Seekers

Lesson #195

With this lesson we open a new section, defined by John 12:20 – 26. In previous lessons we saw Jesus teach with authority and with miraculous power demonstrate that he was the Son of God, the Messiah and in so doing the religious Jewish leadership turned against him, rejecting his claims to be their coming Messiah. In this section, for the first time, Gentiles approach Jesus seeking to know how to obtain eternal life. In a way, the appearance of these Gentiles singles to Jesus that his ministry to the Jews is about to come to an end, but before Jesus can reach out to the Gentiles he must first die on the cross to provide a way for their salvation. In John 10:16, Jesus said, “I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock with one shepherd” (NASB). These other sheep are the Gentiles from other nations. Because of the death of Jesus on the cross and then his resurrection from the dead we find, from Revelation 7:9 – 11, a great multitude “from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”” All believers, whether Jew or Gentile, will be part of one group with one Shepherd, Jesus Christ, leading them.

“Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks” (John 12:20 ESV). These Greeks are not necessarily from Greece, but refers to Gentiles. These people would be non-Jews, who are God-fearers, who have come to Jerusalem to worship at the Jewish festival. While they are there they would like to have a word with Jesus, “So these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.”” (John 12:21 ESV). Some say it is possible that these Greeks lived in or near Bethsaida and knew Philip, who was from there. I don’t think so, because if they lived there they would have learned from Jesus as others did. John didn’t make it clear why they went to Philip, so I am not going to speculate.  “Philip went and told Andrew; Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus.” (John 12:22 ESV).  Why did Philip take Andrew with him when he went to tell Jesus about the request of the Greeks to speak with him? Possibly it was because “. . . if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven” (Matthew 18:19 ESV). We will see shortly that Jesus was teaching and people were around him, so maybe Philip felt that he had a better chance of getting the attention of Jesus with Andrew along. They did and Jesus took time to listen to their request, “And Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified”” (John 12:23 ESV).

“The hour” that John speaks of is the time of Jesus’ crucifixion, at which time his saving work is accomplished in his atoning death. Jesus stating that the hour has come is a clear indication that from now on we will see his teaching and events preparing for the cross. In order for Jesus to be glorified and on which the destiny of the world would turn, he would have to endure the cross and rise from the dead. From his death on the cross he would rise to his glory and bring with him his sheep; those provided by the Father, which Jesus calls into the fold to rise with him into glory when he returns. In his response to the Greeks, Jesus makes reference to “the Son of Man”, not to “the Son of God”. The highest Man, the supreme Man, who is to rule the world is about to ascent to his eternal throne and clothe himself with all authority of judgment and mercy in heaven and earth. One of the main themes of the Gospel is the glorification of the Son of man. Its justification is to be found in the fact that the Son of man is the Word made flesh (John 1:14), and the Lamb who was slain (Revelation 13:8), and like the Serpent is being lifted up (John 3:14, Numbers 21:9), and as the true Shepherd is laying down his life that he might take it up again (John 10:17 – 18).

Prayer

Father, indeed the hour has come for Jesus to fulfill his mission to provide the means of salvation. Father, as I prepared this lesson I thought about where this plan of salvation started at Genesis 3:15: “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel” (ESV). This is where this thread of salvation begins, in the Scripture, that we can follow through the Bible that leads to where we are here in this lesson; a thread with prophesies made hundreds of years before being fulfilled; a thread so delicately woven through history that it couldn’t happen by chance, but by your sovereign hand. Father, a plan so wonderfully planned and now being fulfilled before us in our studies. How can we not humble ourselves before you in thanksgiving, praise and worship?