John 12:36 - Printer Friendly

ESV: While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.” When Jesus had said these things, he departed and hid himself from them.

NIV: Believe in the light while you have the light, so that you may become children of light.' When he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them.

NASB: While you have the Light, believe in the Light, so that you may become sons of Light.' These things Jesus proclaimed, and He went away and hid Himself from them.

CSB: While you have the light, believe in the light so that you may become children of light." Jesus said this, then went away and hid from them.

NLT: Put your trust in the light while there is still time; then you will become children of the light.' After saying these things, Jesus went away and was hidden from them.

KJV: 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.

NKJV: While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.” These things Jesus spoke, and departed, and was hidden from them.

Writing in 2 Corinthians 6:2, Paul makes his famous statement that "now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation." James 4:14 indicates that life is like a vapor that's quickly gone without warning. The book of Proverbs warns that those who are stubborn face a sudden and permanent fate (Proverbs 29:1). Those warnings all share a common theme related to what Jesus is preaching to a crowd in Jerusalem (John 12:20–22). The essential message is: "don't wait."

In a very literal sense, Jesus is telling people that His earthly ministry is coming to a close. Their opportunity to hear and respond to Him is slipping away (John 12:23). Those who reject His words and His message are risking being left in the dark (John 12:35). More generally, He is speaking to anyone who hears the gospel (Luke 7:22–23) or sees the myriad evidence available for truths about God (Psalm 19:1). He's warning mankind that only those who become "sons of light" (1 John 3:1) can avoid being overtaken by darkness (Matthew 25:30). At some point, it will be "too late," and those who have ignored God up to then will have no excuse (Romans 1:18–20).

The end of this verse—which probably would have been better as its own segment—is something of a literal application of those ideas. Jesus leaves the crowd and is "hidden" from them. Whether that simply means He went somewhere private, or was supernaturally covered, Scripture does not say. Either way, this encounter is now closed.

Jesus' statement starting in verse 44 is not tied to a particular time or place; it might be a general summary of His words. That means that what's contained here in verse 36 may be, literally, the last words Jesus "preached" in a public setting prior to His arrest.

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.