Month: April 2021

13 Now before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour  had come to depart from this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. ² The devil had already put it into the heart of Judas son of Simon Iscariot to betray him. And during supper ³ Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God,
⁴ got up from the table, took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself. ⁵ Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around him. ⁶ He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” ⁷ Jesus answered, “You do not know now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” ⁸ Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no share with me.” ⁹ Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” ¹⁰ Jesus said to him, “One who has bathed does not need to wash, except for the feet, but is entirely clean. And you are clean, though not all of you.” ¹¹ For he knew who was to betray him; for this reason he said, “Not all of you are clean.”

¹² After he had washed their feet, had put on his robe, and had returned to the table, he said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? ¹³ You call me Teacher and Lord—and you are right, for that is what I am. ¹⁴ So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. ¹⁵ For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you. ¹⁶ Very truly, I tell you, servants are not greater than their master, nor are messengers greater than the one who sent them. ¹⁷ If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them. ¹⁸ I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But it is to fulfill the scripture, ‘The one who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.’ ¹⁹ I tell you this now, before it occurs, so that when it does occur, you may believe that I am he.^{a  20} Very truly, I tell you, whoever receives one whom I send receives me; and whoever receives me receives him who sent me.”

²¹ After saying this Jesus was troubled in spirit, and declared, “Very truly, I tell you, one of you will betray me.” ²² The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he was speaking. ²³ One of his disciples—the one whom Jesus loved—was reclining next to him; ²⁴ Simon Peter therefore motioned to him to ask Jesus of whom he was speaking. ²⁵ So while reclining next to Jesus, he asked him, “Lord, who is it?” ²⁶ Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.”^a So when he had dipped the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas son of Simon Iscariot.^{b  27} After he received the piece of bread, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “Do quickly what you are going to do.” ²⁸ Now no one at the table knew why he said this to him. ²⁹ Some thought that, because Judas had the common purse, Jesus was telling him, “Buy what we need for the festival”; or, that he should give something to the poor. ³⁰ So, after receiving the piece of bread, he immediately went out. And it was night.

³¹ When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. ³² If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. ³³ Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’ ³⁴ I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. ³⁵ By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

³⁶ Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus answered, “Where I am going, you cannot follow me now; but you will follow afterward.” ³⁷ Peter said to him, “Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” ³⁸ Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me? Very truly, I tell you, before the cock crows, you will have denied me three times.  NRSV

Get into the Word

1. What is the setting for the incident John describes in this section? What prompts Jesus to do what he did? How do you suppose Jesus felt about the evening and the meal as he prepared to wash the disciples’ feet? What might he have been thinking about?

2. How does Peter react to the situation? What is he missing about the action? How does Jesus interpret his actions for the disciples? What lesson should they take away from this? 

3. Who is Jesus referring to in verse 18? How does he relate it to his mission? Why does he share this information with the disciples now? How do the disciples react? What assurance are they seeking?

7. What is significant about the way Jesus indicates his betrayer? At this point who knows it is Judas? How do the others react to his departure?

8. Where does Jesus take the conversation after Judas leaves? Why do you suppose he starts talking about his own leaving? What does Jesus tell the disciples about the future? 

9. How does Peter take the news of Jesus’ departure? How does Jesus deal with Peter’s vow?

Get Personal

How has Jesus washed your feet recently? Whose feet have you “washed” recently? How have you been blessed by doing these things (v. 17)? How are you demonstrating to others that you are one of
Jesus’ disciples?

13:2. Devil — John means Satan [v. 27]. The irony is that Judas helps make our salvation possible — he puts Jesus into the Jews’ hands.
13:5. Wash the disciples’ feet — a common gesture of hospitality. Jesus demonstrates how radically different things in God’s kingdom are from things in this world. Jesus is also previewing his ultimate role as the “suffering servant” of Isaiah 53.
13:8. Peter gets high marks for loyalty and assertiveness but he misses the point (which Jesus had just said): he is reacting to the relationships in this world.
13:9. But also — Peter again reacts according to the values of this world: if washing one part is good, wash the whole thing – and Jesus has to explain the spiritual meaning of his actions.
13:12. Do you know — Jesus explains the new and radically different role

of servants and leaders in the kingdom of Heaven – as radically different as what he just did for the disciples. 
13:18. Scripture — Jesus quotes Isaiah 41:9.
13:19. So that . . . you may believe — God predicts things in the future as a demonstration of his power so people will believe him when the prediction comes true.
I AM — Jesus again uses the name God told Moses.
13:21. Troubled — John shows Jesus as having the same emotions and feelings as we do.
13:34. New commandment — well, not exactly new: God told the Israelites to love their neighbor [Lev 19:18]. 
13:38. Die for me — Peter did actually die for Jesus as a martyr in Rome, but many years later.

12 Now among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks.
²¹ They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” ²² Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. ²³ Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. ²⁴ Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. ²⁵ Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. ²⁶ Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honor.

Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say—‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour. ²⁸ Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” ²⁹ The crowd standing there heard it and said that it was thunder. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.” ³⁰ Jesus answered, “This voice has come for your sake, not for mine. ³¹ Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. ³² And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” ³³ He said this to indicate the kind of death he was to die. ³⁴ The crowd answered him, “We have heard from the law that the Messiah remains forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?” ³⁵ Jesus said to them, “The light is with you for a little longer. Walk while you have the light, so that the darkness may not overtake you. If you walk in the darkness, you do not know where you are going. ³⁶ While you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become children of light.”

³⁶ After Jesus had said this, he departed and hid from them. ³⁷ Although he had performed so many signs in their presence, they did not believe in him. ³⁸ This was to fulfill the word spoken by the prophet Isaiah:
“Lord, who has believed our message,
and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”
³⁹ And so they could not believe, because Isaiah also said,
⁴⁰ “He has blinded their eyes
and hardened their heart,
so that they might not look with their eyes,
and understand with their heart and turn—
and I would heal them.”

⁴¹ Isaiah said this because he saw his glory and spoke about him.
⁴² Nevertheless many, even of the authorities, believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they did not confess it, for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue; ⁴³ for they loved human glory more than the glory that comes from God.

⁴⁴ Then Jesus cried aloud: “Whoever believes in me believes not in me but in him who sent me. ⁴⁵ And whoever sees me sees him who sent me. ⁴⁶ I have come as light into the world, so that everyone who believes in me should not remain in the darkness. ⁴⁷ I do not judge anyone who hears my words and does not keep them, for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. ⁴⁸ The one who rejects me and does not receive my word has a judge; on the last day the word that I have spoken will serve as judge, ⁴⁹ for I have not spoken on my own, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment about what to say and what to speak. ⁵⁰ And I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I speak, therefore, I speak just as the Father has told me.” NRSV

Get into the Word

1. Why would some Greeks want to meet Jesus? How did the disciples handle the request? How does Jesus respond to the disciples? Do you think they understood the point Jesus was trying to make? How do you think they felt at Jesus’ answer? 

2. What is Jesus really talking about in verses 23-28? Why does he focus on death? How does he resolve his dilemma?

3. How does the crowd respond to the voice from heaven? What does Jesus say about the voice? What is the crowd’s reaction to Jesus’ statement about being “lifted up?” What did he really mean?

4. How does John interpret the Jew’s continuing unbelief? How is the Jew’s thinking similar to people today? How is it different? 

5. How does Jesus describe what happens when a person believes? What does this say about the relationship between Jesus and the Father? 

6. What does Jesus say about judgment and belief? How are the two related? What is Jesus’ role in judgment?  

Consider

How does your belief affect your vision? How does Jesus provide “light” for your walk of faith? Has the light been stronger or dimmer recently? 

12:20. Greeks — probably “God-fearers,” Greeks who believed in the Jewish God.
12:21. Phillip — one of the few disciples with a Greek name, and Bethsaida was near the Greek area of Palestine.
12:23. hour — after several statements that his time had not yet come [e.g. 2:4, 7:6], Jesus announces that the time for his prophesied death had arrived.
12:25. Love their life — Jesus distinguishes between people who cling to this earthly (and perishable) life and those who understand its transience and ultimate worthlessness.
12:27. Troubled — the other gospels [Matt 26:36-46; Mark 14:32-42; Luke 22:39-46], put this prayer in the garden before Jesus’s arrest.
This reason — Jesus’s entire ministry has been pointed to his sacrifice on the cross for our sin, Isaiah prophesied: he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors, [53:12].
12:28. Voice — this is the third time God speaks about Jesus [check Matt 3:17 and 17:5]. Ironically, the Jews had asked for a “sign” but they misunderstand the sign God gives them.
12:31. Judgment — the Greek word refers to “separating,” which is underscored by Jesus’ statement that the Devil will be “driven out,” [v. 31].

12:34. the Messiah — the first use of “Anointed One” as a title for the expected king is actually in Daniel [9:25]. Most Jews expected the Messiah to establish an earthly, political kingdom, that would last forever. Jesus’ approaching death confused them even more [check 2 Sam 7:16, Psalm 72:17, Ezek 37:26-28].
12:42. Put out of the synagogue — the Jews feared excommunication, which usually involved a thirty-day sentence excluding the person from the synagogue, the congregation and prohibiting bathing or shaving or allowing any approach closer than “four cubits.” If the person did not repent of the charged blasphemy the sentence would be extended in thirty-day intervals and could be made permanent.
12:43. Human glory — earlier Jesus told the Jews: How can you believe when you accept glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the one who alone is God? [John 5:44].
12:44. Whoever believes — John often describes the past, present and future aspects of salvation. Here Jesus is referring to the present: a believer “sees” now the one who sent Christ and does not have to wait until some future time for such vision. At the same time John knows that our “vision” will become clearer as we grow in faith and that there will be a future time [v. 48] when everything will be totally clear.

11 Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him. ⁴⁶ But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what he had done. ⁴⁷ So the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the council, and said, “What are we to do? This man is performing many signs. ⁴⁸ If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and destroy both our holy place and our nation.” ⁴⁹ But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all! ⁵⁰ You do not understand that it is better for you to have one man die for the people than to have the whole nation destroyed.” ⁵¹ He did not say this on his own, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus was about to die for the nation, ⁵² and not for the nation only, but to gather into one the dispersed children of God. ⁵³ So from that day on they planned to put him to death.

⁵⁴ Jesus therefore no longer walked about openly among the Jews, but went from there to a town called Ephraim in the region near the wilderness; and he remained there with the disciples.

⁵⁵ Now the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went up from the country to Jerusalem before the Passover to purify themselves. ⁵⁶ They were looking for Jesus and were asking one another as they stood in the temple, “What do you think? Surely he will not come to the festival, will he?” ⁵⁷ Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that anyone who knew where Jesus was should let them know, so that they might arrest him.

12 Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home  of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. ² There they  gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him.
³ Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. ⁴ But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said, ⁵ “Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?”
⁶ (He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.) ⁷ Jesus said, “Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. ⁸ You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.”

⁹ When the great crowd of the Jews learned that he was there, they came not only because of Jesus but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. ¹⁰ So the chief priests planned to put Lazarus to death as well, ¹¹ since it was on account of him that many of the Jews were deserting and were believing in Jesus.

¹² The next day the great crowd that had come to the festival heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. ¹³ So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, shouting,
“Hosanna!
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord— the King of Israel!”

¹⁴ Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it; as it is written:
¹⁵ “Do not be afraid, daughter of Zion.
Look, your king is coming,
sitting on a donkey’s colt!”

¹⁶ His disciples did not understand these things at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written of him and had been done to him. ¹⁷ So the crowd that had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to testify.^{a  18} It was also because they heard that he had performed this sign that the crowd went to meet him. ¹⁹ The Pharisees then said to one another, “You see, you can do nothing. Look, the world has gone after him!”  NRSV

Get into the Word

1. How do the people in the crowd respond to Lazarus’ resurrection? Which part of the crowd would you have been in?

2. Why would the chief priests and Pharisees be so upset at this miracle? What makes it different from the other miracles Jesus had performed? 

3. How does Caiaphas analyze the situation? What is his suggestion? How does it make sense for the Jewish leaders?

How does John characterize Caiaphas’ statement? What makes it prophecy? What makes it ironic?

4. Where does Jesus go after this? What is going on when he returns to Bethany? Who are the principle people involved and what is their relationship to Jesus?

5. What is significant about Mary’s actions? Do you think Jesus was at all embarrassed by the attention? How does he respond to the objection?

6. What is the reaction to Jesus’ presence in town? What is the reaction of the leaders? Why would they include Lazarus in their plans?

7. Why was the crowd waving palm branches for Jesus’ entry [see notes]? Why did Jesus ride into town on a donkey colt? Why didn’t the disciples understand these symbols?

Get Personal

How does God help you understand what he is doing in your life? How does he help you “see” the evidence of his presence and his actions? How often do you realize he was active after the incident?

11:47. Council — the Jewish governing body under the Romans. Its 71 members were split between priests (“Sadducees”) and teachers of the law (“Pharisees”) and was led by the high priest.
11:48. Roman army — Jewish leaders’ goal was to keep the peace so the Romans would not destroy their power and position.
11:49. Caiaphas — followed his father, Annas, as high priest (Annas presides at Jesus’ “trial” for blasphemy, [18:12-13]).
11:50. It’s better . . . — Caiaphas’ statement is politically accurate – silencing Jesus should keep Rome from destroying Jerusalem; but the high priest is really describing God’s salvation plan for the entire world. John makes sure his readers get the point in verse 51.
12:3. Nard — very expensive perfume from India.
12:7. Leave her alone — Jesus undoubtedly knows 

about Judas’ thievery but he focuses on the symbolic meaning of Mary’s gift and action. Jesus then echoes Moses: There will always be some in the land who are poor. That is why I am commanding you to share freely with the poor and with other Israelites in need, [Deut 15:11].
12:13. Palm branches — victorious returning military commanders were often greeted by people waving palm branches – the Jews had the wrong perspective on Jesus’ “triumph.”
12:14. Donkey . . . prophecy — John is referring to Zechariah 9:9: Look, your king is coming to you. He is righteous and victorious, yet he is humble, riding on a donkey –riding on a donkey’s colt.
12:16. Didn’t understand — the disciples continue to miss the spiritual point, until the Holy Spirit shows them the ultimate meaning after the resurrection, [also 14:26, and Luke 24:25-35].

1Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. ² Mary was the one who anointed the Lord with perfume and wiped his feet with her hair; her brother Lazarus was ill. ³ So the sisters sent a message to Jesus “Lord, he whom you love is ill.” ⁴ But when Jesus heard it, he said, “This illness does not lead to death; rather it is for God’s glory, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”
⁵ Accordingly, though Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus, ⁶ after having heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was.

⁷ Then after this he said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.” ⁸ The disciples said to him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just now trying to stone you, and are you going there again?”
⁹ Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Those who walk during the day do not stumble, because they see the light of this world. ¹⁰ But those who walk at night stumble, because the light is not in them.” ¹¹ After saying this, he told them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am going there to awaken him.” ¹² The disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will be all right.” ¹³ Jesus, however, had been speaking about his death, but they thought that he was referring merely to sleep. ¹⁴ Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead. ¹⁵ For your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.” ¹⁶ Thomas, who was called the Twin said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”

¹⁷ When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days.
¹⁸ Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, some two miles away, ¹⁹ and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them about their brother. ²⁰ When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, while Mary stayed at home. ²¹ Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. ²² But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask of him.” ²³ Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” ²⁴ Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” ²⁵ Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, ²⁶ and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” ²⁷ She said to him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah the Son of God, the one coming into the world.”

²⁸ When she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary, and told her privately, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” ²⁹ And when she heard it, she got up quickly and went to him. ³⁰ Now Jesus had not yet come to the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him.
³¹ The Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary get up quickly and go out. They followed her because they thought that she was going to the tomb to weep there. ³² When Mary came where Jesus was and saw him, she knelt at his feet and said to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” ³³ When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, he was greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved. ³⁴ He said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” ³⁵ Jesus began to weep. ³⁶ So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” ³⁷ But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?”

³⁸ Then Jesus, again greatly disturbed, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone was lying against it. ³⁹ Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, already there is a stench because he has been dead four days.”
⁴⁰ Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?” ⁴¹ So they took away the stone. And Jesus looked upward and said, “Father, I thank you for having heard me. ⁴² I knew that you always hear me, but I have said this for the sake of the crowd standing here, so that they may believe that you sent me.” ⁴³ When he had said this, he cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” ⁴⁴ The dead man came out, his hands and feet bound with strips of cloth, and his face wrapped in a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.” NRSV

Get into the Word

1. What is the relationship between Jesus and Lazarus? Why would the sisters try to contact Jesus about their brother’s illness?

2. How does Jesus react to this news? Does this surprise you? Do you think the disciples were surprised that Jesus did not go to them immediately?

3. How do the disciples react to Jesus’ decision to return to Judea? What do you think Jesus meant with the reference to walking by day or by night?

4. Where is the disciples’ focus during this conversation? What is significant about the length of time Lazarus had been in the tomb when Jesus arrived?

5. Why do you suppose only Martha went out to meet Jesus? How does Martha greet Jesus? What does this tell you about her faith? How does Jesus respond to Martha? 

6. How does Mary greet Jesus? What does Jesus say to her grief? What does the crowd say about Jesus’s response to the situation?

7. What is Jesus’ next response to Lazarus’ death? How does Martha react? Once the stone was moved what does Jesus do? What does this tell you about his relationship with the Father?

Get Personal

Are there times when you think action is called for but God seems to be delaying? Or when God seems to be going in a direction you don’t understand? How do you respond to such situations?

11:1. Bethany — a small village about 20 miles east of Jerusalem.
Lazarus — along with his sisters, Martha and Mary, followed Jesus from early in his ministry. 
11:6. He stayed — another example of Jesus’ paying attention to God’s timing, not his human instinct to go to his friend.
11:12. Awaken him — the disciples take Jesus literally, even though “sleep” was a common metaphor for death. 
11:15. So that you may believe — Jesus is about to demonstrate his ultimate power.
11:16. Thomas — “The Twin,” but there is no reference to a brother or sister in the Bible. 

11:17. Four days – A person who died was usually buried that same day. Jews did not use coffins, but usually wrapped the entire body in long strips of cloth, often mixed with perfumes [check v. 44].
11:27. I believe — Martha’s faith is strong, but she does not realize all the implications of her faith or Jesus’ power.
11:32. If you had been here — Mary, like Martha, believes in Jesus’ power to heal; but they don’t see the connection between the power to heal and the power to grant life itself.
11:41. Father, thank you — Jesus echoes Elijah in praying publicly so people will know that God is the real actor [check 1 Kings 18:36-37].