John Chapter 12

JOHN - Chapter 12

Distributed by: KJV Bible Studies

Website: www.KjvBibleStudies.net

Memory verses for this week: Psa 30:4 Sing unto the LORD, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness. Psa 30:5 For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.

Introduction: Last week we saw Christ prove that He had power even over death when he raised Lazarus from the dead. After this, the Pharisees began plotting to put Jesus to death. From this point forward, Jesus no longer walked openly among the Jews.

Overview of John 12: The first half of John 12 (1) presents Jesus’ supper with Mary, Martha, and Lazarus in which Mary anoints Him with ointment. (2) This is followed by the record of His triumphal entry. Finally, (3) Greeks request to see Jesus followed by His response to them. The last half of John 12 is the conclusion of Jesus’ public ministry as recorded by John.

The remainder of the gospel were things spoken in private to his disciples in His final day. Here, Jesus looks forward with apprehension to Calvary. The term apprehension used here refers to the power or ability to grasp the importance, significance, or meaning of something He concludes with warning to His unbelieving Jewish audience and applies the fateful prophecy of Isaiah 6:9-10 to them.

I. The Supper at Bethany

John 12:1 Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead.

John 12:2 There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him.

This is one of the greatest stories about being sure we prioritize things in life. Jesus was the ultimate example of how we should all be a servant, but in this account we see the one who was worried about the serving was wrong.

Martha meant well in trying to take care of the company, but Mary demonstrated the greater spirituality in wanting to be with the Lord. Sometimes we can get so wrapped up in our day to day business that we fail to give the Lord the proper attention that He so deserves.

The final week of our Lord’s life is at hand. The reference to the “six days before the passover” is difficult to pin point in as much as the observance of the Passover as well as the concurrent feast of Unleavened Bread also involved days of preparation. In any event, the time frame is about a week before Jesus’ death. Jesus returned from Ephraim to Bethany where He not long before had raised Lazarus from the dead. A formal supper was held in honor of Jesus and perhaps also Lazarus. Mark’s account records that this dinner was held at the home of Simon the leper whom Jesus had previously healed. Martha helped serve the meal and Lazarus was present, perhaps as the other guest of honor.

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