John 12:20

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - John 12:20-21

Life Comes through His Death (John 12:20-33 ). ‘Now among those who went up to worship at the Feast were some Greeks. So these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, “Sir, we want to see Jesus”.’ At this stage some Greeks approached Philip in order to meet with Jesus. ‘Greeks’ simply means Gentiles. It is doubtful if they were proselytes (circumcised converts) to Judaism for then they would not have been seen as Gentiles. They were probably rather ‘God-fearers’,... read more

Arthur Peake

Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible - John 12:20-36

John 12:20-Zephaniah : . The Request of the Greeks.— This incident is chosen to illustrate the Lord’ s consciousness that only through death could the final success of His work be brought about. If it was invented to gain His authority for the admission of the Gentiles, it must again be confessed that it is very badly done. The Greeks are apparently not even admitted to His presence. The mention of Philip and Andrew is natural if their home Was Bethsaida ( John 1:45), in a region largely... read more

Matthew Poole

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible - John 12:20

It is not easy to be determined what these Greeks were; whether Jews, who, being scattered in the Grecian country upon the conquests which the Grecians had made upon the Jews under Alexander the Great, and those who succeeded him, still remained in those countries, but kept so much of the religion of their country, as to come up to the passover; or Gentiles, which are ordinarily called Greeks in contradistinction to the Jews, Acts 14:1; Acts 16:1; Acts 18:17; Romans 1:16; 1 Corinthians 1:23,1... read more

Joseph Exell

Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary - John 12:20-36

EXPLANATORY AND CRITICAL NOTESJohn 12:20-36. Certain Greeks coming with a desire to see Him gave our Lord an opportunity of pointing to His atoning work as the hope of salvation for all men, i.e. the world.John 12:20. Greeks.—Ἑλληνες, not simply Grecian Jews (Acts 6:1). They were most likely “proselytes of the Gate,” as they had come to Jerusalem to keep the feast.John 12:21. The same came therefore to Philip, etc.—Why therefore? There were many Greeks in the region of Decapolis; and as... read more

William Nicoll

Sermon Bible Commentary - John 12:20

John 12:20 , John 12:23 I. "The hour is come." The culminating hour of His life, that hour which is to explain all that has happened, to reveal all that is unknown. "It behoved Him thus to suffer, and to enter into His glory." And His glory has been increasingly manifest ever since His death. From the Resurrection day until this day it has never waned; it has never ceased to grow. The corn of wheat that died has produced much fruit fruit, in actual numbers rescued from sin and death fruit in... read more

Chuck Smith

Chuck Smith Bible Commentary - John 12:1-50

Chapter 12Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he had raised from the dead. They made him a supper; and Martha served [typical of Martha]: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him. Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very expensive, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the aroma of the ointment ( John 12:1-3 ).Typical of Mary, worshipping;... read more

Joseph Sutcliffe

Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments - John 12:1-50

John 12:1 . Six days before the passover. The Hebrew sabbath was kept from sunset to sunset. The worship of the day being closed, the jews indulged in a good supper after the light food of the day. This, the last week or consummation of the Saviour’s labours, was full of glory. Every day we find him in the temple, and sleeping every night in Bethany, except the night of the passover. As soon as the sabbath was over, the people having heard of his arrival at Bethany, and glowing with ardour... read more

Joseph Exell

The Biblical Illustrator - John 12:20-33

John 12:20-33And there came certain Greeks;…the same came therefore to Philip … saying, Sir, we would see JesusThe incident and its significanceThese Greeks belonged to those numerous Gentiles who, like the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:1-40) had embraced Judaism and came to Jerusalem to keep its festivals.They must be carefully distinguished from the Jews (Hellenists) speaking the Greek language, who dwelt in heathen lands. The spacious court of the Gentiles was devoted to these proselytes... read more

John Trapp

John Trapp Complete Commentary - John 12:20

20 And there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast: Ver. 20. Greeks ] That is, proselytes or transmarine Jews, that read the Greek version, and were called Hellenists. read more

Samuel Bagster

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge - John 12:20

Greeks: John 7:35, Mark 7:26, Acts 14:1, Acts 16:1, Acts 17:4, Acts 20:21, Acts 21:28, Romans 1:16, Romans 10:12, Galatians 2:3, Galatians 3:28, Colossians 3:11 to worship: 1 Kings 8:41-John :, Isaiah 11:10, Isaiah 60:2-2 Chronicles :, Isaiah 66:19-Ecclesiastes :, Acts 8:27 Reciprocal: 2 Chronicles 6:32 - the stranger Isaiah 56:7 - them will Isaiah 60:3 - the Gentiles Malachi 3:16 - spake Acts 2:5 - were Acts 16:14 - worshipped read more