John Chapter 12
1 Then six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, who had been dead, whom he raised from the dead.
2 So they made him a supper there. Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with him.
3 Therefore Mary took a pound of ointment of pure nard, very precious, and anointed Jesus's feet and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the ointment.
4 Then Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, one of his disciples, who would betray him, said,
5 "Why wasn't this ointment sold for three hundred denarii, and given to the poor?"
6 Now he said this, not because he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and having the money box, used to steal what was put into it.
7 But Jesus said, "Leave her alone. She has kept this for the day of my burial.
8 For you always have the poor with you, but you don't always have me."
9 A large crowd therefore of the Jews learnt that he was there, and they came, not for Jesus' sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he had raised from the dead.
10 But the chief priests conspired to put Lazarus to death also,
11 because on account of him many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus.
12 On the next day a great multitude had come to the feast. When they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem,
13 they took the branches of the palm trees and went out to meet him, and cried out, "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, the King of Israel!"
14 Jesus, having found a young donkey, sat on it. As it is written,
15 "Don't be afraid, daughter of Zion. Behold, your King comes, sitting on a donkey's colt."
16 His disciples didn't understand these things at first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written about him, and that they had done these things to him.
17 The multitude therefore that was with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead was testifying about it.
18 For this cause also the multitude went and met him, because they heard that he had done this sign.
19 The Pharisees therefore said amongst themselves, "See how you accomplish nothing. Behold, the world has gone after him."
20 Now there were certain Greeks amongst those that went up to worship at the feast.
21 These, therefore, came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, "Sir, we want to see Jesus."
22 Philip came and told Andrew, and in turn, Andrew came with Philip, and they told Jesus.
23 Jesus answered them, "The time has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.
24 Most certainly I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains by itself alone. But if it dies, it bears much fruit.
25 He who loves his life will lose it. He who hates his life in this world will keep it to eternal life.
26 If anyone serves me, let him follow me. Where I am, there my servant will also be. If anyone serves me, the Father will honour him.
27 "Now my soul is troubled. What shall I say? 'Father, save me from this time?' But I came to this time for this cause.
28 Father, glorify your name!" Then a voice came out of the sky, saying, "I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again."
29 Therefore the multitude who stood by and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, "An angel has spoken to him."
30 Jesus answered, "This voice hasn't come for my sake, but for your sakes.
31 Now is the judgement of this world. Now the prince of this world will be cast out.
32 And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself."
33 But he said this, signifying by what kind of death he should die.
34 The multitude answered him, "We have heard out of the law that the Christ remains forever. How do you say, 'The Son of Man must be lifted up?' Who is this Son of Man?"
35 Jesus therefore said to them, "Yet a little while the light is with you. Walk while you have the light, that darkness doesn't overtake you. He who walks in the darkness doesn't know where he is going.
36 While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become children of light." Jesus said these things, and he departed and hid himself from them.
37 But though he had done so many signs before them, yet they didn't believe in him,
38 that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke, "Lord, who has believed our report? To whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?"
39 For this cause they couldn't believe, for Isaiah said again,
40 "He has blinded their eyes and he hardened their heart, lest they should see with their eyes, and perceive with their heart, and would turn, and I would heal them."
41 Isaiah said these things when he saw his glory, and spoke of him.
42 Nevertheless even many of the rulers believed in him, but because of the Pharisees they didn't confess it, so that they wouldn't be put out of the synagogue,
43 for they loved men's praise more than God's praise.
44 Jesus cried out and said, "Whoever believes in me, believes not in me, but in him who sent me.
45 He who sees me sees him who sent me.
46 I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in me may not remain in the darkness.
47 If anyone listens to my sayings, and doesn't believe, I don't judge him. For I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.
48 He who rejects me, and doesn't receive my sayings, has one who judges him. The word that I spoke will judge him in the last day.
49 For I spoke not from myself, but the Father who sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.
50 I know that his commandment is eternal life. The things therefore which I speak, even as the Father has said to me, so I speak."
Footnotes
- Verse 3 (Pound)
- a Roman pound of 12 ounces, or about 340 grams
- Verse 5 (Denarii)
- 300 denarii was about a year's wages for an agricultural labourer.
- Verse 13 (Hosanna)
- "Hosanna" means "save us" or "help us, we pray".
- Verse 13
- Psalm 118:25-26
- Verse 15
- Zechariah 9:9
- Verse 34
- Isaiah 9:7; Daniel 2:44; See Isaiah 53:8
- Verse 38
- Isaiah 53:1
- Verse 40
- Isaiah 6:10
- Verse 41
- Isaiah 6:1
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John Chapter 12 Guide
The shadows of the Passion were now falling across the path of the Christ. In what happened at the supper we have a vivid contrast. Mary and Judas arrest our attention. She, discovering the sorrows of His heart, pressed closely to Him, and sacramentally expressed her love. Judas, blinded in self-interest, criticized her action, and so revealed himself as utterly opposed to the very spirit of the Lord Himself.
From Bethany Jesus passed to Jerusalem, where a stupendous outburst of welcome greeted Him. It was of little worth, as subsequent events proved. Nevertheless, He moved through the worthless present, transmuting it into the triumphant future.
The incident of the coming of the Greeks is full of revelation, for it drew from our Lord that contemplation of His own death and its issue expressed in the symbol of the grain of wheat.
At this point in his narrative, John shows how, notwithstanding all the signs, the people did not believe; and then records what would seem to be the last public testimony of Jesus. It is a summarized statement of His claims, made just as the light of the working day was passing and the hour of darkness was approaching. Nothing can possibly be more sublime than these closing public utterances of our Lord. They are in perfect harmony with the marvellous conception of Him presented to us in this Gospel as the revealed Love and Light and Life of heaven.
From "An Exposition of the Whole Bible" by G. Campbell Morgan.
John Chapter 12 Commentary
Chapter Outline
- Christ anointed by Mary. -- (1-11)
- He enters Jerusalem. -- (12-19)
- Greeks apply to see Jesus. -- (20-26)
- A voice from heaven bears testimony to Christ. -- (27-33)
- His discourse with the people. -- (34-36)
- Unbelief of the Jews. -- (37-43)
- Christ's address to them. -- (44-50)
Verses 1-11
Christ had formerly blamed Martha for being troubled with much serving. But she did not leave off serving, as some, who when found fault with for going too far in one way, peevishly run too far another way; she still served, but within hearing of Christ's gracious words. Mary gave a token of love to Christ, who had given real tokens of his love to her and her family. God's Anointed should be our Anointed. Has God poured on him the oil of gladness above his fellows, let us pour on him the ointment of our best affections. In Judas a foul sin is gilded over with a plausible pretence. We must not think that those do no acceptable service, who do it not in our way. The reigning love of money is heart-theft. The grace of Christ puts kind comments on pious words and actions, makes the best of what is amiss, and the most of what is good. Opportunities are to be improved; and those first and most vigorously, which are likely to be the shortest. To consult to hinder the further effect of the miracle, by putting Lazarus to death, is such wickedness, malice, and folly, as cannot be explained, except by the desperate enmity of the human heart against God. They resolved that the man should die whom the Lord had raised to life. The success of the gospel often makes wicked men so angry, that they speak and act as if they hoped to obtain a victory over the Almighty himself.
Verses 12-19
Christ's riding in triumph to Jerusalem is recorded by all the evangelists. Many excellent things, both in the word and providence of God, disciples do not understand at their first acquaintance with the things of God. The right understanding of spiritual nature of Christ's kingdom, prevents our misapplying the Scriptures which speak of it.
Verses 20-26
In attendance upon holy ordinances, particularly the gospel passover, the great desire of our souls should be to see Jesus; to see him as ours, to keep up communion with him, and derive grace from him. The calling of the Gentiles magnified the Redeemer. A corn of wheat yields no increase unless it is cast into the ground. Thus Christ might have possessed his heavenly glory alone, without becoming man. Or, after he had taken man's nature, he might have entered heaven alone, by his own perfect righteousness, without suffering or death; but then no sinner of the human race could have been saved. The salvation of souls hitherto, and henceforward to the end of time, is owing to the dying of this Corn of wheat. Let us search whether Christ be in us the hope of glory; let us beg him to make us indifferent to the trifling concerns of this life, that we may serve the Lord Jesus with a willing mind, and follow his holy example.
Verses 27-33
The sin of our souls was the troubled of Christ's soul, when he undertook to redeem and save us, and to make his soul an offering for our sin. Christ was willing to suffer, yet prayed to be saved from suffering. Prayer against trouble may well agree with patience under it, and submission to the will of God in it. Our Lord Jesus undertook to satisfy God's injured honour, and he did it by humbling himself. The voice of the Father from heaven, which had declared him to be his beloved Son, at his baptism, and when he was transfigured, was heard proclaiming that He had both glorified his name, and would glorify it. Christ, reconciling the world to God by the merit of his death, broke the power of death, and cast out Satan as a destroyer. Christ, bringing the world to God by the doctrine of his cross, broke the power of sin, and cast out Satan as a deceiver. The soul that was at a distance from Christ, is brought to love him and trust him. Jesus was now going to heaven, and he would draw men's hearts to him thither. There is power in the death of Christ to draw souls to him. We have heard from the gospel that which exalts free grace, and we have heard also that which enjoins duty; we must from the heart embrace both, and not separate them.
Verses 34-36
The people drew false notions from the Scriptures, because they overlooked the prophecies that spoke of Christ's sufferings and death. Our Lord warned them that the light would not long continue with them, and exhorted them to walk in it, before the darkness overtook them. Those who would walk in the light must believe in it, and follow Christ's directions. But those who have not faith, cannot behold what is set forth in Jesus, lifted up on the cross, and must be strangers to its influence as made known by the Holy Spirit; they find a thousand objections to excuse their unbelief.
Verses 37-43
Observe the method of conversion implied here. Sinners are brought to see the reality of Divine things, and to have some knowledge of them. To be converted, and truly turned from sin to Christ, as their Happiness and Portion. God will heal them, will justify and sanctify them; will pardon their sins, which are as bleeding wounds, and mortify their corruptions, which are as lurking diseases. See the power of the world in smothering convictions, from regard to the applause or censure of men. Love of the praise of men, as a by-end in that which is good, will make a man a hypocrite when religion is in fashion, and credit is to be got by it; and love of the praise of men, as a base principle in that which is evil, will make a man an apostate, when religion is in disgrace, and credit is to be lost for it.
Verses 44-50
Our Lord publicly proclaimed, that every one who believed on him, as his true disciple, did not believe on him only, but on the Father who sent him. Beholding in Jesus the glory of the Father, we learn to obey, love, and trust in him. By daily looking to Him, who came a Light into the world, we are more and more freed from the darkness of ignorance, error, sin, and misery; we learn that the command of God our Saviour is everlasting life. But the same word will seal the condemnation of all who despise it, or neglect it.
From the "Concise Commentary on the Bible" by Matthew Henry.