Then the crowd replied to Him, “We have heard from the law that the Messiah would remain forever. So how can You say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up?’ Who is this Son of Man?” John 12:34 HCSB

It had begun. The crowd was questioning Jesus. There was great interest in Him. His walk to the Cross was almost over, and the anticipation of what was happening had everyone on alert. The crucifixion of Jesus would soon take place, and He would indeed be “lifted up”.

The people had heard about a Messiah. The Old Testament had told of a coming Redeemer; one who would be the Victor for the Jews. This Savior would rule throughout the coming ages and forever. When Jesus used terminology, such as “Son of Man” or “must be lifted up”, it didn’t make sense to the crowds. Why would this Great One be called what appears to be inferior to them? Why would someone who was supposed to come in such power and honor need to be “lifted up”? Would He already be so clearly visible? The people didn’t understand.

The term Son of Man, which had been used in the Old Testament, and was familiar to the Jews, was used here to display the kind of death Jesus would experience. He would be humbled beneath that of a normal man. He would be violently beaten, mocked, hated, and rejected. Jesus was, at His death, literally the second Adam. The first Adam didn’t get it right. He sinned and fell short of the glory of God. Jesus, as the “Son of Man”, never sinned, so His punishment was no on His behalf, but on ours, thus He was the perfect sacrifice.

When Jesus said He must be “lifted up”, He was again signifying His death. He was placed on a Cross, and lifted up, naked before the crowds, as a permanent symbol for the world to see. When you and I see a Cross today, what do we think of? We think of Jesus, and the torturous death He paid for you and me.

What the crowd didn’t fully understand is that this was indeed God’s way; this was indeed God’s Messiah. He would indeed live forever; He would indeed be the Savior. He just got there different than man might have expected. He got there not by enforcing His royalty, which He could have, but by demonstrating His loyalty to His creation, and therefore His love, through the painful death of the Son of Man who was lifted up.

For God so loved the world in this way: He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16) God’s love sent the Son of Man to be lifted up.

Aren’t you glad?

 More Information 

---

---

Check out Ron's Blog at www.ronedmondson.com

Ron is on Twitter. Find him at http://twitter.com/ronedmondson

Check out the podcast at http://mustardseed.libsyn.com. Also available on Itunes under God Thoughts.