CHAP. 6. CHRIST THE SUPPORT OF LIFE This chapter, like the last, contains a discourse arising out of a miracle. It contains moreover an element wanting in the previous chapter,—the results of the discourse. Thus we obtain three divisions; 1. _The Sign on the Land, the Sign on the Lake, and the Sequ... [ Continue Reading ]
ΜΕΤᾺ ΤΑΥ͂ΤΑ. See on John 5:1. How long after we cannot tell; but if the feast in John 5:1 is rightly conjectured to be Purim, this would be about a month later in the same year, which is probably A.D. 29. But S. John is not careful to mark the precise interval between the various scenes which he giv... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SIGN ON THE LAND; FEEDING THE FIVE THOUSAND... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΘΕΏΡΟΥΝ for ἐώρων, a tense of ὁράω never used by S. John. 2. ἨΚΟΛΟΎΘΕΙ. Imperfects of continued action throughout the verse in contrast to ἀπῆλθεν and ἀνῆλθεν in John 6:1; John 6:3. ἘΘΕΏΡΟΥΝ implies reflecting attention; John 6:19; John 2:23; John 7:3; John 12:45; John 14:19; John 16:16. The multit... [ Continue Reading ]
ΤῸ ὍΡΟΣ. The _mountain_, or _the mountainous part_, of the district: the article indicates familiarity with the neighbourhood (John 6:15). We cannot determine the precise eminence. The object is retirement.... [ Continue Reading ]
Ἡ ἙΟΡΤῊ Τ. Ἰ. THE _feast of the Jews_. Possibly a mere date to mark the time. As already noticed (see on John 2:13), S. John groups his narrative round the Jewish festivals. But the statement may also be made as a further explanation of the multitude. Just before the Passover large bands of pilgrims... [ Continue Reading ]
ἜΡΧΕΤΑΙ. IS COMING; present of graphic description. The quiet which He sought is being invaded; yet He welcomes the opportunity and at once surrenders His rest to His Father’s work, as in the case of Nicodemus and the Samaritan woman. But why does He address Philip? Because he was nearest to Him; or... [ Continue Reading ]
ΠΕΙΡΆΖΩΝ. This _need_ not mean more than to try whether he could suggest anything; but more probably, to test his faith, to prove to him how imperfect it still was in spite of His having been so long with him (John 14:9). Jesus had no need to inform Himself as to Philip’s faith: He ‘knew what was in... [ Continue Reading ]
ΔΙΑΚΟΣΊΩΝ ΔΗΝ. _Two hundred shillingsworth_ would fairly represent the original. The _denarius_ was the ordinary wage for a day’s work (Matthew 20:2; comp. Luke 10:35); in weight of silver it was less than a shilling; in purchasing power it was more. Two hundred _denarii_ from the one point of view... [ Continue Reading ]
ΕἿΣ ἘΚ Τ. ΜΑΘ. Of course this does not imply that Philip was _not_ a disciple; the meaning rather is, that a disciple had been appealed to without results, and now a disciple makes a communication out of which good results flow. The _name_ of this second disciple comes in as a sort of afterthought.... [ Continue Reading ]
9. Omit ἕν after ΠΑΙΔΆΡΙΟΝ, with אBDL, _Lat. vet., Syr. vet_., and Origen, i.e. the oldest MSS., oldest versions, and oldest Father who quotes the passage. 9. ΠΑΙΔΆΡΙΟΝ. _A little lad_, or (less probably) servant. The ἕν of some MSS., if genuine, would emphasize the poverty of their resources; the... [ Continue Reading ]
ΧΌΡΤΟΣ ΠΟΛΎΣ. As we might expect early in April (John 6:4). S. Mark (Mark 6:39-40) mentions how they reclined in parterres (πρασιαὶ πρασιαί), by hundreds and by fifties, _on the green grass_. This arrangement would make it easy to count them. ΟἹ ἌΝΔΡΕΣ. _The men_, as distinct from the women and chi... [ Continue Reading ]
ἜΛΑΒΕΝ ΟΥ̓͂Ν (S. John’s favourite particle) for ἔλαβε δέ. Omit (א1ABL) τοῖς μαθηταῖς, οἱ δὲ μαθηταί after διέδωκεν. The insertion (D) comes from the Synoptic narrative. 11. ΕΥ̓ΧΑΡΙΣΤ. The usual grace before meat said by the head of the house or the host. ‘He that enjoys aught without thanksgiving, i... [ Continue Reading ]
ΣΥΝΑΓΆΓΕΤΕ. S. John alone tells of this command, though the others tell us that the fragments were gathered up. It has been noticed as a strong mark of truth, most unlikely to have been invented by the writer of a fiction. We do not find the owner of Fortunatus’ purse careful against extravagance. H... [ Continue Reading ]
ΚΟΦΊΝΟΥΣ. All four Evangelists here use κόφινος for basket, as does S. Matthew (Matthew 16:9) in referring to this miracle. It is the wallet which every Jew carried when on a journey, to keep himself independent of Gentile food (Juv. III. 14). In the feeding of the 4000 (Matthew 15:37; Mark 8:8), an... [ Continue Reading ]
Omit ὁ Ἰησοῦς after ΣΗΜΕΙ͂ΟΝ with אBD against A: comp. John 3:2; John 4:46; John 8:21. 14. ΟἹ ΟΥ̓͂Ν ἌΝΘΡ. THE PEOPLE THEREFORE, the whole multitude. The plural, ἃ ἐπ. σημεῖα, which some authorities read, includes the effect of previous miracles. The imperf., ἔλεγον, indicates that this was repeatedl... [ Continue Reading ]
ΜΈΛΛΟΥΣΙΝ. ARE ABOUT TO (John 6:6) _take Him by force and_ MAKE HIM KING; carry Him, whether He will or no, to Jerusalem and proclaim Him king at the Passover. They will have a σωτηρία according to their own ideas, not according to God’s decree: earthly deliverance and glory, not spiritual regenerat... [ Continue Reading ]
ὈΨΊΑ. The second (6 P.M. to dark) of the two evenings which S. Matthew (Matthew 14:15; Matthew 14:23) gives in accordance with Jewish usage. The narrative here makes a fresh start: κατέβησαν does not imply that the disciples went up again with Jesus; this is excluded by αὐτὸς μόνος.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SIGN ON THE LAKE; WALKING ON THE WATER... [ Continue Reading ]
ἬΡΧΟΝΤΟ. The imperfect expresses their continued efforts to reach Capernaum. S. Mark says ‘unto Bethsaida,’ which was close to Capernaum. See on Matthew 4:13; Luke 5:1. ΟΥ̓́ΠΩ. _Not_ YET, implying that they expected Him. Perhaps they had arranged to meet Him at some place along the shore. He is trai... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΠῚ ΤΗ͂Σ ΘΑΛΆΣΣΗΣ. Although this might mean ‘on the seashore’ (John 21:1), yet the context plainly shews that here it means ‘on the surface of the sea.’ Winer, p. 468. Would they have been frightened by seeing Jesus walking on the shore? S. Mark says it was about the fourth watch, i.e. between 3.0 a... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΓΏ ΕἸΜΙ. All three narratives preserve these words; we infer that they made a deep impression. Comp. John 8:24; John 8:28; John 8:58; John 13:13; John 13:19; John 18:5-6; John 18:8.... [ Continue Reading ]
ἬΘΕΛΟΝ. _They_ WERE WILLING THEREFORE TO RECEIVE _Him_. The ‘willingly received’ of A.V. is perhaps due to Beza, who substitutes _volente animo receperunt_ for the Vulgate’s _voluerunt recipere_. Ἤθελον λαβεῖν αὐτόν here seems to contrast with ἤθελεν παρελθεῖν αὐτούς in Mark 6:48. His will to pass t... [ Continue Reading ]
ΕἾΔΟΝ for ἰδών (misconception of the construction). After ΕἸ ΜῊ ἝΝ omit ἐκεῖνο εἰς ὃ ἐνέβησαν οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ (explanatory gloss). 22. ΠΈΡΑΝ Τ. Θ. On the eastern side, where the miracle took place.... [ Continue Reading ]
22–24. A complicated sentence very unusual in S. John (comp. John 13:1-4); but its very intricacy is evidence of its accuracy. A writer of fiction would have given fewer details and stated them with greater freedom. S. John explains what is well known to him.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SEQUEL OF THE TWO SIGNS The people had wished to make Jesus a Jewish king. He has just manifested Himself to His disciples as King of the whole realm of nature. The wrongheaded multitude, to which we return, are now taught in parables.... [ Continue Reading ]
23. This awkward parenthesis explains how there came to be boats to transport the people to the western shore. ΕΥ̓ΧΑΡΙΣΤ. Unless the thanksgiving (John 6:11) was the turning-point of the miracle, it is hard to see why it is mentioned again here.... [ Continue Reading ]
ΕἾΔΕΝ. A fresh seeing; not a resumption of εἰδον in John 6:22. ΕἸΣ ΤᾺ ΠΛ. The boats from Tiberias, driven in probably by the contrary wind (Matthew 14:24; Mark 6:48) which had delayed the Apostles. There is no need to suppose that _all_ the 5000 crossed over.... [ Continue Reading ]
ΠΈΡΑΝ Τ. Θ. This is now the western shore, Capernaum (John 6:59). ΠΌΤΕ ὯΔΕ Γ.; Comp. John 1:15. They suspect something miraculous, but He does not gratify their curiosity. If the feeding of the 5000 taught them nothing, what good would it do them to hear of the crossing of the lake?... [ Continue Reading ]
THE DISCOURSE ON THE SON AS THE SUPPORT OF LIFE God’s revealed word and created world are unhappily alike in this; that the most beautiful places in each are often the scene and subject of strife. This marvellous discourse is a well-known field of controversy, as to whether it does or does not refer... [ Continue Reading ]
_Distinction between the material bread and the Spiritual Bread _... [ Continue Reading ]
ἈΜῊΝ�. see on John 1:51. As so often, He answers, not the question, but the thought which prompted it (John 2:4; John 3:3; John 3:10; John 4:16): _not because ye_ SAW SIGNS. They _had_ seen the _miracle_, but it had _not_ been a _sign_ to them: instead of seeing a sign in the bread, they had seen on... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΡΓΆΖΕΣΘΕ. WORK, not ‘labour,’ to keep up the connexion with John 6:28-30. They keep harping on the word ‘work.’ The meaning ‘work _for_’ is rare: ἐργ. χρήματα, Herod. I. 24. Comp. ‘Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again’ (John 4:13). The discourse with the woman should be compared thro... [ Continue Reading ]
ΤΊ ΠΟΙΩ͂ΜΕΝ …; _What_ MUST _we do_ (John 6:5) _that we_ MAY _work_? Perhaps they understood Him to mean that they must _earn_ what they desire; certainly they see that Christ’s words have a moral meaning; they must do the works required by God. But how?... [ Continue Reading ]
ΤῸ ἜΡΓΟΝ. They probably thought of works of the law, tithes, sacrifices, &c. He tells them of one work, one moral act, from which all the rest derive their value, continuous belief (πιστεύητε, not πιστεύσητε) in Him whom God has sent. Comp. Acts 16:31. On ἽΝΑ and ἈΠΈΣΤΕΙΛΕΝ see on John 1:8; John 1:3... [ Continue Reading ]
ΤΊ … ΣῪ ΣΗΜ.; Σύ is emphatic: ‘Thou urgest us to work; what doest Thou on Thy part?’ They quite see that in ΔΝ�. ἘΚ. He is claiming to be the Messiah, and they require proof. The feeding of the 5000 was less marvellous than the manna, and the Messiah must shew greater signs than Moses. They demand ‘... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΣΤΙΝ ΓΕΓΡΑΜ. See on John 2:17. What follows is a rough quotation of ‘had rained down manna upon them to eat’ (Psalms 78:24), or possibly of Nehemiah 3:15. In either case they artfully suppress the nominative, ‘God,’ and leave ‘Moses’ to be understood. The ἐκ points to Nehemiah 3:15; not merely from... [ Continue Reading ]
ΜΩΥΣΗ͂Σ. See on John 1:17. Christ answers their thought rather than their questions, τί ποιεῖς; τί ἐργάζῃ; He shews them that He understands their insinuation, that He is inferior to Moses, and He denies both their points; (1) that Moses gave the manna; (2) that the manna was in the truest sense bre... [ Continue Reading ]
Ὁ ΚΑΤΑΒΑΊΝΩΝ. THAT WHICH _cometh down_. Jesus has not yet identified Himself with the Bread, which is still impersonal, and hence the present participle: CONTRAST John 6:41. There is a clear reference to this passage in the Ignatian Epistles, _Romans 7_; the whole chapter is impregnated with the Fou... [ Continue Reading ]
ΚΎΡΙΕ. ‘Lord’ is too strong, making the request too much like the prayer of a humble believer: as in John 4:11; John 4:15; John 4:19, ‘Sir’ would be better (see on John 4:11). Not that the request is ironical, the mocking prayer of the sceptic. Rather it is the selfish petition of those whose belief... [ Continue Reading ]
_Identification of the Spiritual Bread with Christ _... [ Continue Reading ]
ΔΙΨΉΣΕΙ for διψήσῃ (correction to usual construction: comp. John 4:14; John 10:5). 35. ἘΓΏ ΕἸΜΙ. Comp. John 6:41; John 6:48; John 6:51 : the pronoun is very emphatic as in John 4:54. As in John 5:30, He passes from the third person to the first. These identifications are characteristic of this Gospe... [ Continue Reading ]
ΕἾΠΟΝ ὙΜΙ͂Ν. When? no such saying is recorded. Ewald thus finds some slight evidence for his theory that a whole sheet of this Gospel has been lost between Chapter s 5. and 6. But the reference may easily be to one of the countless unrecorded sayings of Christ, or possibly to the general sense of Jo... [ Continue Reading ]
Digression on the blessedness of those who come to Christ as believers... [ Continue Reading ]
ΠΑ͂Ν Ὃ … ΤῸΝ ἘΡΧ. Note the significant change of gender. What is given (see on John 3:35) is treated as impersonal and neuter, mankind _en masse_ (comp. John 3:6); what comes, with free will, is masculine. Men are given to Christ without being consulted; but each, if he likes, can refuse to come, as... [ Continue Reading ]
ἈΠΌ for ἐκ (from John 6:33; John 6:41; John 6:51). 38. ὍΤΙ ΚΑΤΑΒ. BECAUSE I AM COME DOWN. Four times in this discourse Christ declares His descent from heaven; John 6:38; John 6:50-51; John 6:58. The drift of John 6:38-40 is; ‘How could I cast them out, seeing that I am come to do My Father’s will,... [ Continue Reading ]
ΤῸ ΘΈΛΗΜΑ … ἽΝΑ. See on John 1:8; John 4:47; John 17:3, and comp. John 6:29. ΠΑ͂Ν. _Casus pendens_: comp. John 7:38; John 15:2; John 17:2; Luke 21:6. ‘Credentes dantur, credentibus datur.’ ΜῊ�. His care for the fragments (John 6:12) would not be greater than [ Continue Reading ]
ΓΆΡ for δέ. ΠΑΤΡΌΣ ΜΟΥ for πέμψαντός με (from John 6:39) with אBCDLTU against A. 40. ΤΟΥ͂ΤΟ ΓᾺΡ … ΠΑΤΡΌΣ ΜΟΥ. This is the true reading; but the opening words of John 6:39-40, being very similar, have become confused in inferior MSS. The best have πατρός in John 6:40, where the Son is mentioned, not... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΓΌΓΓΥΖΟΝ. Talked in an undertone respecting Him: the word in itself does not necessarily mean that they found fault, but the context shews that they did (comp. John 6:61; John 7:12; Matthew 20:11; Luke 5:30). Moreover, O.T. associations have given this shade of meaning to the word, which is frequen... [ Continue Reading ]
42. ΟὟΤΟΣ. Contemptuous; _this_ FELLOW. ‘We know all about His parentage; there is nothing supernatural about His origin.’ Nothing can be inferred from this as to Joseph’s being still alive (see on John 2:1). ἩΜΕΙ͂Σ is emphatic; ‘we know it for ourselves.’ This is in favour of the speakers being of... [ Continue Reading ]
43. Christ does not answer their objections or explain. Even among the first Christians the fact of His miraculous conception seems to have been made known only gradually, so foul were the calumnies which the Jews had spread respecting His Mother. This certainly was not the place to proclaim it. He... [ Continue Reading ]
43–46. Digression on the difficulty of coming to Christ as a believer... [ Continue Reading ]
ΟΥ̓ΔΕῚΣ ΔΎΝΑΤΑΙ. It is a moral impossibility: comp. John 3:3; John 3:5; John 5:44; John 8:43; John 12:39; John 14:17; John 15:4-5. The οὐδείς corresponds to the πᾶν in John 6:37, as ἑλκύσῃ to δίδωσιν: _all_ that are given shall reach Christ; _none_ but those who are drawn are able to come to Him. Th... [ Continue Reading ]
ἜΣΤΙΝ ΓΕΓΡ. See on John 2:17. Here, as in John 13:18 and John 19:37, the quotation agrees with the Hebrew against the LXX. This is evidence that the writer knew Hebrew, and was probably a Jew of Palestine. ἘΝ ΤΟΙ͂Σ ΠΡΟΦΉΤΑΙΣ. In the division of the Scriptures, so called as distinct from the Law (Joh... [ Continue Reading ]
ἙΏΡΑΚΕΝ. see on John 1:18. Hearing is not the same as seeing, and in order to hear and learn from the Father it is not necessary to see Him. The result of hearing is to lead men to the only One who has seen (John 1:18), and in whom the Father may be seen (John 14:9). Ὁ ὬΝ ΠΑΡᾺ Τ. Θ. The expression,... [ Continue Reading ]
ἈΜῊΝ�. With the authority of Him who alone has seen the Father, Jesus solemnly assures them that the believer is already in possession (ἔχει) of eternal life: see on John 3:36; John 5:24.... [ Continue Reading ]
47–50. Christ returns from answering the Jews to the main subject... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΓΏ ΕἸΜΙ. See on John 6:35 and John 1:21.... [ Continue Reading ]
ἜΦΑΓΟΝ … ἈΠΈΘ. ATE THE _manna … and_ THEY DIED, see on John 8:52. The point is, not that they are dead now, but that they died then; the manna did not save them. He answers them out of their own mouths. On the other hand, the Bread of Life is a permanent source of spiritual life here and a pledge of... [ Continue Reading ]
ΟὟΤΟΣ. May be subject or predicate; the latter seems to be better, as in John 15:12; John 17:3; 1 John 5:3, where αὕτη anticipates ἵνα. _Of this purpose is the Bread which cometh down_ (see on John 6:58) _from heaven that a man may eat thereof and_ (_so_) _not die_ (comp. John 3:19). The ἵνα indicat... [ Continue Reading ]
51 Omit ἥν ἐγὼ δώσω after ἘΣΤΊΝ, with אBCDLT against the mass of later MSS. A is defective here. 51. Ὁ ΖΩ͂Ν. Τῆς ζωῆς referred to its _effects_, like the Tree of Life, which was a mere instrument; ὁ ζῶν refers to its _nature_; not merely the Bread of life (John 6:48), the life-giving Bread, but the... [ Continue Reading ]
51–58. _Further definition of the identification of the Spiritual Bread with Christ as consisting in the giving of His Body and the outpouring of His Blood_. In John 6:35-50 Christ in His _Person_ is the Bread of Life: here He is the spiritual food of believers in the Redemptive _work_ of His Death... [ Continue Reading ]
ΠΡῸΣ�. ONE WITH ANOTHER (John 4:33; John 16:17): their excitement increases; they have got beyond murmuring about Him (John 5:4), but they are not all equally hostile (John 7:12; John 7:43; John 10:19). “They strove, and that with one another, for they understood not, neither wished to take the Brea... [ Continue Reading ]
ΠΊΗΤΕ ΑΥ̓Τ. Τ. ΑἾΜΑ. Christ not only accepts what they have added to His words, but still further startles them by telling them that they must drink His Blood; an amazing statement to a Jew, who was forbidden to taste even the blood of animals (Genesis 9:4; Leviticus 17:10-16). These words are the a... [ Continue Reading ]
54. The gracious positive of the previous minatory negative. From warning as to the ruinous consequences of not partaking He goes on to declare the blessed consequences of partaking, viz. eternal life, and that at once, with resurrection among the just hereafter. Ὁ ΤΡΏΓΩΝ. Present; it is a continuou... [ Continue Reading ]
ἈΛΗΘΉΣ for ἀληθῶς twice: Origen substitutes ἀληθίνη. 55. ἈΛΗΘΉΣ. This reading has the highest authority; ἀληθῶς and ἀληθινή are corrections to make the passage easier. In John 4:37 we had ἀληθινός where we might have expected ἀληθής. The eating and drinking is no misleading metaphor, but a fact. se... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΝ ἘΜΟῚ ΜΈΝΕΙ, ΚἈΓῺ ἘΝ ΑΥ̓ΤΩ͂Ι. This is one of S. John’s very characteristic phrases to express the most intimate mutual fellowship and union; John 14:10; John 14:20; John 15:4-5; John 17:21; 1 John 3:24; 1 John 4:15-16. Christ is at once the centre and the circumference of the life of the Christian... [ Continue Reading ]
ΖΉΣΕΙ for ζήσεται. The future of ζάω occurs 20 times in N.T. In 6 quotations from LXX. ζήσομαι is used: 4 times in S. John (John 5:25; John 6:57-58; John 14:19) ζήσω is used; so also probably in John 6:51. ζήσεται occurs John 11:25. 57. Not a mere repetition, but an enlargement. In S. John there are... [ Continue Reading ]
58. A general summing-up of the whole, returning from the Flesh and Blood to the main theme,—the Bread from heaven and its superiority to the highest earthly food. ΟὟΤΟΣ again may be subject or predicate; there is no ἵνα (John 6:50) or ὅτι to lead up to, but the οὐ καθὼς κ.τ.λ. seems to shew that οὗ... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΝ ΣΥΝΑΓΩΓΗ͂Ι. _In synagogue_ (no article), as we say ‘in church;’ comp. John 18:20. The verse is a historical note, stating definitely what was stated vaguely in John 6:22 as ‘on the other side of the sea.’ S. John cannot forget the circumstances of this solemn discourse, and he records them one by... [ Continue Reading ]
ΤΩ͂Ν ΜΑΘΗΤΩ͂Ν. The more numerous and somewhat shifting company out of which He had chosen the Twelve. ΣΚΛΗΡΌΣ. Not hard to understand, but hard to accept: σκληρός (σκέλλω) means originally ‘dry’ and so ‘rough;’ and then in a moral sense, ‘rough, harsh, offensive.’ Nabal the churl is σκληρός, 1 Samue... [ Continue Reading ]
OPPOSITE RESULTS OF THE DISCOURSE... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΝ ἙΑΥΤΩ͂Ι. They talked in a low tone, but He knew without hearing; see on John 6:41 and John 2:24. As in John 1:42; John 1:47; John 4:18; John 5:14; John 5:42; John 6:26, &c., Jesus reads men’s hearts. For ΣΚΑΝΔΑΛΊΖΕΙ see on John 16:1.... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘᾺΝ ΟΥ̓͂Ν Θ. Literally, IF THEREFORE YE SHOULD BEHOLD THE SON OF MAN ASCENDING _where He was before_? The sentence breaks off (_aposiopesis_) leaving something to be understood: but what is to be understood? The answer to this depends on the meaning assigned to ‘behold the Son of man ascending.’ The... [ Continue Reading ]
ΛΕΛΆΛΗΚΑ for λαλῶ, with all the oldest MSS., versions, and Fathers. 63. ΤῸ ΖΩΟΠΟΙΟΥ͂Ν] _That maketh to live_ or _giveth life_. ‘Quickeneth’ obscures the connexion with ζωή ἐστιν. Ἡ ΣΆΡΞ. Not ἡ σάρξ μου, which would contradict John 6:51. The statement is quite general, affirming the superiority of w... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΞ ὙΜΩ͂Ν ΤΙΝΕΣ. OF YOU SOME; for the order comp. ἐξ ὑμ. εἶς, John 6:70. Some followed Him without believing on Him. ἘΞ�. The meaning of ἀρχή always depends on the context (see on John 1:1; John 15:27). Here the most natural limit is ‘from the begining of their discipleship.’ Comp. John 2:24-25. Οἳ ο... [ Continue Reading ]
ΔΙᾺ ΤΟΥ͂ΤΟ. FOR THIS CAUSE; John 5:16; John 5:18; John 7:22; John 8:47; John 9:23; John 10:17; John 12:18; John 12:27; John 12:39, &c. ΟΥ̓ΔΕῚΣ ΔΎΝΑΤΑΙ. See on John 6:44;... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΚ ΤΟΎΤΟΥ. Combines the notions of ‘from that time’ and ‘in consequence of that;’ UPON THIS: we are to understand a _continual_ drifting away. The phrase occurs in N.T. here and John 19:12 only. ἈΠΗ͂ΛΘΟΝ ΕἸΣ ΤᾺ ὈΠΊΣΩ. Not only _deserted_ Him, but went _back_ to their old life. This is the κρίσις, t... [ Continue Reading ]
ΤΟΙ͂Σ ΔΏΔΕΚΑ. The first mention of them; S. John speaks of them familiarly as a well-known body, assuming that his readers are well acquainted with the expression (see on John 6:62). This is a mark of truth: all the more so because the expression does not occur in the earlier Chapter s; for it is pr... [ Continue Reading ]
ΣΊΜΩΝ ΠΈΤΡΟΣ. see on John 1:42. S. Peter, as leader, _primus inter pares_, answers here as elsewhere in the name of the Twelve (see on Mark 3:17), and with characteristic impetuosity. His answer contains three reasons in logical order why they cannot desert their Master: (1) there is no one else to... [ Continue Reading ]
Ὁ ἍΓΙΟΣ ΤΟΥ͂ ΘΕΟΥ͂ for ὁ Χριστὸς ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ τοῦ ζῶντος (from Matthew 16:16), with אBC1DL against the mass of later MSS. A and T are defective. 69. ἩΜΕΙ͂Σ. Emphatic; WE (in contrast to the deserters) HAVE BELIEVED AND HAVE COME TO KNOW (John 7:17; John 7:26; John 8:32; John 8:51): this has been... [ Continue Reading ]
ΑΥ̓ΤΟΙ͂Σ. He replies to all, not to their spokesman only. ΟΥ̓Κ ἘΓῺ ὙΜΑ͂Σ Τ. Δ. ἘΞ. Note the order throughout. DID NOT I CHOOSE (John 13:18; John 15:16) YOU THE TWELVE? Here probably the question ends: _and of you one is a devil_ is best punctuated without an interrogation; it is a single statement i... [ Continue Reading ]
ἸΣΚΑΡΙΏΤΟΥ for Ἰσκαριώτην, with the earlier MSS. and best copies of the Vulgate. We see more and more as we go on, that this Gospel makes no attempt to be a complete or connected whole. There are large gaps in the chronology. The Evangelist gives us not a biography, but a series of typical scenes, v... [ Continue Reading ]