11:1 Now 4 as they approached Jerusalem, 5 near Bethphage 6 and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, 7 Jesus 8 sent two of his disciples
15:42 Now 9 when evening had already come, since it was the day of preparation (that is, the day before the Sabbath), 10
1 sn John’s lifestyle was in stark contrast to many of the religious leaders of Jerusalem who lived in relative ease and luxury. While his clothing and diet were indicative of someone who lived in the desert, they also depicted him in his role as God’s prophet (cf. Zech 13:4); his appearance is similar to the Prophet Elijah (2 Kgs 1:8). Locusts and wild honey were a common diet in desert regions and locusts (dried insects) are listed in Lev 11:22 among the “clean” foods.
2 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
3 tn Or “a squall.”
3 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
4 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
5 sn The exact location of the village of Bethphage is not known. Most put it on the southeast side of the Mount of Olives and northwest of Bethany, about 1.5 miles (3 km) east of Jerusalem.
6 sn “Mountain” in English generally denotes a higher elevation than it often does in reference to places in Palestine. The Mount of Olives is really a ridge running north to south about 3 kilometers (1.8 miles) long, east of Jerusalem across the Kidron Valley. Its central elevation is about 30 meters (100 ft) higher than Jerusalem. It was named for the large number of olive trees which grew on it.
7 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
4 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic and introduction of a new character.
5 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.