John 12:43

43. For they loved the glory of men. The Evangelist expressly states that those men were not guided by any superstition, but only endeavored to avoid disgrace among men; for if ambition had greater influence over them than the fear of God, it follows, that it was no vain scruple of conscience that gave them uneasiness. Now, let the reader observe how great ignominy is incurred before God, by the cowardice of those who, from the fear of being hated, dissemble their faith before men. Can any thing be more foolish, or rather, can any thing be more beastly, than to prefer the silly applause of men to the judgment of God? But he declares that all who shrink from the hatred of men, when the pure faith ought to be confessed, are seized with this kind of madness. And justly; for the apostle, in applauding the unshaken steadiness of Moses, says that he remained firm, as if he had seen him who is invisible, (Hebrews 11:27.) By these words he means that, when any person has fixed his eyes on God, his heart will be invincible, and utterly incapable of being moved. Whence, therefore, comes the effeminacy [31] , which causes us to give way to treacherous hypocrisy, but because, at the sight of the world, all our senses grow dull? For a true sight of God would instantly chase away all the mists of wealth and honors. Away with those who look upon an indirect denial of Christ as some trivial offense, or, as they call it, a venial sin!

12:37-43 Observe the method of conversion implied here. Sinners are brought to see the reality of Divine things, and to have some knowledge of them. To be converted, and truly turned from sin to Christ, as their Happiness and Portion. God will heal them, will justify and sanctify them; will pardon their sins, which are as bleeding wounds, and mortify their corruptions, which are as lurking diseases. See the power of the world in smothering convictions, from regard to the applause or censure of men. Love of the praise of men, as a by-end in that which is good, will make a man a hypocrite when religion is in fashion, and credit is to be got by it; and love of the praise of men, as a base principle in that which is evil, will make a man an apostate, when religion is in disgrace, and credit is to be lost for it.

For they loved the praise of men,.... To be in the esteem of men, to have their applause, and receive honour from them: more than the praise of God; than either to receive honour from him, and be praised by him, or to praise and glorify him. By confessing Christ they knew they should run the risk of losing their places of honour and profit, and of falling under the disgrace and contempt of men; and therefore they chose rather not to confess Christ, than by so doing to glorify God, and please him, and be praised by him, as all the faithful professors of Christ will be at the last day; for then every such an one will have praise of God, and it will be said, well done good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of thy Lord.

Praise (δόξαν) Much better, Rev., glory, because suggesting a contrast with the vision of divine glory referred to in John 12:41. Compare John 5:44. Than (ἤπερ) The word cannot be rendered by a corresponding word in English The force is, "more than the glory of God, though He is so much more glorious." The word is found nowhere else in the New Testament. Some authorities read ὕπερ, above.

43. they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God—"a severe remark, considering that several at least of these persons afterwards boldly confessed Christ. It indicates the displeasure with which God regarded their conduct at this time, and with which He continues to regard similar conduct" [Webster and Wilkinson].

John 12:43 . Ἠγάπησαν , they loved ) the Gospel demands, and produces[works] in men, a renunciation of human things.— τὴν δόξαν τῶν ἀνθρώπων , the glory [praise] of men ) such as is communion in the synagogue. [ And of what worth is this, when it is compared with the right of fellow-citizenship with saints and the household of GOD?—V. g.] He who shrinks from ignominy [incurred for Christ’s sake] already loves the glory [praise] of men.— τὴν δόξαν τοῦ Θεοῦ , the glory [praise] of God ) Glory from God falls to the portion of those, who believe and speak out : John 12:26 , “If any man serve Me, him will My Father honour;” ch. John 1:12 , “As many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name.”

43 . the praise of men &c.] Better, the glory ( that cometh ) from men rather than the glory ( that cometh ) from God (see on John 5:41 ; John 5:44 ). The word rendered ‘praise’ is the same as that rendered ‘glory’ in John 5:41 . Moreover ‘more than’ is not strong enough; it should be rather than . Joseph and Nicodemus confessed their belief after the crisis of the Crucifixion. Gamaliel did not even get so far as to believe on Him.

(43) For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God. —For “praise” read in both instances glory. “The glory which comes from men more than the glory which came from God.” Comp. Note on John 5:44 , where the truth is put in the form of a question by our Lord. Here it explains the fact that there were men who believed, and yet did not publicly confess their faith. There our Lord’s question goes deeper, and asserts that the seeking of the glory which comes from men is inconsistent with the existence of any true belief in God.

The praise of men - The approval of human beings. 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 people - 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, Hebrews 11 . 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.

Verse 43. - The generalization is given as a reason, For they loved the glory ( δόξα , very nearly in the original Greek use of the word," opinion," "good reputation") of men, very much more ( ἤπερ , another New Testament, ἅπαξ λεγόμενον , occurring in the narrative portion of John, and a mode in which the negative force of the ἤ is heightened; see Meyer, Jelf, p. 779, and English edition of Wirier, p. 549) than the glory of God . The form of the expressions, "of God' and "of men," is different from the παρὰ τοῦ μόνου Θεοῦ and παρὰ ἀλλήλων of John 5:44 , and the statement is apparently inconsistent with the declaration that those in such a state of mind "could not believe." Moulton suggests that the glory here thought of by the apostle was the "glory" of ver. 41 - the glory of the union of the Redeemer with his people, the glory of suffering and death. The reference to Isaiah 6 . appears to be the true solution. The glory of God himself in his awful holiness was of less interest than the glory of the Sanhedrin and the approval of the world. Alas! this glory is nearer, more obvious and has more to do with tangible, sensuous, advantages, than the Divine approval. John 12:43