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Texts -- John 12:1-22 (NET)

Context
Jesus’ Anointing
12:1 Then , six days before the Passover , Jesus came to Bethany , where Lazarus lived , whom he had raised from the dead . 12:2 So they prepared a dinner for Jesus there . Martha was serving , and Lazarus was among those present at the table with him . 12:3 Then Mary took three quarters of a pound of expensive aromatic oil from pure nard and anointed the feet of Jesus . She then wiped his feet dry with her hair . (Now the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfumed oil .) 12:4 But Judas Iscariot , one of his disciples (the one who was going to betray him ) said , 12:5 “Why wasn’t this oil sold for three hundred silver coins and the money given to the poor ?” 12:6 (Now Judas said this not because he was concerned about the poor , but because he was a thief . As keeper of the money box , he used to steal what was put into it.) 12:7 So Jesus said , “Leave her alone. She has kept it for the day of my burial . 12:8 For you will always have the poor with you , but you will not always have me !” 12:9 Now a large crowd of Judeans learned that Jesus was there , and so they came not only because of him but also to see Lazarus whom he had raised from the dead . 12:10 So the chief priests planned to kill Lazarus too , 12:11 for on account of him many of the Jewish people from Jerusalem were going away and believing in Jesus .
The Triumphal Entry
12:12 The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem . 12:13 So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him . They began to shout , “Hosanna ! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord ! Blessed is the king of Israel !” 12:14 Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it , just as it is written , 12:15 “Do not be afraid , people of Zion ; look , your king is coming , seated on a donkey’s colt !” 12:16 (His disciples did not understand these things when they first happened, but when Jesus was glorified , then they remembered that these things were written about him and that these things had happened to him .) 12:17 So the crowd who had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead were continuing to testify about it. 12:18 Because they had heard that Jesus had performed this miraculous sign , the crowd went out to meet him . 12:19 Thus the Pharisees said to one another , “You see that you can do nothing . Look , the world has run off after him !”
Seekers
12:20 Now some Greeks were among those who had gone up to worship at the feast . 12:21 So these approached Philip , who was from Bethsaida in Galilee , and requested , “Sir , we would like to see Jesus .” 12:22 Philip went and told Andrew , and they both went and told Jesus .

Pericope

NET

Bible Dictionary

  • JOHN, GOSPEL OF

    [ebd] The genuineness of this Gospel, i.e., the fact that the apostle John was its author, is beyond all reasonable doubt. In recent times, from about 1820, many attempts have been made to impugn its genuineness, but without succe...
    [isbe] JOHN, GOSPEL OF - || I. INTRODUCTORY 1. Scope of Gospel 2. State of Opinion as to Date of Appearance, etc. II. EXTERNAL EVIDENCE fOR THE FOURTH GOSPEL 1. At the End of 2nd Century 2. Irenaeus--Theophilus 3. Middle of 2nd Cen...
    [smith] This Gospel was probably written at Ephesus about A.D. 78. (Canon Cook places it toward the close of John?s life, A.D. 90-100. --ED.) The Gospel was obviously addressed primarily to Christians, not to heathen. There can be li...

  • KING, CHRIST AS

    [isbe] KING, CHRIST AS - || I. THE REALITY OF CHRIST'S KINGSHIP 1. The Old Testament Foreshadowings In the Psalms and Prophets 2. The Gospel Presentation (1) Christ's Claim to Be King (2) Christ's Acceptance of the Title (3) Christ...

  • Jesus, The Christ

    [nave] JESUS, THE CHRIST. Index of Sub-topics History of; Miscellaneous Facts Concerning; Unclassified Scriptures Relating to; Ascension of; Atonement by; Attributes of; Compassion of; Confessing; Creator; Death of; Design of His...

  • JESUS CHRIST, 4E1

    [isbe] JESUS CHRIST, 4E1 - E. THE PASSION WEEK--BETRAYAL, TRIAL AND CRUCIFIXION Importance of the Last Events: We reach now the closing week and last solemn events of the earthly life of Jesus. The importance attached to this part ...

  • Lazarus

    [isbe] LAZARUS - laz'-a-rus (Lazaros, an abridged form of the Hebrew name Eleazar, with a Greek termination): Means "God has helped." In Septuagint and Josephus are found the forms Eleazar, and Eleazaros. The name was common among ...
    [nave] LAZARUS 1. Brother of Mary and Martha. Sickness and death of, John 11:1-14. Resurrection of, John 11:38-44; 12:17, 18. Dined with Jesus, John 12:1, 2, 9. Plotted against by the chief priests, John 12:10, 11.

  • Mary

    [ebd] Hebrew Miriam. (1.) The wife of Joseph, the mother of Jesus, called the "Virgin Mary," though never so designated in Scripture (Matt. 2:11; Acts 1:14). Little is known of her personal history. Her genealogy is given in Luke ...
    [isbe] MARY - ma'-ri, mar'-i (Maria, Mariam, Greek form of Hebrew miryam): I. DEFINITION AND QUESTIONS OF IDENTIFICATION The Name Mary in the New Testament II. MARY, THE VIRGIN 1. Mary in the Infancy Narratives 2. Mary at Cana 3. M...
    [nave] MARY 1. The mother of Jesus, Matt. 1:16; Luke 1:26-38; 2:5-19. Visits her cousin Elisabeth, Luke 1:39-56. Attends the feast at Jerusalem with her husband and her son, starts on the return, misses Jesus, seeks and finds him...

  • Bethany

    [ebd] house of dates. (1.) The Revised Version in John 1:28 has this word instead of Bethabara, on the authority of the oldest manuscripts. It appears to have been the name of a place on the east of Jordan. (2.) A village on the s...
    [nave] BETHANY A village on the eastern slope of the Mount of Olives, John 11:18. Mary, Martha, and Lazarus dwell at, Luke 10:38-41. Lazarus dies and is raised to life at, John 11. Jesus attends a feast in, Matt. 26:6-13; John 1...

  • Martha

    [isbe] MARTHA - mar'-tha (Martha, "mistress," being a transliteration of the feminine form of mar, "Lord"): Martha belonged to Bethany, and was the sister of Lazarus and Mary (Jn 11:1 f). From the fact that the house into which Jes...
    [smith] (a lady), the sister of Lazarus and Mary. [LAZARUS] The facts recorded in Luke 10 and John 11 indicate a character devout after the customary Jewish type of devotion, sharing in Messianic hopes and accepting Jesus as the Chri...
    [nave] MARTHA Sister of Mary and Lazarus, John 11:1. Ministers to Jesus, Luke 10:38-42; John 12:2. Beloved by Jesus, John 11:5. See: Lazarus; Mary.

  • OLIVES, MOUNT OF

    [isbe] OLIVES, MOUNT OF - ol'-ivz, (har ha-zethim (Zec 14:4), ma`aleh ha-zethim, "the ascent of the mount of Olives" (2 Sam 15:30, the King James Version "the ascent of (mount) Olivet"); to oros ton elaion, "the Mount of Olives" (M...

  • Philip

    [ebd] lover of horses. (1.) One of the twelve apostles; a native of Bethsaida, "the city of Andrew and Peter" (John 1:44). He readily responded to the call of Jesus when first addressed to him (43), and forthwith brought Nathanael...
    [smith] (lover of horses) the apostle was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter, (John 1:44) and apparently was among the Galilean peasants of that district who flocked to hear the preaching of the Baptist. The manner in which S...
    [nave] PHILIP 1. Brother of Herod and husband of Herodias, Matt. 14:3; Mark 6:17; Luke 3:19. 2. Tetrarch of Iturea, Luke 3:1. 3. One of the seven deacons, Acts 6:5. Successfully preaches in Samaria, Acts 8:4-14. Expounds the sc...

  • Andrew

    [ebd] manliness, a Greek name; one of the apostles of our Lord. He was of Bethsaida in Galilee (John 1:44), and was the brother of Simon Peter (Matt. 4:18; 10:2). On one occasion John the Baptist, whose disciple he then was, point...
    [isbe] ANDREW - an'-droo (Andreas, i.e. "manly." The name has also been interpreted as "the mighty one, or conqueror"): Andrew was the first called of the Twelve Apostles. I. In New Testament. 1. Early History and First Call: Andre...
    [nave] ANDREW An apostle. A fisherman, Matt. 4:18. Of Bethsaida, John 1:44. A disciple of John, John 1:40. Finds Peter, his brother, and brings him to Jesus, John 1:40-42. Call of, Matt. 4:18; Mark 1:16. His name appears in th...

  • Love

    [nave] LOVE. Of Children for Parents See: Children. Of God See: God, Love of. Of Mankind for God Ex. 20:6 Deut. 5:10. Deut. 6:5; Deut. 7:9; Deut. 10:12; Deut. 11:1; Deut. 13:3; Deut. 30:6 vs. 16,20.; Josh. 22:5 Deut. 11:1, 13...

  • Spikenard

    [ebd] (Heb. nerd), a much-valued perfume (Cant. 1:12; 4:13, 14). It was "very precious", i.e., very costly (Mark 14:3; John 12:3,5). It is the root of an Indian plant, the Nardostachys jatamansi, of the family of Valeriance, growi...
    [isbe] SPIKENARD - spik'-nard (nerd; nardos (Song 1:12; 4:14); neradhim; nardoi (Song 4:13), "spikenard plants"; nardos pistike (Mk 14:3; Jn 12:3), "pure nard," margin "liquid nard"; the English word is for "spiked nard," which com...
    [smith] (Heb. nerd) is mentioned twice in the Old Testament viz. in (Solomon 1:12; 4:13,14) The ointment with which our Lord was anointed as he sat at meat in Simon?s house at Bethany consisted of this precious substance, the costlin...
    [nave] SPIKENARD An aromatic plant, Song 4:13, 14. Perfume prepared from, Song 1:12. A fragrant oil from, used in anointing, Mark 14:3; John 12:3.

  • OIL

    [isbe] OIL - oil (shemen; elaion): 1. Terms 2. Production and Storage 3. Uses (1) As a Commodity of Exchange (2) As a Cosmetic (3) As a Medicine (4) As a Food (5) As an Illuminant (6) In Religious Rites (a) Consecration (b) Offerin...

  • Anointing

    [nave] ANOINTING Of the body, Deut. 28:40; Ruth 3:3; Esth. 2:12; Psa. 92:10; 104:15; 141:5; Prov. 27:9, 16; Eccl. 9:8; Song 1:3; 4:10; Isa. 57:9; Amos 6:6; Mic. 6:15. Of guests, 2 Chr. 28:15; Luke 7:46; the sick, Isa. 1:6; Mark 6:...

  • CHRIST, OFFICES OF

    [isbe] CHRIST, OFFICES OF - of'-is-is. General Titles of our Lord I. CHRIST'S MEDIATION EXPRESSED IN THE SPECIFIC OFFICES Historical Review of the Theory II. THE THREEFOLD OFFICE IN THE OLD TESTAMENT The Failure of the Offices to S...

  • PAPYRUS

    [isbe] PAPYRUS - pa-pi'-rus (Cyperus papyrus; bublos, biblos, whence biblion, a roll, ta biblia, "the Books" = the Bible): 1. Papyrus Paper 2. Egyptian Papyri 3. Aramaic Papyri 4. Greek Papyri 5. Their Discovery. 6. Classical Papyr...

  • Ointment

    [ebd] Various fragrant preparations, also compounds for medical purposes, are so called (Ex. 30:25; Ps. 133:2; Isa. 1:6; Amos 6:6; John 12:3; Rev. 18:13).
    [nave] OINTMENT. Not Sacred 2 Kin. 20:13; Esth. 2:12; Eccl. 7:1; 10:1; Song 1:3; 4:10; Amos 6:6; Mark 14:3-5; John 12:3-5. The alabaster box of, Matt. 26:7. Sacred Formula for, Ex. 30:23-25. Uses of, Ex. 30:26-33. Compounded...

  • JUDAS ISCARIOT

    [isbe] JUDAS ISCARIOT - is-kar'-i-ot (Ioudas Iskariotes, i.e. 'ish qeriyoth, "Judas, man of Kerioth"): One of the twelve apostles and the betrayer of Jesus; for etymology, etc., see JUDAS. I. Life. Judas was, as his second name ind...
    [smith] (Judas of Kerioth). He is sometimes called "the son of Simon," (John 6:71; 13:2,26) but more commonly ISCARIOTES. (Matthew 10:4; Mark 3:19; Luke 6:16) etc. The name Iscariot has received many interpretations more of less conj...

  • Bethsaida

    [ebd] house of fish. (1.) A town in Galilee, on the west side of the sea of Tiberias, in the "land of Gennesaret." It was the native place of Peter, Andrew, and Philip, and was frequently resorted to by Jesus (Mark 6:45; John 1:44...
    [isbe] BETHSAIDA - beth-sa'-i-da (Bethsaida, "house of fishing"): (1) A city East of the Jordan, in a "desert place" (that is, uncultivated ground used for grazing) at which Jesus miraculously fed the multitude with five loaves and...
    [smith] (house of fish) of Galilee, (John 12:21) a city which was the native place of Andrew, Peter and Philip, (John 1:44; 12:21) in the land of Gennesareth, (Mark 6:46) comp. Mark 6:53 And therefore on the west side of the lake. By...
    [nave] BETHSAIDA 1. A city of Galilee. The city of Philip, Andrew, and Peter, John 1:44; 12:21. Jesus visits, Mark 6:45; cures a blind man in, Mark 8:22; prophecies against, Matt. 11:21; Luke 10:13. 2. Desert of, E. of the sea of...
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Arts

Hymns

(Note: In "active" or "on" condition, the hymns music will be played automatically when mouse hover on a hymns title)
  • Bernyanyilah, Puteri Sion [KJ.90]
  • Gapuramu Lapangkanlah [KJ.87]
  • Yesus Kristus Memerintah [KJ.220]
  • [Joh 12:3] Lord, When In Simon’s House Of Yore
  • [Joh 12:3] Master, No Offering Costly And Sweet
  • [Joh 12:4] Once He Came In Blessing
  • [Joh 12:12] Hosanna, Loud Hosanna
  • [Joh 12:12] There Was A Time When Children Sang
  • [Joh 12:21] A Prayer For God’s Blessing
  • [Joh 12:21] Nothing Between (chapman)
  • [Joh 12:21] We Would See Jesus (1)
  • [Joh 12:21] We Would See Jesus (warner)

Questions

Sermon Illustrations

Thieves Closely Involved with the Crucifixion

Resources/Books

Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • 118:22-24 The psalmist seems to have been comparing himself to the stone that the builders (his adversaries) had rejected in view of the preceding context (cf. v. 18). The imagery is common. Whenever builders construct a ston...
  • 1:12-14 The Shulammite girl (6:3) described the effect that seeing Solomon had on her as he reclined at his banquet "table."She wore nard (spikenard, "perfume"NASB, NIV; cf. Mark 14:3; John 12:3), which was an ointment that c...
  • "This text is one of the most messianically significant passages of all the Bible, in both the Jewish and Christian traditions. Judaism sees in it a basis for a royal messianic expectation, whereas the NT and Christianity see...
  • Jesus came to Jerusalem to present Himself formally to the leaders of Israel as the nation's Messiah. He did this when He entered Jerusalem as Isaiah and Zechariah predicted Messiah would appear."Jesus entered Jerusalem for t...
  • 26:6-7 This event evidently happened on the previous Saturday evening (John 12:1).971The reference to two days before the Passover in verse 2 dates the plot to seize Jesus, not the anointing in Simon's house.972Apparently He ...
  • 14:3 For thematic reasons Matthew and Mark both placed this event within the story of the hostility of Jesus' enemies. It is apparently out of chronological order (cf. John 12:1). This rearrangement of the material highlighte...
  • This incident, appearing only in Luke's Gospel, illustrates the truth just expressed in verse 35. Here is a case in point of what Jesus had just described happening (v. 34). Jesus reached out to a sinner only to receive criti...
  • This is another incident involving women who became disciples of Jesus (cf. 8:1-3; et al.). Like the parable of the good Samaritan it shows Jesus overcoming prejudice. As the former parable illustrated the meaning of the seco...
  • Jesus addressed the former parable to His fellow guests, but He directed this teaching to His host. This lesson, like the former parable, could have applied only to social relationships. However, Jesus' teaching was never sim...
  • In this parable the rich man and his brothers who did not listen to Moses and the prophets (vv. 29-31) represent the Pharisees (vv. 16-17). The Pharisees believed in a future life and a coming judgment, but they, as the rich ...
  • Luke omitted the story of Jesus' anointing in Bethany (Matt. 26:6-13; Mark 14:3-9; John 12:2-8). He had already narrated a similar event that happened on another occasion (7:36-50). By his omission Luke allowed the story of t...
  • John's presentation of Jesus in his Gospel has been a problem to many modern students of the New Testament. Some regard it as the greatest problem in current New Testament studies.15Compared to the Synoptics that present Jesu...
  • The preceding quotation implies that John wrote primarily for Christians. This implication may seem to be contrary to John's stated purpose (20:30-31). Probably John wrote both to convince unbelievers that Jesus was the Son o...
  • I. Prologue 1:1-18A. The preincarnate Word 1:1-5B. The witness of John the Baptist 1:6-8C. The appearance of the Light 1:9-13D. The incarnation of the Word 1:14-18II. Jesus' public ministry 1:19-12:50A. The prelude to Jesus' ...
  • John the Apostle introduced John the Baptist because John the Baptist bore witness to the light, namely Jesus. John the Baptist was both a model evangelist pointing those in darkness to the light and a model witness providing...
  • The writer recorded John the Baptist's witness to Jesus' identity as preparation for his narration of Jesus' public ministry. He was the first of the Apostle John's witnesses to the Incarnation.Previously the writer had menti...
  • The writer now turned his attention from John the Baptist's witness to Jesus to record the reactions of some men to Jesus' witness. Two of John the Baptist's disciples left him to follow Jesus when they heard John's testimony...
  • The disciples of John were not the only men who began following Jesus. Andrew continued to bring other friends to Jesus. This incident preceded Jesus' formal appointment of the Twelve, but it shows Him preparing those who wou...
  • This pericope explains why Jesus must become greater. It also unites several themes that appear through chapter 3. John the Apostle or John the Baptist may be the speaker. This is not entirely clear.3:31-32 The incarnate Son ...
  • Having announced His departure Jesus proceeded to offer the Holy Spirit for those who believed on Him (cf. chs. 14-16).7:37 The feast of Tabernacles lasted seven days (cf. Deut. 16:13). However the day following the feast was...
  • The major theme of the Gospel, Jesus' identity as the Son of God, continues dominant. It was just as important for Jesus' disciples to grow in their understanding of who He was and to grow in their faith in Him as it was for ...
  • In this pericope John stressed Jesus' deliberate purpose in allowing Lazarus to die and the reality of his death.11:1-2 "Lazarus"probably is a variant of "Eleazar"meaning "God helps."379The Synoptic writers did not mention hi...
  • The emphasis in this pericope is on Jesus' compassion in the face of sin's consequences.11:30-32 Mary's physical response to Jesus was more emotional that Martha's had been, perhaps reflecting her temperament. Again we find M...
  • In contrast to the hatred that the religious leaders manifested stands the love that Mary demonstrated toward the One she had come to believe in. Her act of sacrificial devotion is a model for all true disciples. This is the ...
  • To make the contrast between belief and unbelief even more striking, John returned from Mary's love to the chief priests' hatred (cf. 11:47-57).12:9 Jesus had disappeared after Lazarus' resurrection and had not yet showed Him...
  • The importance of this incident in Jesus' ministry is evident from the fact that all four Gospel evangelists recorded it. Matthew and Mark placed this event before Mary's anointing of Jesus in Simon's house (vv. 1-8). However...
  • 12:20 The New Testament writers frequently referred to any Gentiles who came from the Greek-speaking world as Greeks (cf. 7:35; et al.). We do not know where the Gentiles in this incident came from. They could have lived in o...
  • 12:37-38 The majority of the Jews did not believe on Jesus despite the many miracles that He performed that indicated His messiahship (cf. 1:11). John again attributed Israel's unbelief to God's will, though he balanced that ...
  • 13:12 Jesus now returned to His role as the disciples' teacher, which His change of clothing and physical position indicated. He began to explain the significance of what He had done, though full comprehension would come to t...
  • Jesus realized that the Eleven did not fully understand what He had just revealed. He therefore encouraged them with a promise that they would understand His words later.14:25-26 Jesus had made these revelations to His discip...
  • Jesus introduced this teaching by explaining further why He was telling His disciples these things.16:1 The phrase "These things I have spoken to you"(Gr. tauta lelaleka hymin) brackets this subsection of the discourse and hi...
  • 17:1 "These things Jesus spoke"(NASB, Gr. tauta elalesen Iesous) clearly connects what follows with what Jesus had just been saying (cf. 14:25; 16:1, 4, 25, 33). Lifting up the eyes to heaven indicated prayer, as did Jesus' w...
  • 19:38 All four evangelists mentioned Joseph of Arimathea but only with Jesus' burial. The Synoptics tell us that he was a godfearing rich member of the Sanhedrin who was a follower of Jesus and who had not voted to condemn Je...
  • John followed the climactic proof that Jesus is God's Son with an explanation of his purpose for writing this narrative of Jesus' ministry. This explanation constitutes a preliminary conclusion to the book.20:30 "Therefore"ti...
  • In chapters 4-7 there is a series of similar confrontations with each one building up to the crisis of Stephen's death and the persecution that followed. The first four verses of chapter 4 conclude the incident recorded in ch...
  • There are a number of contrasts between the 144,000 and this great multitude. The number of the first group is not only smaller but definite whereas the number of the second group is larger and indefinite. People from the 12 ...

Expositions Of Holy Scripture (Maclaren)

  • Then Jesus, six days before the passover, came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom He raised from the dead. There they made Him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the tabl...
  • On the next day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, Took branches of palm-trees, and went forth to meet Him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that come...
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