John 12:33

This he said, signifying what death he should die.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(33) By what death he should die.—Better, by what manner of death . . . (Comp. John 18:32.) The words are the Apostle’s interpretation of the saying of our Lord. He remembers it as he has recorded it twice before (John 3:14; John 8:28), but he adds here words (“from the earth”) which supply another thought, though the two thoughts are not inconsistent. The words bear the double sense, and looking back upon the fact of the Crucifixion, he sees in that a lifting up which was part of the great moral victory over the world, and in the very cross of shame he sees the throne of glory.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

12:27-33 The sin of our souls was the troubled of Christ's soul, when he undertook to redeem and save us, and to make his soul an offering for our sin. Christ was willing to suffer, yet prayed to be saved from suffering. Prayer against trouble may well agree with patience under it, and submission to the will of God in it. Our Lord Jesus undertook to satisfy God's injured honour, and he did it by humbling himself. The voice of the Father from heaven, which had declared him to be his beloved Son, at his baptism, and when he was transfigured, was heard proclaiming that He had both glorified his name, and would glorify it. Christ, reconciling the world to God by the merit of his death, broke the power of death, and cast out Satan as a destroyer. Christ, bringing the world to God by the doctrine of his cross, broke the power of sin, and cast out Satan as a deceiver. The soul that was at a distance from Christ, is brought to love him and trust him. Jesus was now going to heaven, and he would draw men's hearts to him thither. There is power in the death of Christ to draw souls to him. We have heard from the gospel that which exalts free grace, and we have heard also that which enjoins duty; we must from the heart embrace both, and not separate them.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Be lifted up - See John 3:14; John 8:28.

Will draw - John 6:44. The same word is used in both places.

All men - I will incline all kinds of men; or will make the way open by the cross, so that all men may come. I will provide a way which shall present a strong motive or inducement - the strongest that can be presented to all men to come to me.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

33. This he said, signifying what death he should die—that is, "by being lifted up from the earth" on "the accursed tree" (Joh 3:14; 8:28).

Matthew Poole's Commentary

See Poole on "John 12:32"

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

This he said,.... These are the words of the evangelist, interpreting the design of Christ in the above words, thereby

signifying what death he should die; the phrase of being lifted up from the earth, not only signified his death, but the kind, or manner of it, that it should be by crucifixion; a person crucified being stretched forth upon a cross, and that erected, was lifted up between earth and heaven.

Geneva Study Bible

This he said, signifying what death he should die.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

33. what death] Literally, by what manner of death: comp. John 10:32, John 18:32, John 21:9.

should die] The word translated ‘should’ is the same as that used of the traitor, John 12:4 and John 6:71. It is used (1) of what is about to happen, (2) of what (seeing that it has happened) may be regarded as necessary and fore-ordained.

John 12:33