John Chapter 12

The anointing of Christ's feet. His riding into Jerusalem upon an ass. A voice from heaven.

12:1. Jesus therefore, six days before the pasch, came to Bethania, where Lazarus had been dead, whom Jesus raised to life.

12:2. And they made him a supper there: and Martha served. But Lazarus was one of them that were at table with him.

12:3. Mary therefore took a pound of ointment of right spikenard, of great price, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.

12:4. Then one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, he that was about to betray him, said:

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

12:6. Now he said this not because he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief and, having the purse, carried the things that were put therein.

12:7. Jesus therefore said: Let her alone, that she may keep it against the day of my burial.

12:8. For the poor you have always with you: but me you have not always.

See the annotation of St. Matt. 26. 11.

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

12:10. But the chief priests thought to kill Lazarus also:

12:11. Because many of the Jews, by reason of him, went away and believed in Jesus.

12:12. And on the next day, a great multitude that was come to the festival day, when they had heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem,

12:13. Took branches of palm trees and went forth to meet him and cried Hosanna. Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord, the king of Israel.

12:14. And Jesus found a young ass and sat upon it, as it is written:

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

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

12:17. The multitude therefore gave testimony, which was with him, when he called Lazarus out of the grave and raised him from the dead.

12:18. For which reason also the people came to meet him, because they heard that he had done this miracle.

12:19. The Pharisees therefore said among themselves: Do you see that we prevail nothing? Behold, the whole world is gone after him.

12:20. Now there were certain Gentiles among them, who came up to adore on the festival day.

12:21. These therefore came to Philip, who was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying: Sir, we would see Jesus.

12:22. Philip cometh and telleth Andrew. Again Andrew and Philip told Jesus.

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

12:24. Amen, amen, I say to you, unless the grain of wheat falling into the ground die,

12:25. Itself remaineth alone. But if it die it bringeth forth much fruit. He that loveth his life shall lose it and he that hateth his life in this world keepeth it unto life eternal.

12:26. If any man minister to me, let him follow me: and where I am, there also shall my minister be. If any man minister to me, him will my Father honour.

12:27. Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour. But for this cause I came unto this hour.

12:28. Father, glorify thy name. A voice therefore came from heaven: I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.

12:29. The multitude therefore that stood and heard said that it thundered. Others said: An angel spoke to him.

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

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

12:32. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all things to myself.

12:33. (Now this he said, signifying what death he should die.)

12:34. The multitude 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?

12:35. Jesus therefore said to them: Yet a little while, the light is among you. Walk whilst you have the light, and the darkness overtake you not. And he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither be goeth.

12:36. Whilst you have the light, believe in the light, that you may be the children of light. These things Jesus spoke: and he went away and hid himself from them.

12:37. And whereas he had done so many miracles before them, they believed not in him:

12:38. That the saying of Isaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he said: Lord, who hath believed our hearing? And to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed?

12:39. Therefore they could not believe, because Isaias said again:

They could not believe. . .Because they would not, saith St. Augustine, Tract. 33, in Joan. See the annotation, St. Mark 4. 12.

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.

12:41. These things said Isaias, when he saw his glory, and spoke of him.

12:42. However, many of the chief men also believed in him: but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, that they might not be cast out of the synagogue.

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

12:44. But Jesus cried and said: He that believeth in me doth not believe in me, but in him that sent me.

12:45. And he that seeth me, seeth him that sent me.

12:46. I am come, a light into the world, that whosoever believeth in me may not remain in darkness.

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

12:48. He that despiseth 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.

12:49. For I have not spoken of myself: but the Father who sent me, he gave me commandment what I should say and what I should speak.

12:50. And I know that his commandment is life everlasting. The things therefore that I speak, even as the Father said unto me, so do I speak.