What Does John 13:29 Mean in the King James?
For some of them thought, because Judas had the bag, that Jesus had said unto him, Buy those things that we have need of against the feast; or, that he should give something to the poor.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The disciples turn Judas’s visible custody of the money into a story of service, and John lets you see that the story is only a supposition.
THE MEANING
Right now, you see a group turn one visible fact, Judas holds the money bag, into two plausible stories about what Jesus means. The verse shows how readily an unexplained action gets filled in with a practical account, even though the account remains their assumption. Their guesses reveal what they expect from the person entrusted with the money, not what Jesus has actually said.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
A trusted role does not make another person’s intent transparent: the disciples read Judas’s custody of the bag as evidence of ordinary service, but their reading is still only a guess.
THE ROOT
ἐδόκουν
edokoun
GROWS FROM
δοκ-
dok-
To seem, appear plausible, or be thought.
The Greek ἐδόκουν (edokoun), “they thought” or “they supposed,” carries the sense of what seemed plausible to them. Its word family moves from what seems (δοκέω, dokeō) to what is held in regard (δόξα, doxa, “weight”) and a settled opinion or decree (δόγμα, dogma): the verse catches a group building a story from one visible fact, that Judas has the bag.
ALSO GROWS
doxa: Weight; what is held in regard.
δόξα
The connection shows how what seems to a group can shape what they hold in regard about Judas.
dogma: A settled opinion or decree.
δόγμα
This branch carries an impression toward a conclusion; here, the disciples’ plausible explanation remains a supposition.
THE PATTERN
What people infer from visible roles and appearances does not reveal the hidden intent or heart.
But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the LORD weigheth the spirits.Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.THE THREAD
This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.This verse names what John 13:29 leaves unstated: the disciples’ charitable explanation does not establish Judas’s motive. The same bag that leads them to imagine he will give to the poor is linked here to taking what was entrusted to him.
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