This coming Sunday is the 5th Sunday of Lent.  The introduction of a new group of people (some Greeks) indicates a new narrative and thrust of the gospel message. Anyone could “see” Jesus as he was in the Temple precincts. I think it is a given that the Greeks wanted more.

Even if their desire to “see” Jesus doesn’t mean “become a follower,” their presence relates to Jesus’ statement in v. 32, “When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all people to myself.” It should be noted there is a variant reading of “all things” (panta) in many ancient Greek manuscripts rather than “all people” (pantas).That being said, the coming of the Greeks symbolizes the drawing of all people to Jesus. His hour has come.

Just before our text we are told that a crowd had come to Jesus because they had heard that he had raised Lazarus from the dead (12:18). Soon after our text we are told: “Although he had performed so many signs in their presence, they did not believe in him” (12:37). “Seeing” is not believing in John’s gospel. The place to see Jesus in all his glory is not just the miraculous (2:11, 11:4, 40), which may not produce faith; but seeing his glory on the cross (12:23; 21:19).

Perhaps, they wanted to interview Jesus – although they give no reason for this. Up to this point in time, John has given no indication that Jesus’ reputation was such that Greeks would have heard of him; though perhaps they are from Decapolis. Those people may well have heard about Jesus. But the general tone of John’s Gospel leaves certainly leads us to assume the point of the inquiry: Jesus was the Savior of the world, and this group of Gentiles symbolically represents the world seeking its salvation from Jesus.

Oddly, Jesus seems to ignore the Greeks; in fact, there is no immediate or subsequent reference to them. Still what follows makes it difficult to assume Jesus’ audience is limited to Andrew and Philip.  There is a wider audience in mind. Clearly, the coming of the Greeks is important to Jesus. Morris notes [252]: “Jesus views it as evidence that his mission has reached its climax and that he is now to die for the world, Greeks included. … The gospel is a gospel for the whole world only because of the cross. Their presence leads to Jesus’ response, “The hour has come…”

We are reminded of the series of references to “the hour” throughout the Gospel. Though unobtrusive, this is one of the important themes in this Gospel. It marks that for which Jesus is destined. At Cana, “the hour” had not yet arrived. Now it has. The verb “has come” is in the perfect tense, i.e.,: “the hour has come and stays with us.” There is no going back on it. In referring to his “hour” there is no doubt but that Jesus is referring to his death (see v.24). But he speaks not of tragedy but of triumph.  He is not to be dishonored; he is to be glorified and that by the way of the cross.

A grain of wheat. . 24 Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit. 25 Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life. 26 Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there also will my servant be. The Father will honor whoever serves me.

Immediately upon pronouncing that the “hour” is a path to “glory,” we are given a metaphor. The grain of wheat introduces us to a paradox, namely, that the way of fruitfulness lies through death. Unless the wheat falls into the ground and “dies” it will not bear fruit. It is only through “death” that its potentiality for fruitfulness becomes actual. This is a general truth; but it refers particularly to Jesus – and no less to us. The expression “loves his life loses it” is, in the Greek, anchored by apollyei – an interesting word. Here it is translated as “lose” but its primary meaning is “destroy, lose, die, perish, be lost.” [ENDT 1:135]. Might we not read, “Whoever loves his life [here on earth to the point of forsaking all else], destroys it.” John means us to understand that loving this life to the exclusion of others and all else, is a self-defeating process. It destroys the very immortal life we seeks to retain: “whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life.” “Hates,” of course, is not to be taken literally, but “hating the life” is the antithesis of loving it (cf. Matt. 6:24 = Luke 16:13; Luke 14:26). It is clear when one thinks of being intentional and choosing (love) or not choosing (hate). It points to the attitude that sets no store by this life in itself. People whose priorities are right have such an attitude of love for the things of God.

As Jesus mentions his own self-giving (vv. 23–24), he joins to it that of his disciples. They are called to identical roles (vv. 25–26) in the service of, in and through Christ. Relationship to Christ is important. The servant must follow his Lord and be where his Lord is. A.M. Hunter in his commentary on this gospel said it well. “It has been said that follow me is the whole of a Christian’s duty, as to be where Christ is is the whole of his reward.” This must be understood in the light of the previous verses: being where the Lord is entails suffering. It means losing one’s life for the Master’s sake. There is no other way of Christian service. But the verse concludes on a different note. Anyone who serves Christ in this fashion will be honored by the Father. It is the only time in the Gospel that God is spoken of as honoring someone, and it anticipates the mutuality of relationship among God, Jesus, and the believer as promised in the Farewell Discourse (John 14-17).

Image credit: The Gentiles Ask to See Jesus, James Tissot (1886-1894) | Brooklyn Museum | PD-US