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The Gospel of John, The Period of Crisis, The Visit of the Greeks, Part VII, John 12:20-24 - Lesson 104
John 12:20-22 And there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast: The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus. Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: and again Andrew and Philip tell Jesus.
The Pharisees had said that the world is gone after him.
John uses this comment of the Pharisees to illustrate this.
Certain Greeks enter the scene.
These were greek speaking gentiles.
We do not know whether they were Hellenistic Jews or Gentile proselytes to Judaism or Gentiles who lived in Galilee.
But they represent the gentile world.
They had come to worship at the feast.
John 1:11 tells us that He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
Here we find Greeks coming to him and wanting to see Jesus.
God will take out a people for his name.
This visit of the Greeks is a foreshadowing of this.
It was the start of the pledge to gather together into one the children of God that were scattered abroad.
These Greeks pointed in the direction of the other sheep which the Good Shepherd must also bring.
The wise men from the east sought Jesus at his birth and here we see the Greeks seeking him shortly before his death.
All men need Jesus Christ.
But for all men including these Greeks to know Jesus Christ, he must die and he explains this in:
John 12:23,24, And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.
At Cana he had told his mother that his hour had not yet come.
No man laid hands on him because his hour had not yet come, he said in the middle of his public ministry.
But now is the time when he says the hour is come.
Jesus knew this week! This is the week when he is to be glorified.
This was the hour when all the world would be blessed including the Greeks at the door.
This is the hour when his death, burial and resurrection would take place giving life to the glorius Gospel of Jesus Christ which would bring life to the Greeks at the door.
This is the hour of glorification when Jesus Christ, in obedience to the will of the Father, can say that his mission is finished,
This is the hour when he returns to sit on the right hand of God.
The Greeks must wait for the hour to pass because they are to be the fruit realized from the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Rejected by his own the Greeks are to be the fruit.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.
Disciples, you may be glorying now in the wonderful entry as King that I made into Jerusalem.
You hear no opposition from the Romans, you even see the Greeks seeking me but except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone!
Disciples, there is a Cross before the Crown.
I am the seed that must die if I am to bring forth much fruit.
Like a seed that has life in it, transcends its own death, Jesus is life and death cannot destroy that life from bringing forth new life in much fruit. |