John 12:44-50 Jesus cried out ....

John 12:44-50 It is not at all clear when and where Jesus made this statement. In John 12:36 it is recorded that Jesus departed from the people and went away. The following verses show John's comments on what had just previously transpired. Chapter 13 appears to start a whole new narrative dealing with the last supper. So when and where Jesus made this declaration is not even hinted at.

          In this passage, Jesus identifies Himself with the Father. The first few verses are essentially a prefiguring of His comments at the last supper in John 14:9-11. The next verse returns to the revelation of spiritual light that has been present in at least four earlier passages in John. (see note to John 12:36) The next two verses deal with judgment. John 12:47 records that Jesus said that if someone hears His words and does not keep them, even then He does not judge them. It is the words themselves that will judge them. He did not come to bring judgment but salvation. But the words that He spoke have this power because they were given to Him by the Father to speak. The Father gave commandment for eternal life, and that is what He sent Jesus to bring and told Him to speak, and Jesus was faithful to come and to speak these words. The seemingly inescapable inference is that the Father sent Jesus to speak words of eternal life, and the one who hears these words and rejects them has, by his or her own decision, rejected eternal life. This passage essentially restates John 3:17-21.

          The important point to see is that our fear of judgment is based on our reaction to His nature of love and holiness. Adam and Eve hid themselves from The Lord God when He was walking in the garden, after they had eaten the forbidden fruit. (Genesis 3:8) The Lord indicated to Moses that this was an appropriate reaction, because no one can see His face and live. (Exodus 33:20) That did not mean that God judged people harshly for their sin and wanted to punish them exorbitantly, but that He is what He is in His intrinsic nature and character, and we cannot bear to experience Him in our fallen estate. So God clothed Himself in flesh in the person of Jesus. And most people love Jesus because He emanates love and holiness. God's nature did not change. But to remedy the problem of us living in His presence and sharing His nature and character, Jesus would have to complete the plan of redemption. And so we move on to the crucifixion and resurrection.

          This statement concludes the public ministry of Jesus.