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Author: Stephen Weller
757 words, 4 minutes read time

Death to be by Crucifixion

Scripture: John 12:30-33

In the previous lesson a voice spoke from heaven to glorify Jesus, but the people in the crowd weren’t willing to accept the fact that it was from the Father and instead attributed it to thunder or the voice of an angel. In this lesson we will learn that the voice was real and was for the benefit of the people in the crowd.

^{Jn 12:30} Jesus answered, “This voice has come for your sake, not mine. ³¹ Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out. ³² And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” ³³ He said this to show by what kind of death he was going to die.

The voice that was heard was for the purpose of validating who Jesus was, but as we learned in the previous lesson the people who heard the voice tried to explain it away and not accept it as a voice from the Father. There is so much evidence of God all around us, but people are blind to it or simply ignore it and do not allow it to draw them to a wonderful creator who can create new creatures in Christ out of them.

The “judgment of this world” is connected to “the ruler of this world will be cast out.” The actual judging and casting out will take place later but are based on an event that is soon to take place; the death of Jesus on the cross and his resurrection. ¹⁷ “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. ¹⁸ Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. ¹⁹ And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.” (John 3:17 – 19 ESV).

The “ruler of this world” is Satan and in reference to him, Jesus said, “I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim on me” (John 14:30 ESV). He is coming with his evil workers to arrest Jesus and place him on the cross, not realizing that this will be their defeat. Currently “the whole world lies in the power of the evil one” (1 John 5:19), but at the cross he is decisively defeated and at the proper time he will be removed from power. Jesus ¹⁴ “by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. ¹⁵ He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.” (Colossians 2:14 – 15 ESV).

Jesus’ triumph over Satan in his death and resurrection is the basis for his final triumph when “the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.” (Revelation 20:10 ESV).

Isaiah speaks of Jesus being lifted up: “Behold, my servant shall act wisely; he shall be high and lifted up and shall be exalted” (Isaiah 52:13 ESV). He shall “act wisely” reflects the sinless life of Jesus, “high and lifted up” speak of the cross, and “shall be exalted” is the glory he receives in his resurrection. “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up” (John 3:14 ESV).

The “all people” that he would draw to himself refers to all kinds of people, both Jew and Gentile. We see this in John 10:16 ESV: “I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So, there will be one flock, one shepherd.” Those that he draws are referenced in John 6:44 ESV: “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.”

Conclusion

Jesus made these comments to indicate how he was going to die. To fulfill prophecy, his death had to be by crucifixion.