John Calvin Commentary John 3:14

"And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up;" — John 3:14 (ASV)

And as Moses lifted up the serpent. He explains more clearly why he said that he alone is the one to whom heaven is opened; namely, that he brings to heaven all who are willing to follow him as their guide. For he testifies that he will be openly and publicly revealed to all, so that he may spread his power among people of every class.

To be lifted up means to be placed in a high and elevated position, so as to be displayed for all to see. This was done by the preaching of the Gospel; for the explanation that some give of it, as referring to the cross, neither agrees with the context nor is applicable to the present subject.

The simple meaning of the words, therefore, is that by the preaching of the Gospel, Christ was to be raised on high, like a standard to which the eyes of all would be directed, as Isaiah had foretold (Isaiah 2:2). As a type of this lifting up, he refers to the brazen serpent, which was erected by Moses. The sight of this serpent was a salutary remedy for those who had been wounded by the deadly bite of serpents.

The history of that event is well known and is detailed in Numbers 21:9. Christ introduces it in this passage to show that he must be placed before the eyes of all by the doctrine of the Gospel, so that all who look at him by faith may obtain salvation.

Therefore, it should be inferred that Christ is clearly presented to us in the Gospel, so that no one may complain of obscurity. This manifestation is common to all, and faith has its own way of seeing, by which it perceives him as present. As Paul tells us, a vivid portrait of Christ with his cross is displayed when he is truly preached (Galatians 3:1).

The metaphor is not inappropriate or far-fetched. Just as it was only the outward appearance of a serpent, containing nothing harmful or venomous within, so Christ clothed himself with the form of sinful flesh, which yet was pure and free from all sin, so that he might cure in us the deadly wound of sin.

It was not in vain that, when the Jews were wounded by serpents, the Lord formerly prepared this kind of antidote, and it served to confirm the discourse Christ delivered. For when he saw that he was despised as a lowly and unknown person, he could produce nothing more appropriate than the lifting up of the serpent. This was to tell them that they should not think it strange if, contrary to people's expectations, he were lifted up on high from the very lowest condition, because this had already been foreshadowed under the Law by the type of the serpent.

A question now arises: Does Christ compare himself to the serpent because there is some resemblance, or does he pronounce it to have been a sacrament, as the Manna was? For though the Manna was bodily food intended for present use, Paul testifies that it was a spiritual mystery (1 Corinthians 10:3). I am led to think that this was also the case with the brazen serpent, both by this passage and by the fact of its being preserved for the future, until the superstition of the people converted it into an idol (2 Kings 18:4). If anyone forms a different opinion, I do not debate the point with him.