121 Jesus , therefore , six days before the Passover , came to Bethany where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead . 2 So they made Him a supper there , and Martha was serving ; but Lazarus was one of those reclining at the table with Him. 3 Mary then took a pound of very costly perfume of pure nard , and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped His feet with her hair ; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume . 4 But Judas Iscariot , one of His disciples , who was intending to betray Him, said , 5 "Why e was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and given to poor people?" 6 Now he said this , not because he was concerned about the poor , but because he was a thief , and as he had the money box , he used to pilfer what was put into it. 7 Therefore Jesus said , "Let her alone , so that she may keep it for the day of My burial . 8 " For you always have the poor with you, but you do not always have Me."
9 The large crowd of the Jews then learned that He was there ; and they came , not for Jesus' sake only , but that they might also see Lazarus , whom He raised from the dead . 10 But the chief priests planned to put Lazarus to death also ; 11 because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and were believing in Jesus .
12 On the next day the large crowd who had come to the feast , when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem , 13 took the branches of the palm trees and went out to meet Him, and began to shout , " Hosanna ! BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE Lord , even the King of Israel ." 14 Jesus , finding a young donkey , sat on it; as it is written , 15 " FEAR NOT, DAUGHTER OF ZION ; BEHOLD , YOUR KING IS COMING , SEATED ON A DONKEY'S COLT ." 16 These things His disciples did not understand 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 So the people , who were with Him when He called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead , continued to testify about Him. 18 For this reason also the people went and met Him, because they heard that He had performed this sign . 19 So the Pharisees said to one another , "You see that you are not doing any good ; look , the world has gone after Him."
20 Now there were some Greeks among those who were going up to worship at the feast ; 21 these then came to Philip , who was from Bethsaida of Galilee , and began to ask him, saying , "Sir , we wish to see Jesus ." 22 Philip came and told Andrew ; Andrew and Philip came and told Jesus . 23 And Jesus answered them, saying , " The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified . 24 "Truly , truly , I say to you, unless e a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies , it remains alone ; but if it dies , it bears much fruit . 25 " He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it to life eternal . 26 "If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am , there My servant will be also ; if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.
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.