John 12:26-30
 
John 12:26 (KJB)
If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.
 
This verse builds on the principle in verse 25. Those who “serve and follow Jesus” are those who hate their life in this world because of the sin. Our service to Jesus goes against the grain of this world. Serving and following Jesus according to the Scriptures, gives evidence that one is truly saved. The word “follow” carries with it the meaning of “cleave steadfastly to” and is not just a word of a casual following but one that follows as a true disciple, going through the same thing the leader goes through. This world will hate and persecute true Christians as it has done right down through today. This verse gives a comfort to those Christians who suffer for Christ. Jesus said where I am, the servant will be also. This means that the true believers will be in Heaven with Christ forever because that is where He is. Then added to the fact that the true Christian will be in Heaven, God will honor those Christians. It is great enough that Christians are going to be in Heaven but God the Father bestowing honor is really above and beyond what we can think.
 
John 12:27 (KJB)
Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.
 
Troubled - Disturbed with various emotions or in turmoil
 
Here we see the humanity and the obedience of the suffering Servant. Jesus knew what was lying ahead in the next couple of hours and His soul was very much troubled. This troubling, however, did not keep Him from remaining obedient to His Father’s will. (Isa 53:10 KJV) Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. Jesus knew that for this hour He specifically came to this world to pay for the sins of His people, the Elect. Jesus’ soul may have been troubled because it would be the first time in eternity that He would be separated from His Father and this caused Him great trouble. (Mark 15:34 KJV) And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Having taken upon Himself all the sins of the Elect, God the Father, could not look upon Him at that time because He became sin for us and God cannot look upon sin. (2 Cor 5:21 KJV) For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. Once the sin debt was paid, eternal fellowship was once again restored and the believer now has fellowship with the Father. (Rom 5:1 KJV) Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: Peace means the war is over and we are now the children of God.
 
John 12:28 (KJB)
Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.
 
Here is another problem verse for the Modalists, that is, those who deny the Trinity. Jesus prays and asks His Father to glorify His name, that is, the Father’s name. Jesus sought the glory of the Father during His ministry and it was this the Jews could not understand. God had glorified His name by making it well-known plus the justice and mercy of God would be included in that knowledge. His name was also glorified in the miracles that Jesus did such as the raising of Lazarus and the feeding of the five thousand, and the other two resurrections He performed. Jesus always included the Father’s glory in these miracles and that is why the verse stated His name was glorified and it will be glorified again at the resurrection of Jesus and His ascension. Throughout His ministry, Jesus always glorified the Father.
 
John 12:29 (KJB)
The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spake to him.
 
Those who were with Jesus had heard the voice of God thunder. This same scenario happened to Moses and the people in Exodus 20. God was so awesome that the whole mountain quaked and caused fear among the people. Some thought an angel had spoken to Jesus because God had used angels to speak for Him. (Heb 2:2 KJV) For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward; Whatever they thought it was, it was definitely God the Father responding to His Son’s prayer of glorifying the name of the Father. There was always discussion at every divine event because the Jews were very scripturally illiterate. If they were not, they could have equated this situation with the Sinai experience of Exodus 20.
 
John 12:30 (KJB)
Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes.
 
Here was the voice of God the Father confirming His Son’s ministry for the sake of those around Him. Jesus would not have needed a thundering response but for the sake of all the disciples and upcoming events, they would know that Jesus received approbation from the Father because they physically heard it. This would be needed for the upcoming events in the next few days. Jesus wanted the disciples to know during this time God the Father will be totally involved with the ministry of Jesus just as He was during the entirety of it up to this point. Jesus wanted them to know that they would never be forsaken by the Father, even with what is going to shortly happen. Jesus is confirming that He is always in harmony with His Father.

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