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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.comRobertson Word Pictures - John 12:2 - 12:2
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So they made him a supper there (epoiēsan oun autōi deipnon ekei). Here again oun is not inferential, but merely transitional. This supper is given by Mark (Mar 14:3-9) and Matthew (Mat 26:6-13) just two days (Mar 14:1) before the passover, that is on our Tuesday evening (beginning of Jewish Wednesday), while John mentions (Joh 12:2-9) it immediately after the arrival of Jesus in Bethany (Joh 12:1). One must decide which date to follow. Mark and Matthew and Luke follow it with the visit of Judas to the Sanhedrin with an offer to betray Jesus as if exasperated by the rebuke by Jesus at the feast. Bernard considers that John “is here more probably accurate.” It all turns on John’s purpose in putting it here. This is the last mention of Jesus in Bethany and he may have mentioned it proleptically for that reason as seems to me quite reasonable. Westcott notes that in chapter 12John closes his record of the public ministry of the Lord relative to the disciples at this feast (Joh 12:1-11), to the multitude in the triumphal entry (Joh 12:12-19), to the world outside in the visit of the Greeks (verses 20-36a), and with two summary judgments (Joh 12:36-50). There is no further reason to refer to the feast in the house of another Simon when a sinful woman anointed Jesus (Luk 7:36-50). It is no credit to Luke or to John with Mark and Matthew to have them all making a jumble like that. There were two anointings by two absolutely different women for wholly different purposes. See the discussion on Luke for further details.
And Martha served (kai hē Martha diēkonei). Imperfect active of diakoneō, picturing Martha true to the account of her in Luk 10:40 (pollēn diakonian, diakonein as here). But this fact does not show that Martha was the wife of this Simon at all. They were friends and neighbours and Martha was following her bent. It is Mark (Mar 14:3) and Matthew (Mat 26:6) who mention the name of the host. It is not Simon the Pharisee (Luk 7:36), but Simon the leper (Mar 14:3; Mat 26:6) in whose house they meet. The name is common enough. The Simon in Luke was sharply critical of Jesus; this one is full of gratitude for what Jesus has done for him.
That sat at meat (tōn anakeimenōn). “That lay back,” reclined as they did, articular participle (ablative case after ek) of the common verb anakeimai. Perhaps Simon gave the feast partly in honour of Lazarus as well as of Jesus since all were now talking of both (Joh 12:9). It was a gracious occasion. The guests were Jesus, the twelve apostles, and Martha, Mary, and Lazarus.