{"id":2480,"date":"2015-03-18T17:07:24","date_gmt":"2015-03-18T17:07:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/?p=2480"},"modified":"2015-03-18T21:57:05","modified_gmt":"2015-03-18T21:57:05","slug":"commentary-on-5th-sunday-of-lent-b-22nd-march-2015","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/commentary-on-5th-sunday-of-lent-b-22nd-march-2015\/","title":{"rendered":"Commentary on 5th Sunday of Lent (B) 22nd March 2015"},"content":{"rendered":"

TEXT:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong>John 12:20\u201333<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Request of Greek Worshippers<\/p>\n

20 Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks. 21 So these came to Philip, who was from Beth\u2013sa\u2019ida in Galilee, and said to him, \u201cSir, we wish to see Jesus.\u201d 22 Philip went and told Andrew; Andrew went with Philip and they told Jesus.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Jesus\u2019 Reply<\/p>\n

23 And Jesus answered them, \u201cThe hour has come for the Son of man to be glorified. 24<\/em><\/strong> 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.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

25 He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

26 If any one serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there shall my servant be also; if any one serves me, the Father will honour him.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cMy Soul is Troubled\u201d<\/p>\n

27 \u201cNow is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? \u2018Father, save me from this hour?\u2019 No, for this purpose I have come to this hour. 28 Father, glorify thy name.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Voice of Father<\/p>\n

Then a voice came from heaven, \u201cI have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Crowd\u2019s Re\u2013action<\/p>\n

29 The crowd standing by heard it and said that it had thundered. Others said, \u201cAn<\/em><\/strong> angel has spoken to him.\u201d<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Jesus\u2019 Reply<\/p>\n

30 Jesus answered, \u201cThis voice has come for your sake, not for mine.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

(i) 31 Now is the judgment of this world, now shall the ruler of this world be cast out;<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

(ii) 32 and I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself.\u201d 33 He said this to show by what death he was to die. <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

EXPLANATION<\/strong><\/h4>\n

20 Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks. <\/em>21 So these came to Philip, who was from Beth\u2013sa\u2019ida in Galilee, and said to him, \u201cSir, we wish to see Jesus.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cNow among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks.<\/em>\u201d \u2014 The \u201cfeast<\/em>\u201d that was being celebrated was the Passover.<\/p>\n

In the chapter previous to this present one there was the account of the raising from the dead of Lazarus. The first reaction was that \u201cthe crowd went to meet<\/em>\u201d Jesus. \u201cThe Pharisees then said to one another, \u2018You see that you can do nothing; look, the world has gone after him.<\/em>\u2019\u201d (Jn. 12: 18\u201319). In the next verse (v. 20) the \u201cGreeks<\/em> are introduced.<\/p>\n

The \u201cGreeks<\/em>\u201d who \u201cwent up to worship<\/em>\u201d could have been one of four groups: Jews from Greece or Greek\u2013speaking Jews from elsewhere or Greek converts to Judaism or, finally, and most probably, Greek Gentiles who accompanied Jews who were going to celebrate the Passover feast.<\/p>\n

The principal reason for their introduction at this point, when Jesus addresses his last words before entering into this passion and crucifixion in the following chapter (Jn. 13), is to show that Gentiles were coming to him to be followers. All his followers, Jews and Gentiles, would have to follow him in his Paschal Mystery (his passion, death and resurrection), as he will say in this passage.<\/p>\n

Today\u2019s Gospel forms the final words of Jesus in his public ministry. Chapter 13 will commence his passion. His mission was to the Jewish people but after his Paschal Mystery it would open to the Gentiles through the preaching of the apostles. The \u201cGreeks<\/em>\u201d are mentioned here to indicate that from the passion and death on the cross the mission of Jesus opens to the whole world. Little did the Pharisees (v. 19) realise that they had made a true prophecy!<\/p>\n

\u201cSo these came to Philip, who was from Beth\u2013sa\u2019ida in Galilee,<\/em>\u201d \u2014 \u201cPhilip\u201d is a Greek name and, living in Bethsaida, a busy town of international commerce, may have spoken Greek. Andrew, another Greek name, and his brother Simon Peter were also from Bethsaida (Jn. 1: 44; 6: 7\u20138) and they too could have been proficient in Greek.<\/p>\n

\u201cand said to him, \u201cSir, we wish to see Jesus.<\/em>\u201d \u2014 The Greeks\u2019 desire was to \u201csee Jesus<\/em>\u201d. This was more than idle curiosity. \u201cTo see<\/em>\u201d was a term which in the original language was technical for \u2018to know\u2019. \u201cSee<\/em>\u201d is used to know Jesus as one who reveals (Jn. 1: 18, 33, 34, 39, 50, 51, 3: 3, 11, 32, 36; 4: 45; 5: 37; 6: 2, 36, 46; 8: 38, 57; 9: 37; 11: 32, 40).<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

22 Philip went and told Andrew; Andrew went with Philip and they told Jesus.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cPhilip went and told Andrew; Andrew went with Philip and they told Jesus.<\/em>\u201d \u2014 At the beginning of John\u2019s Gospel, when John the Baptist indicated to his disciples that Jesus, \u201cThe Lamb of God<\/em>\u201d, was passing, they followed Jesus. When he turned and asked what they wanted, Andrew, one of the two, queried, \u201cwhere are you staying?<\/em>\u201d Jesus said, \u201cCome and see<\/em>\u201d (Jn 1: 36\u201339). Andrew brought his brother, Simon Peter, to meet Jesus. Philip found Nathanael and invited him to \u201cCome and see<\/em>\u201d. In John\u2019s Gospel Philip and Andrew appear together frequently (John 1:40, 43-46, 48; 6:5, 7-8; 12:21-22; 14:8-9). Here now we witness these two, them answering the request of the Greeks and bringing them to \u201csee<\/em>\u201d Jesus. People who \u201csee<\/em>\u201d Jesus lead others to him.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

23 And Jesus answered them, \u201cThe hour has come for the Son of man to be glorified.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd Jesus answered them, \u201cThe hour has come for the Son of man to be glorified.<\/em>\u201d \u2014 There is no further mention of the \u201cGreeks\u201d<\/em> nor do we know for certainty if Jesus met with them. Nevertheless these next verses are a clear response of Jesus to their desire to \u201csee<\/em>\u201d him. As Greeks they represented us when they sought to \u201csee<\/em>\u201d Jesus. His response is not only for them but also for us.<\/p>\n

Jesus begins by saying something extraordinarily important. From the Marriage Feast at Cana until now he has stated that \u201chis hour<\/em>\u201d has not yet come (Jn. 2: 4; 7: 30; 8: 20; 4: 23; 5: 25, 28). Here he declares that \u201cthe<\/em> hour<\/em>\u201d has come. The \u201chour<\/em>\u201d is described in the following verses. It is the time of his glorification, of being \u201clifted up<\/em>\u201d, of dying and bearing much fruit, of judgement on the world, of the banishment of Satan, in other words of his victory over evil, the purpose of his mission from his Father.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Son of Man\u201d<\/em> is a title Jesus uses to describe himself \u2014 he associates it with his earthly mission culminating in the crucifixion.<\/p>\n

\u201cGlory<\/em>\u201d is a Biblical term that means the manifestation of God\u2019s majesty and sovereignty by his holiness and power. Cloud, light, fire and smoke covered God\u2019s glory lest people look upon God, be overcome with awe and die.<\/p>\n

\u201cto be glorified<\/em>\u201d is an expression referring, in the first place, to Jesus humbling himself by giving his life on the cross so that he might give new life to sinners. And, next, it means assuming his divine state once more, the first stage being the resurrection and the second stage being the ascension when he returns to his Father\u2019s house.<\/p>\n

There will be three major consequences to Jesus being \u201cglorified<\/em>\u201d as we see in the following three statements (Jn. 12: 24\u201326)<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

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.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

25 He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

26 If any one serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there shall my servant be also; if any one serves me, the Father will honour him.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

(i) \u201cTruly, 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<\/em>.\u201d \u2014 This is the first of three statements Jesus makes in this and the following two verses: He declares here in this first statement that in order to \u201cbear much fruit<\/em>\u201d he must die, just as seeds die before they produce fruit. He is alerting the Greeks and his disciples that his death is imminent and the results will be fruitful and positive with sinners receiving eternal life.<\/p>\n

(ii) \u201cHe who loves his life loses it, and he who hates <\/em>his<\/em> life in this world will keep it for eternal life.<\/em>\u201d \u2014 The first of this two\u2013part sentence is best understood by the second part: he who loves his life in this world to the exclusion of eternal life, that is he who sins, loses it. The second part says: he who \u201chates his life<\/em>\u201d, that is prefers \u201ceternal life<\/em>\u201d in this world because that is his priority, will be successful and gain eternal life.<\/p>\n

(iii) \u201cIf any one serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there shall my servant be also; if any one serves me, the Father will honour him.<\/em>\u201d \u2014 This is the third statement: Jesus is the model to be followed by all.<\/p>\n

Jesus says three things in this verse: (a) if one wishes to serve Jesus, that person must follow<\/em> him and (b) be with him<\/em> and (c) the Father will honour <\/em>that servant.<\/p>\n

Jesus identifies his servant with himself. This will be repeated when Jesus delivers his Farewell Discourse (Jn. 13: 13, 16; 15: 20).<\/p>\n

That the Father will honour one who serves Jesus is repeated in the Farewell discourse (Jn. 14: 23; 16: 27).<\/p>\n

He mentions three rewards: \u201cmuch fruit<\/em>\u201d for the one who dies (v. 24); \u201cwill keep <\/em>[his life<\/em>] for eternal life<\/em>\u201d for the one who prefers eternal life to worldly life (v.25); and the Father will honour those who serve Jesus (v. 26).<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

27 \u201cNow is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? \u2018Father, save me from this hour\u2019? No, for this purpose I have come to this hour\u201d.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cNow is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? <\/em>\u2018Father, save me from this hour?<\/em>\u2019 No, for this purpose I have come to this hour.<\/em>\u201d \u2014 Verses 27 to 36a are addressed to the crowds.<\/em><\/p>\n

Jesus is deeply troubled \u201c<\/em>now<\/em>\u201d, the time of his \u201c<\/em>hour<\/em>\u201d. <\/em>The theme of the \u2018hour<\/em>\u2019 is very important for John: (Jn 2: 4; 4:21; 7:6; 8.30; 8:20; 11: 9; 13:1; 17:1). Jesus says that he will not pray to be saved from his \u201chour<\/em>\u201d, the purpose of his life, but that God may be glorified when he fulfils God\u2019s will.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

28 \u201cFather, glorify your name.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cFather, glorify your name.<\/em>\u201d \u2014 First place in Jesus\u2019 desires and prayer is that his Father\u2019s glorification may be seen in Jesus\u2019 passion, death and resurrection. He does not wish that his own natural desires, needs and comfort be given the priority. By Christ\u2019s death people will see the Father\u2019s love for them in allowing his only\u2013begotten Son to give the supreme gift of his life for their salvation.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Then a voice came from heaven, \u201cI have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.\u201d <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cThen a voice came from heaven, <\/em>\u2018I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.<\/em>\u2019\u201d \u2014 This is the first time in John\u2019s Gospel that the voice of the Father is recorded. In the Synoptic Gospels the voice of the Father was heard twice: at the baptism (Mt. 3: 17 and parallels) and at the transfiguration (Mt. 17: 5 and parallels), identifying Jesus as \u201cmy Son, the Beloved.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n

The voice of the Father saying \u201cI have glorified it\u201d<\/em> refers to how the Father allowed his holiness and power to be seen in the words and works of Jesus during his life (especially Jn. 2: 1\u201311; 5: 41\u201344; 9: 3; 11: 4).<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd I will glorify it again<\/em>\u201d refers to how the holiness and power will be seen in the passion, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus.<\/p>\n

These words have an even deeper meaning. The Father is declaring that because his holiness and power have been seen in the life of Jesus, the era of salvation has begun.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

29 The crowd standing by heard it and said that it had thundered. Others said, \u201cAn angel has spoken to him.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cThe crowd standing by heard it and said that it had thundered. Others said, <\/em>\u2018An angel has spoken to him.<\/em>\u2019\u201d \u2014 The crowd was confused by the noise, some thinking that it was natural, a clap of thunder; others that it was supernatural, an angel speaking to Jesus. \u201cThunder<\/em>\u201d was often regarded as a symbol of the Father\u2019s voice (Ex. 9: 23+; Pss. 46: 7; 104: 7; Jb. 37: 4; Is. 30: 3+; Jer. 10: 13; 51: 16; Am. 1: 2; Jl. 2: 11; 4: 16; Rv. 4: 5; 8: 5; 11: 19; 16: 18).<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

30 Jesus answered, \u201cThis voice has come for your sake, not for mine.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cJesus answered, <\/em>\u2018This voice has come for your sake, not for mine.<\/em>\u2019\u201d \u2014 Jesus explains that the voice from heaven was for the crowd. His Father was speaking for their benefit, not to him, to let them know of the close relationship between Father and Son. <\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

31 Now is the judgment of this world, now shall the ruler of this world be cast out;<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201c\u2018Now is the judgment <\/em>of<\/em> this world, now shall the ruler of this world be cast out;<\/em>\u2019\u201d \u2014 By the word \u201cnow<\/em>\u201d Jesus connects with v. 27. Twice he uses the word \u201cnow<\/em>\u201d in this verse to refer to his \u201chour<\/em>\u201d when his Father will be glorified by his death. The Father will manifest his holiness and power by overcoming the world of evil, the world of darkness, and by banishing Satan who rules there.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe judgement of this world<\/em>\u201d is contrasted with the judgement of God against the \u201cruler of this world<\/em>. There is no need for God to judge the \u201cruler of this world<\/em>\u201d; the world itself, the world of people, will do that.<\/p>\n

\u201cthe ruler of this world<\/em>\u201d is Satan, the devil. His reign has come to an end by Jesus\u2019 death on the cross and his triumph over all evil.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

32 and I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself.\u201d <\/em><\/strong>33 He said this to show by what death he was to die. <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201c\u2018and I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself.<\/em>\u2019\u201d He said this to show by what death he was to die<\/em>\u201d \u2014 Jesus knew in advance that he would be crucified: \u201clifted up from the earth<\/em>\u201d. Crucifixion was the Roman method of execution of prisoners. The Jewish method was by stoning. Jesus\u2019 death by crucifixion would be the expression of his absolute, sacrificial, redemptive love on the cross. That love is what draws people to him. And that is how Jesus is glorified, by drawing all people to himself.<\/p>\n

Those who are not drawn to Jesus are those who have aligned themselves with the \u201cruler of this world<\/em>\u201d, the powers of sin and darkness.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

APPLICATION<\/strong><\/h4>\n

DYING AND RISING<\/strong><\/p>\n

This Gospel passage opens with a surprise. For no apparent reason a group of Greek people appears on the scene. They had a purpose. They had seen the popularity of Jesus with crowds following him. They had at least heard of his works, miracles and signs. They were touched and decided to follow up their first impressions. But they were most likely confused because what many of the people who were following him were interested in was not religious but political: Jesus claimed to be the Messiah promised in the Old Testament. For a large number in the crowds that meant that his purpose was to free the Jewish people from the slavery of the Roman authorities. There was not much of a religious desire in the majority of the people. So the Greeks decided that they should have an encounter with Jesus and see for themselves if they could develop a personal relationship with him and become his followers, disciples.\u00a0 They sought out one known follower of his who had a Greek name, Philip, and presumably spoke Greek, with whom they would dialogue.<\/p>\n

Their desire was that they might \u201csee<\/em>\u201d Jesus, a technical term at the time meaning to get to know him.\u00a0 After that introduction, the Greeks are not mentioned again. However, Jesus answered their request. Whether they were present or not we do not know. The point was that the reply was not for them but for all of us who wish to know and follow Jesus.<\/p>\n

Later in the Gospel passage another crowd is presented. They too were very confused as is clear from their attempts to determine what a noise like thunder from heaven might be. It would appear that these followed Jesus up to a point, ready to have him work miracles, give them bread from heaven perhaps, and look after them in various ways. Their main interest was themselves.<\/p>\n

Jesus builds his response on two words: his \u201chour<\/em>\u201d and God\u2019s \u201cglory<\/em>\u201d. His \u201chour\u201d, which was now very imminent, was his victory through his excruciation death and resurrection into \u201cglory<\/em>\u201d as Son of God when by his manifested supreme love he would win salvation for all sinners, overcame the devil and his forces and perform God\u2019s will perfectly.<\/p>\n

Jesus explains to the Greeks that he served mankind by giving himself entirely with his life for all sinners in obedience to God, even to the point of dying on the cross. They had expressed their desire to know him and follow him. Jesus said that their first step must be their willingness to serve unto death for the salvation of others. This means a living and dying each day in imitation of Jesus. This imitation follows Jesus into the resurrection when they would share in his divine nature.<\/p>\n

Thinking of the crowd that was interest in itself, Jesus said that while their priority was political freedom, his death would draw the world to him, which would be the true freedom as they overcame sin. In their conscience people would know what Jesus did and why. However, they were free to accept or reject him. The decision was theirs.<\/p>\n

We can sum up what Jesus meant by these responses to the Greeks and the crowd. The challenge of the Gospel means living not for oneself but for God by serving others completely and perfectly by wholeheartedly giving one\u2019s life in imitation of Jesus. The reward is beyond human expectations and even belief, being nothing else that a greater share in God\u2019s own life and nature.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

TEXT:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 John 12:20\u201333 Request of Greek Worshippers 20 Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks. 21 So these came to Philip, who was from Beth\u2013sa\u2019ida in Galilee, and said to him, \u201cSir, we wish to see Jesus.\u201d 22 Philip went and told Andrew; Andrew went with Philip and<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":2479,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[45],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2480","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-commentary"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2480","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2480"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2480\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2486,"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2480\/revisions\/2486"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2479"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2480"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2480"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2480"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}