During a dinner hosted in Jesus’ honor, Mary wiped Jesus' feet with high-quality, expensive, scented oil and with her hair. Martha served while Lazarus reclined nearby. Some would point out that expensive oil poured over the head of a king was the common practice, but poured on the feet and wiped with hair was extremely rare. Mary expressed a deep sense of humility to honor whom she knew as the King and Messiah. Although it was true that Jesus reigned as God, the act of Mary, according to Jesus, was to prepare Him for burial. When the Israelites were in Egypt, they killed a lamb and painted the blood on the top and side of their doors so that judgment would pass over their house. Jesus was about to die as the perfect sacrifice where all who genuinely believe shall be saved.

1 Six days before the Passover, Jesus therefore came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 So they gave a dinner for him there. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at the table. 3 Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume (John 12:1-3)

Some of the Jews witnessed the resurrection power of Jesus when He raised Lazarus from the dead. As a result, many who witnessed it believed in Him, but some reported the event to the religious leaders. The religious leaders did not believe that Jesus was from God because He healed on the Sabbath. They would perceive the most extraordinary miracle, the raising of the dead, as a threat to their status and their nation.

45 Many of the Jews, therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him, 46 but some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done (John 11:45-46).

I AM the Resurrection and the Life, the Lord assured Martha. Mixed with faith that He is the Christ, the Son of God, and the loss of her brother, she could not plainly understand Jesus. He said that Lazarus would rise again. She thought it would be at the resurrection on the last day. She would fetch her sister, Mary.

Martha whispered to Mary that Jesus was looking for her. Mary immediately went to Jesus, who was outside the village. The Jews comforting Mary followed her, assuming Mary would go to the tomb. Mary and Jesus had a brief conversation; He grieved with Mary briefly. Then, He raised Lazarus from the dead. The miracle backed His claim, “I AM the Resurrection and the Life.”

28 When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary, saying in private, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” 29 And when she heard it, she rose quickly and went to him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha had met him. 31 When the Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary rise quickly and go out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there (John 11:28-31).

The Lord Jesus would reveal another part of Himself to His disciples. For their sake, they would witness His work, bringing the dead back to life. His additional claim is that He is the resurrection and life. Only through Jesus is eternal life, and only through Him is the resurrection unto life. Yet a phrase keeps repeating in John’s account: “I AM.” The “I AM” is the name God used to introduce Himself to Moses. When Jesus kept saying He was the “I AM,” He was saying He is One with the Father. Jesus was not only drawing upon the sacred name of God but was making a profound statement of unity with the Father, asserting His divinity.

The Jewish leaders wanted to arrest Jesus for his claims, which included claiming that He and the Father are One. But the Lord Jesus escaped. After the event, Mary and Martha sent Jesus a message that their brother, Lazarus, was ill. He would die, but many would witness the Lord's work, which was bringing the dead to life.

1 Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill. 3 So the sisters sent to him, saying, “Lord, he whom you love is ill” (John 11:1-3).

Jesus explained that no one could take His sheep from Him because the Father, who is greater than all, protects them, and He and the Father are one. Jesus claimed to be greater than all, as the Father is. The Jewish leaders would not accept such a claim. For them, it was blasphemy to claim to be God. They expressed their unbelief with an intent to commit violence. But it was not yet time for the Lord to sacrifice Himself. Thus, He escaped their grasp.

The writer explained the background of the dialogue. It was during Hanukkah, a feast of dedication. The Jews celebrated the moment they expelled the Seleucid Empire, which defiled the temple with a pig. After removing the enemy, they dedicated the temple to the Lord. Every year, the Jews celebrate the Feast of Dedication. Jesus walked on the eastern side of the outer court of the temple. Jews confronted Him with a question; His answer would be more than expected.

22 At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter, 23 and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the colonnade of Solomon (John 10:22-23).

The contrast is clear. Jesus is the Good Shepherd, laying down His life for the sheep. Conversely, the stranger has ill intent as well as the thief, while the hired hand will do nothing to defend the sheep from predators. There is one Good Shepherd, the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the only One who could lay down His life for the sheep and take it up again. The religious leaders of the time did not represent God or His law; they were strangers, thieves, and hirelings. But the Good Shepherd represented His Father.

The Lord Jesus Christ revealed Himself as the good shepherd and the door, highlighting that His sheep will not follow strangers and thieves. The strangers and thieves are symbolic of the religious leaders’ false teachings. Their false teaching is reflected in the misunderstanding that Jesus’ act to heal is a violation of the Sabbath. Throughout history, well-intentioned but mistaken teachers have led many astray. Yet, those truly of Christ's fold will remain steadfast and not heed such deception.

Jesus healed a man who was born blind, which triggered a series of events. Instead of showing amazement, the Jewish leaders expressed their displeasure for the violation of the Sabbath. Several hearings happened where the blind man and his parents faced hostile questioning. The blind man received sight, but more than that, he believed in who Jesus claimed to be: the Son of Man. The Jewish religious leaders remained blind to the Messiah in their midst, but the man who was formerly blind also received spiritual sight in Jesus. The Lord would give a powerful analogy, revealing more of Himself. John, the writer, narrates that Jesus is the Shepherd and the door. Conversely, the religious leaders behaved like thieves and robbers.