Greeks Come to See Jesus

Tuesday, March 26 | by Dr. Blake Killingsworth

A Note About the Video

Video Transcript:

We have come to Tuesday of Holy Week. In the gospels, we know that Jesus is in Jerusalem on this day, continuing to teach His followers. And although they do not realize it, He is preparing them for what is to come. In the midst of this day, an interesting moment happens as John describes for us in his gospel beginning in chapter 12, verse 20. 

Now, among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks. So, these came to Philip who was from Bethsaida in Galilee and asked him, "Sir, we wish to see Jesus." Philip went and told Andrew and Andrew, and Philip went and told Jesus.

Now, before we go on, you’re probably wondering, who are these Greeks? Well, from the text, we can see that these Greeks are there to take in the Passover feast. They’re not Jews, but we can reasonably call them God-fearing Gentiles or perhaps even Greeks who had themselves converted to Judaism. 

Regardless, we need to see them as those who were clearly intent on knowing who Jesus was. 

Now, what’s interesting is that John doesn’t tell us that Jesus ever met with them or had any exchange with them. We don’t know what their questions were. We don’t even know about the interchange between Andrew and Philip and Jesus. 

All that we know is what Jesus says next. John records:

And Jesus answered, "The hour has come for the Son of man to be glorified."

What an odd response!  Some Greeks come along and Jesus responds this way? Well, by this point, the disciples would have known how Jesus identifies Himself as the Son of man. So they could have thought, “Well, it’s time for Jesus to take His rightful throne!” They might’ve even seen the arrival of the Greeks as an indication that God is bringing all the nations to Himself. But in no way could they have connected the glorification of the Son of man with the statement that Jesus says next:

"Truly, truly, I say to you," Jesus continues, "unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone. But if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life."

What is happening here? Why this turn? Well, of course, we know what happens in the following days. We know that He will be betrayed on Thursday, He’ll be crucified on Friday, and on the third day—on Sunday—He will rise from the grave. We all know that story, but the disciples did not. 

So can you imagine how jarring this statement could have been for the disciples? Jesus’ fame had spread far and wide. Crowds cheered Him coming in as the new king over Jerusalem. Gentiles have even arrived to seek Him out. Even Jesus Himself had said that the Son of man would be glorified. 

So, why in the world is Jesus speaking about death? What does death and glory have to do with one another? 

Centuries after this scene, the German reformer Martin Luther perhaps provided for us a good way to think about this connection between genuine glory and death. In rebuking the established church of the 16th century, Luther described two types of theology: the theology of glory and the theology of the cross. 

For those who follow the theology of glory, they understood God’s power as being displayed best through the magnificence of His creation, the power of judgment, and the transcendence of His presence. So, in turn, they tried to emulate this type of power, building enormous buildings, seeking fame, and exalting authority. But for Luther, this misses the true power of God. In Luther’s mind, God’s ultimate power is not seen in His transcendence, His creation, or His authority. Although, those are certainly examples of His power. But rather, God’s power—God’s glory is most clearly seen through the cross.

For those who follow the theology of the cross, they understand God’s power as being more clearly seen in the death of Jesus, in His sacrificial acceptance of humanity’s sin, than in anywhere else. So, when Jesus describes the Son of man as being glorified and immediately follows it with a discussion of death, He is pointing out to His followers that true glory puts others first, embraces weaknesses, demonstrates love above hatred, and is not driven by a sense of destruction, but rather a vision of redemption.

His followers didn’t understand this message at the time, but they soon would. Within a few days, their world would be turned upside-down as Jesus headed down the road to glorification. 

So as we ponder this scene and think about the coming glorification of Jesus during Holy Week, take a moment to ask the Lord to reveal to you which theology you are following. Those who follow the theology of glory: are you seeking power, authority, fame, and wealth, even if you claim it’s all under the guise of doing it for God? Or do you follow the theology of the cross, seeking sacrifice and service above all else?

The theology of the cross isn’t easy. Even Jesus felt that tension. A few verses later in the gospel of John, Jesus says:

"Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour? But for this purpose, I have come to this hour, so Father, glorify Your name."

And John writes this amazing response:

Then a voice came from heaven, "I have glorified it and I will glorify it again."

You see, Jesus embraced the theology of the cross. Jesus knew that the glorification that was to come was to come through the path of suffering and ultimately the path of laying down His life for others. So may God use our lives to glorify His name in the same way as we also seek to lay down our lives for God’s cause.

Dr. Blake Killingsworth serves as Dean of the Cook School of Leadership at Dallas Baptist University.