Why is the absence of God's word significant in John 5:38? Immediate Context John 5 records Jesus’ public defense before the Judean leadership after healing the lame man at Bethesda on the Sabbath. In verses 37–40 He presents three linked indictments: they have never “heard His voice,” never “seen His form,” and “His word does not abide” in them (John 5:37-38). The absence of God’s word is therefore a climactic charge that explains why they fail to recognize the Son whom the Father has sent. Meaning of “His Word” The phrase ὁ λόγος αὐτοῦ (ho logos autou) points to the self-revelation of the Father—both the written Scriptures (which the leaders prize) and the living Logos standing before them (John 1:1, 14). Jesus is not denying their possession of scrolls; He is exposing that the divine message has never penetrated their hearts (cf. Deuteronomy 6:6; Jeremiah 31:33). The leaders treat Scripture as an external object of study rather than an indwelling reality that governs belief and obedience. “Abide in You”: Covenant Expectation To “abide” (μένει, menei) echoes the covenant promise of the Torah inscribed on the heart (Jeremiah 31:33) and anticipates Jesus’ later teaching: “If you abide in My word, you are truly My disciples” (John 8:31) and “If My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish” (John 15:7). The phrase thus measures authentic covenant membership. Its absence reveals they remain outside the life-giving relationship promised to Israel (cf. Ezekiel 36:26-27). Link to Unbelief in the Sent One Jesus immediately states the evidence: “because you do not believe the One He sent” (John 5:38b). Belief in the Messiah is the litmus test of whether God’s word has taken root. Earlier Scripture had foretold the coming Prophet like Moses (Deuteronomy 18:15-19) and the suffering-yet-victorious Servant (Isaiah 53). Rejecting Jesus therefore exposes their disjunction from the very Scriptures they revere. Consequences of the Absence 1. Spiritual Blindness—Without the indwelling word they “search the Scriptures” yet miss the life to which they point (John 5:39-40). 2. Judicial Liability—Jesus later warns, “The word I have spoken will judge him on the last day” (John 12:48). Failure to internalize that word therefore guarantees condemnation. 3. Moral Sterility—Psalm 119 repeatedly ties internalized Scripture to holiness (“I have hidden Your word in my heart that I might not sin against You,” v. 11). Its absence leaves the leaders’ hearts untransformed, evidenced by their plot to kill Jesus (John 5:18). Old Testament Echoes Underscoring the Charge • Deuteronomy 6:6-9—Command to bind the words on heart and doorposts. • Isaiah 29:13—“This people draw near with their mouth…while their hearts are far from Me.” • Psalm 40:8 (quoted of Messiah in Hebrews 10:7)—“Your law is within My heart,” contrasting Christ’s perfect obedience with theirs. Philosophical and Behavioral Insight Behavioral research affirms that internalized beliefs—rather than mere cognitive assent—shape conduct. Jesus pinpoints that Scripture residing only in the intellect cannot reform behavior or perception; a transformative, internal “abiding” is required. Philosophically, this aligns with the correspondence theory of truth: authentic knowledge must correspond both to reality (the incarnate Word) and to the knower’s inner life (Proverbs 2:10). Practical Application for Modern Readers The charge warns every generation that mere exposure to Scripture—Sunday sermons, academic study, cultural familiarity—does not equal saving faith. The living Word must inhabit the heart, evidenced by trust in Christ, transformed desires, and obedience empowered by the Spirit. Summary The absence of God’s word in John 5:38 is significant because it unmasks unbelief, nullifies covenant privileges, foretells judgment, and highlights the indispensable necessity of an indwelling, transformative encounter with both the written Scriptures and the incarnate Word, Jesus Christ. |
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