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NASB | John 12:41 These things Isaiah said because he saw His glory, and he spoke of Him. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | John 12:41 Isaiah said these things because he saw His glory and spoke about Him. [Is 6:9, 10] |
Bible Question: In John 12 the entire context seems to be about Jesus. Christian exegetes throughout the ages have said that the pronouns in verse 41, he saw "His" glory, and he spoke of "Him", refer to Jesus. My question is this, Is that true? Do we go along with the flow because this or that man says this is what it means or is there a reason that any body seeking truth should be able to see by simply reading the verse and understanding the context? Is it a grammatical reason? Any answers would be great. |
Bible Answer: Hi revbray, Here is my chance for a great answer; for you say "Any answer would be great." Welcome to the forum. I think that anyone who would capitalize *His glory because Isaiah spoke of Him would be able to see the glory just by reading the verse and understanding the context. But not everyone believes in the Deity of Christ, that He was God with us. The rulers were not confessing Him because they were afraid of being excommunicated and did not want to acknowledge that He was God. I won't find fault with the Jews too much because it is a mind-boggling thing to consider that God came to the world in the flesh. In fact, in that regard I would leave the "light" that came into the world, John 12:46, in the lower case. He came to the world in the likeness of men, as a light so to speak. Although I do believe that He is the Light of the world. This Light of the world opened the eyes of the blind, but Isaiah 6:10 says, "Render the hearts of this people insensitive, Their ears dull, And their eyes dim, Lest they see with their eyes, Hear with their ears, Understand with their hearts, And RETURN AND BE HEALED." I used bold type to show the absence here of a pronoun. Their senses were numbed until the Lord was sent to them. It was then that the pronoun could be entered into the gospel message and we could realize that [He] will heal them. Notice the change in the latest NASB copyright for John 12:36, "While you have the Light, believe in the Light, in order that you may become sons of (Light)." Parentheses mine for comparison; and then I would render 36b with one less pronoun; These things Jesus spoke, and He departed and was hidden from them." John 12:39, "For this cause they could not believe, for Isaiah said again, "He has blinded their eyes, and He hardened their heart; lest they see with their eyes, and perceive with their heart, and be converted, and (I) heal them." These things Isaiah said, because he saw His glory, and he spoke of Him." Contrast/compare Isaiah 19:21, "And the Lord will strike Egypt, striking but healing; so they will return to the Lord, and (He) will respond to them and WILL HEAL THEM." The Study Bible reference for John 12:41 is Isaiah 6:1ff. Verse 3, "Holy, Holy, Holy, is the (Lord) of hosts, The whole earth is full of His glory."...For my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts." These things Isaiah said because he saw His glory, and he spoke of the King. We, too behold Him; and we behold the One who sent Him. John 12:44, "And Jesus/ cried out and said, "He who believes in Me does not believe in Me, but in (Him) who sent Me. And he who beholds Me beholds the One who sent Me. I have come as light into the world, that everyone who believes in Me/ may not remain in darkness." John 12:35b, "For a little while longer the Light is among you. Walk while you have the Light/, that darkness may not overtake you; he who walks in the darkness does not know where he goes." From the heart, Ray |