John 12:18
in John 12That is also why the crowd went out to meet Him, because they heard that He had performed this sign.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
For this cause also the multitude went and met him, for that they heard that he had done this sign.
KJV
For this cause the people also met him, for that they heard that he had done this miracle.
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This verse in John 12
Commentary
14 notes on this verseTherefore those who had heard of the performance of this miracle also met Him with glory, that is, they believed; for if they had not believed, they would not have changed so quickly.
This site's exposition
when He called Lazarus from the tomb
on John 12:17-19
Witnesses who had stood there when He called Lazarus from the tomb kept telling what they saw, and the crowd went out on that report. The Pharisees answer with a complaint, that the whole world has gone after Him. The Greeks of verse 20 arrive in the next line.
This site's exposition
the crowd went out to meet Him
The crowd went out because they heard of the sign. Theophylact and Aquinas hold that Jesus kept the greatest sign for the last. Theodore and Cyril say the crowd saw the promise of the prophets, that death would be overcome, kept in Lazarus four days dead.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers4 voices
(Tr. li. 7) The crowd was disturbed by the crowd. (Turba turbavit turbam) But why grudgeth that blind crowd, that the world should go after Him, by Whom the world was made?
"The people, therefore, that was with Him when He called Lazarus out of his tomb, and raised him from the dead, bare record. For this cause the crowd also met Him, for that they heard that He had done this miracle. The Pharisees, therefore, said among themselves: Perceive ye that we prevail nothing? Behold, the whole world is gone after Him." Mob set mob in motion. "But why art thou, blinded mob that thou art, filled with envy because the world has gone after its Maker?"
The gathering of the common people, having heard what had happened, were readily persuaded by those who bare witness that the Christ had raised Lazarus to life, and annulled the power of death, as the prophets said: for this cause also they went and met Him.
Since through Adam death came, which subjected everyone, they had heard through their prophets and believed that death would be defeated. When they saw that this had been done by our Lord, who raised a man dead for four days, they took branches of palm …
The Medieval Church1 voice
See then the consequences of our Lord's passion. It was not to no purpose that He had reserved His greatest miracle for the last. For the resurrection of Lazarus it was that made the crowd believe in Him. The people therefore that was with Him when He called Lazarus out of his grave, and raised him from the dead, bare record. For this cause the people also met Him, for that they heard that He had done this miracle. Hence the spite and plotting of the Pharisees: The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, Perceive ye how ye prevail nothing? behold the world is gone after Him. As if they said, The more you attack Him, the more will His power and reputation increase. What use then of these attempts?
6 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church2 voices
For this reason the crowd came to meet him, because they heard that he had done this sign. The simple crowd, seeing the signs, was moved to faith and devotion; on account of which it is said in Matthew 9: "The crowds seeing this feared …
The reason why the crowd went to meet him was that they heard he had done this sign. "For Jews demand signs" (1 Cor 1:22). Now this was a clearer and more marvelous sign than the others; thus Christ made it the last in order …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
For this cause the people also met him,....
Honour is here paid to Christ by certain Greeks that enquired or him with respect. We are not told what day of Christ's last week this was, probably not the same day he rode into Jerusalem (for that day was taken up in public work), but a day or two after.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: John (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1869)
A careful reader of the Gospels can hardly fail to observe that our Lord Jesus Christ's conduct, at this stage of His earthly ministry, is very peculiar. It is unlike anything else recorded of Him in the New Testament. Hitherto we have seen Him withdrawing as much as possible from public notice, retiring into the wilderness, and checking those who would have brought Him forward and made Him a king. As a rule He did not court popular attention. He did not "cry or strive, or cause His voice to be heard in the streets." (Matt. 12:19.)
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: John (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1869)
proposed
A careful reader of the Gospels can hardly fail to observe that our Lord Jesus Christ's conduct, at this stage of His earthly ministry, is very peculiar. It is unlike anything else recorded of Him in the New Testament. Hitherto we have seen Him withdrawing as much as possible from public notice, retiring into the wilderness, and checking those who would have brought Him forward and made Him a king. As a rule He did not court popular attention. He did not "cry or strive, or cause His voice to be heard in the streets." (Matt. 12:19.) Here, on the contrary, we see Him making a public entry into Jerusalem, attended by an immense crowd of people, and causing even the Pharisees to say, "Behold, the world has gone after Him." The explanation of this apparent inconsistency is not hard to find out. The time had come at last when Christ was to die for the sins of the world. The time had come when the true passover Lamb was to be slain, when the true blood of atonement was to be shed, when Messiah was to be "cut off" according to prophecy, (Dan. 9:26,) when the way into the holiest was to be opened by the true High Priest to all mankind. Knowing all this, our Lord purposely drew attention to Himself. Knowing this, He placed Himself prominently under the notice of the whole Jewish nation. It was only fit and right that this thing should not be "done in a corner." (Acts 26:26.) If ever there was a transaction in our Lord's earthly ministry which was public , it was the Sacrifice which He offered up on the cross of Calvary. He died at the time of year when all the tribes were assembled at Jerusalem for the passover feast. Nor was this all. He died in a week when, by His remarkable public entry into Jerusalem, He had caused the eyes of all Israel to be specially fixed upon Himself. We learn, for one thing, in these verses, how entirely VOLUNTARY the sufferings of Christ were.
The words behind it
14 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| διὰ | dia | On account of | G1223 → | 664 times |
| τοῦτο | touto | this | G3778 → | 1381 times |
| καὶ | kai | also | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ὑπήντησεν | hupentesen | met | G5221 → | 10 times |
| αὐτῷ | auto | with Him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ὁ | ho | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ὄχλος, | ochlos | crowd, | G3793 → | 175 times |
| ὅτι | hoti | because | G3754 → | 1292 times |
| ἤκουσαν | ekousan | they heard | G191 → | 425 times |
| τοῦτο | touto | this | G3778 → | 1381 times |
| αὐτὸν | auton | of His | G846 → | 5565 times |
| πεποιηκέναι | pepoiekenai | to have done | G4160 → | 569 times |
| τὸ | to | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| σημεῖον.¶ | semeion | sign. | G4592 → | 75 times |
διὰOn account of
diaG1223 →664 times
τοῦτοthis
toutoG3778 →1381 times
καὶalso
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ὑπήντησενmet
hupentesenG5221 →10 times
αὐτῷwith Him
autoG846 →5565 times
ὁthe
hoG3588 →19766 times
ὄχλος,crowd,
ochlosG3793 →175 times
ὅτιbecause
hotiG3754 →1292 times
ἤκουσανthey heard
ekousanG191 →425 times
τοῦτοthis
toutoG3778 →1381 times
αὐτὸνof His
autonG846 →5565 times
πεποιηκέναιto have done
pepoiekenaiG4160 →569 times
τὸthe
toG3588 →19766 times
σημεῖον.¶sign.
semeionG4592 →75 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
5 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
John 12:11for on account of him many of the Jews were deserting them and believing in Jesus.
it leads to
- John 11:45
Therefore many of the Jews who had come to Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, believed in Him.
- James 3:14–16
But if you harbor bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast in it or deny the truth.
- Acts 13:45
But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy, and they blasphemously contradicted what Paul was saying.
- John 7:31
Many in the crowd, however, believed in Him and said, “When the Christ comes, will He perform more signs than this man?”
- John 15:18–25
If the world hates you, understand that it hated Me first.
- John 11:45
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies22
About John
This page draws on 12 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Alexander Maclaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture, John; Augustine of Hippo, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Augustine of Hippo, Tractates on John 51; Bonaventure, Commentary on John, Chapter 12; Cyril of Alexandria, COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 8; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: John (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition); John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Theodore of Mopsuestia, COMMENTARY ON JOHN 5.12.17-18; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on John; Theophylact of Ohrid, Catena Aurea by Aquinas and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on John.