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I. ITS DETAILS.

1. The doctrines He taught (vers. 44-50). These words are an abridged statement of our Lord's words uttered at different times. In verse 36 we have, the formal close of our Lord's mission, and this summary appropriately follows. It teaches —

(1) The Divinity of His mission (ver. 49). There is nothing that our Lord stated more frequently or plainly than this His name for God is often "He who sent Me." This claim leaves no alternative between receiving Him as a Divine Messenger or rejecting Him as fanatic or impostor.

(2) The Divinity of His doctrine (vers. 44, 49, 50). He did not bring it forward as an opinion of the man Jesus, but as the truth He had heard of the Father.

(3) The Divinity of His Person. His authority here is clearly co-ordinate with that of the Father.

(4) The design of His mission. To be a light to the world; not to judge the world but to save it. The two declarations are synonymous. Men are in a state of darkness, i.e., of ignorance, error, guilt and depravity; at a distance from God who is "light." Jesus is the "light" as He is the author and bestower of that salvation which dispels our moral darkness.

(5) The manner of being interested in His salvation. "He that believeth on Me."(6) The doom of those who refuse to believe (ver. 48).

2. The manner of His teaching (ver. 44).

(1) Public. He did not confine His teaching to a few, and like Mohammed and other impostors conceal His doctrines, till by private exertions He had secured a considerable body of followers.

(2) Earnest. Sometimes He quietly "talked with the people," but at other times He cried aloud and spared not. The conviction He had of the truth and importance of His message produced a holy excitement.

(3) Fearless. He well knew how unpalatable His doctrines were and how great the dangers to which He exposed Himself. But He "set His face as a flint, and refused to be ashamed." In all this Christ is a Model to His own ministers.

3. The evidence He produced.

(1) He did miracles, i.e., "signs," tokens or signals of the truth of His doctrines. These miracles were —

(2) "Great," as the words "so many" may be rendered — far and obviously exceeding human power.

(3) Many.

(a)  More than those of Old Testament prophets.

(b)  Many in kind, remarkable for variety.

(4) "Before" His countrymen; not like pretended miracles of later ages for the most part in the presence of those interested in supporting His system.

(5) These miracles were also —

(a)  Beneficient.

(b)  Unostentatious.

(c)  At a time and in circumstances where imposture could be detected.

(d)  In conformity with Messianic predictions.

II. ITS RESULTS.

1. The body of the Jewish nation did not believe.

(1) This disbelief fulfilled prophecy (vers. 38-41).

(2) In this prophecy we have the true cause of their rejecting Him. They had blinded eyes and hardened hearts, and therefore they could not perceive and understand.

(3) This blindness was first voluntary and self-imposed, then judicial, a punishment of God.

2. A minority who did believe from worldly motives suppressed their convictions (vers. 42-43).

(J. Brown, D. D.)

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KJV: But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him:

WEB: But though he had done so many signs before them, yet they didn't believe in him,