To this point, this
study has traversed a chapter and a half of the Gospel of John, with the bulk
of the trek related in some way to the death and raising of Lazarus. On
two occasions, mention has been made of the glory of the Creator God in
connection with the raising. The first mention of the Creator God’s glory
was upon Jesus’ hearing about Lazarus’ sickness. The second time was in
response to Martha’s insistence that Lazarus would stink, having already been
in the tomb for four days. Both times would lead the reader to believe
that Lazarus’ raising itself was that which would reveal the glory of the
covenant God, but further observation will allow one to conclude that such was
not necessarily the case.
Immediately after the
Pharisees can be heard saying, “Look, the world has run off after Him” (John
12:19b), in reference to the welcome of Jesus into Jerusalem as King, one goes
on to read, “Now some Greeks were among those who had gone up to worship at the
feast. So these approached Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and
requested, ‘Sir, we would like to see Jesus.’ Philip went and told
Andrew, and they both went and told Jesus” (12:20-22).
It can be presumed
that the Greeks that were in Jerusalem for Passover had seen (or at least heard
about) this rousing welcome of Jesus, having also, along with the teeming
masses, learned at least some information about the raising of Lazarus and the
growing number of people that were, because of that raising, looking to Jesus
as the Messiah. It can also be imagined that these Greeks, in making
inquiries about this Jesus fellow, who was now being loudly hailed as Messiah,
had learned about some of His rather strange practices of regularly interacting
with Gentiles. Though they were Greeks, since
they were in Jerusalem for Passover, it is likely that they had adopted the
covenant markers (the works of the law), and were justified (saved, righteous, part
of the covenant people). It is the combination of a number of factors
that most likely served to induce these Greeks to ask Jesus’ disciples for an
audience with Jesus.
Because they were in
Jerusalem for Passover, and therefore in recognition of the Creator God’s
covenant and His covenant people, which was likely indicated by their adoption
of covenant markers themselves, it can also be deduced that they were aware of what
were taken to be the prophecies of messiah, and would have been especially
keyed in on those prophecies which clearly showed forth the messiah as so much
more than a messiah for ethnic and national Jews alone, but which, according to
some readings, announced a messiah for all peoples and all nations.
It is worthwhile to
attempt an examination of the scenario, in an attempt to determine why it was
that they would want to see Jesus. What was their peculiar
motivation? It is quite possible that, even though they were Greeks
(Gentiles) that recognized the covenant and the covenant people, and even
though they were in Jerusalem to recognize the Creator God’s saving deliverance
in association with the Passover, that they were systematically excluded from
full fellowship with those of ethnic and national Israel, even if they kept to
the covenant marker of circumcision, along with the food and Sabbath
laws.
With the “Jesus
situation,” combined with their understanding of a presumed understanding of the
messiah as a figure that would transcend the traditional covenant boundaries,
they desired to see Jesus. A direct audience with the one being hailed as
messiah could certainly put these controversial issues to rest. The
question was, with the knowledge that they were Gentiles, would He see them or
would He rebuff them---putting them off as unworthy, regardless of potential
bearing of covenant markers, because they were not of Israelite descent?
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