Lesson #199
The voice from heaven just validated who Jesus is and now Jesus is going to try to help the people understand that before their Messiah rules as the King, he must suffer and die for the people. We will see in future lessons that this concept is going to severely alienate the people from Jesus, even to the point that they will cry out for his crucifixion. Following the voice from heaven, Jesus continues by saying, “Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out” (John 12:31 ESV). Paul spoke of the ruler of this world: “And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God” (2 Corinthians 4:3 – 4 ESV). Through his death on the cross and his resurrection, Jesus assures that the world will be judged for its evil and its stand against God, especially their stand against Jesus and his followers. The victory that Jesus gains over death, guarantees that the reign of Satan as the ruler of this world will end at the end of the age.
Jesus continues to say, “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself” (John 12:32 ESV). There is some debate on how to interpret the phrase “lifted up from the earth.” Does it refer to the Lord’s resurrection and ascension or does it refer to his being lifted up and hung on the cross to die? The next verse speaks of his death and in the conversation with Nicodemus, the same language is used: “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life” (John 3:14 – 15 ESV). In John 6:44 we first encountered the concept “will draw” when Jesus said, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day” (John 3:44 ESV). Jesus is declaring that his death on the cross would draw all of those whom the Father has chosen. Through his death and resurrection, Jesus draws as the Father gives, those chosen in ages past. By the Father’s work of grace, those chosen are prepared to come to Christ and when they hear the message about the work Jesus finished on the cross, they find it more compelling than anything the world has to offer and they surrender their will to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. This work on the cross, this matchless love of God, is a pronouncement of judgment against the world and its prince.
Why did Jesus say he would be lifted up? “He said this to show by what kind of death he was going to die” (John 12:33 ESV). Jesus was making it very clear to the people listening, who had just heard the Father speak from heaven, that he would be lifted up and nailed to a cross and die and through that death would release judgment against the world and gain victory over its ruler, the devil. He also made it clear that his death on the cross and his resurrection would divide the population of the world into two groups; those chosen by the Father and those not chosen. Those chosen would see it as the power of salvation and those not would see it at utter foolishness. In which group do you currently find yourself?
Prayer
Father, how compelling this passage is concerning your validation of who Jesus is, how he would die and what would be gained by that death. The promise Jesus made on the cross that he would draw all of those you chose is being realized throughout the world every day. Father, thank you for your plan of salvation and its implementation that provides us with the gift of salvation. Thank you for such a rich and powerful text. Thank you for salvation so rich and free through the death and resurrection of Jesus. Lord, thank you for your overwhelming love for us that you would be willing to sacrifice yourself in our place on the cross.
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