Lord, who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?

 But although He had done so many signs before them, they did not believe in Him, that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke:

"Lord, who has believed our report?
And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?"

Therefore they could not believe, because Isaiah said again:

"He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts,
Lest they should see with their eyes,
Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn,
So that I should heal them."

These things Isaiah said when he saw His glory and spoke of Him.

Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but 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. 

Then Jesus cried out and said, "He who believes in Me, believes not in Me but in Him who sent Me.  And he who sees Me sees Him who sent Me.  I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness.  And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world.  He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him -- the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.  For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak.  And I know that His command is everlasting life.  Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak."

- John 12:37-50

In yesterday's reading, Jesus taught as He spoke in the temple:  "Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say?  'Father, save Me from this hour'?  But for this purpose I came to this hour.  Father, glorify Your name."  Then a voice came from heaven, saying, "I have both glorified it and will glorify it again."  Therefore the people who stood by and heard it said that it had thundered.  Others said, "An angel has spoken to Him."  Jesus answered and said, "This voice did not come because of Me, but for your sake.  Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.  And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself."  This He said, signifying by what death He would die.  The people answered Him, "We have heard from the law that the Christ remains forever; and how can You say, 'The Son of Man must be lifted up'?  Who is this Son of Man?"  Then Jesus said to them, "A little while longer the light is with you.  Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you; he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going.  While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light."  These things Jesus spoke, and departed, and was hidden from them.

 But although He had done so many signs before them, they did not believe in Him, that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke:  "Lord, who has believed our report?  And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?"  Therefore they could not believe, because Isaiah said again:  "He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, lest they should see with their eyes, lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, so that I should heal them."  These things Isaiah said when he saw His glory and spoke of Him.  My study bible cites St. John Chrysostom here, who says that Isaiah's prophecy doesn't mean that God causes spiritual blindness in people who would otherwise have been faithful.  It notes that this is a figure of speech which is common to Scripture, revealing that God gives people up to their own devices (as in Romans 1:24-26).  It adds that what is meant by He has blinded is that God has permitted their self-chosen blindness (compare Exodus 8:15, 32 with Exodus 10:20, 27).  They did not become blind because God spoke through Isaiah, but it is rather that Isaiah spoke because he foresaw their blindness.  Isaiah . . . saw His [Christ's] glory in about 700 BC (Isaiah 6:1) and spoke of Him in many places throughout his lengthy prophecy.

Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but 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.   These rulers, according to St. Chrysostom, are truly the worst of slaves, because they are enslaved by the opinions of men, rather than honoring the truth they know, which is of God.  It keeps them from leading as God would have them lead.

Then Jesus cried out and said, "He who believes in Me, believes not in Me but in Him who sent Me.  And he who sees Me sees Him who sent Me.  I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness.  And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world.  He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him -- the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.  For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak.  And I know that His command is everlasting life.  Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak."  My study bible notes that Christ does not judge with favoritism or partiality.   It adds that He has spoken the words of life, words of love, forgiveness, repentance, virtue, and mercy.   These words of His will be the standard by which all are judged on the last day.

Let us note carefully Christ's connection with the Father.  It is an unconditional connection of power, authority, and truth.  Jesus doesn't even speak about His own authority, except to condition it upon the authority conveyed by the Father -- and most particularly by the words given to Christ from the Father to reveal to human beings.  This is not simply a truth that one would read about in a book, a principle, something learned in a science class.  This truth exists in a spiritual level, and remains true for us on all levels.  Its source is absolute, from the One who is Creator of all things and origin of all things.  It appeals to us, therefore, from levels so deep within each of us that we can't name where they are or why the words appeal to us, or do not.  This is spiritual reality, a depth of reality that goes beyond the "opinions of men."   Jesus taught the disciples earlier, "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life" (6:63).  The words of life have their value, impact, and meaning precisely because they are spirit and they therefore are life.  They come from a place beyond what we know, rooted in our very existence and creation -- before all things were made (Colossians 1:16-17).  Let us consider, then, what judgment means, which is what Christ refers to here.  Judgment comes from our rejection of what is so deep within us that we can't understand nor know its source.  When we choose mammon (materialism) over God, then we reject the words of life and we choose instead only the surface of life.  We ignore our deepest connection to the love that gives us life and plants love in our hearts.  We have this very real choice, this capacity for cutting ourselves off from what is good and true -- that which makes life worth living, gives grace and beauty and love.  Each of us has this capacity.  But it is our choices that render the judgment Christ is speaking about here; it is our rejection of life that terminates our relationship to His words of life.  We can cast these things of great depth and value away for the simplest of reasons:  personal greed, the gratification of following the "opinions of men," or any other sort of worldly vanity or materialist perspective.  But consider what we are throwing away.  This is what Christ tells us, and if we are in such a place then we are surely blind and walking the wrong way.  Let us consider His words and what makes life most precious, without which we lose even what we have.