Outline of the Book of John
- The Beginning of Jesus' Ministry (1:19-51)
- Changing Water into Wine (2:1-11)
- Cleansing the Temple (2:12-25)
- Jesus Teaches Nicodemus (3:1-21)
- John the Baptist's Final Testimony about Jesus (3:22-36)
- Jesus and the Samaritans (4:1-42)
- Healing of the Official's Son (4:43-54)
- Jesus' Visit to Jerusalem at an Annual Feast (ch. 5)
- Feeding the 5,000 and Jesus' Claim to Be the Bread of Life (ch. 6)
- Jesus at the Feast of Tabernacles and Disputes over Who He Is (chs. 7-8)
- Healing of the Man Born Blind (ch. 9)
- Jesus is the Good Shepherd (10:1-21)
- Conflict at the Feast of Dedication over Jesus' Identity (10:22-42)
- The Raising of Lazarus (ch. 11)
- Statement of the Gospel's Purpose (20:30-31)
- Epilogue: Jesus' Recommissioning of the Disciples (ch. 21)
Copyright 2002 © Zondervan. All rights reserved. Used with permission.
John 7 NLT
1 After this, Jesus traveled around
Galilee. He wanted to stay out of Judea, where the Jewish leaders were plotting
his death.
2 But soon it was time for the Jewish
Festival of Shelters,
3 and Jesus’ brothers said to him, “Leave
here and go to Judea, where your followers can see your miracles!
4 You can’t become famous if you hide like
this! If you can do such wonderful things, show yourself to the world!”
5 For even his brothers didn’t believe in
him.
6Jesus replied, “Now is not the right time for
me to go, but you can go anytime.
7 The world can’t hate you, but it does
hate me because I accuse it of doing evil.
8 You go on. I’m not going to this
festival, because my time has not yet come.”
9 After saying these things, Jesus
remained in Galilee.
10 But after his brothers left for the
festival, Jesus also went, though secretly, staying out of public view.
11 The Jewish leaders tried to find him at
the festival and kept asking if anyone had seen him.
12 There was a lot of grumbling about him
among the crowds. Some argued, “He’s a good man,” but others said, “He’s
nothing but a fraud who deceives the people.”
13 But no one had the courage to speak
favorably about him in public, for they were afraid of getting in trouble with
the Jewish leaders.
14 Then, midway through the festival, Jesus
went up to the Temple and began to teach.
15 The people were surprised when they
heard him. “How does he know so much when he hasn’t been trained?” they asked.
16 So Jesus told them, “My message is not
my own; it comes from God who sent me.
17 Anyone who wants to do the will of God
will know whether my teaching is from God or is merely my own.
18Those who speak for themselves want glory only
for themselves, but a person who seeks to honor the one who sent him speaks
truth, not lies.
19 Moses gave you the law, but none of you
obeys it! In fact, you are trying to kill me.”
20 The crowd replied, “You’re demon
possessed! Who’s trying to kill you?”
21 Jesus replied, “I did one miracle on the
Sabbath, and you were amazed.
22 But you work on the Sabbath, too, when
you obey Moses’ law of circumcision. (Actually, this tradition of circumcision
began with the patriarchs, long before the law of Moses.)
23 For if the correct time for circumcising
your son falls on the Sabbath, you go ahead and do it so as not to break the
law of Moses. So why should you be angry with me for healing a man on the
Sabbath?
24 Look beneath the surface so you can
judge correctly.”
25Some of the people who lived in Jerusalem
started to ask each other, “Isn’t this the man they are trying to kill?
26 But here he is, speaking in public, and
they say nothing to him. Could our leaders possibly believe that he is the
Messiah?
27 But how could he be? For we know where
this man comes from. When the Messiah comes, he will simply appear; no one will
know where he comes from.”
28 While Jesus was teaching in the Temple,
he called out, “Yes, you know me, and you know where I come from. But I’m not here
on my own. The one who sent me is true, and you don’t know him.
29But I know him because I come from him, and he
sent me to you.”
30 Then the leaders tried to arrest him;
but no one laid a hand on him, because his time had not yet come.
31 Many among the crowds at the Temple
believed in him. “After all,” they said, “would you expect the Messiah to do
more miraculous signs than this man has done?”
32 When the Pharisees heard that the crowds
were whispering such things, they and the leading priests sent Temple guards to
arrest Jesus.
33 But Jesus told them, “I will be with you
only a little longer. Then I will return to the one who sent me.
34 You will search for me but not find me.
And you cannot go where I am going.”
35 The Jewish leaders were puzzled by this
statement. “Where is he planning to go?” they asked. “Is he thinking of leaving
the country and going to the Jews in other lands? Maybe he will even teach the
Greeks!
36 What does he mean when he says, ‘You
will search for me but not find me,’ and ‘You cannot go where I am
going’?”
37 On the last day, the climax of the
festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, “Anyone who is thirsty may
come to me!
38Anyone who believes in me may come and drink!
For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his
heart.’”
39 (When he said “living water,” he was
speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him. But
the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet entered into his
glory.)
40 When the crowds heard him say this, some
of them declared, “Surely this man is the Prophet we’ve been expecting.”
41Others said, “He is the Messiah.” Still others
said, “But he can’t be! Will the Messiah come from Galilee?
42 For the Scriptures clearly state that
the Messiah will be born of the royal line of David, in Bethlehem, the village
where King David was born.”
43 So the crowd was divided about
him.
44 Some even wanted him arrested, but no
one laid a hand on him.
45 When the Temple guards returned without
having arrested Jesus, the leading priests and Pharisees demanded, “Why didn’t
you bring him in?”
46 “We have never heard anyone speak like
this!” the guards responded.
47 “Have you been led astray, too?” the
Pharisees mocked.
48 “Is there a single one of us rulers or
Pharisees who believes in him?
49 This foolish crowd follows him, but they
are ignorant of the law. God’s curse is on them!”
50 Then Nicodemus, the leader who had met
with Jesus earlier, spoke up.
51 “Is it legal to convict a man before he
is given a hearing?” he asked.
52 They replied, “Are you from Galilee,
too? Search the Scriptures and see for yourself—no prophet ever comes from
Galilee!”
53 Then the meeting broke up, and everybody
went home.
John 7
In this chapter we have, I. Christ’s
declining for some time to appear publicly in Judea (v. 1). II. His design to go up to Jerusalem at the
feast of tabernacles, and his discourse with his kindred in Galilee concerning
his going up to this feast (v. 2-13). III. His preaching publicly in the temple
at that feast. 1. In the midst of the feast (v. 14, v. 15). We have his discourse with the Jews, (1.)
Concerning his doctrine (v. 16-18). (2.) Concerning the crime of
sabbath-breaking laid to his charge (v. 19-24).
(3.) Concerning himself, both whence he came and whither he was going (v. 25-36). On the last day of he feast. (1.) His
gracious invitation to poor souls to come to him (v. 37-39). (2.) The reception that it met with. [1.]
Many of the people disputed about it (v. 40-44).
[2.] The chief priests would have brought him into trouble for it, but were
first disappointed by their officers (v. 45-49)
and then silenced by one of their own court (v. 50-53).
Verses 1-13 We have here, I. The reason given why Christ
spent more of his time in Galilee than in Judea (v. 1): because
the Jews, the people in Judea and Jerusalem, sought to kill
him, for curing the impotent man on the sabbath day, ch. 5:16 . They thought to be the death of him,
either by a popular tumult or by a legal prosecution, in consideration of which
he kept at a distance in another part of the country, very much out of the
lines of Jerusalem’s communication. It is not said, He durst
not, but, He would not,walk in Jewry; it was not through fear and
cowardice that he declined it, but in prudence,because his hour was not
yet come. Note, 1. Gospel light is justly taken away from those that
endeavour to extinguish it. Christ will withdraw from those that drive him from
them, will hide his face from those that spit in it, and justly shut up his
bowels from those who spurn at them. 2. In times of imminent peril it is not only allowable, but advisable, towithdraw and abscond for
our own safety and preservation, and to choose the service of those places
which are least perilous, Mt. 10:23 . Then, and not
till then, we are called to expose and lay down our lives, when we
cannot save them without sin. 3. If the providence of God casts persons
of merit into places of obscurity and little note, it must not be
thought strange; it was the lot of our Master himself. He who was fit to have
sat in the highest of Moses’s seats willingly walked in Galilee among the
ordinary sort of people. Observe, He did not sit still in Galilee, nor bury
himself alive there, but walked; he went about doing good. When we
cannot do what and where we would, we must
do what andwhere we can. II. The approach of
the feast of tabernacles (v. 2),
one of the three solemnities which called for the personal attendance of all
the males at Jerusalem; see the institution of it, Lev. 23:34 , etc., and the revival of it after a
long disuse, Neh. 8:14 . It was intended to be both
a memorial of the tabernacle state of Israel in the wilderness, and
a figure of the tabernacle state of God’s spiritual Israel in this
world. This feast, which was instituted so many hundred years before, was still
religiously observed. Note, Divine institutions are never antiquated, nor go
out of date, by length of time: nor must wilderness mercies ever be forgotten.
But it is called the Jews’ feast, because it was now shortly to be abolished, as
a mere Jewish thing, and left to them that served the
tabernacle. III. Christ’s discourse with his brethren, some of
his kindred, whether by his mother or his supposed father is not certain; but
they were such as pretended to have an interest in him, and therefore
interposed to advise him in his conduct. And observe,1. Their ambition and
vain-glory in urging him to make a more public appearance than he
did: "Depart hence,’’ said they, "and go into
Judea (v. 3), where thou wilt make a better figure than
thou canst here.’’(1.) They give two reasons for this advice: [1.] That it
would be an encouragement to those in and about Jerusalem who had a respect for
him; for, expecting his temporal kingdom, the royal seat of which they
concluded must be at Jerusalem, they would have had the
disciples there particularly countenanced, and thought the time he
spent among his Galilean disciples wasted and thrown away, and his miracles
turning to no account unless those at Jerusalem saw them. Or,
"That thy disciples, all of them in general, who will be
gathered at Jerusalem to keep the feast, maysee thy works, and not, as
here, a few at one time and a few at another.’’ [2.] That it would be for the
advancement of his name and honour: There is no man that does anything in
secret if he himself seeks to be known openly. They took it for
granted that Christ sought to make himself known, and therefore thought it
absurd for him to conceal his miracles: "If thou do these
things, if thou be so well able to gain the applause of the people and the
approbation of the rulers by thy miracles, venture abroad, and show
thyself to the world. Supported with these credentials, thou canst not
fail of acceptance, and therefore it is high time to set up for an interest,
and to think of being great.’’ (2.) One would not think there was any
harm in this advice, and yet the evangelist noted it is an evidence of their
infidelity: For neither did his brethren believe in him (v. 5), if they had, they would not have said this.
Observe, [1.] It was an honour to be of the kindred of Christ, but
no saving honour; they that hear his word and keep it are the kindred
he values. Surely grace runs in no blood in the world, when not in that of
Christ’s family. [2.] It was a sign that Christ did not aim at any secular
interest, for then his kindred would have struck in with him, and he would have
secured them first. [3.] There were those who were akin to Christ according to
the flesh who did believe in him (three of the twelve werehis brethren ),
and yet others, as nearly allied to him as they, did not believe in him. Many
that have the same external privileges and advantages do not make the same use
of them. But,(3.) What was there amiss in the advice which they gave him? I
answer, [1.] It was a piece of presumption for them to prescribe to Christ, and
to teach him what measures to take; it was a sign that they did not believe
him able to guide them, when they did not think him sufficient to guide
himself. [2.] They discovered a great carelessness about his safety, when they
would have him go to Judea, where they knew the Jews sought to kill him. Those
that believed in him, and loved him, dissuaded him from Judea, ch. 11:8 . [3.] Some think they hoped that if his
miracles were wrought at Jerusalem the Pharisees and rulers would try them, and
discover some cheat in them, which would justify their unbelief. So. Dr.
Whitby. [4.] Perhaps they were weary of his company in Galilee (for are
not all these that speak Galileans? ) and this was, in effect, a desire
that he would depart out of their coasts. [5.] They causelessly
insinuate that he neglected his disciples, and denied them such a sight of
his works as was necessary to the support of their faith. [6.] They
tacitly reproach him as mean-spirited, that he durst not enter the
lists with the great men, nor trust himself upon the stage of public action,
which, if he had any courage and greatness of soul, he would do, and
not sneak thus and skulk in a corner; thus Christ’s humility, and his
humiliation, and the small figure which his religion has usually made in the
world, have been often turned to the reproach of
bothhim and it. [7.] They seem to question the truth of the
miracles he wrought, in saying, "If thou do these things, if
they will bear the test of a public scrutiny in the courts above, produce them
there.’’ [8.] They think Christ altogether such a one as themselves, as subject
as they to worldly policy, and as desirous as they to make a fair
show in the flesh;whereas he sought not honour from men. [9.] Self was at the
bottom of all; they hoped, if he would make himself as great as he might, they,
being his kinsmen, should share in his honour, and have respect paid them for
his sake. Note, First, Many carnal people go to public ordinances, to
worship at the feast, only to show themselves, and all their care is
to make a good appearance, to present themselves handsomely to the
world. Secondly,Many that seem to seek Christ’s honour do really therein
seek their own, and make it serve a turn for themselves.2. The prudence and
humility of our Lord Jesus, which appeared in his answer to the advice his
brethren gave him, v. 6-8. Though there were so many base insinuations
in it, he answered them mildly. Note, Even that which is said without reason should
be answered without passion; we should learn of our Master to reply
with meekness even to that which is
most impertinent and imperious, and, where it is easy to
find much amiss, to seem not to see it, and wink at the affront. They expected
Christ’s company with them to the feast, perhaps hoping he would bear their
charges: but here,(1.) He shows the difference between himself and them, in two
things:—[1.] His timewas set, so was not theirs: My time is
not yet come, but your time is always ready.Understand it of the time of his
going up to the feast. It was an indifferent thing to them when they went, for
they had nothing of moment to do either where they were,
to detainthem there, or where they were going, to hasten them thither; but
every minute of Christ’s time was precious, and had its own particular business
allotted to it. He had some work yet to do in Galilee before he left the
country: in the harmony of the gospels betwixt thismotion made by his
kindred and his going up to this feast comes in the story of his
sending forth the seventy disciples (Lu. 10:1 ,
etc.), which was an affair of very great consequence; his time is not
yet, for that must be done first. Those who live useless lives
have their time always ready; they can go and come when they please.
But those whosetime is filled up with duty will often find
themselves straitened, and they have not yet timefor that
which others can do at any time. Those who are made the servants of
God, as all men are, and who have made themselves the servants of all, as all
useful men have, must not expect not covet to be masters of their own
time. The confinement of business is a thousand times better than the
liberty of idleness. or, it may be meant of the time of his appearing
publicly at Jerusalem; Christ, who knows all men and all things, knew that the
best and most proper time for it would be about the middle of the
feast. We, who are ignorant and short-sighted, are apt to prescribe to
him, and to think he should deliver his people, and so show himself now. The
present time is our time, but he is fittest to judge, and, it may
be, his time is not yet come; his people are not yet ready for
deliverance, nor his enemies ripe for ruin; let us therefore wait with patience
for his time, for all he does will be most glorious in its season.
[2.] His life was sought, so was not theirs, v. 7. They, inshowing themselves to the
world, did not expose themselves: "The world cannot hate
you, for you are of the world, its children, its servants, and
in with its interests; and no doubt the world will love its
own;’’ see ch. 15:19 . Unholy souls, whom the holy Godcannot
love, the world that lies in wickedness cannot hate; but Christ,
in showing himself to the world, laid himself open to the greatest danger;
for me it hateth. Christ was not onlyslighted, as inconsiderable
in the world (the world knew him not), but hated, as if he
had been hurtful to the world; thus ill was he requited for his love to the
world: reigning sin is a rooted antipathy and enmity to Christ. But why did the
world hate Christ? What evil had he done to it? Had he, like Alexander, under
colour of conquering it, laid it waste? "No, but because’’ (saith
he) "I testify of it, that the works of it are
evil.’’ Note, First, The works of an evil world are evil
works; as the tree is, so are the fruits: it is a dark world, and an
apostate world, and its works are works of darkness and
rebellion. Secondly, Our Lord Jesus, both by himself and by his
ministers, did and will both discover and testify against the evil works of this
wicked world. Thirdly, It is a great uneasiness and provocation to
the world to be convicted of the evil of its works. It is for the honour of
virtue and piety that those who are impious and vicious do not care for hearing
of it, for their own consciences make them ashamed of the turpitude
there is in sin and afraid of the punishment that
follows after sin. Fourthly, Whatever
is pretended, the real cause of the world’s enmity to the
gospel is the testimony it bears against sin and sinners. Christ’s witnesses by
their doctrine and conversation torment those that dwell on the
earth, and therefore are treated so barbarously, Rev. 11:10 . But it is better to incur the world’s
hatred, by testifying against its wickedness, than gain its good-will by going
down the stream with it.(2.) He dismisses them, with a design to stay behind
for some time in Galilee (v. 8): Go you up to this feast, I go not
up yet. [1.] He allows their going to the feast, though they were carnal
and hypocritical in it. Note, Even those who go not to holy ordinances with
right affections and sincere intentions must not be hindered nor discouraged
from going; who knows but they may be wrought upon there? [2.] He denies them
his company when they went to the feast, because they were carnal and
hypocritical. Those who go to ordinances for ostentation, or to serve some
secular purpose, go without Christ, and will speed accordingly. How sad is the
condition of that man, though he reckon himself akin to Christ, to whom he
saith, "Go up to such an ordinance, Go pray, Go hear the word,
Go receive the sacrament, but I go not up with thee? Go
thou and appear before God, but I will not appear for
thee,’’ as Ex. 33:1-3 . But, if the presence of Christ go not
with us, to what purpose should we go up? Go you up, I go not
up. When we are going to, or coming from, solemn ordinances, it becomes us
to be careful what company we have andchoose, and to avoid that
which is vain and carnal, lest the coal of good affections be quenched by
corrupt communication. I go not up yet to this feast; he does not
say, I will not go up at all, but not yet. There may be reasons for deferring a
particular duty, which yet must not be wholly omitted or laid aside; see Num. 9:6-11 . The reason he gives is,My time is
not yet fully come. Note, Our Lord Jesus is very exact and punctual in
knowing and keeping his time, and, as it was the time fixed, so it
was the best time.3. Christ’s continuance in Galilee till
his full time was come, v. 9.
He, saying these things to them (tauta de eipon ) abode still in
Galilee; because of this discourse he continued there; for, (1.) He would
not be influenced by those who advised him to seek honour from men, nor go
along with those who put him upon making a figure; he would not seem to
countenance the temptation. (2.) He would not depart from his own purpose. He
had said, upon a clear foresight and mature deliberation, that he would not go
up yet to this feast, and therefore he abode still in Galilee. It becomes the
followers of Christ thus to besteady, and not to use
lightness. 4. His going up to the feast when his time was come. Observe,
(1.) When he went: When his brethren were gone up. He
would not go up with them, lest they should make a noise and
disturbance, under pretence of showing him to the world; whereas it
agreed both with the prediction and with his spirit not to strive nor cry, nor
let his voice be heard in the streets, Isa. 42:2 .
But he went up after them. We may lawfully join in the same religious
worship with those with whom we should yet decline an intimate acquaintance and
converse; for the blessing of ordinances depends upon the grace of God, and not
upon the grace of our fellow-worshippers. His carnal brethren went
up first, and then he went. Note, In the external performances of
religion it is possible that formal hypocrites may get the start of
those that are sincere. Many comefirst to the temple who are brought
thither by vain-glory, and go thence unjustified, as he,Lu. 18:11 . It is not, Who
comes first? that will be the question, but, Who
comes fittest? If we bring our hearts with us, it is no
matter who gets before us. (2.) How he went, os
enkrypto —as if he were hiding himself: not openly, but as it were in
secret, rather for fear ofgiving offence than of receiving
injury. He went up to the feast, because it was an opportunity of
honouring God and doing good; but he went up as it were in secret, because he
would not provoke the government. Note, Provided the work of God be done
effectually, it is best done when done with least noise. The kingdom
of God need not come with observation, Lu. 17:20 .
We may do the work of God privately, and yet not do
itdeceitfully. 5. The great expectation that there was of him among the
Jews at Jerusalem,v. 11-14. Having formerly come up to the feasts, and
signalized himself by the miracles he wrought, he had made himself the subject
of much discourse and observation.(1.) They could not but think of him (v. 11): The Jews sought him at the feast, and
said, Where is he? [1.] The common people longed to see him there,
that they might have their curiosity gratified with the sight of his person and
miracles. They did not think it worth while to go to him into Galilee, though
if they had they would not have lost their labour, but they hoped the feast would
bring him to Jerusalem, and then they should see him. If an opportunity of
acquaintance with Christ come to their door, they can like it well enough.
They sought him at the feast. When we attend upon God in his
holy ordinances, we should seek Christ in them, seek him at the gospel feasts.
Those who would see Christ at a feast must seek him there.
Or, [2.] Perhaps it was his enemies that were thus waiting an opportunity to
seize him, and, if possible, to put an effectual stop to his progress. They
said, Where is he? pou esin ekeinos —where is
that fellow? Thus scornfully and contemptibly do they speak of him.
When they should have welcomed the feast as an opportunity of serving God, they
were glad of it as an opportunity of persecuting Christ. Thus Saul hoped to
slay David at the new moon, 1 Sa. 20:27 . Those who seekopportunity to sin in solemn
assemblies for religious worship profane God’s ordinances to the last degree,
and defy him upon his own ground; it is like striking within the verge of
the court. (2.) The people differed much in their sentiments
concerning him (v. 12): There was
much murmuring, or muttering rather, among the people
concerning him. The enmity of the rulers against Christ, and their
enquiries after him, caused him to be so much the more talked of and observed
among the people. This ground the gospel of Christ has got by the opposition made
to it, that it has been the more enquired into, and, by being every where
spoken against, it has come to be every where spoken of, and by
this means has been spread the further, and the merits of his cause have been
the more searched into.This murmuring was not against Christ,
but concerning him; some murmured at the rulers, because they did not
countenance and encourage him: others murmured at them, because they did not
silence and restrain him. Some murmured that he had so great an interest in
Galilee; others, that he had so little interest in Jerusalem. Note, Christ and
his religion have been, and will be, the subject of much controversy and
debate, Lu. 12:51 . If all would agree to entertain Christ
as they ought, there would be perfect peace; but, when some receive the light
and others resolve against it, there will be murmuring. The bones in the
valley, while they were dead and dry, lay quiet; but
when it was said unto them,Live, there was a noise and a
shaking, Eze. 37:7 . But the noise and rencounter of
liberty and business are preferable, surely, to the silence and agreement of a
prison. Now what were the sentiments of the people concerning him? [1.] Some
said, he is a good man.This was a truth, but it was far short of
being the whole truth. He was not only a good man, but more
than a man, he was the Son of God. Many who have
no ill thoughts of Christ have yet low thoughts of him, and
scarcely honour him, even when they speak well of him, because they do
not say enough; yet indeed it was his honour, and the reproach of
those who persecuted him, that even those who would not believe him to be the
Messiah could not but own he was a good man. [2.] Others
said, Nay, but he deceiveth the people; if this had been true, he had
been a very bad man. The doctrine he preached was sound, and could not be
contested; his miracles were real, and could not be disproved; his conversation
was manifestly holy and good; and yet it must be taken for granted,
notwithstanding, that there was some undiscovered cheat at the bottom, because
it was the interest of the chief priests to oppose him and run him down. Such
murmuring as there was among the Jews concerning Christ there is still among
us: the Socinians say, He is a good man, and further they say not;
the deists will not allow this, but say, He deceived the
people. Thus some depreciate him, others abuse him, but great is the
truth. [3.] They were frightened by their superiors from speaking much of
him (v. 13): No man spoke openly of him, for fear
of the Jews. Either, First, They durst not openly speak well of
him. While any one was at liberty to censure and reproach him, none durst
vindicate him. Or, Secondly, They durst not speak at all of
him openly. Because nothing could justly be said against him, they
would not suffer any thing to be said of him. It was a crime to name
him. Thus many have aimed to suppress truth, under colour of silencing disputes
about it, and would have all talk of religion hushed, in hopes thereby to bury
in oblivion religion itself.
Verses 14-36 Here
is, I. Christ’s public preaching in the temple (v. 14):
He went up into the temple, and taught, according to his custom
when he was at Jerusalem. His business was to preach the gospel of the kingdom,
and he did it in every place of concourse. His sermon is not recorded, because,
probably, it was to the same purport with the sermons he had preached in
Galilee, which were recorded by the other evangelists. For the gospel is the
same to the plain and to the polite. But that which is
observable here is that it wasabout the midst of the feast; the fourth or
fifth day of the eight. Whether he did not come up to Jerusalem till the middle
of the feast, or whether he came up at the beginning, but kept private till
now, is not certain. But, Query, Why did he not go to the
temple sooner, to preach? Answer, 1. Because the people
would have more leisure to hear him, and, it might be hoped, would be better
disposed to hear him, when they had spent some days in their booths, as they
did at the feast of tabernacles. 2. Because he would choose to appear when both
his friends and his enemies had done looking for him; and so give a specimen of
the method he would observe in his appearances, which is to come at
midnight, Mt. 25:6 . But why did he appear thus publicly
now? Surely it was to shame his persecutors, the chief priests and
elders. (1.) By showing that, though they were very bitter against him, yet he
did not fear them, nor their power. See Isa. 50:7, Isa. 50:8 . (2.) By taking their work out of their
hands. Their office was to teach the people in the temple, and particularly at
the feast of tabernacles, Neh. 8:17, Neh. 8:18 . But they either did not teach them at
all or taught for doctrines the commandments of men, and therefore he goes up
to the temple and teaches the people. When the shepherds of Israel made a prey
of the flock it was time for the chief Shepherd to appear, as was promised.Eze. 34:22, Eze. 34:23 ; Mal. 3:1 .II. His discourse with the Jews
hereupon; and the conference is reducible to four heads:1. Concerning his
doctrine. See here,(1.) How the Jews admired it (v. 15): They marvelled, saying, How
knoweth this man letters, having never learned? Observe here, [1.]
That our Lord Jesus was not educated in the schools of the prophets, or at the
feet of the rabbin; not only did not travel for learning, as the philosophers
did, but did not make any use of the schools and academies in his own country.
Moses was taught the learning of the Egyptians, but Christ was not taught so
much as the learning of the Jews; having received the Spirit without
measure, he needed not receive any knowledge from man, or by
man. At the time of Christ’s appearing, learning flourished both in the
Roman empire and in the Jewish church more than in any age before or since, and
in such a time of enquiry Christ chose to establish his religion, not in an
illiterate age, lest it should look like a design to impose upon the world; yet
he himself studied not the learning then in vogue. [2.] That Christ had
letters, though he had never learned them; was mighty in the
scriptures, though he never had any doctor of the law for his tutor. It is
necessary that Christ’s ministers should have learning, as he had;
and since they cannot expect to have it as he had it, by inspiration, they must
take pains to get it in an ordinary way. [3.] That Christ’s having learning,
though he had not been taught it, made him truly great and wonderful; the Jews
speak of it here with wonder.First, Some, it is likely, took notice of it
to his honour: He that had no human learning, and yet so far excelled all that
had, certainly must be endued with a divine knowledge.Secondly, Others,
probably, mentioned it in disparagement and contempt of him: Whatever
he seems to have, he cannot really have any true learning, for he was
never at the university, nor took his degree. Thirdly, Some perhaps
suggested that he had got his learning by magic arts, or some unlawful means or
other. Since they know not how he could be a scholar, they will think him a
conjurer.(2.) What he asserted concerning it; three things:—[1.] That
his doctrine is divine (v. 16): My
doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. They were offended because he
undertook to teach though he had never learned, in answer to which he
tells them that his doctrine was such as was not to belearned, for it was
not the product of human thought and natural powers enlarged and
elevated by reading and conversation, but it was a divine
revelation. As God, equal with the Father, he might truly have
said, My doctrine is mine, and his that sent me; but being now
in his estate of humiliation, and being, as Mediator, God’s servant, it was
more congruous to say, "My doctrine is not mine, not mine only,
nor mine originally, as man and mediator, but his that sent me; it
does not centre in myself, nor lead ultimately to myself, but to him that sent
me.’’ God had promised concerning the great prophet that he wouldput his words
into his mouth (Deu. 18:18 ), to which Christ seems here to refer.
Note, It is the comfort of those who embrace Christ’s doctrine, and the
condemnation of those who reject it, that it is a divine doctrine: it
is of God and not of man. [2.] That the most competent judges of the
truth and divine authority of Christ’s doctrine are those that with a sincere
and upright heart desire and endeavour to do the will of God (v. 17): If any man be willing to do the
will of God, have his will melted into the will of God, he shall
know of the doctrine whether it be of God or whether I speak of
myself. Observe here, First, What the question is, concerning
the doctrine of Christ, whether it be of God or no; whether the
gospel be a divine revelation or an imposture. Christ himself was willing to
have his doctrine enquired into, whether it were of God or no, much more should
his ministers; and we are concerned to examine what grounds we go upon, for, if
we be deceived, we are miserably deceived. Secondly, Who are likely
to succeed in this search: those that do the will of God, at least
are desirous to do it. Now see, 1. Who they are that will do the will of
God. They are such as are impartial in their enquiries
concerning the will of God, and are not biassed by any lust or interest, and
such as are resolved by the grace of God, when they find out what the will of
God is, to conform to it. They are such as have an honest principle of regard
to God, and are truly desirous to glorify and please him. 2. Whence it is that
such a one shall know of the truth of Christ’s doctrine. (1.) Christ has
promised togive knowledge to such; he hath said, He
shall know, and he can give an understanding. Those who improve the
light they have, and carefully live up to it, shall be secured by divine grace
from destructive mistakes. (2.) They are disposed and prepared to receivethat
knowledge. He that is inclined to submit to the rules of the divine law is
disposed to admit the rays of divine light. To him that has shall be
given; those have a good understanding that do his
commandments, Ps. 111:10 . Those who resemble God are
most likely to understand him.[3.] That hereby it appeared that
Christ, as a teacher, did not speak of himself, because he did not
seek himself, v. 18. First, See here the character of a
deceiver: he seeketh his own glory, which is a sign that
he speaks of himself, as the false Christs and false prophets did.
Here is the description of the cheat: they speak of
themselves, and have no commission nor instructions from God; no warrant
but their own will, no inspiration but their own imagination, their own policy
and artifice. Ambassadorsspeak not of themselves; those ministers disclaim
that character who glory in this that they speak of themselves. But
see the discovery of the cheat; by this their pretensions are disproved, they
consult purely their own glory; self-seekers are self-speakers. Those
who speak from God will speak for God, and for his glory;
those who aim at their own preferment and interest make it to appear that they
had no commission form God.Secondly, See the contrary character Christ
gives of himself and his doctrine: He thatseeks his glory that sent
him, as I do, makes it to appear that he is true. 1. He
was sent of God. Those teachers, and those only, who are sent of God,
are to be received and entertained by us. Those who bring a divine message must
prove a divine mission, either by special revelation or by regular institution.
2. He sought the glory of God. It was both the tendency of his
doctrine and the tenour of his whole conversation to glorify God. 3.
This was a proof that he was true, and there was no
unrighteousness in him. False teachers are
most unrighteous; they are unjust to God whose name they abuse, and
unjust to the souls of men whom they impose upon. There cannot be a greater
piece of unrighteousness than this. But Christ made it appear that he
was true, that he was really what he said he was, that there
was no unrighteousness in him, no falsehood in his doctrine, no
fallacy nor fraud in his dealings with us.2. They discourse concerning
thecrime that was laid to his charge for curing the impotent man, and
bidding him carry his bed on the sabbath day, for which they had formerly
prosecuted him, and which was still the pretence of their enmity to him.(1.) He
argues against them by way of recrimination,convicting them of far worse
practices, v. 19. How could they for shame censure him for a
breach of the law of Moses, when they themselves were such notorious breakers
of it?Did not Moses give you the law? And it was their privilege that they
had the law, no nation had such a law; but it was their wickedness
that none of them kept the law, that they rebelled against it, and
lived contrary to it. Many that have the law given them, when they have it do
not keep it. Their neglect of the law was universal: None of you
keepeth it: neither those of them that were in posts of
honour, who should have been most knowing,nor those who were
in posts of subjection, who should have been
most obedient. They boasted of the law, and pretended a zeal for it,
and were enraged at Christ for seeming to transgress it, and yet none of them
kept it; like those who say that they are for the church, and yet never go to
church. It was an aggravation of their wickedness, in persecuting Christ for
breaking the law, that they themselves did not keep it: "None of you
keepeth the law, why then go ye about to kill me for not keeping it?’’
Note, Those are commonly most censorious of others who are most faulty
themselves. Thus hypocrites, who are forward to pull a mote out of their
brother’s eye, are not aware of a beam in their own. Why go ye about to
kill me? Some take this as the evidence of their not keeping the
law: "You keep not the law; if you did, you would understand
yourselves better than to go about to kill me for doing a good work.’’ Those
that support themselves and their interest by persecution and violence, whatever
they pretend (though they may call themselves custodes utriusque
tabulae—the guardians of both tables ), are not keepers of the law of
God. Chemnitius understands this as a reason why it was time to supersede the
law of Moses by the gospel, because the law was found insufficient
to restrain sin: "Moses gave you the law, but you do not keep
it, nor are kept by it from the greatest wickedness; there is therefore need of
a clearer light and better law to be brought in; why then do you aim to kill me
for introducing it?’’Here the people rudely interrupted him in his
discourse, and contradicted what he said (v. 20): Thou
has a devil; who goes about to kill thee? This intimates, [1.] The good
opinion they had of their rulers, who, they think, would never attempt so
atrocious a thing as to kill him; no, such a veneration they had for their
elders and chief priests that they would swear for them they would do no harm
to an innocent man. Probably the rulers had their little emissaries among the
people who suggested this to them; many deny that wickedness which at the same
time they are contriving. [2.] Theill opinion they had of our Lord
Jesus: "Thou hast a devil, thou art possessed with a lying
spirit, and art a bad man for saying so;’’ so some: or rather,
"Thou art melancholy, and art a weak man; thou frightenest
thyself with causeless fears, as hypochondriacal people are apt to do.’’ Not
only open frenzies, but silent melancholies, were then commonly imputed to the
power of Satan. "Thou art crazed, has a distempered brain.’’ Let us not
think it strange if the best of men are put under the worst of characters. To
this vile calumny our Saviour returns no direct answer, but seems as if he took
no notice of it. Note, Those who would be like Christ must put up with
affronts, and pass by the indignities and injuries done them; must
not regard them, much less resent them, and least of
all revenge them.I, as a deaf man, heard not. When Christ
was reviled, he reviled not again, (2.) He argues by way of
appeal and vindication.[1.] He appeals to their own sentiments of
this miracle: "I have done one work, and you all marvel, v. 21. You cannot choose but marvel at it as truly
great, and altogether supernatural; you must all own it to be marvellous.’’ Or,
"Though I have done but one work that you have any colour to
find fault with, yet you marvel, you are offended and displeased as if I had
been guilty of some heinous or enormous crime.’’[2.] He appeals to their own
practice in other instances: "I have done one work on the
sabbath, and it was done easily, with a word’s speaking, and you all marvel,
you make a mighty strange thing of it, that a religious man should dare do such
a thing, whereas you yourselves many a time do that which is a much
more servile work on the sabbath day, in the case of circumcision; if it be
lawful for you, nay, and your duty, to circumcise a child on the sabbath day,
when it happens to be the eighth day, as no doubt it is, much more was it
lawful and good for me to heal a diseased man on that day.’’ Observe,First,The
rise and origin of circumcision: Moses gave you circumcision, gave
you the law concerning it. Here, 1. Circumcision is said to be
given, and (v. 23) they are said toreceive it; it was not
imposed upon them as a yoke, but conferred upon them as a favour. Note, The
ordinances of God, and particularly those which are seals of the covenant,
aregifts given to men, and are to be received as such. 2. Moses is
said to give it, because it was a part of that law which was given by
Moses; yet, as Christ said of the mannach. 6:32 ),
Moses did not give it them, but God; nay, and it was not of Moses first,
but of the fathers, v. 22. Though it was incorporated into the Mosaic
institution, yet it was ordained long before, for it was a seal of the
righteousness of faith, and therefore commenced with the promise four hundred
and thirty years before, Gal. 3:17 . The church membership of believers and
their seed was not of Moses or his law, and therefore did not fall with it; but
was of the fathers, belonged to the patriarchal church, and was part
of that blessing of Abraham which was to come upon the Gentiles, Gal. 3:14 .Secondly, The respect paid to the
law of circumcision above that of the sabbath, in the constant practice of the
Jewish church. The Jewish casuists frequently take notice of
it, Circumcisio et ejus sanatio pellit sabbbatum—Circumcision and its cure
drive away the sabbath; so that if a child was born one sabbath day
it was without fail circumcised the next. If then, when thesabbath rest was
more strictly insisted on, yet those works were allowed which were in
ordine ad spiritualia—for the keeping up of religion, much more are they
allowed now under the gospel, when the stress is laid more upon
the sabbath work. Thirdly, The inference Christ draws hence in
justification of himself, and of what he had done (v. 23): A man-child on the sabbath day
receives circumcision, that the law of circumcision might not be broken; or,
as the margin reads it, without breaking the law, namely, of the
sabbath. Divine commands must be construed so as to agree with each other.
"Now, if this be allowed by yourselves, how unreasonable are you, who
are angry with me because I have made a man every whit whole on the
sabbath day!’’ emoi cholate . The word is used only here,
from choge —fel, gall. They were angry at him with the greatest
indignation; it was a spiteful anger, anger with gall in it. Note, It is very absurd
and unreasonable for us to condemn others for that in which we justify
ourselves. Observe the comparison Christ here makes between
their circumcising a child and his healing a manon the sabbath
day. 1. Circumcision was but a ceremonial institution; it was of the
fathersindeed, but not from the beginning; but what Christ did was a good work
by the law of nature, a more excellent law than that which made circumcision a
good work. 2. Circumcision was a bloody ordinance, and made
sore; but what Christ did was healing, and made whole. The law works pain,
and, if that work may be done on the sabbath day, much more a gospel work,
which produces peace. 3. Especially considering that whereas, when they had
circumcised a child, their care was only to heal up that part which was circumcised,
which might be done and yet the child remain under other illnesses, Christ had
made this man every whit whole, holon anthropon hygie —I have
made the whole man healthful and sound. The whole
body was healed, for the disease affected the whole body; and it
was a perfect cure, such as left no relics of the disease behind; nay, Christ
not only healed his body, but his soul too, by that admonition, Go, and
sin no more, and so indeed made the whole man sound, for
the soul is the man. Circumcision indeed was intended for the good of the soul,
and to make the whole manas it should be; but they had perverted it, and
turned it into a mere carnal ordinance; but Christ accompanied his outward
cures with inward grace, and so made them sacramental, and healed the whole
man. He concludes this argument with that rule (v. 24): Judge not according to the
appearance, but judge righteous judgment. This may be applied,
either, First, In particular, to this work which they quarrelled with
as a violation of the law. Be not partial in your judgment; judge
not, kat’ opsin —with respect of persons;knowing faces, as the Hebrew
phrase is, Deu. 1:17 . It is contrary to the law of justice,
as well as charity, to censure those who differ in opinion from us as
transgressors, in taking that liberty which yet in those of our own party, and
way, and opinion, we allow of; as it is also to commend that in some as
necessary strictness and severity which in others we condemn as imposition and
persecution. Or, Secondly, In general, to Christ’s person and
preaching, which they were offended at and prejudiced against. Those things that
are false, and designed to impose upon men, commonly appear best when they are
judged ofaccording to the outward appearance, they appear most
plausible prima facie—at the first glance. It was this that
gained the Pharisees such an interest and reputation, that theyappeared
right unto men (Mt. 23:27, Mt. 23:28 ),
and men judged of them by that appearance, and so were sadly mistaken in them.
"But,’’ saith Christ, "be not too confident that all are real saints
who are seeming ones.’’ With reference to himself, hisoutward
appearance was far short of his real dignity and excellency, for he took
upon him the form of a servant (Phil. 2:7 ),
was in the likeness of sinful flesh (Rom. 8:3 ),
had no form nor comeliness, Isa. 53:2 .
So that those who undertook to judge whether he was the Son of God or no by
his outward appearance were not likely to judge righteous
judgment. The Jews expected the outward appearance of the Messiah to be
pompous and magnificent, and attended with all the ceremonies of secular
grandeur; and, judging of Christ by that rule, their judgment was from first to
last a continual mistake, for the kingdom of Christ was not to
be of this world, nor to come with observation. If a divine
power accompanied him, and God bore him witness, and the scriptures were
fulfilled in him, though his appearance was ever so mean, they ought to receive
him, and to judge by faith, and not by the sight of the eye. See Isa. 11:3 , and 1 Sa. 16:7 . Christ and his doctrine and doings
desire nothing but righteous judgment; if truth and justice may but
pass the sentence, Christ and his cause will carry the day. We must not judge
concerning any by their outward appearance, not by their titles, the
figure they make in the world, and their fluttering show, but by their
intrinsic worth, and the gifts and graces of God’s Spirit in them.3. Christ
discourses with them here concerning himself, whence he came, and
whither he was going, v. 25-36.(1.) Whence he came, v. 25-31. In the account of this observe,[1.] The
objection concerning this stated by some of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, who
seem to have been of all others most prejudiced against him, v. 25. One would think that those who lived at the
fountain-head of knowledge and religion should have been most ready to receive
the Messiah: but it proved quite contrary. Those that have plenty of the means
of knowledge and grace, if they are not made better by them, are
commonly made worse; and our Lord Jesus has often met with the least
welcome from those that one would expect the best from. But it was not without
some just cause that it came into a proverb, The nearer the church the
further from God. These people of Jerusalem showed their ill-will to
Christ,First, By their reflecting on the rulers, because they let him
alone: Is not this he whom they seek to kill? The multitude of
the people that came up out of the country to the feast did not suspect there
was any design on foot against him, and therefore they said, Who goes
about to kill thee? v. 20. But those of Jerusalem knew the plot, and
irritated their rulers to put it into execution: "Is not this he whom
they seek to kill? Why do they not do it then? Who hinders them? They say
that they have a mind to get him out of the way, and yet, lo, he
speaketh boldly, and they say nothing to him; do the
rulers know indeed that this is the very Christ?’’ v. 26. Here they slyly and maliciously insinuate
two things, to exasperate the rulers against Christ, when indeed they needed to
spur. 1. That by conniving at his preaching they brought theirauthority
into contempt. "Must a man that is condemned by
the sanhedrim as a deceiver be permitted to speak
boldly, without any check or contradiction? This makes their sentence to
be but brutem fulmen—a vain menace; if our rulers will suffer
themselves to be thus trampled upon, they may thank themselves if none stand in
awe of them and their laws.’’ Note, The worst of persecutions have often been
carried on under colour of the necessary support of authority and government.
2. That hereby they brought their judgment into suspicion. Do
they know that this is the Christ? It is spoken ironically, "How
came they to change their mind? What new discovery have they lighted on? They
give people occasion to think that they believe him to be the Christ, and it
behoves them to act vigorously against him to clear themselves from the
suspicion.’’ Thus the rulers, who had made the people enemies to Christ, made
them seven times more the children of hell than themselves, Mt. 23:15 . When religion and the profession of
Christ’s name are out of fashion, and consequently out of
repute, many are strongly tempted to persecute and oppose them, only that
they may not be thought to favour them and incline to them. And for this reason
apostates, and the degenerate offspring of good parents, have been sometimes worse
than others, as it were to wipe off the stain of their profession. It was
strange that the rulers, thus irritated, did not seize Christ; but his hour was
not yet come; and God can tie men’s hands to admiration, though he should not
turn their hearts.Secondly, By their exception against his being the
Christ, in which appeared more malice than matter, v. 27. "If the rulers think him to be the
Christ, we neither can nor will believe him to be so, for we have this argument
against it, that we know this man, whence he is; but when Christ
comes no man knows whence he is.’’ Here is a fallacy in the argument, for
the propositions are not body ad idem—adapted to the same view of the
subject. 1. If they speak of his divine nature, it is true that
when Christ comes no man knows whence he is, for he is a priest after
the order of Melchizedek, who was without descent, and his
goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting, Mic. 5:2 . But then it is not true that as for
this man they knew whence he was, for they knew not his divine nature, nor
how the Word was made flesh. 2. If they speak of
his human nature, it is true that they knew whence he was, who was
his mother, and where he was bred up; but then it is false that ever it was
said of the Messiah that none should know whence he was, for it was known
before where he should be born, Mt. 2:4, Mt. 2:5 . Observe, (1.) How theydespised
him, because they knew whence he was. Familiarity breeds
contempt, and we are apt to disdain the use of those whom we know
the rise of. Christ’s own received him not, because he was their
own, for which very reason they should the rather have loved him, and been
thankful that their nation and their age were honoured with his appearance.
(2.) How they endeavoured unjustly to fasten the ground of their prejudice upon
the scriptures, as if they countenanced them, when there was no such
thing.Therefore people err concerning Christ, because they know not
the scripture. [2.] Christ’s answer to this objection, v. 28, v. 29.First, He
spoke freely and boldly, he cried in the temple, as he taught, he
spoke this louder than the rest of his discourse, 1. To express his
earnestness, being grieved for the hardness of their
hearts. There may be a vehemency in contending for the truth where yet
there is no intemperate heat nor passion. We may instruct gainsayers with
warmth, and yet with meekness. 2. The priests and those that were
prejudiced against him, did not come near enough to hear his preaching, and
therefore he must speak louder than ordinary what he will have them to hear.
Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear this.Secondly, His answer to their
cavil is, 1. By way ofconcession, granting that they did or might know his
origin as to the flesh: "You both know me, and you know whence I
am. You know I am of your own nation, and one of yourselves.’’ It is no
disparagement to the doctrine of Christ that there is that in it which is level
to the capacities of the meanest, plain truths, discovered even by nature’s
light, of which we may say, We know whence they are. "You know
me, you think you know me; but you are mistaken; you take me to be the
carpenter’s son, and born at Nazareth, but it is not so.’’ 2. By way
of negation, denying that that which they did see in him, and know of
him, was all that was to be known; and therefore, if they looked no further,
they judged by the outward appearance only. They knew whence he came
perhaps, and where he had his birth, but he will tell them what they
knew not, from whom he came. (1.) That he did not come of
himself; that he did not run without sending, nor come as a private person,
but with a public character. (2.) That he was sent of his Father; this is twice
mentioned:He hath sent me. And again, "He hath sent me, to
say what I say, and do what I do.’’ This he was himself well assured of, and
therefore knew that his Father would bear him out; and it is well for us that
we are assured of it too, that we may with holy confidence go to God by him.
(3.) That he was from his Father, par’ autou eimi — I am
from him; not only sent from him as a servant from his master, but from
him by eternal generation, as a son from his father, by essential emanation, as
the beams from the sun. (4.) That the Father who sent him is true; he
had promised to give the Messiah, and, though the Jews had forfeited the
promise, yet he that made the promise is true, and has performed it.
He had promised that the Messiah should see his seed, and be successful in his
undertaking; and, though the generality of the Jews reject him and his gospel,
yet he is true, and will fulfil the promise in the calling of the Gentiles.
(5.) That these unbelieving Jews did not know the Father: He that sent me,
whom you know not. There is much ignorance of God even with many that have
a form of knowledge; and the true reason why people reject Christ is
because they do not know God; for there is such a harmony of the
divine attributes in the work of redemption, and such an admirable agreement
between natural and revealed religion, that the right knowledge of the former
would not only admit, but introduce, the latter. (6.) Our Lord Jesus was
intimately acquainted with the Father thatsent him: but I know
him. He knew him so well that he was not at all in
doubt concerning his mission from him, but perfectly assured of
it; nor at all in the dark concerning the work he had to do, but
perfectly apprized of it, Mt. 11:27 .[3.]
The provocation which this gave to his enemies, who hated him because
he told them the truth, v. 30. They
sought therefore to take him, to lay violent hands on him, not only to do
him a mischief, but some way or other to be the death of him; but by the
restraint of an invisible power it was prevented; nobody touched him, because
his hour was not yet come; this was not their reason why they did it not,
but God’s reason why he hindered them from doing it. Note,First, The
faithful preachers of the truths of God, though they behave themselves with
ever so much prudence and meekness, must expect to be hated and persecuted by
those who think themselves tormented by their testimony, Rev. 11:10 . Secondly, God has wicked men
in a chain, and, whatever mischief they would do, they can
do no more than God will suffer them to do. The malice of persecutors
is impotent even when it is mostimpetuous, and, when
Satan fills their hearts, yet God ties their hands.
Thirdly, God’s servants are sometimes wonderfully protected by
indiscernible unaccountable means. Their enemies do not do the mischief they
designed, and yet neither they themselves nor any one else can tell why they do
not. Fourthly, Christ had his hour set, which was to put a
period to his day and work on earth; so have all his people and all his
ministers, and, till that hour comes, the attempts of their enemies against
them are ineffectual, and their day shall be lengthened as long as their Master
has any work for them to do; nor can all the powers of hell and earth prevail
against them, until they have finished their testimony. [4.] The
good effect which Christ’s discourse had, notwithstanding this, upon some of
his hearers (v. 31): Many of the people believed on
him. As he was set for the fall of some, so for the rising again of
others. Even where the gospel meets with opposition there may yet be a great
deal of good done, 1 Th. 2:2 . Observe here, First,
Who they were that believed; not a few, but many, more than one would have
expected when the stream ran so strongly the other way. But
these many were of the people, ek tou ochlou —of the
multitude, the crowd, the inferior sort, the mob, the rabble, some would
have called them. We must not measure the prosperity of the gospel by its
success among the great ones; nor much ministers say that they labour in vain,
though none but the poor, and those of no figure, receive
the gospel, 1 Co. 1:26 . Secondly, What induced them
to believe: themiracles which he did, which were not only the
accomplishment of the Old-Testament prophecies (Isa. 35:5, Isa. 35:6 ), but an argument of a divine power. He
that had an ability to do that which none but God can do, to control
and overrule the powers of nature, no doubt had authority to enact that which
none but God can enact, a law that shall bind
conscience, and a covenant that shall give life. Thirdly, How weak their
faith was: they do not positively assert, as the Samaritans did, This is
indeed the Christ, but they only argue,When Christ comes will he do more
miracles than these? They take it for granted that Christ will come, and,
when he comes, will do many miracles. "Is not this he then? In him we see,
though not all the worldly pomp we have fancied, yet all the divine power we
have believed the Messiah should appear in; and therefore why may not
this be he?’’ They believe it, but have not courage to own it. Note, Even
weak faith may be true faith, and
so accounted, so accepted, by the Lord Jesus,
who despises not the day of small things. (2.) Whither he was
going, v. 32-36. Here observe,[1.] The design of the
Pharisees and chief priests against him, v. 32. First, The
provocation given them was that they had information brought them by their
spies, who insinuated themselves into the conversation of the people, and
gathered stories to carry to their jealous masters, that the people
murmured such things concerning him, that there were many who had a
respect and value for him, notwithstanding all they had done to render him odious.
Though the people did but whisper these things, and had not courage to speak
out, yet the Pharisees were enraged at it. The equity of that government is
justly suspected by others which is sosuspicious of itself as to
take notice of, or be influenced by, the secret, various,
uncertainmutterings of the common people. The Pharisees valued themselves
very much upon the respect of the people, and were sensible that if Christ did
thus increase they mustdecrease. Secondly, The project they laid
hereupon was to seize Jesus, and take him into custody: They sent officers
to take him, not to take up those who murmured concerning him and
frighten them; no, the most effectual way to disperse the flock is
to smite the shepherd. The Pharisees seem to have been the
ringleaders in this prosecution, but they,as such, had no power, and
therefore they god the chief priests, the judges of the
ecclesiastical court, to join with them, who were ready enough to do so. The
Pharisees were the great pretenders to learning, and the chief
priests to sanctify. As the world by wisdom knew not
God, but the greatest philosophers were guilty of the greatest blunders in
natural religion, so the Jewish church by their wisdom knew not Christ, but
their greatest rabbin were the greatest fools concerning him, nay, they were
the most inveterate enemies to him. Those wicked rulers had their officers,
officers of their court, church-officers, whom they employed to take Christ,
and who were ready to go on their errand, though it was an ill errand. If Saul’s
footmen will not turn and fall upon the priests of the Lord, he has a
herdsman that will, 1 Sa. 22:17, 1 Sa. 22:18 .[2.] The discourse of our Lord Jesus hereupon (v. 33, v. 34): Yet
a little while I am with you, and then I go to him that sent me; you shall
seek me, and shall not find me; and where I am, thither you cannot
come. These words, like the pillar of cloud and fire, have
a bright side and a darkside.First, They have a bright
side towards our Lord Jesus himself, and speak abundance of comfort to him
and all his faithful followers that are exposed to difficulties and dangers for
his sake. Three things Christ here comforted himself with:—1. That he had
but a little time to continue here in this troublesome world. He sees
that he is never likely to have a quiet day among them; but the best of it is
his warfare will shortly be accomplished, and then he shall
be no more in this world, ch. 17:11 .
Whomsoever we are with in this world, friends or foes, it is but
a little while that we shall be with them; and it is a matter of
comfort to those who are in the world, but not of it, and
therefore are hated by it and sick of it, that they shall not be in
it always, they shall not be in it long. We must
be awhile with those that are pricking briars and grieving thorns;
but thanks be to God, it is but a little while, and we shall be out of their
reach. Our days being evil, it is well they are few. 2.
That, when he should quit this troublesome world, he should go to him that
sent him; I go.Not, "I am driven away by force,’’ but, "I
voluntarily go; having finished my embassy, I return to him on whose
errand I came. When I have done my work with you, then, and not till then, I go
to him that sent me, and will receive me, will prefer me,
as ambassadors are preferred when they return.’’ Their rage against him would
not only not hinder him from, but would hasten him to the glory and joy that
were set before him. Let those who suffer for Christ comfort themselves with
this, that they have a God to go to, and are going to him, going apace, to be
for ever with him. 3. That, though they persecuted him here, wherever he went,
yet none of their persecutions could follow him to heaven: You shall seek
me, and shall not find me. It appears, by their enmity to his
followers when he was gone, that if they could have reached him they would have
persecuted him: "But you cannot enter into that temple as you do into this.’’ Where
I am, that is, where I then shall be; but he expressed it thus
because, even when he was on earth, by his divine nature and divine affections
he was in heaven, ch. 3:13 . Or it denotes that he should
be so soonthere that he was as good as there already. Note, It adds to the
happiness of glorified saints that they are out of the reach of the devil and
all his wicked instruments.Secondly,These words have a black and dark side towards
those wicked Jews that hated and persecuted Christ. They now longed to be rid
of him, Away with him from the earth; but let them know, 1. That
according to their choice so shall their doom be. They were industrious
to drive him from them, and their sin shall be their punishment; he
will not trouble them long, yet a little while and he
will depart from them. It is just with God to forsake those that
think his presence a burden. They that are weary of Christ need no more to make
them miserable than to have their wish. 2. That they would certainly
repent their choice when it was too late. (1.) They should in vain seek the
presence of the Messiah: "You shall seek me, and shall not find
me. You shall expect the Christ to come,but your eyes shall fail with
looking for him, and you shall never find him.’’ Those who rejected the true
Messiah when he did come were justly abandoned to a miserable and endless
expectation of one that should never come. Or, it may refer to the final
rejection of sinners from the favours and grace of Christ at the great day:
those who now seek Christ shall find him, but the day is coming when those who
now refuse him shall seek him, and shall not find him. See Prov. 1:28 . They will in vain cry, Lord,
Lord, open to us.Or, perhaps, these words might be fulfilled in the despair of
some of the Jews, who possibly might be convinced and not converted, who would
wish in vain to see Christ, and to hear him preach again; but the day of grace
is over (Lu. 17:22 ); yet this is not all. (2.) They should
in vain expect a place in heaven: Where I am, and where all believers
shall be with me, thither ye cannot come. Not only because they
are excluded by the just and irreversible sentence of the judge, and
the sword of the angel at every gate of the new Jerusalem, to keep the way
of the tree of life against those who have no right to
enter, but because they are disabled by their own iniquity and
infidelity: You cannot come, because you will not. Those
who hate to be where Christ is, in his word and ordinances on earth, are very
unfit to be where he is in his glory in heaven; for indeed heaven would be no
heaven to them, such are the antipathies of an unsanctified soul to the
felicities of that state.
Verses 37-44 In
these verses we have,I. Christ’s discourse, with the explication of it,v. 37-39. It is probable that these are only short
hints of what he enlarged upon, but they have in them the substance of the
whole gospel; here is a gospel invitation to come to Christ, and
a gospel promise of comfort and happiness in him. Now
observe,1. When he gave this invitation: On the last day of
the feast of tabernacles, that great day. The eighth
day, which concluded that solemnity, was to be a holy
convocation, Lev. 23:36 . Now on this day Christ published this
gospel-call, because (1.) Much people were gathered together, and, if the
invitation were given to many, it might be hoped
that some would accept of it, Prov. 1:20 . Numerous assemblies give opportunity of doing the more
good. (2.) The people were now returning to their homes, and he would give them
this to carry away with them as his parting word. When a great congregation is
to be dismissed, and is about to scatter, as here, it is affecting to think
that in all probability they will never come all together again in this world,
and therefore, if we can say or do any thing to help them to heaven, that must
be the time. It is good to be lively at the close of an ordinance. Christ made
this offer on the last day of the feast. [1.] To those who had turned
a deaf ear to his preaching on the foregoing days of this sacred week; he will
try them once more, and, if they will yet hear his voice, they shall live. [2.]
To those who perhaps might never have such another offer made them, and
therefore were concerned to accept of this; it would be half a year before
there would be another feast, and in that time they would many of them be in
their graves. Behold now is the accepted time. 2. How he
gave this invitation:Jesus stood and cried, which denotes, (1.) His great
earnestness and importunity. His heart was upon it, to bring poor souls in to
himself. The erection of his body and the elevation of his voice were
indications of the intenseness of his mind. Love to souls will make preachers
lively. (2.) His desire that all might take notice, and take hold of this
invitation. He stood, and cried, that he might the better be heard;
for this is what every one that hath ears is concerned to hear. Gospel truth
seeks no corners, because it fears no trials. The heathen oracles were
delivered privately by them that peeped and muttered; but the oracles
of the gospel were proclaimed by one that stood, and cried.How sad is the
case of man, that he must be importuned to be happy, and how
wonderful the grace of Christ, that he will importune him! Ho,
every one, Isa. 55:1 .3. The invitation itself is very
general: If any man thirst, whoever he be, he is invited to Christ,
be he high or low, rich or poor, young or old, bond or free, Jew or Gentile. It
is also very gracious: "If any man thirst, let him come to me and
drink. If any man desires to be truly and eternally happy, let him apply
himself to me, and be ruled by me, and I will undertake to make him so.’’(1.)
The persons invited are such as thirst, which may be understood,
either, [1.] Of the indigence of their cases; either as to
their outward condition (if any man be destitute of the comforts of
this life, or fatigued with the crosses of it, let his poverty and afflictions
draw him to Christ for that peace which the world can neither give nor take
away), or as to their inward state: "If any man want spiritual
blessings, he may be supplied by me.’’ Or, [2.] Of the inclination of
their souls and their desires towards a spiritual happiness. If any man hunger
and thirst after righteousness, that is, truly desire the good will of God
towards him, and the good work of God in him.(2.) The invitation
itself: Let him come to me. Let him not go to the ceremonial law,
which would neither pacify the conscience norpurify it, and
therefore could not make the comers thereunto perfect, Heb. 10:1 . Nor let him go to the heathen
philosophy, which does but beguile men, lead them into a wood, and leave them
there; but let him go to Christ, admit his doctrine, submit to his
discipline, believe in him; come to him as the fountain of living waters, the
giver of all comfort.(3.) The satisfaction promised: "Let him
come and drink, he shall have what he comes for, and abundantly more,
shall have that which will not
only refresh, but replenish, a soul that desires to be
happy.’’4. A gracious promise annexed to this gracious call (v. 38): He that believeth on me, out
of his belly shall flow —(1.) See here what it is to come to Christ:
It isto believe on him, as the scripture hath said; it is to receive
and entertain him as he is offered to us in the gospel. We must not frame a Christ
according to our fancy, but believe in a Christ according to the scripture.
(2.) See how thirsty souls, that come to Christ, shall be made to
drink. Israel, that believed Moses, drank of the rock that followed
them, the streams followed; but believers drink of a rock in them,
Christ in them; he is in them a well of living water, ch. 4:14 . Provision is made not only for
their present satisfaction, but for their continual perpetual comfort.
Here is, [1.] Living water, running water, which the Hebrew
language calls living, because still in motion. The graces and
comforts of the Spirit are compared
to living (meaning running ) water, because they
are the active quickening principles of spiritual life, and the earnests and
beginnings of eternal life. SeeJer. 2:13 . [2.] Rivers of living water,
denoting both plenty and constancy. The comfort flows in both plentifully and constantly as
a river; strong as a stream to bear down the oppositions of doubts and fears.
There is a fulness in Christ of grace for grace. [3.] These flow out of
his belly, that is, out of his heart or soul, which is the subject of the
Spirit’s working and the seat of his government. There gracious
principles are planted; and out of the heart, in which the Spirit dwells,
flow the issues of life, Prov. 4:23 . There divine comforts are lodged, and
the joy that a stranger doth not intermeddle with. He that
believes has the witness in himself, 1 Jn. 5:10 . Sat lucis intus—Light abounds within.Observe,
further, where there are springs of grace and comfort in the soul
that will send forth streams: Out of his belly shall flow rivers.
First, Grace and comfort will produce good actions, and a holy heart will
be seen in a holy life; the tree is known by its fruits, and the fountain by
its streams. Secondly, They will communicate themselves for
the benefit of others; a good man is a common good. His mouth is
a well of life, Prov. 10:11 . It is not enough that we drink
waters out of our own cistern, that we ourselves take the comfort of the
grace given us, but we must let our fountains be dispersed
abroad, Prov. 5:15,Prov. 5:16 .Those words, as the scripture hath said, seem
to refer to some promise in the Old Testament to this purport, and there are
many; as that God would pour out his Spirit, which is a metaphor
borrowed from waters (Prov. 1:23 ; Joel. 2:28 ; Isa. 44:3 ; Zec. 12:10); that the dry land should become springs
of water (Isa. 41:18 ); that there should berivers in the
desert (Isa. 43:19 ); that gracious souls should be like
a spring of water(Isa. 58:11 ); and the church a well of
living water, Cant. 4:15 . And here may be an allusion to the
waters issuing out of Ezekiel’s temple, Eze. 47:1 .
Compare Rev. 22:1 , and see Zec. 14:8 . Dr. Lightfoot and others tell us it
was a custom of the Jews, which they received by tradition, the last day
of the feast of tabernacles to have a solemnity, which they
called Libatio aquae—The pouring out of water. They fetched a golden
vessel of water from the pool of Siloam, brought it into the temple with sound
of trumpet and other ceremonies, and, upon the ascent to the altar, poured it
out before the Lord with all possible expressions of joy. Some of their writers
make the water to signify the law, and refer to Isa. 12:3 Isa. 55:1 .
Others, the Holy Spirit. And it is thought that our Saviour might
here allude to this custom. Believers shall have the comfort, not of a vessel
of water fetched from a pool, but of a river flowing from themselves. The joy
of the law, and the pouring out of the water, which signified this, are not to
be compared with the joy of the gospel in the wells of salvation.5. Here is the
evangelist’s exposition of this promise (v. 39): This
spoke he of the Spirit: not of any outward advantages accruing to
believers (as perhaps some misunderstood him), but of the gifts, graces, and
comforts of the Spirit. See how scripture is the best interpreter of scripture.
Observe,(1.) It is promised to all that believe on Christ that they
shall receive the Holy Ghost. Some received his miraculous gifts (Mk. 16:17, Mk. 16:18 );
all receive his sanctifying graces. The gift of the Holy Ghost is one of the
great blessings promised in the new covenant (Acts. 2:39 ), and, if promised,no doubt performed to
all that have an interest in that covenant.(2.) The Spirit dwelling and working
in believers is as a fountain of living running water, out
of which plentiful streams flow, cooling and cleansing as water, mollifying and
moistening as water, making them fruitful, and others joyful; see ch. 3:5 . When the apostles spoke
so fluently of the things of God, as the Spirit gave them utterance (Acts. 2:4 ), and afterwards preached and wrote the
gospel of Christ with such a flood of divine eloquence, then this was
fulfilled, Out of his belly shall flow rivers. (3.) This
plentiful effusion of the Spirit was yet the matter of a promise; for the
Holy Ghost was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet
glorified. See here [1.] That Jesus was not
yet glorified. It was certain that he should be glorified, and he was
ever worthy of all honour; but he was as yet in a state of humiliation and
contempt. He had never forfeited the glory he had before all worlds, nay, he
hadmerited a further glory, and, besides his hereditary honours,
might claim the achievementof a mediatorial crown; and yet all
this is in reversion. Jesus is now upheld (Isa. 42:1 ), is now satisfied (Isa. 53:11 ), is now justified (1 Tim. 3:16 ), but he is not yet
glorified. And, if Christ must wait for his glory, let not us think it
much to wait for ours. [2.] That the HolyGhost was not yet
given. oupo gar hen pneuma —for the Holy Ghost was not yet. The
Spirit of God was from eternity, for in the beginning he moved upon the
face of the waters. He was in the Old-Testament prophets and saints, and
Zacharias and Elisabeth were both filled with the Holy
Ghost. This therefore must be understood of the eminent, plentiful, and
general effusion of the Spirit which was promised, Joel. 2:28 , and accomplished, Acts. 2:1 , etc. The Holy Ghost was not
yet given in that visible manner that was intended. if we compare the
clear knowledge and strong grace of the disciples of Christ themselves, after
the day of Pentecost, with their darkness and weakness before, we shall understand
in what sense the Holy Ghost was not yet given; the earnests and
first-fruits of the Spirit were given, but the full harvest was not yet come.
That which is most properly called the dispensation of the Spirit did
not yet commence. The Holy Ghostwas not yet given in such rivers
of living water as should issue forth to water the whole earth, even the
Gentile world, not in the gifts of tongues, to which perhaps this
promise principally refers. [3.] That the reason why the Holy Ghost was
not given was becauseJesus was not yet glorified. First, The death of
Christ is sometimes called his glorificationch. 13:31 );
for in his cross he conquered and triumphed. Now the gift of the Holy Ghost was
purchased by the blood of Christ: this was the valuable
consideration upon which thegrant was grounded, and therefore till
this price was paid (though many other gifts were bestowed upon its
being secured to be paid) the Holy Ghost was not given. Secondly,There
was not so much need of the Spirit, while Christ himself was here upon earth,
as there was when he was gone, to supply the want of
him. Thirdly, The giving of the Holy Ghost was to be both
an answer to Christ’s intercession ch. 14:16 ), and an act of
hisdominion; and therefore till he is glorified, and enters upon both
these, the Holy Ghost is not given. Fourthly, The conversion of the
Gentiles was the glorifying of Jesus. When certain Greeks began to enquire
after Christ, he said, Now is the Son of man glorified,ch. 12:23 . Now the time when the gospel should be
propagated in the nations was not yet come, and therefore there was as yet no
occasion for the gift of tongues, that river of living
water. But observe, though the Holy Ghost was not yet given, yet he
was promised;it was now the great promise of the Father, Acts. 1:4 . Though the gifts of Christ’s grace
are long deferred, yet they are well secured: and, while we
are waiting for the good promise, we have the promise to live upon,
which shall speak and shall not lie. II. The consequents of this
discourse, what entertainment it met with; in general, it occasioned
differences: There was a division among the people because of him, v. 43. There was aschism, so the word is;
there were diversities of opinions, and those managed with heat and contention;
various sentiments, and those such as set them at variance. Think we
that Christ came to send peace, that all would unanimously embrace his gospel?
No, the effect of the preaching of his gospel would be division, for,
while some are gathered to it,others will be gathered against
it; and this will put things into a ferment, as here; but this
is no more the fault of the gospel than it is the fault of a wholesome medicine
that it stirs up the peccant humours in the body, in order to the
discharge of them. Observe what the debate was:—1. Some were taken with
him, and well affected to him: Many of the people, when
they heard this saying, heard him with such compassion and kindness
invite poor sinners to him, and with such authority engage to make them happy,
that they could not but think highly of him. (1.) Some of them said, O, a
truth this is the prophet, that prophet whom Moses spoke of to the fathers,
who should be like unto him; or, This is the prophetwho,
according to the received notions of the Jewish church, is to be the harbinger
and forerunner of the Messiah; or, This is truly a prophet, one
divinely inspired and sent of God. (2.) Others went further, and
said, This is the Christ (v. 41),
not the prophet of the Messiah, but the Messiah himself. The Jews had
at this time a more than ordinary expectation of the Messiah, which made them
ready to say upon every occasion, Lo, here is Christ, or Lo, he
is there; and this seems to be only the effect of some such confused and
floating notions which caught at the first appearance, for we do not find that
these people became his disciples and followers; a good opinion of Christ is
far short of a lively faith in Christ; many give Christ a good word that give
him no more. These here said, This is the prophet, and this is
the Christ, but could not persuade themselves to leave all and follow him;
and so this their testimony to Christ was but a testimony against
themselves.2. Others were prejudiced against him. No sooner was this
great truth started, that Jesus is the Christ, than immediately
it was contradicted and argued against: and this one thing, that his rise and
origin were (as they took it for granted) out of Galilee, was thought enough to
answer all the arguments for his being the Christ. For, shall Christ come
out of Galilee? Has not the scripture said that Christ comes of
the seed of David? See here, (1.) A laudable knowledge of the scripture.
They were so far in the right, that the Messiah was to be a rod out of the
stem of Jesse (Isa. 11:1 ), that out of Bethlehem
should arise the Governor, Mic. 5:2 .
This even the common people knew by the traditional expositions which their
scribes gave them. Perhaps the people who had these scriptures so ready to
object against Christ were not alike knowing in other parts of holy writ, but
had had these put into their mouths by their leaders, to fortify their
prejudices against Christ. Many that espouse some corrupt notions, and spend
their zeal in defence of them, seem to be very ready in the scriptures, when
indeed they know little more than those scriptures which they have been taught
to pervert. (2.) A culpable ignorance of our Lord Jesus. They speak
of it as certain and past dispute that Jesus was of Galilee, whereas
by enquiring of himself, or his mother, or his disciples, or by consulting the
genealogies of the family of David, or the register at Bethlehem, they might
have known that he was the Son of David, and a native of Bethlehem; but this
they willingly are ignorant of. Thus gross falsehoods in matters of fact,
concerning persons and things, are often taken up by prejudiced and partial
men, and great resolves founded upon them, even in the same place and the same
age wherein the persons live and the things are done, while the truth might
easily be found out.3. Others were enraged against him, and
they would have taken him, v. 44.
Though what he said was most sweet and gracious, yet they were exasperated
against him for it. Thus did our Master suffer ill for saying and doing
well. They would have taken him; they hoped somebody or other would
seize him, and, if they had thought no one else would, they would have done it
themselves. They would have taken him; but no man laid hands on
him, being restrained by an invisible power, because his hour was not
come. As the malice of Christ’s enemies is always unreasonable, so
sometimes the suspension of it is unaccountable.
Verses 45-53 The chief priests and Pharisees are here in
a close cabal, contriving how to suppress Christ; though this was
the great day of the feast, they attended not the religious services
of the day, but left them to the vulgar, to whom it was common for those great
ecclesiastics to consign and turn over the business of devotion, while they
thought themselves better employed in the affairs of church-policy. They sat in
the council-chamber, expecting Christ to be brought a prisoner to them, as they
had issued out warrants for apprehending him, v. 32. Now here we are told,I. What passed between
them and their own officers, who returned without
him, re infecta —having done nothing.Observe,1. The reproof they
gave the officers for not executing the warrant they gave
them: Why have you not brought him? He appeared publicly; the
people were many of them disgusted, and would have assisted them in taking him;
this was the last day of the feast, and they would not have such
another opportunity; "why then did you neglect your duty?’’ It vexed them
that those who were their own creatures, who depended on them, and on whom they
depended, into whose minds they had instilled prejudices against Christ, should
thus disappoint them. Note, Mischievous men fret that they cannot do the
mischief they would, Ps. 112:10 ; Neh. 6:16 .2.
The reason which the officers gave for the non-execution of their
warrant: Never man spoke like this man, v. 46. Now, (1.) This was a very great truth,
that never any man spoke with that wisdom, and power, and grace,
that convincing clearness, and that charming sweetness, wherewith Christ spoke;
none of the prophets, no, not Moses himself. (2.) The very officers that were
sent to take him were taken with him, and acknowledged this. Though they were
probably men who had no quick sense of reason or eloquence, and certainly had
no inclination to think well of Jesus, yet so much self-evidence was
there in what Christ said that they could not but prefer him before all those
that sat in Moses’s seat. Thus Christ was preserved by the power God has upon
the consciences even of bad men. (3.) They said this to their lords and
masters, who could not endure to hear any thing that tended to the honour of
Christ and yet could not avoid hearing this. Providence ordered it so that this
should be said to them, that it might be a vexation in their sin and an
aggravation of their sin. Their own officers, who could not be suspected to be
biassed in favour of Christ, are witnesses against them. This testimony of
theirs should have made them reflect upon themselves, with this thought,
"Do we know what we are doing, when we are hating and persecuting one that
speaks so admirably well?’’3. The Pharisees endeavour to secure their officers
to their interest, and to beget in them prejudices against Christ, to whom they
saw them begin to be well affected. They suggest two things:—(1.) That if they
embrace the gospel of Christ they will deceive themselves (v. 47): Are you also
deceived? Christianity has, from its first rise, been represented to the
world as a great cheat upon it, and they that embraced it as
men deceived, then when they began to be undeceived. Those
that looked for a Messiah in external pomp thought those deceived who believed
in a Messiah that appeared in poverty and disgrace; but the event declares that
none were ever more shamefully deceived, nor put a greater cheat upon
themselves, than those who promised themselves worldly wealth and secular
dominion with the Messiah. Observe what acompliment the Pharisees paid to
these officers: "Are you also deceived? What! men of your sense,
and thought, and figure; men that know better than to be imposed upon by every
pretender and upstart teacher?’’ They endeavour to prejudice them against
Christ by persuading them to think well of themselves.(2.) That they
will disparage themselves.Most men, even in their religion, are willing to
be governed by the example of those of thefirst rank; these officers
therefore, whose preferments, such as they were, gave them asense of
honour, are desired to consider,[1.] That, if they become disciples of Christ,
they go contrary to those who were persons of quality and
reputation: "Have any of the rulers, or of the Pharisees, believed on
him? You know they have not, and you ought to be bound up by their
judgment, and to believe and do in religion according to
the will of your superiors; will you be wiser than they?’’ Some of the rulers
did embrace Christ (Mt. 9:18 ;ch. 4:53 ),
and more believed in him, but wanted courage to confess him ch. 12:42 ); but, when the interest of Christ runs
low in the world, it is common for its adversaries to represent it as lower
than really it is. But it was too true that few, very few, of them did.
Note, First, The cause of Christ has seldom had rulers and Pharisees
on its side. It needs not secular supports, nor proposes secular advantages,
and therefore neither courts nor is courted by the great men of this
world. Self-denial and the cross are hard lessons
torulers and Pharisees. Secondly, This has confirmed many in
their prejudices against Christ and his gospel, that the rulers and Pharisees
have been no friends to them. Shallsecular men pretend to be more
concerned about spiritual things than spiritual men themselves, or to
see further into religion than those who make its study their profession?
If rulers and Pharisees do not believe in Christ, they that
do believe in him will be the most singular, unfashionable, ungenteel people in
the world, and quite out of the way of preferment; thus are people foolishly
swayed by external motives in matters of eternal
moment, are willing to be damned for fashion-sake, and to go to hell in
compliment to therulers and Pharisees. [2.] That they will link
themselves with the despicable vulgar sort of people (v. 43): But this people, who know not the
law, are cursed, meaning especially those that were well-affected to the
doctrine of Christ. Observe, First, How scornfully and disdainfully
they speak of them: This people. It is not laos ,
this lay-people, distinguished from them that were the clergy, but ochlos outos ,
this rabble-people, this pitiful, scandalous, scoundrel people, whom
they disdained to set with the dogs of their flockthough God had set
them with the lambs of his. If they meant the commonalty of the Jewish
nation, they were the seed of Abraham, and in covenant with God, and not
to be spoken of with such contempt. The church’s common interests are betrayed
when any one part of it studies to render the other mean and despicable. If
they meant the followersof Christ, though they were generally persons
of small figure and fortune, yet by owning Christ they discovered such a
sagacity, integrity, and interest in the favours of Heaven, as made them truly
great and considerable. Note, As the wisdom of God has often chosen base
things, and things which are despised, so the folly of men has commonly debased
and despised those whom God has chosen. Secondly, How unjustly they
reproach them as ignorant of the word of God: They know not the
law; as if none knew the law but those that knew it from them, and
no scripture-knowledge were current but what came out of their mint; and as if
none knew the law but such as were observant of their canons and traditions.
Perhaps many of those whom they thus despised knew the law, and the
prophets too, better than they did. Many a plain, honest, unlearned disciple of
Christ, by meditation, experience, prayers, and especially obedience, attains
to a more clear, sound, and useful knowledge of the word of God, than some
great scholars with all their wit and learning. Thus David came to
understand more than the ancients and all his teachers,Ps. 119:99, Ps. 119:100 . If the common people did not know the law, yet
the chief priests and Pharisees, of all men, should not have upbraided them
with this; for whose fault was it but theirs, who should have taught them
better, but, instead of that, took away the key of knowledge? Lu. 11:52 . Thirdly, How magisterially
they pronounce sentence upon them: they are cursed, hateful to God,
and all wise men; epikatartoi —an execrablepeople. It is well that
their saying they were cursed did not make them so, for the curse
causeless shall not come. It is a usurpation of God’s prerogative, as well
as great uncharitableness, to say of any particular persons, much more of any
body of people, that they are reprobates. We are unable to try, and
therefore unfit to condemn, and our rule is,Bless, and curse
not. Some think they meant no more than that the people were apt to
be deceived and made fools of; but they use this odious word,
They are cursed, to express their own indignation, and to frighten
their officers from having any thing to do with them; thus the language of
hell, in our profane age, calls every thing that is
displeasing cursed,and damned, and confounded. Now,
for aught that appears, these officers had their convictions baffled and
stifled by these suggestions, and they never enquire further after Christ; one
word from a ruler or Pharisee will sway more with many than
the true reason of things, and the great interests of their souls.II. What
passed between them and Nicodemus, a member of their own body, v. 50, etc. Observe,1. The just and rational
objection which Nicodemus made against their proceedings. Even in their corrupt
and wicked sanhedrim God left not himself quite without witness
against their enmity; nor was the vote against Christ carried nemine
contradicente —unanimously. Observe,(1.) Who it was that appeared
against them; it was Nicodemus, he that came to Jesus by night, being
one of them, v. 50. Observe, concerning him, [1.] That, though
he had been with Jesus, and taken him for his teacher, yet he retained his
place in the council, and his vote among them. Some impute this to
his weakness and cowardice, and think it was his fault that he did
not quit his place, but Christ had never said to him, Follow me, else
he would have done as others that left all to follow him; therefore it seems
rather to have been hiswisdom not immediately to throw up his place,
because there he might have opportunity of serving Christ and his interest, and
stemming the tide of the Jewish rage, which perhaps he did more than we are
aware of. He might there be as Hushai among Absalom’s counsellors, instrumental
to turn their counsels into foolishness. Though we must in no
case deny our Master, yet we may wait for an opportunity of confessing him to
the best advantage. God has his remnant among all sorts, and many times finds,
or puts, or makes, some good in the worst places and societies. There was
Daniel in Nebuchadnezzar’s court, and Nehemiah in Artaxerxes’s. [2.] That
though at first he came to Jesus by night, for fear of being known,
and still continued in his post; yet, when there was occasion, he boldly
appeared in defence of Christ, and opposed the whole council that were set
against him. Thus many believers who at first were timorous, and ready toflee
at the shaking of a leaf, have at length, by divine grace, grown courageous,
and able to laugh at the shaking of a spear. Let none justify
the disguising of their faith by the example of Nicodemus, unless, like him,
they be ready upon the first occasion openly to appear in the cause of Christ,
though they stand alone in it; for so Nicodemus did here, and ch. 19:39 .(2.) What he alleged against their
proceedings (v. 51): Doth our law judge any man before
it hear him (akouse par’ autou —hear from himself )
and know what he doeth? By no means, nor doth the law of any
civilized nation allow it. Observe, [1.] He prudently argues from the
principles of their own law, and an incontestable rule of justice, that no man
is to be condemned unheard. Had he urged the excellency of Christ’s
doctrine or the evidence of his miracles, or repeated to them his divine
discourse with him (ch. 3), it had been but to cast pearls before swine, who
would trample them under their feet, and would turn again and
rend him; therefore he waives them. [2.] Whereas they had reproached
the people, especially the followers of Christ, as ignorant of the
law, he here tacitly retorts the charge upon themselves, and shows how ignorant
they were of some of the first principles of the law, so unfit were they to
give law to others. [3.] The law is here said
to judge, and hear, and know, when magistrates
that govern and are governed by it judge, and hear, and know; for
they are the mouth of the law, and whatsoever they bind and
loose according to the law is justly said to be bound and loosed by the law.
[4.] It is highly fit that none should come under the sentence of the
law, till they have first by a fair trial undergone the scrutiny of
it. Judges, when they receive the complaints of the accuser, must always
reserve in their minds room for the defence of the accused, for they have two
ears, to remind them to hear both sides; this is said to be the manner of the
Romans, Acts. 25:18 . The method of our law
is Oyer and Terminer, first tohear and then
to determine. [5.] Persons are to be judged, not by what
is said of them, but by what they do. Our law will not
ask what men’s opinions are of them, or out-cries against them, but, What have
they done? What overt-acts can they be convicted of? Sentence must be
given, secundum allegata et probata—according to what is alleged and
proved. Facts, and not faces, must be known in judgment; and
the scale of justice must be used before the sword of
justice.Now we may suppose that the motion Nicodemus made in the house upon
this was, That Jesus should be desired to come and give them an account of
himself and his doctrine, and that they should favour him with an impartial and
unprejudiced hearing; but, though none of them could gainsay his maxim, none of
them would second his motion.2. What was said to this objection. Here is no
direct reply given to it; but, when they could not resist the force of his
argument, they fell foul upon him, and what was to seek
in reason they made up in railing and reproach. Note, It is a sign of
a bad cause when men cannot bear to hear reason, and take it as
an affront to be reminded of its maxims. Whoever are against
reason give cause to suspect that reason is against
them. See how they taunt him: Art thou also of Galilee? v. 52. Some think he was well enough served for
continuing among those whom he knew to be enemies to Christ, and for his
speaking no more on the behalf of Christ than what he might have said on behalf
of the greatest criminal-that he should not be condemned unheard. Had he said,
"As for this Jesus, I have heard him myself, and know he is ateacher come
from God, and you in opposing him fight against God,’’ as he ought to have
said, he could not have been more abused than he was for this feeble effort of
his tenderness for Christ. As to what they said to Nicodemus, we may
observe,(1.) How falsethe grounds of their arguing were, for, [1.] They
suppose that Christ was of Galilee, and this was false, and if they would have
been at the pains of an impartial enquiry they would have found it so. [2.]
They suppose that because most of his disciples were Galileans they were all
such, whereas he had abundance of disciples in Judea. [3.] They suppose that
out of Galilee no prophet had risen, and for this appeal to
Nicodemus’s search; yet this was false too: Jonah was of Gath-hepher, Nahum an
Elkoshite, both of Galilee. Thus do they make lies their
refuge. (2.) How absurd their arguings were upon these grounds,
such as were a shame to rulers and Pharisees. [1.] Is any
man of worth and virtue ever the worse for the poverty and obscurity of his
country? The Galileans were the seed of Abraham; barbarians and Scythians are
the seed of Adam; and have we not all one Father? [2.] Supposing no
prophet had risen out of Galilee, yet it is not impossible that any should
arise thence. If Elijah was the first prophet of Gilead (as perhaps he was),
and if the Gileadites were called fugitives, must it therefore be
questioned whether he was a prophet or no?3. The hasty adjournment of the court
hereupon. They broke up the assembly in confusion, and with precipitation,
and every man went to his own house.They met to take counsel
together against the Lord and his Anointed, but they imagined a
vain think; and not only he that sits in heaven laughed at them, but we may
sit on earth and laugh at them too, to see all the policy of the close cabal
broken to pieces with one plain honest word. They were not willing to hear
Nicodemus, because they could not answer him. As soon as they perceived they
had one such among them, they saw it was to no purpose to go on with their
design, and therefore put off the debate to a more convenient season, when he
was absent. Thus the counsel of the Lord is made to stand, in spite of the
devices in the hearts of men.
