John 12:37-43: Everyone Should Understand Before Commenting Or Cast Aspersion Upon God And Damage Others

     

Please, Be Aware

Unless stated otherwise, links and references to the Bible are to the New American Bible, Revised Edition (NABRE).

-----

     For the full text of John 12:37-43, see the Sacred Scripture section of the full article (link far below) or John 12:37-42. 

     This initial section of the complete article primarily applies to priests, ministers, and writers. Seriously, scholars also, regardless of the denomination or nondenominational.   

     Please, carefully comment on John 12:39-40, for example, 12:40, in part, “ ‘He ... hardened their heart’, ” and 12:39, in part, “they could not believe.” Everyone should realize that restating it, without more, compounds the problem as an Aspersion Upon God. Important also, without a doubt, discussed further, It Is Damaging To Others (it was to me for years).    

Perhaps Considered An Isolated Problem By Some, It Is Serious For The Awareness Of Everyone.             

     Many do not realize the Isaiah 6:10 quotation in John 12:40 envisioned at the time of Christ was merely not providing parable interpretations to the public. It Was Nothing More (also, the Isaiah 6:10 quotation in John 12:40 is far from exact). Isaiah 6:10 was limited to this mere Inaction of God (as discussed in and near ᶠⁿⒷ of the complete article appendix). Through It, God Did Not Harden Their Heart To Believe In Him. Optimistically, everyone already holds a reservation about something this unusual and contrary to His interest.   

     The words “could not believe” ᶠⁿ¹, instead of “would” in John 12:39, are inspired by the Lord Jesus through the Holy Spirit. Envisioning all the turmoil at the time, it is for His mercy at the final judgment. The author of John speaks out about the dire results of the ministry in verse 12:37 that despite many signs, they still would not believe, so bewildered as to seemingly even imply prophecy influenced them, but in verses 12:42-43, he points to reality, the wrongful persuasive effect of the Pharisees, viz., the threat of expulsion from the synagogue. It is this reality per se having a significant effect on Everyone and an extraordinary impact upon them. It would cause the departure from their religion established by their ancestors long ago, dating beyond the parting of the Red Sea. Combined with other manipulative words and actions, together with the significant indirect effects, e.g., securing a new home, resulted in extreme turmoil and were life-changing, weakening the free will of those with the strength to believe and mitigating their guilt of not being open about devotion. However, it went further, a virtual absolute denial of free will. It required a radical reorientation of life for some. Beyond the heartbreak of losing loved ones, family, and friends, there was even a potential to confront death. It was mind-controlling upon Some, Without A Doubt, Someone.        

ᶠⁿ¹ We should assume God is precise in His meaning of “could” in John 12:39, considering all facts and circumstances when directed at faith, belief in Him, and loving Him. Consideration should be thorough and, to the extent possible, on point.

     Most conclusions are that I will not, leads to I cannot and that they first harden their own heart. Over time, they lost their ability and could not believe in the Lord Jesus. However, when applied to belief in God, He would more precisely mean “would” instead of “could,” as a life unworthy of eternal reward. It is frequently directly or indirectly based upon examples of Pharaoh in Exodus 8:15, 9:12, not necessarily addressing belief in God, but the “could“ of John 12:39 does, requiring a much more careful look into all influencing facts and circumstances upon free will. John 12:42-43 even speaks of the wrongful persuasive effect of the Pharisees by the threat of expulsion from the synagogue. It even weakened those with the strength to believe.

     God seriously considers free will, looking “into” the heart beyond human imagination, impairments, mental illness, and whatever else. “But the LORD said to Samuel: Do not judge from his appearance or from his lofty stature, because I have rejected him. God does not see as a mortal, who sees the appearance. The LORD looks into the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7. 

     Also, see ᶠⁿ⁵ of the complete article.

     Judgment is personal, each soul precious to the Lord Jesus, speaking of and to each and overlooking nothing and no one. Taken a whole, they “would” not believe, but inspired by Him through the Holy Spirit to address judgment, “would” is unjust and inappropriate. It ignores those worthy of mercy during this time of extreme turmoil. Rather than a generalized statement, the words of John 12:39 anticipate a crucial ultimate effect upon individual souls at the final judgment. Therefore, the Lord Jesus’ choice of wording will not forget or ignore those worthy of exceptions. We cannot also avoid considering they will forever remain His chosen people. All considered and nothing necessarily overriding to the contrary, we should not rule His mercy out. ᶠⁿ²                

ᶠⁿ² He also will not forget one lost sheep in the parables discussed in ᶠⁿⒷ in the complete article appendix (also, near ᶠⁿⒷ and beyond it within my parable article cited in it). 

     Please, do not rule out the possibility that it is God’s answer to the author’s prayers on behalf of the Jewish people. It is a reasonable assumption with an author’s writing characteristics part of Sacred Scripture and the sense of adamance supporting “could” in John 12:39, Now An Established Part Of Sacred Scripture. The adamance is striking, seen in the quote of Isaiah 6:10 in John 12:40 with unusual wording differences from the Hebrew and Septuagint text (it also differs significantly from the Lord Jesus’ version in Matthew 13:14-15 (restating Isaiah 6:9-10)). However, Discussed Fully In The Complete Article, Without Question, Everything Is Sacred Scripture, Inspired By God, Despite Scholars Acknowledging These Differences.      

     Verse 40 (in part), “ ‘He ... hardened their heart,’ ” is a prophecy of the Lord Jesus ᶠⁿ³ in Isaiah 6:10. However, this quotation in John 12:40 of “ ‘He’ ” represents an abrupt beginning I cannot find elsewhere, daringly so by an author alone without God’s inspiration, especially considering that God is innocent, not causing that “they could not believe.” He did not contribute to the disbelief of anyone in the slightest. Note that the first word should draw interest in what Isaiah 6:10 states. Also, “hardened” produces a somewhat harsh effect, fixing in memory beyond other terms used in most other versions. Up front, there is finger-pointed blame upon God for all the disbelief! Everyone has at least some question deep within, even those docile. 

ᶠⁿ³ Examples of Isaiah, Chapter 6 as prophecy in the New Testament 

(First, note below, “many believe Isaiah saw the Lord Jesus” (It is not hype)):

In Isaiah 6:1, many believe Isaiah saw the Lord Jesus. It states, in part, “I saw the Lord seated on a high and lofty throne.” Although Isaiah, Chapter 6, was prophetic both before and during the time of Christ, they believe Isaiah saw the Lord Jesus back in Isaiah’s time. It Is Good For Everyone To Know and thinking otherwise is in error based upon the facts in Isaiah, including support by reputable scholars insisting upon extensive analysis before going where emotions run high, seeing only what we want to see. I have provided only a few of many: Isaiah 6 Bible Commentary - Matthew Henry (complete); Isaiah 6 Bible Commentary - Jamieson, Faussett, and Brown (in part, “Isaiah could only have ‘seen’ the Son, not the divine essence (Joh 1:18)”); Isaiah 6 Commentary | Precept Austin (though a Very Short NABRE note on John 12:41 Seems to imply the contrary). If Isaiah saw God symbolically, it is highly probable he would have disclosed it or unusual otherwise, And He Did Not. Further, in Isaiah 6:5, in part, “I am doomed!” is his expressed concern after seeing God.

     1) Compare Isaiah 6:1 with John 12:41; compare with Revelation 4:2-3; consider His pleas with humility to those He loved dear, e.g., John 5:39, the scriptures testify on His behalf, an understatement. 2) Compare Isaiah 6:2 with Revelation 4:8, and see the NABRE note on Revelation 4:8. 3) Compare Isaiah 6:3 with Revelation 4:8. 4) Compare Isaiah 6:4 with Revelation 15:8. 5) Compare Isaiah 6:9 and, or 6:10 with Matthew 13:10-15, Mark 4:10-12, Luke 8:9-10, John 12:40, and Acts 28:26-27.

     However, as discussed in the complete article, “ ‘He’ ” not only is God, but the Lord Jesus also blessed it with His inspiration for our reading today. He dismisses the harshness for the benefit of others that deep within is not taken seriously other than to question. It reflects the personality of sacrifice for others of the Lord Jesus given us to know, to reflect upon with love, consistent with His dying sacrifice for the forgiveness of the sins of the World.          

     God has never hardened anyone’s heart in all human history directed at faith, belief in Him, in loving Him. 

     The Isaiah 6:10 quotation in John 12:40 envisioned the Lord Jesus within the kingdom of heaven on earth, the kingdom of God first announced to Israel. It was of their children in the future with gross hearts. He established this kingdom to free us from sin and share in His divine life. Once more, its mysteries would lack disclosure through parables without interpretations (also disclosed in Matthew 13:11, “the kingdom of heaven”).       

     It was hard or practically impossible to understand a parable without an interpretation. Once more, there was mere Inaction of God, only a dulling of the public’s understanding of these parables without interpretation (Nothing More), provided only to the Lord’s private disciple group. Notably, as discussed in and near ᶠⁿⒷ of the complete article appendix, the Lord “called out” (Yes, Cried Out!) heartfelt invitations for Everyone to join His private disciple group, “ ‘... Whoever has ears to hear ought to hear.’ ”, Luke 8:8. In addition, I discuss the harsh wording of verse 40 in the complete article and its appendix. Any hardening or callousness of their heart resulted from their shortcomings.         

     

     Restating that they could not believe because God hardened their heart without more is damaging to others. It most definitely promotes wrongful wandering thoughts about God (it did to me for years), for example, undue spiritual influence or whether there is a wrongful attribution for ancestral wrongs (and so on). Cf. Father John McKinnon, John 12:37-43, it “.... could lead to an unfortunate sense of God....”. 

     There is a pervasive lack of awareness and a significant problem in writings (and otherwise). An extensive discussion is in the full article that should also consider the expanded commentary in its appendix. After adequately reading the complete article, everyone will be competent when commenting on John 12:37-43.            

Link: Please, Read More in the Full Article

.