John 7:31

“Ver.” — the author cites it

“Others said, “When Christ cometh, will He do greater miracles than those which this Man hath done?” ( c. vii. 31.)” — the author cites it

“See, for instance, how the subject multitude of the Jews is sound, and their rulers corrupt; for that the first of these believed Christ, the Evangelists continually assert, saying, that “many of the multitude believed on Him” ( c. vii. 31, 48 ); but they who were of the rulers, believed not.” — the author cites it

“Were those with Him then, of whom this evangelist John frequently says, “Many believed on Him”?” — editor's note: Chap. ii. 23, iv. 39, vii. 31, viii. 30, x. 42.

And many of the people believed on Him. Our Lord brought the poor and humble to be saved. The common people, who soon saw their own infirmities, received His medicine without hesitation.

Neither had these however a sound faith; but took up a low way of speaking, after the manner of the multitude: When Christ cometh, will He do more miracles than this Man hath done? Their saying, When Christ cometh,…

Or they mean, If there are not to be two Christs, this is He. The rulers however, possessed with madness, not only refused to acknowledge the physician, but even wished to kill Him: The Pharisees heard that the…

He had discoursed often before, but they had never so treated Him. The praises of the multitude however now irritated them; though the transgression of the sabbath still continued to be the reason put forward.…

Not being able to take Him against His will, they sent men to hear Him teach. Teach what? Then said Jesus unto them, Yet a little while I am with you.

He speaks with the greatest humility: as if to say, Why do ye make such haste to kill Me? Only wait a little time.

That which ye wish to do now, ye shall do sometime, but not now: because it is not My will. For I wish to fulfil My mission in due course, and so to come to My passion.

In this way He astonished the bolder part of the multitude, and made the earnest among them more eager to hear Him; so little time being now left, during which they could have the benefit of His teaching. He does not…

As if He were going to complain of them to the Father: for if they reviled Him who was sent, no doubt they did an injury to Him that sent.

I go to Him that sent Me: i. e. I return to My Father, at whose command I became incarnate. He is speaking of that departure, from which He has never returned.

That they wanted His presence, appears from His saying, Ye seek Me, and shall not find Me. But when did the Jews seek Him? Luke relates that the women lamented over Him: and it is probable that many others did the…

Here He foretels His resurrection: for the search for Him was to take place after His resurrection, when men were conscience-stricken. They would not acknowledge Him, when present; afterward they sought Him, when…

Then lest any should think that His death would take place in the common way, He adds, And where I am, thither ye cannot come. If He continued in death, they would be able to go to Him: for we all are going thitherwards.

He does not say, Where I shall be, but Where I am. For Christ was always there in that place whither He was about to return: He returned in such a way, as that He did not forsake us. Visibly and according to the…

He wants them to think seriously how little time longer He should be with them, and what regret they will feel when He is gone, and they are not able to find Him. I go unto Him that sent Me; this shews that no injury…

Whither I go, i. e. to the bosom of the Father. This they did not at all understand: and yet even their mistake is an unwitting prophecy of our salvation; i. e. that our Lord would go to the Gentiles, not in His own…

They did not mean, that our Lord was going to the Gentiles for their hurt, but to teach them. Their anger had subsided, and they believed what He had said. Else they would not have thought of asking each other, What…