Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of John 6:64
But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.
64. some of you that believe not ] There were some of those who followed Him and called themselves His disciples, who still did not believe on Him. The better order is, there are of you some.
knew from the beginning ] It is impossible to fix the exact limits of this; the meaning of ‘the beginning’ must depend on the context (see on Joh 1:1). Here the most natural limit is ‘knew from the beginning of their discipleship,’ when they first became His followers. Comp. Joh 2:24-25.
who should betray him ] Or, who it was that should betray Him. To ask, ‘Why then did Jesus choose Judas as an Apostle?’ is to ask in a special instance for an answer to the insoluble enigma ‘Why does Omniscience allow wicked persons to be born? Why does Omnipotence allow evil to exist?’ The tares once sown among the wheat, both must ‘grow together till the harvest,’ and share sunshine and rain alike.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Jesus knew from the beginning … – As this implied a knowledge of the heart, and of the secret principles and motives of men, it shows that he must have been omniscient.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 64. But there are some of you that believe not.] This is addressed to Judas, and to those disciples who left him: Joh 6:66.
And who should betray him] Or, who would deliver him up. Because he knew all things; he knew from the first, from Judas’s call to the apostleship, and from eternity, (if the reader pleases,) who it was who would (not should) deliver him up into the hands of the Jews. Should, in the apprehension of most, implies necessity and compulsion; would implies that he was under the influence of his own free will, without necessity or constraint. The former takes away his guilt: for what a man is irresistibly compelled to do, by the supreme authority of God, he cannot avoid; and therefore to him no blame can attach: but Judas having acted through his own free will, abusing his power, and the grace he had received, he was guilty of the murder of an innocent man, and deserved the perdition to which he went.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
I may say what I will to you; the Spirit quickeneth, but it doth not quicken all; it only quickeneth whomsoever it pleaseth. You understand not these things, but have most gross conceptions of sublime spiritual things; the reason is, because you believe not: though some of them, questionless, did truly believe, yet the most did not; for we read, Joh 6:66, that many of them went back, and walked no more with him. And though faith be an inward, secret act of the soul, yet Christ knew, and from the beginning, who were believers, and who were not; nay, he had a particular knowledge of that disciple who was to betray him.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
64. But there are some, c.thatis, “But it matters little to some of you in what sense I speak,for ye believe not.” This was said, adds the Evangelist, notmerely of the outer but of the inner circle of His disciples for Heknew the traitor, though it was not yet time to expose him.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
But there are some of you that believe not,…. Notwithstanding the ministry they sat under, and the words they heard; for though they professed to believe in Jesus, as the Messiah, yet they did not truly believe in him; their faith was not a living faith, or of a spiritual kind, but a mere historical and temporary one, and was feigned and hypocritical:
for Jesus knew from the beginning; of his ministry, and of their profession of him, being God omniscient, and the searcher of hearts:
who they were that believed not; i.e. in him, as the Arabic version reads: notwithstanding their following him, and professing to believe in him, and the great outward respect and esteem they showed to him, he could see through all those masks they put on, and knew they had no true faith of him in them; and the same knowledge he has of every professor of his name: he knows whether their faith is of the right kind or not; whether they have obtained the like precious faith with God’s elect; or whether their profession is only a verbal one. In some copies it is read, “who they were that believed”; who were true believers, as well as who were hypocrites.
And who should betray him: he not only knew how it was with the multitude of the disciples that professed love to him, and faith in him; but he also particularly knew the case of the twelve apostles, and that one of them should betray him, and who he was. This was determined in the decrees of God, and was foretold in the prophecies of the Old Testament, and was predicted by Christ; and the person was pointed at by him before it was done.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
That believe not ( ). Failure to believe kills the life in the words of Jesus.
Knew from the beginning ( ). In the N.T. we have only here and 16:4, but ‘ in apparently the same sense as here in John 15:27; 1John 2:7; 1John 2:24; 1John 3:11 and see Luke 1:2; 1John 1:1. From the first Jesus distinguished between real trust in him and mere lip service (John 2:24; John 8:31), two senses of .
Were (). Present active indicative retained in indirect discourse.
And who it was that should betray him ( ). Same use of and note article and future active participle of , to hand over, to betray. John does not say here that Jesus knew that Judas would betray him when he chose him as one of the twelve, least of all that he chose him for that purpose. What he does say is that Jesus was not taken by surprise and soon saw signs of treason in Judas. The same verb is used of John’s arrest in Mt 4:12. Once Judas is termed traitor () in Lu 6:16. Judas had gifts and was given his opportunity. He did not have to betray Jesus.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Should betray [] . See on Mt 4:12; Mr 4:29. Judas is once in the New Testament designated by the noun prodothv, traitor, Luk 6:16.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1 ) “But there are some of you that believe not.” (all’ eisin eks humon tines hoi ou pisteuousin) “But there are certain ones out of you all who do not believe,” though you have been baptized, made an outward profession, and pursued me as disciples, Joh 6:61.
2) “For Jesus knew from the beginning,” (edei gar eks arches ho lesous) “For Jesus perceived (realized) from the beginning,” of His ministry and calling of the disciples, for “He knows what is in man,” his inner motives, thoughts, and attitude of heart, Joh 2:24-25; 1Sa 16:7; Rev 2:23.
3) “Who they were that believed not,” (tines eisin hoi me pisteuontes) “Who were and are those not believing,” who were pretending or “faking” their profession, as doers of eye service, as men-pleasers, putting on an outer-show, a sham of hypocritical profession, after the pattern of the Pharisees and Sadducees, Eph 6:6; Col 3:22; Mat 6:2; Mat 6:5; Mat 6:7.
4) “And who should betray him.” (kai tis estin ho paradoson auton) “And who was the one betraying him, living the life of sham and pious pretence, 2Ti 2:19; Joh 6:26; Joh 6:70-71; Joh 13:2-3; Mar 14:42; Luk 22:21; Luk 22:28; Joh 21:20.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
64. But there are some of you who do not believe. He again imputes blame to them, because, being destitute of the Spirit, they wickedly corrupt and debase his doctrine, and thus turn it to their ruin. For otherwise they might have objected: “You boast, indeed, that what you speak is quickening, but we experience nothing of that nature.” He therefore says, that by themselves it is prevented; for unbelief, as it is always proud, will never understand any thing in the words of Christ which it despises and disdains. Wherefore, if we wish to profit at all under this Teacher, let us bring minds well disposed to listen to him; for if the entrance to his doctrine be not opened up by humility and reverence, our understandings are harder than stones, and will not receive any part of sound doctrine. And therefore, when in the present day we see so few people in the world profiting by the Gospel, we ought to remember that this arises from the depravity of men. For how many will you find who deny themselves, and truly submit to Christ? As to his saying only that there were some who did not believe, though almost all of them were liable to this charge, his reason for doing so appears to have been that, if there were any who were not yet beyond the possibility of cure, they might not cast down their minds in despair.
For Jesus knew from the beginning. The Evangelist added this, that none might think that Christ formed an opinion at random about his hearers. Many professed to belong to his flock, but a sudden apostacy exposed their hypocrisy. But the Evangelist says that their treachery, even while it was unknown to others, was well known to Christ. And this is stated, not so much on his account, as that we may learn not to form a judgment except on subjects which we have thoroughly investigated; for as to their being known to Christ from the beginning, this was peculiar to his Divinity. It is otherwise with us; for since we do not know the hearts, we ought to delay forming a judgment, until impiety be manifested by outward signs, and thus the tree be known by its fruits, (Mat 7:16.)
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(64) There are some of you that believe not.Later, the word disciple became synonymous with the word believer, but there are those now following Him just as they would follow any Rabbi, and, regarding Him as a merely human teacher, they fall short of the faith which was the first qualification for true discipleship. They had heard, it may be, the Sermon on the Mount, and such teaching as that of Matthew 13. In part they could understand this, and therefore in part believed; but when faith was really needed, it was found not really to exist: for faith is accepting what is not demonstrable to the mere reason, and seeing what is invisible.
From the beginning.This is a relative term, and is to be interpreted from the context. It means here the beginning of their discipleship. He saw in their hearts the varying kinds of ground on which the good seed fell, and in their acts and words the varying effects. There were hearts like the hardened wayside, but it may have been ploughed; like the stony places, but that shelving rock may have been broken through; like the thorns, but they may have been rooted up; and all may have become, as some were, like the good and fruit-bearing ground.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
64. Some that believe not They had no living faith. To them his reference to his ascension, (Joh 6:62,) and his thrilling words of the Spirit, would be but a continuance of the hard saying. Jesus knew His very humanity, by its close contact with divinity, would be fringed with a supernatural intuition. See note on Joh 2:25.
Who should betray him Who was going to betray him. It is a simple future participle, and expresses no fatalism or predestination.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘But there are some of you who do not believe’ (for Jesus knew from the beginning which of them did not believe, and who it was who would betray him). And he said, “That is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is given to him by the Father”.’
But Jesus knew that among His wider group of disciples were some who did not truly believe. They had their own motives for following Him. So once again Jesus recognised the sovereign work of the Father in the salvation and destiny of men. All are given the opportunity, but not all will come. Judas especially was given the opportunity, but he turned it down to further his own ends. Yet, although this would be because of their own free choice, for men are free to reject Him if they will, in the final analysis it would be because it was not granted to them by the Father overriding their rejection. The truth is that without God’s work of grace no one would be saved.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Joh 6:64. For Jesus knew from the beginning Our Lord insinuates, that he knew who would believe in him among the vast multitude of his auditors; and more particularly, that he knew who would continue his disciples among those who had professed themselves such, even from their first attending him; and that even among his apostles he knew who was to betray him; and that, consequently, in choosing him he was guilty of no indiscretion, as, in continuing him among the apostles, he shewed that he did nothing in his greatest privacies which was culpable. It is plain from this verse, that God foresees future contingencies:
But his foreknowledge causes not the fault, Which had no less prov’d certain, unforeknown.
See on Joh 6:71.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
64 But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.
Ver. 64. But there are some of you that believe not ] And hence it is that you so grossly mistake me, and that you find no more benefit by me and my words. Unbelief rejects the remedy, frustrates the means, holds a man in universal pollution, Heb 3:12 , and leaves him under a double condemnation; one from the law wherein Christ found him, and another from the gospel for refusing the remedy, that blessed bath of Christ’s blood,Zec 13:1Zec 13:1 , whereunto even the princes of Sodom are invited, Isa 1:10 , and for despising it, doomed, Eze 24:13 , as a malefactor dead in law, and yet rejecteth the offer of a pardon. In Ket’s sedition, when King Edward VI’s pardon was offered the rebels by a herald, a lewd boy turned toward him his naked posteriors, and used words suitable to that gesture. One standing by discharged a harquebus a upon the boy, and struck him dead in the place. b How shall those escape that neglect so great salvation, which at first began to be spoken by the Lord? Heb 2:3 .
a The early type of portable gun, varying in size from a small cannon to a musket, which on account of its weight was, when used in the field, supported upon a tripod, trestle, or other ‘carriage’, and afterwards upon a forked ‘rest’. The name in German and Flemish meant literally ‘hook-gun’, from the hook cast along with the piece, by which it was fastened to the ‘carriage’; but the name became generic for portable fire-arms generally in the 16th century, so that the type with the hook was subsequently distinguished as arquebuse croc . According to Wendelin Boeheim, Handbuch der Waffenkunde (Leipzig 1890) 447, 455, the hook of the original hakenbhse was intended to hold on to a wall or other fixed object, partly to support the weight of the barrel and partly to diminish the recoil. Maximilian I (early 16th cent.) introduced the portable tripod which could be put together in the field. The forked rest came in about 1520, with the Spanish musket. D
b Life of Edward VI, by Sir John Heywood.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
64. . ] ‘This accounts for your murmuring at what I said, that ye do not believe .’
] De Wette remarks, that the foreknowledge of our Lord with regard to Judas renders it impossible to apply the ordinary rules of moral treatment, as ‘Why did He then continue him as an Apostle? Why did He give him the charge of the purse, knowing him to be a thief? &c.,’ to the case: and it is therefore better not to judge at all on the matter.
The fact is, we come here to a form of the problem of divine foreknowledge and human free-will , which, in any of its endless combinations of expression, it is equally impossible for us to solve.
, from their first coming to Him; the first beginning of their connexion with Him.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Joh 6:64 . But , and therefore do not receive the life. This Jesus said , for Jesus knew from the first who they were that believed not, and who it was who should betray Him. “Hoc ideo addidit Evangelista, ne quis putet temere judicasse Christum de suis auditoribus,” Calvin. Euthymius says it illustrates His forbearance. , from the beginning of His connection with individuals. Weiss supposes it means from the beginning of their not believing. He gave utterance to this knowledge in Joh 6:26 . He even knew who it was who should betray Him. This is said in anticipation of Joh 6:70-71 . This declaration raises the question, Why then did Jesus call Judas to the Apostolate? Holtzmann indeed supposes that this intimation is purely apologetic and intended to show that Jesus was not deceived in appointing Judas. It is unnecessary to increase the difficulty by supposing the to refer to the time previous to his call. Jesus saw in Judas qualities fitting him to be an Apostle; but seeing him among the others He recognised that he was an unfaithful man. To suppose that He called him in the clear knowledge that he would betray Him is to introduce an unintelligible or artificial element into the action of Christ. [Neither Calvin nor Beza makes any remark on the clause. Bruce, Training of the Twelve ; and Reith, in loc. , should be consulted.] Jesus already recognised in what manner His death would be compassed: by treachery. The fact stated in Joh 6:64 , that some of His own disciples could yet not believe in Him, illustrates the truth of what He had said, Joh 6:44 , that no one can come to Him except the Father draw him.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
from the beginning. First occurance of “ex arches” in John. As in Joh 1:1, the Ellipsis of dependent noun must be supplied here, and in the only other occurrence (Joh 16:4): “from the beginning [of the Lord’s ministry]”. For the occurance of arche with other prepositions, see notes on Joh 1:1; Joh 8:44, and Heb 1:10.
believed not = would not believe. Note the subjective emphasis of’ me. App-105. See also App-150.
should = would.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
64. .] This accounts for your murmuring at what I said, that ye do not believe.
] De Wette remarks, that the foreknowledge of our Lord with regard to Judas renders it impossible to apply the ordinary rules of moral treatment,-as Why did He then continue him as an Apostle? Why did He give him the charge of the purse, knowing him to be a thief? &c.,-to the case: and it is therefore better not to judge at all on the matter.
The fact is, we come here to a form of the problem of divine foreknowledge and human free-will, which, in any of its endless combinations of expression, it is equally impossible for us to solve.
, from their first coming to Him;-the first beginning of their connexion with Him.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Joh 6:64. , but there are) With yourselves rests the blame.-, some) who also disturb the faith of others.- , do not believe) and so therefore distort into a carnal sense what has been spoken in a spiritual sense.- , from the beginning) The very time of this discourse is marked, although Jesus, even before that time, had always known what was about to be. This discourse was delivered a year before His passion; but the choice of the twelve apostles did not precede this discourse by a whole year. Therefore it was at that time a beginning.-, who in particular) out of the larger number of His disciples.- , and who) out of the twelve disciples. Judas therefore was then already cherishing that unnatural feeling, from which subsequently his treachery took its rise. Even then he did not believe, and, along with many other disciples, took offence at the discourse of Jesus. The bad are soon bad; the good are soon good.[152] John has diligently marked the successive steps in the deadly wickedness of Judas, ch. Joh 12:4 [His covetous objection made to the pouring out of the ointment on the Lord by Mary]; Joh 13:2; Joh 13:27, Satan entered into him; Joh 14:22; and entertained an especial antipathy towards him.
[152] i.e. Good and evil soon develop themselves in their respective characters.-E. and T.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Joh 6:64
Joh 6:64
But there are some of you that believe not.-Notwithstanding all the works and words of Jesus to the Jews, there were many that disbelieved, and he explains it directly to the disciples and the chosen twelve.
For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who it was that should betray him.-Jesus knew who was lacking in that strength of character that would cause him, when the temptation came, to betray him.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
there: Joh 6:36, Joh 6:61, Joh 5:42, Joh 8:23, Joh 8:38-47, Joh 8:55, Joh 10:26, Joh 13:10, Joh 13:18-21
For: Joh 6:70, Joh 6:71, Joh 2:24, Joh 2:25, Joh 13:11, Psa 139:2-4, Act 15:18, Rom 8:29, 2Ti 2:19, Heb 4:13
Reciprocal: Mat 9:4 – knowing Mar 2:8 – when Mar 3:19 – Judas Joh 6:26 – Ye seek Joh 6:43 – Murmur 1Co 11:27 – whosoever
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
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But . . . some . . . believe not. This shows that eating the kind of food that Jesus had been discussing, meant to believe the words he had been saying. Jesus had specific reference to Judas, for he knew that he was going to be his betrayer. Judas had the same opportunity of hearing the words of Christ as the other apostles, but he did not heed and believe them, therefore he was considered as an unbeliever.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Joh 6:64. But there are some of you that believe not. Even of these who had heard the last words, so mercifully spoken for the removal of their difficulties, there were some who continued in unbelief.
For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who it was that would betray him. Another remarkable declaration by the Evangelist of the Saviours penetrating discernment of all hearts (compare chap. Joh 2:24-25), and of His knowledge from the very beginning what would be the end of His earthly course. The words seem to imply that the germ of the traitor-spirit was already in the heart of Judas, who, like many others, loved rather the glory and honour which Jesus set aside (Joh 6:14-15) than the spirit and the life of His words.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Our blessed Saviour having thus cleared his doctrine, that he was the bread of life which came down from heaven, and that he is not to be carnally, but spiritually, fed upon: he plainly tells the Jews, That the true cause of their stumbling at his doctrine, was their ignorance and unbelief; There are some of you that believe not. Upon which plain dealing of our blessed Saviour’s, many unsound professors did wholly forsake him, and accompanied no longer with him.
Learn hence, That multitudes, who have long professed Christ and his holy religion, may draw back, and fall from their profession, and finally revolt from him.
2. That it is an evil heart of unbelief, which causes men to depart from Christ, and to make shipwreck of their profession.
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
Vv. 64, 65. But there are among you some that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who it was that should betray him; 65 and he said: For this cause have I said unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it be given him by my Father.
To the exclamation: This saying is a hard one, Jesus had replied: It is hard only so far as you wrongly understand it. And now He unveils the cause of this want of understanding. Even among them, His disciples, apparently believers, there is a large number who are not true believers.
The expression does not so far limit the number of these false believers as the French [or English] word some; comp. Rom 3:3; Rom 11:17, and Heb 3:16, where this pronoun is applied to the whole mass of the disobedient and unbelieving Jewish nation. The word designates any part whatever, whether great or small, of the whole. The evangelist by means of a fact gives the reason, in the second part of the verse, for the declaration pronounced in the first; this fact is that Jesus knows them even to the foundation, and this from the beginning. The word , from the beginning, applies undoubtedly, as Lucke, Meyer, Westcott think, to the earliest times of Jesus’ ministry, when He set Himself to the work of grouping around Himself a circle of permanent disciples (Joh 15:27, Joh 16:4; Act 1:21-22), or, what amounts nearly to the same thing, to the beginning of the relation of Jesus to each one of them (Tholuck, Westcott, Keil); He discerned immediately the nature of the aspirations which brought them to Him (Joh 2:22-23). Lange and Weiss think that the term beginning designates the first appearance of the unbelief itself.Chrysostom and Bengel apply it to the moment when the hearers had begun to murmur on this very day. These last explanations are quite unnatural. , and: and even, or: and in particular. The expression: who it was who should, is written, not from the standpoint of a fatalistic predestination, but simply from that of the accomplished fact (Joh 6:71).
It follows undoubtedly from this word of John that Jesus did not choose Judas without understanding that, if there was to be a traitor among His disciples, it would be he; but not that He had chosen him in order that he should betray Him. He might hope to gain the victory over the egoistic and earthly aspirations which brought this man, like so many others, to Him. The privileged place which He accorded to him might be a means of gaining him, as also it might end in a deeper fall, if he trampled this grace under foot. As Keil says, God constantly puts men in positions where their sin, if it is not overcome, must necessarily reach maturity. And God uses it then to serve the accomplishment of His plan. Still more, shall we not go so far as to say that the very fall in which this relation was to end might become the terrible means of finally breaking down the pride of this Titanic nature? The moment when Judas, receiving the fatal morsel from the hand of Jesus, must have felt all the greatness of his crime, might have become for him the moment of repentance and of salvation. If, says Riggenbach (Leben des Herrn Jesu, p. 366), in that night of prayer when the choice of the Twelve was prepared for (Luk 6:12), the thoughts of the Lord Jesus were again and again brought back to this man, and if, while very clearly discerning his want of uprightness, He was obliged to recognize in this the signal from the Father, what shall we have to say? Literally the narrator says: For He knew… who they are who do not believe and who is he who shall betray Him; so far does he carry himself back with vividness to the moment when all this occurred.
The , and he said, leads us to suppose a moment of silence here, filled with the sorrowful reflection which the evangelist afterwards communicates to us. The , for this cause, refers to the expression: some who do not believe. It is precisely to this that I wished to turn your attention when I said to you. A man may declare and believe himself His disciple without truly believing, because he joins himself to Him under the sway of motives which do not proceed from the teaching of the Father (Joh 6:45).
Without this divine and inward preparation, even in the most favorable position faith remains impossible. The quotation is not literal, any more than in the other cases where Jesus quotes Himself (Joh 6:36). In Joh 6:37, it was the coming believer who was given to Jesus; here it is given to him to come. Westcott observes correctly that the two elements, divine and human, appear here, the first in the word is given, the second in the word come. This saying of Jesus was a farewell; those to whom it was addressed understood it. Even after the day when the popular enthusiasm had reached its culminating point, the Galilean work of Jesus seemed as if destroyed; it presented the aspect of a rich harvest on which a hail-storm has beaten.
Fuente: Godet Commentary (Luke, John, Romans and 1 Corinthians)
In spite of the importance of spiritual life, Jesus said He recognized that some of His disciples did not believe on Him. This was a tragic irony. They had followed Jesus and had listened to Him, but they did not believe Him.
John added that Jesus knew who did not believe on Him, even who of His disciples would betray Him (Joh 6:70-71), to show that human unbelief did not take Jesus by surprise.
"Jesus had given ample opportunity for faith to all those who followed him; yet from the beginning his spiritual discernment made him aware of those whose faith was genuine and those whose attachment was only superficial." [Note: Tenney, "John," p. 79.]
"The beginning" may be a reference to the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, but it is probably another reference to Jesus’ preincarnate existence (cf. Joh 1:1).