John 5:44

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - John 5:31-47

In these verses our Lord Jesus proves and confirms the commission he had produced, and makes it out that he was sent of God to be the Messiah. I. He sets aside his own testimony of himself (John 5:31): ?If I bear witness of myself, though it is infallibly true (John 8:14), yet, according to the common rule of judgment among men, you will not admit it as legal proof, nor allow it to be given in evidence.? Now, 1. This reflects reproach upon the sons of men, and their veracity and integrity.... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - John 5:44-47

5:44-47 How can you believe when you are out for the glory that you get from each other, and when you do not search for the glory which comes from the only God? Do not think that it is I who will accuse you to the Father. You have an accuser--it is Moses I mean--on whom you set your hopes. If you had believed in Moses, you would have believed in me, for he wrote about me. If you do not believe in his writings, how will you believe in my words? The scribes and Pharisees desired the praise... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - John 5:44

How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another ?.... As the Scribes and Pharisees did, who were ambitious of honour and respect from one another, as well as from the common people; doing all they did to be seen of men, and to gain applause among them: choosing the uppermost rooms at feasts, and chief places in the synagogues, and delighting in the pompous title of Rabbi, Rabbi; and were in expectation of the temporal kingdom of the Messiah, when they hoped to be advanced to places... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - John 5:44

How can ye believe, which receive honor, etc. - The grand obstacle to the salvation of the scribes and Pharisees was their pride, vanity, and self-love. They lived on each other's praise. If they had acknowledged Christ as the only teacher, they must have given up the good opinion of the multitude; and they chose rather to lose their souls than to forfeit their reputation among men! This is the ruin of millions. They would be religious, if religion and worldly honor were connected; but as... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - John 5:44

Verse 44 44.How can you believe? As it might be thought harsh to say that those who were from their childhood the trained disciples of the Law and the Prophets, should be charged with such gross ignorance and declared to be enemies of the truth, and as this might even be thought to be incredible, Christ shows what it is that hinders them from believing. It is because ambition has deprived them of sound judgment; for he speaks, in a peculiar manner, to the priests and scribes, who, swelled with... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - John 5:1-47

1. Christ proved, by signs and wonders and testimonies, to be Source of life. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - John 5:17-47

(3) The reply of Jesus to the hostile Jews. The discourse of the Lord Jesus, in reply to the persecuting spirit and deadly purpose of the Jewish authorities, is now given at length. There is a fulness and order and progress observable throughout of immense importance as establishing the sacred origin of the words. The simplicity of the style, quite Hebraic in its freedom from conjunctive forms, discriminates it from the Philonic presentation of certain analogous but different ideas. If, as... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - John 5:41-47

(d) The effect of the revelation of the Son upon the Jews. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - John 5:41-47

The cause and the end of Jewish unbelief. Jesus has just declared that the Jews will not come to him, and now he reveals its cause. I. THE CAUSE OF THEIR UNBELIEF . "I know that ye have not the love of God in you." 1 . This love would oblige them to seek honour only from God, and thus appreciate the glory the Father has given to the Son. 2 . Jesus has no concern for man ' s praise or report, for the Father's testimony is all-sufficient. "I receive not honour... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - John 5:44

How can ye believe, seeing that ye receive glory one from another, and ye seek not the glory that cometh from the only God? The difficulties of faith in himself multiply as he proceeds. First, he insisted that he had searched their hearts, and found there none of that elementary "love of God" which is the prime condition of knowledge or faith. Then he showed that an appreciation on their part of the type of character antithetic to his own, i.e. of the man who comes in his own name and... read more

Group of Brands