His place (chap. 12) now is with the remnant, where His heart found
rest-the house of Bethany. We have, in this family, a sample of the true
remnant of Israel, three different cases with regard to their position
before God. Martha had faith which, no doubt, attached her to Christ, but
which did not go beyond that which was needed for the kingdom. Those who
will be spared for the earth in the last days will have the same. Their
faith will at length acknowledge Christ the Son of God. Lazarus was there,
living by that power which could have also raised up all the dead saints in
the same way,
[see note #45]
which, by grace, at the last day, will call up Israel, morally, from their
state of death. In a word, we find the remnant, who will not die, spared
through true faith (but faith in a living Saviour, who should deliver
Israel), and those who shall be brought back as from the dead, to enjoy the
kingdom. Martha served; Jesus is in company with them; Lazarus sits at the
table with Him.
But there was also the representative of another class. Mary, who had drunk
at the fountain of truth, and had received that living water into her
heart, had understood that there was something more than the hope and the
blessing of Israel-namely, Jesus Himself. She does that which is suitable
to Jesus in His rejection-to Him who is the resurrection before He is our
life. Her heart associates her with that act of His, and she anoints Him
for His burial. To her it is Jesus Himself who is in question-and Jesus
rejected; and faith takes its place in that which was the seed of the
assembly, still hidden in the soil of Israel and of this world, but which,
in the resurrection, would come forth in all the beauty of the life of
God-of eternal life. It is a faith that expends itself on Him, on His body,
in which He was about to undergo the penalty of sin for our salvation. The
selfishness of unbelief, betraying its sin in its contempt of Christ, and
in its indifference, gives the Lord occasion to attach its true value to
this action of His beloved disciple. Her anointing His feet is pointed out
here, as shewing that all that was of Christ, that which was Christ, had to
her a value which prevented her regarding anything else. This is a we
appreciation of Christ. The faith that knows His love which passes
knowledge-this kind of faith is a sweet odour in the whole house. And God
remembers it according to His grace. Jesus understood her: that was all she
wanted. He justifies her: who should rise up against her? This scene is
over, and the course of events is resumed.
The enmity of the Jews (alas! that of man's heart, thus given up to itself,
and consequently to the enemy who is a murderer by nature and the enemy of
God-an enemy that nothing merely human can subdue) would fain kill Lazarus
also. Man is indeed capable of this: but capable of what? Everything yields
to hatred-to this kind of hatred of God who manifests Himself. But for this
it would in fact be inconceivable. They must now either believe in Jesus or
reject Him: for His power was so evident that they must do the one or the
other-a man publicly raised from the dead after four days, and alive among
the people, left no longer any possibility of indecision. Jesus knew it
divinely. He presents Himself as Ring of Israel to assert His rights, and
to offer salvation and the promised glory to the people and to Jerusalem.
[see note #46]
The people understand this. It must be a deliberate rejection, as the
Pharisees are well aware. But the hour was come: and although they could do
nothing, for the world went after Him, Jesus is put to death, for "he gave
himself."
The second testimony of God to Christ has now been borne to Him, as the
true Son of David. He has been witnessed to as the Son of God in raising
Lazarus (chap. 11: 4), and Son of David in riding into Jerusalem on the
ass's colt. There was yet another title to be acknowledged. As Son of man
He is to possess all the kingdoms of the earth. The Greeks
[see note #47]
come (for His fame had gone abroad), and desire to see Him. Jesus says,
"The hour is come for the Son of man to be glorified." But now He returns
to the thoughts of which Mary's ointment was the expression to His heart.
He should have been received as the Son of David; but, in taking His place
as the Son of man, a very different thing necessarily opens before Him. How
could He be seen as Son of man, coming in the clouds of heaven to take
possession of all things according to the counsels of God, without dying?
If His human service on earth was finished, and He had gone out free,
calling, if need were, for twelve legions of angels, no one could have had
any part with Him: He would have remained alone. "Except the corn of wheat
fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone; if it die, it bringeth
forth much fruit." If Christ takes His heavenly glory, and is not alone in
it, He dies to attain it, and to bring with Him the souls whom God has
given Him. In fact the hour was come: it could no longer tarry. Everything
was now ready for the end of the trial of this world, of man, of Israel;
and, above all, the counsels of God were being fulfilled.
Outwardly all was testimony to His glory. He enters Jerusalem in
triumph-the multitude proclaiming Him King. What were the Romans about?
They were silent before God. The Greeks came to seek Him. All is ready for
the glory of the Son of man. But the heart of Jesus well knew that for this
glory-for the accomplishment of the work of God, for His having one human
being with Him in the glory, for the granary of God to be filled according
to the counsels of grace-He must die. No other way for guilty souls to come
to God. That which Mary's affection foresaw, Jesus knows according to the
truth; and according to the mind of God He feels it, and submits to it. And
the Father responds at this solemn moment, by bearing testimony to the
glorious effect of that which His sovereign majesty at the same time
required-majesty which Jesus fully glorified by His obedience: and who
could do this, excepting Him who, by that obedience, brought in the love
and the power of God which accomplished it?
In that which follows, the Lord introduces a great principle connected with
the truth contained in His sacrifice. There was no link between the natural
life of man and God. If in the man Christ Jesus there was a life in entire
harmony with God, He must needs lay it down on account of this condition of
man. Being of God, He could not remain in connection with man. Man would
not have it. Jesus would rather die than not fulfil His service by
glorifying God-than not be obedient unto the end. But if any one loved his
life of this world, he lost it; for it was not in connection with God. If
any one by grace hated it-separated himself in heart from this principle of
alienation from God, and devoted his life to Him, he would have it in the
new and eternal state. To serve Jesus therefore was to follow Him; and
where He was going, there should His servant be. The result of association
of heart with Jesus here, shewn in following Him, passes out of this world,
as He was indeed doing, and Messiah blessings, into the heavenly and
eternal glory of Christ. If any one served Him, the Father would remember
it, and would honour him. All this is said in view of His death, the
thought of which comes over His mind; and His soul is troubled. And in the
just dread of that hour which, in itself, is the judgment of God, and the
end of man as God created him here on earth, He asks God to deliver Him
from that hour. And, in truth, He had come-not then to be (although He was)
the Messiah, not then (although it was His right) to take the kingdom; but
He had come for this very hour-by dying to glorify His Father. This He
desires, involve what it may. "Father, glorify thy name," is His only
prayer. This is perfectness-He feels what death is: there would have been
no sacrifice if He had not felt it. But while feeling it, His only desire
was to glorify His Father. If that cost Him everything,the work was
perfect in proportion.
Perfect in this desire, and that unto death, the Father could not but
answer Him In His answer, as it appears to me, the Father announces the
resurrection. But what grace, what marvel, to be admitted into such
communications! The heart is astounded, while filled with worship and with
grace, in beholding the perfection of Jesus, the Son of God, unto death;
that is to say, absolute; and in seeing Him, with the full sense of what
death was, seeking the sole glory of the Father; and the Father
answering-an answer morally needful to this sacrifice of the Son, and to
His own glory. Thus He said, "I have both glorified it, and will glorify it
again." I believe that He had glorified it in the resurrection of Lazarus;
[see note #48]
He would do so again in the resurrection of Christ-a glorious resurrection
which, in itself, implied ours; even as the Lord had said, without naming
His own.
Let us now observe the connection of the truths spoken of in this
remarkable passage. The hour was come for the glory of the Son of man. But,
in order to this, it needed that the precious corn of wheat should fall
into the ground and die; else it would remain alone. This was the universal
principle. The natural life of this world in us had no part with God. Jesus
must be followed. We should thus be with Him: this was serving Him. Thus
also we should be honoured by the Father. Christ, for Himself, looks death
in the face, and feels all its import. Nevertheless He gives Himself to one
only thing-the glory of His Father. The Father answers Him in this. His
desire should be fulfilled. He should not be without an answer to His
perfection. The people hear it as the voice of the Lord God, as described
in the Psalms. Christ (who, in all this, had put Himself entirely aside,
had spoken only of the glory of His followers and of His Father) declares
that this voice came for the people's sake, in order that they might
understand what He was for their salvation. Then there opens before Him,
who had thus put Himself aside and submitted to everything for His Father's
sake, not the future glory, but the value, the import, the glory, of the
work He was about to do. The principles of which we have spoken are here
brought to the central point of their development. In His death the world
was judged: Satan was its prince, and he is cast out: in appearance it is
Christ who was so. By death He morally and judicially destroyed him who had
the power of death. It was the total and entire annihilation of all the
rights of the enemy, over whomsoever and whatsoever it might be, when the
Son of God and Son of man bore the judgment of God as man in obedience unto
death. All the rights that Satan possessed through man's disobedience and
the judgment of God upon it, were only rights in virtue of the claims of
God upon man, and come back to Christ alone. And being lifted up between
God and the world, in obedience, on the cross, bearing that which was due
to sin, Christ became the point of attraction for all men living, that
through Him they might draw nigh to God. While living, Jesus ought to have
been owned as the Messiah of promise; lifted up from the earth as a victim
before God, being no longer of the earth as living upon it, He was the
point of attraction towards God for all those who, living on earth, were
alienated from God, as we have seen, that they might come to Him there (by
grace), and have life through the Saviour's death. Jesus warns the people
that it was only for a little time that He, the light of the world, would
remain with them. They should believe while it was yet time. Soon would the
darkness come, and they would not know whither they went. We see that,
whatever might be the thoughts that occupy His heart, the love of Jesus
never grows cold. He thinks of those around Him-of men according to their
need.
Nevertheless they did not believe according to the testimony of the
prophet, given in view of His humiliation unto death, given in sight of the
vision of His divine glory, which could but bring judgment on a rebellious
people (Isa. 53 and 6).
Nevertheless, such is grace, His humiliation should be their salvation;
and, in the glory that judged them, God would remember the counsels of His
grace, as sure a fruit of that glory as was the judgment which the Holy,
Holy, Holy, Jehovah of Hosts must pronounce against evil-a judgment
suspended, by His longsuffering, during centuries, but now fulfilled when
these last efforts of His mercy were despised and rejected. They preferred
the praise of men.
At last Jesus declares that which His coming really was-that in fact, they
who believed in Him, in the Jesus whom they saw on the earth, believed in
His Father, and saw His Father. He was come as the light, and they who
believed should not walk in darkness. He did not judge; He was come to
save; but the word which He had spoken should judge those who heard, for it
was the Father's word, and it was life everlasting.
