This was to fulfill
The phrase "to fulfill" is significant in the Gospel of John, as it often points to the divine plan and the fulfillment of prophecy. The Greek word used here is "πληρωθῇ" (plērōthē), which means to complete or bring to fruition. This indicates that the events unfolding are not random but are part of God's sovereign plan, as foretold in the Scriptures. The fulfillment of prophecy is a recurring theme in the New Testament, underscoring the reliability and divine inspiration of the biblical narrative.

the word that Jesus had spoken
This phrase refers to the prophetic words of Jesus concerning His own death. In John 12:32-33, Jesus had previously indicated the manner of His death, saying, "And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself." The Greek term "λόγον" (logon) for "word" emphasizes the authoritative and prophetic nature of Jesus' statements. It highlights Jesus' foreknowledge and the intentionality behind His mission, reinforcing His identity as the Son of God who willingly lays down His life.

to indicate the kind of death
The phrase "the kind of death" points to the specific manner in which Jesus would die. The Greek word "σημαίνων" (sēmainōn) means to signify or make known. This is not just about the fact of death but the particular method—crucifixion. Crucifixion was a Roman method of execution, and its mention here underscores the historical and political context of Jesus' death. It also fulfills Old Testament prophecies, such as Psalm 22, which describe a suffering servant.

He was going to die
The inevitability of Jesus' death is captured in the phrase "He was going to die." The Greek verb "ἤμελλεν" (ēmellen) suggests something that is destined or bound to happen. This reflects the divine necessity of Jesus' sacrificial death for the redemption of humanity. It was not merely a tragic end but a purposeful act of love and obedience to the Father. The death of Jesus is central to Christian theology, as it is through His death and resurrection that believers find salvation and eternal life.

(32) That the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled.--Comp. Note on John 18:9.

Signifying what death he should die.--Better, signifying by what manner of death He should die. (Comp. Note on John 10:32.) For the prediction of the manner of death, comp. John 3:14; John 12:32; and Note on Matthew 20:19. If the Jews had possessed the power to put Him to death, they would have condemned Him on the technical charge of blasphemy, for which the punishment was stoning. (Comp. John 8:59; John 10:31; and Acts 7:51 et seq.) Crucifixion was not a Jewish punishment, and it was in the fact that He was executed, not by Jewish authority and on the charge of blasphemy, but by Roman authority and on a charge of Majestas (high treason), that His own prophecy of the manner of His death was fulfilled. . . .

Verse 32. - In order that the word of Jesus might be fulfilled, which he spake, signifying by what manner of death he was about to die. Thus the very political order of the world, the whole process by which Judaea became a Roman province, was part of the wondrous plan by which Jew and Gentile should together offer up the awful sacrifice, and all the world be guilty of the death of its Lord. The manner of the death had been foretold by our Lord. In John 3:14 he spoke of being lifted up (ὑψωθήαι), in John 8:28 he charged the Jews with the intention of so lifting him up to die (ὅταν ὑψώσητε), implying a method of capital punishment which was contrary to their ordinary habits; and in John 12:32 he declared that this lifting up of the Son of man would create part of his sacred and Divine attraction to the human race. In the synoptists he is said to have repeatedly spoken of his σταυρός (Luke 14:27; Mark 8:34; Matthew 10:38; Matthew 16:24); but in Matthew 20:19 he had clearly predicted his crucifixion by the Gentiles (cf. Luke 9:22, 23). The manner or kind of death was full of significance; it provided opportunity for the royal demission of his own life; it gave conditions for much of the sublime self-manifestation of the closing hours; it has proved, notwithstanding all the shame and curse of the proceeding, eminently symbolic of the compassion with which he embraced the human race in all its defilement and all the variety of its need. We are not surprised to find that the evangelist saw, in the complicated relations of Jewish and Roman authority, a divinely ordered arrangement, and a clearly foreseen and predicted consummation. Luke 23:2 shows that the charge brought against Jesus was made to receive a coloring likely to prejudice the Roman governor against him: "We found this Man perverting our nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, saying that he himself is Christ a King." The uproar and the false and malicious charge would be more likely than any other to move Pilate against him; and thus the synoptic narrative, being presupposed, gives an explanation of the first question which John, as well as the synoptists, represents Pilate as first of all pressing upon the Divine Sufferer. Without Luke's statement, Pilate's question is abrupt and in. explicable; but it must be admitted that there is in John's narrative no direct hint of Luke's addition; and Christ's counter-question to the inquiry of Pilate (which last is given in the same form by all four evangelists) implies that he had not overheard the false charge which the Jews had brought into the court. The Lord was within the Praetorium. Pilate and the Jews were on the open, external space, where the altercation proceeded. We may also, with Steinmeyer, observe that nothing could appear more anomalous to Pilate than that these bigoted and rebellious priests, who perpetually resisted the claims of Roman governors to enforce tribute, should now hypocritically pretend that a prophet-leader of their own had been guilty of such a charge. Instead of resisting, the Pharisees would have fostered a demagogue who had taken such a disloyal part. Pilate would at once have suspected that there was something ominous in the very charge itself, when tumultuously pressed by a party who were accustomed to regard such proceedings as patriotic; and he saw with shrewdness that the Jews had merely cloaked their real antagonism by presenting an incrimination which, under ordinary circumstances, they would have treated as a crowning virtue.

Parallel Commentaries ...


This
ἵνα (hina)
Conjunction
Strong's 2443: In order that, so that. Probably from the same as the former part of heautou; in order that.

was to fulfill
πληρωθῇ (plērōthē)
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 4137: From pleres; to make replete, i.e. to cram, level up, or to furnish, satisfy, execute, finish, verify, etc.

the
ὁ (ho)
Article - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

word
λόγος (logos)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3056: From lego; something said; by implication, a topic, also reasoning or motive; by extension, a computation; specially, the Divine Expression.

that
τοῦ (tou)
Article - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

Jesus
Ἰησοῦ (Iēsou)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 2424: Of Hebrew origin; Jesus, the name of our Lord and two other Israelites.

had spoken
εἶπεν (eipen)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2036: Answer, bid, bring word, command. A primary verb; to speak or say.

to indicate
σημαίνων (sēmainōn)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 4591: To signify, indicate, give a sign, make known. From sema; to indicate.

the kind of
ποίῳ (poiō)
Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Dative Masculine Singular
Strong's 4169: Of what sort. From the base of pou and hoios; individualizing interrogative what sort of, or which one.

death
θανάτῳ (thanatō)
Noun - Dative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2288: Death, physical or spiritual. From thnesko; death.

He was going
ἤμελλεν (ēmellen)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 3195: A strengthened form of melo; to intend, i.e. Be about to be, do, or suffer something.

to die.
ἀποθνήσκειν (apothnēskein)
Verb - Present Infinitive Active
Strong's 599: To be dying, be about to die, wither, decay. From apo and thnesko; to die off.


John 18:32 NIV
John 18:32 NLT
John 18:32 ESV
John 18:32 NASB
John 18:32 KJV

John 18:32 BibleApps.com
John 18:32 Biblia Paralela
John 18:32 Chinese Bible
John 18:32 French Bible
John 18:32 Catholic Bible

NT Gospels: John 18:32 That the word of Jesus might be (Jhn Jo Jn)