The Feast of Tabernacles has been the setting for the whole of John 7. It is now coming to an end. Halfway through the feast the Lord Jesus Christ begins to preach openly. He causes quite a stir and the crowds are divided over his person and his message.
The Pharisees are also disturbed. They hear that some believe that Jesus might be the Christ. The Pharisees cannot stand for this. Therefore in v32 they send some of the temple guards to arrest him. Today's passage begins as they return.
i Report
In v45, the guards return empty handed. They have not arrested Jesus. The chief priests and the Pharisees ask why. They reply in v46, and their words are significant. They could easily have blamed their failure to arrest Jesus on the crowd; doing so might have caused a riot. Instead they say, "No-one ever spoke the way this man does." They seem genuinely impressed by Jesus and his teaching.
What was it that so impressed them? The manner of his teaching was different. He spoke with authority. Matthew 7:24-29 is a good example of that. The content of his teaching was also different. His words were gripping and they had an electrifying effect upon the crowds. Everyone was talking about him.
The guards' words are extra significant in the original Greek. Keeping Greek word order, they are, "Never spoke this way a man!" All the emphasis is on the last word. It's as though they were saying, "We never heard a mere man speaking like this!" And in saying that, they were wiser than they knew.
Jesus is not a mere man. He is both God and man: 100% God and 100% man. It's vital that you believe that. Only an infinitely valuable sacrifice can atone for infinitely sinful people before an infinitely offended God.
ii Rage
The Pharisees are not impressed. Their response to the guards in v47-49 is abusive and arrogant. This reveals two grim lessons.
Firstly, knowledge of God's word is useless if it does not change the heart and life. The Pharisees were experts in the law. Sadly they did not recognise the Messiah the law revealed. Ultimately, therefore, it was all for nothing. You might know all about God's word. But if that does not lead you to repent of your sin before the Lord and to believe in Jesus Christ, then you stand condemned. Indeed, those who have the most privileges in this life but who reject them will suffer the more for it in the next.
Secondly, the Pharisees warn us to beware of pride. Apathy condemns many to hell. And pride condemns many too. People like to think that they are good enough to get into heaven. They don't see themselves as God sees them. The first step in coming to Christ is to understand how evil you are in the Lord's sight, and to repent.
iii Reposte
A lone voice speaks up for Jesus: the voice of Nicodemus in v50-51. He also teaches us two lessons.
Firstly, grace can be found in strange places. The Pharisees were opposed to Jesus. But here we find one of their number standing up for him. (It's not clear whether Nicodemus is actually saved by John 7, but he certainly is when we come to John 19.) God can save people in the most unusual places. This should be an encouragement when conversions seem few and far between in the UK. God can save blasphemous people at work, cruel pupils at school, atheists... We should remember that God's power today is no less than it ever was.
The second lesson which Nicodemus teaches is that small examples of faithfulness can lead to big examples of faithfulness. Nicodemus does not say too much here in defence of the Lord, but at least he says something. The next time we meet him, though, is in John 19. And there he comes right out for the Lord, helping Joseph of Arimathea to bury Christ's body. A little example of faithfulness in John 7 and a big example of faithfulness in John 19. Those in church history who have made the ultimate sacrifice for Christ have only been able to do so because they were faithful in smaller things earlier in their lives. You need to be faithful to the Lord in the little things. If you are, who knows what the Lord might trust you with in the days to come!