Road Trippin With Rachael

In the last few years it has almost become a joke to talk about someone’s green, beige, yellow, or red flags. And don’t get me wrong, its definitely important to be able to identify when there are markers for problems to come. Let’s just be honest and say that we all have flags of all the colors. Yet for some reason the troupe has become – am I right ladies?

But modern pop-culture isn’t the only place that we determined to see things only from a specific view. In John 12, we see how several instances of how pop-culture really isn’t so new. We’re able to see the ignoring of green flags, the acceptance of people who are from a different culture, and how Jesus didn’t come to be our judge, he came to save, but in light of his goodness and perfection, we are confronted with our own sinfulness.

Making Out Like the Mob & Green Flags

As we really begin to work our way through John 12, we do need to take the time to be reminded of what happened in chapter 11. As a review, Jesus went to Bethany, and while he was there he raised Lazarus from the dead. Lazarus is the brother of Martha and Mary. Beginning chapter 12, we hop back into being with this set of siblings, and it opens with them being at a dinner. Lazarus is being the host and is entertaining Jesus and the disciples at the table; Martha is the ever gracious hostess making sure that there is plenty of food and drink; and Mary is sitting at the feet of Jesus learning with a pot of expensive perfume.

Now, the question comes up as to why did Mary have such an expensive item with her, and why was it significant that she anointed Jesus. If you are reading this to prepare to work with a small group, I’d recommend making a list of what the group thinks would be significant reasons. A few of the reasons that I thought of are…

• Only priests and kings were anointed (Leviticus 8:12 & I Samuel 16)
• Feet were disgusting from the sandals and roads, cleaning them was an act of hospitality – it was good manners.
• It was an act of love and worship from Mary, because foot cleaning would have been below her station as a family member of the house’s owner.
• A gift of this quality would have been for a special occasion (like a wedding).

As you can see, this wouldn’t be an exhaustive list, but it does give you some food for thought. And then John brings our attention to Judas Iscariot, and future John makes some comments that tell us about Judas’ character even while he was claiming to follow Jesus. John says “Then one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot   (who was about to betray him), said, 5“Why wasn’t this perfume sold for three hundred denarii  , and given to the poor? ” 6He didn’t say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief.   He was in charge of the money-bag and would steal part of what was put in it” (John 12:4-6, CSB). Because we all know that Judas was concerned for the poor – I say with much sarcasm. In the more modern vernacular, John tells his audience that Judas was skimming off the top. To be fair to the apostles at the time all this is happening, they didn’t know this is what Judas was doing; it is something that came to light probably some time after Jesus’ resurrection.

Then we break to the Pharisees, and this is where we really begin to see that mod mentality of the religious leaders coming through. John would refer to them throughout the Gospel as the Jews, but he really means the religious leaders. These leaders now come together and conclude that they have got to get rid of this Jesus character. Not just shut him up, not just get him to go back to Nazareth, and not get him to stop doing miracles. They need to get rid of him permanently. And they need to get rid of this Lazarus fellow, too. He’s on the clean up list. And they aren’t worried about paying someone to do the job either.

These leaders are so determined to retain the power they have that they fail to see all the green flags that are being flown. Jesus has throughout his ministry shown that he is God. He has had a prophet testify to him being the Son of God (John 1); he has turned water into wine – a phenomenon that is clearly impossible (John 2). Jesus has declared himself to be the Son of God (John 4). He has been healing the sick (John 5). He has provided food for the people much as God did in the Old Testament during the years in the wilderness (John6). He walked on water (John 6), and heals a made who was born blind – there was nothing to “fix” (John 9). And now, Jesus has just raised a man from the dead – and not just a many who was mostly dead, he was DEAD dead (John 12). It has become almost a running joke that women are able to ignore red flags in men; but the Pharisees set the standard for being able to ignore the GREEN flags in favor of the red.

God Fearers & Gospel

As we move on to the next scene that is in chapter 12, we shift gears. We’ve moved away from what is happening with the Pharisees, and now we are back out in the public eye, and it this where we meet the God Fearers.

A God Fearer was someone who was not a ethnically a part of the Israelite culture. They participated in all things that they are able to – such as festivals, holidays, and participation in the synagogues – but the men did not take the step of circumcision. This term was typically reserved for non-Hebrew believers in Yahweh, but this was not a new idea. We see this previously in the Old Testament with others individuals. Some of the ones that are most well known are Melchizedek (Genesis 14:18-20), Jethro (Exodus 2:18), Rahab (Joshua 2), and Ruth (Ruth 1).

However, as we are reading through the Gospel of John, we see that there are more non-Israelite believes in Israel. This is primarily because the world of commerce has changed by the time we are in the world of the Gospels. No more are cultures separate the way they were during the time of Abraham, when there were kings of cities. More and more city states had unified creating their own nations, world powers had appeared, advances in engineering had allowed for the creation of a highway system thanks to the Roman Empire, and the overall infrastructure of the nations under Rome had vastly improved. More and more people are now able to travel and be exposed to cultural aspects of other places that had previously been unavailable. Thus, more non-Hebrews were exposed to Torah, and likewise many Hebrews embraced Hellenism (Greek culture).

Specifically here in John 12, we are introduced to two God Fearers, who hear the teaching of Jesus and they want to ask more questions. This is a beautiful picture we get to see rolled out on paper of the Gospel being for everyone. For those who were practicing Jews, even though they were more open to interacting with God Fearers, they were still considered Gentiles and interaction with them was still limited. The fact that they were able to go to Jesus, shows that Jesus wasn’t and isn’t only for those who were the religious elite, for those who have their life together, or for those who come from a certain background. God makes himself available to all peoples. And when we seek him, he answers. We we ask to know and understand him, he makes himself known. When we are confronted by our sin, he is there offering forgiveness and life.

Jesus’ Mission

As we continue through chapter 12, we come to a section (at leas tin my Bible) that is called Jesus’ Mission. As I read through it, I’m drawn to verse 47. Jesus did not come to judge the world but to save it.

There is hope, and there is life that can be had by having a relationship with Christ. Jesus came to bring us into relationship with him, so that we are not wondering in darkness (v. 46) but can have a relationship with the creator of all that is seen and unseen (v. 45). There is so much that can be said here. Not only have we seen throughout John’s gospel what Jesus has done and the ways that he has proven who he is to the people that surround him, but he openly states what his purpose is. Early on, I mentioned that John had his own thesis in writing the gospel that bears his name, but it is in chapter 12 that John tells us Jesus’ thesis – or his purpose in being here.

I know that sometimes it is easy to read through the Bible and think of the people as being characters in some great story. They are far off with no relation to the somewhat immediate past, or to us living in the 21st century. But Jesus’ mission takes a millennia old account of one man’s purpose and mission and brings it home for everyone. His purpose was not to judge the world, but in him coming and displaying his righteousness for the world to see, we are confronted with our sin and we are faced with the judgement that happens in comparison to Jesus’ righteousness.

Final Thoughts

When I initially sat down to film my YouTube video for this, I ended up deciding that there was too much for a single 15 minute or so video. I ended up breaking it into three parts. I still feel that way as I went back through and read through this chapter again, because there are things in this post that I don’t talk about. Things like the entry into Jerusalem, or all the details that are throughout the chapter. I highly encourage you to go back through and read John 12 for yourself.

See the green flags that the Pharisees were so eager to overlook in their desire to keep their authority to themselves. Take a moment to see the joy that comes with knowing that like the God Fearers, we can approach God regardless of our ethnic background, our upbringing, or our country of origin. We are invited to become a part of the family of God. See for yourselves that although Jesus didn’t come to judge the world, but to save it, and yet in the face of his holiness we stand before a holy God knowing that we deserve the consequences of our sins.