The Gospel According to St. John

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- Chapter 12 -

(Matthew 26:6–13; Mark 14:3–9; Luke 7:36–50)

Then six days before the Passover, Jesus went to Bethania, where Lazarus had died, whom Jesus raised up.

And they made a dinner for him there. And Martha was ministering. And truly, Lazarus was one of those who were sitting at table with him.

And then Mary took twelve ounces of pure spikenard ointment, very precious, and she anointed the feet of Jesus, and she wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the ointment.

Then one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was soon to betray him, said,

“Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the needy?”

Now he said this, not out of concern for the needy, but because he was a thief and, since he held the purse, he used to carry what was put into it.

But Jesus said: “Permit her, so that she may keep it against the day of my burial.

For the poor, you have with you always. But me, you do always not have.”(a)

The Plot to Kill Lazarus

Now a great multitude of the Jews knew that he was in that place, and so they came, not so much because of Jesus, but so that they might see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead.

And the leaders of the priests planned to put Lazarus to death also.(b)

For many of the Jews, because of him, were going away and were believing in Jesus.

The Triumphal Entry

(Zechariah 9:9–13; Matthew 21:1–11; Mark 11:1–11; Luke 19:28–40)

Then, on the next day, the great crowd that had come to the feast day, when they had heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem,

took branches of palm trees, and they went ahead to meet him. And they were crying out: “Hosanna! Blessed is he who arrives in the name of the Lord, the king of Israel!”

And Jesus found a small donkey, and he sat upon it, just as it is written:

“Do not be afraid, daughter of Zion. Behold, your king arrives, sitting on the colt of a donkey.”

At first, his disciples did not realize these things. But when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written about him, and that these things happened to him.

And so the crowd that had been with him, when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead, offered testimony.

Because of this, too, the crowd went out to meet him. For they heard that he had accomplished this sign.

Therefore, the Pharisees said among themselves: “Do you see that we are accomplishing nothing? Behold, the entire world has gone after him.”

Jesus Predicts His Death

Now there were certain Gentiles among those who went up so that they might worship on the feast day.

Therefore, these approached Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and they petitioned him, saying: “Sir, we want to see Jesus.”

Philip went and told Andrew. Next, Andrew and Philip told Jesus.

But Jesus answered them by saying: “The hour arrives when the Son of man shall be glorified.

Amen, amen, I say to you, unless the grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies,

it remains alone. But if it dies, it yields much fruit. Whoever loves his life, will lose it. And whoever hates his life in this world, preserves it unto eternal life.

If anyone serves me, let him follow me. And where I am, there too my minister shall be. If anyone has served me, my Father will honor him.

Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say? Father, save me from this hour? But it is for this reason that I came to this hour.

Father, glorify your name!” And then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.”

Therefore, the crowd, which was standing near and had heard it, said that it was like thunder. Others were saying, “An Angel was speaking with him.”

Jesus responded and said: “This voice came, not for my sake, but for your sakes.

Now is the judgment of the world. Now will the prince of this world be cast out.

And when I have been lifted up from the earth, I will draw all things to myself.”

(Now he said this, signifying what kind of death he would die.)

The crowd answered him: “We have heard, from the law, that the Christ remains forever. And so how can you say, ‘The Son of man must be lifted up?’ Who is this Son of man?”

Therefore, Jesus said to them: “For a brief time, the Light is among you. Walk while you have the Light, so that the darkness may not overtake you. But whoever walks in darkness does not know where is he going.

While you have the Light, believe in the Light, so that you may be sons of the Light.” Jesus spoke these things, and then he went away and hid himself from them.

Belief and Unbelief

And although he had done such great signs in their presence, they did not believe in him,

so that the word of the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled, which says: “Lord, who has believed in our hearing? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”

Because of this, they were not able to believe, for Isaiah said again:(c)

“He has blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart, so that they may not see with their eyes, and understand with their heart, and be converted: and then I would heal them.”

These things Isaiah said, when he saw his glory and was speaking about him.

Yet truly, many of the leaders also believed in him. But because of the Pharisees, they did not confess him, so that they would not be cast out of the synagogue.

For they loved the glory of men more than the glory of God.

But Jesus cried out and said: “Whoever believes in me, does not believe in me, but in him who sent me.

And whoever sees me, sees him who sent me.

I have arrived as a light to the world, so that all who believe in me might not remain in darkness.

And if anyone has heard my words and not kept them, I do not judge him. For I did not come so that I may judge the world, but so that I may save the world.

Whoever despises me and does not accept my words has one who judges him. The word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him on the last day.

For I am not speaking from myself, but from the Father who sent me. He gave a commandment to me as to what I should say and how I should speak.

And I know that his commandment is eternal life. Therefore, the things that I speak, just as the Father has said to me, so also do I speak.”

Footnotes

(a)12:8 See the annotation of St. Matt. 26. 11.(Challoner)

(b)12:10 The phrase ‘principes sacerdotum’ means ‘chief priests’ or ‘leaders of the priests.’ Whereas, the word ‘Pontifices’ refers to the high priests.(Conte)

(c)12:39 They could not believe:Because they would not, saith St. Augustine, Tract. 33, in Joan. See the annotation, St. Mark 4. 12.(Challoner)

(Matthew 26:6–13; Mark 14:3–9; Luke 7:36–50)

Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, who had been dead, whom he raised from the dead.

So they made him a supper there. Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with him.

Therefore Mary took a pound

(a)

of ointment of pure nard, very precious, and anointed Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the ointment.

Then Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, one of his disciples, who would betray him, said,

“Why wasn’t this ointment sold for three hundred denarii

(b)

and given to the poor?”

Now he said this, not because he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and having the money box, used to steal what was put into it.

But Jesus said, “Leave her alone. She has kept this for the day of my burial.

For you always have the poor with you, but you don’t always have me.”

The Plot to Kill Lazarus

A large crowd therefore of the Jews learned that he was there; and they came, not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he had raised from the dead.

But the chief priests conspired to put Lazarus to death also,

because on account of him many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus.

The Triumphal Entry

(Zechariah 9:9–13; Matthew 21:1–11; Mark 11:1–11; Luke 19:28–40)

On the next day a great multitude had come to the feast. When they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem,

they took the branches of the palm trees and went out to meet him, and cried out, “Hosanna!(c) Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord,(d) the King of Israel!”

Jesus, having found a young donkey, sat on it. As it is written,

“Don’t be afraid, daughter of Zion. Behold, your King comes, sitting on a donkey’s colt.”(e)

His disciples didn’t understand these things at first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written about him, and that they had done these things to him.

The multitude therefore that was with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead was testifying about it.

For this cause also the multitude went and met him, because they heard that he had done this sign.

The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, “See how you accomplish nothing. Behold, the world has gone after him.”

Jesus Predicts His Death

Now there were certain Greeks among those who went up to worship at the feast.

Therefore, these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, “Sir, we want to see Jesus.”

Philip came and told Andrew, and in turn, Andrew came with Philip, and they told Jesus.

Jesus answered them, “The time has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.

Most certainly I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains by itself alone. But if it dies, it bears much fruit.

He who loves his life will lose it. He who hates his life in this world will keep it to eternal life.

If anyone serves me, let him follow me. Where I am, there my servant will also be. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.

“Now my soul is troubled. What shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this time’? But I came to this time for this cause.

Father, glorify your name!” Then a voice came out of the sky, saying, “I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.”

Therefore the multitude who stood by and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.”

Jesus answered, “This voice hasn’t come for my sake, but for your sakes.

Now is the judgment of this world. Now the prince of this world will be cast out.

And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”

But he said this, signifying by what kind of death he should die.

The multitude answered him, “We have heard out of the law that the Christ remains forever.(f) How do you say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this Son of Man?”

Jesus therefore said to them, “Yet a little while the light is with you. Walk while you have the light, that darkness doesn’t overtake you. He who walks in the darkness doesn’t know where he is going.

While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become children of light.” Jesus said these things, and he departed and hid himself from them.

Belief and Unbelief

But though he had done so many signs before them, yet they didn’t believe in him,

that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke: “Lord, who has believed our report? To whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”(g)

For this cause they couldn’t believe, for Isaiah said again:

“He has blinded their eyes and he hardened their heart, lest they should see with their eyes, and perceive with their heart, and would turn, and I would heal them.”(h)

Isaiah said these things when he saw his glory, and spoke of him. (i)

Nevertheless, even many of the rulers believed in him, but because of the Pharisees they didn’t confess it, so that they wouldn’t be put out of the synagogue,

for they loved men’s praise more than God’s praise.

Jesus cried out and said, “Whoever believes in me, believes not in me, but in him who sent me.

He who sees me sees him who sent me.

I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in me may not remain in the darkness.

If anyone listens to my sayings and doesn’t believe, I don’t judge him. For I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.

He who rejects me, and doesn’t receive my sayings, has one who judges him. The word that I spoke will judge him in the last day.

For I spoke not from myself, but the Father who sent me gave me a commandment, what I should say and what I should speak.

I know that his commandment is eternal life. The things therefore which I speak, even as the Father has said to me, so I speak.”

Footnotes

(a)12:3 a Roman pound of 12 ounces, or about 340 grams

(b)12:5 300 denarii was about a year’s wages for an agricultural laborer.

(d)12:13 ℘ Psalms 118:25-26

(e)12:15 ℘ Zechariah 9:9

(f)12:34 ℘ Isaiah 9:7; Daniel 2:44; See Isaiah 53:8

(g)12:38 ℘ Isaiah 53:1

(h)12:40 ℘ Isaiah 6:10

(i)12:41 ℘ Isaiah 6:1