Matthew Poole and continuators on John 12:33

33 This he said, signifying what death he should die.

However this term of lifting up Christ is taken in some other Scriptures, it is by the Evangelist himself in this text expounded concerning his death, so as there is no room for any other Interpretation of it in this Text: The word that is used is hardly to be found in any place, (except where in Scripture it relateth to Christ) signifying to Die, or put to Death, but is very proper both to express the kind of his Death, which was a lifting up upon the Cross, from the Earth into the Air; and to let us know that his Death was a lifting up of his Name▪ As it was the lowest degree of his Humiliation, so it was nearest to his Exaltation. It was his highest act of Obedience to the Will of his Father, that for which his Father highly Exalted him, giving him a Name which is above every Name, Philip. 2.9, 10. and also that which made his Name famous over all the World, by the Preaching of the Gospel, for as the Apostles, so all the Ministers of the Gospel since their times, Preach a Christ Crucified. (Saith our Saviour) If, or altho I be put to Death by the hands of the Iews, lifted up upon the Cross betwixt Heaven and Earth, yet this shall not hinder my Fathers glorifying of himself in and by me; for instead of obscuring or hindring my Fathers glory, by this I shall further promote it.

For by the Preaching of my Cross, and publication of my Gospel to all Nations, and by the efficacious concurrence of my holy Spirit, together with the Preaching of the Gospel, I shall draw (tho not all, and every man, yet) multitudes of men and women after me, so as they shall imbrace and believe in me, having died and risen up again from the Dead, and being by my Apostles, and other Ministers of the Gospel, held forth as the object of peoples Faith, to be by them laid hold upon in order to their Eternal Life and Salvation.

He used the term of lifting up (saith the Evangelist) to signifie the particular Death he should die, by being Crucified, in which Death the bodies of the Crucified abode not upon the Earth, as when they were at any time Stoned, or Strangled, or beheaded, &c. but were lifted up from the Earth to be nailed to the Cross, and hung in the Air until they died.