John 7:20 (KJV)

What does John 7:20 mean?

John 7:20 describes how the crowd responded to Jesus by accusing him of being possessed by a demon and questioning who was trying to kill him. The people were reacting with disbelief and hostility to Jesus’ claim that someone was seeking his life.

In this scene, Jesus is speaking publicly at the Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem. The crowd, made up of ordinary people, is confused and skeptical about Jesus’ warning that some want to kill him. Their accusation, “Thou hast a devil,” was a way of dismissing his words as madness or delusion, not a literal statement about demon possession.

The Greek behind John 7:20

• δαιμόνιον (daimonion, “devil”): This Greek word often refers to an evil spirit or demon, but here it is used as an insult, suggesting Jesus is out of his mind or speaking irrationally.
• ζητεῖ (zētei, “goeth about” or “seeks”): The Greek verb carries the sense of actively searching or plotting, highlighting the seriousness of Jesus’ claim that someone is seeking to kill him.
• ἀποκτεῖναι (apokteinai, “to kill”): This word means to put to death, making clear that Jesus is talking about a real threat to his life, not just opposition or criticism.

Why John 7:20 matters

• John 7:20 shows the gap between what Jesus knows (that some leaders want to kill him) and what the crowd believes, highlighting the confusion and division among the people about who Jesus is.
• The verse reveals how quickly people can dismiss uncomfortable truths by attacking the speaker’s sanity or character, rather than considering the message.
• This moment sets up the tension for the rest of the chapter, as the threat against Jesus becomes more obvious and the crowd’s understanding slowly changes.