1. JESUS THE TRUE SHEPHERD
JOHN 12
December 1, 2013
First Baptist Church
Jackson, Mississippi
USA
John 12 Highlights
• Begins Jesus’ final week
• He is anointed in Bethany by Mary
• He is welcomed in Jerusalem – Palm Sunday
• His last 2 sermons to the outside world
• Speaks only to closest followers in following Chapters of John
• No miracles performed in Chapter 12
John’s Writing Focus
• Passion Week begins in Chapter 12
• This single week covers John 12 – John 20
• This week (Jesus’ Passion-Resurrection) covers almost ½ of John’s Gospel
Others Honor Jesus in John 12
• Mary anoints Jesus’ feet
• Common people honor Jesus with palms
• The Greeks inquire
• God the Father speaks from heaven
• Old Testaments prophets had foretold
• Honored that some chief rulers believed him
• He claimed honor to himself, by asserting his divine mission
Focus of Today’s Lesson
• Jesus’ Bethany Anointing
• John 12:1-11
• Jesus’ Sermon Cry of Transparency (His Last Words to the World)
• John 12:44-50

2. John 12:1-2
1 Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived,
whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 Here a dinner was given in Jesus’
honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table
with him.
Bethany
• Only 2 miles from Jerusalem
• Lazarus’ family believers in Jesus
• Jesus had raised Lazarus from the dead a few months earlier
• Jewish leaders after Jesus
• Jesus spent his last week here with Lazarus, Mary and Martha
Have You Ever?
• …loved someone so much that you gave them an extraordinary gift?
• …given the most valuable thing you had away to someone to show
appreciation?
• …truly shown someone how much you love and appreciate them?
• MARY DID THIS FOR JESUS!
Mary Anoints Jesus’ Feet
John 12:3
3 Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it
on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the
fragrance of the perfume.
• Mary in this story is Lazarus’ sister and not Mary Magdalene
Anointing of Jesus’ Feet
• An act of great devotion and humility
• Attending someone’s feet was servant’s job.
• Rabbi’s disciple was a servant to the teacher, but not required to attend
teacher’s feet.

3. •
John the Baptist said he was not worthy to untie Jesus’ sandal strap,
meaning he was lower than a disciple.
Anointing
• Oil was usually poured on head instead of feet
• Psalm 23
• Oil on head interpreted as royal anointing
• Samuel anointed Saul and David
• Feet were anointed usually on the dead
• Jesus enters Jerusalem as king anointed for burial
• Women did not usually unbind their hair in public, as Mary did here
Nard Plant
Pint of Pure Nard
• Oil comes from root (rhizome) of plant
• Also known as spikenard or muskroot
• Came from distant India or East Asia
• American spikenard plant (medicinal)
• Expensive to own
John 12:4-6
4 But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected,
5 “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a
year’s wages.” 6 He did not say this because he cared about the poor but
because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to
what was put into it.
7 “Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “It was intended that she should save this
perfume for the day of my burial. 8 You will always have the poor among you,
but you will not always have me.”
• Thoughts to ponder –
• Giving special gifts now to those we love
• Why will we always have the poor among us?

4. Giving Gifts Now
• Mary gave an extravagant gift early
• Only justification was love she felt for Jesus
• There are times in life for extravagant gifts
• There is always a Judas whispering in our ear that we should be practical.
• The extravagant gift could be a kind word or encouragement instead of
criticism
• Don’t wait to show your love to others
God’s Greatest Gift
Romans 5:8
8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners,
Christ died for us.
John 3:16
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that
whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
“You will always have the poor…”
• What is the definition of poor?
-Having little money or few possessions
-Unable to meet your basic needs
• Poverty is a matter perspective.
• Comparison by Rotary International 2013
Who Are The Poor?
Gross National Per-capita Income
• Afghanistan - $1,140
• Botswana - $14,550
• Cambodia – $2,230
• Finland - $37,670
• India - $3,590
• Rwanda - $1,270
• United States - $48,820
Children Under 5 Years Mortality Rate
• Afghanistan – 101 per 1,000
• Botswana – 26 per 1000
• Cambodia – 43 per 1,000
• Finland – 3 per 1000

5. •
•
•
India – 61 per 1,000
Rwanda – 54 per 1,000
United States – 8 per 1,000
What Was Jesus Saying?
John 12:8
8 You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.”
• The opportunity to serve Him in a tangible or physical way would not last
long.
• Ministry to the poor will always be in demand.
• We will have always have poor and disadvantaged people because we
live in a “fallen” world.
John 12: 9-13
9 Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there and came,
not only because of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the
dead. 10 So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, 11 for on account
of him many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and believing in him.
12 The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus
was on his way to Jerusalem. 13 They took palm branches and went out to meet
him, shouting,
“Hosanna!”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Blessed is the king of Israel!”
A Royal Greeting – Palm Branches
• Estimated Passover attendance at this time was 2.7 million Jews per
Josephus
• Tradition began in 2nd century BC to celebrate Simon Maccabaeus’
driving the Seleucids out of Jerusalem
• Jews celebrated this victory with a parade and music and waving of
palm branches
• Flags today are what palms were then
John 12:14-16
14 Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, as it is written:
15 “Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion; see, your king is coming, seated on a
donkey’s colt.”
16 At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified

6. did they realize that these things had been written about him and that these
things had been done to him.
A Lowly Donkey
• Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a small donkey and not a royal horse.
• John quotes Zechariah 9:9 to explain the fulfillment of this prophecy.
• The disciples did not understand this until after the resurrection.
John 17:17-19
17 Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and
raised him from the dead continued to spread the word. 18 Many people,
because they had heard that he had performed this sign, went out to meet him.
19 So the Pharisees said to one another, “See, this is getting us nowhere. Look
how the whole world has gone after him!”
John 12:20-36 - Summary of Verses
• Certain Greeks ask to see Jesus…?
V. 23-24 Jesus announces, “The hour has come that the Son of man should be
glorified. I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies,
it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.”
“And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself.” He said
this to show the kind of death he was going to die. (Verse 32)
•
The crowd asks, “Who is this ‘Son of Man’ who will be lifted up?
35 Then Jesus told them, “You are going to have the light just a little while longer.
Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. Whoever walks in
the dark does not know where they are going. 36 Believe in the light while you
have the light, so that you may become children of light.” When he had finished
speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them.
Jesus Proclaimed Earlier
John 8:12
12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world.
Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
• Jesus continually uses the contrast of light and darkness to describe
himself.

7. John 12:37-43 - Summary of Verses
• The Jews continue in their unbelief.
• John quotes Isaiah’s prophecy about their unbelief.
• Even some who believed did not confess it publically because of fear of
being put out of the synagogue.
• They loved praise from men more than praise from God-(a condemning
statement!)
John 12:44-50
• Jesus’ last public sermon to a large group
• Other words that follow were addressed only to disciples and individuals
• Upper Room Discourses
• What would be Jesus’ last words?
John 12:44-45
44 Then Jesus cried out, “Whoever believes in me does not believe in me only,
but in the one who sent me. 45 The one who looks at me is seeing the one who
sent me.
• Jesus is God’s autobiography
• To hear Jesus is to hear God in Word
• To see Jesus is to see God in action
• Jesus is transparent to God.
John 12:46 - Jesus’ Light
46 I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me
should stay in darkness.
• Jesus wants us to have clarity in our lives.
• This was the office of Christ, to make all things clear.
• What does a life of darkness possess?
• What does a life of light possess?
John 12:47 - Jesus’ Grace
47 “If anyone hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge that
person. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world.
• Jesus’ purpose in His 1st coming was to make atonement for our sins.
• When He returns again, He will judge.
• Jesus is the only judge.

8. John 12:48 - Jesus’ Truth
48 There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words;
the very words I have spoken will condemn them at the last day.
• At the judgment, people will be judged by Jesus on how they responded
to His words.
• John describes this judgment in Revelation
John 12:49 - Jesus Is the Word
49 For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me
to say all that I have spoken.
• When we read Jesus’ words, we are reading the very words of the
Creator of the universe.
John 12:50
50 I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what
the Father has told me to say.”
• Jesus’ words are exactly what God told Him to say.
Summary
• These verses are Jesus’ final plea to the world to believe in Him as God’s
Son.
• When you see and hear Me (Jesus), you are seeing and hearing God.
• When you are seeking God, you are seeking Me (Jesus).