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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadBob Utley You Can Understand the Bible - John 12:44 - 12:50
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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Joh_12:44-50
44And Jesus cried out and said, "He who believes in Me, does not believe in Me but in Him who sent Me. 45He who sees Me sees the One who sent Me. 46I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness. 47If anyone hears My sayings and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. 48He who rejects Me and does not receive My sayings, has one who judges him; the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day. 49For I did not speak on My own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment as to what to say and what to speak. 50I know that His commandment is eternal life; therefore the things I speak, I speak just as the Father has told Me.
Joh_12:44 "He who believes in Me, does not believe in Me but in Him who sent Me" The goal of faith is ultimately in the Father (cf. 1Co_15:25-27). This is a recurrent theme (cf. Mat_10:40; Joh_5:24). To know the Son is to know the Father (cf. 1Jn_5:10-12).
Joh_12:45 What is God like? To see Jesus is to see God (cf. Joh_14:7-10)!
Joh_12:46 The world is in darkness since Genesis 3 (cf. Gen_6:5; Gen_6:11-12; Gen_8:21; Psa_14:3; Isa_53:6; Rom_3:9-23).
Joh_12:47 "If anyone hears My sayings and does not keep them" This is a third class conditional sentence which speaks of potential action. Continuing obedience is a sign in our continuing personal relationship by faith! Assurance (see Special Topic at 1Jn_5:13) is based on a changed and changing life of obedience and perseverance (see Special Topic at Joh_8:31, cf. the books of James and 1 John).
Joh_12:47-48 "for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world" Jesus came primarily to redeem the world, but the very fact of His coming forces humans to decide. If they reject Him, they judge themselves (see Special Topic at Joh_8:31, cf. Joh_3:17-21).
Joh_12:49-50 Jesus spoke in God's authority, not His own.
Joh_12:50
NASB, NKJV "His commandment is eternal life"
NRSV, TEV,
NET"his command brings eternal life"
NJB "his commands mean eternal life"
REB"his commands are eternal life"
NIV"his command leads to eternal life"
Net (footnote)"his commandment results in eternal life"
The first option is the literal Greek text. The others are trying to interpret its meaning.
The NASB has Joh_6:68 as a parallel passage, while Michael Magill's NT TransLine has Joh_17:8. The Jerome Biblical Commentary (p. 451) has Joh_10:18 as the parallel. Obviously the phrase is ambiguous.
In John there is a fluctuation between the singular and PLURAL of "commandment," with no exegetical significance.
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