Introduction
I love this reading. It comes completely out of nowhere (and this jump from chapter 3 to chapter 12 is absurd), but this is such an incredible scene in John. And if you are preaching John this Sunday, you’ll need to explain where we are in the story. Because otherwise none of this feels urgent but in actuality everything is right on the edge.
Previous Context
We are within hours (maybe even just an hour) after Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem for Palm Sunday. But more importantly, we are somewhere around one week to a few weeks after Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead. This Palm Sunday crowd is a reaction to that event.
To be clear, the Lazarus event is the climactic moment Jesus’ conflict with the religious leaders in the Gospel of John. While Mark, Matthew, and Luke use the temple incident for that purpose, John uses the raising of Lazarus to finally break the needle. While we usually only read through verse 44 of chapter 11 about the raising of Lazarus in pericopes, the story continues. Because we only get v.44 (“The dead man came out, his hands and feet bound with strips of cloth, and his face wrapped in a cloth. Jesus said to them, ‘Unbind him, and let him go.’”), it can be easy to think that this is the end of the scene. We can end up thinking that the raising of Lazarus is a big theological scene but necessarily the largest part of the story. But the story continues, and we very quickly realize that everything that happens afterwards is connected back to this event.
First, we hear that most of the crowd that were around for Lazarus become believers in Jesus. Then we hear that some other portions of the crowd go and tell the Pharisees about what took place. The Pharisees then tell the chief priests, and they all have a meeting together to talk about what must be done. To be clear, the concern of these religious leaders is not about jealousy of Jesus’ power or signs. They are afraid of the crowds that are gathering. There is a bit of crowd frenzy occurring. And Bethany is only a stone’s throw from Jerusalem. If a frenzied crowd came to Jerusalem for Passover (which is coming up quickly), the Romans might come down hard on all of them. The leaders say in 11:47-48, “What are we to do? This man is performing many signs. If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and destroy both our holy place and our nation.” And then Caiaphas (the high priest) steps in, “You know nothing at all! You do not understand that it is better for you to have one man die for the people than to have the whole nation destroyed.” And we hear that from then on, they began planning on killing Jesus.
(v. 54) Jesus then starts treading carefully and heads out closer to the wilderness (knowing that his name is pretty hot). Much of the crowd heads to Jerusalem early for the Passover festival and they cannot imagine that Jesus will show his face because of how much the story of Lazarus is spreading and how much trouble he could get into. We then hear that the religious authorities put out a notice that “anyone who knew where Jesus was should let them know, so that they might arrest him (11:57).”
We finally arrive at chapter 12. And it opens, not with Palm Sunday, but 6 days before Passover with Mary anointing Jesus’ feet in Bethany. He is again close to Jerusalem and he and Mary know that he is being anointed for his burial (12:7). We hear that Judas doesn’t like this lavish use of money and it’s the first time we hear that he will betray Jesus. It is then that a crowd hears he is there. And so, they descend upon the house to see Jesus (and Lazarus, the man brought back from the dead).
The next day, this same crowd, those who believe in Jesus because of this remarkable sign, usher Jesus into Jerusalem shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord—the King of Israel!” We hear explicitly (v.17) “So the crowd that had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to testify.” The Pharisees who were present then say, “You see, you can do nothing. Look, the world has gone after him!”
This Week
And that all leads us to this opening line. Not just Jews, not just those in Bethany or Galilee, but Greeks come up to Philip and ask to see Jesus. Non-Jewish people are now coming to Jesus and beginning to believe in the Messiah.
Karoline Lewis expands on the importance of this first verse:
“Greeks arrive on the scene, find Philip, and make one of the most extraordinary requests of the entire Gospel, ‘Sir, we wish to see Jesus.’… There is a reason 12:21 finds itself carved or engraved on pulpits around the world. It is a summative theology of preaching, but more so, the homiletical premise of the Fourth Gospel. Any sermon on the Gospel of John has this as its goal, creating the very real presence of Jesus for all to see so that God can be seen and known (1:18).”[1]
And while the final “sign” of the Book of Signs is Jesus’ crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension, this is the final sign for Jesus that his hour has come. The world is watching. Jews and Greeks, the villages and Jerusalem, religious leaders and the political government. And so now is the hour. The hour that everything will be revealed on the cross. The hour where all preconceived notions and expectations about Jesus, the messianic figure, God’s very self, will be turned upside down and a new way is shown. The very hour where Jesus will draw the world to himself. The world that Jesus has come to illumine. The world that Jesus has come, not to condemn, but to save.
Preaching Possibilities
Lectionary Progression (The Dramatic Play)
Although this scene happens after Palm Sunday, we know that next Sunday is when we will celebrate it. This week’s text is a wonderful opportunity to speak to the coming Passion Narrative (if you are doing Palm/Passion and aren’t preaching). The conflict is no longer building, it has broken open and it is here. The world is watching to see what will happen next and all the major players have taken their places for the Passion scene.
John, as much as any other Gospel, has beautiful movement and pageantry within the Passion narrative. It is constructed to be intense and dramatic. And so, for this sermon, (also referencing all of the context above) you could set the stage for what is to come. The high priest and the religious leaders. Judas’ betrayal. The crowd gathering who will turn on Jesus even after all they’ve seen. Jesus drawing all people to himself.
The stage is set.
“Sir, We Wish to See Jesus.”
One of the saddest portions of this text (to me) is that we don’t have a scene when Jesus talks with these seekers.
The Greeks here represent ‘the rest of the world.’ Even Gentiles are now coming to Jesus. This whisper-down-the-lane message (from Philip to Andrew to Jesus) may indicate that John is easing his community into this idea of a Gentile mission. The Greeks never actually get to Jesus. But in how this is phrased, we hear an authentic seeking and pleading. “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” They call Philip, a disciple, ‘κύριε’ (sir). “Sir” works well as a translation here and, in fact, helps to connect to our modern context (Lord or master would be far too strong). The Greeks are bestowing an authoritative title upon Philip and lessoning themselves in order to garner favor with Philip to have their request be granted. Just as we might use a title for someone to show deference or to indicate their authority. The Greeks are so eager to see Jesus, that they are lessoning themselves below the ‘servant’ of Jesus. They are already anticipating Jesus’ teaching at the foot washing. “You call me Teacher and Lord—and you are right, for that is what I am. So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you. Very truly, I tell you, servants are not greater than their master, nor are messengers greater than the one who sent them (13:13-16).”
It would be a mistake to criticize Philip or Andrew for being gatekeepers as a preaching tact. They are rightfully scared for Jesus’ life. If we knew that our friend was in danger, wouldn’t we be a little suspicious of newcomers (who might be connected to Romans)? And ultimately, they do bring the appeal to Jesus anyway. It is Jesus who doesn’t follow up on it.
But while it’s just a one sentence scene, I wonder if there is something we can learn about this posture with which the Greeks carry themselves. Along with this beautiful request, they humble themselves to this disciple. “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.”
It makes me think of the prophet Micah 6:6-8:
6“With what shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? 7Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?” 8He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”
With what shall I come before the LORD? Humility.
And to connect it with Maundy Thursday, it is not that we are humiliating ourselves or belittling ourselves. We don’t have nothing to offer. It’s just that our riches, wealth, authority, and power are not what God desires. It is recognizing that what we have to offer is our humble service toward God and toward one another.
[1] Karoline Lewis, John, 170.
Micah Krey 
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