John 12:41 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Isaiah said these things because he saw his glory and spoke of him.

NIV: Isaiah said this because he saw Jesus’ glory and spoke about him.

NASB: These things Isaiah said because he saw His glory, and he spoke about Him.

CSB: Isaiah said these things because he saw his glory and spoke about him.

NLT: Isaiah was referring to Jesus when he said this, because he saw the future and spoke of the Messiah’s glory.

KJV: These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him.

NKJV: These things Isaiah said when he saw His glory and spoke of Him.

John has cited passages from the Old Testament prophet Isaiah. Among these are Isaiah 53, which speaks of a "Suffering Servant" and explains how people will reject Messiah and mistreat Him (John 12:38). He also referenced Isaiah 6:10, where God predicts how those who deliberately reject God will have their disobedience made permanent, as a form of judgment (John 12:40). Isaiah's prophecies are famous for featuring stunning images of God and His glory in heaven (Isaiah 6:1–7).

John's reference here is to how Isaiah "saw his glory and spoke of him." The "Him" in question here is Jesus—John is explicitly connecting the visions of the Old Testament prophet to Jesus of Nazareth. This fits with the main purpose of this gospel, which is to provide evidence that Jesus is, in fact, divine (John 20:30–31). The miracles and other acts by Jesus are all meant to support this idea (John 12:30), and those who reject those "signs" risk being left to their own stubbornness (John 12:37–40).

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.

Accessed 11/21/2024 12:26:12 PM