John 12:37–43

Verse 39. They could not believe, [3] that is, they would not, says Saint Augustine or it could not be, considering their wilful obstinate blindness. Witham.—But where then is the sin, if they could not believe? They could not believe, because they would not. For as it is the glory of the will of God, that it cannot be averse to its own glory, so it is the fault of the will of man, that it cannot believe. Saint Augustine tract. 53. in Joan. They could not believe. Since the prophet has foretold it, and he cannot but say the truth, it is impossible that they should now believe. Not but they had it in their power to believe; and had they believed, the prophet would never have foretold the contrary. Saint John Chrysostom hom. lxvii in Joan.

Verse 40. He hath blinded their eyes, and so forth See Matthew 13:14. Witham.—God blinded the Jews, not by filling them with malice, but by refusing them his graces, of which they had made themselves unworthy, and which they before abused and despised. It was their perverse will, their pride, presumption, and obstinacy, that brought on them this judgment. Saint Augustine

Verse 43. For they loved the glory of men. This was one of the chief obstacles of their belief: yet many even of the chief of them believed in him; but durst not own it for fear of being disgraced, and turned out of their synagogues. Do not human considerations, and temporal advantages, hinder men from seeking out, and embracing the truth?