John 12 33

John 12:33 kjv

This he said, signifying what death he should die.

John 12:33 nkjv

This He said, signifying by what death He would die.

John 12:33 niv

He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die.

John 12:33 esv

He said this to show by what kind of death he was going to die.

John 12:33 nlt

He said this to indicate how he was going to die.

John 12 verses

John 12 33 Meaning

John 12:33 serves as an explicit interpretive interjection by the evangelist, clarifying Jesus' preceding statement, "And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself" (Jn 12:32). This verse reveals that Jesus was prophetically signifying the specific method and nature of his impending death: crucifixion. The note ensures the reader understands that Jesus' glorification would paradoxically occur through a physically brutal and humiliating Roman execution, a death designed to publicly showcase shame, yet paradoxically, through God's plan, become the means of universal salvation and exaltation.

John 12 33 Context

John 12:33 directly clarifies the enigmatic statement Jesus made in the preceding verse. This declaration occurs during the last week of Jesus' earthly ministry, after his triumphal entry into Jerusalem and when news of him is widespread. Notably, Gentile seekers ("Greeks") have just expressed a desire to see Jesus (Jn 12:20-21), signaling to Jesus that "the hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified" (Jn 12:23). In this pivotal moment, Jesus introduces the profound truth that life springs from death, using the analogy of a grain of wheat (Jn 12:24). When he speaks of being "lifted up," his Jewish audience might have entertained various interpretations, from being politically exalted as a king to divine ascent or martyrdom. By interjecting John 12:33, the evangelist removes all ambiguity, revealing to the reader that Jesus specifically prophesied his execution by crucifixion. This particular Roman form of capital punishment, reserved for slaves, rebels, and the lowest criminals, underscored intense humiliation, public shame, and immense physical suffering, thereby highlighting the paradox that Jesus' glory would be realized through this most abject form of death, ultimately drawing "all people" through his profound sacrifice.

John 12 33 Word analysis

• This he said (τοῦτο δὲ ἔλεγεν):

  • τοῦτο (touto): "This," serving as a demonstrative pronoun, directly points back to Jesus' specific words in Jn 12:32, ensuring the explanation refers precisely to that statement.
  • δὲ (de): A conjunctive particle, often translated as "but" or "and," here it introduces the evangelist's clarifying remark without suggesting a contradiction.
  • ἔλεγεν (eleghen): Imperfect tense of λέγω (legō, "to say, speak"). Indicates Jesus' act of speaking. In this context, the imperfect tense functions as an authorial comment providing crucial interpretative insight into Jesus' recent speech.

• signifying (σημαίνων - sēmainōn):

  • This is a present active participle of σημαίνω (sēmainō, "to show," "indicate," "make known," "signify").
  • Emphasizes the deliberate and prophetic intent behind Jesus' statement. Jesus was not speaking abstractly, but pointedly, to disclose the method of his death.
  • In John's Gospel, sēmainō is frequently used to introduce specific prophecies about how certain events, particularly deaths, would unfold (e.g., Peter's death in Jn 21:19). It underscores Jesus' omniscience regarding his preordained destiny.

• by what kind of death (ποίῳ θανάτῳ - poiō thanatō):

  • ποίῳ (poiō): The dative singular of ποῖος (poios, "of what sort/kind"). This choice of word is crucial, emphasizing not merely the fact of death but its distinct manner or type.
  • θανάτῳ (thanatō): The dative singular of θάνατος (thanatos, "death").
  • Combined, this phrase definitively answers the question of "how" Jesus would die. It strongly implies a unique method—crucifixion—distinguished from other forms of execution like stoning, highlighting its specific significance.

• he was going to die (ἤμελλεν ἀποθνῄσκειν - ēmellen apothnēskein):

  • ἤμελλεν (ēmellen): Imperfect indicative of μέλλω (mellō, "to be about to," "to be destined to," "to be going to").
  • This verb imparts a sense of certain, impending, and divinely ordained destiny to Jesus' death. It was not accidental but predestined, an inescapable aspect of his mission.
  • ἀποθνῄσκειν (apothnēskein): Present active infinitive of ἀποθνῄσκω (apothnēskō, "to die").
  • Clearly denotes the physical cessation of life, removing any spiritual or metaphorical misinterpretation of "lifting up" as simply a glorification without actual death.

• Words-group by words-group analysis:

  • "This he said, signifying...": This phrase serves as the narrator's essential clarification. It assures the reader that Jesus’ previous words were intentional prophecy, linking his deep insight directly to the manner of his ultimate sacrifice and the precise meaning he conveyed. It emphasizes John’s role in revealing deeper truth.
  • "...by what kind of death he was going to die.": This segment explicitly defines "lifted up" as crucifixion. By specifying the kind of death, it zeroes in on the brutal, public, and humiliating Roman execution. This directness is vital, as it interprets Jesus’ 'lifting up' not just as a glorious ascent but primarily through the shocking and salvific reality of the cross.

John 12 33 Bonus section

The repeated emphasis in John's Gospel on Jesus' death occurring at his "hour" or through being "lifted up" (Jn 3:14, 8:28, 12:32) is crucial. John 12:33 concretizes these prophetic statements into the historical reality of the crucifixion. Roman crucifixion was meticulously designed to inflict maximum pain and public disgrace, marking the executed as the lowest form of criminal or slave. The act of "lifting up" itself had symbolic power, literally separating the victim from the earth, placing them between heaven and earth, enduring God’s curse and human contempt simultaneously. The specificity provided by John also preempts any interpretation of Jesus' "glorification" as merely a spiritual or an ethereal event without the full embrace of physical suffering and death. This grounding in historical reality reinforces the substitutionary nature of the atonement, where Jesus truly experienced death on behalf of humanity.

John 12 33 Commentary

John 12:33 is an indispensable authorial commentary by the Apostle John, ensuring the proper interpretation of Jesus' profound statement in the previous verse regarding being "lifted up." At this critical juncture, as Jesus' passion nears, he speaks in a way that blends future glorification with present suffering. John leaves no room for ambiguity: the "lifting up" definitively refers to the manner of his execution—crucifixion. The Greek term σημαίνων ("signifying") emphasizes Jesus’ clear intention and divine foresight. By stating "by what kind of death," the evangelist highlights the specific, humiliating, and excruciating nature of Roman crucifixion. This chosen method of death, paradoxical in its shame yet essential to the divine plan, would be the instrument through which Jesus would "draw all people" to himself, demonstrating that true exaltation and salvation emerge from ultimate self-sacrificial love and suffering. The verse, therefore, crystallizes the inextricable link between the cross, divine purpose, and universal redemption within Johannine theology.