John 7:36

John 7:36, in plain English

The leaders keep repeating Jesus' words, turning them over and over, but they just cannot figure out what He means. The truth is right in front of them, but they cannot see it.

Why it's here

Sometimes the problem is not that the truth is hidden but that we are not ready to receive it. That is exactly what is happening here.

Who's speaking

The leaders puzzle over Jesus' words, unable to crack the code.

Where it sits in the story

Have you ever heard something true but were not ready to accept it? The leaders are holding Jesus' words in their hands like a locked box, not realizing that faith is the key.

The scholarly reading

The leaders repeat Jesus' words with puzzlement, unable to penetrate their meaning, demonstrating the Johannine theme that spiritual truth remains opaque to those who approach it without faith.

Language and setting

Their repetition of Jesus' words without comprehension mirrors Nicodemus (ch. 3) and the Samaritan woman (ch. 4), illustrating that Jesus' sayings require spiritual illumination to be understood.

Voice

The Jewish leaders continue their confused discussion, repeating Jesus' words as a riddle they cannot solve.

Significance

They have the words but not the understanding. Jesus' sayings bounce off their ears without penetrating their hearts. The gap between hearing and understanding is the gap of faith.

34You will look for Me, but you will not find Me; and where I am, you cannot come.”

35At this, the Jews said to one another, “Where does He intend to go that we will not find Him? Will He go where the Jews are dispersed among the Greeks, and teach the Greeks?

36What does He mean by saying, ‘You will look for Me, but you will not find Me,’ and, ‘Where I am, you cannot come’?”

37On the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood up and called out in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink.

38Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said: ‘Streams of living water will flow from within him.’”

Read all of John 7 — Jesus appears at the Festival of Tabernacles and divides the crowd. Some say he's a prophet, some say he's the Messiah, and some want him arrested.