THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN - Chapter 12 - Verse 43

Verse 43. The praise of men. The approbation of men. It does not appear that they had a living, active faith, but that they were convinced in their understanding that he was the Messiah. They had that kind of faith which is so common among men—a speculative acknowledgment that religion is true, but an acknowledgment which leads to no self-denial, which shrinks from the active duties of piety, and fears man more than God. True faith is active. It overcomes the fear of man; it prompts to self-denying duties, Heb 11:1. Nevertheless, it was no unimportant proof that Jesus was the Messiah, that any part of the great council of the Jews were even speculatively convinced of it: and it shows that the evidence could not have been slight when it overcame their prejudices and pride, and constrained them to admit that the lowly and poor man of Nazareth was the long- expected Messiah of their nation.

Did not confess him. Did not openly avow their belief that he was the Messiah. Two of them, however, did afterward evince their attachment to him. These were Joseph and Nicodemus, Joh 19:38,39. That Joseph was one of them appears from Mr 15:43; Lu 23:50,51.

{u} "For they loved the praise" Joh 5:44; Ro 2:29