John 12:37

We have here the honour done to our Lord Jesus by the Old Testament prophets, who foretold and lamented the infidelity of the many that believed not on him. It was indeed a dishonour and grief to Christ that his doctrine met with so little acceptance and so much opposition; but this takes off the wonder and reproach, makes the offence of it to cease, and made it no disappointment to Christ, that herein the scriptures were fulfilled. Two things are here said concerning this untractable people, and both were foretold by the evangelical prophet Isaiah, that they did not believe, and that they could not believe.

I. They did not believe (Joh 12:37): Though he had done so many miracles before them, which, one would think, should have convinced them, yet they believed not, but opposed him. Observe,

1. The abundance of the means of conviction which Christ afforded them: He did miracles, so many miracles; tosauta sēmeia signifying both so many and so great. This refers to all the miracles he had wrought formerly; nay, the blind and lame now came to him into the temple, and he healed them, Mat 21:14. His miracles were the great proof of his mission, and on the evidence of them he relied. Two things concerning them he here insists upon: - (1.) The number of them; they were many, - various and of divers kinds; numerous and often repeated; and every new miracle confirmed the reality of all that went before. The multitude of his miracles was not only a proof of his unexhausted power, but gave the greater opportunity to examine them; and, if there had been a cheat in them, it was morally impossible but that in some or other of them it would have been discovered; and, being all miracles of mercy, the more there were the more good was done. (2.) The notoriety of them. He wrought these miracles before them, not at a distance, not in a corner, but before many witnesses, appearing to their own eyes.

2. The inefficacy of these means: Yet they believed not on him. They could not gainsay the premises, and yet would not grant the conclusion. Note, The most plentiful and powerful means of conviction will not of themselves work faith in the depraved prejudiced hearts of men. These saw, and yet believed not.

3. The fulfilling of the scripture in this (Joh 12:38): That the saying of Esaias might be fulfilled. Not that these infidel Jews designed the fulfilling of the scripture (they rather fancied those scriptures which speak of the church's best sons to be fulfilled in themselves), but the event exactly answered the prediction, so that (ut for ita ut) this saying of Esaias was fulfilled. The more improbable any event is, the more does a divine foresight appear in the prediction of it. One could not have imagined that the kingdom of the Messiah, supported with such pregnant proofs, should have met with so much opposition among the Jews, and therefore their unbelief is called a marvellous work, and a wonder, Isa 29:14. Christ himself marvelled at it, but it was what Isaiah foretold (Isa 53:1), and now it is accomplished. Observe, (1.) The gospel is here called their report: Who has believed, tē akon hēmōn - our hearing, which we have heard from God, and which you have heard from us. Our report is the report that we bring, like the report of a matter of fact, or the report of a solemn resolution in the senate. (2.) It is foretold that a few comparatively of those to whom this report is brought will be persuaded to give credit to it. Many hear it, but few heed it and embrace it: Who hath believed it? Here and there one, but none to speak of; not the wise, not the noble; it is to them but a report which wants confirmation. (3.) It is spoken of as a thing to be greatly lamented that so few believe the report of the gospel. Lord is here prefixed from the Septuagint, but is not in the Hebrew, and intimates a sorrowful account brought to God by the messengers of the cold entertainment which they and their report had; as the servant came, and showed his lord all these things, Luk 14:21. (4.) The reason why men believe not the report of the gospel is because the arm of the Lord is not revealed to them, that is, because they do not acquaint themselves with, and submit themselves to, the grace of God; they do not experimentally know the virtue and fellowship of Christ's death and resurrection, in which the arm of the Lord is revealed. They saw Christ's miracles, but did not see the arm of the Lord revealed in them.

II. They could not believe, and therefore they could not because Esaias said, He hath blinded their eyes. This is a hard saying, who can explain it? We are sure that God is infinitely just and merciful, and therefore we cannot think there is in any such an impotency to good, resulting from the counsels of God, as lays them under a fatal necessity of being evil. God dams none by mere sovereignty; yet it is said, They could not believe. St. Austin, coming in course to the exposition of these words, expresses himself with a holy fear of entering upon an enquiry into this mystery. Justa sunt judicia ejus, sed occulta - His judgments are just, but hidden.

1. They could not believe, that is, they would not; they were obstinately resolved in their infidelity; thus Chrysostom and Austin incline to understand it; and the former gives divers instances of scripture of the putting of an impotency to signify the invincible refusal of the will, as Gen 37:4, They could not speak peaceably to him. And Joh 7:7. This is a moral impotency, like that of one that is accustomed to do evil, Jer 13:23. But,

2. They could not because Esaias had said, He hath blinded their eyes. Here the difficulty increases; it is certain that God is not the author of sin, and yet,

(1.) There is a righteous hand of God sometimes to be acknowledged in the blindness and obstinacy of those who persist in impenitency and unbelief, by which they are justly punished for their former resistance of the divine light and rebellion against the divine law. If God withhold abused grace, and give men over to indulged lusts, - if he permit the evil spirit to do his work on those that resisted the good Spirit, - and if in his providence he lay stumbling-blocks in the way of sinners, which confirm their prejudices, then he blinds their eyes, and hardens their hearts, and these are spiritual judgments, like the giving up of idolatrous Gentiles to vile affections, and degenerate Christians to strong delusions. Observe the method of conversion implied here, and the steps taken in it. [1.] Sinners are brought to see with their eyes, to discern the reality of divine things and to have some knowledge of them. [2.] To understand with their heart, to apply these things to themselves; not only to assent and approve, but to consent and accept. [3.] To be converted, and effectually turned from sin to Christ, from the world and the flesh to God, as their felicity and portion. [4.] Then God will heal them, will justify and sanctify them; will pardon their sins, which are as bleeding wounds, and mortify their corruptions, which are as lurking diseases. Now when God denies his grace nothing of this is done; the alienation of the mind fRom. and its aversion to, God and the divine life, grow into a rooted and invincible antipathy, and so the case becomes desperate.

(2.) Judicial blindness and hardness are in the word of God threatened against those who wilfully persist in wickedness, and were particularly foretold concerning the Jewish church and nation. Known unto God are all his works, and all ours too. Christ knew before who would betray him, and spoke of it, Joh 6:70. This is a confirmation of the truth of scripture prophecies, and thus even the unbelief of the Jews may help to strengthen our faith. It is also intended for caution to particular persons, to beware lest that come upon them which was spoken of in the prophets, Act 13:40.

(3.) What God has foretold will certainly come to pass, and so, by a necessary consequence, in order of arguing, it might be said that therefore they could not believe, because God by the prophets had foretold they would not; for such is the knowledge of God that he cannot be deceived in what he foresees, and such his truth that he cannot deceive in what he foretels, so that the scripture cannot be broken. Yet be it observed that the prophecy did not name particular persons; so that it might not be said, "Therefore such a one and such a one could not believe, because Esaias had said so and so;" but it pointed at the body of the Jewish nation, which would persist in their infidelity till their cities were wasted without inhabitants, as it follows (Isa 6:11, Isa 6:12); yet still reserving a remnant (Isa 6:13, in it shall be a tenth), which reserve was sufficient to keep a door of hope open to particular persons; for each one might say, Why may not I be of that remnant?

Lastly, The evangelist, having quoted the prophecy, shows (Joh 12:41) that it was intended to look further than the prophet's own days, and that its principal reference was to the days of the Messiah: These things said Esaias when he saw his glory, and spoke of him. 1. We read in the prophecy that this was said to Esaias, Isa 6:8, Isa 6:9. But here we are told that it was said by him to the purpose. For nothing was said by him as a prophet which was not first said to him; nor was any thing said to him which was not afterwards said by him to those to whom he was sent. See Isa 21:10. 2. The vision which the prophet there had of the glory of God is here said to be his seeing the glory of Jesus Christ: He saw his glory. Jesus Christ therefore is equal in power and glory with the Father, and his praises are equally celebrated. Christ had a glory before the foundation of the world, and Esaias saw this. 3. It is said that the prophet there spoke of him. It seems to have been spoken of the prophet himself (for to him the commission and instructions were there given), and yet it is here said to be spoken of Christ, for as all the prophets testified of him so they all typified him. This they spoke of him, that as to many his coming would be not only fruitless, but fatal, a savour of death unto death. It might be objected against his doctrine, If it was from heaven, why did not the Jews believe it? But this is an answer to it; it was not for want of evidence, but because their heart was made fat, and their ears were heavy. It was spoken of Christ, that he should be glorified in the ruin of an unbelieving multitude, as well as in the salvation of a distinguished remnant.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible (1708–1710) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Joh_12:37-50

But though He had done so many miracles … yet they believed not on Him

Our Lords ministry

I.

ITS DETAILS.

1. The doctrines He taught (Joh_12:44-50). These words are an abridged statement of our Lords words uttered at different times. In Joh_12:36 we have, the formal close of our Lords mission, and this summary appropriately follows. It teaches

(1) The Divinity of His mission (Joh_12:49). There is nothing that our Lord stated more frequently or plainly than this His name for God is often He who sent Me. This claim leaves no alternative between receiving Him as a Divine Messenger or rejecting Him as fanatic or impostor.

(2) The Divinity of His doctrine (Joh_12:44; Joh_12:49-50). He did not bring it forward as an opinion of the man Jesus, but as the truth He had heard of the Father.

(3) The Divinity of His Person. His authority here is clearly co-ordinate with that of the Father.

(4) The design of His mission. To be a light to the world; not to judge the world but to save it. The two declarations are synonymous. Men are in a state of darkness, i.e., of ignorance, error, guilt and depravity; at a distance from God who is light. Jesus is the light as He is the author and bestower of that salvation which dispels our moral darkness.

(5) The manner of being interested in His salvation. He that believeth on Me.

(6) The doom of those who refuse to believe (Joh_12:48).

2. The manner of His teaching (Joh_12:44).

(1) Public. He did not confine His teaching to a few, and like Mohammed and other impostors conceal His doctrines, till by private exertions He had secured a considerable body of followers.

(2) Earnest. Sometimes He quietly talked with the people, but at other times He cried aloud and spared not. The conviction He had of the truth and importance of His message produced a holy excitement.

(3) Fearless. He well knew how unpalatable His doctrines were and how great the dangers to which He exposed Himself. But He set His face as a flint, and refused to be ashamed. In all this Christ is a Model to His own ministers.

3. The evidence He produced.

(1) He did miracles, i.e., signs, tokens or signals of the truth of His doctrines. These miracles were

(2) Great, as the words so many may be rendered--far and obviously exceeding human power.

(3) Many.

(a) More than those of Old Testament prophets.

(b) Many in kind, remarkable for variety.

(4) Before His countrymen; not like pretended miracles of later ages for the most part in the presence of those interested in supporting His system.

(5) These miracles were also

(a) Beneficient.

(b) Unostentatious.

(c) At a time and in circumstances where imposture could be detected.

(d) In conformity with Messianic predictions.

II. ITS RESULTS.

1. The body of the Jewish nation did not believe.

(1) This disbelief fulfilled prophecy (Joh_12:38-41).

(2) In this prophecy we have the true cause of their rejecting Him. They had blinded eyes and hardened hearts, and therefore they could not perceive and understand.

(3) This blindness was first voluntary and self-imposed, then judicial, a punishment of God.

2. A minority who did believe from worldly motives suppressed their convictions (Joh_12:42-43). (J. Brown, D. D.)

The rejected messenger

I. THE CLOSED MINISTRY (Joh_12:36). It had been a ministry of -

1. Manifested glory. Glory one of the keynotes of the Gospel. The Divine Being looked upon by Israel in the first temple had been rejected by Israel in the second. This glory

(1) Was of a higher order than that seen by the prophet. That was symbolical, this real.

(2) Of more frequent exhibition. He had only one glimpse, they repeated manifestations.

2. Offered grace. The ministry was one persistent effort to secure their personal and social redemption.

3. Attesting power (Joh_12:37).

II. THE FORSAKEN PEOPLE. Did hide Himself (Joh_12:36).

1. The unbelieving majority (Joh_12:37). The completest evidence had been laid before them. Yet they voluntarily closed their eyes to the light. One would have expected the opposite from Joh_12:13. But Christ was not deceived by popular applause.

2. The believing minority.

(1) Considerable, embracing many of the rulers.

(2) Sincere, though defective.

(3) Timid, afraid of excommunication.

(4) Reprehensible, preferring human approbation to Divine.

III. THE FULFILLED PREDICTION (Joh_12:38).

1. The prediction.

(1) That the report of Jehovahs suffering Servant would not be believed.

(2) That the signs would not be understood.

2. The fulfilment. This came to pass when the nation misinterpreted the signs, disbelieved the message, and rejected the person of Christ.

3. The connection: the fulfilment necessary because of the prediction.

(1) Not that compulsion was laid upon the Jews to reject Christ to save the credit of a prophet. But

(2) that the foreordained programme of human history should come to pass. That, however, did not exempt the Jews from guilt.

IV. THE ACCOMPLISHED DESIGN (verse 89).

1. The law of moral hardening. The truth rejected always results in a diminution of the souls susceptibility for receiving it.

2. The Author of this law, God. It being part of the moral order of the universe (Eph_4:19), God does not shrink from the responsibility.

3. The working out of this law. They could do no other than reject the Saviour, because they hated the light. Lessons

1. The day of grace may terminate before the day of life.

2. Unbelief seldom springs from lack of evidence.

3. No prediction of God will ever fail.

4. The Divine foreknowledge exempts no man from responsibility.

5. It is perilous to shut ones eyes against the light of truth.

6. Unbelief is a disease for which Christ is the only Physician.

7. Christ the healer of souls is the Jehovah of the Old Testament.

8. It is not enough to believe on Christ; we must also confess Him.

9. They who follow Christ must expect persecution.

10. Who love the praise of men more than the glory of God cannot be saved. (T. Whitelaw, D. D.)

Jesus and the Jews

I. A GUILTY UNBELIEF (Joh_12:37). Why did they not believe?

1. Not for want of evidence. For many miracles had been wrought amongst them.

2. Not for want of warning (Joh_12:38). The ministry that was fitted by God to bring them to spiritual knowledge and repentance they turned to opposite results (Joh_12:40). When a man has not three things

(1) Evidence;

(2) The capacity for examining evidence, and

(3) The opportunity for doing so--his unbelief is not guilty; but this is not the unbelief of England today.

II. A COWARDLY FAITH (Joh_12:42-43) arising from

1. Fear of men.

2. Love of popularity. Glory would be a better word than praise. It is implied

(1) That between the glory of men and the glory of God there is an essential difference. Glory in the estimation of men is wealth, fame, titles, etc. In the eyes of God these are worthless. The glory of God is holiness.

(2) That a higher appreciation of the glory of man than of God is inimical to a courageous faith. The faith of Peter before the Sanhedrim; we cannot but speak, etc., is the true type.

III. REDEMPTIVE TRUSTFULNESS (Joh_12:44).

1. It is faith in Christs identity with the Father. Christ claimed no position independent of the Father.

2. It is faith, the absence of which tends to a terrible doom--Darkness, i.e., ignorance, remorse, despair. (D. Thomas, D. D.)

No welcome for Christ

Perhaps there is no episode recorded in history more interesting than that of Charles V when he landed at Tunis. Ten thousand men and women who were slaves within the city, when they heard of the approach of their deliverer, rose and broke their chains, and rushed toward the gate as the emperor was entering the town; and this mighty procession knelt down, hailed him as their deliverer, and prayed God to bless him. But when Christ the worlds deliverer comes to His own His own, alas, receive Him not.

That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled

The Gospel report

I. THE GOSPEL REPORT IS TRUE AND DIVINELY MIGHTY.

1. It is true because it is implied that it ought to be believed. What is genuinely believable must be true.

2. It is mighty because called The arm of the Lord. Redemptive truth is the power of God unto salvation.

II. THOUGH TRUE, ITS TRUTH IS OFTEN UNRELIEVED AND UNFELT. It was so in the days of the prophets, of Christ, of the apostles, and of all subsequent times. Therefore they could not believe--not because of the prediction, or of any Divine decree, but because of the state of their minds. As long as men are in the depths of moral corruption they can neither see nor feel Divine things. A malignant nature cannot see love, nor an avaricious generosity and disinterestedness.

III. THESE MORAL STATES OF MIND INIMICAL TO FAITH ARE OFTEN INTENSIFIED BY LISTENING TO THE REPORT. He hath blinded, etc. Mat_13:14; Act_28:26). It is a fact proved by the nature of things, and patent to the observation of all, that the hearer of the gospel who believes not is made more blind and hard by listening. Then as free agents have the power of counteracting the moral tendencies of things, turning blessings into curses and vice versa. The unbeliever is ever doing the former and the believer the latter.

IV. THE AWFUL RESULTS OF THE GOSPEL UPON MEN POSSESSING THESE STATES OF MIND ARE ALL FOREKNOWN OF GOD. The prophet was told what would be the fate of his report. But Gods foreknowledge did not render the result necessary, nor interfere with freedom of action, nor lessen guilt.

V. ALTHOUGH GOD FOREKNOWS THE TERRIBLE CONSEQUENCES OF THE GOSPEL ON THE UNBELIEVING HEARER, HE STILL COMMANDS IT TO BE PREACHED. The proclamation of Gospel truth is a good in itself, and a good to the universe, though it may enhance the misery of millions. Though God knows that storms will spread fearful devastation, yet He sends them forth. Man is not the only creature to be served. (D. Thomas, D. D.)

The Gospel not believed

I. THE GOSPEL IS A MESSAGE OR REPORT TO MAN UPON MATTERS OF SUPREME IMPORTANCE. A system introduced by such agency as that of the Son of God could not be insignificant. The gospel is a message

1. As to the character and claims of God--the Majesty of His nature, the harmony of His attributes, the import of all His relations to the universe as Creator, Governor, Benefactor and Judge.

2. As to the character and condition of mankind; our depravity consequent on the fall, our alienation from God, our exposure to the curse. Beyond the gospel announcements on these subjects we want nothing. Here are the principles of true philosophy and untiring observation. Outside them all is delusion.

3. As to the method of salvation by the intervention of a Mediator--the counsels of eternity respecting it, the Author of it, the nature of His office, the value of His sacrifice, and the effects on earth and in heaven are all clearly and fully set forth.

II. THE GOSPEL IS COMMUNICATED TO MAN FOR THE EXPRESS PURPOSE OF BEING BELIEVED.

1. The report of the gospel is worthy of faith on account of the evidence by which it is confirmed. We are not called upon to believe it without evidence. The historic testimony to its authenticity, the fulfilment of prophecy, the performing of miracles, its wonderful adaptation to the circumstances of all men and its wonderful achievements constitute a conclusive claim to the embrace of every enlightened mind.

2. Faith in the report of the gospel is the only medium by which it can be rendered available to our safety and final happiness. Observe the statement of Scripture respecting the connection between

(1) Faith and justification.

(2) Faith and sanctification.

(3) Faith and the salvation which is the glorious consummation of justification and sanctification.

3. Faith in the gospel results from the operation of Divine power on the soul. The arm of the Lord signifies His power, and the manifestation of that arm consists in the implantation of the principle of faith. It is an affecting thought that nothing can overcome the depraved incredulity of the human heart but an agency omnipotent and Divine. This agency is the Holy Spirit secured by the death, resurrection, etc., of Christ.

III. IT BECOMES A MATTER OF SOLEMN INQUIRY AS TO THE NUMBER BY WHOM THE GOSPEL HAS BEEN EMBRACED. Who hath believed?

1. The implication which this inquiry involves, viz. that the number is comparatively small. It was so in the days of the prophet, in those of our Lord and the apostles, and in subsequent Christian history. And now, while we must not overlook the revived interest in religion and the success of missions, how few are the saved in comparison with the unsaved.

2. The results which from that implication must be produced.

(1) Compassion for sinners.

(2) Exertion for their salvation.

(3) Prayer that our efforts may be blessed. (J. Parsons.)

Therefore they could not believe

The loss of faith

I. THE TEMPERAMENT WHICH RENDERS FAITH IMPOSSIBLE. The statement is a strong one and is derived from Isa_6:9; ?Isa_6:10. This refers to no arbitrary act of Divine sovereignty. The Hebrews never conceived of a mere mechanical law, but regarded all sequence as a mode of Gods power. And as overlooking intermediate cause they spoke of Him as making day and night, so they spoke of Him as making spiritual day and night. In the stolidity inevitable when the soul refuses the report of Gods messengers, and closes itself against the light, they beheld law, and beholding law they discerned God. St. John dwells much upon cans and cannots (Joh_5:19; Joh_5:30; Joh_6:44; Joh_3:3), which refer to impossibilities which have their root in the presence or absence of certain dispositions; and the could not here implies the operation of a spirit incompatible with trust in Christ. The difficulty of verse 34 arose out of a state of mind impervious to Christs manifest Divine life. Intellectual cavillings were allowed to intercept spiritual light, and so they could not believe. For the same reason many do not believe now. There is a type of mind which is often praised as a sign of intellectual smartness--disputatious, so constantly posing as debater or critic that the light which would illumine doubts cannot get into the heart. Such should deeply ponder the text.

II. THE SPIRITUAL INACTION WHICH INVOLVES THE LOSS OF FAITH (verses 42, 43). Compare this with Joh_8:45-52. Only one then protested, now we learn that there was a considerable party in favour of Jesus although prudential considerations prevented them from confessing Him. What was the consequence of their timidity? A few days after the hiding of Jesus, they were all with two exceptions implicated in the plottings which issued in the crucifixion. It is dangerous to delay the expression of conviction in appropriate action. Christ requires confession, and no peculiarity of disposition should hinder it. So-called reserved people run the risk of weakening their own faith and love as well as hiding Gods righteousness (Psa_40:10). He who is not for Me is against Me Rom_10:8-10).

III. THE ACTION IN WHICH FAITH IS PRESERVED AND PERFECTED (verses 35, 36, 46, cf. Eph_4:15; Eph_5:13).

1. Believe and walk. The error of the people is that they stand still, putting their scruples between them and Christ. His command is, Use what light you have; set yourselves in the path which faith in the light shall indicate Hos_6:3).

2. Believe that you may be the children of light. Not to believe is to pass into darkness. (J. M. Lang, D. D.)

Nevertheless, among the chief rulers also many believed on Him

The conduct of the rulers

There were rulers, chief rulers, and many of them believed. What a pleasing circumstance. God grant that it may be the same with our rulers up to the sovereign; but may their faith go further; for the Jewish potentates did not confess Christ because they feared men and were anxious to secure their praise.

I. THERE ARE DIFFERENT WAYS OF BELIEVING IN CHRIST. Faith is made a great matter of in Scripture. Salvation hangs altogether on it, He that believeth in the Son hath everlasting life. Are we then to infer that everyone who is convinced that Christ is the Saviour shall be saved? No, for the rulers were thus convinced, and there are many who believe all the truths of the Bible and yet are not believers. We read that the devils believe and tremble, but never that the devils believe and live. The text helps us to discriminate between a true and a false faith. The faith of the rulers was one which could lie in their bosoms and could be smothered by fear of man and love of his praise. But a true faith cannot be stifled. It must speak out Rom_10:9). And not only will the lips speak out, but the life in all the graces of the Christian character. We live in days when it is no disgrace to say that we are Christians, but to show it.

II. THERE ALSO TWO GREAT OBSTACLES TO FAITH.

1. The fear of man as withering now as then. What will the world say? often casts a damp on godly resolutions. Men cannot bear the thought of ridicule, and so lower the standard of religious conduct and conform to the world. But grace enables the true believer to say, I will not be afraid, and he rejoices that he is counted worthy to suffer shame.

2. The love of mans praise in preference to that of God. How many a mans faith is nipped by no other cause? To live agreeably to the gospel is not the way to gain mans praise. Man does not praise the poor in spirit, the meek, etc., but the proud, etc. He therefore who seeks to please the world puts on such qualities as these. But the true believer acts differently. He is not indeed indifferent to the good opinion of his fellow creatures, yet he values Gods esteem above this, and to secure that is the great film of his life. (A. Roberts, M. A.)

The meanness of not confessing Christ

I believe there are many in this congregation who wake every morning to pray, and who never let the evening shadows go without perfuming them with their grateful thanks for the mercies of the day; who study their Bibles more than many professing Christians; and who believe that the life they now live is by faith in the Son of God, but who yet do not wish to have it known, and shrink from joining the Church, and making a public acknowledgment of the debt they owe to Christ. They mean to be Christians, but not to avow themselves such. Thus they will leave the world to suppose that their manifest virtues are self-cultured, and that Christian lives may be led without Christ. If I were a pupil of Titian, and he should design my picture, and sketch it for me, and look over my work every day and make suggestions, and then, when I had exhausted my skill, he should take the brush and give the finishing touches, bringing out a part here and there, and making the whole glow with beauty, and then I should hang it upon the wall and call it mine, what a meanness it would be! (H. W. Beecher.)

For they loved the praise of man more than the praise of God

The uses of praise

I. PRAISE IS ONE OF THE MOST ACTIVE AND IMPORTANT OF ALL THE INFLUENCES THAT AFFECT HUMAN LIFE. A man without a sense of pleasure in other mens approbation is not well fitted to live among men. Its operation tends continually to restrain men from offence. It incites to doing of a thousand things which are agreeable and which we should not have thought of doing if it had not been for the desire to produce pleasure in others, and so reflexively to win their favour. In these directions it cooperates easily with benevolence. When it works upward, and is in alliance with reason, duty, and religion, then it becomes a glorious incitement, a stimulus to industry and to chivalry. If those from whom we desire praise are praiseworthy, then to desire their praise is to set in operation within ourselves the machinery by which we lift ourselves toward their level. Where it includes the approval of great spirits generically, and of God, then the highest form of motive power is reached.

II. THE VALUE OF THIS FUNCTION IN LIFE DEPENDS ON ITS ASSOCIATIONS AND EDUCATION. Of all the faculties it is the most illusive. When not rightly trained it is deceiving, and when improperly exercised it is weakening. Associated with conscience it should reject all undeserved praise. Men ought to be ashamed to be praised for what they know is not true, and when they lay traps for it how beggarly is the degradation to which they have come. How many array themselves on the side of right to be praised! Who accepts truth which is unpopular, and love that which their conscience tells them is just when it will bring down upon them the discredit of the whole community? How easy is it to bring men on the side that is popular. As long as slavery was an accredited fact and not to be disturbed, it was a very ungracious thing to stand up for human liberty; but no sooner was the public sentiment changed than men sprang up thicker than asparagus and cried, Oh, the preciousness of emancipation. So men think they are following the truth when they are simply lusting for praise. As an auxiliary there can be no objection to it. If a man in the performance of duty afterwards finds himself the subject of praise, all well and good; but it is necessary that it should be the second or the third, and not the primary or dominant motive. Those surrounded by a low-toned public sentiment are apt to have an indiscriminate hankering after praise and to be so demoralized that they even become vain of sinful courses. There are men whose foul tongue is their strength and they glory in it. There are men proud of their rudeness. They think it praiseworthy to be singular in this respect. Men enter into competition with each other as to which can eat or drink the most. Yea, crimes become virtues in the sight of many.

III. ILLUSTRATIONS.

1. As an incitement to artistic work, the love of praise should always wait on and follow achievement, and never precede it. No man who works for praise can ever become a leading artist.

2. This is true also of literary work. No author will live whose paper is a looking glass. No man will write thoughts but he who is utterly unconscious and lost in his subject.

3. In politics everything is made to turn on the popular vote, and our public men grow up questioning not, What will be the influence of this or that as to the right or wrong? but, How will it strike my constituents and affect my chances? And the inspirations of God in the lines of truth are sacrificed to this miserable and mercenary regard for praise which men want and do not deserve.

4. Of all places there is none where self-consciousness and the love of praise are so fatal as in the pulpit. There is a wide range for the selection of themes by the preacher, but how many are chosen that jar on the nerves of the lovers of pleasure, wealth, etc.? In the treatment especially of great public questions, what conservatism and fear of mens opinions there is? No man can effectually preach the truths of the Christian life who is not willing to throw himself instantly into anything that is needful and be lost to popularity so that it is with truth and God that he stands.

IV. IN THIS SUBJECT WE HAVE MATTER FOR VERY PROFOUND SELFEXAMINATION.

1. It is a question for many how much of your religion is other than conformity to public custom, and how much is simple conformity to what is respectable.

2. Is the praise you receive beneficial in its effect upon you? Is it preparing you for higher association in the kingdom above? The day hastens. Soon we shall stand before Him who has declared that if in this evil generation we are ashamed of Him, He will be ashamed of us. (H. W. Beecher.)

The praise of men

I. THE FOLLY OF AN OVER-VALUATION OF THE OPINION OF MEN. The condemnation was not that the rulers loved the praise of men, but they loved it more than the praise of God. This overweening regard to human opinion is

1. Very common. Not that the esteem of others is sinful, because deference to the opinion of the wise and good is wisely implanted in our nature. The perversion of an instinctive tendency does not convert a good principle into a bad one. The love of praise is not to be condemned if limited to the praise of good men for right sentiments and good actions. It must, however, be an insufficient principle of conduct, because it may be extended to the praise of bad men for bad actions. We must not then say that the love of praise or fear of blame is necessarily sinful. Opinion is the prop and stay of all social intercourse. Reputation for honour, etc., is essential, while man is man. No man liveth to himself. Jacob said of Judah, Thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise; and to stand well in the opinion of good men is a means of blessing to the Church and the world. St. Paul says, If there be any praise, think on these things. Only remember that this love of praise should be followed by a love of praiseworthiness, and a fear of blame of blameworthiness; otherwise it will be only vanity in disguise. The man who is above or below the good opinion of ethers, must be more or less than man. He who sets no value upon the just estimation of society is often careless of the actions which tend to produce it.

2. It may be abused, and become implicit idolatry like that of the heathen who served the creature more than the Creator. It was the same with the young ruler, Pilate and Felix. This is the victory that overcometh our faith--even the world.

3. This sinful preference of man to God is dangerous in its issue. It hazards the less of the soul, and draws down the displeasure of God (see following verses).

II. CONSIDERATIONS WHICH MAY CORRECT THIS EVIL.

1. The worthlessness of the men for whose commendation we are ready to renounce Christ. Let us know why and for whom we are prepared to make shipwreck of faith and good conscience. For what did Judas betray Christ? The favour of worthless Pharisees and thirty pieces of silver. For what did Esau renounce his birthright? And for what do we give up the hope of acceptance with Christ? For the wretched smile of triflers, for the ribaldry of Paine and the dont know of Spencer--a mess of pottage indeed. An atheists laugh is a poor exchange for a Deity offended.

2. The study of the best models. The men of whom this world was not worthy, were not the men who bowed to ruling opinions. Paul conferred not with flesh and blood; Columbus turned a deaf ear to worldly wisdom, or he would never have discovered a new world. Had Milton been swayed by popular opinion he would never have left a name immortal. Defoe was offered wealth and preferment to support government measures by a venal pen, but he sternly refused, and borrowed a guinea to supply his wants for the day. Study the answer of the Three Hebrew Children and the example of Christ. We talk of the public opinion of earth, but forget that there is a public opinion in heaven (Heb_12:10).

3. Estimate of the value of the Divine opinion. God is the standard of all excellence. His approbation is the seal of honour.

4. Anticipate the decisions of the great day. (T. H. Day.)

The supreme value of that honour which cometh from God

I. THERE IS NOTHING IN THE NATURE OF PRAISE THAT IS ABSOLUTELY SINFUL. It is nowhere condemned except in the form of flattery, which is not praise but simply lying. It is needful to bear this in mind, because, through erroneous notions, many receive what is done for them or for Gods cause with chilling indifference, which has a detrimental effect particularly on the young. To see that praise is not sinful, we have but to study the generous commendations of our Lord and of St. Paul. Then how frequently has it animated the faint and discouraged, as in the case of St. Paul at Appii Forum.

II. THE PRAISE OF MEN AND THE PRAISE OF GOD ARE FREQUENTLY OPPOSED. For man often condemns what God approves, and vice versa. God cannot look upon any form of sin with allowance, but man condones and sometimes applauds the grossest vices.

III. BOTH IN BESTOWING AND ACCEPTING PRAISE WE SHOULD BE GUIDED ENTIRELY BY THE MIND OF GOD. He knows what is praiseworthy, and has revealed His mind on the subject. Never receive or give flattery for what the Bible condemns.

IV. TO THIS UNHAPPY PREFERENCE FOR THE PRAISE OF MAN BEFORE THAT OF GOD MAY BE TRACED THE MISERY AND RUIN OF MANKIND. (Congregational Remembrancer.)

The desire for admiration

The human eye of admiration I seek is like the scorching ray that destroys all the delicate colours in the most costly material. Every action that is done only to be seen of others, loses its freshness in the sight of God, like the flower that, passing through many hands, is at last hardly presentable to anyone, much less to a dear friend. (T. H.Leary, D. C. L.)

The peril of the love of praise

A clergyman once had a dream, in which another popular clergyman appeared to him in his garden and asked the time of the day. Twenty-five minutes past four, said the other. It is then exactly an hour since I died, and I am damned; Damned for what? said the other. Not for not preaching the gospel, for I have many seals to my ministry; but I have sought the praise of men more than the praise of God. The first clergyman on going to the service in the evening (Sunday) was asked if he had heard of the loss of such a church whose minister had died. When? said the clergyman. Twenty-five minutes past three this afternoon!

Love of fame rebuked

There was one Michael Fenwick that travelled with Wesley as a sort of groom, nurse, and occasional exhorter. The good man was vain enough to complain, one day, that his name was never inserted in Wesleys published Journals. In the next number of the Journals he found his name in a connection that probably did not serve to increase his vanity. I left Epworth, wrote Wesley, with great satisfaction, and about one, preached at Clayworth. I think none were unmoved but Michael Fenwick, who fell fast asleep under an adjoining hayrick. (Dr. Haven.)

Jesus cried and said.

The rejected message

A message of

I. LOVE FROM THE FATHER (Joh_12:49).

1. The substance of the message--a revelation of the Father (Joh_12:45).

(1) Of His name, Father.

(2) Of His character, love.

(3) Of His gift, the Son.

(4) Of His purpose, salvation (Joh_12:47).

2. The medium of its transmission--through Christ, Gods

(1) Son (Joh_12:50);

(2) Representative (Joh_12:44);

(3) Commissioner (Joh_12:44; Joh_12:49).

3. The heinousness of its rejection--to reject Christ and His message the same thing as to reject the Father and His message (Joh_12:44).

II. SALVATION FOR THE WORLD (Joh_12:46-47).

1. Of Salvation from the darkness of

(1) Intellectual error.

(2) Moral unholiness.

(3) Legal condemnation.

(4) Eternal death.

2. Of salvation through faith--through hearing, believing, keeping Christs words.

3. Of salvation forever--through escaping the final judgment and entering at the last day upon eternal life.

III. JUDGMENT FOR THE UNBELIEVING (Joh_12:48).

1. Its time--the last day.

2. Its author--the Word of Christ.

3. Its ground--unbelief and disobedience.

IV. ETERNAL LIFE FOR THE FAITHFUL (Joh_12:50).

1. The object of the Fathers commission.

2. The burden of the Sons commission.

3. The issue of the individuals faith. Lessons

1. Thankfulness for the gospel message.

2. Watchfulness against the sin of unbelief.

3. Prayerfulness that the news of salvation may be propagated through the earth.

4. Trustfulness that we may escape the judgment of the last day.

5. Earnestness to lay hold of eternal life. (T. Whitelaw, D. D.)

I am come a Light into the world.

Light for the worlds darkness

I. OUR WORLD IS DARK. God did not make it so, but man has darkened it, and Satan and sin have darkened it. It is a darkness of

1. Sleep. The sleeper sees not the light. He may dream that he does so, but that is all.

2. Death. With life, light flees.

3. The tomb. Buried, the darkness is double.

4. Satan. He is the ruler of the darkness of this world.

5. Hell. Our world is an earnest of the blackness of darkness forever. The shadow of hell is over it.

II. THERE IS LIGHT FOR IT. Deep as is the darkness, it is not hopeless. There is enough of light in God and heaven yet. Light has not been quenched throughout the universe, though driven from our world.

III. THIS LIGHT HAS COME. It is not in heaven merely; it has come down to earth. The gospel is an announcement of the arrival of the light.

IV. CHRIST IS THE LIGHT. The brightness of Jehovahs glory; the true Light; the Sun of Righteousness; the Day Star; the bright and morning Star. All the light of the Godhead, of heaven, of the universe, is centred in Him. He is the Light of the World because

1. Of what He shows us of the Father. He that hath seen Him hath seen the Father.

2. Of what He does to us--pardons, heals, comforts, blesses, saves.

3. Of what He is yet to do for our world. His reign shall be the reign of light, and the earth shall rejoice in His light.

V. THE WAY IN WHICH THE LIGHT ENTERS. Not in working or waiting, but believing. Faith ends the darkness, and lets in the glorious light.

VI. THE FREENESS AND UNIVERSALITY OF THE LIGHT. Whosoever. (H. Bonar, D. D.)

Believers shall not abide in darkness

Perhaps the worst feature of darkness is, that it is so bewildering. You have to walk, and yet your way is hidden from your eyes. This is hard work. God will help His children, will He not? Ay, that He will, but we cannot see how I We look upward, and see no twinkling star; downward and do not even find a glow worm. Surely we shall see a candle in some window! But no! we are lost in a dark wood. Have we not somewhere about us a match that we could strike? We fumble for it; we find it, it is damp, we have no light. The question that now chills the heart is--How can God deliver me? We do not see how He can make a way of escape. What simpletons we are to fancy that if we do not see a way of deliverance God does not see one either! If you have ever steamed up the Rhine, you have looked before you, and it has looked as if you could go no further; the river seemed to be a lake; great mountains and vast rocks blocked up all further advance. Suddenly there has been a turn in the stream, and at once a broad highway has been before you, inviting you to enter the heart of the country. Perhaps in Providence you are in one of those parts of the river of life where no progress appears possible. You are quite blocked up, and this causes you darkness of mind. Cease from this unbelieving bewilderment. Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him, and He shall give thee thy hearts desire. (C. H. Spurgeon.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Joh 12:37-41. Though he had done so many miracles before them — So that they could not but see them; yet they believed not on him — That is, in general they did not; being hardened in their infidelity. That the saying of Esaias might — Or rather, So that the saying of Esaias was, fulfilled, as Dr. Doddridge renders the clause, observing, “It is apparent that the accomplishment of this prophecy could not be the end they proposed to themselves in their unbelief; and consequently that the expression, ινα πληρωθη, must be rendered as above.” Thus also Dr. Macknight, who observes, that ινα here, as well as in many other passages, ought to be translated so that, as denoting the event spoken of, and not the cause of that event. Which he spake — In the name of Christ and his servants, referring expressly to gospel times; Lord, who hath believed our report? — The tidings we bring, the testimony which we bear, especially concerning the great and wonderful humiliation and exaltation of the Messiah, predicted by that prophet in the passage referred to, namely, Isa 53:1, &c., where see the notes. And to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed? — To whom has his power been manifested, so as to conquer those strong prejudices which men have entertained against the appointed method of salvation, or to save whom has it been exerted? Observe, reader, the power of God is only exerted to save those who believe the gospel report. Therefore, they could not believe — They were now in a manner utterly incapable of believing, because, by the just judgment of God for their obstinacy and wilful resistance of the truth, they were, at length, so left to the hardness of their hearts, that neither the miracles nor the doctrines of our Lord could make any impression upon them. Because Esaias said again, He hath blinded their eyes, &c. — As God is said to harden the heart of Pharaoh in one place, while in another it is said, Pharaoh hardened his own heart; (see Exo 8:15; Exo 8:32; Exo 9:12;) and as we ought to be very tender of ascribing to God any thing that looks like a necessitating influence to impel men to sin, “I apprehend,” says Dr. Doddridge, “that all we are here to understand, by God’s blinding and hardening these Jews, is, that he permitted them to grow more and more prejudiced against the gospel,” namely, by withdrawing from them his abused grace. Now these things said Esaias when he saw his glory — Namely, Christ’s glory. See notes on Isa 6:1, &c., where the glory which Isaiah saw is expressly said to be the glory of Jehovah, the supreme God. The meaning is, that Esaias uttered these remarkable words, when, in a vision, he saw the glory of the Son of God, and the manifestations which he was to make of the divine counsels, and described the effect which those manifestations would have upon his hearers, for which reason they are a prophetical description of the men of the age in which Jesus lived.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

General summary of Jewish unbelief and rejection of Christ, Joh_12:37-43.

The great body of the people, in spite of miraculous evidence, rejected Jesus; yet a small minority believed without the courage to avow their faith.

37. Though he had done so many miracles—Though the proofs of his divine mission were so many, and were performed before them, yet, John plaintively declares, their rejection of him was positive.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

EXPLANATORY AND CRITICAL NOTES

Joh_12:37-43. The Evangelist’s statement of the causes of Jewish unbelief, and of the timidity of many who believed, which prevented them confessing Christ.

Joh_12:37. τοσαῦτα, “so many,” to be distinguished from τοιαῦτα, “so great” (Reynolds, etc.).

Joh_12:38. Report (i.e. the message given to the prophets to be delivered by them) … arm of the Lord.—Both the teaching and the signs wrought by Christ failed to lead the mass of the people to faith.

Joh_12:39. Therefore they could not, etc.—It seems to be a law of the spiritual and moral life that a wilful disregard of truth, e.g., leads to an inability to be influenced by the truth. The nature remains impervious to it. Just as the prophesying of Isaiah (Isaiah 6.) tended only to harden the hearts of the unbelieving in his day, so our Lord’s teaching and miracles hardened the hearts of the Jews because of their wilful unbelief (Joh_12:40).

Joh_12:40. That they should not, etc. (ἵνα μὴ ἴδωσι).—Describes the result, and not the cause.

Joh_12:41. When, etc.—Better (with the best MSS.) δτι, because he saw, etc. The prophecy was given in consequence of the prophetic vision of the glory of the Lord. “Was this the glory of the triune God?” (Cyril, see Wordsworth, Greek Testament) (Rev_4:8-11; Rev_5:12-14 : comp. Isaiah 6,).

Joh_12:42. Put out of the synagogue.—See Joh_9:22; Joh_7:13.

Joh_12:43. The glory of men.—See Joh_5:44.

Joh_12:44. Cried (ἔκραξε).—These words were doubtless uttered in the hearing of His more immediate disciples, and contain encouragement and warning for them. It was a cry from His heart, grieved at His rejection by His own people, and solicitous for the stability of His followers’ faith.

Joh_12:45. See Joh_14:9. See.—I.e. behold, contemplate.

Joh_12:46. See Joh_8:12.

Joh_12:47-48. See Joh_3:17; Joh_8:15-16. Those who reject Christ shall be self-condemned. The opportunity and means were given them; but they would not (Luk_10:16; Luk_19:44; Mat_23:37).

Joh_12:49. Of Myself.—All through this Gospel Christ declares His unity of will and purpose with the Father (Joh_5:30, Joh_7:16-18; Joh_7:28-29; Joh_8:26-29; Joh_8:38; Joh_8:42, etc.).

Joh_12:50. His commandment is life eternal.—Pro_19:16; Rom_7:10. It is so with all God’s laws, material and spiritual. They are ordained to life. And eternal Wisdom speaks in Christ’s words (Pro_8:1; Pro_8:4; Pro_8:32-36).

MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.—Joh_12:37-50

Joh_12:37-41. “Who hath believed our report?”—What is needed in order that we may not fall into the error of those who do not believe the heavenly report, who, if not in words, yet in reality reject and despise the Saviour? This is a question of supreme moment for all who profess to be genuine disciples and followers of Christ, children of the heavenly Father. Yet to how many, confronted with the prophetic word, might Philip’s question be repeated: “Understandest thou what thou readest?” (Act_8:30). Can anything be more important? Still are there not many whose energies and thoughts concentrated on other matters are most fruitful, but who in regard to this supreme matter are but as “babes in Christ,” subsisting on the mere elements of the faith, and never going on to perfection? Is this right? and is it wonderful, when we consider it, that the religious life of the Church is not so healthy as it should and might be, and that the progress of Christ’s kingdom is retarded? What we all need is an assured faith, and then the arm of the Lord will be revealed to us, the power of the gospel will be manifested in us and to the world. And this assured faith rests on simple elementary truths such as all men, the simplest and most unlearned, may know and understand. There need only be mentioned—

I. The sense of sin and our responsibility to God.—

1. The sense of sin is universal as humanity. Go where we will, the ideas of right and wrong will be found subsisting, and the deep sense of guilt on account of wrongdoing is expressed in all religions, in sacrificial rites, even in the fetich worship of the barbarian. You cannot escape from this universal belief in the sense of sinfulness among men.

2. And with this comes the sense of responsibility. Conscience speaks within men’s hearts, and declares that they are responsible to that Power which rules over all, and that, unless in some way it can be averted, the punishment for wrongdoing, for the transgression of the law of right which governs the universe, will be speedy and awful.

3. The realisation of this fundamental truth is essential for the true religious life. All professed Christians will confess in a general way that they are “miserable sinners.” But there must be an individual and personal realisation of the fact. Sin must be recognised in all its hideousness and horror in the light of the divine holiness; the awfulness of its indwelling power must be felt by the individual, until he turns from it with loathing, crying, “God be merciful,” etc. The next step will then be to seek—

II. A way of escape from sin and its guilt.—

1. The slave bound in fetters sighs for liberty; the shipwrecked sailor, adrift on a spar, with the lonely ocean all around, looks and longs for a passing ship; the sick man turns to the skilful and trusted physician.

2. So do those who awake to a sense of their spiritual bondage sigh for a Redeemer and deliverance; those adrift on the ocean of life, knowing not whither they are being carried, to what awful mystery beyond, long for some ark of safety; the man who feels that a subtle poison is corrupting his soul-life longs for a skilful spiritual physician.

3. And does not the history of the past tell how fruitlessly men endeavoured for themselves to discover a remedy, construct an ark, and gain a spiritual freedom? They still groan in their chains, many of them; the wrecks of their flimsy arks are scattered all along the shores of time, and the physicians they sought have proved spiritual charlatans.

4. Still the feeling which prompted to this was true and right. It showed the existence of the sense of sinfulness. Those who do not feel that they are in danger will make no effort to escape. Those who do will make earnest efforts to find deliverance and safety. Is there, however, any way of escape, any means of deliverance? We have seen how vain and futile all merely human attempts have been to bring deliverance. Are we shut up to despair? It is here Revelation meets us with the announcement that—

III. The cross of Christ is the means of redemption.—

1. That and not less is the claim made by our Lord and His apostles. “He was wounded for our transgressions,” etc. (Isa_53:5; 1Jn_1:7; Eph_1:7; Rev_1:5). This is the central truth of redemption. There are other truths most grand and important, other aspects of this divine work necessary in their proper place. This is fundamental so far as sinful men are concerned. Take away this and there remains a beautiful moral system, high above others even in this aspect, but nothing more.

2. And that the atoning purpose of Christ’s cross is the central and all-embracing purpose so far as man is concerned is shown by this: that it is only when that purpose is realised and personally appropriated by faith that the full blessedness of the gospel comes to individuals. It has always been where faith in this great central truth has been firm and clear that men have entered into truest peace, have become most Christlike, have reached highest heights of attainment.

3. But there must be the personal acceptance of and trust in Christ and His cross in order to this end. A mere general and vague belief can hardly be dignified with the name of faith. True, even though genuine faith be “as a grain of mustard seed,” it will have power. But it must be genuine and it must be personal. It uplifts the burden of guilt; it frees from the bondage of sin, of corruption. “The mountain is removed, and is cast into the sea” (Mar_11:23). When this point has been reached, then it is seen that—

IV. The saving power of Christ’s gospel is the true proof of His Messiahship.

1. Those to whom these things are realities need no further proof that Christ and His message are divine. The proof is within them; and however fierce may be the storms around them, “the anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, which entereth into that within the veil” (Heb_6:19) will hold. And the proof will not only be a personal one; it will assuredly affect others, it will be a test of their sincerity.

2. True, many will pass by or slight this proof, just as the Jews slighted our Lord’s miracles. But in doing so they will condemn themselves, for examination would have convinced them that the moral miracles effected by the gospel during the eighteen centuries that have passed away since Christ’s passion never have been and cannot be effected by any other power. A dispassionate historical survey would convince unbiassed minds that “the gospel of Christ is the power of God unto salvation,” etc. (Rom_1:16).

3. Those who “despise and reject,” who are unbelieving, are in a greater or less degree themselves to blame. They have permitted themselves to be led away by authority inimical to Christ, without making earnest search themselves; or they are shackled by some besetting sin and do not desire freedom; or they are merely nominal disciples of the Redeemer and have not personally known the saving power of His gospel. Such considerations should lead professing Christians to give diligence to make their calling and election sure (2Pe_1:10). Is it not the lack of this that leads to such feeble, listless confession of Christ, such worldliness in the Church? “The wheat and tares are to grow together till the harvest” (Mat_13:30). But make sure that your life is a wheat and not a tare life! For that is the end of Christ’s atonement. “When thou shalt make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed,” etc. (Isa_53:10). And His seed will yield fruit.

(1) Here is the test of a sincere faith: it works by love, it leads to consecration and self-sacrifice. Those whose hearts are filled with divine love give a holy service. The mother who truly loves her child will do and give all that is possible, apart from what is wrong and evil, for her child. And so in all ranks and grades of pure human affection.

(2) Love to the Redeemer must manifest itself in the same way. But how feeble it is in the case of many when we consider how little is done by the mass of Christians to make known the love of Christ! How many “spend and are spent” in the service of the world, whilst the service of Christ hardly costs them a thought! Is it not because they have never really known and loved Him, never truly felt the guilt of sin, the need of pardon, the peace of Christ? And are they not thereby cumbering the ground and hindering Christ’s kingdom?

(3) Were all who profess to be Christ’s disciples truly consecrated to His service, this would prove the greatest check to unbelief, and not afar, but near, would be the hour when Ho should “see of the travail of His soul and be satisfied.”

Joh_12:44-50. The declaration of Jesus in view of the world’s unbelief.—Of these words Bengal says: “He spoke these words in the act of going away, when He had already gone a considerable distance from the men; wherefore it is said that He cried, so that those to whom He had been speaking might hear.” Rather it would seem an utterance of His heart in the presence of His disciples, in view of the unbelief of Israel—a cry to them to witness that He had testified the truth to the unbelieving, since He had not spoken of Himself, but as the Father commanded Him. In these words Jesus declared that He had delivered the appointed message, the reception of which is life to men.

I. The mission of Christ.—

1. Light was what the world was longing for, and life was what it above all needed. And Jesus came to earth to be the light and life of the world.

2. And the manner in which He brought light and life to men was by revealing, in Himself, the Father. It was this He was sent to accomplish—to speak what God had commanded, to do the Father’s will.

3. And this He could do because He Himself was the revelation of the Father, “the brightness of His glory,” etc. So that those who see Jesus in reality see the Father, and those who believe on Him believe on the Father who sent Him.

4. And thus He is the light of those who follow Him, who believe on Him. His revelation of the Father was not in vain for all. He became obedient unto death. Had He not turned aside from Satan’s wiles, then the world had remained in darkness and the shadow of death. But now through Him the light of the divine love, mercy, and wisdom hath for those who believe for ever dispelled the darkness.

5. In this revelation of the Father’s will, and in the doing of it, Jesus brought life to men. His commandment is life. He wills not the death of sinners, but their salvation. “The gospel is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth” (Rom_1:16).

II. The result of rejecting Christ.—

1. Whilst millions rejoice for time and eternity in this divine life and light, there are those who will not listen to the Revealer, and who, in rejecting Him, treasure up for themselves wrath in the day of wrath and of the revelation of the righteous judgment of God (Rom_2:5).

2. In their case the Word designed to bring life rises up as an avenger. Opportunities neglected, entreaties slighted, commands despised, shall rise up in judgment against those who will not hear and believe “in the last day.” Jesus came to save; but the rejection of His salvation must of necessity issue in judgment.

3. Men who reject the gospel remain in their sins, and thus are unlike God. Clinging to sin, they must be shut out from God, for with Him sin cannot dwell. Rejecting Christ, they choose darkness, and cannot dwell with light. Rejecting Christ, they reject the Father.

4. This, then, is no matter to be lightly thought of or set aside. Christ comes with lofty claims for acceptance before men. The witnesses of His gospel testify to Him on every side. Thus a terrible responsibility rests on those who hear the gospel. It is the part of true wisdom to examine it earnestly and sincerely. Woe to those who refuse to listen or who scornfully reject!

III. Christ has obediently and fully performed His mission.—

1. If men reject Christ, it is not because He has failed in any way to proclaim the Father’s will. With that will the Son is in complete agreement, and what He speaks is His Father’s word, His Father’s commandment, which is life everlasting for men. He is “the Word,” the divine Logos, the very expression of the Father’s mind and will.

2. Thus His mission had been fully performed, in willing submission to the Father. Not His own glory, but the Father’s; not His own work, but the Father’s, given Him to do; not His own words, but the Father’s. “Although He was the Saviour of the world, He will not seek to be looked on as the builder of that temple which is being raised in the world; but the Father had given Him, as it were, all the plans and designs; He is the Master-builder who carries out the Father’s designs. He speaks and interprets according as the Father desires, so entirely is His will merged in the will of His Father” (Lecher).

3. Christ, then, has done all things well. He can look back on that ministry now closing with the consciousness that the purpose of Him who sent Him has been carried out and His will obeyed.

4. And the path of safety for men is to obey His word as He obeyed the Father. Openly confess Him, undeterred by the fear of men (Joh_12:43); bend the will to the obedience of faith; overcome yourselves; consent to count all things but loss for Him; and lay hold of the better and enduring inheritance. For the divine commandment is to life; and “He that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”

HOMILETIC NOTES

Joh_12:43. The fear of men.—The ban of the Pharisees made those men afraid, and their fear was more powerful than the attraction toward the household of God.… They loved the praise of men. Therefore they could not be perfect in faith. The judgment which John heard from our Lord’s own mouth (Joh_5:44, etc.) he would never have uttered concerning a Nicodemus or a Joseph of Arimathæa.… No, not such weak ones are here meant, who slowly grew in faith and became strong in that hour in which the strong became weak; but those wretched souls who had experienced indeed the enlightening activity of the Light, yet had choked the germ of faith in its springing, because they loved darkness more than light, honour with men—their carnal Judaic honour—more than honour with God. Notice earnestly therefore that not alone those who have been inimical to the Gospel and stiff-necked in their opposition, but also some who “believed,” may be hardened, when they deny the power of faith, and do not learn to “hate” their own life in this world (Joh_12:25). Yes! the hardening of such as have known the truth, and yet wilfully turn their backs on it, is the most terrible result of all (2Pe_2:21; Heb_6:4).—Translated from, Besser.

Joh_12:46-48. The end of rejection of Christ.—There is a darkness that will come, come upon all, must come. Men call it night; men call it death. Death is night; death is darkness. We must all die. That sentence is now called commonplace—to such vulgarity have we grown. If a preacher should stand up and say, “Man is mortal,” he would be said to have uttered a platitude—so have we fooled ourselves away! Yet we speak of spendthrifts and prodigals and persons who do not take hold of life by the right end, but prosper at the bank, in the shambles, in the market-place. Why, we are spendthrifts who have got through these elementary truths that ought to constitute the very capital of Christian meditation and practice. We must—I repeat it at the risk of uttering a commonplace—we must all face the darkness of death one by one. We have wronged ourselves by living much in crowds. It is well for us now and then to know that each for himself alone—alone—must die. What preparation have we made for death? There is only one rational and sufficient preparation, and that is walking while we have the light. Christ is the light of the world. Walking whilst we have Christ—an opportunity of studying Christ, an opportunity of receiving Christ into the heart, an opportunity of serving Christ by all good deeds. If you have made any other preparation for death you are foolish; and the very wisdom you have shown in making other preparation aggravates your folly. You have insured your life—you have let your soul go without defence. You have barred all the upper windows against the thief—you have left the front door of the house wide open. Sevenfold in folly are they who have made every possible preparation for death except walking in that light which sends a glorifying beam through the whole valley of its shadow.—Dr. Joseph Parker.

The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary (gen. ed. Joseph S. Exell; Funk & Wagnalls, c. 1892) — public domain (pre-1929). A full-Bible homiletical/sermon-outline anthology covering 65 of 66 books (2 John is absent from the source module). Text from a community e-Sword module.

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ANTITHESIS BETWEEN SELF-HARDENING ISRAEL AND THE WORLD, THAT BOTH STANDS IN NEED OF SALVATION AND IS READY TO RECEIVE IT,—OR THE WITHDRAWAL OF CHRIST AND THE EVANGELIST’S REVIEW OF HIS OFFICIAL LABORS

(Joh_12:37-50.)

37But though he had done so many miracles [had wrought so many, or, so great signs]45 before them, yet they believed not on [in] him: 38That the saying of Esaias [Isaiah] the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, ‘Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed’ [Isa_53:1]? 39Therefore [On this account, or, For this cause] they could not believe, because that 40[omit that] Esaias [Isaiah] said again, ‘He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened46 their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor [and] understand with their heart, and be converted [turn themselves],47 and I should heal48 them.’ 41These things said Esaias [Isaiah], when [because]49 he saw his glory, and spake [he spoke]50of him. 42Nevertheless among the chief rulers also [Yet even of the rulers] many believed on [in] him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him 43[omit him], lest they should be put out of the synagogue [excommunicated]. For they loved the praise [glory] of men more than [rather than at all]51 the praise [glory] of God.

44[But] Jesus cried [aloud] and said, He that believeth on [in] me, believeth not on [in] me, but on [in] him that sent me. 45And he that seeth [beholdeth] me seeth 46[beholdeth] him that sent me. I am come a [omit a, ins. as] light into the world, that whosoever [every one that] believeth on [in] me should not abide in [remain in the] darkness. 47And if any man hear my words, and believe [keep them]52 not I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. 48He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him [his judge (with him)]: the word that I have spoken, the same shall [will] judge him 49in the last day. For [Because] I have not spoken of [from] myself; but the Father which [who] sent me, he gave me a [omit a] commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. 50And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said [hath said unto me, εἴρηχέν μοι], so I speak.

EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL

The entire section is an epilogue of the Evangelist on the public ministry of Jesus and its result in the Israelitish nation; a result already announced by the lamentation, Joh_1:11. Even the concluding words from Joh_12:44 are to be regarded throughout as an epilogue (according to Coccejus and many others, Lücke, Tholuck, Olshausen, Meyer).

We reject therefore as unfounded 1. the supposition of Chrysostom and all the ancients (among the moderns Kling), that Jesus once more addressed the people publicly in these words; 2. the modification of this hypothesis in Lampe and Bengel, who affirm that on His departure from the temple, in the very act of withdrawal from the Jews, He shouted out these words to them from afar; 3. the conjecture of Besser and Luthardt, who hold that He uttered these remarks respecting the Jews in the presence of the disciples; 4. finally, the fancy of De Wette, who supposes these reminiscences to have grown under the hand of the Evangelist into a regular discourse—one, however, not delivered by Jesus. The main support of assumptions of this kind has been found in the ἔκραξε καὶ εἴπεν, Joh_12:44. But the first word is employed by John in (tho sense of loud, public declarations (Joh_1:15; Joh_7:28; Joh_7:37), and docs not necessarily signify a shout from a distance, or a final, vehement outcry. And as for the aorists, it is not necessary to regard them, with Tholuck, as resumptive Pluperfects. On the contrary, the whole is a resume en gros of the life of Jesus, in which summary the account of the unbelief and obduracy of the great, mass of the Jewish people and its rulers is contrasted with the account of Christ’s holy testimony to Himself.

Joh_12:37. But though He had done such, etc.—Τοσαῦτα Lücke, De Wette: So great; Meyer, Tholuck: so many, so too the E. V. Its proper signification is: such signs as these He did; hence the nature of the signs itself determines whether so great or so many should be understood. The passages Joh_6:9; Joh_14:9; Joh_21:11 certainly seem, as Meyer remarks, to be in favor of the interpretation: so many; yet the generalness of the term is doubtless indicative of quality as well.

Yet they did not believe in Him.—In disobedience to the purpose of God in the signs, and to the divine attestation of Jesus.

Joh_12:38.—That the word [ὁ λόγος] of Isaiah, etc.—“It is in the very presence of unbelief and of hinderances cast in the way of the kingdom of God that both Jesus and the apostles most frequently appeal to the word of prophecy. For prophecy exhibits the divine ὡρισμένον (comp. Luk_22:22 with Mat_26:24), while it demonstrates the fast that oven these seeming contradictions in history must be co-included in the divine counsel, Joh_13:9; Joh_17:2.” Tholuck. The passage is Isa_53:1 according to the Septuagint. According to Meyer, Jesus is introduced in this passage as addressing God, κύριε. According to Luthardt, it is a lament of the Evangelist and of those like-minded with him, and ἀκοή means the message that we actually receive from Jesus. If, however, we adhere to the context, it is the lament of the prophet, in his own name and that of his colleagues, over his time. But the emphasis is upon the words: that it might be fulfilled.—Herewith, undoubtedly, the lament of the prophet becomes indirectly, and as a type, the lament of Christ (comp. Psa_22:1). The prophets might lament over two things: 1. That men did not believingly receive their ἀκοή (the message heard by them—the prophets—or the message which penetrated the ears of the hearers); and 2. that men did not suffer their prophetic wonders whereby they made plain the arm of the Lord, i.e, interpreted the great deeds of God, to be the means of revealing to them these deeds in their significance. All this unbelief which opposed itself to them as an incipient hardening, is now fulfilled in the perfect obduracy manifested by the Jews towards Jesus: towards His preaching and His revelation of the arm of the Lord in His miracles (by the arm of the Lord, Augustine and others incorrectly apprehend Christ Himself); hence the lament of the prophets is also fulfilled in the words of Jesus and His people. The saying is most significantly chosen from the beginning of the prophecy about the suffering Messiah, Isaiah 53. The hardening began to be accomplished in the face of the sufferings of the prophets; its fulfilment is completed in the crucifixion of Christ on the part of the Jews and in the rejection of the Crucified and Risen One.

Joh_12:39. On this account they could not believe, because Isaiah said again.—According to Meyer διὰ τοῦτο—ὄτι, therefore, on this account, has reference to what has gone before, i.e. the saying of Joh_12:38 contains the ground for the saying Joh_12:40. On the other hand, according to Theophylact and many others, also Tholuck and Luthardt, διὰ τοῦτο is preparative;—it announces the cause, i.e. the inability to believe of Joh_12:39 explains why they did not believe according to Joh_12:38. This interpretation seems to be supported by the sequence of the dicta; first Isa_53:1, then Isa_6:10, and Tholuck remarks: “After the fact of their unbelief is declared, the reason of it is assigned in the fate of hardening decreed them by God.” But their divinely decreed destiny, as a judicial infliction, presupposes their guilt in voluntarily choosing unbelief, as it is also remarked by Tholuck: “The fact that the guilt of the parties involved is not excluded in such an actus judicialis Dei in the Scriptural sense, is most plainly set forth by the history of Pharaoh, in which it is said in six places: he hardened himself, and in six others: God hardened him.” Moreover it is not necessary to regard Isaiah 53 as the thought-sequence of Isaiah 6; with regard to facts the train of ideas may be inverted, and thus it is doubtless here. Fast upon the ουκ ἐπίστευσαν follows the οὐκ ἠδύναντο πιστεύειν as a judgment. Undoubtedly, therefore, διὰ τοῦτο is to be explained in accordance with Meyer. As in the prophet the preaching of the prophet was the object by means of which the judgment of hardening should be brought upon Israel, so in the evangelical history it was the manifestation of Jesus by word and deed. That which might and should have been a savor of life to the Jews, became a savor of death to them; and herein was accomplished their judgment of hardening. As the most speaking type of this judgment the passage Isa_6:9-10 is repeatedly cited: Mat_13:14; Act_28:26; Rom_11:8 (comp. Luk_2:34).

The quotation from Isa_6:9-10 varies from the letter of the original text, but in a way that is agreeable to its sense. There the prophet is commissioned to occasion obduracy by his preaching; here it is said, by way of historical report: He hath hardened them. I.e. the secondary or instrumental cause mentioned by Isaiah is omitted by the Evangelist, because in the latter, Christ, in accordance with Joh_12:41, is at once the secondary cause and the author of this hardness. According to Isaiah, God is the author or efficient cause, in His revealed form, His δόξα; according to John, Christ is the author, in His divine glory, as the Christ of the Old Testament. Hence there is no foundation in the text for the assertion of Meyer (and Tholuck) that not Christ, but God, is to be understood as the subject; the interpretation of Morus and others who consider the nation itself as the subject, likewise does violence to the text. According to Meyer, on the other hand, Christ is, in the sense of the Evangelist, the speaker in Isaiah, God the hardener, while ἰάσοηαι has reference to Christ. The assumption that the hardener cannot also be the healer, is a groundless one. According to Tholuck ἰάσομαι should also be referred to God, having, as a negligence in expression, remained in the first person; Grotius and others, and Luthardt are correct in considering the whole as referring to Christ. The “negligence” is, however, conscious breviloquence; to be supplemented is: and as it is further written, That I should heal them. This turn, however, has its foundation in the fact that the negation of καὶ ἰάσομαι, etc. is not to lapse into the historical past like the items of the hardening, and that there is present to the mind of the Evangelist a distinction between Christ as the retributive God of revelation and the historical Saviour.

Joh_12:41. These things said Isaiah because [ὄτι] he saw his glory.—Meyer: “According to Isa_6:1, it was indeed the glory of God that was seen by the prophet (God sitting upon His throne, attended by seraphim, etc.); in accordance with the idea of the Logos, however, the theophanies are appearances of the Logos.” Rather, the Logos who is about becoming incarnate, is Himself one with the δόξα of the Father, although this again in the abstract is distinguished from the δόξα of Christ (comp. Heb_1:3); and hence too the δόξα of God is one with the Angel of the Presence (see Luk_2:9), although Christ again has also His divine-human δόξα. His essential estate is the μορφή θεοῦ. The seeing of Christ on the part of the prophet was not cognitive (Origen), but visionary (Tholuck). Vatablus and others have, in opposition to the context, referred αὐτοῦ to God.—And he (not dependent upon ὄτι, the prophet) spoke of Him.

[Alford: “Αὐτοῦ of Christ. The Evangelist is giving his judgment,—having had his understanding opened (Luk_24:45) to understand the Scriptures,—that the passage in Isaiah is spoken of Christ. And indeed, strictly considered, the glory which Isaiah saw could only be that of the Son, who is the ἀπαύγασμα τῆς δόξης of the Father, whom no eye hath seen.”—Wordsworth: “The Evangelist here says that Esaias (Isa_6:1-9) saw the glory of the Son. St. Paul says (Act_28:25) that he heard the words of the Holy Spirit. There is one glory, therefore, of the Holy Trinity: and the glory of the Father is the glory of the Son, and is the glory of the Holy Ghost. (Theoph.) The glory of the Ever-blessed Trinity appeared to Isaiah, when he heard the Angelic Holy, Holy, Holy (Isa_6:3); and the glory of the Trinity is here called the glory of Christ, because Christ is God. (Cyril).—There is a remarkable resemblance to this passage in the Book of Revelation (Rev_4:8-11), compared with Rev_5:12-14, where the glory ascribed to the Holy Trinity, and the worship paid to the Holy Trinity, is ascribed and paid to Christ; and is therefore a clear evidence of His Divinity.”—P. S.]

Joh_12:42. Yet even of the rulers many believed in him.—The Evangelist limits and explains the preceding sentence. In relating that many even of the rulers (Sanhedrists) believed on Christ, he cannot mean such people as Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea (Meyer). We must appreciate the fact that John distinguishes between the wider sense of the word “believe” (Joh_8:30) and its more limited sense (Joh_7:5; Joh_20:27). Manifestly, it is belief in the wider sense of the term, inward historical recognition (“almost faith”), that is here meant. The Evangelist then proceeds to explain how it happened that the great commotion and awakening in the nation did not ripen into a great conversion.

But because of the Pharisees they did not confess (it or him), etc.—The counteraction of Pharisaism in its broadest sense is meant. They did not confess, did not come forward with the confession of their belief, for fear of excommunication. But excommunication seemed so frightful to them because they loved honor among men better than any (ἤπερ emphatically) honor with God. This means in the first place objectively the honor which men bestow by their recognition, in contrast to the honor given by God. This signification is, however, not exclusive of the subjective sense in which we interpret that honor of men to be of a human kind, but the honor of God of a divine sort, 2Ma_14:42; Rom_3:23.

Joh_12:44. But Jesus cried aloud and said.—A perfect antithesis to the honor-seeking partyism of the Jews, which was the cause of their unbelief, is now presented to us by the Evangelist in Jesus’ testimony to Himself, as the expression of His mental disposition or mind. In the first place, the setting forth of the person of Christ was free from ambition; it was a setting forth of the glory of God. He sought singly and alone the glory of God. Belief in Him should be a belief in the living God to the same extent as if it were no belief in Christ, i.e. as if belief in His human, individual appearance were fully merged in the divine glory of revelation of which He was the Mediator. And thus, also, in correspondence with the above, His appearance should be to those who saw Him the image of the appearance of the Father who sent Him.

So, moreover, the sending of Him was free from selfish aims; being designed purely for the salvation of those to whom He was sent. Being, as Light that came into the world, in principle purely a shining of God, so He was, in respect of His aim, absolutely the deliverance of believers from darkness, Joh_12:46.

Further, therefore, the operation of Christ was likewise purely and exclusively of a redeeming species without admixture of a condemning agency. This shining unto salvation and deliverance from darkness is in so great and exclusive a degree the aim of His mission that He is able to say: He that shall have heard My word and not have kept it (which will be proved at the Day of Judgment) shall not be judged by Me. I.e. He came solely and alone (in His one appearance as the Saviour of the world) to save. But the word of God which the unbeliever has not kept, but which holds him fast in the evil consciousness of his unbelief; the consciousness within him of the divine mission that he has slighted—that shall judge him at the last day (the ἐσχάτη ἡμέρα, comp. Joh_6:39-40).

And this is then, finally, purely and absolutely a judgment of God, devoid of any humanly turbid, individual admixture, because He has not spoken of Himself, but entirely in accordance with the ἐντολή of God by which He was conducted;—and that, as it regards the purport (the εἰπεῖν) of what He said, as well as the form, the human treatment and argument (the λαλεῖν). The ἔντολή, however, is not simply the commission laid upon Him at His sending; it is God’s law for Him—a law continually in operation, fitting itself to each moment; it is the voice of God within Him (“an individual court of appeal”). But as this life-law of the speech of Christ is principally a commandment of God, so it is, in regard to its end and aim, eternal life; i.e. it contains, imparts, is productive of, eternal life; it develops into eternal life in the obedience of faith. And Christ, being fully conscious that He stands, with every word, between the God who has commissioned Him and the eternal life of the soul, says nothing in false selfism, but gives utterance to all things as the Father has told them to Him. i.e. even in expression, His word is thoroughly in accordance with God. So Christ could testify of His works that they were pure from all self-seeking and selfism, as though He vanished out of each one; disappearing first as a principle, in presence of the causal all-agency of the personal God, and then theologically before the aim of bringing salvation to souls as the perfect Mediator. This is one side of the divine-human revelation—and this, as a clear mirror, is contrasted by John with the sombre picture of that ambitious, selfish, utterly falsified party righteousness which rejected the Lord. In contemplating this we may not overlook the other side, namely, that this pure revelation of God was accomplished by the very perfection and perfect distinctness of the human individuality of Christ.

DOCTRINAL AND ETHICAL

1. The pause between the end of the prophetic and the beginning of the high-priestly ministry of Christ, is marked by the Evangelist with an epilogue, which excites the certain expectation that the close of the second half of the Gospel will also be furnished with its epilogue, as a conclusion to the entire Gospel and also as a companion piece to the prologue (see the Introduction and chap 21)

2. Had Jesus been simply a Prophet, His work would have been accomplished with the announcement of judgment made by Him within the temple after the rulers of the people had tempted Him and hardened themselves against Him within that building (see Comm. on Matt. p. 418, etc. Am. Ed.). But the bond of fellowship with His nation, the bond of high-priestly compassion, now drew Him forth again from His concealment to the hour of the Paschal sacrifice.

3. The grief of the disciple that Israel hardened himself in face of the full and perfect unfolding of the life of the prophetic Christ, Joh_12:37.

4. The pacification of the Evangelist in submissive contemplation of God’s word and providence, Joh_12:38-41. Analogous is the lament of the Prophet and his pacification in which the Evangelist merges himself.

5. The lament of the Prophet (Isaiah 53) abstractly considered. The unbelief of the Jews in the time of Isaiah impenitently opposed itself to the preaching of the prophets as well as to the arm of the Lord,—His wonders and signs of judgment. Hence the prophet saw in the sufferings of the prophethood the type of the suffering servant of God, the Messiah. And hence the greatest of the Evangelists, in passing to the sufferings of Christ, reverts to that lament of the greatest of the prophets. He knows that lamentation to have had its perfect fulfilment in the face of the sufferings of Christ and in those sufferings. Isaiah, in prophetic spirit, saw the beginnings of unbelief of the Messianic promise, the beginnings of impenitence and obduracy, the beginnings of the suffering prophethood and of judgment accelerated by the preaching,—and depicted the future in advance; John witnessed the fulfilment of all this in the life of Jesus.

6. Unbelief, as an unwillingness to believe, was punished even in Isaiah’s time with the inability to believe, the judgment of obduracy. It is the solicitous operation of the word of God which, with a holy and even healing purpose, drives the beginnings of judgment towards their completion. The Evangelist, like the Prophet, becomes tranquillized in adoring this judgment.

7. The Evangelist, with equal meaning, explains the unbelief of the Jews, which brought about the sufferings of Christ, by the introduction to Isaiah 53, and the judgment of impenitence upon the Jews by the vision Isaiah 6. Consequent upon the judgment of impenitence was the destruction of the city, the climax of which was reached by the burning of the temple; Isaiah himself had seen the temple totter at the revelation of the glory of Christ, the house being filled with smoke at the appearance of the seraphim. Hence these are doubtless symbolical angels of fiery judgment, as, in like manner, the cherubim are symbolical angels of divine providence under its historical veil, in great storms especially; an explanation certainly more obvious than the usual interpretation of שׇׂרׇף.

8. Christ, in the Old Testament, the manifestation of the δόξα of God, as also the Angel of the Presence (see Notes on Joh_1:14).

9. But the Evangelist is also necessitated to assign the human, ethical reason for that divine judgment in the unbelief of his nation. He therefore repeatedly gives prominence to the inclination to believe, found not only in the greater part of the people but also in many of its rulers. It is a fact of the highest significance that fear of the Pharisees, of the enmity of the Pharisaic party against Christ, was the ruin of everything and prepared for the nation its tragic fate. It is a statement of startling gravity that all the causes of the general apostasy were concentrated in the one sin of fear; and that the different phases of fear: the fear of man, the fear of spectres, the fear of shame and suffering, were concentrated in the one form: the fear of Pharisaic excommunication. Such fearful ruin can the dominion of a Pharisaic terrorism effect. This has been again demonstrated by the history of the Reformation. And the true courage of belief and conviction is as holy and replete with blessing as that fear, in spite of all its pretended holiness, is fatal and damnable. The emotion of fear was, however, grounded on the impulse of ambition, slavish devotion to the honor of Jewish patriotism, irreproachable orthodoxy, Pharisaic righteousness. Yet the ultimate reason of this wordly ambition in hypocritico-spiritual apparel, was the lack of a knowledge and sense of honor with God, the lack of true, inward spiritual life and of a prayerful spirit,—spiritual lethargy, spiritual death under the mask of the most fiery life.

10. In contrast to the gloomy picture of fatal and damnable ambition presented by Pharisaic Judaism, which denied the honor of God in Christ and finally blasphemed it and covered it with shame on the cross, appears the bright image of the mind and self-presentation of Christ. He sought nothing for Himself, with human selfism and selfishness, but made His life a pure sacrifice for the glory of God and the salvation of the world. So it is with His personality: it is the pure ideality of His essence as the manifestation of God, Joh_12:44. Thus with the sending of Him: it is the pure ideality of His appearance: the glorification of the manifestation of God, Joh_12:45. With His aim: it is the pure ideality of the transfiguration of the substantial world, of the enlightenment of the darkened world of sin, Joh_12:46. With His operation: it is the pure ideality of redemption, Joh_12:47. With the judicial operation of His word: it is the pure ideality of His coming to judgment, Joh_12:48. So it is with the motive, the aim and even the expression of His word, i. e. the pure ideality of His obedience, life and conduct even to the expression of His word itself, Joh_12:49-50.

11. We may sum up this résumé of the self-presentation of Jesus in these words: Jesus was the pure, perfect, divine-human hypostasis; transparent as crystal in respect of the motive of His life, the manifestation of the Father, hence pure devotion, in His love, to that portion of the world that will receive salvation,—the pure outpouring of eternal life. He was, however, just this complete personality because His presentation by the Father was equally distinct with His own presentation of the Father; i.e. He was the complete divine-human individuality, the complete character. And He gave proof of His perfect personality as well as of His perfect individuality because He, in perfect subjectivity, continually transformed the general ἐντολή into the momentary ἐντολή of His consciousness, or kept the will of God in unison with His own will. (Comp. Leben Jesu, II. p. 1292.)

ΗOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL

The Evangelist’s retrospect of the public ministry of Christ and its apparently frustrated result.—This retrospect in the light of prophecy.—Yet they believed not. The yet of unbelievers and the yet of believers, Psa_73:1 : 1. An antithesis in which the reality of human freedom is expressed; 2. the glory of divine judgment and divine grace; 3. decision for eternity; 4. a contrast, as betwixt heaven and hell.—The shocking obduracy of the Jewish nation in view of Christ’s full, divine revelation of life.—How unbelief is changed from guilt to judgment: 1. Unwillingness to believe, as a crime demanding judgment; 2. inability to believe, as the judgment upon the crime.—The fault contained in the unbelief of the Jews a warning to all times.—The form of their fault: 1. Fear the cause of their unbelief; a. as a fear of excommunication; b. of excommunication by the Pharisees. 2. Ambition the foundation of their fear a morbid delight in the fame of piety, righteousness, orthodoxy, etc. 3. The want of knowledge, of spiritual life and of a sense of God’s honor the foundation of their morbid ambition.—The frightful effects of a Pharisaic ordinance of excommunication 1. As displayed in our history; 2. in the history of the middle ages; 3. as resulting from the very nature of such an ordinance.—The curse of the fear of man, especially in matters of faith.—The ultimate and deepest cause of all evil the want of a sense of God’s glory, Rom_1:21.—Unholy party spirit in its fatal effects: 1. Characteristics of such party spirit: mutual belying, deception, exciting, fettering. 2. The fatal effects; a. fear; b. denial; c. universal ruin.—The rarity and gloriousness of true frankness in the service of truth.—Christ the Glory of God in the Old Testament.—That the Jews despised the glory which God gives, was manifest in that they despised Christ, who, in His righteousness, revealed the glory of God.—Jesus cried aloud. The solemn protestation of Jesus against the charge of having arrogated to Himself a peculiar glory as a false prophet.—The gloriously effulgent picture of the life of Jesus, who rejoiced in sacrifice, contrasted with the selfishness of His contemporaries: 1. They sought their own profit, honor, life, etc.; He lived but for the cause of God. 2. They, therefore, were slavishly dependent one upon another; He stood free in God. 3. They, under the mask of zeal for the glory of God, sought to mar and obliterate the radiant image of His glory; Christ glorified the honor of God and His mercy to His enemies by His perfect joyfulness in meeting shame.—Christ the pure manifestation of God: 1. In His essence; 2. in His aim; 3. in His work; 4. in His word.—Christ the pure manifestation of God in the clear distinctness of His personal nature.—What distinguishes Christ’s testimony to Himself from all self-praise: 1. His remounting unreservedly to the source of His life, the Father; 2. His single aiming at His life’s goal, the salvation of the world.—How the unbeliever is unable to rid himself of the despised word of salvation, bearing it with him, as an inward judgment, to the Last Day, which day shall convert it into an outward judgment also.—The Last Day a revelation of inward judgment.—Christ’s clear law of life an admonition to us to make our darkened life-law clear.—Christ’s law of life as the law of His freedom.—The Evangelist’s retrospect of the prophetic work of Christ a proof that His high-priestly and kingly work was yet to follow.—The deep grief and the sublime pacification of Prophet and Apostle (Isaiah, John) in regarding the unbelief of their times.

Starke, Canstein: What happens, happens not because it has been foretold, but it was foretold because God foresaw that it would happen.—The truth of righteous and divine obduration.

Joh_12:42. Hedinger: Blessed is the man to whom the world, with all her rags of honor, is crucified, and who holds her to be worth no more than a thief on the gallows, Gal_4:16.—Cramer: True, unfeigned belief must always be in harmony with a man’s confession.—Quesnel: Stand we in whatsoever circumstances or situation we may, we are on no account to attach ourselves to them; we must place our dependence on nothing that men can deprive us of, if we desire to obtain and keep that which God alone can give.—Canstein: Christ always appeals to the Father when defending Himself against His enemies. So may faithful servants of the word, finding themselves in contempt and adversity, trust in the ministry which they have received from God.

Joh_12:46. The sun is a fair light; Christ, the Sun of Righteousness, many thousand times fairer.

Joh_12:47. A loyal servant of the Word is sent only to bring salvation.

Joh_12:48. Quesnel: It is never permitted to the servants of Christ to avenge themselves on the despisers of their preaching; it is God’s word; at the right time He will judge such conduct.

Gerlach: The guilt of the Jews assumed such magnitude in that they were not only inwardly estranged from Jesus and His revelation, but also, when, by the most glorious miracles, Jesus supported that highest proof (see chap Joh_7:17), they yet turned away from Him.—The discourse from Joh_12:44 is not a single one; in order to show the inexcusableness of Jewish unbelief John subjoins a summary of the Lord’s discourses; many reminiscences of former speeches. With Joh_12:44 comp. Joh_7:16; Joh_5:19; Joh_8:42.—With Joh_12:44 Joh_8:19; Joh_14:10; chap. 1.—With Joh_12:46 Joh_1:5; Joh_8:12; Joh_12:35.—With Joh_12:47-48 Joh_3:17; Joh_5:45, etc.—With Joh_12:49 Joh_8:28; Joh_8:38.—With Joh_12:50 Joh_6:39-40; Joh_10:11.—His revelation was nothing but light, life and love.

Braune: Elisha did twelve miracles, Elijah fewer still, and if we reckon up all the miracles of the prophets we find that seventy-four were performed by them; those of Moses are estimated at seventy-six. But although John chronicles but seven, he remarks, Joh_21:25, that the world would not contain the books that would have to be written if all the deeds of Jesus should be detailed. (Interesting from a theological point of view; homiletically a quantitative numeration of all the miracles would be unadvisable. As to the Number Seven of John the case is of course quite different). And yet the believed not on Him. Awful yet!—In sins of conscience the beginning is to fear and flee.—Without confession, faith soon wanes and its light threatens to become extinct.

Gossner: We fear the excommunication of men, but not the excommunication of God, of Christ.—This fear of an unrighteous excommunication may plunge us into eternal perdition, into the denial excommunication of God.—It is possible for a soul to be saved without external communion with the Church, without sacraments administered by priests, if it be unrighteously shut out from them.—Let us therefore fear nothing but excommunication from Christ in our hearts, nothing but separation from the love of Christ.—Faith is the name of the way that leads from darkness into light.

Joh_12:48. The hearing of God’s word is never without result; a man cannot remain neutral with regard to it; it is either, or—friend or foe—grace or judgment.

Joh_12:50. He preaches with exceeding joyfulness who speaks nothing from himself; when it is His (God’s) word and not the preacher’s babble or work of art.

Heubner: The secret, inward conviction of the divine mission of Jesus makes him so much the more culpable who is ashamed of acknowledging such a conviction.—The confession of the gospel, the confession of Jesus, is of particular worth in times when it involves shame.—How many dangers and hinderances to free confession there are in high positions! The fear of men, and ambition are the mightiest impediments to outspoken belief.—Pharisees. Entire parties may exert an influence in the repression and hinderance of the gospel.—To reject Jesus is to reject God.—His judging at some future day shall not be partial, as on account of personal injuries inflicted by unbelievers. The unbeliever will be condemned by his own conscience. Unbelief bears its judge within itself.—Christ left no particle of His duty undone. So it was no fault of His if men would not believe.

Schleiermacher: There is but one honor—and that is the honor which is in God’s sight; there is but one fear which does not debase men—and that is the fear that says: How should I do this great wickedness and sin against God? But we do commit sin against God and His Spirit, if we seal up within our hearts what we in their inmost depths account as truth, and put a bar to its outgoing and further operation. For as common property and possession the Lord has endowed us with all spiritual gifts.—Some are of opinion that it was the general design of the Lord to turn aside the belief of mankind in great measure from His own person and direct it towards Him who sent Him; others think: All the faith that He demands must be directed to Him and His person alone. Let us avoid the one and the other extreme, whilst we combine the two, for such was the Redeemer’s intention.—In view of His Passion and Death saith the Redeemer: I know that His commandment is life everlasting.

Besser: Perhaps the expression that so frequently and emphatically recurs in the discourses of the Lord, to the effect, namely, that God had sent Him, should also serve to designate Him as the Angel (Ambassador) of the Lord in the Scriptures of the Old Testament.—Stier: John knows no other true and full belief than that which makes confession.

[Craven: From Augustine: Joh_12:38. It is evident that the arm of the Lord is the Son of God Himself.

Joh_12:37-38. God predicted the unbelief of the Jews but did not cause it; He does not compel men to sin because He knows they will sin.

Joh_12:39-40. If any ask why they could not, I answer, Because they would not—it is the fault of the human will that they could not. They well deserved this—God hardens and blinds a man by forsaking and not supporting him.

Joh_12:42-43. As their faith grew, their love of human praise grew still more, and outstripped it.

Joh_12:44-45. He signifies that He is more than He appears to be.—We believe an Apostle, but we do not believe in an Apostle.

Joh_12:46. He saith to His disciples, Ye are the light of the world, but He does not say, Ye are come a light into the world that whosoever believeth in you, etc.; All saints are lights but they are so by faith [reflection] because they are enlightened by Him.

Joh_12:47. I judge Him not, i.e. not now; now is the time of mercy, afterward will be the time of judgment.

Joh_12:49. He Himself is the Word which the Father speaketh.—From Chrysostom: Joh_12:37-38. The prophets had predicted this very unbelief, and He came [amongst other intents] that it might be made manifest.—That is expressive not of the cause but of the event; they did not disbelieve because Isaiah said they would, Esaias said they would because they would.

Joh_12:39. Could not, a common form of speech among ourselves; we say, I cannot love such a man, meaning only a vehement will.

Joh_12:39-40. He does not leave us except we wish Him; we begin to forsake first.—As it is not the fault of the sun that it hurts weak eyes, so neither is God to blame for punishing those who do not attend to His words.

Joh_12:43. The praise [glory] of God is publicly to confess Christ; the praise [glory] of men is to glory in earthly things.

Joh_12:47. I am not the cause of his judgment, but he is himself by despising My words.

Joh_12:48. That this (Joh_12:46-47) might not serve to encourage sloth, He warns of a terrible judgment about to come.——From Litany of the Church of England: Joh_12:37-40. “From all hardness of heart, and contempt of Thy Word and commandment, good Lord, deliver us.”

[From Burkitt: Joh_12:38-41. The reference is to Isa_6:3; whence a clear argument for Christ’s divinity may be drawn.

Joh_12:37. Let not the ministers of Christ be discouraged at their want of success, when they consider the small success of our Lord’s own ministry.

Joh_12:38. Isaiah’s complaint of the small success of his preaching, a prophecy of the like success that Christ and His ministers should have under the gospel.—The gospel in all ages has met with more that rejected it than have savingly entertained it.

Joh_12:38; Joh_12:40. When men close their eyes wilfully, it is just with God to close their eyes judicially.—The infidelity of a people is to be resolved into the perverseness of their own wills, and not to any judicial blindness wrought by God upon them antecedent to their own sin.—God’s act of hardening was consequential upon their sinning.

Joh_12:42. Even in times and places where infidelity most prevails, the ministry of the word shall not be altogether without fruit.—Fear of men has kept many from believing on Christ, and more from confessing Him.

Joh_12:43. They valued applause from men, more than God’s approving them; no greater snare to draw persons from duty than an inordinate love of their own reputation.—How often is the applause of men preferred before the commendation of God.

Joh_12:45. We do not see Christ aright unless we see Him to be truly God.—The Father is not to be seen but in the Son.

Joh_12:46. The dreadful judgment denounced by Christ against all unbelievers

Joh_12:46-47. Learn—1. Christ and His doctrine inseparable; 2. rejecters of Christ and His doctrine shall not escape the judgment of Christ at the last day; 3. were there no other witness against rejecters, the word preached would be sufficient.—The word preached is now the rule of living, hereafter it shall be the rule of judging.

[From M. Henry: Joh_12:37-41. The honor done to our Lord by the Old Testament prophets.—Two things said concerning untractable Israel —1. they did not believe; 2. they could not believe.—They could not believe because—1. they would not, a moral impotency like that of one accustomed to do evil, Jer_13:23; Jeremiah 2. God had blinded their eyes, God is not the author of sin and yet, (1) a righteous hand of God sometimes to be acknowledged in the blindness of those who persist in sin as punishment for preceding resistance, (2) judicial blindness is threatened against those who wilfully persist in wickedness.

Joh_12:42-43. Many professed more kindness for Christ than they had, these had more than they were willing to profess.—A struggle between their convictions and corruptions.—There are more good people than we think there are—some are better than they seem.—The power of the world in smothering convictions.—Observe concerning these believers—1. wherein they failed—in not confessing Christ; 2. what they feared—disgrace and damage; 3. the ground of their fear—they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.—Love of the praise of men—1. as a by-end in that which is good, will make a man a hypocrite where religion is in fashion; 2. as a principle in that which is evil, will make one an apostate where religion is in disgrace.

Joh_12:44. Jesus cried [aloud] and said: this intimates His boldness and earnestness in speaking.

Joh_12:44-46. The privileges and dignities of those that believe, they are brought into—1. an honorable acquaintance with God; 2. a comfortable enjoyment of themselves.

Joh_12:47-48. The peril of those that believe not; observe—1. who they are whose unbelief is here condemned—those who hear and believe not; 2. the constructive malignity of their unbelief—a rejection of Christ; 3. the forbearance of Jesus toward them; 4. their certain judgment at the great day.

Joh_12:49-50. The authority of Christ—1. His commission from the Father; 2. the design of that commission—life everlasting; 3. His own observance of the instructions thereof.—Our Lord learned obedience Himself before He taught it to us.—Those who disobey Christ despise everlasting life.

[From Doddridge: Joh_12:42-43. Strange infatuation! that the human mind should be capable of believing that there is a God, and yet of preferring the creature before Him.—From Scott: Joh_12:42-43. That will not be accounted true faith which does not overcome [worldly] ambition, and induce its possessors to confess Christ before His enemies.—Chief Rulers are especially in danger of prevaricating.—From A. Clarke

Joh_12:42-43. Many persons are liberal in their condemnation of the Jews who are probably committing the same sort of transgression under circumstances which heighten their iniquity.—It is possible for a man to credit the four Evangelists [the entire Bible] and yet live and die an infidel so far as his own salvation is concerned.

[From Stier: Joh_12:39-40. The predicted judicial hardening [of the Jews] in the fulfilment of which, unbelief itself becomes only a new sign [to us] in proof.—The guilt of unbelief rested solely with Israel

Joh_12:37-43. Of the unbelieving there are, according to St. John, two classes—1. the unsusceptible and hardened; 2. those who confess not in spite of their [imperfect] belief—He knows no other genuine, and perfect faith than that which confesses.

Joh_12:50. The commission is, in its ground and aim, according to its design and indwelling power, life everlasting for all who believe.

[From A Plain Commentary (Oxford): Joh_12:46. It is evidently implied that He found all the world in darkness.—From Barnes: Joh_12:37. The Jews did not believe as a nation.

Joh_12:42-43. True faith is active—it overcomes the fear of man, it prompts to self-denying duties.

Joh_12:48. Hath one that judgeth him: He will carry his own condemnation with him, his own conscience will condemn him.—Learn that—1. a guilty conscience needs no accuser; 2. the words of Christ will be remembered by the rejecter; 3. this [rejection] will be the source of his condemnation; 4. the conscience of the sinner will concur with the sentence of Christ in the great day; 5. the word that Christ has spoken will be that by which the sinner will be judged in the last day.

Joh_12:50. His commandment is life everlasting, i.e. the cause or source of everlasting life.—The [one] reason of the earnestness and fidelity of Jesus—He saw that eternal life depended on faithful preaching.—Every minister should have a deep and abiding conviction that He delivers a message connected with the eternal welfare of his hearers; under the influence of this belief he should preach fearlessly.—The close of the public ministry of Christ; such a close as all His ministers should desire to make.

[From Ryle: Joh_12:37. Where there is the greatest quantity of the form of religion, there is often the greatest proportion of formality and unbelief.

Joh_12:38. It is a singular fact that the very chapter which the Jews have been most unwilling to believe should begin with the question—Who hath believed our report?—If the Jews had not been unbelieving, the Scriptures would have been untrue.—“Darkness does not blind men so much as light, unless God renews the mind by His Spirit.” [Rollock.]—Remark how seeing, understanding, being converted, and being healed, are linked together.

Joh_12:42. Many of the Chief Rulers believed: their faith was only of the head and not of the heart—they were cowards.

Joh_12:43. The same miserable motive is still ruining myriads of souls.—“They were not willing to part with their great places in the magistracy.” [Poole.]

Joh_12:48. There will be a resurrection of all faithful servants at the last day.

[From Owen: Joh_12:40. He hath blinded—hardened; this He did mediately or by the instrumentality of the truth; the indirect agency of truth when resisted to render the soul insensible to divine love is equally certain and dreadful in its results as though the effect were produced by a direct agency upon the heart.

Joh_12:50. His commandment contains in itself the germ and principle of eternal life, and when received into the soul results in everlasting salvation.

[From Whedon: Joh_12:40. Although God was the unwilling cause of their blindness, it was their wicked will that gave to the cause its effect.—Their perverse will transformed His mercy into judgment; his means of softening into results of hardening—thus does the same sun that melts the wax harden the clay.

Joh_12:42. A type fulfilled in nearly every age of advancement and beneficent resolution.

Joh_12:50. God’s divine, authoritative word implanted within our soul is eternal life in its very element and essence.]

Footnotes:

[45]Joh_12:37.—[Tοσαῦτα may be understood of magnitude: so great, such (comp. Mat_8:10, Luk_7:9; Rev_18:17; Gal_3:1), or of multitude: so many (Mat_15:33; Joh_6:9; Joh_14:9; Joh_11:11). Lücke and De Wette decide for the former, Meyer and Alford for the latter. Lange translates such.—P. S.]

[46]Joh_12:40.—[Tischendorf gives ἐπώρωσεν, instead of the πεπώρωκεν of Lach., in accordance with A. B* K. L. X., etc., and also א.II., as amended from ἐπηρώτησεν].

[47]Joh_12:40.—[Tischenderf and Alford give στραφῶσιν in accordance with א. B. D.; the text. rec. reads ἐρ ιστοραφῶσι according to A. D. 2 E. F., etc.]

[48]Joh_12:40.—The Future ἰάσομαι is to be preferred to the Subjunctive ἰάσωμαι, in accordance with the decided preponderance of authorities, Lachmann, Tischendorf. א. A. B. D., etc.]

[49]Joh_12:41.—Ὅτι [because] is to he adopted in the place of ὅτε [when, text roc, E. V.] in accordance with [א. A. B. L., etc., Lachmann, Tischenderf [Alford, Westcott and Hort].

[50]Joh_12:41.—[See Exegetical Notes].

[51]Joh_12:43.—[See Exegetical Notes].

[52]Joh_12:47.—Καὶ μὴ φυλάξῃ instead of καὶ μὴ πιστεύσῃ, in accordance with Codd. [א.] A. B. K. [L.M.], etc., Lachmann Tischendorf [Alford, Westcott and Hort], Jesus goes away after uttering this saying. [א. T. Δ. Δ. and Verss. give ἓως, in this verse; in Joh_12:36, א. B. D. L. give ςω.—P.S.]

Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures (Critical, Doctrinal, and Homiletical), ed. John Peter Lange, English translation edited by Philip Schaff (1864–1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

JUDICIAL BLINDNESS OF THE JEWS

Joh 12:37-41. “He, having performed so many miracles in their presence, they did not believe on Him, in order that the word of Isaiah the prophet may be fulfilled, which he spoke, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”. [Isa 53:1] For this reason they were not able to believe, because Isaiah again said,

He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; in order that they may not see with their eyes, and understand with their hearts, and turn, and I shall heal them.” (Isa 6:9)

The reader is liable to take up the conclusion from the above Scriptures that there was a constraint on the Jews, so they could not receive Jesus. This conclusion arises from a misapprehension of the prophecies. N. B. — Prophecy is nothing but history from a Divine standpoint. God saw just what they would do of their own free will, and revealed it to Isaiah, who wrote it down long before it occurred, just as we write up the history of events after they have occurred. Perhaps you are puzzled with the statement, “He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their hearts.” When God gives light and we refuse to walk in it, He takes it away, and leaves us to the infatuation of the devil in his black darkness. All are practically blind in darkness. The same sun which softens the wax, hardens the clay. Consequently it is impossible for people to reject the gospel without actually receiving hardness of heart. As it is God’s gospel, there is a practical sense in which He hardens all hearts who reject it.

William B. Godbey, Commentary on the New Testament (1896–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

12:37 Jesus’ work was finished, yet most of the people . . . did not believe in him. His sermons before the world were complete and the signs had been displayed, but he was rejected (1:11).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Joh 12:37. Τοσαῦτα, so great) So many. A general Epicrisis [See Append. A statement added to a speech or sentence to make the subject in hand more intelligible].—ἔμπροσθεν αὐτῶν, before them) so that they perceived them with their eyes.—οὐκ ἐπίστευον, they did not believe) There follows something further, they could not believe, Joh 12:39.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Joh_12:37. At the close of the public ministry of Jesus there now follows a general observation on its results in respect to faith in Him, as far as Joh_12:50.

τοσαῦτα] not so great (Lücke, De Wette, and several others), but so many,[118] Joh_6:9, Joh_14:9, Joh_21:11. Comp. the admissions of the Jews themselves, Joh_7:31, Joh_11:47. The multitude of the miracles, i.e. the so-often-repeated miraculous demonstration of His Messianic δόξα, must have convinced them (comp. Joh_20:30), had they not been blinded and hardened by a divine destiny. The reference, however, of τοσαῦτα is not: so many as have hitherto been related, for our Gospel contains the fewest miraculous narratives,but it lies in the notoriety of the great multitude in general. Comp. Joh_14:9; 1Co_14:10; Heb_4:7.

ἔμπροσθ. αὐτ.] before their eyes.

οὐκ ἐπίστ. εἰς αὐτ.] summary statement.

[118] Comp. on the distinction between the two notions, the phrase current in the classics, τοσαῦτά τε καὶ τοιαῦτα, Heindorf, ad Plat. Gorg. p. 456 C.

Meyer — Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament — English translation by Peter Christie, edited by Frederick Crombie (T&T Clark, 1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Joh 12:37-43 . In the verses which follow, Joh 12:37-43 , John accounts for the unbelief of the Jews . This fact that the very people who had been appointed to accept the Messiah had rejected Jesus needed explanation. This explanation is suitably given at the close of that part of the Gospel which has described His manifestation.

Joh 12:37 . Τοσαῦτα … αὐτόν . The difficulty to be solved is first stated. “Although He had done so many signs before them, yet they did not believe on Him.” A larger number of miracles is implied than is narrated, Joh 7:31 , Joh 11:47 , Joh 21:25 . The quality of the miracles is also alluded to once and again, Joh 3:2 , Joh 9:32 . They had not been done “in a corner,” but ἔμπροσθεν αὐτῶν , cf. ἐνώπιον Joh 20:30 . Yet belief had not resulted. The cause of this unbelief was that the prediction of Isa 53:1 had to be fulfilled. Certainly this mode of statement conveys the impression that it was not the future event which caused the prediction but the prediction which caused the event. The form of expression might in some cases be retained although the natural order was perceived. The purpose of God was always in the foreground of the Jewish mind. The prophecy of Isaiah was relevant; the “arm of the Lord” signifying the power manifested in the miracles, and τῇ ἀκοῇ referring to the teaching of Jesus. In the time of Jesus as in that of Isaiah the significance of Divine teaching and Divine action was hidden from the multitude.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Third Section: 12:37-50. Retrospective Glance at the Mysterious Fact of Jewish Unbelief.

This passage forms the close of the second part of the Gospel (Joh 12:1-36). The evangelist interrupts his narrative that he may give himself up to a meditation on the fact which he has just set forth. What is this fact? Is it, as some interpreters suppose (Reuss, Westcott, for example) the public ministry of Jesus? The entire part—chaps. 5-12—is the representation of the public activity of the Lord, while chaps. 13-17 describe His private activity. This view appears to us very superficial. Between these two parts, there exists a much more profound contrast than that of a more or less limited circle of activity; it is that of unbelief and faith, of unbelief in the people and of faith in the disciples. Is it not obvious that the real subject of the following epilogue, that which preoccupies the mind of John and becomes for a moment the subject of his meditation, is not the public ministry of Jesus, but the unbelief of the Jewish people. The question to which John replies is this: How explain the failure of the work of the Messiah in Israel? It is indeed one of the most obscure problems of history. It rose in all its greatness, after the preceding part of the Gospel, before the eyes of the historian and his readers. In the first passage, Joh 12:37-43, Jesus explains the causes of this mysterious fact; in the second, Joh 12:44-50, he shows the gravity of it by summing up its tragical consequences.

ADDITIONAL NOTES BY THE AMERICAN EDITOR.

Vv. 37-50.

1. The writer closes this first great division of his work with a declaration of the failure and success of the miracles of Jesus, so far as the matter of faith in the case of the hostile party was concerned—as, at the end of the book, he sets forth his purpose and hope with reference to the recording of them for all his readers. Theσημεῖα had been abundant, but this party would not believe.

2. This unbelief is connected in two ways with the prophetic words uttered by Isaiah—first, as a fulfilment of what he said, and, secondly, as finding its foundation or cause in another statement of his. The two prophetic statements are those declared to have been made in view of the time of Christ. The first and third of these points (Joh 12:38 and Joh 12:41) may be explained in connection with the general view which the New Testament writers had of the Old Testament. They found its whole meaning in Christ, and they thus carried Him, as it were, into every part or sentence of it which corresponded with His experience or work. Their view, in the truest and deepest sense, perchance, was the right one. But the special difficulty here lies in connection with the second point (Joh 12:39-40). The explanation of this point must, apparently, involve two things—first, the responsibility of the individual, which limits the inability to what is moral, and, secondly, the Divine activity, which must be of the nature of a judicial hardening. The literal interpretation of the words, when pressed to its utmost extreme, is contradicted by the general representations of the New Testament respecting the sinfulness of men.

3. The exception mentioned in Joh 12:42 is apparently presented as showing the success which Jesus had gained, notwithstanding the failure just described, and in connection with all that has been said in these later chapters respecting the rulers. The persons here alluded to do not seem to be such as Nicodemus or Joseph of Arimathea, nor such as Gamaliel. The two former were, probably, not actuated by the motive indicated in Joh 12:43. The last, as Meyer remarks, “did not get as far as faith.”— The word δόξα of Joh 12:43 means the glory which comes from men or from God.

4. As to the passage Joh 12:44-50, it is generally held by the recent commentators to be a sort of summary of the teachings of Jesus as given in the foregoing chapters, just as the preceding verses have presented a kind of summation of the results of His work. This is quite probably, though not indeed certainly, the correct view. The verses are introduced as if they might be a new discourse, and yet no occasion or mark of time is given. The thoughts and expressions are, to say the least, more strikingly similar to what has been said before than is the case with any other discourse, and no new idea is presented. The position of the verses also—following the summing up of results—favors the view that they are a resume of the teachings, rather than a new discourse; and, on the whole, this view of them is to be adopted.—

5. The thoughts of this passage follow each other in the natural order:—Faith in Jesus brings the soul into union with God; the object of the coming of Jesus into the world is to bring the light of God, that the soul of the believer may dwell in the light-life which has no darkness, the life like God’s life; as Jesus thus comes to save the world, and not to judge it, He gives forth His teachings, which have been committed to Him by the Father, and they determine the judgment; these teachings which are given to Him as His Divine commission are eternal life, in that, being received by faith, they become the source of eternal life to the soul; in the proclamation of these teachings Jesus speaks in exact accordance with the Father’s communication of His will and of His truth.—The thoughts contained in these verses, in the completeness of their setting forth of His message, as well as in the fact that the passage gathers into itself only what has been said in different places before, seem to be the summary of what He gave to the world in this earlier portion of this Gospel.

6. It is worthy of notice that at this point the σημεῖα, so far as they are found in the sphere of miraculous works, cease to be recorded. What remains of the book contains only the σημεῖα which pertain to the region of the words of Jesus. The works are the primary and lower proofs, to the view of this writer; the words are of the higher order. The former are designed to arrest the attention of the world and to bear upon the earlier development of faith. The latter are adapted to the thoughtful and growing disciples, whose minds open more and more widely to the truth. Just in accordance with this character and purpose of the two kinds of evidence, we find that, when the conflict with the world and the public ministry of Jesus come to their end, and the disciples have been growing in the fulness of their belief even to the last days, the outward miracles are no longer mentioned, and the discourses of intimate friendship and love, as between Christ and His Father and the followers of Christ, begin. How can it be fitly said that this Gospel has no progress, or that it ends at its beginning?

I. The Causes of Jewish Unbelief: Joh 12:37-43.

If the Jews are the chosen people, prepared of God to the end of receiving the Messiah and of carrying salvation to other nations, ought they not to have been the first to open their arms to Jesus? Or, if they did not, must it not be inferred from this fact that Jesus was not really the Messiah? Chaps. 9-11 of the Epistle to the Romans are designed to examine into this great paradox of the religious history of mankind; it was the great apologetic question of the time of the apostles. Thus it is that the following passage in John contains many of the thoughts which likewise form the basis of St. Paul’s dissertation.

Vv. 37, 38. “Now, although he had done so many miracles in their presence, they did not believe on him, 38 that the word which Isaiah the prophet had spoken might be fulfilled: Lord, who has believed our preaching and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”

However irrational is the fact with which John is about to occupy himself, it must be accomplished, for it was foreseen and foretold. How many motives to believe were there for the Jews in the appearance of Jesus, particularly in His miracles which were the testimony of God, the seal with which He marked His Son, signs the meaning of which it was easy to apprehend, especially for Jews (1Co 1:22)! The word τοσαῦτα, so many, in our gospels, refers always to number, not to greatness; comp. Joh 6:9, Joh 21:11; it is also sometimes its meaning in the classics; comp. the expression τοσαῦτα τε καὶ τοιαῦτα . These words imply that Jesus had done a much larger number of miracles than the six related in this book; comp. Joh 7:3, Joh 20:30. John did not wish therefore to relate everything that he knew. The term σημεῖα, signs, calls to mind the divine purpose in these works, and the words ἔμπροσθεν αὐτῶν, in their presence, their complete publicity. The imperfect, they did not believe, sets forth the continuance, the obstinate persistency of the Israelitish unbelief, notwithstanding the signs which were renewed every day before their eyes.

Scarcely any one seeks any longer to weaken the sense of ἵνα, in order that, by making it a ὥστε, so that.The passage quoted is Isa 53:1. The prophet, at the moment of describing the humiliation, the death and the exaltation of the Messiah, asks himself whether there will be any one in Israel who is disposed to welcome with faith a message such as this, so contrary to the carnal aspirations of the people. Now the Messiah to whom the prophecy refers cannot hope for a better welcome than the message itself. These two things, the message and the Messiah who is its subject, are so completely one and the same thing to the view of the prophet that in the second clause, parallel to the first, there is no more any question except of the Messiah (the arm of the Lord recognized). The reply to the question Who has believed? is, in the thought of the prophet, either no one, or a small number of persons; they can be counted. According to some, the expression ἀκοὴ ἡμῶν, our hearing, signifies: that which we hearfrom the mouth of Jehovah, either we prophets (Hengstenberg), or we Jews who have attained to faith, the prophet being included (Hofmann, Delitzsch, Keil). But it is much more natural to explain: “That which we cause to be heard (we prophets).” It is certainly not the people hearing; it is the prophets preaching who can raise such a question. The first expression: that which we preach, refers to the suffering Messiah described in the following picture; the second: the arm of the Lord, to the acts of divine power of which He will be the agent, especially at His resurrection and at His exaltation, which are the crowning points of this picture (Isa 53:10-12). The prophecy had thus declared that a Messiah, such as God should send, would not find faith in Israel; His humiliation would to such a degree shock this people, who would not even have eyes to discern the manifestations of the divine power in His appearance. But the fact might be foretold without being desired by God. Well, it was at once desired and announced, so far that God Himself cooperated in its execution. Such is the advance from Joh 12:38 to Joh 12:39. Yes, in this blindness there is something supernatural!

Frédéric Louis Godet — Commentaries on Luke, John, Romans, and 1 Corinthians — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1870s–1890s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Faith is not of nature, but of grace.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

It is the manner of this Evangelist alone to record his own reflections on the scenes he describes; but here, having arrived at what was virtually the close of our Lord's public ministry, he casts an affecting glance over the fruitlessness of His whole ministry on the bulk of the now doomed people.

though he had done so many miracles--The word used suggests their nature as well as number.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 37. Yet they believed not on him] Though the miracles were wrought for this very purpose, that they might believe in Christ, and escape the coming wrath, and every evidence given that Jesus was the Messiah, yet they did not believe; but they were blinded by their passions, and obstinately hardened their hearts against the truth.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

37. And though he had done so many signs. That no man may be disturbed or perplexed at seeing that Christ was despised by the Jews, the Evangelist removes this offense, by showing that he was supported by clear and undoubted testimonies, which proved that credit was due to him and to his doctrine; but that the blind did not behold the glory and power of God, which were openly displayed in his miracles. First, therefore, we ought to believe that it was not owing to Christ that the Jews did not place confidence in him, because by many miracles he abundantly testified who he was, and that it was therefore unjust and highly unreasonable that their unbelief should diminish his authority. But as this very circumstance might lead many persons to anxious and perplexing inquiry how the Jews came to be so stupid, that the power of God, though visible, produced no effect upon them, John proceeds further, and shows that faith does not proceed from the ordinary faculties of men, but is an uncommon and extraordinary gift of God, and that this was anciently predicted concerning Christ, that very few would believe the Gospel.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

(37) But though he had done so many miracles before them.—The words “before them” mean “in their presence,” “before their eyes.” They refer to the multitude (Joh_12:34). St. John’s narrative implies, therefore, that the “signs” of the earlier Gospels were well known. He has himself recorded but six miracles, and all these, with the exception of the feeding the five thousand, belong to the Judæan ministry. (Comp. Note on Joh_2:11.)

Yet they believed not on him.—This is the writer’s comment on the general result of Christ’s work at the close of His public teaching. This too is said of the multitude, the people as a whole. There were, of course, not a few who were then walking according as they had light, but it was not so with the many. Rejection and not acceptance was the result of Christ’s personal work on earth; yet rejection accompanied, as on this day, by signs which pointed to a world-wide acceptance. “He came unto His own, and His own received Him not. But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name” (Joh_1:11-12).

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

37. so many miracles] The Jews admitted His miracles, Joh_7:31; Joh_11:47. They are assumed by S. John as notorious, although he himself records only seven of them. Comp. Joh_2:23, Joh_4:45, Joh_7:31, Joh_11:47.

before them] i.e. before their very eyes.

37–43. The Judgment of the Evangelist

S. John here sums up the results of the ministry which has just come to a close. Their comparative poverty is such that he can explain it in no other way than as an illustration of that judicial blindness which had been foretold and denounced by Isaiah. The tragic tone returns again: see on Joh_1:5.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled,.... For though this was not the end of these men in disbelieving Christ, that the words of Isaiah might be fulfilled, yet hereby they were eventually fulfilled; and though the predictions of the prophet had no such influence on the wills of these men, as to lay upon them a coactive necessity, or force them to do, or to answer to the things foretold; yet they were to have, and had an infallible event or completion, otherwise the foreknowledge of God, and the authority of the prophetic writings, could not be maintained:

which he spake in Isa 53:1;

Lord, who hath believed our report? which words the prophet delivered by way of complaint to God the Father; not so much with respect to his own time, and the men of it, as to the times of Christ, and his apostles, whom he represents; for the whole chapter is a prophecy of the Messiah, and suggests, that in those times there would be but few that would believe the report made in the ministry of the Gospel, concerning the Messiah, his person, office, and grace; though so true in itself, and so much confirmed by miracles, and mighty deeds; the reason of which, he intimates, would be his outward mean appearance in the world; and which, it is certain, was the true reason, God denying the influence of his powerful and special grace, as follows:

and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed? meaning either the Gospel, which is the power of God unto salvation, and which was bid from the wise and prudent; or the Lord Jesus Christ himself, who is the power of God, by whom he made the heavens and the earth, and upholds them in their being, and by whom he has redeemed and saved his people; and who was not revealed neither to them in the ministry of the word, nor in them the hope of glory: or the Holy Spirit is meant, the finger of God, by whom these surprising miracles were done; and yet he did not exert himself in these persons, in the special operations of his grace; or the powerful and efficacious grace of God itself is designed, which was not put forth, and did not attend the report of the Gospel, and therefore it was not believed.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

37 But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him:

Ver. 37. But though he had done, &c.] The evangelist being now by course of the history to pass on to the description of Christ’s death and passion, thinks good first to remove this dead Amasa (the Jews’ unbelief) out of the way (that none might stop or step aside for it), by assigning the true cause thereof, their own unmalleable obstinance.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

So many miracles - This does not refer to any miracles performed on this occasion, but to all his miracles performed in view of the nation, in healing the sick, opening the eyes of the blind, raising the dead, etc. John here gives the summary or the result of all his work undeniable proof of his being the Messiah, yet the nation did not believe on him.

Before them - Before the Jewish nation. Not in the presence of the people whom he was then addressing, but before the Jewish people.

They believed not - The Jewish nation did not believe as a nation, but rejected him.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

The miracles of Christ did not work faith in any, yet they had a tendency both to prepare souls for an assent to the proposition of the gospel, and also for receiving Christ as the true Messiah and Saviour of the world, as they evidenced a Divine power in him by which he wrought those mighty works; but yet they had not this effect upon the generality of the Jews.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Vers. 37-43. 6. The reflections of the evangelist.

Though he had done so many signs in their presence, yet they believed not on him, (Tosauta is discriminated from toiauta , Plat., "Gorgias," p. 456, c. The passages Joh_6:9 Joh_14:9 Joh_21:11, aregenerally held to establish the meaning of so many," rather so great;" the proof is not conclusive.) If so many" be the correct reading, John is simply implying what he elsewhere expresses, that a widespread knowledge was possessed by him of groups of miraculous signs, of which he recorded only seven crucial symbolic specimens;

(1) wine;

(2) bread;

(3) walking on the sea;

(4) healing nobleman"s son;

(5) healing impotent man;

(6) resurrection of Lazarus; to he followed by

(7) the healing of the ear of Malchns, and the resurrection of the Lord himself.

(a) Signs in heaven, earth and sea;

(b) startling miracles on human nature, and

(c) on dead men, did not compel belief.

The inaccessibility of the people reveals their mental condition, but no reproach is thrown upon the method which the Lord took to reveal his Divine mission. The tragic refrain still echoes on, He came unto his own, and his own received him not?

Vers. 37-41. The causes of Jewish unbelief.

The evangelist now turns to the remarkable failure of the Messiah"s work in Israel, and proceeds to account for it.

I THE UNBELIEF OF THE JEWS WAS INEXCUSABLE. "But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him.

1. It is implied that Jesus did many more miracles than the seven recorded in this Gospel.

2. The miracles were done "before them," so as to leave them without this excuse of ignorance.

3. The imperfect tense of the verb, believed," emphasizes the persistence of their unbelief.

II THEIR UNBELIEF WAS PREDICTED. "That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed?

1. The unbelief of the large body of the Jewish nation was clearly foreseen centuries before the advent of Christ, as well as their disregard of the evidence of his miracles. "The arm of the Lord.

2. Let not ministers be surprise g that their gospel is neglected or refused, for their Master encountered a similar disappointment.

3. Yet the prediction was not the cause of Jewish unbelief.

III THE TRUE CAUSE OF THEIR UNBELIEF. "Therefore they could not believe, because that Isaiah said again, He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.

1. God in judgment gave them over to hardness of heart. It is a fixed law that power disused destroys itself. Thus the persistent disregard for religion makes it more difficult to obey or to believe. The callous heart is the effect of willful unbelief.

2. What an obstacle it would have been to a pure spiritual Christianity if the Jews had been received by Christ on their own conditions of a carnal and legal Phariseeism!

3. The apostle does not attempt to explain or reconcile the mystery of God"s sovereignty and man"s responsibility, but simply accepts the two facts as standing each on its own impregnable foundation.

IV THIS PREDICTION EXPRESSLY REFERRED TO CHRIST. "These things said Isaiah, when he saw his glory, and spake of him.

1. The glory was that of the pro-incarnate Word of God.

2. The supreme Deity of Christ is here implied.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Though he had done so many miracles before them - So that they could not but see them.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

The fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy:

v. 37. But though He had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on Him,

v. 38. that the saying of Esaias the Prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report, and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed?

v. 39. Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again,

v. 40. He hath blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.

v. 41. These things said Esaias when he saw His glory and spake of Him.

The results of Christ’s entire ministry, on the whole, had been very discouraging. Neither His words nor His miracles had had the desired result. And in this, as the evangelist here points out, the judgment of God upon unbelief was carried out. He refers to two Old Testament prophecies, both from the Book of Isaiah. In Isa 53:1 the Messiah complains of the fact that His teaching is not believed, and that the arm of the Lord, as revealed in the miracles, is hidden from the multitude. And since the Jews thus, by their unbelief, opposed the gracious will of God in both Gospel and signs, the second prophecy, Isa 6:9-10, found its application and fulfillment. Their eyes were finally blinded, making it impossible for them, to see; their heart was rendered callous to every good impression, making it impossible for them to understand the wonderful message of their salvation. The judgment upon the unbelieving Jews, which had begun in the days of the great prophet, was now finally consummated in the days of Christ. See Mat 13:14; Mar 4:12; Luk 8:10; Act 28:26; Rom 11:8. It was rejection and contempt of the grace of God which characterized the attitude of the Jews: contempt in the days of Isaiah, contempt in the days of Christ, contempt in the days of the apostles; and so the judgment finally struck them in full force. It is a terrible thing for a person to reject and despise the grace of God when it is offered to him, for the time of mercy may Boon be ended, and then comes the time when the Gospel will be unto such a person a savor of death unto death.

Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The place which our Evangelist alludes to, is, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts, the whole earth is full of his glory. Isa 6:3

From whence, a clear argument for Christ’s divinity may be thus drawn. He whom Isaiah saw environed with seraphims, and praised as most holy by them, was the true and eternal God; for such acclamations belong to none but the great Jehovah, God blessed for evermore. But says St. John, it was the glory of Christ that Isaiah saw in his vision, it was Christ whom he called, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of hosts: therefore Christ is undoubtedly God, blessed for evermore. For the Evangelist was not speaking of the Father, but the Son, and cites these words out of Isaiah saw and spake of, if the words of the Evangelist be of any credit. Besides, the angels are too holy to give acclamations belonging to God, to any but him that is God.

Observe here, 1. The astonishing infidelity and unbelief of the Jews, who heard our Saviour’s doctrine, and were eye-witnesses of his miracles; though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him. Let not the faithful minister of Christ be discouraged, and overmuch dejected, at their want of success in dispensing of the gospel, when they observe and consider the small success of our Saviour’s own ministry in the hearts and lives of his hearers: yea, though his minstry was accompanied with miracles, and though his miracles were many in number, mighty in nature, clear and obvious to sense, being wrought before their eyes, yet his ministry succeeded not, and his miracles prevailed not: Lord, what little success has the offer of Christ in the gospel met with, from the first original tender to this day! Obstinate infidelity, and cursed hypocrisy, draw more souls to hell than all the devils in hell.

Observe, 2. How the present infidelity of these unbelieving Jews was long before foretold, and prophesied of, by the prophet Esaias, Lord, who hath believed our report? Isa 53:1 That is, our preaching.

Where note, That Isaiah’s complaint of the small success of his preaching, was a prophesy and prediction of the like success that Christ and his ministers should have under the gospel.

Learn hence, That the gospel in all ages have met with more that have rejected it by unbelief, than have savingly entertained it by faith. Isaiah complained before Christ, and his apostles and minsters in every age since, that few have believed their reports.

Observe, 3. That though the present unbelief of the obstinate Jews was long foretold by the prophets of God, yet the prophet’s prediction was no cause of their unbelief, or that which laid them under an impossibility of believing; but the fault lay in their own obstinate wills, with respect to which, by the just judgment of God, they were blinded and hardened, for their contempt of Christ, the promised Messias. When men close their eyes wilfully, and say, they will not see, it is just with God to close their eyes judicially, and say, they shall not see. He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their hearts, &c.

Learn hence, That the infidelity of the people is to be resolved into the perverseness of their own wills, and the evil disposition of their own hearts, not to any judicial blindness or obduration wrought by God upon them, antecedent to their own sin: God’s act of hardening was consequential upon their sinning.

.

William Burkitt's Expository Notes on the New Testament (1700–1703) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

37. Yet they believed not on him. They had a kind of intellectual faith, but were filled with doubts when they could not understand. There was no real trust.

B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.

General Information:

This is a break in the main story line as the John begins to explain about the fulfillment of prophesies that had been spoken by the prophet Isaiah.

so that the word of Isaiah the prophet would be fulfilled

You can translate this in an active form. AT: "in order to fulfill the message of Isaiah the prophet" (See: Active or Passive)

Lord, who has believed our report, and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?

This appears in the form of two rhetorical questions to express the prophet's dismay that the people do not believe his message.They may be stated as a single rhetorical question, AT: "Lord, hardly anyone has believed our message, even though they have seen that you are powerfully able to save them!" (See: Rhetorical Question)

the arm of the Lord

This is a metonym that refers to the Lord's ability to rescue with power. (See: Metonymy)

translationWords

sign

believe

Isaiah

prophet

fulfill

lord

report

reveal

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

37–43. THE JUDGMENT OF THE EVANGELIST

S. John here sums up the results of the ministry which has just come to a close. Their comparative poverty is such that he can explain it in no other way than as an illustration of that judicial blindness which had been foretold and denounced by Isaiah. The tragic tone returns again: see on Joh 1:5.

37. τοσαῦτα. So many, not ‘so great’ (Joh 6:9, Joh 21:11). The Jews admitted His miracles (Joh 7:31, Joh 11:47). S. John assumes them as notorious, though he records only seven (Joh 2:23, Joh 4:45, Joh 7:31, Joh 11:47).

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

37-50.] Final judgment on the unbelief of the Jews.

37-43.] The Evangelist’s judgment on their unbelief (37-41), and their half-belief (42, 43). I do not regard these verses as forming the conclusion to the narrative of the public ministry of the Lord, on account of vv. 44-50 (where see note): but doubtless the approaching close of that ministry gives occasion to them, and is the time to which they refer.

37.] τοσαῦτα, so many: not, so great: see ch. 6:9, 21:11.

οὐκ ἐπίστ., i.e. the generality did not;—they did not, as a people: see ver. 42.

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

37. Verses 37-43 contain an explanatory commentary by the evangelist upon the Rejection of Jesus by the Jews, its causes and its extent.2

τοσαῦτα, “so many” (cf. 6:9, 21:11), not “so great.” For the term σημεῖα, see on 2:11, 23. Many had believed in consequence of the “signs” that had been wrought; cf. 2:23, 4:45, 7:31, 11:47, 48, it being clear that Jn. knew of many “signs” other than those which he describes (cf. 20:30). But the nation as a whole did not accept Him (cf. 1:11, 3:11, 32, 5:43, 15:24), although some in high station were among those that believed, while they were afraid to confess it (v. 42). For the constr. ἐπίστευον εἰς αὐτόν, see on 1:12.

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.