The Meaning of John 12:28 Explained

John 12:28

KJV: Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.

YLT: Father, glorify Thy name.' There came, therefore, a voice out of the heaven, 'I both glorified, and again I will glorify it;'

Darby: Father, glorify thy name. There came therefore a voice out of heaven, I both have glorified and will glorify it again.

ASV: Father, glorify thy name. There came therefore a voice out of heaven,'saying , I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Father,  glorify  thy  name.  Then  came there  a voice  from  heaven,  [saying], I have  both  glorified  [it], and  will glorify  [it] again. 

What does John 12:28 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 12:28

Father, glorify thy name [πατερ δοχασον σου το ονομα]
First aorist (note of urgency) active imperative of πνευμα — doxazō and in the sense of his death already in John 12:16, John 12:23 and again in John 13:31; John 17:5. This is the prayer of the πσυχη — pneuma (or σαρχ — psuchē) as opposed to that of the ονομα — sarx (flesh) in John 12:27. The “name” (πωνη εκ του ουρανου — onoma) of God expresses the character of God (John 1:12; John 5:43; John 17:11). Cf. Matthew 6:9. A voice out of heaven (και εδοχασα και παλιν δοχασω — phōnē ek tou ouranou). This was the Father‘s answer to the prayer of Jesus for help. See note on the Father‘s voice at the baptism of Jesus (Mark 1:11) and on the Father‘s voice at the transfiguration (Mark 9:7). The rabbis called the audible voice of God εδοχασα — bath -δοχασω — qol (the daughter of a voice). I have both glorified it and will glorify it again (kai edoxasa kai palin doxasō). This definite assurance from the Father will nerve the soul of Jesus for the coming ordeal. Cf. John 11:40 for edoxasa and John 13:31; John 17:5 for doxasō f0). [source]
Glorify [δόξασον]
(Wyc., clarify, as the Vulgate clarifca.) [source]
Name []
See on Matthew 28:19. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for John 12:28

Luke 9:35 Out of the cloud [εκ της νεπελης]
This voice was the voice of the Father like that at the baptism of Jesus (Luke 3:22; Mark 1:11; Matthew 3:17) and like that near the end (John 12:28-30) when the people thought it was a clap of thunder or an angel.My son, my chosen (ο υιος μου ο εκλελεγμενος — Ho huios mou ho eklelegmenos). So the best documents (Aleph B L Syriac Sinaitic). The others make it “My Beloved” as in Mark 9:7; Matthew 17:5. These disciples are commanded to hear Jesus, God‘s Son, even when he predicts his death, a pointed rebuke to Simon Peter as to all. [source]
John 7:39 Was glorified [ἐδοξάσθη]
We have here one of John's characteristic terms, even as the idea is central to his Gospel - to show forth Jesus as the manifested glory of God (John 1:14). The beginning of our Lord's miracles was a manifestation of His glory (John 2:11). His glory was the expression of the Father's will (John 8:54). By His work He glorified the Father upon earth (John 12:28; John 17:4), and in this was Himself glorified (John 17:10). The sickness and resurrection of Lazarus were for the glory of God (John 11:4). The consummation of His work was marked by the words, “Now was the Son of man glorified, and God was glorified in Him” (John 13:31). His glory He had with the Father before the world was (John 17:5). It is consummated at His ascension (John 7:39; John 12:16). The passion is the way to glory (John 12:23, John 12:24; John 13:31). The fruitfulness of believers in Him is for the glory of God (John 15:8), and the office of the Spirit is to glorify Christ (John 16:14).sa40 [source]
John 12:30 Not for my sake, but for your sakes [ου δι εμε αλλα δι υμας]
These words seem to contradict John 12:28, John 12:29. Bernard suggests an interpolation into the words of Jesus. But why not take it to be the figure of exaggerated contrast, “not merely for my sake, but also for yours”? [source]
John 5:37 He hath borne witness [εκεινος μεμαρτυρηκεν]
Εκεινος — Ekeinos (that one; cf. John 5:35, John 5:38), not αυτος — autos Perfect active indicative of μαρτυρεω — martureō the direct witness of the Father, besides the indirect witness of the works. Jesus is not speaking of the voice of the Father at his baptism (Mark 1:11), the transfiguration (Mark 9:7), nor even at the time of the visit of the Greeks (John 12:28). This last voice was heard by many who thought it was thunder or an angel. The language of Jesus refers to the witness of the Father in the heart of the believers as is made plain in 1 John 5:9, 1 John 5:10. God‘s witness does not come by audible “voice” Cf. John 1:18; John 6:46; 1 John 4:12. Ακηκοατε — Akēkoate is perfect active indicative of ακουω — akouō to hear, and εωρακατε — heōrakate is perfect active indicative of οραω — horaō to see. It is a permanent state of failure to hear and see God. The experience of Jacob in Peniel (Genesis 32:30) was unusual, but Jesus will say that those who have seen him have seen the Father (John 14:9), but here he means the Father‘s “voice” and “form” as distinct from the Son. [source]
John 5:43 In my Father‘s name [εν τωι ονοματι του πατρος μου]
Seven times Jesus in John speaks of the “Name” of the Father (John 5:43; John 10:25; John 12:28; John 17:6, John 17:11, John 17:12, John 17:26). See John 1:12 for use of ονομα — onoma (Luke 1:49). And ye receive me not “And yet ye do not receive me,” as in John 5:40, “the Gospel of the Rejection” (John 1:11; John 3:11, John 3:32; John 12:37) often applied to the Fourth Gospel. If another come Condition of third class Note αλλος — allos not ετερος — heteros like αλλον Ιησουν — allon Iēsoun in 2 Corinthians 11:4. Similar prophecies occur in Mark 13:6, Mark 13:22 (Matthew 24:5, Matthew 24:24), all general in character like Antichrist in 2 Thessalonians 2:8-12. There is no occasion for a reference to any individual like Barcochba (about a.d. 134) as Pfleiderer and Schmiedel hold. These Messianic upstarts all come “in their own name” and always find a following. Him ye will receive “That one,” whoever he is, as Jesus said. Future active indicative of λαμβανω — lambanō Credulous about the false Messiahs, incredulous about Christ. [source]
2 Thessalonians 3:1 Be glorified [δοξάζηται]
Acknowledged in its true power and glory. Comp. John 12:28. The phrase the word of the Lord - be glorified, only here. [source]
Revelation 10:3 Their voices [τας εαυτων πωνας]
Cognate accusative with ελαλησαν — elalēsan and εαυτων — heautōn (reflexive) means “their own.” In John 12:28 the voice of the Father to Christ was thought by some to be thunder. [source]

What do the individual words in John 12:28 mean?

Father glorify of You the name Came therefore a voice from - heaven Both I have glorified [it] and again I will glorify [it]
Πάτερ δόξασόν σου τὸ ὄνομα Ἦλθεν οὖν φωνὴ ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ Καὶ ἐδόξασα καὶ πάλιν δοξάσω

Πάτερ  Father 
Parse: Noun, Vocative Masculine Singular
Root: προπάτωρ 
Sense: generator or male ancestor.
δόξασόν  glorify 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Imperative Active, 2nd Person Singular
Root: δοξάζω  
Sense: to think, suppose, be of opinion.
σου  of  You 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive 2nd Person Singular
Root: σύ  
Sense: you.
ὄνομα  name 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: ὄνομα  
Sense: name: univ.
Ἦλθεν  Came 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἔρχομαι  
Sense: to come.
φωνὴ  a  voice 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: φωνή  
Sense: a sound, a tone.
τοῦ  - 
Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
οὐρανοῦ  heaven 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: οὐρανός  
Sense: the vaulted expanse of the sky with all things visible in it.
Καὶ  Both 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: καί  
Sense: and, also, even, indeed, but.
ἐδόξασα  I  have  glorified  [it] 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 1st Person Singular
Root: δοξάζω  
Sense: to think, suppose, be of opinion.
πάλιν  again 
Parse: Adverb
Root: πάλιν  
Sense: anew, again.
δοξάσω  I  will  glorify  [it] 
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Active, 1st Person Singular
Root: δοξάζω  
Sense: to think, suppose, be of opinion.