Lesson 36: John 12:20-36 - Jesus Answers Questions
20 Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks.
21 So these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.”
22 Philip went and told Andrew; Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus.
23 And Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.
24 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.
25 Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
26 If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.
27 “Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour.
28 Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.”
29 The crowd that stood there and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.”
30 Jesus answered, “This voice has come for your sake, not mine.
31 Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out.
32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”
33 He said this to show by what kind of death he was going to die.
34 So the crowd answered him, “We have heard from the Law that the Christ remains forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?”
35 So Jesus said to them, “The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going.
36 While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.”
People around Jesus were now asking questions. In a city rapidly filling with people from many nations, all coming for this important feast, Jesus’ words and the reactions from religious leaders were catching attention.
Jesus said, and God’s voice from Heaven verified, that His hour of glory was about to arrive. How often do we think of glory being praise and fame and wealth – yet, the glory Jesus meant here was His death on the cross. God said He would receive great glory through Jesus’ death. Certainly the people around Him did not understand how this could be possible. They didn’t understand either the how or the why. All they had ever known of the coming Messiah was that He was to be a majestic and powerful ruler. It seemed unimaginable to them He would ever have to suffer; they wanted only His promise of a conqueror who would set them free from their Roman rulers.
*How does Jesus receive glory today through something making your life a life of suffering?
20 Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks.
21 So these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.”
22 Philip went and told Andrew; Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus.
23 And Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.
24 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.
25 Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
26 If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.
27 “Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour.
28 Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.”
29 The crowd that stood there and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.”
30 Jesus answered, “This voice has come for your sake, not mine.
31 Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out.
32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”
33 He said this to show by what kind of death he was going to die.
34 So the crowd answered him, “We have heard from the Law that the Christ remains forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?”
35 So Jesus said to them, “The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going.
36 While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.”
People around Jesus were now asking questions. In a city rapidly filling with people from many nations, all coming for this important feast, Jesus’ words and the reactions from religious leaders were catching attention.
Jesus said, and God’s voice from Heaven verified, that His hour of glory was about to arrive. How often do we think of glory being praise and fame and wealth – yet, the glory Jesus meant here was His death on the cross. God said He would receive great glory through Jesus’ death. Certainly the people around Him did not understand how this could be possible. They didn’t understand either the how or the why. All they had ever known of the coming Messiah was that He was to be a majestic and powerful ruler. It seemed unimaginable to them He would ever have to suffer; they wanted only His promise of a conqueror who would set them free from their Roman rulers.
*How does Jesus receive glory today through something making your life a life of suffering?