John 8:43

This chalenge may be understood generally, and so it contains a second proof that God was not their Father, taken from their not understanding of what he preacheth, which evidenceth that they were not onely under a natural impotencie to hear, but were so transported with malice, that they could not hear with patience, and so were none of Gods children. It may be also understood particularly, as a chalenge that they were so blinded with malice, that they could not understand what he had spoken in general termes of their father, verse 38.41. and so it is a transition to the following verse, wherein he explains his minde. We need not stand on this difference, seeing this particular may come in well enough under the general chalenge. And it teacheth, 1. It is a duty incumbent to all, to understand what Christ speaks unto them; and where it is not so, Christ will make a quarrel of it; for, he puts it home with a sharp question and chalenge, Why do ye not understand my speech? not onely to put them to consider from whence it flowed, (of which afterward,) but to testifie his indignation against them for it. 2. Christs wicked enemies are not onely naturally impotent to hear the Word of God aright, but are so blinded with malice, that they cannot so much as with patience hear what he saith; for, this doth Christ chiefly understand, when he saith, ye cannot hear my Word. 3. Mens own malice addes to their natural ignorance, and doth so blinde them, that they cannot understand never so plain truth; for, ye understand not my speech, because ye cannot hear my Word. See Matth. 13.9. 4. Albeit Gods Children may have much ignorance, and may for a time be tainted with some errour; Yet as that is not good, so they who maliciously sleight the means of knowledge, and do shut their own eyes, that they cannot and will not see, have nothing to evidence that they are the children of God; Therefore doth Christ, by this question, put them to consider what their practice and condition flowed from, VVhy do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my VVord For if men of one Province, and children of one Family do understand the language and dialect (as some translate the word speech) of the Countrey, and Family, and are discerned from others by their speaking of it, as Judg. 12.6. Matth 26.73. Then certainly they cannot be children of Gods house, who do not understand the language of it. And much more do they prove that they are not begotten by the seed of the Word, who cannot so much as endure to hear it.