John 12:33-36, Believe in the Light

33 He said this to show by what kind of death he was going to die. 34 So the crowd answered him, “We have heard from the Law that the Christ remains forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?” 35 So Jesus said to them, “The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. 36 While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.” 

Jesus teaches the people so they will understand his death and why he must die. The response was much less than he hoped for. They do not get Jesus’ point as to why the Christ must die, thinking that Scriptures such as Psalm 110:4, Isaiah 9:7, and Daniel 7:14 all point to the Christ living forever. They get the concept of Messiah and of him ruling eternally. It is his sacrificial death that still confuses them, even after Jesus’ explanations. 

Jesus does not answer their question about the Son of Man directly. Yet he will not sweep under the carpet the sin of the ages. It must be brought out into the light and be judged. He is still with them, and if they walk with him, they will become sons of light. The alternative is to be taken over by the darkness, the darkness of eternal death. Except for a few closing comments at the end of this chapter, these are the last recorded words of Jesus’ public teaching.   

Lord Jesus, when our thinking and living turns towards the darkness, draw us back out into your light through your Spirit. Shine your light upon our sin, exposing it plainly that we may repent and return to you forgiven and reconciled. Strengthen us to be sons and daughter of the light. Amen.