"John, The Gospel of Belief" by Edwin Jones Part12 - a podcast by lehmanavechurchofchrist

December 2 2020 - Wednesday PM Bible Class
JOHN, THE GOSPEL OF BELIEF
CHAPTER ELEVEN VERSE ONE thru CHAPTER TWELVE VERSE FIFTY
(The Death and Resurrection of Lazarus. Conspiracy to Kill Jesus, Mary Anoints Jesus, Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem, Greeks Seek Jesus, Jesus Speaks of His Death)
 
CHAPTER ELEVEN VERSES ONE thru FOURTY- FOUR
(The Death and Resurrection of Lazarus)
 
·         Sickness and Death of Lazarus (Jn. 11:1-16)
The Bethany mentioned in 11:1 is not the Bethany of 1:28 or 10:40-42, which was in Galilee; this city was just east of the Mount of Olives. This was one of the places Jesus stayed when He visited Jerusalem.
Martha was apparently the older of the two sisters as she served as the host in the visit mentioned in Luke 10:38ff.
In 1873 a tomb near Bethany revealed ossuary (bone box) inscriptions containing the names Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. Mary is a Greek name, Martha is Aramaic, and Lazarus is Hebrew. This attests to the intermingling of cultures in Jesus’ time.
Jesus delay was doubtlessly difficult as he loved both Lazarus and his family (cf. vv. 5, 36; Lk. 10:38ff).
Jesus was about 100 miles to the north-east when He got the news; He waited two days until Lazarus died and would have averaged about 25 miles a day on His journey south.
In John 10:31 the Jews had sought to stone Jesus; His disciples have good reason to believe that a trip to Jerusalem would mean death, but they are willing to go.
”Doubting” Thomas shows his courage here as he challenges the Apostles to go to Jerusalem and face what he feels will be their death.
Jesus is the light of the world, with Him it is always appropriate to do the will of God.
Daylight ranged from 10 to 16 hours depending on the time of the year, 12 was an average figure.
Sleep is a common way Jesus refers to death. This does not at all support the false doctrine of “soul sleep” where the dead are said to be unconscious until the resurrection (cf. Lk. 16:19ff). The idea is that, for Jesus, raising the dead is like awakening someone at sleep (Mk. 5:39).
 
·         Lazarus Raised from the Dead (Jn. 11:17-44)
Jewish rabbinic teaching taught that after three days death could not be reversed. People were encouraged to visit the place of burial for three days to make sure a person had not been buried alive.
The Talmud teaches “Three days for weeping, and seven for lamenting, and thirty to not cut the hair or wear pressed clothing.”
Mary’s remaining at home would have been to fulfill Jewish custom by receiving guests while seated at the house of the deceased.
Unlike the Sadducees, most of the Jews believed in a resurrection of the dead (cf. Matt. 22:23).

Despite the somewhat unflattering portrayal of Martha in Luke 10:38ff, she was a lady of great faith.
John 11:25-26 is one of the most powerful and pointed declarations Jesus makes regarding His identity.
Martha’s confession at least equals, and perhaps even surpasses the one made by Simon Peter in Matthew 16:16.
Mary also had a great faith in the person and power of the Messiah.
The wording “deeply moved” describing Jesus’ reaction to the scene at Lazarus’ tomb is from a Greek word that means “to show fierce anger” (cf. v. 38; Matt. 9:30; Mk. 1:43; 14:5). The consequences of sin in the human condition are not taken lightly. Jesus is made deeply angry that such suffering must occur in a fallen world.
“Troubled” (cf. Jn. 12:27; 13:21) would similarly speak of being stirred up inside, like the waves of a stormy sea breaking on rocks.
“Jesus wept” continues the description of Christ’s reaction to this powerful scene of death. D. A. Carson gives the whole event a pointed summation by saying, “… the same sin and death, the same unbelief, that prompted his outrage, also generated his grief. Those who follow Jesus as his disciples today do well to learn the same tension—that grief and compassion without outrage reduce to mere sentiment, while outrage without grief hardens into self-righteous arrogance and irascibility.”

Lazarus was decomposing and his body would have produced a considerable stench.
Prayers to gain the attention of the people to God’s power and support, such as this one by Jesus, were not uncommon (I Kg. 18:37; Ps. 118:21; 121:1; 123:1; Matt. 11:25; Jn. 6:11).
It has been observed that if Jesus had not limited his call to arise to Lazarus alone, the entire cemetery would have been raised. One day all places of burial will be emptied at a word from the Christ (Jn. 5:28-29).
In having the people unwrap the resurrected Lazarus; Jesus demonstrated a commonly employed principle: God does what only He can; we must do what we can.
 
 
 
CHAPTER ELEVEN FOURTY- FIVE thru FIFTY- SEVEN
(Conspiracy to Kill Jesus)
 
Jesus separates men and women based on their reactions to His teachings and His identity—we will either be for Him or against Him.
The hearts of those comprising the Jewish establishment are here revealed. The Sanhedrin’s meeting is not about any concern for justice; it is about protecting turf and keeping a favorable position of power and influence.
Caiaphas’ inadvertent prophecy was incredibly telling. Jesus would indeed be the One offered for the many (Jn. 1:29; I Jn. 2:2).
Caiaphas ironically thought killing Jesus would have spared the Jew’s “place,” the temple. He should have learned a lesson from the prophet Jeremiah (Jer. 7:14). Godliness, not ungodly behavior and scheming, protected God’s people.

They now put up their guard in case He dared attend the soon to arrive Passover. Their plot to kill Jesus would succeed in the greatest failure they could imagine.
Jews who lived among Gentiles were seen to be in special need for purification as the Gentiles buried their dead close to their homes (cf. Num. 19:6-14).
Purification took about a week so many Jews came early to Jerusalem when religious ceremonies were their purpose.
Jesus was a marked man. Whereas prior to this moment Jesus had purposefully avoided capture, now His hour had come (cf. Jn. 7:6, 8, 30; 8:20; 12:23, 27; 13:1; 16:32; 17:1; also Matt. 26:18, 45).
Jesus’ arrival in Bethany would have been on Saturday evening (reckoned as the beginning of Sunday by the Jews whose practice was to begin days in the evening (cf. Gen. 1:5, etc.). Passover would have thus been our Thursday evening, but the beginning of Friday by Jewish tradition. The six days, again according to Jewish practice, would have counted each day involved in arriving at the total of six (Sunday-Friday).
 
 
CHAPTER TWELVE VERSE ONE thru ELEVEN
(Mary Anoints Jesus)
 
The supper given in Jesus’ honor would most likely have begun in late afternoon and might have lasted until about midnight. Table fellowship was a very important practice in Jewish culture.
Matthew and Mark deal with this event thematically, a common example of the spatial emphasis of oriental culture; John, however, deals with the event chronologically.
The meal was in Simon the Leper’s house (Matt. 26:6). Jesus must have healed Simon since lepers were not allowed to live among the people.
Simon had also invited Jesus’ good friends Lazarus, Martha, and Mary.
The amount of perfume would have been equal to about ¾ of a pound.
Nard perfume would have come from India and been very expensive; It would have been worth about a year’s wages.
Mary’s actions would have been considered very improper among Jews.
Extreme humility and sacrificial devotion were clearly present for Mary to have done as she did.
The word used for “burial” is tied to the preparation of the body.
Judas, unlike Hollywood’s attempts to make something noble out of him, was a common, self-seeking thief. What a wasted opportunity!
Jesus knew that His coming sacrifice to solve the sin problem far outweighed all efforts to feed the poor. He solved what bread couldn’t begin to address to bring victory even in death.
 
CHAPTER TWELVE VERSE TWELVE thru NINETEEN
(The Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem)
 
( 12:12-19The crescendo of Jesus ministry occurs in this entry to Jerusalem.
The week that begins here comprises from 25% to 48% of the various Gospel records.
The fulfillment of Zechariah’s prophecy of Jesus riding on a donkey comments strongly on the humble nature of Israel’s Messianic king. 
From the beginning to the end of Jesus’ life, and all points in between, He demonstrated that greatness is found in service.
“Hosanna” means, “please save.”
The people cry out Messianic declarations, but the religious leaders saw He was winning the crowd and they grew more intent in their efforts to kill Him; however, nothing could stop the reality of His being Messiah from being realized!
Amid the celebration, Jesus wept over the city whose rejection of His Messiahship would carry horrible consequences.
Recognition of God’s presence in a thing is of greatest importance! s
After this amazing day, Jesus returned to Bethany.
 
CHAPTER TWELVE VERSE TWENTY thru THIRTY-SIX a
(Inquiring Greeks)
 
The Greeks were probably Gentile “God-fearers” who worshipped Jehovah, but were uncircumcised and not regarded to be Jews as were the proselytes (cf. Acts 17:4 and Cornelius in Acts 10).
The Court of the Gentiles was as far as the inquiring Greeks could go so the cleansing of that area of the temple would have been especially significant to them.
Philip and Andrew were the only Apostles to have Greek names; even though they were Jewish, the Greeks may have felt more comfortable with them.
Philip would have been fluent in Greek due to his origins in Bethsaida.
Jesus tells them of His coming death and their need to lose their lives to find their lives; He came to die, and He expected commitment.
Christianity would have no restrictions against the Gentiles (cf. Gal. 3:26-28).
The Gentiles got to hear both the Father and the Son speak.
The Cross would be God’s drawing power (cf. I Cor. 2:2). All attempts to “sell” Christianity via compromising, man-made methods are doomed to failure, even when they appear to succeed.
The Jews were too busy arguing their misplaced theology to appreciate the privilege that stood before them—amazing, is it not!
Light was shining more brightly than ever before, darkness was preferred (cf. Jn. 3:19).
 
CHAPTER TWELVE VERSE THIRTY- SIX b thru FIFTY
(Jesus Speaks of His Death)
 
Those who had seen so much still would not believe.
Isaiah had prophesied of the fate of those who chose not to humble themselves to God; such people’s religious efforts would only take them further away from God (cf. Matt. 15:7-9).
It is ironic that the passage cited here to show that Isaiah saw the glory of Jesus comes from Isaiah 6:10—where the context says Isaiah saw Jehovah (cf. 6:1).
Some Pharisees were convicted that Jesus was the Christ, but they feared men more than God—or loved men more than God.
On Judgment Day there will be no place to hide from truth.
 
Edwin
 
 
Duration 42:22

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