CHAPTER XII. _Jesus sups at the house of Lazarus, and Mary anoints his feet_, 1-3. _Judas Iscariot finds fault, and reproves her_, 4-6. _Jesus vindicates Mary and reproves Judas_, 7, 8. _The chief priests consult to put Lazarus to death, because that_ _through him many believed on Jesus_, 9-11... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse John 12:3. _THEN TOOK MARY A POUND OF OINTMENT_] Matthew 26:7, Matthew 26:7; _see also Clarke "_Mark 14:3_"_. It does not seem the most likely that this was the same transaction with that mentioned above. Some think that this was, notwithstanding _that_ before is said to have been at the hous... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse John 12:5. _THREE HUNDRED PENCE_] Or _denarii_: about 9_£_. 13_s_. 9_d_. of our money; reckoning the denarius at 7 3/4_d_. One of my MSS. of the _Vulgate_ (a MS. of the 14th century) reads, _cccc_ _denarii_.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse John 12:6. _NOT THAT HE CARED FOR THE POOR_] There should be a particular emphasis laid on the word _he_, as the evangelist studies to show the most determined detestation to his conduct. _AND BARE WHAT WAS PUT THEREIN._] Or rather, as some eminent critics contend, _And stole what was put in... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse John 12:7. _LET HER ALONE: AGAINST THE DAY OF MY BURYING HATH SHE_ _KEPT THIS._] Several MSS. and versions read thus: - Αφες αυτην, ἱνα εις την ἡμεραντου ενταφιασμου μου τηρησῃ - _Let her alone, THAT she_ _may keep it to the day of my embalming_. This is the reading of BDLQ, _four_ others,... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse John 12:9. _MUCH PEOPLE OF THE JEWS_] John, who was a _Galilean_, often gives the title of _Jews_ to those who were inhabitants of Jerusalem.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse John 12:10. _CONSULTED THAT THEY MIGHT PUT LAZARUS ALSO TO DEATH._] As long as he lived they saw an incontestable proof of the Divine power of Christ; therefore they wished to put him to death, because many of the Jews, who came to see him through curiosity, became converts to Christ through h... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse John 12:12. _ON THE NEXT DAY_] On what we call _Monday_.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse John 12:13. _TOOK BRANCHES_] Matthew 21:1, Matthew 21:1, c., and Mark 11:1, where this transaction is largely explained.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse John 12:16. _THEN REMEMBERED THEY_, c.] After the ascension of Christ, the disciples saw the meaning of many prophecies which referred to Christ, and applied them to him, which they had not fully comprehended before. Indeed it is only in the light of the new covenant, that the old is to be ful... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse John 12:17. _WHEN HE CALLED_] It appears that these people, who had seen him raise Lazarus from the dead, were publishing abroad the miracle, which increased the popularity of Christ, and the envy of the Pharisees.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse John 12:19. _YE PREVAIL NOTHING_] Either by your _threatening_ or _excommunications_. _THE WORLD IS GONE AFTER HIM._] The whole mass of the people are becoming his disciples. This is a very common form of expression among the Jews, and simply answers to the French, _tout le monde_, and to the... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse John 12:20. _CERTAIN GREEKS_] There are three opinions concerning these: 1. That they were _proselytes_ of the _gate_ or _covenant_, who came up to worship the true God at this feast. 2. That they were _real Jews_, who lived in Grecian provinces, and spoke the Greek language. 3. That they w... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse John 12:21. _THE SAME CAME THEREFORE TO PHILIP_] Some suppose that these Gentiles were of _Phoenicia_ or _Syria_, or perhaps inhabitants of _Decapolis_, near to the lake of _Gennesareth_ and _Bethsaida_; and therefore they addressed themselves to Philip, who was of the latter city, and probabl... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 22. _ANDREW AND PHILIP TELL JESUS._] How pleasing to God is this union, when the ministers of his Gospel agree and unite together to bring souls to Christ. But where _self-love_ prevails, and the _honour_ that comes from God is not sought, this union never exists. _Bigotry_ often ruins every g... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 23. _THE HOUR IS COME, THAT THE SON OF MAN_, c.] The time is just at hand in which the Gospel shall be preached to all nations, the middle wall of partition broken down, and Jews and Gentiles united in one fold. But this could not be till after his death and resurrection, as the succeeding ver... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 24. _EXCEPT A CORN OF WHEAT FALL INTO THE GROUND AND DIE_] Our Lord compares _himself_ to a _grain_ of wheat; his _death_, to a grain _sown_ and _decomposed_ in the ground; his _resurrection_, to the _blade_ which springs up from the dead grain; which grain, thus dying, brings forth an abundan... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 25. _HE THAT LOVETH HIS LIFE_] Matthew 10:39, Matthew 10:39; _and see Clarke "_Luke 14:26_"_. I am about to give up my life for the salvation of men; but I shall speedily receive it back with everlasting honour, by my resurrection from the dead. In this I should be imitated by my disciples, wh... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 26. _IF ANY MAN SERVE ME_] Christ is a _master_ in a twofold sense: 1. To _instruct_ men. 2. To _employ_ and _appoint_ them their work. He who wishes to _serve_ Christ must become: 1. His _disciple_ or _scholar_, that he may be _taught_: 2. His _servant_, that he may be _employed_ by and _... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 27. _NOW IS MY SOUL TROUBLED_] Our blessed Lord took upon him our _weaknesses_, that he might sanctify them to _us_. 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 p... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 28. _FATHER, GLORIFY THY NAME._] By the _name_ of God is to be understood _himself_, in all his attributes: his wisdom, truth, mercy, justice, holiness, c., which were all more abundantly glorified by Christ's death and resurrection, (i.e. shown forth in their own excellence,) than they had ev... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 29. _THE PEOPLE - SAID THAT IT THUNDERED: OTHERS - AN ANGEL_ _SPAKE TO HIM._] Bishop _Pearce_ says, Probably there was thunder as well as a voice, as in Exodus 19:16-2, and some persons, who were at a small distance, might hear the thunder without hearing the voice; while others heard the voic... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 30. _THIS VOICE CAME NOT BECAUSE OF ME, BUT FOR YOUR_ _SAKES._] Probably meaning those _Greeks_ who had been brought to him by Philip and Andrew. The Jews had frequent opportunities of seeing his miracles, and of being convinced that he was the Messiah; but these Greeks, who were to be a first... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 31. _NOW IS THE JUDGMENT OF THIS WORLD_] The judgment spoken of in this place is applied by some to the punishment which was about to fall on the Jewish people for rejecting Christ. And the ruler or prince, ο αρχων, of this world, is understood to be _Satan_, who had blinded the eyes of the Je... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 32. _I - WILL DRAW ALL_ MEN _UNTO ME._] After I shall have died and risen again, by the preaching of my word and the influence of my _Spirit_, I shall attract and illuminate both Jews and Gentiles. It was one of the peculiar characteristics of the Messiah, that unto him should the _gathering... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 34. _WE HAVE HEARD OUT OF THE LAW_] That is, out of the sacred writings. The words here are quoted from Psalms 110:4; but the Jews called every part of the sacred writings by the name, _The_ _Law_, in opposition to the words or sayings of the scribes. John 10:34, John 10:34. _THAT CHRIST ABI... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 35. _YET A LITTLE WHILE IS THE LIGHT WITH YOU._] In answer to their objection, our Lord compares himself to a light, which was about to disappear for a short time, and afterwards to shine forth with more abundant lustre; but not to their comfort, if they continued to reject its present beamin... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 36. _CHILDREN OF LIGHT_] Let the light, the truth of Christ, so dwell in and work by you that ye may be all light in the Lord: that as truly as a child is the produce of his own parent, and partakes of _his_ nature, so ye may be children of the light, having nothing in you but _truth_ and _rig... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 37. _YET THEY BELIEVED NOT ON HIM_] Though the miracles were wrought for this very purpose, that they might believe in Christ, and escape the coming wrath, and every evidence given that Jesus was the Messiah, yet they did not believe; but they were blinded by their passions, and obstinately ha... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 38. _THAT THE SAYING OF ESAIAS_] Or, _Thus the word of Isaiah_ _was fulfilled_. So I think ινα (commonly rendered _that_) should be translated. For it certainly does not mean the _end_ the Pharisees had in view by not believing; nor the _end_ which the prophet had in view in predicting the inc... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 39. _THEREFORE THEY COULD NOT BELIEVE_] Why? Because they did not believe the report of the prophets concerning Christ; therefore they credited not the miracles which he wrought as a proof that he was the person foretold by the prophets, and promised to their fathers. Having thus resisted the... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 40. _AND I SHOULD HEAL THEM._] This verse is taken from Isaiah 6:9, and, perhaps, refers more to the judgments that should fall upon them as a nation, which God was determined should not be averted, than it does to their eternal state. To suppose that the text meant that God was unwilling that... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 41. _WHEN HE SAW HIS GLORY_] Isaiah 6:1, c. _I saw Jehovah_, said the prophet, _sitting upon a throne, high and_ _lifted up, and his train filled the temple. Above it stood the_ _seraphim and one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy_, is _Jehovah, God of hosts; the whole earth_ shall... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 42. _AMONG THE CHIEF RULERS - MANY BELIEVED ON HIM_] We only know the names of two of them, _Nicodemus_, and _Joseph_ of _Arimathea_. _BUT-THEY DID NOT CONFESS HIM_] Or _it_: they were as yet weak in the faith, and could not bear the reproach of the cross of Christ. Besides, the principal rul... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 43. _THEY LOVED THE PRAISE OF MEN_] δοξαν, the _glory_ or _honour_ that cometh from men. How common are these four obstacles of faith! says Quesnel: 1. Too great a regard to men. 2. Riches and temporal advantages. 3. The fear of disgrace. 4. The love of the praise of men. Abundance of pe... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 44. _JESUS CRIED AND SAID_] This is our Lord's concluding discourse to this wicked people: probably this and the following verses should be understood as a part of the discourse which was left off at the 36th verse. John 12:36 _Jesus cried _- he spoke these words _aloud_, and showed his _earn... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 46. _I AM COME A LIGHT INTO THE WORLD_] Probably referring to what his forerunner had said, John 1:5. Before the coming of this Saviour, this sun of righteousness, into the world, all was darkness: at his rising the darkness is dispersed; but it only profits those whose eyes are open to receiv... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse John 12:47. _AND BELIEVE NOT_] και μη φυλαξη, _And keep them not_, is the reading of ABL, _seven_ others; _Syriac, Wheelock's Persian_, two of the _Arabic, Coptic, Sahidic, AEthiopic, Armenian_, later _Syriac, Vulgate, six_ of the _Itala_, and some of the fathers. A man must _hear_ the words... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse John 12:48. _THE WORD THAT I HAVE SPOKEN - SHALL JUDGE HIM_] Ye shall be judged according to my doctrine: the maxims which ye have heard from my mouth shall be those on which ye shall be tried in the great day; and ye shall be condemned or acquitted according as ye have believed or obeyed them... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse John 12:49. _FOR I HAVE NOT SPOKEN OF MYSELF_] I have not spoken for my secular interest: I have not aimed at making any gain of you: I have not set up myself as your teachers in general do, to be supported by my disciples, and to be credited on my own testimony. I have taught you, not the thi... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse John 12:50. _I KNOW THAT THIS COMMANDMENT IS LIFE EVERLASTING_] These words of our Lord are similar to that saying in St. John's first epistle, 1 John 5:11. _This is the record, that God hath given unto us eternal life,_ _and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life_. God's _co... [ Continue Reading ]