Discovery BoxJohn 6:1
Context6:1 After this 1 Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee (also called the Sea of Tiberias). 2
John 11:1-57
Context11:1 Now a certain man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village where Mary and her sister Martha lived. 3 11:2 (Now it was Mary who anointed the Lord with perfumed oil 4 and wiped his feet dry with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.) 5 11:3 So the sisters sent a message 6 to Jesus, 7 “Lord, look, the one you love is sick.” 11:4 When Jesus heard this, he said, “This sickness will not lead to death, 8 but to God’s glory, 9 so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” 10 11:5 (Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.) 11
11:6 So when he heard that Lazarus 12 was sick, he remained in the place where he was for two more days. 11:7 Then after this, he said to his disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.” 13 11:8 The disciples replied, 14 “Rabbi, the Jewish leaders 15 were just now trying 16 to stone you to death! Are 17 you going there again?” 11:9 Jesus replied, 18 “Are there not twelve hours in a day? If anyone walks around in the daytime, he does not stumble, 19 because he sees the light of this world. 20 11:10 But if anyone walks around at night, 21 he stumbles, 22 because the light is not in him.”
11:11 After he said this, he added, 23 “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep. 24 But I am going there to awaken him.” 11:12 Then the disciples replied, 25 “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.” 11:13 (Now Jesus had been talking about 26 his death, but they 27 thought he had been talking about real sleep.) 28
11:14 Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus has died, 11:15 and I am glad 29 for your sake that I was not there, so that you may believe. 30 But let us go to him.” 11:16 So Thomas (called Didymus 31 ) 32 said to his fellow disciples, “Let us go too, so that we may die with him.” 33
11:17 When 34 Jesus arrived, 35 he found that Lazarus 36 had been in the tomb four days already. 37 11:18 (Now Bethany was less than two miles 38 from Jerusalem, 39 11:19 so many of the Jewish people of the region 40 had come to Martha and Mary to console them 41 over the loss of their brother.) 42 11:20 So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary was sitting in the house. 43 11:21 Martha 44 said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 11:22 But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will grant 45 you.” 46
11:23 Jesus replied, 47 “Your brother will come back to life again.” 48 11:24 Martha said, 49 “I know that he will come back to life again 50 in the resurrection at the last day.” 11:25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live 51 even if he dies, 11:26 and the one who lives and believes in me will never die. 52 Do you believe this?” 11:27 She replied, 53 “Yes, Lord, I believe 54 that you are the Christ, 55 the Son of God who comes into the world.” 56
11:28 And when she had said this, Martha 57 went and called her sister Mary, saying privately, 58 “The Teacher is here and is asking for you.” 59 11:29 So when Mary 60 heard this, she got up quickly and went to him. 11:30 (Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still in the place where Martha had come out to meet him.) 11:31 Then the people 61 who were with Mary 62 in the house consoling her saw her 63 get up quickly and go out. They followed her, because they thought she was going to the tomb to weep 64 there.
11:32 Now when Mary came to the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” 11:33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the people 65 who had come with her weeping, he was intensely moved 66 in spirit and greatly distressed. 67 11:34 He asked, 68 “Where have you laid him?” 69 They replied, 70 “Lord, come and see.” 11:35 Jesus wept. 71 11:36 Thus the people who had come to mourn 72 said, “Look how much he loved him!” 11:37 But some of them said, “This is the man who caused the blind man to see! 73 Couldn’t he have done something to keep Lazarus 74 from dying?”
11:38 Jesus, intensely moved 75 again, came to the tomb. (Now it was a cave, and a stone was placed across it.) 76 11:39 Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” 77 Martha, the sister of the deceased, 78 replied, “Lord, by this time the body will have a bad smell, 79 because he has been buried 80 four days.” 81 11:40 Jesus responded, 82 “Didn’t I tell you that if you believe, you would see the glory of God?” 11:41 So they took away 83 the stone. Jesus looked upward 84 and said, “Father, I thank you that you have listened to me. 85 11:42 I knew that you always listen to me, 86 but I said this 87 for the sake of the crowd standing around here, that they may believe that you sent me.” 11:43 When 88 he had said this, he shouted in a loud voice, 89 “Lazarus, come out!” 11:44 The one who had died came out, his feet and hands tied up with strips of cloth, 90 and a cloth wrapped around his face. 91 Jesus said to them, “Unwrap him 92 and let him go.”
11:45 Then many of the people, 93 who had come with Mary and had seen the things Jesus 94 did, believed in him. 11:46 But some of them went to the Pharisees 95 and reported to them 96 what Jesus had done. 11:47 So the chief priests and the Pharisees 97 called the council 98 together and said, “What are we doing? For this man is performing many miraculous signs. 11:48 If we allow him to go on in this way, 99 everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away our sanctuary 100 and our nation.”
11:49 Then one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said, 101 “You know nothing at all! 11:50 You do not realize 102 that it is more to your advantage to have one man 103 die for the people than for the whole nation to perish.” 104 11:51 (Now he did not say this on his own, 105 but because he was high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the Jewish nation, 106 11:52 and not for the Jewish nation 107 only, 108 but to gather together 109 into one the children of God who are scattered.) 110 11:53 So from that day they planned together to kill him.
11:54 Thus Jesus no longer went 111 around publicly 112 among the Judeans, 113 but went away from there to the region near the wilderness, to a town called Ephraim, 114 and stayed there with his disciples. 11:55 Now the Jewish feast of Passover 115 was near, and many people went up to Jerusalem 116 from the rural areas before the Passover to cleanse themselves ritually. 117 11:56 Thus they were looking for Jesus, 118 and saying to one another as they stood in the temple courts, 119 “What do you think? That he won’t come to the feast?” 11:57 (Now the chief priests and the Pharisees 120 had given orders that anyone who knew where Jesus 121 was should report it, so that they could arrest 122 him.) 123
John 15:1-27
Context15:1 “I am the true vine 124 and my Father is the gardener. 125 15:2 He takes away 126 every branch that does not bear 127 fruit in me. He 128 prunes 129 every branch that bears 130 fruit so that it will bear more fruit. 15:3 You are clean already 131 because of the word that I have spoken to you. 15:4 Remain 132 in me, and I will remain in you. 133 Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, 134 unless it remains 135 in 136 the vine, so neither can you unless you remain 137 in me.
15:5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains 138 in me – and I in him – bears 139 much fruit, 140 because apart from me you can accomplish 141 nothing. 15:6 If anyone does not remain 142 in me, he is thrown out like a branch, and dries up; and such branches are gathered up and thrown into the fire, 143 and are burned up. 144 15:7 If you remain 145 in me and my words remain 146 in you, ask whatever you want, and it will be done for you. 147 15:8 My Father is honored 148 by this, that 149 you bear 150 much fruit and show that you are 151 my disciples.
15:9 “Just as the Father has loved me, I have also loved you; remain 152 in my love. 15:10 If you obey 153 my commandments, you will remain 154 in my love, just as I have obeyed 155 my Father’s commandments and remain 156 in his love. 15:11 I have told you these things 157 so that my joy may be in you, and your joy may be complete. 15:12 My commandment is this – to love one another just as I have loved you. 158 15:13 No one has greater love than this – that one lays down his life 159 for his friends. 15:14 You are my friends 160 if you do what I command you. 15:15 I no longer call you slaves, 161 because the slave does not understand 162 what his master is doing. But I have called you friends, because I have revealed to you everything 163 I heard 164 from my Father. 15:16 You did not choose me, but I chose you 165 and appointed you to go and bear 166 fruit, fruit that remains, 167 so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you. 15:17 This 168 I command you – to love one another.
15:18 “If the world hates you, be aware 169 that it hated me first. 170 15:19 If you belonged to the world, 171 the world would love you as its own. 172 However, because you do not belong to the world, 173 but I chose you out of the world, for this reason 174 the world hates you. 175 15:20 Remember what 176 I told you, ‘A slave 177 is not greater than his master.’ 178 If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they obeyed 179 my word, they will obey 180 yours too. 15:21 But they will do all these things to you on account of 181 my name, because they do not know the one who sent me. 182 15:22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. 183 But they no longer have any excuse for their sin. 15:23 The one who hates me hates my Father too. 15:24 If I had not performed 184 among them the miraculous deeds 185 that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. 186 But now they have seen the deeds 187 and have hated both me and my Father. 188 15:25 Now this happened 189 to fulfill the word that is written in their law, ‘They hated me without reason.’ 190 15:26 When the Advocate 191 comes, whom I will send you from the Father – the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father – he 192 will testify about me, 15:27 and you also will testify, because you have been with me from the beginning.
[6:1] 1 tn Again, μετὰ ταῦτα (meta tauta) is a vague temporal reference. How Jesus got from Jerusalem to Galilee is not explained, which has led many scholars (e.g., Bernard, Bultmann, and Schnackenburg) to posit either editorial redaction or some sort of rearrangement or dislocation of material (such as reversing the order of chaps. 5 and 6, for example). Such a rearrangement of the material would give a simple and consistent connection of events, but in the absence of all external evidence it does not seem to be supportable. R. E. Brown (John [AB], 1:236) says that such an arrangement is attractive in some ways but not compelling, and that no rearrangement can solve all the geographical and chronological problems in John.
[6:1] 2 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author. Only John in the New Testament refers to the Sea of Galilee by the name Sea of Tiberias (see also John 21:1), but this is correct local usage. In the mid-20’s Herod completed the building of the town of Tiberias on the southwestern shore of the lake; after this time the name came into use for the lake itself.
[11:1] 3 tn Grk “from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha.”
[11:2] 5 tn Or “perfume,” “ointment.”
[11:2] 6 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author. It is a bit surprising that the author here identifies Mary as the one who anointed the Lord with perfumed oil and wiped his feet dry with her hair, since this event is not mentioned until later, in 12:3. Many see this “proleptic” reference as an indication that the author expected his readers to be familiar with the story already, and go on to assume that in general the author in writing the Fourth Gospel assumed his readers were familiar with the other three gospels. Whether the author assumed actual familiarity with the synoptic gospels or not, it is probable that he did assume some familiarity with Mary’s anointing activity.
[11:3] 7 tn The phrase “a message” is not in the Greek text but is implied. Direct objects in Greek were often omitted when clear from context.
[11:3] 8 tn Grk “to him, saying”; the referent (Jesus) is specified in the translation for clarity.
[11:4] 9 tn Grk “This sickness is not to death.”
[11:4] 10 tn Or “to God’s praise.”
[11:4] 11 sn So that the Son of God may be glorified through it. These statements are highly ironic: For Lazarus, the sickness did not end in his death, because he was restored to life. But for Jesus himself, the miraculous sign he performed led to his own death, because it confirmed the authorities in their plan to kill Jesus (11:47-53). In the Gospel of John, Jesus’ death is consistently portrayed as his ‘glorification’ through which he accomplishes his return to the Father.
[11:5] 11 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author. It was necessary for the author to reaffirm Jesus’ love for Martha and her sister and Lazarus here because Jesus’ actions in the following verse appear to be contradictory.
[11:6] 13 tn Grk “that he”; the referent (Lazarus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[11:7] 15 sn The village of Bethany, where Lazarus was, lies in Judea, less than 2 mi (3 km) from Jerusalem (see 11:18).
[11:8] 17 tn Grk “The disciples said to him.”
[11:8] 18 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. See the previous references and the notes on the phrase “Jewish people” in v. 19, and “Jewish religious leaders” in vv. 24, 31, 33.
[11:8] 20 tn Grk “And are.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.
[11:9] 19 tn Grk “Jesus answered.”
[11:9] 20 tn Or “he does not trip.”
[11:9] 21 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).
[11:10] 21 tn Grk “in the night.”
[11:11] 23 tn Grk “He said these things, and after this he said to them.”
[11:11] 24 tn The verb κοιμάω (koimaw) literally means “sleep,” but it is often used in the Bible as a euphemism for death when speaking of believers. This metaphorical usage by its very nature emphasizes the hope of resurrection: Believers will one day “wake up” out of death. Here the term refers to death, but “asleep” was used in the translation to emphasize the metaphorical, rhetorical usage of the term, especially in light of the disciples’ confusion over what Jesus actually meant (see v. 13).
[11:12] 25 tn Grk “Then the disciples said to him.”
[11:13] 27 tn Or “speaking about.”
[11:13] 29 tn Grk “the sleep of slumber”; this is a redundant expression to emphasize physical sleep as opposed to death.
[11:15] 29 tn Grk “and I rejoice.”
[11:15] 30 sn So that you may believe. Why does Jesus make this statement? It seems necessary to understand the disciples’ belief here in a developmental sense, because there are numerous references to the disciples’ faith previous to this in John’s Gospel, notably 2:11. Their concept of who Jesus really was is continually being expanded and challenged; they are undergoing spiritual growth; the climax is reached in the confession of Thomas in John 20:28.
[11:16] 31 sn Didymus means “the twin” in Greek.
[11:16] 32 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.
[11:16] 33 sn One gets the impression from Thomas’ statement “Let us go too, so that we may die with him” that he was something of a pessimist resigned to his fate. And yet his dedicated loyalty to Jesus and his determination to accompany him at all costs was truly commendable. Nor is the contrast between this statement and the confession of Thomas in 20:28, which forms the climax of the entire Fourth Gospel, to be overlooked; certainly Thomas’ concept of who Jesus is has changed drastically between 11:16 and 20:28.
[11:17] 33 tn Grk “Then when.”
[11:17] 35 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Lazarus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[11:17] 36 tn Grk “he had already had four days in the tomb” (an idiom).
[11:18] 35 tn Or “three kilometers”; Grk “fifteen stades” (a stade as a unit of linear measure is about 607 feet or 187 meters).
[11:18] 36 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[11:19] 37 tn Or “many of the Judeans” (cf. BDAG 479 s.v. ᾿Ιουδαῖος 2.e); Grk “many of the Jews.” Here the phrase refers to the residents of Jerusalem and the surrounding area in general (those who had been friends or relatives of Lazarus or his sisters would mainly be in view) since the Jewish religious authorities (“the chief priests and the Pharisees”) are specifically mentioned as a separate group in John 11:46-47. See also the note on the phrase “the Jewish leaders” in v. 8.
[11:19] 38 tn Or “to comfort them” or “to offer them sympathy.”
[11:19] 39 tn Grk “to comfort them concerning their brother”; the words “loss of” are not in the Greek text but are implied.
[11:20] 39 sn Notice the difference in the response of the two sisters: Martha went out to meet Jesus, while Mary remains sitting in the house. It is similar to the incident in Luke 10:38-42. Here again one finds Martha occupied with the responsibilities of hospitality; she is the one who greets Jesus.
[11:21] 41 tn Grk “Then Martha.” Here οὖν (oun) has not been translated for stylistic reasons.
[11:22] 44 sn The statement “whatever you ask from God, God will grant you” by Martha presents something of a dilemma, because she seems to be suggesting here (implicitly at least) the possibility of a resurrection for her brother. However, Martha’s statement in 11:39 makes it clear that she had no idea that a resurrection was still possible. How then are her words in 11:22 to be understood? It seems best to take them as a confession of Martha’s continuing faith in Jesus even though he was not there in time to help her brother. She means, in effect, “Even though you weren’t here in time to help, I still believe that God grants your requests.”
[11:23] 45 tn Grk “Jesus said to her.”
[11:23] 46 tn Or “Your brother will rise again.”
[11:24] 47 tn Grk “Martha said to him.”
[11:24] 48 tn Or “will rise again.”
[11:25] 49 tn That is, will come to life.
[11:26] 51 tn Grk “will never die forever.”
[11:27] 53 tn Grk “She said to him.”
[11:27] 54 tn The perfect tense in Greek is often used to emphasize the results or present state of a past action. Such is the case here. To emphasize this nuance the perfect tense verb πεπίστευκα (pepisteuka) has been translated as a present tense. This is in keeping with the present context, where Jesus asks of her present state of belief in v. 26, and the theology of the Gospel as a whole, which emphasizes the continuing effects and present reality of faith. For discussion on this use of the perfect tense, see ExSyn 574-76 and B. M. Fanning, Verbal Aspect, 291-97.
[11:27] 55 tn Or “the Messiah” (Both Greek “Christ” and Hebrew and Aramaic “Messiah” mean “one who has been anointed”).
[11:27] 56 tn Or “the Son of God, the one who comes into the world.”
[11:28] 55 tn Grk “she”; the referent (Martha) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[11:28] 56 tn Or “in secret” (as opposed to publicly, so that the other mourners did not hear).
[11:28] 57 tn Grk “is calling you.”
[11:29] 57 tn Grk “she”; the referent (Mary) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[11:31] 59 tn Or “the Judeans”; Grk “the Jews.” Here the phrase refers to the friends, acquaintances, and relatives of Lazarus or his sisters who had come to mourn, since the Jewish religious authorities are specifically mentioned as a separate group in John 11:46-47. See also the notes on the phrase “the Jewish leaders” in v. 8 and “the Jewish people of the region” in v. 19.
[11:31] 60 tn Grk “her”; the referent (Mary) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[11:31] 61 tn Grk “Mary”; the proper name (Mary) has been replaced with the pronoun (her) in keeping with conventional English style, to avoid repetition.
[11:31] 62 tn Or “to mourn” (referring to the loud wailing or crying typical of public mourning in that culture).
[11:33] 61 tn Or “the Judeans”; Grk “the Jews.” Here the phrase refers to the friends, acquaintances, and relatives of Lazarus or his sisters who had come to mourn, since the Jewish religious authorities are specifically mentioned as a separate group in John 11:46-47. See also the notes on the phrase “the Jewish leaders” in v. 8, “the Jewish people of the region” in v. 19, and the word “people” in v. 31.
[11:33] 62 tn Or (perhaps) “he was deeply indignant.” The verb ἐνεβριμήσατο (enebrimhsato), which is repeated in John 11:38, indicates a strong display of emotion, somewhat difficult to translate – “shuddered, moved with the deepest emotions.” In the LXX, the verb and its cognates are used to describe a display of indignation (Dan 11:30, for example – see also Mark 14:5). Jesus displayed this reaction to the afflicted in Mark 1:43, Matt 9:30. Was he angry at the afflicted? No, but he was angry because he found himself face-to-face with the manifestations of Satan’s kingdom of evil. Here, the realm of Satan was represented by death.
[11:33] 63 tn Or “greatly troubled.” The verb ταράσσω (tarassw) also occurs in similar contexts to those of ἐνεβριμήσατο (enebrimhsato). John uses it in 14:1 and 27 to describe the reaction of the disciples to the imminent death of Jesus, and in 13:21 the verb describes how Jesus reacted to the thought of being betrayed by Judas, into whose heart Satan had entered.
[11:34] 63 tn Grk “And he said.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.
[11:34] 64 tn Or “Where have you placed him?”
[11:34] 65 tn Grk “They said to him.” The indirect object αὐτῷ (autw) has not been translated here for stylistic reasons.
[11:35] 65 sn Jesus wept. The Greek word used here for Jesus’ weeping (ἐδάκρυσεν, edakrusen) is different from the one used to describe the weeping of Mary and the Jews in v. 33 which indicated loud wailing and cries of lament. This word simply means “to shed tears” and has more the idea of quiet grief. But why did Jesus do this? Not out of grief for Lazarus, since he was about to be raised to life again. L. Morris (John [NICNT], 558) thinks it was grief over the misconception of those round about. But it seems that in the context the weeping is triggered by the thought of Lazarus in the tomb: This was not personal grief over the loss of a friend (since Lazarus was about to be restored to life) but grief over the effects of sin, death, and the realm of Satan. It was a natural complement to the previous emotional expression of anger (11:33). It is also possible that Jesus wept at the tomb of Lazarus because he knew there was also a tomb for himself ahead.
[11:36] 67 tn Or “the Judeans”; Grk “the Jews.” Here the phrase refers to the friends, acquaintances, and relatives of Lazarus or his sisters who had come to mourn, since the Jewish religious authorities are specifically mentioned as a separate group in John 11:46-47. See also the notes on the phrase “the Jewish leaders” in v. 8 and “the Jewish people of the region” in v. 19, as well as the notes on the word “people” in vv. 31, 33.
[11:37] 69 tn Grk “who opened the eyes of the blind man” (“opening the eyes” is an idiom referring to restoration of sight).
[11:37] 70 tn Grk “this one”; the second half of 11:37 reads Grk “Could not this one who opened the eyes of the blind have done something to keep this one from dying?” In the Greek text the repetition of “this one” in 11:37b referring to two different persons (first Jesus, second Lazarus) could confuse a modern reader. Thus the first reference, to Jesus, has been translated as “he” to refer back to the beginning of v. 37, where the reference to “the man who caused the blind man to see” is clearly a reference to Jesus. The second reference, to Lazarus, has been specified (“Lazarus”) in the translation for clarity.
[11:38] 71 tn Or (perhaps) “Jesus was deeply indignant.”
[11:38] 72 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.
[11:39] 73 tn Or “Remove the stone.”
[11:39] 74 tn Grk “the sister of the one who had died.”
[11:39] 75 tn Grk “already he stinks.”
[11:39] 76 tn Or “been there” (in the tomb – see John 11:17).
[11:39] 77 sn He has been buried four days. Although all the details of the miracle itself are not given, those details which are mentioned are important. The statement made by Martha is extremely significant for understanding what actually took place. There is no doubt that Lazarus had really died, because the decomposition of his body had already begun to take place, since he had been dead for four days.
[11:40] 75 tn Grk “Jesus said to her.”
[11:41] 77 tn Or “they removed.”
[11:41] 78 tn Grk “lifted up his eyes above.”
[11:41] 79 tn Or “that you have heard me.”
[11:42] 79 tn Grk “that you always hear me.”
[11:42] 80 tn The word “this” is not in the Greek text. Direct objects in Greek were often omitted when clear from the context.
[11:43] 82 sn The purpose of the loud voice was probably to ensure that all in the crowd could hear (compare the purpose of the prayer of thanksgiving in vv. 41-42).
[11:44] 83 sn Many have wondered how Lazarus got out of the tomb if his hands and feet were still tied up with strips of cloth. The author does not tell, and with a miracle of this magnitude, this is not an important fact to know. If Lazarus’ decomposing body was brought back to life by the power of God, then it could certainly have been moved out of the tomb by that same power. Others have suggested that the legs were bound separately, which would remove the difficulty, but the account gives no indication of this. What may be of more significance for the author is the comparison which this picture naturally evokes with the resurrection of Jesus, where the graveclothes stayed in the tomb neatly folded (20:6-7). Jesus, unlike Lazarus, would never need graveclothes again.
[11:44] 84 tn Grk “and his face tied around with cloth.”
[11:44] 85 tn Grk “Loose him.”
[11:45] 85 tn Or “the Judeans”; Grk “the Jews.” Here the phrase refers to the friends, acquaintances, and relatives of Lazarus or his sisters who had come to mourn, since the Jewish religious authorities are specifically mentioned as a separate group in John 11:46-47. See also the notes on the phrase “the Jewish leaders” in v. 8 and “the Jewish people of the region” in v. 19, as well as the notes on the word “people” in vv. 31, 33 and the phrase “people who had come to mourn” in v. 36.
[11:45] 86 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[11:46] 87 sn See the note on Pharisees in 1:24.
[11:46] 88 tn Grk “told them.”
[11:47] 89 tn The phrase “chief priests and Pharisees” is a comprehensive name for the groups represented in the ruling council (the Sanhedrin) as in John 7:45; 18:3; Acts 5:22, 26.
[11:47] 90 tn Or “Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews). The συνέδριον (sunedrion) which they gathered was probably an informal meeting rather than the official Sanhedrin. This is the only occurrence of the word συνέδριον in the Gospel of John, and the only anarthrous singular use in the NT. There are other plural anarthrous uses which have the general meaning “councils.” The fact that Caiaphas in 11:49 is referred to as “one of them” supports the unofficial nature of the meeting; in the official Sanhedrin he, being high priest that year, would have presided over the assembly. Thus it appears that an informal council was called to discuss what to do about Jesus and his activities.
[11:48] 91 tn Grk “If we let him do thus.”
[11:48] 92 tn Or “holy place”; Grk “our place” (a reference to the temple in Jerusalem).
[11:49] 93 tn Grk “said to them.” The indirect object αὐτοῖς (autois) has not been translated for stylistic reasons.
[11:50] 95 tn Or “you are not considering.”
[11:50] 96 tn Although it is possible to argue that ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") should be translated “person” here since it is not necessarily masculinity that is in view in Caiaphas’ statement, “man” was retained in the translation because in 11:47 “this man” (οὗτος ὁ ἄνθρωπος, outo" Jo anqrwpo") has as its referent a specific individual, Jesus, and it was felt this connection should be maintained.
[11:50] 97 sn In his own mind Caiaphas was no doubt giving voice to a common-sense statement of political expediency. Yet he was unconsciously echoing a saying of Jesus himself (cf. Mark 10:45). Caiaphas was right; the death of Jesus would save the nation from destruction. Yet Caiaphas could not suspect that Jesus would die, not in place of the political nation Israel, but on behalf of the true people of God; and he would save them, not from physical destruction, but from eternal destruction (cf. 3:16-17). The understanding of Caiaphas’ words in a sense that Caiaphas could not possibly have imagined at the time he uttered them serves as a clear example of the way in which the author understood that words and actions could be invested retrospectively with a meaning not consciously intended or understood by those present at the time.
[11:51] 97 tn Grk “say this from himself.”
[11:51] 98 tn The word “Jewish” is not in the Greek text, but is clearly implied by the context (so also NIV; TEV “the Jewish people”).
[11:52] 99 tn See the note on the word “nation” in the previous verse.
[11:52] 100 sn The author in his comment expands the prophecy to include the Gentiles (not for the Jewish nation only), a confirmation that the Fourth Gospel was directed, at least partly, to a Gentile audience. There are echoes of Pauline concepts here (particularly Eph 2:11-22) in the stress on the unity of Jew and Gentile.
[11:52] 101 tn Grk “that he might gather together.”
[11:52] 102 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.
[11:54] 103 tn Grk “among the Jews.” Here the phrase refers to the residents of Judea in general, who would be likely to report Jesus to the religious authorities. The vicinity around Jerusalem was no longer safe for Jesus and his disciples. On the translation “Judeans” cf. BDAG 479 s.v. ᾿Ιουδαῖος 2.e. See also the references in vv. 8, 19, 31, 33, 36, and 45.
[11:54] 104 tn There is no certain identification of the location to which Jesus withdrew in response to the decision of the Jewish authorities. Many have suggested the present town of Et-Taiyibeh, identified with ancient Ophrah (Josh 18:23) or Ephron (Josh 15:9). If so, this would be 12-15 mi (19-24 km) northeast of Jerusalem.
[11:55] 103 tn Grk “the Passover of the Jews.” This is the final Passover of Jesus’ ministry. The author is now on the eve of the week of the Passion. Some time prior to the feast itself, Jerusalem would be crowded with pilgrims from the surrounding districts (ἐκ τῆς χώρας, ek th" cwra") who had come to purify themselves ceremonially before the feast.
[11:55] 104 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[11:55] 105 tn Or “to purify themselves” (to undergo or carry out ceremonial cleansing before participating in the Passover celebration).
[11:56] 105 tn Grk “they were seeking Jesus.”
[11:56] 106 tn Grk “in the temple.”
[11:57] 107 tn The phrase “chief priests and Pharisees” is a comprehensive name for the groups represented in the ruling council (the Sanhedrin) as in John 7:45; 18:3; Acts 5:22, 26.
[11:57] 108 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[11:57] 109 tn Or “could seize.”
[11:57] 110 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.
[15:1] 109 sn I am the true vine. There are numerous OT passages which refer to Israel as a vine: Ps 80:8-16, Isa 5:1-7, Jer 2:21, Ezek 15:1-8, 17:5-10, 19:10-14, and Hos 10:1. The vine became symbolic of Israel, and even appeared on some coins issued by the Maccabees. The OT passages which use this symbol appear to regard Israel as faithless to Yahweh (typically rendered as “Lord” in the OT) and/or the object of severe punishment. Ezek 15:1-8 in particular talks about the worthlessness of wood from a vine (in relation to disobedient Judah). A branch cut from a vine is worthless except to be burned as fuel. This fits more with the statements about the disciples (John 15:6) than with Jesus’ description of himself as the vine. Ezek 17:5-10 contains vine imagery which refers to a king of the house of David, Zedekiah, who was set up as king in Judah by Nebuchadnezzar. Zedekiah allied himself to Egypt and broke his covenant with Nebuchadnezzar (and therefore also with God), which would ultimately result in his downfall (17:20-21). Ezek 17:22-24 then describes the planting of a cedar sprig which grows into a lofty tree, a figurative description of Messiah. But it is significant that Messiah himself is not described in Ezek 17 as a vine, but as a cedar tree. The vine imagery here applies to Zedekiah’s disobedience. Jesus’ description of himself as the true vine in John 15:1 ff. is to be seen against this background, but it differs significantly from the imagery surveyed above. It represents new imagery which differs significantly from OT concepts; it appears to be original with Jesus. The imagery of the vine underscores the importance of fruitfulness in the Christian life and the truth that this results not from human achievement, but from one’s position in Christ. Jesus is not just giving some comforting advice, but portraying to the disciples the difficult path of faithful service. To some degree the figure is similar to the head-body metaphor used by Paul, with Christ as head and believers as members of the body. Both metaphors bring out the vital and necessary connection which exists between Christ and believers.
[15:1] 110 tn Or “the farmer.”
[15:2] 111 tn Or “He cuts off.”
[15:2] 112 tn Or “does not yield.”
[15:2] 113 tn Grk “And he”; the conjunction καί (kai, “and”) has been omitted in the translation in keeping with the tendency in contemporary English style to use shorter sentences.
[15:2] 114 tn Or “trims”; Grk “cleanses” (a wordplay with “clean” in v. 3). Καθαίρει (kaqairei) is not the word one would have expected here, but it provides the transition from the vine imagery to the disciples – there is a wordplay (not reproducible in English) between αἴρει (airei) and καθαίρει in this verse. While the purpose of the Father in cleansing his people is clear, the precise means by which he does so is not immediately obvious. This will become clearer, however, in the following verse.
[15:2] 115 tn Or “that yields.”
[15:3] 113 sn The phrase you are clean already occurs elsewhere in the Gospel of John only at the washing of the disciples’ feet in 13:10, where Jesus had used it of the disciples being cleansed from sin. This further confirms the proposed understanding of John 15:2 and 15:6 since Judas was specifically excluded from this statement (but not all of you).
[15:4] 116 tn Grk “and I in you.” The verb has been repeated for clarity and to conform to contemporary English style, which typically allows fewer ellipses (omitted or understood words) than Greek.
[15:4] 117 sn The branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it remains connected to the vine, from which its life and sustenance flows. As far as the disciples were concerned, they would produce no fruit from themselves if they did not remain in their relationship to Jesus, because the eternal life which a disciple must possess in order to bear fruit originates with Jesus; he is the source of all life and productivity for the disciple.
[15:4] 119 tn While it would be more natural to say “on the vine” (so NAB), the English preposition “in” has been retained here to emphasize the parallelism with the following clause “unless you remain in me.” To speak of remaining “in” a person is not natural English either, but is nevertheless a biblical concept (cf. “in Christ” in Eph 1:3, 4, 6, 7, 11).
[15:4] 120 tn Or “you reside.”
[15:5] 119 tn Grk “in him, this one bears much fruit.” The pronoun “this one” has been omitted from the translation because it is redundant according to contemporary English style.
[15:6] 120 sn Such branches are gathered up and thrown into the fire. The author does not tell who it is who does the gathering and throwing into the fire. Although some claim that realized eschatology is so prevalent in the Fourth Gospel that no references to final eschatology appear at all, the fate of these branches seems to point to the opposite. The imagery is almost certainly that of eschatological judgment, and recalls some of the OT vine imagery which involves divine rejection and judgment of disobedient Israel (Ezek 15:4-6, 19:12).
[15:6] 121 tn Grk “they gather them up and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.”
[15:7] 123 sn Once again Jesus promises the disciples ask whatever you want, and it will be done for you. This recalls 14:13-14, where the disciples were promised that if they asked anything in Jesus’ name it would be done for them. The two thoughts are really quite similar, since here it is conditioned on the disciples’ remaining in Jesus and his words remaining in them. The first phrase relates to the genuineness of their relationship with Jesus. The second phrase relates to their obedience. When both of these qualifications are met, the disciples would in fact be asking in Jesus’ name and therefore according to his will.
[15:8] 123 tn Grk “glorified.”
[15:8] 124 tn The ἵνα (Jina) clause is best taken as substantival in apposition to ἐν τούτῳ (en toutw) at the beginning of the verse. The Father is glorified when the disciples bring forth abundant fruit. Just as Jesus has done the works which he has seen his Father doing (5:19-29) so also will his disciples.
[15:8] 126 tc Most
[15:11] 129 tn Grk “These things I have spoken to you.”
[15:12] 131 sn Now the reference to the commandments (plural) in 15:10 have been reduced to a singular commandment: The disciples are to love one another, just as Jesus has loved them. This is the ‘new commandment’ of John 13:34, and it is repeated in 15:17. The disciples’ love for one another is compared to Jesus’ love for them. How has Jesus shown his love for the disciples? This was illustrated in 13:1-20 in the washing of the disciples’ feet, introduced by the statement in 13:1 that Jesus loved them “to the end.” In context this constitutes a reference to Jesus’ self-sacrificial death on the cross on their behalf; the love they are to have for one another is so great that it must include a self-sacrificial willingness to die for one another if necessary. This is exactly what Jesus is discussing here, because he introduces the theme of his sacrificial death in the following verse. In John 10:18 and 14:31 Jesus spoke of his death on the cross as a commandment he had received from his Father, which also links the idea of commandment and love as they are linked here. One final note: It is not just the degree or intensity of the disciples’ love for one another that Jesus is referring to when he introduces by comparison his own death on the cross (that they must love one another enough to die for one another) but the very means of expressing that love: It is to express itself in self-sacrifice for one another, sacrifice up to the point of death, which is what Jesus himself did on the cross (cf. 1 John 3:16).
[15:13] 133 tn Or “one dies willingly.”
[15:14] 135 sn This verse really explains John 15:10 in another way. Those who keep Jesus’ commandments are called his friends, those friends for whom he lays down his life (v. 13). It is possible to understand this verse as referring to a smaller group within Christianity as a whole, perhaps only the apostles who were present when Jesus spoke these words. Some have supported this by comparing it to the small group of associates and advisers to the Roman Emperor who were called “Friends of the Emperor.” Others would see these words as addressed only to those Christians who as disciples were obedient to Jesus. In either case the result would be to create a sort of “inner circle” of Christians who are more privileged than mere “believers” or average Christians. In context, it seems clear that Jesus’ words must be addressed to all true Christians, not just some narrower category of believers, because Jesus’ sacrificial death, which is his act of love toward his friends (v. 13) applies to all Christians equally (cf. John 13:1).
[15:15] 137 tn See the note on the word “slaves” in 4:51.
[15:15] 138 tn Or “does not know.”
[15:15] 139 tn Grk “all things.”
[15:16] 139 sn You did not choose me, but I chose you. If the disciples are now elevated in status from slaves to friends, they are friends who have been chosen by Jesus, rather than the opposite way round. Again this is true of all Christians, not just the twelve, and the theme that Christians are “chosen” by God appears frequently in other NT texts (e.g., Rom 8:33; Eph 1:4ff.; Col 3:12; and 1 Pet 2:4). Putting this together with the comments on 15:14 one may ask whether the author sees any special significance at all for the twelve. Jesus said in John 6:70 and 13:18 that he chose them, and 15:27 makes clear that Jesus in the immediate context is addressing those who have been with him from the beginning. In the Fourth Gospel the twelve, as the most intimate and most committed followers of Jesus, are presented as the models for all Christians, both in terms of their election and in terms of their mission.
[15:16] 140 tn Or “and yield.”
[15:16] 141 sn The purpose for which the disciples were appointed (“commissioned”) is to go and bear fruit, fruit that remains. The introduction of the idea of “going” at this point suggests that the fruit is something more than just character qualities in the disciples’ own lives, but rather involves fruit in the lives of others, i.e., Christian converts. There is a mission involved (cf. John 4:36). The idea that their fruit is permanent, however, relates back to vv. 7-8, as does the reference to asking the Father in Jesus’ name. It appears that as the imagery of the vine and the branches develops, the “fruit” which the branches produce shifts in emphasis from qualities in the disciples’ own lives in John 15:2, 4, 5 to the idea of a mission which affects the lives of others in John 15:16. The point of transition would be the reference to fruit in 15:8.
[15:17] 141 tn Grk “These things.”
[15:18] 144 tn Grk “it hated me before you.”
[15:19] 145 tn Grk “if you were of the world.”
[15:19] 146 tn The words “you as” are not in the original but are supplied for clarity.
[15:19] 147 tn Grk “because you are not of the world.”
[15:19] 148 tn Or “world, therefore.”
[15:19] 149 sn I chose you out of the world…the world hates you. Two themes are brought together here. In 8:23 Jesus had distinguished himself from the world in addressing his Jewish opponents: “You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world.” In 15:16 Jesus told the disciples “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you.” Now Jesus has united these two ideas as he informs the disciples that he has chosen them out of the world. While the disciples will still be “in” the world after Jesus has departed, they will not belong to it, and Jesus prays later in John 17:15-16 to the Father, “I do not ask you to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.” The same theme also occurs in 1 John 4:5-6: “They are from the world; therefore they speak as from the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God; he who knows God listens to us; he who is not from God does not listen to us.” Thus the basic reason why the world hates the disciples (as it hated Jesus before them) is because they are not of the world. They are born from above, and are not of the world. For this reason the world hates them.
[15:20] 147 tn Grk “Remember the word that I said to you.”
[15:20] 148 tn See the note on the word “slaves” in 4:51.
[15:20] 149 sn A slave is not greater than his master. Jesus now recalled a statement he had made to the disciples before, in John 13:16. As the master has been treated, so will the slaves be treated also. If the world had persecuted Jesus, then it would also persecute the disciples. If the world had kept Jesus’ word, it would likewise keep the word of the disciples. In this statement there is the implication that the disciples would carry on the ministry of Jesus after his departure; they would in their preaching and teaching continue to spread the message which Jesus himself had taught while he was with them. And they would meet with the same response, by and large, that he encountered.
[15:20] 150 tn Or “if they kept.”
[15:20] 151 tn Or “they will keep.”
[15:21] 149 tn Or “because of.”
[15:21] 150 tn Jesus is referring to God as “the one who sent me.”
[15:22] 151 tn Grk “they would not have sin” (an idiom).
[15:24] 153 tn Or “If I had not done.”
[15:24] 154 tn Grk “the works.”
[15:24] 155 tn Grk “they would not have sin” (an idiom).
[15:24] 156 tn The words “the deeds” are supplied to clarify from context what was seen. Direct objects in Greek were often omitted when clear from the context.
[15:24] 157 tn Or “But now they have both seen and hated both me and my Father.” It is possible to understand both the “seeing” and the “hating” to refer to both Jesus and the Father, but this has the world “seeing” the Father, which seems alien to the Johannine Jesus. (Some point out John 14:9 as an example, but this is addressed to the disciples, not to the world.) It is more likely that the “seeing” refers to the miraculous deeds mentioned in the first half of the verse. Such an understanding of the first “both – and” construction is apparently supported by BDF §444.3.
[15:25] 155 tn The words “this happened” are not in the Greek text but are supplied to complete an ellipsis.
[15:25] 156 sn A quotation from Ps 35:19 and Ps 69:4. As a technical term law (νόμος, nomos) is usually restricted to the Pentateuch (the first five books of the OT), but here it must have a broader reference, since the quotation is from Ps 35:19 or Ps 69:4. The latter is the more likely source for the quoted words, since it is cited elsewhere in John’s Gospel (2:17 and 19:29, in both instances in contexts associated with Jesus’ suffering and death).
[15:26] 157 tn Or “Helper” or “Counselor”; Grk “Paraclete,” from the Greek word παράκλητος (paraklhto"). See the note on the word “Advocate” in John 14:16 for discussion of how this word is translated.
