An Expository Study of John’s Gospel
CHAPTER 12
Scripture Reading: John 12 (KJV)
THE REVELATION OF THE SON OF GOD TO ISRAEL
12:1-11 … “Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead. There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him. Then took Mary 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 odour of the ointment. Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariout, Simon's son, which should betray him, Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor? This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein. Then said Jesus, Let her alone: against the day of my burying hath she kept this. For the poor always ye have with you; but me ye have not always. Much people of the Jews therefore knew 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. But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death; Because that by reason of him many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus.” Jesus returns to Jerusalem. He knew that His enemies had branded Him an “outlaw” (John 11:57). The posters could have read, “Wanted, Dead or Alive.” It was Passover time and all motels were full. Knowing the end was near Jesus stopped in Bethany and stayed with Mary, Martha and Lazarus. These three stood on the inner circle in the heart of Jesus, much like Peter, James and John. The Lord was looking death in the eye and wanted to be with those He loved most.
Humility
True to character, Martha was busy serving. Mary, on the other hand, offered a benevolent share of herself and demonstrated the extravagance of love by anointing the feet of Jesus with her most precious possession. She humbled herself, let her hair down (in that day demonstrating a “common woman”) and, using her hair, bathed His feet. Humility does not think of self or hear the murmurs of others. It rises above human law and traditions. Lovers never hesitate to show their affections. As the “house was filled with the odour of the ointment” so today every act of unlimited benevolence fills us with the marvel of its grace.
The carnal element
Unfortunately, Judas, the carnal element, was there complaining about the cost. He knew how much the ointment would bring on the open market. Judas not only carried the corporate money bag, he pilfered it. The beauty of Mary’s deed was seen by Judas as only a stupid loss. She ventured all and seized the moment, anointing her Lord while He was yet alive. The resurrected Lazarus was only a shadow of what was coming; the resurrection of Christ.
12:12-19… “On the next day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord. And Jesus, when he had found a young ass, sat thereon; as it is written, Fear not, daughter of Sion: behold, thy King cometh, sitting on an ass's colt. These things understood not his disciples at the first: but when Jesus was glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of him, and that they had done these things unto him. The people therefore that was with him when he called Lazarus out of his grave, and raised him from the dead, bare record. For this cause the people also met him, for that they heard that he had done this miracle. The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, Perceive ye how ye prevail nothing? behold, the world is gone with him.” Passover Pentecost and Tabernacles were the highlight feast on the Jewish calendar. As Mecca is to millions, Jerusalem was to every Jew. “Jerusalem or Bust,” might be the sign on chariots in that day. A quarter of a million lambs might be sacrificed at any one Passover.
“Hosanna”
As in every crowd, each group had its own agenda. The chief priests were lurking in the shadows hoping to slay Lazarus (John 12:10). Some were sightseers, others looked for a King. “Hosanna” (Hebrew for “save now”) was the shout of many, as they took branches of palm and paved the way for the Lord’s entry into the city. Tired of Roman oppression and desirous of a King likened unto David, they sang the song of the Prophets, “Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord.” Jesus humbled Himself, riding on the back of a donkey.
A King at last
The mass of people saw, if only for a moment, Jesus, God’s anointed One, Messiah. Praise God, here comes the deliverer, the One who will conquer all our enemies. They assumed Jesus would be their general, marshalling the army of God; bringing about the long delayed victory over Rome and the barbarian world. However, Jesus had not come to the city to reign. He came to taste death for every man (Heb. 2:9).
12:20-27… “And there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast: The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus. Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: and again Andrew and Philip tell Jesus. And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour. Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.” John wisely includes the Greeks in his Gospel. It was written to present the truth of Jesus Christ to the Greeks in a way they could understand and appreciate. “Sir, we would see Jesus”, ethos the cry of multitudes today who easily tire on modern psychology, church politics and mundane issues. Philip told Andrew of their request and Andrew and Philip relayed the message to Jesus. These Greeks may have been the forerunners of how the Gospel is eventually taken to the entire world.
The Lord’s purpose
Jesus knew the time table of God. He knew, “he was come from God, and went to God” (John 13:3), but, He now focused on His purpose for being in the world. Death was not so much a threat to the Lord, but the impending separation from his Father was. Even a grain of wheat must fall into the ground and die. Death is but the entrance into another life. This simple illustration introduces a series of paradoxical statements: “Love life; lose it;” “Hate life; keep it to eternal life;” “Serve Me, follow Me; My Father will honor you.” These are simple sayings, yet often difficult for us to understand and comprehend. The Living Christ demonstrates these words as Paul writes, “And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Phil. 2:8-11).
Self
Discovering self is important, but not the complete answer. Discovering cancer certainly reveals it. However, simply discovering cancer does not cure it. Destroying self is equally inadequate, though necessary (Col. 3:5). The only answer is denial of self. Here is where the hidden power lays. Jesus said, “Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it” (Mark 8:34, 35). We should not live to die, but die to live. We should not strive to retain life, but spend it. Performers burn out; servants never do.
The hour of the Lord
The hour had come for Jesus to be glorified through death and to glorify His Father’s name by obedience (Heb. 5:8-9). “The world had gone after him” (v. 19), but the Lord was heaven bound.
12:28-36 … “Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again. The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spake to him. Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes. Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from this earth, will draw all men unto me. This he said, signifying what death he should die. The people answered him, We have heard out of the law that Christ abideth for ever: and how sayest thou, The Son of man must be lifted up? who is this Son of man? Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth. While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them.” The voice of God is heard again. The scheme of redemption will go forward; the plan of salvation will soon be proclaimed. Jesus will glorify the name of His Father, and the Father will give Him a name above every name. The tension and triumph will be put to the test. The judgment of the world is at hand. We deserve hell. We have earned only one thing from God, His condemnation. Now, through the Lord, death will be faced and conquered. The ruler of this world will be overthrown. When the Lord is raised up, this last struggle, this separation from His Father, this taste of death for every man will finally be over. He knew what no one else could possibly know and those around Him did not understand it. They questioned Him about it, “how sayest thou, The Son of man must be lifted up? who is this Son of man?” (v. 34)
“If I be lifted up”
“If I be lifted up”, did not refer to the Lord’s resurrection, but to His death. Here is another paradox; the Son of man and a wooden cross – the Son of man becoming subject to humiliating death by His own creatures. It was His Kingdom that would, “never be destroyed” (Dan. 7:14). “Of the increase of his government and peace shall there be no end” (Is. 9:7). Even David said, “Thy seed will I establish forever, and build up thy throne to all generations” (Ps. 89:4). Yet, Jesus would be a living illustration even in His death; “Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone. But if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit” (John 12:24). Jesus was the light of God that came to a world of darkness. He was the light at the end of a long, dark tunnel. “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). The warning is simple: “Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you” (v. 35).
Solomon
Solomon said it in other words, “Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them” (Eccl. 12:1). As surely as Jesus “hid himself from them” (v. 36), He will hide Himself from those who love darkness rather than light (John 3:19).
12:37-43… “But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him: That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed? Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again, He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them. These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him. Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.” There is no greater sin, or more frequent error than, “unbelief.” The “total darkness” experienced by those who go deep into the caverns of the earth, can be no blacker; no more confusing or disturbing, than the darkness that comes with blind unbelief. The old saying is true, “No one is so blind as he who puts out his own eyes.”
In our text
In our text, Isaiah 53:1, 2 is first quoted followed by Isaiah 6:9-10. As the people in Isaiah’s day totally refused his message from God, so it was with the Lord. Isaiah spoke from a broken heart even as Jesus said, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens, under her wings, and ye would not!” (Matt. 23:37). The very light designed to bless them, blinded them. The treasure of God that they had longed for, prayed for and waited for was buried in a borrowed tomb. Isaiah prophesied, “He was despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief and we hid as it were our faces from him” (Is. 53:3). Even among the chief rulers, “many believed on him”, but, because of fear of rejection, losing present position, losing place and power they did not confess Him. The commentary was simple and explanation direct: “For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.”
12:44-50 … “Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me. And he that seeth me seeth him that sent me. I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness. And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak.” Read carefully the last words of the public teaching of the Lord. One can believe in God without believing in Jesus. But, no one can know God without seeing, knowing and believing in Jesus.
Denying Jesus
Christ John later warns Christians of the Docetics who believed in a human, historical Jesus, but denied Him as the Promised Seed, the Anointed One of God (2 John 7-11). Denying Jesus is denying all that God wrote about Him. Denying the Christ is to deny His deity, the virgin birth, His perfect life, His sacrificial death, the efficacy of the shed blood, and the hope in His resurrection. Truly, the man who denies the Lord “hath not God” (2 John 9-11). Jesus Christ is the reflecting pool of His Father. Facing the east and looking into the reflecting pool of America’s Washington monument, the true reflection of the National monument is clearly seen, but looking into the sun itself is a blinding experience.
Hebrews 1:1-3
So the writer of Hebrews says, “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by his prophets, Hath in these days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.”
The power of that Word will stand in judgment of us in the last day. Yet, that “everlasting Word” has become our expectant hope for “everlasting life.”
