The Hour has Come (3)

This is the third occasion that we are considering this passage of John 12:20-36. Here Jesus declared, "The hour has come that the Son of man should be glorified" (12:23). He made this statement in response to two of His disciples, Philip and Andrew, telling Him that there were certain "Greeks" (Gentiles) who wished to see Him. Their desire and request signaled to Jesus that "the hour" had arrived for Him to be "lifted up", that is, to die upon His cross and then be raised and enthroned as king over the inaugurated promised kingdom of God. His exaltation (glorification) as the Lord over all the world would result in Him drawing all (kinds of) people unto Himself, whether Jews or Gentiles. A little further in this 12th chapter of John, Jesus declared this forthrightly, "And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself" (John 12:32). In this passage He exhorted His disciples to "follow Me" (12:26). What does this mean and how is this done in the light of the context? We explore this matter today.