On three different occasions (all in Jerusalem) Jesus spoke of His crucifixion as being “lifted up from the earth.” While the other three gospel accounts record that Jesus predicted beforehand His death by crucifixion, none of them (so far as I can determine) refer to that death as being “lifted up.” When Jesus began His public ministry, He cleansed the temple and when questioned by temple authorities as to why He did and asked for a sign for His authority to do so, Jesus gave them a sign which He would repeat over and over but not always under the same figure. That figure was, “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up again” (John 2:19). The Jews misunderstood what He was saying: they thought He was referring to the literal temple. But the temple to which He referred was His body. With this figure, Jesus predicted His nation would kill Him, but He would raise Himself from the dead (with power from the Father) after three days.
John 3 is the first instance where Jesus used the expression, “If I be lifted up from the earth.” He was conversing with Nicodemus of the necessity that man be “born again,” and during the midst of that conversation Jesus said, “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up that whosoever believeth may have eternal life” (John 3:14-15). The incident in the wilderness wanderings to which Jesus referred is recorded in Numbers 21, a time when the Israelites had grown weary and discouraged with their journey and as men so often do when faced with those two things, complained of their way. They expressed discontent with many things and then expressed hatred for the manna which God daily provided for them. As a consequence, God sent fiery serpents, and many died from those snake bites. They confessed to Moses they had sinned and begged him to heal them from the deadly bites. God told Moses to make at a brazen serpent, put it on a pole, and lift it high so that whenever and wherever anyone was bitten, he could look at the brazen serpent and be healed. Looking at that brazen serpent was the only remedy that Israel had to be healed. Jesus told His nation their only way to be healed from their sins was to look in faith upon the death of Jesus (John 3:14-16).
The second time the expression is found is in John 8. The scribes and Pharisees strongly opposed Him, and when Jesus told them that they must believe in Him, they responded, “Who are you?” To their question Jesus replied, “When ye have lifted up the Son of man then shall ye know that I am he, and I do nothing of myself, but as the Father taught me, I speak these things” (John 8:28). Notice that Jesus plainly told these rulers they would “lift Him up” and they would know (from the events which followed) who He was. Jesus did not say they would believe who He was, but that they would know who He was. The marvelous things which occurred after they had “lifted Him up” are astonishing! There were three hours of darkness from noon until three in the afternoon — the time of the day when the sun is at its peak in brightness. There was a great earthquake and, in the temple, the veil separating the holy place from the most holy place was torn in two, from top to bottom. Many of the bodies of the saints came out of the tomb after His resurrection and appeared to many (Matthew 27:45, 51-52). The centurion and those with him who were watching Jesus were extremely fearful and said, “Truly this was the Son of God” (Matthew 27:34). Then, three days later, those who were commanded to watch His tomb to prevent His disciples from stealing His body, were terrified when an angel descended from heaven, rolled the stone from the grave, and Jesus arose from the dead! The rulers were quickly informed of this. Paul wrote in Romans 1:4, “… who was declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead; even Jesus Christ our Lord.”
The last time Jesus referred to His crucifixion as being “lifted up” came when He concluded His public ministry and declared the necessity of His death. He said, “Verily, verily I say unto you, except a grain of wheat fall into the earth and die, it abideth by itself alone. But if it die, it beareth much fruit” (John 12:24). The multitude who heard Him said, “We have heard out of the law that the Christ abideth forever and how sayest thou, the Son of man must be lifted up. Who is this son of man?” (John 12:35). They would hear the wonderful story of Jesus’ love for mankind and that He would die to save them. They would hear the joyous news, “He is risen” and would understand then how the Christ would abide forever! They would learn the glad message that Jesus died for all, and it is this gospel message — preached to all nations that explains Jesus’ words: “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth will draw all men unto me!”
J.M. McCaleb wrote, “Of one the Lord hath made the race, through one has come the fall. Where sin has gone must go His grace, the gospel is for all. The blessed gospel is for all, the gospel is for all! Where sin has gone, must go his grace, the gospel is for all!” Let’s make our upcoming meeting the best we have ever had!
Jim McDonald