John 7:21

Jesus answered and said unto them, I have done one work, and ye all marvel. JESUS ANSWERED AND SAID UNTO THEM, I HAVE DONE [RATHER, 'I DID' epoieesa (G4160 )] ONE WORK, AND YE ALL MARVEL. Taking no notice of the popular appeal, as there were those there who knew well enough what He meant, He recalls His cure of the sick man, and the murderous rage it had kindled (John 5:9; John 5:16; John 5:18). It may seem strange that He should refer to an event a year and a half old, as if but newly done; and this is urged as a fatal objection to our Lord's having been so long absent from Jerusalem....

21._I have done one work. _Now, leaving their persons, he begins to speak of the fact; for he proves that the miracle which he performed is not inconsistent with the Law of God. When he says that _he has done one work_, the meaning is, that it is only of a single crime that he is held guilty, or that it is only for a single work that he is blamed, which is, that he cured a man on the day of Rest; (188) but that they, on every day of Rest, do many works of the same, or a similar description, and do not reckon them criminal; for not a day of Rest passed on which there were not many infants _circumcised _in Judea. By this example he defends his action, although he does not merely argue from what is similar, but draws a comparison between the greater and the less. There was this similarity between _circumcision _and the cure of the paralytic, that both were works of God; but Christ maintains...

14-24 Every faithful minister may humbly adopt Christ's words. His doctrine is not his own finding out, but is from God's word, through the teaching of his Spirit. And amidst the disputes which disturb the world, if any man, of any nation, seeks to do the will of God, he shall know whether the doctrine is of God, or whether men speak of themselves. Only those who hate the truth shall be given up to errors which will be fatal. Surely it was as agreeable to the design of the sabbath to restore health to the afflicted, as to administer an outward rite. Jesus told them to decide on his conduct according to the spiritual import of the Divine law. We must not judge concerning any by their outward appearance, but by their worth, and by the gifts and graces of God's Spirit in them....

Verse John 7:21. _I HAVE DONE ONE WORK_] That of curing the impotent man, already referred to. See John 5:9. _AND YE ALL MARVEL._] or, _ye all marvel because of this_. Some have δια τουτο, in connection with θαυμαζετε, which the common pointing makes the beginning of the next verse, and which, in our common version, is translated _therefore_; but this word conveys no meaning at all, in the connection in which it is thus placed. Proof of this construction _Kypke_ gives from _Themistius, Strabo_, and _AElian_. All the eminent critics are on the side of this arrangement of the words....

ONE WORK - The healing of the man on the Sabbath, John 5. YE ALL MARVEL - You all wonder or are amazed, and particularly that it was done on the Sabbath. This was the particular ground of astonishment, that he should dare to do what they esteemed a violation of the Sabbath....

EXPOSITION Ch. 7-10. contain the record of the conflict between faith and unbelief in the metropolis. At first the narrative indicates a vast amount of critical inquiry, of unsettled opinion, of angry disappointment and a certain readiness to be convinced on the part of one section or another. The secrecy of the Galilean village is contrasted with the broad arena of the temple courts. "The Jews," or leaders of opinion and authority in Judaea and Jerusalem, who were hostile, are seen in contrast with "the Jews who believed on him" (John 8:31). There are multitudes and multitudes (John 10:12, John 10:30, John 10:31), priests and Pharisees ...

JESUS ANSWERED AND SAID UNTO THEM,.... Taking no notice of their passion, reproach, and blasphemy; but proceeding upon the thing he had in view, and which he was determined to reassume, and vindicate himself in; I HAVE DONE ONE WORK; that is, on the sabbath day; meaning, his cure of the man that had had a disorder eight and thirty years, who lay at Bethesda's pool; which single action, they charged with being a breach of the sabbath, he mentions with a view to their many, and daily violations of it: AND YE ALL MARVEL; at it, as a thing unheard of, as a most shocking piece of iniquity, as an intolerable evil; wondering that any man should have the front, to bid another take up his bed and walk, on the sabbath day: they did not marvel at the miracle that was wrought; but were amazed, offended, and disturbed, at its being done on the sabbath day....

John 7:14. _Now about the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and taught._ He was no coward, so he boldly showed himself in the midst of the throng in the temple. John 7:15. _And the Jews marvelled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?_ Or, «How knoweth he the Scriptures? How has he come to be an instructed man, having never learned of the Rabbis? He has never passed through our schools of learning, so what can he know?» John 7:16. _Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me._ «I am not the inventor of what I say; I am but a messenger, delivering the message of him that sent me.»...

CHAPTER 7 _ 1. My Time is not Yet Come. (John 7:1 .)_ 2. Departure from Galilee; Sought by the Jews. (John 7:10 .) 3. In the Temple Teaching. (John 7:14 .) 4. Opposition to Him. (John 7:30 .) 5. The Indwelling Spirit Promised. (John 7:37 .) 6. The Division Among the People Because of Him. (John 7:40 .) 7. The Returning Officers and the Defense of Nicodemus. (John 7:45 .)

THE SECRET VISIT. Soon, however, He receives the Divine intimation, for which He always waits (_cf. John 2:4_, John 11:6 f.) and goes up secretly. The Jews are discussing Him, and various opinions are expressed, but only in secret from fear of the leaders of the party, who are known to be hostile. When He appears in the Temple and teaches, they are surprised at the power of one who has not been trained in the schools. He replies that His teaching has a higher source, as all will recognise who are willing to obey God's will (_cf._ Numbers 16:28). The self-sent teacher will betray himself by the selfishness of his aims. Circumcision is allowed to override the law of the Sabbath. Why not, therefore, His healing of the whole man, in