The fame of Jesus’ ministry had spread far and wide, that even the Greeks wanted to meet Him, as He had just raised Lazarus from the dead.

The Jews thought that Jesus, the miracle working superhuman would do something supernatural to set them free from Roman oppression. When He came to town riding on a donkey, they threw palm leaves in His pathway to signal the victory He was going to take over the Romans using His supernatural power.

When so much was expected of Him, Jesus right at that moment said, “Truly, truly I say unto you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit” (John 12:24). In simple words, He declared that a kernel will only be a kernel until it dies, but when it is buried in the ground (dead) the locked up miracle within the kernel will spring forth.

On hearing this teaching, the Jews lost hope in Jesus, because they realized that He was not going to overthrow the Roman government, but offered Himself to die. They could not comprehend that He was going to be a spiritual blessing to the whole world.

In the beginning of His ministry, Jesus had preached that His disciples were called to be the salt and the light; but at the end, He advocated that just like Him, even His disciples would follow His example to die like the grain of wheat bearing much fruit (John 12:26).

Thought for the day: Like the salt that dissolves, the candle that melts and the grain of wheat that dies – are we willing to be consumed, to be a blessing to others like our Lord?