Holy Week: Monday

We Wish to See Jesus

(John 12:21)

On Monday, the day after Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem, “some Greeks came to Philip and said, ‘Sir, we wish to see Jesus.’” Philip found his hometown buddy Andrew, and together they came and told Jesus about the Greeks who wished to see him. Jesus has other things on his mind: “The hour has come…” Jesus tells them. It’s not as if he ignores those Greeks who wished to see him. It’s just that his hour has come—Christ moment of eternal destiny that has to do with those Greeks who wish to see him.

This hour of destiny is not an easy path: “My soul is troubled. And what should I say—'Father, save me from this hour?’ No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour.” When a voice from heaven affirms the hour there’s confusion. The crowd figured it was thunder and others thought maybe an angel. Jesus sorts thing out: 

When I am lifted up from the earth,

      I will draw all people to myself.

The hour had to do with the “kind of death he was to die.” Christ destiny had to do with those Greeks, and with “all people” great and small. Early on, the Samaritans saw Jesus as “the Savior of the world.” Now, the hour has come for Jesus to do what the Savior of all people must do.

As we come to this Hour, the Gospel story moves in slow motion. It takes its time. We are only in John chapter twelve and we won’t get to Easter Morning until chapters twenty and twenty-one. Half of John’s Gospel it taken up with this last week—this Holy Week when troubled Jesus makes his way to Calvary so that God can have dealings with us—with those Greeks, with all people, with the whole wide world, with creation itself.

It’s a strange “lifting up” that draws all people to Calvary. The Cross of shame is lifted up from the earth to become the Cross of God’s salvation.