Yeshua Predicts His Crucifixion

12 ²⁰ Among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greek-speaking Jews. ²¹ They approached Philip, the one from Beit-Tzaidah in the Galil, with a request. “Sir,” they said, “we would like to see Yeshua.”

Greek-speaking Jews (see 7:35) who had come to Yerushalayim in obedience to the Torah (see 5:1). Since the text simply says “Greeks,” many think they were Gentiles. Sha’ul often uses “Greeks” to mean “Gentiles” (Romans 1:16, 10:12; Galatians 3:28; Colossians 3:11), but here and at 7:35 the context implies Greek-speaking Jews; compare Acts 6:1, 9:29. These approached Philip, whose name was Greek and who was probably himself a Greek-speaker. We would like to see Yeshua. Yeshua’s answer (vv. 23ff.) suggests that their purpose was to offer Him new opportunities for ministry in their region. Yeshua says that the time for expanding His activities in the world is over, but that His effect in the world will nevertheless be all the greater.

²² Philip came and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Yeshua. ²³ Yeshua gave them this answer: “The time has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. ²⁴ Yes, indeed! I tell you that unless a grain of wheat that falls to the ground dies, it stays just a grain; but if it dies, it produces a big harvest. ²⁵ He who loves his life loses it, but he who hates his life in this world will keep it safe right on into eternal life! ²⁶ If someone is serving me, let him follow me; wherever I am, my servant will be there too. My Father will honor anyone who serves me. ²⁷ “Now I am in turmoil. What can I say—‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason that I have come to this hour. I will say this: ²⁸ ‘Father, glorify your name!’ ” At this a bat-kol came out of heaven, “I have glorified it before, and I will glorify it again!”

Bat-kol (literally, “daughter of a voice”). Voice from heaven. The phenomenon is well known in Jewish literature, where the term denotes a voice or message from God.

²⁹ The crowd standing there and hearing it said that it had thundered; others said, “An angel spoke to Him.” ³⁰ Yeshua answered, “This bat-kol did not come for My sake but for yours. ³¹ Now is the time for this world to be judged; now the ruler of this world will be expelled. ³² As for me, when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself.”

The ruler of this world. A reference to Satan. Although the cross might have appeared to signal Satan’s victory over God, in reality it marked Satan’s defeat. Lifted up from the earth. This refers to His crucifixion.

³³ He said this to indicate what kind of death he would die. ³⁴ The crowd answered, “We have learned from the Torah that the Messiah remains forever. How is it that you say the Son of Man has to be ‘lifted up’? Who is this ‘Son of Man’?” ³⁵ Yeshua said to them, “The light will be with you only a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, or the dark will overtake you; he who walks in the dark doesn’t know where he’s going. ³⁶ While you have the light, put your trust in the light, so that you may become people of light.” Yeshua said these things, then went off and kept himself hidden from them.

Yeshua said these things. A final invitation from Yeshua was recorded by Yochanan, focusing on His theme of believing in the Messiah and Son of God (see 20:30, 31).

Yesha’yahu ’s Prophecies Fulfilled

³⁷ Even though He had performed so many miracles in their presence, they still did not put their trust in Him, ³⁸ in order that what Yesha‘yahu the prophet had said might be fulfilled, “Adonai, who has believed our report? To whom has the arm of Adonai been revealed?” ³⁹ The reason they could not believe was – as Yesha‘yahu said elsewhere – ⁴⁰ “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, so that they do not see with their eyes, understand with their hearts, and do t’shuvah, so that I could heal them.”

In these verses, Yochanah provided a scriptural explanation for such widespread, catastrophic unbelief among the Jewish nation. The explanation was that the unbelief was not only foreseen in Scripture but necessitated by it. In v. 38, Yochanah quotes Yesha‘yahu 53:1, and in v. 40 he quotes Yesha’yahu 6:10 (see Romans 10:16), both of which stress God’s sovereign plan in His judicial hardening of Isra’el. Although God predestined such judgment, it was not apart from human responsibility and culpability.

⁴¹ (Yesha‘yahu said these things because he saw the Sh’khinah of Yeshua and spoke about him.)

Yesha’yahu … saw His glory, and … spoke of Him. This is a reference to Yesha’yahu 6:1. Yochanah unambiguously ties Yeshua to God or Yahweh of the Tanakh. Therefore, since v. 41 refers to Yeshua, it identifies Him as the author of Isra’el’s judicial hardening. That fits His role as Judge (see 5:22, 23, 27, 30; 9:39).

⁴² Nevertheless, many of the leaders did trust in him; but because of the P’rushim they did not say so openly, out of fear of being banned from the synagogue; ⁴³ for they loved praise from other people more than praise from God. ^[1]

In your family life, you might struggle with different priorities, especially during busy weeks. Reflecting on John 12:20-43, where Jesus speaks about His coming death and the importance of bearing fruit, may inspire you to create a family mission statement. Gather your family and discuss what it means to live for Christ in your daily lives. Set aside time each week to share how you can support one another in making Christ-centered decisions, turning your home into a place where sacrifices are understood as part of a greater purpose.

In our next post, we will continue to explore the Gospel of Yochanan.

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^[1] Yochanan 12:20-43