"Now is a krisis of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out."--John 12:31
The Greek word rendered judgment, in this text, is the word krisis from which our English word crisis is derived, and to which the same exact meaning is given, viz., The point of time when any course of action must terminate or take a new course, the decisive moment, the turning point; as the crisis of a disease, when the turning point for life or death is reached. (Compare Liddell and Scott's Greek Lexicon and Webster's Dictionary)
The word judgment, does not improperly translate the word; for there is a crisis, a sharply defined decisive turning point in every trial or judgment. The crisis, the decisive point of judgment was that to which Jesus referred in the above quotation.
It was just a few days before his crucifixion that he uttered these words, in full view of the terrible experiences which must shortly follow. Not long before this he had raised to life Lazarus, the brother of Martha and Mary, who were then living in Bethany about two miles from Jerusalem, whither the Jews from all parts assembled to keep the Passover. The sisters had arranged for the entertainment of Jesus and the disciples on this occasion. The wonderful miracle had been spread abroad among the Jews, and as they came up to Jerusalem multitudes made it a point to see Lazarus, and Jesus who had raised him from the dead. And when they had seen, the people were convinced that this must be the Messiah, the king long foretold by the prophets; and upon the spur of their convictions they determined to acknowledge him publicly as their king. And "when they heard that Jesus was coming to
Jerusalem, they took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna, Blessed is the king of Israel, that comes in the name of the Lord."--John 12:12, 13.
But while the hearts of his disciples bounded high with glowing anticipations as they saw these evidences of public favor, Jesus was sorrowful, knowing that his hour was come. He knew that the prophecy of Isaiah was about to be fulfilled --that he was about to be wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities; that the chastisement of our peace was about to be upon him; that it would please the Lord to bruise him, to put him to grief, to make his soul an offering for sin, to permit him to pour out his soul unto death, and be numbered with the transgressors.--Isa. 53.
Knowing the bitter disappointment that must soon overtake the hopes of his disciples, Jesus sought to prepare them in a measure to receive it. He talked to them of the necessity of entire consecration to the will of God, even if he should require them to lay down life itself in his cause; and then he assured them that the Father would assuredly honor and reward such service.
As he approached the last dreadful conflict, in full view of it, and with a fixed determination to submit his will fully to the will of God, even unto death, he said: "Now is my soul troubled, and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour? But [no], for this cause came I unto this hour: Father, glorify thy name." (Verses 27, 28) Yes, he had come to this dread hour for the very purpose of suffering death, that thereby he might redeem the world from the condemnation of death.
It was in reference to this fact that Jesus said, "Now is the crisis of this world." Yet the world was entirely unaware of its critical situation at that moment.
The world's salvation hung in the balance at that time. All depended upon the faithfulness of him who was about to redeem them with his own precious blood. No wonder that when in Gethsemane's garden, realizing the awful responsibility upon him, and the agony of bearing it, Jesus sweat great drops of blood; no wonder that weary and faint and longing for human sympathy, he came time and again to his disciples who could not realize the situation, longing for their sympathy and saying, Can ye not watch with me one hour? (Mark 14:34, 37.)
Little did they realize that at that critical hour not only their own but the entire world's salvation hung upon the shoulders of their trembling, suffering Lord. Yes, it was the dark hour of the world's crisis.
The world was being judged again (for the second time), in its second representative, the man Christ Jesus, who then took upon himself the penalty which had fallen upon Adam and the race represented in him, thereby substituting his human being, psuche, for that of the man Adam and those represented in him.
From the moment that Jesus said, "It is finished," and died, the crisis was past.
That was the great turning point, the decisive act which legally released man from the bondage of death and secured for him the right to live again. (Rom. 3:25, 26) That was the decisive act which made Christ the rightful Lord of the human race which he thus purchased by his death. (Rom. 14:9) And in that it gave to Christ the right to rule, it fixed the doom of Satan the usurper.
"Now," from that moment it was a settled thing that the present "prince of this world," Satan, who has the power of death and reigns only to deceive, oppress and destroy mankind, shall be cast out. Thus through death Jesus spoiled the principalities and powers of darkness, and openly showed it in his resurrection, thus triumphing over them through death.--Col. 2:14, 15. Satan's present sway is only permitted until the time appointed of the Father. His sentence of ejectment was sealed at Calvary.
Continued with next post.
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The Greek word rendered judgment, in this text, is the word krisis from which our English word crisis is derived, and to which the same exact meaning is given, viz., The point of time when any course of action must terminate or take a new course, the decisive moment, the turning point; as the crisis of a disease, when the turning point for life or death is reached. (Compare Liddell and Scott's Greek Lexicon and Webster's Dictionary)
The word judgment, does not improperly translate the word; for there is a crisis, a sharply defined decisive turning point in every trial or judgment. The crisis, the decisive point of judgment was that to which Jesus referred in the above quotation.
It was just a few days before his crucifixion that he uttered these words, in full view of the terrible experiences which must shortly follow. Not long before this he had raised to life Lazarus, the brother of Martha and Mary, who were then living in Bethany about two miles from Jerusalem, whither the Jews from all parts assembled to keep the Passover. The sisters had arranged for the entertainment of Jesus and the disciples on this occasion. The wonderful miracle had been spread abroad among the Jews, and as they came up to Jerusalem multitudes made it a point to see Lazarus, and Jesus who had raised him from the dead. And when they had seen, the people were convinced that this must be the Messiah, the king long foretold by the prophets; and upon the spur of their convictions they determined to acknowledge him publicly as their king. And "when they heard that Jesus was coming to
Jerusalem, they took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna, Blessed is the king of Israel, that comes in the name of the Lord."--John 12:12, 13.
But while the hearts of his disciples bounded high with glowing anticipations as they saw these evidences of public favor, Jesus was sorrowful, knowing that his hour was come. He knew that the prophecy of Isaiah was about to be fulfilled --that he was about to be wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities; that the chastisement of our peace was about to be upon him; that it would please the Lord to bruise him, to put him to grief, to make his soul an offering for sin, to permit him to pour out his soul unto death, and be numbered with the transgressors.--Isa. 53.
Knowing the bitter disappointment that must soon overtake the hopes of his disciples, Jesus sought to prepare them in a measure to receive it. He talked to them of the necessity of entire consecration to the will of God, even if he should require them to lay down life itself in his cause; and then he assured them that the Father would assuredly honor and reward such service.
As he approached the last dreadful conflict, in full view of it, and with a fixed determination to submit his will fully to the will of God, even unto death, he said: "Now is my soul troubled, and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour? But [no], for this cause came I unto this hour: Father, glorify thy name." (Verses 27, 28) Yes, he had come to this dread hour for the very purpose of suffering death, that thereby he might redeem the world from the condemnation of death.
It was in reference to this fact that Jesus said, "Now is the crisis of this world." Yet the world was entirely unaware of its critical situation at that moment.
The world's salvation hung in the balance at that time. All depended upon the faithfulness of him who was about to redeem them with his own precious blood. No wonder that when in Gethsemane's garden, realizing the awful responsibility upon him, and the agony of bearing it, Jesus sweat great drops of blood; no wonder that weary and faint and longing for human sympathy, he came time and again to his disciples who could not realize the situation, longing for their sympathy and saying, Can ye not watch with me one hour? (Mark 14:34, 37.)
Little did they realize that at that critical hour not only their own but the entire world's salvation hung upon the shoulders of their trembling, suffering Lord. Yes, it was the dark hour of the world's crisis.
The world was being judged again (for the second time), in its second representative, the man Christ Jesus, who then took upon himself the penalty which had fallen upon Adam and the race represented in him, thereby substituting his human being, psuche, for that of the man Adam and those represented in him.
From the moment that Jesus said, "It is finished," and died, the crisis was past.
That was the great turning point, the decisive act which legally released man from the bondage of death and secured for him the right to live again. (Rom. 3:25, 26) That was the decisive act which made Christ the rightful Lord of the human race which he thus purchased by his death. (Rom. 14:9) And in that it gave to Christ the right to rule, it fixed the doom of Satan the usurper.
"Now," from that moment it was a settled thing that the present "prince of this world," Satan, who has the power of death and reigns only to deceive, oppress and destroy mankind, shall be cast out. Thus through death Jesus spoiled the principalities and powers of darkness, and openly showed it in his resurrection, thus triumphing over them through death.--Col. 2:14, 15. Satan's present sway is only permitted until the time appointed of the Father. His sentence of ejectment was sealed at Calvary.
Continued with next post.
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