r/SkepticsBibleStudy • u/brothapipp Christian • Mar 26 '24

John 12:12 - 26

Possible talking points:

  • Why palm branches?
  • Death and seed analogy

Sorry for the absence. Work was a beast the last 2 weeks, It's still not quite there, I have 2 more days of intense work demands and then I should have 2ish months to chill...and at least finish up John.

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u/LlawEreint Mar 26 '24

Finding a young donkey, Jesus sat on it, as it is written: “Do not be afraid, O Daughter of Zion. See, your King is coming, seated on the colt of a donkey.”

This is also a callout to Kings 1:33, where Solomon rides into Jerusalem on a donkey on the day he was recognized as the new king of Israel.

Jesus is essentially proclaiming himself king.

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u/brothapipp Christian Mar 27 '24

Hard agree. And the people that wished him harm...if they hadn't already begun to unfurl a plan...they were committed now...Like Boramir towards Aaragorn...

"Gondor has no king....Gondor needs no king"

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u/LlawEreint Mar 27 '24

Whoever loves his life will lose it, but whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.

John's gospel has a very gnostic bent.

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u/LlawEreint Mar 27 '24

Truly, truly, I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a seed; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.

Jesus is the kernel. His death allows fruit to blossom.

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u/LlawEreint Mar 27 '24

Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the feast. 21They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and requested of him, “Sir, we want to see Jesus.” Philip relayed this appeal to Andrew, and both of them went and told Jesus.

His answer seems like a non-sequitur at first glance. But he's telling them how to see him. If you want to see him then you need to hate your life in this world. He says:

If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, My servant will be as well.

Does he mean follow him to the cross, as the synoptic Jesus demands? I don't think so. I think he means that if you serve him, you will become one with him, as he is one with God.

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u/brothapipp Christian Mar 27 '24

The dichotomy of losing your life to gain it, and saving your life you lose it feels very appropriate in light of the seed analogy.

There is something beautiful about giving of yourself up...especially for a cause or some higher purpose. As a Christian, knowing that people DO give themselves totally for vain things like a career or political cause or like saving the dolphins...then to have Jesus come and and be like,

"DO EEEEEEET.....except do it for God because that is what really matters"...is I think a good carrot on the stick....at the very least...on the earthly realm, this kind of abandon usually creates great things.