Jesus uses the kernel of wheat to picture His own death, burial, and resurrection as the necessary path to abundant new life.
A kernel of wheat that stays in a granary or seed packet remains alone and never reproduces. Once it is buried in the ground and dies, it brings forth much fruit. Les Feldick explains that Jesus was speaking of His coming death, burial, and resurrection — a pattern repeated every spring in nature and applied to the believer's identification with Christ.
John 12:24 — This is the verse where Jesus directly uses the wheat kernel analogy to explain that His death will produce abundant fruit.
John 12:23 — Jesus introduces the kernel analogy by saying the hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.
Romans 6:5 — Paul uses the same planting picture to describe believers being planted together in the likeness of Christ's death and resurrection.
In John 12, some Greeks among those who came up to worship at the feast asked Philip and Andrew if they could see Jesus. Jesus 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" (John 12:23-24). Scripture thus presents the principle that a seed must be buried and die before it yields a harvest, and Jesus Himself connected this principle to His own glorification. Paul uses the same natural picture in 1 Corinthians 15. He writes, "Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die" (1 Corinthians 15:36), and then applies it to the resurrection: "It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption... it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power" (1 Corinthians 15:42-43). In Romans 6, Paul also describes believers as "planted together in the likeness of his death" so that they "shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection" (Romans 6:5).
Les Feldick explains that Jesus spoke these words just hours before His crucifixion, as crowds from across the Roman Empire were coming into Jerusalem for the Feast of Passover, and among them were Greeks — Gentiles — who wanted to see Jesus (Clip 0). When Philip and Andrew brought this request, Jesus answered that the hour had come for the Son of Man to be glorified, and then used the kernel of wheat illustration to refer to His coming death, burial, and resurrection (Clips 4, 6, 7). Les emphasizes the natural process: a kernel of wheat left in a granary or in a seed packet will never reproduce (Clips 1, 6). It has to be taken out of its container and planted — literally buried — in the ground, where it receives moisture and sunlight (Clips 1, 2). Then the seed dies, rots, and out of that death comes a new green shoot, then a stem, and eventually a hundredfold of kernels (Clips 1, 3). For Les, this is far more than a farm lesson. Every time a gardener plants a seed or a farmer plants a crop, he is rehearsing the whole plan of salvation (Clip 4). The whole sphere of springtime is a picture of death, burial, and resurrection (Clip 5). Paul makes the same application in Romans 6 — unless we have been planted in the likeness of Christ's death, buried with Him, we cannot have new life (Clips 3, 5). Jesus Himself could not be the true object of faith for Gentiles until His death, burial, and resurrection had taken place, because in our gospel salvation is identification with Him: Christ died in our place, and we are buried with Him (Clips 3, 6).
Les points out that this took place shortly before Jesus' crucifixion — literally a matter of hours. Crowds were coming in from all over the Roman Empire for the Feast of Passover, and among them were some Greeks, Gentiles, who wanted to see Jesus. When Philip and Andrew told Jesus about them, Jesus answered, "The hour is come that the Son of Man should be glorified," and immediately gave the kernel of wheat illustration.
Les teaches that the seed must first be taken out of its container and placed into the ground so it can receive moisture and sunlight. Then, for all practical purposes, the seed dies — it germinates, rots, dies. Out of that death comes a new green shoot, then a stem, and in the case of wheat, possibly a hundred kernels from that one seed.
Les connects the seed's death to Paul's teaching in Romans 6: unless we have been planted in the likeness of His death — buried with Him — we cannot have new life. The whole sphere of springtime, he says, is a picture of death, burial, and resurrection. Just as the seed must die before it springs up into new life and reproduces, so in the Spirit we have to die. Les also stresses that Jesus could not be the true object of faith to a Gentile until His death, burial, and resurrection had taken place, because our salvation is identification with Him: Christ died in my place; I am identified with Him; as He was buried, we were buried.
The Setting: Greeks at the Passover
Les sets the scene: Jesus spoke these words just hours before His crucifixion, when Greeks among the Passover crowd wanted to see Him — this context frames the kernel of wheat analogy.
A Buried Seed Dies and Brings Forth Much Fruit
Les explains that a kernel of wheat left in a granary never reproduces; it must be planted, buried, and die — and out of that death comes new life and much fruit.
Removed From Its Container and Put Into the Ground
Les teaches that a seed must be taken out of its container and placed in the ground where it receives moisture and sunlight — and then it dies before it can sprout new life.
Planted in the Likeness of His Death
Les connects the kernel of wheat to Romans 6: unless we are planted in the likeness of Christ's death — buried with Him — we cannot have new life.
Every Planting Rehearses Salvation
Les says every gardener or farmer who plants seed is rehearsing the whole plan of salvation, because Jesus' illustration was about His coming death, burial, and resurrection.
Springtime Is a Picture of Resurrection
Les teaches that the whole sphere of springtime — seed dying and springing up to reproduce — is a picture of death, burial, and resurrection.
Buried With Him — Identified in Death
Les explains that the seed buried in soil produces new life, and Jesus was referring to His own death, burial, and resurrection — the basis for believers' identification with Christ.
We Identify With His Death, Burial, and Resurrection
Les says Jesus was speaking of His death, burial, and resurrection, and that believers now identify with that.
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.
Jesus' own words using the wheat kernel analogy for His death and glorification.
John 12:23: And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified.
Jesus introduces the kernel of wheat saying right after speaking of His glorification.
1 Corinthians 15:36: Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die:
Paul states the same natural principle that a seed must die before it can live.
1 Corinthians 15:42-43: So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:
Paul applies the seed principle to the resurrection of the dead.
Romans 6:4-5: Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
Paul uses the planting and burial picture for the believer's identification with Christ.
Jesus was speaking of His own death, burial, and resurrection. A kernel of wheat that is not planted remains alone and produces nothing, but when it falls into the ground and dies, it brings forth much fruit. Les teaches that this simple illustration explains how Christ's death would bring forth abundant life.
A seed must be taken out of its container, placed in the ground, and receive moisture and sunlight before it can germinate. Then the seed dies — rots — and out of that death comes new life: a green shoot, then a stem, and a hundredfold harvest. This is the pattern of death, burial, and resurrection that Jesus applied to Himself.
Les Feldick explains that Paul makes this connection in Romans 6: unless we are planted in the likeness of Christ's death — buried with Him — we cannot have new life. Just as a seed must be buried and die to produce a plant, believers are identified with Christ in His death and burial.
Watch the Teaching: Why a Seed Must Die Before It Can Live — 1 Corinthians 15:36 Explained