Worship, Triumph, and Tears (John 12:1-19)

About this Episode

Worship, Triumph, and Tears (John 12:1-19) is the topic that will be discussed today on RIOT Podcast, a Christian Discipleship Podcast.

It’s been about a month since we last studied the Book of John. We have had a month of celebrating our 100th episode. It’s been a crazy ride! So this is episode 101 and the start of our next 100 episodes. We will be in John 12 vs 1-19 and here we will see John recording the second major crisis in the ministry of Jesus as it was seen by the apostle. If you remember the first one occurred when many of His disciples no longer walked with Jesus in John 6:66. In this chapter, the same thing happens as John tells us that many would not believe in Him.

John opens his book by telling us that Jesus came unto his own world and his own people received him not, we read this in vs 11. In the first 12 chapters, John presented one witness after another and one proof after another, to convince us that Jesus is indeed Christ. All of this evidence was seen firsthand by the nation's leaders, yet they rejected His claims. We will see here in John 12, Jesus as He relates to four different groups of people, and there are lessons that we can learn as we study this section.

Read John 12:1-11 and unpack Jesus and His friends

Jesus knew that the Jewish leaders were out to arrest Him and kill Him. Remember, we read that in John 11:53 and 57, but He still returned to Bethany, only two miles from the very citadel of His enemies. Why?

In vs 3, we see Mary anointing Jesus' feet in 3 sections of this Bible, this account, plus Mathew 26:6-13 and Mark 14:3-9. When you combine all three accounts, you learn that Mary anointed both His head and His feet.

It would have required a year’s worth of wages from a common laborer to purchase that ointment. Like David, Mary would not give to the Lord that which cost her nothing (2 Sam 24:24). Her beautiful act of worship brought a fragrance to the very house in which they were dining, and the blessing of her deed spread around the world.

Notice that when Mary came to the feet of Jesus, she was taking the place of a slave. When she undid her hair (something Jewish women did not do in public), she humbled herself and laid her glory at His feet.

John 12:4-6 records the disciple Judas Iscariot's first words found anywhere in the four gospels. His last words are found in Mathew 27:4, where he said, “I have betrayed innocent blood”. We know that Judas was a thief and was in the habit of stealing money from the money box. There is no doubt at this moment in time Judas has decided to abandon Jesus, and he wanted to get what he could out of what he considered a bad situation.

As we look at this event we see three different lifestyles represented, all are examples to us. Martha represents “work”, as she served the dinner. Mary represents “worship” and Lazarus represents “witness”. People would travel just to see Lazarus and the miracle that took place.

Read John 12:12-19 and unpack Jesus and the Passover Pilgrims

We see here John shifting the scene from a quiet dinner in Bethany, to a noisy public parade in Jerusalem. All four gospels record this event, and their accounts should be compared. This was the only public demonstration that Jesus allowed while He was ministering on earth. His purpose was to fulfill the OT prophesy in Zech 9:9.The result was a growing animosity on the part of the religious leaders that eventually lead to His crucifixion on the cross.

There were three different groups in the crowd that day. The Passover visitors from outside of Judea, the local people who witnessed the raising of Lazarus, and the religious leaders who were greatly concerned about what Jesus might do at the feast.

What did this demonstration mean to the Romans? Note nothing in history is recorded about the Roman viewpoint, but it is certain that they kept a close watch that day. They had to be smiling at Jesus riding on a baby cult with palm branches being laid on the ground; it would have been completely different than their triumphal entries.

What did the triumphal entry mean for the people of Israel? The pilgrims welcomed Jesus. They spread their garments before Him and waved palm branches as symbols of peace and victory. They quoted Psalm 118:26, which is a messianic psalm, and they proclaimed Him King of Israel. But, while they were doing this, Jesus was weeping.

Read Luke 19:37-44

The nation had wasted its opportunities, its leaders did not know the time of God's visitation. They were ignorant of their own Scripture. The next time Israel sees the king, the scene will be radically different. Rev 19:11, “Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness, he judges and makes war.” He will come in glory, not in humility and the armies of heaven will accompany him.

Lastly, how did the Jewish Leaders respond to the triumphal entry? The Pharisees were quite sure that Jesus had won the day. They were anticipating some kind of general revolt during the Passover season. How little they really understood the mind and heart of the Master! What they did not realize was that Jesus was forcing their hand so that the Sanhedrin would act during the feast.