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I have some questions about this passage:
Thank you very much and God’s blessings to you all.
Shalom and Love
Dani
I take this to be speaking of Satan. Compare this passage:
[Jhn 14:29-31 ESV] And now I have told you before it takes place, so that when it does take place you may believe. I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim on me, but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father.
“Prince” and “ruler” are the same Greek word, btw.
I think He’s saying His death marks the downfall of Satan’s rule. It’s a process that takes ages, but that was the beginning of it. In Hebrews it says that all things have been put in subjection to Him, but also that we do not yet see all things in subjection:
Heb 2:7-9,14-15
“You made him for a little while lower than the angels; you have crowned him with glory and honor, putting everything in subjection under his feet.”
Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him.
But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.
Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.
That’s how I understand it.
Maybe both.
Sonia
Who is ment with “prince of this world”?
This is a difficult question to answer to someone not living in the old covenant world of Israel, but allow me to be a slight bit long-winded for a moment. The world spoken of here was that of the old covenant world. The “prince” was the son of David that would be at whatever time sitting on the throne. Since none of David’s sons were ever faithful to the covenant, none of them sat on the throne forever. Yet they were represented by a line of succession.
If satan is ment then what does it mean that he is driven out?
In a sense, YES, the prince of the world was “satan” when we understand that “satan” was NOT a fallen archangel who grew a long pointy tail and wielded a pitchfork. The satan was “the enemy of God,” which is why Jesus could call Peter “satan” for refusing to allow Jesus to die on the cross. And YES, the enemy of God was cast out…“for this purpose was the son of god manifest, to destroy the works of the evil one.” Jesus came to be the One faithful Son of David, who would rule on his father’s throne forever…and he fulfilled that ministry.
Jesus says that He will draw all people to Himself, is this a statement for universal salvation?
In a sense, YES. The ALL people Jesus prophesied of were ALL people in Israel and Judah. He would make One New Man of the Two, and he would be its head. He would be the Shepherd of the Sheep. He would seek out the one lost sheep amongst the ninety-nine. He would “seek and save the lost from the House of Israel.”
Does Jesus mean with “when I am lifted up from the earth” just the crucifixtion like John writes or also His ascension to the Father?
I think the two are inseparable, along with the burial and resurrection, along with Christ’s parousia in AD70. A big mistake that Christians make is dividing up the redemptive plan, and arguing over “the gnats.” We need to quit swallowing the camel, and realize that the camel saved ALL Israel, and that meant LIFE for the rest of the world.