John 12

Six days before Passover, Jesus was at the house of His friends, Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, the man He raised from the dead. Lazarus was sitting with Him, Martha was serving, and Mary was pouring expensive oil on His feet and wiping them with her hair. She was preparing Him for His burial. 

Judas Iscariot complained that the oil could have been sold for money and the money given to the poor, though he cared not a moment for the poor. Jesus told Judas that Mary had kept the oil to use for this purpose. The poor will always be around, but He they will not always have with them. 

Meanwhile, the chief priests came to the house, too, because they considered killing Lazarus now that many Jews had gone away believing in Jesus on account of His raising Lazarus from the dead. 

The next day a great multitude came to Jerusalem when they heard that Jesus would be there for the Feast, and they used palm branches to welcome Him, crying, "Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the lord! The King of Israel!" Jesus rode into the city on a young donkey, fulfilling prophecy: "Behold, your King is coming sitting on a donkey's colt." 

Even the Greeks (Gentiles) inquired of Him and wanted to see Him because they heard about His miracles. Jesus told them, 

...unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in the world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.

Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? Father save Me from this hour? But for this purpose I came to this hour. Father, glorify You r name.

Then God from heaven said: I have both glorified it and will glorify it again. Those who heard it said it was thunder or an angel. Jesus said the time now was for the judgment of the world and the ruler (Satan) will be cast out.

Though many people saw His works, they could not believe in Him, just as the prophet Isaiah prophesied. Even rulers secretly believed; yet, they cared more about the approval of men and feared being cast out of the synagogue. 

Finally, Jesus cried out:

He who believes in Me, believes not in Me but in Him who sent Me. And he who sees Me sees Him who sent Me. I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness. And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him -- the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day. For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak. And I know that His command is everlasting life. 

COMMENTARY

Jesus' friends planned a dinner party for Him. Mary, who anointed the feet of Jesus, was not the same Mary who was a harlot, though they both wiped Jesus' feet with their hair. 

Judas Iscariot was the treasurer of the disciples, and he did not care about the poor. He was a fraud and a thief, and he only desired to see what money who could take for himself. After Judas expressed that the oil Mary used to wipe Jesus' feet could have been sold and the money given to the poor, Jesus explained that the poor will always be around, and any service that can be done for them should not substitute sitting at His feet because soon He will no longer be with them. Now was the time to know Him. 

Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, fulfilling God's will. The crowds were attracted to Jesus because of the miracles He had performed and the Pharisees were out to kill Him. The very same people who were crying, "Hosanna! Blessed is the King of Israel that comes in the name of the Lord!" could have very well been the same who shouted, "Crucify Him!" the next day. 

The Greeks also heard about Jesus, and they came to see Him. He spoke to them about the cross. He explained the analogy of a grain of wheat and how it must die in the ground before it may produce fruit. His death is like the grain of wheat. He must die first before we may have abundant, eternal life. 

Jesus' hour had come. He would take the sins of the world upon the cross. We cannot comprehend the weight of His suffering. But He came for that purpose and He went willingly. That is why, when we truly understand that His death on the cross was really meant for us, and He did that in our place, it change lives. In His suffering, He glorified God. We can remember this, too, in our own struggles. 

His death is a judgment on the world and Satan. The cross is the victory of Christ! Those who believe will live forever, and those who reject it, will be lost forever. The Jewish rulers rejected Him as Messiah; therefore, He rejected them. Even those who thought they believed in His works, were more concerned with the acceptance of their fellow man. They would not publicly acknowledge Christ as Messiah.

The most dangerous decision you can make is to hear the gospel and still reject Christ as Savior.