THRU THE BIBLE EXPOSITION

John: Believing On The Christ, The Son Of God, For Eternal Life

Part XXXII: Trusting In Christ For His Fulfillment Of Scripture Amid Israel's Deep Spiritual Darkness

(John 12:9-19)

I. Introduction

A. The Apostle John wrote in John 1:5 that Jesus as God's "Light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood [or overcome] it." (The Holy Bible: New International Version, John 1:5 with footnote)

B. This spiritual darkness was vividly seen in John 12:9-19, a passage that provides evidence of Jesus as God's true Messiah and offers us great application in holding to God's truth amid the darkness of our era:

II. Trusting In Christ For His Fulfillment Of Scripture Amid Israel's Deep Spiritual Darkness, Jn. 12:9-19.

A. Jesus fulfilled Scripture prophecy as the Messiah amid the deep spiritual darkness of Israel's people:

1. After the John 12:1-8 description of the meal that Martha hosted to honor Jesus for raising her brother Lazarus, John 12:9 reports that many Jews in the area visited the home to see both Jesus and Lazarus.

2. The next day, these same people who admired Jesus along with other pilgrims traveling toward Jerusalem for the Passover got involved in the Triumphal Entry to honor Jesus by strewing branches in His way and crying out, "Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord," John 12:13.

3. These words were not a confession that realized Jesus as God's spiritual Messiah, but an allusion to Psalm 118:25-26 by pilgrims who hoped Jesus would assume a "political Messiah" role to deliver Israel from Roman domination as verified by His being a miracle worker, Bible Know. Com., N. T., p. 316-317.

4. However, Jesus' entrance into Jerusalem on a donkey actually fulfilled true Biblical Messianic prophecy:

a. John 12:15 cites Zechariah 9:9 where the Messiah from God, in stark CONTRAST to the former conqueror, Alexander the Great predicted in Zechariah 9:1-8 had come unto Israel as a destructive, ruling dictator on a horse, Ibid., p. 317; Bible Know. Com., O. T., p. 1562.

b. Thus, Jesus came on a donkey, in humility and righteousness and offering salvation in God's grace as opposed to being a proud, unrighteous, destroying conqueror on a horse as a "political" Messiah!

5. Thus, the crowd did not trust in Jesus as God's Messiah, but in darkness saw Him as a "political" Messiah like Alexander the Great though Jesus fulfilled Scripture as the gracious Messiah opposite Alexander!

B. Jesus fulfilled Scripture prophecy as the Messiah amid the relative spiritual darkness of His own disciples:

1. Even the disciples did not know He fulfilled Zechariah 9:9 in John 12:14 until He was glorified, Jn. 12:16.

2. Nevertheless, Jesus fulfilled Zechariah 9:9 as God's gracious spiritual Messiah amid even the errant presumed "political" aspirations of His spiritually undiscerning disciples [as seen in Matthew 26:50-52]!

C. Jesus fulfilled Scripture prophecy as the Messiah amid the great spiritual darkness of Israel's religious leaders:

1. Israel's religious leaders, "masters" of the Old Testament (John 3:9-10), should have known of Messiah's spiritual graciousness in Zechariah 9:9 in contrast to dictator Alexander the Great in Zechariah 9:1-8.

2. Nevertheless, their darkness took on the same brutal destructive nature of Alexander, John 12:10-11, 19:

a. Since many of the Jews in the Jerusalem area visited Jesus and Lazarus whom He had raised, and at least expressed a belief in Him as a miracle worker from God (John 12:11), the religious leaders even "made plans" to put Lazarus to death along with Jesus, John 12:10 ESV! They did not interpret Lazarus' resurrection as a sign that Jesus was God's Messenger, the logical conclusion to make (cf. John 3:1-2 as in the case of Nicodemus), especially in view of the prophecy of Isaiah 35:4-6 (cf. Matthew 11:2-6)!

b. Rather, in blind rebellion of the Scriptures, they only sought to slay both Jesus and the evidence of His miracle, a resurrected Lazarus, action typical of a brutal, godless dictator like Alexander the Great!

c. Nevertheless, Jesus fulfilled Zechariah 9:9 as God's gracious spiritual Messiah amid the complaints of the spiritually blind religious leaders who complained how the world had gone after him, John 12:19 ESV!

Lesson: Jesus presented Himself as God's humble, righteous, graciously saving Messiah in sharp contrast to the proud, godless, destructive Alexander the Great in fulfillment of Zechariah 9:1-8, 9 opposite the view of Israel's people, the disciples and Israel's religious leaders who thought the Messiah would arrive like Alexander the Great!

Application: (1) May we trust in Jesus as God's true humble, righteous, graciously saving Messiah for eternal life, John 20:31. (2) Then, may we who believe in Christ think and function like our Lord -- in humility, righteousness and graciousness in presenting God's salvation Gospel to the lost versus thinking and functioning like Alexander the Great in false pride, ungodliness and despotic destructiveness! (Colossians 4:5-6)