John 12 - Every Man's Bible

12:1-8  Mary’s faith in Jesus is a testimony to us all. Scripture records three times in which she knelt in humble faith at Jesus’ feet: She sat at Jesus’ feet listening to what he taught (Luke 10:39); she threw herself at his feet crying and seeking comfort (John 11:32); and here she knelt to clean and anoint his feet with expensive perfume. Jesus was first in her heart, and she surrendered herself to him. The decision to surrender all we are and have to God is crucial. When we do this, God is able and willing to help us with the problems we face.

12:12-19  Jesus had just raised Lazarus from the dead in front of many witnesses, and the people were hailing Jesus as their Messiah. In a few days, however, they would stand back and do nothing as the Jewish leaders and Roman soldiers crowned Jesus with thorns and executed him as a pretentious “King of the Jews” (18:39–19:22). The world’s affections for God blow hot and cold. But we are called to follow Jesus even when it is not the popular thing to do.

12:23-25  Instead of giving a king’s acceptance speech, Jesus explained why he would have to die. He said, in effect: “I must die so that I can bring new life to you. If you want this new life, follow me.” There is a form of death to the old life that precedes the coming of new life. We are called to move from brokenness to healing, guilt to forgiveness, and from isolation to intimacy.

12:42-43  Many of the Jewish leaders believed in Jesus, but their faith was rendered ineffective by their fear and isolation. They were more concerned about what their peers thought of them than they were about what God thought. This kind of faith will never take us very far. If we hope to make real spiritual progress, we need to share our belief in God with others. When we tell others what we believe, we are inviting them to hold us accountable. Accountability for our intentions, attitudes, and actions helps our spiritual development.