Read the Gospels in 40 Days

Footnotes

1. John 9:1 tn Or “going along.” The opening words of chap. 9, καὶ παράγων (kai paragōn), convey only the vaguest indication of the circumstances. sn Since there is no break with chap. 8, Jesus is presumably still in Jerusalem, and presumably not still in the temple area. The events of chap. 9 fall somewhere between the feast of Tabernacles (John 7:2) and the feast of the Dedication (John 10:22). But in the author’s narrative the connection exists—the incident recorded in chap. 9 (along with the ensuing debates with the Pharisees) serves as a real-life illustration of the claim Jesus made in 8:12, I am the light of the world. This is in fact the probable theological motivation behind the juxtaposition of these two incidents in the narrative. The second serves as an illustration of the first, and as a concrete example of the victory of light over darkness. One other thing which should be pointed out about the miracle recorded in chap. 9 is its messianic significance. In the OT it is God himself who is associated with the giving of sight to the blind (Exod 4:11, Ps 146:8). In a number of passages in Isa (29:18; 35:5; 42:7) it is considered to be a messianic activity.
2. John 9:2 tn Grk “asked him, saying.”
3. John 9:2 tn Grk “this one.”
4. John 9:2 tn Grk “in order that he should be born blind.”sn The disciples assumed that sin (regardless of who committed it) was the cause of the man’s blindness. This was a common belief in Judaism; the rabbis used Ezek 18:20 to prove there was no death without sin, and Ps 89:33 to prove there was no punishment without guilt (the Babylonian Talmud, b. Shabbat 55a, although later than the NT, illustrates this). Thus in this case the sin must have been on the part of the man’s parents, or during his own prenatal existence. Song Rabbah 1:41 (another later rabbinic work) stated that when a pregnant woman worshiped in a heathen temple the unborn child also committed idolatry. This is only one example of how, in rabbinic Jewish thought, an unborn child was capable of sinning.
5. John 9:3 tn Grk “this one.”
6. John 9:3 tn Grk “but so that.” There is an ellipsis that must be supplied: “but [he was born blind] so that” or “but [it happened to him] so that.”
7. John 9:3 tn Or “deeds”; Grk “works.”
8. John 9:3 tn Or “manifested,” “brought to light.”
9. John 9:3 tn Grk “in him.”
10. John 9:4 tn Grk “We must work the works.”
11. John 9:4 tn Or “of him who sent me” (God).
12. John 9:4 tn Or “while.”
13. John 9:5 sn Jesus’ statement I am the light of the world connects the present account with 8:12. Here (seen more clearly than at 8:12) it is obvious what the author sees as the significance of Jesus’ statement. “Light” is not a metaphysical definition of the person of Jesus but a description of his effect on the world, forcing everyone in the world to ‘choose up sides’ for or against him (cf. 3:19-21).
14. John 9:6 tn Grk “said these things.”
15. John 9:6 tn Or “clay” (moistened earth of a clay-like consistency). The textual variant preserved in the Syriac text of Ephraem’s commentary on the Diatessaron (“he made eyes from his clay”) probably arose from the interpretation given by Irenaeus in Against Heresies: “that which the Artificer, the Word, had omitted to form in the womb, he then supplied in public.” This involves taking the clay as an allusion to Gen 2:7, which is very unlikely.
16. John 9:6 tn Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the conjunction καί (kai) was replaced by a third person pronoun and a new sentence started here in the translation.
17. John 9:6 tn Grk “on his.”
18. John 9:7 tn The pool’s name in Hebrew is shiloah from the Hebrew verb “to send.” In Gen 49:10 the somewhat obscure shiloh was interpreted messianically by later Jewish tradition, and some have seen a lexical connection between the two names (although this is somewhat dubious). It is known, however, that it was from the pool of Siloam that the water which was poured out at the altar during the feast of Tabernacles was drawn.
19. John 9:7 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author. Why does he comment on the meaning of the name of the pool? Here, the significance is that the Father sent the Son, and the Son sent the man born blind. The name of the pool is applicable to the man, but also to Jesus himself, who was sent from heaven.
20. John 9:7 tn Grk “So he”; the referent (the blind man) is specified in the translation for clarity.
21. John 9:8 tn Or “formerly.”
22. John 9:8 tn An ingressive force (“began saying”) is present here because the change in status of the blind person provokes this new response from those who knew him.
23. John 9:8 tn Grk “the one.”
24. John 9:9 tn Grk “Others were saying.”
25. John 9:9 tn Grk “This is the one.”
26. John 9:9 tn Grk “No, but he is like him.”
27. John 9:9 tn Grk “That one”; the referent (the man himself) is specified in the translation for clarity.
28. John 9:9 tn Grk “I am he.”
29. John 9:10 tn Grk “So they were saying to him.”
30. John 9:10 tn Grk “How then were your eyes opened” (an idiom referring to restoration of sight).
31. John 9:11 tn Grk “That one answered.”
32. John 9:11 tn Or “clay” (moistened earth of a clay-like consistency).
33. John 9:11 tn Grk “and smeared.” Direct objects in Greek were often omitted when obvious from the context.
34. John 9:11 tn Grk “said to me.”
35. John 9:11 tn Or “and I gained my sight.”
36. John 9:12 tn Grk “And they said.”
37. John 9:12 tn Grk “that one.” “Man” is more normal English style for the referent.
38. John 9:12 tn Grk “He said.”
39. John 9:13 tn Grk “who was formerly blind.”
40. John 9:13 sn See the note on Pharisees in 1:24.
41. John 9:14 tn Or “clay” (moistened earth of a clay-like consistency).
42. John 9:14 tn Grk “and opened his eyes” (an idiom referring to restoration of sight).
43. John 9:14 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.
44. John 9:15 tn Or “how he had become able to see.”sn So the Pharisees asked him. Note the subtlety here: On the surface, the man is being judged. But through him, Jesus is being judged. Yet in reality (as the discerning reader will realize) it is ironically the Pharisees themselves who are being judged by their response to Jesus who is the light of the world (cf. 3:17-21).
45. John 9:15 tn Grk “And he said to them.”
46. John 9:15 tn Or “clay” (moistened earth of a clay-like consistency).
47. John 9:15 tn The word “now” is not in the Greek text, but is supplied to indicate the contrast between the man’s former state (blind) and his present state (able to see).
48. John 9:16 tn As a response to the answers of the man who used to be blind, the use of the imperfect tense in the reply of the Pharisees is best translated as an ingressive imperfect (“began to say” or “started saying”).
49. John 9:16 tn Grk “he does not keep.”
50. John 9:16 sn The Jewish religious leaders considered the work involved in making the mud to be a violation of the Sabbath.
51. John 9:16 tn Grk “do.”
52. John 9:16 tn Or “So there was discord.”
53. John 9:17 tn Grk “the blind man.”
54. John 9:17 tn Grk “since he opened your eyes” (an idiom referring to restoration of sight).
55. John 9:17 tn Grk “And he said, ‘He is a prophet.’”sn At this point the man, pressed by the Pharisees, admitted there was something special about Jesus. But here, since prophet is anarthrous (is not accompanied by the Greek article) and since in his initial reply in 9:11-12 the man showed no particular insight into the true identity of Jesus, this probably does not refer to the prophet of Deut 18:15, but merely to an unusual person who is capable of working miracles. The Pharisees had put this man on the spot, and he felt compelled to say something about Jesus, but he still didn’t have a clear conception of who Jesus was, so he labeled him a “prophet.”
56. John 9:18 tn Or “the Jewish religious 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 mainly to the Pharisees, mentioned by name in John 9:13, 15, 16. References in this context to Pharisees and to the synagogue (v. 22) suggest an emphasis on the religious nature of the debate which is brought out by the translation “the Jewish religious leaders.”
57. John 9:18 tn The Greek text contains the words “about him” at this point: “the Jewish authorities did not believe about him…”
58. John 9:18 tn Grk “they called.”
59. John 9:18 tn Or “the man who had gained his sight.”
60. John 9:19 tn Grk “and they asked them, saying”; the referent (the parents) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
61. John 9:19 tn The Greek pronoun and verb are both plural (both parents are addressed).
62. John 9:20 tn Grk “So his parents answered and said.”
63. John 9:21 tn Grk “who opened his eyes” (an idiom referring to restoration of sight).
64. John 9:21 tn Or “he is of age.”
65. John 9:22 tn Or “the Jewish religious authorities”; Grk “the Jews.” Twice in this verse the phrase refers to the Pharisees, mentioned by name in John 9:13, 15, 16. The second occurrence is shortened to “the Jewish leaders” for stylistic reasons. See the note on the phrase “the Jewish religious leaders” in v. 18.
66. John 9:22 tn Grk “confessed him.”
67. John 9:22 tn 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.
68. John 9:22 tn Or “would be expelled from.”
69. John 9:22 sn This reference to excommunication from the Jewish synagogue for those who had made some sort of confession about Jesus being the Messiah is dismissed as anachronistic by some (e.g., Barrett) and nonhistorical by others. In later Jewish practice there were at least two forms of excommunication: a temporary ban for thirty days, and a permanent ban. But whether these applied in NT times is far from certain. There is no substantial evidence for a formal ban on Christians until later than this Gospel could possibly have been written. This may be a reference to some form of excommunication adopted as a contingency to deal with those who were proclaiming Jesus to be the Messiah. If so, there is no other record of the procedure than here. It was probably local, limited to the area around Jerusalem. See also the note on synagogue in 6:59.
70. John 9:23 tn Or “he is of age.”
71. John 9:23 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author explaining the parents’ response.
72. John 9:24 tn Grk “they called.”
73. John 9:24 tn Grk “who was blind.”
74. John 9:24 tn Grk “Give glory to God” (an idiomatic formula used in placing someone under oath to tell the truth).
75. John 9:24 tn The phrase “this man” is a reference to Jesus.
76. John 9:25 tn Grk “Then that one answered.”
77. John 9:26 tn Grk “open your eyes” (an idiom referring to restoration of sight).
78. John 9:27 tn Grk “He answered them.” The indirect object αὐτοῖς (autois) has not been translated for stylistic reasons.
79. John 9:27 tn Grk “you did not hear.”
80. John 9:27 tn “It” is not in the Greek text but has been supplied. Direct objects in Greek were often omitted when they were clearly implied in the context.
81. John 9:27 tn The word “people” is supplied in the translation to clarify the plural Greek pronoun and verb.
82. John 9:28 tn Grk “And they.” 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.
83. John 9:28 tn The Greek word means “to insult strongly” or “slander.”
84. John 9:28 tn Grk “and said.”
85. John 9:28 tn Grk “You are that one’s disciple.”
86. John 9:29 tn Grk “where this one.”
87. John 9:30 tn Grk “The man answered and said to them.” This has been simplified in the translation to “The man replied.”
88. John 9:30 tn Grk “For in this is a remarkable thing.”
89. John 9:30 tn Grk “and he opened my eyes” (an idiom referring to restoration of sight).
90. John 9:31 tn Grk “God does not hear.”
91. John 9:31 tn Or “godly.”
92. John 9:31 tn Grk “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
93. John 9:31 tn Or “hears.”
94. John 9:31 tn Grk “this one.”
95. John 9:32 tn Or “Never from the beginning of time,” Grk “From eternity.”
96. John 9:32 tn Grk “someone opening the eyes of a man born blind” (“opening the eyes” is an idiom referring to restoration of sight).
97. John 9:33 tn Grk “this one.”
98. John 9:34 tn Grk “They answered and said to him.” This has been simplified in the translation to “They replied.”
99. John 9:34 tn Or “From birth you have been evil.” The implication of this insult, in the context of John 9, is that the man whom Jesus caused to see had not previously adhered rigorously to all the conventional requirements of the OT law as interpreted by the Pharisees. Thus he had no right to instruct them about who Jesus was.
100. John 9:34 tn Grk “and are you teaching us?”
101. John 9:35 tn Grk “found him”; the referent (the man) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
102. John 9:35 tc Although most witnesses (A L Θ Ψ 070 0250 ƒ^1,13 33 M lat) have θεοῦ (theou, “of God”) instead of ἀνθρώπου (anthrōpou, “of man”) here, the better witnesses (P^66,75 א B D W sy^s) have ἀνθρώπου. Not only is the external evidence decidedly on the side of ἀνθρώπου, but it is difficult to see such early and diverse witnesses changing θεοῦ to ἀνθρώπου. The wording “Son of Man” is thus virtually certain.
103. John 9:36 tn Grk “That one.”
104. John 9:36 tn Grk answered and said.” This has been simplified in the translation to “replied.”
105. John 9:36 tn Or “And who is he, sir? Tell me so that…” Some translations supply elliptical words like “Tell me” (NIV, NRSV) following the man’s initial question, but the shorter form given in the translation is clear enough.
106. John 9:37 tn Grk “that one.”
107. John 9:37 tn The καί—καί (kai—kai) construction would normally be translated “both—and”: “You have both seen him, and he is the one speaking with you.” In this instance the English semicolon was used instead because it produces a smoother and more emphatic effect in English.
108. John 9:38 sn Assuming the authenticity of John 9:38-39a (see the tc note following the bracket in v. 39), the man’s response after Jesus’ statement of v. 37 is extremely significant: He worshiped Jesus. In the Johannine context the word would connote its full sense: This was something due God alone. Note also that Jesus did not prevent the man from doing this. The verb προσκυνέω (proskuneō) is used in John 4:20-25 of worshiping God, and again with the same sense in 12:20. This would be the only place in John’s Gospel where anyone is said to have worshiped Jesus using this term. As such, it forms the climax of the story of the man born blind, but the uniqueness of the concept of worshiping Jesus at this point in John’s narrative (which reaches its ultimate climax in the confession of Thomas in John 20:28) may suggest it is too early for such a response and it represents a later scribal addition.
109. John 9:39 tn Grk “And Jesus.” 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.
110. John 9:39 tc ‡ Some early and significant witnesses (P⁷⁵ א* W b sa^ms ac² mf) lack the words, “He said, ‘Lord, I believe,’ and he worshiped him. Jesus said,” (vv. 38-39a). This is weighty evidence for the omission of these words. It is difficult to overstate the value of P⁷⁵ here, since it is the only currently available papyrus ms extant for the text of John 9:38-39. Further, א is a significant and early Alexandrian witness for the omission. The versional testimony and codex W also give strong support to the omission. Nearly all other mss, however, include these words. The omission may have been occasioned by parablepsis (both vv. 37 and 39 begin with “Jesus said to him”), though it is difficult to account for such an error across such a wide variety of witnesses. On the other hand, the longer reading appears to be motivated by liturgical concerns (so R. E. Brown, John [AB], 1:375), since the verb προσκυνέω (proskuneō, “I worship”) is used in John 4:20-25 of worshiping God, and again with the same sense in 12:20. If these words were authentic here, this would be the only place in John’s Gospel where Jesus is the explicit object of προσκυνέω. Even if these words are not authentic, such an omission would nevertheless hardly diminish John’s high Christology (cf. 1:1; 5:18-23; 14:6-10; 20:28), nor the implicit worship of him by Thomas (20:28). Nevertheless, a decision is difficult, and the included words may reflect a very early tradition about the blind man’s response to Jesus.
111. John 9:39 tn Or “that those who do not see may see.”
112. John 9:40 sn See the note on Pharisees in 1:24.
113. John 9:40 tn Grk “heard these things.”
114. John 9:40 tn Grk “and said to him.”
115. John 9:40 tn Questions prefaced with μή (mē) 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 we?”).
116. John 9:41 tn Grk “Jesus said to them.”
117. John 9:41 tn Grk “you would not have sin.”
118. John 9:41 tn Grk “now because you say, ‘We see…’”
119. John 9:41 tn Or “your sin.”
120. John 9:41 sn Because you claim that you can see, your guilt remains. The blind man received sight physically, and this led him to see spiritually as well. But the Pharisees, who claimed to possess spiritual sight, were spiritually blinded. The reader might recall Jesus’ words to Nicodemus in 3:10, “Are you the teacher of Israel and don’t understand these things?” In other words, to receive Jesus was to receive the light of the world, to reject him was to reject the light, close one’s eyes, and become blind. This is the serious sin of which Jesus had warned before (8:21-24). The blindness of such people was incurable since they had rejected the only cure that exists (cf. 12:39-41).
121. John 10:1 tn Grk “Truly, truly, I say to you.”
122. John 10:1 sn There was more than one type of sheepfold in use in Palestine in Jesus’ day. The one here seems to be a courtyard in front of a house (the Greek word used for the sheepfold here, αὐλή [aulē] frequently refers to a courtyard), surrounded by a stone wall (often topped with briars for protection).
123. John 10:1 tn Or “entrance.”
124. John 10:3 tn Or “porter” (British English).sn There have been many attempts to identify who the doorkeeper represents, none of which are convincing. More likely there are some details in this parable that are included for the sake of the story, necessary as parts of the overall picture but without symbolic significance.
125. John 10:3 tn The words “the door” are not in the Greek text but are implied. Direct objects in Greek were often omitted when clear from the context.
126. John 10:3 tn Grk “For this one.”
127. John 10:3 tn Grk “And he.” 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.
128. John 10:3 sn He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. Some interpreters have suggested that there was more than one flock in the fold, and there would be a process of separation where each shepherd called out his own flock. This may also be suggested by the mention of a doorkeeper in v. 3 since only the larger sheepfolds would have such a guard. But the Gospel of John never mentions a distinction among the sheep in this fold; in fact (10:16) there are other sheep which are to be brought in, but they are to be one flock and one shepherd.
129. John 10:4 tn The word “sheep” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.
130. John 10:4 tn Grk “because they know.”
131. John 10:5 tn Or “someone whom they do not know.”
132. John 10:5 tn Grk “know.”
133. John 10:5 tn Or “the voice of someone they do not know.”
134. John 10:6 sn A parable is a fairly short narrative that has symbolic meaning. The Greek word παροιμίαν (paroimian) is used again in 16:25, 29. This term does not occur in the synoptic gospels, where παραβολή (parabolē) is used. Nevertheless it is similar, denoting a short narrative with figurative or symbolic meaning.
135. John 10:6 tn Grk “these.”
136. John 10:6 tn Or “comprehend.”
137. John 10:7 tn Grk “Truly, truly, I say to you.”
138. John 10:7 tn Or “I am the sheep’s door.”
139. John 10:8 tn Grk “are” (present tense).
140. John 10:8 tn Or “the sheep did not hear them.”
141. John 10:9 tn Since the Greek phrase εἰσέρχομαι καὶ ἐξέρχομαι (eiserchomai kai exerchomai, “come in and go out”) is in some places an idiom for living or conducting oneself in relationship to some community (“to live with, to live among” [cf. Acts 1:21; see also Num 27:17; 2 Chr 1:10]), it may well be that Jesus’ words here look forward to the new covenant community of believers. Another significant NT text is Luke 9:4, where both these verbs occur in the context of the safety and security provided by a given household for the disciples. See also BDAG 294 s.v. εἰσέρχομαι 1.b.β.
142. John 10:9 sn That is, pasture land in contrast to cultivated land.
143. John 10:10 tn That is, “to slaughter” (in reference to animals).
144. John 10:10 tn That is, more than one would normally expect or anticipate.
145. John 10:11 tn Or “model” (see R. E. Brown, John [AB], 1:386, who argues that “model” is a more exact translation of καλός [kalos] here).
146. John 10:11 tn Or “The good shepherd dies willingly.”sn Jesus speaks openly of his vicarious death twice in this section (John 10:11, 15). Note the contrast: The thief takes the life of the sheep (10:10), the good shepherd lays down his own life for the sheep. Jesus is not speaking generally here, but specifically: He has his own substitutionary death on the cross in view. For a literal shepherd with a literal flock, the shepherd’s death would have spelled disaster for the sheep; in this instance it spells life for them (Compare the worthless shepherd of Zech 11:17, by contrast).
147. John 10:12 sn Jesus contrasts the behavior of the shepherd with that of the hired hand. This is a worker who is simply paid to do a job; he has no other interest in the sheep and is certainly not about to risk his life for them. When they are threatened, he simply runs away.
148. John 10:12 tn Grk “leaves.”
149. John 10:12 tn Or “flees.”
150. John 10:12 tn Or “seizes.” The more traditional rendering, “snatches,” has the idea of seizing something by force and carrying it off, which is certainly possible here. However, in the sequence in John 10:12, this action precedes the scattering of the flock of sheep, so “attacks” is preferable.
151. John 10:13 tn Grk “does not have a care for the sheep.”
152. John 10:13 tc The phrase “he runs away” is lacking in several significant mss (P^{44vid,45, 66, 75} א A*^vid B D L [W] Θ 1 33 1241 al co). Most likely it was added by a later scribe to improve the readability of vv. 12-13, which is one long sentence in Greek. It has been included in the translation for the same stylistic reasons.
153. John 10:14 tn Grk “And I.” 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.
154. John 10:14 tn The direct object is frequently omitted in Greek and must be supplied from the context. Here it could be “sheep,” but Jesus was ultimately talking about “people.”
155. John 10:15 tn Or “I die willingly.”
156. John 10:15 tn Or “on behalf of” or “for the sake of.”
157. John 10:16 tn Grk “And I have.” 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.
158. John 10:16 tn Or “that do not belong to”; Grk “that are not of.”
159. John 10:16 sn The statement I have other sheep that do not come from this sheepfold almost certainly refers to Gentiles. Jesus has sheep in the fold who are Jewish; there are other sheep which, while not of the same fold, belong to him also. This recalls the mission of the Son in 3:16-17, which was to save the world—not just the nation of Israel. Such an emphasis would be particularly appropriate to the author if he were writing to a non-Palestinian and primarily non-Jewish audience.
160. John 10:16 tn Grk “they will hear my voice.”
161. John 10:16 tn Grk “voice, and.”
162. John 10:16 tn The word “and” is not in the Greek text, but must be supplied to conform to English style. In Greek it is an instance of asyndeton (omission of a connective), usually somewhat emphatic.
163. John 10:17 tn Grk “Because of this the Father loves me.”
164. John 10:17 tn Or “die willingly.”
165. John 10:18 tn Or “give it up.”
166. John 10:18 tn Or “of my own accord.” “Of my own free will” is given by BDAG 321 s.v. ἐμαυτοῦ c.
167. John 10:18 tn Or “I have the right.”
168. John 10:18 tn Or “I have the right.”
169. John 10:18 tn Or “order.”
170. John 10:19 tn Or perhaps “the Jewish religious leaders”; 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 could be taken to refer to the Jewish religious leaders, since the Pharisees were the last to be mentioned specifically by name, in John 9:40. However, in light of the charge about demon possession, which echoes 8:48, it is more likely that Jewish people in general (perhaps in Jerusalem, if that is understood to be the setting of the incident) are in view here.
171. John 10:20 tn Or “is insane.” To translate simply “he is mad” (so KJV, ASV, RSV; “raving mad” NIV) could give the impression that Jesus was angry, while the actual charge was madness or insanity.
172. John 10:21 tn Or “the sayings.”
173. John 10:21 tn Grk “open the eyes of the blind” (“opening the eyes” is an idiom referring to restoration of sight).
174. John 10:21 tn Questions prefaced with μή (mē) in Greek anticipate a negative answer. This can sometimes be indicated by using a “tag” at the end in English (here the tag is “can it?”).
175. John 10:22 tn That is, Hanukkah or the ‘Festival of Lights.’ The Greek name for the feast, τὰ ἐγκαίνια (ta enkainia), literally means “renewal” and was used to translate Hanukkah which means “dedication.” The Greek noun, with its related verbs, was the standard term used in the LXX for the consecration of the altar of the Tabernacle (Num 7:10-11), the altar of the temple of Solomon (1 Kgs 8:63; 2 Chr 7:5), and the altar of the second temple (Ezra 6:16). The word is thus connected with the consecration of all the houses of God in the history of the nation of Israel.sn The feast of the Dedication (also known as Hanukkah) was a feast celebrating annually the Maccabean victories of 165-164 b.c.—when Judas Maccabeus drove out the Syrians, rebuilt the altar, and rededicated the temple on 25 Kislev (1 Macc 4:41-61). From a historical standpoint, it was the last great deliverance the Jewish people had experienced, and it came at a time when least expected. Josephus ends his account of the institution of the festival with the following statement: “And from that time to the present we observe this festival, which we call the festival of Lights, giving this name to it, I think, from the fact that the right to worship appeared to us at a time when we hardly dared hope for it” (Ant. 12.7.6 [12.325]).
176. John 10:23 sn It was winter. The feast began on 25 Kislev, in November-December of the modern Gregorian calendar.
177. John 10:23 tn Grk “in the temple.”
178. John 10:23 tn Or “portico,” “colonnade”; Grk “stoa.”sn Solomon’s Portico was a covered walkway formed by rows of columns supporting a roof and open on the inner side facing the center of the temple complex.
179. John 10:24 tn Or “the Jewish authorities”; Grk “the Jews.” Here the phrase refers to the Jewish leaders. The question they ask Jesus (“Are you the Christ?”) is the same one they sent and asked of John the Baptist in the desert (see John 1:19-34). See also the note on the phrase “the Jewish people” in v. 19.
180. John 10:24 tn Grk “said to him.” This has been translated as “asked” for stylistic reasons.
181. John 10:24 tn Grk “How long will you take away our life?” (an idiom which meant to keep one from coming to a conclusion about something). The use of the phrase τὴν ψυχὴν ἡμῶν αἴρεις (tēn psuchēn hēmōn aireis) meaning “to keep in suspense” is not well attested, although it certainly fits the context here. In modern Greek the phrase means “to annoy, bother.”
182. John 10:24 tn 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.
183. John 10:24 tn Or “publicly.”
184. John 10:25 tn Grk “answered them.”
185. John 10:25 tn Or “the works.”
186. John 10:28 tn Grk “And I give.”
187. John 10:28 tn Or “will never die” or “will never be lost.”
188. John 10:28 tn Or “no one will seize.”
189. John 10:29 tn Or “is superior to all.”
190. John 10:29 tn Or “no one can seize.”
191. John 10:30 tn Grk “I and the Father.” The order has been reversed to reflect English style.
192. John 10:30 tn The phrase ἕν ἐσμεν (hen esmen) is a significant assertion with trinitarian implications. ἕν is neuter, not masculine, so the assertion is not that Jesus and the Father are one person, but one “thing.” Identity of the two persons is not what is asserted, but essential unity (unity of essence).
193. John 10:31 tn Or “the Jewish authorities”; Grk “the Jews.” Here the phrase refers to the Jewish leaders. See the notes on the phrases “Jewish people” in v. 19 and “Jewish leaders” in v. 24.
194. John 10:32 tn Grk “Jesus answered them.”
195. John 10:32 tn Or “good works.”
196. John 10:33 tn Or “the Jewish authorities”; Grk “the Jews.” Here again the phrase refers to the Jewish leaders. See the notes on the phrase “Jewish people” in v. 19 and “Jewish leaders” in vv. 24, 31.
197. John 10:33 tn Grk “answered him.”
198. John 10:33 tn Or “good work.”
199. John 10:33 sn This is the first time the official charge of blasphemy is voiced openly in the Fourth Gospel (although it was implicit in John 8:59). Blasphemy in the NT has a somewhat broader meaning than mere utterances. It could mean to say something that dishonored God, but it could also involve claims to divine prerogatives (in this case, Jesus’ claim to oneness with the Father, v. 30). Such claims were viewed as usurping God’s majesty or honor. The remark here raised directly the issue of the identity of Jesus himself as God’s representative.
200. John 10:33 tn Grk “and because.”
201. John 10:33 tn Grk “you, a man, make yourself to be God.”
202. John 10:34 tn Grk “answered them.”
203. John 10:34 sn A quotation from Ps 82:6. Technically the Psalms are not part of the OT “law” (which usually referred to the five books of Moses), but occasionally the term “law” was applied to the entire OT, as here. The problem in this verse concerns the meaning of Jesus’ quotation from Ps 82:6. It is important to look at the OT context: The whole line reads “I say, you are gods, sons of the Most High, all of you.” Jesus will pick up on the term “sons of the Most High” in 10:36, where he refers to himself as the Son of God. The psalm was understood in rabbinic circles as an attack on unjust judges who, though they have been given the title “gods” because of their quasi-divine function of exercising judgment, are just as mortal as other men. What is the argument here? It is often thought to be as follows: If it was an OT practice to refer to men like the judges as gods, and not blasphemy, why did the Jewish authorities object when this term was applied to Jesus? This really doesn’t seem to fit the context, however, since if that were the case Jesus would not be making any claim for “divinity” for himself over and above any other human being—and therefore he would not be subject to the charge of blasphemy. Rather, this is evidently a case of arguing from the lesser to the greater, a common form of rabbinic argument. The reason the OT judges could be called gods is because they were vehicles of the word of God (cf. 10:35). But granting that premise, Jesus deserves much more than they to be called God. He is the Word incarnate, whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world to save the world (10:36). In light of the prologue to the Gospel of John, it seems this interpretation would have been most natural for the author. If it is permissible to call men “gods” because they were the vehicles of the word of God, how much more permissible is it to use the word “God” of him who is the Word of God?
204. John 10:35 sn The parenthetical note And the scripture cannot be broken belongs to Jesus’ words rather than the author’s. Not only does Jesus appeal to the OT to defend himself against the charge of blasphemy, but he also adds that the scripture cannot be “broken.” In this context he does not explain precisely what is meant by “broken,” but it is not too hard to determine. Jesus’ argument depended on the exact word used in the context of Ps 82:6. If any other word for “judge” had been used in the psalm, his argument would have been meaningless. Since the scriptures do use this word in Ps 82:6, the argument is binding, because they cannot be “broken” in the sense of being shown to be in error.
205. John 10:36 tn Or “dedicated.”
206. John 10:37 tn Or “do.”
207. John 10:37 tn Or “works.”
208. John 10:38 tn Or “works.”sn Jesus says that in the final analysis, the deeds he did should indicate whether he was truly from the Father. If the authorities could not believe in him, it would be better to believe in the deeds he did than not to believe at all.
209. John 10:38 tn Or “so that you may learn.”
210. John 10:39 tc It is difficult to decide between ἐζήτουν οὖν (ezētoun oun, “then they were seeking”; P⁶⁶ א A L W Ψ ƒ^1,13 33 pm lat), ἐζήτουν δέ (ezētoun de, “now they were seeking”; P⁴⁵ and a few versional witnesses), καὶ ἐζήτουν (kai ezētoun, “and they were seeking”; D), and ἐζήτουν (P^75vid B Γ Θ 700 pm). Externally, the most viable readings are ἐζήτουν οὖν and ἐζήτουν. Transcriptionally, the οὖν could have dropped out via haplography since the verb ends in the same three letters. On the other hand, it is difficult to explain the readings with δέ or καί if ἐζήτουν οὖν is autographic; such readings would more likely have arisen from the simple ἐζήτουν. Intrinsically, John is fond of οὖν, using it some 200 times. Further, this Gospel begins relatively few sentences without some conjunction. The minimal support for the δέ and καί readings suggests that they arose either from the lone verb reading (which would thus be prior to their respective Vorlagen but not necessarily the earliest reading) or through carelessness on the part of the scribes. Indeed, the ancestors of P⁴⁵ and D may have committed haplography, leaving later scribes in the chain to guess at the conjunction needed. In sum, the best reading appears to be ἐζήτουν οὖν.
211. John 10:39 tn Grk “they were seeking.”
212. John 10:39 tn Grk “he departed out of their hand.”sn It is not clear whether the authorities simply sought to “arrest” him, or were renewing their attempt to stone him (cf. John 10:31) by seizing him and taking him out to be stoned. In either event, Jesus escaped their clutches. Nor is it clear whether Jesus’ escape is to be understood as a miracle. If so, the text gives little indication and even less description. What is clear is that until his “hour” comes, Jesus is completely safe from the hands of men: His enemies are powerless to touch him until they are permitted to do so.
213. John 10:40 tn Grk “He”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
214. John 10:40 tn The word “River” is not in the Greek text but is supplied for clarity.
215. John 10:40 sn John refers to John the Baptist.
216. John 10:40 tn Grk “formerly.”sn This refers to the city of Bethany across the Jordan River (see John 1:28).
217. John 10:41 tn Grk “And many.” 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.
218. John 10:41 sn John refers to John the Baptist.
219. John 10:41 tn Grk “did.”
220. John 10:41 tn Grk “this one.”
221. John 10:42 tn Grk “in him.”