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#87 “ FOR DEATH"

John 11:55-57; Matthew 26:6-13; :3-9; John 12:1-11

Jesus just came from Jericho—where He dined with Zacchaeus (Lk. 19:1-10) and told a parable to His disciples about faithful service in His kingdom (Lk. 19:11-27). As His final Passover draws near, Jesus arrives in Bethany; just outside of Jerusalem to dine with Lazarus, Mary and Martha.

“These came “from the country” (ἐκ της χωρας [ek tēs chōras]), from all over Palestine, from all parts of the world, in fact. John shifts the scene to Jerusalem just before the Passover with no record of the way that Jesus came to Jerusalem from Ephraim. The Synoptic Gospels tell this last journey up through Samaria into Galilee to join the great caravan that crossed over into Perea and came down on the eastern side of the Jordan opposite Jericho and then marched up the mountain road to Bethany and Bethpage just beside Jerusalem.”1

PLOT TO ARREST JESUS John 11:55-12:1

1. 55 Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand (2:13), and many went up from the country to Jerusalem before the Passover to purify themselves. Any legal uncleanness which would disqualify a Jew from observing Passover required specific purification/cleansing. pools were customary before entering the temple and partaking of the Passover feast. The Passover is preceded by seven days of purification (Ex. 12:15); and a is offered to spare the Jews from death (Ex. 12:13, 27). A. “Water of purification, the liquid used in an ancient purification ritual to cleanse one from the defilement incurred by coming into close contact with human death, either by touching a human bone, a grave, or a corpse, or by entering a tent where someone had died. An unblemished red heifer that had never been put under the yoke was sacrificed and the blood sprinkled toward the sanctuary. The heifer’s body was then burned with cedar wood along with hyssop and scarlet (wool?) and the ashes collected and preserved. They were to be mixed with living (running) water and sprinkled upon the

1 A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the (Nashville, TN: Broadman Press, 1933), Jn 11:55.

defiled person, using a branch of hyssop, on the third and seventh day after the defilement. After bathing and washing their clothes the individuals would then be considered clean and acceptable in the community again. The mixture of water and ashes would also be sprinkled on the tent and its furnishings if a death had occurred within the tent (Num. 19:1-22; 31:21- 24).”2 2. 56 They were looking for Jesus and saying to one another as they stood in the temple, “What do you think? That he will not come to the feast at all?” Perhaps many of the Jews were wondering if Jesus would repeat the “cleansing” of the temple like He did a few years before (see Jn. 2:13-25). 3. 57 Now the chief and the had given orders that if anyone knew where he was, he should let them know, so that they might arrest him. A. John 8:59 – “So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.” B. John 10:31 – “The Jews picked up stones again to stone him.” C. John 10:39 – “Again they sought to arrest him…” D. John 11:53 – “So from that day on they made plans to put him to death.” E. Matthew 26:4 – “plotted together to arrest him.”

ANOINTING AT SIMON THE LEPER’S HOUSE

Matthew 26:6-13 Mark 14:3-9 John 12:1-8 6 Now when Jesus was at Bethany 3 And while he was at Bethany in Six days before the Passover, in the house of Simon the leper, the house of Simon the leper, as Jesus therefore came to 7 a woman came up to him with he was reclining at table, a Bethany, where Lazarus was, an alabaster flask of very woman came with an alabaster whom Jesus had raised from expensive ointment, and she flask of ointment of pure nard, the dead. 2So they gave a poured it on his head as he very costly, and she broke the dinner for him there. Martha reclined at table. 8 And when flask and poured it over his head. served, and Lazarus was one of the disciples saw it, they were 4 There were some who said to those reclining with him at indignant, saying, “Why this themselves indignantly, “Why table. 3 Mary therefore took a waste? 9 For this could have been was the ointment wasted like pound of expensive ointment sold for a large sum and given to that? 5 For this ointment could made from pure nard, and the poor.” 10 But Jesus, aware of have been sold for more than anointed the feet of Jesus and this, said to them, “Why do you three hundred denarii and given wiped his feet with her hair. trouble the woman? For she has to the poor.” And they scolded The house was filled with the done a beautiful thing to me. her. 6 But Jesus said, “Leave her fragrance of the . 4 But 11 For you always have the poor alone. Why do you trouble her? Judas Iscariot, one of his with you, but you will not always She has done a beautiful thing to disciples (he who was about to

2 Paul J. Achtemeier, Harper & Row and Society of Biblical Literature, Harper’s Dictionary (San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1985), 1121–1122.

have me. 12 In pouring this me. 7 For you always have the betray him), said, 5 “Why was ointment on my body, she has poor with you, and whenever you this ointment not sold for three done it to prepare me for burial. want, you can do good for them. hundred denarii and given to the 13 Truly, I say to you, wherever But you will not always have me. poor?” 6 He said this, not this gospel is proclaimed in the 8 She has done what she could; because he cared about the whole world, what she has done she has anointed my body poor, but because he was a will also be told in memory of beforehand for burial. 9 And truly, thief, and having charge of the her.” I say to you, wherever the gospel moneybag he used to help is proclaimed in the whole world, himself to what was put into it. what she has done will be told in 7 Jesus said, “Leave her alone, so memory of her.” that she may keep it for the day of my burial. 8 For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me.”

1. [12:1] Six days before the Passover, Jesus therefore came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. This was either after sunset on Friday evening or right at the commencement of the Jewish Sabbath. It’s interesting to note that Jesus dines with Lazarus (who He raised from the dead)—as He is on His way to be crucified and then rise from the dead. 2. [Mk. 14:3a] - And while he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, [Jn. 12:2] - they gave a dinner (banquet; feast) for him [Jesus] there. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at table. It seems Simon the leper was (at one time in Jesus’ Galilean ministry) healed. The Gospels don’t speak of him at all. Simon could be a link to :40, “And a leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, ‘ “If you will, you can make me clean.” ’ Whatever the case, Simon must have been close to Jesus because he hosted a banquet with His closest friends before the great feast of Passover. Martha served—Something she loved to do (see Lk. 10:41-42; Jn. 11:20; 12:2). A. “Can you imagine the excitement and the atmosphere—the celebrated Master Teacher, His twelve illustrious and privileged disciples, the resurrected Lazarus, and the healed leper? This surely was a unique banquet! Yet into all this excitement and anticipation (was Jesus going to be proclaimed ?) Mary introduced the ultimate somber note: preparation for Jesus’ death.”3 3. [Mk. 14:3b] – As he [Jesus] was reclining at table [Jn. 12:3] - Mary therefore (connected to Lazarus’ presence) took a pound of expensive ointment (perfume from a plant root alongside the Ganges River in India) made from pure

3 M. S. Mills, The Life of : A Study Guide to the Gospel Record (Dallas, TX: 3E Ministries, 1999), Mt 26:6–Jn 12:8.

(unadulterated) nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. [Matt. 26:8] - And when the disciples saw it, they were indignant, [Mk. 14:4b] - “Why was the ointment wasted like that? This is a separate account from :36-50. In that time, it was customary (upon arrival) for a servant to wash the guest’s feet and anoint their head with . Mary—on the other hand—committed four unsuitable actions during the meal: (1) She interrupted the banquet that was for men only; (2) She put her hair down in a public room filled with men; (3) She misused the ointment; (4) She washed Jesus’ feet with her hair. A. “Women’s hair was considered a primary visual temptation for young men. In some places, including Judea, a wife who went in public without her hair covered would thus be deemed immodest, dishonoring herself in the eyes of others. Those prone to gossip might consider her promiscuous. Some husbands even considered this an appropriate reason to divorce their wives on grounds of infidelity.”4 4. [Jn. 12:4-6] - But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said, 5 “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” 6 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. This reaction of Judas reveals his deceiving heart and his need for approval. His words of condemnation of Mary cause the others to turn against her. No one sees the importance of what Mary did and why. In their mind, Jesus didn’t deserve that kind of reaction from Mary. A. “Mary depicts the devout follower, the true Christian, whereas the other character in this drama, Judas, presents the opposite, the self-serving hypocrite.”5 5. [Mk. 14:5c] - And they scolded (criticized; spoke harshly of) her. All of this played out in front of Jesus. They didn’t ask what Jesus thought of what Mary did. They immediately condemned her in the presence of Jesus. 6. [Mk. 14:6-9] - 6 But Jesus said, “Leave her alone (Let it be). Why do you trouble (work hard at implying difficulties) her? She has done a beautiful (exemplified qualities/characteristics that are pleasing) thing to me. 7 For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want, you can do good for them. But you will not always have me. 8 She has done what she could; she has anointed my body

4 NIV, Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible, eBook: Bringing to Life the Ancient World of Scripture (Kindle Locations 260670-260672). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. 5 M. S. Mills, The Life of Christ: A Study Guide to the Gospel Record (Dallas, TX: 3E Ministries, 1999), Mt 26:6–Jn 12:8.

beforehand (not spontaneous; but planned) for burial. 9 And truly, I say to you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.” Jesus steps in after allowing them to speak their criticism to contrast their beliefs and behavior to that of Mary’s. Mary showed honor, while the rest of His disciples showed discontent. Anointed my body before burial—Mary knew that Jesus came to offer up His body as a sacrifice for mankind. What she has done—Mary’s actions will be told to the whole world as an example of surrender and total abandonment to Jesus. A. Guzik, “It seems that the disciples did not want to think about the death of Jesus. When Peter heard of it, he tried to talk Jesus out of it. Mary had a different devotion, and instead of debating or denying His death, she turned it into an occasion of deep devotion.”

JEWS PLOT TO KILL JESUS AND LAZARUS John 12:9-11

1. 9 When the large crowd (common people) of the Jews learned (to gain information by whatever means) that Jesus was there, they came, not only on account of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. You can imagine the intensive search for Jesus and the man he raised from the dead. Raising Lazarus from the dead was one of the biggest miracles that spread throughout all the region prior to Jesus coming to Jerusalem. 2. 10 So the chief priests made plans to put Lazarus to death as well, 11 because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and believing (pisteuō— complete trust; reliance) in Jesus. The plot to kill Jesus and Lazarus was to take place on Palm Sunday. Once again, this shows the disbelief the chief priests had of Jesus; and their defiance towards the miracles of God. Most of the chief priests were Sadducees (who didn’t believe in the ). This explains why the Sadducees wanted to kill Jesus and Lazarus. In their mind, this was all a hoax devised by Jesus and His disciples to turn the people from following them. A. Charles Spurgeon, “When men hate Christ, they also hate those whom he has blessed, and will go to any lengths in seeking to silence their testimony.”