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"And there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast; the
same came therefore to Philip . . . . . we would see Jesus" (12: 20, 21).
When our Lord knew of these visitors He sketches the process whereby the message
to the world of His death, resurrection and life in the spirit would be preached to the
world. Unless the wheat seed dies in the earth no life can be passed on and fruit
produced (verse 24). This supreme unselfish sacrifice is enjoined in measure to His
disciples and again earthly and spiritual values are compared and evaluated.
Israel have rightly been called the people of the Book and in verse 34 they ask a
question:
"We have heard out of the law that Christ abideth for ever: and how sayest Thou, The
Son of man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of man?"
Our Lord's answer seems enigmatic:
"Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness
come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth. While ye
have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light" (12: 35, 36).
Yet John the Baptist had repeatedly referred to Christ as the Light of the world and
our Lord had linked light, walking and darkness when He said:
"I am the light of the world: he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall
have the light of life" (John 8: 12).
The conclusion from this still applies today, so the Scriptures must be brought to the
light, they must be read in faith in the Son of God, they must be read with the help of the
Holy Spirit. They will then speak their message and the believer will receive the life they
offer.
It seems incredible that the One Who created the marvelous universe around us, the
limits of which by telescope or microscope are untraceable and unreachable, nevertheless
speaks to us out of this Book He has ordained. Moreover in His wisdom, He has placed
the disclosure of these riches in His own sovereign will and has bypassed the cleverness
of man and rather has set the academic pride of man at nought. What a wonderful
heavenly Father is this. I Cor. 1: has remarkable words on how God has dealt with the
wisdom of the world and verse 19 looks back to Isaiah's message to Jerusalem (Ariel) in
Isa. 29: 14:
"For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the
understanding of the prudent."
"Well may we join the Psalmist (103: 1) in singing "Bless the Lord, O my soul: and
all that is within me, bless His holy name".