Did Jesus say to His Father, “Father, save me from this hour”? Why or why not?
Instead, what was His statement? How did God respond to it?
What did the people standing by think the sound was?
Why did God speak at that time?
What was it time for then? Who was going to be cast out?
What would happen when Jesus was lifted up from the earth? What was He signifying?
What was the people’s confusion about this statement?
What was Jesus’ reply?
What two things regarding light did Jesus admonish us to do in verse 36?
Did the people believe Him?
Who predicted this? What did the prophecies say?
According to the prophecies, what would have happened if the people were not blind and hardened?
Among which group was found believers of Jesus? However, what did they not do? Why?
Although, they believed Jesus, what did they love more than the praise of God?
According to Jesus Himself, whoever believes in Him believes in whom?
Why did Jesus come into the world?
What happens when anyone hears His word but does not believe?
Who or what will judge those people? When?
Whose authority does Jesus speak with? What is that command described as?

Thought Questions

Who was Jesus’ audience as He spoke in this passage? (Look back starting from verse 12 and continuing.) Was it a certain type of people, or a mixture?
What was Jesus’ attitude toward His death? How does that inspire you to feel about the troubles you face in your life? How does God’s vocal response help you strengthen that?
If you had been there, do you think you would have heard a voice, or thunder? Who would you have thought spoke the words?
Who is the ruler of the world? Why would he be cast out then?
Would you have been confused by Jesus’ teachings on His death like the people were? Do you think God expected them to understand everything then, or to grow in faith when looking back on the events that had been prophesied? Do we always have to understand everything at the time to have faith that God is right?
How does Jesus’ statement in verse 35-36 answer the people’s question in verse 34?
How do you believe prophecy relates to its fulfillment? In other words, do people behave a certain way because it was destined to be, or could the prophesies have been different? For example, would Isaiah have been told something different than he said in Isaiah 53:1 if the people in Jesus’ time (and other times) had believed His report?
What does it mean when it says God hardened their hearts?
Were the rulers wrong or weak by not confessing Christ at that time for fear of the Pharisees? Some of them confessed Him later (Acts 6:7).
What does “the praise of God” mean? We always hear about how we should praise God, but how could God praise us? Do you want the praise of God? (See also 1 Corinthians 4:5.) Is there anything about you now that God could praise?
Look back on our previous conversation regarding Jesus’ judgement, including John 5:22. Sometimes He seems to say that He has been given all judgment by the Father, sometimes He seems to say that He judges no one. Now, in verse 48, He says that the word itself will judge those who reject Him. How do you understand God’s judgment?

My prayer is:
that in every situation, even unto death, my attitude would be, “God be glorified;”
that I would have faith in Christ, even if I don’t understand everything now;
and that my main goal would be to have the praise of God, not the praise of humans.