Now there were some Greeks among those who had come up to worship at the feast. 21 They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, “Sir, we would like to see Jesus.” 22 Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. 23 Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit. 25 Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life. 26 Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there also will my servant be. The Father will honor whoever serves me. 27 “I am troubled now. Yet what should I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But it was for this purpose that I came to this hour. 28 Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it and will glorify it again.” 29 The crowd there heard it and said it was thunder; but others said, “An angel has spoken to him.” 30 Jesus answered and said, “This voice did not come for my sake but for yours. 31 Now is the time of judgment on this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. 32 And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself.” 33 He said this indicating the kind of death he would die. 34 So the crowd answered him, “We have heard from the law that the Messiah remains forever. Then how can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?” 35 Jesus said to them, “The light will be among you only a little while. Walk while you have the light, so that darkness may not overcome you. Whoever walks in the dark does not know where he is going. 36 While you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become children of the light.” After he had said this, Jesus left and hid from them.
Jesus had just made his entry into Jerusalem where the crowd met him with palm branches and shouted, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, [even] the king of Israel (Jn. 12:13).” This led the Pharisees to say, “Look, the whole world has gone after him (Jn. 12:19).” God-fearing Gentiles (Greeks) had come to Jerusalem to worship at Passover and told Philip that they wanted to see Jesus. Philip and Andrew, who had Greek names, went to Jesus who told them that his mission (hour) was coming to an end (vv. 20-23). Jesus, using a proverb (1 Cor. 15:36) indicated that his death was necessary for the salvation of others (v. 24). The coming of Jesus’ hour also meant that those who follow Jesus should expect to suffer the same fate (vv. 25-26). Jesus said, “Everyone who acknowledges me before others I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father (Mt. 10:32)."
Jesus’ coming hour was also the reason for his distress as he pondered his coming passion (v. 27). Jesus said aloud, “Father, glorify your name,” and he received assurance from God, “I have glorified it and will glorify it again.” God’s name had been glorified throughout Jesus’ ministry and it would be glorified again with Jesus’ death on the cross (vv. 28-29; Phil. 2:8). The crowd could not understand God’s response to Jesus because they did not understand Jesus’ relationship with God, and they thought that the thunderous sound was the voice of an angel (vv. 30). All unbelievers who are hostile to God would come under God’s judgment at the crucifixion and Satan would be driven out (v. 32). When Jesus is ‘lifted up’ on the cross, he will also be ‘lifted up’ to God’s right hand on his death and the exalted Christ will draw all who believe to himself (v. 33; Phil. 2:9-11). The Jews expected the Messiah to remain forever when he came (Jn. 12:34), so they did not understand what Jesus was saying to them. Jesus again appealed to them to follow him, to walk while they “have the light (v. 35).”
Almighty God, help us
die to self, pick up our crosses daily, and follow the example of your beloved Son.
Send your Spirit to guard our thoughts
and actions so that our hope of eternal life may not be in vain. This we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen!
Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Upper Saddle River, NJ, United States, Prentice Hall, 1990.
Comments