Basic HTML Version
When the Greeks Wished to “See Jesus”
375
for self; but our life passes away, and we have nothing. The law of
self-serving is the law of self-destruction.
“If anyone serves Me,” said Jesus, “let him follow Me; and where
I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My
Father will honor.” All who have carried the cross of sacrifice with
Jesus will share with Him in His glory. They are workers together
with Christ, and the Father will honor them as He honors His Son.
The message of the Greeks brought to Jesus’ mind the work of
redemption from the time when the plan was formed in heaven to His
death that was now so close. A mysterious cloud seemed to enclose
the Son of God. He sat, deep in thought. At last His mournful voice
broke the silence: “Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say?
‘Father, save Me from this hour’?” Christ’s humanity recoiled from
the hour of abandonment, when everyone would see Him stricken,
smitten by God, and afflicted. He shrank from being treated as the
worst of criminals, from a shameful, dishonored death. A sense of
the awful burden of human sin and the Father’s wrath because of sin
made the spirit of Jesus faint and the paleness of death come over
[291]
His face.
Voice of God Heard
Then He yielded divine submission to His Father’s will. “For this
purpose,” He said, “I came to this hour. Father, glorify Your name.”
Only through His death could Christ overthrow Satan’s kingdom,
redeem humanity, and glorify God. Jesus accepted the sacrifice;
He agreed to suffer as the Sin Bearer. A response came from the
cloud that hovered above His head: “I have both glorified it and
will glorify it again.” In the coming ordeal Christ’s divine-human
sufferings would indeed glorify His Father’s name.
As the Voice was heard, a light encircled Christ, as if the arms of
Infinite Power were thrown around Him like a wall of fire. No one
dared to speak. All stood looking intently at Jesus. When the Father
had finished giving His testimony, the cloud lifted and scattered in
the heavens.
The inquiring Greeks saw the cloud, heard the Voice, understood
its meaning, and recognized the truth about Christ. He was revealed
to them as the One sent by God. The voice of God had spoken at