Yohanes 11:45--12:10
Konteks11:45 Then many of the people, 1 who had come with Mary and had seen the things Jesus 2 did, believed in him. 11:46 But some of them went to the Pharisees 3 and reported to them 4 what Jesus had done. 11:47 So the chief priests and the Pharisees 5 called the council 6 together and said, “What are we doing? For this man is performing many miraculous signs. 11:48 If we allow him to go on in this way, 7 everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away our sanctuary 8 and our nation.”
11:49 Then one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said, 9 “You know nothing at all! 11:50 You do not realize 10 that it is more to your advantage to have one man 11 die for the people than for the whole nation to perish.” 12 11:51 (Now he did not say this on his own, 13 but because he was high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the Jewish nation, 14 11:52 and not for the Jewish nation 15 only, 16 but to gather together 17 into one the children of God who are scattered.) 18 11:53 So from that day they planned together to kill him.
11:54 Thus Jesus no longer went 19 around publicly 20 among the Judeans, 21 but went away from there to the region near the wilderness, to a town called Ephraim, 22 and stayed there with his disciples. 11:55 Now the Jewish feast of Passover 23 was near, and many people went up to Jerusalem 24 from the rural areas before the Passover to cleanse themselves ritually. 25 11:56 Thus they were looking for Jesus, 26 and saying to one another as they stood in the temple courts, 27 “What do you think? That he won’t come to the feast?” 11:57 (Now the chief priests and the Pharisees 28 had given orders that anyone who knew where Jesus 29 was should report it, so that they could arrest 30 him.) 31
12:1 Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom he 32 had raised from the dead. 12:2 So they prepared a dinner for Jesus 33 there. Martha 34 was serving, and Lazarus was among those present at the table 35 with him. 12:3 Then Mary took three quarters of a pound 36 of expensive aromatic oil from pure nard 37 and anointed the feet of Jesus. She 38 then wiped his feet dry with her hair. (Now the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfumed oil.) 39 12:4 But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was going to betray him) 40 said, 12:5 “Why wasn’t this oil sold for three hundred silver coins 41 and the money 42 given to the poor?” 12:6 (Now Judas 43 said this not because he was concerned about the poor, but because he was a thief. As keeper of the money box, 44 he used to steal what was put into it.) 45 12:7 So Jesus said, “Leave her alone. She has kept it for the day of my burial. 46 12:8 For you will always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me!” 47
12:9 Now a large crowd of Judeans 48 learned 49 that Jesus 50 was there, and so they came not only because of him 51 but also to see Lazarus whom he had raised from the dead. 12:10 So the chief priests planned to kill Lazarus too, 52
[11:45] 1 tn Or “the Judeans”; Grk “the Jews.” Here the phrase refers to the friends, acquaintances, and relatives of Lazarus or his sisters who had come to mourn, since the Jewish religious authorities are specifically mentioned as a separate group in John 11:46-47. See also the notes on the phrase “the Jewish leaders” in v. 8 and “the Jewish people of the region” in v. 19, as well as the notes on the word “people” in vv. 31, 33 and the phrase “people who had come to mourn” in v. 36.
[11:45] 2 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[11:46] 3 sn See the note on Pharisees in 1:24.
[11:47] 5 tn The phrase “chief priests and Pharisees” is a comprehensive name for the groups represented in the ruling council (the Sanhedrin) as in John 7:45; 18:3; Acts 5:22, 26.
[11:47] 6 tn Or “Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews). The συνέδριον (sunedrion) which they gathered was probably an informal meeting rather than the official Sanhedrin. This is the only occurrence of the word συνέδριον in the Gospel of John, and the only anarthrous singular use in the NT. There are other plural anarthrous uses which have the general meaning “councils.” The fact that Caiaphas in 11:49 is referred to as “one of them” supports the unofficial nature of the meeting; in the official Sanhedrin he, being high priest that year, would have presided over the assembly. Thus it appears that an informal council was called to discuss what to do about Jesus and his activities.
[11:48] 7 tn Grk “If we let him do thus.”
[11:48] 8 tn Or “holy place”; Grk “our place” (a reference to the temple in Jerusalem).
[11:49] 9 tn Grk “said to them.” The indirect object αὐτοῖς (autois) has not been translated for stylistic reasons.
[11:50] 10 tn Or “you are not considering.”
[11:50] 11 tn Although it is possible to argue that ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") should be translated “person” here since it is not necessarily masculinity that is in view in Caiaphas’ statement, “man” was retained in the translation because in 11:47 “this man” (οὗτος ὁ ἄνθρωπος, outo" Jo anqrwpo") has as its referent a specific individual, Jesus, and it was felt this connection should be maintained.
[11:50] 12 sn In his own mind Caiaphas was no doubt giving voice to a common-sense statement of political expediency. Yet he was unconsciously echoing a saying of Jesus himself (cf. Mark 10:45). Caiaphas was right; the death of Jesus would save the nation from destruction. Yet Caiaphas could not suspect that Jesus would die, not in place of the political nation Israel, but on behalf of the true people of God; and he would save them, not from physical destruction, but from eternal destruction (cf. 3:16-17). The understanding of Caiaphas’ words in a sense that Caiaphas could not possibly have imagined at the time he uttered them serves as a clear example of the way in which the author understood that words and actions could be invested retrospectively with a meaning not consciously intended or understood by those present at the time.
[11:51] 13 tn Grk “say this from himself.”
[11:51] 14 tn The word “Jewish” is not in the Greek text, but is clearly implied by the context (so also NIV; TEV “the Jewish people”).
[11:52] 15 tn See the note on the word “nation” in the previous verse.
[11:52] 16 sn The author in his comment expands the prophecy to include the Gentiles (not for the Jewish nation only), a confirmation that the Fourth Gospel was directed, at least partly, to a Gentile audience. There are echoes of Pauline concepts here (particularly Eph 2:11-22) in the stress on the unity of Jew and Gentile.
[11:52] 17 tn Grk “that he might gather together.”
[11:52] 18 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.
[11:54] 21 tn Grk “among the Jews.” Here the phrase refers to the residents of Judea in general, who would be likely to report Jesus to the religious authorities. The vicinity around Jerusalem was no longer safe for Jesus and his disciples. On the translation “Judeans” cf. BDAG 479 s.v. ᾿Ιουδαῖος 2.e. See also the references in vv. 8, 19, 31, 33, 36, and 45.
[11:54] 22 tn There is no certain identification of the location to which Jesus withdrew in response to the decision of the Jewish authorities. Many have suggested the present town of Et-Taiyibeh, identified with ancient Ophrah (Josh 18:23) or Ephron (Josh 15:9). If so, this would be 12-15 mi (19-24 km) northeast of Jerusalem.
[11:55] 23 tn Grk “the Passover of the Jews.” This is the final Passover of Jesus’ ministry. The author is now on the eve of the week of the Passion. Some time prior to the feast itself, Jerusalem would be crowded with pilgrims from the surrounding districts (ἐκ τῆς χώρας, ek th" cwra") who had come to purify themselves ceremonially before the feast.
[11:55] 24 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[11:55] 25 tn Or “to purify themselves” (to undergo or carry out ceremonial cleansing before participating in the Passover celebration).
[11:56] 26 tn Grk “they were seeking Jesus.”
[11:56] 27 tn Grk “in the temple.”
[11:57] 28 tn The phrase “chief priests and Pharisees” is a comprehensive name for the groups represented in the ruling council (the Sanhedrin) as in John 7:45; 18:3; Acts 5:22, 26.
[11:57] 29 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[11:57] 30 tn Or “could seize.”
[11:57] 31 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.
[12:1] 32 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] 33 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity and to conform with contemporary English style.
[12:2] 34 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] 35 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] 36 tn Or “half a liter”; Grk “a pound” (that is, a Roman pound, about 325 grams or 12 ounces).
[12:3] 37 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] 38 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] 39 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] 40 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.
[12:5] 41 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] 42 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] 43 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Judas) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[12:6] 44 tn Grk “a thief, and having the money box.” Dividing the single Greek sentence improves the English style.
[12:6] 45 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] 46 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] 47 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] 48 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] 50 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] 51 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] 52 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.
