Jesus' Hour

In John 12:23-36 the Greeks come to see Jesus. They go to Philip (whose name is Greek and means lover of horses) and then Philip goes to Andrew and they both go to Jesus to tell Him the Greeks want to speak with Him. These Greeks came for the feast and we can't deny their interest in seeing Jesus.

Something happens unexpected though. When Philip and Andrew go to Jesus, Jesus already has something important on His mind. Jesus has His "hour" on His mind. We've all experienced an occasion when we ask someone a question and they answer with something totally unrelated to what we asked. It's because their mind is on something else. I believe this is what we see taking place here. The two disciples catch Jesus mid thought and He responds with an answer pertaining to His hour. This idea of Jesus' hour is used often in the gospels. I'll list below the occurrences.

Verses on Jesus’ Hour (10 in total)

Matt 26:45 – In the garden, when he found the disciples sleeping the third time, he told them to sleep and behold the hour is at hand and the son of man is betrayed into the hand of sinners.

· The hour is associated with betrayal.

Mk 14:35 – Jesus prays that this hour might pass from him.

· Here this hour is associated with something Christ doesn’t want to experience. He knows this hour means he has to drink the cup of the Father's wrath on our behalf

Mk 14:41 – In the garden, when he found the disciples sleeping the third time, he told them to sleep and behold the hour is at hand and the son of man is betrayed into the hand of sinners.

· The hour is associated with betrayal.

Jn 2:4 – Mine hour is not come.

· The hour is associated with the that time for which Christ came hadn’t come yet.

Jn 7:30 – They sought to take him, but no man laid hands on him, his hour was not yet come.

· No man laid hands on Jesus yet because the hour hadn’t yet come.

Jn 8:20 – No man laid hands on him, for his hour was not yet come.

· The hour hadn’t come for men to lay hands on Jesus yet.

Jn 12:23 – The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified.

· Here the hour is associated with Christ’s glory.

Jn 12:27 – But for this cause came I unto this hour.

· The hour caused Christ’s soul to be troubled ([Strongs #5015]. The Greek word is tarasso and it means to stir, agitate water, to boil water) but He knew that He was come for this hour.

Jn 16:32 – The hour comes and is now come, you shall be scattered and leave me alone.

· The hour is associated with the disciples abandoning Christ yet Christ isn’t alone in his hour.

Jn 17:1 – Jesus said to the Father, hour is now come, glorify the Son that the Son may glorify thy name.

· The hour is associated with the Father giving glory to the Son, that the son may glorify the Father.

Jesus' hour is associated with His passions, His sufferings, and His betrayal at the hands of sinful men. While this hour was going to be a difficult experience He came for this hour (Jn 12:27). No one looks forward to suffering, betrayal, abandonment, physical pain, and bearing someone else's punishment yet Christ came and did this.

We have a wonderful savior. He came for us though we were undeserving of His love, sacrifice and favor. May we daily appreciate His sacrifice on our behalf and for His partaking of His hour.