Day 314 – Holy Week

Today’s reading for study: John 12:1-26

Today John brings us to the beginning of the end. Several things to notice:

Chapter 12 starts with John telling us it is six (6) days before the Passover.  Recall, this is the 3rd Passover John has highlighted for us.  So far the events of the Passover that John has highlighted for us have been as follows: (1) Jesus turns water into wine, (2) Jesus multiplies the loaves and the fishes and gives the bread of life discourse and (3) Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead.  The message is clear – the bread and wine bring new life.

John tells us now of additional events that have important symbolism.  Martha anoints Jesus with expensive oil.  Literally, “Messiah” means anointed one.  Thus, this anointing again confirms Jesus is the Messiah.  Also, dead bodies were anointed with perfumed oil to help suppress the stench.  The anointing foretells Jesus death and how he will have to be rushed into the tomb.

I love the next part.  We see Palm Sunday and Jesus riding into town on a donkey.  The crowd shouts:

So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!” John 12:13

At the Catholic Mass, the congregation sings this line of scripture before the Eucharistic liturgy and Communion begins.  We know that the bread and wine bring the real presence of Jesus to us and we quote this scripture to welcome him.

Finally, some gentiles come to see Jesus.  When they are announced, Jesus says something curious.

Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks. So these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” Philip went and told Andrew; Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. And Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. John 12:20-24

This is because Holy Week is beginning.  The “hour” of the death of Jesus is at hand.  This will end the old covenant and begin the New Covenant through which the good news will be extended to the Gentiles.  Thus, the arrival of the gentiles, anxious to speak with Jesus, shows the longing of the whole world to embrace the gospel and that the time is almost here for the gospel to go out to the world.

Tomorrow: John 12:27-50