Those who interpret the first part of the verse of the presence of Christ on earth during His mortal life, hold that in the remainder the world is blamed for not recognising the Word Incarnate as the Son of God, and Second Divine Person. The meaning of the whole verse then, in this view, is: that though the Son of God, who created the world, deigned to live among men, yet they refused to recognise Him as God. 11. In propria venit, et sui 11. He came unto his own, and eum non receperunt. his own received him not. 11. *He came unto his own.* It is clear from what we have said on the preceding verse, that some take this to be the first reference to the presence on earth of the Word Incarnate; while others regard it as merely repeating the idea of the preceding verse, with the additional circumstance that even _His own_ refused to recognise Christ. Some few have held that the reference here is to the transient coming of the Word in the apparitions of the Old Testament. But all the Fathers understood the verse of the coming of the Word as man, and the verses that follow prove their view to be correct. *His own* is understood by many of His own world, which He had created; but we prefer to take it as referring to His own chosen people, the Jews. “Verbum inter Judæos veniens, natumque ex gente Judæorum, quos sibi Deus elegerat in populum peculiarem (Deut. xiv. 2) percommode dicitur venisse εἰς τὰ ἴδια atque ipsi Judaei Verbo ἴδιοι esse dicuntur,” Patriz. *And his own received him not.* That is to say, believed not in Him, but rejected Him. This was the general rule, to which, of course, there were exceptions, as the following verse shows. These words together with the two following verses, we take to be a parenthetic reflexion on the reception Christ met with, and the happy consequences to some. 12. Quotquot autem receperunt 12. But as many as received eum, dedit eis potestatem him, he gave them power to be filios Dei fieri, his qui made the sons of God, to them credunt in nomine eius. that believe in his name. 13. Qui non ex sanguinibus, 13. Who are born, not of neque ex voluntate carnis blood, nor of the will of the neque ex voluntate viri, sed flesh, nor of the will of man, ex Deo nati sunt. but of God. 12. There were some, however, who believed in Him, or, according to the Hebraism, in His name, and to these, _whether Jews or Gentiles_, He gave power to become adopted children of God. That is to say, after they had co‐operated with His grace and believed, He mercifully gave them further grace whereby they could be justified, and thus be God’s adopted children. The last words of this verse: *To them that believe in His name*, explain what is meant in the beginning of the verse by receiving Him.