John 12:4-
Notes
Transcript
Recap:
Recap:
Last week we say the counsel of Caiaphas and his prophecy.
But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all. Nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish.”
Because of Jesus’ miracle of raising Lazarus from the dead the top dogs of the jewish religious institutions want to kill Him. The Pharisees and the Sadducees.
Despite being the target of so much hatred. Jesus has a dinner with Lazarus, Martha, and Mary.
Where Mary anointed Jesus with a pound of Nard.
It is humbling to notice that at every mention of Mary she is at the feet of Jesus. Her gift was humble, extreme, and unselfconscious.
humble to wash feet with her hair. Extreme because of the cost of the ointment. And unselfconscious because of stigma associated with women having unbound hair in public.
but if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For her hair is given to her for a covering.
Mary gave us three examples of how we are to live our lives.
Learning from Jesus, surrendering all to Jesus, and how to bring honor to Jesus all while living in submission to Him.
vv 4-6) Judas objects
vv 4-6) Judas objects
Here we get a glimpse of something intruding into this sacred moment. The one who was about to betray Jesus could not stand to see this precious oil used in this way.
Why do you suppose Judas acted this way?
Judas’ betrayal was so much darker when contrasted with the brightness of Mary’s devotion to Jesus. Judas probably objected to Mary’s gift because he was shamed by her simple and powerful display of love.
This is the only place in the NT where Judas is mentioned as doing something evil other than his betrayal of Jesus and even this was done in secret.
Judas successfully hid the darkness of his heart from everyone except Jesus. Outward appearances often deceive.
Many people have a religious facade that hides secret sin.
“Judas sold his salvation, and the pharisees bought their damnation.”
What is astonishing was the fact that Judas didn’t consider Jesus to be worth three hundred denarii.
He broke the embarrassing silence with his sharp sense of financial values- bu no appreciation of what God valued.
He thought this was too much love and devotion to show to Jesus.
He felt that the perfume should have been sold and given to the poor. but this was sheer hypocrisy. He cared no more for the poor than he did for the Lord.
“That anyone could follow Christ as a disciple for three years, see all His miracles, hear all His teaching, receive at His hand repeated kindnesses, be counted an apostle, and yet prove rotten at heart in the end, all this at first sight appears incredible and impossible! Yet the case of Judas shows plainly that the thing can be. Few things, perhaps, are so little realized as the extent of the fall of man.” - John Ryle
What insight does verse 5 give us about the character of Judas?
Judas, blinded in self-interest, criticized her action, and revealed himself as utterly opposed to the very spirit of Jesus.
Also his attitude was contagious:
And when the disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste?
Others seem to have felt that Judas made some sense.
The truth is that if we are extreme in our love for Jesus, He will not criticize us; that is what Judas did.
It is so much better to be like Mary than to be like Judas.
What I mean by that is it would be better for us to be extreme in our love for Him, then to criticize other who show such great love for our Lord.
[6] We rightly suppose that John didn’t know at the time that Judas was a thief; this was hidden to the disciples, but not to Jesus.
Jesus knew that he was a thief and still appointed Him to be treasurer.
and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, and Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s household manager, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their means.
Here tells us of generous women that provided some of the financial needs of Jesus and His disciples. All that money would be kept and managed by Judas.
What it boils down to is that when a man gone so far in selfish greed that he has left common honesty behind him, no wonder the sight of utterly self-surrendering love looks foolish to him.
How do you suppose the devil gained a foothold in Judas’ life?
Probably through greed and discontent. After all it was the devil’s sin that threw him out of heaven. “Ever since this restless spirit loves to fish in troubled waters.”
By some chronologies Judas went out the next day and made his bargain with the religious leaders to betray Jesus for 30 pieces of silver.
vv 7-8) Jesus defends Mary.
vv 7-8) Jesus defends Mary.
What do you find beautiful within these verses?
The beautiful defense, essentially Jesus said, “Do not prevent her from doing this. She wants to lavish it on Me in an act of affection and worship.”
It was inappropriate for Judas or anyone else to put a price on Mary’s love and devotion to Jesus.
And truly, I say to you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.”
Peter or Mark who recorded that promise does not mention Mary’s name; John, who does mention the name, does not record the promise. It matters little whether our names are remembered, so long as Jesus bears them graven on His heart.
[8] There would never be a time when there would not be poor people on who other might lavish their kindness.
The Lord’s ministry on earth was swiftly drawing to a close. Mary would not always have the opportunity to use this oil upon HIm. This should remind us that spiritual opportunities are passing. We should never delay doing what we can for the Savior.
vv 9-11) Plot to kill Jesus and Lazarus
vv 9-11) Plot to kill Jesus and Lazarus
[9] The word quickly spread that Jesus was near Jerusalem. It was no longer possible to keep His presence secret.
Many came to see Jesus at Bethany but also Lazarus.
[10]The chief priest were mostly Sadducees, and they didn’t believe in the resurrection. Lazarus was a living example of life after death, and having him around was an embarrassment to their theological system. For them, there was only one solution to this problem, and that was to kill Lazarus.
This hatred is insane. The human heart is again pictured in this verse.
The heart is deceitful above all things,
and desperately sick;
who can understand it?
One would think that Lazarus committed high treason by being raised from the dead! It was nothing over which he had control, and yet they considered him worthy of death.
“When men hate Christ, they hate those whom He has blessed and will go to any lengths in seeking to silence their testimony.” -Spurgeon
How incredibly blind these men were not to perceive that He who raised Lazarus, after being dead for four days, could raise him again though they had slain him a thousand times.
What really made Lazarus a threat?
Because people were coming to Jesus through his testimony. The Jewish establishment placed a target on him.
Those who bring others to the Lord are always made the target for persecution and even martyrdom.
vv 12-16) The triumphal entry
vv 12-16) The triumphal entry
[12-13] We now come to the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. It was the Sunday before His crucifixion.
All these people came for the greatest holidays of Judaism- Passover.
When they came, they came with lambs. Jewish law required that the Passover lamb live with the family for at least three days before sacrifice.
Tell all the congregation of Israel that on the tenth day of this month every man shall take a lamb according to their fathers’ houses, a lamb for a household. And if the household is too small for a lamb, then he and his nearest neighbor shall take according to the number of persons; according to what each can eat you shall make your count for the lamb. Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male a year old. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats, and you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month, when the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill their lambs at twilight.
When Jesus came and went into Jerusalem, Lambs for sacrifice would surround him and everyone else.
Josephus, the Jewish historian, tell us that one year a census was taken of the number of lambs slain for Passover and the figure was 256,500.
In other words, with numbers this large, lambs must literally be driven up to Jerusalem throughout the entire day. Consequently, whenever Jesus entered the city He must have done so surrounded by lambs. Himself being the greatest lamb.
[[Daniel’s prophecy]]
The Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;
the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.