John 11:9

11:9 Jesus replied, ¹  “Are there not twelve hours in a day? If anyone walks around in the daytime, he does not stumble, ²  because he sees the light of this world. ³ 

John 16:19

16:19 Jesus could see ⁴  that they wanted to ask him about these things, ⁵  so ⁶  he said to them, “Are you asking ⁷  each other about this – that I said, ‘In a little while you ⁸  will not see me; again after a little while, you ⁹  will see me’?

John 18:17

18:17 The girl ¹⁰  who was the doorkeeper said to Peter, “You’re not one of this man’s disciples too, are you?” ¹¹  He replied, ¹²  “I am not.”

John 19:12

19:12 From this point on, Pilate tried ¹³  to release him. But the Jewish leaders ¹⁴  shouted out, ¹⁵  “If you release this man, ¹⁶  you are no friend of Caesar! ¹⁷  Everyone who claims to be a king ¹⁸  opposes Caesar!”

[11:9]  ¹ tn Grk “Jesus answered.”

[11:9]  ² tn Or “he does not trip.”

[11:9]  ³ sn What is the light of this world? On one level, of course, it refers to the sun, but the reader of John’s Gospel would recall 8:12 and understand Jesus’ symbolic reference to himself as the light of the world. There is only a limited time left (Are there not twelve hours in a day?) until the Light will be withdrawn (until Jesus returns to the Father) and the one who walks around in the dark will trip and fall (compare the departure of Judas by night in 13:30).

[16:19]  ⁴ tn Grk “knew.”

[16:19]  ⁵ tn The words “about these things” are not in the Greek text, but are implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context.

[16:19]  ⁶ tn Καί (kai) has been translated as “so” here to indicate the following statement is a result of Jesus’ observation in v. 19a.

[16:19]  ⁷ tn Grk “inquiring” or “seeking.”

[16:19]  ⁸ tn Grk “A little while, and you.”

[16:19]  ⁹ tn Grk “and again a little while, and you.”

[18:17]  ⁷ tn Grk “slave girl.” Since the descriptive term “slave girl” was introduced in the translation in the previous verse, it would be redundant to repeat the full expression here.

[18:17]  ⁸ 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 “are you?”).

[18:17]  ⁹ tn Grk “He said.”

[19:12]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “sought.”

[19:12]  ¹¹ 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]  ¹² tn Grk “shouted out, saying.”

[19:12]  ¹³ tn Grk “this one.”

[19:12]  ¹⁴ 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 (a.d. 69-79). But there appears to be significant evidence for much earlier usage. Some of this is given in BDAG 498-99 s.v. Καῖσαρ. E. Bammel (“φίλος τοῦ καίσαρος (John 19:12),” TLZ 77 [1952]: 205-10) listed significant and convincing arguments that the official title was indeed in use at the time. Granting that the title was in use during this period, what is the likelihood that it had been bestowed on Pilate? Pilate was of the equestrian order, that is, of lower nobility as opposed to senatorial rank. As such he would have been eligible to receive such an honor. It also appears that the powerful Sejanus was his patron in Rome, and Sejanus held considerable influence with Tiberius. Tacitus (Annals 6.8) quotes Marcus Terentius in his defense before the Senate as saying that close friendship with Sejanus “was in every case a powerful recommendation to the Emperor’s friendship.” Thus it is possible that Pilate held this honor. Therefore it appears that the Jewish authorities were putting a good deal of psychological pressure on Pilate to convict Jesus. They had, in effect, finally specified the charge against Jesus as treason: “Everyone who makes himself to be king opposes Caesar.” If Pilate now failed to convict Jesus the Jewish authorities could complain to Rome that Pilate had released a traitor. This possibility carried more weight with Pilate than might at first be evident: (1) Pilate’s record as governor was not entirely above reproach; (2) Tiberius, who lived away from Rome as a virtual recluse on the island of Capri, was known for his suspicious nature, especially toward rivals or those who posed a political threat; and (3) worst of all, Pilate’s patron in Rome, Sejanus, had recently come under suspicion of plotting to seize the imperial succession for himself. Sejanus was deposed in October of a.d. 31. It may have been to Sejanus that Pilate owed his appointment in Judea. Pilate was now in a very delicate position. The Jewish authorities may have known something of this and deliberately used it as leverage against him. Whether or not they knew just how potent their veiled threat was, it had the desired effect. Pilate went directly to the judgment seat to pronounce his judgment.

[19:12]  ¹⁵ tn Grk “who makes himself out to be a king.”