- 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 15 NLT
1 “I am the true grapevine, and my Father
is the gardener.
2 He cuts off every branch of mine that
doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they
will produce even more.
3 You have already been pruned and
purified by the message I have given you.
4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you.
For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you
cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.
5 “Yes, I am the vine; you are the
branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For
apart from me you can do nothing.
6 Anyone who does not remain in me is
thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into
a pile to be burned.
7 But if you remain in me and my words
remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted!
8 When you produce much fruit, you are my
true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.
9 “I have loved you even as the Father has
loved me. Remain in my love.
10 When you obey my commandments, you
remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his
love.
11 I have told you these things so that you
will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!
12 This is my commandment: Love each other
in the same way I have loved you.
13 There is no greater love than to lay
down one’s life for one’s friends.
14 You are my friends if you do what I
command.
15 I no longer call you slaves, because a
master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told
you everything the Father told me.
16 You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I
appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you
whatever you ask for, using my name.
17 This is my command: Love each
other.
18 “If the world hates you, remember that
it hated me first.
19 The world would love you as one of its
own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you
to come out of the world, so it hates you.
20 Do you remember what I told you? ‘A
slave is not greater than the master.’ Since they persecuted me, naturally they
will persecute you. And if they had listened to me, they would listen to
you.
21 They will do all this to you because of
me, for they have rejected the one who sent me.
22 They would not be guilty if I had not
come and spoken to them. But now they have no excuse for their sin.
23 Anyone who hates me also hates my
Father.
24 If I hadn’t done such miraculous signs
among them that no one else could do, they would not be guilty. But as it is,
they have seen everything I did, yet they still hate me and my Father.
25 This fulfills what is written in their
Scriptures : ‘They hated me without cause.’
26 “But I will send you the Advocate —the
Spirit of truth. He will come to you from the Father and will testify all about
me.
27 And you must also testify about me
because you have been with me from the beginning of my ministry.
John 15 Bible
Commentary
Matthew Henry Bible
Commentary (complete)
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Complete Concise
It is generally agreed that Christ's discourse in this and the next chapter was
at the close of the last supper, the night in which he was betrayed, and it is
a continued discourse, not interrupted as that in the foregoing chapter was;
and what he chooses to discourse of is very pertinent to the present sad
occasion of a farewell sermon. Now that he was about to leave them, I. They
would be tempted to leave him, and return to Moses again; and therefore he
tells them how necessary it was that they should by faith adhere to him and
abide in him. II. They would be tempted to grow strange one to another; and
therefore he presses it upon them to love one another, and to keep up that
communion when he was gone which had hitherto been their comfort. III. They
would be tempted to shrink from their apostleship when they met with hardships;
and therefore he prepared them to bear the shock of the world's ill will. There
are four words to which his discourse in this chapter may be reduced; 1. Fruit
(v. 1-8). 2. Love (v. 9-17). 3. Hatred (v. 18-25). The Comforter (v. 26, 27).
Verses 1-8
Here Christ discourses concerning the fruit, the fruits of the Spirit, which
his disciples were to bring forth, under the similitude of a vine. Observe
here,
I. The doctrine of this similitude; what notion we ought to have of it.
1. That Jesus Christ is the vine, the true vine. It is an
instance of the humility of Christ that he is pleased to speak of himself under
low and humble comparisons. He that is the Sun of righteousness, and the
bright and morning Star,compares himself to a vine. The
church, which is Christ mystical, is a vine (Ps. 80:8), so is Christ, who is
the church seminal. Christ and his church are thus set forth. (1.) He is the
vine, planted in the vineyard, and not a spontaneous product; planted
in the earth, for his is the Word made flesh. The vine has an
unsightly unpromising outside; and Christ had no form nor comeliness, Isa.
53:2. The vine is a spreading plant, and Christ will be known as salvation
to the ends of the earth. The fruit of the vine honours God and cheers
man (Jdg. 9:13), so does the fruit of Christ's mediation; it is better
than gold, Prov. 8:19. (2.) He is the true vine, as
truth is opposed to pretence and counterfeit; he is really a fruitful plant, a
plant of renown. He is not like that wild vine which deceived those who
gathered of it (2 Ki. 4:39), but a true vine. Unfruitful trees are said
to lie (Hab. 3:17. marg.), but Christ is a vine
that will not deceive. Whatever excellency there is in any creature,
serviceable to man, it is but a shadow of that grace which is in Christ for his
people's good. He is that true vine typified by Judah's vine, which enriched
him with the blood of the grape (Gen. 49:11), by Joseph's vine, the branches of
which ran over the wall (Gen. 49:22), by Israel's vine, under
which he dwelt safely, 1 Ki. 4:25.
2. That believers are branches of this vine, which supposes that Christ is the
root of the vine. The root is unseen, and our life is hid with Christ; the
root bears the tree (Rom. 11:18), diffuses sap to it, and is all in all to its
flourishing and fruitfulness; and in Christ are all supports and supplies. The
branches of the vine are many, some on one side of the house or wall, others on
the other side; yet, meeting in the root, are all but one vine; thus all good
Christians, though in place and opinion distant from each other, yet meet in
Christ, the centre of their unity. Believers, like the branches of the vine,
are weak, and insufficient to stand of themselves, but as they are borne up.
See Eze. 15:2.
3. That the Father is the husbandman, geoµrgos—the
land-worker. Though the earth is the Lord's, it
yields him no fruit unless he work it. God has not only a propriety in, but a
care of, the vine and all the branches. He hath planted, and watered,
and gives the increase; for we are God's husbandry, 1
Co. 3:9. See Isa. 5:1, 2; 27:2, 3. He had an eye upon Christ, the root, and
upheld him, and made him to flourish out of a dry ground. He
has an eye upon all the branches, and prunes them, and watches over them, that
nothing hurt them. Never was any husbandman so wise, so watchful, about his vineyard,
as God is about his church, which therefore must needs prosper.
II. The duty taught us by this similitude, which is to bring forth
fruit, and, in order to this, to abide in Christ.
1. We must be fruitful. From a vine we look for grapes (Isa. 5:2), and from a
Christian we look for Christianity; this is the fruit, a
Christian temper and disposition, a Christian life and conversation, Christian
devotions and Christian designs. We must honour God, and do good, and exemplify
the purity and power of the religion we profess; and this is bearing fruit. The
disciples here must be fruitful, as Christians, in all the fruits of
righteousness, and as apostles, in diffusing the savour of the
knowledge of Christ. To persuade them to this, he urges,
(1.) The doom of the unfruitful (v. 2): They are taken away. [1.]
It is here intimated that there are many who pass for branches in
Christ who yet do not bear fruit. Were they really united to
Christ by faith, they would bear fruit; but being only tied to him by the thread
of an outward profession, though they seem to be branches, they will soon be
seen to be dry ones. Unfruitful professors are unfaithful professors;
professors, and no more. It might be read, Every branch that beareth
not fruit in me, and it comes much to one; for those that do not bear
fruit in Christ, and in his Spirit and grace, are as if they bore no fruit at
all, Hos. 10:1. [2.] It is here threatened that they shall be taken
away, in justice to them and in kindness to the rest of the branches.
From him that has not real union with Christ, and fruit produced thereby, shall
be taken away even that which he seemed to have, Lu. 8:18. Some think
this refers primarily to Judas.
(2.) The promise made to the fruitful: He purgeth them, that they may
bring forth more fruit. Note, [1.] Further fruitfulness is the blessed
reward of forward fruitfulness. The first blessing was, Be fruitful; and
it is still a great blessing. [2.] Even fruitful branches, in order to their
further fruitfulness, have need of purging or pruning; kathairei—he
taketh away that which is superfluous and luxuriant, which hinders its
growth and fruitfulness. The best have that in them which is peccant, aliquid
amputandum—something which should be taken away; some notions,
passions, or humours, that want to be purged away, which Christ has promised to
do by his word, and Spirit, and providence; and these shall be taken off by
degrees in the proper season. [3.] The purging of fruitful branches, in order
to their greater fruitfulness, is the care and work of the great husbandman,
for his own glory.
(3.) The benefits which believers have by the doctrine of Christ, the power of
which they should labour to exemplify in a fruitful conversation: Now
you are clean, v. 3. [1.] Their society was clean, now that Judas was
expelled by that word of Christ, What thou doest, do quickly; and
till they were got clear of him they were not all clean. The
word of Christ is a distinguishing word, and separates between the
precious and the vile; it will purify the church of the
first-born in the great dividing day. [2.] They were each of them
clean, that is, sanctified, by the truth of Christ (ch. 17:17); that faith by
which they received the word of Christ purified their hearts, Acts
15:9. The Spirit of grace by the word refined them from the dross of the world
and the flesh, and purged out of them the leaven of the scribes and
Pharisees, from which, when they saw their inveterate rage and enmity
against their Master, they were now pretty well cleansed. Apply it to all
believers. The word of Christ is spoken to them; there is a cleansing virtue in
that word, as it works grace, and works out corruption. It cleanses as fire
cleanses the gold from its dross, and as physic cleanses the body from its
disease. We then evidence that we are cleansed by the word when we bring
forth fruit unto holiness. Perhaps here is an allusion to the law
concerning vineyards in Canaan; the fruit of them was as unclean, and
uncircumcised, the first three years after it was planted, and the fourth
year it was to be holiness of praise unto the Lord; and
then it was clean, Lev. 19:23, 24. The disciples had now been three years under
Christ's instruction; and now you are clean.
(4.) The glory that will redound to God by our fruitfulness, with the comfort
and honour that will come to ourselves by it, v. 8. If we bear much
fruit, [1.] Herein our Father will be glorified. The fruitfulness of
the apostles, as such, in the diligent discharge of their office, would be to
the glory of God in the conversion of souls, and the offering of them up to
him, Rom. 15:9, 16. The fruitfulness of all Christians, in a lower or narrower
sphere, is to the glory of God. By the eminent good works of Christians many
are brought to glorify our Father who is in heaven. [2.] So
shall we be Christ's disciples indeed, approving ourselves so, and making it to
appear that we are really what we call ourselves. So shall we both evidence our
discipleship and adorn it, and be to our Master for a name and a
praise, and a glory, that is, disciples indeed, Jer. 13:11. So shall
we be owned by our Master in the great day, and have the reward of disciples, a
share in the joy of our Lord.And the more fruit we bring forth, the
more we abound in that which is good, the more he is glorified.
2. In order to our fruitfulness, we must abide in Christ, must keep up our
union with him by faith, and do all we do in religion in the virtue of that
union. Here is,
(1.) The duty enjoined (v. 4): Abide in me, and I in you. Note,
It is the great concern of all Christ's disciples constantly to keep up a
dependence upon Christ and communion with him, habitually to adhere to him, and
actually to derive supplies from him. Those that are come to Christ must abide
in him: "Abide in me, by faith; and I in you, by
my Spirit; abide in me,and then fear not but I will abide
in you;" for the communion between Christ and believers never
fails on his side. We must abide in Christ's word by a regard to it, and it in
us as a light to our feet. We must abide in Christ's merit as
our righteousness and plea, and it in us as our support and comfort. The knot
of the branch abides in the vine, and the sap of the vine abides in the branch,
and so there is a constant communication between them.
(2.) The necessity of our abiding in Christ, in order to our fruitfulness (v.
4, 5): "You cannot bring forth fruit, except you abide in me; but,
if you do, you bring forth much fruit; for, in short, without
me, or separate from me, you can do nothing."So
necessary is it to our comfort and happiness that we be fruitful, that the best
argument to engage us to abide in Christ is, that otherwise we cannot be
fruitful. [1.] Abiding in Christ is necessary in order to our doing much good.
He that is constant in the exercise of faith in Christ and love to him, that
lives upon his promises and is led by his Spirit, bringeth forth much
fruit, he is very serviceable to God's glory, and his own account in
the great day. Note, Union with Christ is a noble principle, productive of all
good. A life of faith in the Son of God is incomparably the most excellent life
a man can live in this world; it is regular and even, pure and heavenly; it is
useful and comfortable, and all that answers the end of life. [2.] It is
necessary to our doing any good. It is not only a means of cultivating ad
increasing what good there is already in us, but it is the root and spring of
all good: "Without me you can do nothing: not only no
great thing, heal the sick, or raise the dead, but
nothing." Note, We have as necessary and constant a dependence upon the
grace of the Mediator for all the actions of the spiritual and divine life as
we have upon the providence of the Creator for all the actions of the natural
life; for, as to both, it is in the divine power that we live, move,
and have our being. Abstracted from the merit of Christ, we can do
nothing towards our justification; and from the Spirit of Christ nothing
towards our sanctification. Without Christ we can do nothing aright,
nothing that will be fruit pleasing to God or profitable to ourselves, 2 Co.
3:5. We depend upon Christ, not only as the vine upon the wall, for support;
but, as the branch on the root, for sap.
(3.) The fatal consequences of forsaking Christ (v. 6): If any man
abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch. This is a description
of the fearful state of hypocrites that are not in Christ, and
of apostates that abide not in Christ. [1.] They are cast
forth as dry and withered branches, which are plucked off because they cumber
the tree. It is just that those should have no benefit by Christ who think they
have no need of him; and that those who reject him should be rejected by him.
Those that abide not in Christ shall be abandoned by him; they are left to
themselves, to fall into scandalous sin, and then are justly cast out of the
communion of the faithful. [2.] They are withered, as a branch broken off from
the tree. Those that abide not in Christ, though they may flourish awhile in a
plausible, at least a passable profession, yet in a little time wither and come
to nothing. Their parts and gifts wither; their zeal and devotion wither; their
credit and reputation wither; their hopes and comforts wither, Job 8:11-13.
Note, Those that bear no fruit, after while will bear no leaves. How
soon is that fig-tree withered away which Christ has cursed!
[3.] Men gather them. Satan's agents and emissaries pick them
up, and make an easy prey of them. Those that fall off from Christ presently
fall in with sinners; and the sheep that wander from Christ's fold, the devil
stands ready to seize them for himself. When the Spirit of the Lord had
departed from Saul, an evil spirit possessed him. [4.] They cast them
into the fire, that is, they are cast into the fire; and those who
seduce them and draw them to sin do in effect cast them there; for they make
them children of hell. Fire is the fittest place for withered
branches, for they are good for nothing else, Eze. 15:2-4. [5.] They
are burned; this follows of course, but it is here added very
emphatically, and makes the threatening very terrible. They will not be
consumed in a moment, like thorns under a pot (Eccl. 7:6),
but kaietai, they are burning for ever in a fire, which not only
cannot be quenched, but will never spend itself. This comes of quitting Christ,
this is the end of barren trees. Apostates are twice dead (Jude
12), and when it is said, They are cast into the fire and are burned, it
speaks as if they were twice damned. Some apply men's gathering them to the
ministry of the angels in the great day, when they shall gather out of Christ's
kingdom all things that offend, and shall bundle the tares for the
fire.
(4.) The blessed privilege which those have that abide in Christ (v.
7): If my words abide in you, you shall ask what you will of
my Father in my name, and it shall be done. See here, [1.] How
our union with Christ is maintained—by the word: If you abide in me; he
had said before, and I in you; here he explains himself, and
my words abide in you; for it is in the word that Christ is set before
us, and offered to us, Rom. 10:6-8. It is in the word that we receive and
embrace him; and so where the word of Christ dwells richly there
Christ dwells. If the word be our constant guide and monitor, if it be in us as
at home, then we abide in Christ, and he in us. [2.] How our communion with
Christ is maintained—by prayer: You shall ask what you will, and it
shall be done to you. And what can we desire more than to have what we
will for the asking? Note, Those that abide in Christ as their heart's delight
shall have, through Christ, their heart's desire. If we have Christ, we shall
want nothing that is good for us. Two things are implied in this promise:—First, That
if we abide in Christ, and his word in us, we shall not ask any thing but what
is proper to be done for us. The promises abiding in us lie ready to be turned
into prayers; and the prayers so regulated cannot but speed. Secondly, That
if we abide in Christ and his word we shall have such an
interest in God's favour and Christ's mediation that we shall have an answer of
peace to all our prayers.
Verses 9-17
Christ, who is love itself, is here discoursing concerning love, a fourfold
love.
I. Concerning the Father's love to him; and concerning this he here tells us,
1. That the Father did love him (v. 9): As the Father hath loved me. He
loved him as Mediator: This is my beloved Son. He was the Son
of his love. He loved him, and gave all things into his hand; and
yet so loved the world as to deliver him up for us all. When
Christ was entering upon his sufferings he comforted himself with this, that
his Father loved him. Those whom God loves as a Father may despise the hatred
of all the world. 2. That he abode in his Father's love, v. 10. He continually
loved his Father, and was beloved of him. Even when he was made sin and a curse
for us, and it pleased the Lord to bruise him, yet he abode in
his Father's love. See Ps. 89:33. Because he continued to love his Father, he
went cheerfully through his sufferings, and therefore his Father continued to
love him. 3. That therefore he abode in his Father's love because he kept his
Father's law: I have kept my Father's commandments, as
Mediator, and so abide in his love. Hereby he showed that he
continued to love his Father, that he went on, and went through, with his
undertaking, and therefore the Father continued to love him. His soul delighted
in him, because he did not fail, nor was discouraged, Isa.
42:1-4. We having broken the law of creation, and thereby thrown ourselves out
of the love of God; Christ satisfied for us by obeying the law of redemption,
and so he abode in his love, and restored us to it.
II. Concerning his own love to his disciples. Though he leaves them, he loves
them. And observe here,
1. The pattern of this love: As the Father has loved me, so have I loved
you. A strange expression of the condescending grace of Christ! As the
Father loved him, who was most worthy, he loved them, who were most unworthy.
The Father loved him as his Son, and he loves them as his children. The
Father gave all things into his hand; so, with himself, he
freely giveth us all things. The Father loved him as Mediator, as head
of the church, and the great trustee of divine grace and favour, which he had
not for himself only, but for the benefit of those for whom he was entrusted;
and, says he, "I have been a faithful trustee. As the Father has committed
his love to me, so I transmit it to you." Therefore the Father was well
pleased with him, that he might be well pleased with us in him; and loved him,
that in him, as beloved, he might make us accepted, Eph. 1:6.
2. The proofs and products of this love, which are four:—
(1.) Christ loved his disciples, for he laid down his life for them (v.
13): Greater proof of love hath no man to
show than this, to lay down his life for his friend. And
this is the love wherewith Christ hath loved us, he is
our antipsychos—bail for us, body for body, life for
life, though he knew our insolvency, and foresaw how much the engagement would
cost him. Observe here, [1.] The extent of the love of the children of men to
one another. The highest proof of it is laying down one's life for a friend, to
save his life, and perhaps there have been some such heroic achievements of
love, more than plucking out one's own eyes, Gal. 4:15.
If all that a man has he will give for his life, he that gives
this for his friend gives all, and can give no more; this may sometimes be our
duty, 1 Jn. 3:16. Paul was ambitious of the honour (Phil. 2:17); and for
a good man some will even dare to die, Rom. 5:7. It is love in the
highest degree, which is strong as death. [2.] The excellency
of the love of Christ beyond all other love. He has not only equaled, but
exceeded, the most illustrious lovers. Others have laid down their lives,
content that they should be taken from them; but Christ gave up his, was not
merely passive, but made it his own act and deed. The life which others have
laid down has been but of equal value with the life for which it was laid down,
and perhaps less valuable; but Christ is infinitely more worth than ten thousand
of us. Others have thus laid down their lives for their friends, but Christ
laid down his for us when we were enemies, Rom. 5:8, 10. Plusquam
ferrea aut lapidea corda esse oportet, quae non emolliet tam incomparabilis
divini amoris suavitas—Those hearts must be harder than iron or stone which are
not softened by such incomparable sweetness of divine love.—Calvin
(2.) Christ loved his disciples, for he took them into a covenant of friendship
with himself, v. 14, 15. "If you approve yourselves by your obedience my
disciples indeed, you are my friends, and shall be treated as
friends." Note, The followers of Christ are the friends of Christ, and he
is graciously pleased to call and account them so. Those that do the duty of
his servants are admitted and advanced to the dignity of his friends. David had
one servant in his court, and Solomon one in his, that was in a particular
manner the king's friend (2 Sa. 15:37; 1 Ki. 4:5); but this
honour have all Christ's servants. We may in some particular instance befriend
a stranger; but we espouse all the interests of a friend, and concern ourselves
in all his cares: thus Christ takes believers to be his friends. He visits them
and converses with them as his friends, bears with them and makes the best of
them, is afflicted in their afflictions, and takes pleasure in their
prosperity; he pleads for them in heaven and takes care of all their interests
there. Have friends but one soul? He that is joined to the Lord is one
spirit, 1 Co. 6:17. Though they often show themselves unfriendly, he
is a friend that loves at all times. Observe how endearingly this is expressed
here. [1.] He will not call them servants, though they call
him Master and Lord. Those that would be like
Christ in humility must not take a pride in insisting upon all occasions on
their authority and superiority, but remember that their servants are their
fellow-servants. But, [2.] He will call them his friends;he will
not only love them, but will let them know it; for in his tongue is the
law of kindness. After his resurrection he seems to speak with more
affectionate tenderness of and to his disciples than before. Go to my
brethren, ch. 20:17. Children, have you any meat? ch.
21:5. But observe, though Christ called them his friends, they
called themselves his servants: Peter, a servant of
Christ (1 Pt. 1:1), and so James, ch. 1:1. The more honour Christ puts
upon us, the more honour we should study to do him; the higher in his eyes, the
lower in our own.
(3.) Christ loved his disciples, for he was very free in communicating his mind
to them (v. 15): "Henceforth you shall not be kept so much in the dark as
you have been, like servants that are only told their present
work; but, when the Spirit is poured out, you shall know your Master's designs
as friends. All things that I have heard of my Father I have declared
unto you." As to the secret will of God, there are many things
which we must be content not to know; but, as to the revealed will of God,
Jesus Christ has faithfully handed to us what he received of the Father, ch.
1:18; Mt. 11:27. The great things relating to man's redemption Christ declared
to his disciples, that they might declare them to others; they were the men of
his counsel, Mt. 13:11.
(4.) Christ loved his disciples, for he chose and ordained them to be the prime
instruments of his glory and honour in the world (v. 16): I have chosen
you, and ordained you, His love to them appeared,
[1.] In their election, their election to their apostleship (ch. 6:70): I
have chosen you twelve. It did not begin on their side: You
have not chosen me, but I first chose you. Why were
they admitted to such an intimacy with him, employed in such an embassy for
him, and endued with such power from on high? It was not owing to their wisdom
and goodness in choosing him for their Master, but to his favour and grace in
choosing them for his disciples. It is fit that Christ should have the choosing
of his own ministers; still he does it by his providence and Spirit. Though
ministers make that holy calling their own choice, Christ's choice is prior to
theirs and directs and determines it. Of all that are chosen to grace and glory
it may be said, They have not chosen Christ, but he had chosen them, Deu. 7:7,
8.
[2.] In their ordination: I have ordained you; hetheµka hymas—"I
have put you into the ministry (1 Tim. 1:12), put you into
commission." By this it appeared that he took them for his friends when he
crowned their heads with such an honour, and filled their hands with such a
trust. It was a mighty confidence he reposed in them, when he made them his
ambassadors to negotiate the affairs of his kingdom in this lower world, and
the prime ministers of state in the administration of it. The treasure of the
gospel was committed to them, First, That it might be
propagated: that you should go, hina hymeis hypageµte—"that
you should go as under a yoke or burden, for the ministry is a work,
and you that go about it must resolve to undergo a great deal; that you
may go from place to place all the world over, and bring forth
fruit." They were ordained, not to sit still, but to go about, to
be diligent in their work, and to lay out themselves unweariedly in doing good.
They were ordained, not to beat the air, but to be instrumental in God's hand
for the bringing of nations into obedience to Christ, Rom. 1:13. Note, Those
whom Christ ordains should and shall be fruitful; should labour, and shall not
labour in vain. Secondly, That it might be perpetuated; that
the fruit may remain, that the good effect of their labours may continue in the
world from generation to generation, to the end of time. The church of Christ
was not to be a short-lived thing, as many of the sects of the philosophers,
that were a nine days' wonder; it did not come up in a night, nor
should it perish in a night, but be as the days of heaven. The
sermons and writings of the apostles are transmitted to us, and we at this day
are built upon that foundation, ever since the Christian church was first
founded by the ministry of the apostles and seventy disciples; as one
generation of ministers and Christians has passed away, still another has come.
By virtue of that great charter (Mt. 28:19), Christ has a church in the world,
which, as our lawyers say of bodies corporate, does not die, but
lives in a succession; and thus their fruit remains to this
day, and shall do while the earth remains.
[3.] His love to them appeared in the interest they had at the throne of
grace: Whatsoever you shall ask of my Father, in my name, he will give
it you. Probably this refers in the first place to the power of
working miracles which the apostles were clothed with, which was to be drawn
out by prayer. "Whatever gifts are necessary to the furtherance of your
labours, whatever help from heaven you have occasion for at any time, it is but
ask and have." Three things are here hinted to us for our encouragement in
prayer, and very encouraging they are. First, That we have a
God to go to who is a Father; Christ here calls him the Father, both
mine and yours; and the Spirit in the word and in the heart teaches us to
cry, Abba, Father. Secondly, That we come in a good name.
Whatever errand we come upon to the throne of grace according to God's will, we
may with a humble boldness mention Christ's name in it, and plead that we are
related to him, and he is concerned for us. Thirdly, That an
answer of peace is promised us. What you come for shall be given you. This
great promise made to that great duty keeps up a comfortable and gainful
intercourse between heaven and earth.
III. Concerning the disciples' love to Christ, enjoined in consideration of the
great love wherewith he had loved them. Three things he exhorts them to:—
1. To continue in his love, v. 9. "Continue in your love to me, and in
mine to you." Both may be taken in. We must place our happiness in the
continuance of Christ's love to us, and make it our business to give continued
proofs of our love to Christ, that nothing may tempt us to withdraw from him,
or provoke him to withdraw from us. Note, All that love Christ should continue
in their love to him, that is, be always loving him, and taking all occasions
to show it, and love to the end. The disciples were to go out upon service for
Christ, in which they would meet with many troubles; but, says Christ, "Continue
in my love. Keep up your love to me, and then all the troubles you
meet with will be easy; love made seven years' hard service easy to Jacob. Let
not the troubles you meet with for Christ's sake quench your love to Christ,
but rather quicken it.
2. To let his joy remain in them, and fill them, v. 11. This he designed in
those precepts and promises given them.
(1.) That his joy might remain in them. The words are so placed, in the
original, that they may be read either, [1.] That my joy in you may
remain. If they bring forth much fruit, and continue in his love, he
will continue to rejoice in them as he had done. Note, Fruitful and faithful
disciples are the joy of the Lord Jesus; he rests in his love to
them, Zep. 3:17. As there is a transport of joy in heaven in the conversion of
sinners, so there is a remaining joy in the perseverance of saints. Or, [2.]
That my joy, that is, your joy in me, may remain. It
is the will of Christ that his disciples should constantly and continually
rejoice in him, Phil. 4:4. The joy of the hypocrite is but for a moment, but
the joy of those who abide in Christ's love is a continual feast. The word of
the Lord enduring for ever, the joys that flow from it, and are founded on it,
do so too.
(2.) That your joy might be full; not only that you might be
full of joy, but that your joy in me and in my love may rise higher and higher,
till it come to perfection, when you enter into the joy of your
Lord." Note, [1.] Those and those only that have Christ's joy
remaining in them have their joy full; worldly joys are empty, soon surfeit but
never satisfy. It is only wisdom's joy that will fill the soul, Ps. 36:8. [2.]
The design of Christ in his world is to fill the joy of his
people; see 1 Jn. 1:4. This and the other he hath said, that our joy might be
fuller and fuller, and perfect at last.
3. To evidence their love to him by keeping his commandments: "If
you keep my commandments, you shall abide in my love, v. 10. This will
be an evidence of the fidelity and constancy of your love to me, and then you
may be sure of the continuance of my love to you." Observe here, (1.) The
promise "You shall abide in my love as in a dwelling
place, at home in Christ's love; as in a resting place, at ease in Christ's
love; as in a stronghold, safe in it. You shall abide in my love, you
shall have grace and strength to persevere in loving me." If the same hand
that first shed abroad the love of Christ in our hearts did not keep us in that
love, we should not long abide in it, but, through the love of the world,
should go out of love with Christ himself. (2.) The condition
of the promise: If you keep my commandments. The disciples
were to keep Christ's commandments, not only by a constant conformity to them
themselves, but by a faithful delivery of them to others; they were to keep
them as trustees, in whose hands that great depositum was
lodged, for they were to teach all things that Christ had commanded, Mt.
28:20. This commandment they must keep without spot (1
Tim. 6:14), and thus they must show that they abide in his love.
To induce them to keep his commandments, he urges, [1.] His own example: As
I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. Christ
submitted to the law of mediation, and so preserved the honour and comfort of
it, to teach us to submit to the laws of the Mediator, for we cannot otherwise
preserve the honour and comfort of our relation to him. [2.] The necessity of
it to their interest in him (v. 14): "You are my friends if you do
whatsoever I command you and not otherwise." Note, First, Those
only will be accounted Christ's faithful friends that approve themselves his
obedient servants; for those that will not have him to reign over them shall be
treated as his enemies. Idem velle et idem nolle ea demum vera est
amicitia—Friendship involves a fellowship of aversions and attachments.—Sallust. Secondly, It
is universal obedience to Christ that is the only acceptable obedience; to obey
him in every thing that he commands us, not excepting, much
less excepting against, any command.
IV. Concerning the disciples' love one to another, enjoined as
an evidence of their love to Christ, and a grateful return for his love to
them. We must keep his commandments, and this is his commandment, that we love
one another, v. 12, and again, v. 17. No one duty of religion is more
frequently inculcated, nor more pathetically urged upon us, by our Lord Jesus,
than that of mutual love, and for good reason. 1. It is here recommended by
Christ's pattern (v. 12): as I have loved you. Christ's love
to us should direct and engage our love to each other; in this manner, and from
this motive, we should love one another, as, and because, Christ has loved us.
He here specifies some of the expressions of his love to them; he called them
friends, communicated his mind to them, was ready to give them what they
asked. Go you and do likewise. 2. It is required by his
precept. He interposes his authority, has made it one of the statute-laws of
his kingdom. Observe how differently it is expressed in these two verses, and
both very emphatic. (1.) This is my commandment (v. 12), as if
this were the most necessary of all the commandments. As under the law the
prohibition of idolatry was the commandment more insisted on than any other,
foreseeing the people's addictedness to that sin, so Christ, foreseeing the
addictedness of the Christian church to uncharitableness, has laid most stress
upon this precept. (2.) These things I command you, v. 17. He
speaks as if he were about to give them many things in charge, and yet names
this only, that you love one another; not only because this
includes many duties, but because it will have a good influence upon all.
Verses 18-25
Here Christ discourses concerning hatred, which is the
character and genius of the devil's kingdom, as love is of the kingdom of
Christ. Observe here,
I. Who they are in whom this hatred is found—the world, the children of this
world, as distinguished from the children of God; those who are in the
interests of the god of this world, whose image they bear, and whose power they
are subject to; all those, whether Jews or Gentiles, who would not come into
the church of Christ, which he audibly called, and visibly separates from this
evil world. The calling of these the world intimates, 1. Their
number; there were a world of people that opposed Christ and Christianity.
Lord, how were they increased that troubled the Son of David! I fear, if we
should put it to the vote between Christ and Satan, Satan would out-poll us
quite. 2. Their confederacy and combination; these numerous hosts are embodied,
and are as one, Ps. 83:5. Jews and Gentiles, that could agree in nothing else,
agreed to persecute Christ's minister. 3. Their spirit and disposition; they
are men of the world (Ps. 16:13, 14), wholly devoted to this
world and the things of it, and never thinking of another world. The people of
God, though they are taught to hate the sins of sinners, yet not their persons,
but to love and do good to all men. A malicious, spiteful, envious spirit, is
not the spirit of Christ, but of the world.
II. Who are they against whom this hatred is levelled-against the disciples of
Christ, against Christ himself, and against the Father.
1. The world hates the disciples of Christ: The world hateth you (v.
19); and he speaks of it as that which they must expect and count upon, v. 18,
as 1 Jn. 3:13.
(1.) Observe how this comes in here. [1.] Christ had expressed the great
kindness he had for them as friends; but, lest they should be puffed up with
this, there was given them, as there was to Paul, a thorn in the flesh, that
is, as it is explained there, reproaches and persecutions for Christ's sake, 2
Co. 12:7, 10. [2.] He had appointed them their work, but tells them what
hardships they should meet with in it, that it might not be a surprise to them,
and that they might prepare accordingly. [3.] He had charged them to love
one another, and need enough they had to love one another, for the
world would hate them; to be kind to one another, for they would have a great
deal of unkindness and ill-will from those that were without. "Keep peace
among yourselves, and this will fortify you against the world's quarrels with
you." Those that are in the midst of enemies are concerned to hold
together.
(2.) Observe what is here included.
[1.] The world's enmity against the followers of Christ: it hateth
them. Note, Whom Christ blesseth the world curseth. The favourites and
heirs of heaven have never been the darlings of this world, since the old
enmity was put between the seed of the woman and of the serpent. Why did Cain
hate Abel, but because his works were righteous? Esau hated
Jacob because of the blessing; Joseph's brethren hated him because his father
loved him; Saul hated David because the Lord was with him; Ahab
hated Micaiah because of his prophecies; such are the causeless causes of the
world's hatred.
[2.] The fruits of that enmity, two of which we have here, v. 20. First, They
will persecute you, because they hate you, for hatred is a restless passion. It
is the common lot of those who will live godly in Christ Jesus to suffer
persecution, 2 Tim. 3:12. Christ foresaw what ill usage his
ambassadors would meet with in the world, and yet, for the sake of those few
that by their ministry were to be called out of the world, he sent them forth
as sheep in the midst of wolves. Secondly, Another fruit of
their enmity is implied, that they would reject their doctrine. When Christ
says, If they have kept my sayings, they will keep yours, he
means, They will keep yours, and regard yours, no more than they have regarded
and kept mine. Note, The preachers of the gospel cannot but take the despising
of their message to be the greatest injury that can be done to themselves; as
it was a great affront to Jeremiah to say, Let us not give heed to any
of his words, Jer. 18:18.
[3.] The causes of that enmity. The world will hate them,
First, Because they do not belong to it (v. 19): "If you
were of the world, of its spirit, and in its interests, if you were
carnal and worldly, the world would love you as its own; but,
because you are called out of the world, it hates you, and ever will."
Note, 1. We are not to wonder if those that are devoted to the world are
caressed by it as its friends; most men bless the covetous, Ps.
10:3; 49:18. 2. Nor are we to wonder if those that are delivered from the world
are maligned by it as its enemies; when Israel is rescued out of Egypt, the
Egyptians will pursue them. Observe, The reason why Christ's disciples are not
of the world is not because they have by their own wisdom and virtue
distinguished themselves from the world, but because Christ hath chosen them
out of it, to set them apart for himself; and this is the reason why the world
hates them; for, (1.) The glory which by virtue of this choice they are
designed for sets them above the world, and so makes them the objects of its
envy. The saints shall judge the world, and the upright have dominion, and
therefore they are hated. (2.) The grace which by virtue of this choice they
are endued with sets them against the world; they swim against the stream of
the world, and are not conformed to it; they witness against it, and are not
conformed to it. This would support them under all the calamities which the
world's hatred would bring upon them, that they were hated because they were
the choice and the chosen ones of the Lord Jesus, and were not of the world.
Now, [1.] This was no just cause for the world's hatred of them. If we do any
thing to make ourselves hateful, we have reason to lament it; but, if men hate
us for that for which they should love and value us, we have reason to pity
them, but no reason to perplex ourselves. Nay, [2.] This was just cause for
their own joy. He that is hated because he is rich and prospers cares not who
has the vexation of it, while he has the satisfaction of it.
—Populus me sibilat, at mihi plaudo
Ipse domi—
—Let them hiss on, he cries,
While in my own opinion fully blessed.—Timon in Hor.
Much more may those hug themselves whom the world hates, but whom Christ
loves.
Secondly, "Another cause of the world's hating you will be
because you do belong to Christ (v. 21): For my name's sake."Here
is the core of the controversy; whatever is pretended, this is the ground of
the quarrel, they hate Christ's disciples because they bear his name, and bear
up his name in the world. Note, 1. It is the character of Christ's
disciples that they stand up for his name. The name into which they were
baptized is that which they will live and die by. 2. It has commonly been the
lot of those that appear for Christ's name to suffer for so doing, to suffer
many things, and hard things, all these things. It is matter
of comfort to the greatest sufferers if they suffer for Christ's name's
sake. If you be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are you (1
Pt. 4:14), happy indeed, considering not only the honour that is imprinted upon
those sufferings (Acts 5:41), but the comfort that is infused into them, and
especially the crown of glory which those sufferings lead to. If we
suffer with Christ, and for Christ, we shall reign with him.
Thirdly, After all, it is the world's ignorance that is the true cause
of its enmity to the disciples of Christ (v. 21): Because they know not
him that sent me. 1. They know not God. If men had but a due
acquaintance with the very first principles of natural religion, and did but
know God, though they did not embrace Christianity, yet they could not hate and
persecute it. Those have no knowledge who eat up God's people, Ps. 14:4. 2.
They know not God as he that sent our Lord Jesus, and authorized him to be the
great Mediator of the peace. We do not rightly know God if we do not know him
in Christ, and those who persecute those whom he sends make it to appear that
they know not that he was sent of God. See 1 Co. 2:8.
2. The world hates Christ himself. And this is spoken of here for two ends:—
(1.) To mitigate the trouble of his followers, arising from the world's hatred,
and to make it the less strange, and the less grievous (v. 18): You
know that it hated me before you, proµton hymoµn. We read it as
signifying priority of time; he began in the bitter cup of suffering, and then
left us to pledge him; but it may be read as expressing his superiority over
them: "You know that it hated me, your first, your
chief and captain, your leader and commander." [1.] If Christ, who
excelled in goodness, and was perfectly innocent and universally beneficent,
was hated, can we expect that any virtue or merit of ours should screen us from
malice? [2.] If our Master, the founder of our religion, met with so much
opposition in the planting of it, his servants and followers can look for no
other in propagating and professing it. For this he refers them (v. 20) to his
own word, at their admission into discipleship: Remember the word that
I said unto you. It would help us to understand Christ's latter
sayings to compare them with his former sayings. Nor would any thing contribute
more to the making of us easy than remembering the words of Christ, which will
expound his providences. Now in this word there is, First, A
plain truth: The servant is not greater than his Lord. This he
had said to them. Mt. 10:24. Christ is our Lord, and therefore we must
diligently attend all his motions, and patiently acquiesce in all his
disposals, for the servant is inferior to his lord. The plainest truths are
sometimes the strongest arguments for the hardest duties; Elihu answers a
multitude of Job's murmurings with this one self-evident truth, that God is
greater than man, Job 33:12. So here is, Secondly, A proper
inference drawn from it: "If they have persecuted men, as
you have seen, and are likely to see much more, they will also
persecute you; you may expect it and count upon it: for," 1.
"You will do the same that I have done to provoke them; you will reprove
them for their sins, and call them to repentance, and give them strict rules of
holy living, which they will not bear." 2. "You cannot do more than I
have done to oblige them; after so great an instance, let none wonder if they
suffer ill for doing well." He adds, "If they have kept my
sayings, they will keep yours also; as there have been a few, and but
a few, that have been wrought upon by my preaching, so there will be by yours a
few, and but a few." Some give another sense of this, making eteµreµsan to
be put for pareµteµreµsan. "If they have lain in wait for my
sayings, with a design to ensnare me, they will in like manner lie in wait to
entangle you in your talk."
(2.) To aggravate the wickedness of this unbelieving world, and to discover its
exceeding sinfulness; to hate and persecute the apostles was bad enough, but in
them to hate and persecute Christ himself was much worse. The world is
generally in an ill name in scripture, and nothing can put it into a worse name
than this, that it hated Jesus Christ. There is a world of people that are
haters of Christ. Two things he insists upon to aggravate the wickedness of
those that hated him:—
[1.] That there was the greatest reason imaginable why they should love him;
men's good words and good works usually recommend them; now as to Christ,
First, His words were such as merited their love (v. 22): "If
I had not spoken unto them, to court their love, they had not
had sin, their opposition had not amounted to a hatred of me, their
sin had been comparatively no sin. But now that I have said so much to them to
recommend myself to their best affections they have no pretence, no excuse for
their sin." Observe here, 1. The advantage which those have that enjoy the
gospel; Christ in it comes and speaks to them; he spoke in person to the men of
that generation, and is still speaking to us by our Bibles and ministers, and
as one that has the most unquestionable authority over us, and affection for
us. Every word of his is pure, carries with it a commanding majesty, and yet a
condescending tenderness, able, one would think, to charm the deafest adder. 2.
The excuse which those have that enjoy not the gospel: "If I had
not spoken to them, if they had ever heard of Christ and of salvation
by him, they had not had sin." (1.) Not this kind of sin.
They had not been chargeable with a contempt of Christ if he had not come and
made a tender of his grace to them. As sin is not imputed where there
is no law, so unbelief is not imputed where there is no gospel; and,
where it is imputed, it is thus far the only damning sin, that, being a sin
against the remedy, other sin would not damn if the guilt of them were not
bound on with this. (2.) Not such a degree of sin. If they had not had the
gospel among them, their other sins had not been so bad; for the times
of ignorance God winked at, Lu. 12:47, 48. 3. The aggravated guilt
which those lie under to whom Christ has come and spoken in vain, whom
he has called and invited in vain, with whom he has reasoned and pleaded in
vain; They have no cloak for their sin; they are altogether
inexcusable, and in the judgment day will be speechless, and will not have a
word to say for themselves. Note, The clearer and fuller the discoveries are
which are made to us of the grace and truth of Jesus Christ, the more is said
to us that is convincing and endearing, the greater is our sin if we do not
love him and believe in him. The word of Christ strips sin of its cloak, that
it may appear sin.
Secondly, His works were such as merited their love, as well as his
words (v. 24): "If I had not done among them, in their
country, and before their eyes, such works as no other man ever did,
they had not had sin; their unbelief and enmity had been excusable,
and they might have had some colour to say that my word was not to be credited,
if not otherwise confirmed;" but he produced satisfactory proofs of his
divine mission, works which no other man did. Note, 1. As the
Creator demonstrates his power and Godhead by his works (Rom. 1:20), so doth
the Redeemer. His miracles, his mercies, works of wonder and works of grace,
prove him sent of God, and sent on a kind errand. 2. Christ's works were such
as no man ever did. No common person that had not a commission
from heaven, and God with him, could work miracles, ch. 3:2. And no prophet ever
wrought such miracles, so many, so illustrious. Moses and Elias wrought
miracles as servants, by a derived power; but Christ, as a Son, by his own
power. This was it that amazed the people, that with authority he commanded
diseases and devils (Mk. 1:27); they owned they never saw the like, Mk. 2:12.
They were all good works, works of mercy; and this seems especially intended
here, for he is upbraiding them with this, that they hated him. One that was so
universally useful, more than ever any man was, one would think, should have
been universally beloved, and yet even he is hated. 3. The works of Christ
enhance the guilt of sinners' infidelity and enmity to him, to the last degree
of wickedness and absurdity. If they had only heard his words, and not seen his
works,—if we had only his sermons upon record, and not his miracles, unbelief
might have pleaded want of proof; but now it has no excuse. Nay, the rejecting
of Christ, both by them and us, has in it the sin, not only of obstinate
unbelief, but of base ingratitude. They saw Christ to be most amiable, and
studious to do them a kindness; yet they hated him, and studied to do him
mischief. And we see in his word that great love wherewith he loved us, and yet
are not wrought upon by it.
[2.] That there was no reason at all why they should hate him. Some that at one
time will say and do that which is recommending, yet at another time will say
and do that which is provoking and disobliging; but our Lord Jesus not only did
much to merit men's esteem and good-will, but never did any thing justly to
incur their displeasure; this he pleads by quoting a scripture for it (v.
25): "This comes to pass, this unreasonable hatred of me,
and of my disciples for my sake, that the word might be fulfilled which
is written in their law" (that is, in the Old Testament, which is
a law, and was received by them as a law), "They hated me without
a cause;" this David speaks of himself as a type of Christ, Ps.
35:19; 69:4. Not, First, Those that hate Christ hate him
without any just cause; enmity to Christ is unreasonable enmity. We think those
deserve to be hated that are haughty and froward, but Christ is meek and lowly,
compassionate and tender; those also that under colour of complaisance are
malicious, envious, and revengeful, but Christ devoted himself to the service
of those that used him, nay, and of those that abused him; toiled for others'
ease, and impoverished himself to enrich us. Those we think hateful that
are hurtful to kings and provinces, and disturbers of the
public peace; but Christ, on the contrary, was the greatest blessing imaginable
to his country, and yet was hated. He testified indeed that their works
were evil, with a design to make them good, but to hate him for this
cause was to hate him without cause. Secondly, Herein the
scripture was fulfilled, and the antitype answered the type. Saul and his
courtiers hated David without cause, for he had been serviceable to him with
his harp, and with his sword; Absalom and his party hated him, though to him he
had been an indulgent father, and to them a great benefactor. Thus was the Son
of David hated, and hunted most unjustly. Those that hated Christ did not
design there in to fulfil the scripture; but God, in permitting it, had that in
his eye; and it confirms our faith in Christ as the Messiah that even this was
foretold concerning him, and, being foretold, was accomplished in him. And we
must not think it strange or hard if it have a further accomplishment in us. We
are apt to justify our complaints of injuries done us with this, that they are
causeless, whereas the more they are so the more they are like the sufferings
of Christ, and may be the more easily borne.
3. In Christ the world hates God himself; this is twice said here (v.
23): He that hateth me, though he thinks his hatred goes no
further, yet really he hates my Father also. And again, v. 24,
They have seen and hated both me and my Father.Note, (1.) There are
those that hate God, notwithstanding the beauty of his nature and the bounty of
his providence; they are enraged at his justice, as the devils that believe it
and tremble, are vexed at his dominion, and would gladly break his
bands asunder. Those who cannot bring themselves to deny that there is
a God, and yet wish there were none, they see and hate him. (2.) Hatred of
Christ will be construed and adjudged hatred of God, for he is in his person
his Father's express image, and in his office his great agent and ambassador.
God will have all men to honour the Son as they honour the Father, and
therefore what entertainment the Son has, that the Father has. Hence it is easy
to infer that those who are enemies to the Christian religion, however they may
cry up natural religion, are really enemies to all religion. Deists are in
effect atheists, and those that ridicule the light of the gospel would, if they
could, extinguish even natural light, and shake off all obligations of
conscience and the fear of God. Let an unbelieving malignant world know that
their enmity to the gospel of Christ will be looked upon in the great day as an
enmity to the blessed God himself; and let all that suffer for righteousness'
sake, according to the will of God, take comfort from this; if God himself be
hated in them, and struck at through him, they need not be either ashamed of
their cause or afraid of the issue.
Verses 26-27
Christ having spoken of the great opposition which his gospel was likely to
meet with in the world, and the hardships that would be put upon the preachers
of it, lest any should fear that they and it would be run down by that violent
torrent, he here intimates to all those that were well-wishers to his cause and
interest what effectual provision was made for supporting it, both by the
principal testimony of the Spirit (v. 26), and the subordinate testimony of the
apostles (v. 27), and testimonies are the proper supports of truth.
I. It is here promised that the blessed Spirit shall maintain the cause of
Christ in the world, notwithstanding the opposition it should meet with.
Christ, when he was reviled, committed his injured cause to his Father, and did
not lose by his silence, for the Comforter came, pleaded it powerfully, and
carried it triumphantly. "When the Comforter or
Advocate is come, who proceedeth from the Father, and whom
I will send to supply the want of my bodily presence, he shall
testify of me against those that hate me without cause." We
have more in this verse concerning the Holy Ghost than in any one verse besides
in the Bible; and, being baptized into his name, we are concerned to acquaint
ourselves with him as far as he is revealed.
1. Here is an account of him in his essence, or subsistence rather. He is the
Spirit of truth, who proceedeth from the Father. Here, (1.) He is
spoken of as a distinct person; not a quality or property, but a person under
the proper name of a Spirit, and proper title of the Spirit
of truth, a title fitly given him where he is brought in testifying.
(2.) As a divine person, that proceedeth from the Father, by
out-goings that were of old, from everlasting. The spirit or
breath of man, called the breath of life, proceeds from the
man, and by it modified he delivers his mind, by it invigorated he sometimes
exerts his strength to blow out what he would extinguish,
and blow up what he would excite. Thus the blessed Spirit is
the emanation of divine light, and the energy of divine power. The rays of the
sun, by which it dispenses and diffuses its light, heat, and influence, proceed
from the sun, and yet are one with it. The Nicene Creed says,
The Spirit proceedeth from the Father and the Son, for he is
called the Spirit of the Son, Gal. 4:6. And the Son is here
said to send him. The Greek church chose rather to say, from
the Father by the Son.
2. In his mission. (1.) He will come in a more plentiful effusion of his gifts,
graces, and powers, than had ever yet been. Christ had been long the ho
erchomenos—he that should come; now the blessed Spirit is so.
(2.) I will send him to you from the Father. He had said (ch.
14:16), I will pray the Father, and he shall send you the Comforter, which
bespeaks the Spirit to be the fruit of the intercession Christ makes within the
veil: here he says, I will send him, which bespeaks him to be
the fruit of his dominion within the veil. The Spirit was sent, [1.] By Christ
as Mediator, now ascended on high to give gifts unto men, and
all power being given to him. [2.] From the Father: "Not only from heaven,
my Father's house" (the Spirit was given in a sound from heaven, Acts
2:2), "but according to my Father's will and appointment, and with his
concurring power and authority." [3.] To the apostles to instruct them in
their preaching, enable them for working, and carry them through their
sufferings. He was given to them and their successors, both in Christianity and
in the ministry; to them and their seed, and their seed's seed, according to
that promise, Isa. 59:21.
3. In his office and operations, which are two:—(1.) One implied in the title
given to him; he is the Comforter, or Advocate.An
advocate for Christ, to maintain his cause against the world's infidelity, a
comforter to the saints against the world's hatred. (2.) Another
expressed: He shall testify of me. He is not only an advocate,
but a witness for Jesus Christ; he is one of the three that bear record
in heaven, and the first of the three that bear witness on
earth. 1 Jn. 5:7, 8. He instructed the apostles, and enabled them to
work miracles; he indited the scriptures, which are the standing witnesses
that testify of Christ, ch. 5:39. The power of the ministry is
derived from the Spirit, for he qualifies ministers; and the power of
Christianity too, for he sanctifies Christians, and in both testifies of
Christ.
II. It is here promised that the apostles also, by the Spirit's assistance,
should have the honour of being Christ's witnesses (v. 27): And you
also shall bear witness of me, being competent witnesses, for you
have been with me from the beginning of my ministry. Observe here,
1. That the apostles were appointed to be witnesses for Christ in the world.
When he had said, The Spirit shall testify, he adds, And
you also shall bear witness. Note, The Spirit's working is not to
supersede, but to engage and encourage ours. Though the Spirit testify,
ministers also must bear their testimony, and people attend to it; for the
Spirit of grace witnesses and works by the means of grace. The apostles were
the first witnesses that were called in the famous trial between Christ and the
prince of this world, which issued in the ejectment of the intruder. This
intimates, (1.) The work cut out for them; they were to attest the truth, the
whole truth, and nothing but the truth, concerning Christ, for the recovering
of his just right, and the maintaining of his crown and dignity. Though
Christ's disciples fled when they should have been witnesses for him upon his
trial before the high priest and Pilate, yet after the Spirit was poured out
upon them they appeared courageous in vindication of the cause of Christ
against the accusations it was loaded with. The truth of the Christian religion
was to be proved very much by the evidence of matter of fact, especially
Christ's resurrection, of which the apostles were in a particular manner chosen
witnesses (Act. 10:41), and they bore their testimony accordingly, Acts 3:15;
5:32. Christ's ministers are his witnesses. (2.) The honour put upon them
hereby—that they should be workers together with God. "The Spirit
shall testify of me, and you also, under the conduct of the Spirit,
and in concurrence with the Spirit (who will preserve you from mistaking in
that which you relate on your own knowledge, and will inform you of that which
you cannot know but by revelation), shall bear witness." This
might encourage them against the hatred and contempt of the world, that Christ
had honoured them, and would own them.
2. That they were qualified to be so: You have been with me from the
beginning. They not only heard his public sermons, but had constant
private converse with him. He went about doing good, and,
while others saw the wonderful and merciful works that he did in their own town
and country only, those that went about with him were witnesses of them all.
They had likewise opportunity of observing the unspotted purity of his
conversation, and could witness for him that they never saw in him, nor heard
from him, any thing that had the least tincture of human frailty. Note. (1.) We
have great reason to receive the record which the apostles gave of Christ, for
they did not speak by hearsay, but what they had the greatest assurance of
imaginable, 2 Pt. 1:16; 1 Jn. 1:1, 3. (2.) Those are best able to bear witness
for Christ that have themselves been with him, by faith, hope, and love, and by
living a life of communion with God in him. Ministers must first learn Christ,
and then preach him. Those speak best of the things of God that speak
experimentally. It is particularly a great advantage to have been acquainted
with Christ from the beginning, to understand all things from
the very first, Lu. 1:3. To have been with him from the
beginning of our days. An early acquaintance and constant converse with the
gospel of Christ will make a man like a good householder.
John 16 NLT
1 “I have told you these things so that
you won’t abandon your faith.
2 For you will be expelled from the
synagogues, and the time is coming when those who kill you will think they are
doing a holy service for God.
3 This is because they have never known
the Father or me.
4 Yes, I’m telling you these things now,
so that when they happen, you will remember my warning. I didn’t tell you
earlier because I was going to be with you for a while longer.
5 “But now I am going away to the one who
sent me, and not one of you is asking where I am going.
6 Instead, you grieve because of what I’ve
told you.
7 But in fact, it is best for you that I
go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate won’t come. If I do go away, then I
will send him to you.
8 And when he comes, he will convict the
world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment.
9 The world’s sin is that it refuses to
believe in me.
10Righteousness is available because I go to the
Father, and you will see me no more.
11 Judgment will come because the ruler of
this world has already been judged.
12 “There is so much more I want to tell
you, but you can’t bear it now.
13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will
guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what
he has heard. He will tell you about the future.
14 He will bring me glory by telling you
whatever he receives from me.
15 All that belongs to the Father is mine;
this is why I said, ‘The Spirit will tell you whatever he receives from
me.’
16 “In a little while you won’t see me
anymore. But a little while after that, you will see me again.”
17Some of the disciples asked each other, “What
does he mean when he says, ‘In a little while you won’t see me, but then you
will see me,’ and ‘I am going to the Father’?
18 And what does he mean by ‘a little
while’? We don’t understand.”
19 Jesus realized they wanted to ask him
about it, so he said, “Are you asking yourselves what I meant? I said in a
little while you won’t see me, but a little while after that you will see me
again.
20 I tell you the truth, you will weep and
mourn over what is going to happen to me, but the world will rejoice. You will
grieve, but your grief will suddenly turn to wonderful joy.
21 It will be like a woman suffering the
pains of labor. When her child is born, her anguish gives way to joy because
she has brought a new baby into the world.
22 So you have sorrow now, but I will see you
again; then you will rejoice, and no one can rob you of that joy.
23 At that time you won’t need to ask me
for anything. I tell you the truth, you will ask the Father directly, and he
will grant your request because you use my name.
24 You haven’t done this before. Ask, using
my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy.
25 “I have spoken of these matters in
figures of speech, but soon I will stop speaking figuratively and will tell you
plainly all about the Father.
26Then you will ask in my name. I’m not saying I
will ask the Father on your behalf,
27 for the Father himself loves you dearly
because you love me and believe that I came from God.
28 Yes, I came from the Father into the
world, and now I will leave the world and return to the Father.”
29 Then his disciples said, “At last you
are speaking plainly and not figuratively.
30 Now we understand that you know
everything, and there’s no need to question you. From this we believe that you
came from God.”
31 Jesus asked, “Do you finally
believe?
32 But the time is coming—indeed it’s here
now—when you will be scattered, each one going his own way, leaving me alone.
Yet I am not alone because the Father is with me.
33 I have told you all this so that you may
have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take
heart, because I have overcome the world.”
John 16 Bible
Commentary
Matthew Henry Bible
Commentary (complete)
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Complete Concise
Among other glorious things God hath spoken of himself this is one, I wound,
and I heal, Deu. 32, 39. Christ's discourse in this chapter, which continues
and concludes his farewell sermon to his disciples, does so. I. Here are
wounding words in the notice he gives them of the troubles that were before
them (v. 1-6). II. Here are healing words in the comforts he administers to
them for their support under those troubles, which are five:— 1. That he would
send them the Comforter (v. 7-15). 2. That he would visit them again at his
resurrection (v. 16-22). 3. That he would secure to them an answer of peace to
all their prayers (v. 23-27). 4. That he was now but returning to his Father
(v. 28-32). 5. That, whatever troubles they might meet with in this world, by
virtue of his victory over it they should be sure of peace in him (v. 33).
Verses 1-6
Christ dealt faithfully with his disciples when he sent them forth on his
errands, for he told them the worst of it, that they might sit down and count
the cost. He had told them in the chapter before to expect the world's hatred;
now here in these verses,
I. He gives them a reason why he alarmed them thus with the expectation of
trouble: These things have I spoken unto you, that you should not be
offended, or scandalized, v. 1. 1. The disciples of
Christ are apt to be offended at the cross; and the offence of the cross is a
dangerous temptation, even to good men, to turn back from the ways of God, or
turn aside out of them, or drive on heavily in them; to quit either their
integrity or their comfort. It is not for nothing that a suffering time is
called an hour of temptation. 2. Our Lord Jesus, by giving us
notice of trouble, designed to take off the terror of it, that it might not be
a surprise to us. Of all the adversaries of our peace, in this world of
troubles, none insult us more violently, nor put our troops more into disorder,
than disappointment does; but we can easily welcome a guest we expect,
and being fore-warned are fore-armed—Praemoniti, praemuniti.
II. He foretels particularly what they should suffer (v. 2): "Those that
have power to do it shall put you out of their synagogues; and
this is not the worst, they shall kill you." Ecce
duo-gladii—Behold two swords drawn against the followers of the Lord
Jesus.
1. The sword of ecclesiastical censure; this is drawn against them by the Jews,
for they were the only pretenders to church-power. They shall cast you
out of their synagogues; aposynagoµgous poieµsousin hymas—they
shall make you excommunicates. (1.) "They shall cast you out of
the particular synagogues you were members of." At first, they scourged
them in their synagogues as contemners of the law (Mt. 10:17), and at length
cast them out as incorrigible. (2.) "They shall cast you out of the
congregation of Israel in general, the national church of the Jews; shall debar
you from the privileges of that, put you into the condition of an
outlaw," qui caput gerit lupinum—to be knocked on the head, like
another wolf; "they will look upon you as Samaritans, as heathen
men and publicans." Interdico tibi aqua et igne—I forbid you the
use of water and fire. And were it not for the penalties, forfeitures,
and incapacities, incurred hereby, it would be no injury to be thus driven out
of a house infected and falling. Note, It has often been the lot of Christ's
disciples to be unjustly excommunicated. Many a good truth has been branded
with an anathema, and many a child of God delivered to Satan.
2. The sword of civil power: "The time cometh, the hour is come; now
things are likely to be worse with you than hitherto they have been; when you
are expelled as heretics, they will kill you, and think they do God
service, and others will think so too." (1.) You will find them
really cruel: They will kill you. Christ's sheep have been
accounted as sheep for the slaughter; the twelve apostles (we are told) were
all put to death, except John. Christ had said (ch. 15, 17), You shall bear
witness, martyreite— you shall be martyrs, shall
seal the truth with your blood, your heart's blood. (2.) You will find
them seemingly conscientious; they will think they do God
service; they will seem latreian prospherein—to offer a good
sacrifice to God; as those that cast out God's servants of old, and
said, Let the Lord be glorified, Isa. 66:5. Note, [1.] It is
possible for those that are real enemies to God's service to pretend a mighty
zeal for it. The devil's work has many a time been done in God's livery, and
one of the most mischievous enemies Christianity ever had sits in the
temple of God. Nay, [2.] It is common to patronise an enmity to
religion with a color of duty to God, and service to his church. God's people
have suffered the greatest hardships from conscientious persecutors. Paul
verily thought he ought to do what he did against the
name of Jesus. This does not at all lessen the sin of the persecutors,
for villanies will never be consecrated by putting the name of God to them; but
it does enhance the sufferings of the persecuted, to die under the character of
being enemies to God; but there will be a resurrection of names as well as of
bodies at the great day.
III. He gives them the true reason of the world's enmity and rage against them
(v. 3): "These things will they do unto you,not because you
have done them any harm, but because they have not known the Father,
nor me. Let this comfort you, that none will be your enemies but the
worst of men." Note, 1. Many that pretend to know God are wretchedly
ignorant of him. Those that pretend to do him service thought
they knew him, but it was a wrong notion they had of him. Israel transgressed
the covenant, and yet cried, My God, we know thee. Hos. 8:1,
2. 2. Those that are ignorant of Christ cannot have any right knowledge of God.
In vain do men pretend to know God and religion, while they slight Christ and
Christianity. 3. Those are very ignorant indeed of God and Christ that think it
an acceptable piece of service to persecute good people. Those that know Christ
know that he came not into the world to destroy men's lives, but to
save them; that he rules by the power of truth and love, not of fire
and sword. Never was such a persecuting church as that which makes ignorance
the mother of devotion.
IV. He tells them why he gave them notice of this now, and why not sooner.
1. Why he told them of it now (v. 4), not to discourage them, or add to their
present sorrow; nor did he tell them of their danger that they might contrive
how to avoid it, but that "when the time shall come (and
you may be sure it will come), you may remember that I told you." Note,
When suffering times come it will be of use to us to remember what Christ has
told us of sufferings. (1.) That our belief of Christ's foresight and
faithfulness may be confirmed; and, (2.) That the trouble may be the less
grievous, for we were told of it before, and we took up our profession in
expectation of it, so that it ought not to be a surprise to us, nor looked upon
as a wrong to us. As Christ in his sufferings, so his followers in theirs,
should have an eye to the fulfilling of the scripture.
2. Why he did not tell them of it sooner: "I spoke not this to you
from the beginning when you and I came to be first acquainted,
because I was with you." (1.) While he was with them, he
bore the shock of the world's malice, and stood in the front of the battle;
against him the powers of darkness levelled all their force, not against small
or great, but only against the king of Israel, and
therefore he did not need to say so much to them of suffering, because it did
not fall much to their share; but we do find that from the beginning he bade
them prepare for sufferings; and therefore, (2.) It seems rather to be meant of
the promise of another comforter. This he had said little of
to them at the beginning, because he was himself with them to
instruct, guide, and comfort them, and then they needed not the promise of the
Spirit's extraordinary presence. The children of the bride-chamber would not
have so much need of a comforter till the bridegroom should be taken
away.
V. He expresses a very affectionate concern for the present sadness of his
disciples, upon occasion of what he had said to them (v. 5, 6): "Now I
am to be no longer with you, but go my way to him that sent me, to
repose there, after this fatigue; and none of you asketh me, with
any courage, Whither goest thou? But, instead of enquiring
after that which would comfort you, you pore upon that which looks melancholy,
and sorrow has filled your heart."
1. He had told them that he was about to leave them: Now I go my way. He
was not driven away by force, but voluntarily departed; his life was not
extorted from him, but deposited by him. He went to him that sent him, to
give an account of his negotiation. Thus, when we depart out of this world,
we go to him that sent us into it, which should make us all
solicitous to live to good purposes, remembering we have a commission to
execute, which must be returned at a certain day.
2. He had told them what hard times they must suffer when he was gone, and that
they must not expect such an easy quiet life as they had had. Now, if these
were the legacies he had to leave to them, who had left all for
him, they would be tempted to think they had made a sorry bargain of it, and
were, for the present, in a consternation about it, in which their master
sympathizes with them, yet blames them, (1.) That they were careless of the
means of comfort, and did not stir up themselves to seek it: None of
you asks me, Whither goest thou? Peter had started this question (ch.
13:36), and Thomas had seconded it (ch. 14:5), but they did not pursue it, they
did not take the answer; they were in the dark concerning it, and did not
enquire further, nor seek for fuller satisfaction; they did not continue
seeking, continue knocking. See what a compassionate teacher Christ is, and how
condescending to the weak and ignorant. Many a teacher will not endure that the
learner should ask the same question twice; if he cannot take a thing quickly,
let him go without it; but our Lord Jesus knows how to deal with babes, that
must be taught with precept upon precept. If the disciples
here would have found that his going away was for his advancement, and
therefore his departure from them should not inordinately trouble them (for why
should they be against his preferment?) and for their advantage, and therefore
their sufferings for him should not inordinately trouble them; for a sight
of Jesus at the right hand of God would be an effectual
support to them, as it was to Stephen. Note, A humble believing enquiry into
the design and tendency of the darkest dispensations of Providence would help
to reconcile us to them, and to grieve the less, and fear the less, because of
them; it will silence us to ask, Whence came they? but will abundantly satisfy
us to ask, Whither go they? for we know they work for good, Rom.
8:28.
(2.) That they were too intent, and pored too much, upon the occasions of their
grief: Sorrow has filled their hearts. Christ had said enough
to fill them with joy (ch. 15:11); but by looking at that only which made
against them, and overlooking that which made for them, they were so full of
sorrow that there was no room left for joy. Note, It is the common fault and
folly of melancholy Christians to dwell upon the dark side of the cloud, to
meditate nothing but terror, and turn a deaf ear to the voice of joy
and gladness. That which filled the disciples' hearts with sorrow, and
hindered the operation of the cordials Christ administered, was too great an
affection to this present life. They were big with hopes of their Master's
external kingdom and glory, and that they should shine and reign with him: and
now, instead of that, to hear of nothing but bonds and afflictions, this filled
them with sorrow. Nothing is a greater prejudice to our joy in God than the
love of the world; and the sorrow of the world, the
consequence of it.
Verses 7-15
As it was usual with the Old Testament prophets to comfort the church in its
calamities with the promise of the Messiah (Isa. 9:6; Mic. 5:6; Zec. 3:8); so,
the Messiah being come, the promise of the Spirit was the great cordial, and is
still.
Three things we have here concerning the Comforter's coming:—
I. That Christ's departure was absolutely necessary to the Comforter's coming,
v. 7. The disciples were so loth to believe this that Christ saw cause to
assert it with a more than ordinary solemnity: I tell you the truth. We
may be confident of the truth of everything that Christ told
us; he has no design to impose upon us. Now, to make them easy, he here tells
them,
1. In general, It was expedient for them that he should go away. This
was strange doctrine, but if it was true it was comfortable enough, and showed
them how absurd their sorrow was. It is expedient, not only
for me, but for you also, that I go away; though
they did not see it, and are loth to believe it, so it is. Note, (1.) Those
things often seem grievous to us that are really expedient for us; and
particularly our going away when we have finished our course. (2.) Our Lord
Jesus is always for that which is most expedient for us, whether we think so or
no. He deals not with us according to the folly of our own choice, but
graciously over-rules it, and gives us the physic we are loth to take, because
he knows it is good for us.
2. It was therefore expedient because it was in order to the
sending of the Spirit. Now observe,
(1.) That Christ's going was in order to the Comforter's coming.
[1.] This is expressed negatively: If I go not away, the Comforter will
not come. And why not? First, So it was settled in
the divine counsels concerning this affair, and the measure must not be
altered; shall the earth be forsaken for them? He that gives
freely may recall one gift before he bestows another, while we would fondly
hold all. Secondly, It is congruous enough that the ambassador
extraordinary should be recalled, before the envoy come, that is constantly to
reside. Thirdly, The sending of the Spirit was to be the fruit
of Christ's purchase, and that purchase was to be made by his death, which was
his going away. Fourthly, It was to be an answer to his
intercession within the veil. See ch. 14:16. Thus must this gift be both paid
for, and prayed for, by our Lord Jesus, that we might learn to put the greater
value upon it. Fifthly,The great argument the Spirit was to use in
convincing the world must be Christ's ascension into heaven, and his welcome
here. See v. 10, and ch. 7:39. Lastly, The disciples must be
weaned from his bodily presence, which they were too apt to dote upon, before
they were duly prepared to receive the spiritual aids and comforts of a new
dispensation.
[2.] It is expressed positively: If I depart I will send him to you; as
though he had said, "Trust me to provide effectually that you shall be no
loser by my departure." The glorified Redeemer is not unmindful of his
church on earth, nor will ever leave it without its necessary supports. Though
he departs, he sends the Comforter, nay, he departs on purpose
to send him. Thus still, though one generation of ministers and Christians
depart, another is raised up in their room, for Christ will maintain his own
cause.
(2.) That the presence of Christ's Spirit in his church is so much better, and
more desirable, than his bodily presence, that it was really expedient for us
that he should go away, to send the Comforter. His corporal presence could be
put in one place at one time, but his Spirit is every where, in all places, at
all times, wherever two or three are gathered in his name.Christ's
bodily presence draws men's eyes, his Spirit draws their hearts; that was the
letter which kills, his Spirit gives life.
II. That the coming of the Spirit was absolutely necessary to
the carrying on of Christ's interests on earth (v. 8): And when he is
come, elthoµn ekeinos. He that is sent is willing of himself to
come, and at his first coming he will do this, he will reprove, or,
as the margin reads it, he will convince the world, by your
ministry, concerning sin, righteousness, and judgment.
1. See here what the office of the Spirit is, and on what errand he is sent.
(1.) To reprove. The Spirit, by the word and conscience, is a
reprover; ministers are reprovers by office, and by them the Spirit reproves.
(2.) To convince. It is a law-term, and speaks the office of
the judge in summing up the evidence, and setting a matter that has been long
canvassed in a clear and true light. He shall convince, that
is, "He shall put to silence the adversaries of Christ and his cause, by
discovering and demonstrating the falsehood and fallacy of that which they have
maintained, and the truth and certainty of that which they have opposed."
Note, Convincing work is the Spirit's work; he can do it effectually, and none
but he; man may open the cause, but it is the Spirit only that can open the
heart. The Spirit is called the Comforter (v. 7), and here it
is said, He shall convince. One would think this were cold
comfort, but it is the method the Spirit takes, first to convince, and then to
comfort; first to lay open the wound, and then to apply healing medicines. Or,
taking conviction more generally, for a demonstration of what is right, it
intimates that the Spirit's comforts are solid, and grounded upon truth.
2. See who they are whom he is to reprove and convince: The world, both
Jew and Gentile. (1.) He shall give the world the most powerful means of
conviction, for the apostles shall go into all the world, backed by the Spirit,
to preach the gospel, fully proved. (2.) He shall sufficiently provide for the
taking off and silencing of the objections and prejudices of the world against
the gospel. Many an infidel was convinced of all and judged of all, 1
Co. 14:24. (3.) He shall effectually and savingly convince many in the world,
some in every age, in every place, in order to their conversion to the faith of
Christ. Now this was an encouragement to the disciples, in reference to the
difficulties they were likely to meet with, [1.] That they should see good
done, Satan's kingdom fall like lightning, which would be
their joy, as it was his. Even this malignant world the Spirit shall work upon;
and the conviction of sinners is the comfort of faithful ministers. [2.] That
this would be the fruit of their services and sufferings, these should
contribute very much to this good work.
3. See what the Spirit shall convince the world of.
(1.) Of sin (v. 9), because they believe not on me. [1.]
The Spirit is sent to convince sinners of sin, not barely to tell them of it;
in conviction there is more than this; it is to prove it upon them, and force
them to own it, as they (ch. 8:9) that were convicted of their own
consciences. Make them to know their abominations. The Spirit
convinces of the fact of sin, that we have done so and so; of the fault of sin,
that we have done ill in doing so; of the folly of sin, that we have acted
against right reason, and our true interest; of the filth of sin, that by it we
are become odious to God; of the fountain of sin, the corrupt nature; and
lastly, of the fruit of sin, that the end thereof is death. The Spirit
demonstrates the depravity and degeneracy of the whole world, that all the
world is guilty before God. [2.] The Spirit, in conviction, fastens especially
upon the sin of unbelief, their not believing in Christ, First, As
the great reigning sin. There was, and is, a world of people, that believe not
in Jesus Christ, and they are not sensible that it is their sin. Natural
conscience tells them that murder and theft are sin; but it is a supernatural
work of the spirit to convince them that it is a sin to suspend their belief of
the gospel, and to reject the salvation offered by it. Natural religion, after
it has given us its best discoveries and directions, lays and leaves us under
this further obligation, that whatever divine revelation shall be made to us at
any time, with sufficient evidence to prove it divine, we accept it, and submit
to it. This law those transgress who, when God speaketh to us by his
Son, refuse him that speaketh; and therefore it is sin. Secondly, As
the great ruining sin. Every sin is so in its own nature; no sin is so to them
that believe in Christ; so that it is unbelief that damns sinners. It is because
of this that they cannot enter into rest, that they
cannot escape the wrath of God; it is a sin against the
remedy. Thirdly, As that which is at the bottom of all sin; so
Calvin takes it. The Spirit shall convince the world that the true reason why sin
reigns among them is because they are not by faith united to Christ. Ne
putimus vel guttam unam rectitudinis sine Christo nobis inesse—Let us not
suppose that, apart from Christ, we have a drop of rectitude.—Calvin.
(2.) Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and you see me no
more, v. 10. We may understand this, [1.] Of Christ's personal
righteousness. He shall convince the world that Jesus of Nazareth was Christ
the righteous (1 Jn. 2:1), as the centurion owned (Lu. 23:47), Certainly
this was a righteous man. His enemies put him under the worst of
characters, and multitudes were not or would not be convinced but that he was a
bad man, which strengthened their prejudices against his doctrine; but he
is justified by the spirit (1 Tim. 3:16), he is proved to be
a righteous man, and not, a deceiver; and then the point is in
effect gained; for he is either the great Redeemer or a great cheat; but a
cheat we are sure he is not. Now by what medium or argument will the Spirit
convince men of the sincerity of the Lord Jesus? Why, First, Their seeing
him no more will contribute something towards the removal of their
prejudices; they shall see him no more in the likeness of sinful flesh,
in the form of a servant, which made them slight him. Moses was more
respected after his removal than before. But, Secondly, His going
to the Father would be a full conviction of it. The coming of the
Spirit, according to the promise, was a proof of Christ's exaltation to
God's right hand (Acts 2:33), and this was a demonstration of
his righteousness; for the holy God would never set a deceiver at his right
hand. [2.] Of Christ's righteousness communicated to us for our justification
and salvation; that everlasting righteousness which Messiah was to bring in,
Dan. 9:24. Now, First, The Spirit shall convince men of this
righteousness. Having by convictions of sin shown them their need of a
righteousness, lest this should drive them to despair he will show them where
it is to be had, and how they may, upon their believing, be acquitted from
guilt, and accepted as righteous in God's sight. It was hard to convince those
of this righteousness that went about to establish their own (Rom.
10:3), but the Spirit will do it. Secondly,Christ's ascension is
the great argument proper to convince men of this righteousness: I go
to the Father, and, as an evidence of my welcome with him, you
shall see me no more. If Christ had left any part of his undertaking
unfinished, he had been sent back again; but now that we are sure he is at
the right hand of God, we are sure of being justified through him.
(3.) Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged, v.
11. Observe here, [1.] The devil, the prince of this world,was
judged, was discovered to be a great deceiver and destroyer, and as such judgment
was entered against him, and execution in part done. He was cast out of the
Gentile world when his oracles were silenced and his altars deserted, cast out
of the bodies of many in Christ's name, which miraculous power continued long
in the church; he was cast out of the souls of people by the grace of God
working with the gospel of Christ; he fell as lightning from heaven. [2.]
This is a good argument wherewith the Spirit convinces the world of judgment,
that is, First, Of inherent holiness and sanctification, Mt.
12:18. By the judgment of the prince of this world, it appears
that Christ is stronger than Satan, and can disarm and dispossess him, and set
up his throne upon the ruin of his. Secondly, Of a new and
better dispensation of things. He shall show that Christ's errand into the
world was to set things to right in it, and to introduce times of reformation
and regeneration; and he proves it by this, that the prince of this
world, the great master of misrule, is judged and expelled. All will
be well when his power is broken who made the mischief. Thirdly, Of
the power and dominion of the Lord Jesus. He shall convince the world
that all judgment is committed to him, and that he is
the Lord of all, which is evident by this, that he has judged
the prince of this world, has broken the serpent's head, destroyed him
that had the power of death, and spoiled principalities; if Satan be
thus subdued by Christ, we may be sure no other power can stand before
him. Fourthly, Of the final day of judgment: all the obstinate
enemies of Christ's gospel and kingdom shall certainly be reckoned with at
last, for the devil, their ringleader, is judged.
III. That the coming of the Spirit would be of unspeakable advantage to the
disciples themselves. The Spirit has work to do, not only on the enemies of
Christ, to convince and humble them, but upon his servants and agents, to
instruct and comfort them; and therefore it was expedient for them that
he should go away.
1. He intimates to them the tender sense he had of their present weakness (v.
12): I have yet many things to say unto you (not which should
have been said, but which he could and would have said), but you cannot
bear them now. See what a teacher Christ is. (1.) None like him for
copiousness; when he has said much, he has still many things more to say;
treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hid in him, if we be not straitened in
ourselves. (2.) None like him for compassion; he would have told them more
of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God, particularly of
the rejection of the Jews and the calling of the Gentiles, but they could not
bear it, it would have confounded and stumbled them, rather than have given
them any satisfaction. When, after his resurrection, they spoke to him of restoring
the kingdom to Israel,he referred them to the coming of the Holy
Ghost, by which they should receive power to bear those discoveries
which were so contrary to the notions they had received that they could
not bear them now.
2. He assures them of sufficient assistances, by the pouring out of the Spirit.
They were now conscious to themselves of great dulness, and many mistakes; and
what shall they do now their master is leaving them? "But when he,
the Spirit of Truth, is come, you will be easy, and all will be
well." Well indeed; for he shall undertake to guide the apostles, and
glorify Christ.
(1.) To guide the apostles. He will take care,
[1.] That they do not miss their way: He will guide you; as
the camp of Israel was guided through the wilderness by the pillar of
cloud and fire. The Spirit guided their tongues in speaking, and their
pens in writing, to secure them from mistakes. The Spirit is given us to be our
guide (Rom. 8:14), not only to show us the way, but to go along with us, by his
continued aids and influences.
[2.] That they do not come short of their end: He will guide them into
all truth, as the skilful pilot guides the ship into the port it is
bound for. To be led into a truth is more than barely to know
it; it is to be intimately and experimentally acquainted with it; to be piously
and strongly affected with it; not only to have the notion of it in our heads,
but the relish and savour and power of it in our hearts; it denotes a gradual
discovery of truth shining more and more: "He shall lead you by those truths
that are plain and easy to those that are more difficult." But how
into all truth? The meaning is,
First, Into the whole truth relating to their embassy; whatever was
needful or useful for them to know, in order to the due discharge of their office,
they should be fully instructed in it; what truths they were to teach others
the Spirit would teach them, would give them the understanding of, and enable
them both to explain and to defend.
Secondly, Into nothing but the truth. All that he shall guide
you into shall be truth (1 Jn. 2:27); the
anointing is truth. In the following words he proves both these:—1.
"The Spirit shall teach nothing but the truth, for he shall not
speak of himselfany doctrine distinct from mine, but whatsoever he
shall hear, and knows to be the mind of the Father, that, and
that only, shall he speak." This intimates, (1.) That the
testimony of the Spirit, in the word and by the apostles, is what we may rely
upon. The Spirit knows and searches all things, even
the deep things of God, and the apostles received that Spirit (1 Co.
2:10, 11), so that we may venture our souls upon the Spirit's word. (2.) That
the testimony of the Spirit always concurs with the word of Christ, for
he does not speak of himself, has no separate interest or intention of
his own, but, as in essence so in records, he is one with the Father
and the Son, 1 Jn. 5:7. Men's word and spirit often disagree, but the
eternal Word and the eternal Spirit never do. 2. "He shall teach you all
truth, and keep back nothing that is profitable for you, for he will
show you things to come." The Spirit was in the apostles a Spirit
of prophecy; it was foretold that he should be so (Joel 2:28), and he was
so. The Spirit showed them things to come, as Acts 11:28;
20:23; 21:11. The Spirit spoke of the apostasy of the latter times, 1
Tim. 4:1. John, when he was in the Spirit had things to come shown
him in vision. Now this was a great satisfaction to their own minds, and of use
to them in their conduct, and was also a great confirmation of their mission.
Jansenius has a pious note upon this: We should not grudge that the Spirit does
not show us things to come in this world, as he did to the
apostles; let it suffice that the Spirit in the word hath shown us
things to come in the other world, which are our chief concern.
(2.) The Spirit undertook to glorify Christ, v. 14, 15. [1.] Even the sending
of the Spirit was the glorifying of Christ. God the Father glorified him in
heaven, and the Spirit glorified him on earth. It was the honour of the
Redeemer that the Spirit was both sent in his name and sent on his errand, to
carry on and perfect his undertaking. All the gifts and graces of the Spirit,
all the preaching and all the writing of the apostles, under the influence of
the Spirit, the tongues, and miracles, were to glorify Christ. [2.] The Spirit
glorified Christ by leading his followers into the truth as it is in
Jesus, Eph. 4:21. He assures them, First, that the
Spirit should communicate the things of Christ to them: He shall receive
of mine, and shall show it unto you. As in essence he
proceeded from the Son, so in influence and operation he derived from
him. He shall take ek tou emou—of that which is
mine. All that the Spirit shows us, that is, applies to us, for our
instruction and comfort, all that he gives us for our strength and quickening,
and all that he secures and seals to us, did all belong to Christ, and was had
and received from him. All was his, for he bought it, and paid dearly for it,
and therefore he had reason to call it his own; his, for he first received it;
it was given him as the head of the church, to be communicated by him to all
his members. The Spirit came not to erect a new kingdom, but to advance and
establish the same kingdom that Christ had erected, to maintain the same
interest and pursue the same design; those therefore that pretend to the
Spirit, and vilify Christ, give themselves the lie, for he came to glorify
Christ. Secondly, That herein the things of God should be
communicated to us. Lest any should think that the receiving of this would not
make them much the richer, he adds, All things that the Father hath are
mine. As God, all that self-existent light and self-sufficient
happiness which the Father has, he has; as Mediator, all
things are delivered to him of the Father (Mt. 11:27); all that grace
and truth which God designed to show us he lodged in the hands of the
Lord Jesus, Col. 1:19. Spiritual blessings in heavenly things are given by the
Father to the Son for us, and the Son entrusts the Spirit to convey them to us.
Some apply it to that which goes just before: He shall show you things
to come, and so it is explained by Rev. 1:1. God gave it to
Christ, and he signified it to John, who wrote what the Spirit said, Rev.
1:1.
Verses 16-22
Our Lord Jesus, for the comfort of his sorrowful disciples, here promises that
he would visit them again.
I. Observe the intimation he gave them of the comfort he designed them, v. 16.
Here he tells them,
1. That they should now shortly lose the sight of him: A little while,
and you that have seen me so long, and still desire to see me,
shall not see me; and therefore, if they had any good question to ask
him, they must ask quickly, for he was now taking his leave of them. Note, It
is good to consider how near to a period our seasons of grace are, that we may
be quickened to improve them while they are continued. Now our eyes see our
teachers, see the days of the Son of man;but, perhaps, yet a little
while, and we shall not see them. They lost the sight of Christ, (1.)
At his death, when he withdrew from this world, and never after showed himself
openly in it. The most that death does to our Christian friends is to take them
out of our sight, not out of being, not out of bliss, but out of all relation
to us, only out of sight, and then not out of mind. (2.) At his ascension, when
he withdrew from them (from those who, after his resurrection, had for some
time conversed with him), out of their sight; a cloud received him,
and, though they looked up steadfastly after him, they saw him no more, Acts
1:9, 10; 2 Ki. 2:12. See 2 Co. 5:16.
2. That yet they should speedily recover the sight of him; Again a
little while, and you shall see me, and therefore you ought not
to sorrow as those that have no hope. His farewell was not a
final farewell; they should see him again, (1.) At his resurrection, soon after
his death, when he showed himself alive, by many infallible
proofs, and this in a very little while, not forty hours. See Hos. 6:2. (2.) By
the pouring out of the Spirit, soon after his ascension, which scattered the
mists of ignorance and mistake they were almost lost in, and gave them a much
clearer insight into the mysteries of Christ's gospel than they had yet had.
The Spirit's coming was Christ's visit to his disciples, not a transient but a
permanent one, and such a visit as abundantly retrieved the sight of him. (3.)
At his second coming. They saw him again as they removed one by one to him at
death, and they shall see him together at the end of time, when he shall
come in the clouds, and every eye shall see him. It might be truly
said of this that it was but a little while, and they should see him;for
what are the days of time, to the days of eternity? 2 Pt. 3:8, 9.
3. He assigns the reason: "Because I go to the Father; and
therefore," (1.) "I must leave you for a time, because my business
calls me to the upper world, and you must be content to spare me, for really my
business is yours." (2.) "Therefore you shall see me again shortly,
for the Father will not detain me to your prejudice. If I go upon your errand,
you shall see me again as soon as my business is done, as soon as is
convenient."
It should seem, all this refers rather to his going away at death, and return
at his resurrection, than his going away at the ascension, and his return at
the end of time; for it was his death that was their grief, not his ascension
(Lu. 24:52), and between his death and resurrection it was indeed a little
while. And it may be read, not, yet a little while (it
is not eti mikron, as it is ch. 12:35), but mikron—for
a little while you shall not see me, namely, the three days of his
lying in the grave; and again, for a little while you shall see me, namely,
the forty days between his resurrection and ascension. Thus we may say of our
ministers and Christian friends, Yet a little while, and we shall not
see them, either they must leave us or we must leave them, but it is
certain that we must part shortly, and yet not part for ever. It is but a good
night to those whom we hope to see with joy in the morning.
II. The perplexity of the disciples upon the intimation given them; they were
at a loss what to make of it (v. 17, 18); Some of them said, softly, among
themselves, either some of the weakest, that were least able, or some
of the most inquisitive, that were most desirous, to understand him, What
is this that he saith to us? Though Christ had often spoken to this
purport before, yet still they were in the dark; though precept be upon
precept, it is in vain, unless God gave the understanding. Now see
here, 1. The disciples' weakness, in that they could not understand so plain a
saying, to which Christ had already given them a key, having told them so often
in plain terms that he should be killed, and the third day rise again; yet,
say they, We cannot tell what he saith; for, (1.) Sorrow
had filled their heart, and made them unapt to receive the impressions
of comfort. The darkness of ignorance and the darkness of melancholy commonly
increase and thicken one another; mistakes cause griefs, and then griefs
confirm mistakes. (2.) The notion of Christ's secular kingdom was so deeply
rooted in them that they could make no sense at all of those sayings of his
which they knew not how to reconcile with that notion. When we think the scripture
must be made to agree with the false ideas we have imbibed, no wonder that we
complain of difficulty; but when our reasonings are captivated to revelation,
the matter becomes easy. (3.) It should seem, that which puzzled them was
the little while. If he must go at least, yet they could not
conceive how he should leave them quickly, when his stay hitherto had been so
short, and so little while, comparatively. Thus it is hard for us to represent
to ourselves that change as near which yet we know will come certainly, and may
come suddenly. When we are told, Yet a little while and we
must go hence, yet a little while and we must give up
our account, we know not how to digest it; for we always took the
vision to be for a great while to come, Eze. 12:27. 2. Their
willingness to be instructed. When they were at a loss about the meaning of
Christ's words, they conferred together upon it, and asked help of one another.
By mutual converse about divine things we both borrow the light of others and
improve our own. Observe how exactly they repeat Christ's words. Though we
cannot fully solve every difficulty we meet with in scripture, yet we must not
therefore throw it by, but revolve what we cannot explain, and wait till
God shall reveal even this unto us.
III. The further explication of what Christ had said.
1. See here why Christ explained it (v. 19); because he knew
they were desirous to ask him, and designed it. Note, The knots we
cannot untie we must bring to him who alone can give an understanding.
Christ knew they were desirous to ask him, but were bashful
and ashamed to ask. Note, Christ takes cognizance of pious desires, though they
be not as yet offered up, the groanings that cannot be uttered, and
even anticipates them with the blessings of his goodness. Christ
instructed those who he knew were desirous to ask him, though
they did not ask. Before we call, he answers. Another reason
why Christ explained it was because he observed them canvassing this matter
among themselves: "Do you enquire this among yourselves? Well,
I will make it easy to you." This intimates to us who they are that Christ
will teach: (1.) The humble, that confess their ignorance, for so much their
enquiry implied. (2.) The diligent, that use the means they have: "Do
you enquire? You shall be taught. To him that hath shall be
given."
2. See here how he explained it; not by a nice and critical
descant upon the words, but by bringing the thing more closely to them; he had
told them of not seeing him, and seeing him, and they did not
apprehend the meaning, and therefore he explains it by their sorrowing and
rejoicing, because we commonly measure things according as they affect us (v.
20): You shall weep and lament, for my departure, but
the world shall rejoice in it; and you shall be sorrowful, while
I am absent, but, upon my return to you, your sorrow
will be turned into joy. But he says nothing of the little
while, because he saw that this perplexed them more than any thing;
and it is of no consequence to us to know the times and the seasons.Note,
Believers have joy or sorrow according as they have or have not a sight of
Christ, and the tokens of his presence with them.
(1.) What Christ says here, and in v. 21, 22, of their sorrow and joy, is
primarily to be understood of the present state and circumstances of the
disciples, and so we have,
[1.] Their grief foretold: You shall weep and lament, and you shall be
sorrowful. The sufferings of Christ could not but be the sorrow of his
disciples. They wept for him because they loved him; the pain of our friend is
a pain to ourselves; when they slept, it was for sorrow, Lu. 22:45. They wept
for themselves, and their own loss, and the sad apprehensions they had of what
would become of them when he was gone. It could not but be a grief to lose him
for whom they had left their all, and from whom they had expected so much.
Christ has given notice to his disciples beforehand to expect sorrow, that they
may treasure up comforts accordingly.
[2.] The world's rejoicing at the same time: But the world shall rejoice. That
which is the grief of saints is the joy of sinners. First, Those
that are strangers to Christ will continue in their carnal
mirth, and not at all interest themselves in their sorrows. It is
nothing to them that pass by, Lam. 1:12. Nay, Secondly, Those
that are enemies to Christ will rejoice because they hope they
have conquered him, and ruined his interest. When the chief priests had Christ
upon the cross, we may suppose they made merry over him, as those that dwell on
earth over the slain witnesses, Rev. 11:10. Let it be no surprise to us if we
see others triumphing, when we are trembling for the ark.
[3.] The return of joy to them in due time: But your sorrow shall be
turned into joy. As the joy of the hypocrite, so the
sorrow of the true Christian, is but for a moment. The disciples were
glad when they saw the Lord. His resurrection was life from
the dead to them, and their sorrow for Christ's sufferings was turned
into a joy of such a nature as could not be damped and embittered by any sufferings
of their own. They were sorrowful, and yet always rejoicing (2
Co. 6:10), had sorrowful lives and yet joyful hearts.
(2.) It is applicable to all the faithful followers of the Lamb, and describes
the common case of Christians.
[1.] Their condition and disposition are both mournful; sorrows are their lot,
and seriousness is their temper: those that are acquainted with Christ must, as
he was, be acquainted with grief; they weep and lament for
that which others make light of, their own sins, and the sins of those about
them; they mourn with sufferers that mourn, and mourn for sinners that mourn
not for themselves.
[2.] The world, at the same time, goes away with all the mirth; they laugh now,
and spend their days so jovially that one would think they neither knew sorrow
nor feared it. Carnal mirth and pleasures are surely none of the best things,
for then the worst men would not have so large a share of them, and the
favourites of heaven be such strangers to them.
[3.] Spiritual mourning will shortly be turned into eternal rejoicing. Gladness
is sown for the upright in heart, that sow tears, and without
doubt they will shortly reap in joy. Their
sorrow will not only be followed with joy, but turned into it; for the most
precious comforts take rise from pious griefs. Thus he illustrates by a
similitude taken from a woman in travail, to whose sorrows he compares those of
his disciples, for their encouragement; for it is the will of Christ that his
people should be a comforted people.
First, Here is the similitude or parable itself (v. 21): A
woman, we know, when she is in travail, hath sorrow, she
is in exquisite pain, because her hour is come, the hour which
nature and providence have fixed, which she has expected, and cannot
escape; but as soon as she is delivered of the child, provided
she be safely delivered, and the child be, though a Jabez (1
Chr. 4:9), yet not a Benoni (Gen. 35:18), then she
remembers no more the anguish, her groans and complaints are over, and
the after—pains are more easily borne, for joy that a man is born into
the world, anthroµpos, one of the human race, a child, be it
son or daughter, for the word signifies either. Observe,
a. The fruit of the curse, in the sorrow and pain of a woman in
travail, according to the sentence (Gen. 3:16), In sorrow shalt thou
bring forth. These pains are extreme, the greatest griefs and pains
are compared to them (Ps. 48:6; Isa. 13:3; Jer. 4:31; 6:24), and they are
inevitable, 1 Th. 5:3. See what this world is; all its roses are surrounded
with thorns, all the children of men are upon this account foolish children,
that they are the heaviness of her that bore them from the
very first. This comes of sin.
b. The fruit of the blessing, in the joy there is for a child
born into the world. If God had not preserved the blessing in force
after the fall, Be fruitful and multiply, parents could never
have looked upon their children with any comfort; but what is the fruit of a
blessing is matter of joy; the birth of a living child is, (a.) The
parents' joy; it makes them very glad, Jer. 20:15. Though children are certain
cares, uncertain comforts, and often prove the greatest crosses, yet it is
natural to us to rejoice at their birth. Could we be sure that our children,
like John, would be filled with the Holy Ghost, we might,
indeed, like his parents, have joy and gladness in their
birth, Lu. 1:14, 15. But when we consider, not only that they are born in sin,
but, as it is expressed, that they are born into the world, a
world of snares and a vale of tears, we shall see reason to rejoice with
trembling, lest it should prove better for them that they had never
been born. (b.) It is such joy as makes the anguish not to be
remembered, or remembered as waters that pass away, Job
11:16. Haec olim meminisse juvabit. Gen. 41:51. Now this is
very proper to set forth, [a.] The sorrows of Christ's disciples in this
world; they are like travailing pains, sure and sharp, but not to last long,
and in order to a joyful product; they are in pain to be delivered, as
the church is described (Rev. 12:2), and the whole creation, Rom.
8:22. And, [b.] Their joys after these sorrows, which will wipe
away all tears, for the former things are passed away, Rev.
21:4. When they are born into that blessed world, and reap the fruit of all their
services and sorrows, the toil and anguish of this world will be no more
remembered, as Christ's were not, when he saw of the travail of his
soul abundantly to his satisfaction, Isa. 53:11.
Secondly, The application of the similitude (v. 22): "You
now have sorrow, and are likely to have more, but I will see
you again, and you me, and then all will be well."
a. Here again he tells them of their sorrow: "You now
therefore have sorrow; therefore, because I am leaving you," as
is intimated in the antithesis, I will see you again. Note,
Christ's withdrawings are just cause of grief to his disciples. If he
hide his face, they cannot be troubled. When the sun
sets, the sun-flower will hang the head. And Christ takes notice of these
griefs, has a bottle for the tears, and a book for the sighs, of all gracious
mourners.
b. He, more largely than before, assures them of a return of joy, Ps.
30:5, 11. He himself went through his own griefs, and bore ours, for
the joy that was set before him; and he would have us encourage
ourselves with the same prospect. Three things recommend the joy:—(a.)
The cause of it: "I will see you again. I will make you a
kind and friendly visit, to enquire after you, and minister comfort to
you." Note, [a.] Christ will graciously return to those that wait
for him, though for a small moment he has seemed to
forsake them, Isa. 54:7. Men, when they are exalted, will scarcely
look upon their inferiors; but the exalted Jesus will visit his disciples. They
shall not only see him in his glory, but he will see them in their meanness. [b.]
Christ's returns are returns of joy to all his disciples. When clouded
evidences are cleared up and interrupted communion is revived, then is
the mouth filled with laughter. (b.) The cordiality of
it: Your heart shall rejoice.Divine consolation put
gladness into the heart. Joy in the heart is solid, and not flashy; it
is secret, and that which a stranger does not intermeddle with; it
is sweet, and gives a good man satisfaction in himself; it is sure, and not easily
broken in upon. Christ's disciples should heartily rejoice in his returns,
sincerely and greatly. (c.) The continuance of it: Your joy no
man taketh from you. Men will attempt to take their joy from them;
they would if they could; but they shall not prevail. Some understand it of the
eternal joy of those that are glorified; those that have entered into
the joy of the Lord shall go no more out. Our joys on earth we are
liable to be robbed of by a thousand accidents, but heavenly joys are
everlasting. I rather understand it of the spiritual joys of those that are
sanctified, particularly the apostles' joy in their apostleship. Thanks
be to God, says Paul, in the name of the rest, who always
causes us to triumph, 2 Co. 2:14. A malicious world would have taken
it from them, they would have lost it; but, when they took everything else from
them, they could not take this; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing. They
could not rob them of their joy, because they could not separate them
from the love of Christ, could not rob them of their God, nor of
their treasure in heaven.
Verses 23-27
An answer to their askings is here promised, for their further comfort. Now
there are two ways of asking: asking by way of enquiry, which is the asking of
the ignorant; and asking by way of request, which is the asking of the
indigent. Christ here speaks of both.
I. By way of enquiry, they should not need to ask (v. 23): "In
that day you shall ask me nothing;" ouk eroµteµsete ouden—you
shall ask no questions; "you shall have such a clear knowledge of
gospel mysteries, by the opening of your understandings, that you shall not
need to enquire" (as Heb. 8:11, they shall not teach);
"you shall have more knowledge on a sudden than hitherto you have had by
diligent attendance." They had asked some ignorant questions (as ch. 9:2),
some ambitious questions (as Mt. 18:1), some distrustful ones (as Mt. 19:27),
some impertinent ones, (as ch. 21:21), some curious ones (as Acts 1:6); but
after the Spirit was poured out, nothing of all this. In the story of
the apostles' Actswe seldom find them asking questions, as David, Shall
I do this? Or, Shall I go thither? For they were
constantly under a divine guidance. In that weighty case of preaching the
gospel to the Gentiles, Peter went, nothing doubting, Acts
10:20. Asking questions supposes us at a loss, or at least at a stand, and the
best of us have need to ask questions; but we should aim at such a full
assurance of understanding that we may not hesitate, but be constantly led in a
plain path both of truth and duty.
Now for this he gives a reason (v. 25), which plainly refers to this promise,
that they should not need to ask questions: "These things have I
spoken unto you in proverbs, in such a way as you have thought not so
plain and intelligible as you could have wished, but the time cometh
when I shall show you plainly, as plainly as you can desire, of
the Father, so that you shall not need to ask questions."
1. The great thing Christ would lead them into was the knowledge of God: "I
will show you the Father, and bring you acquainted with him."
This is that which Christ designs to give and which all true Christians desire
to have. When Christ would express the greatest favour intended for his
disciples, he tells them that it would, show them plainly of the
Father;for what is the happiness of heaven, but immediately and
everlastingly to see God? To know God as the Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ is the greatest mystery for the understanding to please itself
with the contemplation of; and to know him as our Father is the greatest
happiness for the will and affections to please themselves with the choice and
enjoyment of.
2. Of this he had hitherto spoken to them in proverbs, which are wise and
instructive sayings, but figurative, and resting in generals. Christ had spoken
many things very plainly to them, and expounded his parables privately to the
disciples, but, (1.) Considering their dulness, and unaptness to receive what
he said to them, he might be said to speak in proverbs; what he said to them
was as a book sealed, Isa. 29:11. (2.) Comparing the discoveries he had made to
them, in what he had spoken to their ears, with what he would make to them when
he would put his Spirit into their heart, all hitherto had
been proverbs. It would be a pleasing surprise to themselves, and they would
think themselves in a new world, when they would reflect upon all their former
notions as confused and enigmatical, compared with their present clear and
distinct knowledge of divine things. The ministration of the letter was
nothing to that of the Spirit, 2 Co. 3:8-11. (3.) Confining it
to what he had said of the Father, and the counsels of the
Father. what he had said was very dark, compared with what was shortly
to be revealed, Col. 2:2.
3. He would speak to them plainly, parreµsia—with
freedom, of the Father. When the Spirit was poured out, the apostles
attained to a much greater knowledge of divine things than they had before, as
appears by the utterance the Spirit gave them, Acts 2:4. They were led into the
mystery of those things of which they had previously a very confused idea; and
what the Spirit showed them Christ is here said to show them, for, as the
Father speaks by the Son, so the Son by the Spirit. But this promise will have
its full accomplishment in heaven, where we shall see the Father as he
is, face to face,not as we do now, through a glass darkly (1
Co. 13:12), which is matter of comfort to us under the cloud of present
darkness, by reason of which we cannot order our speech, but
often disorder it. While we are here, we have many questions to ask concerning
the invisible God and the invisible world; but in that day we shall see all
things clearly, and ask no more questions.
II. He promises that by way of request they should ask nothing in vain. it is
taken for granted that all Christ's disciples give themselves to prayer. He has
taught them by his precept and pattern to be much in prayer; this must be their
support and comfort when he had left them; their instruction, direction,
strength, and success, must be fetched in by prayer. Now,
1. Here is an express promise of a grant, v. 23. The preface to this promise is
such as makes it inviolably sure, and leaves no room to question it: "Verily,
verily, I say unto you, I pledge my veracity upon it." The
promise itself is incomparably rich and sweet; the golden sceptre is here held
out to us, with the word, What is thy petition, and it shall be
granted? For he says, Whatsoever you shall ask the Father in
my name, he will give it to you. We had it before, ch. 14:13. What
would we more? The promise is as express as we can desire. (1.) We are here
taught how to seek; we must ask the Father in Christ's name; we
must have an eye to God as a Father, and come as children to him; and to Christ
as Mediator, and come as clients. Asking of the Father includes a sense of
spiritual blessings, with a conviction that they are to be had from God only.
It included also humility of address to him, with a believing confidence in
him, as a Father able and ready to help us. Asking in Christ's name includes an
acknowledgment of our own unworthiness to receive any favour from God, a
complacency in the method God has taken of keeping up a correspondence with us
by his Son, and an entire dependence upon Christ as the Lord our
Righteousness. (2.) We are here told how we shall speed: He
will give it to you. What more can we wish for than to have what we
want, nay, to have what we will, in conformity to God's will, for the asking?
He will give it to you from whom proceedeth every good
and perfect gift. What Christ purchased by the merit of his death, he
needed not for himself, but intended it for, and consigned it to, his faithful
followers; and having given a valuable consideration for it, which was accepted
in full, by this promise he draws a bill as it were upon the treasury in
heaven, which we are to present by prayer, and in his name to
ask for that which is purchased and promised, according to the true intent of
the new covenant. Christ had promised them great illumination by the Spirit,
but they must pray for it, and did so, Acts 1:14. God will for this be enquired
of. He had promised them perfection hereafter, but what shall they do in the
mean time? They must continue praying. Perfect fruition is reserved for the
land of our rest; asking and receiving are the comfort of the land of our
pilgrimage.
2. Here is an invitation for them to petition. It is thought sufficient if
great men permit addresses, but Christ calls upon us to petition, v. 24.
(1.) He looks back upon their practice hitherto: Hitherto have you
asked nothing in my name. This refers either [1.] To the matter of
their prayers: "You have asked nothing comparatively, nothing to what you
might have asked, and will ask when the Spirit is poured out." See what a
generous benefactor our Lord Jesus is, above all benefactors; he gives
liberally, and is so far from upbraiding us with the frequency and largeness of
his gifts that he rather upbraids us with the seldomness and straitness of our
requests: "You have asked nothing in comparison of what
you want, and what I have to give, and have promised to give." We are told
to open our mouth wide. Or, [2.] To the name in which they
prayed. They prayed many a prayer, but never so expressly in the name of Christ
as now he was directing them to do; for he had not as yet offered up that great
sacrifice in the virtue of which our prayers were to be accepted, nor entered
upon his intercession for us, the incense whereof was to perfume all our
devotions, and so enable us to pray in his name. Hitherto they had cast out
devils, and healed diseases, in the name of Christ, as a king and a prophet,
but they could not as yet distinctly pray in his name as a priest.
(2.) He looks forward to their practice for the future: Ask and you
shall receive, that your joy may be full. Here, [1.] He directs them
to ask for all that they needed and he had promised. [2.] He assures them that
they shall receive. What we ask from a principle of grace God
will graciously give: You shall receive it. There is something
more in this than the promise that he will give it. He will not only give it,
but give you to receive it, give you the comfort and benefit of it, a
heart to eat of it, Eccl. 6:2. [3.] That hereby their joy
shall be full. This denotes, First. The blessed
effect of the prayer of faith; it helps to fill up the joy
of faith. Would we have our joy full, as full as it is capable of
being in this world, we must be much in prayer. When we are
told to rejoice evermore, it follows immediately, Pray
without ceasing. See how high we are to aim in prayer—not only at
peace, but joy, a fulness of joy. Or, Secondly, The
blessed effects of the answer of peace:"Ask, and you shall
receive that which will fill your joy." God's gifts,
through Christ, fill the treasures of the soul, they fill its joy, Prov. 8:21.
"Ask for the gift of the Holy Ghost, and you shall receive it; and whereas
other knowledge increaseth sorrow (Eccl. 1:18), the knowledge
he gives will increase, will fill, your joy."
3. Here are the grounds upon which they might hope to speed (v. 26, 27), which
are summed up in short by the apostle (1 Jn. 2:1): "We have an
advocate with the Father."
(1.) We have an advocate; as to this, Christ saw cause at present not to insist
upon it, only to make the following encouragement shine the brighter: "I
say not unto you that I will pray the Father for you. Suppose I should
not tell you that I will intercede for you, should not undertake to solicit
every particular cause you have depending there, yet it may be a general ground
of comfort that I have settled a correspondence between you and God, have
erected a throne of grace, and consecrated for you a new and living way
into the holiest." He speaks as if they needed not any favours,
when he had prevailed for the gift of the Holy Ghost to make
intercession within them, as Spirit of adoption, crying Abba,
Father;as if they had no further need of him to pray for them now, but we
shall find that he does more for us than he says he will. Men's performances
often come short of their promises, but Christ's go beyond them.
(2.) We have to do with a Father, which is so great an encouragement that it
does in a manner supersede the other: "For the Father himself
loveth you, philei hymas, he is a friend to you, and you cannot
be better befriended." Note, The disciples of Christ are the beloved of
God himself. Christ not only turned away God's wrath from us, and brought us
into a covenant of peace and reconciliation, but purchased his favour for us,
and brought us into a covenant of friendship. Observe what an emphasis is laid
upon this "The Father himself loveth you, who is
perfectly happy in the enjoyment of himself, whose self-love is both his
infinite rectitude and his infinite blessedness; yet he is pleased to love
you." The Father himself, whose favour you have forfeited, and whose wrath
you have incurred, and with whom you need an advocate, he himself now loves
you. Observe, [1.] Why the Father loved the disciples of Christ: Because
you have loved me, and have believed that I am come from God, that is,
because you are my disciples indeed: not as if the love began on their side,
but when by his grace he has wrought in us a love to him he is well pleased
with the work of his own hands. See here, First, What is the
character of Christ's disciples; they love him, because they believe he
came out from God, is the only-begotten of the Father, and his
high-commissioner to the world. Note, Faith in Christ works by love to him,
Gal. 5:6. If we believe him to be the Son of God, we cannot but love him as
infinitely lovely in himself; and if we believe him to be our Saviour, we
cannot but love him as the most kind to us. Observe with what respect Christ is
pleased to speak of his disciples' love to him, and how kindly he took it; he
speaks of it as that which recommended them to his Father's favour: "You
have loved me and believed in me when the world has hated and rejected me; and
you shall be distinguished yourselves." Secondly, See
what advantage Christ's faithful disciples have, the Father loves them, and
that because they love Christ; so well pleased is he in him that he is well
pleased with all his friends. [2.] What encouragement this gave them in prayer.
They need not fear speeding when they came to one that loved them, and wished
them well. First, This cautions us against hard thoughts of
God. When we are taught in prayer to plead Christ's merit and intercession, it
is not as if all the kindness were in Christ only, and in God nothing but wrath
and fury; no, the matter is not so, the Father's love and good-will appointed
Christ to be the Mediator; so that we owe Christ's merit to God's mercy in
giving him for us. Secondly, Let it cherish and confirm in us
good thoughts of God. Believers, that love Christ, ought to know that God loves
them, and therefore to come boldly to him as children to a loving Father.
Verses 28-33
Two things Christ here comforts his disciples with:—
I. With an assurance that, though he was leaving the world, he was returning to
his Father, from whom he came forth v. 28-32, where we have,
1. A plain declaration of Christ's mission from the Father, and his return to
him (v. 28): I came forth from the Father, and am come, as you
see, into the world. Again, I leave the world, as you will see
shortly, and go to the Father. This is the conclusion of the
whole matter. There was nothing he had more inculcated upon them than these two
things—whence he came, and whither he went, the Alpha and Omega of
the mystery of godliness (1 Tim. 3:16), that the Redeemer, in
his entrance, was God manifest in the flesh, and in his exit
was received up into glory.
(1.) These two great truths are here, [1.] Contracted, and put into a few
words. Brief summaries of Christian doctrine are of great use to young
beginners. The principles of the oracles of God brought into a little compass
in creeds and catechisms have, like the beams of the sun contracted in a
burning glass, conveyed divine light and heat with a wonderful power. Such we
have, Job 28:28; Eccl. 12:13; 1 Tim. 1:15; Tit. 2:11, 12; 1 Jn. 5:11; much in a
little. [2.] Compared, and set the one over against the other. There is an
admirable harmony in divine truths; they both corroborate and illustrate one
another; Christ's coming and his going do so. Christ had commended his disciples
for believing that he came forth from God (v. 27), and thence infers the
necessity and equity of his returning to God again, which therefore should not
seem to them either strange or sad. Note, The due improvement of what we know
and own would help us into the understanding of that which seems difficult and
doubtful.
(2.) If we ask concerning the Redeemer whence he came, and whither
he went, we are told, [1.] That he came from the Father, who
sanctified and sealed him; and he came into this world, this lower world, this
world of mankind, among whom by his incarnation he was pleased to incorporate
himself. Here his business lay, and hither he came to attend it. He left his
home for this strange country; his palace for this cottage; wonderful
condescension! [2. That, when he had done his work on earth, he left the world,
and went back to his Father at his ascension. He was not forced away, but made
it his own act and deed to leave the world, to return to it no more till he
comes to put an end to it; yet still he is spiritually present with his church,
and will be to the end.
2. The disciples' satisfaction in this declaration (v. 29, 30): Lo, now
speakest though plainly. It should seem, this one word of Christ did
them more good than all the rest, though he had said many things likely enough
to fasten upon them. The Spirit, as the wind, blows when and where, and by what
word he pleases; perhaps a word that has been spoken once, yea twice, and
not perceived, yet, being often repeated, takes hold at last. Two things they
improved in by this saying:—
(1.) In knowledge: Lo, now speakest thou plainly. When they
were in the dark concerning what he said, they did not say, Lo, now
speakest thou obscurely, as blaming him; but now that they apprehend
his meaning they give him glory for condescending to their capacity: Lo,
now speakest thou plainly. Divine truths are most likely to do good
when they are spoken plainly, 1 Co. 2:4. Observe how they triumphed, as the
mathematician did with his heureµka, heureµka, when he had hit upon
a demonstration he had long been in quest of: I have found it, I have
found it. Note, When Christ is pleased to speak plainly to our souls,
and to bring us with open face to behold his glory, we have reason to rejoice
in it.
(2.) In faith: Now are we sure. Observe,
[1.] What was the matter of their faith: We believe that thou camest
forth from God. He had said (v. 27) that they did believe this;
"Lord" (say they) "we do believe it, and we have cause to
believe it, and we know that we believe it, and have the comfort of it."
[2.] What was the motive of their faith—his omniscience. This proved him a
teacher come from God, and more than a prophet, that he knew all things, which
they were convinced of by this that he resolved those doubts which were hid in
their hearts, and answered the scruples they had not confessed. Note, Those
know Christ best that know him by experience, that can say of his power, It
works in me; of his love, He loved me. And this proves Christ not only to have
a divine mission, but to be a divine person, that he is a discerner of the
thoughts and intents of the heart, therefore the essential, eternal Word, Heb.
4:12, 13. He has made all the churches to know that he searches the reins and
the heart, Rev. 2:23. This confirmed the faith of the disciples here, as it
made the first impression upon the woman of Samaria that Christ told
her all the things that ever she did (ch. 4:29), and upon Nathanael
that Christ saw him under the fig-tree, ch. 1:48, 49.
These words, and needest not that any man should ask thee, may
bespeak either, First, Christ's aptness to teach. He prevents
us with his instructions, and is communicative of the treasures of
wisdom and knowledge that are hid in him, and needs not to be
importuned. Or, Secondly, His ability to teach: "Thou
needest not, as other teachers, to have the learners' doubts told thee, for
thou knowest, without being told, what they stumble at." The best of
teachers can only answer what is spoken, but Christ can answer what is thought,
what we are afraid to ask, as the disciples were, Mk. 9:32. Thus he can
have compassion, Heb. 5:2.
3. The gentle rebuke Christ gave the disciples for their confidence that they
now understood him, v. 31, 32. Observing how they triumphed in their
attainments, he said, "Do you now believe? Do you now
look upon yourselves as advanced and confirmed disciples? Do you now think you
shall make no more blunders? Alas! you know not your own weakness; you will
very shortly be scattered every man to his own," etc.
Here we have,
(1.) A question, designed to put them upon consideration: Do you now
believe? [1.] "If now, why not sooner? Have you not heard the
same things many a time before?" Those who after many instructions and
invitations are at last persuaded to believe have reason to be ashamed that
they stood it out so long. [2.] "If now, why not ever? When an hour of
temptation comes, where will your faith be then?" As far as there is
inconstancy in our faith there is cause to question the sincerity of it, and to
ask, "Do we indeed believe?"
(2.) A prediction of their fall, that, how confident soever they were now of
their own stability, in a little time they would all desert him, which was
fulfilled that very night, when, upon his being seized by a party of the
guards, all his disciples forsook him and fled, Mt. 26:56.
They were scattered, [1.] From one another; they shifted every one for his own
safety, without any care or concern for each other. Troublous times are times
of scattering to Christian societies; in the cloudy and dark day the flock of
Christ is dispersed, Eze. 34:12. So Christ, as a society, is not visible. [2.]
Scattered for him: You shall leave me alone. They should have
been witnesses for him upon his trial, should have ministered to him in his
sufferings; if they could have given him no comfort they might have done him
some credit; but they were ashamed of his chain, and afraid of sharing with him
in his sufferings, and left him alone. Note, Many a good cause, when it is
distressed by its enemies, is deserted by its friends. The disciples had continued
with Christ in his other temptations and yet turned their back upon
him now; those that are tried, do not always prove trusty. If we at any time
find our friends unkind to us, let us remember that Christ's were so to him.
When they left him alone, they were scattered every man to his own; not
to their own possessions or habitations, these were in Galilee; but to their
own friends and acquaintance in Jerusalem; every one went his own way, where he
fancied he should be most safe. Every man to secure his own; himself and his
own life. Note, Those will not dare to suffer for their religion that seek
their own things more than the things of Christ, and
that look upon the things of this world as their ta idia—their
own property, and in which their happiness is bound up. Now observe
here, First, Christ knew before that his disciples would thus
desert him in the critical moment, and yet he was still tender of them, and in
nothing unkind. We are ready to say of some, "If we could have foreseen
their ingratitude, we would not have been so prodigal of our favours to
them;" Christ did foresee theirs, and yet was kind to them. Secondly,He
told them of it, to be a rebuke to their exultation in their present
attainments: "Do you now believe? Be not high-minded, but
fear; for you will find your faith so sorely shaken as to make it questionable
whether it be sincere or no, in a little time." Note, even when we are
taking the comfort of our graces, it is good to be reminded of our dangers from
our corruptions. When our faith is strong, our love flaming, and our evidences
are clear, yet we cannot infer thence that to-morrow shall be as this
day. Even when we have most reason to think we stand, yet we have
reason enough to take heed lest we fall. Thirdly, He spoke of
it as a thing very near. The hour was already come, in
a manner, when they would be as shy of him as ever they had been fond of him.
Note, A little time may produce great changes, both concerning us and in us.
(3.) An assurance of his own comfort notwithstanding: Yet I am not
alone. He would not be thought to complain of their deserting him, as
if it were any real damage to him; for in their absence he should be sure of
his Father's presence, which was instar omnium—every thing: The Father
is with me. We may consider this, [1.] As a privilege peculiar to the
Lord Jesus; the Father was so with him in his sufferings as he never was with
any, for still he was in the bosom of the Father. The divine
nature did not desert the human nature, but supported it, and put an invincible
comfort and an inestimable value into his sufferings. The Father had engaged to
be with him in his whole undertaking (Ps. 89:21 etc.), and to preserve him
(Isa. 49:8); this emboldened him, Isa. 50:7. Even when he complained of his
Father's forsaking him, yet he called him My God, and
presently after was so well assured of his favourable presence with him as to
commit his Spirit into his hand. This he had comforted himself with all along
(ch. 8:29), He that sent me is with me, the Father hath not left me
alone, and especially now at last. This assists our faith in the
acceptableness of Christ's satisfaction; no doubt, the Father was well pleased
in him, for he went along with him in his undertaking from first to last. [2.]
As a privilege common to all believers, by virtue of their union with Christ;
when they are alone, they are not alone, but the
Father is with them. First, When solitude is their choice, when they
are alone, as Isaac in the field, Nathanael under the fig-tree, Peter upon the
house-top, meditating and praying, the Father is with them. Those that converse
with God in solitude are never less alone than when alone. A good God and a
good heart are good company at any time. Secondly,When solitude is
their affliction, their enemies lay them alone, and their friends leave them
so, their company, like Job's, is made desolate; yet they are not so much alone
as they are thought to be, the Father is with them, as he was
with Joseph in his bonds and with John in his banishment. In their greatest
troubles they are as one whom his father pities, as one whom his mother
comforts. And, while we have God's favourable presence with us, we are happy,
and ought to be easy, though all the world forsake us. Non deo tribuimus
justum honorem nisi solus ipse nobis sufficiat—We do not render due honour to
God, unless we deem him alone all-sufficient.—Calvin.
II. He comforts them with a promise of peace in him, by virtue of his victory
over the world, whatever troubles they might meet with in it (v. 33): "These
things have I spoken, that in me you might have peace; and if you have
it not in me you will not have it at all, for in the world you shall
have tribulation; you must expect no other, and yet may cheer up
yourselves, for I have overcome the world." Observe,
1. The end Christ aimed at in preaching this farewell sermon to his
disciples: That in him they might have peace. He did not
hereby intend to give them a full view of that doctrine which they were shortly
to be made masters of by the pouring out of the Spirit, but only to satisfy
them for the present that his departure from them was really for the best. Or,
we may take it more generally: Christ had said all this to them that by
enjoying him they might have the best enjoyment of themselves. Note, (1.) It is
the will of Christ that his disciples should have peace within, whatever their
troubles may be without. (2.) Peace in Christ is the only true peace, and in
him alone believers have it, for this man shall be the peace,Mic.
5:5. Through him we have peace with God, and so in him we have peace in our own
minds. (3.) The word of Christ aims at this, that in him we may have
peace. Peace is the fruit of the lips, and of his lips, Isa.
57:19.
2. The entertainment they were likely to meet with in the world: "You
shall not have outward peace, never expect it." Though they were sent to
proclaim peace on earth, and good-will towards men, they
must expect trouble on earth, and ill-will from men. Note, It has been the lot
of Christ's disciples to have more or less tribulation in this world. Men
persecute them because they are so good, and God corrects them because they are
no better. Men design to cut them off from the earth, and God designs by
affliction to make them meet for heaven; and so between both they shall
have tribulation.
3. The encouragement Christ gives them with reference hereto: But be of
good cheer, tharseite. "Not only be of good comfort, but
be of good courage; have a good heart on it, all shall be well." Note, In
the midst of the tribulations of this world it is the duty and interest of
Christ's disciples to be of good cheer, to keep up their delight in God
whatever is pressing, and their hope in God whatever is threatening; as
sorrowful indeed, in compliance with the temper of the climate, and yet always
rejoicing, always cheerful (2 Co. 6:10), even in tribulation, Rom.
5:3.
4. The ground of that encouragement: I have overcome the world. Christ's
victory is a Christian triumph. Christ overcame the prince of this world,
disarmed him, and cast him out; and still treads Satan under our feet. He
overcame the children of this world, by the conversion of many to the faith and
obedience of his gospel, making them the children of his kingdom. When he sends
his disciples to preach the gospel to all the world, "Be of good
cheer," says he, "I have overcome the world as
far as I have gone, and so shall you; though you have tribulation in the world,
yet you shall gain your point, and captivate the world," Rev. 6:2. He
overcame the wicked of the world, for many a time he put his enemies to
silence, to shame; "And be you of good cheer, for the Spirit will enable
you to do so too." He overcame the evil things of the world by submitting
to them; he endured the cross, despising it and the shame of it; and he
overcame the good things of it by being wholly dead to them; its honours had no
beauty in his eye, its pleasures no charms. Never was there such a conqueror of
the world as Christ was, and we ought to be encouraged by it, (1.) Because
Christ has overcome the world before us; so that we may look upon it as a
conquered enemy, that has many a time been baffled. Nay, (2.) He has conquered
it for us, as the captain of our salvation. We are interested in his victory;
by his cross the world is crucified to us, which bespeaks it
completely conquered and put into our possession; all is yours, even the
world. Christ having overcome the world, believers have nothing to do
but to pursue their victory, and divide the spoil; and this we do by faith, 1
Jn. 5:4. We are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
