hears the words of God
The Greek word for "hears" is "akouō," which means more than just auditory reception; it implies understanding and obedience. In the biblical context, hearing God's words is synonymous with accepting and living by them. This is a recurring theme in Scripture, where true hearing leads to action, as seen in James 1:22, "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says." The "words of God" refer to His divine revelations, commandments, and teachings, which are found in the Scriptures. Historically, the Jewish people were entrusted with the oracles of God, and in the New Testament, Jesus is the ultimate revelation of God's word.

The reason you do not hear
This phrase introduces a cause-and-effect relationship. The Greek word for "reason" is "dia," indicating a causal connection. Jesus is addressing those who are unable to comprehend or accept His teachings. This inability to hear is not due to a lack of opportunity but a spiritual condition. In the historical context of this passage, Jesus is speaking to the Pharisees and religious leaders who, despite their knowledge of the Scriptures, fail to recognize Him as the Messiah. This highlights the spiritual blindness and hardness of heart that can prevent individuals from truly hearing God's word.

is that you do not belong to God
Here, Jesus provides the explanation for their spiritual deafness. The phrase "do not belong" uses the Greek "ouk ek," emphasizing a lack of origin or source in God. This is a profound statement about spiritual identity and allegiance. In the conservative Christian perspective, this underscores the belief in the necessity of being born again, as Jesus explained to Nicodemus in John 3:3, "Truly, truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." Belonging to God is not about heritage or religious affiliation but about a personal relationship with Him through faith in Jesus Christ. This verse challenges individuals to examine their spiritual standing and encourages believers to remain steadfast in their identity as children of God.

(6) THE I AM. The claim to be the Source of liberty and life, in reply to those who appealed to their Father God and their father Abraham, led Jesus to assert his anteriority to Abraham. Verse 47. - There was some pause after this searching inquiry. Silence showed that, if they could not convince him of sin, they were ready with no answer to his question. He assumes that his word is unanswerable; he is what he says he is, and is able to set men free from sin and to give them eternal life. Their position is still further explained by a distinct syllogism, of which the major premiss is: He that is of God heareth the words of God; words which it is obviously taken for granted he is freely, surely uttering. Who are the persons referred to? Some, like Hilgenfeld, discover here a Manichaean, Gnostic sense - "those who are essentially of a Divine origin and spiritual nature," are absolutely different from those who are of the psychic or hylic nature. Thus they cut away all force from the moral reproof which follows. Others insist that here Jesus speaks of the regenerated man, the true child of God, who has power to believe, who has come to the Father, being predestinated unto eternal life. Even this interpretation does not leave sufficiently ample play to the human freedom, and the personal self-responsibility, which pervades the teaching of the gospel. Elsewhere he speaks of these who are "of the truth" and "hear his voice," of "those whom the Father draws" to him by the very love and grace which he, the Son, lavishes upon them (see notes, John 6:37, 44; John 18:37; John 17:6, 9, 11). He also speaks of those who come to him being given to him. He is here contemplating this wide class, who are scattered through all time and places, with susceptible minds capable of hearing freely, and believing when they hear, the words of God. For this cause ye hear them not, because ye are not of God; i.e. seeing that ye do not hear the words of God, it is evident that ye are not of God. They are not excluded from becoming so by any irreversible fate, but their present obtuseness of spiritual perception, their refusal to accept truth on its clearest exposition, shows that they are not born of God; they are not being drawn to him by inworking of the Father's grace. The very form of the expression was once more meant to touch their conscience.

Parallel Commentaries ...