John 12:27-36 May 11, 2014

The overall purpose of John is to encourage us to believe that Jesus is the Son of God and the Christ; the promise is that those who believe this will live. The immediate context of chapter twelve is Jesus preparing His disciples for His death and resurrection. The Greeks have come signaling the final hour, and He tells His disciples that He must die to bear much fruit and that they must follow Him. Now He says,

Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.

He’s troubled over His pending death, but He knows this is His whole purpose in coming. If it’s possible He wants this cup to pass, but He wants even more for the will of the Father to be done (Mt. 26:39):

28Father, glorify thy name. It seems like a strange thing to say here, but consider from other verses how the Father is glorified: Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples (Jn. 15:8). These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: 2As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. 3And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. 4I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. 5And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was (Jn. 17:1-5). Jesus hasn’t yet died, but He says He finished the work He was sent to do. It’s not that there’s nothing left to be done, but His primary goal (as the image of God) is to reveal the Father to the children of God. This glorifies the Father and Jesus accomplished it. Look at one more:

That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Phil. 2:10-11). The death of Christ merely precedes the fruit which follows; Christ’s resurrection (and ours) glorifies the Father.

Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.

I can only find two other places during Christ’s earthly ministry where the Father speaks from heaven: Christ’s baptism (the start of His public ministry) and at His transfiguration (when He revealed Himself in glorified form). The significance of those two occasions is evident, but this time seems a little insignificant. Why would the Father choose to speak from heaven now? When was He glorified, and when will He be again? The answer is revealed in the following verses:

29The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spake to him.

Taking verse 37 into account, we know that these people didn’t believe Jesus. It’s interesting that some of the people heard something they thought was just an occurrence of nature and others thought it was something spiritual, but neither one recognized the voice of the Father.

30Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes.

If they don’t believe then why is it for their sakes? In the Greek it actually says something more like, “Not because of me, but because of you.” The reason is revealed in the next verse:

31Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.

They don’t believe; compare this with verse 48. The reason the Father spoke from heaven is to glorify Himself as the Judge of these unbelievers. His voice that day is a testimony and evidence against them. It is against the hardness of their hearts. Understanding it this way is important because it helps keep verses 39-41 in context and it stays within the greater context of the chapter and the rest of the

book. He’s going to die because of their evil judgment against Him, but He will live anyway because of the testimony of the Father. These “judges” will soon become defendants and they’ll be found guilty and condemned, but no one will be able to save them:

32And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. 33This he said, signifying what death he should die.

Now, the tendency in our time is to put the emphasis on the second half of verse 32, but John doesn’t do that. It’s not an argument about whether He will draw all men universally or whether He will draw only the elect. Just the context of the passage (especially verse 40) automatically eliminates the Universalist interpretation.1 The focus is on the first half of verse 32: “lifted up from the earth.” He says this to show what kind of death He’ll die. It’s interesting because the Greek word for “show” comes from the same word used to describe His signs and miracles.2 So, in other words, He’s showing that He not only knows about His upcoming death, but He knows how it will happen and goes willingly in order to glorify the Father. He knows He will die at the judgment of these people who will soon shout “Crucify” but He doesn’t flee or take action against them. It’s been preordained that He should die this way and at their hands in order that He may draw all to Himself.

34The people answered him, We have heard out of the law that Christ abideth for ever: and how sayest thou, The Son of man must be lifted up? who is this Son of man?

They know the term “son of Man” from Daniel, but they understand that He’s supposed to live forever. When Jesus talks about dying they think they’ve caught Him in a trap and they challenge Him.

35Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth. 36While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them.

This almost seems to go against the rest of the passage; it’s like He’s trying to give false hope to those whose eyes have been blinded and whose hearts have been

1 The actual Greek says, “If I am lifted up from the earth, all will draw to myself,” so there’s no reason even in the

original language to misinterpret this. 2 http://biblehub.com/greek/4591.htm

hardened, but think about what’s going on. They quote Scripture to Him and He responds this way. Remember that God’s word is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path (Ps. 119:05). They think they know something about spiritual truth, but they reject Christ who says, “I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life” (Jn. 8:12). And look at what He says to them in the following verses: “He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me. 45And he that seeth me seeth him that sent me. 46I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness. 47And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. 48He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day” (Jn. 12:44-48). This isn’t so much a statement of hope as it is one of fact and purpose. Those who reject Christ have a certain expectation of judgment that ends in death. Those who believe in Him will live eternally with Him. Come quickly, Lord Jesus! newgracebaptistchurch.wordpress.com