The Truth of a Kernel of Wheat
John 12:20 - 36
Greeks would like to see Jesus (20, 21). Greeks were people pursuing wisdom while Romans were pursuing power.
At this point of time of their visit, Jesus declared “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.” (23).
‘Son of Man’ is the term that has been used for Prophets in the Old Testament as God’s representative who could act for God. In the New Testament, ‘The Son of Man’ indicates one person, Jesus.
- The Son of Man is the Son of God having become a human
- The Son of God is the Son of Man possessing divine qualities.
‘Glorified’ is related to His crucifixion & resurrection. See v24.
24 Very truly I tell you, 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.
Jesus taught wise Greeks with the wisdom from the above – the Truth of a Kernel of Wheat.
Jesus used agricultural fact to explain the truth to people used to farming. Jesus expressed the seed buried in the ground and the outer layer of kernel being dissolved to the soil as ‘death’. And 'death' is the prerequisite of 'fruitfulness'.
“If it dies, it produces many seeds.” (24b)
In v25, God’s wisdom has been expressed in paradox.
25 Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
Why do we need to hate our life? Our ‘self’ tends not to think of things of God but to think of things of men. We have to hate this ‘self’ so that we may deny it and follow Jesus who lived to do things of God.
The message of the cross is foolish to human eyes (1 Corinthians 1:18a).
Isaiah 29:14 says “The wisdom of the wise will perish, the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish.”
And God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom (1 Corinthians 1:25a).
See v26.
26 Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.
If we serve Jesus and follow Him, we will be with Him in the heaven. God will honor the one who serves Jesus.
His soul was troubled due to coming trauma but rather than asking God to save Him from this hour, He reaffirmed his obedience for God’s glory (27, 28). God responded to Him by a voice from heaven (29).
The sacrifice on the cross of Jesus will cause the prince of this world to be driven out (31) and Jesus will draw all people to Himself (32).
The crowd expressed their unbelief (34). Jesus gave them warning that the darkness was near (35b) and invited them to believe and become sons of the light (36a).
Let’s read v24.
24 Very truly I tell you, 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.
Amen.
