“And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.” John 12:32-33

[RR144]

In the twelfth chapter of John, Jesus is trying to prepare his disciples for his upcoming death. He explains that the work he was sent to do as the man Christ Jesus was coming to an end, and for that work to be fruitful, he must die (John 12:24).

He also tells them that he is a light that was sent into the world and was about to leave the world in darkness. But those who believe in him would not be in the dark but children of light (John 12:35-36).

In verse 32 Jesus speaks of being “lifted up.” This signified that he was to be hung on a cross. Remember Jesus’s words in John 3:14-15 (NKJV), “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” Jesus was referencing the time when Moses put a copper serpent on a pole and lifted it up so that anyone who had been bitten by a serpent could look upon it and be cured. (Numbers 21:8-9)

How could the perfect man Jesus be symbolized by a serpent? 2 Corinthians 5:21 (CSB), “He (God) made the one who did not know sin to be sin (pictured by the serpent) for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” Thus, Jesus’s death on the cross would be enough to bring all of humanity unto him and to be a cure from the power of the serpent (Satan).
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[Josheb]

In the twelfth chapter of John, Jesus is trying to prepare his disciples for his upcoming death. He explains that the work he was sent to do as the man Christ Jesus was coming to an end, and for that work to be fruitful, he must die (John 12:24).

He also tells them that he is a light that was sent into the world and was about to leave the world in darkness. But those who believe in him would not be in the dark but children of light (John 12:35-36). ​

In verse 32 Jesus speaks of being “lifted up.” This signified that he was to be hung on a cross. Remember Jesus’s words in John 3:14-15 (NKJV), “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” Jesus was referencing the time when Moses put a copper serpent on a pole and lifted it up so that anyone who had been bitten by a serpent could look upon it and be cured. (Numbers 21:8-9) ​

How could the perfect man Jesus be symbolized by a serpent? 2 Corinthians 5:21 (CSB), “He (God) made the one who did not know sin to be sin (pictured by the serpent) for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” Thus, Jesus’s death on the cross would be enough to bring all of humanity unto him and to be a cure from the power of the serpent (Satan). ​

There is a sense whereby the basic case made in this opening post is sorta correct but I think the use of scripture is rather loose, selective, and definitely incomplete, a lot of other relevant and salient scripture that could be brought to bear on Jesus' John 12 words is absent, so the exegesis is sloppy and the conclusion only partially correct. I will commend you for referencing scripture that states what you say it says.

• Jesus draws all men to him. That part is correct.
• Jesus's death on the cross is enough to cure all humanity from the power of Satan (the serpent). That part is also correct.

But what is left out is also vitally important because a person could be cured from the power of Satan and still be dead in sin. Lots of people in the gospels were delivered of satanic power but many did not believe Jesus was the resurrected son of God who redeemed them from sin. Being cured of Satan's power is not identical to, synonymous with, or to be conflated with being cured of sin. And just as important as the fact Jesus saves from sin, not just Satan, is the fact that whether or not a person is saved from sin s/he will be brought to the cross for judgment. The very same cross that saves also condemns. Everyone is brought to the cross..... but not everyone is brought to the cross in salvation. Every knee will bow and confess Jesus as Lord, not bot all will be able to confess him as Savior.


John and Jesus are definitely referencing Moses in Numbers 21. It's worth noting men had also been called serpents prior to Numbers 21, were often alluded to as such in the prophets, and Moses' staff had itself previously been turned into a snake. More saliently, though, John uses the motif of "light" from the beginning of his gospel. He uses the term almost two dozen time, more than any other gospel writer, and he does so in ways very informative to the op.

Thus, Jesus’s death on the cross would be enough to bring all of humanity unto him and to be a cure from the power of the serpent (Satan).

It is also enough to condemn all humanity.

That guy Jesus is a very powerful dude and the work he did on Calvary can slay just as easily as it uplifts .

 

[ChristB4us]

In the twelfth chapter of John, Jesus is trying to prepare his disciples for his upcoming death. He explains that the work he was sent to do as the man Christ Jesus was coming to an end, and for that work to be fruitful, he must die (John 12:24). ​

​

He also tells them that he is a light that was sent into the world and was about to leave the world in darkness. But those who believe in him would not be in the dark but children of light (John 12:35-36). ​

​

In verse 32 Jesus speaks of being “lifted up.” This signified that he was to be hung on a cross. Remember Jesus’s words in John 3:14-15 (NKJV), “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” Jesus was referencing the time when Moses put a copper serpent on a pole and lifted it up so that anyone who had been bitten by a serpent could look upon it and be cured. (Numbers 21:8-9) ​

​

How could the perfect man Jesus be symbolized by a serpent? 2 Corinthians 5:21 (CSB), “He (God) made the one who did not know sin to be sin (pictured by the serpent) for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” Thus, Jesus’s death on the cross would be enough to bring all of humanity unto him and to be a cure from the power of the serpent (Satan). ​

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I believe that the point of the Hebrews that looked to the serpent on the pole that was raised in the center of the camp was to be cured if they have been bitten and so by raising Him up for all to look to thus believing in Him for them looking to Him for that reason is how we are saved.

The irony is that the Father has to draw us unto the Son per John 6:44 and to reveal His son to us per Matthew 11:25-27 and so our believing in Him is a manifested work of God per John 3:18-21.

John 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

Matthew 11:25 At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. 26 Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight. 27 All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.

John 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

Colossians 1:20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. 21 And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled 22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: 23 If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;

Thanks for sharing as I agree that looking to Jesus Christ for eternal life by believing in Him which I give thanks to the Father in Jesus's name for my believing in Him.

 

[brightfame52]

@RR144

In the twelfth chapter of John, Jesus is trying to prepare his disciples for his upcoming death. He explains that the work he was sent to do as the man Christ Jesus was coming to an end, and for that work to be fruitful, he must die (John 12:24).​

Jesus here is saying that His Death will be successful in saving those He died for. This has reference to Isa 53:10

10 Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.

The word fruit in Jn 12 24 is the greek word karpos and it means:

1. the fruit of one's loins, i.e. his progeny, his posterity

Now the word seed in Isa 53 10 is the word zeraʿ:

1. offspring, descendants, posterity, children seed; figuratively, fruit,

So He will be resurrected to life after He dies and will see His Spiritual Offspring, the results and effects of His Death.
Also its that offspring that will be drawn to Him as a result of His Death and Resurrection Jn 12:32
32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.

33 This he said, signifying what death he should die.