Then said the Jews among themselves, Whither will he go, that we shall not find him? will he go unto the dispersed among the Gentiles, and teach the Gentiles?

JOHN 7:35KJV
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John 7:35 (KJV)

What does John 7:35 mean?

John 7:35 describes how the Jewish leaders wondered where Jesus planned to go, since he said they would not be able to find him. They speculated whether Jesus might go to the Jews scattered among the Gentiles and even teach the Gentiles themselves. This shows their confusion about Jesus’ words and their uncertainty about his intentions.

In this scene, the Jewish leaders are speaking privately among themselves after hearing Jesus say he would go somewhere they could not follow. The “dispersed among the Gentiles” refers to Jewish people living outside of Israel, scattered throughout other nations. Their question about teaching the Gentiles highlights both their surprise and their limited understanding of Jesus’ mission, as teaching non-Jews was not a common expectation for a Jewish teacher at that time.

The Greek behind John 7:35

  • διασπορά (diaspora, G1290): This word means “the dispersed” or “scattered,” referring to Jewish people living outside their homeland among other nations. The use of this word shows the leaders were thinking about Jewish communities spread throughout the Greek-speaking world.
  • Ἕλληνες (Hellēnes, G1672): This word means “Gentiles” or “Greeks,” pointing to non-Jewish people. The leaders’ mention of Jesus possibly teaching Gentiles shows their surprise, since Jewish teachers rarely reached out to non-Jews.
  • διδάσκειν (didaskō, G1321): This is the word for “teach.” The leaders’ question about Jesus teaching Gentiles hints at how unusual and unexpected such an idea was for them.

Why John 7:35 matters

  • John 7:35 shows the confusion and limited perspective of the Jewish leaders, who could not grasp the true meaning of Jesus’ words about going away.
  • The verse hints at the wider reach of Jesus’ message, foreshadowing how his teachings would eventually go beyond the Jewish people to the Gentiles.
  • This moment connects to the larger theme in John’s Gospel of misunderstanding and questioning, as people struggle to understand who Jesus is and what he is doing.