Mary Anoints Jesus
(Matthew 26:6–13; Mark 14:3–9; Luke 7:36–50)
1 Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, the hometown of Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead. 2 So they hosted a dinner for Jesus there. Martha served, and Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with Him. 3 Then Mary took about a pinta of expensive perfume, made of pure nard, and she anointed Jesus’ feet and wiped them with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
4 But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was going to betray Him, asked, 5 “Why wasn’t this perfume sold for three hundred denariib and the money given to the poor?” 6 Judas 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 take from what was put into it.
7 “Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “She has kept this perfume in preparation for the day of My burial. 8 The poor you will always have with you,c but you will not always have Me.”
The Plot to Kill Lazarus
9 Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews learned that Jesus was there. And they 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 deserting them and believing in Jesus.
The Triumphal Entry
(Zechariah 9:9–13; Matthew 21:1–11; Mark 11:1–11; Luke 19:28–40)
12 The next day the great crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. 13 They took palm branches and went out to meet Him, shouting:
“Hosanna!”d
“Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!”e
“Blessed is the King of Israel!”
14 Finding a young donkey, Jesus sat on it, as it is written:
15 “Do not be afraid, O Daughter of Zion.
See, your King is coming,
seated on the colt of a donkey.”f
16 At first His disciples did not understand these things, but after Jesus was glorified they remembered what had been done to Him, and they realized that these very things had also been written about Him.
17 Meanwhile, many people who had been with Jesus when He called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to testify. 18 That is also why the crowd went out to meet Him, because they heard that He had performed this sign.
19 Then the Pharisees said to one another, “You can see that this is doing you no good. Look how the whole world has gone after Him!”
Jesus Predicts His Death
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, and requested of him, “Sir, we want to see Jesus.” 22 Philip relayed this appeal to Andrew, and both of them went and told Jesus.
23 But Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Truly, truly, I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a seed. But if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25 Whoever loves his life will lose it, but whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, My servant will be as well. If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.
27 Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? No, it is for this purpose that I have come to this hour. 28 Father, glorify Your name!”
Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.”
29 The crowd standing there heard it and said that it had thundered. Others said that an angel had spoken to Him.
30 In response, Jesus said, “This voice was not for My benefit, but yours. 31 Now judgment is upon this world; now the prince of this world will be cast out. 32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw everyone to Myself.” 33 He said this to indicate the kind of death He was going to die.
34 The crowd replied, “We have heard from the Law that the Christ will remain forever. So how can You say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?”
35 Then Jesus told them, “For a little while longer, the Light will be among you. Walk while you have the Light, so that darkness will not overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. 36 While you have the Light, believe in the Light, so that you may become sons of light.”
After Jesus had spoken these things, He went away and was hidden from them.
Belief and Unbelief
37 Although Jesus had performed so many signs in their presence, they still did not believe in Him. 38 This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet:
“Lord, who has believed our message?
And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”g
39 For this reason they were unable to believe. For again, Isaiah says:
40 “He has blinded their eyes
and hardened their hearts,
so that they cannot see with their eyes,
and understand with their hearts,
and turn,
and I would heal them.”h
41 Isaiah said these things because he saw Jesus’ glory and spoke about Him. 42 Nevertheless, many of the leaders believed in Him. But because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue. 43 For they loved praise from men more than praise from God.
44 Then Jesus cried out, “Whoever believes in Me does not believe in Me alone, but in the One who sent Me. 45 And whoever sees Me sees the One who sent Me. 46 I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in Me should remain in darkness.
47 As for anyone who hears My words and does not keep them, I do not judge him. For I have not come to judge the world, but to save the world. 48 There is a judge for the one who rejects Me and does not receive My words: The word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day.
49 I have not spoken on My own, but the Father who sent Me has commanded Me what to say and how to say it. 50 And I know that His command leads to eternal life. So I speak exactly what the Father has told Me to say.”
Verses 1–8 – Mary Anoints Jesus at Bethany
Six days before Passover, Jesus arrives in Bethany, where Lazarus lives. At a dinner hosted in His honor, Mary pours a pound of costly pure nard on Jesus’ feet and wipes them with her hair. Judas objects, but Jesus defends Mary, saying the perfume was kept for the day of His burial and that the poor will always be present, but He will not.
Verses 9–11 – Plot to Kill Lazarus
A large crowd comes to see both Jesus and Lazarus, who had been raised from the dead. The chief priests decide Lazarus must die as well, because many Jews are believing in Jesus on account of him.
Verses 12–19 – The Triumphal Entry
The next day, huge crowds greet Jesus entering Jerusalem on a young donkey, waving palm branches and shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!”. This fulfills Zechariah 9:9. The Pharisees lament that “the whole world has gone after Him.”
Verses 20–26 – Greeks Seek Jesus
Some Greeks ask Philip to see Jesus. Jesus responds that His hour has come: “Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit”. True disciples must hate their life in this world to keep it for eternal life.
Verses 27–36 – Jesus Speaks of His Death
Troubled, Jesus prays, “Father, glorify Your name.” A voice from heaven answers, “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again”. Jesus predicts being “lifted up,” signaling the cross, and urges the crowd to walk in the light while they have it.
Verses 37–43 – Unbelief Among the People
Despite the signs, most do not believe, fulfilling Isaiah 53:1 and 6:10. Some leaders believe but remain silent for fear of excommunication, loving human praise more than God’s praise.
Verses 44–50 – Jesus’ Final Public Appeal
Jesus cries out that belief in Him equals belief in the Father. He came as light, not to judge but to save. His words will judge on the last day because He speaks exactly what the Father commanded—eternal life.
Historical Setting
John 12 opens the final week before the crucifixion, matching the Sunday–Wednesday chronology of Passion Week. Bethany is about two miles east of Jerusalem, making it a strategic but dangerous place for Jesus to stay while opposition rises (John 11:53–57).
Geography and Archaeology
• Bethany (modern al-‘Azariya) sits on the southeastern slope of the Mount of Olives. Excavations reveal first-century tombs consistent with Lazarus’ burial narrative.
• The road from Bethany over the Mount of Olives descends into the Kidron Valley and up to Jerusalem’s Eastern Gate. Pilgrims customarily cut palm branches in nearby groves to welcome festival travelers.
People and Personalities
• Mary of Bethany: Her extravagant devotion illustrates true worship that values Jesus above earthly treasure (cf. Luke 10:38-42).
• Judas Iscariot: Already embezzling funds, his feigned concern highlights hypocrisy.
• Lazarus: Living proof of Jesus’ power over death, stirring both faith and opposition.
• Greeks: Likely God-fearing proselytes; their request foreshadows the gospel’s global reach (Acts 10).
• Chief Priests and Pharisees: United in self-preservation, plotting against both the Sign-Giver and the sign itself (Lazarus).
Themes and Theology
1. Costly Worship vs. Calculated Greed – Mary’s gift contrasts Judas’ fixation on money (Matthew 6:24).
2. Life through Death – The grain-of-wheat image prefigures the cross and resurrection.
3. Light vs. Darkness – Jesus’ identity as Light (John 1:4-5; 8:12) is reiterated before the darkness of the arrest.
4. Fulfilled Prophecy – From Zechariah 9:9 to Isaiah 53:1, John shows Jesus as the promised Messiah.
5. Public Ministry Concludes – This is Jesus’ final appeal before retreating to private teaching (John 13–17).
Old Testament Foreshadowing and Connections
• Zechariah 9:9 – The donkey ride signals a humble, peaceable King.
• Exodus 12 – The lamb chosen on the 10th of Nisan; Jesus presents Himself the same day.
• Isaiah 53 – Unbelief despite clear signs matches the Suffering Servant prophecy.
• Psalm 118:25-26 – The crowd’s “Hosanna” chant quotes a messianic pilgrimage psalm.
• 2 Samuel 15 – David’s ascent of the Mount of Olives in exile prefigures the rejected yet rightful King.
Prophecy Fulfilled
• Voice from Heaven: “I have glorified it” recalls past manifestations (baptism, transfiguration) and anticipates the cross and resurrection.
• “Lifted up” (v. 32) fulfills Numbers 21:9’s bronze serpent typology, confirmed in John 3:14.
Doctrinal Highlights
• Substitutionary Death: The grain dying “for” fruit shows one life given so many live (Romans 5:18-19).
• Divine Sovereignty and Human Responsibility: Isaiah’s prophecy explains blindness, yet individuals remain accountable (John 12:48).
• Eternal Life Defined: Knowing and believing the Father through the obedient Son (John 17:3).
Practical Applications
• Give Jesus the first and best, not the leftovers.
• Courageous witness: Lazarus simply lives, and his life compels others to faith.
• Serve rather than seek applause. Fear of man can silence genuine belief (v. 42-43).
• Walk in the light you have now; delay hardens the heart.
Key Words and Phrases
• “Hour” – signals the divinely appointed time of redemptive climax (cf. John 2:4; 7:30).
• “Lifted up” – double meaning of exaltation and crucifixion.
• “Hosanna” – Hebrew for “Save, we pray!”; became a shout of praise.
• “Pure nard” – imported from India, emphasizing the extravagance of Mary’s act.
Comparative Gospel Notes
• Matthew 21, Mark 11, Luke 19 record the Triumphal Entry, but only John links it directly to Lazarus’ resurrection momentum.
• Mark 14 and Matthew 26 mention a similar anointing at Bethany, likely the same event; John supplies names and details.
Literary Structure and Flow
John arranges the chapter around two contrasting crowds: one in Bethany honoring Jesus, the other in Jerusalem wavering or rejecting Him. The hinge is verse 23: “The hour has come.” Narrative shifts from signs to the Signified Purpose—the cross.
Cultural Background
• Anointing honored kings (1 Samuel 10:1) and corpses (John 19:40). Mary’s act merges both images—crowning and preparing Jesus.
• Palm branches symbolized victory and national hope since the Maccabean revolt (1 Maccabees 13:51).
Notes on Symbols and Imagery
• Donkey’s Colt – sign of peace, not war horse (Revelation 19:11).
• Light – reveals truth and exposes sin; refusing light increases darkness.
• Grain of Wheat – small, ordinary, yet a powerhouse of multiplied life once buried.
Time Line of Holy Week (John’s Emphasis)
• Six days before Passover (Saturday evening/Sunday) – Supper at Bethany.
• Next day (Palm Sunday) – Triumphal Entry.
• Early part of the week – Public teaching, Greeks’ inquiry, voice from heaven.
• Close of John 12 – Public ministry ends; chapters 13–17 occur Thursday night.
Connections to the Larger account of Scripture
John 12 forms the bridge from public revelation to private preparation. The seed parable echoes Genesis 3:15, where a promised Seed would conquer through suffering. Revelatory voices from heaven bookend His ministry, and the movement from Bethany to Jerusalem to Golgotha mirrors the path from life, through sacrifice, to resurrection glory—fulfilling God’s plan set in motion from Eden to eternity.
1. The Power of Worship
In John 12, we witness Mary anointing Jesus' feet with expensive perfume, an act of profound worship and devotion. This teaches us that true worship involves giving our best to God, not out of obligation, but out of love and gratitude. As Jesus said, "Leave her alone; she has kept this perfume in preparation for the day of My burial" (John 12:7). Worship is about recognizing the worth of Christ and responding with our whole hearts.
2. The Importance of Humility
Jesus' entry into Jerusalem on a donkey is a powerful lesson in humility. Despite being the King of Kings, He chose a humble path, fulfilling the prophecy: "Do not be afraid, O daughter of Zion. See, your King is coming, seated on the colt of a donkey" (John 12:15). This reminds us that true greatness in God's kingdom is marked by humility and service, not by worldly power or prestige.
3. The Call to Follow
In John 12:26, Jesus says, "If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be as well." This is a call to discipleship, urging us to follow Jesus' example in our daily lives. Following Christ means aligning our actions with His teachings and being willing to walk the path He has set before us, even when it leads to sacrifice.
4. The Reality of Sacrifice
Jesus speaks of a grain of wheat that must fall to the ground and die to produce many seeds (John 12:24). This metaphor illustrates the necessity of sacrifice for growth and fruitfulness. In our lives, we are called to let go of our own desires and ambitions to embrace God's will, trusting that He will bring forth a harvest from our sacrifices.
5. The Light of the World
Jesus declares, "I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in Me should remain in darkness" (John 12:46). This emphasizes the transformative power of Christ's presence in our lives. By walking in His light, we are guided away from the darkness of sin and into the truth and freedom that only He can provide.
6. The Urgency of Belief
In John 12:36, Jesus urges, "While you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become sons of light." This highlights the urgency of faith. We are encouraged to seize the opportunity to believe in Christ while we can, understanding that our time on earth is limited and the decision to follow Him is of eternal significance.
7. The Fulfillment of Prophecy
John 12 underscores the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies, affirming the consistency and reliability of Scripture. As the events unfold, we see God's plan coming to fruition, reinforcing our faith in His sovereign control over history and His promises to us.
8. The Cost of Unbelief
Despite witnessing Jesus' miracles, many still did not believe in Him, fulfilling Isaiah's prophecy: "Lord, who has believed our message?" (John 12:38). This serves as a sobering reminder of the hardness of the human heart and the consequences of rejecting the truth. It challenges us to examine our own hearts and respond to God's call with faith.
9. The Glory of God
Jesus speaks of His impending death as a moment of glorification, saying, "Father, glorify Your name!" (John 12:28). This teaches us that God's glory is often revealed in unexpected ways, even through suffering and sacrifice. Our lives, too, should aim to glorify God in all circumstances, trusting that He is working for our good and His glory.
10. The Promise of Eternal Life
Finally, Jesus assures us, "Whoever believes in Me will not remain in darkness" (John 12:46). This promise of eternal life is the ultimate hope for believers. It reminds us that our faith in Christ secures our place in His eternal kingdom, where we will dwell in His light forever. Let this assurance inspire us to live boldly and share the good news with others.
Seek Purity of Motives
Pray for discernment to recognize and purify any selfish motives in your service to God and others.
Submit to Jesus' Lordship
Ask for the grace to fully submit to Jesus as King, allowing Him to reign in every aspect of your life.
Embrace Sacrificial Living
Pray for the courage and strength to live sacrificially, prioritizing God's kingdom over personal gain.
1. How does Mary's anointing of Jesus reflect her understanding of His impending death and her devotion to Him?
2. How does Judas' objection to Mary's act reveal his character and priorities?
3. What does the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem reveal about the crowd's expectations of Him?
4. How does Jesus' response to the Greeks wanting to see Him reflect His understanding of His mission?
5. How does the metaphor of the grain of wheat enhance your understanding of Jesus' death and its impact on humanity?
6. How does this chapter deepen your understanding of Jesus' attitude toward His impending death?
7. What insights do you gain from Jesus' call to hate life in this world in order to gain eternal life?
8. How does the voice from heaven during Jesus' discourse add to the divine confirmation of His mission?
9. How does the crowd's reaction to the voice from heaven reveal their spiritual understanding?
10. Despite witnessing many signs, why do you think the Jews did not believe in Jesus?
11. How does Jesus' proclamation in verses 44-50 clarify His mission of salvation and judgment?
12. How can Mary's act of anointing Jesus inspire your own expressions of love and devotion to Jesus?
13. How does Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem contrast with the humble nature of His mission?
14. How can Jesus' teachings on serving and following Him in this chapter shape your understanding of Christian discipleship?
15. What personal implications do you draw from Jesus' teaching about walking in the light?
16. How does Jesus' prediction of His death resonate with you in light of the knowledge of His resurrection?
17. How does Jesus' distinction between His words of salvation and judgment challenge common perceptions about His mission?
18. How does Jesus' comparison of His followers to grains of wheat inform your understanding of sacrifice and fruitfulness in the Christian life?
19. In what ways does this chapter encourage you to respond to Jesus' teachings and signs in faith?
20. Reflect on the entire chapter. How does this journey from Bethany to Jerusalem deepen your understanding of Jesus' love, sacrifice, and divine mission?