Add to this the ambiguity of the word “exaltation” and you have the ingredients for confusion. We usually associate exaltation with glorification and honour, but in the Gospel of John, the Greek word has a double meaning — glorification in the usual sense and “lifting up” in the physical — and John reveled in the ambiguity! 

The story began in the Book of Numbers as the Israelites were marching through the desert after their escape from Egypt. The people, as was their habit, started to complain: no water, no food and the food we do have is awful! They accused Moses of setting them up — bringing them out into the wilderness to die. We can only imagine how Moses felt. Suddenly fiery venomous serpents appeared and began to take their toll. The narrative insists that God sent them as punishment. The ancients saw all natural misfortunes and disasters as the hand of God, and the people, along with Moses, made a quick connection between the serpents and their negative behaviour. In a sense, their negativity, lack of faith and rebellion against God called forth the venomous plague from the natural order. But God provided the antidote: a bronze image of a serpent lifted up on a pole. Those bitten by the serpents needed only look at the image to be healed. There is nothing magical about a pole and a bronze image — their faith in God’s mercy and the power of their belief in the cure probably helped in the healing. 

For Jesus, the cross meant giving away everything — emptying Himself completely — and becoming human in the lowest circumstances. His total self-abnegation and surrender to God ended in death on a cross. Because of this, He was exalted by God — glorified this time — and given supreme authority over heaven and Earth. Giving away and letting go ironically led not to diminution but to exaltation. This is reflected in the many Gospel passages that insist true greatness lies in becoming a servant and being the least. This is a true inversion of the world’s values. 

John’s Jesus recaptured that symbol in describing His own role as saviour of humanity. The Son of Man was to be “lifted up” — a clear reference to His impending crucifixion. What are we healed of? Many things — the chief poison is fear — fear of death, fear of separation from God and fear of aloneness. Flowing from this fear is selfishness, greed, hatred, violence and all manner of injustice. Like the Israelites in the desert, our own thoughts, words and actions create the reality that we experience. We should not be surprised at what we see in the newspapers and TV news. 

But it also carried the suggestion of glorification, for what the world saw as a shameful and humiliating death, John and his community viewed as true glory and exaltation. Jesus was fulfilling the will of the Father. He was lifting up all people and granting eternal life to those who believed in Him. This was the power of humanity’s faith rising to meet the descending power of love from God the Father, who loved the world so much that He gave His only Son. 

Faith is the practice of lifting one’s inner sight heavenward and focusing on the one who was sent for our salvation. He is the reality that must flood our minds and hearts. Some of the Church Fathers spoke of Christ in medicinal terms; for example, the “medicine of immortality.” Christ is indeed medicine for what ails humanity but only if and when His teachings and example are taken to heart and applied. The cross of Christ is not so much an object to venerate but a powerful spiritual principle to be lived out every day.