John12
World English Bible · Public Domain
1Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, who had been dead, whom he raised from the dead.
2So they made him a supper there. Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with him.
3Therefore Mary took a pound of ointment of pure nard, very precious, and anointed Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the ointment.
4Then 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?”
6Now 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.
7But Jesus said, “Leave her alone. She has kept this for the day of my burial.
8For you always have the poor with you, but you don’t always have me.”
9A 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.
10But the chief priests conspired to put Lazarus to death also,
11because on account of him many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus.
12On the next day a great multitude had come to the feast. When they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem,
13they 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!”
14Jesus, 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.”
16His 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.
17The multitude therefore that was with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead was testifying about it.
18For this cause also the multitude went and met him, because they heard that he had done this sign.
19The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, “See how you accomplish nothing. Behold, the world has gone after him.”
20Now there were certain Greeks among those who went up to worship at the feast.
21Therefore, these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, “Sir, we want to see Jesus.”
22Philip came and told Andrew, and in turn, Andrew came with Philip, and they told Jesus.
23Jesus answered them, “The time has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.
24Most 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.
25He who loves his life will lose it. He who hates his life in this world will keep it to eternal life.
26If anyone serves me, let him follow me. Where I am, there my servant will also be. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor 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.
28Father, glorify your name!” Then a voice came out of the sky, saying, “I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.”
29Therefore the multitude who stood by and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.”
30Jesus answered, “This voice hasn’t come for my sake, but for your sakes.
31Now is the judgment of this world. Now the prince of this world will be cast out.
32And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”
33But he said this, signifying by what kind of death he should die.
34The 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?”
35Jesus 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.
36While 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.
37But though he had done so many signs before them, yet they didn’t believe in him,
38that 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?”
39For 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.”
41Isaiah said these things when he saw his glory, and spoke of him.
42Nevertheless, 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,
43for they loved men’s praise more than God’s praise.
44Jesus cried out and said, “Whoever believes in me, believes not in me, but in him who sent me.
45He who sees me sees him who sent me.
46I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in me may not remain in the darkness.
47If 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.
48He 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.
49For I spoke not from myself, but the Father who sent me gave me a commandment, what I should say and what I should speak.
50I know that his commandment is eternal life. The things therefore which I speak, even as the Father has said to me, so I speak.”
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for John 12.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: 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).
vv1-11
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.
vv12-19
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.
vv20-26
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.
Key Words
ἕξ (héx): six
ἡμέρα (hēméra): day, i.e. (literally) the time space between dawn and dark, or the whole 24 hours (but several days were usually reckoned by the Jews as inclusive of the parts of both extremes); figuratively, a period (always defined more or less clearly by the context)
πρό (pró): "fore", i.e. in front of, prior (figuratively, superior) to
πάσχα (páscha): the Passover (the meal, the day, the festival or the special sacrifices connected with it)
Ἰησοῦς (Iēsoûs): Jesus (i.e. Jehoshua), the name of our Lord and two (three) other Israelites
οὖν (oûn): (adverbially) certainly, or (conjunctionally) accordingly
ἔρχομαι (érchomai): to come or go (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively)
εἰς (eis): to or into (indicating the point reached or entered), of place, time, or (figuratively) purpose (result, etc.); also in adverbial phrases
Βηθανία (Bēthanía): date-house; Beth-any, a place in Palestine
ὅπου (hópou): what(-ever) where, i.e. at whichever spot
Cross References
John 12Directly quoted as the prophecy of the King of Zion entering Jerusalem on an ass's colt.
Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin, Matthew Henry
Directly quoted by John to explain the nation's profound unbelief and rejection of Jesus' report.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, John Calvin, JFB
Directly cited and quoted to explain the judicial blinding and hardening of the people's hearts.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, John Calvin, JFB
John explains that Isaiah saw the pre-incarnate glory of Christ in his temple vision.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, John Calvin, JFB
Demonstrates remarkable consistency in character: Martha serving and Mary devoting herself to Jesus.
Supported by JFB
Direct Old Testament background for Jesus' statement that the poor are always with them.
Supported by JFB
The direct Messianic psalm quoted by the crowds welcoming Jesus as King of Israel.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Parallels Christ's soul-trouble and submission to the Father's will in the Gethsemane agony.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, John Calvin, JFB
Explicitly connects the rulers' fear of confession to the Pharisees' decree of synagogue expulsion.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, John Calvin, JFB
Fulfills Moses' prophecy of the coming Prophet who speaks only the Father's commanded words.
Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin
Parallel Synoptic account detailing the costly spikenard poured on Jesus in Bethany.
Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin, JFB
An earlier textual link in John anticipating Mary's act of anointing Jesus' feet.
Supported by JFB
Confirms Judas's role as treasurer who carried the money bag for the disciples.
Supported by John Calvin, JFB
Illustrates the priests' refusal to believe, seeking to kill even the resurrected Lazarus.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
Paul uses the identical natural analogy of a seed dying to produce life and fruit.
Supported by Matthew Henry, John Calvin
Synoptic parallel to the solemn warning about loving and losing one's life.
Supported by Matthew Henry, John Calvin
Identifies Satan using the exact same title: 'the prince of this world.'
Supported by Matthew Henry, John Calvin
Earlier reference to the Son of man being 'lifted up' to draw believers.
Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin, JFB
Parallels the condemnation of seeking praise from men rather than the honor from God.
Supported by Matthew Henry, John Calvin, JFB
Directly echoes Jesus' claim that beholding Him is beholding the Father who sent Him.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, JFB
Jesus declares Himself the world's light, freeing followers from walking in spiritual darkness.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
Matches the statement that Christ's primary first-advent mission was salvation, not immediate judgment.
Supported by Matthew Henry, John Calvin, JFB
The command to take palm branches, associated with rejoicing and feast celebrations.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Parallel pattern of the disciples only understanding scripture and events after Jesus' resurrection.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Christ's high priestly prayer linking his 'hour' with the Father glorifying the Son.
Supported by Matthew Henry, John Calvin
Direct thematic link: the Son of man is glorified when his passion begins.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
Basis for the crowd's belief from the Law that Christ abideth forever as priest.
Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin
Reiterates the urgency of working and walking while light remains before night comes.
Supported by Matthew Henry, John Calvin
Illustrates those rulers, like Joseph of Arimathea, who initially hid faith for fear.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Parallels the concept that receiving or believing in Jesus equals receiving the Father.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Repeats the urgent warning in this immediate context to avoid abiding in darkness.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Underlies the warning that God will require accountability from those rejecting Christ's spoken words.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Confirms Jesus delivered to His disciples the exact words given to Him by the Father.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Establishes Philip's origin from Bethsaida, explaining why the Greeks approached him.
Supported by Matthew Henry, John Calvin
Parallels the phenomenon of bystanders hearing a heavenly voice merely as indistinct sound or thunder.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Confirms the phrase 'lifted up' signified the specific Roman method of execution: crucifixion.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole