John 1:11

His own. Gr. ta idia, an idiomatic expression here meaning “his own [home]” (see John 16:32; 19:27; Acts 21:6; EGW Supplementary Material on John 1:1-3, 14).

This is probably not a direct allusion to Jesus’ rejection at Nazareth, His literal “home,” but to “the house of Israel” collectively (Matt. 10:6; 15:24; cf. Ex. 19:5; Deut. 7:6), the chosen nation. The second occurrence of the expression “his own,” hoi idioi, is in the plural, meaning “his own [people].” Although Jesus’ own brothers (John 7:3-5) and fellow townsmen (Luke 4:28, 29) denied His Messiahship, John here probably refers to the members of “the house of Israel” individually, and particularly to its leaders. These were “the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matt. 15:24).

Received him not. The Fourth Gospel is sometimes called the Gospel of Rejection because it traces more folly than do the other Gospels the process by which the leaders of Israel rejected the Messiah (see chs. 3:11; 5:43; 6:66; 8:13; 9:29; 10:25; 12:37,42; 19:15; etc.). To be sure, many sincere hearts here and there “received him” (eh. 1:12; see chs. 2:11; 3:2; 4:29, 39, 42, 53; 6:14; 7:31, 40, 41,43; 8:30; 10:19, 42; 11:45; etc.).