Discovery BoxLeviticus 1:6
Context1:6 Next, the one presenting the offering 1 must skin the burnt offering and cut it into parts,
Psalms 22:1-21
ContextFor the music director; according to the tune “Morning Doe;” 3 a psalm of David.
22:1 My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? 4
I groan in prayer, but help seems far away. 5
22:2 My God, I cry out during the day,
but you do not answer,
and during the night my prayers do not let up. 6
22:3 You are holy;
you sit as king receiving the praises of Israel. 7
22:4 In you our ancestors 8 trusted;
they trusted in you 9 and you rescued them.
22:5 To you they cried out, and they were saved;
in you they trusted and they were not disappointed. 10
22:6 But I 11 am a worm, 12 not a man; 13
people insult me and despise me. 14
22:7 All who see me taunt 15 me;
they mock me 16 and shake their heads. 17
“Commit yourself 19 to the Lord!
Let the Lord 20 rescue him!
Let the Lord 21 deliver him, for he delights in him.” 22
22:9 Yes, you are the one who brought me out 23 from the womb
and made me feel secure on my mother’s breasts.
22:10 I have been dependent on you since birth; 24
from the time I came out of my mother’s womb you have been my God. 25
22:11 Do not remain far away from me,
for trouble is near and I have no one to help me. 26
22:12 Many bulls 27 surround me;
powerful bulls of Bashan 28 hem me in.
22:13 They 29 open their mouths to devour me 30
like a roaring lion that rips its prey. 31
22:14 My strength drains away like water; 32
all my bones are dislocated;
my heart 33 is like wax;
it melts away inside me.
22:15 The roof of my mouth 34 is as dry as a piece of pottery;
my tongue sticks to my gums. 35
You 36 set me in the dust of death. 37
22:16 Yes, 38 wild dogs surround me –
a gang of evil men crowd around me;
like a lion they pin my hands and feet. 39
22:17 I can count 40 all my bones;
my enemies 41 are gloating over me in triumph. 42
22:18 They are dividing up my clothes among themselves;
they are rolling dice 43 for my garments.
22:19 But you, O Lord, do not remain far away!
You are my source of strength! 44 Hurry and help me! 45
22:20 Deliver me 46 from the sword!
Save 47 my life 48 from the claws 49 of the wild dogs!
22:21 Rescue me from the mouth of the lion, 50
and from the horns of the wild oxen! 51
You have answered me! 52
Mark 14:1--15:47
Context14:1 Two days before the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the chief priests and the experts in the law 53 were trying to find a way 54 to arrest Jesus 55 by stealth and kill him. 14:2 For they said, “Not during the feast, so there won’t be a riot among the people.” 56
14:3 Now 57 while Jesus 58 was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, reclining at the table, 59 a woman came with an alabaster jar 60 of costly aromatic oil 61 from pure nard. After breaking open the jar, she poured it on his head. 14:4 But some who were present indignantly said to one another, “Why this waste of expensive 62 ointment? 14:5 It 63 could have been sold for more than three hundred silver coins 64 and the money 65 given to the poor!” So 66 they spoke angrily to her. 14:6 But Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why are you bothering her? She has done a good service for me. 14:7 For you will always have the poor with you, and you can do good for them whenever you want. But you will not always have me! 67 14:8 She did what she could. She anointed my body beforehand for burial. 14:9 I tell you the truth, 68 wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.”
14:10 Then 69 Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Jesus into their hands. 70 14:11 When they heard this, they were delighted 71 and promised to give him money. 72 So 73 Judas 74 began looking for an opportunity to betray him.
14:12 Now 75 on the first day of the feast of 76 Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb is sacrificed, 77 Jesus’ 78 disciples said to him, “Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover?” 79 14:13 He sent two of his disciples and told them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar 80 of water will meet you. Follow him. 14:14 Wherever he enters, tell the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher says, “Where is my guest room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?”’ 14:15 He will show you a large room upstairs, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there.” 14:16 So 81 the disciples left, went 82 into the city, and found things just as he had told them, 83 and they prepared the Passover.
14:17 Then, 84 when it was evening, he came to the house 85 with the twelve. 14:18 While they were at the table 86 eating, Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, 87 one of you eating with me will betray me.” 88 14:19 They were distressed, and one by one said to him, “Surely not I?” 14:20 He said to them, “It is one of the twelve, one who dips his hand 89 with me into the bowl. 90 14:21 For the Son of Man will go as it is written about him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would be better for him if he had never been born.”
14:22 While they were eating, he took bread, and after giving thanks he broke it, gave it to them, and said, “Take it. This is my body.” 14:23 And after taking the cup and giving thanks, he gave it to them, and they all drank from it. 14:24 He said to them, “This is my blood, the blood 91 of the covenant, 92 that is poured out for many. 14:25 I tell you the truth, 93 I will no longer drink of the fruit 94 of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.” 14:26 After singing a hymn, 95 they went out to the Mount of Olives.
14:27 Then 96 Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away, for it is written,
‘I will strike the shepherd,
and the sheep will be scattered.’ 97
14:28 But after I am raised, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.” 14:29 Peter said to him, “Even if they all fall away, I will not!” 14:30 Jesus said to him, “I tell you the truth, 98 today – this very night – before a rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” 14:31 But Peter 99 insisted emphatically, 100 “Even if I must die with you, I will never deny you.” And all of them said the same thing.
14:32 Then 101 they went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus 102 said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” 14:33 He took Peter, James, 103 and John with him, and became very troubled and distressed. 14:34 He said to them, “My soul is deeply grieved, even to the point of death. Remain here and stay alert.” 14:35 Going a little farther, he threw himself to the ground and prayed that if it were possible the hour would pass from him. 14:36 He said, “Abba, 104 Father, all things are possible for you. Take this cup 105 away from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” 14:37 Then 106 he came and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “Simon, are you sleeping? Couldn’t you stay awake for one hour? 14:38 Stay awake and pray that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 14:39 He went away again and prayed the same thing. 14:40 When he came again he found them sleeping; they could not keep their eyes open. 107 And they did not know what to tell him. 14:41 He came a third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? 108 Enough of that! 109 The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 14:42 Get up, let us go. Look! My betrayer 110 is approaching!”
14:43 Right away, while Jesus 111 was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, arrived. 112 With him came a crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent by the chief priests and experts in the law 113 and elders. 14:44 (Now the betrayer 114 had given them a sign, saying, “The one I kiss is the man. Arrest him and lead him away under guard.”) 115 14:45 When Judas 116 arrived, he went up to Jesus 117 immediately and said, “Rabbi!” and kissed 118 him. 14:46 Then they took hold of him 119 and arrested him. 14:47 One of the bystanders drew his sword and struck the high priest’s slave, 120 cutting off his ear. 14:48 Jesus said to them, “Have you come with swords and clubs to arrest me like you would an outlaw? 121 14:49 Day after day I was with you, teaching in the temple courts, yet 122 you did not arrest me. But this has happened so that 123 the scriptures would be fulfilled.” 14:50 Then 124 all the disciples 125 left him and fled. 14:51 A young man was following him, wearing only a linen cloth. They tried to arrest him, 14:52 but he ran off naked, 126 leaving his linen cloth behind.
14:53 Then 127 they led Jesus to the high priest, and all the chief priests and elders and experts in the law 128 came together. 14:54 And Peter had followed him from a distance, up to the high priest’s courtyard. He 129 was sitting with the guards 130 and warming himself by the fire. 14:55 The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death, but they did not find anything. 14:56 Many gave false testimony against him, but their testimony did not agree. 14:57 Some stood up and gave this false testimony against him: 131 14:58 “We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this temple made with hands and in three days build another not made with hands.’” 14:59 Yet even on this point their testimony did not agree. 14:60 Then 132 the high priest stood up before them 133 and asked Jesus, “Have you no answer? What is this that they are testifying against you?” 14:61 But he was silent and did not answer. Again the high priest questioned him, 134 “Are you the Christ, 135 the Son of the Blessed One?” 14:62 “I am,” said Jesus, “and you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand 136 of the Power 137 and coming with the clouds of heaven.” 138 14:63 Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “Why do we still need witnesses? 14:64 You have heard the blasphemy! What is your verdict?” 139 They all condemned him as deserving death. 14:65 Then 140 some began to spit on him, and to blindfold him, and to strike him with their fists, saying, “Prophesy!” The guards also took him and beat 141 him.
14:66 Now 142 while Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the high priest’s slave girls 143 came by. 14:67 When she saw Peter warming himself, she looked directly at him and said, “You also were with that Nazarene, Jesus.” 14:68 But he denied it: 144 “I don’t even understand what you’re talking about!” 145 Then 146 he went out to the gateway, and a rooster crowed. 147 14:69 When the slave girl saw him, she began again to say to the bystanders, “This man is one of them.” 14:70 But he denied it again. A short time later the bystanders again said to Peter, “You must be 148 one of them, because you are also a Galilean.” 14:71 Then he began to curse, and he swore with an oath, “I do not know this man you are talking about!” 14:72 Immediately a rooster 149 crowed a second time. Then 150 Peter remembered what Jesus had said to him: “Before a rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” And he broke down and wept. 151
15:1 Early in the morning, after forming a plan, the chief priests with the elders and the experts in the law 152 and the whole Sanhedrin tied Jesus up, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate. 153 15:2 So 154 Pilate asked him, “Are you the king 155 of the Jews?” He replied, 156 “You say so.” 157 15:3 Then 158 the chief priests began to accuse him repeatedly. 15:4 So Pilate asked him again, 159 “Have you nothing to say? See how many charges they are bringing against you!” 15:5 But Jesus made no further reply, so that Pilate was amazed.
15:6 During the feast it was customary to release one prisoner to the people, 160 whomever they requested. 15:7 A man named Barabbas was imprisoned with rebels who had committed murder during an insurrection. 15:8 Then the crowd came up and began to ask Pilate to release a prisoner for them, as was his custom. 161 15:9 So Pilate asked them, 162 “Do you want me to release the king of the Jews for you?” 15:10 (For he knew that the chief priests had handed him over because of envy.) 163 15:11 But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release 164 Barabbas instead. 15:12 So Pilate spoke to them again, 165 “Then what do you want me to do 166 with the one you call king of the Jews?” 15:13 They shouted back, “Crucify 167 him!” 15:14 Pilate asked them, “Why? What has he done wrong?” But they shouted more insistently, “Crucify him!” 15:15 Because he wanted to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas for them. Then, 168 after he had Jesus flogged, 169 he handed him over 170 to be crucified.
15:16 So 171 the soldiers led him into the palace (that is, the governor’s residence) 172 and called together the whole cohort. 173 15:17 They put a purple cloak 174 on him and after braiding 175 a crown of thorns, 176 they put it on him. 15:18 They began to salute him: “Hail, king of the Jews!” 177 15:19 Again and again 178 they struck him on the head with a staff 179 and spit on him. Then they knelt down and paid homage to him. 15:20 When they had finished mocking 180 him, they stripped him of the purple cloak and put his own clothes back on him. Then 181 they led him away to crucify him. 182
15:21 The soldiers 183 forced 184 a passerby to carry his cross, 185 Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country 186 (he was the father of Alexander and Rufus). 15:22 They brought Jesus 187 to a place called Golgotha 188 (which is translated, “Place of the Skull”). 189 15:23 They offered him wine mixed with myrrh, 190 but he did not take it. 15:24 Then 191 they crucified 192 him and divided his clothes, throwing dice 193 for them, to decide what each would take. 15:25 It was nine o’clock in the morning 194 when they crucified him. 15:26 The inscription 195 of the charge against him read, “The king of the Jews.” 15:27 And they crucified two outlaws with him, one on his right and one on his left. 15:28 [[EMPTY]] 196 15:29 Those who passed by defamed him, shaking their heads and saying, “Aha! You who can destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, 15:30 save yourself and come down from the cross!” 197 15:31 In the same way even the chief priests – together with the experts in the law 198 – were mocking him among themselves: 199 “He saved others, but he cannot save himself! 15:32 Let the Christ, 200 the king of Israel, come down from the cross now, that we may see and believe!” Those who were crucified with him also spoke abusively to him. 201
15:33 Now 202 when it was noon, 203 darkness came over the whole land 204 until three in the afternoon. 205 15:34 Around three o’clock 206 Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” 207 15:35 When some of the bystanders heard it they said, “Listen, he is calling for Elijah!” 208 15:36 Then someone ran, filled a sponge with sour wine, 209 put it on a stick, 210 and gave it to him to drink, saying, “Leave him alone! Let’s see if Elijah will come to take him down!” 15:37 But Jesus cried out with a loud voice and breathed his last. 15:38 And the temple curtain 211 was torn in two, from top to bottom. 15:39 Now when the centurion, 212 who stood in front of him, saw how he died, 213 he said, “Truly this man was God’s Son!” 15:40 There were also women, watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, 214 and Salome. 15:41 When he was in Galilee, they had followed him and given him support. 215 Many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem 216 were there too.
15:42 Now 217 when evening had already come, since it was the day of preparation (that is, the day before the Sabbath), 218 15:43 Joseph of Arimathea, a highly regarded member of the council, 219 who was himself looking forward to 220 the kingdom of God, 221 went boldly to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 222 15:44 Pilate was surprised that he was already dead. He 223 called the centurion and asked him if he had been dead for some time. 15:45 When Pilate 224 was informed by the centurion, 225 he gave the body to Joseph. 15:46 After Joseph 226 bought a linen cloth 227 and took down the body, he wrapped it in the linen and placed it in a tomb cut out of the rock. 228 Then 229 he rolled a stone across the entrance 230 of the tomb. 15:47 Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where the body 231 was placed.
John 18:1--19:42
Context18:1 When he had said these things, 232 Jesus went out with his disciples across the Kidron Valley. 233 There was an orchard 234 there, and he and his disciples went into it. 18:2 (Now Judas, the one who betrayed him, knew the place too, because Jesus had met there many times 235 with his disciples.) 236 18:3 So Judas obtained a squad of soldiers 237 and some officers of the chief priests and Pharisees. 238 They came to the orchard 239 with lanterns 240 and torches and weapons.
18:4 Then Jesus, because he knew everything that was going to happen to him, 241 came and asked them, “Who are you looking for?” 242 18:5 They replied, 243 “Jesus the Nazarene.” He told them, “I am he.” (Now Judas, the one who betrayed him, was standing there with them.) 244 18:6 So when Jesus 245 said to them, “I am he,” they retreated 246 and fell to the ground. 247 18:7 Then Jesus 248 asked them again, “Who are you looking for?” And they said, “Jesus the Nazarene.” 18:8 Jesus replied, 249 “I told you that I am he. If you are looking for 250 me, let these men 251 go.” 252 18:9 He said this 253 to fulfill the word he had spoken, 254 “I have not lost a single one of those whom you gave me.” 255
18:10 Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, pulled it out and struck the high priest’s slave, 256 cutting off his right ear. 257 (Now the slave’s name was Malchus.) 258 18:11 But Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword back into its sheath! Am I not to drink the cup that the Father has given me?” 259
18:12 Then the squad of soldiers 260 with their commanding officer 261 and the officers of the Jewish leaders 262 arrested 263 Jesus and tied him up. 264 18:13 They 265 brought him first to Annas, for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year. 266 18:14 (Now it was Caiaphas who had advised 267 the Jewish leaders 268 that it was to their advantage that one man die for the people.) 269
18:15 Simon Peter and another disciple followed them as they brought Jesus to Annas. 270 (Now the other disciple 271 was acquainted with the high priest, and he went with Jesus into the high priest’s courtyard.) 272 18:16 But Simon Peter was left standing outside by the door. So the other disciple who was acquainted with the high priest came out and spoke to the slave girl who watched the door, 273 and brought Peter inside. 18:17 The girl 274 who was the doorkeeper said to Peter, “You’re not one of this man’s disciples too, are you?” 275 He replied, 276 “I am not.” 18:18 (Now the slaves 277 and the guards 278 were standing around a charcoal fire they had made, warming themselves because it was cold. 279 Peter also was standing with them, warming himself.) 280
18:19 While this was happening, 281 the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and about his teaching. 282 18:20 Jesus replied, 283 “I have spoken publicly to the world. I always taught in the synagogues 284 and in the temple courts, 285 where all the Jewish people 286 assemble together. I 287 have said nothing in secret. 18:21 Why do you ask me? Ask those who heard what I said. 288 They 289 know what I said.” 18:22 When Jesus 290 had said this, one of the high priest’s officers who stood nearby struck him on the face and said, 291 “Is that the way you answer the high priest?” 18:23 Jesus replied, 292 “If I have said something wrong, 293 confirm 294 what is wrong. 295 But if I spoke correctly, why strike me?” 18:24 Then Annas sent him, still tied up, 296 to Caiaphas the high priest. 297
18:25 Meanwhile Simon Peter was standing in the courtyard 298 warming himself. They said to him, “You aren’t one of his disciples too, are you?” 299 Peter 300 denied it: “I am not!” 18:26 One of the high priest’s slaves, 301 a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, 302 said, “Did I not see you in the orchard 303 with him?” 304 18:27 Then Peter denied it again, and immediately a rooster crowed. 305
18:28 Then they brought Jesus from Caiaphas to the Roman governor’s residence. 306 (Now it was very early morning.) 307 They 308 did not go into the governor’s residence 309 so they would not be ceremonially defiled, but could eat the Passover meal. 18:29 So Pilate came outside to them and said, “What accusation 310 do you bring against this man?” 311 18:30 They replied, 312 “If this man 313 were not a criminal, 314 we would not have handed him over to you.” 315
18:31 Pilate told them, 316 “Take him yourselves and pass judgment on him 317 according to your own law!” 318 The Jewish leaders 319 replied, 320 “We cannot legally put anyone to death.” 321 18:32 (This happened 322 to fulfill the word Jesus had spoken when he indicated 323 what kind of death he was going to die. 324 )
18:33 So Pilate went back into the governor’s residence, 325 summoned Jesus, and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” 326 18:34 Jesus replied, 327 “Are you saying this on your own initiative, 328 or have others told you about me?” 18:35 Pilate answered, “I am not a Jew, am I? 329 Your own people 330 and your chief priests handed you over 331 to me. What have you done?”
18:36 Jesus replied, “My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my servants would be fighting to keep me from being 332 handed over 333 to the Jewish authorities. 334 But as it is, 335 my kingdom is not from here.” 18:37 Then Pilate said, 336 “So you are a king!” Jesus replied, “You say that I am a king. For this reason I was born, and for this reason I came into the world – to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to 337 my voice.” 18:38 Pilate asked, 338 “What is truth?” 339
When he had said this he went back outside to the Jewish leaders 340 and announced, 341 “I find no basis for an accusation 342 against him. 18:39 But it is your custom that I release one prisoner 343 for you at the Passover. 344 So do you want me to release for you the king of the Jews?” 18:40 Then they shouted back, 345 “Not this man, 346 but Barabbas!” 347 (Now Barabbas was a revolutionary. 348 ) 349
19:1 Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged severely. 350 19:2 The soldiers 351 braided 352 a crown of thorns 353 and put it on his head, and they clothed him in a purple robe. 354 19:3 They 355 came up to him again and again 356 and said, “Hail, king of the Jews!” 357 And they struck him repeatedly 358 in the face.
19:4 Again Pilate went out and said to the Jewish leaders, 359 “Look, I am bringing him out to you, so that you may know that I find no reason for an accusation 360 against him.” 19:5 So Jesus came outside, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. 361 Pilate 362 said to them, “Look, here is the man!” 363 19:6 When the chief priests and their officers saw him, they shouted out, “Crucify 364 him! Crucify him!” 365 Pilate said, 366 “You take him and crucify him! 367 Certainly 368 I find no reason for an accusation 369 against him!” 19:7 The Jewish leaders 370 replied, 371 “We have a law, 372 and according to our law he ought to die, because he claimed to be the Son of God!” 373
19:8 When Pilate heard what they said, 374 he was more afraid than ever, 375 19:9 and he went back into the governor’s residence 376 and said to Jesus, “Where do you come from?” But Jesus gave him no answer. 19:10 So Pilate said, 377 “Do you refuse to speak to me? Don’t you know I have the authority 378 to release you, and to crucify you?” 379 19:11 Jesus replied, “You would have no authority 380 over me at all, unless it was given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you 381 is guilty of greater sin.” 382
19:12 From this point on, Pilate tried 383 to release him. But the Jewish leaders 384 shouted out, 385 “If you release this man, 386 you are no friend of Caesar! 387 Everyone who claims to be a king 388 opposes Caesar!” 19:13 When Pilate heard these words he brought Jesus outside and sat down on the judgment seat 389 in the place called “The Stone Pavement” 390 (Gabbatha in 391 Aramaic). 392 19:14 (Now it was the day of preparation 393 for the Passover, about noon. 394 ) 395 Pilate 396 said to the Jewish leaders, 397 “Look, here is your king!”
19:15 Then they 398 shouted out, “Away with him! Away with him! 399 Crucify 400 him!” Pilate asked, 401 “Shall I crucify your king?” The high priests replied, “We have no king except Caesar!” 19:16 Then Pilate 402 handed him over 403 to them to be crucified.
So they took Jesus, 19:17 and carrying his own cross 404 he went out to the place called “The Place of the Skull” 405 (called in Aramaic 406 Golgotha). 407 19:18 There they 408 crucified 409 him along with two others, 410 one on each side, with Jesus in the middle. 19:19 Pilate also had a notice 411 written and fastened to the cross, 412 which read: 413 “Jesus the Nazarene, the king of the Jews.” 19:20 Thus many of the Jewish residents of Jerusalem 414 read this notice, 415 because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the notice was written in Aramaic, 416 Latin, and Greek. 19:21 Then the chief priests of the Jews 417 said to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The king of the Jews,’ but rather, ‘This man said, I am king of the Jews.’” 19:22 Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.”
19:23 Now when the soldiers crucified 418 Jesus, they took his clothes and made four shares, one for each soldier, 419 and the tunic 420 remained. (Now the tunic 421 was seamless, woven from top to bottom as a single piece.) 422 19:24 So the soldiers said to one another, “Let’s not tear it, but throw dice 423 to see who will get it.” 424 This took place 425 to fulfill the scripture that says, “They divided my garments among them, and for my clothing they threw dice.” 426 So the soldiers did these things.
19:25 Now standing beside Jesus’ cross were his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 427 19:26 So when Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing there, he said to his mother, “Woman, 428 look, here is your son!” 19:27 He then said to his disciple, “Look, here is your mother!” From that very time 429 the disciple took her into his own home.
19:28 After this Jesus, realizing that by this time 430 everything was completed, 431 said (in order to fulfill the scripture), 432 “I am thirsty!” 433 19:29 A jar full of sour wine 434 was there, so they put a sponge soaked in sour wine on a branch of hyssop 435 and lifted it 436 to his mouth. 19:30 When 437 he had received the sour wine, Jesus said, “It is completed!” 438 Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. 439
19:31 Then, because it was the day of preparation, so that the bodies should not stay on the crosses on the Sabbath 440 (for that Sabbath was an especially important one), 441 the Jewish leaders 442 asked Pilate to have the victims’ legs 443 broken 444 and the bodies taken down. 445 19:32 So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the two men who had been crucified 446 with Jesus, 447 first the one and then the other. 448 19:33 But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. 19:34 But one of the soldiers pierced 449 his side with a spear, and blood and water 450 flowed out immediately. 19:35 And the person who saw it 451 has testified (and his testimony is true, and he 452 knows that he is telling the truth), 453 so that you also may believe. 19:36 For these things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled, “Not a bone of his will be broken.” 454 19:37 And again another scripture says, “They will look on the one whom they have pierced.” 455
19:38 After this, Joseph of Arimathea, a disciple of Jesus (but secretly, because he feared the Jewish leaders 456 ), 457 asked Pilate if he could remove the body of Jesus. Pilate 458 gave him permission, so he went and took the body away. 459 19:39 Nicodemus, the man who had previously come to Jesus 460 at night, 461 accompanied Joseph, 462 carrying a mixture of myrrh and aloes 463 weighing about seventy-five pounds. 464 19:40 Then they took Jesus’ body and wrapped it, with the aromatic spices, 465 in strips of linen cloth 466 according to Jewish burial customs. 467 19:41 Now at the place where Jesus 468 was crucified 469 there was a garden, 470 and in the garden 471 was a new tomb where no one had yet been buried. 472 19:42 And so, because it was the Jewish day of preparation 473 and the tomb was nearby, 474 they placed Jesus’ body there.
[1:6] 1 tn Heb “Then he”; the referent (the offerer) has been specified in the translation for clarity. The LXX and Smr have “they” rather than “he” in both halves of this verse, suggesting that the priests, not the offerer, were to skin and cut the carcass of the bull into pieces (cf. the notes on vv. 5a and 9a).
[22:1] 2 sn Psalm 22. The psalmist cries out to the Lord for deliverance from his dangerous enemies, who have surrounded him and threaten his life. Confident that the Lord will intervene, he then vows to thank the Lord publicly for his help and anticipates a time when all people will recognize the Lord’s greatness and worship him.
[22:1] 3 tn Heb “according to the doe of the dawn.” Apparently this refers to a particular musical tune or style.
[22:1] 4 sn From the psalmist’s perspective it seems that God has abandoned him, for he fails to answer his cry for help (vv. 1b-2).
[22:1] 5 tn Heb “far from my deliverance [are] the words of my groaning.” The Hebrew noun שְׁאָגָה (shÿ’agah) and its related verb שָׁאַג (sha’ag) are sometimes used of a lion’s roar, but they can also describe human groaning (see Job 3:24 and Pss 32:3 and 38:8.
[22:2] 6 tn Heb “there is no silence to me.”
[22:3] 7 tn Heb “[O] one who sits [on] the praises of Israel.” The verb “receiving” is supplied in the translation for clarity. The metaphorical language pictures the
[22:4] 9 tn The words “in you” are supplied in the translation. They are understood by ellipsis (see the preceding line).
[22:5] 10 tn Or “were not ashamed.”
[22:6] 11 tn The grammatical construction (conjunction + pronoun) highlights the contrast between the psalmist’s experience and that of his ancestors. When he considers God’s past reliability, it only heightens his despair and confusion, for God’s present silence stands in stark contrast to his past saving acts.
[22:6] 12 tn The metaphor expresses the psalmist’s self-perception, which is based on how others treat him (see the following line).
[22:6] 13 tn Or “not a human being.” The psalmist perceives himself as less than human.
[22:6] 14 tn Heb “a reproach of man and despised by people.”
[22:7] 15 tn Or “scoff at, deride, mock.”
[22:7] 16 tn Heb “they separate with a lip.” Apparently this refers to their verbal taunting.
[22:7] 17 sn Shake their heads. Apparently this refers to a taunting gesture. See also Job 16:4; Ps 109:25; Lam 2:15.
[22:8] 18 tn The words “they say” are supplied in the translation for clarification and for stylistic reasons. The psalmist here quotes the sarcastic taunts of his enemies.
[22:8] 19 tn Heb “roll [yourself].” The Hebrew verb גלל here has the sense of “commit” (see Prov 16:3). The imperatival form in the Hebrew text indicates the enemies here address the psalmist. Since they refer to him in the third person in the rest of the verse, some prefer to emend the verb to a perfect, “he commits himself to the
[22:8] 20 tn Heb “Let him”; the referent (the
[22:8] 21 tn Heb “Let him”; the referent (the
[22:8] 22 tn That is, “for he [the
[22:9] 23 tn Or “the one who pulled me.” The verb is derived from either גָחָה (gakhah; see HALOT 187 s.v. גחה) or גִּיחַ (giyakh; see BDB 161 s.v. גִּיחַ) and seems to carry the nuance “burst forth” or “pull out.”
[22:10] 24 tn Heb “upon you I was cast from [the] womb.”
[22:10] 25 tn Heb “from the womb of my mother you [have been] my God.”
[22:11] 26 tn Heb “and there is no helper.”
[22:12] 27 sn The psalmist figuratively compares his enemies to dangerous bulls.
[22:12] 28 sn Bashan, located east of the Jordan River, was well-known for its cattle. See Ezek 39:18; Amos 4:1.
[22:13] 29 tn “They” refers to the psalmist’s enemies, who in the previous verse are described as “powerful bulls.”
[22:13] 30 tn Heb “they open against me their mouth[s].” To “open the mouth against” is a Hebrew idiom associated with eating and swallowing (see Ezek 2:8; Lam 2:16).
[22:13] 31 tn Heb “a lion ripping and roaring.”
[22:14] 32 tn Heb “like water I am poured out.”
[22:14] 33 sn The heart is viewed here as the seat of the psalmist’s strength and courage.
[22:15] 34 tc Heb “my strength” (כֹּחִי, kokhiy), but many prefer to emend the text to חִכִּי (khikiy, “my palate”; cf. NEB, NRSV “my mouth”) assuming that an error of transposition has occurred in the traditional Hebrew text.
[22:15] 35 tn Cf. NEB “my jaw”; NASB, NRSV “my jaws”; NIV “the roof of my mouth.”
[22:15] 36 sn Here the psalmist addresses God and suggests that God is ultimately responsible for what is happening because of his failure to intervene (see vv. 1-2, 11).
[22:15] 37 sn The imperfect verbal form draws attention to the progressive nature of the action. The psalmist is in the process of dying.
[22:16] 39 tn Heb “like a lion, my hands and my feet.” This reading is often emended because it is grammatically awkward, but perhaps its awkwardness is by rhetorical design. Its broken syntax may be intended to convey the panic and terror felt by the psalmist. The psalmist may envision a lion pinning the hands and feet of its victim to the ground with its paws (a scene depicted in ancient Near Eastern art), or a lion biting the hands and feet. The line has been traditionally translated, “they pierce my hands and feet,” and then taken as foreshadowing the crucifixion of Christ. Though Jesus does appropriate the language of this psalm while on the cross (compare v. 1 with Matt 27:46 and Mark 15:34), the NT does not cite this verse in describing the death of Jesus. (It does refer to vv. 7-8 and 18, however. See Matt 27:35, 39, 43; Mark 15:24, 29; Luke 23:34; John 19:23-24.) If one were to insist on an emendation of כָּאֲרִי (ka’ariy, “like a lion”) to a verb, the most likely verbal root would be כָּרָה (karah, “dig”; see the LXX). In this context this verb could refer to the gnawing and tearing of wild dogs (cf. NCV, TEV, CEV). The ancient Greek version produced by Symmachus reads “bind” here, perhaps understanding a verbal root כרך, which is attested in later Hebrew and Aramaic and means “to encircle, entwine, embrace” (see HALOT 497-98 s.v. כרך and Jastrow 668 s.v. כָּרַךְ). Neither one of these proposed verbs can yield a meaning “bore, pierce.”
[22:17] 40 tn The imperfect verbal forms in vv. 17-18 draw attention to the progressive nature of the action.
[22:17] 41 tn Heb “they.” The masculine form indicates the enemies are in view. The referent (the psalmist’s enemies) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[22:17] 42 tn Heb “they gaze, they look upon me.”
[22:18] 43 tn Heb “casting lots.” The precise way in which this would have been done is not certain.
[22:19] 44 tn Heb “O my strength.”
[22:19] 45 tn Heb “hurry to my help.”
[22:20] 47 tn The verb “save” is supplied in the translation; it is understood by ellipsis (see “deliver” in the preceding line).
[22:20] 48 tn Heb “my only one.” The psalmist may mean that his life is precious, or that he feels isolated and alone.
[22:20] 49 tn Heb “from the hand.” Here “hand” is understood by metonymy as a reference to the “paw” and thus the “claws” of the wild dogs.
[22:21] 50 sn The psalmist again compares his enemies to vicious dogs and ferocious lions (see vv. 13, 16).
[22:21] 51 tn The Hebrew term רֵמִים (remim) appears to be an alternate spelling of רְאֵמִים (rÿ’emim, “wild oxen”; see BDB 910 s.v. רְאֵם).
[22:21] 52 tn Heb “and from the horns of the wild oxen you answer me.” Most take the final verb with the preceding prepositional phrase. Some understand the verb form as a relatively rare precative perfect, expressing a wish or request (see IBHS 494-95 §30.5.4c, d). However, not all grammarians are convinced that the perfect is used as a precative in biblical Hebrew. (See the discussion at Ps 3:7.) Others prefer to take the perfect in its usual indicative sense. The psalmist, perhaps in response to an oracle of salvation, affirms confidently that God has answered him, assuring him that deliverance is on the way. The present translation takes the prepositional phrase as parallel to the preceding “from the mouth of the lion” and as collocated with the verb “rescue” at the beginning of the verse. “You have answered me” is understood as a triumphant shout which marks a sudden shift in tone and introduces the next major section of the psalm. By isolating the statement syntactically, the psalmist highlights the declaration.
[14:1] 53 tn Or “the chief priests and the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 1:22.
[14:1] 54 tn Grk “were seeking how.”
[14:1] 55 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[14:2] 56 sn The suggestion here is that Jesus was too popular to openly arrest him. The verb were trying is imperfect. It suggests, in this context, that they were always considering the opportunities.
[14:3] 57 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
[14:3] 58 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[14:3] 59 sn 1st century middle eastern meals were not eaten while sitting at a table, but while reclining on one’s side on the floor with the head closest to the low table and the feet farthest away.
[14:3] 60 sn A jar made of alabaster stone was normally used for very precious substances like perfumes. It normally had a long neck which was sealed and had to be broken off so the contents could be used.
[14:3] 61 tn Μύρον (muron) was usually made of myrrh (from which the English word is derived) but here it is used in the sense of ointment or perfumed oil (L&N 6.205). The adjective πιστικῆς (pistikh") is difficult with regard to its exact meaning; some have taken it to derive from πίστις (pistis) and relate to the purity of the oil of nard. More probably it is something like a brand name, “pistic nard,” the exact significance of which has not been discovered.
[14:4] 62 tn The word “expensive” is not in the Greek text but has been included to suggest a connection to the lengthy phrase “costly aromatic oil from pure nard” occurring earlier in v. 3. The author of Mark shortened this long phrase to just one word in Greek when repeated here, and the phrase “expensive ointment” used in the translation is intended as an abbreviated paraphrase.
[14:5] 63 tn Here γάρ (gar) has not been translated.
[14:5] 64 tn Grk “three hundred denarii.” One denarius was the standard day’s wage, so the value exceeded what a laborer could earn in a year (taking in to account Sabbaths and feast days when no work was done).
[14:5] 65 tn The words “the money” are not in the Greek text, but are implied (as the proceeds from the sale of the perfumed oil).
[14:5] 66 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.
[14:7] 67 tn In the Greek text of this clause, “me” is in emphatic position (the first word in the clause). To convey some impression of the emphasis, an exclamation point is used in the translation.
[14:9] 68 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”
[14:10] 69 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[14:10] 70 tn Grk “betray him to them”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[14:11] 71 sn The leaders were delighted when Judas contacted them about betraying Jesus, because it gave them the opportunity they had been looking for, and they could later claim that Jesus had been betrayed by one of his own disciples.
[14:11] 72 sn Matt 26:15 states the amount of money they gave Judas was thirty pieces of silver (see also Matt 27:3-4; Zech 11:12-13).
[14:11] 73 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.
[14:11] 74 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Judas) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[14:12] 75 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
[14:12] 76 tn The words “the feast of” are not in the Greek text, but have been supplied for clarity.
[14:12] 77 sn Generally the feast of Unleavened Bread would refer to Nisan 15 (Friday), but the following reference to the sacrifice of the Passover lamb indicates that Nisan 14 (Thursday) was what Mark had in mind (Nisan = March 27 to April 25). The celebration of the Feast of Unleavened Bread lasted eight days, beginning with the Passover meal. The celebrations were so close together that at times the names of both were used interchangeably.
[14:12] 78 tn Grk “his”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[14:12] 79 sn This required getting a suitable lamb and finding lodging in Jerusalem where the meal could be eaten. The population of the city swelled during the feast, so lodging could be difficult to find. The Passover was celebrated each year in commemoration of the Israelites’ deliverance from Egypt; thus it was a feast celebrating redemption (see Exod 12). The Passover lamb was roasted and eaten after sunset in a family group of at least ten people (m. Pesahim 7.13). People ate the meal while reclining (see the note on table in 14:18). It included, besides the lamb, unleavened bread and bitter herbs as a reminder of Israel’s bitter affliction at the hands of the Egyptians. Four cups of wine mixed with water were also used for the meal. For a further description of the meal and the significance of the wine cups, see E. Ferguson, Backgrounds of Early Christianity, 523-24.
[14:13] 80 sn Since women usually carried these jars, it would have been no problem for the two disciples (Luke 22:8 states that they were Peter and John) to recognize the man Jesus was referring to.
[14:16] 81 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the flow within the narrative.
[14:16] 83 sn The author’s note that the disciples found things just as he had told them shows that Jesus’ word could be trusted.
[14:17] 84 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[14:17] 85 tn The prepositional phrase “to the house” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied for clarity.
[14:18] 86 tn Grk “while they were reclined at the table.”
[14:18] 87 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”
[14:18] 88 tn Or “will hand me over”; Grk “one of you will betray me, the one who eats with me.”
[14:20] 89 tn Grk “one who dips with me.” The phrase “his hand” has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
[14:20] 90 sn One who dips with me in the bowl. The point of Jesus’ comment here is not to identify the specific individual per se, but to indicate that it is one who was close to him – somebody whom no one would suspect. His comment serves to heighten the treachery of Judas’ betrayal.
[14:24] 91 tn Grk “this is my blood of the covenant that is poured out for many.” In order to avoid confusion about which is poured out, the translation supplies “blood” twice so that the following phrase clearly modifies “blood,” not “covenant.”
[14:24] 92 tc Most
[14:25] 93 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”
[14:25] 94 tn Grk “the produce” (“the produce of the vine” is a figurative expression for wine).
[14:26] 95 sn After singing a hymn. The Hallel Psalms (Pss 113-118) were sung during the meal. Psalms 113 and 114 were sung just before the second cup and 115-118 were sung at the end of the meal, after the fourth, or hallel cup.
[14:27] 96 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[14:27] 97 sn A quotation from Zech 13:7.
[14:30] 98 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”
[14:31] 99 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Peter) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[14:31] 100 tn Grk “said emphatically.”
[14:32] 101 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[14:32] 102 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[14:33] 103 tn Grk “and James,” but καί (kai) has not been translated since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.
[14:36] 104 tn The word means “Father” in Aramaic.
[14:36] 105 sn This cup alludes to the wrath of God that Jesus would experience (in the form of suffering and death) for us. See Ps 11:6; 75:8-9; Isa 51:17, 19, 22 for this figure.
[14:37] 106 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[14:40] 107 tn Grk “because their eyes were weighed down,” an idiom for becoming extremely or excessively sleepy (L&N 23.69).
[14:41] 108 tn Or “Sleep on, and get your rest.” This sentence can be taken either as a question or a sarcastic command.
[14:41] 109 tc Codex D (with some support with minor variation from W Θ Ë13 565 2542 pc it) reads, “Enough of that! It is the end and the hour has come.” Evidently, this addition highlights Jesus’ assertion that what he had predicted about his own death was now coming true (cf. Luke 22:37). Even though the addition highlights the accuracy of Jesus’ prediction, it should not be regarded as part of the text of Mark, since it receives little support from the rest of the witnesses and because D especially is prone to expand the wording of a text.
[14:42] 110 tn Grk “the one who betrays me.”
[14:43] 111 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[14:43] 112 tn Or “approached.” This is a different verb than the one translated “arrived” in Matt 26:47 and below in v. 45, although in this context the meanings probably overlap.
[14:43] 113 tn Or “from the chief priests, scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 1:22.
[14:44] 114 tn Grk “the one who betrays him.”
[14:44] 115 sn This remark is parenthetical within the narrative and has thus been placed in parentheses.
[14:45] 116 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Judas) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[14:45] 117 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[14:45] 118 sn Judas’ act of betrayal when he kissed Jesus is especially sinister when it is realized that it was common in the culture of the times for a disciple to kiss his master when greeting him.
[14:46] 119 tn Grk “put their hands on him.”
[14:47] 120 tn See the note on the word “slave” in 10:44.
[14:48] 121 tn Or “a revolutionary.” This term can refer to one who stirs up rebellion: BDAG 594 s.v. λῃστής 2 has “revolutionary, insurrectionist,” citing evidence from Josephus (J. W. 2.13.2-3 [2.253-254]). However, this usage generally postdates Jesus’ time. It does refer to a figure of violence. Luke uses the same term for the highwaymen who attack the traveler in the parable of the good Samaritan (Luke 10:30).
[14:49] 122 tn Grk “and”; καί (kai) is elastic enough to be used contrastively on occasion, as here.
[14:49] 123 tn Grk “But so that”; the verb “has happened” is implied.
[14:50] 124 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[14:50] 125 tn Grk “they”; the referent (Jesus’ disciples) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[14:52] 126 sn The statement he ran off naked is probably a reference to Mark himself, traditionally assumed to be the author of this Gospel. Why he was wearing only an outer garment and not the customary tunic as well is not mentioned. W. L. Lane, Mark (NICNT), 527-28, says that Mark probably mentioned this episode so as to make it clear that “all fled, leaving Jesus alone in the custody of the police.”
[14:53] 127 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[14:53] 128 tn Or “and scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 1:22.
[14:54] 129 tn Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
[14:54] 130 sn The guards would have been the guards of the chief priests who had accompanied Judas to arrest Jesus.
[14:57] 131 tn Grk “Some standing up gave false testimony against him, saying.”
[14:60] 132 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[14:60] 133 tn Grk “in the middle.”
[14:61] 134 tn Grk “questioned him and said to him.”
[14:61] 135 tn Or “the Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”
[14:62] 136 sn An allusion to Ps 110:1. This is a claim that Jesus shares authority with God in heaven. Those present may have thought they were his judges, but, in fact, the reverse was true.
[14:62] 137 sn The expression the right hand of the Power is a circumlocution for referring to God. Such indirect references to God were common in 1st century Judaism out of reverence for the divine name.
[14:62] 138 sn An allusion to Dan 7:13.
[14:64] 139 tn Grk “What do you think?”
[14:65] 140 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[14:65] 141 tn For the translation of ῥάπισμα (rJapisma), see L&N 19.4.
[14:66] 142 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
[14:66] 143 tn The Greek term here is παιδίσκη (paidiskh), referring to a slave girl or slave woman.
[14:68] 144 tn Grk “he denied it, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant in English and has not been translated.
[14:68] 145 tn Grk “I do not know or understand what you are saying.” In the translation this is taken as a hendiadys (a figure of speech where two terms express a single meaning, usually for emphatic reasons).
[14:68] 146 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[14:68] 147 tc Several important witnesses (א B L W Ψ* 579 892 2427 pc) lack the words “and a rooster crowed.” The fact that such good and early Alexandrian witnesses lack these words makes this textual problem difficult to decide, especially because the words receive support from other witnesses, some of which are fairly decent (A C D Θ Ψc 067 Ë1,13 33 [1424] Ï lat). The omission could have been intentional on the part of some Alexandrian scribes who wished to bring this text in line with the other Gospel accounts that only mention a rooster crowing once (Matt 26:74; Luke 22:60; John 18:27). The insertion could be an attempt to make the fulfillment of Jesus’ prophecy in 14:30 more explicit. Internally, the words “and a rooster crowed” fit Mark’s Gospel here, not only in view of 14:30, “before a rooster crows twice,” but also in view of the mention of “a second time” in 14:71 (a reading which is much more textually secure). Nevertheless, a decision is difficult.
[14:70] 148 tn Grk “Truly you are.”
[14:72] 149 tn This occurrence of the word ἀλέκτωρ (alektwr, “rooster”) is anarthrous and consequently may not point back explicitly to the rooster which had crowed previously in v. 68. The reason for the anarthrous construction is most likely to indicate generically that some rooster crowed. Further, the translation of ἀλέκτωρ as an indefinite noun retains the subtlety of the Greek in only hinting at the Lord’s prediction v. 30. See also NAB, TEV, NASB.
[14:72] 150 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[14:72] 151 tn Grk “he wept deeply.”
[15:1] 152 tn Or “and the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 1:22.
[15:1] 153 sn The Jews most assuredly wanted to put Jesus to death, but they lacked the authority to do so. For this reason they handed him over to Pilate in hopes of securing a death sentence. The Romans kept close control of the death penalty in conquered territories to prevent it being used to execute Roman sympathizers.
[15:2] 154 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action in the narrative.
[15:2] 155 sn “Are you the king of the Jews?” Pilate was interested in this charge because of its political implications of sedition against Rome.
[15:2] 156 tn Grk “answering, he said to him.” The participle ἀποκριθείς (apokriqeis) is redundant, but the syntax of the phrase has been modified for clarity.
[15:2] 157 sn The reply “You say so” is somewhat enigmatic, like Jesus’ earlier reply to the Jewish leadership (mentioned in Matt 26:64 and Luke 22:70).
[15:3] 158 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[15:4] 159 tn Grk “Pilate asked him again, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant and has not been translated.
[15:6] 160 tn Grk “them”; the referent (the people) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[15:8] 161 tn Grk “Coming up the crowd began to ask [him to do] as he was doing for them.”
[15:9] 162 tn Grk “Pilate answered them, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant and has not been translated.
[15:10] 163 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.
[15:11] 164 tn Grk “to have him release for them.”
[15:12] 165 tn Grk “answering, Pilate spoke to them again.” The participle ἀποκριθείς (apokriqeis) is redundant and has not been translated.
[15:12] 166 tc Instead of “what do you want me to do” several witnesses, including the most important ones (א B C W Δ Ψ Ë1,13 33 892 2427 pc), lack θέλετε (qelete, “you want”), turning the question into the more abrupt “what should I do?” Although the witnesses for the longer reading are not as significant (A D Θ 0250 Ï latt sy), the reading without θέλετε conforms to Matt 27:22 and thus is suspected of being a scribal emendation. The known scribal tendency to assimilate one synoptic passage to another parallel, coupled with the lack of such assimilation in
[15:13] 167 sn Crucifixion was the cruelest form of punishment practiced by the Romans. Roman citizens could not normally undergo it. It was reserved for the worst crimes, like treason and evasion of due process in a capital case. The Roman historian Cicero called it “a cruel and disgusting penalty” (Against Verres 2.5.63-66 §§163-70); Josephus (J. W. 7.6.4 [7.203]) called it the worst of deaths.
[15:15] 168 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[15:15] 169 tn The Greek term φραγελλόω (fragellow) refers to flogging. BDAG 1064 s.v. states, “flog, scourge, a punishment inflicted on slaves and provincials after a sentence of death had been pronounced on them. So in the case of Jesus before the crucifixion…Mt 27:26; Mk 15:15.”
[15:15] 170 tn Or “delivered him up.”
[15:16] 171 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “So” to indicate that the soldiers’ action is in response to Pilate’s condemnation of the prisoner in v. 15.
[15:16] 172 tn Grk “(that is, the praetorium).”
[15:16] 173 sn A Roman cohort was a tenth of a legion, about 500-600 soldiers.
[15:17] 174 sn The purple cloak probably refers to a military garment which had the color of royal purple, and thus resembled a king’s robe. The soldiers did this to Jesus as a form of mockery in view of the charges that he was a king (cf. 15:2).
[15:17] 176 sn The crown may have been made from palm spines or some other thorny plant common in Israel. In placing the crown of thorns on his head, the soldiers were unwittingly symbolizing God’s curse on humanity (cf. Gen 3:18) being placed on Jesus. Their purpose would have been to mock Jesus’ claim to be a king; the crown of thorns would have represented the “radiant corona” portrayed on the heads of rulers on coins and other artifacts in the 1st century.
[15:18] 177 tn Or “Long live the King of the Jews!”
[15:19] 178 tn The verb here has been translated as an iterative imperfect.
[15:19] 179 tn Or “a reed.” The Greek term can mean either “staff” or “reed.” See BDAG 502 s.v. κάλαμος 2.
[15:20] 180 tn The aorist tense is taken consummatively here.
[15:20] 181 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[15:20] 182 sn See the note on Crucify in 15:13.
[15:21] 183 tn Grk “They”; the referent (the soldiers) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[15:21] 184 tn Or “conscripted”; or “pressed into service.”
[15:21] 185 sn Jesus was beaten severely with a whip before this (the prelude to crucifixion, known to the Romans as verberatio, mentioned in Matt 27:26; Mark 15:15; John 19:1), so he would have been weak from trauma and loss of blood. Apparently he was unable to bear the cross himself, so Simon was conscripted to help (in all probability this was only the crossbeam, called in Latin the patibulum, since the upright beam usually remained in the ground at the place of execution). Cyrene was located in North Africa where Tripoli is today. Nothing more is known about this Simon.
[15:21] 186 tn Or perhaps, “was coming in from his field” outside the city (BDAG 15-16 s.v. ἀγρός 1).
[15:22] 188 tn Grk “a place, Golgotha.” This is an Aramaic name; see John 19:17.
[15:22] 189 sn The place called Golgotha (which is translated “Place of the Skull”). This location is north and just outside of Jerusalem. The hill on which it is located protruded much like a skull, giving the place its name. The Latin word for the Greek term κρανίον (kranion) is calvaria, from which the English word “Calvary” is derived (cf. Luke 23:33 in the KJV).
[15:23] 190 sn It is difficult to say for certain who gave Jesus this drink of wine mixed with myrrh (e.g., the executioner, or perhaps women from Jerusalem). In any case, whoever gave it to him most likely did so in order to relieve his pain, but Jesus was unwilling to take it.
[15:24] 191 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[15:24] 192 sn See the note on Crucify in 15:13.
[15:24] 193 tn Grk “by throwing the lot” (probably by using marked pebbles or broken pieces of pottery). A modern equivalent, “throwing dice,” was chosen here because of its association with gambling. According to L&N 6.219 a term for “dice” is particularly appropriate.
[15:25] 194 tn Grk “It was the third hour.” This time would have been approximate, and could refer to the beginning of the process, some time before Jesus was lifted on the cross.
[15:26] 195 sn Mention of the inscription is an important detail, because the inscription would normally give the reason for the execution. It shows that Jesus was executed for claiming to be a king. It was also probably written with irony from the executioners’ point of view.
[15:28] 196 tc Most later
[15:30] 197 sn There is rich irony in the statement of those who were passing by, “Save yourself and come down from the cross!” In summary, they wanted Jesus to come down from the cross and save his physical life, but it was indeed his staying on the cross and giving his physical life that led to the fact that they could experience a resurrection from death to life. There is a similar kind of irony in the statement made by the chief priests and experts in the law in 15:31.
[15:31] 198 tn Or “with the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 1:22. Only “chief priests” is in the nominative case; this sentence structure attempts to capture this emphasis.
[15:31] 199 tn Grk “Mocking him, the chief priests…said among themselves.”
[15:32] 200 tn Or “the Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”
[15:32] 201 sn Mark’s wording suggests that both of the criminals spoke abusively to him. If so, one of them quickly changed his attitude toward Jesus (see Luke 23:40-43).
[15:33] 202 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
[15:33] 203 tn Grk “When the sixth hour had come.”
[15:33] 204 sn This imagery has parallels to the Day of the Lord: Joel 2:10; Amos 8:9; Zeph 1:15.
[15:33] 205 tn Grk “until the ninth hour.”
[15:34] 206 tn The repetition of the phrase “three o’clock” preserves the author’s rougher, less elegant style (cf. Matt 27:45-46; Luke 23:44). Although such stylistic matters are frequently handled differently in the translation, because the issue of synoptic literary dependence is involved here, it was considered important to reflect some of the stylistic differences among the synoptics in the translation, so that the English reader can be aware of them.
[15:34] 207 sn A quotation from Ps 22:1.
[15:35] 208 sn Perhaps the crowd thought Jesus was calling for Elijah because the exclamation “my God, my God” (i.e., in Aramaic, Eloi, Eloi) sounds like the name Elijah.
[15:36] 209 sn Sour wine refers to cheap wine that was called in Latin posca, a cheap vinegar wine diluted heavily with water. It was the drink of slaves and soldiers, and was probably there for the soldiers who had performed the crucifixion.
[15:38] 211 tn The referent of this term, καταπέτασμα (katapetasma), is not entirely clear. It could refer to the curtain separating the holy of holies from the holy place (Josephus, J. W. 5.5.5 [5.219]), or it could refer to one at the entrance of the temple court (Josephus, J. W. 5.5.4 [5.212]). Many argue that the inner curtain is meant because another term, κάλυμμα (kalumma), is also used for the outer curtain. Others see a reference to the outer curtain as more likely because of the public nature of this sign. Either way, the symbolism means that access to God has been opened up. It also pictures a judgment that includes the sacrifices.
[15:39] 212 sn A centurion was a noncommissioned officer in the Roman army or one of the auxiliary territorial armies, commanding a centuria of (nominally) 100 men. The responsibilities of centurions were broadly similar to modern junior officers, but there was a wide gap in social status between them and officers, and relatively few were promoted beyond the rank of senior centurion. The Roman troops stationed in Judea were auxiliaries, who would normally be rewarded with Roman citizenship after 25 years of service. Some of the centurions may have served originally in the Roman legions (regular army) and thus gained their citizenship at enlistment. Others may have inherited it, like Paul.
[15:39] 213 tn Grk “the way he breathed his last”; or “the way he expired”; or “that he thus breathed no more.”
[15:40] 214 sn In Matt 27:56 the name Joses is written as Joseph.
[15:41] 215 tn Grk “and ministered to him.”
[15:41] 216 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[15:42] 217 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic and introduction of a new character.
[15:42] 218 sn The day of preparation was the day before the Sabbath when everything had to be prepared for it, as no work could be done on the Sabbath.
[15:43] 219 tn Grk “a councillor” (as a member of the Sanhedrin, see L&N 11.85). This indicates that some individuals among the leaders did respond to Jesus.
[15:43] 220 tn Or “waiting for.”
[15:43] 221 sn Though some dispute that Joseph of Arimathea was a disciple of Jesus, this remark that he was looking forward to the kingdom of God and his actions regarding Jesus’ burial suggest otherwise.
[15:43] 222 sn Asking for the body of Jesus was indeed a bold move on the part of Joseph of Arimathea, for it clearly and openly identified him with a man who had just been condemned and executed, namely, Jesus. His faith is exemplary, especially for someone who was a member of the council that handed Jesus over for crucifixion (cf. Luke 23:51). He did this because he sought to give Jesus an honorable burial.
[15:44] 223 tn Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
[15:45] 224 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Pilate) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[15:45] 225 sn See the note on the word centurion in 15:39.
[15:46] 226 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Joseph of Arimathea) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[15:46] 227 tn The term σινδών (sindwn) can refer to a linen cloth used either for clothing or for burial.
[15:46] 228 tn That is, cut or carved into an outcropping of natural rock, resulting in a cave-like structure (see L&N 19.25).
[15:46] 229 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[15:46] 230 tn Or “to the door,” “against the door.”
[15:47] 231 tn Grk “it”; the referent (Jesus’ body) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[18:1] 232 sn When he had said these things appears to be a natural transition at the end of the Farewell Discourse (the farewell speech of Jesus to his disciples in John 13:31-17:26, including the final prayer in 17:1-26). The author states that Jesus went out with his disciples, a probable reference to their leaving the upper room where the meal and discourse described in chaps. 13-17 took place (although some have seen this only as a reference to their leaving the city, with the understanding that some of the Farewell Discourse, including the concluding prayer, was given en route, cf. 14:31). They crossed the Kidron Valley and came to a garden, or olive orchard, identified in Matt 26:36 and Mark 14:32 as Gethsemane. The name is not given in Luke’s or John’s Gospel, but the garden must have been located somewhere on the lower slopes of the Mount of Olives.
[18:1] 233 tn Grk “the wadi of the Kidron,” or “the ravine of the Kidron” (a wadi is a stream that flows only during the rainy season and is dry during the dry season).
[18:2] 236 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.
[18:3] 237 tn Grk “a cohort.” The word σπεῖραν (speiran) is a technical term for a Roman cohort, normally a force of 600 men (one tenth of a legion). It was under the command of a χιλίαρχος (ciliarco", v. 12). Because of the improbability of an entire cohort being sent to arrest a single man, some have suggested that σπεῖραν here refers only to a maniple, a force of 200. But the use of the word here does not necessarily mean the entire cohort was present on this mission, but only that it was the cohort which performed the task (for example, saying the fire department put out the fire does not mean that every fireman belonging to the department was on the scene at the time). These Roman soldiers must have been ordered to accompany the servants of the chief priests and Pharisees by Pilate, since they would have been under the direct command of the Roman prefect or procurator. It is not difficult to understand why Pilate would have been willing to assist the Jewish authorities in such a way. With a huge crowd of pilgrims in Jerusalem for the Passover, the Romans would have been especially nervous about an uprising of some sort. No doubt the chief priests and Pharisees had informed Pilate that this man Jesus was claiming to be the Messiah, or in the terms Pilate would understand, king of Israel.
[18:3] 238 tn The phrase “officers of the chief priests and Pharisees” is a comprehensive name for the groups represented in the ruling council (the Sanhedrin) as in John 7:32, 45; 18:3, 12, 18, 22; 19:6. They are different from the Levites who served as “temple police” according to K. H. Rengstorf (TDNT 8:540). In John 7:32ff. these officers had made an unsuccessful attempt to arrest Jesus, and perhaps this is part of the reason why their leaders had made sure they were accompanied by Roman soldiers this time. No more mistakes were to be tolerated.
[18:3] 239 tn The words “to the orchard” are not in the Greek text but are repeated from v. 1 for clarity.
[18:3] 240 tn These were lamps that had some sort of covering to protect them from wind and rain. In earlier usage the word meant “torch” but by NT times it apparently meant a lamp designed to be used outdoors, so “lantern” is a good contemporary English equivalent.
[18:4] 241 tn Grk “knowing all things that were coming upon him.”
[18:4] 242 tn Grk “Whom do you seek?”
[18:5] 243 tn Grk “They answered.”
[18:5] 244 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author. Before he states the response to Jesus’ identification of himself, the author inserts a parenthetical note that Judas, again identified as the one who betrayed him (cf. 18:2), was standing with the group of soldiers and officers of the chief priests. Many commentators have considered this to be an awkward insertion, but in fact it heightens considerably the dramatic effect of the response to Jesus’ self-identification in the following verse, and has the added effect of informing the reader that along with the others the betrayer himself ironically falls down at Jesus’ feet (18:6).
[18:6] 245 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[18:6] 246 tn Grk “moved back” (but here a fairly rapid movement is implied).
[18:6] 247 sn When Jesus said to those who came to arrest him “I am,” they retreated and fell to the ground. L. Morris says that “it is possible that those in front recoiled from Jesus’ unexpected advance, so that they bumped those behind them, causing them to stumble and fall” (John [NICNT], 743-44). Perhaps this is what in fact happened on the scene; but the theological significance given to this event by the author implies that more is involved. The reaction on the part of those who came to arrest Jesus comes in response to his affirmation that he is indeed the one they are seeking, Jesus the Nazarene. But Jesus makes this affirmation of his identity using a formula which the reader has encountered before in the Fourth Gospel, e.g., 8:24, 28, 58. Jesus has applied to himself the divine Name of Exod 3:14, “I AM.” Therefore this amounts to something of a theophany which causes even his enemies to recoil and prostrate themselves, so that Jesus has to ask a second time, “Who are you looking for?” This is a vivid reminder to the reader of the Gospel that even in this dark hour, Jesus holds ultimate power over his enemies and the powers of darkness, because he is the one who bears the divine Name.
[18:7] 248 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[18:8] 249 tn Grk “Jesus answered.”
[18:8] 250 tn Grk “if you are seeking.”
[18:8] 251 tn The word “men” is not in the Greek text but is implied. The translation uses the word “men” here rather than a more generic word like “people” because in context Jesus referred only to the eleven remaining disciples who were loyal to him and were present at his arrest.
[18:8] 252 sn A second time Jesus replied, “I told you that I am he,” identifying himself as the one they are seeking. Jesus also added, “If you are looking for me, let these men go.” Jesus successfully diverted attention from his disciples by getting the soldiers and officers of the chief priests to admit (twice) that it is only him they were after. Even in this hour Jesus still protected and cared for his own, giving himself up on their behalf. By handing himself over to his enemies, Jesus ensured that his disciples went free. From the perspective of the author, this is acting out beforehand what Jesus will actually do for his followers when he goes to the cross.
[18:9] 253 tn The words “He said this” are not in the Greek text, but are implied. There is an ellipsis in the Greek text that must be supplied for the modern English reader at this point.
[18:9] 254 sn This expression is similar to John 6:39 and John 17:12.
[18:9] 255 tn Grk “Of the ones whom you gave me, I did not lose one of them.” The order of the clauses has been rearranged to reflect contemporary English style.
[18:10] 256 tn See the note on the word “slaves” in 4:51.
[18:10] 257 sn The account of the attack on the high priest’s slave contains details which suggest eyewitness testimony. It is also mentioned in all three synoptic gospels, but only John records that the disciple involved was Peter, whose impulsive behavior has already been alluded to (John 13:37). Likewise only John gives the name of the victim, Malchus, who is described as the high priest’s slave. John and Mark (14:47) both use the word ὠτάριον (wtarion, a double diminutive) to describe what was cut off, and this may indicate only part of the right ear (for example, the earlobe).
[18:10] 258 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.
[18:11] 259 tn Grk “The cup that the Father has given me to drink, shall I not drink it?” The order of the clauses has been rearranged to reflect contemporary English style.
[18:12] 260 tn Grk “a cohort” (but since this was a unit of 600 soldiers, a smaller detachment is almost certainly intended).
[18:12] 261 tn Grk “their chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). In Greek the term χιλίαρχος (ciliarco") literally described the “commander of a thousand,” but it was used as the standard translation for the Latin tribunus militum or tribunus militaris, the military tribune who commanded a cohort of 600 men.
[18:12] 262 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, who were named as “chief priests and Pharisees” in John 18:3.
[18:12] 264 tn Or “bound him.”
[18:13] 265 tn Grk “up, and brought.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
[18:13] 266 sn Jesus was taken first to Annas. Only the Gospel of John mentions this pretrial hearing before Annas, and that Annas was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who is said to be high priest in that year. Caiaphas is also mentioned as being high priest in John 11:49. But in 18:15, 16, 19, and 22 Annas is called high priest. Annas is also referred to as high priest by Luke in Acts 4:6. Many scholars have dismissed these references as mistakes on the part of both Luke and John, but as mentioned above, John 11:49 and 18:13 indicate that John knew that Caiaphas was high priest in the year that Jesus was crucified. This has led others to suggest that Annas and Caiaphas shared the high priesthood, but there is no historical evidence to support this view. Annas had been high priest from
[18:14] 267 tn Or “counseled.”
[18:14] 268 tn Grk “the Jews.” Here the phrase refers to the Jewish leaders, specifically members of the Sanhedrin (see John 11:49-50). See also the note on the phrase “Jewish leaders” in v. 12.
[18:14] 269 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.
[18:15] 270 tn The words “them as they brought Jesus to Annas” are not in the Greek text, but are supplied to clarify who Peter and the other disciple were following. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
[18:15] 271 tn Grk “that disciple.”
[18:15] 272 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.
[18:16] 273 tn Grk “spoke to the doorkeeper”; her description as a slave girl is taken from the following verse. The noun θυρωρός (qurwro") may be either masculine or feminine, but the article here indicates that it is feminine.
[18:17] 274 tn Grk “slave girl.” Since the descriptive term “slave girl” was introduced in the translation in the previous verse, it would be redundant to repeat the full expression here.
[18:17] 275 tn Questions prefaced with μή (mh) in Greek anticipate a negative answer. This can sometimes be indicated by using a “tag” at the end in English (here the tag is “are you?”).
[18:18] 277 tn See the note on the word “slaves” in 4:51.
[18:18] 278 tn That is, the “guards of the chief priests” as distinguished from the household slaves of Annas.
[18:18] 279 tn Grk “because it was cold, and they were warming themselves.”
[18:18] 280 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.
[18:19] 281 tn The introductory phrase “While this was happening” is not in the Greek text. It has been supplied in the translation to clarify the alternation of scenes in the narrative for the modern reader.
[18:19] 282 sn The nature of this hearing seems to be more that of a preliminary investigation; certainly normal legal procedure was not followed, for no indication is given that any witnesses were brought forth at this point to testify against Jesus. True to what is known of Annas’ character, he was more interested in Jesus’ disciples than in the precise nature of Jesus’ teaching, since he inquired about the followers first. He really wanted to know just how influential Jesus had become and how large a following he had gathered. This was of more concern to Annas that the truth or falsity of Jesus’ teaching.
[18:20] 283 tn Grk “Jesus answered him.”
[18:20] 284 sn See the note on synagogue in 6:59.
[18:20] 285 tn Grk “in the temple.”
[18:20] 286 tn Grk “the Jews.” Here the phrase refers to the Jewish people generally, for whom the synagogues and the temple courts in Jerusalem were important public gathering places. See also the note on the phrase “Jewish religious leaders” in v. 12.
[18:20] 287 tn Grk “And I.” The conjunction καί (kai, “and”) has not been translated here in keeping with the tendency of contemporary English style to use shorter sentences.
[18:21] 288 tn Grk “Ask those who heard what I said to them.” The words “to them” are not translated since they are redundant in English.
[18:21] 289 tn Grk “Look, these know what I said.”
[18:22] 290 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[18:22] 291 tn Grk “one of the high priest’s servants standing by gave Jesus a strike, saying.” For the translation of ῥάπισμα (rJapisma), see L&N 19.4.
[18:23] 292 tn Grk “Jesus answered him.”
[18:23] 293 tn Or “something incorrect.”
[18:23] 295 tn Or “incorrect.”
[18:24] 296 tn Or “still bound.”
[18:24] 297 sn Where was Caiaphas the high priest located? Did he have a separate palace, or was he somewhere else with the Sanhedrin? Since Augustine (4th century) a number of scholars have proposed that Annas and Caiaphas resided in different wings of the same palace, which were bound together by a common courtyard through which Jesus would have been led as he was taken from Annas to Caiaphas. This seems a reasonable explanation, although there is no conclusive evidence.
[18:25] 298 tn The words “in the courtyard” are not in the Greek text. They are supplied for the benefit of the modern reader, to link this scene to the preceding one in John 18:15-18.
[18:25] 299 tn Questions prefaced with μή (mh) in Greek anticipate a negative answer. This can sometimes be indicated by using a “tag” at the end in English (here the tag is “are you?”).
[18:25] 300 tn Grk “That one denied it and said”; the referent of the pronoun (Peter) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[18:26] 301 tn See the note on the word “slaves” in 4:51.
[18:26] 302 sn This incident is recounted in v. 10.
[18:26] 304 tn This question, prefaced with οὐκ (ouk) in Greek, anticipates a positive answer.
[18:27] 305 tn It seems most likely that this refers to a real rooster crowing, although a number of scholars have suggested that “cockcrow” is a technical term referring to the trumpet call which ended the third watch of the night (from midnight to 3 a.m.). This would then be a reference to the Roman gallicinium (ἀλεκτοροφωνία, alektorofwnia; the term is used in Mark 13:35 and is found in some
[18:28] 306 tn Grk “to the praetorium.”
[18:28] 307 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.
[18:28] 308 tn Grk “And they.” The conjunction καί (kai, “and”) has not been translated here in keeping with the tendency of contemporary English style to use shorter sentences.
[18:28] 309 tn Grk “into the praetorium.”
[18:29] 311 sn In light of the fact that Pilate had cooperated with them in Jesus’ arrest by providing Roman soldiers, the Jewish authorities were probably expecting Pilate to grant them permission to carry out their sentence on Jesus without resistance (the Jews were not permitted to exercise capital punishment under the Roman occupation without official Roman permission, cf. v. 31). They must have been taken somewhat by surprise by Pilate’s question “What accusation do you bring against this man,” because it indicated that he was going to try the prisoner himself. Thus Pilate was regarding the trial before Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin as only an inquiry and their decision as merely an accusation.
[18:30] 312 tn Grk “They answered and said to him.”
[18:30] 313 tn Grk “this one.”
[18:30] 314 tn Or “an evildoer”; Grk “one doing evil.”
[18:30] 315 tn Or “would not have delivered him over.”
[18:31] 316 tn Grk “Then Pilate said to them.”
[18:31] 317 tn Or “judge him.” For the translation “pass judgment on him” see R. E. Brown (John [AB], 2:848).
[18:31] 318 sn Pilate, as the sole representative of Rome in a troubled area, was probably in Jerusalem for the Passover because of the danger of an uprising (the normal residence for the Roman governor was in Caesarea as mentioned in Acts 23:35). At this time on the eve of the feast he would have been a busy and perhaps even a worried man. It is not surprising that he offered to hand Jesus back over to the Jewish authorities to pass judgment on him. It may well be that Pilate realized when no specific charge was mentioned that he was dealing with an internal dispute over some religious matter. Pilate wanted nothing to do with such matters, as the statement “Pass judgment on him according to your own law!” indicates. As far as the author is concerned, this points out who was really responsible for Jesus’ death: The Roman governor Pilate would have had nothing to do with it if he had not been pressured by the Jewish religious authorities, upon whom the real responsibility rested.
[18:31] 319 tn Or “the Jewish authorities”; Grk “the Jews.” Here the phrase refers to the Jewish leaders, especially members of the Sanhedrin. See the note on the phrase “Jewish leaders” in v. 12.
[18:31] 320 tn Grk “said to him.”
[18:31] 321 tn Grk “It is not permitted to us to kill anyone.”
[18:32] 322 tn The words “This happened” are not in the Greek text but are implied.
[18:32] 323 tn Or “making clear.”
[18:32] 324 sn A reference to John 12:32.
[18:33] 325 tn Grk “into the praetorium.”
[18:33] 326 sn It is difficult to discern Pilate’s attitude when he asked, “Are you the king of the Jews?” Some have believed the remark to be sarcastic or incredulous as Pilate looked at this lowly and humble prisoner: “So you’re the king of the Jews, are you?” Others have thought the Roman governor to have been impressed by Jesus’ regal disposition and dignity, and to have sincerely asked, “Are you really the king of the Jews?” Since it will later become apparent (v. 38) that Pilate considered Jesus innocent (and therefore probably also harmless) an attitude of incredulity is perhaps most likely, but this is far from certain in the absence of clear contextual clues.
[18:34] 327 tn Grk “Jesus answered.”
[18:34] 328 tn Grk “saying this from yourself.”
[18:35] 329 sn Many have seen in Pilate’s reply “I am not a Jew, am I?” the Roman contempt for the Jewish people. Some of that may indeed be present, but strictly speaking, all Pilate affirms is that he, as a Roman, has no firsthand knowledge of Jewish custom or belief. What he knows of Jesus must have come from the Jewish authorities. They are the ones (your own people and your chief priests) who have handed Jesus over to Pilate.
[18:35] 330 tn Or “your own nation.”
[18:35] 331 tn Or “delivered you over.”
[18:36] 332 tn Grk “so that I may not be.”
[18:36] 333 tn Or “delivered over.”
[18:36] 334 tn Or “the Jewish leaders”; Grk “the Jews.” Here the phrase refers to the Jewish leaders, especially members of the Sanhedrin. See the note on the phrase “Jewish leaders” in v. 12. In the translation “authorities” was preferred over “leaders” for stylistic reasons.
[18:37] 336 tn Grk “said to him.”
[18:37] 337 tn Or “obeys”; Grk “hears.”
[18:38] 338 tn Grk “Pilate said.”
[18:38] 339 sn With his reply “What is truth?” Pilate dismissed the matter. It is not clear what Pilate’s attitude was at this point, as in 18:33. He may have been sarcastic, or perhaps somewhat reflective. The author has not given enough information in the narrative to be sure. Within the narrative, Pilate’s question serves to make the reader reflect on what truth is, and that answer (in the narrative) has already been given (14:6).
[18:38] 340 tn Or “the Jewish authorities”; Grk “the Jews.” Here the phrase refers to the Jewish leaders, especially members of the Sanhedrin. See the note on the phrase “Jewish leaders” in v. 12. The term also occurs in v. 31, where it is clear the Jewish leaders are in view, because they state that they cannot legally carry out an execution. Although it is likely (in view of the synoptic parallels) that the crowd here in 18:38 was made up not just of the Jewish leaders, but of ordinary residents of Jerusalem and pilgrims who were in Jerusalem for the Passover, nevertheless in John’s Gospel Pilate is primarily in dialogue with the leadership of the nation, who are expressly mentioned in 18:35 and 19:6.
[18:38] 341 tn Grk “said to them.”
[18:38] 342 tn Grk “find no cause.”
[18:39] 343 tn The word “prisoner” is not in the Greek text but is implied.
[18:39] 344 sn Pilate then offered to release Jesus, reminding the Jewish authorities that they had a custom that he release one prisoner for them at the Passover. There is no extra-biblical evidence alluding to the practice. It is, however, mentioned in Matthew and Mark, described either as a practice of Pilate (Mark 15:6) or of the Roman governor (Matt 27:15). These references may explain the lack of extra-biblical attestation: The custom to which Pilate refers here (18:39) is not a permanent one acknowledged by all the Roman governors, but one peculiar to Pilate as a means of appeasement, meant to better relations with his subjects. Such a limited meaning is certainly possible and consistent with the statement here.
[18:40] 345 tn Or “they shouted again,” or “they shouted in turn.” On the difficulty of translating πάλιν (palin) see BDAG 753 s.v. 5. It is simplest in the context of John’s Gospel to understand the phrase to mean “they shouted back” as a reply to Pilate’s question.
[18:40] 346 tn Grk “this one.”
[18:40] 347 sn The name Barabbas in Aramaic means “son of abba,” that is, “son of the father,” and presumably the man in question had another name (it may also have been Jesus, according to the textual variant in Matt 27:16, although this is uncertain). For the author this name held ironic significance: The crowd was asking for the release of a man called Barabbas, “son of the father,” while Jesus, who was truly the Son of the Father, was condemned to die instead.
[18:40] 348 tn Or “robber.” It is possible that Barabbas was merely a robber or highwayman, but more likely, given the use of the term ληστής (lhsth") in Josephus and other early sources, that he was a guerrilla warrior or revolutionary leader. See both R. E. Brown (John [AB], 2:857) and K. H. Rengstorf (TDNT 4:258) for more information. The word λῃστής was used a number of times by Josephus (J. W. 2.13.2-3 [2.253-254]) to describe the revolutionaries or guerrilla fighters who, from mixed motives of nationalism and greed, kept the rural districts of Judea in constant turmoil.
[18:40] 349 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.
[19:1] 350 tn Or “had him flogged,” or (traditional), “scourged him.” The verb should be read as causative. Pilate ordered Jesus to be flogged. A Roman governor would not carry out such a sentence in person. BDAG 620 s.v. μαστιγόω 1. states, “If J refers to the ‘verberatio’ given those condemned to death (TMommsen, Röm. Strafrecht 1899, 938f; Jos., Bell. 2, 308; 5, 449), it is odd that Pilate subsequently claims no cause for action (vs. 6); but if the latter statement refers only to the penalty of crucifixion, μ. vs. 1 may be equivalent to παιδεύω (q.v. 2bγ) in Lk 23:16, 22 (for μ. of a non-capital offense PFlor I, 61, 61 [85ad]=Mitt-Wilck. II/2, 80 II, 61).”
[19:2] 351 tn Grk “And the soldiers.” The conjunction καί (kai, “and”) has not been translated here in keeping with the tendency of contemporary English style to use shorter sentences.
[19:2] 353 sn The crown of thorns was a crown plaited of some thorny material, intended as a mockery of Jesus’ “kingship.” Traditionally it has been regarded as an additional instrument of torture, but it seems more probable the purpose of the thorns was not necessarily to inflict more physical suffering but to imitate the spikes of the “radiant corona,” a type of crown portrayed on ruler’s heads on many coins of the period; the spikes on this type of crown represented rays of light pointing outward (the best contemporary illustration is the crown on the head of the Statue of Liberty in New York harbor).
[19:2] 354 sn The purple color of the robe indicated royal status. This was further mockery of Jesus, along with the crown of thorns.
[19:3] 355 tn Grk “And they.” The conjunction καί (kai, “and”) has not been translated here in keeping with the tendency of contemporary English style to use shorter sentences.
[19:3] 356 tn The words “again and again” are implied by the (iterative) imperfect verb ἤρχοντο (hrconto).
[19:3] 357 tn Or “Long live the King of the Jews!”
[19:3] 358 tn The word “repeatedly” is implied by the (iterative) imperfect verb ἐδιδοσαν (edidosan).
[19:4] 359 tn Grk “to them.” The words “the Jewish leaders” are supplied from John 18:38 for clarity.
[19:4] 360 tn Or “find no basis for an accusation”; Grk “find no cause.”
[19:5] 361 sn See the note on the purple robe in 19:2.
[19:5] 362 tn Grk “He”; the referent (Pilate) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[19:5] 363 sn Look, here is the man! Pilate may have meant no more than something like “Here is the accused!” or in a contemptuous way, “Here is your king!” Others have taken Pilate’s statement as intended to evoke pity from Jesus’ accusers: “Look at this poor fellow!” (Jesus would certainly not have looked very impressive after the scourging). For the author, however, Pilate’s words constituted an unconscious allusion to Zech 6:12, “Look, here is the man whose name is the Branch.” In this case Pilate (unknowingly and ironically) presented Jesus to the nation under a messianic title.
[19:6] 364 sn Crucifixion was the cruelest form of punishment practiced by the Romans. Roman citizens could not normally undergo it. It was reserved for the worst crimes, like treason and evasion of due process in a capital case. The Roman statesman and orator Cicero (106-43
[19:6] 365 tn The word “him” is not in the Greek text. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from context.
[19:6] 366 tn Grk “said to them.” The words “to them” are not translated because they are unnecessary in contemporary English style.
[19:6] 367 sn How are Pilate’s words “You take him and crucify him” to be understood? Was he offering a serious alternative to the priests who wanted Jesus crucified? Was he offering them an exception to the statement in 18:31 that the Jewish authorities did not have the power to carry out a death penalty? Although a few scholars have suggested that the situation was at this point so far out of Pilate’s control that he really was telling the high priests they could go ahead and crucify a man he had found to be innocent, this seems unlikely. It is far more likely that Pilate’s statement should be understood as one of frustration and perhaps sarcasm. This seems to be supported by the context, for the Jewish authorities make no attempt at this point to seize Jesus and crucify him. Rather they continue to pester Pilate to order the crucifixion.
[19:6] 368 tn On this use of γάρ (gar) used in exclamations and strong affirmations, see BDAG 190 s.v. γάρ 3.
[19:6] 369 tn Or “find no basis for an accusation”; Grk “find no cause.”
[19:7] 370 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, especially members of the Sanhedrin, and their servants (mentioned specifically as “the chief priests and their servants” in John 19:6).
[19:7] 371 tn Grk “answered him.”
[19:7] 372 sn This law is not the entire Pentateuch, but Lev 24:16.
[19:7] 373 tn Grk “because he made himself out to be the Son of God.”
[19:8] 374 tn Grk “heard this word.”
[19:8] 375 tn Grk “became more afraid.”
[19:9] 376 tn Grk “into the praetorium.”
[19:10] 377 tn Grk “said to him.” The words “to him” are not translated because they are unnecessary in contemporary English style.
[19:10] 378 tn Or “the power.”
[19:10] 379 tn Grk “know that I have the authority to release you and the authority to crucify you.” Repetition of “the authority” is unnecessarily redundant English style.
[19:11] 381 tn Or “who delivered me over to you.”
[19:11] 382 tn Grk “has the greater sin” (an idiom).
[19:12] 384 tn Or “the Jewish authorities”; Grk “the Jews.” Here the phrase refers to the Jewish leaders, especially members of the Sanhedrin, and their servants (mentioned specifically as “the chief priests and their servants” in John 19:6). See the note on the phrase “Jewish leaders” in v. 7.
[19:12] 385 tn Grk “shouted out, saying.”
[19:12] 386 tn Grk “this one.”
[19:12] 387 sn Is the author using the phrase Friend of Caesar in a technical sense, as a title bestowed on people for loyal service to the Emperor, or in a more general sense merely describing a person as loyal to the Emperor? L. Morris (John [NICNT], 798) thinks it is “unlikely” that the title is used in the technical sense, and J. H. Bernard (St. John [ICC], 2:621) argues that the technical sense of the phrase as an official title was not used before the time of Vespasian (
[19:12] 388 tn Grk “who makes himself out to be a king.”
[19:13] 389 tn Or “the judge’s seat.”
[19:13] 390 sn The precise location of the place called ‘The Stone Pavement’ is still uncertain, although a paved court on the lower level of the Fortress Antonia has been suggested. It is not certain whether it was laid prior to
[19:13] 391 tn Grk “in Hebrew.”
[19:13] 392 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.
[19:14] 393 sn The term day of preparation (παρασκευή, paraskeuh) appears in all the gospels as a description of the day on which Jesus died. It could refer to any Friday as the day of preparation for the Sabbath (Saturday), and this is the way the synoptic gospels use the term (Matt 27:62, Mark 15:42, and Luke 23:54). John, however, specifies in addition that this was not only the day of preparation of the Sabbath, but also the day of preparation of the Passover, so that the Sabbath on the following day was the Passover (cf. 19:31).
[19:14] 394 tn Grk “about the sixth hour.”
[19:14] 395 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.
[19:14] 396 tn Grk “And he”; the referent (Pilate) has been specified in the translation for clarity, and the conjunction καί (kai, “and”) has not been translated here in keeping with the tendency of contemporary English style to use shorter sentences.
[19:14] 397 tn Or “the Jewish authorities”; Grk “the Jews.” Here the phrase refers to the Jewish leaders, especially members of the Sanhedrin, and their servants (mentioned specifically as “the chief priests and their servants” in John 19:6). See the note on the phrase “Jewish leaders” in v. 7.
[19:15] 398 tn Grk “Then these.”
[19:15] 399 tn The words “with him” (twice) are not in the Greek text. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
[19:15] 400 sn See the note on Crucify in 19:6.
[19:15] 401 tn Grk “Pilate said to them.” The words “to them” are not translated because it is clear in English who Pilate is addressing.
[19:16] 402 tn Grk “Then he”; the referent (Pilate) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[19:16] 403 tn Or “delivered him over.”
[19:17] 404 tn Or “carrying the cross by himself.”
[19:17] 405 sn Jesus was led out to the place called “The Place of the Skull” where he was to be crucified. It is clear from v. 20 that this was outside the city. The Latin word for the Greek κρανίον (kranion) is calvaria. Thus the English word “Calvary” is a transliteration of the Latin rather than a NT place name (cf. Luke 23:33 in the KJV).
[19:17] 406 tn Grk “in Hebrew.”
[19:17] 407 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.
[19:18] 408 tn Grk “where they.” This is a continuation of the previous verse in Greek, but contemporary English style tends toward shorter sentences. A literal translation would result in a lengthy and awkward English sentence.
[19:18] 409 sn See the note on Crucify in 19:6.
[19:18] 410 tn Grk “and with him two others.”
[19:19] 411 tn Or “an inscription.”
[19:19] 412 tn Grk “Pilate also wrote a notice and placed it on the cross.” The two verbs should be read as causatives, since it is highly unlikely that the Roman governor would perform either of these actions himself. He ordered them to be done.
[19:19] 413 tn Grk “Now it was written.”
[19:20] 414 tn Grk “the Jews.” Here the phrase refers to the residents of Jerusalem in general. See also the note on the phrase Jewish religious leaders” in v. 7.
[19:20] 415 tn Or “this inscription.”
[19:20] 416 tn Grk “in Hebrew.”
[19:21] 417 tn Or “the Jewish chief priests.” Nowhere else in the Fourth Gospel are the two expressions οἱ ἀρχιερεῖς τῶν ᾿Ιουδαίων (Joi arcierei" twn Ioudaiwn) combined. Earlier in 19:15 the chief priests were simply referred to as οἱ ἀρχιερεῖς. It seems likely that this is another example of Johannine irony, to be seen in contrast to the inscription on the cross which read ὁ βασιλεὺς τῶν ᾿Ιουδαίων (Jo basileu" twn Ioudaiwn). For this reason the phrase has been translated “the chief priests of the Jews” (which preserves in the translation the connection with “King of the Jews”) rather than “the Jewish chief priests.”
[19:23] 418 sn See the note on Crucify in 19:6.
[19:23] 419 sn Four shares, one for each soldier. The Gospel of John is the only one to specify the number of soldiers involved in the crucifixion. This was a quaternion, a squad of four soldiers. It was accepted Roman practice for the soldiers who performed a crucifixion to divide the possessions of the person executed among themselves.
[19:23] 420 tn Or “shirt” (a long garment worn under the cloak next to the skin). The name for this garment (χιτών, citwn) presents some difficulty in translation. Most modern readers would not understand what a ‘tunic’ was any more than they would be familiar with a ‘chiton.’ On the other hand, attempts to find a modern equivalent are also a problem: “Shirt” conveys the idea of a much shorter garment that covers only the upper body, and “undergarment” (given the styles of modern underwear) is more misleading still. “Tunic” was therefore employed, but with a note to explain its nature.
[19:23] 421 tn Or “shirt” (a long garment worn under the cloak next to the skin). See the note on the same word earlier in this verse.
[19:23] 422 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.
[19:24] 423 tn Grk “but choose by lot” (probably by using marked pebbles or broken pieces of pottery). A modern equivalent, “throw dice,” was chosen here because of its association with gambling.
[19:24] 424 tn Grk “to see whose it will be.”
[19:24] 425 tn The words “This took place” are not in the Greek text but are implied.
[19:24] 426 tn Grk “cast lots.” See the note on “throw dice” earlier in the verse.
[19:25] 427 sn Several women are mentioned, but it is not easy to determine how many. It is not clear whether his mother’s sister and Mary the wife of Clopas are to be understood as the same individual (in which case only three women are mentioned: Jesus’ mother, her sister Mary, and Mary Magdalene) or as two different individuals (in which case four women are mentioned: Jesus’ mother, her sister, Mary Clopas’ wife, and Mary Magdalene). It is impossible to be certain, but when John’s account is compared to the synoptics it is easier to reconcile the accounts if four women were present than if there were only three. It also seems that if there were four women present, this would have been seen by the author to be in juxtaposition to the four soldiers present who performed the crucifixion, and this may explain the transition from the one incident in 23-24 to the other in 25-27. Finally, if only three were present, this would mean that both Jesus’ mother and her sister were named Mary, and this is highly improbable in a Jewish family of that time. If there were four women present, the name of the second, the sister of Jesus’ mother, is not mentioned. It is entirely possible that the sister of Jesus’ mother mentioned here is to be identified with the woman named Salome mentioned in Mark 15:40 and also with the woman identified as “the mother of the sons of Zebedee” mentioned in Matt 27:56. If so, and if John the Apostle is to be identified as the beloved disciple, then the reason for the omission of the second woman’s name becomes clear; she would have been John’s own mother, and he consistently omitted direct reference to himself or his brother James or any other members of his family in the Fourth Gospel.
[19:26] 428 sn The term Woman is Jesus’ normal, polite way of addressing women (Matt 15:28, Luke 13:12; John 4:21; 8:10; 19:26; 20:15; see BDAG 208-9 s.v. γυνή 1). But it is unusual for a son to address his mother with this term. The custom in both Hebrew (or Aramaic) and Greek would be for a son to use a qualifying adjective or title. Is there significance in Jesus’ use here? Jesus probably used the term here to help establish Mary and the beloved disciple in a new “mother-son” relationship. Someone would soon need to provide for Mary since Jesus, her oldest son, would no longer be alive. By using this term Jesus distanced himself from Mary so the beloved disciple could take his place as her earthly son (cf. John 2:4). See D. A. Carson, John, 617-18, for discussion about symbolic interpretations of this relationship between Mary and the beloved disciple.
[19:27] 429 tn Grk “from that very hour.”
[19:28] 430 tn Or “that already.”
[19:28] 431 tn Or “finished,” “accomplished”; Grk “fulfilled.”
[19:28] 432 sn A reference to Ps 69:21 or Ps 22:15.
[19:28] 433 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).
[19:29] 434 sn The cheap sour wine was called in Latin posca, and referred to a cheap vinegar wine diluted heavily with water. It was the drink of slaves and soldiers, and was probably there for the soldiers who had performed the crucifixion.
[19:29] 435 sn Hyssop was a small aromatic bush; exact identification of the plant is uncertain. The hyssop used to lift the wet sponge may have been a form of reed (κάλαμος, kalamo", “reed,” is used in Matt 27:48 and Mark 15:36); the biblical name can refer to several different species of plant (at least eighteen different plants have been suggested).
[19:29] 436 tn Or “and brought it.”
[19:30] 437 tn Grk “Then when.” Here οὖν (oun) has not been translated for stylistic reasons.
[19:30] 438 tn Or “It is accomplished,” “It is finished,” or “It is ended.” See tn on John 13:1.
[19:30] 439 tn Or “he bowed his head and died”; Grk “he bowed his head and gave over the spirit.”
[19:31] 440 sn The Jewish authorities, because this was the day of preparation for the Sabbath and the Passover (cf. 19:14), requested Pilate to order the legs of the three who had been crucified to be broken. This would hasten their deaths, so that the bodies could be removed before the beginning of the Sabbath at 6 p.m. This was based on the law of Deut 21:22-23 and Josh 8:29 that specified the bodies of executed criminals who had been hanged on a tree should not remain there overnight. According to Josephus this law was interpreted in the 1st century to cover the bodies of those who had been crucified (J. W. 4.5.2 [4.317]). Philo of Alexandria also mentions that on occasion, especially at festivals, the bodies were taken down and given to relatives to bury (Flaccus 10 [83]). The normal Roman practice would have been to leave the bodies on the crosses, to serve as a warning to other would-be offenders.
[19:31] 441 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.
[19:31] 442 tn Or “the Jewish authorities”; Grk “the Jews.” Here the phrase refers to the Jewish leaders. See also the note on the phrase “Jewish leaders” in v. 7.
[19:31] 443 tn Grk “asked Pilate that the legs of them might be broken.” The referent of “them” (the three individuals who were crucified, collectively referred to as “the victims”) has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
[19:31] 444 sn To have the legs…broken. Breaking the legs of a crucified person was a way of speeding up his death, since the victim could no longer use his legs to push upward in order to be able to draw a breath. This breaking of the legs was called in Latin crurifragium, and was done with a heavy mallet.
[19:31] 445 tn Grk “asked Pilate that their legs might be broken and they might be taken down.” Here because of the numerous ambiguous third person references it is necessary to clarify that it was the crucified men whose legs were to be broken and whose corpses were to be removed from the crosses.
[19:32] 446 sn See the note on Crucify in 19:6.
[19:32] 447 tn Grk “with him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[19:32] 448 tn Grk “broke the legs of the first and of the other who had been crucified with him.”
[19:34] 449 sn If it was obvious to the soldiers that the victim was already dead it is difficult to see why one of them would try to inflict a wound. The Greek verb pierced (νύσσω, nussw) can indicate anything from a slight prod to a mortal wound. Probably one of the soldiers gave an exploratory stab to see if the body would jerk. If not, he was really dead. This thrust was hard enough to penetrate the side, since the author states that blood and water flowed out immediately.
[19:34] 450 sn How is the reference to the blood and water that flowed out from Jesus’ side to be understood? This is probably to be connected with the statements in 1 John 5:6-8. In both passages water, blood, and testimony are mentioned. The Spirit is also mentioned in 1 John 5:7 as the source of the testimony, while here the testimony comes from one of the disciples (19:35). The connection between the Spirit and the living water with Jesus’ statement of thirst just before he died in the preceding context has already been noted (see 19:28). For the author, the water which flowed out of Jesus’ side was a symbolic reference to the Holy Spirit who could now be given because Jesus was now glorified (cf. 7:39); Jesus had now departed and returned to that glory which he had with the Father before the creation of the world (cf. 17:5). The mention of blood recalls the motif of the Passover lamb as a sacrificial victim. Later references to sacrificial procedures in the Mishnah appear to support this: m. Pesahim 5:3 and 5:5 state that the blood of the sacrificial animal should not be allowed to congeal but should flow forth freely at the instant of death so that it could be used for sprinkling; m. Tamid 4:2 actually specifies that the priest is to pierce the heart of the sacrificial victim and cause the blood to come forth.
[19:35] 451 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.
[19:35] 452 tn Grk “and that one.”
[19:35] 453 sn A parenthetical note by the author.
[19:36] 454 sn A quotation from Exod 12:46, Num 9:12, and Ps 34:20. A number of different OT passages lie behind this quotation: Exod 12:10 LXX, Exod 12:46, Num 9:12, or Ps 34:20. Of these, the first is the closest in form to the quotation here. The first three are all more likely candidates than the last, since the first three all deal with descriptions of the Passover lamb.
[19:37] 455 sn A quotation from Zech 12:10. Here a single phrase is quoted from Zech 12, but the entire context is associated with the events surrounding the crucifixion. The “Spirit of grace and of supplication” is poured out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem in the first part of v. 10. A few verses later in 13:1 Yahweh (typically rendered as “Lord” in the OT) says “In that day a fountain will be opened for the house of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for impurity.” The blood which flowed from Jesus’ pierced side may well be what the author saw as the connection here, since as the shedding of the blood of the sacrificial victim it represents cleansing from sin. Although the Jewish authorities and Roman soldiers certainly “looked on the one whom they have pierced” as he hung on the cross, the author may also have in mind the parousia (second coming) here. The context in Zech 12-14 is certainly the second coming, so that these who crucified Jesus will look upon him in another sense when he returns in judgment.
[19:38] 456 tn Or “the Jewish authorities”; Grk “the Jews.” Here the phrase refers to the Jewish leaders, especially the Pharisees (see John 12:42). See also the note on the phrase “Jewish leaders” in v. 7.
[19:38] 457 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.
[19:38] 458 tn Grk “And Pilate.” The conjunction καί (kai, “and”) has not been translated here in keeping with the tendency of contemporary English style to use shorter sentences.
[19:38] 459 tn Grk “took away his body.”
[19:39] 460 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[19:39] 461 sn See John 3:1-21.
[19:39] 462 tn Grk “came”; the words “accompanied Joseph” are not in the Greek text but are supplied for clarity.
[19:39] 463 sn Aloes refers to an aromatic resin from a plant similar to a lily, used for embalming a corpse.
[19:39] 464 sn The Roman pound (λίτρα, litra) weighed twelve ounces or 325 grams. Thus 100 Roman pounds would be about 32.5 kilograms or 75 pounds.
[19:40] 465 tn On this term see BDAG 140-41 s.v. ἄρωμα. The Jews did not practice embalming, so these materials were used to cover the stench of decay and slow decomposition.
[19:40] 466 tn The Fourth Gospel uses ὀθονίοις (oqonioi") to describe the wrappings, and this has caused a good deal of debate, since it appears to contradict the synoptic accounts which mention a σινδών (sindwn), a large single piece of linen cloth. If one understands ὀθονίοις to refer to smaller strips of cloth, like bandages, there would be a difference, but diminutive forms have often lost their diminutive force in Koine Greek (BDF §111.3), so there may not be any difference.
[19:40] 467 tn Grk “cloth as is the custom of the Jews to prepare for burial.”
[19:41] 468 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[19:41] 469 sn See the note on Crucify in 19:6.
[19:41] 470 tn Or “an orchard.”
[19:41] 472 tn Grk “been placed.”
[19:42] 473 sn The day of preparation was the day before the Sabbath when everything had to be prepared for it, as no work could be done on the Sabbath.
[19:42] 474 sn The tomb was nearby. The Passover and the Sabbath would begin at 6 p.m., so those who had come to prepare and bury the body could not afford to waste time.
