Unexpected

In verses 31-36, Jesus confronts his opponents with a surprising claim, that the Messiah would be "lifted up." This was a euphemism for death by crucifixion.

The crowd didn't ask Jesus what he meant, but immediately questioned Jesus' understanding of the Torah.

Their questions were not unjustified, simply misguided.

I wonder what confusion would be generated by the Church's contemporary views of scripture, particularly Revelation.

After this public disagreement, Jesus "hid himself." This seems like a smart move after such a significant disagreement.

Avoiding further argument with opponents is not always a mistake.