John 12:34-43 CSB
Then the crowd replied to him, "We have heard from the law that the Messiah will remain forever. So how can you say, 'The Son of Man must be lifted up'? Who is this Son of Man?" [35] Jesus answered, "The light will be with you only a little longer. Walk while you have the light so that darkness doesn't overtake you. The one who walks in darkness doesn't know where he's going. [36] While you have the light, believe in the light so that you may become children of light." Jesus said this, then went away and hid from them. [37] Even though he had performed so many signs in their presence, they did not believe in him. [38] This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet, who said: Lord, who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? [39] This is why they were unable to believe, because Isaiah also said: [40] He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, so that they would not see with their eyes or understand with their hearts, and turn, and I would heal them. [41] Isaiah said these things because he saw his glory and spoke about him. [42] Nevertheless, many did believe in him even among the rulers, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, so that they would not be banned from the synagogue. [43] For they loved human praise more than praise from God.
Still Some Believed
Night on the ocean can be still and quiet. You hear the lapping of the waves against the hull of the ship. Sometimes the salt spray sends a fine mist into your face. These are the times a person can truly think, wondering what lies in the depths below and contemplating the moon and stars above. It is a peaceful time when danger is not lurking.
In the old days, many sailors smoked when allowed. A cigarette lighter’s flame is small and dim, yet it can be seen over a mile away against the pitch-black canvas of a clear night at sea. A ship’s navigation lights can be seen even further—up to six nautical miles—limited only by the horizon and the curvature of the earth.
In life, we have a light to navigate by. This light is placed in our souls through the Holy Spirit. While He was in the world, Jesus was the physical Light for those around Him. In our reading today, He is delivering His final message to the public. The window of opportunity was closing. It was time for them to believe, yet many remained hardened. Even those who did believe often kept quiet, paralyzed by fear of what others would think or do.
The idea that “God has hardened their hearts so that they would not believe” is a hard saying. However, our loving Father in Heaven is also the Righteous Judge; we cannot separate the two. I find Augustine’s words to be most instructive and comforting when trying to understand this hardening: “For God thus blinds and hardens, simply by letting alone and withdrawing his aid. And God can do this by a judgment that is hidden, although not by one that is unrighteous.”
God might not always strive with our hearts. We are not promised tomorrow. A decision to follow the Father through belief in His Son needs to be made today. Out of love, God holds out His hand to us. If we continually slap His hand away, we eventually bring judgment upon ourselves.
It is important to understand that today’s passage speaks of the Jewish nation as a whole. Even in their national hardening, there were still many Jews who believed—including the Apostles. These believers carried the Kingdom of God to the Gentiles so that the offer of salvation could reach the entire world. We respond to and accept the Father’s love by believing in His Son.
Reflection Questions
- In the “still and quiet” moments of your life, how clearly can you see the light of the Holy Spirit guiding you? Are there “mists” of life making it harder to see the horizon?
- The rulers who believed but stayed silent loved “human praise more than praise from God.” Where are you tempted to stay quiet about your faith to avoid social “banning” or criticism?
- If God hardens hearts by “letting them alone,” how does that change the way you view the moments when you feel the Holy Spirit “tugging” at your heart?
Prayer
Father,
Thank You for being a God who does not leave us in the dark. Thank You for the gift of Your Son, the Light of the World, and for the Holy Spirit who navigates us through the night. Lord, keep my heart soft. Don’t let me become so focused on the praise of men that I miss the glory of Your presence. Give me the courage to confess You openly and the wisdom to jump into Your arms while the light is still with us.
Amen.
