John 12:1

John 12:1. Jesus therefore, six days before the passover, came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. The word therefore marks a close connection with the preceding chapter, not however with its concluding words. The 56 th and 57 th verses of chap. 11, describing how the thought of both friends and foes was intently fixed on Jesus and His possible presence at the festival, form a very natural introduction to the narrative of this chapter, but in strict historical sequence the verse before us connects itself with the general statement of chap. John 11:55. As to the particular date here spoken of there has been much difference of opinion, but it does not seem difficult to arrive at the most probable meaning. The point from which the Evangelist reckons is beyond doubt, we think, the 14 th day of Nisan or Abib, the first month in the Jewish sacred year. ‘In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the Lord's Passover' (Leviticus 23:5). On this fourteenth day, ‘between the evenings' (Exodus 12:6), that is (probably) between sunset and the time when darkness came on, the Paschal lamb was to be slain. With the evening of the fourteenth day however (using day in its ordinary sense) began according to Jewish reckoning the fifteenth day of the month, which, lasting until the following sunset, was the first of the seven days of unleavened bread. The Paschal meal, therefore, was eaten at the close of the fourteenth natural day, but at the beginning of the fifteenth day according to the computation of the Jews. Starting then from the 14 th of Nisan, the ‘six days' will most probably bring us to the 8 th; and if, as is generally believed, the 15 th of Nisan fell on Friday in this year, the 8 th will coincide with the same day in the preceding week. The only doubt respecting the correctness of this view arises from a peculiarity sometimes found in Jewish notes of time, both the first day and the last in an interval being included in the reckoning, so that ‘six days before' might really mean ‘the sixth day before,' that is ‘five days before:' but as it is certain that the Jews themselves could speak of ‘one day before the Passover' (using this very form of expression), words to which only one meaning can possibly be given, it seems perfectly certain that the reckoning in this verse must be taken in its exact and natural sense, as we have taken it above. It was therefore on the 8 th of Nisan, at some part of the day which we should call the Friday before the Passover, that Jesus arrived in Bethany. This day, as we learn from Josephus, was often chosen by the bands of pilgrims for their arrival in Jerusalem: those referred to in John 11:55 had come earlier than others to the holy city for a special reason. As the sabbath commenced on the evening of this day, we may most naturally assume that Jesus reached Bethany before sunset. In adding to the name of this place the words, ‘where Lazarus was whom Jesus raised from the dead,' the Evangelist in part intends to prepare the way for the narrative that follows, but also seeks to connect his narrative with the wonderful record of chap. 11, and to place the glory of Jesus as the Prince and Giver of Life in contrast with the designs of His enemies to seize Him and put Him to death (chap. John 11:53).