Discovery BoxJohn 2:12 
Context2:12 After this he went down to Capernaum 1 with his mother and brothers 2 and his disciples, and they stayed there a few days.
John 3:23
Context3:23 John 3 was also baptizing at Aenon near Salim, 4 because water was plentiful there, and people were coming 5 to him 6 and being baptized.
John 4:6
Context4:6 Jacob’s well was there, so Jesus, since he was tired from the journey, sat right down beside 7 the well. It was about noon. 8
John 4:46
Context4:46 Now he came again to Cana 9 in Galilee where he had made the water wine. 10 In 11 Capernaum 12 there was a certain royal official 13 whose son was sick.
John 5:13
Context5:13 But the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had slipped out, since there was a crowd in that place.
John 6:10
Context6:10 Jesus said, “Have 14 the people sit down.” (Now there was a lot of grass in that place.) 15 So the men 16 sat down, about five thousand in number.
John 6:24
Context6:24 So when the crowd realized that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats 17 and came to Capernaum 18 looking for Jesus.
John 7:12
Context7:12 There was 19 a lot of grumbling 20 about him among the crowds. 21 Some were saying, “He is a good man,” but others, “He deceives the common people.” 22
John 10:40
Context10:40 Jesus 23 went back across the Jordan River 24 again to the place where John 25 had been baptizing at an earlier time, 26 and he stayed there.
John 11:8
Context11:8 The disciples replied, 27 “Rabbi, the Jewish leaders 28 were just now trying 29 to stone you to death! Are 30 you going there again?”
John 11:15
Context11:15 and I am glad 31 for your sake that I was not there, so that you may believe. 32 But let us go to him.”
John 12:2
Context12:2 So they prepared a dinner for Jesus 33 there. Martha 34 was serving, and Lazarus was among those present at the table 35 with him.
John 12:29
Context12:29 The crowd that stood there and heard the voice 36 said that it had thundered. Others said that an angel had spoken to him. 37
John 18:2
Context18:2 (Now Judas, the one who betrayed him, knew the place too, because Jesus had met there many times 38 with his disciples.) 39
John 18:5
Context18:5 They replied, 40 “Jesus the Nazarene.” He told them, “I am he.” (Now Judas, the one who betrayed him, was standing there with them.) 41
John 19:26
Context19:26 So when Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing there, he said to his mother, “Woman, 42 look, here is your son!”
John 19:29
Context19:29 A jar full of sour wine 43 was there, so they put a sponge soaked in sour wine on a branch of hyssop 44 and lifted it 45 to his mouth.
John 19:41
Context19:41 Now at the place where Jesus 46 was crucified 47 there was a garden, 48 and in the garden 49 was a new tomb where no one had yet been buried. 50
John 20:6
Context20:6 Then Simon Peter, who had been following him, arrived and went right into the tomb. He saw 51 the strips of linen cloth lying there,
John 20:14
Context20:14 When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, 52 but she did not know that it was Jesus.
1 sn Verse 12 is merely a transitional note in the narrative (although Capernaum does not lie on the direct route to Jerusalem from Cana). Nothing is mentioned in John’s Gospel at this point about anything Jesus said or did there (although later his teaching is mentioned, see 6:59). From the synoptics it is clear that Capernaum was a center of Jesus’ Galilean ministry and might even be called “his own town” (Matt 9:1). The royal official whose son Jesus healed (John 4:46-54) was from Capernaum. He may have heard Jesus speak there, or picked up the story about the miracle at Cana from one of Jesus’ disciples.
map For location see Map1 D2; Map2 C3; Map3 B2.
2 sn With respect to Jesus’ brothers, the so-called Helvidian view is to be preferred (named after Helvidius, a 4th-century theologian). This view holds that the most natural way to understand the phrase is as a reference to children of Joseph and Mary after the birth of Jesus. Other views are that of Epiphanius (they were children of Joseph by a former marriage) or Jerome (they were cousins). The tradition of Mary’s perpetual virginity appeared in the 2nd century and is difficult to explain (as J. H. Bernard, St. John [ICC], 1:85, points out) if some of her other children were prominent members of the early church (e.g., James of Jerusalem). But this is outweighed by the natural sense of the words.
3 sn John refers to John the Baptist.
4 tn The precise locations of Αἰνών (Ainwn) and Σαλείμ (Saleim) are unknown. Three possibilities are suggested: (1) In Perea, which is in Transjordan (cf. 1:28). Perea is just across the river from Judea. (2) In the northern Jordan Valley, on the west bank some 8 miles [13 km] south of Scythopolis. But with the Jordan River so close, the reference to abundant water (3:23) seems superfluous. (3) Thus Samaria has been suggested. 4 miles (6.6 km) east of Shechem is a town called Salim, and 8 miles (13 km) northeast of Salim lies modern Ainun. In the general vicinity are many springs. Because of the meanings of the names (Αἰνών = “springs” in Aramaic and Σαλείμ = Salem, “peace”) some have attempted to allegorize here that John the Baptist is near salvation. Obviously there is no need for this. It is far more probable that the author has in mind real places, even if their locations cannot be determined with certainty.
5 tn Or “people were continually coming.”
6 tn The words “to him” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.
7 tn Grk “on (ἐπί, epi) the well.” There may have been a low stone rim encircling the well, or the reading of Ì66 (“on the ground”) may be correct.
8 tn Grk “the sixth hour.”
sn It was about noon. The suggestion has been made by some that time should be reckoned from midnight rather than sunrise. This would make the time 6 a.m. rather than noon. That would fit in this passage but not in John 19:14 which places the time when Jesus is condemned to be crucified at “the sixth hour.”
9 map For location see Map1 C3; Map2 D2; Map3 C5.
10 sn See John 2:1-11.
11 tn Grk “And in.”
12 sn Capernaum was a town on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee, 680 ft (204 m) below sea level. It was a major trade and economic center in the North Galilean region.
map For location see Map1 D2; Map2 C3; Map3 B2.
13 tn Although βασιλικός (basiliko") has often been translated “nobleman” it is almost certainly refers here to a servant of Herod, tetrarch of Galilee (who in the NT is called a king, Matt 14:9, Mark 6:14-29). Capernaum was a border town, so doubtless there were many administrative officials in residence there.
14 tn Grk “Make.”
15 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author (suggesting an eyewitness recollection).
16 tn Here “men” has been used in the translation because the following number, 5,000, probably included only adult males (see the parallel in Matt 14:21).
17 tn Or “embarked in the boats.”
18 map For location see Map1 D2; Map2 C3; Map3 B2.
19 tn Grk “And there was.”
20 tn Or “complaining.”
21 tn Or “among the common people” (as opposed to the religious authorities mentioned in the previous verse).
22 tn Or “the crowd.”
23 tn Grk “He”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
24 tn The word “River” is not in the Greek text but is supplied for clarity.
25 sn John refers to John the Baptist.
26 tn Grk “formerly.”
sn This refers to the city of Bethany across the Jordan River (see John 1:28).
27 tn Grk “The disciples said to him.”
28 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. See the previous references and the notes on the phrase “Jewish people” in v. 19, and “Jewish religious leaders” in vv. 24, 31, 33.
29 tn Grk “seeking.”
30 tn Grk “And are.” 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.
31 tn Grk “and I rejoice.”
32 sn So that you may believe. Why does Jesus make this statement? It seems necessary to understand the disciples’ belief here in a developmental sense, because there are numerous references to the disciples’ faith previous to this in John’s Gospel, notably 2:11. Their concept of who Jesus really was is continually being expanded and challenged; they are undergoing spiritual growth; the climax is reached in the confession of Thomas in John 20:28.
33 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity and to conform with contemporary English style.
34 tn Grk “And Martha.” The connective καί (kai, “and”) has been omitted in the translation because it would produce a run-on sentence in English.
35 tn Grk “reclining at the table.”
sn 1st century middle eastern meals were not eaten while sitting at a table, but while reclining on one’s side on the floor with the head closest to the low table and the feet farthest away.
36 tn “The voice” is not in the Greek text. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
37 tn Grk “Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.” The direct discourse in the second half of v. 29 was converted to indirect discourse in the translation to maintain the parallelism with the first half of the verse, which is better in keeping with English style.
38 tn Or “often.”
39 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.
40 tn Grk “They answered.”
sn The author does not state precisely who from the group of soldiers and temple police replied to Jesus at this point. It may have been the commander of the Roman soldiers, although his presence is not explicitly mentioned until 18:12. It may also have been one of the officers of the chief priests. To the answer given, “Jesus the Nazarene,” Jesus replies “I am [he].”
41 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author. Before he states the response to Jesus’ identification of himself, the author inserts a parenthetical note that Judas, again identified as the one who betrayed him (cf. 18:2), was standing with the group of soldiers and officers of the chief priests. Many commentators have considered this to be an awkward insertion, but in fact it heightens considerably the dramatic effect of the response to Jesus’ self-identification in the following verse, and has the added effect of informing the reader that along with the others the betrayer himself ironically falls down at Jesus’ feet (18:6).
42 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.
43 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.
44 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).
45 tn Or “and brought it.”
46 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
47 sn See the note on Crucify in 19:6.
48 tn Or “an orchard.”
49 tn Or “orchard.”
50 tn Grk “been placed.”
51 tn Grk “And he saw.” The conjunction καί (kai, “and”) has not been translated here in keeping with the tendency of contemporary English style to use shorter sentences.
52 tn The word “there” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
