Smoodock's Blog

In John 12:27 Jesus admits to being troubled within himself, over what was happening and what would happen to him. The question is, what does Jesus say about this feeling he has? Scholars are really divided over how this verse should be translated. The KJV has it: “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” (John 12:27). The first phrase shows Jesus is anxious and the second is a question: “What shall I say?” Some scholars want to make the third phrase also into the question: “Father, save me from this hour?” While others do not. What was Jesus really saying?

Many of the commentaries have Jesus in a quagmire of emotional stress, whose only parallel is how they view his agony in Gethsemane. In both instances they believe Jesus wants to escape what he sees before him, which for all intents and purposes would leave the world unsaved! Yet, they wouldn’t go quite so far as that conclusion. Yet, if words have any meaning at all, that is, in fact, what they conclude. Nevertheless, why would Jesus add in Gethsemane “Yet, not my will but yours be done,” as though Jesus didn’t know the Father’s will was to save mankind. The tragedy, perhaps even the arrogance, in all this is that many scholars seem to display an understanding that Jesus doesn’t have, vis-à-vis a detached understanding that Jesus can’t quite grasp, due to his emotional distress. If Jesus is to be our example, I have to say: the portrait that these commentaries paint is a pathetic creature who is big on what must be done before the trouble begins, but, once he is faced with the trouble that will end in his death, he wants to run home to daddy.

Sorry, but I’m simply not buying all the trash I read in the commentaries concerning this moment in Jesus’ life. Why would anyone lift up their portrait of “Jesus” as a model for our behavior? I wouldn’t. There’s no bravery, no courage, no, not even respect for the purpose for which he was sent by God. Moreover, if one thinks of Jesus as being the husband of the church, how do his words, as presented by the scholars, sound in your ears? Do they resonate with the love of a man for his beloved wife-to-be? “My soul is troubled. What shall I say? Father, (please, please, please) save me from this hour!” Or, we may choose how other scholars wish to translate Jesus words, namely, with two questions: “My soul is troubled. What shall I say? Father save me from this hour?” – as though Jesus was in deep thought, wondering what to do. He knew what he would do on the way to Jerusalem, but now, with death staring him in the face, suddenly he’s having second thoughts. Should I or shouldn’t I? Is this a better Jesus to model one’s life after? Would this make a better husband for the church?

The problem with translations is they seem to turn on little things like prepositions, and this is where many go in the wrong direction for meaning. Notice the verse once more, phrase by phrase: “Now is my soul troubled…” No one seems to have a problem with this. Jesus is troubled over what’s ahead, and he admits his great concern. I can believe that, and I’ve felt that kind of thing from time to time. I can empathize with Jesus’ concern. Next, Jesus says: “…and what shall I say?” Actually, a better translation would be: “What am I to say?” but we can use either one for our purpose here. Jesus admits to being troubled over what’s ahead, then asks himself aloud (remember other folks must hear this, because Jesus does present an example for us to follow) what am I to do?

If Jesus is in a quagmire of emotional distress, then one needs to beware of what he says, because folks in this state may regret what they say. However, Jesus has always presented himself as a calm prophet, a man who is in full control of what he is doing and saying. Is Jesus adding another question that would only serve to muddy the waters more? Or, at this point does he answer his own question, so we would understand what to do, if and when we meet troublesome circumstances in our lives? I say he answers his own question at this point: “Father, save me from this hour!” or a better translation would be “Father save me out of this hour! The meaning turns on the preposition ek (G1537)[1]. In other words, Jesus fully intends to go through with the plan, because “…for this cause came I unto this hour” What Jesus is praying to the Father to do is to save him out of death—vis-à-vis he prays for resurrection (John 12:27)!

_____________________________________________________

[1] Depending upon the context the word ek can be translated into: from, out, of, on, by, with and more: see Strongs Concordance. Mounce Concise Greek English Dictionary says the word can be translated out of as it is in Matthew 2:15 — …Out of Egypt have I called my Son!”