Robertson Word Pictures - John 12:1 - 12:1

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Robertson Word Pictures - John 12:1 - 12:1


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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:

Jesus therefore (Iēsous oun). Here oun is not causal, but simply copulative and transitional, “and so” (Bernard), as often in John (Joh 1:22, etc.).

Six days before the passover (pro hex hēmerōn tou pascha). This idiom, transposition of pro, is like the Latin use of ante, but it occurs in the old Doric, in the inscriptions and the papyri. See Amo 1:1 for it also (cf. Moulton, Proleg., pp. 100ff.; Robertson, Grammar, pp. 621f.). If the crucifixion was on Friday, as seems certain from both John and the Synoptics, then six days before would be the Jewish Sabbath preceding or more probably the Friday afternoon before, since Jesus would most likely arrive before the Sabbath. Probably we are to put together in one scene for the atmosphere Joh 11:55-57; Joh 12:1, Joh 12:9-11.

Came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus raised from the dead (ētlhen eis Bēthanian, hopou ēn Lazaros, hon ēgeiren ek nekrōn Iēsous). Each phrase explains the preceding. There is no reason for thinking this a gloss as Bernard does. It was a place of danger now after that great miracle and the consequent rage of the Sanhedrin (Joh 12:9-11). The crowd of eager spectators to see both Lazarus and Jesus would only intensify this rage.