The people answered him, We have heard out of the law that Christ abideth for ever: and how sayest thou, The Son of man must be lifted up? who is this Son of man?
JOHN 12:34KJVWhat does John 12:34 mean?
John 12:34 shows the crowd questioning Jesus after He speaks about being "lifted up," which they understand as a reference to dying. The people are confused because they have learned from their Scriptures that the Christ (Messiah) will remain forever, so they ask how Jesus can say the "Son of man" must be lifted up and who this "Son of man" really is.
In this scene, the people are responding directly to Jesus, who has just spoken about His coming death. The crowd refers to their understanding of the "law" (the Hebrew Scriptures) that the Messiah would live forever, so Jesus’ talk of being "lifted up" (a phrase often understood as crucifixion) does not fit their expectations. Their questions reveal both confusion about Jesus’ identity and a struggle to reconcile His words with their beliefs about the Messiah.
The Greek behind John 12:34
- νόμος (nomos, "law"): This word refers broadly to the Jewish Scriptures, not just legal commands. The crowd is appealing to their whole tradition, not just a specific rule.
- μένει (menei, "abideth"): The Greek here means to remain or stay, emphasizing the expectation that the Messiah would have an unending reign.
- ὑψωθῆναι (hypsōthēnai, "be lifted up"): This word can mean to be physically lifted or exalted, but in John’s Gospel, it is often a way of talking about Jesus’ crucifixion. The crowd may not fully grasp this double meaning.
- υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου (huios tou anthrōpou, "Son of man"): This phrase is a title Jesus uses for Himself, rooted in Daniel 7:13, but the crowd is unsure how it connects to their idea of the Messiah.
Why John 12:34 matters
- John 12:34 highlights the gap between the crowd’s expectations of a triumphant, everlasting Messiah and Jesus’ teaching about His suffering and death.
- The verse shows how Jesus’ use of "Son of man" and talk of being "lifted up" challenged common interpretations of Scripture and forced listeners to rethink who the Messiah could be.
- This moment sets up the tension in the following verses, where Jesus continues to explain His mission, and it helps the reader see why many struggled to understand or accept Him.