Yohanes 1:22

1:22 Then they said to him, “Who are you? Tell us ¹  so that we can give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”

Yohanes 1:30

1:30 This is the one about whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who is greater than I am, ²  because he existed before me.’

Yohanes 1:47

1:47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and exclaimed, ³  “Look, a true Israelite in whom there is no deceit!” ⁴ 

Yohanes 3:3

3:3 Jesus replied, ⁵  “I tell you the solemn truth, ⁶  unless a person is born from above, ⁷  he cannot see the kingdom of God.” ⁸ 

Yohanes 3:5

3:5 Jesus answered, “I tell you the solemn truth, ⁹  unless a person is born of water and spirit, ¹⁰  he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

Yohanes 4:20

4:20 Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, ¹¹  and you people ¹²  say that the place where people must worship is in Jerusalem.” ¹³ 

Yohanes 5:45

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. ¹⁴ 

Yohanes 7:17

7:17 If anyone wants to do God’s will, ¹⁵  he will know about my teaching, whether it is from God or whether I speak from my own authority. ¹⁶ 

Yohanes 8:12

Jesus as the Light of the World

8:12 Then Jesus spoke out again, ¹⁷  “I am the light of the world. ¹⁸  The one who follows me will never ¹⁹  walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Yohanes 8:33

8:33 “We are descendants ²⁰  of Abraham,” they replied, ²¹  “and have never been anyone’s slaves! How can you say, ²²  ‘You will become free’?”

Yohanes 9:8

9:8 Then the neighbors and the people who had seen him previously ²³  as a beggar began saying, ²⁴  “Is this not the man ²⁵  who used to sit and beg?”

Yohanes 9:24

9:24 Then they summoned ²⁶  the man who used to be blind ²⁷  a second time and said to him, “Promise before God to tell the truth. ²⁸  We know that this man ²⁹  is a sinner.”

Yohanes 9:31

9:31 We know that God doesn’t listen to ³⁰  sinners, but if anyone is devout ³¹  and does his will, God ³²  listens to ³³  him. ³⁴ 

Yohanes 10:33

10:33 The Jewish leaders ³⁵  replied, ³⁶  “We are not going to stone you for a good deed ³⁷  but for blasphemy, ³⁸  because ³⁹  you, a man, are claiming to be God.” ⁴⁰ 

Yohanes 12:6

12:6 (Now Judas ⁴¹  said this not because he was concerned about the poor, but because he was a thief. As keeper of the money box, ⁴²  he used to steal what was put into it.) ⁴³ 

Yohanes 12:29

12:29 The crowd that stood there and heard the voice ⁴⁴  said that it had thundered. Others said that an angel had spoken to him. ⁴⁵ 

Yohanes 12:46

12:46 I have come as a light into the world, so that everyone who believes in me should not remain in darkness.

Yohanes 14:2-3

14:2 There are many dwelling places ⁴⁶  in my Father’s house. ⁴⁷  Otherwise, I would have told you, because ⁴⁸  I am going away to make ready ⁴⁹  a place for you. ⁵⁰  14:3 And if I go and make ready ⁵¹  a place for you, I will come again and take you ⁵²  to be with me, ⁵³  so that where I am you may be too.

Yohanes 14:27

14:27 “Peace I leave with you; ⁵⁴  my peace I give to you; I do not give it ⁵⁵  to you as the world does. ⁵⁶  Do not let your hearts be distressed or lacking in courage. ⁵⁷ 

Yohanes 15:7

15:7 If you remain ⁵⁸  in me and my words remain ⁵⁹  in you, ask whatever you want, and it will be done for you. ⁶⁰ 

Yohanes 16:33

16:33 I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. In the world you have trouble and suffering, ⁶¹  but take courage ⁶²  – I have conquered the world.” ⁶³ 

Yohanes 18:10

18:10 Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, pulled it out and struck the high priest’s slave, ⁶⁴  cutting off his right ear. ⁶⁵  (Now the slave’s name was Malchus.) ⁶⁶ 

Yohanes 18:18

18:18 (Now the slaves ⁶⁷  and the guards ⁶⁸  were standing around a charcoal fire they had made, warming themselves because it was cold. ⁶⁹  Peter also was standing with them, warming himself.) ⁷⁰ 

Yohanes 18:22

18:22 When Jesus ⁷¹  had said this, one of the high priest’s officers who stood nearby struck him on the face and said, ⁷²  “Is that the way you answer the high priest?”

Yohanes 19:12

19:12 From this point on, Pilate tried ⁷³  to release him. But the Jewish leaders ⁷⁴  shouted out, ⁷⁵  “If you release this man, ⁷⁶  you are no friend of Caesar! ⁷⁷  Everyone who claims to be a king ⁷⁸  opposes Caesar!”

Yohanes 19:15

19:15 Then they ⁷⁹  shouted out, “Away with him! Away with him! ⁸⁰  Crucify ⁸¹  him!” Pilate asked, ⁸²  “Shall I crucify your king?” The high priests replied, “We have no king except Caesar!”

[1:22]  ¹ tn The words “Tell us” are not in the Greek but are implied.

[1:30]  ² tn Or “has a higher rank than I.”

[1:47]  ³ tn Grk “said about him.”

[1:47]  ⁴ tn Or “treachery.”

[1:47]  sn An allusion to Ps 32:2.

[3:3]  ⁵ tn Grk “answered and said to him.”

[3:3]  ⁶ tn Grk “Truly, truly, I say to you.”

[3:3]  ⁷ tn The word ἄνωθεν (anwqen) has a double meaning, either “again” (in which case it is synonymous with παλίν [palin]) or “from above” (BDAG 92 s.v. ἄνωθεν). This is a favorite technique of the author of the Fourth Gospel, and it is lost in almost all translations at this point. John uses the word 5 times, in 3:3, 7; 3:31; 19:11 and 23. In the latter 3 cases the context makes clear that it means “from above.” Here (3:3, 7) it could mean either, but the primary meaning intended by Jesus is “from above.” Nicodemus apparently understood it the other way, which explains his reply, “How can a man be born when he is old? He can’t enter his mother’s womb a second time and be born, can he?” The author uses the technique of the “misunderstood question” often to bring out a particularly important point: Jesus says something which is misunderstood by the disciples or (as here) someone else, which then gives Jesus the opportunity to explain more fully and in more detail what he really meant.

[3:3]  sn Or born again. The Greek word ἄνωθεν (anwqen) can mean both “again” and “from above,” giving rise to Nicodemus’ misunderstanding about a second physical birth (v. 4).

[3:3]  ⁸ sn What does Jesus’ statement about not being able to see the kingdom of God mean within the framework of John’s Gospel? John uses the word kingdom (βασιλεία, basileia) only 5 times (3:3, 5; 18:36 [3x]). Only here is it qualified with the phrase of God. The fact that John does not stress the concept of the kingdom of God does not mean it is absent from his theology, however. Remember the messianic implications found in John 2, both the wedding and miracle at Cana and the cleansing of the temple. For Nicodemus, the term must surely have brought to mind the messianic kingdom which Messiah was supposed to bring. But Nicodemus had missed precisely this point about who Jesus was. It was the Messiah himself with whom Nicodemus was speaking. Whatever Nicodemus understood, it is clear that the point is this: He misunderstood Jesus’ words. He over-literalized them, and thought Jesus was talking about repeated physical birth, when he was in fact referring to new spiritual birth.

[3:5]  ⁹ tn Grk “Truly, truly, I say to you.”

[3:5]  ¹⁰ tn Or “born of water and wind” (the same Greek word, πνεύματος [pneumatos], may be translated either “spirit/Spirit” or “wind”).

[3:5]  sn Jesus’ somewhat enigmatic statement points to the necessity of being born “from above,” because water and wind/spirit/Spirit come from above. Isaiah 44:3-5 and Ezek 37:9-10 are pertinent examples of water and wind as life-giving symbols of the Spirit of God in his work among people. Both occur in contexts that deal with the future restoration of Israel as a nation prior to the establishment of the messianic kingdom. It is therefore particularly appropriate that Jesus should introduce them in a conversation about entering the kingdom of God. Note that the Greek word πνεύματος is anarthrous (has no article) in v. 5. This does not mean that spirit in the verse should be read as a direct reference to the Holy Spirit, but that both water and wind are figures (based on passages in the OT, which Nicodemus, the teacher of Israel should have known) that represent the regenerating work of the Spirit in the lives of men and women.

[4:20]  ¹¹ sn This mountain refers to Mount Gerizim, where the Samaritan shrine was located.

[4:20]  ¹² 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]  ¹³ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[5:45]  ¹⁴ 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.

[7:17]  ¹⁵ tn Grk “his will.”

[7:17]  ¹⁶ tn Grk “or whether I speak from myself.”

[8:12]  ¹⁷ tn Grk “Then again Jesus spoke to them saying.”

[8:12]  ¹⁸ 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]  ¹⁹ tn The double negative οὐ μή (ou mh) is emphatic in 1st century Hellenistic Greek.

[8:33]  ²⁰ tn Grk “We are the seed” (an idiom).

[8:33]  ²¹ tn Grk “They answered to him.”

[8:33]  ²² tn Or “How is it that you say.”

[9:8]  ²³ tn Or “formerly.”

[9:8]  ²⁴ tn An ingressive force (“began saying”) is present here because the change in status of the blind person provokes this new response from those who knew him.

[9:8]  ²⁵ tn Grk “the one.”

[9:24]  ²⁶ tn Grk “they called.”

[9:24]  ²⁷ tn Grk “who was blind.”

[9:24]  ²⁸ tn Grk “Give glory to God” (an idiomatic formula used in placing someone under oath to tell the truth).

[9:24]  ²⁹ tn The phrase “this man” is a reference to Jesus.

[9:31]  ³⁰ tn Grk “God does not hear.”

[9:31]  ³¹ tn Or “godly.”

[9:31]  ³² tn Grk “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[9:31]  ³³ tn Or “hears.”

[9:31]  ³⁴ tn Grk “this one.”

[10:33]  ³⁵ tn Or “the Jewish authorities”; Grk “the Jews.” Here again the phrase refers to the Jewish leaders. See the notes on the phrase “Jewish people” in v. 19 and “Jewish leaders” in vv. 24, 31.

[10:33]  ³⁶ tn Grk “answered him.”

[10:33]  ³⁷ tn Or “good work.”

[10:33]  ³⁸ sn This is the first time the official charge of blasphemy is voiced openly in the Fourth Gospel (although it was implicit in John 8:59).

[10:33]  ³⁹ tn Grk “and because.”

[10:33]  ⁴⁰ tn Grk “you, a man, make yourself to be God.”

[12:6]  ⁴¹ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Judas) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[12:6]  ⁴² tn Grk “a thief, and having the money box.” Dividing the single Greek sentence improves the English style.

[12:6]  ⁴³ 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.

[12:29]  ⁴⁴ tn “The voice” is not in the Greek text. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context.

[12:29]  ⁴⁵ 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.

[14:2]  ⁴⁶ 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]  ⁴⁷ 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]  ⁴⁸ tc A number of important mss (Ì^66c א A B C* D K L W Ψ Ë¹³ 33 565 579 892 al lat) have ὅτι (Joti) here, while the majority lack it (Ì^66* C² Θ Ï). Should the ὅτι be included or omitted? The external evidence is significantly stronger for the longer reading. Most Alexandrian and Western mss favor inclusion (it is a little unusual for the Alexandrian to favor the longer reading), while most Byzantine mss favor omission (again, a little unusual). However, the reading of Ì^66*, which aligns with the Byzantine, needs to be given some value. At the same time, the scribe of this papyrus was known for freely omitting and adding words, and the fact that the ms was corrected discounts its testimony here. But because the shorter reading is out of character for the Byzantine text, the shorter reading (omitting the ὅτι) may well be authentic. Internally, the question comes down to whether the shorter reading is more difficult or not. And here, it loses the battle, for it seems to be a clarifying omission (so TCGNT 206). R. E. Brown is certainly right when he states: “all in all, the translation without ὅτι makes the best sense” (John [AB], 2:620). But this tacitly argues for the authenticity of the word. Thus, on both external and internal grounds, the ὅτι should be regarded as authentic.

[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]  ⁴⁹ tn Or “to prepare.”

[14:2]  ⁵⁰ 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]  ⁵¹ tn Or “prepare.”

[14:3]  ⁵² tn Or “bring you.”

[14:3]  ⁵³ tn Grk “to myself.”

[14:27]  ⁵⁴ 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]  ⁵⁵ 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]  ⁵⁶ tn Grk “not as the world gives do I give to you.”

[14:27]  ⁵⁷ tn Or “distressed or fearful and cowardly.”

[15:7]  ⁵⁸ tn Or “reside.”

[15:7]  ⁵⁹ tn Or “reside.”

[15:7]  ⁶⁰ 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.

[16:33]  ⁶¹ tn The one Greek term θλῖψις (qliyis) has been translated by an English hendiadys (two terms that combine for one meaning) “trouble and suffering.” For modern English readers “tribulation” is no longer clearly understandable.

[16:33]  ⁶² tn Or “but be courageous.”

[16:33]  ⁶³ tn Or “I am victorious over the world,” or “I have overcome the world.”

[16:33]  sn The Farewell Discourse proper closes on the triumphant note I have conquered the world, which recalls 1:5 (in the prologue): “the light shines on in the darkness, but the darkness has not mastered it.” Jesus’ words which follow in chap. 17 are addressed not to the disciples but to his Father, as he prays for the consecration of the disciples.

[18:10]  ⁶⁴ tn See the note on the word “slaves” in 4:51.

[18:10]  ⁶⁵ sn The account of the attack on the high priest’s slave contains details which suggest eyewitness testimony. It is also mentioned in all three synoptic gospels, but only John records that the disciple involved was Peter, whose impulsive behavior has already been alluded to (John 13:37). Likewise only John gives the name of the victim, Malchus, who is described as the high priest’s slave. John and Mark (14:47) both use the word ὠτάριον (wtarion, a double diminutive) to describe what was cut off, and this may indicate only part of the right ear (for example, the earlobe).

[18:10]  ⁶⁶ sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.

[18:18]  ⁶⁷ tn See the note on the word “slaves” in 4:51.

[18:18]  ⁶⁸ tn That is, the “guards of the chief priests” as distinguished from the household slaves of Annas.

[18:18]  ⁶⁹ tn Grk “because it was cold, and they were warming themselves.”

[18:18]  ⁷⁰ sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.

[18:22]  ⁷¹ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[18:22]  ⁷² tn Grk “one of the high priest’s servants standing by gave Jesus a strike, saying.” For the translation of ῥάπισμα (rJapisma), see L&N 19.4.

[19:12]  ⁷³ tn Grk “sought.”

[19:12]  ⁷⁴ tn Or “the Jewish authorities”; Grk “the Jews.” Here the phrase refers to the Jewish leaders, especially members of the Sanhedrin, and their servants (mentioned specifically as “the chief priests and their servants” in John 19:6). See the note on the phrase “Jewish leaders” in v. 7.

[19:12]  ⁷⁵ tn Grk “shouted out, saying.”

[19:12]  ⁷⁶ tn Grk “this one.”

[19:12]  ⁷⁷ sn Is the author using the phrase Friend of Caesar in a technical sense, as a title bestowed on people for loyal service to the Emperor, or in a more general sense merely describing a person as loyal to the Emperor? L. Morris (John [NICNT], 798) thinks it is “unlikely” that the title is used in the technical sense, and J. H. Bernard (St. John [ICC], 2:621) argues that the technical sense of the phrase as an official title was not used before the time of Vespasian (a.d. 69-79). But there appears to be significant evidence for much earlier usage. Some of this is given in BDAG 498-99 s.v. Καῖσαρ. E. Bammel (“φίλος τοῦ καίσαρος (John 19:12),” TLZ 77 [1952]: 205-10) listed significant and convincing arguments that the official title was indeed in use at the time. Granting that the title was in use during this period, what is the likelihood that it had been bestowed on Pilate? Pilate was of the equestrian order, that is, of lower nobility as opposed to senatorial rank. As such he would have been eligible to receive such an honor. It also appears that the powerful Sejanus was his patron in Rome, and Sejanus held considerable influence with Tiberius. Tacitus (Annals 6.8) quotes Marcus Terentius in his defense before the Senate as saying that close friendship with Sejanus “was in every case a powerful recommendation to the Emperor’s friendship.” Thus it is possible that Pilate held this honor. Therefore it appears that the Jewish authorities were putting a good deal of psychological pressure on Pilate to convict Jesus. They had, in effect, finally specified the charge against Jesus as treason: “Everyone who makes himself to be king opposes Caesar.” If Pilate now failed to convict Jesus the Jewish authorities could complain to Rome that Pilate had released a traitor. This possibility carried more weight with Pilate than might at first be evident: (1) Pilate’s record as governor was not entirely above reproach; (2) Tiberius, who lived away from Rome as a virtual recluse on the island of Capri, was known for his suspicious nature, especially toward rivals or those who posed a political threat; and (3) worst of all, Pilate’s patron in Rome, Sejanus, had recently come under suspicion of plotting to seize the imperial succession for himself. Sejanus was deposed in October of a.d. 31. It may have been to Sejanus that Pilate owed his appointment in Judea. Pilate was now in a very delicate position. The Jewish authorities may have known something of this and deliberately used it as leverage against him. Whether or not they knew just how potent their veiled threat was, it had the desired effect. Pilate went directly to the judgment seat to pronounce his judgment.

[19:12]  ⁷⁸ tn Grk “who makes himself out to be a king.”

[19:15]  ⁷⁹ tn Grk “Then these.”

[19:15]  ⁸⁰ tn The words “with him” (twice) are not in the Greek text. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context.

[19:15]  ⁸¹ sn See the note on Crucify in 19:6.

[19:15]  ⁸² tn Grk “Pilate said to them.” The words “to them” are not translated because it is clear in English who Pilate is addressing.