John 12:31, “Now is the judgment of this world, now the ruler of this world will be cast out…”
In the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke), exorcisms performed by Jesus are surprisingly central. They are often mentioned and form a fundamental element in the Lord’s ministry of mercy. And yet this aspect of Jesus’ work is wholly absent from John’s Gospel. This absence is made even more notable when we consider that John labors to present the transcendent glory of the earthly Jesus, that is, to display Him throughout His earthly way as the incarnate Word and Lord of glory. Would not His authority over the spiritual realm be a way to emphasize this point? One might have thought so—but apparently not. But, upon closer inspection, there is *one* exorcism in John’s Gospel, namely, the exorcism of the whole world from Calvary.
Rather, than mentioning many individual exorcisms, John places all the focus upon a single, supreme exorcism—the exorcism from which all victory over the demonic world flows—namely, the hour of Jesus’s Passion. Indeed, in the very moment of His lifting up on the cross. It is precisely in the “now” of Jesus’ being raised up on Golgotha, illumined by the rays of His resurrection, that Satan himself is cast out of the world.
See the fundamental and essential role of the cross! It is not that a demon is cast out of a boy or a legion of spirits from a man, but that *Satan himself* is cast out *of the world.* The cross is, for John, the exorcism of the world, and the word of authority that drives out the ruler of the world is the the Word of God is raised up and so declared with consummate authority in the flesh and blood of the Son from the cross.
It is in that moment—with that Word resonant in the skies above Golgotha—that the satanic hold on humanity is shattered and the prince of demons and all his host are thrown down (Rev 12:9, 12), shrieking from their strongholds into the lake of fire, kindled to flame by the burning breath of the King (Jn 19:30; Isa 30:33), and filled with righteous judgment by the wine of wrath streaming from His hands and side (Jn 19:34; Ps 75:7-8).
Glory to the dragon-conquering Lamb.
///
Upon a tree, the Dragon’s word
Enthroned him o’er the dying world.
But at the Tree, the Word made Flesh
O’erthrew that Wyrm by conqu’ring death,
And—kindling Hell with Holy Breath—
Did cast the Serpent down.
Did cast the Serpent screaming down
And ‘neath our curse, wove as a crown,
Did reign upon the Sacred Mount—
Our God, Himself, our King.
