Yohanes 2:20

2:20 Then the Jewish leaders ¹  said to him, “This temple has been under construction ²  for forty-six years, ³  and are you going to raise it up in three days?”

Yohanes 4:15

4:15 The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw ⁴  water.” ⁵ 

Yohanes 5:14

5:14 After this Jesus found him at the temple and said to him, “Look, you have become well. Don’t sin any more, ⁶  lest anything worse happen to you.”

Yohanes 7:33

7:33 Then Jesus said, “I will be with you for only a little while longer, ⁷  and then ⁸  I am going to the one who sent me.

Yohanes 7:37

Teaching About the Spirit

7:37 On the last day of the feast, the greatest day, ⁹  Jesus stood up and shouted out, ¹⁰  “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me, and

Yohanes 7:45

Lack of Belief

7:45 Then the officers ¹¹  returned ¹²  to the chief priests and Pharisees, ¹³  who said to them, “Why didn’t you bring him back with you?” ¹⁴ 

Yohanes 11:48

11:48 If we allow him to go on in this way, ¹⁵  everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away our sanctuary ¹⁶  and our nation.”

Yohanes 11:56

11:56 Thus they were looking for Jesus, ¹⁷  and saying to one another as they stood in the temple courts, ¹⁸  “What do you think? That he won’t come to the feast?”

Yohanes 18:3

18:3 So Judas obtained a squad of soldiers ¹⁹  and some officers of the chief priests and Pharisees. ²⁰  They came to the orchard ²¹  with lanterns ²²  and torches and weapons.

[2:20]  ¹ tn See the note on this phrase in v. 18.

[2:20]  ² tn A close parallel to the aorist οἰκοδομήθη (oikodomhqh) can be found in Ezra 5:16 (LXX), where it is clear from the following verb that the construction had not yet been completed. Thus the phrase has been translated “This temple has been under construction for forty-six years.” Some, however, see the term ναός (naos) here as referring only to the sanctuary and the aorist verb as consummative, so that the meaning would be “this temple was built forty-six years ago” (so ExSyn 560-61). Ultimately in context the logic of the authorities’ reply appears to fit more naturally if it compares length of time for original construction with length of time to reconstruct it.

[2:20]  ³ sn According to Josephus (Ant. 15.11.1 [15.380]), work on this temple was begun in the 18th year of Herod the Great’s reign, which would have been ca. 19 b.c. (The reference in the Ant. is probably more accurate than the date given in J. W. 1.21.1 [1.401]). Forty-six years later would be around the Passover of a.d. 27/28.

[4:15]  ⁴ tn Grk “or come here to draw.”

[4:15]  ⁵ tn The direct object of the infinitive ἀντλεῖν (antlein) is understood in Greek but supplied for clarity in the English translation.

[5:14]  ⁶ tn Since this is a prohibition with a present imperative, the translation “stop sinning” is sometimes suggested. This is not likely, however, since the present tense is normally used in prohibitions involving a general condition (as here) while the aorist tense is normally used in specific instances. Only when used opposite the normal usage (the present tense in a specific instance, for example) would the meaning “stop doing what you are doing” be appropriate.

[7:33]  ⁷ tn Grk “Yet a little I am with you.”

[7:33]  ⁸ tn The word “then” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.

[7:37]  ⁹ sn There is a problem with the identification of this reference to the last day of the feast, the greatest day: It appears from Deut 16:13 that the feast went for seven days. Lev 23:36, however, makes it plain that there was an eighth day, though it was mentioned separately from the seven. It is not completely clear whether the seventh or eighth day was the climax of the feast, called here by the author the “last great day of the feast.” Since according to the Mishnah (m. Sukkah 4.1) the ceremonies with water and lights did not continue after the seventh day, it seems more probable that this is the day the author mentions.

[7:37]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “Jesus stood up and cried out, saying.”

[7:45]  ¹¹ tn Or “servants.” The “chief priests and Pharisees” is a comprehensive term for the groups represented in the ruling council (the Sanhedrin) as in John 7:45; 18:3; Acts 5:22, 26. As “servants” or “officers” of the Sanhedrin, their representatives should be distinguished from the Levites serving as temple police (perhaps John 7:30 and 44; also John 8:20; 10:39; 19:6; Acts 4:3). Even when performing ‘police’ duties such as here, their “officers” are doing so only as part of their general tasks (See K. H. Rengstorf, TDNT 8:540).

[7:45]  ¹² tn Grk “came.”

[7:45]  ¹³ sn See the note on Pharisees in 1:24.

[7:45]  ¹⁴ tn Grk “Why did you not bring him?” The words “back with you” are implied.

[11:48]  ¹⁵ tn Grk “If we let him do thus.”

[11:48]  ¹⁶ tn Or “holy place”; Grk “our place” (a reference to the temple in Jerusalem).

[11:56]  ¹⁷ tn Grk “they were seeking Jesus.”

[11:56]  ¹⁸ tn Grk “in the temple.”

[18:3]  ¹⁹ tn Grk “a cohort.” The word σπεῖραν (speiran) is a technical term for a Roman cohort, normally a force of 600 men (one tenth of a legion). It was under the command of a χιλίαρχος (ciliarco", v. 12). Because of the improbability of an entire cohort being sent to arrest a single man, some have suggested that σπεῖραν here refers only to a maniple, a force of 200. But the use of the word here does not necessarily mean the entire cohort was present on this mission, but only that it was the cohort which performed the task (for example, saying the fire department put out the fire does not mean that every fireman belonging to the department was on the scene at the time). These Roman soldiers must have been ordered to accompany the servants of the chief priests and Pharisees by Pilate, since they would have been under the direct command of the Roman prefect or procurator. It is not difficult to understand why Pilate would have been willing to assist the Jewish authorities in such a way. With a huge crowd of pilgrims in Jerusalem for the Passover, the Romans would have been especially nervous about an uprising of some sort. No doubt the chief priests and Pharisees had informed Pilate that this man Jesus was claiming to be the Messiah, or in the terms Pilate would understand, king of Israel.

[18:3]  ²⁰ tn The phrase “officers of the chief priests and Pharisees” is a comprehensive name for the groups represented in the ruling council (the Sanhedrin) as in John 7:32, 45; 18:3, 12, 18, 22; 19:6. They are different from the Levites who served as “temple police” according to K. H. Rengstorf (TDNT 8:540). In John 7:32ff. these officers had made an unsuccessful attempt to arrest Jesus, and perhaps this is part of the reason why their leaders had made sure they were accompanied by Roman soldiers this time. No more mistakes were to be tolerated.

[18:3]  sn See the note on Pharisees in 1:24.

[18:3]  ²¹ tn The words “to the orchard” are not in the Greek text but are repeated from v. 1 for clarity.

[18:3]  ²² tn These were lamps that had some sort of covering to protect them from wind and rain. In earlier usage the word meant “torch” but by NT times it apparently meant a lamp designed to be used outdoors, so “lantern” is a good contemporary English equivalent.

[18:3]  sn Mention of the lanterns and torches suggests a detail remembered by one who was an eyewitness, but in connection with the light/darkness motif of John’s Gospel, it is a vivid reminder that it is night; the darkness has come at last (cf. 13:30).