John 12
John 12
Jesus Anointed by Mary
(Matthew 26:6-13; Mark 14:3-9)
1Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead.
2There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him.
3Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.
4Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, which should betray him, 5Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor? 6This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.
7Then said Jesus, Let her alone: against the day of my burying hath she kept this. 8For the poor always ye have with you; but me ye have not always.
9Much people of the Jews therefore knew that he was there: and they came not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he had raised from the dead.
10But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death;
11Because that by reason of him many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus.
12On the next day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem,
13Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord.
14And Jesus, when he had found a young ass, sat thereon; as it is written,
15Fear not, daughter of Sion: behold, thy King cometh, sitting on an ass’s colt. 16These things understood not his disciples at the first: but when Jesus was glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of him, and that they had done these things unto him.
17The people therefore that was with him when he called Lazarus out of his grave, and raised him from the dead, bare record.
18For this cause the people also met him, for that they heard that he had done this miracle.
19The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, perceive ye how ye prevail nothing? behold, the world is gone after him.
20And there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast: 21The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus.
22Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: and again Andrew and Philip tell Jesus.
23And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified.
24Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.
25He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.
26If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.
27Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.
28Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.
29The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spake to him.
30Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes. 31Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. 32And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.
33This he said, signifying what death he should die.
34The people answered him, We have heard out of the law that Christ abideth for ever: and how sayest thou, The Son of man must be lifted up? who is this Son of man? 35Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.
36While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them.
The Unbelief of the People
37But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him:
38That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed? 39Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again,
40He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them. 41These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him.
Some Believe in Jesus
42Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: 43For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.
44Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me.
45And he that seeth me seeth him that sent me.
46I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.
47And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.
48He that rejected me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.
49For I have not spoken of myself; but the father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.
50And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the father said unto me, so I speak.
Hello everyone, I am kiki. Chinese name of our second phase of the program is “读经大讲堂”. The English name is “Bible study”.
We will adopt a relaxed also enjoyable learning mode to take you into a new learning world. Each time I will make a personal summary and analysis from the perspective of a learner, and then Sister Ingrid will help me conduct in-depth learning and problem discussions with everybody.
I hope that such an interesting and interactive process can bring new knowledge experience to you all. The following is my interview with my sister on related issues. Today is the twenty-one lecture on the Gospel of John .
Everyone is welcome to leave a message in the comment area for discussion!
2.My summary of John twenty-one-time study:
Well, everybody! Firstly, is still my today’s personal study summary.
This part of the Bible talks about a few important events in Jesus’ life.
First, it starts with Jesus visiting Bethany, where Lazarus, whom Jesus had raised from the dead, lived.
Mary anointed Jesus’ feet with expensive perfume and wiped them with her hair. Judas, the disciple who would later betray Jesus, complained that the perfume should have been sold to help the poor. But Jesus defended Mary, saying she did this in preparation for His burial.
Next, it describes how the chief priests wanted to kill Lazarus because many people began believing in Jesus after seeing him alive again.
Then, Jesus entered Jerusalem, and people welcomed Him with palm branches, shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is the King of Israel!” This fulfilled a prophecy from the Old Testament.
Afterward, Jesus spoke about His upcoming death. He explained that, just as a seed must die to produce many seeds, He too must die to bring eternal life to many. He also said that those who follow Him must be willing to lose their lives in this world to gain eternal life.
Jesus emphasized that He came to save the world, not to judge it, and that those who believe in Him are believing in God, who sent Him. He also stated that He is the light of the world, and whoever believes in Him will not remain in darkness.
Even though Jesus performed many miracles, some people still did not believe in Him because their hearts were hardened.
Now let Sister Ingrid provide a further summary.
3. Sister’s comment on my study summary:
Chapter 12 of the Gospel of John begins with the last public supper. Several people are mentioned with their personalities: Martha, the servant; Mary, the worshipper; and Lazarus, sitting beside Jesus. Judas Iscariot is also mentioned; he was a thief who would later betray Jesus. There was also a crowd that wanted to see Jesus and Lazarus.
Each person acted according to their personality.
We have to ask ourselves: Which personality do we reflect? Are we servants or worshippers? Are we sitting spiritually beside Jesus, merely observing, or even betraying Him when He does not act as we expect?
Judas Iscariot had a bad personality. He had three years to learn and change, but he never did and tried to make a business out of Jesus.
We encounter all these personalities today, too. We must ask ourselves whether we are worshippers like Mary, because in John 4, Jesus said that God seeks people who worship Him in spirit and truth.
The next day, a prophecy from the Old Testament was fulfilled: the Messiah would enter Jerusalem riding on a donkey. The people took palm branches and worshipped Jesus as king. Those who had witnessed the miracle of Lazarus joined them, and even more people worshipped.
The Pharisees said it was impossible to stop Jesus from becoming the new king.
Some Greeks also wanted to see Jesus. The situation became dangerous for Him, so they asked the disciples if they could see Him.
Jesus declared that His hour to die had come and that His death was necessary to bear much fruit. He spoke about His upcoming crucifixion and His victory over the devil, but the people did not understand.
The main theme of this last part of the chapter is that, even though Jesus performed many signs and miracles during His three-year ministry, some people still did not believe in Him.
Q&A section based on John 12:
1. Why did Mary anoint Jesus’ feet with expensive perfume, and what did this act symbolize?
Mary was a worshipper. She loved sitting at Jesus’ feet and listening to Him. She anointed His feet with expensive perfume and wiped them with her hair. This act symbolized preparation for His burial. Even if she was unaware, she offered her most valuable possession for this purpose.
2. How did Judas Iscariot react to Mary’s act, and what does this reveal about his character?
Judas said the perfume could be sold and the money given to the poor. Judas was a thief. Interestingly, Jesus still allowed him to manage the disciples’ money. This shows that Jesus gives everyone a chance to change, but if someone chooses to oppose Him, He does not force them.
3. Why were the chief priests plotting to kill Lazarus, and what does this show about their attitude toward Jesus?
The chief priests saw no other way to stop Jesus than to kill Lazarus. They wanted to maintain influence and power over the people, even if it meant going against God’s law and freedom through Jesus’ work.
4. How did the people of Jerusalem react to Jesus’ arrival, and what prophecy did this fulfill?
They welcomed Him with palm branches, shouting “Hosanna!” This fulfilled Zechariah 9:9-13, which prophesied the Messiah’s entry into Jerusalem on a donkey.
5. What did Jesus mean when He said, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified”?
Jesus foresaw His resurrection and glorification in heaven with His Father. Through His death on the cross, He defeated the devil and death.
6. Why did Jesus compare His death to a grain of wheat falling to the ground?
He explained that His death was necessary for the birth of the New Testament Church and for producing much spiritual fruit.
7. What does Jesus say about those who love their lives in this world versus those who “hate” their lives?
He offers a choice: live focused on earthly concerns or prioritize spiritual life, placing God and the gospel first. Followers must be willing to suffer for Christ and accept being strangers in this world.
8. How did Jesus explain His purpose for coming into the world, and what did He say about judging the world?
Jesus came first as a poor child to save us through His death on the cross. He will return as king to judge the world. Those who accepted Him the first time will not be judged but will enter eternal life. Those who rejected Him will be judged by the words they heard.
9. Why did some people still not believe in Jesus despite His miracles?
People’s hearts were hardened. They preferred idolatry and rejected God as king. Some religious leaders knew the prophecies but did not act. This shows humanity’s resistance to God’s light and help.
10. What does Jesus mean when He says He is the light of the world, and how should believers respond?
Jesus is the light, and believers will not remain in darkness. Rejecting Him keeps people in spiritual darkness, but those who accept His words, as recorded by John, will see spiritually and gain eternal life.
