John 12:42

Korean RNKSV (새번역)

지도자 가운데서도 예수 를 믿는 사람이 많이 생겼으나, 그들은 바리새 파 사람들 때문에, 믿는다는 사실을 드러내지는 못하였다. 그것은, 그들이 회당에서 쫓겨날까봐 두려워하였기 때문이다.

이 구절의 의미

This verse says that many important people believed in Jesus but didn't say so openly because they were afraid of being kicked out from the synagogue by the Pharisees.

어린이를 위한 설명

Imagine you really like a new kid at school, but your friends don’t. If you tell everyone how great this new kid is, you might not be allowed to play with your usual group anymore. That’s kind of what happened here: important people liked Jesus but didn't want to lose their place in the synagogue.

역사적 배경

John wrote this Gospel around A.D. 90-100 for a Christian audience familiar with Jewish customs and beliefs. The Pharisees were strict religious leaders who controlled many aspects of life, including synagogue membership.

오늘의 적용

Sometimes we hold back from speaking our true beliefs because of fear. Consider the risks and benefits before deciding if it’s worth sharing what you believe, especially when it might affect your social standing or job.

주제

• belief
• fear
• social pressure
• consequences of faith
• Pharisees
• synagogue

관련 구절

• John 7:13
• Matthew 10:26-33
• Acts 5:42
• Galatians 4:9
• Isaiah 8:12

자주 묻는 질문

Why didn't the chief rulers confess their belief?

They feared being expelled from the synagogue by the Pharisees, which would have meant a loss of social status and religious community.

What does this tell us about early Christian life?

It shows that Christians faced significant societal pressures and risks for professing their faith openly, especially among the ruling class.

How can we apply this to our lives today?

We should be mindful of how social pressures influence our decisions, particularly when it comes to expressing our beliefs honestly.

What was the role of Pharisees in that time?

Pharisees were religious leaders who had considerable control over synagogue memberships and could exclude those they deemed unacceptable.