"Come and See": A Web Commentary on the Gospel of John: Section 11. Jesus begins to move from death to new life (Jn 12.1-50)

11.3 The Greeks Seek to See Jesus and His Reaction (Jn 12.20-36)

²⁰Now among those who came up to worship at the festival were some Greeks. ²¹So they came to Philip -- who was from Bethsaida in Galilee -- and asked him, saying, "Sir, we'd like to see Jesus." ²²Philip went and spoke to Andrew, and Andrew and Philip went, and they spoke to Jesus.

²³Then Jesus answered them saying, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. ²⁴Amen, Amen I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just one grain¹. But if it dies, it bears much fruit. ²⁵Anyone that loves their life destroys² it and anyone that hates their life in this world keeps it for eternal life. ²⁶If anyone would serve me, let them follow me, and wherever I am, there also shall my servant be. If anyone should serve me, the Father will honour them.

²⁷"Now my soul is troubled³, and what shall I say:‽ Father, save me from this hour! No! It was because of this that I came to this hour. ²⁸Father, glorify your name." Then a voice came from heaven: "I glorified it, and I will glorify it again!" ²⁹Then the crowd that was standing by and listening said that it was thunder, but others said, "An angel had spoken to him." ³⁰Jesus answered and said, "This voice didn't come on my account but on yours. ³¹Now is the judgment of this world -- now the ruler of this world will be driven away! ³²And when I am lifted up from the earth myself, I will draw everyone to myself." (³³He said this to provide a sign about the death by which he was going to die.)

³⁴Then the crowd answered him, "We have heard from the Law that the Messiah remains forever. How indeed do you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this ‘Son of Man’?" ³⁵Then Jesus said to them, "For a short time still the light is in you. Walk as though you have the light, so that darkness does not take hold of you. Indeed the one who walks in darkness does not know where they are going. ³⁶While you have the light, trust in the light, so that you may become children of light." Jesus said these things and he went away and hid from them.

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