Division and the Failure to Arrest Jesus

40

On hearing his words, some people in the crowd said, “Surely this man is ‘the prophet’”;

41

others said, “This is the Messiah.” But others said, “How can the Messiah come from the Galil?

42

Doesn’t the Tanakh say that the Messiah is from the seed of David and comes from Beit-Lechem, the village where David lived?”

43

So the people were divided because of him.

44

Some wanted to arrest him, but no one laid a hand on him.

45

The guards came back to the head cohanim and the P’rushim, who asked them, “Why didn’t you bring him in?”

46

The guards replied, “No one ever spoke the way this man speaks!”

47

“You mean you’ve been taken in as well?” the P’rushim retorted.

48

“Has any of the authorities trusted him? Or any of the P’rushim? No!

49

True, these ‘am-ha’aretz do, but they know nothing about the Torah, they are under a curse!”

50

Nakdimon, the man who had gone to Yeshua before and was one of them, said to them,

51

“Our Torah doesn’t condemn a man — does it? — until after hearing from him and finding out what he’s doing.”

52

They replied, “You aren’t from the Galil too, are you? Study the Tanakh, and see for yourself that no prophet comes from the Galil!”

53

Then they all left, each one to his own home.