The treasury - See the notes at Matthew 21:12.

His hour was not yet come - The time for him to die had not yet arrived, and God restrained them, and kept his life. This proves that God has power over wicked men to control them, and to make them accomplish his own purposes.

The treasury - Lightfoot observes, from the rabbins, that the treasury was in what was called the court of the women - that there were thirteen chests in it; in the thirteenth only the women were permitted to put their offerings. Probably the other twelve were placed there in reference to the twelve tribes; each perhaps inscribed with the name of one of Jacob's twelve sons.

It seems that our Lord sometimes sat in this court to teach the people. See Mark 12:41, etc.

His hour was not yet come - The time was not arrived, in which he had determined to give himself up into the hands of his crucifiers.

These words spake Jesus in the treasury,.... The place where the thirteen chests stood, into which the people put their voluntary contributions for the sacrifices, and service of the temple: the Ethiopic version renders it, "at the alms chest"; See Gill on Mark 12:41. The design of this observation of the evangelist, is to suggest to us, that it was in a very public place, in the temple, openiy, that Christ delivered the above words:

as he taught in the temple; where the Jews resorted, where his ministry was public, and he spake freely, and without reserve; in a very bold manner, with intrepidity, and without fear of man:

and no man laid hands on him; though they had sought to do it the day before; had sent officers to take him; and they themselves had a good will to it; and yet they were so awed and over ruled by one means, or one account or another, that no man did it; the reason was,

for his hour was not yet come; the time appointed for his sufferings and death.

The Treasury (γαζοφυλακίῳ)

From γάζα, treasure, a Persian word, occurring only once in the New Testament (Acts 8:27), and φυλακή, guard. Used by John only here. The Treasury was in the Court of the Women, so called, not because it was appropriated to the worship of women exclusively, but because they were not allowed to proceed further, except for sacrificial purposes. The court covered a space upwards of two hundred feet square, and was surrounded by a colonnade, within which, and against the wall, were the thirteen trumpet-shaped chests, called "trumpets" from their shape, for charitable contributions. This court was the most public part of the temple.

And no man laid hands on Him (καὶ οὐδεὶς ἐπίασεν αὐτὸν)

Notice the connection with the previous sentence by the simple and, where another writer would have said and yet: the sense being that though Jesus was teaching where He might easily have been apprehended, yet no one attempted to arrest Him. See on John 1:10. Laid hands on is better rendered, as elsewhere, took (compare John 7:30). The inconsistency of the A.V. in the renderings of the same word, of which this is only one of many instances, is noteworthy here from the fact that in the only two passages in which John uses the phrase laid hands on (John 7:30; John 7:44), he employs the common formula, ἐπιβάλλειν τὰς χεῖρας, or τὴν χεῖρα, and in both these passages the word πιάσαι is rendered take. The use of this latter word is confined almost exclusively to John, as it is found only three times elsewhere (Acts 3:7; Acts 12:4; 2 Corinthians 11:32).

These words spake Jesus in the {e} treasury, as he taught in the temple: and no man laid hands on him; {7} for his hour was not yet come.

(e) This was a certain place appointed for the gathering of the offerings.

(7) We live and die according to the pleasure of God, and not of men: therefore it behooves us that we constantly go forward in our calling.

8:20 These words spake Jesus in the treasury. Of the temple. See notes on Mr 12:41 Lu 21:1.

20. These words spake Jesus in the treasury-a division, so called, of the fore court of the temple, part of the court of the women [Josephus, Antiquities, 19.6.2, &c.], which may confirm the genuineness of Joh 8:2-11, as the place where the woman was brought.

no man laid hands on him, &c.-(See on [1807]Joh 7:30). In the dialogue that follows, the conflict waxes sharper on both sides, till rising to its climax, they take up stones to stone him.

8:17-20 If we knew Christ better, we should know the Father better. Those become vain in their imaginations concerning God, who will not learn of Christ. Those who know not his glory and grace, know not the Father that sent him. The time of our departure out of the world, depends upon God. Our enemies cannot hasten it any sooner, nor can our friends delay it any longer, than the time appointed of the Father. Every true believer can look up and say with pleasure, My times are in thy hand, and better there than in my own. To all God's purposes there is a time.