A Dangerous Supper (John 12:1-11)

Why would Mary and Martha desire to make Jesus a supper? What lesson(s) might we learn from their willingness?

What would possess Mary to anoint Jesus’ feet with costly oil? Why would she wipe up the oil with her hair? John says that “the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.” What does that tell us?

Why would John tell his readers at this point that Judas would betray Jesus? Why would John need to point out that Judas was Simon’s son?

Why did Judas want to give the proceeds of the costly oil to the poor? With the money spent on this costly oil, Jesus and his disciples could have given to about 300 poor people enough money to survive for one day. Was it really wise for Mary to spend that much money on perfume to poor on Jesus’ feet? What should we learn from this?

Jesus said that Mary has “keep it for the day of my burial.” How had she kept that the oil for Jesus’ burial?

Jesus implied at verse 8 that we should care for the poor. What are some of the best ways to care for the poor?

Why would people want to come out to see Lazarus?

If the Jewish leaders had been successful in killing Lazarus (do we know for a fact that they weren’t?), do you think Jesus would have raised him from the dead a second time?

On account of Lazarus, many of the Jews believed on Jesus. Could it be said that on account of us many people have believed on Jesus?