The Meaning of John 12:22 Explained

John 12:22

KJV: Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: and again Andrew and Philip tell Jesus.

YLT: Philip cometh and telleth Andrew, and again Andrew and Philip tell Jesus.

Darby: Philip comes and tells Andrew, and again Andrew comes and Philip, and they tell Jesus.

ASV: Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: Andrew cometh, and Philip, and they tell Jesus.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Philip  cometh  and  telleth  Andrew:  and  again  Andrew  and  Philip  tell  Jesus. 

What does John 12:22 Mean?

Context Summary

John 12:20-29 - Sacrifice A Law Of Life
These were genuine Greeks. The East came to the manger-bed; the West to the Cross. These men came to Philip probably because of his Greek name. The inarticulate cry of the human heart, whether East or West, is for Christ.
The application of these representatives of Western civilization reminded our Lord of His glorious enthronement as the Savior and Lord of mankind; but He realized that the dreams of the prophets could be fulfilled, and the demand of the world met, only through His death and resurrection. There was no other way to the glory than Calvary and the grave. If His love for men was to bear much fruit, He must fall into the ground and die. Death is the only way to Saviorship. Death is the only cure of loneliness, and the necessary price of fruitfulness.
All through life we must be prepared to erect altars on which to sacrifice all that hinders our highest service to our fellows. The soul that dares to live in this way finds streams flowing from every smitten rock, and honey in the carcass of every slain lion. Day out of night, spring out of winter, flowers out of frost, joy out of sorrow, fruitfulness out of pruning, Olivet out of Gethsemane, life out of death. But through it all, our aim must be that the Father may be glorified. [source]

Chapter Summary: John 12

1  Jesus excuses Mary anointing his feet
9  The people flock to see Lazarus
10  The chief priests consult to kill him
12  Jesus rides into Jerusalem
20  Greeks desire to see Jesus
23  He foretells his death
37  The people are generally blinded;
42  yet many chief rulers believe, but do not confess him;
44  therefore Jesus calls earnestly for confession of faith

Greek Commentary for John 12:22

Andrew [τωι Ανδρεαι]
Another apostle with a Greek name and associated with Philip again (John 6:7.), the man who first brought his brother Simon to Jesus (John 1:41). Andrew was clearly a man of wisdom for a crisis. Note the vivid dramatic presents here, cometh What was the crisis? These Greeks wish an interview with Jesus. True Jesus had said something about “other sheep” than Jews (John 10:16), but he had not explained. Philip and Andrew wrestle with the problem that will puzzle Peter on the housetop in Joppa (Acts 10:9-18), that middle wall of partition between Jew and Gentile that was only broken down by the Cross of Christ (Ephesians 2:11-22) and that many Christians and Jews still set up between each other. Andrew has no solution for Philip and they bring the problem, but not the Greeks, to Jesus. [source]
Philip - Andrew []
They appear together in John 1:45; John 6:7, John 6:8. Compare Mark 3:18. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for John 12:22

John 1:40 Andrew []
See on Mark 3:18. Compare Mark 13:3; John 6:8; John 12:22. [source]
John 1:40 Andrew [Ανδρεας]
Explained by John as one of the two disciples of the Baptist and identified as the brother of the famous Simon Peter (cf. also John 6:8; John 12:22). The more formal call of Andrew and Simon, James and John, comes later (Mark 1:16.; Matthew 4:18.; Luke 3:1-11). That heard John speak “That heard from John,” a classical idiom (παρα — para with ablative after ακουω — akouō) seen also in John 6:45; John 7:51; John 8:26, John 8:40; John 15:15. [source]
John 12:32 And I, if I be lifted from the earth [καγω αν υπσωτω εκ της γης]
Note proleptic position of εγω — egō (I). Condition of third class (undetermined with prospect) with αν — an (= εαν — ean here) with first aorist passive subjunctive of υπσοω — hupsoō the verb used in John 3:14 of the brazen serpent and of the Cross of Christ as here and also in John 8:28. Westcott again presses εκ — ek instead of απο — apo to make it refer to the ascension rather than to the Cross, a wrong interpretation surely. Will draw all men unto myself Future active of ελκυω — helkuō late form of ελκω — helkō to draw, to attract. Jesus had already used this verb of the Father‘s drawing power (John 6:44). The magnetism of the Cross is now known of all men, however little they understand the mystery of the Cross. By “all men” (παντας — pantas) Jesus does not mean every individual man, for some, as Simeon said (Luke 2:34) are repelled by Christ, but this is the way that Greeks (John 12:22) can and will come to Christ, by the way of the Cross, the only way to the Father (John 14:6). [source]

What do the individual words in John 12:22 mean?

Comes - Philip and tells - Andrew come Andrew tell Jesus
ἔρχεται Φίλιππος καὶ λέγει τῷ Ἀνδρέᾳ ἔρχεται Ἀνδρέας λέγουσιν Ἰησοῦ

ἔρχεται  Comes 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Middle or Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἔρχομαι  
Sense: to come.
  - 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Φίλιππος  Philip 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: Φίλιππος  
Sense: an apostle of Christ.
λέγει  tells 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: λέγω 
Sense: to say, to speak.
τῷ  - 
Parse: Article, Dative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Ἀνδρέᾳ  Andrew 
Parse: Noun, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: Ἀνδρέας  
Sense: A native of Bethsaida in Galilee, brother of Simon Peter, a disciple of John the Baptist, and afterwards an apostle of Christ.
ἔρχεται  come 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Middle or Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἔρχομαι  
Sense: to come.
Ἀνδρέας  Andrew 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: Ἀνδρέας  
Sense: A native of Bethsaida in Galilee, brother of Simon Peter, a disciple of John the Baptist, and afterwards an apostle of Christ.
λέγουσιν  tell 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: λέγω 
Sense: to say, to speak.
Ἰησοῦ  Jesus 
Parse: Noun, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: Ἰησοῦς  
Sense: Joshua was the famous captain of the Israelites, Moses’ successor.

What are the major concepts related to John 12:22?

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