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I. A GUILTY UNBELIEF (ver. 37). Why did they not believe?

1. Not for want of evidence. For many miracles had been wrought amongst them.

2. Not for want of warning (ver. 38). The ministry that was fitted by God to bring them to spiritual knowledge and repentance they turned to opposite results (ver. 40). When a man has not three things —

(1) Evidence;

(2) The capacity for examining evidence, and(3) The opportunity for doing so — his unbelief is not guilty; but this is not the unbelief of England today.

II. A COWARDLY FAITH (vers. 42-43) arising from —

1. Fear of men.

2. Love of popularity. "Glory" would be a better word than praise. It is implied —

(1) That between the glory of men and the glory of God there is an essential difference. Glory in the estimation of men is wealth, fame, titles, etc. In the eyes of God these are worthless. The glory of God is holiness.

(2) That a higher appreciation of the glory of man than of God is inimical to a courageous faith. The faith of Peter before the Sanhedrim; "we cannot but speak," etc., is the true type.

III. REDEMPTIVE TRUSTFULNESS (ver. 44).

1. It is faith in Christ's identity with the Father. Christ claimed no position independent of the Father.

2. It is faith, the absence of which tends to a terrible doom — "Darkness," i.e., ignorance, remorse, despair.

(D. Thomas, 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,