March 19, 2014: John Chapter 12

The Gospel According to John Chapter 12

Originally posted Friday, April 18, 2008

John Chapter 12:1-8 Mary Anoints Jesus [see MT 26:6-13; MK 14:3-9; LK 7:36-38]

There are several versions of this story in the oral tradition. Matthew, using Mark has an anointing of Jesus' head which he defines as anointing his body for burial. The setting is a dinner at Simon the leper's home and the woman is unidentified. In Luke the setting is dinner at the home of a Pharisee. The woman is identified only as a sinner. She anoints only his feet and the purpose of this version of the story is to demonstrate a model expression of repentance and faith. John's version is set at a dinner given for Jesus at the home of Lazarus, Mary and Martha. Mary anoints Jesus feet, wiping them with her hair. The purpose is an anointing for burial. In all versions but Luke's there is a complaint about using so expensive a commodity rather than selling it and giving the money to the poor. In John the complaint comes from Judas. The editor has added a parenthetical comment questioning Judas' motives "because he was a thief" who managed the groups' money box and was known to steal from it. In the three cases of anointing for Jesus' burial the writers include the scene as a prophetic sign of what is ahead when the women would be unable to anoint Jesus' body after his crucifixion and before burial.

John Chapter 12:9-11 The Plot to Kill Lazarus

Apparently the word spread that Jesus was in Bethany staying at the home of Lazarus and his sisters. The people crowded around the house to see him and, with much fascination, to see Lazarus whom they thought was dead. The villagers were not the only ones interested in Lazarus. The chief priests of the Temple who had participated in the Council decision to arrest and kill Jesus now saw Lazarus as a threat. The events at Bethany were becoming well known among the pilgrims gathering for Passover. As with the villagers in Bethany, many had come to believe and were "going over" to Jesus' side as a result of the report. Were they actually to see Lazarus in Jerusalem who knows what the crowds might do. There was only one safe option. They will kill Lazarus as well.

We can read in this passage how John's evangelistic approach to the Synagogue Jews of Ephesus used the story of Lazarus in which the authorities planned to kill not only Jesus as the giver of life but also Lazarus, the prime recipient of that gift. This could serve as an invitation to them to "go over" to Jesus just as their fellow Jews had.

John Chapter 12:12-19 Entry Into Jerusalem [see MT 21:1-11;MK 11:1-11; LK 19:28-40]

The entry scene in John is similar to other versions in many of its details. The differences are important. In John there is no confusion about who these people are that are shouting "Hosha-na! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord - the King of Israel." This is not a spontaneous, celebratory crowd walking along the road singing words from the victory Psalm 118. These are not the pilgrims who happen to be on the road with Jesus approaching Jerusalem. John says, "[they] went out to meet him." They were among those who had come to believe in Jesus and were already in the city. They were welcoming Jesus as Messiah, the King of Israel. The phrase "in the name of the Lord" is not said as a blessing on those coming to the festival, it refers to Jesus who comes bearing God's name, I AM.

As in other versions Jesus rides on a donkey. In John it is Jesus who finds the donkey not the disciples. There is no hint of advance planning. In the other Gospels the donkey, taken from Zech. 9:9, is the corrective to any nationalistic interpretation of Jesus' as Messiah - Jesus is the King who comes in peace, "triumphant and victorious," humble and riding on a donkey. John cites parts of a second text, this one from the Greek Old Testament. From Zephaniah 3 he uses "Do not be afraid, O daughter of Zion" and "The King of Israel, the Lord, is in the midst of you." John interprets these texts together to project an image of Jesus as the Messiah who is humble (riding on a donkey), yet victorious and is the presence of the Lord (God) in the midst of Israel. This is a far cry from the expected, nationalistic Son of David who comes not in peace, and certainly not in humility, but as a conqueror who crushes the enemies of Israel and restores a Kingdom separated from all others.

The enthusiasm of the crowd was greater than their understanding of what had taken place. Even the disciples did not understand the symbolism portrayed in this living parable. Some day they would. Some day they would search the Scriptures and find the texts that seemed to have been written for just such a time as this and more.

John Chapter 12:20-36a The Greeks Arrive

The word translated here as "Greeks" does not refer to Hellenistic Jews who are part of the Diaspora who are on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem for the Passover. Many thousands of Jews lived outside of Palestine among the Gentiles throughout the Roman Empire, with especially strong communities in Antioch, Ephesus, Rome and many other large cities. The word used here specifically indicates these are Gentile proselytes, often referred to as "God Fearers." These are Gentiles who have attached themselves to a Synagogue for the purpose of taking instruction toward conversion to Judaism. More likely the Greeks mentioned here are participating in Jewish services and following the more rigorous Jewish moral and ethical standards absent in a polytheistic, pagan culture. Because of the ease of travel throughout the Empire it is likely that the news about Jesus had been reported to Jewish communities by those returning home from the various festivals in Jerusalem.

These Greeks wish to "see" Jesus, a word John uses to indicate belief in Jesus. We hear no more about them but their presence serves as a catalyst for Jesus to announce that the "hour" has come for him to be glorified (suffering, death, resurrection, ascension). John's use of this text reflects the historic shift of Christianity from an essentially Jewish reform movement to an essentially Hellenistic Gentile religion on its own. John's community exists precisely at the epicenter of this shift and this Gospel is its manifesto.

The event releases a number of loosely connected sayings. The glorification of the son of Man means his death. He is the grain of wheat which must fall into the earth and die. Through death he will bear much fruit (the Church). Eternal life is for those who reject their lives tied to the world's values of power and injustice. To serve Jesus is to follow him and whoever does serve him will be honored by the Father.

In a Gethsemane-like saying, Jesus struggles with his inevitable future. Should he ask God to save him from this hour? No, it is for this hour that he has come out. He will not ask to be saved, but to be glorified (in the process of death, resurrection and ascension). The voice, the bath qol of God, affirms Jesus before the crowd as the one glorified now and later, sent from God to bring both life and judgment. Judgment is present now and "the ruler of this world" (Satan) will be cast down. In this final hour Jesus will be lifted up from the earth (crucified) and will draw all people to himself. But there are those who cling to their false dreams of the warrior Messiah who remains forever. They cannot accept Jesus' words. Their time is short. The light will not be among them much longer and then the darkness will swallow them. Follow the light and become children of the light.

John Chapter 12:36b-43 The Unbelief

The Isaiah text is used in all four Gospel traditions and by Paul to explain the nearly universal rejection of conversion to Christianity by the Jewish people. The Church saw Jesus' ministry as a parallel to Isaiah's. The refusal of the Israelites to listen to Isaiah (his word from God), repent and be "saved," was taken as the model for what happened in the Christian evangelical experience. Most interpreters understand Isaiah as well as Jesus to be saying that the rejection of God (and Jesus) by the Jews was because they "could not bring themselves" to believe any truth but their own, albeit badly derived and poorly challenged. Is this our own story? Does it seem people just can't bring themselves to believe and that the church is simply out of date, meaningless in this modern age with its complex pressures and inward focus? In Jesus' time many responded to his message. Decades later many more responded to the message of the early church. Centuries later many responded to other messages - Luther, Calvin, Zwingli, Wesley, Whitefield, Asbury and Coke. And on it goes. In each period the story was the same. The only difference was how the story was told. It takes a new language for a new time. Christ is just as real today as he was then. What he said then is just as valid now. Maybe we need a new language.

John Chapter 12:44-50 Summary of Jesus' Teaching

John gathers a number of sayings which begin with an outline of the unity of purpose between Jesus and God. Believing in Jesus is the same as believing in the God who sent him. To see Jesus is to see God.

Next is a brief outline of Jesus' work. Jesus came as a light so that those who do believe are liberated from their darkness. He did not come to judge those who hear his words but do not follow them. The words themselves will act as judge, for the words require a decision, to believe or not to believe, and each person is free to choose.

Finally in a reprise of the opening, Jesus does not speak on his own. The God who sent him has given him a commandment about what to speak and that commandment is eternal life. Jesus speaks just as the Father has told him.