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Joh_2:23. Δέ ] introducing a characteristic summary statement (to Joh_2:25) regarding this stay of Jesus at the feast, in order next to give prominence to a special scene, the story of Nicodemus in Joh_3:1 ff.
ἐν τ . Ἱεροσ . ἐν τ . πάσχα ἐν τῇ ἑορτῇ ] The latter clause is not added as an explanation for Greek readers (that should have been done at Joh_2:13), but “He was at Jerusalem during the passover in the feast (engaged in celebrating the feast);” thus the first ἐν is local, the second refers to time, and the third joins on with ἦν , and expresses the surroundings, that in which a person is engaged (versari in aliqua re). See, concerning εἶναι ἐν here, Bernhardy, p. 210; Ast, Lex. Plat. I. 623.
θεωροῦντες , κ . τ . λ .] while they beheld His miracles, etc. αὐτοῦ , comp. Lycurg. 28: ταῦτα ἐμοῦ ἐθεωρήσατε , and Kühner, § 528, ad Xen. Mem. i. 1. 11. Euthymius Zigabenus rightly says: ἐκεῖνοι γὰρ ἀκριβέστερον ἐπίστευον , ὅσοι μὴ διὰ τὰ σημεῖα μόνον , ἀλλὰ καὶ διὰ τὴν διδασκαλίαν αὐτοῦ ἐπίστευον . Their faith in His name (as that of the Messiah) did not yet amount to any decision of their inner life for Jesus, but was only an opinion, produced by the sight of His miracles, that He was the Messiah; comp. Joh_8:30, Joh_6:26. Luther calls it “milk faith.” Comp. Mat_13:20. On τὰ σημεῖα , comp. Joh_3:2. None of the miracles of this period has been recorded; Joh_20:30, comp. Joh_4:45. Consequently, not only the Synoptics, but John also speaks summarily of multitudes of miracles, without relating any of them individually (against Schleiermacher, L. J. p. 201).