Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary (4 vols)

John 5:38

John 5:38. And ye have not his word abiding in you; because whom he sent, him ye believe not. ‘Word' here must not be understood as directly signifying the Scriptures of the Old Testament: it is rather the substance of God's whole revelation of Himself, however and wherever made. This revelation received into a believing heart becomes God's word in the man, and to this word answers The Word, in whom God has perfectly revealed Himself (compare Hebrews 1:1-2). By all previous teaching concerning Himself God has prepared the way for man's reception of His Son. He who did not recognise the Son as the Sent of God, showed by this very sign that the preparatory work had not been effected in him, that he had not God's word abiding in his heart. So in the next chapter Jesus teaches that ‘every one that hath heard from the Father, and hath learned, cometh unto Him' (chap. John 6:45). The refusal therefore of the Jews to believe Him, that is, to accept His claims, is of itself a proof that they have had no spiritual aptitude for discerning the presence and the revelation of God. It will be seen that, as in the first clause of John 5:37 we cannot accept the view that a new witness is introduced, different from the works, so here we cannot believe that the ‘voice,' ‘form,' and ‘word' are to be limited to the manifestation of God in the Scriptures of the Old Testament. No doubt this is the most prominent and important part of our Lord's meaning, but we must not exclude God's revelation of Himself in providence and in the heart of man, for in all things He had pointed to His Son.

It should be mentioned that some have supposed the clause ‘never have ye heard a voice of Him' to refer to the voice of God at the Baptism of our Lord. But such an interpretation is surely impossible. The tone of the two verses here is one of reproach; but that voice was not intended for the ears of the Jews, and their failure to hear it was no matter of rebuke. This explanation, too, would not diminish but increase the difficulty of the words ‘or seen a form of Him,' words startling to every Israelite (compare Deuteronomy 4:12), and, we believe, only to be accounted for when regarded as closely connected with and suggested by the words and deeds of Jesus.

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Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary (4 vols)

John 5:38

Old Testament

New Testament