Why Do You Not Understand My Speech? - John 8:43

The apostle John wrote how Jesus told Jewish people and religious leaders who questioned Him, “You do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God. Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, you would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me”, and in chapter eight and verse forty-three of his book John shared how Jesus asked the religious leaders, “why do you not understand my speech?” where we read:

Why do you not understand my speech? even because you cannot hear my word.

The verse reads, “Why do you not understand my speech?” John began with the words, “Why do you not understand” which means “for what reason and cause do you, Jewish people and religious leaders” in no way perceive, notice, discover or discern” “my speech” or “my, Jesus', talk, sayings and ideas”? John shared how Jesus rhetorically questioned what was the reason the Jewish people and religious leaders did not “perceive” the words and ideas He presented to them.

The verse continues, “even because you cannot hear my word.” John added the words, “even because” which means “also and indeed since and on account that” “you cannot hear” or “you, Jewish people and religious leaders are unable and incapable to be endowed with the faculty for hearing, attending to, perceiving and understanding” “my word” which means “my, Jesus', speech and ideas which embody a conception”. John shared how Jesus told the people questioning Him they were unable to “perceive” what He presented to them “because” they were unable to “hear” what He had to say.

When we think through John's words in this verse, we learn how Jesus told the “Jewish people and religious leaders” they were not able to “perceive” what He was telling them since they were unable to “hearken” to what He had to say. Jesus will speak to the hearts of every person who is open to truly “hear” what He has to say, but when a person hardens their “heart” and refuses to listen to Him, they will miss what He has to say. God loves every person, and when they yield their lives to Him as their personal “Savior and Lord”, He will forgive their sins and grant them everlasting life. Let all who read these words “hear” the words of the Lord Jesus.

Next time John shares how Jesus tells the religious leaders, “you are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father you will do”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".