John:18:25-27
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rwp @
John:18:25 @{
Was standing and warming himself } (\
n hest
s kai thermainomenos \).
Two periphrastic imperfects precisely as in verse 18 |,
vivid renewal of the picture drawn there .
John alone gives the examination of Jesus by Annas (
18:19-24 |)
which he places between the first and the second denials by Peter .
Each of the Four Gospels gives three denials ,
but it is not possible to make a clear parallel as probably several people joined in each time .
This time there was an hour '
s interval (
Luke:22:59 |).
The question and answer are almost identical with verse 17 |
and "
put in a form which almost _suggested_
that Peter should say '
No '" (
Bernard ),
a favourite device of the devil in making temptation attractive .
rwp @
John:18:26 @{
Did not I see thee in the garden with him ?} (\
ouk eg
se eidon en t
i k
p
i met '
autou ;\).
This staggering and sudden thrust expects an affirmative answer by the use of \
ouk \,
not \
m \
as in verses 17 ,
25 |,
but Peter '
s previous denials with the knowledge that he was observed by a kinsman of Malchus whom he had tried to kill (
verse 10 |)
drove him to the third flat denial that he knew Jesus ,
this time with cursing and swearing (
Mark:14:71 ;
strkjv @
Matthew:26:73 |).
Peter was in dire peril now of arrest himself for attempt to kill . {
Straightway } (\
euthe
s \).
As in strkjv @
Matthew:26:74 |
while Luke has \
parachr
ma \ (
Luke:22:60 |).
Mark (
Mark:14:68 ,
72 |)
speaks of two crowings as often happens when one cock crows .
See strkjv @
Matthew:26:34 |
for \
alekt
r \ (
cock ).
That was usually the close of the third watch of the night (
Mark:13:35 |),
about 3 A .
M .
Luke (
Luke:22:61 |)
notes that Jesus turned and looked on Peter probably as he passed from the rooms of Annas to the trial before Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin (
the ecclesiastical court ).
See Mrs .
Browning '
s beautiful sonnets on "
The Look ".
rwp @
John:18:28 @{
They lead } (\
agousin \).
Dramatic historical present of \
ag \,
plural "
they "
for the Sanhedrists (
Luke:23:1 |).
John gives no details of the trial before the Sanhedrin (
only the fact ,
strkjv @
John:18:24 ,
28 |)
when Caiaphas presided ,
either the informal meeting at night (
Mark:14:53 ,
55-65 ;
strkjv @
Matthew:26:57 ,
59-68 ;
strkjv @
Luke:22:54 ,
63-65 |)
or the formal ratification meeting after dawn (
Mark:15:1 ;
strkjv @
Matthew:27:1 ;
strkjv @
Luke:22:66-71 |),
but he gives much new material of the trial before Pilate (
18:28-38 |). {
Into the palace } (\
eis to prait
rion \).
For the history and meaning of this interesting Latin word ,
_praetorium_
,
see on ¯
Matthew:27:27 ;
strkjv @
Acts:23:35 ;
strkjv @
Phillipians:1:13 |.
Here it is probably the magnificent palace in Jerusalem built by Herod the Great for himself and occupied by the Roman Procurator (
governor )
when in the city .
There was also one in Caesarea (
Acts:23:35 |).
Herod '
s palace in Jerusalem was on the Hill of Zion in the western part of the upper city .
There is something to be said for the Castle of Antonia ,
north of the temple area ,
as the location of Pilate '
s residence in Jerusalem . {
Early } (\
pr
i \).
Technically the fourth watch (
3 A .
M .
to 6 A .
M .).
There were two violations of Jewish legal procedure (
holding the trial for a capital case at night ,
passing condemnation on the same day of the trial ).
Besides ,
the Sanhedrin no longer had the power of death .
A Roman court could meet any time after sunrise .
John (
19:14 |)
says it was "
about the sixth hour "
when Pilate condemned Jesus . {
That they might not be defiled } (\
hina m
mianth
sin \).
Purpose clause with \
hina m \
and first aorist passive subjunctive of \
miain \,
to stain ,
to defile .
For Jewish scruples about entering the house of a Gentile see strkjv @
Acts:10:28 ;
strkjv @
11:3 |. {
But might eat the passover } (\
alla phag
sin to pascha \).
Second aorist active subjunctive of the defective verb \
esthi \,
to eat .
This phrase may mean to eat the passover meal as in strkjv @
Matthew:27:17 | (
Mark:14:12 ,
14 ;
strkjv @
Luke:22:11 ,
15 |),
but it does not have to mean that .
In strkjv @
2Chronicles:30:22 |
we read : "
And they did eat the festival seven days "
when the paschal festival is meant ,
not the paschal lamb or the paschal supper .
There are eight other examples of \
pascha \
in John '
s Gospel and in all of them the feast is meant ,
not the supper .
If we follow John '
s use of the word ,
it is the feast here ,
not the meal of strkjv @
John:13:2 |
which was the regular passover meal .
This interpretation keeps John in harmony with the Synoptics .
rwp @
John:18:29 @{
Went out } (\
ex
lthen ex \).
Note both \
ex \
and \
ex \ (
went out outside ),
since the Sanhedrin would not come into Pilate '
s palace .
Apparently on a gallery over the pavement in front of the palace (
John:19:13 |). {
Accusation } (\
kat
gorian \).
Old word for formal charge ,
in N .
T .
only here ,
strkjv @
1Timothy:5:19 ;
strkjv @
Titus:1:6 |. {
Against this man } (\
tou anthr
pou toutou \).
Objective genitive after \
kat
gorian \.
A proper legal inquiry .
rwp @
John:18:30 @{
If this man were not an evil-doer } (\
ei m
n houtos kakon poi
n \).
Condition (
negative )
of second class (
periphrastic imperfect indicative ),
assumed to be untrue ,
with the usual apodosis (\
an \
and aorist indicative ,
first aorist plural with \
k \).
This is a pious pose of infallibility not in the Synoptics .
They then proceeded to make the charges (
Luke:23:2 |)
as indeed John implies (
18:31 ,
33 |).
Some MSS .
here read \
kakopoios \ (
malefactor )
as in strkjv @
1Peter:2:12 ,
14 |,
with which compare Luke '
s \
kakourgos \ (
23:32f .|;
so also strkjv @
2Timothy:2:9 |),
both meaning evil-doer .
Here the periphrastic present participle \
poi
n \
with \
kakon \
emphasizes the idea that Jesus was a habitual evil-doer (
Abbott ).
It was an insolent reply to Pilate (
Bernard ).
rwp @
John:18:31 @{
Yourselves } (\
humeis \).
Emphatic .
Pilate shrewdly turns the case over to the Sanhedrin in reply to their insolence ,
who have said nothing whatever about their previous trial and condemnation of Jesus .
He drew out at once the admission that they wanted the death of Jesus ,
not a fair trial for him ,
but Pilate '
s approval of their purpose to kill him (
John:7:1 ,
25 |).
rwp @
John:18:32 @{
By what manner of death } (\
poi
i thanat
i \).
Instrumental case of the qualitative interrogative \
poios \
in an indirect question ,
the very idiom used in strkjv @
John:12:32 |
concerning the Cross and here treated as prophecy (
Scripture )
with \
hina pl
r
th
i \
like the saying of Jesus in verse 9 |
which see .
rwp @
John:18:33 @{
Again } (\
palin \).
Back into the palace where Pilate was before . {
Called } (\
eph
n
sen \).
First aorist active indicative of \
ph
ne \.
Jesus was already inside the court (
verse 28 |).
Pilate now summoned him to his presence since he saw that he had to handle the case .
The charge that Jesus claimed to be a king compelled him to do so (
Luke:23:2 |). {
Art thou the King of the Jews ?} (\
su ei ho basileus t
n Ioudai
n ;\).
This was the vital problem and each of the Gospels has the question (
Mark:15:2 ;
strkjv @
Matthew:27:1 ;
strkjv @
Luke:23:3 ;
strkjv @
John:18:33 |),
though Luke alone (
23:2 |)
gives the specific accusation . {
Thou } (\
su \).
Emphatic .
Jesus did claim to be the spiritual king of Israel as Nathanael said (
John:1:49 |)
and as the ecstatic crowd hailed him on the Triumphal Entry (
John:12:13 |),
but the Sanhedrin wish Pilate to understand this in a civil sense as a rival of Caesar as some of the Jews wanted Jesus to be (
John:6:15 |)
and as the Pharisees expected the Messiah to be .
rwp @
John:18:34 @{
Of thyself } (\
apo seautou \).
Whether a sincere inquiry on Pilate '
s part or a trap from the Sanhedrin .
rwp @
John:18:35 @{
Amos:I a Jew ?} (\
m
ti eg
Ioudaios eimi ;\).
Proud and fine scorn on Pilate '
s part at the idea that he had a personal interest in the question .
Vehement negation implied .
Cf .
strkjv @
4:29 |
for \
m
ti \
in a question .
The gulf between Jew and Gentile yawns wide here . {
Nation } (\
ethnos \
as in strkjv @
11:48-52 |,
rather than \
laos \,
while both in strkjv @
11:50 |).
For \
pared
kan \
see verse 30 |. {
What hast thou done ?} (\
ti epoi
sas ;\).
First aorist active indicative of \
poie \.
Blunt and curt question . "
What didst thou do ?" "
What is thy real crime ?"
John '
s picture of this private interview between Pilate and Jesus is told with graphic power .
rwp @
John:18:36 @{
My kingdom } (\
h
basileia h
em \).
Christ claims to be king to Pilate ,
but of a peculiar kingdom .
For "
world " (\
kosmou \)
see strkjv @
17:13-18 |. {
My servants } (\
hoi hup
retai hoi emoi \).
For the word see verse 3 |
where it means the temple police or guards (
literally ,
under-rowers ).
In the LXX always (
Proverbs:14:35 ;
strkjv @
Isaiah:32:5 ;
strkjv @
Daniel:3:46 |)
officers of a king as here .
Christ then had only a small band of despised followers who could not fight against Caesar .
Was he alluding also to legions of angels on his side ? (
Matthew:26:56 |). {
Would fight } (\
g
nizonto an \).
Imperfect middle of \
ag
nizomai \
common verb (
only here in John ,
but see strkjv @
1Corinthians:9:25 |)
from \
ag
n \ (
contest )
with \
an \,
a conclusion of the second-class condition (
assumed as untrue ).
Christians should never forget the profound truth stated here by Jesus . {
That I should not be delivered } (\
hina m
paradoth \).
Negative final clause with \
hina m \
and first aorist passive subjunctive of \
paradid
mi \ (
see verses 28 ,
36 |).
Jesus expects Pilate to surrender to the Jews . {
But now } (\
nun de \).
In contrast to the condition already stated as in strkjv @
8:40 ;
strkjv @
9:41 ;
strkjv @
15:22 ,
24 |.
rwp @
John:18:37 @{
Art thou a king then ?} (\
oukoun basileus ei su ;\).
Compound of \
ouk \
and \
oun \
and is clearly ironical expecting an affirmative answer ,
only here in the N .
T .,
and in LXX only in A text in strkjv @
2Kings:5:23 |. {
Thou sayest that } (\
su legeis hoti \).
In strkjv @
Matthew:27:11 ;
strkjv @
Mark:15:2 ;
strkjv @
Luke:23:3 |, \
su legeis \
clearly means "
yes ,"
as \
su eipas \ (
thou saidst )
does in strkjv @
Matthew:26:64 | (= "
I am ," \
eg
eimi \,
in strkjv @
Mark:41:62 |).
Hence here \
hoti \
had best be taken to mean "
because ": "
Yes ,
because I am a king ." {
Have I been born } (\
eg
gegenn
mai \).
Perfect passive indicative of \
genna \.
The Incarnation was for this purpose .
Note repetition of \
eis touto \ (
for this purpose ),
explained by \
hina martur
s
t
i al
thei
i \ (
that I may bear witness to the truth ), \
hina \
with first aorist active subjunctive of \
marture \.
Paul (
1Timothy:6:13 |)
alludes to this good confession when Christ bore witness (\
martur
santos \)
before Pilate .
Jesus bore such witness always (
John:3:11 ,
32 ;
strkjv @
7:7 ;
strkjv @
8:14 ;
strkjv @
Revelation:1:5 |).
rwp @
John:18:38 @{
What is truth ?} (\
ti estin al
theia ;\).
This famous sneer of Pilate reveals his own ignorance of truth ,
as he stood before Incarnate Truth (
John:14:6 |).
_Quid
est veritas ?
_
The answer in Latin is _Vir
est qui adest_
as has been succinctly said by the use of the same letters .
Pilate turned with indifference from his own great question and rendered his verdict : "
I find no crime in him " (\
eg
oudemian heurisk
en aut
i aitian \).
For this use of \
aitia \
see strkjv @
Matthew:27:37 ;
strkjv @
Mark:15:26 |.
Pilate therefore should have set Jesus free at once .
rwp @
John:18:39 @{
A custom } (\
sun
theia \).
Old word for intimacy ,
intercourse ,
from \
sun
th
s \ (\
sun ,
thos \),
in N .
T .
only here ,
strkjv @
1Corinthians:8:7 ;
strkjv @
11:16 |.
This custom ,
alluded to in strkjv @
Mark:15:6 ;
strkjv @
Matthew:27:15 |,
is termed necessity (\
anagk \)
in strkjv @
Luke:23:17 | (
late MSS .,
not in older MSS .).
All the Gospels use the verb \
apolu \ (
release ,
set free ).
Then \
hina apolus \
is a subject clause (\
hina \
and first aorist active subjunctive )
in apposition with \
sun
theia \. {
Will ye therefore that I release ?} (\
boulesthe oun apolus ;\).
Without the usual \
hina \
before \
apolus \,
asyndeton ,
as in strkjv @
Mark:10:36 |,
to be explained either as parataxis or two questions (
Robertson ,
_Grammar_
,
p .
430 )
or as mere omission of \
hina \ (
_ibid_
.,
p .
994 ).
There is contempt and irony in Pilate '
s use of the phrase "
the king of the Jews ."
rwp @
John:18:40 @{
Cried out } (\
ekraugasan \).
First aorist active of \
kraugaz \,
old and rare verb from \
kraug \,
outcry (
Matthew:25:6 |),
as in strkjv @
Matthew:12:19 |. {
Not this man } (\
m
touton \).
Contemptuous use of \
houtos \.
The priests put the crowd up to this choice (
Mark:15:11 |)
and Pilate offered the alternative (
Matthew:27:17 |,
one MS .
actually gives Jesus as the name of Barabbas also ).
The name \
Barabbas \
in Aramaic simply means son of a father . {
A robber } (\
l
ist
s \).
Old word from \
l
izomai \,
to plunder ,
and so a brigand and possibly the leader of the band to which the two robbers belonged who were crucified with Jesus .
Luke terms him an insurgent and murderer (
Luke:23:19 ,
25 |).
They chose Barabbas in preference to Jesus and apparently Jesus died on the very cross planned for Barabbas .