John 12:1 "Then Jesus six days before the Passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom He raised from the dead."

Being six days before Passover, would make this on the ninth day of Nisan on the Jewish calendar, or during the time from Thursday at sunset, to sunset on Friday.

John 12:2 "There they made Him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with Him."

This is to call our attention to the fact that Lazarus is not some spirit brought back to life, but a whole man in his flesh body. He is sitting at the table and eating with Jesus and the rest of them. He partook of food in a natural way.

John 12:3 "Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus , and wiped His feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment."

We will see that some of the disciples will be complaining of the waste of money, in buying and using this ointment to wash Jesus feet .

John 12:4 "Then saith one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, which should betray Him,"

"Iscariot" in Hebrew means "Kerioth". or in English, "son of the city". In Genesis 4:17 we see that it was Cain who was the first builder of a city. "And Cain knew his wife; and she conceived, and bare Enoch: and he builded a city and called the name of the city, after the name of his son, Enoch." Cain became know as the builder of cities.

Judas was the disciple that would betray Jesus, and for this he was guilty. However Judas repented after the fact of his deed, and with repentance comes salvation. Judas was not the "son of perdition", [for the son of perdition was Satan], because Judas has not been judged yet, nor will he be judged until the great white throne judgment.

In Acts 1:18 many people think that Judas hanged himself. However that is not quite what it states in the verse. "Now this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out." Judas didn't die from the choking from the rope around his neck. The Kenites hung him from the tree, but before they hung him, they slit his stomach open from one end to the other, and all his organs [bowels] came gushing forth out on the ground. Judas was dead before he was hung. This is like shooting yourself in the back of the head nine times; do you you get the point; somebody else did the shooting, and the hanging. Remember, these religious leaders were the offspring of the Kenite Nethinims and they controlled the records keeping, as well as the teachings that came out of the temple.

Jesus told us of these Kenite religious leaders in John 8:44; "Ye are of your father the devil,and the lust of your father ye will do. [this is Satan] He was a murderer from the beginning[Cain], and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it." These religious leaders killed Judas to close his mouth. We will see later in this chapter that they will also plot to kill Lazarus, for Lazarus merely being alive attacks their traditions, and erodes their power over the people.

John 12:5 "Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?"

Judas is making the statement here, and I'm sure that Judas was not concerned about the poor.

John 12:6 "This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein."

The word "bare" in the Greek text means "to carry away secretly". We call it stealing in English. This means that Judas took "some cream off the top" of what was in the bag. Why then would Judas ever join the band of followers of Jesus? He felt in the beginning that Jesus was going to be the King, and he wanted control of the bag, or money. You know the expression; "He who controls the money, controls the power".

I have no doubt in my mind that Judas believed that Christ was the Messiah and would rule the world. Why? Because Judas saw the power that Jesus' had for establishing that kingdom. He just didn't know that it would be established two thousand years later in the Millennium kingdom.

When Judas realized Jesus was not going to become king, in the small act of betrayal, Judas saw a profit.

John 12:7 "Then said Jesus, "Let her alone; for the day of my My burying hath she kept this."

Jesus was telling Judas, she is anointing Me for burial. In the next six days, there will be no one to take the time to anoint Jesus for burial.

John 12:8 "For the poor always ye have with you; but Me ye have not always."

Christ did care for the poor, and the very fact that He was crucified and laid down His life was the greatest gift that was ever given to the poor. Jesus shed blood on the cross, the blood of the only begotten Son was the greatest gift that the poor of any age could be given, for it is an eternal gift. It is a gift that never runs out. Though Mary was anointing Jesus as a very special guest in her home, she was also anointing Jesus for his burial. Soon Jesus would be all alone on the cross, and on Him would be placed the sins of the whole world, and that includes each sin committed by you and I as we live our lives each day.

John 12:9 "Much people of the Jews therefore knew that He was there: and they came not for Jesus sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom He had raised from the dead."

Even today, people like to see side shows, and entertainment. They love to gossip about the one that was dead for four days and violated the traditions of the religious leaders. You can just hear all the rumors growing as word spread from one person to another. They did not come to see Jesus the one that brought forth Lazarus, but the one that came out of the grave and defied Jewish tradition. They had to see this Lazarus for themselves. They came because of the miracle that Jesus had performed.

John 12:10 "But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death;"

Think about this! There are so many people that are going out to see Lazarus, the one that came to life and defiled their tradition, that they now have extended their plot of murdering Jesus to include Lazarus. I hope you have fixed in your mind by now just what kind of people these Kenite religious leaders are. They just don't care who they murder, for if anyone is in a position to show their traditions for what they are, they need to be eliminated [murdered]. For what is at stake is the Kenites control of the people through the temple teachings of tradition, and through that comes their income through the money collected at the temple offerings that gives them power.

Stop and look at what is happening here. This is a documentation that this religious Kenite priesthood is not of God, but of Satan. The very character and nature of these religious leaders, is identical to both that of Satan, and Cain. We will see this very same thing happen again in the future, when Satan, the Antichrist stands in Jerusalem facing the two witness, when the witnesses' words and miracles show Satan, the Antichrist for the fake he is. Satan will strike them dead, and the world will watch and rejoice for the act of Satan's, the Antichrist's murder.

Revelation 11:8-10; "And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city [Jerusalem], which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified." [8] "And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves. [9] "And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another..." [10]

Notice that the two witness also will remain dead for over three days, and on the fourth day come alive. Then also the people will see Satan, and his multitudes of Kenite leaders for the murders they are. The people will witness the fact that those traditions that they have placed their hopes in are lies. Yet also they will not believe in Christ, but be drawn to the miracles because they do not know the Word of God.

John 12:11 "Because that by reason of him many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus."

These Jewish religious leaders are loosing their control over the people, because the people are witnessing the fact that their traditions are not true, because of the miracles. The jealousy of these Kenite leaders is growing to the point where they would do most anything, including our-right murdering anyone that gets in their way. As we discussed earlier, and that included a repented Judas, who could also bare witness against them.

John 12:12 "On the next day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was come to Jerusalem,"

This would be on the fourth day before the Passover.

John 12:13 "Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet Him, and cried, "Hosanna; Blessed is the King of Israel That cometh in the name of the Lord."

This is calling Jesus by His full title. This is prophesied in Psalm 118:25-26; "Save now, I beseech The, O Lord: O Lord, I beseech Thee, send now prosperity." [25] "Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord: We have blessed you out of the house of the Lord." [26]

"Hosanna" means "save us now" in the Hebrew tongue, but it is just not the time now. This second advent would not come to pass for about another two thousand years. However, salvation on their part would become available in a matter of days. This is scriptures being fulfilled rapidly, from this point on.

John 12:14 "And Jesus, when He had found a young ass, sat thereon; as it is written,"

It was prophesied in Zechariah 9:9; "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, they King cometh unto thee: He is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass."

John 12:15 "Fear not, daughter of Sion: behold, thy King cometh, sitting on an ass's colt."

This is important that you remember this, royalty did not ride on the "colt the foal of an ass". This speaks of both advents in Zechariah, for Christ will come as the King of Kings in the second advent, but on the first coming Jesus came as the servant, born in the stable with the animals, and now riding into town in the fashion of the poorest person in Jerusalem. Royalty rode a great white horse, and in this entry into Jerusalem we can see the humbleness that Jesus is showing on the first part of His final journey to the cross.

Then in Zechariah 9:10 we see Jesus coming on His great white horse to conquer the world; "And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the battle bow shall be cut off: and He shall speak peace unto the heathen: and His dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth."

So we see in Zechariah 9, in the ninth verse we have the first advent, and in the tenth verse the second advent, or coming. He came in the first advent to pay the price for sin, that salvations could be offered to all man, but on His next coming it will be as the King of the earth, to rule, discipline, separate, judge, and be the King and Lord of the whole earth.

John 12:16 "These things understood not His disciples at the first: but when Jesus was glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of Him, and that they had done these things unto Him."

Though the disciples could not see and understand the events that were taken place as it was happening, but when Jesus came out of that tomb and came before them in person [be glorified], then they would see and understand. They would see how everything that did happen was prophesied and written in the Old Testament.

John 12:17 "The people therefore that was with Him when He called Lazarus out of his grave, and raised him from the dead, bare record."

All those Jews that were with Martha and Mary mourning over the death of Lazarus, and were there when Jesus called Lazarus from the grave. They witnessed the fact that Lazarus was truly dead four days and then came alive, and these mourners witnessed this to the people. It was now being accepted as fact by the people. When Lazarus came alive and defiled the polluted traditions of the Jews, the priesthood of God was also revived. that priesthood operates under the moving of the Holy Spirit of God, even to this generation we live in now.

John 12:18 "For this cause the people also met Him, for that they heard that He had done this miracle."

The people were missing their temple roll call, because they were chasing around, trying to find out about these miracles that so many people had witnessed personally. They wanted to see Jesus do more miracles, and see Lazarus the one who was resurrected. They didn't understand, or even believe on Christ, but it was the same attitude as going to a show to be entertained, they wanted to witness the thrill for themselves of these miracles that were happening.

John 12:19 "The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, "Perceive ye how ye prevail nothing? behold, the world is gone after Him."

These Pharisees are complaining that it seems that what ever they do to stop Christ and His popularity, it backfires on the them. That is exactly what was happening, for as fast as the words of the miracles spread, the people also in mass were following Him, and departing from their traditions. It was starting to dig deep into the temple funds.

John 12:20 "And there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast:"

John 12:21 "The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him saying, "Sir, we would see Jesus."

Being of Greek by nationality, they no doubt were Helenists, and believed in the many gods of the Greeks. The word "Greeks" in the text was "Hellenes", and they were not Greek speaking Jews, but Grecians [Gentiles].

John 12:22 "Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: and again Andrew and Philip tell Jesus."

John 12:23 "And Jesus answered them, saying, "The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified."

Every other time this hour was presented, when Jesus was confronted with going to Jerusalem, or or the temple; Jesus would say, "It is not My time, this is not the hour." But now the "Passover feast" is approaching, and the time of Jesus appointed time of crucifixion is at hand.Jesus now is saying; "The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified." To be glorified is to be glorified by the Father, and that glory by the Father comes when Jesus goes to the cross in obedience to the Father. The Father receives the glory through His Son of God, Jesus. It is very difficult for a nonbeliever to see how being crucified could glorify anyone.

Just as God was glorified when Lazarus was raised from the dead, so also would the Father be glorified when Jesus is raised from the dead, and this would give us eternal life, and victory over the second death, which is the death of the soul. God is glorified when souls repent, and come under the shed blood of Jesus at the cross.

John 12:24 "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit."

Paul spoke of this in I Corinthians 15, when he discussed the flesh body. The point being that within one grain of corn, there is an embryo. As long as that grain stays dry and protected, it will always be one grain of corn, that is all that it will amount to, just one. But when that one grain comes out of that dry place, and inters into the wet moist ground, and the water of life touches it; then God brings about the germination and sprouting of that grain of corn, and from one grain comes the full stock of the corn plant, with several ears of corn, with many rows of grains of corn on each ear of corn.

Jesus Christ is stating that in sacrificing Himself, from His death will come much fruit, and that fruit is the salvation of many souls. If Christ did not go to the cross, then there would be no fruit coming forth, and the one grain would remain one protected grain of corn. When those Pharisees and that religious system asked, Where will it end, and how do we stop it? It will never end, and there is no way to stop the workings of our Heavenly Father.

John 12:25 "He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal."

The life that we are talking about here is the "soul". Relate this to the verse above; if you love your life, or soul to the point that you only care about self, then you are that protected grain that will never produce any fruit for the Father, your flesh body is the only thing that matters, and the life of the souls and your soul's destiny will in the end be destroyed. The lust of your flesh will take priority in all your decisions, and your mind is fixed on the here and now.

Those that care about their eternal soul will discipline themselves, and plant themselves in the Word to be watered from the true fountain of living waters [Jesus Christ] that can only come from God. In the phrase, "hateth his life" means to put the physical life secondary to your spiritual life, as to what controls the things that you do, think and react to.

John 12:26 "If any man serve Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there shall also My servant be: if any man serve Me, him will My Father honour."

Did you notice that it is you serving God, not God serving you. It is up to you whether you are His servant, for He is not going to drive you. You do not drive sheep, sheep follow their shepherd. You study the Word and follow it. When any person serves the Son, Jesus Christ the heavenly Father will honor that service and bless them.

John 12:27 "Now is My soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save Me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour."

Don't let this question throw you, for Jesus Christ is looking forward to this hour, for that was the purpose of His coming. By this question, Jesus is telling us that this is the reason that He looked forward to the time of His crucifixion, which is the hour spoken of. There was no fear in the act of Christ being crucified, for He took pleasure in serving the will of the Father, and the will of the Father stated from the beginning was that the Son of God would destroy and crush the head of Satan. That will happen at the end of the Millennium age, because of Christ's obedience to the Father.

John 12:28 "Father, glorify Thy name. "Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, "I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again,"

There is no questioning of what should be done, it is firm; God will be glorified at the cross of Christ, and that glory is the salvation of untold millions of souls of all times that can come to the Father, by the blood of Christ shed on the cross.

The two times of glorification come at the two advents of Jesus Christ. The Father was glorified when Jesus went to the Cross, and the Father will be glorified again when Jesus comes the second time to eliminate sin, evil, idolatry, as well and Satan, and his fallen angels.

John 12:29 "The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, "An angel spake to Him."

John 12:30 "Jesus answered and said, "This voice came not because of Me, but for your sakes."

This voice that spoke was heard by all those around there, and it came to give Jesus credentials that He is truly the Son of God, and that the events that would happen to Him would glorify the Father. Jesus knew what the Father wanted Him to do, but He spoke here to let you and me and those standing by know that the Father would be glorified.

John 12:31 "Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out."

Satan is cast out in the spiritual sense, for all the power and authority can now be bestowed on each believer, to have the power and authority over the entire realm of Satan, including Satan. When Satan temps you and sends his spirits to hinder what you are doing, you have the power and authority to order those evil spirits out of your life, and out of your homes and affairs. You have to make the order in Jesus name. The power is the Holy Spirit of God that is within you, and the authority is "in the name of Jesus". Discernment is the ability to know the spirits that are talking to you, and those which should be ordered out of your life.

John 12:32 "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto Me."

Jesus is saying that when He dies on the cross, and is resurrected and goes to the Father, which He did, then when He returns at the second advent all men will be drawn back to Him. This will happen at Christ's second return. Romans 14:11; "For it is written, "As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God." This applies not only to those living in the flesh at the sounding of the seventh trumpet, but also to all souls that go the the Father, when they die in this flesh body.

John 12:33 "This He said, signifying what death He should die."

John 12:34 "The people answered Him, "We have heard out of the law that Christ abideth for ever: and how sayest Thou, 'The Son of man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of man?"

These people that just heard the voice from heaven, are starting to relate the fragments of information from the Old Testament to what Jesus is saying, and it is confusing to them. They are asking Jesus that if the Son of man is to live forever, then why would he have to be lifted up, and crucified? What they are asking is; Do we have two Messiahs? How many times have you made the statement that; "the Bible says so-and-so" from memory that may even be incorrect, only that is what you heard? That is what these people here are saying. It is second hand evidence, for there is no where in the Old Testament that says Christ would have only one advent, or even lead you to that understanding. The traditions given by the religious leaders were lies, and the people took the lies of the traditions as fact, and based their lives upon it. There was a twisting of the truth here.

Every detail of Jesus first advent is given in the Old Testament by the prophets form God, and written in His Word, and there could be no question of Christ's first advent, if they knew the Word. Are you starting to see how the people had been blinded by these Kenites that had been running the temple since the time of Ezra? Isaiah 53 gave the details of Christ being delivered up, and His hanging on that cross. That is why Jesus would say when He taught, "It is written, or haven't you read?", when He would teach. The answer is, they didn't know because they were blinded by tradition, just like many are today.

Indirectly the answer to the question is yes, we have a false one, and a true one. The true one is Jesus Christ, and the false one is Satan, that will come to earth shortly and be the Antichrist, and most people today don't know the difference between the two.

John 12:35 "Then Jesus said unto them, "Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth."

My fellow Christian, you can't teach Jesus without teaching the whole Word, Old and New Testament alike. Jesus is saying here that what you heard about the Word is not true, Jesus is the light, and the living Word. From the Word, you get the light, and you better stay in that Word, because those that walk in darkness don't know where they are going. When they follow brother so-n-so and his teaching, and that line of thought, then they miss what the Word of God does say?

John 12:36 "While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light." These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide Himself from them."

Jesus is telling them to listen to Me while they have Me around to learn from, for by believing in the light, which is Christ, they become the children of God. This was a warning to both those people that were before him at this time, and to you today. When you have the opportunity to hear and study the Word where the truth can be made know, and in turn give out that light to someone else. We are to do what we can while the opportunity is there. The time was short for those people, for Jesus left, and hid Himself from them, and likewise that time is also short in the days we are living in today.

When a true man of God starts to teach, those with spiritual discernment can sense that the Word of God is being taught. If there is a large room, and it is completely black, and filled with many people in that dark room, and you walk into the room with a small candle. The light that comes from that one small candle will give light to the whole room. When you keep Christ in you, then that small light shining in you, which is Christ, will be felt, and all those in spiritual darkness will spiritually sense you when you come around their darkness. You will make a difference. That light [Jesus Christ] is hope to a troubled and confused world, and we are entering into the time where that little candle that you hold, will stand out as a thousand points of light, and will be the only true light there is in the world.

John 12:37 "But though He had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on Him:"

While the people sat there and watched the show of miracles going on, and the hope that they could witness one before their very eyes, there was no faith involved. They believed in only what they could see, and didn't question the one that did the miracles. They were strictly a bystander. They saw the miracles, but they did not attribute any spiritual application to the miracles. They could not see Christ, or the working of God in the miracles.

This type of Christian today will sit and take in messages, and see the acts of God, and the events of prophecy taking place before their eye, and they are spiritually dead to them. Why? Thy don't believe the Word in the first place, they are nonbelievers. They don't believe that Jesus even gave them the power over Satan, so why would they use a power of the Spirit, or the authority in His name when they think it doesn't exist.

John 12:38 "That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, "Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed?"

"Esaias" is the Greek form of the prophet Isaiah. Jesus was quoting Isaiah 53:1; "Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?" This is the report from the prophet as to how Jesus would be delivered up to the religious leaders, and what they would do to Him. It is a graphic report to help us know that it didn't just happen by chance, and Jesus knew every detail that would come upon Him.

Isaiah 53:2 "For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: He hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him." When Jesus did the miracles, they were entertained but Jesus they believed to be nothing more then a man, and they left when the show was over.

 Isaiah 53:3 "He is despised and rejected of men; and a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from Him; He was despised, and we esteemed Him not."

Isaiah 53:4 "Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted."

Isaiah 53:5 "But He was wounded [He was pierced] for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed." Jesus took all this suffering "for our transgressions" not His.

Isaiah 53:6 "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all."

Isaiah 53:7 "He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth: He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so He openeth not His mouth."

Isaiah 53:8 "He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare His generation? for He was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of My people was He stricken." Jesus died for the sins of His people, all those that repent and turn to Him in Jesus name. Jesus could do this because He was perfect, and we are not.

Isaiah 53:9 "And He made His grave with the wicked, and with the rich in His death; because He had done no violence, neither was any deceit in His mouth."

Isaiah 53:10 "Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He hath put Him to grief: when thou shalt make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days and pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand."

So we see that in the people's tradition that Messiah would come and live forever was wrong.Isaiah 53 told us that the coming Messiah would come and suffer and die for our sins and transgressions. Yes it was written long ago that Jesus the Messiah would be crucified, and so He was. Yet this part of the law of the prophets was left out of the Jewish Kenite religious leaders traditional teachings. Knowing the nature of these religious leaders, I feel that they knew and expected the Messiahs coming, and were trying to hid the facts, and murder the Messiah before the people found out, but through the miracles of Christ the peoples eyes were opened.

When the people had seen Lazarus raised from the dead, and the blind man's sight returned, they knew that something was wrong with the traditions that they were taught. This opening of their spiritual eyes was the resurrection of the priesthood, and it could now be documented because of these miracles of Jesus.

The people witnessed the miracles, and they still did not believe in Jesus, even when they had Him present with them. They didn't have to take Christ by faith, because there was nothing unseen and unknown like today, Jesus was in the flesh, and the miracles happened before their eyes. However today, we have His written Word, and His promises, and sight unseen we take it for being fact, and act upon His Word as we study it, and make it part of our lives. We have the confidence within our hearts and minds that He will do exactly what His Word says that He will do. That is faith.

Ephesians 2:8, 9; "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:" [8] "Not of works, lest any man should boast." [9] It is God's grace, and your faith, or accepting His Word sight unseen that we are saved.

John 12:39 "Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again,"

This is why they could not see, even though they had seen the miracles.

John 12:40 "He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them."

Jesus is quoting here from Isaiah 6:9, 10; "And He said, "God and tell this People, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not." [9] "Make the heart of this People fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed." [10]

Isaiah continues in the sixth chapter, "But yet in it shall be a tenth, and it shall return, and shall be eaten: as a teil tree, and as an oak, whose substance is in them, when they cast their leaves: so the holy seed shall be the substance thereof."

This tenth that remain true to God have not had their eyes blinded, but they do understand in their hearts the full substance that the Holy Spirit has placed within them to stand firm in the truths of God's Word. The holy seed are Gods elect and they will see the truth, and they will understand completely. There will be no confusion in them, and they will be able to spread the truths of God's Word.

John 12:41 "These things said Esaias, when he saw His glory, and spake of Him."

Esaias is Isaiah. Isaiah did see the glory of God, and wrote of God's glory.

John 12:42 "Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on Him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue:"

We know that both Joseph of Arimathea, as well as Nicodemus were chief rulers, and on the Sanhedrin, and they both believed on Jesus. But because of these Kenite Pharisees they did not make their confession known to them, because to go against their traditions publicly meant that you would be thrown out of the temple. Remember until Christ came out of the tomb, the temple, by God's law, was the only place to worship. They would have been excommunicated from God's house.

After Christ arose from the dead, He became our Sabbaths. We then had the right to go directly to the God the Father, in the name of the Son, Jesus and there was no medium of the holy of Holies to go through anymore. Today it is more important to follow our convictions, that are based on the Word of God, then to allow ourselves to be taken over by the traditions of men that will lead us to spiritual destruction. Excommunication becomes more desirable than staying in the house [church] of confusion.

If God places a conviction on you it is for a reason, and we are not to compromise those convictions God has placed in us. We must use common sense though, and if you learn more rapidly then the others, then that is the time to be gentle with the others trying to learn. Plant the seeds of truth, and allow the Holy Spirit to work, if the church is truly seeking the truth.

John 12:43 "For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God."

Many people today go to the church that gives them attention, and caters to their every whim. They look for the religious social clubs, rather then where the Word of God is taught. A good way to get a trip to hell is to seek the praise of the masses, rather then the praise of our Heavenly Father. Even Jesus Christ when He walked this earth did not seek popularity from the masses, and when the miracles and teachings turned from the spiritual, to physical praise, He left and hid Himself from them."

In fact when it came to the end, and the time of paying the full price for your and my sins, Jesus stood alone. He was mocked, spit on, whipped, and took every form of disgrace that one could go through, and there He stood naked and alone.

John 12:44 "Jesus cried and said, "He that believeth on Me, believeth not on Me, but on Him That sent Me."

This is the same statement as; "When you see the Son you see the Father." This becomes a matter of believing on the Father who gave the power to the Son to perform.

John 12:45 "And he that seeth Me seeth Him That sent Me."

If you see Me, the Messiah, you have seen the Son Jesus; and when you see Jesus then you also have seen the Father that sent Jesus. Why? They are one and the same. Christ is simply the office of the Savior of God. That is what the Word Jesus means. There is one true God, with three offices to the Godhead.

John 12:46 "I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on Me should not abide in darkness."

Satan's hour is the hour of darkness, but you don't have to abide in it. This is one of the most beautiful promises that Jesus Christ has made to you. Christ is the light that shines within us, and we in Him, and that light will shine in that darkness that will soon cover the entire earth.

John 12:47 "And if any man hear My words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world."

This means to hear with understanding. This marks the first advent, for Jesus came as the our Savior in the first advent. He did not come to judge any man, but to pay the price for their sins so that the Holy Spirit could convict man of Sin whereby they might see and believe. "He came humbly and lowly, riding on an foal of an ass." But on the second advent, Jesus will come riding that great white horse, reeling His two edged sword and a rod of iron, to conquer the entire earth, and rule as King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.

John 12:48 "He that rejecteth Me, and receiveth not My words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day."

The Word that has been spoken, is the Word that was written down by the prophets and we call it the Bible. On the very last day of the Millennium Age it is that Book and what is written in that book that you will be judged on. If you have eyes to see and ears to understand, you are very fortunate, for in these latter days you are one of God's elect. It means that you have the knowledge to make a stand, and thus you have earned the right to reign with Christ in His Millennium kingdom that will start at the sounding of the seventh and last trumpet.

John 12:49 "For I have not spoken of Myself; but the Father Which sent Me, He gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak."

Jesus is telling us that what He has said was not just one man dreaming up a new religion, but what I have spoken was given by My Father that sent Me, and He gave the commandment or what say, and speak of. That commandment is called the Word of God and we call it the Old Testament. That is why everything that Jesus did and said was recorded by the prophets of old. What the prophets wrote, was spoken by the Father.

John 12:50 "And I know that His commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto Me, so I speak."

To see the Son is to see the Father, and here Jesus adds, to hear the Son is also to hear the Father. To know the Father's commandments, which is the Bible, and to believe on that Word, which is Christ is to have everlasting life.

The key message of this chapter is the message that there are two advents, and at Christ first advent the traditions of the Kenite religious leaders blinded the people for His first advent. Just as those traditions of men ruled the minds of men through the religious leaders, so also will the traditions of men also blind the church in the time of Christ's second advent. Men's Words will take priority over the Words from God, and the darkness is starting now covering the earth, including the Christian world.

What is important is that you understand that God loves you, and what ever sin you now are in, that price for that sin has been paid for, if you repent of your sins before the Father in Jesus name, and turn from that sin to follow him. Though you falter in the future, daily we must ask forgiveness for we will fall as long as we are in the flesh body, and God love and forgiveness is always there i.

American Wisdom Series Editor's Note: Now that we've completed this 2015 study of the  "BOOK OF JOHN chapter 12" we have placed a earlier 2002 John chapter 12 study to follow for your comparison. I don't believe you will find much difference in the general opinion of these 2 authors, but to read another person's perspective of events that took place may prove helpful in your understanding of the gospel of John

Pamphlet 1512
John chapter 12

You can walk in magnificent churches with stain glassed windows, you can walk on holy ground, you can walk among holy men, you can walk around all over town and say "Praise the Lord" to everyone, but if you do not walk in the Word of God, you walk in darkness everywhere you walk!

Lazarus (which is Greek for Eleazar, the third son of Aaron), and the Levitical High Priesthood which he represents, have both been restored to life by He who is Life and the Resurrection, Jesus Christ. In doing so, that High Priest position was removed from the usurping hands of the kenites who claimed they legitimately sat in the seat of Moses. And to further document and illustrate the point, our Father even "took over" the mouth of the would-be high priest, Caiaphas, and "caused him" to prophecy concerning the very crucifixion of Jesus as the Savior for all mankind.

Now, needless to say, raising someone from the dead was no small miracle and word of this supernatural event traveled fast and caused quite a stir. Meanwhile, the holier-than-thou leaders of the prevailing church system were worried sick and losing sleep over the real possibility that this could bring their phony "religious world" and therefore their power, influence and tithe-filled bank accounts, crashing down!

So they concluded that the best organized religion solution to their problem was to eliminate their "competition" by means of murder, which is quick, simple and, they no doubt though, very effective.

We now begin chapter 12 in this Gospel of John, and it is the 9th day of the first month, Nisan, which would be from our Thursday sunset to Friday sunset. Jesus has returned to Bethany.

John 12:1
Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead.

Note: People often write to us and ask how to determine the date for Passover. It always begins on the 14th day of the first month of the year as it is written: Leviticus 23:5 "In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the LORD'S passover."  And since the first month of the solar year (Day 1) always begins with the spring equinox, you can easily look up the date for any given year. Many calendars mark the equinoxes, solstices, and phases of the moon.

[2] There they made Him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him.

This is the first of three recorded suppers and occurred at the close of the Sabbath, Saturday evening, the 10th of Nisan.

What a wonderful servant of the Lord, Martha was. And there, seated at the table with Jesus, was her brother Lazarus, alive and well after having once been dead four days. Although he had been to the Father for that short time period (Ecc. 12:7), it is not written whether God allowed any memory of that to remain with him when he returned to his flesh body.

[3] Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.

This is a most beautiful contrast from the Mary we saw back in chapter 11, where we saw her at Jesus' feet, sniveling and whining about her problems and sorrows (which we also saw added to the indignation of our Lord, because He doesn't like it). However, can we not all say, "There for but the grace of God go I?" Think about what you do and say at Jesus' feet!  It is OK to worship there, but then stand up and be a doer!

Mary took probably the most valuable possession she had and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped them with her hair. And though she gave Him the best she had materially, her precious heart and love for Him was even more valuable, her faith having been increased in Him (as He said would happen in vs. 11:15).

[4] Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, which should betray him,

Uh oh, here comes Mr. Material Minded with an auditing question!

John 12:5
Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?

So you see, the concept of redistribution of wealth, taking from the "haves" and giving it to the "have-nots", was not conceived by 20th Century politicians, although their creative underhanded methods of doing so have been better disguised as compassionate. Nor did they formulate the concept of trying to lay guilt on the haves for having, and not sharing it all with the poor, who continue to have not.

Besides, giving money to the poor never has been, nor ever will be, the solution to their problem, which is usually spiritual and mental. It is contained in the old adage, "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man how to fish, and you feed him for life." And a perfect illustration of this was when Jesus fed actual fish to the 5,000. What was the result? They came seeking Him the next day for another handout!

So how far do you think the 300 pence for the ointment would go?

[6] This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.

Of course if the "bag" is ever delivered to the poor by a thief (or a socialist politician) it is always much, much, "lighter" than it was when they were given it to carry!

[7] Then said Jesus, Let her alone: against the day of my burying hath she kept this.

The greatest gift to the both the "poor" and the "poor in spirit" was the sacrifice (burying) of Jesus Christ. And the Holy Spirit moved upon Mary to anoint Him for this cause.

[8] For the poor always ye have with you; but me ye have not always.

Even a few days hence and the Passover Lamb, supplied by God Himself, would be sacrificed.

John 12:9
Much people of the Jews therefore knew that he was there: and they came not for Jesus' sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he had raised from the dead.

There is nothing new under the sun. Can't you just see it now: "Come one, come all, to the Greatest Show on Earth! See the man who was once dead but is now alive! Come one, come all!"

Perhaps that's an over dramatization, but it illustrates the way people are.

[10] But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death;

Since Lazarus was also becoming famous and drawing large crowds, Caiaphas, the high priest along with his "advisors" decided to put a contract out on him too (that's organized crime talk for "have him killed", not by trial and execution, but by a "hit man")!

[11] Because that by reason of him many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus.

This was not good news for the scribes and Pharisees.

John 12:12 On the next day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem,

This would now be the fourth day before Passover, the 11th of Nisan. Word had spread fast that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem and there gathered a great crowd. And they:

[13] Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord.

"Hosanna" means "oh save" or "save now" and is an exclamation of adoration (See Strong's #5614). And so prophetically they went forth and quoted from the Book of Psalms.

Psalm 118:25
Save now, I beseech thee, O LORD: O LORD, I beseech thee, send now prosperity.

[26] Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the LORD: we have blessed you out of the house of the LORD.

You see, all the events of the crucifixion were testified of Him in the Word of God, long before they happened. So how could anyone deny that Jesus was in fact, without dispute, the very Messiah? Man could not possibly have orchestrated the fulfillment of these prophecies. But then again, if you have people who personally witnessed Jesus heal the sick, give sight to the blind, and raise a dead man back to life, deny that He is the Messiah, what convincing argument can you give?

Watch what Jesus does next.

John 12:14 And Jesus, when he had found a young ass, sat thereon; as it is written,

Have you read where it is written?

[15] Fear not, daughter of Sion: behold, thy King cometh, sitting on an ass's colt.

More than 400 years before Jesus "found a young ass, and sat thereon" these words were written by the prophet Zechariah.

Zech. 9:9
Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.

And it came to pass exactly as it was written!

John 12:16
These things understood not his disciples at the first: but when Jesus was glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of him, and that they had done these things unto him.

How about you? Do you remember that these things were written of Him? Have you ever read the Book of Zechariah?

Many of us were first exposed to Jesus Christ through the New Testament, and "understood these things not at the first". In fact, some of us went (perhaps even yet go) to churches that just carried the New Testament around and therefore the facts necessary to form the memory "that these things were written of Him" are not taught, nor even made available.

[17] The people therefore that was with him when he called Lazarus out of his grave, and raised him from the dead, bare record.

The crowd who witnessed the resurrection of Lazarus continued to witness and talk about Him and the miracle. This accounted for the large crowd that went out to meet Him.

[18] For this cause the people also met him, for that they heard that he had done this miracle.

And as the Pharisees, looking down from their lofty ivory towers, watched the crowd gather before Him they said to themselves, "We've got big problems!"

[19] The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, Perceive ye how ye prevail nothing? behold, the world is gone after him.

But the prophetic words (supplied directly through the intervention of the Holy Spirit) spoken by Caiaphas, the wicked high priest, would soon be fulfilled as the day of this Passover approaches!

We are now on the 3rd day before the feast, which would be our Sunday sunset to Monday sunset, and drawing closer and closer to the crucifixion of the Passover Lamb.

John 12:20
And there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast:

These Greeks were Hellenes, i.e. gentiles.

[21 ]The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus.

They probably knew Philip because he was from Bethsaida (house of fish) of Galilee and even had a Greek name.

[22] Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: and again Andrew and Philip tell Jesus.

[23] And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified.

We have been reading all along in this Gospel of John that no one could apprehend Jesus because His hour had not yet come.

John 7:30
Then they sought to take him: but no man laid hands on him, because his hour was not yet come.

John 8:20
... and no man laid hands on him; for his hour was not yet come.

Now the hour has finally come that the Son of man should be glorified. And how is that glorification revealed? Jesus teaches us using the example of a "seed".

John 12:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.

If you never place the seed into the earth (i.e. bury it), it will become nothing for it will just remain a seed. But if you plant it in the ground so that it decays and dies, though the seed itself will be no more, from it will spring forth new life and plentiful fruit. So in this teaching Jesus is preparing His disciples for the crucifixion which is about to take place and that through His death, Abundant and Eternal Life will spring forth.

Did you know that apostle Paul also used this same agricultural example to explain how the flesh body dies, and is placed in the ground like a seed, and from it springs your beautiful spiritual body. In fact he makes it quite clear that the body you place in the ground is NOT the body that will come forth. (So much for the flesh body rising from the grave theory.)

1 Cor. 15:37
And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain:

[38] But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body.

So when you die (or are changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, if you are alive when Jesus returns) you are raised, or you step into, your spiritual body. The flesh returns to the "dust", the material elements of the periodic table from which it was made (Ecc. 12:7).

1 Cor. 15:44
It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.

It can't be explained any simpler than Paul explains it.

Jesus now continues with His teaching:

John 12:25
He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.

If you love "you" more than anyone else, even Christ, you are in big trouble. Are you willing to give unto Him your most priceless ointment?

Certain words in the English language have changed considerably since 1611 A.D. For example, the word "hateth" used here means to love less by comparison. It is a matter of priorities just as Jesus explained in Luke 14 where He said you are to "hate" your father and mother and all your relatives and even yourself. ("Hate" again means to love less by comparison.)  Our heavenly Father, our closest relative, the One who created us, comes first, then family.

Luke 14:26
If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.

And if you please the Father, regardless of what man says or does, and follow Jesus, the Word of God, then you are Christ's disciple, His servant, and the Father will dearly honour you and bless you. You see, you can say you believe in Jesus, but if you don't follow the Word of God, Jesus Christ, then you are not His disciple. Jesus further explains:

John 12:26
If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.

Remember His sheep hear His voice, His word, and FOLLOW Him, willingly, because they love Him, not because they fear death, hell or excommunication from church.  The word "Honour" means to "prize" or value greatly. Oh how He loves His children.

[27] Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.

This simply means that now His hour is come and His life is in danger!  It does not mean He is scared or frightened. It was for this cause, to be the Passover Lamb, that He came into the world at His first advent! So why would He ask the Father to change or alter the plan of Salvation? He wouldn't. He didn't ask for a comfortably saddled horse or a chariot when it was written that He would ride in on the colt of an ass, did He?

28] Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.

And to validate the point that the plan must be fulfilled and He would not say "Father save me", He looked up and said, "Father, glorify thy name", and the "voice of great thunder" (Rev. 14:2) replied.

And so He did glorify His name through Christ's first advent and He will do so again at His second advent.

John 12:29
The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spake to him.

[30] Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes.

Jesus didn't need to audibly hear His Father's voice, nor vice versa as we learned in John 11:42 when He said, "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."

[31] Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.

In other words, the "world" is exercising its judgment, and has decided to reject and crucify the Messiah. You see, they will choose "Bar-abbas", which means "son of the father" (their father the devil), over Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, Almighty God.

And you know what? The next step will be that the world will get its choice when the prince of this world, the prince of the power of the air, is cast out of heaven (Rev. 12:7-9) and returns disguised as the Prince of Peace, though he will be Satan himself, ("the instead of Christ).

[32] And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.

"If I be lifted up" means that He will be, i.e. when He is lifted up on the cross and pays the price. ALL men means just that, all people both Israelites and Gentiles.

Of course when He was actually lifted up on the cross, NO ONE drew unto Him. They all deserted Him, including His disciples, except for John whom he sent home with His mother.  But after that prince of this world is cast out first (at the 6th Trump) and then Jesus Christ returns (at the 7th Trump), EVERY KNEE, that's all men, will draw to Him and bow before the King of kings and Lord of lords.

[33]This he said, signifying what death He should die.

This documents that the "lifting up" in verse 32 was talking about the cross, as His manner of death would be crucifixion.

John 12:34
The people answered him, We have heard out of the law that Christ abideth for ever: and how sayest thou, The Son of man must be lifted up? who is this Son of man?

They "heard" out of the law. Yes, people will sit and listen to someone speak, but do they ever "read" out of the law for themselves? Some do. Remember the Bereans who listened to the apostle Paul? It is recorded in Acts 17:11 "These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so."

Hmmm! Some Christians "are more noble that others". These Bereans "checked out" the apostle Paul, the one who wrote the majority of the New Testament, to see if he was telling them the truth! Now if you read that scripture to someone who claims to be a "follower" of Christ, they NEVER say, "How dare they check out what the Apostle Paul told them?" But then they get all upset if you suggest they "check out" what their pope or bishop or evangelist or local preacher is telling them. Go figure?

You see, it is not written anywhere in the Old Testament that Jesus would abide forever "at His first advent", as those in verse 34 claim they "heard" He would, perhaps from Ps. 89:29. Even Psalms 22 declares and details His very crucifixion right down to the gambling of His clothes by the Roman soldiers and the very words Jesus would TEACH while hanging on the cross.

Psalm 22:1
... My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

But don't take my word for it. Check it out for yourself! You determine your own "nobility", not me.

Jesus has just told the people that He must be lifted up, i.e. crucified, and they are SURPRISED at this, because they HEARD that the Messiah abideth forever when He comes. The problem is they didn't know the Word of God, because it nowhere says that, and consequently they were misled by those speaking their own voice. So Christ is about to shed some light on their ignorance, in love of course.

John 12:35
Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.

How do you walk in the light? The Word of God is the light! You can walk in magnificent churches with stain glassed windows, you can walk on holy ground, you can walk among holy men, you can walk around all over town and say "Praise the Lord" to everyone, but if you do not walk in the Word of God, you walk in darkness everywhere you walk!

But if you abide in the light, then that light will shine brightly in you and you will truly be a child of Light. You'll glow in the dark, so to speak.

Ephes. 5:8
For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:

Even as Jesus Christ, the Light, glorified the Father in heaven, He will continue to do so in and through His servants, because the Light, the Word of God, is in them. So don't hide the light and put it under a bushel.

Matthew 5:16
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Again, we are the children of light, if we have that light in us.

John 12:36
While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them.

John 12:37
But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him:

They just didn't see the light, did they?

[38] That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed?

This is a direct quote from Isaiah 53:1.

Isaiah 53:1
Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?

This question was asked by the prophets and the answer is "no one" or few. (See note in Companion Bible, Isa. 53:1)

And why not? The answer is given in Isaiah 6:9, 10, which the following is quoted from. ("Esaias" is Greek for Isaiah.)

John 12:39
Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again,

[40] He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.

It is because God loves His children that those without eyes to see and ears to hear might learn through the hardening of their hearts [minds] to turn to Him in utter defeat, or after having experienced the pros and cons of joy and pain and love and despair and see the mercy and the grace and the love of God, and say "Abba, Father" and be converted, and Christ should heal their eyes that they might see Him. That's what flesh is all about. It is, after all, only a temporary body which can be diseased, mutilated and even killed (for it only lasts a short time anyway), yet not harm the soul at all. It is given to the sons of God for the purpose of learning to decide to chose between God and Satan. I sometimes refer to our trip through this flesh age as "earth school".

Remember in chapter 3 that we discussed the plan of God was to have the host of heaven, all of us, His sons, (yes, us, we spirit beings who He created way back even before the first earth age, who lived here with the dinosaurs), be born from above, i.e. come down from heaven and be born of woman and dwell in flesh bodies, born innocent, i.e. with no memory whatsoever of the rebellion of Satan and the "world that then was"? And remember the blind man? He was BORN blind! And Jesus placed clay on his eyes and told him go wash off the clay, which is symbolic of flesh.

The point is, you see, the flesh itself is blind to that which is spirit. In other words, eyes to see and ears to hear are not standard equipment on flesh bodies. You must receive them from your Father.

[41] These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him.

[42] Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue:

A few years ago, the pastor of a major Christian denomination in a nearby community told me that he began teaching the Bible from the pulpit on Sundays, instead of just giving sermons. When word of his activities got back to the denomination's headquarters he was notified that if he continued to teach in such a fashion that he would be fired. Unfortunately he decided to keep his job!

So don't kid yourself. There are many preachers in the churches today who do not teach God's Word, as it is written, because they know they would lose their jobs. In fact, I am told most sign agreements that they will not teach anything other than the approved doctrines of the church. So they teach those topics and sermons handed down by the church hierarchies in their little quarterlies. Therefore, they are as these Pharisees in that they do NOT confess Him, because they withhold the true Voice of the Shepherd, the Word of God.

John 12:43
For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.

So should it be any surprise that we are nation of Biblical illiterates?  Jesus will say in verse 49 that the Father gave Him everything that He should speak, and He boldly and courageously said every word of it. Well, the Father has also given to His servants that which they should speak, IN WRITING! It is called the Word of God. Yet those who call themselves ministers and preachers and teachers, i.e. "men of the cloth", speak their own words and the words of other men, and NOT the words of the LORD! So what are we left with? The famine of the end time that Jesus told us of in Mark 13 and Matthew 24.

Here again is what that famine is:

Amos 8:11
Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD:

Yep, they are afraid of being put out of the church and they love their lofty positions and some even like dressing up in fancy religious garb, where people look up to them as "Reverends", etc. Shame on them!

John 12:44
Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me.

You can't believe in Jesus without believing in the Father. And as John has documented both in this Gospel and in his epistles, if you don't have the Son, you don't have the Father either! You see, Jesus did not even speak His own words, but only those that the Father gave Him. So His words were the Father's and vice versa.

[45] And he that seeth me seeth Him that sent me.

In a just couple of chapters hence Jesus will be asked by Philip, who was present here and heard what Jesus just said in verse 45, to "show us" the Father.

Here's Jesus' reply:

John 14:9
Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?

How many times has He already said that He and the Father are one?

John 14:10
Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.

Do you believe Jesus is the "I AM"?

John 12:46
I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.

Jesus is the light that came into the world and "you know who" is the darkness. Which one do you abide in? Did you know that Satan looks like Jesus to most Christians? That is his "image", even the image of the religious beast, which is why most people will follow him and worship him as Jesus when he is cast out of heaven to this earth (Rev. 12:7-9).

2 Cor. 11:14
And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

Jesus is the real Light, Satan is the transformed light or the AntiLight.

John 12:47
And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.

Jesus said this very same thing back in chapter 3. He came as the "Savior", not the "Judge".

John 3:17
For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

Judgment is reserved unto the appointed time, which is the "day of judgment", following the Millennium (see next verse). The plan was laid out in the beginning.

John 12:48
He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.

Let there be no doubt about it. ALL judgment either past, present, or future is by the Word of God. In the past, in "the world that then was" (II Pet. 3), Satan was judged by God and sentenced to die (Ezek. 28) in the lake of fire following the final "great white throne" judgment. God's elect were also justified and predestined to be used by Him to bring about His plan. And all those who have died believing in, and those who are alive and believe in Jesus, will be part of the first resurrection and shall be rewarded with eternal life, (i.e. their judgment is reward). They will not partake in the final judgment in the last day of the Millennium as it is written in Rev. 20:6 "Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years."

But Jesus explains in this 48th verse, those who reject the Word of God,and who do not change by the end of the Millennium, will be judged by Him, the Word of God, at that time, when the books are opened (Rev. 20:12). The Father wants everyone to know that and so He had it both spoken by the Living Word and recorded in the Written Word. We are without excuse.

[49] For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.

Much of what the Father gave Jesus to say was already written in the Torah, word for word.

[50] And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak.

The Word of God lives and abides forever (I Pet. 1:23). And if you abide in it, you can too!

                               

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