Yohanes 11:47-53

11:47 So the chief priests and the Pharisees ¹  called the council ²  together and said, “What are we doing? For this man is performing many miraculous signs. 11:48 If we allow him to go on in this way, ³  everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away our sanctuary ⁴  and our nation.”

11:49 Then one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said, ⁵  “You know nothing at all! 11:50 You do not realize ⁶  that it is more to your advantage to have one man ⁷  die for the people than for the whole nation to perish.” ⁸  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  11:52 and not for the Jewish nation ¹¹  only, ¹²  but to gather together ¹³  into one the children of God who are scattered.) ¹⁴  11:53 So from that day they planned together to kill him.

Yohanes 11:57

11:57 (Now the chief priests and the Pharisees ¹⁵  had given orders that anyone who knew where Jesus ¹⁶  was should report it, so that they could arrest ¹⁷  him.) ¹⁸ 

Kejadian 4:4-10

4:4 But Abel brought ¹⁹  some of the firstborn of his flock – even the fattest ²⁰  of them. And the Lord was pleased with ²¹  Abel and his offering, 4:5 but with Cain and his offering he was not pleased. ²²  So Cain became very angry, ²³  and his expression was downcast. ²⁴ 

4:6 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why is your expression downcast? 4:7 Is it not true ²⁵  that if you do what is right, you will be fine? ²⁶  But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching ²⁷  at the door. It desires to dominate you, but you must subdue it.” ²⁸ 

4:8 Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” ²⁹  While they were in the field, Cain attacked ³⁰  his brother ³¹  Abel and killed him.

4:9 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” ³²  And he replied, “I don’t know! Am I my brother’s guardian?” ³³  4:10 But the Lord said, “What have you done? ³⁴  The voice ³⁵  of your brother’s blood is crying out to me from the ground!

Keluaran 10:3

10:3 So Moses and Aaron came to Pharaoh and told him, “Thus says the Lord, the God of the Hebrews: ‘How long do you refuse ³⁶  to humble yourself before me? ³⁷  Release my people so that they may serve me!

Ayub 15:25-26

15:25 for he stretches out his hand against God, ³⁸ 

and vaunts himself ³⁹  against the Almighty,

15:26 defiantly charging against him ⁴⁰ 

with a thick, strong shield! ⁴¹ 

Ayub 40:8-9

40:8 Would you indeed annul ⁴²  my justice?

Would you declare me guilty so that you might be right?

40:9 Do you have an arm as powerful as God’s, ⁴³ 

and can you thunder with a voice like his?

Pengkhotbah 9:3

9:3 This is the unfortunate fact ⁴⁴  about everything that happens on earth: ⁴⁵ 

the same fate awaits ⁴⁶  everyone.

In addition to this, the hearts of all people ⁴⁷  are full of evil,

and there is folly in their hearts during their lives – then they die. ⁴⁸ 

Daniel 5:21-23

5:21 He was driven from human society, his mind ⁴⁹  was changed to that of an animal, he lived ⁵⁰  with the wild donkeys, he was fed grass like oxen, and his body became damp with the dew of the sky, until he came to understand that the most high God rules over human kingdoms, and he appoints over them whomever he wishes.

5:22 “But you, his son ⁵¹  Belshazzar, have not humbled yourself, ⁵²  although you knew all this. 5:23 Instead, you have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven. You brought before you the vessels from his temple, and you and your nobles, together with your wives and concubines, drank wine from them. You praised the gods of silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone – gods ⁵³  that cannot see or hear or comprehend! But you have not glorified the God who has in his control ⁵⁴  your very breath and all your ways!

Matius 2:3-8

2:3 When King Herod ⁵⁵  heard this he was alarmed, and all Jerusalem with him. 2:4 After assembling all the chief priests and experts in the law, ⁵⁶  he asked them where the Christ ⁵⁷  was to be born. 2:5 “In Bethlehem of Judea,” they said, “for it is written this way by the prophet:

2:6 ‘And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,

are in no way least among the rulers of Judah,

for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’” ⁵⁸ 

2:7 Then Herod ⁵⁹  privately summoned the wise men and determined from them when the star had appeared. 2:8 He ⁶⁰  sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and look carefully for the child. When you find him, inform me so that I can go and worship him as well.”

Matius 2:16

2:16 When Herod ⁶¹  saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, he became enraged. He sent men ⁶²  to kill all the children in Bethlehem ⁶³  and throughout the surrounding region from the age of two and under, according to the time he had learned from the wise men.

Lukas 16:31

16:31 He ⁶⁴  replied to him, ‘If they do not respond to ⁶⁵  Moses and the prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’” ⁶⁶ 

[11:47]  ¹ tn The phrase “chief priests and Pharisees” is a comprehensive name for the groups represented in the ruling council (the Sanhedrin) as in John 7:45; 18:3; Acts 5:22, 26.

[11:47]  ² tn Or “Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews). The συνέδριον (sunedrion) which they gathered was probably an informal meeting rather than the official Sanhedrin. This is the only occurrence of the word συνέδριον in the Gospel of John, and the only anarthrous singular use in the NT. There are other plural anarthrous uses which have the general meaning “councils.” The fact that Caiaphas in 11:49 is referred to as “one of them” supports the unofficial nature of the meeting; in the official Sanhedrin he, being high priest that year, would have presided over the assembly. Thus it appears that an informal council was called to discuss what to do about Jesus and his activities.

[11:48]  ³ tn Grk “If we let him do thus.”

[11:48]  ⁴ tn Or “holy place”; Grk “our place” (a reference to the temple in Jerusalem).

[11:49]  ⁵ tn Grk “said to them.” The indirect object αὐτοῖς (autois) has not been translated for stylistic reasons.

[11:50]  ⁶ tn Or “you are not considering.”

[11:50]  ⁷ tn Although it is possible to argue that ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") should be translated “person” here since it is not necessarily masculinity that is in view in Caiaphas’ statement, “man” was retained in the translation because in 11:47 “this man” (οὗτος ὁ ἄνθρωπος, outo" Jo anqrwpo") has as its referent a specific individual, Jesus, and it was felt this connection should be maintained.

[11:50]  ⁸ sn In his own mind Caiaphas was no doubt giving voice to a common-sense statement of political expediency. Yet he was unconsciously echoing a saying of Jesus himself (cf. Mark 10:45). Caiaphas was right; the death of Jesus would save the nation from destruction. Yet Caiaphas could not suspect that Jesus would die, not in place of the political nation Israel, but on behalf of the true people of God; and he would save them, not from physical destruction, but from eternal destruction (cf. 3:16-17). The understanding of Caiaphas’ words in a sense that Caiaphas could not possibly have imagined at the time he uttered them serves as a clear example of the way in which the author understood that words and actions could be invested retrospectively with a meaning not consciously intended or understood by those present at the time.

[11:51]  ⁹ tn Grk “say this from himself.”

[11:51]  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”).

[11:52]  ¹¹ tn See the note on the word “nation” in the previous verse.

[11:52]  ¹² sn The author in his comment expands the prophecy to include the Gentiles (not for the Jewish nation only), a confirmation that the Fourth Gospel was directed, at least partly, to a Gentile audience. There are echoes of Pauline concepts here (particularly Eph 2:11-22) in the stress on the unity of Jew and Gentile.

[11:52]  ¹³ tn Grk “that he might gather together.”

[11:52]  ¹⁴ sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.

[11:57]  ¹⁵ tn The phrase “chief priests and Pharisees” is a comprehensive name for the groups represented in the ruling council (the Sanhedrin) as in John 7:45; 18:3; Acts 5:22, 26.

[11:57]  ¹⁶ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[11:57]  ¹⁷ tn Or “could seize.”

[11:57]  ¹⁸ sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.

[4:4]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “But Abel brought, also he….” The disjunctive clause (conjunction + subject + verb) stresses the contrast between Cain’s offering and Abel’s.

[4:4]  ²⁰ tn Two prepositional phrases are used to qualify the kind of sacrifice that Abel brought: “from the firstborn” and “from the fattest of them.” These also could be interpreted as a hendiadys: “from the fattest of the firstborn of the flock.” Another option is to understand the second prepositional phrase as referring to the fat portions of the sacrificial sheep. In this case one may translate, “some of the firstborn of his flock, even some of their fat portions” (cf. NEB, NIV, NRSV).

[4:4]  sn Here are two types of worshipers – one (Cain) merely discharges a duty at the proper time, while the other (Abel) goes out of his way to please God with the first and the best.

[4:4]  ²¹ tn The Hebrew verb שָׁעָה (sha’ah) simply means “to gaze at, to have regard for, to look on with favor [or “with devotion”].” The text does not indicate how this was communicated, but it indicates that Cain and Abel knew immediately. Either there was some manifestation of divine pleasure given to Abel and withheld from Cain (fire consuming the sacrifice?), or there was an inner awareness of divine response.

[4:5]  ²² sn The Letter to the Hebrews explains the difference between the brothers as one of faith – Abel by faith offered a better sacrifice. Cain’s offering as well as his reaction to God’s displeasure did not reflect faith. See further B. K. Waltke, “Cain and His Offering,” WTJ 48 (1986): 363-72.

[4:5]  ²³ tn Heb “and it was hot to Cain.” This Hebrew idiom means that Cain “burned” with anger.

[4:5]  ²⁴ tn Heb “And his face fell.” The idiom means that the inner anger is reflected in Cain’s facial expression. The fallen or downcast face expresses anger, dejection, or depression. Conversely, in Num 6 the high priestly blessing speaks of the Lord lifting up his face and giving peace.

[4:7]  ²⁵ tn The introduction of the conditional clause with an interrogative particle prods the answer from Cain, as if he should have known this. It is not a condemnation, but an encouragement to do what is right.

[4:7]  ²⁶ tn The Hebrew text is difficult, because only one word occurs, שְׂאֵת (sÿ’et), which appears to be the infinitive construct from the verb “to lift up” (נָאָשׂ, na’as). The sentence reads: “If you do well, uplifting.” On the surface it seems to be the opposite of the fallen face. Everything will be changed if he does well. God will show him favor, he will not be angry, and his face will reflect that. But more may be intended since the second half of the verse forms the contrast: “If you do not do well, sin is crouching….” Not doing well leads to sinful attack; doing well leads to victory and God’s blessing.

[4:7]  ²⁷ tn The Hebrew term translated “crouching” (רֹבֵץ, rovets) is an active participle. Sin is portrayed with animal imagery here as a beast crouching and ready to pounce (a figure of speech known as zoomorphism). An Akkadian cognate refers to a type of demon; in this case perhaps one could translate, “Sin is the demon at the door” (see E. A. Speiser, Genesis [AB], 29, 32-33).

[4:7]  ²⁸ tn Heb “and toward you [is] its desire, but you must rule over it.” As in Gen 3:16, the Hebrew noun “desire” refers to an urge to control or dominate. Here the desire is that which sin has for Cain, a desire to control for the sake of evil, but Cain must have mastery over it. The imperfect is understood as having an obligatory sense. Another option is to understand it as expressing potential (“you can have [or “are capable of having”] mastery over it.”). It will be a struggle, but sin can be defeated by righteousness. In addition to this connection to Gen 3, other linguistic and thematic links between chaps. 3 and 4 are discussed by A. J. Hauser, “Linguistic and Thematic Links Between Genesis 4:1-6 and Genesis 2–3,” JETS 23 (1980): 297-306.

[4:8]  ²⁹ tc The MT has simply “and Cain said to Abel his brother,” omitting Cain’s words to Abel. It is possible that the elliptical text is original. Perhaps the author uses the technique of aposiopesis, “a sudden silence” to create tension. In the midst of the story the narrator suddenly rushes ahead to what happened in the field. It is more likely that the ancient versions (Samaritan Pentateuch, LXX, Vulgate, and Syriac), which include Cain’s words, “Let’s go out to the field,” preserve the original reading here. After writing אָחִיו (’akhiyv, “his brother”), a scribe’s eye may have jumped to the end of the form בַּשָּׂדֶה (basadeh, “to the field”) and accidentally omitted the quotation. This would be an error of virtual homoioteleuton. In older phases of the Hebrew script the sequence יו (yod-vav) on אָחִיו is graphically similar to the final ה (he) on בַּשָּׂדֶה.

[4:8]  ³⁰ tn Heb “arose against” (in a hostile sense).

[4:8]  ³¹ sn The word “brother” appears six times in vv. 8-11, stressing the shocking nature of Cain’s fratricide (see 1 John 3:12).

[4:9]  ³² sn Where is Abel your brother? Again the Lord confronts a guilty sinner with a rhetorical question (see Gen 3:9-13), asking for an explanation of what has happened.

[4:9]  ³³ tn Heb “The one guarding my brother [am] I?”

[4:9]  sn Am I my brother’s guardian? Cain lies and then responds with a defiant rhetorical question of his own in which he repudiates any responsibility for his brother. But his question is ironic, for he is responsible for his brother’s fate, especially if he wanted to kill him. See P. A. Riemann, “Am I My Brother’s Keeper?” Int 24 (1970): 482-91.

[4:10]  ³⁴ sn What have you done? Again the Lord’s question is rhetorical (see Gen 3:13), condemning Cain for his sin.

[4:10]  ³⁵ tn The word “voice” is a personification; the evidence of Abel’s shed blood condemns Cain, just as a human eyewitness would testify in court. For helpful insights, see G. von Rad, Biblical Interpretations in Preaching; and L. Morris, “The Biblical Use of the Term ‘Blood,’” JTS 6 (1955/56): 77-82.

[10:3]  ³⁶ tn The verb is מֵאַנְתָּ (me’anta), a Piel perfect. After “how long,” the form may be classified as present perfect (“how long have you refused), for it describes actions begun previously but with the effects continuing. (See GKC 311 §106.g-h). The use of a verb describing a state or condition may also call for a present translation (“how long do you refuse”) that includes past, present, and potentially future, in keeping with the question “how long.”

[10:3]  ³⁷ tn The clause is built on the use of the infinitive construct to express the direct object of the verb – it answers the question of what Pharaoh was refusing to do. The Niphal infinitive construct (note the elision of the ה [hey] prefix after the preposition [see GKC 139 §51.l]) is from the verb עָנָה (’anah). The verb in this stem would mean “humble oneself.” The question is somewhat rhetorical, since God was not yet through humbling Pharaoh, who would not humble himself. The issue between Yahweh and Pharaoh is deeper than simply whether or not Pharaoh will let the Israelites leave Egypt.

[15:25]  ³⁸ sn The symbol of the outstretched hand is the picture of attempting to strike someone, or shaking a fist at someone; it is a symbol of a challenge or threat (see Isa 5:25; 9:21; 10:4).

[15:25]  ³⁹ tn The Hitpael of גָּבַר (gavar) means “to act with might” or “to behave like a hero.” The idea is that the wicked boldly vaunts himself before the Lord.

[15:26]  ⁴⁰ tn Heb “he runs against [or upon] him with the neck.” The RSV takes this to mean “with a stiff neck.” Several commentators, influenced by the LXX’s “insolently,” have attempted to harmonize with some idiom for neck (“outstretched neck,” for example). Others have made more extensive changes. Pope and Anderson follow Tur-Sinai in accepting “with full battle armor.” But the main idea seems to be that of a headlong assault on God.

[15:26]  ⁴¹ tn Heb “with the thickness of the bosses of his shield.” The bosses are the convex sides of the bucklers, turned against the foe. This is a defiant attack on God.

[40:8]  ⁴² tn The verb פָּרַר (parar) means “to annul; to break; to frustrate.” It was one thing for Job to claim his own integrity, but it was another matter altogether to nullify God’s righteousness in the process.

[40:9]  ⁴³ tn Heb “do you have an arm like God?” The words “as powerful as” have been supplied in the translation to clarify the metaphor.

[9:3]  ⁴⁴ tn Heb “evil.”

[9:3]  ⁴⁵ tn Heb “under the sun.”

[9:3]  ⁴⁶ tn The term “awaits” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for smoothness and stylistic reasons.

[9:3]  ⁴⁷ tn Heb “also the heart of the sons of man.” Here “heart” is a collective singular.

[9:3]  ⁴⁸ tn Heb “and after that [they go] to [the place of] the dead.”

[5:21]  ⁴⁹ tn Aram “heart.”

[5:21]  ⁵⁰ tn Aram “his dwelling.”

[5:22]  ⁵¹ tn Or “descendant”; or “successor.”

[5:22]  ⁵² tn Aram “your heart.”

[5:23]  ⁵³ tn Aram “which.”

[5:23]  ⁵⁴ tn Aram “in whose hand [are].”

[2:3]  ⁵⁵ sn See the note on King Herod in 2:1.

[2:4]  ⁵⁶ tn Or “and scribes of the people.” The traditional rendering of γραμματεύς (grammateu") as “scribe” does not communicate much to the modern English reader, for whom the term might mean “professional copyist,” if it means anything at all. The people referred to here were recognized experts in the law of Moses and in traditional laws and regulations. Thus “expert in the law” comes closer to the meaning for the modern reader.

[2:4]  ⁵⁷ tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[2:4]  sn See the note on Christ in 1:16.

[2:6]  ⁵⁸ sn A quotation from Mic 5:2.

[2:7]  ⁵⁹ sn See the note on King Herod in 2:1.

[2:8]  ⁶⁰ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.

[2:16]  ⁶¹ sn See the note on King Herod in 2:1. Note the fulfillment of the prophecy given by the angel in 2:13.

[2:16]  ⁶² tn Or “soldiers.”

[2:16]  ⁶³ map For location see Map5 B1; Map7 E2; Map8 E2; Map10 B4.

[16:31]  ⁶⁴ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

[16:31]  ⁶⁵ tn Or “obey”; Grk “hear.” See the note on the phrase “respond to” in v. 29.

[16:31]  ⁶⁶ sn The concluding statement of the parable, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead, provides a hint that even Jesus’ resurrection will not help some to respond. The message of God should be good enough. Scripture is the sign to be heeded.