John 7:47-49
Are ye also led astray? ( Μη κα υμεις πεπλανησθε; ). The Pharisees took the lead in this scornful sneer at the officers. The use of μη formally expects a negative answer as in 4:29, but the Pharisees really believed it. See also 6:67. The verb form is perfect passive indicative of πλαναω, for which see verse 12 with perhaps an allusion to that phase of opinion.Hath any of the rulers believed on him? ( Μη τις εκ των αρχοντων επιστευσεν εις αυτον; ). Negative answer sharply expected. First aorist active indicative of πιστευω. "Did any one of the rulers believe on him?" "What right have subordinates to have a mind of their own?" (Dods). These police were employed by the temple authorities (rulers). "Power was slipping through their fingers" (Dods) and that was the secret of their hostility to Jesus.
Or of the Pharisees ( η εκ των Φαρισαιων ). A wider circle and the most orthodox of all.
This multitude ( ο οχλος ουτος ). The Pharisees had a scorn for the amhaaretz or "people of the earth" (cf. our "clod-hoppers") as is seen in rabbinic literature. It was some of the οχλος (multitude at the feast especially from Galilee) who had shown sympathy with Jesus (7:12, 28f.).
Which knoweth not the law ( ο μη γινοσκων ). Present active articular participle of γινωσκω with μη usual negative of the participle in the Koine. "No brutish man is sin-fearing, nor is one of the people of the earth pious" (Aboth, II. 6). See the amazement of the Sanhedrin at Peter and John in Ac 4:13 as "unlettered and private men" ( αγραμματο κα ιδιωτα ). No wonder the common people ( οχλος ) heard Jesus gladly (Mr 12:37). The rabbis scouted and scorned them.
Are accursed ( επαρατο εισιν ). Construction according to sense (plural verb and adjective with collective singular οχλος ). Επαρατο is old verbal adjective from επαραομα, to call down curses upon, here only in the N.T.
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