John 10:26

26 But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to you.

John 10:26 Meaning and Commentary

John 10:26

But ye believe not
In me, as the Messiah:

because ye are not of my sheep;
they were not among the sheep given him by his Father, were they, they would have come to him; that is, have believed in him, according to ( John 6:37 ) , they were not the chosen of God, predestinated unto eternal life; for as many as are ordained of God to eternal happiness, do believe in God's own time, ( Acts 13:48 ) ; but these not being the elect of God, had not the faith of God's elect. Christ, as the omniscient God, knew this, that they were not the chosen of God; for he was present, when the names of God's elect were written in the book of life; had they been his sheep, he must have known them, for he knows all the sheep, and calls them by name; had they been given him by the Father, he must have known it, and would have owned them as such; but so it was not, and therefore they were left to hardness and unbelief:

as l said unto you:
which seems to refer to what follows, since he had said before, that the sheep bear the voice of the shepherd, and follow him, and that he knows them, ( John 10:4 John 10:14 ) . This clause is omitted in the Vulgate Latin version, and in Nonnus, but is in the Greek copies, and Oriental versions.

John 10:26 In-Context

24 Then the Jews surrounded Him and said to Him, "How long do You keep us in doubt? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly."

25 Jesus answered them, "I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in My Father's name, they bear witness of Me.

26 But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to you.

27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.

28 And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.

Footnotes

• [a]. NU-Text omits as I said to you.