John 12

The Anointing at Bethany

1 Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany where Lazarus^[a] was, the one Jesus had raised from the dead.

2 So they gave a dinner for Him there; Martha was serving them, and Lazarus was one of those reclining at the table with Him.

3 Then Mary took a pound of fragrant oil-pure and expensive nard-anointed Jesus' feet, and wiped His feet with her hair. So the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.

4 Then one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot (who was about to betray Him), said,

5 "Why wasn't this fragrant oil sold for 300 denarii^[b] and given to the poor?"

6 He didn't say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief. He was in charge of the money-bag and would steal part of what was put in it.

7 Jesus answered, "Leave her alone; she has kept it for the day of My burial.

8 For you always have the poor with you, but you do not always have Me."

The Decision to Kill Lazarus

9 Then a large crowd of the Jews learned He was there. They came not only because of Jesus, but also to see Lazarus the one He had raised from the dead.

10 Therefore the chief priests decided to also kill Lazarus,

11 because he was the reason many of the Jews were deserting them^[c] and believing in Jesus.

The Triumphal Entry

12 The next day, when the large crowd that had come to the festival heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem,

13 they took palm branches and went out to meet Him. They kept shouting: " Hosanna ! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord ^[d]-the King of Israel!"

14 Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, just as it is written:

15 Fear no more, Daughter Zion; look! your King is coming, sitting on a donkey's colt. ^[e]

16 His disciples did not understand these things at first. However, when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about Him and that they had done these things to Him.

17 Meanwhile the crowd, which had been with Him when He called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead, continued to testify.^[f]

18 This is also why the crowd met Him, because they heard He had done this sign.

19 Then the Pharisees said to one another, "You see? You've accomplished nothing. Look-the world has gone after Him!"

Jesus Predicts His Crucifixion

20 Now some Greeks were among those who went up to worship at the festival.

21 So they came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and requested of him, "Sir, we want to see Jesus."

22 Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus.

23 Jesus replied to them, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.

24 "I assure you: Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains by itself. But if it dies, it produces a large crop. ^[g]

25 The one who loves his life will lose it, and the one who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.

26 If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me. Where I am, there My servant also will be. If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.

27 "Now My soul is troubled. What should I say-Father, save Me from this hour? But that is why I came to this hour.

28 Father, glorify Your name!" ^[h] Then a voice came from heaven: "I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again!"

29 The crowd standing there heard it and said it was thunder. Others said, "An angel has spoken to Him!"

30 Jesus responded, "This voice came, not for Me, but for you.

31 Now is the judgment of this world. Now the ruler of this world will be cast out.

32 As for Me, if I am lifted up ^[i] from the earth I will draw all [people] to Myself."

33 He said this to signify what kind of death He was about to die.

34 Then the crowd replied to Him, "We have heard from the law that the Messiah will remain forever.^[j] So how can You say, 'The Son of Man must be lifted up'?^[k] Who is this Son of Man?"

35 Jesus answered, "The light will be with you only a little longer. Walk while you have the light so that darkness doesn't overtake you. The one who walks in darkness doesn't know where he's going.

36 While you have the light, believe in the light so that you may become sons of light." Jesus said this, then went away and hid from them.

Isaiah's Prophecies Fulfilled

37 Even though He had performed so many signs in their presence, they did not believe in Him.

38 But this was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet, who said:^[l] Lord, who has believed our message? And who has the arm of the Lord been revealed to? ^[m]

39 This is why they were unable to believe, because Isaiah also said:

40 He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, so that they would not see with their eyes or understand with their hearts, and be converted, and I would heal them. ^[n]

41 Isaiah said these things because^[o] he saw His glory and spoke about Him.

42 Nevertheless, many did believe in Him even among the rulers, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, so they would not be banned from the synagogue.

43 For they loved praise from men more than praise from God.^[p]

A Summary of Jesus' Mission

44 Then Jesus cried out, "The one who believes in Me believes not in Me, but in Him who sent Me.

45 And the one who sees Me sees Him who sent Me.

46 I have come as a light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me would not remain in darkness.

47 If anyone hears My words and doesn't keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world.

48 The one who rejects Me and doesn't accept My sayings has this as his judge: ^[q] the word I have spoken will judge him on the last day.

49 For I have not spoken on My own, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a command as to what I should say and what I should speak.

50 I know that His command is eternal life. So the things that I speak, I speak just as the Father has told Me."

John 12 Commentary

Chapter 12

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.

Footnotes

• [a]. Other mss read Lazarus who died
• [b]. This amount was about a year's wages for a common worker.
• [c]. Lit going away
• [d]. Ps 118:25-26
• [e]. Zch 9:9
• [f]. Other mss read Meanwhile the crowd, which had been with Him, continued to testify that He had called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead.
• [g]. Lit produces much fruit
• [h]. Other mss read Your Son
• [i]. Or exalted
• [j]. Ps 89:36
• [k]. Or exalted
• [l]. Lit which he said
• [m]. Isaiah 53:1
• [n]. Isaiah 6:10
• [o]. Other mss read when
• [p]. Lit loved glory of men more than glory of God; v. 41; Jn 5:41
• [q]. Lit has the one judging him