Crowds follow Jesus to see Lazarus, knowing Jesus raised him from the dead. So the chief priests make Lazarus a target for execution, too. Ironic. He's already been dead, what harm would it be to die again!?
Jesus enters Jerusalem the next day as a triumphant king with crowds, purposely fulfilling Zechariah 9:9 by riding a donkey. Greeks want to see Jesus, but He's focused on His death which will bear fruit. It is past time to cling to the perks of life. He wants to glorify the Father, not be saved from crucifixion, and the Father audibly agrees with this desire. Jesus predicts how He will die (lifted up) and that it will cast out Satan.
Most still don't believe Him, but many (even leaders) do. Those who don't are afraid of the church leaders who can excommuicate them for accepting Jesus. They care more about men favoring them than God doing so.
Jesus says what the Father tells Him. Rejecting Jesus means rejecting God, and being judged - not now by Jesus but by His Word at the last day. Now is the time to be saved and avoid judgment.
Application
God's Word gets at our motivations. Judas was greedy (verse 6). Many follow Jesus just to see sensational things (9). We hate and murder to get our way (10-11). Those who reject Him have selfish reasons for doing so, not reasonable ones (42-43). Jesus' own motivation is the heart of the chapter, and our example (24-28).
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