John Chapter 12

From The Open Bible Project

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.

12:2 So they made him a supper there. Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with him.

12:3 Mary, therefore, took a [38] pound [See John Footnotes 38] of ointment of pure nard, very precious, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the ointment.

12:4 Then Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, one of his disciples, who would betray him, said,

12:5 "Why wasn't this ointment sold for [39] three hundred denarii, [See John Footnotes 39] and given to the poor?"

• (1) A horrible example in Judas of a mind blinded with covetousness, and yet pretending godliness.

12:6 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.

12:7 But Jesus said, "Leave her alone. She has kept this for the day of my burial.

• (2) This extraordinary anointing, which was a sign, is allowed by God so that he may witness that he will not be worshipped with outward pomp or costly service, but with alms.

12:8 For you always have the poor with you, but you don't always have me."

12:9 A large crowd therefore of the Jews learned 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.

• (3) When the light of the gospel shows itself, some are found to be curious, and others are found to be open enemies (and these latter ones should be the least opposed to the gospel): others fervently honour him whom they will immediately fall away from, and very few receive him as reverently as they ought to. Nonetheless, Christ begins his spiritual kingdom in the midst of his enemies.

12:10 But the chief priests conspired to put Lazarus to death also,

12:11 because on account of him many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus.

12:12 On the next day a great multitude had come to the feast. When they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem,

12:13 they took the branches of the palm trees, and went out to meet him, and cried out, "[40] Hosanna [See John Footnotes 40]! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord,[41] the King of Israel!"

12:14 Jesus, having found a young donkey, sat on it. As it is written,

12:15 "Don't be afraid, daughter of Zion. Behold, your King comes, sitting on a donkey's colt."[42]

12:16 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.

12:17 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.

12:18 For this cause also the multitude went and met him, because they heard that he had done this sign.

12:19 The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, "See how you accomplish nothing. Behold, the world has gone after him."

• (4) Even they who go about to oppress Christ are made instruments of his glory.

12:20 Now there were certain Greeks among those that went up to worship at the feast.

• (a) After the solemn custom: the Greeks were first so called by the name of the country of Greece, where they lived: but afterward, all that were not of the Jew’s religion, but worshipped false gods and were also called heathens, were called by the name Greeks.

12:21 These, therefore, came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, "Sir, we want to see Jesus."

12:22 Philip came and told Andrew, and in turn, Andrew came with Philip, and they told Jesus.

12:23 Jesus answered them, "The time has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.

12:24 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.

• (5) The death of Christ is as it were a sowing, which seems to be a dying of the corn, but indeed is the cause of a much greater harvest: and such as is the condition of the head, so will be the condition of the members.
• (b) A wheat corn dies when it is changed in the ground, and becomes the root of a fruitful new plant.

12:25 He who loves his life will lose it. He who hates his life in this world will keep it to eternal life.

12:26 If anyone serves me, let him follow me. Where I am, there will my servant also be. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.

12:27 "Now my soul is troubled. What shall I say? 'Father, save me from this time?' But for this cause I came to this time.

• (6) While Christ went about to suffer all the punishment which is due to our sins, and while his divinity did not yet show his might and power so that the satisfaction might be fully accomplished, he is stricken with the great fear of the curse of God, and so he cries and prays, and desires to be released: yet nonetheless he prefers the will and glory of his Father before all things, and his Father allows this obedience even from heaven.
• (c) That is, of death which is now at hand.

12:28 Father, glorify your name!" Then there came a voice out of the sky, saying, "I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again."

• (d) So then the Father’s glory is Christ’s glory.

12:29 The multitude therefore, who stood by and heard it, said that it had thundered. Others said, "An angel has spoken to him."

12:30 Jesus answered, "This voice hasn't come for my sake, but for your sakes.

• (7) Christ foretells to the deaf the manner of his death, the overcoming of the devil and the world, and in conclusion his triumph.

12:31 Now is the judgment of this world. Now the prince of this world will be cast out.

12:32 And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself."

• (e) Christ used a word which has a double meaning, for it signifies either to lift up or to get out of the way: for he intended them to think of his death, but the Jews seemed to take it another way.
• (f) Chrysostom and Theophylact say that this word "all" refers to all nations: that is, not only to the Jews.

12:33 But he said this, signifying by what kind of death he should die.

12:34 The multitude answered him, "We have heard out of the law that the Christ remains forever.[43] How do you say, 'The Son of Man must be lifted up?' Who is this Son of Man?"

12:35 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.

• (8) Unmeasurable is the mercy of God, but a horrible judgment follows if it is condemned.

12:36 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.

• (g) That is, partakers of light.

12:37 But though he had done so many signs before them, yet they didn't believe in him,

• (9) Faith is not of nature, but of grace.

12:38 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?"[44]

• (h) The arm of the Lord is the gospel, which is the power of God to salvation to all that believe, and therefore the arm of the Lord is not revealed to those whose hearts the Lord has not opened.

12:39 For this cause they couldn't believe, for Isaiah said again,

12:40 "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."[45]

12:41 Isaiah said these things when he saw his glory, and spoke of him.[46]

12:42 Nevertheless even of the rulers many believed in him, but because of the Pharisees they didn't confess it, so that they wouldn't be put out of the synagogue,

• (10) The ones who believe are not only few in number, if they are compared with the unbelievers, but also the majority of those few (yea, and especially the ones of highest rank) fear men more than God.

12:43 for they loved men's praise more than God's praise.

12:44 Jesus cried out and said, "Whoever believes in me, believes not in me, but in him who sent me.

• (11) The sum of the gospel, and therefore of salvation, which Christ witnessed in the midst of Jerusalem by his crying out, is this: to rest upon Christ through faith as the only Saviour appointed and given us by the Father.
• (i) This word "not" does not take anything away from Christ which is spoken of here, but is rather spoken in way of correction, as if he said, "He that believes in me does not so much believe in me as in him that sent me." So is it in (Mark 9:37).

12:45 He who sees me sees him who sent me.

12:46 I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in me may not remain in the darkness.

12:47 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.

12:48 He who rejects me, and doesn't receive my sayings, has one who judges him. The word that I spoke, the same will judge him in the last day.

12:49 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.

12:50 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."