Logos Bible Study

John 7:15

The NET BibleOther versions

English

Arabic

Czech

French

German

Greek

Hungarian

Italian

Korean

Latin

Portuguese

Russian

Simplified Chinese

Spanish

Traditional Chinese

7:15Then the Jewish leaders32 were astonished33 and said, “How does this man know so much when he has never had formal instruction?”34

Read in Logos

Footnotes

  1. 32 Or “the Jewish authorities”; Grk “the Jews.” Here the phrase refers to the Jewish authorities or leaders who were Jesus’ primary opponents. See the note on the phrase “the Jewish leaders” in v. .
  2. 33 Or “began to be astonished.” This imperfect verb could also be translated ingressively (“began to be astonished”), but for English stylistic reasons it is rendered as a simple past.
  3. 34 Grk “How does this man know learning since he has not been taught?” The implication here is not that Jesus never went to school (in all probability he did attend a local synagogue school while a youth), but that he was not the disciple of a particular rabbi and had not had formal or advanced instruction under a recognized rabbi (compare Acts 4:13 where a similar charge is made against Peter and John; see also Paul’s comment in Acts 22:3). He has never had formal instruction. Ironically when the Jewish leaders came face to face with the Word become flesh—the preexistent Logos, creator of the universe and divine Wisdom personified—they treated him as an untaught, unlearned person, without the formal qualifications to be a teacher.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

The Jews therefore marveled, saying, “How is it that this man has learning, when he has never studied?”

NIVNew International Version (2011)

The Jews there were amazed and asked, “How did this man get such learning without having been taught?”

CSBChristian Standard Bible

Then the Jews were amazed and said, “How is this man so learned, since he hasn’t been trained?”

NLTNew Living Translation

The people were surprised when they heard him. “How does he know so much when he hasn’t been trained?” they asked.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

Then the Jews were astonished, saying, “How does this man possess knowledge, because he has not been taught?”

KJV 1900King James Version

And the Jews marvelled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?