John 12:27-36 (CLICK HERE FOR BIBLE VERSES)
Hi GAMErs,
Today’s passage is John 12:27-36. I encourage you to read the passage yourself first and see what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help, then read the GAME sharing below. Let’s go!
John 12:27 (NIV)
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.
On verse 27: Jesus was troubled by the prospect of dying, showing his real humanity (v27a). Yet rather than asking the Father to rescue him from having to die, Jesus reminds himself that that is why he came (v27b).
Taking a hint from Jesus, when I go through trouble or hardship, sometimes it helps to remind myself, “JB, it’s part of the calling. This is just part of living out the life God called you to live on this earth, so don’t cry and complain as if something strange were happening to you. This is what you were made for.” Let’s learn to boldly take on trouble Jesus’ way. Knowing that God allows trouble to strengthen us in the end, may you cower at the sight of trouble but stand your ground and welcome it much like a championship fighter welcomes the fight. As Charles Spurgeon once said, “You who are God’s favourites must not marvel at trials, but rather keep your door wide open for them, and when they come in, say, ‘Hail, messenger of the King! the sound of thy Master’s feet is behind thee; thou art welcome here, for thy Master sent thee.’”
John 12:28-30 (NIV)
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.
On verses 28-30: Here God audibly answers Jesus from heaven when Jesus says, “Father, glorify your name” (v28). What can we learn from this? When your heart is truly set on glorifying God with your life, you will experience a bit of heaven on earth and others will experience it through you too.
John 12:31-33 (NIV)
31 Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out.
32 But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself.”
33 He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die.
On verses 31-33: Jesus, pointing to his soon coming death, says that with his death “now is time for judgment on this world” (v31a). In other words, Jesus’ death would be God’s way of judging the world in that all of the wrath and judgment we deserved for our sin would be placed on Jesus. Also, in future people would be judged based on how they respond to Jesus’ death on the cross.
Jesus also says that with his death “now the prince of this world will be driven out” (v31b). In other words, with Jesus’ death on the cross, Jesus will defeat Satan, the prince of this world (see John 14:30 and 16:11), driving him out of his seat of authority.
Lastly, Jesus says that when he is “lifted up from the earth”, he “will draw all men to” himself (v32). In other words, when Jesus is lifted up on the cross, he will capture the world’s attention and through his death on the cross people all over the world will come to Jesus.
John 12:34-36 (NIV)
34 The crowd spoke up, “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’? 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. The man who walks in the dark does not know where he is going.
36 Put 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.
On verses 34-36: To describe Himself, Jesus used the title “Son of Man” more than any other title (over 80 times in the four Gospels and 13 times in John). The term “Son of Man” comes from Daniel 7 in the Old Testament and has overtones of divinity as well as humanity. Unlike politically charged terms like “king of Israel” or “king of the Jews”, Jesus could use a title like “Son of Man” without being misunderstood as trying to start some political revolution. It is no wonder Jesus referred to himself using this term more than any other title.
Still the crowd was confused as to who this “Son of Man” is (v34) that Jesus is referring to. Jesus doesn’t answer their question directly. Instead, Jesus speaks of how he, the light of the world, would only be with them for “just a little while longer” (v35). Repeating an idea that Jesus raised in John 11:9-10, Jesus encourages the people to “walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you” (v35). He also encourages the crowd to “put your trust in the light while you have it, so that you may become sons of light” (v36).
In speaking this way, Jesus was countering a traditional belief that some Jews had that upon his arrival the Messiah would never die, that he “will remain forever” (v34) and establish his kingdom for all time. I guess they never focused too much on the prophesies in Scripture which foretell that the Messiah would suffer and die for the sins of the people, but then be raised again to life (see, for example, Isaiah 53). Jesus counters their mistaken belief, saying that he – the light – will only be with them for a little while more (v35) and that they should make the most of this time while the light is still with them (v35b-36).
It is true that Jesus is the Messiah and that one day his kingdom will never end, but before he would establish his kingdom for all time Jesus would first need to do the thing that Scripture prophesied and that the Father required: Jesus would need to die on the cross for our sins.
Jesus, thank You for not running away from death, but going through death out of obedience to Your Father and out of love for me. Thank You that by Your death on the cross changes everything. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!
Copyright © 2022 Justin Lim. All rights reserved.
