Bible

Back here in the Bible room again today, we continue our reading in the Gospel of John with Session 6, the summaries of chapters 12 and 13.

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John

Session 6

Chapter 12. Hosanna

Jesus comes back to Bethany just six days before Passover:

• This is the hometown of Lazarus, the man who was dead;
• Martha serves supper while Mary and Lazarus visit with Jesus;
• Mary anoints Jesus’s feet with a pound of costly oil;
• She wipes them with her hair as the fragrance fills the air;
• A disciple, Judas Iscariot — the one who will betray Jesus;
• He complains that this oil was worth 300 denarii;
• It could have been sold and the money given to the poor;
• He does not care for the poor, as he is in charge of the money;
• And he is known to take money from the box at times;
• Jesus tells him to leave Mary alone;
• She has saved this oil to anoint Him for His burial;
• And do not worry about the poor for they will always be there;
• But you will not always have Jesus with you;
• A great many Jews have gathered to watch Jesus;
• They have also come to see Lazarus, the one raised from death;
• Because of him, many Jews have started believing in Jesus;
• For this reason, some Jews have determined to kill Lazarus;
• The next day a great crowd greets Jesus as He enters Jerusalem;
• Carrying palm branches they shout: Hosanna, King of Israel;
• Jesus is riding on a young donkey, fulfilling scripture:
• “Your King is coming, sitting on a donkey’s colt”;
• At first, the disciples do not understand all this;
• But later, after His resurrection, they remember scripture;
• The people recognize Jesus as the One who raised Lazarus;
• The Pharisees grumble at the crowds following Jesus;
• Now, there were some Greeks who have come to the feast;
• They approach Philip, ask him to show them Jesus;
• So, Philip finds Andrew, tells him what they want;
• Together, Philip and Andrew tell Jesus about the Greeks;
• Jesus says the time has come for Him to be glorified;
• If a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies,
• It will produce much grain;
• He who loves this life will lose it;
• He who hates his life in this world will have eternal life;
• If anyone serves me, my Father will honor him;
• For this purpose, I came to this hour; Father, glorify your name;
• A voice from heaven says: I have glorified it, and will again;
• Some of the people say they heard it thunder;
• Others say they heard the voice of an angel talking to Him;
• Jesus says the voice was not for Him, but for them;
• He says if He is lifted up, He will draw all people to Him;
• This indicates the manner of His death;
• Jesus says those who walk in darkness lose their way;
• He tells them to believe in the light while they have it;
• After this, Jesus departs and is hidden from them;
• Even with all the signs Jesus did, many still do not believe;
• This truth was written by the prophet Isaiah:
• He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts;
• Still, many rulers believe in Him, though they remain silent;
• If they speak, the Pharisees will ban them from synagogue;
• They would rather please the Pharisees than honor God;
• Jesus says those who believe in Him do not believe in Him;
• They are really believing in the One who sent Him;
• He says He does not judge those who reject Him;
• He did not come to judge the world, but to save it;
• Jesus says He only speaks what the Father has told Him.

Chapter 13. Alive

Before the feast of the Passover, Jesus knows His hour has come:

• He is getting ready to depart this world to the Father;
• Supper is ended, the devil has already taken Judas Iscariot;
• The disciple who has planned to betray Jesus;
• Finishing His meal, Jesus stands and removes his coat;
• He pours water into a basin, begins washing the disciples’ feet;
• He has wrapped a towel around His waist to dry their feet;
• Simon Peter wonders why Jesus is washing his feet;
• Jesus says Peter may not understand right now;
• But a little later on he will understand;
• Peter says he will never let Jesus wash his feet;
• Jesus says if he doesn’t, the bond between them will be broken;
• Hearing this, Peter says Jesus may wash his hands and his head;
• Jesus says those who are clean need only their feet washed;
• Then, they will be completely clean;
• Jesus says someone among them is not completely clean;
• He is referring to the one who is about to betray Him;
• After He has washed the disciples’ feet He sits down to teach;
• He tells them He is to be their example, to be a servant;
• They should all wash the feet of one another;
• If they understand His teaching, they should all be pleased;
• But, He says, He is not being the example for all of them;
• He says there is one who will betray Him;
• They all look at each other and ask who is the betrayer;
• Peter asks the one leaning against Jesus to ask Him who it is;
• So, the one whom Jesus loves asks Him who it is;
• Jesus answers: It is the one to whom He gives a piece of bread;
• Then, Jesus dips the bread, hands it to Judas Iscariot;
• He tells Judas to do quickly what he intends to do;
• No one at the table perceives what Jesus was saying to him;
• Since Judas has the money box, some think it was about money;
• Some think He was telling him to give some to the poor;
• When Jesus speaks to Judas, he leaves the room quickly;
• Then he goes out into the night, for Satan has entered him;
• After this, Jesus says the Son of Man is glorified;
• And God is glorified in Him;
• Jesus then calls His disciples ‘little children’;
• He tells them He will be leaving, and they will stay behind;
• A new commandment He is now giving them:
• That they should love one another as He has loved them;
• By this, all will know they are disciples of Jesus;
• Simon Peter asks Jesus where He will be going;
• Jesus says Peter cannot go with Him this time,
• He will be going later on; Peter wants to know why not now;
• Peter says he will lay down his life for Jesus;
• Jesus tells Peter he will be denying even knowing Him;
• That he will deny Jesus three times before the rooster crows.

End of Session 6 of the book of John.