Our Lord raised Lazarus from the dead; and this miracle made a great
sensation among the people. They came to meet Jesus, waving palm branches
before him, and all Jerusalem was on a stir.
Verses 19-22. The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, Perceive ye how
ye prevail nothing? behold, the world is gone after him. 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.
These were probably Gentiles, who were staying at Jerusalem; perhaps,
proselytes who had come up to the feast. They were touched by the common
feeling; they desired to see this wonderful Man who had raised to life one
who had been dead four days. They proceeded courteously; they went to one of
Christ?s disciples who, coming from Galilee of the Gentiles, would be likely
to sympathize with them, and they sought an introduction to Jesus. This
Philip obtained for them with the help of Andrew.
23. And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man
should be glorified.
He knew that the hour was come when he must die. Looking through the dark
glass of death, he saw what its result would be, and he called it glory.
These few Greeks were the advance guard of the great Gentile army of the
Lord; he regarded their coming in that sense.
24. 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.
Telling them that the source of his glory would be his death. The reason why
the people would hear of him, and come to him, was that he would be hanged
on the cross. The grain of wheat, when put into the ground, if it remains as
it is, will never increase; it must die if it is to bring forth fruit. What
is death? The end of existence? None but thoughtless persons imagine that.
Death is the resolution of any living substance into its primary elements.
It is the division of the soul from the body; originally, it was the
division of the soul from God. In a grain of wheat, death is the separation
of the particles of which it is composed, that the life-germ may feed upon
that which was provided for it. ?If it die,? in the true sense of the word,
in being separated into its constituent elements, then ?it bringeth forth
much fruit.? Christ?s way to glory was through the grave he must go down
that he might mount to the throne.
25. He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in
this
world shall keep it unto life eternal.
Live for this world, and you shall lose this world and the next, too; live
for the world to come, and you shall in the highest sense gain both worlds.
26. If any man serve me, let him follow me;
That is the best kind of service; to do what Christ did, and to do what
Christ bids you do: ?If any man serve me, let him follow me.?
26. And where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him
will my Father honor.
Follow Christ, then, to the cross; follow him to the grave; follow him in
his humiliation; and then the Father will honor you even as he honored his
Son.
27. Now is my soul troubled;
Or, puzzled. This hour of his glory was the hour of his passion, too.
27. And what shall I say?
Such sorrow was in his heart that he asked, ?What shall I say?? Great
trouble brings astonishment, amazement, bewilderment with it; and the human
soul of Christ felt as ours feels when in great agony.
27. Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this
hour.
Nature suggests the cry, ?Father, save me from this hour.? Grace comes
behind the flesh, being a little slower to speak; but it corrects the errors
of the flesh, and says, ?For this cause came I unto this hour.?
28. Father, glorify thy name.
What a prayer! Jesus swallows up his temptation to escape the cup by this
all-absorbing petition, ?Father, glorify thy name.?
28, 29. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified
it, and will glorify it again. The people therefore, that stood by, and
heard it, said that it thundered:
They only heard the sound, and it was like thunder in their ears.
29. Others said, An angel spoke to him.
They distinguished the sound of some one speaking; but they did not
recognize the voice of God.
30. Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your
sakes.
?To make you believe that God is with me, and that I am his Son.?
31-34. Now is the Judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world
be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up front the earth, will draw all men
unto me. This he said, signifying what death he should die. The people
answered him, Me have heard out of the law that Christ abideth for ever: and
how sayest thou, The Son of man must be lifted up? who is this Son of man?
As if it could not be true that Christ, in his divine nature, abides for
ever, and yet, as Man, could be lifted up to die. It was a sneering
question, ?Who is this Son of man?? Our Lord did not answer it, thus
teaching us that some people are not worth answering. Instead of replying to
their question, Jesus gave them a practical admonition.
35, 36. Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you.
Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon, you: for he that
walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth. While ye have light,
believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. These things
spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them.
When people determine to reject Christ, he leaves them; why should he tarry
where he is rejected? He ?departed, and did hide himself.?
37-41. But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they
believed not on him; that the saying of Esaias the prophet might be
fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom
hath the arm of the Lord been revealed? Therefore they could not believe,
because that Esaias said again, He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened
their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with
their heart, and be converted, and I should heat them. These things said
Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him.
Christ is in the Old Testament in many places where, as yet, even we have
never seen him. I doubt not that he lies hidden away in many a Psalm, and
many a, prophetic utterance that has not yet been fully expounded, or even
comprehended by our finite minds. Oh, for eyes to see him where he sits in
his ancient state:
What a solemn fact this is, though, that God does allow men to be given over
to blindness of eyes, and hardness of heart! I sometimes fear that it is so
with this age. Men will not see; they will not believe; they are desperately
set on scepticism, it has become a fashion with them. Like a torrent, it
sweeps through the very churches that bear the name of Christ; my fear is
God in his wrath may give up our land to this curse, and then where will our
hope be?
42, 43. Nevertheless among the chief riders also many believed on him; but
because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, test they should be put
oat of the synagogue: for they loved the praise of men more than, the praise
of God.
I wonder whether in this throng there are any of this kind, who do believe
in Christ, and yet never come out and confess him because they love the
praise of men more than the praise of God. If so, I venture to say that they
are found among what are called the more respectable people, the men of
light and leading, the chief rulers. Among the common people there is very
little of this evil. They will generally confess what they believe, and
bravely come forward to declare that they belong to Christ. It is the chief
rulers, the gentlemen of the Sanhedrim, who, if they believe in Christ in
their hearts, do not confess him, lest they should be put out of society,
for they love the praise of men more than the praise of God.
In Celebration of Life in Him,
Dr. Jim DeBruhl, gembeaux@bellsouth.net
