John 12 - NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible
12:1 Bethany was some two miles (three kilometers) east of Jerusalem, on the eastern side of the Mount of Olives. Because the number of pilgrims would swell Jerusalem’s population even “six days before the Passover,” it makes sense for Jesus to stay with friends in Bethany.
12:2 reclining at the table with him. Normally guests would recline, with about three or four per table; Lazarus and Jesus were apparently at the same table.
12:3 a pint of pure nard. Spikenard was a costly oil with a sweet smell, imported from northern India. Scholars estimate that the pint referred to here (a Roman pound) was nearly 12 ounces, at about 324 grams. Many flasks contained only a single ounce, so Mary’s flask is a large one. poured it on Jesus’ feet. Hosts would normally provide water for the feet, anointing only the head; Mary is shockingly extravagant. Moreover, only servants normally handled a person’s feet. wiped his feet with her hair. Women’s hair was normally covered (see the article “Head Coverings in Antiquity”), although it would not be required in the case of a single woman, as Mary probably was at this time, or alone in her home.
12:6 he was a thief. A group’s trusted treasurer stealing money was scandalous; outsiders would criticize the entire group.
12:7 perfume for the day of my burial. Men could wash only men’s corpses; women could wash either men’s or women’s corpses. After anointing and washing the body, spices (as in v. 3) could be applied to reduce the smell of the body decomposing.
12:8 You will always have the poor. Dt 15:11 warns that the poor will always be in the land; the context uses this point to encourage generosity toward them, promising Israel that if they cared for the poor God would supply the nation’s needs. Jesus’ point is to prioritize devotion to him, not to diminish the importance of serving the poor.
12:12 great crowd . . . had come for the festival. This group would include many Galileans who already knew Jesus’ works. Those present in Jerusalem during festivals often hailed new pilgrims, but Jesus is hailed in a special manner.
12:13 took palm branches. People waved palm branches to celebrate victories, including for Judeans (1 Maccabees 13:51; 2 Maccabees 10:7). Hosanna! Lit. “Save!” Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! A quote from Ps 118:25–26; these lines belong to the Hallel (Ps 113–118), sung during Passover. Hopes for redemption ran high at Passover. the king of Israel! Suggests hope that Jesus may be the Messiah. The context immediately qualifies the character of his kingship (vv. 14–15).
12:15 seated on a donkey’s colt. Zec 9:9 speaks of a “gentle” king (when applied to rulers the description meant gracious and merciful). Most scholars believe this means that he comes as a king, but not as a warrior-conqueror (who would normally ride a horse or be drawn in a chariot).
12:19 the whole world has gone after him! Ancient texts often used irony meant to be caught by the reader but not by the speakers within the narrative. Here, ironically, immediately after they mention “the whole world” Greeks approach Jesus (vv. 20–21).
12:20 Greeks. Probably refers to citizens of eastern Mediterranean cities who were counted as descendants of those who self-identified as culturally Greek. This group of people often clashed with Jews, but because these Greeks have come to the temple for the festival they are presumably God-fearers (see note on Ac 10:2).
12:21 They came to Philip. That the Greeks (v. 20) sought out Philip first makes sense. Most of the Twelve had traditional Jewish names, but Philip’s name is Greek; he came from the region governed by Herod Philip. Bethsaida. Its location made natural connections with the Decapolis, which consisted of ten cities that were Greek in character.
12:23 hour has come . . . to be glorified. Because Jesus was to draw “all people” (v. 32; cf. 3:16; 4:42), the coming of the Greeks (v. 20) precipitates Jesus’ destined “hour” (also, e.g., 7:30; 8:20; 13:1). Both Gentile and Jewish literature spoke of a person’s appointed time, day, or “hour” to die. glorified. Although the Roman world viewed crucifixion as humiliating torture, Jesus associates it with his glory (which also means “honor”).
12:24 Even in cities, ancient Mediterranean people often used and normally understood agrarian images.
12:25 hates their life . . . eternal life. Jewish apocalyptic writers agreed that eternal life was well worth losing one’s life in this age.
12:28 voice came from heaven. Sometimes God spoke with a voice from heaven (e.g., Ge 22:15–18). Later Jewish teachers recognized this means of God speaking, calling it a bat qol.
12:29 said it had thundered. Scripture sometimes compares God’s voice to thunder (2Sa 22:14; Job 37:2, 5; 40:9; Ps 18:13; 29:3–7). Thunder also accompanied some revelations of God (Ex 19:16; 20:18).
12:31 time for judgment. Judgment was normally associated with the final day, but in Jesus it has begun (cf. 3:18–19). prince of this world. Jewish texts recognized Satan’s dominion over the world, though there is no record of them using this title for him.
12:32 lifted up. Lifting can be a wordplay: it can refer to either figurative exaltation or to literal hoisting of a body on a tree or cross (cf. Ge 40:13, 19). Here it certainly refers to Jesus’ death (v. 33), as implied in 3:14 and 8:28 (“when you have lifted up the Son of Man” is addressed to Jesus’ enemies in 8:28). The phrase undoubtedly echoes Isa 52:13, which in its Greek translation also mentions the servant being “glorified” (see Jn 12:23, 31–32). Some other ancient writers spoke of being “lifted up” on a cross.
12:34 the Messiah will remain forever . . . The Son of Man. Scripture promised that the Messiah (Isa 9:6–7) and Son of Man (Da 7:13–14) would reign forever.
12:35–36 light . . . darkness . . . children of light. First-century Judeans would readily grasp Jesus’ image of day and night here. The Dead Sea Scrolls contrasted the children of light who walked in the light with the children of darkness.
12:38 The unbelief of Jesus’ contemporaries (v. 37) fulfilled Scripture. John quotes Isa 53:1, following the very context alluded to earlier (Isa 52:13 in Jn 12:23, 32).
12:40 John quotes Isa 6:10, apparently adjusting the Septuagint, the pre-Christian Greek version of the OT, in light of the Hebrew original. See note on Mk 4:12.
12:41 Jesus’ glory. The verse just quoted in v. 40 (Isa 6:10) comes from a context in which Isaiah saw God’s glory (Isa 6:1–5). (For other OT visions related to Jesus, cf. notes on Jn 1:14–18; 8:56.) Jewish interpreters naturally connected texts that shared common key terms, and this Isaiah context links readily with the one quoted in v. 38 (Isa 53:1). Both Isa 6:1 and Isa 52:13 use “high” or “exalted” and “lifted up”; the former applies the terms to God (cf. also Isa 57:15) and the latter to the suffering servant, further linking God and Jesus.
12:43 loved human praise. Ancient Mediterranean men vied for honor and abhorred shame. The Greek term that the NIV translates here as “praise” is the same Greek word for “glory” in v. 41.
12:44–50 Summaries of key themes were common at the end of sections or works; many scholars view vv. 44–50 as such a summary.
12:45 seeing the one who sent me. Divine Wisdom (see notes on 1:1, 3, 4–5) appears as God’s image in Wisdom of Solomon 7:26.
12:48 the very words I have spoken. Other teachers affirmed that God’s law would judge at the end; Jesus equates his own words here with those of God (because he speaks God’s words, v. 49).
12:50 what the Father has told me to say. An agent or messenger was supposed to communicate the sender’s message without introducing their own ideas.
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