John 12:32

And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto myself. But this he said, signifying by what manner of death he should die.

As Dr. Baxter wrote:

It is difficult to realize the tremendous faith which this expression reflects. We hear these words through nineteen centuries of Christian history which followed them; but, when Jesus made the statement here, there was little visible evidence to make anyone believe that these words might literally come true. It must have seemed to those who heard it the most presumptuous statement ever made.[20]

Lifted up ... See under John 3:14. The primary reference of this is to Jesus' death by being lifted up upon the cross; but the words suggest other truth also. Christ was lifted up from the grave; he was lifted up into heaven; he has been lifted up in the hearts of men by the preaching of the gospel in all ages since then.

Draw all men unto myself ... He draws men in that he alone loved men sufficiently to die for them, in that he is the only true revelation of God, in that he is the only perfect soul who ever lived on earth, and in that he alone is the satisfaction of the soul's deepest desires.

The glorious manner in which the daring words of this prophecy have been fulfilled defies explanation. Jesus of Nazareth is the most conspicuous and the mightiest of all the personalities ever to make themselves known on earth; and, in the last decade alone, there have been more beautiful buildings constructed and dedicated to the honor and worship of Jesus Christ throughout the world than have been constructed and dedicated to any one hundred of the greatest kings and rulers who ever lived; and still Jesus marches on!