John 12:2 - Printer Friendly

ESV: So they gave a dinner for him there. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at table.

NIV: Here a dinner was given in Jesus' honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him.

NASB: So they made Him a dinner there, and Martha was serving; and Lazarus was one of those reclining at the table with Him.

CSB: So they gave a dinner for him there; Martha was serving them, and Lazarus was one of those reclining at the table with him.

NLT: A dinner was prepared in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, and Lazarus was among those who ate with him.

KJV: There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him.

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

This event is a festive dinner given in the home of a man named Simon (Mark 14:3–11). This is in Bethany, the hometown of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus, three siblings who are close with Jesus (Luke 10:38–39). The reason for the celebration is the recent miracle where Jesus raised Lazarus from death (John 11:38–44).

Verses 2 and 3 echo the various ways Christians can apply their loving faith in Christ, through the actions of the three siblings. All three are a kind of "service," in different forms. Martha's contribution is the most literal kind of service, as she works to provide food and hospitality. Lazarus' service is in personal testimony: a living representation of the power of Christ in someone's life.

Mary's service, shown in the next verse, is in worshipful sacrifice. That act will be met with an indignant response by Judas, among others. His motivations are far from pure, making his presence a symbol of those who put down the efforts of others.

John 12:1–8 describes a dinner held at the home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. Jesus has recently raised Lazarus from the dead, in a spectacularly public miracle. As a result, the religious leaders of Jerusalem have banded together to have Him killed. In this scene, Mary sacrifices an extremely expensive container of oil in order to anoint Jesus. Judas objects to this, dishonestly claiming that his concern is for the poor which the ointment's value could have supported. This is similar to an event related in Mark chapter 14, but not the same as the one recorded in Luke chapter 7.

Jesus is treated to an honorary dinner at the home of Lazarus, whom He has recently raised from death. At this dinner, Lazarus' sister, Mary, anoints Jesus with expensive oil. Jesus then enters Jerusalem to great fanfare, stoking fears that His popularity will attract the anger of the Roman Empire. That anger even inspires a murder plot against Lazarus. After being approached by non-Jewish seekers, Jesus offers a final plea for people to understand His ministry. In effect, these are the last public words spoken by Jesus in the gospel of John.

In the prior chapter, Jesus spectacularly raised Lazarus from death in front of a crowd of witnesses. This inspired local religious leaders to commit to having Him killed. Here, after a celebratory dinner where Jesus is anointed with oil, He will fulfill prophecy by riding into Jerusalem on a donkey, celebrated with shouts of ''Hosanna'' and a massive crowd. This leads to a group of curious non-Jews approaching Him. Christ then offers a final plea for belief in Him and His message. After this, His ministry will turn to preparing the disciples for His impending death and resurrection. The next several chapters of the gospel of John are almost entirely made up of his teachings to these men.

The gospel of John was written by the disciple John, decades later than the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. The author assumes that a reader is already familiar with the content of these other works. So, John presents a different perspective, with a greater emphasis on meaning. John uses seven miracles—which he calls “signs”—in order to prove that Jesus is, in fact, God incarnate. Some of the most well-known verses in all of the Bible are found here. None is more famous than the one-sentence summary of the gospel found in John 3:16.

Accessed 4/30/2024 2:24:43 PM