John 7 11

John 7:11 kjv

Then the Jews sought him at the feast, and said, Where is he?

John 7:11 nkjv

Then the Jews sought Him at the feast, and said, "Where is He?"

John 7:11 niv

Now at the festival the Jewish leaders were watching for Jesus and asking, "Where is he?"

John 7:11 esv

The Jews were looking for him at the feast, and saying, "Where is he?"

John 7:11 nlt

The Jewish leaders tried to find him at the festival and kept asking if anyone had seen him.

John 7 verses

John 7 11 Meaning

John 7:11 describes the atmosphere surrounding Jesus at the Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem. It reveals that "the Jews," referring primarily to the religious authorities and those aligned against Jesus, were actively searching for Him. Their question, "Where is He?", signifies not only a physical search but also the widespread public attention and the underlying tension concerning His whereabouts and expected arrival. This seeking was driven by various motives, including hostility and the intent to seize or discredit Him.

John 7 11 Context

John 7:11 is set during the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot), one of the three major annual pilgrim festivals when all adult Jewish males were expected to travel to Jerusalem. This festival was a joyful commemoration of God's provision during the Israelites' wilderness wandering and the ingathering of the harvest. It involved dwelling in temporary shelters (tabernacles) and daily water libation ceremonies, which Jesus would later interpret symbolically. Leading up to this verse, Jesus had been in Galilee, deliberately avoiding Judea due to escalating threats to His life from "the Jews" (Jn 7:1). While His brothers urged Him to go publicly to Judea to display His works, Jesus initially decided to go to the feast quietly, "not openly, but as it were in secret" (Jn 7:10). The question "Where is He?" highlights the widespread public knowledge of Jesus, His significant impact, and the underlying tension concerning His messianic claims, which had caused a division among the people (Jn 7:12). The stage is thus set for confrontation in the most public and religiously charged setting.

John 7 11 Word analysis

• Then (οὖν, oun): This Greek particle functions as a transition, indicating a consequence or continuation from the preceding events. It connects the widespread searching for Jesus to His initial reluctance to appear openly at the Feast of Tabernacles.
• the Jews (οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι, hoi Ioudaioi): In John's Gospel, this term often refers specifically to the hostile religious authorities in Jerusalem—the Sanhedrin, Pharisees, Sadducees, and scribes—rather than the entire Jewish populace. It denotes those who opposed Jesus's claims and sought to condemn Him. This usage highlights a conflict within Israel itself, distinguishing between the leadership and a broader group of people who might be curious or even believe.
• sought (ἐζήτουν, ezētoun): This is in the imperfect tense in Greek, indicating continuous, repeated, or persistent action. It suggests that their search was not a one-time question but an ongoing effort. The verb "seek" can imply various intentions; here, combined with "the Jews," it carries a negative connotation of seeking with a view to arrest, scrutinize, or accuse, rather than seeking out of genuine spiritual inquiry or welcome.
• Him (αὐτόν, auton): Refers directly to Jesus. He is the central figure, the subject of all discussion and attention during the feast.
• at the feast (ἐν τῇ ἑορτῇ, en tē heortē): This specifies the Feast of Tabernacles, a critical detail emphasizing the public, religious, and high-stakes setting for this search. Jerusalem would be crowded with pilgrims from all over, making it an opportune, yet dangerous, place for Jesus to appear.
• and said (καὶ ἔλεγον, kai elegon): Again, the imperfect tense ("they were saying" or "they kept asking"), suggesting that this was a frequently uttered question, indicative of ongoing conversation and debate among the crowds and authorities concerning Jesus's absence or potential presence.
• "Where is He?" (Ποῦ ἐστιν ἐκεῖνος;, Pou estin ekeinos?): This simple question, though outwardly neutral, is laden with subtext given the preceding context of threats to Jesus's life. "He" (ἐκεῖνος, ekeinos) acts as an emphatic pronoun, pointing to Jesus as that famous, controversial, and anticipated person. It implies anticipation, suspense, and varying intentions among those asking – curiosity, hope, fear, or malice.

Words-group analysis:

• "Then the Jews sought Him": This phrase immediately establishes the antagonists and their aggressive posture towards Jesus. It signifies a determined, orchestrated pursuit rather than casual inquiry. Their intent, as known from prior chapters (Jn 5:18, 7:1), was hostile, aiming to apprehend or silence Him.
• "at the feast, and said": Placing the seeking "at the feast" highlights the public nature and visibility of Jesus's ministry and the authorities' concerns. The repeated discussions ("and said") emphasize the public buzz and divided opinions surrounding Him.
• "'Where is He?'": This short, seemingly innocuous question reveals a significant public interest in Jesus. It carries the weight of apprehension from His enemies, eager to locate and deal with Him, and possibly hopeful expectation or even just gossip from others among the multitude who had heard of His works and teachings.

John 7 11 Bonus section

The act of seeking for Jesus in this verse directly contrasts with the ultimate spiritual seeking that He calls people to. While "the Jews" in this context sought Him to condemn Him, true seeking of Jesus, according to other scriptures, leads to eternal life and truth (Mt 7:7, "Seek, and you will find"; Jer 29:13, "You will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart"). This verse also sets the scene for Jesus's later self-revelations at the feast, where He openly addresses the varied opinions and the very source of His authority, confronting those who sought to harm Him with truth. The irony lies in them searching for the very One who is the Water of Life and Light of the World, yet failing to truly know Him when He was in their midst.

John 7 11 Commentary

John 7:11 serves as an impactful opening to Jesus's presence at the Feast of Tabernacles. It establishes the immediate atmosphere: one of anticipation mixed with overt hostility. "The Jews," specifically the ruling Jerusalem establishment, were actively and persistently searching for Jesus. Their motives were clear from previous chapters—they sought to kill or arrest Him due to His claims and actions, particularly the healing on the Sabbath in John 5. The simple question, "Where is He?", reverberated throughout Jerusalem, revealing the widespread knowledge of Jesus's significance and the underlying tension that permeated the sacred feast. It was a search not of worshipful adoration or genuine inquiry for truth, but largely of anxious opposition, preparing the stage for the intense debates and divisions that would define Jesus's subsequent ministry during this festival.