John 7:30

Then they sought Better, Therefore they kept seeking (imperfect of continued action) in consequence of His publicly claiming Divine origin and mission. -They" means the rulers, the Sanhedrin; not the people, who are mentioned in the next verse.

but no man laid hands Rather, and no man laid hands, -and" introducing a contrast as in John 7:28. See on John 21:3. That -and" in S. John often = -and yet," as here, is most true; that -and" ever = -but" is true neither of S. John nor of any other Greek writer.

because his hour The hour appointed by God for His Passion (John 13:1), this meaning being clearly marked by the context (see on John 7:6 and John 2:4). The immediate cause of their not seizing Him was that they were as yet afraid to do so; but S. John passes through proximate causes to the prime cause of all, the Will of God. When the hour was come God no longer allowed their fear, which still existed (Matthew 26:5), to deter them.