The Meaning of John 12:48 Explained

John 12:48

KJV: He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.

YLT: 'He who is rejecting me, and not receiving my sayings, hath one who is judging him, the word that I spake, that will judge him in the last day,

Darby: He that rejects me and does not receive my words, has him who judges him: the word which I have spoken, that shall judge him in the last day.

ASV: He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my sayings, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I spake, the same shall judge him in the last day.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

He that rejecteth  me,  and  receiveth  not  my  words,  hath  one that judgeth  him:  the word  that  I have spoken,  the same  shall judge  him  in  the last  day. 

What does John 12:48 Mean?

Context Summary

John 12:42-50 - The Commandment Of The Father
The fear of being cast out of the synagogue was a very real one, John 9:22; and the yoke laid on Israel by the Pharisees was a very crushing one. Only a very few, like Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathaea, could withstand it. Let us see to it that we set the promotion of God's glory above any thought of ourselves. We must confess Christ, if we would experience His saving grace. See Romans 10:10. To reject Jesus was nothing less to Israel than to reject God Himself and His word. Such a supreme act of rebellion could not fail to draw down unexampled judgment.
In John 12:48-50 our Lord unfolds to us the significance of His words. They will be the sole criterion at the day of judgment. He will apply to each of us the rule laid down in His teachings, which were purely and simply the reflection of His Father's mind. In every sentence He acted on the Father's mandate; hence His words were capable of quickening and regenerating His hearers. What a marvelous effect would be produced on the world if all ministers of Christ would utter what they had received!
For Review Questions, see the e-Sword Book Comments. [source]

Chapter Summary: John 12

1  Jesus excuses Mary anointing his feet
9  The people flock to see Lazarus
10  The chief priests consult to kill him
12  Jesus rides into Jerusalem
20  Greeks desire to see Jesus
23  He foretells his death
37  The people are generally blinded;
42  yet many chief rulers believe, but do not confess him;
44  therefore Jesus calls earnestly for confession of faith

Greek Commentary for John 12:48

Rejecteth [ατετων]
Present active participle of ατετεω — atheteō late Koiné verb (from ατετος — athetos α — a privative, and τιτημι — tithēmi), to render null and void, only here in John, but see Mark 6:26; Mark 7:9. One that judgeth him Articular present active participle of κρινω — krinō See same idea in John 8:50; John 12:47. The same “That” very word of Christ which one rejects will confront him and accuse him to the Father “at the last day” There is no escaping it. And yet Jesus himself will bear witness for or against the one whose conduct has already revealed his attitude towards the message of God (Matthew 10:32; Luke 12:8.). [source]
Rejecteth [ἀθετῶν]
See on Luke 7:30. [source]
The word [ὁ λόγος]
Comprehending all the sayings ( ῥήματα ). [source]
The same [ἐκεῖνος]
That. The pronoun of remote reference Westcott finely remarks: “The resumptive, isolating pronoun places in emphatic prominence the teaching which is regarded as past, and separated from those to whom it was addressed. It stands, as it were, in the distance, as a witness and an accuser.” [source]
The last day []
Peculiar to John. See John 6:39. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for John 12:48

John 5:11 He that made - the same [ὁ ποιήσας - ἐκεῖνος]
The demonstrative pronoun points with emphasis to the subject of the preceding clause. A characteristic usage of John. See John 1:18, John 1:33; John 9:37; John 10:1; John 12:48, etc. [source]
John 17:8 The words [τὰ ῥήματα]
Compare thy word ( λόγον ), John 17:6. That signified the gospel message in its entirety. This, the message considered in its constituent parts. See on Luke 1:37. Compare John 5:38, John 5:47; John 6:60, John 6:63, John 6:68; John 8:43, John 8:47, John 8:51; John 12:47, John 12:48; John 15:3, John 15:7. [source]
John 6:39 That of all that which [ινα παν ο]
Literally, “That all which” (see John 6:37 for παν ο — pan ho), but there is a sharp anacoluthon with παν — pān left as nominativus pendens. I should lose nothing Construed with ινα — hina “that I shall not lose anything of it.” Απολεσω — Apolesō from απολλυμι — apollumi can be either future active indicative or first aorist active subjunctive as is true also of αναστησω — anastēsō (from ανιστημι — anistēmi), “I shall raise up.” At the last day Locative case without εν — en Only in John, but four times here (John 6:39, John 6:40, John 6:44, John 6:54) “with the majesty of a solemn refrain.” In John 7:37 it is the last day of the feast of tabernacles, but in John 11:24; John 12:48 of the day of judgment as here. Christ is the Agent of the general resurrection in John 5:28 as in 1 Corinthians 15:22 while here only the resurrection of the righteous is mentioned. [source]

What do the individual words in John 12:48 mean?

The [one] rejecting Me and not receiving the words of Me has [one] judging him The word which I spoke that will judge him in the last day
ἀθετῶν ἐμὲ καὶ μὴ λαμβάνων τὰ ῥήματά μου ἔχει τὸν κρίνοντα αὐτόν λόγος ὃν ἐλάλησα ἐκεῖνος κρινεῖ αὐτὸν ἐν τῇ ἐσχάτῃ ἡμέρᾳ

  The  [one] 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ἀθετῶν  rejecting 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ἀθετέω  
Sense: to do away with, to set aside, disregard.
ἐμὲ  Me 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Accusative 1st Person Singular
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.
λαμβάνων  receiving 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: λαμβάνω  
Sense: to take.
ῥήματά  words 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root: ῥῆμα  
Sense: that which is or has been uttered by the living voice, thing spoken, word.
μου  of  Me 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive 1st Person Singular
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.
τὸν  [one] 
Parse: Article, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
κρίνοντα  judging 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: κρίνω  
Sense: to separate, put asunder, to pick out, select, choose.
λόγος  word 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: λόγος  
Sense: of speech.
ἐλάλησα  I  spoke 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 1st Person Singular
Root: ἀπολαλέω 
Sense: to utter a voice or emit a sound.
ἐκεῖνος  that 
Parse: Demonstrative Pronoun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ἐκεῖνος  
Sense: he, she it, etc.
κρινεῖ  will  judge 
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: κρίνω  
Sense: to separate, put asunder, to pick out, select, choose.
ἐσχάτῃ  last 
Parse: Adjective, Dative Feminine Singular
Root: ἔσχατος  
Sense: extreme.
ἡμέρᾳ  day 
Parse: Noun, Dative Feminine Singular
Root: ἡμέρα  
Sense: the day, used of the natural day, or the interval between sunrise and sunset, as distinguished from and contrasted with the night.