And behold he speaketh openly (see John 7:4 and John 7:13), and they say nothing to him. They neither tackle him in argument nor refute his self-vindication, neither do they arrest him or carry out their known project.
Have they altered their minds? Are they convinced of his claims? Has he successfully rebutted the charge of sabbath breaking? Does it all vanish on close approach? Then they go a step further, which, if it were the true explanation, would entirely account for their obvious indecision.
They even say to one another, with sufficient frequency for the reporter to have heard it, Can it be that the rulers £ indeed know ( μήποτε ἔγνωσαν, did they at any time come to perceive? The particle expects a dubious though negative response, "we don't think so; but is it probable?
surely not!") that this (person) isf15 the Christ? The rulers must decide this weighty matter, for us at least who dwell in Jerusalem. The question shows how widespread, how detailed, was the idea of the coming Christ.
This supposition with reference to their rulers was momentary, and conflicted with another standing objection to the claims of Jesus.