My daughter was born last month in August. In those first few weeks when Elizabeth was nursing, she did what any good wife of a Baptist preacher would do–– watched all the Harry Potter movies.
At the beginning of the movies, the WB logo appears floating in the clouds; famously as the movies progress from 1–7, they get progressively darker.
That’s a bit like what’s happening in the narrative structure in the Gospel of John. Light and Darkness is a major theme throughout the gospel.
Chapters 1–11 is sometimes called the “Book of Signs,” which culminates with the raising of Lazarus from the dead. Then, in chapters 13–21 (sometimes called the “Book of Glory”), time slows down and zooms in on the final week of Jesus’ life, focusing on his passion, that is, his death, burial, and resurrection.
Chapter 12 functions as this transition chapter, a hinge, on which the rest of the gospel turns.
From this point on, things are going to get progressively darker. The light is dimming. But it’s important for us to remember what John wrote in the prologue:
John 1:5 “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”
John has told us how the story is going to end. That’s why we can refer to chapters 13–21 as the Book of Glory. God’s glory triumphs and shines through the darkness.
Today, we’re not going to look at the whole chapter 12. We’re going to look at one verse. Vs 27.
Let me set the stage. Jesus is in the shadow of the cross. His crucifixion is imminent.
Up to this point in the gospel, Jesus has repeatedly talked about how his hour has not yet come. “The hour” refers to his crucifixion.
Jesus would sometimes withdraw himself from the crowds or hide himself from those seeking to kill or capture him. (John 8:59; 10:39).
Multiple times, Jesus evades arrest, and John gives the explanation, “because his hour had not yet come.” (John 7:30; 8:20)
Now, in the days just before Passover, Jesus has entered Jerusalem and finally Jesus says, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.” (John 12:23)
The hour has finally come. Jesus tells a parable about a grain of wheat that must fall into the earth and die in order to bear much fruit. This is Jesus’ way of speaking about his impending death, burial, and resurrection.
At this point in the gospel, the hour has come. Jesus is now in the shadow of the cross.
Here’s the plan this morning. We’re going to do two things. First, we’re going to look at Jesus’ response to being in the shadow of the cross. Second, we’re going to look at why the cross was necessary.
Vs 27:
“Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour.”
Jesus’ Response
What is Jesus’ response to being in the shadow of the cross? The first thing to note is “the deep distress of Jesus.”[1]
Now is my soul troubled. Let’s sit with that statement for a minute. Here we get a glimpse into the inner life of Jesus.
How does that strike you? Last week, we read about how Jesus wept. Here, Jesus says that his soul is troubled. His soul, his whole person: his mind, his heart, his whole being is in deep distress.
Distress at what? He knows that a gruesome, violent, slow, painful, excruciating death approaches. But even more distressing than the physical pain is the reality that on the cross, he will bear the full weight of the wrath of God against sin.
He will drink the cup of wrath down to the dregs (Ps 75:8).
Jesus, who was himself sinless, would become sin for us, in order to make us righteous (2 Cor 5:21).
As he thinks about what that will cost him, he says “now is my soul troubled.”
Jesus’ Humanity
This underscores Jesus’ humanity.
This requires us to do a little bit of theological reflection. The prologue of John tells us that in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… and the Word became flesh.” (John 1:1, 14)
The Word, is the eternal Son, the second person of the Trinity.
Jesus is God the Son incarnate, in the flesh.
Jesus is fully God and fully human. He is completely and truly God. He is completely and truly human. Christ has two natures, united in one Person.
We have a Savior who was like us in every respect, except without sin (Heb 2:17).
Because Jesus was fully human, he had a human nature like ours. He had a human mind, a human will–– a human soul, just like us.
These are deep waters, but bear with me just a little more. Let’s think about human nature.
What is included in human nature? Well, historically, we say that human nature is comprised of a body and a soul. We are body-soul unities. Physical/spiritual hybrids.
Your body is the physical part of you. The soul is the immaterial part of you. It includes the mind (the intellect), the heart (will), which is the thinking-choosing part of you. The soul then refers to the whole person. Basically think: human soul includes your mind, and your will.
Because Jesus assumed a human nature, he––like us—had a human body and a human soul.
Throughout the New Testament, Jesus experienced the full range of human emotions (keep in mind, he was without sin).[2] As we saw last week, Jesus wept. He was moved to tears. At other times in the NT, he is filled with compassion and love. He becomes angry. He experienced hunger and thirst, tiredness and fatigue.
Now, Jesus is in the shadow of the cross and he experiences deep distress in his human nature. Now is my soul troubled.
Considering this real, deep distress, it’s remarkable that Jesus does not shrink back. Somehow, he was able not to lose sight of the vision of his purpose. As the author of Hebrews says, “for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Heb 12:2)
In the shadow of the cross, Jesus kept his eyes fixed on the glory on the other side of the cross; the glory of his resurrection and ascension.
How did he do this? I say this with reverence, but I don’t think it’s particularly helpful to simply say, “Well, he is God.”
Yes, that’s undoubtably true. But that doesn’t mean the cross was easy for him, as man. Nor does it mean that Jesus went to the cross as a stoic.
The New Testament says otherwise. In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus sweat drops of blood. Personally, I don’t think that is mere poetic language. I think that’s a real extremely rare stress response of ruptured blood vessels in your pores. The cross was not easy for him to bear.
So how did he endure it?
Jesus’ Inner Life of Prayer
I submit to you, that Jesus lived a life of prayer, communing with the Father and the Spirit.
Some of you may have already noticed this. Verses 27–28 are a prayer.
It’s not merely an internal dialogue with himself. It’s not a soliloquy. In Shakespeare, a soliloquy is when a main character talks to themselves. Hamlet famously talking to himself, “to be or not to be, that is the question.” Jesus is not giving a soliloquy. He is praying.
We get a glimpse here of Jesus’ inner life. In his inner life, he prays to the Father. In deep distress, he calls out to his good Father.
It is through prayer, that Jesus reminds himself of his purpose. It’s how he reminds himself of what is true and real.
He experiences real distress. Real turmoil. Real anguish. But he is not totally undone.
As Terry often says, “feel what you feel, but believe what is real.” We see this in action. Jesus doesn’t allow his feelings to derail him from accomplishing his mission. His mission is to redeem us by dying in our place on the cross, bearing the penalty for our sin, in order to win us forgiveness, adoption, and glory.
Praying Scripture
There’s something unique about Jesus’ prayer here. I think his prayer is formed and shaped by Scripture.
I think Jesus here is praying Scripture back to God. I think Jesus is meditating on Scripture and using Scripture to shape his response to his coming crucifixion.
When Jesus says, “Now is my soul troubled,” it is likely he is quoting Psalm 6:3. I want to read the whole Psalm, so we can see the full shape of how Jesus meditates on this Psalm as he stands in the shadow of the cross.
O Lord, rebuke me not in your anger,
nor discipline me in your wrath.
2 Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am languishing;
heal me, O Lord, for my bones are troubled.
3 My soul also is greatly troubled.
But you, O Lord—how long?
4 Turn, O Lord, deliver my life;
save me for the sake of your steadfast love.
5 For in death there is no remembrance of you;
in Sheol who will give you praise?
6 I am weary with my moaning;
every night I flood my bed with tears;
I drench my couch with my weeping.
7 My eye wastes away because of grief;
it grows weak because of all my foes.
8 Depart from me, all you workers of evil,
for the Lord has heard the sound of my weeping.
9 The Lord has heard my plea;
the Lord accepts my prayer.
10 All my enemies shall be ashamed and greatly troubled;
they shall turn back and be put to shame in a moment.
In the immediate context, this is a Psalm of David. No doubt, David wrote this during a period when he was in deep distress. But it’s important to remember that this psalm is inspired by the Holy Spirit with David as the human author. I think this Psalm is meant to find its fulfillment in Jesus, the greater David.
As we get a glimpse of Jesus’ inner life, here’s what it would look like for Jesus to pray through this psalm.
Jesus is in deep distress as he anticipates bearing the full weight of the wrath of God against human sin.
His bones are troubled and his soul is troubled. His whole person is in distress. Then, in verses 4–5, there is a prayer of deliverance. “Deliver my life; save me for the sake of your steadfast love.” And then, vs 5 prefigures resurrection. “For in death there is no remembrance of you; in Sheol who will give you praise?”
God is a God of the living (Luke 20:38). The dead to not give God praise. David prays for deliverance from death. I think as Jesus prays this psalm, he is praying with his eye toward resurrection.
Jesus prays through a flood of tears. The Psalm ends with the confident expression that the Lord will conquer his enemies… and the assurance that God hears his prayer (verse 9). “The Lord has heard my plea; and the Lord accepts my prayer.”
Now, this is not the only time Jesus does this. Multiple times on the cross, Jesus exclaims and recites Scripture. Psalm 22 “My God my God, why have you forsaken me?” Psalm 31:5 “Into your hand I commit my spirit.”
These are instances of Jesus reciting and meditating on Scripture. What does this reveal about Jesus’ inner life?
Jesus was a worshipper––even on the cross, even while experiencing excruciating pain and suffering. He had filled his mind with Scripture through memorization and mediation.
He’s used Scripture to shape his mind and his perspective so he saw things clearly and accurately. That’s how he didn’t lose sight of his purpose.
This is why we must be in God’s word, daily.
In Scripture, God speaks to us. It is God’s word. And God’s word brings truth and life.
Man does not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. (Matt 4:4)
Jesus models this for us.
Jesus had a true human nature. He experienced real distress, anguish, and sorrow in his soul. And what did he do? He prayed. His prayers were shaped by Scripture.
I’m afraid we may not take prayer seriously. We might have an attitude that is somewhat dismissive of prayer. We treat it like it’s a “Christiany” thing to say/do, but we don’t believe it really does anything. Jesus didn’t have this posture toward prayer.
Jesus was a true praying worshipper. His sorrow was real. His prayer was real. He took prayer seriously. That was his first-line response. He called out to his Father, with his thoughts shaped and guided by Scripture.
No Cross, No Savior
We’ve covered Jesus’ response to being in the shadow of the cross. Next, I want us to consider why the cross was necessary.
In the second half of this verse, Jesus reminds himself of his purpose. He continues his prayer:
“And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour.”
Jesus here highlights the necessity of the cross for his mission. God cannot exempt Jesus from suffering on the cross. The cross is why he came.
No cross, no Savior.
It was not enough simply for Jesus to become incarnate to accomplish our redemption. No. Jesus here highlights the centrality and the necessity of the cross to accomplish our redemption.
As one theologian has said, if the incarnation alone was sufficient to accomplish our redemption, all we would need is Bethlehem. But Bethlehem is not enough. We also need Gethsemane and Calvary.[3]
For this purpose, I have come. The cross is at the heart of the purpose for why Jesus came.
When I was in Central Asia on a One Link trip, a Muslim friend of mine explained to me why Jesus had not been crucified. This was the first time I had encountered the Islamic belief that Jesus was not crucified.
This is what the Qur’an teaches (Surah 4:157). My friend told me that God loves his prophet (referring to Jesus). And if God loved his prophet, then he would not let him be crucified. He would have saved him from the cross. Islam has no concept of a suffering savior. That would mean God is weak. My friend told me that Judas replaced Jesus on the cross and was crucified though everyone thought it was Jesus.
How did I respond to my friend? I took him to this verse in John. Jesus addressed that question. What shall I say, Father save me from this hour? But for this purpose I have come.
The cross was not an accident. The cross is why Jesus came.
Acts 2:23 “This Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God.”
God was not surprised by Jesus’ death. Jesus’ death on the cross was a part of God’s eternal plan of redemption. This verse underscores God’s sovereignty and human responsibility. The cross was in accordance with God’s plan, but Jesus was crucified at the hands of lawless men. God is sovereign and we are responsible.
The cross is scandalous. It’s not just Islam that rejects it or denies it.
In Ancient Greece, the cross was an embarrassment. Paul says, to the Greeks, the cross was foolishness. (1 Cor 1:18). They thought it was illogical and absurd.
In liberal Christianity, the cross is also an embarrassment. The central role of the cross is downplayed or diminished.
Over 100 years ago, J. Gresham Machen wrote an important book called Christianity and Liberalism. As many others have noted, the most important word in that title is the word “and.” Machen was signaling that Christianity and Liberalism were two different religions. Liberalism was the idea that Christianity needed to be “updated” in light of modern scientific developments and knowledge.
Machen argued that liberalism hollowed out the core content of Christianity.
The result of this is best summed up by H. Richard Niebuhr. He famously commented on the liberal Christianity of the 20th Century:
“A God without wrath brought men without sin into a kingdom without judgment through the ministrations of a Christ without a cross.”
When you empty Christianity from wrath, sin, and judgement you empty the cross of its power.
Paul said in 1 Cor 1:18 “For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God.”
Far from being an embarrassment, the cross is glorious and powerful. In vs. 28, Jesus prays “Father, glorify your name.” Glorify your name in my cross when I am lifted up!
The cross was designed to display the glory of God. How?
Jesus provides clarity in vs 31. “Now is the judgement of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out.”
What is glorious about the cross? Sin’s power to condemn you is defeated! Why? Because Jesus bore sin’s condemnation for you.
For those who are united to Christ through faith, God’s righteous judgement against sin has taken place. Now. Jesus Christ, acting as your substitute, bears the condemnation for you. Through faith in him, you are not condemned but declared righteous instead.
In Christ, your sins are forgiven. By his once and for all sacrifice, the blood of Jesus cleanses you from your past, present, and future sins. If we are united with him in his death, we are also united with him in his resurrected life.
That is the gospel. We must never get bored with the gospel.
Let me close with two points of application.
First, let’s return to Jesus’ response to being in the shadow of the cross. He was deeply distressed, but he turned to his good Father in prayer, and humbly prayed, “Father, glorify your name.”
No one in this church is a stranger to suffering. Some of you are currently standing in the shadow of a major trial. Some of you are experiencing loss, grief, a difficult diagnosis, the fracturing of family relationships.
Turn to God’s word, look to Jesus, and humbly pray with Jesus, “Father, glorify your name.”
Second, Jesus highlighted the centrality and necessity of the cross. Do you know the power of the cross? Not just here (head) but here (heart).
This question is not only for unbelievers. It is for Christians as well. Do you know the power of the cross?
Christians, we must preach the gospel to ourselves daily. If we lose sight of the gospel, then we will be tempted to adopt external forms of godliness that deny the Spirit’s power. We can easily slip into self-improvement and behavior modification in our fight against sin, which completely overthrows the gospel.
Christians, we need to continually hear the announcement and proclamation that our sins have been forgiven in Christ. Which is why we gather week after week to sing and hear the gospel preached.
Christians need to be reminded of who we are in Christ. We need to be reminded of what God declares over us in the gospel. You are forgiven, cleansed, and adopted in Christ. This is the truth of who you are. Believe this. And walk in newness of life.
If you have not trusted Christ as your Savior and Lord, the Bible says you are in darkness. The only way to avoid being overcome by darkness is to believe in Jesus Christ, the true Light of the World.
Listen to Jesus’ invitation in vv 35–36. Notice the urgency in Jesus’ call.
“The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one who walks in darkness does not know where he is going. While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become children of light.”
Today, you can know him through the light of his Word and Spirit. So, believe in the Light, that you may become children of light.
[1] Christopher Ash, The Psalms: A Christ-Centered Commentary, Volume 2 (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2024), 66.
[2] Stephen Wellum, God the Son Incarnate: The Doctrine of Christ (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2016), 213.
[3] Stephen Wellum, “Editorial: Reflecting on the Glory of the Cross,” The Southern Baptist Journal of Theology 27, no. 3 (2023), 6.