translation_id: net-engnet

book_id: JHN

label: NET translator note

text: 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. 2 b γ ) in Lk 23:16, 22 (for μ . of a non-capital offense PFlor I, 61, 61 [85ad]=Mitt-Wilck. II/2, 80 II, 61).” sn This severe flogging was not administered by Pilate himself but his officers, who took Jesus at Pilate’s order and scourged him. The author’s choice of wording here may constitute an allusion to Isa 50:6 , “I gave my back to those who scourge me.” Three forms of corporal punishment were employed by the Romans, in increasing degree of severity: (1) fustigatio (beating), (2) flagellatio (flogging), and (3) verberatio (severe flogging, scourging). The first could be on occasion a punishment in itself, but the more severe forms were part of the capital sentence as a prelude to crucifixion. The most severe, verberatio , is what is indicated here by the Greek verb translated flogged severely ( μαστιγόω , mastigow ). People died on occasion while being flogged this way; frequently it was severe enough to rip a person’s body open or cut muscle and sinew to the bone. It was carried out with a whip that had fragments of bone or pieces of metal bound into the tips.


text: 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.


text: Or “wove.”


text: 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.


text: The words “again and again” are implied by the (iterative) imperfect verb ἤρχοντο ( hrconto ).


text: Or “Long live the King of the Jews!” sn The greeting used by the soldiers, “ Hail, King of the Jews! ”, is a mockery based on the standard salutation for the Roman emperor, “ Ave, Caesar! ” (“Hail to Caesar!”).


text: The word “repeatedly” is implied by the (iterative) imperfect verb ἐδιδοσαν ( edidosan ).


text: Grk “to them.” The words “the Jewish leaders” are supplied from John 18:38 for clarity.


text: Or “find no basis for an accusation”; Grk “find no cause.”


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


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


text: Grk “said to them.” The words “to them” are not translated because they are unnecessary in contemporary English style.


text: On this use of γάρ ( gar ) used in exclamations and strong affirmations, see BDAG 190 s.v. γάρ 3.


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, especially members of the Sanhedrin, and their servants (mentioned specifically as “the chief priests and their servants” in John 19:6 ).


text: Grk “answered him.”


text: Grk “because he made himself out to be the Son of God.”


text: Grk “heard this word.”


text: Grk “became more afraid.”


text: Grk “into the praetorium.”


text: Grk “said to him.” The words “to him” are not translated because they are unnecessary in contemporary English style.


text: Or “the power.”


text: 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. sn See the note on Crucify in 19:6 .


text: Or “power.”


text: Or “who delivered me over to you.” sn The one who handed me over to you appears to be a reference to Judas at first; yet Judas did not deliver Jesus up to Pilate, but to the Jewish authorities. The singular may be a reference to Caiaphas, who as high priest was representative of all the Jewish authorities, or it may be a generic singular referring to all the Jewish authorities directly. In either case the end result is more or less the same.


text: Grk “has the greater sin” (an idiom). sn Because Pilate had no authority over Jesus except what had been given to him from God, the one who handed Jesus over to Pilate was guilty of greater sin . This does not absolve Pilate of guilt; it simply means his guilt was less than those who handed Jesus over to him, because he was not acting against Jesus out of deliberate hatred or calculated malice, like the Jewish religious authorities. These were thereby guilty of greater sin.


text: Grk “sought.”


text: 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 .


text: Grk “shouted out, saying.”


text: Grk “this one.”


text: Grk “who makes himself out to be a king.”


text: Or “the judge’s seat.” sn The judgment seat ( βῆμα , bhma ) was a raised platform mounted by steps and usually furnished with a seat. It was used by officials in addressing an assembly or making official pronouncements, often of a judicial nature.


text: Grk “in Hebrew.” sn The author does not say that Gabbatha is the Aramaic (or Hebrew) translation for the Greek term Λιθόστρωτον ( Liqostrwton ). He simply points out that in Aramaic (or Hebrew) the place had another name. A number of meanings have been suggested, but the most likely appears to mean “elevated place.” It is possible that this was a term used by the common people for the judgment seat itself, which always stood on a raised platform.


text: Grk “about the sixth hour.” sn For John, the time was especially important. When the note concerning the hour, about noon , is connected with the day, the day of preparation for the Passover , it becomes apparent that Jesus was going to die on the cross at the very time that the Passover lambs were being slain in the temple courts. Exod 12:6 required that the Passover lamb be kept alive until the 14th Nisan , the eve of the Passover, and then slaughtered by the head of the household at twilight ( Grk “between the two evenings”). By this time the slaughtering was no longer done by the heads of households, but by the priests in the temple courts. But so many lambs were needed for the tens of thousands of pilgrims who came to Jerusalem to celebrate the feast (some estimates run in excess of 100,000 pilgrims) that the slaughter could not be completed during the evening, and so the rabbis redefined “between the two evenings” as beginning at noon, when the sun began to decline toward the horizon. Thus the priests had the entire afternoon of 14th Nisan in which to complete the slaughter of the Passover lambs. According to the Fourth Gospel, this is the time Jesus was dying on the cross.


text: 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.


text: Grk “Then these.”


text: The words “with him” (twice) are not in the Greek text. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context.


text: Grk “Pilate said to them.” The words “to them” are not translated because it is clear in English who Pilate is addressing.


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


text: Or “delivered him over.”


text: Or “carrying the cross by himself.” sn As was customary practice in a Roman crucifixion, the prisoner was made to carry his own cross . 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. According to Matt 27:32 and Mark 15:21 , the soldiers forced Simon to take the cross; Luke 23:26 states that the cross was placed on Simon so that it might be carried behind Jesus. A reasonable explanation of all this is that Jesus started out carrying the cross until he was no longer able to do so, at which point Simon was forced to take over.


text: Grk “in Hebrew.”


text: 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.


text: Grk “and with him two others.”


text: Or “an inscription.” 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.


text: 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. sn John says simply that the notice was fastened to the cross . Luke 23:38 says the inscription was placed “over him” (Jesus), and Matt 27:37 that it was placed over Jesus’ head. On the basis of Matthew’s statement Jesus’ cross is usually depicted as the crux immissa , the cross which has the crossbeam set below the top of the upright beam. The other commonly used type of cross was the crux commissa , which had the crossbeam atop the upright beam. But Matthew’s statement is not conclusive, since with the crux commissa the body would have sagged downward enough to allow the placard to be placed above Jesus’ head. The placard with Pilate’s inscription is mentioned in all the gospels, but for John it was certainly ironic. Jesus really was the King of the Jews , although he was a king rejected by his own people (cf. 1:11 ). Pilate’s own motivation for placing the title over Jesus is considerably more obscure. He may have meant this as a final mockery of Jesus himself, but Pilate’s earlier mockery of Jesus seemed to be motivated by a desire to gain pity from the Jewish authorities in order to have him released. More likely Pilate saw this as a subtle way of getting back at the Jewish authorities who had pressured him into the execution of one he considered to be an innocent man.


text: Grk “Now it was written.”


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


text: Or “this inscription.”


text: 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.”


text: 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.


text: Or “shirt” (a long garment worn under the cloak next to the skin). See the note on the same word earlier in this verse.


text: 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.


text: Grk “to see whose it will be.”


text: The words “This took place” are not in the Greek text but are implied.


text: Grk “cast lots.” See the note on “throw dice” earlier in the verse. sn A quotation from Ps 22:18 .


text: Grk “from that very hour.”


text: Or “that already.”


text: Or “finished,” “accomplished”; Grk “fulfilled.”


text: Or “and brought it.”


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


text: Or “It is accomplished,” “It is finished,” or “It is ended.” See tn on John 13:1 .


text: Or “he bowed his head and died”; Grk “he bowed his head and gave over the spirit.”


text: 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 .


text: 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.


text: 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.


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


text: Grk “broke the legs of the first and of the other who had been crucified with him.”


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


text: Grk “and that one.”


text: 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 .


text: 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.


text: Grk “took away his body.”


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


text: Grk “came”; the words “accompanied Joseph” are not in the Greek text but are supplied for clarity.


text: 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.


text: 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.


text: Grk “cloth as is the custom of the Jews to prepare for burial.”


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


text: Or “an orchard.”


text: Or “orchard.”


text: Grk “been placed.”