John 12:37-50

This passage (12:20-50) is bringing an end to Jesus earthly ministry of calling people to faith and discipleship.  John 13-17 will see Him with His disciples in the upper room before He goes to the cross, is raised from the dead and then ascends to heaven.  John 12:37 calls attention to the previous chapters of John where Jesus performed seven great miracles (signs) to attest to His I AM claims to be God, the Word, become flesh.  But although He had done so many signs before them, they did not believe in Him.

Unbelief was one response to Jesus (v37-40).  Note that it says they did not believe.  The unbelief fulfilled prophecy (v38) but that did not absolve them of personal responsibility.  The Lord had been revealed in powerful ways to the people of Israel; and yet they did not believe.

Therefore they could not believe.  Again, the blindness and hard hearts that came upon them from God had been predicted.  These verses from Isaiah (Isa. 6:9-10) are critical and are referenced at crucial times in the New Testament.  Jesus quoted them in Matt. 13:14 when, having seen the rejection of the leaders (the unpardonable sin of Matt. 12), He began to teach His disciples the Parable of the Kingdom.  Now here He references them at the time when His hour had come, again, in connection with the rejection.  Paul will reference them in Acts 28:26-27 when, having arrived at Rome and having given the good news to the Jewish leaders there, he warns them of the consequences of rejection.  

But there was another response.  We like to call it mumbelief (v37-43).  Some believed we are told, and we are not told that this was not true belief so we won’t argue the point here.  But they were afraid to speak up.  They loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.  What an indictment by the Apostle John!  

Having noted these responses, Jesus again however calls men to true faith in Him (v44-50).  Read carefully and meditate on these verses.

• ·        Faith in Jesus establishes a relationship between the believer and his Creator (v44-45).
• ·        Faith in Jesus is faith in one who uniquely stands out as a Light in the darkness of this world (v46).
• ·        Failure to believe in Jesus, has consequences (v47).  Don’t think He delights in the consequences; He came to save the world, not judge the world.
• ·        The consequences involve being judged by Jesus’ words (v48-50).  In other words, you can know the standard for future judgment.  When you stand before Him the words He spoke will judge you.  There is no excuse.

Many people balk at the theme of judgment.  But you do so at your own eternal peril.  Judgment is real.  The judge is Jesus.  He will judge by words He has already spoken.  His words and His earthly life are a light for the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness.