KJV: Much people of the Jews therefore knew that he was there: and they came not for Jesus' sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he had raised from the dead.
YLT: A great multitude, therefore, of the Jews knew that he is there, and they came, not because of Jesus only, but that Lazarus also they may see, whom he raised out of the dead;
Darby: A great crowd therefore of the Jews knew that he was there; and they came, not because of Jesus only, but also that they might see Lazarus whom he raised from among the dead.
ASV: The common people therefore of the Jews learned that he was there: and they came, not for Jesus'sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he had raised from the dead.
| Ἔγνω | Knew |
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Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular Root: γινώσκω Sense: to learn to know, come to know, get a knowledge of perceive, feel. |
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| ὁ | - |
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Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular Root: ὁ Sense: this, that, these, etc. |
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| ὄχλος | a crowd |
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Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular Root: ὄχλος Sense: a crowd. |
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| πολὺς | great |
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Parse: Adjective, Nominative Masculine Singular Root: πολύς Sense: many, much, large. |
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| Ἰουδαίων | Jews |
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Parse: Adjective, Genitive Masculine Plural Root: Ἰουδαῖος Sense: Jewish, belonging to the Jewish race. |
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| ὅτι | that |
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Parse: Conjunction Root: ὅτι Sense: that, because, since. |
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| ἐστιν | He is |
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Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular Root: εἰμί Sense: to be, to exist, to happen, to be present. |
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| ἦλθον | they came |
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Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural Root: ἔρχομαι Sense: to come. |
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| διὰ | because of |
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Parse: Preposition Root: διά Sense: through. |
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| τὸν | - |
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Parse: Article, Accusative Masculine Singular Root: ὁ Sense: this, that, these, etc. |
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| Ἰησοῦν | Jesus |
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Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular Root: Ἰησοῦς Sense: Joshua was the famous captain of the Israelites, Moses’ successor. |
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| μόνον | only |
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Parse: Adverb Root: μόνον Sense: only, alone, but. |
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| ἵνα | that |
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Parse: Conjunction Root: ἵνα Sense: that, in order that, so that. |
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| καὶ | also |
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Parse: Conjunction Root: καί Sense: and, also, even, indeed, but. |
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| Λάζαρον | Lazarus |
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Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular Root: Λάζαρος Sense: an inhabitant of Bethany, beloved by Christ and raised from the dead by him. |
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| ἴδωσιν | they might see |
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Parse: Verb, Aorist Subjunctive Active, 3rd Person Plural Root: εἶδον Sense: to see with the eyes. |
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| ὃν | whom |
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Parse: Personal / Relative Pronoun, Accusative Masculine Singular Root: ὅς Sense: who, which, what, that. |
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| ἤγειρεν | He had raised |
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Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular Root: ἐγείρω Sense: to arouse, cause to rise. |
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| ἐκ | out from |
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Parse: Preposition Root: ἐκ Sense: out of, from, by, away from. |
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| νεκρῶν | [the] dead |
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Parse: Adjective, Genitive Masculine Plural Root: νεκρός Sense: properly. |
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Greek Commentary for John 12:9
This is the right reading with the article ο ho literally, “the people much or in large numbers.” One is reminded of the French idiom. Gildersleeve (Syntax, p. 284) gives a few rare examples of the idiom ο ανηρ αγατος ho anēr agathos Westcott suggests that οχλος πολυς ochlos polus came to be regarded as a compound noun. This is the usual order in the N.T. rather than πολυς οχλος polus ochlos (Robertson, Grammar, p. 774). Mark 12:37 has ο πολυς οχλος ho polus ochlos Moulton (Proleg., p. 84) terms ο οχλος πολυς ho ochlos polus here and in John 12:12 “a curious misplacement of the article.” John‘s use of οχλος ochlos is usually the common crowd as “riff-raff.” That he was Present active indicative retained in indirect discourse after the secondary tense These “Jews” are not all hostile to Jesus as in John 5:10; John 6:41, etc., but included some who were friendly (John 12:11). But that they might see Lazarus also Purpose clause with ινα hina and second aorist active subjunctive of οραω horaō Motive enough to gather a great crowd, to see one raised from the dead (cf. John 12:1 for the same phrase, “whom he had raised from the dead”). Some of the very witnesses of the raising of Lazarus will bear witness later (John 12:17). It was a tense situation. [source]
The best texts insert the article, which converts the expression into the current phrase, the common people. So Rev. [source]
Rev., more correctly, learned. They came to know. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for John 12:9
Note the accusative neuter article, “as to the according to the day,” very awkward English surely, but perfectly good Greek. The same idiom occurs in Luke 11:3.Sought (εζητουν ezētoun). Imperfect active, conative imperfect, were seeking, trying to seek.The principal men of the people The first men of the people. The position after the verb and apart from the chief priests and the scribes calls special attention to them. Some of these “first men” were chief priests or scribes, but not all of them. The lights and leaders of Jerusalem were bent on the destruction (απολεσαι apolesai) of Jesus. The raising of Lazarus from the dead brought them together for this action (John 11:47-53; John 12:9-11). [source]
The first men of the people. The position after the verb and apart from the chief priests and the scribes calls special attention to them. Some of these “first men” were chief priests or scribes, but not all of them. The lights and leaders of Jerusalem were bent on the destruction (απολεσαι apolesai) of Jesus. The raising of Lazarus from the dead brought them together for this action (John 11:47-53; John 12:9-11). [source]
Here ουν oun is not causal, but simply copulative and transitional, “and so” (Bernard), as often in John (John 1:22, etc.). Six days before the passover This idiom, transposition of προ pro is like the Latin use of ante, but it occurs in the old Doric, in the inscriptions and the papyri. See Amos 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 John 11:55-57; John 12:1, John 12:9-11. Came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus raised from the dead 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 (John 12:9-11). The crowd of eager spectators to see both Lazarus and Jesus would only intensify this rage. [source]
Here again ουν oun is not inferential, but merely transitional. This supper is given by Mark (Mark 14:3-9) and Matthew (Matthew 26:6-13) just two days (Mark 14:1) before the passover, that is on our Tuesday evening (beginning of Jewish Wednesday), while John mentions (John 12:2-9) it immediately after the arrival of Jesus in Bethany (John 12:1). One must decide which date to follow. Mark and Matthew and Luke follow it with the visit of Judas to the Sanhedrin with an offer to betray Jesus as if exasperated by the rebuke by Jesus at the feast. Bernard considers that John “is here more probably accurate.” It all turns on John‘s purpose in putting it here. This is the last mention of Jesus in Bethany and he may have mentioned it proleptically for that reason as seems to me quite reasonable. Westcott notes that in chapter 12John closes his record of the public ministry of the Lord relative to the disciples at this feast (John 12:1-11), to the multitude in the triumphal entry (John 12:12-19), to the world outside in the visit of the Greeks (verses 20-36a), and with two summary judgments (John 12:36-50). There is no further reason to refer to the feast in the house of another Simon when a sinful woman anointed Jesus (Luke 7:36-50). It is no credit to Luke or to John with Mark and Matthew to have them all making a jumble like that. There were two anointings by two absolutely different women for wholly different purposes. See the discussion on Luke for further details. And Martha served Imperfect active of διακονεω diakoneō picturing Martha true to the account of her in Luke 10:40 But this fact does not show that Martha was the wife of this Simon at all. They were friends and neighbours and Martha was following her bent. It is Mark (Mark 14:3) and Matthew (Matthew 26:6) who mention the name of the host. It is not Simon the Pharisee (Luke 7:36), but Simon the leper (Mark 14:3; Matthew 26:6) in whose house they meet. The name is common enough. The Simon in Luke was sharply critical of Jesus; this one is full of gratitude for what Jesus has done for him. That sat at meat “That lay back,” reclined as they did, articular participle (ablative case after εκ ek) of the common verb ανακειμαι anakeimai Perhaps Simon gave the feast partly in honour of Lazarus as well as of Jesus since all were now talking of both (John 12:9). It was a gracious occasion. The guests were Jesus, the twelve apostles, and Martha, Mary, and Lazarus. [source]
Locative case. Supply ημεραι hēmerāi (day) after the adverb επαυριον epaurion (“on the tomorrow day”). That is on our Sunday, Palm Sunday. A great multitude Same idiom rendered “the common people” in John 12:9 and should be so translated here. That had come Second aorist active participle, masculine singular of ερχομαι erchomai agreeing with οχλος ochlos “that came.” When they heard First aorist active masculine plural participle of ακουω akouō construction according to sense (plural, though οχλος ochlos singular). Was coming Present middle indicative of ερχομαι erchomai retained in indirect discourse after a secondary tense. It is a vivid picture. What they heard was: “Jesus is coming into Jerusalem.” He is defying the Sanhedrin with all their public advertisement for him. [source]
Imperfect active of μαρτυρεω martureō This crowning triumph of Jesus gave an added sense of importance to the crowds that were actually with Jesus when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead. For this description of this portion of the crowd see John 11:45.; John 12:1, John 12:9-11. [source]
First aorist passive (deponent) indicative of ταυμαζω thaumazō to wonder at, to admire, as in Revelation 17:8. For this pregnant use of οπισω opisō see John 12:9; Acts 5:37; Acts 20:30; 1 Timothy 5:15. “All the earth wondered at and followed after the beast,” that is Antichrist as represented by Domitian as Nero redivivus. But Charles champions the view that Caligula, not Nero, is the head that received the death-stroke and recovered and set up statues of himself for worship, even trying to do it in Jerusalem. [source]
Perfect passive participle of σπαζω sphazō as in Revelation 5:6, accusative singular agreeing with μιαν mian (one of the heads), object of ειδον eidon understood, “as though slain” (so the word means in seven other instances in the book). There is a reference to the death and new life of the Lamb in Revelation 5:6.And his death-stroke was healed (και η πληγη αυτου ετεραπευτη kai hē plēgē autou etherapeuthē). First aorist passive indicative of τεραπευω therapeuō “The stroke of death” (that led to death). Apparently refers to the death of Nero in June 68 a.d. by his own hand. But after his death pretenders arose claiming to be Nero redivivus even as late as 89 (Tacitus, Hist. i. 78, ii. 8, etc.). John seems to regard Domitian as Nero over again in the persecutions carried on by him. The distinction is not always preserved between the beast (Roman Empire) and the seven heads (emperors), but in Revelation 17:10 the beast survives the loss of five heads. Here it is the death-stroke of one head, while in Revelation 13:12, Revelation 13:14 the beast himself receives a mortal wound.Wondered after the beast First aorist passive (deponent) indicative of ταυμαζω thaumazō to wonder at, to admire, as in Revelation 17:8. For this pregnant use of οπισω opisō see John 12:9; Acts 5:37; Acts 20:30; 1 Timothy 5:15. “All the earth wondered at and followed after the beast,” that is Antichrist as represented by Domitian as Nero redivivus. But Charles champions the view that Caligula, not Nero, is the head that received the death-stroke and recovered and set up statues of himself for worship, even trying to do it in Jerusalem. [source]