John 12:1-50
12:1-2 Jesus returned to be with the family of Mary and Lazarus, with Him were the disciples. Martha served, and this is precisely what we all do for God: we humbly, gratefully serve and work to inspire and promote His philosophy in the world.
12:3 To express her faith and love of Jesus, Mary is attentive and delicate in pampering Jesus. She's grateful to Him but she also deeply, faithfully cares for Him and His well-being. She uses her most valuable possession to show that He is worthy of even the best of what she has.
12:4 It's easy to dislike Judas -- but remember that Judas was an integral part of God's plan. Judas' short-comings would eventually teach him and heal him from his selfishness, and what more can we hope for even for ourselves? To be guided and healed from our mistakes.
12:5-6 In this verse, Judas has not yet learned from his short-comings and he is behaving greedily. Although he speaks of the expensive oil being sold for the impoverished's benefit, he's actually troubled by the thought of losing assets which make him money.
12:7-8 Jesus explains with perception, Mary's faith. She believes what Jesus had foretold them all: that He will leave earth soon. Until then, she wants to express her love of Jesus. Jesus asks Judas to cut her some slack, even though the money could have been used to help others, her faith and work with God after Jesus' passing would accomplish more than any amount of money could. Moreover, the help and wisdom she would bring to the world was dependent on her having a strong relationship with God. This small but loving act worked to solidify her faith.
12:9-11 Jesus' adversaries mean business: they want Him gone and along with Him, they want to remove any evidence of the good and healing He did on the earth. To retain their power, they seek to rid the world of their competition. They do not realize that one (or even many) cannot compete with God.
12:12-13 More and more, people are understanding and believing Jesus' holiness. They are accepting Him as the Son of God, the bringer of miracles of healing, wisdom and empathy. They are zealous in their love and belief.
12:14-16 Jesus fulfills scripture of the Old Testament, Zechariah 9:9 which foretold, specifically of Jesus' coming. He's a prophet and foretold scripture solidifies the evidence of Him being so.
12:17-18 Multitudes of people began to gather and believe. Jesus was proving Himself through action, teaching, scripture and miracle. His compassionate message, the wise philosophy of God He brought to the world was captivating and healing the minds and bodies of so many. They believed and strongly. He filled them with life and joy.
12:19 The Pharisees were panicking among themselves. They felt they were reaching a point of no-return (and they were quite right in a sense). People were so deeply in love and enthusiastic for the message Jesus brought and Jesus Himself that their power over them had drastically diminished.
12:20-22 People want to meet Jesus. The current circumstances however, required that Jesus begin His exit from the world. His mission nearly accomplished, with the most integral piece remaining, He need to remain a productive servant of God. There was no time for Him chat and greet at this time, His earthly sleep so soon impending.
12:23 The celebration and glorification of Jesus would come after His Resurrection, after the purpose was entirely, flawlessly complete and not before. He remained a humble worker of God while He was on earth.
12:23 The celebration and glorification of Jesus would come after His Resurrection, after the purpose was entirely, flawlessly complete and not before. He remained a humble worker of God while He was on earth.
12:24 Through metaphor nature, Jesus explains how the the word/philosophy of God is spread throughout humanity. God uses one believing, kind, faithful soul and "plants" them into a specific "ground" (place/family/organization) in order for them to become the source with which others grow and nourish their own faith.
12:25 This verse means that, the person who devotes all of their love and effort to obtaining a wealthy, famous, powerful life for themselves will be eliminated from existence; they will lose their life after earth. However, the person who devotes all of their love and effort to obtaining a safe, loving, healthy, compassionate life for others will obtain eternal, spiritual life after earth.
The metaphor of "losing" your life means to give your whole self over to the purpose of promoting and creating fair and kind life for others. God's children quickly find that their lives are enhanced even the moment they devote themselves to bringing joy and saftey to others.
12:26 To serve Jesus is to serve God's philosophy of love for all. God honors His compassionate children. Jesus', Gods, fellow workers (1 Corinthians 3:9) always remain with them and follow them to the places of darkness to bring light.
Remember that a kind soul is a kind soul... is a kind soul. Meaning that all of God's children, regardless of the details of their religion, are welcome and loved in His family when they are kind, productive souls.
12:27 Jesus was overcome with the full weight and meaning of this moment. His transfiguration would propel God's philosophy throughout the world for generations to come. Yet before that would happen, stood Jesus on earth, contemplative and knowing of all that humanity would endure in the thousands of years to come. Jesus remains firm in knowing and accepting His purpose on earth but His love for humanity is contemplated with God before its completion -- He wants to ensure that this is the best option for all of God's children. He knows and feels all the emotions of humanity, He carries the weight of them and He wishes fervently that there were another, easier way to discern good from evil. But at the core of His being, Jesus knows that our life on earth is the most fair, the most authentic and free way for us to create who we are and thereby decide for ourselves if we wish to be with God. Still, He aches at the thought of the chaos and suffering evil will produce. He finds comfort in the truth that God's children return to Him and that God strengthens and heals all souls through their adversity.
12:28 For the benefit of those with Him, and humanity, Jesus beckons God's solemn voice. He beckons a blessing for them and also the guidance and assurance from God for them to receive perseverance. Jesus asks God to glorify, officially, this purpose He came to earth for -- to further evidence to humanity that they are in kind, wise hands.
12:29 People are aware of the presence of a luminous spirit and maybe this is a hard concept to grasp. God is with us spiritually and although His presence cannot be quantified, it is very much present and tangible, very prominently felt by the children who are perceptive and humble enough to receive it.
12:30-31 Jesus is focused and faithful. He believes and trusts God; for humanity's benefit He requests the back-up of God's direct assurance. Jesus wants people to right-then, right-now solidify their faith because He must return with God for a time. During the time we now live. He knows we will need strength of faith to endure.
This prophet who led so many multitudes of people out of oppression and into productivity and life was going to return to the spirit with God and Jesus needed them to remain sharp and alert in their faith in order to remain changed, healed and guided.
12:32-33 Jesus know exactly how He would die and He also knew that His "death" would gather many people and bolster the philosophy He taught to thrive throughout the world. The philosophy of God indeed gathers all people, all compassionate souls.
12:34 Without seeing it unfold before their eyes, people did not understand. Christ certainly does remain forever, but He remains in the spirit... the perfect eternity. They did not yet grasp the concept of life superseding earth. They would of course, after His "death" and then transfiguration -- the final purpose of His life, to teach them of the spirit.
12:35-36 The philosophy of God is our light. Rejecting and neglecting His philosophy, we plummet ourselves into darkness. Jesus is the embodiment of that light and therefore, to walk with Him is to walk in the light. To work with Him is to walk in the light. Work, bringing, promoting and sustaining compassion for humanity. We are ever the children of light so long as we are kind and productive in our kindness.
12:37-38 Even though Jesus fulfills scripture they claim to believe in, they refuse to listen or join Him.
12:39-41 Here is the kind and forgiving nature of God: He knows that to whom much is given, much is expected. So, when a person shows Him that they will reject His philosophy, He limits their ability to perceive His philosophy. Because, if they know of it's truth and still deny it, they lose their existence.
Earth is a place and opportunity for each person to somewhat-fairly deny, ignore, disbelieve in God. This is a gift, not a punishment. This verse explains to us that a child is only guilty when they know better. So that we have room for error, God "closes the eyes" and "hardens the heart" of many of His children -- He distances them from spirituality because without the tangible proof that He exists, they cannot therefore solidify their rejection of Him (and in-turn lose their existence).
However, the truth is abundant and fervently available to any person who seeks it: Jeremiah 29:12. Remember though, once you seek it and see the truth, you are quite responsible for what you do with it -- but I'm not worried, God's children are happy to accept the work and purpose that comes with His truth.
12:28 For the benefit of those with Him, and humanity, Jesus beckons God's solemn voice. He beckons a blessing for them and also the guidance and assurance from God for them to receive perseverance. Jesus asks God to glorify, officially, this purpose He came to earth for -- to further evidence to humanity that they are in kind, wise hands.
12:29 People are aware of the presence of a luminous spirit and maybe this is a hard concept to grasp. God is with us spiritually and although His presence cannot be quantified, it is very much present and tangible, very prominently felt by the children who are perceptive and humble enough to receive it.
12:30-31 Jesus is focused and faithful. He believes and trusts God; for humanity's benefit He requests the back-up of God's direct assurance. Jesus wants people to right-then, right-now solidify their faith because He must return with God for a time. During the time we now live. He knows we will need strength of faith to endure.
This prophet who led so many multitudes of people out of oppression and into productivity and life was going to return to the spirit with God and Jesus needed them to remain sharp and alert in their faith in order to remain changed, healed and guided.
12:32-33 Jesus know exactly how He would die and He also knew that His "death" would gather many people and bolster the philosophy He taught to thrive throughout the world. The philosophy of God indeed gathers all people, all compassionate souls.
12:34 Without seeing it unfold before their eyes, people did not understand. Christ certainly does remain forever, but He remains in the spirit... the perfect eternity. They did not yet grasp the concept of life superseding earth. They would of course, after His "death" and then transfiguration -- the final purpose of His life, to teach them of the spirit.
12:35-36 The philosophy of God is our light. Rejecting and neglecting His philosophy, we plummet ourselves into darkness. Jesus is the embodiment of that light and therefore, to walk with Him is to walk in the light. To work with Him is to walk in the light. Work, bringing, promoting and sustaining compassion for humanity. We are ever the children of light so long as we are kind and productive in our kindness.
12:37-38 Even though Jesus fulfills scripture they claim to believe in, they refuse to listen or join Him.
12:39-41 Here is the kind and forgiving nature of God: He knows that to whom much is given, much is expected. So, when a person shows Him that they will reject His philosophy, He limits their ability to perceive His philosophy. Because, if they know of it's truth and still deny it, they lose their existence.
Earth is a place and opportunity for each person to somewhat-fairly deny, ignore, disbelieve in God. This is a gift, not a punishment. This verse explains to us that a child is only guilty when they know better. So that we have room for error, God "closes the eyes" and "hardens the heart" of many of His children -- He distances them from spirituality because without the tangible proof that He exists, they cannot therefore solidify their rejection of Him (and in-turn lose their existence).
However, the truth is abundant and fervently available to any person who seeks it: Jeremiah 29:12. Remember though, once you seek it and see the truth, you are quite responsible for what you do with it -- but I'm not worried, God's children are happy to accept the work and purpose that comes with His truth.
12:42-43 Jesus reached so many people, even people who had positions of authority in the church. They even converted to His way. Yet there still remained those who valued power, fame and wealth above truth and kindness.
12:44 Jesus' humility teaches us to always remember that God is our creator, our source of love, life and wisdom. Jesus proclaims Himself to be a fellow worker of God, just like the rest of us. He wants none of the glory that belongs to God.
12:45 Jesus is the living, breathing manifestation of all that God embodies -- to know one, is to know the other. To know compassion is to know them both.
12:46 Jesus is the light because He brought the light (God's love and wisdom) to the world. God's children forever abide in His love and wisdom, His light.
12:47 He did not come to condemn or punish. He came to heal and guide people toward life and love. Be observant of the people who hold positions of authority in the world, of people who have followers, do they lead for the benefit of their following or to promote themselves? Jesus led for our benefit.
12:48 Our own choices, our own actions, our own beliefs are how we actually judge ourselves. God places us where we choose to be: kindness is placed in His eternal family, evil is placed in non-existence. We chose were we want to be.
12:49 Jesus' wisdom comes directly from God. God's wisdom is alive in every of Jesus' words and actions. God's omniscience enables perfect guidance... He knows precisely how to save and lead the world.
12:50 Jesus' faith laid strong and pure for us: He trusts in God's wise compassion so faithfully that He serves and devotes His entire being, His whole body, mind and spirit to Him.
12:44 Jesus' humility teaches us to always remember that God is our creator, our source of love, life and wisdom. Jesus proclaims Himself to be a fellow worker of God, just like the rest of us. He wants none of the glory that belongs to God.
12:45 Jesus is the living, breathing manifestation of all that God embodies -- to know one, is to know the other. To know compassion is to know them both.
12:46 Jesus is the light because He brought the light (God's love and wisdom) to the world. God's children forever abide in His love and wisdom, His light.
12:47 He did not come to condemn or punish. He came to heal and guide people toward life and love. Be observant of the people who hold positions of authority in the world, of people who have followers, do they lead for the benefit of their following or to promote themselves? Jesus led for our benefit.
12:48 Our own choices, our own actions, our own beliefs are how we actually judge ourselves. God places us where we choose to be: kindness is placed in His eternal family, evil is placed in non-existence. We chose were we want to be.
12:49 Jesus' wisdom comes directly from God. God's wisdom is alive in every of Jesus' words and actions. God's omniscience enables perfect guidance... He knows precisely how to save and lead the world.
12:50 Jesus' faith laid strong and pure for us: He trusts in God's wise compassion so faithfully that He serves and devotes His entire being, His whole body, mind and spirit to Him.
