Chapter 12:
| Darby
| Geneva
| Gill
| Jamieson Faussett Brown
| Johnson
| Lightfoot
| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| McGarvey Pendleton
| McGee
| Wesley
| Index
| Bible Gateway |
Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 Luke Acts
John 12
Concise Complete
Christ anointed by Mary. (1-11) He enters Jerusalem.
(12-19) Greeks apply to see Jesus. (20-26) A voice from heaven bears testimony
to Christ. (27-33) His discourse with the people. (34-36) Unbelief of the Jews.
(37-43) Christ's address to them. (44-50)
Verses 1-11 Christ
had formerly blamed Martha for being troubled with much serving. But she did not
leave off serving, as some, who when found fault with for going too far in one
way, peevishly run too far another way; she still served, but within hearing of
Christ's gracious words. Mary gave a token of love to Christ, who had given real
tokens of his love to her and her family. God's Anointed should be our Anointed.
Has God poured on him the oil of gladness above his fellows, let us pour on him
the ointment of our best affections. In Judas a foul sin is gilded over with a
plausible pretence. We must not think that those do no acceptable service, who
do it not in our way. The reigning love of money is heart-theft. The grace of
Christ puts kind comments on pious words and actions, makes the best of what is
amiss, and the most of what is good. Opportunities are to be improved; and those
first and most vigorously, which are likely to be the shortest. To consult to
hinder the further effect of the miracle, by putting Lazarus to death, is such
wickedness, malice, and folly, as cannot be explained, except by the desperate
enmity of the human heart against God. They resolved that the man should die
whom the Lord had raised to life. The success of the gospel often makes wicked
men so angry, that they speak and act as if they hoped to obtain a victory over
the Almighty himself.
Verses 12-19
Christ's riding in triumph to Jerusalem is recorded by all the evangelists. Many
excellent things, both in the word and providence of God, disciples do not
understand at their first acquaintance with the things of God. The right
understanding of spiritual nature of Christ's kingdom, prevents our misapplying
the Scriptures which speak of it.
Verses 20-26 In
attendance upon holy ordinances, particularly the gospel passover, the great
desire of our souls should be to see Jesus; to see him as ours, to keep up
communion with him, and derive grace from him. The calling of the Gentiles
magnified the Redeemer. A corn of wheat yields no increase unless it is cast
into the ground. Thus Christ might have possessed his heavenly glory alone,
without becoming man. Or, after he had taken man's nature, he might have entered
heaven alone, by his own perfect righteousness, without suffering or death; but
then no sinner of the human race could have been saved. The salvation of souls
hitherto, and henceforward to the end of time, is owing to the dying of this
Corn of wheat. Let us search whether Christ be in us the hope of glory; let us
beg him to make us indifferent to the trifling concerns of this life, that we
may serve the Lord Jesus with a willing mind, and follow his holy example.
Verses 27-33 The
sin of our souls was the troubled of Christ's soul, when he undertook to redeem
and save us, and to make his soul an offering for our sin. Christ was willing to
suffer, yet prayed to be saved from suffering. Prayer against trouble may well
agree with patience under it, and submission to the will of God in it. Our Lord
Jesus undertook to satisfy God's injured honour, and he did it by humbling
himself. The voice of the Father from heaven, which had declared him to be his
beloved Son, at his baptism, and when he was transfigured, was heard proclaiming
that He had both glorified his name, and would glorify it. Christ, reconciling
the world to God by the merit of his death, broke the power of death, and cast
out Satan as a destroyer. Christ, bringing the world to God by the doctrine of
his cross, broke the power of sin, and cast out Satan as a deceiver. The soul
that was at a distance from Christ, is brought to love him and trust him. Jesus
was now going to heaven, and he would draw men's hearts to him thither. There is
power in the death of Christ to draw souls to him. We have heard from the gospel
that which exalts free grace, and we have heard also that which enjoins duty; we
must from the heart embrace both, and not separate them.
Verses 34-36 The
people drew false notions from the Scriptures, because they overlooked the
prophecies that spoke of Christ's sufferings and death. Our Lord warned them
that the light would not long continue with them, and exhorted them to walk in
it, before the darkness overtook them. Those who would walk in the light must
believe in it, and follow Christ's directions. But those who have not faith,
cannot behold what is set forth in Jesus, lifted up on the cross, and must be
strangers to its influence as made known by the Holy Spirit; they find a
thousand objections to excuse their unbelief.
Verses 37-43
Observe the method of conversion implied here. Sinners are brought to see the
reality of Divine things, and to have some knowledge of them. To be converted,
and truly turned from sin to Christ, as their Happiness and Portion. God will
heal them, will justify and sanctify them; will pardon their sins, which are as
bleeding wounds, and mortify their corruptions, which are as lurking diseases.
See the power of the world in smothering convictions, from regard to the
applause or censure of men. Love of the praise of men, as a by-end in that which
is good, will make a man a hypocrite when religion is in fashion, and credit is
to be got by it; and love of the praise of men, as a base principle in that
which is evil, will make a man an apostate, when religion is in disgrace, and
credit is to be lost for it.
Verses 44-50 Our
Lord publicly proclaimed, that every one who believed on him, as his true
disciple, did not believe on him only, but on the Father who sent him. Beholding
in Jesus the glory of the Father, we learn to obey, love, and trust in him. By
daily looking to Him, who came a Light into the world, we are more and more
freed from the darkness of ignorance, error, sin, and misery; we learn that the
command of God our Saviour is everlasting life. But the same word will seal the
condemnation of all who despise it, or neglect it.
Chapter 12:
| Darby
| Geneva
| Gill
| Jamieson Faussett Brown
| Johnson
| Lightfoot
| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| McGarvey Pendleton
| McGee
| Wesley
| Index
| Bible Gateway |
Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 Luke Acts
Genesis
Exodus
Leviticus
Numbers
Deuteronomy
Joshua
Judges
Ruth
1 Samuel
2 Samuel
1 Kings
2 Kings
1 Chronicles
2 Chronicles
Ezra
Nehemiah
Esther
Job
Psalm
Proverbs
Ecclesiastes
Song of Solomon
Isaiah
Jeremiah
Lamentations
Ezekiel
Daniel
Hosea
Joel
Amos
Obadiah
Jonah
Micah
Nahum
Habakkuk
Zephaniah
Haggai
Zechariah
Malachi
Matthew
Mark
Luke
John
Acts
Romans
1 Corinthians
2 Corinthians
Galatians
Ephesians
Philippians
Colossians
1 Thessalonians
2 Thessalonians
1 Timothy
2 Timothy
Titus
Philemon
Hebrews
James
1 Peter
2 Peter
1 John
2 John
3 John
Jude
Revelation
