Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of John 12:11
Because that by reason of him many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus.
11. went away, and believed ] Better, were going away and believing. It is best to leave ‘going away’ quite indefinite: the notion of falling away from the hierarchy lies in the context but not in the word. The imperfects denote a continual process.
S. Augustine comments on the folly of the priests as if Christ could not raise Lazarus a second time! But this ignores the ‘also’: the hierarchy meant to put both to death. Their folly consisted in failing to see, not that He could raise Lazarus again, but that He could raise Himself (Joh 2:19). Note that it is the unscrupulous hierarchy, who attempt this crime. Comp. Joh 18:35, Joh 19:6; Joh 19:15; Joh 19:21.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Being raised from death to life, he possibly spake of it to the honour and glory of God; for this they consult to put him to death also; and their only reason was, because that many of the Jews believed on Jesus for his sake.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
Because that by reason of him,…. Of the miracle which was wrought upon him, in raising him from the dead, of which he was a living and an abiding witness:
many of the Jews went away; not from Jerusalem only, but from the chief priests and Pharisees, and the rest of the Jews, that combined against Christ; they withdrew themselves from their party, and deserted them:
and believed on Jesus; as the Messiah; so that they found their interest was decreasing and weakening every day, and that those on the side of Christ were increasing; and this they could not bear, and therefore consulted to take away the life of Lazarus, as well as Jesus; who they imagined, as long as he lived, would be a means of inducing persons to believe in Jesus as the Messiah: whereas if he was dead, the fact would be forgotten, or be more easily denied.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Because that (). Causal use of .
By reason of him (‘ ). “Because of him,” regular idiom, accusative case with .
Went away (). Cf. 6:67 for this verb. Inchoative imperfect active of , “began to withdraw” as happened at the time of the raising of Lazarus (11:45f.) and the secession was still going on.
And believed on Jesus ( ). Imperfect active of (note aorist in 11:45). There was danger of a mass movement of the people to Jesus.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Went away [] . Withdrew from their company.
12 – 19. Compare Mt 21:1 – 11; Mr 11:1 – 11; Luk 19:29 – 44.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “Because that by reason of him,” (hoti di’ auton) “Because on account of him” as a result of his resurrection and his testimony, that of his sisters, the Jewish women who had mourned his death, and many others who stood by his grave when Jesus prayed to His Father and called Lazarus from the dead, Joh 11:19; Joh 11:31; Joh 11:36; Joh 11:41-45.
2) “Many of the Jews went away,” (polloi hupegon ton loudaion) “Many of the Jews went,” after him, from Jerusalem away from Judaism, went out to Bethany where Jesus was, Joh 12:1.
3) “And believed on Jesus.” (kai episteuon eis ton lesous) “And they believed or trusted in Jesus,” Joh 12:17-18, as a result of their going, hearing, and seeing Him and the fruits of His ministry, Joh 11:45; Joh 20:30-31.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(11) Many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus.Better, were going away, and believing on Jesus. The tenses mark the continuance of the secession, and the two words mark the two acts by which on the one hand they were going away from the authority of the priests and, on the other hand, were believing on Jesus. (Comp. Joh. 12:18.)
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
11 Because that by reason of him many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus.
Ver. 11. Because that by reason of him ] This was it that embittered the Pharisees, as it doth now their successors the Papists. Bellarmine bewrays his grief, and tells us that ever since we proclaimed the pope to be that Antichrist, his kingdom hath not only not increased, but daily more and more decreased. Ab eo tempore quo per vos Papa Antichristus esse coepit, non modo non crevit eius imperium, &c. (De Papa Rom 3:21 ) And Erasmus being asked by the Elector of Saxony, why Luther was so hated by the Popish clergy? For two great faults that he had committed, said he, for meddling with the pope’s triple crown and the monks’ fat paunches. (Scultet. Annul.)
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
11. ] , went away (to Bethany); there is something in the – which almost always implies away, out from under , the persons or the place in the narrative. And so here, the being the main subject of the sentence, the word gets the sense of ‘ fell away: ’ scil. from under their hand or power.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
by reason of = on account of. Greek. dia, as in Joh 12:8.
went away = withdrew: i.e. from the chief priests’ faction.
believed on. See App-150.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
11.] , went away (to Bethany); there is something in the – which almost always implies away, out from under, the persons or the place in the narrative. And so here, the being the main subject of the sentence, the word gets the sense of fell away: scil. from under their hand or power.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Joh 12:11. [314], went away) to Bethany.
[314] , by reason of him) No one truly should shrink from encountering even death, provided that a large number might be brought over thereby, and won to faith in Christ.-V. g.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Joh 12:11
Joh 12:11
because that by reason of him many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus.-The sight of Lazarus alive after he had been four days in the grave was a striking proof of the claims of Jesus as the sent of God.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
Joh 12:18, Joh 11:45, Joh 11:48, Joh 15:18-25, Act 13:45, Jam 3:14-16
Reciprocal: Gen 37:20 – and we 1Ki 12:26 – Now shall Mat 28:12 – General Luk 16:31 – neither Act 9:42 – and many Act 12:19 – commanded