John chapter 12
Mary anoints Jesus at Bethany. They plot to kill Lazarus. Jesus triumphantly arrives in Jerusalem. Some Greeks seek him. His mission is to save the world.
MARY ANOINTS JESUS AT BETHANY
VERSE 1. Then six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, who had been dead, whom he raised from the dead.
VERSE 2. So they made him a supper there. Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with him.
VERSE 3. Therefore Mary took a pound of ointment of pure nard, very precious, and anointed Jesus’s feet and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the ointment.
Mary … anointed Jesus’s feet and wiped his feet with her hair. There is a similar incident. But it is completely separate:
A woman poured costly perfume on Jesus Christ. It was her way of repenting. The Lord Jesus forgave her. This is not Mary the sister of Martha and Lazarus. Read more »
VERSE 4. Then Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, one of his disciples, who would betray him, said,
VERSE 5. “Why wasn’t this ointment sold for three hundred denarii, and given to the poor?”
VERSE 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.
VERSE 7. But Jesus said, “Leave her alone. She has kept this for the day of my burial.
VERSE 8. For you always have the poor with you, but you don’t always have me.”
THEY PLOT TO KILL LAZARUS
VERSE 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.
VERSE 10. But the chief priests conspired to put Lazarus to death also,
VERSE 11. because on account of him many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus.
JESUS TRIUMPHANTLY ARRIVES IN JERUSALEM
VERSE 12. On the next day a great multitude had come to the feast. When they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem,
VERSE 13. they 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!”
VERSE 14. Jesus, having found a young donkey, sat on it. As it is written,
VERSE 15. “Don’t be afraid, daughter of Zion. Behold, your King comes, sitting on a donkey’s colt.”
VERSE 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.
VERSE 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.
VERSE 18. For this cause also the multitude went and met him, because they heard that he had done this sign.
VERSE 19. The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, “See how you accomplish nothing. Behold, the world has gone after him.”
SOME GREEKS SEEK JESUS
VERSE 20. Now there were certain Greeks among those that went up to worship at the feast.
VERSE 21. These, therefore, came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, “Sir, we want to see Jesus.”
VERSE 22. Philip came and told Andrew, and in turn, Andrew came with Philip, and they told Jesus.
VERSE 23. Jesus answered them, “The time has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.
VERSE 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.
This verse is fantastic! Would you consider memorizing it? More great verses to memorize from the Gospel According to John and from the entire Bible.
Most certainly I tell you. Jesus is telling us the truth. We are to have certainty about this.
unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies. Death is necessary for life. A seed dies that it can create new life. Jesus Christ would die for us, that we may have eternal life.
it bears much fruit. The LORD God calls us to be spiritually fruitful. We are to bear fruit for the kingdom of God. But in our day, the fruitfulness of many Christians has been hijacked. Read more »
VERSE 25. He who loves his life will lose it. He who hates his life in this world will keep it to eternal life.
This verse seems like a command! Would you consider acting on it? More commands of Jesus Christ from the Gospel According to John and from the entire Bible.
VERSE 26. If 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.
This verse seems like a command! Would you consider acting on it? More commands of Jesus Christ from the Gospel According to John and from the entire Bible.
If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him. Some people are good and faithful servants of the LORD God. They follow him wholeheartedly. God will say to them: “Well done, good and faithful servant.” Read more »
THE SON OF MAN MUST BE LIFTED UP
VERSE 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.
VERSE 28. Father, glorify your name!” Then a voice came out of the sky, saying, “I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.”
VERSE 29. Therefore the multitude who stood by and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.”
VERSE 30. Jesus answered, “This voice hasn’t come for my sake, but for your sakes.
VERSE 31. Now is the judgment of this world. Now the prince of this world will be cast out.
Now the prince of this world will be cast out. Has Jesus Christ cast out the devil from the earth?
VERSE 32. And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”
Isaiah 60:3. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.
VERSE 33. But he said this, signifying by what kind of death he should die.
VERSE 34. The 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?”
Hebrews 7:24. But he, because he lives forever, has his priesthood unchangeable.
VERSE 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.
This verse seems like a command! Would you consider acting on it? More commands of Jesus Christ from the Gospel According to John and from the entire Bible.
Walk while you have the light. We have observed that when people “see the light,” there is a sort of quick expiration date. The God-given insight only lasts a certain length of time. Then it evaporates. The key is to act on it while you can. If you drag your feet too long, it will go away.
VERSE 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.
This verse seems like a command! Would you consider acting on it? More commands of Jesus Christ from the Gospel According to John and from the entire Bible.
The Qur’an 2:17. Their example is like the one who lights a fire, so when it illuminates what is around him, God takes away his light and leaves him in the darkness not seeing.
THE UNBELIEF OF THE PEOPLE
VERSE 37. But though he had done so many signs before them, yet they didn’t believe in him,
VERSE 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?”
who has believed our report? The prophets lament that very few people accept their message. Read more »
VERSE 39. For this cause they couldn’t believe, for Isaiah said again,
VERSE 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.”
VERSE 41. Isaiah said these things when he saw his glory, and spoke of him.
VERSE 42. Nevertheless 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,
VERSE 43. for they loved men’s praise more than God’s praise.
THE MISSION OF JESUS IS TO SAVE THE WORLD
VERSE 44. Jesus cried out and said, “Whoever believes in me, believes not in me, but in him who sent me.
This verse seems like a command! Would you consider acting on it? More commands of Jesus Christ from the Gospel According to John and from the entire Bible.
in him who sent me. When we come to a faith-relationship with Jesus Christ, we also come into a faith-relationship with God the Father.
VERSE 45. He who sees me sees him who sent me.
sees me sees him who sent me. When we “see” Jesus Christ, we are also seeing God the Father.
VERSE 46. I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in me may not remain in the darkness.
I have come as a light into the world. What was the mission of the Lord Jesus Christ? How did he himself define it? Here are the verses we find in the four gospels.
VERSE 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.
I came … to. What was the mission of the Lord Jesus Christ? How did he himself define it? Here are the verses we find in the four gospels.
save. The Greek word is σώσω (“sōsō”). It means save, heal, preserve, rescue. Properly, it means deliver out of danger and into safety.
What does Jesus save people from? On the one hand, it might mean Jesus rescues us from eternal damnation, as most Christians imagine.
But on the other hand, it can also mean Jesus rescues us from a non-zóé life. Zóé means a rich, full life.
the world. The Greek word is κόσμον (“kosmon”). It means world, universe. Properly, it means, an “ordered system” (like the universe, creation).
VERSE 48. He 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.
VERSE 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.
VERSE 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.”
JOHN
CHAPTERS: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21
RESOURCES: Summary, Outline, Memorize, Commands, Spirituality
Unless otherwise noted, all Bible quotations on this page are from the World English Bible and the World Messianic Edition. These translations have no copyright restrictions. They are in the Public Domain.