NLT Study Bible - Gospel of John - Flipbook - Page 35
John 11:57
1796
emple, they said to each other, “What do
T
you think? He won’t come for Passover, will
he?” 57Meanwhile, the leading priests and
Pharisees had publicly ordered that anyone
seeing Jesus must report it immediately so
they could arrest him.
Jesus Anointed at Bethany
John 12:1-11; cp. Matt 26:6-13 // Mark 14:3-9; cp.
Luke 7:36-50
12
Six days before the Passover celebra
tion began, Jesus arrived in Bethany,
the home of Lazarus—the man he had
raised from the dead. 2A dinner was pre
pared in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, and
Lazarus was among those who ate with
him. 3Then Mary took a twelve-ounce jar
of expensive perfume made from essence
of nard, and she banointed Jesus’ feet with
it, wiping his feet with her hair. The house
was filled with the frag rance.
4But Judas Iscariot, the disciple who
would soon betray him, said, 5“That per
fume was worth a year’s wages. It should
have been sold and the money given to the
poor.” 6Not that he cared for the poor—he
was a thief, and since he was in charge of
the disciples’ money, he often stole some
for himself.
7Jesus replied, “Leave her alone. She did
this in preparation for my burial. 8You will
12:1-50 Two stories build simultaneously. A growing number of people are
praising Jesus (this climaxes in 12:12),
and the authorities are increasingly
determined to arrest him and put him
to death. John records three events
that occurred just days prior to Passover
(12:1-11, 12-19, 20-36). Then he explains why most of the people refused
to believe and details Jesus’ final public
appeal (12:37-50).
12:1 Pilgrims from throughout Israel
began arriving in Jerusalem the week
before the Passover. The festival was on
Thursday that year; Jesus arrived late
the preceding Friday, just before the
Sabbath.
12:2 who ate: Or who reclined. The
typical posture for eating was to recline
at a low table.
12:3 Mary . . . anointed Jesus’ feet: Doing so was not awkward, because Jews
reclined at formal meals, but it was
certainly a dramatic gesture (cp. Matt
26:6-16; Mark 14:3-9). a twelve-ounce
jar: Greek 1 litra [327 grams]. Nard,
a precious spice imported from North
India, was sweet, red, and smelled like
gladiola perfume. Twelve ounces of
nard cost a year’s wages (12:5). According to Mark, Mary also anointed Jesus’
head (Mark 14:3), and the perfume
always have the poor among you, but you
will not always have me.”
9When all the people heard of Jesus’ ar
rival, they flocked to see him and also to see
Lazarus, the man Jesus had raised from the
dead. 10Then the leading priests decided to
kill Lazarus, too, 11for it was because of him
that many of the people had deserted them
and cbelieved in Jesus.
Jesus’ Messianic Entry into Jerusalem
John 12:12-19 // Matt 21:1-11 // Mark 11:1-11 //
Luke 19:28-40
12The
next day, the news that Jesus was on
the way to Jerusalem swept through the city.
A large crowd of Passover visitors 13took
palm branches and went down the road to
meet him. They shouted,
“Praise God!
Blessings on the one who comes in the
name of the Lord!
Hail to the King of Israel!”
14Jesus found a young donkey and rode on it,
fulfilling the prophecy that said:
15 “Don’t be afraid, people of Jerusalem.
Look, your King is coming,
riding on a donkey’s colt.”
12:1
John 11:1
12:2
Luke 10:38-42
12:3
Luke 7:37-38
baleipho (0218)
Jas 5:14
12:4
John 6:71
12:6
John 13:29
12:7
John 19:40
12:8
Deut 15:11
12:10
Luke 16:31
12:11
cpisteuo (4100)
Acts 5:14
12:12-19
//Matt 21:1-11
//Mark 11:1-11
//Luke 19:28-38
12:13
Lev 23:40
*Ps 118:25-26
Zeph 3:15
12:15
Isa 35:4
*Zech 9:9
12:16
John 2:22; 7:39
16His disciples didn’t understand at the
time that this was a fulfillment of prophecy.
ran down and scented his garments
(Mark 14:8). her hair: Women never
unveiled their hair in public (see Luke
7:38). Mary was acting with extravagant
abandon and devotion.
12:5 a year’s wages: Greek 300 denarii.
A denarius was equivalent to a laborer’s
full day’s wage. Judas may have been
exaggerating, but Mary’s sacrifice was
certainly very costly.
12:7 Leave her alone: Jesus’ defense of
Mary interpreted her deed. The nard
was a burial spice for his death. Jesus
was readied for burial as he moved
toward the hour of glorification and
death (see note on 12:23).
12:8 Jesus would never neglect the poor,
but this opportunity to serve him was
unparalleled.
12:9 people: Literally Jewish people;
also in 12:11.
12:11 had deserted them: Or had
deserted their traditions; literally had
deserted.
12:12 The next day was Sunday (see
12:1). A large crowd of pilgrims (many
from Galilee) camped in this region. As
Jesus followed the road to Jerusalem,
they cheered him. This triumphal entry
appears in all four Gospels (Matt 21:111; Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:29-38).
12:1-8
//Matt 26:6-13
//Mark 14:3-9
12:13-14 palm branches: The date palm
was a celebratory symbol of Jewish nationalism. meet him: The Greek word
commonly describes crowds greeting
a returning, triumphant king. Praise
God: Greek Hosanna, an exclamation of
praise adapted from a Hebrew expression that means “save now.” Blessings on the one: The crowd quoted Ps
118:25-26, with a greeting for those
who came to Jerusalem. The phrase
Hail to the King of Israel is not in the
psalm (but see Zeph 3:15). Although the
people saw Jesus as a national political
liberator, he rejected this role (6:15).
12:14 By choosing a young donkey
rather than a warhorse, Jesus calmed
the frenzied crowd that was passionate
for his kingship. He also fulfilled OT
predictions regarding the Messiah (see
Zech 9:9) and showed that his kingship
was not that of a warrior. His gift is life,
not conquest.
12:15 This verse is a quotation of Zech
9:9 people of Jerusalem: Literally
daughter of Zion.
12:16 The crowds and even the
disciples didn’t understand Jesus’
true significance. When the disciples
received the Holy Spirit following Jesus’
glorification, they fully comprehended
who Jesus was (see 2:22).
