In John 12, the apostle recorded Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem before the Passover. This entry into the city set in motion the events which would lead to His death, recorded in chapter 19. While the population of the city was eventually guilty of His blood, having been goaded by the corrupt Jewish leaders, on this occasion they received Him as royalty. “The next day a great multitude that had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, and cried out: “Hosanna! ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ The King of Israel!” (12:12-13).
This reception was a fulfillment of Messianic prophecy, “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, lowly and riding on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey” (Zechariah 9:9). However, the disciples did not have a full understanding of what was happening on that occasion. John revealed, “His disciples did not understand these things at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written about Him and that they had done these things to Him” (12:16).
What did John mean by the phrase, “when Jesus was glorified”? Something happened, described in this way, and when it happened, the disciples more fully understood the events of John 12. Consider the words of Paul in Philippians 2:8-11, “And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
The glorification or exaltation of the Christ occurred at His ascension. The resurrected son of God, after spending time with the witnesses of His resurrection, returned back to heaven, to take up His crown and reign in His kingdom. “So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.” (Mark 16:19).
There are those who do not believe Jesus has begun His reign on His throne. They teach that the kingdom of Christ has yet to come, and they look for portents in an attempt to determine when it might happen. It has already come! It happened when he left the earth! At that time, as Mark recorded, He “sat down at the right hand of God.” Consider the words of Paul, concerning those who have been converted, “He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:13-14).
All that is left is for Him to return to judge the world. At that time every man shall be humbled before the exalted King of kings and Lord of lords. “Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9-11).
