John 12:22 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Philip went and told Andrew; Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus.

NIV: Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus.

NASB: Philip *came and *told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip *came and *told Jesus.

CSB: Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus.

NLT: Philip told Andrew about it, and they went together to ask Jesus.

KJV: Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: and again Andrew and Philip tell Jesus.

NKJV: Philip came and told Andrew, and in turn Andrew and Philip told Jesus.

The disciples know all too well that Jesus' enemies want to kill Him (John 10:39–40). They were unsure about even coming back to this region due to those fears (John 11:8). What they don't know is that the plans of those hostile religious leaders are now official, and the rulers of Jerusalem are actively seeking to have Jesus killed (John 11:53). They probably suspect, however, that Jesus' dramatic and celebrated triumphal entry has heightened the danger He faces (John 12:12–19).

This verse makes sense considering those concerns. A group of non-Jewish people have come to speak to Jesus (John 12:20), approaching Philip first (John 12:21). This verse indicates that the request passed from Philip, to Andrew, and then to Jesus. This has the feel of a security screening process—as if the disciples are being very careful of who is allowed close access to Jesus. Multiple layers of vetting would make it easier for the disciples to detect a potential assassin.

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.

Accessed 5/5/2024 1:41:40 PM