Chapter 12
12:1-8 - Jesus allows for Mary to anoint his feet. He uses this as an opportunity to communicate grace not only to Mary, but also to the onlookers which include His disciples, potential disciples, and even the one who only gave the appearance of being a disciple... Judas.
12:20-26 - While the disciples are interested in doing a little P.R. with the Greeks, Jesus keeps them focused on the cross and what he came to do. He explains to them that discipleship is about losing your life, that you might find true life.
12:27-30 - Jesus talks to the Father out loud in front of the disciples about the cross he is about to bear. Jesus’ prayer is that God might be glorified in the cross. The Father responds out loud to Jesus, “I have glorified it and I will glorify it again.” The conversation between the two members of the God-head is out loud in front of the disciples. Jesus says that “this voice has come for your sake, not mine.” The Father and Jesus taught the disciples through a conversation about the cross and the glory of God in the cross. This was to show them that the primary concern of God and therefore the primary concern of the disciples of God is the glory of God in the cross.
12:32 - Jesus gives the disciples their mission to “lift up” the lifting up of Jesus. Jesus was lifted up on the cross to save sinners. The mission of disciples is to preach or “lift up” Jesus lifted up on the cross.
