Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of John 13:29
For some [of them] thought, because Judas had the bag, that Jesus had said unto him, Buy [those things] that we have need of against the feast; or, that he should give something to the poor.
29. For some of them ] Shewing that they could not have understood.
had the bag ] See on Joh 12:6.
against the feast ] This agrees with Joh 13:1, that this meal precedes the Passover.
to the poor ] Comp. Joh 12:5; Neh 8:10; Neh 8:12; Gal 2:10.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 29. Buy those things that we have need of against the feast] Calmet’s observation here has weight so it. “The disciples who thought that our Lord had said this to Judas, knew well that on the day of the passover there was neither buying nor selling in Jerusalem. This, therefore, did not happen on the paschal evening; for the feast, according to the common opinion, must have begun the preceding evening, and Jesus have eaten the passover with his disciples the night before his death; but it appears to me, by the whole text of St. John, that the passover did not begin till the time in which our Lord expired upon the cross. It was then that they were sacrificing the paschal lambs in the temple. It is therefore probable that the apostles believed that Judas went to purchase a lamb, and the other necessary things for the evening, and for the day of the Passover.” On this subject the reader is requested to consult the observations at the end of Mt. 26, where the subject is considered at large. See Clarke on Mt 26:75
Give something to the poor.] It is well known that our Lord and his disciples lived on public charity; and yet they gave alms out of what they had thus received. From this we learn that even those who live on charity themselves are expected to divide a little with those who are in deeper distress and want.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
For some of them thought,…. This was the thought of some of the disciples, it may be of all of them but John;
because Judas had the bag: which was for the common supply of Christ and his disciples, and for the relief of the poor;
[See comments on Joh 12:6].
That Jesus had said unto him, buy those things that we have need of against the feast; the feast of the passover, which was to be two days after; and shows, that this was not the passover which Christ now ate with his disciples:
or that he should give something to the poor; for whom Christ cared, and had a hearty concern, and for whom Judas had very little, notwithstanding his high pretensions.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Some thought ( ). Imperfect active of . Mere inference in their ignorance.
The bag ( ). See on 12:6 for this word.
What things we have need of ( ). Antecedent () of the relative () not expressed.
For the feast ( ). The feast of unleavened bread beginning after the passover meal and lasting eight days. If this was twenty-four hours ahead of the passover meal, there was no hurry for next day would be in ample time.
Or that he should give something to the poor ( ). Another alternative in their speculation on the point. Note prolepsis of (dative case) before (final clause with and second aorist active subjunctive of ).
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
The bag. See on 12 6.
Buy [] . An incidental argument in favor of this gathering of the disciples having taken place on the evening of the Paschal feast. Had it been on the previous evening, no one would have thought of Judas going out at night to buy provisions for the feast, when there was the whole of the next day for it, nor would they have thought of his going out to seek the poor at that hour. The 15th Nisan, the time of the Passover celebration, was indeed invested with the sanctity of a Sabbath; but provision and preparation of the needful food was expressly allowed on that day. The Rabbinical rules even provided for the procuring of the Paschal lamb on the Passover eve when that happened to fall on the Sabbath.
Against the feast [ ] . Rev., better, for the feast. The Passover feast. The meal of which they had been partaking was the preliminary meal, at the close of which the Passover was celebrated; just as, subsequently, the Eucharist was celebrated at the close of the Agape, or love – feast. Notice the different word, eJorth, feast, instead of deipnon, supper, and the article with feast.
To the poor. Perhaps to help them procure their Paschal lamb.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “For some of them thought,” (tines gar edokoun) “For some of or among them thought,” some of the disciples, of the church fellowship who traveled with the Lord.
2) “Because Judas had the bag,” (epei to glossokomon eichen loudas) “Since Judas held the bag,” that held the money for expenses of the disciples.
3) “That Jesus had said unto him,” (hoti legei auto lesous) “That Jesus told him” had directed or instructed him, in the whispered conversation, Joh 13:27.
4) “Buy those things that we have need of against the feast; (agorason hon cheiran echomen eis ten heorten) “Buy the things which we have a need of for the keeping of the Passover,” that was now at hand, and perhaps for the whole festival, Exo 12:16; Mat 26:15-16; Mar 14:1-3. That it was possible to buy goods at so late an evening hour is indicated Mat 25:9-11.
5) “Or that he should give something to the poor.” (e tois ptochois hina ti do) ”Or in order that he should give something to the poor.” It therefore appears that Jesus was accustomed to give orders for the spending of money, Psa 41:1; Proverbs 14-21. The giving to the poor, called giving of alms, was commended of our Lord, Luk 11:41; Luk 12:33, Gal 2:10.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
29. Or that he should give something to the poor. It is plain enough from other passages how great was Christ’s poverty, and yet, out of the little that he had, he gave something to the poor, in order to lay down a rule for us; for the Apostles would not have conjectured that he had spoken about the poor, if it had not been their usual custom to relieve the poor
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(29) Because Judas had the bag.Comp. Notes on Joh. 12:6.
Buy those things that we have need of against the feast.Here, again, it will be better to postpone the consideration of details in the order of the events of this week, and to deal with the question as a whole. (Comp. Excursus F: The Day of the Crucifixion of our Lord.)
That he should give something to the poor.Such gifts seem to have been made at all festivals. Their thought was probably of gifts to enable the poor to obtain the lamb and other requisites for keeping the Passover.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
29 For some of them thought, because Judas had the bag, that Jesus had said unto him, Buy those things that we have need of against the feast; or, that he should give something to the poor.
Ver. 29. For some of them thought ] An example of Christian simplicity. As bad men muse as they use, so good men measure others by themselves and so are often deceived, as here. “Charity thinketh no evil,”1Co 13:51Co 13:5 .
Or that he should give something to the poor ] Christ had not much, yet had somewhat for the poor; so must the poor day labourer, Eph 4:28 , the necessitous widow, Mar 12:42 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
29. ] The first supposition agrees with Joh 13:1 , that it was . Had it been the night of the passover, the next day being hallowed as a sabbath, nothing could have been bought . On the whole question see notes on Mat 26:17 , and ch. Joh 18:28 . On the second supposition, see ch. Joh 12:5 . The gift to the poor might be, to help them to procure their paschal lamb .
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Joh 13:29 . . Some supposed that Judas being treasurer of the company had been sent to buy what they needed for the feast, or to give something to the poor. That it was possible at so late an hour to make purchases appears from Mat 25:9-11 (Holtzmann).
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
thought = were thinking.
bag. See note on Joh 12:6.
had said = saith.
against = for. Greek. eis. App-104.
the feast: i.e. the feast beginning at the close of Passover, when the high day, 15th of Nisan, began (App-156).
poor. Greek. ptochos. See 12. s and App-127.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
29.] The first supposition agrees with Joh 13:1,-that it was . Had it been the night of the passover, the next day being hallowed as a sabbath, nothing could have been bought. On the whole question see notes on Mat 26:17, and ch. Joh 18:28. On the second supposition, see ch. Joh 12:5. The gift to the poor might be, to help them to procure their paschal lamb.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Joh 13:29. , against the feast) These things occurred a little before the feast, on the day before the Passover; nor however had they any thought, that the passion of the Lord was so near at hand. These incidents do not accord with the idea of their being on the very evening of the paschal supper.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Joh 13:29
Joh 13:29
For some thought, because Judas had the bag, that Jesus said unto him, Buy what things we have need of for the feast; or, that he should give something to the poor.-Judas kept the treasury that the apostles had, and out of it things were bought for the feast and the poor were helped. They expected something would be done promptly. There is difficulty in harmonizing all the facts connected with the Passover by Jesus. He had partaken of the Passover at this time, but he speaks of the feast yet future. Again on the next day the priests that accused Jesus did not go into Pilates judgment hall that they might not be defiled, but might eat the passover. (Joh 18:28). This would imply that the passover was not yet eaten. Two explanations are offered for this. One is that Jesus ate the passover at the appointed hour, but that throughout the week of the feast there were other meals to be eaten, and as no unleaven bread could be used during the week so all had to keep themselves clean for this eating during the week, and this language refers to some feasting at a later day of the week. The other theory is that Jesus ate the passover as is attested (Mat 26:17-19; Mar 14:12-18; Luk 22:7-15), but that he ate it the evening before the regular time, and he himself was slain at the hour of slaying the paschal lamb, intended to typify the slaying of Jesus. This latter seems to me probable. He could not be slain at the time for slaying the passover lamb and eat the passover at the accustomed time too. He chose to die at the appointed hour and so was compelled to anticipate the time of eating it.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
that: Joh 12:5, Act 20:34, Act 20:35, Gal 2:10, Eph 4:28
Reciprocal: Job 31:17 – have Psa 112:9 – dispersed Mat 6:2 – when Mat 14:16 – they Mat 25:35 – I was an Mar 14:5 – have been given Luk 3:11 – He that hath two Joh 12:6 – the bag
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Joh 13:29. For some thought, because Judas had the bag, that Jesus said unto him, Buy those things that we have need of for the feast; or, that he should give something to the poor. On the bag here spoken of, see on Joh 12:6. The first supposition made, that Judas might have gone out to purchase things needed for the feast, is a proof that the feast itself had not begun, or was only beginning. It is important to observe the word feast. It is that of Joh 13:1, and it shows that the disciples expected to partake of the Paschal Supper with Jesus. This expectation the Evangelist would in all probability not have communicated to us as he has done had he not known it to be correct. He knows that Jesus partook of the feast; that what He did not partake of was the Passover of the Jews (comp. on Joh 13:1). The words, too, are much more reconcilable with the idea that the feast was just about to be partaken of, than that it was to be eaten twenty-four hours afterwards. On the latter supposition, the more quickly loses all its meaning. On the former it retains its force. The expression here employed supplies therefore a powerful argument for the supposition that the evening on which Jesus and His disciples were thus gathered together was that of the Paschal Supper. It has indeed been urged that, if the Supper took place on the evening of the 14th,according to sacred calculation, the beginning of the 15th,such purchases would have been illegal and impossible, the 15th possessing all the sanctity of a Sabbath. This, however, is hardly a fair representation of the case. There are clear indications both in Scripture (Exo 12:16; Lev 23:7; Luk 23:56) and in the Mishna, that a difference was made between these two days in respect of sanctity, the preparation of food, for example, being expressly allowed on the latter of the two. A rabbinical provision, also, for the procuring of the Paschal lamb when the eve of the Passover fell on the Sabbath, is a proof that no difficulty was experienced on the point when the two days did not coincide (Mishna, treatise Sabbath).
The second supposition of the disciples points to the same conclusion. They thought that Judas was to give something to the poor; and that it was to be given more quickly. This could hardly be mere general charity to the poor. The time was not very suitable for the exercise of such charity, and there could be no call for its being given at once. We are compelled therefore to think not of charity in general, but of that particular aid which, in conformity with the law (Deu 16:14), was to be given at the Passover to the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, to enable them also to rejoice. Such an interpretation of the words of Jesus on the part of the disciples corresponds much better with the supposition that the feast was about at this moment to be celebrated than that it was to be so the following night.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
The fact that Judas was the treasurer of the Twelve shows that the other disciples trusted him implicitly. He was a consummate hypocrite. Jesus’ trust of him shows the Savior’s grace.
The feast in view (Joh 13:29) must have been the feast of Unleavened Bread that followed Passover immediately since Jesus and the Twelve were then celebrating the Passover. Giving alms to the poor was a common practice in Jerusalem on Passover evening. [Note: J. Jeremias, The Eucharistic Words of Jesus, p. 54.]