John 12 - Life Application Bible Commentary (NT)
12:1-2 Six days before the Passover, Jesus arrived at Bethany.NIV Another Passover was coming, and Jesus arrived in Bethany six days beforehand. John last placed him in Ephraim, where he had gone to be alone with his disciples (11:54). From there, they returned to Galilee for a while (see the map in 11:54). Then, on the way from Galilee to Jerusalem for this Passover, Jesus:
- healed ten lepers in the region between Samaria and Galilee (Luke 17:11-19)
- traveled and taught in the region of Judea beyond the Jordan (Matthew 19:1-12; Mark 10:1-12)
- warned his disciples that on this trip to Jerusalem, he would be crucified but would rise again (Matthew 20:17-19; Mark 10:32-34; Luke 18:31-34)
- healed a blind beggar near Jericho (Matthew 20:29-34; Mark 10:46-52; Luke 18:35-43)
- helped Zacchaeus, a tax collector in Jericho, learn about eternal life (Luke 19:1-10).
From Jericho, Jesus traveled to Bethany, the home of his dear friends. Whenever Jesus visited Jerusalem, he probably went to Bethany (a suburb of Jerusalem, less than two miles away) to stay with Martha, Mary, and Lazarus (see Matthew 21:17; Luke 10:38). This was Jesus’ final visit with his friends at Bethany because he was on his way to Jerusalem where, as he had already told his disciples, “The Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death; then they will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified; and on the third day he will be raised” (Matthew 20:18-19 NRSV).
Where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead.NIV Only a few weeks had gone by since Jesus had raised Lazarus from the dead. This miracle had caused many Jews to believe in Jesus, but it had angered the Jewish religious leaders so deeply that they were plotting to have Jesus killed. Thus, Jesus had left the region quickly (11:53-54). Jesus was reunited with his dear friends one more time before his death in Jerusalem at the hands of those who were plotting his murder.
Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him.NIV Each person described in this story expressed his or her attitude toward Jesus through specific actions. They were honoring Jesus with this thanksgiving meal. It seems as though Lazarus and his sisters used any occasion as an excuse to celebrate and practice hospitality. Martha, always the self-designated hostess, was doing so here (see Luke 10:38-42), though apparently with a new attitude of meekness. She honored her Lord with hospitality and refreshment. The way in which Lazarus was mentioned implies that the dinner was given in his honor as well as Jesus’. He was reclining at the table with his Lord who had brought him back to life —no doubt it was a great honor to be with the one he loved and who loved him so much. Mary expressed her great love for and faith in Jesus by offering a very special gift. And Judas betrayed his true character by disapproving of Mary’s extravagance.
According to parallel accounts of this story (see Matthew 26:6-13; Mark 14:3-9), this meal was held at the home of Simon the leper, who also lived in Bethany and was very likely healed of his leprosy by Jesus. He too would have had great reason to honor Jesus.
A WOMAN ANOINTS JESUS / 12:1-11 / 182
The chapter opens with a portrayal of Mary anointing Jesus, accompanied by a wide range of reactions. This anointing concurs with the one described in Matthew 26:6-13 and Mark 14:3-9; but it is different from the one depicted in Luke 7:36-50, which occurred much earlier in Jesus’ ministry. The tender attention given to Jesus by his three friends in Bethany contrasts with the treachery Judas planned to commit by the week’s end. Lazarus, Mary, Martha, and Judas were all in Jesus’ close circle of friends, but their relationship and motives for following him differed greatly. Being close to Jesus is not enough if we don’t have heartfelt trust and obedience. Even today, some would reduce the life of faith to a brief weekly appearance at the local church.
12:3 Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.NIV This ointment or perfume was made from an aromatic herb (also called spikenard) from the mountains of India, and it was imported in alabaster bottles. This expensive imported item carried such value that people used it for investment purposes, as gold is often used today. According to 12:5, this particular nard was worth 300 denarii (the equivalent of a year’s wages of a working man). When supper was finished, Mary took this pure, expensive perfume and poured it on (literally, “anointed”) Jesus’ feet. Nard was used to anoint kings; Mary may have been anointing Jesus as her kingly Messiah.
THE GREAT GIFT
Many centuries later we are still humbled by the extravagance and the appropriateness of Mary’s gift. She poured out the very best she could find. Price is not the central issue, but the sincere expression of faith and love. We render similar honor to Jesus when we practice faithful service wherever God has placed us —at home with children, at the office, leading a company, running a financial institution, teaching, preaching, etc. Faithful, honest, diligent service done as unto the Lord can be a gift to God. It is costly. Often others might think the effort wasted, for it seems to make no large or permanent change in the world. But what others may call insignificant or wasteful, God deems to be like the fragrant aroma that filled the house when Mary poured the nard on Jesus’ feet.
12:4-6 According to Matthew and Mark, all the disciples were offended that Mary had “wasted” this expensive ointment (Matthew 26:8; Mark 14:4). But in John’s Gospel, it is Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him),NRSV who verbalized the offense: “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.”NIV
John then provides a parenthetical explanation as to the motive behind Judas’s statement: He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.NIV The last part of this verse can also be translated “he took [literally, lifted or stole] what was in the money bag.” Judas was a thief who had no compassion for the poor, yet Jesus entrusted to him the disciples’ money bag (see 13:29). Judas often dipped into the disciples’ money bag for his own use. Undoubtedly, Jesus knew what Judas was doing (2:24-25; 6:64), but he never did or said anything about it.
SMOKE SCREEN
In spite of his sharp rebuke, there is no evidence that Judas ever gave to the poor. His objection was actually a smoke screen to cover his own selfishness and greed.
It is common in church life to discover that those most apt to criticize are those who are doing nothing themselves. Those who never go to church criticize the church; those who don’t read the Bible are ready to criticize what they have heard are inconsistencies and difficulties; those unwilling to help are ready to criticize when plans fail. Beware of finding fault with others in areas where you are deficient.
When we see what kind of person Judas was, we cannot regard him as a tragic hero for his role in bringing Jesus to the cross. No, he was a man with very base motives.
Judas piously talked about the poor in order to hide his true motives. But Jesus knew what was in his heart; Jesus knew that Judas had a weakness for money and that Judas would betray him for the sum of thirty silver coins. Judas’s life had become a lie, and the devil was entering him (13:27). Satan is the father of lies, and a lying person opens the door to his influence. Jesus’ knowledge of us should make us want to keep our actions consistent with our words. Because we have nothing to fear with him, we should have nothing to hide.
ON GUARD
Judas was given the position of trustee of the money bag most likely because he had some capability or expressed some interest in doing so. Sometimes the abilities we have enable us to function so effortlessly that we let down our moral or spiritual guard as we carry out those duties. Has God allowed you to assume responsibilities that match your strengths? Whether we are preaching, teaching, or managing money, remember that strengths can become weaknesses if we settle for poor preparation, shortcuts, and acting as if we “own” what truly belongs to another. If Christ is truly Lord of all you do, you will be on guard against greed, self-service, and taking moral shortcuts.
12:7-8 “Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.”NRSV Jesus pointed out that Mary was not wasting this perfume on him. Certainly, the money could have been given to the poor; there would always be opportunities to care for the poor. But they would not always have Jesus. Mary understood how special Jesus was. Her anointing with a pint (or pound) of nard was like an ointment put on his body in preparation for burial (Matthew 26:12; Mark 14:8). (Later Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea would actually wrap Jesus’ body with linen and spices —“a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds” 19:39 NIV.)
This act and Jesus’ response to it do not give us permission to ignore the poor. Rather, Jesus explained that his followers would have many opportunities to help the poor, but only a short time to love and honor the Messiah. Mary’s loving act was for a specific occasion —an anointing that anticipated Jesus’ burial and a public declaration of her faith in him as the Messiah. Jesus’ words should have taught Judas a valuable lesson about the worth of money. Unfortunately, Judas did not learn it. In contrast to Mary’s sacrificial gift to Jesus, Judas sold his master’s life for thirty pieces of silver (Matthew 26:14-16), the price one paid a slave owner if one’s ox killed one of his slaves (see Exodus 21:32).
Jesus was so impressed with this outpouring of affection that he declared that Mary’s act would be remembered wherever the gospel was told (Mark 14:9). She had realized how precious it was to have Jesus with them and wanted to demonstrate this before he died. Jesus is precious —to have him with us is the best we could ask for in life. Let us seize the opportunities to demonstrate our love to him.
On the human side, too often we delay expressing our love to people until after they have died. The guilt over missed opportunities is an added weight we can avoid by “keeping current” with our relationships. Today is a great day to express our love to our loved ones. Now is the perfect time to express our love for Christ.
UNDETERRED
Mary’s gift was criticized by others, but appreciated by the Lord. When you give your best to God, you can be sure he appreciates your gift. Do not allow misunderstanding or criticism to deter you. Mary did not bring the gift because she thought she would receive praise from the others; she brought it because she loved Jesus and wanted to show him.
12:9-11 A large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there and came, not only because of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead.NIV Jews were arriving from all over the world for the Passover celebration. Many had heard of the miracle of Lazarus’s resurrection. When they discovered that Jesus had returned to be with Lazarus in Bethany, they came to see both of them.
However, the chief priests planned to put Lazarus to death as well, since it was on account of him that many of the Jews were deserting and were believing in Jesus.NRSV Note the contrast between the crowd (wanting to see Jesus and Lazarus) and the leaders (wanting to kill both). It is the latter, not the people, who were actually guilty of Jesus’ death. The chief priests had already formulated a plan to kill Jesus (11:50-53); then they added Lazarus. His presence, as the one resurrected by the person they wanted to kill, was embarrassing to them. Many Jews were deserting or leaving their allegiance to Judaism and to the Jewish religious leaders and were believing in Jesus.
The chief priests’ blindness and hardness of heart caused them to sink ever deeper into sin. One sin led them to another. From the Jewish leaders’ point of view, they could accuse Jesus of blasphemy because he claimed equality with God. But Lazarus had done nothing of the kind. They wanted Lazarus dead simply because he was a living witness to Jesus’ power.
SECRET DESIRE
We all like to believe we are above petty jealousy and small retaliations. Unfortunately our behavior often proves the opposite. The chief priests, the guardians of God’s royal law, were so driven by jealousy, paranoia, and hate that they enlarged their plan to kill Jesus to include Lazarus.
Most likely you have never been involved in planning someone else’s murder; but, have you ever wished someone would disappear, or found yourself hoping they would make some kind of humiliating mistake that would ruin their career or reputation? Have you secretly desired to have their power or position and justified the wish by claiming “I could do a better job”? If our motivation is to do our best at serving God wherever we are, we won’t need to compare ourselves to others.
JESUS RIDES INTO JERUSALEM / 12:12-19 / 183
John’s description of the Triumphal Entry, mentioned in all four Gospels, is the most brief of the accounts. John’s objective seemed to be to sketch the events, relating them to Old Testament prophecies and explaining that those present did not fully understand all that was going on. He pointed out that these events intensified the animosity of the leaders toward Jesus.
In the other Gospels, we are left with the impression that the crowd’s reaction to Jesus was largely spontaneous. John, however, helpfully explained that those who had witnessed the raising of Lazarus had been busily telling others. The news created great anticipation in Jerusalem of Jesus’ arrival.
12:12-13 The next day the great crowd that had come for the Feast heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem.NIV The day after the feast in Bethany, Jesus made his Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem. Given the importance of the approaching Passover, the road into the Holy City would have been clogged with pilgrims. Among them would have been many people from Galilee, familiar with Jesus from his years of ministry there.
They took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him.NRSV Not only was Jesus part of the large crowd moving toward Jerusalem, others came out to meet him from the city itself. Expectations that something marvelous was soon to happen must have been at fever pitch! The crowd began to shout, “Hosanna! ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’ The King of Israel!”NKJV As they shouted “Hosanna” (which was the equivalent of saying “Praise God!”), they thought that their conquering king had finally come to liberate them from Roman rule. They believed that the one who comes in the name of the Lord was the king of Israel (see Psalm 118:25-26; Zephaniah 3:15; John 1:49). Therefore, the Jews thought they were hailing the arrival of their King! But these people who were praising God for giving them a king had the wrong idea about Jesus. They were sure he would be a national leader who would restore their nation to its former glory; thus they were deaf to the words of their prophets and blind to Jesus’ real mission. When it became apparent that Jesus was not going to fulfill their hopes, many people turned against him.
Along with the shouted greeting, the people chanted an ancient blessing from the Psalms, “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!” The Passover celebration made special use of the “Hallel” section of the Psalms (113–118), singing them as hymns of worship. The crowds would have been singing these expressions as they approached the City of David. But as they accompanied Jesus, the songs became Messianic greetings.
12:14-15 Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it.NRSV Indeed, their King came to them —but not the kind of king they had expected. He did not arrive as a political ruler might, on a mighty horse or in a chariot. Rather, Jesus came to them in the way prophesied by Zechariah: “Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your King is coming, sitting on a donkey’s colt.”NKJV The Old Testament prophet Zechariah had prophesied the arrival of a great king, possibly Alexander the Great, in Zechariah 9:1-8. Then contrasting that, he had prophesied the arrival to Jerusalem’s people (called Daughter of Zion) of their King: “Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, lowly and riding on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey” (Zechariah 9:9, NKJV). In this coming, Israel’s King would be a humble servant, not a conqueror. He would not be exalted to a throne, but lifted up on a cross.
12:16 His disciples did not understand these things at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written of him and had been done to him.NRSV The same kind of statement was made in 2:22. After Christ’s resurrection and subsequent glorification, the disciples remembered these events and understood what they signified. Prior to Jesus’ resurrection, his followers did not understand the significance of his Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem. The Holy Spirit would open their eyes to the meaning of the Old Testament Scriptures and remind them of this and other messianic predictions (14:26; see also Luke 24:25-35, 44-48).
RETROSPECTION
After Jesus’ resurrection, the disciples understood for the first time many of the prophecies that they had missed along the way. Jesus’ words and actions took on new meaning and made more sense. In retrospect, the disciples saw how Jesus had led them into a deeper and better understanding of his truth. Stop and think about the events in your life that God has used to lead you to this point. As you grow older, you will look back and see God’s involvement more clearly than you do now.
12:17-19 As Jesus entered Jerusalem, huge crowds gathered to welcome him. Many in the crowd had seen him raise Lazarus. The crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word. Many people, because they had heard that he had given this miraculous sign, went out to meet him.NIV This statement emphasizes the superficial enthusiasm that possessed most of the cheering throng. They flocked to Jesus because they had heard about his great miracle in raising Lazarus from the dead. Their adoration was short-lived and their commitment shallow, for in a few days they would do nothing to stop his crucifixion. Devotion based only on curiosity or popularity fades quickly.
The Pharisees were exasperated by such exultation. They were hoping to find some sly way to get hold of Jesus and get rid of him while they knew his whereabouts, but it was impossible with the huge adoring crowds surrounding him. Their statement, “the whole world has gone after him!”NIV is ironic —for most of those people did not really believe in Jesus.
DESPERATION
The religious leaders were becoming desperate men. Desperation leads to exaggeration. Jesus’ popularity seemed to be growing to insurmountable heights. The more they tried to stop Jesus, the more his influence increased.
Those who oppose Christ make a hopeless effort. People who have set out to discredit him have ended up bowing before him in worship. The Pharisees were right when they said “This is getting us nowhere.” They were only succeeding as far as their plan coincided with God’s plan. People can spend a lifetime resisting and rejecting Christ, only to discover that they have accomplished nothing but their own destruction.
JESUS EXPLAINS WHY HE MUST DIE / 12:20-36 / 185
As if to confirm the fears expressed in verse 19, this section begins with a group of Gentiles trying to approach Jesus. We are not told if their request for an audience with Christ was ever granted, but Jesus replied to their interest with some instruction on the necessity of his own death.
This passage also includes the third instance of God speaking audibly during the ministry of Jesus. The first was at the baptism of Jesus (Matthew 3:13-17; Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:21-22); the second at the Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-13; Mark 9:2-13; Luke 9:28-36). God the Father broke the silence of heaven to encourage his Son in the final days of his mission on earth. Jesus himself emphasized again the brief time that remained during which the light would still be present. His invitation was to “put your trust in the light . . . so that you may become sons of light” (12:36 NIV).
12:20-22 There were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the Feast.NIV Indeed, it seemed as if the “whole world” had gone after Jesus, as illustrated by these Greeks who came to the Feast and sought a meeting with him. These people were either visitors from Greece or Greek-speaking Jews. They may have been Jewish proselytes or simply God-fearing Gentiles. Whoever they were, they had very likely been among the Passover celebrants who greeted Jesus as he rode into Jerusalem on a donkey (12:12-15).
We can see how God is always in control by noting the timing of the Passover. This annual celebration would bring many people and cultures to Jerusalem. Many of these pilgrims were transplanted Jews who had taken on the characteristics of the cultures in which they lived. Others were Gentile proselytes to the Jewish faith, thrilled with the opportunity to be in Jerusalem, the Holy City. This concentration of people presented an ideal setting for events whose impact would spread across the world. These pilgrims would take the stories home with them. God was training and preparing missionaries even before Jesus had given the great commission (Matthew 28:19-20).
They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. “Sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.”NIV These Greeks probably selected Philip as their emissary to Jesus because, though Philip was a Jew, he had a Greek name. And Philip was from Bethsaida, a town in Galilee near the Greek territory on the eastern side of the Sea of Galilee called Decapolis. The city of Bethsaida itself had a large Greek population, and Philip may have been able to speak Greek.
For a moment Philip hesitated to approach Jesus with the Greeks’ request. Probably everyone wanted to speak with Jesus, and the disciples had to screen these requests. So first, Philip went and told AndrewNRSV (with whom Philip is often associated ——1:40-44;6:7-8; Mark 3:18). Then, Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus.NRSV
The very inclusion of Greeks in the events of the final week has great significance. John continued his pattern of including Gentiles (the world) all along the way (1:12; 3:16). His readers, who may have been Gentiles struggling with their acceptability to God, would have gained encouragement from this incident and Jesus’ response. We Gentiles also ought to be grateful that Christ includes us in his offer of salvation.
12:23-24 Jesus replied.NIV Jesus’ words to Philip and Andrew and perhaps to the other disciples as well were not addressed to the crowd. The crowd (probably including the Greeks) is not mentioned again until verse 29.
“The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified”NRSV through death and resurrection. The “whole world” had gone after Jesus (12:19); even the Greeks wanted to see him (12:20ff). Yet it is exactly at this point, when by human standards Jesus was in a perfect position to consolidate his forces and overwhelm the opposition, that he faced the heart-troubling hour that was upon him. Until this moment, the “hour” had always been a future event. But here Jesus declared that the hour had arrived. It was time, not for kingly honor, but for death. For through Jesus’ death, he was to bring us to God.
“Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.”NRSV This pictures beautifully the necessary sacrifice of Jesus. Unless a grain of wheat is buried in the ground —where it actually dies —it will not become a blade of wheat producing many more grains. The hour had come for Jesus, like a grain of wheat, to die. The buried grain would eventually bring forth much fruit —more fruit than could have been gained had Jesus become the king of Israel on an earthly throne. Indeed, by being lifted up on the cross, Jesus would draw all people to himself.
Jesus’ death becomes our only way to life. Jesus’ death would lead to glory and life for him, and also for all those who believe in him. Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. . . . What is sown is perishable, what is raised is imperishable. It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. It is sown a physical body, it is raised a spiritual body” (1 Corinthians 15:36, 42-44 NRSV). Jesus died to pay the penalty for our sin and also to demonstrate his power over death. His resurrection proves he has eternal life. Because Jesus is God, he can give this same eternal life to all who believe in him.
In his picture of the dying grain, Jesus spoke directly about his own life. He does not necessarily require us to literally give up our lives in sacrificial death as the only way to be fruitful. God does call some believers to die for him. But he calls many more to stay alive for fruitful service (see Romans 12:1-2).
“Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honor.”NRSV This message comes from one who lived what he mandated for his followers. True followers of Jesus must have their priorities in order; if they choose to love their own lives more than their Master, they will lose the very life they seek to maintain. True disciples must be willing to suffer and experience rejection, even unto death if need be. How much do we compromise to avoid rejection?
To serve and follow Jesus means making radical lifestyle changes. What about your goals, interests, hobbies, career choices, habits? To follow Jesus means going the way he went —not the way of earthly power and honor —but the way of humility and death. Everything Jesus did was for God’s glory. When we choose to follow him, we must live for God’s glory alone. This does not mean we have no fun, no joy, no security. Rather, it simply means all that we do is for God’s glory alone. Then God will honor us; then, and only then, will we follow Jesus where he goes —as he explains later, he goes to eternal life with the Father.
The honor from God that Jesus promises may, in fact, be partly experienced in this life, but never entirely. And for many believers, what God has planned by way of honor we can only guess. Meanwhile we can derive real comfort and security from knowing that God observes and remembers each and every act of service we do in his name. None will be forgotten.
COMPLETE COMMITMENT
What does Jesus mean when he tells us to “hate” our life in this world? Jesus wants us to be so committed to living for Christ that we “hate” our life by comparison. Loving our life means that we guard our life so jealously that we squander it on our own pleasures and purposes. In contrast, hating our life means consistently using our resources to follow Christ. It does not mean that we long to die or that we are careless or destructive with the life God has given, but that we are free from self-centeredness and are willing to die if doing so will glorify Christ. We must disown the tyrannical rule of our own self-centeredness. By laying aside our striving for advantage, security, and pleasure, we can serve God lovingly and freely. Releasing control of our life and transferring control to Christ brings eternal life and genuine joy.
Many believed that Jesus came for the Jews only. But when Jesus said, “Whoever serves me must follow me,” he was talking about these Greeks (and all Gentiles) as well. No matter who the sincere seekers are, Jesus welcomes them. His message is for everyone. Social or racial differences must never become barriers to the gospel. The Good News is for all people. “Whoever serves me the Father will honor” is a great assurance for all who serve Christ.
FOR THIS VERY HOUR
Jesus expressed his desire to be delivered from a horrible death, but he knew that God had sent him into the world to die for our sins in our place. In this Gospel, Jesus speaks of “this very hour” with reference to his crucifixion. This is equivalent to what Jesus said in the other Gospels: “not my will, but yours.” Jesus said no to his human desires in order to obey his Father and glorify him. Although we will never have to face such a difficult and awesome task, we are still called to obedience. Whatever the Father asks, we should do his will and bring glory to his name. Let us not fail to say, “your will be done” or “for this very purpose I have come to this hour.”
Are you ready for when God may call you “for this very hour” in the lives of others? Are you aware of a friend in trouble, tensions between yourself and other Christians requiring resolution, or the daily challenges of a difficult job and fellow workers? Are you avoiding some specific problems that won’t go away? Remember it is human to avoid difficulty and pain, but it is Christlike to obey the Father and endure even those tasks which otherwise we would just as soon decline.
“Now My soul is troubled.”NKJV Unlike the synoptic Gospels, John does not record Jesus’ agony in the Garden of Gethsemane prior to his crucifixion (Matthew 26:36-46; Mark 14:32-42; Luke 22:39-46). This is the only indication in John that Jesus was troubled by that approaching hour. His agony proves the genuineness of his humanity.
“And what shall I say, ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour.”NKJV Jesus refused to ask the Father to spare him from the cross (see Romans 8:32) because he knew he had been sent for the very purpose of dying on the cross. Jesus knew his crucifixion lay ahead, and because he was human, he dreaded it. Jesus knew he would have to take the sins of the world on himself (see 2 Corinthians 5:21), and he knew this would separate him from his Father.
12:28-30 “Father, glorify your name.” Jesus now turns his thoughts back to the Father and back to the purpose for which he had come to earth: to glorify his Father. Thus, the Father responded in a voice from heaven, “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.”NRSV God would glorify his name through the obedience of his Son (13:31-32) and then would glorify his name again when he would be reunited (17:5) with his Son after his resurrection.
The Father’s voice was audible but not correctly perceived by the multitude standing around. Some in the crowd said that it was thunder. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.”NRSV Whatever their interpretation of the sound, it could not be denied that the phenomenon was supernatural. Two other times a voice from heaven had been heard —at Jesus’ baptism (Matthew 3:17) and at his transfiguration (Matthew 17:5).
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
Glorify is one of those biblical terms we often use without understanding its true meaning. The Greek root word is doxa, which refers to brightness, beauty, and even fame. One helpful way to think of the word is to substitute the word spotlight. Jesus was consciously giving God, the Father, permission to spotlight himself through what would happen to Christ, God’s Son. The Father responded by affirming that he had already spotlighted his name in Jesus and would continue to do so.
When faced with a difficult task or decision, we can turn our thoughts back to why we are on this earth —to glorify God. Our life can spotlight God’s beauty and spread his fame. We can pray that God will guide us and work through us to glorify his name.
“This voice was for your benefit, not mine.”NIV Jesus made it clear that he did not need this “voice” (he knew that the Father would glorify him); the voice had come for the sake of the people. However, only a few (such as John who recorded this event) understood what was said and who said it. To the others it was merely thunderous noise.
WHO IS SATAN?
The prince of this world is Satan, an angel who rebelled against God. Satan is real, not symbolic, and is constantly working against God and those who obey him. Satan tempted Eve in the Garden and persuaded her to sin; he tempted Jesus in the wilderness and did not persuade him to fall (Matthew 4:1-11). Satan has great power, but people can be delivered from his reign of spiritual darkness because of Christ’s victory on the cross. Satan is powerful, but Jesus is much more powerful. Jesus’ resurrection shattered Satan’s deathly power (Colossians 1:13-14). We live in a time when Satan is both “god of this world” (2 Corinthians 4:4 NRSV) and already defeated (John 12:31). When we trust self, he is “god of this world” and we are defeated; when we trust Christ, Satan is defeated and we are victorious. To overcome Satan we need faithful allegiance to God’s Word, determination to stay away from sin, and the support of other believers.
12:31-33 Anticipating his glorification through death and resurrection, Jesus proclaimed: “Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out.”NIV From our perspective we see how Christ’s death brought judgment on those who had the upper hand in the world’s system: Judas, Caiaphas, Pilate, and the Jewish religious leaders. But the Son had ultimately come to destroy the works of Satan, who, as the prince of this world, controlled the minds of people —producing unbelief. Therefore, the world would be judged in the sense that Satan, the ruler of the world (see 14:30; 16:11; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Ephesians 2:2; 6:12; Revelation 12:9), would be driven out —his final and ultimate weapon, death, was about to be overcome (see 1 Corinthians 15:26; Hebrews 2:14).
“And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” He said this to indicate the kind of death he was to die.NRSV As he did earlier, Jesus spoke about his death in terms of being lifted up (see 3:14; 8:28). John’s explanation makes it clear that this expression signified the mode of execution —the cross onto which Jesus would be nailed and then lifted up and left to die. Jesus knew that he would not die by stoning, something the Jews had already tried to do (8:59), but by crucifixion. That Jesus will draw all people to himself does not mean that everyone will ultimately be saved. Jesus has already made it clear that some will not be saved (5:28-29). Rather like his word whoever in verse 26, Jesus was saying that his offer of salvation extends to all people, not just to the Jews. Jesus’ incredible love, expressed in his death for all people, will draw and unify those who believe, so that sin, evil, and death (the weapons of the prince of this world) will be powerless.
12:34 The crowd spoke up, “We have heard from the Law that the Christ will remain forever, so how can you say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this ‘Son of Man’?”NIV The people had heard from the Law (i.e., the Old Testament Scriptures ——see10:34) that the Messiah would live and reign forever (see Psalm 72:17; Isaiah 9:6-7; Ezekiel 37:26-28). They had believed that Jesus had been making a claim to be the Messiah, and here they were waving palm branches for a victorious Messiah who they thought would set up a political, earthly kingdom that would never end. So it was difficult for them to believe that Jesus was the Messiah when he spoke of his imminent death —and that on a cross. Therefore, they wanted clarification about what Jesus meant when he used the term the Son of Man. Was this Son of Man someone different than the Messiah? And if so, who was the Son of Man?
LIGHTEN UP
Jesus said he would be with them in person for only a short time, and they should take advantage of his presence while they had it. Like a light shining in a dark place, he would point out the way they should walk. If they walked in his light, they would become “children of light,” revealing the truth and pointing people to God. As Christians, we are to be Christ’s light bearers, letting his light shine through us. How brightly is your light shining? Can others see Christ in your actions?
12:35 Then Jesus told them, “You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you.”NIV Jesus did not attempt to clear up the people’s confusion about the Messiah. Rather, he admonished them to live in the light while he was still with them (see also 1:5-9; 3:18-21; 8:12; 9:4-5). The ones enlightened by God would recognize their Messiah. The light of Jesus’ physical presence on earth was about to be extinguished, and the darkness of Satan’s evil influence and sin would overtake those who would refuse to accept Jesus’ light.
“If you walk in the darkness, you do not know where you are going.”NRSV To walk in Satan’s darkness is to stumble through life with no guidance, no help, no protection, no understanding, no ultimate goal or meaning.
WHERE ARE YOU GOING?
Our passion for sharing the gospel can almost be measured by how deeply we recognize the lostness of others. Do we really believe that people we see every day are walking in darkness? Have we ever asked them, “Do you know where your life is going?”
We know people who have no purpose, plan, or personal meaning in their lives. They sense no mission in their career, their family lacks unity, and their personal lives are uneasy and empty. They may not accept the directions we offer them in Christ. But what does it say about us if we know they are lost but never offer to help?
12:36 “While you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become children of light.”NRSV Believe in Jesus, who is the light, and become his children. The opportunity was available to all, but not for much longer, for Jesus was about to depart this world. The following statement affirms this —both actually and symbolically: Jesus spoke these things, and he left and hid himself from them.NIV
FOLLOW THE LIGHT
Even a small light can guide a person down a dark path or through a darkened room. There only needs to be enough light to see the way. Although we may not see everything clearly in life, we must act on the light we have. We can’t wait until everything is clear.
Hear the urgency in Jesus’ words, “Walk while you have the light, before the darkness overtakes you.” Conditions may not be perfect, problems may be unsolved, and questions may be unanswered, but if Christ calls you, follow his light.
MOST OF THE PEOPLE DO NOT BELIEVE IN JESUS / 12:37-43 / 186
As he does persistently, John never allows his readers to avoid the decision about what to do with Jesus Christ. For those ready to respond, no obstacle will keep them from belief. For those whose hearts are hardened, even the most compelling reasons for faith become obstacles. John soberly reminds us that many of those who believe in Jesus still allow the pressures and fears of people to hinder their faith. Hidden faith may avoid a confrontation with others, but it seldom pleases God.
THE TRUE WAY OF ENLIGHTENMENT
In this section, Jesus mentioned three ways that we can use the light:
- Walk in the light —put into action those lessons and commands that God allows you to see.
- Put your trust in the light —confidently depend on Christ for your present and future.
- Become children of light —allow Christ to shine his light through you so that others might see the light.
12:37-41 Even after Jesus had done all these miraculous signs in their presence, they still would not believe in him.NIV Jesus had performed enough miraculous signs to cause people to believe in him. The greatest of all signs —raising Lazarus from the dead —should have been enough to elicit faith from all those who saw it and even heard about it. Yet the Jewish people still refused to believe that Jesus was the Messiah.
This unbelief had been predicted by Isaiah. In the opening of his chapter on the suffering Savior, Isaiah asked, “Lord, who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?”NKJV (Quoted from Isaiah 53:1.) It took revelation from God to know that Jesus was the arm of the LORD (the one through whom God demonstrated his mighty power). But the Jews lacked this understanding. Why? Because it was prophesied, claimed John, who again quoted Isaiah: “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, lest they should see with their eyes, lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, so that I should heal them.”NKJV This quotation (taken from Isaiah 6:9-10) appears quite often in the New Testament because it provides a prophetic explanation for why the Jews did not perceive Jesus’ message nor receive him as their Messiah (see also Matthew 13:14; Mark 4:12; Luke 8:10; Acts 28:26). And because they would not believe, they eventually could not believe. As a result, the Jews remained unenlightened and hardened. They had not seen what Isaiah had seen, for Isaiah said this because he saw Jesus’ glory and spoke about him.NIV Isaiah had seen the Lord of glory, who is none other than Jesus himself —Jesus is God, yet he is also a distinct part of the mysterious Trinity, and he is also Jesus the Son.
HARDENED
People in Jesus’ time, like those in the time of Isaiah, would not believe despite the evidence (12:37). As a result, God hardened their hearts. Does that mean God intentionally prevented these people from believing in him? No, he simply confirmed their own choices. After a lifetime of resisting God, they had become so set in their ways that they wouldn’t even try to understand Jesus’ message. For such people, it is virtually impossible to come to God —their hearts have been permanently hardened. Other instances of hardened hearts because of constant stubbornness are recorded in Exodus 9:12; Romans 1:24-28; and 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12.
As a result of his vision of Jesus’ glory (Isaiah 6:1-3), Isaiah predicted the blindness to come. Isaiah spoke much about Jesus, the coming Messiah (see Isaiah 4:2; 7:14; 9:6-7; 11:1-5, 10; 32:1; 42:1-4; 49:1-7; 52:13–53:12; 61:1-3). Isaiah’s prophecies gave the people no excuse. He foretold that there would be persistent unbelief in Israel and that God would use their rejection of Christ to open the door to the Gentiles.
DESPITE THE EVIDENCE
Jesus had performed many miracles, but most people still didn’t believe in him. Likewise, many today won’t believe despite all God does. Don’t be discouraged if your witness for Christ doesn’t turn as many to him as you’d like. Your job is to continue as a faithful witness. You are responsible to reach out to others, but they are responsible for their own decisions.
Nevertheless many, even of the authorities, believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they did not confess it, for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue; for they loved human glory more than the glory that comes from God.NRSV These “authorities” were the leaders of Israel (see 3:1). Several of these leaders had some kind of faith in Jesus, but they were afraid to make an open confession of this faith because the Pharisees would expel them from the synagogue for doing so. John made the point that their faith was weak, and he described the reason: They were still subject to the lure of human praise (see 5:44). But John primarily warned his readers that secret faith does not ultimately please God. Secrecy may be prudent at times (witness the presence of secret believers and churches in repressive societies like China and the former Romanian state), but that usually comes from a courageous strategy. All too often we remain silent at the very times we ought to be confessing our faith in Christ.
PEER FEAR
Along with those who refused to believe, many believed but refused to admit it. This is just as bad, and Jesus had strong words for such people (see Matthew 10:32-33). Many people will not take a stand for Jesus because they fear rejection or ridicule. Many Jewish leaders wouldn’t admit to faith in Jesus because they feared excommunication from the synagogue (which was their livelihood) and loss of their prestigious place in the community. But the praise of people is fickle and short-lived. We should be much more concerned about God’s eternal acceptance than about the temporary approval of other people.
JESUS SUMMARIZES HIS MESSAGE / 12:44-50 / 187
John closes this section in his gospel about Jesus’ public ministry with a summary of Jesus’ entire testimony. The shared Passover meal will take up the next several chapters. But John leaves his readers with the cry of Jesus’ final public speech ringing in their ears. It is an ultimatum set before the crowds: Believe in Jesus, the Light of the World, or live in darkness under God’s judgment.
12:44-45 Jesus left the crowds temporarily (12:36-37), but in one final public appearance he appealed to his hearers to believe in him (see also 5:17-44; 6:27-65; 7:16-18; 8:14-58; 10:14-18) and thereby walk in his light. In this appeal, he affirmed his union with the Father: “Whoever believes in me believes not in me but in him who sent me. And whoever sees me sees him who sent me.”NRSV Because the Son sent by the Father is the visible expression of the Father to all people (see 14:9-11), those who believe in the Son also believe in the Father. Jesus is God. We do not believe in God or in Jesus —to believe in God we must believe in Jesus. If you want to know what God is like, study the person and words of Jesus Christ.
12:46 “I have come as light into the world, so that everyone who believes in me should not remain in the darkness.”NRSV Those who believe in Jesus have left Satan’s dark kingdom and influence, and they have entered the light of God’s kingdom. Some people in the church act as though they still remain in darkness. Jesus died so that we might be transformed. If our life is not changing, we may not have begun to really follow the light.
12:47-48 “I do not judge anyone who hears my words and does not keep them, for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. The one who rejects me and does not receive my word has a judge; on the last day the word that I have spoken will serve as judge.”NRSV Jesus repeated the important truth that he came not to judge the world but to save it (see also 3:17; 8:15-16); but his rejected words would condemn all unbelievers in the judgment at the last day (see 3:31-36; 5:22-23, 26-30; 9:39).
The purpose of Jesus’ first mission on earth was not to judge people, but to show them the way to find salvation and eternal life. When he comes again, one of his main purposes will be to judge people for how they lived. People will be condemned because they would not accept and obey Jesus. On the day of judgment, those who have accepted Jesus and lived his way will be raised to eternal life (1 Corinthians 15:51-57; 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18; Revelation 21:1-8), and those who have rejected Jesus and lived any way they pleased will face eternal punishment (Revelation 20:11-15). Decide now your future fate, for the consequences of your decision will last forever.
12:49 “I have not spoken on my own, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment about what to say and what to speak.”NRSV Jesus’ mission was to faithfully convey the words of God to all who would truly listen. He knew that those who rejected those words would be rejecting life. God himself instructed Jesus what to say. Jesus did not change that message. Some, like the Jehovah’s Witnesses, have used verses like this to say that Jesus was not God because he was so subordinate to the Father. But Jesus’ essential, divine being was not subordinate to the Father —in all things he was equal with God (Philippians 2:5-6); rather, Jesus coordinated his will to fully comply with the Father’s will. Thus, to respond to Jesus is to respond to God. To believe in Jesus is to believe in God. To reject Jesus is to reject God. To hear Jesus’ words makes each person responsible before God for what he or she does with them.
12:50 “I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.”NIV Jesus closed his message with one final appeal to accept the words he had spoken as having come from the Father. To accept those words is to receive eternal life (3:16-17, 35-36; 5:24-29, 39-40).
About this Study Bible
