121 Jesus therefore, six days before the passover, came to Bethany, where was the dead [man] Lazarus, whom Jesus raised from among [the] dead. 2 There therefore they made him a supper, and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those at table with him. 3 Mary therefore, having taken a pound of ointment of pure nard of great price, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair, and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment. 4 One of his disciples therefore, Judas [son] of Simon, Iscariote, who was about to deliver him up, says, 5 Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor? 6 But he said this, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief and had the bag, and carried what was put into [it]. 7 Jesus therefore said, Suffer her to have kept this for the day of my preparation for burial; 8 for ye have the poor always with you, but me ye have not always.
9 A great crowd therefore of the Jews knew that he was there; and they came, not because of Jesus only, but also that they might see Lazarus whom he raised from among [the] dead. 10 But the chief priests took counsel that they might kill Lazarus also, 11 because many of the Jews went away on his account and believed on Jesus.
12 On the morrow a great crowd who came to the feast, having heard that Jesus is coming into Jerusalem, 13 took branches of palms and went out to meet him, and cried, Hosanna, blessed [is] he that comes in the name of [the] Lord, the King of Israel. 14 And Jesus, having found a young ass, sat upon it; as it is written, 15 Fear not, daughter of Zion: behold, thy King cometh, sitting on an ass's colt. 16 [Now] his disciples knew not these things at the first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written of him, and that they had done these things to him. 17 The crowd therefore that was with him bore witness because he had called Lazarus out of the tomb, and raised him from among [the] dead. 18 Therefore also the crowd met him because they had heard that he had done this sign. 19 The Pharisees therefore said to one another, Ye see that ye profit nothing: behold, the world is gone after him.
20 And there were certain Greeks among those who came up that they might worship in the feast; 21 these therefore came to Philip, who was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and they asked him saying, Sir, we desire to see Jesus. 22 Philip comes and tells Andrew, [and again] Andrew comes and Philip, and they tell Jesus. 23 But Jesus answered them saying, The hour is come that the Son of man should be glorified. 24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except the grain of wheat falling into the ground die, it abides alone; but if it die, it bears much fruit. 25 He that loves his life shall lose it, and he that hates his life in this world shall keep it to life eternal. 26 If any one serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there also shall be my servant. [And] if any one serve me, him shall the Father honour.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on John 12:1-26
Commentary on John 12:1-11
(Read John 12:1-11)
Christ had formerly blamed Martha for being troubled with much serving. But she did not leave off serving, as some, who when found fault with for going too far in one way, peevishly run too far another way; she still served, but within hearing of Christ's gracious words. Mary gave a token of love to Christ, who had given real tokens of his love to her and her family. God's Anointed should be our Anointed. Has God poured on him the oil of gladness above his fellows, let us pour on him the ointment of our best affections. In Judas a foul sin is gilded over with a plausible pretence. We must not think that those do no acceptable service, who do it not in our way. The reigning love of money is heart-theft. The grace of Christ puts kind comments on pious words and actions, makes the best of what is amiss, and the most of what is good. Opportunities are to be improved; and those first and most vigorously, which are likely to be the shortest. To consult to hinder the further effect of the miracle, by putting Lazarus to death, is such wickedness, malice, and folly, as cannot be explained, except by the desperate enmity of the human heart against God. They resolved that the man should die whom the Lord had raised to life. The success of the gospel often makes wicked men so angry, that they speak and act as if they hoped to obtain a victory over the Almighty himself.
Commentary on John 12:12-19
(Read John 12:12-19)
Christ's riding in triumph to Jerusalem is recorded by all the evangelists. Many excellent things, both in the word and providence of God, disciples do not understand at their first acquaintance with the things of God. The right understanding of spiritual nature of Christ's kingdom, prevents our misapplying the Scriptures which speak of it.
Commentary on John 12:20-26
(Read John 12:20-26)
In attendance upon holy ordinances, particularly the gospel passover, the great desire of our souls should be to see Jesus; to see him as ours, to keep up communion with him, and derive grace from him. The calling of the Gentiles magnified the Redeemer. A corn of wheat yields no increase unless it is cast into the ground. Thus Christ might have possessed his heavenly glory alone, without becoming man. Or, after he had taken man's nature, he might have entered heaven alone, by his own perfect righteousness, without suffering or death; but then no sinner of the human race could have been saved. The salvation of souls hitherto, and henceforward to the end of time, is owing to the dying of this Corn of wheat. Let us search whether Christ be in us the hope of glory; let us beg him to make us indifferent to the trifling concerns of this life, that we may serve the Lord Jesus with a willing mind, and follow his holy example.