Chapter BY Chapter

Jesus Draws All To Himself By His Crucifixion

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John 12:27-50

 

“Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour.  Father, glorify your name!”

 

Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.”  The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him.

 

Jesus said, “This voice was for your benefit, not mine.  Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out.  And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”  He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die.

 

The crowd spoke up, “We have heard from the Law that the Messiah will remain forever, so how can you say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this ‘Son of Man’?”

 

Then Jesus told them, “You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. Whoever walks in the dark does not know where they are going.  Believe in the light while you have the light, so that you may become children of light.” When he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them.

 

Even after Jesus had performed so many signs in their presence, they still would not believe in him.

 

This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet:

 

“Lord, who has believed our message
    and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”

 

For this reason they could not believe, because, as Isaiah says elsewhere:

 

“He has blinded their eyes
    and hardened their hearts,
so they can neither see with their eyes,
    nor understand with their hearts,
    nor turn—and I would heal them.”

 

Isaiah said this because he saw Jesus’ glory and spoke about him.

 

Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not openly acknowledge their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; for they loved human praise more than praise from God.

 

Then Jesus cried out, “Whoever believes in me does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me. The one who looks at me is seeing the one who sent me.  I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.

 

“If anyone hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge that person. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world.  There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the very words I have spoken will condemn them at the last day. For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken.  I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.”

 

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In the previous paragraph, Jesus mentions that where Jesus is, his followers will also be.  This is a great promise.  What he is promising here is that when a Christian dies, they will immediately be with Jesus in heaven.  Jesus said we will also be like the angels in heaven.  This is why in other passages; Jesus says that those who believe in him will never die.  They will just pass from this earth to their life in heaven. 

 

It is also good to remind ourselves that Jesus said that the story of the woman that anointed him with perfume will be told wherever the gospel is preached.  This story is about forgiveness of sins and salvation by faith.  False gospels do not have this story because those false gospels are not about forgiveness of sins and salvation by faith.  There are many claims about the gospel of Jesus Christ being elsewhere, but only in the New Testament do we find in Mark 1:1, “The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God.”  Now, the word Messiah means “anointed one.”  Some people will allege that Jesus was never anointed as king or priest.  What these people are missing is that Jesus did not need to be anointed by a human being.  Rather, Jesus was anointed by God with the Holy Spirit, and with the voice of God that said, “This is my son whom I love. Listen to Him.”

 

Now, the hour has come for Jesus to be glorified. 

 

Jesus draws an analogy between his life and a seed that must die to produce more seeds. 

 

Jesus is intimidated by the idea of his death.  Jesus asks if he should ask God for deliverance from this hour, then he immediately confirms that this is why he came to this hour.  All throughout the gospel of John, Jesus keeps repeating that his death is his whole purpose. 

 

In John 1:29, John the Baptist calls Jesus the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.

 

In John 1:35, John the Baptist calls Jesus the Lamb of God.

 

 In John 3:14, Jesus says that he must be lifted up.

 

In John 6:51, Jesus says, “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” 

 

In John 8:28. So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me.”

 

In John 10:11, Jesus says, ““I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”

 

In John 10:17-18, Jesus says. “The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”

 

So, up to this chapter, the gospel of John has said 7 times that he must die to give salvation to the world.  Now, He definitely says this is his whole purpose and the time is here. 

 

Jesus asks the Father to glorify his name.  A thundering voice comes down from heaven that says, “I have glorified it and will glorify it again.”  This is for the benefit of others.  It is a promise to Jesus’ followers that this hour will not end in Jesus’ death, but that something even more glorious is about to happen. 

 

Jesus says, “Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out.”

 

Now, how does the death and resurrection of Jesus result in judgment on the world and drive out the prince of this world?

 

1. It provides salvation for all.(Satan’s goal is to have company at his eternal destination).

2. It provides assurance of life after death.

 

Jesus says, “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”  To be “lifted up” is a common idiom for crucifixion.  John notates this this was an intentional reference to his crucifixion, and the hearers understood it that way as well. 

 

How does the crucifixion draw all people to Jesus?

 

1. Other religions require that you die for the religion.

2. “The primary source of the appeal of Christianity was Jesus - His incarnation, His life, His crucifixion, and His resurrection.” -Kenneth Scott Latourette

3. Central to Jesus’ life and purpose is the crucifixion.

4. Central to the gospel is the crucifixion of Jesus.Without it, there is no atonement for sins.Without it, the gospel is just another religion like all the other religions where salvation is by works.

5. Without it, there is no response of love to strengthen our desire to live for God.

6. It shows God’s love for us, that he would die for us in such a painful death.This draws a response from us.

7. Does this mean that everyone will be saved?No.By “all people,” the word people or men is not really there.It is just the word “all.” Jesus means here all those that will be drawn to him.Earlier, he said that his sheep know his voice and are drawn to him.You also have to accept his gift of salvation to receive it.It also means all kinds of people, both Jew and Gentile that will be drawn to him.As he said before he has sheep that are not of this pen that will be added.

 

But the crowd wonders about this.

 

“The crowd spoke up, “We have heard from the Law that the Messiah will remain forever, so how can you say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this ‘Son of Man’?”

 

Verses about the everlasting kingdom of the Messiah: 

 

2 Samuel 7:16, “Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever.’”

 

Isaiah 9:6-7 “For to us a child is born,
    to us a son is given,
    and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
    Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the greatness of his government and peace
    there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne
    and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
    with justice and righteousness
    from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the Lord Almighty
    will accomplish this.”

 

Daniel 7:13-14, ““In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. 14 He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.”

 

Zechariah 12:3,10 “On that day, when all the nations of the earth are gathered against her, I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock for all the nations…. And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son.”

 

So, there is no reason that the Messiah cannot come twice.  In fact, the logistics of his coming in power require a prior coming when the Messiah was pieced.  The coming with power will be a coming with the clouds of heaven.  The second coming will be unlike the coming when he was pierced. 

 

So how does Jesus respond to this? Does he get into a scriptural debate with them?  No rather, he goes to the main point – that they need to believe him.

 

“Then Jesus told them, “You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. Whoever walks in the dark does not know where they are going.  Believe in the light while you have the light, so that you may become children of light.” When he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them.”

 

The next section implies that at least a day passed, or more time passed for Jesus to perform more miracles and speak to the Jews again.

 

Even after Jesus had performed so many signs in their presence, they still would not believe in him.  This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet:

 

“Lord, who has believed our message
    and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”(Isaiah 53:1)

 

For this reason they could not believe, because, as Isaiah says elsewhere:

 

“He has blinded their eyes
    and hardened their hearts,
so they can neither see with their eyes,
    nor understand with their hearts,
    nor turn—and I would heal them.”(Isaiah 6:10)

 

Isaiah said this because he saw Jesus’ glory and spoke about him.”

 

There were many miracles that Jesus performed and they were smacking the Pharisees and prominent Jews right in the face.  They even acknowledged the miracles that Jesus did.  Yet their stubbornness to believe was prophesied by Isaiah and it was part of God’s plan.  Jesus had to be crucified to provide atonement for the sins for the whole world.  Without this, God’s plan cannot be accomplished.  Remember back when Jesus fed the 5 thousand, and the people acknowledged that he must be the prophet that was prophesied.  It says in Chapter 6 verse 15, “Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.”  For Jesus to be made king at this time was not God’s plan.  God’s plan at this time was to present the Lamb of God for atonement of sins.  Jesus was not just haphazardly tripping through life here.  He was fulfilling a very specific God-Ordained plan of salvation.

 

Then there are those that believe, but do not publicly acknowledge their faith in Jesus.

 

“Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not openly acknowledge their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; for they loved human praise more than praise from God.”

 

What should we say about these people?  Were they true believers? 

 

How does Jesus address this?

 

“Then Jesus cried out, “Whoever believes in me does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me.  The one who looks at me is seeing the one who sent me.  I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.

“If anyone hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge that person. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world.  There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the very words I have spoken will condemn them at the last day.”

 

“For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken.  I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.”

 

Jesus’ whole purpose at this time is to save the world. 

 

The Greek word here for cried out, implies yelling or hollering.  It is often used along with the words “in a loud voice.”  Jesus wants people to get this, and he is desperately emphasizing it.

 

What does Jesus want people to understand?

 

1. You believe in Jesus, you believe in God.

2. You see Jesus, you see God.

3. You listen to Jesus, you listen to God.

4. He is in the world as a light.

5. His purpose is to save, not judge.

6. You will be judged according to Jesus’ words.

7. You listen to Jesus and accept his light, you get eternal life.

8. Most and foremost – that His coming to the world and his crucifixion is an act of love.When most people think about the idea of God, they think that God is a God of Justice and if they have to spend half of eternity in hell paying for their sins, then so be it – at least that would prove to them that there is a God.

Well, how long is half of eternity anyway???If you subtract or divide anything of infinity, you still have infinity.Jesus is telling us that he didn’t come to condemn the world, but to save the world, save the world by providing the atonement for sins.This way, you don’t have to spend eternity in hell, not even half of eternity, not even any time in hell.Jesus is saying, all you have to do is be drawn to him for the gift he gave.All you have to do is respond in love and the relationship begins.If you haven’t started that relationship yet, you can right now.