| 2487 See Witherington, Christology, 265–67. For documentation on various reasons for the «Messianic Secret,» see Keener, Matthew, 261–63. 2488 See full documentation in Keener, Matthew, 378–79; also Eunapius Lives 371–372,468. Suspense was a rhetorical technique (e.g., Cicero Verr. 2.5.5.10–11), possibly relevant to the literary presentation of the secret, though not centra1. 2489 Outside the LXX, Diaspora Judaism rarely used the term, however; even Sib. Or. 2.45 is a Christian interpolation. The most obvious exception would be disputes about «Chrestus» in Rome cited by Suetonius (see above on Gentile backgrounds), but if this refers to Jesus, the title could have been introduced mainly by Christians. 2490 Meeks, Christians, 94; Hooker, Message, 13,65; Ladd, Criticism, 96. 2491 Morris, Romans, 37. 2492 Ladd, Theology, 140–41. 2493 See, e.g., Herlong, «Covenant»; Boismard, Moïse; Glasson, Moses; Teeple, Prophet. Ezra likewise parallels Moses in 4 Ezra (see Knowles, «Moses»). 2494 On the related but distinct portrayal of God as «Father» in ancient Mediterranean sources, see Keener, Matthew, 216–18. 2495 Bousset, Kyrios Christos, 207. 2496 See Jeremias, Prayers, 29–31; idem, Theology, 62, for a breakdown of Jesus» uses of «Father» in various Gospel traditions. 2497 Cf., e.g., Epictetus Diatr. 1.9.6–11; 2.8.10–11; 2.19.26–28; Plutarch Pompey 27.3; Plotinus On Virtues, Enn. 1.2.7; Ovid Metam. 8.723–724; cf. Josephus Ag. Ap. 1.232. 2498 E.g., Euripides Andr. 1253–1258; Herodotus Hist. 1.65–66; Cicero Tusc. 1.12.28; 2.7.17; Nat. d. 2.24.62; 3.15.39; Virgil Aen. 7.210–211; Lucan C.W. 9.15–18, 564; Plutarch Lycurgus 5.3; Ovid Metam. 9.16–17. Greek veneration of departed heroes may have begun in the eighth century b.C.E. (Antonaccio, «Hero Cult»). 2499 E.g., Cicero Leg. 3.1.1; Plutarch Profit by Enemies 8, Mor. 90C; Apol1. 36, Mor. 120D; Longinus Subi 4.5; Diogenes Laertius 2.100; 6.2.63; 6.9.104; 8.1.11; 9.7.39. 2500 E.g., Homer II. 2.407; 7.47; 13.295, 802; Od. 3.110; 17.3, 54, 391; 19.456; 20.369; 21.244; cf. also Sophocles Oed. tyr. 298. |
| 10520 Early tradition stresses Peter " s priority at least in resurrection appearances ( 1Cor 15:5 ; cf. Luke 24:34; John 21:7 ; Haenchen, John, 2:208; Dunn, Jesus and Spirit, 126), which Farmer and Kereszty, Peter and Paul, 46, regard as a pro-Petrine tradition. 10521 That Peter and John appear together early in the Acts narratives (Acts 1:13; 3:1–11; 4:13,19; 8:14), as well as in the Synoptics ( Mark 5:37; 9:2; 13:3; 14:33 ) and other early Christian tradition ( Gal 2:9 ), may support our hypothesis that the beloved disciple represents John son of Zebedee here (see introduction, ch. 3). 10522 Börse, «Glaube,» recognizes that Peter believes here when he sees Jesus, but thinks John «corrects» the Synoptic tradition of the disciples» unbelief (Luke 24:1–11). 10523 Barrett, John, 563, thinks ακολουθν may subordinate Peter to the beloved disciple, given the term " s Johannine significance (cf. 21:22). Swiftness of foot is a benefit in epic literature, albeit not always sufficient for survival ( 2Sam 2:18 ; Homer I1. 10.372–375; 16.186; 20.411–418). 10524 E.g., Plato Sophist 221D; Aristotle Rhet. 2.20.4, 1393b; Cicero Brutus 93.321–322; see more fully Anderson, Glossary, 110–11, 121; the comment on 13:23–24. Comparing different authors provided a way to locate their strongest and weakest points (Dionysius of Halicarnassus Letter to Gnaeus Pompeius 1–2), so one could offer the best examples (Letter to Gnaeus Pompeius 6); one might even compare a single writer " s best and worst speeches (Dionysius of Halicarnassus Thucyd. 35, end). 10525 E.g., Philostratus Hrk. 27.1–13; cf. Xenophon Eph. 1.1. These did not necessarily denigrate the other (see, e.g., Menander Rhetor 2.10, 417.10–11 [citing Homer 17. 22.158]; Philostratus Hrk. 13.3–4). Running for a good reason could be praiseworthy; e.g., running to hear Torah does not desecrate even the Sabbatb (b. Ber. 6b), and one might run to greet a king (b. Ber. 58a) or to greet a loved one presumed possibly lost (Livy 4.40.3; Appian R.H. 2.5.3; Tob 11:9–10; Luke 15:20; other examples in Hock, «Novel,» 140) or because otherwise impelled by sudden news of a loved one (Apol1. Κ. Tyre 25). On physical prowess, see comments on 21:7,11. |
| 5065 The subject in 3could be the Father; Jesus» gift contrasts with that of Jacob in 4:5,12 and with that of Moses in 6:31–32 (cf. 1:17; 7:19, 22). 5066 1:22; 9:24; 11:57; 12:5; 13:29; 19:9. The world «gives» Jesus only blows (18:22; 19:3). 13may extend the divine predestinarian use of «give» (e.g., 10:29) to Jesus (cf. 21:13), but this is less than absolutely clear. 5067 ; 28LXX; 28:8,11, 52,53; 30LXX; 30:20; 31:7; 31LXX; 32:49; 34:4; cf. 2:5,9,19. This represents a majority of the occurrences of δδωμι in Deuteronomy (also frequent in Exodus, e.g., 6:4, 8; 12:25; 13:5; 33:1; and elsewhere). 5068 E.g., Josephus Ant. 4.318; notably among the rabbis, who emphasized Torah (Sipre Deut. 32.5.10; b. Ber. 5a; Ned. 38a; p. Hag. 3:5, §1; Exod. Rab. 1:1; Lev. Rab. 35:8; Num. Rab. 19:33). 5069 Strikingly, moralists could recommend being discriminating in choosing to whom to give gifts; they should not be given randomly to anyone (Seneca Benef. 1.1.2). 5071 E.g., Burkert, Religion, 74–75; Ferguson, Backgrounds, 118,147–48. Traditional African religions rarely speak of God " s love; but as in African relations, love is more something to demonstrate than to speak about (Mbiti, Religions, 49). 5072 E.g., Homer Il. 1.86; 5.61; 22.216. Occasionally this is explicitly tied to their sacrifices (Homer Il. 24.66–68). 5074 Goodenough, Church, 10. For Isis, cf. P.Oxy. 1380.109–110 in Griffiths, «Isis»; for Thoeris, see P.Oxy. 3.528.5–6 (also cited by Grant, Paul, 110). 5075 E.g., CD 8.17; " Abot R. Nat. 36, §94B; Pesiq. Rab Kah. 9(attributed to R. Ishmael); Gen. Rab. 80(third century); Exod. Rab. 18:5; 38(attributed to an early Tanna); 51:4; Song Rab. 8:7, §1; cf. Goshen Gottstein, «Love.» 5076 Cohen, «Shekhinta»; cf. Pesiq. Rab. 8:5; Bonsirven, Judaism, 5, 18. See also Ayali, «Gottes,» though Hadrianic repression is a better catalyst for its emergence in the early period than Christian polemic; immutability was long a Greek doctrine, and polemic against Origen in Pesiq. Rab Kah. 15 (so Manns, «Polémique») is unlikely. Cf. Judg 10:16 ; Isa 63:9; Hos 11:8 . |
| 10324 E.g., Cornelius Nepos 5 (Cimon), 3.1; 8 (Thrasybulus), 4.1–2; 12 (Chabrias), 3.3; 14 (Datâmes), 5.2; 15 (Epaminondas), 7.1; 18 (Eumenes), 7.2; 10.2; 19 (Phocion), 4.3; 23 (Hannibal), 1.2; Herodian 3.2.3; Plutarch Demosthenes 26.5. 10328 John Chrysostom Hom. Matt. 88 also takes Joseph of Arimathea as a model of courage, risking enmity and death. 10331 Pace Goulder, «Nicodemus,» Nicodemus is not negative throughout the Gospel; he grows closer to a disciple and further from the Jerusalem leaders (Dschulnigg, «Nikodemus»). 10332 Washing the corpse was standard preburial practice in Mediterranean antiquity (e.g., Homer I1. 18.345, 350; 24.582; Euripides Phoen. 1667; Virgil Aen. 6.219; 9.487; Ovid Metam. 13.531–532; Apuleius Metam. 9.30; Acts 9:37), and anointing appears to be frequent as well (e.g., Homer I1. 18.350–351; 24.582; Virgil Aen. 6.219; Martial Epigr. 3.12; T. Ab. 20:11A); for ointments in embalming, e.g., Herodian 4.2.8; Hagner, Matthew, 758, cites P.Oxy. 736.13; Artemidorus 1.5; Gen 50LXX. For the practice in other cultures, see Mbiti, Religions, 329. 10335 T. Ab. 20:10A; L.A.E. 48.1; Apoc. Mos. 40.1–3; b. Ber. 18b; cf. white wrappings in L.A.B. 64:6; Gen. Rab. 96:5. 10338 E.g., Babinet, «Sindon.» Although the radiocarbon dating seems against it (Stanton, Gospel Truth, 119–20, noting the three independent carbon 14 tests, each claiming 95 percent certainty) and the colors are known from medieval artists» pigments (cf. Thompson, Debate, 238–43, who surveys both sides), traces of Palestinian plant fibers and early-first-century Judean burial customs suggest elements of accurate portrayal in the Shroud of Turin. For a thorough and well-documented survey of scientific data for the latter, as well as scientific evaluations on the contamination of the radiocarbon sample, see Borkan, «Authenticity.» If the Shroud dates from 1260 to 1390 as the radiocarbon tests suggest, it displays remarkable technology. 10339 Thompson, Debate, 240; Ducatillon, «Linceu1.» In Death, 1264–65, Brown argues that the Synoptics probably think of a single cloth whereas John has multiple wrappings. |
| 6457 E.g., Homer I1. 15.612–614; 16.441; see further the discussion on John 2:4 . 6458 E.g., Homer Il. 6.487–488. 6459 Excepting his military victories (Pss. So1. 17:21–25); Martyn, Theology, 96. But on new-Moses signs of some of the «signs prophets,» see our introduction, pp. 270–72. 6460 Martyn, Theology, 93. 6461 Tilborg, Ephesus, 101–7, suggests that John " s audience will read «high priests» through the lens of those in Ephesus; but even uninformed Ephesian readers would know of Jewish high priests (cf. Acts 19:14), and believers might know them from the gospel tradition preserved in the Synoptics. Still less likely is Derrett " s association of «rulers» in 7with cosmic powers («ρχοντες»); though this association appears in some passages (see Keener, Paul, 64–65), «rulers» were normally human (e.g., Rom 13:1 ). 6462 Despite the same Greek term as in Luke 4(and CIJ l:xcix; 1:124, §172; Leon, Jews, 190), these bear no relationship with the hazzan of the synagogue (cf. Stambaugh and Balch, Environment, 49); the term had a broader usage ( Prov 14:35 ; Isa 32:5; Dan 3LXX; Wis 6:4; John 18:3,12, 18,22,36; 19:6 ; Matt 5:25; Mark 14:54,65 ; Luke 1:2; Acts 5:22,26; 13:5; 26:16; 1Cor 4:1 ). John 7:32, 45–46 refers to the templés Levite police (Jeremias, Jerusalem, 210); see also comment on 18:3. 6463 Cf. here also Von Wahlde, «Terms,» 233. Probably by the end of the second century, the head of the rabbinic movement could dispatch troops, authorizing arrests of wayward rabbis (p. Hor. 3:1, §2; Sanh. 2:1, §3, though probably fictitious). 6464 See Keener, Matthew, 351–53, 538–40. 6465 Thus Pharisees and chief priests are linked especially by Matthew (Matt 21:45; 27:62) and, writing after those who saw themselves as Pharisaism " s heirs had gained greater power (led by the Pharisaic leader Gamaliel II), John (7:32,45; 11:47,57; 18:3). See further comment on our introduction to 1:19–28. 6466 John probably recycles his material in various contexts, which was acceptable rhetorical technique (Theon Progymn. 4.73–79; 5.388–441); cf. Brown, John, 1(citing 8:21–22). |
| 5921 E.g., Josephus Ag. Ap. 1.58–59. 5922 Let. Aris. 131–132, 156–157; see further Longenecker, Paul 54–58; Davies, Paul 27–29. Cf. Xenophon Mem. 4.3.13; Diodorus Siculus 12.20.2; Cicero Nat. d. 2.54.133–58.146; Seneca Benef. 6.23.6–7; Plutarch Isis 76, Mor. 382A; Epictetus Diatr. 1.6.7, 10; 1.16.8; 2.14.11; Heraclitus Ep. 4; Theophilus 1.5–6. 5923 Other messianic claimants also appealed to promised signs as testimony of their identity (Talbert, John, 128, cites Josephus Ant. 18.85–87; 20.97,167–172). 5924 In Johannine theology, those who did see him through Jesus would be transformed, both spiritually in the present (1 John 3:6) and physically eschatologically (1 John 3:2). 5925 E.g., Exod. Rab. 41:3; see the source in Exod 19:9,11; 24:10–11. Philosophers spoke of hearing and seeing God through reason (cf. Maximus of Tyre Or. 11.10). 5926 «Thunders» in Exod 19LXX is «sounds» or «voices» (φωνα). A later tradition even says this voice raised the dead (Tg. Ps.-J. on Exod 20:15/18). 5927 Dahl, «History,» 133; cf. also Borgen, Bread, 151; Brown, John, 1:225; Schnackenburg, John, 2:52; Whitacre, Polemic, 68; see comment on 6:46. Against the bat kol here, see Odeberg, Gospel, 222. In Pirqe R. E1. 11, Torah shares God " s image; see comment on 1:3. 5928 Odeberg, Gospel, 223–24. Greeks told stories of gods unrecognized among mortals, as Jews did of angels (see, e.g., Homer Od. 1.105, 113–135; 17.484–487; Ovid Metam. 1.212–213; 2.698; 5.451–461; 6.26–27; 8.621–629; Pausanias 3.16.2–3; Heb 13:2; cf. Gen 18 ; Tob 5:4–6,12; 9:1–5; Philo Abraham 114). 5929 Whitacre, John, 137, may be right to see polemic against mystical Judaism here; but we can account for the text sufficiently on the basis of any Torah-observent Jewish circles. 5930 See Philo Confusion 97,147; Flight 101; Heir 230; Planting 18; Spec. Laws 1.80–81,171; 3.83. Cf. Plutarch Isis 29, Mor. 362D; 43, 368C; 54, 373B; 377A. 5931 For a person having Torah in oneself, see, e.g., Deut 30:14 ; Ps 37:31; 40:8; 119:11 ; Lev. Rab. 3:7. Believers have Jesus " words in them ( John 15:7 ), Jesus in them (6:56; cf. 1 John 3:15 ), and remain in Jesus ( John 8:31 ). |
| 3701 Many commentators acknowledge the allusion to Exod 34:5–6 here, e.g., Westcott, John, 13; Barrett, John, 167; Epp, «Wisdom,» 138; Boismard, Prologue, 54–56; Dahl, «History,» 132; Lee, Thought, 40; Gaston, Stone, 209. Most acknowledge that the phrase is dependent on the Hebrew expression even if they do not cite Exod 34as the specific allusion (e.g., Stuart, «Examination,» 316; Dodd, Bible, 75; Hoskyns, Gospel, 150; Ladd, Theology, 230). Readers naturally continued to find God " s special mercy toward Israel in this passage (b. Roš Haš. 17b), rightly understanding it to imply that God " s mercy exceeds his anger (e.g., t. Sota 4in Urbach, Sages, 1:450). 3702 Hanson, «Exodus,» 93; Vellanickal, Sonship, 153–54. Χρις can mean «charm» (Demetrius 3.128–156) or, more aptly here, «generosity» (Grayston, Gospel, 12, citing inscriptions). 3704 Barrett, John, 167; Epp, «Wisdom,» 138; Richardson, Theology, 281–82; Schnackenburg, John, 1:272. Philós preferred term for God " s gracious activity is also χρις (Schnackenburg, John, 1:272). Because only χρις recurs in the prologue and neither term occurs in the Gospel outside the prologue, Johannine usage is not decisive in this case (Epp, «Wisdom,» 139). Though when conjoined with speech (λγος and other terms), χρις could mean «charm» (e.g., Homer Od. 2.12–13; Plutarch Cic. 39.6; Demosth. 7.2; Menander Rhetor 2.5, 395.4; 2.6,400.1; 2.7, 405.28; 2.17, 446.12), the exodus background and the «word» as Torah suggest «generous kindness» instead. 3706 See Charlesworth, «Comparison,» 415, who cites in 1QS 4.4 and in 1QS 4.5. The component ideas by themselves need require no allusion at all; cf. God " s «grace and mercy» in Wis 3:9; his «kindness» and «truth» in Wis 15:1; the «graces of [his] blessing» in 1QM 12.3. God " s names that are not sacred (perhaps meaning nontechnical titles) include «full of grace» and «full of mercy» in p. Meg. 1:9, §17. 3707 Michaels, John, 8, is among those who suggest that it modifies Jesus instead, citing Acts 6:3, 5, 8; 7:55; 11:24); the adjective is itself indeclinable. |
| 5110 E.g., 1QS lO.lff.;4Q180 frg. 1, line 2; 1 En. 1:1–3,8; 5:7–8; 25:5; 38:4;48:1,9; 50:1; 58:1; 61:4, 12; 93:2; Jub. 11:17; T. Job 4:11/9. Despite Josephus " s presentation of the Essenes (Josephus Ant. 18.18), even the Scrolls do not deny free will (Nötscher, «Schicksalsglaube»; Driver, Scrolls, 558–62; Marx, «Prédestination»; Sanders, Judaism, 251). 5111 Though in v. 11 some of them may have been «born» in darkness, with sufferings. Many ancients viewed character as inborn, not changed (Pindar O1. 13.12; also 11.19–20; but others recognized that character changed (Valerius Maximus 6.9.pref.–6.9.9; cf. 2 Chr 24:17–22). 5112 Neh 9:7; Jer 33:24 ; Sir 46:1 ; 2Macc 1:25; Jub. 1:29; 22:9–10; 1QS 1.10; 2.5; 9.14; 11.7; 1QM 10.9–10; 12.1, 4; 15.1–2; 17.7; lQpHab 5.3; 9.12; 10.13; 4QpPs 37 frg. 1; Mek. Pisha 1.135ff.; Sir. 9.118ff.; Gen. Rab. 1:4; cf. Urbach, Sages, 1:524–41. For individual Gentiles becoming part of that chosen people, see Jos. Asen. 8:9/11; for application of the title to believers in Jesus, e.g., Col 3:12; 2 Thess 2:13; 1 Clem. 50.7. 5113 E.g., Pss. So1. 9:4; Sipre Deut. 319.3.1; cf. Sirach in Boccaccini, Judaism, 105–9; Winston, «Determinism»; Philo in Winston, «Freedom»; Carson, «Responsibility»; Wolfson, Philo, 1:424–62; rabbis in Urbach, Sages, 1:268–69. Later rabbinic theodicy explained that Israel chose God (Sipre Deut. 312.1.1–2; Num. Rab. 14:10; see comment on John 1:10–11 ). See further comment on 6:43–44. 5114 Many Gentile thinkers (e.g., Epictetus Diatr. 1.6.40; 4.6.5; Marcus Aurelius 11.36; Plotinus Enn. 3.1) and early Christians (Justin Dia1. 141; 1 Apo1. 43; Tatian 8–11; Ps.-Clem. 12.3–4; 13.1–2) also argued for free will; earlier Greeks accepted human responsibility (Homer Od. 1.32–43; Chrysippus in Aulus Gellius 7.2; Aristotle E.E. 2.6.1–11, 1222b-1223a; Lucretius Nat. 2.225–265). 5115 E.g., Josephus War 2.162–163 (Pharisees); m. Abot 3:15/16; " Abot R. Nat. 37, 39A. Brown, Essays, 151–54, argues that even the Scrolls affirm both, though their double predestination deconstructs their logic for free will (in a way, he says, John does not, 154–55). |
| Asen. 14:12). 5421 E.g., Plutarch Nat. Q. 33 (after Mor. 919E, but preserved only in Latin). Cf. Athenaeus Deipn. 8.352a, where a traveler to Pella abstained after noticing that those who depended on the local well water looked sickly. 5428 For the connecting of these passages, see comment on 7:37. Allison, «Water,» is undoubtedly correct that the primary imagery in 4:10–14, as in 7:37–39, is the fountain of living water in the new Jerusalem. 5432 Cullmann, Worship, 83, sees the connection though he wrongly emphasizes baptism here, citing gnostic sects that drank baptismal waters. 5434 Beasley-Murray, John, 61. For magicians transmuting one substance into another, see Homer Od. 10.239–240; Ovid Metam. 14.414–415; p. Hag. 2:2, §5; Sanh. 6:6, §2. But Moses brought water from the rock (Exod 17:6; Num 20:11 ; Deut 8:15 ); and a prophet miraculously provided continuing sustenance for an unmarried woman in need (1 Kgs 17:12), who recognized a sinful background (1 Kgs 17:18). 5435 Many commentators note the misunderstanding (e.g., Bultmann, John, 181; Schnackenburg, John, 1:432). 5436 ÓDay, Revelation, 53, starts a new section with this command, which parallels Jesus» command in 4:7. 5438 Augustine Tract. Ev. Jo. 15.18.1 denied that Jesus merely wished to teach her through her husband (as, he thinks, in 1Cor 14:35 ; but that is probably not the sense even there–see Keener, Paul, 70–100), noting that he did not teach Mary in that way (he cites Luke 10:39–40; but then he reads allegorically: Bring your understanding, 15.18.2–15.20.1). 5440 She may also lack the head covering normally required for married women (sources in Keener, Paul, 22–30; more fully, idem, «Head Coverings»), but, given the midday sun, could be wearing one anyway. Given the emphasis on early marriage or speedy remarriage for most women in the broader culture (sources in Keener, Marries, 72–75; more fully, idem, «Marriage,» 681–82), people would wonder why an adult woman (five marriages suggests some age) would be unmarried. |
| 10295 We would therefore question the view attributed to J. D. Crossan by Ostling, «Jesus» (as cited in Craig, «Rise?» 142), namely, that Jesus» corpse was merely covered with a little dirt and probably eaten by wild dogs (being eaten by birds or dogs was the normal fate of the unburied, e.g., Homer Il. 11.395; Aeschylus Supp1. 751–752,801–802; other sources in Keener, Matthew, 582, 695). But this view seems unduly skeptical that Pilate would have accommodated Jewish burial practices, especially if he did not insist on Jesus» guilt. (Even among Greeks, it could seem unthinkable that one would not have at least provided mass graves to enemies slain in battle, e.g., Pausanias 1.32.5.) 10296 See also Green, «Buria1.» On Joseph rescuing Jesus» body from a common burial, cf. also Bammel, «Trial,» 444, though a Jewish execution is improbable. Change of opinion could transform a dishonorable to an honorable burial (Cornelius Nepos 10 [Dion], 10.2–3). 10297 That John intends a connection with Jesus» reputed father (1:45; 6:42) or Jacob " s son (4:5) is unlikely; the name was a common one (see CPJ 3:182–83). 10298 Brown, Death, 1240; Davies and Allison, Matthew, 3:647. Although others might appreciate certain benevolent rich persons (e.g., Homer I1. 6.12–19) and early Christians had some well-to-do patrons, one wonders whether early Christians would fabricate benevolence from establishment insiders such as Joseph or Nicodemus (Jas 2:6–7, though cf. Jas 2:3). 10299 Davies and Allison, Matthew, 3:647. Acts 13can be construed as burial by his enemies among the rulers (13:27) who also sought his execution (13:28), but it is summary language; Luke also knows of Joseph as righteous (Luke 23:50–53). 10303 Sophocles Ant. 43–48; Diodorus Siculus 20.84.3; Plutarch Nicias 6.5–6; Diogenes Laertius 6.2.52; Pausanias 1.32.5; Chariton 4.1.3; Philostratus Hrk. 33.33; cf. Plutarch Solon 21.1. 10304 E.g., ILS 7360a; Sherk, Empire, 234; Cary and Haarhoff, Life, 151–52; for slaves, cf. Buckland, Slavery, 74. |
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