Study of John 12:31

John 12.31
August 17th 2014
Milk
Whether you are here with us here in the studio/church or out there through streaming or via the archives we welcome one and all to our verse by verseTGNN’s Bible teaching series—book-by-book, through the lens of fulfillment and spiritual liberty. study of the Word of God. Let’s begin with prayer, then we have a sermonette coming to you live from Sister Stacy, then afterward we will sing the Word of God, sit for a few minutes in silent reflection, and when we come back we’ll pick it up a John 12:26. So let’s pray. Stacy Music Silence

John 12:25-31

Okay, we took all of our time together last week covering one verse – John 12:25, where Jesus said: “He who loves His soul will lose it and he who hates his soul in the world will keep it unto life eternal.” The Lord continues at verse 26 and says:

26 If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honor. 27 Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour. 28 Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again. 29 The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spake to him. 30 Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes. 31 Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.

Serving and Following Christ

Okay back to verse 26. Spring boarding off verse 25 the Lord (just days before going to the cross and speaking to a crowd who were probably hailing Him as the new Mortal King they have long been seeking) gives us insight on how to hate our soul – which He said was a much to keep it into life eternal) and He adds:

26 If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honor. Another packed verse – but I won’t linger on it nearly as long as 25. Here Jesus says, “If a person is going to truly serve me – really, “If any man wants or desires to serve me” (do my will, attend to the things that I will endores),” He says: “let Him follow me.” Now, we could read this in a number of ways that all have application but I want to take all of the potential examples and simmer them down to one point.

Denying Self

Jesus just said if any man serve me (desires or wants to serve me) He says, “Let him follow me.” At this point in the narrative, where was He going? That’s right, to the cross. And while this is the direct context I think we can safely say Jesus has been “on the cross” (relative to dying to His will over the Father’s) since birth. He has been talking about a grain, in order to produce fruit, falling to the earth and dying, and about persecuting (or hating) the soul, and here He says: “If anyone really wants to be a servant of mine have them follow me.”

In other words, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself (hate his soul), and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” (which is another passage all together) Jesus was headed into Jerusalem to take up His cross once and for all. This is an apparent and given model throughout scripture (for all who choose) in the Christian life. The various Bible translations of the verse that says, “If anyone will come after me let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow me,” are helpful toward our comprehension.

Young’s Literal Translation says:
Luke 9:23 `If any one doth will to come after me, let him disown himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.”

The BBE says:
“If any man has a desire to come after me, let him give up all, and take up his cross every day, and come after me.”

The MNT says
“If any man wills to follow me, Let him renounce self and take up his cross daily and follow me.”

Another literal translation, the WNT, says it this way:
"If any one is desirous of following me, let him ignore self and take up his cross day by day, and so be my follower.”

In light of the fact that Jesus has said that those who will keep their souls unto life

The Call to Deny Oneself and Follow Christ

Eternal are those who hate their natural souls here, and we determined that to hate the natural soul means to despise and persecute it, these various translations give us additional insight into what this actually means – If anyone truly desires to follow Jesus it would be “in the life He led” and “in the deathSeparation from God—now overcome. Physical death remains, but it no longer separates us from life with God. He faced.” And the means to achieve this would be to:

1. Deny themself
2. Ignore himself
3. Renounce herself
4. Give up all

(then do what?) “take up his own cross” (how often?) “day by day” and bear his respective burden, persecute it and let it to die – this would be the best definition of following Him. Add in the fact that a person does this because they love God and others along the way and we are presented with a tremendous biblical picture of a devoted Christian. Because the Old Man is constantly attempting to rise from the grave and take over the Lord reminds us that those who choose to follow Him must take up our cross daily.

Daily Dying to Self

In first Corinthians 15:31 Paul said that “he dies daily.” In Romans 8:36 he says that as an apostle he is “killed all the day long.” In his second letter to the people in Corinth he said, “For we which live are alway delivered ‘unto death’ for Jesus' sake, (LISTEN REALLY CLOSELY TO THIS) that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.” We have summarized this concept in a rather trite bromide in our day which asks: “What would Jesus do?”

In the daily death of our flesh when it comes to how to deal and respond to things in this life Christians choose to set their “mind, will, and emotion” aside (this might include our attitudes, our opinions, our ways) and embrace and reflect – even mimic – The Kings. Recently we’ve learned of the suicide of comic Robin Williams. He was the father of three children who had everything but took his own life. It is a sad, sad event. One that deserves empathy and love – especially from those who “follow Jesus to the cross.” Derrick forwarded to me things believers in Christ are posting on social media about Mr. Williams, things like, “He is roasting in hell,” and the like. When Jesus stood before Herod do you know what He said to Him? Jesus who had the right to say anything He wanted to such a soul . . . . He said nothing.

Living By the Spirit

In Jude, we read about Michael the archangel, when he was in a dispute with Satan himself over the body of Moses. Listen to what it says in Jude 1:9: “Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.” This is dying to the mind will and emotion and letting God have the reigns.

Speaking of the personal crucifixion of his own flesh Paul says in Galatians 2:20: “I have been crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”

Romans 6:6-8 says, “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sinMissing the mark of faith and love—no punishment, just lost growth or peace. might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him.”

In a long set of passages, which can be taken “so wrongly so easily” (but are dead on relative to living by the Spirit verse the flesh) we read in Galatians 5:16–25: “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of GodGod’s spiritual reign—fulfilled and present, not political or future.. (I’m going to come back)

The Fruit of the Spirit and Practicing the Flesh

“But, (he continues) the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts (and we know this crucifixion must take place daily). If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”

In an age where we tend to really focus on “the grace of God,” passages (like the ones I have been reading) have a tendency to shake this said security and make us believe that our salvation is based on our ability to live perfect lives.

Part of the key to understanding the passages we just read is found in that line (which I pointed out) which after naming a laundry list of sins he says: “that they which DO such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God.”

Understanding 'Do' and 'Practice'

There are a few words in the Greek for do (as in, “they which DO such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God.”) One is “Poeio” and it means to commit. If “poeio” is used here it would mean that any Christian who commits any of the things mentioned he will not inherit the kingdom of God. This sentence is often used this way by harsh legalists in the Body as a means to bring people to their knees. But Poeio is not used here – it does not mean people who have, or might do such things.

The word is “prasso” and it means to “practice” such things. Taking the passage seriously it means that if any Christian “practices” such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. Guess what word is there in the line: In Greek literature and in scripture the word “prasso” is used to describe a person who “repeatedly performs” an action in a way that we would liken an artist who works diligently to hone their specific art or craft – which is through repeated diligent practice.

So we could take this set of passages and read it this way: “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which diligently practice them, who have them down to an art . . . shall not inherit the kingdom of God.”

Good News and Bad News

There is good news and bad news in this passage and how we’ve interpreted it – depending on the perspective you maintain. The good news arrives in several points. First, we learn that falling into sin and failures will not disqualify us from entrance into His Kingdom. We have been forgiven and His grace is sufficient. Additionally, I personally read this to mean that those who have made any of those sins a practice and abandon the practice are similarly renewed.

The bad news (for some) is a Christian filled with the Holy Spirit is not at liberty to practice (or build a life on, or perfect the art of) the works of the flesh (as so described). This new is very troubling to some believers today. And that might be a good thing that it's troubling. So on the one hand we are blessed with the fact that errors and mistakes are covered. On the other hand, the lie that a person can be saved and then continue to practice and hone their skills at sin without ever even attempting to alter the course is seen for what it is – a lie.

The Seventeen Works of the Flesh

Before we move on with this notice the laundry list. There are seventeen things mentioned.

1. Adultery
2. Fornication
3. Uncleanness
4. Lasciviousness
5. Idolatry
6. Witchcraft
7. Hatred
8. Variance
9. Emulations
10. Wrath
11. Strife
12. Seditions
13. Heresies
14. Envyings
15. Murders
16. Drunkenness
17. Revellings
    (and then he adds) “and such like.”

We could spend a month on the Greek of each of these words and really get into each behavior specifically but like Martin Luther said (and I paraphrase), “A physician does not need to examine every pock to see that a person is infected systemically.”

In other words, instead of trying to ensure that we are not guilty of each of these things specifically let’s look to walking BY the spirit and the chance any of these things becoming actions we PRACTICE and HONE will be lost.

Okay, back to John 12 verse 27. The Lord has clearly intimated (to these Greeks and possible others who were added to the audience) that only “the death of the self” will be rewarded by God. And He has illustrated this by His very life as

The Humanity of Christ

The Son of Man. Then He says something so open and transparent here I find it really quite remarkable. Having taught all of this, and plainly making it clear what is required both of Him AND those who will seek to follow Him, He gives us a living example of what He has been talking about! It’s really quite amazing, this living Word.

A Troubled Soul

Listen to verse 27:

27 Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? “Father, save me from this hour:” but for this cause came I unto this hour.

Even though He was acutely aware of the truth and the reality of all He had just taught, about the necessity of dying to the flesh, of hating our life in this world, He, as the Son of Man admits that his soul was troubled by the road that lay before Him. I am SO grateful for these insights into His humanity. Did you hear what He said to those He was teaching? And now, my soul (psuche) . . . “my human mind, will, and emotions” are disturbed and ill at ease.

And then He adds another line that to me is quite heart wrenching – He asks rhetorically, “What shall I say?” (OR IN OTHER WORDS) “What can I do?” I’m not so sure we understand what the Lord faced when we consider His passion. What He says here (in my opinion) was an expression of anxiety or perplexity. It almost seems that within Him there was an internal debate as to whether He could bear what was about to be placed before Him. Maybe He was considering (or was tempted) to abandon ship at this point? He had to have been tempted with it, right?

I mean every single time He chose to suffer His will to be set aside out of love for God and us we were awarded with victory. And every time He wondered out loud, or doubted, or feared, we collectively stood on the precipice of abandonment. Think about this minute. He was the Lord that had performed incomprehensible miracles. He had thwarted disease and even death itself but here He was troubled (anxious) by what He was about to undertake.

Thank you, Lord Jesus, thank you, thank you for your choice of selflessness, for your life of suffering, for your utter and incomprehensible love.

A Logical Approach to Temptation

“What can I do?” He asks, “what can I say?” And then speaking rhetorically He says, “Can I ask the “Father (to), save me from this hour:” when it was for this very hour (or time) that I came into this world?” He knew His call. He knew why He had come into the world. And He knew it was not about Him and His will but that of His Father.

Notice the approach He took to overcoming this moment of trouble. First, He openly admits, “And now my SOUL is troubled.” He just taught about what it takes to keep our souls to life eternal and then He humbly admits: And now MY SOUL is troubled. What utter transparency! We don’t see Him taking what is coming His way like He was wearing a cape – He was troubled and He admitted it. Then he says: “And (or But) what shall I say? “Father, save me from this hour:” but for this cause came I unto this hour. His approach to the situation was not emotional, it did NOT appeal to feelings. It was utterly logical and based completely in reality.

I would suggest that in this little expression and verse we learn the manner to approach temptation – First, we openly admit its presence. We admit that we are challenged, that we are worried, heart-sick, tried. Then we logically admit the solution. Our “mind, will, and emotion” is churned up the presence of a fear, a temptation, a desire” We openly admit it to God. And we logically present the reality of our choices AS Christians: “But what can I say? God let me have my will, let me say mean things, let me take my neighbor's wife, let me murder that man who took advantage of me? We can’t do that. For this reason, we are Christians and we have received His shed blood!

Get it!

This is EXACTLY what the Son of Man does here. We get a clue into the basis or source of his reasoning for taking this logical approach to His troubled soul in verse 28 when He says:

28 “Father, glorify thy name.”

In my opinion this was a prayer. And what He was saying was: “Even though I

Glorifying God's Name

These words convey that Jesus’ motivation for all He did was the glory of God – no matter the price or personal cost. As this was His motivation, as the Son of God, it becomes our motivation as men and women saved by the Son of God’s shed blood. After making this statement, the rest of verse 28 reads:

“Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, “I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.”

What does God’s response mean? I would suggest that He is saying, in reference to the Son of Man, My name has been glorified by your life, and my name will be glorified again (by your death and resurrection). We are sort of sitting in the cross-hairs of Jesus’ life’s work and His death at this point, and this makes sense that God would make such a statement at this point. I personally find the words of God at this point in the life of His only begotten extremely stoic.

A Stoic Heavenly Message

The Son of Man has lived a life of love and service and suffering of the soul out of love for the Father and offering Himself up as a living sacrifice. He prays to the Father and says, “By my offering glorify thy name,” and the Father does not respond with anything but: “I have both glorified it and I will glorify it again.” Of course, coming from God, there were the most validating words that could have been said relative to Jesus’ life and existence, but from a human standpoint, it seems like more could have been said, or words of greater affection, or words that conveyed more appreciation?

Having observed this, I think we can learn a few things about this communication from heaven. First, God is short on words. He is rarely verbose. It is one of the main differences between the Bible narrative and other books that have supposedly been authored by God – He is poetically to the point. Secondly, He is God and not a Man. His perspective and ways are far, far beyond ours. So to think He ought to have said something more or more affectionate is sheer idiocy. Third, His communication is honest and without falsity. In Him dwells no shadow nor darkness. Jesus plainly said, in light of the work He was doing – Father, (take it and) glorify thy name. And the Father merely replies: “I have and I will again.” Finally, Jesus didn’t need the validation – He was God in the flesh. The Son of Man was one (in spirit) with the Father, and so His words were already known before they boomed from heaven.

This is why John says in the next two verses:

29 The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spake to him. 30 Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes.

Purpose of the Heavenly Voice

In other words, some standing there heard the voice and ascribed it to angels, and others only heard what they thought was thunder. Apparently, John was one who could not only hear clearly but actually heard the words that were said – and related them to us here. Jesus makes it clear that the Words that God (or the angels for God) spoke were not given for Jesus’ sake but for the sake of those who were listening. He knew He had the Father’s approbation, but for those who were listening to all Jesus was saying, a testimony from on high was an invaluable witness, providing an indisputable proof that He was certainly the Messiah.

Then Jesus delivers up a line, which we will end with today. It can be read with some difficulty if we ignore some key words that it contains. In verse 31 Jesus says:

31 Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.

The Casting Out of the Prince of This World

Entering into the time when the prince of this world be cast out. In other words, just because the passage includes NOW twice does not mean that it was already accomplished. "Now we are approaching the decisive scene when the Prince of this world will be cast out."

The Temptation of Jesus and the Title Deed to Earth

Remember when Jesus was tempted in the wilderness and Satan offered to give Him all the kingdoms of the world if He would just bow down and worship Him. Satan offered such promises to the Son of Man because he could – He held the title deed to the earth, a point Jesus did not dispute with him over. But the time was approaching – now – Jesus says, when the judgment of the world was occurring and the prince of it would be cast out.

Fulfillment of Biblical Prophecy

In other words by and through His death and subsequent resurrection Satan’s work will be beaten, His kingdom destroyed, his power broken, and the means of setting up the kingdom of God will be established. All of which would be accomplished by the death of Jesus, the Son of God and Man. It is here that the prophecy uttered all the back in Genesis 3:15 was fulfilled when God said to Satan, "I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel."

When Jesus says that His Kingdom would be cast out it means destroyed, an empire that would come to an end. It does not mean that his reign over all men would entirely cease at the moment of Christ’s victory over sin and death but that it would eventually be overcome and ultimately and utterly destroyed with the last enemy being overcome – which is death.

Let’s end here.

Q and A

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