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John 12:23

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And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified.

And {G1161} Jesus {G2424} answered {G611} them {G846}, saying {G3004}, The hour {G5610} is come {G2064}, that {G2443} the Son {G5207} of man {G444} should be glorified {G1392}.

Yeshua gave them this answer: “The time has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.

But Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.

And Jesus answereth them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified.

Commentary

Commentary on John 12:23 (KJV)

In John 12:23, Jesus makes a profound declaration concerning the culmination of His earthly ministry and the nature of His impending glorification. This verse serves as a pivotal moment, shifting the narrative towards the passion week and the ultimate purpose of His coming.

Context

This statement by Jesus comes immediately after a significant event: certain Greeks, who had come to Jerusalem for the Passover feast, expressed a desire to see Jesus (John 12:20-22). Their request, conveyed through Philip and Andrew, seems to have served as a catalyst for Jesus' declaration. Up until this point in John's Gospel, Jesus had often stated that "His hour" had not yet come. The arrival of Gentiles seeking Him signals that the scope of His mission was broadening beyond Israel, indicating that the time for His ultimate sacrifice and universal impact was at hand. This follows His triumphal entry into Jerusalem, where He was hailed as King, setting the stage for the dramatic events to unfold.

Key Themes

  • The Arrival of "The Hour": Jesus' words, "The hour is come," signify the long-awaited moment of His crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension. Throughout John's Gospel, Jesus frequently referred to His hour as not yet arrived (e.g., John 2:4, John 7:30, John 8:20). Here, the definitive "is come" marks the beginning of the final, crucial phase of His redemptive work, leading to His ultimate sacrifice for humanity.
  • Glorification Through Sacrifice: The phrase "that the Son of man should be glorified" might sound paradoxical given the immediate path of suffering. However, in John's Gospel, Jesus' glorification is intrinsically linked to His crucifixion and resurrection. His death on the cross, His resurrection from the dead, and His ascension to the Father are not merely acts of suffering but the ultimate revelation of God's love, power, and glory. It is through this act of self-giving that His divine nature is most fully displayed and His mission accomplished. This concept is further elaborated in the very next verse, where Jesus speaks of a corn of wheat falling into the ground and dying to bear much fruit.
  • The Son of Man: Jesus' consistent self-designation as "the Son of Man" (ho huios tou anthrōpou in Greek) emphasizes both His true humanity and His divine authority, drawing from the prophetic vision in Daniel 7:13-14. In this context, it highlights His role as the divinely appointed Messiah who must undergo suffering to achieve universal salvation and ultimate glory.

Linguistic Insights

The Greek word for "hour" is hōra (ὥρα), which in John's Gospel often carries a theological weight, referring to the divinely appointed time for Jesus' passion and triumph. The term "glorified" comes from doxazō (δοξάζω), meaning to honor, magnify, or cause to have glory. Here, it signifies the revelation of Jesus' inherent divine glory through His sacrificial death and subsequent resurrection, not merely earthly praise but the manifestation of His true nature and purpose.

Practical Application

John 12:23 offers profound lessons for believers today. It teaches us that true glory in God's kingdom often comes through humility, sacrifice, and obedience, rather than worldly power or acclaim. Just as Jesus' glorification was achieved through His suffering, so too are believers called to a life of self-denial and service, understanding that following Christ involves taking up our cross daily. This verse also reminds us of the universal scope of the Gospel, signified by the Greeks seeking Jesus, affirming that Christ's salvation is for all people, everywhere.

Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash (May 20, 2025) using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • John 13:31 (6 votes)

    ¶ Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him.

  • John 13:32 (6 votes)

    If God be glorified in him, God shall also glorify him in himself, and shall straightway glorify him.

  • John 17:1 (5 votes)

    ¶ These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:

  • John 17:5 (5 votes)

    And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.

  • Isaiah 60:9 (4 votes)

    ¶ Surely the isles shall wait for me, and the ships of Tarshish first, to bring thy sons from far, their silver and their gold with them, unto the name of the LORD thy God, and to the Holy One of Israel, because he hath glorified thee.

  • Isaiah 55:5 (3 votes)

    Behold, thou shalt call a nation [that] thou knowest not, and nations [that] knew not thee shall run unto thee because of the LORD thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he hath glorified thee.

  • Mark 14:41 (3 votes)

    And he cometh the third time, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take [your] rest: it is enough, the hour is come; behold, the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.