John 2:22 kjv
When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.
John 2:22 nkjv
Therefore, when He had risen from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this to them; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had said.
John 2:22 niv
After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken.
John 2:22 esv
When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.
John 2:22 nlt
After he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered he had said this, and they believed both the Scriptures and what Jesus had said.
John 2 22 Cross References
Verse | Text | Reference |
---|---|---|
Ps 16:10 | For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol; Nor will You allow Your Holy One... | Prophecy of resurrection (understood post-event). |
Isa 53:10-12 | But the LORD was pleased To crush Him, putting Him to grief; If He would... | Prophecy of Messiah's suffering, death, exaltation. |
Hos 6:2 | He will revive us after two days; He will raise us up on the third day... | Messianic prophecy potentially alluding to resurrection. |
Mt 12:40 | for just as Jonah was in the stomach of the sea monster for three days... | Jesus' prophecy of His three-day burial/resurrection. |
Mt 16:21 | From that time Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerus... | Jesus first predicts His suffering, death, and resurrection. |
Mt 17:22-23 | ...the Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men; and they... | Second explicit prediction of resurrection. |
Mk 8:31 | And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things... | Jesus' first teaching on His death and resurrection. |
Mk 9:31 | For He was teaching His disciples and telling them, "The Son of Man is... | Second explicit prophecy of resurrection to disciples. |
Lk 9:22 | saying, "The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the... | Jesus predicts suffering, death, and rising on third day. |
Lk 18:31-33 | Now He took the twelve aside and said to them, "Behold, we are going up... | Detailed prophecy of crucifixion and resurrection. |
Lk 24:6-8 | "He is not here, but has risen. Remember how He spoke to you while He was... | Angels remind women of Jesus' words about rising. |
Lk 24:25-27 | And He said to them, "O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all... | Jesus explains OT prophecies of Messiah to disciples. |
Lk 24:44-45 | Now He said to them, "These are My words which I spoke to you while I was... | Jesus opens their minds to understand the Scriptures. |
Jn 2:19 | Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise... | The specific "word" Jesus spoke, remembered in v.22. |
Jn 12:16 | His disciples did not understand these things at first; but when Jesus was... | Disciples' initial lack of understanding, later clarity. |
Jn 14:26 | But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name... | Spirit would teach and bring all things to their remembrance. |
Jn 16:4 | But these things I have spoken to you, so that when their hour comes... | Jesus speaks beforehand so they remember His words. |
Jn 16:13 | But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the... | Holy Spirit's role in revealing truth and understanding. |
Jn 20:8-9 | So the other disciple who had first come to the tomb then also entered... | Disciples beginning to understand the Scripture. |
Jn 20:29 | Jesus said to him, "Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed... | Believing without seeing, contrasted with physical proof. |
Acts 2:24-32 | But God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death... | Peter's sermon, interpreting Ps 16 regarding Jesus' resurrection. |
Acts 17:2-3 | And according to Paul’s custom, he went to them, and for three Sabbaths... | Paul explaining Christ's suffering and resurrection from Scriptures. |
1 Cor 15:3-4 | For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that... | The gospel message: Christ died and was raised according to Scriptures. |
Heb 10:7 | THEN I SAID, 'BEHOLD, I HAVE COME (IN THE SCROLL OF THE BOOK IT IS WRITTEN... | Christ fulfills Old Testament prophecies. |
John 2 verses
John 2 22 Meaning
John 2:22 explains that after Jesus was resurrected from the dead, His disciples remembered the specific words He had spoken about raising up the temple in three days. This post-resurrection understanding led them to believe the Old Testament Scriptures that prophesied the Messiah's death and resurrection, as well as the particular word that Jesus Himself had declared about His own body being rebuilt. Their belief was deepened and confirmed by the physical reality of His resurrection, unlocking the true meaning of both prophetic Scripture and Jesus's direct prophecies.
John 2 22 Context
John chapter 2 begins with Jesus turning water into wine at the wedding in Cana, His first miraculous sign. Following this, Jesus travels to Jerusalem for the Passover and performs a decisive act: cleansing the temple courts by driving out those who were buying and selling sacrificial animals. When challenged by the Jewish authorities about His authority for these actions and asked for a sign, Jesus responds with the cryptic statement, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up" (Jn 2:19). The authorities, and even the disciples initially, misinterpreted this as referring to the physical temple building (Jn 2:20-21). Verse 22 functions as a critical narrative explanation, revealing that the true meaning of Jesus' words, along with the ancient prophecies of Scripture, became clear to the disciples only after His actual resurrection, solidifying their faith in His person and mission.
John 2 22 Word analysis
- When therefore: (Greek: meta oun) Connects this event directly to the preceding narrative (Jesus' prophecy). It signals a crucial chronological and logical progression. The "therefore" points to the resurrection as the definitive catalyst.
- he was risen: (Greek: ēgerthē) Refers to Jesus' resurrection, the act of being raised from the dead. It is a passive verb, emphasizing that God the Father raised Him (e.g., Acts 2:24; Rom 8:11), highlighting divine power and sovereignty over death. This event is the cornerstone of Christian faith and the key to understanding all that Jesus taught.
- from the dead: (Greek: ek nekrōn) A standard phrase in the New Testament to signify a full, complete resurrection from the state of death. It indicates victory over death.
- his disciples: (Greek: hoi mathētai autou) Refers specifically to Jesus' followers, those who walked closely with Him. This highlights that their faith journey involved a process of learning, misunderstanding, and later, profound understanding.
- remembered: (Greek: emnēsthēsan) More than mere recall, this verb implies a remembering that is accompanied by true comprehension and realization. The resurrection caused them to grasp the significance of what Jesus had said, which they previously missed. It indicates divine enablement in bringing clarity to past events.
- that he had said this: Refers directly to Jesus' words in John 2:19 about raising the temple. This confirms that Jesus' words were not forgotten but lay dormant, awaiting the revelatory power of the resurrection.
- and they believed: (Greek: kai episteusan) This indicates a confirmed, mature belief, going beyond a simple intellectual assent. It implies a deepening of faith based on undeniable evidence. It was the "sign" the Jewish leaders had sought, but it was revealed after the fact to His disciples.
- the scripture: (Greek: tē graphē) Refers collectively to the Old Testament. This demonstrates that Jesus' life, death, and resurrection were not random events but were prophesied and foretold in God's prior revelation. It emphasizes the continuity of God's redemptive plan through history.
- and the word which Jesus had said: (Greek: kai tou logou hon eipen ho Iēsous) Differentiates Jesus' specific prophecy (Jn 2:19) from the broader Old Testament Scriptures. It affirms that Jesus' own words held prophetic authority and divine truth, being in complete harmony with the written word of God. The resurrection validated both Scripture and Jesus' specific spoken truth.
- Word-groups Analysis:
- "When therefore he was risen from the dead": This clause sets the essential condition for the disciples' new understanding. The resurrection is the pivotal moment that transforms confusion into clarity. Without it, their understanding would have remained veiled.
- "his disciples remembered... and they believed": This highlights a process of divinely aided retrospective understanding and confirmed faith. The physical event of the resurrection directly impacted their spiritual comprehension and belief system. It links remembering, understanding, and believing as interconnected stages.
- "the scripture and the word which Jesus had said": This pair demonstrates the dual authority and fulfillment in Jesus. Their faith was grounded in both the timeless, inspired Word of God (Old Testament) and the direct, divinely-revealed words of Jesus Himself, which now made perfect sense.
John 2 22 Bonus section
The disciples' initial inability to grasp Jesus' meaning, even after repeated predictions (Mk 8:31-32, Lk 18:31-34), serves as a testament to the revolutionary nature of the Messiah's suffering and resurrection—a concept largely unanticipated by Jewish contemporary theology. This verse, written with the benefit of hindsight by John, subtly highlights the divine hand in revelation. The Holy Spirit's role in guiding disciples into all truth and bringing to remembrance what Jesus had said (Jn 14:26, 16:13) is implicitly foreshadowed here. Their belief, now comprehensive, integrated both the foretold revelation of God (Scripture) and the personal revelation of God incarnate (Jesus' word), forming a complete and robust faith. It showcases that God uses historical events (like the resurrection) to interpret and validate His spoken and written Word.
John 2 22 Commentary
John 2:22 offers profound insight into the nature of divine revelation and the process of spiritual understanding. The disciples initially heard Jesus' prophecy in John 2:19 but, like the Jewish leaders, interpreted it physically rather than spiritually. This verse explains that the physical resurrection of Jesus was the key that unlocked their understanding, enabling them to comprehend the deeper meaning of both Old Testament prophecies concerning the Messiah's suffering and resurrection, and Jesus' specific prophecy about His own body being raised.
This verse emphasizes several crucial points: First, true understanding of God's truth often comes retrospectively, illuminated by fulfilled prophecy and divine timing. Second, the resurrection is not merely an event but the supreme validating act of Jesus' identity and claims; it is the linchpin of Christian faith. Third, faith is a progressive journey, with initial belief often deepened and clarified as God's plan unfolds. The disciples' delayed comprehension assures believers that moments of spiritual confusion can be transformed into profound clarity through God's future revelation.
Example: A puzzle where pieces don't quite make sense individually, but once the final, central piece (the resurrection) is put into place, the entire picture (Scripture and Jesus' words) becomes clear and coherent.