31 So, when he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in Him.
In verses 31 and 32 Jesus revealed that He was about to be glorified. He now made clear that He was about to return to the Father, to His previous state of existence (Jn 13:31-18).
Jesus now put in motion the supreme hour of the crucifixion of Christ and its purpose.
31 So, when he [Judas] had gone out, Jesus said,
Jesus was now free to give special instruction to the remaining genuine 11 disciples, since Judas left their presence. The Lord could not give the following teaching while the non-believer was still there. He could now talk openly about His coming death.
“Now
The word “now” indicates that the Lord put aside His restraint against talking about the coming events when He removed Judas the culprit from their midst. Now that Judas had left to betray Jesus, the motion and movements toward Jesus’ death started to unfold. The die was cast; Jesus would be crucified on the cross.
the Son of Man is glorified,
The unique glorification of the Son of Man was His death on the cross, ascension, resurrection, and session (being seated with the Father forever). Jesus’ glory was manifested in many ways, but this was a special glorification. He did not specifically name the particulars of the immediate coming events; He only indicated the result of what these events would produce—His and the Father’s glorification.
The title “Son of Man” is often associated with glory and glorification. John particularly connected this term to the crucifixion, ascension, and resurrection. Jesus was glorified by the cross; He was not martyred. His death was no disgrace from the eternal viewpoint (Php 2:10).
and God is glorified in Him.
The Father was also glorified by the person and work of Christ. He would benefit by Jesus exercising His role as the Father’s special representative on earth. The Father would be glorified “in Him”—that is, in union with Him, not only “through” Him. The glorification of Jesus is equivalent to the glorification of the Father. The Father sent the Son. It was at His bidding that Jesus would now go to the cross. God’s love and righteousness would be ratified by Jesus on the cross.
PRINCIPLE:
God maintains consistency with Himself by Jesus’ death on the cross.
APPLICATION:
God’s justice was glorified by Jesus’ death the cross. He cannot compromise His character; therefore, He cannot allow us into His heaven unless something is done about our sin. God must be eternally consistent with Himself. If He were otherwise, then He would not be perfect. If He were an inconsistent being, He would be arbitrary and deal with men according to caprice. As a consistent being, He is faithful in what He does. We can count on His love because it will always be the same.
The glory of God’s consistency with Himself is seen in Jesus’ setting everything right by fully paying for sins.
