If you watch a programme nowadays you may hear this message before it begins, or written near the top of the opening scene: ‘Warning: may contain content unsuitable for some viewers.’
A similar ‘warning’ could well be applied to our passage for today. It begins with some unexpected visitors – and here we can see a lovely parallel with Philip’s own encounter with Jesus in the first chapter of John (1:43-51), only this time he brings some Greek visitors to Jesus, rather than Nathanael. However, unlike the first encounter, Jesus takes the conversation in a very different direction, reflecting the different moment in which he finds himself.
‘We would like to see Jesus.’ It’s a wonderful opening request – but the rest of the passage could effectively be subtitled: ‘What would you really like to see?’ Or perhaps: ‘When you really see Jesus, and what’s about to happen, you may not like what you’re about to see as much as you think.’ Be careful what you wish for.
Let’s be clear that Jesus is not pushing these visitors away; but he does use the opportunity to be candid with those who are flocking to him, to make them aware of where this is all heading. Jesus knows he is heading towards his sacrificial death – but he makes the broader point that ‘losing one’s life’ is intrinsic to the way of Jesus (v25). For many of us that may not be literal martyrdom, but for all of us it means a fundamental change of focus: we orientate ourselves away from the seductions of this world towards another kind of life entirely, the abundant, eternal ‘zoe’ life of Jesus.
‘Whoever serves me must follow me.’ (v26) You can imagine the potential shock for Jesus’ visitors to hear these words. What, really, Jesus? Follow you like this? He does, however, add a great promise: ‘My Father will honour the one who serves me.’ We honour (serve) Jesus by actually following him – thinking like he thinks, living like he lives, loving like he loves – and receive honour from our heavenly Father in return.
This is the Way which our Lord call us to follow. As we begin this week, may the Lord grant us all grace to follow in the dust of our heavenly Rabbi, trusting that he will honour all who serve him. There, indeed, we will see Jesus.