Matthew Poole and continuators on John 12:44

44 Jesus cried and said , He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me .

The words at first view, seem to contain a contradiction, and denying the same Act, as to the same person; as if any man could believe, and yet not believe on Christ; but there is nothing less in them by the same figurative way of speaking. God tells the Prophet Samuel, The people had not rejected Samuel, (that is not Samuel alone) but they had rejected him. So Mark 9.37. Whosoever receiveth me, receiveth not me, [that is, not me alone] but him that sent me. So 1 Thes. 4.8. Or else thus, He that believeth on me, doth not believe on a meer man, as I appear at present to the World, but he also believeth on God that sent me. The Iews owned one God the Father, and acknowledged him the object of their Faith, Chap. 14.1. You believe in God: but they were blinded as to Christ, appearing onely in the form of a man. So that our Saviour again by these words asserteth his Divine Nature, his Oneness and equality with his Father; so as he was also the object of their Faith, as well as his Father.

Marginal references: 1 Pet. 1 21.