In Jn. 12, shortly after Jesus proclaims that “the hour has come” (Jn. 12:23), we read Jesus’ confession: “Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say?” (Jn. 12:27). The context that follows reveals that “And what shall I say?” is literally “And what shall I pray?” Jesus’ hour has come–the moment of his greatest suffering. His soul is deeply troubled. And he asks: “What shall I pray?”
How do we pray when we find ourselves facing that time of testing or that moment of menace? Jesus shows there are two possible ways of praying. The first prayer sounds like this: “Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour?’” (Jn. 12:27 ESV) One way to pray when passing through a painful time is to say, “Save me from this hour.” Rescue me. Deliver me. Save me from this hour. Jesus prays something similar to this in the Garden: “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me” (Lk. 22:42 ESV). This is another way of saying, “Save me from this hour.”
And that is a legitimate prayer. Those are permissible words to say when the hour draws near. When doing the right thing is going to demand a high price, it is appropriate to want a divine discount. When a doctor delivers a tough diagnosis, it is expected that we’d ask God for a second opinion. When a phone call brings fearful news, it is OK to beg God for this to be the wrong number. And when slipping into one of life’s tough transitions, it is fitting that we’d ask God to keep it from happening.
Save me from this hour. That is one way to pray as the hour approaches.
But there is a second possibility. One demanding deep faith. Yet one that can change everything about our experience in moments of misery. This is the path Jesus takes as he prays about his hour: “Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name” (Jn. 12:27-28 ESV). Facing his hour, Jesus asks, “Father, glorify your name.”
Jesus changes the subject of prayer from his salvation to the Father’s glorification. Jesus’ prayer is not “Save me from this hour.” Instead it is “Glorify your name.” The prayer is not “May I be saved” but “May you be glorified.” Jesus’ greatest concern in this prayer is not himself but his Father. He begs for God to glorify himself through this hour.
But what does this mean? What is the significance of asking for God to be glorified in the midst of a horrendous hour? The word “glorify” is a sibling of the word “glory.” Glory crops up early in John’s gospel. He introduces the story of Jesus with these words: “We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14 ESV) John then discloses what this glory is: “No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.” (Jn. 1:18 ESV) Jesus’ glory is the means by which he reveals God to us.
This God-revealing glory shined brightly through the miracles of Jesus. For example, after Jesus changed water to wine John records, “This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory” (John 2:11 ESV). Regarding the raising of Lazarus, Jesus states, “’This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God’…Jesus said to her, ‘Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?’” (John 11:4, 40 ESV).
Through the miracles, Jesus revealed God. He showed the power and majesty of God. These miracles were like spotlights illuminating God. We see something about God we would not have seen without them.
And Jesus believes that his hour of suffering can do something similar. His suffering on the cross can shed light upon God. We will be able to see something about God we would have not seen without this hour. Thus, as Jesus awaits his agony, he prays for God to be glorified. He asks that the darkness of the hour provide the perfect setting for God to be illuminated. Jesus requests that God publicize something about his person through the misery of this moment. Rather than, “Save me so that I will be safe,” Jesus prays “Show yourself so that you will be seen.”
Jesus embraces this hour because he knows that others will see God in a way they would not have seen without this hour. Humanity will observe God’s love and faithfulness in ways they could not without this hour. This trial will become a viewfinder through which others will more clearly picture the heart of God. Thus rather than run from it, Jesus runs toward it. He prays that in this hour of risk and cost, the light will shine upon God in a way it never has before There is something about God that people will only see if we faithfully embrace our hour. There is a feature of the Father people will only glimpse if we bear our burden. The darkness of our hour provides the perfect setting for God to illuminate himself. Thus, rather than just, “Save me so that I will be safe,” we can also pray “Show yourself so that you will be seen.” We can embrace our hour because we know that others will see God in a way they would not have seen without this hour. [NOTE: This post adapted from a chapter in Chris’ book Prayers from the Pit]
