John 12

     Cf. texts and notes at Mt.26:1-13; Mark 14:1-9; Luke 7:36-50.

     12:1-8.  John makes it appear that this supper (2) was six days before the Passover supper (1), but Matthew and Mark seem to place it two days before.  Either they flash back to it (which seems likely at Mt.26:6-16; Mark 14:3-11), or else John jumps forward.  Either way, it is important to all of them to show Judas’s motives in the betrayal, and what triggered his treason.  V.1 definitely tells us that Jesus arrived in Bethany six days before the Passover, i.e., on the Sabbath, for the next day (12) was the Triumphal Entry on the first day of the week.

     12:9-11.  These men could use Jesus’ supposed blasphemy (10:33) as a rationalization for their murderous plans for Jesus.  But there was no such excuse in Lazarus’s case.  He was simply an embarrassment to them that had to go.

     12:16.  Christ is the key to the OT.

     12:17-19.  The Pharisee’s exasperated exaggeration that “the world has gone after him,” turned out to be prophetic (20, 32).  (Cf.11:49-52).

     12:20.  These are apparently ethnic Greek proselytes to Judaism.

     12:32.  Jesus came to bring salvation not to the Jews only, but also to Gentiles (see Ro.9:24 and context).  That is the clear meaning of the words “all men” in this verse.  Obviously Jesus does not draw all men in an absolute sense to himself.  Many do not believe (37-40).  All is used here in the same sense as in Acts 10:12, i.e., all kinds of men, Jews and Gentiles of every nation.  “The world” is another phrase that is used wrongly by those who believe in a universal atonement (e.g., John 3:16-18).  Jesus did not die for all, or for the world universally, but for his particular sheep (10:14-16, 26-30), all those of the whole world whom his Father has given him.

     12:41.  John is saying that the glory of Jehovah that Isaiah saw and spoke of (Is.6) was none other than the Lord Jesus Christ (cf.45).

     12:42-43.  How much we owe those few leading men of history who have given up their positions and the approval of men for the truth and the approval of God.

     12:44-50.  Jesus came to save sinners, not to judge (47).  Yet all authority has been given him to judge, because he is the Son of Man (5:27).  His words which the Father gave him will judge all at the last day (48-50; cf. Heb.9:27-28).