127. Before the Greeks
20Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks. 21So these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.”22Philip went and told Andrew; Andrew went with Philip and they told Jesus.
23And Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24Truly, 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. 25He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there shall 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'? No, for this purpose I have come to this hour. 28Father, glorify your name.”
Then a voice came from heaven, "I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” 29 The crowd standing by heard it and said that it had thundered. Others said, "An angel has spoken to him.”
30Jesus answered, “This voice has come for your sake, not for mine. 31Now is the judgment of this world, now shall the ruler of this world be cast out; 32and I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself.”
34The crowd answered him, “We have heard from the law that the Christa remains forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up?b Who is this Son of Man?”
35Jesus said to them, “The light is with you for a little longer. Walk while you have the light, lest the darkness overtake you; he who walks in the darkness does not know where he goes. 36While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.”c
(Jn. 12:20–32, 34–36)
a “Christ”—[from Greek Christos, literally, anointed, translation of Hebrew anointed, Messiah] 1: one who is accepted as the Messiah (this Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ—Ac. 17:3). (Webster's Unabridged) (See also Ch. 13, fn. c.)
b “We have heard from the law that the Christ remains forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up?”—Christ is the Greek translation of the Hebrew Messiah, and means literally “anointed" or “anointed one.” The followers of Jesus came to regard him as “the Christ,” by which they affirmed that he was the Messiah, the anointed one from God. It was believed that this long-awaited deliverer would remain on the earth forever. Therefore, the Greeks are shocked when Jesus declares that he will be “lifted up" (be crucified and ascend to heaven). They reply that “the Christ remains on earth forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up?”
c “believe in the light, that you may become sons of light” —We are not born knowing that we are sons and daughters of God. By believing Jesus’ gospel that we are all children of a loving heavenly Father and then living in this faith we may actually realize and experience this great truth. In this way we may truly become faith sons of God.
Jn. 12:28 glorify your name / glorify thy name (RSV) (174:5/1902–4)
