John 12:26

12:20-26 In attendance upon holy ordinances, particularly the gospel passover, the great desire of our souls should be to see Jesus; to see him as ours, to keep up communion with him, and derive grace from him. The calling of the Gentiles magnified the Redeemer. A corn of wheat yields no increase unless it is cast into the ground. Thus Christ might have possessed his heavenly glory alone, without becoming man. Or, after he had taken man's nature, he might have entered heaven alone, by his own perfect righteousness, without suffering or death; but then no sinner of the human race could have been saved. The salvation of souls hitherto, and henceforward to the end of time, is owing to the dying of this Corn of wheat. Let us search whether Christ be in us the hope of glory; let us beg him to make us indifferent to the trifling concerns of this life, that we may serve the Lord Jesus with a willing mind, and follow his holy example.

John 12:26 . This law is applicable not to Jesus only, but to all: ἐὰν ἐμοὶ … ἀκολουθείτω . The badge of His servants is that they adopt His method and aim and truly follow Him. The result of following necessarily is that ὅπου … ἔσται , “where I am, as my eternal state, there shall also my servant be”. διάκονος is especially a servant in attendance , at table or elsewhere; a δοῦλος may serve at a distance: hence the appropriateness of διάκονος in this verse. The office of διάκονος may seem a humble and painful one, but ἐάν τις [omit καὶ ] … πατήρ , to be valued or honoured by the Father crowns life.

Serve (διακονῇ) See on Matthew 20:26; see on Mark 9:35; see on 1 Peter 1:12. Me (ἐμοὶ) Notice the emphatic recurrence of the pronoun in this verse. My Father Rev., rightly, the Father. "Very much of the exact force of St. John's record of the Lord's words appears to depend upon the different conceptions of the two forms under which the fatherhood of God is described. God is spoken of as 'the Father' and as 'my Father.' Generally it may be said that the former title expresses the original relation of God to being, and specially to humanity, in virtue of man's creation in the divine image; and the latter more particularly the relation of the Father to the Son incarnate, and so indirectly to man in virtue of the incarnation. The former suggests those thoughts which spring from the consideration of the absolute moral connection of man with God; the latter, those which spring from what is made known to us through revelation of the connection of the incarnate Son with God and with man. 'The Father' corresponds, under this aspect, with the group of ideas gathered up in the Lord's titles, 'the Son' 'the Son of man;' and 'my Father' with those which are gathered up in the title 'the Son of God,' 'the Christ'" (Westcott).

If any man serve me, let him follow me: this is much the same with that, Matthew 16:24 , unless following here be more restrained to suffering, let him follow me to my cross; for otherwise it seemeth the same with serving; we must be ready not only to do, but also to die for Christ, to follow him to the cross, if he calleth us to it. And if any man so serveth me, he shall be in heaven where I am; If we suffer with him, we shall also be glorified together, Romans 8:17 . For my Father, with whom I am one in nature and essence, will honour those that are my servants; so great a thing it is to be a servant to the Son of God. The Father will honour those that are so, and especially those who are so in suffering, with eternal life and felicity.

John 12:26 . [319] Τίς ) τίς , any man , in this verse, is in the first instance placed after the ἐμοί , and subsequently it is placed before, producing thereby the greater emphasis [ ἘΜΟΊ ΤΙς—ΤΙς ἘΜΟΊ ]. [ The second τίς implies, However much he may have been despised by the world .—V. g.]— ἀκολουθείτω , let him follow ) on that road, which has been set before Me. The imperative here promises, and invites by a most immediate perception of glory close at hand.— ἔσται , shall be ) The promise. Comp. Revelation 14:4 , “These are they which follow the Lamb, whithersoever He goeth—the redeemed from among men.” [ The following of Christ, of itself, leads the servant to the same place where His Master dwells. But by wandering from Him to this or that side, the servant fails in reaching the wished-for end .—V. g.]— τιμήσει , will honour ) A comprehensive expression, corresponding with δοξασθῇ , should be glorified , John 12:23 . [ Such a one truly is distinguished by greater honour than what can be devised by the greatest of great men, throughout the wide world’s extent, or can be bestowed on the most deserving person, whether living or dead, in tear or peace .—V. g.]— αὐτόν , him ) as fellow-heir of the Son. Romans 8:29 , “That He (the Son) might be the first-born among many brethren.” [319] ἐμοί , Me ) This is put twice with great force.—V. g.

26 . let him follow me ] in My life of self-sacrifice: Christ Himself has set the example of hating one’s life in this world. These words are perhaps addressed through the disciples to the Greeks listening close at hand. If they ‘wish to see Jesus’ and know Him they must count the cost first. ‘Me’ is emphatic in both clauses. where I am ] i.e. where I shall be then, in My kingdom. Comp. John 14:3 , John 17:24 . Some would include in the ‘where’ the road to the kingdom, viz. death. ‘I’ and ‘My’ are emphatic. serve … honour ] Here the verbs are emphatic (not ‘Me’), and balance one another. This verse is closely parallel to John 12:35 : ‘let him follow Me’ corresponds to ‘hateth his life in this world;’ ‘him will the Father honour,’ to ‘shall keep it unto life eternal.’

(26) If any man serve me, let him follow me. —The close connection of John 12:23-25 make it certain that the spiritual law of sacrifice is there applied to the life of our Lord Himself. This verse makes it equally certain that the law is applied to those who follow Him. The point of the whole teaching is missed unless we think of the Greeks as present. They had come as volunteer disciples. Did they know what the discipleship was? Were they prepared to follow Him in self-sacrifice, that through sacrifice they may obtain eternal life? It had been the condition of earlier discipleship. It is laid down for the new disciples, but in the presence of the older ones who in the dark days that have now come were to learn what sacrifice meant. The Greeks needed no less than the Hebrews to learn it; the men of a wider civilisation and more philosophic thought no less than the fishermen of Galilee and the scribes of Jerusalem. All self-seeking, whether in the coarser forms of pleasure and power or in the more refined forms of emotion and thought, is self-loving; all self-sacrifice, whether in the daily round of duty to man or in the devotion of the whole self to God, is self-saving. Self-seeking is always akin to, and ofttimes one with, hatred of others; and hatred is death. Self-sacrifice is akin to, and one with, love to others; and love is life.

And where I am, there shall also my servant be.—This is an anticipation of the glory of the Son of man for which the hour had already come. (Comp. Note on John 17:24.) If any man serve me, him will my Father honour.—The condition is the same as in the first clause of the verse, the difference of that which follows upon the condition again bringing out in the fulness of its meaning the law of life through sacrifice: “If any man serve Me,” { “let him follow Me” . . . } “he that hateth his life in this world” “him will my Father honour” . . . } “shall keep it unto life eternal.” The honour of the servant after his work is done is in the same relation to that work as the glory of the Son of man is to His work. This honour will consist in his being where the Son of man is; and this will be the Father’s gift (John 17:24).

Serve me - Will be my disciple, or will be a Christian. Perhaps this was said to inform the Greeks John 12:20 of the nature of his religion. Let him follow me - Let him imitate me; do what I do, bear what I bear, and love what I love. He is discoursing here particularly of his own sufferings and death, and this passage has reference, therefore, to calamity and persecution. "You see me triumph - you see (me enter Jerusalem, and you supposed that my kingdom was to be set up without opposition or calamity; but it is not. I am to die; and if you will serve me, you must follow me even in these scenes of calamity; be willing to endure trial and to bear shame, looking for future reward." Where I am - See John 14:3; John 17:24. That is, he shall be in heaven, where the Son of God then was in his divine nature, and where he would be as the glorified Messiah. See the notes at John 3:13. The natural and obvious meaning of the expression "I am" implies that he was then in heaven. The design of this verse is to comfort them in the midst of persecution and trial. They were to follow him to any calamity; but, as he was to be glorified as the result of his sufferings, so they also were to look for their reward in the kingdom of heaven, Revelation 3:21; "To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne."

John 12:26 . Requirement and promise, in accordance with that which was expressed generally in John 12:25 . ἀκολ .] on the way of my life-surrender; comp. Matthew 10:38 ; Matthew 16:24 . ὅπου εἰμὶ ἐγώ ] comp. John 14:3 , John 17:24 . The pres. tense represents the fut. as present: where I am, there will also my servant be , namely, after I have raised him up ( John 6:39-40 ; John 6:44 ; John 6:54 ) in the Parousia. Comp. John 14:3 , John 17:24 . That following after me will lead him into blessed fellowship with me in my kingdom. Comp. Romans 8:17 ; 2 Timothy 2:11-12 . For the counterpart, see John 7:34 . According to Luthardt (comp. Euth. Zigabenus 1), the being on the same way is meant, consequently the contents of that requirement are simply turned into a promise. A feeble tautology, especially after John 12:25 ( εἰς ζωὴν αἰώνιον ). ἐάν τις ἐμ . διακ . κ . τ . λ .] Parallel with the preceding, further designating, particularly and specifically, the promised happiness, and that in the light of the divine recompense contained in it. This thought is expressed by the conjunction of διακονῇ and τιμήσει , which verbs have the emphasis (it is different previously, when ἐμοί … ἐμοὶ bore the emphasis); he who serves me, him will the Father honour , actually, through the δόξα in the everlasting life, comp. Romans 2:10 ; Romans 8:17 . The διακονεῖν , however, is here to be understood with the previously enjoined quality of following Christ.