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 8
1 Jesus
returned to the Mount of Olives,
2 but
early the next morning he was back again at the Temple. A crowd soon gathered,
and he sat down and taught them.
3 As
he was speaking, the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees brought a
woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. They put her in front of the
crowd.
4 “Teacher,”
they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the act of adultery.
5 The
law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?”
6 They
were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but
Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger.
7 They
kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, but let
the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!”
8 Then
he stooped down again and wrote in the dust.
9 When
the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the
oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the
woman.
10 Then
Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t
even one of them condemn you?”
11 “No,
Lord,” she said. And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.”
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12 Jesus
spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you
follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light
that leads to life.”
13 The
Pharisees replied, “You are making those claims about yourself! Such testimony
is not valid.”
14 Jesus
told them, “These claims are valid even though I make them about myself. For I
know where I came from and where I am going, but you don’t know this about
me.
15 You
judge me by human standards, but I do not judge anyone.
16 And
if I did, my judgment would be correct in every respect because I am not alone.
The Father who sent me is with me.
17 Your
own law says that if two people agree about something, their witness is
accepted as fact.
18 I
am one witness, and my Father who sent me is the other.”
19“Where
is your father?” they asked. Jesus answered, “Since you don’t know who I am,
you don’t know who my Father is. If you knew me, you would also know my
Father.”
20 Jesus
made these statements while he was teaching in the section of the Temple known
as the Treasury. But he was not arrested, because his time had not yet
come.
21 Later
Jesus said to them again, “I am going away. You will search for me but will die
in your sin. You cannot come where I am going.”
22 The
people asked, “Is he planning to commit suicide? What does he mean, ‘You cannot
come where I am going’?”
23 Jesus
continued, “You are from below; I am from above. You belong to this world; I do
not.
24 That
is why I said that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I AM
who I claim to be, you will die in your sins.”
25 “Who
are you?” they demanded. Jesus replied, “The one I have always claimed to be.
26 I
have much to say about you and much to condemn, but I won’t. For I say only
what I have heard from the one who sent me, and he is completely
truthful.”
27 But
they still didn’t understand that he was talking about his Father.
28 So
Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man on the cross, then you will
understand that I AM he. I do nothing on my own but say only what the Father
taught me.
29 And
the one who sent me is with me—he has not deserted me. For I always do what
pleases him.”
30 Then
many who heard him say these things believed in him.
31 Jesus
said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you
remain faithful to my teachings.
32 And
you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
33“But
we are descendants of Abraham,” they said. “We have never been slaves to
anyone. What do you mean, ‘You will be set free’?”
34 Jesus
replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave of sin.
35 A
slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son is part of the family
forever.
36 So
if the Son sets you free, you are truly free.
37 Yes,
I realize that you are descendants of Abraham. And yet some of you are trying
to kill me because there’s no room in your hearts for my message.
38 I
am telling you what I saw when I was with my Father. But you are following the
advice of your father.”
39 “Our
father is Abraham!” they declared. “No,” Jesus replied, “for if you were really
the children of Abraham, you would follow his example.
40 Instead,
you are trying to kill me because I told you the truth, which I heard from God.
Abraham never did such a thing.
41 No,
you are imitating your real father.” They replied, “We aren’t illegitimate
children! God himself is our true Father.”
42 Jesus
told them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, because I have come to
you from God. I am not here on my own, but he sent me.
43 Why
can’t you understand what I am saying? It’s because you can’t even hear
me!
44 For
you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil
things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the
truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with
his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies.
45 So
when I tell the truth, you just naturally don’t believe me!
46Which
of you can truthfully accuse me of sin? And since I am telling you the truth,
why don’t you believe me?
47 Anyone
who belongs to God listens gladly to the words of God. But you don’t listen
because you don’t belong to God.”
48 The
people retorted, “You Samaritan devil! Didn’t we say all along that you were
possessed by a demon?”
49 “No,”
Jesus said, “I have no demon in me. For I honor my Father—and you dishonor
me.
50 And
though I have no wish to glorify myself, God is going to glorify me. He is the
true judge.
51 I
tell you the truth, anyone who obeys my teaching will never die!”
52 The
people said, “Now we know you are possessed by a demon. Even Abraham and the
prophets died, but you say, ‘Anyone who obeys my teaching will never
die!’
53 Are
you greater than our father Abraham? He died, and so did the prophets. Who do
you think you are?”
54 Jesus
answered, “If I want glory for myself, it doesn’t count. But it is my Father
who will glorify me. You say, ‘He is our God,’
55 but
you don’t even know him. I know him. If I said otherwise, I would be as great a
liar as you! But I do know him and obey him.
56 Your
father Abraham rejoiced as he looked forward to my coming. He saw it and was
glad.”
57 The
people said, “You aren’t even fifty years old. How can you say you have seen
Abraham? ”
58 Jesus
answered, “I tell you the truth, before Abraham was even born, I AM! ”
59 At that point they picked up
stones to throw at him. But Jesus was hidden from them and left the Temple.
John 8
In this chapter we have, I. Christ’s
evading the snare which the Jews laid for him, in bringing to him a woman taken
in adultery (v. 1-11). II. Divers discourses or conferences of his
with the Jews that cavilled at him, and sought occasion against him, and made
every thing he said a matter of controversy. Concerning his being the light of
the world (v. 12-20). Concerning the ruin of the unbelieving Jews
(v. 21-30). Concerning liberty and bondage (v. 31-37). Concerning his Father and their father (v. 38-47). Here is his discourse in answer to their
blasphemous reproaches (v. 48-50). Concerning the immortality of believers (v. 51-59). And in all this he endured the
contradiction of sinners against himself.
Verses 1-11 Though
Christ was basely abused in the foregoing chapter, both by the rulers and by
the people, yet here we have him still at Jerusalem, still in the
temple. How often would he have gathered them! Observe,I. His
retirement in the evening out of the town (v. 1): He
went unto the mount of olives; whether to some friend’s house, or to some
booth pitched there, now at the feast of tabernacles, is not certain; whether
he rested there, or, as some think, continued all night in prayer to God, we
are not told. But he went out of Jerusalem, perhaps because he had no friend
there that had either kindness or courage enough to give him a night’s lodging;
while his persecutors had houses of their own to go to ch. 7:53 ), he could not so much as borrow a
place to lay his head on, but what he must go a mile or two out of town for. He
retired (as some think) because he would not expose himself to the peril of a
popular tumult in the night. It is prudent to go out of the way of danger
whenever we can do it without going out of the way of duty. In the day-time,
when he had work to do in the temple, he willingly exposed himself, and was
under special protection, Isa. 49:2 . But in the night, when he had not work
to do, he withdrew into the country, and sheltered himself there.II. His return
in the morning to the temple, and to his work there, v. 2. Observe,1. What a diligent preacher Christ
was: Early in the morning he came again, and taught. Though he had
been teaching the day before, he taught again to-day. Christ was a constant
preacher, in season and out of season. Three things were taken notice of here
concerning Christ’s preaching. (1.) The time: Early in the
morning. Though he lodged out of town, and perhaps had spent much of the
night in secret prayer, yet he came early. When a day’s work is to be
done for God and souls it is good to begin betimes, and take the day before us.
(2.) The place: In the temple; not so much because it was
a consecrated place (for then he would have chosen it at other times)
as because it was now a place of concourse; and he would hereby
countenance solemn assemblies for religious worship, and encourage people to
come up to the temple, for he had not yet left it desolate. (3.) His
posture: He sat down, and taught, as one having authority, and as one
that intended to abide by it for some time.2. How diligently his preaching was
attended upon: All the people came unto him; and perhaps many of them
were the country-people, who were this day to return home from the feast, and
were desirous to hear one sermon more from the mouth of Christ before they
returned. They came to him, though he came early. They that seek him early
shall find him. Though the rulers were displeased at those that came to
hear him, yet they would come; and he taught them, though they
were angry at him too. Though there were few or none among them that
were persons of any figure, yet Christ bade them welcome, and taught them.III.
His dealing with those that brought to him the woman taken in adultery,
tempting him. The scribes and Pharisees would not only not hear Christ
patiently themselves, but they disturbed him when the people were attending on
him. Observe here,1. The case proposed to him by the scribes and Pharisees, who
herein contrived to pick a quarrel with him, and bring him into a snare, v. 3-6.(1.) They set the prisoner to the bar (v. 3): they brought him a woman taken in
adultery, perhaps now lately taken, during the time of the feast of
tabernacles, when, it may be, their dwelling in booths, and their feasting and
joy, might, by wicked minds, which corrupt the best things, be made occasions
of sin. Those that were taken in adultery were by the Jewish law to
be put to death, which the Roman powers allowed them the execution of, and
therefore she was brought before the ecclesiastical court. Observe,
She was taken in her adultery. Though adultery is a work of darkness,
which the criminals commonly take all the care they can to conceal, yet
sometimes it is strangely brought to light. Those that promise themselves
secrecy in sin deceive themselves. The scribes and Pharisees bring her to
Christ, and set her in the midst of the assembly, as if they would leave her
wholly to the judgment of Christ, he having sat down, as a judge upon
the bench.(2.) They prefer an indictment against her: Master, this woman
was taken in adultery, v. 4. Here they call him Masterwhom but the
day before they had called a deceiver, in hopes with their flatteries
to have ensnared him, as those, Lu. 20:20 .
But, though men may be imposed upon with compliments, he that searches the
heart cannot.[1.] The crime for which the prisoner stands indicted is no less
than adultery, which even in the patriarchal age, before the law of Moses, was
looked upon as an iniquity to be punished by the judges, Job. 31:9-11 ;Gen. 38:24 . The Pharisees, by their vigorous prosecution of this
offender, seemed to have a great zeal against the sin, when it appeared
afterwards that they themselves were not free from it; nay, they were
within full of all uncleanness, Mt. 23:27, Mt. 23:28 . Note, It is common for those that are
indulgent to their own sin to be severe against the sins of others.[2.] The
proof of the crime was from the notorious evidence of the fact, an
incontestable proof; she was taken in the act, so that there was no
room left to plead not guilty. Had she not been taken in this act, she might
have gone on to another, till her heart had been perfectly hardened; but
sometimes it proves a mercy to sinners to have their sin brought to light, that
they may do no more presumptuously. Better our sin
should shameus than damn us, and be set in order before us for
our conviction than for our condemnation.(3.) They produce the statute in this
case made and provided, and upon which she was indicted, v. 5. Moses in the law commanded that such
should be stoned.Moses commanded that they should be put to death (Lev. 20:10 ; Deu. 22:22 ), but not that they should be stoned, unless the
adulteress was espoused, not married, or was a priest’s daughter, Deu. 22:21 . Note, Adultery is an exceedingly
sinful sin, for it is the rebellion of a vile lust, not only against the
command, but against the covenant, of our God. It is the violation of a divine
institution in innocency, by the indulgence of one of the basest lusts of man
in his degeneracy.(4.) They pray his judgment in the case: "But what
sayest thou, who pretendest to be a teacher come from God to repeal old
laws and enact new ones? What hast thou to say in this case?’’ If they had
asked this question in sincerity, with a humble desire to know his mind, it had
been very commendable. Those that are entrusted with the administration of
justice should look up to Christ for direction; but this they said
tempting him, that they might have to accuse him, v. 6. [1.] If he should confirm the sentence of
the law, and let it take its course, they would censure him as inconsistent
with himself (he having received publicans and harlots) and with the character
of the Messiah, who should be meek, and have salvation, and proclaim a year of
release; and perhaps they would accuse him to the Roman governor, for
countenancing the Jews in the exercise of a judicial power. But, [2.] If he
should acquit her, and give his opinion that the sentence should not be
executed (as they expected he would), they would represent
him, First, As an enemy to the law of Moses, and as one that usurped
an authority to correct and control it, and would confirm that prejudice
against him which his enemies were so industrious to propagate, that he came
to destroy the law and the prophets. Secondly, As a friend to
sinners, and, consequently, a favourer of sin; if he should seem to connive at
such wickedness, and let it go unpunished, they would represent him as
countenancing it, and being a patron of offences, if he was a protector of
offenders, than which no reflection could be more invidious upon one that
professed the strictness, purity, and business of a prophet.2. The method he
took to resolve this case, and so to break this snare.(1.) He seemed to slight
it, and turned a deaf ear to it: He stooped down, and wrote on
the ground. It is impossible to tell, and therefore needless to ask,
what he wrote; but this is the only mention made in the gospels of Christ’s
writing. Eusebius indeed speaks of his writing to Abgarus, king of Edessa. Some
think they have a liberty of conjecture as to what he wrote here. Grotius says,
It was some grave weighty saying, and that it was usual for wise men, when they
were very thoughtful concerning any thing, to do so. Jerome and Ambrose suppose
he wrote, Let the names of these wicked men be written in the
dust. Others this, The earth accuses theearth, but the judgment is
mine. Christ by this teaches us to be slow to speak when difficult cases
are proposed to us, not quickly to shoot our bolt; and when provocations are
given us, or we are bantered, to pause and consider before we reply; think
twice before we speak once: The heart of the wise studies to
answer. Our translation from some Greek copies, which add, me
prospoioumenos (though most copies have it not), give this account of the
reason of his writing on the ground, as though he heard them not.He did as
it were look another way, to show that he was not willing to take notice of
their address, saying, in effect, Who made me a judge or a
divider? It is safe in many cases to be deaf to that which it is not safe
to answer, Ps. 38:13 . Christ would not have his ministers to
be entangled in secular affairs. Let them rather employ themselves in any
lawful studies, and fill up their time in writing on the ground (which nobody
will heed), than busy themselves in that which does not belong to them. But,
when Christ seemed as though he heard them not, he made it appear that he not
only heard their words, but knew their thoughts.(2.) When they importunately,
or rather impertinently, pressed him for an answer, he turned the conviction of
the prisoner upon the prosecutors, v. 7.[1.]
Theycontinued asking him, and his seeming not to take notice of them made
them the more vehement; for now they thought sure enough that they had run him
aground, and that he could not avoid the imputation of contradicting either the
law of Moses, if he should acquit the prisoner, or his own doctrine of mercy
and pardon, if he should condemn her; and therefore they pushed on their appeal
to him with vigour; whereas they should have construed his disregard of them as
a check to their design, and an intimation to them to desist, as they tendered
their own reputation.[2.] At last he put them all to shame and silence with one
word: He lifted up himself, awaking as one out of sleep (Ps. 78:65 ), andsaid unto them, He that is without
sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. First,Here Christ
avoided the snare which they had laid for him, and effectually saved his own
reputation. He neither reflected upon the law nor excused the prisoner’s guilt,
nor did he on the other hand encourage the prosecution or countenance their
heat; see the good effect of consideration. When we cannot make our point by
steering a direct course, it is good to fetch a compass.Secondly, In the net
which they spread is their own foot taken.They came with design to accuse him,
but they were forced to accuse themselves. Christ owns it was fit the prisoner
should be prosecuted, but appeals to their consciences whether they were fit to
be the prosecutors.a. He here refers to that rule which the law of Moses
prescribed in the execution of criminals, that the hand of the witnesses
must be first upon them (Deu. 17:7 ), as in the stoning of Stephen, Acts. 7:58 . The scribes and Pharisees were the
witnesses against this woman. Now Christ puts it to them whether, according to
their own law, they would dare to be the executioners. Durst they take away
that life with their hands which they were now taking away with their tongues?
would not their own consciences fly in their faces if they did?b. He
builds upon an uncontested maxim in morality, that it is very absurd for men to
be zealous in punishing the offences of others, while they are every whit as
guilty themselves, and they are not better than self-condemned who judge
others, and yet themselves do the same thing: "If there be any of you who
is without sin, without sin of this nature, that has not some time or
other been guilty of fornication or adultery, let him cast the first stone at
her.’’ Not that magistrates, who are conscious of guilt themselves, should
therefore connive at others’ guilt. But therefore, (a. ) Whenever we find
fault with others, we ought to reflect upon ourselves, and to be more severe
against sin in ourselves than in others. (b. ) We ought to be favourable,
though not to the sins, yet to the persons, of those that offend, and to restore
them with a spirit of meekness, considering ourselves and our
own corrupt nature. Aut sumus, aut fuimus, vel possumus esse quod hic
est—We either are, or have been, or may be, what he is. Let this restrain
us from throwing stones at our brethren, and proclaiming their
faults. Let him that is without sin begin such discourse as
this, and then those that are truly humbled for their own sins will blush at
it, and be glad to let it drop. (c.) Those that are any way obliged
to animadvert upon the faults of others are concerned to look well to
themselves, and keep themselves pure (Mt. 7:5 ), Qui
alterum incusat probri, ipsum se intueri oportet. The snuffers of the
tabernacle were of pure gold. c. Perhaps he refers to the trial
of the suspected wife by the jealous husband with the waters of jealousy. The
man was to bring her to the priest (Num. 5:15 ),
as the scribes and Pharisees brought this woman to Christ. Now it was a
received opinion among the Jews, and confirmed by experience, that if the
husband who brought his wife to that trial had himself been at any time guilty
of adultery, Aquae non explorant ejus uxorem—The bitter water had no
effect upon the wife. "Come then,’’ saith Christ,
"according to your own tradition will I judge you; if you are without sin,
stand to the charge, and let the adulteress be executed; but if not, though she
be guilty, while you that present her are equally so, according to your own
rule she shall be free.’’d. In this he attended to the great work which he
came into the world about, and that was to bring sinners to repentance; not to
destroy, but to save. He aimed to bring, not only the prisoner to repentance,
by showing her his mercy, but the prosecutors too, by showing them their sins.
They sought to ensnare him; he sought to convince and convert them.
Thus the blood-thirsty hate the upright, but the just seek his soul. [3.]
Having given them this startling word, he left them to consider of it, and
again stooped down, and wrote on the ground, v. 8. As when they made their address he seemed to
slight their question, so now that he had given them an answer he slighted
their resentment of it, not caring what they said to it; nay, they needed not
to make any reply; the matter was lodged in their own breasts, let them make
the best of it there. Or, he would not seem to wait for an answer, lest they
should on a sudden justify themselves, and then think themselves bound in
honour to persist in it; but gives them time to pause, and to commune with
their own hearts. God saith, I hearkened and heard, Jer. 8:6 . Some Greek copies here read,
He wrote on the ground, enos hekastou auton tas hamartias —the
sins of every one of them; this he could do, for he sets our
iniquities before him; and this he will do, for he will set them in
order before us too; heseals up our transgressions, Job. 14:17 . But he does not write men’s
sins in the sand;no, they are written as with a pen of iron and
the point of a diamond (Jer. 17:1 ),
never to be forgotten till they are forgiven.[4.] The scribes and Pharisees
were so strangely thunderstruck with the words of Christ that they let fall
their persecution of Christ, whom they durst no further tempt, and their
prosecution of the woman, whom they durst no longer accuse (v. 9): They went out one by one. First, Perhaps
his writing on the ground frightened them, as the hand-writing on the wall
frightened Belshazzar. They concluded he was writing bitter things against
them, writing their doom. Happy they who have no reason to be afraid of
Christ’s writing!Secondly, What he said frightened them by sending them to
their own consciences; he had shown them to themselves, and they were
afraid if they should stay till he lifted up himself again his next word would
show them to the world, and shame them before men, and therefore they thought
it best to withdraw. They went out one by one, that they might go
out softly, and not by a noisy flight disturb Christ; they went away
by stealth, as people being ashamed steal away when they
flee in battle, 2 Sa. 19:3 . The order of their departure is taken
notice of, beginning at the eldest, either because they were
most guilty, or first aware of the danger they were in of being put to the
blush; and if the eldest quit the field, and retreat ingloriously, no marvel if
the younger follow them. Now see here, 1. The force of the word of
Christ for the conviction of sinners:They who heard it were convicted by their
own consciences. Conscience is God’s deputy in the soul, and one word from
him will set it on work, Heb. 4:12 . Those that had been old in adulteries,
and long fixed in a proud opinion of themselves, were here, even the oldest of
them, startled by the word of Christ; even scribes and Pharisees, who were most
conceited of themselves, are by the power of Christ’s word made to retire with
shame. The folly of sinners under these convictions, which appears in
these scribes and Pharisees. (1.) It is folly for those that are under
convictions to make it their principal care to avoid shame, as Judah
(Gen. 38:23 ), lest we be shamed. Our care
should be more to save our souls than to save our credit. Saul evidenced his
hypocrisy when he said, I have sinned, yet now honour me, I pray
thee. There is no way to get the honour and comfort of penitents, but by
taking the shame of penitents. (2.) It is folly for those that are under
convictions to contrive how to shift off their convictions, and to
get rid of them. The scribes and Pharisees had the wound opened, and
now they should have been desirous to have it searched, and then it
might have been healed, but this was the thing
theydreaded and declined. (3.) It is folly for those that are
under convictions to get away from Jesus Christ, as these here did,
for he is the only one that can heal the wounds of conscience, and speak peace
to us. Those that are convicted by their consciences will be condemned by their
Judge, if they be not justified by their Redeemer; and will they then go from
him? To whom will they go?[5.] When the self-conceited prosecutors
quitted the field, and fled for the same, the self-condemned prisoner
stood her ground, with a resolution to abide by the judgment of our Lord
Jesus: Jesus was left alone from the company of the scribes and
Pharisees, free from their molestations, and the woman standing in the
midst of the assembly that were attending on Christ’s preaching, where
they set her, v. 3. She did not seek to make her escape, though
she had opportunity for it; but her prosecutors had appealed unto Jesus, and to
him she would go, on him she would wait for her doom. Note, Those whose cause
is brought before our Lord Jesus will never have occasion to remove it into any
other court, for he is the refuge of penitents. The law which accuses us, and
calls for judgment against us, is by the gospel of Christ made to withdraw; its
demands are answered, and its clamours silenced, by the blood of Jesus. Our
cause is lodged in the gospel court; we are left with Jesus alone, it
is with him only that we have now to deal, for to him all judgment is
committed; let us therefore secure our interest in him, and we are made for
ever. Let his gospel rule us, and it will infallibly save
us. [6.] Here is the conclusion of the trial, and the issue it was brought
to:Jesus lifted up himself, and he saw none but the woman, v. 10, v. 11.
Though Christ may seem to take no notice of what is said and done, but leave it
to the contending sons of men to deal it out
among themselves, yet, when the hour of his judgment is come, he will
no longer keep silence. When David had appealed to God, he prayed, Lift up
thyself,Ps. 7:6 , and Ps. 94:2 . The woman, it is likely, stood
trembling at the bar, as one doubtful of the issue. Christ was without
sin, and might cast the first stone; but though none more severe than he
against sin, for he is infinitely just and holy, none more compassionate than
he to sinners, for he is infinitely gracious and merciful, and this poor
malefactor finds him so, now that she stands upon her deliverance. Here
is the method of courts of judicature observed.First, The prosecutors are
called: Where are those thine accusers? Hath no man condemned
thee? Not but that Christ knew where they were; but he asked, that he
might shame them, who declined his judgment, and encourage her who resolved to
abide by it. St. Paul’s challenge is like this, Who shall lay any thing to
the charge of God’s elect? Where are those their accusers?
The accuser of the brethren shall be fairlycast out, and all
indictments legally and regularly quashed.Secondly, They do not appear
when the question is asked: Hath no man condemned thee? She
said, No man, Lord.She speaks respectfully to Christ, calls
him Lord, but is silent concerning her prosecutors, says nothing in
answer to that question which concerned them, Where are those thine
accusers? She does not triumph in their retreat nor insult over them as
witnesses against themselves, not against her. If we hope to be forgiven by our
Judge, we must forgive our accusers; and if their accusations, how invidious
soever, were the happy occasion of awakening our consciences, we may
easily forgive them this wrong. But she answered the question which
concerned herself, Has no man condemned thee? True penitents find it
enough to give an account of themselves to God, and will not undertake to give
an account of other people.Thirdly, The prisoner is therefore
discharged: Neither do I condemn thee; go, and sin
no more. Consider this,(a. ) As her discharge from the temporal punishment:
"If they do not condemn thee to be stoned to
death, neither do I.’’Not that Christ came to disarm the magistrate
of his sword of justice, nor that it is his will that capital punishments
should not be inflicted on malefactors; so far from this, the administration of
public justice is established by the gospel, and made subservient to Christ’s
kingdom: By me kings reign. But Christ would not condemn this woman,
(a. ) Because it was none of his business; he was no judge nor
divider, and therefore would not intermeddle in secular affairs.
His kingdom was not of this world. Tractent
fabrilia fabri—Let every one act in his own province. (b. )
Because she was prosecuted by those that were more guilty than she and could
not for shame insist upon their demand of justice against her. The law
appointed the hands of the witnesses to be first upon the criminal, and
afterwards the hands of all the people, so that if they fly off, and do not
condemn her, the prosecution drops. The justice of God, in inflicting temporal
judgments, sometimes takes notice of a comparative righteousness, and
spares those who are otherwise obnoxious when the punishing of them would
gratify those that are worse than they,Deu. 32:26, Deu. 32:27 . But, when Christ dismissed her, it was
with this caution, Go, and sin no more. Impunity emboldens
malefactors, and therefore those who are guilty, and yet have found means to
escape the edge of the law, need to double their watch, lest Satan get
advantage; for the fairer the escape was, the fairer the warning was to go
and sin no more. Those who help to save the life of a criminal should, as
Christ here, help to save the soul with this caution.(b. ) As her
discharge from the eternal punishment. For Christ to say, I do not condemn
thee is, in effect, to say, I do forgive thee; and the Son
of man had power on earth to forgive sins, and could upon good grounds
give this absolution; for as he knew the hardness and impenitent hearts of the
prosecutors, and therefore said that which would confound them, so he knew the
tenderness and sincere repentance of the prisoner, and therefore said that
which would comfort her, as he did to that woman who was a sinner, such a
sinner as this, who was likewise looked upon with disdain by a Pharisee (Lu. 7:48, Lu. 7:50 ): Thy
sins are forgiven thee, go in peace. So here, Neither do I condemn
thee. Note, (a. ) Those are truly happy whom Christ doth not
condemn, for his discharge is a sufficient answer to all other challenges;
they are all coram non judice—before an unauthorized
judge. (b. ) Christ will not condemn those who, though they have
sinned, will go and sin no more, Ps. 85:8 ; Isa. 55:7 . he will not take the advantage he has
against us for our former rebellions, if we will but lay down our arms and
return to our allegiance. (c. ) Christ’s favour to us in the remission of
the sins that are past should be a prevailing argument with us to go and
sin no more, Rom. 6:1, Rom. 6:2 .
Will not Christ condemn thee? Go then and sin no more.
Verses 12-20 The rest of the chapter is taken up with
debates between Christ and contradicting sinners, who cavilled at the most gracious
words that proceeded out of his mouth. It is not certain whether these disputes
were the same day that the adulteress was discharged; it is probable they were,
for the evangelist mentions no other day, and takes notice (v. 2) how early Christ began that day’s work.
Though those Pharisees that accused the woman had absconded, yet there were
other Pharisees (v. 13) to confront Christ, who had brass enough in
their foreheads to keep them in countenance, though some of their party were
put to such a shameful retreat; nay perhaps that made them the more industrious
to pick quarrels with him, to retrieve, if possible, the reputation of their
baffled party. In these verses we have,I. A great doctrine laid down, with the
application of it.1. The doctrine is, That Christ is the light of the
world (v. 12): Then spoke Jesus again
unto them; though he had spoken a great deal to them to little
purpose, and what he had said was opposed, yet he spoke again, for
he speaketh once, yea, twice. They had turned a deaf ear to what he
said, and yet he spoke again to them, saying, I am the light of
the world. Note, Jesus Christ is the light of the world. One of the
rabbies saith, Light is the name of the Messiah, as it is
written, Dan. 2:22 , And light dwelleth with
him. God is light, and Christ is the image of the invisible
God; God of gods, Light of lights. He was expected to be a light to
enlighten the Gentiles (Lu. 2:32 ),
and so the light of the world, and not of the Jewish church only. The
visible light of the world is the sun, and Christ is the Sun of
righteousness. One sun enlightens the whole world, so does one Christ, and
there needs no more. Christ in calling himself the light expresses, (1.) What
he is in himself—most excellent and glorious. (2.) What he is to the world—the
fountain of light, enlightening every man. What a dungeon would the world be
without the sun! So would it be without Christ by whom light came into the
world, ch. 3:19 .2. The inference from this doctrine
is,He that followeth me, as a traveller follows the light in a dark
night, shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of
life. If Christ be the light, then, (1.) It is our duty tofollow
him, to submit ourselves to his guidance, and in every thing take
directions from him, in the way that leads to happiness. Many follow false
lights—ignes fatui, that lead them to destruction; but Christ is
the true light. It is not enough to look at this light, and
togaze upon it, but we must follow it, believe in it, and walk in it, for
it is a light to our feet,not our eyes only. (2.) It is the
happiness of those who follow Christ that they shall not walk
in darkness. They shall not be left destitute of those instructions
in the way of truth which are necessary to keep them from destroying error, and
those directions in the way of duty which are necessary to keep them from
damning sin. They shall have the light of life, that knowledge and
enjoyment of God which will be to them the light of spiritual life in this
world and of everlasting life in the other world, where there will be no death
nor darkness. Follow Christ, and we shall undoubtedly be happy in both worlds.
Follow Christ, and we shall follow him to heaven.II. The objection which the
Pharisees made against this doctrine, and it was very trifling and
frivolous: Thou bearest record of thyself; thy record is not true, v. 13. In this objection they went upon the
suspicion which we commonly have of men’s self-condemnation, which is concluded
to be the native language of self-love, such as we are all ready to condemn in
others, but few are willing to own in themselves. But in this case the
objection was very unjust, for, 1. They made that his crime, and a diminution
to the credibility of his doctrine, which in the case of one who introduced a
divine revelation was necessary and unavoidable. Did not Moses and all the
prophets bear witness of themselves when they avouched themselves to be God’s
messengers? Did not the Pharisees ask John Baptist, What sayest thou of
thyself? 2. They overlooked the testimony of all the other witnesses,
which corroborated the testimony he bore of himself. Had he only borne record
of himself, his testimony had indeed been suspicious, and the belief
of it might have been suspended; but his doctrine was attested by
more than two orthree credible witnesses, enough
to establish every word of it.III. Christ’s reply to this
objection, v. 14. He does not retort upon them as he might
("You profess yourselves to be devout and good men, but your witness is
not true’’ ), but plainly vindicates himself; and, though he had
waived his own testimony ch. 5:31 ), yet here he abides by it, that it did
not derogate from the credibility of his other proofs, but was necessary to
show the force of them. He is the light of the world, and it is the property of
light to be self-evidencing. First principles prove themselves. He urges three
things to prove that his testimony, though of himself, was true and cogent.1.
That he was conscious to himself of his own authority, and abundantly satisfied
in himself concerning it. He did not speak as one at uncertainty, nor propose a
disputable notion, about which he himself hesitated, but declared a
decree,and gave such an account of himself as he would abide by: I know
whence I came, and whither I go. He was fully apprised of his own
undertaking from first to last; knew whose errand he went upon, and what his
success would be. He knew what he was before his manifestation to the
world, and what he should be after; that he came from the
Father,and was going to him ch. 16:28 ),
came from glory, and was going to glory, ch. 17:5 ). This is the satisfaction of all good
Christians, that though the world know them not, as it knew him not, yet they
know whence their spiritual life comes, and whither it tends, and go upon sure
grounds.2. That they are very incompetent judges of him, and of his doctrine,
and not to be regarded. (1.) Because they were ignorant, willingly
and resolvedlyignorant: You cannot tell whence I came, and whither I
go. To what purpose is it to talk with those who know nothing of the
matter, nor desire to know? He had told them of his coming from heaven and
returning to heaven, but it was foolishness to them, theyreceived it
not; it was what the brutish man knows not, Ps. 92:6 . They took upon them to judge of that
which they did not understand, which lay quite out of the road of their
acquaintance. Those that despise Christ’s dominions and dignities speak evil of
what theyknow not, Jude, v. 8, v. 10. (2.) Because they were partial (v. 15): You judge after the
flesh. When fleshly wisdom gives the rule of judgment, and outward
appearances only are given in evidence, and the case decided according to them,
then men judge after the flesh; and when the consideration of a
secular interest turns the scale in judging of spiritual matters, when we judge
in favour of that which pleases the carnal mind, and recommends us to a carnal
world, we judge after the flesh; and the judgment cannot be right when the rule
is wrong. The Jews judged of Christ and his gospel by outward appearances, and,
because he appeared so mean, thought it impossible he should be the light of
the world; as if the sun under a cloud were no sun. (3.) Because they were unjustand unfair towards
him, intimated in this: "I judge no man; I neither make nor
meddle with your political affairs, nor does my doctrine or practice at all
intrench upon, or interfere with, your civil rights or secular powers.’’ He
thus judged no man. Now, if he did not war after the
flesh, it was very unreasonable for them to judge him after the
flesh, and to treat him as an offender against the civil government.
Or, "I judge no man,’’ that is, "not now in my first
coming, that is deferred till I come again,’’ ch. 3:17 . Prima dispensatio Christi
medicinalis est, non judicialis—The first coming of Christ was for the
purpose of administering, not justice, but medicine. 3. That his testimony
of himself was sufficiently supported and corroborated by the testimony of his
Father with him and for him (v. 16):And
yet, if I judge, my judgment is true. He did in his doctrine judge ch. 9:39 ), though notpolitically. Consider
him then,(1.) As a judge, and his own judgment was valid: "If I
judge, I who have authority to execute judgments, I to whom all things are
delivered, I who am the Son of God, and have the Spirit of God, if I
judge, my judgment is true, of incontestable rectitude and
uncontrollable authority, Rom. 2:2 . If I should
judge, my judgment must be true, and then you would be condemned; but the
judgment-day is not yet come, you are not yet to be condemned, but spared, and
therefore now I judge no man;’’ so Chrysostom. Now that which makes
his judgment unexceptionable is, [1.] His Father’s concurrence with him: I
am not alone, but I and the Father. He has the Father’s
concurring counsels to direct; as he was with the Father
before the world in forming the counsels, so the Father was with him in the
world in prosecuting and executing those counsels, and never left
him inops consilii—without advice, Isa. 11:2 .
All the counsels of peace ( and of war too) were between them
both, Zec. 6:13 . He had also the Father’s concurring
power to authorize and confirm what he did; see Ps. 89:21 , etc.; Isa. 42:1 . He did not
act separately, but in his own name and his Father’s, and by the
authority aforesaid, ch. 5:17 , and ch. 14:9, ch. 14:10 .
[2.] His Father’s commission to him: "It is the Father that sent me.’’ Note,
God will go along with those that he sends; see Ex. 3:10,Ex. 3:12 : Come,
and I will send thee, and certainly I will be with thee. Now, if
Christ had acommission from the Father, and the
Father’s presence with him in all his administrations, no doubt
his judgment was true and valid; no exception
lay against it, no appeal lay fromit.(2.) Look upon him
as a witness, and now he appeared no otherwise (having not as yet
taken the throne of judgment), and as such his testimony was true and
unexceptionable; this he shows, v. 17, v. 18, where,[1.] He quotes a maxim of the Jewish
law, v. 17. Thatthe testimony of two men is
true. Not as if it were always true in itself, for many a time
hand has been joined in hand to bear a false testimony, 1 Ki. 21:10 . But it is allowed as sufficient
evidence upon which to ground a verdict (verum dictum), and if
nothing appear to the contrary it is taken for granted to
be true. Reference is here had to that law (Deu. 17:6 ), At the mouth of two witnesses
shall he that is worthy of death be put to death. And see Deu. 9:15 ; Num. 35:30 . It was in favour of life that in capital cases
two witnesses wee required, as with us in case of treason. See Heb. 6:18 .[2.] He applies this to the case in
hand (v. 18): I am one that bear witness of myself,
and the Father that sent me bears witness of me. Behold two
witnesses! Though in human courts, where two witnesses are required, the
criminal or candidate is not admitted to be a witness for himself; yet in a
matter purely divine, which can be proved only by a divine testimony, and God
himself must be the witness, if the formality of two or three witnesses be
insisted on, there can be no other than the eternal Father, the eternal Son of
the Father, and the eternal Spirit. Now if the testimony of two distinct
persons, that are men, and therefore may deceive or be deceived, is
conclusive, much more ought the testimony of the Son of God concerning himself,
backed with the testimony of his Father concerning him, to command assent;
see 1 Jn. 5:7, 1
Jn. 5:9-11 .
Now this proves not only that the Father and the Son are two distinct persons
(for their respective testimonies are here spoken of as the testimonies of two
several persons), but that these two are one, not only one in their testimony,
but equal in power and glory, and therefore the same in substance. St. Austin
here takes occasion to caution his hearers against Sabellianism on the one
hand, which confounded the persons in the Godhead, and Arianism on the other,
which denied the Godhead of the Son and Spirit. Alius est filius, et alius
pater, non tamed aliud, sed hocipsum est et pater, et filius, scilicet unus
Deus est—The Son is one Person, and the Father is another; they do not,
however, constitute two Beings, but the Father is the same Being that the Son
is, that is, the only true God. Tract6, in Joann. Christ here
speaks of himself and the Father as witnesses to the world, giving in evidence
to the reason and conscience of the children of men, whom he deals with as men.
And these witnesses tothe world now will in the great day be
witnesses against those that persist in unbelief, andtheir word
will judge men.This was the sum of the first conference between Christ and
these carnal Jews, in the conclusion of which we are told how their tongues were
let loose, and their hands tied.First, How their tongues were let loose
(such was the malice of hell) to cavil at his discourse, v. 19. Though in what he said there appeared
nothing of human policy or artifice, but a divine security, yet they set
themselves to cross questionswith him. None so
incurably blind as those that resolve they will not
see. Observe,a. How they evaded the conviction with
a cavil: Then said they unto him, Where is thy Father?They might
easily have understood, by the tenour of this and his other discourses, that
when he spoke of his Father he meant no other than God himself; yet
they pretend to understand him of a common person, and, since he appeals to his
testimony, they bid himcall his witness, and challenge him, if he
can, to produce him: Where is thy Father? Thus, as Christ said of
them (v. 15), they judge after the
flesh. Perhaps they hereby intend a reflection upon the meanness and
obscurity of his family: Where is thy Father, that he should be fit
to give evidence in such a case as this? Thus they turned it off with a taunt,
when they could not resist the wisdom and spirit with which he
spoke. b. How he evaded the cavil with a
further conviction; he did not tell them where his Father was, but
charged them with wilful ignorance: "You neither know me nor my
Father. It is to no purpose to discourse to you about divine things, who
talk of them as blind men do of colours. Poor creatures! you know nothing of
the matter.’’ (a. ) He charges them with ignorance of God:"You know
not my Father.’’ In Judah was God known (Ps. 76:1 );
they had some knowledge of him as the God that made the world, but their eyes
were darkened that they could not see the light of his glory shining in
the face of Jesus Christ. The little children of the Christian
church know the Father, know him as a Father (1 Jn. 2:13 ); but these rulers of the Jews did not,
because they would not so know him. (b. ) He shows them the true cause of
their ignorance of God: If you had known me, you would have known my
Father also. The reason why men are ignorant of God is because they are
unacquainted with Jesus Christ. Did we know Christ, [a. ] In knowing him
we should know the Father, of whose person he is the express image, ch. 14:9 . Chrysostom proves hence the Godhead of
Christ, and his equality with his Father. We cannot say, "He that knows a
man knows an angel,’’ or, "He that knows a creature knows the Creator;’’
but he that knows Christ knows the Father. [b. ] By him we should be
instructed in the knowledge of God, and introduced into an acquaintance with
him. If we knew Christ better, we should know the
Father better; but, where the Christian religion is slighted and opposed, natural
religion will soon be lost and laid aside. Deism makes way for atheism. Those
become vain in their imaginations concerning God that will not learn of
Christ.Secondly, See how their hands were tied, though their tongues were
thus let loose; such was the power of Heaven to restrain the malice of
hell. These words spoke Jesus, these bold words, these words of
conviction and reproof, in the treasury, an apartment of the temple,
where, to be sure, the chief priests, whose gain was their godliness, were mostly
resident, attending the business of the revenue. Christ taught in the
temple, sometimes in one part, sometimes in another, as he saw occasion.
Now the priests who had so great a concern in the temple, and looked upon it as
their demesne, might easily, with the assistance of the janizaries
that were at their beck, either have seized him and exposed him to the rage of
the mob, and that punishment which they called the beating of the
rebels; or, at least, havesilenced him, and stopped his mouth there,
as Amos, though tolerated in the land of Judah, was forbidden to prophesy in
the king’s chapel, Amos, 7:12, 13. Yet even in the temple, where they
had him in their reach, no man laid hands on him, for his
hour was not yet come. See here, 1. The restraint laid upon his
persecutors by an invisible power; none of them durst meddle with him. God can
set bounds to the wrath of men, as he does to the waves of the sea. Let us not
therefore fear danger in the way of duty; for God hath Satan and all his
instruments in a chain. The reason of this restraint: His hour was not yet
come. The frequent mention of this intimates how much the time of our
departure out of the world depends upon the fixed counsel and decree of God.
It will come, it is coming; not yet come, but it is at hand. Our
enemies cannot hasten it any sooner, nor our friends delay it any longer, than
the time appointed of the Father, which is very comfortable to every good man,
who can look up and say with pleasure, My times are in thy hands; and
better there than in our own. His hour was not yet come, because his work was
not done, nor his testimony finished. To all God’s purposes there is a
time.
Verses 21-30 Christ
here gives fair warning to the careless unbelieving Jews to consider what would
be the consequence of their infidelity, that they might prevent it before it
was too late; for he spoke words of terror as well as words of grace. Observe
here,I. The wrath threatened (v. 21): Jesus said again unto them that
which might be likely to do them good. He continued to teach, in kindness to
those few who received his doctrine, though there were many that resisted it,
which is an example to ministers to go on with their work, notwithstanding
opposition, because a remnant shall be saved. Here Christ changes his voice; he
had piped to them in the offers of his grace, and they had not
danced; now he mourns to them in the denunciations of his wrath, to try if
they would lament. He said, I go my way, and you shall seek me, and
shall die in your sins. Whither I go you cannot come. Every word is
terrible, and bespeaks spiritual judgments, which are the sorest of all
judgments; worse than war, pestilence, and captivity, which the Old-Testament
prophets denounced. Four things are here threatened against the Jews.1.
Christ’s departure from them: I go my way, that is, "It shall
not be long before I go; you need not take so much pains to drive me from you,
I shall go of myself.’’ They said to him,Depart from us, we desire not the
knowledge of thy ways; and he takes them at their word; but woe to those
from whom Christ departs. Ichabod, the glory is gone, our defence is departed,
when Christ goes. Christ frequently warned them of his departure before he left
them: he bade often farewell, as one loth to
depart, and willing to be invited, and that would have them stir
up themselves to take hold on him. 2. Their enmity to the true
Messiah, and their fruitless and infatuated enquiries after another Messiah
when he was gone away, which were both their sin and their punishment: You
shall seek me, which intimates either, (1.) Their enmity to
the true Christ: "You shall seek to ruin my interest, by
persecuting my doctrine and followers, with a fruitless design to root them
out.’’ This was a continual vexation and torment to themselves, made them
incurably ill-natured, and brought wrath upon them (God’s
and their own) to the uttermost. Or, (2.)
Their enquiriesafter false Christs: "You shall continue
your expectations of the Messiah, and be the self-perplexing seekers of a
Christ to come, when he is already come;’’ like the Sodomites, who, being
struck with blindness, wearied themselves to find the door. See Rom. 9:31,Rom. 9:32 .3.
Their final impenitency: You shall die in your sins. Here is an error
in all our English Bibles, even the old bishops’ translation, and that of
Geneva (the Rhemists only excepted), for all the Greek copies have it in the
singular number, en te hamartia hymon—in your sin, so all the Latin
versions; and Calvin has a note upon the difference between this and v. 24, where it is plural, tais
hamartiais , that here it is meant especially of the sin of
unbelief, in hoc peccato vestro—in this sin of yours. Note,
Those that live in unbelief are for ever undone if they die in unbelief. Or, it
may be understood in general, You shall die in your
iniquity, as Eze. 3:19 , and Eze. 33:9 . Many that have long lived in sin are,
through grace, saved by a timely repentance from dying in sin; but
for those who go out of this world of probation into that of retribution under
the guilt of sin unpardoned, and the power of sin unbroken, there remaineth no
relief: salvation itself cannot save them,Job. 20:11 ; Eze. 32:27 .4. Their eternal separation from Christ
and all happiness in him:Whither I go you cannot come. When Christ
left the world, he went to a state of perfect happiness; he went to paradise.
Thither he took the penitent thief with him, that did not die in his sins; but
the impenitent not only shall not come to him, but
they cannot; it is morally impossible, for heaven would not be heaven
to those that die unsanctified and unmeet for it. You cannot come, because you
have no right to enter into that Jerusalem,Rev. 22:14 . Whither I go you cannot
come, to fetch me thence, so Dr. Whitby; and the same is the comfort of
all good Christians, that, when they get to heaven, they will be out of the
reach of their enemies’ malice.II. The jest they made of this threatening.
Instead of trembling at this word, they bantered it, and turned it into
ridicule (v. 22): Will he kill himself? See here,
1. What slight thoughts they had of Christ’s threatenings; they could make
themselves and one another merry with them, as those that mocked the messengers
of the Lord, and turned the burden of the word of the Lord into
a by-word,and precept upon precept, line upon line, into a merry
song, Isa. 28:13 . But be ye not mockers, lest
your bands be made strong. 2. What ill thoughts they had of Christ’s
meaning, as if he had an inhuman design upon his own life, to avoid the
indignities done him, like Saul. This is indeed (say they) to go whither we
cannot follow him, for we will never kill ourselves. Thus they make
him not only such a one as themselves, but worse; yet in the calamities brought
by the Romans upon the Jews many of them in discontent and despair did kill
themselves. They had put a much more favourable construction upon this word of
his ch. 7:34, ch. 7:35 ): Will
he go to the dispersed among the Gentiles? But see how indulged
malice grows more and more malicious.III. The confirmation of what he had
said.1. He had said, Whither I go you cannot come, and here he gives
the reason for this (v. 23): You are from beneath, I am from above;
you are of this world, I am not of this world. You are ek ton
kato —of those things which are beneath; noting, not so much their
rise from beneath as their affection to these lower things: "You
are in with these things, as those that belong to them; how can you
come where I go, when your spirit and disposition are so directly contrary to
mine?’’ See here, (1.) What the spirit of the Lord Jesus was—not
of this world, but from above. He was perfectly dead to the
wealth of the world, the ease of the body, and the praise of men, and was
wholly taken up with divine and heavenly things; and none shall be with him but
those who are born from above and have their conversation in
heaven. (2.) How contrary to this their spirit was: "You
are from beneath, and of this world.’’ The Pharisees were of a carnal
worldly spirit; and what communion could Christ have with them?2. He had
said, You shall die in your sins, and here he stand to it:
"Therefore I said, You shall die in your sins, because you are from
beneath;’’ and he gives this further reason for it, If you
believe not that I am he, you shall die in your sins, v. 24. See here, (1.) What we are required to
believe: that I am he, hoti ego eimi —that I am, which is
one of God’s names, Ex. 3:14 . It was the Son of God that there
said, Ehejeh asher Ehejeh—I will be what I will be; for the
deliverance of Israel was but a figure of good things to come, but now he
saith, "I am he; he that should come, he that you expect the
Messias to be, that you would have me to be to you. I am more than the bare
name of the Messiah; I do not only call myself so, but I am he.’’ True
faith does not amuse the soul with an empty sound of words,
but affects it with the doctrine of Christ’s mediation, as a real
thing that has real effects. (2.) How necessary it is that we believe this. If
we have not this faith, we shall die in our sins; for the matter is
so settled that without this faith, [1.] We cannot be saved from the power of
sin while we live, and therefore shall certainly continue in it to the last.
Nothing but the doctrine of Christ’s grace will be an argument
powerful enough, and none but the Spirit of Christ’s grace will be an
agent powerful enough, to turn us from sin to God; and that Spirit is given,
and that doctrine given, to be effectual to those only who believe in Christ:
so that, if Satan be not by faith dispossessed, he has a lease of the soul for
its life; if Christ do not cure us, our case is desperate, and we
shall die in our sins. [2.] Without faith we cannot be saved from the
punishment of sin when we die, for the wrath of God remains upon them
that believe not, Mk. 16:16 . Unbelief is the damning sin; it is a
sin against the remedy. Now this implies the great gospel promise: If we
believe that Christ is he, and receive him accordingly, we shall not
die in our sins. The law saith absolutely to all, as Christ said (v. 21), You shall die in your sins, for
we are all guilty before God; but the gospel is a defeasance of the obligation
upon condition of believing. The curse of the law is vacated and annulled to
all that submit to the grace of the gospel. Believers die in Christ, in his
love, in his arms, and so are saved from dying in their sins. IV.
Here is a further discourse concerning himself, occasioned by his
requiring faith in himself as the condition of salvation, v. 25-29. Observe,1. The question which the Jews put
to him (v. 25): Who art thou? This they asked
tauntingly, and not with any desire to be instructed. he had said, You must
believe that I am he. By his not saying expressly who he was, he
plainly intimated that in his person he was such a one as could not
be described by any, and in his office such a one as
was expected by all that looked for redemption in Israel; yet this
awful manner of speaking, which had so much significancy in it, they turned to
his reproach, as if he knew not what to say of himself: "Who art
thou, that we must with an implicit faith believe in thee, that thou art
some mighty HE, we know not who or what, nor
are worthy to know?’’ 2. His answer to this question, wherein he
directs them three ways for information:—(1.) He refers them to what he
had said all along: "Do you ask who I am? Even the
same that I said unto you from the beginning.’’ The original here is
a little intricate, ten archen ho ti kai lalo hymin which some
read thus: I am the beginning, which also I speak unto you. So Austin
takes it. Christ is called Arche —the beginning (Col. 1:18; Rev. 1:8 Rev. 21:6 Rev. 3:14 ),
and so it agrees with v. 24, I am he. Compare Isa. 41:4 : I am the first, I am
he. Those who object that it is the accusative case, and therefore not
properly answering to tis ei , must undertake to construe by grammar
rules that parallel expression, Rev. 1:8 , ho
en . But most interpreters agree with our version, Do you askwho I
am? [1.] I am the same that I said to you from
the beginning of time in the scriptures of the Old-Testament, the
same that from the beginning was said to be the Seed of the woman, that
should break the serpent’s head, the same that in all the ages of the
church was the Mediator of the covenant, and the faith of the patriarchs.
[2.] From the beginningof my public ministry. The account he had
already given of himself he resolved to abide by; he had declared
himself to be the Son of God ch. 5:17 ),
to be the Christ ch. 4:26 ), and the bread of life, and had
proposed himself as the object of that faith which is necessary to salvation,
and to this he refers them for an answer to their question. Christ isone with
himself; what he had said from the beginning, he saith still. His is
an everlasting gospel. (2.) He refers them to his Father’s judgment,
and the instructions he had from him (v. 26): "I have
many things, more than you think of, to say, and in them to
judge of you.But why should I trouble myself any further with you? I know very
well that he who sent me is true, and will stand by me, and bear me
out, for I speak to the world (to which I am sent as an
ambassador) those things, all those and those only, which I
have heard of him.’’ Here,[1.] He suppresses his accusation of them. He
had many things to charge them with, and many evidences to produce
against them; but for the present he had said enough. Note, Whatever
discoveries of sin are made to us, he that searches the heart has still more to
judge of us, 1 Jn. 3:20 . How much soever God reckons with
sinners in this world there is still a further reckoning yet behind, Deu. 32:34 . Let us learn hence not to be forward
to say all we can say, even against the worst of men; we may have many things
to say, by way of censure, which yet it is better to
leave unsaid, for what is it to us?[2.] He enters his appeal against
them to his Father: He that sent me. Here two things comfort
him:—First, That he had been true to his Father, and to the
trust reposed in him: I speak to the world (for his gospel was
to be preached to every creature) those things which I have heard of
him. Being given for a witness to the people (Isa. 55:4 ), he
wasAmen, a faithful witness, Rev. 3:14 .
He did not conceal his doctrine, but spoke it to the
world (being of common concern, it was to be of common notice); nor did he
change or alter it, nor vary from the instructions he received from him that
sent him. Secondly, That his Father would be true to him; true
to the promise that he would make his mouth like a sharp sword; true
to his purpose concerning him, which was a decree (Ps. 2:7 ); true to the threatenings of his wrath
against those that should reject him. Though he should notaccuse them to
his Father, yet the Father, who sent him, would undoubtedly reckon with them,
and would be true to what he had said (Deu. 18:19 ), that whosoever would not hearken to that prophet whom
God would raise up he would require it of him. Christ would not
accuse them; "for,’’ saith he, "he that sent me is true, and will
pass judgment on them, though I should not demand judgment against them.’’
Thus, when he lets fall the present prosecution, he binds
them over to the judgment-day, when it will be too late to dispute what
they will not now be persuaded to believe. I, as a deaf man, heard not;
for thou wilt hear, Ps. 38:13, Ps. 38:15 .
Upon this part of our Saviour’s discourse the evangelist has a melancholy
remark (v. 27): They understood not that he spoke to
them of the Father. See here, 1. The power of Satan to blind the minds of
those who believe not. Though Christ spoke so plainly of God as his Father in
heaven, yet they did not understand whom he meant, but thought he spoke of some
father he had in Galilee. Thus the plainest things are riddles and parables to
those who are resolved to hold fast their prejudices; day and night are alike
to the blind. The reason why the threatenings of the word make so little
impression upon the minds of sinners; it is because they understand not whose
the wrath is that is revealed in them. When Christ told them of the truth of
him that sent him, as a warning to them to prepare for his judgment, which
is according to truth, they slighted the warning, because they
understood not to whose judgment it was that they made themselves
obnoxious.(3.) He refers them to their own
convictions hereafter, v. 28, v. 29. He finds they will not understand him, and
therefore adjourns the trial till further evidence should come in; they
that will not see shall see, Isa. 26:11 . Now observe here,[1.] Whatthey should ere long
be convinced of: "You shall know that I am he, that Jesus is the
true Messiah. Whether you will own it or no before men, you shall be made to
know it in your own consciences, the convictions of which, though you
may stifle, yet you cannot baffle:that I am he, not that
you represent me to be, but he that I preach myself to be, he that should
come!’’ Two things they should be convinced of, in order to
this:—First, That he did nothing of himself, not of himself
as man, of himself alone, of himself without the Father, with whom he
was one. He does not hereby derogate from his own inherent power, but
only denies their charge against him as a false prophet; for of false
prophets it is said that they prophesied out of their own
hearts, and followed their own spirits. Secondly, That
as his Father taught him so he spoke these things, that he
was notautodidaktos —selftaught, but Theodidaktos —taught
of God. The doctrine he preached was the counterpart of the counsels
of God, with which he was intimately acquainted;kathos edidaxe, tauta
lalo —I speak those things, not only which he taught me,
but as he taught me, with the same divine power and
authority.[2.] When they should be convinced of this: When you
have lifted up the Son of man, lifted him up upon the cross, as the brazen
serpent upon the pole ch. 3:14 ), as the sacrifices under the law (for
Christ is the great sacrifice), which, when they were offered, were said to
be elevated, or lifted up;hence the burnt-offerings, the most
ancient and honourable of all, were called elevations(Gnoloth from Gnolah,
asendit—he ascended ), and in many other offerings they used the
significant ceremony of heaving the sacrifice up,
and moving it before the Lord; thus was Christ lifted
up. Or the expression denotes that his death was his exaltation. They that
put him to death thought thereby for ever to have sunk him and his
interest, but it proved to be the advancement of both, ch. 12:24 . When the Son of man
was crucified, the Son of man was glorified. Christ had
called his dying his going away; here he calls it his being
lifted up; thus the death of the saints, as it is their departure out
of this world, so it is their advancement to a better. Observe, He speaks of
those he is now talking with as theinstruments of his death: when you
have lifted up the Son of man; not that they were to be
the priests to offer him up (no, that was his own act,
he offered up himself ), but they would be his betrayers and
murderers; see Acts. 2:23 . They lifted him up to the
cross, but then he lifted up himself to his Father. Observe with what
tenderness and mildness Christ here speaks to those who he certainly knew would
put him to death, to teach us not to hate or seek the hurt of any, though we
may have reason to think they hate us and seek our hurt. Now, Christ speaks of
his death as that which would be a powerful conviction of the infidelity of the
Jews. When you have lifted up the Son of man, then shall you
know this. And why then? First, Because careless and unthinking
people are often taught the worth of mercies by the want of them, Lu. 17:22 . Secondly, The guilt of their
sin in putting Christ to death would so awaken their consciences that they
would be put upon serious enquiries after a Saviour, and then would know that
Jesus was he who alone could save them. And so it proved, when, being told that
with wicked hands they had crucified and slain the Son of God, they
cried out, What shall we do? and were made to know assuredly that
this Jesus was Lord and Christ, Acts. 2:36 . Thirdly, There would be such signs and wonders
attending his death, and the lifting of him up from death in his
resurrection, as would give a stronger proof of his being the Messiah than any
that had been yet given: and multitudes were hereby brought to believe that
Jesus is the Christ, who had before contradicted and opposed
him. Fourthly, By the death of Christ the pouring out of the Spirit
was purchased, who would convince the world that Jesus is he,ch. 16:7, ch. 16:8 . Fifthly, The
judgments which the Jews brought upon themselves, by putting Christ to death,
which filled up the measure of their iniquity, were a sensible conviction to
the most hardened among them that Jesus was he. Christ had often
foretold that desolation as the just punishment of their invincible unbelief,
and when it came to pass (lo, it did come) they could not but know
that the great prophet had been among them, Eze. 33:33 .[3.] What supported our Lord Jesus in
the mean time (v. 29): He that sent me is with me, in my
whole undertaking; for the Father (the fountain and first spring of
this affair, from whom as its great cause and author it is derived) hath
not left me alone,to manage it myself, hath not deserted the business nor me in
the prosecution of it, for do I always those things that
please him. Here is,First, The assurance which Christ had of his
Father’s presence with him, which includes both a
divine power going along with him to enable him for his
work, and a divine favour manifested to him
to encourage him in it.He that sent me is with me, Isa. 42:1 ; Ps. 89:21 .
This greatly emboldens our faith in Christ and our reliance upon his
word that he had, and knew he had, his Father with him, to confirm the
word of his servant, Isa. 44:26 . The King of kings accompanied his own
ambassador, to attest his mission and assist his management,
and never left him alone,either solitary or weak; it
also aggravated the wickedness of those that opposed him, and was an
intimation to them of the premunire they ran themselves into by
resisting him, for thereby they were found fighters against God. How
easily soever they might think to crush him and run him down, let them know he
had one to back him with whom it is the greatest madness that can be
to contend. Secondly, The ground of this assurance: For I
do always those things that please him. That is, 1. That great affair in
which our Lord Jesus was continually engaged was an affair which
the Father that sent him was highlywell pleased with. His whole
undertaking is called the pleasure of the Lord (Isa. 53:10 ), because of the counsels of the
eternal mind about it, and the complacency of the eternal mind in it. His
management of that affair was in nothing displeasing to his Father;
in executing his commission he punctually observed all his instructions, and
did in nothing vary from them. No mere man since the fall could say such a word
as this (for in manythings we offend all ) but our Lord Jesus never
offended his Father in any thing, but, as became him, he fulfilled all
righteousness. This was necessary to the validity and value of the
sacrifice he was to offer up; for if he had in any
thing displeased the Father himself, and so had had any sin of his
own to answer for, the Father could not have been pleased with him as a
propitiation for our sins; but such a priest and such a sacrifice became us as
was perfectly pure and spotless. We may likewise learn hence that God’s
servants may then expect God’s presence with them when they choose and
do those things that please him, Isa. 66:4, Isa. 66:5 .V. Here is the good effect which this
discourse of Christ’s had upon some of his hearers (v. 30): As he spoke these words many believed
on him.Note, 1. Though multitudes perish in their unbelief, yet there is a
remnant according to the election of grace, who believe to the saving
of the soul. If Israel, the whole body of the people, be not
gathered, yet there are those of them in whom Christ will
be glorious,Isa. 49:5 . This the apostle insists upon, to
reconcile the Jews’ rejection with the promises made unto their
fathers. There is a remnant, Rom. 11:5 .
The words of Christ, and particularly his threatening words, are made
effectual by the grace of God to bring in poor souls to believe in him. When
Christ told them that if they believed not they should die in
their sins, and never get to heaven, they thought it was time to look
about them, Rom, 1:16, 18. Sometimes there is a wide door opened, and
an effectual one, even where they are many
adversaries. Christ will carry on his work, though the heathen
rage. The gospel sometimes gains great victories where it meets with great
opposition. Let this encourage God’s ministers to preach the gospel, though it
be with much contention, for they shall notlabour
in vain. Many may be secretly brought home to God by those
endeavours which are openly contradicted and cavilled at by men of corrupt minds.
Austin has an affectionate ejaculation in his lecture upon these
words: Utinam et, me loquenti, multi credant; non in me, sed mecum
in eo—I wish that when I speak, many may believe, not on me, but with me
on him.
Verses 31-37 We
have in these verses,I. A comfortable doctrine laid down concerning
thespiritual liberty of Christ’s disciples, intended for the encouragement
of those Jews that believed. Christ, knowing that his
doctrine began to work upon some of his hearers, and perceiving that virtue had
gone out of him, turned his discourse from the proud Pharisees, and addressed
himself to those weak believers. When he had denounced wrath against
those that were hardened in unbelief, then he spoke comfort to those few
feeble Jews that believed in him. See here,1. How graciously the Lord
Jesus looks to those thattremble at his word, and are ready to receive it;
he has something to say to those who have hearing ears, and will not pass by
those who set themselves in his way, without speaking to them.2. How carefully
he cherishes the beginnings of grace, and meets those that are coming towards
him. These Jews that believed were yet but weak; but Christ
did not therefore cast them off, for he gathers the lambs in his
arms. When faith is in its infancy, he has knees to prevent
it, breasts for it to suck, that it may not die from the
womb. In what he said to them, we have two things, which he saith to all
that should at any time believe:—(1.) The character of a true disciple of
Christ: If you continue in my word, then are you my disciples
indeed. When they believed on him, as the great prophet, they
gave up themselves to be his disciples. Now, at their entrance into
his school, he lays down this for a settled rule, that he would own none for
his disciples but those thatcontinued in his word. [1.] It is implied that
there are many who profess themselves Christ’s disciples who are not
his disciples indeed, but only in show and name. [2.] It highly
concerns those that are not strong in faith to see to it that they
be sound in the faith, that, though not disciples of the highest
form, they are nevertheless disciples indeed. [3.] Those who seem
willing to be Christ’s disciples ought to be told that they had as good never
come to him, unless they come with a resolution by his grace to abide by him.
Let those who have thoughts of covenanting with Christ have no thoughts of
reserving a power of revocation. Children are sent to school, and bound apprentices,
only for a few years; but those only are Christ’s who are willing to
be bound to him for the term of life. [4.] Those only
that continue in Christ’s word shall be accepted as
his disciples indeed, that adhere to his word in every instance without
partiality, and abide by it to the end without apostasy. It
is menein —to dwell in Christ’s word, as a man does at home,
which is his centre, and rest, and refuge. Our converse with the word and
conformity to it must be constant. If we continue disciples to the last, then,
and not otherwise, we approve ourselves disciples indeed. (2.) The
privilege of a true disciple of Christ. Here are two precious promises made to
those who thus approve themselves disciples indeed,v. 32.[1.] "You shall know the
truth, shall know all that truth which it is needful and profitable for
you to know, and shall be more confirmed in the belief of it, shall know the
certainty of it.’’ Note, First, Even those who are true believers,
and disciples indeed, yet may be, and are, much in the dark concerning many
things which they should know. God’s children are but children, and understand
and speak as children. Did we not need to be taught, we should not need to be
disciples. Secondly, It is a very great privilege toknow the
truth, to know the particular truths which we are to believe, in their
mutual dependences and connections, and the grounds and reasons of our
belief,—to know what is truth and what proves it to be
so. Thirdly, It is a gracious promise of Christ, to all who continue
in his word, that they shall know the truth as far as is needful and profitable
for them. Christ’s scholars are sure to be well taught.[2.] The truth
shall make you free;that is, First, The truth which Christ teaches
tends to make men free, Isa. 61:1 . Justification makes us free from the
guilt of sin, by which we were bound over to the judgment of God,
and bound under amazing fears; sanctification makes us free from the
bondage of corruption, by which we were restrained from that service
which is perfect freedom, and constrained to that which is perfect
slavery. Gospel truth frees us from the yoke of the ceremonial law, and the
more grievous burdens of the traditions of the elders. It makes us free
from our spiritual enemies, free in the service of God,
free to the privileges of sons, and free of the Jerusalem
which is from above, which is free.Secondly, The knowing, entertaining,
and believing, of this truth does actually make us free, free from
prejudices, mistakes, and false notions, than which nothing
more enslavesand entangles the soul, free from the dominion of
lust and passion; and restores the soul to the government of itself, by
reducing it into obedience to its Creator. The mind, by admitting the truth of
Christ in the light and power, is vastly enlarged, and has scope and compass
given it, is greatly elevated and raised above things of sense, and never acts
with so true a liberty as when it acts under a divine command, 2 Co. 3:17 . The enemies of Christianity pretend
to free thinking, whereas really those are the freest reasonings that
are guided by faith, and those are men of free thought whose thoughts
are captivated and brought into obedience to Christ.II. The offence which the
carnal Jews took at this doctrine, and their objection against it. Though it
was a doctrine that brought glad tidings of liberty to the captives, yet they
cavilled at it, v. 33. The Pharisees grudged this comfortable word
to those that believed, the standers by, who had no part nor lot in this
matter; they thought themselves reflected upon and affronted by the
gracious charter of liberty granted to those that believed, and therefore with
a great deal of pride and envy they answered him, "We Jews are
Abraham’s seed, and therefore are free-born, and have not lost
our birthright-freedom; we were never in bondage to any man; how
sayestthou then, to us Jews, You shall be made free?’’ See
here,1. What it was that they were grieved at; it was an innuendo in
those words, You shall be made free, as if the Jewish church and
nation were in some sort of bondage, which reflected on the Jews in general,
and as if all that did not believe in Christ continued in that bondage, which
reflected on the Pharisees in particular. Note, The privileges of the faithful
are the envy and vexation of unbelievers, Ps. 112:10 .2. What it was that they alleged against it; whereas
Christ intimated that they needed to be made free, they urge, (1.) "We are
Abraham’s seed, and Abraham was a prince and a great man; though
we live in Canaan, we are not descended from Canaan, nor under his
doom, a servant of servants shall he be; we hold
in frank-almoign—free alms, and not in villenage—by a servile
tenure.’’ It is common for a sinking decaying family to boast of the glory
and dignity of its ancestors, and to borrow honour from that name to which they
repay disgrace; so the Jews here did. But this was not all. Abraham was in
covenant with God, and his children by his right, Rom. 11:28 . Now that covenant, no doubt, was a
free charter, and invested them with privileges not consistent with a state of
slavery, Rom. 9:4 . And therefore they thought they had no
occasion with so great a sum as they reckoned faith in Christ to
be to obtain this freedom, when they were thus free-born. Note,
It is the common fault and folly of those that have pious parentage and
education to trust to their privilege and boast of it, as if it would atone for
the want of real holiness. They were Abraham’s seed, but what would this avail
them, when we find one in hell that could call Abraham father? Saving benefits
are not, like common privileges, conveyed by entail to us and our
issue, nor can a title to heaven be made by descent, nor may we claim
as heirs at law, by making out our pedigree; our title is purely by
purchase, not our own but our Redeemer’s for us, under certain provisos and
limitations, which if we do not observe it will not avail us to be Abraham’s
seed. Thus many, when they are pressed with the necessity of regeneration, turn
it off with this, We are the church’s children; but they are not all
Israel that are of Israel. (2.) We were never in bondage to any
man. Now observe, [1.] How false this allegation was. I wonder how they
could have the assurance to say a thing in the face of a congregation which was
so notoriously untrue. Were not the seed of Abraham in bondage to the
Egyptians? Were they not often in bondage to the neighbouring nations in the
time of the judges? Were they not seventy years captives in Babylon? Nay, were
they not at this time tributaries to the Romans, and, though not in
a personal, yet in a national bondage to them, and groaning
to be made free? And yet, to confront Christ, they have the impudence to say,We
were never in bondage. Thus they would expose Christ to the ill-will both
of the Jews, who were very jealous for the honour of their liberty, and of the
Romans, who would not be thought to enslave the nations they conquered. [2.]
How foolish the application was. Christ had spoken of a liberty wherewith
the truth would make them free, which must be meant of
a spiritual liberty, for truth as it is the enriching, so
it is the enfranchising of the mind, and the enlarging of
that from the captivity of error and prejudice; and yet they plead against the
offer of spiritual liberty that they were never
in corporal thraldom, as if, because they were never in bondage to
any man, they were never in bondage to any lust.Note, Carnal
hearts are sensible of no other grievances than those that molest the body and
injure their secular affairs. Talk to them of encroachments upon their civil
liberty and property,—tell them of waste committed upon their lands, or damage
done to their houses,—and they understand you very well, and can give you a
sensible answer; the thing touches them and affects them. But discourse to them
of the bondage of sin, a captivity to Satan, and a liberty by Christ,—tell them
of wrong done to their precious souls, and the hazard of their eternal
welfare,—and you bring certain strange things to their
ears; they say of it (as those did, Eze. 20:49 ), Doth he not speak parables? This was
much like the blunder Nicodemus made about being born again. III. Our
Saviour’s vindication of his doctrine from these objections, and the further
explication of it, v. 34-37, where he does these four things:—1. He shows
that, notwithstanding their civil liberties and their visible church-membership,
yet it was possible that they might be in a state of bondage (v. 34): Whosoever commits sin, though he
be of Abraham’s seed, and was never in bondage to any man, is the servant of
sin. Observe, Christ does not upbraid them with the falsehood of their plea, or
their present bondage, but further explains what he had said for their
edification. Thus ministers should with meekness instruct those that oppose
them, that they may recover themselves, not with passion provoke them
to entangle themselves yet more. Now here,(1.) The preface is very
solemn: Verily, verily, I say unto you; an awful asseveration, which
our Saviour often used, to command a reverent attention and a ready assent. The
style of the prophets was, Thus saith the Lord,for they were faithful
as servants; but Christ, being a Son, speaks in his own name: I say
unto you, I the Amen, the faithful witness; he pawns his
veracity upon it. "I say it to you, who boast of your relation to Abraham,
as if that would save you.’’(2.) The truth is of universal concern, though here
delivered upon a particular occasion: Whosoever commits sin is the servant
of sin, and sadly needs to be made free. A state of sin is a state of bondage.
[1.] See who it is on whom this brand is fastened—on him that commits
sin, pas ho poion hamartian —every one that makes sin. There is
not a just man upon earth, thatlives, and sins not; yet every
one that sins is not a servant of sin, for then God would have no servants; but
he that makes sin, that makes choice of sin, prefers the
way of wickedness before the way of holiness (Jer. 44:16, Jer. 44:17 ),—that makes a covenantwith sin,
enters into league with it, and makes a marriage with
it,—that makes contrivances of sin, makes provision for the
flesh, and devises iniquity,—and that makes a custom of sin, who walks
after the flesh, and makes a trade of sin. [2.] See what the brand is
which Christ fastens upon those that thus commit sin. He stigmatizes
them, gives them a mark of servitude. They are servants of
sin, imprisoned under the guilt of sin, under an arrest, in hold for
it, concluded under sin, and they are subject to the power of sin. He
is a servant of sin, that is, he makes himself so, and is so
accounted; he has sold himself to work wickedness; his lusts give law
to him, he is at their beck, and is not his own master. He does the work of
sin, supports its interest, and accepts its wages,Rom. 6:16 .2. He shows them that, being in a state
of bondage, their having a place in the house of God would not entitle them to
the inheritance of sons; for (v. 35) the servant,though he be in the house
for awhile, yet, being but a servant, abideth not in the house for ever. Services
(we say) are no inheritances, they are but temporary, and not for
aperpetuity; but the son of the family abideth ever. Now, (1.) This points
primarily at the rejection of the Jewish church and nation. Israel had been God’s
son, his first-born; but they wretchedly degenerated into
a servile disposition, were enslaved to the world and the flesh, and
therefore, though by virtue of their birthright they thought themselves secure
of their church membership, Christ tells them that having thus made themselves
servants they should not abide in the house for ever. Jerusalem, by
opposing the gospel of Christ, which proclaimed liberty, and adhering to the
Sinai-covenant, which gendered to bondage, after its term
was expired came to be in bondage with her children (Gal. 4:24,Gal. 4:25 ),
and therefore was unchurched and disfranchised, her charter seized and taken
away, and she was cast out as the son of the bond-woman, Gen. 21:14 . Chrysostom gives this sense of this
place: "Think not to be made free from sin by the rites and ceremonies of
the law of Moses, for Moses was but a servant, and had not that perpetual
authority in the church which the Son had; but, if the Son make you free, it is
well,’’ v. 36. But, (2.) It looks further, to the rejection
of all that are the servants of sin, and receive not
the adoption of the sons of God; though those unprofitable
servants may be in God’s house awhile, as retainers to his family, yet there is
a day coming when the children of the bond-woman and of
the free shall be distinguished. True believers only, who are the
children of the promise and of the covenant, are accounted free, and shall
abide for ever in the house, as Isaac: they shall have a nail in the
holy place on earth (Ezra. 9:8 ) and mansions in the holy
place in heaven, ch. 14:2 .3. He shows them the way of deliverance
out of the state of bondage into the glorious liberty of the children
of God, Rom. 8:21 . The case of those that are the
servants of sin is sad, but thanks be to God it is not helpless, it is not
hopeless. As it is the privilege of all the sons of the family, and their
dignity above the servants, that they abide in the house for ever; so he who
isthe Son, the first-born among many brethren, and the heir of all things,
has a power both of manumission and of adoption (v. 36): If
the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed. Note,(1.) Jesus
Christ in the gospel offers us our freedom; he has authority and
power to make free. [1.] To discharge prisoners; this
he does in justification, by making satisfaction
for our guilt (on which the gospel offer is grounded, which is
to all a conditional act of indemnity, and to all true believers,
upon their believing, an absolutecharter of pardon ), and for our
debts, for which we were by the law arrested and in execution. Christ, as
our surety, or rather our bail (for he was not originally
bound with us,but upon our insolvency bound for us ), compounds
with the creditor, answers the demands of injured justice with more than
an equivalent, takes the bond and judgmentinto his own
hands, and gives them up cancelled to all that by faith and
repentance give him (if I may so say) a counter-security to save his
honour harmless, and so they aremade free; and from the debt, and
every part thereof, they are for ever acquitted, exonerated, and discharged,
and a general release is sealed of all actions and claims; while against those
who refuse to come up to these terms the securities lie still in the Redeemer’s
hands, in full force. [2.] He has a power to rescue bond-slaves, and
this he does in sanctification; by the powerful arguments of his
gospel, and the powerful operations of his Spirit, he breaks the power of
corruption in the soul, rallies the scattered forces of reason and virtue, and
fortifies God’s interest against sin and Satan, and so the soul is made free.
[3.] He has a power to naturalize strangers and foreigners, and
this he does in adoption. This is a further act of grace; we are not
only forgiven and healed, butpreferred; there is a charter of privileges
as well as pardon; and thus the Son makes us free denizens of the
kingdom of priests, the holy nation, the new Jerusalem.(2.) Those whom Christ makes
free are free indeed. It is not alethos , the word used (v. 31) for disciples indeed,
but ontos —really. It denotes, [1.] The truth and certainty of
the promise, the liberty which the Jews boasted of was
an imaginary liberty; they boasted of a falsegift; but the
liberty which Christ gives is a certain thing, it is real, and has real
effects. The servants of sin promise themselves liberty, and fancy themselves
free, when they have broken religion’s bands asunder; but they cheat
themselves. None are free indeed but those whom Christ makes
free. [2.] It denotes the singular excellency of the freedom promised; it
is a freedom that deserves the name, in comparison with which all other
liberties are no better than slaveries, so much does it turn to the honour and
advantage of those that are made free by it. It is
a glorious liberty. It is that
which is (so ontos signifies); it is substance (Prov. 8:21 ); while the things of the world are
shadows, things that are not. 4. He applies this to these unbelieving
cavilling Jews, in answer to their boasts of relation to Abraham (v. 37): "I know very well that
you are Abraham’s seed, but now you seek to kill me, and therefore have
forfeited the honour of your relation to Abraham,because my word hath
no place in you.’’ Observe here,(1.) The dignity of their extraction
admitted: "I know that you are Abraham’s seed, every one knows
it, and it is your honour.’’ He grants them what was true, and in what they
said that was false (that they were never in bondage to any) he does
not contradict them, for he studied to profit them, and not
to provoke them, and therefore said that which would please
them: I know that you are Abraham’s seed. They boasted of their
descent from Abraham, as that whichaggrandized their names, and
made them exceedingly honourable; whereas really it did
but aggravate their crimes, and make them exceedingly sinful. Out of
their own mouths will he judge vain-glorious hypocrites, who boast of their
parentage and education: "Are you Abraham’s seed? Why then did you not
tread in the steps of his faith and obedience?’’(2.) The inconsistency of their
practice with this dignity: But you seek to kill me. They had
attempted it several times, and were now designing it, which quickly appeared (v. 59), when they took up stones to cast at
him. Christ knows all the wickedness, not only which men do, but which
they seek, and design, and endeavour to do. To seek to kill any innocent man is
a crime black enough, but to compass and imaginethe death of him that was
King of kings was a crime the heinousness of which we want words to
express.(3.) The reason of this inconsistency. Why were they that were
Abraham’s seed so very inveterate against Abraham’s promised seed, in whom they
andall the families of the earth should be blessed? Our Saviour
here tells them, It is becausemy word hath no place in you, ou chorei
en hymin , Non capit in vobis, so the Vulgate. "My
word does not take with you, you have no inclination to it, no relish
of it, other things are more taking, more pleasing.’’ Or, "It does
not take hold of you, it has no power over you, makes no impression
upon you.’’ Some of the critics read it, My word does not penetrate into
you; it descended as the rain, but it came upon them as the rain upon the
rock, which it runs off, and did not soak into their hearts, as the rain upon
the ploughed ground. The Syriac reads it, "Because you do not
acquiesce in my word; you are not persuaded of the truth of it, nor
pleased with the goodness of it.’’ Our translation is very significant: It
has no place in you. They sought to kill him, and so effectually
to silencehim, not because he had done they any harm, but because they
could not bear the convincing, commanding power of his word. Note, [1.] The
words of Christ ought to have a place in us, the innermost and uppermost
place,—a dwelling place, as a man at home, and not as a stranger or
sojourner,—a working place; it must have room to operate, to work sin
out of us, and to work grace in us; it must have a ruling place, its
place must beupon the throne, it must dwell in us richly. [2.] There are
many that make a profession of religion in whom the word of Christ
has no place; they will not allow it a place, for they do not like
it; Satan does all he can to displace it; and other things possess
the place it should have in us. [3.] Where the word of God has no place no good
is to be expected, for room is left there for all wickedness. If the unclean
spirit find the heart empty of Christ’s word, he enters in, and dwells there.
Verses 38-47 Here
Christ and the Jews are still at issue; he sets himself to convince and convert
them, while they still set themselves to contradict and oppose him.I. He here
traces the difference between his sentiments and theirs to a different rise and
origin (v. 38): I speak that which I have seen with my
Father, and you do what you have seenwith your
father. Here are two fathers spoken of, according to the two families into
which the sons of men are divided—God and the devil, and without controversy
these are contrary the one to the other.1. Christ’s doctrine was
from heaven; it was copied out of the counsels of
infinite wisdom, and the kind intentions of eternal love. (1.) I speak
that which I have seen. The discoveries Christ has made to us of God and
another world are not grounded upon guess and hearsay, but upon ocular
inspection; so that he was thoroughly apprized of the nature,
and assured of the truth, of all he said. He that is given to be a
witness to the people is an eye-witness, and therefore unexceptionable. (2.) It
is what I have seen with my Father. The doctrine of Christ is not a
plausible hypothesis, supported by probable arguments, but it is an exact
counterpart of the incontestable truths lodged in the eternal mind. It was not
only what he had heard from his Father, but what he had seen
with him when the counsel of peace was between them both. Moses
spoke what he heard from God, but he might not see the face of God; Paul had
been in the third heaven, but what he had seen there he could not, he must not,
utter; for it was Christ’s prerogative to have seen what he spoke, and
to speak what he had seen. 2. Their doings were
from hell: "You do that which you have seen with your
father. You do, by your own works, father yourselves, for it is evident
whom you resemble, and therefore easy to find out your origin.’’ As a child
that is trained up with his father learns his father’s words and fashions, and
grows like him by an affected imitation as well as by a natural image, so these
Jews, by their malicious opposition to Christ and the gospel, made themselves
as like the devil as if they had industriously set him before them for their
pattern.II. He takes off and answers their vain-glorious boasts of relation to
Abraham and to God as their fathers, and shows the vanity and falsehood of
their pretensions.1. They pleaded relation to Abraham, and he replies to this
plea. They said, Abraham is ourfather, v. 39.
In this they intended, (1.) To do honour to themselves, and to make themselves
look great. They had forgotten the mortification given them by that
acknowledgement prescribed them (Deu. 26:5 ), A
Syrian ready to perish was my father;and the charge exhibited against their
degenerate ancestors (whose steps they trod in, and not those of the first
founder of the family), Thy father was an Amorite, and thy mother a
Hittite, Eze. 16:3 . As it is common for those families
that are sinking and going to decay to boast most of their pedigree, so it is
common for those churches that are corrupt and depraved to value themselves
upon their antiquity and the eminence of their first planters. Fuimus
Troes, fuit Ilium—We have been Trojans, and there once was Troy.(2.) They
designed to cast an odium upon Christ as if he reflected upon the patriarch
Abraham, in speaking of their father as one they had learned evil from. See how
they sought an occasion to quarrel with him. Now Christ overthrows this plea,
and exposes the vanity of it by a plain and cogent argument: "Abraham’s
children will do the works of Abraham, but you do not do Abraham’s works,
therefore you are not Abraham’s children.’’[1.] The proposition is plain: "If
you were Abraham’s children, such children of Abraham as could claim an
interest in the covenant made with him and his seed, which would indeed put an
honour upon you, then you would do the works of Abraham, for to those
only of Abraham’s house who kept the way of the Lord, as Abraham did,
would Godperform what he had spoken,’’ Gen. 18:19 . Those only are reckoned the seed of Abraham, to whom the
promise belongs, who tread in the steps of his faith and
obedience, Rom. 4:12 . Though the Jews had their genealogies,
and kept them exact, yet they could not by them make out their relation to
Abraham, so as to take the benefit of the old entail (performam
doni—according to the form of the gift), unless they walked in the
same spirit; good women’s relation to Sarah is proved only by this—whose
daughters you are as long as you do well, and no longer, 1 Pt. 3:6 . Note, Those who would approve
themselves Abraham’s seed must not only be of Abraham’s faith, but do Abraham’s
works (James. 2:21, James. 2:22 ),—must come at God’s call, as he did,—must resign their
dearest comforts to him,—must be strangers and sojourners in this world,—must
keep up the worship of God in their families, and always walk before God in
their uprightness; for these were the works of Abraham.[2.] The assumption is
evident likewise:But you do not do the works of Abraham,
for you seek to kill me, a man that has told you the truth, which I
have heard of God; this did not Abraham, v. 40.First, He shows them what their work
was, their present work, which they were now about; they sought to kill
him; and three things are intimated as an aggravation of their
intention:—1. They were sounnatural as to seek the life of a
man, a man like themselves, bone of their bone, and flesh of their flesh,
who had done them no harm, nor given them any provocation. Youimagine mischief
against a man, Ps. 62:3 . They were so ungrateful as
to seek the life of one who had told them the truth, had not only
done them no injury, but had done them the greatest kindness that could be; had
not only not imposed upon them with a lie, but had instructed them in the most
necessary and important truths; was he therefore become their
enemy? 3. They were so ungodly as to seek the life of one who
told them the truthwhich he had heard from God, who was a messenger
sent from God to them, so that their attempt against him
was quasi deicidium—an act of malice against God. This was their
work, and they persisted in it.Secondly, He shows them that this did not
become the children of Abraham; for this did not Abraham. 1.
"He did nothing like this.’’ He was famous for his humanity, witness his
rescue of the captives; and for his piety, witness his obedience to the
heavenly vision in many instances, and some tender ones. Abraham believed God; they
were obstinate in unbelief: Abraham followed God; they fought against him; so
that he would be ignorant of them, and would not acknowledge
them, they were so unlike him, Isa. 63:16 . See Jer. 22:15-17 . "He would not have done thus if he had lived now,
or I had lived then.’’ Hoc Abraham non fecisset—He would not have
done this;so some read it. We should thus reason ourselves out of any way of
wickedness; would Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob have done so? We cannot expect
to be ever with them, if we be never like them. [3.] The
conclusion follows of course (v. 41): "Whatever your boasts and pretensions
be, you are not Abraham’s children, but father yourselves upon another family (v. 41); there is a father whose deeds you
do, whose spirit you are of, and whom you resemble.’’ He does
not yet say plainly that he means the devil, till they by their
continued cavils forced him so to explain himself, which teaches us to treat
even bad men with civility and respect, and not to be forward to say
that of them, or to them, which,
though true, sounds harsh. He tried whether they would
suffer their own consciences to infer from what he said that they were the
devil’s children; and it is better to hear it from them now that we are called
to repent, that is, to change our father and change our family, by
changing our spirit and way, than to hear it from Christ in the great day.2. So
far were they from owning their unworthiness of relation to Abraham that they
pleaded relation to God himself as their Father: "We are not born of
fornication, we are not bastards, but legitimate sons; we have one
Father, even God.’’ (1.) Some understand this literally. They were not the
sons of the bondwoman, as the Ishmaelites were; nor begotten in incest, as the
Moabites and Ammonites were (Deu. 23:3 ); nor were they a spurious brood in
Abraham’s family, but Hebrews of the Hebrews; and, being born inlawful wedlock,
they might call God Father, who instituted that honourable estate in
innocency; for a legitimate seed, not tainted with divorces nor the plurality
of wives, is called a seed of God, Mal. 2:15 .(2.)
Others take it figuratively. They begin to be aware now that Christ spoke of
a spiritual not a carnal father, of the father of their
religion; and so,[1.] They deny themselves to be a generation of idolaters:
"We are not born of fornication, are not the children of
idolatrous parents, nor have been bred up in idolatrous worships.’’ Idolatry is
often spoken of as spiritual whoredom, and idolaters as children
of whoredoms, Hosea. 2:4 ; Isa. 57:3 .
Now, if they meant that they were not the posterity of idolaters, the
allegation was false, for no nation was more addicted to idolatry than the Jews
before the captivity; if they meant no more than that they themselves were not
idolaters, what then? A man may be free from idolatry, and yet perish in
another iniquity, and be shut out of Abraham’s covenant. If thou commit no
idolatry (apply it to this spiritual fornication), yet if thou kill thou
art become a transgressor of the covenant. A rebellious prodigal son
will be disinherited, though he be not born of fornication. [2.] They
boast themselves to be true worshippers of the true God. We have not many
fathers, as the heathens had, gods many and lords many, and yet were
without God, as filius populi—a son of the people, has many
fathers and yet none certain; no, the Lord our God is
oneLord and one Father, and therefore it is well with us. Note,
Those flatter themselves, and put a damning cheat upon their own souls, who
imagine that their professing the true religion and worshipping the true God
will save them, though they worship not God in spirit and in truth, nor are
true to their profession. Now our Saviour gives a full answer to this
fallacious plea (v. 42, v. 43),
and proves, by two arguments, that they had no right to call God
Father.First, They did not love Christ: If God were your Father, you
would love me. He had disproved their relation to Abraham by their going
about to kill him (v. 40), but here he disproves their relation to God
by their not loving and owning him. A man may pass for a child of
Abraham if he do not appear an enemy to Christ by gross sin; but he cannot
approve himself a child of God unless he be a faithful friend and follower of
Christ. Note, All that have God for their Father have a true love to Jesus
Christ, and esteem of his person, a grateful sense of his love, a sincere
affection to his cause and kingdom, a complacency in the salvation wrought out
by him and in the method and terms of it, and a care to keep his commandments,
which is the surest evidence of our love to him. We are here in a state of
probation, upon our trial how we will conduct ourselves towards our Maker, and
accordingly it will be with us in the state of retribution. God has taken
various methods to prove us, and this was one: he sent his Son into the world,
with sufficient proofs of his sonship and mission, concluding that all that
called him Father would kiss his Son, and bid him welcome
who was the first-born among many brethren; see 1 Jn. 5:1 . By this our adoption will be proved or
disproved— Did we love Christ, or no? If any man do not, he is
so far from being a child of God that he is anathema, accursed, 1 Co. 16:22 . Now our Saviour proves that if they
were God’s children they would love him; for, saith he, I
proceeded forth and came from God. They will love him; for, 1. He was
the Son of God: I proceeded forth from God. Exelthon this
means his divine exeleusis , or origin from the Father, by the
communication of the divine essence, and also the union of the
divinelogos to his human nature; so Dr. Whitby. Now this could not but
recommend him to the affections of all that were born of God. Christ
is called the beloved, because, being the beloved of the Father, he
is certainly the beloved of all the saints, Eph. 1:6 .
He was sent of God, came from him as an ambassador to the world of
mankind. He did not come of himself, as the false prophets, who had
not either their mission or their message from God, Jer. 23:21 . Observe the emphasis he lays upon
this: I came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. He
had both his credentials and his instructions from God; he came to gather
together in one the children of God ch. 11:51 ),
to bring many sons to glory, Heb. 2:10 .
And would not all God’s children embrace with both arms a messenger sent from
their Father on such errands? But these Jews made it appear that they
were nothing akin to God, by their want of affection to Jesus
Christ.Secondly, They did not understand him. It was a sign they did not
belong to God’s family that they did not understand the language and dialect of
the family: You do not understand my speech(v. 43), ten lalian ten emen . Christ’s
speech was divine and heavenly, but intelligible enough to those that were
acquainted with the voice of Christ in the Old Testament. Those that had made
the word of the Creator familiar to them needed no other key to the dialect of
the Redeemer; and yet these Jews make strange of the doctrine of Christ, and
find knots in it, and I know not what stumbling stones. Could a Galilean be
known by his speech? An Ephraimite by his sibboleth? And would any
have the confidence to call God Father to whom the Son of God was a barbarian,
even when he spoke the will of God in the words of the Spirit of God? Note,
Those who are not acquainted with the divine speech have reason to fear that
they are strangers to the divine nature. Christ spoke the words of God ch. 3:34 ) in the dialect of the kingdom of God;
and yet they, who pretended to belong to the kingdom, understood not the idioms
and properties of it, but like strangers, and rude ones too, ridiculed it. And
the reason why they did not understand Christ’s speech made the matter much
worse: Even because you cannot hear my word,that is, "You cannot
persuade yourselves to hear it attentively, impartially, and without prejudice,
as it should be heard.’’ The meaning of this cannot is an
obstinate will not; as the Jews could not hear Stephen (Acts. 7:57 ) nor Paul, Acts. 23:22 . Note, The rooted antipathy of men’s
corrupt hearts to the doctrine of Christ is the true reason of their ignorance
of it, and of their errors and mistakes about it. They do not like it nor love
it, and therefore they will not understand it; like Peter, who pretended
he knew not what the damsel said (Mt. 26:70 ),
when in truth he knew not what to say to it. You cannot hear
mywords, for you have stopped your ears (Ps. 58:4, Ps. 58:5 ),
and God, in a way of righteous judgment, has made your ears heavy, Isa. 6:10 .III. Having thus disproved their
relation both to Abraham and to God, he comes next to tell them plainly whose
children they were: You are of your father the devil, v. 44. If they were not God’s children, they were
the devil’s, for God and Satan divide the world of mankind; the devil
is therefore said to work in the children of disobedience, Eph. 2:2 . All wicked people are the devil’s
children, children of Belial (2 Co. 6:15 ), the serpent’s seed (Gen. 3:15 ),
children of the wicked one, Mt. 13:38 .
They partake of his nature, bear his image, obey his commands, and follow his
example. Idolaters said to a stock, Thou art our father, Jer. 2:27 .This is a high charge, and sounds very
harsh and horrid, that any of the children of men, especially the church’s
children, should be called children of the devil, and therefore our
Saviour fully proves it.1. By a general argument: The lusts of your father
you will do, thelete poiein. (1.) "You do the devil’s
lusts, the lusts which he would have you to fulfil; you gratify and please him,
and comply with his temptation, and are led captive by him at his
will: nay, you do those lusts which the devil himself fulfils.’’ Fleshly
lusts and worldly lusts the devil tempts men to; but, being a spirit, he cannot
fulfil them himself. The peculiar lusts of the devil are spiritual
wickedness; the lusts of the intellectual powers, and their corrupt
reasonings; pride and envy, and wrath and malice; enmity to that which is good,
and enticing others to that which is evil; these are lusts which the devil
fulfils, and those who are under the dominion of these lusts resemble the
devil, as the child does the parent. The more there is of contemplation, and
contrivance, and secret complacency, in sin, the more it resembles
the lusts of the devil. (2.) You will do the devil’s lusts.
The more there is of the will in these lusts, the more there is of
the devil in them. When sin is committed of choice and not by surprise,
with pleasure and not with reluctancy, when it is persisted in with a
daring presumption and a desperate resolution, like theirs that
said, We have loved strangers and after them we will go, then
the sinner will do the devil’s lusts. "The lusts of your father
you delight to do;’’ so Dr. Hammond; they are rolled under the tongue
as a sweet morsel.2. By two particular instances, wherein they manifestly
resembled the devil—murder and lying. The devil is an enemy to
life, because God is the God of life and life is the happiness of man; and an
enemy to truth, because God is the God of truth and truth is the bond of human
society.(1.) He was a murderer from the beginning, not from his own
beginning, for he was created an angel of light, and had a first estate which
was pure and good, but from the beginning of his apostasy, which was soon after
the creation of man. He was anthropoktonos —homicida,
a man-slayer. [1.] He was a hater of man,and so in affection an
disposition a murderer of him. He has his name, Satan, from sitnah—hatred. He
maligned God’s image upon man, envied his happiness, and earnestly desired his
ruin, was an avowed enemy to the whole race. [2.] He was man’s tempter
tothat sin which brought death into the world, and so he was effectually
the murderer of all mankind, which in Adam had but one neck. He was a
murderer of souls, deceived them into sin, and by it slew
them (Rom. 7:11 ), poisoned man with the forbidden
fruit, and, to aggravate the matter, made him his own murderer. Thus he was not
only at the beginning, but from the beginning, which
intimates that thus he has been ever since; as he began, so he
continues, the murderer of men by his temptations. The great tempter is the great
destroyer. The Jews called the devil the angel of death. [3.] He was
the first wheel in the first murder that ever was committed by Cain, who was of
that wicked one, and slew his brother, 1 Jn. 3:12 . If the devil had not been very strong in Cain, he could
not have done such an unnatural thing as to kill his own brother. Cain killing
his brother by the instigation of the devil, the devil is called
the murderer, which does not speak Cain’s personal guilt the less,
but the devil’s the more, whose torments, we have reason to think, will be the
greater, when the time comes, for all that wickedness into which he has drawn
men. See what reason we have to stand upon our guard against the
wiles of the devil,and never to hearken to him (for he is a murderer, and
certainly aims to do us mischief, even when he speaks fair ), and to
wonder that he who is the murderer of the children of men should yet be, by
their own consent, so much their master. Now herein these Jews were followers
of him, and were murderers, like him; murderers of souls, which they led
blindfold into the ditch, and made the children of hell; sworn
enemies of Christ, and now ready to be his betrayers and murderers, for the
same reason that Cain killed Abel. These Jews were that seed of the
serpent that were to bruise the heel of the seed of the
woman;Now you seek to kill me. (2.) He was a liar. A lie is
opposed to truth (1 Jn. 2:21 ), and accordingly the devil is here
described to be,[1.] An enemy to truth, and therefore to
Christ. First, He is a deserter, from the truth;
he abode not in the truth, did not continue in the purity and
rectitude of his nature wherein he was created, but left his first state; when
he degenerated from goodness, he departed from truth, for his apostasy was
founded in a lie. The angels were the hosts of the Lord; those that
fell were not true to their commander and sovereign, they were not to
be trusted, being charged with folly and defection, Job. 4:18 . By the truth here we may
understand the revealed will of God concerning the salvation of man by Jesus
Christ, the truth which Christ was now preaching, and which the Jews opposed;
herein they did like their father the devil, who,seeing the
honour put upon the human nature in the first
Adam, and foreseeing the much greater honour intended in
the second Adam, would not be reconciled to that counsel of God,
nor stand in the truth concerning it, but, from a spirit of pride and
envy, set himself to resist it, and to thwart the designs of it; and so did
these Jews here, as his children and agents. Secondly, He is destitute of
the truth: There is no truth in him. His interest in the world is
supported by lies and falsehoods, and there is no truth, nothing you can
confide in, in him, nor in any thing he says or does. The notions he propagates
concerning good and evil are false and erroneous, his proofs are lying wonders,
his temptations are all cheats; he has great knowledge of the truth, but having
no affection to it, but on the contrary being a sworn enemy to it, he is said
to have no truth in him. [2.] He is a friend and patron of
lying: When he speaketh a lie he speaketh of his own. Three things
are here said of the devil with reference to the sin of lying:—First, That
he is a liar; his oracles were lying oracles, his prophets lying
prophets, and the images in which he was worshipped teachers of
lies. He tempted our first parents with a downright lie. All his
temptations are carried on by lies, calling evil good and good
evil, and promising impunity in sin; he knows them to be lies, and
suggests them with an intention to deceive, and so to destroy. When he
now contradicted the gospel, in the scribes and Pharisees, it was by
lies; and when afterwards he corrupted it, in the man of
sin, it was by strong delusions, and a great complicated
lie. Secondly, That when he speaks a lie he speaks of
his own,ek ton idion . It is the proper idiom of his language;
of his own, not of God; his Creator never put it into him. When men
speak a lie they borrow it from the devil, Satan fills their hearts to
lie (Acts. 5:3 ); but when the devil speaks a lie
the model of it is of his own framing, the motives to it are from
himself, which bespeaks the desperate depth of wickedness into which those
apostate spirits are sunk; as in their first defection they had no tempter, so
their sinfulness is still their own. Thirdly, That he is
the father of it, autou . He is the father of
every lie; not only of the lies which he himself suggests, but of
those which others speak; he is the author and founder of all lies. When men
speak lies, they speak from him, and as his mouth; they come originally from
him, and bear his image. He is the father of every liar; so it may be
understood. God made men with a disposition to truth. It is congruous to reason
and natural light, to the order of our faculties and the laws of society, that
we should speak truth; but the devil, the author of sin, the spirit that works
in the children of disobedience, has so corrupted the nature of man that the
wicked are said to be estranged from the womb, speaking lies (Ps. 58:3 ); he has taught them with their
tongues to use deceit, Rom. 3:13 . He is the father of liars, who begat
them, who trained them up in the way of lying, whom they resemble and
obey, and with whom allliars shall have their portion for ever.IV. Christ,
having thus proved all murderers and all liars to be the devil’s children,
leaves it to the consciences of his hearers to say, Thou art the
man. But he comes in the following verses to assist them in the
application of it to themselves; he does not call them liars, but
shows them that they were no friends to truth,and therein resembled him
who abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him.Two
things he charges upon them:—1. That they would not believe the word of
truth(v. 45), hoti ten aletheian lego,
ou pisteuete moi .(1.) Two ways it may be taken;—[1.] "Though I
tell you the truth, yet you will not believe me (hoti ), that I do
so.’’ Though he gave abundant proof of his commission from God, and his
affection to the children of men, yet they would not believe that he told them
the truth. Now was truth fallen in the street, Isa. 59:14, Isa. 59:15 . The greatest truths with some gained not the least
credit; for they rebelled against the light, Job. 24:13 . Or, [2.] Because I tell you the
truth (so we read it) therefore you believe me not. They would
not receive him, nor entertain him as a prophet, because he told them some
unpleasing truths which they did not care to hear, told them the truth
concerning themselves and their own case, showed them their faces in a glass that
would not flatter them; therefore they would not believe a word he said.
Miserable is the case of those to whom the light of divine truth is become a
torment.(2.) Now, to show them the unreasonableness of their infidelity, he
condescends to put the matter to this fair issue, v. 46. He and they being contrary, either he was in
an error or they were. Now take it either way.[1.] If he were in an
error, why did they not convince him? The falsehood
of pretended prophets was discovered either by the ill
tendency of their doctrines (Deu. 13:2 ),
or by the ill tenour of their conversation: You shall know
them by their fruits; but (saith Christ) which of you, you
of the sanhedrim, that take upon you to judge of prophets, which of you
convinceth me of sin? They accused him of some of the worst of
crimes—gluttony, drunkenness, blasphemy, sabbath-breaking, confederacy with
Satan, and what not. But their accusations were malicious groundless calumnies,
and such as every one that knew him knew to be utterly false. When
they had done their utmost by trick and artifice, subornation and perjury, to
prove some crime upon him, the very judge that condemned him owned
he found no fault in him. The sin he here challenges them
to convict him of is, First, An inconsistent doctrine. They had heard
his testimony; could they show any thing in it absurd or unworthy to be
believed, any contradiction either of himself or of the scriptures, or any
corruption of truth or manners insinuated by his doctrine? ch. 18:20 . Or, Secondly, An incongruous
conversation: "Which of you can justly charge me with any thing, in word
or deed, unbecoming a prophet?’’ See the wonderful condescension of our Lord
Jesus, that he demanded not credit any further than the allowed motives of
credibility supported his demands. SeeJer. 2:5, Jer. 2:31 ; Mic. 6:3 .
Ministers may hence learn, 1. To walk so circumspectly as
that it may not be in the power of their most strict observers to convince them
of sin, that the ministry be not blamed. The only way not to be
convicted of sin is not to sin. 2. To be willing to admit a scrutiny; though
we are confident in many things that we are in the right, yet we should be
willing to have it tried whether we be not in the wrong. See Job. 6:24 .[2.] If they were in an error,
why were they not convinced by him? "If I say the truth, whydo you
not believe me? If you cannot convince me of error, you must own that
I say the truth, and why do you not then give me
credit? Why will you not deal with me upon trust?’’ Note, If men would but
enquire into the reason of their infidelity, and examine why they do not
believe that which they cannot gainsay, they would find themselves reduced to
such absurdities as they could not but be ashamed of; for it will be found that
the reason why we believe not in Jesus Christ is because we are not willing to
part with our sins, and deny ourselves, and serve God faithfully; that we are
not of the Christian religion, because we would not indeed be of any, and
unbelief of our Redeemer resolves itself into a downright rebellion against our
Creator.2. Another thing charged upon them is that they would not hear the
words of God (v. 47), which further shows how groundless their claim
of relation to God was. Here is,(1.) A doctrine laid down: He that is of
God heareth God’s words; that is, [1.] He
is willing and ready to hear them, is sincerely desirous to
know what the mind of God is, and cheerfully embraces whatever he knows to be
so. God’s words have such an authority over, and such an agreeableness with all
that are born of God, that they meet them, as the child Samuel did,
with, Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth.Let the word of the Lord come.
[2.] He apprehends and discerns them, he so hears them as
to perceive the voice of God in them, which the natural man does
not, 1 Co. 2:14 . He that is of God is soon
aware of the discoveries he makes of himself of the nearness of his
name (Ps. 75:1 ), as they of the family know the
master’s tread, and the master’s knock, and open to him immediately (Lu. 12:36 ), as the sheep know the voice of their
shepherd from that of a stranger, ch. 10:4, ch. 10:5 ; Cant. 2:8 .(2.)
The application of this doctrine, for the conviction of these unbelieving
Jews: You therefore hear them not; that is, "You heed not,
you understand not, you believe not, the words of God, nor care to hear
them,because you are not of God. Your being thus deaf and dead to the
words of God is a plain evidence that you are not of God.’’ It is in
his word that God manifests himself and is present among us; we are therefore
reckoned to be well or ill affected to his word; see 2 Co. 4:4 ; 1 Jn. 4:6 .
Or, their not being of God was the reason why they did not profitablyhear the
words of God, which Christ spoke; they did not understand and believe him,
not because the things themselves were obscure or wanted evidence, but because
the hearers were not of God, were not born again. If the word of the
kingdom do not bring forth fruit, the blame is to be laid upon the soil, not
upon the seed, as appears by the parable of the sower, Mt. 13:3 .
Verses 48-50 Here
is, I. The malice of hell breaking out in the base language which the
unbelieving Jews gave to our Lord Jesus. Hitherto they had cavilled at his
doctrine, and had made invidious remarks upon it; but, having shown themselves
uneasy when he complained (v. 43, v. 47)
that they would not hear him, now at length they fall to downright
railing, v. 48. They were not the common people, but, as it
should seem, the scribes and Pharisees, the men of consequence, who, when they
saw themselves convicted of an obstinate infidelity, scornfully turned off the
conviction with this: Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast
a devil? See here, see it and wonder, see it and tremble,1. What was the
blasphemous character commonly given of our Lord Jesus among the wicked Jews,
to which they refer. (1.) That he was a Samaritan, that is, that he was an
enemy to their church and nation, one that they hated and could not endure.
Thus they exposed him to the ill will of the people, with whom you could not
put a man into a worse name than to call him a Samaritan. If he
had been a Samaritan, he had been punishable, by the beating of the
rebels (as they called it), for coming into the temple. They had often
enough called him a Galilean—a mean man; but as if that were not
enough, though it contradicted the other, they will have him a Samaritan—a
bad man. The Jews to this day call the Christians, in reproach, Cuthaei-Samaritans. Note,
Great endeavours have in all ages been used to make good people odious by
putting them under black characters, and it is easy to run that down with a
crowd and a cry which is once put into an ill name. Perhaps because Christ
justly inveighed against the pride and tyranny of the priests and elders, they
hereby suggest that he aimed at the ruin of their church, in aiming at its
reformation, and was falling away to the Samaritans. (2.)
That he had a devil. Either, [1.] That he was in league with the
devil. Having reproached his doctrine as tending to Samaritanism, here
they reflect upon his miracles as done in combination with Beelzebub. Or,
rather [2.] That he was possessed with a devil, that he was a melancholy man,
whose brain was clouded, or a mad man, whose brain
was heated, and that which he said was no more to be believed than
the extravagant rambles of a distracted man, or one in a delirium. Thus the
divine revelation of those things which are above the discovery of reason have
been often branded with the charge of enthusiasm, and the prophet was called
a mad fellow, 2 Ki. 9:11 ; Hosea. 9:7 . The inspiration of the Pagan oracles and prophets was
indeed a frenzy, and those that had it were for the time beside themselves; but
that which was truly divine was not so. Wisdom is justified of
her children,as wisdom indeed.2. How they undertook to justify this character,
and applied it to the present occasion: Say we not well that thou art
so? One would think that his excellent discourses should have altered
their opinion of him, and have made them recant; but, instead of this, their
hearts were more hardened and their prejudices confirmed. They value themselves
on their enmity to Christ, as if they had never spoken better than
when they spoke the worst they could of Jesus Christ. Those have arrived at the
highest pitch of wickedness who avow their impiety, repeat what they should
retract, and justify themselves in that for which they ought to condemn
themselves. It is bad to say and do ill, but it is worse to stand to
it; I do well to be angry. When Christ spoke with so much
boldness against the sins of the great men, and thereby incensed them against
him, those who were sensible of no interest but what is secular and sensual
concluded himbeside himself, for they thought none but a madman would
lose his preferment, and hazard his life, for his religion and conscience.II.
The meekness and mercifulness of Heaven shining in Christ’s reply to this vile
calumny, v. 49, v. 50.1.
He denies their charge against him: I have not a devil; as Paul (Acts. 26:25 ), I am not mad. The
imputation is unjust; "I am neither actuated by a devil, nor in compact
with one;’’ and this he evidenced by what he did against the devil’s kingdom.
He takes no notice of their calling him aSamaritan, because it was a
calumny that disproved itself, it was a personal reflection, and not worth
taking notice of: but saying he had a devil reflected on his commission, and
therefore he answered that. St. Augustine gives this gloss upon his not saying
any thing to their calling him a Samaritan—that he was indeed that good
Samaritan spoken of in the parable, Lu. 10:33 .2.
He asserts the sincerity of his own intentions: But I honour my
Father. They suggested that he took undue honours to himself, and
derogated from the honour due to God only, both which he denies here,
in saying that he made it his business to honour his Father, and him only. It
also proves that he had not a devil; for, if he had, he would not
honour God. Note, Those who can truly way that they make it their constant care
to honour God are sufficiently armed against the censures and reproaches of
men.3. He complains of the wrong they did him by their calumnies: You do
dishonour me. By this it appears that, as man, he had a tender sense of
the disgrace and indignity done him; reproach was a sword in his bones, and yet
he underwent it for our salvation. It is the will of God that all men
should honour the Son, yet there are many that dishonour
him; such a contradiction is there in the carnal mind to the will of God.
Christ honoured his Father so as never man did, and yet was himself dishonoured
so as never man was; for, though God has promised that those who honour him he
will honour, he never promised that men should honour them.4. He clears himself
from the imputation of vain glory, in saying this concerning himself, v. 50. See here, (1.) His contempt of
worldly honour: I seek not mine own glory. He did not aim at this in
what he had said of himself or against his persecutors; he did not court the
applause of men, nor covet preferment in the world, but industriously declined
both. He did not seek his own glory distinct from his Father’s,
nor had any separate interest of his own. For men to search their own
glory isnot glory indeed (Prov. 25:27 ), but rather their shame to be so much out
in their aim. This comes in here as a reason why Christ made so light
of their reproaches: "You dodishonour me, but cannot disturb me,
shall not disquiet me, for I seek not my own glory.’’Note, Those who are
dead to men’s praise can safely bear their contempt. (2.) Hiscomfort under
worldly dishonour: There is one that seeketh and judgeth. In two
things Christ made it appear that he sought not his own glory; and
here he tells us what satisfied him as to both. [1.] He did
not court men’s respect, but was indifferent to it, and in reference
to this he saith, "There is one that seeketh, that will
secure and advance, my interest in the esteem and affections of the people,
while I am in no care about it.’’ Note, God will seek their honour
that do not seek their own; for before honour is humility. [2.]
He did not revenge men’s affronts, but was unconcerned at them, and
in reference to this he saith, "There is one that judgeth, that
will vindicate my honour, and severely reckon with those that trample upon
it.’’ Probably he refers here to the judgments that were coming upon the nation
of the Jews for the indignities they did to the Lord Jesus. See Ps. 37:13-15 . I heard not, for thou wilt hear. If we
undertake to judge for ourselves, whatever damage we sustain, our recompence is
in our own hands; but if we be, as we ought to be, humble appellants and
patient expectants, we shall find, to our comfort, there is one
thatjudgeth.
Verses 51-59 In these verses we have,I. The doctrine of
the immortality of believers laid down, v. 51.
It is ushered in with the usual solemn preface, Verily, verily, I say unto
you,which commands both attention and assent, and this is what he says, If
a man keep my sayings, he shall never see death. Here we have, 1.
The character of a believer: he is one that keeps the
sayings of the Lord Jesus, ton logon ton emon —my
word; that word of mine which I have delivered to you; this we must
not only receive, but keep; not
onlyhave, but hold. We must keep it in mind and memory, keep it
in love and affection, so keep it as in nothing to violate it or go contrary to
it, keep it without spot (1 Tim. 6:14 ), keep it as a trust committed to us, keep in it as our
way, keep to it as our rule. 2. Theprivilege of a believer: He shall
by no means see death for ever; so it is in the original. Not as if the
bodies of believers were secured from the stroke of death. No, even
the children of the Most High must die like men, and
the followers of Christ have been, more than other men, in deaths often,
and killed all the day long; how then is this promise made good that
they shall not see death? Answer, (1.) The property of death is
so altered to them that they do not see it as death, they do not see the terror
of death, it is quite taken off; their sight does not terminate in
death, as theirs does who live by sense; no, they look so clearly, so
comfortably, through death, and beyond death, and are so taken up with their
state on the other side death, that they overlook death, and see it
not. (2.) The power of death is so broken that though there is no remedy,
but they must see death, yet they shall not see death for
ever, shall not be always shut up under its arrests, the day will come
when death shall be swallowed up in victory. (3.) They are perfectly
delivered frometernal death, shall not be hurt of the second
death. That is the death especially meant here, that death which
is for ever, which is opposed to everlasting life; this they shall
never see, for they shall never come into condemnation; they shall
have their everlasting lot where there will be no more death, where
they cannot die any more, Lu. 20:36 .
Though now they cannot avoid seeing death, and tasting it too, yet they shall
shortly be there where it will be seen no more for ever, Ex. 14:13 .II. The Jews cavil at this doctrine.
Instead of laying hold of this precious promise of immortality, which the
nature of man has an ambition of (who is there that does not love life, and
dread the sight of death?) they lay hold of this occasion to reproach him that
makes them so kind an offer: Now we know that thou hast a
devil. Abraham is dead. Observe here,1. Their railing:
"Now we know that thou hast a devil, that thou art a madman; thou
ravest, and sayest thou knowest not what.’’ See how these swine trample
underfoot the precious pearls of gospel promises. If now at last they had
evidence to prove him mad, why did they say (v. 48), before they had that proof, Thou hast
a devil? But this is the method of malice, first to fasten an
invidious charge, and then to fish for evidence of it: Now we
know that thou hast a devil. If he had not abundantly proved himself
a teacher come from God, his promises of immortality to his credulous
followers might justly have been ridiculed, and charity itself would have
imputed them to a crazed fancy; but his doctrine was evidently divine, his
miracles confirmed it, and the Jews’ religion taught them to expect such a
prophet, and to believe in him; for them therefore thus to reject him was to
abandon that promise to which theirtwelve tribes hoped to come, Acts. 26:7 .2. Their reasoning, and the
colour they had torun him down thus. In short, they look upon him as
guilty of an insufferable piece of arrogance, in making himself greater
than Abraham and the prophets: Abraham is dead,and the
prophets, they are dead too; very true, by the same token that these Jews
were the genuine offspring of those that killed them. Now, (1.) It is true that
Abraham and the prophets were great men, great in the favour of God, and great
in the esteem of all good men. (2.) It is true that they kept God’s
sayings, and were obedient to them; and yet, (3.) It is true that
they died; they never pretended to have, much less
to give, immortality, but every one in his own order
was gathered to his people. It was their honour that they died
in faith, but die they must. Why should a good man be afraid to die, when
Abraham is dead, and the prophets are dead? They have tracked the way
through that darksome valley, which should reconcile us to death and help to
take off the terror of it. Now they think Christ talks madly, when he
saith, If a man keep my sayings, he shall never tastedeath.
Tasting death means the same thing with seeing it; and well may
death be represented as grievous to several of the senses, which is the
destruction of them all.Now their arguing goes upon two mistakes:—[1.]
They understood Christ of an immortality in this world, and this was a mistake.
In the sense that Christ spoke, it was not true that Abraham and the
prophets were dead, for God is still the God of Abraham and
the God of the holy prophets (Rev. 22:6 );
now God is not the God of the dead, but of the living; therefore Abraham and
the prophets are still alive, and, as Christ meant it, they had
not seen nor tasted death. [2.] They thought none could be
greater than Abraham and the prophets, whereas they could not but know that the
Messiah would be greater than Abraham or any of the prophets; they did
virtuously, but he excelled them all; nay, they borrowed their greatness from
him. It was the honour of Abraham that he was the Father of the Messiah, and
the honour of the prophets that they testified beforehand concerning him: so
that he certainly obtained a far more excellent name than
they. Therefore, instead of inferring from Christ’s making himself greater
than Abraham that he had a devil, they should have inferred from his
proving himself so (by doing the works which neither Abraham nor the prophets
ever did) that he was the Christ; but their eyes were blinded. They scornfully
asked, Whom makest thou thyself? As if he had been guilty of pride
and vain-glory; whereas he was so far from making himself greater than he was
that he now drew a veil over his own glory, emptied himself, and made himself
less than he was, and was the greatest example of humility that ever was.III.
Christ’s reply to this cavil; still he vouchsafes to reason with them, that
every mouth may be stopped. No doubt he could have struck them dumb or dead
upon the spot, but this was the day of his patience. 1. In his answer
he insists not upon his own testimony concerning himself, but waives it as not
sufficient nor conclusive (v. 54): If I honour myself, my honour is
nothing, ean ego doxazo—if I glorify myself. Note, Self-honour
is no honour; and the affectation of glory is both the forfeiture and the
defeasance of it: it is not glory (Prov. 25:27 ), but so great a reproach that there is no sin which men
are more industrious to hide than this; even he that most affects praise would
not be thought to do it. Honour of our own creating is a mere chimera, has
nothing in it, and therefore is called vain-glory. Self-admirers are
self-deceivers. Our Lord Jesus was not one that honoured
himself, as they represented him; he was crowned by him who is
the fountain of honour, and glorified not himself to be made a high
priest, Heb. 5:4, Heb. 5:5 .2.
He refers himself to his Father, God; and totheir father,
Abraham.(1.) To his Father, God: It is my Father that honoureth
me. By this he means, [1.] That he derived from his Father all
the honour he now claimed; he had commanded them to believe in him, to follow
him, and to keep his word, all which put an honour upon him; but it was the
Father that laid help upon him,
that lodged all fulness in him, that sanctified him, and
sealed him, and sent him into the world to receive all the honours due to the
Messiah, and this justified him in all these demands of respect. [2.] That he depended upon
his Father for all the honour he further looked for. He courted not
the applauses of the age, but despised them; for his eye and heart were upon
the glory which the Father had promised him, and which he had with
the Father before the world was. He aimed at an advancement with
which the Father was to exalt him, a name he was to give
him, Phil. 2:8, Phil. 2:9 .
Note, Christ and all that are his depend upon God for their honour; and he that
is sure of honour where he is known cares not though he be slighted where he is
in disguise. Appealing thus often to his Father, and his Father’s testimony of
him, which yet the Jews did not admit nor give credit to,First, He here
takes occasion to show the reason of their incredulity,
notwithstanding this testimony—and this was
their unacquaintedness with God; as if he had said, "But why
should I talk to you of my Father’s honouring me, when he is one you know
nothing of? You say of him that he is your God, yet you have not
known him.’’ Here observe,a. The profession they made of relation to
God: "You say that he is your God, the God you have chosen, and
are in covenant with; you say that you are Israel; but all are not so indeed
that are of Israel,’’Rom. 9:6 . Note, Many pretend to have an interest
in God, and say that he is theirs, who yet have no just cause to say
so. Those who called themselves the temple of
the Lord,having profaned the excellency of Jacob, did but trust
in lying words. What will it avail us to say, He is our God, if we be
not in sincerity his people, nor such as he will own? Christ mentions
here their profession of relation to God, as that which was an aggravation of
their unbelief. All people will honour those whom their God honours; but these
Jews, who said that the Lord was their God, studied how to put the utmost
disgrace upon one upon whom their God put honour. Note, The Profession we make
of a covenant relation to God, and an interest in him, if it be not
improved by us will be improved against us. b. Their
ignorance of him, and estrangement from him, notwithstanding this profession: Yet you
have not known him. (a. ) You know him not at all. These
Pharisees were so taken up with the study of their traditions concerning things
foreign and trifling that they never minded the most needful and useful knowledge;
like the false prophets of old, whocaused people to forget God’s name by
their dreams, Jer. 23:27 . Or, (b. ) You know him not
aright, but mistake concerning him; and this is as bad as not knowing him
at all, or worse. Men may be able to dispute subtly concerning God, and yet may
think him such a one as themselves, and not know him. You say that he
is yours, and it is natural to us to desire to know our
own, yet you know him not. Note, There are many who claim-kindredto
God who yet have no acquaintance with him. It is only the name of God which
they have learned to talk of, and to hector with; but for the nature of God,
his attributes and perfections, and relations to his creatures, they know
nothing of the matter; we speak this to their shame, 1 Co. 15:34 . Multitudes satisfy themselves, but
deceive themselves, with a titular relation to an unknown God. This
Christ charges upon the Jews here, [a. ] To show how vain and groundless
their pretensions of relation to God were. "You say that he is yours, but
you give yourselves the lie, for it is plain that you do not know him;’’ and we
reckon that a cheat is effectually convicted if it be found that he is ignorant
of the persons he pretends alliance to. [b. ] To show the true reason why
they were not wrought upon by Christ’s doctrine and miracles. They knew not
God; and therefore perceived not the image of God, nor the voice of God in
Christ. Note, The reason why men receive not thegospel of Christ is
because they have not the knowledge of God. Men submit not to
the righteousness of Christ because they are ignorant of God’s
righteousness, Rom. 10:3 . They that know not God, and obey not
the gospel of Christ, are put together, 2 Th. 1:8.Secondly, He
gives them the reason of his assurance that his Father
would honour him and own him: But I know him; and
again, I know him; which bespeaks, not only hisacquaintance with
him, having lain in his bosom, but his confidence in him, to stand by
him, and bear him out in his whole undertaking; as was prophesied concerning
him (Isa. 50:7, Isa. 50:8 ), I
know that I shall not be ashamed, for he is near that justifies; and as
Paul, "I know whom I have believed (2 Tim. 1:12 ), I know him to be faithful, and
powerful, and heartily engaged in the cause which I know to be
his own.’’ Observe, 1. How he professes his knowledge of
his Father, with the greatest certainty, as one that was neither afraid nor
ashamed to own it: If I should say I know him not, I should be a liar
like unto you. He would not deny his relation to God, to humour the Jews,
and to avoid their reproaches, and prevent further trouble; nor would he
retract what he had said, nor confess himself either deceived or a deceiver; if
he should, he would be found a false witness against God and himself. Note, Those
who disown their religion and relation to God, as Peter, are liars, as much as
hypocrites are, who pretend to know him, when they do not. See 1 Tim. 6:13, 1 Tim. 6:14 . Mr Clark observes well, upon this, that it is a great
sin to deny God’s grace in us. 2. How he proves his knowledge of his
Father: I know him and keep his sayings, or his
word. Christ, as man, was obedient to the moral law, and, as Redeemer, to
the mediatorial law; and in both he kept his Father’s word,
and his own word with the Father. Christ requires of us (v. 51) that we keep his sayings; and he
has set before us a copy of obedience, a copy without a blot: he kept his
Father’s sayings;well might he who learned obedience teach it;
see Heb. 5:8, Heb. 5:9 .
Christ by this evinced that he knew the Father. Note, The best proof of our
acquaintance with God is our obedience to him. Those only know God aright that
keep his word; it is a ruled case, 1 Jn. 2:3 . Hereby
we know that we know him (and do not only fancy it), if we keep
hiscommandments. (2.) Christ refers them to their father, whom
they boasted so much of a relation to, and that was Abraham, and this closes
the discourse.[1.] Christ asserts Abraham’s prospect of him, and respect to
him: Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day, and he saw it, and
was glad, v. 56. And by this he proves that he was not at all
out of the way when he made himself greater than Abraham. Two things
he here speaks of as instances of that patriarch’s respect to the promised
Messiah:—First, The ambition he had to see his day: He
rejoiced, egalliasto —he leaped at it. The word, though it
commonly signifies rejoicing, must here signify a transport
of desire rather than of joy, for otherwise the latter part
of the verse would be a tautology; he saw it, and was glad. Hereached
out, or stretched himself forth, that he might see my
day; as Zaccheus, that ran before, and climbed the tree, to see
Jesus. The notices he had received of the Messiah to come had raised in
him an expectation of something great, which he earnestly longed to
know more of. The dark intimation of that which is considerable puts men upon
enquiry, and makes them earnestly
ask Who? and What? and Where? and When? and How? And
thus the prophets of the Old Testament, having a general idea of a grace that
shouldcome, searched diligently (1 Pt. 1:10 ), and Abraham was as industrious herein as any of them.
God told him of a land that he would give his posterity, and of the wealth and
honour he designed them (Gen. 15:14 ); but he never leaped thus to
see that day, as he did to see the day of the Son of man. He could not look
with so much indifferency upon the promised seed as he did upon the
promised land; in that he was, but to the other he could
not be, contentedly a stranger. Note, Those who rightly know any thing of
Christ cannot but be earnestly desirous to know more of him. Those who discern
the dawning of the light of the Sun of righteousness cannot but wish to see his
rising. The mystery of redemption is that which angels desire to look
into, much more should we, who are more immediately concerned in it.
Abraham desired to see Christ’s day, though it was at a great distance; but
this degenerate seed of his discerned not his day, nor bade it welcome when it
came. The appearing of Christ, which gracious souls love and long for, carnal
hearts dread and loathe.Secondly, The satisfaction he had in what he did
see of it: He saw it, and was glad. Observe here,a. How God
gratified the pious desire of Abraham; he longed to see Christ’s day, and
he saw it. Though he saw it not so plainly, and fully, and distinctly
as we now see it under the gospel, yet he saw something of it,
more afterwardsthan he did at first. Note, To him that has, and to him
that asks, shall be given; to him that uses and improves what he has, and that
desires and prays for more of the knowledge of Christ, God will give more. But
how did Abraham see Christ’s day? (a. ) Some understand it of the sight he
had of it in the other world. The separate soul of Abraham, when the veil of
flesh was rent, saw the mysteries of the kingdom of God in heaven. Calvin
mentions this sense of it, and does not much disallow it. Note, The longings of
gracious souls after Jesus Christ will be fully satisfied when they come to
heaven, and not till then. But, (b. ) It is more commonly understood of
some sight he had of Christ’s day in this world. They that received
not the promises, yet saw them afar off, Heb. 11:13 . Balaam saw Christ, but
not now, not nigh. There is room to conjecture that Abraham
had some vision of Christ and his day, for his own private satisfaction, which
is not, nor must be, recorded in his story, like that of Daniel’s, which must
be shut up, and sealed unto the time of the end,Dan. 12:4 . Christ knew what Abraham saw better
than Moses did. But there are divers things recorded in which Abraham saw more
of that which he longed to see than he did when the promise was first made to
him. He saw in Melchizedek one made like unto the Son of God, and a
priest for ever; he saw an appearance of Jehovah, attended with two angels, in
the plains of Mamre. In the prevalency of his intercession for Sodom he saw a
specimen of Christ’s intercession; in the casting out of Ishmael, and the establishment
of the covenant with Isaac, he saw a figure of the gospel day, which is
Christ’s day; for these things were an allegory. In offering Isaac, and the ram
instead of Isaac, he saw a double type of the great sacrifice; and his calling
the place Jehovah-jireh—It shall be seen,intimates that he saw something
more in it than others did, which time would produce; and in making his
servant put his hand under his thigh, when he swore, he had a regard
to the Messiah.b. How Abraham entertained these discoveries of Christ’s
day, and bade them welcome: He saw, and was glad. He was glad of what
he saw of God’s favour to himself, and glad of what
he foresaw of the mercy God had in store for the world. Perhaps this
refers to Abraham’s laughing when God assured him of a son by Sarah (Gen. 17:16, Gen. 17:17 ), for that was not a laughter of distrust as Sarah’s but
of joy; in that promise he saw Christ’s day, and it filled him with
joy unspeakable. Thus he embraced the promises. Note, A believing
sight of Christ and his day will put gladness into the heart. No joy like the
joy of faith; we are never acquainted with true pleasure till we are acquainted
with Christ.[2.] The Jews cavil at this, and reproach him for it (v. 57):Thou art not yet fifty years old, and
hast thou seen Abraham? Here, First, They suppose that if
Abraham saw him and his day he also had seen Abraham, which yet was not a
necessary innuendo, but this turn of his words would best serve to
expose him; yet it was true that Christ had seen Abraham, and had talked with
him as a man talks with his friend. Secondly, They suppose it a very
absurd thing for him to pretend to have seen Abraham, who was dead so
many ages before he was born. The state of the dead is aninvisible state;
but here they ran upon the old mistake, understanding that corporally which
Christ spoke spiritually. Now this gave them occasion to despise his
youth, and to upbraid him with it, as if he were but of yesterday,
and knew nothing: Thou art not yet fifty years old. They
might as well have said, Thou art not forty; for he was now but
thirty-two or thirty-three years old. As to this, Irenaeus, one of the first
fathers, with this passage supports the tradition which he says he had from
some that had conversed with St. John, that our Saviour lived to be fifty years
old, which he contends for, Advers. Haeres. lib. 2, cap. 39, 40. See
what little credit is to be given to tradition; and, as to this here, the Jews
spoke at random; some year they would mention, and therefore pitched
upon one that they thought he was far enough short of; he did not look to be
forty, but they were sure he could not be fifty, much less contemporary with
Abraham. Old age is reckoned to begin at fifty (Num. 4:47 ),
so that they meant no more than this, "Thou art not to be reckoned an old
man; many of us are much thy seniors, and yet pretend not to have seen
Abraham.’’ Some think that his countenance was so altered, with grief and
watching, that, together with the gravity of his aspect, it made him look like
a man of fifty years old: his visage was so marred, Isa. 52:14 .[3.] Our Saviour gives an effectual
answer to this cavil, by a solemn assertion of his own seniority even to
Abraham himself (v. 58): "Verily, verily, I say unto
you; I do not only say it in private to my own disciples, who will be sure
to say as I say, but to you my enemies and persecutors; I say it to
your faces, take it how you will:Before Abraham was, I
am;’’ prin Abraam genesthai, ego eimi , Before Abraham was
made or born, I am. The change of the word is observable, and bespeaks
Abraham a creature, and himself the Creator; well therefore might he make
himself greater than Abraham. Before Abraham he was,
First, As God. I am, is the name of God (Ex. 3:14 ); it denotes his self-existence; he
does not say, I was, but I am, for he is the first and the
last, immutably the same (Rev. 1:8 ); thus he was not only before Abraham,
but before all worlds, ch. 1:1 ; Prov. 8:23 . Secondly, As Mediator. He
was the appointed Messiah, long before Abraham; the Lamb slain from the
foundation of the world (Rev. 13:8 ), the channel of conveyance of light,
life, and love from God to man. This supposes his divine nature, that he is the
same in himself from eternity (Heb. 13:8 ), and that he is the same to man ever
since the fall; he was made of God wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and
redemption, to Adam, and Abel, and Enoch, and Noah, and Shem, and all the
patriarchs that lived and died by faith in him before Abraham was born. Abraham
was the root of the Jewish nation, the rock out of which they were hewn. If
Christ was before Abraham, his doctrine and religion were no novelty, but were,
in the substance of them, prior to Judaism, and ought to take place of it.[4.]
This great word ended the disputeabruptly, and put a period to it: they
could bear to hear no more from him, and he needed to say no more to them,
having witnessed this good confession, which was sufficient to support all his
claims. One would think that Christ’s discourse, in which shone so much both of
grace and glory, should have captivated them all; but their inveterate
prejudice against the holy spiritual doctrine and law of Christ, which were so
contrary to their pride and worldliness, baffled all the methods of conviction.
Now was fulfilled that prophecy (Mal. 3:1, Mal. 3:2 ), that when the messenger of the
covenant should come to his templethey would not abide the day
of his coming, because he would be like a refiner’s fire.Observe
here,First, How they were enraged at Christ for what he
said: They took up stones to cast at him, v. 59. Perhaps they looked upon him as a
blasphemer, and such were indeed to be stoned (Lev. 24:16 ); but they must be first legally tried and convicted.
Farewell justice and order if every man pretend to execute a law at his
pleasure. Besides, they had said but just now that he was a distracted
crack-brained man, and if so it was against all reason and equity to punish him
as a malefactor for what he said. They took up stones. Dr. Lightfoot
will tell you how they came to have stones so ready in the temple; they had
workmen at this time repairing the temple, or making some additions, and the
pieces of stone which they hewed off served for this purpose. See here the
desperate power of sin and Satan in and over the children of disobedience. Who
would think that ever there should be such wickedness as this in men, such an
open and daring rebellion against one that undeniably proved himself to be the
Son of God? Thus every one has a stone to throw at his holy religion, Acts. 28:22 .Secondly, How he made
his escape out of their hands. 1.
He absconded; Jesus hid himself; ekrybe —he was
hid, either by the crowd of those that wished well to him, to shelter him
(he that ought to have been upon a throne, high and lifted up, is content to
be lost in a crowd ); or perhaps he concealed himself behind some of
the walls or pillars of the temple (in the secret of his tabernacle
he shall hide me, Ps. 27:5 ); or by a divine power, casting a mist
before their eyes, he made himself invisible to them. When the wicked rise
a man is hidden, a wise and good man,Prov. 28:12, Prov. 28:28 . Not that Christ was afraid or ashamed
to stand by what he had said, but his hour was not yet come, and he
would countenance the flight of his ministers and people in times of
persecution, when they are called to it. The Lord hid Jeremiah and
Baruch, Jer. 36:26 . 2. He departed, he went
out of the temple, going through the midst of
them, undiscovered, and so passed by. This was not a cowardly
inglorious flight, nor such as argued either guilt or fear. It was foretold
concerning him that he should not fail nor be discouraged, Isa. 42:4 . But, (1.) It was an instance of his
power over his enemies, and that they could do no more against him than he gave
them leave to do; by which it appears that when afterwards he was taken in
their pits he offered himself, ch. 10:18 .
They now thought they had made sure of him and yet he passed through
the midst of them, either their eyes being blinded or their hands tied,
and thus he left them to fume, like a lion disappointed of his prey. (2.)
It was an instance of his prudent provision for his own safety, when he knew
that his work was not done, nor his testimony finished; thus he gave an example
to his own rule, When they persecute you in one city flee
to another;nay, if occasion be, to a wilderness, for so Elijah
did (1 Ki. 19:3, 1 Ki. 19:4 ), and the woman, the church, Rev. 12:6 . When they took up loose stones to
throw at Christ, he could have commanded the fixed stones, which did cry
out of the wall against them, to avenge his cause, or the earth to open
and swallow them up; but he chose to accommodate himself to the state he was
in, to make the example imitable by the prudence of his followers, without a
miracle. (3.) It was a righteous deserting of those who (worse than the
Gadarenes, who prayed him to depart ) stoned him from among them.
Christ will not long stay with those who bid him be gone. Christ did again
visit the temple after this; as one loth to depart, he bade oft
farewell; but at last he abandoned it for ever, and left
it desolate. Christ now went through the midst of the Jews,
and none of them courted his stay, nor stirred up himself to take hold of him,
but were even content to let him go. Note, God never forsakes any till they
have first provoked him to withdraw, and will have none of him. Calvin observes
that these chief priests, when they had driven Christ out of the temple, valued
themselves on the possession they kept of it: "But,’’ says he, "those
deceive themselves who are proud of a church or temple which Christ has forsaken.’’ Longe falluntur,
cum templum se habere putant Deo vacuum. When Christ left them it is said
that he passed by silently and unobserved; paregen houtos , so that
they were not aware of him. Note, Christ’s departures from a church, or a particular
soul, are often secret, and not soon taken notice of. As the
kingdom of God comes not, so it goes not, with
observation. See Jdg. 16:20 . Samson wist not that the Lord was
departed from him. Thus it was with these forsaken Jews, God left them,
and they never missed him.
