They answered and said unto him, Art thou also of Galilee? Search, and look: for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet.
Nicodemus had urged that the law requires a fair hearing before judging a man, challenging the effort to condemn and arrest Jesus. In reply the rulers turned on him with cutting scorn, asking if he too was from Galilee and telling him to search the Scriptures for proof that no prophet comes from Galilee, using His Galilean association to humble Him as a mere Galilean rabbi and dismiss His claims. Their charge was prejudiced and false, for it treated Jesus as a Galilean when some present knew He was born in Bethlehem yet stayed silent, twisting evidence and Scripture to uphold what they had already decided. They made no answer to the demand for fairness, showing hostility and unwillingness to consider Jesus honestly. Even so, his protest stopped them from condemning Jesus without a hearing, so lacking unanimous agreement they were for the moment defeated and dispersed to their homes.
Context and Wording
The saying belongs to the night the temple officers sent to arrest Jesus came back without him, held by his teaching and by what they had seen of his compassion and authority and his power to set people free from Satan, when the chief priests charged those officers with being deceived, though some rulers themselves believed in him yet would not own it for fear of public reproach. It was drawn out by Nicodemus, who pressed for a fair hearing on the ground that the law does not judge a man before hearing him, thereby challenging the grounds for condemning and arresting Jesus and opposing the steps being taken to bring about his death. He spoke at the risk of losing his place on the council for his belief in Jesus.
The rulers met him with scornful, cutting sarcasm, asking whether he too was from Galilee. They took his defense as proof that he also had been deceived. Their question implied that to be from Galilee was to be ignorant.
They bade him search and look into the Scriptures and laid it down that out of Galilee arises no prophet. They used the Galilean association to humble Jesus before the people as a mere Galilean rabbi. By that claim they meant to discredit and dismiss both him and the plea for a fair hearing, in hostility and unwillingness to consider his case fairly.
Prejudice and Outcome
The assertion that no prophet arises from Galilee was false and prejudiced, implying Jesus belonged to Galilee when some present knew He had been born in Bethlehem yet stayed silent and let the false claim stand. It twisted plain evidence and Scripture to support what was already believed rather than honestly examining the case. The reply dismissed Nicodemus's appeal for a hearing before judgment without addressing it, answering his call for fairness with scorn and attack. It reflected hostility, prejudice, and unwillingness to consider Jesus fairly, showing the opposition Nicodemus faced in trying to defend Him.
Those who so answered had received light about Jesus but suppressed conviction and turned from the truth. Nicodemus himself had received light from Christ and could have searched the prophecies and testified, as the officers had, that no one spoke like Jesus. Yet his words still stopped the council from condemning Jesus without a hearing. Unable to carry out their plan for lack of unanimous agreement, the rulers were temporarily defeated, dispersed, and went home.
Nicodemus and Joseph had previously prevented condemnation and had protested the grounds for condemning Jesus and for His arrest on other occasions. Nicodemus believed in Jesus but risked losing his place on the council if he openly declared his faith. Because the council that sought to silence Jesus was divided, the priests later called a secret meeting without summoning Nicodemus and Joseph and excluded them to reach its aim. The conflict over Jesus and rejection by leaders is an experience some of God's people will also face.
Nicodemus had urged that the law requires a fair hearing before judging a man, challenging the effort to condemn and arrest Jesus. In reply the rulers turned on him with cutting scorn, asking if he too was from Galilee and telling him to search the Scriptures for proof that no prophet comes from Galilee, using His Galilean association to humble Him as a mere Galilean rabbi and dismiss His claims. Their charge was prejudiced and false, for it treated Jesus as a Galilean when some present knew He was born in Bethlehem yet stayed silent, twisting evidence and Scripture to uphold what they had already decided. They made no answer to the demand for fairness, showing hostility and unwillingness to consider Jesus honestly. Even so, his protest stopped them from condemning Jesus without a hearing, so lacking unanimous agreement they were for the moment defeated and dispersed to their homes.
Context and Wording
The saying belongs to the night the temple officers sent to arrest Jesus came back without him, held by his teaching and by what they had seen of his compassion and authority and his power to set people free from Satan, when the chief priests charged those officers with being deceived, though some rulers themselves believed in him yet would not own it for fear of public reproach. It was drawn out by Nicodemus, who pressed for a fair hearing on the ground that the law does not judge a man before hearing him, thereby challenging the grounds for condemning and arresting Jesus and opposing the steps being taken to bring about his death. He spoke at the risk of losing his place on the council for his belief in Jesus.
The rulers met him with scornful, cutting sarcasm, asking whether he too was from Galilee. They took his defense as proof that he also had been deceived. Their question implied that to be from Galilee was to be ignorant.
They bade him search and look into the Scriptures and laid it down that out of Galilee arises no prophet. They used the Galilean association to humble Jesus before the people as a mere Galilean rabbi. By that claim they meant to discredit and dismiss both him and the plea for a fair hearing, in hostility and unwillingness to consider his case fairly.
Prejudice and Outcome
The assertion that no prophet arises from Galilee was false and prejudiced, implying Jesus belonged to Galilee when some present knew He had been born in Bethlehem yet stayed silent and let the false claim stand. It twisted plain evidence and Scripture to support what was already believed rather than honestly examining the case. The reply dismissed Nicodemus's appeal for a hearing before judgment without addressing it, answering his call for fairness with scorn and attack. It reflected hostility, prejudice, and unwillingness to consider Jesus fairly, showing the opposition Nicodemus faced in trying to defend Him.
Those who so answered had received light about Jesus but suppressed conviction and turned from the truth. Nicodemus himself had received light from Christ and could have searched the prophecies and testified, as the officers had, that no one spoke like Jesus. Yet his words still stopped the council from condemning Jesus without a hearing. Unable to carry out their plan for lack of unanimous agreement, the rulers were temporarily defeated, dispersed, and went home.
Nicodemus and Joseph had previously prevented condemnation and had protested the grounds for condemning Jesus and for His arrest on other occasions. Nicodemus believed in Jesus but risked losing his place on the council if he openly declared his faith. Because the council that sought to silence Jesus was divided, the priests later called a secret meeting without summoning Nicodemus and Joseph and excluded them to reach its aim. The conflict over Jesus and rejection by leaders is an experience some of God's people will also face.