The Gospel of John: John 12.12-26

Read and meditate on John 12.20-22.
John is the only evangelist who reports this incident, so he must have seen in it some lesson for us, or hold some portent of things to come.

                                           ²⁰And a small
contingent from the Gentiles – Greeks – had come
there. ²¹They to Philip came, for he was from
a town in Galilee. They said unto,
him, “Sir, we would see Jesus.” ²²He went to
tell Andrew, and in turn, the two of them
told Jesus.

- John 12.20-22

Reflect
1.  It’s not clear whether these people were true Greeks or Greek-speaking Jews from beyond the traditional land of Israel. My sense is they were true Greeks, since Luke refers to Greek-speaking Jews as Hellenists – more a philosophical than an ethnic term – not Greeks (Acts 6.1). Apparently, they were drawn to Jesus by the witness of the crowd. It was not uncommon in those days to find Gentiles attaching themselves to Jewish communities (cf. Acts 10). What about Judaism might have appealed to Greeks, more than any of the pagan religions of their world? Are people in the world today still attracted to such things? Explain. Complete this prayer: Lord, I understand that everyone is religious at heart, even those whose religion is secularism or materialism. But no religion except the true religion can satisfy the need in the human soul for…

2.  Of all the people acclaiming Jesus’ arrival, and proclaiming Him King of Israel and so forth, apparently only these Greeks sought an audience with Him. How does this make them stand out from the rest of the great multitude of those who were escorting Jesus into Jerusalem? Is there a lesson in this for us? It’s not enough, Lord, just to gather with Your people to worship, or to be part of a Bible study group or other activity. What I want, Jesus, is…

3.  They first came to Philip. Why? Did they see something in Philip with which they could identify? Do the people in your Personal Mission Field see anything in you that might cause them to want to see Jesus, or feel like they could talk with you about Him? Lord Jesus, help me to be the kind of person who…

4.  Philip relayed the request to Andrew, before they both went to Jesus. Why? Couldn’t Philip have gone to Jesus on His own? Does this suggest some structure to the band of Jesus’ disciples? Do you see any evidence of such a structure in any other places in the gospels? If so, how does this guide us in thinking about the work of making disciples? Thank You, Lord, that we can come directly to You for all our needs. But thank You also that You have set up Your church for disciple-making so that…

5.  Can you see a lesson on prayer in this incident? For example, what might you learn from this story about praying for lost friends or co-workers? Is there more power in prayer when two agree, and go to the Lord together? Bring together into one your prayers from questions 1-4.

Summary
“This approach of the Greeks [to Philip] happened at that time as a sort of firstfruits. And the Galileans came to Philip as being himself a Galilean, asking him to show them Jesus whom they wanted to see because they were continually hearing good things about Jesus. They wanted to worship him and attain the object of their desires. But Philip remembered what the Lord had said to them, ‘Do not go into any area of the Gentiles or enter any city of the Samaritans.’ And so Philip was afraid that he might give offense by bringing to Christ those who had not believed, not realizing that it was for a set purpose that the Lord had forbidden the disciples to approach the Gentiles until the Jews should first have rejected the grace given to them. And so Philip tells Andrew, who was more disposed for and accustomed to such things, and then, with his approval they both carry the message to the Lord.” Cyril of Alexandria (375-444 AD)

Jesus often draws people to Himself in stages, or by degrees, and with the intercession or mediation of others. How can you see that in this story? How should this help us to think about our own witness for the Lord?

Closing Prayer
Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised
In the city of our God,
In His holy mountain.
Beautiful in elevation,
The joy of the whole earth,
Is Mount Zion on the sides of the north,
The city of the great King.
God is in her palaces;
He is known as her refuge.
For behold, the kings assembled,
They passed by together.
They saw it, and so they marveled;
They were troubled, they hastened away.
Fear took hold of them there,
And pain, as of a woman in birth pangs,
As when You break the ships of Tarshish
With an east wind.
As we have heard,
So we have seen
In the city of the LORD of hosts,
In the city of our God:
God will establish it forever.
Selah
We have thought, O God, on Your lovingkindness,
In the midst of Your temple.
According to Your name, O God,
So is Your praise to the ends of the earth;
Your right hand is full of righteousness.

Psalm 48.1-10

Psalm 48.1-11 (Cwm Rhondda: Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehova)
Great is God, now greatly praise Him in the city of the Lord.
Holy she, His lovely mountain, great and glorious by His Word!
God her King is great within her, He, her Stronghold ever sure!
He, her Stronghold ever sure!

Earthly kings, amazed and wond’ring, look upon the Church with fear.
See them flee in dread and anguish, knowing that the Lord is near.
For the city of the Savior God will keep forevermore!
God will keep forevermore!

For Your grace and lovingkindness we proclaim Your matchless worth!
As Your Name is, great and boundless, let Your praise fill all the earth.
Let Your people sing rejoicing for the judgment of Your truth;
For the judgment of Your truth.
           
T. M. Moore

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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All psalms for singing adapted from The Ailbe Psalter. All quotations from Church Fathers from Ancient Christian Commentary Series IV a and b: John, edited by Joel C. Elowsky, General Editor Thomas C. Oden (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2006. Verse translation of John by T. M. Moore.