Yohanes 10:4

10:4 When he has brought all his own sheep ¹  out, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they recognize ²  his voice.

Yohanes 8:12

Jesus as the Light of the World

8:12 Then Jesus spoke out again, ³  “I am the light of the world. ⁴  The one who follows me will never ⁵  walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Yohanes 12:26

12:26 If anyone wants to serve me, he must follow ⁶  me, and where I am, my servant will be too. ⁷  If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.

Yohanes 21:22

21:22 Jesus replied, ⁸  “If I want him to live ⁹  until I come back, ¹⁰  what concern is that of yours? You follow me!”

[10:4]  ¹ tn The word “sheep” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.

[10:4]  ² tn Grk “because they know.”

[8:12]  ³ tn Grk “Then again Jesus spoke to them saying.”

[8:12]  ⁴ sn The theory proposed by F. J. A. Hort (The New Testament in the Original Greek, vol. 2, Introduction; Appendix, 87-88), that the backdrop of 8:12 is the lighting of the candelabra in the court of women, may offer a plausible setting to the proclamation by Jesus that he is the light of the world. The last time that Jesus spoke in the narrative (assuming 7:53-8:11 is not part of the original text, as the textual evidence suggests) is in 7:38, where he was speaking to a crowd of pilgrims in the temple area. This is where he is found in the present verse, and he may be addressing the crowd again. Jesus’ remark has to be seen in view of both the prologue (John 1:4, 5) and the end of the discourse with Nicodemus (John 3:19-21). The coming of Jesus into the world provokes judgment: A choosing up of sides becomes necessary. The one who comes to the light, that is, who follows Jesus, will not walk in the darkness. The one who refuses to come, will walk in the darkness. In this contrast, there are only two alternatives. So it is with a person’s decision about Jesus. Furthermore, this serves as in implicit indictment of Jesus’ opponents, who still walk in the darkness, because they refuse to come to him. This sets up the contrast in chap. 9 between the man born blind, who receives both physical and spiritual sight, and the Pharisees (John 9:13, 15, 16) who have physical sight but remain in spiritual darkness.

[8:12]  ⁵ tn The double negative οὐ μή (ou mh) is emphatic in 1st century Hellenistic Greek.

[12:26]  ⁶ 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]  ⁷ tn Grk “where I am, there my servant will be too.”

[21:22]  ⁸ tn Grk “Jesus said to him.”

[21:22]  ⁹ tn Grk “to stay” or “to remain”; but since longevity is the issue in the context, “to live” conveys the idea more clearly.

[21:22]  ¹⁰ tn The word “back” is supplied to clarify the meaning.