John 12:12-32 contains the record of Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem. It states the jubilant accolades believers gave Him: “Hosanna. Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord, even the king of Israel” (v. 12). It reveals the despair of His enemies who said, “Behold how ye prevail nothing. The whole world is gone after him.” And it shows the inquiry of the Greeks who had come to the feast and who said to Philip, “Sir, we would see Jesus” with Jesus responding, “The hour is come that the Son of man should be glorified” (v. 23). Preceding that glorification was the severe testing Jesus was about to experience when His nation rejected Him and called for His crucifixion.
The “hour” in the account was not a period of time consisting of 60 minutes; it was an event which would preceded His resurrection, then forty days of further instruction to His disciples about His coming kingdom, followed by His triumphant ascent into the heavenly presence of His Father. Daniel 7:13-14 depicts the reception He met in heaven when He came near unto the Ancient of Days, who gave unto Him glory, dominion, and a kingdom, conferring upon Him that which David had spoken of when he wrote, “The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand until I make all thy enemies the footstool of thy feet” (Psalm 110:1). Jesus spoke of this as He conversed with two disciples He met on the road to Emmaus, late on the day of His resurrection. These two were puzzled because they had heard the rumor of his resurrection, a factor which did not seem to have been fully received by them. To these perplexed men Jesus exclaimed, “Oh foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Behooved it not the Christ to suffer these things and enter into his glory?” (Luke 24:25-26).
Early in His ministry Jesus explained to His brothers that He was not going to Jerusalem at that moment for His “hour had not yet come” (John 7:6). Later in Jerusalem, conflict with leaders and disciples caused them to attempt to apprehend and kill Him, but He escaped their hand for “His hour had not yet come” (John 8:20). But in the final week before His betrayal and crucifixion Jesus revealed that “the hour is come that he should be glorified.” But there was a cross before a crown. That period was a time of severe testing for Him and would culminate with Him being raised and then ascending to His Father’s right hand.
That period of testing was also described as a “baptism” or “drinking a cup.” When James and John, through their mother, approached Jesus asking that He set them in places of honor in His kingdom, seating them on His right and left hands, Jesus responded to them, “Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink the cup I drink? Or to be baptized with the baptism I am being with?” They responded, “We are able.” Jesus assured them they would indeed drink of that cup, but the request they made He could not fill. They did drink that cup. James was the first apostle to suffer martyrdom (Acts 12:1-2). John, in his extreme old age, was exiled to the lonely isle of Patmos (Revelation 1:9).
This cup or baptism was not something Jesus looked forward to. On one occasion He said, “I have a baptism to be baptized with and how I am straightened till it be accomplished!” (Luke 12:50). The closer He drew near that hour, to drink that cup, the more anxious He became. When He was in the dark hour just prior to Judas’ betrayal He prayed, “If it be possible, let this cup pass from me” (Matthew 26:39). In the last few days before that betrayal He said, “Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say, Father, save me from this hour. But for this cause came I unto this hour” (John 12:27). Translators are uncertain whether the phrase, “Father, save me from this hour” should be either a question or statement. Their uncertainty is understandable because in the original text no punctuation marks were provided. Yet, either way one considers this — statement or question — would be accurate. Jesus did dread the cross. He did pray, “If it be possible let this cup pass from me” (Matthew 26:39). And yet, Jesus knew that He came into this world to die on the cross. Prior to His words “for this cause came I unto this hour,” He said, “Except a grain of wheat fall into the earth and die, it abideth by itself alone: but if it die, it beareth much fruit” (John 12:24).
But it was not possible that “the cup” pass from Jesus and man be forgiven of his sins. In God’s mind man’s sins could only be forgiven through being washed away by the matchless blood of His Son. Jesus, despite His dread of the cross, was submissive to the Father’s will. When the finality that He must drink the cup was upon Him, and He was seized by those who would put Him to death, impetuous Peter drew his sword and cut off the ear of the high priest’s servant. Jesus said to Peter, “Put up thy sword into the sheath; the CUP which the Father hath given me shall I not drink it?” (John 18:11). He had His Father’s answer to His prayer and He submitted to it.
What an example of obedience Jesus gave us to follow! What a manifestation of love! Yes, He was God, but He was also man and when they nailed Him to the cross, He hurt, just as it would hurt had you been nailed to it. When His throat was parched from His suffering and He cried out, “I thirst” He was thirsty just as you would have been. Jesus said it well: “Greater love hath no man than this than that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). His hour had come. He had a cup to drink, a baptism to be baptized with, and while drinking that cup meant dying for man, He did it gladly.
How can any not be moved by such a show of love? How can any not love and serve that One who suffered so much for all?
Jim McDonald