John 7:32-34 32The Pharisees heard the crowd muttering these things about him, and the chief priests and Pharisees sent officers in order to arrest him. 33Jesus then said, “I am with you yet a little longer, and then I am going to the one who sent me. 34You will seek me and you will not find me, and where I am you are not able to come.”
We finally get more description of the antagonists to Jesus: the Pharisees and chief priests. The Pharisees appear more often in the Synoptic Gospels but only a few times up to this point in John (1:24; 3:1; 4:1). They become more of a problem from this point onward. The Pharisees were a sect of Jews who showed their religious piety by strict observance of their oral interpretations of the Old Testament laws. This piety led them to become legalistic and hypocritical, for which Jesus strongly criticized them. The chief priests were likely from the other party of Sadducees who were the more liberal sect of Jews. For them to come together like this in opposition to Jesus shows how strongly he stirred up their deception with the truth of his words. They may have felt that Jesus was challenging their power, authority, and influence over the people. The best option was to get rid of him, so they sent the police after him to arrest him. These Jewish officers had the authority of the leaders and could arrest Jesus who was teaching openly in the temple courts.
An inevitable clash was coming. This scene has been played out many other times in history when the truth has threatened those in leadership. The darkness does not like to be exposed by the light. John states later what happened to the police, but interrupts the story with more teaching by Jesus. As a good writer, John has created a moment of suspense and concern for the reader. No all was well. A decision must be made about what to do with Jesus: accept, ignore, or reject. Only one leads to eternal life.
Meanwhile, Jesus continues to teach the people. John records some of that teaching in verse 33. Jesus says several key themes that have been hinted at but that will become more significant as the time of his suffering nears. These themes are repeated in chapter 14. First, he tells the people a shocking statement that he would soon leave them. This was not what they expected; rather, if he was the Messiah, he should stay, rally the people, and restore Israel to glory. This could be the long expected Day of the Lord.
Second comes the significant theological claim that Jesus was returning to the one who sent him. The crowd may not have put the pieces together to realize he was talking about God, but if they were listening earlier (verse 28), it should have been clear he was referring to God. Jesus came as the full revelation of God as the Word made flesh and would return to God as the exalted Son.
Third, he would no longer be around. They would look for him, but he would not be there because he would return to the Father. Fourth, no one could follow him because he would be the first to rise from the dead. This last statement also has an implied warning for any who do not believe in him. Only those who believe will be able to follow him into the glory of the Father. Jesus will repeat the same idea in 8:21 but with the stronger threat that those who do not believe will die in their sins. The choice about Jesus is of the utmost importance in all of life.
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