translation_id: net-engnet

book_id: JHN

label: NET translator note

text: Grk “from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha.”


text: Or “perfume,” “ointment.”


text: The phrase “a message” is not in the Greek text but is implied. Direct objects in Greek were often omitted when clear from context.


text: Grk “to him, saying”; the referent (Jesus) is specified in the translation for clarity.


text: Grk “This sickness is not to death.” sn Jesus plainly stated the purpose of Lazarus’ sickness in the plan of God: The end of the matter would not be death , but the glorification of the Son. Johannine double-meanings abound here: Even though death would not be the end of the matter, Lazarus is going to die; and ultimately his death and resurrection would lead to the death and resurrection of the Son of God ( 11:45-53 ). Furthermore, the glorification of the Son is not praise that comes to him for the miracle, but his death, resurrection, and return to the Father which the miracle precipitates (note the response of the Jewish authorities in 11:47-53 ).


text: Or “to God’s praise.”


text: Grk “that he”; the referent (Lazarus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


text: Grk “The disciples said to him.”


text: Or “the Jewish authorities”; Grk “the Jews.” In NT usage the term ᾿Ιουδαῖοι ( Ioudaioi ) may refer to the entire Jewish people, the residents of Jerusalem and surrounding territory, the authorities in Jerusalem, or merely those who were hostile to Jesus. (For further information see R. G. Bratcher, “‘The Jews’ in the Gospel of John,” BT 26 [1975]: 401-9.) Here the phrase refers to the Jewish leaders. See the previous references and the notes on the phrase “Jewish people” in v. 19 , and “Jewish religious leaders” in vv. 24, 31, 33 .


text: Grk “seeking.”


text: Grk “And are.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί ( kai ) has not been translated here.


text: Grk “Jesus answered.”


text: Or “he does not trip.”


text: Grk “in the night.”


text: Or “he trips.”


text: Grk “He said these things, and after this he said to them.”


text: The verb κοιμάω ( koimaw ) literally means “sleep,” but it is often used in the Bible as a euphemism for death when speaking of believers. This metaphorical usage by its very nature emphasizes the hope of resurrection: Believers will one day “wake up” out of death. Here the term refers to death, but “asleep” was used in the translation to emphasize the metaphorical, rhetorical usage of the term, especially in light of the disciples’ confusion over what Jesus actually meant (see v. 13 ).


text: Grk “Then the disciples said to him.”


text: Or “speaking about.”


text: Grk “these.”


text: Grk “the sleep of slumber”; this is a redundant expression to emphasize physical sleep as opposed to death. sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.


text: Grk “and I rejoice.”


text: Grk “Then when.”


text: Grk “came.”


text: Grk “he”; the referent (Lazarus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


text: Grk “he had already had four days in the tomb” (an idiom). sn There is no description of the journey itself. The author simply states that when Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had been in the tomb four days already . He had died some time before this but probably not very long (cf. Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5:6,10 who were buried immediately after they died, as was the common practice of the time). There is some later evidence (early 3rd century) of a rabbinic belief that the soul hovered near the body of the deceased for three days, hoping to be able to return to the body. But on the fourth day it saw the beginning of decomposition and finally departed ( Leviticus Rabbah 18.1). If this belief is as old as the 1st century, it might suggest the significance of the four days: After this time, resurrection would be a first-order miracle, an unequivocal demonstration of the power of God. It is not certain if the tradition is this early, but it is suggestive. Certainly the author does not appear to attach any symbolic significance to the four days in the narrative.


text: Or “three kilometers”; Grk “fifteen stades” (a stade as a unit of linear measure is about 607 feet or 187 meters).


text: For location see Map5-B1 ; Map6-F3 ; Map7-E2 ; Map8-F2 ; Map10-B3 ; JP1-F4 ; JP2-F4 ; JP3-F4 ; JP4-F4 .


text: Or “many of the Judeans” (cf. BDAG 479 s.v. ᾿Ιουδαῖος 2.e); Grk “many of the Jews.” Here the phrase refers to the residents of Jerusalem and the surrounding area in general (those who had been friends or relatives of Lazarus or his sisters would mainly be in view) since the Jewish religious authorities (“the chief priests and the Pharisees”) are specifically mentioned as a separate group in John 11:46-47 . See also the note on the phrase “the Jewish leaders” in v. 8 .


text: Or “to comfort them” or “to offer them sympathy.”


text: Grk “to comfort them concerning their brother”; the words “loss of” are not in the Greek text but are implied. sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.


text: Grk “Then Martha.” Here οὖν ( oun ) has not been translated for stylistic reasons.


text: Or “give.”


text: Grk “Jesus said to her.”


text: Or “Your brother will rise again.” sn Jesus’ remark to Martha that Lazarus would come back to life again is another example of the misunderstood statement. Martha apparently took it as a customary statement of consolation and joined Jesus in professing belief in the general resurrection of the body at the end of the age. However, as Jesus went on to point out in 11:25-26 , Martha’s general understanding of the resurrection at the last day was inadequate for the present situation, for the gift of life that conquers death was a present reality to Jesus. This is consistent with the author’s perspective on eternal life in the Fourth Gospel: It is not only a future reality, but something to be experienced in the present as well. It is also consistent with the so-called “realized eschatology” of the Fourth Gospel.


text: Grk “Martha said to him.”


text: Or “will rise again.”


text: That is, will come to life.


text: Grk “will never die forever.”


text: Grk “She said to him.”


text: The perfect tense in Greek is often used to emphasize the results or present state of a past action. Such is the case here. To emphasize this nuance the perfect tense verb πεπίστευκα ( pepisteuka ) has been translated as a present tense. This is in keeping with the present context, where Jesus asks of her present state of belief in v. 26 , and the theology of the Gospel as a whole, which emphasizes the continuing effects and present reality of faith. For discussion on this use of the perfect tense, see ExSyn 574-76 and B. M. Fanning, Verbal Aspect , 291-97.


text: Or “the Messiah” (Both Greek “Christ” and Hebrew and Aramaic “Messiah” mean “one who has been anointed”). sn See the note on Christ in 1:20 .


text: Or “the Son of God, the one who comes into the world.”


text: Grk “she”; the referent (Martha) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


text: Or “in secret” (as opposed to publicly, so that the other mourners did not hear).


text: Grk “is calling you.”


text: Grk “she”; the referent (Mary) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


text: Or “the Judeans”; Grk “the Jews.” Here the phrase refers to the friends, acquaintances, and relatives of Lazarus or his sisters who had come to mourn, since the Jewish religious authorities are specifically mentioned as a separate group in John 11:46-47 . See also the notes on the phrase “the Jewish leaders” in v. 8 and “the Jewish people of the region” in v. 19 .


text: Grk “her”; the referent (Mary) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


text: Grk “Mary”; the proper name (Mary) has been replaced with the pronoun (her) in keeping with conventional English style, to avoid repetition.


text: Or “to mourn” (referring to the loud wailing or crying typical of public mourning in that culture).


text: Or “the Judeans”; Grk “the Jews.” Here the phrase refers to the friends, acquaintances, and relatives of Lazarus or his sisters who had come to mourn, since the Jewish religious authorities are specifically mentioned as a separate group in John 11:46-47 . See also the notes on the phrase “the Jewish leaders” in v. 8 , “the Jewish people of the region” in v. 19 , and the word “people” in v. 31 .


text: Or (perhaps) “he was deeply indignant.” The verb ἐνεβριμήσατο ( enebrimhsato ), which is repeated in John 11:38 , indicates a strong display of emotion, somewhat difficult to translate – “shuddered, moved with the deepest emotions.” In the LXX, the verb and its cognates are used to describe a display of indignation ( Dan 11:30 , for example – see also Mark 14:5 ). Jesus displayed this reaction to the afflicted in Mark 1:43 , Matt 9:30 . Was he angry at the afflicted? No, but he was angry because he found himself face-to-face with the manifestations of Satan’s kingdom of evil. Here, the realm of Satan was represented by death.


text: Or “greatly troubled.” The verb ταράσσω ( tarassw ) also occurs in similar contexts to those of ἐνεβριμήσατο ( enebrimhsato ). John uses it in 14:1 and 27 to describe the reaction of the disciples to the imminent death of Jesus, and in 13:21 the verb describes how Jesus reacted to the thought of being betrayed by Judas, into whose heart Satan had entered.


text: Grk “And he said.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί ( kai ) has not been translated here.


text: Or “Where have you placed him?”


text: Grk “They said to him.” The indirect object αὐτῷ ( autw ) has not been translated here for stylistic reasons.


text: Or “the Judeans”; Grk “the Jews.” Here the phrase refers to the friends, acquaintances, and relatives of Lazarus or his sisters who had come to mourn, since the Jewish religious authorities are specifically mentioned as a separate group in John 11:46-47 . See also the notes on the phrase “the Jewish leaders” in v. 8 and “the Jewish people of the region” in v. 19 , as well as the notes on the word “people” in vv. 31, 33 .


text: Grk “who opened the eyes of the blind man” (“opening the eyes” is an idiom referring to restoration of sight).


text: Grk “this one”; the second half of 11:37 reads Grk “Could not this one who opened the eyes of the blind have done something to keep this one from dying?” In the Greek text the repetition of “this one” in 11:37 b referring to two different persons (first Jesus, second Lazarus) could confuse a modern reader. Thus the first reference, to Jesus, has been translated as “he” to refer back to the beginning of v. 37 , where the reference to “the man who caused the blind man to see” is clearly a reference to Jesus. The second reference, to Lazarus, has been specified (“Lazarus”) in the translation for clarity.


text: Or (perhaps) “Jesus was deeply indignant.”


text: Or “Remove the stone.”


text: Grk “the sister of the one who had died.”


text: Grk “already he stinks.”


text: Or “been there” (in the tomb – see John 11:17 ).


text: Grk “Jesus said to her.”


text: Or “they removed.”


text: Grk “lifted up his eyes above.”


text: Or “that you have heard me.”


text: Grk “that you always hear me.”


text: The word “this” is not in the Greek text. Direct objects in Greek were often omitted when clear from the context.


text: Grk “And when.”


text: Grk “and his face tied around with cloth.”


text: Grk “Loose him.”


text: Or “the Judeans”; Grk “the Jews.” Here the phrase refers to the friends, acquaintances, and relatives of Lazarus or his sisters who had come to mourn, since the Jewish religious authorities are specifically mentioned as a separate group in John 11:46-47 . See also the notes on the phrase “the Jewish leaders” in v. 8 and “the Jewish people of the region” in v. 19 , as well as the notes on the word “people” in vv. 31, 33 and the phrase “people who had come to mourn” in v. 36 .


text: Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


text: Grk “told them.”


text: The phrase “chief priests and Pharisees” is a comprehensive name for the groups represented in the ruling council (the Sanhedrin) as in John 7:45; 18:3 ; Acts 5:22, 26 .


text: Or “Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews). The συνέδριον ( sunedrion ) which they gathered was probably an informal meeting rather than the official Sanhedrin. This is the only occurrence of the word συνέδριον in the Gospel of John, and the only anarthrous singular use in the NT. There are other plural anarthrous uses which have the general meaning “councils.” The fact that Caiaphas in 11:49 is referred to as “one of them” supports the unofficial nature of the meeting; in the official Sanhedrin he, being high priest that year, would have presided over the assembly. Thus it appears that an informal council was called to discuss what to do about Jesus and his activities.


text: Grk “If we let him do thus.”


text: Or “holy place”; Grk “our place” (a reference to the temple in Jerusalem).


text: Grk “said to them.” The indirect object αὐτοῖς ( autois ) has not been translated for stylistic reasons.


text: Or “you are not considering.”


text: Although it is possible to argue that ἄνθρωπος ( anqrwpo" ) should be translated “person” here since it is not necessarily masculinity that is in view in Caiaphas’ statement, “man” was retained in the translation because in 11:47 “this man” ( οὗτος ὁ ἄνθρωπος , outo" Jo anqrwpo" ) has as its referent a specific individual, Jesus, and it was felt this connection should be maintained.


text: Grk “say this from himself.”


text: The word “Jewish” is not in the Greek text, but is clearly implied by the context (so also NIV; TEV “the Jewish people”).


text: See the note on the word “nation” in the previous verse.


text: Grk “that he might gather together.”


text: Grk “walked.”


text: Or “openly.”


text: Grk “among the Jews.” Here the phrase refers to the residents of Judea in general, who would be likely to report Jesus to the religious authorities. The vicinity around Jerusalem was no longer safe for Jesus and his disciples. On the translation “Judeans” cf. BDAG 479 s.v. ᾿Ιουδαῖος 2.e. See also the references in vv. 8, 19, 31, 33, 36, and 45 .


text: There is no certain identification of the location to which Jesus withdrew in response to the decision of the Jewish authorities. Many have suggested the present town of Et-Taiyibeh, identified with ancient Ophrah ( Josh 18:23 ) or Ephron ( Josh 15:9 ). If so, this would be 12-15 mi (19-24 km) northeast of Jerusalem.


text: Grk “the Passover of the Jews.” This is the final Passover of Jesus’ ministry. The author is now on the eve of the week of the Passion. Some time prior to the feast itself, Jerusalem would be crowded with pilgrims from the surrounding districts ( ἐκ τῆς χώρας , ek th" cwra" ) who had come to purify themselves ceremonially before the feast.


text: For location see Map5-B1 ; Map6-F3 ; Map7-E2 ; Map8-F2 ; Map10-B3 ; JP1-F4 ; JP2-F4 ; JP3-F4 ; JP4-F4 .


text: Or “to purify themselves” (to undergo or carry out ceremonial cleansing before participating in the Passover celebration).


text: Grk “they were seeking Jesus.”


text: Grk “in the temple.”


text: Or “could seize.”