A king on a donkey, a jar shattered at his feet, and a voice that sounds like thunder to some and clarity to others—John 12 is where momentum turns and meaning deepens. We trace the arc from a feast in Bethany to a crowded Jerusalem street and discover why glory in God’s kingdom often looks like humility, surrender, and a cross that draws the world. With Lazarus alive at the table and Mary pouring out a year’s wages, the contrast between fearful control and fearless devotion becomes impossible to ignore.

We unpack the Triumphal Entry as deliberate fulfillment of prophecy, not a spontaneous moment. The palm branches and Psalm 118 chant frame Jesus as the promised King, yet he chooses a donkey to signal peace over spectacle. When Greeks arrive asking to see him, the tone shifts: the hour has come. Jesus names the path ahead with a seed metaphor—life through death, fruit through surrender—and then the heavens answer. Some hear thunder. Others hear the Father. Either way, the message lands: the ruler of this world is judged, and the Son of Man will be lifted up to draw all people.

From there the challenge becomes personal. Will we walk in the light while we have it, or cling to praise from people and miss the praise of God? John notes leaders who believed yet stayed silent, a mirror for anyone tempted to keep faith private to avoid risk. We reflect on Jesus’ mission to save rather than condemn, his obedience to the Father’s words, and the hope that eternal life is found in trusting him. If you’re wrestling with what “costly” looks like today—time, attention, reputation—this conversation offers a way to measure value by the kingdom’s scale, where devotion is not waste but wisdom.

If this resonates, follow the show, share it with a friend, and leave a review so more people can discover the hope and challenge of John’s Gospel. What part of John 12 stirred you most—Mary’s gift, the donkey, or the voice from heaven?

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Scripture quotations taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation (NLT).
Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation.
Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.