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Selected Verse: John 8:43 - King James
| Verse |
Translation |
Text |
| Joh 8:43 |
King James |
Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
| Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
Why do ye not ... - My meaning is clear, if you were disposed to understand me.
Even because ye cannot hear my word - The word "hear" in this place is to be understood in the sense of bear or tolerate, as in Joh 6:60. His doctrine was offensive to them. They hated it, and hence they perverted his meaning, and were resolved not to understand him. Their pride, vanity, and wickedness opposed it. The reason why sinners do not understand the Bible and its doctrines is because they cannot bear them. They hate them, and their hatred produces want of candor, a disposition to cavil and to pervert the truth, and an obstinate purpose that it shall not be applied to their case. Hence, they embrace every form of false doctrine, and choose error rather than truth, and darkness rather than light. A disposition to believe God is one of the best helps for understanding the Bible. |
| Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886] |
Speech - word (λαλιὰν - λόγον)
The former word refers to the form, the latter to the substance of discourse. So Mat 26:73, of Peter, "thy speech (λαλιά) bewrayeth thee;" thy mode of speaking. If they had understood the substance, they would have understood the form.
Cannot
See on Joh 7:7. |
| Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
| Ye cannot - Such is your stubbornness and pride, hear - Receive, obey my word. Not being desirous to do my will, ye cannot understand my doctrine, Joh 7:17. |
| Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
Why do ye not understand my speech? - Την λαλιαν την εμην, This my mode of speaking - when illustrating spiritual by natural things: λαλια refers to the manner of speaking; λογος, to the matter or subject on which he spoke. For λαλιαν, the Codex Bezae had originally αληθειαν: why do ye not acknowledge this Truth of mine? A few other MSS. agree in this reading.
Because ye cannot hear my word - That is, ye cannot bear my doctrine: it comes too close to you; it searches your hearts, detects your hypocrisy, and exposes your iniquitous intentions and designs; and as ye are determined not to leave your sins, so ye are purposed not to hear my doctrine. |
60 Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?
7 The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil.
73 And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech bewrayeth thee.
17 If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.