9:14 Then John’s 1 disciples came to Jesus 2 and asked, “Why do we and the Pharisees 3 fast often, 4 but your disciples don’t fast?”
11:7 While they were going away, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness 5 to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 6
1 sn John refers to John the Baptist.
2 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
3 sn See the note on Pharisees in 3:7.
4 sn John’s disciples and the Pharisees followed typical practices with regard to fasting and prayer. Many Jews fasted regularly (Lev 16:29-34; 23:26-32; Num 29:7-11). The zealous fasted twice a week on Monday and Thursday.
5 tn Or “desert.”
6 tn There is a debate as to whether one should read this figuratively (“to see someone who is easily blown over?”) or literally (Grk “to see the wilderness vegetation?… No, to see a prophet”). Either view makes good sense, but the following examples suggest the question should be read literally and understood to point to the fact that a prophet drew them to the desert.
9 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
10 tn Or “the kingdom of heaven is forcibly entered and violent people take hold of it.” For a somewhat different interpretation of this passage, see the note on the phrase “urged to enter in” in Luke 16:16.