John 1:12 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

John 1:12 gave he power, &c.— Gave he the privilege to become sons, &c. Doddridge, &c. See the 12th position in the argument. The word name is frequently used, as we have had occasion to observe, for the person or man who bears it; as likewise for that characteristic by which he is distinguished from all others. The verb πιστευω, to believe, is, in the Greek classics, used with a dative case signifying the person, and with an accusative signifying the thing. Thus when joined to the word man, in the dative, it denotes to believe a man, or to rely upon him; but when joined with the word thing, in the accusative, it signifies to believe that it is true; but in the words to believe in his name, where the word believe is followed with a preposition governing the accusative, the passage has a sense different from the examples produced above, and signifies a religious belief in Christ; which is understood to include a confidence in him as the Saviour of mankind, and ours in particular.