John 12:37-43
“He has blinded their eyes
and hardened their heart,
lest they see with their eyes,
and understand with their heart, and turn,
and I would heal them.”- John 12:40
Although Jesus performed many miracles, many people still did not believe in Him and even sought to get rid of Him. How should we understand their hardened hearts and their firm rejection of Jesus? This is the main focus of today’s passage.
Firstly, in verse 37, John points out that people’s unbelief is not because Jesus failed to reveal His identity or make His claims known. Jesus performed many miracles in public, yet people still chose not to believe. So the responsibility doesn’t lie with God or Jesus but with the unbelieving crowd.
Secondly, John quotes the prophet Isaiah: “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, lest they see with their eyes, and understand with their heart, and turn, and I would heal them.” At first glance, it might seem that God is the one who hardened their hearts and blinded their eyes. But this isn’t the case. Throughout the Bible, we see that God is gracious to humanity, but if people harden their hearts and close their eyes, they cannot receive God’s grace. In fact, when people are willing to repent, God’s abundant grace will be given to them. Yet, if they choose to continue hardening their hearts and turning a blind eye to God, He will allow them to remain hardened and blind.
The most classic example in the Bible is Pharaoh. In Exodus, it is mentioned ten times that Pharaoh hardened his heart and nine times that the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart. So, who hardened Pharaoh’s heart? Clearly, Pharaoh first hardened his own heart, and God allowed it. You’ll notice that in the later plagues, the phrase “the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart” appears more frequently. You could say that God simply gave Pharaoh what he wanted.
When Paul explains why sinners fall, he says something similar: “And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.” (Romans 1:28)
Finally, John further explains that people’s unbelief is not because Jesus’ ministry was ineffective, but because they did not prioritize God’s glory as the foundation of their lives, as Jesus did. They feared rejection by others and bowed to human authority, especially the Jewish leaders. Although they believed in Jesus, they were unwilling to fully commit to Him, unwilling to give up their status, position, stability, or comfort for His sake.
What about you today? Is your life oriented towards pursuing God’s glory? What has God been saying to you recently? Have you heard Him? Are you willing to obey Him?
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, Thank You for Your grace and mercy. When I stray from You, You patiently wait for me and guide me back to You. Holy Spirit, soften my hardened heart and give me a tender and humble heart, so that I may be willing to listen to Your voice, obey Your will, and live a life that glorifies Your holy name. I pray this in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Although Jesus performed many miracles, many people still did not believe in Him and even sought to get rid of Him. How should we understand their hardened hearts and their firm rejection of Jesus? This is the main focus of today’s passage.
Firstly, in verse 37, John points out that people’s unbelief is not because Jesus failed to reveal His identity or make His claims known. Jesus performed many miracles in public, yet people still chose not to believe. So the responsibility doesn’t lie with God or Jesus but with the unbelieving crowd.
Secondly, John quotes the prophet Isaiah: “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, lest they see with their eyes, and understand with their heart, and turn, and I would heal them.” At first glance, it might seem that God is the one who hardened their hearts and blinded their eyes. But this isn’t the case. Throughout the Bible, we see that God is gracious to humanity, but if people harden their hearts and close their eyes, they cannot receive God’s grace. In fact, when people are willing to repent, God’s abundant grace will be given to them. Yet, if they choose to continue hardening their hearts and turning a blind eye to God, He will allow them to remain hardened and blind.
The most classic example in the Bible is Pharaoh. In Exodus, it is mentioned ten times that Pharaoh hardened his heart and nine times that the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart. So, who hardened Pharaoh’s heart? Clearly, Pharaoh first hardened his own heart, and God allowed it. You’ll notice that in the later plagues, the phrase “the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart” appears more frequently. You could say that God simply gave Pharaoh what he wanted.
When Paul explains why sinners fall, he says something similar: “And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.” (Romans 1:28)
Finally, John further explains that people’s unbelief is not because Jesus’ ministry was ineffective, but because they did not prioritize God’s glory as the foundation of their lives, as Jesus did. They feared rejection by others and bowed to human authority, especially the Jewish leaders. Although they believed in Jesus, they were unwilling to fully commit to Him, unwilling to give up their status, position, stability, or comfort for His sake.
What about you today? Is your life oriented towards pursuing God’s glory? What has God been saying to you recently? Have you heard Him? Are you willing to obey Him?
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, Thank You for Your grace and mercy. When I stray from You, You patiently wait for me and guide me back to You. Holy Spirit, soften my hardened heart and give me a tender and humble heart, so that I may be willing to listen to Your voice, obey Your will, and live a life that glorifies Your holy name. I pray this in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
