John 11:45–12:11: The Preparation of Jesus
Introduction
Of the great doctrines of the Reformation, Martin Luther’s understanding of the difference between the theology of glory and the theology of the cross is lesser known, but was crucial to the Reformer’s understanding of how human beings relate to God. After nailing his 95 Theses to the door of a church in Wittenberg on October 31, 1517, Martin Luther received an opportunity to elaborate on his views in April of 1518 in an event known as the Heidelberg Disputation. There, Martin Luther famously argued, “A theology of glory calls evil good and good evil. A theology of the cross calls the thing what it actually is.” He explained what he meant this way:
This is clear: He who does not know Christ does not know God hidden in suffering. Therefore he prefers works to suffering, glory to the cross, strength to weakness, wisdom to folly, and, in general, good to evil. These are the people whom the apostle calls “enemies of the cross of Christ” (Phil. 3:18), for they hate the cross and suffering and love works and the glory of works. Thus they call the good of the cross evil and the evil of a deed good. God can be found only in suffering and the cross, as has already been said. Therefore the friends of the cross say that the cross is good and works are evil, for through the cross works are dethroned and the “old Adam,” who is especially edified by works, is crucified. It is impossible for a person not to be puffed up by his “good works” unless he has first been deflated and destroyed by suffering and evil until he knows that he is worthless and that his works are not his but God’s.
Luther continued, writing this:
Because men do not know the cross and hate it, they necessarily love the opposite, namely, wisdom, glory, power, and so on. Therefore they become increasingly blinded and hardened by such love, for desire cannot be satisfied by the acquisition of those things which it desires….The remedy for curing desire does not lie in satisfying it, but in extinguishing it. In other words, he who wishes to become wise does not seek wisdom by progressing toward it but becomes a fool by retrogressing into seeking “folly.” Likewise he who wishes to have much power, honor, pleasure, satisfaction in all things must flee rather than seek power, honor, pleasure, and satisfaction in all things. This is the wisdom which is folly to the world.
The theologian of glory lives for seeking, acquiring, and protecting his own personal glory. The theologian of the cross, however, recognizes that God has revealed himself not through displays of glory and power, but of weakness. Jesus did not enter the world in pomp and circumstance, but born to a poor, virgin Jewish girl in a stable for animals. Then, Jesus was not worshiped and obeyed, but persecuted and crucified. The theologian of glory sees the cross as a negative verdict against Jesus, while the theology of the cross sees Christ’s suffering as God’s true glory.
There is perhaps no more vivid contrast between these two theologies—that is, these two ways of living—than in John 11:45–12:11. Here, we see two groups of people who are seeking after Jesus’ cross, but for entirely opposite reasons. The chief priests and the Pharisees plot Jesus’ crucifixion from a desire to preserve their own glory, since Jesus represents a threat to their power, privilege, and wealth. They are theologians of glory par excellence. Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus, also seeks after the cross of Jesus, but not because she wants to lose her Master. Rather than clinging to Jesus in order to protect someone she loves—or to protect her position as someone with close personal ties to Jesus—she willingly sacrifices great wealth and her own personal dignity to honor Jesus by anointing his body for burial. Although we are not given insight into exactly what she was thinking, her actions tell us that she is a theologian of the cross. In these two consecutive stories, we see these two ways of living and of relating to Jesus, with substantial insight into what each requires of us and offers to us as its reward. In this passage, John illustrates that both wolves and sheep seek Jesus’ cross, but for opposite reasons.
Discussion Questions
1. What does the theologian of glory seek in life? List as many ways of seeking private glory in this life that you can think of.
2. What does the theologian of the cross seek? List as many places of suffering in this life that you can think of.
3. What do you need to repent from for seeking your own glory, even inside the church?
4. What suffering is painful for you right now? How might God use those places of suffering to make you “perfect and complete, lacking in nothing” (Jas. 1:4)?
