He who believes in Me

He who believes in Me also believes in the Father

JOHN 12 BIBLE STUDY ◄
John 12:37-43 Prophet Isaiah

John 12:44-50 He Who Believes In Me

JOHN 12:44-45 44 Then Jesus cried out and said, “He who believes in Me believes not in Me but in Him who sent Me. 45 And he who sees Me sees Him who sent Me.

Who is "Him who sent Me" (John 12:44, 45)?
God the Father.

Is Jesus saying that a person who believes in Him believes not in Him but only in God the Father?
A person who believes in Jesus not believing in Jesus would make no sense. No, this style of speech conveys but leaves 'only' and 'also' unstated for emphasis. Jesus is communicating, "He who believes in Me believes not (only) in Me but (also) in [God the Father]." (See John 7:16 - “My doctrine is not (only) Mine, but (also) His who sent Me” - and Mark 9:37 - “Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not (only) Me but (also) Him who sent Me” - for other examples of Jesus using this style of speech.) Jesus is once again expressing His - God the Son's - oneness with God the Father in Trinity (see Born Again), by saying that nobody can believe in Him - Jesus - without believing in God the Father. Jesus then re-enforced His statement by adding that those who see Him see God the Father: "And he who sees Me sees Him who sent Me" (John 12:45).

JOHN 12:46-50 46 “I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness. 47 And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. 48 He who rejects Me and does not receive My words has that which judges him - the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day. 49 For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak. 50 And I know that His command is everlasting life. Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak.”

Does Jesus judge those who don't believe in Him?
No: "If anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world" (John 12:47).

But do they end up judged anyway?
Yes: "He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him - the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day" (John 12:48).

Why does Jesus call Himself "light" (John 12:46) again?
He is making it clear that He is the light that He spoke of a few days earlier (John 12:35-36) in response to their question recorded in John 12:34 (see see Ruler of This World).

Why now?
For a couple of reasons. For one, this is not the same crowd that was trying to crown Him king and have Him lead a revolt against the Romans. But more importantly, it is now one to four days before the Passover and this is the last occasion Jesus addresses the crowd before He lets Himself be arrested and crucified for our sins. The next seven chapters of John cover the 24 hours that led up to His sacrifice on the cross.