John 12 - ESV MacArthur Study Bible

12:1 Six days before the Passover. This most likely was the previous Saturday with Passover coming six days later on Thursday evening through sunset Friday. See Introduction: Interpretive Challenges.

12:1–50 This chapter focuses on the reactions of love and hate, belief and rejection toward Christ, leading to the cross.

12:3 a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard. The term used for “pound” actually indicates a weight around three-fourths of a pound (approximately 12 ounces). “Nard” was an oil extracted from the root of a plant grown in India. anointed the feet of Jesus. The dinner guests were reclined at the table with their feet extended away from it, making it possible for Mary to anoint the feet of Jesus. The act symbolized Mary’s humble devotion and love for him.

12:5 three hundred denarii. Since one denarius was a day’s wage given to common laborers, 300 was equivalent to a year’s wages (no money was earned on the Sabbath or other holy days).

12:6 a thief. Judas’s altruism was really a front for his own personal avarice. Because he was the apostolic band’s treasurer, he was able to secretly pilfer the group treasury for his own desires.

12:7 keep it for the day of my burial. Mary performed this act to signal her devotion but, as in the case of Caiaphas (11:49–52), her act revealed more than she realized at the time. During the first century, lavish sums were spent on funerals, which included costly perfumes to cover the smell of decay (see note on 11:39).

12:8 This does not mean that alms should not be distributed to the poor (Deut. 15:11) but was a reminder that, while the poor would remain, Jesus would not always be with them. See Matt. 26:11 and Mark 14:7.

12:11 going away . . . believing. This phrase signaled both a conscious, deliberate move away from the religion of the authorities and a move toward genuine faith in Jesus as Messiah and Son of God.

12:12 The next day. The day after the crowds came to visit him and Lazarus in Bethany (cf. v. 9). Jesus arrived in Bethany on Saturday (see note on v. 1). Then on Sunday a great number of Jews visited him, angering the Jewish leaders (vv. 9–11). It would not have been until the following day (Monday) that Jesus prepared to enter Jerusalem through the East Gate of the city.

12:12–19 This section marks Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. It is one of the few incidents in Jesus’ life reported in all four Gospels (Matt. 21:1–11; Mark 11:1–11; Luke 19:29–38). By this action, he presented himself officially to the nation as the Messiah and Son of God. The Sanhedrin and other Jewish leaders wanted him dead but did not want him killed during the Passover time because they feared stirring up the multitudes with whom he was popular (Matt. 26:5; Mark 14:2; Luke 22:2). Jesus entered the city, however, on his own time and forced the whole issue in order that it might happen exactly on the Passover day when the lambs were being sacrificed. As the Scripture says, “Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed” (1 Cor. 5:7). In God’s perfect timing (see John 7:30; 8:20), at the precise time foreordained from eternity, he presented himself to die (12:23; 10:17–18; 17:1; 19:10–11; cf. Acts 2:23; 4:27–28; Gal. 4:4).

12:13 took branches of palm trees. The supply of date palms was plentiful; they still grow in Jerusalem today. The waving of palm branches had become a symbol of the fervent hope that the Messiah had come (6:14–15). Hosanna! The term “hosanna” is a transliteration of a Hebrew word that means “give salvation now.” It was a term of acclamation or praise occurring in Ps. 118:25, which was familiar to every Jew, since that psalm was part of the Hallel (Ps. 113–118) sung each morning by the temple choir during the Feast of Booths (John 7:37) and associated with the Feast of Dedication (10:22) and especially the Passover. After shouting out the “Hosanna,” the crowds shouted Ps. 118:26; significantly, the original context of Ps. 118 may well have been the pronouncement of blessing upon a messianic leader. Jewish commentaries have understood the verse to bear messianic implications. “He who comes in the name of the Lord” refers to the Messiah, especially in context with the phrase, “the King of Israel,” though that messianic title is not from Ps. 118.

12:14–15 The Synoptic Gospels give more information here regarding Jesus’ selection of a young donkey (see Matt. 21:1–9; Mark 11:1–10; Luke 19:29–38). They convey the fact that Jesus deliberately planned to present himself to the nation in this manner as a conscious fulfillment of the messianic prophecy of Zech. 9:9 (quoted here). The words, “Fear not,” are not found in the Zechariah passage but were added from Isa. 40:9. Only after his ascension did the disciples grasp the meaning of the triumphal entry (cf. John 14:26).

12:19 the world has gone after him. “The world” means the people in general, as opposed to everyone in particular. Clearly, most people in the world did not even know of Jesus at that time, and many in Israel did not believe in him. Often, “world” is used in this general sense (v. 47; 1:29; 3:17; 4:42; 14:22; 17:9,21).

12:20–21 Most likely Gentile proselytes to Judaism who had come up for the Passover and who, in their desire to see Jesus, stood in direct antithesis to the attitude of the national leaders who desired to kill him. At the very moment when the Jewish authorities virulently plotted to kill him, Gentiles began to desire his attention.

12:23 hour. Refers to the time of Jesus’ death, resurrection, and exaltation (v. 27; 13:1; 17:1). Up to this point, Jesus’ hour had always been future (2:4; 4:21,23; 7:30; 8:20). Son of Man. See note on 1:51.

12:24 As the sown kernel dies to bring forth a rich harvest, so also the death of the Son of God will result in the salvation of many.

12:25–26 Not only is the principle of death applicable to Jesus (see v. 24), but it is also applicable to his followers. They, too, as his disciples may have to lose their life in service and witness for him (see Matt. 10:37–39; 16:24–25).

12:27 Now is my soul troubled. The term used here is strong and signifies horror, anxiety, and agitation. Jesus’ contemplation of taking on the wrath of God for the sins of the world caused revulsion in the sinless Savior (cf. 2 Cor. 5:21).

12:28 glorify your name. This request embodied the principle that Jesus lived by and would die by. See 7:18; 8:29,50. I have . . . and I will glorify. The Father answered the Son in an audible voice. This is only one of three instances during Jesus’ ministry when this took place (cf. Matt. 3:17—his baptism; Matt. 17:5—his transfiguration).

12:31 the ruler of this world. A reference to Satan (see 14:30; 16:11; cf. Matt. 4:8–9; Luke 4:6–7; 2 Cor. 4:4; Eph. 2:2; 6:12). Although the cross might have appeared to signal Satan’s victory over God, in reality it marked Satan’s defeat (cf. Rom. 16:20; Heb. 2:14).

12:32 lifted up from the earth. This refers to his crucifixion (v. 33; 18:32). See note on 3:14.

12:34 remains forever. The term “law” was used broadly enough to include not only the five books of Moses but also the whole of the OT (see Rom. 10:4). Perhaps they had in mind Isa. 9:7, which promised that the Messiah’s kingdom would last forever, or Ezek. 37:25 where God promised that the final David would be Israel’s prince forever (see also Ps. 89:35–37).

12:35–36 Jesus said to them. A final invitation from Jesus was recorded by John to focus on his theme of believing in the Messiah and Son of God (see 20:30–31).

12:37–40 In these verses, John gave the scriptural explanation for such large-scale, catastrophic unbelief on the part of the Jewish nation. The explanation was that the unbelief was not only foreseen in Scripture but necessitated by it. In v. 38, John quotes Isa. 53:1 and in John 12:40 he quotes Isa. 6:10 (see Rom. 10:16), both of which stress the sovereign plan of God in his judicial hardening of Israel (cf. Paul’s argument in Rom. 9–11). Although God predestined such judgment, it was not apart from human responsibility and culpability (see John 8:24).

12:41 Isaiah . . . saw his glory and spoke of him. This is a reference to Isa. 6:1 (see notes there). John unambiguously ties Jesus to God or Yahweh of the OT (see note on John 8:58). Therefore, since 12:41 refers to Jesus, it makes him the author of the judicial hardening of Israel. That fits his role as Judge (see 5:22–23,27,30; 9:39).

12:42–43 The indictment of vv. 37–41 is followed by the exceptions of vv. 42–43 (see 1:10–11 vs. 1:12–13). While the people seemed to trust Jesus with much more candor and fervency, the leaders of Israel who believed in him demonstrated inadequate, irresolute, even spurious faith (see note on 2:23–25). The faith of the latter was so weak that they refused to take any position that would threaten their position in the synagogue. This is one of the saddest statements about spiritual leadership, for they preferred the praises of people above the praises of God in their refusal to publicly acknowledge Jesus as Messiah and Son of God.