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John 12
Sept 17, 2007 21:40:31 GMT -8
Post by Josh on Sept 17, 2007 21:40:31 GMT -8
The Triumphal Entry
12The next day the great crowd that had come for the Feast heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. 13They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, "Hosanna!" "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" "Blessed is the King of Israel!"
17Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word. 18Many people, because they had heard that he had given this miraculous sign, went out to meet him. 19So the Pharisees said to one another, "See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!"
Interestingly, this passage helps explain an unsolved question left to the reader of the Synoptics. Matthew and Mark don't explain too well why the crowds were so enthusiastic about Jesus at His entry into Jerusalem. But Luke gives us a hint-- one that may echo what John knew (and tells us about)-- namely, the raising of Lazarus:
Luke 19:37
When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen.
So, there is some unconscious historical continuity between the Gospels here. Still, I wonder why Luke (or Matthew or Mark) don't just tell us straight out about Lazarus, as I asked earlier.
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John 12
Sept 19, 2007 20:54:00 GMT -8
Post by Josh on Sept 19, 2007 20:54:00 GMT -8
One of the central themes here, and definitely geared for John's Greek audience, is the applicability of the gospel to all peoples. This is clear in verse 20 when John mentions Greeks visiting Jesus. We aren't told what they said to Jesus, but just the idea sends Jesus into a long dialogue about how the gospel would go out into all the world (v. 24 and 32)-- one accompanied by a miraculous sign (a voice from heaven).
This theme is so huge because it hearkens back to the beginning of the whole story of the Jews-- God promising Abraham that all the peoples of the earth will be blessed through his seed.
It's no wonder that there was a voice from heaven (not to mention a resurrection) at this point-- this point at which a 2,000 year old promise was about to be fulfilled.
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John 12
Sept 20, 2007 18:58:29 GMT -8
Post by Josh on Sept 20, 2007 18:58:29 GMT -8
A couple quotes on the historicity of John 12 from Gary Habermas:
"Mark 14:3 and paraellel locate this meal at the home of Simon the leper. The Dead Sea Scrolls confirm that a leper colony lived on the outskirts of Bethany. John does not say where the meal occurred, but the presence of Lazarus as 'among those reclining at the table' makes it sound as if we are not in Lazarus' home where he would have played the role of host. Simon's past or present leprosy may have prevented him from marrying: in a culture defined by traditional gender roles we should not be surprised that a female neighbor like Martha helps to serve the meal.
Mary's behavior in anointing Jesus... includes letting down her hair to wipe Jesus' feet with it. This action could easily have been perceived as a sexual advance; its potentially objectionable nature meas that no early Christian would readily have invented it.
That 'the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume' 'looks like the reminiscence of someone who was there'."
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