Conclusion of They Fail To Arrest Him

So a division develops among the crowd. Some want Jesus arrested, but no one lays a hand on him. When the police officers return without Jesus, the chief priests and Pharisees ask: "Why is it you did not bring him in?" "Never has another man spoken like this," the officers reply.

Filled with anger, the religious leaders stoop to ridicule, misrepresentation, and name-calling . They sneer: "You have not been misled,also, have you? Not one of the rulers or of the Pharisees has put faith in him , has he? But this crowd that does not know the Law are accursed people."

At this Nicodemus, a Pharisee and a ruler of the Jews (that is, a member of the Sanhedrin), dares speak in Jesus' behalf. You may recall that two and a half years previously, Nicodemus came to Jesus at night and expressed faith in him. Now Nicodemus says: "Our law does not judge a man unless first it has heard from him and come to know what he is doing does it?" The Pharisees are angered even more that one of their own should defend Jesus. "You are not also out of Galilee, are you? They caustically remark. "Search and see that no prophet is to be raised up out of Galilee."

Although the Scriptures do not directly say that a prophet would come out of Galilee, they do point to the Christ as coming from there, saying that "a great light" would be seen in this region. Furthermore, Jesus was born in Bethlehem, and he was an offspring of David. While the Pharisees are probably aware of this, they are likely responsible for spreading the misconceptions that people have about Jesus. John 7:32-52; Isaiah 9:1, 2; Matthew 4:13-17.

Next time: Further Teaching On The Sabbath Day

The Greatest Man Who Ever Lived, 1991