John 7:47-49

Are ye also deceived? &c.— "Ye who have the advantage of knowing our sentiments, and are acquainted with the idea which we entertain concerning this person; surely you cannot be so weak as to be thus infatuated. Pray consider the conduct of those who are most capable of judging on this point. Have any of the rulers, or any of the Pharisees of a more private station, believed on him as the Messiah? Yet you know, these are most eminent for their acquaintance with religion, and the most authentic interpreters of the sacred writings, in which it is contained. But this wretched herd of people, John 7:49.— ο οχλος ουτος,— this rabble,—(so they affected to call Christ's friends) who know nothing of the true meaning of the law, are cursed with a judicial blindness, and given up to the most absurd and fatal mistake." This was downright railing. The force of the 49th verse, will appear more evident, when we reflect, that the rabbies and rulers among the Jews piqued themselves very highly upon the knowledge of the law, and very much despised the inferior people. The Jews were generally divided, first, into scribes, or teachers of the law; secondly, into disciples or students, who were scholars of their wise men, but neither rabbies nor teachers; and thirdly, into those whom they were pleased to call the people of the earth; here meant by the word οχλος, the rabble, the very scum of the earth, despised by these proud doctors on account of their being illiterate. The reader may find instances of their contempt of the common people in Lightfoot's Hor. Heb.on the place, and Vitringa, Observat. Sacr. lib. 3: 100: 2.