Living Your Theology
Walk
while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you . . . —John 12:35
Beware
of not acting upon what you see in your moments on the mountaintop with God. If
you do not obey the light, it will turn into darkness. “If therefore the light
that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!” (Matthew 6:23). The
moment you forsake the matter of sanctification or neglect anything else on
which God has given you His light, your spiritual life begins to disintegrate
within you. Continually bring the truth out into your real life, working it out
into every area, or else even the light that you possess will itself prove to
be a curse.
John
12 New International Version - UK (NIVUK)
Jesus
anointed at Bethany
12
Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus
had raised from the dead. 2 Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honour. Martha
served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. 3 Then
Mary took about half a litre of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it
on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with
the fragrance of the perfume.
4
But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him,
objected, 5 ‘Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It
was worth a year’s wages.[a]’ 6 He did not say this because he cared about the
poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help
himself to what was put into it.
7
‘Leave her alone,’ Jesus replied. ‘It was intended that she should save this
perfume for the day of my burial. 8 You will always have the poor among you,[b]
but you will not always have me.’
9
Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there and came, not
only because of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead.
10 So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, 11 for on account
of him many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and believing in him.
Jesus
comes to Jerusalem as king
12
The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus
was on his way to Jerusalem. 13 They took palm branches and went out to meet
him, shouting,
‘Hosanna![c]’
‘Blessed
is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’[d]
‘Blessed
is the king of Israel!’
14
Jesus found a young donkey and sat upon it, as it is written:
15
‘Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion;
see, your king is coming,
seated on a donkey’s colt.’[e]
16
At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was
glorified did they realise that these things had been written about him and
that these things had been done to him.
17
Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised
him from the dead continued to spread the word. 18 Many people, because they
had heard that he had performed this sign, went out to meet him. 19 So the
Pharisees said to one another, ‘See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the
whole world has gone after him!’
Jesus
predicts his death
20
Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the festival.
21 They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request.
‘Sir,’ they said, ‘we would like to see Jesus.’ 22 Philip went to tell Andrew;
Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus.
23
Jesus replied, ‘The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Very
truly I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it
remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. 25 Anyone
who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this
world will keep it for eternal life. 26 Whoever serves me must follow me; and
where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honour the one who serves
me.
27
‘Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? “Father, save me from this
hour”? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. 28 Father, glorify
your name!’
Then
a voice came from heaven, ‘I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.’ 29
The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an
angel had spoken to him.
30
Jesus said, ‘This voice was for your benefit, not mine. 31 Now is the time for
judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. 32 And
I, when I am lifted up[f] from the earth, will draw all people to myself.’ 33
He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die.
34
The crowd spoke up, ‘We have heard from the Law that the Messiah will remain
for ever, so how can you say, “The Son of Man must be lifted up”? Who is this
“Son of Man”?’
35 Then Jesus told them,
‘You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you
have the light, before darkness overtakes you. Whoever walks in the dark does
not know where they are going. 36 Believe in the light while you have the
light, so that you may become children of light.’ When he had finished
speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them.
Belief
and unbelief among the Jews
37
Even after Jesus had performed so many signs in their presence, they still
would not believe in him. 38 This was to fulfil the word of Isaiah the prophet:
‘Lord,
who has believed our message
and to whom has the arm of the Lord been
revealed?’[g]
39
For this reason they could not believe, because, as Isaiah says elsewhere:
40
‘He has blinded their eyes
and hardened their hearts,
so
they can neither see with their eyes,
nor understand with their hearts,
nor turn – and I would heal them.’[h]
41
Isaiah said this because he saw Jesus’ glory and spoke about him.
42
Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him. But because
of the Pharisees they would not openly acknowledge their faith for fear they
would be put out of the synagogue; 43 for they loved human praise more than
praise from God.
44 Then Jesus cried out,
‘Whoever believes in me does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent
me. 45 The one who looks at me is seeing the one who sent me. 46 I have come
into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.
47 ‘If anyone hears my
words but does not keep them, I do not judge that person. For I did not come to
judge the world, but to save the world. 48 There is a judge for the one who
rejects me and does not accept my words; the very words I have spoken will
condemn them at the last day. 49 For I did not speak on my own, but the Father
who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken. 50 I know that his
command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has
told me to say.’
