Jesus was referring to His own coming death, burial, and resurrection — the kernel of wheat must die before it can bring forth much fruit.
A kernel of wheat left in a granary, seed packet, or other container abides alone and never reproduces. But when it is buried in the ground and dies, out of that death comes a new green shoot and much fruit. Jesus had just been told that Greeks wanted to see Him, and He answered that the hour had come for the Son of man to be glorified — pointing to the death, burial, and resurrection that would enable Him to be the object of faith for Gentiles as well as Jews.
John 12:24 — Jesus' exact statement about the kernel of wheat that must fall into the ground and die before it brings forth much fruit — the verse at the center of this question.
John 12:23 — The verse immediately before the kernel-of-wheat saying, where Jesus announces 'The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified' — the immediate context of His answer to the Greeks.
Romans 6:5 — Paul uses the same planting/burial analogy, saying believers have been planted together in the likeness of Christ's death and will share in the likeness of His resurrection.
In John 12, certain Greeks who came up to worship at the feast came to Philip, saying, 'Sir, we would see Jesus.' When Jesus was told, He answered, 'The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.' In Romans 6, Paul uses the planting picture in the same way: 'For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection.' Scripture presents the principle that a seed-like death precedes abundant fruit, and that being planted in the likeness of Christ's death leads to the likeness of His resurrection.
Les Feldick explains that Jesus took a simple agricultural fact and applied it to Himself. A kernel of wheat left in a granary, grainery, or seed packet will never reproduce; it has to be planted — literally buried — in the soil. With moisture and sunshine, that kernel dies and rots, and out of that death comes a new green shoot, then a stem that can produce perhaps a hundred kernels. Jesus used that illustration to refer to His own approaching death, burial, and resurrection. Les also emphasizes the timing of the statement. When the Greeks asked to see Jesus, He answered that the hour had come for the Son of man to be glorified — but He could not yet be the object of faith for Gentiles. Up until His death, burial, and resurrection, He could not be the true object of faith for a Gentile. Once that work was finished, salvation by identification with Christ's death and burial could go out to all. Paul, Les points out, uses the same analogy in Romans 6: unless we have been planted in the likeness of His death — buried with Him — we cannot have new life. And the whole world of nature, especially springtime and every planted seed, is rehearsing the plan of salvation: death, burial, and resurrection.
Greeks who came up to worship at the feast asked Philip, 'Sir, we would see Jesus.' Philip took the request to Andrew, and the two told Jesus. Jesus answered, 'The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified,' and followed it with the kernel-of-wheat saying. Les explains that up until His death, burial, and resurrection, Jesus could not be the true object of faith to a Gentile — the death of the seed had to come before the much fruit.
A seed must be taken out of its container and placed into the ground so it can receive moisture and sunlight. For all practical purposes, that seed then dies and rots. But out of that death comes a new green shoot, then the stem, and perhaps a hundred kernels. If you leave the kernel in a granary or in the seed packet, it will never reproduce.
Les points out that Paul uses the planting analogy in Romans chapter 6: unless we have been planted in the likeness of His death, unless we have been buried with Him, we cannot have new life. There has to be the experience of death before new life. As Christ died in the believer's place, the believer is identified with Him; as He was buried, we were buried, and new life follows.
The whole sphere of springtime is a picture of death, burial, and resurrection. Seed that was produced in the fall dies and, when everything is right, springs up into new life and reproduces again. Every time a farmer plants his crop or a gardener puts a seed in the garden, he is rehearsing the whole plan of salvation over and over again.
The Greeks Ask to See Jesus
Les sets the scene: Greeks came to the feast and asked to see Jesus, and Jesus responded by announcing that the hour had come for the Son of man to be glorified — immediately before speaking of the kernel of wheat.
The Planted Seed Dies and Produces Much Fruit
Les explains the natural process — a kernel left in a granary never reproduces, but a buried kernel dies and rots, and out of that death comes a shoot and perhaps a hundred kernels — and applies it to Jesus' own death, burial, and resurrection.
Jesus Could Not Be the Gentiles' Object of Faith Until Resurrection
Les teaches that out of the seed's death comes new life, and that up until His death, burial, and resurrection Jesus could not be the true object of faith for a Gentile — death must precede new life.
Planting a Seed Rehearses the Plan of Salvation
Les says that every gardener or farmer who plants a seed is rehearsing the whole plan of salvation — the kernel of wheat speaks of Jesus' coming death, burial, and resurrection.
The Seed Must Leave Its Container and Die
Les emphasizes that before a seed can germinate, it must be taken out of its container and placed into the ground for moisture and sunlight, and then it dies for all practical purposes before new life can sprout.
The Buried Seed and Salvation Through Identification
Les connects the buried seed to salvation: Jesus referred to His coming death, burial, and resurrection, and could not be an object of faith for the Greeks until that work was done — because now Christ's death places us in identification with Him.
Springtime as a Picture of Death, Burial, and Resurrection
Les teaches that all of springtime and the whole natural cycle pictures death, burial, and resurrection — the seed dies and springs into new life, and in the Spirit we also have to die.
Believers Identify with Christ's Death and Burial
Les teaches that Jesus was speaking of His death, burial, and resurrection and that believers identify with that — the Law convicts us of sin, the Holy Spirit indwells us when we believe, and old Adam is reckoned on the cross.
John 12:24: Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.
The very verse in question — Jesus' statement about the seed that must die to produce much fruit.
John 12:23: And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified.
Jesus' immediate answer to the Greeks, announcing His glorification right before the kernel-of-wheat saying.
John 12:21: The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus.
The Greeks' request that sets up the whole exchange.
Romans 6:5: For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
Paul's parallel planting language that Les cites in connection with the kernel-of-wheat analogy.
Jesus meant His own coming death, burial, and resurrection. Just as a kernel of wheat must be buried and die before it can send up a green shoot and produce many kernels, Jesus had to die and be buried — and until that happened He could not be the object of faith for a Gentile.
The Greeks asked to see Jesus, but the hour had come for the Son of man to be glorified — through His death, burial, and resurrection. Les explains that up until that work was completed, Jesus could not be the object of faith for a Gentile.
Les teaches that believers identify with Christ's death, burial, and resurrection. As a seed is buried and dies before new life springs up, Paul says in Romans 6 that we are planted together in the likeness of Christ's death, buried with Him, and raised to new life.
Watch the Teaching: Why a Seed Must Die Before It Can Live — 1 Corinthians 15:36 Explained