John 12 39

John 12:39 kjv

Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again,

John 12:39 nkjv

Therefore they could not believe, because Isaiah said again:

John 12:39 niv

For this reason they could not believe, because, as Isaiah says elsewhere:

John 12:39 esv

Therefore they could not believe. For again Isaiah said,

John 12:39 nlt

But the people couldn't believe, for as Isaiah also said,

John 12 verses

John 12 39 Meaning

This verse explains the reason behind the people's failure to believe in Jesus, despite His miraculous works. Their hearts were hardened by sin, preventing them from recognizing Him as the Messiah. This blindness was a consequence of their deliberate choice not to see or understand, fulfilling prophecy.

John 12 39 Context

John chapter 12 portrays Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem, His subsequent conversations with Greeks, and His deep personal reflections on His impending death. The verses immediately preceding John 12:39 describe Jesus’ miracles and teaching. Many, seeing His works, believed in Him. However, even with such clear evidence, Jesus acknowledged that not all believed. John explicitly states the reason, which is that despite Jesus performing so many signs before them, they still did not believe in Him. This points to a deliberate hardening of their hearts. The prophet Isaiah's words are cited as a fulfillment of this situation, indicating that their unbelief was foretold and due to their persistent spiritual blindness.

John 12 39 Word Analysis

• “and”: (Greek: και - kai) A coordinating conjunction, linking the previous statement (that many believed) with the reason for others' disbelief.
• “so”: (Greek: ὥστε - hoste) Indicates result or consequence.
• “that”: (Greek: ἵνα - hina) Introduces a result clause.
• “He”: (Greek: αὐτός - autos) Refers to God the Father.
• “has blinded”: (Greek: τυφλόω - tuphloo) Literally means to make blind. Here it signifies a spiritual blinding or an allowing of spiritual blindness, a consequence of their prior rejection of God's light and truth. This is not an arbitrary act of God, but a response to persistent rejection.
• “their”: (Greek: αὐτῶν - autōn) Possessive pronoun referring to the people being discussed.
• “eyes”: (Greek: ὀφθαλμούς - ophthalmous) Refers to physical sight but in this context, it implies their spiritual understanding and perception.
• “and”: (Greek: και - kai) Coordinating conjunction.
• “hardened”: (Greek: σκληρύνω - sklērunō) Means to make hard, rigid, or obstinate. It signifies a wilful resistance to God's truth, leading to an inability to comprehend or accept spiritual realities.
• “their”: (Greek: αὐτῶν - autōn) Possessive pronoun.
• “hearts”: (Greek: καρδίαν - kardian) In Scripture, the heart is considered the center of a person's being, encompassing intellect, emotions, will, and inner character. Hardening of the heart means resistance to divine influence and a spiritual dullness.
• “lest”: (Greek: ἵνα μή - hina mē) Indicates a negative purpose or a preventative measure.
• “they”: (Greek: ἐπιστρέφωσιν - epistrepsōsin) Refers to "they" (the people) and implies "turn back" or "convert."
• “should see”: (Greek: βλέπω - blepō) To see, perceive, understand.
• “with”: (Greek: ἐν - en) A preposition that can indicate location, means, or accompaniment.
• “their”: (Greek: αὐτῶν - autōn) Possessive pronoun.
• “eyes”: (Greek: ὀφθαλμοῖς - ophthalmois) Physical eyes.
• “and”: (Greek: καὶ - kai) Coordinating conjunction.
• “should understand”: (Greek: νοέω - noeō) To apprehend, understand, perceive, comprehend.
• “with”: (Greek: διὰ - dia) A preposition indicating through or by means of.
• “their”: (Greek: αὐτῶν - autōn) Possessive pronoun.
• “hearts”: (Greek: καρδίας - kardias) Inner self, mind, and will.
• “and”: (Greek: καὶ - kai) Coordinating conjunction.
• “turn”: (Greek: ἐπιστρέφωσιν - epistrepsōsin) To turn oneself, turn about, turn back. In a spiritual context, this implies conversion or repentance.
• “and”: (Greek: καὶ - kai) Coordinating conjunction.
• “I”: (Greek: ἐγώ - egō) The first-person pronoun.
• “should heal”: (Greek: θεραπεύω - therapeuō) To cure, to heal, to restore. This refers to a spiritual healing and restoration from their spiritual blindness.

Group Analysis: The phrase "blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts" highlights a divine allowance or judgment upon persistent unbelief. The purpose clause, "lest they should see... and turn, and I should heal them," reveals that the blinding and hardening prevent a specific outcome: repentance and healing. This aligns with the concept of the hardening of Pharaoh's heart in Exodus, where God hardened Pharaoh’s heart as a response to Pharaoh’s own persistent hardening and defiance. Similarly, Isaiah’s prophecy speaks of a people whom God has set apart, but who have themselves become unresponsive to His message, leading to their judgment of being unable to comprehend. The prophecy is quoted in its entirety to show that the blindness and hardness were a direct fulfillment, and it implied their willful resistance, rather than a God who arbitrarily blinds people who are seeking Him.

John 12 39 Bonus Section

The citation from Isaiah 6 is significant because it describes Isaiah's vision of God's glory and his commission. In that context, the prophecy of blindness and deafness was directed at a rebellious people who had consistently ignored God's messages through the prophets. Jesus, in quoting this, powerfully states that the same spiritual state was present in many in His own generation. The tragedy is that their unbelief, a willful act, led to a prophetic fulfillment of spiritual incapacitation. This aligns with Jesus' statement in John 9:41, "If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you say 'We see,' your guilt remains." Their self-proclaimed spiritual sight was in fact a manifestation of their blindness.

John 12 39 Commentary

This verse is crucial for understanding the nature of spiritual blindness and God's interaction with human stubbornness. It draws from Isaiah 6:9-10, illustrating a principle found throughout Scripture: that persistent rejection of God’s truth and light leads to a deeper spiritual hardness. God is not the author of sin, but He can permit or decree judgment that results in people being unable to comprehend His truth if they have deliberately turned away from it. Jesus came as the light of the world (John 1:9), but as this verse indicates, some refuse to come to the light for fear of their deeds being exposed. Their unbelief is not due to a lack of evidence, but a hardened heart that actively resists the truth.