The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spake to him.
And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.
That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed?
Nevertheless ° among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue:
For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.
Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me.
And he that seeth me seeth him that sent me.
He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.
 

12:23 hour is come. Previously, Jesus had frequently responded to certain pressures merely by saying that His hour had not yet come (e.g., John 2:4; 7:6). Now, however, this was His final week, and He proceeded to stress that fact.

12:24 die. Before He could be glorified, however, Christ must die, be buried, then rise again. This is similar to a corn of wheat planted and seeming to die before springing up from the ground to produce life-giving bread.

12:25 shall lose it. The importance of this principle is indicated by the fact that Christ cites it probably more than any other of His teachings. See also Matthew 10:39; 16:25; Mark 8:35; Luke 9:24; 17:33. In slightly different form, it is also enunciated frequently by Paul (Romans 12:1-2; II Corinthians 5:14-15; 6:9-10; Galatians 2:20; Philippians 2:5-11; II Timothy 2:11-12).

12:26 where I am. And where is Jesus? “Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:20). Such an assembly would usually (but not necessarily) be in an organized local church.

12:26 my servant. In this verse, the two occurrences of “serve” should be read in the sense of “minister to.” The word “servant, however, means “bondslave.”


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