John 12:1

Jesus' public ministry was concluded between the events of the last chapter and the Passover which comes into view in this. A number of important things in the life of Christ took place between John 11:54 and John 11:55. According to Robertson, these were:

He started the last journey to Jerusalem, via Samaria and Galilee. healing ten lepers en route (Luke 17:11-37).

He gave two parables on prayers, those of the importunate widow and the Pharisee and the publican (Luke 18:1-14).

He gave his teaching on divorce (Mark 10:1-12; Matthew 19:1-12).

He received little children (Mark 10:13-16, etc.).

He spoke with the rich young ruler and gave the parable of the laborers in the vineyard (Mark 10:17-31, and parallel accounts).

He gave the third prophecy of his death and resurrection and rebuked ambition of Zebedee's sons (Mark 10:32-45, etc.).

He healed Bartimaeus and a companion at Jericho (Mark 10:46-52, and parallel accounts).

He visited Zacchaeus, gave the parable of the pounds, and went on up to Jerusalem (Luke 19:142:8).[1]

All the above events were in the Galilean and later Perean ministry, thus accounting for their omission by John, who recorded, for the most part, events in Judaea and Jerusalem. It is not known why John omitted so much of what the synoptics recorded nor why they omitted so much of what John recorded. The speculations of radical critics have shed nothing but darkness on the question by their contradictory and unreasonable hypotheses. For example:

Gardner-Smith's investigations have led him to the startling conclusion that the Fourth Evangelist had not read any of the Synoptic Gospels.[2]

Alan Richardson thought the apostle had read all three accounts, in fact, scrambling them in the instance of the anointing mentioned in this chapter! His words are: "St. John has fumbled in making her wipe off the ointment!"[3]

The destructive critics are like the Pharisees of the last chapter who denied the miracle of the blind man's healing, but then quickly admitted it and made it the basis of a slander of Jesus for not preventing the death of Lazarus.

The twelfth chapter falls into four divisions: (1) the supper for Jesus and Lazarus (John 12:1-11); (2) the triumphal entry (John 12:12-20); (3) coming of the Greeks, and the voice from heaven (John 12:21-36); and (4) Jesus sums up his claims (John 12:37-50).

Jesus therefore six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus raised from the dead. (John 12:1)

For purposes of this study, the date here is construed as Friday night, after Robertson, Hovey, and many others. Regarding the questions that inevitably surface with reference to this, and as to the day of the week upon which the Lord suffered, see under John 19:31.

[1] A. T. Robertson, Harmony of the Gospels (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1922), pp. 139ff.

[2] W. F. Howard, Christianity according to St. John (London: Duckworth Press, 1965), p. 17.

[3] Alan Richardson, The Gospel according to St. John (London: SCM Press, 1959), p. 147.