John 5:38 - You don’t have his word living in you; because you don’t believe him whom he sent.
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What does "John 5:38" mean?
This verse, John 5:38, is part of a longer argument Jesus is making to the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem. Let's break it down to understand its meaning:
"You don’t have his word living in you..." This refers to God's word, the message and truth He reveals. Jesus is saying that the Jewish leaders, despite their extensive knowledge of the scriptures (the Old Testament), haven't truly internalized or understood God's message. It hasn't taken root in their hearts and minds and transformed their lives. It's like having a library full of books but never reading them, or reading them without comprehending their meaning. The knowledge is there, but it's not alive and active within them, shaping their thoughts and actions.
"...because you don’t believe him whom he sent." This is the key to the previous statement. The reason they don't have God's word living in them is that they don't believe in Jesus, whom God sent (referring to Himself). Jesus is claiming to be the messenger and embodiment of God's word. By rejecting Jesus, they are rejecting God's very message and evidence of his presence in their midst. If they truly believed God's word as revealed in the Old Testament, they would recognize and accept Jesus as the Messiah prophesied in those scriptures. Their disbelief blinds them to the true meaning of the scriptures and prevents God's word from truly taking root in their hearts.
In essence, Jesus is accusing the Jewish leaders of hypocrisy. They claim to follow God and His word, but their rejection of Jesus reveals that their adherence is superficial. True belief in God requires accepting the one He sent, Jesus Christ.
Think of it this way: Imagine someone claiming to be a devoted fan of a particular artist but refusing to listen to the artist's newest, and arguably most important, work. Their claim of devotion rings hollow because they are rejecting the artist's own self-revelation. Similarly, the Jewish leaders were rejecting God's ultimate revelation of Himself in Jesus.
John 5:38 - You don’t have his word living in you; because you don’t believe him whom he sent.
What does "John 5:38" mean?
This verse, John 5:38, is part of a longer argument Jesus is making to the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem. Let's break it down to understand its meaning:
"You don’t have his word living in you..." This refers to God's word, the message and truth He reveals. Jesus is saying that the Jewish leaders, despite their extensive knowledge of the scriptures (the Old Testament), haven't truly internalized or understood God's message. It hasn't taken root in their hearts and minds and transformed their lives. It's like having a library full of books but never reading them, or reading them without comprehending their meaning. The knowledge is there, but it's not alive and active within them, shaping their thoughts and actions.
"...because you don’t believe him whom he sent." This is the key to the previous statement. The reason they don't have God's word living in them is that they don't believe in Jesus, whom God sent (referring to Himself). Jesus is claiming to be the messenger and embodiment of God's word. By rejecting Jesus, they are rejecting God's very message and evidence of his presence in their midst. If they truly believed God's word as revealed in the Old Testament, they would recognize and accept Jesus as the Messiah prophesied in those scriptures. Their disbelief blinds them to the true meaning of the scriptures and prevents God's word from truly taking root in their hearts.
In essence, Jesus is accusing the Jewish leaders of hypocrisy. They claim to follow God and His word, but their rejection of Jesus reveals that their adherence is superficial. True belief in God requires accepting the one He sent, Jesus Christ.
Think of it this way: Imagine someone claiming to be a devoted fan of a particular artist but refusing to listen to the artist's newest, and arguably most important, work. Their claim of devotion rings hollow because they are rejecting the artist's own self-revelation. Similarly, the Jewish leaders were rejecting God's ultimate revelation of Himself in Jesus.