John 5:42

But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you.

But {G235} I know {G1097} you {G5209}, that {G3754} ye have {G2192} not {G3756} the love {G26} of God {G2316} in {G1722} you {G1438}.

but I do know you people — I know that you have no love for God in you!

but I know you, that you do not have the love of God within you.

But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in yourselves.

Context of John 5:42

This powerful declaration by Jesus comes in the midst of a heated confrontation with the Jewish religious leaders in Jerusalem. Following His miraculous healing of an invalid man at the Pool of Bethesda on the Sabbath, Jesus faced intense scrutiny and persecution. The leaders were angered not only by the Sabbath healing but also by Jesus' claim that God was His Father, thereby making Himself equal with God (John 5:18). In this discourse, Jesus systematically dismantled their arguments, revealing their spiritual blindness and the true reason for their rejection of Him. Verse 42 serves as a direct, piercing indictment of their innermost spiritual condition, exposing the core issue behind their hostility.

Key Themes and Messages

  • Spiritual Hypocrisy and Blindness: The Jewish leaders, despite their outward religious observances, intricate knowledge of the Law, and fervent search of the Scriptures (John 5:39), lacked genuine love for God. Their piety was superficial, driven by self-righteousness and the praise of men rather than true devotion.
  • The Nature of True Love for God: Jesus implies that authentic love for God is not merely ritualistic adherence or intellectual assent, but a heart condition that embraces His truth and, crucially, His Son. Their rejection of Jesus, the very revelation of God, proved their lack of this foundational love.
  • Jesus' Divine Omniscience: The phrase "But I know you" highlights Jesus' divine ability to perceive the deepest motives and spiritual state of individuals. He sees beyond their external religious facade to the spiritual void within their hearts.
  • The Root of Rejection: This verse identifies the absence of the "love of God" as the fundamental reason for their inability to recognize and accept Jesus as the Messiah. Without genuine love for God, they could not receive His ultimate expression of love in Christ.

Linguistic Insights

The key phrase "the love of God" in Greek is agapē tou Theou (ἀγάπη τοῦ Θεοῦ). The word agapē (ἀγάπη) refers to a deep, unconditional, and self-sacrificing love. Here, it specifically means love *for* God, indicating devotion, allegiance, and a willingness to obey His will. Jesus' statement means that this divine quality of love, which should characterize those who truly serve God, was conspicuously absent from the hearts of these religious leaders. Their actions, particularly their hatred and persecution of Jesus, were clear evidence of this deficiency.

Practical Application

John 5:42 challenges believers to examine their own hearts:

  • Heart Over Ritual: This verse reminds us that genuine faith is not about outward religious performance or adherence to traditions, but about an internal, loving relationship with God. Do our actions truly reflect a heart devoted to Him, or are we merely going through the motions?
  • Acceptance of God's Son: A true measure of one's love for God is their acceptance of Jesus Christ. As 1 John 2:5 states, keeping His word reveals the love of God perfected in us. To reject Jesus is to reject the Father who sent Him.
  • Self-Examination: We are called to regularly assess our motives. Is our service, our devotion, and our study of Scripture driven by a sincere love for God, or by a desire for human approval, self-righteousness, or control? This echoes Jesus' teaching on the Greatest Commandment to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind.

Ultimately, John 5:42 serves as a timeless warning against spiritual pride and the danger of mistaking religious activity for genuine love for God.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • John 2:25

    And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man.

  • 1 John 2:15

    Love not the world, neither the things [that are] in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

  • 1 John 3:17

    But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels [of compassion] from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?

  • 1 John 4:20

    If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?

  • Romans 8:7

    Because the carnal mind [is] enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

  • John 8:55

    Yet ye have not known him; but I know him: and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be a liar like unto you: but I know him, and keep his saying.

  • Hebrews 4:12

    For the word of God [is] quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and [is] a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
← Back