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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - John 12:20-26

Honour is here paid to Christ by certain Greeks that enquired or him with respect. We are not told what day of Christ's last week this was, probably not the same day he rode into Jerusalem (for that day was taken up in public work), but a day or two after. I. We are told who they were that paid this honour to our Lord Jesus: Certain Greeks among the people who came up to worship at the feast, John 12:20. Some think they were Jews of the dispersion, some of the twelve tribes that were scattered... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - John 12:20-22

12:20-22 There were some Greeks among those whose practice it was to come up to the feast. Now these came to Philip, who came from Bethsaida in Galilee, and made a request to him. "Sir," they said, "we wish to see Jesus." Philip went and told Andrew, and Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. None of the other gospels tells of this incident, but it is very fitting to find it in the Fourth. The Fourth Gospel was the one written to present the truth of Christianity in a way that the Greeks... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - John 12:22

Philip cometh and telleth Andrew ,.... The request the Greeks made to him, and this he did, that he might have his advice in this matter; and that not only because he might be a senior man as well as apostle, but because he was of the same town, and might know these men as well as Philip: and again, Andrew and Philip told Jesus ; after they had consulted together, whether it was proper or not, to move this thing to their master; since he had forbid them going in the way of the Gentiles,... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - John 12:22

Andrew and Philip tell Jesus - How pleasing to God is this union, when the ministers of his Gospel agree and unite together to bring souls to Christ. But where self-love prevails, and the honor that comes from God is not sought, this union never exists. Bigotry often ruins every generous sentiment among the different denominations of the people of God. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - John 12:20-30

4. The desire of the " Greeks " —the representatives of the Western world—go see Jesus, and his reply . And now a scene is related of transcendent interest—the one solitary incident of the Passion week between the triumph and the night of the Last Supper. John assumes here a knowledge of all that, in current tradition and narrative, had taken place between these two events. The cleansing of the temple, the solemn parables by which Jesus repulsed the Sanhedrin, the conflict with... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - John 12:20-36

The interview of the Greeks with Christ. This is the only incident recorded between the entry into Jerusalem and the institution of the Lord's Supper. I. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS INTERVIEW . "And there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast." 1. They were not Gentiles, but-proselytes oft he gate, of Gentile extraction, who had been admitted to Jewish privileges . They came to the Passover as reverent and earnest worshippers. 2. They... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - John 12:22

The slight modification of text preferred by the Revised version gives great vivacity to the picture (see below, note 1). Philip receives the respectful request of the Greeks, "Sir [my lord], we would see Jesus," i.e. "converse with." They probably sought to bring some proposal before him. Surely they must have had, if they wished it, many opportunities of merely seeing Jesus, when he crossed the Mount of Olivet during those three days, or tarried in the court of the Gentiles; now they... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - John 12:22

Telleth Andrew - Why he did not at once tell Jesus is not known. Possibly he was doubtful whether Jesus would wish to converse with Gentiles, and chose to consult with Andrew about it.Tell Jesus - Whether the Greeks were with them cannot be determined. From the following discourse if would seem probable that they were, or at least that Jesus admitted them to his presence and delivered the discourse to them. read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - John 12:20-22

John 12:20-22. And there were certain Greeks A prelude of the Gentile Church. The phrase, τινες Ελληνες , here used, signifies properly, as translators have rendered it, certain Greeks. But all the Gentiles being thus named by the Jews, it was intended to denote their religion, rather than their country: they had been brought up heathen: they were not, however, now idolatrous Gentiles, but proselytes to the Jewish religion, and worshippers of the true God, persons who had come to... read more

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