The Meaning of John 7:27 Explained

John 7:27

KJV: Howbeit we know this man whence he is: but when Christ cometh, no man knoweth whence he is.

YLT: but this one -- we have known whence he is; and the Christ, when he doth come, no one doth know whence he is.'

Darby: But as to this man we know whence he is. Now as to the Christ, when he comes, no one knows whence he is.

ASV: Howbeit we know this man whence he is: but when the Christ cometh, no one knoweth whence he is.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Howbeit  we know  this man  whence  he is:  but  when  Christ  cometh,  no man  knoweth  whence  he is. 

What does John 7:27 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The people of Jerusalem felt inclined to disbelieve that Jesus was the Messiah because they believed that their human Messiah"s origins would be unknown. This belief was a tradition. [1] It was certainly not scriptural since the Old Testament clearly predicted that Messiah"s birthplace would be Bethlehem ( Micah 5:2). The common understanding of Jesus" origin was that He grew up and had evidently been born in Nazareth. Not only did they fail to perceive His heavenly origin, but they were also wrong about His earthly origin. Indeed they did not know Him very well at all.

Context Summary

John 7:25-31 - The Unavoidable Christ
The freedom with which Jesus preached arrested the attention of the people in Jerusalem, and many wondered whether the cessation of hostility indicated a tacit admission on the part of the authorities that Jesus was what He claimed to be. But they were deferred in arriving at this final conclusion by the consideration that the origin of the Messiah would be unknown, John 7:27. Jesus answered this objection in John 7:28-29. He says in effect: "What you say is true: the Messiah's origin is not known: but my origin is unknown, because it is from God, whom you, notwithstanding your profession, do not know. I know Him, but to you He is only a venerable Name." The knowledge of the birth at Bethlehem and the lowly family of Jesus, will not explain the mystery of His Person or the secret of His influence on men. All that can only be accounted for by His divine glory as the Only-Begotten of the Father. His hearers immediately recognized the greatness of these claims, which appeared to them blasphemous, though to us they are the literal truth. While the adversaries of Jesus were strengthened in their purpose, His friends were confirmed in their faith. John 7:31 is a decided advance upon John 7:12. See 2 Corinthians 2:16. [source]

Chapter Summary: John 7

1  Jesus reproves the ambition and boldness of his kinsmen;
10  goes up from Galilee to the feast of tabernacles;
14  teaches in the temple
40  Various opinions of him among the people
45  The Pharisees are angry that their officers took him not,
50  and chide with Nicodemus for taking his side

Greek Commentary for John 7:27

Howbeit [αλλα]
Clearly adversative here. This man Possibly contemptuous use of ουτος — houtos as may be true in John 7:25, John 7:26. Whence he is The Galilean Jews knew the family of Jesus (John 6:42), but they knew Jesus only as from Nazareth, not as born in Bethlehem (John 7:42). When the Christ cometh Prolepsis of ο Χριστος — ho Christos and indefinite temporal clause with οταν — hotan and the present middle subjunctive ερχηται — erchētai rather than the more usual second aorist active ελτηι — elthēi as in John 7:31, a trifle more picturesque. This is a piece of popular theology. “Three things come wholly unexpected - Messiah, a godsend, and a scorpion” (Sanhedrin 97a). The rulers knew the birthplace to be Bethlehem (John 7:42; Matthew 2:5.), but some even expected the Messiah to drop suddenly from the skies as Satan proposed to Jesus to fall down from the pinnacle of the temple. The Jews generally expected a sudden emergence of the Messiah from concealment with an anointing by Elijah (Apoc. of Bar. XXIX. 3; 2Esdr. 7:28; 13:32; Justin Martyr, Tryph. 110). [source]
Howbeit [ἀλλὰ]
But, it cannot be that the rulers have made such a discovery, for we know whence this man is. [source]
We know [οἴδαμεν]
The knowing of the rulers is expressed by ἔγνωσαν ; have they ascertained by searching and watching. The people's knowledge, οἴδαμεν , is that of settled conviction. [source]
Whence [πόθεν]
Referring to His parentage and family. [source]
No one knoweth whence He is []
Opinions differ as to the precise reference of these words. Some explain by a popular idea that the Messiah would not be known until anointed by Elias, when he would suddenly appear. Others refer to Isaiah 53:8; or to Daniel 7:13. Meyer says that while the popular belief that the immediate ancestry of the Messiah would be unknown when He came cannot further be historically proved, it is credible, partly from the belief in His divine origin, and partly from the obscurity into which the Davidic family had sunk. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for John 7:27

Matthew 16:1 Tempting him [πειραζοντες]
Their motive was bad.A sign from heaven (σημειον εκ του ουρανου — sēmeion ek tou ouranou). The scribes and Pharisees had already asked for a sign (Matthew 12:38). Now this new combination adds “from heaven.” What did they have in mind? They may not have had any definite idea to embarrass Jesus. The Jewish apocalypses did speak of spectacular displays of power by the Son of Man (the Messiah). The devil had suggested that Jesus let the people see him drop down from the pinnacle of the temple and the people expected the Messiah to come from an unknown source (John 7:27) who would do great signs (John 7:31). Chrysostom (Hom. liii.) suggests stopping the course of the sun, bridling the moon, a clap of thunder. [source]
Matthew 16:1 A sign from heaven [σημειον εκ του ουρανου]
The scribes and Pharisees had already asked for a sign (Matthew 12:38). Now this new combination adds “from heaven.” What did they have in mind? They may not have had any definite idea to embarrass Jesus. The Jewish apocalypses did speak of spectacular displays of power by the Son of Man (the Messiah). The devil had suggested that Jesus let the people see him drop down from the pinnacle of the temple and the people expected the Messiah to come from an unknown source (John 7:27) who would do great signs (John 7:31). Chrysostom (Hom. liii.) suggests stopping the course of the sun, bridling the moon, a clap of thunder. [source]
Luke 13:25 Whence [πόθεν]
Of what family. Ye do not belong to my household. See John 7:27: “We know whence he (Jesus) is;” i.e., we know his birthplace and family. [source]
John 9:29 Whence he is []
Compare John 7:27; John 8:14. [source]
John 7:28 Me - whence I am []
Conceding the truth of the people's statement in John 7:27, we know this man whence he is, so far as His outward person and His earthly origin were concerned. He goes on to show that they are ignorant of His divine relationship. [source]
John 7:31 When the Christ shall come [ο Χριστος οταν ελτηι]
Proleptic position of ο Χριστος — ho Christos again as in John 7:27, but ελτηι — elthēi with οταν — hotan rather than ερχηται — erchētai calling more attention to the consummation (whenever he does come). Will he do? Future active indicative of ποιεω — poieō with μη — mē (negative answer expected). Jesus had won a large portion of the pilgrims One must supply the unexpressed antecedent τουτων — toutōn in the ablative case after πλειονα — pleiona (more). Then the neuter plural accusative relative α — ha (referring to σημεια — sēmeia signs) is attracted to the ablative case of the pronominal antecedent τουτων — toutōn (now dropped out). Hath done First aorist active indicative of ποιεω — poieō a timeless constative aorist summing up all the miracles of Jesus so far. [source]
John 9:29 We know that God hath spoken unto Moses [ημεις οιδαμεν οτι Μωυσει λελαληκεν ο τεος]
Perfect active indicative of λαλεω — laleō so still on record. See Exodus 33:11. For λαλεω — laleō used of God speaking see Hebrews 1:1. They are proud to be disciples of Moses. But as for this man, we do not know whence he is “This fellow” they mean by “τουτον — touton ” in emphatic position, we do not even know whence he is. Some of the people did (John 7:27), but in the higher sense none of the Jews knew (John 8:14). These Pharisees neither knew nor cared. [source]
2 Thessalonians 1:8 On them that know not God - obey not the gospel [τοῖς μὴ εἰδόσι θεὸν - τοῖς μὴ ὑπακούουσιν τῷ εὐγγελίῳ]
To know God is to know him as the one, true God as distinguished from false gods; to know his will, his holiness, his hatred of sin, and his saving intent toward mankind. Two words are used of such knowledge, εἰδέναι and γινώσκειν . Both are applied to the heathen and to Christians, and both are used of the Jews' knowledge of God. Ἑιδέναι , of heathen, Galatians 4:8; 1 Thessalonians 4:5; 2 Thessalonians 1:8. Γινώσκειν of heathen, Romans 1:21; 1 Corinthians 1:21. Ἑιδέναι , of Christ and Christians, John 7:29, John 8:19, John 8:55; John 14:7. Γινώσκειν of Christ and Christians, Galatians 4:9; 1 John 2:13, 1 John 2:14; 1 John 4:6, 1 John 4:7, 1 John 4:8; John 10:15; John 17:3. In John, γινώσκειν of Jews who do not know the Father, John 16:3; John 8:55: εἰδέναι , John 7:28; John 8:19; John 15:21. The two are combined, John 1:26; John 7:27; John 8:55; 2 Corinthians 5:16. A distinction is asserted between γινώσκειν as knowledge grounded in personal experience, apprehension of external impressions - and εἰδέμαι purely mental perception in contrast with conjecture or knowledge derived from others. There are doubtless passages which bear out this distinction (see on John 2:24), but it is impossible to carry it rigidly through the N.T. In the two classes, - those who know not God and those who obey not the gospel, - it is not probable that Paul has in mind a distinction between Jews and Gentiles. The Jews were not ignorant of God, yet they are described by John as not knowing him. The Gentiles are described by Paul as knowing God, but as refusing to glorify him as God (Romans 1:21). Paul rather describes here the subjects of God's judgment as one class, but under different aspects. [source]

What do the individual words in John 7:27 mean?

But this [man] we know from where He is The however Christ whenever He may come no one knows
ἀλλὰ τοῦτον οἴδαμεν πόθεν ἐστίν δὲ Χριστὸς ὅταν ἔρχηται οὐδεὶς γινώσκει

τοῦτον  this  [man] 
Parse: Demonstrative Pronoun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: οὗτος  
Sense: this.
οἴδαμεν  we  know 
Parse: Verb, Perfect Indicative Active, 1st Person Plural
Root: οἶδα  
Sense: to see.
πόθεν  from  where 
Parse: Adverb
Root: πόθεν  
Sense: of place: from where, from what condition.
ἐστίν  He  is 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: εἰμί  
Sense: to be, to exist, to happen, to be present.
δὲ  however 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: δέ  
Sense: but, moreover, and, etc.
Χριστὸς  Christ 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: Χριστός  
Sense: Christ was the Messiah, the Son of God.
ὅταν  whenever 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ὅταν  
Sense: when, whenever, as long as, as soon as.
ἔρχηται  He  may  come 
Parse: Verb, Present Subjunctive Middle or Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἔρχομαι  
Sense: to come.
οὐδεὶς  no  one 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: οὐδείς 
Sense: no one, nothing.
γινώσκει  knows 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: γινώσκω  
Sense: to learn to know, come to know, get a knowledge of perceive, feel.