The people answered him, We have heard out of the law that Christ abideth for ever: and how sayest thou, The Son of man must be lifted up? who is this Son of man?
The crowd was confused and pushed back: 'Wait, we learned that the Messiah stays forever, so what do you mean when you say the Son of Man has to be lifted up? Who even is this Son of Man you're talking about?'
Sometimes the most important truths are the hardest ones to wrap our heads around.
📚 Historical Context
In the Gospel of John, this conversation occurs shortly after Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem, as the crowd is grappling with His teachings about His impending death. The people refer to the Jewish Scriptures, particularly prophecies about the Messiah who would reign eternally, which contrasts with Jesus' statement that the Son of Man must be lifted up. This reflects the common Jewish expectation of a conquering king rather than a suffering servant.
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