Johnchapter 12

A.Mary's Costly Ointment and Judas's Complaintvv. 1-11

1 Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, the hometown of Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead. 2 So they hosted a dinner for Jesus there. Martha served, and Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with Him. 3 Then Mary took about a pint of expensive perfume, made of pure nard, and she anointed Jesus’ feet and wiped them with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. 4 But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was going to betray Him, asked, 5 “Why wasn’t this perfume sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?” 6 Judas 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 take from what was put into it. 7 “Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “She has kept this perfume in preparation for the day of My burial. 8 The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have Me.” 9 Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews learned that Jesus was there. And they came not only because of Him, but also to see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead. 10 So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, 11 for on account of him many of the Jews were deserting them and believing in Jesus.

B.Hosanna! The King Comes on a Donkey's Coltvv. 12-19

12 The next day the great crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. 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!” 14 Finding a young donkey, Jesus sat on it, as it is written: 15 “Do not be afraid, O Daughter of Zion. See, your King is coming, seated on the colt of a donkey.” 16 At first His disciples did not understand these things, but after Jesus was glorified they remembered what had been done to Him, and they realized that these very things had also been written about Him. 17 Meanwhile, many people continued to testify that they had been with Jesus when He called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead. 18 That is also why the crowd went out to meet Him, because they heard that He had performed this sign. 19 Then the Pharisees said to one another, “You can see that this is doing you no good. Look how the whole world has gone after Him!”

C.Greeks Ask for Jesus; the Grain of Wheat Must Dievv. 20-36

20 Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the feast. 21 They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and requested of him, “Sir, we want to see Jesus.” 22 Philip relayed this appeal to Andrew, and both of them went and told Jesus. 23 But Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Truly, truly, I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a seed; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25 Whoever loves his life will lose it, but whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, My servant will be as well. If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him. 27 Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? No, it is for this purpose that I have come to this hour. 28 Father, glorify Your name!” Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” 29 The crowd standing there heard it and said that it had thundered. Others said that an angel had spoken to Him. 30 In response, Jesus said, “This voice was not for My benefit, but yours. 31 Now judgment is upon this world; now the prince of this world will be cast out. 32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw everyone to Myself.” 33 He said this to indicate the kind of death He was going to die. 34 The crowd replied, “We have heard from the Law that the Christ will remain forever. So how can You say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?” 35 Then Jesus told them, “For a little while longer, the Light will be among you. Walk while you have the Light, so that darkness will not overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. 36 While you have the Light, believe in the Light, so that you may become sons of light.” After Jesus had spoken these things, He went away and was hidden from them.

D.Unbelief Foretold: They Loved the Glory of Menvv. 37-50

37 Although Jesus had performed so many signs in their presence, they still did not believe in Him. 38 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?” 39 For this reason they were unable to believe. For again, Isaiah says: 40 “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, so that they cannot see with their eyes, and understand with their hearts, and turn, and I would heal them.” 41 Isaiah said these things because he saw Jesus’ glory and spoke about Him. 42 Nevertheless, many of the leaders believed in Him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue. 43 For they loved praise from men more than praise from God. 44 Then Jesus cried out, “Whoever believes in Me does not believe in Me alone, but in the One who sent Me. 45 And whoever sees Me sees the One who sent Me. 46 I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in Me should remain in darkness. 47 As for anyone who hears My words and does not keep them, I do not judge him. For I have not come to judge the world, but to save the world. 48 There is a judge for the one who rejects Me and does not receive My words: The word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day. 49 I have not spoken on My own, but the Father who sent Me has commanded Me what to say and how to say it. 50 And I know that His command leads to eternal life. So I speak exactly what the Father has told Me to say.”

Commentary on this chapter: read the Exposition

← Back: John 11 Continue: John 13 →

Chapter summary

Mary anoints Jesus at Bethany.

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Mary anoints Jesus at Bethany. Triumphal entry: 'Hosanna: blessed is the King of Israel.' Greeks ask to see Jesus. 'Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die.' 'And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.' Closing of the Book of Signs.

Drawn from Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory, Matthew Henry, Complete Commentary, John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the New Testament and John Calvin, Commentaries.

Context

Gospel · John — John overview

A. 1–11 Mary's Costly Ointment and Judas's Complaint
B. 12–19 Hosanna! The King Comes on a Donkey's Colt
C. 20–36 Greeks Ask for Jesus; the Grain of Wheat Must Die
D. 37–50 Unbelief Foretold: They Loved the Glory of Men

Top cross-references8 chapters ▾

John 126 verses
- John 12:11for on account of him many of the Jews were deserting them and believing in Jesus.
- John 12:18That is also why the crowd went out to meet Him, because they heard that He had performed this sign.
- John 12:23But Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.
- John 12:35Then Jesus told them, “For a little while longer, the Light will be among you. Walk while you have the Light, so that darkness will not overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going.
- John 12:46I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in Me should remain in darkness.
- John 12:48There is a judge for the one who rejects Me and does not receive My words: The word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day.
- Read John 12 →
Mark 145 verses
- Mark 14:3While Jesus was in Bethany reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke open the jar and poured it on Jesus’ head.
- Mark 14:4Some of those present, however, expressed their indignation to one another: “Why this waste of perfume?
- Mark 14:6But Jesus said, “Leave her alone; why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful deed to Me.
- Mark 14:7The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them whenever you want. But you will not always have Me.
- Mark 14:41When Jesus returned the third time, He said, “Are you still sleeping and resting? That is enough! The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.
- Read Mark 14 →
John 115 verses
- John 11:1At this time a man named Lazarus was sick. He lived in Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha.
- John 11:2(Mary, whose brother Lazarus was sick, was to anoint the Lord with perfume and wipe His feet with her hair.)
- John 11:40Jesus replied, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?”
- John 11:42I knew that You always hear Me, but I say this for the benefit of the people standing here, so they may believe that You sent Me.”
- John 11:45Therefore many of the Jews who had come to Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, believed in Him.
- Read John 11 →
John 85 verses
- John 8:12Once again, Jesus spoke to the people and said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.”
- John 8:15You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one.
- John 8:26“I have much to say about you and much to judge. But the One who sent Me is truthful, and what I have heard from Him, I tell the world.”
- John 8:28So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing on My own, but speak exactly what the Father has taught Me.
- John 8:59At this, they picked up stones to throw at Him. But Jesus was hidden and went out of the temple area.
- Read John 8 →

4 more chapters this one speaks with

John 134 verses
- John 13:2The evening meal was underway, and the devil had already put into the heart of Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus.
- John 13:20Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever receives the one I send receives Me, and whoever receives Me receives the One who sent Me.”
- John 13:29Since Judas kept the money bag, some thought that Jesus was telling him to buy what was needed for the feast, or to give something to the poor.
- John 13:31When Judas had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in Him.
- Read John 13 →
John 54 verses
- John 5:24Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not come under judgment. Indeed, he has crossed over from death to life.
- John 5:30I can do nothing by Myself; I judge only as I hear. And My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.
- John 5:41I do not accept glory from men,
- John 5:44How can you believe if you accept glory from one another, yet do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?
- Read John 5 →
Matthew 103 verses
- Matthew 10:4Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus.
- Matthew 10:39Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.
- Matthew 10:40He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives the One who sent Me.
- Read Matthew 10 →
Matthew 213 verses
- Matthew 21:1As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent out two disciples,
- Matthew 21:4This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:
- Matthew 21:9The crowds that went ahead of Him and those that followed were shouting: “Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest!”
- Read Matthew 21 →

Cross-references from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and OpenBible.info.