Lesson 37: John 12:37-50 - Jesus’s Kingdom Rejected

37 Though he had done so many signs before them, they still did not believe in him,
38 so that the word spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: “Lord, who has believed what he heard from us, and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”
39 Therefore they could not believe. For again Isaiah said,
40 “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.”
41 Isaiah said these things because he saw his glory and spoke of him.
42 Nevertheless, many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue;
43 for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God.
44 And Jesus cried out and said, “Whoever believes in me, believes not in me but in him who sent me.
45 And whoever sees me sees him who sent me.
46 I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.
47 If anyone hears my words and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world.


48 The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day.
49 For I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment—what to say and what to speak.
50 And I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I say, therefore, I say as the Father has told me.”

Although Jesus had performed many signs and miracles for them, the people refused to believe in Him. Their unbelief did not make sense. But then sin never makes sense. This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet who said, “Lord, who has believed our report and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” Isaiah also said, “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, so that they would not see with their eyes and perceive with their heart, and be converted and I heal them.” The people’s refusal to believe fulfilled prophecy. Because they constantly rejected God’s revelation, He had punished them with judicial blindness and deadened hearts. Many of the rulers believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they were not confessing openly – they feared being banished from the Synagogue. They loved the approval of men rather than the approval of God.

Jesus said, “He who believes in Me, does not believe in Me but in the Father who sent Me. He who sees Me sees the Father who sent Me. I have come as the Light of the World. Those that believe in Me will not remain in the darkness.” Jesus is the perfect manifestation of God, the One who sent Him. Jesus came to lead people out of Satan’s kingdom of darkness into God’s kingdom of love and light.

*What does Colossians 1:15 tell you about Jesus?