John 7:12
And there was much murmuring among the people concerning him: for some said, He is a good man: others said, Nay; but he deceiveth the people. And there was much murmuring among the people concerning him: for some said, He is a good man: others said, Nay; but he deceiveth the people.
At the Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem the people held quiet but earnest debate about Jesus, murmuring among themselves both while he was absent and when he was present. They were divided, with some declaring him a good man sent by God and others accusing him of misleading the people. Although his works testified that his work was from God, fear of the priests, rulers and religious leaders kept many from openly professing faith in him. Their conflicting verdicts did not make his mission a failure or his teaching false, for those who rejected him were moved by prejudice and unbelief while those who loved truth recognized his righteousness. That division still sets before all a choice to receive him as God's messenger or to refuse him, and calls his followers to lives shaped by his character and love for one another rather than by criticism and backbiting.
Setting and Divided Response
The murmuring took place at the Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem. The dispute began while Jesus was still absent, and his absence itself stirred public debate about him. When he was present the talk continued as quiet but earnest debate over his character.
The crowd was divided, with some calling him a good man in the sense of one sent by God, while others accused him of deceiving or misleading the people. The discussion was at its height when Jesus entered the temple court, and his sudden appearance astonished the crowd and silenced them. Although his works testified that his work was from God and many might have accepted him as the Messiah, fear of the religious leaders, priests, rulers, and Jewish authorities kept people from openly professing faith in him or speaking openly in his favor.
Lessons and Present Application
The divided judgments did not make His mission a failure nor prove His teaching false, for those who rejected Him were moved by prejudice and unbelief, while those who loved truth recognized His righteousness. The people stood before His message with a choice to receive Him or to refuse Him, for He came as God's messenger speaking sacred truth. Those who refuse Him also refuse to forsake their own way and to practice His virtues. The charge that He misled the people echoed the charge that He cast out demons by the power of the prince of demons, and the same kind of false accusation was afterward directed against His apostles. The division over Him calls His followers to lives shaped by His character rather than by criticism and backbiting, and love for one another is how they show that they are not of the world. The verse warns against imperiling God's cause and one's own influence through perverted ideas, and the counsel is to follow God and heed His instruction.