The Meaning of John 12:11 Explained

John 12:11

KJV: Because that by reason of him many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus.

YLT: because on account of him many of the Jews were going away, and were believing in Jesus.

Darby: because many of the Jews went away on his account and believed on Jesus.

ASV: because that by reason of him many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Because  that by reason  of him  many  of the Jews  went away,  and  believed  on  Jesus. 

What does John 12:11 Mean?

Context Summary

John 12:1-11 - Love's Fragrant Gift
Martha's service reminds us of Luke 10:41. The earlier Gospels (Matthew 26:1-75; Mark 14:1-72) do not mention Mary's name, probably because the whole family might have suffered for their intimate identification with Jesus; see John 12:10. But when this Gospel was written the beloved trio had been gathered home to God.
There was no value in the spikenard except to refresh and comfort, but this was sufficient to warrant Mary's act. We must not always be considering the utilitarian side of service. There are hours of holy ecstasy when we are lifted out of ourselves, in the expression of our love to Jesus, in ways that to cold and calculating onlookers seem mere extravagance. In her absorption in Him whom she loved, Mary has incited myriads to similar acts. But her love stirred up the evil in the heart of Judas, as summer's lovely sunshine extracts poison from stagnant ponds. Our Advocate will screen us from our dread accuser. He interpreted Mary's motive. She knew that her Lord would be crucified, and as she thought that there would be no opportunity for love to perform the last offices, she beforehand anointed Him for the burial. [source]

Chapter Summary: John 12

1  Jesus excuses Mary anointing his feet
9  The people flock to see Lazarus
10  The chief priests consult to kill him
12  Jesus rides into Jerusalem
20  Greeks desire to see Jesus
23  He foretells his death
37  The people are generally blinded;
42  yet many chief rulers believe, but do not confess him;
44  therefore Jesus calls earnestly for confession of faith

Greek Commentary for John 12:11

Because that [οτι]
Causal use of οτι — hoti By reason of him “Because of him,” regular idiom, accusative case with δια — dia Went away Cf. John 6:67 for this verb. Inchoative imperfect active of υπαγω — hupagō “began to withdraw” as happened at the time of the raising of Lazarus (John 11:45.) and the secession was still going on. And believed on Jesus Imperfect active of πιστευω — pisteuō (note aorist in John 11:45). There was danger of a mass movement of the people to Jesus. [source]
Went away [ὑπῆγον]
Withdrew from their company. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for John 12:11

John 6:21 They went [ὑπῆγον]
Imperfect: were going. Literally, were going away. The verb has the sense of retiring from something. Compare John 6:67; John 7:33, on which see note; John 12:11; John 18:8. [source]
John 11:45 Beheld that which he did [τεασαμενοι ο εποιησεν]
First aorist middle participle of τεαομαι — theaomai and first aorist active indicative of ποιεω — poieō in the relative Such a result had happened before (John 7:31), and all the more in the presence of this tremendous miracle which held many to Jesus (John 12:11, John 12:17). [source]
John 12:9 The common people [ο οχλος πολυς]
This is the right reading with the article ο — ho literally, “the people much or in large numbers.” One is reminded of the French idiom. Gildersleeve (Syntax, p. 284) gives a few rare examples of the idiom ο ανηρ αγατος — ho anēr agathos Westcott suggests that οχλος πολυς — ochlos polus came to be regarded as a compound noun. This is the usual order in the N.T. rather than πολυς οχλος — polus ochlos (Robertson, Grammar, p. 774). Mark 12:37 has ο πολυς οχλος — ho polus ochlos Moulton (Proleg., p. 84) terms ο οχλος πολυς — ho ochlos polus here and in John 12:12 “a curious misplacement of the article.” John‘s use of οχλος — ochlos is usually the common crowd as “riff-raff.” That he was Present active indicative retained in indirect discourse after the secondary tense These “Jews” are not all hostile to Jesus as in John 5:10; John 6:41, etc., but included some who were friendly (John 12:11). But that they might see Lazarus also Purpose clause with ινα — hina and second aorist active subjunctive of οραω — horaō Motive enough to gather a great crowd, to see one raised from the dead (cf. John 12:1 for the same phrase, “whom he had raised from the dead”). Some of the very witnesses of the raising of Lazarus will bear witness later (John 12:17). It was a tense situation. [source]
John 6:21 They were willing therefore [ητελον ουν]
Inchoative imperfect, “they began to be willing.” This does not contradict Mark 6:51 as Bernard thinks. Both Jesus and Peter climbed into the boat. Whither they were going Progressive imperfect active, “to which land they had been going” (intransitive use of υπαγω — hupagō to lead under, to go under or away as in John 6:67; John 7:33; John 12:11; John 18:8. [source]

What do the individual words in John 12:11 mean?

because many on account of him were going away of the Jews and were believing in - Jesus
ὅτι πολλοὶ δι’ αὐτὸν ὑπῆγον τῶν Ἰουδαίων καὶ ἐπίστευον εἰς τὸν Ἰησοῦν

ὅτι  because 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ὅτι  
Sense: that, because, since.
πολλοὶ  many 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: πολύς  
Sense: many, much, large.
δι’  on  account  of 
Parse: Preposition
Root: διά  
Sense: through.
ὑπῆγον  were  going  away 
Parse: Verb, Imperfect Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: ὑπάγω  
Sense: to lead under, bring under.
τῶν  of  the 
Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Ἰουδαίων  Jews 
Parse: Adjective, Genitive Masculine Plural
Root: Ἰουδαῖος  
Sense: Jewish, belonging to the Jewish race.
ἐπίστευον  were  believing 
Parse: Verb, Imperfect Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: πιστεύω  
Sense: to think to be true, to be persuaded of, to credit, place confidence in.
τὸν  - 
Parse: Article, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Ἰησοῦν  Jesus 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: Ἰησοῦς  
Sense: Joshua was the famous captain of the Israelites, Moses’ successor.