_JESUS VINDICATES MARY ANOINTING HIS FEET. THE PEOPLE FLOCK TO SEE LAZARUS: THE CHIEF PRIESTS CONSULT TO KILL HIM. CHRIST RIDETH INTO JERUSALEM. CERTAIN GREEKS DESIRE TO SEE JESUS: HE FORETELLETH HIS DEATH. THE JEWS ARE GENERALLY BLINDED: YET MANY CHIEF RULERS BELIEVE, BUT DO NOT CONFESS HIM: THEREF... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN JESUS—CAME TO BETHANY,— This was in his way to Jerusalem; and he might choose to stop here, in order to renew the idea of the resurrection upon the minds of his disciples, by carrying them once more to the house of one who had been raised from the dead by him; and this was the more necessary, a... [ Continue Reading ]
THERE THEY MADE HIM A SUPPER,— It was customary for the Jews to entertain their friends in a more noble manner than usual, about six or seven days before the passover; and it was in compliance with this custom, as well as out of a particular respect to Jesus, whom they most highly reverenced and lov... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN TOOK MARY A POUND OF OINTMENT— This supper is supposed by many to have been the same with that mentioned Matthew 26:6 and Mark 14:3 but upon examination, they will appear to have been different. _This_ happened in the house of Lazarus, _that_ in the house of Simon the leper: at this, Mary the s... [ Continue Reading ]
SOLD FOR THREE HUNDRED PENCE,— The Roman penny, which is here spoken of, was equal to seven-pence half-penny of our money; three hundred of these pence therefore amounted to about nine pounds, seven shillings, and six-pence sterling. From the value of the ointment it would appear, that Lazarus and h... [ Continue Reading ]
AND BARE WHAT WAS PUT THEREIN.— _And carried off what was put into it._ Elsner; who refers to John 20:15.Matthew 3:11; Matthew 8:17 for instances of such an use of the word; εβασταζεν : but it by no means appears that the word is ever used in a bad sense. The meaning here seems to be, not only that... [ Continue Reading ]
AGAINST THE DAY OF MY BURYING, &C.— The Jews first washed the corpse all over with water, after it was laid out, Acts 9:37 and then anointed it with _liquid spices,_ or odours, as appears from this apology which our Lord makes for Mary; for the full import whereof, see the note on Matthew 26:10.... [ Continue Reading ]
MUCH PEOPLE OF THE JEWS THEREFORE— Bethany being within two miles of Jerusalem, the news of the arrival of Jesus soon reached the city, and drew out great numbers of the citizens; for they had a laudable curiosity to see the man who had been raised from the dead, and the still more wonderful man who... [ Continue Reading ]
MUCH PEOPLE THAT WERE COME TO THE FEAST, &C.— The news of our Lord's approach having reached the city, great numbers of the people who were come from the country to attend the feast, and who had a favourable opinion of his character, went forth with _palm-branches_ in their hands, the usual emblems... [ Continue Reading ]
AND JESUS, WHEN HE HAD FOUND A YOUNG ASS, SAT THEREON, &C.— 'Ευρων δε. _Now Jesus having found a young ass, sat,_ &c. For the evangelist does not mean that Jesus was saluted by the multitude from Jerusalem before he mounted; but his meaning is, that Jesus was _riding_ when they saluted him: or, beca... [ Continue Reading ]
THESE THINGS UNDERSTOOD NOT HIS DISCIPLES— Though the disciples believed him to be the Messiah, yet there were many occurrences of his life, which they understood not at the time when they happened, to be foretold of the Messiah; but which, after his ascension, they found exactly to quadrate with, a... [ Continue Reading ]
THE PEOPLE THEREFORE, &C.— Because the forwardness which the multitude now shewed to acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah, was altogether extraordinary, the evangelist assigns the cause thereof. The witnesses of the resurrection of Lazarus zealously bestirred themselves on this occasion; they had publis... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THERE WERE CERTAIN GREEKS— After the conquest of Darius by Alexander, all his successors of different nations were called _Greeks,_ whence came the name of "the Grecian monarchy," otherwise called "the Syro-Macedonian." Thus Antiochus Epiphanes is said to have _reigned in the hundred and thirty-... [ Continue Reading ]
WE WOULD SEE JESUS.— This transaction appears to have been in the passover-week, when Christ taught daily in the temple, but retired to Bethany in the evening with his disciples. So that by _seeing him,_ ιδειν, cannot barely be meant seeing his person, which they might have done with the rest of the... [ Continue Reading ]
PHILIP COMETH AND TELLETH ANDREW, &C.— From Philip's not venturing to introduce the men himself, it seems probable that there was some difficulty in the case. Perhaps they were only "proselytes of the gate," who, according to custom, could not be admitted into the company of Jews. See Acts 10:28.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND JESUS ANSWERED THEM,— If we suppose that our Lord spoke these words as the Greeks were introduced to him, the following discourse will discover many a latent beauty. Our Lord might enlarge perhaps on some of the hints in this discourse; and if his hearers took a due notice of them, and made a pr... [ Continue Reading ]
HE THAT LOVETH HIS LIFE, &C.— He told them further, that as he, their Master, was to_suffer_ before his exaltation, so must they, his disciples, expect the like; for which reason they were to expect persecution, firmly resolving to lose even life itself, after his example, when called to do so; and... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW IS MY SOUL TROUBLED:— Having taken a view of his own sufferings, and proposed them as an example to his disciples, the prospect moved him to a great degree, and he discovered to them the conflict which he felt in his bosom: _"Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say?_ Shall I say, _Father,... [ Continue Reading ]
THE PEOPLE THEREFORE—SAID THAT IT THUNDERED:— The sound of this voice was evidently supernatural, being strong and loud as thunder; but at the same time so articulate that all who heard Jesus address the Father, heard also the words. The word rendered _voice,_ and that rendered _thunder,_ are used p... [ Continue Reading ]
THIS VOICE CAME NOT BECAUSE OF ME, &C.— Dr. Heylin renders this better, _This voice came not for my sake, but for yours._ It is literally, _This voice came not for me, but for you—"_not to assure _me_ of the love of my Father, but to confirm _you_ in the belief of my mission; that you may not be off... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW IS THE JUDGMENT OF THIS WORLD:— The subject of our Lord's address to the Father, and the answer which he received, naturally led him to meditate on the happy effects of his coming into the world; namely, the destruction of Satan's kingdom,andtheexaltationofthe faithful with himself into heaven.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE PEOPLE ANSWERED HIM,— The people, on hearing Jesus affirm that he was to be lifted up, told him, that was inconsistent with the character of the Messiah, who, according to the _law,_ (so they named the whole of their sacred writings,) was never to die. _Who then is this Son of man?_ "What sort o... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT THE SAYING OF ESAIAS THE PROPHET, &C.— So _that the saying—was fulfilled,_ &c. Heylin, Jeffryes, &c. See the note on Isaiah 53:1. The phrase _Hath the arm of the Lord been revealed?_ is thought by some to allude to the _habit_ generally worn by the Eastern people, and especially by persons of r... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE THEY COULD NOT BELIEVE,— That is, by the just judgment of God for their obstinate and wilful resistance to the truth, they were so hardened, that the doctrine and miracles of our Lord could make no impression on them, as Isaiah had foretold, Isaiah 6:9 where see the note, and also on Matth... [ Continue Reading ]
THESE THINGS SAID ESAIAS, WHEN, &C.— He uttered these remarkable words, when in vision he saw the glory of the Son of God, and the manifestations which he was to make of the divine counsels; and described the effect which these manifestations were to have upon his hearers; for which reason they are... [ Continue Reading ]
JESUS CRIED, &C.— To strengthen the faith of those who believed on him, and to inspire them with courage to _confess him,_ (see John 12:42.) our Lord _cried and said_ in the temple, "Be it known unto you all, that in these extraordinary steps which I take for the reformation of abuses and the vindic... [ Continue Reading ]
I AM COME A LIGHT, &C.— "I am _the light of the world, s_ent down from heaven, to dispel the darkness of ignorance, superstition, and wickedness, and to reveal the will of my Father, and the way to eternal life and happiness, clearly and fully. Whosoever therefore believes on me, shall not want suff... [ Continue Reading ]