The word “men” is supplied, and its inclusion limits the application of the verse to members of the human family only. It should be omitted, for not only were members of the human race drawn to Christ by the sacrifice of Himself, but angels, and the inhabitants of the other worlds, were drawn to Him anew by the demonstration of the sacrificial love of God (Col. 1:20).
Will draw.
The cross has, in thousands of lives, proved to be more magnetic than all the fascinations of the world. After his rather fruitless efforts in Athens, where he had met logic with logic, Paul determined in Corinth “not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified” (1 Cor. 2:2; cf. AA 244). As a result, his labors were highly successful. The magnetism of the cross has by no means diminished with the passing of the centuries. It is still “the power and wisdom of God to gather souls for Christ” (6T 67).
Lifted up.
That is, upon the cross. The same verb occurs in ch. 3:14 (see comment there), where Jesus compares His being lifted up to the lifting up of the serpent in the wilderness. In ch. 8:28 Jesus again refers to His being lifted up, and speaks of the act as being performed by the Jews. This shows clearly that He is not referring to His ascension.