2 Chronicles 34:1-33 
Context34:1 Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned for thirty-one years in Jerusalem. 1 34:2 He did what the Lord approved 2 and followed in his ancestor David’s footsteps; 3 he did not deviate to the right or the left.
34:3 In the eighth year of his reign, while he was still young, he began to seek the God of his ancestor 4 David. In his twelfth year he began ridding 5 Judah and Jerusalem of the high places, Asherah poles, idols, and images. 34:4 He ordered the altars of the Baals to be torn down, 6 and broke the incense altars that were above them. He smashed the Asherah poles, idols and images, crushed them up and sprinkled the dust over the tombs of those who had sacrificed to them. 34:5 He burned the bones of the pagan priests 7 on their altars; he purified Judah and Jerusalem. 34:6 In the cities of Manasseh, Ephraim, and Simeon, as far as Naphtali, and in the ruins 8 around them, 34:7 he tore down the altars and Asherah poles, demolished the idols, and smashed all the incense altars throughout the land of Israel. Then he returned to Jerusalem.
34:8 In the eighteenth year of his reign, he continued his policy of purifying the land and the temple. 9 He sent Shaphan son of Azaliah, Maaseiah the city official, and Joah son of Joahaz the secretary to repair the temple of the Lord his God. 34:9 They went to Hilkiah the high priest and gave him the silver that had been brought to God’s temple. The Levites who guarded the door had collected it from the people of 10 Manasseh and Ephraim and from all who were left in Israel, as well as from all the people of 11 Judah and Benjamin and the residents of 12 Jerusalem. 34:10 They handed it over to the construction foremen 13 assigned to the Lord’s temple. They in turn paid the temple workers to restore and repair it. 14 34:11 They gave money to the craftsmen and builders to buy chiseled stone and wood for the braces and rafters of the buildings that the kings of Judah had allowed to fall into disrepair. 15 34:12 The men worked faithfully. Their supervisors were Jahath and Obadiah (Levites descended from Merari), as well as Zechariah and Meshullam (descendants of Kohath). The Levites, all of whom were skilled musicians, 34:13 supervised the laborers and all the foremen on their various jobs. 16 Some of the Levites were scribes, officials, and guards.
34:14 When they took out the silver that had been brought to the Lord’s temple, Hilkiah the priest found the law scroll the Lord had given to Moses. 34:15 Hilkiah informed Shaphan the scribe, “I found the law scroll in the Lord’s temple.” Hilkiah gave the scroll to Shaphan. 34:16 Shaphan brought the scroll to the king and reported, 17 “Your servants are doing everything assigned to them. 34:17 They melted down the silver in the Lord’s temple 18 and handed it over to the supervisors of the construction foremen.” 34:18 Then Shaphan the scribe told the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a scroll.” Shaphan read it out loud before the king. 34:19 When the king heard the words of the law scroll, he tore his clothes. 34:20 The king ordered Hilkiah, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Abdon son of Micah, 19 Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah the king’s servant, 34:21 “Go, seek an oracle from 20 the Lord for me and those who remain in Israel and Judah. Find out about 21 the words of this scroll that has been discovered. For the Lord’s fury has been ignited against us, 22 because our ancestors 23 have not obeyed the word of the Lord by doing all that this scroll instructs!” 24
34:22 So Hilkiah and the others sent by the king 25 went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum son of Tokhath, the son of Hasrah, 26 the supervisor of the wardrobe. 27 (She lived in Jerusalem in the Mishneh 28 district.) They stated their business, 29 34:23 and she said to them: “This is what the Lord God of Israel says: ‘Say this to the man who sent you to me: 34:24 “This is what the Lord says: ‘I am about to bring disaster on this place and its residents, the details of which are recorded in the scroll which they read before the king of Judah. 34:25 This will happen because they have abandoned me and offered sacrifices 30 to other gods, angering me with all the idols they have made. 31 My anger will ignite against this place and will not be extinguished!’” 34:26 Say this to the king of Judah, who sent you to seek an oracle from the Lord: “This is what the Lord God of Israel says concerning the words you have heard: 34:27 ‘You displayed a sensitive spirit 32 and humbled yourself before God when you heard his words concerning this place and its residents. You humbled yourself before me, tore your clothes and wept before me, and I have heard you,’ says the Lord. 34:28 ‘Therefore I will allow you to die and be buried in peace. 33 You will not have to witness all the disaster I will bring on this place and its residents.’”’” Then they reported back to the king.
34:29 The king summoned all the leaders of Judah and Jerusalem. 34 34:30 The king went up to the Lord’s temple, accompanied by all the people of Judah, the residents of Jerusalem, the priests, and the Levites. All the people were there, from the oldest to the youngest. He read aloud all the words of the scroll of the covenant that had been discovered in the Lord’s temple. 34:31 The king stood by his pillar 35 and renewed 36 the covenant before the Lord, agreeing to follow 37 the Lord and to obey his commandments, laws, and rules with all his heart and being, 38 by carrying out the terms 39 of this covenant recorded on this scroll. 34:32 He made all who were in Jerusalem and Benjamin agree to it. 40 The residents of Jerusalem acted in accordance with the covenant of God, the God of their ancestors. 34:33 Josiah removed all the detestable idols from all the areas belonging to the Israelites and encouraged 41 all who were in Israel to worship the Lord their God. Throughout the rest of his reign 42 they did not turn aside from following the Lord God of their ancestors.
Revelation 20:1-15
Context20:1 Then 43 I saw an angel descending from heaven, holding 44 in his hand the key to the abyss and a huge chain. 20:2 He 45 seized the dragon – the ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan – and tied him up for a thousand years. 20:3 The angel 46 then 47 threw him into the abyss and locked 48 and sealed it so that he could not deceive the nations until the one thousand years were finished. (After these things he must be released for a brief period of time.)
20:4 Then 49 I saw thrones and seated on them were those who had been given authority to judge. 50 I also saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of the testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. These 51 had not worshiped the beast or his image and had refused to receive his mark on their forehead or hand. They 52 came to life 53 and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 20:5 (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were finished.) 54 This is the first resurrection. 20:6 Blessed and holy is the one who takes part 55 in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, 56 but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.
20:7 Now 57 when the thousand years are finished, Satan will be released from his prison 20:8 and will go out to deceive 58 the nations at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, 59 to bring them together for the battle. They are as numerous as the grains of sand in the sea. 60 20:9 They 61 went up 62 on the broad plain of the earth 63 and encircled 64 the camp 65 of the saints and the beloved city, but 66 fire came down from heaven and devoured them completely. 67 20:10 And the devil who deceived 68 them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, 69 where the beast and the false prophet are 70 too, and they will be tormented there day and night forever and ever.
20:11 Then 71 I saw a large 72 white throne and the one who was seated on it; the earth and the heaven 73 fled 74 from his presence, and no place was found for them. 20:12 And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne. Then 75 books were opened, and another book was opened – the book of life. 76 So 77 the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to their deeds. 78 20:13 The 79 sea gave up the dead that were in it, and Death 80 and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each one was judged according to his deeds. 20:14 Then 81 Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death – the lake of fire. 20:15 If 82 anyone’s name 83 was not found written in the book of life, that person 84 was thrown into the lake of fire.
Malachi 2:1-17
Context2:1 “Now, you priests, this commandment is for you. 2:2 If you do not listen and take seriously 85 the need to honor my name,” says the Lord who rules over all, “I will send judgment 86 on you and turn your blessings into curses – indeed, I have already done so because you are not taking it to heart. 2:3 I am about to discipline your children 87 and will spread offal 88 on your faces, 89 the very offal produced at your festivals, and you will be carried away along with it. 2:4 Then you will know that I sent this commandment to you so that my covenant 90 may continue to be with Levi,” says the Lord who rules over all. 2:5 “My covenant with him was designed to bring life and peace. I gave its statutes to him to fill him with awe, and he indeed revered me and stood in awe before me. 2:6 He taught what was true; 91 sinful words were not found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and integrity, and he turned many people away from sin. 2:7 For the lips of a priest should preserve knowledge of sacred things, and people should seek instruction from him 92 because he is the messenger of the Lord who rules over all. 2:8 You, however, have turned from the way. You have caused many to violate the law; 93 you have corrupted the covenant with Levi,” 94 says the Lord who rules over all. 2:9 “Therefore, I have caused you to be ignored and belittled before all people to the extent to which you are not following after me and are showing partiality in your 95 instruction.”
2:10 Do we not all have one father? 96 Did not one God create us? Why do we betray one another, in this way making light of the covenant of our ancestors? 2:11 Judah has become disloyal, and unspeakable sins have been committed in Israel and Jerusalem. 97 For Judah has profaned 98 the holy things that the Lord loves and has turned to a foreign god! 99 2:12 May the Lord cut off from the community 100 of Jacob every last person who does this, 101 as well as the person who presents improper offerings to the Lord who rules over all!
2:13 You also do this: You cover the altar of the Lord with tears 102 as you weep and groan, because he no longer pays any attention to the offering nor accepts it favorably from you. 2:14 Yet you ask, “Why?” The Lord is testifying against you on behalf of the wife you married when you were young, 103 to whom you have become unfaithful even though she is your companion and wife by law. 104 2:15 No one who has even a small portion of the Spirit in him does this. 105 What did our ancestor 106 do when seeking a child from God? Be attentive, then, to your own spirit, for one should not be disloyal to the wife he took in his youth. 107 2:16 “I hate divorce,” 108 says the Lord God of Israel, “and the one who is guilty of violence,” 109 says the Lord who rules over all. “Pay attention to your conscience, and do not be unfaithful.”
2:17 You have wearied the Lord with your words. But you say, “How have we wearied him?” Because you say, “Everyone who does evil is good in the Lord’s opinion, 110 and he delights in them,” or “Where is the God of justice?”
John 19:1-42
Context19:1 Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged severely. 111 19:2 The soldiers 112 braided 113 a crown of thorns 114 and put it on his head, and they clothed him in a purple robe. 115 19:3 They 116 came up to him again and again 117 and said, “Hail, king of the Jews!” 118 And they struck him repeatedly 119 in the face.
19:4 Again Pilate went out and said to the Jewish leaders, 120 “Look, I am bringing him out to you, so that you may know that I find no reason for an accusation 121 against him.” 19:5 So Jesus came outside, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. 122 Pilate 123 said to them, “Look, here is the man!” 124 19:6 When the chief priests and their officers saw him, they shouted out, “Crucify 125 him! Crucify him!” 126 Pilate said, 127 “You take him and crucify him! 128 Certainly 129 I find no reason for an accusation 130 against him!” 19:7 The Jewish leaders 131 replied, 132 “We have a law, 133 and according to our law he ought to die, because he claimed to be the Son of God!” 134
19:8 When Pilate heard what they said, 135 he was more afraid than ever, 136 19:9 and he went back into the governor’s residence 137 and said to Jesus, “Where do you come from?” But Jesus gave him no answer. 19:10 So Pilate said, 138 “Do you refuse to speak to me? Don’t you know I have the authority 139 to release you, and to crucify you?” 140 19:11 Jesus replied, “You would have no authority 141 over me at all, unless it was given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you 142 is guilty of greater sin.” 143
19:12 From this point on, Pilate tried 144 to release him. But the Jewish leaders 145 shouted out, 146 “If you release this man, 147 you are no friend of Caesar! 148 Everyone who claims to be a king 149 opposes Caesar!” 19:13 When Pilate heard these words he brought Jesus outside and sat down on the judgment seat 150 in the place called “The Stone Pavement” 151 (Gabbatha in 152 Aramaic). 153 19:14 (Now it was the day of preparation 154 for the Passover, about noon. 155 ) 156 Pilate 157 said to the Jewish leaders, 158 “Look, here is your king!”
19:15 Then they 159 shouted out, “Away with him! Away with him! 160 Crucify 161 him!” Pilate asked, 162 “Shall I crucify your king?” The high priests replied, “We have no king except Caesar!” 19:16 Then Pilate 163 handed him over 164 to them to be crucified.
So they took Jesus, 19:17 and carrying his own cross 165 he went out to the place called “The Place of the Skull” 166 (called in Aramaic 167 Golgotha). 168 19:18 There they 169 crucified 170 him along with two others, 171 one on each side, with Jesus in the middle. 19:19 Pilate also had a notice 172 written and fastened to the cross, 173 which read: 174 “Jesus the Nazarene, the king of the Jews.” 19:20 Thus many of the Jewish residents of Jerusalem 175 read this notice, 176 because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the notice was written in Aramaic, 177 Latin, and Greek. 19:21 Then the chief priests of the Jews 178 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 179 Jesus, they took his clothes and made four shares, one for each soldier, 180 and the tunic 181 remained. (Now the tunic 182 was seamless, woven from top to bottom as a single piece.) 183 19:24 So the soldiers said to one another, “Let’s not tear it, but throw dice 184 to see who will get it.” 185 This took place 186 to fulfill the scripture that says, “They divided my garments among them, and for my clothing they threw dice.” 187 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. 188 19:26 So when Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing there, he said to his mother, “Woman, 189 look, here is your son!” 19:27 He then said to his disciple, “Look, here is your mother!” From that very time 190 the disciple took her into his own home.
19:28 After this Jesus, realizing that by this time 191 everything was completed, 192 said (in order to fulfill the scripture), 193 “I am thirsty!” 194 19:29 A jar full of sour wine 195 was there, so they put a sponge soaked in sour wine on a branch of hyssop 196 and lifted it 197 to his mouth. 19:30 When 198 he had received the sour wine, Jesus said, “It is completed!” 199 Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. 200
19:31 Then, because it was the day of preparation, so that the bodies should not stay on the crosses on the Sabbath 201 (for that Sabbath was an especially important one), 202 the Jewish leaders 203 asked Pilate to have the victims’ legs 204 broken 205 and the bodies taken down. 206 19:32 So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the two men who had been crucified 207 with Jesus, 208 first the one and then the other. 209 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 210 his side with a spear, and blood and water 211 flowed out immediately. 19:35 And the person who saw it 212 has testified (and his testimony is true, and he 213 knows that he is telling the truth), 214 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.” 215 19:37 And again another scripture says, “They will look on the one whom they have pierced.” 216
19:38 After this, Joseph of Arimathea, a disciple of Jesus (but secretly, because he feared the Jewish leaders 217 ), 218 asked Pilate if he could remove the body of Jesus. Pilate 219 gave him permission, so he went and took the body away. 220 19:39 Nicodemus, the man who had previously come to Jesus 221 at night, 222 accompanied Joseph, 223 carrying a mixture of myrrh and aloes 224 weighing about seventy-five pounds. 225 19:40 Then they took Jesus’ body and wrapped it, with the aromatic spices, 226 in strips of linen cloth 227 according to Jewish burial customs. 228 19:41 Now at the place where Jesus 229 was crucified 230 there was a garden, 231 and in the garden 232 was a new tomb where no one had yet been buried. 233 19:42 And so, because it was the Jewish day of preparation 234 and the tomb was nearby, 235 they placed Jesus’ body there.
1 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
2 tn Heb “he did what was proper in the eyes of the
3 tn Heb “and walked in the ways of David his father.”
4 tn Heb “father.”
5 tn Heb “purifying.”
6 tn Heb “and they tore down before him the altars of the Baals.”
7 tn Heb “the priests”; the qualifying adjective “pagan” has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
8 tn “In their ruins” is the marginal reading (Qere) of the Hebrew text.
9 tn Heb “to purify the land and the house.”
10 tn Heb “from Manasseh and Ephraim.” The words “the people of” are supplied in the translation for clarity. The Hebrew text uses the names “Manasseh and Ephraim” here by metonymy for the people of Manasseh and Ephraim.
11 tn Heb “all Judah and Benjamin.” The words “the people of” are supplied in the translation for clarity. The Hebrew text uses the names “Judah and Benjamin” here by metonymy for the people of Judah and Benjamin.
12 tc The Hebrew consonantal text (Kethib) assumes the reading, “and the residents of.” The marginal reading (Qere) is “and they returned.”
13 tn Heb “doer[s] of the work.”
14 tn Heb “and they gave it to the doers of the work who were working in the house of the
15 tn Heb “of the houses that the kings of Judah had destroyed.”
16 tn Heb “[were] over the laborers and were directing every doer of work for work assignment and work assignment.”
17 tn Heb “returned still the king a word, saying.”
18 tn Heb “that was found in the house of the
19 tn The parallel account in 2 Kgs 22:12 has the variant spelling “Acbor son of Micaiah.”
20 tn Or “inquire of.”
21 tn Heb “concerning.”
22 tn Heb “for great is the anger of the
23 tn Heb “fathers” (also in vv. 32, 33).
24 tn Heb “by doing according to all that is written on this scroll.”
25 tn Heb “and those who [were sent by] the king.”
26 tn The parallel account in 2 Kgs 22:14 has the variant spelling “son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas.”
27 tn Heb “the keeper of the clothes.”
28 tn Or “second.” For a discussion of the possible location of this district, see M. Cogan and H. Tadmor, II Kings (AB), 283.
29 tn Heb “and they spoke to her like this.”
30 tn Or “burned incense.”
31 tn Heb “angering me with all the work of their hands.” The present translation assumes this refers to idols they have manufactured (note the preceding reference to “other gods”). However, it is possible that this is a general reference to their sinful practices, in which case one might translate, “angering me by all the things they do.”
32 tn Heb “Because your heart was tender.”
33 tn Heb “Therefore, behold, I am gathering you to your fathers, and you will be gathered to your tomb in peace.”
34 tn Heb “and the king sent and gathered all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem.”
35 tc This assumes an emendation to עַמּוּדוֹ (’ammudo), see 23:13. The MT reads “at his place.”
36 tn Heb “cut,” that is, “made” or “agreed to.”
37 tn Heb “walk after.”
38 tn Or “soul.”
39 tn Heb “words.”
40 tn Heb “and he caused to stand everyone who was found in Jerusalem and Benjamin.”
41 tn Or “caused, forced.”
42 tn Heb “all his days.”
43 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.
44 tn The word “holding” is implied. The two clauses “having the key of the abyss” and “a huge chain in his hand” can be construed in two ways: (1) both are controlled by the participle ἔχοντα (econta) and both are modified by the phrase “in his hand” – “having in his hand the key to the abyss and a huge chain.” (2) The participle ἔχοντα refers only to the key, and the phrase “in his hand” refers only to the chain – “having the key of the abyss and holding a huge chain in his hand.” Because of the stylistic tendency in Rev to use the verb ἔχω (ecw) to mean “hold (something)” and the phrase “in his hand” forming a “bracket” along with the verb ἔχω around both the phrases in question, the first option is preferred.
45 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
46 tn Grk “he”; the referent (the angel introduced in v. 1) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
47 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.
48 tn Or “and shut.” While the lexical force of the term is closer to “shut,” it is acceptable to render the verb ἔκλεισεν (ekleisen) as “locked” here in view of the mention of the key in the previous verse.
49 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.
50 tn Grk “I saw thrones, and those seated on them, and judgment was given to them.” BDAG 567 s.v. κρίμα 3 says, “judging, judgment, the κρίμα ἐδόθη αὐτοῖς authority to judge was given to them Rv 20:4.”
51 tn Grk “God, and who.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation by supplying the pronoun “these” as subject.
52 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
53 tn On the use of the aorist ἔζησαν (ezhsan) BDAG 425 s.v. ζάω 1.a.β says, “of dead persons who return to life become alive again: of humans in general (3 Km 17:23) Mt 9:18; Ac 9:41; 20:12; Rv 20:4, 5.”
54 sn This statement appears to be a parenthetical comment by the author.
55 tn Grk “who has a share.”
56 tn The shift from the singular pronoun (“the one”) to the plural (“them”) in the passage reflects the Greek text: The singular participle ὁ ἔχων (Jo ecwn) is followed by the plural pronoun τούτων (toutwn). In the interests of English style, this is obscured in most modern translations except the NASB.
57 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
58 tn Or “mislead.”
59 sn The battle with Gog and Magog is described in the OT in Ezek 38:1-39:20.
60 tn Grk “of whom the number of them [is] like the sand of the sea” (an allusion to Isa 10:22).
61 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
62 tn The shift here to past tense reflects the Greek text.
63 tn On the phrase “broad plain of the earth” BDAG 823 s.v. πλάτος states, “τὸ πλάτος τῆς γῆς Rv 20:9 comes fr. the OT (Da 12:2 LXX. Cp. Hab 1:6; Sir 1:3), but the sense is not clear: breadth = the broad plain of the earth is perh. meant to provide room for the countless enemies of God vs. 8, but the ‘going up’ is better suited to Satan (vs. 7) who has recently been freed, and who comes up again fr. the abyss (vs. 3).” The referent here thus appears to be a plain large enough to accommodate the numberless hoards that have drawn up for battle against the Lord Christ and his saints.
64 tn Or “surrounded.”
65 tn On the term παρεμβολή (parembolh) BDAG 775 s.v. states, “Mostly used as a military t.t.…so always in our lit.…1. a (fortified) camp…ἡ παρεμβολὴ τῶν ἁγίων Rv 20:9 is also to be understood fr. the OT use of the word.”
66 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
67 tn See L&N 20.45 for the translation of κατεσθίω (katesqiw) as “to destroy utterly, to consume completely.”
68 tn Or “misled.”
69 tn Traditionally, “brimstone.”
70 tn The verb in this clause is elided. In keeping with the previous past tenses some translations supply a past tense verb here (“were”), but in view of the future tense that follows (“they will be tormented”), a present tense verb was used to provide a transition from the previous past tense to the future tense that follows.
71 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.
72 tn Traditionally, “great,” but μέγας (megas) here refers to size rather than importance.
73 tn Or “and the sky.” The same Greek word means both “heaven” and “sky,” and context usually determines which is meant. In this apocalyptic scene, however, it is difficult to be sure what referent to assign the term.
74 tn Or “vanished.”
sn The phrase the earth and the heaven fled from his presence can be understood (1) as visual imagery representing the fear of corruptible matter in the presence of God, but (2) it can also be understood more literally as the dissolution of the universe as we know it in preparation for the appearance of the new heaven and new earth (Rev 21:1).
75 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.
76 tn Grk “another book was opened, which is of life.”
77 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the books being opened.
78 tn Grk “from the things written in the books according to their works.”
79 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
80 sn Here Death is personified (cf. 1 Cor 15:55).
81 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.
82 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
83 tn The word “name” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.
84 tn Grk “he”; the pronoun has been intensified by translating as “that person.”
85 tn Heb “and if you do not place upon [the] heart”; KJV, NAB, NRSV “lay it to heart.”
86 tn Heb “the curse” (so NASB, NRSV); NLT “a terrible curse.”
87 tc The phrase “discipline your children” is disputed. The LXX and Vulgate suppose זְרוֹעַ (zÿroa’, “arm”) for the MT זֶרַע (zera’, “seed”; hence, “children”). Then, for the MT גֹעֵר (go’er, “rebuking”) the same versions suggest גָּרַע (gara’, “take away”). The resulting translation is “I am about to take away your arm” (cf. NAB “deprive you of the shoulder”). However, this reading is unlikely. It is common for a curse (v. 2) to fall on offspring (see, e.g., Deut 28:18, 32, 41, 53, 55, 57), but a curse never takes the form of a broken or amputated arm. It is preferable to retain the reading of the MT here.
88 tn The Hebrew term פֶרֶשׁ (feresh, “offal”) refers to the entrails as ripped out in preparing a sacrificial victim (BDB 831 s.v. פֶּרֶשׁ). This graphic term has been variously translated: “dung” (KJV, RSV, NRSV, NLT); “refuse” (NKJV, NASB); “offal” (NEB, NIV).
89 sn See Zech 3:3-4 for similar coarse imagery which reflects cultic disqualification.
90 sn My covenant refers to the priestly covenant through Aaron and his grandson Phinehas (see Exod 6:16-20; Num 25:10-13; Jer 33:21-22). The point here is to contrast the priestly ideal with the disgraceful manner in which it was being carried out in postexilic times.
91 tn Heb “True teaching was in his mouth”; cf. NASB, NRSV “True instruction (doctrine NAB) was in his mouth.”
92 tn Heb “from his mouth” (so NAB, NASB, NRSV).
93 tn The definite article embedded within בַּתּוֹרָה (battorah) may suggest that the Torah is in mind and not just “ordinary” priestly instruction, though it might refer to the instruction previously mentioned (v. 7).
94 tn Or “the Levitical covenant.”
95 tn Heb “in the instruction” (so NASB). The Hebrew article is used here as a possessive pronoun (cf. NRSV, NLT).
96 sn The rhetorical question Do we not all have one father? by no means teaches the “universal fatherhood of God,” that is, that all people equally are children of God. The reference to the covenant in v. 10 as well as to Israel and Judah (v. 11) makes it clear that the referent of “we” is God’s elect people.
97 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
98 tn Or perhaps “secularized”; cf. NIV “desecrated”; TEV, NLT “defiled”; CEV “disgraced.”
99 tn Heb “has married the daughter of a foreign god.” Marriage is used here as a metaphor to describe Judah’s idolatry, that is, her unfaithfulness to the
100 tn Heb “tents,” used figuratively for the community here (cf. NCV, TEV); NLT “the nation of Israel.”
101 tc Heb “every man who does this, him who is awake and him who answers.” For “answers” the LXX suggests an underlying Hebrew text of עָנָה (’anah, “to be humbled”), and then the whole phrase is modified slightly: “until he is humbled.” This requires also that the MT עֵר (’er, “awake”) be read as עֵד (’ed, “until”; here the LXX reads ἕως, Jews). The reading of the LXX is most likely an alteration to correct what is arguably a difficult text.
tn Heb “every man who does this, him who is awake and him who answers.” The idea seems to be a merism expressing totality, that is, everybody from the awakener to the awakened, thus “every last person who does this” (NLT similar); NIV “whoever he may be.”
102 sn You cover the altar of the
103 tn Heb “the
104 sn Though there is no explicit reference to marriage vows in the OT (but see Job 7:13; Prov 2:17; Ezek 16:8), the term law (Heb “covenant”) here asserts that such vows or agreements must have existed. References to divorce documents (e.g., Deut 24:1-3; Jer 3:8) also presuppose the existence of marriage documents.
105 tn Heb “and not one has done, and a remnant of the spirit to him.” The very elliptical nature of the statement suggests it is proverbial. The present translation represents an attempt to clarify the meaning of the statement (cf. NASB).
106 tn Heb “the one.” This is an oblique reference to Abraham who sought to obtain God’s blessing by circumventing God’s own plan for him by taking Hagar as wife (Gen 16:1-6). The result of this kind of intermarriage was, of course, disastrous (Gen 16:11-12).
107 sn The wife he took in his youth probably refers to the first wife one married (cf. NCV “the wife you married when you were young”).
108 tc The verb שָׂנֵא (sane’) appears to be a third person form, “he hates,” which makes little sense in the context, unless one emends the following word to a third person verb as well. Then one might translate, “he [who] hates [his wife] [and] divorces her…is guilty of violence.” A similar translation is advocated by M. A. Shields, “Syncretism and Divorce in Malachi 2,10-16,” ZAW 111 (1999): 81-85. However, it is possible that the first person pronoun אָנֹכִי (’anokhi, “I”) has accidentally dropped from the text after כִּי (ki). If one restores the pronoun, the form שָׂנֵא can be taken as a participle and the text translated, “for I hate” (so NAB, NASB, NRSV, NLT).
sn Though the statement “I hate divorce” may (and should) be understood as a comprehensive biblical principle, the immediate context suggests that the divorce in view is that of one Jewish person by another in order to undertake subsequent marriages. The injunction here by no means contradicts Ezra’s commands to Jewish men to divorce their heathen wives (Ezra 9–10).
109 tn Heb “him who covers his garment with violence” (similar ASV, NRSV). Here “garment” is a metaphor for appearance and “violence” a metonymy of effect for cause. God views divorce as an act of violence against the victim.
110 tn Heb “in the eyes of the
111 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).”
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.
112 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.
113 tn Or “wove.”
114 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).
115 sn The purple color of the robe indicated royal status. This was further mockery of Jesus, along with the crown of thorns.
116 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.
117 tn The words “again and again” are implied by the (iterative) imperfect verb ἤρχοντο (hrconto).
118 tn 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!”).
119 tn The word “repeatedly” is implied by the (iterative) imperfect verb ἐδιδοσαν (edidosan).
120 tn Grk “to them.” The words “the Jewish leaders” are supplied from John 18:38 for clarity.
121 tn Or “find no basis for an accusation”; Grk “find no cause.”
122 sn See the note on the purple robe in 19:2.
123 tn Grk “He”; the referent (Pilate) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
124 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.
125 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
126 tn The word “him” is not in the Greek text. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from context.
127 tn Grk “said to them.” The words “to them” are not translated because they are unnecessary in contemporary English style.
128 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.
129 tn On this use of γάρ (gar) used in exclamations and strong affirmations, see BDAG 190 s.v. γάρ 3.
130 tn Or “find no basis for an accusation”; Grk “find no cause.”
131 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).
132 tn Grk “answered him.”
133 sn This law is not the entire Pentateuch, but Lev 24:16.
134 tn Grk “because he made himself out to be the Son of God.”
135 tn Grk “heard this word.”
136 tn Grk “became more afraid.”
137 tn Grk “into the praetorium.”
138 tn Grk “said to him.” The words “to him” are not translated because they are unnecessary in contemporary English style.
139 tn Or “the power.”
140 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.
sn See the note on Crucify in 19:6.
141 tn Or “power.”
142 tn 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.
143 tn 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.
144 tn Grk “sought.”
145 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.
146 tn Grk “shouted out, saying.”
147 tn Grk “this one.”
148 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 (
149 tn Grk “who makes himself out to be a king.”
150 tn 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.
151 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
152 tn 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.
153 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.
154 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).
155 tn 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.
156 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.
157 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.
158 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.
159 tn Grk “Then these.”
160 tn The words “with him” (twice) are not in the Greek text. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
161 sn See the note on Crucify in 19:6.
162 tn Grk “Pilate said to them.” The words “to them” are not translated because it is clear in English who Pilate is addressing.
163 tn Grk “Then he”; the referent (Pilate) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
164 tn Or “delivered him over.”
165 tn 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.
166 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).
167 tn Grk “in Hebrew.”
168 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.
169 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.
170 sn See the note on Crucify in 19:6.
171 tn Grk “and with him two others.”
172 tn 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.
173 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.
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.
174 tn Grk “Now it was written.”
175 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.
map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
176 tn Or “this inscription.”
177 tn Grk “in Hebrew.”
178 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.”
179 sn See the note on Crucify in 19:6.
180 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.
181 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.
182 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.
183 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.
184 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.
185 tn Grk “to see whose it will be.”
186 tn The words “This took place” are not in the Greek text but are implied.
187 tn Grk “cast lots.” See the note on “throw dice” earlier in the verse.
sn A quotation from Ps 22:18.
188 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.
189 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.
190 tn Grk “from that very hour.”
191 tn Or “that already.”
192 tn Or “finished,” “accomplished”; Grk “fulfilled.”
193 sn A reference to Ps 69:21 or Ps 22:15.
194 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).
195 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.
196 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).
197 tn Or “and brought it.”
198 tn Grk “Then when.” Here οὖν (oun) has not been translated for stylistic reasons.
199 tn Or “It is accomplished,” “It is finished,” or “It is ended.” See tn on John 13:1.
200 tn Or “he bowed his head and died”; Grk “he bowed his head and gave over the spirit.”
201 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.
202 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.
203 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.
204 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.
205 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.
206 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.
207 sn See the note on Crucify in 19:6.
208 tn Grk “with him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
209 tn Grk “broke the legs of the first and of the other who had been crucified with him.”
210 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.
211 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.
212 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.
213 tn Grk “and that one.”
214 sn A parenthetical note by the author.
215 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.
216 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.
217 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.
218 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.
219 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.
220 tn Grk “took away his body.”
221 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
222 sn See John 3:1-21.
223 tn Grk “came”; the words “accompanied Joseph” are not in the Greek text but are supplied for clarity.
224 sn Aloes refers to an aromatic resin from a plant similar to a lily, used for embalming a corpse.
225 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.
226 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.
227 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.
228 tn Grk “cloth as is the custom of the Jews to prepare for burial.”
229 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
230 sn See the note on Crucify in 19:6.
231 tn Or “an orchard.”
232 tn Or “orchard.”
233 tn Grk “been placed.”
234 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.
235 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.
