John 12:12-50 | What's a lesson for the original audience?
Jesus' teaching is an essential component of the lesson for the original audience. There is a statement that Jesus speaks and a contrast that John is sure to highlight. Among Jesus' teaching He says this,
"25 He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life."
-John 12:25
Jesus knew what was coming for Him. It was also no secret that He knew what was coming for them. There would be those who love their own lives and seek to preserve it. Those who would seek to preserve it would be those that are willing to set Christ aside that they would keep it. If Christ hindered their status, He would go. If Christ literally cost them their life, He would go. If following Christ meant distance from family or friends, they would go. They loved their lives.
Just a little after Jesus speaks this, we have an account of the many rulers that believed Him. But they were afraid of the Pharisees and failed to confess Jesus. John tells us why.
43 for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.
-John 12:43
They were not concerned with an eternal prize. They were not concerned with eternal consequences. They were concerned with their own lives, and it cost them dearly. The fact that John's writing records Jesus teaching about being the light in the darkness right after this is very intentional. Jesus had not come to judge. His word would bring the judgment. He is the light. If anyone abides in Him, they cannot abide in darkness. Jesus gives a clear goal: everlasting life. But this is for those who are willing to lose their lives for His sake.
What lesson are you seeing for the original audience?
"25 He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life."
-John 12:25
Jesus knew what was coming for Him. It was also no secret that He knew what was coming for them. There would be those who love their own lives and seek to preserve it. Those who would seek to preserve it would be those that are willing to set Christ aside that they would keep it. If Christ hindered their status, He would go. If Christ literally cost them their life, He would go. If following Christ meant distance from family or friends, they would go. They loved their lives.
Just a little after Jesus speaks this, we have an account of the many rulers that believed Him. But they were afraid of the Pharisees and failed to confess Jesus. John tells us why.
43 for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.
-John 12:43
They were not concerned with an eternal prize. They were not concerned with eternal consequences. They were concerned with their own lives, and it cost them dearly. The fact that John's writing records Jesus teaching about being the light in the darkness right after this is very intentional. Jesus had not come to judge. His word would bring the judgment. He is the light. If anyone abides in Him, they cannot abide in darkness. Jesus gives a clear goal: everlasting life. But this is for those who are willing to lose their lives for His sake.
What lesson are you seeing for the original audience?
Posted in John
Recent
Passage of the Week: Hebrews 7
June 14th, 2026
Hebrews 6:13-20 | Prayer Prompts
June 13th, 2026
Hebrews 6:13-20 | What am I going to do about it?
June 12th, 2026
Hebrews 6:13-20 | What's the lesson for me today?
June 11th, 2026
Hebrews 6:13-20 | What's a lesson for the original audience?
June 10th, 2026
Archive
2026
January
John 14:22-31 | What's the lesson for me today?John 14:22-31 | What am I going to do about it?John 14:22-31 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: John 15:1-11John 15:1-11 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 15:1-11 | What's the connection?John 15:1-11 | What's a lesson for the original audience?John 15:1-11 | What's the lesson for me today?John 15:1-11 | What am I going to do about it?John 15:1-11 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: John 15:12-27John 15:12-27 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 15:12-27 | What's the connection?John 15:12-27 | What's a lesson for the original audience?John 15:12-27 | What's the lesson for me today?John 15:12-27 | What am I going to do about it?John 15:12-27 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: John 16:1-15John 16:1-15 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 16:1-15 | What's the connection?John 16:1-15 | What’s a lesson for the original audience?John 16:1-15 | What's the lesson for me today?John 16:1-15 | What am I going to do about it?John 16:1-15 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: John 16:16-33John 16:16-33 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 16:16-33 | What's the connection?John 16:16-33 | What's a lesson for the original audience?John 16:16-33 | What's the lesson for me today?John 16:16-33 | What am I going to do about it?John 16:16-33 | Prayer Prompts
February
Passage of the Week: John 17John 17 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 17 | What's the connection?John 17 | What's a lesson for the original audience?John 17 | What's the lesson for me today?John 17 | What am I going to do about it?John 17 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: John 18:1-11John 18:1-11 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 18:1-11 | What's the connection?John 18:1-11 | What's a lesson for the original audience?John 18:1-11 | What's the lesson for me today?John 18:1-11 | What am I going to do about it?John 18:1-11 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: John 18:12-40John 18:12-40 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 18:12-40 | What's the connection?John 18:12-40 | What's a lesson for the original audience?John 18:12-40 | What's the lesson for me today?John 18:12-40 | What am I going to do about it?John 18:12-40 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: John 19John 19 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 19 | What's the connection?John 19 | What's a lesson for the original audience?John 19 | What's the lesson for me today?John 19 | What am I going to do about it?John 19 | Prayer Prompts
March
Passage of the Week: John 20John 20 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 20 | What's the connection?John 20 | What's a lesson for the original audience?John 20 | What's the lesson for me today?John 20 | What am I going to do about it?John 20 | Prayer PromptsJohn 21 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: John 21John 21 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 21 | What's the connection?John 21 | What's a lesson for the original audience?John 21 | What's the lesson for me today?John 21 | What am I going to do about it?Passage of the Week: Hebrews 1:1-4Hebrews 1:1-4 | What's happening (and who's involved)?Hebrews 1:1-4 | What's the connection?Hebrews 1:1-4 | What is a lesson for the original audience?Hebrews 1:1-4 | What's the lesson for me today?Hebrews 1:1-4 | What am I going to do about it?Hebrews 1:1-4 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: Hebrews 1:5-14Hebrews 1:5-14 | What's happening (and who's involved)?Hebrews 1:5-14 | What's the connection?Hebrews 1:5-14 | What's a lesson for the original audience?Hebrews 1:5-14 | What's the lesson for me today?Hebrews 1:5-14 | What am I going to do about it?Hebrews 1:5-14 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: Hebrews 2:1-4Hebrews 2:1-4 | What's happening (and who's involved)?Hebrews 2:1-4 | What's the connection?
April
Hebrews 2:1-4 | What's a lesson for the original audience?Hebrews 2:1-4 | What's the lesson for me today?Hebrews 2:1-4 | What am I going to do about it?Hebrews 2:1-4 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: Hebrews 2:5-9Hebrews 2:5-9 | What's happening (and who's involved)?Hebrews 2:5-9 | What's the connection?Hebrews 2:5-9 | What's a lesson for the original audience?Hebrews 2:5-9 | What's the lesson for me today?Hebrews 2:5-9 | What am I going to do about it?
No Comments