John 12:16 Commentary - Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary

1) "These things understood not his disciples at the first:” (tauta ouk egnosan autou hoi mathetai to proton) "His disciples did not understand the significance of this dramatic episode at that time, Luk 18:33-34; Joh 2:22.

2) "But when Jesus was glorified," (all' hote edoksasthe lesous) "But when Jesus had been glorified," after He was raised from the dead, the Holy Spirit caused them to recall all things He had said to them, Joh 13:7; Joh 14:26.

3) "Then remembered they," (tote emnesthesan) "At that time they remembered," the disciples recalled the event, in the light of the prophecy of Zec 9:9. And it confirmed them in their faith, Luk 24:44-45; Joh 7:39.

4) "That these things were written of him," (hoti tauta hen ep' auto gegrammena) "That these things were having been written about him," as certified by Mat 21:1-7; Mar 11:1-10; Luk 19:18-28; and by John, this Gospel writer.

5) "And that they had done these things unto him." (kai tauta epioesan auto) "And that they did these things to him,'' that the masses of the Jewish people who had come to Jerusalem from afar on this occasion praised His entrance into the city of Jerusalem, as definitively foretold by both the Psalmist and Zechariah and cast "Psalms of victory," before Him in the way, Psa 118:25-26; Zec 9:9.