CXII.
GREEKS SEEK JESUS. HE FORETELLS THAT HE
SHALL DRAW ALL MEN UNTO HIM.
(In the Temple. Tuesday, April 4, A. D. 30.)
dJOHN XII. 20-50.
d20 Now there were certain
Greeks among those that went up to worship at the feast [The language
indicates that they were Greek converts to Judaism, such as were called
proselytes of the gate. It is also noted that as Gentiles came from the
east at the beginning of Jesus' life, so they also came from the west at
the close of his ministry]: 21 these therefore
came to Philip, who was of Bethsaida of Galilee [See p.
111. They were possibly drawn to Philip by his Greek name],and asked
him, saying, Sir [the dignity of the Master elevates the disciple],
we would see Jesus. [Jesus was evidently still in the court of the
women, where the treasury was, and this court, being part of the sanctuary,
no Gentile was permitted to enter it.]
22 Philip cometh and telleth Andrew [Philip wished another to share
the responsibility of the situation]: Andrew cometh, and Philip,
and they tell Jesus. 23 And Jesus answereth
them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified.
[The humble seeking of these Gentiles formed a striking contrast to the
persistent rejection of the Jews. And the occasion forcibly suggested that
the gospel invitation, which had hitherto been confined to the lost sheep
of the house of Israel, should be extended to the vast throng of waiting
Gentiles. But, according to the counsel of God, this extension was not
to take place until Jesus had been glorified by his death, resurrection,
and enthronement. The demand for extension, therefore, suggested the advisability
of a speedy glorification, which accorded with the plans of God.]
24 Verily, verily, [with these emphatic words Jesus prepares for a
hard saying], I say unto you, Except a grain of [613] wheat
fall into the earth and die, it abideth by itself alone; but if it die,
it beareth much fruit. [As the germ of life in the grain of wheat can
only pass into other grains by departing from the original grain and leaving
it dead, so the life which was in Christ Jesus could only pass into his
disciples by his death.] 25 He that
loveth his life loseth it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall
keep it unto life eternal. [Though Jesus had his own death in view,
yet he shows himself governed by a principle which he had already declared
to be of universal application. See p.
368. If a grain of wheat saves itself, it remains but one grain until
it rots; but if it yields up its life-germ as a sacrifice to the law of
growth, it multiplies itself thirty, sixty, or a hundred fold and continues
its multiplication through an innumerable posterity.]
26 If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall
also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will the Father honor.
[Jesus here recommends to his disciples that they follow him in fruit-bearing
self-sacrifice, promising them the joy of being with him and the honor
of the Father. The joy of being with Christ is the chief expectation of
the Christian--II. Cor. v. 8; Phil. i. 23; Rev. xxi. 3; xxii. 20.]
27 Now is my soul troubled [Thus Jesus admits that it was difficult
for him to live up to the principle of sacrifice which he had just enunciated.
Had it not been thus difficult for him, he would hardly have been a fitting
example for his disciples; for certainly it is and has always been difficult
for them]; and what shall I say? [In his trouble Jesus raises
the question as to what prayer he shall offer to the Father.] Father,
save me from this hour. But for this cause [for this purpose of imparting
life through a sacrificial death] came I unto this hour. [Thus Jesus
proposes a prayer for deliverance, but repudiates it as contrary to the
very purpose of his life.] 28 Father,
glorify thy name. [Having refused to ask for deliverance, Jesus prays
that he may glorify the Father by suffering according to his original statement
contained in verses 23 and 24. Two two prayers are counterparts to the
two offered in Gethsemane [614] (Luke xxii.
42). The prayer here is the climax of the thought begun at verse 23. We
are first shown that nature is glorified by sacrifice (verse 24). Then
that discipleship is so glorified (verses 25, 26) and this prayer shows
that our Lord himself is glorified by the same rule.] There came therefore
a voice out of heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will
glorify it again. [The Father had glorified his name in the Son. By
words of commendation at his baptism (Matt. iii. 17) and at his transfiguration
(Matt. xvii. 5), and by the performance of miracles (John xi. 40), and
he would glorify it again by the preaching of the universal gospel, and
by making Jesus head over all to the church and the final judge of all
men.] 29 The multitude therefore,
that stood by, and heard it, said that it had thundered: others said, An
angel hath spoken to him. [Those who thought it thundered were nervous
persons who were so startled as not to distinguish the words.*]
30 Jesus answered and said, This voice hath not come for my sake, but for
your sakes. [The voice was not spoken to encourage Jesus in his hour
of suffering, but to aid the Jews to believe on him, and to warn them of
the coming judgment which would follow their disbelief, and make them partakers
in the condemnation of Satan.] 31
Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be
cast out. [The Greek word for "judgment" survives in our English word
"crisis," but conveys much more meaning, since it embraces also the idea
of final settlement and adjudication. The crucifixion of Jesus was the
crisis in the contest between Satan and [615] God.
See Gen. iii. 15. "The meaning of it," says Barnes, "may be thus expressed:
Now is approaching the decisive scene, the eventful period--the crisis--when
it shall be determined who shall rule this world." In the long conflict
which had hitherto been carried on, Satan had earned for himself the name
"prince of this world," and it was no empty title (Matt. iv. 8, 9; II.
Cor. iv. 4; Eph. vi. 12); but by his approaching death Jesus would break
down the power of Satan, and cast him out, not suddenly, but by the advancing
power of a superior kingdom. The kingdom of darkness recedes before the
kingdom of light as the night withdraws before the rising sun.]
32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto myself.
33 But this he said, signifying by what manner of death he should die.
[Jesus thrice speaks of his death as a lifting up, a euphemism for being
crucified (John viii. 28). While the distinctions between the three statements
are not to be insisted upon, yet they suggest that the first is a saving
sacrifice, a priestly work (John iii. 14); the second is mentioned as the
convincing credential that he is the prophet sent from God, speaking the
message of God (John viii. 26-28); and in the passage before us, he is
evidently the king who shall wrest his kingdom from the usurping Satan.]
34 The multitude therefore answered him, We have heard out of the law that
the Christ abideth for ever: and how sayest thou, The Son of man must be
lifted up? who is this Son of man? [The term "law" is used loosely
for the whole of the Old Testament Scriptures (John x. 34). The people
were persuaded by certain passages such as Isa. ix. 6, 7; Ps. lxxxix. 36;
cx. 4; Dan. vii. 13, 14; Ezek. xxxvii. 25, etc. that the Messiah would
abide forever. They knew that Jesus in his triumphal entry had received
honors which they thought belonged to the Messiah, but when they hear him
use words indicating that he should die, and thus (as they construed) not
abide forever, they felt that he was openly disavowing all claim to Messiahship.
Having heard him style himself the Son of man (verse 23), they now catch
at it as if Jesus had used it to distinguish himself from the true [616] Messiah,
and ask with more or less contempt, "Who is this Son of man?" Thus blinded
by their preconceived opinions and misconstructions of Scripture, the people
wavered in their loyalty to Jesus, and Watkins well says, "This question
came midway between the 'Hosanna' of the entry into Jerusalem and the 'Crucify
him' of the trial."] 35 Jesus therefore
said unto them, Yet a little while is the light among you. [The phrase
"little while" stands in contrast with "abideth for ever."] Walk while
ye have the light, that darkness overtake you not: and he that walketh
in the darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.
36 While ye have the light, believe on the light, that ye may become sons
of light. [Jesus did not reply to their question, because it was asked
contemptuously and not seriously, and because any effort to make their
carnal mind grasp the idea that he could be lifted up, and yet still abide,
would have resulted in more contempt. He therefore speaks a solemn warning
to them, counseling them to make use of his presence while they had it,
even if his fleshly abiding with them was but brief; and promises that
a proper use of the light then given them would make them sons of light.]
These
things spake Jesus, and he departed and hid himself from them. [This
was his last public appeal to the people. He now retired, probably to Bethany,
and they saw him no more until he was a prisoner in the hands of his enemies.]
37 But though he had done so many signs before them, yet they believed
not on him. [the multitude had long oscillated between belief and unbelief,
but, despite all his past miracles and the marvelous wisdom shown on this
the day of hard questions, they settled down in unbelief]:
38 that the word of Isaiah the prophet [Isa. liii. 1] might be fulfilled,
which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? And to whom hath the
arm of the Lord been revealed? 39 For
this cause they could not believe, for that Isaiah said again [Isa.
vi. 10], 40 He hath blinded their eyes,
and he hardened their heart; Lest they should see with their eyes, and
perceive with their heart, And should turn, And [617] I
should heal them. [See p.
332. The quotation from Isaiah is not exact, for there God enjoins
on the prophet the duty of hardening the people's hearts, while here it
is spoken of as God's own act. Had God, however, hardened their hearts
by a direct act and without any reference to their moral or spiritual condition,
they could not have been held morally responsible for their disbelief.
But this God did not do. He hardened their hearts and blinded their eyes
by the manner in which he approached them through the person of his Son,
Christ Jesus. Jesus so came, so loved, and so taught that those who hunger
for godliness are drawn to him and enlightened by him, while those who
despise the grace and love of God are repelled and blinded. John here recognizes
that the type (Isaiah) should be fulfilled in the antitype (Christ). If
Isaiah was to preach that the wicked would be blinded, then Christ in his
ministry should likewise so teach and preach as to produce similar results.]
41 These things said Isaiah, because he saw his glory; and he spake of
him. 42 Nevertheless even of the rulers
many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess
it,
lest they should be put out of the synagogue:
43 for they loved the glory that is of men more than the glory that
is of God. [These members of the Sanhedrin believed with the head
rather than with the heart (Rom. x. 10); their hearts already being occupied
with the love of praise or man-glory. Their disbelief accorded with the
words of Jesus (John v. 44). As to expulsion from the synagogue, see John
ix. 22.] 44 And Jesus cried and
said [These words were of course spoken before the departure mentioned
in verse 36. They are placed here to bring out in stronger light the final
unbelief of the Jews and the patient, persistent effort which Jesus had
made to win those who were the better inclined], He that believeth
on me, believeth not one, but on him that sent me.
45 And he that beholdeth me beholdeth him that sent me.
46 I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me may
not abide in the darkness. 47 And if
any man hear my sayings, and keep [618] them
not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the
world. [See pp. 131 and
454.]
48 He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my sayings, hath one that judgeth
him: the word that I spake, the same shall judge him in the last day.
49 For I spake not from myself; but the Father that sent me, he hath given
me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.
50 And I know that his commandment is life eternal: the things therefore
which I speak, even as the Father hath said unto me, so I speak. [The
Father had sent the Son into the world to bring life and immortality to
light in the gospel. Jesus therefore here declared that men will be tried
by the gospel law and that some will be saved and some condemned by it.]
* I dissent
here, as in the case of a similar passage found at page
85, and for like reasons. The apprehension of the divine voice depends
upon the soul's capacity for hearing it, as appears from Saul's conversion
(Acts ix. 7; xxii. 9; xxvi. 13 f.). To the mass, therefore, the voice was
a mere sound; to others, the utterance was articulate though incomprehensible,
while to John, and perhaps to all the disciples, the voice communicated
a thought. "Thus," says Godet, "the wild beast perceives only a sound
in the human voice; the trained animal discovers a meaning; a command,
for example, which it immediately obeys; man alone discerns therein a thought."
(P. Y. P.)
[FFG 613-619]
