Jesus reveals the profound human struggle within His divine mission, admitting His soul's distress and the natural impulse to pray for escape, while immediately reaffirming His ultimate purpose and obedience to God's plan. This isn't a contradiction, but a powerful display of His complete humanity alongside His divine resolve, highlighting that His voluntary suffering was the very reason He came.
“Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus has just interacted with some Greeks who wanted to see him, which prompts him to speak of his coming glorification through death. As he contemplates the imminent suffering and death that await him, his human soul is deeply troubled by the prospect. He wrestles with the natural human desire for self-preservation, momentarily considering a plea for deliverance, but immediately recalls his divine purpose for coming to this very hour.
Jesus declared, 'Now is my soul troubled.' This wasn't just a polite statement; it was a raw, human cry from the brink of unimaginable suffering.
Jesus's human nature felt the crushing weight of what was to come. The text tells us his "soul" (the seat of affections and emotions) was "troubled," using the same word as when he saw Lazarus's death (John 11:33). This wasn't a pretense; it was a real, deep agitation stemming from the immense suffering and divine judgment He was about to bear. His human feelings recoiled from the horror of the cross, a stark reminder that He was fully human, experiencing the natural dread of death and agony. Yet, this very human struggle highlights the immense power of His obedience. He didn't not feel fear; He overcame it through His submission to the Father's will.
Jesus could have prayed for escape, but instead, He immediately pivoted. What changed His mind so quickly?
The critical phrase here is 'but for this cause I have come to this hour.' This isn't a retraction of His human feelings, but an immediate reorientation by the purpose of His mission. His prayer for deliverance ('save me from this hour') wasn't a desire to escape suffering altogether, but a recognition of nature's plea. However, the 'cause' for which He came—to bear that very suffering and glorify the Father—immediately took precedence. This highlights the core of His mission: not to avoid suffering, but to embrace it for God's glory and humanity's salvation. His human will, though troubled, ultimately submitted to the divine purpose.
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In the midst of His deep distress, Jesus didn't just ask to be saved; He prayed for the Father to be glorified.
Jesus's ultimate desire wasn't personal comfort, but the glorification of God's name. His troubled soul wrestled with the agony, but His core identity and mission were rooted in exalting the Father. By praying, 'Father, glorify your name,' He demonstrates a profound theological perspective. He understood that His suffering, while horrific, was the very means by which the Father's perfect love, justice, and redemptive plan would be most fully revealed to the world. This is the ultimate triumph: not avoiding suffering, but allowing it to become the stage for God's supreme glory.
Understand the original words
psychē · Greek Noun
The human life force, emotions, and seat of desires. Here, it refers to the inner experience of human agony and distress in the face of impending suffering and death.
tarassō · Greek Verb
A state of being stirred, agitated, or deeply distressed emotionally. It reflects the intense psychological and spiritual pressure faced when confronting extreme trials or suffering.
hōra · Greek Noun
A definitive point in time ordained by God for the fulfillment of His redemptive plan, particularly regarding the death and exaltation of Jesus.
doxazō · Greek Verb
To make manifest, reveal, or display the true character, majesty, and holiness of God. To glorify God is to bring Him the credit and awe that are His due.
Jesus' profound human struggle in this verse occurs as he enters Jerusalem, fully aware of the impending suffering and death that God has ordained for his salvation of the world. This moment reveals the depth of his humanity wrestling with obedience to the divine purpose.
c. AD 30— this verse
Jesus' Final Journey to Jerusalem
Jesus makes his last journey to Jerusalem for Passover, knowing it will lead to his crucifixion.
c. AD 30
Jesus Clears the Temple
Jesus dramatically drives merchants and money changers out of the Jerusalem Temple, an act of prophetic judgment.
c. AD 30
Greeks Seek to See Jesus
Some Greeks visiting Jerusalem approach Philip and Andrew, asking to see Jesus, signaling a broader reach for his ministry.
c. AD 30
A Voice from Heaven
A voice from heaven declares "I have glorified it, and will glorify it again," affirming God's purpose in Jesus' impending suffering and death.
c. AD 30
Jesus Predicts His Death and Glorification
Jesus explains that his "lifting up" from the earth will draw all people to himself, signifying his crucifixion as the means of salvation.
This passage directly echoes Jesus' human struggle with suffering, noting that He offered 'prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears,' to God who was able to save Him from death, yet His obedience was perfected through His suffering.
Matthew 26:39This verse presents Jesus' prayer in Gethsemane, 'My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will,' which is a parallel expression of His soul's anguish and His ultimate submission to the Father's will, mirroring the sentiments in John 12:27.
Isaiah 53:10This prophecy beautifully connects Jesus' voluntary suffering with God's purpose, stating, 'yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand,' underscoring that His suffering was 'for this purpose'.
John 12:31Immediately following this verse, Jesus declares, 'Now is the judgment of this world; now will the prince of this world be cast out,' showing that His troubled soul is wrestling with the profound cosmic implications of His impending death, understanding it as the decisive moment for God's plan.
Philippians 2:8This passage describes Jesus as having humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross, which directly relates to the profound obedience Jesus demonstrates by accepting His 'hour' despite His soul's turmoil, fulfilling the purpose for which He came.
vincentJohn 12:27: "Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour."
My soulSee reff. on John 12:25. The soul, ψυχή, is the seat of the human affections; the spirit (πνεῦμα) of the religious affections.Is troubled (τετάρακται)The perfect tense; has been disturbed and remains troubled. The same verb as in John 11:33. Notice that there it is said. He groaned in the spirit (τῷ πνεύματι). His inward agitation did not arise from…
calvinJohn 12:27-33: "Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour."
- Now is my soul troubled, and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour; but for this cause came I into this hour. 28. Father, glorify thy name. Then came a voice from heaven, I have both glorified and will glorify it again. 29. Therefore the multitude, who were there, and heard it, said that it thundered. Others said, An angel spoke to him. 30. Jes…
Jesus reveals the profound human struggle within His divine mission, admitting His soul's distress and the natural impulse to pray for escape, while immediately reaffirming His ultimate purpose and obedience to God's plan. This isn't a contradiction, but a powerful display of His complete humanity alongside His divine resolve, highlighting that His voluntary suffering was the very reason He came.
Jesus has just interacted with some Greeks who wanted to see him, which prompts him to speak of his coming glorification through death. As he contemplates the imminent suffering and death that await him, his human soul is deeply troubled by the prospect. He wrestles with the natural human desire for self-preservation, momentarily considering a plea for deliverance, but immediately recalls his divine purpose for coming to this very hour.
Jesus has just interacted with some Greeks who wanted to see him, which prompts him to speak of his coming glorification through death. As he contemplates the imminent suffering and death that await him, his human soul is deeply troubled by the prospect. He wrestles with the natural human desire for self-preservation, momentarily considering a plea for deliverance, but immediately recalls his divine purpose for coming to this very hour.
"“Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.”" — Jesus reveals the profound human struggle within His divine mission, admitting His soul's distress and the natural impulse to pray for escape, while immediately reaffirming His ultimate purpose and o…
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Last reviewed October 2026
