Albert Barnes Commentary John 12:31

"Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out." — John 12:31 (ASV)

Now is the judgment of this world. Greek, "crisis." This expression undoubtedly refers 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 the time in which the world was to be finally judged, for He says that He did not come then to judge the world (John 12:47; John 8:15), and He has clearly declared that there will be a future day when He will judge all humankind. Its meaning can be expressed as follows:

"Now the decisive scene, the eventful period—the crisis—is approaching, when it will be determined who will rule this world. There has been a long conflict between the powers of light and darkness—between God and the devil. Satan has ruled so effectively that he may be called the prince of this world; but My approaching death will destroy his kingdom, will break down his power, and will be the means of establishing the kingdom of God over humankind."

The death of Christ was to be the most grand and effective of all means that could be used to establish the authority of the law and the government of God (Romans 8:3–4).

It did this by showing the regard God had for His law, by showing His hatred of sin, by presenting the strongest motives to induce humankind 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 establish His power over humankind. In this way, the prediction was fulfilled (Genesis 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 (John 14:30; John 16:11). He is also called the god of this world (2 Corinthians 4:4); and in Ephesians 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 (Ephesians 2:2). All these names are given to him due to the influence or power he has over the people of this world, because the great mass of people have been under his control and subject to his will.

Be cast out. His kingdom will be destroyed; his empire will come to an end. It does not mean that his reign over all people 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 would begin to decline, until it would finally cease, and people would then be free altogether from his dominion. See Luke 10:18; Colossians 1:18–20; Acts 26:18; 1 Corinthians 15:25–26; Revelation 20:14.