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The Gospel of John, The Period of Crisis, The Entry Into Jerusalem, Part VI, John 12:16-19 - Lesson 103
Read Verses John 12:12-15, for review: On the next day much people that wer come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord. And Jesus, when he had found a young ass, sat thereon; as it is written, Fear not, daughter of Sion: behold, thy King cometh, sitting on an ass's colt.
John 12:16, 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.
The disciples were dull of hearing for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.
The Comforter, which is the Holy Spirit, was yet to teach them all things, and bring all things to their remembrance, whatsoever Jesus Christ said to them.
They had no capacity to know unless they were instructed by the Spirit and God chose not to instruct them until Jesus was glorified.
He had not been crucified, He had not been resurrected, nor had He ascended to the Father.
In other words the disciples did not have the Holy Spirit at this time to teach them all things.
Mark tells us in Mark 9:32, But they understood not that saying, and were afraid to ask him.
Luke tells us in Luke 2:50, And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them.
And again in Luke 9:45, But they understood not this saying, and it was hid from them, that they perceived it not: and they feared to ask him of that saying.
And John in John 8:27, They understood not that he spake to them of the Father.
And again in John 10:6, This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them.
They had to await the day of Pentecost to understand this day and then their minds were opened just as Jesus Christ promised.
God does not always give us understanding immediately.
He says to wait on the Lord.
This may mean waiting a long time before we understand the events that may surround us.
Growing in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Growing takes time.
The apple tree has to wait for the apple.
The new mother has to wait while the baby grows in the womb.
And so in keeping with the will of God the disciples were given to wait on the coming of the Spirit before they were to understand.
John 12:17,18, The people therefore that was with him when he called Lazarus out of his grave, and raised him from the dead, bare record. For this cause the people also met him, for that they heard that he had done this miracle.
Jesus Christ had no need for the stones to cry out because God the Father had a people prepared to cry out
Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord.
We are told here that the catalyst that brought the people to this important event in the life of Christ was the raising of Lazarus.
Here the glory of the Son of God had been shown.
Two groups joined together to cry out and to lay palm branches for the Christ to pass over on the back of the colt, the foal of an ass.
One group was with him in Bethany when he called Lazarus out of his grave.
This group had witnessed this miracle and had reported it in Jerusalem
The other group were the hearers of this miracle and they came to meet Jesus Christ as he entered Jerusalem.
God had prepared a people so the the Word of God would be kept as Zechariah had prophesied.
John 12:19, The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, Perceive ye how ye prevail nothing? behold, the world is gone after him.
Notice what moved the Pharisees. Perception.
They were like the politicians of today who observe the polls.
What do the polls say?
What do we need to do to keep our position and our power.
What do we need to think?
What is our position on the issues that will allow us to keep the status quo?
They operated by perception, not reality.
They did not depend on eternal truths but depended upon what they perceived.
They depended on their heart!
Their position was arrived at by circumstance and not the absolutes of the word of God.
Situation ethics.
Their perceptions were leading them to a deeper allegiance to the counsel of the High Priest Caiaphas who advised death for Jesus Christ.
They were discovering their heart and it was leading them to a clear and committed understanding that this Jesus Christ must die.
Some perhaps had thought that organized and official opposition would save their position and power but now their vision is clear, their perceptions are firm, he must die!
Their heart had spoken! |