John 12:36-40

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - John 12:27-36

Honour is here done to Christ by his Father in a voice from heaven, occasioned by the following part of his discourse, and which gave occasion to a further conference with the people. In these verses we have, I. Christ's address to his Father, upon occasion of the trouble which seized his spirit at this time: Now is my soul troubled, John 12:27. A strange word to come from Christ's mouth, and at this time surprising, for it comes in the midst of divers pleasing prospects, in which, one would... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - John 12:37-41

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,... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - John 12:35-36

12:35-36 Jesus said to them: "For a little while yet the light is among you. Walk while you have the light that the darkness may not overtake you. He who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become the sons of the light." There is in this passage the implicit promise and the implicit threat which are never very far from the heart of the Christian faith. (i) There is the promise of light. The man who walks with... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - John 12:37-41

12:37-41 When Jesus had said these things, he went away and hid himself from them. Although he had done such great signs in their presence they did not believe in him. It happened thus that the word which Isaiah the prophet spoke should be fulfilled: "Lord, who has believed what he heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?" It was for this reason that they could not believe, because Isaiah said again: "He has blinded their eyes, he has hardened their heart, so that... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - John 12:36

While ye have light, believe in the light ,.... Receive the Messiah, and credit the Gospel revelation; this is an explanation of the exhortation in the preceding verse: that ye may be the children of the light ; that is, that they might appear to be such who are enlightened persons; and such are truly so, who are made light in the Lord, or who are enlightened by the Spirit of God to see their own sinfulness, impotency, and unrighteousness, and their need of Christ, and his righteousness... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - John 12:37

But though he had done so many miracles before them ,.... Openly, and in the presence of them; meaning those miracles which were done at Jerusalem, as those which brought Nicodemus to him, and to an acknowledgment of him as a teacher sent from God; and particularly the cure of the lame man at Bethesda's pool, the giving sight to the man that was born blind, by anointing his eyes with clay, and sending him to wash in the Pool of Siloam, and the raising Lazarus from the dead at Bethany, which... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - John 12:38

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... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - John 12:39

Therefore they could not believe ,.... God had determined to leave them to the blindness and hardness of their hearts, and to deny them his grace, which only could cure them of it, and enable them to believe: he had foretold this in prophecy, and they were manifestly the persons spoken of; and therefore considering the decrees of God, the predictions of the prophet, and the hardness of their hearts, they were left unto, it was morally impossible they should believe, because that Esaias... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - John 12:40

He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart ,.... It is of no great moment, whether the he, who is said to blind and harden, be God or Christ, or whether the words be rendered, "it hath blinded", &c.; that is, malice or wickedness; or whether they be read impersonally, "their eyes are blinded", &c.; since God or Christ blind and harden not by any positive act, but by leaving and giving men up to the blindness and hardness of their hearts, and denying them the grace which... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - John 12:36

Children of light - Let the light, the truth of Christ, so dwell in and work by you that ye may be all light in the Lord: that as truly as a child is the produce of his own parent, and partakes of his nature, so ye may be children of the light, having nothing in you but truth and righteousness. Did hide himself from them - Either by rendering himself invisible, or by suddenly mingling with the crowd, so that they could not perceive him. See John 8:59 . Probably it means no more than... read more

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