His Own Received Him Not

In His Own Received Him Not, Dr. Donald Grey Barnhouse considers the entire ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ from John 1:11-12: "He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name."

Dr. Barnhouse divides the Lord's ministry into two parts. The first part is His initial ministry to the Jews (indicated by Jesus coming to "his own" in v. 11), characterized by Jesus' announcement of the coming Kingdom of God. However, as John also writes in verse 11, Jesus' own people did not receive Him. After this widespread rejection by the nation of Israel, Jesus turns His attention and offers the Gospel of grace to the whole world (as shown by the phrase "But as many as received him" in v. 12).

In Barnhouse's characteristic style, marked by an engaging clarity and a zeal for the Word of God, His Own Received Him Not surveys the Scriptures to exalt the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ, whose Kingdom will one day come and endure forever over all the earth.