John 12:41 kjv
These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him.
John 12:41 nkjv
These things Isaiah said when he saw His glory and spoke of Him.
John 12:41 niv
Isaiah said this because he saw Jesus' glory and spoke about him.
John 12:41 esv
Isaiah said these things because he saw his glory and spoke of him.
John 12:41 nlt
Isaiah was referring to Jesus when he said this, because he saw the future and spoke of the Messiah's glory.
John 12 41 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isa 6:1 | Isaiah saw the LORD sitting upon a throne | Old Testament Prophecy |
| Isa 6:3 | Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty | Divine Holiness |
| John 1:1 | In the beginning was the Word | Jesus' Divinity |
| John 1:14 | The Word became flesh | Incarnation |
| John 8:58 | Before Abraham was, I AM | Jesus' Pre-existence |
| John 10:30 | I and the Father are one | Unity with God |
| John 20:28 | My Lord and my God! | Thomas' Confession |
| Acts 28:25 | The Holy Spirit spoke through Isaiah | Authority of Scripture |
| Rom 11:33 | Oh, the depth of the riches... | God's Wisdom |
| Col 1:15 | The image of the invisible God | Christ's Divinity |
| Col 2:9 | In him the whole fullness of Deity dwells bodily | Fullness of God in Christ |
| Heb 1:3 | The radiance of God's glory | Christ as God's Image |
| 1 Pet 1:10 | Prophets searched and inquired about salvation | Prophetic Foreknowledge |
| Rev 4:8 | Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty | Heavenly Worship |
| Rev 13:8 | Lamb slain from the foundation of the world | Eternal Plan of Salvation |
| Luke 24:27 | Explaining... scriptures, all the scriptures...concerning himself | Jesus Interprets Scripture |
| Matt 13:14 | Fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah | Prophecy Fulfillment |
| Isa 53:1 | Who has believed our report? | Messianic Suffering |
| John 1:23 | I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness | Fulfillment of Isaiah's Testimony |
| Isa 43:10 | You are my witnesses, says the LORD | God's Sovereignty |
| Psalm 45:6 | Your throne, O God, is forever and ever | Divine Kingship |
John 12 verses
John 12 41 Meaning
John 12:41 states that Isaiah saw Christ's glory and spoke about Him. This signifies a profound, prophetic vision granted to Isaiah, revealing the divine nature and future reign of the Messiah. It underscores Jesus' pre-existence and the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies in His person and work.
John 12 41 Context
This verse appears at the end of John chapter 12, following Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem and His interaction with Greeks who wished to see Him. The immediate context highlights Jesus speaking about His impending death, which will bring forth much fruit. The surrounding narrative reflects the public ministry of Jesus drawing to a close, with growing opposition and disbelief, yet also a foreshadowing of His future glorification and the expansion of His kingdom. The statement about Isaiah emphasizes the continuity between God's prophetic word in the Old Testament and the reality of Jesus' divine person and mission.
John 12 41 Word Analysis
- καὶ (kai): And. A common conjunction connecting phrases and clauses.
- Ἰσαΐας (Isaïas): Isaiah. Refers to the prophet.
- εἶπεν (eipen): said. Aorist tense ofλέγω (lego), indicating a completed action.
- ὅτι (hoti): because, that. Introduces the content of Isaiah's statement or vision.
- εἶδεν (eiden): he saw. Aorist tense of ὁράω (horaō), signifying a clear visual perception.
- τὴν (tēn): the. Definite article.
- δόξαν (doxan): glory. Accusative case of δόξα (doxa), meaning radiance, splendor, majesty, honor.
- αὐτοῦ (autou): His. Possessive pronoun referring to Christ.
- καὶ (kai): and.
- περὶ (peri): concerning, about.
- αὐτοῦ (autou): Him. Refers to Christ.
- ἔγραψεν (egraphen): he wrote. Aorist tense of γράφω (graphō), meaning to inscribe or record.
- λέγων (legōn): saying. Present participle of λέγω (lego), indicating a continuous action associated with the writing.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- εἶδεν τὴν δόξαν αὐτοῦ (eiden tēn doxan autou): He saw His glory. This powerful phrase encapsulates Isaiah's encounter with the divine majesty of Christ. The use of "glory" points to the fullness of God's attributes manifested.
- καὶ περὶ αὐτοῦ ἔγραψεν (kai peri autou egraphen): And wrote concerning Him. This links Isaiah's prophetic writings directly to a specific foreknowledge and record of Jesus.
John 12 41 Bonus Section
The understanding presented in John 12:41 aligns with the theological concept of theophanies, where God or aspects of God manifest in physical form or a perceivable way before the incarnation of Jesus. Some scholars suggest that "the LORD" that Isaiah saw in Isaiah 6:1 ("I saw the LORD sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up") was a Christophany, a pre-incarnate appearance of Christ. This view is supported by New Testament passages that attribute glory and attributes of God the Father to Jesus. This understanding reinforces the New Testament assertion that all scripture testifies about Jesus (Luke 24:27). The fact that Isaiah's writings are seen as foretelling Christ's glory, even anticipating His rejection by some (as discussed in the verses preceding John 12:41), highlights the depth of God's eternal plan of salvation.
John 12 41 Commentary
This verse connects Isaiah's visionary experience in chapter 6 of his prophecy with Jesus Christ. Isaiah saw a vision of God's supreme glory, seated on a throne in the temple, surrounded by seraphim proclaiming God's holiness. The text in John 12:41 is not quoting a specific verse from Isaiah 6 but is rather summarizing the overarching theme of Isaiah's commission and prophetic content, which points to the Messiah. Scholars interpret this as John understanding Isaiah's vision of the LORD of Hosts not just as God the Father, but as a pre-incarnate vision of the Son. Isaiah's later writings, particularly in chapters 40-66, contain numerous prophecies describing the suffering servant and the glorious king who would come, clearly pointing to Jesus. Therefore, Jesus' statement asserts that Isaiah indeed saw and spoke about the divine glory that would be embodied in Christ. This is a key verse for establishing Jesus' deity and His fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy, seen even before His birth.