John 12: Triumphal entry. prediction of death, belief and unbelief

• v.1-11 Jesus Anointed at Bethany
• v.12-19 Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King
• v.20-36 Jesus Predicts His Death
• v.37-50 Belief and Unbelief Among the Jews

v.1-11 Jesus Anointed at Bethany

v.1-3 Back at Bethany Jesus is anointed

v.1 Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead.

v.2 Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him.

v.3 Then 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.

[Note: They return to Bethany for a celebration meal and Mary pours oil over Jesus’ feet.]

v.4-6 Judas objects

v.4 But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected,

v.5 “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.”

v.6 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.

[Note: Judas objects that it could have been used for the poor, but he had bad motives.]

v.7,8 Jesus defends her

v.7 “Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial.

v.8 You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.”

[Note: Jesus tells him off, he won’t always be with them.]

v.9-11 ‘The Lazarus Effect’ – 1

v.9 Meanwhile 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.

v.10,11 So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, for on account of him many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and believing in him.

[Note: A crowd gather to see Jesus AND Lazarus, and this makes the religious authorities upset.]

v.12-19 Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King

v.12-16 Jesus ‘stage manages’ a triumphal entry to Jerusalem

v.12 The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem.

v.13 They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, “Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the king of Israel!”

v.14 Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, as it is written:

v.15 “Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion; see, your king is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.” 

v.16 At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that these things had been done to him.

[Note: The crowd hear Jesus is coming to Jerusalem and so they welcome him as a conquering king [Psa 118:25,26]. Jesus had a donkey to ride in on, just as prophesied [Zech. 9:9]. Only later did the disciples understand.]

v.17-19 ‘The Lazarus Effect’ – 2

v.17 Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word.

v.18 Many people, because they had heard that he had performed this sign, went out to meet him.

v.19 So the Pharisees said to one another, “See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!”

[Note: The crowd grew and spread the word because of what had happened to Lazarus, and so many people came to meet him, and this upset the Pharisees even more.]

v.20-36 Jesus Predicts His Death

v.20-23 Greeks come & Jesus sees it as a confirmation sign

v.20 Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the festival.

v.21 They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. “Sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.”

v.22 Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus.

v.23 Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.

[Note: Some Greeks (possibly Greek-orientated Jews from out of the country) came and approached Philip who passed on the word, and Jesus acknowledges his time has come.]

v.24,25 The death & resurrection principle

v.24 Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.

v.25 Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.

[Note: Jesus lays down a principle – death must precede new life, and that applies to all of us.]

v.26-30 The Father affirms the Son

v.26 Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.

v.27 “Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour.

v.28 Father, glorify your name!” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.”

v.29 The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him.

v.30 Jesus said, “This voice was for your benefit, not mine.

[Note: Jesus teaches follow and serve and be honored, but he is troubled at the thought of what is to come and asks the Father to be glorified. Suddenly a voice from heaven speaks, and the crowd hear something, and Jesus says the voice was for them (possibly the disciples who would remember it).]

v.31-33 The significance of the coming time

v.31 Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out.

v.32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”

v.33 He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die.

[Note: Jesus taught judgment time is coming and when he is lifted up it will release people to be drawn to him. He refers to his death.]

v.34-36 Believe in the light while you can

v.34 The crowd spoke up, “We have heard from the Law that the Messiah will remain forever, so how can you say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this ‘Son of Man’?”

v.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. Whoever walks in the dark does not know where they are going.

v.36 Believe in the light while you have the light, so that you may become children of light.” When he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them.

[Note: The crowd question and so Jesus spoke more on light and darkness, calling them to believe in the Light.]

v.37-50 Belief and Unbelief Among the Jews

v.37-40 Prophetic unbelief

v.37 Even after Jesus had performed so many signs in their presence, they still would not believe in him.

v.38-40 This was to fulfil the word of Isaiah the prophet: “Lord, who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”  For this reason they could not believe, because, as Isaiah says elsewhere: “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, so they can neither see with their eyes, nor understand with their hearts, nor turn—and I would heal them.”

v.41 Isaiah said this because he saw Jesus’ glory and spoke about him.

[Note: Some still wouldn’t believe – to fulfil prophecy – Isa 53:1 & Isa 6:10, for Isaiah referred to Jesus.]

v.42-47 Believers and belief leading to salvation

v.42,43 Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not openly acknowledge their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; for they loved human praise more than praise from God.

v.44 Then Jesus cried out, “Whoever believes in me does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me.

v.45 The one who looks at me is seeing the one who sent me.

v.46 I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.

v.47 “If anyone hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge that person. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world.

[Note: Yet some leaders believed but wouldn’t say it openly, so Jesus taught, believe in me and you believe in God, look at me and you will see God. I have come as light to save, not to judge.]

v.48-50 The Son speaks, the Father judges

v.48 There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the very words I have spoken will condemn them at the last day.

v.49 For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken.

v.50 I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.”

[Note: He continued with a warning, their words of unbelief will condemn them. He only spoke what his Father said, and God’s command leads to eternal life.]

For those who may wish to make a study of this chapter, to perhaps think some more about what you have been reading, use the link below: