrother, in the threefold form in which I have spoken
of it-effort to keepHim in our thoughts, in our love, and over our will-is
neither a seeking whichstarts from a sense that we do not possessHim, nor
one which ends in disappointment. But we seek for Him because we already
have Him in a measure, and we seek Him that we may possessHim more
abundantly, and anything is possible rather than that such a searchshall be
vain. Men may go to createdwells, and find no water, and return ashamed,
and with their vessels empty, but every one who seeksfor that Fountain of
salvationshall draw from it with joy. It is as impossible that a heart which

desires Jesus Christshall not have Him, as it is that lungs dilated shall not fill
with air, or as it is that an empty vesselput out in a rainfall shall not be
replenished. He does not hide Himself, but He desires to be found. May I say
that as a mother will sometimes pretend to her child to hide, that the child’s
delight may be the greaterin searching and in finding, so Christ has gone
awayfrom our sight in order, for one reason, that He may stimulate our
desires to feel after Him! If we seek Him hid in God, we shall find Him for the
joy of our hearts.
A greatthinker once said that he would rather have the searchaftertruth
than the possessionoftruth. It was a rash word, but it pointed to the fact that
there is a searchwhich is only one shade less blessedthan the possession. And
if that be so in regardto any pure and high truth, it is still more so about
Christ Himself. To seek forHim is joy; to find Him is joy. What can be a
happier life than the life of constantpursuit after an infinitely precious object,
which is everbeing soughtand ever being found; soughtwith a profound
consciousnessofits preciousness, found with a widening appreciationand
capacityfor its enjoyment? ‘Ye shall seek Me’is a word not of evil but of good
cheer;for buried in the depth of the commandment to searchis the promise
that we shall find.
Secondly, let us look briefly at these two ‘cannots.’
‘Whither I go, ye cannotcome,’says He to His enemies, with no limitation,
with no condition. The ‘cannot’ is absolute and permanent, so long as they
retain their enmity. To His friends, on the other hand, He says, ‘So now I say
to you,’ the law for to-day, the law for this side the flood, but not the law for
the beyond, as He explains more fully in the subsequent words:‘Thou canst
not follow Me now, but thou shalt follow Me afterwards.’

So, then, Christ is somewhere. WhenHe passedfrom life it was not into a
state only, but into a place;and He took with Him a material body, howsoever
changed. He is somewhere, and there friend and enemy alike cannotenter, so
long as they are compassedwith ‘the earthly house of this tabernacle.’But the
incapacity is deeperthan that. No sinful man canpass thither. Where has He
gone? The preceding words give us the answer. ‘Godshall glorify Him in
Himself.’ The prospectof that assumption into the inmost glory of the divine
nature directly led our Lord to think of the change it would bring about in the
relation of His humble friends to Him. While for Himself He triumphs in the
prospect, He cannot but turn a thought to their lonesomeness,and hence come
the words of our text. He has passedinto the bosom and blaze of divinity. Can
I walk there, canI pass into that tremendous fiery furnace? ‘Who shall dwell
with the everlasting burnings?’ ‘Ye cannotfollow Me now.’ No man cango
thither exceptChrist goes thither.
There are deep mysteries lying in that word of our Lords,-’I go to prepare a
place for you.’ We know not what manner of activity on His part that
definitely means. It seems as if somehow or other the presence in Heaven of
our Brother in His glorified humanity was necessaryin order that the golden
pavement should be trodden by our feet, and that our poor, feeble manhood
should live and not be shrivelled up in the blaze of that central brightness.
We know not how He prepares the place, but heaven, whateverit be, is no
place for a man unless the Man, Christ Jesus, be there. He is the Revealerof
God, not only for earth, but for heaven; not only for time, but for eternity. ‘No
man cometh unto the Father but by Me,’is true everywhere and always, there
as here. So I suppose that, but for His presence, heavenitselfwould be dark,
and its King invisible, and if a man could enter there he would either be
blasted with unbearable flashes ofbrightness or grope at its noonday as the
blind, because his eye was not adapted to such beams. Be that as it may, ‘the
Forerunner is for us entered.’ He has gone before, because He knows the great
City, ‘His own calm home, His habitation from eternity.’ He has gone before

to make ready a lodging for us, in whose land He has dwelt so long, and He
will meet us, who would else be bewildered like some dweller in a desertif
brought to the capital, when we reachthe gates, andguide our unaccustomed
steps to the mansion prepared for us.
But the power to enter there, even when He is there, depends on our union
with Christ by faith. When we are joined to Him, the absolute ‘cannot,’ based
upon flesh, and still more upon sin, which is a radical and permanent
impossibility, is changedinto a relative and temporary incapacity. If we have
faith in Christ, and are thereby drawing a kindred life from Him, our nature
will be in process ofbeing changedinto that which is capable of bearing the
brilliance of the felicities of heaven. But just as these friends of Christ, though
they loved Him very truly, and understoodHim a little, were a long way from
being ready to follow Him, and neededthe schooling ofthe Cross, and Olivet,
and Pentecost, as wellas the discipline of life and toil, before they were fully
ripe for the harvest, so we, for the most part, have to pass through analogous
training before we are prepared for the place which Christ has prepared for
us. Certainly, so soonas a heart has trusted Christ, it is capable of entering
where He is, and the real reasonwhy the disciples could not come where He
went was that they did not yet clearly know Him as the divine Sacrifice for
theirs and the world’s sins, and, howevermuch they believed in Him as
Messiah, hadnot yet, nor could have, the knowledge on which they could
found their trust in Him as their Saviour.
But, while that is true, it is also true that eachadvance in the grace and
knowledge ofour Lord and Saviour will bring with it capacityto advance
further into the heart of the far-off land, and to see more of the King in His
beauty. So, as long as His friends were wrapped in such dark clouds of
misconceptionand error, as long as their Christian characters were so
imperfect and incomplete as they were at the time of my text being spoken,
they could not go thither and follow Him. But it was a diminishing
impossibility, and day by day they approximated more and more to His

likeness, becausetheyunderstood Him more, and trusted Him more, and
loved Him more, and grew towards Him, and, therefore, day by day became
more and more able to enter into that Kingdom.
Are you growing in powerso to do? Is the only thing which unfits you for
heaven the fact that you have a mortal body? In other respects are you fit to
go into that heaven, and walk in its brightness and not be consumed? The
answerto the question is found in another one-Are you joined to Jesus Christ
by simple faith? The incapacity is absolute and eternalif the enmity is eternal.
State and place are determined yonder by character, and characteris
determined by faith. Take a bottle of some solution in which heterogeneous
substances have all been melted up together, and let it stand on a shelf and
gradually settle down, and its contents will settle in regular layers, the
heaviestat the bottom and the lightest at the top, and stratify themselves
according to gravity. And that is how the other world is arranged-stratified.
When all the confusions of this present are at an end, and all the moisture is
driven off, men and women will be left in layers, like drawing to like. As Peter
said about Judas with equal wisdom and reticence, ‘He went to his own place.’
That is where we shall all go, to the place we are fit for.
God does not slam the door of heaven in anybody’s face;it stands wide open.
But there is a mystic barrier, unseen, but most real, more repellent than
cherub and flaming sword, which makes it impossible for any foot to cross
that threshold except the foot of the man whose heartand nature have been
made Christlike, and fitted for heaven by simple faith in Him.
Love Him and trust Him, and then your life on earth will be a blessedseeking
and a blessedfinding of Him whom to seek is joyous effort, whom to find is an
Elysium of rest. You will walk here not parted from Him, but with your

thoughts and your love, which are your truest self, going up where He is, until
you drop ‘the muddy vesture of decay’ which unfits you whilst you wearit for
the presence-chamberof the King, and so you will enter in and be ‘for ever
with the Lord.’
SCOTT HARRIS
32 The Pharisees heardthe multitude muttering these things about Him; and
the chief priests and the Phariseessentofficers to seize Him. The Pharisees
are not aware that most of those making these statementof faith in Jesus
would reject Him the next day. They only heard what was being said then and
they did not like it. They entered into an agreementwith the chief priests,
most of whom were Sadducees.The Pharisees andSadducees were
antagonistic to eachother, but neither group liked Jesus, so they cooperated
in the effort to eliminate Him. They sent officers, the Temple police, to arrest
Him. Notice againthat the people were "muttering" or "grumbling." They
were speaking in low tones because they were afraid to draw the attention of
the Phariseesto themselves and risk being banished from the temple and
synagoguesby them.
This does not threaten Jesus, foras verse 30 already pointed out, "His time
was not yet come," and Jesus knew that. He responds to the crowd and, I
would infer from verse 32 & 46, the officers that had been sent to arrest Him
in verse 33. Jesus therefore said, "Fora little while longerI am with you, then
I go to Him who sent Me. 34 "You shall seek Me, and shall not find Me; and
where I am, you cannot come." This is another Mishal, a paradoxical saying
that makes a veiled, but pointed remark. Jesus is referring to His coming
death, resurrectionand ascensionto the Father. Notice that Jesus is
specificallyspeaking to "the Jews" here. Theycould not follow Him to God

the Fatherbecause they were rejecting Him and would not be allowed
entrance into heaven because oftheir sin.
They do not understand Jesus’statementand take it in a literal sense instead
of its intended figurative meaning. 35 The Jews therefore saidto one another,
"Where does this man intend to go that we shall not find Him? He is not
intending to go to the Dispersionamong the Greeks,and teachthe Greeks,is
He? 36 "What is this statementthat He said, ‘You will seek Me, and will not
find Me; and where I am, you cannotcome’?"
Jesus leaves them in their confusedstate. If they had wanted to know the
answerthey could have askedHim, but true to their arrogance,they debated
it among themselves instead. People still do this today too. People have not
changedany in 2,000 years. We have different technology, but the heart of
man is still as sinful, if not more sinful, than ever. People debate among
themselves about who Jesus is instead of going with a humble attitude to the
Scriptures to see what Godhas already revealed.
JOHN GILL
Verse 32
The Pharisees heardthat the people murmured,.... Or whispered, privately
talkedamong themselves:
such things concerning him; as that surely he must be the Messiah, since such
wonderful things were done by him, and might also express some uneasiness
and surprise, that the rulers did not receive him as such:

and the Pharisees, andthe chief priests, sent officers to take him: and bring
him before the sanhedrim, by them to be condemned, and so a stop be put to
the people's receiving him, and believing in him as the Messiah;fearing, that
should things go on at this rate, their principles and practices wouldbe
rejected, and their persons and authority be brought into contempt.
Verse 33
Then said Jesus unto them,.... To the officers that were sent to take him, and
other unbelieving Jews that were about him:
yet a little while am I with you; no longer than till the next passover, which
was but about half a yearat most: this he might say, partly to quicken the
attention of the people to him, to make the best use and improvement of his
ministry whilst they had it, since in a little time he would be removed from
them; and partly to suggestto the officers that were sent to take him, that
they, and their masters, need not have given themselves that trouble, for in a
short time he should be gone from them, and till that time he should continue
in spite of them.
And then I go unto him that sent me; still confirming his mission from God,
expressing his death by going, and as being voluntary, and signifying his glory
and happiness after it.
Verse 34
Ye shall seek me,.... Thatis, the Messiah, who he was;meaning, that after his
departure they should be in greatdistress, and be very much on the inquiry
after, and solicitous for the coming of the Messiah, to be a Redeemerand
Delivererof them out of their troubles:

and shall not find me; no Messiahwill appear, no Saviour will be sent, no
Redeemerwill come to relieve them; they shall inquire, and look for one in
vain, as they did.
And where I am, thither ye cannot come;intimating hereby, that not only
their temporal estate and condition would be very distressedand miserable,
but also their eternalestate;since they should not be able to come where he
would be in his human nature, and where he now was as a divine person,
namely, in heaven.
Verse 35
Then said the Jews among themselves,.... Thatis, the unbelieving, scoffing
Jews;it may be the officers, at leastsome of them, that were sent to take him:
whither will he go that we shall not find him? what distant, or obscure part of
the world will he betake himself to, and there hide himself, that so he cannot
be found?
will he go unto the dispersedamong the Gentiles? orGreeks;and so may
design the Jews, who were scatteredabroadin the times of the Grecian
monarchy, under the successorsofAlexander, and particularly Antiochus, in
distinction from the Babylonish dispersion; or the strangers scatteredthrough
Pontus Galatia, &c. to whom Peterwrites, 1 Peter1:1. The Arabic version
renders it, "the sectof the Greeks"by which the Hellenistic Jews seemto be
meant: or the Jews in general, wherever, and by whomsoeverscattered, who
might be thought to be more ignorant than the Jews in Judea, and therefore
more easilyto be imposed upon: hence, in a flouting manner, they inquire,
whether he will go to those when he is rejectedby them. The Syriac and

Ethiopic versions read, "will he go into the countries, or country of the
Gentiles";into Heathen countries, not to the Jews there, but to the Gentiles
themselves:
and teachthe Gentiles? suggesting, thathe was more fit to be a teacherof
them, than of the Jews, andmight meet with more encouragementand success
among them, who would not be able to detecthim.
Verse 36
What manner of saying is this that he said,.... It is not easyto be understood;
and if that is not meant, which is suggested, whatshould he mean by saying,
ye shall seek me, and shall not find me, and where I am, thither ye cannot
come? repeating the words of Christ just now expressedby him.
PETER PETT
Verse 32
‘The Pharisees heardthe crowds murmuring these things about him, and the
Chief Priests and the Pharisees sentofficers to arrest him.’
This surge of support for Jesus clearlyhad the Pharisees worried, and they
reported back to the authorities, with the result that ‘the chief priests and
Pharisees sentofficers to arrest him’. At lastthey had made up their minds
that it was time to be bold. They felt that they dared not delay any longer.
They were losing the confidence of the people.

The Chief Priests were the leading officials who controlledthe activities of the
Temple and were seenby the temporal powers as authorities overthe people.
They included the High Priest, the Captain of the Temple, the Temple
Treasurer, the Temple Overseer, andthe Directors ofthe daily and weekly
courses ofpriests, and they controlled the Temple police.
The connectionof the Chief Priests with the Phariseesis interesting as in the
normal course of events they would have had as little to do with eachother as
possible. They were strange bedfellows. But in this case it was necessaryforit
was the Pharisees who had picked up on what the crowds were saying.
However, as they had themselves no means of arresting Jesus in the Temple,
they had to go to those who did have that powerand seek their cooperation.
Thus the two opposing parties (who were used to dealing with eachother in
the Sanhedrin) acted together in bringing about the sending of the Temple
police. The writer clearly knew about the detail of Temple policing.
Verse 33
‘Jesus therefore said, “Yet a little while I am with you, and I am going to him
who sent me. You will seek me and you will not find me, and where I am you
cannot come.” ’
Aware of the growing situation Jesus saidto those who were around Him,
which included a number of Judaisers, ‘I will be with you a short while. Then
I will go to Him Who sent me’. Jesus knew now that His time was short. He
was in no doubt about their intentions, and He was ready for it. But He knew
that then He would return to His Father Who had sentHim.

‘You will look for me and will not find me, and where I am you cannot come’.
Compare ‘They will seek me diligently, but they shall not find me, because
they hated knowledge, anddid not choose the fear of the Lord’ (Proverbs
1:28-29), spokenof the wisdom of God, and ‘they will go to and fro to seek the
word of the Lord, but they will not find it’ (Amos 8:12) spoken of the word of
God. There is here, for those who will hear, a reminder that He has brought
the wisdomand word of God. But the main thought is twofold. Firstly that
they would look for Him at the feastof the Passoverandbe unable to find
Him because He would have gone to His death, whilst it would take time for
the news of His death to spread around because it would have been done
surreptitiously. Then they would not be able to follow Him where He was
going because He was going to His Father. His disappearance would be a
triumph and not a tragedy.
But the thought is also contained that, having rejectedJesus, they would
continue looking for the Messiah, but would never find Him, for because of
the hardness of their hearts He would have gone where they could not come.
They would have losttheir opportunity. And it was somewhere that they
would never go unless they believed and were saved.
He was still trying to make them think about things, but all it did was puzzle
them. They could not believe that such Scriptures applied to them.
Verse 35
‘The Judaisers therefore said among themselves, “Where will this man go
such that we will never find him? Will he go to the Dispersionamong the
Greeks, andteachthe Greeks?Whatis this word that he said, ‘You will seek
me and will not find me, and where I am you cannot come’?” ’

The Judaisers were quite upset and puzzled. ‘What on earth did He mean?
Where could He go so they could not find Him?’ they askedthemselves. ‘Was
He going to the Dispersion(the Jews spread among the nations) among the
Greeks to teachthe Greeks?Whatdid His words mean?’ This is probably not
intended to be takenliterally. It was a bout of sarcasm. No prospective
Messiahwouldconsider such an action. As has occurredthroughout his
GospelJohn outlines questions to which his readers will know the correct
answers.
Yet paradoxicallythe Judaisers were right. In the end that was where His
messagewouldfind favour. The ‘Dispersion’ were the Jews and Proselytes
(circumcisedGentile converts)who were scatteredoverthe known world and
lived outside Palestine. And many Gentiles had found the ethicalteaching of
these Jews attractive and had joined them as ‘God-fearers’, without being
circumcisedand becoming wholly Jews. It was among these especiallythat the
Gospelwould find a firm welcome.
DANIEL WHEDON
Verse 32
32. The Pharisees—Towhichsectthe rulers belonged.
Heard—Thoughthese bystanders had not the nerve to apprehend him, they
had the spirit to carry the news of Christ’s preaching and its effects to these
Pharisees.Theymay have then been in sessionin the hall Gazith.

Sent officers—The success ofthese officers is given in their report, John 7:46.
Our Evangelistgives this accountparenthetically, and then proceeds with his
narrative of the struggle of Jesus with the crowd.
Verse 33
33. Then said Jesus—TheconsciousnessofJesus that, spite of these attempts
to apprehend him, his hour is not yet come, points his thought to the hour
when they should be empoweredto crucify him and his departure take place.
There is a tender plaintiveness in his language in contrastwith his previous
exclamation. But his melting is less for himself than for them.
Verse 34
34. Seek me—Butnot seek him aright. Their day of revelationhaving been
abused, in the day of their desolationthey would seek the Messiah’said in
blindness that none but the Messiahtheyreject canrelieve.
Where I am— Am at the time of your desolation.
Verse 35
35. That we shall not find him—They seemto think that if he remains within
the limits of Israelthey would be able to find him. It must be, therefore, that
he means to go to the
Gentiles. The dispersed—The diaspora or dispersion; that is, the locality or
countries of the Gentiles whereverthe Jews are scattered.

Teachthe Gentiles—Here was uttered an unconscious prophecy. Christ did,
through his apostles,go to the Jews, as scatteredthrough Gentile lands, and
evangelize the Gentiles.
Verse 36
36. What manner of saying—There is something perplexing in the Lord’s
dark intimation, which their interpretation does not solve. If he is about to
depart, need they apprehend him? If he goes to the Gentiles, can he do
mischief to Israel? Are he and his followers about to apostatize from
Judaism? They are not clearwhat steps to take;whether to secure his
apprehension or desist.
A. W. PINK
CHRIST IN THE TEMPLE (CONCLUDED)
John 7:32-53
The following is a generalOutline of the passagewhichis to be before us:—
1. The Pharisees’ attempt to apprehend Christ: verse 32.
2. Christ’s words to their officers:verses 33, 34.

3. The mystification of the Jews:verses 35, 36.
4. Christ’s words on the last day of the Feast:verses 37-39.
5. The divided opinion of the common people: verses 40-44.
6. The confessionofthe officers:verses 45, 46.
7. The conference ofthe Pharisees brokenup by Nicodemus:verses 47-53.
The passageforour present considerationcontinues and completes the one
that was before us in our last lesson. It views our Lord still in the Temple, and
supplies additional evidences ofHis absolute Deity. It also affords further
proofs of the desperate wickednessofthe human heart. There is a strange
mingling of the lights and the shadows. First, the Phariseessendofficers to
arrestChrist, and then we find these returning to their masters and confessing
that never man spake as He did. On the one hand, we hear of Christ
ministering blessing to the thirsty souls who come unto Him and drink; on the
other, we learn of there being a division among the people because ofHim.
The Sanhedrin sit in judgment upon Christ, and yet one of their own number,
Nicodemus, is found rebuking them.
Before examining in detail the dosing verses of John 7 this will be the best
place, perhaps, to callattention (though very briefly) to the significant order
of truth found in John 5, 6, and 7. This may be seenin two different
directions: First, concerning Christ Himself; second, concerning His people.
In John 5 Christ is seendisclosing His Divine attributes, His essential
perfections. In John 6 He is viewedin His humiliation, as the One come down

from heaven, and who was to "give his life" for the world. But here in John 7,
He says, "Yet a little while am I with you, and then I go unto him that sent
me" (verse 33), and speaks ofthe gift of the Holy Spirit, which was subsequent
upon His glorification(verse 39). So, too, there is a similar progressive
unfolding of truth in connectionwith the believer. In John 5 he is viewed as
"quickened" (verse 21). In John 6 we see the result of this: he comes to Christ
and is saved. Now, in John 7, we hear of "rivers of living water" flowing from
him to others!
"The Pharisees heardthat the people murmured such things concerning him;
and the Pharisees and the chief priests sent officers to take him" (John 7:32).
Things beganto move swiftly. An interval of but six months divides between
the time contemplated in our lessonand the actualcrucifixion of Christ. The
shadows commence to fall more thickly and darkly across His path. The
opposition of His enemies is more definite and relentless. The religious leaders
were incensed:their intelligence had been calledinto question (verse 26), and
they were losing their hold over many of the people (verse 31). When these
tidings reachedthe ears of the Pharisees andchief priests, they sent out
officers to arrestthe Savior.
"Then saidJesus unto them, Yet a little while am I with you, and then I go
unto him that sentme" (John 7:33). This was tantamount to saying, My
presence here is a source of annoyance to your masters, but not for long will
this be continued. But our Lord did not forgetto remind these officers that He
was complete master of the situation. None could remove Him until His work
was finished: "Yet a little while am I with you." True that little while spanned
only six months, but until these had run their course He would be with them,
and no power on earth could prevent it; no powereither human or satanic
could shorten that little while by so much as a single day or hour. And when
that little while had expired He would "go." He would return to His Fatherin
heaven. Equally powerless wouldthey be to prevent this. Of His own self He
would lay down His life, and of His own selfwould He take it again.

"Then saidJesus unto them, Yet a little while am I with you, and then I go
unto him that sentme." How solemnly these words apply to our own age!
Christ is now here in the Personof the Holy Spirit. But not forever is the Holy
Spirit to remain in the world. When the fulness of the Gentiles be come in,
then shall the Holy Spirit return to the One that sent Him. And how many
indications there are that this is not far distant! Verily, we are justified in
saying to sinners, "Yet a little while" will the Holy Spirit be "with you" and
then He will "go unto him" that sent Him. Then resistHim no longer: "Today
if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts."
"Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither ye cannot
come" (John 7:34). This, no doubt, receivedits first fulfillment immediately
after our Lord had risen from the dead. When "some of the watch" came to
Jerusalemand made knownto the chief priests that Christ had risen, that the
sepulcherwas empty, we may be sure that a diligent searchwas made for
Him. But never againdid any of them seteyes upon Him—the next time they
shall behold Him will be at the Great White Throne. Whither He had gone
they could not come, for "Excepta man be born again he cannot enter the
kingdom of God." And how tragically have these words of Christ receiveda
continual verification in connectionwith Israel all through the centuries. In
vain have the Jews soughttheir Messiah:in vain, because there is a veil over
their hearts evenas they read their own Scriptures (2 Cor. 3:15).
"Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither ye cannot
come" (John 7:34). These words also have a solemn messageforunsaved
Gentiles living today. In applying the previous verse to our owntimes we
pointed out how that the words, "Yet a little while am I with you, and then I
go unto him that sent me" find their fulfillment in the presence ofthe Spirit of
Christ in the world today, a presence so soonto be removed. And once He is
removed, once the Spirit of Christ returns to heaven, He will be sought in
vain. "Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me" will receive a most solemn

verification in a soon—coming day. This is very clearfrom Proverbs 1:24-28:
"Because Ihave called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no
man regarded;But ye have set at nought all my counseland would none of my
reproof: I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear
cometh; When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh
as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you. Then shall they
call upon me, but I will not answer;they shall seek me early, but they shall not
find me." Nor does this solemn passage standalone:"Strive to enter in at the
strait gate, for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able
when once the masterof the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door"
(Luke 13:24, 25). In view of these solemn warnings let every unsaved reader
heed promptly that imperative word in Isaiah 55:6: "Seek ye the Lord while
he may be found, callye upon him while he is near."
"And where I am, thither ye cannotcome." How this brings out the Deity of
Christ. Mark He does not say, "Where I shall be," or "Where I then am, ye
cannot come";but, though still on earth, He declared, "Where I am, thither
ye cannot come." In the previous verse He had said, "I go unto him that sent
me." These two statements referseverally, to His distinct natures. "Where I
am" intimated His perpetual presence in heaven by virtue of His Divine
nature; His going there was yet a future thing for His human nature!
"Then saidthe Jews among themselves, Whither will he go, that we shall not
find him? Will he go unto the dispersed among the Gentiles, and teachthe
Gentiles?" (John7:35). How true it is that "the natural man receiveth not the
things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him, neither can he
know them, because they are spiritually discerned" (1 Cor. 2:14). Devoid of
any spiritual perception, these Jews were unable to understand Christ’s
reference to His return to heaven. When they asked, "Willhe go to the
dispersedamong the Gentiles?" theywere referring to those Jews who lived
awayfrom Palestine. The Greek word is "diaspora" andsignifies the
Dispersion. It is found only here and in James 1:1 where it is rendered "The

twelve tribes which are scatteredabroad," literally, "in the dispersion’’, and
in 1 Peter1:1, "sojourners ofthe dispersion." Further, these Jews asked,
"Will he teachthe Gentiles?" Whatan evidence is this that unbelief will think
about anything but God? Godnot being in their thoughts, it never occurredto
them that the Lord Jesus might be referring to His Fatherin heaven;hence
their minds turned to the dispersion and the Gentiles. It is thus even with a
Christian when he is under the control of unbelief: the lastone he will think of
is God. Solemn and humbling commentary is this on the corruption of our
natural heart.
"What manner of saying is this that he said, Ye shall seek me, and shall not
find me: and where I am, thither ye cannot come?" (John7:36). And mark it,
these were not illiterate men who thus mused, but men of educationand
religious training. But no amount of culture or religious instruction can
impart spiritual understanding to the intellect. A man must be Divinely
illumined before he can perceive the meaning and value of the things of God.
The truth is that the most illiterate babe in Christ has a capacityto
understand spiritual things which an unregenerate university graduate does
not possess.The plainest and simplest word from God is far above the reach
of the natural faculties.
CHARLES SIMEON
Verse 36
DISCOURSE:1647
CHRIST MAY BE SOUGHT TOO LATE

John 7:36. What manner of saying is this that he said, Ye shall seek me, and
shall not find me: and where I am, thither ye cannotcome?
FROM the characterof our blessedLord we might well expect, that, in
whatevercircumstances he should be placed, his words and actions would be
such as became an incarnate God. Accordingly we find that he was never
discomposed, neverdisheartened; but that, as well in the prospectof a cruel
death as on all other occasions, he preserveda temper unruffled, a patience
unsubdued. “The Phariseeshad sent officers to take him;” and though the
precise hour for his being delivered up into their hands was not yet arrived, it
was very near: yet, instead of manifesting the smallestapprehensionof his
approaching sufferings, he spake ofhis death as though he had been going a
journey; and shewed, that his chief concernwas about the judgments that
would fall upon his enemies:“Yet a little while am I with you; and then I go
unto Him that sent me. Ye shall seek me, but shall not find me; and where I
go, thither ye cannot come.” This assertionofhis appearedquite inexplicable
to them. “Theysaid among themselves, Whither will he go, that we shall not
find him?” and then, after some unsatisfactoryconjectures abouthis going to
preach among the Gentiles, or destroying his own life, they were constrained
to acknowledge, thatthey could not at all comprehend it; “What manner of
saying is this that he said?” Indeed, even his own Disciples were as much at a
loss about his meaning as his very enemies [Note: Compare ver. 35 and 8:22.
with 16:16–18.].
It is not our intention to justify their unbelief: for it is evident that they were
actuatedby a proud captious spirit, and not by a sincere desire after
instruction. Yet their words will afford us a fit occasionto shew,
I. The importance of inquiring into Divine truth in general—

It is certain that there are many expressions in the Scriptures dark and
intricate—
[This arises in part from the mysterious nature of Divine truth, which relates
to subjects remote from the apprehensions of fallen man — — — It is owing
also in part to the metaphoricallanguage in which the doctrines of Revelation
are often expressed;for, howevercertainfigures may serve to illustrate the
particular doctrine containedin them, they casta veil overthe doctrine, till
the truth containedin them is understood — — — But most of all, it is owing
to the disinclination of man to receive the things which are revealed. The mind
of fallen man is blinded by pride, and passion, and interest: it has a corrupt
bias: it is averse to the things which the Spirit of Godrequires and reveals:“it
hates the light, and will not come to the light, lest its vile propensities should
be reproved:” and therefore it accounts “the things of the Spirit foolishness,”
because it is not able to discern their excellency.]
Nevertheless the things contained in the Scriptures are of infinite importance
to us all—
[They relate to the everlasting salvation of the soul: they declare the only way
in which a sinner can find acceptance withGod: they set forth the person,
work, and offices ofthe Messiah, togetherwith the distinct offices of the Holy
Trinity in the work of redemption. They make known the characters ofthem
that are saved and of them that perish, togetherwith the states to which both
the one and the other will be sentenced. In short, “the word that Christ hath
spokento us, the same shall judge us in the last day.” Now in comparisonof
these things, the concerns oftime and sense are lighter than the dust upon the
balance. Earthly things indeed appear of greatermagnitude, because theyare
nearer to us: but if spiritual truths are brought nigh by faith, they eclipse

every other object, as the meridian sun hides by its splendour the feebler
radiance of the stars.]
They should therefore be inquired into with all diligence—
[We should not be satisfiedwith a generalacknowledgmentof their truth, but
should examine into the precise import of them, with a view to ascertainwhat
is the state of our ownsouls before God. When we hearour Lord affirm so
solemnly and so repeatedly, that “unless we be born againwe cannotenter
into the kingdom of heaven;” should we not pause, and consider, and inquire
what is meant by the new birth, and whether we have everexperienced the
change implied in it? When we read, that “exceptwe eatthe flesh of the Sonof
Man and drink his blood, there is no life in us,” should we not use all possible
means to understand it, and to learn whether we are in a state of life or of
death? Can we suppose, that, because these assertions are conveyedunder
metaphoricalexpressions, they mean nothing; or, that we have no concern
with them? Will our ignorance of their import make them void? or will our
contempt of them prevent the execution of the Divine judgments agreeablyto
them? We ought, then, as our Lord enjoins us, to “searchthe Scriptures,” to
weighevery expressioncontainedin them, and to seek a conformity to them in
the whole of our principles and conduct.]
But not to dwell any longeron generaltruths, let us consider,
II. The importance of ascertaining the meaning of “this saying” in
particular—

Scarcelyany expressionso frequently occurs towards the close ofour
Saviour’s ministry as this; from whence we may be assured, that it deserved
the specialattentionof his followers. Let us then examine its meaning,
1. In reference to them—
[Our Lord was speedily to be put to death. His death indeed was voluntary on
his part; “No man could take his life from him, but he laid it down of
himself:” and therefore he said, “I go to Him that sent me.” But on their part,
it was the effect of murderous rage:for this their iniquity the whole nation
were to be abandonedto utter ruin [Note:Luke 19:42-44.]. “Then,” says our
Lord, “ye will seek me, and shall not find me.” He does not mean, that they
would cry to him, and humble themselves before him; but that they would
seek fortheir Messiah, and long for him to deliver them: and the factwas,
that, when those calamities did come upon them, they were so desirous of the
Messiah’s advent, as willingly to receive any impostor that chose to assume
that character. But they had slain the true Messiah, andwould look for any
other in vain [Note: Luke 17:22.].
Besides, the greatmass of individuals among them were to be given over to
final impenitence; and, when they should come before Christ at the last day,
they would desire to find mercy with him: but, as “Esau, having soldhis birth-
right, desired afterwards to inherit the blessing, and was rejected, and could
find no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears [Note:
Hebrews 12:16-17.];” so these wickedmen would repent too late, and spend
eternity in unavailing sorrows.
Whilst our Lord warned them of their impending danger, he taught them to
considertheir punishment as necessarilyconnectedwith their wickedness:
“Where I am, thither ye cannot come.” He does not say, “ye shall not;” but, ye

“cannot” come:for they would be excluded from heaven no less by their utter
incapacity to enjoy it, than by the unalterable decree ofGod. Heaven, if they
were admitted to it, would be no heaven to them, whilst they retained their
malignant passions, andrejectedthe salvationoffered them in the Gospel.]
2. In reference to ourselves—
[Jesus is yet present with us by the preaching of the Gospel;and he will be
withdrawn from us as soonas ever death shall separate us from the means of
grace. When“the door of heaven shall be shut, we may stand without, and
knock, saying, Lord, open to us:” we may even plead with him, and say, “We
have eatenand drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets:”
but it will be too late: he will say to us, “Departfrom me, I never knew you:”
ye sought me not, nor believed in me, when ye were yet on mercy’s ground;
and now you must have “judgment without mercy.”
But this may be the case whilst yet we are in this lowerworld. There is an
“acceptedtime, a day of salvation,” which we may irretrievably lose. We may
“grieve” and “resistthe Holy Spirit,” till we “quench” his gracious motions,
and provoke God to say, “He is joined to idols, let him alone.” He may be so
offended by our wickednessas to “give us up to a reprobate mind,” and to
“swearin his wrath that we shall never enter into his rest.” He has warned us,
that he will do so; that “if we refuse when he calls, he will laugh at our
calamity, and mock when our fear cometh:that we may even seek him early,
and shall not find him; because we hated knowledge, anddid not choose the
fear of the Lord [Note:Proverbs 1:24-29. with 2 Corinthians 6:2 and Romans
1:28.].”
Indeed, as long as we continue in an unconverted state, that word is true,
“Where I am, thither ye cannot come:” for it is impossible for any one to

enjoy heaven, without having attained a meetness for it; or to sit down at the
marriage supper of the Lamb in heaven, without that wedding garment in
which every acceptable guestis clothed.]
We may see then What manner of saying this is—
1. It is an instructive saying—
[Many are the valuable lessons whichit inculcates. It teaches us, that on the
present moment eternity depends — — — That our greatconcernin life is to
obtain the knowledge ofChrist, and an interest in his favour — — — That a
wilful abuse of our presentprivileges may provoke God to give us up to final
impenitence — — — and that, if we die before we are “renewedafterthe
Divine image in righteousness and true holiness,” we can no more enjoy
heaven, than “light canhave communion with darkness, or Christ with Belial”
— — — Would to God that we might learn these things so deeply, as to be
continually influenced by them! Happy will it be for us, if we “seek the Lord
while he may be found, and callupon him while he is near.”]
2. It is a comfortable saying—
[The words of our text are elsewhereaddressedto his own more-favoured
Disciples [Note:John 13:33.]. They are, in fact, like the pillar and cloud by
which Israel were conductedout of Egypt: they have a luminous aspect
towards the people of God, whilst they present a dark side towards his
enemies. His own dearestchildren cannot follow him now; but they shall
follow him soon[Note: John 13:36.]. He is merely “gone to prepare a place for
them; and will come soonto take them to himself, that where he is they may
be also [Note: John 14:2-3.].” Moreover, his separationfrom them at present

is only corporeal:for he is still with them, and “they see him,” and enjoy the
sweetest“fellowshipwith him [Note:John 14:19-22 with 1 John 1:3.]:” and in
a little time they shall enter into his immediate presence, and “be for ever with
the Lord [Note:1 Thessalonians4:17-18.].”Wellmight the Apostle say,
“Comfortye one another with these words.”
But this saying is peculiarly comfortable in another view; for what our Lord
said respecting the unbelieving Jews, the Christian may sayrespecting all his
spiritual enemies:‘Yet a little while I am with you; and ye may make your
assaults upon me: but soonI shall go to my Father, and be out of your reach:
then ye shall seek me, and shall not find me; and where I am, thither ye
cannot come. No, Satan, thou canstno more molest me there: temptation shall
harass me no more; sin shall no more defile me; sorrow shall no more cloud
my mind or oppress my spirits: there shall enter nothing that defileth: I may
be exposedto you all a little while longer; but soonI shall embrace
uninterrupted joy and gladness;and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.’
Blessedreflection!Who must not long for death, that he may enjoy such
happiness as this? Who must not add his Amen to that petition of our Lord,
“Father, I will that they whom thou hast given me may be with me where I
am, that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me?” Yes; let all
our hearts say, “Even so, Come, Lord Jesus;come quickly!”]
3. It is a terrific saying—
[Whilst we see so many living at their ease disregarding allthe invitations of
the Gospel, and dreaming of happiness without an interest in Christ, how
distressing is it to think, that in a little time their day of grace will be passed,
and that God may either give them up to judicial blindness, or say, “Thou
fool, this night shall thy soul be required of thee!” When we tell them of these
things, they are ready to reply, “What manner of saying is this that he hath
said? It is a wild enthusiastic dream that shall never be realized.” Ah! would

to God it might not be realized! but it will, in spite of all that you can say, or
do, to the contrary. If you continue saying to Christ, “Departfrom us; we
desire not the knowledge ofthy ways;” he will soontake you at your word,
and say, “Departfrom me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire prepared for the
devil and his angels.” Trifle then no more with the opportunities afforded you;
but “redeemthe time;” and, “whilst the light is yet with you, walk in the light,
lest darkness come upon you [Note:John 12:35-36.],”and“an impassable gulf
be fixed” betweenyou and our ever-adorable Emmanuel.]
RON TEED
John 7:32-36 (NAS):
32
The Pharisees heardthe crowd muttering these things about Him, and
the chief priests and the Phariseessentofficers to seize Him. 33
Therefore Jesus said, "Fora little while longerI am with you, then I go
to Him who sent Me. 34
"You will seek Me, and will not find Me; and where I am, you cannot
come."
35
The Jews then said to one another, "Where does this man intend to go
that we will not find Him? He is not intending to go to the Dispersion
among the Greeks, andteach the Greeks, is He?
36

"What is this statementthat He said, 'You will seek Me, and will not find
Me; and where I am, you cannot come'?"
Finally the Jewishleaders realize that Jesus is right in the middle of the city,
at the
Temple, teaching the people and they have probably been advised by their
spies that
many of the people are believing Him. So they send the Temple police to
arrestHim.
Verse 32 reveals the frustration of the chief priests and the Pharisees who
were united in
their opposition of Jesus. Seeing these Temple police coming to arrestHim did
not bother
Jesus atall because He knew they could not capture Him until the right time
in God‘s
plan. Jesus calmlystood in front of them and stated that He would continue to
be with
them for a little while. He had already proven His ability to controlthem on
several
previous occasions. Iam quite surprised that the crowds and even the Jewish
leaders were
not awedby the factthat on so many different occasions Jesuscouldnot be
arrestedor in
any way harmed. They did not know that could not happen until the time God
had
designated. It could not happen before the time that God had establishedfor
His

crucifixion, so they must have thought it odd that they could not capture Him
even when
they had Him surrounded. Jesus could have absolute control over an angry
mob who
would have, if He was not protectedby God, the ability to tear Him limb from
limb.
Could anyone but God have such power? Basedonearlier verses, imagine
that Jesus
arrived on the third or fourth day of this seven-day feast(verse 14). So they
probably first
tried to arrest Him the same day He arrived (verse 30), and yet by the last day
of the feast
(verse 37) the temple police still could not bring themselves to arrest Him.
Jesus knew all
along they could not arrestHim at that particular time, because it was before
the time that
God had establishedfor His crucifixion. This proves the statement Jesus made
in
Gethsemane six months later, when He finally allowedHimself to be arrested,
that He
could have called thousands of angels to His defense any time He chose to do
so.1 It also
1 Mills, M.S.: The Life of Christ : A Study Guide to the GospelRecord.
Dallas : 3E Ministries, 1999
Village Church of WheatonJohn 7:10-36 December30, 2007
©2007 Ron& Betty Teedwww.villagechurchofwheaton.org 9
proves God’s timing is what really controls the events in this world.

In Verse 35 where the Jews are speculating about the meaning of Jesus’words
that one
day they would look for Him and not be able to find Him, the Greek text reads
literally,
“the dispersion of the Greeks.”The Greeks were themselves widelydispersed
following
Alexander’s conquest, for they could be found anywhere in the Roman
Empire, and,
indeed, beyond its bounds as far awayas the borders of India. John 12:20
indicates that
some Greeks had been convertedto Judaism, so it seems that, with this as a
precedent,
the Jews saw Greeksas the most likely Gentiles to acceptJesus’gospelofthe
Kingdom.
As it turned out, this was an accurate prediction. Moreover, this saida great
deal about
what the Jews couldforesee as Jesus‘potential influence in the world, for it
admitted that
Jesus was the One who could do that distinctly messianic actof peacefully
bringing
Gentile nations under the influence of God’s kingdom, something which no
Jew had been
able to achieve in their national history. But this group of seekers missedthe
real point
that Jesus was making.
Of course, when Jesus saidHe would go to Him who sent Him (verse 33), He
was talking

of His coming ascension, whichis the ultimate proof that He did indeed come
from the
Father.2
So which side are you on in this drama of Hide or Seek? Are you in one or the
other
group of seekers?Are you a rejecteror someone who wants to know Jesus
better? Or are
you hiding from Christ and thinking He is hiding from you? Remember, when
Jesus told
the leaders that one day they would seek Him and not find Him, He was
talking to those
who rejectedHim, those Jewishleaders who did not really want to know Him.
The Bible tells us, “Draw nearto God and He will draw near to you.” (James
4:8 NAS).
God also says in many places throughout the Bible that if we truly seek Him,
we will
truly find Him. Goddoes not hide from anyone who really wants to know
Him. For
example, Jeremiah29:13 (NAS) “And you will seek Me and find Me, when
you search
for Me with all your heart.”
This reminds me of a poem written many years ago entitled The Hound of
Heaven. It was
written by Francis Thompson who lived in England between1859 - 1907. He
was a
consideredby himself and others to be a failure for a long period in his life.
He was also

describedby some as a “tortured soul.” He had been a one-time opium addict
and he
eventually died of tuberculosis. Later in his life he beganwriting poetry, one
of which is
a rather lengthy one entitled “The Hound of Heaven.” It is too long to quote
here
completely, but it begins:
“I fled Him [meaning God], down the nights and down the days;
I fled Him, down the arches of the years;
I fled Him, down the labyrinthine ways
Of my own mind; and in the mist of tears
I hid from Him. . . ”
2 Ibid.
Village Church of WheatonJohn 7:10-36 December30, 2007
©2007 Ron& Betty Teedwww.villagechurchofwheaton.org 10
The gistof the remainder of the poem is that no matter where he ran, or
where he hid,
though he sought contentment in all that Nature has to offer, though he spent
a life
indulging himself, it all left emptiness and a bitter taste. But then he hears a
voice, God’s
voice, pointing out that he had been seeking canbe found in God’s arms. God
gives him
an invitation:
“Rise, claspMy hand, and come."

. . . . "Ah, fondest, blindest, weakest,
I am He Whom thou seekest!”
The “Hound of Heaven” wants you to restin His arms as well. Give up your
game of
Hide or Seek today and let yourself be found by Him who loves you more than
anyone
else ever canor will

Jesus was confusing to the jews

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Jesus was confusing to the jews