Discovery BoxJohn 12:16 
Context12:16 (His disciples did not understand these things when they first happened, 1 but when Jesus was glorified, 2 then they remembered that these things were written about him and that these things had happened 3 to him.) 4
John 19:20
Context19:20 Thus many of the Jewish residents of Jerusalem 5 read this notice, 6 because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the notice was written in Aramaic, 7 Latin, and Greek.
1 tn Or “did not understand these things at first”; Grk “formerly.”
2 sn When Jesus was glorified, that is, glorified through his resurrection, exaltation, and return to the Father. Jesus’ glorification is consistently portrayed this way in the Gospel of John.
3 tn Grk “and that they had done these things,” though the referent is probably indefinite and not referring to the disciples; as such, the best rendering is as a passive (see ExSyn 402-3; R. E. Brown, John [AB], 1:458).
4 sn The comment His disciples did not understand these things when they first happened (a parenthetical note by the author) informs the reader that Jesus’ disciples did not at first associate the prophecy from Zechariah with the events as they happened. This came with the later (postresurrection) insight which the Holy Spirit would provide after Jesus’ resurrection and return to the Father. Note the similarity with John 2:22, which follows another allusion to a prophecy in Zechariah (14:21).
5 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.
6 tn Or “this inscription.”
7 tn Grk “in Hebrew.”
