Discovery BoxJohn 4:27 
Context4:27 Now at that very moment his disciples came back. 1 They were shocked 2 because he was speaking 3 with a woman. However, no one said, “What do you want?” 4 or “Why are you speaking with her?”
John 4:47
Context4:47 When he heard that Jesus had come back from Judea to Galilee, he went to him and begged him 5 to come down and heal his son, who was about to die.
John 13:12
Context13:12 So when Jesus 6 had washed their feet and put his outer clothing back on, he took his place at the table 7 again and said to them, “Do you understand 8 what I have done for you?
John 14:28
Context14:28 You heard me say to you, 9 ‘I am going away and I am coming back to you.’ If you loved me, you would be glad 10 that I am going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I am. 11
John 18:38
Context18:38 Pilate asked, 12 “What is truth?” 13
When he had said this he went back outside to the Jewish leaders 14 and announced, 15 “I find no basis for an accusation 16 against him.
John 21:20
Context21:20 Peter turned around and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them. 17 (This was the disciple 18 who had leaned back against Jesus’ 19 chest at the meal and asked, 20 “Lord, who is the one who is going to betray you?”) 21
1 tn Or “his disciples returned”; Grk “came” (“back” is supplied in keeping with English usage). Because of the length of the Greek sentence it is better to divide here and begin a new English sentence, leaving the καί (kai) before ἐθαύμαζον (eqaumazon) untranslated.
2 tn BDAG 444 s.v. θαυμάζω 1.a.γ has “be surprised that” followed by indirect discourse. The context calls for a slightly stronger wording.
3 tn The ὅτι (Joti) could also be translated as declarative (“that he had been speaking with a woman”) but since this would probably require translating the imperfect verb as a past perfect (which is normal after a declarative ὅτι), it is preferable to take this ὅτι as causal.
4 tn Grk “seek.” See John 4:23.
sn The question “What do you want?” is John’s editorial comment (for no one in the text was asking it). The author is making a literary link with Jesus’ statement in v. 23: It is evident that, in spite of what the disciples may have been thinking, what Jesus was seeking is what the Father was seeking, that is to say, someone to worship him.
5 tn The direct object of ἠρώτα (hrwta) is supplied from context. Direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
6 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
7 tn Grk “he reclined at the table.” The phrase reflects the normal 1st century Near Eastern practice of eating a meal in a semi-reclining position.
8 tn Grk “Do you know.”
9 tn Or “You have heard that I said to you.”
10 tn Or “you would rejoice.”
11 sn Jesus’ statement the Father is greater than I am has caused much christological and trinitarian debate. Although the Arians appealed to this text to justify their subordinationist Christology, it seems evident that by the fact Jesus compares himself to the Father, his divine nature is taken for granted. There have been two orthodox interpretations: (1) The Son is eternally generated while the Father is not: Origen, Tertullian, Athanasius, Hilary, etc. (2) As man the incarnate Son was less than the Father: Cyril of Alexandria, Ambrose, Augustine. In the context of the Fourth Gospel the second explanation seems more plausible. But why should the disciples have rejoiced? Because Jesus was on the way to the Father who would glorify him (cf. 17:4-5); his departure now signifies that the work the Father has given him is completed (cf. 19:30). Now Jesus will be glorified with that glory that he had with the Father before the world was (cf. 17:5). This should be a cause of rejoicing to the disciples because when Jesus is glorified he will glorify his disciples as well (17:22).
12 tn Grk “Pilate said.”
13 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).
14 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.
15 tn Grk “said to them.”
16 tn Grk “find no cause.”
17 tn The word “them” is not in the Greek text but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
18 tn The words “This was the disciple” are not in the Greek text, but are supplied for clarity.
19 tn Grk “his”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
20 tn Grk “and said.”
21 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.
