Smoodock's Blog

When Jesus turned his eyes toward heaven and cried out to the Father: “Father, glorify your name!” a voice out of heaven answered him, saying: “I have both glorified it and will glorify it!” (John 12:28). Many of the folks standing there with him heard the voice too, and replied that an angel spoke to him, while others said it simply thundered (John 12:29). This has led some scholars to assume: “…there was no objective audible voice, which any ear beside that of Jesus could hear, and which none but the mind of Jesus could interpret”(see 1Samuel 12:18; Psalm 18:13; 29:1-11; Job 37:4).[1] Yet, this is inconclusive, because when Paul traveled with his associates to Damascus, he heard Jesus’ voice but his friends heard a sound but couldn’t tell what was said (Acts 9:3-7; cp. 22:6-10).

Jesus replied to the folks round about, saying that the voice didn’t come for his benefit, but for theirs. Jesus conversed with the Father daily and understood the communication of the Spirit. He didn’t need audible testimony, like they did. The Voice came for their benefit (John 12:30).

Then Jesus spoke of what was already occurring all about him. The Kingdom of God was coming and men were beginning to hear the voice of God, because they were willing to believe Jesus, that he was the Messiah. This is understood in the idea that no one comes to believe Jesus unless the Father draws them, and, if they are drawn to Jesus by the Father, then they are doing what they are taught of God to do (John 6:44-45). Yet, the unbeliever isn’t aware of anything God is saying or doing. In other words, judgment has begun and will continue to occur. One is chosen, while the other is passed over or cast away (John 12:31).

Therefore, if Jesus is lifted up, that is, if Jesus is crucified (John 12:33) and saved out from among the dead (cp. John 12:27), then he will through his crucifixion and resurrection draw all men to himself (John 12:32), and herein are folks judged. What do we do with Jesus? On the one hand, unbelievers reject him, so they remain judged with the judgment of Eden, and continue as they already are, namely, cast out from the Presence of God (Genesis 3:22-24). Imagine, the prince of that world, or the representative of the Old Covenant, the high priest, was a cast away (John 12:31) under the New Covenant and would not be a citizen of the Kingdom of God. In fact, he wouldn’t even be able to perceive such a Kingdom (John 3:3). By rejecting the King (cp. Matthew 21:39), the prince of that world was, himself, rejected in the coming world—the Kingdom of God (Matthew 8:11-12).

Then the people, which included the believing Jewish authorities and those who believed them concerning Jesus (cp. John 12:11-12, 17-18), replied to Jesus, saying “We have heard out of the Law that the Messiah lives forever (cp. Daniel 7:13-14). How, then, does Messiah die? Who is this Messiah?” (cp. John 12:34; paraphrased). Therefore, rather than listen to the Messiah, they judged him, believing they were able to see and understand spiritual matters (cp. John 9:40-41), but they could not (John 3:3). In doing so, they had begun again to place themselves among the castaways (cp. John 12:31), because, in rejecting Jesus, they refused to be taught by God (cp. John 6:44-45; John 3:18-19).

Then Jesus told them, speaking of his flesh (cp. John 1:14), the Light would be with them for only a short time longer. Therefore, they needed to walk, while they were still able to see the Light. Darkness was coming, vis-à-vis when the Light would no longer be visible (cp. Luke 17:22). When that occurred, they wouldn’t have a living, physical example to follow, and they would stumble (John 12:35). They needed to believe the Light (vis-à-vis the living example they were able to see), while they had it. Nevertheless, Jesus departed and hid himself from them. In fact, in John’s record, this was the last time they saw Jesus, until he was crucified! Thus, darkness began to overtake the very ones who began to believe, but recanted (John 12:36).

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[1] See the Pulpit Commentary, which points to Paulus, Lucke, and Hengstenberg for their concluding remarks.