John 5:39-40

The word for "search" is really interesting. It is the word ereuano. It means, "to search, examine into." It may be implied to "search by uncovering; to search minutely; to explore; to strip, to make bare; to search by feeling, by touch."

Homer, in The Iliad, used this word to indicate a lioness and her dedication to her cubs. They were lost and she was on a huge plain searching everywhere very carefully. In The Odyssey, he used the same word to picture a dog tracking its prey—having its nose on the footprint and never taking it off.

Metaphorically it can also be used to describe one as digging deep for treasure and precious metal and breaking every single clod that nothing would be lost. It means to shake and to sift until every meaning of every sentence; and of every word; and of every syllable; and indeed, of every letter may be known and understood.

Jesus Christ is saying that these people search out every little, minute thing striving for eternal life. But they were not willing to come to Him, humble themselves, and change so that they would have life!