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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - John 12:1-11

In these verses we have, I. The kind visit our Lord Jesus paid to his friends at Bethany, John 12:1. He came up out of the country, six days before the passover, and took up at Bethany, a town which, according to the computation of our metropolis, lay so near Jerusalem as to be within the bills of mortality. He lodged here with his friend Lazarus, whom he had lately raised from the dead. His coming to Bethany now may be considered, 1. As a preface to the passover he intended to celebrate, to... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - John 12:1-8

12:1-8 Now six days before the Passover Jesus went to Bethany, where Lazarus was whom he raised from the dead. So they made him a meal there, and Martha was serving while Lazarus was one of those who reclined at table with him. Now Mary took a pound of very precious genuine spikenard ointment, and anointed Jesus' feet, and wiped his feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the perfume of the ointment. But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples, the one who was going to betray him,... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - John 12:1-8

(iii) There is the character of Judas. There are three things here about him. (a) We see Jesus' trust in Judas. As far back as John 6:70-71 , John shows us Jesus well aware that there was a traitor within the ranks. It may well be that he tried to touch Judas' heart by making him the treasurer of the apostolic company. It may well be that he tried to appeal to his sense of honour. It may well be that he was saying in effect to him: "Judas, here's something that you can do for me. Here is... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - John 12:3

Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard very costly ,.... Worth three hundred pence, according to Judas's estimation of it. This Mary was the other sister of Lazarus; See Gill on Matthew 26:7 , See Gill on Mark 14:3 , concerning the nature and value of this ointment: and anointed the feet of Jesus ; as he lay upon the bed or couch, at supper: and wiped his feet with her hair ; See Gill on Luke 7:38 . And the house was filled with the odour of the ointment ; see ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - John 12:4

Then saith one of his disciples ,.... Who had no true love for his master, was an hypocrite, and a covetous person: Judas Iscariot ; so called, to distinguish him from another Judas, an apostle; See Gill on Matthew 10:4 . Simon's son ; this is omitted in the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, Persic, and Ethiopic versions; See Gill on John 13:2 ; which should betray him ; and so he did; this was pre-determined by God, foretold in prophecy, and foreknown by Christ; and is observed here,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - John 12:5

Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence ,.... Meaning Roman pence, one of which is, of the value of our money, seven pence halfpenny; so that three hundred pence amount to nine pounds seven shillings and six pence: and given to the poor ? this was his pretence, and with which he covered himself; his uneasiness was, because it was not sold, and the money put into his hands, as appears by what follows. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - John 12:3

Then took Mary a pound of ointment - See the note on Matthew 26:7 ; see also Mark 14:3 . It does not seem the most likely that this was the same transaction with that mentioned above. Some think that this was, notwithstanding that before is said to have been at the house of Simon the leper. The arguments, pro and con, are largely stated in the notes at the end of Matthew 26 (note), to which I beg leave to refer the reader. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - John 12:5

Three hundred pence - Or denarii: about 9£. 13s. 9d. of our money; reckoning the denarius at 7 3/4d. One of my MSS. of the Vulgate (a MS. of the 14th century) reads, cccc denarii . read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - John 12:3

Verse 3 3.And the house was filled with the odor of the ointment. It was not a simple liquor extracted from spikenard, but a compound of many odoriferous substances; and therefore it is not wonderful that the whole house was filled with the odor read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - John 12:4

Verse 4 4.One of his disciples, therefore, saith. Next follows the murmuring of Judas, which Matthew (Matthew 16:8) attributes to the disciples indiscriminately, and Mark (Mark 14:4) to some of them; but it is customary in Scripture to apply to many, by way of synecdoche, what belongs to one or to a few. Yet I think it is probable, that the murmuring proceeded from Judas alone, and that the rest were induced to give him their assent, as murmurings, by fanning a flame, easily kindle in us a... read more

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