But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
But as many as received him as many individuals out of the mass of that "disobedient and gainsaying But as many as received him - as many individuals, out of the mass of that "disobedient and gainsaying people," as owned and embraced Him in His true character,
To them gave he power, х exousian (G1849)]; The word signifies either authority (potestas') or ability ('potentia') or both. Here certainly both are included; nor is it easy to say which is the prevailing shade of thought.
To become the sons of God, х tekna (G5043) Theou (G2316)] - or rather, 'to become children of God; not in name and dignity only, but in nature also, as the next verse makes evident.
Even to them that believe on his name, х eis (G1519) to (G3588) onoma (G3686) autou (G846)]. This is a phrase never used of any creature in Scripture. To 'believe one' х pisteuein (G4100) tini (G5101)] means to 'give credit to a person's testimony.' This is used not only of prophets and apostles, but of Christ Himself, to signify the credit due to His testimony (as John 4:21; John 5:46-47). But to 'believe upon one,' or 'on the name of one' signifies that trust which is proper to be placed on God only; and when applied, as it is here and in so many other places, to the Lord Jesus, it signifies that the persons spoken of placed supreme faith in Him. But what kind of sonship is this to which Christ introduces such believers in Him? The next verse tells us.