THEN JESUS, SIX DAYS BEFORE THE PASSOVER,.... Or "before the six days of the passover"; not as designing the days of that feast, for they were seven; but as reckoning so many days back from it, that is, before the sixth day from the ensuing passover: if there were six complete days between this and... [ Continue Reading ]
THERE THEY MADE HIM A SUPPER,.... At Bethany, in the house of Lazarus, Martha, and Mary; by whose order, and at whose charge it was prepared for him; and not in the house of Simon the leper, which was four days after this, Matthew 26:2. AND MARTHA SERVED; who was always a busy, active, and stirring... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN TOOK MARY A POUND OF OINTMENT OF SPIKENARD VERY COSTLY,.... Worth three hundred pence, according to Judas's estimation of it. This Mary was the other sister of Lazarus; Matthew 26:7, Mark 14:3, concerning the nature and value of this ointment: AND ANOINTED THE FEET OF JESUS; as he lay upon th... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN SAITH ONE OF HIS DISCIPLES,.... Who had no true love for his master, was an hypocrite, and a covetous person: JUDAS ISCARIOT; so called, to distinguish him from another Judas, an apostle; Matthew 10:4. SIMON'S [SON]; this is omitted in the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, Persic, and Ethiopic versions;... [ Continue Reading ]
WHY WAS NOT THIS OINTMENT SOLD FOR THREE HUNDRED PENCE,.... Meaning Roman pence, one of which is, of the value of our money, seven pence halfpenny; so that three hundred pence amount to nine pounds seven shillings and six pence: AND GIVEN TO THE POOR? this was his pretence, and with which he covere... [ Continue Reading ]
THIS HE SAID, NOT THAT HE CARED FOR THE POOR,.... He had no affection for them, and was unconcerned about them, and took no care of them to feed and clothe them; he was no ways solicitous for their support, refreshment, and more comfortable living: BUT BECAUSE HE WAS A THIEF; to his master, and pur... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN SAID JESUS, LET HER ALONE,.... Do not disturb her in what she does, or hinder her, or blame her for it: AGAINST THE DAY OF MY BURIAL HATH SHE KEPT THIS; this ointment, which she now poured on Christ; it was usual to embalm the dead with ointments and spices: Christ suggests, that the time of h... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THE POOR ALWAYS YE HAVE WITH YOU,.... And so would not want opportunities of showing a regard to them, which Christ always recommended; nor does he here in the least discourage an industrious and affectionate concern for them: the words seem to be a sort of prophecy, that there would be always p... [ Continue Reading ]
MUCH OF THE PEOPLE OF THE JEWS THEREFORE KNEW THAT HE WAS THERE,.... That is, many of the Jews that dwelt at Jerusalem, knew that Jesus was at Bethany; for it being but two miles from Jerusalem, the report of his being come soon reached thither: AND THEY CAME from Jerusalem to Bethany, NOT FOR JES... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THE CHIEF PRIESTS,.... With the rest of the sanhedrim: CONSULTED THAT THEY MIGHT PUT LAZARUS ALSO TO DEATH; as well as Jesus, and that for no other crime, but because he was raised from the dead by him; which shows what consciences these men had, and how horribly wicked they were; that they sto... [ Continue Reading ]
BECAUSE THAT BY REASON OF HIM,.... Of the miracle which was wrought upon him, in raising him from the dead, of which he was a living and an abiding witness: MANY OF THE JEWS WENT AWAY; not from Jerusalem only, but from the chief priests and Pharisees, and the rest of the Jews, that combined against... [ Continue Reading ]
ON THE NEXT DAY, MUCH PEOPLE THAT WERE COME TO THE FEAST,.... Of the passover; and they were much people indeed, that came yearly to this feast, from all parts of the nation; for all the males in Israel, were obliged to appear at this time; and though the women were not obliged, yet multitudes of th... [ Continue Reading ]
TOOK BRANCHES OF PALM TREES,.... The Ethiopic version adds, "and young shoots from Jerusalem"; these grew in great plenty, on one part of the Mount of Olives, that next to Bethany, from whence that town had its name; for it signifies the house of dates, the fruit of the palm tree; Matthew 21:17. And... [ Continue Reading ]
AND JESUS, WHEN HE HAD FOUND A YOUNG ASS,.... Which he sent his disciples for, to a neighbouring village, and they brought to him: SAT THEREON, AS IT IS WRITTEN; in Zechariah 9:9 though some part of the words seems to be taken out of Isaiah 62:11; Matthew 21:5; and so Nonnus paraphrases it here, ... [ Continue Reading ]
FEAR NOT, DAUGHTER OF ZION,.... But rejoice; see Zechariah 9:9 and Matthew 21:5.... [ Continue Reading ]
THESE THINGS UNDERSTOOD NOT HIS DISCIPLES AT THE FIRST,.... Or "at that time", as the Syriac and Persic versions render it; or "on that day", as the Ethiopic version; they did not then know the sense of that prophecy, nor that the things which were now doing were a fulfilling of it: BUT WHEN JESUS... [ Continue Reading ]
THE PEOPLE THEREFORE THAT WAS WITH HIM,.... The Jews, that came from Jerusalem to Bethany, to comfort the two sisters of Lazarus upon his death, who believed in Christ; and others of the town of Bethany, who with them were along with Christ: WHEN HE CALLED LAZARUS OUT OF HIS GRAVE; saying, Lazarus,... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THIS CAUSE THE PEOPLE ALSO MET HIM,.... This was a principal reason, among others, which induced them to set out in the manner they did, with palm tree branches in their hands, and accost him as the king of Israel, when they met him, and hosanna'd him into the city: FOR THAT THEY HEARD THAT HE... [ Continue Reading ]
THE PHARISEES THEREFORE SAID AMONG THEMSELVES,.... Either when assembled in their own private houses, or in the sanhedrim; or as they stood together in the streets, seeing Jesus pass by in such pomp, and such a multitude with him: PERCEIVE YE HOW YE PREVAIL NOTHING? the Vulgate Latin and Arabic ver... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THERE WERE CERTAIN GREEKS,.... "Hellenes", so called, from Hellen, a king of that name, as Pliny says r These were not Graecizing Jews, or Jews that dwelt in Greece, and spoke the Greek language; for they were called not Hellenes, but Hellenists; but these were, as the Vulgate Latin and Syriac v... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SAME CAME THEREFORE TO PHILIP,.... Who might know him; they might have been some of his neighbours formerly, for that Philip's parents, though Jews, dwelt among Greeks, seems probable, from the name given to him, which is a Greek one; some have thought, that these Greeks were Syrophoenicians, wh... [ Continue Reading ]
PHILIP COMETH AND TELLETH ANDREW,.... The request the Greeks made to him, and this he did, that he might have his advice in this matter; and that not only because he might be a senior man as well as apostle, but because he was of the same town, and might know these men as well as Philip: AND AGAIN,... [ Continue Reading ]
AND JESUS ANSWERED THEM,.... Not directly and particularly; he did not in plain terms signify what was his will, whether these Greeks should be admitted or not; and yet expressed himself in such a manner as shows he was not averse to it, but was pleased with it, and takes notice of it, as an evidenc... [ Continue Reading ]
VERILY, VERILY, I SAY UNTO YOU,.... This is a certain truth in nature, Christ was about to assert; and what he signifies by it would be a certain fact, and which he mentions, that his death might not be a stumbling block to his disciples, or any objection to his glorification; but was rather to be c... [ Continue Reading ]
HE THAT LOVETH HIS LIFE SHALL LOSE IT,.... The sense is, that whoever is so in love with this present temporal life, as to be anxiously careful of it, and takes all precautions to secure it; and rather than to expose it to any danger, chooses to deny the faith of Christ, and desert his cause and int... [ Continue Reading ]
IF ANY MAN SERVE, ME,.... Or is willing to be a servant of Christ, and to be esteemed as such; LET HIM FOLLOW ME; as in the exercise of the graces of love, humility, patience, self-denial, and resignation of will to the will of God, and in the discharge of every duty, walking as he walked, so in a... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW IS MY SOUL TROUBLED,.... At the hardness and unbelief of the Jews, and the rejection of them, when the Gentiles would be called, and converted, by which he would be glorified: and at the conduct and carriage of his disciples to him, he had a foreknowledge of; at the betraying of him by one, and... [ Continue Reading ]
FATHER, GLORIFY THY NAME,.... The perfections of his nature, particularly his justice and holiness, meaning in himself; by his sufferings and death; intimating hereby, that his Father's glory was what he had in view, and that the securing of that would give him an infinite pleasure amidst all his so... [ Continue Reading ]
THE PEOPLE THEREFORE THAT STOOD BY AND HEARD [IT],.... Some more confusedly, who were farthest off; others more distinctly, who were nearer: the first of these, SAID THAT IT THUNDERED; as it used to do when "Bath Kol" was heard, which, as the Jews say a, "is a voice that comes out of heaven procee... [ Continue Reading ]
JESUS ANSWERED AND SAID,.... To the people that stood by, and were disputing among themselves about what they heard, whether it was thunder, or the voice of an angel: THIS VOICE CAME NOT BECAUSE OF ME; at least not only and chiefly; it was not so much in answer to his prayer, or in order to comfort... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW IS THE JUDGMENT OF THIS WORLD,.... That is, in a very short time will be the judgment either of the Jewish world, when that shall be reproved, convinced, and condemned for their sin of rejecting Christ, and crucifying him, by the Spirit, in the ministration of the Gospel; and they still continui... [ Continue Reading ]
AND I, IF I BE LIFTED UP FROM THE EARTH,.... The death of Christ is here signified by his being "lifted up from the earth", in allusion to the lifting up of the brazen serpent on the pole; and shows, that his death would not be natural, but violent, and would be public, and not private; and fitly ex... [ Continue Reading ]
THIS HE SAID,.... These are the words of the evangelist, interpreting the design of Christ in the above words, thereby SIGNIFYING WHAT DEATH HE SHOULD DIE; the phrase of being lifted up from the earth, not only signified his death, but the kind, or manner of it, that it should be by crucifixion; a... [ Continue Reading ]
THE PEOPLE ANSWERED HIM,.... Not the Greeks, but the Jews, and these not such as were friends to Christ, but cavillers at him: WE HAVE HEARD OUT OF THE LAW; not the five books of Moses, but the Prophets, and Hagiographa; even all the books of the Old Testament are called the law; John 10:34; THAT... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN JESUS SAID UNTO THEM,.... Not directly answering to their questions, but suggests to them their ignorance and stupidity, amidst so much light, that was about them: YET A LITTLE WHILE IS THE LIGHT WITH YOU: meaning either himself, the light of the world, John 8:12, who was to be but a very litt... [ Continue Reading ]
WHILE YE HAVE LIGHT, BELIEVE IN THE LIGHT,.... Receive the Messiah, and credit the Gospel revelation; this is an explanation of the exhortation in the preceding verse: THAT YE MAY BE THE CHILDREN OF THE LIGHT; that is, that they might appear to be such who are enlightened persons; and such are trul... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THOUGH HE HAD DONE SO MANY MIRACLES BEFORE THEM,.... Openly, and in the presence of them; meaning those miracles which were done at Jerusalem, as those which brought Nicodemus to him, and to an acknowledgment of him as a teacher sent from God; and particularly the cure of the lame man at Bethesd... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT THE SAYING OF ESAIAS THE PROPHET MIGHT BE FULFILLED,.... For though this was not the end of these men in disbelieving Christ, that the words of Isaiah might be fulfilled, yet hereby they were eventually fulfilled; and though the predictions of the prophet had no such influence on the wills of t... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE THEY COULD NOT BELIEVE,.... God had determined to leave them to the blindness and hardness of their hearts, and to deny them his grace, which only could cure them of it, and enable them to believe: he had foretold this in prophecy, and they were manifestly the persons spoken of; and theref... [ Continue Reading ]
HE HATH BLINDED THEIR EYES, AND HARDENED THEIR HEART,.... It is of no great moment, whether the he, who is said to blind and harden, be God or Christ, or whether the words be rendered, "it hath blinded", c. that is, malice or wickedness or whether they be read impersonally, "their eyes are blinded",... [ Continue Reading ]
THESE THINGS SAID ESAIAS,.... Concerning the blinding and hardening of the Jews: WHEN HE SAW HIS GLORY, AND SPAKE OF HIM; when he saw, in a visionary way, the glory of the Messiah in the temple, and the angels covering their faces with their wings at the sight of him; and when he spake of him as th... [ Continue Reading ]
NEVERTHELESS AMONG THE CHIEF RULERS ALSO,.... These were the members of the Jewish sanhedrim, as Nicodemus, Joseph of Arimathea, and others: MANY BELIEVED ON HIM; that he was the Messiah, though they did not believe in him in a spiritual and saving manner, as their Redeemer and Saviour, only in the... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THEY LOVED THE PRAISE OF MEN,.... To be in the esteem of men, to have their applause, and receive honour from them: MORE THAN THE PRAISE OF GOD; than either to receive honour from him, and be praised by him, or to praise and glorify him. By confessing Christ they knew they should run the risk o... [ Continue Reading ]
JESUS CRIED AND SAID,.... Upon this occasion, on account of the prevailing hardness and unbelief of the Jewish nation, and the non-confession of him by those who did believe him to be the Messiah. He cried with a loud voice, that he might be heard, and his audience left inexcusable; it denotes the c... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE THAT SEETH ME, SEETH HIM THAT SENT ME. Not with bodily eyes, for there were many that saw Christ, who never saw the Father: they saw Christ as a mere man, and were offended at the meanness of his outward appearance; they saw nothing divine in him, nor the glory of the Father through him; but... [ Continue Reading ]
I AM COME A LIGHT INTO THE WORLD,.... And even as the light of it, being the sun of righteousness, that was to arise, and now was risen, to enlighten men with the light of the living; see John 3:19; THAT WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH ON ME SHOULD NOT ABIDE IN DARKNESS; God's elect themselves, whilst in a sta... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IF ANY MAN HEAR MY WORDS AND BELIEVE NOT,.... Men may hear the Gospel of Christ, and not understand it; and they may understand it literally and grammatically, though not spiritually and experimentally, and not believe it; not so much as give credit or an assent to the truth of it, but reject an... [ Continue Reading ]
HE THAT REJECTETH ME,.... As the Messiah, with abhorrence and contempt, as many among the Jews did, who would not have him to reign over them, but sought to put him to death: AND RECEIVETH NOT MY WORDS; the doctrines of the Gospel, but disbelieves them, and denies them to be true, looking upon them... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR I HAVE NOT SPOKEN OF MYSELF,.... As man, or as separate from his Father; his doctrine was not human, but divine, and therefore a rejection of it cannot escape notice at the future judgment: BUT THE FATHER WHICH SENT ME, HE GAVE ME A COMMANDMENT WHAT I SHOULD SAY, AND WHAT I SHOULD SPEAK; Christ... [ Continue Reading ]
AND I KNOW THAT HIS COMMANDMENT IS LIFE EVERLASTING,.... By "his commandment" is not meant the law; that indeed is often styled the commandment; and it is the commandment of God; and many excellent things are said of it; and among the rest it is called "life", Deuteronomy 30:15, but not everlasting... [ Continue Reading ]