Discovery BoxJohn 7:35 
Context7:35 Then the Jewish leaders 1 said to one another, “Where is he 2 going to go that we cannot find him? 3 He is not going to go to the Jewish people dispersed 4 among the Greeks and teach the Greeks, is he? 5
John 18:38
Context18:38 Pilate asked, 6 “What is truth?” 7
When he had said this he went back outside to the Jewish leaders 8 and announced, 9 “I find no basis for an accusation 10 against him.
John 19:4
Context19:4 Again Pilate went out and said to the Jewish leaders, 11 “Look, I am bringing him out to you, so that you may know that I find no reason for an accusation 12 against him.”
John 19:6
Context19:6 When the chief priests and their officers saw him, they shouted out, “Crucify 13 him! Crucify him!” 14 Pilate said, 15 “You take him and crucify him! 16 Certainly 17 I find no reason for an accusation 18 against him!”
John 21:6
Context21:6 He told them, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” 19 So they threw the net, 20 and were not able to pull it in because of the large number of fish.
1 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 is understood to refer to the Jewish authorities or leaders, since the Jewish leaders are mentioned in this context both before and after the present verse (7:32, 45).
2 tn Grk “this one.”
3 tn Grk “will not find him.”
4 sn The Jewish people dispersed (Grk “He is not going to the Diaspora”). The Greek term diaspora (“dispersion”) originally meant those Jews not living in Palestine, but dispersed or scattered among the Gentiles.
5 tn Questions prefaced with μή (mh) in Greek anticipate a negative answer. This can sometimes be indicated by using a “tag” at the end in English (here the tag is “is he?”).
sn Note the Jewish opponents’ misunderstanding of Jesus’ words, as made clear in vv. 35-36. They didn’t realize he spoke of his departure out of the world. This is another example of the author’s use of misunderstanding as a literary device to emphasize a point.
6 tn Grk “Pilate said.”
7 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).
8 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.
9 tn Grk “said to them.”
10 tn Grk “find no cause.”
11 tn Grk “to them.” The words “the Jewish leaders” are supplied from John 18:38 for clarity.
12 tn Or “find no basis for an accusation”; Grk “find no cause.”
13 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
14 tn The word “him” is not in the Greek text. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from context.
15 tn Grk “said to them.” The words “to them” are not translated because they are unnecessary in contemporary English style.
16 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.
17 tn On this use of γάρ (gar) used in exclamations and strong affirmations, see BDAG 190 s.v. γάρ 3.
18 tn Or “find no basis for an accusation”; Grk “find no cause.”
19 tn The word “some” is not in the Greek text but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
20 tn The words “the net” are not in the Greek text but are implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
