The Gospel of John: John 12.27-36

Read and meditate on John 12.35, 36.
Jesus did not answer the question posed by the crowd. Instead, He would let His work speak for itself, and He returned to the image of light and darkness, to offer a word of warning.

³⁵Then Jesus said to them, “I say again,
a little longer shall the light with you
abide. Walk while you have the light, lest you
be overcome by darkness. He who in
the darkness walks is lost. ³⁶Believe then in
the light, and you shall be the sons of light.”
He said these things and left, and from their sight
was hidden.

- John 12.35, 36

Reflect
1.  John uses this image of light and darkness in a powerful way here. By having Jesus recall this image, John pulls his entire narrative together. Review John 1.4-9, 3.19-21, 8.12, 9.3-5, 11. 9 and 10, and our passage for today. How does John use this contrast of light and darkness in his gospel? Complete this prayer: Lord, light my path today by Your Word and Spirit, and keep me…

2.  In 1 John 2.7-11, John applies this image directly to the life of a believer. How does this passage connect with John’s use of this image in his gospel? What promise and instruction does this image hold for us as believers? Lord, the darkness cannot prevail against us as long as…

3.  How would you explain to a new believer what it means to “walk in the light” and “believe in the light”? How would you explain that to an unbeliever? Lord, this image seems so central to what it means to believe in and follow You. Help me each day to…

4.  Who are the “sons of light”? Should it be possible to identify them readily? In what ways? Lord, You have made me a child of Your light! Let Your light so shine in and through me, Lord, that…

5.  Jesus departed Jerusalem to return to Bethany (cf. Mk. 11.11). As we shall see, John moves in his narrative from the triumphal entry, through a brief bit of commentary and a single public statement by the Lord, to the night of Jesus’ betrayal. In so doing, he left out almost a week’s worth of teaching, activity, and confrontations with religious leaders. Why do you suppose he did that? Why leave so much out in order to go right to the upper room? Bring together into one your prayers from questions 1-4.

Summary
“He signifies that his death is a transition, for the light of the sun is not destroyed, but having withdrawn for a while appears again. Then he says, ‘While you have the light,’ but he does not say of what time he is talking about here. Is he speaking of the whole present life or of the time before the cross? I think both, for because of his ineffable love of humankind many even after the cross believed. He speaks these things to press them on to the faith.” John Chrysostom (344-407 AD)

To walk somewhere implies destination and progress. To what destination do the children of light journey? How do they mark progress?

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

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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.