translation_id: net-engnet

book_id: JHN

label: NET translator note

text: Grk “whom Jesus,” but a repetition of the proper name (Jesus) here would be redundant in the English clause structure, so the pronoun (“he”) is substituted in the translation.


text: Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity and to conform with contemporary English style.


text: Grk “And Martha.” The connective καί ( kai , “and”) has been omitted in the translation because it would produce a run-on sentence in English.


text: Grk “reclining at the table.” 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.


text: Or “half a liter”; Grk “a pound” (that is, a Roman pound, about 325 grams or 12 ounces).


text: 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. sn Nard or spikenard is a fragrant oil from the root and spike of the nard plant of northern India. This aromatic oil , if made of something like nard, would have been extremely expensive, costing up to a year’s pay for an average laborer.


text: Grk “And she.” 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 “three hundred denarii.” The denarius was a silver coin worth a standard day’s wage, so the value exceeded what a laborer could earn in a year (taking into account Sabbaths and feast days when no work was done).


text: The words “the money” are not in the Greek text, but are implied (as the proceeds from the sale of the perfumed oil).


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


text: Grk “a thief, and having the money box.” Dividing the single Greek sentence improves the English style.


text: Grk “Leave her alone, that for the day of my burial she may keep it.” The construction with ἵνα ( Jina ) is somewhat ambiguous. The simplest way to read it would be, “Leave her alone, that she may keep it for the day of my burial.” This would imply that Mary was going to use the perfumed oil on that day, while vv. 3 and 5 seem to indicate clearly that she had already used it up. Some understand the statement as elliptical: “Leave her alone; (she did this) in order to keep it for the day of my burial.” Another alternative would be an imperatival use of ἵνα with the meaning: “Leave her alone; let her keep it.” The reading of the Byzantine text, which omits the ἵνα and substitutes a perfect tense τετήρηκεν ( tethrhken ), while not likely to be original, probably comes close to the meaning of the text, and that has been followed in this translation.


text: ), or vv. 7-8 ({0250}). The latter two omissions are surely due to errors of sight, while the former can be attributed to D’s sometimes erratic behavior. The verse is secure in light of the overwhelming evidence on its behalf. 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.


text: Grk “of the Jews.” In NT usage the term ᾿Ιουδαῖοι ( Ioudaioi ) may refer to the entire Jewish people, the residents of Jerusalem and surrounding territory (“Judeans”; cf. BDAG 479 s.v. ᾿Ιουδαῖος 2.e), 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 residents of Jerusalem and the surrounding area who by this time had heard about the resurrection of Lazarus and were curious to see him.


text: Grk “knew.”


text: Grk “he”; normal English clause structure specifies the referent first and substitutes the pronoun in subsequent references to the same individual, so the referent (Jesus) has been specified here.


text: Grk “Jesus”; normal English clause structure specifies the referent first and substitutes the pronoun in subsequent references to the same individual, so the pronoun (“him”) has been substituted here.


text: Grk “the Jews.” Here the phrase refers to the residents of Jerusalem who had heard about the resurrection of Lazarus and as a result were embracing Jesus as Messiah. See also the note on the phrase “Judeans” in v. 9 . map For location see Map5-B1 ; Map6-F3 ; Map7-E2 ; Map8-F2 ; Map10-B3 ; JP1-F4 ; JP2-F4 ; JP3-F4 ; JP4-F4 .


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


text: Grk “And they were shouting.” An ingressive force for the imperfect tense (“they began to shout” or “they started shouting”) is natural in this sequence of events. The conjunction καί ( kai , “and”) is left untranslated to improve the English style.


text: The expression ῾Ωσαννά ( Jwsanna , literally in Hebrew, “O Lord, save”) in the quotation from Ps 118:25-26 was probably by this time a familiar liturgical expression of praise, on the order of “Hail to the king,” although both the underlying Aramaic and Hebrew expressions meant “O Lord, save us.” As in Mark 11:9 the introductory ὡσαννά is followed by the words of Ps 118:25 , εὐλογημένος ὁ ἐρχόμενος ἐν ὀνόματι κυρίου ( euloghmeno" Jo ercomeno" en onomati kuriou ), although in the Fourth Gospel the author adds for good measure καὶ ὁ βασιλεὺς τοῦ ᾿Ισραήλ ( kai Jo basileu" tou Israhl ). In words familiar to every Jew, the author is indicating that at this point every messianic expectation is now at the point of realization. It is clear from the words of the psalm shouted by the crowd that Jesus is being proclaimed as messianic king. See E. Lohse, TDNT 9:682-84. sn Hosanna is an Aramaic expression that literally means, “help, I pray,” or “save, I pray.” By Jesus’ time it had become a strictly liturgical formula of praise, however, and was used as an exclamation of praise to God.


text: Grk “Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel.” The words “Blessed is” are not repeated in the Greek text, but are repeated in the translation to avoid the awkwardness in English of the ascensive καί ( kai ).


text: Grk “Do not be afraid, daughter of Zion” (the phrase “daughter of Zion” is an idiom for the inhabitants of Jerusalem: “people of Zion”). The idiom “daughter of Zion” has been translated as “people of Zion” because the original idiom, while firmly embedded in the Christian tradition, is not understandable to most modern English readers.


text: Or “did not understand these things at first”; Grk “formerly.”


text: Grk “and that they had done these things,” though the referent is probably indefinite and not referring to the disciples; as such, the best rendering is as a passive (see ExSyn 402-3; R. E. Brown, John [AB], 1:458).


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


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


text: Grk “and were asking him, saying.” The participle λέγοντες ( legontes ) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated here.


text: Grk “Andrew and Philip”; because a repetition of the proper names would be redundant in contemporary English style, the phrase “they both” has been substituted in the translation.


text: Grk “Jesus answered them, saying.” The participle λέγων ( legwn ) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated here.


text: Grk “the hour.”


text: Grk “Truly, truly, I say to you.”


text: Or “it remains only a single kernel.”


text: Or “bears.”


text: Grk “much fruit.”


text: Or “soul.”


text: Or “loses.” Although the traditional English translation of ἀπολλύει ( apolluei ) in John 12:25 is “loses,” the contrast with φυλάξει ( fulaxei , “keeps” or “guards”) in the second half of the verse favors the meaning “destroy” here.


text: Or “keeps.”


text: As a third person imperative in Greek, ἀκολουθείτω ( akolouqeitw ) is usually translated “let him follow me.” This could be understood by the modern English reader as merely permissive, however (“he may follow me if he wishes”). In this context there is no permissive sense, but rather a command, so the translation “he must follow me” is preferred.


text: Grk “where I am, there my servant will be too.”


text: Or “save me.”


text: Or “this occasion.” sn Father, deliver me from this hour. It is now clear that Jesus’ hour has come – the hour of his return to the Father through crucifixion, death, resurrection, and ascension (see 12:23 ). This will be reiterated in 13:1 and 17:1 . Jesus states (employing words similar to those of Ps 6:4 ) that his soul is troubled. What shall his response to his imminent death be? A prayer to the Father to deliver him from that hour? No, because it is on account of this very hour that Jesus has come. His sacrificial death has always remained the primary purpose of his mission into the world. Now, faced with the completion of that mission, shall he ask the Father to spare him from it? The expected answer is no.


text: Or “this occasion.”


text: Or “from the sky” (see note on 1:32 ).


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


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


text: Grk “Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.” The direct discourse in the second half of v. 29 was converted to indirect discourse in the translation to maintain the parallelism with the first half of the verse, which is better in keeping with English style.


text: Grk “Jesus answered and said.”


text: Or “for my sake.”


text: Or “will be thrown out.” This translation regards the future passive ἐκβληθήσεται ( ekblhqhsetai ) as referring to an event future to the time of speaking. sn The phrase driven out must refer to Satan’s loss of authority over this world. This must be in principle rather than in immediate fact, since 1 John 5:19 states that the whole world (still) lies in the power of the evil one (a reference to Satan). In an absolute sense the reference is proleptic. The coming of Jesus’ hour (his crucifixion, death, resurrection, and exaltation to the Father) marks the end of Satan’s domain and brings about his defeat, even though that defeat has not been ultimately worked out in history yet and awaits the consummation of the age.


text: Grk “all.” The word “people” is not in the Greek text but is supplied for stylistic reasons and for clarity (cf. KJV “all men”).


text: Grk “Then the crowd answered him.”


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: Probably an allusion to Ps 89:35-37 . It is difficult to pinpoint the passage in the Mosaic law to which the crowd refers. The ones most often suggested are Ps 89:36-37 , Ps 110:4 , Isa 9:7 , Ezek 37:25 , and Dan 7:14 . None of these passages are in the Pentateuch per se , but “law” could in common usage refer to the entire OT (compare Jesus’ use in John 10:34 ). Of the passages mentioned, Ps 89:36-37 is the most likely candidate. This verse speaks of David’s “seed” remaining forever. Later in the same psalm, v. 51 speaks of the “anointed” (Messiah), and the psalm was interpreted messianically in both the NT ( Acts 13:22 , Rev 1:5, 3:14 ) and in the rabbinic literature ( Genesis Rabbah 97).


text: Grk “And how”; the conjunction καί ( kai , “and”) has been left untranslated here for improved English style.


text: Grk “Then Jesus said to them.”


text: Grk “Yet a little while the light is with you.”


text: The idiom “sons of light” means essentially “people characterized by light,” that is, “people of God.” sn The expression sons of light refers to men and women to whom the truth of God has been revealed and who are therefore living according to that truth, thus, “people of God.”


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


text: Or “done.”


text: Or “message.”


text: Grk “who said.”


text: “The arm of the Lord” is an idiom for “God’s great power” (as exemplified through Jesus’ miraculous signs). This response of unbelief is interpreted by the author as a fulfillment of the prophetic words of Isaiah ( Isa 53:1 ). The phrase ὁ βραχίων κυρίου ( Jo braciwn kuriou ) is a figurative reference to God’s activity and power which has been revealed in the sign-miracles which Jesus has performed (compare the previous verse).


text: Or “closed their mind.”


text: Or “their mind.”


text: One could also translate στραφῶσιν ( strafwsin ) as “repent” or “change their ways,” but both of these terms would be subject to misinterpretation by the modern English reader. The idea is one of turning back to God, however. The words “to me” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.


text: Grk “his”; the referent (Christ) has been specified in the translation for clarity. The referent supplied here is “Christ” rather than “Jesus” because it involves what Isaiah saw. It is clear that the author presents Isaiah as having seen the preincarnate glory of Christ, which was the very revelation of the Father (see John 1:18 ; John 14:9 ). sn Because he saw Christ ’ s glory. The glory which Isaiah saw in Isa 6:3 was the glory of Yahweh (typically rendered as “Lord” in the OT). Here John speaks of the prophet seeing the glory of Christ since in the next clause and spoke about him , “him” can hardly refer to Yahweh, but must refer to Christ. On the basis of statements like 1:14 in the prologue, the author probably put no great distinction between the two. Since the author presents Jesus as fully God (cf. John 1:1 ), it presents no problem to him to take words originally spoken by Isaiah of Yahweh himself and apply them to Jesus.


text: The words “Jesus to be the Christ” are not in the Greek text, but are implied (see 9:22 ). As is often the case in Greek, the direct object is omitted for the verb ὡμολόγουν ( Jwmologoun ). Some translators supply an ambiguous “it,” or derive the implied direct object from the previous clause “believed in him” so that the rulers would not confess “their faith” or “their belief.” However, when one compares John 9:22 , which has many verbal parallels to this verse, it seems clear that the content of the confession would have been “Jesus is the Christ (i.e., Messiah).” sn See the note on Christ in 1:20 .


text: Or “be expelled from.”


text: Grk “the glory.”


text: Grk “shouted out and said.”


text: Grk “And if anyone”; the conjunction καί ( kai , “and”) has been left untranslated here for improved English style.


text: Or “guard them,” “keep them.”


text: Or “does not receive.”


text: Grk “has one who judges him.”


text: Grk “I have not spoken from myself.”


text: Grk “has given me commandment.”


text: Or “his commandment results in eternal life.”


text: Grk “The things I speak, just as the Father has spoken to me, thus I speak.”