John 12:41-45
 
John 12:41 (KJB)
These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him.
 
When Isaiah had prophesied in chapter six, he was seeing God upon His throne in all His splendor and majesty and in chapter fifty three, Isaiah had pictured the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross. Isaiah and John make the connection between the Father and the Son, something of which the Lord Jesus Christ had emphasized during His ministry. Jesus always spoke that He and His Father were always in harmony concerning His earthly ministry and John now makes that connection in Isaiah.
 
John 12:42 (KJB)
Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue:
 
The ministry of Jesus went way beyond words as thousands in Israel were eye witnesses to His miracles such as the feeding of the five thousand and the raising of Lazarus. These things could not be doubted because even in the law it states that one must have two or three credible witnesses before one can be condemned. What then do you do with thousands of credible witnesses? Even among the chief rulers there were many who believed on Him but the question remains, to what extent? A person who is truly saved by Christ will be a verbal witness as well as a working witness. If these chief rulers did not want to confess that they were disciples of Christ, then were they just believing on the surface? Did they just believe because there were miracles done or did they believe because they were truly saved? These probably did not really believe as one who is born again because they feared being put out of the synagogue. It is obvious that the Pharisees made it plain that anyone who confesses Jesus as the Messiah was to be removed from their position and put out of the synagogue. This would mean those chief rulers would have to go out and work for a living.
 
These are like one particular type of soil found in the parable of the sower. (Mark 4:16-17 KJV) And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; {17} And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended. These chief rulers had received the words and miracles of Jesus with gladness but their belief was not rooted in God but only in what they saw. It was an emotional belief. As soon as the Pharisees had declared that anyone who believes in Jesus is to be cast out of the synagogue, their belief did not endure and they proved they were not real disciples. Now there were two real disciples among the Pharisees and they were Joseph of Arimathaea and Nicodemus. These two actually built upon their faith in Jesus by actual works, the others had drawn back.
 
John 12:43 (KJB)
For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.
 
Praise - Glory, honor, or fame
 
Here was the reason that these chief rulers would not confess Christ. If they did, they would no longer be allowed in the synagogue and they would lose their position and wealth. They loved the notoriety which came with that position. (Mat 23:7 KJV) And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi. They would rather have the praise and honor from man which is temporal and fleeting, than the glory of God in their lives which would be eternal. This is the trap of walking by sight and not by faith. Many false pastors today would rather gain the favor of unsaved man by keeping them in darkness as to their spiritual condition and their future in hell. For example, Joel Osteen has written several books but I will only mention the titles of two of them: “Your Best Life Now” and “Your Best Life Begins Each Morning: Devotions to Start Every Day of the New Year.” I have news for this man that the best life is not in this life but it is in Heaven with Christ. The life on earth is filled with struggles and heartaches and fighting against sin. This life is a constant battle, you win one skirmish and there is another one is right behind it. The other problem with books like this is that it makes a person feel like they are walking right with God when they are as unsaved as Hell. These are the types of publications which keeps the writer in good favor with those who think they are good enough to make it to Heaven without Christ removing their sins in salvation. (Rev 22:14-15 KJV) Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. {15} For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie. These types of books are all lies!
 
John 12:44 (KJB)
Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me.
 
Cried - Scream or loud cry
 
The Jews had always thought that they were special with God but here Jesus is giving a very hard fact. In order to believe on the Father, they must believe on the Son. (1 John 2:23 KJV) Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also. In John’s first epistle, he makes this very clear that if you deny the Son, then you do not have the Father. Here the Jews have denied and rejected the Son which means that they do not have the Father. They have a dead religion which only leads a person to eternal damnation. Their religion is unable to save anyone and in this fashion it is just like every other false religion in the world.
 
John 12:45 (KJB)
And he that seeth me seeth him that sent me.
 
Seeth - Observe to the point of spiritual perception or a contemplation of Jesus
 
Jesus is not stating here that those who physically see Him will also see the Father. That would be impossible because if a human saw God the Father without being qualified to do so, then they would be consumed right where they stood. What Jesus was stating, was that those who saw the miracles like the raising of Lazarus, were also seeing the glory of God in those miracles. It showed the great power that Jesus and His Father has over death. Those who understood that Jesus was from God and they did everything in harmony. So when the people saw the miracles that Jesus did, they also saw the Father’s hand in it also. Therefore, if you saw Jesus, you saw the Father.

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