John 12 Commentary
“Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out.” Verse 31. Whatever the LORD meant by this statement!
There are several clues in this chapter as well as the rest of the holy script.
In the Garden of Peace and Tranquility, the LORD promised that the seed of the woman would crush the head of the serpent. Is this the moment?
Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. Verse 24. The seed (Seed) is meant to multiply and produce more seeds. This casts an important layer of application. We have looked at the seed as chiefly meaning Abraham’s offspring. Here it means more. It is the beginning of life. Many more seeds will come up as the original seed dies.
The prince of this world is driven out during this process. No more interference. The life that he sucked out of humanity comes back. Life comes back as the light shines into the world of darkness. Light drives out darkness. It is a physical illustration but things are happening in the spiritual world.
The seed produces its kind – a natural fact. The Seed produces His kind. That’s how the nations are blessed. Check the Abrahamic blessing of Genesis 12. The Greeks must wait until the Seed falls to the ground.
In case Judas is worried about the availability of opportunities to do good, the LORD assures him that the poor will always be there!
“But you will not always have me.” Verse 8b. And, “Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28 verse 20b. You want to know who is speaking, the Son of God or the Son of Man? The trouble of dual citizenship!
The great crowd exclaimed, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD!” Pause and ponder Genesis 1 verse 28. “God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”
Fast forward and this blessing falls flat because the prince of this world teams up with humanity in disobedience. Forget everything and see how the blessing now rests in Jesus. It is a new creation page. Blessed to multiply (the Seed producing more like-seeds), blessed to rule (the King on the young donkey), blessed to bear fruit (fruit of the Spirit), and blessed to drive out the prince of this world.
John uses human language to explain things that are clearly above our heads. But we can be content with the scraps! Jesus talks about the father of lies; we cannot see him. He talks about the prince of this world; we cannot see him. He then talks about His Father; we cannot see Him. He talks about Himself; we can see Him. We have clearly seen and experienced things that are out of this world like the raising back to life a 3-day-old copse. We know this isn’t part of our world! Jesus stands between the two worlds.
It helps our argument if we can ask the right question before we delve into the scripture. Ask the hard questions. The scripture has the answers.
John quotes Isaiah 53 to further give context to the happenings. Jesus is the Servant who is crushed for our iniquities. In the background of the exclamation, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord” is the statement about the rejected stone that becomes the cornerstone. Check Psalm 118 where the quote is coming from. What a ride!
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