Yohanes 19:1--21:25
Konteks19:1 Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged severely. 1 19:2 The soldiers 2 braided 3 a crown of thorns 4 and put it on his head, and they clothed him in a purple robe. 5 19:3 They 6 came up to him again and again 7 and said, “Hail, king of the Jews!” 8 And they struck him repeatedly 9 in the face.
19:4 Again Pilate went out and said to the Jewish leaders, 10 “Look, I am bringing him out to you, so that you may know that I find no reason for an accusation 11 against him.” 19:5 So Jesus came outside, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. 12 Pilate 13 said to them, “Look, here is the man!” 14 19:6 When the chief priests and their officers saw him, they shouted out, “Crucify 15 him! Crucify him!” 16 Pilate said, 17 “You take him and crucify him! 18 Certainly 19 I find no reason for an accusation 20 against him!” 19:7 The Jewish leaders 21 replied, 22 “We have a law, 23 and according to our law he ought to die, because he claimed to be the Son of God!” 24
19:8 When Pilate heard what they said, 25 he was more afraid than ever, 26 19:9 and he went back into the governor’s residence 27 and said to Jesus, “Where do you come from?” But Jesus gave him no answer. 19:10 So Pilate said, 28 “Do you refuse to speak to me? Don’t you know I have the authority 29 to release you, and to crucify you?” 30 19:11 Jesus replied, “You would have no authority 31 over me at all, unless it was given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you 32 is guilty of greater sin.” 33
19:12 From this point on, Pilate tried 34 to release him. But the Jewish leaders 35 shouted out, 36 “If you release this man, 37 you are no friend of Caesar! 38 Everyone who claims to be a king 39 opposes Caesar!” 19:13 When Pilate heard these words he brought Jesus outside and sat down on the judgment seat 40 in the place called “The Stone Pavement” 41 (Gabbatha in 42 Aramaic). 43 19:14 (Now it was the day of preparation 44 for the Passover, about noon. 45 ) 46 Pilate 47 said to the Jewish leaders, 48 “Look, here is your king!”
19:15 Then they 49 shouted out, “Away with him! Away with him! 50 Crucify 51 him!” Pilate asked, 52 “Shall I crucify your king?” The high priests replied, “We have no king except Caesar!” 19:16 Then Pilate 53 handed him over 54 to them to be crucified.
So they took Jesus, 19:17 and carrying his own cross 55 he went out to the place called “The Place of the Skull” 56 (called in Aramaic 57 Golgotha). 58 19:18 There they 59 crucified 60 him along with two others, 61 one on each side, with Jesus in the middle. 19:19 Pilate also had a notice 62 written and fastened to the cross, 63 which read: 64 “Jesus the Nazarene, the king of the Jews.” 19:20 Thus many of the Jewish residents of Jerusalem 65 read this notice, 66 because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the notice was written in Aramaic, 67 Latin, and Greek. 19:21 Then the chief priests of the Jews 68 said to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The king of the Jews,’ but rather, ‘This man said, I am king of the Jews.’” 19:22 Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.”
19:23 Now when the soldiers crucified 69 Jesus, they took his clothes and made four shares, one for each soldier, 70 and the tunic 71 remained. (Now the tunic 72 was seamless, woven from top to bottom as a single piece.) 73 19:24 So the soldiers said to one another, “Let’s not tear it, but throw dice 74 to see who will get it.” 75 This took place 76 to fulfill the scripture that says, “They divided my garments among them, and for my clothing they threw dice.” 77 So the soldiers did these things.
19:25 Now standing beside Jesus’ cross were his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 78 19:26 So when Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing there, he said to his mother, “Woman, 79 look, here is your son!” 19:27 He then said to his disciple, “Look, here is your mother!” From that very time 80 the disciple took her into his own home.
19:28 After this Jesus, realizing that by this time 81 everything was completed, 82 said (in order to fulfill the scripture), 83 “I am thirsty!” 84 19:29 A jar full of sour wine 85 was there, so they put a sponge soaked in sour wine on a branch of hyssop 86 and lifted it 87 to his mouth. 19:30 When 88 he had received the sour wine, Jesus said, “It is completed!” 89 Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. 90
19:31 Then, because it was the day of preparation, so that the bodies should not stay on the crosses on the Sabbath 91 (for that Sabbath was an especially important one), 92 the Jewish leaders 93 asked Pilate to have the victims’ legs 94 broken 95 and the bodies taken down. 96 19:32 So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the two men who had been crucified 97 with Jesus, 98 first the one and then the other. 99 19:33 But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. 19:34 But one of the soldiers pierced 100 his side with a spear, and blood and water 101 flowed out immediately. 19:35 And the person who saw it 102 has testified (and his testimony is true, and he 103 knows that he is telling the truth), 104 so that you also may believe. 19:36 For these things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled, “Not a bone of his will be broken.” 105 19:37 And again another scripture says, “They will look on the one whom they have pierced.” 106
19:38 After this, Joseph of Arimathea, a disciple of Jesus (but secretly, because he feared the Jewish leaders 107 ), 108 asked Pilate if he could remove the body of Jesus. Pilate 109 gave him permission, so he went and took the body away. 110 19:39 Nicodemus, the man who had previously come to Jesus 111 at night, 112 accompanied Joseph, 113 carrying a mixture of myrrh and aloes 114 weighing about seventy-five pounds. 115 19:40 Then they took Jesus’ body and wrapped it, with the aromatic spices, 116 in strips of linen cloth 117 according to Jewish burial customs. 118 19:41 Now at the place where Jesus 119 was crucified 120 there was a garden, 121 and in the garden 122 was a new tomb where no one had yet been buried. 123 19:42 And so, because it was the Jewish day of preparation 124 and the tomb was nearby, 125 they placed Jesus’ body there.
20:1 Now very early on the first day of the week, 126 while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene 127 came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been moved away from the entrance. 128 20:2 So she went running 129 to Simon Peter and the other disciple whom Jesus loved and told them, “They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!” 20:3 Then Peter and the other disciple set out to go to the tomb. 130 20:4 The two were running together, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter 131 and reached the tomb first. 132 20:5 He bent down 133 and saw the strips of linen cloth lying there, 134 but he did not go in. 20:6 Then Simon Peter, who had been following him, arrived and went right into the tomb. He saw 135 the strips of linen cloth lying there, 20:7 and the face cloth, 136 which had been around Jesus’ head, not lying with the strips of linen cloth but rolled up in a place by itself. 137 20:8 Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, came in, and he saw and believed. 138 20:9 (For they did not yet understand 139 the scripture that Jesus 140 must rise from the dead.) 141
20:10 So the disciples went back to their homes. 20:11 But Mary stood outside the tomb weeping. As she wept, she bent down and looked into the tomb. 20:12 And she saw two angels in white sitting where Jesus’ body had been lying, one at the head and one at the feet. 20:13 They said 142 to her, “Woman, 143 why are you weeping?” Mary replied, 144 “They have taken my Lord away, and I do not know where they have put him!” 20:14 When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, 145 but she did not know that it was Jesus.
20:15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Who are you looking for?” Because she 146 thought he was the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will take him.” 20:16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She 147 turned and said to him in Aramaic, 148 “Rabboni” 149 (which means Teacher). 150 20:17 Jesus replied, 151 “Do not touch me, for I have not yet ascended to my Father. Go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” 20:18 Mary Magdalene came and informed the disciples, “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them 152 what 153 Jesus 154 had said to her. 155
20:19 On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the disciples had gathered together 156 and locked the doors 157 of the place 158 because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. 159 Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 20:20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. 160 20:21 So Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. Just as the Father has sent me, I also send you.” 20:22 And after he said this, he breathed on them and said, 161 “Receive the Holy Spirit. 162 20:23 If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven; 163 if you retain anyone’s sins, they are retained.” 164
20:24 Now Thomas (called Didymus), 165 one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. 20:25 The other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he replied, 166 “Unless I see the wounds 167 from the nails in his hands, and put my finger into the wounds from the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will never believe it!” 168
20:26 Eight days later the disciples were again together in the house, 169 and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, 170 Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 20:27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put 171 your finger here, and examine 172 my hands. Extend 173 your hand and put it 174 into my side. Do not continue in your unbelief, but believe.” 175 20:28 Thomas replied to him, 176 “My Lord and my God!” 177 20:29 Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are the people 178 who have not seen and yet have believed.” 179
20:30 Now Jesus performed 180 many other miraculous signs in the presence of the 181 disciples, which are not recorded 182 in this book. 183 20:31 But these 184 are recorded 185 so that you may believe 186 that Jesus is the Christ, 187 the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. 188
21:1 After this 189 Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias. 190 Now this is how he did so. 191 21:2 Simon Peter, Thomas 192 (called Didymus), 193 Nathanael 194 (who was from Cana 195 in Galilee), the sons 196 of Zebedee, 197 and two other disciples 198 of his were together. 21:3 Simon Peter told them, “I am going fishing.” “We will go with you,” they replied. 199 They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.
21:4 When it was already very early morning, Jesus stood on the beach, but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. 21:5 So Jesus said to them, “Children, you don’t have any fish, 200 do you?” 201 They replied, 202 “No.” 21:6 He told them, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” 203 So they threw the net, 204 and were not able to pull it in because of the large number of fish.
21:7 Then the disciple whom 205 Jesus loved 206 said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” So Simon Peter, when he heard that it was the Lord, tucked in his outer garment (for he had nothing on underneath it), 207 and plunged 208 into the sea. 21:8 Meanwhile the other disciples came with the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from land, only about a hundred yards. 209
21:9 When they got out on the beach, 210 they saw a charcoal fire ready 211 with a fish placed on it, and bread. 21:10 Jesus said, 212 “Bring some of the fish you have just now caught.” 21:11 So Simon Peter went aboard and pulled the net to shore. It was 213 full of large fish, one hundred fifty-three, 214 but although there were so many, the net was not torn. 21:12 “Come, have breakfast,” Jesus said. 215 But none of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” because they knew it was the Lord. 21:13 Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. 21:14 This was now the third time Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.
21:15 Then when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, 216 do you love me more than these do?” 217 He replied, 218 “Yes, Lord, you know I love you.” 219 Jesus 220 told him, “Feed my lambs.” 21:16 Jesus 221 said 222 a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He replied, 223 “Yes, Lord, you know I love you.” Jesus 224 told him, “Shepherd my sheep.” 21:17 Jesus 225 said 226 a third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was distressed 227 that Jesus 228 asked 229 him a third time, “Do you love me?” and said, 230 “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.” Jesus 231 replied, 232 “Feed my sheep. 21:18 I tell you the solemn truth, 233 when you were young, you tied your clothes around you 234 and went wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and others will tie you up 235 and bring you where you do not want to go.” 21:19 (Now Jesus 236 said this to indicate clearly by what kind of death Peter 237 was going to glorify God.) 238 After he said this, Jesus told Peter, 239 “Follow me.”
21:20 Peter turned around and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them. 240 (This was the disciple 241 who had leaned back against Jesus’ 242 chest at the meal and asked, 243 “Lord, who is the one who is going to betray you?”) 244 21:21 So when Peter saw him, 245 he asked Jesus, “Lord, what about him?” 21:22 Jesus replied, 246 “If I want him to live 247 until I come back, 248 what concern is that of yours? You follow me!” 21:23 So the saying circulated 249 among the brothers and sisters 250 that this disciple was not going to die. But Jesus did not say to him that he was not going to die, but rather, “If I want him to live 251 until I come back, 252 what concern is that of yours?”
21:24 This is the disciple who testifies about these things and has written these things, and we know that his testimony is true. 21:25 There are many other things that Jesus did. If every one of them were written down, 253 I suppose the whole world 254 would not have room for the books that would be written. 255
[19:1] 1 tn Or “had him flogged,” or (traditional), “scourged him.” The verb should be read as causative. Pilate ordered Jesus to be flogged. A Roman governor would not carry out such a sentence in person. BDAG 620 s.v. μαστιγόω 1. states, “If J refers to the ‘verberatio’ given those condemned to death (TMommsen, Röm. Strafrecht 1899, 938f; Jos., Bell. 2, 308; 5, 449), it is odd that Pilate subsequently claims no cause for action (vs. 6); but if the latter statement refers only to the penalty of crucifixion, μ. vs. 1 may be equivalent to παιδεύω (q.v. 2bγ) in Lk 23:16, 22 (for μ. of a non-capital offense PFlor I, 61, 61 [85ad]=Mitt-Wilck. II/2, 80 II, 61).”
[19:1] sn This severe flogging was not administered by Pilate himself but his officers, who took Jesus at Pilate’s order and scourged him. The author’s choice of wording here may constitute an allusion to Isa 50:6, “I gave my back to those who scourge me.” Three forms of corporal punishment were employed by the Romans, in increasing degree of severity: (1) fustigatio (beating), (2) flagellatio (flogging), and (3) verberatio (severe flogging, scourging). The first could be on occasion a punishment in itself, but the more severe forms were part of the capital sentence as a prelude to crucifixion. The most severe, verberatio, is what is indicated here by the Greek verb translated flogged severely (μαστιγόω, mastigow). People died on occasion while being flogged this way; frequently it was severe enough to rip a person’s body open or cut muscle and sinew to the bone. It was carried out with a whip that had fragments of bone or pieces of metal bound into the tips.
[19:2] 2 tn Grk “And the soldiers.” The conjunction καί (kai, “and”) has not been translated here in keeping with the tendency of contemporary English style to use shorter sentences.
[19:2] 4 sn The crown of thorns was a crown plaited of some thorny material, intended as a mockery of Jesus’ “kingship.” Traditionally it has been regarded as an additional instrument of torture, but it seems more probable the purpose of the thorns was not necessarily to inflict more physical suffering but to imitate the spikes of the “radiant corona,” a type of crown portrayed on ruler’s heads on many coins of the period; the spikes on this type of crown represented rays of light pointing outward (the best contemporary illustration is the crown on the head of the Statue of Liberty in New York harbor).
[19:2] 5 sn The purple color of the robe indicated royal status. This was further mockery of Jesus, along with the crown of thorns.
[19:3] 6 tn Grk “And they.” The conjunction καί (kai, “and”) has not been translated here in keeping with the tendency of contemporary English style to use shorter sentences.
[19:3] 7 tn The words “again and again” are implied by the (iterative) imperfect verb ἤρχοντο (hrconto).
[19:3] 8 tn Or “Long live the King of the Jews!”
[19:3] sn The greeting used by the soldiers, “Hail, King of the Jews!”, is a mockery based on the standard salutation for the Roman emperor, “Ave, Caesar!” (“Hail to Caesar!”).
[19:3] 9 tn The word “repeatedly” is implied by the (iterative) imperfect verb ἐδιδοσαν (edidosan).
[19:4] 10 tn Grk “to them.” The words “the Jewish leaders” are supplied from John 18:38 for clarity.
[19:4] 11 tn Or “find no basis for an accusation”; Grk “find no cause.”
[19:5] 12 sn See the note on the purple robe in 19:2.
[19:5] 13 tn Grk “He”; the referent (Pilate) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[19:5] 14 sn Look, here is the man! Pilate may have meant no more than something like “Here is the accused!” or in a contemptuous way, “Here is your king!” Others have taken Pilate’s statement as intended to evoke pity from Jesus’ accusers: “Look at this poor fellow!” (Jesus would certainly not have looked very impressive after the scourging). For the author, however, Pilate’s words constituted an unconscious allusion to Zech 6:12, “Look, here is the man whose name is the Branch.” In this case Pilate (unknowingly and ironically) presented Jesus to the nation under a messianic title.
[19:6] 15 sn Crucifixion was the cruelest form of punishment practiced by the Romans. Roman citizens could not normally undergo it. It was reserved for the worst crimes, like treason and evasion of due process in a capital case. The Roman statesman and orator Cicero (106-43
[19:6] 16 tn The word “him” is not in the Greek text. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from context.
[19:6] 17 tn Grk “said to them.” The words “to them” are not translated because they are unnecessary in contemporary English style.
[19:6] 18 sn How are Pilate’s words “You take him and crucify him” to be understood? Was he offering a serious alternative to the priests who wanted Jesus crucified? Was he offering them an exception to the statement in 18:31 that the Jewish authorities did not have the power to carry out a death penalty? Although a few scholars have suggested that the situation was at this point so far out of Pilate’s control that he really was telling the high priests they could go ahead and crucify a man he had found to be innocent, this seems unlikely. It is far more likely that Pilate’s statement should be understood as one of frustration and perhaps sarcasm. This seems to be supported by the context, for the Jewish authorities make no attempt at this point to seize Jesus and crucify him. Rather they continue to pester Pilate to order the crucifixion.
[19:6] 19 tn On this use of γάρ (gar) used in exclamations and strong affirmations, see BDAG 190 s.v. γάρ 3.
[19:6] 20 tn Or “find no basis for an accusation”; Grk “find no cause.”
[19:7] 21 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. (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 Jewish leaders, especially members of the Sanhedrin, and their servants (mentioned specifically as “the chief priests and their servants” in John 19:6).
[19:7] 22 tn Grk “answered him.”
[19:7] 23 sn This law is not the entire Pentateuch, but Lev 24:16.
[19:7] 24 tn Grk “because he made himself out to be the Son of God.”
[19:8] 25 tn Grk “heard this word.”
[19:8] 26 tn Grk “became more afraid.”
[19:9] 27 tn Grk “into the praetorium.”
[19:10] 28 tn Grk “said to him.” The words “to him” are not translated because they are unnecessary in contemporary English style.
[19:10] 30 tn Grk “know that I have the authority to release you and the authority to crucify you.” Repetition of “the authority” is unnecessarily redundant English style.
[19:10] sn See the note on Crucify in 19:6.
[19:11] 32 tn Or “who delivered me over to you.”
[19:11] sn The one who handed me over to you appears to be a reference to Judas at first; yet Judas did not deliver Jesus up to Pilate, but to the Jewish authorities. The singular may be a reference to Caiaphas, who as high priest was representative of all the Jewish authorities, or it may be a generic singular referring to all the Jewish authorities directly. In either case the end result is more or less the same.
[19:11] 33 tn Grk “has the greater sin” (an idiom).
[19:11] sn Because Pilate had no authority over Jesus except what had been given to him from God, the one who handed Jesus over to Pilate was guilty of greater sin. This does not absolve Pilate of guilt; it simply means his guilt was less than those who handed Jesus over to him, because he was not acting against Jesus out of deliberate hatred or calculated malice, like the Jewish religious authorities. These were thereby guilty of greater sin.
[19:12] 35 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] 36 tn Grk “shouted out, saying.”
[19:12] 38 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 (
[19:12] 39 tn Grk “who makes himself out to be a king.”
[19:13] 40 tn Or “the judge’s seat.”
[19:13] sn The judgment seat (βῆμα, bhma) was a raised platform mounted by steps and usually furnished with a seat. It was used by officials in addressing an assembly or making official pronouncements, often of a judicial nature.
[19:13] 41 sn The precise location of the place called ‘The Stone Pavement’ is still uncertain, although a paved court on the lower level of the Fortress Antonia has been suggested. It is not certain whether it was laid prior to
[19:13] 42 tn Grk “in Hebrew.”
[19:13] sn The author does not say that Gabbatha is the Aramaic (or Hebrew) translation for the Greek term Λιθόστρωτον (Liqostrwton). He simply points out that in Aramaic (or Hebrew) the place had another name. A number of meanings have been suggested, but the most likely appears to mean “elevated place.” It is possible that this was a term used by the common people for the judgment seat itself, which always stood on a raised platform.
[19:13] 43 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.
[19:14] 44 sn The term day of preparation (παρασκευή, paraskeuh) appears in all the gospels as a description of the day on which Jesus died. It could refer to any Friday as the day of preparation for the Sabbath (Saturday), and this is the way the synoptic gospels use the term (Matt 27:62, Mark 15:42, and Luke 23:54). John, however, specifies in addition that this was not only the day of preparation of the Sabbath, but also the day of preparation of the Passover, so that the Sabbath on the following day was the Passover (cf. 19:31).
[19:14] 45 tn Grk “about the sixth hour.”
[19:14] sn For John, the time was especially important. When the note concerning the hour, about noon, is connected with the day, the day of preparation for the Passover, it becomes apparent that Jesus was going to die on the cross at the very time that the Passover lambs were being slain in the temple courts. Exod 12:6 required that the Passover lamb be kept alive until the 14th Nisan, the eve of the Passover, and then slaughtered by the head of the household at twilight (Grk “between the two evenings”). By this time the slaughtering was no longer done by the heads of households, but by the priests in the temple courts. But so many lambs were needed for the tens of thousands of pilgrims who came to Jerusalem to celebrate the feast (some estimates run in excess of 100,000 pilgrims) that the slaughter could not be completed during the evening, and so the rabbis redefined “between the two evenings” as beginning at noon, when the sun began to decline toward the horizon. Thus the priests had the entire afternoon of 14th Nisan in which to complete the slaughter of the Passover lambs. According to the Fourth Gospel, this is the time Jesus was dying on the cross.
[19:14] 46 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.
[19:14] 47 tn Grk “And he”; the referent (Pilate) has been specified in the translation for clarity, and the conjunction καί (kai, “and”) has not been translated here in keeping with the tendency of contemporary English style to use shorter sentences.
[19:14] 48 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.
[19:15] 49 tn Grk “Then these.”
[19:15] 50 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] 51 sn See the note on Crucify in 19:6.
[19:15] 52 tn Grk “Pilate said to them.” The words “to them” are not translated because it is clear in English who Pilate is addressing.
[19:16] 53 tn Grk “Then he”; the referent (Pilate) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[19:16] 54 tn Or “delivered him over.”
[19:17] 55 tn Or “carrying the cross by himself.”
[19:17] sn As was customary practice in a Roman crucifixion, the prisoner was made to carry his own cross. In all probability this was only the crossbeam, called in Latin the patibulum, since the upright beam usually remained in the ground at the place of execution. According to Matt 27:32 and Mark 15:21, the soldiers forced Simon to take the cross; Luke 23:26 states that the cross was placed on Simon so that it might be carried behind Jesus. A reasonable explanation of all this is that Jesus started out carrying the cross until he was no longer able to do so, at which point Simon was forced to take over.
[19:17] 56 sn Jesus was led out to the place called “The Place of the Skull” where he was to be crucified. It is clear from v. 20 that this was outside the city. The Latin word for the Greek κρανίον (kranion) is calvaria. Thus the English word “Calvary” is a transliteration of the Latin rather than a NT place name (cf. Luke 23:33 in the KJV).
[19:17] 57 tn Grk “in Hebrew.”
[19:17] 58 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.
[19:18] 59 tn Grk “where they.” This is a continuation of the previous verse in Greek, but contemporary English style tends toward shorter sentences. A literal translation would result in a lengthy and awkward English sentence.
[19:18] 60 sn See the note on Crucify in 19:6.
[19:18] 61 tn Grk “and with him two others.”
[19:19] 62 tn Or “an inscription.”
[19:19] sn Mention of the inscription is an important detail, because the inscription would normally give the reason for the execution. It shows that Jesus was executed for claiming to be a king. It was also probably written with irony from the executioners’ point of view.
[19:19] 63 tn Grk “Pilate also wrote a notice and placed it on the cross.” The two verbs should be read as causatives, since it is highly unlikely that the Roman governor would perform either of these actions himself. He ordered them to be done.
[19:19] sn John says simply that the notice was fastened to the cross. Luke 23:38 says the inscription was placed “over him” (Jesus), and Matt 27:37 that it was placed over Jesus’ head. On the basis of Matthew’s statement Jesus’ cross is usually depicted as the crux immissa, the cross which has the crossbeam set below the top of the upright beam. The other commonly used type of cross was the crux commissa, which had the crossbeam atop the upright beam. But Matthew’s statement is not conclusive, since with the crux commissa the body would have sagged downward enough to allow the placard to be placed above Jesus’ head. The placard with Pilate’s inscription is mentioned in all the gospels, but for John it was certainly ironic. Jesus really was the King of the Jews, although he was a king rejected by his own people (cf. 1:11). Pilate’s own motivation for placing the title over Jesus is considerably more obscure. He may have meant this as a final mockery of Jesus himself, but Pilate’s earlier mockery of Jesus seemed to be motivated by a desire to gain pity from the Jewish authorities in order to have him released. More likely Pilate saw this as a subtle way of getting back at the Jewish authorities who had pressured him into the execution of one he considered to be an innocent man.
[19:19] 64 tn Grk “Now it was written.”
[19:20] 65 tn Grk “the Jews.” Here the phrase refers to the residents of Jerusalem in general. See also the note on the phrase Jewish religious leaders” in v. 7.
[19:20] map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[19:20] 66 tn Or “this inscription.”
[19:20] 67 tn Grk “in Hebrew.”
[19:21] 68 tn Or “the Jewish chief priests.” Nowhere else in the Fourth Gospel are the two expressions οἱ ἀρχιερεῖς τῶν ᾿Ιουδαίων (Joi arcierei" twn Ioudaiwn) combined. Earlier in 19:15 the chief priests were simply referred to as οἱ ἀρχιερεῖς. It seems likely that this is another example of Johannine irony, to be seen in contrast to the inscription on the cross which read ὁ βασιλεὺς τῶν ᾿Ιουδαίων (Jo basileu" twn Ioudaiwn). For this reason the phrase has been translated “the chief priests of the Jews” (which preserves in the translation the connection with “King of the Jews”) rather than “the Jewish chief priests.”
[19:23] 69 sn See the note on Crucify in 19:6.
[19:23] 70 sn Four shares, one for each soldier. The Gospel of John is the only one to specify the number of soldiers involved in the crucifixion. This was a quaternion, a squad of four soldiers. It was accepted Roman practice for the soldiers who performed a crucifixion to divide the possessions of the person executed among themselves.
[19:23] 71 tn Or “shirt” (a long garment worn under the cloak next to the skin). The name for this garment (χιτών, citwn) presents some difficulty in translation. Most modern readers would not understand what a ‘tunic’ was any more than they would be familiar with a ‘chiton.’ On the other hand, attempts to find a modern equivalent are also a problem: “Shirt” conveys the idea of a much shorter garment that covers only the upper body, and “undergarment” (given the styles of modern underwear) is more misleading still. “Tunic” was therefore employed, but with a note to explain its nature.
[19:23] 72 tn Or “shirt” (a long garment worn under the cloak next to the skin). See the note on the same word earlier in this verse.
[19:23] 73 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.
[19:24] 74 tn Grk “but choose by lot” (probably by using marked pebbles or broken pieces of pottery). A modern equivalent, “throw dice,” was chosen here because of its association with gambling.
[19:24] 75 tn Grk “to see whose it will be.”
[19:24] 76 tn The words “This took place” are not in the Greek text but are implied.
[19:24] 77 tn Grk “cast lots.” See the note on “throw dice” earlier in the verse.
[19:24] sn A quotation from Ps 22:18.
[19:25] 78 sn Several women are mentioned, but it is not easy to determine how many. It is not clear whether his mother’s sister and Mary the wife of Clopas are to be understood as the same individual (in which case only three women are mentioned: Jesus’ mother, her sister Mary, and Mary Magdalene) or as two different individuals (in which case four women are mentioned: Jesus’ mother, her sister, Mary Clopas’ wife, and Mary Magdalene). It is impossible to be certain, but when John’s account is compared to the synoptics it is easier to reconcile the accounts if four women were present than if there were only three. It also seems that if there were four women present, this would have been seen by the author to be in juxtaposition to the four soldiers present who performed the crucifixion, and this may explain the transition from the one incident in 23-24 to the other in 25-27. Finally, if only three were present, this would mean that both Jesus’ mother and her sister were named Mary, and this is highly improbable in a Jewish family of that time. If there were four women present, the name of the second, the sister of Jesus’ mother, is not mentioned. It is entirely possible that the sister of Jesus’ mother mentioned here is to be identified with the woman named Salome mentioned in Mark 15:40 and also with the woman identified as “the mother of the sons of Zebedee” mentioned in Matt 27:56. If so, and if John the Apostle is to be identified as the beloved disciple, then the reason for the omission of the second woman’s name becomes clear; she would have been John’s own mother, and he consistently omitted direct reference to himself or his brother James or any other members of his family in the Fourth Gospel.
[19:26] 79 sn The term Woman is Jesus’ normal, polite way of addressing women (Matt 15:28, Luke 13:12; John 4:21; 8:10; 19:26; 20:15; see BDAG 208-9 s.v. γυνή 1). But it is unusual for a son to address his mother with this term. The custom in both Hebrew (or Aramaic) and Greek would be for a son to use a qualifying adjective or title. Is there significance in Jesus’ use here? Jesus probably used the term here to help establish Mary and the beloved disciple in a new “mother-son” relationship. Someone would soon need to provide for Mary since Jesus, her oldest son, would no longer be alive. By using this term Jesus distanced himself from Mary so the beloved disciple could take his place as her earthly son (cf. John 2:4). See D. A. Carson, John, 617-18, for discussion about symbolic interpretations of this relationship between Mary and the beloved disciple.
[19:27] 80 tn Grk “from that very hour.”
[19:28] 81 tn Or “that already.”
[19:28] 82 tn Or “finished,” “accomplished”; Grk “fulfilled.”
[19:28] 83 sn A reference to Ps 69:21 or Ps 22:15.
[19:28] 84 sn In order to fulfill (τελειωθῇ [teleiwqh], a wordplay on the previous statement that everything was completed [τετέλεσται, tetelestai]) the scripture, he said, “I am thirsty.” The scripture referred to is probably Ps 69:21, “They also gave me gall for my food, and for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.” Also suggested, however, is Ps 22:15, “My tongue cleaves to the roof of my mouth, and you [God] lay me in the dust of death.” Ps 22:1 reads “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?,” a statement Jesus makes from the cross in both Matt 27:46 and Mark 15:34. In light of the connection in the Fourth Gospel between thirst and the living water which Jesus offers, it is highly ironic that here Jesus himself, the source of that living water, expresses his thirst. And since 7:39 associates the living water with the Holy Spirit, Jesus’ statement here in 19:28 amounts to an admission that at this point he has been forsaken by God (cf. Ps 22:1, Matt 27:46, and Mark 15:34).
[19:29] 85 sn The cheap sour wine was called in Latin posca, and referred to a cheap vinegar wine diluted heavily with water. It was the drink of slaves and soldiers, and was probably there for the soldiers who had performed the crucifixion.
[19:29] 86 sn Hyssop was a small aromatic bush; exact identification of the plant is uncertain. The hyssop used to lift the wet sponge may have been a form of reed (κάλαμος, kalamo", “reed,” is used in Matt 27:48 and Mark 15:36); the biblical name can refer to several different species of plant (at least eighteen different plants have been suggested).
[19:29] 87 tn Or “and brought it.”
[19:30] 88 tn Grk “Then when.” Here οὖν (oun) has not been translated for stylistic reasons.
[19:30] 89 tn Or “It is accomplished,” “It is finished,” or “It is ended.” See tn on John 13:1.
[19:30] 90 tn Or “he bowed his head and died”; Grk “he bowed his head and gave over the spirit.”
[19:31] 91 sn The Jewish authorities, because this was the day of preparation for the Sabbath and the Passover (cf. 19:14), requested Pilate to order the legs of the three who had been crucified to be broken. This would hasten their deaths, so that the bodies could be removed before the beginning of the Sabbath at 6 p.m. This was based on the law of Deut 21:22-23 and Josh 8:29 that specified the bodies of executed criminals who had been hanged on a tree should not remain there overnight. According to Josephus this law was interpreted in the 1st century to cover the bodies of those who had been crucified (J. W. 4.5.2 [4.317]). Philo of Alexandria also mentions that on occasion, especially at festivals, the bodies were taken down and given to relatives to bury (Flaccus 10 [83]). The normal Roman practice would have been to leave the bodies on the crosses, to serve as a warning to other would-be offenders.
[19:31] 92 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.
[19:31] 93 tn Or “the Jewish authorities”; Grk “the Jews.” Here the phrase refers to the Jewish leaders. See also the note on the phrase “Jewish leaders” in v. 7.
[19:31] 94 tn Grk “asked Pilate that the legs of them might be broken.” The referent of “them” (the three individuals who were crucified, collectively referred to as “the victims”) has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
[19:31] 95 sn To have the legs…broken. Breaking the legs of a crucified person was a way of speeding up his death, since the victim could no longer use his legs to push upward in order to be able to draw a breath. This breaking of the legs was called in Latin crurifragium, and was done with a heavy mallet.
[19:31] 96 tn Grk “asked Pilate that their legs might be broken and they might be taken down.” Here because of the numerous ambiguous third person references it is necessary to clarify that it was the crucified men whose legs were to be broken and whose corpses were to be removed from the crosses.
[19:32] 97 sn See the note on Crucify in 19:6.
[19:32] 98 tn Grk “with him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[19:32] 99 tn Grk “broke the legs of the first and of the other who had been crucified with him.”
[19:34] 100 sn If it was obvious to the soldiers that the victim was already dead it is difficult to see why one of them would try to inflict a wound. The Greek verb pierced (νύσσω, nussw) can indicate anything from a slight prod to a mortal wound. Probably one of the soldiers gave an exploratory stab to see if the body would jerk. If not, he was really dead. This thrust was hard enough to penetrate the side, since the author states that blood and water flowed out immediately.
[19:34] 101 sn How is the reference to the blood and water that flowed out from Jesus’ side to be understood? This is probably to be connected with the statements in 1 John 5:6-8. In both passages water, blood, and testimony are mentioned. The Spirit is also mentioned in 1 John 5:7 as the source of the testimony, while here the testimony comes from one of the disciples (19:35). The connection between the Spirit and the living water with Jesus’ statement of thirst just before he died in the preceding context has already been noted (see 19:28). For the author, the water which flowed out of Jesus’ side was a symbolic reference to the Holy Spirit who could now be given because Jesus was now glorified (cf. 7:39); Jesus had now departed and returned to that glory which he had with the Father before the creation of the world (cf. 17:5). The mention of blood recalls the motif of the Passover lamb as a sacrificial victim. Later references to sacrificial procedures in the Mishnah appear to support this: m. Pesahim 5:3 and 5:5 state that the blood of the sacrificial animal should not be allowed to congeal but should flow forth freely at the instant of death so that it could be used for sprinkling; m. Tamid 4:2 actually specifies that the priest is to pierce the heart of the sacrificial victim and cause the blood to come forth.
[19:35] 102 tn The word “it” is not in the Greek text but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
[19:35] 103 tn Grk “and that one.”
[19:35] 104 sn A parenthetical note by the author.
[19:36] 105 sn A quotation from Exod 12:46, Num 9:12, and Ps 34:20. A number of different OT passages lie behind this quotation: Exod 12:10 LXX, Exod 12:46, Num 9:12, or Ps 34:20. Of these, the first is the closest in form to the quotation here. The first three are all more likely candidates than the last, since the first three all deal with descriptions of the Passover lamb.
[19:37] 106 sn A quotation from Zech 12:10. Here a single phrase is quoted from Zech 12, but the entire context is associated with the events surrounding the crucifixion. The “Spirit of grace and of supplication” is poured out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem in the first part of v. 10. A few verses later in 13:1 Yahweh (typically rendered as “Lord” in the OT) says “In that day a fountain will be opened for the house of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for impurity.” The blood which flowed from Jesus’ pierced side may well be what the author saw as the connection here, since as the shedding of the blood of the sacrificial victim it represents cleansing from sin. Although the Jewish authorities and Roman soldiers certainly “looked on the one whom they have pierced” as he hung on the cross, the author may also have in mind the parousia (second coming) here. The context in Zech 12-14 is certainly the second coming, so that these who crucified Jesus will look upon him in another sense when he returns in judgment.
[19:38] 107 tn Or “the Jewish authorities”; Grk “the Jews.” Here the phrase refers to the Jewish leaders, especially the Pharisees (see John 12:42). See also the note on the phrase “Jewish leaders” in v. 7.
[19:38] 108 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.
[19:38] 109 tn Grk “And Pilate.” The conjunction καί (kai, “and”) has not been translated here in keeping with the tendency of contemporary English style to use shorter sentences.
[19:38] 110 tn Grk “took away his body.”
[19:39] 111 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[19:39] 112 sn See John 3:1-21.
[19:39] 113 tn Grk “came”; the words “accompanied Joseph” are not in the Greek text but are supplied for clarity.
[19:39] 114 sn Aloes refers to an aromatic resin from a plant similar to a lily, used for embalming a corpse.
[19:39] 115 sn The Roman pound (λίτρα, litra) weighed twelve ounces or 325 grams. Thus 100 Roman pounds would be about 32.5 kilograms or 75 pounds.
[19:40] 116 tn On this term see BDAG 140-41 s.v. ἄρωμα. The Jews did not practice embalming, so these materials were used to cover the stench of decay and slow decomposition.
[19:40] 117 tn The Fourth Gospel uses ὀθονίοις (oqonioi") to describe the wrappings, and this has caused a good deal of debate, since it appears to contradict the synoptic accounts which mention a σινδών (sindwn), a large single piece of linen cloth. If one understands ὀθονίοις to refer to smaller strips of cloth, like bandages, there would be a difference, but diminutive forms have often lost their diminutive force in Koine Greek (BDF §111.3), so there may not be any difference.
[19:40] 118 tn Grk “cloth as is the custom of the Jews to prepare for burial.”
[19:41] 119 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[19:41] 120 sn See the note on Crucify in 19:6.
[19:41] 121 tn Or “an orchard.”
[19:41] 123 tn Grk “been placed.”
[19:42] 124 sn The day of preparation was the day before the Sabbath when everything had to be prepared for it, as no work could be done on the Sabbath.
[19:42] 125 sn The tomb was nearby. The Passover and the Sabbath would begin at 6 p.m., so those who had come to prepare and bury the body could not afford to waste time.
[20:1] 126 sn The first day of the week would be early Sunday morning. The Sabbath (and in this year the Passover) would have lasted from 6 p.m. Friday until 6 p.m. Saturday. Sunday would thus mark the first day of the following week.
[20:1] 127 sn John does not mention that Mary Magdalene was accompanied by any of the other women who had been among Jesus’ followers. The synoptic accounts all mention other women who accompanied her (although Mary Magdalene is always mentioned first). Why John does not mention the other women is not clear, but Mary probably becomes the focus of the author’s attention because it was she who came and found Peter and the beloved disciple and informed them of the empty tomb (20:2). Mary’s use of the plural in v. 2 indicates there were others present, in indirect agreement with the synoptic accounts.
[20:1] 128 tn Grk “from the tomb.”
[20:2] 129 tn Grk “So she ran and came.”
[20:3] 130 tn Grk “went out and were coming to the tomb.”
[20:4] 131 sn The other disciple (the ‘beloved disciple’) ran on ahead more quickly than Peter, so he arrived at the tomb first. This verse has been a chief factor in depictions of John as a young man (especially combined with traditions that he wrote last of all the gospel authors and lived into the reign of Domitian). But the verse does not actually say anything about John’s age, nor is age always directly correlated with running speed.
[20:4] 132 tn Grk “and came first to the tomb.”
[20:5] 133 sn In most instances the entrance to such tombs was less than 3 ft (1 m) high, so that an adult would have to bend down and practically crawl inside.
[20:5] 134 sn Presumably by the time the beloved disciple reached the tomb there was enough light to penetrate the low opening and illuminate the interior of the tomb sufficiently for him to see the strips of linen cloth lying there. The author does not state exactly where the linen wrappings were lying. Sometimes the phrase has been translated “lying on the ground,” but the implication is that the wrappings were lying where the body had been. The most probable configuration for a tomb of this sort would be to have a niche carved in the wall where the body would be laid lengthwise, or a low shelf like a bench running along one side of the tomb, across the back or around all three sides in a U-shape facing the entrance. Thus the graveclothes would have been lying on this shelf or in the niche where the body had been.
[20:6] 135 tn Grk “And he saw.” The conjunction καί (kai, “and”) has not been translated here in keeping with the tendency of contemporary English style to use shorter sentences.
[20:7] 136 sn The word translated face cloth is a Latin loanword (sudarium). It was a small towel used to wipe off perspiration (the way a handkerchief would be used today). This particular item was not mentioned in connection with Jesus’ burial in John 19:40, probably because this was only a brief summary account. A face cloth was mentioned in connection with Lazarus’ burial (John 11:44) and was probably customary. R. E. Brown speculates that it was wrapped under the chin and tied on top of the head to prevent the mouth of the corpse from falling open (John [AB], 2:986), but this is not certain.
[20:7] 137 sn Much dispute and difficulty surrounds the translation of the words not lying with the strips of linen cloth but rolled up in a place by itself. Basically the issue concerns the positioning of the graveclothes as seen by Peter and the other disciple when they entered the tomb. Some have sought to prove that when the disciples saw the graveclothes they were arranged just as they were when around the body, so that when the resurrection took place the resurrected body of Jesus passed through them without rearranging or disturbing them. In this case the reference to the face cloth being rolled up does not refer to its being folded, but collapsed in the shape it had when wrapped around the head. Sometimes in defense of this view the Greek preposition μετά (meta, which normally means “with”) is said to mean “like” so that the comparison with the other graveclothes does not involve the location of the face cloth but rather its condition (rolled up rather than flattened). In spite of the intriguing nature of such speculations, it seems more probable that the phrase describing the face cloth should be understood to mean it was separated from the other graveclothes in a different place inside the tomb. This seems consistent with the different conclusions reached by Peter and the beloved disciple (vv. 8-10). All that the condition of the graveclothes indicated was that the body of Jesus had not been stolen by thieves. Anyone who had come to remove the body (whether the authorities or anyone else) would not have bothered to unwrap it before carrying it off. And even if one could imagine that they had (perhaps in search of valuables such as rings or jewelry still worn by the corpse) they would certainly not have bothered to take time to roll up the face cloth and leave the other wrappings in an orderly fashion.
[20:8] 138 sn What was it that the beloved disciple believed (since v. 7 describes what he saw)? Sometimes it is suggested that what he believed was Mary Magdalene’s report that the body had been stolen. But this could hardly be the case; the way the entire scene is narrated such a trivial conclusion would amount to an anticlimax. It is true that the use of the plural “they” in the following verse applied to both Peter and the beloved disciple, and this appears to be a difficulty if one understands that the beloved disciple believed at this point in Jesus’ resurrection. But it is not an insuperable difficulty, since all it affirms is that at this time neither Peter nor the beloved disciple had understood the scripture concerning the resurrection. Thus it appears the author intends his reader to understand that when the beloved disciple entered the tomb after Peter and saw the state of the graveclothes, he believed in the resurrection, i.e., that Jesus had risen from the dead.
[20:9] 140 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[20:9] 141 sn Verse 9 is a parenthetical note by the author. The author does not explicitly mention what OT scripture is involved (neither does Paul in 1 Cor 15:4, for that matter). The resurrection of the Messiah in general terms may have been seen in Isa 53:10-12 and Ps 16:10. Specific references may have been understood in Jonah 1:17 and Hos 6:2 because of the mention of “the third day.” Beyond this it is not possible to be more specific.
[20:13] 142 tn The conjunction καί (kai, “and”) has not been translated here.
[20:13] 143 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. This occurs again in v. 15.
[20:13] 144 tn Grk “She said to them.”
[20:14] 145 tn The word “there” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
[20:15] 146 tn Grk “that one” (referring to Mary Magdalene).
[20:16] 147 tn Grk “That one.”
[20:16] 148 tn Grk “in Hebrew.”
[20:16] 149 sn The Aramaic Rabboni means “my teacher” (a title of respect).
[20:16] 150 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.
[20:17] 151 tn Grk “Jesus said to her.”
[20:18] 152 tn The words “she told them” are repeated from the first part of the same verse to improve clarity.
[20:18] 153 tn Grk “the things.”
[20:18] 154 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) is specified in the translation for clarity.
[20:18] 155 tn The first part of Mary’s statement, introduced by ὅτι (Joti), is direct discourse (ἑώρακα τὸν κύριον, Jewraka ton kurion), while the second clause switches to indirect discourse (καὶ ταῦτα εἶπεν αὐτῇ, kai tauta eipen auth). This has the effect of heightening the emphasis on the first part of the statement.
[20:19] 156 tn Although the words “had gathered together” are omitted in some of the earliest and best
[20:19] 157 tn Grk “the doors were shut”; “locked” conveys a more appropriate idea for the modern English reader.
[20:19] sn The fact that the disciples locked the doors is a perfectly understandable reaction to the events of the past few days. But what is the significance of the inclusion of this statement by the author? It is often taken to mean that Jesus, when he entered the room, passed through the closed doors. This may well be the case, but it may be assuming too much about our knowledge of the mode in which the resurrected body of Jesus exists. The text does not explicitly state how Jesus got through the closed doors. It is possible to assume that the doors opened of their own accord before him, or that he simply appeared in the middle of the room without passing through the doors at all. The point the author makes here is simply that the closed doors were no obstacle at all to the resurrected Jesus.
[20:19] 158 tn Grk “where they were.”
[20:19] 159 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. (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 Jewish leaders.
[20:20] 160 sn When the disciples recognized Jesus (now referred to as the Lord, cf. Mary’s words in v. 18) they were suddenly overcome with joy. This was a fulfillment of Jesus’ words to the disciples in the Farewell Discourse (16:20-22) that they would have sorrow while the world rejoiced, but that their sorrow would be turned to lasting joy when they saw him again.
[20:22] 161 tn Grk “said to them.”
[20:22] 162 sn He breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” The use of the Greek verb breathed on (ἐμφυσάω, emfusaw) to describe the action of Jesus here recalls Gen 2:7 in the LXX, where “the Lord God formed man out of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.” This time, however, it is Jesus who is breathing the breath-Spirit of eternal life, life from above, into his disciples (cf. 3:3-10). Furthermore there is the imagery of Ezek 37:1-14, the prophecy concerning the resurrection of the dry bones: In 37:9 the Son of Man is told to prophesy to the “wind-breath-Spirit” to come and breathe on the corpses, so that they will live again. In 37:14 the Lord promised, “I will put my Spirit within you, and you will come to life, and I will place you in your own land.” In terms of ultimate fulfillment the passage in Ezek 37 looks at the regeneration of Israel immediately prior to the establishment of the messianic kingdom. The author saw in what Jesus did for the disciples at this point a partial and symbolic fulfillment of Ezekiel’s prophecy, much as Peter made use of the prophecy of Joel 2:28-32 in his sermon on the day of Pentecost as recorded in Acts 2:17-21. What then did Jesus do for the disciples in John 20:22? It appears that in light of the symbolism of the new creation present here, as well as the regeneration symbolism from the Ezek 37 passage, that Jesus at this point breathed into the disciples the breath of eternal life. This was in the form of the Holy Spirit, who was to indwell them. It is instructive to look again at 7:38-39, which states, “Just as the scripture says, ‘Out from within him will flow rivers of living water.’ (Now he said this about the Spirit whom those who believed in him were going to receive; for the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.”) But now in 20:22 Jesus was glorified, so the Spirit could be given. Had the disciples not believed in Jesus before? It seems clear that they had, since their belief is repeatedly affirmed, beginning with 2:11. But it also seems clear that even on the eve of the crucifixion, they did not understand the necessity of the cross (16:31-33). And even after the crucifixion, the disciples had not realized that there was going to be a resurrection (20:9). Ultimate recognition of who Jesus was appears to have come to them only after the postresurrection appearances (note the response of Thomas, who was not present at this incident, in v. 28). Finally, what is the relation of this incident in 20:22 to the account of the coming of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2? It appears best to view these as two separate events which have two somewhat different purposes. This was the giving of life itself, which flowed out from within (cf. 7:38-39). The giving of power would occur later, on the day of Pentecost – power to witness and carry out the mission the disciples had been given. (It is important to remember that in the historical unfolding of God’s program for the church, these events occurred in a chronological sequence which, after the church has been established, is not repeatable today.)
[20:23] 163 tn Grk “they are forgiven to them.” The words “to them” are unnecessary in English and somewhat redundant.
[20:23] 164 sn The statement by Jesus about forgive or retaining anyone’s sins finds its closest parallel in Matt 16:19 and 18:18. This is probably not referring to apostolic power to forgive or retain the sins of individuals (as it is sometimes understood), but to the “power” of proclaiming this forgiveness which was entrusted to the disciples. This is consistent with the idea that the disciples are to carry on the ministry of Jesus after he has departed from the world and returned to the Father, a theme which occurred in the Farewell Discourse (cf. 15:27, 16:1-4, and 17:18).
[20:24] 165 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author; Didymus means “the twin” in Greek.
[20:25] 166 tn Grk “but he said to them.”
[20:25] 168 tn The word “it” is not in the Greek text but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context. The use of “it” here as direct object of the verb πιστεύσω (pisteusw) specifies exactly what Thomas was refusing to believe: that Jesus had risen from the dead, as reported by his fellow disciples. Otherwise the English reader may be left with the impression Thomas was refusing to “believe in” Jesus, or “believe Jesus to be the Christ.” The dramatic tension in this narrative is heightened when Thomas, on seeing for himself the risen Christ, believes more than just the resurrection (see John 20:28).
[20:26] 169 tn Grk “were inside”; the word “together” is implied.
[20:26] 170 tn Grk “the doors were shut”; “locked” conveys a more appropriate idea for the modern English reader.
[20:26] sn See the note on the phrase locked the doors in 20:19.
[20:27] 171 tn Or “Extend” or “Reach out.” The translation “put” or “reach out” for φέρω (ferw) here is given in BDAG 1052 s.v. 4.
[20:27] 172 tn Grk “see.” The Greek verb ἴδε (ide) is often used like its cognate ἰδού (idou) in Hellenistic Greek (which is “used to emphasize the …importance of someth.” [BDAG 468 s.v. ἰδού 1.b.ε]).
[20:27] 173 tn Or “reach out” or “put.”
[20:27] 174 tn The word “it” is not in the Greek text but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
[20:27] 175 tn Grk “and do not be unbelieving, but believing.”
[20:28] 176 tn Grk “answered and said to him.”
[20:28] 177 sn Should Thomas’ exclamation be understood as two subjects with the rest of the sentence omitted (“My Lord and my God has truly risen from the dead”), as predicate nominatives (“You are my Lord and my God”), or as vocatives (“My Lord and my God!”)? Probably the most likely is something between the second and third alternatives. It seems that the second is slightly more likely here, because the context appears confessional. Thomas’ statement, while it may have been an exclamation, does in fact confess the faith which he had previously lacked, and Jesus responds to Thomas’ statement in the following verse as if it were a confession. With the proclamation by Thomas here, it is difficult to see how any more profound analysis of Jesus’ person could be given. It echoes 1:1 and 1:14 together: The Word was God, and the Word became flesh (Jesus of Nazareth). The Fourth Gospel opened with many other titles for Jesus: the Lamb of God (1:29, 36); the Son of God (1:34, 49); Rabbi (1:38); Messiah (1:41); the King of Israel (1:49); the Son of Man (1:51). Now the climax is reached with the proclamation by Thomas, “My Lord and my God,” and the reader has come full circle from 1:1, where the author had introduced him to who Jesus was, to 20:28, where the last of the disciples has come to the full realization of who Jesus was. What Jesus had predicted in John 8:28 had come to pass: “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he” (Grk “I am”). By being lifted up in crucifixion (which led in turn to his death, resurrection, and exaltation with the Father) Jesus has revealed his true identity as both Lord (κύριος [kurios], used by the LXX to translate Yahweh) and God (θεός [qeos], used by the LXX to translate Elohim).
[20:29] 178 tn Grk “are those.”
[20:29] 179 tn Some translations treat πιστεύσαντες (pisteusante") as a gnomic aorist (timeless statement) and thus equivalent to an English present tense: “and yet believe” (RSV). This may create an effective application of the passage to the modern reader, but the author is probably thinking of those people who had already believed without the benefit of seeing the risen Jesus, on the basis of reports by others or because of circumstantial evidence (see John 20:8).
[20:30] 181 tc ‡ Although most
[20:30] 182 tn Grk “are not written.”
[20:30] 183 sn The author mentions many other miraculous signs performed by Jesus in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in the Gospel. What are these signs the author of the Gospel has in mind? One can only speculate. The author says they were performed in the presence of the disciples, which emphasizes again their role as witnesses (cf. 15:27). The point here is that the author has been selective in his use of material. He has chosen to record those incidents from the life and ministry of Jesus which supported his purpose in writing the Gospel. Much which might be of tremendous interest, but does not directly contribute to that purpose in writing, he has omitted. The author explains his purpose in writing in the following verse.
[20:31] 184 tn Grk “these things.”
[20:31] 185 tn Grk “are written.”
[20:31] 186 tc ‡ A difficult textual variant is present at this point in the Greek text. Some
[20:31] 187 tn Or “Jesus is the Messiah” (Both Greek “Christ” and Hebrew and Aramaic “Messiah” mean “one who has been anointed”).
[20:31] sn See the note on Christ in 1:20.
[20:31] 188 sn John 20:31. A major question concerning this verse, the purpose statement of the Gospel of John, is whether the author is writing primarily for an audience of unbelievers, with purely evangelistic emphasis, or whether he envisions an audience of believers, whom he wants to strengthen in their faith. Several points are important in this discussion: (1) in the immediate context (20:30), the other signs spoken of by the author were performed in the presence of disciples; (2) in the case of the first of the signs, at Cana, the author makes a point of the effect the miracle had on the disciples (2:11); (3) if the primary thrust of the Gospel is toward unbelievers, it is difficult to see why so much material in chaps. 13-17 (the last meal and Farewell Discourse, concluding with Jesus’ prayer for the disciples), which deals almost exclusively with the disciples, is included; (4) the disciples themselves were repeatedly said to have believed in Jesus throughout the Gospel, beginning with 2:11, yet they still needed to believe after the resurrection (if Thomas’ experience in 20:27-28 is any indication); and (5) the Gospel appears to be written with the assumption that the readers are familiar with the basic story (or perhaps with one or more of the synoptic gospel accounts, although this is less clear). Thus no account of the birth of Jesus is given at all, and although he is identified as being from Nazareth, the words of the Pharisees and chief priests to Nicodemus (7:52) are almost certainly to be taken as ironic, assuming the reader knows where Jesus was really from. Likewise, when Mary is identified in 11:2 as the one who anointed Jesus’ feet with oil, it is apparently assumed that the readers are familiar with the story, since the incident involved is not mentioned in the Fourth Gospel until 12:3. These observations must be set over against the clear statement of purpose in the present verse, 20:31, which seems to have significant evangelistic emphasis. In addition to this there is the repeated emphasis on witness throughout the Fourth Gospel (cf. the witness of John the Baptist in 1:7, 8, 15, 32, and 34, along with 5:33; the Samaritan woman in 4:39; Jesus’ own witness, along with that of the Father who sent him, in 8:14, 18, and 18:37; the disciples themselves in 15:27; and finally the testimony of the author himself in 19:35 and 21:24). In light of all this evidence it seems best to say that the author wrote with a dual purpose: (1) to witness to unbelievers concerning Jesus, in order that they come to believe in him and have eternal life; and (2) to strengthen the faith of believers, by deepening and expanding their understanding of who Jesus is.
[21:1] 189 tn The time reference indicated by μετὰ ταῦτα (meta tauta) is indefinite, in comparison with the specific “after eight days” (μεθ᾿ ἡμέρας ὀκτώ, meq’ Jhmera" oktw) between the two postresurrection appearances of Jesus in 20:26.
[21:1] 190 sn The Sea of Tiberias is another name for the Sea of Galilee (see 6:1).
[21:1] 191 tn Grk “how he revealed himself.”
[21:2] 192 tn Grk “and Thomas.” The conjunction καί (kai, “and”) has not been translated here in keeping with the tendency of contemporary English style to use a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements of a series.
[21:2] 193 sn Didymus means “the twin” in Greek.
[21:2] 194 tn Grk “and Nathanael.” The conjunction καί (kai, “and”) has not been translated here in keeping with the tendency of contemporary English style to use a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements of a series.
[21:2] 195 map For location see Map1 C3; Map2 D2; Map3 C5.
[21:2] 196 tn Grk “and the sons.” The conjunction καί (kai, “and”) has not been translated here in keeping with the tendency of contemporary English style to use a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements of a series.
[21:2] 197 sn The sons of Zebedee were James and John.
[21:2] 198 sn The two other disciples who are not named may have been Andrew and Philip, who are mentioned together in John 6:7-8 and 12:22.
[21:3] 199 tn Grk “they said to him.”
[21:5] 200 tn The word προσφάγιον (prosfagion) is unusual. According to BDAG 886 s.v. in Hellenistic Greek it described a side dish to be eaten with bread, and in some contexts was the equivalent of ὄψον (oyon), “fish.” Used in addressing a group of returning fishermen, however, it is quite clear that the speaker had fish in mind.
[21:5] 201 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 the tag is “do you?”).
[21:5] 202 tn Grk “They answered him.”
[21:6] 203 tn The word “some” is not in the Greek text but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
[21:6] 204 tn The words “the net” are not in the Greek text but are implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
[21:7] 205 tn Grk “the disciple, that one whom.”
[21:7] 206 sn On the disciple whom Jesus loved see 13:23-26.
[21:7] 207 tn Grk “for he was naked.” Peter’s behavior here has been puzzling to many interpreters. It is usually understood that the Greek word γυμνός (gumnos, usually translated “naked”) does not refer to complete nudity (as it could), since this would have been offensive to Jewish sensibilities in this historical context. It is thus commonly understood to mean “stripped for work” here (cf. NASB, NLT), that is, with one’s outer clothing removed, and Peter was wearing either a loincloth or a loose-fitting tunic (a long shirt-like garment worn under a cloak, cf. NAB, “for he was lightly clad”). Believing himself inadequately dressed to greet the Lord, Peter threw his outer garment around himself and dived into the sea. C. K. Barrett (St. John, 580-81) offered the explanation that a greeting was a religious act and thus could not be performed unless one was clothed. This still leaves the improbable picture of a person with much experience around the water putting on his outer garment before diving in. R. E. Brown’s suggestion (John [AB], 2:1072) seems much more probable here: The Greek verb used (διαζώννυμι, diazwnnumi) does not necessarily mean putting clothing on, but rather tying the clothing around oneself (the same verb is used in 13:4-5 of Jesus tying the towel around himself). The statement that Peter was “naked” could just as well mean that he was naked underneath the outer garment, and thus could not take it off before jumping into the water. But he did pause to tuck it up and tie it with the girdle before jumping in, to allow himself more freedom of movement. Thus the clause that states Peter was naked is explanatory (note the use of for), explaining why Peter girded up his outer garment rather than taking it off – he had nothing on underneath it and so could not remove it.
[21:7] sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.
[21:7] 208 tn Grk “threw himself.”
[21:8] 209 tn Or “about a hundred meters”; Grk “about two hundred cubits.” According to BDAG 812 s.v., a πῆχυς (phcu") was about 18 inches or .462 meters, so two hundred πηχῶν (phcwn) would be about 100 yards (92.4 meters).
[21:9] 210 tn The words “on the beach” are not in the Greek text but are implied.
[21:9] 211 tn Grk “placed,” “laid.”
[21:10] 212 tn Grk “said to them.”
[21:11] 213 tn The words “It was” are not in the Greek text. Here a new sentence was begun in the translation in keeping with the tendency of contemporary English style to use shorter sentences. For this reason the words “It was” had to be supplied.
[21:11] 214 sn Here the author makes two further points about the catch of fish: (1) there were one hundred fifty-three large fish in the net, and (2) even with so many, the net was not torn. Many symbolic interpretations have been proposed for both points (unity, especially, in the case of the second), but the reader is given no explicit clarification in the text itself. It seems better not to speculate here, but to see these details as indicative of an eyewitness account. Both are the sort of thing that would remain in the mind of a person who had witnessed them firsthand. For a summary of the symbolic interpretations proposed for the number of fish in the net, see R. E. Brown (John [AB], 2:1074-75), where a number are discussed at length. Perhaps the reader is simply to understand this as the abundance which results from obedience to Jesus, much as with the amount of wine generated in the water jars in Cana at the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry (2:6).
[21:12] 215 tn Grk “said to them.” The words “to them” are omitted because it is clear in context to whom Jesus was speaking, and the words are slightly redundant in English.
[21:15] 216 tc The majority of
[21:15] 217 tn To whom (or what) does “these” (τούτων, toutwn) refer? Three possibilities are suggested: (1) τούτων should be understood as neuter, “these things,” referring to the boats, nets, and fishing gear nearby. In light of Peter’s statement in 21:3, “I am going fishing,” some have understood Peter to have renounced his commission in light of his denials of Jesus. Jesus, as he restores Peter and forgives him for his denials, is asking Peter if he really loves his previous vocation more than he loves Jesus. Three things may be said in evaluation of this view: (a) it is not at all necessary to understand Peter’s statement in 21:3 as a renouncement of his discipleship, as this view of the meaning of τούτων would imply; (b) it would probably be more likely that the verb would be repeated in such a construction (see 7:31 for an example where the verb is repeated); and (c) as R. E. Brown has observed (John [AB], 2:1103) by Johannine standards the choice being offered to Peter between material things and the risen Jesus would seem rather ridiculous, especially after the disciples had realized whom it was they were dealing with (the Lord, see v. 12). (2) τούτων refers to the other disciples, meaning “Do you love me more than you love these other disciples?” The same objection mentioned as (c) under (1) would apply here: Could the author, in light of the realization of who Jesus is which has come to the disciples after the resurrection, and which he has just mentioned in 21:12, seriously present Peter as being offered a choice between the other disciples and the risen Jesus? This leaves option (3), that τούτων refers to the other disciples, meaning “Do you love me more than these other disciples do?” It seems likely that there is some irony here: Peter had boasted in 13:37, “I will lay down my life for you,” and the synoptics present Peter as boasting even more explicitly of his loyalty to Jesus (“Even if they all fall away, I will not,” Matt 26:33; Mark 14:29). Thus the semantic force of what Jesus asks Peter here amounts to something like “Now, after you have denied me three times, as I told you you would, can you still affirm that you love me more than these other disciples do?” The addition of the auxiliary verb “do” in the translation is used to suggest to the English reader the third interpretation, which is the preferred one.
[21:15] 218 tn Grk “He said to him.”
[21:15] 219 tn Is there a significant difference in meaning between the two words for love used in the passage, ἀγαπάω and φιλέω (agapaw and filew)? Aside from Origen, who saw a distinction in the meaning of the two words, most of the Greek Fathers like Chrysostom and Cyril of Alexandria, saw no real difference of meaning. Neither did Augustine nor the translators of the Itala (Old Latin). This was also the view of the Reformation Greek scholars Erasmus and Grotius. The suggestion that a distinction in meaning should be seen comes primarily from a number of British scholars of the 19th century, especially Trench, Westcott, and Plummer. It has been picked up by others such as Spicq, Lenski, and Hendriksen. But most modern scholars decline to see a real difference in the meaning of the two words in this context, among them Bernard, Moffatt, Bonsirven, Bultmann, Barrett, Brown, Morris, Haenchen, and Beasley-Murray. There are three significant reasons for seeing no real difference in the meaning of ἀγαπάω and φιλέω in these verses: (1) the author has a habit of introducing slight stylistic variations in repeated material without any significant difference in meaning (compare, for example, 3:3 with 3:5, and 7:34 with 13:33). An examination of the uses of ἀγαπάω and φιλέω in the Fourth Gospel seems to indicate a general interchangeability between the two. Both terms are used of God’s love for man (3:16, 16:27); of the Father’s love for the Son (3:35, 5:20); of Jesus’ love for men (11:5, 11:3); of the love of men for men (13:34, 15:19); and of the love of men for Jesus (8:42, 16:27). (2) If (as seems probable) the original conversation took place in Aramaic (or possibly Hebrew), there would not have been any difference expressed because both Aramaic and Hebrew have only one basic word for love. In the LXX both ἀγαπάω and φιλέω are used to translate the same Hebrew word for love, although ἀγαπάω is more frequent. It is significant that in the Syriac version of the NT only one verb is used to translate vv. 15-17 (Syriac is very similar linguistically to Palestinian Aramaic). (3) Peter’s answers to the questions asked with ἀγαπάω are ‘yes’ even though he answers using the verb φιλέω. If he is being asked to love Jesus on a higher or more spiritual level his answers give no indication of this, and one would be forced to say (in order to maintain a consistent distinction between the two verbs) that Jesus finally concedes defeat and accepts only the lower form of love which is all that Peter is capable of offering. Thus it seems best to regard the interchange between ἀγαπάω and φιλέω in these verses as a minor stylistic variation of the author, consistent with his use of minor variations in repeated material elsewhere, and not indicative of any real difference in meaning. Thus no attempt has been made to distinguish between the two Greek words in the translation.
[21:15] 220 tn Grk “He”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[21:16] 221 tn Grk “He”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[21:16] 222 tn Grk “said again.” The word “again” (when used in connection with the phrase “a second time”) is redundant and has not been translated.
[21:16] 223 tn Grk “He said to him.”
[21:16] 224 tn Grk “He”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[21:17] 225 tn Grk “He”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[21:17] 226 tn Grk “said to him.” The words “to him” are clear from the context and slightly redundant in English.
[21:17] 228 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[21:17] 230 tn Grk “and said to him.” The words “to him” are clear from the context and slightly redundant in English.
[21:17] 231 tc ‡ Most witnesses, especially later ones (A Θ Ψ Ë13 Ï), read ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς (Jo Ihsou", “Jesus”) here, while B C have ᾿Ιησοῦς without the article and א D W Ë1 33 565 al lat lack both. Because of the rapid verbal exchange in this pericope, “Jesus” is virtually required for clarity, providing a temptation to scribes to add the name. Further, the name normally occurs with the article. Although it is possible that B C accidentally omitted the article with the name, it is just as likely that they added the simple name to the text for clarity’s sake, while other witnesses added the article as well. The omission of ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς thus seems most likely to be authentic. NA27 includes the words in brackets, indicating some doubts as to their authenticity.
[21:17] tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[21:17] 232 tn Grk “Jesus said to him.”
[21:18] 233 tn Grk “Truly, truly, I say to you.”
[21:18] 234 tn Or “you girded yourself.”
[21:18] 235 tn Grk “others will gird you.”
[21:19] 236 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[21:19] 237 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Peter) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[21:19] 238 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author. The phrase by what kind of death Peter was going to glorify God almost certainly indicates martyrdom (cf. 1 Pet 4:16), and it may not predict anything more than that. But the parallelism of this phrase to similar phrases in John 12:33 and 18:32 which describe Jesus’ own death by crucifixion have led many to suggest that the picture Jesus is portraying for Peter looks not just at martyrdom but at death by crucifixion. This seems to be confirmed by the phrase you will stretch out your hands in the preceding verse. There is some evidence that the early church understood this and similar phrases (one of them in Isa 65:2) to refer to crucifixion (for a detailed discussion of the evidence see L. Morris, John [NICNT], 876, n. 52). Some have objected that if this phrase does indeed refer to crucifixion, the order within v. 18 is wrong, because the stretching out of the hands in crucifixion precedes the binding and leading where one does not wish to go. R. E. Brown (John [AB], 2:1108) sees this as a deliberate reversal of the normal order (hysteron proteron) intended to emphasize the stretching out of the hands. Another possible explanation for the unusual order is the Roman practice in crucifixions of tying the condemned prisoner’s arms to the crossbeam (patibulum) and forcing him to carry it to the place of execution (W. Bauer as cited by O. Cullmann in Peter: Disciple, Apostle, Martyr [LHD], 88).
[21:19] 239 tn Grk “After he said this, he said to him”; the referents (first Jesus, second Peter) have been specified in the translation for clarity.
[21:20] 240 tn The word “them” is not in the Greek text but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
[21:20] 241 tn The words “This was the disciple” are not in the Greek text, but are supplied for clarity.
[21:20] 242 tn Grk “his”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[21:20] 243 tn Grk “and said.”
[21:20] 244 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.
[21:21] 245 tn Grk “saw this one.”
[21:22] 246 tn Grk “Jesus said to him.”
[21:22] 247 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] 248 tn The word “back” is supplied to clarify the meaning.
[21:23] 249 tn Grk “went out.”
[21:23] 250 tn Grk “the brothers,” but here the term refers to more than just the immediate disciples of Jesus (as it does in 20:17). Here, as R. E. Brown notes (John [AB], 2:1110), it refers to Christians of the Johannine community (which would include both men and women).
[21:23] 251 tn Grk “to stay” or “to remain”; but since longevity is the issue in the context, “to live” conveys the idea more clearly.
[21:23] 252 tn The word “back” is supplied to clarify the meaning.
[21:25] 253 tn Grk “written”; the word “down” is supplied in keeping with contemporary English idiom.
[21:25] 254 tn Grk “the world itself.”
[21:25] 255 tc Although the majority of
[21:25] sn The author concludes the Gospel with a note concerning his selectivity of material. He makes it plain that he has not attempted to write an exhaustive account of the words and works of Jesus, for if one attempted to do so, “the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.” This is clearly hyperbole, and as such bears some similarity to the conclusion of the Book of Ecclesiastes (12:9-12). As it turns out, the statement seems more true of the Fourth Gospel itself, which is the subject of an ever-lengthening bibliography. The statement in v. 25 serves as a final reminder that knowledge of Jesus, no matter how well-attested it may be, is still partial. Everything that Jesus did during his three and one-half years of earthly ministry is not known. This supports the major theme of the Fourth Gospel: Jesus is repeatedly identified as God, and although he may be truly known on the basis of his self-disclosure, he can never be known exhaustively. There is far more to know about Jesus than could ever be written down, or even known. On this appropriate note the Gospel of John ends.
