HATRED OF THE GOOD
John
12:9-11 Meanwhile
a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was [at the home of Lazarus] and
came, not only because of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from
the dead. So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, for on
account of him many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and putting their
faith in him.
Throughout the New
Testament, the more Jesus and God’s people speak the truth, heal the sick and
raise the dead, the greater and more deadly becomes the response from the
religious and secular authorities. You would think that doing good and telling
the truth would be welcomed by all. But as is true then and today, truth places
pressure on the authorities to conform to a different standard. Truth in God
and his Son Jesus Christ entails submitting to an entirely different system or
world view. The darkness hates the light.
In this story of Jesus’
anointing by Mary at the home of Lazarus we see the contrast between those
devoted to Him and those devoted to themselves. Mary and Judas contrast this
point. For her no expense was too great to anoint her Lord and show her
devotion. Judas saw only the lost financial value of a special oil, the failure
of his Lord and his soon to be shattered expectations for personal gain from following
Jesus.
The John’s concern at this
point in the Gospel is to point us to the growing following for Jesus due to
the miracle of Lazarus’ resurrection. He stresses the importance of the
miracles or signs revealing the identity of Jesus. They have been chosen and
documented by him for the purpose of Jesus’ self-revelation as the Christ, the
Son of God.