John 1:11 Bible Study

John 1:11
"He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him."

The first "His own" (in red) refers to the world of mankind.
The second "His own" (in blue) refers to the Jewish Nation.

As Creator, the world belongs to the Word as His property, but the world did not even recognize Him due to spiritual blindness.

John used the second occurrence of "His own" in a narrower sense to refer to Jesus' own physical lineage, the Jews.

Although they possessed the Scriptures that testified of His person and coming, they still did not accept Him.

Isaiah 65:2-3
"I have stretched out My hands all day long to a rebellious people, who walk in a way that is not good, according to their own thoughts:  A people who provoke Me to anger continually to My face; who sacrifice in gardens, and burn incense on altars of brick;"

God had continually taken the initiative in inviting His people Israel to walk in His ways, but time after time they rebuffed Him.  Using this verse, Paul concurred in citing the rebelliousness of his fellow Jews.

Romans 10:21
"But to Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people."

Isaiah 53:3
"He is despised and rejected by men, A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief, And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him;  He was despised, and we did not esteem Him."

Luke 19:14
"But his citizens hated him, and sent a delegation after him, saying, 'We will not have this man to reign over us.'"

Jeremiah 7:23-27
"But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you.  But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear, but walked in the counsels [and] in the imagination of their evil heart, and went backward, and not forward.  Since the day that your fathers came forth out of the land of Egypt unto this day I have even sent unto you all my servants the prophets, daily rising up early and sending [them]:  Yet they hearkened not unto me, nor inclined their ear, but hardened their neck: they did worse than their fathers.  Therefore thou shalt speak all these words unto them; but they will not hearken to thee: thou shalt also call unto them; but they will not answer thee."

He came not only to the world, which was His own, but to the people of Israel.  It was the people of Israel that He came, lived amongst them, and to them He was first sent.

The Jews at this time were a mean and despicable people;  the crown was fallen from their head; yet, in remembrance of the ancient covenant, bad as they were, and poor as they were, Christ was not ashamed to look upon them as His own.


Ta idia - His own "things"
not
Tous idious - His own persons, as true believers are called

John 13:1
"...having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end."

Matthew 23:37
"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, [thou] that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under [her] wings, and ye would not!"

Luke 19:14
"But His citizens hated Him, and sent a delegation after saying,'We will not have this man to reign over us.'"

He had reason to believe that those who were His own should have bid Him welcome, considering how great the obligations were which lay under Him, and how fair the opportunities were which they had coming to the knowledge of Him.

They had the "oracles" of God, which told them beforehand "when" and "where" to expect Him, and what tribe and family He should arise from.  He came among them Himself, introduced with signs and wonders, and Him the greatest; and therefore, it is not said of them, as it was of the world (v.10), that they knew Him not; but His own, though they could not but know Him, yet received Him not; did not receive His doctrine, did not welcome Him as the Messiah, but fortified themselves against Him.

The Chief Priests, that were in a particular manner His own (for the Levites were God's tribe), were ring-leaders in this contempt put upon Him.  Now this was very unjust, because they were His own, and therefore, He might command their respect.

Note: Many who in profession are Christ's own, yet do not receive Him, becausae they will not part with their sins, nor have Him to reign over them.

John 12:37-41
"But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him:  That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed?  Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again,  He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with [their] eyes, nor understand with [their] heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.  These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him."

We know of Jesus because of the written Word.  We know that God is True because of His wonderful Creation.  Don't be one who claims to be a Christian, all the while, never truly putting your faith and trust in Him to save you.  Don't be one who claims to follow Jesus and yet does not do what He says we are to do.  Repent of your sins.  Believe in His Word as being True and then obey what you read.  Have you rejected what He says about all liars having their part in the Lake of Fire?  Have you rejected what He says about all thieves, adulterers, homosexuals, covetous people and all idol worshippers will not inherit the kingdom of God?  Without repentance there is no salvation.  

John 1:11
"He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him."

Micah 6:8
"He hath shewed thee, O man, what [is] good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?"