Verse by Verse

37 But although He had done so many signs before them, they did not believe in Him,

38 that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke:”Lord, who has believed our report?And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”

39 Therefore they could not believe, because Isaiah said again:

40 “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, Lest they should see with their eyes, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, so that I should heal them.”

41 These things Isaiah said when he saw His glory and spoke of Him.

42 Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue;

43 for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.

That the saying (v. 38) = Consequently the saying

report (v. 38) — Christ’s words and His miracles

They could not believe (v. 39) — The nation of Israel was already in spiritual darkness when Isaiah wrote this 700 years earlier.

blinded (v. 40) — see back to verse 36 — The Light hid Himself from them. The same thing will happen again in the Tribulation (Isaiah 55:6; 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12; Hebrews 2:3)

Isaiah (v. 40-41) — Because they would not believe (Matthew 13:14-15; Acts 28:25-31), they were given over to blindness in which they could not believe — until a future prophesied in Zechariah 12:9-10 — It shall be in that day that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. “And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn.

This is no doubt a very solemn and awful subject. It seems at first sight to make God the author of man’s destruction. But surely a moment’s reflection will show us that God is a Sovereign in punishing, and may punish in any way He pleases. Some He cuts off suddenly the moment they sin. Others He gives over to judicial blindness, and ceases to strive with their consciences. “The Judge of all the earth will certainly do right.” Those whom He is said to “harden and blind” will always be found to be persons whom He had previously warned, exhorted, and constantly summoned to repent. And never is He said to harden and blind, and give men up to judicial hardness and blindness, till after a long course of warnings. This was certainly the case with Pharaoh and with the Jews. — Gaebelein, page 238

These things Isaiah said (v. 41) — Isaiah 6:1

saw His glory (v. 41) — Isaiah saw the preincarnate Christ.

Chief rulers believed (v. 42) — Nicodemus, Joseph of Arimathea (John 5:44).

Loves the praise of men (v. 43) — Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God (James 4:4).

31 Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.

32 And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.”

33 This He said, signifying by what death He would die.

34 The people answered Him, “We have heard from the law that the Christ remains forever; and how can You say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this Son of Man?”

35 Then Jesus said to them, “A little while longer the light is with you. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you; he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going.

36 While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.” These things Jesus spoke, and departed, and was hidden from them.

now (v. 31) — Looking forward to the cross — this hour (v. 27). The result will be judgment and the casting out of Satan. Christ’s death condemned the world and sealed Satan’s fate. Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it (Colossians 2:15). It is certain and therefore accomplished.

judgment (v. 31) — because they rejected and crucified Him

ruler of this world (v. 31) — Satan

lifted up (v. 32) — on the cross. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up (John 3:14).

all peoples (v. 32) — all who hear and believe. Eventually, all will acknowledge Him, although not all will be saved.

a little while longer (v. 35) — It was just a few days before He died. Then it would be too late for Israel as a nation (for the time being).

Christ remains forever (v. 34) — They were referring to Psalm 72:17; 89:4; 110:4; Isaiah 9:6-5; Ezekiel 37:25). They didn’t realize that Psalm 22 and Isaiah 53 also referred to the Messiah.

Verse 36 marks the end of Christ’s public ministry.

The casting out of Satan was to be a gradual process. In the light of this verse [v. 31], and other passages (e.g. Hebrews 2:14-15), we believe that Satan’s hold over this world was broken at the Cross. The apostle tells us that Christ “spoiled principalities and powers, having made a show of them openly; triumphing over them” (Colossians 2:15), and this statement, be it noted, is linked with His Cross! We believe, then, the first stage in the “casting out” of Satan occurred at the Cross, the next will be when he is “cast out” of heaven into the earth (Revelation 12:10); the next when he is “cast into the bottomless pit” (Revelation 20:3); the final when he is “cast into the lake of fire and brimstone” (Revelation 20:10). — Pink, page 273.

27 “Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour.

28 Father, glorify Your name.” Then a voice came from heaven, saying, “I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.”

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

30 Jesus answered and said, “This voice did not come because of Me, but for your sake.”

save Me (v. 27) — Christ’s humanity, though sinless, did suffer. Again, a second time, He went away and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done” (Matthew 26:42).

1. He shrank from suffering (v. 27)

2. He submitted (v. 27)

3. His greater desire was to glorify God (v. 28).

This was the third time God the Father spoke to His Son from heaven.

1. His baptism (Luke 3:21-22)

2. On the Mount of Transfiguration (Luke 9:28-36)

have glorified it (v. 28) — perhaps referring to the resurrection of Lazarus or to Jesus’ entire life

Will glorify it again (v. 28) — Jesus’s death and resurrection. Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life (Romans 6:4).

Some (or most) who heard the Father’s voice didn’t understand it.

for your sake (v. 30) — it strengthened the faith of believers and left unbelievers without excuse.

²³ But Jesus answered them, saying, “The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified.

²⁴ Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.

²⁵ He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.

²⁶ If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.

There is no indication that Jesus met with the Greeks.

Previously (John 2:4; 7:30), Jesus had said that His hour had no come. Now it had (v. 23).

glorified (v. 23) — His death, which fulfilled His purpose (John 13:31-32).

When a grain of wheat dies (v. 24), it produces other grains. The life in grain is passed through death. So Christ’s life is passed to us through His death.

Verse 25 — Matthew 10:39; 16:25; Mark 8:35; Luke 9:24; 17:33. See also Philippians 3:7-10; Colossians 3:1-4. By giving up themselves and serving Christ, they may do without earthly benefits but would be honored by God.

²⁰ Now there were certain Greeks among those who came up to worship at the feast.

²¹ Then they came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.”

²² Philip came and told Andrew, and in turn Andrew and Philip told Jesus.

These Greeks (v. 20) likely weren’t Grecian Jews, but native Greeks who had become proselytes to the Jewish faith. They came up for Passover.

Philip = lover of horses — a Greek name

wish (v. 21) = asked reverently (Haggai 2:7)

¹² The next day a great multitude that had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem,

¹³ took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, and cried out: “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’ The King of Israel!”

¹⁴ Then Jesus, when He had found a young donkey, sat on it; as it is written:

¹⁵ “Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, 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 were written about Him and that they had done these things to Him.

¹⁷ Therefore the people, who were with Him when He called Lazarus out of his tomb and raised him from the dead, bore witness.

¹⁸ For this reason the people also met Him, because they heard that He had done this sign.

¹⁹ The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, “You see that you are accomplishing nothing. Look, the world has gone after Him!”

In John 6:15, the Jews wanted Jesus make King by force, but it wasn’t His hour. Now He presents Himself as King to fulfill Zechariah’s prophecy.

Zechariah 9:9-11 —  “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, lowly and riding on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey. I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the horse from Jerusalem; the battle bow shall be cut off. He shall speak peace to the nations; His dominion shall be ‘from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.’“As for you also, because of the blood of your covenant, I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit. This prophecy was partly fulfilled at this time. The remainder will be fulfilled at His second coming.

The crowd had heard about His miracle with Lazarus and rushed to see Him (v. 13). Josephus estimates the Passover crowd in Jerusalem to be about three million people.

Palm branches (v. 13) symbolize victory. They were waved for kings and generals (Revelation 7:9). They will also be found in the Millennial temple (Ezekiel 40:31).

Hosanna! (v. 13) = Save Now! (Psalm 118:20-27; Zephaniah 3:15; John 1:49)

There is no record that Jesus responded to the crowd in any way.

donkey (v. 14) — a symbol of humility (Matthew 21:7; Luke 19:29-35). He came meekly. The Romans could not see Him as a threat to Caesar. At His second coming, He will ride a horse (Revelation 19:11).

He who came before in humiliation and shame shall return in power and majesty. He who once had not where to lay His head shall then sit on the throne of His glory (Matthew 25:31). He who was nailed to a malefactor’s cross shall, in that day, wield the sceptre of imperial dominion. Just as the “ass” was well suited to the One who had laid aside His glory, so the white “war-horse” of Revelation 19 is in perfect keeping with the fact that He is now “crowned with glory and honor.” — Pink, page 257.

His disciples did not understand (v. 16) until after the resurrection when Jesus was glorified (John 14:26), after the Spirit came on them at Pentecost. They believed, but they didn’t understand.

The Pharisees (v. 19) had tried to turn the people against Jesus, but hadn’t been able to — yet. The people thought Jesus would be a victorious King who would defeat the Romans and restore the kingdom. When He didn’t, four days later the same people shouted, “Crucify Him!”

This event took place exactly on the day of the completion of Daniel’s 69th week. It also fulfilled prophecies of Genesis 49:9-11; Daniel 9:24-27.

Jesus fulfilled these obvious prophecies and presented Himself publicly so there could be no doubt who He was. All their excuses for rejecting Him were gone.

 ¹ Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had been dead, whom He had raised from the dead.

² There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him.

³ Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.

⁴ But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him, said,

⁵ “Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?”

⁶ This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it.

⁷ But Jesus said, “Let her alone; she has kept this for the day of My burial.

⁸ For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always.”

⁹ Now a great many of the Jews knew that He was there; and they came, not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might also see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead.

¹⁰ But the chief priests plotted to put Lazarus to death also,

¹¹ because on account of him many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus.

This event took place on Jesus’s last trip to Jerusalem — Luke 18:31-33

He arrived in Bethany on Friday (v. 1), a week before His death.

The meal (v. 2) was at the house of Simon the (former) Leper — Matthew 26:6.

“But Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with Him” (12:2). This illustrated the true Christian position. Lazarus had been dead, but now alive from the dead, he is seated in the company of the Savior. So it is (positionally) with the believer: “when we are dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ … And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:5-6). We have been “made meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light” (Colossians 1:12). — Pink, page 234.

The other disciples were upset by Mary’s extravagance, but Judas was their spokesman, or he incited them by his response — Matthew 26:8; Mark 14:4. He was upset that Mary gave up her 300 denarii investment, then he himself sold out Christ for only 30 denarii.

Judas was the treasurer (v. 6), and he stole from the pot.

Mary knew something was up (v. 7), even if she didn’t know the details of Jesus’s death. Her act was anointing Jesus in death.

kept (v. 7) = diligently preserved.

⁵³ Then, from that day on, they plotted to put Him to death.

⁵⁴ Therefore Jesus no longer walked openly among the Jews, but went from there into the country near the wilderness, to a city called Ephraim, and there remained with His disciples.

⁵⁵ And the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went from the country up to Jerusalem before the Passover, to purify themselves.

⁵⁶ Then they sought Jesus, and spoke among themselves as they stood in the temple, “What do you think—that He will not come to the feast?”

⁵⁷ Now both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a command, that if anyone knew where He was, he should report it, that they might seize Him.

Ephraim (v. 54) — also known as Ophrah, near Bethel, east of the Jordan in the hill country.

purify (v. 55) — Exodus 12:14-20; 13:1-9. The Jews went to Jerusalem before the Passover to give themselves time to be purified.

Jesus knew of the council’s decision to kill Him. The Holy Spirit has recorded, through John, the council’s very words.

Jesus had been to past Passovers — John 2:13; 6:4

⁴⁵ Then many of the Jews who had come to Mary, and had seen the things Jesus did, believed in Him.

⁴⁶ But some of them went away to the Pharisees and told them the things Jesus did.

⁴⁷ Then the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered a council and said, “What shall we do? For this Man works many signs.

⁴⁸ If we let Him alone like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation.”

⁴⁹ And one of them, Caiaphas, being high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all,

⁵⁰ nor do you consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and not that the whole nation should perish.”

⁵¹ Now this he did not say on his own authority; but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation,

⁵² and not for that nation only, but also that He would gather together in one the children of God who were scattered abroad.

council (v. 47) — the Sanhedrin — the high priest and seventy members, most of them Sadducees.

The council admitted that Christ did many miracles (v. 47).

They feared (v. 48) that the Romans, if Christ were proclaimed king, would take away the temple and destroy Israel as a nation — all of which happened after they put Christ to death.

Caiaphas (v. 49) — son-in-law to Annas. Both were Sadducees and high priests — Acts 5:17; Luke 3:2. Caiaphas was high priest over an 18-year span, A.D. 18-36.

high priest that year (v. 49). It was supposed to be a position held for life, but the Romans sold it each year to the highest bidder.

Caiaphas told the Pharisees that they knew nothing (v. 49). He said Jesus should be killed for expediency’s sake, the truth notwithstanding. The Sadducees and Pharisees were theological rivals, but they came together to withstand Jesus (Psalm 2:2).

Caiaphas spoke out of wickedness (v. 49-50), but God used him as a prophet to utter truth. He said the one Man should die that the nation might live (Isaiah 53).

The kings of the earth took their stand, and the rulers were gathered together against the LORD and against His Christ.’ [quote from Psalm 2:2] “For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done (Acts 4:26-28).

³⁹ Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, “Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days.”

⁴⁰ Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?”

⁴¹ Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me.

⁴² And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me.”

⁴³ Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth!”

⁴⁴ And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Loose him, and let him go.”

see the glory of God (v. 40) — referring back to verse 4. With the Jews, it was see first, then believe — Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:29).

Jesus thanks the Father (v. 42) — His prayer was answered before it was even spoken (John 5:19).

You sent Me (v. 42) — Again, Jesus spoke of His one-ness with the Father and that the Father sent Him.

with a loud voice (v. 43) — 1 Thessalonians 4:16; John 5:25

He asked the people to loose Lazarus (v. 44). He could have done it Himself miraculously, but He uses us to accomplish His work.

In the traditional belief of orthodox Jews is held a theory which may shed light on the four days; why the Lord permitted Lazarus to remain buried not for three days, but four days. the tradition asserts the following: after a person dies, the spirit of the dead person lingers about the burial place, waiting to see if there might be a chance to return to the body. But when the countenance changes, and the signs of decomposition appear, then the spirit disappears and goes to its place. Therefore orthodox Jews did not certify the actuality of death till three days were gone, for they said then the countenance changes and after the third day the spirit of the deceased leaves the sepulcher and there is no hope of the dead coming back to life. Now this is a tradition only, but if it was held by the Jews in the days of our Lord, as it probably was, it may explain the reason why Lazarus was not raised on the third day, but on the fourth. — Gaebelein, page 205.

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It is striking to note that Christ here did nothing except to say, “Lazarus, come forth.” It was the last great public witness to Christ as the incarnate Word. And, too, it perfectly illustrated the means which God employs in regeneration. Men are raised spiritually, pass from death unto life, by means of the written Word, and by that alone. Providences, personal testimonies, loss of loved ones, deeply as these sometimes may stir the natural man, they never “quicken” a soul into newness of life. We are born again, “not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever” (1 Peter 1:23). — Pink, page 205-206.