Misunderstanding of Jesus’ identity and origin

• Ignorance about Jesus’ origin and the source of His transcendent powers

  • Recurrence of the word <i>pothen</i>, πόθεν (“where from?”)
    • Jn 1:48 – Nathanael said to him, "How do you know me?" Jesus answered him, "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you."
    • Jn 2:9 – When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom
    • Jn 4:11 – The woman said to him, "Sir, you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water?
    • Jn 6:5 – Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, "Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?"
    • Jn 7:27 – But we know where this man comes from, and when the Christ appears, no one will know where he comes from."
    • Jn 7:28 – So Jesus proclaimed, as he taught in the temple, "You know me, and you know where I come from? But I have not come of my own accord. He who sent me is true, and him you do not know.
    • Jn 8:14 – Jesus answered, "Even if I do bear witness about myself, my testimony is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going, but you do not know where I come from or where I am going.
    • Jn 9:29 – We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from."
    • Jn 9:30 – The man answered, "Why, this is an amazing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes.
    • Jn 19:9 – He entered his headquarters again and said to Jesus, "Where are you from?" But Jesus gave him no answer.
  • Recurrence of the word <i>dynamai</i>, δύναμαι (“can”)
    • Jn 1:46 – Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see."
    • Jn 3:2 – This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him."
    • Jn 5:19 – So Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.
    • Jn 5:30 – "I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me.
    • Jn 6:52 – The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?"
    • Jn 9:16 – Some of the Pharisees said, "This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath." But others said, "How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?" And there was a division among them.
    • Jn 9:33 – If this man were not from God, he could do nothing."
    • Jn 10:21 – Others said, "These are not the words of one who is oppressed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?"
  • Recurrence of the word <i>pōs</i>, πῶς (“where from?”)
    • Jn 6:42 – They said, "Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does he now say, 'I have come down from heaven'?"
    • Jn 6:52 – The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?"
    • Jn 7:15 – The Jews therefore marveled, saying, "How is it that this man has learning, when he has never studied?"

• Ignorance or misunderstanding about Jesus’ Identity

  • Jn 1:10 – He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him.
  • Jn 1:26 – John answered them, "I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know,
  • Jn 1:31 – I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel."
  • Jn 1:33 – I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, 'He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.'
  • Jn 4:10 – Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, 'Give me a drink,' you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water."
  • Jn 4:12 – Are you greater than our father Jacob? He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock."
  • Jn 5:12 – They asked him, "Who is the man who said to you, 'Take up your bed and walk'?"
  • Jn 5:13 – Now the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, as there was a crowd in the place.
  • Jn 6:14 – When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, "This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!"
  • Jn 7:3 – So his brothers said to him, "Leave here and go to Judea, that your disciples also may see the works you are doing.
  • Jn 7:4 – For no one works in secret if he seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, show yourself to the world."
  • Jn 7:5 – For not even his brothers believed in him.
  • Jn 8:19 – They said to him therefore, "Where is your Father?" Jesus answered, "You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also."
  • Jn 8:25 – So they said to him, "Who are you?" Jesus said to them, "Just what I have been telling you from the beginning.
  • Jn 8:48 – The Jews answered him, "Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?"
  • Jn 8:52 – The Jews said to him, "Now we know that you have a demon! Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, 'If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death.'
  • Jn 8:53 – Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you make yourself out to be?"
  • Jn 9:21 – But how he now sees we do not know, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself."
  • Jn 9:24 – So for the second time they called the man who had been blind and said to him, "Give glory to God. We know that this man is a sinner."
  • Jn 9:25 – He answered, "Whether he is a sinner I do not know. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see."
  • Jn 14:9 – Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'?
  • Jn 16:3 – And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me.
  • Jn 20:14 – Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus.
  • Jn 21:4 – Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus.

• Questions or disputes about Jesus’ identity

  • Jn 6:42 – They said, "Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does he now say, 'I have come down from heaven'?"
  • Jn 7:12 – And there was much muttering about him among the people. While some said, "He is a good man," others said, "No, he is leading the people astray."
  • Jn 7:41 – Others said, "This is the Christ." But some said, "Is the Christ to come from Galilee?
  • Jn 7:42 – Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the offspring of David, and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was?"
  • Jn 7:43 – So there was a division among the people over him.
  • Jn 7:52 – They replied, "Are you from Galilee too? Search and see that no prophet arises from Galilee."
  • Jn 9:16 – Some of the Pharisees said, "This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath." But others said, "How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?" And there was a division among them.
  • Jn 9:17 – So they said again to the blind man, "What do you say about him, since he has opened your eyes?" He said, "He is a prophet."
  • Jn 10:19 – There was again a division among the Jews because of these words.
  • Jn 10:20 – Many of them said, "He has a demon, and is insane; why listen to him?"
  • Jn 10:21 – Others said, "These are not the words of one who is oppressed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?"
  • Jn 10:24 – So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, "How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly."

Misunderstanding of Jesus’ words

• The use of metaphors

  • The temple of His body
    • Jn 2:19 – Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up."
    • Jn 2:20 – The Jews then said, "It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?"
    • Jn 2:21 – But he was speaking about the temple of his body.
  • Being born from above
    • Jn 3:4 – Nicodemus said to him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?"
    • Jn 3:9 – Nicodemus said to him, "How can these things be?"
    • Jn 3:10 – Jesus answered him, "Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things?
  • Living water
    • Jn 4:11 – The woman said to him, "Sir, you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water?
    • Jn 4:12 – Are you greater than our father Jacob? He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock."
    • Jn 4:15 – The woman said to him, "Sir, give me this water, so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water."
  • Food
    • Jn 4:32 – But he said to them, "I have food to eat that you do not know about."
    • Jn 4:33 – So the disciples said to one another, "Has anyone brought him something to eat?"
  • Bread from heaven
    • Jn 6:33 – For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."
    • Jn 6:34 – They said to him, "Sir, give us this bread always."
    • Jn 6:42 – They said, "Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does he now say, 'I have come down from heaven'?"
    • Jn 6:52 – The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?"
    • Jn 6:60 – When many of his disciples heard it, they said, "This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?"
    • Jn 6:61 – But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples were grumbling about this, said to them, "Do you take offense at this?

• Words about where He is going

  • Jn 7:33 – Jesus then said, "I will be with you a little longer, and then I am going to him who sent me.
  • Jn 7:34 – You will seek me and you will not find me. Where I am you cannot come."
  • Jn 7:35 – The Jews said to one another, "Where does this man intend to go that we will not find him? Does he intend to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks and teach the Greeks?
  • Jn 7:36 – What does he mean by saying, 'You will seek me and you will not find me,' and, 'Where I am you cannot come'?"
  • Jn 13:33 – Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me, and just as I said to the Jews, so now I also say to you, 'Where I am going you cannot come.'
  • Jn 13:36 – Simon Peter said to him, "Lord, where are you going?" Jesus answered him, "Where I am going you cannot follow me now, but you will follow afterward."
  • Jn 13:37 – Peter said to him, "Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you."

• Words about His divinity

  • Jn 8:21 – So he said to them again, "I am going away, and you will seek me, and you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come."
  • Jn 8:22 – So the Jews said, "Will he kill himself, since he says, 'Where I am going, you cannot come'?"
  • Jn 8:27 – They did not understand that he had been speaking to them about the Father.
  • Jn 8:33 – They answered him, "We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, 'You will become free'?"
  • Jn 8:43 – Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word.
  • Jn 8:52 – The Jews said to him, "Now we know that you have a demon! Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, 'If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death.'
  • Jn 8:53 – Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you make yourself out to be?"
  • Jn 8:56 – Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad."
  • Jn 8:57 – So the Jews said to him, "You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?"
  • Jn 8:58 – Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am."
  • Jn 8:59 – So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.
  • Jn 10:30 – I and the Father are one."
  • Jn 10:31 – The Jews picked up stones again to stone him.
  • Jn 10:32 – Jesus answered them, "I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you going to stone me?"
  • Jn 10:33 – The Jews answered him, "It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God."

• Words about the door of the sheep

  • Jn 10:6 – This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.

• Words about Lazarus

  • Jn 11:11 – After saying these things, he said to them, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him."
  • Jn 11:12 – The disciples said to him, "Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover."
  • Jn 11:13 – Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep.
  • Jn 11:23 – Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again."
  • Jn 11:24 – Martha said to him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day."

• Words about His being lifted up

  • Jn 12:34 – So the crowd answered him, "We have heard from the Law that the Christ remains forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?"

• Words about the betrayer

  • Jn 13:21 – After saying these things, Jesus was troubled in his spirit, and testified, "Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me."
  • Jn 13:22 – The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he spoke.
  • Jn 13:27 – Then after he had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, "What you are going to do, do quickly."
  • Jn 13:28 – Now no one at the table knew why he said this to him.
  • Jn 13:29 – Some thought that, because Judas had the moneybag, Jesus was telling him, "Buy what we need for the feast," or that he should give something to the poor.

• Words about the way and the Father

  • Jn 14:5 – Thomas said to him, "Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?"
  • Jn 14:7 – If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him."
  • Jn 14:8 – Philip said to him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us."
  • Jn 14:22 – Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, "Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?"

• Words about “a little while”

  • Jn 16:16 – "A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see me."
  • Jn 16:17 – So some of his disciples said to one another, "What is this that he says to us, 'A little while, and you will not see me, and again a little while, and you will see me'; and, 'because I am going to the Father'?"
  • Jn 16:18 – So they were saying, "What does he mean by 'a little while'? We do not know what he is talking about.”

• The use of figures of speech

  • Jn 16:25 – "I have said these things to you in figures of speech. The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures of speech but will tell you plainly about the Father.

• Words to Pilate

  • Jn 18:36 – Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world."
  • Jn 18:37 – Then Pilate said to him, "So you are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world–to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice."
  • Jn 18:38 – Pilate said to him, "What is truth?"After he had said this, he went back outside to the Jews and told them, "I find no guilt in him.

Misunderstanding of Jesus’ actions

• Jn 12:16 – His disciples did not understand these things at first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about him and had been done to him.
• Jn 13:6 – He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, "Lord, do you wash my feet?"
• Jn 13:7 – Jesus answered him, "What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand."

Jesus’ elusive movements

• Withdrawal or hiding
  • Jn 5:13 – Now the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, as there was a crowd in the place.
  • Jn 6:14 – When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, "This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!"
  • Jn 6:15 – Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself.
  • Jn 7:4 – For no one works in secret if he seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, show yourself to the world."
  • Jn 7:10 – But after his brothers had gone up to the feast, then he also went up, not publicly but in private.
  • Jn 9:1 – As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth.
  • Jn 9:12 – They said to him, "Where is he?" He said, "I do not know."
  • Jn 11:54 – Jesus therefore no longer walked openly among the Jews, but went from there to the region near the wilderness, to a town called Ephraim, and there he stayed with the disciples.
  • Jn 12:36 – While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light."When Jesus had said these things, he departed and hid himself from them.
• Eluding or power over captors
  • Jn 7:30 – So they were seeking to arrest him, but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come.
  • Jn 7:44 – Some of them wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him.
  • Jn 8:59 – So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.
  • Jn 10:39 – Again they sought to arrest him, but he escaped from their hands.
  • Jn 18:6 – When Jesus said to them, "I am he," they drew back and fell to the ground.
• Unexpected movement
  • Abrupt narrative movement from Jerusalem to Galilee
    • Jn 6:1 – After this Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias.
  • Walking on the sea
    • Jn 6:17 – got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them.
    • Jn 6:19 – When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they were frightened.
    • Jn 6:21 – Then they were glad to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going.
  • Unclear movement
    • Jn 14:31 – but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us go from here.
• Post-resurrection appearances
  • Jn 20:14 – Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus.
  • Jn 20:19 – On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you."
  • Jn 20:26 – Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you."
  • Jn 21:4 – Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus.

The words “seek” and “find” suggesting Jesus’ elusiveness or transcendence [footnote text="On a few occasions Jesus &quot;found&quot; someone after He had withdrawn from the scene (Jn 5:14; 9:35)."]

• Jn 1:38 – Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, "What are you seeking?" And they said to him, "Rabbi" (which means Teacher), "where are you staying?"
• Jn 1:41 – He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, "We have found the Messiah" (which means Christ).
• Jn 6:24 – So when the crowd saw that Jesus was not there, nor his disciples, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum, seeking Jesus.
• Jn 6:25 – When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, "Rabbi, when did you come here?"
• Jn 6:26 – Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves.
• Jn 7:11 – The Jews were looking for him at the feast, and saying, "Where is he?"
• Jn 7:34 – You will seek me and you will not find me. Where I am you cannot come."
• Jn 7:35 – The Jews said to one another, "Where does this man intend to go that we will not find him? Does he intend to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks and teach the Greeks?
• Jn 7:36 – What does he mean by saying, 'You will seek me and you will not find me,' and, 'Where I am you cannot come'?"
• Jn 8:21 – So he said to them again, "I am going away, and you will seek me, and you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come."
• Jn 11:56 – They were looking for Jesus and saying to one another as they stood in the temple, "What do you think? That he will not come to the feast at all?"
• Jn 13:33 – Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me, and just as I said to the Jews, so now I also say to you, 'Where I am going you cannot come.'
• Jn 18:4 – Then Jesus, knowing all that would happen to him, came forward and said to them, "Whom do you seek?"
• Jn 18:7 – So he asked them again, "Whom do you seek?" And they said, "Jesus of Nazareth."
• Jn 18:8 – Jesus answered, "I told you that I am he. So, if you seek me, let these men go."
• Jn 20:15 – Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?" Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away."

Ignorance about Jesus’ food

• Jn 4:32 – But he said to them, "I have food to eat that you do not know about."

Factors contributing to the disparity between Jesus and the people

• Jesus’ divinity

  • His signs
    • The signs which He did led to comments, questions, and even disputes about His identity. Examples:
      • Nicodemus’ comment based on the signs Jesus did (Jn 3:1-2)
      • The reaction of the people after Jesus’ feeding of the multitude (Jn 6:14)
      • The exchanges between the man healed of blindness and the Pharisees (Jn 9:16, 17, 24, 25, 29-33)
      • The response of the people to Jesus’ healing the blind man (Jn 10:21, 24)
  • His hour
    • Jesus operates according to His hour
      • He told His mother that His hour had not yet come (Jn 2:4).
      • He ushers in the hour of true worship (Jn 4:21, 23).
      • He ushers in the hour when the dead will live (Jn 5:25).
      • No one laid a hand on Him because His hour had not yet come (Jn 7:30; 8:20)
      • Only when His hour had come to be glorified could His captors arrest Him (Jn 12:23, 27; 13:1; 17:1)

• Different origins

  • Those who are from below do not accept He who is from above (Jn 3:11-12, 31; 8:23, 38, 44, 47).
  • Those who love darkness hate the light (Jn 3:19-20)
  • Those who are not of Jesus’ flock do not believe Him (Jn 10:26)
  • No one can come to Jesus unless the Father who sent Him draws him (Jn 6:44, 65).

• <topic id=“398” startswith=“” nth=“”>Excursus: Jesus’ Divinity in John</topic>