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In fact, some Greeks were among those going up so that they might worship in the feast. Therefore, these came near to Philip, the one from Bethsaida of Galilee, and were asking him, stating, “Lord, we wish to see Jesus.” (John’s first century eyewitness biography of Jesus: Chapter 12: 20-36) |
This extract occurred in Jesus’ final week, in which he was crucified. At this AD 30 Jerusalem worship feast, the Judean authorities were determined to kill him. But these Greeks quietly sought “to see” him.
Philip comes and states to Andrew; Andrew and Philip come and state to Jesus. In fact, Jesus answers them, “The hour has come that the Son of Man may be glorified.”
Jesus responded that all people were now to see him and his glory.
“Truly, truly, I state to you, if a grain of wheat, falling down into the ground, does not die, he himself remains alone; in fact, if it dies, it produces much fruit. The one devoted to his own human life destroys it, and the one hating his human life in this world preserves it into eternal life.”
He explains that he will shortly die and be buried. That will produce “much fruit”. Not only that. There is also a destructive principle at work in human beings. “The one devoted to his own human life destroys it, and the one hating his human life in this world preserves it into eternal life.”
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| “If anyone may serve me, “Follow me!” and where I myself am, there also the servant of mine will be. If anyone may serve me, the Father will honour that one.”
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Jesus intends to reverse that destructive principle of being "devoted to one’s own human life”. “Anyone” “may serve” him. “Follow me!” When a person does *serve” him, two wonderful things come into being. This is very, very different from merely attending church.
“Now my human life is distressed. And what may I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for that I came into this hour. Father, glorify your name!” Then a voice came from heaven: “And I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” The crowd therefore, standing and hearing, was stating it to have become thunder. Others were stating, “An angel spoke to him.”
His “human life distressed” to death, Jesus simply tells the Father, “Your will not mine” using the words, “glorify your name!” The glory of the eternal Father, creator and redeemer, is seen at the cross of his son.
Jesus was answering and he said, “This voice did not come to be because of me, but because of you. Judgment of this world is now; now the ruler of this world will be thrown outside. And I, if I am lifted up from the ground, will draw all people to myself.” In fact, he stated this signifying the manner of death he was about to die.
Jesus explained that the thunderous words of his Father were spoken for the benefit of others. When the Father categorically endorsed the death of the son of man, it was because that death would be “judgment” executed upon “this world” because Jesus would take that “judgment” upon himself at the cross. “The ruler of this world” would be “thrown outside”.
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Therefore, the crowd was answering him, “We ourselves hear from the law that the Christ remains into eternity. And how are you yourself stating that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?” Therefore, Jesus said to them, “Still a little while the light is in you. Walk while you have the light, so that darkness may not overtake you! And the one walking in the darkness has not discerned to where he is going away. While you have the light, believe into the light, in order that you may become sons of light.”
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The crowd tried to understand. How on earth could a leader “lifted up” on a cross help them in any way? Worst of all, the blessing, “where I myself am, there also the servant of mine will be. If anyone may serve me, the Father will honor that one” meant nothing. But “light” was available.
Jesus spoke these things, and, having come away, he was hidden from them.
“Light” did not remain available for ever for them.
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