Discovery BoxJohn 18:14-40
Context18:14 (Now it was Caiaphas who had advised 1 the Jewish leaders 2 that it was to their advantage that one man die for the people.) 3
18:15 Simon Peter and another disciple followed them as they brought Jesus to Annas. 4 (Now the other disciple 5 was acquainted with the high priest, and he went with Jesus into the high priest’s courtyard.) 6 18:16 But Simon Peter was left standing outside by the door. So the other disciple who was acquainted with the high priest came out and spoke to the slave girl who watched the door, 7 and brought Peter inside. 18:17 The girl 8 who was the doorkeeper said to Peter, “You’re not one of this man’s disciples too, are you?” 9 He replied, 10 “I am not.” 18:18 (Now the slaves 11 and the guards 12 were standing around a charcoal fire they had made, warming themselves because it was cold. 13 Peter also was standing with them, warming himself.) 14
18:19 While this was happening, 15 the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and about his teaching. 16 18:20 Jesus replied, 17 “I have spoken publicly to the world. I always taught in the synagogues 18 and in the temple courts, 19 where all the Jewish people 20 assemble together. I 21 have said nothing in secret. 18:21 Why do you ask me? Ask those who heard what I said. 22 They 23 know what I said.” 18:22 When Jesus 24 had said this, one of the high priest’s officers who stood nearby struck him on the face and said, 25 “Is that the way you answer the high priest?” 18:23 Jesus replied, 26 “If I have said something wrong, 27 confirm 28 what is wrong. 29 But if I spoke correctly, why strike me?” 18:24 Then Annas sent him, still tied up, 30 to Caiaphas the high priest. 31
18:25 Meanwhile Simon Peter was standing in the courtyard 32 warming himself. They said to him, “You aren’t one of his disciples too, are you?” 33 Peter 34 denied it: “I am not!” 18:26 One of the high priest’s slaves, 35 a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, 36 said, “Did I not see you in the orchard 37 with him?” 38 18:27 Then Peter denied it again, and immediately a rooster crowed. 39
18:28 Then they brought Jesus from Caiaphas to the Roman governor’s residence. 40 (Now it was very early morning.) 41 They 42 did not go into the governor’s residence 43 so they would not be ceremonially defiled, but could eat the Passover meal. 18:29 So Pilate came outside to them and said, “What accusation 44 do you bring against this man?” 45 18:30 They replied, 46 “If this man 47 were not a criminal, 48 we would not have handed him over to you.” 49
18:31 Pilate told them, 50 “Take him yourselves and pass judgment on him 51 according to your own law!” 52 The Jewish leaders 53 replied, 54 “We cannot legally put anyone to death.” 55 18:32 (This happened 56 to fulfill the word Jesus had spoken when he indicated 57 what kind of death he was going to die. 58 )
18:33 So Pilate went back into the governor’s residence, 59 summoned Jesus, and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” 60 18:34 Jesus replied, 61 “Are you saying this on your own initiative, 62 or have others told you about me?” 18:35 Pilate answered, “I am not a Jew, am I? 63 Your own people 64 and your chief priests handed you over 65 to me. What have you done?”
18:36 Jesus replied, “My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my servants would be fighting to keep me from being 66 handed over 67 to the Jewish authorities. 68 But as it is, 69 my kingdom is not from here.” 18:37 Then Pilate said, 70 “So you are a king!” Jesus replied, “You say that I am a king. For this reason I was born, and for this reason I came into the world – to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to 71 my voice.” 18:38 Pilate asked, 72 “What is truth?” 73
When he had said this he went back outside to the Jewish leaders 74 and announced, 75 “I find no basis for an accusation 76 against him. 18:39 But it is your custom that I release one prisoner 77 for you at the Passover. 78 So do you want me to release for you the king of the Jews?” 18:40 Then they shouted back, 79 “Not this man, 80 but Barabbas!” 81 (Now Barabbas was a revolutionary. 82 ) 83
[18:14] 2 tn Grk “the Jews.” Here the phrase refers to the Jewish leaders, specifically members of the Sanhedrin (see John 11:49-50). See also the note on the phrase “Jewish leaders” in v. 12.
[18:14] 3 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.
[18:15] 4 tn The words “them as they brought Jesus to Annas” are not in the Greek text, but are supplied to clarify who Peter and the other disciple were following. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
[18:15] 5 tn Grk “that disciple.”
[18:15] 6 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.
[18:16] 7 tn Grk “spoke to the doorkeeper”; her description as a slave girl is taken from the following verse. The noun θυρωρός (qurwro") may be either masculine or feminine, but the article here indicates that it is feminine.
[18:17] 8 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] 9 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?”).
[18:18] 11 tn See the note on the word “slaves” in 4:51.
[18:18] 12 tn That is, the “guards of the chief priests” as distinguished from the household slaves of Annas.
[18:18] 13 tn Grk “because it was cold, and they were warming themselves.”
[18:18] 14 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.
[18:19] 15 tn The introductory phrase “While this was happening” is not in the Greek text. It has been supplied in the translation to clarify the alternation of scenes in the narrative for the modern reader.
[18:19] 16 sn The nature of this hearing seems to be more that of a preliminary investigation; certainly normal legal procedure was not followed, for no indication is given that any witnesses were brought forth at this point to testify against Jesus. True to what is known of Annas’ character, he was more interested in Jesus’ disciples than in the precise nature of Jesus’ teaching, since he inquired about the followers first. He really wanted to know just how influential Jesus had become and how large a following he had gathered. This was of more concern to Annas that the truth or falsity of Jesus’ teaching.
[18:20] 17 tn Grk “Jesus answered him.”
[18:20] 18 sn See the note on synagogue in 6:59.
[18:20] 19 tn Grk “in the temple.”
[18:20] 20 tn Grk “the Jews.” Here the phrase refers to the Jewish people generally, for whom the synagogues and the temple courts in Jerusalem were important public gathering places. See also the note on the phrase “Jewish religious leaders” in v. 12.
[18:20] 21 tn Grk “And I.” The conjunction καί (kai, “and”) has not been translated here in keeping with the tendency of contemporary English style to use shorter sentences.
[18:21] 22 tn Grk “Ask those who heard what I said to them.” The words “to them” are not translated since they are redundant in English.
[18:21] 23 tn Grk “Look, these know what I said.”
[18:22] 24 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[18:22] 25 tn Grk “one of the high priest’s servants standing by gave Jesus a strike, saying.” For the translation of ῥάπισμα (rJapisma), see L&N 19.4.
[18:23] 26 tn Grk “Jesus answered him.”
[18:23] 27 tn Or “something incorrect.”
[18:24] 30 tn Or “still bound.”
[18:24] 31 sn Where was Caiaphas the high priest located? Did he have a separate palace, or was he somewhere else with the Sanhedrin? Since Augustine (4th century) a number of scholars have proposed that Annas and Caiaphas resided in different wings of the same palace, which were bound together by a common courtyard through which Jesus would have been led as he was taken from Annas to Caiaphas. This seems a reasonable explanation, although there is no conclusive evidence.
[18:25] 32 tn The words “in the courtyard” are not in the Greek text. They are supplied for the benefit of the modern reader, to link this scene to the preceding one in John 18:15-18.
[18:25] 33 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?”).
[18:25] 34 tn Grk “That one denied it and said”; the referent of the pronoun (Peter) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[18:26] 35 tn See the note on the word “slaves” in 4:51.
[18:26] 36 sn This incident is recounted in v. 10.
[18:26] 38 tn This question, prefaced with οὐκ (ouk) in Greek, anticipates a positive answer.
[18:27] 39 tn It seems most likely that this refers to a real rooster crowing, although a number of scholars have suggested that “cockcrow” is a technical term referring to the trumpet call which ended the third watch of the night (from midnight to 3 a.m.). This would then be a reference to the Roman gallicinium (ἀλεκτοροφωνία, alektorofwnia; the term is used in Mark 13:35 and is found in some
[18:28] 40 tn Grk “to the praetorium.”
[18:28] 41 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.
[18:28] 42 tn Grk “And they.” The conjunction καί (kai, “and”) has not been translated here in keeping with the tendency of contemporary English style to use shorter sentences.
[18:28] 43 tn Grk “into the praetorium.”
[18:29] 45 sn In light of the fact that Pilate had cooperated with them in Jesus’ arrest by providing Roman soldiers, the Jewish authorities were probably expecting Pilate to grant them permission to carry out their sentence on Jesus without resistance (the Jews were not permitted to exercise capital punishment under the Roman occupation without official Roman permission, cf. v. 31). They must have been taken somewhat by surprise by Pilate’s question “What accusation do you bring against this man,” because it indicated that he was going to try the prisoner himself. Thus Pilate was regarding the trial before Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin as only an inquiry and their decision as merely an accusation.
[18:30] 46 tn Grk “They answered and said to him.”
[18:30] 48 tn Or “an evildoer”; Grk “one doing evil.”
[18:30] 49 tn Or “would not have delivered him over.”
[18:31] 50 tn Grk “Then Pilate said to them.”
[18:31] 51 tn Or “judge him.” For the translation “pass judgment on him” see R. E. Brown (John [AB], 2:848).
[18:31] 52 sn Pilate, as the sole representative of Rome in a troubled area, was probably in Jerusalem for the Passover because of the danger of an uprising (the normal residence for the Roman governor was in Caesarea as mentioned in Acts 23:35). At this time on the eve of the feast he would have been a busy and perhaps even a worried man. It is not surprising that he offered to hand Jesus back over to the Jewish authorities to pass judgment on him. It may well be that Pilate realized when no specific charge was mentioned that he was dealing with an internal dispute over some religious matter. Pilate wanted nothing to do with such matters, as the statement “Pass judgment on him according to your own law!” indicates. As far as the author is concerned, this points out who was really responsible for Jesus’ death: The Roman governor Pilate would have had nothing to do with it if he had not been pressured by the Jewish religious authorities, upon whom the real responsibility rested.
[18:31] 53 tn Or “the Jewish authorities”; Grk “the Jews.” Here the phrase refers to the Jewish leaders, especially members of the Sanhedrin. See the note on the phrase “Jewish leaders” in v. 12.
[18:31] 54 tn Grk “said to him.”
[18:31] 55 tn Grk “It is not permitted to us to kill anyone.”
[18:32] 56 tn The words “This happened” are not in the Greek text but are implied.
[18:32] 57 tn Or “making clear.”
[18:32] 58 sn A reference to John 12:32.
[18:33] 59 tn Grk “into the praetorium.”
[18:33] 60 sn It is difficult to discern Pilate’s attitude when he asked, “Are you the king of the Jews?” Some have believed the remark to be sarcastic or incredulous as Pilate looked at this lowly and humble prisoner: “So you’re the king of the Jews, are you?” Others have thought the Roman governor to have been impressed by Jesus’ regal disposition and dignity, and to have sincerely asked, “Are you really the king of the Jews?” Since it will later become apparent (v. 38) that Pilate considered Jesus innocent (and therefore probably also harmless) an attitude of incredulity is perhaps most likely, but this is far from certain in the absence of clear contextual clues.
[18:34] 61 tn Grk “Jesus answered.”
[18:34] 62 tn Grk “saying this from yourself.”
[18:35] 63 sn Many have seen in Pilate’s reply “I am not a Jew, am I?” the Roman contempt for the Jewish people. Some of that may indeed be present, but strictly speaking, all Pilate affirms is that he, as a Roman, has no firsthand knowledge of Jewish custom or belief. What he knows of Jesus must have come from the Jewish authorities. They are the ones (your own people and your chief priests) who have handed Jesus over to Pilate.
[18:35] 64 tn Or “your own nation.”
[18:35] 65 tn Or “delivered you over.”
[18:36] 66 tn Grk “so that I may not be.”
[18:36] 67 tn Or “delivered over.”
[18:36] 68 tn Or “the Jewish leaders”; Grk “the Jews.” Here the phrase refers to the Jewish leaders, especially members of the Sanhedrin. See the note on the phrase “Jewish leaders” in v. 12. In the translation “authorities” was preferred over “leaders” for stylistic reasons.
[18:37] 70 tn Grk “said to him.”
[18:37] 71 tn Or “obeys”; Grk “hears.”
[18:38] 72 tn Grk “Pilate said.”
[18:38] 73 sn With his reply “What is truth?” Pilate dismissed the matter. It is not clear what Pilate’s attitude was at this point, as in 18:33. He may have been sarcastic, or perhaps somewhat reflective. The author has not given enough information in the narrative to be sure. Within the narrative, Pilate’s question serves to make the reader reflect on what truth is, and that answer (in the narrative) has already been given (14:6).
[18:38] 74 tn Or “the Jewish authorities”; Grk “the Jews.” Here the phrase refers to the Jewish leaders, especially members of the Sanhedrin. See the note on the phrase “Jewish leaders” in v. 12. The term also occurs in v. 31, where it is clear the Jewish leaders are in view, because they state that they cannot legally carry out an execution. Although it is likely (in view of the synoptic parallels) that the crowd here in 18:38 was made up not just of the Jewish leaders, but of ordinary residents of Jerusalem and pilgrims who were in Jerusalem for the Passover, nevertheless in John’s Gospel Pilate is primarily in dialogue with the leadership of the nation, who are expressly mentioned in 18:35 and 19:6.
[18:38] 75 tn Grk “said to them.”
[18:38] 76 tn Grk “find no cause.”
[18:39] 77 tn The word “prisoner” is not in the Greek text but is implied.
[18:39] 78 sn Pilate then offered to release Jesus, reminding the Jewish authorities that they had a custom that he release one prisoner for them at the Passover. There is no extra-biblical evidence alluding to the practice. It is, however, mentioned in Matthew and Mark, described either as a practice of Pilate (Mark 15:6) or of the Roman governor (Matt 27:15). These references may explain the lack of extra-biblical attestation: The custom to which Pilate refers here (18:39) is not a permanent one acknowledged by all the Roman governors, but one peculiar to Pilate as a means of appeasement, meant to better relations with his subjects. Such a limited meaning is certainly possible and consistent with the statement here.
[18:40] 79 tn Or “they shouted again,” or “they shouted in turn.” On the difficulty of translating πάλιν (palin) see BDAG 753 s.v. 5. It is simplest in the context of John’s Gospel to understand the phrase to mean “they shouted back” as a reply to Pilate’s question.
[18:40] 81 sn The name Barabbas in Aramaic means “son of abba,” that is, “son of the father,” and presumably the man in question had another name (it may also have been Jesus, according to the textual variant in Matt 27:16, although this is uncertain). For the author this name held ironic significance: The crowd was asking for the release of a man called Barabbas, “son of the father,” while Jesus, who was truly the Son of the Father, was condemned to die instead.
[18:40] 82 tn Or “robber.” It is possible that Barabbas was merely a robber or highwayman, but more likely, given the use of the term ληστής (lhsth") in Josephus and other early sources, that he was a guerrilla warrior or revolutionary leader. See both R. E. Brown (John [AB], 2:857) and K. H. Rengstorf (TDNT 4:258) for more information. The word λῃστής was used a number of times by Josephus (J. W. 2.13.2-3 [2.253-254]) to describe the revolutionaries or guerrilla fighters who, from mixed motives of nationalism and greed, kept the rural districts of Judea in constant turmoil.
