Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary (4 vols)

John 7:4

John 7:4. For no one doeth any thing in secret, and himself seeketh to be in boldness. ‘To be in boldness' may seem a singular expression; the Greek words, however, will not admit of the rendering ‘to be known openly;' and it is clear that the form of the phrase is chosen so as to be in correspondence with what precedes, ‘doeth anything in secret.' The Greek word rendered ‘boldness' occurs nine times in I his Gospel, four times in John's First Epistle, and eighteen times in the rest of the New Testament. In every case it denotes either boldness, as opposed to fear or caution (see John 7:13; John 7:26; John 11:54; John 18:20), or plainness of language as opposed to reserve (chap. John 10:24; John 11:14; John 16:25; John 16:29); here the meaning is ‘to take a bold position.' Working miracles in secret and a bold claim of personal dignity and office are, in the view of these men, things incompatible with one another.

If thou doest these things, manifest thyself to the world. These words are very remarkable. The brothers would use them as meaning ‘to all men,' i.e. ‘to all Israel' gathered together at the feast (comp. chap. John 12:19); but we cannot doubt that the Evangelist sees here the language of unconscious prophecy, such as appears in many other places of this Gospel, and in one case at least (chap. John 11:51) is expressly noted by himself. The words are now uttered with a true instinct; they will be fulfilled in their widest sense.

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Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary (4 vols)

John 7:4

Old Testament

New Testament