The Judgment We now enter upon the third section of the first main division of this Gospel. It may be useful to state the divisions once more. The Prologue, John 1:1-18; The Ministry, John 1:19 to John 12:50, thus divided (1) The Testimony, John 1:19 to John 2:11; (2) The Work, John 2:13 to John 11... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then Jesus_ The -then" or THEREFORE simply resumes the narrative from the point where it quitted Jesus, John 11:55. This is better than to make it depend on John 11:57, as if He went to Bethany to avoid His enemies. His hour is drawing near, and therefore He draws near to the appointed scene of His... [ Continue Reading ]
The Judgment of Men Note the dramatic contrast between the different sections of this division; the devotion of Mary and the enmity of the hierarchy, Christ's triumph and the Pharisees" discomfiture, &c.... [ Continue Reading ]
The Devotion of Mary 2. _they made him a supper_ -They" is indefinite: if we had only this account we should suppose that the supper was in the house of Martha, Mary, and Lazarus; but S. Mark (Mark 14:3) and S. Matthew (Matthew 26:6) tell us that it was in the house of Simon the leper, who had poss... [ Continue Reading ]
_took Mary a pound_ S. John alone gives her name and the amount of ointment. The pound of 12 ounces is meant. So large a quantity of a substance so costly is evidence of her over-flowing love. Comp. John 19:39. _ointment of spikenard_ The Greek expression is a rare one, and occurs elsewhere only Mar... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then saith_, &c. Rather, BUT _Judas Iscariot_, &c. The best authorities omit -Simon's son." _one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot_ S. Mark says quite indefinitely, -some," S. Matthew, -his disciples." Each probably states just what he knew; S. Mark that the remark was made; S. Matthew that it came... [ Continue Reading ]
_three hundred pence_ Here, as in John 6:7, the translation -pence" is very inadequate and misleading; -three hundred shillings" would be nearer the mark (see on Mark 6:7). S. Mark adds that some were very indignant at her. _to the poor_ More accurately, _to_ POOR PEOPLE; there is no article (comp.... [ Continue Reading ]
_the bag_ Better, _the_ BOX, the cash-box in which the funds of the small company were kept. The word means literally -a case for mouthpieces" of musical instruments, and hence any portable chest. It occurs in the LXX. of 2 Chronicles 24:8; 2 Chronicles 24:11, but nowhere in N.T. excepting here and... [ Continue Reading ]
_hath she kept_ The large majority of authorities, including the best, read _that she may keep_, and the whole will run: _Let her alone_ THAT SHE MAY PRESERVE IT FOR THE DAY OF MY BURIAL. The simplest interpretation of this is -Let her preserve what remains of it; not, however, to be sold for the po... [ Continue Reading ]
_For the poor_, &c. Comp. Deuteronomy 15:11. Every word of this verse occurs in the first two Gospels, though not quite in the same order. Here the emphasis is on -the poor," there on -always." The striking originality of the saying, and the large claim which it makes, are evidence of its origin fro... [ Continue Reading ]
The Hostility of the Priests 9. _Much people_ Large caravans would be coming up for the Passover, and the news would spread quickly through the shifting crowds, who were already on the alert (John 11:55) about Jesus, and were now anxious to see Lazarus. Note that it is a - LARGE MULTITUDE of the _J... [ Continue Reading ]
_But the chief priests_ Nothing is here said about the Pharisees (comp. John 11:47; John 11:57), who are, however, not necessarily excluded. Both would wish to put Lazarus out of the way for the reason given in John 12:11: but the chief priests, who were mostly Sadducees, would have an additional re... [ Continue Reading ]
_went away, and believed_ Better, WERE GOING AWAY AND BELIEVING. It is best to leave -going away" quite indefinite: the notion of falling away from the hierarchy lies in the context but not in the word. The imperfects denote a continual process. S. Augustine comments on the folly of the priests as... [ Continue Reading ]
The Enthusiasm of the People 12. _On the next day_ From the date given John 12:1, consequently Nisan 9, from Saturday evening to Sunday evening, if the chronology given on John 12:1 is correct. S. John seems distinctly to assert that the Triumphal Entry followed the supper at Bethany: S. Matthew and... [ Continue Reading ]
_branches of palm trees_ More literally, THE _palm-branches of_ THE _palm-trees_; i.e. those which grew there, or which were commonly used at festivals. Comp. Simon's triumphal entry into Jerusalem (1Ma 13:51). The palm-tree was regarded by the ancients as characteristic of Palestine. -Phœnicia" (Ac... [ Continue Reading ]
_It is written_ See on John 2:17.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Fear not_, &c. The quotation is freely made; -fear not" is substituted for -rejoice greatly," and the whole is abbreviated, Zechariah 9:9. In adding -thy" to -king" and in writing -an ass's colt" the Evangelist seems to be translating direct from the Hebrew. The best editions of the LXX. omit -thy... [ Continue Reading ]
_understood not_ A mark of candour (see on John 11:12): comp. John 2:22 (where see note) and John 20:9. Would a Christian of the second century have invented this dulness of apprehension in Apostles? After Pentecost, however, much that had passed unnoticed or had been obscure before was brought to t... [ Continue Reading ]
_when he called Lazarus_ See on John 12:10. There is another reading, well supported, which gives - _that_He called Lazarus," and the whole will then run; _The_ MULTITUDE, _therefore, which was with Him, kept bearing_ WITNESS (John 1:7) _that He called Lazarus out of the sepulchre and raised him fro... [ Continue Reading ]
_this miracle_ -This" is emphatic: other miracles had made comparatively little impression, but this SIGN had convinced even His adversaries.... [ Continue Reading ]
The Discomfiture of the Pharisees 19. _Perceive ye_ Rather, BEHOLD _ye_. The Greek may also mean -Behold" (imperat.) or YE BEHOLD: the last is perhaps best; -Ye see what a mistake we have made; we ought to have adopted the plan of Caiaphas long ago." _the world_ The exaggerated expression of their... [ Continue Reading ]
The Desire of the Gentiles and the Voice from Heaven 20. _Greeks_ The same word is translated -Gentiles" John 7:35, where see note. Care must be taken to distinguish in the N.T. between _Hellenes_or -Greeks," i.e. born Gentiles, who may or may not have become either Jewish proselytes or Christian co... [ Continue Reading ]
_to Philip_ Their coming to S. Philip was the result either (1) of accident; or (2) of previous acquaintance, to which the mention of his home seems to point; or (3) of his Greek name, which might attract them. See on John 1:45; John 6:5; John 14:8. _Sir_ Indicating respect for the disciple of such... [ Continue Reading ]
_telleth Andrew_ Another Apostle with a Greek name. They were both of Bethsaida (John 1:44), and possibly these Greeks may have come from the same district. S. Philip seems to shrink from the responsibility of introducing Gentiles to the Messiah, and applies in his difficulty to the Apostle who had... [ Continue Reading ]
_And Jesus answered_ Better, BUT _Jesus_ ANSWERETH. He anticipates the Apostles and addresses them before they introduce the Greeks. We are left in doubt as to the result of the Greeks" request. Nothing is said to them in particular, though they may have followed and heard this address to the Apostl... [ Continue Reading ]
_Verily, verily_ Strange as it may seem to you that the Messiah should die, yet this is but the course of nature: a seed cannot be glorified unless it dies. A higher form of existence is obtained only through the extinction of the lower form that preceded it. See on John 1:51.... [ Continue Reading ]
_loveth his life … hateth his life … life eternal_ -Life" is here used in two senses, and in the Greek two different words are used. In the first two cases -life" means the life of the individual, in the last, life in the abstract. By sacrificing life in the one sense, we may win life in the other.... [ Continue Reading ]
_let him follow me_ in My life of self-sacrifice: Christ Himself has set the example of hating one's life in this world. These words are perhaps addressed through the disciples to the Greeks listening close at hand. If they -wish to see Jesus" and know Him they must count the cost first. -Me" is emp... [ Continue Reading ]
This is a verse of well-known difficulty, and the meaning cannot be determined with certainty, several meanings being admissible. The doubtful points are (1) the position of the interrogation, whether it should come after -I say" or -from this hour;" (2) the meaning of -for this cause." _Now is my... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then came there_ Better, _There came_ THEREFORE, i.e. in answer to Christ's prayer. There can be no doubt what S. John _wishes_us to understand; that a voice was heard speaking articulate words, that some could distinguish the words, others could not, while some mistook the sounds for thunder. To m... [ Continue Reading ]
_The people … thundered … spake_ Better, _The_ MULTITUDE … HAD _thundered …_ HATH SPOKEN.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Jesus answered_ He answered their discussions about the sound, and by calling it a voice He decides conclusively against those who supposed it to be thunder. But those who recognised that it was a voice were scarcely less seriously mistaken; _their_error consisted in not recognising that the voice... [ Continue Reading ]
_Now … now_ With prophetic certainty Christ speaks of the victory as already won. _the judgment of this world_ The sentence passed on this world (see on John 3:17 and John 5:29) for refusing to believe. The Cross is the condemnation of all who reject it. _the prince of this world_ Literally, _the_... [ Continue Reading ]
_And I_ -I" is very emphatic in opposition to -the ruler of this world." The glorified Christ will rule men's hearts in place of the devil. _be lifted up_ Raised up to heaven by means of the Cross: we need not, as in John 3:14 and John 8:28, confine the meaning to the Crucifixion, although the lifti... [ Continue Reading ]
_what death_ Literally, by _what_ MANNER OF _death:_comp. John 10:32; John 18:32; John 21:9. _should die_ The word translated -should" is the same as that used of the traitor, John 12:4 and John 6:71. It is used (1) of what is _about_to happen, (2) of what (seeing that it _has_happened) may be rega... [ Continue Reading ]
The Perplexity of the Multitude 34. _The people answered The_ MULTITUDE THEREFORE _answered_. _out of the law_ In its widest sense, including the Psalms and the Prophets. Comp. Psalms 89:29; Psalms 89:36; Psalms 110:4; Isaiah 9:7; Ezekiel 37:25, &c. The people rightly understand -lifted up from the... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then Jesus said_ Better, _Jesus_ THEREFORE _said:_instead of answering their contemptuous question He gives them a solemn warning. _while ye have_ The better reading is, AS _ye have:_-walk in a manner suitable to the fact of there being the Light among you: make use of the Light and work." _darkn... [ Continue Reading ]
_While ye have_ Here again the better reading is AS _ye have_; and -light" should be -the Light." Note the emphatic repetition so common in S. John. _that ye may be_ Rather, _that ye may_ BECOME. Faith is only the beginning; it does not at once make us children. _children of light_ No article: but... [ Continue Reading ]
_so many miracles_ The Jews admitted His miracles, John 7:31; John 11:47. They are assumed by S. John as notorious, although he himself records only seven of them. Comp. John 2:23; John 4:45; John 7:31; John 11:47. _before them_ i.e. before their very eyes.... [ Continue Reading ]
The Judgment of the Evangelist S. John here sums up the results of the ministry which has just come to a close. Their comparative poverty is such that he can explain it in no other way than as an illustration of that judicial blindness which had been foretold and denounced by ISAIAH. The tragic ton... [ Continue Reading ]
_That_ Or, _in order that_, indicating the Divine purpose. Comp. John 13:18; John 15:25; John 17:12; John 18:9; John 18:32; John 19:24; John 19:36. It is the two specially Hebraistic Gospels that most frequently remind us that Christ's life was a fulfilment of Hebrew prophecy. Comp. Matthew 1:22;... [ Continue Reading ]
_Therefore_ Or, FOR THIS CAUSE (John 12:18_; John 12:27_); see on John 7:21-22. It refers to what precedes, and the -because" which follows gives the reason more explicitly. This use is common in S. John: comp. John 5:18; John 8:47; John 10:17. _they could not_ It had become morally impossible. Grac... [ Continue Reading ]
_He hath blinded_ Not Christ, nor the devil, but God. The quotation is free, following neither the Hebrew nor the LXX. very closely. _I should heal_ -I" = Christ. God has hardened their hearts so that they could not be converted, and therefore Christ could not heal them. Comp. Matthew 13:14-15, whe... [ Continue Reading ]
_when he saw_ The better reading is, BECAUSE _he saw_. We had a similar double reading in John 12:17, where -when" is to be preferred. In the Greek the difference is only a single letter, ὅτε and ὅτι. Christ's glory was revealed to Isaiah in a vision, and therefore he spoke of it. The glory of the S... [ Continue Reading ]
_Nevertheless_ In spite of the judicial blindness with which God had visited them many EVEN OF the Sanhedrin believed. We know of Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus. _because of the Pharisees_ The recognised champions of orthodoxy both in and outside the Sanhedrin. Comp. John 7:13; John 9:22. _did... [ Continue Reading ]
_the praise of men_&c. Better, _the_ GLORY (_that cometh_) FROM _men rather than the_ GLORY (_that cometh_) from _God_(see on John 5:41; John 5:44). The word rendered -praise" is the same as that rendered -glory" in John 5:41. Moreover -more than" is not strong enough; it should be _rather than_. Jo... [ Continue Reading ]
_cried_ Comp. John 7:28; John 7:37. The expression implies _public_teaching. _believeth not on me_ His belief does not end there; it must include more. This saying does not occur in the previous discourses; but in John 5:36 and John 8:19 we have a similar thought. Jesus came as His Father's ambassa... [ Continue Reading ]
The Judgment of Christ The Evangelist has just summed up the results of Christ's ministry (37 43). He now corroborates that estimate by Quoting Christ Himself. But as John 12:36 seems to give us the close of the ministry, we are probably to understand that what follows was uttered on some occasion... [ Continue Reading ]
_seeth_ Or, BEHOLDETH, _contemplateth_. The same verb is used John 6:40; John 6:62; John 7:3 and frequently in S. John.... [ Continue Reading ]
_I am come_ Emphatic; -I and none other." Comp. John 12:35; John 8:12; John 9:5. _abide in darkness_ Till the Light comes, all are in darkness; the question remains whether they will remain so _after_the Light has come.... [ Continue Reading ]
_hear my words_ -Hear" is a neutral word, implying neither belief nor unbelief. Matthew 7:24; Matthew 7:26; Mark 4:15-16. For -words" read SAYINGS (see on John 5:47) both here and in John 12:48. _and believe not_ The true reading is _and_ KEEP THEM NOT, i.e. fulfil them (comp. Luke 11:28; Luke 18:21... [ Continue Reading ]
_my words_ Better, _My_ SAYINGS (see on John 12:47): -word" in the next clause is right. _hath one that judgeth him_ Hath his judge already, without My sentencing him. Comp. John 3:18; John 5:45. The hearer may refuse the word, but he cannot refuse the responsibility of having heard it. _in the las... [ Continue Reading ]
_For_ Or, BECAUSE: it introduces the reason why one who rejects Christ's word will be judged by His word; because that word is manifestly Divine and proceeds from the Father. _of myself_ Literally, _out of Myself_(_ek_) without commission from the Father. Comp. _from Myself_(_apo_) John 5:30; John... [ Continue Reading ]
_And I know_ The Son's testimony to the Father. -The commission which He hath given Me is ETERNAL LIFE." (See on John 3:16.) His commission is to save the world. _as the Father said_ The same distinction as in the previous verse: the matter of the revelation comes from the Father, the external expr... [ Continue Reading ]