The Donkey Dilemma- John 12:12-19

The context is in Jn. 12:9-11 The Whole World is Chasing After Him.

With this setting of fear, rage an great hatred for all that Jesus did and lived for, Jesus would reveal his full intent. The donkey dilemma. A King is coming, but on a symbol of humility and surrender.

John 12:12-19; The triumphal entrance of the King.

This is the first time that Jesus permits the people to declare his status. It is the first time he accepts their declaration. “Jesus was now appearing openly and in public places. Even though the Pharisees knew where he was, they could not arrest him because he was held in such esteem by the populace.”

John: An Introduction and Commentary (iv. Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem (12:12–19))

14–15. To make his final approach to Jerusalem Jesus found a young donkey and sat upon it. He did not need to ride the last couple of miles—he was used to walking long distances, and would have been physically fit. Also, pilgrims usually approached the holy city on foot. Jesus’ action made a statement. The evangelist makes this plain by his OT quotation:as it is written,Do not be afraid, O Daughter of Zion; see, your king is coming,seated on a donkey’s colt.The quotation is from Zechariah 9:9, where the Lord is portrayed not in a militaristic fashion mounted on a war-horse but as a king of peace sitting on a donkey. In fact, the following verse, Zechariah 9:10, says he will take away chariots and war-horses from Ephraim and Jerusalem, and proclaim peace to the nations. In conscious fulfilment of this prophecy Jesus entered Jerusalem on a donkey to show he was the king of the Jews, not the militaristic Messiah of popular expectation but the universal prince of peace.

Kruse, Colin G. 2003. John: An Introduction and Commentary. Vol. 4. Tyndale New Testament Commentaries. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

The attraction of men is more than mere numbers, on one passover year, it was estimated to be 2.7 million people according to historian Josepheus.

Palm branches were also used as symbols of victory and kingship. By meeting Jesus with palm branches the crowd showed they were welcoming him as king. Earlier in his ministry he eluded the crowds who wanted to make him king (6:15), but now he accepted their gesture and its significance.

Who was present? There were more than Jews in Jerusalem that day. “People of many ethnic backgrounds were attracted to the monotheism and ethical purity of Judaism and many came to Jerusalem for the pilgrim festivals (see Acts 2:5–11). Thus it is no surprise when the evangelist says, Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the Feast. These Greeks ‘went up to worship’, indicating they were not pagan Gentiles but proselytes or God-fearers. The coming of the Greeks underlined what the Pharisees said: ‘the whole world has gone after him’ (19).

21–22. The Greeks would have heard reports of Jesus raising Lazarus, and therefore, like many of the Jews, they wanted to meet Jesus. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. ‘Sir,’ they said, ‘we would like to see Jesus.’ Bethsaida in Galilee had a significant number of non-Jews and bordered on pagan territory. Possibly the Greeks approached Philip because he had a Greek name (though Philip himself was a Jew) and came from Bethsaida, thinking therefore he would be more open towards them. Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus. Perhaps it is significant that Philip went first to Andrew with the request, because he was the one other member of the Twelve who bore a Greek name. Together they conveyed the Greeks’ request to Jesus. We can only guess why Philip needed Andrew’s moral support. Perhaps it reflects their doubts about Jesus’ willingness to deal with Gentiles (Matt. 10:5–6; 15:22–24).”

23–24. We are not told whether Jesus met with the Greeks, but hearing of their desire to meet him proved to be a significant moment. He replied, The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. These words contain the fourth of nine references to Jesus’ ‘hour/time’ (2:4; 7:30; 8:20; 12:23, 27 [2×]; 13:1; 16:32; 17:1), a significant theme in this Gospel. The first three references all say that Jesus’ hour had not yet come; this fourth reference is the first of the remaining references, all of which indicate that his hour had come. The trigger for this change was the coming of the Greeks

English Standard Version (Chapter 12)

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 Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.

What do we say to this? Here is the pattern for his disciples to follow. The intentionality of surrender. The words declared in jubilation were correct, the imagery of their desires was wrong. Jesus, not swayed by the human desire of power, prestige, saw himself as a kernel of grain. He would not be a grain on a pedestal, but kernel for a harvest.

“Those who ‘love’ their lives, giving priority to the retention of life and all that makes it up in this world, will lose it for eternal life. In parallel passages in the Synoptic Gospels Jesus mentioned certain important aspects of life in this world, which nevertheless must not be given priority over following him. These include love of father and mother, brothers and sisters, wives, sons and daughters, and even life itself. None of these may be given priority in the lives of Jesus’ disciples (Matt. 10:37–39; Luke 14:25–27; 17:33).” Jesus lived out these expectations.

26. Jesus made explicit what was implicit in the preceding verses—his life was the pattern for all who would be his servants: Whoever serves me must follow me, i.e. as he denied himself for their sakes, they must deny themselves for his sake.

Two promises attach to such a way of life: (1) Where I am, my servant also will be. Those who follow Jesus in the path of self-denial in this world will have a place with him in his future glory (14:2–3; 17:24). (2) My Father will honour the one who serves me.

In this life Jesus’ disciples may experience disdain from the ‘world’ as he did, but on the last day they will receive honour from the only one who counts ultimately, God himself.

When Samuel pronounced judgment upon the house of Saul, he said, in the name of God, ‘Those who honour me I will honour, but those who despise me will be disdained’ (1 Sam. 2:30). Jesus promised honour from God to all who serve him.

Kruse, Colin G. 2003. John: An Introduction and Commentary. Vol. 4. Tyndale New Testament Commentaries. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.