Jesus explained that the heavenly voice had sounded for the people"s benefit more than for His. In that the voice assured Jesus, who was to die for their sins, it was for their sake. They probably did not appreciate that it was a confirmation of Jesus until after the Resurrection. The more spiritually sensitive among them must have sensed that it signaled something important. Jesus proceeded to explain the implications of what God had said in the next two verses. [source][source][source]
Context Summary
John 12:30-41 - Belief May Become Impossible
The question of the Greeks led our Lord's thoughts to His death. He saw, too, the baptism of suffering through which His followers must pass. From all this that troubled Him, He fled to the Father, asking only that all should converge to His glory. That request was immediately answered in the affirmative. Thus He was led to give this amazing interpretation of the events which were taking place, as viewed from the standpoint of heaven. The age, not He, was being judged. It was standing before Him for its verdict, not He before it. Caiaphas, Pilate, and the rulers of the age were passing before His judgment seat and being judged as worthless. The prince of the age, Satan, not Christ, was being cast out, though the sentence might take long before fully realized. Little as they recognized it, the day of the Cross was the crisis of the history of earth and hell, of men and demons. Then was settled the question of supremacy between darkness and light, between hate and love, between death and life. Lifted up recalls John 3:14. The Cross is the divine magnet, and our attitude with regard to it shows what we are. Learn from John 12:35-36 the order of transfiguration into the sonship of light: believe in the light, walk in the light, and you will become sons of light. [source]
Chapter Summary: John 12
1Jesus excuses Mary anointing his feet 9The people flock to see Lazarus 10The chief priests consult to kill him 12Jesus rides into Jerusalem 20Greeks desire to see Jesus 23He foretells his death 37The people are generally blinded; 42yet many chief rulers believe, but do not confess him; 44therefore Jesus calls earnestly for confession of faith
Greek Commentary for John 12:30
Not for my sake, but for your sakes [ου δι εμε αλλα δι υμας] These words seem to contradict John 12:28,John 12:29. Bernard suggests an interpolation into the words of Jesus. But why not take it to be the figure of exaggerated contrast, “not merely for my sake, but also for yours”? [source]
For my sake [] Emphatic in the Greek order. It is not for my sake that this voice hath come. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for John 12:30
John 12:44Cried and said [εκραχεν και ειπεν] First aorist active indicative of κραζω krazō to cry aloud, and second aorist active of defective verb ερω erō to say. This is probably a summary of what Jesus had already said as in John 12:36 John closes the public ministry of Jesus without the Synoptic account of the last day in the temple on our Tuesday (Mark 11:27-12:44; Matt 21:23-23:39; Luke 20:1-21:4). Not on me, but on him “Not on me only, but also on,” another example of exaggerated contrast like that in John 12:30. The idea of Jesus here is a frequent one (believing on Jesus whom the Father has sent) as in John 3:17.; John 5:23,John 5:30,John 5:43; John 7:16; John 8:42; John 13:20; John 14:1; Matthew 10:40; Luke 9:48. [source]
Greek Commentary for John 12:30
These words seem to contradict John 12:28, John 12:29. Bernard suggests an interpolation into the words of Jesus. But why not take it to be the figure of exaggerated contrast, “not merely for my sake, but also for yours”? [source]
Emphatic in the Greek order. It is not for my sake that this voice hath come. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for John 12:30
First aorist active indicative of κραζω krazō to cry aloud, and second aorist active of defective verb ερω erō to say. This is probably a summary of what Jesus had already said as in John 12:36 John closes the public ministry of Jesus without the Synoptic account of the last day in the temple on our Tuesday (Mark 11:27-12:44; Matt 21:23-23:39; Luke 20:1-21:4). Not on me, but on him “Not on me only, but also on,” another example of exaggerated contrast like that in John 12:30. The idea of Jesus here is a frequent one (believing on Jesus whom the Father has sent) as in John 3:17.; John 5:23, John 5:30, John 5:43; John 7:16; John 8:42; John 13:20; John 14:1; Matthew 10:40; Luke 9:48. [source]