Charles Ellicott Commentary John 12:32

"And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto myself." — John 12:32 (ASV)

And I, if I am lifted up from the earth.—The pronoun is strongly emphatic. “And I,” in opposition to the prince of this world; the conqueror in opposition to the vanquished foe. The conditional form, “If I am lifted up,” answers to the “troubled soul” of John 12:27. He knows that it will be so, but He leaves the future to declare its own truths. Compare the phrases, “If it is possible,” “If this may not pass away from Me” (Matthew 26:39; Matthew 26:42), and Note on John 14:3. The words “lifted up” have occurred before in John 3:14 and John 8:28; but the context here shows that they include the thought of the ascension into heaven. It is from the heavenly throne that the Messiah will rule over His spiritual kingdom.

Will draw all men to me.—Better, ...to Myself. The words “all men” are not to be limited by interpretations which refer them to nations, or to elect persons within nations; but are to be taken in all the fullness of their width as meaning simply what they say—all. The drawing to Himself is the assertion of His reign over the world, from which the prince of evil will be cast out.

He will Himself be the center of the new kingdom, from which none will be shut out. These Greeks who are drawn to Him now are the first-fruits of the harvest of which the whole world is the field, and of which the last day is to be the great ingathering.

The word “draw” occurs once in the New Testament, besides this passage, in a moral sense (John 6:44; compare Note on it there). It is accomplished in the work of the Holy Spirit, whose mission to the Church was dependent on the ascension of our Lord (John 7:39; John 16:7); and the promise is fulfilled even in the case of those who resist the Holy Spirit’s influence. They are drawn by the moral power of the life and death and resurrection of Christ brought home to them by the Holy Spirit; but no moral power can compel a will which is free. (Compare Note on John 6:37.)

The whole mission-work of the Church and every effort which Christianity brings to bear upon the evil of the world implies this moral drawing; and implies, too, the power of man to reject it. But we may not say this moral power is not leading men to Christ, where we can least trace it, and we may not say that there is any limit where its influence ends. (Compare Note on 1 Peter 3:19.)