John 5:38

38 And ye have not his word dwelling in you; for ye believe not to him, whom he sent.

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 But I have more witnessing than John, for the works that my Father gave to me to perform them [forsooth the works that my Father gave me that I perform them], those works that I do bear witnessing of me, that the Father sent me.
37 And the Father that sent me, he bare witnessing of me. Neither ye heard ever his voice, neither ye saw his likeness [neither saw his likeness, or form].
38 And ye have not his word dwelling in you; for ye believe not to him, whom he sent.
39 Seek ye the scriptures, in which ye guess [in which ye ween] to have everlasting life; and those it be, that bear witnessing of me.
40 And ye will not come to me, that ye have life.
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.