“Sir, we wish to see Jesus,” some Greeks asked Philip.
This request wasn’t surprising. John
reported that Jesus recently had raised Lazarus from the dead and had just
entered Jerusalem to the acclaim of many people there. John related how the people had greeted Jesus
with palm branches, shouting “Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name
of the Lord—the King of Israel!”
Yet John’s gospel doesn't say that Jesus ever met with
the Greeks. Rather he begins a discourse
with Philip and Andrew—and most likely with
others—verse 34 said “the crowd” answered him. Jesus spoke about what was about to happen to
him and what it meant. Let’s look
closely at some parts of his discourse and consider what we might think about
it.
First, a grain of wheat dying to bear fruit: an agricultural metaphor of common sense
knowledge, but in this context it conflicts with the hope of a triumphant
Messiah. The grain is buried in the
soil, nearly invisible, insignificant by itself. Jesus appears this to confront the crowd’s
and his disciples’ expectations with this image.
Then, God’s voice like thunder proclaiming that God’s
name had been glorified and will be so again:
Now God’s voice or that of an angel speaks the truth about what will
happen. God has been and will be glorified.
For the crowd, impressed by this auditory display of power—divine power,
appears to cling to a messianic hope.
Finally, Jesus being lifted up and drawing all people to
himself: now the image shifts from a
seed in the ground to the messiah being lifted up and drawing all people to
him. John has to explain to the people
who will hear this gospel read that “being lifted up” means crucifixion, for
what the crowd still expects and what will happen could not be more
different. What will happen through
Jesus’ crucifixion, resurrection and return to the God will be to fulfill what
the Greeks (we would say Gentiles) desired, that is, to see Jesus.
Surely, by the time Jesus had finished this discourse his
listeners must have been confused and, perhaps, distressed. We, on the other
hand, with the advantage of knowing how it all came out can understand that
Jesus will be the one to die so God’s name will be glorified, but is also the
one who can heal the whole world by drawing everyone into God’s reign of
justice and peace.
Seeing Jesus means seeing him both crucified and
triumphant, to hold in your mind both the image of a crucifix and the image of
an empty cross. For me the Christus Rex cross helps me to truly see
Jesus. The Christus Rex (Christ the King) shows Jesus on a cross, but not
slumped in death, but upright, with his arms extended to embrace the whole
world. He also wears a crown.
Seeing Jesus here today will also mean seeing him in the
laying on of hands for healing and in our feeding of our spirits in the bread
and wine at Eucharist. Not only does
Jesus draw all people to himself, but he also draws each one of us through
these acts, which exemplify his love. My
worthiness or the worthiness of people who assist me with the laying on of
hands or distributing the wine cannot be our focus. We are here today
exercising our various ministries not for our own glory. We are here so you may look through us to see
the One who calls you into relationship, so you may know the healing and
life-giving power of his love.
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