John 12:18 Commentary and Bible Study

The result of their baring record is in verse 18 – ‘For this cause the people also met him.’ What does that mean? Well there is one great crowd is coming down from Bethany on the Jericho road, and they know that Christ is going to be there. They know about the raising of Lazarus. Witnesses have gone into the city. And now the Jerusalemites have come out to join the procession for the triumphal entry. The witnesses, many of them doubters previously, had gone round Jerusalem repeating this over and over again, the raising of Lazarus. So there is the voice of the witnesses bringing out the Jerusalemites.It is at this point that Matthew 21:12 records – ‘And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the money changers, and the seats of them that sold doves.’ That is the second time he cleared the Temple. We read elsewhere that he did this very early on in his ministry. One of the opening features of his ministry. Now he repeats it at the end of his ministry.