Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of John 18:20
Jesus answered him, I spake openly to the world; I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in secret have I said nothing.
20. I spake ] The true reading gives, I have spoken. There is a strong emphasis on ‘I.’ Christ answers no questions about His disciples; He bears the brunt Himself alone. Moreover He seems to contrast the openness of His proceedings with the secrecy of His enemies.
openly ] See on Joh 7:4; Joh 7:26.
to the world ] Not to a secret society. Comp. Joh 8:26.
in the synagogue ] All the best MSS. omit the article; in synagogue, as we say ‘in church.’ See on Joh 6:59.
whither the Jews always resort ] The better reading gives, where all the Jews come together. The word rendered ‘resort’ is not the same as that rendered ‘resort’ in Joh 18:2. ‘I always taught in public places, where all the Jews meet.’ Nothing could be more open than His teaching. Comp. Mat 10:27.
have I said ] Rather, I spake, the aorist of the verb in the first clause, which is in the perfect. See next verse.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Openly to the world – If his doctrine had tended to excite sedition and tumult, if he had aimed to overthrow the government, he would have trained his friends in secret; he would have retired from public view, and would have laid his plans in private. This is the case with all who attempt to subvert existing establishments. Instead of that, he had proclaimed his views to all. He had done it in every place of public concourse in the synagogue and in the temple. He here speaks the language of one conscious of innocence and determined to insist on his rights.
Always resort – Constantly assemble. They were required to assemble there three times in a year, and great multitudes were there constantly.
In secret … – He had taught no private or concealed doctrine. He had taught nothing to his disciples which he had not himself taught in public and commanded them to do, Mat 10:27; Luk 12:3.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 20. I spake openly to the world] To every person in the land indiscriminately-to the people at large: the , here, is tantamount to the French tout le monde, all the world, i.e. every person within reach. This is another proof that St. John uses the term world to mean the Jewish people only; for it is certain our Lord did not preach to the Gentiles. The answer of our Lord, mentioned in this and the following verse, is such as became a person conscious of his own innocence, and confident in the righteousness of his cause. I have taught in the temple, in the synagogues, in all the principal cities, towns, and villages, and through all the country. I have had no secret school. You and your emissaries have watched me every where. No doctrine has ever proceeded from my lips, but what was agreeable to the righteousness of the law and the purity of God. My disciples, when they have taught, have taught in the same way, and had the same witnesses. Ask those who have attended our public ministrations, and hear whether they can prove that I or my disciples have preached any false doctrines, have ever troubled society, or disturbed the state. Attend to the ordinary course of justice, call witnesses, let them make their depositions, and then proceed to judge according to the evidence brought before you.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
I spake openly to the world; to all sorts of men, my enemies as well as my friends.
I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; the Jews for instruction do use to resort to the temple, which was in Jerusalem, and whither three times in the year all the males were wont to come from all parts of the country: and in the public assemblies of the Jews, and in the places where they use to meet.
And in secret have I said nothing; I have said nothing in secret contrary to the doctrine which I have publicly taught; though I have preached in other places, yet it hath been the same thing which I have said in public.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
20. I spakehave spoken.
openly to the worldSeeJoh 7:4.
I ever taught in thesynagogues and in the temple, whither the Jews always resortcourtingpublicity, though with sublime noiselessness.
in secret have I saidspakeI.
nothingthat is,nothing of any different nature; all His private communications withthe Twelve being but explanations and developments of His publicteaching. (Compare Isa 45:19;Isa 48:16). (Also see on Mr14:54.)
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Jesus answered him,…. Not to the first of these questions, concerning his disciples; not because they had all now forsaken him, and one was denying him; nor because he would not betray them; nor because he would suffer alone; but because if his doctrine was good; it could not be blameworthy to have disciples, and to teach them: and the charge of sedition, blasphemy, and idolatry, they wanted to fasten on him, would sufficiently appear to be groundless by the doctrine he preached; and as to that he answers not directly what he taught, but declares the manner in which he delivered it, and which was such, that they that heard him could not be strangers to it.
I spake openly to the world; with all plainness, freedom, and boldness, without any reserve or ambiguity; and that not to a few persons only, to his own particular disciples, but to all the people of the Jews, who crowded in great numbers to hear him; insomuch that it was said by his enemies, that the world was gone after him.
I ever taught in the synagogue; the Arabic, “the synagogues”; the places of public worship in all parts of the nation, where the Jews met to pray, and read, and hear the word:
and in the temple; at Jerusalem, whenever he was in that city;
whither the Jews always resort; for prayer, and to offer sacrifice, and particularly at the three grand festivals of the year, the passover, Pentecost, and feast of tabernacles, when all the males from all parts appeared before the Lord. Accordingly, the Alexandrian copy, and some others, read, “whither all the Jews resort”; and so read the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, Persic, and Ethiopic versions.
And in secret have I said nothing; not but that our Lord taught in other places than what are here mentioned, as on mountains, in deserts, by the sea shore, and in private houses, yet generally to great multitudes; and though he sometimes conversed alone, and in secret with his disciples, yet what he taught them was either an explanation of what he had said in public, or was perfectly agreeable to it.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Openly (). As already shown (John 7:4; John 8:26; John 10:24; John 10:39; John 16:25; John 16:29. See 7:4 for same contrast between and .
I ever taught ( ). Constative aorist active indicative. For the temple teaching see John 2:19; John 7:14; John 7:28; John 8:20; John 19:23; Mark 14:49 and Joh 6:59 for the synagogue teaching (often in the Synoptics). Examples of private teaching are Nicodemus (Joh 3) and the woman of Samaria (Joh 4). Jesus ignores the sneer at his disciples, but challenges the inquiry about his teaching as needless.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
In the synagogue [ ] . The best texts omit the article. Render, in synagogue : when the people were assembled. Like our phrase, in church.
Always resort [ ] . For pantote always, read pantev all. Sunercontai is rather come together, assemble. Rev., where all the Jews come together.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “Jesus answered him,” (apekrithe outo lesous) “Jesus responded to him,” to Caiaphas the high priest that year, the one who had formerly encouraged His being put to death, therefore a prejudicial judge, Joh 11:49-53.
2) “I spake openly to the world;” (ego parresia lelaleka to kosmou) “With plainness I have spoken to the world,” not merely to my disciples in the open, with no secret, covert, or ulterior motives or collusions; Such as you (Caiaphas) have been engaging in, with the chief priests and the Pharisees, Joh 11:47-48.
3) “I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple,” (ego pantote edidaksa en sunagoge kai en to heiro) “I always taught in the synagogue and in the temple,” with open boldness, without reserve, to everybody, as recounted, Luk 4:15; Joh 7:14; Joh 7:26; Joh 7:28; Joh 8:2.
4) “Whither the Jews always resort;” (hopou pantes hoi loudaioi sunerchontai) “Where all the Jews come together,” in their synagogues, and in the temple, as cited above, where all the Jews assemble.
5) “And in secret have I said nothing.” (kai en krupto elalesa ouden) “And in secret I spoke not a thing,” not a thing that I have not taught before all, openly. Because I have nothing to be ashamed of, much as Paul certified to Felix and King Agrippa, Act 26:26.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
20. I spoke openly in the world. It is a childish error into which some have fallen, who think that this reply of Christ condemns those who expound the word of God in private apartments, when the tyranny of wieked men does not allow them to expound it publicly; for Christ does not argue as to what is lawful and what is not lawful, but his intention was to put down the insolent malice of Caiaphas.
This passage, however, appears to be inconsistent with another saying of Christ, where he enjoins the apostles to
proclaim on the house-tops what he had whispered in their ear, (Mat 10:27😉
and again, when he declares that
it is not given to all to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, (Mat 13:14)
and that he therefore confers this favor on none but the twelve apostles. I answer, when he says in the passage now under review, that he spoke nothing in secret, this refers to the substance of the doctrine, which was always the same, though the form of teaching it was various; for he did not speak differently among the disciples, so as to instruct them in something different; nor did he act cunningly, as if he purposely intended to conceal from the people what he spoke to a small number of persons in the house. He could, therefore, testify with a good conscience that he had openly declared and honestly proclaimed the substance of his doctrine.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(20) I spake openly to the world.He does not distinctly answer the question about His disciples, but His words imply that all may have been His disciples. The pronoun is strongly emphatic; I am one, His words mean, who spake plainly and to all men. My followers have not been initiated into secret mysteries, nor made conspirators in any political organisation. I have not been a leader, and they have not been members, of a party.
I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort.The better reading omits the article before synagogue, as in Joh. 6:59, and reads for the last clause, where all the Jews resort. In synagogue is an adverbial phrase, as we say in church. His constant custom was to teach in synagogue, and in Jerusalem He taught in the temple itself, which was the resort of all the leaders of the people. This refers to His general custom, and does not, of course, exclude His teaching in other places. The point is that during His public ministry He was constantly in the habit of teaching under the authority of the officers of the synagogues and the temple. That was the answer as to what His doctrine had been.
And in secret have I said nothing.His private teaching of the disciples is, of course, not excluded, but that was only the exposition of His public doctrine. There was nothing in it such as they understood by secret teaching. It was unlike the leaven of the Pharisees which was hypocrisy; for in it there was nothing covered, nothing hid. (Comp. Joh. 12:1-3.)
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
20. Jesus answered Jesus, though before a magistrate, is not before a legitimate court, and so he might deny the jurisdiction and refuse to answer. He does answer, by at once refusing any specific account, and yet asserting his own openness and innocency.
Openly synagogue temple He has said nothing in his teachings which all the honest world might not hear. His preaching has been in the regular public sacred places, the synagogue and the temple.
In secret nothing He has no conspiracy, no secret society. On the contrary, whatever confidential utterances he has made among his friends, his actual doctrines he would have all the world hear and receive.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
20 Jesus answered him, I spake openly to the world; I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in secret have I said nothing.
Ver. 20. I spake openly to the world ] Truth is bold and barefaced; when heresy hides itself, and loathes the light, Veritas abscondi erubescit truth loaths to hide. What said John Frith, martyr, to the archbishop’s men, that would have let him go and shift for himself? If you should both leave me here, and go to Croydon, declaring to the bishops that you had lost Frith, I would surely follow as fast after as I might, and bring them news that I had found and brought Frith again. Do ye think that I am afraid to declare my opinion to the bishops of England in a manifest truth?
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
20. ] , emphatic: q. d. I am one, who
, plainly (subjective): not openly , in an objective sense, which the word will not bear (Mey [245] .).
[245] Meyer.
here = ., or perhaps rather, all who were there to hear.
By the omission of the art. before ., the distinction is made between synagogues, of which there were many, and , which was but one.
. . . ] Stier thinks there was an allusion in these words to Isa 45:19 ; Isa 48:16 , in the last of which places the Messiah is speaking.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
spake. The texts read “have spoken”.
openly. Greek parrhesia. Compare Joh 7:4.
world. Greek. kosmos. App-129.
in. Greek. en. App-104.
synagogue. See App-120. Omit “the”. It is general, applying to more than one.
temple = temple courts. Greek. hieron. See Mat 23:16.
have I said = I said.
nothing. Greek ouden, neutral of oudeis.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
20.] , emphatic: q. d. I am one, who
, plainly (subjective): not openly, in an objective sense, which the word will not bear (Mey[245].).
[245] Meyer.
here = ., or perhaps rather, all who were there to hear.
By the omission of the art. before ., the distinction is made between synagogues, of which there were many, and , which was but one.
. . .] Stier thinks there was an allusion in these words to Isa 45:19; Isa 48:16,-in the last of which places the Messiah is speaking.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Joh 18:20. , to the world) Language (i.e. His speaking) very comprehensive. , openly, signifies the manner; , ever, or always, the time; in synagogue and in the temple, the place.- ) Editions have : as presently after we have the expression, . But it is not without good reason that the Evangelist has omitted the article . Joh. Harduin lays it down that there were only two synagogues at Jerusalem, the one for native Jews, the other for the Libertines, Act 6:9; and attempts to infer from this passage of John, that there was but one synagogue of native-born Jews.-Op. Sel. p. 904.[383] But the Lord is speaking of the synagogues of the whole country, not merely of the city; and so, therefore, from this passage the oneness of the synagogue in the city neither is refuted, nor is to be inferred. The noun in the Singular number, , acquires a distributive force [in synagogue, wherever it might happen to be, in every one]: and thence the article , added to the temple, forms an Epitasis [an emphatic addition, in repeating the previous ].- ) in secret, nothing, as far as concerns My doctrine (teaching) before the people. For He also apart taught His disciples many things; the main substance of which, however, He now confessed, even in presence of the Council (Sanhedrim). Mat 26:64, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.
[383] Rabbinical authorities, as Megill. lxxiii. 4, represent the number of synagogues in Jerusalem, 480: T. Hieros. Ctuboth. xxxv. 3, makes it 460. Act 6:9 may imply that each separate tribe and colony had a synagogue in Jerusalem. A omits the before . B, according to Lachm., supports it; but Tisch. questions it, B (?).-E. and T.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Joh 18:20
Joh 18:20
Jesus answered him, I have spoken openly to the world; I ever taught in synagogues, and in the temple, where all the Jews come together; and in secret spake I nothing.-[Jesus replies to their question as relating to himself, but ignores that pertaining to the disciples, doubtless for the reason that he, not they, is on trial. He had taught publicly in the synagogue and temple. He had entered into no conspiracies as Annas himself had done.] Jesus recognized that the fair and just way was to prove by others if he were guilty of wrong. So he answered that the Jews have had ample and frequent opportunity to know all that he taught, so he said:
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
world
kosmos = mankind. (See Scofield “Mat 4:8”).
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
I spake: Joh 7:14, Joh 7:26, Joh 7:28, Joh 8:2, Joh 10:23-39, Psa 22:22, Psa 40:9, Mat 4:23, Mat 9:35, Mat 21:23-27, Mat 26:65, Luk 4:15, Luk 19:45-47, Luk 20:1-8, Luk 21:37
and in: Joh 7:4, Isa 45:19, Isa 48:16, Mat 24:26, Act 26:26
Reciprocal: Pro 1:21 – General Pro 8:3 – General Pro 9:3 – she crieth Jer 7:2 – Stand Jer 26:2 – Stand Mat 26:55 – I sat Mar 10:1 – he taught Mar 11:27 – as he Mar 12:35 – while Mar 14:49 – was Luk 4:16 – as Luk 19:47 – taught Joh 6:59 – in the Joh 11:54 – walked Act 5:20 – stand Act 17:2 – as Heb 2:12 – in
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
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In secret have I said nothing. All statements should be considered in the light of all circumstances and the context generally. We know the facts would not admit the conclusion that Jesus never said anything to his disciples away from the public, hence we should look for the explanation in the meaning of the language. Secret is from KRUPTOS, which Thayer defines, “hidden, concealed secret.” The idea is that Jesus neve’ tried to keep his doctrine from the public. We know that is what hE meant here, for in Mat 10:27 hE told his disciples to preach upon the housetops what they heard in the ear, which means what they heard from Jesus in their private hours.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Joh 18:20-21. Jesus answered him, I have spoken boldly to the world: I ever taught in synagogue and in the temple-courts, where all the Jews assemble, and in secret I spake nothing. Why askest thou me? Ask them which have heard me what I have said unto them: behold, these know the things that I said. The answer is dignified, self-possessed, and calm. Jesus simply makes His appeal to the frank openness of His whole past teaching. He is willing to cast Himself even on the testimony of His enemies. They know what He has spoken, and He has no need to fear if they tell the truth. At the same time the words are intended to rebuke the hypocrisy of those who pretended a wish to know more about His teaching, when in truth they sought only a pretext for accusation. The mention of the world and of all the Jews lends great force to what is said.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Verse 20
The meaning is, that the open and public manner in which Jesus had always taught, was sufficient proof that he entertained no treasonable designs.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
Jesus affirmed that He had always taught openly. He had not promoted sedition secretly. He had no secret teaching to hide. Obviously He was not denying that He had taught His disciples privately. He was assuring Annas that His teachings were not subversive. He did not have two types of teaching, a harmless one for the multitudes and a revolutionary one for his disciples. [Note: Morris, p. 670.] He invited Annas to question His hearers, not just His disciples, to determine if He had indeed taught anything for which someone might accuse Him of being disloyal. The testimony of witnesses was an indispensable part of any serious trial in Judaism.