Original Text
ἀπεκρίθη αὐτῷ ὁ ὄχλος· Ἡμεῖς ἠκούσαμεν ἐκ τοῦ νόμου ὅτι ὁ Χριστὸς μένει εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, καὶ πῶς σὺ λέγεις, δεῖ ὑψωθῆναι τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου; τίς ἐστιν οὗτος ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου;
Literal English Translation
The crowd answered him, “We have heard from the Law that the Anointed One remains forever; and how can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?”
Contextual Reaction vs. Doctrinal Expectation
This reflects a collective interpretation, likely drawing from texts such as Psalm 89:4 or Isaiah 9:7. The phrase ὁ Χριστὸς μένει εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα echoes a belief in the everlasting reign of the Messiah.
The verb δεῖ (it is necessary) with the passive infinitive ὑψωθῆναι implies divine compulsion. This phrase carries double meaning—crucifixion and exaltation—especially in Johannine context. In classical texts, ὑψόω is often literal or metaphorical elevation (e.g., Thucydides on pride), but not commonly with a suffering nuance.
Implied Tension in the Language
- ἀπεκρίθη ὁ ὄχλος: A collective response, but framed with singular verb—emphasizing a unified but perhaps misguided voice. The plural subject with singular verb is a familiar phenomenon in dramatic Classical dialogue (e.g., chorus in Euripides).
- ἐκ τοῦ νόμου: Used broadly, not restricted to the Pentateuch—likely including Psalms and Prophets. In Classical contexts, νόμος tends to mean civic regulation or customary tradition. In this verse, it’s theological authority.
- μένει εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα: This construction strongly echoes Hebrew phraseology (עולם), used in the LXX. In Plato or Xenophon, μένειν typically implies remaining in a physical or philosophical state. Here, it has eschatological permanence.
- τίς ἐστιν οὗτος…;: The demonstrative οὗτος adds skepticism. This phrasing is sharp and interrogative, resembling Socratic method in Classical dialogues—but here used to challenge, not to learn.
Moments of Language Pressure
δεῖ ὑψωθῆναι is a flashpoint phrase. In tragedy, necessity (δεῖ) is tied to fate. Here, divine necessity meets public confusion. The irony is thick: the crowd expects triumph, but Jesus speaks of being lifted up in shame. The structure of the clause resists Classical optimism and instead leans into mystery—where exaltation and suffering merge.
Patterns in Tense and Tone
| Expression | Form | Force |
|---|---|---|
| ἠκούσαμεν | Aorist active indicative | Completed, communal tradition; anchored in perceived truth |
| μένει | Present active indicative | Ongoing, eternal presence—interpreted literally |
| δεῖ ὑψωθῆναι | Impersonal + passive infinitive | Divine necessity; tone of inevitability |
| τίς ἐστιν οὗτος | Interrogative + demonstrative | Disbelief, borderline sarcasm; strong contrast with messianic expectations |
Final Observations
This passage showcases Greek stretched by theological weight. The structures are familiar: indirect speech, rhetorical questions, participle-driven speech tags. But the layers are new. Terms like ὁ Χριστός, ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου, and even ὑψωθῆναι take on specialized roles in this period, where divine logic bends human language to bear revelation.
