John 12:31-33

‘ “Now is the judgment of this world, now shall the ruler of this world be cast out, and I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself”. (He said this to show by what death he would die).'

The cross would declare that God had passed judgment, not on Jesus, but on the world. As He died there for men it would be because of God's sentence of death on the world. It was proof that apart from Him the world was rejected. He was suffering what they should have been suffering. Furthermore it was a sentence on the rulers of the world. They too were cast out as a result of their act and would be replaced. They were no longer to be listened to, for their words had resulted in the cross. Rather must men look to the crucified One, lifted up to death and glory, Who will draw all men to Himself.

But the ruler of this world is not only to be seen as each physical ruler. There is one who lies behind them, and he too will be cast out. (Compare John 14:30; John 16:11. The constant use of the singular must surely hold this meaning). His forces would be defeated and degraded, and his power would be broken. (See Matthew 12:29; Mark 3:27; Luke 10:18; Luke 11:20; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Ephesians 2:2; Colossians 2:15). Thus the world which kept men in ignorance of the truth, and the ruler of this world who tried to hold them in his sway, blinding men to the truth (2 Corinthians 4:4), will be defeated as men are drawn to the crucified one. The Strong Man will be defeated by the Stronger Than he, and the weak who respond to Jesus will be set free (Matthew 12:29 and parallels).

‘Will draw all men to myself'. Men of every type and race will be drawn to Him through the cross. While ‘draw' could theoretically mean simply that all men would feel the urge to respond, this could only be true if there were a universal revelation, and it is therefore apparent that ‘all men' here must indicate all types and races (compare Acts 2:17). This is thus the effectual drawing power of the Father (compare John 6:44).