John 12:42, commentary and pictures

Many among the chief rulers, priests and elders became convinced that Jesus was the Son of God, the Messiah and the Saviour, yet they would not confess Him because they feared the Pharisees would put them out of the synagogue. Their silence came from loving the praise and approval of men more than the praise of God, fearing loss of place, standing, influence and reputation more than they feared God. That belief never became the faith that works by love and purifies the soul, so it did not lead them to obey and follow Him openly and take His yoke and cross. Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus show this hidden discipleship, for fear kept them from open identification while He lived, yet after the crucifixion they boldly honored Him and used wealth and influence to serve Him. Their course warns all later believers, for fear of losing position, church standing and human favor still keeps many from acting on conviction, and by denying Him to avoid reproach they reject eternal life and bring darkness upon themselves and others.

Setting in Christ's Ministry

The verse belongs to the account of Christ's rejection by the Jewish leaders, when the priests and Pharisees would not receive Him as the Messiah and the final separation had come. These are words spoken just before His betrayal and death, among His final words and actions at the temple. His departure from the temple marks the withdrawal of God's presence, so that its ceremonies and services become meaningless, described as the breaking off of the natural branches.

Many magistrates, elders, chief priests and rulers believed on Jesus after seeing His compassion, miracles and wise words. This included witnessing His many miracles, including the raising of Lazarus. His teaching was so simple, assured and powerful that even people of high rank could understand and accept it. At the same time the common people heard Him gladly, while around the believing rulers others persisted in unbelief with hearts set against Christ and a conspiracy to put Him to death already formed. When the chief priests mockingly asked whether any of the rulers had believed on Him, those believing rulers stayed silent because they feared the reproach of the people more than they feared God, with Satan darkening understanding and keeping them from acknowledging their faith.

The chief of the priesthood and the leading men of the nation were determined to condemn and repudiate His teachings. Though they were baffled in all efforts to find accusations against Him, they could not but feel the influence of divine power and wisdom attending His words. Yet they encased themselves in prejudice, pride and desire for human praise and rejected the clearest evidence of His Messiahship lest they should be forced to become His disciples. These opponents were men whom the people had been taught from infancy to reverence and to whose authority they had been accustomed implicitly to bow, so the people asked how it was that rulers and learned scribes did not believe on Jesus and reasoned that pious men would receive Him if He were the Christ, and it was the influence of such teachers and the people's lifelong reverence for and deference to them that led the Jewish nation to reject its Redeemer.

Belief Without Open Confession

Many among the chief rulers, and among the chief priests, magistrates and elders, believed on Him, yet because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue, for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God. They valued human approval above God's approval, and fear of losing human approval placed the praise of people above the praise of God, so they resisted the light they had received and denied Him. They lacked moral power to separate from those who did not receive Him and were denying Him, and kept silent rather than living out openly what they believed.

Those believing rulers were convinced that Jesus was the Son of God, the Messiah and the Saviour. Their desire to preserve standing and win human praise outweighed their duty to support truth and righteousness, and their ambition kept them from publicly acknowledging what they believed. Yet their belief did not become the faith that works through love and purifies the soul, so it did not lead them to obey the Word or secure the heavenly treasure, because ambitious desires led them to seek worldly treasure instead. He perfectly understood their hearts. He had presented truths that would have purified the soul if received.

Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus are examples of this hidden belief, for though enlightened and convinced they had not openly identified as disciples while He lived because they feared exclusion from the council and the Sanhedrin and loss of place. Their position gave them influence to challenge the grounds for His condemnation and to oppose His arrest, and Nicodemus tried to defend Him before the priests, until the leaders secured their aim by a secret council without summoning them. After the crucifixion they came boldly to honor and care for His body, openly identifying with Him in His shame and death and using wealth and influence to serve Him and to aid His disciples.

Reasons for Their Silence

The rulers kept silent from fear of the Pharisees, the priests, and jealous rulers, fearing to be expelled from the synagogue and from the Sanhedrin and the council. They feared losing place, standing, influence and reputation, and facing reproach, shame and disgrace. When the chief priests mockingly asked whether any of the rulers had believed on Him, those believing rulers stayed silent because they feared the reproach of the people more than they feared God, with Satan darkening understanding to keep them from acknowledging faith. The threat of being put out of the synagogue was deliberately announced and used to deter acknowledgment of Him as the Christ, yet the crowd still publicly acclaimed Him and confessed His kingdom despite that opposition. Belief thus withheld from public confession out of fear does not stand with obedience to the light God gives.

They would not confess because they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God, valuing human approval, praise, society and friendship above God's approval and favor. To keep place and favor they preferred the society and friendship of neighbors to the friendship of God, closing the door lest truth and the rays of righteousness penetrate surrounding worldliness. In the full face of light they chose darkness rather than light, and choosing family ties or avoiding inconvenience and reproach over obedience likewise dishonors God. Those who seek worldly honor reject Him, as the Pharisees did, while those who seek God's glory rather than human praise will receive their reward from Him.

They lacked moral power to separate from those who did not receive Him and were denying and crucifying Him. They kept their belief hidden and did not witness for Him because they feared being put out of the synagogue. They lacked courage to witness for Him, to take His yoke, share His cross and bear His burdens. By that silence they lost the opportunity to stand openly on God's side and receive strength through fellowship with Him.

Prejudice and falsehood suppressed open allegiance to Christ. Spiritual pride, self-righteousness and self-sufficiency did the same, with warning against adopting the views of associates without searching Scripture and accepting truth conscientiously. Ambitious desires and the desire to preserve standing and win human praise outweighed duty to support truth and righteousness. Resisting clear evidence hardens the heart, and fear of people can keep belief from becoming public allegiance.

Results and Later Courage

By denying him to avoid reproach and shame they rejected the offer of eternal life and lost their opportunity and chance for it. Many of the chief rulers believed in him yet would not confess him because they feared the Pharisees would put them out of the synagogue. They were convinced he was the Messiah, but they valued human praise, approval and protection from shame more than God's approval. This stands as a warning to all who make the same choice.

In resisting the light they had received they brought darkness upon themselves, for rejection of truth brings darkness and those who cling to falsehood and error are surrounded by darkness. He had presented truths that would have purified the soul if received, but fear of losing human approval set the praise of men above the praise of God. Choosing family ties or avoiding inconvenience and reproach over obedience likewise dishonors God. When people who have received light reject it, their disobedience can also mislead others and hinder them from following truth.

Some who were then afraid to acknowledge him were converted when the Holy Spirit descended and later confessed before hostile priests and rulers that Jesus was the Son of God. Others who had evidence leading them to believe but had not openly taken their stand because they feared persecution and what the authorities would do to them overcame that fear through the Spirit's assurance that God could deliver them — or sustain them if they suffered — and became ready to stand openly. They were among those in Jerusalem to whom the gospel was to be presented with the call to repentance. They needed to understand that forgiveness of sins comes through Christ alone.

People are not accountable for light that never came to them, but once Christ has come and spoken there is no cloak for sin. Devoted Christians who died keeping Sunday without ever seeing light on the Sabbath question will not be lost for it, and their piety is not demerited. Those who now receive greater light must improve it by searching the Scriptures and walking step by step with Jesus as the Light of the world, cherishing unfolding truth as their fathers cherished the light in their day. They cannot remain excusable by doing only as their fathers did.

Warning for Later Believers

The silent rulers stand as a warning to everyone who faces the same choice, for their fear of losing position and of being cast out kept them from acting on conviction and standing openly for truth. They prized human praise and approval above the approval of God, and the desire to preserve standing and win favor kept belief from being lived out in open confession and open following of truth and righteousness. By denying Him to keep that favor they rejected the offer of eternal life.

Preferring the society and friendship of neighbors to the friendship of God closes the door lest truth and rays of righteousness penetrate surrounding worldliness, and chooses darkness rather than light in the full face of light. Parents who make that choice educate and train their children by precept and example that it is of no account whether they break the commandments of God or choose the ways and companionship of those who despise and trample them. Their children then receive error and walk away from truth and obedience, with no burden felt to lead them in the path the parents themselves will not travel.

Many of those rulers were learned, educated, honorable and respected, yet they lacked the moral courage to face the priests and jealous rulers and to risk their reputations by confession. Had they acted on their convictions and courageously followed Him, their abilities could have been used in His service. When people of influence and ability are converted, they can become channels of light.

In the same way many who believe in the near and soon appearing of the Saviour refuse to confess openly because they fear being discontinued, removed, and turned out of the church. They love the praise of men more than the favor of God, and to keep a place and favor and human standing in the church they sell the favor of God. That fear is kept alive by threats of discipline for walking contrary to church rules and by making a public example of believers who are expelled, in order to frighten the rest into subjection. Yet others refuse that fearful course and openly leave to join those who love and look for His appearing.