(1.) We find —lartuuv in the signification to believe, to take for true, and hence to be convinced, to recognise (accept^ ; (a) with the ace. following, John xi, 26, —laTtv- HQ TovTo ; comp. 25, 20 ; 1 John iv, 10 ; Acts xiii, 41 ; 1 Cor. xi, IS; 1 Tim. iii, 16 (comp. Matt, xxiv, 23, 26; Luke xxii, 67) ; John x, 25 ; (6) with the infinitive af- ter iV, Acts XV, 11 (jii(jTivoi.iti> aojifji'ai); (r) with oti after it, Matt, ix, 28; Mark xi, 23, 24; Acts ix, 26; Jas. ii, 19, ai) TViartutiQ urt tic 6 Srtug taTiv ; compare Acts xxvii, 25; John iv, 21, Triartvi. fioi, vti tpx^'at iopa. This construction of TriaTiutiv on is especially frequent in the writings of John, in St. Paul's mean- ing of it. It is also used b}' Paul in Rom. vi, 8; 1 Thess. iv, 14; but in Rom. x, 9, tuv TiiaTtiiayQ Iv Tij fcapcu'^ rjou oti o Srsvg avTov yyitpiv Ik inKpwv,aLoBii(T)j, the sense of trust predominates over that of taking for true. Compare also Heb. xi, 0, with xi, 1 ; iv, 3.
In John this construction with oti is found in chap, iv, 21 ; viii, 24 ; x, 38 ; xi, 27 (compare vi, 09) ; xi, 42 (compare xvii, 3); xiii, 19; xiv, 10, 11; xvi, 27 ; (and have believed that I came out from God), xvi, 30 ; xvii, 8, 21 ; XX, 31 ; 1 John v, 1, 5 (comp. with v, 10). In these passages the sense of —irrTtvuj is that of assent, belief, recognition, conviction of truth. This meaning is also predominant in the following passage : John iii, 12 (If I have told j-ou earthly things, and j-e believe not, how sliall ye believe if I tell 3'ou of heavenly things) (comp. iii, 11). Note also the connection with yivioffKHv (to knoio), vi, 69 ; x, 37, 38 ; xvii, 8 ; and note also the relation of Christ's works and of sight to foitli, John iv, 48 (Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe') • x, .37, 38; xiv, 11; vi, 36; xx, 8, 29 (com- pare XX, 25) ; i, 51 ; iv, 39-42.
Let us look now at the constructions TriaTtviiv Tivi, e'ig Tiva. It is clear that TTUj-ivtiv Tivi of itself can- not signify to accept a person, but only to believe what he says, to trust his word; c. g. John ii, 22 (they be- lieved the Scripture and the word whicli Jesus had said) ; V, 47 ; xii, 38 (comp. Luke i, 20 ; Acts xxiv, 14 ; xxvi, 27 ; 1 John iv, 1). In this sense also Ave understand John v, 40 (for had ;/e believed jlfoses, ye would have be- lievedme); viii, 31, 45, 46; x, 37 (comp. with x, 36); xiv, 11. Nevertheless, as it is the witness rf Jesus himself tliat is in question, the acceptance of his words implies the acceptance of his person (John v, 46 ; comp. with v, .37-39). Connect with these the unique passage 1 John iii, 23: avri] tarh' 7) h'ToXi) avTuii 'iva'TriaTtvffio- fi(v Titj ovo/^KiTi ToTi iHoi' (ivToi', " tliis is the command- ment, that ve should believe on the name of his son Jesus Christ" (elsewhere fi'e to o)A,John i, 12; ii, 23; iii, 18; 1 Jolin V, 1.3) ; comp. also Jolin vi, 29 ; xvi, 0 ; 1 John v, 10 [JIq. that believeth on [ei'c] the Son of God hath the witness in himself; he that believeth not God [rtji Hf(;]] hath made him a liar, because he believeth not [t(V] tlie record that God gave of his Son). Here ttkt- Tiviiv T(ii •&£(/}, to believe God, is to receive his testimo- ny, TT. fig Ti'jv ^laprvpiav, and consequently to receive Him for whom the testimony is borne. Farther comp. John V, 38 with 37, 24, 47, and 44. These passai^es show that John's idea of faith includes (1) accepting
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the testimony of God, (2) accepting the testimony of Clirist concerning himself, and therefore (3) accepting Clirist himself. 'J'he construction TrinTtvuv ti't' is found in John ii, 11 ; iii, IG, 18, 3« ; iv, 39 ; vi, 29, 40 (47) : vii, 5, 31, 38, 39, 48 ; viii, 30 ; ix, 35, 36 ; x, 42 ; xi, 25, 2G, 45, 48; xii, 11, 37, 42, 44, 4G ; xiv, i, 12; xvi, 9 ; xvii, 20 ; 1 John v, 13. The only passage in the writings of John iu which another preposition occurs is John iii, 15, where Lachmann reads tn avTov, Tis- chendorf ti' uvtii), instead of £iV niiTov.
(2.) But the sense of admitting, accepting as true, thus far developed, is b}' no means the whole of John's idea of faith in Christ. It includes not only this, but also adherence to Christ; cleaving to him. See, for in- stance, the wliole passage, John ix, 35-38, and comp. xi, 48; x, 26, 27; vi, 69; i, 12. Both these are evi- dently contained also in the Trtarevtii' rivi, John vi, 30 ; comp. with vi, 29: ri ovv tvouIq av (yijjxtlov, h>a lono- liti' icai Tri(TTiuiytiif.dv croi (What sign showest thou, that we may see and believe i7i thee ?) ; 29 : 'ii'u ttkt- TivaiiTE ilr ov air'i(!Tn\ev o Snog (that ye be'lieve on him whom He hatli sent). Compare especially also Matt, xxvii, 42; Marlv xv, 32.