Old Testament Reading: Genesis 12:1–3

“Now the Lord said to Abram, ‘Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’” (Genesis 12:1–3, ESV)

New Testament Reading: John 12:20-36a

“Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks. So these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, ‘Sir, we wish to see Jesus.’ Philip went and told Andrew; Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. And Jesus answered them, ‘The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him. Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name.’  Then a voice came from heaven: ‘I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.’ The crowd that stood there and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, ‘An angel has spoken to him.’ Jesus answered, ‘This voice has come for your sake, not mine. Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.’ He said this to show by what kind of death he was going to die. So the crowd answered him, ‘We have heard from the Law that the Christ remains forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?’ So Jesus said to them, ‘The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.’” (John 12:20–36a, ESV)

Introduction 

We should really begin our study of this passage by remembering what has just happened in the Gospel of John. Jesus, not long before this episode, rode into Jerusalem on the colt of a donkey. Thousands welcomed him as the Messiah, the King of Israel, shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!” (John 12:13, ESV)

It would be difficult to exaggerate the significance of that moment. It was a huge moment. Keep in mind that the people of God had been anticipating the arrival of the Messiah, their Savior-King, from shortly after the fall of Adam. God, in response to the rebellion of man, immediately promised to send a Savior who would defeat the evil one who brought sin and evil into the world. This promise, which is found in Genesis 3:15, was like a seed which would eventually sprout forth, growing in size and complexity as history progressed.

Abram (later called Abraham) was chosen. The nation of Israel was chosen. King David was chosen. Covenants were made with these.  And though each of these covenants differed somewhat in substance, the thing which bound them together – the thing they all had in common – was the promise of God. When God, shortly after the fall, promised to crush the head of the serpent, it was as if he planted a seed. And that that seed began to grow. The promise, which was at first small, and rather unspecific, grew to affect more and more people – it grew in size, we might say. And it grew in complexity and clarity with the making of each new covenant.

The end result of these covenants and promises was that every Jew living in Jesus’ day lived with an expectation that the Messiah would come. I think it is safe to say that virtually all Jews expected the Messiah, or Christ, to appear. They were waiting for the Promised one – the Anointed one, who is the Christ, or Messiah. They were waiting for the King who would come from David’s loins to bring salvation.

And so this was no insignificant moment when Jesus rode into Jerusalem to shouts of praise from Psalm118 (which is a Messianic Psalm), and in fulfillment to Zechariah 9 (which is a prophesy concerning the coming the / Savior-King of Israel). The people were saying, in no uncertain terms, that Jesus was their Messiah – he was their long awaited King. Without a doubt they expected that the Kingdom of God would be established by him. And notice that Jesus did not rebuke them concerning their opinion. He received their praise.

But a question is left somewhat unanswered. And the question is this: What kind of Messiah would Jesus be? What kind of King would he be? And what would be the nature, or character, of his kingdom? Though most all expected the Christ to appear, there were certainly a diversity of opinions concerning these questions.

It seems to me that the passage that we are looking at today serves to answer the questions that the previous passage left unanswered. The previous passage made it clear that Jesus was indeed the Messiah, the King of Israel. This one seems to clarify what kind of King he would be.

Notice three things:

Jesus Came as King, Not Only of the Jews, but Also the Greeks

First of all, notice that Jesus came as King, not only of the Jews, but also the Greeks.

Up to this point in his ministry Jesus had insisted that his hour had not yet come. Now finally he says in verse 23, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.” And what prompted this declaration? It was the arrival of a group of Greeks who wanted to see Jesus.

These Greeks, we are told in verse 20, had come up to Jerusalem to “worship at the feast.” They were, what we would call, “God-fearers”. They were Gentiles who sought to worship the God of Israel.

And we are told in verse 21 that these God-fearing Greeks, approached one of Jesus’ disciples named Philip and said, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” Many have wondered why they approached Philip, of all people. Perhaps it was coincidence? Or perhaps it was because Philip had a Greek name? Or perhaps it was because Philip was born and raised in a region near where these men were from? I tend to think that this last view carries some weight given that John emphasizes in verse 21, that “Philip…was from Bethsaida in Galilee.” I suppose it does not matter in the end. The important thing to notice is that the Greeks came to Philip, and Philip went to Andrew, and the two of them together went to Jesus to tell him the news.

It was upon hearing the news that Greeks were seeking him that Jesus said, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.”

This is significant. It is significant because it marks a turning point in Jesus’ ministry – “my hour has not yet come” has now turned into “the hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.”

But I think it is even more important to notice the way that this event brings a major theme contained in John’s Gospel to the forefront. Jesus came to save, not the Jews only, but also the Greeks! John the Baptist announced the arrival of Jesus the Christ, saying “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29, ESV). John, the Apostle, and author of this Gospel, interjected this word after telling of the interaction between Jesus and Nicodemus: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16, ESV) In chapter 4 the people of the Samaritan village repented, saying, “we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this [Jesus] is indeed the Savior of the world.” (John 4:42, ESV) And in 6:51 Jesus spoke of himself this way, saying, “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” (John 6:51, ESV) John’s Gospel, from beginning to end, is concerned to stress the fact that the Jesus is not only the Messiah and King of the Jews, but also the Greeks. God’s love for the world is demonstrated in this way, that he gave his unique Son, for the purpose that all who believe in him will not perish but have eternal life.

And please know that this is not only a central theme in John, but of the whole of scripture. Tell me church, to whom was the promise of the gospel first given? Was it not given first of all to Adam? God promised within the hearing of Adam that one would come who would crush the head of the serpent. And who was Adam the Father of? He was the Father of the human race! The promise of the gospel was that God would provide salvation, not only for the Jews, but also the Gentiles. This was the plan from the beginning.

And when God reissued that promise through the covenant made with Abraham, what did he say? He promised to give him a land, it is true. And he promised to bring a great nation from his loins. But was the scope of God’s saving purposes limited to one sliver of land and to one nation out of many? No! God made a promise, even to Abraham saying, “in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” (Genesis 12:3, ESV)

The Old Testament prophets were certainly aware of this. Take for example the prophesy of Joel 2:28 which says, “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions.” (Joel 2:28, ESV) It is the phrase “all flesh” that is pertinent to the topic at hand. The Messiah would usher in an age marked by the outpouring of the Spirit of God upon “all flesh”, meaning all the peoples of the earth, or all nations. 

I do wish that you would learn to read your Bibles with this progression in mind. We live 2,000 years after the Christ has come. We live 2,000 years after the giving of the Great Commission and the Pentecost event. And so we have perhaps grown accustom to seeing God’s activities amongst the Gentiles. But we must remember and not forget that from the day of Abraham to the day of Pentecost the Kingdom of God, and the saving activities of God, were largely limited to the nation of Israel and to the Jewish people. The Spirt was most active, in a saving way, amongst the Jews. There were exceptions, of course, but they were rare. Those instances under the Old Covenant where Gentiles came to the proper worship of God served as a foretaste of what would be the norm under the New Covenant.

This brief point of application will probably resonate more with those who are in the Eschatology class right now, but I’m sure many others will pick up on the significance of what I’m about to say: Any theological system that has at it is core that idea that the gospel going to the Gentiles was God’s plan B due to the fact that Israel rejected her King, is flawed to the core. It is unbiblical. And connected to that (and I will speak more gently here), any theological system that presses the idea that it is ethnic Israel who is at the heart of God’s redemptive purposes seems to me to have overlooked some very important teachings in the Holy Scriptures. It is true that ethnic Israel held a prominent place in redemptive history. Through them the prophets spoke! Through them the law was given! And through them the Messiah came! But the Messiah came, that is the point! And he is the Savior of the world! Old Covenant Israel was a conduit. They were the means through which the Christ came into the world. Certainly we should pray for ethnic Israel. Certainly we should, like our brother Paul, long to see the Jews recognize Jesus as their Messiah. But let us not miss the fact that he came to be the Savior and King of the world – Jew and Greek alike.

Jesus Would be Glorified as King of the World Through Suffering and Death

Secondly, notice that Jesus would be glorified as King of the world through suffering and by his death.

Notice verse 24. Jesus says, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” Later in verse 32 Jesus would say, “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”  And in verse 33 we see that  John understood that “He said this to show by what kind of death he was going to die.” (John 12:33, ESV)

This is not the normal way for a King to be glorified, is it? The Kings of this world receive glory through triumph. But Jesus, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords would be glorified by passing through the gates of suffering and death. That is not to say that there was no triumph in his first coming – we will come back to this in a moment – but that the triumph and glory that he did earn was earned through suffering and death. He was the grain of wheat that would fall into the earth to die and, in turn, bear much fruit.

You understand this metaphor, I’m sure. We can understand it even though most of us have little to do with agriculture. How much more would the people to whom Jesus was originally speaking understand this metaphor! They understood that they could reap a harvest only if they were willing to sacrifice some of their grain as seed. The seed would be put into the earth and it would be lost for a time, but it would eventually produce a harvest.

This was how our salvation was earned. This was how the Christ won the decisive victory. He would suffer and die, he would go into the grave, and from there he would rise, having in his hand victory over sin and Satan and death. Jesus would indeed be glorified as King of the world, but through suffering and death.

This is of course true of Jesus, but it should be noticed how this way to glory, or this way to life is set forth by Christ as a model, or pattern, for the Christian. Jesus would lay ahold of glory and life by passing through the gates of suffering and death, and we are urged to follow the same pattern.

Verse 25: “Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.” (John 12:25–26, ESV)

Do you want to have life? Then Jesus says that you must die. Of course Jesus is not necessarily calling us to die physically (though it may involve that). He would suffer and die physically, and in so doing defeat sin and death and earn life for all who believe in him. But he calls out to us to die in spiritual sense. If we want to have life then we must let go of our life. We must surrender to Christ and make him Lord. We must submit to God and to his ways for us. We must live, not for self, but for the God who made us, trusting in him for the forgiveness of our sins. This is where true life is found.  Most chase after abundant life by living for their own pleasures. Christ calls us to lay ahold of abundant life by taking pleasure in the God who made us, seeking his glory above all else. “Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” (John 12:25, ESV)

I do wish that you would take some time to think upon this paradox. It at first seems unreasonable, even absurd, to say that the way to life is through surfing and death. “Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life” seems backwards to the natural man. But this is the way of our Lord. This is how he earned life for all who believe.

You cannot benefit from Christ’s work on the cross unless you come to him in this way. Christ will benefit you nothing if you come to him saying, I will live my for my pleasure, according to my rules, trusting in my own strength. That is the way of death! But Christ will benefit you to all eternity when you come to him saying, I lay it all down. I will live, not for my pleasure, but for yours, O God. I will live, not according to my rules, but yours, trusting, not in my self, but in you alone. This is how we must approach Christ if he is to help us. This is the way of life – the way of the Christian.

Furthermore, we would be foolish to assume that this way of life only pertains to the beginning of the Christian life and to the reception of salvation. No! It is the way of Christ, and the way of the Christian from beginning to end! The whole of our life is to be characterized by this way! Brother, you are to die to self daily! Sister, put to death the desires of the flesh and your self-serving, self-protecting,  self-exalting ways! Loose your life and see if you don’t begin to even now taste more and more of the fullness of the life that is ours in Christ Jesus.

Husband, do you want a blessed marriage? Do you want a marriage filled with life and every good thing? Then lay down your life. Serve your wife. Consider her needs as more important than your own. Wife, do you want a blessed marriage? Do you want a marriage filled with every good thing? Then lay down your life. Submit to your husband, considering his needs as more important than your own. See if your marriage is not filled to the brim and overflowing with life and happiness as you  live in this way. The way to life is found through dying to self daily.

Children, can I reason with you for a moment? Do you want to be happy? Do want to have joy? Do you want to have peace? It is never to early to learn this lesson, that you will be most happy, most joyous, most at peace when you are living in the way that we are describing. Don’t be selfish. Don’t live for your own self. Obey God’s commands. Honor your parents. Share with others. Serve others. Do good to your siblings and your friends. Speak kind and encouraging words, seeking to build others up. Don’t live for yourselves! Live for God and others. This is where the best kind of life is found! You are never to young (or old) to start learning this.

You say, Joe, I am neither a husband or wife, nor a child. What about me? I think it is clear that this principle can be applied be anyone, and in any circumstance of life. Jesus said in another place, “whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” (Matthew 10:38–39, ESV)

Jesus would be glorified as King of the world through suffering and death. Let us follow in his way.

King Jesus Would Win the Decisive Victory Through His Death

Thirdly, notice that King Jesus would win the decisive victory through his death.

This needs to be said given the emphasis upon Jesus’ death in this passage. If we are not carful we might misunderstand, thinking that Jesus would be defeated through his death. Not so! The opposite is true! Jesus, through his death, would win the victory!

Notice these five simple things:

One, Jesus speaks of the hour of his death as the hour of his glory. He would be “lifted up” from the earth. This, of course, is a reference to the cross. But it is symbolic of his being glorified, or exalted. He would, as we know, also raise from the dead and be exalted to the right hand of the Father. But that is not mentioned here. His hour of death was, in itself, his hour of glory because of what was accomplished there.

Two, notice that the Father would also be glorified through the death of the Son. In verse 27 Jesus says, “Now is my soul troubled.“ Jesus, in his humanity, was troubled at the thought of the suffering that lay ahead of him, and understandably so. Having acknowledged this, he posed a question: “And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? [His response to his own question? By no means!] But for this purpose I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name.” Jesus submitted fully to the will of the Father. His prayer was that the Father would be glorified in and through his death. And the Father responded in a miraculous way, saying, “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” (John 12:27–28, ESV) Jesus would bring glory to the Father through his death.

Three, notice that it was through his death that the world would be judged. The word “now” is significant. Verse 31: “Now is the judgment of this world…” It appeared as if the world were judging Christ when they beat him and hung him on that tree. But with God things are not always as they appear.  The truth of the matter is that Jesus was beginning his judgment of the world even then. We tend to think of the judgment as a future thing, for so it is. But it is also true that the judgment of Christ began at his first coming as men and women decided for or against Christ. Their acceptance or rejection of him has the effect of putting them into one of two camps. Judgment, in some respects, has already begun.

Four, notice that the ruler of this world was cast out at the death of Christ. Again, the word “now” is significant. The second part of verse 31 says, “now will the ruler of this world be cast out.”

This verse should be of special interest to those of you taking the eschatology class. One of the main questions we are asking in that class is when is Satan bound, and when does the millennial reign of Christ begin, as described in Revelation 20? The predominant view in our day is that Satan will be bound, and the millennial reign of Christ will begin in the future. But I am of the opinion that Satan was in fact bound (from deceiving the nations) and that Christ began to reign at his first coming.  A proper interpretation of Revelation 20 should lead us to this conclusion. And so should a careful consideration of other New Testament texts, including this one.

Jesus said, in John 12:31, “now will the ruler of this world [Satan] be cast out.”

In John16:8-11 Jesus speaks of the promised Holy Spirit saying, “And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.” The ruler of the world [Satan] has been judged at Christ’s first coming.

In Mark 3:27 Jesus says, “But no one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man. Then indeed he may plunder his house.” The implication is clear. Jesus was claiming to be doing that very thing – binding Satan, the strong man, so that he might plunder is his house. This he accomplished at his first coming. This he accomplished through his death and resurrection.

This is why he could say, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations…” (Matthew 28:18–19, ESV)

Jesus won the decisive victory through his death, and one of the things he accomplished was the casting out, or binding, of the evil one. Satan is still active, it’s true. But he cannot accuse you before God as he did in the days of Job. Furthermore, he has been rendered powerless from hindering the advancement the gospel and the establishment of the Kingdom of God to the ends of the earth. From this he has been bound by the death and resurrection of Christ.

Five, notice that Christ won the victory through his death in that from that day forward he would effectively draw all people to himself. That is what 12:32 says: “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”

Jesus is not claiming that all people – that is, each and every person who has lived – will be drawn to him. That is not what “all” means. Clearly “all” is referring to all the peoples of the earth – all nations – Jews and Greeks alike. The context makes this abundantly clear.

And so, though it would appear that Jesus was defeated in his death, the truth of the matter is that he was victorious. He glorified himself and the Father who sent him. His judgment of the world began there. He cast out the ruler of the world so that he might draw all peoples to himself. 

Our Lord was not a victim but the victor. He won the decisive victory through his death and resurrection.

Conclusion 

We should remember Jesus’ audience as we move towards the conclusion. Thousands had greeted Jesus as the King of Israel not long before he spoke these words. They were right to call him King, but these words of Christ prove difficult to them. He shook their understanding of what kind of King he would be.

Look at how the crowd responded to him in verse 34: “So the crowd answered him, ‘We have heard from the Law that the Christ remains forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?” (John 12:34, ESV)

They were confused. They were right to confess that Jesus was the Christ – the Messiah – but they expected that the Christ, when he came, would remain forever – that he would not go away. But here Jesus spoke of his death. They didn’t know what to make of that. They didn’t have a category for that in their understanding of things.

Here is what some of them thought: The Messiah will come – the King of Israel will arrive – and he will save us from our enemies and establish the nation of Israel once more, remaining forever and ever. But Jesus was not interested in being this kind of Messiah. He came to defeat, not Rome, but Satan, sin and death. He came to establish, not an earthly kingdom, but a spiritual one, saying “my kingdom is not of this world.” He came, not to rule and reign as that kings of this earth do, but to, through suffering and death, establish an eternal kingdom, to the glory of God the Father and for our good.

Jesus was indeed the Christ – the Jews were right about that. And they were also right to think that when the Christ came that he would remain forever. But they were wrong to assume that he would remain to reign on earth. No, his rule and reign would be far more significant that that. His kingdom would be inaugurated at his first coming after his death and resurrection. From there he would ascend to the right hand of the Father, ruling and reigning from where? From heaven! And from there he will return to finish that which which he started at his first coming.

Brothers and sisters, you serve a victorious King. He was crucified, it’s true. But do not be fooled by the appearance of things. It was through the suffering of the cross that he won the victory for you and me and for all who look forward to his return.

Let us serve him boldly to his glory honor and praise.

Old Testament Reading: Zechariah 9:9–10, ESV

“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! 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. I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the war horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow shall be cut off, and he shall speak peace to the nations; his rule shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.” (Zechariah 9:9–10, ESV)

New Testament Reading: John 12:9-19

“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. The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, ‘Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!’ And Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, just as it is written, ‘Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your king is coming, sitting on a donkey’s colt!’ His disciples did not understand these things at first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about him and had been done to him. 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. So the Pharisees said to one another, ‘You see that you are gaining nothing. Look, the world has gone after him.’” (John 12:9–19, ESV)

Introduction 

There are three things that I would like to draw your attention to in this story. The first has to do with a change in Jesus’ method. The second has to do with manner in which Jesus approaches this change. And the third has to do with motive.

Consider Jesus’ Method

Let us first consider the change that we see in Jesus’ method.

As you have noticed how, up to this point in his ministry, Jesus would engage with the people – he would engage with the leaders of Israel, he would do some great act, or deliver some teaching, and when his popularity would increase – and then he would retreat. The pattern, up to this point, has been one of withdrawal. The motto has been, “my hour has not yet come.”

Take, for example, Jesus’ response to the multitude who followed him into the wilderness. Having been miraculously fed with bread and fish they wanted to make him King. So, “Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself.” (John 6:15, ESV)

And do you remember how Jesus’ siblings were urging him to go up to Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of Booths? They wanted him to go up in a public way, making himself known to the people of Israel, so that he might rule in power. His response? “My time has not yet come, but your time is always here.” (John 7:6, ESV) So he did not go with them publicly, “But after his brothers had gone up to the feast, then he also went up…but in private.” (John 7:10, ESV)

And just recently we were told how, after Jesus called Lazarus out of the grave, “[He] therefore no longer walked openly among the Jews, but went from [Bethany] to the region near the wilderness, to a town called Ephraim, and there he stayed with the disciples.” (John 11:54, ESV)

Many more examples could be provided, but the point is this: Jesus had labored to avoid public recognition; he had worked to remain relatively private; he had resisted the impulses of the people to make much of him. Now all of that seems to change. Now Jesus takes a different approach – the opposite approach. He employs a different method as he now goes up to Jerusalem in the most public of ways.

According to John there is great excitement surrounding Jesus again. Crowds of people come to Bethany to see him. Crowds of people are in Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover, and they are wondering, will Jesus make an appearance? 

We don’t know how many traveled from Jerusalem to Bethany to see Jesus (it was only a couple of miles away). The text simply says that it was “a large crowd.”  And we don’t know exactly how many lined the streets to welcome Jesus into Jerusalem on the following day. Certainly this crowd was much larger than the other one given that it was a portion of those who had come to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. Understand that the population of Jerusalem would have swelled significantly as thousands upon thousands of Jews would have made the pilgrimage to the Holy City to celebrate this great feast. It was a portion of that population that welcomed Jesus into the city on, what we now call, palm Sunday. We don’t know how many, but I picture in my mind thousands of people – perhaps tens of thousands.

We might ask why it was that Jesus’ popularity had grown in such drastic way? I suppose we could say that it had been consistently growing throughout his ministry. I’m sure there is some truth to that. With each miracle, and with each teaching, Jesus, no doubt, caught the attention of more and more people. But John tells us that this recent surge in popularity was due to the great miracle of the raising of Lazarus from the dead. People wanted to see Jesus because of it, but they also wanted to see Lazarus!

So powerful was this miracle (or sign) that “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.” (John 12:10–11, ESV)

It never ceases to amaze me how the leaders of the Jews, instead of believing upon the Jesus on account of this great miracle, determine to put Jesus to death. And not only Jesus, but Lazarus too! But this reminds me that such is our condition apart form the life giving work of the Holy Spirit. Apart from the work of Christ our spiritual eyes are so accustom to darkness that when light shines in upon us we recoil – we resist – we throw the blinds shut so that we might return back to our comfortable and sleepy state. So it was with the unbelieving Jews. The light was not welcome. It was an annoyance to them. Their solution was to exterminate to the source of it. They made plans to blot out the radiance of the sun and to draw the shades on the reflective splendor of the moon by putting both Jesus and Lazarus to death.

I would like to pause here for just a moment to make a bit of a side point. You have probably noticed in John’s Gospel how the phrase, “the Jews”, is often used in a negative way. It is often used to describe those who do not believe. And it is often used to describe those who were enemies of Christ. It is true that many of the Jews were enemies of the Christ. And it is certainly true that the Jews played a large role in the crucifixion of Christ. But it would be a terrible mistake to assume that the Gospel of John is somehow against the Jews. No! Jesus himself was Jewish. John was Jewish. The Apostles were Jewish. And, as you can see in the text before us, the first to believe in Christ – the first to respond to the gospel of Jesus Christ in faith – were Jews. The Gospel of John is not against the Jews. It is against unbelief! That is the point! In Christ there is neither Jew nor Greek, but all are one by faith in the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. By the time that John wrote his Gospel in the late 80’s AD there were certainly tensions that existed between the Christian Church and the Jewish Synagogue. The Jews were persecuting the Christians at this point in history.  But the Gospel of John was written, not to condemn the Jewish race, but to confront their unbelief. His purpose in writing was to persuade Jew and Gentile alike to believe, or trust, in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of their sins. Our objective should be the same today as we labor to make disciples of all nations.

Notice that many of the Jews continued in unbelief, but not all were of the same opinion. Some saw the sign of the raising of Lazarus for what it was. Many went out to see Jesus and Lazarus. Many more would welcome Jesus into Jerusalem on the following day.  So numerous were they that the unbelieving “Pharisees said to one another, ‘You see that you are gaining nothing. Look, the world has gone after him.’” (John 12:19, ESV)

This is a significant statement. The word “world” is obviously used here, as it often is in John’s Gospel, not in reference to every person without exception (to take it that way would be absurd), but in reference to a great number of people. The Pharisees were lamenting that fact that thousands seemed to be following Christ. And the context should also lead us to recognize that the word “world” here has more to it than just a reference to a great number of people – it also is used in reference to a great diversity of people – not only Jews, but also Gentiles were flocking to Jesus. Look at the heading above 12:20. Mine says, “Some Greeks Seek Jesus”. When we come to that passage we will learn that it was the Greeks seeking Jesus which prompted him finally to say, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.” (John 12:23, ESV) And so the Pharisees are bothered by the fact that many people – mainly Jews, but also Gentiles – were flocking to the Christ because of what he had done with Lazarus.

The point is this: Jesus has changed is method. Whereas before he would have retreated to the mountain, or gone up to Jerusalem in secret, or moved with his disciples to a rural place – now he moves forward publicly. He is ready to receive the accolades of the people, and to be received by them.

And what is the meaning of this? We are to recognize that God was in control of the situation. Jesus was in control. Jesus’ life progressed on God’s timetable. From a human perspective we might say that Jesus owed his successes and, so-called, failures to other men. He was made great because men wanted to make him great, and he was brought low because men wanted to bring him low.  But John wants us to see that God was in control – Jesus was in control. He chose when to go up. And when he went up, he went up in full control of the situation. This principle has already been stated in 10:17, where Jesus says,

“For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.” (John 10:17–18, ESV)

So first of all, it is clear that Jesus has changed his method.

Consider Jesus’ Manner 

Secondly, notice the manner in which Jesus implements this new method. Jesus goes up to Jerusalem to be received as King, but he goes humbly, and in fulfillment to Old Testament prophesy.

Look with me at verse 12 and see that the people received Jesus as King of Israel:

“The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, ‘Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!’” (John 12:12–13, ESV)

It is cleat that the people had a very particular view of Jesus. They thought him to be the Messiah, the long awaited King that was promised to David. Whether their expectations of him were correct is a conversation for another time. For now it should be noted that they thought him to be the King of Israel, their Savior.

This is clear for there reasons:

One, the people greeted him with palm branches. This might have little significance to you and I but, “From about two centuries earlier, palm branches had already become a national symbol. When Simon the Maccabee drove the Syrian forces out of the Jerusalem citadel he was fêted with music and the waving of palm branches (cf. 1 Macc. 13:51, 141 BC).” This was a customary way to greet a great king, or savior.

Two, the people cried out saying, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord…!” (John 12:13, ESV) Hosanna means “save us”. This is an allusion to Psalm 118 which says in verse 25, “Save us, we pray, O Lord! O Lord, we pray, give us success! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! We bless you from the house of the Lord.” (Psalm 118:25–26, ESV) A quick read of Psalm 118 makes it clear that it is about the coming Messiah. The people sung it to Jesus because they thought him to be the Messiah, their Savior King.

Three, notice that the people explicitly call Jesus the King of Israel at the end of verse 13 saying, “even the King of Israel”

Notice that Jesus did not rebuke them. He received their praise. And he was willing to receive it because he thought of himself as the King of Israel, the Messiah, the Savior. They were right to call him King.

But notice the manner in which Jesus entered into Jerusalem – notice the way he went about it. He entered Jerusalem ridding upon a young donkey. His manner said a lot about Jesus and the kind of King that he would be.

Were he interested in exerting political or military power we would expect him to ride into Jerusalem siting atop a mighty war horse. But no, he entered Jerusalem humbly, not as a political or military figure, but as a lowly servant King. The reason for this is obvious. The Kingdom that he came to inaugurate was not an earthly or political Kingdom. It was spiritual in nature. This Kingdom would advance, not by the sword, but by Spirit and truth.

Christ’s first coming was marked my meekness, humility, and gentleness. He did not come to judge, but to save. But tell me church, will Christ be riding upon the foal of a donkey at his second coming? No! Revelation 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. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God.” (Revelation 19:11–13, ESV)

How different the first and second comings of Christ are! Christ came the first time in meekness and humility to bring salvation to the elect. He will come again in great power and splendor, and to judge.

Notice that Jesus riding into Jerusalem on the foal of a donkey was also in fulfillment to prophesy. Hosea 9:9 was written some 500 years before the Christ was born. The prophet declared,

“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! 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. I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the war horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow shall be cut off, and he shall speak peace to the nations; his rule shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.” (Zechariah 9:9–10, ESV)

Christ fulfilled this at his first coming, according to John. He was the long awaited King of Israel, the Messiah. He brought salvation. He came humbly. And notice also that he did indeed “cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the war horse from Jerusalem” along with the “battle bow”. Some read that and say, how did Christ fulfill that? Aren’t there wars all around us? The point is this: Old Covenant Israel prefigured the Kingdom of God and it advanced by way of horse and chariot, bow and sword. Read the Old Testament and see that it is true. But under the New Covenant, now that the Kingdom of God has been inaugurated, the true Israel, consisting of all who believe in Christ – Jew and Gentile – advances, not by the sword, but by the power of the Spirit and by truth. The day will come when peace will fill the earth, but not until Christ returns in power and in judgment.

Christ has, at his first coming, “cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the war horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow [has been] cut off” – John tells us that Jesus rode into Jerusalem in fulfillment of this prophesy. And he has also spoken “peace to the nations”! “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” (Matthew 28:19, ESV) And his “rule [is] from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth”! Tell me church, is Jesus Savior of the Jews only? No! He is the Savior of the world!

When Jesus rode into Jerusalem in the manner that he did – “humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey” – he was doing more than claiming to have a humble disposition. No, more than that, he was claiming to be the fulfillment of all that Zachariah had prophesied over 500 years earlier.

Consider Jesus’ Motive

We have considered Jesus’ method and his manner. Let us now consider (for a brief moment) his motive.

Why did Jesus go to Jerusalem as he did? What were his hopes? What were his intentions? Did he hope that it would all go well for him? Did he think that he would win over his opponents and that all would come to love him in the end? No. Jesus, he went to die for those who would believe.

This has been made clear from the moment Jesus was introduced to us in John’s Gospel. He was introduced by the baptist. And how did John introduce him? “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29, ESV) Jesus is our sacrificial lamb. He came to die.

And so as we imaging Jesus ridding into Jerusalem on, what we now call Palm Sunday, we should think of a focused, clear minded, and driven individual. Jesus, though he was willing to receive the praise of the people because the words were true, was not fooled by them into thinking that maybe an earthly kingdom – a political one – could possibly work out. No, his sights were set on the cross (this will become more clear later in chapter 12). His sights were set on the cross. He came to die. He came to establish a spiritual Kingdom. He came to defeat, not Rome, but sin and death and Satan.

And he did this being motivated by the glory of God, and for the good of you and I and all who ever have and ever will set their hope in the Messiah, from the beginning of the world, to this day, and on to end of time.

Old Testament Reading: Deuteronomy 15:7–11

“If among you, one of your brothers should become poor, in any of your towns within your land that the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart or shut your hand against your poor brother, but you shall open your hand to him and lend him sufficient for his need, whatever it may be. Take care lest there be an unworthy thought in your heart and you say, ‘The seventh year, the year of release is near,’ and your eye look grudgingly on your poor brother, and you give him nothing, and he cry to the Lord against you, and you be guilty of sin. You shall give to him freely, and your heart shall not be grudging when you give to him, because for this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake. For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.” (Deuteronomy 15:7–11, ESV)

New Testament Reading: John 12:1-8

“Six days before the Passover, Jesus therefore came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. So they gave a dinner for him there. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at table. Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said, ‘Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?’ 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. Jesus said, ‘Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of my burial. For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me.’” (John 12:1–8, ESV)

Introduction 

The thing that I want you to notice in the text before us today is that a contrast is made between two figures. Two people take center stage in this story: one is good, the other bad; one is a child of the light, the other a child of darkness. One’s name is Mary, the other Judas. Mary is to be commended, her ways imitated. Judas is to be condemned, his ways forsaken.

This story plays an important role in John’s Gospel. I think it is interesting to note that all four Gospels – Matthew, Mark Luke, and John – contain a story about a woman anointing Jesus with costly perfume. The story found in Luke 7:36–38 is very much unlike the one found in Mathew, Mark, and John. Though there are some similarities, a close comparison of Luke’s story with the other three make it abundantly clear that Luke is telling of a different incident.

But when we compare Matthew 26:6–13 and Mark 14:3–9 with John 12:1-8 it becomes clear that these three have the same event in mind. They are all telling of the story of the anointing of Jesus by Mary, the sister of Lazarus, within a week of the crucifixion of Christ.

The similarities between Matthew, Mark, and John’s account of the story are clear enough. I’m more interested in how they are different. Notice five things;

One, Matthew and Mark place this event after Jesus’ triumphal entry, into Jerusalem, whereas John says it happened just before it. Remember though, that it was not uncommon for the Gospel writers (especially Matthew and Mark) to organize their material according to theme, and not chronologically. That is the case here. Notice that John explicitly says that this anointing of Jesus happened “six days before the passover”, and a day before the triumphal entry (that is, a day according the Jewish way of marking the beginning and end of days). Matthew and Mark do not introduce their story with a specific chronological marker. They simply say, “Now when Jesus was at Bethany…”, and  they continue from there. John presents the actual chronology; Matthew and Mark are organized thematically when it comes to the story of Mary’s anointing of Jesus.

Secondly, notice that Matthew and Mark provide us with more information concerning where this anointing happened. John tells us that it happened at Bethany. But Matthew and Mark are more specific, telling us that it happened in the home of “Simon the leper.” We do not know who this man was. Simon was a very common name in Jesus’ day. We do know that this man had leprosy at one point, for that was his nickname – Simon the leper. Whether he recovered naturally or was cured by Jesus, we don’t know. At any rate, he was the host. It seems that this was a celebration which involved a great many from the village of Bethany. They were without a doubt giving honor to Jesus. Certainly this celebration had a lot to do with what had happened just a few weeks earlier with the raising of Lazarus from the grave. Lazarus, we are told, was “reclining at table” with Jesus. Ponder that for moment! Think of the power of that testimony!

Thirdly, it is interesting that Matthew and Mark do not mention Mary by name. In their telling of the story Mary is simply referred to as “a woman”. She remains anonymous in Matthew and Mark.

Someone asked me last week why it is that Matthew, Mark, and Luke do not contain the story of the raising of Lazarus. You would thinking that all four Gospels would tell the story given the power of it, and the significant role it plays in John’s Gospel. Why would they pass on telling the story? Many have wondered about this, and we can only speculate. But it should be acknowledged that there are good reasons to not tell a story, even if it is a good one. One possible reason to refrain is to guard against distracting from another more important point being made. I would imaging that Lazarus was rather famous after all of this. I would imagine that people looked in upon him with much curiosity – will he age? Will he die again? What was it like, Lazarus? You can imagine how interested people must have been in him and his two sisters. Perhaps Matthew, Mark, and Luke, having been written much earlier than John – much more close to the event itself – decided to downplay the story of the raising of Lazarus so as to highlight in a more pronounced way the resurrection of Jesus Christ, which was of much greater significance in the end. It is possible that by the time John wrote things had settled down for Lazarus and his sisters. Or perhaps they had passed. Or maybe John felt compelled to record it in writing, knowing that the other Gospel writers had omitted it.

Here we see evidence of this way of thinking in Matthew and Mark. They are telling the same story as John concerning the anointing of Jesus, but they decide to let Mary remain anonymous, calling her “a woman” instead of by her name.

Fourthly, note that Matthew and Mark tell us that the woman anointed Jesus’ head, whereas as John tells us that she used her hair to anoint his feet. Some see this as a blatant contradiction. In fact it is not a contradiction, but a paradox (our Jr. high youth know the difference between a contradiction and a paradox, don’t you?). A paradox is something that at first appears to be contradiction, but proves not to be upon closer examination. It is true that Matthew and Mark tell us that the woman anointed Jesus’ head, but afterwards Jesus says that, “In pouring this ointment on my body, [the woman] has done it to prepare me for burial.” (Matthew 26:12, ESV) This pound of costly ointment was evidently used to anoint Jesus head to toe. Matthew and Mark emphasized the anointing of Jesus’ head, whereas John emphasized the fact that Mary used her hair to anoint his feet.

Now let’s stop for a moment, lest you begin to think that I am doing nothing more than preparing you for a game of Bible trivia. Why did Matthew and Mark emphasize the anointing of Jesus’ head, and John the anointing of his feet? That is the question. Think of this – to anoint the head is a symbol of power and honor, and that is what Matthew and Mark were desiring to communicate – Jesus is King! But John was desiring to emphasize something else. The image of Mary, the friend of Jesus, bowing at his feet and using her precious hair to catch the excess oil so that all it might serve her master, is an incredibly moving image of humble, extravagant, and authentic worship. That is the image that John wanted to highlight because it supported the theme that he was developing in his Gospel.

Turn over a page to John chapter 13. What does the heading say above that chapter? Mine says, “Jesus washes the disciples feet.” Do you see the trajectory of John’s Gospel? Do you understand the point that he is making? Be like Mary! Mimic her! Fall humbly before Jesus in worship! Serve him, and serve others. Forsake the love of the world and the pride of life.

This leads to the fifth and last observation concerning the difference between Matthew and Mark, when compared to John. Matthew and Mark do not single out Judas, whereas John does. In Matthew and Mark it is the disciples in general who are said to be indignant about the pouring out of such a costly perfume. John speaks more specifically though, revealing that it was Judas in particular who complained.

All of these observations are important, but especially the last three, for it is Mary and Judas who John introduces in order to contrast the one against the other. One is good, the other bad; one is a child of the light, the other a child of darkness. Mary is to be commended, her ways imitated. Judas is to be condemned, his ways forsaken.

Having considered Mary’s example, let us worship the Lord in humility, being fully aware of his significance, and without reservation. 

So let us consider Mary for moment. [SLIDE] And having considered her example let us be moved to worship the Lord in humility, being fully aware of his significance, and without reservation.

Humility

That Mary approached Jesus in a spirit of humility is hard to miss. She fell at his feet; she anointed his feet. She took the position of a humble servant. More than that, she used her own hair to anoint the feet of Jesus. She was completely invested in this act – completely involved.

Her humble act certainly sprung from a sense of gratitude. She was clearly grateful for what Jesus had done. Many were grateful. Many from the town of Bethany were involved in throwing this party for Jesus. Lazarus was grateful as he reclined at table with Jesus.

Notice that Mary’s sister Martha was there too. She expressed her humble gratitude in a way that was consistent with her character – she served Jesus. We know from Luke 10 that Martha was bent in that direction. She enjoyed serving. She was a doer. Mary, on the other hand, was more bent towards relationships. In Luke 10 Mary is the one who sat at the feet of Jesus while Martha worked. Here Mary anoints the feet of Jesus while Martha serves. Serving is good. Being a doer is good. But in both stories Mary is commended for choosing the better thing. In Luke 10 Jesus explicitly says that she choose the better thing; here it is implied by the fact that here act of humble adoration takes center stage in the story. The meaning is this: it is good to serve Jesus, but we ought not to neglect knowing him and worshipping him. Serve him, yes! But not to the neglect of worship.

Our gratitude for what Christ has done for us ought to lead us to humble adoration. It is true that Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, but he has done something even greater for us. He has given us eternal life.

“God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus…” (Ephesians 2:4–6, ESV)

How could we not fall before our Savior with in spirit of humility considering all that he has done for us?

Also, I’m sure that Mary bowed before Jesus in humility because she was more aware than ever of her smallness before him. That Jesus was great – that Jesus was the Christ – she had long confessed. But her understanding of what that meant was undoubtably altered when she saw Jesus call her brother out of the grave. Her thoughts towards him increased. Certainly she had spent the few weeks that had passed between the raising the anointing pondering the greatness of her friend. She prepared for his arrival. She thought of what she should do. And when he came, her heart was humble before his greatness.

You say, but Pastor, I have pride in my heart. I could never fall before Christ in the way that Mary did. I could never bring myself to worship in such a public and self-effacing way. Brothers and sisters, humility is cultivated within the heart – pride is driven out – when we think of God, and the Christ whom he sent, as we ought to think of him. Humility grows with our hearts when our thoughts concerning God are high and true. And once we have begun to think of God as we ought, it is then that we are adequately prepared to begin to think of ourselves. For it is only in the light of his glory that we are able to accurately assess our own worth. Mary had seen the glory of God demonstrated before her very eyes in the raising of her brother. She was more aware of her smallness before Jesus then ever before. Her heart was prepared to worship in a spirit of utter humility.

Fully aware of the significance of Jesus

Notice also that Mary seems to be fully aware – or at least more aware than others – concerning the significance of Jesus, and the importance of the moment. Why did she anoint Jesus? She anointed him in preparation for his death. When Jesus rebuked Judas he said, “Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of my burial.” (John 12:7, ESV) This is a notoriously difficult phrase to translate, but it seems to mean, Judas, do not take this moment away from her. She has done this in preparation for my death. Let her keep it. Let her do what she has done. Do not hinder her.

Jesus commends Mary for her act. He verified that it was indeed good that Mary understood the significance of the moment. She knew that his death was near. She was attuned to the purposes of God.

The Gospel of John has been preparing us for this moment. We were told from the beginning that Jesus was the Lamb of God who would take away the sins of the world. Christ consistently alluded to the fact that he came to die – he was sent by the Father to suffer and die, to pay for the sins of his sheep. But up to this point, his hour had not yet come (2:4). There was still daylight, and so Jesus still walked in the open, fulfilling his public ministry (12:35). But notice that chapter 12 records the last of Jesus’ public ministry. From chapter 13 onward Jesus will speak mainly to his disciples. And look ahead to 12:23. It is after some of the greeks seek Jesus that he utters the words, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.”

Mary understand this while others (some or all of the disciples) seem to be oblivious to it. She understood that Jesus came to die. She understood that suffering was in his future. She seemed to be very much aware of the significance of Jesus, and the mission that he came to accomplish.

Without reservation

Notice, lastly, that Mary worshipped without reservation.

The ointment that she used to anoint Jesus for burial was of great value. Verse 3 tells us that, “Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus…” (John 12:3, ESV) Judas estimated that the value of the ointment was 300 denarii, which was the equivalent of a years wage for a common worker. That’s a great deal of money!

It may be that Mary and Martha were wealthy and could afford such a thing. It may be that this ointment was a family heirloom that Mary chose to use for this occasion. We simply do not know. But what is clear is that Mary worshipped Christ without reservation. She was fully invested. She spared no expense. She knew the significance of the man and the moment, and she poured herself out before the Lord.

The result was that Christ was adequately honored, he was prepared for burial ahead of time, and the whole house was filled with the fragrance – others were blessed by the extravagance of her worship.

Brothers and sisters, Mary is to be commended, her ways imitated. Let us worship the Lord in humility, being fully aware of his significance, and without reservation.

Having considered Judas’ failure, let us forsake our love for the things of this world, set our eyes upon Christ’s eternal kingdom, and confess Jesus as Lord.

Let us now take a moment to consider Judas.  And having considered Judas’ failure let us forsake our love for the things of this world, set our eyes upon Christ’s eternal kingdom, and confess Jesus as Lord.

John tells us that it was Judas who complained, saying, “‘Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?’ 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.” (John 12:5–6, ESV)

Judas is contrasted with Mary. While Mary is consumed with the desire to worship, Judas is consumed with a desire for things of this world.

Judas was one of the twelve disciples, but John’s Gospel makes it clear that he was corrupt from the beginning. He was a disciple of Christ, but not from the heart. He belonged to Christ externally, but not inwardly. He appeared to be a follower of Christ, but he was a false disciple – a temporary believer.

The other disciples did not know this at the time, but Jesus did. In John 6:70 Jesus says, “Did I not choose you, the Twelve? And yet one of you is a devil.” In the upper room Jesus will identify his betrayer. All of this is revealed to us so that we might understand that Jesus did not loose any whom the Father had given him. Judas never belonged to Christ. Judas never believed. He was a member of the band of disciples outwardly, but not inwardly. He was a devil.

John, as he wrote is Gospel decades after the death and resurrection of Christ, remembered the comment that Judas made concerning Mary. His comment probably sounded reasonable and altruistic at the time. “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” Some of the other disciples were probably thinking the same thing! And perhaps we too would have had the same thought if we were there! A years salary poured out in one moment! Couldn’t this have been put to better use? 

But consider these two things:

One, this circumstance was utterly unique. Mary was anointing the Christ for burial. That would happen only once in the history of the world. The utterly unique moment called for an extravagant act.

That being said, notice this principle: the churches care for the poor is to take place within the context of, and under the umbrella of, the extravagant worship of Jesus. I am not saying that we ought to spend a great deal of money in our worship of Jesus. I’m simply pointing out that Mary’s act of extravagant worship was declared to be good by Jesus. There is a tendency within the modern church to emphasize mercy ministry so much so, and in such a way,  that the proper worship of God takes back seat. Should the church be concerned for the poor? Absolutely! But we are to do so while giving priority to proper worship. Our mission is make disciples. We are proclaim the gospel, plant churches, appoint Elders and Deacons, and administer the sacraments, teaching all that Christ commanded. And we are to care for the poor as we worship God in the way that he has prescribed. Worship seems to be given the priority here in this passage. Jesus alludes to Deuteronomy  15, saying “the poor you will always have with you.” The implication is that we are to care for the poor, but that the extravagant worship of Jesus should not take a back seat to it.

I appreciate the way that D.A. Carson makes the point in his commentary, saying, “If self-righteous piety sometimes snuffs out genuine compassion, it must also be admitted, with shame, that social activism, even that which meets real needs, sometimes masks a spirit that knows nothing of worship and adoration.”

We should admit that Judas’ concern is understandable. We ought to be good stewards of what God has given us. That that was a part of the ethos of the apostles is clear from this passage. But the circumstances made this act appropriate.

Furthermore we should not that John, putting all of the pieces of the puzzle together, and seeing with the clarity of hindsight, clarifies that Judas was not really concerned for the poor. He was more concerned with building up the bank account so that he might steal from it.

Notice that Mary was humble. She was aware of the significance of the Christ and the nature of his kingdom – she knew that the way forward involved suffering and death. She was therefore extravagant in her worship. Judas, on the other hand, was worldly. He was in love with the world, obsessed with the things of this earth, obsessed with money. This will prove true when he betrays the Lord for a measly 30 pieces of silver!

Do you see the role that Judas plays in the narrative? John is saying, don’t be that guy! 

Jesus feed thousands in the wilderness with physical bread and fish. They followed him until he instead that they turn their attention from the physical bread to feasting upon the spiritual bread, who is the Christ. Those who were in love with the things of this earth turned back.

The Jewish leaders claimed that it would be best for the people if one man die instead of the whole nation suffer. But in fact they were concerned about their place and their position. They loved this world and the things of this world so much so that they were blind to the things of God which were being demonstrated right before their eyes.

And Judas would betray Jesus because his heart was consumed with love for the things of this earth. When he realized that Jesus wasn’t interested in establishing an earthly kingdom, and making the disciple powerful and rich, he would abandon ship, seeking his fame and fortune in another place.

Christian, do you see how the love of money leads to destruction? Paul warned Timothy saying, “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.” (1 Timothy 6:10, ESV) The writer to the Hebrews warns, “Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’” (Hebrews 13:5, ESV)

We wonder, how could Judas do such a horrific thing in betraying Jesus?  The answer is that he never loved him from the heart. He was in love with the things of this world from the beginning. His desire was to have power in this world. He did not see the significance of Christ’s eternal kingdom, therefore, never did he have Christ as Lord. May it never be said of us.

Conclusion

Brothers and sisters, do you see that the contrast that is to exist between the way of the Christian and the way of the worldly man? Look at Mary and look at Judas. See that Judas had his eyes fixed upon this world, and he could not bring himself to worship the Christ. But notice that Mary had her eyes fixed upon the glory of God. She, by contrast, could not help but worship humbly, in gratitude, and without reservation. Let us mimic her.