John 12

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - John 12:32

Be lifted up - See John 3:14; John 8:28.Will draw - John 6:44. The same word is used in both places.All men - I will incline all kinds of men; or will make the way open by the cross, so that all men may come. I will provide a way which shall present a strong motive or inducement - the strongest that can be presented to all men to come to me. read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - John 12:34

We have heard out of the law - Out of the Old Testament; or rather we have been so taught by those who have interpreted the law to us.That Christ - That the Messiah.Abideth for ever - Will remain forever, or will live forever. The doctrine of many of them certainly was that the Messiah would not die; that he would reign as a prince forever over the people. This opinion was founded on such passages of Scripture as these: Psalms 110:4, “Thou art a priest forever;” Daniel 2:44; Daniel 8:13-14. In... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - John 12:35

Yet a little while is the light with you - Jesus did not reply directly to their question. He saw that they were offended by the mention of his death, and he endeavored to arrive at the same thing indirectly. He tells them, therefore, that the light would be with them a little while, and that they ought to improve the opportunity while they had it to listen to his instructions, to require with candor, and thus to forsake their false notions respecting the Messiah.The light - John 1:4. It is... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - John 12:36

While ye have light - This implied two things:1.That he was the light, or was the Messiah.2.That he was soon to be taken away by death.In this manner he answered their question - not directly, but in a way to convey the truth to their minds, and at the same time to administer to them a useful admonition. Jesus never aroused the prejudices of men unnecessarily, yet he never shrank from declaring to them the truth in some way, however unpalatable it might be.Believe in the light - That is, in the... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - John 12:37

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... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - John 12:38

The saying - The word of Isaiah, or that which Isaiah predicted. This occurs in Isaiah 53:1.Might be fulfilled - That the same effect should occur which occurred in the time of Isaiah. This does not mean that the Pharisees rejected Christ in order that the prophecy of Isaiah should be fulfilled, but that by their rejection of him the same thing had occurred which took place in the time of Isaiah. His message was despised by the nation, and he himself put to death. And it was also true - by the... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - John 12:39

They could not believe - See Mark 6:5; “He could there do no mighty works,” etc. The works can and could are often used in the Bible to denote the existence of such obstacles as to make a result certain, or as affirming that while one thing exists another thing cannot follow. Thus, John 5:44; “How can ye believe which receive honor one of another.” That is, while this propensity to seek for honor exists, it will effectually prevent your believing. Thus Genesis 37:4 it is said of the brethren of... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - John 12:40

He hath blinded their eyes - The expression in Isaiah is, “Go, make the heart of this people fat, and shut their eyes.” That is, go and proclaim truth to them truth that will result in blinding their eyes. Go and proclaim the law and the will of God, and the effect will be, owing to the hardness of their heart, that their eyes will be blinded and their hearts hardened. As God knew that this would be the result - as it was to be the effect of the message, his commanding Isaiah to go and proclaim... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - John 12:41

When he saw his glory - Isaiah 6:1-10. Isaiah saw the Lord (in Hebrew, יהוה Yahweh) sitting on a throne and surrounded with the seraphim. This is perhaps the only instance in the Bible in which Yahweh is said to have been seen by man, and for this the Jews affirm that Isaiah was put to death. God had said Exodus 33:20, “No man shall see me and live;” and as Isaiah affirmed that he had seen Yahweh, the Jews, for that and other reasons, put him to death by sawing him asunder. See Introduction to... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - John 12:42

The chief rulers - Members of the Sanhedrin - Nicodemus, Joseph, and others like them.Because of the Pharisees - The Pharisees were a majority of the council.Did not confess him - Did not openly avow their belief that he was the Messiah. Two of them, however, did afterward evince their attachment to him. These were Joseph and Nicodemus, John 19:38-39. That Joseph was one of them appears from Mark 15:43; Luke 23:50-51.Put out of the synagogue - Excommunicated. See the notes at John 9:22. read more

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