12 On the next day the large crowd who had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, 13 took the branches of the palm trees and went out to meet Him, and began to shout, “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel.” 14 And Jesus, finding a young donkey, sat on it; as it is written, 15 “Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your King is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.” 16 These things His disciples did not understand at the first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written about Him, and that they had done these things to Him. 17 So the crowd, who was with Him when He called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead, continued to bear witness about Him. 18 For this reason also the crowd went and met Him, because they heard that He had done this sign. 19 So the Pharisees said to one another, “You see that you are gaining nothing; look, the world has gone after Him.”
Some Greeks Seek Jesus
20 Now there were some Greeks among those who were going up to worship at the feast; 21 these then came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and began to ask him, saying, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” 22 Philip *came and *told Andrew; Andrew and Philip *came and *told Jesus. 23 And Jesus *answered them, saying, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 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. 25 He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it to life eternal. 26 If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also; if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him. John 12: 12-26 LSB
John 12: 12-26
V. 13 Took the branches of the palm trees - Jesus is fulfilling a Messianic prophecy, entering as the Son of David, and some are treating it exactly in that manner. In the other gospels there is mention of the Pharisees rebuking Jesus because of the shouts of the crowd, referring to Him as the Son of David. They don't want Him as their King, that would ruin their status quo, business as usual would come to an end. The Pharisees are like their father the Devil, wanting the eyes of men to be fixed on them, wanting the praise and allegiance to belong to them, trying to block the way of salvation. Everything in this life tries to take the focus off of Christ and put it on something or someone else. The worst sort of distraction is another Christ, one of human invention, one that tickles people's ears.
…39On the fifteenth day of the seventh month, after you have gathered the produce of the land, you are to celebrate a feast to the LORD for seven days. There shall be complete rest on the first day and also on the eighth day. 40On the first day you are to gather the fruit of majestic trees, the branches of palm trees, and the boughs of leafy trees and of willows of the brook. And you are to rejoice before the LORD your God for seven days. 41You are to celebrate this as a feast to the LORD for seven days each year. This is a permanent statute for the generations to come; you are to celebrate it in the seventh month.… Leviticus 23: 39-41
9After this I looked and saw a multitude too large to count, from every nation and tribe and people and tongue, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands. 10And they cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”… Revelation 7: 9-10
Palm (phoinix) is used only here and Rev 7:9+ and apparently refers to the date palm at one time evidently a common tree in Palestine, since it is often depicted on coins; esp. common in Jericho, the "city of palms." Liddell-Scott says the palm frond was used "as a badge of victory," which is apropos in the context of Jesus' "triumphal entry" into the holy city to shouts that He was the King. Yes Jesus would triumph but not as the Jews were expecting (that He would throw off Roman rule), for Jesus' triumph would come through His death, which would bring victory, not over physical enemies, but over far more deadly spiritual enemies, even abolishing the last enemy, death (1Co 15:26+)! Can I hear a "Hallelujah?" Mt 21:8 and Mk 11:8 add that some in the crowd "spread their coats in the road" in addition to branches (although not called palm branches in the parallel passages). - Precept Austin
V. 13c Even the King of Israel - This is daring of the people as well considering they are under Roman rule, and the Pharisees will use this against Him later.
…15But the chief priests and scribes were indignant when they saw the wonders He performed and the children shouting in the temple courts, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” 16“Do You hear what these children are saying?” they asked. “Yes,” Jesus answered. “Have you never read: ‘From the mouths of children and infants You have ordained praise’?” 17Then He left them and went out of the city to Bethany, where He spent the night.… Matthew 21: 15-17
14Sing for joy, O Daughter of Zion; shout aloud, O Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, O Daughter of Jerusalem! 15The LORD has taken away your punishment; He has turned back your enemy. Israel’s King, the LORD, is among you; no longer will you fear any harm. 16On that day they will say to Jerusalem: “Do not fear, O Zion; do not let your hands fall limp.… Zephaniah 3: 14-16
Vs. 15-16 On a donkey's colt - This was a symbol of coming in peace, and He will literally be the peace offering between God and man.
9Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your King comes to you, righteous and victorious, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. 10And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the horse from Jerusalem, and the bow of war will be broken. Then He will proclaim peace to the nations. His dominion will extend from sea to sea, and from the Euphrates to the ends of the earth.… Zechariah 9: 9-10
32Then King David said, “Call in for me Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada.” So they came before the king. 33“Take my servants with you,” said the king. “Set my son Solomon on my own mule and take him down to Gihon. 34There Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet are to anoint him king over Israel. You are to blow the ram’s horn and declare, ‘Long live King Solomon!’… 1 Kings 1: 32-34
His disciples (mathetes) (ou = absolutely) did not understand (ginosko) at the first (protos) - (cf. Jn 2:22; Jn 10:6; Jn 16:18; Mk 9:32; Lk 2:50; Lk 9:45; Lk 18:34) Spiritual truth can only be spiritually discerned and the disciples were still a little short on spiritual insights, but that would soon dramatically change! It is ironic that disciples (mathetes) means learners, and clearly the 12 were "slow learners!"
Jesus would soon teach the disciples in the Upper Room Discourse that "the Helper, the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you." (Jn 14:26+).
Spurgeon - It is strange that Christ’s own disciples did not at once remember this plain prophecy when it was so literally fulfilled, yet, before we condemn them, let us recollect how “slow of heart” we also have been “to believe all that the prophets have spoken.”......I wonder whether, when Christ comes back to earth, in the glory of his Father with the holy angels, we also shall not understand a great many things which are complete mysteries to us now. Peradventure, it will be said of us then, “These things understood not his disciples at the first: but when Jesus was glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of him, and that they had done these things unto him.” That first glory of his ascension to heaven shed a flood of light upon the life of Christ, as doubtless the greater glory of his second advent will shed a yet brighter light upon our understanding of the things of Christ which quite surpass our comprehension now. - Precept Austin
V. 17 Continued to bear witness about Him - Too many had seen the miracle of Lazarus, and they are now testifying, much like evangelizing to the person of Jesus. "That's the one Who raises the dead."
…31God exalted Him to His right hand as Prince and Savior, in order to grant repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel. 32 We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him.” 33When the Council members heard this, they were enraged, and they resolved to put the apostles to death.… Acts 5: 31-33
V. 19 The world has gone after Him - They are intent upon keeping people from Christ. This is our sworn duty as the church, to take Christ to the world. This is the light that Israel was also called to, to introduce the world to the true God, to the reality of sin and God's holiness. What ungrateful servants when we try to redirect men to ourselves or other things. It bears no compassion like you insist; it is the grossest form of cruelty, to have seen Jesus, to have seen the things He has done, but then discredit Him to lift yourself in His place. What can you do for a dying world, a world that needs to repent? How will you save them, by denying their need, offering up some dumb work towards the bar that you set? I want the world to go after Him. I am going after Him. He is the only one able to save.
…26The poor will eat and be satisfied; those who seek the LORD will praise Him. May your hearts live forever! 27All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the LORD. All the families of the nations will bow down before Him. 28For dominion belongs to the LORD and He rules over the nations.… Psalm 22: 26-28
V. 20 Now there were some Greeks - Rome ruled, but Greek philosophy was a dominant influence. Saying, "Greeks" would be like saying "Gentiles". Through Abraham's seed all the earth was to be blessed.
…9They will neither harm nor destroy on all My holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the sea is full of water. 10 On that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples. The nations will seek Him, and His place of rest will be glorious. 11On that day the Lord will extend His hand a second time to recover the remnant of His people from Assyria, from Egypt, from Pathros, from Cush, from Elam, from Shinar, from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.… Isaiah 11: 9-11
V. 24 Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies - He is approaching the next part of what He came to do. He has already been tested, already lived the sinless life I did not live. The innocent must suffer here in the place of the guilty, and He must be of an infinite nature as well, for that is the nature of the One Whose wrath He must endure.
…36You fool! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. 37And what you sow is not the body that will be, but just a seed, perhaps of wheat or something else. 38But God gives it a body as He has designed, and to each kind of seed He gives its own body.… 1 Corinthians 15: 36-38
…10Yet it was the LORD’s will to crush Him and to cause Him to suffer; and when His soul is made a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, and the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand. 11After the anguish of His soul, He will see the light of life and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant will justify many, and He will bear their iniquities. 12Therefore I will allot Him a portion with the great, and He will divide the spoils with the strong, because He has poured out His life unto death, and He was numbered with the transgressors. Yet He bore the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors.… Isaiah 53: 10-12
Spurgeon - Telling them that the source of his glory would be his death. The reason why the people would hear of him, and come to him, was that he would be hanged on the cross. The grain of wheat, when put into the ground, if it remains as it is, will never increase; it must die if it is to bring forth fruit. What is death? The end of existence? None but thoughtless persons imagine that. Death is the resolution of any living substance into its primary elements. It is the division of the soul from the body; originally, it was the division of the soul from God. In a grain of wheat, death is the separation of the particles of which it is composed, that the life-germ may feed upon that which was provided for it. “If it die,” in the true sense of the word, in being separated into its constituent elements, then “it bringeth forth much fruit.” Christ’s way to glory was through the grave he must go down that he might mount to the throne.....The preservation of the corn is the prevention of its increase; but the putting of it into the ground, the losing of it, the burial of it, is the very means of its multiplication. So our Lord Jesus Christ must not care for himself, and he did not. He surrendered himself to all the ignominy of the death of the cross, he died, and was buried in the heart of the earth, but he sprang up again from the grave, and ever since then myriads have come to him through his death, even as these Greeks came to him in his life. Now, as it was with Christ, so is it to be with us; at least, in our measure. - C. H. Spurgeon in PA
V. 25 He who loves his life will lose it - This is the very thing that the Pharisees refuse to let go of, the way they see themselves, their many comforts, their extravagances, their works system. They don't think they need Christ, and they are enamored with the things of this world. This is the state of so many I talk to in churches today as well. They don't need Jesus to come back as long as good manners do. We want better politicians, fairer taxes, these are the things that plague us, not the soiled condition of our hearts.
37Anyone who loves his father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me; 38and anyone who does not take up his cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me. 39Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.… Matthew 10: 37-39
…16For there is no lasting remembrance of the wise, just as with the fool, seeing that both will be forgotten in the days to come. Alas, the wise man will die just like the fool! 17So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. For everything is futile and a pursuit of the wind. Ecclesiastes 2: 16-17
V. 26 If anyone serves Me he must follow Me - It only makes sense, yet there are those who claim to be servants of Christ and yet follow their own hearts, also leading others astray.
…23not one will ever see the land that I swore to give their fathers. None of those who have treated Me with contempt will see it. 24But because My servant Caleb has a different spirit and has followed Me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land he has entered, and his descendants will inherit it. 25Now since the Amalekites and Canaanites are living in the valleys, turn back tomorrow and head for the wilderness along the route to the Red Sea.”… Numbers 14: 23-25
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