Annointing and Triumphal Entry - Week 15

John 12:1-19


Note: The study related to these questions may be found at Catholic Exchange. Please go to their site for the complete material concerning this study. Unless otherwise noted, on scriptural references are from the Revised Standard Version (RSV). Below are my thoughts on the questions presented for the given study (Please see disclaimer at bottom).

Read John 12:1-19

1. Read Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) nos. 557-558. What do we learn about Jesus' "ascent to Jerusalem" in these passages? Also, read Luke 13:33, Mark 8:31-33; 9:31-32; 10:32-34. What insight do the references from the CCC and Holy Scripture give us about verse 1 of today's reading?
(a) From the Catechism of the Catholic Church:

557 "When the days drew near for him to be taken up [Jesus] set his face to go to Jerusalem." By this decision he indicated that he was going up to Jerusalem prepared to die there. Three times he had announced his Passion and Resurrection; now, heading toward Jerusalem, Jesus says: "It cannot be that a prophet should perish away from Jerusalem."
558 Jesus recalls the martyrdom of the prophets who had been put to death in Jerusalem. Nevertheless he persists in calling Jerusalem to gather around him: "How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not!" When Jerusalem comes into view he weeps over her and expresses once again his heart's desire: "Would that even today you knew the things that make for peace! But now they are hid from your eyes. (CCC, 557-558)
We learn that Jesus knew what awaited Him in Jerusalem and that even so, He still loved Jerusalem. (b) From the Gospel of Luke:
Nevertheless I must go on my way today and tomorrow and the day following; for it cannot be that a prophet should perish away from Jerusalem. (Lk 13:33)
From the Gospel of Mark:
31: And he began to teach them that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32: And he said this plainly. And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him. 33: But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter, and said, "Get behind me, Satan! For you are not on the side of God, but of men." (Mark 8:31-33)
31: for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, "The Son of man will be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him; and when he is killed, after three days he will rise." 32: But they did not understand the saying, and they were afraid to ask him. (Mark 9:31-32)
32: And they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them; and they were amazed, and those who followed were afraid. And taking the twelve again, he began to tell them what was to happen to him, 33: saying, "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man will be delivered to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death, and deliver him to the Gentiles; 34: and they will mock him, and spit upon him, and scourge him, and kill him; and after three days he will rise." (Mark 10:32-34)
These references show that Jesus was well aware of what must die and rise again in order to free us from our sin. John the Evangelist also points to this by reminding us that Jesus raised Laz'arus from the dead.

2. Knowing what we do about Jesus' impending death, what is significant about Mary's actions in verse 3, especially about the anointing? (Hint, read CCC no. 1523 and Mark 14:8).
(a) From the Catechism of the Catholic Church:
A preparation for the final journey. If the sacrament of anointing of the sick is given to all who suffer from serious illness and infirmity, even more rightly is it given to those at the point of departing this life; so it is also called sacramentum exeuntium (the sacrament of those departing).139 The Anointing of the Sick completes our conformity to the death and Resurrection of Christ, just as Baptism began it. It completes the holy anointings that mark the whole Christian life: that of Baptism which sealed the new life in us, and that of Confirmation which strengthened us for the combat of this life. This last anointing fortifies the end of our earthly life like a solid rampart for the final struggles before entering the Father's house. (CCC, 1523)
From the Gospel of Mark:
She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for burying. (Mark 14:8)
These actions are Providential. Mary is preparing Jesus' body for His impending death.

3. What do you notice about the difference between Mary's behavior and the behavior of Judas Iscariot in verse 4? What does this tell us about Judas?
(a) Mary was concerned for Jesus where Judas was only concerned about the money. (b) This tells us that Judas was more concerned with his own welfare than that of either Jesus or his fellow man.

4. Read Mark 14:6-11. What important details do we learn in Mark's gospel account that we do not learn from the passage we ve just read from John's gospel?
(a) From the Gospel of Mark:
6: But Jesus said, "Let her alone; why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 7: For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you will, you can do good to them; but you will not always have me. 8: She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for burying. 9: And truly, I say to you, wherever the gospel is preached in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her." 10: Then Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went to the chief priests in order to betray him to them. 11: And when they heard it they were glad, and promised to give him money. And he sought an opportunity to betray him. (Mark 14:6-11)
We learn that Mary will be remembered for her kind act and that Judas met with the chief priests to discuss handing Jesus over to them.

5. Read 1 Maccabees 13:47-51 and 2 Maccabees 10:7. What do these verses have in common with verses 12-13 of today's reading?
(a) From First Maccabees:
47: So Simon reached an agreement with them and stopped fighting against them. But he expelled them from the city and cleansed the houses in which the idols were, and then entered it with hymns and praise. 48: He cast out of it all uncleanness, and settled in it men who observed the law. He also strengthened its fortifications and built in it a house for himself. 49: The men in the citadel at Jerusalem were prevented from going out to the country and back to buy and sell. So they were very hungry, and many of them perished from famine. 50: Then they cried to Simon to make peace with them, and he did so. But he expelled them from there and cleansed the citadel from its pollutions. 51: On the twenty-third day of the second month, in the one hundred and seventy-first year, the Jews entered it with praise and palm branches, and with harps and cymbals and stringed instruments, and with hymns and songs, because a great enemy had been crushed and removed from Israel. (1 Mac 13:47-51)
From Second Maccabees:
Therefore bearing ivy-wreathed wands and beautiful branches and also fronds of palm, they offered hymns of thanksgiving to him who had given success to the purifying of his own holy place. (2 Mac 10:7)
They equate the entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem with the purification of the Temple.

6. Read Psalm 118:26. To which verse in today's reading does Psalm 118:26 relate? How is it that we are so familiar with this acclamation?
(a) From the Book of Psalms:
Blessed be he who enters in the name of the LORD! We bless you from the house of the LORD. (Ps 118:26)
This relates to verse 13. (b) We are familiar with this verse from the Preface during the Liturgy of the Eucharist of the Mass:
Preface Acclamation:
All: Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory. (Is 6:3) Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest. (Mark 11:9-10)


7. Read Zechariah 9:9. What does verse nine is Zechariah have to do with verses 14-15?
(a) From the Book of the Prophet Zechariah:
Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Lo, your king comes to you; triumphant and victorious is he, humble and riding on an ass, on a colt the foal of an ass. (Zech 9:9)
This is a Messianic passage that is fulfilled in verses 14 and 15 of today's reading.

8. By what title do the people refer to Jesus in verse 13? Read Catechism no. 559 and Luke 1:31-33 and explain why this title is befitting to Jesus and why He allows the people to call Him this without rebuke.
(a) They refer to Jesus as the King of Israel. (b) From the Catechism of the Catholic Church:
How will Jerusalem welcome her Messiah? Although Jesus had always refused popular attempts to make him king, he chooses the time and prepares the details for his messianic entry into the city of "his father David". Acclaimed as son of David, as the one who brings salvation (Hosanna means "Save!" or "Give salvation!"), the "King of glory" enters his City "riding on an ass". Jesus conquers the Daughter of Zion, a figure of his Church, neither by ruse nor by violence, but by the humility that bears witness to the truth. And so the subjects of his kingdom on that day are children and God's poor, who acclaim him as had the angels when they announced him to the shepherds. Their acclamation, "Blessed be he who comes in the name of the Lord", is taken up by the Church in the "Sanctus" of the Eucharistic liturgy that introduces the memorial of the Lord's Passover. (CCC, 539)
From the Gospel of Luke:
31: And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32: He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33: and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there will be no end." (Lk 1:31-33)
This title is obviously befitting to Jesus in that He is the Messiah, the King of Israel and of all of Creation. He does not rebuke them because now Jesus' hour is at hand.

9. Read John 3:17 and John 4:42. What light do these verses shed on the words of the Pharisees in verse 19?
(a) From the Gospel of John:
For God sent the Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. (John 3:17)
They said to the woman, "It is no longer because of your words that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world." (John 4:42)
The Pharisees understand that they cannot prevent the people from praising Jesus. However, the Pharisees, probably unwittingly, by uttering the phrase "the world has gone after him", prophetically confirm that Jesus will save those who go after Him. That He has indeed come to be the "Savior of the world".

Disclaimer: I do not wish to present myself as an expert in either theology, history, or scriptural interpretation. I am merely someone who is attempting to answer the call of Christ. The ultimate authority and interpreter of scripture is our Holy Catholic Church. If at any point I deviate from the teachings of the Church, please correct me, alfredo@nevarez.net, as this is my shortcoming and in no way meant to be an expression of my views superceding those of the Church founded by Jesus Christ.

San Jose Bible Study
 Alfredo Nevarez
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