Continuing a Bible study of the Gospels:
(John 12:1) Then six days before the Passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had been dead whom He raised from the dead, (2) There they made Him a supper and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him.
At the end of the last chapter, Jesus had left Bethany and went out into the country to steer clear of the Jews who wanted to kill Him. As the Passover was near, Jesus went back to Bethany to have supper with Lazarus, Martha, and Mary. Lazarus sat with Jesus at the table with others who had been invited, and Martha served.
(3) Then Mary took a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped His feet with her hair, and the house was filled with the odor of the ointment.
Mary took a pound of an ointment of spikenard, which was a very costly and fragrant oil, and anointed Jesus's feet with it and then wiped His feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the ointment.
(4) Then said one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, who would betray Him, (5) "Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred pence and given to the poor?"
One of Jesus's disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, saw what Mary did and considered it wasteful. He asked why the ointment hadn't been instead sold with the proceeds going to the poor.
(6) This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief and had the bag and lifted what was put in it.
It's not that Judas really cared for the poor, but he was actually a thief. He held the money bag for Jesus and the disciples and often stole from it for himself. He desired for himself that three hundred pence the ointment could have brought.
(7) Then Jesus said, "Let her alone; she has kept this for the day of My burying."
Jesus told Judas to leave Mary alone. She had saved that ointment for the purpose of anointing Jesus before His death and burial. Of course, Mary did not know that Jesus was soon to die, but by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit she had chosen this time to anoint Jesus with it.
(8) "For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always."
Jesus went on to say that there would always be poor to be helped, but He Himself would not always be there. Therefore the time to anoint Him was right then, as there would be soon no more chance to do so. It's not that Jesus did not believe in giving to the poor; He taught that we should (Matthew 25:35-36, Mark 10:21, Luke 14:13-14). However, I believe Jesus was teaching a proper order of things. If two good duties are in competition with each other, then it makes sense to do the one that needs to be done immediately as there may be no chance to do it later. Additionally, God and Jesus come first in our lives. It's always right to do the things of God over other things we may perceive as good. I can't help but think of some of the extreme environmental things like ones that are done to save a toad that harm God's people. God gave His people dominion over the animals (Genesis 1:26-28). That does not mean that we should torture and kill animals for no good reason. However, when it comes to the needs of animals versus the needs of humans, humans come first.
(9) Many people of the Jews therefore knew that He was there, and they came, not for Jesus's sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom He had raised from the dead.
Many of the Jews knew that Jesus was there and came, not just to see Jesus, but also to see Lazarus as he had been raised from the dead.
(10) But the chief priests deliberated that they might put Lazarus to death also, (11) Because on account of him, many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus.
However, the chief priests discussed how they should also put Lazarus to death; because of what had been done for him, many of the Jews were deserting them and turning to Jesus.
(12) On the next day many people who had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, (13) Took branches of palm trees and went forth to meet Him, and cried, "Hosanna! Blessed the King of Israel who comes in the name of the Lord!"
The next day, many people who had arrived early for the Passover Feast, when they heard Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took palm tree branches and went out to meet Jesus, crying, "Hosanna!" which was an exclamation of adoration that meant "Oh save!" Then they quoted Psalm 118:26, "Blessed He who comes in the name of the Lord..." The palm tree branches signified victory and triumph.
(14) And Jesus, when He had found a young ass, sat on it; as it is written, (15) "Fear not, daughter of Zion, behold your King comes sitting on an ass's colt."
The other gospel writers told us that Jesus directed two of His disciples to go into the village and there they would find the colt of a donkey and they were to bring it back to Jesus. Jesus sat upon the young donkey, and that fulfilled prophecy from Zechariah 9:9 which said, "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, lowly and riding on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey."
(16) These things His disciples did not understand at first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written of Him, and they had done these things to Him.
At that time, Jesus's disciples did not understand what Jesus was doing and saying, but after His ascension, they remembered the things said about Him in the Old Testament prophecies and they fully comprehended the fulfillment of that prophecy at that time. They remembered the things the people had done to and for Him, the taking of palm tree branches and crying "Hosanna," putting Jesus on the donkey's colt, and then as the other gospels told us, laying their clothes and branches under Him and before Him, paving His way into Jerusalem.
(17) The people therefore who were with Him when He called Lazarus out of his grave and raised him from the dead, bore record.
The Jews who had gone from Jerusalem to Bethany to comfort Lazarus's sisters, had been there to witness Jesus calling Lazarus out of the grave and raising him from the dead. Therefore, they were able to bear witness of Jesus to the others in Jerusalem.
(18) For this reason the people also met Him, for they had heard that He had done this miracle.
That is why the people in Jerusalem met Jesus as He was coming into the city, because they had heard about what He had done for Lazarus.
(19) The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, "Do you perceive how you prevail nothing? Behold, the world has gone after Him."
However, the Pharisees were greatly dismayed at what they saw, and discussed among themselves how they had so far accomplished nothing to stop the people from believing in Jesus. In fact, it looked to them like the whole world had gone after Him.
(20) And there were certain Greeks among them who came up to worship at the feast.
There were some Greeks who had come to worship at the Passover Feast. They may have been Jews who had been living in Greece, or perhaps converts to the Jewish religion, or it's even possible they were Gentiles who came to worship in the outer court of the temple that was called the court of the Gentiles.
(21) The same came therefore to Philip, who was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired of Him, saying, "Sir, we want to see Jesus."
Those Greeks went to Philip and asked if they could see Jesus. The reason they may have gone to Philip is probably answered in the fact that John told us Philip was of Bethsaida in Galilee. They could have been from the Greeks who dwelt on the borders of Tyre and Sidon, which was not far from Bethsaida. Perhaps they had had occasion to see or know Philip. Additionally, as Philip is a Greek given name, some have thought it plausible that Philip's parents may have been from the Jews living in Greece. They had apparently heard the fame of Jesus and wished to see Him and thought Philip could help.
(22) Philip came and told Andrew, and in turn, Philip and Andrew told Jesus.
Philip went and told Andrew of the Greeks' request, probably because Andrew was from the same place and may have known of the Greeks, also. Then they both went and told Jesus.
(23) And Jesus answered them, saying, "The hour is come that the Son of man should be glorified."
The scripture does not say whether or not the Greeks were with them when they asked Jesus, nor whether or not He directly acknowledged and agreed to their request, but the fact that John mentioned it, must mean Jesus spoke in the presence of them. He told all within His hearing that the hour had come for Him to be glorified, which of course, we understand to mean His ascension into heaven after His death and resurrection.
(24) "Verily, verily, I say to you, except a corn of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it abides alone; but if it dies, it brings forth much fruit."
Jesus likened His life on earth to a kernel or grain of wheat. It's just a lonely grain of wheat unless it falls to the ground and dies and then shoots forward with much fruit. So although Jesus was just one Man, when He died, He would bring forth a huge harvest of Christians.
(25) "He who loves his life shall lose it, and he who hates his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal."
Jesus's point was that whoever loved his temporal life so much that they did everything in their power to preserve it, would ultimately lose it. The one who hated his temporal life in the world, realizing he was only passing through to true life in Christ, who did nothing to preserve his life, but lived it for God and for heaven, he would have eternal life.
(26) "If any man serves Me, let him follow Me, and where I am, there shall also My servant be. If any man serves Me, him My Father will honor."
Perhaps Jesus was saying this for the benefit of the Greeks. Even though they may not have been Jews who could fully partake of the Passover, if they followed Him, imitating Him, following His Word, then they would also be with Him where He went, to heaven. His Father God in heaven would honor them, as well.
(27) "Now is My soul troubled and what shall I say? 'Father, save Me from this hour'? But for this cause, I came to this hour."
Jesus admitted He was troubled in His human soul about what was about to happen to Him. However, could He really ask His Father to save Him from it? After all, that was His purpose in coming into the world, to suffer and die for our sins, and be resurrected again for the salvation of the world.
(28) "Father, glorify your name." Then came a voice from heaven, "I have both glorified it and will glorify it again."
Jesus asked His Father to glorify His own name. A voice came from heaven saying that He had already glorified it, obviously in the life and work of Jesus up to that point, and that He would glorify it again in Jesus's resurrection and ascension.
(29) The people therefore who stood by and heard, said that it thundered; others said, "An angel spoke to Him."
Some of the people who stood by and heard the voice misunderstood it as thunder, as it probably did come forth in thunder. Others heard the voice and assumed that an angel had spoken to Jesus. They may have understood it as the word of God, but they may have assumed He spoke through angels.
(30) Jesus answered and said, "This voice did not come because of Me, but for your sakes."
Jesus answered the people's confusion and confirmed it was a voice and it had not come in answer to His prayer, at least not chiefly, as it was not necessary, for Jesus knew the mind of His Father and vice versa. The voice had come for their sakes, that they might know that He was indeed the Messiah, the Son of God. I can't help but think about what an honor and a privilege it was to the Greeks, Gentiles, to hear all this. They not only saw Jesus but heard from God confirming just who He was. What a beautiful picture of how Jesus is for all of us, no matter what our background or religion.
(31) "Now is the judgment of this world; now shall the prince of this world be cast out."
Jesus went on to say that that particular time was the judgment of the world, and that the prince of the world would be cast out. He said, "Now," because He knew His death was very near. The original word translated as "judgment" is "krisis." How similar it is to our "crisis." And this would certainly be a crisis point in the lives of the people. It would be a turning point. On one hand, Jesus will have defeated death and Satan, the prince of the world. No longer would people have to die in their sins. However, Satan would still be around for those who would not receive Jesus's gift of salvation. One of the definitions of "krisis" is "justice." There would be justice for the world when Jesus saved it from death and Satan was cast out.
(32) "And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all to Me."
Jesus's meaning was more likely just His death lifting Him out of the earth. However, He would of course, be lifted up into the heavens in His resurrection and ascension. If He was killed, which He knew He would be, He would draw all people to Him. He would have power over death and would save those who came to Him through His drawing.
(33) This He said, signifying what death He would die.
John explained that Jesus was describing what type of death He would die by what He said. Being lifted up on a cross, He would draw all people to Himself. We do look up to the cross to be saved, just "as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness" (John 3:14), and all who looked up to it were saved from the deadly bites of the fiery serpents, "even so must the Son of man be lifted up" (John 3:14 cont.) and those who look to Him will be saved.
(34) The people answered Him, "We have heard out of the law that Christ abides forever, and how do You say, 'The Son of man must be lifted up.'? Who is this Son of man?"
The people answered Jesus saying that they knew from the law that Christ abides forever, so how was it that Jesus said the Son of man must be lifted up from the earth, meaning He must die? They asked Him who was the Son of man.
(35) Then Jesus said to them, "Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while you have light lest darkness come upon you, for he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going."
Jesus did not answer their question directly, but called Himself the light, the Light of the world, and urged the people to walk with that Light and learn from Him while they had the Light because it would only be with them a little while longer. Once the Light was extinguished, darkness would come upon them, and they would not see the pits and snares that awaited them and would eventually destroy them.
(36) "While you have Light, believe in the Light, that you may be the children of Light." These things Jesus spoke, and departed, and hid Himself from them.
Jesus finally urged the people to believe in that Light while they had it, that they might become the children of Light and knowledge. He then left and hid Himself away from them.
(37) But though He had done so many miracles before them, yet they did not believe in Him.
John tells us that even though Jesus had done so many miracles in the presence of these people, they still did not believe in Him.
(38) That the saying of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke, "Lord, who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?"
John went on to say that this fulfilled a prophecy of Isaiah in Isaiah 53:1, "Who has believed our report? And to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?" Who believed Jesus's words and the miracles and works He did by the arm of the Lord?
(39) Therefore they could not believe because Isaiah said again, (40) "He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart that they should not see with eyes nor understand with heart, and be converted and I should heal them."
Because they refused to see the truth no matter how many things they had heard and seen, God left them in their blindness and hardness of hearts, and they could not believe Jesus. Again John quoted prophecy in Isaiah 6:9-10, "And He said, Go, and tell this people, hear you indeed, but understand not; and see you indeed, but perceive not. Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed." Because they would not listen to the Lord and see His great works, God would leave them with their hard and stupid hearts, ears, and eyes, and they would not be able to be converted and saved as they could have been if they had only listened and opened their hearts to what they saw.
(41) These things Isaiah said when He saw His glory and spoke of Him.
John explained that Isaiah had spoken those things when he had seen a vision of the Messiah in the temple (Isaiah 6:1-13).
(42) Nevertheless, among the chief rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess, lest they should be put out of the synagogue, (43) For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.
However, there were those (it says many, in fact) among the chief rulers who did believe in Jesus, but they would not publicly admit it for fear the Pharisees would put them out of the synagogue. At first I wondered if that was always a bad thing. You certainly never reject Jesus if confronted, but do you always broadcast your belief, if by not doing so, you could do more good in the synagogue to open people's eyes to the truth? However, that objection was put to rest by the next verse that stated those men loved the praise of men more than they loved God's praises. God knows the truth of one's heart and His Holy Spirit will guide Christ's follower in what he should do.
(44) Jesus cried and said, "He who believes in Me, believes not in Me but in Him who sent Me!"
Verse 36 said that Jesus had left and hid Himself from the people, so either this was said at another time, or as He was, by what follows, still talking about the Light, perhaps He cried out as He left the unbelievers, or perhaps He had even said the words before He actually left. Jesus cried out that anyone who believed in Him as Jesus the man, was actually believing in the One who sent Him, God Himself, who came down to earth in the human form of Jesus to save the world.
(45) "And he who sees Me sees Him who sent Me."
Jesus said more directly that anyone who saw Him was seeing the One who sent Him, God Himself in heaven. It was perhaps a difficult concept to grasp, but at the very least, they should have faith that He was one with God.
(46) "I am come a light into the world that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness."
Jesus explained that He was the Light that came into the world that whoever believed in Him would not stay in their darkness of sin and unbelief.
(47) "And if any man hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him, for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world."
Jesus said that if anyone heard Him and did not believe in Him, He was not there to judge them. They had actually already been judged and condemned; He had come to save them and the entire world from that condemnation.
(48) "He who rejects Me and does not receive My words has one that judges him; the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day."
However, those who do not believe in Jesus and reject Him and will not receive His word, that Word of God spoken by Jesus will be the judgment against him in the great Judgment Day. That is the truth that the one who rejected Christ will come to know was true all along. In the end, every knee will bow and every tongue shall confess, everyone will know the truth (Isaiah 45:23, Romans 14:11, Philippians 2:10-11), and those who rejected Christ will be judged by that truth that they will know themselves.
(49) "For I have not spoken of Myself, but the Father who sent Me gave Me a commandment, what I should say and what I should speak."
Jesus did not speak on His own human accord, but God who sent Him told Him what He was to say. Actually, as Jesus was God come down to the world, He spoke the words of God. It was God and His very Word that people who rejected Christ were rejecting.
(50) "And I know that His commandment is life everlasting; whatever I speak therefore, just as the Father said to Me, so I speak."
That commandment or commission that God gave Jesus was the path to everlasting life, and everything God had purposed in sending Jesus was for that end, that all be saved. As Jesus was God, He spoke God's words and was there to fulfill God's purpose in saving all people from their sin and from Satan and his workers of iniquity.
The Biblical commentators that I study tell me that this was the end of Jesus's public ministry. From this point on, He would spend His time teaching His disciples. What a beautiful summation Jesus gave to the people. Jesus cried it out to them! Believe in Him because He said and did the very works of God; He was the very mind of God. He was God! In the end, all would know it, and those who had rejected Him rejected God's gift of salvation and would be judged by what they would know was true.
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