John 5:41–47:
The Reason They Do Not Believe

Accurate Interpretation of John 5:41–47

After presenting multiple testimonies about Himself (John 5:30–40), Jesus now exposes the reason they do not respond properly. The problem is not a lack of evidence, but the inner condition and orientation of their hearts.

(v. 41)
«“I do not accept glory from people.»

Jesus begins by clarifying His position.

He neither seeks nor depends on human recognition. His identity and mission are not based on people’s approval.

This establishes a contrast with what He will say about them in the following verses.

(v. 42)
«Rather I have come to know you, that you do not have the love of God in you.»

Jesus declares that He knows their condition.

He affirms that “you do not have the love of God in you.” The text does not develop every detail here, but points to an inner absence.

This connects with what came before: their rejection of Jesus is not merely an intellectual matter, but a matter of the heart.

(v. 43)
«I have come in my Father’s name and you do not receive me; should another come in his own name, him you will receive.»

Jesus presents a clear contrast.

He has come “in my Father’s name,” that is, representing the Father.

Yet they do not receive Him.

By contrast, He says that they will receive another who comes “in his own name.”

This reveals a reversal in their response: they reject the One who comes from God and accept the one who acts on his own authority.

(v. 44)
«How can you believe, who receive glory from men and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?»

Jesus asks a rhetorical question that reveals the root of their unbelief.

They received “glory from men,” meaning that they sought and accepted the recognition, approval, and prestige they bestowed on one another.

By contrast, they did not seek “the glory that comes from the only God.” In context, this means seeking God’s approval, receiving His testimony, and submitting to what He had revealed about His Son.

Jesus is not declaring that their inability to believe is necessarily permanent. He is showing that as long as they continue primarily seeking human approval, they cannot properly receive Christ.

His question also calls them to examine themselves and abandon that orientation. In order to believe in Jesus, they had to stop measuring truth by human recognition and seek God’s approval.

(v. 45)
«“Do not suppose that I will accuse you before the Father. Moses is the one who accuses you, on whom you have set your hope.»

Jesus now introduces the subject of accusation.

They had set their hope on Moses because through him God had given the Law. Moses wrote the first five books of the Bible: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.

Yet the very Moses in whom they trusted became a witness against them, because they did not receive the One toward whom his writings pointed.

(v. 46)
«Because if you really believed Moses you would believe me, because he wrote about me.»

Jesus explains why Moses accuses them.

Truly believing Moses did not merely mean honoring his name or knowing his writings, but accepting what God had revealed through him.

Moses wrote about the Messiah through promises, prophecies, and figures that pointed to Christ. Among them are the promise of the offspring who would defeat the serpent (Genesis 3:15), Abraham’s offspring through whom the nations would be blessed (Genesis 22:18), and the prophet like Moses whom the people were to hear (Deuteronomy 18:15).

Therefore, if they had truly believed what Moses wrote, they would have recognized Jesus as the One toward whom his writings led.

(v. 47)
«But since you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my sayings?”»

Jesus concludes with another rhetorical question.

These men claimed to receive Moses as an authority, but their rejection of Jesus demonstrated that they did not truly believe his writings either.

The problem was not that they were unfamiliar with Moses’ words, but that they did not accept their true testimony. If they rejected the writings they claimed to honor, they were not willing to receive Jesus’ sayings either.

Thus, their rejection of Christ revealed that their confidence in Moses was merely apparent.

Implications

• Seeking human glory hinders belief: as long as a person primarily values the approval of others, receiving Christ according to God’s testimony will remain incompatible with that pursuit.
• Unbelief should not be understood as a necessarily irreversible condition: Jesus’ question confronts His listeners and calls them to abandon the pursuit of human recognition in order to seek God’s approval.
• Believing the Scriptures involves receiving Christ: Moses wrote through promises, prophecies, and figures that pointed to Him.
• It is possible to honor the Bible outwardly without truly believing its message: their rejection of Jesus demonstrated that they did not genuinely receive Moses’ writings either.

Applications

• Examine what you seek: the account reveals the difference between seeking God’s glory and seeking the glory of men.
• Recognize that the problem may be internal: it is not always a lack of information, but sometimes a lack of willingness.
• Do not separate the Scriptures from Christ: they point to Him.
• Evaluate your response to the word: the way you respond to Jesus reflects your relationship with God.
• Seek the glory that comes from God: this is essential for responding properly.

Summary

In John 5:41–47, Jesus exposes the reason they do not believe in Him. He does not seek glory from men, but points out that they do not have the love of God and seek human recognition. Although He has come in the Father’s name, they do not receive Him, while they would receive another who came in his own name. Jesus shows that as long as they continue seeking human approval rather than God’s approval, they cannot properly believe in Him. His question confronts them so that they will abandon that orientation and receive the testimony God has given about His Son. He then affirms that He will not be the One who accuses them, but Moses, on whom they have set their hope, because Moses wrote about Him. By not believing Moses’ writings, they also do not believe Jesus’ sayings. The account concludes by showing that their rejection of Christ reveals an inconsistency in their relationship with God and the Scriptures.

Prayer

Our Father, we thank You because through Your Son You have clearly revealed the truth about Yourself.

Lord, help us not to seek the glory of men, but the glory that comes from You. Examine our hearts and show us whether anything within us prevents us from responding properly to Your word.

Allow us to love what You love and receive Your Son just as You sent Him. Help us also to read the Scriptures with understanding, recognizing that they point to Christ.

We ask this in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.