John 12:31 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out.

NIV: Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out.

NASB: Now judgment is upon this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.

CSB: Now is the judgment of this world. Now the ruler of this world will be cast out.

NLT: The time for judging this world has come, when Satan, the ruler of this world, will be cast out.

KJV: Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.

NKJV: Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.

These words come as Jesus is speaking to a group in Jerusalem (John 12:20–22). The main point of His discussion is His impending death—"this hour" and "this purpose" for which He has come (John 12:27). During that conversation, an audible voice from heaven spoke words (John 12:28). Some in the crowd, expressing spiritual stubbornness, dismissed it as noise (John 12:29). Jesus, in contrast, explains the voice was meant for their good, as a means to point them towards the truth (John 12:30).

In the most direct sense, Jesus is still speaking of His upcoming sacrifice on the cross. That moment is the judgment of sin, and the means by which evil will be forever defeated (Hebrews 2:14–15). However, there is a sense in which His words also apply to the idea He just presented: that each person is presented with Christ and must make a decision. Everyone has access to "enough" proof of God (Romans 1:18–20; Psalm 19:1; John 5:39–40). Those who do not believe must choose disbelief (John 7:17; 1 Corinthians 2:14), and take on judgment themselves (John 3:16–18).

This double-meaning is supported by the comments Jesus makes in the very next verse: all men are "drawn to" Christ by the proclamation of His sacrificial death. Not all will actually come, of course (John 6:44). But no one has an excuse for rejecting what God offers, which is forgiveness of sin (John 6:35). After this conversation ends, the gospel of John will emphasize that people are rejecting God in spite of proof, not because there is no proof (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 gospel of John was written by the disciple John, decades later than the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. 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”—in order to prove that Jesus is, in fact, God incarnate. Some of the most well-known verses in all of the Bible are found here. None is more famous than the one-sentence summary of the gospel found in John 3:16.