May 22, 2025
“And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” (John 12:32 ESV). These words of Jesus come after a striking moment in John’s Gospel. Some Greeks had come to the feast and expressed a desire to see Jesus. Rather than responding directly to their request, Jesus declared that
May 21, 2025
“His disciples did not understand these things at first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about him and had been done to him.” (John 12:16 ESV). John reflects on the moment when Jesus entered Jerusalem, fulfilling the prophecy of Zechariah by riding on a young donkey. At
May 22, 2024
‘Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks. So these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” (John 12:20-21 ESV). Certain Greeks came to Jerusalem during the feast and they asked to see Jesus. No mention of whether
May 22, 2023
Those who called out to Jesus from the crowd were correct to assume that “Son of Man” was in fact a Messianic title. Certainly, it was the title of the exalted figure that appeared before the throne of God in the prophet Daniel’s vision in Daniel 7. So serious students of Scripture would recognize it.
May 22, 2022
WHOSE PRAISE DO YOU SEEK? Many people, including the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem believed in Jesus, but they would not speak of it publicly for fear of censure by the Pharisees. It wasn’t popular to confess Jesus among the upper classes. Such faith was for the common folk. Although fear of rejection may have been
May 22, 2021
WHO IS THIS SON OF MAN? Those who called out to Jesus from the crowd were correct to assume that “Son of Man” was in fact a Messianic title. Certainly, it was the title of the exalted figure that appeared before the throne of God in the prophet Daniel’s vision in Daniel 7. So serious
May 22, 2018
WHO IS THE SON OF MAN?
Those who called out to Jesus from the crowd were correct to assume that Jesus’ preferred title, “Son of Man,” was in fact a Messianic title. Certainly, it was the title of the exalted figure that appeared before the throne of God in Daniel 7, so serious students of Scripture would recognize it. However, when Jesus spoke of the looming death of the Son of Man, the crowd questioned His use of the title. Was Jesus using “Son of Man” in some other context? Who is this Son of Man that would die?
The Jewish crowd was correct to recognize the Son of Man title as Messianic, but they were incorrect to forget the Scriptures that pointed to the Anointed One’s suffering. There are indeed two threads of Messianic prophecy in the Old Testament. One prophetic thread portrays Him as the Righteous King who sits on David’s throne forever, while the other thread describes Him as a Suffering Servant who is like a “man of sorrows” who is “wounded for our transgressions” (Isa. 53:3-5). The crowd looked for the first, but missed the second. For the second actually had to precede the first. Yet, the Suffering Servant they rejected will indeed come again as the Righteous King they anticipated. Their partial knowledge led them to a total error.
Who is this Son of Man? He is Jesus, the Messiah, the Christ, the Son of God and Son of Man. He is the fulfillment of every Messianic Scripture written. He is both Suffering Servant and Eternal King.
March 25, 2018 | John 12:12-19 |
When Jesus made his entrance on that day, it was the first day of Passover Week. Great numbers of Jews had traveled from all over the Roman Empire to celebrate this annual Jewish festival. A great crowd greeted Jesus as he entered Jerusalem responding to him with chanting and waving of palm branches. They greeted him in a manner befitting a king, but before the week was out, the crowd would curse him as a criminal.
Did you know that your response to Jesus is the most important decision you’ll ever make? You can follow the crowd, or you can make a decision based on the witness of the Scriptures and of those who follow Jesus, or you can make decision based on what the crowd says. But be sure of this: There is a right way and a wrong way to respond to Jesus, and how you respond makes all the difference in the world, and in eternity.
In the gospel according to John, John wrote about how the people responded to Jesus as He made His triumphal entry into Jerusalem on the first day of passion week. We can rightly respond to Jesus as we consider how He fulfilled what was written about Him.
May 21, 2017
When John reflected back on the Lord’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem, the Spirit brought to his mind this Messianic prophecy from Zechariah concerning how the Lord would come to Zion. The name “Zion” (or “Sion”) is a synonym for Jerusalem. And Jesus entered Jerusalem, “sitting on a donkey’s colt,” just as it was prophesied.
John and the other disciples “did not understand these things at first.” The Old Testament prophecies fulfilled by Christ weren’t in the disciples minds in the moment of His ministry with them. But after Jesus was raised from the dead and glorified, the disciples began to understand how all that He had done was in fulfillment of the Word of God.
Remember how the risen Christ taught the disciples on the road to Emmaus? “And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself” (Luke 24:27). Jesus opened their eyes to the truth of His purpose in fulfillment of the Father’s Word.
The Spirit of Christ is ready to teach us too concerning the ministry of Jesus, if only we will have ears to hear.
May 22, 2016
Many leaders in Jerusalem believed in Jesus, but would not speak of it publicly for fear of censure by the Pharisees. It wasn’t popular to confess Jesus among the upper classes. Such faith was for the little people. Although fear of rejection may have been their motive for keeping quiet concerning their faith, it was actually “love of glory” that sealed their lips. They loved the approval of man, more than the approval of God. Whose approval do you seek? Whose glory do you love?