Why can't people understand Jesus' words according to John 8:43? Setting the Scene “Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you are unable to hear My word.” (John 8:43) The Barrier Behind the Question • Jesus places the problem squarely on spiritual inability, not intellectual difficulty. • “Unable to hear” points to a deeper deafness—one rooted in the heart, not the ears. Roots of Spiritual Deafness • Sin’s dominion – “Everyone who sins is a slave to sin.” (John 8:34) – Ongoing bondage to sin hardens the heart, dulling spiritual perception. • Opposition to truth – “Because I tell you the truth, you do not believe Me.” (John 8:45) – Truth is unwelcome in hearts already committed to error. • A different spiritual father – “You belong to your father, the devil… He is a liar and the father of lies.” (John 8:44) – Allegiance to lies shuts out the ability to receive truth. Contrast: Those Who Do Hear • Born of God – “My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me.” (John 10:27) – Regeneration opens the ears of the soul. • Drawn by the Father – “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him.” (John 6:44) – Divine initiative precedes human response. • Indwelt by the Spirit – “When He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all truth.” (John 16:13) – The Spirit removes the veil from Scripture (2 Corinthians 3:14–16). Implications for Today • Clear gospel proclamation remains necessary; the Word itself carries life (Hebrews 4:12). • Spiritual hearing is God’s gracious gift, received through repentance and faith (Acts 3:19). • Persistent prayer for opened ears aligns with God’s desire that “all men be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4). |
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