John 12:40

40 he hath blinded their eyes and hardened their hertes that they shuld not se with their eyes and vnderstonde with their hertes and shuld be converted and I shuld heale the.

John 12:40 Meaning and Commentary

John 12:40

He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart
It is of no great moment, whether the he, who is said to blind and harden, be God or Christ, or whether the words be rendered, "it hath blinded" that is, malice or wickedness; or whether they be read impersonally, "their eyes are blinded" since God or Christ blind and harden not by any positive act, but by leaving and giving men up to the blindness and hardness of their hearts, and denying them the grace which could only cure them, and which they are not obliged to give; and which was the case of these Jews, so as never to be converted, or be turned even by external repentance and reformation, that they might be healed in a national way, and be preserved from national ruin, as it follows,

that they should not see with their eyes
(See Gill on Matthew 13:14), (See Gill on Matthew 13:15). The Syriac and Persic versions read, "they have blinded their eyes"

John 12:40 In-Context

38 yt the sayinge of Esayas the Prophet myght be fulfilled yt he spake. Lorde who shall beleve oure sayinge? And to whom ys the arme of ye Lorde opened?

39 Therfore coulde they not beleve because yt Esaias sayth agayne:

40 he hath blinded their eyes and hardened their hertes that they shuld not se with their eyes and vnderstonde with their hertes and shuld be converted and I shuld heale the.

41 Soche thinges sayde Esaias when he sawe his glory and spake of him.

42 Neverthelesse amoge ye chefe rulers many beleved on him. But because of the pharises they wolde not be a knowen of it lest they shuld be excommunicate.