Going to Seed

"This voice was for your benefit, not mine."

These were Jesus' enigmatic words after God spoke in thunder from Heaven in John Chapter 12.

Christians speak often of "hearing God's voice" of "listening to God." What we usually mean by this, though, is a prayerful discernment of what we believe the Spirit may be nudging us to do. Occasionally, we may be given a clear word. Less frequently still, we may actually hear something so clear that we would describe it as audible. In reality, though, we probably wouldn't expect the voice to register on a tape recorder. We understand this speech as being something on the spiritual realm.

Jesus spoke often to God, and presumably received this same sort of guidance. On a handful of occasions in the gospels, though, God spoke aloud in such a way that bystanders could hear. One occasion was at Jesus' baptism.

The gospel writers seem divided on the issue of who God was speaking to in this moment. Look how Mark (1:11) has God addressing Jesus, while Matthew (3:17) has God addressing the bystanders about Jesus.

On another occasion, the testimony is unanimous. At the transfiguration, God spoke almost exactly the same words, but this time the gospels agree that the audience for the remarks are the disciples (or at least Peter, James, and John.) "This is my son. Listen to him."

In John 12, God speaks in a voice that some hear as thunder, and others hear as the voice of an archangel. His pronouncement is that His name has been glorified and will be glorified again. Jesus is clear that this word is for the disciples.

Why this particular pronouncement? Why does God, who remains almost painfully silent at times, choose this moment to make His thunderous proclamation?

This is just one of the riddles that surround this story.

The tale opens with a discreet approach towards Jesus by some "Greeks who were worshiping at the festival. They do not approach Jesus directly, but come to Philip first. Why?

Perhaps they are aware that many devout Jews would refuse to receive them during the festival, for fear of becoming unclean through contact with Gentiles. They wonder if Jesus will receive them or not.

Evidently Philip is confused on the matter himself. He turns to Andrew for advice. Andrew doesn't know what to do either. Together they approach Jesus.

If they expected their rabbi to clear things up, they would be disappointed:

"The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. ²⁴I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. ²⁵The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. ²⁶Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be.

Quite aside from the fact that Jesus has given them no guidance on what answer to give the Greeks, his little speech poses riddle of his own. He is speaking of being glorified at the same time he seems to be speaking of dying.

Given our post-Easter understanding of Jesus, this all makes a certain amount of sense. But given the information the disciples had to work with, it's hard to know how they would have understood Jesus' words. It certainly sounds as if Jesus is saying he's about to die. He seems to suggest that somehow this is a glorious thing.

Even more troubling, though, is his suggestion that his disciples are supposed to follow in his footsteps. Is he asking us to follow him to our death?

None of the disciples could be thrilled about that. In fact, Jesus himself wrestles with his coming fate:

²⁷"Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? 'Father, save me from this hour'? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. ²⁸Father, glorify your name!"

The presence of the Greeks in the background of this tale serve to tell us that the eyes of the world are on Jesus and what he will do next. This has escalated far beyond the scale of a localized religious dispute. With the eyes of the world upon him, Jesus chooses to follow his destiny to the cross. The parable of the wheat going to seed indicates that he believes this action will result in more people being drawn to God.

From the perspective of his disciples, this must seem like nonsense. In their experience, dead rabbis don't collect many disciples. How can the convoluted logic of Jesus ever hold up in the light of day? How can a violent, sacrificial death bring glory to anybody?

No wonder God wades in and speaks in thunderous tones. If they are to accept what they are being told by Jesus, they will need some sign.

Then a voice came from heaven, "I have glorified it, and will glorify it again."

In a voice like thunder, God speaks two difficult truths to those who hear:

I have glorified it...

Somehow, the fantastic claims of Jesus must be true. When Jesus eschewed his own will and sought the will of God, when he expressed a willingness to make the ultimate sacrifice in the eyes of the world, God's name was glorified. Somehow, this bizarre act of surrender became a mark of victory.

...and will glorify it again...

The key word here is "again." It takes us back to the troubling fact that Jesus has invited his disciples to follow in his footsteps.

As his sacrifice has glorified God, so too will ours.