The twelfth chapter of John's gospel records the awakening of many people to a new sense of life. Lazarus had been called from the tomb after he had been dead four days, according to the evidence of material sense, and soon thereafter the wonderful story was passed from one to another of the throngs of pilgrims who were on their way to participate in the passover at Jerusalem. We are told that many with simple faith "believed on Jesus" because he had given to the world this proof of man's immortality, and although the priests were conspiring to put both Lazarus and his deliverer to death, a great multitude of people went out of the city to meet him with loud acclaim and strewed the way with palms in his honor.
Among those who had come to the feast were some Greeks, and they approached Philip, one of the disciples, and said, "Sir, we would see Jesus." It would seem that their request was granted, though we are told nothing as to the outcome; yet the words linger in the chambers of memory, as well they may, for they express the deep longing of untold millions from that day down to the present time. Even little children when oppressed by the fear of sickness and death, either for themselves or for some dear one, longingly think that if they could only see Jesus as did the children who sang his praises in the temple, they too would receive healing. Alas that such hope and faith should ever be stifled by doubt, doubt born of the worldly wisdom which to God is but foolishness!
The critical Pharisees who sought to "entangle him in his talk," never saw Jesus, and this is explained by Mrs. Eddy's words on page 314 of Science and Health: "Because of mortals' material and sinful belief, the spiritual Jesus was imperceptible to them." There were probably thousands who looked upon the face of the Nazarene during the years of his earthly experience, yet how few of these could be said really to have seen him in the sense implied by his own daring but truly reverent words: "He that hath seen me hath seen the Father." It is certain that those who sought to crush the divine purpose of his life never saw Jesus, for mortal eye has never looked upon the divine idea, of which he was the highest earthly representative.
