Temple Police Sent to Arrest Jesus
Scripture: John 7:32-36
In the previous lesson we considered who Jesus was. The question was asked, “When the Christ appears, will he do more signs than this man has done?” Like with Moses, has Jesus not demonstrated through signs and authoritative teaching who he is? But many of those who are with Jesus are not so convinced and believe he should be arrested and put to death for claiming to be the Son of God.
Jn 7:32 “The Pharisees heard the crowd muttering these things about him, and the chief priests and Pharisees sent officers to arrest him.”
The Pharisees hear the crowd muttering about who Jesus claims he is and realize they are divided. Earlier, the crowds were unified around Jesus and the Pharisees knew they would have an uprising among the people if they arrested Jesus then, but with this division among the people the time to arrest Jesus would appear to be now. Representing the Sanhedrin, the chief priest and Pharisees send officers (or temple police) to arrest Jesus. These temple police sere selected from the Levites and assigned the task of maintaining order in the temple precincts. Giving the order to them to arrest Jesus implies that they plan to charge Jesus with criminal activity.
Jn 7:33 “Jesus then said, “I will be with you a little longer, and then I am going to him who sent me. 34 You will seek me, and you will not find me. Where I am you cannot come.”’
The order to arrest Jesus has been given and the temple police sent, and while they are on their way, Jesus continues to confuse the Jews. He tells them that he will be with them a little longer and then he is going back to his Father, who sent him to them. He tells them that when he leaves they will seek him, but they will not find him, because he is no longer to be found on earth. He further informs them that where he is going they will not be allowed to come to him.
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? 36 What does he mean by saying, ‘You will seek me, and you will not find me,’ and, ‘Where I am you cannot come’?”’
It is clear by their response, that the Jews did not understand what Jesus meant in verse 34. Since they did not accept the fact that he came from the Father, they had no idea that he was going to return there. As a result, they think about physical locations where he might go. One of those locations might be to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks. “The Dispersion was a common Jewish expression to refer to all the Jewish people scattered throughout the Roman Empire, and even beyond the bounds of the empire, but not living in Palestine itself.” 1
Conclusion
We end this lesson with Jesus telling the Jews he was going to leave them and where he was going they could not come, and while saying this the temple police were on their way to arrest Jesus. The temple police will arrive in the next lesson, so we will have to wait until then to learn what happens.
1 Footnote, p. 2038, ESV Study Bible, Copyright © 2008 by Crossway Bibles
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