A Troubled Soul (John 12:27-29)

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. 28 Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” 29 The crowd that stood there and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.”

Realizing his imminent death, Jesus openly declares his deeply troubled heart. A parallel to his pained agitation is found in Luke’s account of Gethsemane where Jesus’ sweat becomes drops of blood and he asks the Father to take the cup of God’s wrath away from him. The Greek for “Father, save me from this hour” could also be translated as a direct petition rather than how the ESV translates it as a question, as if there is a possibility of Jesus avoiding the cross. That, however, is not possible because it would mean bypassing the cross. God’s purpose all along is to judge the prince of this world (Satan) and save us from facing the eternal death we deserve for our sins. For God, this is not an option.

Immediately Jesus recalls he has come for this purpose and in doing God’s will will bring glory to God. This plea to the Father to glorify his name is identical to the Lord’s Prayer Jesus taught his disciples, “Father, hallowed be thy Name.” The Father’s response affirms his approval of his Son’s ministry and acknowledges that he will continue to all the way to and through the cross. While Jesus hears and understand the Father’s words, those around him do not, hearing thunder or what some call the voice of an angel.

God created us to live forever, so the thought of his impending death is unnatural for Jesus. Death is a usurper, taking over what was once good—all of creation—letting evil reign. Jesus has come to die the death we were to die to free us from death for ever.

Try and place yourself in the place of Jesus, realizing the enormity of his mission, coming to a head in Jerusalem. And then thank him for his courage and selflessness.