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I. THE TEMPERAMENT WHICH RENDERS FAITH IMPOSSIBLE. The statement is a strong one and is derived from Isaiah 6:9,? 10. This refers to no arbitrary act of Divine sovereignty. The Hebrews never conceived of a mere mechanical law, but regarded all sequence as a mode of God's power. And as overlooking intermediate cause they spoke of Him as making day and night, so they spoke of Him as making spiritual day and night. In the stolidity inevitable when the soul refuses the report of God's messengers, and closes itself against the light, they beheld law, and beholding law they discerned God. St. John dwells much upon cans and cannots (John 5:19, 30; John 6:44; John 3:3), which refer to impossibilities which have their root in the presence or absence of certain dispositions; and the "could not" here implies the operation of a spirit incompatible with trust in Christ. The difficulty of ver. 34 arose out of a state of mind impervious to Christ's manifest Divine life. Intellectual cavillings were allowed to intercept spiritual light, and so they could not believe. For the same reason many do not believe now. There is a type of mind which is often praised as a sign of intellectual smartness — disputatious, so constantly posing as debater or critic that the light which would illumine doubts cannot get into the heart. Such should deeply ponder the text.

II. THE SPIRITUAL INACTION WHICH INVOLVES THE LOSS OF FAITH (vers. 42, 43). Compare this with John 8:45-52. Only one then protested, now we learn that there was a considerable party in favour of Jesus although prudential considerations prevented them from confessing Him. What was the consequence of their timidity? A few days after the hiding of Jesus, they were all with two exceptions implicated in the plottings which issued in the crucifixion. It is dangerous to delay the expression of conviction in appropriate action. Christ requires confession, and no peculiarity of disposition should hinder it. So-called reserved people run the risk of weakening their own faith and love as well as hiding God's righteousness (Psalm 40:10). "He who is not for Me is against Me" (Romans 10:8-10).

III. THE ACTION IN WHICH FAITH IS PRESERVED AND PERFECTED (vers. 35, 36, 46, cf. Ephesians 4:15; Ephesians 5:13).

1. Believe and walk. The error of the people is that they stand still, putting their scruples between them and Christ. His command is, Use what light you have; set yourselves in the path which faith in the light shall indicate (Hosea 6:3).

2. Believe that you may be the children of light. Not to believe is to pass into darkness.

(J. M. Lang, D. D.)

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KJV: But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him:

WEB: But though he had done so many signs before them, yet they didn't believe in him,