John 12:24

"Jesus answered them, “The time has come for the Son of Man to be glorified."

Key Reflection

In John 12:24, Jesus declares that the moment has arrived for his own glory and exaltation through sacrifice. This statement is part of a broader theme in John's Gospel where Jesus’ suffering and death are necessary for his glorification, paralleling the Israelites' journey to the Promised Land where they would be blessed after their trials. The cultural context of first-century Judaism emphasized divine favor coming through obedience and sacrifice; thus, Jesus’ upcoming crucifixion is seen as a pivotal moment that will ultimately lead to his exaltation, much like how the Israelites were redeemed and glorified after their liberation from Egypt.

From the Scholars: Barnes' Notes

Verse 24. Verily, verily. An expression denoting the great importance of what he was about to say. We cannot but admire the wisdom by which he introduces the subject of his death. They had seen his triumph. They supposed that he was about to establish his kingdom. He told them that the time had come in which he was to be glorified, but not in the manner in which they expected. It was to be by his death. But as they would not at once see how this could be, as it would appear to dash their hopes, he takes occasion to illustrate it by a beautiful comparison. All the beauty and richness of the harvest results from the fact that the grain had died.

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