John 12:29

29 The crowd standing by heard it and said that it had thundered. Others said, "An angel has spoken to him."

John 12:29 Meaning and Commentary

John 12:29

The people therefore that stood by and heard [it]
Some more confusedly, who were farthest off; others more distinctly, who were nearer: the first of these,

said that it thundered;
as it used to do when "Bath Kol" was heard, which, as the Jews say ^F1,

``is a voice that comes out of heaven proceeding from the midst of another voice,''

as thunder; wherefore some took this for thunder, and others for the voice of an angel out of the thunder:

others said, an angel spoke to him;
these being nearer, perceived it was an articulate voice, which expressed certain distinct words, which they thought were delivered by an angel; for the Jews had a mighty notion of the discourse and conversation of angels with men, which their doctors pretended to understand; particularly R. Jochanan ben Zaccai, a Rabbi, who was living at this time, had learned their speech, and was well versed in it ^F2.

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FOOTNOTES:

F1 Piske Tosephot in T. Bab. Sanhedrin, art. 30.
F2 T. Bab. Succa, fol. 28. 1. & Bava Bathra, fol. 134. 1.

John 12:29 In-Context

27 "Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? 'Father, save me from this hour'? No, for this purpose I have come to this hour.

28 Father, glorify thy name." Then a voice came from heaven, "I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again."

29 The crowd standing by heard it and said that it had thundered. Others said, "An angel has spoken to him."

30 Jesus answered, "This voice has come for your sake, not for mine.

31 Now is the judgment of this world, now shall the ruler of this world be cast out;