121 Jesus, therefore, six days before the passover, came to Bethany, where was Lazarus, who had died, whom he raised out of the dead; 2 they made, therefore, to him a supper there, and Martha was ministering, and Lazarus was one of those reclining together (at meat) with him; 3 Mary, therefore, having taken a pound of ointment of spikenard, of great price, anointed the feet of Jesus and did wipe with her hair his feet, and the house was filled from the fragrance of the ointment. 4 Therefore saith one of his disciples—Judas Iscariot, of Simon, who is about to deliver him up— 5 'Wherefore was not this ointment sold for three hundred denaries, and given to the poor?' 6 and he said this, not because he was caring for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and what things were put in he was carrying. 7 Jesus, therefore, said, 'Suffer her; for the day of my embalming she hath kept it, 8 for the poor ye have always with yourselves, and me ye have not always.'
9 A great multitude, therefore, of the Jews knew that he is there, and they came, not because of Jesus only, but that Lazarus also they may see, whom he raised out of the dead; 10 and the chief priests took counsel, that also Lazarus they may kill, 11 because on account of him many of the Jews were going away, and were believing in Jesus.
12 On the morrow, a great multitude that came to the feast, having heard that Jesus doth come to Jerusalem, 13 took the branches of the palms, and went forth to meet him, and were crying, 'Hosanna, blessed 'is' he who is coming in the name of the Lord—the king of Israel;' 14 and Jesus having found a young ass did sit upon it, according as it is written, 15 'Fear not, daughter of Sion, lo, thy king doth come, sitting on an ass' colt.' 16 And these things his disciples did not know at the first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were having been written about him, and these things they did to him. 17 The multitude, therefore, who are with him, were testifying that he called Lazarus out of the tomb, and did raise him out of the dead; 18 because of this also did the multitude meet him, because they heard of his having done this sign, 19 the Pharisees, therefore, said among themselves, 'Ye see that ye do not gain anything, lo, the world did go after him.'
20 And there were certain Greeks out of those coming up that they may worship in the feast, 21 these then came near to Philip, who 'is' from Bethsaida of Galilee, and were asking him, saying, 'Sir, we wish to see Jesus;' 22 Philip cometh and telleth Andrew, and again Andrew and Philip tell Jesus. 23 And Jesus responded to them, saying, 'The hour hath come that the Son of Man may be glorified; 24 verily, verily, I say to you, if the grain of the wheat, having fallen to the earth, may not die, itself remaineth alone; and if it may die, it doth bear much fruit; 25 he who is loving his life shall lose it, and he who is hating his life in this world—to life age-during shall keep it; 26 if any one may minister to me, let him follow me, and where I am, there also my ministrant shall be; and if any one may minister to me—honour him will the Father.
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.