John 5:38

38 et verbum eius non habetis in vobis manens quia quem misit ille huic vos non creditis

John 5:38 Meaning and Commentary

John 5:38

And ye have not his word abiding in you
Which some understand of Christ himself, the Logos, or word: who, though he was now with them, being made flesh, and dwelling among them, yet would not long continue with them: though rather this designs the written word, or the Scriptures of truth; and especially that part of them, which contains prophecies concerning the Messiah, which did not dwell in them richly, nor they dwell in their meditation on them, as was requisite. Or rather, it may intend that word of God expressed in the testimony he bore to the sonship of Christ at his baptism, by a voice from heaven, which made no lasting impression upon the minds and hearts of the Jews that heard it; as appears by what follows:

for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not;
meaning himself; for if they had had either a due regard to the sacred oracles, or to that voice from heaven at his baptism, they would have received and embraced him as the Messiah, and sent of God, and not have disbelieved and rejected him, as now they did.

John 5:38 In-Context

36 ego autem habeo testimonium maius Iohanne opera enim quae dedit mihi Pater ut perficiam ea ipsa opera quae ego facio testimonium perhibent de me quia Pater me misit
37 et qui misit me Pater ipse testimonium perhibuit de me neque vocem eius umquam audistis neque speciem eius vidistis
38 et verbum eius non habetis in vobis manens quia quem misit ille huic vos non creditis
39 scrutamini scripturas quia vos putatis in ipsis vitam aeternam habere et illae sunt quae testimonium perhibent de me
40 et non vultis venire ad me ut vitam habeatis
The Latin Vulgate is in the public domain.