Jesus was in pain! His plea for the masses who heard Him to believe in Him went unheard. They heard the words with their ears, but not with their souls. John 12:37 is a very telling verse: Though he had done so many signs before them, they still did not believe in him.... Their unbelief was in fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy, which John reports and records.
Nevertheless - and here is the glimmer of hope - John tells us that many of those in authority did actually believe - but they wouldn't state that openly because they were afraid of the reaction of the Pharisees. They knew that the result would mean estrangement from all they held dear - they would be put out of the synagogue, and that was a connection that was far more important to them. John makes that very clear in verse 43: for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God.
I wonder what their response was later. Were they among those who did publicly acknowledge their faith at Pentecost and after? I suspect some were - and that they, like Peter, found forgiveness from a loving Savior!
When God asks us to forgive 70 times 7, He models that for us...but we don't want to presume on His patience. It will not last forever....
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