John 12:34-50

Last week we began to look at Jesus’ last public address as recorded by John.

Jesus’ crucifixion was approaching, and His last days would be spent with those closest to him, speaking to them, teaching them, ministering to them, preparing them for his departure.

We pick up where we left off last week with the crowd questioning Jesus about his theology of the Messiah.

Jesus said a few things that were provoking this question.

First, he called himself the Son of Man (vs 23), saying that it was his time to be glorified.

Son of Man was a term that the Jews had been taught was the Messiah, the King of Israel to come.

Second, He said judgment was upon this world, and it’s ruler would be cast out. (vs 31)

signifying that his glorification was a judgment of the former rule and the bringing in of a new rule.

These two points sound like what was to be expected from the coming Messiah, but hen Jesus says...

Thirdly, he said that He would be lifted up (or crucified) drawing all men to himself. (vs 32)

At this sayings the crowd asks, “The Law says that the Christ remains forever, how can you say the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?”

What an awesome question, they are asking to know who the Son of Man is and his agenda?

Who is Jesus describing with these statements concerning the Son of Man?

Is he different from the Messiah? What are your saying Jesus?

We looked at Jesus’ response a little this past week, but will revisit it in this context today.

What we will see is that man is in darkness and needs the light to see the truth.

The key to understanding is the light. Man who is in spiritual darkness has no understanding of God’s word, His world and their place in it without illumination from the light.

Humanity needs light to see the truth about God, about His kingdom and our place in it.

John is going to unpack scripturally why the Jews are not able to understand who Jesus is and the grace of God extended to all people.

Believe in the Light

John 12:31–33 “31 Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out. 32 And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.” 33 This He said, signifying by what death He would die.”

Last week we saw how Jesus’ crucifixion would bring about three things:

The judgment of the world — that judgment is centered upon humanities acceptance or rejection of Jesus. Jesus’ life given is the only source of forgiveness for man’s sin. His crucifixion is a line drawn in the sand, either a person receives Him and believes his word unto life, or they reject Him and his word which results in judgment and death.

The casting out of its ruler — God is the sovereign ruler over all His creation but man in the garden submitted themselves to another, Satan, who rules over and influences man’s sinful disposition. Jesus’ has come, and will be crucified, to release man from satan’s rule and influence, to remove his authority over people.

The drawing of all people to Himself — Jesus’ Messianic reign wasn’t just for the Jews, but as the promised Messiah crucified, He is the saving king for all humanity. For all who will believe in Him.

This is why Jesus would be crucified.

But a crucified Messiah was not what the Jews expected.

Jesus earlier in this chapter called himself the Son of Man.

John 12:23 “23 But Jesus answered them, saying, “The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified.”

This term Son of Man was a Messianic title the Jews understood to describe the Messiah’s heavenly and divine origin.

So this was confusing to his audience when he described being crucified,

the fact that he described being crucified indicated that the Romans would kill him,

How was he to be the King who would judge the world and cast out it ruler if he is to be killed by the Romans?

John 12:34–50 (NKJV) 34 The people answered Him, “We have heard from the law that the Christ remains forever; and how can You say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this Son of Man?”

“We’ve been told something different about the Son of Man” they say to him. Who is it exactly you are describing?

Their understanding of the Son of Man came from multiple passages in the OT.

But one from the prophet of Daniel is very descriptive…

Daniel 7:13–14 “13 “I was watching in the night visions, And behold, One like the Son of Man, Coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, And they brought Him near before Him. 14 Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, Which shall not pass away, And His kingdom the one Which shall not be destroyed.”

This describes the rule of the Son of Man being eternal and over the world, not killed by his enemies.

Jesus’ response tells us what is going on in their heart.

35 Then Jesus said to them, “A little while longer the light is with you. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you; he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going. 36 While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.” These things Jesus spoke, and departed, and was hidden from them.

Notice how Jesus says “the light” and not “the” darkness.

John is careful to make this distinction,

There is only one light by which man can find understanding.

Darkness is ever present, ready, if you will, to overtake a person.

darkness symbolizes the evil in the world, and the sinful condition of man’s heart.

people who follow evil desires and powers are usually not aware they are being led away from God and toward death.

what Jesus want’s his listener to understand is that, darkness only has power if the light is rejected.

Jesus declares that “the light” is with them, and that they needed to seek out understanding while they had it. To reject the light would leave them wandering without understanding.

Jesus’ call is to believe in “the light, while you have it.”

Why?

so “that they may become children of the light.”

According to Jesus the way to overcome darkness, is through belief in the light, through becoming a child of the light.

what is he describing?

sons of light means ‘people characterized by the light,’ that is “people of God.”

it refers to men and women to whom the truth of God has been revealed and who are therefore living according to that truth, thus “people of God”

John has referred to Jesus as the light of the world a couple of time already in his gospel

John 1:4 “4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.”

John 8:12 “12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.””

Jesus is describing that a person must receive and follow him in order to see properly.

To understand the scriptures, to know what Jesus’ crucifixion was to accomplish.

Unbelief in the Light

37 But although He had done so many signs before them, they did not believe in Him,

38 that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke:

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

Here John give us his commentary about what was happening,

what He has come to understand, what he gained from believing in the light.

John’s explaining this to His original audience to help them understand why the Jews rejected Jesus, and with the help of the Romans had him crucified.

He says that they saw the signs but wouldn’t believe,

and that this was fulfillment of prophecy given through Isaiah.

John quotes

Isaiah 53:1 “1 Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”

As you bible students might recognize this is the first verse of a very well known passage describing the Suffering Servant of God.

Isaiah asks, “Who has believed our report?”

To understand why John quotes this verse, we should explore the context of Isaiah.

(When every you see a OT verse quoted in the NT, its good to go back and read that verse in context to better understand why the author is using it in the NT.)

Isaiah 53:1 is a continuation of what Isaiah said in Is 52:13-15.

this is where chapter and verse breaks aren’t perfect. There were no chapters and verses in the original texts, these were added much later when the bible was put together to help us navigate it quicker.

So Isaiah 53 is a a continuation of what Isaiah was already stating.

Isaiah 52:13–15 “13 Behold, My Servant shall deal prudently; He shall be exalted and extolled and be very high. 14 Just as many were astonished at you, So His visage was marred more than any man, And His form more than the sons of men; 15 So shall He sprinkle many nations. Kings shall shut their mouths at Him; For what had not been told them they shall see, And what they had not heard they shall consider.”

SO when Isaiah continues to speak in Isaiah 53:1 “1 Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”

He is saying that they were told that the Servant of YHWH, who they understood as the Messiah, was to be exalted and yet would be marred, or killed.

And the response of the Jews would be unbelief.

And Isaiah is writing from the perspective of the unbeliever, who received this message and did not understand, but now has seen the light, has come to understand that the Messiah of God would have to suffer for the sins of the world; which is what the rest of chapter 53 describes.

The Jews of Jesus’ day saw the signs and works he did,

the many miraculous signs, heard his words,

The arm of the Lord has been revealed

which is to say that, God’s great power has been seen by them, through Jesus’ miracles.

What Jesus did was the activity and works of God in the world.

yet they were unwilling to believe,

he wasn’t coming in the way they expected.

They didn’t understand why he said he must be lifted up, that his glorification was his crucifixion.

As Isaiah goes on to say in 52:15,

15 So shall He sprinkle many nations. Kings shall shut their mouths at Him; For what had not been told them they shall see, And what they had not heard they shall consider.”

it will be this crucified Messiah, this marred Servant of God,

who will sprinkle many nations,

that word sprinkle refers to the blood from the sacrifices offered to God in the OT,

That was used to consecrate things in the temple for serving God,

This would include tools, furniture, clothing, the priest themselves

The blood of a sacrificed animal was sprinkled upon these elements making them clean and set apart (holy) for serving God.

This servant that Isaiah describes will be marred, or with this allusion sacrificed, and will sprinkle many nations,

meaning he will make spiritually clean many nations.

this connects to the Greeks who came to seek Jesus back in verse 20,

what else does he say in verse 15?

Isaiah 52:15 “15 So shall He sprinkle many nations. Kings shall shut their mouths at Him; For what had not been told them they shall see, And what they had not heard they shall consider.”

who will shut the mouths of the rulers of this world,

and confront those who would not believer.

re read John 12:31–32

“31 Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out. 32 And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.””

John is understanding what Jesus is saying and doing through the prophet Isaiah.

Remember Jesus came to fulfill the Law and the Prophets.

Matthew 5:17 “17 “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.”

John quotes, Isaiah 53:1

“1 Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”

John, through Isaiah, is showing that Jesus is sent from the Father to accomplish salvation for all who would believe in Him,

yet He would be rejected by those of His own people in unbelief.

John explains the source of unbelief, from another of Isaiah’s passages.

39 Therefore they could not believe, because Isaiah said again:

40 “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, Lest they should see with their eyes, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.” (Is 6:10)

Its one thing for the Jews to chose not to believe but it is another to say they could not believe.

What is Jesus saying here?

Well lets visit the context of this next passage that John quotes.

He says…

41 These things Isaiah said when he saw His (Jesus; the Messiah’s) glory and spoke of Him.

John is telling us something here about Jesus, that Isaiah saw the pre-incarnate Jesus.

Isaiah saw the glory of the Messiah, the preincarnate Jesus, and believed, to action

Before this verse referenced by John, Isaiah describes his encounter with the pre-incarnate Jesus.

Isaiah 6:1–10 “1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. 2 Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one cried to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory!” 4 And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke.

5 So I said: “Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, The Lord of hosts.”

6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar. 7 And he touched my mouth with it, and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; Your iniquity is taken away, And your sin purged.”

8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: “Whom shall I send, And who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.”

9 And He said, “Go, and tell this people: ‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand; Keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’

10 “Make the heart of this people dull, And their ears heavy, And shut their eyes; Lest they see with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart, And return and be healed.””

John reminds his readers of Isaiah, who had seen the pre-incarnate Messiah, confessed his sin, and responded to His word.

This is contrasted with Israel to whom the Messiah has come and revealed himself to them through his words and his mighty works but they did not not repent and responded to His word in faith.

the truth is that when people continue to hear the message of the gospel over and over without response, hearts grow more calloused, eyes become more dim, and understanding more dark.

the mighty works of Jesus didn’t always lead to faith,

We saw this with Pharaoh, who heard the word of YHWH, and saw His mighty works but his pride and resistance against YHWH became more resolved until he could not believe.

God continuing to work miracles only caused Pharaohs heart to become more resolved against His word, resulting in judgment.

This is why Jesus says in verses 35-36, He is the light who is with them and exhorts them to receive Him in order that they may not be left in darkness.

Isaiah saw the glory of the Messiah, the preincarnate Jesus, and believed, to action

Israel received Jesus incarnate, and in unbelief, could not, even though they were given every opportunity to believe.

John tell us that they could not believe, because they would not believe.

because they would not believe, God will honor that decision, by preventing them from understanding his plans, He will even use their blindness to accomplish what will save many people who are willing to listen and believe.

John quotes Isaiah, who saw and believed and obeyed.

42 Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue;

43 for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.

Rulers here describe the Sanhedrin, or Jewish religious leaders, of whom Nicodemus (Ch 3) was apart of.

Among this group were those who believed in Jesus,

but let the fear of men and the fear of the consequences of confessing that Jesus was the Messiah, keep them from doing so openly.

If they were to do so they risked excommunication from the synagogue, the hub of all the community gatherings.

They would lose their place of prominence among the community and that was a high price to pay.

They loved the praise from men, John tells us, more than the praise from God.

I see a great contrast here that John supplies.

Remember Isaiah’s encounter with the Messiah, how it altered his life,

He was so aware of his sin before the Lord, confessing his uncleaness,

We have these rulers who have encountered the Messiah, and they were trapped by what they possess so they couldn’t confess.

They loved what they received because of their positions and couldn’t risk losing it.

as John put it, they loved the praise of men MORE THAN the praise of God.

Isaiah’s encounter led to cleansing from sin… his unclean lips

The prophet Ezekiel, when he encountered God’s presence responded in humility!

we see it with Peter and John as well

When we truly encounter Jesus, we cannot but help confess our sinful disposition, and be humbled before Him.

Isaiah in chapter 5 was pronouncing Woes of judgment on the nation of Israel, but here in chapter 6, when he encountered the glory of the Lord, he is crying out woe is me, I deserve to be judged for my sin.

He says I am a man who is unclean!

The Bible Knowledge Commentary 6:5

next to the purity of God’s holiness, the impurity of human sin is all the more evident.

The position of the rulers, led to them thinking that they were better than they were.

With the praise of the people can come the thought “I’m doing alright.”

When your in a place of leadership you can find yourself relying on what people are saying as a form of assurance that you're doing good.

And you can take it as I must be doing good with God too.

The opposite is true to also, if the people aren’t praising me I must be doing something wrong.

Isaiah, when he encountered the Lord, was humbled by his own sinful condition and his cleansing was provided.

humility precedes cleansing.

Cleansing from sin allows you to hear God’s word.

After Isaiah’s mouth was touched with the coal by the angel, what do we read?

He heard the voice of the Lord

saying, “Whom shall I send? Who will go on our behalf?”

To which Isaiah responded, “HERE I AM SEND ME!”

Isaiah was humbled before the Lord, recognized his sinful state, received cleansing and joined in with what God wanted to do — to send out his message for the people of Israel to turn back to Him, even though they wouldn’t listen.

Isaiah in comparison with these religious rulers, truly encountered the Lord and he served Him even though it wouldn’t result in the praise of men.

Isaiah served the Lord because he saw His glory.

These rulers, saw a man, not the Son of Man, the Messiah, they believed in Him, but it didn’t result in them confessing him.

It didn’t result in their concern for the glory from God’ over the glory of men.

They couldn’t confess because what they possessed.

The praise of the people was what they wanted to keep, what they couldn’t let go of.

Isaiah saw the glory of God and it changed everything for him, led him into a ministry that would lack glory from men, they were not going to listen and their hearts were only going to grow harder against God.

The results of the ministry is to be left with God,

but the motive always has to start with humility and responding to God’s glory, responding to his word first and foremost.

I like what Pastor David Guzik comments on this:

John 7. Some of the Rulers Have a Feeble Belief in Jesus (42–43)

Is it possible to be a secret follower of Jesus?

John has again has shown how Jesus was received by those who heard him teach and saw him perform mighty works. He shows how the scriptures said this would happen, and how God would use it to bring many more to salvation from outside of Israel, from the other nations.

Through the death of Jesus, God would provide cleansing for sin, so that those who believe in Him could be saved from death and receive eternal life.

He closes with his account of Jesus’ public ministry with these words of Jesus.

Jesus’ Call to Believe

44 Then Jesus cried out and said, “He who believes in Me, believes not in Me but in Him who sent Me.

45 And he who sees Me sees Him who sent Me.

46 I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness.

47 And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world.

48 He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him—the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.

49 For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak.

50 And I know that His command is everlasting life. Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak.”

You may notice that John last told us that Jesus went away and was hidden from the crowds back in verse 36, but is here seen crying out.

These must be more of what Jesus said before going away with his disciples, Jesus’ call to believe. It summarized much of Jesus message from the beginning of his ministry until now.

Four main themes are stressed by Jesus:

His unity with God the Father

John 12:44–45 “44 Then Jesus cried out and said, “He who believes in Me, believes not in Me but in Him who sent Me. 45 And he who sees Me sees Him who sent Me.”

To believe in him is to believe in God.

TO see Him is to see God.

He is the light of the world

John 12:46 “46 I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness.”

Jesus is the truth, and man need to follow him.

He has come to save

John 12:47 “47 And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world.”

John 12:48 “48 He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him—the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.”

The message Jesus has been an invitation to believe in him, he is calling the sinner to himself, His message is of love and acceptance through faith.

But if a person rejects this message, there is only the expectation of judgment, and every person will be held accountable for what they’ve heard.

He speaks and acts with the authority of the Father.

John 12:49–50 “49 For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak. 50 And I know that His command is everlasting life. Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak.””

Jesus came to save, His words lead to salvation.

His words are from the Father and are eternal life.

Closing

This passage began with Jesus being received into Jerusalem by the crowds who saw his mighty deeds worshipping him and hailing him as the Messiah. The jewish religious leaders were upset by this and sought how to kill him, but we were introduced to gentiles who wanted to know him more.

This opened the door to Jesus explaining that the time has come for him to accomplish what he was sent to do. Jesus was about to be crucified.

His crucifixion was going to accomplish a few things:

the judgment of the world and its ruler.

Jesus’ death defeated satan and his rule over the sinfulness of man. Man’s sin was paid for on the cross, so that we can be forgiven and given a new heart and life with him forever.

it would also draw all men to himself

Jesus’ death wasn’t just for a specific group of people, but for the whole world.

Jesus acted on behalf of the Father’s will in order to save anyone who hears his word, believes, and follows him.

In Chapter 13, John begins to record some of Jesus’ final words to His disciples — to those that serve him and follow him (vs 26).

If you get to this point in John’s gospel and you have not received Jesus as the Son of God sent to save you from your sins, the next few chapters will feel less personal.

What follows is promises, words of comfort, and power.

These words are for all who will believe.