Joh 12:31, 40 | Barnes | STEP | Verse 31. Now is the judgment of this world . Greek, "crisis." This expression, doubtless, has reference to his approaching death, and whatever he means by judgment here relates to something that was to be accomplished by that death. It cannot mean that then was to be the time in which the world was to be finally judged, for he says that he did not come then to judge the world ( ), and he has clearly declared that there shall be a future day when he will judge all mankind. The meaning of it may be thus expressed: "Now is approaching the decisive scene, the eventful period--the crisis--when it shall be determined who shall rule this world. There has been a long conflict between the powers of light and darkness-- between God and the devil. Satan has so effectually ruled that he may be said to be the prince of this world; but my approaching death will destroy his kingdom, will break down his power, and will be the means of setting up the kingdom of God over man." The death of Christ was to be the most grand and effectual of all means that could be used to establish the authority of the law and the government of God, . This it did by showing the regard which God had for his law; by showing his hatred of sin, and presenting the strongest motives to induce man to leave the service of Satan; by securing the influences of the Holy Spirit, and by his putting forth his own direct power in the cause of virtue and of God. The death of Jesus was the determining cause, the grand crisis, the concentration of all that God had ever done, or ever will do, to break down the kingdom of Satan, and set up his power over man. Thus was fulfilled the prediction ( ), "I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel." Now shall the prince of this world . Satan, or the devil, . He is also called the god of this world, : "The rulers of the darkness of this world "--that is, the rulers of this dark world--a well-known Hebraism. He is also called "the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience," . All these names are given him from the influence or power which he has over the men of this world, because the great mass of men have been under his control and subject to his will. Be cast out. His kingdom shall be destroyed; his empire shall come to an end. It does not mean that his reign over all men would entirely cease then, but that then would be the crisis , the grand conflict in which he would be vanquished, and from that time his kingdom begin to decline, until it would finally cease, and then be free altogether from his dominion. See ; . (f) "the prince of this world"

John 12:31

Verse 31. Now is the judgment of this world. Greek, "crisis." This expression, doubtless, has reference to his approaching death, and whatever he means by judgment here relates to something that was to be accomplished by that death. It cannot mean that then was to be the time in which the world was to be finally judged, for he says that he did not come then to judge the world (Jn 12:47, 8:15), and he has clearly declared that there shall be a future day when he will judge all mankind. The meaning of it may be thus expressed:

"Now is approaching the decisive scene, the eventful

period--the crisis--when it shall be determined who

shall rule this world. There has been a long

conflict between the powers of light and darkness--

between God and the devil. Satan has so effectually

ruled that he may be said to be the prince of this

world; but my approaching death will destroy his

kingdom, will break down his power, and will be the

means of setting up the kingdom of God over man."

The death of Christ was to be the most grand and effectual of all means that could be used to establish the authority of the law and the government of God, Rom 8:3,4. This it did by showing the regard which God had for his law; by showing his hatred of sin, and presenting the strongest motives to induce man to leave the service of Satan; by securing the influences of the Holy Spirit, and by his putting forth his own direct power in the cause of virtue and of God. The death of Jesus was the determining cause, the grand crisis, the concentration of all that God had ever done, or ever will do, to break down the kingdom of Satan, and set up his power over man. Thus was fulfilled the prediction (Gen 3:15),

"I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and

between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy

head, and thou shalt bruise his heel."

Now shall the prince of this world. Satan, or the devil, Jn 14:30, 16:11. He is also called the god of this world, 2Cor 4:4, Eph 6:12: "The rulers of the darkness of this world "--that is, the rulers of this dark world--a well-known Hebraism. He is also called "the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience," Eph 2:2. All these names are given him from the influence or power which he has over the men of this world, because the great mass of men have been under his control and subject to his will.

Be cast out. His kingdom shall be destroyed; his empire shall come to an end. It does not mean that his reign over all men would entirely cease then, but that then would be the crisis, the grand conflict in which he would be vanquished, and from that time his kingdom begin to decline, until it would finally cease, and then be free altogether from his dominion. See Lk 10:18, Col 1:18-20, Acts 26:18; 1Cor 15:25,26; Rev 20:14.

(f) "the prince of this world" Lk 10:18, Jn 16:11, Acts 26:18, Eph 2:2

John 12:40

Verse 40. He hath blinded their eyes. The expression in Isaiah is, "Go, make the heart of this people fat, and shut their eyes." That is, go and proclaim truth to them--truth that will result in blinding their eyes. Go and proclaim the law and the will of God, and the effect will be, owing to the hardness of their heart, that their eyes will be blinded and their hearts hardened. As God knew that this would be the result--as it was to be the effect of the message, his commanding Isaiah to go and proclaim it was the same in effect, or in the result, as if he had commanded him to blind their eyes and harden their hearts. It is this effect or result to which the evangelist refers in this place. He states that God did it--that is, he did it in the manner mentioned in Isaiah, for we are limited to that in our interpretation of the passage. In that case it is clear that the mode specified is not a direct agency on the part of God in blinding the mind--which we cannot reconcile with any just notions of the divine character--but in suffering the truth to produce a regular effect on sinful minds, without putting forth any positive supernatural influence to prevent it. The effect of truth on such minds is to irritate, to enrage, and to harden, unless counteracted by the grace of God. See Rom 7:8,9,11; 2Cor 2:15, 16. And as God knew this, and, knowing it, still sent the message, and suffered it to produce the regular effect, the evangelist says "he hath blinded their minds," thus retaining the substance of the passage in Isaiah without quoting the precise language; but in proclaiming the truth there was nothing wrong on the part of God or of Isaiah, nor is there any indication that God was unwilling that they should believe and be saved.

That they should not see, &c. This does not mean that it was the design of God that they should not be converted, but that it was the effect of their rejecting the message.

Mt 13:14, Mt 13:15.

(r) "hath blinded" Isa 6:9,10