John 8:20

20 He spoke these words by the treasury [while] teaching in the temple [courts], and no one seized him, because his hour had not yet 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 concerning myself, and the Father who sent me testifies concerning me."
19 So they were saying to him, "Where is your father?" Jesus replied, "You know neither me nor my Father! If you had known me, you would have known my Father also."
20 He spoke these words by the treasury [while] teaching in the temple [courts], and no one seized him, because his hour had not yet come.
21 So he said to them again, "I am going away, and you will seek me and will die in your sin. Where I am going you cannot come!"
22 Then the Jews began to say, "Perhaps he will kill himself, because he is saying, 'Where I am going you cannot come.'"

Footnotes 2

  • [a]. *Here "[while]" is supplied as a component of the participle ("teaching") which is understood as temporal
  • [b]. *Here "[courts]" is supplied to distinguish this area from the interior of the temple building itself
Scripture quotations marked (LEB) are from the Lexham English Bible. Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software.