The Meaning of John 12:36 Explained

John 12:36

KJV: While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them.

YLT: while ye have the light, believe in the light, that sons of light ye may become.' These things spake Jesus, and having gone away, he was hid from them,

Darby: While ye have the light, believe in the light, that ye may become sons of light. Jesus said these things, and going away hid himself from them.

ASV: While ye have the light, believe on the light, that ye may become sons of light. These things spake Jesus, and he departed and hid himself from them.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

While  ye have  light,  believe  in  the light,  that  ye may be  the children  of light.  These things  spake  Jesus,  and departed,  and  did hide himself  from  them. 

What does John 12:36 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Jesus had just told His hearers that the Light would not be with them much longer. He withdrew from them again giving them a foretaste of what He had just predicted (cf. John 8:59; John 11:54). His departure should have motivated them to believe on Him. So ends John"s account of Jesus" public ministry.

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

1  Jesus excuses Mary anointing his feet
9  The people flock to see Lazarus
10  The chief priests consult to kill him
12  Jesus rides into Jerusalem
20  Greeks desire to see Jesus
23  He foretells his death
37  The people are generally blinded;
42  yet many chief rulers believe, but do not confess him;
44  therefore Jesus calls earnestly for confession of faith

Greek Commentary for John 12:36

Believe in the light [πιστευετε εις το πως]
That is, “believe in me as the Messiah” (John 8:12; John 9:5). That ye may become sons of light Purpose clause with ινα — hina and second aorist subject of γινομαι — ginomai to become. They were not “sons of light,” a Hebrew idiom (cf. John 17:12; Luke 16:8 with the contrast), an idiom used by Paul in 1 Thessalonians 5:5; Ephesians 5:8. It is equivalent to “enlightened men” (Bernard) and Jesus called his disciples the light of the world (Matthew 5:14). Hid himself from them Second aorist passive indicative of κρυπτω — kruptō late form (in lxx) for old εκρυπη — ekruphē “was hidden from them,” as in John 8:59. This part of John 12:36 begins a new paragraph. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for John 12:36

John 8:12 The light of the world [τὸ φῶς τοῦ κόσμου]
Not λύχνος , a lamp, as John the Baptist (John 8:35). Light is another of John's characteristic terms and ideas, playing a most important part in his writings, as related to the manifestation of Jesus and His work upon men. He comes from God, who is light (John 3:19-21). “In Him was life, and the life was the light of men” (1 John 1:58). The Word was among men as light before the incarnation (John 1:9; John 9:5), and light came with the incarnation (1711699876_55; John 8:12; John 12:46). Christ is light through the illuminating energy of the Spirit (John 14:21, John 14:26; John 16:13; 1 John 2:20, 1 John 2:27), which is received through love (John 14:22, John 14:23). The object of Christ's work is to make men sons of light (John 12:36, John 12:46), and to endow them with the light of life (John 8:12). In John 8:20, we are told that Jesus spake these words in the Treasury. This was in the Court of the Women, the most public part of the temple. Four golden candelabra stood there, each with four golden bowls, each one filled from a pitcher of oil by a youth of priestly descent. These were lighted on the first night of the Feast of Tabernacles. It is not unlikely that they may have suggested our Lord's figure, but the figure itself was familiar both from prophecy and from tradition. According to tradition, Light was one of the names of the Messiah. See Isaiah 9:1; Isaiah 42:6; Isaiah 49:6; Isaiah 60:1-3; Malachi 4:2; Luke 2:32. [source]
John 21:22 Till I come [ἕως ἔρχομαι]
Rather, while I am coming. Compare John 9:4; John 12:35, John 12:36; 1 Timothy 4:13. [source]
John 12:44 Cried [ἔκραξεν]
This is not meant to relate a reappearance of Jesus in public. The close of His public ministry is noted at John 12:36. It is in continuation of the Evangelist's own remarks, and introduces a summary of Jesus' past teaching to the Jews. [source]
John 12:2 So they made him a supper there [εποιησαν ουν αυτωι δειπνον εκει]
Here again ουν — oun is not inferential, but merely transitional. This supper is given by Mark (Mark 14:3-9) and Matthew (Matthew 26:6-13) just two days (Mark 14:1) before the passover, that is on our Tuesday evening (beginning of Jewish Wednesday), while John mentions (John 12:2-9) it immediately after the arrival of Jesus in Bethany (John 12:1). One must decide which date to follow. Mark and Matthew and Luke follow it with the visit of Judas to the Sanhedrin with an offer to betray Jesus as if exasperated by the rebuke by Jesus at the feast. Bernard considers that John “is here more probably accurate.” It all turns on John‘s purpose in putting it here. This is the last mention of Jesus in Bethany and he may have mentioned it proleptically for that reason as seems to me quite reasonable. Westcott notes that in chapter 12John closes his record of the public ministry of the Lord relative to the disciples at this feast (John 12:1-11), to the multitude in the triumphal entry (John 12:12-19), to the world outside in the visit of the Greeks (verses 20-36a), and with two summary judgments (John 12:36-50). There is no further reason to refer to the feast in the house of another Simon when a sinful woman anointed Jesus (Luke 7:36-50). It is no credit to Luke or to John with Mark and Matthew to have them all making a jumble like that. There were two anointings by two absolutely different women for wholly different purposes. See the discussion on Luke for further details. And Martha served Imperfect active of διακονεω — diakoneō picturing Martha true to the account of her in Luke 10:40 But this fact does not show that Martha was the wife of this Simon at all. They were friends and neighbours and Martha was following her bent. It is Mark (Mark 14:3) and Matthew (Matthew 26:6) who mention the name of the host. It is not Simon the Pharisee (Luke 7:36), but Simon the leper (Mark 14:3; Matthew 26:6) in whose house they meet. The name is common enough. The Simon in Luke was sharply critical of Jesus; this one is full of gratitude for what Jesus has done for him. That sat at meat “That lay back,” reclined as they did, articular participle (ablative case after εκ — ek) of the common verb ανακειμαι — anakeimai Perhaps Simon gave the feast partly in honour of Lazarus as well as of Jesus since all were now talking of both (John 12:9). It was a gracious occasion. The guests were Jesus, the twelve apostles, and Martha, Mary, and Lazarus. [source]
John 12:44 Cried 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]
John 12:36 Believe in the light [πιστευετε εις το πως]
That is, “believe in me as the Messiah” (John 8:12; John 9:5). That ye may become sons of light Purpose clause with ινα — hina and second aorist subject of γινομαι — ginomai to become. They were not “sons of light,” a Hebrew idiom (cf. John 17:12; Luke 16:8 with the contrast), an idiom used by Paul in 1 Thessalonians 5:5; Ephesians 5:8. It is equivalent to “enlightened men” (Bernard) and Jesus called his disciples the light of the world (Matthew 5:14). Hid himself from them Second aorist passive indicative of κρυπτω — kruptō late form (in lxx) for old εκρυπη — ekruphē “was hidden from them,” as in John 8:59. This part of John 12:36 begins a new paragraph. [source]
Colossians 1:12 In light [ἐν τῷ φωτί]
Connect with inheritance: the inheritance which is in light. This need not be limited to future glory. The children of God walk in light on earth. See John 3:21; John 11:9; John 12:36; Ephesians 5:8; 1 Thessalonians 5:5; 1 John 1:7; 1 John 2:10. [source]
1 Thessalonians 5:5 Children of light [υἱοὶ φωτός]
More correctly, sons of light. See on Mark 3:17, and comp. Luke 16:8; John 12:36; Ephesians 5:8; Colossians 1:12. The Christian condition is habitually associated in N.T. with light: see Matthew 5:14, Matthew 5:16; John 3:21; John 8:12; Acts 26:18; 1 Peter 2:9; 1 John 1:7. The contrary condition with darkness: see John 3:19, John 3:20; Ephesians 5:8; 1 Peter 2:9; Matthew 4:16; Matthew 6:23, etc. [source]

What do the individual words in John 12:36 mean?

While the light you have believe in so that sons of light you may become These things spoke Jesus and having gone away He was hidden from them
ὡς τὸ φῶς ἔχετε πιστεύετε εἰς ἵνα υἱοὶ φωτὸς γένησθε Ταῦτα ἐλάλησεν Ἰησοῦς καὶ ἀπελθὼν ἐκρύβη ἀπ’ αὐτῶν

ὡς  While 
Parse: Adverb
Root: ὡς 
Sense: as, like, even as, etc.
φῶς  light 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: φῶς  
Sense: light.
ἔχετε  you  have 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 2nd Person Plural
Root: ἔχω  
Sense: to have, i.e. to hold.
πιστεύετε  believe 
Parse: Verb, Present Imperative Active, 2nd Person Plural
Root: πιστεύω  
Sense: to think to be true, to be persuaded of, to credit, place confidence in.
ἵνα  so  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ἵνα  
Sense: that, in order that, so that.
υἱοὶ  sons 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: υἱός  
Sense: a son.
φωτὸς  of  light 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Neuter Singular
Root: φῶς  
Sense: light.
γένησθε  you  may  become 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Subjunctive Middle, 2nd Person Plural
Root: γίνομαι  
Sense: to become, i.
Ταῦτα  These  things 
Parse: Demonstrative Pronoun, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root: οὗτος  
Sense: this.
ἐλάλησεν  spoke 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἀπολαλέω 
Sense: to utter a voice or emit a sound.
Ἰησοῦς  Jesus 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: Ἰησοῦς  
Sense: Joshua was the famous captain of the Israelites, Moses’ successor.
ἀπελθὼν  having  gone  away 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ἀπέρχομαι  
Sense: to go away, depart.
ἐκρύβη  He  was  hidden 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: κρύπτω  
Sense: to hide, conceal, to be hid.