JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 12:1 When Mary of Bethany anoints Jesus (compare Matthew 26:6; Mark 14:3), it anticipates Jesus’ arrest, crucifixion, and burial (John 12:7). The story in Luke 7:36 involves a different woman, a different place, a different reaction from Jesus, and a different time in Jesus’ minist... [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 12:2 DINNER refers to the main meal of the day, usually toward evening. RECLINING... AT TABLE. People at special feasts would lie with their heads near a low table and their feet pointing out away from it. They would rest on one elbow and eat with the other hand. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images... [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 12:3 Compare John 11:2. A POUND (or half a liter) is a very large amount of fragrant oil or PERFUME. PURE and expensive NARD was imported from northern India and used by the Romans for anointing the head. John says that Mary ANOINTED THE FEET OF JESUS, while Matthew 26:7 and Mark 1... [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 12:5 THREE HUNDRED DENARII is the equivalent of about a year’s wages. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 12:7 SO THAT SHE MAY KEEP IT may mean “keep the rest of the perfume.” Mark 14:3 says the flask was broken, and Judas complains that it was already wasted. Other interpretations include: “so that she may keep (the memory of this)” or “Leave her alone, (for she has saved the perfume)... [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 12:8 THE POOR. Jesus’ response echoes Deuteronomy 15:11. He is not discouraging helping the poor. YOU DO NOT ALWAYS HAVE ME anticipates Jesus’ approaching death, resurrection, and ascension. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length,... [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 12:11 THE JEWS. John uses this expression in a positive way to speak of those coming to faith in Christ (see John 11:45). ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 12:12 THE NEXT DAY is probably Sunday of Passion Week. THE FEAST is Passover. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 12:13 By waving PALM branches (a Jewish national symbol) the people greet Jesus as the Davidic king and echo the language of Psalms 118:25. Most of the crowd probably understood the title KING OF ISRAEL in a political and military sense. They still hoped that Jesus would use his am... [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 12:15 Jesus is portrayed as the humble shepherd-king of Zechariah 9:9, who comes to the Holy City to take his rightful place. FEAR NOT may be taken from Isaiah 40:9. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 12:20 These verses conclude the first major part of John’s Gospel, which narrates Jesus’ mission to the Jews. The arrival of some Greeks signals to Jesus that the mission exclusively to the Jews is about to come to an end. But before Jesus can reach out to the Gentiles, he first mu... [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 12:21 BETHSAIDA was just northeast of where the Jordan flows into the Sea of Galilee from the north. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 12:25 LOVES HIS LIFE means “delights in his life in this world more than in God.” HATES HIS LIFE IN THIS WORLD means “thinks so little of his life, and so much of God, that he is willing to sacrifice it all for God.” ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (va... [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 12:28 This is one of three times in Jesus’ earthly ministry when a heavenly voice affirms his identity (see Matthew 3:17; Matthew 17:5). ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 12:29 CROWD... SAID THAT IT HAD THUNDERED. Events of eternal consequence are occurring. Unbelievers misinterpret them as natural events, showing their spiritual blindness. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 12:31 The RULER OF THIS WORLD in its present fallen, sinful state is Satan (compare John 14:30; 1 John 5:19). NOW, at the cross, the devil will BE CAST OUT, that is, decisively defeated (see Luke 10:18; Hebrews 2:14). Jesus’ triumph over Satan in his death and resurrection is the b... [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 12:32 LIFTED UP. See John 3:14 and note; 8:28; also Isaiah 52:13. ALL PEOPLE, in context, means both Jews and Gentiles (John 10:16; John 11:52; John 12:20).... [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 12:33 WHAT KIND OF DEATH. See John 21:19. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 12:34 This is the final of several misunderstandings of Jesus’ role as Messiah in this Gospel (compare John 7:27, John 7:31, John 7:41). The people have some idea that Jesus predicts his death. What is probably meant by THE LAW is the entire Hebrew Scriptures, which speak of the Da... [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 12:35 WALK WHILE YOU HAVE THE LIGHT. See John 9:4. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 12:36 When Jesus HID HIMSELF FROM THEM, he indicated God’s coming judgment and the completion of Jesus’ public ministry to the people of Israel (John 1:18). ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 12:37 John cites Isaiah 53:1 and Isaiah 6:10 to indicate that Scripture predicted the Jewish rejection of Jesus as Messiah. This rejection confirms, rather than defeats, God’s plan. These verses are the first in a series of fulfillment quotations in the second half of John’s Gospel... [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 12:41 The plural THESE THINGS most likely refers to the general context of Isaiah 53:1 and Isaiah 6:10. John seems to claim that when Isaiah saw the exalted King and the suffering servant, he saw Jesus’ glory. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0,... [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 12:42 SYNAGOGUE. Synagogues usually had large rooms with bench seating along the wall. See note on Luke 4:16. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 12:47 I DID NOT COME TO JUDGE THE WORLD refers to Jesus’ first coming. However, he will judge the world when he returns (see v. John 12:48; John 5:22, John 5:27). ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 12:49 NOT... ON MY OWN AUTHORITY indicates that supreme authority in the Trinity belongs to the Father. He gives authority to the Son, though they are both God. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]