John 12 is a hinge – a pivot point – in the Gospel of John. The decision has been made by the Pharisees and Council to kill Jesus. Now Mary anoints him. Conflict is set between Jesus and Judas. Jesus enters Jerusalem triumphantly on a donkey. And while people still seek Jesus, he once again predicts his death speaking of being lifted up to draw people to himself. On the other hand, many of the people still do not believe Jesus, which fulfills prophecy from Isaiah, but that doesn’t change that he came to save the world.
Three things stand out to me in this chapter. (It’s funny how that works. Sometimes one part of the Bible grabs you, sometimes another. I think that is the Holy Spirit teaching us and giving us something we need.)
First: Mary wiping Jesus’ feet with her hair. This is a powerfully humble image. Placing her hair on his feet, bowing before him, was also a strong statement of worship. The ointment that she anointed Jesus was very expensive. 300 denarii was almost a year’s wages for a laborer. Since this was six days from Jesus’ crucifixion, I wonder if Jesus could still smell it as he hung on the cross. I don’t doubt that Mary, one of the few who stayed to the bitter end could still smell it on her hair as she stood at the foot of the cross.
How can we give ourselves to Jesus as extravagantly as Mary did? This is more than just, how much money should I give, or how much time should I volunteer. It’s how do I give my whole life so intimately to Jesus?
Second: Jesus words, “unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” Dietrich Bonhoeffer once said, “When Christ calls a man, he bids him, ‘Come and die.’”
How can we be willing to die in this world – in our priorities, in our choices, and if need be to physically die for Jesus’ sake – so that we will live in the next?
Third: “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”
I am constantly amazed that Jesus knew what kind of death he would die. I marvel that he was fully aware of what was coming, and he did it anyway. He came to show us that God loves us, he wants us, and he wants us to know him. So he goes.
I think that when the magnitude of Jesus’ love for us hits us it changes us. His love changes us. Speaking of losing our lives, giving ourselves extravagantly, washing Jesus’ feet and those kinds of things comes after we’ve been touched by how extravagantly Jesus has loved us.
When I think of the cross, too often the emotions I feel are guilt and shame. Those emotions are not entirely wrong, but if that’s all we feel when we see the cross something is missing. Love. Not romantic love, but something deeper. Something more powerful. Love that says, “you are worth . . . WORTH . . . dying for.” So he did . . . because we’re worth it.
Three things stand out to me in this chapter. (It’s funny how that works. Sometimes one part of the Bible grabs you, sometimes another. I think that is the Holy Spirit teaching us and giving us something we need.)
First: Mary wiping Jesus’ feet with her hair. This is a powerfully humble image. Placing her hair on his feet, bowing before him, was also a strong statement of worship. The ointment that she anointed Jesus was very expensive. 300 denarii was almost a year’s wages for a laborer. Since this was six days from Jesus’ crucifixion, I wonder if Jesus could still smell it as he hung on the cross. I don’t doubt that Mary, one of the few who stayed to the bitter end could still smell it on her hair as she stood at the foot of the cross.
How can we give ourselves to Jesus as extravagantly as Mary did? This is more than just, how much money should I give, or how much time should I volunteer. It’s how do I give my whole life so intimately to Jesus?
Second: Jesus words, “unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” Dietrich Bonhoeffer once said, “When Christ calls a man, he bids him, ‘Come and die.’”
How can we be willing to die in this world – in our priorities, in our choices, and if need be to physically die for Jesus’ sake – so that we will live in the next?
Third: “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”
I am constantly amazed that Jesus knew what kind of death he would die. I marvel that he was fully aware of what was coming, and he did it anyway. He came to show us that God loves us, he wants us, and he wants us to know him. So he goes.
I think that when the magnitude of Jesus’ love for us hits us it changes us. His love changes us. Speaking of losing our lives, giving ourselves extravagantly, washing Jesus’ feet and those kinds of things comes after we’ve been touched by how extravagantly Jesus has loved us.
When I think of the cross, too often the emotions I feel are guilt and shame. Those emotions are not entirely wrong, but if that’s all we feel when we see the cross something is missing. Love. Not romantic love, but something deeper. Something more powerful. Love that says, “you are worth . . . WORTH . . . dying for.” So he did . . . because we’re worth it.
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