John 8:20

20 He spoke these words by the treasury,^[a] while teaching in the temple complex. But no one seized Him, because His hour^[b] had not come.

John 8:20 Meaning and Commentary

John 8:20

These words spake Jesus in the treasury
The place where the thirteen chests stood, into which the people put their voluntary contributions for the sacrifices, and service of the temple: the Ethiopic version renders it, "at the alms chest"; (See Gill on Mark 12:41). The design of this observation of the evangelist, is to suggest to us, that it was in a very public place, in the temple, openiy, that Christ delivered the above words:

as he taught in the temple;
where the Jews resorted, where his ministry was public, and he spake freely, and without reserve; in a very bold manner, with intrepidity, and without fear of man:

and no man laid hands on him;
though they had sought to do it the day before; had sent officers to take him; and they themselves had a good will to it; and yet they were so awed and over ruled by one means, or one account or another, that no man did it; the reason was,

for his hour was not yet come;
the time appointed for his sufferings and death.

John 8:20 In-Context

18 I am the One who testifies about Myself, and the Father who sent Me testifies about Me."

19 Then they asked Him, "Where is Your Father?" "You know neither Me nor My Father," Jesus answered. "If you knew Me, you would also know My Father."

20 He spoke these words by the treasury, while teaching in the temple complex. But no one seized Him, because His hour had not come.

21 Then He said to them again, "I'm going away; you will look for Me, and you will die in your sin. Where I'm going, you cannot come."

22 So the Jews said again, "He won't kill Himself, will He, since He says, 'Where I'm going, you cannot come' ?"

Footnotes

• [a]. A place for offerings to be given, perhaps in the court of women
• [b]. The time of His sacrificial death and exaltation; Jn 2:4; 7:30; 12:23,27; 13:1; 17:1