John 7:43
“So there was a division among the people because of him.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The crowd becomes divided in its response to Jesus, some believing and others skeptical.
Context
The crowd in the temple, having heard Jesus's proclamation and debated its meaning, now stands visibly divided. John notes that this division is characteristic of how people respond to Jesus.
What Does John 7:43 Mean?
It is not an accident, John notes, that Jesus divides. The division is not a failure of his teaching or a personal flaw; it is the inevitable result of the ultimatum he presents. To encounter the living God incarnate is to face a choice. We cannot remain neutral. We cannot treat Jesus as an interesting teacher or a figure of minor importance. He demands a response. Some say yes; some say no. Some remain uncertain, and their uncertainty is itself a kind of answer. The people split along the fault lines of faith and doubt, courage and fear, openness and defensiveness. This division will continue throughout John's gospel and throughout the history of the church. It is the scandal of particularity: that one man, claiming to speak for God, should call forth such contrary responses.
The division Jesus causes is not comfortable, but it is necessary. A Jesus who offended no one, who divided no one, would be a Jesus of our own making, not the Jesus of Scripture. We are invited to recognize that our faith in Jesus may create rifts in our relationships, our communities, even our understanding of ourselves. This is the cost of following him. Yet it is a cost outweighed by the joy of knowing him and being known by him.
In the Original Language
schisma (σχίσμα), 'division' or 'schism' - the rupture that occurs when ultimate claims are made and people must choose where they stand.
Application
Faith in Jesus is not a private matter that leaves everything else unchanged. It calls us to take a stand. We are invited to recognize our own position in relation to him and to move toward greater commitment.