Jean 12:29

29 Et la foule qui était là, et qui avait entendu, disait que c'était le tonnerre; d'autres disaient: Un ange lui a parlé.

Jean 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.

Jean 12:29 In-Context

27 Maintenant mon âme est troublée; et que dirai-je? Père, délivre-moi de cette heure! mais c'est pour cela que je suis venu à cette heure.

28 Père, glorifie ton nom. Alors il vint une voix du ciel, qui dit: Et je l'ai glorifié, et je le glorifierai encore.

29 Et la foule qui était là, et qui avait entendu, disait que c'était le tonnerre; d'autres disaient: Un ange lui a parlé.

30 Jésus prit la parole et dit: Cette voix n'est pas pour moi, mais pour vous.

31 Maintenant se fait le jugement de ce monde; maintenant le prince de ce monde sera jeté dehors.