The Blindness of Unbelief

John 12:34-43

34 So the crowd answered him, “We have heard from the Lawthat the Christ remains forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up?Who is this Son of Man?” 35 So Jesus said to them, “The light is among you for a littlewhile longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one whowalks in the darkness does not know where he is going. 36 While you have the light,believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.”

The Unbelief of the People

When Jesus had said these things, he departed and hid himself from them. 37 Thoughhe had done so many signs before them, they still did not believe in him, 38 so that theword spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:

“Lord, who has believed what he heard from us,

and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”

39 Therefore they could not believe. For again Isaiah said,

40  “He has blinded their eyes

and hardened their heart,

lest they see with their eyes,

and understand with their heart, and turn,

and I would heal them.”

41 Isaiah said these things because he saw his glory and spoke of him. 42 Nevertheless,many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did notconfess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue; 43 for they loved the glorythat comes from man more than the glory that comes from God.

(ESV)