The Meaning of John 12:26 Explained

John 12:26

KJV: If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.

YLT: if any one may minister to me, let him follow me, and where I am, there also my ministrant shall be; and if any one may minister to me -- honour him will the Father.

Darby: If any one serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there also shall be my servant. And if any one serve me, him shall the Father honour.

ASV: If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will the Father honor.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

If  any man  serve  me,  let him follow  me;  and  where  I  am,  there  shall  also  my  servant  be:  if  any man  serve  me,  him  will  [my] Father  honour. 

What does John 12:26 Mean?

Verse Meaning

For disciples of Jesus, self-sacrifice does not just mean putting others before themselves. It also means putting Jesus first (cf. John 10:4). The disciple who wants to serve Jesus must follow Him. He or she must go where Jesus goes and do what He does. True servants stay close to their masters.
Jesus said these words on the way to the Cross and His glorification. Likewise His servants who follow Him could and can count on death, figuratively if not literally, but beyond that they can anticipate glory from the Father (cf. John 17:24). The true disciple"s life will essentially duplicate the experiences of his or her Lord.

Context Summary

John 12:20-29 - Sacrifice A Law Of Life
These were genuine Greeks. The East came to the manger-bed; the West to the Cross. These men came to Philip probably because of his Greek name. The inarticulate cry of the human heart, whether East or West, is for Christ.
The application of these representatives of Western civilization reminded our Lord of His glorious enthronement as the Savior and Lord of mankind; but He realized that the dreams of the prophets could be fulfilled, and the demand of the world met, only through His death and resurrection. There was no other way to the glory than Calvary and the grave. If His love for men was to bear much fruit, He must fall into the ground and die. Death is the only way to Saviorship. Death is the only cure of loneliness, and the necessary price of fruitfulness.
All through life we must be prepared to erect altars on which to sacrifice all that hinders our highest service to our fellows. The soul that dares to live in this way finds streams flowing from every smitten rock, and honey in the carcass of every slain lion. Day out of night, spring out of winter, flowers out of frost, joy out of sorrow, fruitfulness out of pruning, Olivet out of Gethsemane, life out of death. But through it all, our aim must be that the Father may be glorified. [source]

Chapter Summary: John 12

1  Jesus excuses Mary anointing his feet
9  The people flock to see Lazarus
10  The chief priests consult to kill him
12  Jesus rides into Jerusalem
20  Greeks desire to see Jesus
23  He foretells his death
37  The people are generally blinded;
42  yet many chief rulers believe, but do not confess him;
44  therefore Jesus calls earnestly for confession of faith

Greek Commentary for John 12:26

If any man serve me [εαν εμοι τις διακονηι]
Condition of third class again Let him follow me “Me (associative instrumental case) let him keep on following” (present active imperative of ακολουτεω — akoloutheō). Where … there In presence and spiritual companionship here and hereafter. Cf. John 14:3; John 17:24; Matthew 28:20. Shall honour Future active of timaō but it may be the kind of honour that Jesus will get (John 12:23). [source]
Serve [διακονῇ]
See on Matthew 20:26; see on Mark 9:35; see on 1 Peter 1:12. [source]
Me [ἐμοὶ]
Notice the emphatic recurrence of the pronoun in this verse. [source]
My Father []
Rev., rightly, the Father. “Very much of the exact force of St. John's record of the Lord's words appears to depend upon the different conceptions of the two forms under which the fatherhood of God is described. God is spoken of as 'the Father' and as 'my Father.' Generally it may be said that the former title expresses the original relation of God to being, and specially to humanity, in virtue of man's creation in the divine image; and the latter more particularly the relation of the Father to the Son incarnate, and so indirectly to man in virtue of the incarnation. The former suggests those thoughts which spring from the consideration of the absolute moral connection of man with God; the latter, those which spring from what is made known to us through revelation of the connection of the incarnate Son with God and with man. 'The Father' corresponds, under this aspect, with the group of ideas gathered up in the Lord's titles, 'the Son' 'the Son of man;' and 'my Father' with those which are gathered up in the title 'the Son of God,' 'the Christ'” (Westcott). [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for John 12:26

Mark 7:10 Honor []
Wyc. has worship. Compare his rendering of Matthew 6:2, “That they be worshipped of men;” Matthew 13:57, “A prophet is not without worship but in his own country;” and especially John 12:26, “If any man serve me, my Father shall worship him.” [source]
John 20:17 My Father []
The best texts omit the pronoun and read the Father. See on John 12:26. This expression, emphasizing the relation of God to humanity rather than to Christ himself, is explained by what follows - “my Father and your Father.” [source]
John 1:43 Follow [ἀκολούθει]
Often used in the New Testament with the special sense of following as a disciple or partisan. See Matthew 4:20, Matthew 4:22; Matthew 9:9; Mark 1:18; John 8:12. Also with the meaning of cleaving steadfastly to one and conforming to his example. See Matthew 10:38; Matthew 16:24; John 12:26. The verb occurs but once outside of the writings of the Evangelists, 1 Corinthians 10:4. It appears in the noun acolyte, or acolyth, or acolothist, a church-servant ranking next below a subdeacon, whose duty it was to trim the lamps, light the church, prepare the sacramental elements, etc. Under the Byzantine emperors the captain of the emperor's bodyguard was called Acolouthos, or the Follower. See Scott's “Count Robert of Paris.” [source]
John 17:24 I will [τελω]
Perfect identity of his will with that of the Father in “this moment of spiritual exaltation” (Bernard), though in Gethsemane Jesus distinguishes between his human will and that of the Father (Mark 14:36). Where I am That is heaven, to be with Jesus (John 12:26; John 13:36; John 14:3; Romans 8:17; 2 Timothy 2:11.). That they may behold Another purpose clause with ινα — hina and the present active subjunctive of τεωρεω — theōreō “that they may keep on beholding,” the endless joy of seeing Jesus “as he is” (1 John 3:2) in heaven. Before the foundation of the world This same phrase in Ephesians 1:4; 1 Peter 1:20 and six other times we have καταβολη κοσμου — katabolē kosmou (Matthew 25:34; Luke 11:50; Hebrews 4:3; Hebrews 9:26; Revelation 13:8; Revelation 17:8). Here we find the same pre-incarnate consciousness of Christ seen in John 17:5. [source]
John 5:23 That all may honour the Son [ινα παντες τιμωσιν τον υιον]
Purpose clause with ινα — hina and present active subjunctive of τιμαω — timaō (may keep on honouring the Son). He that honoureth not the Son Articular present active participle of τιμαω — timaō with negative μη — mē Jesus claims here the same right to worship from men that the Father has. Dishonouring Jesus is dishonouring the Father who sent him (John 8:49; John 12:26; John 15:23; 1 John 2:23). See also Luke 10:16. There is small comfort here for those who praise Jesus as teacher and yet deny his claims to worship. The Gospel of John carries this high place for Christ throughout, but so do the other Gospels (even Q, the Logia of Jesus) and the rest of the New Testament. [source]
Acts 10:25 Worshipped [προσεκύνησεν]
An unfortunate translation, according to modern English usage, but justified by the usage of earlier English, according to which to worship meant simply to honor. Worship is worthship, or honor paid to dignity or worth. This usage survives in the expressions worshipful and your worship. In the marriage-service of the English Church occurs the phrase, “With my body I thee worship. ” So Wycliffe renders Matthew 19:19, “Worship thy father and thy mother;” and John 12:26, “If any man serve me, my Father shall worship him.” Here the meaning is that Cornelius paid reverence by prostrating himself after the usual oriental manner. [source]
1 John 1:2 The Father []
See on John 12:26. The title “the Father” occurs rarely in the Synoptists, and always with reference to the Son. In Paul only thrice (Romans 6:4; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Ephesians 2:18). Nowhere in Peter, James, Jude, or Revelation. Frequent in John's Gospel and Epistles, and in the latter, uniformly. [source]

What do the individual words in John 12:26 mean?

If Me anyone serves Me let him follow and where am I there also the servant - of Me will be If will honor him Father
ἐὰν ἐμοί τις διακονῇ ἐμοὶ ἀκολουθείτω καὶ ὅπου εἰμὶ ἐγὼ ἐκεῖ καὶ διάκονος ἐμὸς ἔσται ἐάν τιμήσει αὐτὸν Πατήρ

ἐμοί  Me 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative 1st Person Singular
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.
τις  anyone 
Parse: Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: τὶς  
Sense: a certain, a certain one.
διακονῇ  serves 
Parse: Verb, Present Subjunctive Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: διακονέω  
Sense: to be a servant, attendant, domestic, to serve, wait upon.
ἐμοὶ  Me 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative 1st Person Singular
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.
ἀκολουθείτω  let  him  follow 
Parse: Verb, Present Imperative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἀκολουθέω  
Sense: to follow one who precedes, join him as his attendant, accompany him.
ὅπου  where 
Parse: Adverb
Root: ὅπου  
Sense: where, whereas.
καὶ  also 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: καί  
Sense: and, also, even, indeed, but.
διάκονος  servant 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: διάκονος  
Sense: one who executes the commands of another, esp. of a master, a servant, attendant, minister.
  - 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ἐμὸς  of  Me 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Nominative Masculine 1st Person Singular
Root: ἐμός  
Sense: my, mine, etc.
ἔσται  will  be 
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Middle, 3rd Person Singular
Root: εἰμί  
Sense: to be, to exist, to happen, to be present.
τιμήσει  will  honor 
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: τιμάω  
Sense: to estimate, fix the value.
Πατήρ  Father 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: προπάτωρ 
Sense: generator or male ancestor.