<p>12:29 <i>The crowd that stood by and heard it</i>- They heard the &quot;voice&quot; from Heaven (:28). Significantly, Jn. 3:29 has spoken of John the Baptist as 'standing and hearing' same Greek words the Lord's voice. The voice came for their sakes (:30), so we are led to imagine this crowd as containing believers, perhaps prepared by John the Baptist's preaching. &quot;The crowd&quot; had heard God's voice; to turn away from His Son was to totally deny His personal appeal to them. And yet this &quot;crowd&quot; were the very group who soon were to turn against the Lord and cry for His crucifixion, because their expectations of Messiah had been dashed.</p><p><i>Said that it had thundered. Others said an angel had spoken to him</i>- This is all the language of Old Testament theophany, especially to Moses. The Lord is clearly being established as greater than Moses, and they are being called to be a new Israel obedient to a new covenant.</p>