John 12:34 - Printer Friendly

ESV: So the crowd answered him, "We have heard from the Law that the Christ remains forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?"

NIV: The crowd spoke up, "We have heard from the Law that the Messiah will remain forever, so how can you say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this ‘Son of Man’?"

NASB: The crowd then answered Him, 'We have heard from the Law that the Christ is to remain forever; and how is it that You say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this Son of Man?'

CSB: Then the crowd replied to him, "We have heard from the law that the Messiah will remain forever. So how can you say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this Son of Man?"

NLT: The crowd responded, 'We understood from Scripture that the Messiah would live forever. How can you say the Son of Man will die? Just who is this Son of Man, anyway?'

KJV: 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?

NKJV: 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?”

A crowd of people is speaking with Jesus in Jerusalem, not long before Passover (John 12:20–22). In this conversation, Jesus has mentioned His impending death, and received a response from heaven, in the form of audible words (John 12:23–28). Some in the crowd dismissed this as thunder, while others ascribed it to an angel (John 12:29). Jesus pointed out that these signs were meant for the people—as proof they needed to respond (John 12:30–31). All people are faced with a certain level of evidence for God (Romans 1:18–20), and the crucifixion of Christ represents the ultimate "call" that people must either accept or deny (John 12:32–33).

Old Testament prophecy looked forward to the Messiah. However, that perspective didn't include a clear separation of time between events. Most people in this crowd expect the Messiah will come and immediately establish a permanent rule on earth. The question being asked here implies that Jesus' words are not falling on completely deaf ears. Being "lifted up," to some, might suggest ascending to heaven, while others might understand the veiled reference to crucifixion. Either way, it implies Jesus will not be on earth forever.

Earlier, Jesus used the title "Son of Man" for Himself (John 12:23). This is part of the people's confusion, so they ask Jesus to clarify what He means. There is no doubt that He has claimed that phrase—but the people don't understand how that connects to being "lifted up." In a sense, they're asking if Jesus means "Son of Man" in a different way than He's been using it. His answer will flow from prior comments: that there's a clear choice between belief and disbelief, and a person's time to make that decision is limited (John 12:35–36).

John 12:27–43 represents the end of Jesus' public ministry in the gospel of John. After being approached by non-Jewish people who believed in God, Jesus seems agitated as He anticipates His impending death. A voice from heaven affirms His mission, but to most people it simply sounds like noise or thunder. What Jesus means as a reference to crucifixion is misinterpreted by many as a prediction that He'll be exalted: to be ''lifted up.'' The people struggle to understand His message, and Jesus will leave them after warning that their time is short. This confirms Old Testament prophecies and reiterates how far some people will go in order to defy evidence of God.

Jesus is treated to an honorary dinner at the home of Lazarus, whom He has recently raised from death. At this dinner, Lazarus' sister, Mary, anoints Jesus with expensive oil. Jesus then enters Jerusalem to great fanfare, stoking fears that His popularity will attract the anger of the Roman Empire. That anger even inspires a murder plot against Lazarus. After being approached by non-Jewish seekers, Jesus offers a final plea for people to understand His ministry. In effect, these are the last public words spoken by Jesus in the gospel of John.

In the prior chapter, Jesus spectacularly raised Lazarus from death in front of a crowd of witnesses. This inspired local religious leaders to commit to having Him killed. Here, after a celebratory dinner where Jesus is anointed with oil, He will fulfill prophecy by riding into Jerusalem on a donkey, celebrated with shouts of ''Hosanna'' and a massive crowd. This leads to a group of curious non-Jews approaching Him. Christ then offers a final plea for belief in Him and His message. After this, His ministry will turn to preparing the disciples for His impending death and resurrection. The next several chapters of the gospel of John are almost entirely made up of his teachings to these men.

The disciple John wrote the gospel of John decades after the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke were written. The author assumes that a reader is already familiar with the content of these other works. So, John presents a different perspective, with a greater emphasis on meaning. John uses seven miracles—which he calls "signs"— to prove that Jesus is, in fact, God incarnate. Some of the most well-known verses in the Bible are found here. None is more famous than the one-sentence summary of the gospel found in John 3:16.