John 12 Verses 32-36

John 12:32 “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. 33 This he said, signifying what death he should die. 34 The 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? 35 Then 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. 36 While 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.”

“And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.” Through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, he drew all men (all of the elect family of God) unto him. Without his atoning sacrifice we are all condemned before a just and holy God. Christ alone stood righteous. However, as a result of Christ’s atoning sacrifice, all the elect now also stand righteous before God. In this way we were all drawn unto Jesus through his death.

“This he said, signifying what death he should die.” When the Lord said that he would be lifted up from the earth, he was signifying that he would be crucified.

“The 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?” It is true that the Lord abides forever in his Kingdom. However, this is a spiritual kingdom and not a natural kingdom to which the Jews believed that Christ would set up and reign forever in a natural kingdom. When the people asked “who is this Son of man?” they were showing their ignorance of a need for and the coming of one to save them from their sins.

“Then 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. 36 While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light.” Jesus is the light of the world. Yet, as light enables understanding and direction, the Lord as a man on the earth was only going to be with the people for a short time. The Lord admonished them to believe in the light and through believing in the light they would be children of light. A person who believes in Christ and walks in Christ becomes a light to others as the children of light. When people do not believe in Christ and do not walk in Christ they are in darkness and walk in darkness and have no direction in their lives.

“These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them.”

John 12 Verses 37-41

John 12:37 “But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him: 38 That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed? 39 Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again, 40 He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them. 41 These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him.”

“But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him:” Before the people, the Lord had cast out unclean spirits. He had caused the blind to see. He had caused the deft to hear. He had cleansed lepers. He had raised the dead. He had made the impotent to walk. He had cured all manner of diseases. He had fed the multitude with 2 small fishes and 5 barley loaves. Yet, for all this many of the people did not believe on him. It is not the miracles that people see that lead them to believe in the Lord.

“That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed?” The second question answers the first question. Those to whom the arm of the Lord has been revealed are the ones who are capable of believing the report. While it is not the miracle that we see that leads us to believe in the Lord, it is the miracle that the Lord performs on us that enable us to believe. For a person to be dead in trespasses and sins to be given spiritual life is a miracle that only the Lord can bestow upon a person. Without that miracle of being born of the spirit, no one can believe even though he sees miracles with his natural eyes.

“Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again, 40 He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.” It was not that they would not believe, i.e., that they chose not to believe, but rather, they could not believe, i.e., they did not have the ability to believe. A person who is not born again, has blind eyes, a hard heart, and cannot see with their eyes and understand with their hearts and be converted that the Lord would heal them.
 

John 12 Verses 42-43

John 12:42 “Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on 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.”

These chief rulers that believed on Jesus were no doubt born of the Spirit of God, because a person who is not born of the Spirit of God cannot believe in Jesus. However, these believing chief rulers would not confess a belief in Jesus for the reason that they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God. I have no doubt today that many people believe in the Jesus of the bible, who will not confess their belief in the Jesus of the bible because they do not want to lose their place in society or in the denominational religions that teach a salvation based on works. They love the praise of men more than the praise of God.
 

John 12 Verses 44-50

John 12:44 “Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me. 45 And he that seeth me seeth him that sent me. 46 I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness. 47 And 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. 48 He 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. 49 For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. 50 And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak.”

“Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me. 45 And he that seeth me seeth him that sent me.” A lesson in this verse is that that the Father and the Son are one. Other verses that teach this lesson are shown below:

1. John 14:8 “Philip saith unto him, Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us. 9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father?”

2. John 10:30 “I and my Father are one.”

3. Col. 2:9 “For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.”

Thus, to believe on Jesus is equated to believing on the Father.

“I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.” Thus, those that believe in Jesus have the light of his example and the light of the word of God and thus do not have to abide in darkness.

“And 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.” The Lord did not come to execute eternal judgment on the elect world, but to save the elect world.

“He 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.” In contrast to saving the elect world, the non-elect world that consists of those who reject the Lord and receive not his words, shall be judged by his word in the last day.

“For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. 50 And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak.” Again we see there is no schism between the Father and the Son. The Father gave the Son a commandment and that is what he spoke.