Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

John 10:38

πιστεύετε (אBDKLU) for πιστεύσατε, and γινώσκητε for πιστεύσητε (to avoid apparent repetition) with BLX against A; א has πιστεύητε.

CHRIST IS LOVE

In Chapter s 5 and 6 two miracles, the healing of the paralytic and the feeding of the 5000, formed the introduction to two discourses in which Christ is set forth as the Source and the Support of Life. In Chapter s 7 and 8 we have a discourse in which He is set forth as the Source of Truth and Light, and this is illustrated (9) by His giving physical and spiritual sight to the man born blind. In chap. 10 we again have a discourse in which Christ is set forth as Love, under the figure of the Good Shepherd giving His life for the sheep, and this is illustrated (11) by the raising of Lazarus, a work of Love which costs Him His life. As already stated, the prevailing idea throughout this section (5–11) is truth and love provoking contradiction and enmity. The more clearly the Messiah manifests Himself, and the more often He convinces some of His hearers of His Messiahship (John 7:40-41; John 7:46; John 7:50; John 8:30; John 9:30-38; John 10:21; John 10:42; John 11:45), the more intense becomes the hostility of ‘the Jews’ and the more determined their intention to kill Him.

38. τ. ἔργοις π. ‘Blessed are they that have not seen and yet have believed’ (John 20:29); but it is better to have the faith that comes with sight than none at all. Thus we have four stages: 1. believing the works; 2. believing Him on account of the works (John 14:11); 3. believing on Him (John 8:30); 4. abiding in His word (John 8:31).

The true position of miracles among the Evidences of Christianity is clearly stated here and John 14:11. They are not primary, as Paley would have it, but secondary and auxiliary. Christ’s doctrine bears the evidence of its Divine origin in itself.

ἵνα γνῶτε κ. γινώσκητε. That ye may come to know and continually know; attain to knowledge and advance in knowledge in contrast to their state of suspense (John 10:24): the aorist denotes the single act, the present the permanent growth. The apparent awkwardness of having the same verb twice in the same clause has probably caused a large number of authorities to substitute πιστεύσητε in the second case. But the change of tense is full of meaning, especially in reference to the Jews. Many of them attained to a momentary conviction that He was the Messiah (John 2:23; John 6:14-15; John 7:41; John 8:30; John 10:42; John 11:45); very few of them went beyond a transitory conviction (John 2:24; John 6:66; John 8:31).

κἀγὼ ἐν τ. πατρί. An instance of the solemnity and emphasis derived from repetition so frequent in this Gospel.

Continues after advertising

BibliaPlus

Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

John 10:38

Old Testament

New Testament