Jesus the Suffering Instructor Pointing to the Glory of God: RRE19
Religion Ruins Everything Daily 9.29.16
20 Now there were some Greeks among those who were going up to worship at the feast; 21 these then came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and began to ask him, saying, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” 22 Philip came and told Andrew; Andrew and Philip came and told Jesus. 23 And Jesus answered them, saying, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25 He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it to life eternal. 26 If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also; if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him. 27 “Now My soul has become troubled; and what shall I say, ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour. 28 Father, glorify Your name.” Then a voice came out of heaven: “I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.” John 12:20–28
In this passage Jesus is revealing more of the plan to His disciples. He is sharing with them the teaching that He has received from the Father that He Himself is applying to what He is about to go through. Hebrews says that the Son had to be perfected by learning obedience through suffering. This passage shows what was going on inside Jesus’ head while he was learning that.
The path to the glory of God is lit with the call to self-denial and self-sacrifice. Jesus warns us of His coming suffering that He knows he is about go through. He warns us of the danger of self-preservation. When we avoid something difficult, we miss out God’s full glory for that time if we seek to preserve ourselves.
Jesus doesn’t deny how troubling this is. He shows to them how anxious He is about the whole situation. We don’t have to feel guilty when we are anxious about the difficulties we are going through. Jesus shows us it it possible to be anxious, obedient, and faithful all at the same time.