John 12:25

The Pulpit Commentary - John 12:24-25

Mors janua vitro. "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone," etc. These words belong to the day of Christ's triumphant entry into Jerusalem—the day of palms. Amidst the general enthusiasm, certain Greeks, who had come up to worship at the feast, asked the Apostle Philip to obtain for them a private interview with Jesus. Philip consulted with Andrew, and the two together laid the request before their Master. Our Lord was deeply... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - John 12:25

He that loves his own life ( ψυχή ); life used as equivalent to "self," in that totality of being which, like the life of the seed-corn, survives the accident of death— he that loves his own life ( self ) is losing £ it ; or, perhaps, destroying it, ipso facto . There are ends and objects of love so much greater than" the self," that to keep it by some act of will and recreant fear is to make it utterly valueless, is really to destroy its true vitality. And he that... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - John 12:25-26

The Lord here introduces a solemn, almost oracular utterance, which proves how close and intimate is the relationship between the synoptics and the Fourth Gospel. On several great occasions our Lord has impressed this law of the Spirit of life upon his disciples. Thus in Matthew 10:37-39 , in the lengthened commission given to the twelve, after calling on his followers to place his own claim on their affection as greater than that of father, mother, friend, and calling for self-sacrifice,... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - John 12:25

He that loveth his life ... - This was a favorite principle, a sort of “axiom” with the Lord Jesus, which he applied to himself as well as to his followers. See the Matthew 10:39 note; Luke 9:24 note. read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - John 12:23-26

John 12:23-26. Jesus answered, saying This phraseology intimates the suitableness of the following discourse to this particular occasion; by attending to which, many of the beauties of it will be discovered. Our Lord might, perhaps, enlarge on some of these hints; and if his hearers took a due notice of them, and made a proper report on their return home, it might prepare the way for the apostles, when they came, by their preaching, more fully to unfold and illustrate these important... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - John 12:20-26

BETRAYAL, TRIAL AND CRUCIFIXION136. The seed must die (John 12:20-26)Among the crowds that went to Jerusalem for the Passover Festival were some Greeks. They had joined themselves to the synagogue communities where they lived, and now they wanted to see Jesus (John 12:20-22).When the Lord heard of the Greeks’ request, his response was to announce that the climax of his mission had arrived and he was now about to lay down his life. He apparently saw these Greeks as the firstfruits of a great... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - John 12:25

loveth . Greek. phileo. App-135 . life . Greek psuche. App-110 and App-170 . Compare Matthew 10:39 ; Matthew 16:25 , Matthew 16:26 . Mark 8:35-37 . Luke 9:24 ; Luke 17:33 . keep = guard, or preserve. Greek. phulasso. See note on John 17:12 . unto. Greek. eis. App-104 . life . Greek. zoe. App-170 . eternal. Greek. aionios. App-151 . read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - John 12:25-26

John 12:25-26. He that loveth his life, &c.— He told them further, that as he, their Master, was tosuffer before his exaltation, so must they, his disciples, expect the like; for which reason they were to expect persecution, firmly resolving to lose even life itself, after his example, when called to do so; and in that case he promised them a share in his crown and glory—thus tacitly insinuating, that the strangers should be greatly disappointed, if their desire of conversing with him... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - John 12:25

25. He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal—(See on :-). Did our Lord mean to exclude Himself from the operation of the great principle here expressed—self-renunciation, the law of self-preservation; and its converse, self-preservation, the law of self-destruction? On the contrary, as He became Man to exemplify this fundamental law of the Kingdom of God in its most sublime form, so the very utterance of it on this... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - John 12:19-50

II. JESUS’ PUBLIC MINISTRY 1:19-12:50The first part of the body of John’s Gospel records Jesus’ public ministry to the multitudes in Palestine, who were primarily Jewish. Some writers have called this section of the Gospel "the book of signs" because it features seven miracles that signify various things about Jesus."Signs are miraculous works performed or mentioned to illustrate spiritual principles." [Note: Tenney, "The Symphonic . . .," p. 119. See also idem, "Topics from the Gospel of... read more