John 12, Being different from the world is not very hard today!

John 12:1-8 (NIV) Six days before the Passover, Jesus arrived at Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 Here a dinner was given in Jesus' honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. 3 Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus' feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.


4 But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, 5 "Why wasn't this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year's wages."  6 He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.


7 "Leave her alone," Jesus replied. "[It was intended] that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. 8 You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me."


• Part of this story is also told in the other gospels, which provide additional details
• Mark 14:1-7 (NIV) Now the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread were only two days away, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some sly way to arrest Jesus and kill him. 2 "But not during the Feast," they said, "or the people may riot." // 3 While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of a man known as Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head. // 4 Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, "Why this waste of perfume? 5 It could have been sold for more than a year's wages and the money given to the poor." And they rebuked her harshly. // 6 "Leave her alone," said Jesus. "Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me.
• Matt 26:8-10 (NIV) When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. "Why this waste?" they asked. 9 "This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor." // 10 Aware of this, Jesus said to them, "Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me.
• One thing that stands out is that nothing everything can be evaluated using a spiritual formula
• There are Christian "party-poopers." If something is happening that is not deep and spiritual we criticize the action
• There are Christian "functionalists". If something doesn't have a purpose or a function, it is a waste of money. This is often true of men. We don't appreciate beauty. We don't appreciate the joy or sheer pleasure of events to others. Mary wanted to do what she did and it gave her joy to do. The disciples poo-poo'ed her joy because they did not see its' value
• Greek word "kalon" means beautiful, good, excellent in its nature and characteristics, and therefore well adapted to its ends (Thayer, NT:2570)
• Aroma of our witness draws people to Jesus. For an event that was worthless, Peter (Mark), John, and Matthew all record the event. Luke was not there and did not record it, but the disciples who were there, remembered it
• Why is perfume used for burials? And so did Jesus really need perfume? No. Then why does Jesus interrupt all the men's grumbling?
• He did it to restore Mary's joy
• Yes, it metaphorically prepared his body
• Finally, as God he understood the value of beauty (we see it in creation)
• I've always felt that when God made man and woman there were certain characteristics which were more common in one sex over the other
• In women, we find a greater desire to nurture, to show compassion, and to appreciate the importance of creating beauty
• APPLICATION: Is your Christian life characterized by stealing other people's joy or by giving them joy? Do you crab about others or are you excited about others joy
• NOTE: Verse 3, Constable, 2012. Mary anointed Jesus with a litre of ointment. The Greek litre equaled about 11 ounces and was a lavish amount to pour out on someone. Its quantity indicates Mary's great love and high regard for Jesus. The ointment was nard or spikenard, an Indian oil that came from the roots (i.e., spikes, therefore "spikenard") of the nard plant.452 It was pure ointment and therefore of a high quality as well as imported and consequently very expensive (cf. v. 5).
• NOTE: Verse 8, Constable, 2012. Unless Jesus was the Son of God who was due the same honor as His Father (5:23) this statement would have manifested supreme arrogance. Jesus was not encouraging the disciples to regard poverty as inevitable and, therefore, to avoid doing anything to help those in need. He was comparing the unique opportunity that His impending death presented with the continual need that the poverty of some will always present (cf. Mark 14:7)


John 12:9-16 (NIV) Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there and came, not only because of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. 10 So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, 11 for on account of him many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and putting their faith in him.


12 The next day the great crowd that had come for the Feast heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. 13 They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting,


"Hosanna!"


"Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!"


"Blessed is the King of Israel!"


14 Jesus found a young donkey and sat upon it, as it is written,


15 "Do not be afraid, O Daughter of Zion;
see, your king is coming,
seated on a donkey's colt."


16 At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that they had done these things to him.


• The raising of Lazarus from the dead had made a big impact
• Jesus was a curiosity -- who is this person who can raise a man from the dead
• Lazarus was a celebrity -- what was it like to be dead? What was paradise like?
• The people were "believing" in Jesus
• The Pharisees were losing control
• The huge crowd is from all over the known world, since it was a requirement for Jews to visit Jerusalem with some regularity.
• Why the palm branches? The palm branches are emblematic of victory
• Why the exclamation? Greek word is Hosanna and means "oh, save"
• Why the donkey's colt?
• Zech 9:9 (NIV) Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! // Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! // See, your king comes to you, // righteous and having salvation, // gentle and riding on a donkey, // on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
• Symbolizes humility, gentleness, and compassion. It is in contrast to the violence and pride of mankind
• APPLICATION: "in your face"-Christianity is an oxymoron. Jesus represents all that is opposite to the way we naturally want to think. It is not about revenge, or anger, or getting even, or putting another person down. The presidential debates (especially Joe Biden's example) are so much different from the real Jesus Christ


John 12:17-36 (NIV) Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word. 18 Many people, because they had heard that he had given this miraculous sign, went out to meet him. 19 So the Pharisees said to one another, "See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!"


20 Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the Feast. 21 They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. "Sir," they said, "we would like to see Jesus." 22 Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus.


23 Jesus replied, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. 25 The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.


27 "Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? 'Father, save me from this hour'? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. 28 Father, glorify your name!"


Then a voice came from heaven, "I have glorified it, and will glorify it again." 29 The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him.


30 Jesus said, "This voice was for your benefit, not mine. 31 Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. 32 But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself."  33 He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die.


34 The crowd spoke up, "We have heard from the Law that the Christ will remain forever, so how can you say, 'The Son of Man must be lifted up'? Who is this 'Son of Man'?"


35 Then Jesus told them, "You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. The man who walks in the dark does not know where he is going. 36 Put your trust in the light while you have it, so that you may become sons of light." When he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them.


• Clearly, the resurrection of Lazarus has created a stir
• There is an arrest warrant out for Jesus (John 11:57) at this time with one caveat
• There are not to arrest Jesus during the Passover because of the possible backlash (Mark 14:2)
• Also, Lazarus' life is also in jeopardy (12:10)
• Why does the section on the Greeks appear right after the Pharisees' discussion, and what is the purpose since it is never mentioned again?
• It highlights the Pharisees' concern that the whole world was going after him (although actually very few believed in Jesus, see verses 37-43)
• The occasion of the Greeks seems to put a punctuation mark on Jesus' life, why?
• Because upon mentioning it, Jesus says that the hour has now come
• Jesus came to his people specifically (see John 1) and the Jews did not receive him
• The disciples will take his message to the world, Jews first but also Gentiles later
• Also God speaks publicly at the beginning of Jesus' ministry (baptism), once privately in the middle (mount of transfiguration), and again publicly at the end of his ministry (his impending death)
• Obviously verses 24-26 applies to Jesus, but it also is a principle of life -- how does it apply to believers?
• When we live sacrificially and not selfishly, we have the most impact
• What does it mean to live sacrificially?
• Where does your money go?
• You want to know a person's heart, check his bank account
• Lastly, there seems to be some confusion among the people about the Christ's longevity, why?
• Interestingly, Jesus doesn't address the question, so why does John include it?
• One, they did not understand the resurrection
• Two, they did not recognize the two sides of the Messiah, the suffering servant (first visit) and the triumphant king (second coming)
• APPLICATION: We live in a world that is quickly circling into the sewer pit. If you don't see it, then you are blind. What we live for is of critical importance. It actually is a whole lot easier for you to be a witness today than someone else, 20-30 years ago, provided you don't comprise your lifestyle. You could actually get away without initiated a conversation, just by living the life, if you live the life!