John records a lot of misconceptions that the crowd had about Jesus:
The officers then came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, “Why did you not bring him?” The officers answered, “No one ever spoke like this man!” The Pharisees answered them, “Have you also been deceived? Have any of the authorities or the Pharisees believed in him? But this crowd that does not know the law is accursed.” Nicodemus, who had gone to him before, and who was one of them, said to them, “Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he does?” They replied, “Are you from Galilee too? Search and see that no prophet arises from Galilee.” (John 7.45 – 52, ESV)
So many misconceptions:
- No prophet comes from Galilee
- First, Jesus wasn’t from Galilee; he was born in Bethlehem as predicted.
- Second, Jonah was from Galilee. Jonah was from Gath-Hepher (see 2 Kings 14.25), and Gath-Hepher was in Galilee! Therefore, some prophets do come from Galilee.
- No authority or Pharisee believes in Jesus
- But Nicodemus does. (See the conversation above as well as John 19.38 – 42)
And that’s the end of the chapter. No consensus. No mass conversions. Some believe. Some don’t. And the religious leaders are outright opposed.
And do you seek great things for yourself? Seek them not. (Jeremiah 45.5)
If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: “A servant is not greater than his master.” If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you… (John 15.18 – 20, ESV)