Exposition of John, Chapter 12 · Verse 24 – Verse 25
Ver. 39. Therefore they could not beleeve, becauſe that Eſaias ſaid againe,
40. He hath blinded their eyes, and hardned their heart, that they ſhould not ſee with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I ſhould heale them.
In theſe verſes this their unbelief is further amplified; That not only they did not, but could not beleeve; And, That not only the means wrought not upon them, to draw them to Chriſt, but they were more hardned in their obſtinacy thereby, according to another prediction of Iſaiah, Chap. 6.10. The pertinent citation whereof is cleared, ver. 41. Now for clearing this purpoſe, and the text cited, Conſider, 1. As for this impotency that they could not beleeve, albeit it be true that all men naturally are unable for it; Yet this place ſpeaks principally of a further degree of impoſſibility, through contracted obſtinacy, and judicial obduration, of which the following text ſpeaks, Conſider, 2. As for this inference from the prediction, and the comparing of the event with it, they could not beleeve, becauſe Eſaias ſaid; If we look to the ſimple prediction, it tends to the ſame purpoſe with the former, and to ſhew that the event was according to the prediction, for the ends mentioned on, ver. 37, 38. But if we look to the matter of the prediction, the obduration and blinding mentioned have a further hand in the matter of their unbelief, as may be cleared. Conſider, 3. As for the matter of this citation; albeit if we compare this place with Iſa. 6.10. Matth. 13.15. Acts 28.27. we will finde ſome diverſity in words; Y…t the purpoſe is the ſame. For the groſſeneſſe and fatneſſe of the heart, is the ſame with the hardneſſe thereof. And albeit the other places adde the making their cares heavy, or dull of hearing, to the other two here mentioned; Yet the ſcope of theſe places and this is the ſame, to ſhew that all paſſages were obſtructed, whereby the Word might enter, to work converſion which brings ſalvation and healing with it. And for the words here in particular, albeit their not underſtanding with their heart, may ſeem to import that their heart is to be underſtood of their minde and underſtanding, and the ſame with their eyes, not bodily, but inward; And ſo the plague of blinding their eyes, and hardening their heart ſhall be the ſame: Yet it is more full and clear to underſtand the words of diſtinct plagues on the ſeveral faculties of their ſoul, that the eyes of their minde were blinded, and their will (ſignified by their heart) hardened. And ſo their not underſtanding, added to their not ſeeing, is to be underſtood, not of a ſimple act of knowledge, but ſuch an underſtanding as produceth ſutable effects upon the will and affections, to work converſion, which is ſubjoyned to it: And ſo, to underſtand, ſignifieth frequently ſo to know a thing, as to approve and eſteeme of it, to be affected with it, or drawn to the enjoyment of it. Conſider. 4. As for the author and efficient of theſe plagues, if we compare the places before cited, we will finde divers named, in Matth. 13. and Acts 28. the cloſing of the eyes (and conſequently the reſt) is aſcribed unto the ſinners themſelves. In Iſa. 6. The Prophet is ſent out to make their heart fat, &c. And here it is aſcribed to Chriſt, even to him whoſe glory Iſaiah ſaw, ver. 41. who in the beginning of this verſe is ſpoken of in the third perſon, and in the end thereof, ſpeaks of himſelf in the firſt perſon, as is uſual in the Scripture. Theſe are eaſily reconciled; for as men do ſinfully harden themſelves, ſo the Lord by a judicial ſtroak gives them up thereunto as a puniſhment, and the Meſſengers of Chriſt do not only carry and intimate this ſad ſentence, but their doctrine is an occaſion of mens ſtumbling and hardning of themſelves, as it is of hewing and ſlaying, Hoſ. 6.5. Conſider, 5. As for this judicial act of God, in blinding and hardning ſinners, that we may underſtand it rightly. 1. As we muſt not conceive that God doth approve this ſinful hardneſs and blindneſs in men, though, as a juſt judge, he inflict the puniſhment; So we are not to conceive of it, as if he made them blinde who did ſee, or hardened them who were ſoft and tender, but that by witholding of his grace (which he is bound to give to none) he leaves them to their own blindneſs and hardneſs, or gives them up to augment it, which is moſt properly a puniſhment. 2. This judicial blinding and hardning of ſinners, here mentioned, may be called Gods act, partly, in ſo far as he ſent to them the preaching of the Goſpel, which was an occaſion they took hold of to harden and blind themſelves, through the irritation of their corruptions thereby; And, partly, in that, to puniſh this their abuſe, he witholds his efficacious grace, gives them to a reprobate minde, and to the power of Satan, to harden and blinde them more and more. And this exhauſts the meaning in this place, that as they were hardened and blinded by Chriſts doctrine and miracles, ſo he gave them up to be puniſhed with more and more of it.
From this purpoſe thus explained, Learn, 1. Men by nature are lying in a woful and miſerable deadly condition, full of deadly wounds and ſores; for, they need to be healed. 2. Whatever courſe men take to rid themſelves of their miſeries, yet there is no curing of their ſores, till God put to his hand; for, it is I that muſt heal them. 3. However men flatter themſelves, yet none are indeed cured of theſe diſeaſes by God, but they who finde grace to turn to him by true regeneration and repentance; which is the only way to cure their ſoul diſeaſes, to ſanctifie and ſweeten their other miſeries, and to enſure eternal ſalvation to them; for, this, and this only, is the way, that they be converted, and I ſhould heal them. 4. Let men have never ſo many flouriſhes, yet none are truly converted, but they who get open eyes, to diſcern their own condition, and the true remedy thereof, and whoſe hearts, will, and affections, are touched with what they ſee, to draw them to anſwerable practice; for, they muſt ſee with their eyes, and underſtand with their hearts, who are converted. 5. Whatever convictions, practices, or other changes, are wrought in men by the Word; Yet they muſt alſo flee to Chriſt, and cloſe with him by faith, before they can prove they are truly converted; for, to beleeve, ver. 39. is explained by this in the teſtimony cited, ver. 40. to be converted. 6. As all men are naturally unable to beleeve or turn to God; So this impotency is ſtill the greater, the more we are dealt with by the Word, and do not hearken to it; for, ſo was it here, they could not beleeve, and they had blinded eyes, and hard hearts, oppoſite to the ſeeing eye, and underſtanding heart. 7. As mens increaſe of blindneſſe and hardneſſe, under the means of grace, is their great ſin; So it is alſo Gods judgement upon them, who, as a righteous judge, puniſhes ſin with ſin, and giveth them a …u…fer of what they ſo much affect; for, he hath blinded their eyes and hardned their heart. Thus Saints are juſtly put to groan under in their partial obduration, when th…i… bands lie on to humble them, after they are ſenſible of them. As Iſa. 63.15. 8. As Chriſt is free to convert and ſave whom he pleaſeth; So when wicked men are moſt afraid of any thing, l…ſt the Word ſhould be effectual to their converſion, and therefore do obſtruct all paſſages whereby it might enter: It is juſt with him to reject them, and to give them up to multiply ſuch impediments; for, when they ſhut their eyes, leſt they be converted, Matth. 13.15. he juſtly blindeth their eyes, &c. that they ſhould not be converted. 9. The Scriptures are a compleat ſtore-houſe for all caſes, and for clearing all events, that may occurre; for, as before, their not beleeving, ſo here, that they could not beleeve, hath a Scripture to clear it, becauſe that Eſaias ſaid againe, &c.
Ver. 41. Theſe things ſaid Eſaias, when he ſaw his glory, and ſpake of him.
In this verſe the pertinent citation of theſe prophecies (chiefly the laſt) is cleared. And leſt any ſhould think theſe teſtimonies belonged only to Iſaiahs dayes, and ſpake of the Father; John clears his citation was pertinent, and that however theſe paſſages had their own accompliſhment in Iſai…hs time, yet they belong alſo to theſe dayes of the Goſpel, and to the times of Chriſt, whoſe glory was ſeen, and ſpoken of by Iſaiah, Iſa. 6.1, 2. &c. and who ſpake of Chriſt in that and the other paſſage, Iſa. 53.1, 2. And therefore they were predictions of theſe times. Whence learn, 1. It is not enough to juſtifie mens aſſertions in Religion, that they can bring many Scriptures which ſeem to favour their opinions, unleſſe they can clear they are pertinently cited, and that in their true meaning they hold out what they aſſert; Therefore John not only cites Scriptures, but proves the pertinency of his citation. 2. This paſſage doth clearly demonſtrate that Chriſt is true God, and that there are three perſons in the bleſſed Godhead; for, Jehovah who appeared and ſpake to Iſaiah, is granted by all to be Father, and here the ſame glorious appearance is ſaid to be the glory of Chriſt, and Acts 28.25, 26. The commiſſion then given is aſcribed to the Holy Ghoſt, as Jehovah, equal with the Father and the Son. 3. It pleaſed Chriſt our Lord to manifeſt himſelfe to his people under the Old Teſtament, ſometime in the likeneſs of a man, as a preludy to his Incarnation; (as to Abraham and others) and ſometime in reſplendent glory, to give evidence of his Godhead: As here Eſaias ſaw his glory, which gives us to underſtand that the glory of other viſions ſhewed to the Prophets, were the glory of Chriſt alſo. See 1 Cor. 10.9. 4. The more of Chriſts glory be ſeen, and the more means men have, the greater will the obduration of wicked men be; for, theſe thing; (of mens being blinded and hardened) ſaid Eſaias, when he ſaw his glory, and ſpake of him, intimating, that as in his time, there was never greater hardneſs then when moſt of Chriſt was ſeen and ſpoken of; So in the dayes of the Goſpel, when the Sun of righteouſneſs ſhould ſhine moſt brightly, the hardneſs would be greateſt of all.