The Hour Has Come - Week 16

John 12:20-50


Note: The study related to these questions may be found at Catholic Exchange. Please go to their site for the complete material concerning this study. Unless otherwise noted, on scriptural references are from the Revised Standard Version (RSV). Below are my thoughts on the questions presented for the given study (Please see disclaimer at bottom).

Read John 12:20-50

1. Why did John mention that Philip was from Beth-saida in Galilee in verse 21?
(a) From the first chapter of John, we see that Beth-sa'ida is also the home town of Andrew and Peter.

Now Philip was from Beth-sa'ida, the city of Andrew and Peter. (John 1:44)
We also see from the Gospel of Luke Beth-sa-ida is mentioned as one of the "woeful cities".
13: "Woe to you, Chora'zin! woe to you, Beth-sa'ida! for if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. 14: But it shall be more tolerable in the judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you. (Lk 10:13-14)
We can then assume that John wanted to not only refamiliarize ourselves with Philip, but also with the way that Philip, Andre, Peter and the other apostles answered the call of Christ.

2. Why did Jesus answer as He did in verse 23?
(a) To let the Apostles know that the hour of Jesus' death and resurrection, and the hour of the establishment of His Kingdom, and the hour of salvation for Jew and Gentile alike, has now come.

3. In verse 24 Jesus states that "unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains Unfruitful, but if it dies it bears much fruit." To what is He referring? Does this also refer to Christians? Explain.
(a) Her is referring to His own death and resurrection. (b) Yes. As Christians we are called to die to ourselves and live for Christ as a new creation:
3: Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4: We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. 5: For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6: We know that our old self was crucified with him so that the sinful body might be destroyed, and we might no longer be enslaved to sin. 7: For he who has died is freed from sin. 8: But if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him. 9: For we know that Christ being raised from the dead will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. 10: The death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. 11: So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. (Rom 6:3-11)


4. What does Jesus mean in verses 25-26?
(a) That we must love God above all things, including ourselves.

5. Read verses 27-28. Also read Matthew 26:36-46; Mark 14:32-40 and Luke 22:39-46. Why was Jesus troubled? To what was He referring?
(a) From the Gospel of Matthew:
36: Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsem'ane, and he said to his disciples, "Sit here, while I go yonder and pray." 37: And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zeb'edee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38: Then he said to them, "My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me." 39: And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, "My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt." 40: And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping; and he said to Peter, "So, could you not watch with me one hour? 41: Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." 42: Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, "My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, thy will be done." 43: And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. 44: So, leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words. 45: Then he came to the disciples and said to them, "Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46: Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand." (Matt 26:36-46)
From the Gospel of Mark:
32: And they went to a place which was called Gethsem'ane; and he said to his disciples, "Sit here, while I pray." 33: And he took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be greatly distressed and troubled. 34: And he said to them, "My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch." 35: And going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. 36: And he said, "Abba, Father, all things are possible to thee; remove this cup from me; yet not what I will, but what thou wilt." 37: And he came and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, "Simon, are you asleep? Could you not watch one hour? 38: Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." 39: And again he went away and prayed, saying the same words. 40: And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy; and they did not know what to answer him. (Mark 14:32-40)
From the Gospel of Luke:
36: He said to them, "But now, let him who has a purse take it, and likewise a bag. And let him who has no sword sell his mantle and buy one. 37: For I tell you that this scripture must be fulfilled in me, `And he was reckoned with transgressors'; for what is written about me has its fulfilment." 38: And they said, "Look, Lord, here are two swords." And he said to them, "It is enough." 39: And he came out, and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives; and the disciples followed him. 40: And when he came to the place he said to them, "Pray that you may not enter into temptation." 41: And he withdrew from them about a stone's throw, and knelt down and prayed, 42: "Father, if thou art willing, remove this cup from me; nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done." 45: And when he rose from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping for sorrow, 46: and he said to them, "Why do you sleep? Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation." (Luke 22:39-46)
Jesus was troubled because He knew that He was about to undergo a severe trial. (b) He is referring to His Passion, to His brutal torture and death.

6. Read verse 28. Why did Jesus say "Father, glorify Thy Name"? (See Romans 8:32) How did the crowd react to God's voice from heaven?
(a) From St. Paul's Letter to the Romans:
He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, will he not also give us all things with him? (Rom 8:32)
Jesus says "Father, glorify Thy Name" in order for us to appreciate the mercy and generosity of God. As stated in John 3:16:
For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
(b) Some thought that it was only thunder while others thought an angel had spoken to Him.

7. In verse 30 Jesus tells the crowd that the voice from heaven was for their benefit, thereby confirming that there was a voice. He goes on to say that the ruler of this world will be cast out. Who was Jesus referring to as the ruler of this world? (See Eph. 2:2)
(a) From St. Paul's Letter to the Ephesians:
1: And you he made alive, when you were dead through the trespasses and sins 2: in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience. (Eph 2:1-2)
Jesus was referring to Satan as the ruler of this world.

8. Cite other times God has spoken from heaven as a witness to Jesus. (See Matt. 3:17; Matt. 17:5)
(a) From the Gospel of Matthew:
16: And when Jesus was baptized, he went up immediately from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and alighting on him; 17: and lo, a voice from heaven, saying, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased." (Matt 3:16-17)
1: And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain apart. 2: And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his garments became white as light. 3: And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Eli'jah, talking with him. 4: And Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is well that we are here; if you wish, I will make three booths here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Eli'jah." 5: He was still speaking, when lo, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him." 6: When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces, and were filled with awe. (Matt 17:1-6)
Also, since Jesus Himself is obviously God, we have the following example from the Acts of the Apostles:
1: But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2: and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 3: Now as he journeyed he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed about him. 4: And he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" 5: And he said, "Who are you, Lord?" And he said, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting; 6: but rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do." 7: The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. (Acts 9:1-7)


9. What does Jesus mean when He says, "when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all men to myself"?
(a) Jesus is referring to how the New Covenant He will establish by His Sacrifice will offer salvation to all, Jew and Gentile alike.

10. Read verse 34. The people question Jesus about what the Scriptures say about the Christ. They also ask Him who the Son of Man is. How does Jesus respond to these questions?
(a) Jesus responds to their questions by once again referring to Himself as "the light". Jesus also employs this imagery in previous chapters of this Gospel:
Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world; he who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." (John 8:12)
1: As he passed by, he saw a man blind from his birth. 2: And his disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" 3: Jesus answered, "It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be made manifest in him. 4: We must work the works of him who sent me, while it is day; night comes, when no one can work. 5: As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world." (John 9:1-5)


11. Read verses 37-44. Also read Isaiah 6:9-10; Matthew 13:14; Mark 4:12, Luke 8:10 and Acts 28:26. What does it mean that He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, lest they should see and perceive and turn to God ?
(a) From the Book of the Prophet Isaiah:
9: And he said, "Go, and say to this people: `Hear and hear, but do not understand; see and see, but do not perceive.' 10: Make the heart of this people fat, and their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed." (Is 6:9-10)
From the Gospel of Matthew:
13: This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 14: With them indeed is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah which says: `You shall indeed hear but never understand, and you shall indeed see but never perceive. (Matt 13:13-14)
From the Gospel of Mark:
10: And when he was alone, those who were about him with the twelve asked him concerning the parables. 11: And he said to them, "To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables; 12: so that they may indeed see but not perceive, and may indeed hear but not understand; lest they should turn again, and be forgiven." (Mark 4:10-12)
From the Gospel of Luke:
9: And when his disciples asked him what this parable meant, 10: he said, "To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God; but for others they are in parables, so that seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand. (Luke 8:9-10)
From the Acts of Apostles:
23: When they had appointed a day for him, they came to him at his lodging in great numbers. And he expounded the matter to them from morning till evening, testifying to the kingdom of God and trying to convince them about Jesus both from the law of Moses and from the prophets. 24: And some were convinced by what he said, while others disbelieved. 25: So, as they disagreed among themselves, they departed, after Paul had made one statement: "The Holy Spirit was right in saying to your fathers through Isaiah the prophet: 26: `Go to this people, and say, You shall indeed hear but never understand, and you shall indeed see but never perceive. 27: For this people's heart has grown dull, and their ears are heavy of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest they should perceive with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and turn for me to heal them.' 28: Let it be known to you then that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will listen." (Acts 28:23-28)


12. Read verses 42-44. There were many who believed in Him but did not profess this belief for fear of excommunication from the Synagogue, and because they did not want to be ridiculed or rejected by their peers. How does God view this attitude? (See John 5:44 and Matthew 10:32-33).
(a) From the Gospel of John:
How can you believe, who receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God? (John 5:44)
From the Gospel of Matthew:
32: So every one who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven; 33: but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven. (Matt 10:32-33)
God expects us to acknowledge what He has done for us. Doing this is the essence of evangelization. If we fail to do so, we face the consequences of His judgement.

13. Read verses 44-50. What does Jesus mean when He says "the word that I have spoken will be his judge on the last day"?
(a) Jesus means that it will not be a "man" who judges them but God.

14. Read paragraph 679 in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Does Christ condemn anyone?
(a) From the Catechism of the Catholic Church:
Christ is Lord of eternal life. Full right to pass definitive judgment on the works and hearts of men belongs to him as redeemer of the world. He "acquired" this right by his cross. The Father has given "all judgment to the Son". Yet the Son did not come to judge, but to save and to give the life he has in himself. By rejecting grace in this life, one already judges oneself, receives according to one's works, and can even condemn oneself for all eternity by rejecting the Spirit of love. (CCC, 679)
Christ does not condemn but saves. If we choose to reject His salvific grace, we condemn ourselves.

Disclaimer: I do not wish to present myself as an expert in either theology, history, or scriptural interpretation. I am merely someone who is attempting to answer the call of Christ. The ultimate authority and interpreter of scripture is our Holy Catholic Church. If at any point I deviate from the teachings of the Church, please correct me, alfredo@nevarez.net, as this is my shortcoming and in no way meant to be an expression of my views superceding those of the Church founded by Jesus Christ.

San Jose Bible Study
 Alfredo Nevarez
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 alfredo@nevarez.net
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