Even though the previous section stated that many of the people who witnessed Jesus’ miracles made the choice not to believe in him as Messiah, John 12:42 reveals that there were many who did, including some among the Jewish ruling class. But we’re told they didn’t want to make their faith public because they were afraid of being excommunicated. Then verse 43 adds this: “They loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.”
Part of me would prefer that sentence wasn’t in the Bible at all, but I especially wish there was a way to avoid reading it in its context because this is not a description of those who’d rejected Christ. This exposes something ugly in the hearts of believers. And since I happen to be one of those, I can’t just ignore this passage. I need to stop and search the recesses of my own soul with a willingness to answer the question of whose opinion matters to me. I need to confront the issue of whose favor I’m seeking.
Excommunication was no joke. It literally meant becoming “unsynagogued,” expelled from nearly everything that defined Jewishness. But for those leaders, it wasn’t just about what they were afraid of losing if they went on the record with their belief. The text indicates their main interest was in what they thought they could gain by keeping their faith private.
It’s described as “praise,” which is a translation of a word meaning opinion or estimation. In other words, they wanted others to have a good opinion of them, to be esteemed, held in high regard, respected. And they thought they could achieve that best by holding their faith in Jesus close to the vest.
If I’m honest, I have to confess that I’ve been guilty of this approach in the pursuit of affirmation. There’ve been times when I’ve chosen to veil my Christianity to gain a higher ranking in the opinion of unbelievers I wanted to impress. On those occasions, I told myself I wasn’t really denying my faith, I just wasn’t volunteering it. I even justified what I was doing by convincing myself I’d be in a better position to share my testimony once I’d gained the favor I sought.
But as sinful as all that is, the real issue here is not about whether I’m always upfront with my beliefs, it’s about the foolishness of seeking the approval of the world. The affirmation I seek cannot be gained from people. The favor of others is fickle, shallow, and fleeting. The only opinion of my worth that can truly satisfy my soul’s longing is God’s.
The Greek word translated as “loved” in this passage is the verb form of “agape.” And the New Testament uses it almost exclusively to describe the love of God – the love that he has for us, that we offer back to him, and that we extend in his name to others. So, when we’re told “They loved the praise of men,” it indicates that they were seeking something from people that can only be received from God. It’s his opinion of us that matters.
But maybe the reason I seek the approval of others is that I’m so deeply aware that I don’t deserve his. Can you identify with that? If so, let’s remind each other that there’s a blood-stained cross emphatically declaring for all time how much he values us. It shouts into our doubts his affirming love.