“A JOURNEY THROUGH THE GOSPEL OF JOHN”

St. JOHN 12:21-36

The Desire of the Greeks to See Jesus

As we approach this remarkable section of John’s gospel account, we will discover that the Lord’s public ministry is drawing to a close; in fact, our Lord has less than a week before He voluntarily gives His life as a ransom for mankind.  In the previous section (St. John 12:12-20), we were exposed to the fact that a rabid crowd exclaimed the praise of “Hosanna” as He made His entrance into Jerusalem riding upon a donkey, a beast of peace.  But the praise of “Hosanna” will soon be changed to “crucify Him” (Mark 5:13-14).

As this section begins, we find a striking incident in which the Greeks sought to see Christ, for their coming was in stark contrast to the nation’s rejection of Him.  Several writers are in agreement that the Greeks mentioned were from the region of Syro-Phoenicia.  These Greeks could have known Phillip since Phillip was from Bethsaida of Galilee – a city on the borders of Syro-Phoenicia.  Phillip relates this matter to Andrew and the both of them took it to Jesus.  With reference to the Greeks’ longing to see Jesus, verses 23-24 reveal that Jesus’ impending “hour” was drawing nigh.

All along His ministry, Jesus had repeatedly said that His “decisive hour” had not yet arrived (St. John 2:4, 7:6, 7:8, 7:30, 8:20).  The hour in which He would be glorified referred to His approaching death – a death that was necessary in order for God to be totally appeased, for Jesus sacrificed His life for the sins of mankind.  Yes, the Son of man will be glorified through death.  He voluntarily served as mankind’s sin bearer on a rugged tree on Calvary!

In verse 24, Jesus gives an analogy of a corn of wheat dying in the ground and yielding an abundant harvest to teach that death is necessary in order to have life!  You can’t have life until you have death.  In verses 25-26, our Lord lays down a principle that believers in Christ must be totally committed, willing even to abandon all their self-interests in life in order to follow Him.  As servants of Jesus Christ, one must be willing to follow Jesus in humiliation; however, after humiliation, there will be honor.  Without wavering in any degree to His purpose, our Lord reveals His inward suffering as His “decisive hour” approached (v. 27-28).  His soul was deeply stirred in view of the horror of His approaching hour – the hour from which He would not shrink.

The trouble that Jesus experienced was indeed weighty;  the prospect of becoming a curse for us to propitiate God’s righteous judgment against sinners was extremely agonizing.  But, I am so glad that Jesus did not shrink from His decision to save us!  Jesus knew the main reason for His incarnation, for He was not going to abandon His purpose for coming into the world.  In verses 28-30, the Father spoke audibly from heaven in approval of Jesus, with special reference to the time in which the Son of man will be glorified.

Christ’s wonderful earthly ministry will be climaxed in His death and resurrection.  At the cross, Satan was defeated (v.31); his power over people in the realm of sin and death has been defeated; thus, people can be delivered from the tyranny of spiritual darkness and slavery to sin (Col. 1:13-14; Heb. 2:14-15).  Through the saving ministry of the cross (v. 32-33), Jesus offers salvation to all who might believe, even in this context to the Greeks (v. 20).  Of course, the prospect of Jesus dying on a cross of shame caused the people to be puzzled because they looked forward to a reigning Messiah, not a crucified Messiah (v. 34).  Our lesson concludes in verses 35-36 with Jesus admonishing the people to take advantage of the opportunity to believe in the light for the opportunity to accept Him was limited.  May God bless!