Reading the Bible Together

Passages for the Day

 20 Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the Festival. 21 They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. “Sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.” 22 Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus.

23 Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 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. 25 Those who love their life will lose it, while those who hate their 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. My Father will honor the one who serves me.

27 ”Now my soul 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. 28 Father, glorify your name!”

Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.” 29 The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him.

30 Jesus said, “This voice was for your benefit, not mine. 31 Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. 32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” 33 He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die.

Points of interest:

·         ‘there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship’—these Greeks may or may not have been precisely from Greece.  Greek was the dominant culture of the eastern half of the Roman Empire, and anyone heavily influenced by that culture might be called ‘Greek.’  It was used by the Jews as a (probably more culturally sensitive) synonym for ‘Gentile.’  Nonetheless, these Greeks seem like a small down-payment on Isaiah’s promise (66:19-20) that someday Libyans, Lydians, Tubalians, and Greeks would stream to Jerusalem.

·         ‘They came to Philip’—I guess Philip is acting as Jesus’ handler, or his bouncer.

·         ‘who was from Bethsaida in Galilee’—unlike most of the disciples, Philip—while a Jew—has a Greek name; his hometown is also near some primarily Gentile towns (IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament).  So, perhaps he’s a bit more accessible to these Greeks than the other disciples.

·         ‘Philip went to tell Andrew’—apparently, Philip doesn’t quite know what to do with these Greeks’ request; so he consults with another of Jesus’ disciples.

·         ‘if it dies, it produces many seeds’—apparently, their understanding of how seeds work is a little different from ours, but I think we get the point: a seed is only one seed, until it’s planted; then it produces many seeds.  Jesus’ life is just the small start to something big.

·         ‘the prince of this world will be driven out’—in the Psalms, David spoke of the nations’ deep longing for justice and good government.  To bring that good rule, Jesus must get rid of an ill-intentioned prince who currently controls the world. 

·         ‘when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself’—this is a surprise twist on Isaiah’s banner (11:12).  The banner is actually Jesus’ body hanging from the cross.

Taking it home:

·         For you:  Do ever feel insecure? Maybe that pressing sense that if you just had this or that—that promotion, that sense of calling, that dissertation, that new car, that perfect group of friends, that smaller-sized waistline—then everything would be okay, and you could finally rest assured?  When Jesus recommends hating our lives, I don’t think he has walking around in misery in mind.  Rather, I think he’s talking about saying a firm, ‘No’ to that restless pursuit of security through some particular plan.  Somehow, ‘Loving this life’ can quickly become ‘trusting this life’ and getting our security from there.  Confess to God the specific things about which you feel insecure (I know I know, no fun…who wants to get in touch with their insecurity?) and ask him that, in spite of that feeling, you would come to know his security.

·         For your six: Have any of your six experienced a recent death of any sort?  It may be a literal death of a friend or family member, but could also be a closed door to a dream they had, an ending to a career endeavor, the failure of a particular goal, etc.  Pray for God’s comfort in the pain and disappointment of that death and that somehow through and out of the loss new life, possibilities and open doors would emerge?

.        For America: The Greeks coming to Philip, Philip coming to Andrew and then them both going to Jesus demonstrates an interdependence in spiritual pursuits and shows the power of diverse people groups interacting in the same place.  Pray today for more common ground—for more spaces where diverse groups of people mingle, interact and can come to the table on common terms and pursue God together.  Specifically pray for friendships, open doors and dialogues between followers of Jesus and both atheists and Muslims.

¹⁶ This is what the LORD Almighty says:
“Do not listen to what the prophets are prophesying to you;
they fill you with false hopes.
They speak visions from their own minds,
not from the mouth of the LORD.

¹⁷ They keep saying to those who despise me,
‘The LORD says: You will have peace.’
And to all who follow the stubbornness of their hearts
they say, ‘No harm will come to you.’

¹⁸ But which of them has stood in the council of the LORD
to see or to hear his word?
Who has listened and heard his word?

¹⁹ See, the storm of the LORD
will burst out in wrath,
a whirlwind swirling down
on the heads of the wicked.

²⁰ The anger of the LORD will not turn back
until he fully accomplishes
the purposes of his heart.
In days to come
you will understand it clearly.

²¹ I did not send these prophets,
yet they have run with their message;
I did not speak to them,
yet they have prophesied.

²² But if they had stood in my council,
they would have proclaimed my words to my people
and would have turned them from their evil ways
and from their evil deeds.

²³ “Am I only a God nearby,”
declares the LORD,
“and not a God far away?

²⁴ Who can hide in secret places
so that I cannot see them?”
declares the LORD.
“Do not I fill heaven and earth?”
declares the LORD.

²⁵ “I have heard what the prophets say who prophesy lies in my name. They say, ‘I had a dream! I had a dream!’ ²⁶ How long will this continue in the hearts of these lying prophets, who prophesy the delusions of their own minds? ²⁷ They think the dreams they tell one another will make my people forget my name, just as their ancestors forgot my name through Baal worship. ²⁸ Let the prophets who have dreams tell their dreams, but let the one who has my word speak it faithfully. For what has straw to do with grain?” declares the LORD. ²⁹ “Is not my word like fire,” declares the LORD, “and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?

³⁰ “Therefore,” declares the LORD, “I am against the prophets who steal from one another words supposedly from me. ³¹ Yes,” declares the LORD, “I am against the prophets who wag their own tongues and yet declare, ‘The LORD declares.’ ³² Indeed, I am against those who prophesy false dreams,” declares the LORD. “They tell them and lead my people astray with their reckless lies, yet I did not send or appoint them. They do not benefit these people in the least,” declares the LORD.

For the director of music. For Jeduthun. Of Asaph. A psalm.

¹ I cried out to God for help;
I cried out to God to hear me.

² When I was in distress, I sought the Lord;
at night I stretched out untiring hands,
and I would not be comforted.

³ I remembered you, God, and I groaned;
I meditated, and my spirit grew faint.

⁴ You kept my eyes from closing;
I was too troubled to speak.

⁵ I thought about the former days,
the years of long ago;

⁶ I remembered my songs in the night.
My heart meditated and my spirit asked:

⁷ “Will the Lord reject forever?
Will he never show his favor again?

⁸ Has his unfailing love vanished forever?
Has his promise failed for all time?

⁹ Has God forgotten to be merciful?
Has he in anger withheld his compassion?”

¹⁰ Then I thought, “To this I will appeal:
the years when the Most High stretched out his right hand.

¹¹ I will remember the deeds of the LORD;
yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.

¹² I will consider all your works
and meditate on all your mighty deeds.”

¹³ Your ways, God, are holy.
What god is as great as our God?

¹⁴ You are the God who performs miracles;
you display your power among the peoples.

¹⁵ With your mighty arm you redeemed your people,
the descendants of Jacob and Joseph.

¹⁶ The waters saw you, God,
the waters saw you and writhed;
the very depths were convulsed.

¹⁷ The clouds poured down water,
the heavens resounded with thunder;
your arrows flashed back and forth.

¹⁸ Your thunder was heard in the whirlwind,
your lightning lit up the world;
the earth trembled and quaked.

¹⁹ Your path led through the sea,
your way through the mighty waters,
though your footprints were not seen.

²⁰ You led your people like a flock
by the hand of Moses and Aaron.