John 7:20

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - John 7:14-36

Here is, I. Christ's public preaching in the temple (John 7:14): He went up into the temple, and taught, according to his custom when he was at Jerusalem. His business was to preach the gospel of the kingdom, and he did it in every place of concourse. His sermon is not recorded, because, probably, it was to the same purport with the sermons he had preached in Galilee, which were recorded by the other evangelists. For the gospel is the same to the plain and to the polite. But that which is... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - John 7:19-24

7:19-24 "Did not Moses give you the law--and not one of you really keeps it? Why do you try to kill me?" The crowd answered: "You are mad! Who is trying to kill you?" Jesus answered them: "I have done only one deed and you are all astonished by it. Moses gave you the rite of circumcision (not that it had its origin in Moses--it came down from your fathers) and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath. If a man can be circumcised on the Sabbath, without breaking the law of Moses, are you angry at... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - John 7:20

The people answered and said ,.... These seem to be the country people, who came from Galilee and other parts, who knew nothing of the designs of the Jerusalem Jews upon him; nor were they his downright enemies at least, but rather seemed to favour him, and were on his side, though greatly provoked to hear him talk after this manner: thou hast a devil ; or art possessed with one; thou talkest like one of the demoniacs, like a madman, one beside thyself; whom the devil has so much power... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - John 7:20

Thou hast a devil - The crowd, who made this answer, were not in the secret of the chief priests. They could not suppose that any person desired to put him to death for healing a diseased man; and therefore, in their brutish manner, they say, Thou hast a demon - thou art beside thyself, and slanderest the people, for none of them desires to put thee to death. The Codex Cyprius (K), four others, and the margin of the later Syriac, attribute this answer to the Jews, i.e. those who were seeking... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - John 7:20

Verse 20 20.Thou hast a devil. The meaning is, “Thou art mad;” for it was a customary phrase among the Jews, who had been trained to the doctrine that, when men are excited to rage, or when they have lost sense and reason, they are tormented by the devil. And, indeed, as gentle and moderate chastisements are God’s fatherly rods, so when He treats us with greater harshness and severity, He appears not to strike us with his own hand, but rather to employ the devil as the executioner and minister... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - John 7:1-53

John 7:1-53 . consists of three distinct parts: Verses 7:1-8:11 3. Christ as the Source of truth. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - John 7:19-24

Justification of his conduct. The allusion to unrighteousness is the point of transition from Christ's teaching to his conduct. I. HE IS CHARGED BY THE JEWS WITH BREAKING THE SABBATH LAW . 1 . He had healed the impotent man at a former visit to Jerusalem on the sabbath day. "I have done one work, and ye all marvel." 2 . The Jews would have stoned him as a transgressor for the act. " Why do ye seek to kill me?" He knows the designs of the rulers, though... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - John 7:20

The multitude, who broke out in angry and ignorant remonstrance, answered (and said). £ Thou hast a daemon. Who is seeking to kill thee? Thou must have some evil spirit tormenting thee with such cruel and melancholy foreboding (cf. John 8:48 ; John 10:20 ). This was an outburst of insolent and ignorant amazement on their part, that One who taught so wonderfully " should imagine what they deem a moral impossibility and dark delusion" (Meyer). The design rankling in the hearts of... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - John 7:20-24

(3) Treatment of the ignorance and insolence of the multitude. read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - John 7:20

The people - Perhaps some of the people who were not aware of the designs of the rulers.Thou hast a devil - Thou art deranged or mad. See John 10:20. As they saw no effort to kill him, and as they were ignorant of the designs of the rulers, they supposed that this was the effect of derangement. read more

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