John 7:49 · Bible study
John 7:49 Commentary: Pharisees' Contempt and the Irony of Ignorance
Greek · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Study the Pharisees' disdain for the common people in John 7:49. Uncover their spiritual blindness and the irony of claiming to know the law.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The Pharisees dismiss the crowd as ignorant lawbreakers, revealing their self-righteous contempt and spiritual blindness.
- Key words: "multitude" (ochlos, carries contempt); "knows not" (mē ginōskōn, implies culpable ignorance); "cursed" (eparatoi, a severe condemnation).
- Main debate: Whether "cursed" refers to a formal excommunication or a verbal insult; most agree it expresses contempt, not an official ban.
- Theological theme: The Gospel subverts religious elitism; the uneducated crowd receives the Messiah while the wise reject him.
- Best use: A warning against spiritual pride and a call to humility in church leadership, paired with teaching on the value of all believers.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
But this crowd that does not know the law, they are under a curse.”
WEB World English Bible 2000
But this multitude that doesn’t know the law is cursed.”
KJV King James Version 1769
But this people who knoweth not the law are cursed.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
But this multitude that knoweth not the law are accursed.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
but this multitude, that is not knowing the law, is accursed.'
Darby Darby Bible 1890
But this crowd, which does not know the law, are accursed.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
But this multitude, that knoweth not the law, are accursed.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Mas estos comunales que no saben la ley, malditos son.
Mas esta multidão, que não sabe a Lei, maldita é.
Mais cette foule qui ne connaît pas la loi, ce sont des maudits!
sondern das Volk, das nichts vom Gesetz weiß, ist verflucht.
Maar deze schare, die de wet niet weet, is vervloekt.
Ma questa plebe, che non conosce la legge, è maledetta!
Tylko ten gmin, który nie zna zakonu; przeklęci są.
Но этот народ невежда в законе, проклят он.
但 這 些 不 明白 律法 的百姓 是 被咒詛的！」
But these people who have no knowledge of the law are cursed.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · John 7:49
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that this verse reveals the Pharisees' deep contempt for the common people. The Greek term ochlos, argues Vincent, is better translated "multitude" or "rabble," carrying a dismissive tone. Barnes notes that the Pharisees used this word to express scorn, viewing the people as unworthy of judging matters of salvation. Calvin adds that the Pharisees boasted of their knowledge of the law but used it tyrannically, despising others. The Cambridge Bible observes that the phrase "knoweth not the law" implies censure, not knowing when they ought to know. The overarching consensus is that the Pharisees' curse exposes their own spiritual pride and blindness, a point reinforced by the cross-references to Isaiah's warnings against those who are "wise in their own eyes" (Isa 5:21).
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: The Pharisees are expressing contempt for the uneducated crowd and claiming that their ignorance brings a curse.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| The Pharisees' attitude toward the common people | All commentators see this as an expression of contempt, disdain, and elitism. | Some (like Cambridge Bible) see it as a rash outburst; others (like Calvin) see it as a systematic pride in their own position. |
| The nature of the curse | The word 'cursed' indicates strong condemnation, likely tied to being cut off from the community or from salvation. | Whether this refers to an attempt at formal excommunication (impossible en masse, says Cambridge) or merely a verbal insult and dismissal (supported by most). |
| The people's ignorance of the law | The people were indeed largely untaught in the Pharisees' interpretation. | Whether this ignorance was the people's fault (Pharisees' view) or the leaders' responsibility (as Barnes and Calvin imply). |
| Application to religious leadership today | The verse warns against contempt for the uneducated and reliance on credentials. | Some traditions emphasize the need for formal theological education; others emphasize simple faith; but both agree that pride is condemned. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The setting is the Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem. The chief priests and Pharisees had sent officers to arrest Jesus, but the officers returned empty-handed, awestruck by his teaching (John 7:45-46). Frustrated, the rulers lash out at the officers and then at the crowd. The Pharisees' contempt for the people reflects a long-standing rabbinic disdain for the am ha-arets, "people of the land." Adam Clarke cites Jewish sources that considered the common people unworthy of a resurrection to eternal life. Vincent's Word Studies provides examples: rabbis called them "vermin" and taught that only the learned would share in the resurrection. By "the law," the Pharisees refer to their own interpretation, both written Torah and oral traditions, which they believed only the educated understood. But the law itself commanded teaching to all (Deuteronomy 6:6-7). The Pharisees had failed in that duty. Their curse, whether a verbal insult or a threat of excommunication (see John 9:22), exposes their arrogance. The cross-reference to Isaiah 65:5 captures their attitude: "Stay by yourself, don't come near to me, for I am holier than you." In God's sight, it was the humble who would receive joy (Isaiah 29:19).
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for this verse. The Greek text is stable across manuscripts. The only variation in translations is the rendering of “cursed” (eparatoi) as “accursed” or “under a curse,” but this does not affect interpretation.
Reception History
Early church fathers such as Chrysostom used this verse to contrast the pride of the Pharisees with the humility of the believers who came from the common people. The verse has been cited throughout church history as a warning against clericalism and the oppression of the laity. During the Reformation, it was employed to criticize the medieval clergy who claimed exclusive access to Scripture. In modern times, it resonates with movements that emphasize the priesthood of all believers and God's preference for the poor and lowly.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Contempt for the "Other", The Pharisees viewed the crowd as ignorant and accursed, not as people to be taught.
- The Irony of Spiritual Leadership, Claiming to know the law, they violated its heart: love for the lowly.
- The Blindness of the Self-Appointed Wise, Their curse rebounds on them; they reject the Messiah while judging those who believe.
Five-point outline
- The Setting: The Sanhedrin's failed arrest and their lashing out (vv. 45-48).
- The Verbal Attack: "This multitude", language of contempt.
- The Accusation: "Who knows not the law", a charge that exposes their failure to teach.
- The Curse: "Are cursed", either a rash excommunication or self-righteous condemnation.
- The Reversal: Nicodemus (v. 50-51) challenges them, and later the Gospel spreads among the poor.
Illustration hooks
- A scholar who dismisses a working-class person's opinion about religion because they lack formal training, yet misses the simple faith that trusts Christ.
- Church leaders who value theological credentials over the genuine hunger for God in new believers.
- The irony of an "expert" who can recite rules but cannot recognize a genuine move of God when it happens right in front of them.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Is it possible to know the Bible well and still be spiritually blind?
- How do we avoid looking down on those who are less educated in the faith?
- What does this passage say about who is "worthy" to follow Jesus?
Leading a Discussion
This verse appears in a dramatic confrontation: the Pharisees, frustrated that their officers were won over by Jesus' words, lash out at the common people. They claim that the crowd is ignorant of the law and therefore accursed. But in doing so, they reveal their own pride and failure to recognize the Messiah.
Discussion questions
- Read John 7:45-52. What led the officers to respond differently than the Pharisees expected?
- The Pharisees call the crowd "this multitude", what does this language reveal about their heart toward the people they were supposed to lead?
- How does the Pharisees' claim that the people "don't know the law" actually condemn themselves? (Consider their failure to teach and their own interpretation of the law.)
- What does it mean to be "cursed" in this context? How does Jesus' teaching elsewhere redefine blessing and curse?
- In what ways do religious leaders today risk a similar attitude of elitism? How can our church guard against it?
- How does the intervention of Nicodemus (vv. 50-51) test the Pharisees' argument?
- What does this passage teach us about the danger of equating theological knowledge with true faith?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Isaiah 5:21 | Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight! |
| Isaiah 28:14 | Therefore hear Yahweh’s word, you scoffers, that rule this people in Jerusalem: |
| Isaiah 29:14 | therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvelous work among this people, even a marvelous work and a wonder; and the wisdom of their wise men will perish, and the understanding of their prudent men will be hidden.” |
| Isaiah 29:19 | The humble also will increase their joy in Yahweh, and the poor among men will rejoice in the Holy One of Israel. |
| Isaiah 65:5 | who say, ‘Stay by yourself, don’t come near to me, for I am holier than you.’ These are smoke in my nose, a fire that burns all day. |
| John 9:34 | They answered him, “You were altogether born in sins, and do you teach us?” Then they threw him out. |
| John 9:40 | Those of the Pharisees who were with him heard these things, and said to him, “Are we also blind?” |
| I Corinthians 1:20 | Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Hasn’t God made foolish the wisdom of this world? |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
10 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke highlights the deep contempt the Pharisees held for ordinary people, whom they dismissed as mere rabble. They denied such people any hope of resurrection to eternal life, reserving religious favor only for those who paid for a rabbi's approval.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes highlights the Pharisees’ contempt for the common people, who they dismissed as an ignorant rabble unworthy to interpret Scripture for themselves. He notes that Christianity stands alone in properly honoring the poor and unlearned, while the Pharisees held them in scorn—even though from that despised multitude came most of the early believers.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin argues that the religious leaders' pride lies in claiming exclusive holiness and knowledge, despising ordinary people as accursed. He counters that true knowledge of God's law is not limited to a few but belongs to all God's children equally. God elevates the lowly over such arrogant authority.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Pharisees are not pronouncing a formal excommunication here but lashing out in contemptuous anger. Calling the crowd "cursed" is an outburst of theological fury, not a judicial sentence. Mass excommunication was unknown among the Jews and was only invented later by Christian hierarchy.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
But this people, which know not the Law, are cursed.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill highlights the Pharisees’ contemptuous use of “this people,” a term for the common crowd they considered ignorant of the law. He explains that the rabbis saw such people as unholy, unfit for testimony, and excluded from the resurrection. Gill counters that Christ’s followers truly understood the law’s spiritual depth and were blessed, not cursed.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB notes that the original Greek uses a specific term for "this people" meaning the ignorant rabble, a distinction lost in English translations. He explains that "know not the law" refers not to ignorance of Scripture but to a lack of scholastic training that corrupted it with human traditions. The phrase "are cursed" is a contemptuous outburst of rage and scorn.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry notes that the officers sent to arrest Jesus were so struck by his speech that they could not carry out their orders. The Pharisees, focused on their political plot, neglected the feast's religious services and were angry that their own agents had been won over.
Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887
Vincent emphasizes that the religious leaders dismiss the common people as a contemptible multitude, not true Jews. He cites rabbinic sayings that branded the unlearned as vermin, abominable, and denied them any part in the resurrection, revealing the deep scorn behind their question.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley takes the Pharisees' harsh label literally: the common people are genuinely under a curse. Their ignorance of the law leaves them defenceless, exposed to being led into error by false teachers.