"Now is the time for judgment on this world ..." (John 12:31)

"Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out." (John 12:31) 

Is Jesus speaking of his coming crucifixion?

Some sectarian institutions and their teachers interpret this statement as Jesus referring to his crucifixion.

Many that follow this interpretation teach that all we have to do is "accept that Jesus died for our sins" and we will be "saved."

This is despite the fact that Jesus never taught this.

Does this interpretation even make sense? If it were true, why did Jesus even bother teaching anything? Why didn't he simply teach, "just accept that I will die for your sins and you will be saved"?

If this "Jesus died for my sins" teaching is true, then this means that Jesus was wrong when he taught:

"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven." (Matt. 7:21)

Those who are teaching and those who are practicing this "Jesus died for my sins" doctrine fall under this category of people who are saying "Lord, Lord" in the above verse. They are proclaiming Jesus as Lord without following his teaching: "only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven."

Jesus goes on to say:

"Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'" (Matt. 7:21-23)

This is what many sects do in Jesus' name... prophesizing in Jesus' name, performing miracles, and driving out demons in Jesus' name. Yet here Jesus is calling them "evildoers," saying "Away from me." Why?

Because they are not following his teachings, which were to serve the Supreme Being ("does the will of my Father who is in heaven.")

Who is the 'prince of this world'?

Is it a horned character with a pitchfork who lives underground in fiery-hot caves? Is it someone who sits on our shoulder tempting us? Such fictitious characterizations are certainly creative.

"This world" is being translated from the Greek word κόσμος (kosmos), which means, according to Thayer's lexicon, "universe" or "world", but also, "world affairs, the aggregate of things earthly; a) the whole circle of earthly goods, endowments riches, advantages, pleasures, etc."

If we accept this meaning, we can understand that "this world" isn't simply a place: Jesus was talking about the consciousness that pervades this material world: A consciousness of greed and self-centeredness.

And the use of the word "prince" is being translated from the Greek word ἄρχων (archōn), which means, according to the lexicon, "ruler, commander, chief, leader." So just who is leading or ruling this consciousness of greed and desire that pervades the physical world?

"The prince of this world" that Jesus is discussing is self-centeredness. This is the root cause of greed, envy, and sin. Being self-centered is putting ourselves at the center. Being self-centered is "loving ourselves." Being self-centered is putting ourselves first and everyone else last - including God if we even believe in His existence.

Self-centeredness is the "prince of this world" because this is the opposite consciousness that Jesus was teaching about. Jesus was teaching us to be God-centered, while self-centeredness is opposed to Jesus' teachings.

So why is Jesus saying that "Now is the time for judgment on this world" and "now the prince of this world will be driven out"? What was happening at that moment in time that would refer to this? 

This follows God's saying, "I have glorified it, and will glorify it again." after Jesus asked God, "Father, glorify your name!" and Jesus stating after God spoke, "This voice was for your benefit, not mine" directly afterward. (John 12:28-30)

So the word "now" is the key, coming from the Greek word, νῦν (nyn) which means "at this time, the present, now," according to the lexicon.

Jesus was not dying on the cross "at this time" and in "the present." Rather, Jesus was teaching a crowd that surrounded him by the temple in Jerusalem, and they had just heard God speaking to them, and God glorified His Name. That is what was happening "now."

How does glorifying God's Name bring 'judgment on this world'?

Glorifying God's Name brings "judgment on this world" because the consciousness of "this world" is self-centeredness. 

Glorifying God is the opposite consciousness. This creates a contrasting moment, dividing those who are self-centered from those who are God-centered.

Those who are God-centered were marveling and giving thanks at hearing from God, while those who were self-centered were not. They - such as the Pharisees and priests who were observing - were envious - saying "See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!" (John 12:19)

Why were the Pharisees so against Jesus?

The Pharisees and priests were not interested in glorifying God. They were focused upon maintaining their positions in the temple hierarchy and were thus 'towing the line." Unfortunately, this is similar to many sectarian institutions and their teachers today.

Like the Pharisees, many institutions that claim to represent Jesus don't seem very interested in glorifying God. They want to glorify Jesus - which is good - but they ignore the very person Jesus came to teach us to love: the Supreme Being.

Instead, their teachings are that all we have to do is "accept Jesus into my heart" and "Jesus died for my sins."

This "Jesus died for my sins" is the teaching that the Roman government promoted because it supported their ability to control the Christian world with one doctrine that could be consistent with their continued materialism.

Remember that it was the Romans - the same government who murdered Jesus and many of his followers, and the same government who murdered hundreds of thousands of Jews in the first century - who governed the process of assembling and editing the books of the Bible - and destroying other sacred texts. 

It was the early Roman Catholic Church - organized by the Romans in the Fifth Century - who dictated the meaning of Jesus' teachings. Meanwhile, they de-emphasized Jesus' actual teachings. 

And they disregarded the teachings of Jesus' direct disciples while promoting the teachings of someone who was not a direct follower of Jesus (Paul) - who created this teaching that Jesus died for our sins.

The Romans also smartly tied early Christianity with a diety the Roman elite worshiped - Mithra. Oddly enough, it was Mithra's celebrated appearance on December 25 that became the supposed birth of Jesus. Mithra's appearance on December 25 was also oddly done by exchanging presents over a 12-day period.

Mithra was also accepted as being born from a virgin, and the vernal equinox is oddly accepted as the dates of Jesus' persecution and reappearance, though there is no evidence of this date in the Scriptures. Mithra was also considered the savior and the son of God to the Romans, and the shedding of blood was considered the salvation of Mithra's followers.

It is said that Constantine converted to Christianity before going to battle with his rival Maxentius. Yet the Roman wall build near the Colosseum years later by Constantine does not display any signs that Christianity was observed by Constantine or his army.

What appears to be the case here is that Constantine married early Christianity (which truly followed Jesus) with Mithraism through his control over the First Council of Nicaea and the assembly of the first translation of the Bible put together by Constantine's assistant Eusebius. Constantine's goal was to combine and control the Roman Empire through the merging of the two leading religions at the time: Christianity and Mithraism.

All of this de-emphasized Jesus' core teachings. Jesus' teachings instructed us that in order to return to the spiritual world, we would have to change. Jesus strictly applied the teachings of David, Moses, Abraham, Samuel, and others, who emphasized that we need to learn to love God and dedicate our lives to the Supreme Being. 

This means changing our consciousness from being self-centered to being God-centered. This is supported by every teacher from the Old Testament, and the instructions by Moses, who summed up the meaning of God's commandments with this single instruction:

"Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength." (Deut. 6:4)

*Here is the translation of Jesus' statement according to the Lost Gospels of Jesus:

"Now this material world is condemned; and the chief of this world will be cast out.” (John 12:31)

"And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself." ..." (John 12:32)

When will Jesus 'be lifted up'?

Did Jesus' physical body get lifted up into the sky? That did not happen. Rather, Jesus was crucified, and his body died on the cross:

When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. (John 19:30)

This indicates that Jesus died on the cross, and his spirit left his physical body. His spirit was essentially "lifted up" out of his body.

The fact that his body was dead was afterward confirmed:

But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus' side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water. (John 19:33-34)

This indicates that Jesus' body was indeed dead. Jesus' spirit-person had already left that body.

Yet many say that Jesus' body "rose from the dead." This is misunderstanding what actually happened. As is shown when Thomas felt the holes in Jesus' side, Jesus did not appear in his physical body. Otherwise, the holes in his body would be oozing blood and water as they did when Jesus' body was pierced.

Furthermore, Jesus was not recognized by his Mother, Mary and his closest disciples when he appeared. This means that Jesus appeared in an apparition, much as angels appear. 

If we were to accept this translation, what was 'lifted up from the earth' was the spirit-person of Jesus, as he left the body upon the time of death.

That is, if we accept this translation - which is a reach.

How will Jesus 'draw all people' to himself?

Since Jesus left the planet around 33 A.D., he was 'lifted up from the earth' then. How have "all people" been drawn to Jesus? How could this be a true statement?

Certainly, there are many who reject that Jesus is God's messenger.

The reality is that this statement has been mistranslated* and misinterpreted by sectarian institutions and their teachers.

Jesus left the planet some two thousand years ago. Since there are billions of people still here, if "all men" were not "drawn" up to Jesus as he was "lifted up from the earth."

If being "drawn" to Jesus means being attracted to him, this also is not true, as so many billions of people throughout the world over the past two thousand years either oppose them or have not heard Jesus' teachings. So "all men" being "drawn" to Jesus is a nonsensical translation. 

Jesus did not say this.

What does the Greek indicate Jesus said?

The meaning of this verse can be understood by studying the early Greek texts carefully:

The Greek word κἀγώ (kagō) can mean, "I as well," "And I" or "Even I" according to the lexicon. But do people really talk like this in English? Do we often hear people say, "I as well," "Even I," or "And I", then talk about themselves? Hardly. 

Typically we will just go into the issue, saying, "But I..." The word "but" is an adverb used to insert another element into the subject - "I" in this case. Yes, Jesus is inserting himself in opposition ("but") to what the "now the prince of this world will be driven out." (John 12:31)

The real clue to the meaning of Jesus' statement comes from the Greek word ἐάν (ean). This does not mean "when" as translated here. It means "if" or "in case" according to the lexicon and typical use of Greek. 

It is a word that clearly communicates uncertainty and the possible connection between two events. "If" and "when" are two completely different words and concepts. (King James and New King James versions do translate this to "if" while some other texts use "when").

Next, the Greek word ὑψόω (hypsoō) does not mean "lifted up" as translated here. It means to be "exalted" or put on a pedestal: "to exalt, to raise to dignity, honor and happiness" according to the lexicon. To translate this to being physically lifted up from the earth like some kind of elevator is to see Jesus and the situation in one dimension - as a physical body. It is not seeing Jesus as he is, in other words.

The Greek word ἐκ (ek) can certainly mean "from," but it can also mean "by." The most appropriate use here is "by" - see below.

The Greek word γῆ (gē) can mean "arable land," "the ground," "land," "the earth as a whole," and "the inhabited earth, the abode of men and animals" according to the lexicon. Is Jesus referring to physical land here? The land cannot exalt anyone. 

Rather, Jesus is referring to the physical world - as he referred to in his previous statement, when he talked about the "prince of this world." He is talking about the "world" as someone might say, "He was the best in the world." In the statement, "he was the best in the world," we are not talking about the "world" as physical land. We are talking about "world" as the populace of the world.

What Jesus is talking about is the possibility of his being exalted by the populace of the world. He is saying:

"But if I were to be exalted by the world..."

The Greek word ἐάν (ean) doesn't mean "when." It means "if." The lexicon definitely defines the word as deeming uncertainty - if. The word "when" refers to a certain event - which is precisely the opposite of what Jesus said.

Wasn't Jesus rejected by many?

Yes. As we can see from Jesus' trial and persecution, many people, along with the temple institution, rejected Jesus' teachings.

Jesus understands that the institutional temple priests and Romans have opposed his teachings, even to the point where some were plotting his execution. Thus, while he was being exalted by some of his followers in Jerusalem while he was there, being "exalted by the world" was a different matter. This is why the word "if" is so important to Jesus' statement.

The Greek word πᾶς (pas) here is being translated to "all men." Where does this come from? πᾶς can certainly mean "everyone," but also "all things," "the whole," "all" and collectively, "some of all types." In other words, "everyone and everything." Let's look at the word "draw" in this connection:

The Greek word ἕλκω (helkō) is correctly translated to "draw," but the usage is not correct. The usage makes it look like Jesus is some sort of magnet that physically attaches people to him as he is "lifted up." Rather, the correct usage indicates inclusion, or to bring along. Jesus is saying that if he were to be exalted by the world, everyone and everything would also become exalted.

The Greek word πρός (pros) here is being translated here to "with," but it also means, first and foremost, "to the advantage of." It can also mean "at," "near," or "by." But "to the advantage of" is its primary meaning, and this begins to clarify Jesus' statement.

The Greek word ἐμαυτοῦ (emautou) does mean "I, me, myself" as the translation uses, but it is important that the previous word is better translated to "with," and as such, the best use of this word would be "me," as in "with me."

What is the point of Jesus' statement?

This translation misses Jesus' point completely. The concept of Jesus saying "when" he is "lifted up from the earth," he will "will draw all men to myself" is completely missing the point of Jesus' statement. Jesus was not making himself out to be some kind of magnet-man - like some kind of super-hero.

Rather, Jesus saw himself as God's humble servant and the servant of humanity. He sought not to rule over people, but to help others come to the platform of loving and serving the Supreme Being - whom Jesus also loved and served.

Jesus wanted everyone to come to this point, not just himself. Therefore, he wanted to bring everyone along with him. He wanted everyone to love and serve God, and be exalted - spiritually.

What about being 'exalted'?

Jesus was utilizing the word "exalted" as a double entendre - a word with two meanings. While he was referring to it as being "exalted" by others - or being praised and glorified by others - he was also using it in the context of "spiritual exaltation," or being raised to the platform of spiritual grace - becoming one of God's humble loving servants - as Jesus was.

Consider this in relation to Jesus' previous statement:

"Now this material world is condemned; and the chief of this world will be cast out."(John 12:31)

The physical world is a perverted reflection of the spiritual world. In the spiritual world, everyone loves and serves God, and loves and serves each other with respect to their loving relationship with God. In the physical world, we love ourselves. In this world, self-centeredness is the prevailing consciousness. We strive to make ourselves happy, typically at the expense of others.

This is called greed. In this world, everyone is striving to become exalted. We want fame and fortune, and all the goodies that come with them. This is diametrically opposed to the spiritual world, where everyone wants to exalt the Supreme Being and His caregivers: Which makes them spiritually exalted.

Should everyone in the physical world suddenly decide to exalt the Supreme Being - by glorifying Him and His loving servants - those who populated the world (who are glorifying God and His loving servants) would become spiritually purified. We would all become ready to return home to the spiritual world after the death of our physical bodies.

This is Jesus' dream. While not likely (as he did use the word "if"), Jesus certainly hoped that everyone would sincerely hear and follow his teachings because he knew that by following his teachings, we can become spiritually purified - and spiritually exalted. And what, according to Jesus, were his most important teachings?

“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." (Matt. 22:37-40)

*Here is the translation of Jesus' statement according to the Lost Gospels of Jesus:

"But if I were to be exalted by the world, everyone would become exalted with me.” (John 12:32)

"What you are about to do, do quickly." (John 13:27)

Is Jesus instructing Judas to have him arrested?

Jesus instructed this to Judas after he pointed out to his disciples that it was Judas who would have him arrested.

This statement by Jesus clearly indicates two things:

1) That Jesus knew what Judas was about to do.

2) That Jesus authorized Judas to do this.

So let's get off our high horse about how evil Judas was for supposedly "betraying" Jesus. If he was "betraying" Jesus then Jesus would not have instructed Judas to "do quickly" what he was to do, would he?

Just consider what a person would say to another who was about to do something that they didn't authorize or want to happen. They might say something like: "Can you not do this please?" Or they might say: "Please do not do this."

But Jesus didn't say either. He told Judas to do it, and do it quickly.

This indicates that Jesus not only knew what Judas was going to do, but he authorized it.

Why did Judas leave so quickly?

Judas sat with Jesus during his last supper. Why did he leave so quickly?

Judas left quickly because he was following Jesus' instruction, to do it "quickly." And because Judas followed Jesus' instruction by leaving immediately, we can know that Judas was following his teacher's instructions:

As soon as Judas had taken the bread, he went out. And it was night. (John 13:30)

And we know that not only did Jesus authorize this, but it was intended to glorify God:

When he was gone, Jesus said, "Now is the Son of man glorified and God is glorified in him." (John 13:31)

This indicates that Jesus sees what Judas was about to do as not only something he has authorized but something done in the service of his teacher, in order go glorify God.

Was Judas surprised at being chosen?

In Matthew, we can see that Jesus is selecting Judas, and Judas is surprised and disappointed that he has been selected to do this. After Jesus pointed out it was Judas, Judas said:

"Surely not I, Rabbi?" Jesus answered, "Yes, it is you." (Matt. 26:25)

Many interpreters have stated that this indicates that Judas was lying to Jesus, and trying not to disclose to him what he was planning. Others have suggested that Judas didn't know because satan was doing it and just using Judas.

This has been interpreted from the text: As soon as Judas took the bread, satan entered into him. (John 13:27) This interpretation, however, is contradictory, because Jesus is clearly telling Judas to do it and do it "quickly." So who is telling Judas to do it, satan or Jesus?

But when we understand that Jesus indeed authorized Judas to make a deal with the institutional temple priests and have him taken into custody, and we see Judas' response from Matthew, we can understand that this is a statement by a person who is surprised at being selected to do this.

We can also understand the context of "satan's" involvement if we understand the meaning of "satan." "Satan" is not some conniving challenger of God. God has no challenger. He controls everything.

God does, however, allow for His children to become selfish if they choose to be - as love requires freedom. "Satan" is the illusory energy of desires borne of self-centeredness, and the consequences that follow. These desires can "enter" us at any moment.

But it is not as if we are the innocent victims. Anytime we seek some selfish gain to be had from something, the illusory nature of desire can be said to be "entering" us, and we must therefore wrestle with those desires, and the consequences that follow them should we follow those desires. "Satan" is an element of the illusory nature of the physical world - which is part of God's creation intended to give us a false perception of ourselves that reflects our desires.

The element of "satan" here is Judas' realization that he might personally gain from Jesus' instruction to have him arrested - i.e., receive some ransom money. 

This decision to accept the ransom money - 30 pieces of silver - was a self-centered decision that Judas was allowed to make for himself. God provides each of us the free will to love and serve Him to the degree we are willing to. He also allows us to try to gain from that service - which Judas did.

But we cannot stray from the fact that Jesus wanted this to happen right away. Jesus statement, "do quickly" also indicates that Jesus wanted it to happen immediately - that night.

Why is the timing so important?

We know that it was Passover, and many people were in Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover.

We also know that Judas did not turn Jesus over to the Romans. Rather, the arrangement that Judas made to have Jesus captured was with the Temple High Priest. He did not make an arrangement with Pontius Pilate or the Romans. In other words, while Jesus may have known the eventual outcome of the arrangement, this was not necessarily known by Judas.

Arranging to have Jesus taken into custody by the Temple High Priest should not be assumed to be the cause for knowing Jesus would be crucified. The Jewish religious institution has historically not crucified people. The Romans were known to crucify people - typically hanging them to a tree, not necessarily a cross.

Consider the fact that Judas was one of Jesus' twelve closest disciples. Why would Jesus keep a disciple he knows is planning to have him murdered?

Indeed, a lost text has surfaced within the last couple of decades called the Gospel of Judas. This text has been carbon-dated to have been written around the time that the other four Gospels were written, and there are other indications that it was an early text because it was cited by a 2nd Century Christian writer.

This ancient text confirms the Gospels that indeed Judas had been a close and obedient disciple of Jesus - indicated by him being one of the twelve - and he was instructed by Jesus to have him arrested by the institutional temple priests. Was money part of the equation? According to the four Gospels, it was - as Judas had been paid for turning in Jesus. This is the element of self-centeredness that Judas portrayed. Because prior to this, Judas became aware that he would be paid handsomely for turning in Jesus.

Did Judas realize what would happen?

Judas was not aware that Jesus would be handed over to the Romans and persecuted after being put on trial. According to all four Gospels, when Judas discovered this, he immediately returned the ransom money and hanged himself in front of the high priest's family tomb. This, according to the custom of the time, desecrated the high priest's tomb.

Now if Judas knew that having Jesus arrested would result in him being tried and crucified, why was he so depressed? Why did he commit suicide?

We can also see from Matthew that Judas' arrangement was only meant to have Jesus taken into the chief priests' custody. He had no intent to have Jesus executed:

Early in the morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people came to the decision to put Jesus to death. They bound him, led him away and handed him over to Pilate, the governor. When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and the elders. "I have sinned," he said, "for I have betrayed innocent blood." (Matt. 27:1-4)

So we see that Judas made an arrangement with the institutional temple priests to have Jesus taken by the temple priests. It was the institutional temple priests who decided to hand Jesus over to be executed by the Romans, not Judas. Judas responded with outrage when he heard this decision by the priests to hand Jesus over to the Romans.

In Matthew, we can see that Judas' "remorse" (from the Greek word μεταμέλομαι (metamelomai) which means to repent or regret) only came "when" he "saw that Jesus was condemned." "When" indicates a relationship between Judas' reaction and his realization that the arrest was going to lead to the death of his teacher's physical body. This indicates that Judas initially did not know this.

Why has Judas been accused of planning Jesus' arrest?

Much of the interpretation that Judas planned for Jesus' ultimate execution comes from highly inflammatory translations made by institutional scribes who interpreted and translated the texts. We also know that there were at least seven early scribes who edited the original Gospel of John before it became part of the Cannon. This preceded its selection for inclusion into the Bible by Bishops authorized by the Roman government as part of the early Roman Catholic Church.

Is it a coincidence that the same government that took part in the execution of Jesus also oversaw the process of inclusion of Gospels into the early Latin Bible? Is it a coincidence that the weight of responsibility is being put upon one of Jesus' students rather than the Roman government and the institutional temple officials for the persecution of Jesus?

For example, the use of the words "betray" and "betrayer" used throughout the texts to refer to Judas, actually comes from the Greek word παραδίδωμι (paradidōmi). This means, according to the lexicon, "to give into the hands (of another)" or to "have arrested."

Yet the word itself does not indicate anything about "betrayal."

The very same Greek word was also used by Jesus in this verse:

"The man with the two talents also came. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.'" (Matt. 25:22)

Here the word "entrusted" is also translated from παραδίδωμι (paradidōmi). There are other verses where this Greek word is used similarly.

While the word can also be used to describe someone who hands someone over "treacherously," such "treachery" must be otherwise indicated. The word itself does not indicate "treachery."

In other words, such a handing over could be done "treacherously" or with permission ("entrustingly"). As such, the translators have assumed this by translating the word to "betray."

This all points to a few key issues. The fact that Jesus himself was involved in the arrangement of his capture by the institutional temple priests is clear. The fact that Judas was following Jesus' instructions is also clear. 

Judas' big mistake - which was why his reputation of betrayal has remained - was that he took 30 pieces of silver in exchange for telling the high priest where Jesus would be. This would be considered betrayal unless Jesus also authorized this. 

Even with that, the point is that Jesus allowed this to happen to him because he was serving God. He knew that the Supreme Being was ultimately giving everyone the choice to love Him and thus follow Jesus, or not. If God somehow intervened and forced everyone to support Jesus, then this would abandon the element of free will when it comes to loving God or not. Taking that free will away would contradict and remove the possibility of love - which has to be given voluntarily.

Jesus knew that this freedom of choice is what the Supreme Being willed:

"My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may Your will be done." (Matt. 26:42)

He also knew Jesus' sacrifice would serve to teach others, and glorify Jesus' beloved, the Supreme Being:

"Now is the son of man glorified and God is glorified in him." (John 13:31).

So we know that Jesus was providing loving service to God, ultimately, by doing what would glorify Him. But God's role was to allow Jesus the free will to provide this service. Jesus didn't have to. And neither would God have arranged for the crucifixion or stopped it. He simply wanted everyone to decide independently whether to love Him or not.

As for Jesus, God's loving servant is focused on glorifying the Supreme Being. Why? Because he loves God. Someone who loves someone naturally praises that person and works to please them. This was communicated by Jesus both by this event and by his teachings:

"'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment." (Matt. 22:37-38)

"Now is the Son of Man glorified and God is glorified in him...." (John 13:31-32)

"Now is the Son of Man glorified and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will glorify the Son in Himself, and will glorify him at once." (John 13:31-32)

Is Jesus the only "Son of Man"?

Jesus mentions "Son of Man" and "Son" in these verses. Most assume that Jesus is speaking only about himself. If this were true, why didn't Jesus just say "Now I am glorified and God is glorified in me." ? Why was he speaking about the "Son of Man" and the "Son" in the third person - as though it was someone else other than himself?

As we've shown, the phrase, "son of man" is a poor translation. The Greek phrase υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου is better translated to "servant of humanity" or "servant of the people."

As defined more in the related link, this is because υἱὸς only means "son" in the context of a physical father and male offspring. In other contexts, it can mean "pupil," "follower," or "subject." In the context that Jesus is discussing, it relates to a subject and follower. The most appropriate translation in this context is thus "servant."

The Greek word ἀνθρώπου can mean "mankind," "humankind" or "people" according to the lexicon. In this respect, the meaning of the phrase is better termed, "servant of humanity" or "servant of the people."

Given this, we also find that many others have been referred to as "son of man" - better translated to "servant of humanity." For example, we find that God called Ezekial "son of man" ["servant of humanity"] many times (Ezekiel 3:1 and many others). Daniel was addressed as Son of Man (Daniel 8:17) We also find that David called himself "son of man" ["servant of humanity"] (Psalm 80:17).

The reality is that "Son of Man" is a role, not an individual person. This is defined clearly in the Scriptures:

And I set my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under heaven; this burdensome task God has given to the sons of man, by which they may be exercised. (Ecc. 1:13)

As we pointed out with the Hebrew, "sons" in this and other verses would more appropriately be translated to "servants." And of course, "man" would be better translated to "humanity." (Since humans are made up of men and women.) 

The bottom line is that Jesus spoke of the "Servant of Humanity" and the "Servant" in the third person because he wasn't referring only to himself. He was referring to all of those who serve God and serve humanity by being one of God's messengers, in order to illuminate the Truth for all humankind.

These include those messengers before Jesus such as the Prophets and the Patriarchs. Then of course, it includes Jesus, but then also Jesus' disciples such as James, John, and Peter; and other messengers of God throughout human history.

How is God 'glorified in him'?

And why is glorification so important to this event of Jesus being arrested and persecuted?

The word "glorified" is being translated from the Greek word δοξάζω (doxazō), which means in this context, according to the lexicon, "to praise, extol, magnify, celebrate" and "to honour, do honour to, hold in honour."

Let's break Jesus' statement down:

First Jesus is saying that from this event Jesus will be glorified. 

Why will this event glorify Jesus? Because Jesus knows that his students and followers will see that Jesus has sacrificed his physical life in the service of God. This event will make Jesus glorious – not just in the opinion of humanity – but because he made the ultimate sacrifice in the service of God.

Such a sacrifice made on behalf of God glorifies Jesus.

Next, Jesus says that "God is glorified in him." Because Jesus' teachings were about God, God will be glorified when Jesus is glorified. Consider how even institutional temple disciples described Jesus:

"Teacher," they said, "we know you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth." (Matt. 22:16)

Because Jesus taught "the way of God", and because Jesus was ultimately executed because of his teachings, we can see clearly that Jesus' execution served to glorify or give honor to God.

Jesus' entire life and teachings were about glorifying God. Jesus frequently praised God in his teachings and prayers, and encouraged others to praise God:

"This, then, is how you should pray: "'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your Name..." (Matt. 6:9)

"I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth...." (Matt. 11:25 and Luke 10:21)

"Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?" (Luke 17:18)

"In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." (Matt. 5:16)

When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. (Matt. 26:30)

They were all filled with awe and praised God. (Luke 7:16)

When all the people saw it, they also praised God. (Luke 18:43)

Then he put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God. (Luke 13:13)

Simeon took him in his arms and praised God... (Luke 2:28)

And they praised the God of Israel. (Matt. 15:31)

This amazed everyone and they praised God... (Mark 2:12)

So we can see that giving praise to the Supreme Being - glorifying God and His Holy Name - was a central part of Jesus' teachings and his activities. His actions promoted praising God. His life was all about glorifying God. Why? Because Jesus loves God. When a person loves someone, they naturally want to praise and glorify them.

Is this a reciprocation of love?

Jesus then says, "If God is glorified in him, God will glorify the Son in Himself." He is saying that while Jesus' activities will serve to glorify (give praise to or honor) God, then God will also honor Jesus. The phrases "in him" and "in Himself" come from the Greek phrase ἐν αὐτῷ, which relates to pronoun inclusion - within himself or through himself.

This would refer to being pleased with someone. To "honor within" oneself regarding another means not only to honor that person but also to be pleased with that person.

In other words, Jesus is saying that while the event will serve to glorify and honor God, God will in turn be pleased, and glorify and honor Jesus.

This is what occurs within a relationship. Jesus and God are involved in a relationship.

As for those who have tried to interpret this to mean that Jesus was saying that he was the Supreme Being, there is no functional support for this. Jesus was obviously referring to someone other than himself. Glorifying someone else means that someone else exists.

How did Jesus' sacrifice glorify God?

Jesus finishes with: "and will glorify him at once". This simply indicates that Jesus knows that he will become not only immediately famous through his act of sacrifice, but will also be pleasing to the Supreme Being. 

Jesus' many followers and students, along with the general population in Jerusalem and God Himself, will all see just how committed Jesus was to his teachings. They will see that even though he had every chance to evade and escape execution he did not. They will see that even though Pilate offered him a way out by denying his teachings, Jesus stood by his teachings.

Today we often will honor those military veterans who were killed in action. Why? Because we recognize that they volunteered for the military and thus made a sacrifice: "They gave their life" will often be said. This is considered by society to be the highest honor, and it is celebrated with a badge of honor.

Jesus didn't sacrifice his physical body for his country or his people. He sacrificed his physical body for the One he loved: God. And by doing this, his sacrifice also serves all of humanity. Why is that? Is it because we can just accept that he "died for our sins"?

No. The event and motivation must be understood. We must understand why Jesus was willing to undergo the pain and suffering related to being tortured and hanged until his body died. We must come to understand his purpose and intention.

We must remember why the high priests were so upset about Jesus, and why they wanted him out of the way: Because of his teachings. Jesus was persecuted for his teachings. And what were his teachings? They praised and glorified the Supreme Being. So Jesus died on behalf of his relationship with the Supreme Being. His commitment to God and his love for God. And his love for all of humanity, because his teachings were intended to save humanity.

And it is through having a small glimpse of how important Jesus' teachings are, and how important the Supreme Being is to Jesus, that we can be saved.

Can Jesus save us?

Are we saved by having our sins cleansed? If so, will having our sins cleansed necessarily change our consciousness? Will having our sins cleansed prevent us from sinning again? Not unless our consciousness is changed.

While having our sins cleansed might be a byproduct (and a self-centered one if this is the intent) actual salvation is accomplished through the purification of our consciousness.

And how is our consciousness purified? Because by seeing how important Jesus' teachings are, and how important the Supreme Being is to Jesus, we are given a glimpse into the intimate relationship of love that exists between the Supreme Being and His loving servant. We are gaining access to the spiritual realm, and this can purify our consciousness.

The residents of the spiritual realm have so much love for the Supreme Being that they would do anything for Him. They love the Supreme Being so much they do not even recognize Him as God. They simply adore Him, and they exchange loving relationships with Him. They do not see Him as a vehicle for receiving benefits of salvation or anything else. They are simply His caregivers. They want nothing but to please Him.

A temporary physical body thus means nothing to a resident of the spiritual realm. In comparison, losing our physical body is of utmost importance to those of us who live our self-centered lives seeking our own satisfaction. But a resident of the spiritual realm lives only for the satisfaction of the Supreme Being. Everything else is meaningless. 

The death of the temporary physical body is like stepping out of a car after driving it around for awhile to the resident of the spiritual realm. It is considered only as a tool or vehicle to please God with.

Jesus used his physical body to teach, and then to show us how we can also become residents of the spiritual realm. And what did he teach?

"'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment." (Matt. 22:37-38)

*Here is the translation of Jesus' statement from the Lost Gospels of Jesus:

Then, after he had left, Jesus said, “Now the Servant of Humanity will be glorified, and God will be glorified by him. Since God is glorified by him, God will also honor him with Himself – truly glorifying him." (John 13:31-32)

"I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving ..." (John 16:28)

"I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father." (John 16:28)

Is Jesus returning to God?

To return to someone necessitates first having been separated from that person. A person cannot return to themselves. There have to be two individuals in order for one of them to become separate from the other.

The Greek word being translated to "came from" is ἐξῆλθον from the root ἐξέρχομαι (exerchomai), meaning to "come forth of" or "of the point from which he departs" according to Thayer's lexicon. This means Jesus is speaking of coming from and returning to a place. In this case, that place where God lives: The spiritual realm.

This is confirmed by Jesus' saying that "I am leaving the world and going back to the Father." Jesus can only be leaving a place, and "going back" to a place.

So how will Jesus be leaving them and returning to the spiritual realm? Will he float up in his physical body with the holes in his hands and feet as many imagine? No. Jesus is informing his disciples of this because he will soon be arrested by the guards of the High Priest and turned over to the Romans for trial and subsequent persecution - and the murder of his physical body.

At that point, Jesus' spirit-person - his spiritual self - will depart from his physical body. How do we know this?

And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. (Matt. 27:50)

Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." When he had said this, he breathed his last. (Luke 23:46)

When he had received the drink, Jesus said, "It is finished." With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. (John 19:30)

Why did Jesus 'give up his spirit'?

To give up one's spirit means the spirit must be leaving the physical body. Since the person and the spirit of that person cannot be separated, we would appropriately describe this as being a spirit-person.

The fact that the spirit-person separates from the physical body at the time of death has been proven in hundreds of thousands of clinical death cases. 

In these cases, a resuscitated person tells of their experience leaving the body and looking down upon their lifeless body from above., then traveling outside of the body before their body was resuscitated. This means of course that we are not these physical bodies. Each of us is the spirit-person within, operating a temporary physical body as a person might drive a car.

And as we see from scripture, Jesus also was not his physical body, and he too left his physical body - his spirit-person separated from the body that became lifeless. This is how Jesus returned to the spiritual realm. He returned to the Supreme Being and the spiritual realm in his spiritual body.

This doesn't mean that we can compare our physical body with Jesus' physical body. His physical body was also spiritualized by his relationship, connection and service to the Supreme Being.

This contradicts many who speak about God as if He were a vague force, and Jesus is God incarnated.

This concept of a vague entity or force becoming Jesus is actually an impersonal view of God. This is diametrically opposed to Jesus' teachings.

Jesus taught of a personal God. He taught of a God who could be loved and served. We cannot love a vague impersonal force. We can only love a person.

Jesus taught:

“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment." (Matt. 22:37-38)

How could a person love someone with this kind of intensity without knowing that person? How could we love someone we do not know?

Was Jesus introducing his followers to God?

Jesus most certainly was introducing his students to God - πατήρ (patēr), which means "ruler," "creator," "guardian" and "protector" according to the lexicon.

This means that Jesus is not referring to God as some kind of vague force, but rather, as an individual person: Someone he knows. Someone he cares about. Someone he trusts. Someone he has given his life to. Someone he serves. And someone he loves.

God is the Supreme Being. He is the Source of everything. He is the most Intelligent Person. He is the most Beautiful Person. He is the Most Loving Person. The Most Caring Person. He is the Kindest Person. He is the Funniest Person. He is the Funniest Person to be around.

Jesus loves God. This is why Jesus was returning to Him. He was returning to God because he wanted to be with God. God is Jesus' Best Friend. Jesus relied upon God. He exchanged a relationship with God. This is why Jesus said:

"I have much to say in judgment of you. But He who sent me is reliable, and what I have heard from Him I tell the world." (John 8:26)

And Jesus loved God and wanted to please God. This is why Jesus said:

"For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of Him who sent me." (John 6:38)

Someone who does someone else's will is either acting as an employee, a slave, or out of love. Since God gives everyone the freedom to love Him and serve Him or not, we know that Jesus was serving God out of love. Jesus served God and his teachings were his service:

"For I did not speak of my own accord, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and how to say it." (John 12:49)

Thus we can know that Jesus was sent by God and was going to return to God's side when he left this physical world:

But from now on, the Son of Man [Servant of humanity] will be seated at the right hand of the mighty God."

A person who sits at the "right hand" of another is none other than that person's assistant or servant. Even today we use the expression, "he's my right-hand man" when we mean someone who assists us - a reliable aid or servant.

This means that Jesus is not God at all, but rather, God's messenger. God's loving servant. God's representative. Jesus refers to God as "the Father who sent me." When someone sends another, the person sent is a messenger of the sender. Therefore Jesus could not be God. He could only be God's representative.

In other words, Jesus is speaking of returning to the spiritual realm to be with God. Jesus is ready to leave hell and return to heaven.

And yes, this physical world is indeed hell.

Do the citizens of heaven love God?

Jesus is ready to return to that place where its citizens are engaged in loving relationships with the Supreme Being, and everyone is loving and caring for each other. This is the place where there is no selfishness. There is no hatred. There is no envy. This is that place where many of us strive to try to make this material world like. It is also the place people like to imagine - like John Lennon imagined.

But everyone likes to imagine a perfect place where there is no hatred and suffering, but they rarely if ever imagine God as the center in such a place. This is because we are in hell - and hell is a self-centered place. 

Hell is that place where everyone looks out for ourselves. Where everyone is seeking our own happiness at the expense of others. And this is why there is so much suffering in this world: Because this world is driven by self-interest. Self-interest is the nature of hell.

In the spiritual realm, God is the center, and love abounds. The interest is pleasing God and caring for God's children. God is always engaged in loving relationships with each person - exchanging caring and fun relationships.

The spiritual realm is not as Michelangelo imagined. It is not a bunch of nude people with long white beards sitting on seats of clouds playing harps. And God is not an old guy with an even longer white beard floating over them.

The spiritual realm is a place of incredible activity, lush beauty, laughter, games, processions, plays, community events, private moments, and everything in between. It is a place where each individual loves God, and everyone else is more important. God is their Best Friend and Companion. In the spiritual realm, most citizens do contemplate God as the Supreme Being. He is simply their beloved, best friend, family member, and companion.

This is the place where each person is completely fulfilled and completely happy because they are immersed in love of God.

This is our real home: this place is where Jesus wanted us to also return to with him:

“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'" (Matt. 22:37-38)

*Here is the translation of Jesus' statement from the Lost Gospels of Jesus:

"I was dispatched by the Creator and have appeared in the material world. I will now depart the world and journey back to the Creator.” (John 16:28)