Read John 12:28-50
1) Three times in the Gospels, the Father speaks audibly from heaven. For each passage of scripture below, a) What was the occasion? b) Who appears to have heard the voice?
a) Mark 1:9-11
b) Luke 9:28-36
c) John 12:28-29
2) Looking more closely at the occasion in John, everyone seems to have heard the same sounds, but not everyone heard them the same way. What explanations were offered? How are these explanations like or unlike the kinds of explanations that people offer today when something “miraculous” happens?
3) According to Jesus (John 12:30) the voice came, not for Jesus’ own benefit, but for the benefit of those who heard it. If they needed to hear it, why were they not able to understand it? (See Matthew 17:5, Hebrews 1:1-3)
4) Consider the spiritual condition of the Jews in Jerusalem during these months. They have seen Jesus give sight to a blind man (John 9). They have seen him raise a man to life who has been buried for four days and who is now walking around as living evidence of the fact (John 11). They were part of the crowd welcoming Jesus and praising him as the Messiah of Israel. Now when Jesus speaks of his death, they hear a voice from heaven. Is there anything else God could have done to convince them that Jesus was indeed the promised Messiah?
5) From Jesus’ statements in verses 31-32, what did God want to communicate to the crowd that day?
6) Who is the prince of this world? What do we know about him from the following verses?
a) Genesis 3:1-15
b) Job 1:6-2:8
c) Isaiah 14:12-19
d) Ezekiel 28:11-19
e) John 8:44
7) How do the following verses suggest that believers are to deal with him?
a) Ephesians 6:10-18
b) James 4:6-7
c) 1 Peter 5:8-9
d) Zechariah 3:2 and Jude 9
8 ) Verse 32 is not the first time that Jesus has spoken of being lifted up (see John 3:14-15). What did the crowd understand Jesus to be saying, according to verse 34? How did their misconceptions of Messiah affect how they received Jesus’ message that day?
9) In John 12:37-41, how does John explain the fact that the Jews did not believe in Jesus?
10) Why is unbelief such a dangerous thing? (see Romans 1:28)
11) Why did many Jewish leaders not confess Jesus though they believed in him? What is the essential difference between their belief and that described in Romans10:8-13? (See also 2 Corinthians 4:13-14, may also read Psalm 116 from which Paul quotes)
12) Once again, in verses 44-45 Jesus specifically identifies himself with the Father. What would you say to someone who says that they believe in God but not in Jesus?
13) According to John 12:47-48, by what will people be judged in the last day?
14) What is the basis for this judgment? (John 12:49-50)
15) Re-read the passages in John that speak of light and darkness (John 1:6-13, 3:17-21, 8:12, 9:4-5, 11:9-10, 12:35-36, 12:46-50). What weighs on your heart as you read these words?
