John Chapter 12
The Hour Has Come
A. A dinner at Bethany.
1. (John 12:1-2) Lazarus eats and Martha serves.
“Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had been dead, whom He had raised from the dead. There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him.”
Notes and Commentary
a. Six days before the Passover:
John provides us with a clear time marker, stating that this event occurred six days before the Passover. This is significant because it places the supper in Bethany at the very beginning of Passion Week, the final week of Christ’s earthly ministry before His crucifixion. John devotes nearly half of his Gospel to this week, Matthew devotes more than one-third, Mark nearly forty percent, and Luke more than one-fourth. This highlights the centrality of the Passion narrative to the gospel message, showing that the cross is not incidental but the very climax of Christ’s mission.
b. There they made Him a supper:
The supper was evidently an act of gratitude and celebration for the raising of Lazarus from the dead, as Lazarus is twice mentioned here. Considering that Jesus knew the suffering and death that awaited Him in Jerusalem, it is striking that He chose to participate in such fellowship. Most men would withdraw into themselves under such pressure, but Jesus, ever others-focused, accepted the hospitality of His friends. His presence at this meal displays both His humanity and His willingness to enter into the joy of others even as He bore the weight of the cross before Him.
“He would not pain His hosts by self-absorbed aloofness at the table. The reason for the feast is obviously the raising of Lazarus, as is suggested by his being twice mentioned in verses 1 and 2.” (Maclaren)
The Greek text includes a “therefore” that some translations omit, pointing to the gratitude of the household. The raising of Lazarus prompted this act of hospitality.
c. Martha served:
The supper took place in Bethany, and though John does not identify the host, Matthew 26:6 and Mark 14:3 indicate it was at the home of Simon the Leper. It is possible that Simon was related to Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, or perhaps even Martha’s husband. Regardless, Martha takes her characteristic role, serving diligently. She is again portrayed as a woman of action, eager to express her devotion through practical service.
Her service is not menial, but meaningful. One can picture her joyfully presenting the finest food to Jesus, pressing Him to eat, and showing her gratitude through her labor. True Christian service is never wasted when it is done out of love for Christ.
Simon was a common Jewish name, and Luke 7 describes a different Simon, Simon the Pharisee, who hosted Jesus earlier in Galilee. The accounts are distinct, not contradictory.
The Synoptic Gospels appear to place this feast only two days before Passover, whereas John places it six days prior. This is explained by the fact that Matthew and Mark mention it parenthetically to show the motive for Judas’ betrayal, not to provide a chronological timeline.
2. (John 12:3) Mary anoints the feet of Jesus.
“Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.”
Notes and Commentary
a. Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus:
In the midst of the supper, Mary performed an act of pure devotion. Washing the feet of a guest was customary in Jewish culture, but several aspects of her action made this moment extraordinary. She did it not at the entryway, but during the meal itself. She did not use common water or inexpensive oil, but rather a pound of very costly spikenard. And she did not use a towel, but humbled herself further by wiping His feet with her hair.
Remarkably humble: Normally, a guest’s feet would be washed with water and his head anointed with a small measure of oil. Mary, however, poured her treasure on His feet, considering even His feet worthy of her most valuable possession. This was the work of the lowest servant, yet she took it upon herself out of love and reverence. As Morris notes, “To attend to the feet was the task of the most lowly slave. Thus Mary’s action denoted great humility as well as great devotion.”
Remarkably extreme: Mary’s devotion was extravagant. She used an entire pound of this perfume, an amount far beyond what would normally be used. Spices and ointments were often kept as an investment because of their high value and portability. Judas later estimated its worth at 300 denarii (John 12:5), roughly equivalent to a year’s wages for the average worker. To pour it out in a single act demonstrated that Mary valued Jesus more than her most precious earthly possession.
Remarkably unselfconscious: Mary not only poured out the oil but also wiped His feet with her hair. This meant she let her hair down in public, which a respectable Jewish woman would never do. It could easily have been misunderstood as improper or even immoral. Yet Mary was so consumed with love and honor for her Lord that she disregarded all social expectations and public opinion. Her devotion was reckless by the world’s standards, but entirely fitting for Christ.
i. Oil of spikenard:
John and Mark both describe the oil with the word pistikos. Its precise meaning is debated, but scholars suggest four possibilities:
From pistos, meaning faithful or genuine, thus indicating it was pure.
From pinein, meaning to drink, suggesting it was a liquid extract.
A trade name, indicating a particular brand or grade of nard.
Possibly from a root meaning pistachio, denoting a specific essence.
Regardless of the exact meaning, what is clear is that this perfume was of the highest value and purity.
ii. A costly gift fitting for Christ:
Spurgeon captured the heart of Mary’s devotion: “It was very costly, but it had not cost a penny too much now that it could be used upon Him. There was a pound of it, but there was none too much for Him. It was very sweet, but none too sweet for Him.” To Mary, nothing was too good, too costly, or too abundant for her Savior.
iii. The humility of letting down her hair:
Morris observes: “The act is all the more striking in that a Jewish lady never unbound her hair in public. That apparently was a mark of loose morals. But Mary did not stop to calculate public reaction. Her heart went out to her Lord and she gave expression to something of her feelings in this beautiful and touching act.” This further highlights her sincerity and disregard for appearances, caring only to honor Christ.
iv. Mary’s life of devotion at the feet of Jesus:
Mary consistently appears in Scripture at the feet of the Lord, each time revealing a different aspect of discipleship:
Luke 10:39: “And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word.” Here she sits at His feet to learn.
John 11:32: “Then, when Mary came where Jesus was, and saw Him, she fell down at His feet, saying to Him, ‘Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.’” Here she falls at His feet in surrender.
John 12:3: She anoints His feet with oil, showing honor and worship.
Erdman beautifully summarizes: “The life of Mary is painted for us, in three memorable pictures, in each of which she is at the feet of Jesus.”
v. True discipleship flows from learning:
Spurgeon draws out the connection: “You must sit at His feet, or you will never anoint them; He must pour His divine teaching into you, or you will never pour out a precious ointment upon Him.” Service and worship come from first hearing His word and being filled by Him.
b. The house was filled with the fragrance of the oil:
The act of worship left an immediate and lasting impression. The aroma filled the house, symbolizing how true devotion to Christ affects all those around it. John remembered vividly how the fragrance lingered, just as such devotion lingers in the memory of the church. Worship offered to Christ never remains hidden, but spreads its influence to others.
3. (John 12:4-6) Judas objects to Mary’s rich gift.
“Then one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him, said, ‘Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?’ This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it.”
Notes and Commentary
a. Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him:
John introduces Judas with the shadow of betrayal already over him. In sharp contrast to Mary’s sacrificial devotion, Judas’s objection reveals the corruption of his heart. What makes this moment striking is that Judas did not openly appear wicked before the disciples. Outwardly he was trusted, even to the point of managing the group’s money. Yet inwardly he was harboring greed and unbelief.
This passage is the only place outside the betrayal itself where Judas is explicitly described as doing evil, and even here, his sin was hidden. He had managed to cloak himself under a religious exterior. This illustrates the sobering truth that outward appearances can deceive. One can be close to Jesus outwardly and yet far from Him inwardly.
Trapp wrote, “He would sell his very Saviour. And a fair match he made: for, as Austin saith, Judas sold his salvation, and the Pharisees bought their damnation.” Judas’s heart was revealed in his priorities—earthly profit over eternal truth.
b. “Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?”
The value of Mary’s gift shocked those present. Three hundred denarii was essentially a year’s wages for a laborer. Judas gave voice to what others might have been thinking: that the act was too extravagant, too much devotion poured out on Jesus at once. But Judas’s words were not motivated by love for the poor; they came from a cold calculation that entirely missed the value of Christ.
Morgan observed: “Judas, blinded in self-interest, criticized her action, and so revealed himself as utterly opposed to the very spirit of the Lord Himself.”
His complaint spread quickly. Matthew 26:8 records that other disciples joined in, showing how one voice of cynicism can influence many. As Bruce put it, “The shock of what they had seen must have caused a brief embarrassed silence, which was broken by one voice giving expression to the sentiments of many.”
Yet it must be emphasized that Mary’s act was not wasteful. She poured out her gift directly upon Christ. Unlike luxuries claimed in the name of religion for human benefit, her act was entirely directed to the Lord in worship.
c. “This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it:”
John explains Judas’s true motive—he was stealing from the common fund. The word used (bastazō) can mean both “to carry” and “to carry off.” Judas habitually carried the funds, but he also carried them away for himself. His greed made him blind to love and worship, so that the fragrance of Mary’s sacrifice appeared to him as folly.
Luke 8:2-3 tells us that generous women financially supported Jesus and His disciples. Judas, entrusted with the money, regularly siphoned from it for himself.
Maclaren notes: “When a man has gone so far in selfish greed that he has left common honesty behind him, no wonder if the sight of utterly self-surrendering love looks to him folly.” Judas could not comprehend devotion to Christ because his heart was enslaved to covetousness.
The verb “used to take” is in the imperfect tense, showing an ongoing pattern. Judas did not steal once but continually robbed the Lord’s ministry.
Trapp warns: “Take heed of discontent. It was the devil’s sin that threw him out of heaven. Ever since which this restless spirit loves to fish in troubled waters.” It was likely through discontent and greed that Satan gained such a foothold in Judas’s heart.
Some chronologies suggest that the very next day Judas went to the chief priests and made his bargain to betray Jesus for thirty pieces of silver (Matthew 26:14-16, Mark 14:10-11). Morris remarks: “The impression left is that Judas, seeing one source of personal enrichment lost, hastened to create another.”
4. (John 12:7-8) Jesus defends Mary and explains what she did.
“But Jesus said, ‘Let her alone; she has kept this for the day of My burial. For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always.’”
Notes and Commentary
a. “Let her alone:”
Jesus immediately came to Mary’s defense. Judas criticized her, and others joined in (Matthew 26:8), but Jesus silenced them with this firm command. Where Judas found fault, Jesus found faithfulness. Where others saw waste, Jesus saw worship. This shows the Lord’s heart toward extravagant expressions of love—He never rebukes them, but He does rebuke those who discourage or despise them.
If we are extreme in our love for Jesus, we need not fear His correction. Judas’s attitude was marked by suspicion, criticism, and cold calculation, but Mary’s was marked by devotion, humility, and sacrifice. It is far better to be extravagant like Mary than to be miserly like Judas.
b. “She has kept this for the day of My burial:”
Jesus interpreted Mary’s act as preparation for His death. Whether or not Mary fully understood this is uncertain, but Jesus made it clear that her act of love had profound significance. In Jewish culture, large sums of money were often spent on burial customs, including expensive ointments to anoint the body. No one would criticize a family for using great wealth to honor their dead. Therefore, it was inappropriate for Judas—or anyone else—to object to Mary’s act of devotion toward Jesus while He was still alive to receive it.
Bruce explains: “Unusual expense at a funeral was not regarded as unseemly; why should anyone object if the ointment which would otherwise have been used to anoint his dead body in due course was poured over him while he was still alive and able to appreciate the love which prompted the action?”
Jesus affirmed Mary’s deed by declaring that her action would be remembered wherever the gospel was preached. Mark 14:9 records His words: “Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.”
John names Mary but does not record this promise.
Mark records the promise but does not name Mary.
Together they show the balance: it does not matter if men remember our names, so long as Jesus remembers. As Maclaren observed, “It matters little whether our names are remembered, so long as Jesus bears them graven on His heart.”
John’s detail about the fragrance filling the house (John 12:3) may parallel the enduring testimony Jesus described in Mark 14:9. The aroma symbolized how Mary’s devotion would be remembered long after the act itself. Morris points to a rabbinic saying: “(The scent of) good oil is diffused from the bed-chamber to the dining-hall while a good name is diffused from one end of the world to the other.” In the same way, Mary’s name and act of devotion became a sweet aroma throughout the history of the church.
c. “For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always:”
Jesus was not downplaying the importance of caring for the poor. Scripture consistently commands God’s people to show compassion to the needy (Deuteronomy 15:11, Proverbs 19:17, Galatians 2:10). Instead, He emphasized the uniqueness of this moment in salvation history. Opportunities to serve the poor would continue, but the opportunity to honor Him in person before His death was fleeting. Mary recognized the importance of the moment, and her act of devotion took precedence.
Jesus’s words remind us that while good works are essential, worship and devotion to Him must come first. Ministry to others flows rightly only when it is grounded in love for Christ.
5. (John 12:9-11) The plot to kill both Jesus and Lazarus.
“Now a great many of the Jews knew that He was there; and they came, not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might also see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead. But the chief priests plotted to put Lazarus to death also, because on account of him many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus.”
Notes and Commentary
a. “The chief priests plotted to put Lazarus to death also:”
News of Jesus’s presence in Bethany quickly spread, and many Jews came not only to see Him but also to see Lazarus, who was living proof of Jesus’s divine power. Lazarus had been dead four days, yet Christ restored him to life. His very existence testified that Jesus was the resurrection and the life (John 11:25). For the chief priests, especially the Sadducees, this was intolerable.
The Sadducees denied the doctrine of resurrection (Acts 23:8). Therefore, Lazarus was a direct contradiction of their teaching. His life was a standing rebuke to their theology, a living sermon that undermined their authority and exposed their error. Their solution was not to repent and believe, but to destroy the evidence by killing Lazarus. This reveals the hardness of unbelief—when confronted with undeniable truth, the heart that rejects God will attempt to suppress or eliminate it.
Trapp exclaims: “What a giant like madness was this, to take up arms against heaven itself! to seek to kill a man, only because God had made him alive!” Their opposition was not rational but spiritual rebellion.
Dods rightly calls this “the obduracy of unbelief in its extreme form.”
Spurgeon notes the broader principle: “When men hate Christ, they also hate those whom He has blessed, and will go to any lengths in seeking to silence their testimony.” Hatred of Christ inevitably extends to His people.
Clarke adds: “How blind were these men not to perceive that He who had raised him, after he had been dead four days, could raise him again though they had slain him a thousand times?” Their plan was not only wicked but foolish, opposing the very power of God.
b. “On account of him many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus:”
The miracle of Lazarus’s resurrection drew many to Christ. John emphasizes that the people were “going and believing”—a continuous stream of new converts leaving the influence of the chief priests and attaching themselves to Jesus. This only deepened the hostility of the religious leaders, who feared losing their authority, status, and influence.
Bruce explains: “The expression ‘were going and believing in Jesus’ may be Semitism, meaning ‘were increasingly believing in Jesus.’” The flow of believers was not slowing down but accelerating, making Lazarus an ongoing problem for the Sanhedrin.
This reveals the irony of their position: instead of rejoicing that people were turning to God, they resented the loss of control. Their hatred was rooted in pride, envy, and unbelief, not in genuine concern for truth or the welfare of the people.
B. The triumphal entry.
1. (John 12:12-16) The crowd greets Jesus as a coming King.
*“The next day a great multitude that had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, and cried out:
‘Hosanna!
Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!
The King of Israel!’
Then Jesus, when He had found a young donkey, sat on it; as it is written:
‘Fear not, daughter of Zion;
Behold, your King is coming,
Sitting on a donkey’s colt.’
His disciples did not understand these things at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written about Him and that they had done these things to Him.”*
Notes and Commentary
a. “The next day a great multitude that had come to the feast:”
This scene unfolded during Passover, the greatest feast of Judaism, when pilgrims from all over Israel and the diaspora filled Jerusalem. Many came from Galilee, bringing lambs for sacrifice, as Exodus 12:3-6 required that the lamb live with the family for at least three days before it was slain. As Jesus entered Jerusalem, He was surrounded by lambs destined for sacrifice, a living picture that He Himself was the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29).
Josephus records that one Passover counted 256,500 lambs offered. If even ten worshipers were attached to each lamb, that number suggests a crowd of over two million people in and around Jerusalem. Boice notes that Jesus must have entered the city surrounded by these lambs, Himself being the greatest Lamb of all.
b. “Took branches of palm trees:”
The crowd turned His entry into something resembling a patriotic parade. Palm branches symbolized national triumph and Jewish independence since the Maccabean revolt. Their waving of palms revealed that they looked to Jesus as a political liberator rather than as the suffering Servant who would die for their sins.
Tasker notes: “They greeted Jesus as a king, though ignorant of the nature of His kingship. It would seem that they looked upon Him as a potential nationalist leader, with whose help they might be able to become wholly independent of foreign powers.”
Bruce explains how palms became national symbols: they were used in the celebration of the temple’s rededication under Judas Maccabeus in 164 B.C. (2 Maccabees 10:7), at the celebration of political independence under Simon in 141 B.C. (1 Maccabees 13:51), and later even appeared on coins minted during the Jewish revolts against Rome (A.D. 66–70 and 132–135). Thus, their waving was not only an act of joy, but a political statement.
c. “Hosanna! ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’”
The people quoted Psalm 118:25-26, a psalm associated with messianic expectation. “Hosanna” literally means “save now!” At this moment, the multitude hailed Jesus as the Messiah, the King of Israel, expecting immediate deliverance from Rome. Their cry was correct in content but shallow in understanding. They wanted political salvation, but Jesus came to bring spiritual redemption.
d. “Jesus, when He had found a young donkey, sat on it:”
By riding on a donkey, Jesus deliberately fulfilled Zechariah 9:9: “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, lowly and riding on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey.” This act declared Him to be Messiah, but of a very different kind than the crowd imagined. He was not a militant conqueror but the Prince of Peace.
Morris observes: “The ass was not normally used by a warlike person. It was the animal of a man of peace, a priest, a merchant or the like. It might also be used by a person of importance but in connection with peaceable purposes. A conqueror would ride into the city on a war horse, or perhaps march in on foot at the head of his troops. The ass speaks of peace.”
Tenney adds: “He did not come as a conqueror but as a messenger of peace. He rode on a donkey, not the steed of royalty, but that of a commoner on a business trip.”
e. “The King of Israel:”
By calling Him King, the crowd openly declared messianic hope. Yet their hope was limited to freedom from Rome. They could not comprehend that His kingdom was “not of this world” (John 18:36). Rome, in turn, likely dismissed the parade as harmless, seeing no armies, no banners of war, only a so-called king riding a donkey’s colt.
Tenney notes that “Daughter of Zion” is a personification of Jerusalem, a phrase often found in the prophets. Jesus’s entry was not accidental; it was a direct fulfillment of God’s Word, showing that He was indeed the long-promised Messiah.
f. “His disciples did not understand these things at first:”
Even the disciples missed the significance of this event in the moment. It was only after Jesus was glorified—through His death, resurrection, and ascension—that they looked back and understood that all of this was prophesied. The Spirit later brought to remembrance the meaning of the Scriptures and their fulfillment in Christ (John 14:26).
2. (John 12:17-19) The crowds come after Jesus, to the dismay of the leaders.
“Therefore the people, who were with Him when He called Lazarus out of his tomb and raised him from the dead, bore witness. For this reason the people also met Him, because they heard that He had done this sign. The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, ‘You see that you are accomplishing nothing. Look, the world has gone after Him!’”
Notes and Commentary
a. “For this reason the people also met Him, because they heard that He had done this sign:”
The raising of Lazarus was still fresh in the memory of the people, and many who had witnessed it were testifying publicly about the miracle. Their witness was powerful—no one could deny that Lazarus, who had been dead four days, was alive again. This sign stirred even greater crowds to come see Jesus during the triumphal entry.
The miracle at Bethany fueled their messianic hopes. They believed that if Jesus could summon a man from the grave, He certainly had the power to deliver Israel from Roman oppression.
Bruce comments: “One who could summon a dead man back to life would certainly be able to deliver the holy city from the yoke of Caesar.” Their expectation, however, was misplaced—they wanted a political conqueror, not a suffering Savior.
b. “Look, the world has gone after Him!”
The Pharisees, seeing the vast crowds, spoke in frustration and defeat. Their efforts to suppress Jesus had failed, and His popularity was only increasing. Their words, though intended as complaint, carried a prophetic weight. John often records such ironies—statements meant one way by men but intended another way by God.
Tasker notes: “The Pharisees were of course exaggerating, but the words ‘the world is gone after him’ (John 12:19), like the words of Caiaphas in John 11:50, were unconsciously prophetic.” In truth, the gospel of Christ would go out into all the world, far beyond what the Pharisees imagined.
Morris adds: “They are concerned that a few Judeans were being influenced. But their words express John’s conviction that He was conquering the world.” What they saw as a threat to their power was in reality the unfolding of God’s redemptive plan for the nations.
The irony here is striking. The Pharisees thought their influence was slipping away, but in reality, they were witnessing the beginning of a kingdom that would spread across the earth.
1. (John 12:20-23) Greeks come to meet Jesus.
“Now there were certain Greeks among those who came up to worship at the feast. Then they came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, ‘Sir, we wish to see Jesus.’ Philip came and told Andrew, and in turn Andrew and Philip told Jesus. But Jesus answered them, saying, ‘The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified.’”
Notes and Commentary
a. “Now there were certain Greeks among those who came up to worship at the feast:”
These Greeks appear suddenly in the narrative, seeking Jesus during the Passover. John does not give details about them, but their presence is significant. They may have been:
Proselytes—Gentiles who fully converted to Judaism, including circumcision and adherence to the law.
God-fearers—Gentiles who respected the God of Israel and attended synagogue worship, but did not become proselytes.
Travelers or seekers—Greeks known for curiosity and philosophical inquiry, drawn by reports of Jesus.
Clarke notes: “We have heard much concerning him, and we wish to see the person of whom we have heard such strange things. The final salvation of the soul often originates, under God, in a principle of simple curiosity. Many have only wished to see or hear a man who speaks much of Jesus, his miracles, and his mercies; and in hearing have felt the powers of the world to come, and have become genuine converts to the truths of the Gospel.”
Bruce adds that their interest may have been stirred by recent events. Between verses 19 and 20, time had passed. Jesus had cleansed the temple (Mark 11:15-17), driving out the money changers from the outer court, which was supposed to be a house of prayer for all nations (Isaiah 56:7). The Greeks, restricted to that court, may have seen His act as a defense of their right to worship, deepening their interest in Him.
b. “Sir, we wish to see Jesus:”
These men approached Philip, whose name was Greek, perhaps making him more approachable to them. Their request is simple yet profound: they wanted to see Jesus. This desire mirrors the universal longing of humanity to know the truth, to see the One who reveals God.
Stier observes: “These men from the West at the end of the Life of Jesus, set forth the same as the Magi from the East at its beginning: — but they come to the Cross of the King, as those to His cradle.” At His birth, Gentiles came from the East to worship Him; at His death, Gentiles from the West sought Him. From the beginning to the end, Jesus is shown as the Savior of the world.
c. “The hour has come:”
Earlier in John’s Gospel, Jesus repeatedly said His hour had not yet come (John 2:4; 7:6, 30; 8:20). Now, for the first time, He declares that His hour has come. The interest of Gentiles signaled that His mission had reached its climax. His work was not only for Israel but for the nations. The cross would be the turning point by which all peoples—Jew and Gentile—would be drawn to Him (John 12:32).
Morris notes: “In this Gospel we see Jesus as the world’s Saviour, and evidently John means us to understand that this contact with the Greeks ushered in the climax… Jesus sees it as evidence that His mission has reached its climax and that he is now to die for the world, Greeks included.”
Before, His hour restrained Him from premature death (John 7:30; 8:20). Now that His hour had come, He would not avoid the cross but embrace it as the reason for His coming.
It is striking that Jesus did not directly grant these Gentiles an audience. Instead, He spoke of His death. Only after the cross would the full way be open for Gentiles to come to Him.
d. “That the Son of Man should be glorified:”
Jesus saw the cross as His glorification. To men, crucifixion was shame, humiliation, and defeat. To Jesus, it was obedience to the Father’s will and the very means by which He would reveal the glory of God’s love and justice. His glorification was not in popular acclaim, such as the triumphal entry, but in His willing sacrifice.
Morris explains: “The verb ‘is come’ is in the perfect tense, ‘the hour has come and stays with us’. There is no going back on it.” Once this hour arrived, the course of events leading to the cross was irreversible.
2. (John 12:24-26) Jesus explains why He is willing to face death.
“Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.”
Notes and Commentary
a. “Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies:”
Jesus illustrated His coming death with a simple agricultural truth. A grain of wheat remains solitary and unfruitful unless it is buried in the ground. Only by “dying” does it bring forth new life and multiplied fruit. In the same way, His death was not defeat but the very means by which life would come to the world. Without His death, He would remain “alone,” but through His death, He would bring many sons to glory (Hebrews 2:10).
Bruce comments: “The principle stated in verse 24 is of wide application; in particular, if it is true of Jesus, it must be true of his followers.” The cross is not only the basis of salvation but the pattern of discipleship.
b. “He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it:”
Here Jesus extended the principle to His followers. To “love” one’s life in this world is to cling to it selfishly, prioritizing comfort, wealth, or safety over obedience to God. Such a person will ultimately lose everything. To “hate” one’s life in this world means to willingly surrender it to God’s will, valuing eternal life above earthly pleasures or security.
Jesus clarified this by adding “in this world.” Our life here is temporary, and our true citizenship is in heaven (Hebrews 11:13-16; Philippians 3:20). The believer sees life here as stewardship, not ownership, and gladly lays it down for Christ.
Morris explains: “The man whose priorities are right has such an attitude of love for the things of God that it makes all interest in the affairs of this life appear by comparison as hatred.”
c. “If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me:”
Christianity is not mere admiration of Jesus but following Him in service and obedience. To serve Christ is to embrace His mission and walk in His path, even when it leads to the cross. Service is not an optional extra for the believer but the very purpose of salvation.
Spurgeon remarks: “All of you who would have Christ as your Savior, that you must be willing to serve him. We are not saved by service, but we are saved to service.”
John uses the word diakonos, meaning one who serves closely, often in personal attendance. Unlike a doulos who could serve at a distance, a diakonos stays near. Thus, the call is to close, personal service of Christ, even if humble or costly.
Jesus’s words challenged the disciples not to think, “He goes to the cross, but we are spared.” Instead, He commanded, “Follow Me.” The cross is not just His path but ours.
Maclaren notes: “Think of one Man standing up before all mankind, and coolly and deliberately saying to them, ‘I am the realized Ideal of human conduct; I am Incarnate Perfection; and all of you, in all the infinite variety of condition, culture, and character, are to take Me for your pattern and your guide.’”
d. “Where I am, there My servant will be also:”
This is the heart of discipleship: being with Christ. True service is not begrudging duty but loving closeness to the Master. The servant desires to be where the Lord is, both in suffering and in glory.
Alford notes: “The word refers, not to the place of our Lord at that moment, but to His essential, true place, i.e. (John 17:24) in the glory of the Father.” To follow Jesus in the way of the cross is to share with Him in the glory of heaven.
e. “If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor:”
This is a staggering promise. Those who serve Jesus will be honored by the Father Himself. Human recognition fades, but God’s honor is eternal. This reward is not merely acknowledgment but the Father’s approval, acceptance, and reward in eternity. It is the “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:21) that makes all sacrifice worthwhile.
3. (John 12:27-28a) At the crucial hour, Jesus expresses His resolve.
“Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour. Father, glorify Your name.”
Notes and Commentary
a. “My soul is troubled:”
Here Jesus reveals the deep inner conflict of facing the cross. Though fully divine, He was also fully human, and His humanity recoiled at the thought of the physical torment, spiritual agony, and separation from the Father that the cross would bring. John does not record the prayer in Gethsemane, but this moment reflects the same struggle: surrendering to the Father’s will even while troubled by the cost.
Clarke explains: “As a man he was troubled at the prospect of a violent death. Nature abhors death: God has implanted that abhorrence in nature, that it might become a principle of self preservation; and it is to this that we owe all that prudence and caution by which we avoid danger.” This shows that Jesus’s anguish was genuine, not staged; His humanity was real.
b. “And what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour?’”
This rhetorical question expresses a prayer Jesus could have prayed but refused. Though the instinct of His humanity recoiled at the cross, He knew this was the very purpose of His coming. To seek escape from the hour would have been to abandon the mission for which He had been sent. The shadow of the cross that stretched across His life was now coming into full reality.
Morris comments: “It seems clear that the words represent a rhetorical question, a hypothetical prayer at which Jesus looks, but which He refuses to pray.”
Trench adds: “The very object of His Incarnation, the reason of this His Coming into the world and of His continuance to this hour was to meet this Suffering.”
c. “Father, glorify Your name:”
At the heart of His resolve was not self-preservation but the glory of the Father. Even in the face of betrayal, suffering, and death, His highest concern was that the Father’s character and plan be displayed in all its holiness, justice, love, and mercy. The cross, though dreadful, would be the supreme moment of glorifying God’s name.
4. (John 12:28b-30) The Father testifies to Jesus in a voice from heaven.
“Then a voice came from heaven, saying, ‘I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.’ Therefore the people who stood by and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, ‘An angel has spoken to Him.’ Jesus answered and said, ‘This voice did not come because of Me, but for your sake.’”
Notes and Commentary
a. “Then a voice came from heaven:”
This was the third audible testimony of God the Father to the Son during His earthly ministry:
At His baptism (Matthew 3:17).
At His transfiguration (Matthew 17:5).
Here in Jerusalem, as He prepared to face the cross.
These voices confirmed to those present that Jesus was indeed the beloved Son of God.
b. “I have both glorified it and will glorify it again:”
The Father affirmed that His name had already been glorified through Jesus’s ministry and miracles, and that it would be glorified again in the events about to unfold—the cross, resurrection, ascension, and the spread of the gospel.
Clarke lists the ways Christ was glorified: “1st. By the prodigies which happened at his death. 2. In his resurrection. 3. In his ascension, and sitting at the right hand of God. 4. In the descent of the Holy Ghost on the apostles. 5. In the astonishing success with which the Gospel was accompanied, and by which the kingdom of Christ has been established in the world.”
Alford explains: “The word again here implies no mere repetition, but an intensification, of the glorification a yet once more: and this time fully and finally.”
c. “This voice did not come because of Me, but for your sake:”
Jesus did not need the Father’s audible reassurance; His relationship with the Father was unshakable. The voice was given for the crowd, so that they might believe. Yet even then, many misunderstood it—some thought it was thunder, others an angel. Only those with spiritual perception recognized it for what it was: the voice of God testifying to His Son.
Trench draws a parallel: “So in Acts 9:7, 22:9, Saul’s companions heard the physical reverberations, but not so as to understand the Voice, for it was not meant for them.” The voice revealed God’s truth, but only to those with ears to hear.
5. (John 12:31-33) Jesus plainly proclaims His death.
“Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out. And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.” This He said, signifying by what death He would die.
Notes and Commentary
a. “Now is the judgment of this world:”
The crucifixion was not only an act of redemption, it was also an act of judgment. The world system, hostile to God and opposed to Christ, revealed its true nature by crucifying the Son of God. In condemning Jesus, the world condemned itself. The very culture that prided itself on wisdom, justice, and power was judged as corrupt when it rejected the One who is wisdom, righteousness, and power from God.
Jesus also declared that the cross marked the defeat of Satan: “Now the ruler of this world will be cast out.” The death of Christ was not a tragedy of history but a triumph over sin, Satan, and death.
This “world” can be defined as humanity organized in rebellion against God. It has a ruler, Satan, called “the god of this age” (2 Corinthians 4:4), “the prince of the power of the air” (Ephesians 2:2), and “the ruler of this world” (John 14:30; 16:11).
b. “Now the ruler of this world will be cast out:”
The cross stripped Satan of his usurped authority over humanity. His dominion came through sin, but Jesus bore sin away at the cross. Satan could no longer accuse believers before God because Christ’s blood satisfied divine justice.
Bruce observes: “But the world’s judgment on Jesus, directed by the sinister spirit-ruler (archon) of the present order, would be overruled in a higher court; that spirit-ruler himself would be dislodged.”
Tasker explains: “It was because of disobedience that man was driven by God out of the Garden of Eden for having submitted to the prince of this world (John 12:31); now by the perfect obedience of Jesus on the cross the prince of this world will be deposed from his present ascendancy.”
Paul described this cosmic victory in Colossians 2:14-15: “Having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.” Satan’s greatest weapon—sin—was neutralized at Calvary.
c. “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth:”
The word “lifted” (hypsōthē) carries a double meaning. It refers both to Jesus’s physical lifting up on the cross and to His exaltation in glory. The cross, which looked like shame in the world’s eyes, was in reality His throne of victory.
Dods comments: “In lifted therefore, although the direct reference is to His elevation on the cross, there is a sub-suggestion of being elevated to a throne… It was the cross which was to become His throne and by which He was to draw men to Him as His subjects.”
Tasker clarifies that “if” here has the force of “when.” There was no doubt in Jesus’s mind; the crucifixion was certain.
Jesus also made clear that His death was not just for the Jews but for all nations. He promised: “I… will draw all peoples to Myself.” This universal scope fulfills God’s promise to Abraham that in his Seed all nations of the earth would be blessed (Genesis 22:18).
Maclaren powerfully states: “The Cross is the magnet of Christianity. Jesus Christ draws men, but it is by His Cross mainly… You demagnetize Christianity, as all history shows, if you strike out the death on the Cross for a world’s sin. What is left is not a magnet, but a bit of scrap iron.” The attraction of the gospel lies in the crucified Christ.
Spurgeon echoes: “There is no exclusion of any class or creature from the mercy of God in Christ Jesus. ‘I, if I be lifted up, will draw all men unto me’; and the history of the church proves how true this is: the muster-roll of the converted includes princes and paupers, peers and potmen.”
d. “This He said, signifying by what death He would die:”
John makes it clear that Jesus was speaking specifically of crucifixion. He knew not only that He would die but also how He would die—lifted up from the earth in the Roman manner of execution. Yet He accepted it willingly as the path of obedience and glorification.
6. (John 12:34-36) Will the Messiah live forever?
“The people answered Him, ‘We have heard from the law that the Christ remains forever; and how can You say, “The Son of Man must be lifted up”? Who is this Son of Man?’ Then Jesus said to them, ‘A little while longer the light is with you. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you; he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going. While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.’ These things Jesus spoke, and departed, and was hidden from them.”
Notes and Commentary
a. “We have heard from the law that the Christ remains forever:”
The people struggled with Jesus’s teaching about His death. They expected a Messiah who would reign forever in triumph, not one who would be “lifted up” in death. Their understanding of the Scriptures was selective—they embraced the passages that spoke of an eternal, victorious reign (Isaiah 9:7; Ezekiel 37:25; Daniel 7:14) but ignored or misunderstood those that spoke of suffering and death (Psalm 22; Isaiah 53).
Clarke notes: “There were several passages that spoke of the perpetuity of his reign, as Isaiah 9:7; Ezekiel 37:25; Daniel 7:14. They probably confounded the one with the other, and thus drew the conclusion, The Messiah cannot die; for the Scripture hath said, his throne, kingdom, and reign shall be eternal.”
This crowd, who had welcomed Him as a conquering king during the triumphal entry, resisted the thought of a suffering Messiah. Death did not fit their expectations of victory and glory.
Their question, “Who is this Son of Man?” reveals both confusion and doubt. The title “Son of Man” was indeed messianic (see Daniel 7:13-14), but as Dods observes, it was not as definitive in Jewish expectation as the title “Messiah.” Jesus used the title to show that His mission was not to overthrow Rome but to fulfill God’s redemptive plan through suffering.
b. “A little while longer the light is with you… While you have the light, believe in the light:”
Jesus did not directly answer their theological question but turned their attention to urgent personal responsibility. He told them that the “light”—His earthly ministry—would only remain for a little while longer. The opportunity to believe was limited; once the light was gone, darkness would overtake them.
This echoes the principle in Genesis 6:3: “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever.” Opportunities for repentance do not last indefinitely. There is a time to respond, and delay can result in darkness.
Jesus urged them not merely to admire the light but to believe in the light, so that they might become “sons of light.” This Semitic idiom means to take on the character of the light, to live in truth, holiness, and faith. Tasker explains: “The Semitic idiom ‘sons of’ describes men who possess the characteristics of what is said to be their ‘father’. In our idiom, we should probably say ‘men of light’, cf. our expression ‘a man of integrity’.”
Jesus’s appeal was both urgent and compassionate. He desired that they not only recognize Him as Messiah but also embrace Him in faith, becoming transformed by the light.
c. “These things Jesus spoke, and departed, and was hidden from them:”
After issuing this solemn call, Jesus withdrew. The hiding was both literal and symbolic. It marked the transition from His public ministry to His private ministry with the disciples in the upper room. It also symbolized the withdrawal of the light when it is rejected. To spurn the opportunity of faith is to risk being left in darkness.
7. (John 12:37-41) John explains their unbelief in light of Old Testament prophecy.
*“But although He had done so many signs before them, they did not believe in Him, that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke:
‘Lord, who has believed our report?
And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?’
Therefore they could not believe, because Isaiah said again:
‘He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts,
Lest they should see with their eyes,
Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn,
So that I should heal them.’
These things Isaiah said when he saw His glory and spoke of Him.”*
Notes and Commentary
a. “Although He had done so many signs before them, they did not believe in Him:”
John emphasizes the tragic unbelief of the Jewish people. Despite the many miracles Jesus performed—signs pointing unmistakably to His identity as Messiah—they still refused to believe. John has already highlighted miracles such as turning water into wine (John 2:11), healing the nobleman’s son (John 4:54), and feeding the five thousand (John 6:14). These were not hidden acts but public testimonies to His power. Yet, instead of producing widespread faith, the signs exposed the hardness of their hearts.
To explain this, John cites Isaiah 53:1 and Isaiah 6:9-10. Their unbelief was not unexpected; it had been foretold centuries before.
Morris remarks: “After centuries of Christian history, during which the church has been almost exclusively Gentile, we have come to accept that it is quite normal that there should be very few Jews in it. But this was not the way it seemed to the men of the New Testament.” The early church wrestled deeply with the paradox of Israel’s rejection of her own Messiah.
b. “To whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed:”
This quotation from Isaiah 53:1 underscores that faith is ultimately the result of God’s revelation. The “arm of the LORD” symbolizes His power and salvation. Jesus’s miracles and teaching revealed God’s power, but unless God opens the eyes of the heart, people will not believe. Belief is never merely intellectual assent; it is the response of a heart illuminated by God’s Spirit.
c. “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart:”
This quotation from Isaiah 6:9-10 shifts the focus. Persistent unbelief eventually results in God’s judicial hardening. Those who continually reject the truth are confirmed in their unbelief. God strengthens their decision, allowing their blindness and hardness to deepen.
Bruce clarifies: “Not one of them was fated to be incapable of belief; it is made plain below (John 12:42) that some did in fact believe. But the OT prediction had to be fulfilled, and fulfilled it was in those who, as matter of fact, did not believe.”
Morris adds: “He does not mean that the blinding takes place without the will or against the will of these people. So with the hardening of their heart. These men chose evil. It was their own deliberate choice, their own fault.”
This principle shows both divine sovereignty and human responsibility. Unbelief is always man’s fault, but God’s judicial hardening is His righteous response to persistent rejection.
d. “These things Isaiah said when he saw His glory and spoke of Him:”
John adds a profound theological note: when Isaiah saw the Lord in Isaiah 6, high and lifted up, that vision was of Christ. The glory of Yahweh revealed in the temple was none other than the glory of the pre-incarnate Son. John affirms both the deity of Christ and His eternal existence.
Tasker notes: “The vision of Isaiah recorded in Isaiah 6 is interpreted by John as a vision of the Godhead as a whole. The prophet saw Christ’s glory as well as the Father’s glory.”
This declaration leaves no room for diminishing Christ. He is not a created being, nor a mere prophet; He is the eternal Lord whom Isaiah saw in glory centuries before Bethlehem.
8. (John 12:42-43) Some of the rulers have a weak belief in Jesus.
“Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.”
Notes and Commentary
a. “Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him:”
Even among the Jewish leadership there were some who were convinced of Jesus’s identity, having witnessed His miracles and heard His teaching. Yet their faith was shallow and timid. They refused to openly confess Him, fearing the Pharisees, who had already threatened expulsion from the synagogue for anyone acknowledging Jesus as Messiah (John 9:22).
Barclay bluntly remarks: “Secret discipleship is a contradiction in terms, for either the secrecy kills the discipleship, or the discipleship kills the secrecy.” Genuine faith will eventually express itself openly.
Yet Trench offers a sympathetic note: “The commentators are hard on these timid ones. Are all Christians heroic? Is there no smoking flax?” Faith may begin weak, but God can nurture it toward greater courage. Still, the danger of cowardice is real: fear of man can stifle true discipleship.
b. “For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God:”
Here John diagnoses the root problem: misplaced love. Instead of seeking God’s approval, they craved human recognition. Jesus had already promised in John 12:26 that those who serve Him will be honored by the Father, but these rulers chose instead the fleeting honor of men.
Trapp observes: “Loved the praise of men: which what is it else but a little stinking breath? These have their reward.” Human praise is empty, transient, and corrupting when compared with God’s eternal honor.
This verse stands as a timeless warning. Many profess faith but remain silent for fear of ridicule, loss, or persecution. Such weak belief falls short of true discipleship.
9. (John 12:44-50) A final appeal to belief: Jesus makes a last, passionate appeal to the multitude.
“Then Jesus cried out and said, ‘He who believes in Me, believes not in Me but in Him who sent Me. And he who sees Me sees Him who sent Me. I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness. And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him—the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day. For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak. And I know that His command is everlasting life. Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak.’”
Notes and Commentary
a. “Then Jesus cried out and said:”
These were Jesus’s last public words in John’s Gospel before He turned to His private teaching of the disciples. They summarize the central themes of His ministry: faith in Him is faith in the Father, He is the light of the world, He came to save rather than condemn, and His words carry eternal authority.
Tasker notes: “The imperfect tense in the original signifies that the shouting was persistent.” This was not a casual remark but a passionate, urgent plea.
Morrison adds: “As a rule our Saviour did not cry [shout]. He did not cry nor lift up His voice in the streets. But now and then, in some exalted hour, the Gospels tell us that He cried (John 7:37).” This was one such moment of intensity.
b. “He who sees Me sees Him who sent Me:”
Jesus once again emphasized His unity with the Father. To believe in Him was to believe in the One who sent Him. To see Him was to see the Father’s nature revealed. His words reaffirm the truth of John 1:18: “No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.”
Clarke rightly comments: “Though it was for asserting this (His oneness with God) that they were going to crucify Him, yet He retracts nothing of what He had spoken, but strongly reasserts it, in the very jaws of death!”
c. “I have come as light into the world:”
Jesus stressed once more that He is the Light, the only source of truth and life. Without Him, humanity remains in darkness, stumbling in sin and ignorance. To believe in Him is to walk in the light; to reject Him is to remain in spiritual blindness.
d. “I did not come to judge the world but to save the world:”
The incarnation was motivated by love and salvation, not judgment. Jesus did not need to become man in order to condemn; divine judgment was already certain against sin. He came to provide salvation. Yet rejection of Him brings judgment nonetheless.
Morris observes: “His last word is not one of condemnation. It is one of tender appeal.”
Barclay highlights John’s paradox: “Always in the Fourth Gospel there is this essential paradox; Jesus came in love, yet His coming is a judgment.” His saving presence exposes unbelief as willful rejection.
e. “I have not spoken on My own authority:”
Jesus concluded by stressing His submission to the Father. His words were not self-originated but came directly from God, carrying the weight of divine command. His message was not speculation but revelation.
Dods explains: “What I should say and what I should speak: the former designates the doctrine according to its contents, the latter the varying manner of delivery.” Even His style of teaching was guided by the Father.
Jesus ended His public ministry where it began—in perfect unity with the Father, offering light, life, and salvation to all who would believe.
