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John 11

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1 Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha.

2 (It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.)

3 Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick.

4 When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.

5 Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.

6 When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was.

7 Then after that saith he to his disciples, Let us go into Judaea again.

8 His disciples say unto him, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee; and goest thou thither again?

9 Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world.

10 But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him.

11 These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.

12 Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well.

13 Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep.

14 Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.

15 And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him.

16 Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellowdisciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him.

17 Then when Jesus came, he found that he had lain in the grave four days already.

18 Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off:

19 And many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother.

20 Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house.

21 Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.

22 But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee.

23 Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again.

24 Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.

25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:

26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

27 She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.

28 And when she had so said, she went her way, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Master is come, and calleth for thee.

29 As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly, and came unto him.

30 Now Jesus was not yet come into the town, but was in that place where Martha met him.

31 The Jews then which were with her in the house, and comforted her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up hastily and went out, followed her, saying, She goeth unto the grave to weep there.

32 Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.

33 When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled,

34 And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see.

35 Jesus wept.

36 Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him!

37 And some of them said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died?

38 Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it.

39 Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days.

40 Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?

41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.

42 And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.

43 And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.

44 And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.

45 Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him.

46 But some of them went their ways to the Pharisees, and told them what things Jesus had done.

47 Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles.

48 If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation.

49 And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all,

50 Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.

51 And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation;

52 And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad.

53 Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death.

54 Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews; but went thence unto a country near to the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim, and there continued with his disciples.

55 And the Jews' passover was nigh at hand: and many went out of the country up to Jerusalem before the passover, to purify themselves.

56 Then sought they for Jesus, and spake among themselves, as they stood in the temple, What think ye, that he will not come to the feast?

57 Now both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a commandment, that, if any man knew where he were, he should shew it, that they might take him.

   

Commentary

 

Explanation of John 12

By Rev. John Clowes M.A.

Explaining the Inner Meaning of John 12

Verses 12:1, 2. That the Lord, during his spiritual conflicts previous to the full glorification of his Humanity, derives consolation from those in the church amongst the Gentiles, who are principled in the good of life derived from himself.

Verse 12:3. On which occasion his Humanity is admitted to closer union with his Divinity in divine good and truth, through the affection of good, and the church is made sensible of that union.

Verses 12:4, 5, 6. Nevertheless they, who are in infernal love, seek to alienate divine good from the Lord, and appropriate it to themselves, and this under specious pretences of imparting knowledge to those who are in ignorance.

Verses 12:7, 8. But they are instructed by the divine truth, to desist from such alienation, since the glorification of the Lord's Humanity requires that it be made the all of divine good, and since ignorant objects would remain in the world when that Humanity was taken out of it.

Verse 12:9. That on this occasion many, who were of the perverted church, are influenced with love, not only to the Lord's Divine Humanity, but also to that good of life which is derived from him.

Verses 12:10, 11. Nevertheless they, who are principled in the love of spiritual dominion, seek to destroy that good of life, because many are led by it to acknowledge the Lord in his Divine Humanity.

Verses 12:12, 13. Who under such acknowledgement, perceiving that the Lord was about to establish his new church, adore him as the source of every good affection and pure delight, confessing him from the heart to be also the source of every truth in the church, by reason of his union with the supreme good.

Verses 12:14, 15, 16. Wherefore, as had been predicted, the Lord in his Divine Humanity is exalted to dominion over all rational good and truth in the church, although it was not known, until this dominion was effected, what was meant by the representatives by which it had been predicted.

Verses 12:17, 18. This dominion too is confirmed by those, who witnessed the restoration of the good of life in the church, and who are thus led to seek conjunction of life with the Lord in his Divine Humanity.

Verse 12:19. But they, who are in hypocritical worship, see in that dominion the downfall of their own dominion, and the establishment of a new church.

Verses 12:20, 21, 22. That some of the Gentiles, who are skilled in the doctrine of correspondence, seek acquaintance with the Lord, through intelligence, and the good of faith.

Verses 12:23, 24. And are instructed concerning the union of the Human [principle] with the Divine, which was to be effected through temptation-combats, for the salvation of mankind.

Verses 12:25, 26. And also concerning the necessity of man's renouncing self-will, or self-love, before he can be made partaker of heavenly love, and concerning the further necessity of believing in the Lord's Divine Humanity, and keeping his precepts, since these are the only means of admission into the divine presence, and of attaining conjunction with the divine good.

Verses 12:27, 28. Therefore the Lord, as to his Humanity, underwent the most grievous temptations, even to the passion of the cross, and this voluntarily, with a view to his final glorification, or the full union of his Humanity with his Divinity, which glorification is announced from heaven.

Verses 12:29, 30. But this annunciation is regarded by some as a mere natural effect, and by others as supernatural, whilst divine instruction is given, that its object is, not so much to comfort and support the Lord's Humanity, as to comfort and support his church under the process of suffering, through which that Humanity was about to pass.

Verses 12:31, 32, 33. By which process a work of judgement was to be accomplished, and the powers of darkness were to be subjugated, whilst at the same time the Lord's Humanity was to be exalted to complete union with his Divinity, and from that Humanity was to proceed divine truth united with divine good, which, influencing the minds of men, would lead them to conjunction of life with itself.

Verse 12:34. But this doctrine is regarded in the perverted church as contradictory to the Word, and therefore inquiry is made concerning the union of the Divinity and Humanity, and also concerning what is meant by the Son of Man.

Verse 12:35. And instruction is given, that by the Son of Man is meant the divine truth, manifested in the Lord's humanity, and which for a time made its abode here below, and therefore all ought to live according to that truth, lest they should be blinded by false persuasions, in which case they will not know to what end, whether of happiness or misery, their lives tend.

Verse 12:36. former part. They ought also to elevate that truth, or suffer it to be elevated, out of the memory into the understanding, and from the understanding into the will and life.

Verses 36, latter part, and 37. Nevertheless, this instruction is hid in obscurity from the men of the perverted church, and they cannot receive it, notwithstanding the miraculous testimony which attends it.

Verses 12:38, 39, 40, 41. And this rejection of the truth had been predicted, and not only so, but a reason had been assigned in the prediction, why they, whose faith is grounded in themselves, cannot admit the truth, since if they did admit it, they would only profane it, and would thus incur a greater damnation.

Verses 12:42, 43. Yet the truth is received by some who are in the knowledges of faith, but through fear they are restrained from making confession of it, which fear is occasioned by exalting human opinion above divine opinion.

Verses 12:44, 45. Therefore the divine truth again teaches, that whoever has faith in the Lord's Divine Humanity, has faith at the same time in his Divinity, and whoever has knowledge of the Humanity, has knowledge at the same time of the Divinity.

Verse 12:46. Because the Lord's humanity is divine truth, made manifest to man, in order to deliver him from infernal falsities.

Verses 12:47, 48. For the Lord in his Divine Humanity condemns no one, being desirous to save all, but every one condemns himself, who receives the knowledge of the truth, and yet cherished the love of evil which is contrary to. that knowledge.

Verses 12:49, 50. The Lord's humanity also does not think from itself, but from his divinity, from whom it derives the whole of its affection and thought, in which affection and thought there is divine love, and therefore the thought of the humanity is always under the government of that love.

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John 12:3

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3 Mary, therefore, took a pound of ointment of pure nard, very precious, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the ointment.