John 4:51

4:51 While he was on his way down, ¹  his slaves ²  met him and told him that his son was going to live.

John 11:17

Speaking with Martha and Mary

11:17 When ³  Jesus arrived, ⁴  he found that Lazarus ⁵  had been in the tomb four days already. ⁶ 

John 13:2

13:2 The evening meal ⁷  was in progress, and the devil had already put into the heart ⁸  of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, that he should betray ⁹  Jesus. ¹⁰ 

John 19:28

Jesus’ Death

19:28 After this Jesus, realizing that by this time ¹¹  everything was completed, ¹²  said (in order to fulfill the scripture), ¹³  “I am thirsty!” ¹⁴ 

John 19:33

19:33 But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs.

[4:51]  ¹ sn While he was on his way down. Going to Capernaum from Cana, one must go east across the Galilean hills and then descend to the Sea of Galilee. The 20 mi (33 km) journey could not be made in a single day. The use of the description on his way down shows the author was familiar with Palestinian geography.

[4:51]  ² tn Traditionally, “servants.” Though δοῦλος (doulos) is normally translated “servant,” the word does not bear the connotation of a free individual serving another. BDAG notes that “‘servant’ for ‘slave’ is largely confined to Biblical transl. and early American times…in normal usage at the present time the two words are carefully distinguished” (BDAG 260 s.v.). The most accurate translation is “bondservant” (sometimes found in the ASV for δοῦλος), in that it often indicates one who sells himself into slavery to another. But as this is archaic, few today understand its force.

[11:17]  ³ tn Grk “Then when.”

[11:17]  ⁴ tn Grk “came.”

[11:17]  ⁵ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Lazarus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[11:17]  ⁶ tn Grk “he had already had four days in the tomb” (an idiom).

[13:2]  ⁵ tn Or “Supper.” To avoid possible confusion because of different regional English usage regarding the distinction between “dinner” and “supper” as an evening meal, the translation simply refers to “the evening meal.”

[13:2]  ⁶ sn At this point the devil had already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, that he should betray Jesus. C. K. Barrett (St. John, 365) thought this was a reference to the idea entering the devil’s own heart, but this does not seem likely. It is more probable that Judas’ heart is meant, since the use of the Greek article (rather than a possessive pronoun) is a typical idiom when a part of one’s own body is indicated. Judas’ name is withheld until the end of the sentence for dramatic effect (emphasis). This action must be read in light of 13:27, and appears to refer to a preliminary idea or plan.

[13:2]  ⁷ tn Or “that he should hand over.”

[13:2]  ⁸ tn Grk “betray him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[19:28]  ⁷ tn Or “that already.”

[19:28]  ⁸ tn Or “finished,” “accomplished”; Grk “fulfilled.”

[19:28]  ⁹ sn A reference to Ps 69:21 or Ps 22:15.

[19:28]  ¹⁰ sn In order to fulfill (τελειωθῇ [teleiwqh], a wordplay on the previous statement that everything was completed [τετέλεσται, tetelestai]) the scripture, he said, “I am thirsty.” The scripture referred to is probably Ps 69:21, “They also gave me gall for my food, and for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.” Also suggested, however, is Ps 22:15, “My tongue cleaves to the roof of my mouth, and you [God] lay me in the dust of death.” Ps 22:1 reads “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?,” a statement Jesus makes from the cross in both Matt 27:46 and Mark 15:34. In light of the connection in the Fourth Gospel between thirst and the living water which Jesus offers, it is highly ironic that here Jesus himself, the source of that living water, expresses his thirst. And since 7:39 associates the living water with the Holy Spirit, Jesus’ statement here in 19:28 amounts to an admission that at this point he has been forsaken by God (cf. Ps 22:1, Matt 27:46, and Mark 15:34).