João 12

¹ Then Iesus, sixe dayes before the Passeouer, came to Bethania, where Lazarus was, who died, whom he had raised from the dead.

² There they made him a supper, and Martha serued: but Lazarus was one of them that sate at the table with him.

³ Then tooke Mary a pound of oyntment of Spikenarde very costly, and anoynted Iesus feete, and wiped his feete with her heare, and the house was filled with the sauour of the oyntment.

⁴ Then said one of his disciples, euen Iudas Iscariot Simons sonne, which should betray him:

⁵ A horrible example in Judas of a mind blinded with covetousness, and yet pretending godliness.Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?

⁶ Nowe he said this, not that he cared for the poore, but because hee was a theefe, and had the bagge, and bare that which was giuen.

⁷ This extraordinary anointing, which was a sign, is allowed by God so that he may witness that he will not be worshipped with outward pomp or costly service, but with alms.Then said Jesus, Let her alone: against the day of my burying hath she kept this.

⁸ For the poore alwayes yee haue with you, but me ye shall not haue alwayes.

⁹ When the light of the gospel shows itself, some are found to be curious, and others are found to be open enemies (and these latter ones should be the least opposed to the gospel): others fervently honour him whom they will immediately fall away from, and very few receive him as reverently as they ought to. Nonetheless, Christ begins his spiritual kingdom in the midst of his enemies.Much people of the Jews therefore knew that he was there: and they came not for Jesus' sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he had raised from the dead.

¹⁰ The hie Priestes therefore consulted, that they might put Lazarus to death also,

¹¹ Because that for his sake many of the Iewes went away, and beleeued in Iesus.

¹² On the morowe a great multitude that were come to the feast, when they heard that Iesus should come to Hierusalem,

¹³ Tooke branches of palme trees, and went foorth to meete him, and cried, Hosanna, Blessed is the King of Israel that commeth in the Name of the Lorde.

¹⁴ And Iesus found a yong asse, and sate thereon, as it is written,

¹⁵ Feare not, daughter of Sion: behold, thy King commeth sitting on an asses colte.

¹⁶ But his disciples vnderstoode not these thinges at the first: but when Iesus was glorified, then remembred they, that these thinges were written of him, and that they had done these things vnto him.

¹⁷ The people therefore that was with him, bare witnesse that hee called Lazarus out of the graue, and raised him from the dead.

¹⁸ Therefore mette him the people also, because they heard that he had done this miracle.

¹⁹ Even they who go about to oppress Christ are made instruments of his glory.The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, Perceive ye how ye prevail nothing? behold, the world is gone after him.

²⁰ And there were certain Greeks among them thatAfter the solemn custom: the Greeks were first so called by the name of the country of Greece, where they lived: but afterward, all that were not of the Jew's religion, but worshipped false gods and were also called heathens, were called by the name Greeks.came up to worship at the feast:

²¹ And they came to Philippe, which was of Bethsaida in Galile, and desired him, saying, Syr, we would see that Iesus.

²² Philippe came and tolde Andrewe: and againe Andrewe and Philippe tolde Iesus.

²³ And Iesus answered them, saying, The houre is come, that the Sonne of man must bee glorified.

²⁴ The death of Christ is as it were a sowing, which seems to be a dying of the corn, but indeed is the cause of a much greater harvest: and such as is the condition of the head, so will be the condition of the members.Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground andA wheat corn dies when it is changed in the ground, and becomes the root of a fruitful new plant.die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.

²⁵ He that loueth his life, shall lose it, and he that hateth his life in this world, shall keepe it vnto life eternall.

²⁶ If any man serue me, let him followe me: for where I am, there shall also my seruant be: and if any man serue me, him will my Father honour.

²⁷ While Christ went about to suffer all the punishment which is due to our sins, and while his divinity did not yet show his might and power so that the satisfaction might be fully accomplished, he is stricken with the great fear of the curse of God, and so he cries and prays, and desires to be released: yet nonetheless he prefers the will and glory of his Father before all things, and his Father allows this obedience even from heaven.Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from thisThat is, of death which is now at hand.hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.

²⁸ Father,So then the Father's glory is Christ's glory.glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, [saying], I have both glorified [it], and will glorify [it] again.

²⁹ Then saide the people that stoode by, and heard, that it was a thunder: other said, An Angel spake to him.

³⁰ Christ foretells to the deaf the manner of his death, the overcoming of the devil and the world, and in conclusion his triumph.Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes.

³¹ Now is the iudgement of this world: nowe shall the prince of this world be cast out.

³² And I, if I beChrist used a word which has a double meaning, for it signifies either to lift up or to get out of the way: for he intended them to think of his death, but the Jews seemed to take it another way.lifted up from the earth, will drawChrysostom and Theophylact say that this word «all» refers to all nations: that is, not only to the Jews.all [men] unto me.

³³ Nowe this sayd he, signifying what death he should die.

³⁴ The people answered him, We haue heard out of the Law, that that Christ bideth for euer: and howe sayest thou, that that Sonne of man must be lift vp? Who is that Sonne of man?

³⁵ Unmeasurable is the mercy of God, but a horrible judgment follows if it is condemned.Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.

³⁶ While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be theThat is, partakers of light.children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them.

³⁷ Faith is not of nature, but of grace.But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him:

³⁸ That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath theThe arm of the Lord is the gospel, which is the power of God to salvation to all that believe, and therefore the arm of the Lord is not revealed to those whose hearts the Lord has not opened.arm of the Lord been revealed?

³⁹ Therefore could they not beleeue, because that Esaias saith againe,

⁴⁰ He hath blinded their eyes, and hardned their heart, that they shoulde not see with their eyes, nor vnderstand with their heart, and should be conuerted, and I should heale them.

⁴¹ These things sayd Esaias when he sawe his glory, and spake of him.

⁴² The ones who believe are not only few in number, if they are compared with the unbelievers, but also the majority of those few (yea, and especially the ones of highest rank) fear men more than God.Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess [him], lest they should be put out of the synagogue:

⁴³ For they loued the prayse of men, more then the prayse of God.

⁴⁴ The sum of the gospel, and therefore of salvation, which Christ witnessed in the midst of Jerusalem by his crying out, is this: to rest upon Christ through faith as the only Saviour appointed and given us by the Father.Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on me, believethThis word «not» does not take anything away from Christ which is spoken of here, but is rather spoken in way of correction, as if he said, «He that believes in me does not so much believe in me as in him that sent me.» So is it in (Mar_9:37).not on me, but on him that sent me.

⁴⁵ And he that seeth me, seeth him that sent me.

⁴⁶ I am come a light into the world, that whosoeuer beleeueth in me, should not abide in darkenes.

⁴⁷ And if any man heare my wordes, and beleeue not, I iudge him not: for I came not to iudge the world, but to saue the world.

⁴⁸ He that refuseth me, and receiueth not my wordes, hath one that iudgeth him: the worde that I haue spoken, it shall iudge him in the last day.

⁴⁹ For I haue not spoken of my selfe: but the Father which sent me, hee gaue me a commaundement what I should say, and what I should speake.

⁵⁰ And I knowe that his commaundement is life euerlasting: the thinges therefore that I speake, I speake them so as the Father sayde vnto me.