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John 12:26

Adam Clarke
Bible Commentary

If any man serve me - Christ is a master in a twofold sense:

  1. To instruct men.
  • To employ and appoint them their work. He who wishes to serve Christ must become:
  • His disciple or scholar, that he may be taught:
  • His servant, that he may be employed by and obey his master. To such a person a twofold promise is given:
  • He shall be with Christ, in eternal fellowship with him; and
  • He shall be honored by the Lord: he shall have an abundant recompense in glory; but how great, eye hath not seen, ear heard, nor hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive.
  • How similar to this is the saying of Creeshna (an incarnation of the supreme God, according to the Hindoo theology) to his disciple Arjoon! "If one whose ways were ever so evil serve me alone, he soon becometh of a virtuous spirit, is as respectable as the just man, and obtaineth eternal happiness. Consider this world as a finite and joyless place, and serve me. Be of my mind, my servant, my adorer, and bow down before me. Unite thy soul unto me, make me thy asylum, and thou shalt go unto me." And again: "I am extremely dear to the wise man, and he is dear to me-I esteem the wise man even as myself, because his devout spirit dependeth upon me alone as his ultimate resource." Bhagvat Geeta, pp. 71 and 82.

    The rabbins have an extravagant saying, viz. "God is more concerned for the honor of the just man than for his own."

    Albert Barnes
    Notes on the Whole Bible

    Serve me - Will be my disciple, or will be a Christian. Perhaps this was said to inform the Greeks John 12:20 of the nature of his religion.

    Let him follow me - Let him imitate me; do what I do, bear what I bear, and love what I love. He is discoursing here particularly of his own sufferings and death, and this passage has reference, therefore, to calamity and persecution. “You see me triumph - you see (me enter Jerusalem, and you supposed that my kingdom was to be set up without opposition or calamity; but it is not. I am to die; and if you will serve me, you must follow me even in these scenes of calamity; be willing to endure trial and to bear shame, looking for future reward.”

    Where I am - See John 14:3; John 17:24. That is, he shall be in heaven, where the Son of God then was in his divine nature, and where he would be as the glorified Messiah. See the notes at John 3:13. The natural and obvious meaning of the expression “I am” implies that he was then in heaven. The design of this verse is to comfort them in the midst of persecution and trial. They were to follow him to any calamity; but, as he was to be glorified as the result of his sufferings, so they also were to look for their reward in the kingdom of heaven, Revelation 3:21; “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne.”

    Matthew Henry
    Concise Bible Commentary
    In attendance upon holy ordinances, particularly the gospel passover, the great desire of our souls should be to see Jesus; to see him as ours, to keep up communion with him, and derive grace from him. The calling of the Gentiles magnified the Redeemer. A corn of wheat yields no increase unless it is cast into the ground. Thus Christ might have possessed his heavenly glory alone, without becoming man. Or, after he had taken man's nature, he might have entered heaven alone, by his own perfect righteousness, without suffering or death; but then no sinner of the human race could have been saved. The salvation of souls hitherto, and henceforward to the end of time, is owing to the dying of this Corn of wheat. Let us search whether Christ be in us the hope of glory; let us beg him to make us indifferent to the trifling concerns of this life, that we may serve the Lord Jesus with a willing mind, and follow his holy example.
    Ellen G. White
    The Desire of Ages, 621-6

    This chapter is based on John 12:20-42.

    “And there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast: the same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus. Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: and again Andrew and Philip tell Jesus.” DA 621.1

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    Ellen G. White
    The Upward Look, 200.2

    Christ has laid down the conditions of acceptable service. “He that loveth his life shall lose it,” He says; “and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. 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” (John 12:25, 26). UL 200.2

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    Ellen G. White
    Evangelism, 686

    Young Men Called to the Harvest Field—The Lord calls upon young men to enter the harvest field and work diligently as harvest hands. He calls upon them to work for Him, not to labor with the churches already established, but to connect with experienced laborers in work in the great harvest field. Let young men of ability go forth and trade on their talents. As they go, let them trust to the guidance of the Lord.... Ev 686.1

    This is the work young men should be encouraged to do, not to speak to an audience which does not need their immature labors, which is well aware of this fact, and feels no drawing of the Spirit. The Lord has not given to young men the work among the churches. Their first duty is to learn lessons in various lines from the great Teacher.... Ev 686.2

    What did Christ say to His disciples? “If any man serve Me, let him follow Me.” This is the rule given in the Word of God. By studying the life of Christ, let the workers find out how He lived and worked. Let them strive each day to live the life of Christ, seeking to know the way of the Lord.—Manuscript 75, 1900. Ev 686.3

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    Ellen G. White
    The Ministry of Healing, 226

    God is just as willing to restore the sick to health now as when the Holy Spirit spoke these words through the psalmist. And Christ is the same compassionate physician now that He was during His earthly ministry. In Him there is healing balm for every disease, restoring power for every infirmity. His disciples in this time are to pray for the sick as verily as the disciples of old prayed. And recoveries will follow; for “the prayer of faith shall save the sick.” We have the Holy Spirit's power, the calm assurance of faith, that can claim God's promises. The Lord's promise, “They shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover” (Mark 16:18), is just as trustworthy now as in the days of the apostles. It presents the privilege of God's children, and our faith should lay hold of all that it embraces. Christ's servants are the channel of His working, and through them He desires to exercise His healing power. It is our work to present the sick and suffering to God in the arms of our faith. We should teach them to believe in the Great Healer. MH 226.1

    The Saviour would have us encourage the sick, the hopeless, the afflicted, to take hold upon His strength. Through faith and prayer the sickroom may be transformed into a Bethel. In word and deed, physicians and nurses may say, so plainly that it cannot be misunderstood, “God is in this place” to save, and not to destroy. Christ desires to manifest His presence in the sickroom, filling the hearts of physicians and nurses with the sweetness of His love. If the life of the attendants upon the sick is such that Christ can go with them to the bedside of the patient, there will come to him the conviction that the compassionate Saviour is present, and this conviction will itself do much for the healing of both the soul and the body. MH 226.2

    And God hears prayer. Christ has said, “If ye shall ask anything in My name, I will do it.” Again He says, “If any man serve Me, him will My Father honor.” John 14:14; 12:26. If we live according to His word, every precious promise He has given will be fulfilled to us. We are undeserving of His mercy, but as we give ourselves to Him, He receives us. He will work for and through those who follow Him. MH 226.3

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