Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

John 5:44

ὑμεῖς. Emphatic; ‘such men as you.’ It is morally impossible for you, who care only for the glory that man bestows, to believe on One who rejects such glory. This is the climax of Christ’s accusation. They have reduced themselves to such a condition that they cannot believe. They must change their whole view and manner of life before they can do so: comp. John 5:47. On πιστεῦσαι see on John 1:7.

π. τ. μόνου θ. From the only God, from Him who alone is God: whereas by receiving glory they were making gods of themselves. So that it is they who really make themselves equal with God (John 5:18). ‘The only God,’ as in John 17:3; 1 Timothy 6:16 : ‘God only’ would be τοῦ θ. μόνου (Matthew 12:4; Matthew 17:8) or μόνου τ. θ. (Luke 5:21; Luke 6:4). The second δόξαν has the article, the first has not: they receive glory, such as it is, from one another, and are indifferent to the glory, which alone deserves the name. They pride themselves on the external glory of Israel and reject the true glory which God would give them in the Messiah. The whole should run thus, How can ye believe, seeing that ye receive glory one of another: and the glory which cometh from the only God ye seek not. Winer, p. 723.

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Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

John 5:44

Old Testament

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