21 The same came therefore to Philip, which was
of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus.
22 Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: and
again Andrew and Philip tell Jesus. 23
And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man
should be glorified. 24 Verily, verily,
I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth
alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. 25 He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he
that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. 26 If any man serve me, let him follow me; and
where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my
Father honour.
These Gentiles from the Greek culture come to Philip and ask
for an introduction to Jesus. Philip went to Andrew who went with him to speak
to Jesus. Jesus speaks of His impending death and of the resurrection. He
likens resurrection from the dead to a seed being planted that produces fruit.
Notice how the word corn is used in the Bible. A corn of wheat or just corn is the seed or the head of the
wheat depending on the context. The word corn
was not used for the Native American maize plant until later than the King James Bible was translated. Around
the time of the translation the phrase for the American plant was Indian corn but the Indian was later dropped.
While there is some argument about whether what we know as
New World (the Americas) maize existed in the Old World (see Ohio State article
http://www.econ.ohio-state.edu/jhm/arch/maize.html)
the statement corn of wheat makes
clear what is referred to here . For those who argue that Leviticus 2:14 saying
green ears of corn cannot refer to wheat
I refer you to the Arab dish called greenwheat freekeh and an old commentary
that says, “Green or half-ripe ears of wheat parched
with fire is a species of food in use among the poor people of Palestine and
Egypt to the present day.” (18)
Jesus has to die so that the
resurrection will take place. The resurrection must take place so that
Christianity is more than a mere philosophy but is a death-conquering fact.
Jesus Christ, like a seed of a plant, must be buried so that He can rise again,
like the plant, to feed many. To be of any use we must die, as well. We must
die to Self and be brought alive again to God. Unfortunately, much of
Christianity in America is simply a self-serving, self-congratulating political
philosophy and has little relationship to serving a risen Saviour and more of a
relationship to serving the power structure, the economic system, or our own
personal bigotry, paranoia, and fear.
Verse 25 shows us that loving your
present life in this world is the surest way to lose it but holding it in
contempt, disdain, or hating it is the way to eternal life. In America Christians have become so fond of
their lifestyles and have invested so much time and money so that they can
enjoy their stuff and the families they
have formed in the flesh that they will do almost anything to stay alive just
one more minute. Christians will spend their last months or even years in agony
just for the privilege of staying alive one more day and letting the medical
community experiment on them. You will be hard-pressed to find an American
being given the news from his or her doctor that they have a life-threatening
illness and openly rejoicing at the prospect of going into eternity. One would
easily think either that they don’t really believe what God has promised or
that they love this life so much that they cannot bear to leave it to be with
the One who created them. Christians call an improvement in their condition,
for instance, cancer, as God’s mercy rather than dying in the flesh as mercy so
that they can be with God for eternity.
The one who serves Christ and
follows Him will spend eternity with Christ and God the Father will honor that
person. There is no simpler way of saying what the conditions of eternal life
are. Look to Christ. He is the answer.
It was by Christ, the Word, whom
the Greeks thought was the creative force of the universe as the Logos but John
revealed to be God Himself, that all things physical and spiritual were created
in time.
John 1:1 ¶ In the
beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made by him; and
without him was not any thing made that was made.
It is by Christ, the Word that all
things are held together and continue without chaos, not gravity or some
mythical substances called dark matter or dark energy.
Colossians 1:12 ¶
Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers
of the inheritance of the saints in light: 13
Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us
into the kingdom of his dear Son: 14 In
whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
15 Who is the image of the invisible
God, the firstborn of every creature: 16
For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in
earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or
principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 17 And he is before all things, and by him all
things consist.
It is by Christ that Jew and
Gentile are united into one Church.
Ephesians 2:11 ¶
Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh,
who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the
flesh made by hands; 12 That at that
time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and
strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the
world: 13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who
sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
2:14 ¶ For he is our peace, who hath made both one,
and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; 15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity,
even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of
twain one new man, so making peace; 16
And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross,
having slain the enmity thereby: 17 And
came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.
18 For through him we both have access by
one Spirit unto the Father. 19 Now
therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the
saints, and of the household of God; 20
And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus
Christ himself being the chief corner stone; 21
In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy
temple in the Lord: 22 In whom ye also
are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
And it is by Christ that we can
approach the throne of God.
John 14:6 Jesus
saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the
Father, but by me.
(18) Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible, published in
the early 1800’s and made available on the web at http://www.studylight.org/commentary/leviticus/2-14.html
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