John 12:21 - Printer Friendly

ESV: So these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.”

NIV: They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. 'Sir,' they said, 'we would like to see Jesus.'

NASB: these people then came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and were making a request of him, saying, 'Sir, we wish to see Jesus.'

CSB: So they came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and requested of him, "Sir, we want to see Jesus."

NLT: paid a visit to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee. They said, 'Sir, we want to meet Jesus.'

KJV: The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus.

NKJV: Then they came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.”

At this time, Jerusalem is overflowing with pilgrims arriving to celebrate Passover (Deuteronomy 16:16). Not all these travelers are Jewish—some are "Greeks," which in this case is a generic term referring to Gentiles. Jesus has just entered Jerusalem to great fanfare in the triumphal entry (John 12:12–18). This has renewed His enemies' interest in having Him killed (John 11:53), thanks to what they see as a dangerous precedent (John 12:19). Like His raising of Lazarus (John 12:1–11), this has also generated more interest in Jesus and His ministry. The people referred to here are among those Greeks.

Even though the murderous plans of Jesus' enemies are secret (Matthew 26:4; Mark 14:1), nobody has any doubt that they mean Him harm (John 11:8). That is one possible explanation for why these men are said to approach Philip, specifically. Perhaps Philip was acting as the first layer of security for Jesus, vetting those who wanted to get close to Him (John 12:22). It's also possible that these Greeks approached Philip—who has a Greek name—because they knew of him from his time in Bethsaida.

John 12:20–26 describes a group of Greeks—non-Jewish people who worshipped God—who approach Jesus after the triumphal entry. The disciples appear to be carefully vetting everyone who wants to come near Jesus, knowing that local religious leaders have marked Him for death. Jesus' response indicates that the time has come for His ultimate sacrifice, an event which opens the gospel of grace to the entire world.

Jesus is treated to an honorary dinner at the home of Lazarus, whom He has recently raised from death. At this dinner, Lazarus' sister, Mary, anoints Jesus with expensive oil. Jesus then enters Jerusalem to great fanfare, stoking fears that His popularity will attract the anger of the Roman Empire. That anger even inspires a murder plot against Lazarus. After being approached by non-Jewish seekers, Jesus offers a final plea for people to understand His ministry. In effect, these are the last public words spoken by Jesus in the gospel of John.

In the prior chapter, Jesus spectacularly raised Lazarus from death in front of a crowd of witnesses. This inspired local religious leaders to commit to having Him killed. Here, after a celebratory dinner where Jesus is anointed with oil, He will fulfill prophecy by riding into Jerusalem on a donkey, celebrated with shouts of ''Hosanna'' and a massive crowd. This leads to a group of curious non-Jews approaching Him. Christ then offers a final plea for belief in Him and His message. After this, His ministry will turn to preparing the disciples for His impending death and resurrection. The next several chapters of the gospel of John are almost entirely made up of his teachings to these men.

The gospel of John was written by the disciple John, decades later than the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. The author assumes that a reader is already familiar with the content of these other works. So, John presents a different perspective, with a greater emphasis on meaning. John uses seven miracles—which he calls “signs”—in order to prove that Jesus is, in fact, God incarnate. Some of the most well-known verses in all of the Bible are found here. None is more famous than the one-sentence summary of the gospel found in John 3:16.