You may want to have the meanings of the Greek word ‘tarasso’ ready to display later.
We’ll read John 12:12-19
12 The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. 13 They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting,
‘Hosanna!’
‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’
‘Blessed is the king of Israel!’
14 Jesus found a young donkey and sat upon it, as it is written:
15 ‘Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion; see, your king is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.’ (Zechariah 9:9)
16 At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realise that these things had been written about him and that these things had been done to him.
17 Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word. 18 Many people, because they had heard that he had performed this sign, went out to meet him. 19 So the Pharisees said to one another, ‘See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!’
Read John 12:12
12 The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem.
http://www.israel-a-history-of.com/images/JerusalemInTheTimeOfJesus.jpg
Picture the scene in Jerusalem. It is the first day of the week leading up to Passover. Already there is a festival atmosphere as crowds continue to arrive from every corner of Israel. And there is added excitement as people have heard that Jesus is coming to Jerusalem, and rumours abound. There is a persistent suggestion that Jesus may be the expected Messiah.
People began to move from the Temple courts to the road leading to the Mount of Olives to see if he was coming. As more people moved to the front to see, it became a moving crowd; and eventually they were all walking up the road, tearing Palm branches off the trees as they went. Occasionally they would have met travellers coming down the road from Bethany, who would have been able to confirm that Jesus was there.
Read John 12:13-15
13 They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting,
‘Hosanna!’
‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’
‘Blessed is the king of Israel!’ (From Psalm 118:22-29)
14 Jesus found a young donkey and sat upon it, as it is written:
15 ‘Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion;
see, your king is coming,
seated on a donkey’s colt.’ (Zechariah 9:9)
This whole episode seems to have taken up most of the day, and Mark 11:11 tells us 'Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the temple courts. He looked around at everything, but since it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve.'
Read John 12:162
16 At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realise that these things had been written about him and that these things had been done to him.
Peter had proclaimed that ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.’ (Matthew 16:16) but when Jesus then went on to explain that it would mean he would have to die, Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. ‘Never, Lord!’ he said. ‘This shall never happen to you!’ (Matthew 16:22).
No-one, including his disciples, seemed ready to accept all that Jesus had been trying to tell them. The crowds only managed: ‘This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee’ (Matthew 21:11) and the disciples: ‘began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen’ (Luke 19:37) and here in verse 13: ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’
‘Blessed is the king of Israel!’
Read John 12:17
17 Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word. 18 Many people, because they had heard that he had performed this sign, went out to meet him. 19 So the Pharisees said to one another, ‘See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!’
Matthew adds ‘Then the chief priests and the elders of the people assembled in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, and they schemed to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him. ‘But not during the festival,’ they said, ‘or there may be a riot among the people.’’ (Matthew 26:3-5).
During the rest of the week, Jesus cleansed the Temple, and spent his last days amongst the crowds; teaching them (Matthew 21-25, Mark 11-13, Luke 20-21) but John seems to concentrate only on what Jesus wanted to tell his Disciples. John compressed the story and moved on to a passage not mentioned in the other Gospels.
We'll now read the next section, John 12:20-50, (Perhaps share 20-26, 27-29, 30-33, 34-36, 37-41, 42-50) We continue at verse 20:
20 Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the festival. 21 They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. ‘Sir,’ they said, ‘we would like to see Jesus.’ 22 Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus.
23 Jesus replied, ‘The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Very truly I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. 25 Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honour the one who serves me.
27 ‘Now my soul 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. 28 Father, glorify your name!’
Then a voice came from heaven, ‘I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.’ 29 The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him.
30 Jesus said, ‘This voice was for your benefit, not mine. 31 Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. 32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.’ 33 He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die.
34 The crowd spoke up, ‘We have heard from the Law that the Messiah will remain for ever, so how can you say, “The Son of Man must be lifted up”? Who is this “Son of Man”?’
35 Then 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. Whoever walks in the dark does not know where they are going. 36 Believe in the light while you have the light, so that you may become children of light.’ When he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them.
37 Even after Jesus had performed so many signs in their presence, they still would not believe in him. 38 This was to fulfil the word of Isaiah the prophet:
‘Lord, who has believed our message
and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?’ (Isaiah 53:1)
39 For this reason they could not believe, because, as Isaiah says elsewhere:
40 'He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts,
so they can neither see with their eyes, nor understand with their hearts,
nor turn – and I would heal them.’ (Isaiah 6:10)
41 Isaiah said this because he saw Jesus’ glory and spoke about him.
42 Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not openly acknowledge their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; 43 for they loved human praise more than praise from God.
44 Then Jesus cried out, ‘Whoever believes in me does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me. 45 The one who looks at me is seeing the one who sent me. 46 I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.
47 ‘If anyone hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge that person. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. 48 There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the very words I have spoken will condemn them at the last day. 49 For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken. 50 I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.’
Let's now go back and read John 12:20-22
20 Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the festival. 21 They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. ‘Sir,’ they said, ‘we would like to see Jesus.’ 22 Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus.
Philip is a Greek name and possibly a disciple who could speak Greek. It seems that ‘we would like to see Jesus’ means that they would like to speak to him privately, but by now that would be very difficult! We are not told specifically whether they did have a private audience or whether they were perhaps included in the times when Jesus was able to be alone with his Disciples. They were surely not rejected. The following discourse however was also addressed to ‘the crowd’ see v 29.
Read John 12:23
23 Jesus replied, ‘The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.’
Jesus needed to explain again to those who were so slow to understand. Jesus was fast approaching the moment of his death. But this was not the end, it was his fulfilment – and by this he would be glorified.
Read John 12:24
24 Very truly I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.
There is purpose in the ‘death and burial’ of a grain of wheat – it is that it will multiply, and bring a harvest. So too for Jesus, and eventually, so it must be for us all.
Read John 12:25
25 Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
In what way does this link back to the meal at Simon’s house?
(Mary and Judas – John 12a study)
What does it mean to ‘give your life to Jesus’? In what way will you ‘lose your life’?
Giving your life to Jesus is effectively dying to self and the things of this world, in order to gain a new life, now and for eternity.
Read John 12:26
26 Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honour the one who serves me.
This was not an unreasonable request, Jesus considered himself to be the servant of God: ‘For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me.’ (John 6:38)
And Philippians 2:6-9 ‘being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death – even death on a cross!’
This is the example Jesus has set for his followers.
Read John 12:27
27 ‘Now my soul is troubled’
The word translated ‘troubled’ is ‘tarasso’ in Greek
(The study in John 15i looks at this word in depth).
It means: (Display this list)
- Troubled
- Disturbed
- Perplexed
- Thrown into confusion
Starting in verse 23 ‘The hour has come . . . ’ Jesus has been referring to his imminent death, but suddenly the reality of this broke into his thoughts and he admitted that he felt ‘tarasso’.
Which of the meanings do you think Jesus felt? Why?
How can Jesus pray? Can he ask v27 “Father, save me from this hour”?
He gave himself the answer:
No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour.
Jesus knew he couldn’t make that prayer, he knew his destiny; all that he could ask for was that in his death his father would be glorified. So he simply asked:
28 Father, glorify your name!
Immediately God responded:
Then a voice came from heaven, ‘I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.’
God had already received glory from the life of Jesus, but only in his death will the true extent of his Glory be demonstrated.
Read John 12:29-30
29 The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him.
30 Jesus said, ‘This voice was for your benefit, not mine’.
Jesus was already moving on from his moment of perplexity. He himself needed no confirmation that he was in the centre of his father’s will. But his followers were going to need plenty of encouragement during the next few days.
Read John 12:31
31 Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out.
Satan had enjoyed his ‘reign’ over the world for long enough. In a few days’ time Jesus would usher his own kingdom in and he would take his rightful place sitting at the right hand of God (Ephesians 1:20). His kingdom would be quite different from that of ‘the prince of this world’.
When God created the earth it was perfect. He reigned in love over a kingdom that responded in love. It didn’t last: man, having been given free will, ignored the tree of life but rather sought out the knowledge of good and evil in disobedience to God’s specific command. Effectively man said ‘I don’t want to do what you want me to do, I want to do what I want to do’.
Those who were thus corrupted by sin no longer had any place in God’s kingdom and were expelled. Satan assumed power, but God only allowed the title ‘prince’, God was still in control.
People say it’s unfair that we should suffer for sin committed by Adam. But actually isn’t everyone guilty of the same sin today?
(I don’t want to do . . .)
Ever since the days of creation, Satan’s sphere of influence had brought hate, misery, suffering and death; blinding people to the love that God held out to them. Jesus was re-introducing the concept of a kingdom built on love – which was quite alien to their thoughts.
But God could not simply overlook the sin of the world, in one sense the time for judgement had arrived: now there had to be a perfect sacrifice offered for the sins of the whole world, in order to open the way for people to again enter into a relationship with God.
Read John 12:32
32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.’
How does Jesus ‘draw all people to himself’?
It is the attraction of mutual love, not a command to obey a dictator.
Read John 12:33-34
33 He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die.
34 The crowd spoke up, ‘We have heard from the Law that the Messiah will remain for ever, so how can you say,“The Son of Man must be lifted up”? Who is this “Son of Man”?’
It seems that they were beginning to realise that Jesus was speaking of his death, but they couldn’t accept the idea. Their scriptures (the Law) spoke of a coming Messiah that would restore the fortunes of Israel, but that required him to be alive. The concept of a need for a saviour was alien to them. So perhaps the ‘Son of Man’ was someone else?
(For more information on Jewish understanding see http://www.jewfaq.org/mashiach.htm)
Read John 12:35-36
35 Then 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. Whoever walks in the dark does not know where they are going. 36 Believe in the light while you have the light, so that you may become children of light.’ When he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them.
Jesus had already taught his Disciples in John 8:12 ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’
Now he warns them that the time is running out. In the same way that everyone has personally sinned, there is now a way for each individual to leave the darkness and enter the kingdom of light, but the decision must be made sooner rather than later.
Read John 12:37-41
37 Even after Jesus had performed so many signs in their presence, they still would not believe in him. 38 This was to fulfil the word of Isaiah the prophet:
‘Lord, who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?’
39 For this reason they could not believe, because, as Isaiah says elsewhere:
40 ‘He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts,
so they can neither see with their eyes,
nor understand with their hearts,
nor turn – and I would heal them.’
41 Isaiah said this because he saw Jesus’ glory and spoke about him.
(Isaiah 6:9-10, 44:18)
Isaiah looked forward to the coming Messiah, but also recognised that people’s hearts would be blinded, and they would remain in the darkness.
Luke 19:14 – ‘We don’t want this man to be our king.’
Read John 12:42-43
42 Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not openly acknowledge their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; 43 for they loved human praise more than praise from God.
Is it ever valid to hide our faith in the Son of Almighty God through fear?
Fear of what?
Read John 12:44-46
44 Then Jesus cried out, ‘Whoever believes in me does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me. 45 The one who looks at me is seeing the one who sent me. 46 I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.
Does belief in the Son, automatically assume belief in Father God?
Read John 12:47
47 ‘If anyone hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge that person. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world.
It’s very important that we understand this (We covered Judgement in John 5d).
Jesus condemned no-one, but our own response to Jesus will be the evidence presented to the court.
Read John 12:48
48 There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the very words I have spoken will condemn them at the last day.
It is not for the Judge to decide if a person is guilty or not; the Jury makes that decision, unless the weight of evidence against the accused means they have already pleaded ‘guilty’. The Judge only has to decide the sentence. Those who have rejected the words of Jesus can only plead ‘guilty’, and their sentence is inevitable
Read John 12:49-50
49 For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken. 50 I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.
Jesus’ message of salvation came from Almighty God himself. Anyone who chooses to ignore that will have to face the consequences.
