Charles Spurgeon Commentary John 12:26-28

"If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will the Father honor. 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. Father, glorify thy name. There came therefore a voice out of heaven, [saying], I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again." — John 12:26-28 (ASV)

If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour. Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say?

Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I to this hour. Father, glorify your name.

In John 12:27, our Saviour asked himself the question, What shall I say? Here he gives his own answer, Father, glorify your name. When you do not know what to pray for, you can always safely pray, Father, glorify your name. As you stand where the crossroads meet, and you ask, "Which way shall I choose?" pray, Father, glorify your name. This incident seems like a rehearsal of Christ's passion. Here we see that natural fear of death which came across the Saviour's mind because he was so really and truly man.

If his pains had not been real pains, but had been pleasant and congenial to him, there would have been no self-sacrifice in his suffering. But the fact that they cast on his spirit the dark shadow of death only proves to us what sharp pains they were. Instead of asking for a way of escape from them, he surrendered himself to them, gave himself up as a willing victim with this prayer on his lips, Father, glorify your name. And now see what happened.