John 12 Verses 17-22 

John 12:17 “The people therefore that was with him when he called Lazarus out of his grave, and raised him from the dead, bare record. 18 For this cause the people also met him, for that they heard that he had done this miracle. 19 The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, Perceive ye how ye prevail nothing? behold, the world is gone after him. 20 And there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast: 21 The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus. 22 Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: and again Andrew and Philip tell Jesus.”   

There are four groups of people in the above passage.  First there are those who were with Jesus when he called Lazarus out of the grave, and raised him from the dead.  These people bare record of what they had seen.  They had a testimony and they testified what they had seen.  Likewise we read in the book of Mark about a man of the Gadarenes who had a legion of unclean spirits that the Lord cast out.  Afterwards, the Lord told this man to “Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee.”  As the disciples of Christ we all have a testimony to tell of the great things that we have seen and heard and that the Lord has done unto us.   

The affect of the first group’s testimony is manifest in the other three groups.         

The effect on the second group is stated for us: “For this cause the people also met him, for that they heard that he had done this miracle.”  The affect of the first groups testimony is that the second group came out to meet him because they had heard that he had done this miracle.  We should consider that our testimony will have an effect on the people to whom we have testified.         

The third group having heard of these things had an entirely different reaction: “The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, Perceive ye how ye prevail nothing? behold, the world is gone after him.”  This shows us that some people will gladly receive our testimony but other people will become unhappy as a result of our testimony.  To the Pharisees whose own works are evil, the Lord’s works being righteous makes them very angry.  This is a similar reaction that Cain had as he slew his brother because his own works were evil but his brother’s righteous.         

In the fourth group we find the Greeks who were not a part of Israel but became desirous of seeing the Lord because of the testimony they had heard:  “And there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast: The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus.  Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: and again Andrew and Philip tell Jesus.”  Though they were not a part of Israel, but, because of the testimony these desired to worship with the Jews and to see Jesus.         

We should not forget the lessons of the above and realize that we have a testimony and then after giving it we should know that our testimony has an effect on people.  Too often, we keep things to ourselves of the Lord’s great things that he has done unto us and of those things we have seen and heard. 

John 12 Verses 23-26 

John 12:23 “And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified. 24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. 25 He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. 26 If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.” 

“And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified.”  The Lord was speaking of the hour of his death, burial and resurrection in which he would be glorified.  He was saying hear that the time was near for this to happen.   

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.”  The Lord uses a truth in nature to illustrate a spiritual lesson.  The lesson is about the effect of his death, burial, and resurrection.  A single corn of wheat falls into the ground and dies.  From that corn of wheat come a plant that produces a great multitude of wheat seeds.  Likewise, through the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ a great host of people are made righteous.  Christ alone was righteous before his death, burial, and resurrection but as a result of his death, burial, and resurrection we read in 2 Cor. 5:21 “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” 

“He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.”  In this verse the Lord is teaching us that if we love our life in this world, we shall lose the blessings that come unto us in following the Lord.  Moreover, if we hate our life in this world, and mortify the deeds of the flesh we have the blessings of following the Lord as his disciples.   

“If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.”  Truly it is impossible to properly serve the Lord until we follow the Lord.  When we follow the Lord, the Lord is with us and we are with the Lord also.  The Father honors those who follow and serve the Lord.   

John 12 Verses 27-31 

John 12:27 “Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour. 28 Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again. 29 The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spake to him. 30 Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes. 31 Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.” 

“Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.”  Here the Lord said that his soul was troubled.  That is He was troubled by the great suffering that he was about to undergo to save his people from their sins.  Yet, he did not ask the Father, to save him from that hour.  He came into the world to save his people from their sins and the only way they could be saved from their sins was that he suffer in their place the great wrath of God poured out for their sins. 

“Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.”  The Father had already glorified his name when he created the heavens and the earth.  Now, the Father will glorify his name again through the redemption of his elect family.   

“The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spake to him.  Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes.”  Jesus did not need an audible voice from the Father to know what the Father said.  The voice was spoken for the people’s sake, that they might know that the Father spake unto the Son. 

“Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.”  The judgment of the world of God’s people was made at the cross.  As 2 Cor. 5:21 states: “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”  We also read in Rom.3:24 “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:” As a result of the judgment of the world of God’s elect people, the prince of this world is cast out: 

1.  Heb. 2:14 “Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; 15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.” 

2.  Rom. 8:33 “Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. 34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.”