John 12
TFGJohn 12:1-11
(From Friday afternoon till Saturday Night, March 31 and April 1, A. D. 30.) J 55-57; 1-11; M 6-13; M 3-9. [These Jews went up before the Passover that they might have time to purify themselves from ceremonial uncleanness before the feast. They were expected to purify before any important event , and did so before the passover , for those who were ceremonially unclean were excluded from it– .] [The decree of the Sanhedrin ordering the arrest of Jesus led the people to question as to whether he would dare to approach the city. But this mention of it and the stir and question which it created have a dark significance. It shows that the Jews generally were forewarned of the evil purpose of the Sanhedrin, and the dangers which surrounded Jesus. They were not taken unawares when their rulers told them to raise the cry “Crucify him!” And they raised it after they had due notice and time [568] for deliberation.] [The word “therefore” refers to the decree and consequent dangers just mentioned. Because his “hour” had come, Jesus went to face these dangers.
We are told that he came to the house of Lazarus and that he kept near Lazarus because these facts emphasized the great miracle which roused the hatred of the Jews, and caused them more earnestly to seek the death of Christ. Jesus appears to have arrived in Bethany Friday afternoon, March 31, A.
D. 30. It is likely that he spent the Sabbath day at that place, and that the supper mentioned below was given him after sunset on Saturday, which, according to Jewish reckoning, would be the beginning of Sunday. This supper is mentioned later by Matthew and Mark, but without any note of time to show that it belongs specifically where they put it. But John does give us a note of time. The shows that it was the night before the triumphal entry, and therefore we follow the chronology of John.] [Who Simon the leper was is not known. It is not unlikely that he was one whom Jesus had healed, and that he united with the household of Lazarus in a joint effort to show gratitude unto the Lord for his goodness to this group of his friends.] [there] [a a Greek weight containing nearly twelve ounces avoirdupois] [Nard was a liquid perfume distilled from some odorous plant or plants and mingled with oil.
It was sealed in flasks or alabaster boxes and imported from the far East] [569] [The cruse seems to have been a long-necked flask sealed with wax so tightly as to necessitate it being broken to extract the nard. These flasks were tasteful and costly objects such as women delight to possess.
Many of them were so delicate that Pliny compares them to closed rosebuds, and the same writer, speaking of nard, reckons it as an instance of excessive luxury to anoint the feet or ankles with it] [Thus the liberality of Mary contributed to the pleasure of all the guests. The odor of a good deed is generally diffusive.] [It seems very likely that this murmuring was started by Judas Iscariot, for the murmurers fall in with his notions that the price of the ointment should be deposited in the poor fund. It is a singular thing that Jesus permitted a thief to occupy the office of treasurer. It is probable that Judas was honest when he was called to serve, but that same management and spirit of economy which made him fit for the place ruined him when he got it. Thus our strong points are often our weakest. The price of the pound of nard would be about fifty-one dollars of our money, but the purchasing power of money was then nearly ten times as great as it is now.
The price here named agrees almost exactly with the figures at which Pliny rates the most costly nard.] [570] [The expression “Suffer,” etc., used by John, is taken by some as implying that all the ointment was not poured out, and that some of the apostles were endeavoring to persuade Mary to keep and sell what was left, and that Jesus ordered it kept to finish the embalming of his body which Mary had already begun. But there is nothing in the language to require such an interpretation.
Jesus meant, “Let her use it rightly,” using the word “keep” as in the expression, “keep the feast;” observe the ceremony. The words of Jesus about the ointment taken as a whole may be construed thus: “The sorrows of my coming passion oppress me , and Mary, conscious of that sorrow, wishes to cheer me with the evidence of love and gratitude. She sympathizes with me as I approach the shadow of death, and anoints me beforehand for the burial. You do not begrudge what is given to the dead. You do not censure as extravagant what is spent for the embalming of a dear one. You yourselves would be ready enough to anoint me in this same manner after I am dead.
So do not censure her because in the fullness of her sympathy she has anticipated the coming catastrophe and has anointed me beforehand.”] [ ] [There would be plenty of opportunities in which to do good to the poor, but the time for conferring a personal benefit upon Christ in the flesh was now limited to seven days. Thereafter gifts could only be given to Christ by bestowing them upon the poor.] [Jesus here makes [571] prominent the different estimates which God and man place upon the same acts.
That which the disciples had censured as a waste and that which they had regarded as worthy of rebuke was in his sight an action fit to be kept in everlasting remembrance as a model for the conduct of future generations throughout the whole earth, and he accordingly decreed that it be so kept in mind.] [in Simon’s house] [withdrew from the party headed by the Jewish rulers] [The presence of the resurrected man and the Christ who had resurrected him both at one table greatly excited the curiosity of the multitudes who had come up to Jerusalem to attend the passover. When word of this supper spread among the people it was natural that they should slip out to Bethany to see the sight, and it was equally natural that seeing it they should believe in Jesus. This deflection of the common people gave a keener venom to the hatred of the rulers.] [FFG 568-572]
John 12:12-19
(From Bethany to Jerusalem and back, Sunday, April 2, A. D. 30.) M 1-12, 14-17; M 1-11; L 29-44; J 12-19. [after the feast in the house of Simon the leper] [572] [The name, Bethphage, is said to mean but the derivation is disputed. Canon Cook and others think that the region on the eastern slope of Olivet was called Bethphage, and that Bethany was located in it. If it was a village, all trace of it has long since vanished, and it is not worth while to give the guesses and surmises of commentators as to its location. But it was evidently near Bethany] [probably Bethphage, for Jesus started from Bethany] [Numerous Scripture references show that the ass was held in high estimation in the East. The sons of the judges used them, and David’s mule was used at the coronation of Solomon . It is specifically stated that no man had ever sat upon this colt, for if the colt had been used by men it would have been unfit for sacred purposes– , , .] [The owner of the ass was no doubt a disciple or well-wisher of Jesus, and therefore readily consented to respond to the Master’s need.
Such a well-wisher might readily be found in a multitude ready to lay their garments in the road to honor Christ. The words “send him back” are usually construed to be a promise on the part of Christ that he would return the colt when through with him.
But such a promise seems rather out of keeping with the dignity of the occasion. We prefer to construe the words as referring to the movements of Christ’s two messengers from the neighborhood of Bethany to Bethphage and back again, or to a backward [573] movement along the caravan’s line of march.] [the poetical name for the city of Jerusalem] [The prophecy is a combination of , . This is the only instance in which Jesus rode. He entered in meekness, for the ass was a symbol of peace as the horse was of war , but there was nothing degrading about riding such a beast. The Eastern ass is smaller, but livelier, and better framed than the specimens found in our country. They constituted a chief asset in the property of the wealthy– , , , , .] [the streets being narrow, one would very seldom see an ass tied in one] [The garments were the loose cloaks worn over the tunics or shirts.
This cloak survives in the abba or hyke of the modern Arab. The unbroken colt would of course have no saddle, and these loyal disciples lent their cloaks to supply the deficiency, and to do Jesus royal honor.
Compare the enthronement of Jehu . They prepared both beasts, not knowing which he would choose to ride] [574] [Palm-trees were never abundant in Palestine, but there were many around Jericho, through which city these Galilean pilgrims had so recently come. They were date palms, the leaves of which were often ten feet in length. They are now comparatively rare, but are found in the plains of Philistia. The palm branch is emblematic of triumph and victory– , ; I. Macc. xiii. 51; II.
Macc. x. 7] [The shouting appears to have been started by those who came out of Jerusalem; it is evident, therefore, that the apostles who were approaching the city with Jesus had nothing to do with inciting this praise.] [The apostles were not conscious that the prophecies were being fulfilled nor did they understand that Jesus was approaching a heavenly rather than an earthly coronation. But after Jesus was glorified, their understandings were spiritually illuminated .
They not only remembered the prophecy, but saw in what sense it was that Jesus was king, and how badly mistaken they had been when they expected him to antagonize the Romans. The greatness of her king would have removed all cause for fear if Jerusalem had but accepted him.] [The two parts of the miracle–the calling and the raising–are both mentioned as alike impressive, sublime, and wonderful.] [It is evident from this that the testimony of those who [575] witnessed the raising of Lazarus had enthused the pilgrims in Jerusalem and had sent a large band of them forth charged with that ardent admiration which produced the shouting of the triumphal entry.] [Again, as at , we notice the self-confessed impotency of the Pharisees, but the Sadducees, under the determined and more resolute leadership of Caiaphas, did not participate in this despair. The Pharisees speak of the world as if its acquisition by Jesus was their loss.] [Matthew would have us know that the demonstration was no small affair, but was well-nigh universal. Josephus estimates that the number present at one passover was three million, or about one-half the population of Judæa and Galilee. The language of the Pharisees in .] [John has shown us just above that the raising of Lazarus was most prominent in their thoughts] [Jesus approached the city leading a multitude of pilgrims, and we have seen from John’s account above that another multitude came out of the city to meet him: Jesus approached the city between two great multitudes.] [This is the Greek form or spelling of two Hebrew words, Hoshiah-na, which means, Save now, or, Save, I pray, na being a particle of entreaty added to imperatives. The two words are taken from , which was recognized as the Messianic Psalm.
The shout “Hosanna” was customarily used at the feast of the tabernacles and the other festivals. It was a shout of exaltation about equivalent to “Salvation”] [see ] [This phrase is taken to mean in the highest degree or highest strains or in the highest heavens.
It is likely they were calling upon heaven to participate in glorifying and to ratify their shouts of salvation. The Evangelists give us the various cries of the multitude, for they did not all cry one thing. The cries, if seriously construed, were a fore-recognition of the Messiahship of Jesus, but popular cries are soon caught up and are as fickle as the impulses which beget them. But the public recognition of the Messiahship of Jesus gave [577] weight to the accusation made by Simon Peter on the day of Pentecost that they had slain the Messiah– . Comp. , .] [not a committee sent from Jerusalem for that purpose] [It is possible that these may have been moved with an honest fear that the enthusiasm of the people would call down the vengeance of the Romans , but it is more likely that they were prompted solely by envy.] [The expression is probably proverbial . The meaning is that the occasion of the great King’s visit to his city was so momentous that, if man withheld his praise, inanimate nature would lend its acclamations.] [The summit of Olivet is two hundred feet higher than the nearest part of the city of Jerusalem and a hundred feet higher than its farthest part, so that the Lord looked upon the whole of it as one looks upon an open book.
As he looked upon it he realized the difference between what his coming might mean to it and what it did mean to it; between the love and gratitude which his coming should have incited and the hatred and violence which it did incite; between the forgiveness, blessing and peace which he desired to bring it and the judgment, wrath and destruction which were coming upon it. The vision of it all excited strong emotion, and the verb used does not indicate silent tears, but audible sobbing and lamentation.
The day then passing was among the last before the crucifixion, which would present to the Jews a strong motive for repentance. Had Jerusalem hearkened unto Jesus then, he would have saved her from that self-exaltation which proved her ruin. But bigotry and prejudice blinded her eyes.] [578] [from where Jesus then stood he could see the houses which were to be thrown down, he could locate the embankments which would be built, and he could trace almost every foot of the line of the wall by which Titus in his anger girdled the city when his embankments were burned–Jos. Wars V. 6. 2, 11. 4-6, 12. 1, 2] [the city is figuratively spoken of as a mother, and her citizens as her children] [The term “visitation” usually refers to a season of judgment, but here, as elsewhere also , it means a season of grace. To not leave one stone upon another is a proverbial expression descriptive of a complete demotion, but in the overthrow of Jerusalem it was well-nigh literally fulfilled. Thus, while the people rejoiced in the present triumph, the prophetic eye and ear of our Lord beheld the judgments which were coming upon the city, heard the bitter cry of the starved defenders during the siege, the screams of the crucified left to perish upon their crosses after its capture, all ending in the final silence of desolation when not one stone was left upon another.] [his route led him down the steep face of Olivet, past Gethsemane, across the stone bridge which spans the Kedron, and up the slope of Moriah to the eastern gate of the city] [here Matthew tells of the cleansing of the temple, which evidently occurred the next day] [579] [ as rendered by the LXX.] [Matthew mingles this scene with events which apparently occurred on Monday, but the enthusiasm and the Hosanna cry evidently belonged to the triumphant Sunday. The presence of our Lord in the temple should, indeed, have been heralded with joy, for as that was the day in which the paschal lamb was presented and set apart, it was fitting that Christ our passover should be presented there amidst rejoicing.] [a general expression covering the period both before and after sunset] [Having inspected the temple as his Father’s house, Jesus withdrew from it, for in the present state of rancor which fermented within his enemies it was not safe for him to spend the night within Jerusalem.] [FFG 572-580]
John 12:20-50
(In the Temple. Tuesday, April 4, A. D. 30.) J 20-50. [The language indicates that they were Greek converts to Judaism, such as were called proselytes of the gate. It is also noted that as Gentiles came from the east at the beginning of Jesus’ life, so they also came from the west at the close of his ministry] [See , , , .] [Thus Jesus admits that it was difficult for him to live up to the principle of sacrifice which he had just enunciated. Had it not been thus difficult for him, he would hardly have been a fitting example for his disciples; for certainly it is and has always been difficult for them] [In his trouble Jesus raises the question as to what prayer he shall offer to the Father.] [for this purpose of imparting life through a sacrificial death] [Thus Jesus proposes a prayer for deliverance, but repudiates it as contrary to the very purpose of his life.] [Having refused to ask for deliverance, Jesus prays that he may glorify the Father by suffering according to his original statement contained in , . Two two prayers are counterparts to the two offered in Gethsemane [614] . The prayer here is the climax of the thought begun at . We are first shown that nature is glorified by sacrifice .
Then that discipleship is so glorified and this prayer shows that our Lord himself is glorified by the same rule.] [The Father had glorified his name in the Son. By words of commendation at his baptism and at his transfiguration , and by the performance of miracles , and he would glorify it again by the preaching of the universal gospel, and by making Jesus head over all to the church and the final judge of all men.] [Those who thought it thundered were nervous persons who were so startled as not to distinguish the words. . “The meaning of it,” says Barnes, “may be thus expressed: Now is approaching the decisive scene, the eventful period—-when it shall be determined who shall rule this world.” In the long conflict which had hitherto been carried on, Satan had earned for himself the name “prince of this world,” and it was no empty title ; but by his approaching death Jesus would break down the power of Satan, and cast him out, not suddenly, but by the advancing power of a superior kingdom.
The kingdom of darkness recedes before the kingdom of light as the night withdraws before the rising sun.] [Jesus thrice speaks of his death as a lifting up, a euphemism for being crucified . While the distinctions between the three statements are not to be insisted upon, yet they suggest that the first is a saving sacrifice, a priestly work ; the second is mentioned as the convincing credential that he is the prophet sent from God, speaking the message of God ; and in the passage before us, he is evidently the king who shall wrest his kingdom from the usurping Satan.] [The term “law” is used loosely for the whole of the Old Testament Scriptures . The people were persuaded by certain passages such as , , , , , , , etc. that the Messiah would abide forever. They knew that Jesus in his triumphal entry had received honors which they thought belonged to the Messiah, but when they hear him use words indicating that he should die, and thus (as they construed) abide forever, they felt that he was openly disavowing all claim to Messiahship. Having heard him style himself the Son of man , they now catch at it as if Jesus had used it to distinguish himself from the true [616] Messiah, and ask with more or less contempt, “Who is this Son of man?” Thus blinded by their preconceived opinions and misconstructions of Scripture, the people wavered in their loyalty to Jesus, and Watkins well says, “This question came midway between the ‘Hosanna’ of the entry into Jerusalem and the ‘Crucify him’ of the trial.”] [The phrase “little while” stands in contrast with “abideth for ever.”] [Jesus did not reply to their question, because it was asked contemptuously and not seriously, and because any effort to make their carnal mind grasp the idea that he could be lifted up, and yet still abide, would have resulted in more contempt. He therefore speaks a solemn warning to them, counseling them to make use of his presence while they had it, even if his fleshly abiding with them was but brief; and promises that a proper use of the light then given them would make them sons of light.] [This was his last public appeal to the people.
He now retired, probably to Bethany, and they saw him no more until he was a prisoner in the hands of his enemies.] [the multitude had long oscillated between belief and unbelief, but, despite all his past miracles and the marvelous wisdom shown on this the day of hard questions, they settled down in unbelief] [ ] [ ] [617] [See ); their hearts already being occupied with the love of praise or man-glory. Their disbelief accorded with the words of Jesus .
As to expulsion from the synagogue, see . They are placed here to bring out in stronger light the final unbelief of the Jews and the patient, persistent effort which Jesus had made to win those who were the better inclined] [618] [See , , .). To the mass, therefore, the voice was a mere sound; to others, the utterance was articulate though incomprehensible, while to John, and perhaps to all the disciples, the voice communicated a thought. “Thus,” says Godet, “the wild beast perceives only a in the human voice; the trained animal discovers a a command, for example, which it immediately obeys; man alone discerns therein a " (P. Y. P.) [FFG 613-619]