The Gospel of John: John 12.37-50

Read and meditate on John 12.44, 45.
Jesus came to bear witness to the Father, Who sent Him for this purpose. Here again, He makes the kind of claim that will provoke the religious leaders of Israel to seek His death.

                                        ⁴⁴And in those days
the Lord cried out and said, “He who believes
in Me, believes not in Me, but believes
in Him Who sent Me. ⁴⁵He who sees Me, sees
Him Who has sent me.

- John 12.44, 45

Reflect
1.  Where Jesus is concerned, seeing is not necessarily believing. But believing results in seeing. Explain. Complete this prayer: Lord, help me always to believe Your Word, and show me…

2.  Jesus has now returned to Jerusalem from His retreat in Bethany, and it was as if He wanted to make sure there was no mistake about Who He is or why He had come. We note that Jesus “cried out,” not unlike the voice of Wisdom in Proverbs 8. Read through Proverbs 8 (don’t let the feminine pronouns throw you; all abstract nouns in Hebrew are in that form, but it has nothing to do with the sex of the speaker). Do you think it’s possible John’s use of the verb cried out was meant to cue up Proverbs 8 for us as readers? Explain. I know, Lord, that Your Spirit teaches us by comparing one Scripture with another. Teach me to hear You crying out so that…

3.  In verse 44, Jesus equated believing in Him with believing in the One Who sent Him. Any true prophet of Israel might have been able to make a similar claim, and many people looked on Jesus as a prophet. This claim might have been controversial, but not particularly inflammatory. Why not? Why did Jesus preface His claim in verse 45 with this claim? What does this claim suggest about what we believe when we believe in Jesus? I believe in You, Lord, and in the Father Who sent You. Show me each day, more and more…

4.  Jesus’ claim in verse 45 was of an entirely different nature. Those who might have agreed with Him at verse 44 would now be more careful about agreeing with this claim. Why? What was Jesus saying (cf. Jn. 14.9)? In what sense does someone see the Father when they see Jesus (cf. Heb. 1.3)? What does it mean to see Jesus? Lord Jesus, to know You truly is to know the Father, and to know the Father…

5.  Jesus wanted to make sure that the religious leaders would not be mistaken about what He claimed about Himself. He did not want to be branded as merely a rabble rouser or a political zealot. When they put Him on that cross, He wanted them and all the people to make sure they were killing Him for the right reason. The same is true for us. When people today reject Jesus and the Gospel, we need to make sure they’re doing so for the right reason, because they deny or refuse to submit to Him as God. It’s important that all who reject Jesus know clearly Whom they are rejecting. Why? Bring together into one prayer the prayers you wrote for questions 1-4.

Summary
“Notice in the passage before us that there are two aspects about the Savior: first, believing in him, and second, what is above believing, that is, to behold (contemplate) the Word and in beholding the Word to behold the Father. Believing occurs even among the multitude of those who come to religion. But to behold the Word, and in him to regard the Father, does not pertain to all who believe but only to the pure in heart. This is how I understand ‘He who has seen me has seen the Father.’ For it is not the one who applies the power of vision lying in the eyes of the body to Jesus and his body who has seen his Father and God. And I think that time and training were needed in order to see Jesus, and seeing the Son to behold also the Father.” Origen (185-254 AD)

The glorification of Christ – the hour for which He came – was accelerated at Calvary, illuminated by His resurrection, enhanced by His exaltation and enthronement, is expressed by His rule in and through the lives of His people, and will culminate in His return. Christ will not share His glory with another, so Satan was made to relinquish any access to God he enjoyed in heaven, and was cast out to stalk and prowl about on earth. How do we keep the banished ruler from governing our lives, so that we can live under the exalted Ruler’s grace and truth and glory?

Closing Prayer
Teach me Your way, O LORD;
I will walk in Your truth;
Unite my heart to fear Your name.
I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart,
And I will glorify Your name forevermore.
For great is Your mercy toward me,
And You have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.
O God, the proud have risen against me,
And a mob of violent men have sought my life,
And have not set You before them.
But You, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious,
Longsuffering and abundant in mercy and truth.
Oh, turn to me, and have mercy on me!
Give Your strength to Your servant,
And save the son of Your maidservant.
Show me a sign for good,
That those who hate me may see it and be ashamed,
Because You, LORD, have helped me and comforted me.

Psalm 86.11-17

Psalm 86.10-17 (Andrews: Praise My Soul, the King of Heaven)
For You are great, You wondrous deeds do;
You are the only and sovereign Lord.
Teach me Your way, let me give heed to,
With all my heart, Savior, all Your Word!
Lord, be gracious to me, Lord, be gracious to me,
Praise Your Name forever, Lord!

Great is Your mercy, Lord, toward me;
You have delivered my soul from hell.
Though dreadful foes and threats arrayed be,
You will Your grace and Your mercy tell!
Lord, be gracious to me, Lord, be gracious to me,
Slow to anger, loving well!

Turn to me, Lord; be gracious to me;
Grant me Your strength; save Your servant, Lord!
Let me a sign of something good see;
Shame all who hate me beneath Your Word.
Lord, be gracious to me, Lord, be gracious to me,
For You help me, sovereign Lord!

T. M. Moore

Jesus is the Centerpiece of all Scripture, as He Himself explained (Jn. 5.39). But how can we learn to see Him there? How do the primary themes of Scripture revolve around Jesus? Our online course, Introduction to Biblical Theology, shows you how best to get at, get into, and get with the Word of God, so that you can grow more consistently in the Lord. It’s free, and you can study at your own pace. For more information or to register, click here.

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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.