Tuesday in Holy Week
Today’s Gospel reading and a reflection:
John 12:20-36 (NRSV)
"Now among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, "Sir, we wish to see Jesus." Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. Jesus answered them, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honor. Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say—‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name." Then a voice came from heaven, "I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again." The crowd standing there heard it and said that it was thunder. Others said, "An angel has spoken to him." Jesus answered, "This voice has come for your sake, not for mine. Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself." He said this to indicate the kind of death he was to die. The crowd answered him, "We have heard from the law that the Messiah remains forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?" Jesus said to them, "The light is with you for a little longer. Walk while you have the light, so that the darkness may not overtake you. If you walk in the darkness, you do not know where you are going. While you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become children of light." After Jesus had said this, he departed and hid from them."
Over the last several days in our journey with Jesus, his public miracles in Jericho, his triumphal entry into Jerusalem, his being anointed, we find Jesus has stopped in place with multitudes around him. This moment marks the conclusion of Jesus’ public ministry. Everyone is trying to wrap their minds around the events, the excitement, the PROMISE, and the confusion of the last few days. Today’s Gospel reading offers examples of the contrasting reactions of Gentiles (vv. 20-36) and of Jews (vv. 44-50) to the impact of Jesus’ presence on the people of Judea and Jerusalem, everything ranging from the electric and ecstatic, witness to the miraculous, the poor and oppressed full of hope and promise...and inciting deadly hatred amongst those whose power he threatened.
The time of the Passover ("the festival") was in only a few days time, and even Gentiles ("Greeks") travel to Jerusalem (corroborated by Josephus [Jewish Wars 6.9.3] reports that God-fearing Gentiles came to Jerusalem to worship at Passover). They request "to see Jesus" so that they might receive teaching directly from him. Their request is conveyed to him by "Andrew and Philip" (v. 22), the two disciples with Greek names. Jesus takes this opportunity to announce that his "hour" (v. 23), his Father has chosen this moment to openly declare his identity as the Son of God to all people. His time of being revealed has come. He can now openly tell what it means for the Son to be glorified, and that when he is glorified, then all people will truly be able to see him, but this is not the time for intense, private teaching. He later teaches that the Holy Spirit will come and will teach them all things concerning him.
As ever, Jesus still uses metaphorical language to speak of the significance of his death: the paradox that a "grain of wheat" only bears fruit after it seems to have died and has been buried. In saying this, Jesus says that his death will produce a transformation of himself in such a way that, by the Holy Spirit, he will be able to be present in more than one place at a time; indeed, to all peoples, thus making possible salvation for all who will receive him. That the meaning of life eludes those who live only for this world and what we can squeeze out of it and each other is also a paradox; self-worship, self-idolatry, for that is what we are talking about, ends up destroying a person. To hate this life is, by way of contrast, a choice to worship God, not the creation, not ourselves. Only in doing so may we hope for salvation. Serving Jesus involves following his example, including a life of profound humility, meekness, persecution, misunderstandings, betrayals; choosing to truly follow Jesus will be honored by the Father (v. 26).
In a moment to be repeated in only a few days time, Jesus struggles with his impending violent, humiliating death: should he ask the Father to free him from the need to suffer and die? No, he says: such avoidance would negate his message and his mission; his death is God’s will because it will expose human self-idolatry for what it is, especially exposing the Temple hierarchy and Judean aristocracy. It will also, most importantly, show all of humankind what love looks like: willing to suffer and die for the sake of others, without threats of vengeance but words of forgiveness.
When he is "lifted up from the earth", crucified and exalted in glory at his Ascension, that salvation of all will be possible. This is the paradoxical "kind of death" (v. 33) he will endure.
The voice from heaven reassures: his lifework and teaching have been signs of God’s glory, of his power and presence; God will act again in raising him from the dead, and in his Resurrection we are invited to see what awaits us. The crowd miss the point of the message (v. 29), as we do often do, so Jesus tells them that God has audibly spoken for their benefit, not his own - for he already knew who he is and his Father’s plan - so that they may believe that he comes from God. This is the moment of decision, the point of departure - then as now - when those who willfully turn away from him are condemned (it is they who are judged, not him). It is also gloriously the moment when the devil ("the ruler of this world") ceases to have power over those who receive Jesus as the Redeemer.
My friends, I invite you to come to the one who showed us what love looks like, who has shown us the glory of the Father, and who offers redemption, healing, and hope to all.
O God, by the passion of your blessed Son you made an instrument of shameful death to be for us the means of life: Grant us so to glory in the cross of Christ, that we may gladly suffer shame and loss for the sake of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.
Amen.
