John 7:41

41 others said, "This is the Messiah." But others said, "How can the Messiah come from the Galil?

John 7:41 Meaning and Commentary

John 7:41

Others said, this is the Christ
The true Messiah, which they concluded, not only from the miracles, ( John 7:31 ) , but from his speaking of rivers of living water flowing from him that believes in him; for the same prophecy that speaks of miracles to be performed in the times of the Messiah, speaks also of waters breaking out in the wilderness, and streams in the desert, of the parched ground becoming a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water, ( Isaiah 35:5-7 ) .

But some said, shall Christ come out of Galilee?
as they supposed Jesus did; and because he was educated at Nazareth, and Capernaum was his city, and he chiefly conversed, preached, and wrought his miracles in these parts, they concluded that he was born there; and therefore object this to his being the true Messiah. For if they did not mean this, according to their own accounts, the Messiah was to be in Galilee, and to be first revealed there; for they affirm F9 this in so many words, that (lylgd aerab axyvm aklm ylgty) , "the King Messiah shall be revealed in the land of Galilee"; accordingly Jesus, the true Messiah, as he was brought up in Galilee, though not born there, so he first preached there, and there wrought his first miracle; here he chiefly was, unless at the public feasts; and here he manifested himself to his disciples after his resurrection.


FOOTNOTES:

F9 Zohar in Gen. fol. 74. 3. & in Exod. fol. 3. 3. & 4. 1.

John 7:41 In-Context

39 (Now he said this about the Spirit, whom those who trusted in him were to receive later -- the Spirit had not yet been given, because Yeshua had not yet been glorified.)
40 On hearing his words, some people in the crowd said, "Surely this man is `the prophet'";
41 others said, "This is the Messiah." But others said, "How can the Messiah come from the Galil?
42 Doesn't the Tanakh say that the Messiah is from the seed of Davidf and comes from Beit-Lechem,g the village where David lived?"
43 So the people were divided because of him.
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.