The Meaning of John 5:45 Explained

John 5:45

KJV: Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust.

YLT: Do not think that I will accuse you unto the Father; there is who is accusing you, Moses -- in whom ye have hoped;

Darby: Think not that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one who accuses you, Moses, on whom ye trust;

ASV: Think not that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, on whom ye have set your hope.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Do  not  think  that  I  will accuse  you  to  the Father:  there is  [one] that accuseth  you,  [even] Moses,  in  whom  ye  trust. 

What does John 5:45 Mean?

Context Summary

John 5:39-47 - Willful Rejection Of Truth Condemned
Our Lord was accused by the Jews of Sabbath breaking. There were many grounds on which He might have claimed exoneration, but He forbore to use them. He dwelt on these things very lightly, lest He should direct men's attention to Himself, His one aim being to bring glory to His Father. In utter self-oblivion; in distinct refusal to act on His own authority-that is, to come in His own name; with the one desire to reveal the inner source of His life, Jesus said, I am come in my Father's name, John 5:43. Let us learn not to be too careful of our own reputation, standing, or honor; but to live at first-hand, taking our orders and the power to fulfill them direct from Christ. Too often we consult this man's opinion and that person's whim, and our course becomes tortuous and uncertain. What new interest we should take in the Pentateuch, if we really believed! John 5:46. [source]

Chapter Summary: John 5

1  Jesus on the Sabbath day cures him who was diseased thirty-eight years
10  The Jews therefore object, and persecute him for it
17  He answers for himself, and reproves them, showing by the testimony of his Father,
31  of John,
36  of his works,
39  and of the Scriptures, who he is

Greek Commentary for John 5:45

Think not [μη δοκειτε]
Prohibition with μη — mē and the present imperative. See on John 5:39 for δοκεω — dokeō for mistaken opinions in John. I will accuse you Emphasis on εγω — egō (I). Future active indicative of κατηγορεω — katēgoreō See Romans 3:9 for προαιτιαομαι — proaitiaomai for making previous charge and Luke 16:1 for διαβαλλω — diaballō a secret malicious accusation, and Romans 8:33 for εγκαλεω — egkaleō for public charge, not necessarily before tribunal. Even Moses No “even” in the Greek. On whom ye have set your hope Perfect active indicative of ελπιζω — elpizō state of repose in Moses. Only example of ελπιζω — elpizō in John. See 2 Corinthians 1:10 for use of εις — eis with ελπιζω — elpizō instead of the usual επι — epi (1 Timothy 4:10). [source]
I will accuse [κατηγορήσω]
From κατά , against, and ἀγορεύω , to speak in the assembly ( ἀγορά ). Hence, properly, to bring an accusation in court. John uses no other verb for accuse, and this only here, John 8:6, and Revelation 12:10. Once in the New Testament διαβάλλω occurs (Luke 16:1, on which see note), signifying malicious accusation, and secret, as distinguished from public, accusation ( κατηγορία ). Αἰτιάομαι occurs once in the compound προῃτιασάμεθα , we before laid to the charge (Romans 3:9). This has reference especially to the ground of accusation ( αἰτία ). Ἑγκαλέω occurs only in Acts, with the exception of Romans 8:33. It means to accuse publicly, but not necessarily before a tribunal. See Acts 23:28, Acts 23:29; Acts 26:2, Acts 26:7. [source]
In whom ye trust [εἰσ ̔̀ον ὑμεῖς ἠλπίκατε]
A strong expression. Literally, into whom ye have hoped. Rev., admirably, on whom ye have set your hope. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for John 5:45

John 5:31 If I bear witness of myself [Εαν εγω μαρτυρω περι εμαυτου]
Condition of third class, undetermined with prospect of determination The emphasis is on εγω — egō (I alone with no other witness). Is not true In law the testimony of a witness is not received in his own case (Jewish, Greek, Roman law). See Deuteronomy 19:15 and the allusion to it by Jesus in Matthew 18:16. See also 2 Corinthians 13:1; 1 Timothy 5:19. And yet in John 8:12-19 Jesus claims that his witness concerning himself is true because the Father gives confirmation of his message. The Father and the Son are the two witnesses (John 8:17). It is a paradox and yet true. But here Jesus yields to the rabbinical demand for proof outside of himself. He has the witness of another (the Father, John 5:32, John 5:37), the witness of the Baptist (John 5:33), the witness of the works of Jesus (John 5:36), the witness of the Scriptures (John 5:39), the witness of Moses in particular (John 5:45). [source]
John 5:39 Ye search [εραυνατε]
Proper spelling as the papyri show rather than ερευνατε — ereunāte the old form (from ερευνα — ereuna search) as in John 7:52. The form here can be either present active indicative second person plural or the present active imperative second person plural. Only the context can decide. Either makes sense here, but the reason given “because ye think” The plural with the article refers to the well-known collection in the Old Testament (Matthew 21:42; Luke 24:27). Elsewhere in John the singular refers to a particular passage (John 2:22; John 7:38; John 10:35). In them ye have eternal life Indirect assertion after δοκειτε — dokeite without “ye” expressed either as nominative Bernard holds that in John δοκεω — dokeō always indicates a mistaken opinion (John 5:45; John 11:13, John 11:31; John 13:29; John 16:20; John 20:15). Certainly the rabbis did make a mechanical use of the letter of Scripture as a means of salvation. These are they The true value of the Scriptures is in their witness to Christ (of me, περι εμου — peri emou). Luke (Luke 24:27, Luke 24:45) gives this same claim of Jesus, and yet some critics fail to find the Messiah in the Old Testament. But Jesus did. [source]
John 7:19 And yet [και]
Clear use of και — kai in the adversative sense of “and yet” or “but.” They marvelled at Christ‘s “ignorance” and boasted of their own knowledge of the law of Moses. And yet they violated that law by not practising it. Why seek ye to kill me? A sudden and startling question as an illustration of their failure to do the law of Moses. Jesus had previously known (John 5:39, John 5:45-47) that the Jews really rejected the teaching of Moses while professing to believe it. On that very occasion they had sought to kill him (John 5:18), the very language used here. Apparently he had not been to Jerusalem since then. He undoubtedly alludes to their conduct then and charges them with the same purpose now. [source]
1 Timothy 5:19 Receive not an accusation [κατηγορίαν μὴ παραδέχου]
Neither word in Paul. For accusation see on John 5:45. It means a formal accusation before a tribunal. The compound verb παρὰ emphasizes the giver or transmitter of the thing received: to receive from another. [source]
Revelation 12:10 Now is come [αρτι εγενετο]
Αρτι — Arti (John 13:33) shows how recent the downfall of Satan here proleptically pictured as behind us in time (aorist tense εγενετο — egeneto).The salvation (η σωτηρια — hē sōtēria). Here “the victory” as in Revelation 7:10; Revelation 19:1.The power Gods power over the dragon (cf. Revelation 7:12; Revelation 11:17; Revelation 19:1).The kingdom (η βασιλεια — hē basileia). “The empire of God” as in Revelation 11:15.The authority of his Christ Which Christ received from the Father (Matthew 28:18; John 17:2). See Revelation 11:15 (Psalm 2:2) for “his Anointed.”The accuser (ο κατηγωρ — ho katēgōr). The regular form, κατηγορος — katēgoros occurs in John 8:10; Acts 23:30, Acts 23:35; Acts 25:16, Acts 25:18 and in many MSS. here in Revelation 12:10, but A reads κατηγωρ — katēgōr which Westcott and Hort accept. It was once considered a Greek transliteration of a Hebrew word, but Deissmann (Light, etc., p. 93f.) quotes it from a vernacular magical papyrus of the fourth century a.d. with no sign of Jewish or Christian influence, just as διακων — diakōn appears as a vernacular form of διακονος — diakonos Only here is the word applied to Satan in the N.T. In late Judaism Satan is the accuser, and Michael the defender, of the faithful.Of our brethren The saints still on earth battling with Satan and his devices.Which accuseth them (ο κατηγορων αυτους — ho katēgorōn autous). Articular present active participle of κατηγορεω — katēgoreō old verb, to accuse, usually with the genitive of the person (John 5:45), but here with the accusative. This is the devil‘s constant occupation (Job 1:6.).Day and night Genitive of time. “By day and by night.” [source]
Revelation 12:10 Of our brethren [των αδελπων ημων]
The saints still on earth battling with Satan and his devices.Which accuseth them (ο κατηγορων αυτους — ho katēgorōn autous). Articular present active participle of κατηγορεω — katēgoreō old verb, to accuse, usually with the genitive of the person (John 5:45), but here with the accusative. This is the devil‘s constant occupation (Job 1:6.).Day and night Genitive of time. “By day and by night.” [source]
Revelation 12:10 Which accuseth them [ο κατηγορων αυτους]
Articular present active participle of κατηγορεω — katēgoreō old verb, to accuse, usually with the genitive of the person (John 5:45), but here with the accusative. This is the devil‘s constant occupation (Job 1:6.). [source]
Revelation 12:10 The power [η δυναμις]
Gods power over the dragon (cf. Revelation 7:12; Revelation 11:17; Revelation 19:1).The kingdom (η βασιλεια — hē basileia). “The empire of God” as in Revelation 11:15.The authority of his Christ Which Christ received from the Father (Matthew 28:18; John 17:2). See Revelation 11:15 (Psalm 2:2) for “his Anointed.”The accuser (ο κατηγωρ — ho katēgōr). The regular form, κατηγορος — katēgoros occurs in John 8:10; Acts 23:30, Acts 23:35; Acts 25:16, Acts 25:18 and in many MSS. here in Revelation 12:10, but A reads κατηγωρ — katēgōr which Westcott and Hort accept. It was once considered a Greek transliteration of a Hebrew word, but Deissmann (Light, etc., p. 93f.) quotes it from a vernacular magical papyrus of the fourth century a.d. with no sign of Jewish or Christian influence, just as διακων — diakōn appears as a vernacular form of διακονος — diakonos Only here is the word applied to Satan in the N.T. In late Judaism Satan is the accuser, and Michael the defender, of the faithful.Of our brethren The saints still on earth battling with Satan and his devices.Which accuseth them (ο κατηγορων αυτους — ho katēgorōn autous). Articular present active participle of κατηγορεω — katēgoreō old verb, to accuse, usually with the genitive of the person (John 5:45), but here with the accusative. This is the devil‘s constant occupation (Job 1:6.).Day and night Genitive of time. “By day and by night.” [source]
Revelation 12:10 The authority of his Christ [η εχουσια του Χριστου αυτου]
Which Christ received from the Father (Matthew 28:18; John 17:2). See Revelation 11:15 (Psalm 2:2) for “his Anointed.”The accuser (ο κατηγωρ — ho katēgōr). The regular form, κατηγορος — katēgoros occurs in John 8:10; Acts 23:30, Acts 23:35; Acts 25:16, Acts 25:18 and in many MSS. here in Revelation 12:10, but A reads κατηγωρ — katēgōr which Westcott and Hort accept. It was once considered a Greek transliteration of a Hebrew word, but Deissmann (Light, etc., p. 93f.) quotes it from a vernacular magical papyrus of the fourth century a.d. with no sign of Jewish or Christian influence, just as διακων — diakōn appears as a vernacular form of διακονος — diakonos Only here is the word applied to Satan in the N.T. In late Judaism Satan is the accuser, and Michael the defender, of the faithful.Of our brethren The saints still on earth battling with Satan and his devices.Which accuseth them (ο κατηγορων αυτους — ho katēgorōn autous). Articular present active participle of κατηγορεω — katēgoreō old verb, to accuse, usually with the genitive of the person (John 5:45), but here with the accusative. This is the devil‘s constant occupation (Job 1:6.).Day and night Genitive of time. “By day and by night.” [source]

What do the individual words in John 5:45 mean?

Not think that I will accuse you to the Father There is [one] accusing Moses in whom you have hoped
Μὴ δοκεῖτε ὅτι ἐγὼ κατηγορήσω ὑμῶν πρὸς τὸν Πατέρα ἔστιν κατηγορῶν Μωϋσῆς εἰς ὃν ὑμεῖς ἠλπίκατε

δοκεῖτε  think 
Parse: Verb, Present Imperative Active, 2nd Person Plural
Root: δοκέω  
Sense: to be of opinion, think, suppose.
ὅτι  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ὅτι  
Sense: that, because, since.
κατηγορήσω  will  accuse 
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Active, 1st Person Singular
Root: κατηγορέω  
Sense: to accuse.
Πατέρα  Father 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: προπάτωρ 
Sense: generator or male ancestor.
ἔστιν  There  is 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: εἰμί  
Sense: to be, to exist, to happen, to be present.
  [one] 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
κατηγορῶν  accusing 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: κατηγορέω  
Sense: to accuse.
Μωϋσῆς  Moses 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: Μωσεύς 
Sense: the legislator of the Jewish people and in a certain sense the founder of the Jewish religion.
ὃν  whom 
Parse: Personal / Relative Pronoun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: ὅς 
Sense: who, which, what, that.
ἠλπίκατε  have  hoped 
Parse: Verb, Perfect Indicative Active, 2nd Person Plural
Root: ἐλπίζω  
Sense: to hope.