A real question about Gospel of John

[Depleted]

You're going to have to read all of John 12 for direct info on this one, but to set up the scene, Jesus was at Lazarus, Mary, and Martha's house after Lazarus was raised from the dead. And, because Lazarus was raised, it was quite the scene with lots of people coming to see him and to see Dead Man Walking. Very crowded.

Crowded enough that some Greeks found Phillip to ask him if he could arrange it to see Jesus. And Phillip talked to Andrew about it, and then the both of them went to see Jesus and ask him.

In response, Jesus talked about "The hour has come," seeds falling to the ground to die, and then ... well. Read the chapter if you don't remember it. And do read it, because it's very cool that his Father answered audibly.

And then Jesus climbed a donkey colt to go into Jerusalem.

The Gospel of John was written years later, it's really not that long an account of Jesus, and clearly John was writing down all the things he thought were most important. Bigger still, what he wrote was inspired by God himself, so it's God's words.

To me, that says there was something important about those Greeks asking to see Jesus in the middle of that huge crowd. Soooo, what became of the Greeks? We really don't know, so the next question -- why is that in there? What purpose did it serve? Anyone ever contemplate that one enough to get an answer?

 

[Muzungu256]

no idea but good topic u see. i think it coulda fulfilled some ot prophecy about salvation being seen by gentiles as well. maybe one of them isaiah prophecies about God's servant who is Jesus.

this is my unbiased but correct opinion

 

[IamWhoIam]

Well my opinion isn't going to be well recieved, but it's quite ok, everyone has views on all kinds of meanings within the bible.

Lk7:21 At that very time Jesus cured many who had diseases, sicknesses and evil spirits, and gave sight to many who were blind.
Lk7:18 John's disciples told him about all these things. Calling two of them,
Lk7:19 he sent them to the Lord to ask, "Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?"
Jh12:21 They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. "Sir," they said, "we would like to see Jesus."
Jh12:22 Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus.
Lk7:20 When the men came to Jesus, they said, "John the Baptist sent us to you to ask, `Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?'"

 

[IamWhoIam]

The Greeks were the first to cultivate the wild olive tree and was used later by the Jewish people had them as well, reason why the Greeks was mentioned with the many heading to up to the city for the festival, the Greeks started placing the olive branches on the road as Jesus went up to the city riding on a donkey with her colt, and others started taking branches from olive trees and doing the same.

 

[IamWhoIam]

True in Greek mythology the olive tree has a few meanings some of pagan origin, but those Greeks totally believed in Jesus,
and used the tree branches not as of pagan origin, but of a simpler symbolical statement.

In Greece the olive tree symbolises, peace and prosperity, as well as resurrection and hope.

another of those symbolical statement is (the God of peace)


In Greece the olive tree symbolises peace and prosperity, as well as resurrection and hope.

 

[Deacon_D]

The Greeks you are symbolic of the gentile world. Were not the the three kings that came from Babylon not gentiles? Would gentiles also not want the blessings of God? I hope that answers you question.

 

[trofimus]

I think those Greeks wanted to speak with Jesus and either to get His message (so to become His disciples/apostles) or to invite Him to Greece.

Jesus responded that He must die first, then this mission to Greek world will have much higher benefit (as it had through Paul).

Jesus probably also meant that they would not kill Him therel, thats why He had to stay in Israel and continue His way to cross.

 

[IamWhoIam]

The Greeks you are symbolic of the gentile world. Were not the the three kings that came from Babylon not gentiles? Would gentiles also not want the blessings of God? I hope that answers you question.

since you mentioned symbolic I assume you are referring to me? if so then I'll say this,

the first written words/verse of the NT was written by a gentile named Pilate who had a sign posted above Jesus cross.

the words Pilate had written on the sign is actually a bible verse written and spoken by a gentile.

everything is in God's tool box, He uses any tool in it as needed for his purposes.

 

[Deacon_D]

Gentiles are anyone who is not a Jew. Even some Jews gentiles.

 

[Nehemiah6]

Well my opinion isn't going to be well recieved...

That's right. It should not be well received. These "Greeks" were not disciples of John the Baptizer. Since the raising of Lazarus was a stupendous miracle, it was reported well beyond the borders of Israel, so it should not surprise us that Hellenistic Jews (called "Greeks") came to see and speak with Jesus. We know that these "Greeks" were actually either Jews or proselytes, since we are told "that came up to worship at the feast" (v.20).

 

[Depleted]

The Greeks you are symbolic of the gentile world. Were not the the three kings that came from Babylon not gentiles? Would gentiles also not want the blessings of God? I hope that answers you question.

I think symbolizing real people is a bit hard to swallow for me. And since Greece is west of Israel, I'm a bit confused on what the wise men had to do with them. (Nor do I know where they came from other than "The East.")

So, no. Sorry really didn't answer my question. But I see this has taken off into a few people just wanting to argue because they can, so I'm thinking I might have to do my own homework.

 

[graceNpeace]

I think symbolizing real people is a bit hard to swallow for me. And since Greece is west of Israel, I'm a bit confused on what the wise men had to do with them. (Nor do I know where they came from other than "The East.")

So, no. Sorry really didn't answer my question. But I see this has taken off into a few people just wanting to argue because they can, so I'm thinking I might have to do my own homework.

Obviously you have never heard of Alexander or the empire he carved out of the Middle East as far as present-day India.
Alexander was Greek....

The reason why the NT is written in a Greek dialect was because it was such widely spoken language all across the Mediterranean, and beyond.
The language was there because because the Greeks had been there.
The Roman Empire to a large degree just followed Alexander (it was only later conquests into the northern areas of Europe that broke this pattern.

So, in fact, it was common for Jews to refer to Gentiles as Greeks - as a catch-all term - because they all spoke Greek (not necessarily as their home language) and had absorbed Greek customs, and this pattern is also reflected from time-to-time in the Scriptural record of the New Testament.

 

[MarcR]

Obviously you have never heard of Alexander or the empire he carved out of the Middle East as far as present-day India.
Alexander was Greek....

The reason why the NT is written in a Greek dialect was because it was such widely spoken language all across the Mediterranean, and beyond.
The language was there because because the Greeks had been there.
The Roman Empire to a large degree just followed Alexander (it was only later conquests into the northern areas of Europe that broke this pattern.

So, in fact, it was common for Jews to refer to Gentiles as Greeks - as a catch-all term - because they all spoke Greek (not necessarily as their home language) and had absorbed Greek customs, and this pattern is also reflected from time-to-time in the Scriptural record of the New Testament.

I agree. Just as English has become the World's language of commerce in our time; In the first century, Greek was the language of commerce from Spain to India.

 

[J7]

Read Maccabees if you want to understand how the Greek Empire collided with Israel.
(The Greek Empire was the bronze midriff in Nebuchadnezzar's statue)

There is no mystery. The Greeks were prozelytes (Hellenistic Jews: Greeks converted to Judaism) coming to Passover.

Now you are getting tooled up to understand Romans 1 better....

 

[J7]

Sorry Hellenistic Jews were Jews who embraced Greek culture.

 

[valiant]

You're going to have to read all of John 12 for direct info on this one, but to set up the scene, Jesus was at Lazarus, Mary, and Martha's house after Lazarus was raised from the dead. And, because Lazarus was raised, it was quite the scene with lots of people coming to see him and to see Dead Man Walking. Very crowded.

Crowded enough that some Greeks found Phillip to ask him if he could arrange it to see Jesus. And Phillip talked to Andrew about it, and then the both of them went to see Jesus and ask him.

In response, Jesus talked about "The hour has come," seeds falling to the ground to die, and then ... well. Read the chapter if you don't remember it. And do read it, because it's very cool that his Father answered audibly.

And then Jesus climbed a donkey colt to go into Jerusalem.

The Gospel of John was written years later, it's really not that long an account of Jesus, and clearly John was writing down all the things he thought were most important. Bigger still, what he wrote was inspired by God himself, so it's God's words.

To me, that says there was something important about those Greeks asking to see Jesus in the middle of that huge crowd. Soooo, what became of the Greeks? We really don't know, so the next question -- why is that in there? What purpose did it serve? Anyone ever contemplate that one enough to get an answer?

The Greeks were probably God-fearers, men who had an interest in Judaism but had not been circumcised. The thought that they were seeking Him brought home to Jesus that the time had arrived for Him to die, that He might bear the sins of the world (vv 23-27), that He might be the light to lighten the Gentiles. And the voice of God confirmed it.

 

[Zmouth]

The Greeks were the first to cultivate the wild olive tree and was used later by the Jewish people had them as well, reason why the Greeks was mentioned with the many heading to up to the city for the festival, the Greeks started placing the olive branches on the road as Jesus went up to the city riding on a donkey with her colt, and others started taking branches from olive trees and doing the same.

Every hear of the Hinnie Principle? [See Ex: 33:23]

14 And Jesus, when he had found a young ass, sat thereon; as it is written,
15 Fear not, daughter of Sion: behold, thy King cometh, sitting on an ass's colt.
16 These things understood not his disciples at the first: but when Jesus was glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of him, and that they had done these things unto him.
John 12

An ass's colt is a Hinny.

A Hinny is the offspring of a female donkey and a male horse. Hinnies are difficult to obtain because of the differences in the number of chromosomes of the horse and the donkey.

A donkey has 62 chromosomes.
A horse has 64 chromosomes.

A hinny being a hybrid of the species have 63 chromosomes and are sterile.

 

[IamWhoIam]

Every hear of the Hinnie Principle? [See Ex: 33:23]

14 And Jesus, when he had found a young ass, sat thereon; as it is written,
15 Fear not, daughter of Sion: behold, thy King cometh, sitting on an ass's colt.
16 These things understood not his disciples at the first: but when Jesus was glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of him, and that they had done these things unto him.
John 12

An ass's colt is a Hinny.

A Hinny is the offspring of a female donkey and a male horse. Hinnies are difficult to obtain because of the differences in the number of chromosomes of the horse and the donkey.

A donkey has 62 chromosomes.
A horse has 64 chromosomes.

A hinny being a hybrid of the species have 63 chromosomes and are sterile.

Thanks bro, that is interesting, since scripture mentions a colt, either the word was not translated proper,

or actually like you mentioned the young animal was a hybrid of a donkey and a horse, because a young donkey that is bred between two donkey's is called a foal,

 

[IamWhoIam]

That's right. It should not be well received. These "Greeks" were not disciples of John the Baptizer. Since the raising of Lazarus was a stupendous miracle, it was reported well beyond the borders of Israel, so it should not surprise us that Hellenistic Jews (called "Greeks") came to see and speak with Jesus. We know that these "Greeks" were actually either Jews or proselytes, since we are told "that came up to worship at the feast" (v.20).

Not sure were you came up with (John the Baptist) what does that got to do with anything? I used verse 21-22 not 20
who said they were disciples of John the Baptist?

 

[notuptome]

This passage in John 12 speaks about certain Gentiles desiring an audience with Jesus. They were religious men having come to worship at the feast. Jesus did not see them because He was come to Israel not to the Gentiles. After His crucifixion and resurrection salvation was opened to the whole world.

Joh 1:11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not

For the cause of Christ
Roger