Discovery BoxJohn 7:46-49 
Context7:46 The officers replied, “No one ever spoke like this man!” 7:47 Then the Pharisees answered, 1 “You haven’t been deceived too, have you? 2 7:48 None of the rulers 3 or the Pharisees have believed in him, have they? 4 7:49 But this rabble 5 who do not know the law are accursed!”
1 tn Grk “answered them.”
2 tn Questions prefaced with μή (mh) in Greek anticipate a negative answer. This can sometimes be indicated by using a “tag” at the end in English (here the tag is “have you?”).
3 sn The chief priests and Pharisees (John 7:45) is a comprehensive term for the groups represented in the ruling council (the Sanhedrin) as in John 7:45; 18:3; Acts 5:22, 26. Likewise the term ruler here denotes a member of the Sanhedrin, the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews. Note the same word (“ruler”) is used to describe Nicodemus in John 3:1, and Nicodemus also speaks up in this episode (John 7:50).
4 tn Questions prefaced with μή (mh) in Greek anticipate a negative answer. This can sometimes be indicated by using a “tag” at the end in English (here the tag is “have they?”).
5 tn Grk “crowd.” “Rabble” is a good translation here because the remark by the Pharisees is so derogatory.
