John 7:31-32
When the Christ shall come ( ο Χριστος οταν ελθη ). Proleptic position of ο Χριστος again as in 27, but ελθη with οταν rather than ερχητα, calling more attention to the consummation (whenever he does come).Will he do? ( μη ποιησει; ). Future active indicative of ποιεω with μη (negative answer expected). Jesus had won a large portion of the pilgrims ( εκ του οχλου πολλο ) either before this day or during this controversy. The use of επιστευσαν (ingressive aorist active) looks as if many came to believe at this point. These pilgrims had watched closely the proceedings.
Than those which ( ων ). One must supply the unexpressed antecedent τουτων in the ablative case after πλειονα (more). Then the neuter plural accusative relative α (referring to σημεια signs) is attracted to the ablative case of the pronominal antecedent τουτων (now dropped out).
Hath done ( εποιησεν ). First aorist active indicative of ποιεω, a timeless constative aorist summing up all the miracles of Jesus so far.
The Pharisees ( ο Φαρισαιο ). This group of the Jewish rulers (7:11, 15, 25f.) was particularly hostile to Christ, though already the Sadducees had become critical (Mt 16:6) and they join here ( ο αρχιερεις, the chief priests being Sadducees) in determining to silence Jesus by bringing him before the Sanhedrin. They had heard the whispered talk about Jesus before he arrived (7:12f.) and still more now.
Heard the multitude murmuring ( ηκουσαν του οχλου γογγυζοντος ). First aorist active indicative of ακουω with the genitive case and the descriptive participle of the vivid onomatopoetic verb γογγυζω (verse 12) now grown louder like the hum of bees. It was the defence of Jesus by a portion of the crowd (7:31) that irritated the Pharisees. Here the Pharisees take the initiative and enlist the Sadducees in the Sanhedrin (for this combination see 7:45; 11:47, 57; Mt 21:45; 27:62, the organized court) to send "officers" ( υπηρετας ) "to take him" ( ινα πιασωσιν αυτον, final clause with ινα and first aorist active subjunctive of πιαζω for which verb see verse 30). For υπηρετας (temple police here) see verse 45; 18:3, 12, 22; 19:6; Ac 5:22, 26. For the word see Mt 5:25; Lu 1:2, "an under rower" ( υπο, ερετης ), any assistant.
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