12:3 valuable genuine nard The pound of ointment would have cost about 300 denarii. Its high cost means it had likely been in Mary’s family for quite some time and was used only in small portions as a perfume on special occasions.

12:7 preparation for burial Jesus seems to confirm that the nard was traditionally used in burial preparations of the time. He recognizes that He will die soon.

12:8 poor with you always Although Jesus had emphasized the need for His disciples to care for the poor, He explains that He should be their focus—especially in these days prior to His death.

12:9 see Lazarus also The raising of Lazarus had become the pinnacle of Jesus’ miraculous work (compare note on 11:23).

12:13 branches of palm trees The people make a path for Jesus to enter the city as royalty.

Hosanna This Hebrew expression, meaning “help us” or “save us,” developed into a liturgical expression of praise.

name of the Lord Jesus comes as a representation of the divine name—as “I am” or Yahweh (compare note on Exod 3:14).

king of Israel The people recognize Jesus as their king, though they likely do not understand this vocation in the same way as He does.

12:15 daughter of Zion See note on Matt 21:5.

12:20 some Greeks Although they were not Jewish by heritage, these people believed in Yahweh. They did not always abide by all Jewish practices, but they followed enough to be allowed into one of the courts of the temple.

12:21 Philip See note on John 1:43.

Bethsaida See note on 1:44.

Galilee See note on 1:43.

12:23 Son of Man will be glorified See note on 13:31.

12:24 remains by itself alone A grain of wheat is not valuable unless it becomes something else. Jesus is willing to suffer for the cause God has set before Him. He suggests that His value is substantially less if He is unwilling to follow through on God’s will.

12:25 loves his life loses it If people decide that their lives are more important than God’s will, then they will forfeit the type of life God wants to give them—a life of relationship with Him now and in eternity.

hates his life in this world Jesus asks people to forfeit their usual wants and desires for the sake of God’s will.

eternal life Those who choose to believe in Jesus will receive life forever, in communion with God the Father, because of their relationship with Jesus. See note on 1:4.

12:26 my servant will be also Jesus calls His followers to be His servants—people completely devoted to His work (compare note on 13:16).

Diakonos Word Study

will honor him If God’s people serve Christ, then His greatness will show through them.

12:27 deliver me from this hour The time of suffering foreshadowed earlier has finally come (see note on 7:6). Jesus wishes that He could forego suffering, but He knows that His death is necessary in order for Him to fulfill the will of the Father and save people from their sins.

12:28 glorified it Jesus glorified His Father’s name by performing signs and following the Father’s will even when doing so was painful or difficult (11:47; compare 11:33).

glorify it again When Jesus suffers and dies on behalf of God’s people.

12:30 for your sake Jesus does not perform signs so that He will be encouraged to persevere in carrying out God’s will. He has already determined to do whatever God the Father asks of Him. He performs the signs so that people around Him may believe in Him and enter into a restored and eternal relationship with God the Father (compare note on 11:42).

12:31 judgment of this world Jesus may confidently prophesy the future judgment of all people as happening now because He understands it to be so certain that He can declare it as having already occurred. It’s also possible He is referring to the world in a more narrow sense: people will choose to follow Jesus or reject (and even condemn) Him, and they are being judged for their current actions toward Him.

ruler of this world Jesus likely is referencing the devil. See note on 13:2.

12:32 lifted up Likely a reference to Jesus’ death on a cross (see 3:14 and note; 8:28 and note; 18:32 and note).

all people to myself Possibly a reference to the crowds gathered for His crucifixion, though more likely Jesus is referring to the resurrection of the dead (compare Isa 52:13). He also could be referring to the renown He will gain as the one God raised from the dead (see note on Rom 1:4; note on 1 Cor 15:13).

12:35 light is with you See John 8:12; 11:9 and note.

darkness Symbolizes the evil in the world. The opposition between light and darkness is a prominent motif in John. See 1:5 and note.

does not know where he is going People who follow evil desires and powers are usually not aware they are being led away from God and toward death.

12:36 believe in the light Refers to Jesus as the light of the world (1:4; 8:12).

become sons of light They are united with Jesus in His cause and empowered by Him.

12:38 arm of the Lord See note on Isa 53:1.

Jesus’ Fulfillment of Old Testament Prophecy Table

12:40 blinded This quote from Isa 6:10 follows Isaiah’s prophetic warnings. The people have already been warned, but they have ignored the prophet yet again, so God will no longer tell them His will (compare John 9:39; Isa 6:9–10 and note).

hardened Referring to the callousness of their repeated decisions not to follow God’s will.

turn, and I heal them These people have perpetually chosen to disobey God’s will, so God uses their disobedience for greater purposes.

12:41 he saw his glory The quotation of Isa 53:1 establishes a parallel between the Suffering Servant and Jesus, and between the people who refused to believe God’s prophet, Isaiah, and those who refuse to believe Jesus. The people will not be given another chance to accept God’s message.

Doxa Word Study

12:42 rulers Leaders of the world will listen to Jesus (compare Isa 52:15).

Pharisees See note on John 7:32. John further identifies the group that refuses to hear the prophetic report about Jesus (vv. 38, 40).

Major Groups in Jesus’ Time Table

synagogue A gathering or meeting in a wealthy person’s home or large building. See note on Mark 1:21.

12:44 does not believe in me Belief in Jesus is belief in God the Father.

12:45 sees the one who sent me Jesus equates Himself with God the Father; they are one.

12:46 everyone who believes in me will not remain in the darkness A believer in Jesus chooses to follow Jesus’ will. The intellectual decision begins a relationship with Jesus, but entering into a relationship with Him through that initial belief is only the beginning of the faith journey.

12:47 save the world Jesus desires to save. Receiving that salvation involves believing in Him (see John 3:16).

12:48 has one who judges him God the Father is already the judge; Jesus does not need to be.

word that I have spoken Although God the Father is the judge, Jesus’ message is the same as that of God the Father (v. 50); His words against those who choose not to enter into a relationship with Him are true and will be true on the day of judgment (see note on 11:25).

12:50 commandment is eternal life The commandment Jesus requires His disciples to keep is to believe in His ability to grant eternal life.