ESV Global Study Bible :: Footnotes for John 12

John 12:1–11 When Mary of Bethany anoints Jesus (compare Matt. 26:6–13; Mark 14:3–9), it anticipates Jesus’ arrest, crucifixion, and burial (John 12:7–8). The story in Luke 7:36–50 involves a different woman, a different place, a different reaction from Jesus, and a different time in Jesus’ ministry.

John 12:1 Therefore ties this verse to the previous one. John is constantly aware of God’s ordering of all these events and of Jesus’ obedience. Regarding the Passover, see 11:55; and note on 2:13. Six days before the Passover most likely refers to Saturday, since the Passover began Friday evening at sundown. Bethany. See note on 11:1.

John 12:2 Dinner refers to the main meal of the day, usually toward evening. reclining . . . at table. People at special feasts would lie with their heads near a low table and their feet pointing out away from it. They would rest on one elbow and eat with the other hand.

John 12:3 Compare 11:2. A pound (or half a liter) is a very large amount of fragrant oil or perfume. Pure and expensive nard was imported from northern India and used by the Romans for anointing the head. John says that Mary anointed the feet of Jesus, while Matt. 26:7 and Mark 14:3 mention that she anointed Jesus’ head. Considering the large quantity of ointment, Mary probably anointed both Jesus’ head and his feet. Attending to the feet was the work of servants (see John 1:27; 13:5), so Mary’s actions show humility and devotion. Her wiping of Jesus’ feet with her hair is also remarkable, since Jewish women rarely unbound their hair in public. Mary’s action indicates an expression of intense personal devotion to Christ, but there is no hint of immoral thoughts or conduct.

John 12:5 Three hundred denarii is the equivalent of about a year’s wages.

John 12:7 So that she may keep it may mean “keep the rest of the perfume.” Mark 14:3 says the flask was broken, and Judas complains that it was already wasted. Other interpretations include: “so that she may keep (the memory of this)” or “Leave her alone, (for she has saved the perfume) so that she could keep it for the day of my burial.”

John 12:8 the poor. Jesus’ response echoes Deut. 15:11. He is not discouraging helping the poor. You do not always have me anticipates Jesus’ approaching death, resurrection, and ascension.

John 12:11 the Jews. John uses this expression in a positive way to speak of those coming to faith in Christ (see 11:45).

John 12:12 The next day is probably Sunday of Passion Week. The feast is Passover.

John 12:13 By waving palm branches (a Jewish national symbol) the people greet Jesus as the Davidic king and echo the language of Ps. 118:25–26. Most of the crowd probably understood the title King of Israel in a political and military sense. They still hoped that Jesus would use his amazing powers to overthrow Roman rule and lead Israel to independence.

John 12:15 Jesus is portrayed as the humble shepherd-king of Zech. 9:9, who comes to the Holy City to take his rightful place. Fear not may be taken from Isa. 40:9.

John 12:20–50 These verses conclude the first major part of John’s Gospel, which narrates Jesus’ mission to the Jews. The arrival of some Greeks signals to Jesus that the mission exclusively to the Jews is about to come to an end. But before Jesus can reach out to the Gentiles, he first must die (see 10:16; 11:52). His hour is now at hand (12:23–26; see note on 2:4).

John 12:20 Greeks refers to Gentiles, not necessarily to people from Greece. They are “God-fearers,” non-Jews who had come to Jerusalem to worship at the Jewish festival.

John 12:21 Bethsaida was just northeast of where the Jordan flows into the Sea of Galilee from the north.

John 12:25 Loves his life means “delights in his life in this world more than in God.” Hates his life in this world means “thinks so little of his life, and so much of God, that he is willing to sacrifice it all for God.”

John 12:28 This is one of three times in Jesus’ earthly ministry when a heavenly voice affirms his identity (see Matt. 3:17; 17:5).

John 12:29 crowd . . . said that it had thundered. Events of eternal consequence are occurring. Unbelievers misinterpret them as natural events, showing their spiritual blindness.

John 12:31 The ruler of this world in its present fallen, sinful state is Satan (compare 14:30; 1 John 5:19). Now, at the cross, the devil will be cast out, that is, decisively defeated (see Luke 10:18; Heb. 2:14–15). Jesus’ triumph over Satan in his death and resurrection is the basis for his final triumph (Rev. 20:10).

John 12:32 lifted up. See 3:14 and note; 8:28; also Isa. 52:13. All people, in context, means both Jews and Gentiles (John 10:16; 11:52; 12:20–21).

John 12:33 what kind of death. See 21:19.

John 12:34 This is the final of several misunderstandings of Jesus’ role as Messiah in this Gospel (compare 7:27, 31, 41–42). The people have some idea that Jesus predicts his death. What is probably meant by the Law is the entire Hebrew Scriptures, which speak of the Davidic Messiah (2 Sam. 7:13; Ps. 89:3–4, 35–37; Isa. 9:7; Dan. 7:13–14).

John 12:35–36 Walk while you have the light. See 9:4–5.

John 12:36 When Jesus hid himself from them, he indicated God’s coming judgment and the completion of Jesus’ public ministry to the people of Israel (1:18).

John 12:37–40 John cites Isa. 53:1 and Isa. 6:10 to indicate that Scripture predicted the Jewish rejection of Jesus as Messiah. This rejection confirms, rather than defeats, God’s plan. These verses are the first in a series of fulfillment quotations in the second half of John’s Gospel. they could not believe. See John 1:13; 6:44; see note on Eph. 1:11.

John 12:41 The plural these things most likely refers to the general context of Isa. 53:1 and Isa. 6:10. John seems to claim that when Isaiah saw the exalted King and the suffering servant, he saw Jesus’ glory.

John 12:42–43 synagogue. Synagogues usually had large rooms with bench seating along the wall. See note on Luke 4:16.

John 12:47 I did not come to judge the world refers to Jesus’ first coming. However, he will judge the world when he returns (see v. 48; 5:22; 27–30).

John 12:49 Not . . . on my own authority indicates that supreme authority in the Trinity belongs to the Father. He gives authority to the Son, though they are both God.