Visit our new blog. It lists all the new things that we are doing and what new material has been added to our site. We even list new missionaries who sign up with us for technical support so you can pray for them. FCM News
Jesus Anointed at Bethany
1Six days before the Passover, Jesus arrived at Bethany, where Lazarus
lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2Here a dinner was given
in Jesus' honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining
at the table with him. 3Then Mary took about a pint[1] of pure nard,
an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus' feet and wiped his
feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance
of the perfume.
4But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray
him, objected, 5"Why wasn't this perfume sold and the money
given to the poor? It was worth a year's wages.[2] " 6He did
not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was
a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to
what was put into it.
7"Leave her alone," Jesus replied. "It was intended
that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. 8You
will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have
me."
9Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there
and came, not only because of him but also to see Lazarus, whom
he had raised from the dead. 10So the chief priests made plans to
kill Lazarus as well, 11for on account of him many of the Jews were
going over to Jesus and putting their faith in him.
John 11:55-57 John 12:1-11
Explanation: Jesus Is Anointed at Bethany (11:55-12:11)
It is almost time for Passover, and people are going to Jerusalem
to prepare for the feast by undergoing ritual purification (v. 55;
cf. Westerholm 1992). They are standing in the temple, speculating
whether or not Jesus will come to the feast, aware that the chief
priests and Pharisees are seeking his arrest (v. 57). Again we see
the interested crowd and the antagonistic authorities (cf. 7:11-13,
32, 47-49). But Jesus has already departed from the temple (8:59)
and will not be standing where they are standing as they ask such
questions. He will come up to this feast, but he will not be coming
to the temple. Rather, the one true sacrifice is about to take place
in the temple of his body.
This description of Jesus' danger adds a dramatic touch to the fact
that he returns to Bethany again (12:1). He is back with Lazarus
and his sisters in a relatively private setting. There is a party
in his honor six days before the Passover (v. 1), probably on Saturday
night after the conclusion of sabbath. It is not said where the
party takes place, but from the account in Matthew and Mark it would
be at the house of Simon the leper (Mt 26:6 par. Mk 14:3). Lazarus
is also an honored guest, while Martha helps with the serving (v.
2), true to the picture of her elsewhere (Lk 10:38-42).
The picture of Mary is also true to that in Luke (10:38-42); that
is, she is a devoted disciple who ignores the taboos of her society
in her commitment to Jesus. Sitting at his feet as a disciple (Lk
10:39) was not the place for a woman, but she is commended by Jesus
(Lk 10:42). Now she acts in an even more scandalous manner in anointing
Jesus' feet with extremely expensive perfume and then wiping them
with her hair (Jn 12:3).
Both aspects of her action--the extravagance and the method--were
disturbing. The pure nard she uses was imported from northern India
(Brown 1966:448). Judas says, no doubt correctly, that it was worth
a year's wages (v. 5). The text literally reads "three hundred
denarii" (cf. NIV note). Since a denarius was a day's pay for
a day laborer, the NIV paraphrase is accurate, taking into account
feast days and sabbaths when one would not work. A rough equivalent
would be something over $10,000, the gross pay for someone working
at minimum wage for a year. No wonder the disciples (Mt 26:8), Judas
in particular, respond with dismay at such a waste.
In the accounts in Matthew and Mark, she anoints Jesus' head, while
in John it is his feet. Obviously, it could have been both, and
with twelve ounces to work with (not a full pint, as in the NIV)
she could have anointed his whole body. Indeed, since he interprets
this as an anointing for his burial (v. 7) it seems she did anoint
more than his head and feet, as Matthew and Mark suggest (Mt 26:12
par. Mk 14:8; cf. Carson 1991:426).
The other part of her action that would have been quite disturbing
was the wiping of his feet with her hair. Jewish women did not let
down their hair in public. This is an expression of devotion that
would have come across as extremely improper and even somewhat erotic,
as indeed it would in most cultures. There is no indication of why
Mary did this act. The most obvious possibility was her sheer gratitude
for what Jesus had done for her brother and the revelation it brought
to her of Jesus' identity, power, authority and grace. John's focus
on her anointing Jesus' feet points to Mary's great humility. As
she has come to realize a bit more of the one who has been a friend
to her and her brother and sister, her faith deepens and she recognizes
her unworthiness. The humility of her act prepares us to be all
the more scandalized when Jesus himself washes his disciples' feet
in the next chapter.
Whatever Mary's intentions and reason for her action, Jesus sees
it in reference to his coming death (v. 7). Jesus sees cryptic significance
in another person's actions instead of making his more usual cryptic
explanation of his own activity. There is no reason to think Mary
knew the full import of what she was doing, any more than Caiaphas
knew what he was saying (11:49-51). The people around Jesus are
being caught up in the climax of all of salvation history. They
are acting for their own reasons, yet they are players in a drama
that they do not understand, doing and saying things with significance
beyond their imaginings. "Mary in her devotion unconsciously
provides for the honour of the dead. Judas in his selfishness unconsciously
brings about the death itself" (Westcott 1908:2:112).
Judas' shock at the waste of such costly ointment (vv. 4-5) makes
us more aware of Mary's extravagance. According to the Synoptic
accounts (Mt 26:8-9 par. Mk 14:4-5), Judas is simply expressing
what others were also thinking. Being the treasurer of the group,
it would not have surprised anyone to hear him express this concern.
So, at the time, Judas' remarks would not have stood out as unusual.
But with hindsight John knows there was more motivating him. If
Caiaphas and Mary reveal more about Jesus in their actions than
they realize, Judas is revealing something deeper about himself.
John says Judas used to steal from the common fund (v. 6). It is
doubtful that this was known at the time, for if it was Judas would
have been relieved of his duties, at the least.
But such embezzlement reveals a heart in love with
self and in love with money, neither of which have a place in the
life of a disciple (cf. Chrysostom In John 65.3). But beyond even
this, the deepest sin, of course, was Judas' betrayal of the Lord
(v. 4). Every time John mentions Judas he refers to his betrayal
(6:71; 13:2, 26-29; 18:2-3, 5). Judas may have thought he was acting
for God's glory, as did also the opponents of Jesus, but he, like
them, was in fact alienated from God. God's glory will indeed be
manifest, but not as Judas thinks.
Judas' heart is thus fundamentally different from the heart of Mary
as she lavishes her love and respect upon Jesus. This Gospel provides
a great many examples of the difference between faith and unbelief
through descriptions of true disciples on the one hand and, on the
other, both would-be disciples and Jesus' opponents. But here we
have the contrast between a true disciple, Mary, and one of the
Twelve, which shows that privilege of position is no substitute
for faith and obedience. Chrysostom says that Jesus, even though
he knew Judas' heart (6:64), "bare with him, desiring to recall
him" (In John 65.2). But Judas, like the Jewish opponents,
resisted God's grace.
Jesus' statement in verse 8, You will always have the poor among
you, but you will not always have me, must be understood in its
context both within Judaism and salvation history. On one level
Jesus is simply reminding Judas and the others of priorities as
understood within Judaism. He is alluding to the Scripture "There
will always be poor people in the land" (Deut 15:11) and perhaps
also to the notion that acts of kindness, such as burial, are higher
than works of charity, which would include giving alms to the poor
(b. Sukka 49b). This view is based, in part, on the fact that kindness
can be shown to the living and the dead (through funerals and burials),
whereas charity can only be shown to the living (cf. Brown 1966:449;
Barrett 1978:415). So the fact that Jesus is about to die (cf. 12:35-36)
justifies Mary's action. But on another level, the identity of Jesus
also justifies this action. In the Synoptics even the burying of
one's father is put second to responding to Jesus and the call of
the kingdom (Mt 8:22 par. Lk 9:60). So this anointing also makes
sense given who Jesus is and the awesome events unfolding in salvation
history.
Care for the poor is a sacred duty because it is the concern of
God's own heart. Those who share in his life will share in his concern
for the poor and will act appropriately as he guides. This diversion
of funds from the poor for the sake of Jesus' burial implies that
there are times for such exceptional use of funds. But it also implies
that the funds would usually go to the poor and that this is the
proper thing to do. John's "suggestion that Judas did not care
about the poor (v. 6) has implied in passing that Christians should
care" (Michaels 1989:218).
This section concludes with a description of a large crowd seeking
out Jesus there at the party, attracted also by Lazarus' presence
(v. 9). Many Jews were putting their faith in Jesus because of Lazarus,
so he was included in the authorities most-wanted list (vv. 10-11).
Obviously, Jesus' popularity is rising once again. Lazarus was a
living sign of Jesus' identity as life and life-giver, victor over
death.
The crowd's faith in Jesus makes prominent the authorities' rejection
of Jesus. It also points up the weakness of the authorities' control
at this point. Things were getting out of hand for them because
their control was slipping. "In not going directly to the chief
priests, the crowd was defying the Sanhedrin and protecting two
fugitives rather than one" (Michaels 1989:216). But this slip
in their control is in fact quite true to the circumstances, for
the whole effort of the Sanhedrin is quite futile. They seek to
kill Lazarus, but if Jesus raised him once why could he not do it
again (cf. Augustine In John 50.14)? Their great weapon of control
is useless against the Lord of life and his followers.
The statement many of the Jews were going over to Jesus (v. 11)
in the Greek is simply "many were going." But the NIV
captures the correct sense that "many Jews left their former
Jewish allegiance and way of life to become disciples" (Barrett
1978:415). Jesus' alternative community continues to grow as people
shift their allegiance from the Jewish authorities to him.
The Triumphal Entry
12The next day the great crowd that had come for the Feast heard
that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. 13They took palm branches
and went out to meet him, shouting,
"Hosanna![3] "
"Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!"[4]
"Blessed is the King of Israel!" 14Jesus found a young
donkey and sat upon it, as it is written,
15"Do not be afraid, O Daughter of Zion;
see, your king is coming,
seated on a donkey's colt."[5]
16At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after
Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been
written about him and that they had done these things to him.
17Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the
tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word.
18Many people, because they had heard that he had given this miraculous
sign, went out to meet him. 19So the Pharisees said to one another,
"See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world
has gone after him!"
John 12:12-19
Explanation: Jesus Enters Jerusalem as King of Israel
(12:12-19)
The scene now shifts from a private setting to a public setting.
Given the tensions and expectations that have been growing (cf.
10:39-42; 11:46-57; 12:11), Jesus' entry into Jerusalem is very
dramatic. By openly entering the city where he is a marked man he
takes the first step toward the final confrontation.
Passover was one of the three feasts that Jews were supposed to
attend in Jerusalem, and consequently the population of Jerusalem
swelled enormously at this time. As this great crowd is beginning
to gather from around Israel and the larger world of the diaspora,
news about Jesus is spreading, and people are wondering whether
he will come to the feast (11:55-56). On Sunday, the day after the
party in Bethany at which Mary anointed Jesus, news arrives that
Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem (v. 12), and a crowd of pilgrims,
presumably those who had been wondering if he would come, goes out
to meet him. Mary's private expression of emotion is now matched
by the crowd's public outpouring of enthusiasm.
They shout Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!
(v. 13). These are lines from one of the Psalms of Ascents (Ps 118:25-26)
sung as a welcome to pilgrims coming up to Jerusalem. As such, this
is an entirely appropriate thing to do as Jesus is coming up to
Jerusalem. But there is more involved here. The cry of Hosanna!
is a Hebrew word (hoshi`ah-na) that had become a greeting or shout
of praise but that actually meant "Save!" or "Help!"
(an intensive form of imperative). Not surprisingly, forms of this
word were used to address the king with a need (cf. 2 Sam 14:4;
2 Kings 6:26). Furthermore, the palm branches the people carry are
symbolic of a victorious ruler (cf. 1 Macc 13:51; 2 Macc 10:7; 14:4).
Indeed, in an apocalyptic text from the Maccabean era, palms are
mentioned in association with the coming of the messianic salvation
on the Mount of Olives (Testament of Naphtali 5). The cry of Hosanna!
and the palm branches are in themselves somewhat ambiguous, but
their import is made clear as the crowd adds a further line, Blessed
is the King of Israel! (v. 13).
Clearly they see in Jesus the answer to their nationalistic,
messianic hopes. Earlier a crowd had wanted to make Jesus king (6:15),
and now this crowd is recognizing him as king in the city of the
great King. Here is the great dream of a Davidic ruler who would
come and liberate Israel, establishing peace and subduing the Gentiles
(cf. Psalms of Solomon 17:21-25).
Jesus responds by finding a young donkey to sit on (v. 14), thereby
making a mess of the picture they were creating. He should have
found a horse to ride on or made use of some other symbol of power.
Instead he paints from a different palette. His action undercuts
their nationalism and points in a different direction, evoking an
image from the Prophets: Do not be afraid, O Daughter of Zion; see,
your king is coming, seated on a donkey's colt (v. 15; from Zech
9:9). He is indeed king, but not the sort of king they have in mind.
John says the disciples did not make the connection with the passage
from Zechariah at the time: At first his disciples did not understand
all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these
things had been written about him and that they had done these things
to him (v. 16). The word translated realize is emnesthesan, "remember,"
the same word used to describe their recollection and insight into
the cleansing of the temple (2:22).
At the time they were caught up in the swirl of events
and did not really understand what was going on. From what we know
of them elsewhere, they probably shared the nationalistic hopes
of the crowd (for example, Acts 1:6). The disciples and the crowd
thought they were honoring Jesus, and they were. But they did not
really understand the true meaning of what was happening nor even
what they were saying. They did not put the events of Jesus' entry
into Jerusalem and the Scripture together, so they did not grasp
what had taken place until after Jesus had been glorified. They
needed to see the revelation at it greatest in the death and resurrection
of Jesus and to have the help of the Spirit who was not available
to them until after the glorification (7:39) before they understood
the significance of these events (cf. 15:26; 16:13-14).
The meaning of what takes place is conveyed through both the Scripture
shouted by the crowd at the time and the Scripture that occurred
to the disciples later. The crowd shouted, "Help!" and
"Save!" and Jesus has come precisely to help and save
them, though it will not be through the political liberation the
crowd expects. The crowd chants a line from a Psalm of Ascent: Blessed
is he who comes in the name of the Lord! (v. 13, from Ps 118:26).
This line applies to Jesus in a way it never had to anyone else
before. Jesus is the one who makes known the Father and has come
in the Father's name (5:43), and he desires that the Father's name
be made known (17:6, 26). So of him it is uniquely true that he
comes in the name of the Lord. This expression is one way of summarizing
his whole mission.
The crowd, in their messianic, nationalistic fervor, adds another
line not found in the Psalm of Ascent: Blessed is the King of Israel!
(v. 13). This acclamation ties together the whole of Jesus' ministry
up to this point, signaled by the word Israel. Apart from this verse,
the words Israel and Israelite occur only in the first three chapters.
John the Baptist's witness to Israel (1:31) finds its initial response
in the confession of Nathanael, a true Israelite (1:47), when Nathanael
confesses Jesus to be the Son of God, the King of Israel (1:49).
Nathanael stands in marked contrast to Nicodemus, a teacher of Israel
(3:10), who is unable to understand earthly things, let alone heavenly
things. So the first three chapters are characterized by a concern
with the initial witness to Israel, and this motif now finds its
fullness in this crowd's acclamation of Jesus as the King of Israel.
Jesus is indeed King of Israel, and this motif now comes to the
fore as the story nears its end (cf. 18:33-39; 19:3, 12-15, 19-21).
His kingdom, however, far transcends Israel's boundaries. "What
honor was it to the Lord to be King of Israel? What great thing
was it to the King of eternity to become the King of men?"
(Augustine In John 51.4). Augustine's language is too dismissive
to be true to John at this point, but he does help us keep the Johannine
perspective on the identity of the one entering Jerusalem.
The crowd is probably not aware that the line they have added to
the acclamation is an echo of another passage that further contributes
to the depth of revelation concerning Jesus in this story: "The
Lord, the King of Israel, is with you; never again will you fear
any harm" (Zeph 3:15). The context in Zephaniah is of the future
time of peace when Jerusalem is no longer at war--the lame and the
scattered have been brought home, and even the Gentiles have been
purified so that they might call on the name of the Lord (3:9-20).
The hallmark of this time is the Lord's own presence (3:15, 17).
For Zephaniah, as for this crowd, such a scene was the anticipated
outcome of the final battle with the Gentiles, which would liberate
Israel once and for all. But John has shown that the realities described
by Zephaniah are already taking place in the midst of Israel through
the ministry of Jesus, though in a very different manner. Key themes
in Zephaniah's description are heard also in the previous chapters
in John. In particular, the bringing together of both Jew and Gentile
was said to be the work of the Good Shepherd (10:4, 16), and the
picture of life in the messianic kingdom is alluded to in Jesus'
promise of abundant life (10:10), which was then further revealed
in the raising of Lazarus (chap. 11). Thus, the crowd's nationalistic
agenda is thrown into relief. "They should not be acclaiming
him as an earthly king, but as the manifestation of the Lord their
God who has come into their midst (Zeph 3:17) to gather the outcast"
(Brown 1966:462). If they had eyes to see what Jesus was doing and
ears to hear what he was saying they would find in him the fulfillment
of their desires, though without the nationalistic element.
The Scripture passage that occurs to the disciples later is also,
like the acclamation of the crowd, a composite text. The first part,
Do not be afraid, O Daughter of Zion (v. 15), probably comes from
the passage we have just examined in Zephaniah (3:16). The exhortation
not to fear is very common in Scripture, but the Zephaniah passage
is the closest to the full expression in John (Brown 1966:458).
Thus, the crowd's acclamation and this later Scripture are tied
together in John through Zephaniah, though not in the thinking of
those in the midst of the event. The magnificent picture of eschatological
peace in Zephaniah is behind this lack of fear. The fulfillment
of this promise of peace is taking place right before the eyes of
this crowd, though they do not know it.
The rest of the quote comes from Zechariah: "Rejoice greatly,
O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king
comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding
on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey" (Zech 9:9). As
with the Zephaniah passage, this verse from Zechariah foresees the
coming of the messianic age of peace, when the war-horses are taken
from Jerusalem and the king will reign "from sea to sea and
from the River to the ends of the earth" (Zech 9:10). John
has abbreviated the citation, and he probably did this for the sake
of simplicity rather than in an effort to exclude the themes of
righteousness, salvation and gentleness. Donkeys and mules were
used by important persons and kings in the Old Testament (for example,
Judg 10:4; 12:14; 2 Sam 13:29; 18:9), including David himself (1
Kings 1:33), but the contrast in this context in Zechariah 9 is
between the warhorses (v. 10) and the donkey on which the king rides
(v. 9) is a striking image of humility. The king is righteous, blameless
in the eyes of the law, which reminds one of the controversies in
this Gospel over who is the true disciple of Moses. The "having
salvation" is a form that could be either passive or reflexive
(Niphal, nosha`). This means that this king has himself been delivered
by God (passive) or that he shows himself to be a deliverer (reflexive)--either
sense is true of Jesus as revealed in this Gospel. Thus, by riding
on a donkey, Jesus connects with a rich picture of the messianic
king, thereby providing insight for interpreting his own identity
and plans as he enters Jerusalem on this particular Sunday at the
time of Passover.
John gives us a report on both the crowd and the opponents, as he
does elsewhere in this Gospel. The repetition of the word "crowd"
(ochlos) is a little awkward (Jn 12:17-18). Verse 18 reads literally,
"Because of this the crowd went out to meet him, because they
heard he had done this sign," which makes it sound like what
was described in verse 12. The NIV has the right sense--the number
of people gathering around Jesus was continuing to grow, spurred
on by the report by those who had seen the raising of Lazarus (vv.
17-18). Despite the awkward expression, this is an important note
for John to add, for it continues to connect the raising of Lazarus
to what is now going on. John does not let us forget that the one
who is heading toward his death is the Lord of life.
While the crowds build, the Pharisees, on the other hand, are getting
more and more upset. The translation See, this is getting us nowhere
(v. 19) is too weak. The verbs are in the second-person plural,
capturing the mutual condemnation they are throwing at one another:
"You guys see that you are doing no good." The crowd around
Jesus is so large that they conclude, Look how the whole world has
gone after him! (v. 19). This exaggeration expresses their dismay
and frustration, but of course it is also yet another example in
John of people's words being more significant than they realize.
A series of different people are coming to Jesus. First, we heard
just before the triumphal entry that "many of the Jews were
going over to Jesus and putting their faith in him" (12:11).
Second, the Pharisees speak of the world (v. 19 ) probably because
they are seeing even Jews from the diaspora, who are in town for
the feast, being attracted to Jesus. But the world that God loves
and for which he sent his Son (3:16) includes all humanity.
Representatives of the third group, the Gentiles, appear
in the next section as some Greeks who are seeking Jesus arrive.
The Good Shepherd is indeed gathering his flock from the whole world
(10:16) in fulfillment of the prophecies of the universal messianic
kingdom such as those found in Zechariah and Zephaniah. Jesus continues
to form his community apart from the official structures of Judaism.
The same witness to Jesus that disturbs the leaders might have instead
encouraged them to reconsider their rejection of Jesus and come
to him for life. But they continue in their hardened position against
Jesus, rejecting his love for them.
Jesus Predicts His Death
20Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship
at the Feast. 21They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee,
with a request. "Sir," they said, "we would like
to see Jesus." 22Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip
in turn told Jesus.
23Jesus replied, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be
glorified. 24I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls
to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it
dies, it produces many seeds. 25The man who loves his life will
lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep
it for eternal life. 26Whoever serves me must follow me; and where
I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who
serves me.
27"Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? 'Father,
save me from this hour'? No, it was for this very reason I came
to this hour. 28Father, glorify your name!"
29Then a voice came from heaven, "I have glorified it, and
will glorify it again." The crowd that was there and heard
it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him.
30Jesus said, "This voice was for your benefit, not mine. 31Now
is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world
will be driven out. 32But I, when I am lifted up from the earth,
will draw all men to myself." 33He said this to show the kind
of death he was going to die.
34The crowd spoke up, "We have heard from the Law that the
Christ[6] will remain forever, so how can you say, 'The Son of Man
must be lifted up'? Who is this 'Son of Man'?"
35Then Jesus told them, "You are going to have the light just
a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness
overtakes you. The man who walks in the dark does not know where
he is going. 36Put your trust in the light while you have it, so
that you may become sons of light." When he had finished speaking,
Jesus left and hid himself from them.
John 12:20-36
Explanation: Jesus' Hour Arrives (12:20-36)
Some Greeks now come to see Jesus, signaling to him that his long
awaited hour has arrived (vv. 20-23). Jesus speaks of the mystery
of life coming through death, applying this to his own death (vv.
24-33). In the midst of this teaching the Father himself bears witness
to Jesus from heaven, but the crowd has a mixed response to the
Father's voice, just as they have had to Jesus, the Father's Word
(vv. 28-30). The section concludes with the crowd's raising further
questions about the identity of the Son of Man, but Jesus does not
engage them in discussion. His teaching to the world has been completed.
He simply exhorts them to receive the light while they still can
(vv. 34-36).
John has already called our attention to the crowds gathering for
Passover and their interest in whether Jesus would come to the feast
(11:55-56). Then the crowd welcomed Jesus with great acclamations
(12:12- 18). Now from among this Passover crowd one particular group
comes forward to meet Jesus. These Greeks are not Greek-speaking
Jews but rather Gentiles, whether from Greece or elsewhere (Barrett
1978:421). The fact that they went up to worship at the Feast (v.
20) suggests they were proselytes. Josephus says there were many
such foreigners who would come up to the feast, though they could
not actually partake of the sacrifice (Jewish Wars 6.427-28), since
they had not fully entered Judaism. These were pious Gentiles who
were attracted to Judaism. They had come to the feast to worship
God, suggesting an openness of heart to God. Their interest in the
things of God leads them to Jesus.
It is not clear why they approach Philip (v. 21). Perhaps they heard
someone call Philip by name and thought because he had a Greek name
he might be more responsive to them. Perhaps Philip dressed in a
Greek style. In any event, they come to Philip and say, Sir, . .
. we would like to see Jesus (v. 21). Earlier, Philip had told Nathaniel
to come and see Jesus (1:46), and now these Greeks have come and
want to see Jesus, thus signaling that a new stage has been reached
in Jesus' ministry (see comment on 12:23). When they say they want
to see Jesus they are simply asking to meet with him, but the motif
of sight is a major expression for revelation in this Gospel. Indeed,
their request sums up the right attitude of any disciple and the
core focus of any ministry. This request, "Sir, we would see
Jesus," has been attached to more than one pulpit as a guideline
for the preacher.
Philip does not go straight to Jesus with the Greeks' request, but
rather to Andrew, who was from Philip's town (1:44). This may bear
witness to Philip's humility, but more likely it shows how unusual
the situation was. Jesus has had contact with non-Jews (cf., probably,
4:43-53), but very rarely. He has taught much about the universal
scope of God's love, but the full implications of this were not
grasped by his followers until later. The nationalism stirred up
during Jesus' entry into Jerusalem might make the disciples uncertain
about such a request, though these Greeks were proselytes. It seems
Philip simply needs some encouragement to approach the Lord when
faced with this new and stretching situation. He goes to Andrew,
who seems to have been a trusting person who was willing to speak
up even when it seemed foolish (6:8-9). If we are stymied by a situation,
it helps to have a friend with whom to go to the Lord, not to demand
of the Lord but simply to lay before him the situation.
Quite often Jesus has responded to questions and situations with
cryptic sayings, and this is no exception. When Andrew and Philip
announce the coming of the Greeks something wondrous happens. It
triggers the moment the reader has been anticipating since the story
began: Jesus replied, "The hour has come for the Son of Man
to be glorified" (v. 23). As with all his cryptic sayings,
this response addresses the issue, but it does so in ways incomprehensible
at the time. He does not speak directly to the Greeks, but he speaks
of their place in his community in the future. For he reveals that
it is time for his death to take place, through which a great crop
will be produced (v. 24) as he draws all men to himself (v. 32).
Thus, verse 24 answers the Greeks indirectly, for through his death
he "will become accessible for them as the exalted Lord"
(Bultmann 1971:424).
It may seem strange to refer to Jesus' death as a glorification.
But the death is at the heart of the Son's revelation of the Father,
for God is love and love is the laying down of one's life (cf. 1
Jn 4:8; 3:16). So in the cross the heart of God is revealed most
clearly. Selflessness and humble self-sacrifice are seen to be divine
attributes.
Throughout his life Jesus has done the Father's will,
and such selflessness is a key component in the eternal life he
offers. God's own life is a life of love that denies self for the
sake of the beloved, and therefore such love is the very nature
of life itself, real life. "Sacrifice, self-surrender, death,
is the condition of the highest life: selfishness is the destruction
of life" (Westcott 1908:2:123). Thus, the cross is not just
a one-time event that atones for sin, though it is certainly that.
It is the most dramatic case in point of the pattern of divine life
that exists for all time.
Jesus proceeds to speak of the mystery of life coming through death.
He uses the image of a seed that must fall into the ground and die
in order to produce "much fruit" (v. 24, polyn karpon;
the NIV many seeds is unjustified).
The contrast between remaining "alone" (monos;
NIV, only a single seed) and bearing much fruit indicates that the
fruit Jesus speaks of are people, the fruit of evangelism. But a
second meaning of fruit is also present: through his death fruit
will be produced in the lives of his followers, namely, the very
quality of life, divine life, revealed in the death (cf. 15:1-8).
The next verses spell out this connection between fruit and discipleship.
Jesus begins speaking in general terms: The man who loves his life
will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will
keep it for eternal life (v. 25). Here is the call to radical discipleship,
similar to those found earlier in Jesus' ministry in the Synoptics
(Mt 16:24-26 par. Mk 8:34-37 par. Lk 9:23-25; Mt 10:39 par. Lk 17:33;
cf. Brown 1966:473-74). The word for life (psyche) does not only
refer to physical life; it is more comprehensive than that, taking
in one's whole being, one's "self." The self was not created
to be an autonomous center of being, but rather to be in union with
God and receive life from him. "Psyche is the life which is
given to man by God and which through man's attitude toward God
receives its character as either mortal or eternal" (Schweizer
1974:644). The love of this self as such is at the heart of all
sin, beginning with the rebellion in the Garden of Eden. That rebellion
brought death and continues to bring death. When Jesus says the
one who loves this self will lose it he does not mean "misplace"
it but rather "destroy" it (apollyei).
What is needed is a detachment from this self, and this is what
is meant in verse 25 by hates (Michel 1967:690-91). When Jesus says
the disciple must hate father and mother (Lk 14:26) he does not
mean despise, reject and abominate in an absolute sense. He is speaking
about choices and attachments. He means the devotion and obedience
to himself must be so thorough that nothing else is distracting.
The same language is used when he teaches that one can only serve
one master (Mt 6:24 par. Lk 16:13). So Jesus is not speaking of
a hatred of the "self" itself but rather of a rejection
of the self's claims to autonomy and control. Indeed, rejecting
the false claims of the self in this world is actually a way of
caring for one's true self, for thereby one will keep it for eternal
life (v. 25). Thus, this passage is not referring to self-destruction
or masochism; it calls one to reject the way of rebellion and live
in the light of eternity. At the heart of discipleship is love,
and at the heart of love is sacrifice.
Such denial of self opens one to receive the divine life that never
dies (11:25-26), which comes through union with Christ by the Spirit,
as Jesus will soon go on to teach his followers privately. Already
now, while he is still teaching publicly, he refers to this reality
in more general terms: Whoever serves me must follow me; and where
I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who
serves me (v. 26). He has been speaking of his death and now says
the servant must follow the master. So we continue to hear the Synoptic
theme of taking up one's cross and following Jesus.
The reward of such obedience, even through death, is twofold: to
be with Jesus and to be honored by the Father. Jesus has been living
in the presence of God and is returning to the presence of God,
so this is a promise of being with Christ in the presence of God.
The honor we receive from the Father comes from our union with Christ,
the one whom the Father honors throughout. Such union with God in
Christ and such honor from the Father are what we were created for
and what we rejected in the rebellion in the Garden of Eden. It
is only through a death to the false, rebellious self that we can
receive such life and return to our true humanity in union with
God. In a sense, then, these two verses contain the core description
of discipleship. "Self must be displaced by another; the endless,
shameless focus on self must be displaced by focus on Jesus Christ,
who is the supreme revelation of God" (Carson 1991:439). This
death to the false self is a form of suffering. Christ's call may
also include actual physical suffering as well: like master, like
disciple (cf. 15:18--16:4). "Christ draws men to fellowship
with himself, alike in suffering and in the presence of God"
(Beasley-Murray 1987:212).
Jesus is under no delusion that hating yourself is easy. After saying
what is necessary for his servants to follow him, he reveals the
agony he himself is experiencing: Now my heart is troubled, and
what shall I say? "Father, save me from this hour"? No,
it was for this very reason I came to this hour (v. 27). In John's
Gospel, there is a greater emphasis than in the Synoptics on Jesus'
calmness and control as he faces various difficulties. This verse
is John's allusion to the agony of Gethsemane, which shows us that
John realizes Jesus' death did not cost him nothing. Indeed, the
parallel between this verse and the scene in Gethsemane may be closer
than the NIV suggests. The statement Father, save me from this hour
could be taken as Jesus' actual prayer, rather than as a hypothetical
prayer he is considering (cf. Carson 1991:440). In this case, Jesus
actually prays to be saved from the hour and then immediately rejects
this prayer, as he does in the Synoptics (Mk 14:36, toned down in
Mt 26:39 par. Lk 22:42).
When Jesus says my heart is troubled (he psyche mou tetaraktai)
he is quoting from Psalm 6, in which David says, "My soul is
in anguish" (Ps 6:3; cf. LXX: he psyche mou etarachthe sphodra).
But although David then prays for salvation (soson me, Ps 6:4 and
Jn 12:27), Jesus does not have that option if he is to fulfill the
will of his Father. The majority of Old Testament references in
John's account of the Passion, beginning here, are taken from psalms
referring to a righteous sufferer.
This verse gives us a glimpse into the reality of the incarnation.
John has revealed as clearly as anyone the fullness of Christ's
deity, but he has also stated clearly that the Word became flesh
(1:14). In becoming flesh, the Word did not empty himself of his
divine attributes, as many have wrongly inferred from Philippians
2:7. But in Jesus' becoming fully man, his divine attributes worked
within the confines of true humanity, somewhat like a Mozart symphony
being played on a kazoo. Human nature in its true, unfallen state
is capable of expressing much more of the divine nature than we
could have dreamed based on our experience, which is limited to
fallen, rebellious, spiritually dead human nature. (This is why,
in passing, all attempts to do Christology "from below"
are doomed to failure.) But true, sinless humanity is here seen
to be tempted with rebellion against God and his will. We are back
to the Garden, but this time the one who represents us chooses wisely.
In Jesus' struggle we see that temptation itself is not a sin. We
also see the real agony involved in dying to self. But there is
a great difference between what we face and what Jesus faced. The
actual form this death to self takes for us is the exact opposite
from what Jesus faced here. In our case, we must die to our false
self, which is in rebellion against God. We must detach from "all
the vain things that charm me most." Many of these may even
be good in themselves, but they are idols we worship. They are attachments
and addictions that give us pleasure; they are centered in self
and disruptive of relationship with God and our fellow human beings.
In Jesus' case, this dying to self is the reverse: he is living
in union with God and must give that up to fulfill the role of Lamb
of God, "who takes away the sin of the world" (1:29).
He must die by taking upon himself our alienation and the effects
of our rebellion. His agony is the agony of a death to self, and
so it is like ours, but it is far more profound and painful. Yet
it is precisely his union with God as the Son that enables him to
go through with it, for in that union he shares in the divine love
that leads inexorably to such a sacrifice.
As Son of God in union with the good and loving Father, Jesus responds,
Father, glorify your name! (v. 28). The concept of the name is very
important (see comment on 1:12; cf. Bietenhard 1967). The name is
the person himself or herself as made accessible to others. It is
the handle by which one is known. It represents the person and thus
their character, their honor or dishonor. To glorify is to turn
the spotlight on someone or something and to reveal that which is
worthy of praise. In the cross the heart of God is revealed more
clearly than anywhere else, and those who grasp what the cross reveals
about God cannot help but be awestruck.
In verse 23 Jesus had said it was time for the Son of Man to be
glorified, and now he calls upon the Father to glorify his own name.
This connection is yet another indication that Jesus' closeness
to the Father transcends the association of a mere human agent (see
comment on 5:21). These two verses "are perhaps an indication
of the equation of Jesus with the name of God" (Bietenhard
1967:272 n. 195; cf. 13:31-32).
Jesus' whole life has been about glorifying the Father's name, as
the heavenly voice testifies: I have glorified it, and will glorify
it again (v. 28). This confirms Jesus' past revelation of the Father
and the revelation that is to come in the future. Throughout the
story "the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father,
full of grace and truth," (1:14) has been revealed, and now
the Father himself bears witness to this fact. The future glory
includes the cross, the scandalous event that seems furthest from
God's glory.
When the Father himself speaks from heaven within the crowd's hearing
the people are divided over what has happened, with some saying
it thundered and others saying an angel spoke with Jesus (v. 29).
There is ambiguity to everything divine in this world, and this
ambiguity tests hearts. The opponents have never heard God's voice
(5:37), and now when God himself speaks it does them no good. The
responses to this voice, therefore, are similar to the responses
to Jesus' cryptic sayings. Some relate the voice to the divine realm
and thus at least put it in the right perspective, even if they
do not understand it. The others hear only noise. The voice testifies
to the Father and the Son, but to no avail.
They have not understood this voice, but Jesus says this voice is
for their benefit (v. 30). In saying this he is giving them the
opportunity to realize they are missing something; perhaps they
"might be led to inquire what the words meant" (Chrysostom
In John 67.2). It is an invitation to become open and receptive
to him. Jesus affirms that a message has been transmitted and that
if they did not get it then something is wrong with their receivers.
Indeed, he goes on to spell out that they are not missing just any
message. He indicates that they are in the midst of the most significant
events in human history: Now is the time for judgment on this world;
now the prince of this world will be driven out. But I, when I am
lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself (vv. 31-32).
The cross will look like the defeat and the end of Jesus, but in
fact it will be his glorification (v. 23), the defeat of the evil
one and the drawing together of Jesus' community from among all
humanity. The phrase lifting up echoes the description of the Suffering
Servant in the fourth of the Servant Songs in Isaiah (Is 52:13--53:12;
cf. Brown 1966:478). The description of the Servant being "raised
and lifted up and highly exalted" is followed by a description
of people being appalled at him because he was disfigured and marred
(Is 52:13-14). This strange combination is seen in the lifting up
of Jesus on the cross. The Servant is rejected and despised as he
takes on the transgressions of the world (Is 53:3-12). This Servant
Song will be directly quoted in John 12:38, but already its imagery
is evident.
The judgment is a revelation of the true state of affairs and a
division among humanity (cf. Jn 3:19-21; 5:22-30), a work that the
Spirit will continue after the departure of Jesus (16:8-11). World
here and in the rest of the Gospel refers to that which is in rebellion
against God, especially in the religion of God's own people. There
may be much talk of God and much activity for him that essentially
is motivated by a love of self and has nothing to do with God. The
cross exposed this terrifying reality and condemned it. The only
true religion is complete submission to God, as we see in Jesus'
submission to the Father. The cross exposes and condemns all that
does not have the Father as its source.
The reference to the prince of this world being driven out (v. 31)
probably does not refer to the devil's being cast out of heaven
(Rev 12) or his being cast out from this world, since John is well
aware that Satan's influence continues after the cross (1 Jn 5:19).
Satan is not yet destroyed (cf. Rev 20), but clearly his power has
been broken. It is now possible to live free from his control. Augustine
writes,
Where is he cast out from? From heaven and earth? From this created
universe? No, he is cast out of the hearts of believers. Since the
invader has been cast out, let the Redeemer dwell within, because
the same one who created was also the one who redeemed. The devil
now assaults from without but does not conquer the Redeemer who
now has taken possession within the believer. The devil assaults
from without by throwing various temptations into the believer,
but the person to whom God speaks within, and who has the anointing
of the Spirit, does not consent to these temptations. (Augustine
In First John 4.1)
Thus, it is precisely the victory of the cross that enables the
believer to hate his life in this world and keep it for eternal
life (v. 25). Believers can claim the defeat of Satan at the cross,
and they can effectually break his spell through union with Christ
(which the Lord will speak of in coming chapters) and, by God's
grace, through focusing attention on God and detaching attention
from that which is not of God. As one is united to Christ one comes
to share in his own life of sacrifice, which includes, as Paul says,
the fact that "our old self was crucified with him so that
the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer
be slaves to sin" (Rom 6:6).
For Jesus' talk about judgment on this world and the driving out
of the prince of this world (v. 31) is the language of warfare (cf.
Heb 2:14-15). He has come into enemy-occupied territory, defeated
the ruler who had usurped the region, revealed the true state of
bondage that had existed under this false ruler and reclaimed it
for its rightful ruler. As a returning king might set up his flag
to rally his subjects to him after defeating the one who had taken
over his realm, so Jesus speaks of a rallying point: But I, when
I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself (v. 32).
Here is the banner Isaiah spoke of when he wrote, "In that
day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the
nations will rally to him, and his place of rest will be glorious"
(Is 11:10; cf. Is 11:11-12). Here is the fulfillment of the messianic
prophecies that the tribes of the earth will gather on Mt. Zion
to worship God (for example, Is 2:1-5; Mic 4:1-5; Zech 14:16-19).
But the gathering place is not the temple, for Jesus has replaced
the temple. The one sacrifice on the cross will fulfill the function
of the sacrifices of the temple, and in Jesus' own person (to myself)
is the presence of God, whom they went to the temple to worship.
The new community is grounded in the work of the cross (cf. Pryor
1992:172).
The language used (all men) is very sweeping. It could refer to
the nations, which fits with the coming of the Greeks in this context
(cf. Chrysostom In John 67.3; Barrett 1978:427). B. F. Westcott,
however, says the phrase "must not be limited in any way"
(1908:2:129), for God's love for the whole world is revealed on
the cross. Christ is "the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and
not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world"
(1 Jn 2:2). Indeed, some manuscripts, versions and church fathers
(most notably p66, followed by all Latin versions; cf. Irenaeus
Against Heresies 4.2.7; Augustine In John 52.11) read not all men
(pantas) but "all things" (panta), pointing to the cosmic
implications of Christ's death (cf. Rom 8:19-22; Eph 1:10; Col 1:20).
John does not suggest, however, that everyone will in fact be drawn
to Jesus. The present text shows folk rejecting him or simply being
confused, and the next section is a reflection on the mystery of
unbelief (12:37-43). Satan, the jailer, has been mortally wounded,
and Jesus, the liberator, is standing in the cell, but many prisoners
prefer to remain in bondage!
This prediction of his death shows the kind of death he was going
to die (v. 33). On one level this reveals Jesus' role as a prophet
and how all is working out according to God's sovereign purposes.
But more is involved, since in Judaism not knowing the day of one's
death was considered part of the human condition (for example, Mekilta
on Ex 16:32). Thus, John "is deliberately setting Jesus alongside
God when he has Him know the manner of His own death" (Rengstorf
1971:265).
John writes next about the crowd's response to this teaching (v.
34). This is the last time the crowd speaks to Jesus in this Gospel.
They were not able to understand the voice of the Father, and now
we see they are not able to understand the Son either. They pick
up on Jesus' reference to being lifted up and try to make sense
of it by fitting it into their own framework derived from the law.
This use of the law has been a stumbling block throughout this Gospel,
so it is fitting to see one more example of it at the end of Jesus'
public ministry.
They say, We have heard from the Law that the Christ will remain
forever, so how can you say, "The Son of Man must be lifted
up"? (v. 34). Some Jews expected a messiah who would reign
for a limited time (2 Esdras 7:28-30; perhaps 2 Apocalypse of Baruch
30:1), but others expected an eternal reign (Testament of Reuben
6:12; Sibylline Oracles 3:48; 1 Enoch 49:2; Psalms of Solomon 17:4;
cf. Talbert 1992:187). There is, however, no text in the Old Testament
that says the Christ will remain forever. Perhaps the allusion is
to the eternal reign itself, which could be derived from some passages
(Ps 72:17; 89:35-37; Is 9:7; Ezek 37:25). More likely the crowd
is referring to a Targum, a rendition of an Old Testament text in
the synagogue. Perhaps the best candidate is Targum of Isaiah 9:5:
"The prophet saith to the house of David, A child has been
born to us, a son has been given to us; and he has taken the law
upon himself to keep it, and his name has been called from of old,
Wonderful counselor, Mighty God, He who lives for ever, the Anointed
one (or, Messiah), in whose days peace shall increase upon us"
(cf. McNeil 1977: 23-24). Here the Messiah is explicitly called
"He who lives for ever." Since the peaceful reign of the
Messiah is also referred to here, perhaps this passage occurred
to some of the people when they saw Jesus riding a donkey, which
signaled peace rather than war (Jn 12:14-15). With this text in
mind they are then confused by Jesus' statement that he, whom they
are taking to be the Messiah, must be lifted up and (apparently)
not live for ever.
John's editing of the material here is a bit awkward because he
does not report that Jesus used the term Son of Man (v. 32), though
the Johannine reader realizes Jesus had used this exact expression
earlier (3:14). This awkwardness could be due to the way the sources
have been edited (see, for example, Bultmann 1971:354) or simply
due to the way John is telling the story--what B. F. Westcott refers
to as "the compression of the narrative" (1908:2:130).
Bringing in the Son of Man at this point juxtaposes the term Christ
with the term Son of Man. In this way the messianic expectations
of the crowds, as seen in the triumphal entry, are confounded by
Jesus' more distinctive language for himself, which refers to the
Messiah from heaven who brings God's life and judgment, especially
through the cross (cf. comments on 3:13-14 and 5:27). Messiahship
must be understood in terms of the cross, and this confuses the
crowd.
They ask the right question--Who is this "Son of Man"?--for
the key to all their questions is Jesus' identity. Jesus appears
to avoid their question, instead issuing an admonition for them
to pay attention to what they have already seen and heard. But in
fact he answers them in a profound way, for he implies that he is
the light (v. 35). The fact that this light will be with them only
a short time longer corresponds to his earlier reference to being
lifted up. In calling upon them to walk while you have the light
he is calling upon them to become his disciples and follow him (cf.
v. 26). If they do not walk while they have the light then the darkness
will overtake them. The image may be of sunset: if they do not keep
moving with the sun they will end up in the darkness, and one who
walks in the dark does not know where he is going. In other words,
they will only become more confused if they do not put their faith
in Jesus and become his disciples.
If they do put their trust in the light they themselves will become
sons of light (v. 36). The expression "son of" is a Hebrew
expression that points to an important characteristic of the one
described. For example, Judas is called a "son of perdition"
(17:12, RSV). The expression "sons of light" was used
by the Qumran community of themselves (for example, Rule of the
Community 1.9; War Scroll 1.1) and is found in Paul's writings (1
Thess 5:5; Eph 5:8). In the Christian context, however, especially
in this passage in John, more is involved than just the description
of a characteristic of the believer. The term son must be viewed
in light of the teaching regarding the filial relationship with
God that is offered in Jesus. For faith in Christ gives believers
"the right to become children of God" (Jn 1:12). Jesus'
followers share in his own life through their faith in him, and
because Jesus himself is the light, they are sons of light as they
share in his light. Just as believers need not fear death because
they have life itself in their relation with the one who is himself
resurrection and life (11:25-26), so also they need not fear the
darkness because they have light through their relationship with
him who is the light. "Those who believe in Jesus themselves
take on the quality of light and so never walk in darkness"
(Barrett 1978:429).
Jesus is inviting this crowd to become his disciples. This teaching
is an example of the judgment of the world and the shining of the
light because it contains both revelation and judgment. Jesus' very
admonition and warning are also an invitation. He did not come to
condemn but to save, so even his condemnations have the potential
for leading to salvation. This is a consistent theme in Scripture--one
must take advantage of the opportunity to repent because there will
come a time when it will not be possible to do so.
When he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them
(v. 36). He had hidden himself before (8:59), signaling a departure
from the temple. Now he departs from the people themselves. This
is a further development of the theme of judgment, and it leads
to John's own reflections on the rejection the Son of God encountered
when he entered the world.
The Jews Continue in Their Unbelief
37Even after Jesus had done all these miraculous signs in their
presence, they still would not believe in him. 38This was to fulfill
the word of Isaiah the prophet:
"Lord, who has believed our message
and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?"[7]
39For this reason they could not believe, because, as Isaiah says
elsewhere:
40"He has blinded their eyes
and deadened their hearts,
so they can neither see with their eyes,
nor understand with their hearts,
nor turn--and I would heal them."[8] 41Isaiah said this because
he saw Jesus' glory and spoke about him.
42Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him.
But because of the Pharisees they would not confess their faith
for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; 43for they loved
praise from men more than praise from God.
John 12:37-43
Explanation: John Reflects on the Tragedy of Unbelief
(12:37-43)
John summarizes the unbelief of Jesus' fellow Jews in words that
express how tragic and inexcusable is this rejection by "his
own" (1:11): Even after Jesus had done all these miraculous
signs in their presence, they still would not believe in him (v.
37). While this rejection was tragic and inexcusable, it was not
completely surprising to those who understood the Scriptures. These
opponents, who have taken such pride in Moses, have in fact repeated
the pattern of those Israelites Moses condemned. "With your
own eyes you saw those great trials, those miraculous signs and
great wonders. But to this day the Lord has not given you a mind
that understands or eyes that see or ears that hear" (Deut
29:3-4; cf. Brown 1966:485).
Furthermore, their rejection was actually a fulfillment of Isaiah:
This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet: "Lord,
who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord
been revealed?" (v. 38). The text comes from the fourth of
the Servant Songs of Isaiah, already alluded to in verse 32. The
Servant Song begins by saying that the Servant will be lifted up
and exalted but that many will be appalled at him because he is
disfigured (Is 52:13-14). It is said "many nations and kings
will shut their mouths because of him" because they were not
prepared for what they saw (Is 52:15). It is at this point that
Isaiah says, "Who has believed our message and to whom has
the arm of the LORD been revealed?" (53:1). In other words,
the prophet is saying the message he has been given is very difficult
to believe. For "the arm of the Lord" is a metonymy for
the strength of God, seen especially in great acts of deliverance
such as the exodus (for example, Ex 6:6; 15:16; Deut 4:34; 5:15;
cf. Schlier 1964). But now this strength has been revealed in one
who is despised, stricken and crushed (Is 53:2-12). Finding God's
strength in one who is crushed is such a reversal of normal thinking
that those who hear it can only stand mute in disbelief. Thus, the
same pattern is repeated in the ministry of Jesus. God's strength,
his "arm," has been revealed in ways that defy normal
religious sensibilities and has been met with shocked disbelief.
The reference to the Servant Song prepares us for the intensification
of this shock, which is to come as Jesus repeats the pattern of
Isaiah 52:13--53:12 in detail in his Passion.
But for now, John's emphasis is on the unbelief of those who have
witnessed the Lord's Servant. John further develops this explanation
of unbelief by appealing to another passage in Isaiah: For this
reason they could not believe, because, as Isaiah says elsewhere:
"He has blinded their eyes and deadened their hearts, so they
can neither see with their eyes, nor understand with their hearts,
nor turn--and I would heal them" (Jn 12:39-40, quoting Is 6:10).
John's quote does not follow exactly either the Hebrew or the Greek
forms of this passage, and his changes help highlight the significance
he sees in this text. First, in both the Hebrew and the Greek of
Isaiah, people are affected in their hearts, ears and eyes, in that
order. Thus, John leaves out the ears and reverses the order so
the eyes are first. In this way he focuses on the signs of Jesus
(cf. v. 37) and moves from the outer to the inner, as he has done
before (see comment on 8:44). The interior disposition plays a major
role, as verse 43 will emphasize. Second, along with this clarification
on the human side he also clarifies the divine side. In the Hebrew,
Isaiah is commanded to "make the heart of this people fat,"
and in the Greek it is put in the passive, "the heart of this
people has been made thick" (epachynthe). While the Isaiah
passage refers to God's action, this passage in John shows more
clearly God as the agent of the blinding and "hardening"
(eporosen; cf. poros, "stone" or "callus").
Similarly, at the end of the verse the Hebrew has a passive ("and
be healed") whereas in John and the Septuagint a future active
verb is used for God's action ("I would heal them"). Thus,
God's activity is spoken of more directly in John's version of the
text.
John says people were not able to believe because God had blinded
their eyes and hardened their hearts, as revealed by Isaiah. How
does God go about blinding and hardening? The clue is in the next
verse: Isaiah said this because he saw Jesus' glory and spoke about
him (v. 41). More literally, Isaiah said "these things,"
that is, both quotes from Isaiah are in view. "Isaiah could
report on Christ's saying concerning the predestined unbelief of
the Jews because he had in his vision [in Isaiah 6] seen the glory
of the crucified Son of God" (Dahl 1976:108).
Isaiah spoke about him, and thus the verbs that have
God as their subject in Isaiah are taken here as referring to Jesus
(cf. Carson 1991:450). This would be in keeping with John's earlier
statement that no one has ever seen God (1:18), but we have beheld
the glory of the only Son (1:14) so that those who have seen the
Son have seen the Father (14:9). For the glory of God revealed in
Jesus is the self-sacrificing love evident in the Suffering Servant.
The scandal of the arm of the Lord revealed in the Suffering Servant
corresponds to the scandal of the love of God revealed in Jesus.
And as the revelation of the arm of the Lord produced mute disbelief
in Isaiah 52:12--53:1, so the glory of the Lord revealed in Jesus
has produced disbelief. God's revelation of his glory has caused
the blindness and the hardness (cf. Jn 9:39-41). The same sun that
melts wax, hardens clay (Origen On First Principles 3.1.11). The
hardness of heart found in these opponents is that which rejects
God's offer of mercy. Specifically, it is his offer of healing that
they reject. This offer of healing, which has blinded and hardened,
has come from God through Christ.
After making this blanket statement about unbelief John adds that
yet at the same time [homos mentoi, "yet nevertheless,"
a strong adversative] many even among the leaders believed in him
(v. 42). Even among those least likely to be open to the revelation
of this strange and disturbing grace of God, some did in fact believe
(cf. 1:11-12). But they feared expulsion from the synagogue by the
Pharisees and therefore would not confess their faith (v. 42). Consequently,
they provide yet another example of false profession of faith that
has been described from the outset (2:23-25). As Chrysostom remarks,
such fear means that "they were not rulers, but slaves in the
utmost slavery" (In John 69.1). "Such ineffective intellectual
faith (so to speak) is really the climax of unbelief" (Westcott
1908:2:136).
As with other forms of false faith (cf. 2:25), the problem goes
back to the condition of their hearts, for they loved praise from
men more than praise from God (v. 43). The word translated praise
is the same word translated glory in verse 41. Isaiah saw God's
glory and proclaimed it despite its scandalous nature, but these
would-be believers prefer human glory for God's glory. The issue
is a matter of the heart, for the problem is in their love. They
have received the revelation of the Son but are not willing to live
in the light of the truth they have seen (cf. 12:47).
Thus, once again both the divine and the human sides of the drama
of salvation are addressed (cf. Westcott 1908:2:134-38; Carson 1981;
1991:448-50; Talbert 1992:181). From the outset of the Gospel, John
has spoken clearly of both divine sovereignty and human responsibility
(1:12-13) without trying to explain rationally how both are true.
It is one of the antinomies of this Gospel, which are inevitable
in dealing with a revelation of reality that goes beyond our common,
limited, four-dimensional perceptions. But these two aspects of
reality are not opposed to one another; God's sovereign action is
never a violation of our moral responsibility, for such determinism
would turn us into robots and preclude love and relationship. "The
divine predestination works through human moral choices, for which
men are morally responsible" (Barrett 1978:431), as is made
clear in the next section (12:47-48). But the human responsibility
never violates the necessity of divine grace. "Let no one dare
to defend the freedom of the will in any such way as to attempt
depriving us of the prayer that says, `Lead us not into temptation';
and, on the other hand, let no one deny the freedom of the will,
and so venture to find an excuse for sin. But let us give heed to
the Lord, both in commanding and in offering His aid; in both telling
us our duty, and assisting us to discharge it" (Augustine In
John 53.8).
Salvation is by grace from first to last. To use Pauline terms,
we are saved by grace and not works. But we are not saved without
works because salvation is a matter of life and relationship, which
means it is more than an intellectual assent or an emotional experience.
These would-be believers are a prime example of the fact that faith
without works is dead, for such faith is only a thought or an emotion
and not a relationship of love in a true sense on the level of the
heart. At the end of the day what matters is where our love is placed,
for where our treasure is, there will our heart be also. And the
love of our heart is evident not just from our thoughts and emotions,
though these are involved, but from the commitments of our lives.
John's reflection at the end of the first half of his Gospel presents
Isaiah's seeing the glory of the rejected graciousness of God offered
to Israel by the Son of God. Understood in this way, it is clear
how this vision of Isaiah draws together some of the major themes
in the first twelve chapters of this Gospel. By focusing on the
tragedy of the would-be disciples John also offers a challenge to
all who claim to be disciples of Jesus.
44-50
44Then Jesus cried out, "When a man believes in me, he does
not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me. 45When he looks
at me, he sees the one who sent me. 46I have come into the world
as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.
47"As for the person who hears my words but does not keep them,
I do not judge him. For I did not come to judge the world, but to
save it. 48There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does
not accept my words; that very word which I spoke will condemn him
at the last day. 49For I did not speak of my own accord, but the
Father who sent me commanded me what to say and how to say it. 50I
know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is
just what the Father has told me to say."
John 12:44-50
Explanation:
Jesus Gives a Final Summarizing Pronouncement (12:44-50)
Now that the public ministry is complete and John has reflected
on the rejection Jesus has met, a final statement from Jesus is
given. It is not located either in place or time (the NIV's then,
v. 44, is misleading; the conjunction de is much weaker here). The
statement weaves together many major motifs from the first twelve
chapters, the main theme being the salvation and judgment that have
come through Jesus and that are all grounded in the Father.
Jesus begins by emphasizing his oneness with the Father. Faith is
not just in him but in the one who sent him (v. 44). Putting it
this way places the emphasis on the Father in such a way as to include
the Son, since the Father is described as the one who sent me (cf.
Westcott 1908:2:138). Likewise, to see him is to see the one who
sent him (v. 45). Here again is the language of agency, drawing
on the Jewish notion that an agent is to act in accordance with
the intentions of the one who has sent the agent, though Jesus far
transcends the category of agent (see note on 5:21). Isaiah was
privileged to have seen the Lord in his glory (v. 41), and now it
is said that all who have seen Jesus have also seen this glory.
Because faith in Jesus is faith in God the cowardice of the would-be
believers in the previous section (vv. 42-43) is heinous. This unity
between Jesus and the one who sent him grounds this section, as
it has the whole Gospel.
Jesus next speaks of the salvation he has brought, using the image
of light (v. 46; cf. 1:4-5, 9; 3:19-21; 8:12). He has come into
the world as the light. The world is dark precisely because it is
alienated from God, who is light. Because Jesus has brought the
light of God everyone who believes in him no longer remains in the
darkness.
After speaking of the believer Jesus describes two forms of unbelief
(Westcott 1908:2:140), described as two responses to his teaching
(vv. 47-48). First, there are those who hear his words but do not
keep them (v. 47).
Such people will listen, but they will not take the
teaching into their life and live according to it. The would-be
believers in verses 42-43 are one example of such folk. Jesus says
he will not judge such a person since he came to save the world,
not condemn it (cf. 3:17; 8:15). However, his very presence as the
light (v. 46), revealing God, is an exposure and thus condemnation
of the darkness. So in fact judgment does take place through him
(cf. 5:22, 27; 8:16, 26). "Justification and condemnation are
opposite sides of the same process; to refuse the justifying love
of God in Christ is to incur judgment" (Barrett 1978:434).
Although judgment takes place it is still of the utmost importance
to understand that God's intent is salvific. Without this fundamental
truth our view of God will go rotten quite quickly.
The second sort of unbeliever is one who out-and-out rejects Jesus
by not receiving his teachings (v. 48). To refuse to receive Jesus'
word is to reject Jesus himself, just as to refuse to receive the
Father's Word, Jesus, is to reject the Father himself. Jesus says,
that very word which I spoke will condemn him at the last day. In
other words, the judgment will be on the basis of that which had
been made available to the person. "The same word which was
to save him judges him" (Schnackenburg 1980b:423). The condemnation
begins with the rejection (cf. 3:18) and, if one persists in rejecting
him, it will lead to condemnation at the last day.
The condemnation works out in this way "because" (hoti),
says Jesus, I did not speak of my own accord, but the Father who
sent me commanded me what to say and how to say it. I know that
his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what
the Father has told me to say (vv. 49-50). In other words, the teaching
that these unbelievers reject comes from the Father and offers eternal
life. Indeed, the text is even more graphic than the NIV suggests,
for it says "his command is eternal life" (he entole autou
zoe aionios estin, v. 50). The command has to do with a relationship
with God himself and a sharing in his life. It is not just a description
of a pattern of life and a demand to conform to it. It is a life
that expresses the pattern of God's own character. Since Jesus'
teachings come from God and offer eternal life, a rejection of these
teachings is itself condemnation, for it is a rejection of God and
his offer of life.
This final section has emphasized the words of Jesus, just as the
previous section had emphasized his deeds (vv. 37-41). What is said
about Jesus and his teachings in this final section echoes sections
of Deuteronomy regarding the prophet like Moses who was to come
(Deut 18:18-19) and the conclusion of Moses' own ministry (cf. Brown
1966:491-93). "When Moses finished reciting all these words
to all Israel, he said to them, `Take to heart all the words I have
solemnly declared to you this day, so that you may command your
children to obey carefully all the words of this law. They are not
just idle words for you--they are your life'" (Deut 32:45-47).
The theme of Jesus' superiority to Moses thus returns here at the
end of the public ministry (cf. 5:46).
The final words of the public ministry emphasize that the foundation
for Jesus' statements, and for his whole ministry, is his oneness
with the Father. He has not spoken on his own accord, or, more literally,
"from myself" (ex emautou, v. 49). Here is the divine
humility of the Son (cf. Chrysostom In John 69.2). "In the
first part of the gospel, which here closes, Jesus lives in complete
obedience to the Father; in the second part he will die in the same
obedience"
