@Nate-Davidson said in John 12:24-26:
How should we relate:
v.24 to v.25?
v.25 to v.26a-c?
v.26a-c to v.26d-e?
How do our decisions here affect how we understand the passage?
Here are some ideas for relating these sections:
- 24: “A grain of wheat must die to bear fruit”; 25: “You must die to receive eternal life.” So 24-25 could be a Comparison relationship.
- This is a second description of what believers must do to be like Jesus (see 23 about his glorification). Perhaps it relates to 24-26 as a whole as an Id-Exp. It should also be seen in its relationship to 23.
- A Progression (better than Series, since the second temporally follows the first).
Our decisions here affect how we understand the passage in that now we can see that John is presenting Jesus is our example in dying in order to be glorified. As the Master, so are the servants. We must focus on eternity, not living as though this world is all that matters.