Discovery BoxJohn 20:1
Context20:1 Now very early on the first day of the week, 1 while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene 2 came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been moved away from the entrance. 3
John 7:1-53
Context7:1 After this 4 Jesus traveled throughout Galilee. 5 He 6 stayed out of Judea 7 because the Jewish leaders 8 wanted 9 to kill him. 7:2 Now the Jewish feast of Tabernacles 10 was near. 11 7:3 So Jesus’ brothers 12 advised him, “Leave here and go to Judea so your disciples may see your miracles that you are performing. 13 7:4 For no one who seeks to make a reputation for himself 14 does anything in secret. 15 If you are doing these things, show yourself to the world.” 7:5 (For not even his own brothers believed in him.) 16
7:6 So Jesus replied, 17 “My time 18 has not yet arrived, 19 but you are ready at any opportunity! 20 7:7 The world cannot hate you, but it hates me, because I am testifying about it that its deeds are evil. 7:8 You go up 21 to the feast yourselves. I am not going up to this feast 22 because my time 23 has not yet fully arrived.” 24 7:9 When he had said this, he remained in Galilee.
7:10 But when his brothers had gone up to the feast, then Jesus 25 himself also went up, not openly but in secret. 7:11 So the Jewish leaders 26 were looking for him at the feast, asking, “Where is he?” 27 7:12 There was 28 a lot of grumbling 29 about him among the crowds. 30 Some were saying, “He is a good man,” but others, “He deceives the common people.” 31 7:13 However, no one spoke openly about him for fear of the Jewish leaders. 32
7:14 When the feast was half over, Jesus went up to the temple courts 33 and began to teach. 34 7:15 Then the Jewish leaders 35 were astonished 36 and said, “How does this man know so much when he has never had formal instruction?” 37 7:16 So Jesus replied, 38 “My teaching is not from me, but from the one who sent me. 39 7:17 If anyone wants to do God’s will, 40 he will know about my teaching, whether it is from God or whether I speak from my own authority. 41 7:18 The person who speaks on his own authority 42 desires 43 to receive honor 44 for himself; the one who desires 45 the honor 46 of the one who sent him is a man of integrity, 47 and there is no unrighteousness in him. 7:19 Hasn’t Moses given you the law? Yet not one of you keeps 48 the law! Why do you want 49 to kill me?”
7:20 The crowd 50 answered, “You’re possessed by a demon! 51 Who is trying to kill you?” 52 7:21 Jesus replied, 53 “I performed one miracle 54 and you are all amazed. 55 7:22 However, because Moses gave you the practice of circumcision 56 (not that it came from Moses, but from the forefathers), you circumcise a male child 57 on the Sabbath. 7:23 But if a male child 58 is circumcised 59 on the Sabbath so that the law of Moses is not broken, 60 why are you angry with me because I made a man completely well 61 on the Sabbath? 7:24 Do not judge according to external appearance, 62 but judge with proper 63 judgment.”
7:25 Then some of the residents of Jerusalem 64 began to say, “Isn’t this the man 65 they are trying 66 to kill? 7:26 Yet here he is, speaking publicly, 67 and they are saying nothing to him. 68 Do the rulers really know that this man 69 is the Christ? 70 7:27 But we know where this man 71 comes from. 72 Whenever the Christ 73 comes, no one will know where he comes from.” 74
7:28 Then Jesus, while teaching in the temple courts, 75 cried out, 76 “You both know me and know where I come from! 77 And I have not come on my own initiative, 78 but the one who sent me 79 is true. You do not know him, 80 7:29 but 81 I know him, because I have come from him 82 and he 83 sent me.”
7:30 So then they tried to seize Jesus, 84 but no one laid a hand on him, because his time 85 had not yet come. 7:31 Yet many of the crowd 86 believed in him and said, “Whenever the Christ 87 comes, he won’t perform more miraculous signs than this man did, will he?” 88
7:32 The Pharisees 89 heard the crowd 90 murmuring these things about Jesus, 91 so the chief priests and the Pharisees sent officers 92 to arrest him. 93 7:33 Then Jesus said, “I will be with you for only a little while longer, 94 and then 95 I am going to the one who sent me. 7:34 You will look for me 96 but will not find me, and where I am you cannot come.”
7:35 Then the Jewish leaders 97 said to one another, “Where is he 98 going to go that we cannot find him? 99 He is not going to go to the Jewish people dispersed 100 among the Greeks and teach the Greeks, is he? 101 7:36 What did he mean by saying, 102 ‘You will look for me 103 but will not find me, and where I am you cannot come’?”
7:37 On the last day of the feast, the greatest day, 104 Jesus stood up and shouted out, 105 “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me, and 7:38 let the one who believes in me drink. 106 Just as the scripture says, ‘From within him 107 will flow rivers of living water.’” 108 7:39 (Now he said this about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were going to receive, for the Spirit had not yet been given, 109 because Jesus was not yet glorified.) 110
7:40 When they heard these words, some of the crowd 111 began to say, “This really 112 is the Prophet!” 113 7:41 Others said, “This is the Christ!” 114 But still others said, “No, 115 for the Christ doesn’t come from Galilee, does he? 116 7:42 Don’t the scriptures say that the Christ is a descendant 117 of David 118 and comes from Bethlehem, 119 the village where David lived?” 120 7:43 So there was a division in the crowd 121 because of Jesus. 122 7:44 Some of them were wanting to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him. 123
7:45 Then the officers 124 returned 125 to the chief priests and Pharisees, 126 who said to them, “Why didn’t you bring him back with you?” 127 7:46 The officers replied, “No one ever spoke like this man!” 7:47 Then the Pharisees answered, 128 “You haven’t been deceived too, have you? 129 7:48 None of the rulers 130 or the Pharisees have believed in him, have they? 131 7:49 But this rabble 132 who do not know the law are accursed!”
7:50 Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus 133 before and who was one of the rulers, 134 said, 135 7:51 “Our law doesn’t condemn 136 a man unless it first hears from him and learns 137 what he is doing, does it?” 138 7:52 They replied, 139 “You aren’t from Galilee too, are you? 140 Investigate carefully and you will see that no prophet 141 comes from Galilee!”
7:53 142 [[And each one departed to his own house.
John 20:1-31
Context20:1 Now very early on the first day of the week, 143 while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene 144 came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been moved away from the entrance. 145 20:2 So she went running 146 to Simon Peter and the other disciple whom Jesus loved and told them, “They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!” 20:3 Then Peter and the other disciple set out to go to the tomb. 147 20:4 The two were running together, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter 148 and reached the tomb first. 149 20:5 He bent down 150 and saw the strips of linen cloth lying there, 151 but he did not go in. 20:6 Then Simon Peter, who had been following him, arrived and went right into the tomb. He saw 152 the strips of linen cloth lying there, 20:7 and the face cloth, 153 which had been around Jesus’ head, not lying with the strips of linen cloth but rolled up in a place by itself. 154 20:8 Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, came in, and he saw and believed. 155 20:9 (For they did not yet understand 156 the scripture that Jesus 157 must rise from the dead.) 158
20:10 So the disciples went back to their homes. 20:11 But Mary stood outside the tomb weeping. As she wept, she bent down and looked into the tomb. 20:12 And she saw two angels in white sitting where Jesus’ body had been lying, one at the head and one at the feet. 20:13 They said 159 to her, “Woman, 160 why are you weeping?” Mary replied, 161 “They have taken my Lord away, and I do not know where they have put him!” 20:14 When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, 162 but she did not know that it was Jesus.
20:15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Who are you looking for?” Because she 163 thought he was the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will take him.” 20:16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She 164 turned and said to him in Aramaic, 165 “Rabboni” 166 (which means Teacher). 167 20:17 Jesus replied, 168 “Do not touch me, for I have not yet ascended to my Father. Go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” 20:18 Mary Magdalene came and informed the disciples, “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them 169 what 170 Jesus 171 had said to her. 172
20:19 On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the disciples had gathered together 173 and locked the doors 174 of the place 175 because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. 176 Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 20:20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. 177 20:21 So Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. Just as the Father has sent me, I also send you.” 20:22 And after he said this, he breathed on them and said, 178 “Receive the Holy Spirit. 179 20:23 If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven; 180 if you retain anyone’s sins, they are retained.” 181
20:24 Now Thomas (called Didymus), 182 one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. 20:25 The other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he replied, 183 “Unless I see the wounds 184 from the nails in his hands, and put my finger into the wounds from the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will never believe it!” 185
20:26 Eight days later the disciples were again together in the house, 186 and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, 187 Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 20:27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put 188 your finger here, and examine 189 my hands. Extend 190 your hand and put it 191 into my side. Do not continue in your unbelief, but believe.” 192 20:28 Thomas replied to him, 193 “My Lord and my God!” 194 20:29 Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are the people 195 who have not seen and yet have believed.” 196
20:30 Now Jesus performed 197 many other miraculous signs in the presence of the 198 disciples, which are not recorded 199 in this book. 200 20:31 But these 201 are recorded 202 so that you may believe 203 that Jesus is the Christ, 204 the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. 205
[20:1] 1 sn The first day of the week would be early Sunday morning. The Sabbath (and in this year the Passover) would have lasted from 6 p.m. Friday until 6 p.m. Saturday. Sunday would thus mark the first day of the following week.
[20:1] 2 sn John does not mention that Mary Magdalene was accompanied by any of the other women who had been among Jesus’ followers. The synoptic accounts all mention other women who accompanied her (although Mary Magdalene is always mentioned first). Why John does not mention the other women is not clear, but Mary probably becomes the focus of the author’s attention because it was she who came and found Peter and the beloved disciple and informed them of the empty tomb (20:2). Mary’s use of the plural in v. 2 indicates there were others present, in indirect agreement with the synoptic accounts.
[20:1] 3 tn Grk “from the tomb.”
[7:1] 4 sn Again, the transition is indicated by the imprecise temporal indicator After this. Clearly, though, the author has left out much of the events of Jesus’ ministry, because chap. 6 took place near the Passover (6:4). This would have been the Passover between winter/spring of
[7:1] 5 tn Grk “Jesus was traveling around in Galilee.”
[7:1] 6 tn Grk “For he.” Here γάρ (gar, “for”) has not been translated.
[7:1] 7 tn Grk “he did not want to travel around in Judea.”
[7:1] 8 tn Or “the Jewish authorities”; Grk “the Jews.” In NT usage the term ᾿Ιουδαῖοι (Ioudaioi) may refer to the entire Jewish people, the residents of Jerusalem and surrounding territory, the authorities in Jerusalem, or merely those who were hostile to Jesus. (For further information see R. G. Bratcher, “‘The Jews’ in the Gospel of John,” BT 26 [1975]: 401-9.) Here the phrase should be restricted to the Jewish authorities or leaders who were Jesus’ primary opponents.
[7:1] 9 tn Grk “were seeking.”
[7:2] 7 tn Or “feast of the Tents” (the feast where people lived in tents or shelters, which was celebrated in the autumn after harvest). John’s use of σκηνοπηγία (skhnophgia) for the feast of Tabernacles constitutes the only use of this term in the New Testament.
[7:2] 8 sn Since the present verse places these incidents at the feast of Tabernacles (
[7:3] 10 tn Grk “his brothers.”
[7:3] 11 tn Grk “your deeds that you are doing.”
[7:4] 13 tn Or “seeks to be well known.”
[7:4] 14 sn No one who seeks to make a reputation for himself does anything in secret means, in effect: “if you’re going to perform signs to authenticate yourself as Messiah, you should do them at Jerusalem.” (Jerusalem is where mainstream Jewish apocalyptic tradition held that Messiah would appear.)
[7:5] 16 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.
[7:6] 19 tn Grk “Then Jesus said to them.”
[7:6] 20 tn Or “my opportunity.”
[7:6] 21 tn Or “is not yet here.”
[7:6] 22 tn Grk “your time is always ready.”
[7:8] 22 sn One always speaks of “going up” to Jerusalem in Jewish idiom, even though in western thought it is more common to speak of south as “down” (Jerusalem lies south of Galilee). The reason for the idiom is that Jerusalem was identified with Mount Zion in the OT, so that altitude was the issue.
[7:8] 23 tc Most
[7:8] 24 tn Although the word is καιρός (kairos) here, it parallels John’s use of ὥρα (Jwra) elsewhere as a reference to the time appointed for Jesus by the Father – the time of his return to the Father, characterized by his death, resurrection, and ascension (glorification). In the Johannine literature, synonyms are often interchanged for no apparent reason other than stylistic variation.
[7:8] 25 tn Or “my time has not yet come to an end” (a possible hint of Jesus’ death at Jerusalem); Grk “my time is not yet fulfilled.”
[7:10] 25 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[7:11] 28 tn Or “the Jewish authorities”; Grk “the Jews.” Here the phrase refers to the Jewish authorities or leaders who were Jesus’ primary opponents. See the note on the phrase “the Jewish leaders” in v. 1.
[7:11] 29 tn Grk “Where is that one?”
[7:12] 31 tn Grk “And there was.”
[7:12] 32 tn Or “complaining.”
[7:12] 33 tn Or “among the common people” (as opposed to the religious authorities mentioned in the previous verse).
[7:13] 34 tn Or “the Jewish authorities”; Grk “the Jews.” Here the phrase refers to the Jewish authorities or leaders who were Jesus’ primary opponents. See also the note on the phrase “the Jewish leaders” in v. 1.
[7:14] 37 tn Grk “to the temple.”
[7:14] 38 tn Or “started teaching.” An ingressive sense for the imperfect verb (“began to teach” or “started teaching”) fits well here, since the context implies that Jesus did not start his teaching at the beginning of the festival, but began when it was about half over.
[7:15] 40 tn Or “the Jewish authorities”; Grk “the Jews.” Here the phrase refers to the Jewish authorities or leaders who were Jesus’ primary opponents. See the note on the phrase “the Jewish leaders” in v. 1.
[7:15] 41 tn Or “began to be astonished.” This imperfect verb could also be translated ingressively (“began to be astonished”), but for English stylistic reasons it is rendered as a simple past.
[7:15] 42 tn Grk “How does this man know learning since he has not been taught?” The implication here is not that Jesus never went to school (in all probability he did attend a local synagogue school while a youth), but that he was not the disciple of a particular rabbi and had not had formal or advanced instruction under a recognized rabbi (compare Acts 4:13 where a similar charge is made against Peter and John; see also Paul’s comment in Acts 22:3).
[7:16] 43 tn Grk “So Jesus answered and said to them.”
[7:16] 44 tn The phrase “the one who sent me” refers to God.
[7:17] 47 tn Grk “or whether I speak from myself.”
[7:18] 49 tn Grk “who speaks from himself.”
[7:18] 51 tn Or “praise”; Grk “glory.”
[7:18] 53 tn Or “praise”; Grk “glory.”
[7:18] 54 tn Or “is truthful”; Grk “is true.”
[7:19] 52 tn Or “accomplishes”; Grk “does.”
[7:20] 55 tn Or “The common people” (as opposed to the religious authorities mentioned in 7:15).
[7:20] 56 tn Grk “You have a demon!”
[7:20] 57 tn Grk “Who is seeking to kill you?”
[7:21] 58 tn Grk “Jesus answered and said to them.”
[7:21] 59 tn Grk “I did one deed.”
[7:21] 60 sn The “one miracle” that caused them all to be amazed was the last previous public miracle in Jerusalem recorded by the author, the healing of the paralyzed man in John 5:1-9 on the Sabbath. (The synoptic gospels record other Sabbath healings, but John does not mention them.)
[7:22] 61 tn Grk “gave you circumcision.”
[7:22] 62 tn Grk “a man.” While the text literally reads “circumcise a man” in actual fact the practice of circumcising male infants on the eighth day after birth (see Phil 3:5) is primarily what is in view here.
[7:23] 64 tn Grk “a man.” See the note on “male child” in the previous verse.
[7:23] 65 tn Grk “receives circumcision.”
[7:23] 66 sn If a male child is circumcised on the Sabbath so that the law of Moses is not broken. The Rabbis counted 248 parts to a man’s body. In the Talmud (b. Yoma 85b) R. Eleazar ben Azariah (ca.
[7:23] 67 tn Or “made an entire man well.”
[7:24] 67 tn Or “based on sight.”
[7:24] 68 tn Or “honest”; Grk “righteous.”
[7:25] 70 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[7:25] 71 tn Grk “Is it not this one.”
[7:26] 73 tn Or “speaking openly.”
[7:26] 74 sn They are saying nothing to him. Some people who had heard Jesus were so impressed with his teaching that they began to infer from the inactivity of the opposing Jewish leaders a tacit acknowledgment of Jesus’ claims.
[7:26] 76 tn Or “the Messiah” (Both Greek “Christ” and Hebrew and Aramaic “Messiah” mean “one who has been anointed”).
[7:27] 77 sn We know where this man comes from. The author apparently did not consider this objection worth answering. The true facts about Jesus’ origins were readily available for any reader who didn’t know already. Here is an instance where the author assumes knowledge about Jesus that is independent from the material he records.
[7:27] 78 tn Or “the Messiah” (Both Greek “Christ” and Hebrew and Aramaic “Messiah” mean “one who has been anointed”).
[7:27] 79 sn The view of these people regarding the Messiah that no one will know where he comes from reflects the idea that the origin of the Messiah is a mystery. In the Talmud (b. Sanhedrin 97a) Rabbi Zera taught: “Three come unawares: Messiah, a found article, and a scorpion.” Apparently OT prophetic passages like Mal 3:1 and Dan 9:25 were interpreted by some as indicating a sudden appearance of Messiah. It appears that this was not a universal view: The scribes summoned by Herod at the coming of the Magi in Matt 2 knew that the Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem. It is important to remember that Jewish messianic expectations in the early 1st century were not monolithic.
[7:28] 79 tn Grk “the temple.”
[7:28] 80 tn Grk “Then Jesus cried out in the temple, teaching and saying.”
[7:28] 81 sn You both know me and know where I come from! Jesus’ response while teaching in the temple is difficult – it appears to concede too much understanding to his opponents. It is best to take the words as irony: “So you know me and know where I am from, do you?” On the physical, literal level, they did know where he was from: Nazareth of Galilee (at least they thought they knew). But on another deeper (spiritual) level, they did not: He came from heaven, from the Father. Jesus insisted that he has not come on his own initiative (cf. 5:37), but at the bidding of the Father who sent him.
[7:28] 82 tn Grk “And I have not come from myself.”
[7:28] 83 tn The phrase “the one who sent me” refers to God.
[7:28] 84 tn Grk “the one who sent me is true, whom you do not know.”
[7:29] 82 tn Although the conjunction “but” is not in the Greek text, the contrast is implied (an omitted conjunction is called asyndeton).
[7:29] 83 tn The preposition παρά (para) followed by the genitive has the local sense preserved and can be used of one person sending another. This does not necessarily imply origin in essence or eternal generation.
[7:29] 84 tn Grk “and that one.”
[7:30] 85 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[7:31] 88 tn Or “The common people” (as opposed to the religious authorities).
[7:31] 89 tn Or “the Messiah” (Both Greek “Christ” and Hebrew and Aramaic “Messiah” mean “one who has been anointed”).
[7:31] 90 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 it is “will he?”).
[7:32] 91 sn See the note on Pharisees in 1:24.
[7:32] 92 tn Or “The common people” (as opposed to the religious authorities like the Pharisees).
[7:32] 93 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[7:32] 94 tn Or “servants.” The “chief priests and Pharisees” is a comprehensive term for the groups represented in the ruling council (the Sanhedrin) as in John 7:45; 18:3; Acts 5:22, 26. As “servants” or “officers” of the Sanhedrin their representatives should be distinguished from the Levites serving as temple police (perhaps John 7:30 and 44; also John 8:20; 10:39; 19:6; Acts 4:3). Even when performing “police” duties such as here, their “officers” are doing so only as part of their general tasks (see K. H. Rengstorf, TDNT 8:540).
[7:32] 95 tn Grk “to seize him.” In the context of a deliberate attempt by the servants of the chief priests and Pharisees to detain Jesus, the English verb “arrest” conveys the point more effectively.
[7:33] 94 tn Grk “Yet a little I am with you.”
[7:33] 95 tn The word “then” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.
[7:35] 100 tn Or “the Jewish authorities”; Grk “the Jews.” In NT usage the term ᾿Ιουδαῖοι (Ioudaioi) may refer to the entire Jewish people, the residents of Jerusalem and surrounding territory, the authorities in Jerusalem, or merely those who were hostile to Jesus. (For further information see R. G. Bratcher, “‘The Jews’ in the Gospel of John,” BT 26 [1975]: 401-9.) Here the phrase is understood to refer to the Jewish authorities or leaders, since the Jewish leaders are mentioned in this context both before and after the present verse (7:32, 45).
[7:35] 102 tn Grk “will not find him.”
[7:35] 103 sn The Jewish people dispersed (Grk “He is not going to the Diaspora”). The Greek term diaspora (“dispersion”) originally meant those Jews not living in Palestine, but dispersed or scattered among the Gentiles.
[7:35] 104 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 “is he?”).
[7:36] 103 tn Grk “What is this word that he said.”
[7:37] 106 sn There is a problem with the identification of this reference to the last day of the feast, the greatest day: It appears from Deut 16:13 that the feast went for seven days. Lev 23:36, however, makes it plain that there was an eighth day, though it was mentioned separately from the seven. It is not completely clear whether the seventh or eighth day was the climax of the feast, called here by the author the “last great day of the feast.” Since according to the Mishnah (m. Sukkah 4.1) the ceremonies with water and lights did not continue after the seventh day, it seems more probable that this is the day the author mentions.
[7:37] 107 tn Grk “Jesus stood up and cried out, saying.”
[7:38] 109 tn An alternate way of punctuating the Greek text of vv. 37-38 results in this translation: “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. The one who believes in me, just as the scripture says, ‘From within him will flow rivers of living water.’” John 7:37-38 has been the subject of considerable scholarly debate. Certainly Jesus picks up on the literal water used in the ceremony and uses it figuratively. But what does the figure mean? According to popular understanding, it refers to the coming of the Holy Spirit to dwell in the believer. There is some difficulty in locating an OT text which speaks of rivers of water flowing from within such a person, but Isa 58:11 is often suggested: “The
[7:38] 110 tn Or “out of the innermost part of his person”; Grk “out of his belly.”
[7:38] 111 sn An OT quotation whose source is difficult to determine; Isa 44:3, 55:1, 58:11, and Zech 14:8 have all been suggested.
[7:39] 112 tn Grk “for the Spirit was not yet.” Although only B and a handful of other NT
[7:39] 113 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.
[7:40] 115 tn Or “The common people” (as opposed to the religious authorities like the chief priests and Pharisees).
[7:40] 117 sn The Prophet is a reference to the “prophet like Moses” of Deut 18:15, by this time an eschatological figure in popular belief.
[7:41] 118 tn Or “the Messiah” (Both Greek “Christ” and Hebrew and Aramaic “Messiah” mean “one who has been anointed”).
[7:41] 119 tn An initial negative reply (“No”) is suggested by the causal or explanatory γάρ (gar) which begins the clause.
[7:41] 120 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 “does he?”).
[7:42] 121 tn Grk “is from the seed” (an idiom for human descent).
[7:42] 122 sn An allusion to Ps 89:4.
[7:42] 123 sn An allusion to Mic 5:2.
[7:42] 124 tn Grk “the village where David was.”
[7:43] 124 tn Or “among the common people” (as opposed to the religious authorities like the chief priests and Pharisees).
[7:43] 125 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[7:44] 127 sn Compare John 7:30 regarding the attempt to seize Jesus.
[7:45] 130 tn Or “servants.” The “chief priests and Pharisees” is a comprehensive term for the groups represented in the ruling council (the Sanhedrin) as in John 7:45; 18:3; Acts 5:22, 26. As “servants” or “officers” of the Sanhedrin, their representatives should be distinguished from the Levites serving as temple police (perhaps John 7:30 and 44; also John 8:20; 10:39; 19:6; Acts 4:3). Even when performing ‘police’ duties such as here, their “officers” are doing so only as part of their general tasks (See K. H. Rengstorf, TDNT 8:540).
[7:45] 132 sn See the note on Pharisees in 1:24.
[7:45] 133 tn Grk “Why did you not bring him?” The words “back with you” are implied.
[7:47] 133 tn Grk “answered them.”
[7:47] 134 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 “have you?”).
[7:48] 136 sn The chief priests and Pharisees (John 7:45) is a comprehensive term for the groups represented in the ruling council (the Sanhedrin) as in John 7:45; 18:3; Acts 5:22, 26. Likewise the term ruler here denotes a member of the Sanhedrin, the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews. Note the same word (“ruler”) is used to describe Nicodemus in John 3:1, and Nicodemus also speaks up in this episode (John 7:50).
[7:48] 137 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 “have they?”).
[7:49] 139 tn Grk “crowd.” “Rabble” is a good translation here because the remark by the Pharisees is so derogatory.
[7:50] 142 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[7:50] 143 tn Grk “who was one of them”; the referent (the rulers) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[7:50] 144 tn Grk “said to them.”
[7:51] 147 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 “does it?”).
[7:52] 148 tn Grk “They answered and said to him.”
[7:52] 149 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?”).
[7:52] 150 tc At least one early and important ms (Ì66*) places the article before “prophet” (ὁ προφήτης, Jo profhths), making this a reference to the “prophet like Moses” mentioned in Deut 18:15.
[7:53] 151 tc This entire section, 7:53-8:11, traditionally known as the pericope adulterae, is not contained in the earliest and best
[20:1] 154 sn The first day of the week would be early Sunday morning. The Sabbath (and in this year the Passover) would have lasted from 6 p.m. Friday until 6 p.m. Saturday. Sunday would thus mark the first day of the following week.
[20:1] 155 sn John does not mention that Mary Magdalene was accompanied by any of the other women who had been among Jesus’ followers. The synoptic accounts all mention other women who accompanied her (although Mary Magdalene is always mentioned first). Why John does not mention the other women is not clear, but Mary probably becomes the focus of the author’s attention because it was she who came and found Peter and the beloved disciple and informed them of the empty tomb (20:2). Mary’s use of the plural in v. 2 indicates there were others present, in indirect agreement with the synoptic accounts.
[20:1] 156 tn Grk “from the tomb.”
[20:2] 157 tn Grk “So she ran and came.”
[20:3] 160 tn Grk “went out and were coming to the tomb.”
[20:4] 163 sn The other disciple (the ‘beloved disciple’) ran on ahead more quickly than Peter, so he arrived at the tomb first. This verse has been a chief factor in depictions of John as a young man (especially combined with traditions that he wrote last of all the gospel authors and lived into the reign of Domitian). But the verse does not actually say anything about John’s age, nor is age always directly correlated with running speed.
[20:4] 164 tn Grk “and came first to the tomb.”
[20:5] 166 sn In most instances the entrance to such tombs was less than 3 ft (1 m) high, so that an adult would have to bend down and practically crawl inside.
[20:5] 167 sn Presumably by the time the beloved disciple reached the tomb there was enough light to penetrate the low opening and illuminate the interior of the tomb sufficiently for him to see the strips of linen cloth lying there. The author does not state exactly where the linen wrappings were lying. Sometimes the phrase has been translated “lying on the ground,” but the implication is that the wrappings were lying where the body had been. The most probable configuration for a tomb of this sort would be to have a niche carved in the wall where the body would be laid lengthwise, or a low shelf like a bench running along one side of the tomb, across the back or around all three sides in a U-shape facing the entrance. Thus the graveclothes would have been lying on this shelf or in the niche where the body had been.
[20:6] 169 tn Grk “And he saw.” The conjunction καί (kai, “and”) has not been translated here in keeping with the tendency of contemporary English style to use shorter sentences.
[20:7] 172 sn The word translated face cloth is a Latin loanword (sudarium). It was a small towel used to wipe off perspiration (the way a handkerchief would be used today). This particular item was not mentioned in connection with Jesus’ burial in John 19:40, probably because this was only a brief summary account. A face cloth was mentioned in connection with Lazarus’ burial (John 11:44) and was probably customary. R. E. Brown speculates that it was wrapped under the chin and tied on top of the head to prevent the mouth of the corpse from falling open (John [AB], 2:986), but this is not certain.
[20:7] 173 sn Much dispute and difficulty surrounds the translation of the words not lying with the strips of linen cloth but rolled up in a place by itself. Basically the issue concerns the positioning of the graveclothes as seen by Peter and the other disciple when they entered the tomb. Some have sought to prove that when the disciples saw the graveclothes they were arranged just as they were when around the body, so that when the resurrection took place the resurrected body of Jesus passed through them without rearranging or disturbing them. In this case the reference to the face cloth being rolled up does not refer to its being folded, but collapsed in the shape it had when wrapped around the head. Sometimes in defense of this view the Greek preposition μετά (meta, which normally means “with”) is said to mean “like” so that the comparison with the other graveclothes does not involve the location of the face cloth but rather its condition (rolled up rather than flattened). In spite of the intriguing nature of such speculations, it seems more probable that the phrase describing the face cloth should be understood to mean it was separated from the other graveclothes in a different place inside the tomb. This seems consistent with the different conclusions reached by Peter and the beloved disciple (vv. 8-10). All that the condition of the graveclothes indicated was that the body of Jesus had not been stolen by thieves. Anyone who had come to remove the body (whether the authorities or anyone else) would not have bothered to unwrap it before carrying it off. And even if one could imagine that they had (perhaps in search of valuables such as rings or jewelry still worn by the corpse) they would certainly not have bothered to take time to roll up the face cloth and leave the other wrappings in an orderly fashion.
[20:8] 175 sn What was it that the beloved disciple believed (since v. 7 describes what he saw)? Sometimes it is suggested that what he believed was Mary Magdalene’s report that the body had been stolen. But this could hardly be the case; the way the entire scene is narrated such a trivial conclusion would amount to an anticlimax. It is true that the use of the plural “they” in the following verse applied to both Peter and the beloved disciple, and this appears to be a difficulty if one understands that the beloved disciple believed at this point in Jesus’ resurrection. But it is not an insuperable difficulty, since all it affirms is that at this time neither Peter nor the beloved disciple had understood the scripture concerning the resurrection. Thus it appears the author intends his reader to understand that when the beloved disciple entered the tomb after Peter and saw the state of the graveclothes, he believed in the resurrection, i.e., that Jesus had risen from the dead.
[20:9] 179 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[20:9] 180 sn Verse 9 is a parenthetical note by the author. The author does not explicitly mention what OT scripture is involved (neither does Paul in 1 Cor 15:4, for that matter). The resurrection of the Messiah in general terms may have been seen in Isa 53:10-12 and Ps 16:10. Specific references may have been understood in Jonah 1:17 and Hos 6:2 because of the mention of “the third day.” Beyond this it is not possible to be more specific.
[20:13] 181 tn The conjunction καί (kai, “and”) has not been translated here.
[20:13] 182 sn Woman was a polite form of address (see BDAG 208-9 s.v. γυνή 1), similar to “Madam” or “Ma’am” used in English in different regions. This occurs again in v. 15.
[20:13] 183 tn Grk “She said to them.”
[20:14] 184 tn The word “there” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
[20:15] 187 tn Grk “that one” (referring to Mary Magdalene).
[20:16] 190 tn Grk “That one.”
[20:16] 191 tn Grk “in Hebrew.”
[20:16] 192 sn The Aramaic Rabboni means “my teacher” (a title of respect).
[20:16] 193 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.
[20:17] 193 tn Grk “Jesus said to her.”
[20:18] 196 tn The words “she told them” are repeated from the first part of the same verse to improve clarity.
[20:18] 197 tn Grk “the things.”
[20:18] 198 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) is specified in the translation for clarity.
[20:18] 199 tn The first part of Mary’s statement, introduced by ὅτι (Joti), is direct discourse (ἑώρακα τὸν κύριον, Jewraka ton kurion), while the second clause switches to indirect discourse (καὶ ταῦτα εἶπεν αὐτῇ, kai tauta eipen auth). This has the effect of heightening the emphasis on the first part of the statement.
[20:19] 199 tn Although the words “had gathered together” are omitted in some of the earliest and best
[20:19] 200 tn Grk “the doors were shut”; “locked” conveys a more appropriate idea for the modern English reader.
[20:19] 201 tn Grk “where they were.”
[20:19] 202 tn Or “the Jewish authorities”; Grk “the Jews.” In NT usage the term ᾿Ιουδαῖοι (Ioudaioi) may refer to the entire Jewish people, the residents of Jerusalem and surrounding territory, the authorities in Jerusalem, or merely those who were hostile to Jesus. (For further information see R. G. Bratcher, “‘The Jews’ in the Gospel of John,” BT 26 [1975]: 401-9.) Here the phrase refers to the Jewish leaders.
[20:20] 202 sn When the disciples recognized Jesus (now referred to as the Lord, cf. Mary’s words in v. 18) they were suddenly overcome with joy. This was a fulfillment of Jesus’ words to the disciples in the Farewell Discourse (16:20-22) that they would have sorrow while the world rejoiced, but that their sorrow would be turned to lasting joy when they saw him again.
[20:22] 205 tn Grk “said to them.”
[20:22] 206 sn He breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” The use of the Greek verb breathed on (ἐμφυσάω, emfusaw) to describe the action of Jesus here recalls Gen 2:7 in the LXX, where “the Lord God formed man out of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.” This time, however, it is Jesus who is breathing the breath-Spirit of eternal life, life from above, into his disciples (cf. 3:3-10). Furthermore there is the imagery of Ezek 37:1-14, the prophecy concerning the resurrection of the dry bones: In 37:9 the Son of Man is told to prophesy to the “wind-breath-Spirit” to come and breathe on the corpses, so that they will live again. In 37:14 the Lord promised, “I will put my Spirit within you, and you will come to life, and I will place you in your own land.” In terms of ultimate fulfillment the passage in Ezek 37 looks at the regeneration of Israel immediately prior to the establishment of the messianic kingdom. The author saw in what Jesus did for the disciples at this point a partial and symbolic fulfillment of Ezekiel’s prophecy, much as Peter made use of the prophecy of Joel 2:28-32 in his sermon on the day of Pentecost as recorded in Acts 2:17-21. What then did Jesus do for the disciples in John 20:22? It appears that in light of the symbolism of the new creation present here, as well as the regeneration symbolism from the Ezek 37 passage, that Jesus at this point breathed into the disciples the breath of eternal life. This was in the form of the Holy Spirit, who was to indwell them. It is instructive to look again at 7:38-39, which states, “Just as the scripture says, ‘Out from within him will flow rivers of living water.’ (Now he said this about the Spirit whom those who believed in him were going to receive; for the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.”) But now in 20:22 Jesus was glorified, so the Spirit could be given. Had the disciples not believed in Jesus before? It seems clear that they had, since their belief is repeatedly affirmed, beginning with 2:11. But it also seems clear that even on the eve of the crucifixion, they did not understand the necessity of the cross (16:31-33). And even after the crucifixion, the disciples had not realized that there was going to be a resurrection (20:9). Ultimate recognition of who Jesus was appears to have come to them only after the postresurrection appearances (note the response of Thomas, who was not present at this incident, in v. 28). Finally, what is the relation of this incident in 20:22 to the account of the coming of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2? It appears best to view these as two separate events which have two somewhat different purposes. This was the giving of life itself, which flowed out from within (cf. 7:38-39). The giving of power would occur later, on the day of Pentecost – power to witness and carry out the mission the disciples had been given. (It is important to remember that in the historical unfolding of God’s program for the church, these events occurred in a chronological sequence which, after the church has been established, is not repeatable today.)
[20:23] 208 tn Grk “they are forgiven to them.” The words “to them” are unnecessary in English and somewhat redundant.
[20:23] 209 sn The statement by Jesus about forgive or retaining anyone’s sins finds its closest parallel in Matt 16:19 and 18:18. This is probably not referring to apostolic power to forgive or retain the sins of individuals (as it is sometimes understood), but to the “power” of proclaiming this forgiveness which was entrusted to the disciples. This is consistent with the idea that the disciples are to carry on the ministry of Jesus after he has departed from the world and returned to the Father, a theme which occurred in the Farewell Discourse (cf. 15:27, 16:1-4, and 17:18).
[20:24] 211 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author; Didymus means “the twin” in Greek.
[20:25] 214 tn Grk “but he said to them.”
[20:25] 216 tn The word “it” is not in the Greek text but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context. The use of “it” here as direct object of the verb πιστεύσω (pisteusw) specifies exactly what Thomas was refusing to believe: that Jesus had risen from the dead, as reported by his fellow disciples. Otherwise the English reader may be left with the impression Thomas was refusing to “believe in” Jesus, or “believe Jesus to be the Christ.” The dramatic tension in this narrative is heightened when Thomas, on seeing for himself the risen Christ, believes more than just the resurrection (see John 20:28).
[20:26] 217 tn Grk “were inside”; the word “together” is implied.
[20:26] 218 tn Grk “the doors were shut”; “locked” conveys a more appropriate idea for the modern English reader.
[20:27] 220 tn Or “Extend” or “Reach out.” The translation “put” or “reach out” for φέρω (ferw) here is given in BDAG 1052 s.v. 4.
[20:27] 221 tn Grk “see.” The Greek verb ἴδε (ide) is often used like its cognate ἰδού (idou) in Hellenistic Greek (which is “used to emphasize the …importance of someth.” [BDAG 468 s.v. ἰδού 1.b.ε]).
[20:27] 222 tn Or “reach out” or “put.”
[20:27] 223 tn The word “it” is not in the Greek text but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
[20:27] 224 tn Grk “and do not be unbelieving, but believing.”
[20:28] 223 tn Grk “answered and said to him.”
[20:28] 224 sn Should Thomas’ exclamation be understood as two subjects with the rest of the sentence omitted (“My Lord and my God has truly risen from the dead”), as predicate nominatives (“You are my Lord and my God”), or as vocatives (“My Lord and my God!”)? Probably the most likely is something between the second and third alternatives. It seems that the second is slightly more likely here, because the context appears confessional. Thomas’ statement, while it may have been an exclamation, does in fact confess the faith which he had previously lacked, and Jesus responds to Thomas’ statement in the following verse as if it were a confession. With the proclamation by Thomas here, it is difficult to see how any more profound analysis of Jesus’ person could be given. It echoes 1:1 and 1:14 together: The Word was God, and the Word became flesh (Jesus of Nazareth). The Fourth Gospel opened with many other titles for Jesus: the Lamb of God (1:29, 36); the Son of God (1:34, 49); Rabbi (1:38); Messiah (1:41); the King of Israel (1:49); the Son of Man (1:51). Now the climax is reached with the proclamation by Thomas, “My Lord and my God,” and the reader has come full circle from 1:1, where the author had introduced him to who Jesus was, to 20:28, where the last of the disciples has come to the full realization of who Jesus was. What Jesus had predicted in John 8:28 had come to pass: “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he” (Grk “I am”). By being lifted up in crucifixion (which led in turn to his death, resurrection, and exaltation with the Father) Jesus has revealed his true identity as both Lord (κύριος [kurios], used by the LXX to translate Yahweh) and God (θεός [qeos], used by the LXX to translate Elohim).
[20:29] 226 tn Grk “are those.”
[20:29] 227 tn Some translations treat πιστεύσαντες (pisteusante") as a gnomic aorist (timeless statement) and thus equivalent to an English present tense: “and yet believe” (RSV). This may create an effective application of the passage to the modern reader, but the author is probably thinking of those people who had already believed without the benefit of seeing the risen Jesus, on the basis of reports by others or because of circumstantial evidence (see John 20:8).
[20:30] 230 tc ‡ Although most
[20:30] 231 tn Grk “are not written.”
[20:30] 232 sn The author mentions many other miraculous signs performed by Jesus in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in the Gospel. What are these signs the author of the Gospel has in mind? One can only speculate. The author says they were performed in the presence of the disciples, which emphasizes again their role as witnesses (cf. 15:27). The point here is that the author has been selective in his use of material. He has chosen to record those incidents from the life and ministry of Jesus which supported his purpose in writing the Gospel. Much which might be of tremendous interest, but does not directly contribute to that purpose in writing, he has omitted. The author explains his purpose in writing in the following verse.
[20:31] 232 tn Grk “these things.”
[20:31] 233 tn Grk “are written.”
[20:31] 234 tc ‡ A difficult textual variant is present at this point in the Greek text. Some
[20:31] 235 tn Or “Jesus is the Messiah” (Both Greek “Christ” and Hebrew and Aramaic “Messiah” mean “one who has been anointed”).
[20:31] 236 sn John 20:31. A major question concerning this verse, the purpose statement of the Gospel of John, is whether the author is writing primarily for an audience of unbelievers, with purely evangelistic emphasis, or whether he envisions an audience of believers, whom he wants to strengthen in their faith. Several points are important in this discussion: (1) in the immediate context (20:30), the other signs spoken of by the author were performed in the presence of disciples; (2) in the case of the first of the signs, at Cana, the author makes a point of the effect the miracle had on the disciples (2:11); (3) if the primary thrust of the Gospel is toward unbelievers, it is difficult to see why so much material in chaps. 13-17 (the last meal and Farewell Discourse, concluding with Jesus’ prayer for the disciples), which deals almost exclusively with the disciples, is included; (4) the disciples themselves were repeatedly said to have believed in Jesus throughout the Gospel, beginning with 2:11, yet they still needed to believe after the resurrection (if Thomas’ experience in 20:27-28 is any indication); and (5) the Gospel appears to be written with the assumption that the readers are familiar with the basic story (or perhaps with one or more of the synoptic gospel accounts, although this is less clear). Thus no account of the birth of Jesus is given at all, and although he is identified as being from Nazareth, the words of the Pharisees and chief priests to Nicodemus (7:52) are almost certainly to be taken as ironic, assuming the reader knows where Jesus was really from. Likewise, when Mary is identified in 11:2 as the one who anointed Jesus’ feet with oil, it is apparently assumed that the readers are familiar with the story, since the incident involved is not mentioned in the Fourth Gospel until 12:3. These observations must be set over against the clear statement of purpose in the present verse, 20:31, which seems to have significant evangelistic emphasis. In addition to this there is the repeated emphasis on witness throughout the Fourth Gospel (cf. the witness of John the Baptist in 1:7, 8, 15, 32, and 34, along with 5:33; the Samaritan woman in 4:39; Jesus’ own witness, along with that of the Father who sent him, in 8:14, 18, and 18:37; the disciples themselves in 15:27; and finally the testimony of the author himself in 19:35 and 21:24). In light of all this evidence it seems best to say that the author wrote with a dual purpose: (1) to witness to unbelievers concerning Jesus, in order that they come to believe in him and have eternal life; and (2) to strengthen the faith of believers, by deepening and expanding their understanding of who Jesus is.
