Last time, we delved into the significance of the day before – Palm Sunday, and the events thereof. (See Christ Makes a Grand Entrance).
Jesus gathered His apostles to return to Jerusalem on Monday. They were passing by a fig tree with leaves but without fruit. Jesus was hungry, and He must have been a little put out because He speaks to the tree:
“No one will ever eat fruit from you again!” Mk. 11:14 AMP
The apostles were totally confused at His action, but not a word was said.
When they arrived in Jerusalem, they went to the Temple, where Jesus found the courtyard filled with merchants and money changers – exactly like He found it 3 years prior. (Jesus Gathers Disciples, Performs a Miracle and Cleans House).
And just like He did then, Jesus runs these charlatans out of the courtyard, except this time His chastisement was far more blistering:
“The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be called a house of prayer,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves!” Mt. 21:13 NLT
After He drove the ‘thieves’ out, Jesus entered the Temple proper and began healing the blind and crippled. Children then entered and began to shout:
“Hosanna to the Son of David (the Messiah),” … Mt. 21:15 AMP
The children’s praises really disgruntled the chief priests of the Temple, and they complained to Jesus, asking Him if He was hearing what they said. Jesus responded:
“Yes; have you never read [in the Scripture], ‘Out of the mouths of infants and nursing babies You have prepared and provided praise for Yourself’?” Mt. 21:16 AMP
Their response? They withdrew from His presence to concoct a way to kill Him.
Meanwhile, a group of Gentiles, (Greek worshipers) in this instance, approached the apostles, asking for an audience with Jesus. When the apostles approached Him, He denied the Greek’s audience, explaining:
“The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified and exalted.” Jn. 12:23 AMP
Meaning that it was time for His crucifixion, which would close the opportunity for a heavenly outcome for the Jews who rejected Him, during His earthly visit. Furthermore, He would be glorified when He was resurrected. At that point, He could then begin gathering the Gentiles to the Kingdom of God. But it was the Jews that He was supposed to gather first.[1]
Jesus then uses a bit of metaphor to deepen the apostles understanding:
“I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels—a plentiful harvest of new lives.” Jn. 12:24 NLT
(…Christ’s death was to be the source of spiritual life to the world. From his cross and passions was to spring up a mighty harvest of benefit to all mankind. His death, like a grain of seed-corn, was to be the root of blessings and mercies to countless immortal souls. J.C. Ryle.)
Thus, unless the ‘seed’ of Jesus dies, and is planted in the earth, (in the hearts of His followers), His resultant ‘fruit’ (of a world-wide church spreading the Gospel), would not have produced a ‘harvest’ of saved souls.
Furthermore, His followers must ‘die’ as well – die to their self-centeredness:
“The one who loves his life [eventually] loses it [through death], but the one who hates his life in this world [and is concerned with pleasing God] will keep it for life eternal. If anyone serves Me, he must [continue to faithfully] follow Me [without hesitation, holding steadfastly to Me, conforming to My example in living and, if need be, suffering or perhaps dying because of faith in Me]; and wherever I am [in heaven’s glory], there will My servant be also. If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.” Jn. 12:25, 26. AMP
With Christ’s imminent crucifixion coming into looming view, He allows a little bit of His human anguish to express itself. Yet, we also see that His resolute intention to obey His Father’s will, remains unwavering:
“Now My soul is troubled and deeply distressed; what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour [of trial and agony]’? But it is for this [very] purpose that I have come to this hour [this time and place].” Jn. 12:27 AMP
Then Jesus speaks out to Jehovah, telling Him that He (Jesus) is ready to press into His destiny:
“Father, glorify your name.”
Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” Jn.12:28 CSB
The voice of God booming from the sky draws a crowd – some believing it was the sound of thunder, others the voice of an angel. Jesus sets them straight:
“This voice has come for your sake, not for mine. Now judgment is upon this world [the sentence is being passed]. Now the ruler of this world (Satan) will be cast out. And I, if and when I am lifted up from the earth [on the cross], will draw all people to Myself [Gentiles, as well as Jews].”He said this to indicate the kind of death by which He was to die. Jn. 12:30 – 33. AMP
Christ has given the crowd a lot to chew upon. First, He told them that God just spoke to them from heaven so that they might wake up from their fog, see who Jesus is, and begin to understand the sequence of events that are unfolding before their eyes.
Second, that upon His resurrection, the present ruler of the world, Satan, will be thrown out of office; and Jesus will reign and judge the earth. Finally, Christ is revealing to them that after His resurrection, He will offer eternal life to everyone on this earth – a gift that the giving of, is determined by accepting Him as their savior, and walk their best godly walk.
The thick-skulled crowd isn’t getting any of it, because according to the Hebrew Bible, the ‘Christ’ lives forever. So, they’re not understanding the crucifixion part. And then they ask Him why He calls Himself the ‘Son of Man.’ *
*(It was an expression to humanize Himself towards God’s children as a humble servant, and to connect to His audience as the Messiah referred to in the Hebrew Bible in the book of Daniel).
That foxy Jesus doesn’t answer them directly. Instead, He tries to prod them to think on a deeper level when He replies:
“My light will shine for you just a little longer. Walk in the light while you can, so the darkness will not overtake you. Those who walk in the darkness cannot see where they are going. Put your trust in the light while there is still time; then you will become children of the light.” Jn. 12:35, 36. NLT
How does the crowd respond?
But despite all the miraculous signs Jesus had done, most of the people still did not believe in him. Jn. 12:37 NLT
So, the above Scripture indicates that ‘some’ people did believe Him but never admitted it in fear of being excommunicated from the Temple. Why the attitude?
For they loved human praise more than praise from God. Jn. 12:43 CSB
Jesus knows that His earthly visit was coming to a close. He turns to the crowd once more, to try to save them in His FINAL PUBLIC ADDRESS:
Jesus shouted to the crowds, “If you trust me, you are trusting not only me, but also God who sent me. For when you see me, you are seeing the one who sent me.I have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in me will no longer remain in the dark.
“I will not judge those who hear me but don’t obey me, for I have come to save the world and not to judge it. But all who reject me and my message will be judged on the day of judgment by the truth I have spoken.
“I don’t speak on my own authority. The Father who sent me has commanded me what to say and how to say it. And I know his commands lead to eternal life; so I say whatever the Father tells me to say.” Jn. 12:44 – 50. NLT
(“I and the Father are One [in essence and nature].” Jn.10:30 AMP)
(Anyone who does not remain in Christ’s teaching but goes beyond it does not have God. The one who remains in that teaching, this one has both the Father and the Son. 2 Jn. 9 CSB)
When we see, feel, or hear Jesus Christ, we are also equally experiencing His Father, because Jehovah’s essence permeates His Son. Christ came to save us from ourselves because He knows our conduct will either exalt or condemn us. The words of Christ are the words of God. They alone are the keys to eternal salvation…
Goodnight and God bless.
[1] Heb. 2:16