John 12:20-23 (WEL) There were some Greeks among those who had come up to worship at the festival. 21 They went to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, “Sir, we want to see Jesus.” 22 Philip came and told Andrew, and Andrew and Philip told Jesus. 23 Jesus answered them, saying, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.”
V20 There were some Greeks among those who had come up to worship at the festival.
These people are probably Greek proselytes. Compare Acts 6:1 and Acts 9:29. The other possibilities are: 1) these are Gentile travelers, traders, or government workers or 2) Greek converts not proselytes.
V21 They went to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, “Sir, we want to see Jesus.”
These Gentile God-fearers had heard of Jesus and were curious. Seeing Philip, the Apostle, they told him how they desired to meet Jesus.
Why or what questions they may have had is unknown. Also, if Jesus met with them is unknown.
Some have speculated that since this Apostle has a Greek name that he is a Greek proselyte, but many Jews in the time had a Jewish given name and then added a Greek or Roman name. Compare the Apostle Paul whose given name is Saul but added a Gentile name.
V22 Philip came and told Andrew, and Andrew and Philip told Jesus.
Why Philip didn’t tell Jesus directly is unknown.
V23 Jesus answered them, saying, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.”
It very well may be that the ones in this verse are the Gentile proselytes. Others believe, like Alford writes: “Did the Greeks see (i.e. speak with) Jesus, or not? Certainly not, if I understand His discourse rightly. But they may have been present at, and have understood it. The substance of His answer (αὐτοῖς, to Philip and Andrew, not to the Greeks) is, that the time was now come for His glorification…”
Jesus didn’t mean glorified as king, as most Jews expected from Messiah, but to be glorified by His obedience to the Cross, His ministry as the Passover Lamb for all humanity, His death, burial, resurrection, and ascension. After which, Jesus sat in the seat of the greatest honor—at the right hand of God the Father.
Jesus is also glorified by the Gospel of Jesus, namely that He is the Savior of the World, had paid the penalty for sin’s punishment, and could by faith in Jesus be accounted as saving faith.
Jesus answers that His time to be glorified has arrived. Jesus would die before the week was finished and would rise on the first day of the next week.
We learn:
- Jesus knew what God the Father, His Father, wanted from Him and that He (Jesus) would accomplish it.
- Many seek Jesus, but few believe His gospel.
Questions:
- Do you believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ?
- Do you seek Jesus Christ?