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27Now I am deeply troubled, and I don't know what to say. But I must not ask my Father to keep me from this time of suffering. In fact, I came into the world to suffer. 28So Father, bring glory to yourself.
A voice from heaven then said, “I have already brought glory to myself, and I will do it again!” 29When the crowd heard the voice, some of them thought it was thunder. Others thought an angel had spoken to Jesus.
30Then Jesus told the crowd, “That voice spoke to help you, not me. 31This world's people are now being judged, and the ruler of this world is already being thrown out! 32If I am lifted up above the earth, I will make everyone want to come to me.” 33Jesus was talking about the way he would be put to death.
34 The crowd said to Jesus, “The Scriptures teach that the Messiah will live forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?”
35Jesus answered, “The light will be with you for only a little longer. Walk in the light while you can. Then you won't be caught walking blindly in the dark. 36Have faith in the light while it is with you, and you will be children of the light.”
The People Refuse
After Jesus had said these things, he left and went into hiding.
Reflect
A narrative analysis of John’s gospel shows that chapter 12 is a climactic high point. It records the conclusion of Jesus’ ministry and his thoughts about the people’s reaction to him. Today’s reading is especially important because it is also the literary ‘bookend’ to the book’s prologue (John 1:1-18).
In the prologue, light is a metaphor for Jesus. The light comes into the world, and while most people do not accept it, those who do become God’s children. The prologue ends with the crowd asking John the Baptist, “Who are you? Are you the Messiah?”
The same elements are in today’s reading. The people ask Jesus the question they asked John the Baptist, “Who are you?” (“Who is this Son of Man?”). Jesus responds saying that the light (which was coming in the prologue) is now going away, but the promise is the same: people who accept the light become the children of God.
Today’s reading therefore brings the gospel full circle, returning to its starting point. Left hanging in the reader’s mind is the question, “Who are you?”
Jesus has no doubt who he is. He knows his mission and he knows his Father. But when people asked him “Who are you, Jesus?” he turned the question back on them, forcing them to ask the question of themselves, “Who am I?”
Jesus wants you to know you are not just a random biological product. You are made in God’s image and he knows you very well indeed (see Psalm 139). That’s true whether you believe in Christ or not. But if you do believe, then you also have a loving relationship with God, who is not only your Creator but also your Father.
So the real question today is not “Who are you, Jesus?” but “Who are you, Reader?”
Respond
Dear God, my Creator and Father. At times I act like a child who disowned his parents or who doesn’t know her family. Help me to see who I really am, so that I might know you as my Father. Through Jesus, who made this relationship possible, Amen.
John Pellowe
John Pellowe is the CEO of the Canadian Council of Christian Charities, an association of 3,200 Christian churches and agencies. His passion is to help ministry leaders reflect on the application of their faith to their leadership practices in order that how ministries operate is as much a presentation of the Gospel as what they do.