John 12:20-26 ESV

20 Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks. 21 So these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” 22 Philip went and told Andrew; Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. 23 And Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25 Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.

SIR, WE WISH TO SEE JESUS

The Passover is one of the festivals for which Jewish men are required to make a pilgrimage to the city of jerusalem (Deut 16:16). Hence, the city was being teeming with visitors. As Jesus entered the city on a donkey, people lined beside the streets rejoicing while weaving palm leaves. (John 12:12–19). Not all of those visiting are ethnic Jews, however.

Some of those who have come to celebrate the Passover were Gentiles, who like the Jews honor the God of Israel. They wanted to see Jesus, too. They approached Philip, specifically. It is possible that Philip was acting as the first layer of security for Jesus, vetting those who wanted to get close to Him (John 12:22). Or, perhaps it’s because Philip, who having a Greek name, who they knew before in Bethsaida.

His critics claim that "the world has gone after Him" was proven right. This was an evidence that "the whole world" is going to be called to know Jesus, not merely from among the Jewish people only (John 10:16). Jesus, who has been evading the crowd has now expressed, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.” Jesus used a metaphor of a seed, growing and spreading (John 12:24). The seed, in a sense, "dies," but in reality, it is transformed into the more mature and productive life as it means to be.

Paul expanded on this metaphor of planted seeds in 1 Cor 15:36–42. A life, like the seed which is planted seems to "die,” so that everything seems lost, as far as it appears. In reality, the seed must be planted in order to become what it was always meant to be. Just as the seed must "lose its life" to fulfill its ultimate purpose, so too does each person need to "lose" their worldly life in order to gain eternity (John 12:25). Definitely, this doesn’t mean physical death or martyrdom, but one’s willingness to sacrifice everything in order to follow Christ (see Mark 8:35–36). Do we want to see Jesus. then, we must be willing to sacrifice for Him. Are we?

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John 12:12-19 ESV

12 The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. 13 So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!” 14 And Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, just as it is written,

15 “Fear not, daughter of Zion;

behold, your king is coming,

sitting on a donkey's colt!”

16 His disciples did not understand these things at first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about him and had been done to him. 17 The crowd that had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to bear witness. 18 The reason why the crowd went to meet him was that they heard he had done this sign. 19 So the Pharisees said to one another, “You see that you are gaining nothing. Look, the world has gone after him.”

HOSANNA!

While waving palm leaves, the people are cheering and celebrating Jesus as their Promised One when He entered Jerusalem (v. 12–13). Notedly, palm branches are symbols of victory. They were shouting, “Hosanna”, which is a kingly shout derived from the Psalms, and they are eagerly anticipating a Savior. These are fulfillments of O.T. prophecy. In Daniel 9:25, it even suggests a specific date, indicating a certain time from a kingly decree to the arrival of Messiah. Examining those details points to the date of March 30, AD 33, which is the Monday prior to Passover (John 12:1, 12).

Moreover, in Zech 9:9, it speaks of the king of Israel riding on a donkey's colt which was cited by John in v.15. Conquering heroes of the ancient world would have ridden in on horses—animals used in that region for war. Jesus, the king of kings however, entered in on an animal which is used only for peaceful purposes. His exaltation is yet in the future. It’s not an exaggeration that all these are fulfilled.

Certainly, Jesus’ popularity was highlighted by the raising of Lazarus from the dead miracle. However, He had earned the reception of the people gradually but steadily to fit the prophecy written in the scriptures. However, most people still expected the Messiah to be a political or military leader. This was the very reason, the religious leaders overreacted as they suspected that Jesus would rebel against Rome.

At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that these things had been done to him. Hindsight is always the best sight. In the next days leading up to Jesus' crucifixion, the disciples are in that same situation. Despite all Jesus has said and done to teach them (Mark 8:31; Luke 17:25), it won't be until after His resurrection that the disciples finally have the benefit of hindsight. Definitely, this ws the Holy Spirit’s teaching presence unto them. (John 16:12–13).

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John 12:9-11 ESV

9 When the large crowd of the Jews learned that Jesus was there, they came, not only on account of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. 10 So the chief priests made plans to put Lazarus to death as well, 11 because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and believing in Jesus.

9 Nang malaman ng maraming mga Judio na siya'y naroroon, sila'y pumunta hindi dahil kay Jesus lamang, kundi upang makita nila si Lazaro, na muling binuhay mula sa mga patay. 10 Kaya't pinanukala ng mga punong pari na kanilang patayin din si Lazaro, 11 sapagkat dahil sa kanya'y marami sa mga Judio ang umaalis at naniniwala kay Jesus.

AN EXTRAORDINARY TESTIMONY

People during those times would have either seen or heard or both to what Jesus has done and taught. Among those amazing miracles was the raising of Lazarus, whom Jesus brought back to life after four days in a tomb (see John 11:38–44). The people came not only to see Jesus but him.

Like Jesus, Lazarus also became a household name. An ordinary person becoming extraordinary because of what Jesus did to him. When sinners who are dead begin to show life, their friends and acquaintances will find them puzzling, even attractive. [see 2 Cor 5;17] Lazarus became a showcase of God’s divine power and glory.

Through Lazarus, Jesus became irresistible. His popularity became viral. But for the “Jews”, there was no such thing as "enough evidence," because their minds are already made up. At whatever means, they have to annihilate Jesus, including Lazarus. Lazarus, for nothing wrong he did, became an object to their hatred.

Later Jesus said about those who would follow Him, “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me”[John 15:18-21]

After here, scripture does not tell us about Lazarus and whether the plot to kill him succeeded. This just shows that those are touched with miracles, such as Lazarus, are not to be credited with special significance later on, or enshrined with echoes of divine power. They're still ordinary people, with extraordinary stories.

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John 12:1-8 ESV

Six days before the Passover, Jesus therefore came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 So they gave a dinner for him there. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at table. 3 Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. 4 But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said, 5 “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” 6 He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it. 7 Jesus said, “Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of my burial. 8 For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me.”

IT IS NOT A WASTE

Here, Jesus is being treated to a dinner in the home of a man named Simon (Mark 14:3–11), in the town of Bethany (John 12:1). This is to celebrate Jesus' raising of Lazarus, the brother of Mary and Martha (John 11:38–43). Each of these siblings, in a way, does represent a mode of service Christians can emulate in their lives, does it not? Martha provided a tangible service. Lazarus was a living demonstration of Christ's influence. Whereas, Mary did sacrifice and worship. She anointed Jesus’ feet with a spikenard oil.

A spikenard, is an oil made from plants grown in northern India. lf a modern-day liter. A bit less than a liter, this was valued at some 300 denarii, nearly an entire year's wages for a common laborer. And as a woman of the ancient Middle East, Mary may not owned a property or land. Thus, without question, it was a substantial part of her life savings. Moreover, the container, made of the marble-like stone called alabaster (Mark 14:3), showed how valuable this ointment was.

And this was used all at once, to anoint one man! Should we not give our all and best to Jesus too? [see Ecc 9:10] To some people in the room, Judas' complaint that it was a waste makes sense, and Mark expressed how others echoed it (see Mark 14:3–11). In no way it was a waste. In fact, anything we do for Jesus with the right motive glorifies God.

But, Judas' assessmentwas a well-dressed lie. His real anger is in seeing money "wasted" on Jesus instead of going into the disciple's communal money-bag, where he can steal some of it (John 12:6). It was a manipulative lie for Judas had no interest in the poor, but he knows how to disguise his real intentions. How many times people today are deceived by charlatans who use Christian jargons to make themselves appear truthful?

Jesus, for His part, will defend Mary’s actions in light of His impending death (John 12:7–8). Whether Mary fully understands what is about to happen, what she has done carries a prophetic element. This Mary is described elsewhere as an avid student of Jesus (Luke 10:38–42). This privilege to honor Christ, as Mary did, was once in a lifetime. Her act resulted in an example that's been preserved in the very Word of God, to be cherished for all time (Mark 14:6–11).

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John 11:54-57 ESV

54 Jesus therefore no longer walked openly among the Jews, but went from there to the region near the wilderness, to a town called Ephraim, and there he stayed with the disciples. 55 Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and many went up from the country to Jerusalem before the Passover to purify themselves. 56 They were looking for Jesus and saying to one another as they stood in the temple, “What do you think? That he will not come to the feast at all?” 57 Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where he was, he should let them know, so that they might arrest him.

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54 Mula noon, si Jesus ay hindi na naglalakad nang hayagan sa gitna ng mga Judio, kundi pumunta siya sa lupaing malapit sa ilang, sa isang bayan na tinatawag na Efraim. Siya'y nanirahan doon kasama ng mga alagad. 55 Ang Paskuwa nga ng mga Judio ay malapit na, at maraming umahon tungo sa Jerusalem mula sa lupaing iyon bago magpaskuwa, upang linisin ang kanilang mga sarili. 56 Hinahanap nila si Jesus, at sinasabi sa isa't isa habang nakatayo sila sa templo, “Ano sa palagay ninyo? Hindi kaya siya pupunta sa pista?” 57 Ang mga punong pari at ang mga Fariseo ay nag-utos na sinumang nakakaalam ng kinaroroonan ni Jesus ay dapat ipagbigay-alam sa kanila upang siya'y kanilang madakip.

A WILDERNESS ESCAPE

The council, comprising primarily of religious leaders, was determined to arrest and kill Jesus. Thus, Jesus fled to the countryside. Was Jesus afraid to die? Definitely not. He isn’t governed by fear of man but fear of His Father. He came and is passionately devoted to do His Father’s will. His escape was not a sign of timidity but of wisdom and prudence.

Simply put, it was not yet time. Notedly, while He was evading the public, He spent time with His disciples. He did not vanish into the wilderness to be idle, did He? A time from hostile crowds became a fruitful ministry with His faithful few. It was a change of focus.

The feast was fast approaching and many people were looking for Him, mostly for the wrong reasons. Apart from a few who believed Him, the rest either sought Him for benefits from His miracles or to arrest Him. Jesus, in no doubt, was popular. However, he wasn’t carried away by the lure of popularity. His heart was locked in fulfilling the will of his Father. He said, “For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will.

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John 11:45-53 ESV

45 Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him, 46 but some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 47 So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council and said, “What are we to do? For this man performs many signs. 48 If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.” 49 But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all. 50 Nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish.” 51 He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, 52 and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. 53 So from that day on they made plans to put him to death.

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ONE MAN SHOULD DIE FOR THE PEOPLE

Having seen Lazarus coming out from the grave, many of them believed. But, obvious miracles aren't enough for the stubborn in heart, are they? (Luke 16:31) Some who did not believe told the religious leaders, who immediately convened the council. They said, “What are we to do? For this man performs many signs. If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.”

This extreme evidence of Jesus’ claim was counteracted with extreme measures of violence. They thought Jesus was a political threat. That, He will have a great following to remove them from power. Caiaphas, the high priest, had left with no other option. Jesus has to die for the nation. Their insecurity and jealousy of power and influence made them murderers.

The plight of Jesus here isn’t incidental. Jesus would shine amidst evil men as the star glitters in the backdrop of deep darkness. “Surely the wrath of man shall praise you.” [Psa 76:10] What seemed as man’s wrath gone wild would contribute to the praise of God. Similarly, it was when Pharaoh had hardened His heart that Yahweh got the greatest glory, was it not?

They were all wrong. For far from what these furious religious leaders believed, Jesus’ kingdom is purely spiritual. His kingdom is not of this world. His crucifixion is the payment for the sins of the whole world so that sinners who are in the kingdom of darkness will be translated to the kingdom of light. As Peter had said, “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit.” [1 Pet 3:18]

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John 11:38-44 ESV

38 Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. 39 Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.” 40 Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” 41 So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.” 43 When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.” 44 The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”

38 Si Jesus na lubhang nabagabag na muli ay pumunta sa libingan. Iyon ay isang yungib at mayroong isang batong nakatakip doon. 39 Sinabi ni Jesus, “Alisin ninyo ang bato.” Si Marta, na kapatid ng namatay, ay nagsabi sa kanya, “Panginoon, nangangamoy na siya ngayon, sapagkat apat na araw na siyang patay.” 40 Sinabi sa kanya ni Jesus, “Hindi ba sinabi ko sa iyo, na kung ikaw ay sasampalataya, ay makikita mo ang kaluwalhatian ng Diyos?” 41 Kaya't inalis nila ang bato. Tumingin si Jesus sa itaas at sinabi, “Ama, nagpapasalamat ako sa iyo na ako'y iyong pinakinggan. 42 At alam kong ako'y lagi mong pinapakinggan. Ngunit ito'y sinabi ko alang-alang sa maraming taong nasa palibot, upang sila'y sumampalataya na ako ay sinugo mo.” 43 At nang masabi niya ang mga ito ay sumigaw siya ng malakas na tinig, “Lazaro, lumabas ka!” 44 Ang taong namatay ay lumabas, na ang mga kamay at mga paa ay natatalian ng mga telang panlibing, at ang kanyang mukha ay may balot na tela. Sinabi sa kanila ni Jesus, “Siya'y inyong kalagan, at hayaan ninyong makaalis.”

TAKE AWAY THE STONE.

Funerals in the ancient world were often performed very soon after death. Unlike today wherein embalming is common, it was quite difficult to keep a corpse from festering. Hence, by the time Jesus arrived in Bethany, Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days (v.17).

Matha’s concern was understandable when Jesus asked them to open the tomb. She said, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.” Lazarus wasn’t just dead but this time his body was already decomposing. Any attempt to raise him up from such condition appeared ridiculous, even impossible.

From the beginning in this incident, Jesus had expressed various details to happen until this point. Lazarus has died and was buried. The crowd came in to witness (v.19,31). In short, He set the stage for the display of God’s glory. Similarly, Elijah poured water to the sacrifice before he prayed for fire from heaven. This fits with the purpose of miracles, that is, "signs" meant to prove Jesus is truly divine. Thus, John said later, “Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” [John 20:30–31). Indeed, God and His ways are inscrutable. Isaiah says,

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”[Isa 55:8,9] Thus we must remove the ‘stone’ of doubts and unbelief in order to let God do His marvelous works. We may not understand but trust God that he knows what He is doing.

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John 11:28-36 ESV

28 When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary, saying in private, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” 29 And when she heard it, she rose quickly and went to him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha had met him. 31 When the Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary rise quickly and go out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there. 32 Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” 33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled. 34 And he said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” 35 Jesus wept. 36 So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” 37 But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man also have kept this man from dying?”  

JESUS WEPT

After their meeting with Jesus, Martha made a "private" comment to Mary that Jesus wanted to see her (v.28). In response, Mary is said to have made a sudden exit. Those in the house reacted to Mary's departure by following her, supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn.

As she approached Christ, she broke down, saying, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” Seeing her and the crowd weeping, Jesus was "deeply moved in His spirit." In this context, Jesus isn't angry at the people for being sad—He's angered that they have something to be sad about. His "spirit" is disturbed by what is happening. He knows that this is the result of sin; that death is a consequence.

He went to the tomb and asked where they laid him. This is reflective to the fact that Jesus came down for to give life to the dead. [see John 10:10] Then, He wept. In contrast to the ancient deities that were emotionless and stoic, Jesus did show human emotions. He wept. His experience as a fully-human man allows Him to sympathize with our struggles in a meaningful way (Heb 4:15–16). That compassion for mankind's suffering is a unique aspect of Judeo-Christianity.

The fact that Jesus wept does bring context to human pain and suffering, does it not? When bad things happen, we ask, "does God even care?" These two-word statement, "Jesus wept," proves that He really does. Jesus knew for certain that He was about to make right what was wrong. Yet, He still "felt" the pain with the people. Responding to set backs, we do ask, "If God really cared, why did He not stop this to happen?" The Scriptures is clear that even in our hardest moments have a purpose in God's sovereign timetable and plan (Rom 8:28). Moreover, God does truly and deeply understand the pain we feel while we wait for His plan to be completed (2 Cor 5:1–5; Isa 53:3)

17 Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. 18 Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off, 19 and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother. 20 So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house. 21 Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” 23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24 Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” 27 She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world. 

I AM THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE

Lazarus had been dead and buried for four days. Estimating a one-day walk to Bethany, Lazarus had died before the messenger even reached to where Jesus was in the first place. When Christ sent back His encouraging message (see v.4), He did so knowing His friend Lazarus was already dead. That means His message through the messengers came to Lazarus' sisters after they had already buried their brother.

The long delay was not an accident but an arrangement. It was to strengthen their faith[v.15] in the presence of a lot of people, participating in mourning may have been part of their religious obligations Perhaps, the crowd gathered here had more to do with the popularity of Jesus and their relationship with Him than anything else.

The sisters’ characters are also reflected in their reaction when Jesus arrives. Whether or not Mary knew, at this moment, we don’t know. Whie Martha rushed to meet Jesus, Mary sat and cried. Martha immediately confronted Jesus with her heartache for His absence.

And, Jesus both listened and assured her. As His message was, He said her brother will rise again. Martha believed but not something immediate. Her brother will rise again at the last day. She felt His coming was a bit late but was still hopeful that Jesus can do something. A demonstration that she's faithful, even amidst her doubt and pain.

Jesus assured her saying, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” Jesus’ fifth "I Am" statement puts a personal emphasis on human salvation. Uniquely, only the gospel answers the ultimate fulfillment of human desire is in a person. It's not knowledge, or accomplishment, or some state of being. It's the "light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ" (2 Cor 4:6). Jesus does not merely claim to speak about "the life," He identifies as "the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6). Just as a drowning person needs a rescuer,or an advice on swimming, condemned sinners need a Savior, not spiritual lecture.

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John 11:7-16 ESV

7 Then after this he said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.” 8 The disciples said to him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone you, and are you going there again?” 9 Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. 10 But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” 11 After saying these things, he said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.” 12 The disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.” 13 Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep. 14 Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus has died, 15 and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.” 16 So Thomas, called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”

WHEN GOD DOES NOT MAKE SENSE

After two full days, Jesus decided to return to Bethany in Judea. He was determined to return to Mary and Martha's home in keeping with His comforting response via the messenger sent by the sisters.

Certainly, this was shocking to the disciples. They were staying in Bethabara, a two days' journey from Bethany. In their minds, the time to attempt a rescue mission for Lazarus was long over. They would have assumed the issue was settled when Jesus’s sent the messengers back. Their return would only put Jesus at risk of arrest or stoning. Even Thomas, in his candidness, had expressed that their going back was as going to a suicide mission.

At this point in time, it doesn’t make sense from the disciples perspective. Nobody else know except Jesus Himself. His purpose, as seen later, is to ensure that Lazarus' miraculous resurrection is entirely credited to the glory of God (John 11:4, 41–44). It did not appear sensible enough that Naaman will wash at the murky river Jordan, for for Moses to lead the multitude of Jews towards a dead end, at the edge of the Red Sea and for Elijah to ask food from a destitute widow at Zarepath.

In the midst of these confusion, Jesus’ answered them, saying, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” In other words, their safety hinges on the idea of walking and obeying the will of God. Following God’s will can be dangerous from an earthly point of view.

In short, Jesus has reminded His disciples that following God is always the "safest" course of action, even when the world sees it as foolish or dangerous. That's not to say that obeying God's will always keep Christians from all possible harm. Quite the opposite; obedience to Christ can result in persecution and death (John 16:1–2). Rather, it means that God is in control, and our most beneficial choice is to follow His lead. He'll provide as much protection as His will requires. Since Jesus is "walking in the light"—according to the knowledge and will of God—His actions are only as dangerous as God intends them to be.

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