JOHN 12:44-50 BELIEVE: IN JESUS, IN HIS WORDS

44 And Jesus cried out and said, “Whoever believes in me, believes not in me but in him who sent me. 45 And whoever sees me sees him who sent me.”

Previously, we had seen that Jesus had hidden himself from the crowd. We don’t have any way of determining when he said this. However, it is evident that this was most likely a public declaration made while he was teaching during Passover week.

This isn’t a quiet talk he had with his disciples. Since he cried out (Greek krazo, meaning to scream[1]), he is trying to get people’s attention. He wants them to know who he is and make no mistake about it. People have been vacillating in their beliefs. He is now standing up and saying this is who I am, and I want you to know this because in a few days from now, I will be killed, then raised and you better remember this.

What he is saying here is something that troubles many Christians when they come to Jesus and believe in him. This is especially true of people who have believed in God but had no or only a cursory knowledge of Jesus. This idea of believing in Jesus sometimes seems to conflict with what they should believe about God. How does faith in God and faith in Jesus work together? Some people are rightly confused because God is declared to be one in Deuteronomy 6:4, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one” (ESV). They have believed on Jesus, but they can’t quite bridge the feeling that doing so is somehow disobeying God.

This passage should be very reassuring to us. Believing in Jesus is believing in God. How could Jesus say this if he himself were not God? How could he say that see him is the same as seeing the Father who sent him? The concept of the Trinity is indeed hard to grasp. Yet Jesus will state this even more ephatically to his disciples when they ask him to show them the Father (John 14:6-10). Peter must have had people ask him about this as well since he put it this way: “Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God” (1 Peter 1:21 NIV).

Two times, Jesus repeats that he has been sent, alluding to the Father. So far in the Book of John, Jesus has clearly spoken twenty times that God the Father has sent him. Altogether, he says this twenty-nine times in John. Since he is talking to Jews, he must make this clear to them. The concept of the Trinity is a mystery that is hidden in the Old Testament. So John, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, records these multiple affirmations from Jesus.

46 “I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.”

This is the last time in the Book of John where Jesus is identified with light. Every one of the twenty-four uses of light in the Book, it is referring to Jesus. This is the last time it is used. It is if Jesus is making this one last appeal to the people to recognize the light because it will soon be snuffed out. He has already said that the light will not be with them much longer (John 12:35).

Even though the light will be snuffed out from the world, belief in Jesus will not extinguish the light but will become light in us. This is the light that we are to keep burning and displayed to the world. Though the world will not see Jesus as the light, he made it clear that the light will be visible through us. “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden” (Matt 5:14 ESV). When we believe in Jesus, we can’t hide the light. It will be made know. This goes to show that people who claim to believe in Jesus are not saved if there has been no change in their lives.

47 “If anyone hears my words and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. 48 The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day.”

This is a very serious statement from Jesus. It reminds me that the words of Jesus are known to many people who are not Christians. A lot of people have heard bits and pieces of God’s word (and all of God’s word is Jesus’ word). They can probably quote a bit of a verse here or there. For instance, “Blessed are the poor.” People who watch sports can probably quote part of John 3:16. But Jesus clearly is telling us that there must be more than hearing his word – an auditory reception of soundwaves and recognition in the brain. Jesus is speaking plainly about keeping his words. So, if you had a choice of selecting some of Jesus’ words that must be kept in order not to be judged, which would you pick?

Jesus tells us how important it is to believe in him. Only in the Book of John does he use the words, “believe in me.” He says this seven times. Three times he says “believe in him” referring to himself. It is one of these that makes it clear that the words we need to keep is believing in Jesus. “Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God” (John 3:18 ESV). That is scary for anyone who has read John 3:16. That is enough to convict them on the last day. To anyone who might complain that they never knew any of Jesus’ words, there is still no excuse as Scripture says:

1 The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.  2 Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge.  3 There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard.  4 Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. (Ps 19:1-4 NIV)

For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities — his eternal power and divine nature — have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. (Rom 1:20 NIV)

When it comes to witnessing, that doesn’t mean we can quote John 3:16 and then run away. We need to do what Jesus did. He repeated over and over again what we need to do to be saved. He said it in one way then another. We need to do all we can to ensure that they not only hear Jesus’ words but understand them. Then of course, the Holy Spirit is the one that opens their minds and hearts to receive the word. We just need to be diligent to do our part.

This is important because Jesus makes it clear that there will be a day of judgment for each person. We’ve covered what one must believe but there are many who ignore this because they don’t believe there will be a judgment. Jesus’ words about a judgment are clear. Paul’s words about a judgment are clear. Peter’s words are clear about a judgment. As much as we help people understand that they must believe in Jesus, they also need to be warned that there is an eternal consequence for not believing in Jesus.

49 “For I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment—what to say and what to speak. 50 And I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I say, therefore, I say as the Father has told me.”

The authority of Jesus is sometimes a struggle for people to understand. When we say that Jesus is equal with God, then they assume that it means Jesus and the Father have the same position of authority or that they are the same person. They point to 1 Corinthians 15:28, “When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all” (ESV). Their argument is basically that God would not put everything under his own feet (vs 25). They do not understand the Trinity and they don’t understand that in the structure of the Trinity, the Son is a willingly subordinate to the Father. They don’t recognize that the Trinity is three persons in one. Of course, they argue this from the standpoint that the word Trinity is not in the Bible, so they reject good theological study that reveals the Trinity in the Bible. Frankly, their rejection of this doctrine exposes their disbelieve in Jesus and leaves them in eternal jeopardy.

Again, if anyone is having trouble believing Jesus, he points us back to the Father. Jesus and the Father speak the same things because Jesus is careful to preach exactly what the Father wants. The Father commands us to listen to Jesus. What is one command of the Father? It is “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him” (Matt 17:5 ESV). It is repetitive, listen to Jesus, his words are the words of eternal life, the words come from the Father, there is no other source of eternal life than the Father’s commands. So, if you are going to obey God, then you must listen to Jesus and he says, “I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life” (John 5:24 NIV). It all comes back to believing Jesus.

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[1]Strong’s, “NT:2896.”

JOHN 12:37-43 (NASU) BLINDED EYES, HARDENED HEARTS

37 But though He had performed so many signs before them, yet they were not believing in Him.

The people who were not believing in Jesu is a crowd that heard the voice of God from heaven and though it was thunder. They were the people who hours before had welcomed Jesus into Jerusalem as their conquering king. Many had seen him feed thousands and had even eaten the food that he miraculously gave them. They had seen Lazarus walking among them and knew he had died and was now risen by Jesus. Yet they didn’t believe in him.

There are times when we all doubt and wonder if we’ve been mistaken. It is at these times we need to look back at the miracles and reinforce our belief. We need to listen to what Jesus told John when he started to doubt.

2 When John heard in prison what Christ was doing, he sent his disciples 3 to ask him, "Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?" 4 Jesus replied, "Go back and report to John what you hear and see: 5 The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. 6 Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me." Matt 11:2-6 NIV

We also need to look at the change in our own life. Once we were without Christ and without hope of salvation. We were all sinners and have a unique story to tell about what we were before turning to Jesus for salvation. Some stories are pretty ugly and other not. But there must be a time when we once didn’t believe and then we did whether we can remember it or not. We should remember that time because it is evidence of being born again. We didn’t believe because of our intellectual acumen. This leads into what John then explains.

38 This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet which he spoke: "LORD, WHO HAS BELIEVED OUR REPORT? AND TO WHOM HAS THE ARM OF THE LORD BEEN REVEALED?"

John quotes Isaiah 53:1 to show that there is widespread unbelief among the people of Israel. What is fascinating about this quote is that it in the prophecy of the Messiah coming to suffer instead of coming as a conquering king. Right away, Isaiah is telling us that people will not believe what he is about to say about the Messiah coming to take away our sin. The description of the Messiah doesn’t fit their expectations, so they reject what Isaiah is saying. It is true to this day that Jews do not accept these verses as a clear prophecy of Jesus and his atonement for our sins. They didn’t believe it then, they didn’t believe when Jesus stood before them, and most people don’t believe it now.

39 For this reason they could not believe, for Isaiah said again, 40 "HE HAS BLINDED THEIR EYES AND HE HARDENED THEIR HEART, SO THAT THEY WOULD NOT SEE WITH THEIR EYES AND PERCEIVE WITH THEIR HEART, AND BE CONVERTED AND I HEAL THEM."

John also quotes Isaiah 6:10 to explain why people don’t believe. This is where many people stumble when it comes to the truth of God’s Word. They question why God would purposely keep people from understanding the truth, repenting, and being saved. We need to look at the context of Isaiah 6 where God appeared to Isaiah and manifested his holiness. Isaiah understands how great a chasm there is between his sinfulness and God’s holiness. He understands that he is sinful and his people are downright evil.

His people are engaged in idolatry and all sorts of sinful behavior. Their attendance to the Law of Moses is only superficial. They keep hearing what they should do but they don’t do it. They see the Law and God’s provision for sin in the daily sacrifices, but they don’t have a clue as to what it really means. And I think they don’t really care as long as they can check off the boxes each day and feel they have done what God wanted so that they can go back the next day and commit the same kinds of evil.

So why wouldn’t God change their hearts? Why wouldn’t he convert them and heal them? Paul explained that in Romans 1:18-23. They were suppressing the truth (vs 18). They knew the truth because God had made it plain (vs 19). They knew God, that is, they knew about him and what he decreed as right and just (vs 20-21). They chose idolatry over serving God (vs 23). “Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity” (Rom 1:24 ESV). In other words, God gave them what they wanted, but to do that he had to blind their eyes and understanding.

41 These things Isaiah said because he saw His glory, and he spoke of Him. 42 Nevertheless many even of the rulers believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they were not confessing Him, for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue.

Even though the crowd was not believing in Jesus, here is the kicker. Many of the rulers believed in him. But they wouldn’t say it aloud to anyone lest the Pharisees would hear it and kick them out of the synagogue. The question comes, if they really believed in Jesus but were unwilling to confess him, were they saved? Based on what Jesus said in Matthew 10:32-33, “So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven” (ESV), it would appear that they were not saved. If they died in this state without confessing their belief, they wouldn’t go to heaven. But, what if they never actually denied Jesus. No one actually asked what they believed about Jesus, so they never had the opportunity to deny belief? Would they also be like the ones in John’s quote from Isaiah?

This could have implications for people today. If a Muslim in a Muslim community hears about Jesus and believes in him, will he be saved if he doesn’t make a confession of faith in Jesus before other Muslims? If he belongs to the “secret” church and confesses his faith to other Christians, is that a saving faith? Is it a saving faith if he denies being a Christian when confronted by Muslims after confessing Jesus only to Christians? This is essentially the same problem the rulers faced except the Muslim convert could face execution not just expulsion from his community.

43 for they loved the approval of men rather than the approval of God.

This just shows how convoluted our societies can be. What other people think of us is much more important than we think. Many of us keep our faith in Jesus quiet because we don’t want people to think we are kooks. Society has told us that believing in Jesus is intellectual suicide and other demeaning descriptions. However, this last verse really gets to the heart of the matter. Where does our love reside? Do we love God more than what people think of us? If we really put people’s approval above our declaration of faith, are we really saved?

You will note that I’m not answering these questions because I don’t know the state of a person’s heart. However, if asked and a person disavows Jesus to save his own skin, Scripture points to this as a serious sin or revealing the state of the persons soul. The good news is that even these can find repentance and salvation.

JOHN 12:20-36 (NIV) GOSPEL REACH, GOD SPEAKS, WALK IN THE LIGHT

20 Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the Feast. 21 They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. "Sir," they said, "we would like to see Jesus." 22 Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus.

Who were these Greeks who had come to the Feast to worship? They were people who had accepted that the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob was the only true God, and the Jewish religion was the way to please and honor God. They were Gentiles who feared God but had not yet become proselytes. Approaching Jesus echoes the way the gospel is spread in the Book of Acts. Jesus comes to Jerusalem and cleanses the temple. He comes to the Jews first. Later, he goes through Samaria and witnesses to them. Now he is revealed to Gentiles “God fearers” as happened when the gospel came to the centurion, Cornelius and later in Antioch. Their attitude is significantly different from the Pharisees who came and demanded a sign. These people are asking to see Jesus, not a sign. They display the attitudes that we should have when we come to Jesus. First, they are not asking for anything from him, they only want him. Second, they come despite the dangers posed by the Pharisees. They aren’t going to let the world, or the religious leaders keep them from the one who provides eternal life.

Philip and Andrew are the go-getters among the disciples. Andrew went and got Peter and brought him to Jesus (John 1:41). Philip went and got Nathanael and brought him to Jesus. Andrew brought a young boy with five loaves and two fish to Jesus. It seems quite appropriate that these two would be the ones who would bring the Gentiles to Jesus. Sometimes, that is all we need to do. Bring a person to Jesus and let him do the rest. No long elaborate arguments or sermons, but a simple message that you would like them to meet Jesus. I’m not saying the others aren’t necessary because each person comes to Jesus in a different way. However, we shouldn’t overlook the simple invitation either.

23 Jesus replied, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. 25 The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.”

I would have expected Jesus to answer Philip and Andrew by telling them to bring the Greeks. There is no indication in these verses that the Greeks have been allowed to see Jesus. I would have expected Jesus to enter into some witnessing conversation with these Greeks in the same way he did with Nicodemus or the woman at the well. But, no, John doesn’t record whether Jesus met with them or not. I can only presume that if there was a meeting, the details were not as important as what Jesus then taught. He replies to Andrew and Philip about his own glorification, his death, the results, and discipleship. Bringing the Greeks signals the time when he is to be glorified.

Jesus explains that it is impossible for him in his current state to see every person on earth and give them the words of eternal life. Instead, he explains that he must die in order to spread the word of God throughout the world. Jesus has used the parable of seed for the word of God before (Luke 8:11). Since Jesus is the word, then his death will multiply his word in those who will become disciples.

Disciples must also have the same conviction as Jesus. We must die to the world and put Jesus first in our lives if we want to have eternal life. This may seem harsh or even impossible, but it is the same principle that Jesus is following to be glorified. We can’t produce fruit when our lives are entangled with the world. The more we put Jesus first and die to self and follow Jesus’ example, we will serve him fruitfully. When we serve him, he will be with us. We won’t be alone, and he will give us everything we need to follow him. Then, God the Father will honor us. When we are honored, then Jesus gets the glory.

27 "Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? 'Father, save me from this hour'? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. 28 Father, glorify your name!"

You might ask how Jesus’ heart could be troubled because he is God incarnate and in his human nature, he is closer to the Father than anyone can get because he is sinless. Yet here is the emotion of contemplating what is to happen to him. Jesus points the way for us when we are troubled. We should do the same thing that he did. He first remembered him mission. He knew from the beginning of his ministry and most likely well before that, that his mission was to die for our sins. Second, he asked the Father to glorify himself. This isn’t just about Jesus, but his death and resurrection bring glory to the Father. Jesus is putting the Father’s glory and desires ahead of his own. That’s what we need to do when we are discouraged by ministry or other things in our lives that should bring glory to God. We need to pray and ask the Lord to glorify himself through us.

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

29 The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him. 30 Jesus said, "This voice was for your benefit, not mine.”

God answers Jesus and lets him know that his name is always glorified. That is something we need to remember. Even when we mess up God is glorified because there is nothing that happens in the world that he hasn’t decreed. But it is so much better when his name is glorified because we are walking and talking with him. When we abide in Jesus and are serving him, then he is most glorified.

But, we will not hear and understand when we are separated from him by our iniquities. The crowd said it was thunder. They were not close to God. Others hear something but thought it was an angel. Maybe they were closer to the Lord than others and could distinguish a voice. But I rather doubt that because they attribute this to an angel rather than God. They are too much like people today who are caught up in angels and praying to saints as they want God in their lives but not directly.

Hearing God in Thunder

Before Martin Luther became a monk, he was nearly struck by lightning. The thunder of that occasion must have been deafening. His response is like those who don’t want to be directly involved with God, like those who heard the thunder, but not God. He prayed to Saint Ann, the mother of Mary to be saved and vowed to become a monk. He couldn’t fathom praying to Jesus or God the Father. Instead, he asked Ann who would presumably ask Mary who would then intercede for him with Jesus and Jesus with the Father. How messed up is that?

 

Jesus must explain that God answering his prayer with a voice from heaven was one more witness to his ministry and who he is. They need to know that Jesus is their Savior and God is gracious to give them evidence after evidence to this.

31 “Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. 32 But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself." 

How is judgment coming on the world? One way is explained in Acts 17:30-31, “The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.” Before Jesus, God overlooked a lot of sins. He forgave people like David when he should have been stoned for adultery and executed for killing Uriah. They didn’t know about salvation through Jesus. They had to have faith to be saved, but their faith was limited. But now, there is no other way to be saved except by explicit faith in Jesus’ death and resurrection from the dead for our sins.

Satan’s power is destroyed for all who believe in Jesus. We don’t have to let him mess with us because Jesus is ascended and has sent his Holy Spirit to live in us. We have all we need to defeat the evil thoughts and desires that Satan plants in the minds of people. Certainly, we will often ignore his defeat and listen to him, but it is our choice and when we are walking with Jesus having our minds fixed on him, then our failures will be few. We will never be forced to do what Satan wants.

33 He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die. 34 The crowd spoke up, "We have heard from the Law that the Christ will remain forever, so how can you say, 'The Son of Man must be lifted up'? Who is this 'Son of Man'?"

Hallelujah, the crowd has finally understood what Jesus was saying. They recognized that Jesus was talking about his crucifixion. They also connect the Son of Man to the Christ, and they even see that Jesus is identifying himself with being the Christ. But they stumble over the eternal nature of Christ’s rule. They have never been taught about the Christ’s suffering from Isaiah 52-53. So, they question him. They want to know and that is good. But they aren’t ready to hear the answer.

35 Then Jesus told them, "You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. The man who walks in the dark does not know where he is going. 36 Put your trust in the light while you have it, so that you may become sons of light." When he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them.

At this point, Jesus is almost pleading with them to listen to him and learn from him while he is still there to teach them. He knows that they will soon be calling for his blood. If they had understood, they would not have turned to the darkness. To emphasize what was about to happen, he hid himself from them. He knew that he had to withdraw, or they would have escalated things but his exact time had not yet come.

This is a better message for anyone who we invite to know Jesus. We have the Gospels and the whole Bible to tell us who Jesus is. We have the light, but it isn’t available to everyone forever. When they reject it and turn to the darkness they are lost. So, we should make sure that when we witness to people that they understand that we are providing light but there is no guarantee that they will always have the opportunity to come to Jesus. If they reject him too often, he may very well hide himself from them.