A Summary Of Jesus’ Message
A SUMMARY OF JESUS’ MESSAGE
JOHN 12:44-50
Notice here what Jesus says about himself, his authority and the purpose of his coming.
The “Book of Signs” finally closes with a summary of Jesus’ message, as if in a final presentation of it to an unbelieving or half-believing Judaism. Here we have, in concentrated form, themes which have been dealt with at greater length previously. Here there is faith and sight, the Son as the representative of the Father, light, judgment, authority and life.
For this reading it would be well to “re-cap” over “The Book of Signs” and see the way in which these themes have been developed previously.
12:44f. Believing in and seeing Jesus is the equivalent of believing in and seeing God: cf. 1:14-18; 6:27-29,35-40, 44-47. (Look forward also to 14:1-11.) It is not necessary to establish the fact of God’s existence before beginning to talk about Christ. We can begin the other way round—with the man, Jesus, with his life, his words and his actions. “God is Christlike and in him is no unChristlikeness at all” (Ramsey). This is why history is of such importance and Christian truth is unique. It is the truth that in the man Jesus, God himself was known, seen and heard.
12:46. Jesus is the Light of the World, and those who believe in him are delivered from darkness: cf. 1:4-9; 3:21; 8:12; 9:4f.; 11.9; 12:35f.
12:47f. Jesus did not come to judge the world but to save the world: cf. 3:14-18; 8:15; 10:9f. Nevertheless his word will judge those who reject him and do not keep his sayings: cf. 3:19f.,34-36; 5:19-30,45-47; 8:26,31-51; 9:39-41. (Look forward also to 14:23f.)
12:49f. Jesus’ words have been spoken not on his own authority but according to his Father’s command: cf. 3:31-35; 5:19f.,30-37; 7:16-18; 8:26-29,39-47. (Look forward also to 14:10.) The Son’s word, spoken according to the Father’s command, gives life: cf. 1:4; 3:16f.,36; 4:46-54; 5:24-29; 6:35-40,47-58,63,68f.; 10:10,27f.; 11:25f.,43f.; 12:25. (Look forward also to 14:6,19; 17:2f.; 20:31.)
In view of the reference to Jesus’ hiding himself in 12:36, there seems little doubt that this section was not supposed to have been spoken by Jesus at this time, but that it is a summary of his words by the evangelist in the way that 12:37-43 are a summary of the response to his works.