John 5:47

But if ye believe not his writings,.... They believed them to be his writings, and that they were the word of God, and yet did not believe the things contained in them, respecting Christ; or did not

But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words? But if ye believe not his writings (see the note at Luke 16:31). How shall ye believe my words?

But if you believe not his writings, who so plainly wrote of me, and whose writings you own, and have so great a veneration for, how can I expect that you should believe the words of one whom you so vilify and condemn? For though my words be in themselves of greater authority, yet I have not so much credit with you as Moses had. But how doth our Saviour affirm, , that they trusted in Moses, and deny here that they did believe him? Answer. Some say, they believed with an implicit faith, presuming upon the merits of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob; but not with an explicit faith. Others say, they believed in the general, that whatsoever he wrote was true; but they did not believe them in the true sense of them. Tarnovius thinks, that they trusted in Moses, that they might be saved by their own works done in obedience to his law; but they did not believe him, because they rejected him of whom Moses wrote, and to whom the law of Moses was but a schoolmaster. They refused him who was the Head of the corner, .

47 But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words? Ver. 47. But if ye believe not his writings] He that will not take God’ s word in one place will take it in no place.

(47) The emphasis of the contrast here is not between “writings” and “words,” but between “his” and “My.” It is a repetition of the thought of the previous verse, with an advance in time. They had not believed Moses, and therefore had not believed Him. They do not believe, for they do not read the spiritual meaning of the writings of Moses even now. What ground of hope is left? His words, revealing the deeper truths of the kingdom of God, will fall upon their ears as so many unmeaning sounds. (Comp. Note on John 3:12.)

Verse 47. But if ye believe not his writings, c.] If you lay them not to heart - if you draw not those conclusions from them which their very letter, as well as their spirit, authorizes you to draw, how shall ye believe my words, against which ye have taken up the most ungrounded prejudice? It is no wonder that we find the Jews still in the gall of bitterness, and bond of iniquity: as they believe not Moses and the prophets, in reference to the Messiah, it is no marvel that they reject Christ and the apostles. Till they see and acknowledge, from the law and the prophets, that Christ must have come, they will never believe the Gospel. St. Paul says, 2 Corinthians 3:15, that even until this day, when Moses (i.e. the law) is read, the VEIL is upon their hearts:- so that they see not to the end of that which is abolished: 2 Corinthians 3:13. Nor will this veil be taken away, till they turn from worldly gain and atheism (which appears to be their general system) to the Lord, 2 Corinthians 3:16 and then the light of the glory of God shall shine on them in the face (through the mediation and merits) of Jesus Christ. It appears that this discourse of our Lord had effectually confounded these Jews, for they went away without replying-a manifest proof they had nothing to say. 1. IN all periods of their history, the Jews were both an incredulous and disobedient people: perhaps it was on this ground that God first chose them to be keepers of his testimonies; for had they not had the most incontrovertible proofs that God did speak, they would neither have credited nor preserved his oracles. Their incredulity is, therefore, no mean proof of the Divine authority of the law and the prophets. The apostles, who were all Jews, partook deeply of the same spirit, as various places in the Gospel prove; and, had not they had the fullest evidence of the divinity of their Master, they would not have believed, much less have sealed the truth with their blood. Thus their incredulity is a strong proof of the authenticity of the Gospel. 2. When a man, through prejudice, bigotry, or malevolence, is determined to disbelieve, both evidence and demonstration are lost upon him: he is incapable of conviction, because he is determined not to yield. This was, this is, the case with the Jews - there are facts before their eyes sufficient to convince and confound them; but they have made a covenant with unbelief, and therefore they continue blind, ignorant, and wicked; obstinately closing their eyes against the light; and thus the wrath of God is coming upon them to the very uttermost. But shall not a rebellious and wicked Christian be judged worthy of more punishment? Certainly: for he professes to believe that truth which is able to make him wise unto salvation, by faith in Jesus Christ. Reader, it is an awful thing to trifle with the Gospel!

47. if ye believe not] The emphatic words are ‘his’ and ‘My.’ Most readers erroneously emphasize ‘writings’ and ‘words.’ The comparison is between Moses and Christ. It was a simple matter of fact that Moses had written and Christ had not: the contrast between writings and words is no part of the argument. Comp. Luke 16:31; ‘If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rose from the dead.’my words] Or, My sayings. It is not the plural of ‘word’ (λόγος) in John 5:38, but another substantive (ῥήματα) used by S. John only in the plural. Comp. John 6:63; John 6:68, John 8:47, John 12:47, John 15:7; where the separate sayings are meant; whereas in John 6:60, John 8:43; John 8:51, John 12:48, John 15:3 it is rather the teaching as a whole that is meant.

If ye believe not his writings - If you do not credit what he has written which you profess to believe, it is not to be expected that you will believe my declarations.

47. His writings… my words?—The same question Christ addresses to the rationalists of our age.