John 12:20-33
March 29, 2009
Kalamazoo Mennonite Fellowship
Will Fitzgerald
The pastor who performed the marriage ceremony for Bess and me was a great communicator, and really interested in talking to all kinds of people in all stages of their spiritual life. He had a special question that he would use to begin a conversation with an acquaintance or stranger. He would ask, very simply, “Are you interested in spiritual things?” Most people have some kind of interest in “spiritual things,” even if it is a negative reaction, and most people are willing to talk about “spiritual things” if the conversation happens naturally and respectfully.
I was reminded of this question as I read today’s passage from John. The story starts with some people who are definitely interested in spiritual things. John’s gospel calls them “Greeks,” which probably indicates that they are Greek-speaking non-Jews who have nevertheless come to Jerusalem for the Passover celebrations. They were probably so-called “God-fearers” who were attracted to the Jewish religion but who had not undergone conversion: a long and difficult task, I believe—involving circumcision for men, baptism, presentation of one’s self to the Temple, and obedience to the whole Law.
It is likely, as I said, that these men were pretty serious about their commitment to spiritual things; enough to come to Jerusalem for the Passover. And while they are in Jerusalem, they somehow hear the Jesus is also there, and they seek an interview with him. I don’t really know if it’s appropriate, but my imagination brings me to ask what I would do if, say, the Pope or the Dalai Lama were to come to Kalamazoo, and I thought I could get a chance to speak to them. Would I seek an interview? What would be my motivation in doing so? Would it mostly to experience a little bit of spiritual thrill at being in their company? Would I think that their spiritual aura might stick a little bit on me? God forgive me, I think it would; and if I were one of these Greeks, I think that would be my motivation in wishing to see Jesus. But let me be careful here — I don’t know their motivations except that they want to see Jesus, and they respectfully ask to do so through Philip, Jesus’s disciple. Philip tells Andrew, and they go to tell Jesus the request.
“Jesus answered them,” says John. The answer is surprising, as are many of Jesus’s answers. If you make a request, the proper responses are to deny the request, grant the request, or to make a counter-offer. Basically, Jesus does none of these. Instead, he says that his hour has come to be glorified, and his hour has come to die. Instead, he says that he will die, will be planted in the earth like a grain of wheat; and that as a grain of wheat turns into a full stalk of life-giving wheat once planted in the earth, his death will result in glory for himself and his father and for all people who are drawn to him.
The Greeks ask to see Jesus, and he doesn’t grant them an interview. He tells them where they can see him.
First, they can look below, and see him as he is planted in the earth. If they really wish to see him and then to follow him, they must follow him into a life and death like his. He says, “Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honor.”
Second, they can look above, and see him raised up. And this is a kind of a pun, I think. For first, Jesus must be raised up on the cross. Last week, we read the passage about the serpent raised up as a sign of healing during the time of Moses, “And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.” But secondly, he will be raised up from his tomb and be gloried. “No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man.” And thirdly, He will be lifted up not only from death to life, but from earthly life into the heavenly realms, and, he says, “when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”
So, Jesus does answer the Greeks: They want to see him; they need to look up at him and watch him as he dies on the cross; they need to look down at him and watch him being buried in the ground; they need to look at him as he walks out of the tomb; they need to look up at him as he ascends into heaven.
And not only them, but us. Our interest in “spiritual things” must go beyond a general interest and taste for a spiritual life. We need to remember that just living and loving our current life will lead to death, and we need to go both deeper and higher to the places where Jesus is. And if we do, we will, promises Jesus, experience both death and glory.
Are you interested in spiritual things?