Daily Scripture Reading John 12:1-22
Many Christians espouse the philosophy that Christians should assume the best regarding other people. They particularly insist Christians should assume the best regarding Christian leaders. This sounds noble and righteous. Is it?
Should believers assume the best? When church leaders make statements, should we assume they are telling the truth? If church leaders appear to be doing something wrong, should we give them the benefit of the doubt?
The 12th chapter of John gives us some answers to those questions by providing some insight into the character of Judas.
Jesus had a friend named Lazarus who died. After Lazarus had been in the tomb for four days, Jesus raised him back to life. Some of the Jews who saw this believed in Jesus. Others went and told the Pharisees what Jesus had done. The religious leaders began plotting how to kill Jesus.
John 12:1 ¶ Jesus, therefore, six days before the Passover, came to Bethany where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead.
As I mentioned yesterday, this is the third Passover mentioned in the Gospel of John. The other two are recorded in John 2 and John 6. This tells us the ministry of Jesus spanned at least 3 years.
John 12:2 So they made Him a supper there, and Martha was serving; and Lazarus was one of those reclining at the table with Him.
Notice that Martha was serving. Luke 10:38-42 tells us about a time when Jesus entered Martha and Mary’s house and Mary sat at the feet of Jesus while Martha was distracted with her preparations. Martha asked Jesus to tell Mary to help her, but Jesus declined to do so. That appears to be a separate event from the event we are about to read here in John 12.
John 12:3 Mary then took a litra of perfume of very costly pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped His feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
While Martha was serving, Mary anointed the feet of Jesus. There is no indication that Martha objected to Mary’s behavior on this occasion.
The 12th chapter of Romans says there are many different people in the church, but they don’t all have the same function. Mary and Martha exemplify that. Martha was doing the right thing when she prepared food and served it. Likewise, Mary did the right thing when she sat at the feet of Jesus and anointed them.
As Christians, we need to fill our role and not expect that everyone else’s role in life or duty in life is the same as our role or duty.
John 12:4 But Judas Iscariot, one of His disciples, who was going to betray Him, said,
John 12:5 “Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?”
Notice the word “said” in verse 4. The statement in verse 5 was said out loud.
John 12:6 Now he said this, not because he was concerned about the poor, but because he was a thief, and as he had the money box, he used to take from what was put into it.
Pay attention to the details we learn about Judas in this verse. Judas was a thief and was stealing money. Also, the question Judas asked in verse 5 showing concern for the poor was misleading. He actually didn’t care about the poor.
Many Christians espouse the philosophy that Christians should assume the best of other people. If you assumed the best of Judas, you would have assumed he indeed cared about the poor. However, the text makes clear that would have been a bad assumption.
Assuming the best is not wise. People lie and deceive. Judas was one of Jesus’ twelve disciples, and yet he was a thief, liar, deceiver, and betrayer. There are Christian leaders today who abuse their staff, commit adultery, and skim money from their organization. They do not deserve the presumption of innocence. If you have reason to believe some church or ministry leaders are doing something wrong, do not assume the best. Instead, follow the evidence.
John 12:7 Therefore Jesus said, “Let her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of My burial.
Just as Jesus defended Mary when Martha wanted Mary to help her serve, so too Jesus defended Mary when Judas complained about Mary anointing the feet of Jesus.
John 12:8 For you always have the poor with you, but you do not always have Me.”
John 12:9 ¶ Then the large crowd from the Jews learned that He was there. And they came, not because of Jesus only, but that they might also see Lazarus, whom He raised from the dead.
John 12:10 But the chief priests planned to put Lazarus to death also;
John 12:11 because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and were believing in Jesus.
This is more proof that the priests simply refused to believe the truth about Jesus. Instead of acknowledging the truth, they planned to kill Lazarus and bury the truth.
John 12:12 ¶ On the next day the large crowd who had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem,
John 12:13 took the branches of the palm trees and went out to meet Him, and began to shout, “Hosanna! BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD, even the King of Israel.”
John 12:14 And Jesus, finding a young donkey, sat on it; as it is written,
John 12:15 “FEAR NOT, DAUGHTER OF ZION; BEHOLD, YOUR KING IS COMING, SEATED ON A DONKEY’S COLT.”
This is a quote from Zechariah 9:9. That verse was a promise to Israel that their king would come to them on a donkey. When Jesus entered Jerusalem on a donkey, anyone who knew the Old Testament scriptures should have recognized the symbol and understood this was one of the proofs that Jesus is the fulfillment of prophecy.
John 12:16 These things His disciples did not understand at the first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written about Him, and that they had done these things to Him.
Even the disciples did not grasp the significance of Jesus entering Jerusalem on a donkey until after the resurrection.
John 12:17 So the crowd, who was with Him when He called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead, continued to bear witness about Him.
Don’t overlook the significance of this verse. When Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, there were multiple people who knew that Lazarus had been dead and then saw Jesus raise Lazarus from the dead. Those eyewitnesses told others what they had seen.
The disciples of Jesus were eyewitnesses of the miracles and resurrection of Jesus. They put their testimony in writing, much of which is now part of the New Testament. That is how they are bearing witness to you and me of what they saw.
John 12:18 For this reason also the crowd went and met Him, because they heard that He had done this sign.
John 12:19 So the Pharisees said to one another, “You see that you are gaining nothing; look, the world has gone after Him.”
This indicates the desperation felt by the Pharisees. They knew they were losing control. Instead of admitting Jesus is God, they resisted the truth and tried to suppress it.
Suppressing the truth is a common tactic by those who have power, particularly those who are abusing their power. We see this tactic in elected officials, unelected bureaucrats, business executives, and ministry leaders.
John 12:20 ¶ Now there were some Greeks among those who were going up to worship at the feast;
John 12:21 these then came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and began to ask him, saying, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.”
John 12:22 Philip came and told Andrew; Andrew and Philip came and told Jesus.
We will continue this story tomorrow.
Many Christians espouse the philosophy that Christians should assume the best of other people. However, if you assumed the best of Judas, you would have assumed he indeed cared about the poor. However, the text makes it clear that would have been a bad assumption.
Assuming the best is not wise. Judas was one of Jesus’ twelve disciples, and yet he was a thief, liar, deceiver, and betrayer.
What are examples you know of where a so-called Christian leader appeared to be moral and a successful minister, but was then exposed as being immoral, abusive, or even a fraud?
What experiences have you had where you tried to shine a light on something within Christianity that appeared to be wrong, but you were told to assume the best?
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“Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org and 316publishing.com.”