John 7:51

Joh 7:51. Ὁ νόμος) the law, which ye suppose that ye alone know: Joh 7:49, “This people, that knoweth not the law, is accursed.”—κρίνει, judge) that is, teach us to judge.—τὸν ἄνθρωπον, a man) any one whatever, and this man.—ἀκούσῃ, it shall have heard) Understand, he who judges. [This rule, that a man should be heard before he is judged, has so strong evidence in its favour, that it is obvious even to a little child; notwithstanding men of the highest authority frequently offend against it. A considerable part of the injustice with which the world abounds, if these considerations were rightly weighed, would be banished out of it. And truly nowhere are such considerations less attended to, than in cases where the cause of Christ is at stake—V. g.]

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

What he hath committed, who is accused.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Doth our law, &c.--a very proper, but all too tame rejoinder, and evidently more from pressure of conscience than any design to pronounce positively in the case. "The feebleness of his defense of Jesus has a strong contrast in the fierceness of the rejoinders of the Pharisees" [WEBSTER and WILKINSON].

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 51. Doth our law judge any man] τον ανθρωπον, the man, i.e. who is accused. Perhaps Nicodemus did not refer so much to any thing in the law of Moses, as to what was commonly practiced among them. Josephus says, Ant. b. xiv. c. 9. s. 3, That the law has forbidden any man to be put to death, though wicked, unless he be first condemned to die by the Sanhedrin. It was probably to this law, which is not expressly mentioned in the five books of Moses, that Nicodemus here alludes. See laws relative to this point, De 17:8, c. De 19:15.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(51) Doth our law judge any man?—He identifies Himself with them. He, like they, is an expounder of the Law. The force of the question is in the word “Law,” which they had used but the moment before in their scorn for the people who knew not the Law. “Well, this Law, which we do know and understand, doth it judge without open investigation?” Did they in their blind zeal forget such passages as Exo_23:1; Deu_1:16-17; Deu_19:15? They had determined a death, and were seeking to carry their sentence into effect in direct contravention of the Law. This holy people, instructed in the Law—they were the Law-breakers.

Before it hear him.—The better reading is, unless it hear first from him.

And know what he doeth—i.e., know the deed for which he is tried.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

51. Doth our law] ‘Law’ is emphatic. ‘You condemn the multitude for not knowing the law; but are we not forgetting the law in condemning a man unheard?’ These learned theologians and lawyers were forgetting such plain and simple texts as Deu_1:16-17; Deu_17:8; Deu_19:15; involving the most elementary principles of justice.

any man, before it hear him] Literally, the man (prosecuted) except it first hear from himself.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

51 Doth our law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth?

Ver. 51. Doth our law condemn any man] This was no great matter to say, and yet it did the deed; so God would have it. Now, he is ever like himself; and whensoever he pleaseth, he both can and will dissipate all our enemies’ endeavours, and that in the very nick of time. This we have had plain and plentiful experience of in this land lately, when we were at such an under, that our enemies seemed to be above fear, and we below hope: when there was not faith in earth to believe, then were there bowels in heaven to turn our captivity like streams in the south.

Before it hear him, and know what he doth?] Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, was condemned before heard; and murdered by the Popish bishop. So was the Lord Cromwell, whose enemies dared not bring him to his answer, nor try him by his peers, but procured an act of attainder, and so put him to death unheard.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Doth our law ... - The law required justice to be done, and gave every man the right to claim a fair and impartial trial, Lev 19:15-16; Exo 23:1-2; Deu 19:15, Deu 19:18. Their condemnation of Jesus was a violation of every rule of right. He was not arraigned; he was not heard in self-defense, and not a single witness was adduced. Nicodemus demanded that justice should be done, and that he should, not be condemned until he had had a fair trial. Every man should be presumed to be innocent until he is proved to be guilty. This is a maxim of law, and a most just and proper precept in our judgments in private life.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

That no law of God or nature condemneth any man before they had heard him speak, or had what he did deposed by witnesses before them, that they might know what he did.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

51. Doth our law—The law prescribed that the accused should be heard before judges. Deu_17:8. Nicodemus does not, indeed, defend Jesus; he only puts in an estopment upon their procedure against him.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

51. μὴ ὁ νόμος. Ὁ νόμος is emphatic. ‘You condemn the multitude for not knowing the law; but are we not forgetting the law in condemning a man unheard?’ These learned theologians and lawyers were forgetting such plain and simple texts as Deu 1:16-17; Deu 17:8; Deu 19:15, involving the most elementary principles of justice.

τὸν ἄνθρ. The man (prosecuted), except it first hear from himself, or perhaps hear his defence.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

51.] There is no need of supplying κριτής before ἀκούσῃ and γνῷ—the judge is implied in ὁ νόμος. He is only its representative and mouthpiece.

ἐὰν μὴ ἀκ.] See Deu 1:16.

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

51. The expostulation of Nicodemus is characteristic of the cautious timidity of the man. He rests his case on a recognised principle of law, and suggests that the procedure intended by the Sanhedrim will be illegal; but he does not explicitly espouse the cause of Jesus (see on 3:1). That a report should not be received without scrutiny (Exo 23:1), and that both sides should be heard (Deu 1:16), are principles implied in the Jewish legislative code.

With τὸν ἄνθρωπον, sc. “any man,” cf. 2:25, Mat 10:36. Less probably it might be rendered “the man,” i.e. the man who is accused (cf. Mat 26:72).

ἐὰν μὴ ἀκούσῃ πρῶτον παρʼ αὐτοῦ. Field (in loc.) points out that ἀκούειν παρά τινος is a classical phrase for hearing a man in his own defence; but the phrase occurs in Jn. in other passages where this is not implied (see on 1:40).

For πρῶτον (אBDLNWΘ) the rec. has πρότερον.

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Any man [τον ανθρωπον] . Literally, the man, whoever he may be, that comes before them.

Before it hear him [εαν μη ακουση παρ αυτου] . Rev., more correctly, except it first hear. Hear him, is an inadequate rendering of par' aujtou, which is, as Rev., from himself; para, implying from beside, i e., from his side of the case.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.