Commentaries:
Robertson's Word Pictures (NT)
Jesus therefore (Ihsouv oun). Here oun is not causal, but simply copulative and transitional, "and so" (Bernard), as often in John (John 1:22, etc.).
Six days before the passover (pro ec hmerwn tou pasxa). This idiom, transposition of pro, is like the Latin use of ante, but it occurs in the old Doric, in the inscriptions and the papyri. See Amos 1:1 for it also (cf. Moulton, Proleg., pp. 100ff.; Robertson, Grammar, pp. 621f.). If the crucifixion was on Friday, as seems certain from both John and the Synoptics, then six days before would be the Jewish Sabbath preceding or more probably the Friday afternoon before, since Jesus would most likely arrive before the Sabbath. Probably we are to put together in one scene for the atmosphere John 11:55-57; John 12:1, John 12:9-11.
Came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus raised from the dead (htlen eiv Bhqanian, opou hn Lazaros, on hgeiren ek nekrwn Ihsouv). Each phrase explains the preceding. There is no reason for thinking this a gloss as Bernard does. It was a place of danger now after that great miracle and the consequent rage of the Sanhedrin (John 12:9-11). The crowd of eager spectators to see both Lazarus and Jesus would only intensify this rage.
Other Robertson's Word Pictures (NT) entries containing John 12:1:
Matthew 26:6
Luke 9:51
Luke 10:38
John 5:1
John 11:2
John 11:5
John 11:18
John 12:1
John 12:2
John 12:2
John 12:9
John 12:17
2 Corinthians 12:2
Revelation 14:20
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