Yohanes 1:1-51
Konteks1:1 In the beginning 1 was the Word, and the Word was with God, 2 and the Word was fully God. 3 1:2 The Word 4 was with God in the beginning. 1:3 All things were created 5 by him, and apart from him not one thing was created 6 that has been created. 7 1:4 In him was life, 8 and the life was the light of mankind. 9 1:5 And the light shines on 10 in the darkness, 11 but 12 the darkness has not mastered it. 13
1:6 A man came, sent from God, whose name was John. 14 1:7 He came as a witness 15 to testify 16 about the light, so that everyone 17 might believe through him. 1:8 He himself was not the light, but he came to testify 18 about the light. 1:9 The true light, who gives light to everyone, 19 was coming into the world. 20 1:10 He was in the world, and the world was created 21 by him, but 22 the world did not recognize 23 him. 1:11 He came to what was his own, 24 but 25 his own people 26 did not receive him. 27 1:12 But to all who have received him – those who believe in his name 28 – he has given the right to become God’s children 1:13 – children not born 29 by human parents 30 or by human desire 31 or a husband’s 32 decision, 33 but by God.
1:14 Now 34 the Word became flesh 35 and took up residence 36 among us. We 37 saw his glory – the glory of the one and only, 38 full of grace and truth, who came from the Father. 1:15 John 39 testified 40 about him and shouted out, 41 “This one was the one about whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is greater than I am, 42 because he existed before me.’” 1:16 For we have all received from his fullness one gracious gift after another. 43 1:17 For the law was given through Moses, but 44 grace and truth came about through Jesus Christ. 1:18 No one has ever seen God. The only one, 45 himself God, who is in closest fellowship with 46 the Father, has made God 47 known. 48
1:19 Now 49 this was 50 John’s 51 testimony 52 when the Jewish leaders 53 sent 54 priests and Levites from Jerusalem 55 to ask him, “Who are you?” 56 1:20 He confessed – he did not deny but confessed – “I am not the Christ!” 57 1:21 So they asked him, “Then who are you? 58 Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not!” 59 “Are you the Prophet?” 60 He answered, “No!” 1:22 Then they said to him, “Who are you? Tell us 61 so that we can give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”
1:23 John 62 said, “I am the voice of one shouting in the wilderness, ‘Make straight 63 the way for the Lord,’ 64 as Isaiah the prophet said.” 1:24 (Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. 65 ) 66 1:25 So they asked John, 67 “Why then are you baptizing if you are not the Christ, 68 nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”
1:26 John answered them, 69 “I baptize with water. Among you stands one whom you do not recognize, 70 1:27 who is coming after me. I am not worthy 71 to untie the strap 72 of his sandal!” 1:28 These things happened in Bethany 73 across the Jordan River 74 where John was baptizing.
1:29 On the next day John 75 saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God 76 who takes away the sin of the world! 1:30 This is the one about whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who is greater than I am, 77 because he existed before me.’ 1:31 I did not recognize 78 him, but I came baptizing with water so that he could be revealed to Israel.” 79
1:32 Then 80 John testified, 81 “I saw the Spirit descending like a dove 82 from heaven, 83 and it remained on him. 84 1:33 And I did not recognize him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘The one on whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining – this is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ 1:34 I have both seen and testified that this man is the Chosen One of God.” 85
1:35 Again the next day John 86 was standing there 87 with two of his disciples. 1:36 Gazing at Jesus as he walked by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!” 88 1:37 When John’s 89 two disciples heard him say this, 90 they followed Jesus. 91 1:38 Jesus turned around and saw them following and said to them, “What do you want?” 92 So they said to him, “Rabbi” (which is translated Teacher), 93 “where are you staying?” 1:39 Jesus 94 answered, 95 “Come and you will see.” So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day. Now it was about four o’clock in the afternoon. 96
1:40 Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, was one of the two disciples who heard what John said 97 and followed Jesus. 98 1:41 He first 99 found his own brother Simon and told him, “We have found the Messiah!” 100 (which is translated Christ). 101 1:42 Andrew brought Simon 102 to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon, the son of John. 103 You will be called Cephas” (which is translated Peter). 104
1:43 On the next day Jesus 105 wanted to set out for Galilee. 106 He 107 found Philip and said 108 to him, “Follow me.” 1:44 (Now Philip was from Bethsaida, 109 the town of 110 Andrew and Peter.) 1:45 Philip found Nathanael 111 and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the law, and the prophets also 112 wrote about – Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” 1:46 Nathanael 113 replied, 114 “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” 115 Philip replied, 116 “Come and see.”
1:47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and exclaimed, 117 “Look, a true Israelite in whom there is no deceit!” 118 1:48 Nathanael asked him, “How do you know me?” Jesus replied, 119 “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, 120 I saw you.” 1:49 Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king 121 of Israel!” 122 1:50 Jesus said to him, 123 “Because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” 124 1:51 He continued, 125 “I tell all of you the solemn truth 126 – you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” 127
Yohanes 4:1--5:47
Konteks4:1 Now when Jesus 128 knew that the Pharisees 129 had heard that he 130 was winning 131 and baptizing more disciples than John 4:2 (although Jesus himself was not baptizing, but his disciples were), 132 4:3 he left Judea and set out once more for Galilee. 133
4:4 But he had 134 to pass through Samaria. 135 4:5 Now he came to a Samaritan town 136 called Sychar, 137 near the plot of land that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. 138 4:6 Jacob’s well was there, so Jesus, since he was tired from the journey, sat right down beside 139 the well. It was about noon. 140
4:7 A Samaritan woman 141 came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me some water 142 to drink.” 4:8 (For his disciples had gone off into the town to buy supplies. 143 ) 144 4:9 So the Samaritan woman said to him, “How can you – a Jew 145 – ask me, a Samaritan woman, for water 146 to drink?” (For Jews use nothing in common 147 with Samaritans.) 148
4:10 Jesus answered 149 her, “If you had known 150 the gift of God and who it is who said to you, ‘Give me some water 151 to drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” 152 4:11 “Sir,” 153 the woman 154 said to him, “you have no bucket and the well 155 is deep; where then do you get this 156 living water? 157 4:12 Surely you’re not greater than our ancestor 158 Jacob, are you? For he gave us this well and drank from it himself, along with his sons and his livestock.” 159
4:13 Jesus replied, 160 “Everyone who drinks some of this water will be thirsty 161 again. 4:14 But whoever drinks some of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again, 162 but the water that I will give him will become in him a fountain 163 of water springing up 164 to eternal life.” 4:15 The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw 165 water.” 166 4:16 He 167 said to her, “Go call your husband and come back here.” 168 4:17 The woman replied, 169 “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “Right you are when you said, 170 ‘I have no husband,’ 171 4:18 for you have had five husbands, and the man you are living with 172 now is not your husband. This you said truthfully!”
4:19 The woman said to him, “Sir, I see 173 that you are a prophet. 4:20 Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, 174 and you people 175 say that the place where people must worship is in Jerusalem.” 176 4:21 Jesus said to her, “Believe me, woman, 177 a time 178 is coming when you will worship 179 the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 4:22 You people 180 worship what you do not know. We worship what we know, because salvation is from the Jews. 181 4:23 But a time 182 is coming – and now is here 183 – when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks 184 such people to be 185 his worshipers. 186 4:24 God is spirit, 187 and the people who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” 4:25 The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming” (the one called Christ); 188 “whenever he 189 comes, he will tell 190 us everything.” 191 4:26 Jesus said to her, “I, the one speaking to you, am he.”
4:27 Now at that very moment his disciples came back. 192 They were shocked 193 because he was speaking 194 with a woman. However, no one said, “What do you want?” 195 or “Why are you speaking with her?” 4:28 Then the woman left her water jar, went off into the town and said to the people, 196 4:29 “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Surely he can’t be the Messiah, 197 can he?” 198 4:30 So 199 they left the town and began coming 200 to him.
4:31 Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, 201 “Rabbi, eat something.” 202 4:32 But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.” 4:33 So the disciples began to say 203 to one another, “No one brought him anything 204 to eat, did they?” 205 4:34 Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of the one who sent me 206 and to complete 207 his work. 208 4:35 Don’t you say, 209 ‘There are four more months and then comes the harvest?’ I tell you, look up 210 and see that the fields are already white 211 for harvest! 4:36 The one who reaps receives pay 212 and gathers fruit for eternal life, so that the one who sows and the one who reaps can rejoice together. 4:37 For in this instance the saying is true, 213 ‘One sows and another reaps.’ 4:38 I sent you to reap what you did not work for; others have labored and you have entered into their labor.”
4:39 Now many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the report of the woman who testified, 214 “He told me everything I ever did.” 4:40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they began asking 215 him to stay with them. 216 He stayed there two days, 4:41 and because of his word many more 217 believed. 4:42 They said to the woman, “No longer do we believe because of your words, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this one 218 really is the Savior of the world.” 219
4:43 After the two days he departed from there to Galilee. 4:44 (For Jesus himself had testified that a prophet has no honor in his own country.) 220 4:45 So when he came to Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him because they had seen all the things he had done in Jerusalem 221 at the feast 222 (for they themselves had gone to the feast). 223
4:46 Now he came again to Cana 224 in Galilee where he had made the water wine. 225 In 226 Capernaum 227 there was a certain royal official 228 whose son was sick. 4:47 When he heard that Jesus had come back from Judea to Galilee, he went to him and begged him 229 to come down and heal his son, who was about to die. 4:48 So Jesus said to him, “Unless you people 230 see signs and wonders you will never believe!” 231 4:49 “Sir,” the official said to him, “come down before my child dies.” 4:50 Jesus told him, “Go home; 232 your son will live.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and set off for home. 233
4:51 While he was on his way down, 234 his slaves 235 met him and told him that his son was going to live. 4:52 So he asked them the time 236 when his condition began to improve, 237 and 238 they told him, “Yesterday at one o’clock in the afternoon 239 the fever left him.” 4:53 Then the father realized that it was the very time 240 Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live,” and he himself believed along with his entire household. 4:54 Jesus did this as his second miraculous sign 241 when he returned from Judea to Galilee.
5:1 After this 242 there was a Jewish feast, 243 and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 244 5:2 Now there is 245 in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate 246 a pool called Bethzatha 247 in Aramaic, 248 which has five covered walkways. 249 5:3 A great number of sick, blind, lame, and paralyzed people were lying in these walkways. 5:4 [[EMPTY]] 250 5:5 Now a man was there who had been disabled for thirty-eight years. 251 5:6 When Jesus saw him lying there and when he realized 252 that the man 253 had been disabled a long time already, he said to him, “Do you want to become well?” 5:7 The sick man answered him, “Sir, 254 I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up. While I am trying to get into the water, 255 someone else 256 goes down there 257 before me.” 5:8 Jesus said to him, “Stand up! Pick up your mat 258 and walk.” 5:9 Immediately the man was healed, 259 and he picked up his mat 260 and started walking. (Now that day was a Sabbath.) 261
5:10 So the Jewish leaders 262 said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath, and you are not permitted to carry your mat.” 263 5:11 But he answered them, “The man who made me well said to me, ‘Pick up your mat 264 and walk.’” 5:12 They asked him, “Who is the man who said to you, ‘Pick up your mat 265 and walk’?” 266 5:13 But the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had slipped out, since there was a crowd in that place.
5:14 After this Jesus found him at the temple and said to him, “Look, you have become well. Don’t sin any more, 267 lest anything worse happen to you.” 5:15 The man went away and informed the Jewish leaders 268 that Jesus was the one who had made him well.
5:16 Now because Jesus was doing these things 269 on the Sabbath, the Jewish leaders 270 began persecuting 271 him. 5:17 So he 272 told 273 them, “My Father is working until now, and I too am working.” 274 5:18 For this reason the Jewish leaders 275 were trying even harder to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was also calling God his own Father, thus making himself equal with God.
5:19 So Jesus answered them, 276 “I tell you the solemn truth, 277 the Son can do nothing on his own initiative, 278 but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father 279 does, the Son does likewise. 280 5:20 For the Father loves the Son and shows him everything he does, and will show him greater deeds than these, so that you will be amazed. 5:21 For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, 281 so also the Son gives life to whomever he wishes. 282 5:22 Furthermore, the Father does not judge 283 anyone, but has assigned 284 all judgment to the Son, 5:23 so that all people 285 will honor the Son just as they honor the Father. The one who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.
5:24 “I tell you the solemn truth, 286 the one who hears 287 my message 288 and believes the one who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned, 289 but has crossed over from death to life. 5:25 I tell you the solemn truth, 290 a time 291 is coming – and is now here – when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. 5:26 For just as the Father has life in himself, thus he has granted the Son to have life in himself, 5:27 and he has granted the Son 292 authority to execute judgment, 293 because he is the Son of Man.
5:28 “Do not be amazed at this, because a time 294 is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice 5:29 and will come out – the ones who have done what is good to the resurrection resulting in life, and the ones who have done what is evil to the resurrection resulting in condemnation. 295 5:30 I can do nothing on my own initiative. 296 Just as I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, 297 because I do not seek my own will, but the will of the one who sent me. 298
5:31 “If I testify about myself, my testimony is not true. 5:32 There is another 299 who testifies about me, and I know the testimony he testifies about me is true. 5:33 You have sent to John, 300 and he has testified to the truth. 5:34 (I do not accept 301 human testimony, but I say this so that you may be saved.) 5:35 He was a lamp that was burning and shining, 302 and you wanted to rejoice greatly for a short time 303 in his light.
5:36 “But I have a testimony greater than that from John. For the deeds 304 that the Father has assigned me to complete – the deeds 305 I am now doing – testify about me that the Father has sent me. 5:37 And the Father who sent me has himself testified about me. You people 306 have never heard his voice nor seen his form at any time, 307 5:38 nor do you have his word residing in you, because you do not believe the one whom he sent. 5:39 You study the scriptures thoroughly 308 because you think in them you possess eternal life, 309 and it is these same scriptures 310 that testify about me, 5:40 but you are not willing to come to me so that you may have life.
5:41 “I do not accept 311 praise 312 from people, 313 5:42 but I know you, that you do not have the love of God 314 within you. 5:43 I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not accept 315 me. If someone else comes in his own name, you will accept 316 him. 5:44 How can you believe, if you accept praise 317 from one another and don’t seek the praise 318 that comes from the only God? 319
5:45 “Do not suppose that I will accuse you before the Father. The one who accuses you is Moses, in whom you have placed your hope. 320 5:46 If 321 you believed Moses, you would believe me, because he wrote about me. 5:47 But if you do not believe what Moses 322 wrote, how will you believe my words?”
Yohanes 12:1--15:27
Konteks12:1 Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom he 323 had raised from the dead. 12:2 So they prepared a dinner for Jesus 324 there. Martha 325 was serving, and Lazarus was among those present at the table 326 with him. 12:3 Then Mary took three quarters of a pound 327 of expensive aromatic oil from pure nard 328 and anointed the feet of Jesus. She 329 then wiped his feet dry with her hair. (Now the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfumed oil.) 330 12:4 But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was going to betray him) 331 said, 12:5 “Why wasn’t this oil sold for three hundred silver coins 332 and the money 333 given to the poor?” 12:6 (Now Judas 334 said this not because he was concerned about the poor, but because he was a thief. As keeper of the money box, 335 he used to steal what was put into it.) 336 12:7 So Jesus said, “Leave her alone. She has kept it for the day of my burial. 337 12:8 For you will always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me!” 338
12:9 Now a large crowd of Judeans 339 learned 340 that Jesus 341 was there, and so they came not only because of him 342 but also to see Lazarus whom he had raised from the dead. 12:10 So the chief priests planned to kill Lazarus too, 343 12:11 for on account of him many of the Jewish people from Jerusalem 344 were going away and believing in Jesus.
12:12 The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. 345 12:13 So they took branches of palm trees 346 and went out to meet him. They began to shout, 347 “Hosanna! 348 Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! 349 Blessed is 350 the king of Israel!” 12:14 Jesus found a young donkey 351 and sat on it, just as it is written, 12:15 “Do not be afraid, people of Zion; 352 look, your king is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt!” 353 12:16 (His disciples did not understand these things when they first happened, 354 but when Jesus was glorified, 355 then they remembered that these things were written about him and that these things had happened 356 to him.) 357
12:17 So the crowd who had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead were continuing to testify about it. 358 12:18 Because they had heard that Jesus 359 had performed this miraculous sign, the crowd went out to meet him. 12:19 Thus the Pharisees 360 said to one another, “You see that you can do nothing. Look, the world has run off after him!”
12:20 Now some Greeks 361 were among those who had gone up to worship at the feast. 12:21 So these approached Philip, 362 who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and requested, 363 “Sir, we would like to see Jesus.” 12:22 Philip went and told Andrew, and they both 364 went and told Jesus. 12:23 Jesus replied, 365 “The time 366 has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 367 12:24 I tell you the solemn truth, 368 unless a kernel of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains by itself alone. 369 But if it dies, it produces 370 much grain. 371 12:25 The one who loves his life 372 destroys 373 it, and the one who hates his life in this world guards 374 it for eternal life. 12:26 If anyone wants to serve me, he must follow 375 me, and where I am, my servant will be too. 376 If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.
12:27 “Now my soul is greatly distressed. And what should I say? ‘Father, deliver me 377 from this hour’? 378 No, but for this very reason I have come to this hour. 379 12:28 Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven, 380 “I have glorified it, 381 and I will glorify it 382 again.” 12:29 The crowd that stood there and heard the voice 383 said that it had thundered. Others said that an angel had spoken to him. 384 12:30 Jesus said, 385 “This voice has not come for my benefit 386 but for yours. 12:31 Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world 387 will be driven out. 388 12:32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people 389 to myself.” 12:33 (Now he said this to indicate clearly what kind of death he was going to die.) 390
12:34 Then the crowd responded, 391 “We have heard from the law that the Christ 392 will remain forever. 393 How 394 can you say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this Son of Man?” 12:35 Jesus replied, 395 “The light is with you for a little while longer. 396 Walk while you have the light, so that the darkness may not overtake you. 397 The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. 12:36 While you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become sons of light.” 398 When Jesus had said these things, he went away and hid himself from them.
12:37 Although Jesus 399 had performed 400 so many miraculous signs before them, they still refused to believe in him, 12:38 so that the word 401 of Isaiah the prophet would be fulfilled. He said, 402 “Lord, who has believed our message, and to whom has the arm of the Lord 403 been revealed?” 404 12:39 For this reason they could not believe, 405 because again Isaiah said,
12:40 “He has blinded their eyes
and hardened their heart, 406
so that they would not see with their eyes
and understand with their heart, 407
and turn to me, 408 and I would heal them.” 409
12:41 Isaiah said these things because he saw Christ’s 410 glory, and spoke about him.
12:42 Nevertheless, even among the rulers 411 many believed in him, but because of the Pharisees 412 they would not confess Jesus to be the Christ, 413 so that they would not be put out of 414 the synagogue. 415 12:43 For they loved praise 416 from men more than praise 417 from God.
12:44 But Jesus shouted out, 418 “The one who believes in me does not believe in me, but in the one who sent me, 419 12:45 and the one who sees me sees the one who sent me. 420 12:46 I have come as a light into the world, so that everyone who believes in me should not remain in darkness. 12:47 If anyone 421 hears my words and does not obey them, 422 I do not judge him. For I have not come to judge the world, but to save the world. 423 12:48 The one who rejects me and does not accept 424 my words has a judge; 425 the word 426 I have spoken will judge him at the last day. 12:49 For I have not spoken from my own authority, 427 but the Father himself who sent me has commanded me 428 what I should say and what I should speak. 12:50 And I know that his commandment is eternal life. 429 Thus the things I say, I say just as the Father has told me.” 430
13:1 Just before the Passover feast, Jesus knew that his time 431 had come to depart 432 from this world to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now loved them to the very end. 433 13:2 The evening meal 434 was in progress, and the devil had already put into the heart 435 of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, that he should betray 436 Jesus. 437 13:3 Because Jesus 438 knew that the Father had handed all things over to him, 439 and that he had come from God and was going back to God, 13:4 he got up from the meal, removed 440 his outer clothes, 441 took a towel and tied it around himself. 442 13:5 He poured water into the washbasin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to dry them with the towel he had wrapped around himself. 443
13:6 Then he came to Simon Peter. Peter 444 said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash 445 my feet?” 13:7 Jesus replied, 446 “You do not understand 447 what I am doing now, but you will understand 448 after these things.” 13:8 Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet!” 449 Jesus replied, 450 “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” 451 13:9 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, wash 452 not only my feet, but also my hands and my head!” 13:10 Jesus replied, 453 “The one who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, 454 but is completely 455 clean. 456 And you disciples 457 are clean, but not every one of you.” 13:11 (For Jesus 458 knew the one who was going to betray him. For this reason he said, “Not every one of you is 459 clean.”) 460
13:12 So when Jesus 461 had washed their feet and put his outer clothing back on, he took his place at the table 462 again and said to them, “Do you understand 463 what I have done for you? 13:13 You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and do so correctly, 464 for that is what I am. 465 13:14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you too ought to wash one another’s feet. 13:15 For I have given you an example 466 – you should do just as I have done for you. 13:16 I tell you the solemn truth, 467 the slave 468 is not greater than his master, nor is the one who is sent as a messenger 469 greater than the one who sent him. 13:17 If you understand 470 these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
13:18 “What I am saying does not refer to all of you. I know the ones I have chosen. But this is to fulfill the scripture, 471 ‘The one who eats my bread 472 has turned against me.’ 473 13:19 I am telling you this now, 474 before it happens, so that when it happens you may believe 475 that I am he. 476 13:20 I tell you the solemn truth, 477 whoever accepts 478 the one I send accepts me, and whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me.” 479
13:21 When he had said these things, Jesus was greatly distressed 480 in spirit, and testified, 481 “I tell you the solemn truth, 482 one of you will betray me.” 483 13:22 The disciples began to look at one another, worried and perplexed 484 to know which of them he was talking about. 13:23 One of his disciples, the one Jesus loved, 485 was at the table 486 to the right of Jesus in a place of honor. 487 13:24 So Simon Peter 488 gestured to this disciple 489 to ask Jesus 490 who it was he was referring to. 491 13:25 Then the disciple whom Jesus loved 492 leaned back against Jesus’ chest and asked him, “Lord, who is it?” 13:26 Jesus replied, 493 “It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread 494 after I have dipped it in the dish.” 495 Then he dipped the piece of bread in the dish 496 and gave it to Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son. 13:27 And after Judas 497 took the piece of bread, Satan entered into him. 498 Jesus said to him, 499 “What you are about to do, do quickly.” 13:28 (Now none of those present at the table 500 understood 501 why Jesus 502 said this to Judas. 503 13:29 Some thought that, because Judas had the money box, Jesus was telling him to buy whatever they needed for the feast, 504 or to give something to the poor.) 505 13:30 Judas 506 took the piece of bread and went out immediately. (Now it was night.) 507
13:31 When 508 Judas 509 had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in him. 13:32 If God is glorified in him, 510 God will also glorify him in himself, and he will glorify him right away. 511 13:33 Children, I am still with you for a little while. You will look for me, 512 and just as I said to the Jewish religious leaders, 513 ‘Where I am going you cannot come,’ 514 now I tell you the same. 515
13:34 “I give you a new commandment – to love 516 one another. Just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 517 13:35 Everyone 518 will know by this that you are my disciples – if you have love for one another.”
13:36 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus replied, 519 “Where I am going, you cannot follow me now, but you will follow later.” 13:37 Peter said to him, “Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you!” 520 13:38 Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me? 521 I tell you the solemn truth, 522 the rooster will not crow until you have denied me three times!
14:1 “Do not let your hearts be distressed. 523 You believe in God; 524 believe also in me. 14:2 There are many dwelling places 525 in my Father’s house. 526 Otherwise, I would have told you, because 527 I am going away to make ready 528 a place for you. 529 14:3 And if I go and make ready 530 a place for you, I will come again and take you 531 to be with me, 532 so that where I am you may be too. 14:4 And you know the way where I am going.” 533
14:5 Thomas said, 534 “Lord, we don’t know where you are going. How can we know the way?” 14:6 Jesus replied, 535 “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. 536 No one comes to the Father except through me. 14:7 If you have known me, you will know my Father too. 537 And from now on you do know him and have seen him.”
14:8 Philip said, 538 “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be content.” 539 14:9 Jesus replied, 540 “Have I been with you for so long, and you have not known 541 me, Philip? The person who has seen me has seen the Father! How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 14:10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in me? 542 The words that I say to you, I do not speak on my own initiative, 543 but the Father residing in me performs 544 his miraculous deeds. 545 14:11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father is in me, but if you do not believe me, 546 believe because of the miraculous deeds 547 themselves. 14:12 I tell you the solemn truth, 548 the person who believes in me will perform 549 the miraculous deeds 550 that I am doing, 551 and will perform 552 greater deeds 553 than these, because I am going to the Father. 14:13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, 554 so that the Father may be glorified 555 in the Son. 14:14 If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.
14:15 “If you love me, you will obey 556 my commandments. 557 14:16 Then 558 I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate 559 to be with you forever – 14:17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot accept, 560 because it does not see him or know him. But you know him, because he resides 561 with you and will be 562 in you.
14:18 “I will not abandon 563 you as orphans, 564 I will come to you. 565 14:19 In a little while 566 the world will not see me any longer, but you will see me; because I live, you will live too. 14:20 You will know at that time 567 that I am in my Father and you are in me and I am in you. 14:21 The person who has my commandments and obeys 568 them is the one who loves me. 569 The one 570 who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and will reveal 571 myself to him.”
14:22 “Lord,” Judas (not Judas Iscariot) 572 said, 573 “what has happened that you are going to reveal 574 yourself to us and not to the world?” 14:23 Jesus replied, 575 “If anyone loves me, he will obey 576 my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and take up residence with him. 577 14:24 The person who does not love me does not obey 578 my words. And the word 579 you hear is not mine, but the Father’s who sent me.
14:25 “I have spoken these things while staying 580 with you. 14:26 But the Advocate, 581 the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you 582 everything, 583 and will cause you to remember everything 584 I said to you.
14:27 “Peace I leave with you; 585 my peace I give to you; I do not give it 586 to you as the world does. 587 Do not let your hearts be distressed or lacking in courage. 588 14:28 You heard me say to you, 589 ‘I am going away and I am coming back to you.’ If you loved me, you would be glad 590 that I am going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I am. 591 14:29 I have told you now before it happens, so that when it happens you may believe. 592 14:30 I will not speak with you much longer, 593 for the ruler of this world is coming. 594 He has no power over me, 595 14:31 but I am doing just what the Father commanded me, so that the world may know 596 that I love the Father. 597 Get up, let us go from here.” 598
15:1 “I am the true vine 599 and my Father is the gardener. 600 15:2 He takes away 601 every branch that does not bear 602 fruit in me. He 603 prunes 604 every branch that bears 605 fruit so that it will bear more fruit. 15:3 You are clean already 606 because of the word that I have spoken to you. 15:4 Remain 607 in me, and I will remain in you. 608 Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, 609 unless it remains 610 in 611 the vine, so neither can you unless you remain 612 in me.
15:5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains 613 in me – and I in him – bears 614 much fruit, 615 because apart from me you can accomplish 616 nothing. 15:6 If anyone does not remain 617 in me, he is thrown out like a branch, and dries up; and such branches are gathered up and thrown into the fire, 618 and are burned up. 619 15:7 If you remain 620 in me and my words remain 621 in you, ask whatever you want, and it will be done for you. 622 15:8 My Father is honored 623 by this, that 624 you bear 625 much fruit and show that you are 626 my disciples.
15:9 “Just as the Father has loved me, I have also loved you; remain 627 in my love. 15:10 If you obey 628 my commandments, you will remain 629 in my love, just as I have obeyed 630 my Father’s commandments and remain 631 in his love. 15:11 I have told you these things 632 so that my joy may be in you, and your joy may be complete. 15:12 My commandment is this – to love one another just as I have loved you. 633 15:13 No one has greater love than this – that one lays down his life 634 for his friends. 15:14 You are my friends 635 if you do what I command you. 15:15 I no longer call you slaves, 636 because the slave does not understand 637 what his master is doing. But I have called you friends, because I have revealed to you everything 638 I heard 639 from my Father. 15:16 You did not choose me, but I chose you 640 and appointed you to go and bear 641 fruit, fruit that remains, 642 so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you. 15:17 This 643 I command you – to love one another.
15:18 “If the world hates you, be aware 644 that it hated me first. 645 15:19 If you belonged to the world, 646 the world would love you as its own. 647 However, because you do not belong to the world, 648 but I chose you out of the world, for this reason 649 the world hates you. 650 15:20 Remember what 651 I told you, ‘A slave 652 is not greater than his master.’ 653 If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they obeyed 654 my word, they will obey 655 yours too. 15:21 But they will do all these things to you on account of 656 my name, because they do not know the one who sent me. 657 15:22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. 658 But they no longer have any excuse for their sin. 15:23 The one who hates me hates my Father too. 15:24 If I had not performed 659 among them the miraculous deeds 660 that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. 661 But now they have seen the deeds 662 and have hated both me and my Father. 663 15:25 Now this happened 664 to fulfill the word that is written in their law, ‘They hated me without reason.’ 665 15:26 When the Advocate 666 comes, whom I will send you from the Father – the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father – he 667 will testify about me, 15:27 and you also will testify, because you have been with me from the beginning.
[1:1] 1 sn In the beginning. The search for the basic “stuff” out of which things are made was the earliest one in Greek philosophy. It was attended by the related question of “What is the process by which the secondary things came out of the primary one (or ones)?,” or in Aristotelian terminology, “What is the ‘beginning’ (same Greek word as beginning, John 1:1) and what is the origin of the things that are made?” In the New Testament the word usually has a temporal sense, but even BDAG 138 s.v. ἀρχή 3 lists a major category of meaning as “the first cause.” For John, the words “In the beginning” are most likely a conscious allusion to the opening words of Genesis – “In the beginning.” Other concepts which occur prominently in Gen 1 are also found in John’s prologue: “life” (1:4) “light” (1:4) and “darkness” (1:5). Gen 1 describes the first (physical) creation; John 1 describes the new (spiritual) creation. But this is not to play off a false dichotomy between “physical” and “spiritual”; the first creation was both physical and spiritual. The new creation is really a re-creation, of the spiritual (first) but also the physical. (In spite of the common understanding of John’s “spiritual” emphasis, the “physical” re-creation should not be overlooked; this occurs in John 2 with the changing of water into wine, in John 11 with the resurrection of Lazarus, and the emphasis of John 20-21 on the aftermath of Jesus’ own resurrection.)
[1:1] 2 tn The preposition πρός (pros) implies not just proximity, but intimate personal relationship. M. Dods stated, “Πρός …means more than μετά or παρά, and is regularly employed in expressing the presence of one person with another” (“The Gospel of St. John,” The Expositor’s Greek Testament, 1:684). See also Mark 6:3, Matt 13:56, Mark 9:19, Gal 1:18, 2 John 12.
[1:1] 3 tn Or “and what God was the Word was.” Colwell’s Rule is often invoked to support the translation of θεός (qeos) as definite (“God”) rather than indefinite (“a god”) here. However, Colwell’s Rule merely permits, but does not demand, that a predicate nominative ahead of an equative verb be translated as definite rather than indefinite. Furthermore, Colwell’s Rule did not deal with a third possibility, that the anarthrous predicate noun may have more of a qualitative nuance when placed ahead of the verb. A definite meaning for the term is reflected in the traditional rendering “the word was God.” From a technical standpoint, though, it is preferable to see a qualitative aspect to anarthrous θεός in John 1:1c (ExSyn 266-69). Translations like the NEB, REB, and Moffatt are helpful in capturing the sense in John 1:1c, that the Word was fully deity in essence (just as much God as God the Father). However, in contemporary English “the Word was divine” (Moffatt) does not quite catch the meaning since “divine” as a descriptive term is not used in contemporary English exclusively of God. The translation “what God was the Word was” is perhaps the most nuanced rendering, conveying that everything God was in essence, the Word was too. This points to unity of essence between the Father and the Son without equating the persons. However, in surveying a number of native speakers of English, some of whom had formal theological training and some of whom did not, the editors concluded that the fine distinctions indicated by “what God was the Word was” would not be understood by many contemporary readers. Thus the translation “the Word was fully God” was chosen because it is more likely to convey the meaning to the average English reader that the Logos (which “became flesh and took up residence among us” in John 1:14 and is thereafter identified in the Fourth Gospel as Jesus) is one in essence with God the Father. The previous phrase, “the Word was with God,” shows that the Logos is distinct in person from God the Father.
[1:1] sn And the Word was fully God. John’s theology consistently drives toward the conclusion that Jesus, the incarnate Word, is just as much God as God the Father. This can be seen, for example, in texts like John 10:30 (“The Father and I are one”), 17:11 (“so that they may be one just as we are one”), and 8:58 (“before Abraham came into existence, I am”). The construction in John 1:1c does not equate the Word with the person of God (this is ruled out by 1:1b, “the Word was with God”); rather it affirms that the Word and God are one in essence.
[1:2] 4 tn Grk “He”; the referent (the Word) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[1:3] 5 tn Or “made”; Grk “came into existence.”
[1:3] 6 tn Or “made”; Grk “nothing came into existence.”
[1:3] 7 tc There is a major punctuation problem here: Should this relative clause go with v. 3 or v. 4? The earliest
[1:3] tn Or “made”; Grk “that has come into existence.”
[1:4] 8 tn John uses ζωή (zwh) 37 times: 17 times it occurs with αἰώνιος (aiwnios), and in the remaining occurrences outside the prologue it is clear from context that “eternal” life is meant. The two uses in 1:4, if they do not refer to “eternal” life, would be the only exceptions. (Also 1 John uses ζωή 13 times, always of “eternal” life.)
[1:4] sn An allusion to Ps 36:9, which gives significant OT background: “For with you is the fountain of life; In your light we see light.” In later Judaism, Bar 4:2 expresses a similar idea. Life, especially eternal life, will become one of the major themes of John’s Gospel.
[1:4] 9 tn Or “humanity”; Grk “of men” (but ἄνθρωπος [anqrwpo"] is used in a generic sense here, not restricted to males only, thus “mankind,” “humanity”).
[1:5] 10 tn To this point the author has used past tenses (imperfects, aorists); now he switches to a present. The light continually shines (thus the translation, “shines on”). Even as the author writes, it is shining. The present here most likely has gnomic force (though it is possible to take it as a historical present); it expresses the timeless truth that the light of the world (cf. 8:12, 9:5, 12:46) never ceases to shine.
[1:5] sn The light shines on. The question of whether John has in mind here the preincarnate Christ or the incarnate Christ is probably too specific. The incarnation is not really introduced until v. 9, but here the point is more general: It is of the very nature of light, that it shines.
[1:5] 11 sn The author now introduces what will become a major theme of John’s Gospel: the opposition of light and darkness. The antithesis is a natural one, widespread in antiquity. Gen 1 gives considerable emphasis to it in the account of the creation, and so do the writings of Qumran. It is the major theme of one of the most important extra-biblical documents found at Qumran, the so-called War Scroll, properly titled The War of the Sons of Light with the Sons of Darkness. Connections between John and Qumran are still an area of scholarly debate and a consensus has not yet emerged. See T. A. Hoffman, “1 John and the Qumran Scrolls,” BTB 8 (1978): 117-25.
[1:5] 12 tn Grk “and,” but the context clearly indicates a contrast, so this has been translated as an adversative use of καί (kai).
[1:5] 13 tn Or “comprehended it,” or “overcome it.” The verb κατέλαβεν (katelaben) is not easy to translate. “To seize” or “to grasp” is possible, but this also permits “to grasp with the mind” in the sense of “to comprehend” (esp. in the middle voice). This is probably another Johannine double meaning – one does not usually think of darkness as trying to “understand” light. For it to mean this, “darkness” must be understood as meaning “certain people,” or perhaps “humanity” at large, darkened in understanding. But in John’s usage, darkness is not normally used of people or a group of people. Rather it usually signifies the evil environment or ‘sphere’ in which people find themselves: “They loved darkness rather than light” (John 3:19). Those who follow Jesus do not walk in darkness (8:12). They are to walk while they have light, lest the darkness “overtake/overcome” them (12:35, same verb as here). For John, with his set of symbols and imagery, darkness is not something which seeks to “understand (comprehend)” the light, but represents the forces of evil which seek to “overcome (conquer)” it. The English verb “to master” may be used in both sorts of contexts, as “he mastered his lesson” and “he mastered his opponent.”
[1:6] 14 sn John refers to John the Baptist.
[1:7] 15 tn Grk “came for a testimony.”
[1:7] sn Witness is also one of the major themes of John’s Gospel. The Greek verb μαρτυρέω (marturew) occurs 33 times (compare to once in Matthew, once in Luke, 0 in Mark) and the noun μαρτυρία (marturia) 14 times (0 in Matthew, once in Luke, 3 times in Mark).
[1:7] 16 tn Or “to bear witness.”
[1:8] 18 tn Or “to bear witness.”
[1:9] 19 tn Grk “every man” (but in a generic sense, “every person,” or “every human being”).
[1:9] 20 tn Or “He was the true light, who gives light to everyone who comes into the world.” The participle ἐρχόμενον (ercomenon) may be either (1) neuter nominative, agreeing with τὸ φῶς (to fw"), or (2) masculine accusative, agreeing with ἄνθρωπον (anqrwpon). Option (1) results in a periphrastic imperfect with ἦν (hn), ἦν τὸ φῶς… ἐρχόμενον, referring to the incarnation. Option (2) would have the participle modifying ἄνθρωπον and referring to the true light as enlightening “every man who comes into the world.” Option (2) has some rabbinic parallels: The phrase “all who come into the world” is a fairly common expression for “every man” (cf. Leviticus Rabbah 31.6). But (1) must be preferred here, because: (a) In the next verse the light is in the world; it is logical for v. 9 to speak of its entering the world; (b) in other passages Jesus is described as “coming into the world” (6:14, 9:39, 11:27, 16:28) and in 12:46 Jesus says: ἐγὼ φῶς εἰς τὸν κόσμον ἐλήλυθα (egw fw" ei" ton kosmon elhluqa); (c) use of a periphrastic participle with the imperfect tense is typical Johannine style: 1:28, 2:6, 3:23, 10:40, 11:1, 13:23, 18:18 and 25. In every one of these except 13:23 the finite verb is first and separated by one or more intervening words from the participle.
[1:9] sn In v. 9 the world (κόσμος, kosmos) is mentioned for the first time. This is another important theme word for John. Generally, the world as a Johannine concept does not refer to the totality of creation (the universe), although there are exceptions at 11:9. 17:5, 24, 21:25, but to the world of human beings and human affairs. Even in 1:10 the world created through the Logos is a world capable of knowing (or reprehensibly not knowing) its Creator. Sometimes the world is further qualified as this world (ὁ κόσμος οὗτος, Jo kosmos Joutos) as in 8:23, 9:39, 11:9, 12:25, 31; 13:1, 16:11, 18:36. This is not merely equivalent to the rabbinic phrase “this present age” (ὁ αἰών οὗτος, Jo aiwn Joutos) and contrasted with “the world to come.” For John it is also contrasted to a world other than this one, already existing; this is the lower world, corresponding to which there is a world above (see especially 8:23, 18:36). Jesus appears not only as the Messiah by means of whom an eschatological future is anticipated (as in the synoptic gospels) but also as an envoy from the heavenly world to this world.
[1:10] 21 tn Or “was made”; Grk “came into existence.”
[1:10] 22 tn Grk “and,” but in context this is an adversative use of καί (kai) and is thus translated “but.”
[1:11] 24 tn Grk “to his own things.”
[1:11] 25 tn Grk “and,” but in context this is an adversative use of καί (kai) and is thus translated “but.”
[1:11] 26 tn “People” is not in the Greek text but is implied.
[1:11] 27 sn His own people did not receive him. There is a subtle irony here: When the λόγος (logos) came into the world, he came to his own (τὰ ἴδια, ta idia, literally “his own things”) and his own people (οἱ ἴδιοι, Joi idioi), who should have known and received him, but they did not. This time John does not say that “his own” did not know him, but that they did not receive him (παρέλαβον, parelabon). The idea is one not of mere recognition, but of acceptance and welcome.
[1:12] 28 tn On the use of the πιστεύω + εἰς (pisteuw + ei") construction in John: The verb πιστεύω occurs 98 times in John (compared to 11 times in Matthew, 14 times in Mark [including the longer ending], and 9 times in Luke). One of the unsolved mysteries is why the corresponding noun form πίστις (pistis) is never used at all. Many have held the noun was in use in some pre-Gnostic sects and this rendered it suspect for John. It might also be that for John, faith was an activity, something that men do (cf. W. Turner, “Believing and Everlasting Life – A Johannine Inquiry,” ExpTim 64 [1952/53]: 50-52). John uses πιστεύω in 4 major ways: (1) of believing facts, reports, etc., 12 times; (2) of believing people (or the scriptures), 19 times; (3) of believing “in” Christ” (πιστεύω + εἰς + acc.), 36 times; (4) used absolutely without any person or object specified, 30 times (the one remaining passage is 2:24, where Jesus refused to “trust” himself to certain individuals). Of these, the most significant is the use of πιστεύω with εἰς + accusative. It is not unlike the Pauline ἐν Χριστῷ (en Cristw) formula. Some have argued that this points to a Hebrew (more likely Aramaic) original behind the Fourth Gospel. But it probably indicates something else, as C. H. Dodd observed: “πιστεύειν with the dative so inevitably connoted simple credence, in the sense of an intellectual judgment, that the moral element of personal trust or reliance inherent in the Hebrew or Aramaic phrase – an element integral to the primitive Christian conception of faith in Christ – needed to be otherwise expressed” (The Interpretation of the Fourth Gospel, 183).
[1:13] 29 tn The Greek term translated “born” here also involves conception.
[1:13] 30 tn Grk “of blood(s).” The plural αἱμάτων (Jaimatwn) has seemed a problem to many interpreters. At least some sources in antiquity imply that blood was thought of as being important in the development of the fetus during its time in the womb: thus Wis 7:1: “in the womb of a mother I was molded into flesh, within the period of 10 months, compacted with blood, from the seed of a man and the pleasure of marriage.” In John 1:13, the plural αἱμάτων may imply the action of both parents. It may also refer to the “genetic” contribution of both parents, and so be equivalent to “human descent” (see BDAG 26 s.v. αἷμα 1.a). E. C. Hoskyns thinks John could not have used the singular here because Christians are in fact ‘begotten’ by the blood of Christ (The Fourth Gospel, 143), although the context would seem to make it clear that the blood in question is something other than the blood of Christ.
[1:13] 31 tn Or “of the will of the flesh.” The phrase οὐδὲ ἐκ θελήματος σαρκός (oude ek qelhmato" sarko") is more clearly a reference to sexual desire, but it should be noted that σάρξ (sarx) in John does not convey the evil sense common in Pauline usage. For John it refers to the physical nature in its weakness rather than in its sinfulness. There is no clearer confirmation of this than the immediately following verse, where the λόγος (logos) became σάρξ.
[1:13] 33 tn The third phrase, οὐδὲ ἐκ θελήματος ἀνδρός (oude ek qelhmato" andros), means much the same as the second one. The word here (ἀνηρ, anhr) is often used for a husband, resulting in the translation “or a husband’s decision,” or more generally, “or of any human volition whatsoever.” L. Morris may be right when he sees here an emphasis directed at the Jewish pride in race and patriarchal ancestry, although such a specific reference is difficult to prove (John [NICNT], 101).
[1:14] 34 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic, the incarnation of the Word. Greek style often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” but English style generally does not.
[1:14] 35 tn This looks at the Word incarnate in humility and weakness; the word σάρξ (sarx) does not carry overtones of sinfulness here as it frequently does in Pauline usage. See also John 3:6.
[1:14] 36 tn Grk “and tabernacled.”
[1:14] sn The Greek word translated took up residence (σκηνόω, skhnow) alludes to the OT tabernacle, where the Shekinah, the visible glory of God’s presence, resided. The author is suggesting that this glory can now be seen in Jesus (note the following verse). The verb used here may imply that the Shekinah glory that once was found in the tabernacle has taken up residence in the person of Jesus. Cf. also John 2:19-21. The Word became flesh. This verse constitutes the most concise statement of the incarnation in the New Testament. John 1:1 makes it clear that the Logos was fully God, but 1:14 makes it clear that he was also fully human. A Docetic interpretation is completely ruled out. Here for the first time the Logos of 1:1 is identified as Jesus of Nazareth – the two are one and the same. Thus this is the last time the word logos is used in the Fourth Gospel to refer to the second person of the Trinity. From here on it is Jesus of Nazareth who is the focus of John’s Gospel.
[1:14] 37 tn Grk “and we saw.”
[1:14] 38 tn Or “of the unique one.” Although this word is often translated “only begotten,” such a translation is misleading, since in English it appears to express a metaphysical relationship. The word in Greek was used of an only child (a son [Luke 7:12, 9:38] or a daughter [Luke 8:42]). It was also used of something unique (only one of its kind) such as the mythological Phoenix (1 Clem. 25:2). From here it passes easily to a description of Isaac (Heb 11:17 and Josephus, Ant., 1.13.1 [1.222]) who was not Abraham’s only son, but was one-of-a-kind because he was the child of the promise. Thus the word means “one-of-a-kind” and is reserved for Jesus in the Johannine literature of the NT. While all Christians are children of God, Jesus is God’s Son in a unique, one-of-a-kind sense. The word is used in this way in all its uses in the Gospel of John (1:14, 1:18, 3:16, and 3:18).
[1:15] 39 sn John refers to John the Baptist.
[1:15] 40 tn Or “bore witness.”
[1:15] 41 tn Grk “and shouted out saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant is English and has not been translated.
[1:15] 42 tn Or “has a higher rank than I.”
[1:16] 43 tn Grk “for from his fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace.” The meaning of the phrase χάριν ἀντὶ χάριτος (carin anti carito") could be: (1) love (grace) under the New Covenant in place of love (grace) under the Sinai Covenant, thus replacement; (2) grace “on top of” grace, thus accumulation; (3) grace corresponding to grace, thus correspondence. The most commonly held view is (2) in one sense or another, and this is probably the best explanation. This sense is supported by a fairly well-known use in Philo, Posterity 43 (145). Morna D. Hooker suggested that Exod 33:13 provides the background for this expression: “Now therefore, I pray you, if I have found χάρις (LXX) in your sight, let me know your ways, that I may know you, so that I may find χάρις (LXX) in your sight.” Hooker proposed that it is this idea of favor given to one who has already received favor which lies behind 1:16, and this seems very probable as a good explanation of the meaning of the phrase (“The Johannine Prologue and the Messianic Secret,” NTS 21 [1974/75]: 53).
[1:16] sn Earlier commentators (including Origen and Luther) took the words For we have all received from his fullness one gracious gift after another to be John the Baptist’s. Most modern commentators take them as the words of the author.
[1:17] 44 tn “But” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to indicate the implied contrast between the Mosaic law and grace through Jesus Christ. John 1:17 seems to indicate clearly that the Old Covenant (Sinai) was being contrasted with the New. In Jewish sources the Law was regarded as a gift from God (Josephus, Ant. 3.8.10 [3.223]; Pirqe Avot 1.1; Sifre Deut 31:4 §305). Further information can be found in T. F. Glasson, Moses in the Fourth Gospel (SBT).
[1:18] 45 tc The textual problem μονογενὴς θεός (monogenh" qeo", “the only God”) versus ὁ μονογενὴς υἱός (Jo monogenh" Juio", “the only son”) is a notoriously difficult one. Only one letter would have differentiated the readings in the
[1:18] tn Or “The unique one.” For the meaning of μονογενής (monogenh") see the note on “one and only” in 1:14.
[1:18] 46 tn Grk “in the bosom of” (an idiom for closeness or nearness; cf. L&N 34.18; BDAG 556 s.v. κόλπος 1).
[1:18] 47 tn Grk “him”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[1:18] 48 sn Has made God known. In this final verse of the prologue, the climactic and ultimate statement of the earthly career of the Logos, Jesus of Nazareth, is reached. The unique One (John 1:14), the One who has taken on human form and nature by becoming incarnate (became flesh, 1:14), who is himself fully God (the Word was God, 1:1c) and is to be identified with the ever-living One of the Old Testament revelation (Exod 3:14), who is in intimate relationship with the Father, this One and no other has fully revealed what God is like. As Jesus said to Philip in John 14:9, “The one who has seen me has seen the Father.”
[1:19] 49 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic. Greek style often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” but English style generally does not.
[1:19] 51 sn John’s refers to John the Baptist.
[1:19] sn John the Baptist’s testimony seems to take place over 3 days: day 1, John’s testimony about his own role is largely negative (1:19-28); day 2, John gives positive testimony about who Jesus is (1:29-34); day 3, John sends his own disciples to follow Jesus (1:35-40).
[1:19] 53 tn Or “the Jewish authorities”; Grk “the Jews.” In NT usage the term ᾿Iουδαῖοι (Ioudaioi) may refer to the entire Jewish people, the residents of Jerusalem and surrounding territory, the authorities in Jerusalem, or merely those who were hostile to Jesus. Here the author refers to the authorities or leaders in Jerusalem. (For further information see R. G. Bratcher, “‘The Jews’ in the Gospel of John,” BT 26 [1975]: 401-9.)
[1:19] 54 tc ‡ Several important witnesses have πρὸς αὐτόν (pro" auton, “to him”) either here (B C* 33 892c al it) or after “Levites” (Ì66c vid A Θ Ψ Ë13 579 al lat), while the earliest
[1:19] 55 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[1:19] 56 sn “Who are you?” No uniform Jewish expectation of a single eschatological figure existed in the 1st century. A majority expected the Messiah. But some pseudepigraphic books describe God’s intervention without mentioning the anointed Davidic king; in parts of 1 Enoch, for example, the figure of the Son of Man, not the Messiah, embodies the expectations of the author. Essenes at Qumran seem to have expected three figures: a prophet, a priestly messiah, and a royal messiah. In baptizing, John the Baptist was performing an eschatological action. It also seems to have been part of his proclamation (John 1:23, 26-27). Crowds were beginning to follow him. He was operating in an area not too far from the Essene center on the Dead Sea. No wonder the authorities were curious about who he was.
[1:20] 57 tn Or “the Messiah” (Both Greek “Christ” and Hebrew and Aramaic “Messiah” mean “one who has been anointed”).
[1:20] sn “I am not the Christ.” A 3rd century work, the pseudo-Clementine Recognitions (1.54 and 1.60 in the Latin text; the statement is not as clear in the Syriac version) records that John’s followers proclaimed him to be the Messiah. There is no clear evidence that they did so in the 1st century, however – but Luke 3:15 indicates some wondered. Concerning the Christ, the term χριστός (cristos) was originally an adjective (“anointed”), developing in LXX into a substantive (“an anointed one”), then developing still further into a technical generic term (“the anointed one”). In the intertestamental period it developed further into a technical term referring to the hoped-for anointed one, that is, a specific individual. In the NT the development starts there (technical-specific), is so used in the gospels, and then develops in Paul to mean virtually Jesus’ last name.
[1:21] 58 tn Grk “What then?” (an idiom).
[1:21] 59 sn According to the 1st century rabbinic interpretation of 2 Kgs 2:11, Elijah was still alive. In Mal 4:5 it is said that Elijah would be the precursor of Messiah. How does one reconcile John the Baptist’s denial here (“I am not”) with Jesus’ statements in Matt 11:14 (see also Mark 9:13 and Matt 17:12) that John the Baptist was Elijah? Some have attempted to remove the difficulty by a reconstruction of the text in the Gospel of John which makes the Baptist say that he was Elijah. However, external support for such emendations is lacking. According to Gregory the Great, John was not Elijah, but exercised toward Jesus the function of Elijah by preparing his way. But this avoids the real difficulty, since in John’s Gospel the question of the Jewish authorities to the Baptist concerns precisely his function. It has also been suggested that the author of the Gospel here preserves a historically correct reminiscence – that John the Baptist did not think of himself as Elijah, although Jesus said otherwise. Mark 6:14-16 and Mark 8:28 indicate the people and Herod both distinguished between John and Elijah – probably because he did not see himself as Elijah. But Jesus’ remarks in Matt 11:14, Mark 9:13, and Matt 17:12 indicate that John did perform the function of Elijah – John did for Jesus what Elijah was to have done for the coming of the Lord. C. F. D. Moule pointed out that it is too simple to see a straight contradiction between John’s account and that of the synoptic gospels: “We have to ask by whom the identification is made, and by whom refused. The synoptic gospels represent Jesus as identifying, or comparing, the Baptist with Elijah, while John represents the Baptist as rejecting the identification when it is offered him by his interviewers. Now these two, so far from being incompatible, are psychologically complementary. The Baptist humbly rejects the exalted title, but Jesus, on the contrary, bestows it on him. Why should not the two both be correct?” (The Phenomenon of the New Testament [SBT], 70).
[1:21] 60 sn The Prophet is a reference to the “prophet like Moses” of Deut 18:15, by this time an eschatological figure in popular belief. Acts 3:22 identifies Jesus as this prophet.
[1:22] 61 tn The words “Tell us” are not in the Greek but are implied.
[1:23] 62 tn Grk “He”; the referent (John the Baptist) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[1:23] 63 sn This call to “make straight” is probably an allusion to preparation through repentance.
[1:23] 64 sn A quotation from Isa 40:3.
[1:24] 65 sn Pharisees were members of one of the most important and influential religious and political parties of Judaism in the time of Jesus. There were more Pharisees than Sadducees (according to Josephus, Ant. 17.2.4 [17.42] there were more than 6,000 Pharisees at about this time). Pharisees differed with Sadducees on certain doctrines and patterns of behavior. The Pharisees were strict and zealous adherents to the laws of the OT and to numerous additional traditions such as angels and bodily resurrection.
[1:24] 66 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.
[1:25] 67 tn Grk “And they asked him, and said to him”; the referent (John) has been specified in the translation for clarity, and the phrase has been simplified in the translation to “So they asked John.”
[1:25] 68 tn Or “the Messiah” (Both Greek “Christ” and Hebrew and Aramaic “Messiah” mean “one who has been anointed”).
[1:25] sn See the note on Christ in 1:20.
[1:26] 69 tn Grk “answered them, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
[1:27] 71 tn Grk “of whom I am not worthy.”
[1:27] sn The humility of John is evident in the statement I am not worthy. This was considered one of the least worthy tasks of a slave, and John did not consider himself worthy to do even that for the one to come, despite the fact he himself was a prophet.
[1:27] 72 tn The term refers to the leather strap or thong used to bind a sandal. This is often viewed as a collective singular and translated as a plural, “the straps of his sandals,” but it may be more emphatic to retain the singular here.
[1:28] 73 tc Many witnesses ([א2] C2 K T Ψc 083 Ë1,13 33 pm sa Or) read Βηθαβαρᾷ (Bhqabara, “Bethabara”) instead of Βηθανίᾳ (Bhqania, “Bethany”). But the reading Βηθανίᾳ is strongly supported by {Ì66,75 A B C* L Ws Δ Θ Ψ* 565 579 700 1241 1424 pm latt bo as well as several fathers}. Since there is no known Bethany “beyond the Jordan,” it is likely that the name would have been changed to a more etymologically edifying one (Origen mistakenly thought the name Bethabara meant “house of preparation” and for this reason was appropriate in this context; see TCGNT 171 for discussion). On the other hand, both since Origen’s understanding of the Semitic etymology of Bethabara was incorrect, and because Bethany was at least a well-known location in Palestine, mentioned in the Gospels about a dozen times, one has to wonder whether scribes replaced Βηθαβαρᾷ with Βηθανίᾳ. However, if Origen’s understanding of the etymology of the name was representative, scribes may have altered the text in the direction of Bethabara. And even if most scribes were unfamiliar with what the name might signify, that a reading which did not contradict the Gospels’ statements of a Bethany near Jerusalem was already at hand may have been sufficient reason for them to adopt Bethabara. Further, in light of the very strong testimony for Βηθανίᾳ, this reading should be regarded as authentic.
[1:28] 74 tn “River” is not in the Greek text but is supplied for clarity.
[1:29] 75 tn Grk “he”; the referent (John) has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
[1:29] 76 sn Gen 22:8 is an important passage in the background of the title Lamb of God as applied to Jesus. In Jewish thought this was held to be a supremely important sacrifice. G. Vermès stated: “For the Palestinian Jew, all lamb sacrifice, and especially the Passover lamb and the Tamid offering, was a memorial of the Akedah with its effects of deliverance, forgiveness of sin and messianic salvation” (Scripture and Tradition in Judaism [StPB], 225).
[1:30] 77 tn Or “has a higher rank than I.”
[1:31] 79 sn John the Baptist, who has been so reluctant to elaborate his own role, now more than willingly gives his testimony about Jesus. For the author, the emphasis is totally on John the Baptist as a witness to Jesus. No attention is given to the Baptist’s call to national repentance and very little to his baptizing. Everything is focused on what he has to say about Jesus: so that he could be revealed to Israel.
[1:32] 80 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events in the narrative. Greek style often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” but English style generally does not.
[1:32] 81 tn Grk “testified, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
[1:32] 82 sn The phrase like a dove is a descriptive comparison. The Spirit is not a dove, but descended like one in some sort of bodily representation.
[1:32] 83 tn Or “from the sky.” The Greek word οὐρανός (ouranos) may be translated “sky” or “heaven,” depending on the context.
[1:32] 84 sn John says the Spirit remained on Jesus. The Greek verb μένω (menw) is a favorite Johannine word, used 40 times in the Gospel and 27 times in the Epistles (67 together) against 118 times total in the NT. The general significance of the verb μένω for John is to express the permanency of relationship between Father and Son and Son and believer. Here the use of the word implies that Jesus permanently possesses the Holy Spirit, and because he does, he will dispense the Holy Spirit to others in baptism. Other notes on the dispensation of the Spirit occur at John 3:5 and following (at least implied by the wordplay), John 3:34, 7:38-39, numerous passages in John 14-16 (the Paraclete passages) and John 20:22. Note also the allusion to Isa 42:1 – “Behold my servant…my chosen one in whom my soul delights. I have put my Spirit on him.”
[1:34] 85 tc ‡ What did John the Baptist declare about Jesus on this occasion? Did he say, “This is the Son of God” (οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ, |outo" estin Jo Juio" tou qeou), or “This is the Chosen One of God” (οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ ἐκλεκτὸς τοῦ θεοῦ, outo" estin Jo eklekto" tou qeou)? The majority of the witnesses, impressive because of their diversity in age and locales, read “This is the Son of God” (so {Ì66,75 A B C L Θ Ψ 0233vid Ë1,13 33 1241 aur c f l g bo as well as the majority of Byzantine minuscules and many others}). Most scholars take this to be sufficient evidence to regard the issue as settled without much of a need to reflect on internal evidence. On the other hand, one of the earliest
[1:35] 86 sn John refers to John the Baptist.
[1:35] 87 tn “There” is not in the Greek text but is implied by current English idiom.
[1:36] 88 sn This section (1:35-51) is joined to the preceding by the literary expedient of repeating the Baptist’s testimony about Jesus being the Lamb of God (1:36, cf. 1:29). This repeated testimony (1:36) no longer has revelatory value in itself, since it has been given before; its purpose, instead, is to institute a chain reaction which will bring John the Baptist’s disciples to Jesus and make them Jesus’ own disciples.
[1:37] 89 tn Grk “his”; the referent (John) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[1:37] 90 tn Grk “And the two disciples heard him speaking.”
[1:37] 91 sn The expression followed Jesus pictures discipleship, which means that to learn from Jesus is to follow him as the guiding priority of one’s life.
[1:38] 92 tn Grk “What are you seeking?”
[1:38] 93 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.
[1:39] 94 tn Grk “He”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[1:39] 95 tn Grk “said to them.”
[1:39] 96 tn Grk “about the tenth hour.”
[1:39] sn About four o’clock in the afternoon. What system of time reckoning is the author using? B. F. Westcott thought John, unlike the synoptic gospels, was using Roman time, which started at midnight (St. John, 282). This would make the time 10 a.m., which would fit here. But later in the Gospel’s Passover account (John 19:42, where the sixth hour is on the “eve of the Passover”) it seems clear the author had to be using Jewish reckoning, which began at 6 a.m. This would make the time here in 1:39 to be 4 p.m. This may be significant: If the hour was late, Andrew and the unnamed disciple probably spent the night in the same house where Jesus was staying, and the events of 1:41-42 took place on the next day. The evidence for Westcott’s view, that the Gospel is using Roman time, is very slim. The Roman reckoning which started at midnight was only used by authorities as legal time (for contracts, official documents, etc.). Otherwise, the Romans too reckoned time from 6 a.m. (e.g., Roman sundials are marked VI, not XII, for noon).
[1:40] 97 tn Grk “who heard from John.”
[1:40] 98 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[1:41] 99 tc Most witnesses (א* L Ws Ï) read πρῶτος (prwtos) here instead of πρῶτον (prwton). The former reading would be a predicate adjective and suggest that Andrew “was the first” person to proselytize another regarding Jesus. The reading preferred, however, is the neuter πρῶτον, used as an adverb (BDAG 893 s.v. πρῶτος 1.a.β.), and it suggests that the first thing that Andrew did was to proselytize Peter. The evidence for this reading is early and weighty: Ì66,75 א2 A B Θ Ψ 083 Ë1,13 892 al lat.
[1:41] 100 sn Naturally part of Andrew’s concept of the Messiah would have been learned from John the Baptist (v. 40). However, there were a number of different messianic expectations in 1st century Palestine (see the note on “Who are you?” in v. 19), and it would be wrong to assume that what Andrew meant here is the same thing the author means in the purpose statement at the end of the Fourth Gospel, 20:31. The issue here is not whether the disciples’ initial faith in Jesus as Messiah was genuine or not, but whether their concept of who Jesus was grew and developed progressively as they spent time following him, until finally after his resurrection it is affirmed in the climactic statement of John’s Gospel, the affirmation of Thomas in 20:28.
[1:41] 101 tn Both Greek “Christ” and Hebrew and Aramaic “Messiah” mean “the one who has been anointed.”
[1:41] sn This is a parenthetical note by the author. See the note on Christ in 1:20.
[1:42] 102 tn Grk “He brought him”; both referents (Andrew, Simon) have been specified in the translation for clarity.
[1:42] 103 tc The reading “Simon, son of John” is well attested in Ì66,75,106 א B* L 33 pc it co. The majority of
[1:42] 104 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author. The change of name from Simon to Cephas is indicative of the future role he will play. Only John among the gospel writers gives the Greek transliteration (Κηφᾶς, Khfas) of Simon’s new name, Qéphâ (which is Galilean Aramaic). Neither Πέτρος (Petros) in Greek nor Qéphâ in Aramaic is a normal proper name; it is more like a nickname.
[1:43] 105 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity. Jesus is best taken as the subject of εὑρίσκει (Jeuriskei), since Peter would scarcely have wanted to go to Galilee.
[1:43] 106 sn No explanation is given for why Jesus wanted to set out for Galilee, but probably he wanted to go to the wedding at Cana (about a two day trip).
[1:43] 107 tn Grk “and he.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
[1:43] 108 tn Grk “and Jesus said.”
[1:44] 109 sn Although the author thought of the town as in Galilee (12:21), Bethsaida technically was in Gaulanitis (Philip the Tetrarch’s territory) across from Herod’s Galilee. There may have been two places called Bethsaida, or this may merely reflect popular imprecision – locally it was considered part of Galilee, even though it was just east of the Jordan river. This territory was heavily Gentile (which may explain why Andrew and Philip both have Gentile names).
[1:44] 110 tn Probably ἀπό (apo) indicates “originally from” in the sense of birthplace rather than current residence; Mark 1:21, 29 seems to locate the home of Andrew and Peter at Capernaum. The entire remark (v. 44) amounts to a parenthetical comment by the author.
[1:45] 111 sn Nathanael is traditionally identified with Bartholomew (although John never describes him as such). He appears here after Philip, while in all lists of the twelve except in Acts 1:13, Bartholomew follows Philip. Also, the Aramaic Bar-tolmai means “son of Tolmai,” the surname; the man almost certainly had another name.
[1:45] 112 tn “Also” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.
[1:46] 113 tn Grk “And Nathanael.”
[1:46] 114 tn Grk “said to him.”
[1:46] 115 sn Can anything good come out of Nazareth? may be a local proverb expressing jealousy among the towns.
[1:46] map For location see Map1 D3; Map2 C2; Map3 D5; Map4 C1; Map5 G3.
[1:46] 116 tn Grk “And Philip said to him.”
[1:47] 117 tn Grk “said about him.”
[1:47] sn An allusion to Ps 32:2.
[1:48] 119 tn Grk “answered and said to him.” This is somewhat redundant in English and has been simplified in the translation to “replied.”
[1:48] 120 sn Many have speculated about what Nathanael was doing under the fig tree. Meditating on the Messiah who was to come? A good possibility, since the fig tree was used as shade for teaching or studying by the later rabbis (Ecclesiastes Rabbah 5:11). Also, the fig tree was symbolic for messianic peace and plenty (Mic 4:4, Zech 3:10.)
[1:49] 121 tn Although βασιλεύς (basileus) lacks the article it is definite due to contextual and syntactical considerations. See ExSyn 263.
[1:49] 122 sn Nathanael’s confession – You are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel – is best understood as a confession of Jesus’ messiahship. It has strong allusions to Ps 2:6-7, a well-known messianic psalm. What Nathanael’s exact understanding was at this point is hard to determine, but “son of God” was a designation for the Davidic king in the OT, and Nathanael parallels it with King of Israel here.
[1:50] 123 tn Grk “answered and said to him.” This has been simplified in the translation to “said to him.”
[1:50] 124 sn What are the greater things Jesus had in mind? In the narrative this forms an excellent foreshadowing of the miraculous signs which began at Cana of Galilee.
[1:51] 125 tn Grk “and he said to him.”
[1:51] 126 tn Grk “Truly, truly, I say to you.”
[1:51] 127 sn The title Son of Man appears 13 times in John’s Gospel. It is associated especially with the themes of crucifixion (3:14; 8:28), revelation (6:27; 6:53), and eschatological authority (5:27; 9:35). The title as used in John’s Gospel has for its background the son of man figure who appears in Dan 7:13-14 and is granted universal regal authority. Thus for the author, the emphasis in this title is not on Jesus’ humanity, but on his heavenly origin and divine authority.
[4:1] 128 tc Several early and important witnesses, along with the majority of later ones (Ì66c,75 A B C L Ws Ψ 083 Ë13 33 Ï sa), have κύριος (kurio", “Lord”) here instead of ᾿Ιησοῦς (Ihsou", “Jesus”). As significant as this external support is, the internal evidence seems to be on the side of ᾿Ιησοῦς. “Jesus” is mentioned two more times in the first two verses of chapter four in a way that is stylistically awkward (so much so that the translation has substituted the pronoun for the first one; see tn note below). This seems to be sufficient reason to motivate scribes to change the wording to κύριος. Further, the reading ᾿Ιησοῦς is not without decent support, though admittedly not as strong as that for κύριος (Ì66* א D Θ 086 Ë1 565 1241 al lat bo). On the other hand, this Gospel speaks of Jesus as Lord in the evangelist’s narrative descriptions elsewhere only in 11:2; 20:18, 20; 21:12; and probably 6:23, preferring ᾿Ιησοῦς most of the time. This fact could be used to argue that scribes, acquainted with John’s style, changed κύριος to ᾿Ιησοῦς. But the immediate context generally is weighed more heavily than an author’s style. It is possible that neither word was in the original text and scribes supplied what they thought most appropriate (see TCGNT 176). But without ms evidence to this effect coupled with the harder reading ᾿Ιησοῦς, this conjecture must remain doubtful. All in all, it is best to regard ᾿Ιησοῦς as the original reading here.
[4:1] 129 sn See the note on Pharisees in 1:24.
[4:1] 130 tn Grk “Jesus”; the repetition of the proper name is somewhat redundant in English (see the beginning of the verse) and so the pronoun (“he”) has been substituted here.
[4:1] 131 tn Grk “was making.”
[4:2] 132 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.
[4:3] 133 sn The author doesn’t tell why Jesus chose to set out once more for Galilee. Some have suggested that the Pharisees turned their attention to Jesus because John the Baptist had now been thrown into prison. But the text gives no hint of this. In any case, perhaps Jesus simply did not want to provoke a confrontation at this time (knowing that his “hour” had not yet come).
[4:4] 134 sn Travel through Samaria was not geographically necessary; the normal route for Jews ran up the east side of the Jordan River (Transjordan). Although some take the impersonal verb had to (δεῖ, dei) here to indicate logical necessity only, normally in John’s Gospel its use involves God’s will or plan (3:7, 3:14, 3:30, 4:4, 4:20, 4:24, 9:4, 10:16, 12:34, 20:9).
[4:4] 135 sn Samaria. The Samaritans were descendants of 2 groups: (1) The remnant of native Israelites who were not deported after the fall of the Northern Kingdom in 722
[4:5] 136 tn Grk “town of Samaria.” The noun Σαμαρείας (Samareias) has been translated as an attributive genitive.
[4:5] 137 sn Sychar was somewhere in the vicinity of Shechem, possibly the village of Askar, 1.5 km northeast of Jacob’s well.
[4:5] 138 sn Perhaps referred to in Gen 48:22.
[4:6] 139 tn Grk “on (ἐπί, epi) the well.” There may have been a low stone rim encircling the well, or the reading of Ì66 (“on the ground”) may be correct.
[4:6] 140 tn Grk “the sixth hour.”
[4:6] sn It was about noon. The suggestion has been made by some that time should be reckoned from midnight rather than sunrise. This would make the time 6 a.m. rather than noon. That would fit in this passage but not in John 19:14 which places the time when Jesus is condemned to be crucified at “the sixth hour.”
[4:7] 141 tn Grk “a woman from Samaria.” According to BDAG 912 s.v. Σαμάρεια, the prepositional phrase is to be translated as a simple attributive: “γυνὴ ἐκ τῆς Σαμαρείας a Samaritan woman J 4:7.”
[4:7] 142 tn The phrase “some water” is supplied as the understood direct object of the infinitive πεῖν (pein).
[4:8] 144 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author, indicating why Jesus asked the woman for a drink (for presumably his disciples also took the water bucket with them).
[4:9] 145 tn Or “a Judean.” Here BDAG 478 s.v. ᾿Ιουδαίος 2.a states, “Judean (with respect to birth, nationality, or cult).” The same term occurs in the plural later in this verse. In one sense “Judean” would work very well in the translation here, since the contrast is between residents of the two geographical regions. However, since in the context of this chapter the discussion soon becomes a religious rather than a territorial one (cf. vv. 19-26), the translation “Jew” has been retained here and in v. 22.
[4:9] 146 tn “Water” is supplied as the understood direct object of the infinitive πεῖν (pein).
[4:9] 147 tn D. Daube (“Jesus and the Samaritan Woman: the Meaning of συγχράομαι [Jn 4:7ff],” JBL 69 [1950]: 137-47) suggests this meaning.
[4:9] sn The background to the statement use nothing in common is the general assumption among Jews that the Samaritans were ritually impure or unclean. Thus a Jew who used a drinking vessel after a Samaritan had touched it would become ceremonially unclean.
[4:9] 148 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.
[4:10] 149 tn Grk “answered and said to her.”
[4:10] 150 tn Or “if you knew.”
[4:10] 151 tn The phrase “some water” is supplied as the understood direct object of the infinitive πεῖν (pein).
[4:10] 152 tn This is a second class conditional sentence in Greek.
[4:10] sn The word translated living is used in Greek of flowing water, which leads to the woman’s misunderstanding in the following verse. She thought Jesus was referring to some unknown source of drinkable water.
[4:11] 153 tn Or “Lord.” The Greek term κύριος (kurios) means both “Sir” and “Lord.” In this passage there is probably a gradual transition from one to the other as the woman’s respect for Jesus grows throughout the conversation (4:11, 15, 19).
[4:11] 154 tc ‡ Two early and important Greek
[4:11] 155 tn The word for “well” has now shifted to φρέαρ (frear, “cistern”); earlier in the passage it was πηγή (phgh).
[4:11] 156 tn The anaphoric article has been translated “this.”
[4:11] 157 sn Where then do you get this living water? The woman’s reply is an example of the “misunderstood statement,” a technique appearing frequently in John’s Gospel. Jesus was speaking of living water which was spiritual (ultimately a Johannine figure for the Holy Spirit, see John 7:38-39), but the woman thought he was speaking of flowing (fresh drinkable) water. Her misunderstanding gave Jesus the opportunity to explain what he really meant.
[4:12] 158 tn Or “our forefather”; Grk “our father.”
[4:12] 159 tn Questions prefaced with μή (mh) in Greek anticipate a negative answer. This can sometimes be indicated by using a “tag” at the end. In this instance all of v. 12 is one question. It has been broken into two sentences for the sake of English style (instead of “for he” the Greek reads “who”).
[4:13] 160 tn Grk “answered and said to her.”
[4:13] 161 tn Grk “will thirst.”
[4:14] 162 tn Grk “will never be thirsty forever.” The possibility of a later thirst is emphatically denied.
[4:14] 163 tn Or “well.” “Fountain” is used as the translation for πηγή (phgh) here since the idea is that of an artesian well that flows freely, but the term “artesian well” is not common in contemporary English.
[4:14] 164 tn The verb ἁλλομένου (Jallomenou) is used of quick movement (like jumping) on the part of living beings. This is the only instance of its being applied to the action of water. However, in the LXX it is used to describe the “Spirit of God” as it falls on Samson and Saul. See Judg 14:6, 19; 15:14; 1 Kgdms 10:2, 10 LXX (= 1 Sam 10:6, 10 ET); and Isa 35:6 (note context).
[4:15] 165 tn Grk “or come here to draw.”
[4:15] 166 tn The direct object of the infinitive ἀντλεῖν (antlein) is understood in Greek but supplied for clarity in the English translation.
[4:16] 167 tc Most witnesses have “Jesus” here, either with the article (אc C2 D L Ws Ψ 086 Ï lat) or without (א* A Θ Ë1,13 al), while several important and early witnesses lack the name (Ì66,75 B C* 33vid pc). It is unlikely that scribes would have deliberately expunged the name of Jesus from the text here, especially since it aids the reader with the flow of the dialogue. Further, that the name occurs both anarthrously and with the article suggests that it was a later addition. (For similar arguments, see the tc note on “woman” in 4:11).
[4:16] 168 tn Grk “come here” (“back” is implied).
[4:17] 169 tn Grk “answered and said to him.”
[4:17] 170 tn Grk “Well have you said.”
[4:17] 171 tn The word order in Jesus’ reply is reversed from the woman’s original statement. The word “husband” in Jesus’ reply is placed in an emphatic position.
[4:18] 172 tn Grk “the one you have.”
[4:19] 173 tn Grk “behold” or “perceive,” but these are not as common in contemporary English usage.
[4:20] 174 sn This mountain refers to Mount Gerizim, where the Samaritan shrine was located.
[4:20] 175 tn The word “people” is not in the Greek text, but is supplied to indicate that the Greek verb translated “say” is second person plural and thus refers to more than Jesus alone.
[4:20] 176 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[4:21] 177 sn Woman was a polite form of address (see BDAG 208-9 s.v. γυνή 1), similar to “Madam” or “Ma’am” used in English in different regions.
[4:21] 179 tn The verb is plural.
[4:22] 180 tn The word “people” is not in the Greek text, but is supplied to indicate that the Greek verb translated “worship” is second person plural and thus refers to more than the woman alone.
[4:22] 181 tn Or “from the Judeans.” See the note on “Jew” in v. 9.
[4:23] 183 tn “Here” is not in the Greek text but is supplied to conform to contemporary English idiom.
[4:23] 184 sn See also John 4:27.
[4:23] 185 tn Or “as.” The object-complement construction implies either “as” or “to be.”
[4:23] 186 tn This is a double accusative construction of object and complement with τοιούτους (toioutous) as the object and the participle προσκυνοῦντας (proskunounta") as the complement.
[4:23] sn The Father wants such people as his worshipers. Note how the woman has been concerned about where people ought to worship, while Jesus is concerned about who people ought to worship.
[4:24] 187 tn Here πνεῦμα (pneuma) is understood as a qualitative predicate nominative while the articular θεός (qeos) is the subject.
[4:25] 188 tn Both Greek “Christ” and Hebrew and Aramaic “Messiah” mean “the one who has been anointed.”
[4:25] sn The one called Christ. This is a parenthetical statement by the author. See the note on Christ in 1:20.
[4:25] 190 tn Or “he will announce to us.”
[4:25] 191 tn Grk “all things.”
[4:27] 192 tn Or “his disciples returned”; Grk “came” (“back” is supplied in keeping with English usage). Because of the length of the Greek sentence it is better to divide here and begin a new English sentence, leaving the καί (kai) before ἐθαύμαζον (eqaumazon) untranslated.
[4:27] 193 tn BDAG 444 s.v. θαυμάζω 1.a.γ has “be surprised that” followed by indirect discourse. The context calls for a slightly stronger wording.
[4:27] 194 tn The ὅτι (Joti) could also be translated as declarative (“that he had been speaking with a woman”) but since this would probably require translating the imperfect verb as a past perfect (which is normal after a declarative ὅτι), it is preferable to take this ὅτι as causal.
[4:27] 195 tn Grk “seek.” See John 4:23.
[4:27] sn The question “What do you want?” is John’s editorial comment (for no one in the text was asking it). The author is making a literary link with Jesus’ statement in v. 23: It is evident that, in spite of what the disciples may have been thinking, what Jesus was seeking is what the Father was seeking, that is to say, someone to worship him.
[4:28] 196 tn The term ἄνθρωποι (anqrwpoi) used here can mean either “people” (when used generically) or “men” (though there is a more specific term in Greek for adult males, ανήρ [anhr]). Thus the woman could have been speaking either (1) to all the people or (2) to the male leaders of the city as their representatives. However, most recent English translations regard the former as more likely and render the word “people” here.
[4:29] 197 tn Grk “the Christ” (both Greek “Christ” and Hebrew and Aramaic “Messiah” mean “one who has been anointed”). Although the Greek text reads χριστός (cristos) here, it is more consistent based on 4:25 (where Μεσσίας [Messias] is the lead term and is qualified by χριστός) to translate χριστός as “Messiah” here.
[4:29] 198 tn The use of μήτι (mhti) normally presupposes a negative answer. This should not be taken as an indication that the woman did not believe, however. It may well be an example of “reverse psychology,” designed to gain a hearing for her testimony among those whose doubts about her background would obviate her claims.
[4:30] 199 tn “So” is supplied for transitional smoothness in English.
[4:30] 200 sn The imperfect tense is here rendered began coming for the author is not finished with this part of the story yet; these same Samaritans will appear again in v. 35.
[4:31] 201 tn Grk “were asking him, saying.”
[4:31] 202 tn The direct object of φάγε (fage) in Greek is understood; “something” is supplied in English.
[4:33] 203 tn An ingressive imperfect conveys the idea that Jesus’ reply provoked the disciples’ response.
[4:33] 204 tn The direct object of ἤνεγκεν (hnenken) in Greek is understood; “anything” is supplied in English.
[4:33] 205 tn Questions prefaced with μή (mh) in Greek anticipate a negative answer. This can sometimes be indicated by using a “tag” at the end in English (here it is “did they?”).
[4:34] 206 sn The one who sent me refers to the Father.
[4:34] 207 tn Or “to accomplish.”
[4:34] 208 tn The substantival ἵνα (Jina) clause has been translated as an English infinitive clause.
[4:34] sn No one brought him anything to eat, did they? In the discussion with the disciples which took place while the woman had gone into the city, note again the misunderstanding: The disciples thought Jesus referred to physical food, while he was really speaking figuratively and spiritually again. Thus Jesus was forced to explain what he meant, and the explanation that his food was his mission, to do the will of God and accomplish his work, leads naturally into the metaphor of the harvest. The fruit of his mission was represented by the Samaritans who were coming to him.
[4:35] 209 tn The recitative ὅτι (Joti) after λέγετε (legete) has not been translated.
[4:35] 210 tn Grk “lift up your eyes” (an idiom). BDAG 357 s.v. ἐπαίρω 1 has “look up” here.
[4:35] 211 tn That is, “ripe.”
[4:36] 212 tn Or “a reward”; see L&N 38.14 and 57.173. This is something of a wordplay.
[4:37] 213 tn The recitative ὅτι (Joti) after ἀληθινός (alhqino") has not been translated.
[4:39] 214 tn Grk “when she testified.”
[4:40] 215 tn Following the arrival of the Samaritans, the imperfect verb has been translated as ingressive.
[4:40] 216 tn Because of the length of the Greek sentence and the sequencing with the following verse, the conjunction καί (kai) has not been translated here. Instead a new English sentence is begun.
[4:41] 217 tn Or “and they believed much more.”
[4:42] 218 tn Or “this.” The Greek pronoun can mean either “this one” or “this” (BDAG 740 s.v. οὗτος 1).
[4:42] 219 sn There is irony in the Samaritans’ declaration that Jesus was really the Savior of the world, an irony foreshadowed in the prologue to the Fourth Gospel (1:11): “He came to his own, and his own did not receive him.” Yet the Samaritans welcomed Jesus and proclaimed him to be not the Jewish Messiah only, but the Savior of the world.
[4:44] 220 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.
[4:45] 221 sn All the things he had done in Jerusalem probably refers to the signs mentioned in John 2:23.
[4:45] map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[4:45] 222 sn See John 2:23-25.
[4:45] 223 sn John 4:44-45. The last part of v. 45 is a parenthetical note by the author. The major problem in these verses concerns the contradiction between the proverb stated by Jesus in v. 44 and the reception of the Galileans in v. 45. Origen solved the problem by referring his own country to Judea (which Jesus had just left) and not Galilee. But this runs counter to the thrust of John’s Gospel, which takes pains to identify Jesus with Galilee (cf. 1:46) and does not even mention his Judean birth. R. E. Brown typifies the contemporary approach: He regards v. 44 as an addition by a later redactor who wanted to emphasize Jesus’ unsatisfactory reception in Galilee. Neither expedient is necessary, though, if honor is understood in its sense of attributing true worth to someone. The Galileans did welcome him, but their welcome was to prove a superficial response based on what they had seen him do at the feast. There is no indication that the signs they saw brought them to place their faith in Jesus any more than Nicodemus did on the basis of the signs. But a superficial welcome based on enthusiasm for miracles is no real honor at all.
[4:46] 224 map For location see Map1 C3; Map2 D2; Map3 C5.
[4:46] 225 sn See John 2:1-11.
[4:46] 227 sn Capernaum was a town on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee, 680 ft (204 m) below sea level. It was a major trade and economic center in the North Galilean region.
[4:46] map For location see Map1 D2; Map2 C3; Map3 B2.
[4:46] 228 tn Although βασιλικός (basiliko") has often been translated “nobleman” it is almost certainly refers here to a servant of Herod, tetrarch of Galilee (who in the NT is called a king, Matt 14:9, Mark 6:14-29). Capernaum was a border town, so doubtless there were many administrative officials in residence there.
[4:47] 229 tn The direct object of ἠρώτα (hrwta) is supplied from context. Direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
[4:48] 230 tn The word “people” is not in the Greek text, but is supplied to indicate that the verb is second person plural (referring to more than the royal official alone).
[4:48] 231 tn Or “you never believe.” The verb πιστεύσητε (pisteushte) is aorist subjunctive and may have either nuance.
[4:50] 232 tn Grk “Go”; the word “home” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.
[4:50] 233 tn Grk “and left.” The words “for home” are implied by the following verse.
[4:51] 234 sn While he was on his way down. Going to Capernaum from Cana, one must go east across the Galilean hills and then descend to the Sea of Galilee. The 20 mi (33 km) journey could not be made in a single day. The use of the description on his way down shows the author was familiar with Palestinian geography.
[4:51] 235 tn Traditionally, “servants.” Though δοῦλος (doulos) is normally translated “servant,” the word does not bear the connotation of a free individual serving another. BDAG notes that “‘servant’ for ‘slave’ is largely confined to Biblical transl. and early American times…in normal usage at the present time the two words are carefully distinguished” (BDAG 260 s.v.). The most accurate translation is “bondservant” (sometimes found in the ASV for δοῦλος), in that it often indicates one who sells himself into slavery to another. But as this is archaic, few today understand its force.
[4:52] 237 tn BDAG 558 s.v. κομψότερον translates the idiom κομψότερον ἔχειν (komyoteron ecein) as “begin to improve.”
[4:52] 238 tn The second οὖν (oun) in 4:52 has been translated as “and” to improve English style by avoiding redundancy.
[4:52] 239 tn Grk “at the seventh hour.”
[4:53] 240 tn Grk “at that hour.”
[4:54] 241 tn This sentence in Greek involves an object-complement construction. The force can be either “Jesus did this as,” or possibly “Jesus made this to be.” The latter translation accents not only Jesus’ power but his sovereignty too. Cf. 2:11 where the same construction occurs.
[5:1] 242 sn The temporal indicator After this is not specific, so it is uncertain how long after the incidents at Cana this occurred.
[5:1] 243 tc The textual variants ἑορτή or ἡ ἑορτή (Jeorth or Jh Jeorth, “a feast” or “the feast”) may not appear significant at first, but to read ἑορτή with the article would almost certainly demand a reference to the Jewish Passover. The article is found in א C L Δ Ψ Ë1 33 892 1424 pm, but is lacking in {Ì66,75 A B D T Ws Θ Ë13 565 579 700 1241 pm}. Overall, the shorter reading has somewhat better support. Internally, the known proclivity of scribes to make the text more explicit argues compellingly for the shorter reading. Thus, the verse refers to a feast other than the Passover. The incidental note in 5:3, that the sick were lying outside in the porticoes of the pool, makes Passover an unlikely time because it fell toward the end of winter and the weather would not have been warm. L. Morris (John [NICNT], 299, n. 6) thinks it impossible to identify the feast with certainty.
[5:1] sn A Jewish feast. Jews were obligated to go up to Jerusalem for 3 major annual feasts: Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles. If the first is probably ruled out because of the time of year, the last is not as likely because it forms the central setting for chap. 7 (where there are many indications in the context that Tabernacles is the feast in view.) This leaves the feast of Pentecost, which at some point prior to this time in Jewish tradition (as reflected in Jewish intertestamental literature and later post-Christian rabbinic writings) became identified with the giving of the law to Moses on Mount Sinai. Such an association might explain Jesus’ reference to Moses in 5:45-46. This is uncertain, however. The only really important fact for the author is that the healing was done on a Sabbath. This is what provoked the controversy with the Jewish authorities recorded in 5:16-47.
[5:1] 244 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[5:2] 245 tn Regarding the use of the present tense ἐστιν (estin) and its implications for the dating of the Gospel of John, see the article by D. B. Wallace, “John 5,2 and the Date of the Fourth Gospel,” Bib 71 (1990): 177-205.
[5:2] 246 tn The site of the miracle is also something of a problem: προβατικῇ (probatikh) is usually taken as a reference to the Sheep Gate near the temple. Some (R. E. Brown and others) would place the word κολυμβήθρα (kolumbhqra) with προβατικῇ to read “in Jerusalem, by the Sheep Pool, there is (another pool) with the Hebrew name.” This would imply that there is reference to two pools in the context rather than only one. This does not seem necessary (although it is a grammatical possibility). The gender of the words does not help since both are feminine (as is the participle ἐπιλεγομένη [epilegomenh]). Note however that Brown’s suggestion would require a feminine word to be supplied (for the participle ἐπιλεγομένη to modify). The traditional understanding of the phrase as a reference to the Sheep Gate near the temple appears more probably correct.
[5:2] 247 tc Some
[5:2] sn On the location of the pool called Bethzatha, the double-pool of St. Anne is the probable site, and has been excavated; the pools were trapezoidal in shape, 165 ft (49.5 m) wide at one end, 220 ft (66 m) wide at the other, and 315 ft (94.5 m) long, divided by a central partition. There were colonnades (rows of columns) on all 4 sides and on the partition, thus forming the five covered walkways mentioned in John 5:2. Stairways at the corners permitted descent to the pool.
[5:2] 249 tn Or “porticoes,” or “colonnades”; Grk “stoas.”
[5:2] sn The pool had five porticoes. These were covered walkways formed by rows of columns supporting a roof and open on the side facing the pool. People could stand, sit, or walk on these colonnaded porches, protected from the weather and the heat of the sun.
[5:4] 250 tc The majority of later
[5:5] 251 tn Grk “who had had thirty-eight years in his disability.”
[5:6] 253 tn Grk “he.” The referent (the man) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[5:7] 254 tn Or “Lord.” The Greek κύριος (kurios) means both “Sir” and “Lord.” In this passage the paralytic who was healed by Jesus never acknowledges Jesus as Lord – he rather reports Jesus to the authorities.
[5:7] 255 tn Grk “while I am going.”
[5:7] 257 tn The word “there” is not in the Greek text but is implied.
[5:8] 258 tn Or “pallet,” “mattress,” “cot,” or “stretcher.” Some of these items, however, are rather substantial (e.g., “mattress”) and would probably give the modern English reader a false impression.
[5:9] 259 tn Grk “became well.”
[5:9] 260 tn Or “pallet,” “mattress,” “cot,” or “stretcher.” See the note on “mat” in the previous verse.
[5:9] 261 tn Grk “Now it was Sabbath on that day.”
[5:9] sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.
[5:10] 262 tn Or “the Jewish authorities”; Grk “the Jews.” In NT usage the term ᾿Ιουδαῖοι (Ioudaioi) may refer to the entire Jewish people, the residents of Jerusalem and surrounding territory, the authorities in Jerusalem, or merely those who were hostile to Jesus. Here the author refers to the Jewish authorities or leaders in Jerusalem. (For further information see R. G. Bratcher, “‘The Jews’ in the Gospel of John,” BT 26 [1975]: 401-9).
[5:10] 263 tn Or “pallet,” “mattress,” “cot,” or “stretcher.” See the note on “mat” in v. 8.
[5:11] 264 tn Or “pallet,” “mattress,” “cot,” or “stretcher.” See the note on “mat” in v. 8.
[5:12] 265 tc While a number of
[5:12] 266 tn Grk “Pick up and walk”; the object (the mat) is implied but not repeated.
[5:14] 267 tn Since this is a prohibition with a present imperative, the translation “stop sinning” is sometimes suggested. This is not likely, however, since the present tense is normally used in prohibitions involving a general condition (as here) while the aorist tense is normally used in specific instances. Only when used opposite the normal usage (the present tense in a specific instance, for example) would the meaning “stop doing what you are doing” be appropriate.
[5:15] 268 tn Or “the Jewish authorities”; Grk “the Jews.” See the note on the phrase “Jewish leaders” in v. 10.
[5:16] 269 sn Note the plural phrase these things which seems to indicate that Jesus healed on the Sabbath more than once (cf. John 20:30). The synoptic gospels show this to be true; the incident in 5:1-15 has thus been chosen by the author as representative.
[5:16] 270 tn Or “the Jewish authorities”; Grk “the Jews.” See the note on the phrase “Jewish leaders” in v. 10.
[5:17] 272 tc ‡ Most witnesses (Ì66 A D L Θ Ψ Ë1,13 33 Ï latt co) have ᾿Ιησοῦς (Ihsou", “Jesus”) here, while generally better witnesses (Ì75 א B W {0141} 892 1241 pbo) lack the name. Although it is possible that Alexandrian scribes deleted the name due to proclivities to prune, this is not as likely as other witnesses adding it for clarification, especially since multiple strands of the Alexandrian text are represented in the shorter reading. NA27 places the word in brackets, indicating some doubts as to authenticity.
[5:17] 274 sn “My Father is working until now, and I too am working.” What is the significance of Jesus’ claim? A preliminary understanding can be obtained from John 5:18, noting the Jewish authorities’ response and the author’s comment. They sought to kill Jesus, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was also calling God his own Father, thus making himself equal with God. This must be seen in the context of the relation of God to the Sabbath rest. In the commandment (Exod 20:11) it is explained that “In six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth…and rested on the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.” Philo, based on the LXX translation of Exod 20:11, denied outright that God had ever ceased his creative activity. And when Rabban Gamaliel II, R. Joshua, R. Eleazar ben Azariah, and R. Akiba were in Rome, ca.
[5:18] 275 tn Or “the Jewish authorities”; Grk “the Jews.” See the note on the phrase “Jewish leaders” in v. 10.
[5:19] 276 tn Grk “answered and said to them.”
[5:19] 277 tn Grk “Truly, truly, I say to you.”
[5:19] 278 tn Grk “nothing from himself.”
[5:19] 279 tn Grk “that one”; the referent (the Father) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[5:19] 280 sn What works does the Son do likewise? The same that the Father does – and the same that the rabbis recognized as legitimate works of God on the Sabbath (see note on working in v. 17). (1) Jesus grants life (just as the Father grants life) on the Sabbath. But as the Father gives physical life on the Sabbath, so the Son grants spiritual life (John 5:21; note the “greater things” mentioned in v. 20). (2) Jesus judges (determines the destiny of people) on the Sabbath, just as the Father judges those who die on the Sabbath, because the Father has granted authority to the Son to judge (John 5:22-23). But this is not all. Not only has this power been granted to Jesus in the present; it will be his in the future as well. In v. 28 there is a reference not to spiritually dead (only) but also physically dead. At their resurrection they respond to the Son as well.
[5:21] 281 tn Grk “and makes them live.”
[5:21] 282 tn Grk “the Son makes whomever he wants to live.”
[5:22] 284 tn Or “given,” or “handed over.”
[5:23] 285 tn Grk “all.” The word “people” is not in the Greek text but is supplied for stylistic reasons and for clarity (cf. KJV “all men”).
[5:24] 286 tn Grk “Truly, truly, I say to you.”
[5:24] 289 tn Grk “and does not come into judgment.”
[5:25] 290 tn Grk “Truly, truly, I say to you.”
[5:27] 293 tn Grk “authority to judge.”
[5:29] 295 tn Or “a resurrection resulting in judgment.”
[5:30] 296 tn Grk “nothing from myself.”
[5:30] 297 tn Or “righteous,” or “proper.”
[5:30] 298 tn That is, “the will of the Father who sent me.”
[5:32] 299 sn To whom does another refer? To John the Baptist or to the Father? In the nearer context, v. 33, it would seem to be John the Baptist. But v. 34 seems to indicate that Jesus does not receive testimony from men. Probably it is better to view v. 32 as identical to v. 37, with the comments about the Baptist as a parenthetical digression.
[5:33] 300 sn John refers to John the Baptist.
[5:34] 301 tn Or “I do not receive.”
[5:35] 302 sn He was a lamp that was burning and shining. Sir 48:1 states that the word of Elijah was “a flame like a torch.” Because of the connection of John the Baptist with Elijah (see John 1:21 and the note on John’s reply, “I am not”), it was natural for Jesus to apply this description to John.
[5:35] 303 tn Grk “for an hour.”
[5:36] 305 tn Grk “complete, which I am now doing”; the referent of the relative pronoun has been specified by repeating “deeds” from the previous clause.
[5:37] 306 tn The word “people” is not in the Greek text, but is supplied to clarify that the following verbs (“heard,” “seen,” “have residing,” “do not believe”) are second person plural.
[5:37] 307 sn You people have never heard his voice nor seen his form at any time. Compare Deut 4:12. Also see Deut 5:24 ff., where the Israelites begged to hear the voice no longer – their request (ironically) has by this time been granted. How ironic this would be if the feast is Pentecost, where by the 1st century
[5:39] 308 tn Or “Study the scriptures thoroughly” (an imperative). For the meaning of the verb see G. Delling, TDNT 2:655-57.
[5:39] 309 sn In them you possess eternal life. Note the following examples from the rabbinic tractate Pirqe Avot (“The Sayings of the Fathers”): Pirqe Avot 2:8, “He who has acquired the words of the law has acquired for himself the life of the world to come”; Pirqe Avot 6:7, “Great is the law for it gives to those who practice it life in this world and in the world to come.”
[5:39] 310 tn The words “same scriptures” are not in the Greek text, but are supplied to clarify the referent (“these”).
[5:41] 311 tn Or “I do not receive.”
[5:41] 312 tn Or “honor” (Grk “glory,” in the sense of respect or honor accorded to a person because of their status).
[5:41] 313 tn Grk “from men,” but in a generic sense; both men and women are implied here.
[5:42] 314 tn The genitive in the phrase τὴν ἀγάπην τοῦ θεοῦ (thn agaphn tou qeou, “the love of God”) could be translated as either a subjective genitive (“God’s love”) or an objective genitive (“love for God”). Either is grammatically possible. This is possibly an instance of a plenary genitive (see ExSyn 119-21; M. Zerwick, Biblical Greek, §§36-39). If so, the emphasis would be on the love God gives which in turn produces love for him, but Jesus’ opponents are lacking any such love inside them.
[5:43] 315 tn Or “you do not receive.”
[5:43] 316 tn Or “you will receive.”
[5:44] 317 tn Or “honor” (Grk “glory,” in the sense of respect or honor accorded to a person because of their status).
[5:44] 318 tn Or “honor” (Grk “glory,” in the sense of respect or honor accorded to a person because of their status).
[5:44] 319 tc Several early and important witnesses (Ì66,75 B W a b sa) lack θεοῦ (qeou, “God”) here, thus reading “the only one,” while most of the rest of the tradition, including some important
[5:45] 320 sn The final condemnation will come from Moses himself – again ironic, since Moses is the very one the Jewish authorities have trusted in (placed your hope). This is again ironic if it is occurring at Pentecost, which at this time was being celebrated as the occasion of the giving of the Torah to Moses on Mt. Sinai. There is evidence that some Jews of the 1st century looked on Moses as their intercessor at the final judgment (see W. A. Meeks, The Prophet King [NovTSup], 161). This would mean the statement Moses, in whom you have placed your hope should be taken literally and relates directly to Jesus’ statements about the final judgment in John 5:28-29.
[5:47] 322 tn Grk “that one” (“he”); the referent (Moses) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[12:1] 323 tn Grk “whom Jesus,” but a repetition of the proper name (Jesus) here would be redundant in the English clause structure, so the pronoun (“he”) is substituted in the translation.
[12:2] 324 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity and to conform with contemporary English style.
[12:2] 325 tn Grk “And Martha.” The connective καί (kai, “and”) has been omitted in the translation because it would produce a run-on sentence in English.
[12:2] 326 tn Grk “reclining at the table.”
[12:2] sn 1st century middle eastern meals were not eaten while sitting at a table, but while reclining on one’s side on the floor with the head closest to the low table and the feet farthest away.
[12:3] 327 tn Or “half a liter”; Grk “a pound” (that is, a Roman pound, about 325 grams or 12 ounces).
[12:3] 328 tn Μύρον (muron) was usually made of myrrh (from which the English word is derived) but here it is used in the sense of ointment or perfumed oil (L&N 6.205). The adjective πιστικῆς (pistikh") is difficult with regard to its exact meaning; some have taken it to derive from πίστις (pistis) and relate to the purity of the oil of nard. More probably it is something like a brand name, “pistic nard,” the exact significance of which has not been discovered.
[12:3] sn Nard or spikenard is a fragrant oil from the root and spike of the nard plant of northern India. This aromatic oil, if made of something like nard, would have been extremely expensive, costing up to a year’s pay for an average laborer.
[12:3] 329 tn Grk “And she.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.
[12:3] 330 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author. With a note characteristic of someone who was there and remembered, the author adds that the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfumed oil. In the later rabbinic literature, Ecclesiastes Rabbah 7.1.1 states “The fragrance of good oil is diffused from the bedroom to the dining hall, but a good name is diffused from one end of the world to the other.” If such a saying was known in the 1st century, this might be the author’s way of indicating that Mary’s act of devotion would be spoken of throughout the entire world (compare the comment in Mark 14:9).
[12:4] 331 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.
[12:5] 332 tn Grk “three hundred denarii.” The denarius was a silver coin worth a standard day’s wage, so the value exceeded what a laborer could earn in a year (taking into account Sabbaths and feast days when no work was done).
[12:5] 333 tn The words “the money” are not in the Greek text, but are implied (as the proceeds from the sale of the perfumed oil).
[12:6] 334 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Judas) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[12:6] 335 tn Grk “a thief, and having the money box.” Dividing the single Greek sentence improves the English style.
[12:6] 336 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author. This is one of the indications in the gospels that Judas was of bad character before the betrayal of Jesus. John states that he was a thief and had responsibility for the finances of the group. More than being simply a derogatory note about Judas’ character, the inclusion of the note at this particular point in the narrative may be intended to link the frustrated greed of Judas here with his subsequent decision to betray Jesus for money. The parallel accounts in Matthew and Mark seem to indicate that after this incident Judas went away immediately and made his deal with the Jewish authorities to deliver up Jesus. Losing out on one source of sordid gain, he immediately went out and set up another.
[12:7] 337 tn Grk “Leave her alone, that for the day of my burial she may keep it.” The construction with ἵνα (Jina) is somewhat ambiguous. The simplest way to read it would be, “Leave her alone, that she may keep it for the day of my burial.” This would imply that Mary was going to use the perfumed oil on that day, while vv. 3 and 5 seem to indicate clearly that she had already used it up. Some understand the statement as elliptical: “Leave her alone; (she did this) in order to keep it for the day of my burial.” Another alternative would be an imperatival use of ἵνα with the meaning: “Leave her alone; let her keep it.” The reading of the Byzantine text, which omits the ἵνα and substitutes a perfect tense τετήρηκεν (tethrhken), while not likely to be original, probably comes close to the meaning of the text, and that has been followed in this translation.
[12:8] 338 tc A few isolated witnesses omit v. 8 (D sys), part of v. 8 (Ì75), or vv. 7-8 ({0250}). The latter two omissions are surely due to errors of sight, while the former can be attributed to D’s sometimes erratic behavior. The verse is secure in light of the overwhelming evidence on its behalf.
[12:8] tn In the Greek text of this clause, “me” is in emphatic position (the first word in the clause). To convey some impression of the emphasis, an exclamation point is used in the translation.
[12:9] 339 tn Grk “of the Jews.” In NT usage the term ᾿Ιουδαῖοι (Ioudaioi) may refer to the entire Jewish people, the residents of Jerusalem and surrounding territory (“Judeans”; cf. BDAG 479 s.v. ᾿Ιουδαῖος 2.e), the authorities in Jerusalem, or merely those who were hostile to Jesus. (For further information see R. G. Bratcher, “‘The Jews’ in the Gospel of John,” BT 26 [1975]: 401-9.) Here the phrase refers to the residents of Jerusalem and the surrounding area who by this time had heard about the resurrection of Lazarus and were curious to see him.
[12:9] 341 tn Grk “he”; normal English clause structure specifies the referent first and substitutes the pronoun in subsequent references to the same individual, so the referent (Jesus) has been specified here.
[12:9] 342 tn Grk “Jesus”; normal English clause structure specifies the referent first and substitutes the pronoun in subsequent references to the same individual, so the pronoun (“him”) has been substituted here.
[12:10] 343 sn According to John 11:53 the Jewish leadership had already planned to kill Jesus. This plot against Lazarus apparently never got beyond the planning stage, however, since no further mention is made of it by the author.
[12:11] 344 tn Grk “the Jews.” Here the phrase refers to the residents of Jerusalem who had heard about the resurrection of Lazarus and as a result were embracing Jesus as Messiah. See also the note on the phrase “Judeans” in v. 9.
[12:11] map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[12:12] 345 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[12:13] 346 sn The Mosaic law stated (Lev 23:40) that branches of palm trees were to be used to celebrate the feast of Tabernacles. Later on they came to be used to celebrate other feasts as well (1 Macc. 13:51, 2 Macc. 10:7).
[12:13] 347 tn Grk “And they were shouting.” An ingressive force for the imperfect tense (“they began to shout” or “they started shouting”) is natural in this sequence of events. The conjunction καί (kai, “and”) is left untranslated to improve the English style.
[12:13] 348 tn The expression ῾Ωσαννά (Jwsanna, literally in Hebrew, “O Lord, save”) in the quotation from Ps 118:25-26 was probably by this time a familiar liturgical expression of praise, on the order of “Hail to the king,” although both the underlying Aramaic and Hebrew expressions meant “O Lord, save us.” As in Mark 11:9 the introductory ὡσαννά is followed by the words of Ps 118:25, εὐλογημένος ὁ ἐρχόμενος ἐν ὀνόματι κυρίου (euloghmeno" Jo ercomeno" en onomati kuriou), although in the Fourth Gospel the author adds for good measure καὶ ὁ βασιλεὺς τοῦ ᾿Ισραήλ (kai Jo basileu" tou Israhl). In words familiar to every Jew, the author is indicating that at this point every messianic expectation is now at the point of realization. It is clear from the words of the psalm shouted by the crowd that Jesus is being proclaimed as messianic king. See E. Lohse, TDNT 9:682-84.
[12:13] sn Hosanna is an Aramaic expression that literally means, “help, I pray,” or “save, I pray.” By Jesus’ time it had become a strictly liturgical formula of praise, however, and was used as an exclamation of praise to God.
[12:13] 349 sn A quotation from Ps 118:25-26.
[12:13] 350 tn Grk “Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel.” The words “Blessed is” are not repeated in the Greek text, but are repeated in the translation to avoid the awkwardness in English of the ascensive καί (kai).
[12:14] 351 sn The author does not repeat the detailed accounts of the finding of the donkey recorded in the synoptic gospels. He does, however, see the event as a fulfillment of scripture, which he indicates by quoting Zech 9:9.
[12:15] 352 tn Grk “Do not be afraid, daughter of Zion” (the phrase “daughter of Zion” is an idiom for the inhabitants of Jerusalem: “people of Zion”). The idiom “daughter of Zion” has been translated as “people of Zion” because the original idiom, while firmly embedded in the Christian tradition, is not understandable to most modern English readers.
[12:15] 353 sn A quotation from Zech 9:9.
[12:16] 354 tn Or “did not understand these things at first”; Grk “formerly.”
[12:16] 355 sn When Jesus was glorified, that is, glorified through his resurrection, exaltation, and return to the Father. Jesus’ glorification is consistently portrayed this way in the Gospel of John.
[12:16] 356 tn Grk “and that they had done these things,” though the referent is probably indefinite and not referring to the disciples; as such, the best rendering is as a passive (see ExSyn 402-3; R. E. Brown, John [AB], 1:458).
[12:16] 357 sn The comment His disciples did not understand these things when they first happened (a parenthetical note by the author) informs the reader that Jesus’ disciples did not at first associate the prophecy from Zechariah with the events as they happened. This came with the later (postresurrection) insight which the Holy Spirit would provide after Jesus’ resurrection and return to the Father. Note the similarity with John 2:22, which follows another allusion to a prophecy in Zechariah (14:21).
[12:17] 358 tn The word “it” is not included in the Greek text. Direct objects in Greek were often omitted when clear from the context.
[12:18] 359 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[12:19] 360 sn See the note on Pharisees in 1:24.
[12:20] 361 sn These Greeks (῞Ελληνές τινες, {ellhne" tine") who had come up to worship at the feast were probably “God-fearers” rather than proselytes in the strict sense. Had they been true proselytes, they would probably not have been referred to as Greeks any longer. Many came to worship at the major Jewish festivals without being proselytes to Judaism, for example, the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8:27, who could not have been a proselyte if he were physically a eunuch.
[12:21] 362 sn These Greeks approached Philip, although it is not clear why they did so. Perhaps they identified with his Greek name (although a number of Jews from border areas had Hellenistic names at this period). By see it is clear they meant “speak with,” since anyone could “see” Jesus moving through the crowd. The author does not mention what they wanted to speak with Jesus about.
[12:21] 363 tn Grk “and were asking him, saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated here.
[12:22] 364 tn Grk “Andrew and Philip”; because a repetition of the proper names would be redundant in contemporary English style, the phrase “they both” has been substituted in the translation.
[12:23] 365 tn Grk “Jesus answered them, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated here.
[12:23] 366 tn Grk “the hour.”
[12:23] 367 sn Jesus’ reply, the time has come for the Son of Man to be glorified, is a bit puzzling. As far as the author’s account is concerned, Jesus totally ignores these Greeks and makes no further reference to them whatsoever. It appears that his words are addressed to Andrew and Philip, but in fact they must have had a wider audience, including possibly the Greeks who had wished to see him in the first place. The words the time has come recall all the previous references to “the hour” throughout the Fourth Gospel (see the note on time in 2:4). There is no doubt, in light of the following verse, that Jesus refers to his death here. On his pathway to glorification lies the cross, and it is just ahead.
[12:24] 368 tn Grk “Truly, truly, I say to you.”
[12:24] 369 tn Or “it remains only a single kernel.”
[12:24] 371 tn Grk “much fruit.”
[12:25] 373 tn Or “loses.” Although the traditional English translation of ἀπολλύει (apolluei) in John 12:25 is “loses,” the contrast with φυλάξει (fulaxei, “keeps” or “guards”) in the second half of the verse favors the meaning “destroy” here.
[12:26] 375 tn As a third person imperative in Greek, ἀκολουθείτω (akolouqeitw) is usually translated “let him follow me.” This could be understood by the modern English reader as merely permissive, however (“he may follow me if he wishes”). In this context there is no permissive sense, but rather a command, so the translation “he must follow me” is preferred.
[12:26] 376 tn Grk “where I am, there my servant will be too.”
[12:27] 378 tn Or “this occasion.”
[12:27] sn Father, deliver me from this hour. It is now clear that Jesus’ hour has come – the hour of his return to the Father through crucifixion, death, resurrection, and ascension (see 12:23). This will be reiterated in 13:1 and 17:1. Jesus states (employing words similar to those of Ps 6:4) that his soul is troubled. What shall his response to his imminent death be? A prayer to the Father to deliver him from that hour? No, because it is on account of this very hour that Jesus has come. His sacrificial death has always remained the primary purpose of his mission into the world. Now, faced with the completion of that mission, shall he ask the Father to spare him from it? The expected answer is no.
[12:27] 379 tn Or “this occasion.”
[12:28] 380 tn Or “from the sky” (see note on 1:32).
[12:28] 381 tn “It” is not in the Greek text. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
[12:28] 382 tn “It” is not in the Greek text. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
[12:29] 383 tn “The voice” is not in the Greek text. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
[12:29] 384 tn Grk “Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.” The direct discourse in the second half of v. 29 was converted to indirect discourse in the translation to maintain the parallelism with the first half of the verse, which is better in keeping with English style.
[12:30] 385 tn Grk “Jesus answered and said.”
[12:30] 386 tn Or “for my sake.”
[12:31] 387 sn The ruler of this world is a reference to Satan.
[12:31] 388 tn Or “will be thrown out.” This translation regards the future passive ἐκβληθήσεται (ekblhqhsetai) as referring to an event future to the time of speaking.
[12:31] sn The phrase driven out must refer to Satan’s loss of authority over this world. This must be in principle rather than in immediate fact, since 1 John 5:19 states that the whole world (still) lies in the power of the evil one (a reference to Satan). In an absolute sense the reference is proleptic. The coming of Jesus’ hour (his crucifixion, death, resurrection, and exaltation to the Father) marks the end of Satan’s domain and brings about his defeat, even though that defeat has not been ultimately worked out in history yet and awaits the consummation of the age.
[12:32] 389 tn Grk “all.” The word “people” is not in the Greek text but is supplied for stylistic reasons and for clarity (cf. KJV “all men”).
[12:33] 390 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.
[12:34] 391 tn Grk “Then the crowd answered him.”
[12:34] 392 tn Or “the Messiah” (Both Greek “Christ” and Hebrew and Aramaic “Messiah” mean “one who has been anointed”).
[12:34] sn See the note on Christ in 1:20.
[12:34] 393 tn Probably an allusion to Ps 89:35-37. It is difficult to pinpoint the passage in the Mosaic law to which the crowd refers. The ones most often suggested are Ps 89:36-37, Ps 110:4, Isa 9:7, Ezek 37:25, and Dan 7:14. None of these passages are in the Pentateuch per se, but “law” could in common usage refer to the entire OT (compare Jesus’ use in John 10:34). Of the passages mentioned, Ps 89:36-37 is the most likely candidate. This verse speaks of David’s “seed” remaining forever. Later in the same psalm, v. 51 speaks of the “anointed” (Messiah), and the psalm was interpreted messianically in both the NT (Acts 13:22, Rev 1:5, 3:14) and in the rabbinic literature (Genesis Rabbah 97).
[12:34] 394 tn Grk “And how”; the conjunction καί (kai, “and”) has been left untranslated here for improved English style.
[12:35] 395 tn Grk “Then Jesus said to them.”
[12:35] 396 tn Grk “Yet a little while the light is with you.”
[12:35] 397 sn The warning Walk while you have the light, so that the darkness may not overtake you operates on at least two different levels: (1) To the Jewish people in Jerusalem to whom Jesus spoke, the warning was a reminder that there was only a little time left for them to accept him as their Messiah. (2) To those later individuals to whom the Fourth Gospel was written, and to every person since, the words of Jesus are also a warning: There is a finite, limited time in which each individual has opportunity to respond to the Light of the world (i.e., Jesus); after that comes darkness. One’s response to the Light decisively determines one’s judgment for eternity.
[12:36] 398 tn The idiom “sons of light” means essentially “people characterized by light,” that is, “people of God.”
[12:36] sn The expression sons of light refers to men and women to whom the truth of God has been revealed and who are therefore living according to that truth, thus, “people of God.”
[12:37] 399 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[12:38] 402 tn Grk “who said.”
[12:38] 403 tn “The arm of the Lord” is an idiom for “God’s great power” (as exemplified through Jesus’ miraculous signs). This response of unbelief is interpreted by the author as a fulfillment of the prophetic words of Isaiah (Isa 53:1). The phrase ὁ βραχίων κυρίου (Jo braciwn kuriou) is a figurative reference to God’s activity and power which has been revealed in the sign-miracles which Jesus has performed (compare the previous verse).
[12:38] 404 sn A quotation from Isa 53:1.
[12:39] 405 sn The author explicitly states here that Jesus’ Jewish opponents could not believe, and quotes Isa 6:10 to show that God had in fact blinded their eyes and hardened their heart. This OT passage was used elsewhere in the NT to explain Jewish unbelief: Paul’s final words in Acts (28:26-27) are a quotation of this same passage, which he uses to explain why the Jewish people have not accepted the gospel he has preached. A similar passage (Isa 29:10) is quoted in a similar context in Rom 11:8.
[12:40] 406 tn Or “closed their mind.”
[12:40] 407 tn Or “their mind.”
[12:40] 408 tn One could also translate στραφῶσιν (strafwsin) as “repent” or “change their ways,” but both of these terms would be subject to misinterpretation by the modern English reader. The idea is one of turning back to God, however. The words “to me” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.
[12:40] 409 sn A quotation from Isa 6:10.
[12:41] 410 tn Grk “his”; the referent (Christ) has been specified in the translation for clarity. The referent supplied here is “Christ” rather than “Jesus” because it involves what Isaiah saw. It is clear that the author presents Isaiah as having seen the preincarnate glory of Christ, which was the very revelation of the Father (see John 1:18; John 14:9).
[12:41] sn Because he saw Christ’s glory. The glory which Isaiah saw in Isa 6:3 was the glory of Yahweh (typically rendered as “Lord” in the OT). Here John speaks of the prophet seeing the glory of Christ since in the next clause and spoke about him, “him” can hardly refer to Yahweh, but must refer to Christ. On the basis of statements like 1:14 in the prologue, the author probably put no great distinction between the two. Since the author presents Jesus as fully God (cf. John 1:1), it presents no problem to him to take words originally spoken by Isaiah of Yahweh himself and apply them to Jesus.
[12:42] 411 sn The term rulers here denotes members of the Sanhedrin, the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews. Note the same word (“ruler”) is used to describe Nicodemus in 3:1.
[12:42] 412 sn See the note on Pharisees in 1:24.
[12:42] 413 tn The words “Jesus to be the Christ” are not in the Greek text, but are implied (see 9:22). As is often the case in Greek, the direct object is omitted for the verb ὡμολόγουν (Jwmologoun). Some translators supply an ambiguous “it,” or derive the implied direct object from the previous clause “believed in him” so that the rulers would not confess “their faith” or “their belief.” However, when one compares John 9:22, which has many verbal parallels to this verse, it seems clear that the content of the confession would have been “Jesus is the Christ (i.e., Messiah).”
[12:42] sn See the note on Christ in 1:20.
[12:42] 414 tn Or “be expelled from.”
[12:42] 415 sn Compare John 9:22. See the note on synagogue in 6:59.
[12:43] 416 tn Grk “the glory.”
[12:43] 417 tn Grk “the glory.”
[12:44] 418 tn Grk “shouted out and said.”
[12:44] 419 sn The one who sent me refers to God.
[12:45] 420 sn Cf. John 1:18 and 14:9.
[12:47] 421 tn Grk “And if anyone”; the conjunction καί (kai, “and”) has been left untranslated here for improved English style.
[12:47] 422 tn Or “guard them,” “keep them.”
[12:48] 424 tn Or “does not receive.”
[12:48] 425 tn Grk “has one who judges him.”
[12:49] 427 tn Grk “I have not spoken from myself.”
[12:49] 428 tn Grk “has given me commandment.”
[12:50] 429 tn Or “his commandment results in eternal life.”
[12:50] 430 tn Grk “The things I speak, just as the Father has spoken to me, thus I speak.”
[13:1] 432 tn Grk “that he should depart.” The ἵνα (Jina) clause in Koine Greek frequently encroached on the simple infinitive (for the sake of greater clarity).
[13:1] 433 tn Or “he now loved them completely,” or “he now loved them to the uttermost” (see John 19:30). All of John 13:1 is a single sentence in Greek, although in English this would be unacceptably awkward. At the end of the verse the idiom εἰς τέλος (eis telos) was translated literally as “to the end” and the modern equivalents given in the note above, because there is an important lexical link between this passage and John 19:30, τετέλεσται (tetelestai, “It is ended”).
[13:1] sn The full extent of Jesus’ love for his disciples is not merely seen in his humble service to them in washing their feet (the most common interpretation of the passage). The full extent of his love for them is demonstrated in his sacrificial death for them on the cross. The footwashing episode which follows then becomes a prophetic act, or acting out beforehand, of his upcoming death on their behalf. The message for the disciples was that they were to love one another not just in humble, self-effacing service, but were to be willing to die for one another. At least one of them got this message eventually, though none understood it at the time (see 1 John 3:16).
[13:2] 434 tn Or “Supper.” To avoid possible confusion because of different regional English usage regarding the distinction between “dinner” and “supper” as an evening meal, the translation simply refers to “the evening meal.”
[13:2] 435 sn At this point the devil had already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, that he should betray Jesus. C. K. Barrett (St. John, 365) thought this was a reference to the idea entering the devil’s own heart, but this does not seem likely. It is more probable that Judas’ heart is meant, since the use of the Greek article (rather than a possessive pronoun) is a typical idiom when a part of one’s own body is indicated. Judas’ name is withheld until the end of the sentence for dramatic effect (emphasis). This action must be read in light of 13:27, and appears to refer to a preliminary idea or plan.
[13:2] 436 tn Or “that he should hand over.”
[13:2] 437 tn Grk “betray him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[13:3] 438 tn Grk “Because he knew”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[13:3] 439 tn Grk “had given all things into his hands.”
[13:4] 440 tn Grk “and removed”; the conjunction καί (kai, “and”) has been left untranslated here for improved English style.
[13:4] 441 tn The plural τὰ ἱμάτια (ta Jimatia) is probably a reference to more than one garment (cf. John 19:23-24). If so, this would indicate that Jesus stripped to a loincloth, like a slave. The translation “outer clothes” is used to indicate that Jesus was not completely naked, since complete nudity would have been extremely offensive to Jewish sensibilities in this historical context.
[13:4] 442 tn Grk “taking a towel he girded himself.” Jesus would have wrapped the towel (λέντιον, lention) around his waist (διέζωσεν ἑαυτόν, diezwsen Jeauton) for use in wiping the disciples’ feet. The term λέντιον is a Latin loanword (linteum) which is also found in the rabbinic literature (see BDAG 592 s.v.). It would have been a long piece of linen cloth, long enough for Jesus to have wrapped it about his waist and still used the free end to wipe the disciples’ feet.
[13:5] 443 tn Grk “with the towel with which he was girded.”
[13:6] 444 tn Grk “He”; the referent (Peter) is specified in the translation for clarity.
[13:6] 445 tn Grk “do you wash” or “are you washing.”
[13:7] 446 tn Grk “answered and said to him.”
[13:7] 447 tn Grk “You do not know.”
[13:7] 448 tn Grk “you will know.”
[13:8] 449 tn Grk “You will never wash my feet forever.” The negation is emphatic in Greek but somewhat awkward in English. Emphasis is conveyed in the translation by the use of an exclamation point.
[13:8] 450 tn Grk “Jesus answered him.”
[13:8] 451 tn Or “you have no part in me.”
[13:9] 452 tn The word “wash” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Here it is supplied to improve the English style by making Peter’s utterance a complete sentence.
[13:10] 453 tn Grk “Jesus said to him.”
[13:10] 454 tn Grk “has no need except to wash his feet.”
[13:10] 456 sn The one who has bathed needs only to wash his feet. A common understanding is that the “bath” Jesus referred to is the initial cleansing from sin, which necessitates only “lesser, partial” cleansings from sins after conversion. This makes a fine illustration from a homiletic standpoint, but is it the meaning of the passage? This seems highly doubtful. Jesus stated that the disciples were completely clean except for Judas (vv. 10b, 11). What they needed was to have their feet washed by Jesus. In the broader context of the Fourth Gospel, the significance of the foot-washing seems to point not just to an example of humble service (as most understand it), but something more – Jesus’ self-sacrificial death on the cross. If this is correct, then the foot-washing which they needed to undergo represented their acceptance of this act of self-sacrifice on the part of their master. This makes Peter’s initial abhorrence of the act of humiliation by his master all the more significant in context; it also explains Jesus’ seemingly harsh reply to Peter (above, v. 8; compare Matt 16:21-23 where Jesus says to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan”).
[13:10] 457 tn The word “disciples” is supplied in English to clarify the plural Greek pronoun and verb. Peter is not the only one Jesus is addressing here.
[13:11] 458 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[13:11] 459 tn Grk “Not all of you are.”
[13:11] 460 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.
[13:12] 461 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[13:12] 462 tn Grk “he reclined at the table.” The phrase reflects the normal 1st century Near Eastern practice of eating a meal in a semi-reclining position.
[13:12] 463 tn Grk “Do you know.”
[13:13] 465 tn Grk “and I am these things.”
[13:15] 466 sn I have given you an example. Jesus tells his disciples after he has finished washing their feet that what he has done is to set an example for them. In the previous verse he told them they were to wash one another’s feet. What is the point of the example? If it is simply an act of humble service, as most interpret the significance, then Jesus is really telling his disciples to serve one another in humility rather than seeking preeminence over one another. If, however, the example is one of self-sacrifice up to the point of death, then Jesus is telling them to lay down their lives for one another (cf. 15:13).
[13:16] 467 tn Grk “Truly, truly, I say to you.”
[13:16] 468 tn See the note on the word “slaves” in 4:51.
[13:16] 469 tn Or “nor is the apostle” (“apostle” means “one who is sent” in Greek).
[13:17] 470 tn Grk “If you know.”
[13:18] 471 tn Grk “But so that the scripture may be fulfilled.”
[13:18] 472 tn Or “The one who shares my food.”
[13:18] 473 tn Or “has become my enemy”; Grk “has lifted up his heel against me.” The phrase “to lift up one’s heel against someone” reads literally in the Hebrew of Ps 41 “has made his heel great against me.” There have been numerous interpretations of this phrase, but most likely it is an idiom meaning “has given me a great fall,” “has taken cruel advantage of me,” or “has walked out on me.” Whatever the exact meaning of the idiom, it clearly speaks of betrayal by a close associate. See E. F. F. Bishop, “‘He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me’ – Jn xiii.18 (Ps xli.9),” ExpTim 70 (1958-59): 331-33.
[13:18] sn A quotation from Ps 41:9.
[13:19] 474 tn Or (perhaps) “I am certainly telling you this.” According to BDF §12.3 ἀπ᾿ ἄρτι (ap’ arti) should be read as ἀπαρτί (aparti), meaning “exactly, certainly.”
[13:19] 475 tn Grk “so that you may believe.”
[13:19] 476 tn Grk “that I am.” R. E. Brown (John [AB], 2:555) argues for a nonpredicated ἐγώ εἰμι (egw eimi) here, but this is far from certain.
[13:20] 477 tn Grk “Truly, truly, I say to you.”
[13:20] 478 tn Or “receives,” and so throughout this verse.
[13:20] 479 sn The one who sent me refers to God.
[13:21] 480 tn Or “greatly troubled.”
[13:21] 481 tn Grk “and testified and said.”
[13:21] 482 tn Grk “Truly, truly, I say to you.”
[13:21] 483 tn Or “will hand me over.”
[13:22] 484 tn Grk “uncertain,” “at a loss.” Here two terms, “worried and perplexed,” were used to convey the single idea of the Greek verb ἀπορέω (aporew).
[13:23] 485 sn Here for the first time the one Jesus loved, the ‘beloved disciple,’ is introduced. This individual also is mentioned in 19:26, 20:2, 21:7, and 21:20. Some have suggested that this disciple is to be identified with Lazarus, since the Fourth Gospel specifically states that Jesus loved him (11:3, 5, 36). From the terminology alone this is a possibility; the author is certainly capable of using language in this way to indicate connections. But there is nothing else to indicate that Lazarus was present at the last supper; Mark 14:17 seems to indicate it was only the twelve who were with Jesus at this time, and there is no indication in the Fourth Gospel to the contrary. Nor does it appear that Lazarus ever stood so close to Jesus as the later references in chaps. 19, 20 and 21 seem to indicate. When this is coupled with the omission of all references to John son of Zebedee from the Fourth Gospel, it seems far more likely that the references to the beloved disciple should be understood as references to him.
[13:23] 486 tn Grk “was reclining.” This reflects the normal 1st century practice of eating a meal in a semi-reclining position.
[13:23] 487 tn Grk “was reclining in the bosom (or “lap”) of Jesus” (according to both L&N 17.25 and BDAG 65 s.v. ἀνάκειμαι 2 an idiom for taking the place of honor at a meal, but note the similar expression in John 1:18). Whether this position or the position to the left of Jesus should be regarded as the position of second highest honor (next to the host, in this case Jesus, who was in the position of highest honor) is debated. F. Prat, “Les places d’honneur chez les Juifs contemporains du Christ” (RSR 15 [1925]: 512-22), who argued that the table arrangement was that of the Roman triclinium (a U-shaped table with Jesus and two other disciples at the bottom of the U), considered the position to the left of Jesus to be the one of second highest honor. Thus the present translation renders this “a position of honor” without specifying which one (since both of the two disciples to the right and to the left of Jesus would be in positions of honor). Other translations differ as to how they handle the phrase ἐν τῷ κόλπῳ τοῦ ᾿Ιησοῦ (en tw kolpw tou Ihsou; “leaning on Jesus’ bosom,” KJV; “lying close to the breast of Jesus,” RSV; “reclining on Jesus’ breast,” NASB; “reclining next to him,” NIV, NRSV) but the symbolic significance of the beloved disciple’s position seems clear. He is close to Jesus and in an honored position. The phrase as an idiom for a place of honor at a feast is attested in the Epistles of Pliny (the Younger) 4.22.4, an approximate contemporary of Paul.
[13:23] sn Note that the same expression translated in a place of honor here (Grk “in the bosom of”) is used to indicate Jesus’ relationship with the Father in 1:18.
[13:24] 488 sn It is not clear where Simon Peter was seated. If he were on Jesus’ other side, it is difficult to see why he would not have asked the question himself. It would also have been difficult to beckon to the beloved disciple, on Jesus’ right, from such a position. So apparently Peter was seated somewhere else. It is entirely possible that Judas was seated to Jesus’ left. Matt 26:25 seems to indicate that Jesus could speak to him without being overheard by the rest of the group. Judas is evidently in a position where Jesus can hand him the morsel of food (13:26).
[13:24] 489 tn Grk “to this one”; the referent (the beloved disciple) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[13:24] 490 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[13:24] 491 sn That is, who would betray him (v. 21).
[13:25] 492 tn Grk “he”; the referent (the disciple Jesus loved) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[13:26] 493 tn Grk “Jesus answered.”
[13:26] 494 sn The piece of bread was a broken-off piece of bread (not merely a crumb).
[13:26] 495 tn Grk “after I have dipped it.” The words “in the dish” are not in the Greek text, but the presence of a bowl or dish is implied.
[13:26] 496 tn The words “in the dish” are not in the Greek text, but the presence of a bowl or dish is implied.
[13:27] 497 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Judas) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[13:27] 498 tn Grk “into that one”; the pronoun “he” is more natural English style here.
[13:27] sn This is the only time in the Fourth Gospel that Satan is mentioned by name. Luke 22:3 uses the same terminology of Satan “entering into” Judas but indicates it happened before the last supper at the time Judas made his deal with the authorities. This is not necessarily irreconcilable with John’s account, however, because John 13:2 makes it clear that Judas had already come under satanic influence prior to the meal itself. The statement here is probably meant to indicate that Judas at this point came under the influence of Satan even more completely and finally. It marks the end of a process which, as Luke indicates, had begun earlier.
[13:27] 499 tn Grk “Then Jesus said to him.”
[13:28] 500 tn Grk “reclining at the table.” The phrase reclining at the table reflects the normal practice in 1st century Near Eastern culture of eating a meal in a semi-reclining position.
[13:28] 502 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[13:28] 503 tn Grk “to him”; the referent (Judas) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[13:29] 504 tn Grk “telling him, ‘Buy whatever we need for the feast.’” The first clause is direct discourse and the second clause indirect discourse. For smoothness of English style, the first clause has been converted to indirect discourse to parallel the second (the meaning is left unchanged).
[13:29] 505 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.
[13:30] 506 tn Grk “That one”; the referent (Judas) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[13:30] 507 sn Now it was night is a parenthetical note by the author. The comment is more than just a time indicator, however. With the departure of Judas to set in motion the betrayal, arrest, trials, crucifixion, and death of Jesus, daytime is over and night has come (see John 9:5; 11:9-10; 12:35-36). Judas had become one of those who walked by night and stumbled, because the light was not in him (11:10).
[13:31] 508 tn Grk “Then when.”
[13:31] 509 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Judas) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[13:32] 510 tc A number of early
[13:32] 511 tn Or “immediately.”
[13:33] 512 tn Or “You will seek me.”
[13:33] 513 tn Grk “the Jews.” In NT usage the term ᾿Ιουδαῖοι (Ioudaioi) may refer to the entire Jewish people, the residents of Jerusalem and surrounding territory, the authorities in Jerusalem, or merely those who were hostile to Jesus. (For further information see R. G. Bratcher, “‘The Jews’ in the Gospel of John,” BT 26 [1975]: 401-9.) Here the phrase refers to the residents of Jerusalem in general, or to the Jewish religious leaders in particular, who had sent servants to attempt to arrest Jesus on that occasion (John 7:33-35). The last option is the one adopted in the translation above.
[13:33] 514 sn See John 7:33-34.
[13:33] 515 tn The words “the same” are not in the Greek text but are implied. Direct objects in Greek were often omitted when clear from the context.
[13:34] 516 tn The ἵνα (Jina) clause gives the content of the commandment. This is indicated by a dash in the translation.
[13:34] 517 sn The idea that love is a commandment is interesting. In the OT the ten commandments have a setting in the covenant between God and Israel at Sinai; they were the stipulations that Israel had to observe if the nation were to be God’s chosen people. In speaking of love as the new commandment for those whom Jesus had chosen as his own (John 13:1, 15:16) and as a mark by which they could be distinguished from others (13:35), John shows that he is thinking of this scene in covenant terminology. But note that the disciples are to love “Just as I have loved you” (13:34). The love Jesus has for his followers cannot be duplicated by them in one sense, because it effects their salvation, since he lays down his life for them: It is an act of love that gives life to people. But in another sense, they can follow his example (recall to the end, 13:1; also 1 John 3:16, 4:16 and the interpretation of Jesus’ washing of the disciples’ feet). In this way Jesus’ disciples are to love one another: They are to follow his example of sacrificial service to one another, to death if necessary.
[13:35] 518 tn Grk “All people,” although many modern translations have rendered πάντες (pantes) as “all men” (ASV, RSV, NASB, NIV). While the gender of the pronoun is masculine, it is collective and includes people of both genders.
[13:36] 519 tn Grk “Jesus answered him.”
[13:37] 520 tn Or “I will die willingly for you.”
[13:38] 521 tn Or “Will you die willingly for me?”
[13:38] 522 tn Grk “Truly, truly, I say to you.”
[14:1] 523 sn The same verb is used to describe Jesus’ own state in John 11:33, 12:27, and 13:21. Jesus is looking ahead to the events of the evening and the next day, his arrest, trials, crucifixion, and death, which will cause his disciples extreme emotional distress.
[14:1] 524 tn Or “Believe in God.” The translation of the two uses of πιστεύετε (pisteuete) is difficult. Both may be either indicative or imperative, and as L. Morris points out (John [NICNT], 637), this results in a bewildering variety of possibilities. To complicate matters further, the first may be understood as a question: “Do you believe in God? Believe also in me.” Morris argues against the KJV translation which renders the first πιστεύετε as indicative and the second as imperative on the grounds that for the writer of the Fourth Gospel, faith in Jesus is inseparable from faith in God. But this is precisely the point that Jesus is addressing in context. He is about to undergo rejection by his own people as their Messiah. The disciples’ faith in him as Messiah and Lord would be cast into extreme doubt by these events, which the author makes clear were not at this time foreseen by the disciples. After the resurrection it is this identification between Jesus and the Father which needs to be reaffirmed (cf. John 20:24-29). Thus it seems best to take the first πιστεύετε as indicative and the second as imperative, producing the translation “You believe in God; believe also in me.”
[14:2] 525 tn Many interpreters have associated μοναί (monai) with an Aramaic word that can refer to a stopping place or resting place for a traveler on a journey. This is similar to one of the meanings the word can have in secular Greek (Pausanius 10.31.7). Origen understood the use here to refer to stations on the road to God. This may well have been the understanding of the Latin translators who translated μονή (monh) by mansio, a stopping place. The English translation “mansions” can be traced back to Tyndale, but in Middle English the word simply meant “a dwelling place” (not necessarily large or imposing) with no connotation of being temporary. The interpretation put forward by Origen would have been well suited to Gnosticism, where the soul in its ascent passes through stages during which it is gradually purified of all that is material and therefore evil. It is much more likely that the word μονή should be related to its cognate verb μένω (menw), which is frequently used in the Fourth Gospel to refer to the permanence of relationship between Jesus and the Father and/or Jesus and the believer. Thus the idea of a permanent dwelling place, rather than a temporary stopping place, would be in view. Luther’s translation of μοναί by Wohnungen is very accurate here, as it has the connotation of a permanent residence.
[14:2] 526 sn Most interpreters have understood the reference to my Father’s house as a reference to heaven, and the dwelling places (μονή, monh) as the permanent residences of believers there. This seems consistent with the vocabulary and the context, where in v. 3 Jesus speaks of coming again to take the disciples to himself. However, the phrase in my Father’s house was used previously in the Fourth Gospel in 2:16 to refer to the temple in Jerusalem. The author in 2:19-22 then reinterpreted the temple as Jesus’ body, which was to be destroyed in death and then rebuilt in resurrection after three days. Even more suggestive is the statement by Jesus in 8:35, “Now the slave does not remain (μένω, menw) in the household forever, but the son remains (μένω) forever.” If in the imagery of the Fourth Gospel the phrase in my Father’s house is ultimately a reference to Jesus’ body, the relationship of μονή to μένω suggests the permanent relationship of the believer to Jesus and the Father as an adopted son who remains in the household forever. In this case the “dwelling place” is “in” Jesus himself, where he is, whether in heaven or on earth. The statement in v. 3, “I will come again and receive you to myself,” then refers not just to the parousia, but also to Jesus’ postresurrection return to the disciples in his glorified state, when by virtue of his death on their behalf they may enter into union with him and with the Father as adopted sons. Needless to say, this bears numerous similarities to Pauline theology, especially the concepts of adoption as sons and being “in Christ” which are prominent in passages like Eph 1. It is also important to note, however, the emphasis in the Fourth Gospel itself on the present reality of eternal life (John 5:24, 7:38-39, etc.) and the possibility of worshiping the Father “in the Spirit and in truth” (John 4:21-24) in the present age. There is a sense in which it is possible to say that the future reality is present now. See further J. McCaffrey, The House With Many Rooms (AnBib 114).
[14:2] 527 tc A number of important
[14:2] tn If the ὅτι (Joti) is included (see tc above), there are no less than four possible translations for this sentence: The sentence could be either a question or a statement, and in addition the ὅτι could either indicate content or be causal. How does one determine the best translation? (1) A question here should probably be ruled out because it would imply a previous statement by Jesus that either there are many dwelling places in his Father’s house (if the ὅτι is causal) or he was going off to make a place ready for them (if the ὅτι indicates content). There is no indication anywhere in the Fourth Gospel that Jesus had made such statements prior to this time. So understanding the sentence as a statement is the best option. (2) A statement with ὅτι indicating content is understandable but contradictory. If there were no dwelling places, Jesus would have told them that he was going off to make dwelling places. But the following verse makes clear that Jesus’ departure is not hypothetical but real – he is really going away. So understanding the ὅτι with a causal nuance is the best option. (3) A statement with a causal ὅτι can be understood two ways: (a) “Otherwise I would have told you” is a parenthetical statement, and the ὅτι clause goes with the preceding “There are many dwelling places in my Father’s house.” This would be fairly awkward syntactically, however; it would be much more natural for the ὅτι clause to modify what directly preceded it. (b) “Otherwise I would have told you” is explained by Jesus’ statement that he is going to make ready a place. He makes a logical, necessary connection between his future departure and the reality of the dwelling places in his Father’s house. To sum up, all the possibilities for understanding the verse with the inclusion of ὅτι present some interpretive difficulties, but last option given seems best: “Otherwise, I would have told you, because I am going to make ready a place.” Of all the options it provides the best logical flow of thought in the passage without making any apparent contradictions in the context.
[14:2] 528 tn Or “to prepare.”
[14:2] 529 tn Or “If not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?” What is the meaning of the last clause with or without the ὅτι? One of the questions that must be answered here is whether or not τόπος (topos) is to be equated with μονή (monh). In Rev 12:8 τόπος is used to refer to a place in heaven, which would suggest that the two are essentially equal here. Jesus is going ahead of believers to prepare a place for them, a permanent dwelling place in the Father’s house (see the note on this phrase in v. 2).
[14:3] 532 tn Grk “to myself.”
[14:4] 533 tc Most
[14:4] sn Where I am going. Jesus had spoken of his destination previously to the disciples, most recently in John 13:33. Where he was going was back to the Father, and they could not follow him there, but later he would return for them and they could join him then. The way he was going was via the cross. This he had also mentioned previously (e.g., 12:32) although his disciples did not understand at the time (cf. 12:33). As Jesus would explain in v. 6, although for him the way back to the Father was via the cross, for his disciples the “way” to where he was going was Jesus himself.
[14:5] 534 tn Grk “said to him.”
[14:6] 535 tn Grk “Jesus said to him.”
[14:6] 536 tn Or “I am the way, even the truth and the life.”
[14:7] 537 tc There is a difficult textual problem here: The statement reads either “If you have known (ἐγνώκατε, egnwkate) me, you will know (γνώσεσθε, gnwsesqe) my Father” or “If you had really known (ἐγνώκειτε, egnwkeite) me, you would have known (ἐγνώκειτε ἄν or ἂν ἤδειτε [egnwkeite an or an hdeite]) my Father.” The division of the external evidence is difficult, but can be laid out as follows: The
[14:8] 538 tn Grk “said to him.”
[14:8] 539 tn Or “and that is enough for us.”
[14:9] 540 tn Grk “Jesus said to him.”
[14:9] 541 tn Or “recognized.”
[14:10] 542 tn The mutual interrelationship of the Father and the Son (ἐγὼ ἐν τῷ πατρὶ καὶ ὁ πατὴρ ἐν ἐμοί ἐστιν, egw en tw patri kai Jo pathr en emoi estin) is something that Jesus expected even his opponents to recognize (cf. John 10:38). The question Jesus asks of Philip (οὐ πιστεύεις, ou pisteuei") expects the answer “yes.” Note that the following statement is addressed to all the disciples, however, because the plural pronoun (ὑμῖν, Jumin) is used. Jesus says that his teaching (the words he spoke to them all) did not originate from himself, but the Father, who permanently remains (μένων, menwn) in relationship with Jesus, performs his works. One would have expected “speaks his words” here rather than “performs his works”; many of the church fathers (e.g., Augustine and Chrysostom) identified the two by saying that Jesus’ words were works. But there is an implicit contrast in the next verse between words and works, and v. 12 seems to demand that the works are real works, not just words. It is probably best to see the two terms as related but not identical; there is a progression in the idea here. Both Jesus’ words (recall the Samaritans’ response in John 4:42) and Jesus’ works are revelatory of who he is, but as the next verse indicates, works have greater confirmatory power than words.
[14:10] 543 tn Grk “I do not speak from myself.”
[14:10] 545 tn Or “his mighty acts”; Grk “his works.”
[14:10] sn Miraculous deeds is most likely a reference to the miraculous signs Jesus had performed, which he viewed as a manifestation of the mighty acts of God. Those he performed in the presence of the disciples served as a basis for faith (although a secondary basis to their personal relationship to him; see the following verse).
[14:11] 546 tn The phrase “but if you do not believe me” contains an ellipsis; the Greek text reads Grk “but if not.” The ellipsis has been filled out (“but if [you do] not [believe me]…”) for the benefit of the modern English reader.
[14:11] 547 tn Grk “because of the works.”
[14:11] sn In the context of a proof or basis for belief, Jesus is referring to the miraculous deeds (signs) he has performed in the presence of the disciples.
[14:12] 548 tn Grk “Truly, truly, I say to you.”
[14:12] 550 tn Grk “the works.”
[14:12] 551 tn Or “that I do.”
[14:12] sn See the note on miraculous deeds in v. 11.
[14:12] 553 tn Grk “greater works.”
[14:12] sn What are the greater deeds that Jesus speaks of, and how is this related to his going to the Father? It is clear from both John 7:39 and 16:7 that the Holy Spirit will not come until Jesus has departed. After Pentecost and the coming of the Spirit to indwell believers in a permanent relationship, believers would be empowered to perform even greater deeds than those Jesus did during his earthly ministry. When the early chapters of Acts are examined, it is clear that, from a numerical standpoint, the deeds of Peter and the other Apostles surpassed those of Jesus in a single day (the day of Pentecost). On that day more were added to the church than had become followers of Jesus during the entire three years of his earthly ministry. And the message went forth not just in Judea, Samaria, and Galilee, but to the farthest parts of the known world. This understanding of what Jesus meant by “greater deeds” is more probable than a reference to “more spectacular miracles.” Certainly miraculous deeds were performed by the apostles as recounted in Acts, but these do not appear to have surpassed the works of Jesus himself in either degree or number.
[14:13] 554 tn Grk “And whatever you ask in my name, I will do it.”
[14:13] 555 tn Or “may be praised” or “may be honored.”
[14:15] 556 tn Or “will keep.”
[14:15] 557 sn Jesus’ statement If you love me, you will obey my commandments provides the transition between the promises of answered prayer which Jesus makes to his disciples in vv. 13-14 and the promise of the Holy Spirit which is introduced in v. 16. Obedience is the proof of genuine love.
[14:16] 558 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “Then” to reflect the implied sequence in the discourse.
[14:16] 559 tn Or “Helper” or “Counselor”; Grk “Paraclete,” from the Greek word παράκλητος (paraklhto"). Finding an appropriate English translation for παράκλητος is a very difficult task. No single English word has exactly the same range of meaning as the Greek word. “Comforter,” used by some of the older English versions, appears to be as old as Wycliffe. But today it suggests a quilt or a sympathetic mourner at a funeral. “Counselor” is adequate, but too broad, in contexts like “marriage counselor” or “camp counselor.” “Helper” or “Assistant” could also be used, but could suggest a subordinate rank. “Advocate,” the word chosen for this translation, has more forensic overtones than the Greek word does, although in John 16:5-11 a forensic context is certainly present. Because an “advocate” is someone who “advocates” or supports a position or viewpoint and since this is what the Paraclete will do for the preaching of the disciples, it was selected in spite of the drawbacks.
[14:17] 560 tn Or “cannot receive.”
[14:17] 561 tn Or “he remains.”
[14:17] 562 tc Some early and important witnesses (Ì66* B D* W 1 565 it) have ἐστιν (estin, “he is”) instead of ἔσται (estai, “he will be”) here, while other weighty witnesses ({Ì66c,75vid א A D1 L Θ Ψ Ë13 33vid Ï as well as several versions and fathers}), read the future tense. When one considers transcriptional evidence, ἐστιν is the more difficult reading and better explains the rise of the future tense reading, but it must be noted that both Ì66 and D were corrected from the present tense to the future. If ἐστιν were the original reading, one would expect a few manuscripts to be corrected to read the present when they originally read the future, but that is not the case. When one considers what the author would have written, the future is on much stronger ground. The immediate context (both in 14:16 and in the chapter as a whole) points to the future, and the theology of the book regards the advent of the Spirit as a decidedly future event (see, e.g., 7:39 and 16:7). The present tense could have arisen from an error of sight on the part of some scribes or more likely from an error of thought as scribes reflected upon the present role of the Spirit. Although a decision is difficult, the future tense is most likely authentic. For further discussion on this textual problem, see James M. Hamilton, Jr., “He Is with You and He Will Be in You” (Ph.D. diss., The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 2003), 213-20.
[14:18] 564 tn The entire phrase “abandon you as orphans” could be understood as an idiom meaning, “leave you helpless.”
[14:18] 565 sn I will come to you. Jesus had spoken in 14:3 of going away and coming again to his disciples. There the reference was both to the parousia (the second coming of Christ) and to the postresurrection appearances of Jesus to the disciples. Here the postresurrection appearances are primarily in view, since Jesus speaks of the disciples “seeing” him after the world can “see” him no longer in the following verse. But many commentators have taken v. 18 as a reference to the coming of the Spirit, since this has been the topic of the preceding verses. Still, vv. 19-20 appear to contain references to Jesus’ appearances to the disciples after his resurrection. It may well be that another Johannine double meaning is found here, so that Jesus ‘returns’ to his disciples in one sense in his appearances to them after his resurrection, but in another sense he ‘returns’ in the person of the Holy Spirit to indwell them.
[14:19] 566 tn Grk “Yet a little while, and.”
[14:20] 567 tn Grk “will know in that day.”
[14:20] sn At that time could be a reference to the parousia (second coming of Christ). But the statement in 14:19, that the world will not see Jesus, does not fit. It is better to take this as the postresurrection appearances of Jesus to his disciples (which has the advantage of taking in a little while in v. 19 literally).
[14:21] 569 tn Grk “obeys them, that one is the one who loves me.”
[14:21] 570 tn Grk “And the one.” Here the conjunction καί (kai) has not been translated to improve the English style.
[14:21] 571 tn Or “will disclose.”
[14:22] 572 tn Grk “(not Iscariot).” The proper noun (Judas) has been repeated for clarity and smoothness in English style.
[14:22] sn This is a parenthetical comment by the author.
[14:22] 573 tn Grk “said to him.”
[14:22] sn The disciples still expected at this point that Jesus, as Messiah, was going to reveal his identity as such to the world (cf. 7:4).
[14:23] 575 tn Grk “answered and said to him.”
[14:23] 576 tn Or “will keep.”
[14:23] 577 tn Grk “we will come to him and will make our dwelling place with him.” The context here is individual rather than corporate indwelling, so the masculine singular pronoun has been retained throughout v. 23. It is important to note, however, that the pronoun is used generically here and refers equally to men, women, and children.
[14:24] 578 tn Or “does not keep.”
[14:24] 579 tn Or “the message.”
[14:25] 580 tn Or “while remaining” or “while residing.”
[14:26] 581 tn Or “Helper” or “Counselor”; Grk “Paraclete,” from the Greek word παράκλητος (paraklhto"). See the note on the word “Advocate” in v. 16 for a discussion of how this word is translated.
[14:26] 582 tn Grk “that one will teach you.” The words “that one” have been omitted from the translation since they are redundant in English.
[14:26] 583 tn Grk “all things.”
[14:26] 584 tn Grk “all things.”
[14:27] 585 sn Peace I leave with you. In spite of appearances, this verse does not introduce a new subject (peace). Jesus will use the phrase as a greeting to his disciples after his resurrection (20:19, 21, 26). It is here a reflection of the Hebrew shalom as a farewell. But Jesus says he leaves peace with his disciples. This should probably be understood ultimately in terms of the indwelling of the Paraclete, the Holy Spirit, who has been the topic of the preceding verses. It is his presence, after Jesus has left the disciples and finally returned to the Father, which will remain with them and comfort them.
[14:27] 586 tn The pronoun “it” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied. Direct objects in Greek were often omitted when clear from the context.
[14:27] 587 tn Grk “not as the world gives do I give to you.”
[14:27] 588 tn Or “distressed or fearful and cowardly.”
[14:28] 589 tn Or “You have heard that I said to you.”
[14:28] 590 tn Or “you would rejoice.”
[14:28] 591 sn Jesus’ statement the Father is greater than I am has caused much christological and trinitarian debate. Although the Arians appealed to this text to justify their subordinationist Christology, it seems evident that by the fact Jesus compares himself to the Father, his divine nature is taken for granted. There have been two orthodox interpretations: (1) The Son is eternally generated while the Father is not: Origen, Tertullian, Athanasius, Hilary, etc. (2) As man the incarnate Son was less than the Father: Cyril of Alexandria, Ambrose, Augustine. In the context of the Fourth Gospel the second explanation seems more plausible. But why should the disciples have rejoiced? Because Jesus was on the way to the Father who would glorify him (cf. 17:4-5); his departure now signifies that the work the Father has given him is completed (cf. 19:30). Now Jesus will be glorified with that glory that he had with the Father before the world was (cf. 17:5). This should be a cause of rejoicing to the disciples because when Jesus is glorified he will glorify his disciples as well (17:22).
[14:29] 592 sn Jesus tells the disciples that he has told them all these things before they happen, so that when they do happen the disciples may believe. This does not mean they had not believed prior to this time; over and over the author has affirmed that they have (cf. 2:11). But when they see these things happen, their level of trust in Jesus will increase and their concept of who he is will expand. The confession of Thomas in 20:28 is representative of this increased understanding of who Jesus is. Cf. John 13:19.
[14:30] 593 tn Grk “I will no longer speak many things with you.”
[14:30] 594 sn The ruler of this world is a reference to Satan.
[14:30] 595 tn Grk “in me he has nothing.”
[14:31] 596 tn Or “may learn.”
[14:31] 597 tn Grk “But so that the world may know that I love the Father, and just as the Father commanded me, thus I do.” The order of the clauses has been rearranged in the translation to conform to contemporary English style.
[14:31] 598 sn Some have understood Jesus’ statement Get up, let us go from here to mean that at this point Jesus and the disciples got up and left the room where the meal was served and began the journey to the garden of Gethsemane. If so, the rest of the Farewell Discourse took place en route. Others have pointed to this statement as one of the “seams” in the discourse, indicating that the author used preexisting sources. Both explanations are possible, but not really necessary. Jesus could simply have stood up at this point (the disciples may or may not have stood with him) to finish the discourse before finally departing (in 18:1). In any case it may be argued that Jesus refers not to a literal departure at this point, but to preparing to meet the enemy who is on the way already in the person of Judas and the soldiers with him.
[15:1] 599 sn I am the true vine. There are numerous OT passages which refer to Israel as a vine: Ps 80:8-16, Isa 5:1-7, Jer 2:21, Ezek 15:1-8, 17:5-10, 19:10-14, and Hos 10:1. The vine became symbolic of Israel, and even appeared on some coins issued by the Maccabees. The OT passages which use this symbol appear to regard Israel as faithless to Yahweh (typically rendered as “Lord” in the OT) and/or the object of severe punishment. Ezek 15:1-8 in particular talks about the worthlessness of wood from a vine (in relation to disobedient Judah). A branch cut from a vine is worthless except to be burned as fuel. This fits more with the statements about the disciples (John 15:6) than with Jesus’ description of himself as the vine. Ezek 17:5-10 contains vine imagery which refers to a king of the house of David, Zedekiah, who was set up as king in Judah by Nebuchadnezzar. Zedekiah allied himself to Egypt and broke his covenant with Nebuchadnezzar (and therefore also with God), which would ultimately result in his downfall (17:20-21). Ezek 17:22-24 then describes the planting of a cedar sprig which grows into a lofty tree, a figurative description of Messiah. But it is significant that Messiah himself is not described in Ezek 17 as a vine, but as a cedar tree. The vine imagery here applies to Zedekiah’s disobedience. Jesus’ description of himself as the true vine in John 15:1 ff. is to be seen against this background, but it differs significantly from the imagery surveyed above. It represents new imagery which differs significantly from OT concepts; it appears to be original with Jesus. The imagery of the vine underscores the importance of fruitfulness in the Christian life and the truth that this results not from human achievement, but from one’s position in Christ. Jesus is not just giving some comforting advice, but portraying to the disciples the difficult path of faithful service. To some degree the figure is similar to the head-body metaphor used by Paul, with Christ as head and believers as members of the body. Both metaphors bring out the vital and necessary connection which exists between Christ and believers.
[15:1] 600 tn Or “the farmer.”
[15:2] 601 tn Or “He cuts off.”
[15:2] sn The Greek verb αἴρω (airw) can mean “lift up” as well as “take away,” and it is sometimes argued that here it is a reference to the gardener “lifting up” (i.e., propping up) a weak branch so that it bears fruit again. In Johannine usage the word occurs in the sense of “lift up” in 8:59 and 5:8-12, but in the sense of “remove” it is found in 11:39, 11:48, 16:22, and 17:15. In context (theological presuppositions aside for the moment) the meaning “remove” does seem more natural and less forced (particularly in light of v. 6, where worthless branches are described as being “thrown out” – an image that seems incompatible with restoration). One option, therefore, would be to understand the branches which are taken away (v. 2) and thrown out (v. 6) as believers who forfeit their salvation because of unfruitfulness. However, many see this interpretation as encountering problems with the Johannine teaching on the security of the believer, especially John 10:28-29. This leaves two basic ways of understanding Jesus’ statements about removal of branches in 15:2 and 15:6: (1) These statements may refer to an unfaithful (disobedient) Christian, who is judged at the judgment seat of Christ “through fire” (cf. 1 Cor 3:11-15). In this case the “removal” of 15:2 may refer (in an extreme case) to the physical death of a disobedient Christian. (2) These statements may refer to someone who was never a genuine believer in the first place (e.g., Judas and the Jews who withdrew after Jesus’ difficult teaching in 6:66), in which case 15:6 refers to eternal judgment. In either instance it is clear that 15:6 refers to the fires of judgment (cf. OT imagery in Ps 80:16 and Ezek 15:1-8). But view (1) requires us to understand this in terms of the judgment of believers at the judgment seat of Christ. This concept does not appear in the Fourth Gospel because from the perspective of the author the believer does not come under judgment; note especially 3:18, 5:24, 5:29. The first reference (3:18) is especially important because it occurs in the context of 3:16-21, the section which is key to the framework of the entire Fourth Gospel and which is repeatedly alluded to throughout. A similar image to this one is used by John the Baptist in Matt 3:10, “And the ax is already laid at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” Since this is addressed to the Pharisees and Sadducees who were coming to John for baptism, it almost certainly represents a call to initial repentance. More importantly, however, the imagery of being cast into the fire constitutes a reference to eternal judgment, a use of imagery which is much nearer to the Johannine imagery in 15:6 than the Pauline concept of the judgment seat of Christ (a judgment for believers) mentioned above. The use of the Greek verb μένω (menw) in 15:6 also supports view (2). When used of the relationship between Jesus and the disciple and/or Jesus and the Father, it emphasizes the permanence of the relationship (John 6:56, 8:31, 8:35, 14:10). The prototypical branch who has not remained is Judas, who departed in 13:30. He did not bear fruit, and is now in the realm of darkness, a mere tool of Satan. His eternal destiny, being cast into the fire of eternal judgment, is still to come. It seems most likely, therefore, that the branches who do not bear fruit and are taken away and burned are false believers, those who profess to belong to Jesus but who in reality do not belong to him. In the Gospel of John, the primary example of this category is Judas. In 1 John 2:18-19 the “antichrists” fall into the same category; they too may be thought of as branches that did not bear fruit. They departed from the ranks of the Christians because they never did really belong, and their departure shows that they did not belong.
[15:2] 602 tn Or “does not yield.”
[15:2] 603 tn Grk “And he”; the conjunction καί (kai, “and”) has been omitted in the translation in keeping with the tendency in contemporary English style to use shorter sentences.
[15:2] 604 tn Or “trims”; Grk “cleanses” (a wordplay with “clean” in v. 3). Καθαίρει (kaqairei) is not the word one would have expected here, but it provides the transition from the vine imagery to the disciples – there is a wordplay (not reproducible in English) between αἴρει (airei) and καθαίρει in this verse. While the purpose of the Father in cleansing his people is clear, the precise means by which he does so is not immediately obvious. This will become clearer, however, in the following verse.
[15:2] 605 tn Or “that yields.”
[15:3] 606 sn The phrase you are clean already occurs elsewhere in the Gospel of John only at the washing of the disciples’ feet in 13:10, where Jesus had used it of the disciples being cleansed from sin. This further confirms the proposed understanding of John 15:2 and 15:6 since Judas was specifically excluded from this statement (but not all of you).
[15:4] 608 tn Grk “and I in you.” The verb has been repeated for clarity and to conform to contemporary English style, which typically allows fewer ellipses (omitted or understood words) than Greek.
[15:4] 609 sn The branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it remains connected to the vine, from which its life and sustenance flows. As far as the disciples were concerned, they would produce no fruit from themselves if they did not remain in their relationship to Jesus, because the eternal life which a disciple must possess in order to bear fruit originates with Jesus; he is the source of all life and productivity for the disciple.
[15:4] 611 tn While it would be more natural to say “on the vine” (so NAB), the English preposition “in” has been retained here to emphasize the parallelism with the following clause “unless you remain in me.” To speak of remaining “in” a person is not natural English either, but is nevertheless a biblical concept (cf. “in Christ” in Eph 1:3, 4, 6, 7, 11).
[15:4] 612 tn Or “you reside.”
[15:5] 615 tn Grk “in him, this one bears much fruit.” The pronoun “this one” has been omitted from the translation because it is redundant according to contemporary English style.
[15:5] sn Many interpret the imagery of fruit here and in 15:2, 4 in terms of good deeds or character qualities, relating it to passages elsewhere in the NT like Matt 3:8 and 7:20, Rom 6:22, Gal 5:22, etc. This is not necessarily inaccurate, but one must remember that for John, to have life at all is to bear fruit, while one who does not bear fruit shows that he does not have the life (once again, conduct is the clue to paternity, as in John 8:41; compare also 1 John 4:20).
[15:6] 618 sn Such branches are gathered up and thrown into the fire. The author does not tell who it is who does the gathering and throwing into the fire. Although some claim that realized eschatology is so prevalent in the Fourth Gospel that no references to final eschatology appear at all, the fate of these branches seems to point to the opposite. The imagery is almost certainly that of eschatological judgment, and recalls some of the OT vine imagery which involves divine rejection and judgment of disobedient Israel (Ezek 15:4-6, 19:12).
[15:6] 619 tn Grk “they gather them up and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.”
[15:7] 622 sn Once again Jesus promises the disciples ask whatever you want, and it will be done for you. This recalls 14:13-14, where the disciples were promised that if they asked anything in Jesus’ name it would be done for them. The two thoughts are really quite similar, since here it is conditioned on the disciples’ remaining in Jesus and his words remaining in them. The first phrase relates to the genuineness of their relationship with Jesus. The second phrase relates to their obedience. When both of these qualifications are met, the disciples would in fact be asking in Jesus’ name and therefore according to his will.
[15:8] 623 tn Grk “glorified.”
[15:8] 624 tn The ἵνα (Jina) clause is best taken as substantival in apposition to ἐν τούτῳ (en toutw) at the beginning of the verse. The Father is glorified when the disciples bring forth abundant fruit. Just as Jesus has done the works which he has seen his Father doing (5:19-29) so also will his disciples.
[15:8] 626 tc Most
[15:11] 632 tn Grk “These things I have spoken to you.”
[15:12] 633 sn Now the reference to the commandments (plural) in 15:10 have been reduced to a singular commandment: The disciples are to love one another, just as Jesus has loved them. This is the ‘new commandment’ of John 13:34, and it is repeated in 15:17. The disciples’ love for one another is compared to Jesus’ love for them. How has Jesus shown his love for the disciples? This was illustrated in 13:1-20 in the washing of the disciples’ feet, introduced by the statement in 13:1 that Jesus loved them “to the end.” In context this constitutes a reference to Jesus’ self-sacrificial death on the cross on their behalf; the love they are to have for one another is so great that it must include a self-sacrificial willingness to die for one another if necessary. This is exactly what Jesus is discussing here, because he introduces the theme of his sacrificial death in the following verse. In John 10:18 and 14:31 Jesus spoke of his death on the cross as a commandment he had received from his Father, which also links the idea of commandment and love as they are linked here. One final note: It is not just the degree or intensity of the disciples’ love for one another that Jesus is referring to when he introduces by comparison his own death on the cross (that they must love one another enough to die for one another) but the very means of expressing that love: It is to express itself in self-sacrifice for one another, sacrifice up to the point of death, which is what Jesus himself did on the cross (cf. 1 John 3:16).
[15:13] 634 tn Or “one dies willingly.”
[15:14] 635 sn This verse really explains John 15:10 in another way. Those who keep Jesus’ commandments are called his friends, those friends for whom he lays down his life (v. 13). It is possible to understand this verse as referring to a smaller group within Christianity as a whole, perhaps only the apostles who were present when Jesus spoke these words. Some have supported this by comparing it to the small group of associates and advisers to the Roman Emperor who were called “Friends of the Emperor.” Others would see these words as addressed only to those Christians who as disciples were obedient to Jesus. In either case the result would be to create a sort of “inner circle” of Christians who are more privileged than mere “believers” or average Christians. In context, it seems clear that Jesus’ words must be addressed to all true Christians, not just some narrower category of believers, because Jesus’ sacrificial death, which is his act of love toward his friends (v. 13) applies to all Christians equally (cf. John 13:1).
[15:15] 636 tn See the note on the word “slaves” in 4:51.
[15:15] 637 tn Or “does not know.”
[15:15] 638 tn Grk “all things.”
[15:16] 640 sn You did not choose me, but I chose you. If the disciples are now elevated in status from slaves to friends, they are friends who have been chosen by Jesus, rather than the opposite way round. Again this is true of all Christians, not just the twelve, and the theme that Christians are “chosen” by God appears frequently in other NT texts (e.g., Rom 8:33; Eph 1:4ff.; Col 3:12; and 1 Pet 2:4). Putting this together with the comments on 15:14 one may ask whether the author sees any special significance at all for the twelve. Jesus said in John 6:70 and 13:18 that he chose them, and 15:27 makes clear that Jesus in the immediate context is addressing those who have been with him from the beginning. In the Fourth Gospel the twelve, as the most intimate and most committed followers of Jesus, are presented as the models for all Christians, both in terms of their election and in terms of their mission.
[15:16] 641 tn Or “and yield.”
[15:16] 642 sn The purpose for which the disciples were appointed (“commissioned”) is to go and bear fruit, fruit that remains. The introduction of the idea of “going” at this point suggests that the fruit is something more than just character qualities in the disciples’ own lives, but rather involves fruit in the lives of others, i.e., Christian converts. There is a mission involved (cf. John 4:36). The idea that their fruit is permanent, however, relates back to vv. 7-8, as does the reference to asking the Father in Jesus’ name. It appears that as the imagery of the vine and the branches develops, the “fruit” which the branches produce shifts in emphasis from qualities in the disciples’ own lives in John 15:2, 4, 5 to the idea of a mission which affects the lives of others in John 15:16. The point of transition would be the reference to fruit in 15:8.
[15:17] 643 tn Grk “These things.”
[15:18] 645 tn Grk “it hated me before you.”
[15:19] 646 tn Grk “if you were of the world.”
[15:19] 647 tn The words “you as” are not in the original but are supplied for clarity.
[15:19] 648 tn Grk “because you are not of the world.”
[15:19] 649 tn Or “world, therefore.”
[15:19] 650 sn I chose you out of the world…the world hates you. Two themes are brought together here. In 8:23 Jesus had distinguished himself from the world in addressing his Jewish opponents: “You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world.” In 15:16 Jesus told the disciples “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you.” Now Jesus has united these two ideas as he informs the disciples that he has chosen them out of the world. While the disciples will still be “in” the world after Jesus has departed, they will not belong to it, and Jesus prays later in John 17:15-16 to the Father, “I do not ask you to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.” The same theme also occurs in 1 John 4:5-6: “They are from the world; therefore they speak as from the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God; he who knows God listens to us; he who is not from God does not listen to us.” Thus the basic reason why the world hates the disciples (as it hated Jesus before them) is because they are not of the world. They are born from above, and are not of the world. For this reason the world hates them.
[15:20] 651 tn Grk “Remember the word that I said to you.”
[15:20] 652 tn See the note on the word “slaves” in 4:51.
[15:20] 653 sn A slave is not greater than his master. Jesus now recalled a statement he had made to the disciples before, in John 13:16. As the master has been treated, so will the slaves be treated also. If the world had persecuted Jesus, then it would also persecute the disciples. If the world had kept Jesus’ word, it would likewise keep the word of the disciples. In this statement there is the implication that the disciples would carry on the ministry of Jesus after his departure; they would in their preaching and teaching continue to spread the message which Jesus himself had taught while he was with them. And they would meet with the same response, by and large, that he encountered.
[15:20] 654 tn Or “if they kept.”
[15:20] 655 tn Or “they will keep.”
[15:21] 656 tn Or “because of.”
[15:21] 657 tn Jesus is referring to God as “the one who sent me.”
[15:22] 658 tn Grk “they would not have sin” (an idiom).
[15:22] sn Jesus now describes the guilt of the world. He came to these people with both words (15:22) and sign-miracles (15:24), yet they remained obstinate in their unbelief, and this sin of unbelief was without excuse. Jesus was not saying that if he had not come and spoken to these people they would be sinless; rather he was saying that if he had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of the sin of rejecting him and the Father he came to reveal. Rejecting Jesus is the one ultimate sin for which there can be no forgiveness, because the one who has committed this sin has at the same time rejected the only cure that exists. Jesus spoke similarly to the Pharisees in 9:41: “If you were blind, you would have no sin (same phrase as here), but now you say ‘We see’ your sin remains.”
[15:24] 659 tn Or “If I had not done.”
[15:24] 660 tn Grk “the works.”
[15:24] 661 tn Grk “they would not have sin” (an idiom).
[15:24] 662 tn The words “the deeds” are supplied to clarify from context what was seen. Direct objects in Greek were often omitted when clear from the context.
[15:24] 663 tn Or “But now they have both seen and hated both me and my Father.” It is possible to understand both the “seeing” and the “hating” to refer to both Jesus and the Father, but this has the world “seeing” the Father, which seems alien to the Johannine Jesus. (Some point out John 14:9 as an example, but this is addressed to the disciples, not to the world.) It is more likely that the “seeing” refers to the miraculous deeds mentioned in the first half of the verse. Such an understanding of the first “both – and” construction is apparently supported by BDF §444.3.
[15:25] 664 tn The words “this happened” are not in the Greek text but are supplied to complete an ellipsis.
[15:25] 665 sn A quotation from Ps 35:19 and Ps 69:4. As a technical term law (νόμος, nomos) is usually restricted to the Pentateuch (the first five books of the OT), but here it must have a broader reference, since the quotation is from Ps 35:19 or Ps 69:4. The latter is the more likely source for the quoted words, since it is cited elsewhere in John’s Gospel (2:17 and 19:29, in both instances in contexts associated with Jesus’ suffering and death).
[15:26] 666 tn Or “Helper” or “Counselor”; Grk “Paraclete,” from the Greek word παράκλητος (paraklhto"). See the note on the word “Advocate” in John 14:16 for discussion of how this word is translated.
