John 7 15

John 7:15 kjv

And the Jews marvelled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?

John 7:15 nkjv

And the Jews marveled, saying, "How does this Man know letters, having never studied?"

John 7:15 niv

The Jews there were amazed and asked, "How did this man get such learning without having been taught?"

John 7:15 esv

The Jews therefore marveled, saying, "How is it that this man has learning, when he has never studied?"

John 7:15 nlt

The people were surprised when they heard him. "How does he know so much when he hasn't been trained?" they asked.

John 7 verses

John 7 15 Meaning

The Jews at the Feast of Tabernacles were astonished by Jesus' teaching, questioning how He possessed such wisdom and knowledge without having formal education or schooling. They recognized His unique insight and ability to articulate divine truths, contrasting it with their understanding of how learning was typically acquired.

John 7 15 Context

This verse occurs during the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot) in Jerusalem. Jesus had gone up to Jerusalem, not openly but in a somewhat private manner, as there were still many who sought to kill Him. During the festival, Jesus taught openly in the Temple. The religious authorities were trying to arrest Him, but His time had not yet come. The people marvelled at His teaching, especially compared to the religious leaders. This verse captures the reaction of the crowds to Jesus' profound understanding and eloquent delivery of spiritual truth, highlighting their amazement that He could possess such wisdom without having undergone the typical rabbinical training.

John 7 15 Word Analysis

• Verse: John 7:15 (In the original Greek, John 7:15 reads: καὶ ἐθαύμαζον οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι λέγοντες, Πῶς οὗτός οἶδεν γράμματα, μὴ μεμαθηκώς; - kai ethaumazon hoi Ioudaioi legontes, pōs houtos oiden grammata, mē memathēkōs?)

• Word-by-word analysis:

  • καὶ (kai): and
  • ἐθαύμαζον (ethaumazon): verb, imperfect active indicative, 3rd person plural from thaumazō (to wonder, marvel, be amazed). Indicates a continuous state of astonishment.
  • οἱ (hoi): the (definite article, nominative plural masculine)
  • Ἰουδαῖοι (Ioudaioi): Jews (noun, nominative plural masculine). Refers to the Jewish people present in Jerusalem, specifically those who were critical or observant of Jesus' ministry and teaching.
  • λέγοντες (legontes): verb, present active participle, nominative plural masculine from legō (to say, speak). Implies "saying" or "remarking" in their astonishment.
  • Πῶς (pōs): how (interrogative adverb). Questions the manner or method.
  • οὗτός (houtos): this (demonstrative pronoun, nominative singular masculine). Refers to Jesus.
  • οἶδεν (oiden): verb, 3rd person singular perfect active indicative of oida (to know, understand). Refers to knowing or understanding.
  • γράμματα (grammata): letters, writings, scriptures (noun, accusative plural neuter). In this context, it likely refers to learned knowledge, particularly of the Scriptures, implying scholarship and mastery of the law.
  • μὴ (mē): not (particle of negation)
  • μεμαθηκώς (memathēkōs): verb, perfect active participle, nominative singular masculine from manthanō (to learn). Lit. "having learned," implying systematic study or instruction. The perfect tense emphasizes the completed action or state resulting from learning.

• Words-group analysis:

  • "ἐθαύμαζον οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι" (ethaumazon hoi Ioudaioi): "the Jews marvelled." This highlights the external reaction of the crowd to Jesus, showing their perplexity at His unusual spiritual insight.
  • "Πῶς οὗτός οἶδεν γράμματα" (pōs houtos oiden grammata): "How does this man know scriptures/writings?" This is the core of their question, focusing on His possession of learned knowledge and understanding, suggesting that His familiarity with sacred texts and divine truth was extraordinary.
  • "μὴ μεμαθηκώς;" (mē memathēkōs?): "not having learned?" This points to the crucial observation that Jesus had not gone through the traditional rabbinical schools. Their assumption was that true mastery of the Law and wisdom came only through such formal education, which Jesus evidently had not received.

John 7 15 Bonus Section

The concept of learnedness versus innate divine wisdom is a recurring theme. In the Old Testament, prophets often received their commission and knowledge directly from God (Jeremiah 1:9). Wisdom literature, like Proverbs, emphasizes that true wisdom and understanding come as gifts from the Lord (Proverbs 2:6). Jesus Himself would later speak about not speaking on His own authority, but only what the Father taught Him (John 12:49). The astonishment of the Jews underscores their limited understanding of divine capability, focusing on human institutions rather than God's direct empowerment. This challenges conventional thinking about where spiritual authority and knowledge reside.

John 7 15 Commentary

The Jewish people's amazement stems from a contrast between perceived reality and observed action. They knew Jesus to be from Nazareth, an obscure Galilean town, and assumed He had received no formal rabbinical education, the common path to acquiring significant knowledge of the Scriptures and becoming a teacher. Yet, they heard Him speak with unparalleled wisdom and authority, as if He were an accomplished scholar or scribe. This created a dilemma for them: how could an unschooled man exhibit such deep understanding of divine things? Their question reflects an adherence to tradition and a worldly view of how knowledge is obtained. Jesus' response (in later verses) would clarify that His wisdom was divine, sourced directly from God the Father, not from human schooling. This disconnect between His perceived background and His manifest abilities fueled their astonishment and doubt.