It was a melancholy account which we had in the close of the foregoing chapter of the dishonour done to our Lord Jesus, when the scribes and Pharisees proclaimed him a traitor to their church, and put upon him all the marks of ignominy they could: but the story of this chapter balances that, by giving us an account of the honour done to the Redeemer, notwithstanding all that reproach thrown upon him. Thus the one was set over against the other. Let us see what honours were heaped on the head of the Lord Jesus, even in the depths of his humiliation. I. Mary did him honour, by anointing his feet at the supper in Bethany, ver. 1-11. II. The common people did him honour, with their acclamations of joy, when he rode in triumph into Jerusalem, ver. 12-19. III. The Greeks did him honour, by enquiring after him with a longing desire to see him, ver. 20-26. IV. God the Father did him honour, by a voice from heaven, bearing testimony to him, ver. 27-36. V. He had honour done him by the Old Testament prophets, who foretold the infidelity of those that heard the report of him, ver. 37-41. VI. He had honour done him by some of the chief rulers, whose consciences witnessed for him, though they had not courage to own it, ver. 42, 43. VII. He claimed honour to himself, by asserting his divine mission, and the account he gave of his errand into the world, ver. 44-50.
Mary Anoints Christ's Feet; Hypocrisy of Judas; Indignation of the Chief Priests.