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The Scriptorium

The Hour Has Come

It has finally arrived.

The Gospel of John: John 12.12-26

Read and meditate on John 12.13-26.
Jesus’ “hour” has been often mentioned in John’s narrative, but always as a coming event. Now that hour has come.

                            23And then Jesus answered them
and said, “The hour has come; the Son of Man
will now be glorified. 24But understand,
unless a grain of wheat is buried in
the ground and dies, it is alone. But when
it dies, it brings forth much more grain. 25And he
who loves his life will lose it, although he
who hates his life in this world will preserve
it unto life eternal. 26All who serve
Me, let them follow Me; and where I am,
My servant will be also with Me. Him
who serves and follows Me, My Father on
him honor will bestow.”

- John 12.23-26

Reflect
1.  We use the word hour to indicate something of great moment or significance: Their finest hour, the eleventh hour, and so forth. How was Jesus using this idea? What did He mean by His “hour”? Had Jesus not been glorified to this point? What was different about this? Complete this prayer: Lord, every hour of my day is Your hour, Your time. Help me to use each hour…

2.  Immediately, Jesus associated His hour for being glorified with death (v. 24). He was obviously looking forward to His own death, but not merely to His death, but through it, to what was beyond. Explain. How does this counsel us to look at death, both our daily dying to self and our final departure from this life? Thank You, Jesus, that death is not the end, but…

3.  What did Jesus mean by the metaphor of grain and grains in verse 24. How does this apply to your life as a disciple of Jesus? You have called me to bear much fruit, Lord, so…

4.  In verse 25, Jesus turned from thinking about His own death to the implications of that for others. How was Jesus using the ideas of “love” and “hate” in this verse? How was He using the ideas of “lose” and “keep”? How would you explain the meaning of this verse to a non-Christian friend? You have promised that I might truly live, O Lord, but for that to happen…

5.  In the immediate context – verses 23-26 – what did Jesus mean by “follow Me”? What did He mean by “where I am”? What about “serves Me”? What honor may we expect from the Father for being Jesus’ followers? Is this worth following Jesus into death? Explain. Bring together into one your prayers from questions 1-4.

Summary
“We listen to the voice of the cornerstone.… Did he think of himself as glorified because the Gentiles wished to see? No. But he saw that after his passion and resurrection, the Gentiles in all lands would believe in him … and took occasion from this request of some Gentiles to see him to announce the approaching fullness of the Gentiles. For the Gentiles would believe that the hour of his being glorified was now at hand and that after he was glorified in the heavens the Gentiles would believe, as it is written in the psalm, ‘Set yourself up, O God, above the heavens, … and your glory above all the earth.’ … But it was necessary that his exaltation and glory should be preceded by the humiliation of his passion.” Augustine (354-430 AD)

What does it mean to follow Jesus? What may we hope for who follow Him?

Closing Prayer
You will guide me with Your counsel,
And afterward receive me to glory.
Whom have I in heaven but You?
And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You.
My flesh and my heart fail;
But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
For indeed, those who are far from You shall perish;
You have destroyed all those who desert You for harlotry.
But it is good for me to draw near to God;
I have put my trust in the Lord GOD,
That I may declare all Your works.

Psalm 73.24-28

Psalm 73.21-28 (Ellacombe: Hosanna, Loud Hosanna)
When my poor sad, embittered heart was pierced within by grace,
I saw how beastly was the part I chose before Your face.
But I am ever with You, Lord, You hold me by the hand,
And guide me daily by Your Word; in glory I e’er shall stand.

Then what have I in heav’n above but You, my God and Lord?
And on this earth what shall I love besides You and Your Word?
My flesh and heart shall surely fail, and death my soul release;
Your strength for me shall e’er avail and grant eternal peace.

Then let them perish who depart from You and from Your Word.
All those unfaithful in their heart You shall destroy, O Lord!
But as for me, Your nearness, Lord, is where I e’er will dwell!
I hide myself within Your Word, Your wondrous works to tell.  

T. M. Moore

We are happy to offer each week’s Scriptorium studies in a free weekly PDF, suitable for personal or group use. You can download all the studies in our series on the Gospel of John by clicking here. Please prayerfully consider sharing with The Fellowship of Ailbe through your giving. You can contribute to The Fellowship by clicking the Contribute button at the website or by sending your gift to The Fellowship of Ailbe, 19 Tyler Drive, Essex Junction, VT 05452.

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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.

T.M. Moore

T. M. Moore is principal of The Fellowship of Ailbe, a spiritual fellowship in the Celtic Christian tradition. He and his wife, Susie, make their home in the Champlain Valley of Vermont.
Books by T. M. Moore

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