And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse emphasizes the "must" (Greek: dei) of the Son of Man being "lifted up." This isn't just a prediction; it points to an essential, divinely appointed necessity for salvation, linking Jesus' future crucifixion to God's unwavering plan, just as the serpent's elevation was a necessary divine provision for healing.
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus is explaining to Nicodemus that understanding spiritual realities requires a heavenly perspective, which only he, the Son of Man who came from heaven, possesses. He then uses an Old Testament event—Moses lifting a bronze serpent in the wilderness to heal those bitten by venomous snakes—as a vivid illustration of his own future suffering and its purpose. This analogy foreshadows his crucifixion and its life-giving power for all who believe.
Imagine a deadly plague spreading through the camp, with no visible cure. How would you respond to a strange command to look at a symbol of the very thing that's killing you?
Jesus points to the story in Numbers 21 where the Israelites were dying from snake bites. God's command was peculiar: Moses was to make a bronze serpent and lift it up on a pole. Anyone bitten who looked at this bronze serpent would live.
This wasn't about the serpent itself; it was a picture of God's provision for a desperate situation. Humanity, like those Israelites, is infected by sin (the 'serpent's venom'), which leads to spiritual death. Our situation is dire, and no human effort or good deed can cure it.
Jesus uses this ancient event to show that His own 'lifting up' will be a similar divine remedy for the world's deadly sin. Just as the bronze serpent symbolized the cure, Jesus, though bearing the likeness of sin, would be lifted up to conquer it.
Jesus uses the word 'must' – a word that speaks of divine necessity. What does this tell us about the cross and our salvation?
The word translated 'must' here (in the original Greek, 'dei') signifies an unavoidable, divine necessity. It wasn't an option for Jesus; it was central to God's plan.
This 'lifting up' refers directly to Jesus' crucifixion. While it seems like a moment of defeat and shame, Jesus, and the New Testament writers, frame it as a necessary step towards salvation.
This necessity stems from:
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Jesus' crucifixion wasn't an accident; it was a planned, necessary act of love to provide the cure for sin.
When Jesus speaks of being 'lifted up,' He's hinting at something far greater than just a public execution. What hidden glory lies within the shame of the cross?
The phrase 'lifted up' in John's Gospel carries a double meaning. On one level, it clearly points to the physical act of Jesus being raised on the cross – a public spectacle of suffering and death.
However, John masterfully weaves in a deeper significance. For Jesus, and for those who understand His mission, this 'lifting up' is also the very means by which He is glorified and exalted.
Think about it:
John emphasizes this connection throughout his Gospel (e.g., John 12:32). Jesus' passion and His glorification are inextricably linked. The cross isn't just the end; it's the way to ultimate victory and the revelation of God's immense love and power.
Understand the original words
nachash · Hebrew Noun
An animal or object used in a figurative or literal sense. In this passage, it refers to the bronze serpent Moses erected in the wilderness to heal the Israelites who looked upon it in faith, serving as a type for Christ’s crucifixion.
hypsoō · Greek Verb
In this context, it refers to the crucifixion of Jesus. It carries a double meaning: the physical act of being raised on a cross and the theological act of being exalted or glorified by the Father through that death.
This verse draws a powerful parallel between a desperate moment in Israel's history and Jesus' mission. The story of the bronze serpent shows that salvation often comes through seemingly simple, divinely appointed means that require faith from those in need.
c. 1400 BC
Israelites Encamped Near Edom
After leaving Egypt, the Israelites traveled through the wilderness. During this journey, they became impatient and complained against God and Moses, leading to divine punishment.
c. 1400 BC
Fiery Serpents Inflict Deadly Bites
In response to the Israelites' grumbling, God sent venomous, fiery serpents among them. Many Israelites were bitten and began to die from the venom.
c. 1400 BC— this verse
Moses Lifts Up the Bronze Serpent
At God's command, Moses fashioned a bronze serpent and placed it on a pole. Those who were bitten could look at the bronze serpent and be healed.
c. AD 30
Jesus' Crucifixion
Jesus was arrested, tried, and crucified by the Roman authorities. This event, the 'lifting up' of the Son of Man, becomes the focal point for salvation.
This is the Old Testament event Jesus is directly referencing, where God instructed Moses to make a bronze serpent and lift it up so that those bitten by venomous snakes could look at it and live. It serves as the foundational parallel for understanding Jesus's statement.
Isaiah 45:22This prophetic verse calls people to 'turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth!' echoing the idea of looking to a divinely appointed object for salvation, much like looking to the bronze serpent or the lifted Son of Man.
John 12:32Jesus repeats the phrase 'lifted up' in this later passage, directly linking it to His impending death on the cross and its power to draw all people to Himself. This shows the consistent theme of His sacrificial elevation.
This ancient Jewish text, though not part of the biblical canon, reflects a similar understanding of the bronze serpent event, stating that people were saved 'not by the thing that he saw, but by Thee, that art the Saviour of all.' This highlights the faith aspect inherent in both the Old Testament symbol and Jesus's teaching.
This passage describes Jesus being 'humbled by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross' and that 'therefore God has highly exalted him.' This connects the 'lifting up' on the cross with subsequent divine exaltation, paralleling the narrative of the serpent being raised as a sign of God's provision.
ellicottJohn 3:14: "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:"
(14) And as Moses lifted up. —This verse is closely connected by the conjunction “and” with what has gone before. Jesus has taught that in Himself heaven and earth meet; so that, while subject to the conditions of human life, He, the Son of Man, the representative of humanity, is in heaven. He goes on to show that what is true of the representative is, through Him, true of the whole race…
barnesJohn 3:14: "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:"
And as Moses - Jesus proceeds in this and the following verses to state the reason why he came into the world and, in order to this, he illustrates His design, and the efficacy of his coming, by a reference to the case of the brass serpent, recorded in Numbers 21:8-9 . The people were bitten by flying fiery serpents. There was no cure for the bite. Moses was directed to make an image of…
The verse emphasizes the "must" (Greek: dei) of the Son of Man being "lifted up." This isn't just a prediction; it points to an essential, divinely appointed necessity for salvation, linking Jesus' future crucifixion to God's unwavering plan, just as the serpent's elevation was a necessary divine provision for healing.
Jesus is explaining to Nicodemus that understanding spiritual realities requires a heavenly perspective, which only he, the Son of Man who came from heaven, possesses. He then uses an Old Testament event—Moses lifting a bronze serpent in the wilderness to heal those bitten by venomous snakes—as a vivid illustration of his own future suffering and its purpose. This analogy foreshadows his crucifixion and its life-giving power for all who believe.
Jesus is explaining to Nicodemus that understanding spiritual realities requires a heavenly perspective, which only he, the Son of Man who came from heaven, possesses. He then uses an Old Testament event—Moses lifting a bronze serpent in the wilderness to heal those bitten by venomous snakes—as a vivid illustration of his own future suffering and its purpose. This analogy foreshadows his crucifixion and its life-giving power for all who believe.
"And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up," — The verse emphasizes the "must" (Greek: dei) of the Son of Man being "lifted up." This isn't just a prediction; it points to an essential, divinely appointed necessity for salvation, linking Jesus'…
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Last reviewed October 2026