CHAPTER 12
Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. John 12:1
The countdown to the Passover and the crucifixion of Jesus had now begun in earnest. Jesus and his disciples visited once more at their safe-house in Bethany. The city of Bethany was one of the cities and boundaries laid down by the law where the overflow crowds of pilgrims could go and lodge for the Passover.1 Of course, Jesus was already famous in Bethany due to the resurrection of Lazarus. It is only John’s gospel that mentions the presence of Lazarus there.2 However, Lazarus was raised from the dead and was no doubt ready to enjoy a great banquet.
Stedman cannot help but speculate on how Lazarus would be received in our day: “We can only imagine what the media today would do with a story like that. Lazarus would have been on the 700 Club and on the PTL program. He probably would have already signed a contract to write of his experiences during the four days he was dead! He would be so pressed he probably wouldn’t even have time to be at this supper!” 3 Lord, spare us!
“Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him” (12:2). There has been some question about this dinner or banquet, as to where it was served. Two other gospels, Matthew and Mark state that it was indeed in Bethany, and was at the home of Simon the leper (cf. Matt. 26:6-13; Mk. 14:3-9. The commentator Barnes feels certain that the banquet took place at Simon’s house.4 Certainly, Simon was a healed leper or otherwise social contact with him would have been prohibited.
Luke tells of a similar story that took place in the house of Simon the Pharisee (Lk. 7:36-50). Morris notes that this anointing probably took place in the Galilee, earlier in the ministry of Jesus. It was located in the house of a Pharisee, also by the name of Simon. There is no evidence that this Simon was a leper. The woman in that case also anointed Jesus from an alabaster jar and wiped his feet with her tears. It is specifically noted that she was a sinful woman. Morris says, “There is no reason for equating Mary of Bethany with Luke’s ‘sinner.’” 5
This meal in Bethany was obviously a banquet celebrating Jesus, but it might have included some celebration of the raising of Lazarus. It could have been a large banquet and Martha thus may have helped in the serving. Martha probably could not be kept from doing the thing she loved, serving others. Lazarus was probably just enjoying the good meal. Coffman says, “This is the only New Testament reference to activity on the part of persons raised from the dead by Jesus; and the glimpse of Lazarus’ life is one of normality.” 6
THE ANOINTING AT BETHANY
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” John 12:3
We have here an incredible and quite astounding picture of Mary’s service to Jesus. In this public banquet Mary came and poured a pint (.47 lit.) of pure nard on Jesus and began to wipe his feet with her hair. Since this was a public banquet it may have been that the feet of the guests were not washed as was the usual custom. Today we might wonder how Mary could have gotten under the table and ministered to Jesus. In those days regular meals were conducted with people sitting, but banquets were given Roman style, with people lounging alongside low-rising tables.7 People propped up on their left elbows, ate with their right hands, with their feet pointing away from the table in a prone position. Therefore, it was very easy for Mary to anoint Jesus’ feet.
In this account we note that the nard was a very precious item. With reckless abandon she broke the alabaster jar and poured its whole contents on Jesus (Mk. 14:3). Then she did a most unusual thing in that society. She let her hair down and wiped Jesus’ feet with her hair. In those days a respectable woman would never appear in public with unbound hair.8 It is still true today in Israel that orthodox Jewish women try to always have their heads covered in some fashion when in public.
When we look at this account we need to compare it with the corresponding accounts in Matthew 26:6-13 and Mark 14:3-9. In both these accounts we learn that the expensive anointment was also put on Jesus’ head. It no doubt ran down from his head and touched other parts of his body. Then the feet were anointed. It seems that John was very interested in the fact of Jesus’ feet being anointed. Since it was usually the lowest slave’s job to wash the feet of the guests, Mary was doing a very humble work. Barker and Kohlenberger say “…Wiping his feet with her hair was a gesture of utmost devotion and reverence.” 9
We are told that the aroma of the anointment filled the house where the banquet was held. How the fragrance of her act has also filled the pages of Christian history since that time. This act may make us wonder how we in our day can anoint Jesus with our precious things. It cannot just involve our giving to the church or even helping out some poor soul who is in need, although these things are important. What do we have today that is really precious? In this hurried and almost frantic age one really precious thing we have is time. It is precious because we seem to have less and less of it. One way we can pour precious oil on Jesus is to set aside some wholly devoted time just to worship and love him. This needs to be without distraction. It can be in a time of prayer or meditation or both. Barclay says, “There is a time for doing and for saying things; and, when it is past, they may never be said and never be done.” 10
This ointment is quite unknown to us in this day. However, for the ancients it was exceedingly precious. The encyclopedia tells us: “Spikenard, also called nard, nardin, and muskroot, is a class of aromatic amber-colored essential oil derived from Nardostachys jatamansi, a flowering plant of the Valerian family which grows in the Himalayas of Nepal, China, and India.” 11 In the Greek of this verse the expression is murou nardou pistikēs (perfume of nard that is pure). The descriptive word pistikēs has been much debated by scholars. It has been translated as “pure.” However, the truth is that no one actually knows what the word means.12 It could refer to the fact that it was pure, or that it was a liquid. It could even refer to a place name.13 A large part of the value of this substance was the great distance over which it had to be transported.
THE DISCIPLES COMPLAIN
But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.” John 12:4-5.
We might know that Judas would object to what he considered a waste of this valuable substance. Matthew 26:8, however, indicates that Judas was not alone and that several of the disciples objected and joined in with Judas. In the calculating mind of Judas Iscariot he was able to come up with a value to the ointment. It was worth more than 300 denarii (Mk. 14:5 NJB). Since a denari was about the value of a day’s wages for a working man (Mt. 20:1-16), it would have amounted to a year’s wages (people did not earn on Sabbaths and holidays).14
So what we have here is something exceedingly precious. Each person can arrive at a value in his or her own currency. In the US today it would surely be worth a bare minimum of $20,000. This tells us that the family of Lazarus was not poor. Still, this ointment was more than likely an heirloom. Utley suggests that Mary was still unmarried and this very expensive spice was likely set aside as her dowry.15 Amazingly, she was able to pour every drop of it out on Jesus. How important it is that we should give our roses to people while they can still smell them and not just bring roses to their funerals.16
“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” (12:6). Not much was said in a derogatory way about Judas while he was alive. However, Jesus always knew that Judas was of the devil and would betray him (6:70-71). Because of his greed he sold the Lord for a few pieces of silver and then went out to a horrible end by hanging himself. John, near the end of the first century could accurately appraise the character of Judas. He was simply a thief. How poorly he compares here to Mary. He stole from Jesus and the disciples while Mary gave the most precious thing she had to the Lord. The Bible says, “The memory of the righteous is blessed, But the name of the wicked will rot” (Prov. 10:7 NAS).
Judas had been designated as the keeper of the disciples’ funds. We note that he helped himself to make unauthorized withdrawals from the funds. They were carried by him in a money bag (Gk. glōssokomon) sometimes translated as money box. Whether bag or box, Judas usually had his hand in it.
“‘Leave her alone,’ Jesus replied. ‘It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me’” (12:7-8). Barker and Kohlenberger comment: “Mary seems to have been the only one who was sensitive to the impending death of Jesus and who was willing to give a material expression of her esteem for him.” 17 It is interesting that after the resurrection several devout women came to anoint the body of Jesus, but they were too late. He was already risen from the dead. Mary anointed his body while she still had opportunity.
Here we might remember the words of Isaac Watts’ great hymn:
When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.
What great lines! Charles Wesley reportedly said that he “would give up all his other hymns to have written this one.” 18
We realize that Jesus’ words were a very stern and embarrassing rebuke to Judas. Wiersbe suspects that this rebuke played a big part in his later decision to betray the Master. 19 Jesus’ words conveyed the idea that Mary would somehow “save” the perfume. Coffman feels that it was saved as “…a timeless and world-wide memorial to Mary’s name and honor.” 20 Indeed, Matthew and Mark speak of Jesus lauding her. Jesus says in Matthew 26:13, “Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her” (cf. Mk. 14:9).
Jesus’ note on the poor is of interest. Societies will always have poor people no matter how affluent they are. The poor are always on the bottom rung of society. In some countries the poor are almost like the rich when compared to poorer nations.
JESUS BECOMES POPULAR
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. John 12:9
It is clear that Jesus’ raising of Lazarus had a shocking and unifying effect upon the crowds of people, including those multitudes who were gathering for the Passover. The people wanted to see Jesus but they also wanted to get a glimpse of Lazarus who had been raised from the dead.
At the major festivals, and especially at Passover, very large crowds gathered in Jerusalem. Jewish people came together throughout the land and from many foreign countries for this event. Barclay says that one occasion as many as 256,000 lambs were slain at Passover. He estimates a minimum of ten people for each lamb, and he calculates the crowds could be as large as 2,700,000.21 There were crowds of people camping all over the hills near Jerusalem and thus we can see how many of these people were looking for Jesus and Lazarus. No doubt, the good news of Lazarus was like electricity running through the masses.
“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” (12:10-11). Clearly, the rampant jealousy and envy of the priests had caused the spirit of murder to lurk in their hearts. They could not stand the thought of the vast crowds going over to Lazarus and to Jesus. The Sadducees, who did not believe in the resurrection were now confronted with Lazarus who had now been raised from the dead. The leaders were very fearful of losing their positions. The Romans allowed much freedom in their ruled countries but the one thing they did not allow was civil disorder. When significant disorder occurred the Roman government acted swiftly upon those responsible and often removed those in authority.22 Utley says, “The blindness and bias of these Jewish leaders reflect the darkness of fallen humanity.” 23
THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY
The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. 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!” John 12:12-13
Clearly there were two crowds represented here. There were those residents who had been present in Bethany and the many who had come to be with Mary and Martha. Then there were the crowds who had arrived for the great festival.24 This triumphal entry into Jerusalem was very important and was spoken of in all four gospels (cf. Matt. 21:1-11; Mk. 11:1-11; Lk. 19:28-38).
We see people waving palm branches in this demonstration. It is only John who mentions the palm branches. As the people wave their palms they shout Hosanna, a Hebrew word meaning “Save, I pray…” 25 They seem to be quoting Psalm 118:1-29, which is part of the Hallel. Palm trees of various types flourish in the warmer parts of Israel but they can also be found at Jerusalem and other higher elevations. The waving of palms was a customary greeting for Israel’s heroes. They were used in the worship of God (Lev. 23:40) and we see the redeemed of Revelation 7:9 waving palms before the Lord. 26 Palms also have given their name to the great Christian holiday of Palm Sunday.
“Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, as it is written: ‘Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion; see, your king is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt’” (12:14-15). When we compare this to the accounts in the three synoptic gospels we get some added information. We learn that the triumphal march began around Bethphage and Bethany on the eastern side of the Mount of Olives. There Jesus sent the disciples to acquire a donkey colt that was somehow miraculously ready and waiting for him. When the celebration began people threw their garments over the colt and Jesus sat upon it. Then they spread leafy branches on the road and even threw their garments before Jesus. The people then proclaimed blessing on the kingdom of David; peace in heaven and glory to God in the highest (Mt. 21:1-9; Mk. 11:1-10; Lk. 19:28-38).
As the people marched to Jerusalem they began to celebrate fulfilling Zechariah 9:9: “Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”
Jesus’ action could not be mistaken. He was not the warrior king that the people, leaders and even the disciples had expected. He was arriving in humility on a little donkey as the Prince of Peace.27 This type of entry must have discouraged Judas and perhaps helped set him on his final course of betrayal.
“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” (12:16). The disciples were painfully slow to understand all this. They did not know they were watching scripture being fulfilled until after the resurrection. Perhaps many of the people were also still dense in their understanding and were looking vainly for an earthly king who would free them from the Romans. No doubt the Roman soldiers quartered in the nearby Fortress of Antonia laughed with scorn to see this king coming on a little donkey, without weapons and without armies. At this point they had no idea that someday soon this king would rule over the whole Roman Empire.
“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. Many people, because they had heard that he had performed this sign, went out to meet him” (12:17-18). We seem to have crowds coming in two directions as we have said. One crowd was coming down the Mount of Olives and another crowd of pilgrims was going out from the city to meet Jesus.28 What a glorious scene it must have been. Something within us makes us want to join in this great celebration.
“So the Pharisees said to one another, ‘See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!’” (12:19). The Pharisees could only watch in envy and jealousy from the city walls. At this point it looked like their evil cause was lost.
THE GREEKS SEEK JESUS
Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the festival. John 12:20
Here we note that Greeks came up to the Jewish festival of Passover. In the first century the Greek language was spoken throughout the Roman world. It is not that these people were actually of Greek descent but more than likely they were simply Gentiles who spoke Greek and were a part of the Greek-speaking culture. Kostenberger points out how in most instances the New Testament uses “Greeks” in contrast with “Jews,” and how the word simply means “Gentile.” 29 No doubt these “Greeks” were Gentiles who had become “God fearers” or “proselytes” to the Jewish faith.
Many Gentiles were fed up with the horrors of the Gentile lifestyle and with its abhorrent idolatry. Thus they had become attracted to Judaism and its high standard of morality. Some had become proselytes to Judaism while others were not able to accept the required circumcision and had just become God-fearers. The synagogues of this early time had great numbers of these Gentiles in attendance and later they would come to make up a good portion of the early churches. We immediately think of people like the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:27ff.); like Cornelius (Acts chs. 10-11); and Lydia (Acts 16:14ff.). Utley points out how the use of the Greek present tense indicates that these Gentiles were in the habit of going up to Israel’s feasts.30 Pett says, “These God-fearing non-Jews were in direct contrast with the Pharisees. They saw what the majority of Pharisees refused
to see.” 31
We have noted earlier how John in writing the Fourth Gospel was attempting to present Christianity in a way that the Greek-speaking world could understand and appreciate. After all, the Greeks by their nature had inquiring minds and were seekers after truth.32 Mark with his gospel had attempted to do a similar thing to the Gentiles in Rome.
“They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. ‘Sir,’ they said, ‘we would like to see Jesus.’ Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus” (12:21-22). There was probably a good reason why these Greek-speakers came to Philip. He had a Greek name and he most likely was a Greek-speaker himself. Philip was from Bethsaida, the little harbor town at the mouth of the Jordan River. It is interesting that his town was less than five miles (8 km.) from the border of the Decapolis, a Greek-speaking area that covered most of the eastern side of the Sea of Galilee. Obviously, Philip and the other disciples were dealing with Greek-speaking Gentiles every day in their social/commercial connections and in their fishing.33 They all probably had to speak some Greek and that was the norm for most people living in the Mediterranean world.
We should note at this point that Jesus came specifically to the Jewish people. He even forbade his disciples to minister in Gentile cities or areas (Matt. 10:5-6). Later in his ministry he did go to the Gentile cities of Tyre and Sidon, and for a brief time he ministered in the Decapolis. However, the main thrust of his work was always with the Jewish people. For this reason Philip and Andrew were both stunned that Greeks now wanted to see Jesus.
The Greek tense indicates that they kept on asking to see the Lord.34 When Philip turned to Andrew he turned to the right man. Andrew always had the reputation of bringing people to Jesus (1:41-42; 6:8-9).
THE HOUR HAD ARRIVED
Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.” John 12:23
This was a truly prophetic moment for Jesus. His own people had rejected him but the Gentiles were now seeking him.35 When Jesus spoke of himself as being glorified he was speaking in terms that the Jews could not understand. Because of centuries of faulty teaching by Pharisees and others, they saw the Messiah only in terms of a conquering king who would free them from hated Roman rule. This was a total misconception and it failed to reckon with numerous prophetic scriptures that spoke of Jesus as a Suffering Servant who would give himself to free the Jews and all people from their sins (Isa. 53:5, 6, 8, 10; Dan. 9:21-27). When Jesus spoke of glorification, he was speaking of his crucifixion by which he would redeem humanity. Only in death would come life.
Morris says, “The fact that the Greeks had reached the point of wanting to meet Jesus showed that the time had come for him to die for the world.” 36 Utley adds, “Apparently this was the last tick on the prophetic clock before Jesus’ death …” 37 Gentile God-fearers and proselytes had come to celebrate the Passover with the Jewish people. They were soon to learn that the Passover they were celebrating would at last reveal the true Passover Lamb who would take away the sins of the world (1:29, 36). They would no doubt watch as the real Passover Lamb would be crucified and slaughtered before their eyes. Clarke comments: “The time is just at hand in which the gospel shall be preached to all nations, the middle wall of partition broken down, and Jews and Gentiles united in one fold. But this could not be till after his death and resurrection, as the succeeding verse teaches.” 38
Jesus came to earth as the Son of Man (See discussion in 5:26-27). He was a real human being who came to the earth in real human flesh. By being a human he became acquainted with all our trials, temptations and sorrows. Therefore he was fully able to redeem humanity. The great mystery about Jesus was that he was fully man and at the same time fully God.39 Hebrews 2:9 says, “But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.” Philippians 2:8 adds: “And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!”
When Jesus spoke of glorification it was beyond the understanding of the Pharisees and other leaders. For Jesus, to be glorified was to be crucified, to die a sinner’s death, to be resurrected and at last to ascend to the Father’s glory from which he came. All this had to happen before Gentile people could come into the kingdom. So it appears that Jesus, by not giving a response to the Greeks and by seemingly changing the subject, was giving a gentle “no” or possibly “not yet.” 40
“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” (12:24). Here Jesus deals with a very deep spiritual principle. It is only in dying that we really live. Wiersbe tells of some Christians who visited a remote mission station. One of them made a remark, “You certainly have buried yourself out here!” The missionaries replied, “We haven’t buried ourselves, we were planted!” 41 In the year 197 the church father Tertullian wrote, “The blood [of martyrs] is the seed of Christians.” 42
So Jesus is comparing himself and his followers to seeds that when buried in the ground bring forth an abundant harvest. As Morris says, “…the way of fruitfulness lies through death.” 43 To renounce “life” as most people understand it is to really gain the life that is everlasting.
“Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life” (12:25). This advice goes against virtually everything we see and hear in the modern and postmodern world. Stedman speaks of the television programs, the magazines and popular songs that mouth this philosophy: “Your life is your own! Live it the way you please! Watch out for number 1! Do your own thing! Live so that you can join with Frank Sinatra singing, ‘I Did It My Way!’ But Jesus declares that if you follow that philosophy you will lose everything.” 44
It was for this reason that Jesus had to embrace the cross and die upon it. He thought of it as his “glory.” It is for this reason that in all true Christianity there is a cross (Matt. 16:24; Mk. 8:34; Lk. 9:23). To be real Christians we have to die to this world and literally be planted for Christ in this earth. In the Prayer of St. Francis, the great saint expressed this:
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.
O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Amen. 45
Quite contrary to the prevailing philosophy of this present evil age the scripture reminds us that we were bought with a price and that we should glorify God in our mortal bodies while we live on this earth (1 Cor. 6:20). If we love our lives and hold on to them we will lose them (Matt.10:39; Lk. 14:26) but if we lose them for Christ’s sake we will have them.
Utley tries to help us understand this kind of eastern thinking. He says: “Christian doctrine, being Bible-based, often comes in paradoxical, tension-filled pairs. Eastern literature is characterized by these figurative, contrasting thought patterns. Often modern western readers force the paradoxes into either/or choices when they are meant to be both/and truths.” 46 He gives us some biblical examples of these paradoxes: predestination vs. free will; security of the believer vs. perseverance; Jesus as God vs. Jesus as man; Jesus equal to the Father vs. Jesus as subservient to the Father; instantaneous sanctification vs. progressive sanctification; Christian freedom vs. Christian responsibility; and God’s transcendence vs. God’s immanence.47
“Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me” (12:26). A disciple is a follower and a learner. There is no way to be a disciple without following and learning from the Lord. Today we cannot follow Jesus naturally speaking but we can follow him by being disciples or learners of his word. We can also follow him by walking in his Holy Spirit. The word and the Spirit; the Spirit and the word are two key elements for modern disciples. Through the word and the Spirit we can walk after the Lord and serve him. Through these things we can be where the Lord is. We note some interesting things about this relationship. When Jesus died we died with him (Rom. 6:8); when he was resurrected, we were resurrected with him (Col. 3:1); when he took a heavenly seat we were seated with him (Eph. 2:6); and when he comes again we will appear with him (Col. 3:4). These honors have all the saints.
A VOICE FROM HEAVEN
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. John 12:27
Jesus was being called upon to die in the prime of his life. No human being can be happy at the thought of his or her demise. Since Jesus was truly human he was probably tempted to call on his Father to save him but he knew that was not the choice he should take. He had come to the earth and lived for the very purpose of giving himself for his people.
Bruce says of this moment, “This passage may be regarded as to some extent John’s counterpart to the Synoptic narrative of the agony in Gethsemane (cf. also 18:11).” 48 How could the divine Son of Man be placed upon a cross; how could the Son of God die and be buried in the earth? What paradoxes these were to consider! “His resolution was final. He wanted the Father’s name to be glorified, no matter what the cost!” 49
“‘Father, glorify your name!’ Then a voice came from heaven, ‘I have glorified it, and will glorify it again’” (12:28). Jesus had expressed his total surrender to the will of his Father. With this, another voice from heaven came to sustain him. We remember how that at critical points God had spoken audibly to Jesus. There was a voice at his baptism (Matt. 3:17), and another at his transfiguration (Matt. 17:5). Now as he faced the cross God spoke from heaven once again.
At this time in their history the Jewish people no longer felt that authentic prophets were present. They felt that God could speak audibly but only in what they termed as the Bath Qol, or “daughter voice.” This was more of an indirect voice, a distant echo or faint whisper of the divine voice.50 However, the voice the Jews heard was no echo or faint whisper. It came crashing as the sound of mighty thunder. Unfortunately, the voice was unintelligible to the Jews that day.
“The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him. Jesus said, ‘This voice was for your benefit, not mine’” (12:29-30). It seems that many in the crowd knew that the voice was supernatural even if they did not understand it. Jesus understood it and no doubt gained some assurance and confidence from it. Yet, the voice was not necessary for him. It was only a sign to the people. Later in Acts we will see a similar thing as God spoke to Paul. All those traveling with him saw the light and heard the noise but did not understand what God was saying to him (Acts 9:3-8).
THE TIME FOR JUDGMENT
Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. John 12:31
Again, we are reminded that Jesus did not come to judge the world. However, with his coming both people and the devil brought judgment upon themselves. Jesus had come with marvelous teaching and spectacular signs and the people rejected him. The devil was about to crucify a perfectly innocent man and somehow that act would bring eternal judgment upon him and his kingdom. Paul speaks of this in Colossians 2:15. He says, “And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.”
For ages the devil had strutted up and down the earth due to humanity’s fall. He was known as the god of this age (2 Cor. 4:4); the power of this dark world (Eph. 6:12); the ruler of the kingdom of the air (Eph. 2:2). However, with the cross his head was now bruised (Gen. 3:15). The cross was decisive for Satan. His forces were crushed at Calvary. It would take a few hundred years of mopping-up operations but essentially the decisive battle was over.
Jesus could not have won the battle with a great show of force and with calling down legions of powerful angels. The battle had to be won through love, humility and sacrifice. As Tenney says, “It was a victory over the devil because the sacrifice of God triumphed over the selfishness which is the root of the devil’s whole philosophy.” 51
“‘And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.’ He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die” (12:32-33). John has spoken previously of Jesus being lifted up (3:14; 8:28). This very thing was also spoken of in the Old Testament in Isaiah 52:13.52 Strangely today it is still the cross that draws people to the Lord.
John Newton was a reckless, dissolute, reprobate and slave trader, until in a great storm at sea he found Christ. With that, he became a pastor and hymn writer. Here is how he described the effects of the cross on his life:
In evil long I took delight
Unawed by shame or fear
Until a new object met my sight
And stopped my wild career.
I saw One hanging on a tree
In agony and blood
Who fixed his languid eyes on me
As near His cross I stood.
Sure, never till my latest breath
Will I forget that look
It seemed to charge me with his death
Though not a word He spoke.53
Today, the essence of the gospel of the Lord Jesus is found in the cross. It is the cross that proves beyond the shadow of a doubt the evil that is in humankind and in the devil. It is the cross that makes people forsake sin and call on the name of the Lord for salvation. Today preachers may say many wonderful things but they need to be aware that it is the cross that draws people to the Lord and salvation. That should challenge all of us to proclaim the cross of Christ in our every sermon and to display that cross in our lives.
CONFUSION IN THE CROWD
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’?” John 12:34
The crowd was mystified by Jesus’ expression “Son of Man.” They knew that Daniel 7:13-14 spoke of such a one who was to come, but they read there that he would come in the clouds of heaven, that is with great glory, majesty and power. He would come with an everlasting dominion that would not be destroyed. How could that Son of Man be reconciled with the Son of Man who would be crucified and buried?
Quite simply, the crowd was missing a great amount of critical information. They had no understanding of the biblical mystery of the dual comings of the Messiah. He would indeed come as a Suffering Servant to save Israel (Isa. 42:1-9; 49:1-13; 50:4-11; 52:13 – 53:12). At the end of the age he would come in the clouds of heaven in majesty and power to judge all nations. When the crowds spoke of the Law, it was a normal way of speaking of the whole Old Testament. It is interesting that this is the last mention made of the crowd in the Lord’s ministry.54
“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’” (12:35). John began his book by speaking about the importance of light. “By welcoming or avoiding this light that men show the quality of their lives and deeds (3:19-21; 1 Jn. 1:5ff.).” 55 The gospel light would shine only a little while longer and then the darkness would close in. In just one generation after this, darkness was everywhere in the land due to the Roman conquest of Israel. Hundreds of thousands perished in war and famine or were sold into slavery.
It is interesting that the Qumran sectarians also contrasted the light with the darkness. They too spoke of children of light and children of darkness.56 The darkness at last engulfed them as they were also destroyed by the Romans. Today one can visualize their concepts by looking at the Shrine of the Book in Jerusalem. The architecture contrasts dark colors with white to symbolize the struggle of darkness and the light.
“‘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” (12:36). When John wrote his little epistles he had much to say about walking in the light: “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin” (1 Jn. 1:7).
Tenney says: “A clear break is made in the sequence of John’s narrative with the second clause of 12:36. There is a change from public activity to private seclusion…the transition between the long public ministry of Jesus and the brief hours of private conference that preceded the passion.” 57
THE JEWS CONTINUE IN UNBELIEF
Even after Jesus had performed so many signs in their presence, they still would not believe in him. John 12:37
John has made clear throughout his gospel that the spectacular signs given to the Jewish people by Jesus should have helped promote their belief. Alas, this was not to be. As we have seen, the leaders asked for miraculous signs even while they were in the midst of seeing a miraculous sign. All this hardness and blindness was predicted long before by Israel’s prophets.
“This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet: ‘Lord, who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?’” (12:38). This passage is found in Isaiah 53:1. This important passage was also from the Servant Songs that Israel’s scholars had somehow overlooked. It is sad today that Israel still pays little attention to this whole section of scripture. This portion of God’s word also gives details of Jesus’ suffering and crucifixion.58 The section makes plain that Jesus would be offered as an atonement for Israel’s sin (53:5). The Servant would be despised, oppressed, crushed and pierced, for the people’s iniquities.
“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’” (12:39-40). These words are a reference to Isaiah 6:10. In Romans 11:7-25, Paul will later deal with this temporary hardness of Israel.59 Paul will say: “…Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious. But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their full inclusion bring!” (Rom. 11:11-12).
What a mystery we have here! Israel would stumble in unbelief. The gospel would then be offered to the Gentiles. In time, the Gentiles would make Israel jealous or envious. Then in the last days Israel would turn to the Lord. The Bible says that Israel and the Gentiles will then be joined together to make up one people and one holy temple to the Lord (Eph. 2:17-22; 3:6).
It was initially very unfortunate for Israel. Because of their consistent unbelief their hearts were hardened. It is much like a very thin layer of ice forms on a pond and then it grows harder and thicker until a loaded truck can drive across it. God hardens our hearts only after we have hardened them ourselves. God causes our eyes to be blind only after we have refused to see.
“Isaiah said this because he saw Jesus’ glory and spoke about him” (12:41). It is true that in Old Testament times many prophets and wise men glimpsed the coming Messiah and his salvation. We remember what Jesus said in 8:56: “Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad.” The prophets only glimpsed these things and they wanted to know more. Jesus says in Luke 10:24: “For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.” (cf. 1 Pet. 1:10-12).
John goes on to describe the difficult situation of that day saying, “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” (12:42-43). Apparently, a number of Jewish leaders secretly believed in Jesus but were terrified to confess that belief to their associates, lest they be put out of office and out of the synagogue. Wiersbe says, “…Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea belonged to this group initially, but eventually came out openly in their confession of Christ (Jn. 19:38ff.)…” 60
As we have mentioned previously, to be cast out of the synagogue was disastrous for the Jewish people in Israel. The likelihood was that they would be shunned by the community and even be barred from their necessary work. For those in high office it meant embarrassment and perhaps also being stripped of their positions.
“Then Jesus cried out, ‘Whoever believes in me does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me. The one who looks at me is seeing the one who sent me” (12:44-45). Once again Jesus claims to be divine. He and the Father are One. All through this gospel Jesus has claimed to be working together with God and fully representing God. All along this has been a stumbling block for Israel.
“I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness” (12:46). We have pointed out previously how John never gets away from his emphasis of Jesus being the light of the world and how humanity is to accept that light and walk in it while there is time. He has made clear that it is the sinfulness of the human race that causes people to walk in the dark.
“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. 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” (12:47-48). Jesus came not to judge but to save. However, we have seen that in rejecting his message people bring judgment upon themselves. That is also true of nations. Jesus makes plain that there will be a final judgment of all humanity.
“For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken. I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say” (12:49-50). In these two verses Jesus makes a quick summary of the essential themes of his ministry.61 With this, he officially closes out his long public ministry to the Lord’s own people.62