TOMS: John 12

For an introduction to this series, click here.

May 11, 2007

This is a great chapter. It covers a wide range of topics. It starts with Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus, anointing Jesus with the ointment. This is a different episode than when the former prostitute came in to anoint Jesus. This time it occurred at a supper at Lazarus' house. The other time it happened at the home of Simon, a Pharisee. Judas criticizes Mary, saying "Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?" (12:5) John immediately points out: "He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it." (12:6) Remember that a denarius was the standard wage for a laborer, so in our money that would make it about $50. So this vial of ointment was worth about $15,000, at least by Judas' evaluation.

The next section reveals the degeneracy of the human heart: "When the large crowd of the Jews learned that Jesus was there, they came, not only on account of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. So the chief priests made plans to put Lazarus to death as well, because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and believing in Jesus." (12:9-11) Talk about wicked people.

Scenes such as this one are why it is important that we understand the culture of Bible times. There was very little privacy, even in one's own home. If something was going on, people just came right in to see it. That's how Jesus could draw huge crowds just by coming to visit someone's home. Also remember that most people lived in what could be described as family compounds. When another son got married, he would add another set of rooms onto the complex that was usually situated around a courtyard with a gate at the far end from the head of the family's house. It was the height of rudeness to keep the gate locked during the daytime, and even at night if there was a big event, such as the banquet Jesus was attending, you were expected to allow people to come in and see the guests and listen to the conversation. Thus Mary's act of devotion and Jesus' words would have been seen and heard by quite a number of people, which was the reason for the religious leaders' consternation.

John only briefly mentions the triumphal entry, or Palm Sunday. But John does give us some insight into why the people celebrated Jesus' entry: "The crowd that had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to bear witness. The reason why the crowd went to meet him was that they heard he had done this sign." (12:17-18)

The next section includes the famous statement by Jesus, "And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself." (12:32) John points out that Jesus said this to show how He was going to die. Many of the people refused to believe, and John says this is a fulfillment of prophecy: "Though he had done so many signs before them, they still did not believe in him, so that the word spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: 'Lord, who has believed what he heard from us, and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?' Therefore they could not believe. For again Isaiah said, 'He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, lest they see with their eyes, and understand with their heart, and turn, and I would heal them.' Isaiah said these things because he saw his glory and spoke of him." (12:37-41, ESV)

Notice that very last verse. The last quotation from Isaiah is from Isaiah 6:10, immediately after Isaiah's vision of God. Note that John states that Isaiah not only saw God, but uses the pronoun "him" referring to Jesus. This is an excellent passage to prove Jesus deity. Isaiah clearly says in chapter 6 that he saw God, and John here says that Isaiah saw Jesus.

TOMS: Matthew 21

For an introduction to this series, click here.

Jan. 1, 2007

This chapter begins with the Triumphal Entry, what we celebrate as Palm Sunday. There weren't too many people in the crowd that day who did not know what Jesus was doing. In fact, most people today miss the significance. Every observant Jew would have been familiar with the passage in Zechariah which prophesied of this event.

One of the commands in Moses' Law about Hebrew kings was that they were not to multiply horses. Horses were an outward show of strength, and God wanted the king to be humble. Saul is always spoken of in the historical books as riding a mule, and David is also often described as riding a mule or a donkey. By the time of Solomon, though, this idea was abandoned. Yet Zechariah predicted that the future Messiah would renew that tradition when he wrote:

"Behold your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey." (Zechariah 9:9)

This is why there was an uproar in Jerusalem when this happened. That is why the Pharisees demanded that Jesus stop the show. They knew He was claiming to be the Messiah, coming to set up the Kingdom. And they, even more than the Romans, who did not care about the Jewish traditions, were determined to see Jesus stopped.

After arriving in Jerusalem, Jesus goes to the Temple and runs out the money changers and vendors. This must have been a hilarious scene. A man running around setting loose sheep, goats, cattle and birds in the outer court of the Temple, kicking over tables and chasing people out would have been great entertainment for the people who were weary of the money machine the holy days had become.

The next section, which covers most of three chapters, is an extended conversation between the religious leaders and Jesus. First, they asked Jesus a question: "By what authority are you doing these things?" Jesus did not answer, but responded with another question: "The baptism of John, from where did it come? From heaven or from man?" Jesus revealed by this question that they were not concerned about learning the facts. They only wanted to make Jesus look bad. When Jesus turned the tables on them, they could not respond, because they could not say it was from God, because then He would ask why they rejected him. And if they said it was of men, then the people would be incensed, because everybody viewed John as a prophet.

Then Jesus tells a couple of stories that demonstrated what the religious leaders really were. The first story is of a father with two sons. He told both of them to do a certain job. The first one refused, but later repented and did it. The second said he would do it, but never did it. Jesus said the religious leaders were like the second son, and those who followed Him were like the first son. Yes they used to be sinners, but they changed and are now in more favor than those who claim to obey.

The second story is more direct. It is about a farmer who loaned out his land to tenants. When the farmer wanted his share of the crop, the tenants beat the servant who came to collect. After sending several servants and having them all mistreated, the farmer says he will send his son, because they will respect him. But the tenants decide to kill the son and that way they can get the land for themselves when the old man dies. After the crowd responds that the man should kill the servants and give his land to someone else, Jesus says:

"Have you never read in the scriptures, 'The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes?' Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits." (21:42-43, ESV)

Jesus is predicting His own death and rejection by the Jews. They were already making plans to kill Him, and sayings like this only made them more angry. The Jews were always asking Jesus to tell them plainly if He was the Messiah. Well, He basically did in this chapter, and all it did was make them want to kill Him even more. They had already rejected Him in their hearts; they were just pretending to be curious.