The reproach in the words of the Lord is the reproach of men who ought to have had an experience they had not had. Let us look a little closer at his words. “Ye have not heard his voice at any time,” might mean, Ye have never listened, or obeyed, his voice; but the following phrase, “nor seen his shape,” keeps us rather to the primary sense of the word hear:  Plainly he implies, You ought to know his voice; you ought to know what he is like. “You have not his word abiding in you”: The word that is in you from the beginning, the word of God in your conscience, is not dwelling in you; the scripture in which you think you have eternal life does not abide with you. You do not dwell with it, brood upon it, and obey it. You are not of those to whom the word of God comes. Their ears are ready to hear; they hunger after the word of the Father. On what does the Lord found his accusation of them? “For whom he hath sent, him ye believe not.” “How so?” the Pharisees might answer. “Have we not asked from thee a sign from heaven, and hast thou not point-blank refused it?”  

The argument of the Lord was indeed of small weight with those to whom it most applied, for the more it applied, the more incapable were they of seeing that it did apply; but it would be of great force upon some that stood listening, their minds open to the truth, and their hearts drawn to the man before them.

Commentary

by Earle Canty

Throughout His ministry on earth, Jesus confronted the Pharisees regarding their behavior and their understanding of the Scriptures.  These spiritual leaders of the Israelite people supposedly knew the Scriptures very well, but they really did not understand many of the principles within them, nor did they comprehend the prophetic words of some of the prophets, particularly the prophet Isaiah
{Isaiah 53}.  They were diligent in their outward behavior, doing all the things they believed were required, but their hearts manifested a substantial misunderstanding of the Father and his will.  Jesus described them as “whitewashed tombs” {Matthew 23:27}.  The words of God were something they read, but those words were not something they contemplated, and they selectively applied them to their lives and to the lives of their flock.  They completely missed the principle of faith, and having faith in things unseen.  Instead, they demanded proof in the form of a sign from heaven, not understanding that proof was contrary to the principle of having faith.

The hymn How Great Thou Art speaks to faith.  The attached rendition by Carrie Underwood is particularly poignant.  I apologize for the ad that appears at the beginning of many You Tube videos.  Just hit the Skip Ad icon to go directly to her performance.