John 12

Today, I just want to highlight a few verses from this chapter:

(12:10) The chief priests wanted to kill Lazarus. I always thought this was funny, because Jesus already raised him from the dead once. I suppose they maybe thought they could kill Jesus first and then Lazarus, but that didn't exactly work out like they planned, either.

(12:25) The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates [prefers less than The Kingdom] his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. In connection with this verse, there is a prayer (by Stephen Mitchell) that a colleague of mine shared with me: "Even in the midst of great pain, Lord, I praise you for that which is. I will not refuse this grief or close myself to this anguish. Let shallow men pray for ease: 'comfort us, shield us from sorrow.' I pray for whatever you send me, and I ask to receive it as your gift. You have put a joy in my heart greater than all the world's riches. I lie down trusting the darkness, for I know that even now, you are here." That is a powerful and frightening prayer.

(12:42-43) Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him, but because of the Pharisees they would not sonfess their faith for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue; for they loved praise from men more than praise from God.