That the crowds were divided in their reactions to Jesus has already been indicated in 7: 12 and 20; some believed in him (7:31) but others rejected him, referring to a widespread idea that the Messiah would suddenly appear, his origins mysteriously hidden. Throughout chapter 7, narrow religious interpretations and prejudices blind the Jews to the truth in Jesus (7:28-29).

The Pharisees caught up with the rumours that Jesus was the Messiah and tried to arrest him (7:32) but they were unable to, as is shown later in 7:45-46; once again, John indicates to his readers that events in the ministry of Jesus were controlled by God's time, not by the will of men and the time scale of the world. Jesus foretold his return to his Father through his death and Resurrection (7:33-34) but his listeners failed completely to understand what he said (7:35-36). The words of the Jewish leaders were an unconscious prediction on their part of the taking of the Gospel to the Gentiles.