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Miriam Anoints the Messiah

12 Six days before Passover, Yeshua came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Yeshua had raised from the dead. So they prepared a dinner there for Yeshua. Martha was serving, and Lazarus was one of those reclining at the table with Him. Then Miriam took a pound[a] of very expensive oil of pure nard and anointed Yeshua’s feet, and she wiped His feet dry with her hair. Now the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.

But Judah from Kriot, one of His disciples, the one who was about to betray Him, said, “Why wasn’t this oil sold for three hundred denarii[b] and the money given to the poor?” Now he said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief. Since he had the moneybox, he used to steal from what was put in it.

Therefore Yeshua said, “Leave her alone! She set it aside for the day of My burial. You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have Me.”

Now a large crowd of Judeans knew He was there and came, not only for Yeshua but also to see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead. 10 So the ruling kohanim made plans to kill Lazarus also, 11 because on account of him many of the Jewish people were going and putting their trust in Yeshua.

Israel’s King Has Come

12 The next day, the huge crowd that had come up for the feast heard that Yeshua was coming to Jerusalem. 13 So they took palm branches and went out to meet Him, shouting,

“‘Hoshia-na! Baruch ha-ba b’shem Adonai!
    Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’[c]
    The King of Israel!”

14 Finding a young donkey, Yeshua sat on it, as it is written,

15 “Fear not, Daughter of Zion!
Look! Your King is coming,
    sitting on a donkey’s colt.”[d]

16 His disciples did not understand these things at first. But when Yeshua was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written about Him and that the crowd had done these things for Him.

17 So the crowd, which had been with Yeshua when He called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead, kept on telling everyone about it. 18 It was also for this reason that the crowd came out to meet Him, because they heard that He had performed this sign. 19 So the Pharisees said to each other, “You see that you can’t do anything. Look, the whole world has taken off after Him!”

Fallen Seed Produces a Harvest

20 Now there were some Greeks among those who were going up to worship at the feast. 21 These came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in the Galilee. “Sir,” they said, “we want to see Yeshua.” 22 Philip comes and tells Andrew; Andrew and Philip come and tell Yeshua.

23 Yeshua answers them, saying, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified! 24 Amen, amen I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the earth and dies, it remains alone. But if it dies, it produces much fruit. 25 He who loves his life will lose it, and the one who hates his life in this world will keep it forever. 26 If any man serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there also will My servant be. If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.

27 “Now My soul is troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But it was for this reason I came to this hour. 28 Father, glorify Your name!”

Then a voice came out of heaven, “I have glorified it, and again I will glorify it!”

29 Therefore the crowd that was standing there and heard it was saying that it had thundered. Others were saying, “An angel has spoken to Him.”

30 Yeshua responded, “This voice hasn’t come for My sake, but for yours. 31 Now is the judgment of this world! Now the prince of this world will be driven out! 32 And as I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all to Myself.” 33 He said this to show the kind of death He was about to die.

34 The crowd answered Him, “We’ve heard from Scripture[e] that the Messiah remains forever. How can You say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this Son of Man?”

Choose Either the Light or the Darkness

35 Therefore Yeshua said to them, “The light is with you for a little longer. Walk while you have the light, so that the darkness will not overtake you. The one who walks in darkness doesn’t know where he is going. 36 While you have the light, believe in the light so that you may become sons of light.” Yeshua spoke these things, then left and hid Himself from them.

37 But even though He had performed so many signs before them, they weren’t trusting in Him. 38 This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet, who said,

Adonai, who has believed our report?
To whom has the arm of Adonai been revealed?”[f]

39 For this reason they could not believe, for Isaiah also said,

40 “He has blinded their eyes
    and hardened their hearts,
so they might not see with their eyes
nor understand with their hearts and turn back,
    and I would heal them.”[g]

41 Isaiah said these things because he saw His glory and spoke of Him.

42 Nevertheless many, even among the leaders, put their trust in Him. But because of the Pharisees, they were not confessing Yeshua,[h] so they would not be thrown out of the synagogue; [i] 43 for they loved the glory of men more than the glory of God.

44 Yeshua cried out, “Whoever puts trust in Me believes not in Me but in the One who sent Me! 45 And whoever beholds Me beholds the One who sent Me. 46 As light I have come into the world, so that everyone who trusts in Me should not remain in darkness.

47 “If anyone hears My words but doesn’t keep them, I do not judge him; for I came to save the world, not to judge the world. 48 The one who rejects Me and doesn’t receive My words has a judge; the word I spoke will judge him on the last day. 49 For I did not speak on My own, but the Father Himself who sent Me has commanded Me what to say and speak. 50 And I know that His commandment is life everlasting. Therefore what I say, I say just as the Father has told Me.”

Footnotes

  1. John 12:3 a Roman pound, about 12 ounces.
  2. John 12:5 One denarius was the daily wage for a laborer.
  3. John 12:13 Ps. 118:25a, 26a.
  4. John 12:15 Zech. 9:9.
  5. John 12:34 Lit. Law, here applied to the Torah, Prophets, and Writings; cf. Isa. 9:6(7); Dan. 7:14.
  6. John 12:38 Is. 53:1(LXX).
  7. John 12:40 cf. Is. 6:10.
  8. John 12:42 cf. Jn. 9:22.
  9. John 12:43 Lit. from the synagogue, i.e. excommunicated, cut off from all community, banned; cf. Mt. 18:17.

Jesus Anointed at Bethany(A)

12 Six days before the Passover,(B) Jesus came to Bethany,(C) where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served,(D) while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. Then Mary took about a pint[a] of pure nard, an expensive perfume;(E) she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair.(F) And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him,(G) objected, “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.[b] He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag,(H) he used to help himself to what was put into it.

“Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial.(I) You will always have the poor among you,[c](J) but you will not always have me.”

Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there and came, not only because of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead.(K) 10 So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, 11 for on account of him(L) many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and believing in him.(M)

Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King(N)

12 The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. 13 They took palm branches(O) and went out to meet him, shouting,

“Hosanna![d]

“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”[e](P)

“Blessed is the king of Israel!”(Q)

14 Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, as it is written:

15 “Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion;
    see, your king is coming,
    seated on a donkey’s colt.”[f](R)

16 At first his disciples did not understand all this.(S) Only after Jesus was glorified(T) did they realize that these things had been written about him and that these things had been done to him.

17 Now the crowd that was with him(U) when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word. 18 Many people, because they had heard that he had performed this sign,(V) went out to meet him. 19 So the Pharisees said to one another, “See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!”(W)

Jesus Predicts His Death

20 Now there were some Greeks(X) among those who went up to worship at the festival. 21 They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida(Y) in Galilee, with a request. “Sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.” 22 Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus.

23 Jesus replied, “The hour(Z) has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.(AA) 24 Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies,(AB) it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. 25 Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it(AC) for eternal life.(AD) 26 Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be.(AE) My Father will honor the one who serves me.

27 “Now my soul is troubled,(AF) and what shall I say? ‘Father,(AG) save me from this hour’?(AH) No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. 28 Father, glorify your name!”

Then a voice came from heaven,(AI) “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.” 29 The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him.

30 Jesus said, “This voice was for your benefit,(AJ) not mine. 31 Now is the time for judgment on this world;(AK) now the prince of this world(AL) will be driven out. 32 And I, when I am lifted up[g] from the earth,(AM) will draw all people to myself.”(AN) 33 He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die.(AO)

34 The crowd spoke up, “We have heard from the Law(AP) that the Messiah will remain forever,(AQ) so how can you say, ‘The Son of Man(AR) must be lifted up’?(AS) Who is this ‘Son of Man’?”

35 Then Jesus told them, “You are going to have the light(AT) just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light,(AU) before darkness overtakes you.(AV) Whoever walks in the dark does not know where they are going. 36 Believe in the light while you have the light, so that you may become children of light.”(AW) When he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them.(AX)

Belief and Unbelief Among the Jews

37 Even after Jesus had performed so many signs(AY) in their presence, they still would not believe in him. 38 This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet:

“Lord, who has believed our message
    and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”[h](AZ)

39 For this reason they could not believe, because, as Isaiah says elsewhere:

40 “He has blinded their eyes
    and hardened their hearts,
so they can neither see with their eyes,
    nor understand with their hearts,
    nor turn—and I would heal them.”[i](BA)

41 Isaiah said this because he saw Jesus’ glory(BB) and spoke about him.(BC)

42 Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him.(BD) But because of the Pharisees(BE) they would not openly acknowledge their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue;(BF) 43 for they loved human praise(BG) more than praise from God.(BH)

44 Then Jesus cried out, “Whoever believes in me does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me.(BI) 45 The one who looks at me is seeing the one who sent me.(BJ) 46 I have come into the world as a light,(BK) so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.

47 “If anyone hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge that person. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world.(BL) 48 There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the very words I have spoken will condemn them(BM) at the last day. 49 For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me(BN) to say all that I have spoken. 50 I know that his command leads to eternal life.(BO) So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.”(BP)

Footnotes

  1. John 12:3 Or about 0.5 liter
  2. John 12:5 Greek three hundred denarii
  3. John 12:8 See Deut. 15:11.
  4. John 12:13 A Hebrew expression meaning “Save!” which became an exclamation of praise
  5. John 12:13 Psalm 118:25,26
  6. John 12:15 Zech. 9:9
  7. John 12:32 The Greek for lifted up also means exalted.
  8. John 12:38 Isaiah 53:1
  9. John 12:40 Isaiah 6:10