‘So there arose a division in the crowd because of him. And some of them would have taken him, but no man laid hands on him.'
And so there was division among them. Some wanted His arrest, others wanted to support Him. The city was divided. And this was demonstrated by the fact that even the officials present (see v. 45) were impressed, and did not fulfil their duty (although this may well have also been due to the feeling that if they did so amongst such a divided and enthusiastic crowd, anything could happen).