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Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - John 12:39

39-40. Therefore they could not believe, because Esaias said again, He hath blinded their eyes, that they should not see, &c.—That this expresses a positive divine act, by which those who wilfully close their eyes and harden their hearts against the truth are judicially shut up in their unbelief and impenitence, is admitted by all candid critics [as OLSHAUSEN], though many of them think it necessary to contend that this is in no way inconsistent with the liberty of the human will, which of... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - John 12:19-50

II. JESUS’ PUBLIC MINISTRY 1:19-12:50The first part of the body of John’s Gospel records Jesus’ public ministry to the multitudes in Palestine, who were primarily Jewish. Some writers have called this section of the Gospel "the book of signs" because it features seven miracles that signify various things about Jesus."Signs are miraculous works performed or mentioned to illustrate spiritual principles." [Note: Tenney, "The Symphonic . . .," p. 119. See also idem, "Topics from the Gospel of... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - John 12:37-38

The majority of the Jews did not believe on Jesus despite the many miracles that He performed that indicated His messiahship (cf. John 1:11). John again attributed Israel’s unbelief to God’s will, though he balanced that again with the Jew’s human responsibility in John 12:43. He viewed Isaiah 53:1 as predicting Israel’s rejection of her Messiah. The verse originally referred to the Gentiles’ rejection of Israel, the servant of the Lord. However in another sense it predicted Israel’s rejection... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - John 12:37-50

7. The unbelief of Israel 12:37-50This section of the Gospel contains the writer’s explanation of the significance of the events so far in Jesus’ ministry. John first explained the conflict between belief and unbelief, and then He recorded Jesus’ final appeal for decision. This is the final climax of the decision theme before Jesus’ passion. The key word in this section is "believe," which appears six times. read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - John 12:39

John again affirmed that most of the Jews did not believe on Jesus because they could not. God had judicially hardened their hearts because they had refused to believe Him previously (cf. Exodus 9:12; cf. 2 Thessalonians 2:8-12). read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - John 12:40

Isaiah 6:10 is the prophecy that predicted this hardening (cf. Acts 28:26-27). Originally God had told Isaiah that the people to whom he ministered would not welcome his ministry because God would harden their hearts. Now John explained that this verse also revealed the reason for the Jews’ rejection of Jesus’ ministry. Prophecy not only described Israel’s unbelief (John 12:38), but it also explained it.The apostle Paul gave the definitive answer to the problem of God’s fairness that His... read more

John Dummelow

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - John 12:1-50

The Triumphal Entry. Close of the Public Ministry1-11. Supper at Bethany (see on Matthew 26:6 and Mark 14:3, which record the same incident). The event in Luke 7:36. is different. The supper was at the house of Simon the leper, a near relation, perhaps the father, of Lazarus and the sisters. St. John alone mentions the name of the woman who anointed Jesus, the quantity of the unguent (1 litre = 12 oz.), and the author of the mean speech, ’Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence,... read more

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