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Before we begin this study we need to remember that the purpose of John’s Gospel was not to produce a diary of the events in Jesus' life. John introduces events when they help his purpose: ‘that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.’

So we may find events in a slightly different order to the way they are recorded in the other Gospels. If you (or your group) are interested in the dates and times of events in the weeks leading up to the Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus I suggest you look at the study ‘Easter’ before continuing with this one. Where there is a conflict I will try to point it out as we go along. (And I will also assume that Good Friday was actually Thursday! Again, see ‘Easter’).

Read John 12:1-11

1 Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honour. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. 3 Then Mary took about half a litre of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

4 But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, 5 ‘Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.’ 6 He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.

7 ‘Leave her alone,’ Jesus replied. ‘It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. 8 You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.’

9 Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there and came, not only because of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. 10 So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, 11 for on account of him many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and believing in him.

Read John 12:1

1 Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead.

Passover was always on 15th Nisan and this year it fell on a Friday. Six days before would therefore be Saturday 9th Nisan, a Sabbath.

John suggests that the meal took place immediately, on the Sabbath, although Luke might seem to place it earlier in his Gospel (but there is nothing to date the events between Luke chapters 4 and 20, and Matthew and Mark suggest it could have been a day or two later).

Everyone would have had to rest on the Sabbath; but after sunset the restrictions ended, the new day began, and Saturday night was a good time for a party! Luke 14:1 records another Sabbath meal, also at the house of a ‘Prominent Pharisee’.

Before we go further, look at John 12:17-18:

‘17 Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word. 18 Many people, because they had heard that he had performed this sign, went out to meet him.’

The raising of Lazarus had been a major event and many people were talking about it. The number of disciples of Jesus who had followed him to Jerusalem were already quite a crowd (see John Introduction), but they had now been swelled by those who wanted to see the ‘Miracle-worker’.

Earlier, the numbers of Jesus' followers had grown so large that Luke 12:1 records ‘a crowd of many thousands had gathered, so that they were trampling on one another’. To me it seems that Jesus had become a major celebrity and the crowds were keen to catch a glimpse of him wherever it was possible.

Also these were the days leading up to the Passover festival and people from all over the country were already arriving in Jerusalem, and they would have had time on their hands before the festival began.

It is unlikely then, that the meal would have been a discreet, private affair! Rather, like modern day celebrity events, crowds would simply gather for a glimpse of Jesus.

It was at the home, in Bethany, of ‘Simon the Leper’ (Mark 14:3) ‘a Pharisee’ (Luke 7:36) and ‘was given in Jesus' honour’ (v2). And all these facts are interesting, and strange!

How could a leper invite anyone to his house for a meal? No-one would enter the house of a leper, or even go near them.

Why should a Pharisee invite Jesus of all people to his house for a meal? Following the raising of Lazarus the persecution of Jesus by the authorities had reached the point where they wanted him dead (John 11:47-50, and John 12:10)

Why should a Pharisee give a meal ‘in Jesus' honour’?

I think we could assume that although the name ‘Simon the Leper’ stuck with him, Simon had probably been healed by Jesus even though there is no record of this in the Gospels

(John wrote ‘Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.’ John 21:25).

This, combined with the recent healing of Lazarus, and the fact that the great crowd travelling with Jesus had left Jericho and would have to travel through Bethany to get to Jerusalem, was enough to prompt Simon to organise a meal in honour of Jesus. I wonder: who else might have been invited?

John 9:15-16 suggests that among the Pharisee there were some who were at least open to the claims of Jesus, and who were now also faced with the evidence of the healing of Simon and the Resurrection of Lazarus! John 12:11 says ‘for on account of him many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and believing in him.’

Read John 12:2

2 Here a dinner was given in Jesus' honour. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him.

Here we are told that ‘Martha served’. This has led to intriguing speculation that maybe Martha was married to Simon. I think most people, like me, had simply assumed that Lazarus, Martha and Mary all lived together. But looking deeper into the text makes me doubt this now. We know that they all lived in Bethany, but John 11:1 may suggest that the sisters didn’t actually live with Lazarus ‘Now a man named Lazarus was ill. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha.’

We were first introduced to Martha in Luke 10:38-39 ‘As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said.' (Note the NIV section heading also assumes that the two sisters actually lived together – but that is not explicitly stated in the text)

Note that it was Martha who opened her home to him. So what else do we know of the family? Or what do we assume?

I had always pictured a nice family, kind, loving and generous. Lazarus in particular seemed to have friends from among ‘The Jews’ (John 11:33, 45), and some have imagined a romantic connection between Mary and Jesus – but we may have to think again.

It is possible that before he was healed, Simon would have lived alone. To have people come to a meal at his house, he would have had to ask locals for help - but he was aware of Mary's reputation.

This current meal is also recorded in Matthew 26:6-13, Mark 14:3-9, and Luke 7:36-50.

It is possible that there were two meals, and two women, both with a jar of perfume, and both took place at the house of a man called Simon; but I personally don’t think so: I believe the narrative in Luke relates to the same event. We need to read that passage now. Ask for volunteers to read Luke 7:36-50 perhaps in sections: 36-38, 39-40, 41-43, 44-47, 48-50

36 When one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. 37 A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. 38 As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.

39 When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, ‘If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is – that she is a sinner.’

40 Jesus answered him, ‘Simon, I have something to tell you.’

‘Tell me, teacher,’ he said.

41 ‘Two people owed money to a certain money-lender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he forgave the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?’

43 Simon replied, ‘I suppose the one who had the bigger debt forgiven.’

‘You have judged correctly,’ Jesus said.

44 Then he turned towards the woman and said to Simon, ‘Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. 46 You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. 47 Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven – as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.’

48 Then Jesus said to her, ‘Your sins are forgiven.’

49 The other guests began to say among themselves, ‘Who is this who even forgives sins?’

50 Jesus said to the woman, ‘Your faith has saved you; go in peace.’

At that time it was the custom for men to recline on low couches to eat, with their heads nearest the table and with their feet furthest away, like spokes of a wheel. The women would eat separately, possibly after the men had been served. Perhaps the oil lamps would be positioned to give most light to the table, so making it easier for someone to approach Jesus' feet unnoticed.

Would someone like to describe the scene? (Maybe not, but it will put people’s imaginations to work!)

To clear up any doubts concerning the identity of Mary, read John 11:2 ‘This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay ill, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair’.

Now we need to return to John 12 and read verse 3:

‘Then Mary took about half a litre of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus' feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.’

She may have approached unnoticed, but the smell of the perfume was unmistakable. Simon recognised her and was confused. Simon knew that she was a ‘sinner’ (and we have to imagine what that meant). He assumed that Jesus would have known what reputation she had, but actually it was ‘sinners’ that were welcomed by him.

Now read the passage in Luke 10:38-42. There was something in Mary’s heart that told her that the words of Jesus were more important than preparations for a meal. Perhaps the purity of Jesus' life revealed the sin in her own life.

What was the ‘one thing’ that Mary needed?

To wash someone’s feet was a most humble act; to do it with her own tears and wipe Jesus' feet with her own hair, and to shower his feet with kisses were all an amazing demonstration of her repentance; so also was the uninhibited pouring of the perfume.

Simon saw a sinful woman;

What did Jesus see?

Jesus saw a sinful woman who needed forgiveness. Jesus knew what was truly in her heart and told her ‘Your faith has saved you; go in peace.’

Read John 12:4-5

4 But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, 5 ‘Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.’

Perhaps Mary had bought the perfume simply as an investment for the future – but now in the presence of Jesus she was prepared to give up everything as she came in repentance. Judas could only see a terrible waste of money.

Read John 12:6

6 He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.

This would seem to be from hindsight – at the last supper all the disciples were mystified as to who of their number might betray Jesus. Perhaps it was only later that they put two and two together and understood why there never seemed to be enough money in the ‘bag’.

Read John 12:7

7 ‘Leave her alone,’ Jesus replied. ‘It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial.

This is not an easy verse to understand! ‘It was intended’: by whom?

Perhaps only by Jesus; only he knew how imminent his death actually was.

Apart from a hasty wrapping of Jesus' body by Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, he never received the embalming this verse might suggest.

Read John 12:8

8 You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.’

Judas’ heart was not in the right place. He only saw a waste of money (which would probably never have reached ‘the poor’ once Judas had his hands on it) and he never understood the concept of ‘all to Jesus I surrender’.

Mark 14:8-10 tells us that it was immediately following this that ‘Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them.’

Read John 12:9

9 Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there and came, not only because of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead.

Word had spread rapidly, everyone knew that Jesus would soon be coming to Jerusalem and they were all eager to see and hear him.

Read John 12:10-11

10 So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, 11 for on account of him many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and believing in him.

John often used the term ‘The Jews’ to mean . . . who?

The ruling classes.

What was particularly galling was that it was their own people who were ‘defecting’. The Jewish ruling council, the Sanhedrin, was made up of 71 members drawn from the ruling classes – Samaritans, Pharisees, and Chief Priests. Of these, the Chief Priests stood to lose the most if Jesus was accepted for who he claimed to be.

Why was that?

The whole religious system controlled the people, thus giving the priests power and paying their wages. They sensed that Jesus was ushering in a new ‘Way’ that would render them and their system redundant.

I well remember the end of ‘hot metal typesetting’ in Fleet Street (London) where the print unions had been so powerful. Rupert Murdoch established a new ‘Fortress’ in Wapping and in 1986 started using computer typesetting for the production of his newspapers – and overnight consigned a whole industry to the pages of history. Many highly skilled people with a ‘job for life’ in the printing industry now found they were unemployable.

The ‘as well’ in verse 10 tells us that they had already decided that nothing less than the death of Jesus would solve their problem – now they were discussing the possibility of killing Lazarus too. Here was a living example of the truth of who Jesus was and that could not be permitted.

The Chief Priests were faced with terrible choices. They knew that the Scriptures were the word of God. The laws they contained had to be obeyed. Over the years they had carefully expanded and explained them so that the system was as watertight as they could make it.

Now here was someone claiming to be the prophesied Messiah who simply ignored their rules while at the same time working amazing miracles and teaching the people with undeniable authority. An authority which he claimed had been given him by Almighty God who he also claimed as his own father.

Either he was the Christ, or he was a blasphemous imposter; and there was a punishment for that: ‘anyone who uses the name of the Lord blasphemously is to be put to death’ (Leviticus 24:16). We will shortly read ‘Even after Jesus had performed so many signs in their presence, they still would not believe in him’ (John 12:37).

Mary and Judas also had choices to make:

Mary chose to give up everything to follow Jesus and receive salvation.

Judas chose to gain more, but betray Jesus and lose everything.

Read Matthew 16:25-26

25 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. 26 What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?