And the Jews marveled, saying, “How does this Man know letters, having never studied?”
Parallel translations
- WEB The Jews therefore marveled, saying, “How does this man know letters, having never been educated?”
- KJV And the Jews marvelled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?
- BSB The Jews were amazed and asked, “How did this man attain such learning without having studied?”
- NASB The Jews then were astonished, saying, “How has this Man become learned, not having been educated?”
- NLT The people were surprised when they heard him. “How does he know so much when he hasn’t been trained?” they asked.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The Jews marveled at Jesus' learning, since He had no formal rabbinic training. His depth of understanding could not be explained by ordinary education.
Overview
The authorities recognized Jesus' command of the Scriptures but were puzzled because He had not studied under a recognized rabbi. Their astonishment unwittingly points to the divine source of His teaching, which He explains in the next verses. Rather than crediting human schooling, Jesus' wisdom flows from His unique relationship with the Father who sent Him.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- Luke 4:22All testified about him, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth, and they said, “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?”
- Matt 7:28–29When Jesus had finished saying these things, the multitudes were astonished at his teaching,
- Matt 13:54Coming into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished, and said, “Where did this man get this wisdom, and these mighty works?
- Acts 26:24As he thus made his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, you are crazy! Your great learning is driving you insane!”
- Luke 2:47All who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.
- Matt 22:22When they heard it, they marveled, and left him, and went away.
- John 7:46The officers answered, “No man ever spoke like this man!”
- Amos 7:14–15Then Amos answered Amaziah, “I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet’s son; but I was a herdsman, and a farmer of sycamore figs;
- Mark 6:2–3When the Sabbath had come, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many hearing him were astonished, saying, “Where did this man get these things?” and, “What is the wisdom that is given to this man, that such mighty works come about by his hands?
- Acts 2:7–13They were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, “Behold, aren’t all these who speak Galileans?
- Acts 4:11–12He is ‘the stone which was regarded as worthless by you, the builders, which has become the head of the corner.’
- Matt 22:33When the multitudes heard it, they were astonished at his teaching.
- John 1:19This is John’s testimony, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?”
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Christ at the center
John declares him plainly: the eternal Word made flesh, the Lamb of God, the great 'I AM' — bread, light, door, shepherd, way, truth, life, resurrection — that you may believe and have life in his name.
How John 7:15 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.