John 2:20

2:20 Then the Jewish leaders ¹  said to him, “This temple has been under construction ²  for forty-six years, ³  and are you going to raise it up in three days?”

John 5:18

5:18 For this reason the Jewish leaders ⁴  were trying even harder to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was also calling God his own Father, thus making himself equal with God.

John 9:18

9:18 Now the Jewish religious leaders ⁵  refused to believe ⁶  that he had really been blind and had gained his sight until at last they summoned ⁷  the parents of the man who had become able to see. ⁸ 

John 11:51

11:51 (Now he did not say this on his own, ⁹  but because he was high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the Jewish nation, ¹⁰ 

John 13:33

13:33 Children, I am still with you for a little while. You will look for me, ¹¹  and just as I said to the Jewish religious leaders, ¹²  ‘Where I am going you cannot come,’ ¹³  now I tell you the same. ¹⁴ 

John 18:20

18:20 Jesus replied, ¹⁵  “I have spoken publicly to the world. I always taught in the synagogues ¹⁶  and in the temple courts, ¹⁷  where all the Jewish people ¹⁸  assemble together. I ¹⁹  have said nothing in secret.

John 18:38

18:38 Pilate asked, ²⁰  “What is truth?” ²¹ 

When he had said this he went back outside to the Jewish leaders ²²  and announced, ²³  “I find no basis for an accusation ²⁴  against him.

John 19:4

19:4 Again Pilate went out and said to the Jewish leaders, ²⁵  “Look, I am bringing him out to you, so that you may know that I find no reason for an accusation ²⁶  against him.”

John 19:12

19:12 From this point on, Pilate tried ²⁷  to release him. But the Jewish leaders ²⁸  shouted out, ²⁹  “If you release this man, ³⁰  you are no friend of Caesar! ³¹  Everyone who claims to be a king ³²  opposes Caesar!”

John 19:20

19:20 Thus many of the Jewish residents of Jerusalem ³³  read this notice, ³⁴  because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the notice was written in Aramaic, ³⁵  Latin, and Greek.

John 19:38

Jesus’ Burial

19:38 After this, Joseph of Arimathea, a disciple of Jesus (but secretly, because he feared the Jewish leaders ³⁶ ), ³⁷  asked Pilate if he could remove the body of Jesus. Pilate ³⁸  gave him permission, so he went and took the body away. ³⁹ 

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¹ tn See the note on this phrase in v. 18.

² tn A close parallel to the aorist οἰκοδομήθη (oikodomhqh) can be found in Ezra 5:16 (LXX), where it is clear from the following verb that the construction had not yet been completed. Thus the phrase has been translated “This temple has been under construction for forty-six years.” Some, however, see the term ναός (naos) here as referring only to the sanctuary and the aorist verb as consummative, so that the meaning would be “this temple was built forty-six years ago” (so ExSyn 560-61). Ultimately in context the logic of the authorities’ reply appears to fit more naturally if it compares length of time for original construction with length of time to reconstruct it.

³ sn According to Josephus (Ant. 15.11.1 [15.380]), work on this temple was begun in the 18th year of Herod the Great’s reign, which would have been ca. 19 b.c. (The reference in the Ant. is probably more accurate than the date given in J. W. 1.21.1 [1.401]). Forty-six years later would be around the Passover of a.d. 27/28.

⁴ tn Or “the Jewish authorities”; Grk “the Jews.” See the note on the phrase “Jewish leaders” in v. 10.

⁵ 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.”

⁶ tn The Greek text contains the words “about him” at this point: “the Jewish authorities did not believe about him…”

⁷ tn Grk “they called.”

⁸ tn Or “the man who had gained his sight.”

⁹ tn Grk “say this from himself.”

¹⁰ tn The word “Jewish” is not in the Greek text, but is clearly implied by the context (so also NIV; TEV “the Jewish people”).

¹¹ tn Or “You will seek me.”

¹² tn 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 residents of Jerusalem in general, or to the Jewish religious leaders in particular, who had sent servants to attempt to arrest Jesus on that occasion (John 7:33-35). The last option is the one adopted in the translation above.

¹³ sn See John 7:33-34.

¹⁴ tn The words “the same” are not in the Greek text but are implied. Direct objects in Greek were often omitted when clear from the context.

¹⁵ tn Grk “Jesus answered him.”

¹⁶ sn See the note on synagogue in 6:59.

¹⁷ tn Grk “in the temple.”

¹⁸ tn Grk “the Jews.” Here the phrase refers to the Jewish people generally, for whom the synagogues and the temple courts in Jerusalem were important public gathering places. See also the note on the phrase “Jewish religious leaders” in v. 12.

¹⁹ tn Grk “And I.” The conjunction καί (kai, “and”) has not been translated here in keeping with the tendency of contemporary English style to use shorter sentences.

²⁰ tn Grk “Pilate said.”

²¹ sn With his reply “What is truth?” Pilate dismissed the matter. It is not clear what Pilate’s attitude was at this point, as in 18:33. He may have been sarcastic, or perhaps somewhat reflective. The author has not given enough information in the narrative to be sure. Within the narrative, Pilate’s question serves to make the reader reflect on what truth is, and that answer (in the narrative) has already been given (14:6).

²² tn Or “the Jewish authorities”; Grk “the Jews.” Here the phrase refers to the Jewish leaders, especially members of the Sanhedrin. See the note on the phrase “Jewish leaders” in v. 12. The term also occurs in v. 31, where it is clear the Jewish leaders are in view, because they state that they cannot legally carry out an execution. Although it is likely (in view of the synoptic parallels) that the crowd here in 18:38 was made up not just of the Jewish leaders, but of ordinary residents of Jerusalem and pilgrims who were in Jerusalem for the Passover, nevertheless in John’s Gospel Pilate is primarily in dialogue with the leadership of the nation, who are expressly mentioned in 18:35 and 19:6.

²³ tn Grk “said to them.”

²⁴ tn Grk “find no cause.”

²⁵ tn Grk “to them.” The words “the Jewish leaders” are supplied from John 18:38 for clarity.

²⁶ tn Or “find no basis for an accusation”; Grk “find no cause.”

²⁷ tn Grk “sought.”

²⁸ 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.

²⁹ tn Grk “shouted out, saying.”

³⁰ tn Grk “this one.”

³¹ 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 (a.d. 69-79). But there appears to be significant evidence for much earlier usage. Some of this is given in BDAG 498-99 s.v. Καῖσαρ. E. Bammel (“φίλος τοῦ καίσαρος (John 19:12),” TLZ 77 [1952]: 205-10) listed significant and convincing arguments that the official title was indeed in use at the time. Granting that the title was in use during this period, what is the likelihood that it had been bestowed on Pilate? Pilate was of the equestrian order, that is, of lower nobility as opposed to senatorial rank. As such he would have been eligible to receive such an honor. It also appears that the powerful Sejanus was his patron in Rome, and Sejanus held considerable influence with Tiberius. Tacitus (Annals 6.8) quotes Marcus Terentius in his defense before the Senate as saying that close friendship with Sejanus “was in every case a powerful recommendation to the Emperor’s friendship.” Thus it is possible that Pilate held this honor. Therefore it appears that the Jewish authorities were putting a good deal of psychological pressure on Pilate to convict Jesus. They had, in effect, finally specified the charge against Jesus as treason: “Everyone who makes himself to be king opposes Caesar.” If Pilate now failed to convict Jesus the Jewish authorities could complain to Rome that Pilate had released a traitor. This possibility carried more weight with Pilate than might at first be evident: (1) Pilate’s record as governor was not entirely above reproach; (2) Tiberius, who lived away from Rome as a virtual recluse on the island of Capri, was known for his suspicious nature, especially toward rivals or those who posed a political threat; and (3) worst of all, Pilate’s patron in Rome, Sejanus, had recently come under suspicion of plotting to seize the imperial succession for himself. Sejanus was deposed in October of a.d. 31. It may have been to Sejanus that Pilate owed his appointment in Judea. Pilate was now in a very delicate position. The Jewish authorities may have known something of this and deliberately used it as leverage against him. Whether or not they knew just how potent their veiled threat was, it had the desired effect. Pilate went directly to the judgment seat to pronounce his judgment.

³² tn Grk “who makes himself out to be a king.”

³³ 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.

³⁴ tn Or “this inscription.”

³⁵ tn Grk “in Hebrew.”

³⁶ 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.

³⁷ sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.

³⁸ 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.

³⁹ tn Grk “took away his body.”