COMMENTARY
ON
THE
GOSPEL ACCORDING TO
JOHN
BY JOHN
CALVIN
A NEW TRANSLATION, FROM THE
ORIGINAL LATIN,
BY THE REV.
WILLIAM PRINGLE
VOLUME
FIRST
THE TRANSLATOR’S
PREFACE
COMMENTARIES ON THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN are
numerous, and some of them are written with great learning and ability. Rarely
has a separate and extended interpretation been given to any of the other three
Gospels, which are, indeed, so closely interwoven with each other, that it is
scarcely possible to expound one of them in a satisfactory manner, without
bringing the whole into one view, comparing parallel passages, accounting for
apparent contradictions, and supplying the omissions of each narrative, to such
an extent as to produce what shall be in substance, though not always in form, a
HARMONY OF THE THREE EVANGELISTS.
Few of these difficulties meet the expositor of
John’s Gospel, in which the slender thread of narrative — until it
reaches the period of the last sufferings of our Savior — does little more
than connect long discourses, which He delivered to the multitude and to his
disciples. Whatever opinion may be formed as to the theory of the elder
Tittmann, that JOHN, wrote his work for the express purpose of proving the
supreme Divinity of Christ, we cannot avoid being struck with the fact, that the
miracles which he selects are distinguished by peculiar grandeur, and that the
discourses which he relates contain the most abundant and delightful exhibitions
of the glory of the Son of God, and of the nature of his mediatorial office,
which our great Master was pleased to make during his personal
ministry.
Lampe, Hutcheson, and Tittmann, are better known, and
more highly esteemed, in this country than any other Commentator on JOHN that
could be named. The three quarto volumes of Lampe are a monument of judicious
toil, and present such stores of philological, historical, and theological
learning as ought never to be mentioned but with respect and gratitude. Though
not free from the faults of the Cocceian School, of which his miscellaneous
treatises afford some unhappy proofs, his Commentary displays generally such
caution and judgment, that it deserves to be not only consulted, but perused
throughout, and carefully studied. Hutcheson wanted both the acuteness and the
industry requisite for the successful elucidation of the Holy Scriptures, but is
justly admired for the copiousness, variety, and excellence of his practical
observations.
Tittmann’s Meletemata Sacra in
Evangelium Joannis, now happily rendered accessible to the English reader,
f1
I must be regarded as one of the most valuable contributions of modern times to
biblical interpretation. Accurate scholarship, elegant and flowing language,
deep reverence for the inspired volume, and a warmth of affectionate piety
closely resembling that of the disciple whom Jesus loved, have gained for
that work a reputation which is likely to increase. To the reader who is chiefly
desirous to ascertain the meaning of Scripture, and who willingly dispenses with
what serves no other purpose than illustration: Tittmann’s exposition of
the first four Chapters of JOHN’S Gospel will be highly acceptable; though
it must be acknowledged that the remaining portion of the work — not
executed till towards the close of the life of the venerable author — is
somewhat less attractive, and, if it has been prepared with equal care, yet, in
consequence of extreme unwillingness to bring forward explanations which had
been already given, it will sometimes disappoint one who only dips into an
occasional passage, and has not made himself familiar with the profound views
unfolded in the earlier pages.
These and other eminent writers have been deeply
indebted to CALVIN’S Commentary on JOHN’S GOSPEL, but have left its
claims to the attention of all classes of readers as strong and urgent as ever.
Where they differ from him, they often go astray, and where they agree with him,
they generally fall below the instructive power of his own pen; for few can
equal his clear and vigorous statements. When he places in a just light —
as he frequently does — those texts which had been wrested for the
confutation of heretics, none but eager and unscrupulous controversialists will
complain. Every honorable mind will admire the unbending integrity of our
Author, which, even in the defense of truth, disdains to employ an unlawful
weapon, and devoutly bows to the dictates of the Holy Spirit.
The present Work brings under review some of the most
intricate questions in theology; and in handling them he is not more careful to
learn all that has been revealed than to avoid unauthorized speculation. They
who know the difficulty of the path will the more highly appreciate so skillful
a guide, who advances with a firm step, points out the bypaths which have misled
the unwary, conducts us to scenes which we had not previously explored, and aids
us in listening to a Divine voice which says, This is the way,
walk, ye in it.
In the HARMONY OF THE THREE EVANGELISTS, the reader
is so constantly referred to this Commentary, which appeared two years sooner,
that the benefit of the former cannot be fully reaped, unless the latter be at
hand. The Author’s references are sometimes vague, but the Translator has
endeavored to discover and point out the page in which the desired information
may be obtained.
W.P.
AUCHTERARDER,
10th April, 1847.
TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE
THE LORD ROBT.
DVDLEY,
EARLE OF
LEYCESTER,
BARON OF DENBIGH, MAISTER OF THE
HORSE TO THE QUEENE’S
MAIESTIE,
KNIGHT OF THE NOBLE ORDER OF
THE GARTER, AND ONE OF THE
QUEENE’S
MAIESTIE, MOST HONORABLE PRIUIE
COUNSEL,
CHANCELOUR OF THE MOST FAMOUS
VNIUERSITIE
OF OXFORD, CHRISTOPHER
FETHERSTONE,
WISHETH ENCREASE OF
SPIRITUALL
GIFTES, LONG LIFE,
HAPPY
DAYES, AND
ENCREASE
OF HONOUR
IT is an old saying, (Right Honorable,) and no
lesse true then olde, that saleable wines neede no iuie bush which prouerb
importeth thus much, that thinges which are of themselues good & commendable
haue not any, at leaste no greate need of commendation. If, therefore, I should
with fine filed phrases, with gay geason woords, with straunge examples, and
notable hystories, compound some long Prologue and tedious Preface in
commendation of this most excellent work and Commentarie, of that famous member
and faithfull Doctour of God’s Church, Maister Iohn Caluine, I might cause
your Honour to suspect the fondnesse thereof: I my selfe should seeme to doubte
of the goodnesse thereof: and, finally, minister occasion to many to condemne me
of folly. Omitting, therefore, that which is needlesse, I descend vnto that
which is needefull: to wit, to excuse my selfe of arrogancie wherof some may
accuse me, in that I dare presume to dedicate vnto your Honour this my
translation, vnto whom I am altogether vnknowne. The loade stone, as men say,
writers do testifie and experience doth teach, hath in it selfe such power,
force, and vertue, that it draweth iron vnto it though it be farre distant;
right so, vertue doth drawe men vnto it, and the reporte thereof causeth men to
loue those whome they haue not seene, and to reuerence those of who they haue
onely heard, which thing, sithence it is so, there is no cause why I shoulde
either be accused of arrogancie or condemned of impudencie for approching so
boldly vnto your Honour, and for suffering this my translation to appeare in
your name. For your friendes confesse, and your foes cannot Justly denie, that
God hath placed in your noble breast great aboundance of most heroicall vertues,
I omit to speake of that rare report of your vnfeigned religion which resoundeth
euery where, and redoundeth to your prayse. I should be tedious if I should set
downe particularly the most vndoubted testimonies of your faithfulness toward
your dread Soueraigne: I should seeme to flatter if I would extoll that godly
magnanimiti, wherwith the Lord hath endued you to maintaine his truth, to defend
the realm, to subdue those proud aspiring Papists. That great and earnest care
which your Honour hath alwaies had, and euen now hath, to support the poore
ministers of the Word and Gospell of Iesus Christ in God’s cause, and in
good causes, hath in it selfe sufficient force to enforce not onely me, but all
thankfull heartes, by word and writing, to bewray all thankfulnesse and
dutifulnesse towards your good Honor, as this, so that singular liberalitie vsed
at all times by your Lordship towards my friends, hath caused me, in dedicating
of this booke to your Honour, to testifie some parte of my thankfull minde in
their behalfe. And heere I am to craue pardon of you, whiche I hope I shall
easily obtaine, for that I haue not behaued my selfe finely as I might though
faithfully as I ought in this my worke. And thus, fearing prolixitie, I
conclude, praying; unto the Lorde God of heauen and earth, that King of Kinges
and Lorde of Lordes, that he will graunt vnto your Honour and to the rest (whom
he hath placed in the like degree of dignitie) his Holy Spirite, that Spirite of
wisdome and vnder-standing, that you may thereby be so directed that all your
thoughts, woordes, and workes, may tend to the setting foorth of God’s
glory, the maintenance of true religion, the preseruation of the realme. So
shall England haue wealth, be voide of woe, enjoy, solace, be free from sorrow,
possesse plentie, nor tast of pouertie, inherite pleasure, and not see paine.
Which God graunt.
Your Honour’s most humble and
obedient,
CHRISTOPHER
FETHERSTONE
TO THE READER
BEING instantly requested (gentle reader) by my godly
zealous friendes, to enterprise the translating of this most learned Commentarie
of M. Iohn Caluine, and being perswaded thervnto by many godly reasons, whereof
God’s glory and the profite of his Church should be the cheife, I could
not nor would not refuse to take that charge vp on me, vnlesse I should haue
forgotten my dutie towardes God, his Church, and my friendes; and now, forasmuch
(gentle reader) as the principal recompence of my paines shal be that profit
which thou shalt reape by the reading of this my translation, I beseech thee
refuse not to take some paines in reading the same. I have not stuft it full of
strange words deriued of the Latine, which might no lesse molest thee then if
they continued Latine as they were. I haue not racked the phrases to make them
runn smoothly to please daintie eares, and so digressed from the truth and
meaning of the authour; but, so much as possible I could, I haue translated
worde for worde, which the learned by conference shall wel perceiue. Long time
haue the godly desired to haue this worke published in the English tongue, and
seeing they haue their desire now, my request vnto them is to accept of my
paines herein. I dare not, good reader, presume so farre vpon mine owne skill as
to saye that there is no faultes committed heerein, but I am earnestly to desire
thee rather courteously to amend them then curiously to condemne me for them.
And thus, trusting to thy curtiesie, I committe thee to the tuition og the
Almightie, who so direct thee by his Spirite, that by reading thou maiest
profite.
Thine in the
Lorde,
CHRISTOPHER
FETHERSTONE
THE AUTHOR’S EPISTLE
DEDICATORY
To The
TRULY HONOURABLE AND ILLUSTRIOUS
LORDS,
THE SYNDICS AND
COUNCIL OF GENEVA,
JOHN
CALVIN
SUPPLICATES FROM THE LORD THE
SPIRIT OF WISDOM AND FIRMNESS, AND A PROSPEROUS
ADMINISTRATION.
I NEVER call to remembrance that saying of Christ, in
which he sets so high a value on the duty of receiving strangers with kindness
as to reckon it done to himself, without considering, at the same time, the
extraordinary honor which he has been pleased to confer on you, by making your
city the resort, not of one or a few individuals, but of his Church at large.
Among heathen countries hospitality was always commended, and was even accounted
one of the principal virtues; and, accordingly, when they intended to denounce
any people as barbarians and savages of the lowest stamp, they called them,
ajxe>nouv,
or — which means the same thing — inhospitable. But far
higher praise is due to you that, in these troublesome and unhappy times, the
Lord has appointed you to be the persons whose support and protection should be
solicited by godly and inoffensive men banished and driven from their native
countries by the wicked and cruel tyranny of Antichrist. And not only so, but he
has also dedicated to his name a sacred dwelling-place among you, where his
worship may be maintained in purity.
Whoever attempts, in the slightest degree, openly to
invade, or secretly to take from you, these two advantages, not only labors to
deprive your city of its brightest ornaments, but beholds its existence and
safety with an envious eye. For though the kind offices which are here performed
towards Christ and his scattered members excite the barking of wicked men
against you, still you ought to look upon yourselves as abundantly compensated
by this single consideration, that angels bless you from heaven, and the
children of God bless you from every quarter of the world; so that you may
boldly despise the foul slander of those men who are not restrained either by
scruples of conscience, or by shame, from pouring out more outrageous insults on
God himself than on you, — nay, who, when they wish to calumniate you,
begin with blaspheming God. Though this very occasion
f2
kindles the rage of many people against you, yet you have no reason to dread any
danger arising from it, so long as their fury shall be counteracted by the
protection of His hand who hath promised that He will be the faithful Guardian
of those cities in which the doctrine of His Gospel shall remain, and in which
godly men, whom the world cannot endure, shall be permitted to dwell. I say
nothing as to its being unnecessary to give yourselves any uneasiness about
conciliating this class of enemies; for there is no man that is hostile to you
for the sake of the Gospel, who would not desire to see you ruined or oppressed
on other grounds. But granting that there were no other reason why you are hated
by the avowed enemies of sound doctrine, than because they see you employed in
defending it, still, disregarding their stratagems and threatenings, you ought
resolutely to defend those two impregnable bulwarks, the purity of religious
worship, and a godly anxiety to maintain the Church which Christ has placed
under the shelter of your wings.
So far as relates to the slanders which are thrown at
us by the Pope’s hired brawlers — that we have apostatized
from the Church, because we have withdrawn from subjection to the See of Rome
— I wish it were as much in our power to protest with unshaken confidence
before God and the angels, that we are at the greatest possible distance from
that filthy puddle, as we can easily and readily defend ourselves from the crime
which they are in the habit of laying to our charge. They boast, indeed, of the
name of the Catholic Church, though no part of the whole doctrine of the Law and
the Gospel has been permitted by them to remain free from shameful corruptions,
though they have profaned the whole worship of God by the filth of their
superstitions, and have not scrupled to debase all the ordinances of God by
their inventions. Nay more, so Catholic — so universal — is
the mass of errors by which they have overturned the whole of religion, that it
would be enough to destroy and swallow up the Church a hundred times over. We
can never, therefore, extol, in terms so lofty as the matter deserves, the
unbounded goodness of God, by which we have miraculously escaped from that
destructive whirlpool, and have fixed the anchor of our faith on the firm and
everlasting truth of God.
f3
And, indeed, this Commentary will itself, I trust, be a sufficient proof that
Popery is nothing else than a monster formed out of the innumerable deceptions
of Satan, and that what they call the Church is more confused than
Babylon.
Yet I will candidly acknowledge — what is
actually true — that we are not at a sufficient distance from that filthy
pit, the contagion of which is too widely spread. Antichrist complains that we
have fallen away from him; but we
f4
are compelled to groan that too many of the pollutions with which he has
infected the whole world remain amongst us. God has graciously restored to us
f5
uncontaminated purity of doctrine, religion in its primitive state, the
unadulterated worship of God, and a faithful administration of the Sacraments,
as they were delivered to us by Christ. But the principal cause which hinders us
from attaining that reformation of conduct and of life which ought to exist is,
that very many persons, remembering that unbridled licentiousness in which the
Papists indulge in opposition to the command of God, cannot become accustomed to
the yoke of Christ. Accordingly, when our enemies, in order to excite against us
unfounded dislike among the ignorant, raise a vexatious outcry that we have
broken all discipline, their calumny is abundantly refuted (even though we
should remain silent) by this single consideration, that at home we have no
contest more severe than about — what is considered, at least, by many
people to be — our excessive severity. But since you are the most
competent witnesses for myself and my colleagues, that we are not more rigid and
severe than the claim of duty demands and even compels us to be, as we freely
submit to the decision of your conscience respecting us; so, on the other hand,
you will easily perceive at a glance the singularly ridiculous impudence of our
enemies on this subject.
I shall now say a few words about myself as an
individual. Though I trust that my numerous writings will be a sufficient
attestation to the world in what manner I have taught this Church, yet I have
thought that it would be of very great importance for me to draw up a special
record on this subject inscribed with your name; for it is highly necessary that
the kind of doctrine which you acknowledge to be taught by me should be
exhibited to the view of all.
f6
Now though, in all the books which I have hitherto published, it has been my
endeavor that you and the people under your charge should derive advantage from
them even after my death, and though it would be highly unbecoming that the
doctrine which has emanated from your city to foreign nations should yield fruit
extensively, but be neglected in the place of its abode, yet I trust that this
Commentary, which is especially dedicated to you, will take a firmer hold of
your memory. For this purpose I pray to God to inscribe it so deeply with His
own finger on your hearts that it may never be obliterated by any stratagem of
Satan; for to Him does it belong to crown my labor with success, who has
hitherto given me such courage as to desire nothing more than to watch
faithfully over the safety of you all. Farther, as I freely acknowledge before
the world that I am very far from possessing the careful diligence and the other
virtues which the greatness and excellence of the office requires in a good
Pastor, and as I continually bewail before God the numerous sins which obstruct
my progress. Do I venture to declare that I am not without an honest and
sincere desire to perform my duty. And if, in the meantime, wicked men do not
cease to annoy me, as it is my duty — by well-doing — to refute
their slanders, so it will belong to you to restrain those slanders by the
exercise of that sacred authority with which you are invested. Wherefore, my
Illustrious and highly honored Lords, I recommend you to the protection of our
good God, entreating Him to give you always the spirit of prudence and virtue
for governing aright, and to make your administration prosperous, so that His
name may be thereby glorified, and that the result may be happy for you and
yours.
f7
GENEVA,
1st
January, 1553.
THE ARGUMENT
OF THE
GOSPEL OF
JOHN
The meaning of the Greek word,
eujagge>lion
(Gospel) is well known.
f8
In Scripture it denotes, by way of eminence,
(kat j
ejxoch<n,) the glad and delightful message of
the grace exhibited to us in Christ, in order to instruct us, by despising the
world and its fading riches and pleasures, to desire with our whole heart, and
to embrace when offered to us, this invaluable blessing. The conduct which we
perceive in irreligious men, who take an extravagant delight in the empty
enjoyments of the world, while they are little if at all, affected by a relish
for spiritual blessings, is natural to us all. For the purpose of correcting
this fault, God expressly bestows the name Gospel on the message which he
orders to be proclaimed concerning Christ; for thus he reminds us that nowhere
else can true and solid happiness be obtained, and that in him we have all that
is necessary for the perfection of a happy life.
Some consider the word Gospel as extending to
all the gracious promises of God which are found scattered even in the Law and
the Prophets. Nor can it be denied that, whenever God declares that he will be
reconciled to men, and forgives their sins, he at the same time exhibits Christ,
whose peculiar office it is, wherever he shines, to spread abroad the
rays of joy. I acknowledge, therefore, that the Fathers were partakers of the
same Gospel with ourselves, so far as relates to the faith of a
gratuitous salvation. But as it is the ordinary declaration made by the Holy
Spirit in the Scriptures, that the Gospel was first proclaimed when
Christ came, let us also adhere to this mode of expression; and let us keep by
that definition of the Gospel which I have given, that it is a solemn
publication of the grace revealed in Christ. On this account the Gospel
is called
the power of God to
salvation to every one who believeth,
(<450116>Romans
1:16)
because in it God displays his righteousness. It is
called also an
embassy, by which he
reconciles men to
himself,
(<470520>2
Corinthians 5:20)
and as Christ is the pledge of the mercy of God, and
of his fatherly love towards us, so he is, in a peculiar manner, the subject of
the Gospel.
Hence it came that the histories which relate that
Christ appeared in the flesh and died, and was raised from the dead, and at
length was taken up into heaven, have peculiarly obtained the name
Gospel. For although, for the reason already stated:, this word means the
New Testament, yet the name which denote, the whole has come, by general
practice, to stand for that part of it which declares that Christ was manifested
to us in the flesh, and died, and rose from the dead. But as the bare history
would not be enough, and, indeed, would be of no advantage for salvation, the
Evangelists do not merely relate that Christ was born, and that he died and
vanquished death, but also explain for what purpose he was born, and died, and
rose again, and what benefit we derive from those events.
Yet there is also this difference between them, that
the other three are more copious in their narrative of the life and death of
Christ, but John dwells more largely on the doctrine by which the office of
Christ, together with the power of his death and resurrection, is unfolded. They
do not, indeed, omit to mention that Christ came to bring salvation to the
world, to atone for the sins of the world by the sacrifice of his death, and, in
short, to perform every thing that was required from the Mediator, (as John also
devotes a portion of his work to historical details;) but the doctrine, which
points out to us the power and benefit of the coming of Christ, is far more
clearly exhibited by him than by the rest. And as all of them had the same
object in view, to point out Christ, the three former exhibit his body, if we
may be permitted to use the expression, but John exhibits his soul. On this
account, I am accustomed to say that this Gospel is a key to open the door for
understanding the rest; for whoever shall understand the power of Christ, as it
is here strikingly portrayed, will afterwards read with advantage what the
others relate about the Redeemer who was manifested.
John is believed to have written chiefly with the
intention of maintaining the Divinity of Christ, in opposition to the wicked
blasphemies of Ebion and Cerinthus; and this is asserted by Eusebius and Jerome,
in accordance with the general opinion of the ancients. But whatever might be
his motive for writing at that time, there can be no doubt whatever that God
intended a far higher benefit for his Church. He therefore dictated to the Four
Evangelists what they should write, in such a manner that, while each had his
own part assigned him, the whole might be collected into one body; and it is our
duty now to blend the Four by a mutual relation, so that we may permit ourselves
to be taught by all of them, as by one mouth. As to John being placed the fourth
in order, it was done on account of the time when he wrote, but in reading them,
a different order would be more advantageous, which is, that when we wish to
read in Matthew and the others, that Christ was given to us by the Father, we
should first learn from John the purpose for which he was
manifested.
COMMENTARY
ON THE
HOLY GOSPEL OF
JESUS CHRIST
ACCORDING TO
JOHN
CHAPTER
1
|
JOHN
1:1-5
|
|
1. In the beginning was the Speech, and the
Speech was with God, and the Speech was God. 2. He was in the beginning
with God. 3. All things were made by him, and without him was not any
thing made that was made. 4. In him was life, and the life was the light
of men. 5. And the light shineth in darkness, and the darkness did not
comprehend it.
|
1.
In the beginning was the
Speech. In this introduction he asserts the
eternal Divinity of Christ, in order to inform us that he is the eternal God,
who was manifested in the
flesh,
(<540416>1
Timothy 4:16.) The design is, to show it to have been necessary that the
restoration of mankind should be accomplished by the Son of God, since by his
power all things were created, since he alone breathes into all the creatures
life and energy, so that they remain in their condition; and since in man
himself he has given a remarkable display both of his power and of his grace,
and even subsequently to the fall of man has not ceased to show liberality and
kindness towards his posterity. And this doctrine is highly necessary to be
known; for since apart from God we ought not at all to seek life and salvation,
how could our faith rest on Christ, if we did not know with certainty what is
here taught? By these words, therefore, the Evangelist assures us that we do not
withdraw from the only and eternal God, when we believe in Christ, and likewise
that life is now restored to the dead through the kindness of him who was the
source and cause of life, when the nature of man was still
uncorrupted.
As to the Evangelist calling the Son of God
the
Speech, the simple reason appears to me to be,
first, because he is the eternal Wisdom and Will of God; and, secondly, because
he is the lively image of His purpose; for, as
Speech
is said to be among men the image of the mind, so it is not inappropriate to
apply this to God, and to say that He reveals himself to us by his
Speech.
The other significations of the Greek word
lo>gov
(Logos) do not apply so well. It means, no doubt, definition, and
reasoning, and calculation; but I am unwilling to carry the
abstruseness of philosophy beyond the measure of my faith. And we perceive that
the Spirit of God is so far from approving of such subtleties that, in prattling
with us, by his very silence he cries aloud with what sobriety we ought to
handle such lofty mysteries.
Now as God, in creating the world, revealed himself
by that
Speech,
so he formerly had him concealed with himself, so that there is a twofold
relation; the former to God, and the latter to men. Servetus, a haughty
scoundrel belonging to the Spanish nation, invents the statement, that this
eternal
Speech
began to exist at that time when he was displayed in the creation of the world,
as if he did not exist before his power was made known by external operation.
Very differently does the Evangelist teach in this passage; for he does not
ascribe to the
Speech a
beginning
of time, but says that he was from the beginning, and thus rises beyond
all ages. I am fully aware how this dog barks against us, and what cavils were
formerly raised by the Arians, namely, that
in the beginning God
created the heaven and the
earth,
(<010101>Genesis
1:1)
which nevertheless are not eternal, because the word
beginning refers to order, instead of denoting eternity. But the
Evangelist meets this calumny when he says,
And the Speech was with
God. If
the
Speech began to be at some time, they must find
out some succession of time in God; and undoubtedly by this clause John intended
to distinguish him from all created things. For many questions might arise,
Where was this
Speech?
How did he exert his power? What was his nature? How might he be known? The
Evangelist, therefore, declares that we must not confine our views to the world
and to created things; for he was always united to God, before the world
existed. Now when men date the
beginning from the origin of heaven and earth,
do they not reduce Christ to the common order of the world, from which he is
excluded in express terms by this passage? By this proceeding they offer an
egregious insult not only to the Son of God, but to his eternal Father, whom
they deprive of his wisdom. If we are not at liberty to conceive of God without
his wisdom, it must be acknowledged that we ought not to seek the origin
of the
Speech any where else than in the Eternal
Wisdom of God.
Servetus objects that
the
Speech cannot be admitted to have existed any
earlier than when Moses introduces God as speaking. As if he did not subsist in
God, because he was not publicly made known: that is, as if he did not exist
within, until he began to appear without. But every pretense for
outrageously absurd fancies of this description is cut off by the Evangelist,
when he affirms without reservation, that
the Speech was with
God; for he expressly withdraws us from every
moment of time.
Those who infer from the imperfect tense of the verb
f9
which is here used, that it denotes continued existence, have little strength of
argument to support them.
Was,
they say, is a word more fitted to express the idea of uninterrupted succession,
than if John had said, Has been. But on matters so weighty we ought to
employ more solid arguments; and, indeed, the argument which I have brought
forward ought to be reckoned by us sufficient; namely, that the Evangelist sends
us to the eternal secrets of God, that we may there learn that
the
Speech was, as it were hidden, before he
revealed himself in the external structure of the world. Justly, therefore, does
Augustine remark, that this
beginning,
which is now mentioned, has no
beginning;
for though, in the order of nature, the Father came before his Wisdom,
yet those who conceive of any point of time when he went before his
Wisdom, deprive Him of his glory. And this is the eternal generation,
which, during a period of infinite extent before the foundation of the world,
lay hid in God, so to speak — which, for a long succession of years, was
obscurely shadowed out to the Fathers under the Law, and at length was more
fully manifested in flesh.
I wonder what induced the Latins to render
oJ
lo>gov by Verbum, (the Word;) for that
would rather have been the translation of
to<
rJh~ma. But granting that they had some plausible
reason, still it cannot be denied that Sermo
(the
Speech) would have been far more appropriate.
Hence it is evident, what barbarous tyranny was exercised by the theologians of
the Sorbonne,
f10
who teased and stormed at Erasmus in such a manner, because he had changed a
single word for the better.
And the Speech was with
God. We have already said that the Son of
God is thus placed above the world and above all the creatures, and is
declared to have existed before all ages. But at the same time this mode of
expression attributes to him a distinct personality from the Father; for it
would have been absurd in the Evangelist to say that
the
Speech
was
always with
God, if he had not some kind of subsistence
peculiar to himself in God. This passage serves, therefore, to refute the error
of Sabellius; for it shows that the Son is distinct from the Father. I have
already remarked that we ought to be sober in thinking, and modest in speaking,
about such high mysteries. And yet the ancient writers of the Church were
excusable, when, finding that they could not in any other way maintain sound and
pure doctrine in opposition to the perplexed and ambiguous phraseology of the
heretics, they were compelled to invent some words, which after all had no other
meaning than what is taught in the Scriptures. They said that there are three
Hypostases, or Subsistences, or Persons, in the one and simple essence of God.
The word;
uJpo>stasiv
(Hypostasis) occurs in this sense in
<580103>Hebrews
1:3, to which corresponds the Latin word Substaatia, (substance)
as it is employed by Hilary. The Persons
(ta<
pro>swpa) were called by them distinct
properties in God, which present themselves to the view of our minds; as Gregory
Nazianzen says, “I cannot think of the One (God) without having the Three
(Persons) shining around me.
f11
And the Speech was
God. That there may be no remaining doubt as to
Christ’s divine essence, the Evangelist distinctly asserts that he is
God. Now since there is but one God, it follows that Christ is of the same
essence with the Father, and yet that, in some respect, he is distinct from the
Father. But of the second clause we have already spoken. As to the unity of the
divine essence, Arius showed prodigious wickedness, when, to avoid being
compelled to acknowledge the eternal Divinity of Christ, he prattled about I
know not what imaginary Deity;
f12
but for our part, when we are informed that
the Speech was
God, what right have we any longer to call in
question his eternal essence?
2.
He was in the
beginning. In order to impress more deeply on
our minds what had been already said, the Evangelist condenses the two preceding
clauses into a brief summary, that
the
Speech always
was,
and that he was with
God; so that it may be understood that
the
beginning was before all time.
3.
All things were made by
him. Having affirmed that the Speech is God,
and having asserted his eternal essence, he now proves his Divinity from his
works. And this is the practical knowledge, to which we ought to be chiefly
accustomed; for the mere name of God attributed to Christ will affect us little,
if our faith do not feel it to be such by experience. In reference to the Son of
God, he makes an assertion which strictly and properly applies to his person.
Sometimes, indeed, Paul simply declares that all things are by God,
(<451136>Romans
11:36) but whenever the Son is compared with the Father, he is usually
distinguished by this mark. Accordingly, the ordinary mode of expression is here
employed, that the Father made all things by the Son, and that all things
are by God through the Son. Now the design of the Evangelist is, as I have
already said, to show that no sooner was the world created than the
Speech of God came forth into external operation; for having formerly been
incomprehensible in his essence, he then became publicly known by the effect of
his power. There are some, indeed, even among philosophers, who make God to be
the Master-builder of the world in such a manner as to ascribe to him
intelligence in framing this work. So far they are in the right, for they agree
with Scripture; but as they immediately fly off into frivolous speculations,
there is no reason why we should eagerly desire to have their testimonies; but,
on the contrary, we ought to be satisfied with this inspired declaration, well
knowing that it conveys far more than our mind is able to
comprehend.
And without him was not any thing
made that was made. Though there is a variety
of readings in this passage, yet for my own part, I have no hesitation in taking
it continuously thus: not any
thing was made that was made; and in this
almost all the Greek manuscripts, or at least those of them which are most
approved, are found to agree; besides, the sense requires it. Those who separate
the words, which was made, from the preceding clause, so as to connect
them with the following one, bring out a forced sense: what was made was in
him life; that is, lived, or was sustained in life.
f13
But they will never show that this mode of expression is, in any instance,
applied to creatures. Augustine, who is excessively addicted to the philosophy
of Plato, is carried along, according to custom, to the doctrine of ideas; that
before God made the world, he had the form of the whole building conceived in
his mind; and so the life of those things which did not yet exist was in Christ,
because the creation of the world was appointed in him. But how widely different
this is From the intention of the Evangelist we shall immediately
see.
I now return to the former clause. This is not a
faulty redundancy,
(perittologi>a)
as it appears to be; for as Satan endeavors, by every possible method, to take
any thing from Christ, the Evangelist intended to declare expressly, that of
those things which have been made there is no exception
whatever.
4.
In him was
life. Hitherto he has taught us, that by
the
Speech of God all things were
created. He now attributes to him, in the same manner, the preservation of
those things which had been created, as if he had said, that in the creation of
the world there was not merely displayed a sudden exercise of his power, which
soon passed away, but that it is manifested in the steady and regular order of
nature, as he is said to uphold all things by the word or will of his
power,
(<580103>Hebrews
1:3). This
life
may be extended either to inanimate creatures, (which live after their own
manner, though they are devoid of feeling,) or may be explained in reference to
living creatures alone. It is of little consequence which you choose; for
the simple meaning is, that the
Speech of God was not only the source of
life
to all the creatures, so that those which were not began to be, but that his
life-giving
power causes them to remain in their condition; for were it not that his
continued inspiration gives vigor to the world, every thing that lives
would immediately decay, or be reduced to nothing. In a word, what Paul
ascribes to God, that in him we are, and move, and live,
(<441728>Acts
17:28,) John declares to be accomplished by the gracious agency
of the
Speech; so that it is God who gives us
life,
but it is by the eternal
Speech.
The life was the light of
men. The other interpretations, which do not
accord with the meaning of the Evangelist, I intentionally pass by. He speaks
here, in my opinion, of that part of
life
in which men excel other animals; and informs us that the
life
which was bestowed on men was not of an ordinary description, but was
united to the
light of understanding. He separates man from
the rank of other creatures; because we perceive more readily the power of God
by feeling it in us than by beholding it at a distance. Thus Paul charges us not
to seek God at a distance, because he makes himself to be felt within us,
(<441727>Acts
17:27.) After having presented a general exhibition of the kindness of Christ,
in order to induce men to take a nearer view of it, he points out what has been
bestowed peculiarly on themselves; namely, that they were not created like the
beasts, but having been endued with reason, they had obtained a higher rank. As
it is not in vain that God imparts his light to their minds, it follows that the
purpose for which they were created was, that they might acknowledge Him who is
the Author of so excellent a blessing. And since this light, of which
the
Speech was the source, has been conveyed from
him to us, it ought to serve as a mirror, in which we may clearly behold the
divine power of the
Speech.
5.
And the light shineth in
darkness. It might be objected, that the
passages of Scripture in which men are called blind are so numerous and that the
blindness for which they are condemned is but too well known. For in all their
reasoning faculties they miserably fail. How comes it that there are so many
labyrinths of errors in the world, but because men, by their own guidance, are
led only to vanity and lies? But if no
light
appears in men, that testimony of the divinity of Christ, which the Evangelist
lately mentioned, is destroyed; for that is the third step, as I have said, that
in the life of
men there is something more excellent than
motion and breathing. The Evangelist anticipates this question, and first of all
lays down this caution, that the
light which was originally bestowed on men must
not be estimated by their present condition; because in this corrupted and
degenerate nature
light
has been turned into
darkness.
And yet he affirms that the
light
of understanding is not wholly extinguished; for, amidst the thick darkness of
the human mind, some remaining sparks of the brightness still
shine.
My readers now understand that this sentence contains
two clauses; for he says that men are now widely distant from that perfectly
holy nature with which they were originally endued; because their understanding,
which ought to have shed
light
in every direction, has been plunged in darkness, and is wretchedly blinded; and
that thus the glory of Christ may be said to be darkened amidst this
corruption of nature. But, on the other hand, the Evangelist maintains that, in
the midst of the
darkness:,
there are still some remains of light, which show in some degree the divine
power of Christ. The Evangelist admits, therefore, that the mind of man is
blinded; so that it may justly be pronounced to be covered with
darkness.
For he might have used a milder term, and might have said that the light is dark
or cloudy; but he chose to state more distinctly how wretched our condition has
become since the fall of the first man. The statement that
the light shineth in
darkness is not at all intended for the
commendation of depraved nature, but rather for taking away every excuse for
ignorance.
And the darkness did not comprehend
it. Although by that small measure of
light
which still remains in us, the Son of God has always invited men to himself, yet
the Evangelist says that this was attended by no advantage, because
seeing, they did not see,
(<401313>Matthew
13:13.) For since man lost the favor of God, his mind is so completely
overwhelmed by the thralldom of ignorance, that any portion of
light
which remains in it is quenched and useless. This is daily proved by experience;
for all who are not regenerated by the Spirit of God possess some reason, and
this is an undeniable proof that man was made not only to breathe, but to have
understanding. But by that guidance of their reason they do not come to God, and
do not even approach to him; so that all their understanding is nothing else
than mere vanity. Hence it follows that there is no hope of the salvation of
men, unless God grant new aid; for though the Son of God sheds his
light
upon them, they are so dull that they do not comprehend whence that
light
proceeds, but are carried away by foolish and wicked imaginations to absolute
madness.
The
light
which still dwells in corrupt nature consists chiefly of two parts; for, first,
all men naturally possess some seed of religion; and, secondly, the distinction
between good and evil is engraven on their consciences. But what are the fruits
that ultimately spring from it, except that religion degenerates into a thousand
monsters of superstition, and conscience perverts every decision, so as to
confound vice with virtue? In short, natural reason never will direct men to
Christ; and as to their being endued with prudence for regulating their lives,
or born to cultivate the liberal arts and sciences, all this passes away without
yielding any advantage.
It ought to be understood that the Evangelist speaks
of natural gifts only, and does not as yet say any thing about the grace of
regeneration. For there are two distinct powers which belong to the Son of God:
the first, which is manifested in the structure of the world and the order of
nature; and the second, by which he renews and restores fallen nature. As he is
the eternal
Speech
of God, by him the world was made; by his power all things continue to possess
the life which they once received; man especially was endued with an
extraordinary gift of understanding; and though by his revolt he lost the light
of understanding, yet he still sees and understands, so that what he naturally
possesses from the grace of the Son of God is not entirely destroyed. But since
by his stupidity and perverseness he darkens the light which still dwells in
him, it remains that a new office be undertaken by the Son of God, the office of
Mediator, to renew, by the Spirit of regeneration, man who had been ruined.
Those persons, therefore, reason absurdly and inconclusively, who refer this
light, which the Evangelist mentions, to the gospel and the doctrine of
salvation.
|
JOHN
1:6-13
|
|
6. There was a man sent by God, whose name was
John. 7. He came for a testimony
f14,
that he might testify of the light; that by him all might believe. 8. He
was not that light, but that he might testify concerning the light. 9.
The true light was that which enlighteneth every man who cometh into the world.
10. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world
knew him not. 11. He came into his own, and his own received him not.
12. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons
of God; namely, to those who believe in his name; 13. Who were born not
of bloods
f15
nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of
God.
|
6.
There was a
man. The Evangelist now begins to discourse
about the manner in which the Son of God was manifested in flesh; and that none
may doubt that Christ is the eternal Son of God, he relates that Christ was
announced by
John
the Baptist, as his herald. For not only did Christ exhibit himself to be seen
by men, but he chose also to be made known by the testimony and doctrine of
John;
or rather, God the Father sent this witness before his Christ, that they might
more willingly receive the salvation offered by him.
But it might at first sight appear ridiculous that
Christ should receive
testimony
from another, as if he needed it; while, on the contrary, he declares that he
does not seek testimony from man,
(<430534>John
5:34.) The answer is easy and obvious, that this witness was appointed, not for
the sake of Christ, but for our sake. If it be objected that the testimony of
man is too weak to prove that Christ is the Son of God, it is likewise easy to
reply, that the Baptist is not adduced as a private witness, but as one
who, having received authority from God, sustained the character rather of an
angel than of a man. Accordingly, he receives commendation not for his own
virtues, but for this single circumstance, that he was the ambassador of God.
Nor is this at variance with the fact, that the preaching of the gospel was
committed to Christ, that he might be a witness to himself; for the design
contemplated by the preaching of John was, that men might attend to the doctrine
and miracles of Christ.
Sent by
God. He does not say so for the purpose of
confirming the baptism of John, but only mentions it in passing. This
circumstance is not sufficient to produce certainty, since many run of their own
accord, and boast that God has sent them; but the Evangelist, intending
afterwards to speak more fully about this witness, reckoned it enough,
for the present, to say in a single word, that John did not come but by the
command of God. We shall afterwards see how he himself affirms that God is the
Author of his ministry. We must now recollect — what I formerly noticed
— that what is asserted about John is required in all the teachers of the
Church, that they be called by God; so that the authority of teaching may not be
founded on any other than on God alone.
Whose name was
John. He states the
name,
not only for the purpose of pointing out the man, but because it was given to
him in accordance with what he really was. There is no room to doubt that the
Lord had reference to the office to which he appointed
John,
when he commanded by the angel that he should be so called, that by means of it
all might acknowledge him to be the herald of divine grace.
f16
For though the name
ˆnjwhy
f17
(Jehohannan) may be taken in a passive signification, and may thus be
referred to the person, as denoting that
John
was acceptable to God; yet for my own part, I willingly extend it to the
benefit which others ought to derive from him.
f18
7.
He came for a
testimony. The end of his calling is briefly
noticed; which was, that he might prepare a Church for Christ, as, by inviting
all to Christ, he shows plainly enough that he did not come on his own
account.
8.
He was not that
light. So far was John from needing
commendation, that the Evangelist gives this warning, lest his excessive
brightness might obscure the glory of Christ. For there were some who gazed so
eagerly upon him that they neglected Christ; just as if a person, enraptured
with beholding the dawning of the day, would not deign to turn his eyes towards
the sun. In what sense the Evangelist employs the word
light
we shall immediately see. All the godly, indeed, are light in the Lord,
(<490508>Ephesians
5:8,) because, in consequence of their being enlightened by his Spirit, they not
only see for themselves, but likewise direct others by their example to the way
of salvation. The apostles likewise are peculiarly called
light,
(<400514>Matthew
5:14,) because they go before, holding out the torch of the Gospel, to dispel
the darkness of the world. But here the Evangelist speaks of him who is the only
and eternal source of illumination, as he immediately shows more
clearly.
9.
The true light
was. The Evangelist did not intend to contrast
the true
light with the false, but to distinguish
Christ from all others, that none might imagine that what is called
light
belongs to him in common with angels or men. The distinction is, that whatever
is luminous in heaven and in earth borrows its splendor from some other object;
but Christ is the
light, shining from itself and by itself, and
enlightening the whole world by its radiance; so that no other source or cause
of splendor is anywhere to be found. He gave the name of
the true
light, therefore, to that which has by nature
the power of giving
light.
Which enlighteneth every
man. The Evangelist insists chiefly on this
point, in order to show, from the effect which every one of us perceives in him,
that Christ is the
light. He might have reasoned more ingeniously,
that Christ, as the eternal light, has a splendor which is natural, and not
brought from any other quarter; but instead of doing so, he sends us back to the
experience which we all possess. For as Christ makes us all partakers of his
brightness, it must be acknowledged that to him alone belongs strictly this
honor of being called
light.
This passage is commonly explained in two ways. Some
restrict the phrase, every
man, to those who, having been renewed by the
Spirit of God, become partakers of the life-giving
light.
Augustine employs the comparison of a schoolmaster who, if he happen to be the
only person who has a school in the town, will be called the teacher of
all, though there be many persons that do not go to his school. They
therefore understand the phrase in a comparative sense, that all are enlightened
by Christ, because no man can boast of having obtained the
light
of life in any other way than by his grace. But since the Evangelist employs the
general phrase, every man that
cometh into the world, I am more inclined to
adopt the other meaning, which is, that from this
light
the rays are diffused over all mankind, as I have already said. For we know that
men have this peculiar excellence which raises them above other animals, that
they are endued with reason and intelligence, and that they carry the
distinction between right and wrong engraven on their conscience. There is no
man, therefore, whom some perception of the eternal
light
does not reach.
But as there are fanatics who rashly strain and
torture this passage, so as to infer from it that the grace of illumination is
equally offered to all, let us remember that the only subject here treated is
the common light of nature, which is far inferior to faith; for never will any
man, by all the acuteness and sagacity of his own mind, penetrate into the
kingdom of God. It is the Spirit of God alone who opens the gate of heaven to
the elect. Next, let us remember that the light of reason which God implanted in
men has been so obscured by sin, that amidst the thick darkness, and shocking
ignorance, and gulf of errors, there are hardly a few shining sparks that are
not utterly extinguished.
10.
He was in the
world. He accuses men of ingratitude, because
of their own accord, as it were, they were so blinded, that the cause of the
light which they enjoyed was unknown to them. This extends to every age of the
world; for before Christ was manifested in the flesh, his power was everywhere
displayed; and therefore those daily effects ought to correct the stupidity of
men. What can be more unreasonable than to draw water from a running stream, and
never to think of the fountain from which that stream flows? It follows that no
proper excuse can be found for the ignorance of the world in not knowing Christ,
before he was manifested in the flesh; for it arose from the indolence and
wicked stupidity of those who had opportunities of seeing Him always present by
his power. The whole may be summed up by saying, that never was Christ in such a
manner absent from the world, but that men, aroused by his rays, ought to have
raised their eyes towards him. Hence it follows, that the blame must be imputed
to themselves.
11.
He came into his
own. Here is displayed the absolutely desperate
wickedness and malice of men; here is displayed their execrable impiety, that
when the Son of God was manifested in flesh to the Jews, whom God had separated
to himself from the other nations to be His own heritage, he was not
acknowledged or
received.
This passage also has received various explanations. For some think that the
Evangelist speaks of the whole world indiscriminately; and certainly there is no
part of the world which the Son of God may not lawfully claim as his own
property. According to them, the meaning is: “When Christ came down into
the world, he did not enter into another person’s territories, for the
whole human race was his own inheritance.” But I approve more highly of
the opinion of those who refer it to the Jews alone; for there is an implied
comparison, by which the Evangelist represents the heinous ingratitude of men.
The Son of God had solicited an abode for himself in one nation; when he
appeared there, he was rejected; and this shows clearly the awfully wicked
blindness of men. In making this statement, the sole object of the Evangelist
must have been to remove the offense which many would be apt to take in
consequence of the unbelief of the Jews. For when he was despised and rejected
by that nation to which he had been especially promised, who would reckon him to
be the Redeemer of the whole world? We see what extraordinary pains the Apostle
Paul takes in handling this subject.
Here both the Verb and the Noun are highly emphatic.
He
came. The Evangelist says that the Son of God
came
to that place where he formerly was; and by this expression he must mean a new
and extraordinary kind of presence, by which the Son of God was manifested, so
that men might have a nearer view of him.
Into his
own. By this phrase the Evangelist compares the
Jews with other nations; because by an extraordinary privilege they had been
adopted into the family of God. Christ therefore was first offered to them as
his own household, and as belonging to his empire by a peculiar right. To the
same purpose is that complaint of God by Isaiah:
The ox knoweth his owner,
and the ass his master’s crib, but Israel knoweth me not,
(<230103>Isaiah
1:3;)
for though he has dominion over the whole world, yet
he represents himself to be, in peculiar manner, the Lord of Israel, whom he had
collected, as it were, into a sacred fold.
12.
But to as many as received
him. That none may be retarded by this
stumbling-block, that the Jews despised and rejected Christ, the Evangelist
exalts above heaven the godly who believe in him; for he says that by faith they
obtain this glory of being reckoned
the sons of
God. The universal term,
as
many, contains an implied contrast; for the
Jews were carried away by a blind vaunting,
f19
as if they exclusively had God bound to themselves. The Evangelist declares that
their condition is changed, because the Jews have been rejected, and their
place, which had been left empty, is occupied by the Jews; for it is as if he
transferred the right of adoption to strangers. This is what Paul says, that the
destruction of one nation was the life of the whole world,
(<451112>Romans
11:12;) for the Gospel, which might be said to have been banished from them,
began to be spread far and wide throughout the whole world. They were thus
deprived of the privilege which they enjoyed above others. But their impiety was
no obstruction to Christ; for he erected elsewhere the throne of his kingdom,
and called indiscriminately to the hope of salvation all nations which formerly
appeared to have been rejected by God.
He gave them
power. The
word
ejxousi>a here appears to me to mean a right, or
claim; and it would be better to translate it so, in order to refute the false
opinions of the Papists; for they wickedly pervert this passage by understanding
it to mean, that nothing more than a choice is allowed to us, if we think fit to
avail ourselves of this privilege. In this way they extract free-will from this
phrase; but as well might they extract fire from water. There is some
plausibility in this at first sight; for the Evangelist does not say that Christ
makes them sons of
God, but that
he gives them
power to become such. Hence they infer that it
is this grace only that is offered to us, and that the liberty to enjoy or to
reject it is placed at our disposal. But this frivolous attempt to catch at a
single word is set aside by what immediately follows; for the Evangelist adds,
that they become the sons of
God, not by the will which belongs to the
flesh, but when they are born of God. But if faith regenerates us, so that
we are the sons of God, and if God breathes faith into us from heaven, it
plainly appears that not by possibility only, but actually — as we say
— is the grace of adoption offered to us by Christ. And, indeed, the Greek
word,
ejxousi>a
is sometimes put for
ajxi>wsiv,
(a claim,) a meaning which falls in admirably with this
passage.
The circumlocution which the Evangelist has employed
tends more to magnify the excellence of grace, than if he had said in a single
word, that all who believe in Christ are made by him
sons of
God. For he speaks here of the unclean and
profane, who, having been condemned to perpetual ignominy, lay in the darkness
of death. Christ exhibited an astonishing instance of his grace in conferring
this honor on such persons, so that they began, all at once, to be
sons of
God; and the greatness of this privilege is
justly extolled by the Evangelist, as also by Paul, when he ascribes it
to
God, who is rich in
mercy, for his great love
with
which he loved us,
(<490204>Ephesians
2:4.)
But if any person shall prefer to take the word
power in its ordinary acceptation, still the Evangelist does not mean by
it any intermediate faculty, or one which does not include the full and complete
effect; but, on the contrary, means that Christ gave to the unclean and the
uncircumcised what appeared to be impossible; for an incredible change took
place when out of stones Christ raised up children to God,
(<400309>Matthew
3:9.) The
power,
therefore, is that fitness
(iJkano>thv)
which Paul mentions, when he
gives thanks to God, who hath made us
FIT (or
MEET)
to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints,
(<510112>Colossians
1:12.)
Who believe in his
name. He expresses briefly the manner of
receiving Christ, that is, believing in him. Having been engrafted
into Christ by faith, we obtain the right of adoption, so as to be
the sons of
God. And, indeed, as he is the only-begotten
Son of God, it is only so far as we are members of him that this honor at all
belongs to us. Here again the notion of the Papists about the word
power
is refuted.
f20
The Evangelist declares that this
power
is given to those who already
believe.
Now it is certain that such persons are in reality
the sons of
God. They detract too much from the value of
faith who say that, by
believing,
a man obtains nothing more than that he may become
a son of
God, if he chooses; for instead of present
effect they put a
power
which is held in uncertainty and suspense.
The contradiction appears still more glaring from
what immediately follows. The Evangelist says that those who
believe
are already born of God. It is not therefore, a mere liberty of choice
that is offered, since they obtain the privilege itself that is in question.
Although the Hebrew word,
µç
(Name) is sometimes used to denote
power,
yet here it denotes a relation to the doctrine of the Gospel; for when Christ is
preached to us, then it is that we
believe
in him. I speak of the ordinary method by which the Lord leads us to faith; and
this ought to be carefully observed, for there are many who foolishly contrive
for themselves a confused faith, without any understanding of doctrine, as
nothing is more common among the Papists than the word
believe,
though there is not among them any knowledge of Christ from hearing the Gospel.
Christ, therefore, offers himself to us by the Gospel, and we receive him by
faith.
13.
Who were born not of
blood.
f21
Some think that an indirect reference is here made to the preposterous
confidence of the Jews, and I willingly adopt that opinion. They had continually
in their mouth the nobleness of their lineage, as if, because they were
descended from a holy stock, they were naturally holy. And justly might they
have gloried in their descent from Abraham, if they had been lawful sons, and
not bastards; but the glowing of faith ascribes nothing whatever to carnal
generation, but acknowledges its obligation to the grace of God alone for all
that is good. John, therefore, says, that those among the formerly unclean
Gentiles who believe in Christ are not born the sons of God from the
womb, but are renewed by God, that they may begin to be his sons. The reason why
he uses the word
blood
in the plural number appears to have been, that he might express more fully a
long succession of lineage; for this was a part of the boasting among the Jews,
that they could trace their descent, by an uninterrupted line, upwards to the
patriarchs.
The will of the flesh and the will
of man appear to me to mean the same thing; for
I see no reason why
flesh
should be supposed to signify
woman,
as Augustine and many others explain it. On the contrary, the Evangelist repeats
the same thing in a variety of words, in order to explain it more fully, and
impress it more deeply on the minds of men. Though he refers directly to the
Jews, who gloried in the flesh, yet from this passage a general doctrine may be
obtained: that our being reckoned the sons of God does not belong to our nature,
and does not proceed from us, but because God begat us WILLINGLY,
(<590118>James
1:18,) that is, from undeserved love. Hence it follows, first, that faith does
not proceed from ourselves, but is the fruit of spiritual regeneration; for the
Evangelist affirms that no man can believe, unless he be begotten of God; and
therefore faith is a heavenly gift. It follows, secondly, that faith is not bare
or cold knowledge, since no man can believe who has not been renewed by the
Spirit of God.
It may be thought that the Evangelist reverses the
natural order by making regeneration to precede faith, whereas, on the contrary,
it is an effect of faith, and therefore ought to be placed later. I reply, that
both statements perfectly agree; because by faith we receive the
incorruptible seed,
(<600123>1
Peter 1:23,) by which we are born again to a new and divine life. And yet faith
itself is a work of the Holy Spirit, who dwells in none but the children of God.
So then, in various respects, faith is a part of our regeneration, and an
entrance into the kingdom of God, that he may reckon us among his children. The
illumination of our minds by the Holy Spirit belongs to our renewal, and thus
faith flows from regeneration as from its source; but since it is by the same
faith that we receive Christ, who sanctifies us by his Spirit, on that account
it is said to be the beginning of our adoption.
Another solution, still more plain and easy, may be
offered; for when the Lord breathes faith into us, he regenerates us by some
method that is hidden and unknown to us; but after we have received faith, we
perceive, by a lively feeling of conscience, not only the grace of adoption, but
also newness of life and the other gifts of the Holy Spirit. For since faith, as
we have said, receives Christ, it puts us in possession, so to speak, of all his
blessings. Thus so far as respects our sense, it is only after having believed
— that we begin to be the sons of God. But if the inheritance of eternal
life is the fruit of adoption, we see how the Evangelist ascribes the whole of
our salvation to the grace of Christ alone; and, indeed, how closely soever men
examine themselves, they will find nothing that is worthy of the children of
God, except what Christ has bestowed on them.
|
JOHN
1:14
|
|
14. And the Speech was made flesh, and dwelt
among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only-begotten of the
Father,) full of grace and truth.
|
14.
And the Speech was made
flesh. The Evangelist shows what was that
coming of Christ which he had mentioned; namely, that having been clothed with
our flesh, he showed himself openly to the world. Although the Evangelist
touches briefly the unutterable mystery, that the Son of God was clothed with
human nature, yet this brevity is wonderfully perspicuous. Here some madmen
amuse themselves with foolish and trivial subtleties of this sort: that
the
Speech is said to have been made flesh,
because God sent his Son into the world, according to the conception which he
had formed in his mind; as if the
Speech were I know not what shadowy image. But
we have demonstrated that that word denotes a real hypostasis, or subsistence,
in the essence of God.
The word
Flesh
expresses the meaning of the Evangelist more forcibly than if he had said that
he was made man. He intended to show to what a mean and despicable
condition the Son of God, on our account, descended from the height of his
heavenly glory. When Scripture speaks of man contemptuously, it calls him
flesh.
Now, though there be so wide a distance between the spiritual glory of
the
Speech of God and the abominable filth of our
flesh,
yet the Son of God stooped so low as to take upon himself that
flesh,
subject to so many miseries. The word
flesh
is not taken here for corrupt nature, (as it is often used by Paul,) but for
mortal man; though it marks disdainfully his frail and perishing nature, as in
these and similar passages, for he remembered that they were FLESH,
(<197839>Psalm
78:39;) all FLESH is grass,
(<234006>Isaiah
40:6.) We must at the same time observe, however, that this is a figure of
speech in which a part is taken for the whole; for the lower part includes the
whole man.
f22
It was therefore highly foolish in Apollinaris to imagine that Christ was merely
clothed with a human body without a soul; for it may easily be proved from
innumerable passages, that he had a soul as well as a body; and when Scripture
calls men
flesh,
it does not therefore deprive them of a soul.
The plain meaning therefore is, that
the
Speech begotten by God before all ages, and who
always dwelt with the Father, was made man. On this article there
are two things chiefly to be observed. The first is, that two natures were so
united in one Person in Christ, that one and the same Christ is true God and
true man. The second is, that the unity of person does not hinder the two
natures from remaining distinct, so that his Divinity retains all that is
peculiar to itself, and his humanity holds separately whatever belongs to it.
And, therefore, as Satan has made a variety of foolish attempts to overturn
sound doctrine by heretics, he has always brought forward one or another of
these two errors; either that he was the Son of God and the Son of man in so
confused a manner, that neither his Divinity remained entire, nor did he wear
the true nature of man; or that he was clothed with
flesh,
so as to be as it were double, and to have two separate persons. Thus Nestorius
expressly acknowledged both natures, but imagined two Christs, one who was God,
and another who was man. Eutyches, on the other hand, while he acknowledged that
the one Christ is the Son of God and the Son of man, left him neither of the two
natures, but imagined that they were mingled together. And in the present day,
Servetus and the Anabaptists invent a Christ who is confusedly compounded of two
natures, as if he were a Divine man. In words, indeed, he acknowledges that
Christ is God; but if you admit his raving imaginations, the Divinity is at one
time changed into human nature, and at another time, the nature of man is
swallowed up by the Divinity.
The Evangelist says what is well adapted to refute
both of these blasphemies. When he tells us that
the Speech was made
flesh, we clearly infer from this the unity of
his Person; for it is impossible that he who is now a man could be any other
than he who was always the true God, since it is said that God
was
made man. On the other hand, since he
distinctly gives to the man Christ the name of
the
Speech, it follows that Christ, when he became
man, did not cease to be what he formerly was, and that no change took place in
that eternal essence of God which was clothed with
flesh.
In short, the Son of God began to be man in such a manner that he still
continues to be that eternal
Speech
who had no beginning of time.
And
dwelt. Those who explain that
the
flesh served, as it were, for an abode to
Christ, do not perceive the meaning of the Evangelist; for he does not ascribe
to Christ a permanent residence amongst us, but says that he remained in it as a
guest, for a short time. For the word which he employs
(ejskh>nwsen)
is taken from tabernacles.
f23
He means nothing else than that Christ discharged on the earth the office
which had been appointed to him; or, that he did not merely appear for a single
moment, but that he conversed among men until he completed the course of his
office.
Among
us. It is doubtful whether he speaks of men in
general, or only of himself and the rest of the disciples who were eye-witnesses
of what he says. For my own part, I approve more highly of the second view for
the Evangelist immediately adds :
And we beheld his
glory. for though all men might have beheld the
glory
of Christ, yet it was unknown to the greater part on account of their blindness.
It was only a few, whose eyes the Holy Spirit opened, that saw this
manifestation of
glory.
In a word, Christ was known to be man in such a manner that he exhibited in his
Person something far more noble and excellent. Hence it follows that the majesty
of God was not annihilated, though it was surrounded by
flesh;
it was indeed concealed under the low condition of the
flesh,
but so as to cause its splendor to be seen.
As of the only-begotten of the
Father. The word
as
does not, in this passage, denote an inappropriate comparison, but rather
expresses true and hearty approbation; as when Paul says, Walk AS
children of light, he bids us actually demonstrate by our works that we
are the children of light. The Evangelist therefore means, that in Christ
was beheld a glory which was worthy of the Son of God, and which was a
sure proof of his Divinity. He calls him
the
Only-begotten, because he is the only Son of
God by nature; as if he would place him above men and angels, and would claim
for him alone what belongs to no creature.
Full of
grace. There were, indeed, other things in
which the majesty of Christ appeared, but the Evangelist selected this instance
in preference to others, in order to train us to the speculative rather than the
practical knowledge of it; and this ought to be carefully observed. Certainly
when Christ walked with dry feet upon the waters,
(<401426>Matthew
14:26;
<410648>Mark
6:48;
<430619>John
6:19,) when he cast out devils, and when he displayed his power in other
miracles, he might be known to be
the
only-begotten Son of God; but the Evangelist
brings forward a part of the approbation, from which faith obtains delightful
advantage, because Christ demonstrated that he actually is an inexhaustible
fountain of grace and truth. Stephen, too, is said to have been
full of
grace,
f24
but in a different sense; for the
fullness of
grace in Christ is the fountain from which all
of us must draw, as we shall have occasion shortly afterwards to explain more
fully.
Grace and
truth. This might be taken, by a figure of
speech, for true grace, or the latter term might be explanatory, thus:
that he was full of
grace, which is truth or perfection; but
as we shall find that he immediately afterwards repeats the same mode of
expression, I think that the meaning is the same in both passages. This
grace and
truth he afterwards contrasts with the
Law; and therefore I interpret it as simply meaning, that the apostles
acknowledged Christ to be the Son of God, because he had in himself the
fulfillment of things which belong to the spiritual kingdom of God; and, in
short, that in all things he showed himself to be the Redeemer and Messiah;
which is the most striking mark by which he ought to be distinguished from all
others.
|
JOHN
1:15-18
|
|
15. John testifieth
f25
of himself, and cried, saying, This is he of whom I spoke; who, coming after me,
was preferred to me, for he was more excellent than I.
f26
16. And out of his fullness have we all received, and grace for grace.
17. For the law was given by Moses; grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
18. No man hath ever seen God: the only-begotten Son himself, who is in
the bosom of the Father, hath declared him.
|
15.
John
testifieth. He now relates what was the
preaching of John. By using the verb testifieth
(marturei~)
in the present tense,
f27
he denotes a continued act, and certainly this doctrine must be continually in
force, as if the voice of John were continually resounding in the ears of men.
In the same manner he afterwards uses the word cry, to intimate that the
doctrine of John was in no degree obscure or ambiguous, and that he did not
mutter among a few men,
f28
but openly, and with a loud voice, preached Christ. The first sentence is
intended to convey the statement, that he was sent for the sake of Christ, and
therefore that it would have been unreasonable that he should be exalted, while
Christ was lying low.
This is he of whom I
spoke. By these words he means that his
intention was, from the beginning, to make Christ known, and that this was the
design of his public discourses; as, indeed, there was no other way in which he
could discharge his office as ambassador than by calling his disciples to
Christ.
Who, coming after
me. Though John the Baptist was older than
Christ by a few months, yet he does not now speak of age; but as he had
discharged the office of prophet for a short period before Christ appeared in
public, so he makes himself the predecessor with respect to time. With respect,
therefore, to public manifestation, Christ
came
after John the Baptist. The words which follow
might be literally rendered, he was made before me, for he was before
me; but the meaning is, that Christ was justly
preferred
to John, because he was more excellent. He therefore surrenders his
office to Christ and — as the proverb runs — “delivers to him
the torch,” or gives way to him as his successor. But as he arose later in
the order of time, John reminds his hearers that this is no reason why he should
not be
preferred
to himself, as his rank deserved. Thus, all who are superior to others,
either in the gifts of God or in any degree of honor, must remain in their own
rank, so as to be placed below Christ.
16.
And out of his
fullness. He begins now to preach about the
office of Christ, that it contains within itself an abundance of all blessings,
so that no part of salvation must be sought anywhere else. True, indeed, the
fountain of life, righteousness, virtue, and wisdom, is with God, but to us it
is a hidden and inaccessible fountain. But an abundance of those things is
exhibited to us in Christ, that we may be permitted to have recourse to him; for
he is ready to flow to us, provided that we open up a channel by faith. He
declares in general, that out of Christ we ought not to seek any thing good,
though this sentence consists of several clauses. First, he shows that we are
all utterly destitute and empty of spiritual blessings; for the abundance which
exists in Christ is intended to supply our deficiency, to relieve our poverty,
to satisfy our hunger and thirst. Secondly, he warns us that, as soon as we have
departed from Christ, it is ill vain for us to seek a single drop of happiness,
because God hath determined that whatever is good shall reside in him alone.
Accordingly, we shall find angels and men to be dry, heaven to be empty, the
earth to be unproductive, and, in short, all things to be of no value, if we
wish to be partakers of the gifts of God in any other way than through Christ.
Thirdly, he assures us that we shall have no reason to fear the want of any
thing, provided that we draw from the
fullness
of Christ, which is in every respect; so complete, that we shall experience it
to be a truly inexhaustible fountain; and John classes himself with the rest,
not for the sake of modesty, but to make it more evident that no man whatever is
excepted.
It is indeed uncertain whether he speaks generally of
the whole human race, or means only those who, subsequently to the manifestation
of Christ in the flesh, have been made more fully partakers of his blessings.
All the godly, no doubt, who lived under the law, drew out of the same
fullness;
but as John immediately afterwards distinguishes between different periods, it
is more probable that here he especially recommends that rich abundance of
blessings which Christ displayed at his coming. For we know that under the Law
the gifts of God were more sparingly tasted, but that when Christ was manifested
in flesh, they were poured out, as it were, with a full hand, even to satiety.
Not that any of us has obtained a greater abundance of the grace of the Spirit
than Abraham did, but I speak of God’s ordinary dispensation, and of the
way and manner of dispensing. John the Baptist, that he may the more freely
invite his disciples to come to Christ, declares that in him is laid up for all
an abundance of the blessings of which they are destitute. And yet if any one
choose to extend the meaning farther, there will be no absurdity in doing so; or
rather, it will agree well with the strain of the discourse, that all the
fathers, from the beginning of the world, drew from Christ all the gifts which
they possessed; for though the
law was given by Moses, yet they did not obtain
grace by it. But I have already stated what appears to me to be the preferable
view; namely, that John here compares us with the fathers, so as to magnify, by
means of that comparison, what has been given to us.
And, grace for
grace. In what manner Augustine explains this
passage is well known - that all the blessings which God bestows upon us from
time to time, and at length life everlasting, are not granted as the reward due
to our merits, but that it proceeds from pure liberality that God thus rewards
former
grace,
and crowns his own gifts in us. This is piously and judiciously said, but has
nothing to do with the present passage. The meaning would be more simple if you
were to take the word for
(ajnti<)
comparatively, as meaning, that whatever graces God bestows on us, proceed
equally from the same source. It might also be taken as pointing out the final
cause, that we now receive
grace,
that God may one day fulfill the work of our salvation, which will be the
fulfillment of
grace.
For my own part, I agree with the opinion of those who say that we are watered
with the graces which were poured out on Christ; for what we receive from
Christ he does not bestow upon us as being God, but the Father communicated to
him what would flow to us as through a channel. This is the anointing
with which he was anointed, that he might anoint us all along with him. Hence,
too, he is called Christ, (the Anointed,) and we are called
Christians.
17.
For the Law was given by
Moses. This is an anticipation, by which he
meets an objection that was likely to arise; for so highly was
Moses
esteemed by the Jews that they could hardly receive anything that differed from
him. The Evangelist therefore shows how far inferior the ministry of
Moses
was to the power of
Christ.
At the same time, this comparison sheds no small luster on the power of Christ;
for while the utmost possible deference was rendered to
Moses
by the Jews, the Evangelist reminds them that what he brought was exceedingly
small, when compared with the grace of Christ. It would otherwise have been a
great hindrance, that they expected to receive from the Law what we can
only obtain through Christ.
But we must attend to the antithesis, when he
contrasts the
law with
grace and
truth; for his meaning is, that
the
law wanted both of them.
f29
The word
Truth
denotes, in my opinion, a fixed and permanent state of things. By the word
Grace
I understand the spiritual fulfillment of those things, the bare letter of which
was contained in the
Law. And those two words may be supposed to
refer to the same thing, by a well-known figure of speech, (hypallage;) as if he
had said, that
grace,
in which the truth of the Law consists, was at length exhibited in
Christ.
But as the meaning will be in no degree affected, it is of no importance whether
you view them as united or as distinguished. This at least is certain, that the
Evangelist means, that in the
Law there was nothing more than a shadowy image
of spiritual blessings, but that they are actually found in
Christ;
whence it follows, that if you separate
the
Law from
Christ,
there remains nothing in it but empty figures. For this reason Paul says
that
the shadows were
in the law, but the body is in
Christ,
(<510217>Colossians
2:17.)
And yet it must not be supposed that anything was
exhibited by the
Law in a manner fitted to deceive; for
Christ
is the soul which gives life to that which would otherwise have been dead under
the
law. But here a totally different question
meets us, namely, what the
law could do by itself and without Christ; and
the Evangelist maintains that nothing permanently valuable is found in it until
we come to Christ. This
truth
consists in our obtaining through Christ that
grace
which the
law could not at all bestow; and therefore I
take the word
grace
in a general sense, as denoting both the unconditional forgiveness of sins, and
the renewal of the heart. For while the Evangelist points out briefly the
distinction between the Old and New Testaments,
f29A
(which is more fully described in
<243131>Jeremiah
31:31,) he includes in this word all that relates to spiritual righteousness.
Now this righteousness consists of two parts; first, that God is reconciled to
us by free
grace,
in not imputing to us our sins; and, secondly, that he has engraven his
law
in our hearts, and, by his Spirit, renews men within to obedience to it; from
which it is evident that the
Law is incorrectly and falsely expounded, if
there are any whose attention it fixes on itself, or whom it hinders from coming
to
Christ.
18.
No man hath ever seen
God. Most appropriately is this added to
confirm the preceding statement; for the knowledge of God is the door by which
we enter into the enjoyment of all blessings; and as it is by Christ alone that
God makes himself known to us, hence too it follows that we ought to seek all
things from Christ. This order of doctrine ought to be carefully observed. No
remark appears to be more common than this, that each of us receives, according
to the measure of his faith, what God offers to us; but there are few who think
that we must bring the vessel of faith and of the knowledge of God with which we
draw.
When he says that
no man hath seen
God, we must not understand him to refer to the
outward perception of the bodily eye; for he means generally, that as God
dwells in inaccessible light,
(<540616>1
Timothy 6:16,) he cannot be known but in Christ, who is his lively image. This
passage is usually explained thus that as the naked majesty of God is concealed
within himself, he never could be comprehended, except so far as he revealed
himself in Christ; and therefore that it was only in Christ that God was
formerly known to the fathers. But I rather think that the Evangelist here
abides by the comparison already stated, namely, how much better our condition
is than that of the fathers, because God, who was formerly concealed in his
secret glory, may now be said to have rendered himself visible; for certainly
when Christ is called the lively image of God,
(<580103>Hebrews
1:3,) this refers to the peculiar privilege of the New Testament. In like
manner, the Evangelist describes, in this passage, something new and uncommon,
when he says that the
only-begotten Son, who was in the bosom of the
Father, hath made known to us what was formerly
concealed. He therefore magnifies the manifestation of God, which has been
brought to us by the gospel, in which he distinguishes us from the fathers, and
shows that we are superior to them; as also Paul explains more fully in the
Third and Fourth chapters of the Second Epistle to the Corinthians. For he
maintains that there is now no longer any vail, such as existed under the
Law, but that God is openly beheld in the face of Christ.
If it be thought unreasonable that the fathers are
deprived of the knowledge of God, who have the prophets daily going before them
and holding out the torch, I reply, that what is ascribed to us is not simply or
absolutely denied to them, but that a comparison is made between the less and
the greater, as we say; because they had nothing more than little sparks of the
true light, the full brightness of which daily shines around us. If it be
objected, that at that time also God was seen face to face,
(<013230>Genesis
32:30;
<053410>Deuteronomy
34:10,) I maintain that that sight is not at all to be compared with ours; but
as God was accustomed at that time to exhibit himself obscurely, and, as it
were, from a distance, those to whom he was more clearly revealed say that they
saw him face to face. They say so with reference to their own time; but
they did not see God in any other way than wrapped up in many folds of
figures and ceremonies.
f30
That vision which Moses obtained on the mountain was remarkable and more
excellent than almost all the rest; and yet God expressly
declares,
thou shalt not be able to
see my face, only thou shalt see my back,
(<023323>Exodus
33:23;)
by which metaphor he shows that the time for a full
and clear revelation had not yet come. It must also be observed that, when the
fathers wished to behold God, they always turned their eyes towards Christ. I do
not only mean that they beheld God in his eternal
Speech,
but also that they attended, with their whole mind and with their whole heart,
to the promised manifestation of Christ. For this reason we shall find that
Christ afterwards said, Abraham saw my day,
(<430856>John
8:56;) and that which is subordinate is not contradictory. It is therefore a
fixed principle, that God, who was formerly invisible, hath now made himself
visible in Christ.
When he says that the Son
was in the bosom of the
Father, the metaphor is borrowed from men, who
are said to receive into their
bosom
those to whom they communicate all their secrets. The breast is the seat of
counsel. He therefore shows that the Son was acquainted with the most hidden
secrets of his Father, in order to inform us that we have the breast of God, as
it were, laid open to us in the Gospel.
|
JOHN
1:19-23
|
|
19. And this is
f31
the testimony of John, when the Jews sent Priests and Levites to Jerusalem, to
ask him, Who art thou? 20. And he confessed, and denied not; he
confessed, I say, I am not the Christ. 21. They then asked him, What art
thou then? Art thou Elijah? And he said, I am not. Art thou a Prophet?
f32
And he answered, No. 22. They said therefore to him, Who art thou, that
we may give an answer to those who sent us? What sayest thou of thyself?
23. He saith, I am the voice of him who crieth in the wilderness,
f33
Prepare the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Isaiah.
|
19.
And this is the
testimony. Hitherto the Evangelist has related
the preaching of John about Christ; he now comes down to a more illustrious
testimony, which was delivered to the ambassadors of
the
Priests, that they might convey it to
Jerusalem. He says, therefore, that John openly confessed for what purpose he
was sent by God. The first inquiry here is, for what purpose
the
Priests put questions to him. It is generally
believed that, out of hatred to Christ, they gave to John an honor which did not
belong to him; but this could not be the reason, for Christ was not yet known to
them. Others say that they were better pleased with John, because he was of the
lineage and order of the priesthood; but neither do I think that this is
probable; for since they expected from
Christ
all prosperity, why did they voluntarily contrive a false
Christ?
I think, therefore, that there was another reason that induced them. It was now
a long time since they had the Prophets; John came suddenly and contrary to
expectation; and the minds of all were aroused to expect the Messiah. Besides,
all entertained the belief that the coining of the Messiah was at
hand.
That they may not appear to be careless about their
duty, if they neglect or disguise a matter of so great importance, they ask
John, Who art
thou? At first, therefore, they did not act
from malice, but, on the contrary, actuated by the desire of redemption, they
wish to know if John be the Christ, because he begins to change the order which
had been customary in the Church. And yet I do not deny that ambition, and a
wish to retain their authority, had some influence over them; but nothing
certainly was farther from their intention than to transfer the honor of Christ
to another. Nor is their conduct in this matter inconsistent with the office
which they sustain; for since they held the government of the Church of God, it
was their duty to take care that no one rashly obtruded himself, that no founder
of a new sect should arise, that the unity of faith should not be broken in the
Church, and that none should introduce new and foreign ceremonies. It is
evident, therefore, that a report about John was widely spread and aroused the
minds of all; and this was arranged by the wonderful Providence of God, that
this testimony might be more strikingly complete.
20.
And he confessed, and denied
not. That is,
he
confessed openly, and without any ambiguity or
hypocrisy. The word confess, in the first instance, means generally, that
he stated the fact as it really was. In the second instance, it is repeated in
order to express the form of the confession. He replied expressly,
that he was not the
Christ.
21.
Art thou
Elijah? Why do they name Elijah rather
than Moses? It was because they learned from the prediction of
<390402>Malachi
4:2, 5, that when the Messiah, the Sun of Righteousness, should arise,
Elijah
would be the morning star to announce his approach. But the question is founded
on a false opinion which they had long held; for, holding the opinion that the
soul of a man departs out of one body into another, when the Prophet Malachi
announced that
Elijah
would be sent, they imagined that the same
Elijah,
who lived under the reign of king Ahab,
(<111701>1
Kings 17:1,) was to come. It is therefore a just and true reply which John
makes, that he is not Elijah; for he speaks according to the opinion
which they attached to the words; but Christ, giving the true interpretation of
the Prophet, affirms that John is Elijah,
(<401114>Matthew
11:14;
<410913>Mark
9:13.)
Art thou a
Prophet? Erasmus gives an inaccurate
explanation of these words by limiting them to Christ; for the addition of the
article (oJ
profh>thv, the prophet) carries no
emphasis in this passage; and the messengers afterwards declare plainly enough,
that they meant a different prophet from Christ; for they sum up the
whole: by saying, (verse 25,) if
thou art neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor a
Prophet. Thus we see that they intended to
point out different persons. Others think that they inquired if he was one of
the ancient prophets; but neither do I approve of that exposition. Rather
do they by this term point out the office of John, and ask if God had appointed
him to be a
prophet. When he replies,
I am
not, he does not for the sake of modesty tell a
lie, but honestly and sincerely detaches himself from the company of the
prophets.
And yet this reply is not inconsistent with the honorable attestation which
Christ gives him. Christ bestows on John the designation of
prophet,
and even adds that he is more than a prophet,
(<401109>Matthew
11:9;) but by these words he does nothing more than demand credit and authority
for his doctrine, and at the same time describes, in lofty terms, the excellence
of the office which had been conferred on him. But in this passage John has a
different object in view, which is, to show that he has no special message, as
was usually the case with the prophets, but that he was merely appointed
to be the herald of Christ.
This will be made still more clear by a comparison.
All ambassadors — even those who are not sent on matters of great
importance — obtain the name and authority of ambassadors, because they
hold special commissions. Such were all the Prophets who, having been enjoined
to deliver certain predictions, discharged the prophetic office. But if some
weighty matter come to be transacted, and if two ambassadors are sent, one of
whom announces the speedy arrival of another who possesses full power to
transact the whole matter, and if this latter has received injunctions to bring
it to a conclusion, will not the former embassy be reckoned a part and appendage
of the latter, which is the principal? Such was the case with John the Baptist,
to whom God had given no other injunction than to prepare the Jews for listening
to Christ, and becoming his disciples.
f34
That this is the meaning, will still more fully appear from the context; for we
must investigate the opposite clause, which immediately follows.
I am not a
prophet, says he, but
a voice crying in the
wilderness. The distinction lies in this, that
the voice crying, that a
way may be prepared for the Lord, is not a
prophet,
but merely a subordinate minister, so to speak; and his doctrine is only a sort
of preparation for listening to another Teacher. In this way John, though he is
more excellent than all the prophets, still is
not a
prophet.
23.
The voice of him who
crieth. As he would have been chargeable with
rashness in undertaking the office of teaching, if he had not received a
commission, he shows what was the duty which he had to perform, and proves it by
a quotation from the Prophet
<236003>Isaiah
60:3. Hence it follows that he does nothing but what God commanded him to do.
Isaiah does not, indeed, speak there of John alone, but, promising the
restoration of the Church, he predicts that there will yet be heard joyful
voices, commanding to prepare the
way for the Lord. Though he points out the
coming of God, when he brought back the people from their captivity in Babylon,
yet the true accomplishment was the manifestation of Christ in flesh. Among the
heralds who announced that the Lord was at hand, John held the chief
place.
To enter into ingenious inquiries, as some have done,
into the meaning of the word
Voice,
would be frivolous. John is called
a
Voice, because he was enjoined to cry. It is in
a figurative sense, undoubtedly, that Isaiah gives the name wilderness to the
miserable desolation of the Church, which seemed to preclude the return of the
people; as if he had said, that a passage would indeed be opened up for the
captive people, but that the Lord would find a road through regions in which
there was no road. But that visible
wilderness,
in which John preached, was a figure or image of the awful desolation which took
away all hope of deliverance. If this comparison be considered, it will be
easily seen that no torture has been given to the words of the prophet in this
application of them; for God arranged everything in such a manner, as to place
before the eyes of his people, who were overwhelmed with their calamities, a
mirror of this prediction.
|
JOHN
1:24-28
|
|
24. Now those who were sent were of the
Pharisees. 25. Therefore they asked him, and said to him, Why then dost
thou baptize, if thou art not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor a Prophet? 26.
John answered them, saying, I baptize with water; but one standeth in the midst
of you, whom you know not. 27. It is he who, coming after me, is
preferred to me; whose shoe-latchet I am not worthy to loose. 28. These
things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was
baptizing.
|
24.
Were of the
Pharisees. He says that they were
Pharisees,
who at that time held the highest rank in the Church; and he says so in order to
inform us, that they were not some contemptible persons of the order of the
Levites, but men clothed with authority. This is the reason why they raise a
question about his baptism. Ordinary ministers would have been
satisfied with any kind of answer; but those men, because they cannot draw
from John what they desired, accuse him of rashness for venturing to introduce a
new religious observance.
25.
Why then dost thou
baptize? By laying down those three degrees,
they appear to form a very conclusive
argument: if thou art not the
Christ, nor Elijah, nor a prophet; for it does
not belong to every man to institute the practice of baptism. The
Messiah was to be one who possessed all authority. Of
Elijah
who was to come, they had formed this opinion, that he would commence the
restoration both of the royal authority and of the Church. The prophets
of God, they readily grant, have a right to discharge the office committed to
them. They conclude, therefore, that for John to
baptize
is an unlawful novelty, since he has received from God no public station. But
they are wrong in not acknowledging him to be that
Elijah
who is mentioned by
<390405>Malachi
4:5; though he denies that he is that
Elijah
of whom they foolishly dreamed.
26.
I baptize with
water. This ought to have been abundantly
sufficient for the correction of their mistake, but a reproof otherwise clear is
of no advantage to the deaf; for, when he sends them to Christ, and declares
that Christ is present, this is a clear proof not only that he was divinely
appointed to be a minister of Christ, but that he is the true
Elijah,
who is sent to testify that the time is come
f35
for the renovation of the Church. There is a contrast here which is not fully
stated; for the spiritual baptism of Christ is not expressly contrasted
with the external baptism of John, but that latter clause about the
baptism of the Spirit might easily be supplied, and shortly afterwards
both are set down by the Evangelist.
This answer may be reduced to two heads: first, that
John claims nothing for himself but what he has a right to claim, because he has
Christ for the Author of his baptism, in which consists the truth of the
sign; and, secondly, that he has nothing but the administration of the outward
sign, while the whole power and efficacy is in the hands of Christ alone. Thus
he defends his baptism so far as its truth depends on anything else; but,
at the same time, by declaring that he has not the power of the Spirit, he
exalts the dignity of Christ, that the eyes of men may be fixed on him alone.
This is the highest and best regulated moderation, when a minister borrows from
Christ whatever authority he claims for himself, in such a manner as to trace it
to him, ascribing to him alone all that he possesses.
It is a foolish mistake, however, into which some
people have been led, of supposing that John’s baptism was different from
ours; for John does not argue here about the advantage and usefulness of his
baptism, but merely compares his own person with the person of Christ. In like
manner, if we were inquiring, at the present day, what part belongs to us, and
what belongs to Christ, in baptism, we must acknowledge that Christ alone
performs what baptism figuratively represents, and that we have nothing beyond
the bare administration of the sign. There is a twofold way of speaking in
Scripture about the sacraments; for sometimes it tells us that they are the
laver of regeneration,
(<560305>Titus
3:5;) that by them our sins are washed away,
(<600321>1
Peter 3:21;) that we
are in-grafted into the
body of Christ, that our old man is crucified, and that we rise again to newness
of life,
(<450604>Romans
6:4, 5, 6;)
and, in those cases, Scripture joins the power of
Christ with the ministry of man; as, indeed, man is nothing else than the hand
of Christ. Such modes of expression show, not what man can of himself
accomplish, but what Christ performs by man, and by the sign, as his
instruments. But as there is a strong tendency to fall into superstition, and as
men, through the pride which is natural to them, take from God the honor due to
him, and basely appropriate it to themselves; so Scripture, in order to restrain
this blasphemous arrogance, sometimes distinguishes ministers from Christ, as in
this passage, that we may learn that ministers are nothing and can do
nothing.
One standeth in the midst of
you. He indirectly charges them with stupidity,
in not knowing Christ, to whom their minds ought to have been earnestly
directed; and he always insists earnestly on this point, that nothing can be
known about his ministry, until men have come to him who is the Author of it.
When he says that Christ standeth in the midst of, them, it is that he may
excite their desire and their exertion to know him. The amount of what he says
is, that he wishes to place himself as low as possible, lest any degree of honor
improperly bestowed on him might obscure the excellence of Christ. It is
probable that he had these sentences frequently in his mouth, when he saw
himself immoderately extolled by the perverse opinions of men.
27.
Who coming after
me. Here he says two things; first, that Christ
was behind him in the order of time; but, secondly, that he was far before him
in rank and dignity, because the rather preferred him to all. Soon after he will
add a third statement, that Christ was preferred to all others, because he is in
reality more exalted than all others.
28.
These things were done in
Bethabara. The place is mentioned, not only to
authenticate the narrative, but also to inform us that this answer was given
amidst a numerous assembly of people; for there were many who flocked to
John’s baptism, and this was his ordinary place for baptizing. It is
likewise supposed by some to be a passage across Jordan, and, from this
circumstance, they derive the name, for they interpret it the house of
passage; unless, perhaps, some may prefer the opinion of those who refer to
the memorable passage of the people,
(<060313>Joshua
3:13,) when God opened up a way for them in the midst of the waters, under the
direction of Joshua. Others say that it ought rather to be read
Betharaba. Instead of Bethabara, some have inserted here the name
Bethany, but this is a mistake; for we shall afterwards see how near
Bethany was to Jerusalem. The situation of Bethabara, as laid down
by those who have described the country, agrees best with the words of the
Evangelist; though I have no wish to dispute about the pronunciation of the
word.
|
JOHN
1:29-34
|
|
29. The next day, John seeth Jesus coming to
him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world!
30. This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man who was preferred to
me, because he was more excellent than I. 31. And I knew him not; but in
order that he might be manifested to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with
water. 32. And John testified, saying, I saw the Spirit descending like a
dove from heaven, and it remained upon him. 33. And I knew him not; but
he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, Upon whom thou shalt see the
Spirit descending and remaining on him, it is he who baptizeth with the Holy
Ghost. 34. I saw therefore, and testified, that he is the Son of
God.
|
29.
The next
day. There can be no doubt that John had
already spoken about the manifestation of the Messiah; but when Christ began to
appear, he wished that his announcement of him should quickly become known, and
the time was now at hand when Christ would put an end to John’s ministry,
as, when the sun is risen, the dawn suddenly disappears. After having testified
to the priests who were sent to him, that he from whom they ought to seek the
truth and power of baptism was already present, and was conversing in the midst
of the people, the next
day he pointed him out to the view of all. For
these two acts, following each other in close succession, must have powerfully
affected their minds. This too is the reason why Christ appeared in the presence
of John.
Behold the Lamb of
God. The principal office of Christ is briefly
but clearly stated; that he takes
away the sins of the world by the sacrifice of
his death, and reconciles men to God. There are other favors, indeed, which
Christ bestows upon us, but this is the chief favor, and the rest depend on it;
that, by appeasing the wrath of God, he makes us to be reckoned holy and
righteous. For from this source flow all the streams of blessings, that, by not
imputing our sins, he receives us into favor. Accordingly, John, in order to
conduct us to Christ, commences with the gratuitous forgiveness of sins which we
obtain through him.
By the word
Lamb
he alludes to the ancient sacrifices of the Law. He had to do with Jews who,
having been accustomed to sacrifices, could not be instructed about atonement
for sins in any other way than by holding out to them a sacrifice. As there were
various kinds of them, he makes one, by a figure of speech, to stand for the
whole; and it is probable that John alluded to the paschal
lamb.
It must be observed, in general, that John employed this mode of expression,
which was better adapted to instruct the Jews, and possessed greater force; as
in our own day, in consequence of baptism being generally practiced, we
understand better what is meant by obtaining forgiveness of sins through the
blood of Christ, when we are told that we are washed and cleansed by it from our
pollutions. At the same time, as the Jews commonly held superstitious notions
about sacrifices, he corrects this fault in passing, by reminding them of the
object to which all the sacrifices were directed. It was a very wicked abuse of
the institution of sacrifice, that they had their confidence fixed on the
outward signs; and therefore John, holding out Christ, testifies that he is
the Lamb of
God; by which he means that all the sacrifices,
which the Jews were accustomed to offer under the Law, had no power whatever to
atone for sins, but that they were only figures, the truth of which was
manifested in Christ himself.
Who taketh away the sin of the
world. He uses the word sin in the singular
number, for any kind of iniquity; as if he had said, that every kind of
unrighteousness which alienates men from God is
taken
away by Christ. And when he says,
the sin OF THE
WORLD, he extends this favor indiscriminately to
the whole human race; that the Jews might not think that he had been sent to
them alone. But hence we infer that the whole
world
is involved in the same condemnation; and that as all men without exception are
guilty of unrighteousness before God, they need to be reconciled to him. John
the Baptist, therefore, by speaking generally of
the sin of the
world, intended to impress upon us the
conviction of our own misery, and to exhort us to seek the remedy. Now our duty
is, to embrace the benefit which is offered to all, that each of us may be
convinced that there is nothing to hinder him from obtaining reconciliation in
Christ, provided that he comes to him by the guidance of faith.
Besides, he lays down but one method of
taking away
sins. We know that from the beginning of the
world, when their own consciences held them convinced, men labored anxiously to
procure forgiveness. Hence the vast number of propitiatory offerings, by which
they falsely imagined that they appeased God. I own, indeed, that all the
spurious rites of a propitiatory nature drew their existence from a holy origin,
which was, that God had appointed the sacrifices which directed men to Christ;
but yet every man contrived for himself his own method of appeasing God. But
John leads us back to Christ alone, and informs us that there is no other way in
which God is reconciled to us than through his agency, because he alone
takes away
sin. He therefore leaves no other refuge for
sinners than to flee to Christ; by which he overturns all satisfactions, and
purifications, and redemptions, that are invented by men; as, indeed, they are
nothing else than base inventions framed by the subtlety of the
devil.
The verb
ai]rein
(to take away) may be explained in two ways; either that Christ took upon
himself the load which weighed us down, as it is said that he carried our
sins on the tree,
(<600224>1
Peter 2:24;) and Isaiah says that
the chastisement of our
peace was laid on him,
(<235305>Isaiah
53:5;)
or that he blots out sins. But as the latter
statement depends on the former, I gladly embrace both; namely, that Christ, by
bearing our sins, takes them away. Although, therefore, sin continually
dwells in us, yet there is none in the judgment of God, because when it has been
annulled by the grace of Christ, it is not imputed to us. Nor do I dislike the
remark of Chrysostom, that the verb in the present tense —
oJ
ai]rwn, who taketh away, denotes a continued
act; for the satisfaction which Christ once made is always in full vigor. But he
does not merely teach us that Christ takes away sin, but points out also
the method, namely, that he hath reconciled the Father to us by means of his
death; for this is what he means by the word
Lamb.
Let us therefore learn that we become reconciled to God by the grace of Christ,
if we go straight to his death, and when we believe that he who was nailed to
the cross is the only propitiatory sacrifice, by which all our guilt is
removed.
30.
This is he of whom I
said. He comprehends every thing in a few
words, when he declares that Christ is the person who, he said, was to be
preferred to him; for hence it follows that John is nothing more than a herald
sent on his account; and hence again it is evident that Christ is the Messiah.
Three things are here stated; for when he says that a man
cometh after
him, he means that he himself was before him in
the order of time, to prepare the way for Christ, according to the testimony of
Malachi,
Behold, I send my
messenger before my face,
(<390301>Malachi
3:1.)
Again, when he says that
he was preferred to
himself, this relates to the glory with which
God adorned his Son, when he came into the world to fulfill the office of a
Redeemer. At last, the reason is added, which is, that Christ is far superior in
dignity to John the Baptist. That honor, therefore, which the Father bestowed
upon him was not accidental, but was due to his eternal majesty. But of this
expression, he was preferred to
me, because he was before me, I have
already Spoken.
f36
31.
And I knew him
not. That his testimony may not be suspected of
having been given either from friendship or favor, he anticipates such a doubt,
by affirming that he had no other knowledge of Christ than what he had obtained
by divine inspiration. The meaning, therefore, amounts to this, that John does
not speak at his own suggestion, nor for the favor of man, but by the
inspiration of the Spirit and the command of God.
I came baptizing with
water; that is, I was called and appointed to
this office, that I might
manifest him to Israel; which the Evangelist
afterwards explains more fully, and confirms, when he introduces John the
Baptist, testifying that he had no knowledge of Christ but what he had obtained
by oracle; that is, by information or revelation from God.
f36A
Instead of what we find here, I came to baptize, he there states expressly
(verse 33) that he was sent; for it is only the calling of God that makes lawful
ministers, because every person who of his own accord, thrusts himself forward,
whatever learning or eloquence he may possess, is not entitled to any authority,
and the reason is, that he is not authorized by God. Now since it was necessary
that John, in order that he might lawfully baptize, should be sent by God, let
it be inferred from this, that it is not in the power of any man whatever to
institute sacraments, but that this right belongs to God alone, as Christ, on
another occasion, in order to prove the baptism of John, asks if it was from
heaven, or from men,
(<402125>Matthew
21:25.)
32.
I saw the Spirit, descending
like a dove. This is not a literal but a
figurative mode of expression; for with what eyes could he see the
Spirit? But as the
dove
was a certain and infallible sign of the presence of
the
Spirit, it is called
the
Spirit, by a figure of speech in which one name
is substituted for another; not that he is in reality the Spirit, but
that he points him out, as far as human capacity can admit. And this
metaphorical language is frequently employed in the sacraments; for why does
Christ call the bread his body, but because the name of the thing is
properly transferred to the sign? especially when the sign is, at the same time,
a true and efficacious pledge, by which we are made certain that the thing
itself which is signified is bestowed on us. Yet it must not be understood that
the dove contained the Spirit who fills heaven and earth,
(<242324>Jeremiah
23:24,) but that he was present by his power, so that John knew that such an
exhibition was not presented to his eyes in vain. In like manner, we know that
the body of Christ is not connected with the bread, and yet we are partakers of
his body.
A question now arises, why
did the
Spirit at that time appear in the form of a
dove?
We must always hold that there is a correspondence between the sign and the
reality. When the
Spirit was given to the apostles, they saw
cloven tongues of fire,
(<440203>Acts
2:3,) because the preaching of the gospel was to be spread through all tongues,
and was to possess the power of fire. But in this passage God intended to make a
public representation of that mildness of Christ of which Isaiah speaks in lofty
terms,
The smoking flax he will
not quench, and the bruised reed he will not break,
(<234203>Isaiah
42:3.)
It was then, for the first time, that
the Spirit was seen descending on
him; not that he had formerly been destitute of
him, but because he might be said to be then consecrated by a solemn rite. For
we know that he remained in concealment, during thirty years, like a private
individual, because the time for his manifestation was not yet come; but when he
intended to make himself known to the world, he began with his baptism. At that
time, therefore, he received the
Spirit not only for himself, but for his
people; and on that account his descent was visible, that we may know that there
dwells in him an abundance of all gifts of which we are empty and destitute.
This may easily be inferred from the words of the Baptist; for when he says,
Upon whom thou shalt see the
Spirit descending, and remaining on him, it is he who baptizeth with the
Spirit, his meaning is, that the reason why
the Spirit was beheld in a visible form, and remained on Christ,
was, that he might water all his people with his fullness. What it is to
baptize with the
Spirit I have already noticed in a few words;
namely, that he imparts its efficacy to baptism, that it may not be vain or
useless, and this he accomplishes by the power of his Spirit.
33.
Upon whom thou shalt see
the Spirit descending. Here a difficult
question arises; for if John did not know Christ, why does he refuse to
admit him to baptism? To a person whom he did not know he would not say, I
ought rather to be baptized by thee,
(<400314>Matthew
3:14.) Some reply, that he knew him to such an extent as to regard him with the
reverence due to a distinguished Prophet, but was not aware that he
was the Son of
God. But this is a poor solution of the
difficulty, for every man ought to obey the calling of God without any respect
of persons. No rank or excellence of man ought to prevent us from doing our
duty, and therefore John would have shown disrespect to God and to his baptism,
if he had spoken in this manner to any other person than the Son of God. it
follows that he must have previously known Christ.
In the first place, it ought to be observed, that the
knowledge here mentioned is that which arises from personal and long
acquaintance. Although he recognizes Christ whenever he sees him, still it does
not cease to be true that they were not known to each other according to
the ordinary custom of men, for the commencement of his knowledge proceeded from
God. But the question is not yet fully answered; for he says that the sight of
the Holy Spirit was the mark by which he was pointed out to him. Now he had not
yet seen the Spirit, when he had addressed Christ as the Son of God. For
my own part, I willingly embrace the opinion of those who think that this sign
was added for confirmation, and that it was not so much for the sake of John as
for the sake of us all. John indeed saw it, but it was rather for others than
for himself. Bucer appropriately quotes that saying of
Moses,
This shall be a sign to
you, that after three days journey, you shall sacrifice to me on the mountain,
(<020312>Exodus
3:12.)
Undoubtedly, when they were going out, they already
knew that God would conduct and watch over their deliverance; but this was a
confirmation a posteriori, as the phrase is; that is, from the event,
after it had taken place. In like manner, this came as an addition to the former
revelation which had been given to John.
34.
I saw and
testified. He means that what he declares is
not doubtful; because God was pleased to make him fully and thoroughly
acquainted with those things of which he was to be the witness to the world; and
it is worthy of notice, that he
testified
that Christ
was the Son of
God, because he who gives the Holy Spirit must
be the Christ, for to no other belongs the honor and the office of reconciling
men to God.
|
JOHN
1:35-39
|
|
35. The next day John was again standing, and
two of his disciples; 36. And looking at Jesus walking, he said, Behold
the Lamb of God! 37. And those two disciples heard him speak, and
followed Jesus. 38. And Jesus turning, and looking at them following him,
saith to them, What do you seek? And they said to him, Rabbi, (which, if you
interpret it, is explained Master,) where dwellest thou? 39. He saith to
them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and remained with him that
day; for it was about the tenth hour.
|
36.
Behold the Lamb of God!
Hence appears more clearly what I have already
stated, that when John perceived that he was approaching the end of his course,
he labored incessantly to resign his office to Christ. His firmness too gives
greater credit to his testimony. But by insisting so earnestly, during many
successive days, in repeating the commendation of Christ, he shows that his own
course was nearly finished. Here we see also how small and low the beginning of
the Church was. John, indeed, prepared disciples for Christ, but it is only now
that Christ begins to collect a Church. He has no more than two men who are mean
and unknown, but this even contributes to illustrate his glory, that within a
short period, without human aid, and without a strong hand, he spreads his
kingdom in a wonderful and incredible manner. We ought also to observe what is
the chief object to which John directs the attention of men; it is, to find in
Christ the forgiveness of sins. And as Christ had presented himself to the
disciples for the express purpose that they might come to him, so no when they
come, he gently encourages and exhorts them; for he does not wait until they
first address him, but asks, What
do you seek? This kind and gracious invitation,
which was once made to two persons, now belongs to all. We ought not therefore
to fear that Christ will withdraw from us or refuse to us easy access, provided
that he sees us desirous to come to him; but, on the contrary, he will stretch
out his hand to assist our endeavors. And how will not he meet those who come to
him, who seeks at a distance those who are wandering and astray, that he may
bring them back to the right road?
38.
Rabbi.
This name was commonly given to persons of high rank, or who possessed any kind
of honor. But the Evangelist here points out another use of it which was made in
his own age, which was, that they addressed by this name the teachers and
expounders of the word of God. Although, therefore, those two disciples do not
yet recognize Christ as the only Teacher of the Church, yet, moved by the
commendation bestowed on him by John the Baptist, they hold him to be a Prophet
and teacher, which is the first step towards receiving
instruction.
Where dwellest
thou? By this example we are taught that from
the first, rudiments of the Church we ought to draw such a relish for Christ as
will excite our desire to profit; and next, that we ought not to be
satisfied with a mere passing look, but that we ought to seek his dwelling, that
he may receive us as guests. For there are very many who smell the gospel at a
distance only, and thus allow Christ suddenly to disappear, and all that they
have learned concerning him to pass away. And though those two persons did not
at that time become his ordinary disciples, yet there can be no doubt that,
during that night, he instructed them more fully, so that they soon afterwards
became entirely devoted to him.
39.
It was about the tenth
hour; that is, the evening was approaching, for
it was not more than two hours till sunset. The day was at that time divided by
them into twelve hours, which were longer in summer and shorter in winter. But
from this circumstance we infer that those disciples were so eagerly desirous to
hear Christ, and to gain a more intimate knowledge of him, that they gave
themselves no concern about a night’s lodging. On the contrary, we are,
for the most part, very unlike them, for we incessantly delay, because it is not
convenient for us to follow Christ.
|
JOHN
1:40-42
|
|
40. Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was
one of those who heard John speak and followed him. 41. He first findeth
his own brother Simon, and saith to him, We have found the Messiah, which is,
being interpreted, the Christ. 42. He brought him therefore to Jesus; and
Jesus, looking at him, said, Thou art Simon, the son of Jonah; thou shalt be
called Cephas, which is, being interpreted, Peter.
|
40.
Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. The design
of the Evangelist, down to the end of the chapter, is to inform us how gradually
the disciples were brought to Christ. Here he relates about Peter, and
afterwards he will mention Philip and Nathanael. The circumstance of
Andrew
immediately bringing his brother expresses the
nature of faith, which does not conceal or quench the light, but rather spreads
it in every direction.
Andrew
has scarcely a spark, and yet, by means of it, he enlightens his brother. Woe to
our indolence, therefore, if we do not, after having been fully enlightened,
endeavor to make others partakers of the same grace. We may observe in
Andrew
two things which Isaiah requires from the children of God; namely, that each
should take his neighbor by the hand, and next, that he should
say,
Come, let us go up into
the mountain of the Lord,
and he
will teach us,
(<230203>Isaiah
2:3.)
For Andrew stretches out the hand to his brother, but
at the same time he has this object in view, that he may become a
fellow-disciple with him in the school of Christ. We ought also to observe the
purpose of God, which determined that
Peter,
who was to be far more eminent, was brought to the knowledge of Christ by the
agency and ministry of Andrew; that none of us, however excellent, may refuse to
be taught by an inferior; for that man will be severely punished for his
peevishness, or rather for his pride, who, through his contempt of a man, will
not deign to come to Christ.
41.
We have found the
Messiah. The Evangelist has interpreted the
Hebrew word Messiah
(Anointed) by the Greek word
Christ,
in order to publish to the whole world what was secretly known to the Jews. It
was the ordinary designation of kings,
f37
as anointing was observed by them as a solemn rite. But still they were
aware that one King would be anointed by God, under whom they might hope to
obtain perfect and eternal happiness; especially when they should learn that the
earthly kingdom of David would not be permanent. And as God raised their minds,
when subdued and weighed down by various calamities, to the expectation of the
Messiah, so he more clearly revealed to them that his coming was at hand. The
prediction of Daniel is more clear and forcible than all the rest, so far as
relates to the name of Christ; for he does not, like the earlier
Prophets, ascribe it to kings, but appropriates it exclusively to the Redeemer,
(<270925>Daniel
9:25, 26.) Hence this mode of expression became prevalent, so that when the
Messiah
or
Christ was mentioned, it was understood that no
other than the Redeemer was meant. Thus we shall find the woman of Samaria
saying, the Messiah will come,
(<430425>John
4:25;) which makes it the more wonderful that he who was so eagerly desired by
all, and whom they had constantly in their mouths, should be received by so
small a number of persons.
42.
Thou art
Simon. Christ gives a name to
Simon,
not as men commonly do, from some past event, or from what is now perceived in
them, but because he was to make him Peter, (a stone.) First, he
says, Thou art Simon, the son of
Jonah. He repeats the name of his father in an
abridged form; which is common enough when names are translated into other
languages; for it will plainly appear from the last chapter that he was the son
of Johanna or John. But all this amounts to nothing more than that
he will be a very different person from what he now is. For it is not For the
sake of honor that he mentions his father; but as he was descended from a family
which was obscure, and which was held in no estimation among men, Christ
declares that this will not prevent him from making
Simon
a man of unshaken courage. The Evangelist, therefore, mentions this as a
prediction, that Simon received a new name. I look upon it as a
prediction, not only because Christ foresaw the future steadfastness of faith in
Peter, but because he foretold what he would give to him. He now
magnifies the grace which he determined afterwards to bestow upon him; and
therefore he does not say that this is now his name, but delays it till a future
time.
Thou shalt be called
Cephas. All the godly, indeed, may justly be
called Peters
(stones,) which, having been Sounded on
Christ, are fitted for building the temple of God; but he alone is so called on
account of his singular excellence. Yet the Papists act a ridiculous part, when
they substitute him in the place of Christ; so as to be the foundation of the
Church, as if he too were not founded on Christ along with the rest of the
disciples; and they are doubly ridiculous when out of a stone they make
him a head. For among the rhapsodies of Gratian there is a foolish canon
under the name of Anacletus, who, exchanging a Hebrew word for a Greek one, and
not distinguishing the Greek word
kefalh<
(kephale) from the Hebrew word Cephas, thinks that by this name Peter was
appointed to be Head of the Church. Cephas is rather a Chaldaic than a
Hebrew word; but that was the customary pronunciation of it after the Babylonish
captivity. There is, then, no ambiguity in the words of Christ; for he promises
what Peter had not at all expected, and thus magnifies his own grace to all
ages, that his former condition may not lead us to think less highly of him,
since this remarkable appellation informs us that he was made a new
man.
|
JOHN
1:43-46
|
|
43. The next day Jesus wished to go into
Galilee, and found Philip, and said to him, Follow me. 44. Now Philip was
of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45. Philip findeth Nathanael,
and saith to him, We have found Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph, of whom
Moses in the Law, and the Prophets write. 46. Nathanael said to him, Can
any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip said to him, Come and
see.
|
43.
Follow
me. When
Philip
was inflamed by this single word to follow Christ, we infer from it how great is
the efficacy of the word of God; but it does not appear indiscriminately in all,
for God addresses many without any advantage, just as if he struck their ears
with a sound which vanished into air. So then the external preaching of the word
is in itself unfruitful, except that it inflicts a deadly wound on the
reprobate, so as to render them inexcusable before God. But when the secret
grace of God quickens it, all the senses must be affected in such a manner that
men will be prepared to
follow
wherever God calls them. We ought, therefore, to pray to Christ that he may
display in us the same power of the Gospel. In the case of
Philip,
there was no doubt a peculiarity about his following Christ; for he is
commanded to follow, not like one of us, but as a domestic, and as a familiar
companion. But still the calling of all of us is illustrated by this calling of
Philip.
44.
Was of
Bethsaida. The name of the city appears to have
been mentioned on purpose, that the goodness of God to the three Apostles may be
more illustriously displayed. We know how severely, on other occasions, Christ
threatens and curses that city,
(<401121>Matthew
11:21;
<421013>Luke
10:13.) Accordingly, when God brought into favor with him some out of a nation
so ungodly and wicked, we ought to view it in the same light as if they had been
brought out of the lowest hell. And when Christ, after having drawn them out of
that deep gulf, honors them so highly as to make them Apostles, it is a
distinguished favor and worthy of being recorded.
45.
Philip findeth
Nathanael. Though proud men despise these
feeble beginnings of the Church, yet we ought to perceive in them a brighter
display of the divine glory, than if the condition of the Kingdom of Christ had
been in every respect, from the outset, splendid and magnificent; for we know to
how rich a harvest this small seed afterwards grew. Again, we see
in
Philip the same desire of building which
formerly appeared in
Andrew.
His modesty, too, is remarkable, in desiring and seeking nothing else than to
have others to learn along with him, from Him who is a Teacher common to
all.
We have found
Jesus. How small was the measure of
Philip’s faith appears from this circumstance, that he cannot utter a few
words about Christ without mingling with them two gross errors. He calls him
the son of
Joseph, and says, that
Nazareth
was his native town, both of which statements were
false; and yet, because he is sincerely desirous to do good to his brother, and
to make Christ known, God approves of this instance of his diligence, and even
crowns it with good success. Each of us ought, no doubt, to endeavor to keep
soberly within his own limits; and, certainly, the Evangelist does not mention
it as worthy of commendation in Philip, that he twice disgraces Christ, but
relates that his doctrine, though faulty and involved in error, was useful,
because it nevertheless had this for its object, that Christ might be truly
known. He foolishly says that he was
the son of
Joseph, and ignorantly calls him a native of
Nazareth,
but yet he leads Nathanael
to no other than the Son of God who was born in
Bethlehem,
(<400201>Matthew
2:1,) and does not contrive a false Christ, but only wishes that they should
know him as he was exhibited by
Moses and the
Prophets. We see, then, that the chief design
of doctrine is, that those who hear us should come to Christ in some way or
other.
There are many who engage in abstruse inquiries about
Christ, but who throw such darkness and intricacy around him by their subtleties
that they can never find him. The Papists, for example, will not say that Christ
is the son of Joseph,
for they distinctly know what is his name; but
yet they annihilate his power, so as to hold out a phantom in the room of
Christ. Would it not be better to stammer ridiculously, like
Philip,
and to hold by the true Christ, than by eloquent and ingenious language to
introduce a false Christ? On the other hand, there are many poor dunces in the
present day, who, though ignorant and unskilled in the use of language, make
known Christ more faithfully than all the theologians of the Pope with their
lofty speculations. This passage, therefore, warns us that, if any unsuitable
language has been employed concerning Christ by ignorant and unlearned men, we
ought not to reject such persons with disdain, provided they direct us to
Christ; but that we may not be withdrawn from Christ by the false imaginations
of men, let us always have this remedy at hand, to seek the pure knowledge of
him from the Law and the
Prophets.
46.
Can any good thing come
out of Nazareth? At first,
Nathanael
refuses, the place of Christ’s nativity (as
described by Philip) having given him offense. But, first of all, he is
deceived by the inconsiderate discourse of
Philip;
for what
Philip
foolishly believed Nathanael
receives as certain. Next, there is added a foolish
judgment arising from hatred or contempt of the place. Both of these points
ought to be carefully observed by us. This holy man was not far from shutting
out against himself all approach to Christ. Why was this? Because he rashly
believes what Philip spoke incorrectly about Christ; and next, because his mind
was under the influence of a preconceived opinion that
no good thing could come out of
Nazareth. If then we are not carefully on our
guard, we shall be liable to the same danger; and Satan labors every day, by
similar obstacles, to hinder us from coming to Christ; for he has the dexterity
to spread many falsehoods, the tendency of which is to excite our hatred or
suspicion against the Gospel, that we may not venture to taste it. And next, he
ceases not to try another method, namely, to make us look on Christ with
contempt; for we see how many there are who take offense at the degradation of
the cross, which appears both in Christ the head and in his members. But as we
can hardly be so cautious as not to be tempted by those stratagems of
Satan, let us at least remember immediately this caution:
Come and
see. Nathanael allowed his twofold error to be
corrected by this expression which Philip uttered. Following his example, let us
first show ourselves to be submissive and obedient; and next, let us not shrink
from inquiry, when Christ himself is ready to remove the doubts which harass us.
Those who read these words not as a question, but as an affirmation, Some
good thing may come out of Nazareth, are greatly mistaken. For, in the first
place, how trivial would such an observation be? And next, we know that the city
Nazareth
was not at that time held in estimation; and
Philip’s reply shows plainly enough that it was expressive of hesitation
and distrust.
|
JOHN
1:47-51
|
|
47. When Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, he
saith of him, Behold, one truly an Israelite, in whom there is no deceit.
48. Nathanael saith to him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and
said to him, Before Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig-tree, I saw
thee. 49. Nathanael answered and said to him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of
God, thou art the King: of Israel. 50. Jesus answered and said to him,
Because I said to thee, I saw thee under the fig-tree, thou believest;
f38
thou shalt see greater things than these. 51. Then he said to him,
Verily, verily, I say to you, Hereafter you shall see heaven opened, and the
angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of man.
|
47.
Behold, one truly an
Israelite. It is not on Nathanael’s own
account that Christ bestows on him this commendation, but under his person he
holds out a general doctrine. For, since many who boast of being believers are
very far from being actually believers, it is of great importance that some mark
should be found for distinguishing the true and genuine from the false. We know
how haughtily the Jews gloried in their father Abraham, and how presumptuously
they boasted of the holiness of their descent; and yet there was scarcely one in
a hundred among them who was not utterly degenerate and alienated from the faith
of the Fathers. For this reason, Christ, in order to tear the mask from
hypocrites, gives a short definition of a true Israelite, and, at the
same time, removes the offense which would afterwards arise from the wicked
obstinacy of the nation. For those who wished to be accounted the children of
Abraham, and the holy people of God, were shortly afterwards to become the
deadly enemies of the Gospel. That none may be discouraged or alarmed by the
impiety which was generally found in almost all ranks, he gives a timely
warning, that of those by whom the name of Israelites is assumed there are few
who are true Israelites.
Again, as this passage contains a definition of
Christianity, we must not pass by it slightly. To sum up the meaning of Christ
in a few words, it ought to be observed that
deceit
is contrasted with uprightness and sincerity;
f39
so that he calls those persons sly
f40
and deceitful who are called in other parts of Scripture double in
heart,
(<191202>Psalm
12:2.) Nor is it only that gross hypocrisy by which those who are conscious of
their wickedness pretend to be good men, but likewise another inward hypocrisy,
when men are so blinded by their vices that they not only deceive others but
themselves. So then it is integrity of heart before God, and uprightness before
men, that makes a Christian; but Christ points out chiefly that kind of
deceit which is mentioned in
<193202>Psalm
32:2. In this passage
ajlhqw~v
(truly) means something more than certainly. The Greek word, no
doubt, is often used as a simple affirmation; but as we must here supply a
contrast between the fact and the mere name, he is said to be
truly,
who is in reality what he is supposed to be.
48.
Whence knowest
thou? Though Christ did not intend to flatter
him, yet he wished to be heard by him, in order to draw forth a new question, by
the reply to which he would prove himself to be the Son of God. Nor is it
without a good reason that Nathanael asks whence Christ knew him; for to
meet with a man of such uprightness as to be free from all deceit is an uncommon
case, and to know such purity of heart belongs to God alone. The reply of
Christ, however, appears to be inappropriate; for though he
saw Nathanael under the
fig-tree, it does not follow from this that he
could penetrate into the deep secrets of the heart. But there is another reason;
for as it belongs to God to know men when they are not seen, so also does it
belong to Him to see what is not visible to the eyes. As Nathanael knew that
Christ did not see him after the manner of men, but by a look truly divine, this
might lead him to conclude that Christ did not now speak as a man. The proof,
therefore, is taken from things which are of the same class; for not less does
it belong to God to see what lies beyond our view than to judge concerning
purity of heart. We ought also to gather from this passage a useful doctrine,
that when we are not thinking of Christ, we are observed by him; and it is
necessary that it should be so, that he may bring us back, when we have wandered
from the right path.
49.
Thou art the Son of
God. That he acknowledges him to be
the Son of
God from his divine power is not wonderful; but
on what ground does he call him
King of Israel? for the two things do not
appear to be necessarily connected. But Nathanael takes a loftier view. He had
already heard that he is the Messiah, and to this doctrine he adds the
confirmation which had been given him. He holds also another principle, that
the Son of
God will not come without exercising the office
of King over the people of God. Justly, therefore, does he acknowledge
that he who is the Son of God
is also
King of
Israel And, indeed, faith ought not to be fixed
on the essence of Christ alone, (so to speak,) but ought to attend to his power
and office; for it would be of little advantage to know who Christ is, if this
second point were not added, what he wishes to be towards us, and for what
purpose the Father sent him. The reason why the Papists have nothing more than a
shadow of Christ is, that they have been careful to look at his mere essence,
but have disregarded his kingdom, which consists in the power to
save.
Again, when Nathanael calls him
King of
Israel, though his kingdom extends to
the remotest bounds of the earth, the confession is limited to the measure of
faith. For he had not yet advanced so far as to know that Christ was appointed
to be King over the whole world, or rather, that from every quarter would be
collected the children of Abraham, so that the whole world would be the
Israel
of God. We to whom the wide extent of Christ’s kingdom has been revealed
ought to go beyond those narrow limits. Yet following the example of Nathanael,
let us exercise our faith in hearing the word, and let us strengthen it by all
the means that are in our power; and let it not remain buried, but break out
into confession.
50.
Jesus
answered. He does not reprove Nathanael as if
he had been too easy of belief, but rather approving of his faith, promises to
him and to others that he will confirm it by stronger arguments. Besides, it was
peculiar to one man that he was
seen under a fig-tree by Christ, when absent
and at a distance from him; but now Christ brings forward a proof which would be
common to all, and thus — as if he had broken off from what he originally
intended — instead of addressing one man, he turns to address
all.
51.
You shall see heaven
opened. They are greatly mistaken, in my
opinion, who anxiously inquire into the place where, and the time when,
Nathanael and others saw heaven
opened; for he rather points out something
perpetual which was always to exist in his kingdom. I acknowledge indeed, that
the disciples sometimes saw angels, who are not seen in the present day;
and I acknowledge also that the manifestation of the heavenly glory, when Christ
ascended to heaven, was different from what we now behold. But if we duly
consider what took place at that time, it is of perpetual duration; for the
kingdom of God, which was formerly closed against us, is actually opened in
Christ. A visible instance of this was shown to Stephen,
(<440755>Acts
7:55,) to the three disciples on the mountain,
(<401705>Matthew
17:5,) and to the other disciples at Christ’s ascension,
(<422451>Luke
24:51;
<440109>Acts
1:9.) But all the signs by which God shows himself present with us depend on
this opening of heaven, more especially when God communicates himself to
us to be our life.
Ascending and descending on the Son
of man. This second clause refers to
angels.
They are said to ascend and descend, so as to be ministers of
God’s kindness towards us; and therefore this mode of expression points
out the mutual intercourse which exists between God and men. Now we must
acknowledge that this benefit was received through Christ, because without him
the angels have rather a deadly enmity against us than a friendly care to
help us. They are said to ascend
and descend ON THE SON OF MAN, not because they
minister to him, but because — in reference to him, and for his honor
— they include the whole body of the Church in their kindly regard. Nor
have I any doubt that he alludes to the ladder which was exhibited to the
patriarch Jacob in a dream,
(<012812>Genesis
28:12;) for what was prefigured by that vision is actually fulfilled in Christ.
In short, this passage teaches us, that though the whole human race was banished
from the kingdom of God, the gate of
heaven is now
opened to us, so that we are fellow-citizens
of the saints, and companions of the angels,
(<490219>Ephesians
2:19;) and that they, having been appointed to be guardians of our salvation,
descend from the blessed rest of the heavenly glory
f41
to relieve our distresses.
CHAPTER 2
|
JOHN
2:1-11
|
|
1. Three days after,
f42
there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there.
2. And Jesus also was invited, and his disciples, to the marriage
3. And when the wine fell short, the mother of Jesus saith to him, They
have no wine. 4. Jesus saith to her, What have I to do with thee? my hour
is not yet come. 5. His mother saith to the servants, Do whatever he
shall bid you. 6. And there were there six water-pots of stone, placed
according to the Jewish custom of cleansing, containing each of them about two
or three baths. 7. Jesus saith to them, Fill the water-pots with water.
And they filled them to the brim. 8. And he saith to them, Draw out now,
and carry to the master of the feast; and they carried. 9. And when the
master of the feast had tasted the water which was made wine, (and knew not
whence it was, but the servants who drew the water knew,) the master of the
feast calleth the bridegroom, 10. And saith to him, Every man at first
sets down good wine; and when men have drunk freely, then that which is worse;
but thou hast kept the good wine till now. 11. This beginning of miracles
did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and displayed his glory, and his disciples
believed on him.
|
1.
There was a marriage in Cana of Galilee. As
this narrative contains the first miracle which Christ performed, it would be
proper for us, were it on this ground alone, to consider the narrative
attentively; though — as we shall afterwards see — there are other
reasons which recommend it to our notice. But while we proceed, the various
advantages arising from it will be more clearly seen. The Evangelist first
mentions Cana of
Galilee, not that which was situated towards
Zare-phath
(<111709>1
Kings 17:9; Obadiah 20;
<420426>Luke
4:26) or Sarepta, between Tyre and Sidon, and was called the greater in
comparison of this latter
Cana,
which is placed by some in the tribe of Zebulun, and by others in the tribe of
Asher. For Jerome too assures us that, even in his time, there existed a small
town which bore that name. There is reason to believe that it was near the city
of Nazareth, since the mother of Christ came there to attend the marriage. From
the fourth chapter of this book it will be seen that it was not more than one
day’s journey distant from Capernaum. That it lay not far from the city of
Bethsaida may also be inferred from the circumstance, that three days
after Christ had been in those territories, the marriage was celebrated
— the Evangelist tells us — in
Cana of
Galilee. There may have been also a third Cana,
not far from Jerusalem, and yet out of Galilee; but I leave this undetermined,
because I am unacquainted with it.
And the mother of Jesus was
there. It was probably one of Christ’s
near relations who married a wife; for
Jesus
is mentioned as having accompanied
his
mother. From the fact that the disciples also
are invited, we may infer how plain and frugal was his way of living; for he
lived in common with them. It may be thought strange, however, that a man who
has no great wealth or abundance (as will be made evident from the scarcity of
the wine) invites four or five other persons, on Christ’s account. But the
poor are readier and more frank in their invitations; because they are not, like
the rich, afraid of being disgraced, if they do not treat their guests with
great costliness and splendor; for the poor adhere more zealously to the ancient
custom of having an extended acquaintance.
Again, it may be supposed to show a want of courtesy,
that the bridegroom allows his guests, in the middle of the entertainment, to be
in want of wine; for it looks like a man of little thoughtfulness not to have a
sufficiency of wine for his guests. I reply, nothing is here related which does
not frequently happen, especially when people are not accustomed to the daily
use of wine. Besides, the context shows, that it was towards the conclusion of
the banquet that the wine fell
short, when, according to custom, it might be
supposed that they had already drunk enough; for the master of the feast thus
speaks, Other men place worse
wine before those who have drunk enough, but thou hast kept the best till
now. Besides, I have no doubt that all this was
regulated by the Providence of God, that there might be room for the
miracle.
3.
The mother of Jesus saith
to him. It may be doubted if she expected or
asked any thing from her Son, since he had not yet performed any miracle; and it
is possible that, without expecting any remedy of this sort, she advised him to
give some pious exhortations which would have the effect of preventing the
guests from feeling uneasiness, and at the same time of relieving the shame of
the bridegroom. I consider her words to be expressive of
(sumpaqei>a)
earnest compassion; for the holy woman, perceiving that those who had been
invited were likely to consider themselves as having been treated with
disrespect, and to murmur against the bridegroom, and that the entertainment
might in that way be disturbed, wished that some means of soothing them could be
adopted. Chrysostom throws out a suspicion that she was moved by the feelings of
a woman to seek I know not what favor for herself and her Son; but this
conjecture is not supported by any argument.
4.
Woman, what have I to do
with thee? Why does Christ repel her so rashly?
I reply, though she was not moved by ambition, nor by any carnal affection,
still she did wrong in going beyond her proper bounds. Her anxiety about the
inconvenience endured by others, and her desire to have it in some way
mitigated, proceeded from humanity, and ought to be regarded as a virtue; but
still, by putting herself forward, she might obscure the glory of Christ. Though
it ought also to be observed, that what Christ spoke was not so much for her
sake as for the sake of others. Her modesty and piety were too great, to need so
severe a chastisement. Besides, she did not knowingly and willingly offend; but
Christ only meets the danger, that no improper use may be made of what his
mother had said, as if it were in obedience to her command that he afterwards
performed the miracle.
The Greek words
(Ti> ejmoi< kai<
soi<) literally mean, What to me and to
thee? But the Greek phraseology is of the same import with the Latin —
Quid tibi mecum? (what hast thou to do with me?) The old
translator led many people into a mistake, by supposing Christ to have asserted,
that it was no concern of his, or of his mother’s, if the wine fell short.
But from the second clause we may easily conclude how far removed this is from
Christ’s meaning; for he takes upon himself this concern, and declares
that it belongs to him to do so, when he adds,
my hour is not yet
come. Both ought to be joined together —
that Christ understands what it is necessary for him to do, and yet that he will
not act in this matter at his mother’s suggestion.
It is a remarkable passage certainly; for why does he
absolutely refuse to his mother what he freely granted afterwards, on so many
occasions, to all sorts of persons? Again, why is he not satisfied with a bare
refusal? and why does he reduce her to the ordinary rank of women, and
not even deign to call her mother? This saying of Christ openly and
manifestly warns men to beware lest, by too superstitiously elevating the honor
of the name of mother in the Virgin Mary,
f43
they transfer to her what belongs exclusively to God. Christ, therefore,
addresses his mother in this manner, in order to lay down a perpetual and
general instruction to all ages, that his divine glory must not be obscured by
excessive honor paid to his mother.
How necessary this warning became, in consequence of
the gross and disgraceful superstitions which followed afterwards, is too well
known. For Mary has been constituted the Queen of Heaven, the Hope, the Life,
and the Salvation of the world; and, in short, their fury and madness proceeded
so far that they stripped Christ of his spoils, and left him almost naked. And
when we condemn those horrid blasphemies against the Son of God, the Papists
call us malignant and envious; and — what is worse — they
maliciously slander us as deadly foes to the honor of the holy Virgin. As if she
had not all the honor that is due to her, unless she were made a Goddess; or as
if it were treating her with respect, to adorn her with blasphemous titles, and
to substitute her in the room of Christ. The Papists, therefore, offer a
grievous insult to Mary when, in order to disfigure her by false praises, they
take from God what belongs to Him.
My hour is not yet
come. He means that he has not hitherto delayed
through carelessness or indolence, but at the same time he states indirectly
that he will attend to the matter, when the proper time for it shall arrive. As
he reproves his mother for unseasonable haste, so, on the other hand, he gives
reason to expect a miracle. The holy Virgin acknowledges both, for she abstains
from addressing him any farther; and when she advises the servants to do
whatever he commands, she shows that she expects something now. But the
instruction conveyed here is still more extensive that whenever the Lord holds
us in suspense, and delays his aid, he is not therefore asleep, but, on the
contrary, regulates all His works in such a manner that he does nothing but at
the proper time. Those who have applied this passage to prove that the time of
events is appointed by Fate, are too ridiculous to require a single word to be
said for refuting them. The hour of Christ sometimes denotes
the
hour which had been appointed to him by the
Father; and by his time he will afterwards designate what he found to be
convenient and suitable for executing the commands of his Father; but in this
place he claims the right to take and choose the time for working and for
displaying his Divine power.
f44
5.
His mother saith to the
servants. Here the holy Virgin gives an
instance of true obedience which she owed to her Son,
f45
when the question related, not to the relative duties of mankind, but to his
divine power. She modestly acquiesces, therefore, in Christ’s reply; and
in like manner exhorts others to comply with his injunctions. I acknowledge,
indeed, that what the Virgin now said related to the present occurrence, and
amounted to a declaration that, in this instance, she had no authority, and that
Christ would do, according to his own pleasure, whatever he thought right. But
if you attend closely to her design, the statement which she made is still more
extensive; for she first disclaims and lays aside the power which she might seem
to have improperly usurped; and next, she ascribes the whole authority to
Christ, when she bids them do
whatever he shall command. We are taught
generally by these words, that if we desire any thing from Christ, we will not
obtain our wishes, unless we depend on him alone, look to him, and, in short,
do whatever he
commands. On the other hand, he does not send
us to his mother, but rather invites us to himself.
6.
And there were there six
water-pots of stone. According to the
computation of Budaeus, we infer that these water-pots were very large;
for as the metreta
f46
(metrhth<v)
contains twenty congii, each contained, at least, a Sextier of
this country.
f47
Christ supplied them, therefore, with a great abundance of wine, as much as
would be sufficient for a banquet to a hundred and fifty men. Besides, both the
number and the size of the
water-pots
serve to prove the truth of the miracle. If there had been only two or three
jars, many might have suspected that they had been brought from some other
place. If in one vessel only the water had been changed into wine, the certainty
of the miracle would not have been so obvious, or so well ascertained. It is
not, therefore, without a good reason that the Evangelist mentions the number of
the
water-pots,
and states how much they contained.
It arose from superstition that vessels so numerous
and so large were placed there. They had the ceremony of washing, indeed,
prescribed to them by the Law of God; but as the world is prone to excess in
outward matters, the Jews, not satisfied with the simplicity which God had
enjoined, amused themselves with continual washings; and as superstition is
ambitious, they undoubtedly served the purpose of display, as we see at the
present day in Popery, that every thing which is said to belong to the worship
of God is arranged for pure display. There was, then, a twofold error: that
without the command of God, they engaged in a superfluous ceremony of their own
invention; and next, that, under the pretense of religion, ambition reigned
amidst that display. Some Popish scoundrels have manifested an amazing degree of
wickedness, when they had the effrontery to say that they had among their relics
those
water-pots
with which Christ performed this miracle in Cana, and exhibited some of them,
f48
which, first, are of small size, and, next, are unequal in size. And in the
present day, when the light of the Gospel shines so clearly around us, they are
not ashamed to practice those tricks, which certainly is not to deceive by
enchantments, but daringly to mock men as if they were blind; and the world,
which does not perceive such gross mockery, is evidently bewitched by
Satan.
7.
Fill the water-pots with
water. The servants might be apt to look upon
this injunction as absurd; for they had already more than enough of water. But
in this way the Lord often acts towards us, that his power may be more
illustriously displayed by an unexpected result; though this circumstance is
added to magnify the miracle; for when the servants drew wine out of vessels
which had been filled with water, no suspicion can remain.
8.
And carry to the master
of the feast. For the same reason as before,
Christ wished that the flavor of the wine should be tried by
the master of the
feast, before it had been tasted by himself, or
by any other of the guests; and the readiness with which the servants obey him
in all things shows us the great reverence and respect in which he was held by
them. The Evangelist gives the name of
the master of the
feast to him who had the charge of preparing
the banquet and arranging the tables; not that the banquet was costly and
magnificent, but because the honorable appellations borrowed from the luxury and
splendor of the rich are applied even to the marriages of the poor. But it is
wonderful that a large quantity of wine, and of the very best wine, is supplied
by Christ, who is a teacher of sobriety. I reply, when God daily gives us a
large supply of wine, it is our own fault if his kindness is an excitement to
luxury; but, on the other hand, it is an undoubted trial of our sobriety, if we
are sparing and moderate in the midst of abundance; as Paul boasts that he
had learned to know both how to be full and to be hungry,
(<500412>Philippians
4:12.)
11.
This beginning of
miracles. The meaning is, that this was the
first of Christ’s miracles; for when the angels announced to the shepherds
that he was born in Bethlehem,
(<420208>Luke
2:8,) when the star appeared to the Magi,
(<400202>Matthew
2:2,) when the Holy Spirit
descended on him in the shape of a dove,
(<400316>Matthew
3:16;
<410110>Mark
1:10;
<430132>John
1:32,) though these were
miracles,
yet, strictly speaking, they were not performed by him; but the Evangelist now
speaks of the miracles
of which he was himself the Author. For it is a
frivolous and absurd interpretation which some give, that this is reckoned the
first among; the miracles which Christ performed in Cana of Galilee; as if a
place, in which we do not read that he ever was more than twice, had been
selected by him for a display of his power. It was rather the design of the
Evangelist to mark the order of time which Christ followed in the exercise of
his power. For until he was thirty years of age, he kept himself concealed at
home, like one who held no public office. Having been consecrated, at his
baptism, to the discharge of his office, he then began to appear in public, and
to show by clear proofs for what purpose he was sent by the Father. We need not
wonder, therefore, if he delayed till this time the first proof of his Divinity.
It is a high honor given to marriage, that Christ not only deigned to be present
at a nuptial banquet, but honored it with his first miracle. There are some
ancient Canons which forbid the clergy to attend a marriage. The reason of the
prohibition was, that by being the spectators of the wickedness which was
usually practiced on such occasions, they might in some measure be regarded as
approving of it. But it would have been far better to carry to such places so
much gravity as to restrain the licentiousness in which unprincipled and
abandoned men indulge, when they are withdrawn from the eyes of others. Let us,
on the contrary, take Christ’s example for our rule; and let us not
suppose that any thing else than what we read that he did can be profitable to
us.
And manifested his
glory; that is, because he then gave a striking
and illustrious proof, by which it was ascertained that he was the Son of God;
for all the miracles which he exhibited to the world were so many demonstrations
of his divine power. The proper time for displaying his glory was now come, when
he wished to make himself known agreeably to the command of his Father. Hence,
also, we learn the end of miracles; for this expression amounts to a
declaration that Christ, in order to
manifest his
glory, performed this miracle. What, then,
ought we to think of those miracles which obscure the glory of
Christ?
And his disciples believed on
him. If they were
disciples,
they must already have possessed some faith; but as they had hitherto followed
him with a faith which was not distinct and firm, they began at that time to
devote themselves to him, so as to acknowledge him to be the Messiah, such as he
had already been announced to them. The forbearance of Christ is great in
reckoning as disciples those whose faith is so small. And indeed this doctrine
extends generally to us all; for the faith which is now full grown had at first
its infancy, nor is it so perfect in any as not to make it necessary that all to
a man should make progress in believing. Thus, they who now
believed
may be said to begin to believe, so far as
they daily make progress towards the end of their faith. Let those who have
obtained the first-fruits of faith labor always to make progress. These words
point out likewise the advantage of miracles; namely, that they ought to be
viewed as intended for the confirmation and progress of faith. Whoever twists
them to any other purpose corrupts and debases the whole use of them; as we see
that Papists boast of their pretended miracles for no other purpose than to bury
faith, and to turn away the minds of men from Christ to the
creatures.
|
JOHN
2:12-17
|
|
12. After this he went down to Capernaum, he,
and his mother, and his brethren, and his disciples and he remained there not
many days. 13. And the passover of the Jews was at hand; therefore, Jesus
went up to Jerusalem. 14. And found in the temple some who sold oxen, and
sheep, and doves, and money-changers also sitting. 15. And having made a
whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen, and
threw down the money of the changers, and overturned the tables; 16. And
said to those who sold doves, Take those things hence; do not make my
Father’s house a house of merchandise. 17. And his disciples
remembered that it was written, The zeal of thy house hath eaten me
up.
|
12.
He went down to
Capernaum. The Evangelist passes to an
additional narrative; for having resolved to collect a few things worthy of
remembrance which the other three had left out, he states the time when the
occurrence which he is about to relate took place; for the other three also
relate what we here read that Christ did, but the diversity of the time shows
that it was a similar event, but not the same. On two occasions, then, did
Christ cleanse the temple from base and profane merchandise; once, when he was
beginning to discharge his commission, and another time,
(<402112>Matthew
21:12;
<411115>Mark
11:15;
<421945>Luke
19:45,) when he was about to leave the world and go to the Father,
(<431628>John
16:28.)
To obtain a general view of the passage, it will be
necessary briefly to examine the details in their order. That
oxen, and sheep, and
doves, were exposed to
sale in the
temple, and that
money-changers
were sitting there, was not without a plausible excuse. For they might allege
that the merchandise
transacted there was not irreligious, but, on the
contrary, related to the sacred worship of God, that every person might obtain,
without difficulty, what he might offer to the Lord; and, certainly, it was
exceedingly convenient for godly persons to find oblations of any sort laid
ready to their hand, and in this way to be freed from the trouble of running
about in various directions to obtain them. We are apt to wonder, therefore, why
Christ was so highly displeased with it. But there are two reasons which deserve
our attention. First, as the Priests abused this merchandise for their
own gain and avarice, such a mockery of God could not be endured. Secondly,
whatever excuse men may plead, as soon as they depart, however slightly, from
the command of God, they deserve reproof and need correction. And this is the
chief reason why Christ undertook to purify the temple; for he distinctly
states that the temple of God is
not a place of merchandise.
But it may be asked, Why did he not rather begin with
doctrine? For it seems to be a disorderly and improper method to apply the hand
for correcting faults, before the remedy of doctrine has been applied. But
Christ had a different object in view: for the time being now at hand when he
would publicly discharge the office assigned to him by the Father, he wished in
some way to take possession of the temple, and to give a proof of his divine
authority. And that all might be attentive to his doctrine, it was necessary
that something new and strange should be done to awaken their sluggish and
drowsy minds. Now, the
temple was a sanctuary of heavenly
doctrine and of true religion. Since he wished to restore purity of doctrine, it
was of great importance that he should prove himself to be the Lord of the
temple. Besides, there was no other way in which he could bring back sacrifices
and the other exercises of religion to their spiritual design than by removing
the abuse of them. What he did at that time was, therefore, a sort of preface to
that reformation which the Father had sent him to accomplish. In a word, it was
proper that the Jews should be aroused by this example to expect from Christ
something that was unusual and out of the ordinary course; and it was also
necessary to remind them that the worship of God had been corrupted and
perverted, that they might not object to the reformation of those
abuses
And his
brethren. Why the
brethren
of Christ accompanied him, cannot be determined
with certainty, unless, perhaps, they intended to go along with him to
Jerusalem. The word
brethren,
it is well known, is employed, in the Hebrew language, to denote cousins and
other relatives.
13.
And the passover of the Jews was at hand; therefore Jesus went up to
Jerusalem. The Greek words
kai<
ajne>bh, may be literally rendered, AND he
went up; but the Evangelist has used the copulative AND instead of
therefore; for he means that Christ
went
up at that time, in order to celebrate
the
passover at Jerusalem. There were two reasons
why he did so; for since the Son of God became subject to the Law on our
account, he intended, by observing with exactness all the precepts of the Law,
to present in his own person a pattern of entire subjection and obedience.
Again, as he could do more good, when there was a multitude of people, he almost
always availed himself of such an occasion. Whenever, therefore, we shall
afterwards find it said that Christ came to Jerusalem at the feast, let the
reader observe that he did so, first, that along with others he might observe
the exercises of religion which God had appointed, and, next, that he might
publish his doctrine amidst a larger concourse of people.
16.
Make not my Father’s
house a house of merchandise. At the second
time that he drove the traders out of the Temple, the Evangelists relate that he
used sharper and more severe language; for he said, that they had made
the Temple of God a den of robbers,
(<402113>Matthew
21:13;) and this was proper to be done, when a milder chastisement was of no
avail. At present, he merely warns them not to profane the Temple of God by
applying it to improper uses. The Temple was called the house of God;
because it was the will of God that there He should be peculiarly invoked;
because there He displayed his power; because, finally, he had set it apart to
spiritual and holy services.
My Father’s
house. Christ declares himself to be the Son
of God, in order to show that he has a right and authority to cleanse the
Temple. As Christ here assigns a reason for what he did, if we wish to derive
any advantage from it, we must attend chiefly to this sentence. Why, then, does
he drive the buyers and sellers out of the Temple? It is that he may bring back
to its original purity the worship of God, which had been corrupted by the
wickedness of men, and in this way may restore and maintain the holiness of the
Temple. Now that temple, we know, was erected, that it might be a shadow of
those things the lively image of which is to be found in Christ. Thai; it might
continue to be devoted to God, it was necessary that it should be applied
exclusively to spiritual purposes. For this reason he pronounces it to be
unlawful that it should be converted into a market-place; for he founds his
statement on the command of God, which we ought always to observe. Whatever
deceptions Satan may employ, let us know that any departure — however
small — from the command of God is wicked. It was a plausible and imposing
disguise, that; the worship of God was aided and promoted, when the sacrifices
which were to be offered by believers were laid ready to their hand; but as God
had appropriated his Temple to different purposes, Christ disregards the
objections that might be offered against the order which God had
appointed.
The same arguments do not apply, in the present day,
to our buildings for public worship; but what is said about the ancient Temple
applies properly and strictly to the Church, for it is the heavenly sanctuary of
God on earth. We ought always, therefore, to keep before our eyes the majesty of
God, which dwells in the Church, that it may not be defiled by any pollutions;
and the only way in which its holiness can remain unimpaired is, that nothing
shall be admitted into it that is at variance with the word of
God.
17.
And his disciples
remembered. It is to no purpose that some
people tease themselves with the inquiry how
the disciples
remembered a passage of Scripture, with the
meaning of which they were hitherto unacquainted. For we must not understand
that this passage of Scripture came to their remembrance at that time; but
afterwards, when, having been taught by God, they considered with themselves
what was the meaning of this action of Christ, by the direction of the Holy
Spirit this passage of Scripture occurred to them. And, indeed, it does not
always happen that the reason of God’s works is immediately perceived by
us, but afterwards, in process of time, He makes known to us his purpose. And
this is a bridle exceedingly well adapted to restrain our presumption, that we
may not murmur against God, if at any time our judgment does not entirely
approve of what he does. We are at the same time reminded, that when God holds
us as it were in suspense, it is our duty to wait for the time of more abundant
knowledge, and to restrain the excessive haste which is natural to us; for the
reason why God delays the full manifestation of his works is, that he may keep
us humble.
The zeal of thine house hath eaten
me up. The meaning is, that the disciples at
length came to know, that the zeal for the house of God, with which Christ
burned, excited him to drive out of it those profanations. By a figure of
speech, in which a part is taken for the whole, David employs the name of the
temple to denote the whole worship of God; for the entire verse runs
thus:
the zeal of thy house
hath eaten me up, and the reproaches of them who reproached thee have fallen on
me,
(<196909>Psalm
69:9.)
The second clause corresponds to the first, or rather
it is nothing else than a repetition explaining what had been said. The amount
of both clauses is, that David’s anxiety about maintaining the worship of
God was so intense, that he cheerfully laid down his head to receive all
the reproaches which wicked men threw against God; and that he
burned with such
zeal, that this single feeling swallowed up
every other. He tells us that he himself had such feelings; but there can be no
doubt that he described in his own person what strictly belonged to the
Messiah.
Accordingly, the Evangelist says, that this was one
of the marks by which the
disciples knew that it was Jesus who protected
and restored the kingdom of God. Now observe that they followed the guidance of
Scripture, in order to form such an opinion concerning Christ as they ought to
entertain; and, indeed, no man will ever learn what Christ is, or the object of
what he did and suffered, unless he has been taught and guided by Scripture. So
far, then, as each of us shall desire to make progress in the knowledge of
Christ, it will be necessary that Scripture shall be the subject of our diligent
and constant meditation. Igor is it without a good reason that David mentions
the house of God, when the divine glory is concerned; for though God is
sufficient for himself, and needs not the services of any, yet he wishes that
his glory should be displayed in the Church. In this way he gives a remarkable
proof of his love towards us, because he unites his glory — as it were, by
an indissoluble link — with our salvation.
Now as Paul informs us that, in the example of the
head, a general doctrine is presented to the whole body,
(<451503>Romans
15:3,) let each of us apply to the invitation of Christ, that — so far as
lies in our power — we may not permit the temple of God to be in any way
polluted. But, at the same time, we must beware lest any man transgress the
bounds of his calling. All of us ought to have zeal in common with the Son of
God; but all are not at liberty to seize a whip, that we may correct
vices with our hands; for we have not received the same power, nor have we been
entrusted with the same commission.
|
JOHN
2:12-17
|
|
18. The Jews then answered and said to him,
What sign
f49
showest thou to us, that thou doest these things? 19. Jesus answered and
said to them, Destroy this temple, and I will raise it up in three days.
20. The Jews therefore said, Forty and six years was this temple in
building; and wilt thou raise it up in three days? 21. But he spoke of
the temple of his body. 22. When therefore he was risen from the dead,
his disciples remembered that he had said this to them; and they believed the
Scripture, and the word which Jesus had spoken.
|
18.
What sign showest thou to
us? When in so large an assembly no man laid
hands on Christ, and none of the dealers in cattle or of the money-changers
repelled him by violence, we may conclude that they were all stunned and struck
with astonishment by the hand of God. And, therefore, if they had not been
utterly blinded, this would have been a sufficiently evident miracle, that one
man against a great multitude, an unarmed man against strong men, all unknown
man against so great rulers, attempted so great an achievement. For since they
were far stronger, why did they not oppose him, but because their hands were
loosened and — as it were — broken?
Yet they have some ground for putting the question;
for it does not belong to every man to change suddenly, if any thing is faulty
or displeases him in the temple of God. All are, indeed, at liberty to condemn
corruptions; but if a private man put forth his hand to remove them, he will be
accused of rashness. As the custom of selling in the temple had been generally
received, Christ attempted what was new and uncommon; and therefore they
properly call on him to prove that he was sent by God; for they found their
argument on this principle, that in public administration it is not lawful to
make any change without an undoubted calling and command of God. But they erred
on another point, by refusing to admit the calling of Christ, unless he had
performed a miracle; for it was not an invariable rule that the Prophets and
other ministers of God should perform miracles; and God did not limit himself to
this necessity. They do wrong, therefore, in laying down a law to God by
demanding a sign. When the Evangelist says that THE JEWS asked him, he
unquestionably means by that term the multitude who were standing there, and, as
it were, the whole body of the Church; as if he had said, that it was not the
speech of one or two persons, but of the people.
19.
Destroy this
temple. This is an allegorical mode of
expression; and Christ intentionally spoke with that degree of obscurity,
because he reckoned them unworthy of a direct reply; as he elsewhere declares
that he speaks to them in parables, because they are unable to comprehend
the mysteries of the heavenly kingdom,
(<401313>Matthew
13:13.) But first he refuses to them the sign which they demanded, either
because it would have been of no advantage, or because he knew that it was not
the proper time. Some compliances he occasionally made even with their
unreasonable requests, and there must have been a strong reason why he now
refused. Yet that they may not seize on this as a pretense for excusing
themselves, he declares that his power will be approved and confirmed by a
sign
of no ordinary value; for no greater approbation of
the divine power in Christ could be desired than his resurrection from the dead.
But he conveys this information figuratively, because he does not reckon them
worthy of an explicit promise. In short, he treats unbelievers as they deserve,
and at the same time protects himself against all contempt. It was not yet made
evident, indeed, that they were obstinate, but Christ knew well what was the
state of their feelings.
But it may be asked, since he performed so many
miracles, and of various kinds, why does he now mention but one? I answer, he
said nothing about all the other miracles, First, because his resurrection alone
was sufficient to shut their mouth: Secondly, he was unwilling to expose the
power of God to their ridicule; for even respecting the glory of his
resurrection he spoke allegorically: Thirdly, I say that he produced what was
appropriate to the case in hand; for, by these words, he shows that all
authority over the
Temple belongs to him, since his power is so
great in building the true
Temple
of God.
This
temple. Though he uses the word
temple
in accommodation to the present occurrence, yet the
body of Christ is justly and appropriately called a temple. The body of
each of us is called a tabernacle,
(<470504>2
Corinthians 5:4;
<610113>2
Peter 1:13,) because the soul dwells in it; but the body of Christ was the abode
of his Divinity. For we know that the Son of God clothed himself with our nature
in such a manner that the eternal majesty of God dwelt in the flesh which he
assumed, as in his sanctuary.
The argument of Nestorius, who abused this passage to
prove that it is not one and the same Christ who is God and man, may be easily
refuted. He reasoned thus: the Son of God dwelt in the flesh, as in a
temple; therefore the natures are distinct, so that the same person was
not God and man. But this argument might be applied to men; for it will follow
that it is not one man whose soul dwells in the body as in a tabernacle; and,
therefore, it is folly to torture this form of expression for the purpose of
taking away the unity of Person in Christ. It ought to be observed, that our
bodies also are called temples of God,
(<460316>1
Corinthians 3:16, and
<460619>1
Corinthians 6:19;
<470616>2
Corinthians 6:16) but it is in a different sense, namely, because God dwells in
us by the power and grace of his Spirit; but in Christ the fullness of the
Godhead dwells bodily, so that he is truly God manifested in flesh,
(<540316>1
Timothy 3:16.)
I will raise it up
again. Here Christ claims for himself the glory
of his resurrection, though, in many passages of Scripture, it is declared to be
the work of God the Father. But these two statements perfectly agree with each
other; for, in order to give us exalted conceptions of the power of God,
Scripture expressly ascribes to the Father that he raised up his Son from the
dead; but here, Christ in a special manner asserts his own Divinity. And Paul
reconciles both.
If THE SPIRIT OF HIM,
that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from
the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by HIS SPIRIT that dwelleth in
you,
(<450811>Romans
8:11.)
While he makes the Spirit the Author of the
resurrection, he calls Him indiscriminately sometimes the Spirit of
Christ, and sometimes the Spirit of the Father.
20.
Forty and six
years. The computation of Daniel agrees with
this passage,
(<270925>Daniel
9:25;) for he reckons seven weeks, which make Forty-nine years; but,
before the last of these weeks had ended,
the
temple was finished. The time described in the
history of Ezra is much shorter; but, though it has some appearance of
contradiction, it is not at all at variance with the words of the Prophet. For,
when the sanctuary had been reared, before the building of the temple was
completed, they began to offer sacrifices. The work was afterwards stopped for a
long time through the indolence of the people, as plainly appears from the
complaints of the Prophet
<370104>Haggai
1:4; for he severely reproves the Jews for being too earnestly engaged in
building their private dwellings, while they left the Temple of God in an
unfinished state.
But why does he mention
that
temple which had been destroyed by Herod about
forty years before that time? For
the
temple which they had at that time, though it
had been built with great magnificence and at a vast expense, had been completed
by Herod, contrary to the expectation of men, as is related by Josephus, (Ant.
Book 15. chapter 11.) I think it probable that this new building of the temple
was reckoned as if the ancient temple had always remained in its original
condition, that it might be regarded with greater veneration; and that they
spoke in the usual and ordinary manner, that their fathers, with the greatest
difficulty, had scarcely built the temple in
Forty-six,
years.
This reply shows plainly enough what was their
intention in asking a
sign;
for if they had been ready to obey, with reverence, a Prophet sent by God, they
would not have so disdainfully rejected what he had said to them about the
confirmation of his office. They wish to have some testimony of divine power,
and yet they receive nothing which does not correspond to the feeble capacity of
man. Thus the Papists in the present day demand miracles, not that they would
give way to the power of God, (for it is a settled principle with them to prefer
men to God, and not to move a hair’s breadth from what they have received
by custom and usage;) but that they may not appear to have no reason for
rebelling against God, they hold out this excuse as a cloak for their obstinacy.
In such a manner do the minds of unbelievers storm in them with blind
impetuosity, that they desire to have the hand of God exhibited to them and yet
do not wish that it should be divine.
When therefore he was risen from
the dead. This recollection was similar to the
former, which the Evangelist lately mentioned, (verse 17.) The Evangelist did
not understand Christ when he said this; but the doctrine, which appeared to
have been useless, and to have vanished into air, afterwards produced fruit in
its own time. Although, therefore, many of the actions and sayings of our Lord
are obscure for a time, we must not give them up in despair, or despise that
which we do not all at once understand.
f50
We ought to observe the connection of the words,
that they believed the Scripture,
and the word which Jesus had spoken; for the
Evangelist means that, by comparing
the
Scripture with
the word of
Christ, they were aided in making progress in
faith.
|
JOHN
2:23-25
|
|
23. And when he was in Jerusalem at the
passover, many believed in his name, beholding the signs which he performed.
24. But Jesus himself did not confide in them, because he knew them all.
f51
25. And needed not that any should testify of man; for he knew what was
in man.
|
23.
Many
believed. The Evangelist appropriately connects
this narrative with the former. Christ had not given such a sign as the Jews
demanded; and now, when he produced no good effect on them by many miracles
— except that they entertained a cold faith, which was only the shadow of
faith — this event sufficiently proves that they did not deserve that he
should comply with their wishes. It was, indeed, some fruit of
the
signs, that
many believed
in Christ, and in his name, so as to profess
that they wished to follow his doctrine; for
name
is here put for authority. This appearance
of faith, which hitherto was fruitless, might ultimately be changed into true
faith, and might be a useful preparation for celebrating the name of Christ
among others; and yet what we have said is true, that they were far from having
proper feelings, so as to profit by the works of God, as they ought to have
done.
Yet this was not a pretended faith by which they
wished to gain reputation among men; for they were convinced that Christ was
some great Prophet, and perhaps they even ascribed to him the honor of being the
Messiah, of whom there was at that time a strong and general expectation. But as
they did not understand the peculiar office of the Messiah, their faith was
absurd, because it was exclusively directed to the world and earthly things. It
was also a cold belief, and unaccompanied by the true feelings of the heart. For
hypocrites assent to the Gospel, not that they may devote themselves in
obedience to Christ, nor that with sincere piety they may follow Christ when he
calls them, but because they do not venture to reject entirely the truth which
they have known, and especially when they can find no reason for opposing it.
For as they do not voluntarily, or of their own accord, make war with God, so
when they perceive that his doctrine is opposed to their flesh and to their
perverse desires, they are immediately offended, or at least withdraw from the
faith which they had already embraced.
When the Evangelist says, therefore, that those men
believed,
I do not understand that they counterfeited a faith which did not exist, but
that they were in some way constrained to enroll themselves as the followers of
Christ; and yet it appears that their faith was not true and genuine, because
Christ excludes them from the number of those on whose sentiments reliance might
be placed. Besides, that faith depended solely on miracles, and had no root in
the Gospel, and therefore could not be steady or permanent. Miracles do indeed
assist the children of God in arriving at the truth; but it does not amount to
actual believing, when they admire the power of God so as merely to believe that
it is true, but not to subject themselves wholly to it. And, therefore, when we
speak generally about faith, let us know that there is a kind of faith which is
perceived by the understanding only, and afterwards quickly disappears, because
it is not fixed in the heart; and that is the faith which James calls
dead; but true faith always depends on the Spirit of regeneration,
(<590217>James
2:17, 20, 26.) Observe, that all do not derive equal profit from the works of
God; for some are led by them to God, and others are only driven by a blind
impulse, so that, while they perceive indeed the power of God, still they do not
cease to wander in their own imaginations.
24.
But Christ did not rely on
them. Those who explain the meaning to be, that
Christ was on his guard against them, because he knew that they were not upright
and faithful, do not appear to me to express sufficiently well the meaning of
the Evangelist. Still less do I agree with what Augustine says about recent
converts. The Evangelist rather means, in my opinion, that Christ did not reckon
them to be genuine disciples, but despised them as volatile and unsteady. It is
a passage which ought to be carefully observed, that not all who profess to be
Christ’s followers are such in his estimation. But we ought also to add
the reason which immediately follows:
Because he knew them
all. Nothing is more dangerous than hypocrisy,
for this reason among others, that it is an exceedingly common fault. There is
scarcely any man who is not pleased with himself; and while we deceive ourselves
by empty flatteries, we imagine that God is blind like ourselves. But here we
are reminded how widely his judgment differs from ours; for he sees clearly
those things which we cannot perceive, because they are concealed by some
disguise; and he estimates according to their hidden source, that is, according
to the most secret feeling of the heart, those things which dazzle our eyes by
false luster. This is what Solomon says, that
God weighs in his balance
the hearts of men, while they flatter themselves in their ways,
(<202102>Proverbs
21:2.)
Let us remember, therefore, that none are the true
disciples of Christ but those whom He approves, because in such a matter He
alone is competent to decide and to judge.
A question now arises: when the Evangelist says that
Christ knew them
all, does he mean those only of whom he had
lately spoken, or does the expression refer to the whole human race? Some extend
it to the universal nature of man, and think that the whole world is here
condemned for wicked and perfidious hypocrisy. And, certainly, it is a true
statement, that Christ can find in men no reason why he should deign to place
them in the number of his followers; but I do not see that this agrees with the
context, and therefore I limit it to those who had been formerly
mentioned.
25.
For he knew what was in
man. As it might be doubted whence Christ
obtained this knowledge, the Evangelist anticipates this question, and replies
that Christ perceived every thing in men that is concealed from our view, so
that he could on his own authority make a distinction among men. Christ,
therefore, who knows the hearts, had no need of any one to inform
him what sort of men they were. He knew them to have such a disposition and such
feelings, that he justly regarded them as persons who did not belong to
him.
The question put by some — whether we too are
authorized by the example of Christ to hold those persons as suspected who have
not given us proof of their sincerity — has nothing to do with the present
passage. There is a wide difference between him and us; for Christ knew the very
roots of the trees, but, except from the fruits which appear outwardly, we
cannot discover what is the nature of any one tree. Besides, as Paul tells us,
that charity is not suspicious,
(<461305>1
Corinthians 13:5,) we have no right to entertain unfavorable suspicions about
men who are unknown to us. But, that we may not always be deceived by
hypocrites, and that the Church may not be too much exposed to their wicked
impostures, it belongs to Christ to impart to us the Spirit of
discretion.
CHAPTER 3
|
JOHN
3:1-6
|
|
1. Now there was a man of the Pharisees,
called Nicodemus, a ruler among the Jews. 2. He came to Jesus by night,
and said to him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God, for no
man can do these signs which thou doest, unless God be with him. 3. Jesus
answered and said to him, Verily, verily, I say to thee, Unless a man be born
again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 4. Nicodemus saith to him, How
can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter again into his mother’s
womb and be born? 5. Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say to thee,
Unless a man be: born of water, and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the
kingdom of God. 6. That which is born of flesh is flesh; and that which
is born of the Spirit is spirit.
|
1.
Now there was a man of the
Pharisees. In the person of Nicodemus the
Evangelist now exhibits to our view how vain and fleeting was the faith of those
who, having been excited by miracles, suddenly professed to be the disciples of
Christ. For since this man was of the order of the Pharisees, and held the rank
of a ruler in his nation, he must have been far more excellent than others. The
common people, for the most part, are light and unsteady; but who would not have
thought that he who had learning and experience was also a wise and prudent man?
Yet from Christ’s reply it is evident, that nothing was farther from his
design in coming than a desire to learn the first principles of religion. If he
who was a
ruler among men is less than a child, what
ought we to think of the multitude at large? Now though the design of the
Evangelist was, to exhibit, as in a mirror, how few there were in Jerusalem who
were properly disposed to receive the Gospel, yet, for other reasons, this
narrative is highly useful to us; and especially because it instructs us
concerning the depraved nature of mankind, what is the proper entrance into the
school of Christ, and what must be the commencement of our training to make
progress in the heavenly doctrine. For the sum of Christ’s discourse is,
that, in order that we may be his true disciples, we must become new men. But,
before proceeding farther, we must ascertain from the circumstances which are
here detailed by the Evangelist, what were the obstacles which prevented
Nicodemus from giving himself unreservedly to Christ.
Of the
Pharisees. This designation was, no doubt,
regarded by his countrymen as honorable to
Nicodemus;
but it is not for the sake of honor that it is given to him by the Evangelist,
who, on the contrary, draws our attention to it as having prevented him from
coming freely and cheerfully to Christ. Hence we are reminded that they who
occupy a lofty station in the world are, for the most part, entangled by very
dangerous snares; nay, we see many of them held so firmly bound, that not even
the slightest wish or prayer arises from them towards heaven throughout their
whole life. Why they were called
Pharisees
we have elsewhere explained;
f52
for they boasted of being the only expounders of the Law, as if they were in
possession, of the marrow and hidden meaning of Scripture; and for that reason
they called themselves
µyçwrp
(Perushim.) Though the Essenes led a more austere life, which
gained them a high reputation for holiness; yet because, like hermits, they
forsook the ordinary life and custom of men, the sect of the
Pharisees
was on that account held in higher estimation.
Besides, the Evangelist mentions not only that
Nicodemus
was of the order of the
Pharisees,
but that he was one of the
rulers
of his nation.
2.
He came to Jesus by
night. From the circumstance of his coming
by night we infer that his timidity was excessive; for his eyes were
dazzled, as it were, by the splendor of his own greatness and reputation.
f53
Perhaps too he was hindered by shame, for ambitious men think that their
reputation is utterly ruined, if they have once descended from the dignity of
teachers to the rank of scholars; and he was unquestionably puffed up with a
foolish opinion of his knowledge. In short, as he had a high opinion of himself,
he was unwilling to lose any part of his elevation. And yet there appears in him
some seed of piety; for hearing that a Prophet of God had appeared, he does not
despise or spurn the doctrine which has been brought from heaven, and is moved
by some desire to obtain it, — a desire which sprung from nothing else
than fear and reverence for God. Many are tickled by an idle curiosity to
inquire eagerly about any thing that is new, but there is no reason to doubt
that it was religious principle and conscientious feeling that excited in
Nicodemus the desire to gain a more intimate knowledge of the doctrine of
Christ. And although that seed remained long concealed and apparently dead, yet
after the death of Christ it yielded fruit, such as no man would ever have
expected,
(<431939>John
19:39.)
Rabbi, we
know. The meaning of these words is,
“Master, we know that thou art come to be a teacher.”
But as learned men, at that time, were generally called Masters,
Nicodemus first salutes Christ according to custom, and gives him the ordinary
designation,
Rabbi,
(which means Master,
f54)
and afterwards declares that he was sent by God to perform the office of
a Master. And on this principle depends all the authority of the teachers
in the Church; for as it is only from the word of God that we must learn wisdom,
we ought not to listen to any other persons than those by whose mouth God
speaks. And it ought to be observed, that though religion was greatly corrupted
and almost destroyed among the Jews, still they always held this principle, that
no man was a lawful
teacher,
unless he had been sent by God. But as there are none who more haughtily
and more daringly boast of having been sent by God than the false
prophets do, we need discernment in this case for trying the spirits.
Accordingly Nicodemus adds:
For no man can do the signs which
thou doest, unless God be with him. It is
evident, he says, that Christ has been sent by God, because God displays
his power in him so illustriously, that it cannot be denied that
God is with
him. He takes for granted that God is not
accustomed to work but by his ministers, so as to seal the office which he has
entrusted to them. And he had good grounds for thinking so, because God always
intended that miracles should be seals of his doctrine. Justly therefore does he
make God the sole Author of miracles, when he says that
no man can do these signs, unless
God be with him; for what he says amounts to a
declaration that miracles are not performed by the arm of man, but that the
power of God reigns, and is illustriously displayed in them. In a word, as
miracles have a twofold advantage, to prepare the mind for faith, and, when it
has been formed by the word, to confirm it still more, Nicodemus had profited
aright in the former part, because by miracles he recognizes Christ as a true
prophet of God.
Yet his argument appears not to be conclusive; for
since the false prophets deceive the ignorant by their impostures as fully as if
they had proved by true signs
that they are the ministers of God, what difference
will there be between truth and falsehood, if faith depends on miracles? Nay,
Moses expressly says that God employs this method to try if we love him,
(<051303>Deuteronomy
13:3.) We know also, the warning of Christ,
(<402414>Matthew
24:14,) and of Paul,
(<530209>2
Thessalonians 2:9,) that believers ought to beware of lying signs, by
which Anti-Christ dazzles the eyes of many. I answer, God may justly permit this
to be done, that those who deserve it may be deceived by the enchantments of
Satan. But I say that this does not hinder the elect from perceiving in miracles
the power of God, which is to them an undoubted confirmation of true and sound
doctrine. Thus, Paul boasts that his apostleship was confirmed by
signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds,
(<471212>2
Corinthians 12:12.) To whatever extent Satan may, like an ape, counterfeit the
works of God in the dark, yet when the eyes are opened and the light of
spiritual wisdom shines, miracles are a sufficiently powerful attestation of the
presence of God, as Nicodemus here declares it to be.
3.
Verily, verily, I say to
thee. The word Verily
(ajmh<n)
is twice repeated, and this is done for the purpose of arousing him to more
earnest attention. For when he was about to speak of the most important and
weighty of all subjects, he found it necessary to awaken the attention of
Nicodemus, who might otherwise have passed by this whole discourse in a light or
careless manner.
f55
Such, then, is the design of the double affirmation.
Though this discourse appears to be far-fetched and
almost inappropriate, yet it was with the utmost propriety that Christ opened
his discourse in this manner. For as it is useless to sow seed in a field which
has not been prepared by the labors of the husbandman, so it is to no purpose to
scatter the doctrine of the Gospel, if the mind has not been previously subdued
and duly prepared for docility and obedience. Christ saw that the mind of
Nicodemus was filled with many thorns, choked by many noxious herbs, so that
there was scarcely any room for spiritual doctrine. This exhortation, therefore,
resembled a ploughing to purify him, that nothing might prevent him from
profiting by the doctrine. Let us, therefore, remember that this was spoken to
one individual, in such a manner that the Son of God addresses all of us daily
in the same language. For which of us will say that he is so free from sinful
affections that he does not need such a purification? If, therefore, we wish to
make good and useful progress in the school of Christ, let us learn to begin at
this point.
Unless a man be born
again. That is, So long as thou art destitute
of that which is of the highest importance in the kingdom of God, I care little
about your calling me Master; for the first entrance into the kingdom of
God is, to become a new man. But as this is a remarkable passage, it will be
proper to survey every part of it minutely.
To SEE the kingdom of
God is of the same meaning as to ENTER
INTO the kingdom of God, as we shall immediately perceive from the
context. But they are mistaken who suppose that
the kingdom of
God means Heaven; for it rather means
the spiritual life, which is begun by faith in this world, and gradually
increases every day according to the continued progress of faith. So the meaning
is, that no man can be truly united to the Church, so as to be reckoned among
the children of God, until he has been previously renewed. This expression shows
briefly what is the beginning of Christianity, and at the same time teaches us,
that we are born exiles and utterly alienated from
the kingdom of
God, and that there is a perpetual state of
variance between God and us, until he makes us altogether different by our being
born
again; for the statement is general, and
comprehends the whole human race. If Christ had said to one person, or to a few
individuals, that they could not enter into heaven, unless they had
been previously born
again, we might have supposed that it was only
certain characters that were pointed out, but he speaks of all without
exception; for the language is unlimited, and is of the same import with such
universal terms as these:
Whosoever shall not be born again
cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
By the
phrase born
again is expressed not the correction of one
part, but the renovation of the whole nature. Hence it follows, that there is
nothing in us that is not sinful; for if reformation is necessary in the whole
and in each part, corruption must have been spread throughout. On this point we
shall soon have occasion to speak more largely. Erasmus, adopting the opinion of
Cyril, has improperly translated the adverb
a]nwqen,
from above, and renders the clause
thus: unless a man be born
FROM ABOVE. The Greek word, I own, is ambiguous;
but we know that Christ conversed with Nicodemus in the Hebrew language. There
would then have been no room for the ambiguity which occasioned the mistake of
Nicodemus and led him into childish scruples about a second birth of the flesh.
He therefore understood Christ to have said nothing else than that a man must
be born AGAIN, before he is admitted into the kingdom of
God.
4.
How can a man be born when he
is old? Though the form of expression which
Christ employed was not contained in the Law and the prophets, yet as renewal is
frequently mentioned in Scripture, and is one of the first principles of faith,
it is evident how imperfectly skilled the Scribes at that time were in the
reading of the Scriptures. It certainly was not one man only who was to blame
for not knowing what was meant by the grace of regeneration; but as almost all
devoted their attention to useless subtleties, what was of chief importance in
the doctrine of piety was disregarded. Popery exhibits to us, at the present
day, an instance of the same kind in her Theologians. For while they weary out
their whole life with profound speculations, as to all that strictly relates to
the worship of God, to the confident hope of our salvation, or to the exercises
of religion, they know no more on these subjects than a cobbler or a cowherd
knows about the course of the stars; and, what is more, taking delight in
foreign mysteries, they openly despise the true doctrine of Scripture as
unworthy of the elevated rank which belongs to them as teachers. We need not
wonder, therefore, to find here that Nicodemus stumbles at a straw; for it is a
just vengeance of God, that they who think themselves the highest and most
excellent teachers, and in whose estimation the ordinary simplicity of doctrine
is vile and despicable, stand amazed at small matters.
5.
Unless a man be born of
water. This passage has been explained in
various ways. Some have thought that the two parts of regeneration are
distinctly pointed out, and that by the word
Water
is denoted the renunciation of the old man, while
by the
Spirit they have understood the new life.
Others think that there is an implied contrast, as if Christ intended to
contrast Water and Spirit, which are pure and liquid elements, with the
earthly and gross nature of man. Thus they view the language as allegorical, and
suppose Christ to have taught that we ought to lay aside the heavy and ponderous
mass of the flesh, and to become like water and air, that we may move
upwards, or, at least, may not be so much weighed down to the earth. But both
opinions appear to me to be at variance with the meaning of
Christ.
Chrysostom, with whom the greater part of
expounders agree, makes the word Water refer to baptism. The meaning
would then be, that by baptism we enter into the kingdom of God, because in
baptism we are regenerated by the Spirit of God. Hence arose the belief of the
absolute necessity of baptism, in order to the hope of eternal life. But though
we were to admit that Christ here speaks of baptism, yet we ought not to press
his words so closely as to imagine that he confines salvation to the outward
sign; but, on the contrary, he connects the
Water
with the
Spirit,
because under that visible symbol he attests and seals that newness of life
which God alone produces in us by his Spirit. It is true that, by neglecting
baptism, we are excluded from salvation; and in this sense I acknowledge that it
is necessary; but it is absurd to speak of the hope of salvation as confined to
the sign. So far as relates to this passage, I cannot bring myself to believe
that Christ speaks of baptism; for it would have been
inappropriate.
We must always keep in remembrance the design of
Christ, which we have already explained; namely, that he intended to exhort
Nicodemus to newness of life, because he was not capable of receiving the
Gospel, until he began to be a new man. It is, therefore, a simple statement,
that we must be born again, in order that we may be the children of God, and
that the Holy Spirit is the Author of this second birth. For while Nicodemus was
dreaming of the regeneration
(paliggenesi>a)
or transmigration taught by Pythagoras, who imagined that souls, after the death
of their bodies, passed into other bodies,
f56
Christ, in order to cure him of this error, added, by way of explanation, that
it is not in a natural way that men are born a second time, and that it
is not necessary for them to be clothed with a new body, but that they are
born
when they are renewed in mind and heart by the grace of the
Spirit.
Accordingly, he employed the words
Spirit
and
water
to mean the same thing, and this ought not to be
regarded as a harsh or forced interpretation; for it is a frequent and common
way of speaking in Scripture, when
the Spirit
is mentioned, to add the word
Water
or Fire, expressing his power. We sometimes meet with the statement, that
it is Christ who baptizeth with the Holy Ghost and with fire,
(<400311>Matthew
3:11;
<420316>Luke
3:16,) where fire means nothing different from the Spirit, but only shows
what is his efficacy in us. As to the word
water
being placed first, it is of little consequence; or
rather, this mode of speaking flows more naturally than the other, because the
metaphor is followed by a plain and direct statement, as if Christ had said that
no man is a son of God until he has been renewed by water, and that this
water is the Spirit who cleanseth us anew and who, by spreading
his energy over us, imparts to us the rigor of the heavenly life, though by
nature we are utterly dry. And most properly does Christ, in order to reprove
Nicodemus for his ignorance, employ a form of expression which is common in
Scripture; for Nicodemus ought at length to have acknowledged, that what Christ
had said was taken from the ordinary doctrine of the Prophets.
By
water,
therefore, is meant nothing more than the inward purification and invigoration
which is produced by the Holy Spirit. Besides, it is not unusual to
employ the word and instead of that is, when the latter clause is
intended to explain the former. And the view which I have taken is supported by
what follows; for when Christ immediately proceeds to assign the reason why we
must be born
again, without mentioning the water, he
shows that the newness of life which he requires is produced by the
Spirit
alone; whence it follows, that
water
must not be separated from the
Spirit.
6.
That which is born of the
flesh. By reasoning from contraries, he argues
that the kingdom of God is shut against us, unless an entrance be opened to us
by a new birth,
(paliggenesi>a.)
For he takes for granted, that we cannot enter into the kingdom of God unless we
are spiritual. But we bring nothing from the womb but a carnal nature. Therefore
it follows, that we are naturally banished from the kingdom of God, and, having
been deprived of the heavenly life, remain under the yoke of death. Besides,
when Christ argues here, that men must be
born
again, because they are only
flesh,
he undoubtedly comprehends all mankind under the term
flesh.
By the
flesh,
therefore, is meant in this place not the body, but the soul also, and
consequently every part of it. When the Popish divines restrict the word to that
part which they call sensual, they do so in utter ignorance of its meaning;
f57
for Christ must in that case have used an inconclusive argument, that we need a
second birth, because part of us is corrupt. But if the
flesh
is contrasted with the
Spirit, as a corrupt thing is contrasted with
what is uncorrupted, a crooked thing with what is straight, a polluted thing
with what is holy, a contaminated thing with what is pure, we may readily
conclude that the whole nature of man is condemned by a single word. Christ
therefore declares that our understanding and reason is corrupted, because it is
carnal, and that all the affections of the heart are wicked and reprobate,
because they too are carnal.
But here it may be objected, that since the soul is
not begotten by human generation, we are
not born of the
flesh, as to the chief part of our nature. This
led many persons to imagine that not only our bodies, but our souls also,
descend to us from our parents; for they thought it absurd that original sin,
which has its peculiar habitation in the soul, should be conveyed from one man
to all his posterity, unless all our souls proceeded from his soul as their
source. And certainly, at first sight, the words of Christ appear to convey the
idea, that we are
flesh,
because we are born of
flesh. I answer, so far as relates to the words
of Christ, they mean nothing else than that we are all carnal when we are born;
and that as we come into this world mortal men, our nature relishes nothing but
what is
flesh.
He simply distinguishes here between nature and the supernatural gift; for the
corruption of all mankind in the person of Adam alone did not proceed from
generation, but from the appointment of God, who in one man had adorned us all,
and who has in him also deprived us of his gifts. Instead of saying, therefore,
that each of us draws vice and corruption from his parents, it would be more
correct to say that we are all alike corrupted in Adam alone, because
immediately after his revolt God took away from human nature what He had
bestowed upon it.
Here another question arises; for it is certain that
in this degenerate and corrupted nature some remnant of the gifts of God still
lingers; and hence it follows that we are not in every respect corrupted. The
reply is easy. The gifts which God hath left to us since the fall, if they are
judged by themselves, are indeed worthy of praise; but as the contagion of
wickedness is spread through every part, there will be found in us nothing that
is pure and free from every defilement. That we naturally possess some knowledge
of God, that some distinction between good and evil is engraven on our
conscience, that our faculties are sufficient for the maintenance of the present
life, that — in short — we are in so many ways superior to the brute
beasts, that is excellent in itself, so far as it proceeds from God; but in us
all these things are completely polluted, in the same manner as the wine which
has been wholly infected and corrupted by the offensive taste of the vessel
loses the pleasantness of its good flavor, and acquires a bitter and pernicious
taste. For such knowledge of God as now remains in men is nothing else than a
frightful source of idolatry and of all superstitions; the judgment exercised in
choosing and distinguishing things is partly blind and foolish, partly imperfect
and confused; all the industry that we possess flows into vanity and trifles;
and the will itself, with furious impetuosity, rushes headlong to what is evil.
Thus in the whole of our nature there remains not a drop of uprightness. Hence
it is evident that we must be formed by the second birth, that we may be fitted
for the kingdom of God; and the meaning of Christ’s words is, that as a
man is born only carnal from the womb of his mother; he must be formed
anew by the Spirit, that he may begin to be spiritual.
The word
Spirit
is used here in two senses, namely, for grace, and the effect of grace. For in
the first place, Christ informs us that
the
Spirit of God is the only Author of a pure and
upright nature, and afterwards he states, that we are spiritual, because
we have been renewed by his power.
|
JOHN
3:7-12
|
|
7. Wonder not that I said to thee, You must be
born again. 8. The wind bloweth where it pleaseth, and thou hearest its
voice; but knowest not whence it cometh, nor whither it goeth: so is every one
that is born of the Spirit. 9. Nicodemus answered, and said to him, How
can these things be? 10. Jesus answered, and said to him, Thou art a
teacher of Israel, and knowest you not these things? 11. Verily, verily,
I say to thee, We speak what we know, and testify what we have seen; and you
receive not our testimony. 12. If ‘I have told you earthly things,
and you believe not, how shall you believe if I tell you heavenly
things?
|
7.
Wonder
not. This passage has been tortured by
commentators in various ways. Some think that Christ reproves the gross
ignorance of Nicodemus and other persons of the same class, by saying that it
is not wonderful, if they do not comprehend that heavenly mystery of
regeneration, since even in the order of nature they do not perceive the reason
of those things which fall under the cognizance of the senses. Others contrive a
meaning which, though ingenious, is too much forced: that, “as the wind
blows freely, so by the regeneration of the Spirit we are set at liberty,
and, having been freed from the yoke of sin, run voluntarily to God. Equally
removed from Christ’s meaning is the exposition given by Augustine, that
the Spirit of God exerts his power according to his own pleasure. A better view
is given by Chrysostom and Cyril, who say that the comparison is taken from the
wind, and apply it thus to the present passage: though its power be felt, we
know not its source and cause.” While I do not differ greatly
from their opinion, I shall endeavor to explain the meaning of Christ with
greater clearness and certainty.
I hold by this principle, that Christ borrows a
comparison from the order of nature. Nicodemus reckoned that what he had heard
about regeneration and a new life was incredible, because the manner of this
regeneration exceeded his capacity. To prevent him from entertaining any scruple
of this sort, Christ shows that even in the bodily life there is displayed an
amazing power of God, the reason of which is concealed. For all draw from the
air their vital breath; we perceive the agitation of the air, but know not
whence it comes to us or whither it departs. If in this frail and transitory
life God acts so powerfully that we are constrained to admire his power, what
folly is it to attempt to measure by the perception of our own mind his secret
work in the heavenly and supernatural life, so as to believe no more than what
we see? Thus Paul, when he breaks out into indignation against those who reject
the doctrine of the resurrection, on the ground of its being impossible that the
body which is now subject to putrefaction, after having been reduced to dust and
to nothing, should be clothed with a blessed immortality, reproaches them for
stupidity in not considering that a similar display of the power of God may be
seen in a grain of wheat; for the seed does not spring until it; has been
putrefied,
(<461536>1
Corinthians 15:36, 37.) This is the astonishing wisdom of which David
exclaims,
O Lord, how manifold are
thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all,
(<19A424>Psalm
104:24)
They are therefore excessively stupid who, having
been warned by the common order of nature, do not rise higher, so as to
acknowledge that the hand of God is far more powerful in the spiritual kingdom
of Christ. When Christ says to Nicodemus that he ought not to wonder, we must
not understand it in such a manner as if he intended that we should despise a
work of God, which is so illustrious, and which is worthy of the highest
admiration; but he means that we ought not to wonder with that kind of
admiration which hinders our faith. For many reject as fabulous what they think
too lofty and difficult. In a word, let us not doubt that by the Spirit of God
we are formed again and made new men, though his manner of doing this be
concealed from us.
8.
The wind bloweth where it pleaseth. Not that,
strictly speaking, there is will in the blowing, but because the
agitation is free, and uncertain, and variable; for the air is carried sometimes
in one direction and sometimes in another. How this applies to the case in hand;
for if it flowed in a uniform motion like water, it would be less
miraculous.
So is every one that is born of the
Spirit. Christ means that the movement and
operation of the Spirit of God is not less perceptible in the renewal of man
than the motion of the air in this earthly and outward life, but that the manner
of it is concealed; and that, therefore, we are ungrateful and malicious, if we
do not adore the inconceivable power of God in the heavenly life, of which we
behold so striking an exhibition in this world, and if we ascribe to him less in
restoring the salvation of our soul than in upholding the bodily frame. The
application will be somewhat more evident, if you turn the sentence in this
manner: Such is the power and
efficacy of the Holy Spirit in the renewed man.
9.
How can these things
be? We see what is the chief obstacle in the
way of Nicodemus. Every thing that he hears appears monstrous, because he does
not understand the manner of it; so that there is no greater obstacle to us than
our own pride; that is, we always wish to be wise beyond what is proper, and
therefore we reject with diabolical pride every thing that is not explained to
our reason; as if it were proper to limit the infinite power of God to our poor
capacity. We are, indeed, permitted, to a certain extent, to inquire into the
manner and reason of the works of God, provided that we do so with sobriety and
reverence; but Nicodemus rejects it as a fable, on this ground, that he does not
believe it to be possible. On this subject we shall treat more fully under the
Sixth Chapter.
10.
Thou art a teacher of Israel. As Christ sees
that he is spending his time and pains to no purpose in teaching so proud a man,
he begins to reprove him sharply. And certainly such persons will never make any
progress, until the wicked confidence, with which they are puffed up, be
removed. This is, very properly, placed first in order; for in the very matter
in which he chiefly plumes himself on his acuteness and sagacity, Christ
censures his ignorance. He thought, that not to admit a thing to be possible
would be considered a proof of gravity and intelligence, because that man is
accounted. foolishly credulous who assents to what is told him by another,
before he has fully inquired into the reason. But still Nicodemus, with all his
magisterial haughtiness, exposes himself to ridicule by more than childish
hesitation about the first principles. Such hesitation, certainly, is base and
shameful. For what religion have we, what knowledge of God, what rule of living
well, what hope of eternal life, if we do not believe that man is renewed by the
Spirit of God? There is an emphasis, therefore, in the
word
these; for since Scripture frequently repeats
this part of doctrine, it ought not to be unknown even to the lowest class of
beginners. It is utterly beyond endurance that any man should be ignorant and
unskilled in it, who professes to be a
teacher
in the Church of God.
11.
We speak what we
know. Some refer this to Christ and John the
Baptist; others say that the plural number is used instead of the singular. For
my own part, I have no doubt that Christ mentions himself in connection with all
the prophets of God, and speaks generally in the person of all. Philosophers and
other vain-glorious teachers frequently bring forward trifles which they have
themselves invented; but Christ claims it as peculiar to himself and all the
servants of God, that they deliver no doctrine but what is certain. For God does
not send ministers to prattle about things that are unknown or doubtful, but
trains them in his school, that what they have learned from himself they may
afterwards deliver to others. Again, as Christ, by this testimony, recommends to
us the certainty of his doctrine, so he enjoins on all his ministers a law of
modesty, not to put forward their own dreams or conjectures — not to
preach human inventions, which have no solidity in theme but to render a
faithful and pure testimony to God. Let every man, therefore, see what the Lord
has revealed to him, that no man may go beyond the bounds of his faith; and,
lastly, that no man may allow himself to speak any thing but what he has heard
from the Lord. It ought to be observed, likewise, that Christ here confirms his
doctrine by an oath, that it may have full authority over us.
You receive not our
testimony. This is added, that the Gospel may
lose nothing on account of the ingratitude of men. For since few persons are to
be found who exercise faith in the truth of God, and since the truth is
everywhere rejected by the world, we ought to defend it against contempt, that
its majesty may not be held in less estimation, because the whole world despises
it, and obscures it by impiety. Now though the meaning of the words be simple
and one, still we must draw from this passage a twofold doctrine. The first is,
that our faith in the Gospel may not be weakened, if it have few disciples on
the earth; as if Christ had said, Though you do not receive my doctrine, it
remains nevertheless certain and durable; for the unbelief of men will never
prevent God from remaining always true. The other is, that they who, in the
present day, disbelieve the Gospel, will not escape with impunity, since the
truth of God is holy and sacred. We ought to be fortified with this shield, that
we may persevere in obedience to the Gospel in opposition to the obstinacy of
men. True indeed, we must hold by this principle, that our faith be founded on
God. But when we have God as our security, we ought, like persons elevated above
the heavens, boldly to tread the whole world under our feet, or regard it with
lofty disdain, rather than allow the unbelief of any persons whatever to fill us
with alarm. As to the complaint which Christ makes, that his testimony is not
received, we learn from it, that the word of God has, in all ages, been
distinguished by this peculiar feature, that they who believed it were few; for
the expression — you
receive not — belongs to the greater
number, and almost to the whole body of the people. There is no reason,
therefore, that we should now be discouraged, if the number of those who believe
be small.
12.
If I have told you earthly
things. Christ concludes that it ought to be
laid to the charge of Nicodemus and others, if they do not make progress in the
doctrine of the Gospel; for he shows that the blame does not lie with him, that
all are not properly instructed, since he comes down even to the earth,
that he may raise us to heaven. It is too common a fault that men desire
to be taught in an ingenious and witty style. Hence, the greater part of men are
so delighted with lofty and abstruse speculations. Hence, too, many hold the
Gospel in less estimation, because they do not find in it high-sounding words to
fill their ears, and on this account do not deign to bestow their attention on a
doctrine so low and mean. But it shows an extraordinary degree of wickedness,
that we yield less reverence to God speaking to us, because he condescends to
our ignorance; and, therefore, when God prattles to us in Scripture in a rough
and popular style, let us know that this is done on account of the love which he
bears to us.
f58
Whoever exclaims that he is offended by such meanness of language, or pleads it
as an excuse for not subjecting himself to the word of God, speaks falsely; for
he who cannot endure to embrace God, when he approaches to him, will still less
fly to meet him above the clouds.
Earthly
things. Some explain this to mean the elements
of spiritual doctrine; for self-denial may be said to be the commencement of
piety. But I rather agree with those who refer it to the form of instruction;
for, though the whole of Christ’s discourse was
heavenly,
yet he spoke in a manner so familiar, that the style itself had some appearance
of being
earthly.
Besides, these words must not be viewed as referring exclusively to a single
sermon; for Christ’s ordinary method of teaching — that is, a
popular simplicity of style — is here contrasted with the pompous and
high-sounding phrases to which ambitious men are too strongly
addicted.
|
JOHN
3:13-18
|
|
13. And
f59
no one hath ascended to heaven but he who came down from heaven, the Son of man
who is in heaven. 14. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the
wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up; 15. That whosoever
believeth in him may not perish, but have eternal life. 16. For God so
loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son; that whosoever believeth in
him may not perish, but may have eternal life. 17. For God hath not sent
his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world may be saved by
him. 18. He who believeth in him is not condemned; but he who believeth
not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the
only-begotten Son of God.
|
13.
No one hath ascended to
heaven. He again exhorts Nicodemus not to trust
to himself and his own sagacity, because no mortal man can, by his own unaided
powers, enter into heaven, but only he who goes thither under the guidance of
the Son of God. For to ascend to heaven means here, “to have a pure
knowledge of the mysteries of God, and the light of spiritual
understanding.” For Christ gives here the same instruction which is given
by Paul, when he declares that
the sensual man does not
comprehend the things which are of God,
(<460216>1
Corinthians 2:16;)
and, therefore, he excludes from divine things all
the acuteness of the human understanding, for it is far below
God.
But we must attend to the words, that Christ alone,
who is heavenly, ascends to heaven, but that the entrance is closed
against all others. For, in the former clause, he humbles us, when he excludes
the whole world from heaven. Paul enjoins
those who are desirous to
be wise with God to be fools with themselves,
(<460318>1
Corinthians 3:18.)
There is nothing which we do with greater reluctance.
For this purpose we ought to remember, that all our senses fail and give way
when we come to God; but, after having shut us out from heaven, Christ quickly
proposes a remedy, when he adds, that what was denied to all others is granted
to the Son of God. And this too is the reason why he calls himself the Son of
man, that we may not doubt that we have an entrance into heaven in common with
him who clothed himself with our flesh, that he might make us partakers of all
blessings. Since, therefore, he is the Father’s only Counselor,
(<230906>Isaiah
9:6,) he admits us into those secrets which otherwise would have remained in
concealment.
Who is in
heaven. It may be thought absurd to say that
he is in
heaven, while he still dwells on the earth. If
it be replied, that this is true in regard to his Divine nature, the mode of
expression means something else, namely, that while he was man, he was
in
heaven. It might be said that no mention is
here made of any place, but that Christ is only distinguished from others, in
regard to his condition, because he is the heir of the kingdom of God, from
which the whole human race is banished; but, as it very frequently happens, on
account of the unity of the Person of Christ, that what properly belongs to one
nature is applied to another, we ought not to seek any other solution. Christ,
therefore, who is in
heaven, hath clothed himself with our flesh,
that, by stretching out his brotherly hand to us, he may raise us to heaven
along with him.
14.
And as Moses lifted up the serpent. He explains
more clearly why he said that it is he alone to whom heaven is opened; namely,
that he brings to heaven all who are only willing to follow him as their guide;
for he testifies that he will be openly and publicly manifested to all, that he
may diffuse his power over men of every class.
f60
To be lifted
up means to be placed in a lofty and elevated
situation, so as to be exhibited to the view of all. This was done by the
preaching of the Gospel; for the explanation of it which some give, as referring
to the cross, neither agrees with the context nor is applicable to the present
subject. The simple meaning of the words therefore is, that, by the preaching of
the Gospel, Christ was to be raised on high, like a standard to which the eyes
of all would be directed, as Isaiah had foretold,
(<230202>Isaiah
2:2.) As a type of this lifting up, he refers to the brazen
serpent, which was erected by Moses, the sight of which was a salutary
remedy to those who had been wounded by the deadly bite of serpents. The history
of that transaction is well known, and is detailed in
<042109>Numbers
21:9. Christ introduces it in this passage, in order to show that he must be
placed before the eyes of all by the doctrine of the Gospel, that all who look
at him by faith may obtain salvation. Hence it ought to be inferred that Christ
is clearly exhibited to us in the Gospel, in order that no man may complain of
obscurity; and that this manifestation is common to all, and that faith has its
own look, by which it perceives him as present; as Paul tells us that a lively
portrait of Christ with his cross is exhibited, when he is truly preached,
(<480301>Galatians
3:1.)
The metaphor is not inappropriate or far-fetched. As
it was only the outward appearance of a serpent, but contained nothing within
that was pestilential or venomous, so Christ clothed himself with the form of
sinful flesh, which yet was pure and free from all sin, that he might cure in us
the deadly wound of sin. It was not in vain that, when the Jews were wounded by
serpents, the Lord formerly prepared this kind of antidote; and it tended to
confirm the discourse which Christ delivered. For when he saw that he was
despised as a mean and unknown person, he could produce nothing more appropriate
than the lifting up of the
serpent, to tell them, that they ought not to
think it strange, if, contrary to the expectation of men, he were
lifted
up on high from the very lowest condition,
because this had already been shadowed out under the Law by the type of the
serpent.
A question now arises: Does Christ compare himself to
the serpent, because there is some resemblance; or, does he pronounce it
to have been a sacrament, as the Manna was? For though the Manna was bodily
food, intended for present use, yet Paul testifies that it was a
spiritual mystery,
(<461003>1
Corinthians 10:3.) I am led to think that this was also the case with the brazen
serpent, both by this passage, and the fact of its being preserved for the
future, until the superstition of the people had converted it into an idol,
(<121804>2
Kings 18:4.) If any one form a different opinion, I do not debate the point with
him.
16.
For God so loved the
world. Christ opens up the first cause, and, as
it were, the source of our salvation, and he does so, that no doubt may remain;
for our minds cannot find calm repose, until we arrive at the unmerited love of
God. As the whole matter of our salvation must not be sought any where else than
in Christ, so we must see whence Christ came to us, and why he was offered to be
our Savior. Both points are distinctly stated to us: namely, that faith in
Christ brings life to all, and that Christ brought life, because the Heavenly
Father loves the human race, and wishes that they should not perish. And this
order ought to be carefully observed; for such is the wicked ambition which
belongs to our nature, that when the question relates to the origin of our
salvation, we quickly form diabolical imaginations about our own merits.
Accordingly, we imagine that God is reconciled to us, because he has reckoned us
worthy that he should look upon us. But Scripture everywhere extols his pure and
unmingled mercy, which sets aside all merits.
And the words of Christ mean nothing else, when he
declares the cause to be in the love of God. For if we wish to ascend higher,
the Spirit shuts the door by the mouth of Paul, when he informs us that this
love was founded on the purpose of his will,
(<490105>Ephesians
1:5.) And, indeed, it is very evident that Christ spoke in this manner, in order
to draw away men from the contemplation of themselves to look at the mercy of
God alone. Nor does he say that God was moved to deliver us, because he
perceived in us something that was worthy of so excellent a blessing, but
ascribes the glory of our deliverance entirely to his love. And this is still
more clear from what follows; for he adds,
that God gave his Son to men,
that they may not perish. Hence it follows
that, until Christ bestow his aid in rescuing the lost, all are destined to
eternal destruction. This is also demonstrated by Paul from a consideration of
the time;
for he loved us while we
were still enemies by
sin,
(<450508>Romans
5:8, 10.)
And, indeed, where sin reigns, we shall find nothing
but the wrath of God, which draws death along with it. It is mercy, therefore,
that reconciles us to God, that he may likewise restore us to
life.
This mode of expression, however, may appear to be at
variance with many passages of Scripture, which lay in Christ the first
foundation of the love of God to us, and show that out of him we are hated by
God. But we ought to remember — what I have already stated — that
the secret love with which the Heavenly Father loved us in himself is higher
than all other causes; but that the grace which he wishes to be made known to
us, and by which we are excited to the hope of salvation, commences with the
reconciliation which was procured through Christ. For since he necessarily hates
sin, how shall we believe that we are loved by him, until atonement has been
made for those sins on account of which he is justly offended at us? Thus, the
love of Christ must intervene for the purpose of reconciling God to us, before
we have any experience of his fatherly kindness. But as we are first informed
that God, because he loved us, gave his Son to die for us, so it is immediately
added, that it is Christ alone on whom, strictly speaking, faith ought to
look.
He gave his only-begotten Son, that
whosoever believeth on him may not perish.
This, he says, is the proper look of faith, to be fixed on Christ, in whom it
beholds the breast of God filled with love: this is a firm and enduring support,
to rely on the death of Christ as the only pledge of that love. The word
only-begotten
is emphatic,
(ejmfatiko<n)
to magnify the fervor of the love of God towards us. For as men are not easily
convinced that God loves them, in order to remove all doubt, he has expressly
stated that we are so very dear to God that, on our account, he did not even
spare his
only-begotten
Son. Since, therefore, God has most abundantly testified his love towards us,
whoever is not satisfied with this testimony, and still remains in doubt, offers
a high insult to Christ, as if he had been an ordinary man given up at random to
death. But we ought rather to consider that, in proportion to the estimation in
which God holds his only-begotten
Son, so much the more precious did our
salvation appear to him, for the ransom of which he chose that his
only-begotten
Son should die. To this name Christ has a
right, because he is by nature the only Son of God; and he communicates
this honor to us by adoption, when we are engrafted into his
body.
That whosoever believeth on him may
not perish. It is a remarkable commendation of
faith, that it frees us from everlasting destruction. For he intended expressly
to state that, though we appear to have been born to death, undoubted
deliverance is offered to us by the faith of Christ; and, therefore, that we
ought not to fear death, which otherwise hangs over us. And he has employed the
universal term
whosoever,
both to invite all indiscriminately to partake of life, and to cut off every
excuse from unbelievers. Such is also the import of the term
World,
which he formerly used; for though nothing will be found
in the
world that is worthy of the favor of God, yet
he shows himself to be reconciled to the whole world, when he invites all men
without exception to the faith of Christ, which is nothing else than an entrance
into life.
Let us remember, on the other hand, that while
life
is promised universally to all who believe
in Christ, still faith is not common to all. For Christ is made known and held
out to the view of all, but the elect alone are they whose eyes God opens, that
they may seek him by faith. Here, too, is displayed a wonderful effect of faith;
for by it we receive Christ such as he is given to us by the Father — that
is, as having freed us from the condemnation of eternal death, and made us heirs
of eternal life, because, by the sacrifice of his death, he has atoned for our
sins, that nothing may prevent God from acknowledging us as his sons. Since,
therefore, faith embraces Christ, with the efficacy of his death and the fruit
of his resurrection, we need not wonder if by it we obtain likewise the life of
Christ.
Still it is not yet very evident why and how faith
bestows life upon us. Is it because Christ renews us by his Spirit, that the
righteousness of God may live and be vigorous in us; or is it because, having
been cleansed by his blood, we are accounted righteous before God by a free
pardon? It is indeed certain, that these two things are always joined together;
but as the certainty of salvation is the subject now in hand, we ought chiefly
to hold by this reason, that we live, because God loves us freely by not
imputing to us our sins. For this reason sacrifice is expressly mentioned, by
which, together with sins, the curse and death are destroyed. I have already
explained the object of these two clauses,
which is, to inform us that in Christ we regain the
possession of life, of which we are destitute in ourselves; for in this wretched
condition of mankind, redemption, in the order of time, goes before
salvation.
17.
For God sent not his Son into
the world to condemn the world. It is a
confirmation of the preceding statement; for it was not in vain that God sent
his own Son to us. He came not to destroy; and therefore it follows, that it is
the peculiar office of the Son of God, that all who believe may obtain
salvation by him. There is now no reason why any man should be in a state of
hesitation, or of distressing anxiety, as to the manner in which he may escape
death, when we believe that it was the purpose of God that Christ should deliver
us from it. The word world
is again repeated, that no man may think himself
wholly excluded, if he only keep the road of faith.
The word judge
(pri>nw)
is here put for condemn, as in many other passages. When he declares
that he did not come to condemn
the world, he thus points out the actual design
of his coming; for what need was there that Christ should come to destroy us who
were utterly ruined? We ought not, therefore, to look at any thing else in
Christ, than that God, out of his boundless goodness chose to extend his aid for
saving us who were lost; and whenever our sins press us — whenever Satan
would drive us to despair — we ought to hold out this shield, that God is
unwilling that we should be overwhelmed with everlasting destruction, because he
has appointed his Son to be the salvation of the world.
When Christ says, in other passages, that he is
come to judgment,
(<430939>John
9:39;) when he is called a stone of offense,
(<600207>1
Peter 2:7;) when he is said to be set for the destruction of many,
(<420234>Luke
2:34:) this may be regarded as accidental, or as arising from a different cause;
for they who reject the grace offered in him deserve to find him the Judge and
Avenger of contempt so unworthy and base. A striking instance of this may be
seen in the Gospel; for though it is strictly
the power of God for
salvation to every one who believeth,
(<450116>Romans
1:16,)
the ingratitude of many causes it to become to them
death.. Both have been well expressed by Paul, when he boasts
of
having vengeance at hand, by which he
will punish all the adversaries of his doctrine after that the obedience of the
godly shall have been fulfilled,
(<471006>2
Corinthians 10:6)
The meaning amounts to this, that the Gospel is
especially, and in the first instance, appointed for believers, that it may be
salvation to them; but that afterwards believers will not escape unpunished who,
despising the grace of Christ, chose to have him as the Author of death rather
than of life.
18.
He who believeth in him is
not condemned. When he so frequently and
so earnestly repeats, that all believers are beyond danger of death, we may
infer from it the great necessity of firm and assured confidence, that the
conscience may not be kept perpetually in a state of trembling and alarm. He
again declares that, when we have
believed, there is no remaining
condemnation, which he will afterwards explain more fully in the
Fifth Chapter. The present tense —
is not
condemned — is here used instead
of the future tense — shall not be condemned — according to
the custom of the Hebrew language; for he means that believers are safe from the
fear of condemnation.
But he who believeth not is
condemned already. This means that there
is no other remedy by which any human being can escape death; or, in other
words, that for all who reject the life given to them in Christ, there remains
nothing but death, since life consists in nothing else than in faith. The past
tense of the verb, is condemned
already,
(h]dh
ke>kritai,) was used by him emphatically,
(ejmfatikw~v,)
to express more strongly that all unbelievers are utterly ruined. But it ought
to be observed that Christ speaks especially of those whose wickedness shall be
displayed in open contempt of the Gospel. For though it is true that there never
was any other remedy for escaping death than that men should betake themselves
to Christ, yet as Christ here speaks of the preaching of the Gospel, which was
to be spread throughout the whole world, he directs his discourse against those
who deliberately and maliciously extinguish the light which God had
kindled.
|
JOHN
3:19-21
|
|
19. And this is the condemnation, that light
is come into the world; and men loved darkness rather than light; for their
works were evil. 20. For whosoever doeth what is evil hateth the light,
and cometh not to the light, that his works may not be discovered. 21.
But he who doeth truth cometh to the light, that his works may be made manifest,
that they are done in God.
f61
|
19.
And this is the
condemnation. He meets the murmurs and
complaints, by which wicked men are wont to censure — what they imagine to
be the excessive rigour of God, when he acts towards them with greater severity
than they expected. All think it harsh that they who do not believe in Christ
should be devoted to destruction. That no man may ascribe his
condemnation
to Christ, he shows that every man ought to impute the blame to himself. The
reason is, that unbelief is a testimony of a bad conscience; and hence it is
evident that it is their own wickedness which hinders unbelievers from
approaching to Christ. Some think that he points out here nothing more than the
mark of
condemnation;
but, the design of Christ is, to restrain the wickedness of men, that they
may not, according to their custom, dispute or argue with God, as if he treated
them unjustly, when he punishes unbelief with eternal death. He shows that such
a
condemnation
is just, and is not liable to any reproaches, not only because those men act
wickedly, who prefer
darkness
to
light, and refuse the
light
which is freely offered to them, but because
that hatred of the light arises only from a mind that is wicked and
conscious of its guilt. A beautiful appearance and lustre of holiness may indeed
be found in many, who, after all, oppose the Gospel; but, though they appear to
be holier than the angels, there is no room to doubt that they are hypocrites,
who reject the doctrine of Christ for no other reason than because they love
their lurking-places by which their baseness may be concealed. Since, therefore,
hypocrisy alone renders men hateful to God, all are held convicted, because were
it not that, blinded by pride, they delight in their crimes, they would readily
and willingly receive the doctrine of the Gospel.
20.
For whosoever doeth what is evil. The
meaning is, that the
light is hateful to them for no other
reason than because they are wicked and desire to conceal their sins, as far as
lies in their power. Hence it follows that, by rejecting the remedy, they may be
said purposely to cherish the ground of their condemnation. We are greatly
mistaken, therefore, if we suppose that they who are enraged against the Gospel
are actuated by godly zeal, when, on the contrary, they abhor and shun the
light, that they may more freely flatter themselves in
darkness.
21.
But he who doeth truth. This appears to
be an improper and absurd statement, unless you choose to admit that some are
upright and true, before they have been renewed by the Spirit of God, which does
not at all agree with the uniform doctrine of Scripture; for we know that faith
is the root from which the fruits of good works spring. To solve this
difficulty, Augustine says, that to do truth means “to
acknowledge that we are miserable and destitute of all power of doing
good;” and, certainly, it is a true preparation for faith, when a
conviction of our poverty compels us to flee to the grace of God. But all this
is widely removed from Christ’s meaning, for he intended simply to say
that those who act sincerely desire nothing more earnestly than light,
that their works may be tried; because, when such a trial has been
made, it becomes more evident that, in the sight of God, they speak the
truth
and are free from all deceit. Now it would be inconclusive reasoning, were
we to infer from this, that men have a good conscience before they have faith;
for Christ does not say that the elect believe, so as to deserve the praise of
good works, but only what unbelievers would do, if they had not a bad
conscience.
Christ employed the word
truth,
because, when we are deceived by the outward lustre of works, we do not
consider what is concealed within. Accordingly, he says, that men who are
upright and free from hypocrisy willingly go into the presence of God, who alone
is the competent Judge of our works. For those
works
are said to be done in
God or according to God,
which are approved by Him, and which are good according to His rule. Hence
let us learn that we must not judge of works in any other way than by
bringing them to the
light
of the Gospel, because our reason is wholly blind.
|
JOHN
3:22-28
|
|
22. After these things came Jesus, and his
disciples, into the land of Judea, and there he remained with them and baptized.
23. And John also was baptizing in Enon, near Salim; because there were
many waters there. They came therefore and were baptized. 24. For John
was not yet cast into prison. 25. A question then arose between the
disciples of John and the Jews about purifying. 26. And they came to
John, and said to him, Rabbi, he who was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou
gavest testimony, lo, he baptizeth, and all men come to him. 27.
John answered and said, A man cannot receive any thing, unless it be given
to him from heaven. 28. Yourselves are witnesses to me, that I said, I am
not Christ, but was sent before him.
|
22.
After these things came
Jesus. It is probable that Christ, when
the feast was past, came into that part of Judea which was in the vicinity of
the town Enon, which was situated in the tribe of Manasseh. The
Evangelist says that there were
many waters there, and these were not so
abundant in Judea. Now geographers tell us, that these two towns, Enon
and Salim, were not far from the confluence of the river
Jordan and the brook Jabbok; and they add that Scythopolis was near them. From
these words, we may infer that John and Christ administered baptism by plunging
the whole body beneath the water; though we ought not to give ourselves any
great uneasiness about the outward rite, provided that it agree with the
spiritual truth, and with the Lord’s appointment and rule. So far as we
are able to conjecture, the; vicinity of those places caused various reports to
be circulated, and many discussions to arise, about the Law, about the worship
of God, and about the condition of the Church, in consequence of two persons who
administered baptism having arisen at the same time. For when the Evangelist
says that Christ baptized, I refer this to the commencement of his
ministry; namely, that he then began to exercise publicly the office which was
appointed to him by the Father. And though Christ did this by his disciples, yet
he is here named as the Author of the baptism, without mentioning his ministers,
who did nothing but in his name and by his command. On this subject, we shall
have something more to say in the beginning of the next
Chapter.
25.
A question then arose. Not without a
good reason does the Evangelist relate that
a question arose from the
disciples of John; for just in
proportion as they were ill-informed about doctrine, they are so much the more
eager to enter into debate, as ignorance is always bold and presumptuous. If
others had attacked them, they might have been excused; but when they
themselves, though unfit to maintain the contest, voluntarily provoke the Jews,
it is a rash and foolish proceeding. Now the words mean, that “the
question was raised by them;” and not only were they to blame for
taking up a matter which they did not understand, and speaking about it rashly
and beyond the measure of their knowledge; but another fault — not less
than the former — was, that they did not so much intend to maintain the
lawfulness of Baptism as to defend the cause of their master, that his authority
might remain unimpaired. In both respects, they deserved reproof, because, not
understanding what was the real nature of Baptism, they expose the holy
ordinance of God to ridicule, and because, by sinful ambition, they undertake to
defend the cause of their master against Christ.
It is evident, therefore, that they were astonished
and confounded by a single word, when it was represented to them that
Christ also was
baptizing; for while their attention was
directed to the person of a man, and to outward appearance,
f62
they gave themselves less concern about the doctrine. We are taught, by their
example, into what mistakes those men fall who are actuated by a sinful desire
to please men rather than by a zeal for God; and we are likewise reminded that
the single object which we ought to have in view and to promote by all means is,
that Christ alone may have the pre-eminence.
About
purifying. The
question
was about
purifying; for the Jews had various
baptisms and washings
f63
enjoined by the Law; and not satisfied with those which God had appointed,
f64
they carefully observed many others which had been handed down from their
ancestors. When they find that, in addition to so great a number and variety of
purifyings, a new method of purifying is introduced by
Christ and by John, they look upon it as absurd.
26.
To whom thou gavest
testimony. By this argument they
endeavor either to make Christ inferior to John, or to show that John, by doing
him honor, had laid him under obligations; for they reckon that John conferred a
favor on Christ by adorning him with such honorable titles. As if it had not
been the duty of John to make such a proclamation, or rather, as if it had not
been John’s highest dignity to be the herald of the Son of God. Nothing
could have been more unreasonable than to make Christ inferior to John, because
his testimony was highly favorable; for we know what John’s testimony was.
The expression which they use — all men come to Christ —
is the language of envious persons,
f65
and proceeds from sinful ambition; for they are afraid that the crowd will
immediately forsake their master.
27.
A man cannot receive any thing. Some
refer these words to Christ, as if John accused the disciples of wicked
presumption in opposition to God, by endeavoring to deprive Christ of what the
Father had given to him. They suppose the meaning to be this: “That within
so short a time he has risen to so great honor, is the work of God; and
therefore it is in vain for you to attempt to degrade him whom God with his own
hand has raised on high.” Others think that it is an exclamation into
which he indignantly breaks forth, because his disciples had hitherto made so
little progress. And certainly it was excessively absurd that they should still
endeavor to reduce to the rank of ordinary men him who, they had so often heard,
was the Christ, that he might not rise above his own servants; and, therefore,
John might justly have said that it is useless to spend time in instructing men,
because they are dull and stupid, until they are renewed in
mind.
But I rather agree with the opinion of those who
explain it as applying to John, as asserting that it is not in his power, or in
theirs, to make him great, because the measure of us all is to be what God
intended us to be. For if even the Son of God took not that honour to
himself,
(<580504>Hebrews
5:4,) what man of the ordinary rank would venture to desire more than what the
Lord has given him? This single thought, if it were duly impressed on the minds
of us all, would be abundantly sufficient for restraining ambition; and were
ambition corrected and destroyed, the plague of contentions would likewise be
removed. How comes it then, that every man exalts himself more than is proper,
but because we do not depend on the Lord, so as to be satisfied with the rank
which he assigns to us?
28.
You are witnesses to
me. John expostulates with his disciples
that they did not give credit to his statements. He had often warned them that
he was not the Christ; and, therefore, it only remained that he should be a
servant and subject to the Son of God along with others. And this passage is
worthy of notice; for, by affirming
that he is not the
Christ, he reserves nothing for himself
but to be subject to the head, and to serve in the Church as one of the rest,
and not to be so highly exalted as to obscure the honor of the Head. He says
that he was sent
before, to prepare the way for Christ,
as kings are wont to have heralds or forerunners.
|
JOHN
3:29-34
|
|
29. He who hath the bride is the bridegroom;
but the friend of the bridegroom, who standeth, and heareth him, rejoiceth
exceedingly on account of the bridegroom’s voice. This my joy, therefore,
is fulfilled. 30. He must increase, but I must decrease. 31. He
who cometh from above is above all; he who is from the earth is of the earth,
and speaketh
f66
of the earth: he who cometh from heaven is above all. 32. And what he
hath seen and heard, this he testifieth, and no man receiveth his testimony.
33. But he who receiveth his testimony hath sealed that God is true.
34. For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God, for God giveth
not the Spirit by measure.
|
29.
He who hath the bride. By this
comparison, he confirms more fully the statement, that it is Christ alone who is
excluded from the ordinary rank of men. For as he who marries a wife does not
call and invite his friends to the marriage, in order to prostitute the bride to
them, or, by giving up his own rights, to allow them to partake with him of the
nuptial bed, but rather that the marriage, being honored by them, may be
rendered more sacred; so Christ does not call his ministers to the office of
teaching, in order that, by conquering the Church, they may claim dominion over
it, but that he may make use of their faithful labors for associating them with
himself. It is a great and lofty distinction, that men are appointed over the
Church, to represent the person of the Son of God. They are, therefore, like
the
friends
whom the
bridegroom brings with him, that they
may accompany him in celebrating the marriage; but we must attend to the
distinction, that ministers, being mindful of their rank, may not appropriate to
themselves what belongs exclusively to
the
bridegroom. The whole amounts to this,
that all the eminence which teachers may possess among themselves ought not to
hinder Christ from ruling alone in his Church, or from governing it alone by his
word.
This comparison frequently occurs in Scripture, when
the Lord intends to express the sacred bond of adoption, by which he binds us to
himself. For as he offers himself to be truly enjoyed by us, that he may be
ours, so he justly claims from us that mutual fidelity and love which the wife
owes to her husband. This marriage is entirely fulfilled in Christ, whose
flesh and bones we are, as Paul informs us,
(<490530>Ephesians
5:30.) The chastity demanded by him consists chiefly in the obedience of the
Gospel, that we may not suffer ourselves to be led aside from its pure
simplicity, as the same Apostle teaches us,
(<471102>2
Corinthians 11:2, 3.) We must, therefore, be subject to Christ alone, he must be
our only Head, we must not turn aside a hair’s-breadth from the simple
doctrine of the Gospel, he alone must have the highest glory, that he may retain
the right and authority of being a bridegroom to us.
But what are ministers to do? Certainly, the Son of
God calls them, that they may perform their duty to him in conducting the sacred
marriage; and, therefore, their duty is, to take care, in every way, that the
spouse — who is committed to their charge — may be
presented by them as a chaste virgin to her husband; which Paul, in the
passage already quoted, boasts of having done. But they who draw the Church to
themselves rather than to Christ are guilty of basely violating the marriage
which they ought to have honored. And the greater the honor which Christ confers
on us, by making us the guardians of his spouse, so much the more heinous is our
want of fidelity, if we do not endeavor to maintain and defend his
right.
This my joy therefore is
fulfilled. He means that he has obtained
the fulfillment of all his desires, and that he has nothing further to wish,
when he sees Christ reigning, and men listening to him as he deserves. Whoever
shall have such affections that, laying aside all regard to himself, he shall
extol Christ and be satisfied with seeing Christ honored, will be faithful and
successful in ruling the Church; but, whoever shall swerve from that end in the
slightest degree will be a base adulterer, and will do nothing else than corrupt
the spouse of Christ.
30.
He must
increase. John the Baptist proceeds
farther; for, having formerly been raised by the Lord to the highest dignity, he
shows that this was only for a time, but now that the Sun of
Righteousness,
(<390402>Malachi
4:2) has arisen, he must give way; and, therefore, he not only scatters and
drives away the empty fumes of honor which had been rashly and ignorantly heaped
upon him by men, but also is exceedingly careful that the true and lawful honor
which the Lord had bestowed on him may not obscure the glory of Christ.
Accordingly, he tells us that the reason why he had been hitherto accounted a
great Prophet was, that for a time only he was placed in so lofty a station,
until Christ came, to whom he must surrender his office. In the meantime, he
declares that he will most willingly endure to be reduced to nothing, provided
that Christ occupy and fill the whole world with his rays; and this zeal of John
all pastors of the Church ought to imitate by stooping with the head and
shoulders to elevate Christ.
31.
He who cometh from
above. By another comparison he shows
how widely Christ differs from all the rest, and how far he is above them; for
he compares him to a king or distinguished general, who, speaking from his lofty
seat, ought to be heard with reverence for his authority, but shows that it is
enough for himself to speak from the lowest footstool of Christ.
f67
In the second clause the old Latin translation has only once the words,
is of the
earth; but the Greek manuscripts agree
in repeating the words twice. I suspect that ignorant men considered the
repetition to be superfluous, and therefore erased it; but the meaning is: he
who is of earth gives evidence of his descent, and remains in an earthly
rank according to the condition of his nature. He maintains that it is peculiar
to Christ alone to speak from above, because he came from
heaven.
But it may be asked, Did not John also come from
heaven, as to his calling and office, and was it not therefore the
duty of men to hear the Lord speaking by his mouth? For he appears to do
injustice to the heavenly doctrine which he delivers. I reply, this was not said
absolutely, but by comparison. If ministers be separately considered, they speak
as from heaven, with the highest authority, what God commanded
them; but, as soon as they begin to be contrasted with Christ, they must no
longer be anything. Thus the Apostle, comparing the Law with the Gospel,
says,
Since they escaped not who despised him
that spoke on earth, beware lest you despise him who is from
heaven,
(<581225>Hebrews
12:25.)
Christ, therefore, wishes to be acknowledged in his
ministers, but in such a manner that he may remain the only Lord, and that they
may be satisfied with the rank of servants; but especially when a comparison is
made, he wishes to be so distinguished that he alone may be
exalted.
32.
And what he hath seen and heard. John
proceeds in the discharge of his office; for, in order to procure disciples for
Christ, he commends Christ’s doctrine as certain, because he utters
nothing but what he has received from the Father. Seeing and hearing
are contrasted with doubtful opinions, unfounded rumors, and every kind of
falsehoods; for he means that Christ teaches nothing but what has been fully
ascertained. But some one will say that little credit is due to him who has
nothing but what he has
heard. I reply, this word denotes that
Christ has been taught by the Father, so that he brings forward nothing but what
is divine, or, in other words, what has been revealed to him by
God.
Now this belongs to the whole person of Christ, so
far as the Father sent him into the world as His ambassador and interpreter. He
afterwards charges the world with ingratitude, in basely and wickedly rejecting
such an undoubted and faithful interpreter of God. In this way he meets the
offense which might cause many to turn aside from the faith, and might hinder or
retard the progress of many; for, as we are accustomed to depend too much on the
judgment of the world, a considerable number of persons judge of the Gospel by
the contempt of the world, or at least, where they see it everywhere rejected,
they are prejudiced by that event, and are rendered more unwilling and more slow
to believe. And, therefore, whenever we see such obstinacy in the world, let
this admonition hold us in constant obedience to the Gospel, that it is truth
which came from God. When he says that
NO-MAN, receiveth his
testimony, he means that there are very
few and almost no believers, when compared with the vast crowd of
unbelievers.
33.
But he who receiveth his testimony. Here
he exhorts and encourages the godly to embrace boldly the doctrine of the
Gospel, as if he had said that there was no reason why they should be ashamed or
uneasy on account of their small number, since they have God as the Author of
their faith, who alone abundantly supplies to us the place of all the rest. And,
therefore, though the whole world should refuse or withhold faith in the Gospel,
this ought not to prevent good men from giving their assent to God. They have
something on which they may safely rest, when they know that to believe the
Gospel is nothing else than to assent to the truths which God has revealed.
Meanwhile, we learn that it is peculiar to faith to rely on God, and to be
confirmed by his words; for there can be no assent, unless God have, first of
all, come forward and spoken. By this doctrine faith is not only distinguished
from all human inventions, but likewise from doubtful and wavering opinions; for
it must correspond to the truth of God, which is free from all doubt, and
therefore, as God cannot lie, it would be absurd that faith should waver.
Fortified by this defense, whatever contrivances Satan may employ in his
attempts to disturb and shake us, we shall always remain
victorious.
Hence, too, we are reminded how acceptable and
precious a sacrifice in the sight of God faith is. As nothing is more dear to
him than his truth, so we cannot render to him more acceptable worship than when
we acknowledge by our faith that He is true, for then we ascribe that honor
which truly belongs to him. On the other hand, we cannot offer to him a greater
insult than not to believe the Gospel; for he cannot be deprived of his truth
without taking away all his glory and majesty. His truth is in some sort closely
linked with the Gospel, and it is his will that there it should be recognized.
Unbelievers, therefore, as far as lies in their power, leave to God nothing
whatever; not that their wickedness overthrows the faithfulness of God, but
because they do not hesitate to charge God with falsehood. If we are not harder
than stones, this lofty title by which faith is adorned ought to kindle in our
minds the most ardent love of it; for how great is the honor which God confers
on poor worthless men, when they, who by nature are nothing else than falsehood
and vanity, are thought worthy of attesting by their signature the sacred truth
of God?
34.
For he whom God hath sent
speaketh the words of God. He
confirms the preceding statement, for he shows that we have actually to do
with God, when we receive the doctrine of Christ; because Christ proceeded from
none else than from the Heavenly Father. It is, therefore, God alone who speaks
to us by him; and, indeed, we do not assign to the doctrine of Christ all that
it deserves, unless we acknowledge it to be divine.
For God giveth not the Spirit by
measure. This passage is explained in
two ways. Some extend it to the ordinary dispensation in this manner: that God,
who is the inexhaustible fountain of all benefits, does not in the least degree
diminish his resources, when he largely and plentifully bestows his gifts on
men. They who draw from any vessel what they give to others come at last to the
bottom; but there is no danger that any thing of this sort can happen with God,
nor will the abundance of his gifts ever be so large that he cannot go beyond
it, whenever he shall be pleased to make a new exercise of liberality. This
exposition appears to have some plausibility, for the sentence is indefinite;
that is, it does not expressly point out any person.
f68
But I am more disposed to follow Augustine, who
explains that it was said concerning Christ. Nor is there any force in the
objection, that no express mention is made of Christ in this clause, since all
ambiguity is removed by the next clause, in which that which might seem to have
been said indiscriminately about many is limited to Christ. For these words were
unquestionably added for the sake of explanation, that
the Father hath given all things
into the hand of his Son, because he loveth
him, and ought therefore to be read as
placed in immediate connection. The verb in the present tense —
giveth
— denotes, as it were, a continued act; for though Christ was
all at once endued with the Spirit in the highest perfection, yet, as he
continually flows, as it were, from a source, and is widely diffused, there is
no impropriety in saying that Christ now receives him from the Father. But if
any one choose to interpret it more simply, it is no unusual thing that there
should be a change of tenses in such verbs, and that giveth should be put
for hath given.
f69
The meaning is now plain, that the Spirit was not
given to Christ by
measure, as if the power of grace which
he possesses were in any way limited; as Paul teaches that
to every one is given
according to the measure of the gift,
(<490407>Ephesians
4:7,)
so that there is no one who alone has full abundance.
For while this is the mutual bond of brotherly intercourse between us, that no
man separately considered has every thing that he needs, but all require the aid
of each other, Christ differs from us in this respect, that the Father has
poured out upon him an unlimited abundance of his Spirit. And, certainly, it is
proper that the Spirit should dwell without measure in him,
that we may all draw out of his
fullness, as we have seen in the first
chapter. And to this relates what immediately follows, that
the Father hath given all things
into his hand; for by these words John
the Baptist not only declares the excellence of Christ, but, at the same time,
points out the end and use of the riches with which he is endued; namely, that
Christ, having been appointed by the Father to be the administrator, he
distributes to every one as he chooses, and as he finds to be necessary; as Paul
explains more fully in the fourth chapter of the Epistle to the Ephesians, which
I lately quoted. Although God enriches his own people in a variety of ways, this
is peculiar to Christ alone, that he has all things in his
hand.
|
JOHN
3:35-36
|
|
35. The Father loveth the Son, and hath given
all things into his hand. 36. He who believeth in the Son hath eternal
life; but he who believeth not in the Son
f70
shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him.
|
35.
The Father loveth the
Son. But what is the meaning of this
reason? Does he regard all others with hatred? The answer is easy, that he does
not speak of the common love with which God regards men whom he has created, or
his other works, but of that peculiar love which, beginning with the Son, flows
from him to all the creatures. For that love with which, embracing the Son, he
embraces us also in him, leads him to communicate all his benefits to us by his
hand.
36.
He who believeth in the
Son. This was added, not only to inform
us that we ought to ask all good things from Christ, but likewise to make us,
acquainted with the manner in which they are enjoyed. He shows that enjoyment
consists in faith; and not without reason, since by means of it we possess
Christ, who brings along with him both righteousness
and
life, which is the fruit of righteousness. When
faith in Christ is declared to be the cause of
life,
we learn from it that
life
is to be found in Christ alone, and that in no
other way do we become partakers of it than by the grace of Christ himself. But
all are not agreed as to the way in which the
life
of Christ comes to us. Some understand it thus: “as by believing we
receive the Spirit, who regenerates us in order to justification, by that very
regeneration we obtain salvation.” For my own part, though I acknowledge
it to be true, that we are renewed by faith, so that the Spirit of Christ
governs us, yet I say that we ought first to take into consideration the free
forgiveness of sins, through which we are accepted by God. Again, I say that on
this all our confidence of salvation is founded, and in this it consists;
because justification before God cannot be reckoned to us in any other way than
when he does not impute to us our sins.
But he who believeth not in the
Son. As he held out life in Christ, by
the sweetness of which he might allure us, so now he adjudges to eternal death
all who do not believe in Christ. And, in this way, he magnifies the kindness of
God, when he warns us, that there is no other way of escaping death, unless
Christ deliver us; for this sentence depends on the fact, that we are all
accursed in Adam. Now if it be the office of Christ to save what was lost, they
who reject the salvation offered in him are justly suffered to remain in death.
We have just now said that this belongs peculiarly to those who reject the
gospel which has been revealed to them; for though all mankind are involved in
the same destruction, yet a heavier and double vengeance awaits those who refuse
to have the Son of God as their deliverer. And, indeed, it cannot be doubted
that the Baptist, when he denounced death against unbelievers, intended to
excite us, by the dread of it, to the exercise of faith in Christ. It is also
manifest; that all the righteousness which the world thinks that it has out of
Christ is condemned and reduced to nothing. Nor is any one enabled to object
that it is unjust that those who are otherwise devout and holy should perish,
because they do not believe; for it is folly to imagine that there is any
holiness in men, unless it have been given to them by Christ.
To see
life is here put for “enjoying
life.” But to express more clearly that no hope remains for us, unless we
are delivered by Christ, he says that
the wrath of God
abideth on unbelievers. Though I am not
dissatisfied with the view given by Augustine, that John the Baptist used the
word abideth, in order to inform us that, from the womb we were
appointed to death, because we are all born the children of wrath,
(<490203>Ephesians
2:3.) At least, I willingly admit an allusion of this sort, provided we hold the
true and simple meaning to be what I have stated, that death hangs over all
unbelievers, and keeps them oppressed and overwhelmed in such a manner that they
can never escape. And, indeed, though already the reprobate are naturally
condemned, yet by their unbelief they draw down on themselves a new death. And
it is for this purpose that the power of binding was given to the ministers of
the gospel; for it is a just vengeance on the obstinacy of men, that they who
shake off the salutary yoke of God should bind themselves with the chains of
death.
CHAPTER 4
|
JOHN
4:1-9
|
|
1. When, therefore, the Lord knew that the
Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John,
(2. Though Jesus himself did not baptize, but his disciples,) 3.
He left Judea, and departed again into Galilee. 4. And it was necessary
that he should pass through Samaria. 5. He came, therefore, into the city
of Samaria, which is called Sichar, near a field which Jacob gave to his son
Joseph. 6. And Jacob’s well was there; and Jesus, fatigued by the
journey, was thus sitting on the well, for it was about the sixth hour.
7. A woman came from Samaria to draw water. Jesus saith to her, Give me to
drink. 8. For the disciples had gone into the city to buy food. 9.
The Samaritan woman saith to him, How dost thou, who art a Jew, ask drink from
me, who am a Samaritan woman? For the Jews hold no intercourse with the
Samaritans.
|
1.
When, therefore, the Lord
knew. The Evangelist, intending now to
give an account of the conversation which Christ had with
a Samaritan
woman, begins with explaining the cause
of his journey. Knowing that the
Pharisees were ill-disposed towards him,
he did not wish to expose himself to their anger before the proper time. This
was his motive for setting out from Judea. The Evangelist thus informs us that
Christ did not come into Samaria with the intention of dwelling there, but
because he had to pass through it on his way from Judea to Galilee; for until,
by his resurrection, he should open up the way for the gospel, it was necessary
that he should be employed in gathering the sheep of Israel to which he had been
sent. That he now favored the Samaritans with his instruction was an
extraordinary and almost accidental occurrence, if we may be allowed the
expression.
But why does he seek the retirement and
lurking-places of Galilee, as if he were unwilling to be known, which was highly
to be desired? I reply, he knew well the proper way to act, and made such use of
the opportunities of usefulness that he did not allow a moment to be lost. He
wished, therefore, to pursue his course with regularity, and in such a manner as
he judged to be proper. Hence too we hear that our minds ought to be regulated
in such a manner that, on the one hand, we may not be deterred by any fear from
going forward in duty; and that, on the other hand, we may not too rashly throw
ourselves into dangers. All who are earnestly desirous to pursue their calling
will be careful to maintain this moderation, for which they will steadily follow
the Lord even through the midst of deaths; they will not rush into them
heedlessly, but will walk in their ways. Let us, therefore, remember that we
must not advance farther than our calling demands.
That the Pharisees had heard. The
Pharisees alone are mentioned by the
Evangelist as having been hostile to Christ; not that the other scribes were
friendly, but because this sect was at that time in the ascendant, and because
they were filled with rage under the pretense of godly zeal. It may be asked,
Did they envy Christ that he had
more
disciples, because their stronger
attachment to John led them to promote his honor and reputation? The meaning of
the words is different; for though they were formerly dissatisfied at finding
that John collected disciples, their minds were still more exasperated, when
they saw that a still greater number of disciples came to Christ. From the time
that John avowed himself to be nothing more than the herald of the Son of God,
they began to flock to Christ in greater crowds, and already he had almost
completed his ministry. Thus he gradually resigned to Christ the office of
teaching and baptizing.
2.
Though Jesus himself baptized not. He
gives the designation of Christ’s Baptism to that which he
conferred by the hands of other, in order to inform us that Baptism ought not to
be estimated by the person of the minister, but that its power depends entirely
on its Author, in whose name, and by whose authority, it is conferred. Hence we
derive a remarkable consolation, when we know that our baptism has no less
efficacy to wash and renew us, than if it had been given by the hand of the Son
of God. Nor can it be doubted that, so long as he lived in the world, he
abstained from the outward administration of the sign, for the express purpose
of testifying to all ages, that Baptism loses nothing of its value when it is
administered by a mortal man. In short, not only does Christ baptize inwardly by
his Spirit, but the very symbol which we receive from a mortal man ought to be
viewed by us in the same light as if Christ himself displayed his hand from
heaven, and stretched it out to us. Now if the Baptism administered by a man is
Christ’s Baptism, it will not cease to be Christ’s Baptism whoever
be the minister. And this is sufficient for refuting the Anabaptists, who
maintain that, when the minister is a wicked man, the baptism is also vitiated,
and, by means of this absurdity, disturb the Church; as Augustine has very
properly employed the same argument against the Donatists.
5.
Which is called
Sichar. Jerome, in his epitaph on Paula,
thinks that this is an incorrect reading, and that it ought to have been written
Sichem; and, indeed, the latter appears to have been the ancient
and true name; but it is probable that, in the time of the Evangelist, the word
Sichar
was already in common use. As to the place, it is generally agreed that it
was a city situated close to Mount Gerizzim, the inhabitants of which were
treacherously slain by Simeon and Levi,
(<013425>Genesis
34:25,) and which Abimelech, a native of the place, afterwards razed to its
thundations,
(<070945>Judges
9:45.) But the convenience of its situation was such that, a third time, a city
was built there, which, in the age of Jerome, they called Neapolis.
By adding so many circumstances, the Apostle removes all doubt; for we are
clearly informed by Moses where that field was which Jacob assigned to the
children of Joseph,
(<014822>Genesis
48:22.) It is universally acknowledged, also, that Mount Gerizzim was
near to Shechem. We shall afterwards state that a temple was built there; and
there can be no doubt that Jacob dwelt a long time in that place with his
family.
And Jesus, fatigued by the
journey. He did not pretend
weariness, but was actually fatigued; for, in order that he might be better
prepared for the exercise of sympathy and compassion towards us, he took upon
him our weaknesses, as the Apostle shows that
we have not a high priest
who cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities,
(<580415>Hebrews
4:15.)
With this agrees the circumstance of the time; for it
is not wonderful that, being thirsty
and
fatigued, he rested at the well about
noon; for as the day, from sunrise to sunset, had twelve hours,
the sixth
hour was Noon. When the
Evangelist says that he sat THUS, he means that it was the attitude of a
man who was fatigued.
7.
A woman came from Samaria. When he asks
water from the woman, he does it not merely with the intention of obtaining an
opportunity to teach her; for thirst prompted him to desire to drink. But this
cannot hinder him from availing himself of the opportunity of instruction which
he has obtained, for he prefers the salvation of the woman to his own wants.
Thus, forgetting his own thirst, as if he were satisfied with obtaining leisure
and opportunity for conversation, that he might instruct her in true godliness,
he draws a comparison between the visible water and the spiritual, and waters
with heavenly doctrine the mind of her who had refused him water to
drink.
9.
How dost thou, who art a Jew? This is a
reproach, by which she retorts upon him the contempt which was generally
entertained by his nation. The
Samaritans are known to have been the
scum of a people gathered from among foreigners. Having corrupted the worship of
God, and introduced many spurious and wicked ceremonies, they were justly
regarded by the Jews with detestation. Yet it cannot be doubted that the Jews,
for the most part, held out their zeal for the law as a cloak for their carnal
hatred; for many were actuated more by ambition and envy, and by displeasure at
seeing the country which had been allotted to them occupied by
the
Samaritans, than by grief and uneasiness
because the worship of God had been corrupted. There was just ground for the
separation, provided that their feelings had been pure and well regulated. For
this reason Christ, when he first sends the Apostles to proclaim the Gospel,
forbids them to turn aside to the Samaritans,
(<401005>Matthew
10:5.)
But this woman does what is natural to almost all of
us; for, being desirous to be held in esteem, we take very ill to be despised.
This disease of human nature is so general, that every person wishes that his
vices should please others. If any man disapproves of us, or of any thing that
we do or say,
f71
we are immediately offended without any good reason. Let any man examine
himself, and he will find this seed of pride in his mind, until it has been
eradicated by the Spirit of God. This woman, therefore, knowing that the
superstitions of her nation were condemned by the Jews, now offers an insult to
them in the person of Christ.
For the Jews hold no intercourse
with the Samaritans. These words I
consider to have been uttered by the woman. Others suppose that the Evangelist
added them for the sake of explanation, and, indeed, it is of little consequence
which meaning you prefer. But I think it more natural to believe that the woman
jeers at Christ in this manner: “What? Is it lawful for you to ask drink
from me, when you hold us to be so profane?” If any prefer the other
interpretation, I do not dispute the point. Besides, it is possible that the
Jews carried their abhorrence of the Samaritans beyond proper bounds; for as we
have said that they applied to an improper purpose a false pretense of zeal, so
it was natural for them to go to excess, as almost always happens with those who
give way to wicked passions.
|
JOHN
4:10-15
|
|
10. Jesus answered and said to her, If thou
knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink,
thou wouldst have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.
11. The woman saith to him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the
well is deep; whence, therefore, hast thou living water?
f72
12. Art thou greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and
himself drank of it, and his children, and his cattle? 13. Jesus answered
and said to her, Every one that drinketh of this water will thirst again;
14. But he who drinketh of the water which I shall give him will never
thirst; but the water, which I shall give him, shall be in him a well of water
springing up into eternal life. 15. The woman saith to him, Sir, give me
this water, that I may not thirst, and may not come hither to
draw.
|
10.
Jesus
answered. Christ now, availing himself
of the opportunity, begins to preach about the grace and power of his Spirit,
and that to a woman who did not at all deserve that he should speak a word to
her. This is certainly an astonishing instance of his goodness. For what was
there in this wretched woman, that, from being a prostitute, she suddenly became
a disciple of the Son of God? Though in all of us he has displayed a similar
instance of his compassion. All the women, indeed, are not prostitutes, nor are
all the men stained by some heinous crime; but what excellence can any of us
plead as a reason why he deigned to bestow on us the heavenly doctrine, and the
honor of being admitted into his family? Nor was it by accident that the
conversation with such a person occurred; for the Lord showed us, as in a model,
that those to whom he imparts the doctrine of salvation are not selected on the
ground of merit. And it appears at first sight a wonderful arrangement, that he
passed by so many great men in Judea, and yet held familiar discourse with this
woman. But it was necessary that, in his person, it should be explained how true
is that saying of the Prophet,
I was found by them that sought me not;
I was made manifest to them that asked not after me. I said to those who sought
me not, Behold, here I am,
(<236501>Isaiah
65:1.)
If thou knewest the gift of
God. These two clauses,
If thou knewest the gift of
God, and,
who it is that talketh with
thee, I read separately, viewing the
latter as an interpretation of the former. For it was a wonderful kindness of
God to have Christ present, who brought with him eternal life. The meaning will
be more plain if, instead of and, we put namely, or
some other word of that kind,
f73
thus: If thou knewest the gift of
God, NAMELY, who it is that talketh with
thee. By these words we are taught that then only do we know what
Christ is, when we understand what the Father hath given to us in him, and what
benefits he brings to us. Now that knowledge begins with a conviction of our
poverty; for, before any one desires a remedy, he must be previously affected
with the view of his distresses. Thus the Lord invites not those who have drunk
enough, but the thirsty, not those who are satiated, but the hungry, to eat and
drink. And why would Christ be sent with the fullness of the Spirit, if we were
not empty?
Again, as he has made great progress, who, feeling
his deficiency, already acknowledges how much he needs the aid of another; so it
would not be enough for him to groan under his distresses, if he had not also
hope of aid ready and prepared. In this way we might do no more than waste
ourselves with grief, or at least we might, like the Papists, run about in every
direction, and oppress ourselves with useless and unprofitable weariness. But
when Christ appears, we no longer wander in vain, seeking a remedy where none
can be obtained, but we go straight to him. The only true and profitable
knowledge of the grace of God is, when we know that it is exhibited to us in
Christ, and that it is held out to us by his hand. In like manner does Christ
remind us how efficacious is a knowledge of his blessings, since it excites us
to seek them and kindles our
hearts. If thou
knewest, says he,
thou wouldst have
asked. The design of these words is not
difficult to be perceived; for he intended to whet the desire of this woman,
that she might not despise and reject the life which was offered to
her.
He would have given
thee. By these words Christ testifies
that, if our prayers be addressed to him, they will not be fruitless; and,
indeed, without this confidence, the earnestness of prayer would be entirely
cooled. But when Christ meets those who come to him, and is ready to satisfy
their desires, there is no more room for sluggishness or delay. And there is no
man who would not feel that this is said to all of us, if he were not prevented
by his unbelief.
Living
water. Though the
name
Water is borrowed from the present
occurrence, and applied to the Spirit, yet this metaphor is very
frequent in Scripture, and rests on the best grounds. For we are like a dry and
barren soil; there is no sap and no rigour in us, until the Lord water us by his
Spirit. In another passage, the Spirit is likewise called clean water,
(<581022>Hebrews
10:22,) but in a different sense; namely, because he washes and cleanses us from
the pollutions with which we are entirely covered. But in this and similar
passages, the subject treated of is the secret energy by which he restores life
in us, and maintains and brings it to perfection. There are some who explain
this as referring to the doctrine of the Gospel, to which I own that this
appellation is fully applicable; but I think that Christ includes here the whole
grace of our renewal; for we know that he was sent for the purpose of bringing
to us a new life. In my opinion, therefore, he intended to contrast
water
with that destitution of all blessings under which mankind groan and labor.
Again, living
water is not so called from its effect,
as life-giving, but the allusion is to different kinds of waters.
It is called living, because it flows from a living
fountain.
11.
Sir, thou hast nothing to
draw with. As the Samaritans were
despised by the Jews, so the Samaritans, on the other hand, held the Jews in
contempt. Accordingly, this woman at first not only disdains Christ but even
mocks at him. She understands quite well that Christ is speaking figuratively,
but she throws out a jibe by a different figure, intending to say, that he
promises more than he can accomplish.
12.
Art thou greater than our father Jacob?
She proceeds to charge him with arrogance in exalting himself above the holy
patriarch
Jacob.
“Jacob,” she says, “was satisfied with this
well for his own use and that of his whole family: and hast thou a more
excellent water?” How faulty this comparison is, appears plainly enough
from this consideration, that she compares the servant to the master, and a dead
man to the living God; and yet how many in the present day fall into this very
error? The more cautious ought we to be not to extol the persons of men so as to
obscure the glory of God. We ought, indeed, to acknowledge with reverence the
gifts of God, wherever they appear. It is, therefore, proper that we should
honor men who are eminent in piety, or endued with other uncommon gifts; but it
ought to be in such a manner that God may always remain eminent above all
— that Christ, with his Gospel, may shine illustriously, for to him all
the splendor of the world must yield.
It ought also to be observed that the Samaritans
falsely boasted of being descended from the holy Fathers. In like manner do the
Papists, though they are a bastard seed, arrogantly boast of the Fathers, and
despise the true children of God. Although the Samaritans had been descended
from Jacob according to the flesh, yet, as they were altogether degenerated and
estranged from true godliness, this boasting would have been ridiculous. But now
that they are Cutheans by descent,
(<121724>2
Kings 17:24,) or at least collected out of the profane Gentiles, they still do
not fail to make false pretensions to the name of the holy Patriarch. But this
is of no avail to them; and such must be the case with all who wickedly exult in
the light of men, so as to deprive themselves of the light of God, and who have
nothing in common with the holy Fathers, whose name they have
abused.
13.
Every one that drinketh of this water.
Though Christ perceives that he is doing little good, and even that his
instruction is treated with mockery, he proceeds to explain more clearly what he
had said. He distinguishes between the use of the two kinds of water; that the
one serves the body, and only for a time, while the power of the other gives
perpetual vigor to the soul. For, as the body is liable to decay, so the aids by
which it is supported must be frail and transitory. That which quickens the soul
cannot but be eternal. Again, the words of Christ are not at variance with the
fact, that believers, to the very end of life, burn with desire of more abundant
grace. For he does not say that, from the very first day, we drink so as to be
fully satisfied, but only means that the Holy Spirit is a continually flowing
fountain; and that, therefore, there is no danger that they who have been
renewed by spiritual grace shall be dried up. And, therefore, although we thirst
throughout our whole life, yet it is certain that we have not received the Holy
Spirit for a single day, or for any short period, but as a perennial fountain,
which will never fail us. Thus believers thirst, and keenly thirst, throughout
their whole life; and yet they have abundance of quickening moisture; for
however small may have been the measure of grace which they have received, it
gives them perpetual vigor, so that they are never entirely dry. When,
therefore, he says that they shall be satisfied, he contrasts not with Desire
but only with Drought.
Shall be a fountain of water
springing up into eternal life. These
words express still more clearly the preceding statement; for they denote a
continual watering, which maintains in them a heavenly eternity during this
mortal and perishing life. The grace of Christ, therefore, does not flow to us
for a short time, but overflows into a blessed immortality; for it does not
cease to flow until the incorruptible life which it commences be brought to
perfection.,
15.
Give me this
water. This woman undoubtedly is
sufficiently aware that Christ is speaking of spiritual water; but because she
despises him, she sets at naught all his promises; for so long as the authority
of him who speaks is not acknowledged by us, his doctrine is not permitted to
enter. Indirectly, therefore, the woman taunted Christ, saying, “Thou
boastest much, but I see nothing: show it in reality, if thou
canst.”
|
JOHN
4:16-21
|
|
16. Jesus saith to her, Go, call thy husband,
and come hither. 17. The woman answered, and said to him, I have not a
husband. Jesus said to her, Thou hast well said, I have not a husband;
18. For thou hast had five husbands, and he whom thou now hast is not thy
husband; in this thou hast told the truth. 19. The woman saith to him,
Sir, I see that thou art a Prophet. 20. Our fathers worshipped in this
mountain; and you say that Jerusalem is the place where we ought to worship.
21. Jesus saith to her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh when you shall
not worship the Father either in this mountain or in Jerusalem.
|
16.
Call thy
husband. This appears to have no
connection with the subject; and, indeed, one might suppose that Christ, annoyed
and put to shame by the impudence of the woman, changes the discourse. But this
is not the case; for when he perceived that jeers and scoffs were her only reply
to what he had said, he applied an appropriate remedy to this disease, by
striking the woman’s conscience with a conviction of her sin. And it is
also a remarkable proof of his compassion that, when the woman was unwilling of
her own accord to come to him, he draws her, as it were, against her will. But
we ought chiefly to observe what I have mentioned, that they who are utterly
careless and almost stupid must be deeply wounded by a conviction of sin; for
such persons will regard the doctrine of Christ as a fable, until, being
summoned to the judgment-seat of God, they are compelled to dread as a Judge him
whom they formerly despised. All who do not scruple to rise against the doctrine
of Christ with their scoffing jests must be treated in this manner, that they
may be made to feel that they will not pass unpunished. Such too is the
obstinacy of many, that they will never listen to Christ until they have been
subdued by violence. Whenever then we perceive that the oil of Christ has no
flavour, it ought to be mixed with wine, that its taste may begin to be felt.
Nay more, this is necessary for all of us; for we are not seriously affected by
Christ speaking, unless we have been aroused by repentance. So then, in order
that any one may profit in the school of Christ, his hardness must be subdued by
the demonstration of his misery, as the earth, in order that it may become
fruitful, is prepared and softened by the ploughshare,
f74
for this knowledge alone shakes off all our flatteries, so that we no longer
dare to mock God. Whenever, therefore, a neglect of the word of God steals upon
us, no remedy will be more appropriate than that each of us should arouse
himself to the consideration of his sins, that he may be ashamed of himself,
and, trembling before the judgment-seat of God, may be humbled to obey Him whom
he had wantonly despised.
17.
I have not a
husband. We do not yet fully perceive
the fruit of this advice, by which Christ intended to pierce the heart of this
woman, to lead her to repentance. And, indeed, we are so intoxicated, or rather
stupified, by our self-love, that we are not at all moved by the first wounds
that are inflicted. But Christ applies an appropriate cure for this
sluggishness, by pressing the ulcer more sharply, for he openly reproaches her
with her wickedness; though I do not think that it is a single case of
fornication that is here pointed out, for when he says that
she has had five
husbands, the reason of this probably
was, that, being a froward and disobedient wife, she constrained her husbands to
divorce her. I interpret the words thus: “Though God joined thee to
lawful husbands, thou didst not cease to sin, until, rendered infamous by
numerous divorces, thou prostitutedst thyself to
fornication.”
19.
Sir, I perceive that thou
art a Prophet. The fruit of the reproof
now becomes evident; for not only does the woman modestly acknowledge her fault,
but, being ready and prepared to listen to the doctrine of Christ, which she had
formerly disdained, she now desires and requests it of her own accord.
Repentance, therefore, is the commencement of true docility, as I have already
said, and opens the gate for entering into the school of Christ. Again, the
woman teaches us by her example, that when we meet with any teacher, we ought to
avail ourselves of this opportunity, that we may not be ungrateful to God, who
never sends Prophets to us without, as it were, stretching out the hand
to invite us to himself. But we must remember what Paul teaches, that they who
have grace given to them to teach well
f75
are sent to us by God; for
how shall they preach
unless they are sent?
(<451015>Romans
10:15.)
20.
Our
fathers. It is a mistaken opinion which
some hold, that the woman, finding the reproof to be disagreeable and hateful,
cunningly changes the subject. On the contrary, she passes from what is
particular to what is general, and, having been informed of her sin, wishes to
be generally instructed concerning the pure
worship
of God. She takes a proper and regular course,
when she consults a
Prophet, that she may not fall into a
mistake in the worship
of God. It is as if she inquired at God himself
in what manner he chooses to be worshipped; for nothing is more
wicked than to contrive various modes of
worship
without the authority of the word of
God.
It is well known that there was a constant dispute
between the Jews and the Samaritans about the true rule of worshipping God.
Although the Cutheans and other foreigners, who had been brought into Samaria,
when the ten tribes were led into captivity, were constrained by the plagues and
punishments of God
f76
to adopt the ceremonies of the Law, and to profess the worship of the God of
Israel, (as we read,
<121727>2
Kings 17:27;) yet the religion which they had was imperfect and corrupted in
many ways; which the Jews could not all endure. But the dispute was still more
inflamed after that Manasseh, son of the high priest John, and brother of
Jaddus, had built the temple on mount Gerizzim, when Darius, the last king of
the Persians, held the government of Judea by the hand of Sanballat, whom he had
placed there as his lieutenant. For Manasseh, having married a daughter of the
governor, that he might not be inferior to his brother, made himself a priest
there, and procured for himself by bribes as many apostles as he could, as
Josephus relates, (Ant. 11:7:2, and 8:2.)
Our fathers worshipped in this
mountain. The Samaritans at that time
did, as we learn from the words of the woman, what is customary with those who
have revolted from true godliness, to seek to shield themselves by the examples
of the
Fathers.
It is certain that this was not the reason which induced them to offer
sacrifices there, but after that they had framed a false and perverse worship,
obstinacy followed, which was ingenious in contriving excuses. I acknowledge,
indeed, that unsteady and thoughtless men are sometimes excited by foolish zeal,
as if they had been bitten by a gad-fly, so that when they learn that any thing
has been done by the Saints, they instantly seize on the example without any
exercise of judgment.
A second fault is still more common, that they borrow
the deeds of the Fathers
as a cloak to their errors, — and this
may be easily seen in Popery. But as this passage is a remarkable proof how
absurdly they act who, disregarding the command of God, conform to the examples
of the
Fathers, we ought to observe in how many
ways the world commonly sins in this respect. For it frequently happens that the
majority, without discrimination, follow those persons as
Fathers
who are least of all entitled to be accounted
Fathers.
Thus in the present day we perceive that the Papists, while with open mouth
they declaim about the
Fathers, allow no place for Prophets and
Apostles, but, when they have mentioned a few persons who deserve to be honored,
collect a vast group of men like themselves, or at least come down to more
corrupt ages in which, though there did not yet prevail so gross a barbarism as
now exists, yet religion and the purity of doctrine had greatly declined. We
ought, therefore, carefully to attend to the distinction, that none may be
reckoned Fathers
but those who were manifestly the sons of God;
and who also, by the eminence of their piety, were entitled to this honorable
rank. Frequently, too, we err in this respect, that by the actions of
the
Fathers we rashly lay down a common law;
for the multitude do not imagine that they confer sufficient honor on
the
Fathers, if they do not exclude them
from the ordinary rank of men. Thus, when we do not remember that they were
fallible men, we indiscriminately mingle their vices with their virtues. Hence
arises the worst confusion in the conduct of life; for while all the actions of
men ought to be tried by the rule of the Law, we subject the balance to those
things which ought to be weighed by it; and, in short, where so much importance
is attached to the imitation of
the
Fathers, the world thinks that there can
be no danger in sinning after their example.
A third fault is — a false, and ill-regulated,
or thoughtless imitation;
f77
that is, when we, though not endued with the same spirit, or authorized by the
same command, plead as our example what any of
the
Fathers did; as for instance, if any
private individual resolved to revenge the injuries done to brethren, because
Moses did this,
(<020212>Exodus
2:12;) or if any one were to put fornicators to death, because this was done by
Phinehas,
(<042507>Numbers
25:7.) That savage fury in slaying their own children originated, as many think,
in the wish of the Jews to be like their father Abraham, as if the command,
Offer up thy son Isaac,
(<012202>Genesis
22:2,) were a general command, and not rather a remarkable trial of a single
man. Such a false imitation
(kakozhli>a)
is generally produced by pride and excessive confidence, when men claim more
for themselves than they have a right to do; and when each person does not
measure himself by his own standard. Yet none of these are true imitators of
the
Fathers, most of them are apes. That a
considerable portion of ancient monachism flowed from the same source will be
acknowledged by those who shall carefully examine the writings of the ancients.
And, therefore, unless we choose to err of our own accord, we ought always to
see what spirit each person has received, what his calling requires, what is
suitable to his condition, and what he is commanded to do.
Closely allied to this third fault is another,
namely, the confounding of times, when men, devoting their whole attention to
the examples of the
Fathers, do not consider that the Lord
has since enjoined a different rule of conduct, which they ought to follow.
f78
To this ignorance ought to be ascribed that huge mass of ceremonies by which the
Church has been buried under Popery. Immediately after the commencement of the
Christian Church, it began to err in this respect, because a foolish affectation
of copying Jewish ceremonies had an undue influence. The Jews had their
sacrifices; and that Christians might not be inferior to them in splendor, the
ceremony of sacrificing Christ was invented: as if the condition of the
Christian Church would be worse when there would be an end of all those shadows
by which the brightness of Christ might be obscured. But afterwards this fury
broke out more forcibly, and spread beyond all bounds.
That we may not fall into this error, we ought always
to be attentive to the present rule. Formerly incense, candles, holy garments,
an altar, vessels, and ceremonies of this nature, pleased God; and the reason
was, that nothing is more precious or acceptable to Him than obedience. Now,
since the coming of Christ, matters are entirely changed. We ought, therefore,
to consider what he enjoins on us under the Gospel, that we may not follow at
random what the
Fathers observed under the Law; for what
was at that time a holy observation of the worship of God would now be a
shocking sacrilege.
The Samaritans were led astray by not considering, in
the example of Jacob, how widely it differed from the condition of their own
time. The Patriarchs were permitted to erect altars everywhere, because the
place had not yet been fixed which the Lord afterwards selected; but from the
time that God ordered the temple to be built on mount Zion, the freedom which
they formerly enjoyed ceased. For this reason Moses said,
Hereafter you shall not
do every one what appears right in his own eyes, but only what I command
you,
(<051208>Deuteronomy
12:8, 14;)
for, from the time that the Lord gave the Law, he
restricted the true worship of himself to the requirements of that Law, though
formerly a greater degree of liberty was enjoyed. A similar pretense was offered
by those who worshipped in Bethel; for there Jacob had offered a solemn
sacrifice to God, but after that the Lord had fixed the place of sacrifice at
Jerusalem, it was no longer Bethel, the house of God, but
Bethaven, the house of wickedness.
We now see what was the state of the question. The
Samaritans had the example of the
Fathers for their rule: the Jews rested
on the commandment of God. This woman, though hitherto she had followed the
custom of her nation, was not altogether satisfied with it. By
worship
we are to understand here not any kind of
worship,
(for daily prayers might be offered in any place,) but that which was joined
with sacrifices, and which constituted a public and solemn profession of
religion.
21.
Woman, believe
me. In the first part of this reply, he
briefly sets aside the ceremonial worship which had been appointed under the
Law; for when he says that the
hour is at hand when there shall be no
peculiar and fixed place for
worship,
he means that what Moses delivered was only for a time, and that the time
was now approaching when the partition-wall
(<490214>Ephesians
2:14) should be thrown down. In this manner he extends the worship of God far
beyond its former narrow limits, that the Samaritans might become partakers of
it.
The hour
cometh. He uses the present tense
instead of the future; but the meaning is, that the repeal of the Law is already
at hand, so far as relates to the Temple, and Priesthood, and other outward
ceremonies. By calling God Father, he seems indirectly to contrast
Him with the
Fathers whom the woman had mentioned,
and to convey this instruction, that God will be a common Father to all,
so that he will be generally worshipped without distinction of places or
nations.
|
JOHN
4:22-26
|
|
22. You worship what you know not, we worship
what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23. But the hour cometh,
and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in
truth; for the Father seeketh such to worship him. 24. God is a Spirit,
and they who worship him ought to worship in spirit and in truth. 25. The
woman saith to him, I know that the Messiah will come, who is called Christ;
therefore, when he shall come, he will tell you all things. 26. Jesus
saith to her, It is I who talk with thee.
|
He now explains more largely what he had briefly
glanced at about the abolition of the Law; but he divides the substance of his
discourse into two parts. In the former, he charges with superstition and error
the form of worshipping God which had been used by the Samaritans, but testifies
that the true and lawful form was observed by the Jews. And he assigns the cause
of the difference, that from the word of God the Jews obtained certainty as to
his worship, while the Samaritans received nothing certain from the mouth of
God. In the second part, he declares that the ceremonies hitherto observed by
the Jews would soon be at an end.
22.
You worship what you know
not, we worship what we know. This is a
sentence worthy of being remembered, and teaches us that we ought not to attempt
any thing in religion rashly or at random; because, unless there be knowledge,
it is not God that we worship, but a phantom or idol. All good intentions, as
they are called, are struck by this sentence, as by a thunderbolt; for we learn
from it, that men can do nothing but err, when they are guided by their own
opinion without the word or command of God. For Christ, defending the person and
cause of his nation, shows that the Jews are widely different from the
Samaritans. And why?
Because salvation is from the
Jews. By these words he means that they
have the superiority in this respect, that God had made with them a covenant of
eternal salvation. Some restrict it to Christ, who was descended from the Jews;
and, indeed, since
all the promises of God
were confirmed and ratified in
him,
(<470120>2
Corinthians 1:20,)
there is no salvation but in him. But as there can be
no doubt that Christ gives the preference to the Jews on this ground, that they
do not worship some unknown deity, but God alone, who revealed himself to them,
and by whom they were adopted as his people; by the word salvation we
ought to understand that saving manifestation which had been made to them
concerning the heavenly doctrine.
But why does he say that it was
from the
Jews, when it was rather deposited with
them, that they alone might enjoy it? He alludes, in my opinion, to what had
been predicted by the Prophets, that the Law would go forth from Zion,
(<230203>Isaiah
2:3;
<330402>Micah
4:2,) for they were separated for a time from the rest of the nations on the
express condition, that the pure knowledge of God should flow out from them to
the whole world. It amounts to this, that God is not properly worshipped but by
the certainty of faith, which cannot be produced in any other way than by the
word of God. Hence it follows that all who forsake the word fall into idolatry;
for Christ plainly testifies that an idol, or an imagination of their own brain,
is substituted for God, when men are ignorant of the true God; and he charges
with ignorance all to whom God has not revealed himself, for as soon as we are
deprived of the light of his word, darkness and blindness
reign.
It ought to be observed that the Jews, when they had
treacherously set aside the covenant of eternal life which God had made with
their fathers, were deprived of the treasure which they had till that time
enjoyed; for they had not yet been driven out of the Church of God. Now that
they deny the Son, they have nothing in common with the Father;
for whosoever denieth the
Son hath not the
Father,
(<620223>1
John 2:23.)
The same judgment must be formed concerning all who
have turned aside from the pure faith of the Gospel to their own inventions and
the traditions of men. Although they who worship God according to their own
judgment or human traditions flatter and applaud themselves in their obstinacy,
this single word, thundering from heaven, lays prostrate all that they imagine
to be divine and holy, You
worship what you do not know. It
follows from this that, if we wish our religion to be approved by God, it must
rest on knowledge obtained from His word.
23.
But the hour
cometh. Now follows the latter clause,
about repealing the worship, or ceremonies,
f79
prescribed by the Law. When he says that
the hour
cometh, or will come, he
shows that the order laid down by Moses will not be perpetual. When he says that
the hour is now
come, he puts an end to the ceremonies,
and declares that the time of reformation, of which the Apostle
speaks,
(<580910>Hebrews
9:10,) has thus been fulfilled. Yet he approves of the Temple, the Priesthood,
and all the ceremonies connected with them, so far as relates to the past time.
Again, to show that God does not choose to be worshipped either in Jerusalem or
in mount Gerizzim, he takes a higher principle, that the true worship of Him
consists in the
spirit; for hence it follows that in all
places He may be properly worshipped.
But the first inquiry which presents itself here is,
Why, and in what sense, is the worship of God called spiritual? To
understand this, we must attend to the contrast between the spirit and outward
emblems, as between the shadows and the truth. The worship of God is said to
consist in the
spirit, because it is nothing else than
that inward faith of the heart which produces prayer, and, next, purity of
conscience and self-denial, that we may be dedicated to obedience to God as holy
sacrifices.
Hence arises another question, Did not the Fathers
worship Him spiritually under the Law? I reply, as God is always like
himself, he did not from the beginning of the world approve of any other worship
than that which is spiritual, and which agrees with his own nature. This is
abundantly attested by Moses himself, who declares in many passages that the Law
has no other object than that the people may cleave to God with faith and a pure
conscience. But it is still more plainly declared by the Prophets when they
attack with severity the hypocrisy of the people, because they thought that they
had satisfied God, when they had performed the sacrifices and made an outward
display. It is unnecessary to quote here many proofs which are to be found
everywhere, but the most remarkable passages are the following: —Psalm 50;
Isaiah 1, 58, 66; Micah 5; Amos 7. But while the worship of God under the Law
was spiritual, it was enveloped in so many outward ceremonies, that it resembled
something carnal and earthly. For this reason Paul calls the ceremonies flesh
and the beggarly elements of the world,
(<480409>Galatians
4:9.) In like manner, the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews says that the
ancient sanctuary, with its appendages, was earthly,
(<580901>Hebrews
9:1.) Thus we may justly say that the worship of the Law was spiritual in its
substance, but, in respect of its form, it was somewhat earthly and carnal; for
the whole of that economy, the reality of which is now fully manifested,
consisted of shadows.
We now see what the Jews had in common with us, and
in what respect they differed from us. In all ages God wished to be worshipped
by faith, prayer, thanksgiving, purity of heart, and innocence of life; and at
no time did he delight in any other sacrifices. But under the Law there were
various additions, so that the
spirit and truth were concealed under
forms and shadows, whereas, now that the vail of the temple has been
rent,
(<402751>Matthew
27:51,) nothing is hidden or obscure. There are indeed among ourselves, in the
present day, some outward exercises of godliness, which our weakness renders
necessary, but such is the moderation and sobriety of them, that they do not
obscure the plain truth of Christ. In short, what was exhibited to the fathers
under figures and shadows is now openly displayed.
Now in Popery this distinction is not only
confounded, but altogether overturned; for there the shadows are not less thick
than they formerly were under the Jewish religion. It cannot be denied that
Christ here lays down an obvious distinction between us and the Jews. Whatever
may be the subterfuges by which the Papists attempt to escape, it is evident
that we differ from the gathers in nothing more than outward form, because while
they worshipped God spiritually, they were bound to perform ceremonies, which
were abolished by the coming of Christ. Thus all who oppress the Church with an
excessive multitude of ceremonies, do what is in their power to deprive the
Church of the presence of Christ. I do not stop to examine the vain excuses
which they plead, that many persons in the present day have as much need of
those aids as the Jews had in ancient times. It is always our duty to inquire by
what order the Lord wished his Church to be governed, for He alone knows
thoroughly what is expedient for us. Now it is certain that nothing is more at
variance with the order appointed by God than the gross and singularly carnal
pomp which prevails in Popery. The
spirit
was indeed concealed by the shadows of the Law, but the masks of Popery
disfigure it altogether; and, therefore, we must not wink at such gross and
shameful corruptions. Whatever arguments may be employed by ingenious men, or by
those who have not sufficient courage to correct vices — that they are
doubtful matters, and ought to be held as indifferent — certainly it
cannot be endured that the rule laid down by Christ shall be
violated.
The true
worshippers. Christ appears indirectly
to reprove the obstinacy of many, which was afterwards displayed; for we know
how obstinate and contentious the Jews were, when the Gospel was revealed, in
defending the ceremonies to which they had been accustomed. But this statement
has a still more extensive meaning; for, knowing that the world would never be
entirely free from superstitions, he thus separates the devout and upright
worshippers
from those who were false and hypocritical.
Armed with this testimony, let us not hesitate to condemn the Papists in all
their inventions, and boldly to despise their reproaches. For what reason have
we to fear, when we learn that God is pleased with this plain and simple
worship, which is disdained by the Papists, because it is not attended by a
cumbrous mass of ceremonies? And of what use to them is the idle splendor of the
flesh, by which Christ declares that the Spirit is quenched? What it is
to worship God in spirit and
truth appears clearly from what has been
already said. It is to lay aside the entanglements of ancient ceremonies, and to
retain merely what is spiritual in the worship of God; for
the
truth of the worship of God consists
in the
spirit, and ceremonies are but a sort of
appendage. And here again it must be observed, that
truth
is not compared with falsehood, but with the outward addition
of the figures of the Law;
f80
so that — to use a common expression — it is the pure and simple
substance of spiritual worship.
24.
God is a Spirit. This is a confirmation
drawn from the very nature of God. Since men are flesh, we ought not to wonder,
if they take delight in those things which correspond to their own disposition.
Hence it arises, that they contrive many things in the worship of God which are
full of display, but have no solidity. But they ought first of all to consider
that they have to do with God, who can no more agree with the flesh than fire
with water. This single consideration, when the inquiry relates to the worship
of God, ought to be sufficient for restraining the wantonness of our mind, that
God is so far from being like us, that those things which please us most are the
objects of his loathing and abhorrence. And if hypocrites are so blinded by
their own pride, that they are not afraid to subject God to their opinion, or
rather to their unlawful desires, let us know that this modesty does not hold
the lowest place in the true worship of God, to regard with suspicion whatever
is gratifying according to the flesh. Besides, as we cannot ascend to the height
of God, let us remember that we ought to seek from His word the rule by which we
are governed. This passage is frequently quoted by the Fathers against the
Arians, to prove the Divinity of the Holy Spirit, but it is improper to strain
it for such a purpose; for Christ simply declares here that his Father is of a
spiritual nature, and, therefore, is not moved by frivolous matters, as men,
through the lightness and unsteadiness of their character, are wont to
be.
25.
The Messiah is about to
come. Although religion among the
Samaritans was corrupted and mixed up with many errors, yet some principles
taken from the Law were impressed on their minds, such as that which related to
the Messiah. Now it is probable that, when the woman ascertained from
Christ’s discourse that a very extraordinary change was about to take
place in the Church of God, her mind instantly recurred to the
recollection of Christ, under whom she hoped that all things would be fully
restored. When she says that the
Messiah is about to come, she seems to
speak of the time as near at hand; and, indeed, it is sufficiently evident from
many arguments, that the minds of men were everywhere aroused by the expectation
of the Messiah, who would restore the affairs which were wretchedly decayed, or
rather, which were utterly ruined.
This, at least, is beyond all controversy, that the
woman prefers Christ to Moses and to all the Prophets in the office of teaching;
for she comprehends three things in a few words. First, that the doctrine of the
Law was not absolutely perfect, and that nothing more than first principles was
delivered in it; for if there had not been some farther progress to be made, she
would not have said that the
Messiah will tell us all things. There
is an implied contrast between him and the Prophets, that it is his peculiar
office to conduct his disciples to the goal, while the Prophets had only given
them the earliest instructions, and, as it were, led them into the course.
Secondly, the woman declares that she expects such
a
Christ as will be the interpreter of his
Father, and the teacher and instructor of all the godly. Lastly, she expresses
her belief that we ought not to desire any thing better or more perfect than his
doctrine, but that, on the contrary, this is the farthest object of wisdom,
beyond which it is unlawful to proceed.
I wish that those who now boast of being the pillars
of the Christian Church, would at least imitate this poor woman, so as to be
satisfied with the simple doctrine of Christ, rather than claim I know not what
power of superintendence for putting forth their inventions. For whence was the
religion of the Pope and Mahomet collected but from the wicked additions, by
which they imagined that they brought the doctrine of the Gospel to a state of
perfection? As if it would have been incomplete without such fooleries. But
whoever shall be well taught in the school of Christ will ask no other
instructors, and indeed will not receive them.
26.
It is I who talk with
thee. When he acknowledges to the woman
that; he is the Messiah, he unquestionably presents himself as her Teacher, in
compliance with the expectation which she had formed; and, therefore, I think it
probable, that he proceeded to give more full instruction, in order to satisfy
her thirst. Such a proof of his grace he intended to give in the case of this
poor woman, that he might testify to all that he never fails to discharge his
office, when we desire to have him for our Teacher. There is, therefore, no
danger that he will disappoint one of those whom he finds ready to become his
disciples. But they who refuse to submit to him, as we see done by many haughty
and irreligious men, or who hope to find elsewhere a wisdom more perfect —
as the Mahometans and Papists do — deserve to be driven about by
innumerable enchantments, and at length to be plunged in an abyss of errors.
Again, by these words, “I who talk with thee am the Messiah, the
Son of God,” he employs the name
Messiah
as a seal to ratify the doctrine of his Gospel;
for we must remember that he was anointed by the Father, and that the Spirit
of God rested on him, that he might bring to us the message of
salvation, as Isaiah declares,
(<236101>Isaiah
61:1.)
|
JOHN
4:27-34
|
|
27. And, in the meantime, his disciples came,
and wondered that he talked with the woman. But no man said, What seekest thou,
or why talkest thou with her? 28. The woman, therefore, left her pitcher,
and went away into the city, and said to the men, 29. Come, and see a man
who hath told me all things that I ever did: is not this the Christ? 30.
They went out of the city, therefore, and came to him. 31. In the
meantime his disciples asked him, saying, Master, eat. 32. But he said to
them, I have food to eat which you know not. 33. The disciples,
therefore, said among themselves, Hath any man brought him any thing to eat?
34. Jesus saith to them, My food is, to do the will of him who sent me, and
to finish his work.
|
27.
His disciples came, and
wondered. That
the disciples
wondered, as the Evangelist relates,
might arise from one of two causes; either that they were offended at the mean
condition of the woman, or that they reckoned the Jews to be polluted, if they
entered into conversation with the Samaritans. Now though both of these feelings
proceeded from a devout reverence for their Master, yet they are wrong in
wondering at it as an improper thing, that he deigns to bestow so great
honor on a woman who was utterly despised. For why do they not rather look at
themselves? They would certainly have found no less reason to be astonished,
that they who were men of no note, and almost the offscourings of the people,
were raised to the highest rank of honor. And yet it is useful to observe what
the Evangelist says — that they did not venture to put a question; for we
are taught by their example that, if any thing in the works or words of God and
of Christ be disagreeable to our feelings, we ought not to give ourselves a
loose rein so as to have the boldness to murmur, but ought to preserve a modest
silence, until what is hidden from us be revealed from heaven. The foundation of
such modesty lies in the fear of God and in reverence for
Christ.
28.
Therefore the woman left her pitcher.
This circumstance is related by the Evangelist to express the ardor of her
zeal; for it is an indication of haste, that she leaves her pitcher, and returns
to the city. And this is the nature of faith, that when we have become partakers
of eternal life, we wish to bring others to share with us; nor is it possible
that the knowledge of God shall lie buried and inactive in our hearts without
being manifested before men, for that saying must be true:
I believed, and therefore
I will speak,
(<19B610>Psalm
116:10.)
The earnestness and promptitude of the woman are so
much the more worthy of attention, that it was only a small spark of faith that
kindled them; for scarcely had she tasted Christ when she spreads his game
throughout the whole city. In those who have already made moderate progress in
his school, sluggishness will be highly disgraceful. But she may appear to
deserve blame on this account, that while she is still ignorant and imperfectly
taught, she goes beyond the limits of her faith. I reply, she would have acted
inconsiderately, if she had assumed the office of a teacher, but when she
desires nothing more than to excite her fellow-citizens to hear Christ speaking,
we will not say that she forgot herself, or proceeded farther than she had a
right to do. She merely does the office of a trumpet or a bell to invite others
to come to Christ.
29.
See a man. As she here speaks
doubtfully, she might appear not to have been greatly moved by the authority of
Christ. I reply, as she was not qualified to discourse about such high
mysteries, she endeavors, according to her feeble capacity, to bring her
fellow-citizens to permit themselves to be taught by Christ. It was a very
powerful stimulant which she employed to excite them, when she knew, by a sign
which was not obscure or doubtful, that he was a prophet; for,
since they could not form a judgment from his doctrine, this lower preparation
was useful and well adapted to them. Having, therefore, learned that Christ had
revealed to the woman things which were hidden, they infer from it that he is
a Prophet of God. This having been ascertained, they begin to attend to
his doctrine. But the woman goes farther; for she bids them inquire if he be not
the Messiah, being satisfied if she could only persuade them to seek, of their
own accord, what she had already found in Christ; for she knew that they would
find more than she promised.
Who told me all things that ever I
did. Why does she tell a lie, by saying
that Christ told her all
things? I have already shown that Christ
did not reprove her for a single instance of fornication, but that he placed
before her, in a few words, many sins of her whole life. For the Evangelist has
not minutely recorded every sentence, but states generally that Christ, in order
to repress the woman’s talkativeness, brought forward her former and
present life. Yet we see that the woman, kindled by a holy zeal, does not spare
herself, or her reputation, to magnify the name of Christ: for she does not
scruple to relate the disgraceful passages of her life.
32.
I have food to eat which you know not.
It is wonderful that, when he is fatigued and hungry, he refuses to eat; for
if it be said that he does this for the purpose of instructing us, by his
example, to endure hunger, why then did he not do so always? But he had another
object than to say that we ought simply to refuse food; for we must attend to
this circumstance, that his anxiety about the present business urges him so
strongly, and absorbs his whole mind, so that it gives him no uneasiness to
despise food. And yet he does not say that he is so eager to obey the commands
of his Father, that he neither eats nor drinks. He only points out
what he must do first, and what must be done afterwards; and thus he shows, by
his example, that the kingdom of God ought to be preferred to all the comforts
of the body. God allows us, indeed, to eat and drink, provided that we are not
withdrawn from what is of the highest importance; that is, that every man attend
to his own calling.
It will perhaps be said, that eating and drinking
cannot but be avocations which withdraw some portion of our time that might be
better employed. This I acknowledge to be true, but as the Lord kindly permits
us to take care of our body, so far as necessity requires, he who endeavors to
nourish his body with sobriety and moderation does not fail to give that
preference which he ought to give to obedience to God. But we must also take
care not to adhere so firmly to our fixed hours, as not to be prepared to
deprive ourselves of food, when God holds out to us any opportunity, and, as it
were, fixes the present hour. Christ, having now in his hands such an
opportunity which might pass away, embraces it with open arms, and holds it
fast. When the present duty enjoined on him by the Father presses him so hard
that he finds it necessary to lay aside every thing else, he does not scruple to
delay taking food; and, indeed, it would have been unreasonable that, when the
woman left her pitcher and ran to call the people, Christ should display less
zeal. In short, if we propose it as our object not to lose the causes of life on
account of life itself, it; will not be difficult to preserve the proper medium;
for he who shall place it before him as the end of life to serve the Lord, from
which we are not at liberty to turn aside even for the immediate danger of
death, will certainly reckon it to be of more value than eating and drinking.
The metaphor of eating and drinking is so much the more graceful on this
occasion, that it was drawn seasonably from the present
discourse.
34.
My food is to do the will of
him who sent me. He means not only that
he esteems it very highly, but that there is nothing in which he takes greater
delight, or in which he is more cheerfully or more eagerly employed; as David,
in order to magnify the Law of God, says not only that he values it highly, but
that it is sweeter than honey,
(<191910>Psalm
19:10.) If, therefore, we would follow Christ, it is proper not only that we
devote ourselves diligently to the service of God, but that we be so cheerful in
complying with its injunctions that the labor shall not be at all oppressive or
disagreeable.
That I may finish his
work. By adding these words, Christ
fully explains what is that will of the Father to which he is devoted;
namely, to fulfill the commission which had been given to him. Thus every man
ought to consider his own calling, that he may not consider as done to God what
he has rashly undertaken at his own suggestion. What was the office of Christ is
well known. It was to advance the kingdom of God, to restore to life lost souls,
to spread the light of the Gospel, and, in short, to bring salvation to the
world. The excellence of these things caused him, when fatigued and hungry, to
forget meat and drink. Yet we derive from this no ordinary consolation, when we
learn that Christ was so anxious about the salvation of men, that it gave him
the highest delight to procure it; for we cannot doubt that he is now actuated
by similar feelings towards us.
|
JOHN
4:35-38
|
|
35. Do you not say, There are yet four months,
and harvest will come? Lo, I say to you, Lift up your eyes, and look at the
fields, for they are already white for harvest. 36. And he who reapeth
receiveth reward, and gathereth fruit into life eternal; that both he that
soweth, and he that reapeth, may rejoice together. 37. For in this is the
saying true, That there is one who soweth, and another who reapeth. 38. I
sent you to reap that on which you did not labor; other men labored, and you
have entered into their labors.
|
35.
Do you not
say? He follows out the preceding
statement; for, having said that nothing was more dear to him than to finish
the work of the Father, he now shows how ripe it is for execution;
and he does so by a comparison with
the
harvest. When the corn is ripe, the
harvest cannot bear delay, for otherwise the grain would fall to the ground and
be lost; and, in like manner, the spiritual corn being now ripe, he declares
that there must be no delay, because delay is injurious. We see for what purpose
the comparison is employed; it is to explain the reason why he hastens to
perform his work.
f81
By this expression, Do you not
say? he intended indirectly to point out
how much more attentive the minds of men are to earthly than to heavenly things;
for they burn with so intense a desire of
harvest
that they carefully reckon up months and days, but it is astonishing how
drowsy and indolent they are in gathering the heavenly wheat. And daily
experience proves that this wickedness not only is natural to us, but can
scarcely be torn from our hearts; for while all provide for the earthly life to
a distant period, how indolent are we in thinking about heavenly things? Thus
Christ says on another occasion, Hypocrites, you discern by the face of the sky
what sort of day to-morrow will be, but you do not acknowledge the time of my
visitation,
(<401603>Matthew
16:3.)
36.
And he who reapeth receiveth
reward. How diligently we ought to
devote ourselves to the work of God, he proves by another argument; namely,
because a large and most excellent reward is reserved for our labor; for he
promises that there will be
fruit,
and
fruit
not corruptible or fading. What he adds about
fruit
may be explained in two ways; either it is an announcement of the
reward,
and on that supposition he would say the same thing twice in different
words; or, he applauds the labors of those who enrich the kingdom of God, as we
shall afterwards find him repeating,
I have chosen you, that
you may go and bear fruit, and that your fruit may remain,
(<431516>John
15:16.)
And certainly both considerations ought greatly to
encourage the ministers of the word, that they may never sink under the toil,
when they hear that a crown of glory is prepared for them in heaven, and know
that the
fruit
of their
harvest
will not only be precious in the sight of God, but will also be eternal. It
is for this purpose that Scripture everywhere mentions
reward,
and not for the purpose of leading us to judge from it as to the merits of
works; for which of us, if we come to a reckoning, will not be found more
worthy of being punished for slothfulness than of
being
rewarded for diligence? To the best
laborers nothing else will be left than to approach to God in all humility to
implore forgiveness. But the Lord, who acts towards us with the kindness of a
father, in order to correct our sloth, and to encourage us who would otherwise
be dismayed, deigns to bestow upon us an undeserved reward.
This is so far from overturning justification by
faith that it rather confirms it. For, in the first place, how comes it that God
finds in us any thing to
reward,
but because He has bestowed it upon us by his Spirit? Now we know that the
Spirit is the earnest and pledge of adoption,
(<490114>Ephesians
1:14.) Secondly, how comes it that God confers so great honor on imperfect and
sinful works but because, after having by free grace reconciled us to himself,
He accepts our works without any regard to merit, by not imputing the sins which
cleave to them? The amount of this passage is, that the labor which the
Apostles bestow on teaching ought not to be reckoned by them hard and
unpleasant, since they know that it is so useful and so advantageous to Christ
and to the Church.
That he who soweth, and he who
reapeth, may rejoice together. By these
words Christ shows that the
fruit
which the Apostles will derive from the labors of others cannot give
just ground of complaint to any person. And this additional statement deserves
notice; for if in the world the groans of those who complain that the
fruit
of their labor has been conveyed to another do not hinder the new possessor
from cheerfully
reaping
what another has
sown,
how much more cheerful ought the
reapers
to be, when there is mutual consent and mutual joy and
congratulation?
But, in order that this passage may be properly
understood, we must comprehend the contrast between
sowing
and
reaping.
The
sowing was the doctrine of the
Law and the Prophets; for at that time the seed thrown into the soil remained,
as it were, in the blade; but the doctrine of the Gospel, which brings men to
proper maturity, is on that account justly compared to the
harvest.
For the Law was very far from that perfection which has at length been
exhibited to us in Christ. To the same purpose is the well-known comparison
between infancy and manhood which Paul employs, when he says,
that
the heir, as long as he is a child,
differeth not from a servant, though he be lord of all, but is under tutors and
governors until the time appointed by the father,
(<480401>Galatians
4:1, 2.)
In short, since the coming of Christ brought along
with it present salvation, we need not wonder if the Gospel, by which the door
of the heavenly kingdom is opened, be called the
harvest
of the doctrine of the Prophets. And yet it is
not at all inconsistent with this statement, that the Fathers under the Law were
gathered into God’s barn; but this comparison must be referred to the
manner of teaching; for, as the infancy of the Church lasted to the end of the
Law, but, as soon as the Gospel had been preached, it immediately arrived at
manhood, so at that time the salvation began to ripen, of which the
sowing
only had been accomplished by the Prophets.
But, as Christ delivered this discourse in Samaria,
he appears to extend the
sowing
more widely than to the Law and the Prophets; and there are some who
interpret these words as applying equally to the Jews and to the Gentiles. I
acknowledge, indeed, that some grains of piety were always scattered throughout
the whole world, and there can be no doubt that — if we may be allowed the
expression — God
sowed,
by the hand of philosophers and profane writers, the excellent sentiments
which are to be found in their writings. But, as that seed was degenerated from
the very root, and as the corn which could spring from it, though not good or
natural, was choked by a huge mass of errors, it is unreasonable to suppose that
such destructive corruption is compared
to
sowing. Besides, what is here said about
uniting in joy cannot at all apply to philosophers or any persons of that
class.
Still, the difficulty is not yet solved, for Christ
makes special reference to the Samaritans. I reply, though everything among them
was infected by corruptions, there still was some hidden seed of piety. For
whence does it arise that, as soon as they hear a word about Christ, they are so
eager to seek him, but because they had learned, from the Law and the Prophets,
that the Redeemer would come? Judea was indeed the Lord’s peculiar field,
which he had cultivated by the Prophets, but, as some small portion of seed had
been carried into Samaria, it is not without reason that Christ says that there
also it reached maturity. If it be objected that the Apostles were chosen to
publish the Gospel throughout the whole world, the reply is easy, that Christ
spoke in a manner suited to the time, with this exception, that, on account of
the expectation of the fruit which already was nearly ripe, he commends in the
Samaritans the seed of prophetic doctrine, though mixed and blended with many
weeds or corruptions.
f82
37.
For in this is the saying
true. This was a common proverb, by
which he showed that many men frequently receive the fruit of the labor of
others, though there was this difference, that he who has
labored
is displeased at seeing the fruit carried away by another, whereas the
Apostles have the Prophets for the companions of their joy. And yet it cannot be
inferred from this, that the Prophets themselves are witnesses, or are aware, of
what is now going on in the Church; for Christ means nothing more than that the
Prophets, so long as they lived, taught under the influence of such feelings,
that they already rejoiced on account of the fruit which they were not permitted
to gather. The comparison which Peter employs
(<600112>1
Peter 1:12) is not unlike; except that he addresses his exhortation generally to
all believers, but Christ here speaks to the disciples alone, and, in their
person, to the ministers of the Gospel. By these words he enjoins them to throw
their labors into a common stock, so that there may be no wicked envy among
them; that those who are first sent to the work ought to be so attentive to the
present cultivation as not to envy a greater blessing to those who are
afterwards to follow them; and that they who are sent, as it were, to gather the
ripe fruit, ought to be employed with equal cheerfulness in their office; for
the comparison which is here made between the teachers of the Law and of the
Gospel may likewise be applied to the latter, when viewed in reference to each
other.
|
JOHN
4:39-45
|
|
39. And many Samaritans out of that city
believed in him on account of the saying of the woman, who testified, I told you
all things that ever I did. 40. When the Samaritans, therefore, came to
him, they entreated him to remain with them; and he remained two days.
41. And many more believed on account of his word; 42. And said to
the woman, We no longer believe on account of thy speech; for we ourselves have
heard, and know, that this is actually the Christ, the Savior of the world.
43. And after two days he departed, and went away into Galilee.
44. For Jesus himself testified,
f83
that a Prophet hath no honor in his own country. 45. And when he came
into Galilee, the Galileans received him, who had seen
f84
all that he did in Jerusalem on the feast-day; for they had also come to the
feast-day.
|
39.
And many Samaritans out of
that city believed. The Evangelist here
relates what was the success of the woman’s announcement to her citizens,
from which it is evident that the expectation and desire of the promised Messiah
had no small vigor among them. Now, the word
believe
is here used inaccurately, and means that they were induced by the
woman’s statement to acknowledge Christ to be a Prophet. It is, in some
respects, a commencement of faith, when minds are prepared to
receive the doctrine. Such an entrance to faith receives here the
honorable appellation of faith, in order to inform us how highly
God esteems reverence for his word, when he confers so great honor on the
docility of those who have not yet been taught. Now, their faith
manifests itself in this respect, that they are seized with a desire to
profit, and, for that reason, desire that Christ
should remain with
them.
41.
And many more believed. From what
followed it is evident that Christ’s compliance with their wish was highly
proper; for we see how much fruit was reaped from the
two
days which he granted to their request.
By this example we are taught that we ought never to refrain from working, when
we have it in our power to advance the kingdom of God; and if we are afraid that
our readiness in complying may be liable to unfavorable reports, or may often
prove to be useless, let us ask from Christ the Spirit of counsel to direct us.
The word
believe
is now used in a different sense; for it means not only that they were
prepared for faith, but that they actually had a proper
faith.
42.
On account of thy
speech. Though I have followed Erasmus
in rendering this word by oratio, (speech,) because
loquela, which the ancient interpreter uses, is a barbarous term;
yet I wish to warn my readers that the Greek word
lali>a
has the same meaning with the Latin word loquentia, that is,
talk, or talkativeness; and the Samaritans appear to
boast that they have now a stronger foundation than a woman’s tongue,
which is, for the most part, light and trivial.
We
believe. This expresses more fully the
nature of their faith, that it has been drawn from the word of God itself, so
that they can boast of having the Son of God as their Teacher; as, indeed, it is
on his authority alone that we can safely rely. True, indeed, he is not now
visibly present, so as to speak to us mouth to mouth; but, by whomsoever we
happen to hear him, our faith cannot rest on any other than on himself. And from
no other source proceeds that knowledge which is likewise mentioned; for
the speech which comes from the mouth of a mortal man may indeed fill and
satisfy the ears, but will never confirm the soul in calm confidence of
salvation, so that he who has heard may be entitled to boast that he
knows. In faith, therefore, the first thing
necessary is, to
know
that it is Christ who speaks by his ministers; and the next is, to give him
the honor which is due; that is, not to doubt that he is true and faithful, so
that, relying on so undoubted a guarantee, we may rely safely on his
doctrine.
Again, when they affirm that Jesus
is the
Christ
and the Savior of the
world, they undoubtedly have learned
this from hearing him. Hence we infer that,
within two
days, the sum of the Gospel was more
plainly taught by Christ than he had hitherto taught it in Jerusalem. And Christ
testified that the salvation, which he had brought, was common to the whole
world, that they might understand more fully that it belonged to them also; for
he did not call them on the ground of their being lawful heirs, as the Jews
were,
f85
but taught that he had come to admit strangers into the family of God,
and to bring peace to those who were far off,
(<490217>Ephesians
2:17.)
44.
For Jesus himself
testified. The apparent contradiction
which strikes us here at first sight, has given rise to various interpretations.
There is an excess of subtlety in the explanation given by Augustine, that
Christ was without honor among
his own countrymen, because he had done
more good among the Samaritans in
two
days only than he had done, in a long
time, among the Galileans; and because, without miracles, he gained more
disciples in Samaria than a great number of miracles had gained him in Galilee.
Nor am I satisfied with the view of Chrysostom, who understands Christ’s
country to be Capernaum, because he dwelt there more frequently than in
any other place. I rather agree with Cyril, who says that he left the city of
Nazareth, and departed into a different part of Galilee; for the other three
Evangelists mention Nazareth, when they relate this testimony of Christ. The
meaning might indeed be that, while the time of full manifestation was not yet
come, he chose to remain concealed in his native country, as in a more obscure
retreat. Some, too, explain it to mean,
that he remained two
days in Samaria, because there was no
reason why he should hasten to go to a place where contempt awaited him. Others
think that he went straight to Nazareth, and immediately left it; but, as John
relates nothing of this sort, I do not venture to yield to that conjecture. A
more correct view of it is, that when he saw himself despised in his native city
Nazareth, he rather withdrew to another place. And, therefore, it immediately
follows (verse 46) that he came
into the town of Cana. What is next
added — that the Galileans received him — was a token of
reverence, not of contempt.
A Prophet hath no honour in his own
country. I have no doubt that this
saying was common, and had passed into a proverb;
f86
and we know that proverbs are intended to be a graceful expression of what
commonly and most frequently
(ejpi< to<
poli<) happens. In such cases, therefore,
it is not necessary that we should rigidly demand uniform accuracy, as if what
is stated in a proverb were always true. It is certain that
prophets
are usually more admired elsewhere than in their own country. Sometimes,
too, it may happen, and in reality does happen, that
a
prophet is not less honored by his
countrymen than by strangers; but the proverb states what is common and
ordinary, that
prophets
receive
honor
more readily in any other place than among their own
countrymen.
Now this proverb, and the meaning of it, may have a
twofold origin; for it is a universal fault, that those whom we have heard
crying in the cradle, and whom we have seen acting foolishly in their boyhood,
are despised by us throughout their whole life, as if they had made no progress,
since they were boys. To this is added another evil — envy, which prevails
more among acquaintances. But I think it probable that the proverb arose from
this circumstance, that
Prophets
were so ill-treated by their own nation; for good and holy men, when they
perceived that there was in Judea so great ingratitude towards God, so great
contempt of his word, so great obstinacy, might justly utter this complaint,
that nowhere are the Prophets of God less honored than in their own country. If
the former meaning be preferred, the name
Prophet
must be understood generally to denote any teacher, as Paul calls Epimenides
a prophet of the Cretians,
(<560112>Titus
1:12.)
45.
The Galileans received
him. Whether or not this honor was of
long duration we have not the means of determining; for there is nothing to
which men are more prone than forgetfulness of the gifts of God. Nor does John
relate this with any other design than to inform us that Christ performed
miracles in presence of many witnesses, so that the report of them was spread
far and wide. Again, this points out one advantage of miracles, that they
prepare the way for doctrine; for they cause reverence to be paid to
Christ.
|
JOHN
4:46-54
|
|
46. Jesus therefore came again into Cana of
Galilee, where he had turned the water into wine. And there was a certain
courtier, whose son was diseased, in Capernaum. 47. When he heard that
Jesus had come from Judea into Galilee, he went away to him, and entreated him
to go down and cure his son; for he was near death. 48. Jesus therefore
said to him, Unless you see signs and wonders, you will not believe. 49.
The courtier himself said to him, Sir, come down ere my child die. 50.
Jesus said to him, Go, thy son liveth. The man believed the word which Jesus had
spoken to him, and went away. 51. And while he was still going down, his
servants met and informed him, saying, Thy son liveth. 52. Then he asked
them at what hour he recovered; and they said to him, Yesterday at the seventh
hour the fever left him. 53. The father therefore knew that it was the
same hour at which Jesus had said to him, Thy son liveth. And he believed, and
all his house. 54. This second miracle did Jesus again, when he had come
out of Judea into Galilee.
|
46.
And there was a certain courtier. This
is a more correct rendering, though Erasmus thinks differently, who has
translated
basiliko>v
by a Latin word, Regulus, which means a little king.
f87
I acknowledge indeed that, at that time, they gave the name of Reguli
(or, little kings) to those who are now called Dukes, or
Barons, or Earls; but the state of Galilee at that time was such that there
could be no person of that rank dwelling in Capernaum. I think that he was some
nobleman
f88
of the court of Herod; for there is some plausibility in the opinion of those
who think that he was sent by Caesar.
f89
This is expressly mentioned by the Evangelist, because the rank of this
personage made the miracle the more illustrious.
47.
When he had heard that Jesus
had come. When he applies to Christ for
aid, this is some evidence of his faith; but, when he limits Christ’s
manner of granting assistance, that shows how ignorant he was. For he views the
power of Christ as inseparably connected with his bodily presence, from which it
is evident, that he had formed no other view concerning Christ than this,
— that he was a Prophet sent by God with such authority and power as to
prove, by the performance of miracles, that he was a minister of God. This
fault, though it deserved censure, Christ overlooks, but severely upbraids him,
and, indeed, all the Jews in general, on another ground, that they were too
eager to behold miracles.
But how comes it that Christ is now so harsh, who is
wont to receive kindly others who desire miracles? There must have been at that
time some particular reason, though unknown to us, why he treated this man with
a degree of severity which was not usual with him; and perhaps he looked not so
much to the person as to the whole nation. He saw that his doctrine had no great
authority, and was not only neglected but altogether despised; and, on the other
hand, that all had their eyes fixed on miracles, and that their whole senses
were seized with stupidity rather than with admiration. Thus, the wicked
contempt of the word of God, which at that time prevailed, constrained him to
make this complaint.
True, indeed, some even of the saints sometimes
wished to be confirmed by miracles, that they might not entertain any doubt as
to the truth of the promises; and we see how God, by kindly granting their
requests, showed that he was not offended at them. But Christ describes here far
greater wickedness; for the Jews depended so much on miracles, that they
left no room for the word. And first, it was exceedingly wicked that they were
so stupid and carnal as to have no reverence for doctrine, unless they had been
aroused by miracles; for they must have been well acquainted with the word of
God, in which they had been educated from their infancy. Secondly, when miracles
were performed, they were so far from profiting aright, that they remained in a
state of stupidity and amazement. Thus they had no religion, no knowledge of
God, no practice of godliness, except what consisted in
miracles.
To the same purpose is that reproach which Paul
brings against them, the Jews demand signs,
(<460122>1
Corinthians 1:22.) For he means that they were unreasonably and immoderately
attached to signs, and cared little about the grace of Christ, or the
promises of eternal life, or the secret power of the Spirit, but, on the
contrary, rejected the Gospel with haughty disdain, because they had no relish
for any thing but miracles. I wish there were not many persons in the present
day affected by the same disease; but nothing is more common than this saying,
“Let them first perform miracles,
f90
and then we will lend an ear to their doctrine;” as if we ought to despise
and disdain the truth of Christ, unless it derive support from some other
quarter. But though God were to overwhelm them by a huge mass of miracles, still
they speak falsely when they say that they would believe. Some outward
astonishment would be produced, but they would not be a whit more attentive to
doctrine.
49.
Sir, come down, ere my child die. Since
he perseveres in asking, and at length obtains what he wished, we may conclude
that Christ did not reprove him in such a manner as if he intended altogether to
reject him, and refused his prayers; but that he rather did so for the purpose
of correcting that fault which obstructed the entrance of true faith. And we
ought to remember — what I have formerly stated — that this was a
general reproof of a whole people, and was not peculiarly addressed to one
individual. In this manner, whatever is improper, or distorted, or superfluous,
in our prayers, must be corrected or removed, that dangerous obstructions may be
taken out of the way. Now courtiers are usually fastidious and haughty, and do
not willingly submit to be treated with harshness; but it deserves notice, that
this man, humbled by his necessitous case, and by the dread of losing his son,
does not burst into a passion, or murmur, when Christ speaks to him roughly, but
passes by that reproof in modest silence. We find the same things in ourselves;
for we are astonishingly delicate, impatient, and fretful until, subdued by
adversities, we are constrained to lay aside our pride and
disdain.
50.
Thy son
liveth. The first thing that strikes us
here is, the astonishing kindness and condescension of Christ, that he bears
with the man’s ignorance, and stretches his power beyond what had been
expected. He requested that Christ would come to the place and cure his son. He
thought it possible that his son could be freed from sickness and disease, but
not that he could be raised up after he was dead; and therefore he urges Christ
to make haste, that his son’s recovery may not be prevented by his death.
Accordingly, when Christ pardons both, we may conclude from it how highly he
values even a small measure of faith. It is worthy of observation that Christ,
while he does not comply with his desire, grants much more than he had
requested; for he testifies as to the present health of his son. Thus it
frequently happens that our Heavenly Father, while he does not comply with our
wishes in every particular, proceeds to relieve us by unexpected methods, that
we may learn not to prescribe to him in anything. When he says,
Thy son
liveth, he means that he has been
rescued from the danger of death.
The man believed the word which
Jesus had spoken to him. Having come
with the conviction that Christ was a prophet of God, he was on that account so
much disposed to believe, that, as soon as he had heard a single word, he seized
it and fixed it in his heart. Though he did not entertain all the respect that
he ought for the power of Christ, yet a short promise suddenly awoke new
confidence in his mind, so that he believed the life of his son to be contained
in a single word of Christ. And such is the promptitude with which we ought to
receive the word of God, but it is very far from producing always so immediate
an effect on the hearers. For how many will you find that profit as much by many
sermons as this man, who was half a heathen, profited by hearing a single word?
So much the more ought we to labor with zeal to arouse our sluggishness, and,
above all, to pray that God would touch our hearts in such a manner, that we may
not be less willing to believe than He is ready and gracious to
promise.
51.
While he was still going
down. Here is described the effect of faith,
together with the efficacy of the word; for as Christ, by a word, restores to
life this child who was just dying, so in one moment the father, by his faith,
regains his son safe and sound. Let us therefore know that, whenever the Lord
offers his benefits to us, his power will always be ready to accomplish whatever
he promises, provided that the door be not shut against him by our unbelief. It
does not always happen, I acknowledge, and even is not frequent or ordinary,
that God instantly displays his arm for giving us assistance; but whenever he
delays, he has always a good reason, and one that is highly advantageous to us.
This at least is certain, that so far is he from delaying unnecessarily, that he
rather contends with the obstacles which we throw in the way; and, therefore,
when we do not see his immediate aid, let us consider how much of concealed
distrust there is in us, or at least how small and limited our faith is. And we
ought not to wonder if He is unwilling to allow his benefits to be lost, or to
throw them at random on the ground, but chooses to bestow them on those who, by
opening the bosom of their faith, are ready to receive them. And though he does
not always assist his people in the same manner, yet in no instance will the
faith of any one be fruitless, or hinder us from experiencing the truth of what
the Prophet says, that the promises of God, even when they seem to delay, are in
reality making great haste.
Though it tarry, wait for
it; because it will surely come,
it
will not tarry,
(<350203>Habakkuk
2:3.)
52.
Therefore he inquired at
them. That this courtier asked his
servants at what time his son began to recover, was done by a secret impulse
from God, that the truth of the miracle might be rendered more conspicuous. For
by nature we have an exceedingly wicked disposition to extinguish the light of
the power of God, and Satan labors, by various means, to hide the works of God
from our view; and, therefore, in order that they may obtain from us that praise
which is due to them, they must be made so manifest that no room is left for
doubt. Whatever then may be the ingratitude of men, still this circumstance does
not permit so illustrious a work of Christ to be ascribed to
chance.
53.
And he believed, and his
whole house. It may appear absurd that
the Evangelist should mention this as the commencement of faith in that man,
whose faith he has already commended. Nor can it be supposed that the
word
believe — at least in this passage
— relates to the progress of faith. But it must be understood that this
man, being a Jew and educated in the doctrine of the Law, had already obtained
some taste of faith when he came to Christ; and that he afterwards
believed in the saying of
Christ was a particular faith, which
extended no farther than to expect the life of his son. But now he began to
believe
in a different manner; that is, because, embracing the doctrine of Christ,
he openly professed to be one of his disciples. Thus not only does he now
believe
that his son will be cured through the kindness of Christ, but he
acknowledges Christ to be the Son of God, and makes a profession of faith in his
Gospel. His whole family joins him, which was an evidence of the miracle; nor
can it be doubted that he did his utmost to bring others along with him to
embrace the Christian religion.
CHAPTER 5
|
JOHN
5:1-9
|
|
1. After these things there was a feast of the
Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 2. And there was in Jerusalem, at
the sheep-market, a pool, which is called in Hebrew Bethesda, having five
porches. 3. In these lay a great multitude of diseased, blind, lame,
withered,
f91
waiting for the motion of the water. 4. For an angel went down, at
intervals,
f92
into the pool, and troubled the water. Whosoever went down first after the
troubling of the water was cured of whatever disease he formerly had. 5.
Now there was a man there, who had passed thirty and eight years in infirmity.
6. When Jesus saw this man lying, and knew that he had now been a long
time diseased, he saith to him, Dost thou wish to be cured? 7. The
diseased man answered him, Sir, I have no man to let me down into the pool, when
the water is troubled; but while I am coming, another goeth down before me.
8. Jesus saith to him, Arise, carry thy bed, and walk. 9. And
immediately that man was cured, and carried his bed, and walked. And the Sabbath
was on that day.
|
1.
There was a feast of the Jews. Though
the Evangelist does not expressly state what feast this was, yet the
probable conjecture is that he means Pentecost, at least if what is here related
took place immediately after that Christ came into Galilee. For immediately
after the Passover he set out from Jerusalem, and, as he was passing through
Samaria, he reckoned four months to the harvest; having entered
Galilee he cured the courtier’s son. The Evangelist adds that the
feast
came afterwards; and, therefore, the order of time leads us to conclude that
we ought to understand it to be Pentecost; though I do not dispute about that
matter. Now Christ came to Jerusalem to the feast, partly because
at that time, on account of the great multitude of people who were assembled, he
had the opportunity of publishing his doctrine more extensively, and partly
because it was necessary that he should be subject to the Law, that he might
redeem us from the bondage of the Law, as we have already explained on former
occasions.
2.
There was in Jerusalem,
at the sheep-market, a pool. The
circumstance of the place is added, from which we learn that the miracle was not
concealed or known to a few persons only; for the
five
porches show that the place was
celebrated for the great number of persons who resorted to it, and this was also
implied in its vicinity to the temple. Besides, the Evangelist expressly says
that many diseased persons lay
there. With respect to the meaning of
the name, the learned justly reject the fanciful opinion of Jerome, who, instead
of
Bethesda,
makes it Betheder, and interprets it to mean the house of
the flock; for here mention is made
of a
pool, which was near the
sheep-market. Those who read it
Bethesda,
as meaning a place of fishing, have no reason on their side.
There is greater probability in the opinion of those who explain it to be a
place of pouring out; for the Hebrew word
(˚ça)
(Eshed) signifies flowing out; but the
Evangelist, as was then the ordinary way of speaking, pronounced it
Esda. For I think that the water was conveyed into it by conduits,
that the priests might draw out of it; unless perhaps the place received its
name from the circumstance that the water was poured into it by means of tubes.
It was called the
sheep-market, in my opinion, because the
beasts which were to be offered in sacrifice were taken there.
3.
In these lay a great
multitude. It is possible that diseased
persons lay in the porches to ask alms when the people were passing there who
were going into the temple to worship; and there, too, it was customary to
purchase the beasts which were to be offered in sacrifice. Yet at each feast God
cured a certain number, that, in this way, he might recommend the worship
prescribed in the Law and the holiness of the temple. But might it not appear
foolish to believe, while we read of nothing of this kind having been done at a
time when religion was in the most flourishing condition, and even since in the
age of the Prophets miracles were not performed but on extraordinary occasions,
that when the affairs of the nation were so decayed and almost ruinous, the
power and grace of God were displayed with more than ordinary lustre? I reply,
there were, in my opinion, two reasons. As the Holy Spirit, dwelling in the
Prophets, was a sufficient witness of the divine presence, religion at that time
needed no other confirmation; for the Law had been sanctioned by abundantly
sufficient miracles, and God ceased not to express, by innumerable testimonies,
his approbation of the worship which he had enjoined. But about the time of
Christ’s coming, as they were deprived of the Prophets and their condition
was very wretched, and as various temptations pressed upon them on every hand,
they needed this extraordinary aid, that they might not think that God had
entirely left them, and thus might be discouraged and fall away. For we know
that Malachi was the last of the Prophets, and, therefore, he closes his
doctrine with this admonition, that the Jews may
remember the Law
delivered by Moses,
(<390404>Malachi
4:4,)
until Christ appear. God saw it to be advantageous to
deprive them of the Prophets, and to keep them in suspense for a time, that they
might be inflamed with a stronger desire for Christ, and might receive him with
greater reverence, when he should be manifested to them. Yet, that testimonies
might not be wanting to the temple and sacrifices, and to the whole of that
worship by which salvation should be made known to the world, the Lord retained
among the Jews this gift of healing, that they might know that there was a good
reason why God separated them from the other nations. For God, by curing the
diseased, showed plainly — as by an arm stretched out from heaven —
that he approved of this kind of worship which they derived from the injunction
of the Law. Secondly, I have no doubt that God intended to remind them by these
signs that the time of redemption was approaching, and that Christ, the Author
of salvation, was already at hand, that the minds of all might be the better
aroused. I think that signs, in that age, served this twofold purpose; first,
that the Jews might know that God was present with them, and thus might remain
steady in their obedience to the Law; and, secondly, that they might earnestly
hope for a new and unwonted condition.
Of lame, blind,
withered. For the purpose of informing
us that the diseases cured by our Lord were not of an ordinary kind, the
Evangelist enumerates some classes of them; for human remedies could be of no
avail to the lame, blind, and
withered. It was indeed a mournful
spectacle, to see in so large a body of men so many kinds of deformities in the
members; but yet the glory of God shone more brightly there than in the sight of
the most numerous and best disciplined army. For nothing is more magnificent
than when an unwonted power of God corrects and restores the defects of nature;
and nothing is more beautiful or more delightful than when, through his
boundless goodness, he relieves the distresses of men. For this reason the Lord
intended that this should be a splendid theater, in which not only the
inhabitants of the country, but strangers also, might perceive and contemplate
His majesty; and, as I have already suggested, it was no small ornament and
glory of the temple, when God, by stretching out his hand, clearly showed that
He was present.
4.
For an angel went
down. It was, no doubt, a work
peculiar to God to cure the sick; but, as He was accustomed to employ the
ministration and agency of
angels,
so He commanded an
angel to perform this duty. For this
reason the
angels
are called principalities or powers,
(<510116>Colossians
1:16;) not that God gives up his power to them, and remains unemployed in
heaven, but because, by acting powerfully in them, he magnificently shows and
displays his power. It is, therefore, wicked and shameful to imagine any thing
as belonging to the angels, or to constitute them the medium of
communication between us and God, so as to obscure the glory of God, as if it
were at a great distance from us, while, on the contrary, he employs them as the
manifestations of his presence. We ought to guard against the foolish
speculations of Plato, for the distance between us and God is too great to allow
us to go to the angels, that they may obtain favor for us; but, on the contrary,
we ought to come direct to Christ, that, by his guidance, protection, and
command, we may have the angels as assistants and ministers of our
salvation.
At
intervals. God might have at once, in a
single moment, cured them all:, but, as his miracles have their design, so they
ought also to have their limit; as Christ also reminds them that, though there
were so many that died in the time of Elisha, not more than one child was raised
from the dead,
(<120432>2
Kings 4:32;)
f93
and that, though so many widows were famished during the time of drought, there
was but one whose poverty was relieved by Elijah,
(<111709>1
Kings 17:9;
<420425>Luke
4:25.) Thus the Lord reckoned it enough to give a demonstration of his
presence in the case of a few diseased persons. But the manner of curing, which
is here described, shows plainly enough that nothing is more unreasonable than
that men should subject the works of God to their own judgment; for pray, what
assistance or relief could be expected from troubled water? But in
this manner, by depriving us of our own senses, the Lord accustoms us to the
obedience of faith. We too eagerly follow what pleases our reason, though
contrary to the word of God; and, therefore, in order to render us more obedient
to him, he often presents to us those things which contradict our reason. Then
only do we show our submissive obedience, when we shut our eyes, and follow the
plain word, though our own opinion be that what we are doing will be of no
avail. We have an instance of this kind in Naaman a Syrian, whom the prophet
sends to Jordan, that he may be cured of his leprosy,
(<120510>2
Kings 5:10.) At first, no doubt, he despises it as a piece of mockery, but
afterwards he comes actually to perceive that, while God acts contrary to human
reason, he never mocks or disappoints us.
And troubled the
water. Yet the
troubling of the
water was a manifest proof that God
freely uses the elements according to his own pleasure, and that He claims for
himself the result of the work. For it is an exceedingly common fault to ascribe
to creatures what belongs to God alone; but it would be the height of folly to
seek, in the troubled
water, the cause of the cure. He
therefore holds out the outward symbol in such a manner that, by looking at the
symbol, the diseased persons may be constrained to raise their eyes to Him who
alone is the Author of grace.
5.
And there was a man there. The
Evangelist collects various circumstances, which prove that the miracle may be
relied on as certain. The long duration of the disease had taken away all hope
of its being cured. This man complains that he is deprived of the remedy of the
water. He had frequently attempted to throw himself into the water, but without
success; there was no man to assist him, and this causes the power of Christ to
be more strikingly displayed. Such, too, was the import of the command
to carry his
bed, that all might plainly see that he
was cured in no other way than by the agency of Christ; for when he suddenly
rises up healthy and strong in all the members in which he was formerly
impotent, so sudden a change is the more fitted to arouse and strike the minds
of all who beheld it.
6.
Wilt thou be made
whole? He does not inquire about it, as
if it were a doubtful matter, but partly in order to kindle in the man a desire
of the favor which was offered to him, and partly to quicken the attention of
the witnesses who were present, and who, if they had been thinking of something
else, might not have perceived the miracle, as frequently happens in sudden
occurrences. For these two reasons, therefore, this preparation was
necessary.
7.
I have no
man. This diseased man does what almost
all of us are wont to do; for he limits the assistance of God according to his
own thought, and does not venture to promise to himself any thing more than he
conceives in his mind. Christ forgives his weakness, and in this we have a
mirror of that forbearance of which every one of us has daily experience, when,
on the one hand, we keep our attention fixed on the means which are within our
reach, and when, on the other hand, contrary to expectation, he displays his
hand from hidden places, and thus shows how far his goodness goes beyond the
narrow limits of our faith. Besides, this example ought to teach us patience.
Thirty-eight
years were a long period, during which
God had delayed to render to this poor man that favor which, from the beginning,
He had determined to confer upon him. However long, therefore, we may be held in
suspense, though we groan under our distresses, let us never be discouraged by
the tediousness of the lengthened period; for, when our afflictions are long
continued, though we discover no termination of them, still we ought always to
believe that God is a wonderful deliverer, who, by His power, easily removes
every obstacle out of the way.
9.
And it was the Sabbath. Christ was well
aware how great offense would immediately arise, when they saw a man walk along
laden with burdens; for the Law expressly forbids
to carry any burden
whatever on the
Sabbath-day,
(<241721>Jeremiah
17:21.)
But there were two reasons why Christ, disregarding
this danger, chose to make such an exhibition; first, that the miracle might be
more extensively known; and, secondly, that he might give occasion, and, as it
were, open up the way for the beautiful discourse which he delivered immediately
afterwards. Of so great importance was the knowledge of that miracle, that he
found it to be his duty to despise boldly the offense taken by the people,
particularly because he had at hand a just defense, by which, though he did not
pacify the ungodly, he abundantly refuted their calumnies. We ought therefore to
observe this rule, that though the whole world kindle into rage, we ought to
proclaim the glory of God and celebrate His works, so far as His glory requires
that they should be made known. Nor ought we to be uneasy or discouraged, though
our labors should not be immediately successful, provided that we keep in view
the object which I have stated, and do not go beyond the limits of our
office.
|
JOHN
5:10-15
|
|
10. The Jews therefore said to him who had
been cured, It is the Sabbath; it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed.
11. He answered them, He who made me whole said to me, Carry thy bed and
walk. 12. They therefore asked him, Who is that man who said to thee,
Carry thy bed and walk? 13. And he who had been cured knew not who he
was; for Jesus had withdrawn himself, because there was a crowd in that place.
f94
14. After these things, Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him,
Lo, thou art made whole, sin no more, lest something worse befall thee.
15. The man went away, and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made
him whole. 16. And for that reason the Jews persecuted Jesus, and sought
to slay him, because he did these things on the Sabbath-day.
|
10.
It is the
Sabbath. It was the duty of all to
maintain the sanctity of the Sabbath, and, therefore, they justly and properly
accuse the man. But, when the excuse offered by the man does not satisfy them,
they already begin to be in fault; for, when the reason was known, he ought to
have been acquitted. It was a violation of the Sabbath, as we have said, to
carry a burden; but Christ, who laid the burden on his shoulders, discharges him
by his own authority. We are therefore taught by this example to avoid every
rash judgment, until the reason of each action be fully known. Whatever
contradicts the word of God deserves to be condemned without hesitation; but, as
it frequently happens that there are mistakes in this matter, we ought first to
inquire modestly and calmly, that our decision may be sound and sober. For since
the Jews, prejudiced by wicked dispositions, have not patience to inquire, they
shut the door against judgment and moderation; but, if they had allowed
themselves to be taught, not only would the offense have been removed, but they
would have been conducted still farther, with great advantage, to the knowledge
of the Gospel.
We now see how far the Jews were in the wrong. It is,
because they do not admit a reasonable defense. The defense is, that he who had
been cured replies that he does nothing but by the command of him who had power
and authority to command; for, though he did not yet know who Christ was, yet he
was convinced that he had been sent by God, because he had received a proof of
his divine power, and learns from it that Christ is endued with authority, so
that it must be his duty to obey him. But this appears to be worthy of reproof,
that a miracle turns him aside from obedience to the Law. I confess, indeed,
that the argument which the man employs in contending with them is not
sufficiently strong, but the others are faulty on two accounts, that they
neither consider that this is an extraordinary work of God, nor suspend their
judgment until they have heard a Prophet of God who is furnished with the
word.
13.
And he who had been cured knew not who he
was. Christ certainly did not intend
that the glory of so great a work should pass away, but he intended that it
should become generally known before that he acknowledged himself to be the
Author of it. He therefore withdrew for a little, that the Jews might have it in
their power to judge of the fact itself, without reference to any person. And
hence we learn that the cure of this man cannot be ascribed to his faith, since,
even after having been cured, he does not acknowledge his Physician; and yet,
when he was ordered, he carried his bed, which appears to have been done by the
guidance of faith. For my own part, as I do not deny that there was in him some
secret movement of faith, so I say that it is clear from what follows, that he
had no solid doctrine or clear light on which he could rely.
14.
After these things Jesus
found him. These words show still more
clearly that, when Christ concealed himself for a time, it was not in order that
the remembrance of the kindness which he had conferred might perish, for he now
appears in public of his own accord; only he intended that the work should first
be known, and that he should afterwards be declared to be the Author of it. This
passage contains a highly useful doctrine; for when Christ says,
lo, thou art made
whole, his meaning is, that we make an
improper use of the gifts of God, if we are not excited to gratitude. Christ
does not reproach the man with what he had given him, but only reminds him that
he had been cured in order that, remembering the favor which he had received, he
might all his life serve God his Deliverer. Thus, as God by stripes instructs
and spurs us on to repentance, so he invites us to it by his goodness and
forbearance; and, indeed, it is the universal design both of our redemption and
of all the gifts of God, to keep us entirely devoted to Him. Now this cannot be
done, unless the remembrance of the past punishment remain impressed on the
mind, and unless he who has obtained pardon be employed in this meditation
throughout his whole life.
This admonition teaches us also, that all the evils
which we endure ought to be imputed to our sins; for the afflictions of men are
not accidental, but are so many stripes for our chastisement. First, then, we
ought to acknowledge the hand of God which strikes us, and not to imagine that
our distresses arise from a blind impetuosity of fortune; and next we ascribe
this honor to God, that, since He is a Father full of goodness, He does not take
pleasure in our sufferings, and therefore does not treat us more harshly than he
has been offended by our sins. When he charges
him, sin no
more, he does not enjoin him to be free
from all sin, but speaks comparatively as to his former life; for Christ exhorts
him henceforth to repent, and not to do as he had done before.
Lest something worse befall
thee. If God does not succeed in doing
us good by the stripes with which he gently chastises us, as the kindest father
would chastise his tender and delicate children, He is constrained to assume a
new character, and a character which, so to speak, is not natural to Him. He
therefore seizes the whip to subdue our obstinacy, as He threatens in the Law,
(<032614>Leviticus
26:14;
<052815>Deuteronomy
28:15;
<193209>Psalm
32:9;) and indeed throughout the Scriptures passages of the same kind are to be
found. Thus, when we are incessantly pressed down by new afflictions, we ought
to trace this to our obstinacy; for not only do we resemble restive horses and
mules, but we are like wild beasts that cannot be tamed. There is no reason to
wonder, therefore, if God make use of severer punishment to bruise us, as it
were, by mallets, when moderate punishment is of no avail; for it is proper that
they who will not endure to be corrected should be bruised by strokes. In short,
the use of punishments is, to render us more cautious for the future. If, after
the first and second strokes, we maintain obstinate hardness of heart, he will
strike us seven times more severely. If, after having showed signs of repentance
for a time, we immediately return to our natural disposition, he chastises more
sharply this levity which proves us to be forgetful, and which is full of
sloth.
Again, in the person of this man it is of importance
for us to observe with what gentleness and condescension the Lord bears with us.
Let us suppose that the man was approaching old age, in which case he must have
been visited by disease in the very prime of life, and perhaps had been attacked
by it from his earliest infancy; and now let us consider how grievous to him
must have been this punishment continued through so many years. It is certain
that we cannot reproach God with excessive severity in causing this man to
languish, and to be half-dead, for so long a period; and, therefore, when we are
punished more lightly, let us learn that it is because the Lord, in his infinite
goodness, moderates the extreme rigour of the punishments which we would have
well deserved.
f95
Let us also learn that no punishments are so rigorous and severe, that the Lord
cannot make additions to them whenever he pleases. Nor can it be doubted that
wretched men by their wicked complaints, often draw down upon themselves
dreadful and shocking tortures, when they assert that it is not possible to
endure heavier distresses, and that God cannot send them any thing more.
f96
Are not these things hidden among my treasures? saith the Lord,
(<053234>Deuteronomy
32:34.) We ought also to observe how slow we are in deriving benefit from
God’s chastisements; for if Christ’s exhortation was not
superfluous, we may learn from it that the soul of this man was not yet fully
purified from every vice. Indeed, the roots of vices are too deep in us to be
capable of being torn out in a single day, or in a few days; and the cure of the
diseases of the soul is too difficult to be effected by remedies applied for a
short time.
15.
The man went
away. Nothing was farther from his
intention than to make Christ an object of their hatred, and nothing was farther
from his expectation than that they would rage so furiously against Christ. His
intention, therefore, was pious; for he wished to render to his Physician the
honor which was justly due to him. The Jews, on the other hand, show their
venom, not only in accusing Christ of having violated the Sabbath, but in
breaking out into extreme cruelty.
|
JOHN
5:17-19
|
|
17. But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh
hitherto, and I work. 18. For this reason, therefore, the Jews sought the
more to kill him, because he not only broke the Sabbath, but likewise called God
his Father, making himself equal with God. 19. Jesus then answered, and
said to them, Verily, verily, I say to you, The Son cannot do any thing of
himself but what he hath seen the Father do; for whatsoever things he doeth,
those also doeth the Son likewise.
|
17.
My Father worketh
hitherto. We must see what kind of
defense Christ employs. He does not reply that the Law about keeping the Sabbath
was temporary, and that it ought now to be abolished; but, on the contrary,
maintains that he has not violated the Law, because this is a divine work. It is
true that the ceremony of the Sabbath was a part of the shadows of the Law,
f97
and that Christ put an end to it by his coming, as Paul shows,
(<510216>Colossians
2:16;) but the present question does not turn on that point. For it is only from
their own works that men are commanded to abstain; and, accordingly,
circumcision — which is a work of God, and not of men — is not at
variance with the Sabbath.
What Christ insists upon is this, that the holy rest
which was enjoined by the Law of Moses is not disturbed when we are employed in
works of
God.F98
And for this reason he excuses not only his own action, but also the action of
the man who carried his bed; for it was an appendage, and — as we might
say — a part of the miracle, for it was nothing else than an approbation
of it. Besides, if thanksgiving and the publication of the divine glory be
reckoned among the works of God, it was not a profanation of the Sabbath to
testify the grace of God by feet and hands. But it is chiefly concerning himself
that Christ speaks, to whom the Jews were more hostile. He declares that the
soundness of body which he has restored to the diseased man is a demonstration
of his divine power. He asserts that he is the Son of God, and that he acts in
the same manner as his Father.
What is the use of the Sabbath, and for what reasons
it was enjoined, I do not now argue at greater length. It is enough for the
present passage, that the keeping of the Sabbath is so far from interrupting or
hindering the works of God, that, on the contrary, it gives way to them alone.
For why does the Law enjoin men to abstain from their own works, but in order to
keep all their senses free and occupied for considering the works of God?
Consequently, he who does not, on the Sabbath, allow a free course and reign to
the works of God, is not only a false expounder of the Law, but wickedly
overturns it.
If it be objected, that the example of God is held
out to men, that they may rest on the seventh day, the answer is easy. Men are
not conformed to God in this respect, that He ceased to work, but by abstaining
from the troublesome actions of this world and aspiring to the heavenly rest.
The
Sabbath
or rest of God,
f99
therefore, is not idleness, but true perfection, which brings along with it a
calm state of peace. Nor is this inconsistent with what Moses says, that God
put an end to his works,
(<010202>Genesis
2:2;) for he means that, after having completed the formation of the world, God
consecrated that day, that men might employ it in meditating on his works. Yet
He did not cease to sustain by this power the world which he had made, to govern
it by his wisdom, to support it by his goodness, and to regulate all things
according to his pleasure, both in heaven and on earth. In six days, therefore,
the creation of the world was completed, but the administration of it is still
continued, and God incessantly worketh in maintaining and preserving the
order of it; as Paul informs us, that in him we live, and
move, and are,
(<441728>Acts
17:28;) and David informs us, that all things stand so long as the Spirit of God
upholds them, and that they fail as soon as he withdraws his support,
(<19A429>Psalm
104:29.) Nor is it only by a general Providence that the Lord maintains the
world which He has created, but He arranges and regulates every part of it, and
more especially, by his protection, he keeps and guards believers whom he has
received under his care and guardianship.
And I
work. Leaving the defense of the present
cause, Christ now explains the end and use of the miracle, namely, that by means
of it he may be acknowledged to be the Son of God; for the object which he had
in view in all his words and actions was, to show that he was the Author of
salvation. What he now claims for himself belongs to his Divinity, as the
Apostle also says, that
he upholdeth all things
by his powerful will,
(<580103>Hebrews
1:3.)
But when he testifies that he is God, it is that,
being manifested in the flesh, he may perform the office of Christ; and when he
affirms that he came from heaven, it is chiefly for the purpose of informing us
for what purpose he came down to earth.
18.
For this reason, therefore,
the Jews sought the more to slay him.
This defense was so far from allaying their fury that it even enraged them
the more. Nor was he unacquainted with their malignity and wickedness and
hardened obstinacy, but he intended first to profit a few of his disciples who
were then present, and next to make a public display of their incurable malice.
By his example he has taught us that we ought never to yield to the fury of
wicked men, but should endeavor to maintain the truth of God, so far as
necessity demands it, though the whole world should oppose and murmur. Nor is
there any reason why the servants of Christ should take it ill that they do not
profit all men according to their wish, since Christ himself did not always
succeed; and we need not wonder if, in proportion as the glory of God is more
fully displayed, Satan rages the more violently in his members and
instruments.
Because he not only had broken the
Sabbath. When the Evangelist says that
the Jews were hostile to Christ,
because he had broken the
Sabbath, he speaks according to the
opinion which they had formed; for I have already showed that the state of the
case was quite the contrary. The principal cause of their wrath was, that
he called God his
Father. And certainly Christ intended
that it should be understood that God was his Father in a peculiar sense,
so as to distinguish himself from the ordinary rank of other men.
He made himself equal to
God, when he claimed for himself
continuance in working; and Christ is so far from denying this,
that he confirms it more distinctly. This refutes the madness of the Arians, who
acknowledged that Christ is God, but did not think that he is equal to
the Father, as if in the one and simple essence of God there could be any
inequality.
19.
Jesus therefore
answered. We see what I have said, that
Christ is so far from vindicating himself from what the Jews asserted, though
they intended it as a calumny, that he maintains more openly that it is true.
And first he insists on this point, that the work which the Jews cavilled at was
a divine work, to make them understand that they must fight with God himself, if
they persist in condemning what must necessarily be ascribed to him. This
passage was anciently debated in various ways between the orthodox Fathers
and the Arians. Arius inferred from it that the Son is inferior to the Father,
because he can do nothing of himself The Fathers replied that these words
denote nothing more than the distinction of the person, so that it might be
known that Christ is from the Father, and yet that he is not deprived of
intrinsic power to act. But both parties were in the wrong. For the discourse
does not relate to the simple Divinity of Christ, and those statements which we
shall immediately see do not simply and of themselves relate to the eternal Word
of God, but apply only to the Son of God, so far as he is manifested in the
flesh.
Let us therefore keep Christ before our eyes, as he
was sent into the world by the Father to be a Redeemer. The Jews beheld in him
nothing higher than human nature, and, therefore, he argues that, when he cured
the diseased man, he did it not by human power, but by a Divine power which was
concealed under his visible flesh. The state of the case is this. As they,
confining their attention to the appearance of the flesh, despised Christ, he
bids them rise higher and look at God. The whole discourse must be referred to
this contrast, that they err egregiously who think that they have to do with a
mortal man, when they accuse Christ of works which are truly divine. This is his
reason for affirming so strongly that in this work, there is no difference
between him and his Father.
|
JOHN
5:20-24
|
|
20. For the Father loveth the Son, and showeth
him all things which he doeth; and he will show him greater works than these,
that you may wonder. 21. For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and
quickeneth them; so also the Son quickeneth whom he will. 22. For the
Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment to the Son; 23.
That all men may honor the Son, as they honor the Father: he who honoureth not
the Son honoureth not the Father who sent him. 24. Verily, verily, I say
to you, That he who heareth my word, and believeth in him who sent me, hath
eternal life, and shall not come into condemnation, but hath passed from death
to life.
|
20.
For the Father loveth the
Son. Every body sees how harsh and
far-fetched is the exposition of this passage which is given by the Fathers.
“God,” they say, “loves himself in the
Son.” But this statement applies beautifully to Christ as clothed with
flesh, that he is beloved by the Father. What is more, we know that it is by
this excellent title that he is distinguished both from angels and from men,
This is my beloved Son,
(<400317>Matthew
3:17.) For we know that Christ was chosen, that the whole love of God might
dwell in him, and might flow from him to us as from a full fountain. Christ is
loved by the Father, as he is the Head of the Church. He shows that this love is
the cause why the Father does all things by his hand. For when he says that the
Father SHOWTH to
him this word must be understood to
denote communication, as if he had said, “As the Father hath given to me
his heart, so he hath poured out his power on me, that the Divine glory may
shine in my works, and — what is more — that men may seek nothing
Divine but what they find in me.” And, indeed, out of Christ it will be in
vain to seek the power of God.
He will show him greater works than
these. By these words he means that the
miracle, which he had performed in curing the man, was not the greatest of the
works enjoined on him by the Father; for he had only given in it a slight taste
of that grace of which he is properly both minister and Author; namely, to
restore life to the world.
That you may
wonder. By adding these words, he
indirectly charges them with ingratitude in despising so illustrious a
demonstration of the power of God; as if he had said, “Though you
are dull and stupid, yet the works which God shall afterwards perform by me will
draw you, however reluctantly, into admiration.” Yet this appears not to
have been fulfilled, for we know that seeing, they saw not;
as Isaiah also says that the reprobate are blind amidst the light of God. I
reply, Christ did not now speak of their disposition, but only threw out a
suggestion as to the splendor of the demonstration which he would soon
afterwards give that he was the Son of God.
21.
For as the Father raiseth up the dead.
Here he gives a summary view of the nature of the office which had been
given to him by the Father; for though he appears to specify one class, yet it
is a general doctrine in which he declares himself to be the Author of
life. Now life contains within itself not only
righteousness, but all the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and every part of our
salvation. And certainly this miracle must have been so remarkable a proof of
the power of Christ, as to yield this common fruit; that is, to open a door to
the Gospel. We ought also to observe in what manner Christ bestows life
upon us; for he found us all dead, and therefore it was necessary to begin with
a resurrection. Yet, when he joins the two words,
raiseth
up and
quickeneth,
he does not use superfluous language; for it would not have been enough that
we were rescued from death, if Christ did not fully and perfectly restore
life to us. Again, he does not speak of this life as bestowed
indiscriminately on all; for he says that he giveth life to whom he
will; by which he means that he specially confers this grace on none
but certain men, that is, on the elect.
22.
For the Father judgeth no
man. He now states more clearly the
general truth, that the Father governs the world in the person of the Son, and
exercises dominion by his hand; for the Evangelist employs the word
judgment,
agreeably to the idiom of the Hebrew language, as denoting authority
and power. We now perceive the amount of what is stated here,
that the Father hath given to the Son a kingdom, that he may govern heaven and
earth according to his pleasure. But this might appear to be very absurd, that
the Father, surrendering his right to govern, should remain unemployed in
heaven, like a private person. The answer is easy. This is said both in regard
to God and to men; for no change took place in the Father, when he appointed
Christ to be supreme King and Lord of heaven and earth; for he is in the Son,
and works in him. But since, when we wish to rise to God, all our senses
immediately fail, Christ is placed before our eyes as a lively image of the
invisible God. There is no reason, therefore, why we should toil to no purpose
in exploring the secrets of heaven, since God provides for our weakness by
showing himself to be near in the person of Christ; but, on the other hand,
whenever the inquiry relates to the government of the world, to our own
condition, to the heavenly guardianship of our salvation, let us learn to direct
our eyes to Christ alone, as all power is committed to him,
(<402818>Matthew
28:18,) and in his face God the Father, who would otherwise have been hidden and
at a distance, appears to us so that the unveiled majesty of God does not
swallow us up by its inconceivable brightness.
23.
That all men may honor the
Son. This clause sufficiently confirms
the suggestion which I threw out a little ago, that when it is said that God
reigns in the person of Christ, this does not mean that he reposes in heaven, as
indolent kings are wont to do, but because in Christ he manifests his power and
shows himself to be present. For what else is the meaning of these words,
that all men may honor the
Son, but that the Father wishes to be
acknowledged and worshipped in the Son? Our duty, therefore, is to seek God the
Father in Christ, to behold his power in Christ, and to worship him in Christ.
For, as immediately follows, he
who honoureth not the Son deprives God
of the honor which is due to him. All admit that we ought to worship God, and
this sentiment, which is natural to us, is deeply rooted in our hearts, so that
no man dares absolutely to refuse to God the honor which is due to him; yet the
minds of men lose themselves in going out of the way to seek God. Hence so many
pretended deities, hence so many perverse modes of worship. We shall never,
therefore, find the true God but in Christ, nor shall we ever worship Him aright
but by kissing the Son, as David tells us,
(<190212>Psalm
2:12;) for, as John elsewhere declares,
He who hath not the Son
hath not the Father,
(<620223>1
John 2:23.)
Mahometans and Jews do indeed adorn with beautiful
and magnificent titles the God whom they worship; but we ought to remember that
the name of God, when it is separated from Christ, is nothing else than a vain
imagination. Whoever then desires to have his worship approved by the true God,
let him not turn aside from Christ. Nor was it otherwise with the Fathers under
the Law; for though they beheld Christ darkly under shadows, yet never did God
reveal himself out of Christ. But now, since Christ has been manifested in the
flesh and appointed to be King over us, the whole world must bend the knee to
him, in order to obey God; for the Father having made him sit at his right hand,
he who forms a conception of God without Christ takes away the half of
him.
24.
He that heareth my
word. Here is described the way and
manner of honoring God, that no one may think that it consists solely in any
outward performance, or in frivolous ceremonies. For the doctrine of the Gospel
seems as a scepter to Christ, by which he governs believers whom the Father has
made his subjects. And this definition is eminently worthy of notice. Nothing is
more common than a false profession of Christianity; for even the Papists, who
are most inveterate enemies of Christ, do in the most presumptuous manner boast
of his name. But here Christ demands from us no other honor than to obey his
Gospel. Hence it follows, that all the honor which hypocrites bestow on Christ
is but the kiss of Judas, by which he betrayed his Lord. Though they may a
hundred times call him King, yet they deprive him of his kingdom and of all
power, when they do not exercise faith in the Gospel.
Hath eternal
life. By these words he likewise
commends the fruit of obedience, that we may be more willing to render it. For
who ought to be so hardened as not to submit willingly to Christ, when the
reward of eternal life is held out to him? And yet we see how few there are whom
Christ gains to himself by so great goodness. So great is our depravity that we
choose rather to perish of our own accord than to surrender ourselves to obey
the Son of God, that we may be saved by his grace. Both, therefore, are here
included by Christ — the robe of devout and sincere worship which he
requires from us, and the method by which he restores us to life. For it would
not be sufficient to understand what he formerly taught, that he came to
raise the dead, unless we also knew the manner in which he restores
us to life. Now he affirms that life is obtained by hearing his word, and
by the word hearing he means faith, as he immediately
afterwards declares. But faith has its seat not in the ears, but in the heart.
Whence faith derives so great power, we have formerly explained. We ought always
to consider what it is that the Gospel offers to us; for we need not wonder that
he who receives Christ with all his merits is reconciled to God, and acquitted
of the condemnation of death; and that he who has received the gift of the Holy
Spirit is clothed with a heavenly righteousness, that he may walk in newness
of life,
(<450606>Romans
6:6.) The clause which is added,
believeth on him who sent
him, serves to confirm the authority of
the Gospel: when Christ testifies that it came from God, and was not invented by
men, as he elsewhere says that what he speaks is not from himself,
but was delivered to him by the Father,
(<430716>John
7:16; 14:10.)
And shall not come into
condemnation. There is here an implied
contrast between the guilt to which we are all naturally liable, and the
unconditional acquittal which we obtain through Christ; for if all were not
liable to condemnation, what purpose would it serve to free from it those who
believe in Christ? The meaning therefore is, that we are beyond the danger of
death, because we are acquitted through the grace of Christ; and, therefore,
though Christ sanctifies and regenerates us, by his Spirit, to newness of life,
yet here he specially mentions the unconditional forgiveness of sins, in which
alone the happiness of men consists. For then does a man begin to live when he
has God reconciled to him; and how would God love us, if he did not pardon our
sins?
But hath
passed. Some Latin copies have this verb
in the future tense, WILL PASS from death to life; but this has
arisen from the ignorance and rashness of some person who, not understanding the
meaning of the Evangelist, has taken more liberty than he ought to have taken;
for the Greek word
metabe>bhke
(hath passed) has no ambiguity whatever. There is no
impropriety in saying that we have already passed from death to life;
for the incorruptible seed of life
(<600123>1
Peter 1:23) resides in the children of God, and they already sit in the heavenly
glory with Christ by hope,
(<510303>Colossians
3:3,) and they have the kingdom of God already established within
them,
(<421721>Luke
17:21.) For though their life be hidden, they do not on that
account cease to possess it by faith; and though they are besieged on every side
by faith, they do not cease to be calm on this account, that they know that they
are in perfect safety through the protection of Christ. Yet let us remember that
believers are now in life in such a manner that they always carry about with
them the cause of death; but the Spirit, who dwells in us, is life,
which will at length destroy the remains of death; for it is a
true saying of Paul, that
death is the last enemy
that shall be
destroyed,
(<461526>1
Corinthians 15:26.)
And, indeed, this passage contains nothing that
relates to the complete destruction of death, or the entire manifestation of
life. But though life be only begun in us, Christ declares that believers are so
certain of obtaining it, that they ought not to fear death; and we
need not wonder at this, since they are united to him who is the inexhaustible
fountain of life.
|
JOHN
5:25-29
|
|
25. Verily, verily, I say to you, That the
hour cometh, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God,
and they that hear shall live. 26. For as the Father hath life in
himself, so also hath he given to the Son to have life in himself. 27.
And he hath given him power to execute judgment also, because he is the Son
of man.
f100
28. Wonder not at this; for the hour cometh when all who are in the
graves shall hear his voice, 29. And they who have done good shall go
forth to the resurrection of life; and they who have done evil, to the
resurrection of condemnation.
|
25.
Verily,
verily. When the Evangelist represents
the Son of God as swearing so frequently in reference to our salvation, hence we
perceive, first, how eagerly he desires our welfare, and next, of how great
importance it is that the faith of the Gospel should be deeply fixed and
thoroughly confirmed. The statement has indeed some appearance of being
incredible, when we are told that this is the effect of the faith of which
Christ speaks; and therefore he confirms by an oath that the voice of his Gospel
has such power of giving life that it is powerful to raise the dead.
It is generally agreed that he speaks of spiritual death; for those who
refer it to Lazarus,
(<431144>John
11:44,) and to the widow’s son at Nain,
(<420715>Luke
7:15,) and similar instances, are refuted by what follows. First, Christ shows
that we are all
dead
before he quickens us; and hence it is evident what the whole nature of man
can accomplish towards procuring salvation.
When the Papists wish to set up their free-will, they
compare it to the Samaritan whom the robbers had left half-dead on the road,
(<421030>Luke
10:30;) as if by the smoke of an allegory they could darken a clear statement,
by which Christ declares that we are fully condemned to death. And indeed as we
have been, since the revolt of the first man, alienated from God through sin,
all who do not acknowledge that they are overwhelmed with everlasting
destruction do nothing else than deceive themselves by empty flatteries. I
readily acknowledge that in the soul of man there remains some remnant of life;
for understanding, and judgment, and will, and all our senses, are so many parts
of life; but as there is no part which rises to the desire of the heavenly life,
we need not wonder if the whole man, so far as relates to the kingdom of God, is
accounted dead. And this death Paul explains more fully when he says, that we
are alienated from the pure and sound reason of the understanding, that we are
enemies to God, and opposed to his righteousness, in every affection of our
heart; that we wander in darkness like blind persons, and are given up to wicked
lusts,
(<490201>Ephesians
2:1; 4:17.) If a nature so corrupted has no power to desire righteousness, it
follows that the life of God is extinguished in us.
Thus the grace of Christ is a true resurrection from
the dead. Now this grace is conferred on us by the Gospel; not that so much
energy is possessed by the external voice, which in many cases strikes the ears
to no purpose, but because Christ speaks to our hearts within by his Spirit,
that we may receive by faith the life which is offered to us. For he does not
speak indiscriminately of all the
dead, but means the elect only, whose
ears God pierces and opens, that they may receive the voice of his Son, which
restores them to life. This twofold grace, indeed, Christ expressly holds out to
us by his words, when he says,
The dead shall hear the voice of
the Son of God, and they who hear shall
live; for it is not less contrary to
nature that the dead should hear, than that they should be brought
back to the life which they had lost; and therefore both proceed from the secret
power of God.
The hour cometh, and now
is. He thus speaks of it as a thing
which had never before happened; and, indeed, the publication of the Gospel was
a new and sudden resurrection of the world. But did not the word of God always
give life to men? This question may be easily answered. The doctrine of the Law
and the Prophets was addressed to the people of God, and consequently must have
been rather intended to preserve in life those who were the children of God than
to bring them back from death. But it was otherwise with the Gospel, by which
nations formerly estranged from the kingdom of God, separated from God, and
deprived of all hope of salvation, were invited to become partakers of
life.
26.
For as the Father hath life
in himself. He shows whence his voice
derives such efficacy; namely, that he is the fountain
of
life, and by his voice pours it out on
men; for
life
would not flow to us from his mouth, if he had not in himself the cause and
source of it. God is said to have
life in himself, not only because he
alone lives by his own inherent power, but because, containing in himself the
fullness of
life, he communicates life to all
things. And this, indeed, belongs peculiarly to God, as it is said, With thee
is the fountain of life,
(<193609>Psalm
36:9.) But because the majesty of God, being far removed from us, would resemble
an unknown and hidden source, for this reason it has been openly manifested in
Christ. We have thus an open fountain placed before us, from which we may draw.
The meaning of the words is this: “God did not choose to have life hidden,
and, as it were, buried within himself, and therefore he poured it into his Son,
that it might flow to us.” Hence we conclude, that this title is strictly
applied to Christ, so far as he was manifested in the flesh.
27.
And hath given him power. He
again repeats that the Father hath given him dominion, that he may have full
power over all things in heaven and in the earth. The word
(ejxousi>a)
here denotes authority.
Judgment
is here put for rule and government, as if he had said, that the Father had
appointed him to be King, to govern the world, and exercise the power of the
Father himself.
Because he is the Son of
man. This reason, which is immediately
added, deserves particularly to be observed, for it means that he comes forth to
men, adorned with such magnificence of power, that he may impart to them what he
has received from the Father. Some think that this passage contains nothing else
than what is said by Paul, that Christ,
having been in the form of God emptied
himself by taking upon him the form of a servant, and humbled himself even to
the death of the cross; and therefore God hath exalted him, and given him a name
more illustrious than any name, that every knee may bow before him
(<502007>Philippians
2:7-10.)
But for my own part, I regard the meaning as more
extensive: that Christ, so far as he is man, was appointed by the Father to be
the Author of life, that it may not be necessary for us to go far to seek it;
for Christ did not receive it for himself, as if he needed it, but in order to
enrich us by his wealth. It may be summed up thus: “What had been hidden
in God is revealed to us in Christ as man, and life, which was
formerly inaccessible, is now placed before our eyes.” There are some who
separate this argument from its immediate connection, and join it to the
following clause; but this is a forced interpretation, and is at variance with
Christ’s meaning.
28.
Wonder not at
this. We may be apt to think that he
reasons inconclusively, in drawing from the last resurrection a confirmation of
what he had said; for it is not an instance of greater power to raise up bodies
than to raise up minds. I reply, it is not from the fact itself that he makes a
comparison between the greater and the less, but from the opinion of men; for,
being carnal, they admire nothing but what is outward and visible. Hence it
arises that they pass by the resurrection of the soul with little concern, while
the resurrection of the body excites in them greater admiration. Another effect
produced by this gross stupidity of ours is, that those things which are
perceived by the eyes have a more powerful influence in producing faith than
those which can be received by faith alone. As he mentions the last day, that
limitation — -and now is — is not again added, but he
simply declares that the time will one day arrive.
But another objection springs up; for though
believers expect the resurrection of bodies, yet they cannot rely on their
knowledge of it, so as to conclude that souls are now rescued from death,
because bodies will one day rise out of the graves. And among ungodly men,
f101
what would be reckoned more ridiculous than to prove a thing unknown (to use a
common phrase) by a thing less known? I reply, Christ here boasts of his power
over the reprobate, so as to testify that the Father has committed to him the
full restoration of all things; as if he had said, “What I now tell
you that I have commenced, I will one day finish before your eyes.” And,
indeed, when Christ now, by the voice of his Gospel, quickens souls which had
been sunk in perdition, it is a sort of preparation for the last resurrection.
Again, as he includes the whole human race, he immediately makes a distinction
between the elect and the reprobate. This division shows that the reprobate, as
they are now summoned by the voice of Christ to come to judgment, will also, by
the same voice, be dragged and brought to appear at his
tribunal.
But why does he mention those only who are shut
up in
graves, as if others would not be
partakers of the resurrection, whether they have been drowned, or devoured by
wild beasts, or reduced to ashes? The answer is, that as the dead are commonly
buried, by the figure of speech called synecdoche, he employs a
part to denote all who are already dead. And this is more emphatic than if he
had said simply, the dead; for those whom death already deprived
of life and light the grave withdraws, as it were, from the
world.
Shall hear his
voice. The voice of the Son means
the sound of the trumpet, which will sound at the command by the
power of Christ,
(<402431>Matthew
24:31;
<461552>1
Corinthians 15:52.) For though an angel will be a herald or forerunner,
(<520416>1
Thessalonians 4:16,) this does not hinder what is done by the authority of the
Judge, and as it were in his own person, from being ascribed to
himself.
29.
And they who have done good. He points
out believers by good works, as he elsewhere teaches that a tree is known by
its fruit,
(<400716>Matthew
7:16;
<420644>Luke
6:44.) He praises their
good
works, to which they have begun to devote themselves since they were called.
For the robber, to whom Christ on the cross
(<422342>Luke
23:42) promised life, and who had all his life been given up to crimes,
expresses a desire to do good with his latest breath; but as he is born again a
new man, and from being the slave of sin begins to be a servant of
righteousness, the whole course of his past life is not taken into account
before God. Besides, the sins themselves, on account of which believers every
day subject themselves to condemnation, are not imputed to them. For without the
pardon which God grants to those who believe in Him,
f102
there never was a man in the world of whom we can say that he has lived well;
nor is there even a single work that will be reckoned altogether good, unless
God pardon the sins which belong to it, for all are imperfect and corrupted.
Those persons, therefore, are here called doers of good works whom Paul
calls earnestly desirous or zealous of them,
(<560214>Titus
2:14.) But this estimate depends on the fatherly kindness of God, who by free
grace approves what deserved to be rejected.
The inference which the Papists draw from those
passages — that eternal life is suspended on the merits of works —
may be refuted without any difficulty. For Christ does not now treat of the
cause of salvation, but merely distinguishes the elect from the reprobate by
their own mark; and he does so in order to invite and exhort his own people to a
holy and blameless life. And indeed we do not deny that the faith which
justifies us is accompanied by an earnest desire to live well and righteously;
but we only maintain that our confidence cannot rest on any thing else than on
the mercy of God alone.
|
JOHN
5:30-32
|
|
30. I can do nothing of myself; as I hear, I
judge, and my judgment is just; because I seek not my own will, but the will of
my Father who sent me. 31. If I testify concerning myself, my testimony
is not true. 32. There is another who testifieth concerning me, and I
know that the testimony which he testifieth concerning me is
true.
|
30.
I can do nothing of
myself. It would be superfluous here to
enter into abstruse reasonings, whether the Son of God can do any thing of
himself or otherwise, so far as relates to his eternal Divinity; for he did
not intend to keep our minds employed about such trifles. Consequently there was
no reason why the ancients should have given themselves so much anxiety and
distress about refuting the calumny of Arius. That scoundrel gave out that the
Son is not equal to the Father because
he can do nothing of
himself. The holy men reply, that the
Son justly claims for himself all that can be ascribed to the Father, from whom
he takes his commencement, with respect to his person. But, in the first place,
Christ does not speak of his Divinity simply, but warns us that, so far as he is
clothed with our flesh, we ought not to judge of him from the outward
appearance, because he has something higher than man. Again, we ought to
consider with whom he has to deal. His intention was, to refute the Jews who
were endeavoring to contrast him with God. He therefore affirms that he does
nothing by human power, because he has for his guide and director God who dwells
in him.
We ought always to keep in remembrance that, whenever
Christ speaks concerning himself, he claims only that which belongs to man; for
he keeps his eye upon the Jews, who erroneously said that he was merely one of
the ordinary rank of men. For the same reason, he ascribes to the Father
whatever is higher than man. The word
judge
belongs properly to doctrine, but is intended also to apply to the whole of
his administration, as if he had said, that he acts by the Father’s
direction in all things, that the Father’s will is his rule, and therefore
that He will defend him against all adversaries.
f103
And my judgment is
just. He concludes that his actions and
sayings are beyond the risk of blame, because he does not allow himself to
attempt anything but by the command and direction of the Father; for it ought to
be regarded as beyond all controversy that whatever proceeds from God must be
right. This modesty ought to be held by us as the first maxim of piety, to
entertain such reverence for the word and works of God, that the name of God
would alone be sufficient to prove their justice and rectitude; but how few are
to be found who are ready to acknowledge that God is just, unless they are
compelled to do so! I acknowledge, indeed, that God demonstrates his
righteousness by experience; but to limit it to the perception of our flesh, so
as to have no opinion respecting it but what our own mind suggests, is wicked
and daring impiety. Let us, therefore, set it down as certain and undoubted,
that whatever is from God is right and true, and that it is impossible for God
not to be true in all his words, just and right in all his actions. We are
likewise reminded that the only rule for acting well is, to undertake nothing
but by the direction and commandment of God. And if after this the whole world
should rise against us, we shall still have this invincible defense, that he who
follows God cannot go astray.
Because I seek not my own
will. He does not here make his own will
and that of his Father to clash with each other, as if they were contrary
things, but only refutes the false opinion which they entertained, that he was
impelled by human presumption rather than guided by the authority of God. He
affirms, therefore, that he has no disposition which is peculiar to himself and
separate from the command of the Father.
31.
If I testify concerning
myself. He does not here take any thing
away from the credit due to his testimony, which he elsewhere asserts in strong
terms, but he speaks by way of concession; for Christ, having been in other
respects most abundantly supported, consents that they should not believe his
word. “If my testimony concerning myself,” says he, “is
suspected by you according to the ordinary custom of men, let it go for
nothing.” Now we know that what any man asserts about himself is not
reckoned to be true and authentic, although in other respects he speak truth,
because no man is a competent witness in his own cause. Though it would be
unjust to reduce the Son of God to this rank, yet he prefers to surrender his
right, that he may convince his enemies by the authority of
God.
|
JOHN
5:33-36
|
|
33. You sent to John, and he gave testimony to
the truth. 34. But I receive not testimony from man; but these things I
say that you may be saved. 35. He was a burning and shining lamp, and for
a time you were willing to amuse yourselves in his light. 36. But I have
greater testimony than that of John; for the works which my Father gave me to
perform, the very works which I do, testify concerning me that the Father hath
sent me.
|
33.
You sent to John.
Before producing the testimony of God, he
presses them with the answer of
John,
from which they could not honorably withhold their belief. For of what use
was it to send to him, if they did not intend to abide by his
words? They send to him as a Prophet of God, and thus they pretend that
his word will be regarded by them as an oracle. Now, though this implies another
admission in their favor, still Christ openly brings against them this charge,
that nothing but their own malice
f104
hinders them from believing. And, therefore, we see that this circumstance is
highly appropriate to the matter in hand, namely, that they sent to John, and
— as if their motive had been a desire to learn — inquired at him
who was the Messiah, and yet paid no attention to his reply.
34.
I receive not testimony from
men. Yet it was not in vain that God
chose Christ to be a witness to him, and Christ himself declares, on another
occasion, that the disciples
will be his witnesses. You shall be
witnesses to me, both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto
the uttermost part of the earth,
(<440108>Acts
1:8.)
I reply, Christ avails himself of
the
testimony of John, not because he needs
it, but so far as it is advantageous to us to receive from it some confirmation.
Men borrow
testimony
from one another, because they cannot dispense with that assistance. The
case is different with God and Christ. For if philosophers assert that virtue
has no need of foreign aid, what has man in himself to lend support to the truth
of God? And Christ immediately adds, that he produces the TESTIMONY of John on
their account: these things I say
that you may be saved. By this statement
he means that it is not so much from a regard to himself as from a desire to
promote the advantage of men, that he raises up the heralds of his Gospel by
whom he testifies to us concerning his will. In this we see also a striking
proof of his wonderful goodness, by which he regulates all things for our
salvation. It is therefore our duty, on the other hand, to strive that the great
care which he bestows in saving us may not be fruitless.
35.
He was a burning and shining
lamp. When he calls John
a burning
lamp, this proves their ingratitude; for
it follows that they are only blind, because they choose to be so, since God
kindled a
lamp
before their eyes. The meaning of the words therefore is, “God
did not intend that you should go astray; for he appointed John to be a
lamp,
that he might direct you by his brightness; and, therefore, when you do not
acknowledge me to be the Son of God, this arises from voluntary error.”
This is followed by another reproach, that not only did they shut their eyes,
and thus obstruct the entrance of the
light
which was offered to them, but they
intentionally abused it for the purpose of crushing Christ. For when they were
ready to applaud John beyond what he justly deserved, this arose from a wicked
and treacherous design not to give way to the Son of God.
And you were willing to amuse
yourselves in his light. This wicked
abuse of the heavenly
light
Christ elegantly compares to foolish mirth; as if the head of a family were
to light a
lamp
for his servants by night, that they might perform the duties which he had
enjoined on them, but they, instead of doing so, employed it for debauchery and
every kind of licentiousness. By these words Christ accuses the Jews, and at the
same time conveys to all of us a warning that, when God sends faithful teachers
to guide us in the right way, we should take care not to abuse them by wandering
in every direction. How useful this warning is, the experience of all ages
shows. God undertakes to direct men, throughout the whole course of their life,
to the final goal, and sends his prophets to be their guides. Yet such is the
madness of the folly of men that, instead of walking, they prefer to indulge in
wanton dancing, without making any progress; so light and unsteady are they
that, despising and rejecting his continued guidance, they are hurried away by
the sudden impulses of their passions.
For a
time, or, for an hour. By this term he
reproves them for their folly in thinking that wickedness of a transitory nature
and short duration can extinguish the light of God. Thus in our own day all
those faithful teachers whom God has given to his Church as burning lamps
are applied by the Papists to a contrary purpose; as if their intention
were, by looking at the light, to dazzle their eyes. And not only do they abuse
the lamps for extinguishing the light of God, but they often indulge in
foolish gaiety amidst the darkness, as when they rise against the pure doctrine
of the Gospel, and glory in the foolish sayings of their noisy declaimers. But
what Christ here asserts concerning John, Paul declares to be common to all
believers, because, having the word of life, they ought to give light to the
world, like torches. But Christ shows that it belongs strictly to the Apostles
and ministers of the Gospel to go before others and hold out the torch to guide
them;
f105
for though we are all blind, and in the midst of darkness, God shines upon us by
the light of his word. But here he peculiarly adorns John the Baptist with this
honorable designation, because by his ministry God shone on his Church with much
greater brightness.
36.
But I have greater testimony
than that of John. After having showed
that, in the person of John, the Jews had wickedly corrupted the gift of God, he
now repeats a second time what he had said, that he has no need of the
testimony of man, as if he had not enough of himself; although,
perceiving that they held his person in contempt, he sent them to his Father,
according to his custom.
For the works which the Father hath
given me to do. He holds out to
view two things, by which he was proved to be the Son of God. “My
Father,” says he, “attests by miracles that I am his Son;
and before I came into the world, he gave abundant testimony to me in the sacred
writings.” Let us always remember what object he has in view. He wishes to
be recognized as the Messiah promised by God, that he may be heard, and,
therefore, he maintains that he is now manifested to be such a person as
Scripture describes him. It may be asked, Are miracles sufficient to prove this;
for similar miracles had been already performed by the Prophets? I reply, those
miracles which God performed by the agency of the Prophets did not go beyond the
purpose for which they were intended, namely, to show that they were the
ministers of God, because they could in no other way obtain the authority due to
their office. But God intended to exalt his Son more highly, and this purpose of
God ought to be regarded by us as the design of miracles. Therefore, if the Jews
had not been prejudiced by malice and voluntarily shut their eyes, Christ might
easily have proved to them by his miracles who and what he was.
|
JOHN
5:37-40
|
|
37. And the Father who hath sent me, himself
hath testified concerning me; you have never heard his voice, or seen his shape.
38. And you have not his word abiding in you; for whom he hath sent, him
you believe not. 39. Search the Scriptures; for you think that you have
eternal life in them: and they are they which testify concerning me. 40.
And you will not come to me, that you may have life.
|
37.
And the Father who hath sent
me. To limit this statement, as some
have done,
f106
to the voice which was heard at his baptism,
(<400317>Matthew
3:17,) is a mistake; for he says in the past tense, that the Father
(memartu>rhke)
testified, in order to show that he did not come forward as an
unknown person, because the Father had long ago distinguished him by such
peculiar marks that, bringing them along with him, he might be recognized. I
explain, therefore, that God testified concerning his Son, whenever in past
times he held out to the ancient people the hope of salvation, or promised that
the kingdom of Israel would be fully restored. In this manner the Jews must have
formed an idea of Christ from the Prophets, before he was manifested in the
flesh. When having him before their eyes, they despise and therefore reject him,
they show plainly that they have no relish for the Law, with which Christ also
reproaches them; and yet they boasted of their knowledge of the Law, as if they
had been brought up in the bosom of God.
You have never heard his
voice. After having complained that they
do not receive him, Christ breaks out in still more severe language against
their blindness. When he says that
they had never heard the voice of
God, or seen his shape, these are
metaphorical expressions, by which he intends to state generally that they are
utterly estranged from the knowledge of God. For as men are made known by the
countenance and speech, so God utters his voice to us by the voice of the
Prophets, and, in the sacraments, takes, as it were, a visible form, from which
he may be known by us according to our feeble capacity. But he who does not
recognize God in his lively image, plainly shows by this very fact that he
worships no Deity but what he has himself contrived. For this reason Paul says,
that the Jews had a vail placed before their eyes, that they might
not perceive the glory of God in the face of Christ,
(<470314>2
Corinthians 3:14.)
38.
And you have not his word
abiding in you. This is the true
way of profiting, when the word of God takes root in us, so that, being
impressed on our hearts, it has its fixed abode there. Christ affirms that the
heavenly doctrine has no place among the Jews, because they do not receive the
Son of God, on whom it everywhere bestows commendation. And justly does
he bring this reproach against them; for it was not in vain that God spake by
Moses and the Prophets. Moses had no other intention than to invite all men to
go straight to Christ; and hence it is evident that they who reject Christ are
not the disciples of Moses. Besides, how can that man have the word of life
abiding in him who drives from him the life itself? How can that man keep
the doctrine of the Law who destroys the soul of the Law, as far as lies in his
power? For the Law without Christ is empty and has no solidity. Just in
proportion, therefore, as any man knows Christ, is the proficiency which he has
made in the word of God.
39.
Search the
Scriptures. We have said that the
statement which Christ formerly made — that he has the Father for a
witness in heaven — refers to Moses and the Prophets. Now follows a
clearer explanation; for he says that that testimony is to be found in
the
Scriptures. He again reproves them for
their foolish boasting, because, while they acknowledged that they had life
in the Scriptures, they perceived nothing in them but the dead
letter. For he does not absolutely blame them for seeking life
in the
Scriptures, since they were given to us
for that end and use, but because the Jews thought
that the
Scriptures gave them
life,
while they were widely opposed to its natural meaning, and — what is
worse — while they quenched the light of
life
which was contained in them; for how can the Law bestow life without Christ,
who alone gives life to it?
Again, we are taught by this passage, that if we wish
to obtain the knowledge of Christ,
f107
we must seek it from the
Scriptures; for they who imagine
whatever they choose concerning Christ will ultimately have nothing instead of
him but a shadowy phantom. First, then, we ought to believe that Christ cannot
be properly known in any other way than from
the
Scriptures; and if it be so, it follows
that we ought to read the
Scriptures with the express design of
finding Christ in them. Whoever shall turn aside from this object, though he may
weary himself throughout his whole life in learning, will never attain the
knowledge of the truth; for what wisdom can we have without the wisdom of God?
Next, as we are commanded to seek Christ in the Scriptures, so he
declares in this passage that our labors shall not be fruitless; for the Father
testifies in them concerning his Son in such a manner that He will manifest him
to us beyond all doubt. But what hinders the greater part of men from profiting
is, that they give to the subject nothing more than a superficial and cursory
glance. Yet it requires the utmost attention, and, therefore, Christ enjoins us
to
search
diligently for this hidden treasure. Consequently, the deep abhorrence of
Christ which is entertained by the Jews, who have the Law constantly in their
hands, must be imputed to their indolence. For the lustre of the glory of God
shines brightly in Moses, but they choose to have a vail to obscure that lustre.
By the
Scriptures, it is well known, is here
meant the Old Testament; for it was not in the Gospel that Christ first began to
be manifested, but, having received testimony from the Law and the Prophets, he
was openly exhibited in the Gospel.
40.
And you will not come to
me. He again reproaches them that it is
nothing but their own malice that hinders them from becoming partakers of the
life offered in the Scriptures; for when he says that they
will
not, he imputes the cause of their
ignorance and blindness to wickedness and obstinacy. And, indeed, since he
offered himself to them so graciously, they must have been willfully blind; but
when they intentionally fled from the light, and even desired to extinguish the
sun by the darkness of their unbelief, Christ justly reproves them with greater
severity.
|
JOHN
5:41-47
|
|
41. I receive not glory from men. 42.
But I know you, that you have not the love of God in you. 43. I come in
the name of my Father, and you do not receive me; if another come in his own
name, him you will receive. 44. How can you believe, who receive glory
from each other, and seek not the glory which cometh from God alone? 45.
Think not that I shall accuse you to the Father; it is Moses in whom you trust,
that accuseth you. 46. For if you believed Moses, you would also believe
me; for he wrote concerning me. 47. But if you do not believe his
writings, how shall you believe my words?
|
41.
I receive not glory from
men. He proceeds in his reproof; but
that he may not be suspected of pleading his own cause, he begins by saying that
he does not care for the glory of
men, and that it gives him no concern or
uneasiness to see himself despised; and, indeed, he is too great to depend on
the opinions of men, for the malignity of the whole world can take nothing from
him, or make the slightest infringement on his high rank. He is so eager to
refute their calumny that he exalts himself above men. Afterwards, he enters
freely into invectives against them, and charges them with contempt and hatred
of God. And though, in regard to honorable rank, there is an immense distance
between Christ and us, still we ought boldly to despise the opinions of men. We
ought, at least, to guard most zealously against being excited to anger, when we
are, despised; but, on the contrary, let us learn never to kindle into
indignation, except when men do not render to God the honor due to Him. Let our
souls be burned and tortured by this holy jealousy, whenever we see that the
world is so ungrateful as to reject God.
42.
That you have not the love of God in you. The love of
God is here put for all religious
feelings; for no man can love
God without beholding him with
admiration and submitting entirely to his authority; as, on the other hand, when
the love of
God does not prevail, there can be no
desire to obey him. That is the reason why Moses gives this as the summary or
recapitulation
(ajnakefalai>wsiv)
of the Law:
thou shalt love the Lord
thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might,
(<050605>Deuteronomy
6:5.)
43.
I have come in my Father’s name.
The false prophets do indeed boast of this title, as the Pope, in the
present day, boasts with open mouth that he is Christ’s Deputy or
Vicar; and under this very disguise has Satan deceived wretched
men from the beginning. But Christ here means the reality, and not a
hypocritical pretense; for when he testifies that he has come
in his Father’s
name, he means not only that the
Father has sent him, but that he faithfully executes the commission which
he has received. By this mark he distinguishes the lawful teachers of the Church
from spurious and pretended teachers. This passage, therefore, teaches that we
ought boldly to reject all who exalt themselves, and, in their own name, claim
authority over souls; for he who is desirous to be reckoned a servant of God
ought to have nothing separate from God. Now, if the whole doctrine of the Pope
be examined, even the blind will see that he has come in his own name.
f108
If another come in his own name,
him you will receive. That the Jews
do not love God, and have no reverence for him, Christ proves by
this argument, that they will eagerly receive the false prophets, while they
refuse to obey God; for he takes for granted, that it is a sign of a wicked and
ungodly mind, when men disregard truth and willingly assent to falsehoods. If it
be objected that this is generally done rather through ignorance than through
malice, the answer is easy. No man is exposed to the impostures of Satan, except
so far as, through some wicked disposition, he prefers falsehood to truth. For
how comes it that we are deaf when God speaks,
f109
and that Satan finds us ready and active, but because we are averse to
righteousness, and of our own accord desire iniquity? Though it ought to be
observed that here Christ speaks chiefly of those whom God peculiarly
enlightened, as he bestowed on the Jews this privilege, that, having been
instructed in his Law, they might keep the right way of salvation. It is certain
that such persons lend an ear to false teachers for no other reason than because
they wish to be deceived. Accordingly, Moses says that, when false prophets
arise, this is intended to prove and try the people if they love the Lord
their God, (Deuteronomy 13:3.) In many persons, no doubt, there
appears to be an innocent and guileless simplicity,
f110
but their eyes are undoubtedly blinded by the hypocrisy which lurks within their
minds. For it is certain that God never shuts the door to those who knock,
(<400708>Matthew
7:8,) never disappoints those who sincerely pray to him,
(<234519>Isaiah
45:19.) Justly, therefore, does Paul ascribe it to the vengeance of God, when
the power of deceiving is given to Satan,
that they who have rejected the truth,
and taken pleasure in unrighteousness, may believe a lie, and says that they
perish who did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be
saved,
(<530209>2
Thessalonians 2:9, 12.)
In this manner is discovered the hypocrisy of many
who, devoted to the impostures and wicked superstitions of the Pope, burn with
envenomed rage against the Gospel; for if they had hearts disposed to the fear
of God, that fear would likewise produce obedience.
44.
How can you
believe? As it might be thought harsh to
say that those who were from their childhood the trained disciples of the Law
and the Prophets, should be charged with such gross ignorance and declared to be
enemies of the truth, and as this might even be thought to be incredible, Christ
shows what it is that hinders them from believing. It is because ambition has
deprived them of sound judgment; for he speaks, in a peculiar manner, to the
priests and scribes, who, swelled with pride, could not obey God. This is a
remarkable passage, which teaches that the gate of faith is shut against all
whose hearts are preoccupied by a vain desire of earthly glory. For he who
wishes to be somebody in the world must become wandering and unsteady, so that
he will have no inclination towards God. Never is a man prepared to obey the
heavenly doctrine, until he is convinced that his principal object, throughout
his whole life, ought to be, that he may be approved by God.
But it may be thought that the wicked confidence, by
which hypocrites exalt themselves in the presence of God, is a greater obstacle
than worldly ambition; and we know that this was also a disease with which the
scribes were deeply infected. The answer is easy; for Christ intended to tear
from them the false mask of sanctity, by which they deceived the ignorant
multitude. He therefore points, as with the finger, to the grosser vice, by
which it may be made manifest to all that nothing is farther from their true
character than what they wished to be reckoned. Besides, though hypocrisy exalts
itself against God, still, in the world and before men, it is always ambitious;
nay, more, it is this vanity alone that swells us with false presumption, when
we rely more on our own judgment, and that of others, than on the judgment of
God. He who in reality presents himself before God as his Judge, must, of
necessity, fall down humbled and dismayed, and finding nothing in himself on
which he can place reliance.
f111
So, then, in order that any man may seek glory from God alone, he must be
overwhelmed with shame, and flee to the undeserved mercy of God. And, indeed,
they who look to God see that they are condemned and ruined, and that nothing is
left to them in which they can glory but the grace of Christ. The desire of such
glory will always be attended by humility.
So far as relates to the present passage,
Christ’s meaning is, that there is no other way in which men can be
prepared for receiving the doctrine of the Gospel, than by withdrawing all their
senses from the world, and turning them to God alone, and seriously considering
that it is with God that they have to do, that, forgetting the flatteries by
which they are accustomed to deceive themselves, they may descend into their own
consciences. We need not wonder, therefore, if the Gospel in the present day
find so few persons willing to be taught, since all are carried away by
ambition. Nor need we wonder if many apostatize from the profession of the
Gospel, for they are hurried away by their own vanity and fly off. So much the
more earnestly ought we to seek this one thing, that, while we are mean and
despised in the eyes of the world, and even overwhelmed within ourselves, we may
be reckoned among the children of God.
45.
Think not that I shall accuse
you to the Father. This is the way in
which we ought to deal with obstinate and hardened persons, when they learn
nothing by instruction and friendly warnings. They must be summoned to the
judgment-seat of God. There are few persons, indeed, who openly mock God, but
there are very many who, believing that God, whom they oppose as enemies,
is gracious to them, amuse themselves at their ease with empty flatteries. Thus,
in the present day, our Giants,
f112
though they wickedly trample under foot the whole doctrine of Christ,
haughtily plume themselves on being the intimate friends of God. For who will
persuade the Papists that Christianity exists anywhere else than among them?
Such were the scribes, with whom Christ is here disputing. Though they were the
greatest despisers of the Law, yet they boasted of Moses in lofty terms, so that
they did not hesitate to make use of him as a shield in opposing Christ. If he
had threatened that he would be a powerful and formidable adversary to them, he
knew that this would have been treated with the utmost contempt; and, therefore,
he threatens that an accusation, drawn up by Moses, will be preferred against
them.
Moses, in whom you
trust. There are some who think, that
Christ here points out the distinction between his own office and that of Moses,
because it belongs to the Law to convict men of being unbelievers. But this is a
mistake; for Christ did not intend that, but only intended to shake off the
confidence of hypocrites, who falsely boasted of entertaining reverence for
Moses; just as if a person in the present day, in order to foil the Papists with
their own weapon,
f113
were to say, that they will find no enemies more decidedly opposed to them than
the holy doctors of the Church, under whose authority they falsely and wickedly
take shelter.
f114
Let us also learn from it, that we ought not to glory in the Scriptures without
a good reason; for if we do not honor the Son of God by the true obedience of
faith, all whom God hath raised up to be his witnesses will rise up against us
as accusers at the last day. When he says, that they
trust in
Moses, he does not accuse them of
superstition, as if they ascribed to Moses the cause of their salvation; but his
meaning is, that they do wrong in relying on the protection of Moses, as if they
had him to defend their wicked obstinacy.
46.
For if you believed Moses,
you would also believe me. He shows why
Moses will be their accuser. It is because they do not reject his doctrine. We
know that it is impossible to offer a greater insult to the servants of God than
when their doctrine is despised or reproached. Besides, those whom the Lord has
appointed to be ministers of his word, ought to be ready to defend it against
despisers;
f115
and therefore, he gave to all his prophets a twofold commission, that they might
teach and instruct for the salvation of believers, and that, one day, they might
confound the reprobate by their testimony.
For he wrote concerning
me. When Christ says, that
Moses wrote concerning
him, this needs no long proof with those
who acknowledge that Christ is the end and soul of the Law. But if any person be
not satisfied with this, and desire to have the passages pointed out to him, I
would advise him, first, to read carefully the Epistle to the Hebrews, with
which also agrees Stephen’s sermon, in the seventh chapter of the Acts of
the Apostles; and, next, to observe the quotations which Paul applies to his
purpose. I acknowledge, indeed, that there are few in which Moses expressly
mentions Christ; but what was the use of the tabernacle, and sacrifices, and all
the ceremonies, but to be figures drawn in conformity to that first pattern
which was showed to him in the mountain?
(<022540>Exodus
25:40;
<580805>Hebrews
8:5.) Thus, without Christ, the whole ministry of Christ vanishes. Again, we see
how he continually reminds the people of the covenant of the Fathers which had
been ratified in Christ, and even how he makes Christ to be the principal
subject and foundation of the covenant. Nor was this unknown to the holy
Fathers, who had always their eyes fixed on the Mediator. To treat the subject
more largely, would be inconsistent with the brevity at which I
aim.
47.
But if you do not believe his
writings. Christ appears here to claim
less authority for himself than for Moses; and yet we know that heaven and
earth have been shaken by the voice of the Gospel,
(<581226>Hebrews
12:26.) But Christ accommodates his discourse to those to whom he speaks; for
the authority of the Law was, beyond all controversy, held sacred among the
Jews; and thus it was impossible that Christ should be inferior to Moses. To the
same purpose is the contrast between writings and words;
for he shows their unbelief to be more aggravated, because the truth of God,
recorded in an authentic form, has no authority with them.
CHAPTER 6
|
JOHN
6:1-13
|
|
1. Afterwards, Jesus went across the sea of
Galilee, which is called (the sea) of Tiberias. 2. And a great multitude
followed him, because they had seen his miracles, which he performed on those
who were diseased. 3. And Jesus went up into a mountain, and there sat
down with his disciples. 4. And the passover, a feast of the Jews, was at
hand. 5. Jesus therefore, lifting up his eyes, and seeing that a great
multitude came to him, saith to Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that those
men may eat? 6. (Now he said this, trying him; for he himself knew what
he would do.) 7. Philip answered him, Two hundred denarii of bread is not
sufficient for them, that each of them may take a little. 8. One of his
disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, saith to him, 9. There is
here a boy, who hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes; but what are
these among so many? 10. And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. (Now
there was much grass in that place.) The men therefore sat down, in number about
five thousand. 11. And Jesus took the loaves, and, having given thanks,
distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those who had sat down,
and likewise of the fishes, as much as they wished. 12. And after they
were satisfied, he said to his disciples, Gather the fragments which are left,
that nothing may be lost. 13. They therefore gathered, and filled twelve
baskets with the fragments of the five loaves which were left by those who had
eaten.
|
1.
Afterwards, Jesus
went. Although John was accustomed to
collect those actions and sayings of Christ, which the other three Evangelists
had omitted, yet in this passage, contrary to his custom, he repeats the history
of a miracle which they had related. But he does so for the express purpose of
passing from them to Christ’s sermon, which was delivered next day at
Capernaum, because the two things were connected; and therefore this narrative,
though the other three Evangelists have it in common with him, has this
peculiarity, that it is directed to another object, as we shall see. The other
Evangelists
(<401413>Matthew
14:13;
<410632>Mark
6:32;
<420910>Luke
9:10) state that this happened shortly after the death of John the Baptist, by
which circumstance of time they point out the cause of Christ’s departure;
for when tyrants have once imbrued their hands in the blood of the godly, they
kindle into greater cruelty, in the same manner as intemperate drinking
aggravates the thirst of drunkards. Christ therefore intended to abate the rage
of Herod by his absence. He uses the
term, Sea of
Galilee, as meaning the lake of
Gennesareth. When he adds that it was called the
Sea of
Tiberias, he explains more fully the
place to which Christ withdrew; for the whole lake did not bear that name, but
only that part of it which lay contiguous to the bank on which
Tiberias
was situated.
2.
And a great multitude
followed him. So great ardor in
following Christ arose from this, that, having beheld his power in miracles,
they were convinced that he was some great prophet, and that he had been sent by
God. But the Evangelist here omits what the other three relate, that Christ
employed a part of the day in teaching and in healing the sick, and that, when
the sun was setting, his disciples requested him to send away the
multitudes,
(<401413>Matthew
14:13, 14;
<410634>Mark
6:34, 35;
<420911>Luke
9:11, 12;) for he reckoned it enough to give the substance of it in a few words,
that he might take this opportunity of leading us on to the remaining statements
which immediately follow.
Here we see, in the first place, how eager was the
desire of the people to hear Christ, since all of them, forgetting themselves,
take no concern about spending the night in a desert place. So
much the less excusable is our indifference, or rather our sloth, when we are so
far from preferring the heavenly doctrine to the gnawings of hunger, that the
slightest interruptions immediately lead us away from meditation on the heavenly
life. Very rarely does it happen that Christ finds us free and disengaged from
the entanglements of the world. So far is every one of us from being ready to
follow him to a desert mountain, that scarcely one in ten can endure to receive
him, when he presents himself at home in the midst of comforts. And though this
disease prevails nearly throughout the whole world, yet it is certain that no
man will be fit for the kingdom of God until, laying aside such delicacy, he
learn to desire the food of the soul so earnestly that his belly shall not
hinder him.
But as the flesh solicits us to attend to its
conveniences, we ought likewise to observe that Christ, of his own accord, takes
care of those who neglect themselves in order to follow him.
f116
For he does not wait till they are famished, and cry out that they are perishing
of hunger, and have nothing to eat, but he provides food for them before they
have asked it. We shall perhaps be told that this does not always happen, for we
often see that godly persons, though they have been entirely devoted to the
kingdom of God, are exhausted and almost fainting with hunger. I reply, though
Christ is pleased to try our faith and patience in this manner, yet from heaven
he beholds our wants, and is careful to relieve them, as far as is necessary for
our welfare; and when assistance is not immediately granted, it is done for the
best reason, though that reason is concealed from us.
3.
Jesus therefore went up into a mountain.
Christ unquestionably sought a place of retirement till the feast of the
Passover; and therefore it is said that he
sat down on a mountain with his
disciples. Such was undoubtedly the
purpose which he formed as man; but the purpose of God was different, which he
willingly obeyed. Although, therefore, he avoided the sight of men, yet he
permits himself to be led by the hand of God as into a crowded theater; for
there was a larger assembly of men in a desert mountain than in any
populous city, and greater celebrity arose from the miracle than if it had
happened in the open market-place of Tiberias. We are therefore
taught by this example to form our plans in conformity to the course of events,
but in such a manner that, if the result be different from what we expected, we
may not be displeased that God is above us, and regulates everything according
to his pleasure.
5.
He saith to Philip. What we here read as
having been said to
Philip alone, the other Evangelists tell
us, was said to all. But there is no inconsistency in this; for it is probable
that
Philip
spoke according to the opinion entertained by all, and, therefore, Christ
replies to him in particular; just as John, immediately afterwards, introduces
Andrew as speaking, where the other Evangelists attribute the discourse to all
alike. Perceiving that they have no conception of an extraordinary remedy, he
then arouses their minds, which may be said to be asleep, so that they may, at
least, have their eyes open to behold what shall be immediately exhibited to
them. The design of all that is alleged by the disciples is, to persuade Christ
not to detain the people; and, perhaps, in this respect they consult their
private advantage, that a part of the inconvenience may not fall upon
themselves. Accordingly, Christ disregards their objections, and proceeds in his
design.
7.
Two hundred
denarii. As the
denarius, according to the computation of Budaeus,
is equal to four times the value of a carolus and two deniers
of Tours, this sum amounts to thirty-five francs, or
thereby.
f117
If you divide this sum among five
thousand men, each hundred of them will
have less than seventeenpence sterling.
f118
If we now add about a thousand of
women and
children, it will be found that
Philip allots to each person about the sixth part of an English penny,
f119
to buy a little
bread. But, as usually happens in a
great crowd, he probably thought that there was a greater number of people
present; and as the disciples were poor and ill supplied with money,
Andrew
intended to alarm Christ by the greatness of
the sum, meaning that they were not wealthy enough to entertain so many
people.
10.
Make the men sit
down. That the disciples were not sooner
prepared to cherish the hope which their Master held out, and did not remember
to ascribe to his power all that was proper, was a degree of stupidity worthy of
blame; but no small praise is due to their cheerful obedience in now complying
with his injunction, though they know not what is his intention, or what
advantage they will derive from what they are doing. The same readiness to obey
is manifested by the people; for, while they are uncertain about the result,
they all sit down as soon as a single word of command has been pronounced. And
this is the trial of true faith, when God commands men to walk, as it were, in
darkness. For this purpose let us learn not to be wise in ourselves, but, amidst
great confusion, still to hope for a prosperous issue, when we follow the
guidance of God, who never disappoints his own people.
11.
After having given
thanks. Christ has oftener than once
instructed us by his example that, whenever we take food, we ought to begin with
prayer. For those things which God has appointed for our use, being evidences of
his infinite goodness and fatherly love towards us, call on us to offer praise
to Him; and thanksgiving, as Paul informs us, is a kind of solemn
sanctification, by means of which the use of them begins to be
pure to us,
(<540404>1
Timothy 4:4.) Hence it follows, that they who swallow them down without thinking
of God, are guilty of sacrilege, and of profaning the gifts of God. And this
instruction is the more worthy of attention, because we daily see a great part
of the world feeding themselves like brute beasts. When Christ determined that
the bread given to the disciples should grow among their hands, we are taught by
it that God blesses our labor when we are serviceable to each
other.
Let us now sum up the meaning of the whole miracle.
It has this in common with the other miracles, that Christ displayed in it his
Divine power in union with beneficence, It is also a confirmation to us of that
statement by which he exhorts us to seek the kingdom of God,
promising that all other things shall be added to us,
(<400633>Matthew
6:33.) For if he took care of those who were led to him only by a sudden
impulse, how would he desert us, if we seek him with a firm and steady purpose?
True, indeed, he will sometimes allow his own people, as I have said, to suffer
hunger; but he will never deprive them of his aid; and, in the meantime, he has
very good reasons for not assisting us till matters come to an
extremity.
Besides, Christ plainly showed that he not only
bestows spiritual life on the world, but that his Father commanded him also to
nourish the body. For abundance of all blessings is committed to his hand, that,
as a channel, he may convey them to us; though I speak incorrectly by calling
him a channel, for he is rather the living fountain flowing from
the eternal Father. Accordingly, Paul prays that all blessings may come to us
from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, in
common,
(<460103>1
Corinthians 1:3;) and, in another passage, he shows that
in all things we ought to
give thanks to God the Father, through our Lord Jesus Christ,
(<490520>Ephesians
5:20.)
And not only does this office belong to his eternal
Divinity, but even in his human nature, and so far as he has taken upon him our
flesh,
f120
the Father has appointed him to be the dispenser, that by his hands he may feed
us. Now, though we do not every day see miracles before our eyes, yet not less
bountifully does God display his power in feeding us. And indeed we do not read
that, when he wished to give a supper to his people, he used any new means; and,
therefore, it would be an inconsiderate prayer, if any one were to ask that meat
and drink might be given to him by some unusual method.
Again, Christ did not provide great delicacies for
the people, but they who saw his amazing power displayed in that supper, were
obliged to rest satisfied with barley-bread and fish without sauce.
f121
And though he does not now satisfy
five thousand men with five
loaves, still he does not cease to feed
the whole world in a wonderful manner. It sounds to us, no doubt, like a
paradox, that
man liveth not by bread
alone, but by the word which proceedeth out of the mouth of God,
(<050803>Deuteronomy
8:3.)
For we are so strongly attached to outward means,
that nothing is more difficult than to depend on the providence of God. Hence it
arises that we tremble so much, as soon as we have not bread at hand. And if we
consider every thing aright, we shall be compelled to discern the blessing of
God in all the creatures which serve for our bodily support;
f122
but use and frequency lead us to undervalue the miracles of nature. And yet, in
this respect, it is not so much our stupidity as our malignity that hinders us;
for where is the man to be found who does not choose to wander astray in his
mind, and to encompass heaven and earth a hundred times, rather than look at God
who presents himself to his view?
13.
And filled twelve
baskets. When
four thousand
men were fed by
seven
loaves, Matthew relates that the number
of baskets filled with fragments was exactly the same with the number of the
loaves,
(<401537>Matthew
15:37.) Since, therefore, a smaller quantity is sufficient for a greater number
of men, and since the quantity left is nearly double, hence we see more clearly
of what value is that blessing of God, against the sight of which we
deliberately shut our eyes. We ought also to observe, in passing, that though
Christ commands them to fill the baskets for illustrating the miracle,
yet he likewise exhorts his disciples to frugality, when he says,
Gather the fragments which are
left, that nothing may be lost; for the
increase of the bounty of God ought not to be an excitement to luxury. Let
those, therefore, who have abundance, remember that they will one day render an
account of their immoderate wealth, if they do not carefully and faithfully
apply their superfluity to purposes which are good, and of which God
approves.
|
JOHN
6:14-21
|
|
14. Those men, therefore, when they saw the
miracle which Jesus had performed, said, This is truly the Prophet who is to
come into the world. 15. And when Jesus knew that they would come and
take him by force, to make him a king, he again withdrew alone into a mountain.
16. And when it was evening, his disciples went down to the sea.
17. And having entered into a ship, they came across the sea into
Capernaum; and it was now dark, and Jesus had not come to them. 18. And
the sea arose by means of a great wind that blew. 19. When therefore they
had rowed about five-and-twenty or thirty furlongs, they see Jesus walking on
the sea; and when he approached the ship,
f123
they were terrified. 20. But he saith to them, It is I, be not terrified.
21. They were willing, therefore, to receive him into the ship; and
immediately the ship reached the place to which they were
going.
|
14.
Those men,
therefore. The miracle appears to have
been attended by some advantage, that they acknowledge the author of it to be
the Messiah; for Christ had no other object in view. But immediately they apply
to a different and improper purpose the knowledge which they have obtained
concerning Christ. And it is a fault extremely common among men, to corrupt and
pervert his truth by their falsehoods, as soon as he has revealed himself to
them; and even when they appear to have entered into the right path, they
immediately fall away.
15.
To make him a
king. When those men intended to give to
Christ the title and honor of king, there was some ground for what they did. But
they erred egregiously in taking upon themselves the liberty of making a
king; for Scripture ascribes this as peculiar to God alone, as it is
said,
I have appointed my king
on my holy hill of
Zion,
(<190206>Psalm
2:6.)
Again, what sort of kingdom do they contrive
for him? An earthly one, which is utterly inconsistent with his person. Hence
let us learn how dangerous it is, in the things of God, to neglect His word, and
to contrive anything of our own opinion; for there is nothing which the foolish
subtlety of our understanding does not corrupt. And what avails the pretense of
zeal, when by our disorderly worship we offer a greater insult to God than if a
person were expressly and deliberately to make an attack on his
glory?
We know how furious were the efforts of adversaries
to extinguish the glory of Christ. That violence, indeed, reached its extreme
point when he was crucified. But by means of his crucifixion salvation was
obtained for the world,
f124
and Christ himself obtained a splendid triumph over death and Satan. If he had
permitted himself to be now made
a king, his spiritual kingdom would have
been ruined, the Gospel would have been stamped with everlasting infamy, and the
hope of salvation would have been utterly destroyed. Modes of worship regulated
according to our own fancy, and honors rashly contrived by men, have no other
advantage than this, that they rob God of his true honor, and pour upon him
nothing but reproach.
And take him by
force. We must also observe the phrase,
take by
force. They wished to take Christ by
force, the Evangelist says; that is, with impetuous violence they
wished to make him a
king, though against his will. If we
desire, therefore, that he should approve of the honor which we confer upon him,
we ought always to consider what he requires. And, indeed, they who venture to
offer to God honors invented by themselves are chargeable with using some sort
of force and violence towards him; for obedience is the foundation of true
worship. Let us also learn from it with what reverence we ought to abide by the
pure and simple word of God; for as soon as we turn aside in the smallest
degree, the truth is poisoned by our leaven, so that it is no longer like
itself. They learned from the word of God that he who was promised to be the
Redeemer would be a
king; but out of their own head they
contrive an earthly kingdom, and they assign to him a kingdom
contrary to the word of God. Thus, whenever we mix up our own opinions with the
word of God, faith degenerates into frivolous conjectures. Let believers,
therefore, cultivate habitual modesty, lest Satan hurry them into an ardor of
inconsiderate and rash zeal,
f125
so that, like the Giants, they shall rush violently against God,
who is never worshipped aright but when we receive him as he presents himself to
us.
It is astonishing that
five thousand
men should have been seized with such
daring presumption, that they did not hesitate, by making a new king,
to provoke against themselves Pilate’s army and the vast power
f126
of the Roman empire; and it is certain that they would never have gone so far,
if they had not, relying on the predictions of the Prophets, hoped that God
would be on their side, and, consequently, that they would overcome. But still
they went wrong in contriving a kingdom of which the Prophets had never
spoken. So far are they from having the hand of God favorable to aid their
undertaking that, on the contrary, Christ withdraws. That was also the reason
why wretched men under Popery wandered so long in gross darkness — while
God was, as it were, absent — because they had dared to pollute the whole
of his worship by their foolish inventions.
f127
16.
His disciples went
down. Christ undoubtedly intended to
conceal himself until the crowd should disperse. We know how difficult it is to
allay a popular tumult. Now, if they had openly attempted to do what they had
intended, it would have been no easy matter afterwards to wipe off the stain
which had once been fixed upon him. Meanwhile, he spent all that time in prayer,
as the other Evangelists
(<401423>Matthew
14:23;
<410646>Mark
6:46) relate; probably, that God the Father might repress that folly of the
people.
f128
As to his crossing the lake in a miraculous manner, it is intended to profit his
disciples by again confirming their faith. The advantage extended still farther;
for next day all the people would easily see that he had not been brought
thither by a boat or ship,
f129
but that he had come by his own power; for they blockaded the shore from which
he had to set out, and would scarcely have been drawn away from it, if they had
not seen the disciples cross to a different place.
17.
It was now
dark. John passes by many circumstances
which the other Evangelists introduce; such as, that for several hours they
struggled with a contrary wind; for it is probable that the storm arose
immediately after the night began to come on; and they tell us that Christ did
not appear to his disciples till about the fourth watch of the night,
(<401428>Matthew
14:28;
<410648>Mark
6:48.) Those who conjecture that they were still about the middle of the lake
when Christ appeared to them, because John says that
they had then advanced about
twenty-five or thirty furlongs, are led
into a mistake by supposing that they had sailed to the farther or opposite
bank; for Bethsaida, near which town, Luke tells us, the miracle was performed,
(<420910>Luke
9:10,) and Capernaum, which the ship reached,
(<430616>John
6:16,) were situated on the same coast.
Pliny, in his fifth book, states that this lake was
six miles in breadth, and sixteen in length. Josephus (in the third book of the
Wars of the Jews) assigns to it one hundred furlongs in length, and forty in
breadth;
f130
and as eight furlongs make one mile, we may easily infer how little the one
description differs from the other. So far as relates to the present sailing, my
opinion is, that they did not go over so great a space by direct sailing, but
through being driven about by the tempest.
f131
However that may be, the Evangelist intended to show that, when Christ presented
himself to them, they were in the utmost danger. It may be thought strange that
the disciples should be tormented in this manner, while others had nothing to
disturb them in sailing; but in this manner the Lord often makes his people fall
into alarming dangers, that they may more plainly and familiarly recognize him
in their deliverance.
19.
They were
terrified. The other Evangelists explain
the cause of that fear to have been, that they thought that it was an
apparition,
(<401426>Matthew
14:26;
<410649>Mark
6:49.) Now it is impossible not to be seized with consternation and dread, when
an apparition is presented before our eyes; for we conclude that it is
either some imposture of Satan, or some bad omen which God sends us. Besides,
John here holds out to us, as in a mirror, what kind of knowledge of Christ we
may obtain without the word, and what advantage may be reaped from that
knowledge. For if he present a simple demonstration of his divinity, we
immediately fall into our imaginations, and every person forms an idol for
himself instead of Christ. After we have thus wandered in our understanding,
this is immediately followed by trembling and a confused terror of heart. But
when he begins to speak, we then obtain from his voice clear and solid
knowledge, and then also joy and delightful peace dawn upon our minds. For there
is great weight in these words:
20.
It is I: be not
terrified. We learn from them that it is
in Christ’s presence alone that we have abundant grounds of confidence, so
as to be calm and at ease. But this belongs exclusively to the disciples of
Christ; for we shall afterwards see that wicked men were struck down by the same
words, It is
I,
(<431806>John
18:6.) The reason of the distinction is, that he is sent as a Judge to the
reprobate and unbelievers for their destruction; and, therefore, they cannot
bear his presence without being immediately overwhelmed. But believers, who know
that he is given to them to make propitiation, as soon as they hear his name,
which is a sure pledge to them both of the love of God and of their salvation,
take courage as if they had been raised from death to life, calmly look at the
clear sky, dwell quietly on earth, and, victorious over every calamity, take him
for their shield against all dangers. Nor does he only comfort and encourage
them by his word, but actually removes also the cause of the terror by allaying
the tempest.
|
JOHN
6:22-25
|
|
22. Next day, the multitude standing on the
other side of the sea, when they saw that there was no other ship there but only
that into which his disciples had entered, and that Jesus had not entered into
the ship with his disciples, but that his disciples had gone away alone;
23. And other ships came from Tiberias, near the place where they had
eaten bread, after that the Lord had given thanks. 24. When therefore the
multitude saw that Jesus was not there, nor his disciples, they also entered
into the ships, and came to Capernaum, seeking Jesus. 25. And having
found him on the opposite side of the sea, they said to him, Rabbi, when camest
thou hither?
|
22.
Next
day. Here the Evangelist relates
circumstances from which the multitude might conclude that Christ had gone
across by divine power. There had been but one ship; they see it go away without
Christ; next day, ships come from other places, by which they are conveyed to
Capernaum; and there they find Christ. It follows that he must have been
conveyed across in a miraculous manner. There is an intricacy and apparent
confusion
(ajnako>louqon)
in the words, but still the meaning of them is plain enough; for, in the
22nd verse, John says that there had been but one ship, and that
all saw it leave the shore and that place, and that it had not Christ as a
passenger; and, in the 23rd verse, he adds that
ships came from
Tiberias, by which the multitude passed
over, which had remained on the shore, blockading, as it were, every outlet,
that Christ might not escape.
23.
Near the place where they
had eaten bread. The meaning of the
words is doubtful; for they may be explained, either that Tiberias was
near the place
where Christ had fed them with five
loaves, or that the ships reached the shore which was near and below that place.
I approve more highly of the latter exposition; for Bethsaida, near which Luke
states that the miracle was performed, is half-way between Tiberias and
Capernaum. Accordingly, when ships came down from that place, which was farther
up the lake, they sailed along that shore on which the multitude were standing;
and there can be no doubt that they came to land for the purpose of taking in
passengers.
After that the Lord had given
thanks. When John again mentions that
Christ gave
thanks, it is not a superfluous
repetition; for he means that Christ obtained by prayer that those few loaves
were sufficient for feeding so many people; and as we are cold and indolent in
prayer, he presses upon us the same thing a second time.
25.
On the other side of the sea. We have
already said that Capernaum was not situated on the opposite shore; for Tiberias
is situated on that part of the lake where it is broadest, Bethsaida follows
next, and Capernaum lies near the lowest part, not far from where the river
Jordan issues from the lake. Now, when John places it
on the other side of the
lake itself, we must not understand him
as if its position were directly across, but because, at the lower extremity,
the lake made a large winding, and, on account of the bay that intervened, it
was impossible to go by land without a very circuitous journey. The Evangelist
therefore says, on the other side
of the sea, adopting the mode of
expression used by the common people, because the only direct and ordinary mode
of conveyance was by a boat.
|
JOHN
6:26-29
|
|
26. Jesus answered them, and said, Verily,
verily, I say to you, You seek me, not because you saw miracles, but because you
ate of the loaves, and were satisfied. 27. Labour for food, not that
which perisheth, but the food which endureth to eternal life, which the Son of
man shall give to you; for him hath God the Father sealed. 28. They said
therefore to him, What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?
29. Jesus answered and said to them, This is the work of God, that you may
believe in him whom he hath sent.
|
26.
Jesus answered
them. Christ does not reply to the
question put to him, which would have been fitted to show to them his power in
having come thither by a miracle.
f132
But, on the contrary, he chides them for throwing themselves forward without
consideration; for they were not acquainted with the true and proper reason of
what he did, because they sought in Christ something else than Christ himself.
The fault which he complains of in them is, that they seek Christ for the sake
of the belly and not of the miracles. And yet it cannot be denied
that they looked to the
miracle; nay more, the Evangelist has
already told us that they were excited by the miracles to follow Christ. But
because they abused the miracles for an improper purpose, he justly reproaches
them with having a greater regard to the belly than to miracles. His meaning
was, that they did not profit by the works of God as they ought to have done;
for the true way of profiting would have been to acknowledge Christ as the
Messiah in such a manner as to surrender themselves to be taught and governed by
him, and, under his guidance, to aspire to the heavenly kingdom of God. On the
contrary, they expect nothing greater from him than to live happily and at ease
in this world. This is to rob Christ of his chief power; for the reason why he
was given by the Father and revealed himself to men is, that he may form them
anew after the image of God by giving them his Holy Spirit, and that he may
conduct them to eternal life by clothing them with his
righteousness.
It is of great importance, therefore, what we keep in
view in the miracles of Christ; for he who does not aspire to the kingdom of
God, but rests satisfied with the conveniences of the present life, seeks
nothing else than to fill his belly. In like manner, there are many persons in
the present day who would gladly embrace the gospel, if it were free from the
bitterness of the cross, and if it brought nothing but carnal pleasures. Nay,
we see many who make a Christian profession, that they may live in greater
gaiety and with less restraint. Some through the expectation of gain, others
through fear, and others for the sake of those whom they wish to please, profess
to be the disciples of Christ. In seeking Christ, therefore, the chief point is,
to despise the world and
seek the kingdom of God
and his
righteousness,
(<400633>Matthew
6:33.)
Besides, as men very generally impose on themselves,
and persuade themselves that they are seeking Christ in the best manner, while
they debase the whole of his power, for this reason Christ, in his usual manner,
doubles the word
verily,
as if by the oath he intended to bring to light the vice which lurks under
our hypocrisy.
27.
Labour for food, not that
which perisheth. He shows to what object
our desires ought to be directed, namely, to eternal life; but because, in
proportion as our understandings are gross, we are always devoted to
earthly things, for this reason he corrects that disease which is natural to
us, before he points out what we ought to do. The simple doctrine would
have been, “Labour to have the incorruptible food;” but,
knowing that the senses of men are held bound by earthly cares, he first enjoins
them to be loosed and freed from those cords, that they may rise to heaven. Not
that he forbids his followers to labor that they may procure daily food; but he
shows that the heavenly life ought to be preferred to this earthly life, because
the godly have no other reason for living here than that, being sojourners in
the world, they may travel rapidly towards their heavenly
country.
Next, we ought to see what is the present question;
for, since the power of Christ is debased by those who are devoted to the belly
and to earthly things, he argues what we ought to seek in him, and why we ought
to seek it. He employs metaphors adapted to the circumstances in which his
sermon was delivered. If food had not been mentioned, he would have said,
without a figure, “You ought to lay aside anxiety about the world, and
strive to obtain the heavenly life.” But as those men were running to
their fodder like cattle, without looking to anything better,
f133
Christ presents his sermon in a metaphorical dress, and gives the name of
food
to everything that belongs to newness of life. We know that our souls are fed by
the doctrine of the gospel, when it is efficacious in us by the power of the
Spirit; and, therefore, as faith is the life of the soul, all that nourishes and
promotes faith is compared to
food.
Which endureth to eternal
life. This kind of food he calls
incorruptible, and says that it
endureth to eternal
life, in order to inform us that our
souls are not fed for a day, but are nourished in the expectation of a blessed
immortality; because the Lord
commences the work of our
salvation, that he may perform it till the day of Christ,
(<500106>Philippians
1:6.)
For this reason we must receive the gifts of the
Spirit, that they may be earnests and pledges of eternal life. For,
though the reprobate, after having tasted this food, frequently reject it,
so that it is not permanent in them, yet believing souls feel that enduring
power, when they are made partakers of the power of the Holy Spirit in his
gifts, which is not of short duration, but, on the contrary, never
fails.
It is a frivolous exercise of ingenuity to infer, as
some do, from the word labor
or work, that we merit eternal
life by our works; for Christ metaphorically exhorts men, as we have said, to
apply their minds earnestly to meditation on the heavenly life, instead of
cleaving to the world, as they are wont to do; and Christ himself removes every
doubt, when he declares that it is he who giveth the food; for
what we obtain by his gift no man procures by his own industry. There is
undoubtedly some appearance of contradiction in these words; but we may easily
reconcile these two statements, that the spiritual food of the soul is the free
gift of Christ, and that we must strive with all the affections of our heart to
become partakers of so great a blessing.
For him hath God the Father
sealed. He confirms the preceding
statement, by saying that he was appointed to us for that purpose by the Father.
The ancient writers have misinterpreted and tortured this passage, by
maintaining that Christ is said to be
sealed,
because he is the stamp and lively image of the Father. For he does not here
enter into abstruse discussions about his eternal essence, but explains what he
has been commissioned and enjoined to do, what is his office in relation to us,
and what we ought to seek and expect from him. By an appropriate metaphor, he
alludes to an ancient custom; for
they
sealed with signets what they intended
to sanction by their authority. Thus Christ — that it may not appear as if
he claimed anything of himself, or by private authority
f134
— declares that this office was enjoined on him by the Father, and that
this decree of the Father was manifested, as if a seal had been engraven
on him. It may be summed up thus: As it is not every person who has the ability
or the right
f135
to feed souls with incorruptible food, Christ appears in public, and, while he
promises that he will be the Author of so great a blessing, he likewise adds
that he is approved by God, and that he has been sent to men with this mark,
which is, as it were, God’s seal or signet.
f136
Hence it follows that the desire of those who shall
present their souls to Christ, to be fed by him, will not be disappointed. Let
us know, therefore, that life is exhibited to us in Christ, in order that each
of us may aspire to it, not at random, but with certainty of success. We are, at
the same time, taught that all who bestow this praise on any other than Christ
are guilty of falsehood before God. Hence it is evident that the Papists, in
every part of their doctrine, are altogether liars; for as often as they invent
any means of salvation in the room of Christ, so often do they — by
erasing, as it were, the impression which has been made — spoil and
deface, with wicked presumption and base treachery, this seal of God,
which alone is authentic. That we may not fall into so dreadful a condemnation,
let us learn to keep pure and entire for Christ all that the Father has given to
him.
28.
What shall we do, that we may work the works of
God? The multitude understood well
enough that Christ had exhorted them to aim at something higher than the
conveniences of the present life, and that they ought not to confine their
attention to the earth, since God calls them to more valuable blessings. But, in
putting this question, they are partly mistaken by not understanding the kind of
labor; for they do not consider that God bestows upon us, by the
hand of the Son, all that is necessary for spiritual life. First, they ask
what they ought to do; and next, when they use the expression,
the works of
God, they do not understand what they
say, and talk without any definite object.
f137
In this manner they manifest their ignorance of the grace of God. And yet they
appear here to murmur disdainfully against Christ, as if he were accusing them
groundlessly. “Dost thou suppose,” say they, “that
we have no solicitude about eternal life? Why, then, dost thou enjoin us to
do what is beyond our power?” By
the works of
God we must understand those which God
demands, and of which he approves.
29.
The work of God is
this. They had spoken of
works. Christ reminds them of one work, that is, faith;
by which he means that all that men undertake without faith is vain
and useless, but that faith alone is sufficient, because
this
alone does God require from us, that we believe. For there is
here an implied contrast between faith and the works and efforts
of men; as if he had said, Men toil to no purpose, when they endeavor to please
God without faith, because, by running, as it were, out of the
course, they do not advance towards the goal. This is a remarkable passage,
showing that, though men torment themselves wretchedly throughout their whole
life, still they lose their pains, if they have not faith in Christ as
the rule of their life. Those who infer from this passage that faith is
the gift of God are mistaken; for Christ does not now show what God produces in
us, but what he wishes and requires from us.
But we may think it strange that God approves of
nothing but faith alone; for the love of our neighbor ought not to be
despised, and the other exercises of religion do not lose their place and honor.
So then, though faith may hold the highest rank, still other works are
not superfluous. The reply is easy; for faith does not exclude either the
love of our neighbor or any other good work, because it contains them all within
itself. Faith is called
the only work of
God, because by means of it we possess
Christ, and thus become the sons of God, so that he governs us by his Spirit. So
then, because Christ does not separate faith from its fruits, we need not
wonder if he make it to be the first and the last.
f138
That you believe in him whom he
hath sent. What is the import of the
word believe, we have explained under the Third Chapter. It ought
always to be remembered that, in order to have a full perception of the power of
faith, we must understand what Christ is, in whom we
believe, and why he was given to us by the Father. It is idle
sophistry, under the pretext of this passage, to maintain that we are justified
by works, if faith justifies, because it is likewise called a work.
First, it is plain enough that Christ does not speak with strict accuracy,
when he calls faith a work, just as Paul makes a comparison
between the law of faith and the law of works,
(<450327>Romans
3:27.) Secondly, when we affirm that men are not justified by works,
we mean works by the merit of which men may obtain favor with God.
Now faith brings nothing to God, but, on the contrary, places man before
God as empty and poor, that he may be filled with Christ and with his grace. It
is, therefore, if we may be allowed the expression, a passive work, to which no
reward can be paid, and it bestows on man no other righteousness than that which
he receives from Christ.
|
JOHN
6:30-33
|
|
30. They said therefore to him, What sign
doest thou then, that we may see and believe thee? What dost thou work?
f139
31. Our fathers ate manna in the wilderness, as it is written, He gave
them bread of heaven to eat,
(<021615>Exodus
16:15;
<197824>Psalm
78:24.) 32. Jesus therefore said to them, Verily, verily, I say to you,
Moses gave you not bread from heaven, but my Father giveth you the true bread
from heaven.
f140
33. For the bread of God is this which hath come down from heaven, and
giveth life to the world.
|
30.
What sign doest
thou? This wickedness abundantly proves
how truly it is said elsewhere, This wicked generation seeketh a sign,
(<401239>Matthew
12:39.) They had been at first drawn to Christ by the admiration of his miracles
or
signs,
and afterwards, through amazement at a new
sign,
they acknowledged Christ to be the Messiah, and, with that conviction,
wished to make him a king; but now they demand
a
sign from him, as if he were a man
unknown to them. Whence came such sudden forgetfulness, but because they are
ungrateful to God, and, through their own malice, are blind to his power, which
is before their eyes? Nor can it be doubted that they treat disdainfully all the
miracles which they had already beheld, because Christ does not comply with
their wishes, and because they do not find him to be what they imagined him to
be. If he had given them expectation of earthly happiness, he would have been
highly applauded by them; they would undoubtedly have hailed him as a Prophet,
and the Messiah, and the Son of God; but now, because he blames them for being
too much addicted to the flesh, they think that they ought not to listen to him
any more. And in the present day, how many are there who resemble them! At
first, because they promise to themselves that Christ will flatter their vices,
they eagerly embrace the gospel, and call for no proof of it; but when they are
called to deny the flesh and to bear the cross, then do they begin to renounce
Christ and ask whence the gospel came. In short, as soon as Christ does not
grant their prayers, he is no longer their Master.
31.
Our fathers ate manna in the
wilderness. Thus we see that Christ put
his finger on the sore, when he told them that they came like brute beasts to
fill their belly; for they discover this gross disposition, when they demand a
Messiah by whom they are to be fed. And as to the magnificent terms in which
they extol the grace of God in
the
manna, they do this cunningly, in order
to bury the doctrine of Christ, by which he condemned them for immoderate desire
of corruptible food; for they contrast with it the magnificent title bestowed on
the
manna,
when it is called heavenly bread. But when the Holy Spirit
bestows on the
manna
the honorable appellation of the bread of heaven,
(<197824>Psalm
78:24,) it is not with this intention, as if God fed his people, like a herd of
swine, and gave them nothing more valuable; and, therefore, they are without
excuse, when they wickedly reject the spiritual food of the soul, which God now
offers to them.
32.
Verily, verily, I say to you, Moses gave you not bread from
heaven. Christ appears to contradict
what was quoted from the psalm, but he speaks only by comparison. The manna
ˆm
is called the bread of heaven, but it is for the nourishment of
the body; but the
bread which ought truly and properly to
be reckoned heavenly, is that which gives spiritual nourishment to
the soul. Christ therefore makes a contrast here between the world and heaven,
because we ought not to seek the incorruptible life but in the kingdom of
heaven. In this passage, truth is not contrasted with shadows,
as is often done elsewhere; but Christ considers what is
the
true life of man, or, in other words,
what it is that makes him different from brute beasts, and excellent among the
creatures.
My Father giveth you the true bread
from heaven. When he adds these words,
the meaning is,” The manna
which Moses gave to your fathers did not
bring heavenly life, but now heavenly life is truly exhibited to
you.” True, it is the
Father
whom he calls the giver of this bread, but he means that it is
given by his own hand. Thus the contrast relates, not to Moses and God, but to
Moses and Christ. Now, Christ represents his Father rather than himself as the
Author of this gift, in order to procure for himself deeper reverence; as if he
had said, “Acknowledge me to be the minister of God, by whose hands
he wishes to feed you to eternal life.” But, again, this appears to
be inconsistent with the doctrine of Paul, who calls the manna —
spiritual food,
(<461003>1
Corinthians 10:3.) I reply, Christ speaks according to the capacity of those
with whom he has to deal, and this is not uncommon in Scripture. We see how
variously Paul speaks about circumcision. When he writes about the ordinance, he
calls it the seal of faith,
(<450411>Romans
4:11;) but when he has to contend with false apostles, he calls it rather a seal
of cursing, and that by taking it with the qualities which they ascribed to it,
and according to their opinion.
f141
Let us consider what was the objection made against Christ, namely, that he did
not prove himself to be the Messiah, if he did not supply his followers with
bodily food. Accordingly, he does not inquire what it was that was prefigured by
the
manna,
but maintains that the
bread with which
Moses
fed their bellies was not
true bread.
33.
For the bread of
God. Christ reasons negatively from the
definition to the thing defined, in this manner:
“The heavenly bread
is that which hath come down from heaven to give life to the
world. In the manna there was
nothing of this sort; and, therefore, the manna was not the heavenly
bread.” But, at the same time, he confirms what he formerly
said, namely, that he is sent by the Father, in order that he may feed men in a
manner far more excellent than Moses. True, the manna came down
from the visible heaven, that is, from the clouds; but not
from the eternal kingdom of God, from which life flows to us. And the Jews, whom
Christ addresses, looked no higher than that the bellies of their fathers were
well stuffed and fattened in the wilderness.
What he formerly called
the bread of
heaven, he now calls
the bread of
God; not that the bread which supports
us in the present life comes from any other than God, but because that alone can
be reckoned the bread of
God
f142
which quickens souls to a blessed immortality. This passage teaches that the
whole world is dead to God, except so far as Christ quickens it, because life
will be found nowhere else than in him.
Which hath come down from
heaven. In the
coming down from
heaven two things are worthy of
observation; first, that we have a Divine life in Christ, because he has come
from God to be the Author of life to us; secondly, that the heavenly life is
near us,
so that we do not need to
fly above the clouds or to cross the sea,
(<053012>Deuteronomy
30:12, 13;
<451006>Romans
10:6-8;)
for the reason why Christ descended to us was,
that no man could ascend above.
|
JOHN
6:34-40
|
|
34. They said therefore to him, Lord, give us
always this bread. 35. Jesus said to them, I am the bread of life; he
that cometh to me shall never hunger, and he that believeth in me shall never
thirst. 36. But I have told you that you have also seen me and do not
believe. 37. All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that
cometh to me I will not cast out; 38. For I came down from heaven, not to
do my own will, but the will of him who sent me. 39. And this is the will
of the Father who sent me, that of all that he hath given me I should lose
nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. 40. And this is
the will of him who sent me, that whosoever seeth the Son, and believeth in him,
shall have everlasting life, and I will raise him up at the last
day.
|
34.
Give us always this
bread. There is no doubt that they speak
ironically, to accuse Christ of vain boasting, when he said that he was able to
give the bread of life.
Thus wretched men, while they reject the
promises of God, are not satisfied with this evil alone, but put Christ in their
room, as if he were chargeable with their unbelief.
35.
I am the bread of
life. First, he shows that
the
bread, which they asked in mockery, is
before their eyes; and, next, he reproves them. He begins with doctrine, to make
it more evident that they were guilty of ingratitude. There are two parts of the
doctrine; for he shows whence we ought to seek
life,
and how we may enjoy it. We know what gave occasion to Christ to use those
metaphors; it was because manna and daily food had been mentioned. But
still this figure is better adapted to teach ignorant persons than a simple
style. When we eat bread
for the nourishment of the body, we see more
clearly not only our own weakness, but also the power of divine grace, than if,
without,
bread,
God were to impart a secret power to nourish the body itself. Thus, the
analogy which is traced between the body and the soul, enables us to perceive
more clearly the grace of Christ. For when we learn that
Christ is the
bread by which our souls must be fed,
this penetrates more deeply into our hearts than if Christ simply said that
he is our life.
It ought to be observed, however, that the word
bread
does not express the quickening power of Christ so fully as we feel it; for
bread
does not commence
life,
but nourishes and upholds that
life
which we already possess. But, through the kindness of Christ, we not only
continue to possess life, but have the beginning of life, and therefore the
comparison is partly inappropriate; but there is no inconsistency in this, for
Christ adapts his style to the circumstances of the discourse which he formerly
delivered. Now the question had been raised, Which of the two was more eminent
in feeding men, Moses or Christ himself? This is also the reason why he calls it
bread
only, for it was only the manna that they objected to him, and,
therefore, he reckoned it enough to contrast with it a different kind of
bread.
The simple doctrine is, “Our souls do not live by an intrinsic
power, so to speak, that is, by a power which they have naturally in themselves,
f143
but borrow
life from
Christ.”
He who cometh to
me. He now defines the way of taking
this food; it is when we receive Christ by faith. For it is of no avail to
unbelievers that Christ is the
bread of life, because they remain
always empty; but then does Christ become our
bread,
when we come to him as hungry persons, that he may fill us. To come to
Christ and to believe mean, in this passage, the same thing; but the
former word is intended to express the effect of faith, namely, that it is in
consequence of being driven by the feeling of our hunger that we fly to Christ
to seek life.
Those who infer from this passage that to eat
Christ is faith, and nothing else, reason inconclusively. I
readily acknowledge that there is no other way in which we eat Christ
than by believing; but the eating is the effect and fruit
of faith rather than faith itself. For faith does not look at Christ only
as at a distance, but embraces him, that he may become ours and may dwell in us.
It causes us to be incorporated with him, to have life in common with him, and,
in short, to become one with him,
(<431721>John
17:21.) It is therefore true that by faith alone we eat Christ, provided we also
understand in what manner faith unites us to him.
Shall never
thirst. This appears to be added without
any good reason; for the office of bread is not to quench
thirst,
but to allay hunger. Christ therefore attributes to
bread
more than its nature allows. I have already said, that he employs the word
bread
alone because it was required by the comparison between the manna and
the heavenly power of Christ, by which our souls are sustained in life. At the
same time, by the word bread, he means in general all that
nourishes us, and that according to the ordinary custom of his nation. For the
Hebrews, by the figure of speech called synecdoche, use the word bread
for dinner or supper; and when we ask from God our
daily bread,
(<400611>Matthew
6:11,) we include drink and all the other parts of life. The meaning therefore
is, “Whoever shall betake himself to Christ, to have life from him, will
want nothing, but will have in abundance all that contributes to sustain
life.”
36.
But I have told
you. He now reproves them for wickedly
rejecting the gift of God, which is offered to them. Now, that man is chargeable
with wicked contempt of God, who rejects what he knows that God has given him.
If Christ had not made known his power, and plainly showed that he came from
God, the plea of ignorance might have alleviated their guilt; but when they
reject the doctrine of him whom they formerly acknowledged to be the
Lord’s Messiah, it is extreme baseness. It is no doubt true, that men
never resist God purposely, so as to reflect that they have to do with God; and
to this applies the saying of Paul,
They would never have
crucified the Lord of glory, if they had known him
(<460208>1
Corinthians 2:8.)
But unbelievers, because they willingly shut their
eyes against the light are justly said to see that which immediately vanishes
from their sight, because Satan darkens their understandings. This, at least, is
beyond all controversy, that when he said that they saw, we must
not understand him to mean his bodily appearance, but rather that he describes
their voluntary blindness, because they might have known what he was, if their
malice had not prevented them.
37.
All that the Father giveth
me. That their unbelief may not detract
anything from his doctrine, he says, that the cause of so great obstinacy is,
that they are reprobate, and do not belong to the flock of God. His intention,
therefore, in distinguishing here between the elect and the reprobate is, that
the authority of his doctrine may remain unimpaired, though there are many who
do not believe it. For, on the one hand, ungodly men calumniate and utterly
despise the word of God, because they are not moved by reverence for it; and, on
the other hand, many weak and ignorant persons entertain doubts whether that
which is rejected by a great part of the world be actually the word of God.
Christ meets this offense, when he affirms, that all those who do not believe
are not his own, and that we need not wonder if such persons have no relish for
the word of God, but that it is embraced by all the children of God. In the
first place, he says, that all
whom the Father giveth him come to him;
by which words he means, that faith is not a thing which depends on the will
of men, so that this man and that man indiscriminately and at random believe,
but that God elects those whom he hands over, as it were, to his Son; for when
he says, that whatever is given
cometh, we infer from it, that all do
not come. Again, we infer, that God works in his elect by such an efficacy of
the Holy Spirit, that not one of them falls away; for the word give has
the same meaning as if Christ had said, “Those whom the Father hath chosen
he regenerates, and gives to me, that they may obey the
Gospel.”
And him that cometh to me I will
not cast out. This is added for the
consolation of the godly, that they may be fully persuaded that they have free
access to Christ by faith, and that, as soon as they have placed themselves
under his protection and safeguard, they will be graciously received by him.
Hence it follows, that the doctrine of the Gospel will be salutary to all
believers, because no man becomes a disciple of Christ who does not, on the
other hand, feel and experience him to be a good and faithful
teacher.
38.
For I came down from
heaven. This is a confirmation of the
preceding statement, that we do not seek Christ in vain. For faith is a work of
God, by which he shows that we are his people, and appoints his Son to be the
protector of our salvation. Now the Son has no other design than to fulfill the
commands of his Father. Consequently, he will never reject those whom his Father
hath sent. Hence, finally, it follows, that faith will never be useless. As to
the distinction which Christ makes between his own will and the will of the
Father, in this respect, he accommodates himself to his hearers, because, as the
mind of man is prone to distrust, we are wont to contrive some diversity which
produces hesitation. To cut off every pretense for those wicked imaginations,
Christ declares, that he has been manifested to the world, in order that he may
actually ratify what the Father hath decreed concerning our
salvation.
39.
And this is the will of the
Father. He now testifies, that this is
the design of the Father, that believers may find salvation secured in Christ;
from which again it follows, that all who do not profit by the doctrine of the
Gospel are reprobate. Wherefore, if we see that it turns to the ruin of many, we
have no reason to despond, because those men willingly draw down the evil on
themselves. Let us rest satisfied with this, that the Gospel will always have
power to gather the elect to salvation.
That I should lose none of
it. That is, “That I should not
suffer it to be taken from me or perish;” by which he means, that he is
not the guardian of our salvation for a single day, or for a few days, but that
he will take care of it to the end, so that he will conduct us, as it were, from
the commencement to the termination of our course; and therefore he mentions the
last resurrection. This promise is highly necessary for us, who miserably groan
under so great weakness of the flesh, of which every one of us is sufficiently
aware; and at every moment, indeed, the salvation of the whole world might be
ruined, were it not that believers, supported by the hand of Christ, advance
boldly to the day of resurrection. Let this, therefore, be fixed in our minds,
that Christ has stretched out his hand to us, that he may not desert us in the
midst of the course, but that, relying on his goodness, we may boldly raise our
eyes to the last day.
There is also another reason why he mentions the
resurrection. It is because, so long as our life is hidden,
(<510303>Colossians
3:3,) we are like dead men. For in what respect do believers differ from wicked
men, but that, overwhelmed with afflictions, and like sheep destined for the
slaughter,
(<450836>Romans
8:36,) they have always one foot in the grave, and, indeed, are not far from
being continually swallowed up by death? Thus there remains no other support of
our faith and patience but this, that we keep out of view the condition of the
present life, and apply our minds and our senses to the last day, and pass
through the obstructions of the world, until the fruit of our faith at length
appear.
40.
And this is the will of him who sent me.
He had said that the Father had committed to him the protection of our
salvation; and now he likewise describes the manner in which it is accomplished.
The way to obtain salvation, therefore, is to obey the Gospel of Christ. This
point he had, indeed, glanced at a little before but now he expresses more fully
what he had spoken somewhat obscurely. And if it is the will of God that those
whom he has elected shall be saved, and if in this manner he ratifies and
executes his eternal decree, whoever he be that is not satisfied with Christ,
but indulges in curious inquiries about eternal predestination, such a person,
as far as lies in his power, desires to be saved contrary to the purpose of God.
The election of God is in itself hidden and secret; the Lord manifests it by
calling, that is, when he bestows on us this blessing of calling
us.
f144
They are madmen, therefore, who seek their own
salvation or that of others in the whirlpool of predestination, not keeping the
way of salvation which is exhibited to them. Nay more, by this foolish
speculation, they endeavor to overturn the force and effect of predestination;
for if God has elected us to this end, that we may believe, take away faith, and
election will be imperfect. But we have no right to break through the order and
succession of the beginning and the end, since God, by his purpose, hath decreed
and determined that it shall proceed unbroken.
f145
Besides, as the election of God, by an indissoluble bond, draws his calling
along with it, so when God has effectually called us to faith in Christ, let
this have as much weight with us as if he had engraven his seal to ratify his
decree concerning our salvation. For the testimony of the Holy Spirit is nothing
else than the sealing of our adoption,
(<450815>Romans
8:15.) To every man, therefore, his faith is a sufficient attestation of the
eternal predestination of God, so that it would be a shocking sacrilege
f146
to carry the inquiry farther; for that man offers an aggravated insult to the
Holy Spirit, who refuses to assent to his simple testimony.
Whosoever seeth the Son, and
believeth in him. He uses the words,
see and
believe, in contrast with what he had
formerly said; for he had reproached the Jews with not believing, even
though they saw, (verse 36.) But now, speaking of the sons of God,
with the feeling which they have of the power of God in Christ, he joins the
obedience of faith. Moreover, these words show that faith proceeds from the
knowledge of Christ; not that it desires anything beyond the simple word of God,
but because, if we trust in Christ, we must perceive what he is, and what he
brings to us.
|
JOHN
6:41-45
|
|
41. The Jews therefore murmured concerning
him, because he said, I am the bread which have come down from heaven.
42. And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and
mother we know? How therefore doth he say, I have come down from heaven?
43. Jesus therefore answered, and said to them, Murmur not among
yourselves. 44. No man can come to me, unless the Father, who hath sent
me, draw him; and I will raise him up at the last day. 45. It is written
in the Prophets, And they shall be all taught by God; whosoever therefore hath
heard my Father, and hath learned,
f147
cometh to me.
|
41.
The Jews therefore murmured
concerning him. The Evangelist explains
the cause of the murmuring to have been, that the Jews were offended at the mean
condition of Christ’s human nature,
f148
and did not perceive in him any thing Divine or heavenly. Yet he shows that they
had a twofold obstruction. One they had framed for themselves out of a false
opinion, when they said, Is not
this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we
hnow? Another arose from a wicked
sentiment, that they did not think that Christ was the Son of God, because he
came down to men clothed with our flesh.
f149
But we are guilty of excessive malignity, if we despise the Lord of glory
because on our account
he emptied himself, and
took upon him the form of a servant,
(<502007>Philippians
2:7;)
for this was rather an illustrious proof of his
boundless love towards us, and of his wonderful grace. Besides, the Divine
majesty of Christ was not so concealed under the mean and contemptible
appearance of the flesh, as not to give out the rays of his brightness in a
variety of ways; but those gross and stupid men wanted eyes to see his
conspicuous glory.
We, too, sin daily in both of these ways. First, it
is a great hinderance to us, that it is only with carnal eyes that we behold
Christ; and this is the reason why we perceive in him nothing magnificent, for
by our sinful views we pervert all that belongs to him and to his doctrine, so
unskilful are we to profit by them, or to view them in the proper light.
f150
Secondly, not satisfied with this, we adopt many false imaginations, which
produce a contempt of the Gospel. Nay, there are even many who frame for
themselves monsters, that they may make them a pretense for hating the Gospel.
In this manner the world deliberately drives away the grace of God. Now the
Evangelist expressly names the Jews, in order to inform us that the murmuring
proceeded from those who gloried in the title of faith and of the Church,
that we may all learn to receive Christ with reverence, when he comes down to
us, and that, in proportion as he comes nearer to us, we may more
cheerfully approach to him, that he may raise us to his heavenly
glory.
43.
Murmur not among yourselves. He throws
back on them the blame of the murmuring, as if he had said,
“My doctrine contains no ground of offense, but because you are reprobate,
it irritates your envenomed breasts, and the reason why you do not relish it is,
that you have a vitiated taste.”
44.
No man can come to me, unless
the Father, who hath sent me, draw him.
He does not merely accuse them of wickedness, but likewise reminds them,
that it is a peculiar gift of God to embrace the doctrine which is exhibited by
him; which he does, that their unbelief may not disturb weak minds. For many are
so foolish that, in the things of God, they depend on the opinions of men; in
consequence of which, they entertain suspicions about the Gospel, as soon as
they see that it is not received by the world. Unbelievers, on the other hand,
flattering themselves in their obstinacy, have the hardihood to condemn the
Gospel because it does not please them. On the contrary, therefore, Christ
declares that the doctrine of the Gospel, though it is preached to all without
exception, cannot be embraced by all, but that a new understanding and a new
perception are requisite; and, therefore, that faith does not depend on the will
of men, but that it is God who gives it.
Unless the Father draw
him. To come to Christ being here
used metaphorically for believing, the Evangelist, in order to
carry out the metaphor in the apposite clause, says that those persons are
drawn whose understandings God enlightens, and whose hearts he bends and
forms to the obedience of Christ. The statement amounts to this, that we ought
not to wonder if many refuse to embrace the Gospel; because no man will ever of
himself be able to come to Christ, but God must first approach him by his
Spirit; and hence it follows that all are not drawn, but that God
bestows this grace on those whom he has elected. True, indeed, as to the kind of
drawing, it is not violent, so as to compel men by external force;
but still it is a powerful impulse of the Holy Spirit, which makes men willing
who formerly were unwilling and reluctant. It is a false and profane assertion,
therefore, that none are drawn but those who are willing to be
drawn,
f151
as if man made himself obedient to God by his own efforts; for the
willingness with which men follow God is what they already have from himself,
who has formed their hearts to obey him.
45.
It is written in the
Prophets. Christ confirms by the
testimony of Isaiah what he said, that no man can come to him, unless
he be drawn by the Father. He uses the
word
prophets in the plural number, because
all their prophecies had been collected into one volume, so that all
the
prophets might justly be accounted one
book. The passage which is here quoted is to be found in
<235413>Isaiah
54:13, where, speaking of the restoration of the Church, he promises to her,
sons taught by the instruction of God. Hence it may easily be
inferred, that the Church cannot be restored in any other way than by God
undertaking the office of a Teacher, and bringing believers to himself. The way
of teaching, of which the prophet speaks, does not consist merely in the
external voice, but likewise in the secret operation of the Holy Spirit. In
short, this teaching of God is the inward illumination of the
heart.
And they shall be all taught by
God. As to the word
all,
it must be limited to the elect, who alone are the true children of the
Church. Now it is not difficult to see in what manner Christ applies this
prediction to the present subject. Isaiah shows that then only is the Church
truly edified, when she has her children taught by God. Christ,
therefore, justly concludes that men have not eyes to behold the light of life,
until God has opened them. But at the same time, he fastens on the general
phrase,
all; because he argues from it, that
all
who are
taught by
God are effectually drawn, so as to
come; and to this relates what he immediately adds,
Whosoever therefore hath heard my
Father. The amount of what is said is,
that all who do not believe are reprobate and doomed to destruction; because all
the sons of the Church and heirs of life are made by God to be his
obedient disciples. Hence it follows, that there is not one of all the elect of
God who shall not be a partaker of faith in Christ.
f152
Again, as Christ formerly affirmed that men are not fitted for believing, until
they have been drawn, so he now declares that the grace of Christ,
by which they are drawn, is efficacious, so that they necessarily
believe.
These two clauses utterly overturn the whole power of
free will, of which the Papists dream. For if it be only when the Father has
drawn us that we begin to
come to
Christ, there is not in us any
commencement of faith, or any preparation for it. On the other hand, if all come
whom the Father hath taught, He gives to them not only the choice
of believing, but faith itself. When, therefore, we willingly yield to the
guidance of the Spirit, this is a part, and, as it were, a sealing of grace;
because God would not draw us, if He were only to stretch out his hand,
and leave our will in a state of suspense. But in strict propriety of language
He is said to draw us, when He extends the power of his Spirit to the full
effect of faith. They are said to hear God, who willingly assent to God
speaking to them within, because the Holy Spirit reigns in their
hearts.
Cometh to
me. He shows the inseparable connection
that exists between him and the Father. For the meaning is, that it is
impossible that any who are God’s disciples shall not obey Christ, and
that they who reject Christ refuse to
be taught by
God; because the only wisdom that all
the elect learn in the school of God is, to come to Christ; for the Father, who
sent him, cannot deny himself.
|
JOHN
6:46-51
|
|
46. Not that any man hath seen the Father, but
he who is from God; he hath seen the Father. 47. Verily, verily, I say to
you, He who believeth in me hath eternal life. 48. I am the bread of
life. 49. Your fathers ate manna in the wilderness, and are dead.
50. This is the bread which hath come down from heaven, that any man may
eat of it, and not die. 51. I am the living bread which hath come down
from heaven; if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever; and the bread
which I shall give is my flesh, which I shall give for the life of the
world.
|
46.
Not that any man hath seen the Father.
As he has hitherto magnified the grace of his Father, so now he earnestly
directs believers to himself alone. For both must be joined together; that no
knowledge of Christ can be obtained, until the Father enlighten by his Spirit
those who are by nature blind; and yet that it is in vain to seek God, unless
Christ go before; for the majesty of God is so lofty, that the senses of men
cannot reach him. Nay, more, all that knowledge of God which men may think that
they have attained out of Christ will be a deadly abyss. When he says that he
alone hath known the Father, he means that it is an office which belongs
peculiarly to himself, to manifest God to men, who would otherwise have been
concealed.
47.
He who believeth in
me. This is an explanation of the former
statement. For we are taught by these words that it is when we believe in Christ
that God is made known to us; for then do we begin to see, as in a mirror, or as
in a bright and lively image, God who was formerly invisible. Accursed then be
every thing that is declared to us concerning God, if it do not lead us to
Christ. What it is to believe in Christ I have already explained; for we must
not imagine a confused and empty faith, which deprives Christ of his power, as
the Papists do, who believe in Christ just as far as they think fit. For the
reason why we obtain life by faith is, that we know that all the parts of our
life are contained in Christ.
The inference which some draw from this passage
— that to believe in
Christ is the same thing as to eat
Christ, or his flesh — is not well founded. For these
two things differ from each other as former and latter; and in like manner, to
come to Christ and to drink him, for coming to him is first
in order. I acknowledge that Christ is not eaten but by faith; but the reason
is, because we receive him by faith, that he may dwell in us, and that we may be
made partakers of him, and thus may be one with him. To eat him,
therefore, is an effect or work of faith.
48.
I am the bread of
life. Besides what he formerly said,
that he is the life-giving
bread,
by which our souls are nourished, in order to explain it more fully, he
likewise repeats the contrast between this
bread
and the ancient manna, together with a comparison of the
men.
49.
Your fathers ate manna in the
wilderness, and are dead. He says that
the manna
was a perishing food to
their
fathers, for it did not free them from
death. It follows, therefore, that souls do not find anywhere else than in him
that food by which they are fed to spiritual life. Besides, we must keep in
remembrance what I formerly stated, that what is here said does not relate to
the
manna,
so far as it was a secret figure of Christ; for in that respect Paul calls
it spiritual food,
(<461003>1
Corinthians 10:3.) But we have said that Christ here accommodates his discourse
to the hearers, who, caring only about feeding the belly, looked for nothing
higher in the
manna.
Justly, therefore does he declare that
their fathers are
dead, that is, those who in the same
manner, were devoted to the belly, or, in other words, who thought of nothing
higher than this world.
f153
And yet he invites them to
eat,
when he says that he has come,
that any man may eat;
for this mode of expression has the same
meaning as if he said, that he is ready to give himself to all, provided that
they are only willing to believe. That not one of those who have once eaten
Christ shall die — must be understood to mean, that the life
which he bestows on us is never extinguished, as we stated under the Fifth
Chapter.
51.
I am the living
bread. He often repeats the same
thing, because nothing is more necessary to be known; and every one feels in
himself with what difficulty we are brought to believe it, and how easily and
quickly it passes away and is forgotten.
f154
We all desire life, but in seeking it, we foolishly and improperly wander about
in circuitous roads; and when it is offered, the greater part disdainfully
reject it. For who is there that does not contrive for himself life out of
Christ? And how few are there who are satisfied with Christ alone! It is not a
superfluous repetition, therefore, when Christ asserts so frequently that he
alone is sufficient to give life. For he claims for himself the designation of
bread, in order to tear from our hearts all fallacious hopes of
living. Having formerly called himself the bread of life, he now
calls himself the living
bread, but in the same sense, namely,
life-giving bread. —
Which have come down from
heaven. He frequently mentions his
coming down from heaven, because spiritual and incorruptible life
will not be found in this world, the fashion of which passes away and vanishes,
but only in the heavenly kingdom of God.
If any man eat of this
bread. Whenever he uses the word
eat,
he exhorts us to faith, which alone enables us to enjoy this bread, so as to
derive life from it.
f155
Nor is it without good reason that he does so, for there are few who deign to
stretch out their hand to put this bread to their mouth; and even when the Lord
puts it into their mouth, there are few who relish it, but some are filled with
wind, and others — like Tantalus — are dying of hunger through their
own folly, while the food is close beside them.
The bread which I shall give is my
flesh. As this secret power to bestow
life, of which he has spoken, might be referred to his Divine essence, he now
comes down to the second step, and shows that this
life
is placed in his flesh, that it may be drawn out of it. It is,
undoubtedly, a wonderful purpose of God that he has exhibited
life
to us in that
flesh,
where formerly there was nothing but the cause of death. And thus he
provides for our weakness, when he does not call us above the clouds to enjoy
life, but displays it on earth, in the same manner as if he were exalting us to
the secrets of his kingdom. And yet, while he corrects the pride of our mind, he
tries the humility and obedience of our faith, when he enjoins those who would
seek life
to place reliance
on his
flesh, which is contemptible in its
appearance.
But an objection is brought, that the flesh of Christ
cannot give life, because it was liable to death, and because even now it is not
immortal in itself; and next, that it does not at all belong to the nature of
flesh to quicken souls. I reply, though this power comes from another source
than from the flesh, still this is no reason why the designation may not
accurately apply to it; for as the eternal Word of God is the fountain of
life,
(<430104>John
1:4,) so his flesh, as a channel, conveys to us that
life
which dwells intrinsically, as we say, in his Divinity. And in this sense it
is called life-giving, because it conveys to us that life which it borrows for
us from another quarter. This will not be difficult to understand, if we
consider what is the cause of life, namely, righteousness. And though
righteousness flows from God alone, still we shall not attain the full
manifestation of it any where else than in the flesh of Christ; for in it was
accomplished the redemption of man, in it a sacrifice was offered to atone for
sins, and an obedience yielded to God, to reconcile him to us; it was also
filled with the sanctification of the Spirit, and at length, having vanquished
death, it was received into the heavenly glory. It follows, therefore that all
the parts of life have been placed in it, that no man may have reason to
complain that he is deprived of life, as if it were placed in concealment, or at
a distance.
Which I shall give for the life of
the world. The word
give
is used in various senses. The first giving, of which he has
formerly spoken, is made daily, whenever Christ offers himself to us. Secondly,
it denotes that singular giving which was done on the cross, when he
offered himself as a sacrifice to his Father; for then he delivered himself up
to death for the life of men, and now he invites us to enjoy the fruit of his
death. For it would be of no avail to us that that sacrifice was once offered,
if we did not now feast on that sacred banquet. It ought also to be observed,
that Christ claims for himself the office of sacrificing his flesh. Hence it
appears with what wicked sacrilege the Papists pollute themselves, when they
take upon themselves, in the mass, what belonged exclusively to that one High
Priest.
|
JOHN
6:52-58
|
|
52. The Jews therefore debated among
themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat? 53. Jesus
therefore said to them, Verily, verily, I say to you, Unless you eat the flesh
of the Son of man, and drink his blood, you have not life in you. 54. He
who eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise
him up at the last day. 55. For my flesh is truly food, and my blood is
truly drink. 56. He who eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth
in me, and I in him. 57. As the living Father hath sent me, and I live on
account of my Father; and he who eateth me, even he shall live for my sake.
58. This is the bread which hath come down from heaven; not as your
fathers ate manna, and are dead; he who eateth this bread shall live for
ever.
|
52.
The Jews therefore
debated among themselves. He
again mentions the Jews, not by way of honor, but to reproach them with
their unbelief, because they do not receive the well known doctrine concerning
eternal life, or, at least, do not inquire modestly into the subject, if it be
still obscure and doubtful. For when he says that they
debated,
it is a sign of obstinacy and contempt; and those who dispute so keenly do,
indeed, block up against themselves the road to the knowledge of the truth. And
yet the blame imputed to them is not simply that they inquired into the manner;
for the same blame would fall on Abraham and the blessed Virgin,
(<011502>Genesis
15:2;
<420134>Luke
1:34.) Those persons, therefore, are either led astray through ignorance, or are
deficient in candour, who, without taking into account the hardihood and
eagerness to quarrel, which alone the Evangelist condemns, direct all their
outcry against the word
how; as if it had not been lawful for
the Jews to inquire about the manner of
eating the flesh of
Christ.
f156
But it ought rather to be imputed to sloth than ascribed to the obedience of
faith, if we knowingly and willingly leave unsolved those doubts and
difficulties which are removed for us by the word of the Lord. Not only is it
lawful, therefore, to inquire as to the manner of
eating the flesh of
Christ, but it is of great importance
for us to understand it, so far as it is made known by the Scriptures. Away,
then, with that fierce and obstinate pretense of humility, “For my part, I
am satisfied with that single word of Christ, when he declares that his
flesh is truly
food: to all the rest I willingly shut
my eyes.” As if heretics would not have equal plausibility on their side,
if they willingly were ignorant that Christ was conceived by the Holy Ghost,
because, believing that he is the seed of Abraham, they make no farther inquiry.
Only we ought to preserve such moderation about the secret works of God, as not
to desire to know anything more than what he determines by his
word.
53.
Verily, verily, I say to
you. The just resentment which Christ
felt,
f157
when he saw his grace rejected with such haughty disdain, constrained him to
employ this oath. For he does not now make use of simple doctrine, but likewise
mingles threatenings for the purpose of striking terror. He denounces eternal
perdition against all who refuse to seek life from his flesh; as if he had said,
“If you hold my flesh in contempt, rest assured that there remains for you
no other hope of life.” The vengeance that awaits all despisers of the
grace of Christ is, that with their pride they miserably perish; and the reason
why they must be urged with plainness and severity is, that they may not
continue to flatter themselves. For if we threaten with death those diseased
persons who refuse to take medicines, what must we do with wicked men, when they
strive, as far as lies in their power, to destroy
life
itself?
Unless you eat the flesh of the Son
of man. When he
says, the flesh of the Son of
man, the expression is emphatic; for he
reproves them for their contempt, which arose from perceiving that he resembled
other men. The meaning therefore is: “Despise me as much as you please, on
account of the mean and despicable appearance of my flesh, still
that despicable flesh
contains
life; and if you are destitute of it,
you will nowhere else find any thing else to quicken
you.”
The ancients fell into a gross error by supposing
that little children were deprived of eternal
life,
if they did not dispense to them the eucharist, that is, the Lord’s
Supper;
f158
for this discourse does not relate to the Lord’s Supper, but to the
uninterrupted communication of the flesh of Christ,
f159
which we obtain apart from the use of the Lord’s Supper. Nor were the
Bohemians in the right, when they adduced this passage to prove that all without
exception ought to be admitted to the use of the cup. With respect to young
children, the ordinance of Christ forbids them to partake of the Lord’s
Supper; because they are not yet able to know or to celebrate the remembrance of
the death of Christ. The same ordinance makes the cup common to all, for
it commands us all to drink of it,
(<402627>Matthew
26:27.)
54.
He who eateth my
flesh. This is a repetition, but is not
superfluous; for it confirms what was difficult to be believed, That souls feed
on his flesh and
blood, in precisely the same manner that
the body is sustained by eating
and drinking. Accordingly, as he lately
testified that nothing but death remains for all who seek life anywhere else
than in his flesh, so now he excites all believers
f160
to cherish good hope, while he promises to them
life
in the same
flesh.
And I will raise him up at the last
day. It ought to be observed, that
Christ so frequently connects the resurrection with eternal life, because
our salvation will be hidden till that day. No man, therefore, can perceive what
Christ bestows on us, unless, rising above the world, he places before his eyes
the last resurrection. From these words, it plainly appears that
the whole of this passage is improperly explained, as applied to the
Lord’s Supper. For if it were true that all who present themselves at the
holy table of the Lord are made partakers of his flesh and blood, all will, in
like manner, obtain
life;
but we know that there are many who partake of it to their condemnation. And
indeed it would have been foolish and unreasonable to discourse about the
Lord’s Supper, before he had instituted it. It is certain, then, that he
now speaks of the perpetual and ordinary manner of eating the flesh of Christ,
which is done by faith only.
f161
And yet, at the same time, I acknowledge that there is nothing said here that is
not figuratively represented, and actually bestowed on believers, in the
Lord’s Supper; and Christ even intended that the holy Supper should be, as
it were, a seal and confirmation
f162
of this sermon. This is also the reason why the Evangelist John makes no mention
of the Lord’s Supper; and therefore Augustine follows the natural order,
when, in explaining this chapter, he does not touch on the Lord’s Supper
till he comes to the conclusion; and then he shows that this mystery is
symbolically represented, whenever the Churches celebrate the Lord’s
Supper, in some places daily, and in other places only on the Lord’s
day.
55.
For my flesh is truly
food. He confirms the same statement by
other words, “As the body is weakened and consumed by the want of food, so
the soul, if it be not fed with heavenly bread, will soon perish with
hunger.” For when he declares
that his flesh is truly
food, he means that souls are famished,
if they want that food. Then only wilt thou find life in Christ, when thou shalt
seek the nourishment of life in his flesh. Thus we ought to boast, with Paul,
that we reckon nothing to be excellent but Christ crucified; because, as soon as
we have departed from the sacrifice of his death, we meet with nothing but
death; nor is there any other road that conducts us to a perception of his
Divine power than through his death and resurrection. Embrace Christ, therefore,
as the Servant of the Father,
(<234201>Isaiah
42:1,) that he may show himself to thee to be the Prince of life,
(<440315>Acts
3:15.) For when he emptied himself ,
(<502007>Philippians
2:7,) in this manner we were enriched with abundance of all blessings; his
humiliation and descent into hell raised us to heaven; and, by enduring the
curse of his cross, he erected the banner of our righteousness as a splendid
memorial of his victory.
f163
Consequently, they are false expounders of the mystery of the Lord’s
Supper,
f164
who draw away souls from the flesh of Christ.
And my blood is truly
drink. But why does Christ mention
his
blood separately, when it is included in
the word
flesh? I reply, he did so in
condescension to our weakness. For when he expressly
mentions food and
drink, he declares that the life which
he bestows is complete in every respect, that we may not imagine to ourselves a
life which is only half or imperfect; as if he had said, that we shall want
nothing that belongs to life, provided that we
eat his flesh and drink his
blood. Thus also in the Lord’s
Supper, which corresponds to this doctrine, not satisfied with the symbol of
the bread, he adds also the cup, that, having in him a
twofold pledge, we may learn to be satisfied with him alone; for never will a
man find a part of life in Christ, until he has entire and complete life in
him.
56.
He who eateth my
flesh. This is another confirmation; for
while he alone has life in himself, he shows how we may enjoy it, that is, by
eating his flesh; as if he had affirmed that there is no other way
in which he can become ours, than by our faith being directed to his flesh. For
no one will ever come to Christ as God, who despises him as man; and, therefore,
if you wish to have any interest in Christ, you must take care, above all
things, that you do not disdain his flesh.
Dwelleth in me, and I in
him. When he says that he dwelleth in
us, the meaning is the same as if he had said, that the only bond of
union, and the way by which he becomes one with us, is, when our faith relies on
his death. We may likewise infer from it, that he is not now speaking of the
outward symbol, which many unbelievers receive equally with believers, and yet
continue separated from Christ. It enables us also to refute the dream of those
who say, that Judas received the body of Christ as well as the other apostles,
when Christ gave the bread to all; for as it is a display of ignorance to limit
this doctrine to the outward sign, so we ought to remember what I have formerly
said, that the doctrine which is here taught is sealed in the Lord’s
Supper. Now, it is certain, in the first place, that Judas never was a member of
Christ; secondly, it is highly unreasonable to imagine
the flesh of
Christ to be dead and destitute of the
Holy Spirit; and, lastly, it is a mockery to dream of any way of
eating the flesh of
Christ without faith, since faith alone
is the mouth — so to speak — and the stomach of the
soul.
57.
As the living Father hath sent me.
Hitherto Christ has explained the manner in which we must become partakers
of life. He now comes to speak of the principal cause, for the first source of
life is in the Father. But he meets an objection, for it might be thought that
he took away from God what belonged to him, when he made himself the cause of
life. He makes himself, therefore, to be the Author of life, in such a manner,
as to acknowledge that there was another who gave him what he administers to
others.
Let us observe, that this discourse also is
accommodated to the capacity of those to whom Christ was speaking; for it is
only with respect to his flesh that he compares himself to the Father. For
though the Father is the beginning of
life,
yet the eternal Word himself is strictly life. But the eternal
Divinity of Christ is not the present subject; for he exhibits himself such as
he was manifested to the world, clothed with our flesh.
I also live on account of the
Father. This does not apply to his
Divinity simply, nor does it apply to his human nature simply and by itself, but
it is a description of the Son of God manifested in the flesh. Besides, we know
that it is not unusual with Christ to ascribe to the Father every thing Divine
which he had in himself. It must be observed, however, that he points out here
three degrees of life. In the first rank is the living Father, who is the
source, but remote and hidden. Next follows the Son, who is exhibited to us as
an open fountain, and by whom life flows to us. The third is, the life which we
draw from him. We now perceive what is stated to amount to this, that God the
Father, in whom life dwells, is at a great distance from us, and that Christ,
placed between us, is the second cause of life, in order that what would
otherwise be concealed in God may proceed from him to us.
58.
This is the bread which came
down from heaven. He returns to the
comparison between the
manna and
his
flesh, with which he had begun; for it
was necessary that he should close the sermon in this manner: “There is no
reason why you should prefer Moses to me, because he fed your fathers in the
wilderness; since I supply you with far more excellent food, for I bring
heavenly life with me.” For — as was formerly said — the bread
is said to have come down from heaven, because it has nothing earthly or
corruptible in its nature, but breathes the immortality of the kingdom of God.
They who were only bent on feeding the belly, did not find such virtue in the
manna;
for while the manna
had a twofold use, the Jews, with whom Christ
is now disputing, beheld in it nothing else than bodily food. But the life of
the soul is not fading, but makes continual progress until the whole man is
renewed.
|
JOHN
6:59-64
|
|
59 He spoke these things in the synagogue,
while he was teaching in Capernaum. 60. Many of his disciples, therefore,
having heard it, said, This is a harsh saying;
f165
who can hear it? 61. But Jesus knowing in himself that his disciples
murmured at it, said to them, Doth this offend you? 62. What if you shall
see the Son of man ascend to where he was before? 63. It is the Spirit
that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing. The words which I speak to you are
spirit and life. 64. But there are some of you who do not believe. For
Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that did not believe, and who he was
that would betray him.
|
59.
He spoke these things in the
synagogue. John points out the place,
that we may know that there were many present, and likewise, that a sermon was
delivered as on a weighty and important subject. But it immediately follows that
out of so great a multitude there were scarcely to be found a very few who
profited by it; and — what is worse — it proved to be the occasion
of desertion to many who professed to be disciples of Christ. If the Evangelist
had said that only some of them were offended, that ought to have been accounted
monstrous; but when they rise up in crowds and conspire together against him,
what name shall we give to such an action? Let this narrative then be deeply
impressed on our minds, that we may never murmur against Christ when he speaks;
and if in the present day we perceive any thing of this kind in others, let not
their pride disturb our faith.
60.
This is a harsh
saying. On the contrary, it was in their
hearts, and not in the
saying,
that the harshness lay. But out of the word of God the reprobate are
thus accustomed to form stones to dash themselves upon, and when, by their
hardened obstinacy, they rush against Christ, they complain that
his saying is
harsh, which ought rather to have
softened them. For whoever shall submit with true humility
f166
to the doctrine of Christ will find nothing in it
harsh
or disagreeable; but to unbelievers, who oppose themselves with obstinacy,
it will be a hammer which breaketh the rocks in pieces, as the
Prophet calls it,
(<242329>Jeremiah
23:29.) But since the same hardness is natural to us all, if we judge of the
doctrine of Christ according to our feelings, his words will be just so many
strange and incredible
f167
statements. All that remains for us, therefore, is, that every one commit
himself to the guidance of the Spirit, that he may inscribe on our hearts what
otherwise would never have even entered into our ears.
Who can hear
it? Here we see the awful wickedness of
unbelief; for they who impiously and basely reject the doctrine of salvation,
not satisfied with excusing themselves, have the hardihood to put the Son of God
in their room as if he were guilty, and to declare that he is unworthy of being
heard. Thus, in the present day, Papists not only reject the
Gospel in a daring manner, but likewise break out into horrid blasphemies, that
it may not be thought that they have no good reason for opposing God. And,
indeed, since they desire darkness, we need not wonder if Satan deceives them by
strange monsters, where there is nothing but the open highway.
f168
But that which they, through their rage and fury, cannot endure will not only be
tolerable to modest and teachable persons, but will support and comfort them.
Yet the reprobate, by their obstinate slanders, will do nothing more than bring
down on themselves more dreadful condemnation.
61.
But Jesus
knowing. Christ knew indeed, that the
offense which the reprobate had taken up could not be removed; for, to tell the
truth,
f169
the doctrine does not so much wound them as it exposes the putrid ulcer which
they inwardly nourished in their hearts. But he wished by all methods to try if
there were not one of those who were offended that was not yet beyond the reach
of cure, and to stop the mouths of the rest. By putting the question, he means
that they have no reason to be offended,
f170
or, at least, that the ground of offense does not lie in the doctrine itself.
Thus we ought to repress the wickedness of those who, urged on by nothing but
the rage of mastiff dogs, slander the word of God; and thus too we ought to
chastise the folly of those who inconsiderately attack the
truth.
Knowing in
himself. He says that Jesus knew in
himself, because they had not yet declared openly what gave them
uneasiness, but secretly murmured and groaned within themselves, and, therefore,
he anticipates their open complaints. If it be objected, that the nature of
those complaints was not difficult to understand, because in express terms they
rejected the doctrine of Christ, I acknowledge that the words which John has
formerly related are plain enough; but still I say that, like persons who are
disgusted at any thing, they whispered those words to each other in low murmurs.
For if they had spoken to Christ, there would have been better ground of hope,
because the way would have been opened up for teaching them; but now, when they
indulge in secret murmurings, they shut up against themselves the way to gain
instruction. So then, when we do not immediately perceive the Lord’s
meaning, there is nothing better than to go straight to him, that he may solve
all our difficulties.
Doth this offend
you? Christ appears here to increase the
offense instead of removing it; but if any person examine very closely the
ground of offense, there was in the following statement what ought to have
pacified their minds.
62.
What if you shall see the
Son of man ascend to where he was before?
The mean and despicable condition of Christ which they saw before their
eyes, while, clothed with flesh, he was not at all different from other men,
prevented them from submitting to his Divine power; but now — by
withdrawing, as it were, the veil — he calls them to behold his heavenly
glory, as if he had said, “Because I converse among men without honor, I
am despised by you, and you recognize in me nothing that is Divine; but ere long
God will adorn me with splendid power, and, withdrawing me from the contemptible
state of mortal life, will raise me above the heavens.” For, in the
resurrection of Christ, so great was the power displayed by the Holy Spirit,
that it plainly showed Christ to be the Son of God, as Paul also shows,
(<450104>Romans
1:4.) And when it is said,
Thou art my Son, today
have I begotten thee,
(<190207>Psalm
2:7,)
the resurrection is brought forward as a proof from
which that glory of Christ ought to be acknowledged, and his ascension to
heaven was the completion of that glory. When he says that he was formerly in
heaven, this does not apply strictly to his human nature, and yet he
speaks of the Son of
man; but since the two natures in Christ
constitute one person, it is not an unusual way of speaking to transfer to one
nature what is peculiar to the other.
63.
It is the Spirit that
quickeneth. By these words Christ shows
the reason why the Jews did not profit by his doctrine to be, that, being
spiritual and quickening, it does not find ears well prepared. But
as this passage has been variously expounded, it will be of importance first to
ascertain the natural meaning of the words; from which it will be easy to
perceive Christ’s intention. When he affirms
that the flesh profiteth
nothing, Chrysostom improperly, in my
opinion, refers it to the Jews, who were carnal. I readily
acknowledge that in heavenly mysteries the whole power of the human mind is
utterly unavailing; but the words of Christ do not bear that meaning, if they be
not violently tortured. Equally forced would be that opinion, as applied to the
apposite clause; namely, it is the illumination of
the Spirit that
quickeneth. Nor do I approve of the
views of those who say, that the flesh of Christ profiteth, so far
as he was crucified, but that, when it is eaten, it is of no advantage to us;
for, on the contrary, we must eat it, that, having been crucified, it may
profit.
Augustine thinks that we ought to supply the word
only, or by itself, as if it had been said,
“The flesh alone, and by itself, profiteth not,”
f171
because it must be accompanied by the Spirit. This meaning accords
well with the scope of the discourse, for Christ refers simply to the manner of
eating. He does not, therefore, exclude every kind of usefulness, as if none
could be obtained from his
flesh;
but he declares that, if it be separated
from the
Spirit, it will then be useless. For
whence has the
flesh power to quicken,
but because it is spiritual? Accordingly, whoever confines his whole
attention to the earthly nature
of the
flesh, will find in it nothing but what
is dead; but they who shall raise their eyes to the power of
the
Spirit, which is diffused over the
flesh, will learn from the actual effect and from the experience of faith, that
it is not without reason that it is called quickening.
We now understand in what manner the flesh is
truly food, and yet it profiteth not. It is
food, because by it life is procured for us, because in it God is
reconciled to us, because in it we have all the parts of salvation accomplished.
It profiteth not, if it be estimated by its origin and nature; for
the seed of Abraham, which is in itself subject to death, does not bestow life,
but receives from the
Spirit its power to feed us; and,
therefore, on our part also, that we may be truly nourished by it, we must bring
the spiritual mouth of faith.
As to the sentence breaking off in so abrupt a
manner, it is probable that this was done because Christ saw that it was
necessary to act in this manner towards unbelievers. By this clause, therefore,
he suddenly closed the sermon, because they did not deserve that he should speak
to them any longer. Yet he did not overlook those who are godly and teachable;
for they have here, in a few words, what may abundantly satisfy
them.
The words which I speak to
you. This is an allusion to the
preceding statement, for he now employs the word
Spirit
in a different sense. But as he had spoken of the secret power of the
Spirit, he elegantly applies this to his doctrine, because it is
spiritual; for the word
Spirit
must be explained to mean spiritual. Now the word is called
spiritual, because it calls us upwards to seek Christ in his
heavenly glory, through the guidance of the Spirit, by faith, and not by our
carnal perception; for we know that of all that was said, nothing can be
comprehended but by faith. And it is also worthy of observation, that he
connects
life
with the
Spirit. He calls his word
life,
from its effect, as if he had called it quickening; but shows that it will
not be quickening to any but those who receive it spiritually,
for others will rather draw death from it. To the godly, this commendation
bestowed on the Gospel is most delightful, because they are certain that it is
appointed for their eternal salvation; but at the same time, they are reminded
to labor to prove that they are genuine disciples.
64.
But there are some of you who do not
believe. He again imputes blame to them,
because, being destitute of the
Spirit, they wickedly corrupt and debase
his doctrine, and thus turn it to their ruin. For otherwise they might have
objected: “You boast, indeed, that what you speak is quickening, but we
experience nothing of that nature.” He therefore says, that by themselves
it is prevented; for unbelief, as it is always proud, will never understand any
thing in the words of Christ which it despises and disdains. Wherefore, if we
wish to profit at all under this Teacher, let us bring minds well disposed to
listen to him; for if the entrance to his doctrine be not opened up by humility
and reverence, our understandings are harder than stones, and will not receive
any part of sound doctrine. And therefore, when in the present day we see so few
people in the world profiting by the Gospel, we ought to remember that this
arises from the depravity of men. For how many will you find who deny
themselves, and truly submit to Christ? As to his saying only that there were
SOME who did not believe, though almost all of them were liable to
this charge, his reason for doing so appears to have been that, if there were
any who were not yet beyond the possibility of cure, they might not cast down
their minds in despair.
For Jesus knew from the
beginning. The Evangelist added this,
that none might think that Christ formed an opinion at random about his hearers.
Many professed to belong to his flock, but a sudden apostacy exposed their
hypocrisy. But the Evangelist says that their treachery, even while it was
unknown to others, was well known to Christ. And this is stated, not so much on
his account, as that we may learn not to form a judgment except on subjects
which we have thoroughly investigated; for as to their being known to Christ
from the beginning, this was peculiar to his Divinity. It is otherwise with us;
for since we do not know the hearts, we ought to delay forming a judgment, until
impiety be manifested by outward signs, and thus the tree be known by its
fruits,
(<400716>Matthew
7:16.)
|
JOHN
6:65-71
|
|
65. And he said, Therefore have I told you
that no man can come to me, unless it be given to him by my Father. 66.
From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.
67. Jesus therefore said to the twelve, Do you also wish to go away?
68. Simon Peter therefore answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou
hast the words of eternal life. 69. And we have believed and known that
thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. 70. Jesus answered them,
Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil? 71. Now he spoke
of Judas Iscariot, son of Simon; for it was he that would betray him, although
he was one of the twelve.
|
65.
Therefore have I told you. He again
states that faith is an uncommon and remarkable gift of the Spirit of God, that
we may not be astonished that the Gospel is not received in every place and by
all. For, being ill qualified to turn to our advantage the course of events, we
think more meanly of the Gospel, because the whole world does not assent to it.
The thought arises in our mind, How is it possible that the greater part of men
shall deliberately reject their salvation? Christ therefore assigns a reason why
there are so few believers, namely, because no man, whatever may be his
acuteness,
f172
can arrive at faith by his own sagacity; for all are blind, until they are
illuminated by the Spirit of God, and therefore they only partake of so great a
blessing whom the Father deigns to make partakers of it. If this grace were
bestowed on all without exception, it would have been unseasonable and
inappropriate to have mentioned it in this passage; for we must understand that
it was Christ’s design to show that not many believe the Gospel, because
faith proceeds only from the secret revelation of the Spirit.
Unless it be given him by my
Father. He now uses the word give
instead of the word which he formerly used, draw; by which he
means that there is no other reason why God draws, than because
out of free grace he loves us; for what we obtain by the gift and grace of God,
no man procures for himself by his own industry.
66.
From that time many of his
disciples went back. The Evangelist now
relates what trouble was the consequence of that sermon. It is a dreadful and
monstrous thing, that so kind and gracious an invitation of Christ could have
alienated the minds of many, and especially of those who had formerly professed
to belong to him, and were even his ordinary
disciples.
But this example is held out to us for a mirror, as it were, in which we may
perceive how great is the wickedness and ingratitude of men, who turn a plain
road into an occasion of stumbling to them, that they may not come to Christ.
Many would say that it would have been better that a sermon of this kind should
never have been preached, which occasioned the apostacy of many. But we ought to
entertain a widely different view; for it was then necessary, and now is daily
necessary, that what had been foretold concerning Christ should be perceived in
his doctrine, namely, that
he is the stone of
stumbling,
(<230814>Isaiah
8:14.)
We ought, indeed, to regulate our doctrine in such a
manner that none may be offended through our fault; as far as possible, we ought
to retain all; and, in short, we ought to take care that we do not, by talking
inconsiderately or at random,
f173
disturb ignorant or weak minds. But it will never be possible for us to exercise
such caution that the doctrine of Christ shall not be the occasion of offense to
many; because the reprobate, who are devoted to destruction, suck venom from the
most wholesome food, and gall from honey. The Son of God undoubtedly knew well
what was useful, and yet we see that he cannot avoid
f174
offending many of his
disciples. Whatever then may be the
dislike entertained by many persons for pure doctrine, still we are not at
liberty to suppress it. Only let the teachers of the Church remember the advice
given by Paul, that the word of God ought to be properly
divided,
(<550215>2
Timothy 2:15;) and next let them advance boldly amidst all offenses. And if it
happen that many apostatize, let us not be disgusted at the word of God, because
it is not relished by the reprobate; for they who are so much shaken by the
revolt of some that, when those persons fall away, they are immediately
discouraged, are too delicate and tender.
And walked no more with
him. When the Evangelist adds these
words, he means that it was not a complete apostacy, but only that they withdrew
from familiar intercourse with Christ; and yet he condemns them as apostates.
Hence we ought to learn that we cannot go back a foot breadth, without being
immediately in danger of falling into treacherous denial of our
Master.
67.
Jesus therefore said to the
twelve. As the faith of the apostles
might be greatly shaken, when they saw that they were so small a remnant of a
great multitude, Christ directs his discourse to them, and shows that there is
no reason why they should allow themselves to be hurried away by the lightness
and unsteadiness of others. When he asks them if
they also wish to go
away, he does so in order to confirm
their faith; for, by exhibiting to them himself, that they may remain with him,
he likewise exhorts them not to become the companions of apostates. And, indeed,
if faith be founded on Christ, it will not depend on men, and will never waver,
though it should see heaven and earth mingling. We ought also to observe this
circumstance, that Christ, when deprived of nearly all his disciples, retains
the
twelve only, in like manner as Isaiah
was formerly commanded to
bind the testimony and
seal the law among the
disciples,
(<230816>Isaiah
8:16.)
By such examples, every one of the believers is
taught to follow God, even though he should have no companion.
68.
Simon Peter therefore answered him. Peter
replies here in the name of all, as he does on other occasions; because all
of them were of the same mind, except that in Judas there was no sincerity. This
reply contains two clauses; for
Peter
first states the reason why he cheerfully adheres to Christ, along with his
brethren; namely, because they feel that his doctrine is wholesome and
quickening; and, secondly, he acknowledges that
to whomsoever they might
go, if they left Christ, there remained
for them nothing but death.
Thou hast the words of eternal
life. When he says
the words of
life, by the phrase
of
life, he means quickening,
using the genitive case instead of the adjective, which is a very common
mode of expression among the Hebrews. It is a remarkable commendation bestowed
on the Gospel, that it administers to us eternal life, as Paul
testifies, that
it is the power of God
for salvation to every one who believeth,
(<450116>Romans
1:16.)
True, the Law also contains life, but
because it denounces against all transgressors
f175
the condemnation of eternal death, it can do nothing but kill. Widely different
is the manner in which life is offered to us in the Gospel, that is, when God
reconciles us to himself through free grace, by not imputing our
sins,
(<470519>2
Corinthians 5:19.) It is no ordinary assertion that Peter makes concerning
Christ, when he says that he has
the words of eternal
life; but he ascribes this to Christ as
belonging to him alone. Hence follows the second statement which I glanced at a
little ago, that as soon as they have gone away from Christ, there remains for
them everywhere nothing but death. Certain destruction, therefore, awaits all
who, not satisfied with that Teacher, fly to the inventions of
men.
69.
And we have believed and
known. The verbs are in the past tense,
but they may be changed into the present tense,
we believe and
know, but it makes little difference in
the meaning. In these words Peter gives a brief summary of faith. But the
confession appears to have nothing to do with the matter in hand, for the
question had been raised about eating the flesh of Christ. I
reply, although the
twelve did not at once comprehend all
that Christ had taught, yet it is enough that, according to the capacity of
their faith, they acknowledge him to be the Author of salvation, and submit
themselves to him in all things. The word
believe
is put first, because the obedience of faith is the commencement of right
understanding, or rather, because faith itself is truly the eye of the
understanding. But immediately afterwards knowledge is added, which
distinguishes faith from erroneous and false opinions; for Mahometans and Jews
and Papists believe, but they neither know nor understand
any thing. Knowledge is connected with faith, because we are certain and fully
convinced of the truth of God, not in the same manner as human sciences are
learned, but when the Spirit seals it on our hearts.
70.
Jesus answered
them. Since Christ replies to all, we
infer from it that all spake by the mouth of Peter. Besides, Christ now prepares
and fortifies the eleven apostles against a new offense which was already at
hand. It was a powerful instrument of Satan for shaking their faith, when they
were reduced to so small a number, but the fall of Judas might take away all
their courage; for since Christ had chosen that sacred number, who would ever
have thought that any portion of the whole number could be torn away? That
admonition of Christ may be interpreted thus: “You twelve alone
remain out of a large company. If your faith has not been shaken by the unbelief
of many, prepare for a new contest; for this company, though small, will be
still diminished by one man.”
Have not I chosen you
twelve? When Christ says that he has
CHOSEN or ELECTED twelve, he does not refer to the eternal purpose
of God; for it is impossible that any one of those who have been predestinated
to life shall fall away; but, having been
chosen
to the apostolic office, they ought to have surpassed others in piety
and holiness. He used the word
chosen,
therefore, to denote those who were eminent and distinguished from the
ordinary rank.
And one of you is a
devil. He unquestionably intended, by
this name, to hold up Judas to the utmost detestation; for they are mistaken who
extenuate the atrocity implied in the name and indeed we cannot sufficiently
execrate those who dishonor so sacred an office. Teachers who faithfully
discharge their office are called angels.
They should seek the law
at his mouth, for he is THE ANGEL of the Lord of Hosts,
(<390207>Malachi
2:7.)
Justly, therefore, is he accounted
a
devil, who, after having been admitted
to so honorable a rank, is corrupted through his treachery and wickedness.
Another reason is, that God allows more power and liberty to Satan over wicked
and ungodly ministers, than over other ordinary men; and therefore, if they who
were
chosen
to be pastors are driven by diabolical rage, so as to resemble wild and
monstrous beasts, so far are we from being entitled, on that account, to despise
the honorable rank to which they belong, that we ought rather to honor it the
more, when the profanation of it is followed by so fearful a
punishment.
71.
He spoke of
Judas. Although Judas had a bad
conscience, still we do not read that he was at all moved. Hypocrites are so
stupid that they do not feel their sores, and in the presence of men they have
such hardened effrontery, that they do not scruple to prefer themselves to the
very best of men.
CHAPTER 7
|
JOHN
7:1-8
|
|
1. And after these things Jesus walked in
Galilee; for he did not wish to walk in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill
him. 2. And the setting up of tabernacles, a feast of the Jews, was at
hand. 3. His brethren therefore said to him, Depart hence, and go away
into Judea, that thy disciples also may see the works which thou dost. 4.
For no man doth any thing in secret, and seeketh to become known; if thou dost
these things, show thyself to the world. 5. For even his brethren did not
believe in him. 6. Jesus therefore said to them, My time is not yet come,
but your time is always ready. 7. The world cannot hate you, but me it
hateth, because I testify of it that its works are evil. 8. Go you up to
this feast. I go not up yet to this feast, because my time is not yet
completed.
|
1.
Jesus walked in Galilee. The Evangelist
appears not to pursue a continued narrative, but to select out of what occurred
at different times those events which were worthy of being related. He says that
Christ sojourned for a time in Galilee, because he could not remain in safety
anywhere among the Jews. If any person think it strange that Christ sought a
place of concealment, who, by the mere act of his will, could break and render
powerless all the efforts of his enemies, it is easy to reply, that he
remembered the commission which he had received from the Father, and determined
to confine himself within the limits which belonged to him as man;
for,
having taken upon him the
form of a servant, he emptied himself, till the Father exalted him,
(<501706>Philippians
2:6-8.)
If it be objected that, as he knew the time of his
death, which had been foreordained and determined in the purpose of God,
f176
he had no reason for avoiding it, the former solution applies here also; for he
conducted himself as a man who was liable to dangers, and, therefore, it was not
proper that he should throw himself at random into dangerous situations. In
encountering dangers, it is not our business to inquire what God has determined
respecting us in his decree, but what he commands and enjoins on us, what our
office requires and demands, and what is the proper method of regulating our
life. Besides, while Christ avoided dangers, he did not turn aside a
hairsbreadth from the course of duty; for to what purpose would life be
maintained and defended, but that we may serve the Lord? We ought always to take
care, therefore, that we do not, for the sake of life, lose the reasons for
living. When a small and despised corner of Galilee grants a lodging to Christ,
whom Judea cannot endure, we learn from it that piety and the fear of God are
not always to be found in the chief places of the Church.
2.
Now a feast of the Jews was at hand.
Though I do not affirm it, yet it is probable that this happened during the
second year after Christ’s baptism. As to this feast, which the Evangelist
mentions, it is not necessary at present to say much. For what purpose and use
it was enjoined, Moses shows,
(<032334>Leviticus
23:34.) It was, that by this annual ceremony the Jews might call to remembrance,
that their fathers lived forty years in
tabernacles,
when they had no houses, that they might thus celebrate the grace of God
displayed in their deliverance. We have formerly said that there were two
reasons why Christ came to Jerusalem during this
feast.
One was, that, being subject to the Law, in order to redeem us all from its
bondage, he wished to omit no part of the observation of it; and the other was,
that, amidst a numerous and extraordinary assemblage of people, he had a better
opportunity of advancing the Gospel. But now the Evangelist relates that Christ
kept himself in retirement at Galilee, as if he did not intend to come to
Jerusalem.
3.
His brethren therefore
said to him. Under the word
brethren
the Hebrews include all cousins and other relations, whatever may be the
degree of affinity. He says that they mocked at Christ, because he shunned to be
seen or known, and concealed himself in a mean and despised district of Judea.
There is reason to doubt, however, if they were excited by ambition to desire
that Christ should obtain celebrity. But granting this, still it is evident that
they ridicule him, because they do not think that his conduct is rational and
judicious; and they even upbraid him with folly, because, while he wishes to be
something, he wants confidence in himself, and does not venture to appear openly
before men. When they say, that
thy disciples also may see, they mean
not only his domestics, but all those whom he wished to procure out of the whole
nation; for they add, “Thou wishest to be known by all, and yet thou
concealest thyself.”
4.
If thou dost these
things; that is, if thou aspirest to
such greatness that all may applaud thee, direct towards thee the eyes of all.
And they add, show thyself to the
world, using the word
world,
as contrasted with the small number of persons among whom he was spending
his time without honor. We might also draw from it another meaning.
“If thou dost these
things, that is, since thou art endued
with so great power as to procure reputation for thyself by miracles, do not
throw them away; for all that has been given to thee by God thou spendest here
to no purpose, because there are none to bear thee testimony, or to hold thee in
just estimation.” Hence we perceive how great is the indolence of men in
considering the works of God; for the relations of Christ would never have
spoken in this manner, if they had not — as it were — trampled under
foot the manifest proofs of his Divine power, which they ought to have beheld
with the greatest admiration and reverence. What is here told us concerning
Christ happens in daily experience, that the children of God suffer greater
annoyance from their near relations than from strangers; for they are
instruments of Satan which tempt, sometimes to ambition, and sometimes to
avarice, those who desire to serve God purely and faithfully. But such Satans
receive a vigorous repulse from Christ, who thus instructs us by his example,
that we ought not to yield to the foolish wishes of
brethren
or relations.
f177
5.
For even his brethren did not
believe in him. Hence we infer how small
is the value of carnal relationship; for the Holy Spirit stamps with a perpetual
mark of infamy the relations of Christ, because, though convinced by the
testimonies of so many works, they did not even then believe.
Therefore, whosoever wishes to be thought to be in Christ,
as Paul says, let him be a new creature,
(<470517>2
Corinthians 5:17;
<480615>Galatians
6:15;) for they who dedicate themselves wholly to God obtain the place of
father, and mother, and brethren to Christ, and all others he utterly disavows,
(<401250>Matthew
12:50.) So much the more ridiculous is the superstition of Papists, who,
disregarding everything else in the Virgin Mary, extol her only on the ground of
relationship, bestowing on her the title of the Mother of Christ,
f178
as if Christ himself had not reproved the woman who exclaimed from the midst of
the crowd,
Blessed is the womb that bore thee, and
the breasts that suckled thee; for Christ replied, Nay, rather, blessed are they
who hear the word of God,
(<421127>Luke
11:27, 28.)
6.
My time is not yet come. There are some
who erroneously interpret this as referring to the
time
of his death, for it denotes the
time
of his setting out on the journey to go to the feast.
f179
He assures them that, in this respect, he differs from his relations. They may
freely and without danger appear, at all hours, before the world, because the
world is friendly and favorable to them; but he is in dread of his person, and
justly, because the world is his mortal enemy. By these words he means that they
do wrong in giving advice on a matter which they do not
understand.
7.
The world cannot hate you. When he says
that the world cannot hate
them, he reproves them for being
altogether carnal; for peace with
the
world can only be purchased by a wicked
consent to vices and to every kind of wickedness.
But me it hateth, because I
testify. The world here denotes men who
are not born again, who retain their natural disposition; and accordingly he
declares that all who have not yet been regenerated by the Spirit are
Christ’s adversaries. And why? Because he condemns
their
works. And if we acquiesce in the
decision of Christ, we are under the necessity of acknowledging that the whole
nature of man is so sinful and wicked, that nothing right, or sincere, or good,
can proceed from it. This is the only reason why any of us is pleased with
himself, so long as he is in his natural state.
Because I testify of it, that its
works are evil. When Christ says that
the world hateth him on this account, he means that the Gospel cannot be
faithfully preached without summoning the whole world, as guilty, to the
judgment-seat of God, that flesh and blood may thus be crushed and reduced to
nothing, according to that saying,
When the Spirit shall
come, he will reprove the world of
sin,
(<431608>John
16:8.)
We learn from it also, that so great is the pride
natural to men, that they flatter and applaud themselves in their vices; for
they would not kindle into rage, when they are reproved, were it not that they
are blinded by excessive love of themselves, and on that account flatter
themselves in their sins. Even among the vices of men, the chief and most
dangerous is pride and arrogance. The Holy Spirit alone softens us, so as to
endure reproofs patiently, and thus to offer ourselves willingly to be slain by
the sword of the Church.
|
JOHN
7:9-13
|
|
9. And having said these things, he remained
in Galilee. 10. And when his brethren had gone up, then he also went up
to the feast, not openly, but, as it were, in secret. 11. The Jews
therefore sought him at the feast, and said, Where is he? 12. And there
was much murmuring concerning him among the crowds; for some said, He is a good
man, and others said, No, but he seduceth the multitude. 13. Yet no man
spoke openly about him for fear of the Jews.
|
9.
He remained in Galilee. The Evangelist
here places before our eyes the cousins of our Lord Jesus Christ,
f180
who, in compliance with ordinary customs, pretend to worship God, but yet are on
friendly terms with unbelievers, and therefore walk without any alarm. On the
other hand, he places before our eyes Christ himself, who hated by the
world, comes secretly into the city, till the necessity
arising out of his office compels him to show himself openly. But if there be
nothing more wretched than to be separated from Christ, accursed be that peace
which costs so high a price as to leave and abandon the Son of God.
f181
11.
The Jews therefore sought
him. Here we ought to consider what was
the condition of the Church. For the Jews, at that time, gaped for the promised
redemption like hungry men; yet, when Christ appears to them, they remain in
suspense. Hence arose that murmuring and that variety of opinions. That they
whisper secretly is an indication of the tyranny which the priests and scribes
exercised over them. It is a shocking exhibition, indeed, that this Church,
which was at that time the only Church on earth, is here represented to us as a
confused and shapeless chaos.
f182
They who rule, instead of pastors, hold the people oppressed by fear and terror,
and throughout the whole body there is shameful desolation and lamentable
disorder. By the
Jews he means the common people, who,
having been accustomed for two years to hear Christ, inquire about him, because
he does not appear according to his custom. For when they say,
Where is
he? they describe a man whom they knew,
and yet that word shows that they had not yet been earnestly moved, and that
they always remained in doubt and suspense.
12.
And there was much
murmuring. He means that, wherever men
were collected in crowds, as usually happens in large assemblies, they held
secret conversations about Christ. The diversity of opinion, which is here
related, proves that it is not a new evil, that men should differ in their
opinions about Christ, even in the very bosom of the Church. And as we do not
hesitate to receive Christ, who was formerly condemned by the greater part of
his own nation, so we ought to be armed with the same kind of shield, that the
dissensions which we see daily may not disturb us. Again, we may perceive how
great is the rashness of men in the things of God. In a matter of no importance,
they would not have taken so great liberty, but when the question relates to the
Son of God and to his most holy doctrine, they immediately hasten to give
judgment respecting it. So much the greater moderation ought we to maintain,
that we may not thoughtlessly condemn our life with the eternal truth of God.
And if the world holds us for impostors, let us remember that these are the
marks and brands of Christ, provided that we show, at the same time, that we are
faithful. This passage shows likewise that in a great multitude, even when the
whole body is in a state of confusion, there are always some who think aright;
but those few persons, whose minds are well regulated, are swallowed up by the
multitude of those whose understandings are bewildered.
13.
Yet no man spoke openly of
him for fear of the Jews. By
the
Jews he here means the rulers, who had
the government in their hands. They burned with such hatred against Christ, that
they did not permit a word to be uttered on either side. Not that they were
displeased at any reproaches which were heaped upon him, but because they could
discover no better expedient than that his name should be buried in oblivion.
Thus the enemies of the truth, after having found that they gain nothing by
their cruelty, desire nothing more than to suppress the remembrance of him, and
this object alone they strive to attain. That all were silent, being subdued
by
fear,
was a proof of gross tyranny, as I have already said; for as unbridled
licentiousness has no place in a well-regulated Church, so when all freedom is
held oppressed by
fear,
it is a most wretched condition. But the power of our Lord Jesus Christ
shone forth with greater and more wonderful brightness, when — causing
himself to be heard amidst armed foes, and amidst their furious resentment, and
under so formidable a government — he openly maintained and asserted the
truth of God.
|
JOHN
7:14-19
|
|
14. And about the middle of the feast, Jesus
went up into the temple, and taught. 15. And the Jews wondered, saying,
How doth this man know letters, since he did not learn them? 16. Jesus
answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but that of him who sent me.
17. If any man wish to do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, if it
be of God, or if I speak from myself. 18. He who speaketh from himself
seeketh his own glory; but he who seeketh the glory of him who sent him is true,
and there is no unrighteousness in him. 19. Did not Moses give you the
law, and not one of you keepeth the law? Why do you seek to kill
me?
|
14.
Jesus went up into the temple. We now
see that Christ was not so much afraid as to desist from the execution of his
office; for the cause of his delay was, that he might preach to a very large
assembly. We may sometimes, therefore, expose ourselves to dangers, but we ought
never to disregard or omit a single opportunity of doing good. As to his
teaching in the temple, he does so according to the ancient
ordinance and custom; for while God commanded so many ceremonies, he did not
choose that his people should be occupied with cold and useless spectacles. That
their usefulness might be known, it was necessary that they should be
accompanied by doctrine; and in this manner, external rites are lively images of
spiritual things, when they take their shape from the word of God. But almost
all the priests being at that time dumb, and the pure doctrine being corrupted
by the leaven and false inventions of the scribes, Christ undertook the office
of a teacher; and justly, because he was the great High Priest, as he affirms
shortly afterwards, that he attempts nothing but by the command of the
Father.
15.
And the Jews
wondered. Those who think that Christ
was received in such a manner as to be esteemed and honored are mistaken; for
the wonder or astonishment of the Jews is of such a nature, that
they seek occasion from it to despise him. For such is the ingratitude of men
that, in judging of the works of God, they always seek deliberately an occasion
of falling into error. If God acts by the usual means and in the ordinary way,
those means which are visible to the eyes are — as it were — veils
which hinder us from perceiving the Divine hand; and therefore we discern
nothing in them but what is human. But if an unwonted power of God shines above
the order of nature and the means generally known, we are stunned; and what
ought to have deeply affected all our senses passes away as a dream. For such is
our pride, that we take no interest in any thing of which we do not know the
reason.
How doth this man know
letters? It was an astonishing proof of
the power and grace of God, that Christ, who had not been taught by any master,
was yet eminently distinguished by his knowledge of the Scriptures; and that he,
who had never been a scholar, should be a most excellent teacher and instructor.
But for this very reason the Jews despise the grace of God, because it exceeds
their capacity. Admonished by their example, therefore, let us learn to exercise
deeper reverence for God than we are wont to do in the consideration of his
works.
16.
My doctrine is not mine. Christ shows
that this circumstance, which was an offense to the Jews, was rather a ladder by
which they ought to have risen higher to perceive the glory of God; as if he had
said, “When you see a teacher not trained in the school of men,
know that I have been taught by God.” For the reason why the Heavenly
Father determined that his Son should go out of a mechanic’s workshop,
rather than from the schools of the scribes, was, that the origin of the Gospel
might be more manifest, that none might think that it had been fabricated on the
earth, or imagine that any human being was the author of it. Thus also
Christ chose ignorant and uneducated men to be his apostles, and permitted them
to remain three years in gross ignorance, that, having instructed them in a
single instant, he might bring them forward as new men, and even as angels who
had just come down from heaven.
But that of him who sent
me. Meanwhile, Christ shows whence we
ought to derive the authority of spiritual doctrine, from God alone. And when he
asserts that the doctrine of his Father is not his, he looks to the capacity of
the hearers, who had no higher opinion of him than that he was a man. By way of
concession, therefore, he allows himself to be reckoned different from his
Father, but so as to bring forward nothing but what the Father had enjoined. The
amount of what is stated is, that what he teaches in the name of his Father is
not a doctrine of men, and did not proceed from men, so as to be capable of
being despised with impunity. We see by what method he procures authority for
his doctrine. It is by referring it to God as its Author. We see also on what
ground, and for what reason, he demands that he shall be heard. It is, because
the Father sent him to teach. Both of these things ought to be possessed by
every man who takes upon himself the office of a teacher, and wishes that he
should be believed.
17.
If any man wish to do his
will. He anticipates the objections that
might be made. For since he had many adversaries in that place, some one might
readily have murmured against him in this manner: “Why dost thou boast to
us of the name of God? For we do not know that thou hast proceeded from him.
Why, then, dost thou press upon us that maxim, which we do not admit to thee,
that thou teachest nothing but by the command of God?” Christ,
therefore, replies that sound judgment flows from fear and reverence for God; so
that, if their minds be well disposed to the fear of God, they will easily
perceive if what he preaches be true or not. He likewise administers to them, by
it, an indirect reproof; for how comes it that they cannot distinguish between
falsehood and truth,
f183
but because they want the principal requisite to sound understanding, namely,
piety, and the earnest desire to obey God?
This statement is highly worthy of observation. Satan
continually plots against us, and spreads his nets in every direction, that he
may take us unawares by his delusions. Here Christ most excellently forewarns us
to beware of exposing ourselves to any of his impostures, assuring us that if we
are prepared to obey God, he will never fail to illuminate us by the light of
his Spirit, so that we shall be able to distinguish between truth and falsehood.
Nothing else, therefore, hinders us from judging aright, but that we are unruly
and headstrong; and every time that Satan deceives us, we are justly punished
for our hypocrisy. In like manner Moses gives warning that, when false prophets
arise, we are tried and proved by God; for they whose hearts are
right will never be deceived,
(<051303>Deuteronomy
13:3.) Hence it is evident how wickedly and foolishly many persons in the
present day, dreading the danger of falling into error, by that very dread shut
the door against all desire to learn; as if our Savior had not good ground for
saying,
Knock, and it shall be
opened to you,
(<400707>Matthew
7:7.)
On the contrary, if we be entirely devoted to
obedience to God, let us not doubt that He will give us the spirit of
discernment, to be our continual director and guide. If others choose to waver,
they will ultimately find how flimsy are the pretences for their ignorance. And,
indeed, we see that all who now hesitate, and prefer to cherish their doubt
rather than, by reading or hearing, to inquire earnestly where the truth of God
is, have the hardihood to set God at defiance by general principles. One man
will say that he prays for the dead, because, distrusting his own judgment, he
cannot venture to condemn the false doctrines invented by wicked men about
purgatory; and yet he will freely allow himself to commit fornication. Another
will say that he has not so much acuteness as to be able to distinguish between
the pure doctrine of Christ and the spurious contrivances of men, but yet he
will have acuteness enough to steal or commit perjury. In short, all those
doubters, who cover themselves with a veil of doubt in all those matters which
are at present the subject of controversy, display a manifest contempt of God on
subjects that are not at all obscure.
We need not wonder, therefore, that the doctrine of
the Gospel is received by very few persons in the present day, since there is so
little of the fear of God in the world. Besides, these words of Christ contain a
definition of true religion; that is, when we are prepared heartily to follow
the will of God, which no man can do, unless he has renounced his own
views.
Or if I speak from
myself. We ought to observe in what
manner Christ wishes that a judgment should be formed about any doctrine
whatever. He wishes that what is from God should be received without
controversy, but freely allows us to reject whatever is from man; for this is
the only distinction that he lays down, by which we ought to distinguish between
doctrines.
18.
He who speaketh from
himself. Hitherto he has showed that
there is no other reason why men are blind, but because they are not governed by
the fear of God. He now puts another mark on the doctrine itself, by which it
may be known whether it is of God or of man. For every thing that displays the
glory of God is holy and divine; but every thing that contributes to the
ambition of men, and, by exalting them, obscures the glory of God, not only has
no claim to be believed, but ought to be vehemently rejected. He who shall make
the glory of God the object at which he aims will never go wrong; he who shall
try and prove by this touchstone what is brought forward in the name of God will
never be deceived by the semblance of right. We are also reminded by it that no
man can faithfully discharge the office of teacher in the Church, unless he be
void of ambition, and resolve to make it his sole object to promote, to the
utmost of his power, the glory of God. When he says that
there is no unrighteousness in
him, he means that there is nothing
wicked or hypocritical, but that he does what becomes an upright and sincere
minister of God.
19.
Did not Moses give you
the Law? The Evangelist does not give a
full and connected narrative of the sermon delivered by Christ, but only a brief
selection of the principal topics, which contain the substance of what was
spoken. The scribes mortally hated him,
f184
and the priests had been kindled into rage against him, because he had cured a
paralytic; and they professed that this arose from their zeal for the Law. To
confute their hypocrisy, he reasons, not from the subject, but from the person.
All of them having freely indulged in their vices, as if they had never known
any law, he infers from it that they are not moved by any love or zeal for the
Law. True, this defense would not have been sufficient to prove the point.
Granting that — under a false pretense — they concealed their wicked
and unjust hatred, still it does not follow that Christ did right, if he
committed any thing contrary to the injunction of the Law; for we must not
attempt to extenuate our own blame by the sins of others.
But Christ connects here two clauses. In the former,
he addresses the consciences of his enemies, and, since they proudly boasted of
being defenders of the Law, he tears from them this mask; for he brings against
them this reproach, that they allow themselves to violate the Law as often as
they please, and, therefore, that they care nothing about the Law. Next, he
comes to the question itself, as we shall afterwards see; so that the defense is
satisfactory and complete in all its parts. Consequently, the amount of this
clause is, that no zeal for the Law exists in its despisers. Hence Christ infers
that something else has excited the Jews to so great rage, when they seek to put
him to death. In this manner we ought to drag the wicked from their
concealments, whenever they fight against God and sound doctrine, and pretend to
do so from pious motives.
Those who, in the present day, are the fiercest
enemies of the Gospel and the most strenuous defenders of Popery, have nothing
more plausible to urge in their behalf than that they are excited by ardor of
zeal. But if their life be narrowly examined, they are all filled with base
crimes, and openly mock at God. Who knows not that the Pope’s court is
filled with Epicureans?
f185
And as to Bishops and Abbots, have they as much modesty as to conceal their
baseness, that some appearance of religion may be observed in them? Again, as to
monks and other brawlers, are they not abandoned to all wickedness, to
uncleanness, covetousness, and every kind of shocking crimes, so that their life
cries aloud that they have altogether forgotten God? And now that they are not
ashamed to boast of their zeal for God and the Church, ought we not to repress
them by this reply of Christ?
|
JOHN
7:20-24
|
|
20. The multitude answered, and said, Thou
hast a devil; who seeketh to kill thee? 21. Jesus answered, and said to
them, I have done one work, and you all wonder. 22. Therefore Moses gave
you circumcision, not because it is of Moses, but of the fathers, and on the
Sabbath you circumcise a man. 23. If a man receives circumcision on the
Sabbath, that the law of Moses may not be broken, are you offended at me,
because I have completely cured a man on the Sabbath? 24. Judge not
according to the appearance, but judge right judgment.
|
20.
Thou hast a
devil. The meaning is, “Thou art
mad;” for it was a customary phrase among the Jews, who had been trained
to the doctrine that, when men are excited to rage, or when they have lost sense
and reason, they are tormented by the devil. And, indeed, as gentle and moderate
chastisements are God’s fatherly rods, so when He treats us with greater
harshness and severity, He appears not to strike us with his own hand, but
rather to employ the devil as the executioner and minister of his wrath. Again,
the multitude reproach Christ with simplicity; for the common people were not
acquainted with the intentions of the priests. Those foolish men, therefore,
ascribe it to madness, when Christ complains that they are endeavoring to put
him to death. We learn from it that we ought to be exceedingly cautious not to
form an opinion about subjects which we do not understand; but, if it ever
happens that we are rashly condemned by ignorant men, mildly to digest such an
affront.
21.
I have done one
work. Now, leaving their persons, he
begins to speak of the fact; for he proves that the miracle which he performed
is not inconsistent with the Law of God. When he says that he has done one
work, the meaning is, that it is only of a single crime that he is
held guilty, or that it is only for a single work that he is blamed, which is,
that he cured a man on the day of Rest;
f186
but that they, on every day of Rest, do many works of the same, or a similar
description, and do not reckon them criminal; for not a day of Rest passed on
which there were not many infants circumcised in Judea. By this example
he defends his action, although he does not merely argue from what is similar,
but draws a comparison between the greater and the less. There was this
similarity between
circumcision
and the cure of the paralytic, that both were works of God; but Christ
maintains that the latter is more excellent, because the benefit of it extends
to the whole man. Now if he had merely cured the man of bodily disease, the
comparison would not have been applicable; for
circumcision
would have greater excellence as to the cure of the soul. Christ, therefore,
connects the spiritual advantage of the miracle with the outward benefit granted
to the body; and on this account he justly prefers
to
circumcision the entire cure of a
man.
There might also be another reason for the
comparison, namely, that the sacraments are not always attended by power and
efficacy, while Christ wrought efficaciously in curing the paralytic. But I
prefer the former exposition, that the Jews maliciously and slanderously blame
a work, in which the grace of God shines more illustriously than
in circumcision, on which they bestow so much honor that they
think the
Sabbath is not violated by it.
And you all
wonder. The
wonder,
of which he speaks, means that what Christ had done caused this murmur,
because they thought that he had ventured to do more than was
lawful.
22.
Therefore Moses gave you
circumcision. The particle therefore
appears to be unsuitable; and, accordingly, some take
dia<
tou>to (on this account, or
therefore) in the sense of
dia<
tou>to, (because;) but the
Greek syntax is unfavourable to their opinion.
f187
I explain it simply as meaning, that circumcision was enjoined in such a
manner that the practice of that symbolical rite was necessary even on the
Sabbath-day. Therefore, says he; that is, it has in this
manner been sufficiently demonstrated to them, that the worship of the Sabbath
is not violated by the works of God. And although Christ accommodates the
instance of circumcision to the present subject, yet he immediately makes use of
a correction, when he says, that Moses was not the first minister of
circumcision. But it was enough for his purpose, that Moses, who so rigidly
demanded the keeping of the Sabbath, commanded that infants should
be circumcised on the eighth day, even though it should fall on the day of
Rest.
f188
24.
Judge not according to the
appearance. Having concluded his
defense, he likewise administers a reproof on this ground, that they are carried
away by wicked dispositions, and do not form a judgment according to the
fact and the matter in hand. Circumcision was properly held by them in
reverence; and when it was performed on the Sabbath-day, they knew that the Law
was not violated by it, because the works of God agree well with each
other. Why do they not arrive at the same conclusion as to the work of
Christ, but because their minds are preoccupied by a prejudice which they have
formed against his person?
Judgment,
therefore, will never be
right,
unless it be regulated by the truth of the fact; for as soon as persons
appear in public, they turn their eyes and senses on them, so that the truth
immediately vanishes. While this admonition ought to be observed in all causes
and affairs, it is peculiarly necessary when the question relates to the
heavenly doctrine; for there is nothing to which we are more prone than to
dislike that doctrine on account of the hatred or contempt of
men.
|
JOHN
7:25-30
|
|
25. Some of the inhabitants of Jerusalem
therefore said, Is not this he whom they seek to kill? 26. And,
lo, he speaketh boldly, and they say nothing to him. Do the rulers actually know
that this is truly the Christ? 27. But we know whence this man is; but
when Christ shall come, no man will know whence he is. 28. Jesus
therefore exclaimed in the temple, teaching and saying, You both know me, and
you know whence I am; and I did not come of myself, but he who sent me is true,
whom you know not. 29. But I know him, for I am from him, and he hath
sent me. 30. Therefore they sought to seize him; but no man laid hands on
him, because his hour was not yet come.
|
25.
Some of the inhabitants of
Jerusalem; that is, those to whom the
rulers had communicated their plots, and who knew how much Christ was hated; for
the people at large — as we saw lately — looked upon this as a
dream, or as madness. Those persons, therefore, who knew with what inveterate
rage the rulers of their nation burned against Christ, have some reason for
wondering that, while Christ in the temple not only converses openly but
preaches freely, the rulers say
nothing to him. But they err in this
respect, that in a miracle altogether Divine they do not take into account the
providence of God. Thus carnal men, whenever they behold any unusual work of
God, do indeed wonder, but no consideration of the power of God ever enters into
their mind. But it is our duty to examine more wisely the works of God; and
especially when wicked men, with all their contrivances, do not hinder the
progress of the Gospel so much as they would desire, we ought to be fully
persuaded that their efforts have been rendered fruitless, because God, by
interposing his word, has defeated them.
27.
But we know whence this man is. Here we
see not only how great is the blindness of men, when they ought to judge about
the things of God, but this vice is almost natural to them, to be ingenious in
contriving what may hinder them from arriving at the knowledge of the truth. It
is frequently, indeed, from the craft of Satan that offenses arise, which cause
many to turn away from Christ; but though the road were plain and smooth, every
man would contrive an offense for himself. So long as the rulers were opposed to
Christ, their unbelief would of itself have kept back this multitude; but when
that obstacle has been removed, they contrive a new reason for themselves, that
they may not come to the faith. And even though it were proper that they should
be influenced by the example of their rulers, they are so far from following
what is right, that they willingly stumble at the first step. Thus it frequently
happens, that men who had begun well fall away quickly, unless the Lord conduct
them to the very end of their career.
But when Christ shall
come. The argument by which they
obstruct their own progress is this: “The Prophets have testified that the
origin of Christ will be unknown. Now we know whence this man is,
and therefore we cannot reckon him to be the Christ.”
Hence we are reminded how pernicious it is to mangle the Scriptures, and
even Christ himself, so as not to admit more than the half of him. God promised
that the Redeemer would be of the seed of David; but he frequently claims this
office as peculiar to himself; therefore, he must have been God manifested in
the flesh, that he might be the Redeemer of his Church. Thus Micah points
out the place where Christ would be born. Out of thee,
Bethlehem, he says, a Prince shall come, to govern my
people. But, immediately afterwards, he speaks of another going
forth which is far loftier, and then he says that it is hidden and
secret,
(<330502>Micah
5:2.) Yet those wretched men, when they perceived in Christ nothing but what is
liable to contempt, draw the absurd conclusion, that he is not the person who
had been promised. On the mean condition of Christ in the flesh let us therefore
learn to look in such a manner, that this state of humiliation, which is
despised by wicked men, may raise us to his heavenly glory. Thus
Bethlehem, where the man was to be born, will be to us a door by
which we may enter into the presence of the eternal God.
28.
Jesus therefore exclaimed in
the temple. He bitterly reproaches them
for their rashness, because they arrogantly flattered themselves in a false
opinion, and in this manner excluded themselves from a knowledge of the truth;
as if he had said, “You know all things, and yet you know
nothing.” And, indeed, there is not a more destructive plague than when
men are so intoxicated by the scanty portion of knowledge which they possess,
that they boldly reject every thing that is contrary to their
opinion.
You both know me, and you know
whence I am. This is ironical language.
With the false opinion which they had formed concerning him, he contrasts what
is true; as if he had said, “While you have your eyes fixed on the earth,
you think that every part of me is before your eyes; and therefore you despise
me as mean and unknown. But God will testify that I have come from heaven; and
though I may be rejected by you, God will acknowledge that I am truly his own
Son.”
But he who hath sent me is
true. He calls God
true
in the same sense that Paul calls him faithful.
If we are unbelievers,
says he, he remaineth faithful, he cannot deny himself,
(<550213>2
Timothy 2:13.)
For his object is to prove, that the credit due to
the Gospel is not in the smallest degree diminished by the utmost exertions of
the world to overthrow it; that though wicked men may attempt to take from
Christ what belonged to him, still he remains unimpaired, because the truth of
God is firm and is always like itself. Christ sees that he is despised; but so
far is he from yielding, that, on the contrary, he boldly repels the furious
arrogance of those who hold him in no estimation. With such unshaken and heroic
fortitude all believers ought to be endued; nay, more, our faith will never be
solid or lasting, unless it treat with contempt the presumption of wicked men,
when they rise up against Christ. Above all, godly teachers, relying on this
support, ought to persevere in maintaining sound doctrine, even though it should
be opposed by the whole world. Thus Jeremiah appeals to God as his defender and
guardian, because he is condemned as an impostor:
Thou hast deceived me, O
Lord, says he, and I was deceived,
(<242007>Jeremiah
20:7.)
Thus Isaiah, overwhelmed on all sides by calumnies
and reproaches, flies to this refuge, that God will approve his cause,
(<235008>Isaiah
50:8.) Thus Paul, oppressed by unjust judgments, appeals against all to the
day of the Lord,
(<460405>1
Corinthians 4:5,) reckoning it enough to have God alone to place against the
whole world, however it may rage and storm.
Whom you knew
not. He means that it is not wonderful
that he is not known by the Jews, because they do not know God;
for the beginning of wisdom is, to behold God.
29.
But I know him. When he says that he
knoweth God, he means that it is not without good grounds that he has
risen to so great confidence; and by his example he warns us not to assume
lightly the name of God, so as to vaunt of Him as the patron and defender of our
cause. For many are too presumptuous in boasting of the authority of God; and,
indeed, it is impossible to imagine greater readiness and boldness in rejecting
the opinions of all men, than is to be found among fanatics who give out their
own inventions as the oracles of God. But we are taught by these words of our
Lord Jesus Christ that we ought especially to beware of proud and foolish
confidence; and that, when we have fully ascertained the truth of God, we
ought boldly to resist men. And he who is fully aware that God is on his side
has no reason to dread the charge of being insolent, in trampling under foot all
the haughtiness of the world.
Because I am from him, and he hath
sent me. Some distinguish these two
clauses in this manner. They refer the former clause —
I am from
him — to the Divine essence
of Christ; and the latter clause —
he hath sent
me — to the office enjoined
on him by the Father, for the sake of executing which he took upon him the flesh
and human nature. Though I do not venture to reject this view, still I do not
know if Christ intended to speak so abstrusely. I readily acknowledge that
Christ’s heavenly descent may be inferred from it, but it would not be a
sufficiently strong proof of his eternal Divinity against the
Arians.
30.
Therefore they sought to
seize him. They had no want of will to do him
mischief; they even made the attempt, and they had strength to do it. Why, then,
amidst so much ardor, are they benumbed, as if they had their hands and feet
bound? The Evangelist replies, because Christ’s hour was not yet
come; by which he means that, against all their violence and furious
attacks, Christ was guarded by the protection of God. And at the same time he
meets the offense of the cross; for we have no reason to be alarmed when we
learn that Christ was dragged to death, not through the caprice of men, but
because he was destined for such a sacrifice by the decree of the Father. And
hence we ought to infer a general doctrine; for though we live from day to day,
still the time of every man’s death has been fixed by God. It is difficult
to believe that, while we are subject to so many accidents, exposed to so many
open and concealed attacks both from men and beasts, and liable to so many
diseases, we are safe from all risk until God is pleased to call us away. But we
ought to struggle against our own distrust; and we ought to attend first to the
doctrine itself which is here taught, and next, to the object at which it aims,
and the exhortation which is drawn from it, namely, that each of us, casting
all his cares on God,
(<195522>Psalm
55:22;
<600507>1
Peter 5:7,) should follow his own calling, and not be led away from the
performance of his duty by any fears. Yet let no man go beyond his own bounds;
for confidence in the providence of God must not go farther than God himself
commands.
|
JOHN
7:31-36
|
|
31. And many of the multitude believed in him,
and said, When Christ shall come, will he do more miracles than this man doth?
32. The Pharisees heard the multitude muttering these things concerning
him; and the Pharisees and priests sent officers to seize him. 33. Jesus,
therefore, said to them, Yet a little while am I with you, and I go to him who
hath sent me. 34. You shall seek me, and shall not find me; and where I
am, you cannot come. 35. The Jews, therefore, said among themselves,
Whither will he go, that we shall not find him? Will he go to those who are
scattered among the Greeks,
f189
and teach the Greeks? 36. What is this saying which he hath spoken, You
shall seek me, and shall not find me, and whither I go, you cannot
come?
|
31.
And many of the multitude
believed in him. We might have thought
that Christ preached to deaf and altogether obstinate persons; and yet the
Evangelist says that some fruit followed. And, therefore, though some may
murmur, and others scorn, and others slander, and though many differences of
opinion may arise, still the preaching of the Gospel will not be without effect;
so that we must sow the seed, and wait with patience until, in process of time,
the fruit appear. The word
believe
is here used inaccurately, for they depended more on miracles than they
relied on doctrine, and were not convinced that Jesus was the Christ; but as
they were prepared to listen to him, and showed themselves willing to receive
instruction from him as their Teacher, such a preparation for faith is called
faith. When the Holy Spirit bestows so honorable a designation on
a small spark of good disposition, it ought to encourage us, so as not to doubt
that faith, however small it may be, is acceptable to God.
32.
The Pharisees heard. Hence it appears
that the Pharisees, like persons set on the watch, were anxious on all occasions
not to permit Christ to be known. In the first instance the Evangelist calls
them only
Pharisees,
and next he adds to them the
priests of whom
the
Pharisees were a part. There can be no
doubt that, as they wished to be reckoned the greatest zealots for the Law, they
opposed Christ more bitterly than all the other sects; but finding that their
unaided exertions were not sufficient to oppress Christ, they committed the
affair to the whole order of the priests. Thus they who, in other respects,
differed among themselves now conspire together, under the guidance of Satan,
against the Son of God. Meanwhile, since
the
Pharisees had such ardent zeal and such
incessant toil for defending their tyranny and the corrupt state of the Church,
how much more zealous ought we to be in maintaining the kingdom of Christ! The
Papists in the present day are not less mad or less eager to extinguish the
Gospel; and yet it is monstrously wicked that their example does not, at least,
whet our desires, and cause us to labor with greater boldness in the defense of
true and sound doctrine.
33.
Yet a little while am I with
you. Some think that this sermon was
addressed to the assembly of the people who were present, and others, that it
was addressed to the officers who had been sent to seize Christ.
But for my own part, I have no doubt that Christ particularly addresses his
enemies, who had taken counsel to destroy him; for he ridicules their efforts,
because they will be utterly ineffectual, until the time decreed by the
Father be come. And at the same time, he reproaches them for their
obstinacy, because they not only reject, but furiously oppose, the grace which
is offered to them; and threatens that ere long it will be taken from them. When
he says, I am with
you, he rebukes their ingratitude,
because, though he had been given to them by the Father, though he had come down
to them from the heavenly glory, though, by calling them to be his familiar
associates, he desired nothing more than to assist them, still there were few
who received him. When he says,
Yet a little
while, he warns them that God will not
long endure that his grace should be exposed to such shameful contempt. Yet he
also means, that neither his life nor his death is placed at their disposal, but
that his Father has fixed a time, which must be fulfilled.
I go to him who hath sent
me. By these words he testifies that he
will not be extinguished by his death, but, on the contrary, when he shall have
laid aside his mortal body, will be declared to be the Son of God by the
magnificent triumph of his resurrection; as if he had said, “Labour as
much as you please, yet you will never hinder my Father from receiving me into
his heavenly glory, when I have discharged the embassy which he has committed to
me. Thus not only will my rank remain undiminished after my death, but a more
excellent condition is then provided for me.” Besides, we ought to draw
from it a general admonition; for as often as Christ calls us to the hope of
salvation by the preaching of the Gospel, he is present with us. For not without
reason is the preaching of the Gospel called Christ’s descent to us, where
it is said,
he came and preached
peace to those who were far off, and to those who were near,
(<490217>Ephesians
2:17.)
If we accept the hand which he holds out, he will
lead us to the Father; and so long as we must sojourn in the world, not only
will he show himself to be near us, but will constantly dwell in us. And if we
disregard his presence, he will lose nothing, but, departing from us, will leave
us altogether strangers to God and to life.
34.
You shall seek
me. They sought Christ, to put
him to death. Here Christ alludes to the ambiguous signification of the word
seek,
for soon they shall seek him in another manner; as if he had said,
“My presence, which is now irksome and intolerable to you, will
last for a short time; but ere long
you shall seek
me in vain, for, far removed from you,
not only by my body, but also by my power, I shall behold from heaven your
destruction.” But here a question may be put, of what nature was this
seeking of Christ? For it is plain enough that Christ speaks of the
reprobate, whose obstinacy in rejecting Christ had reached the utmost
point. Some refer it to doctrine, because the Jews, by foolishly pursuing the
righteousness of works, did not obtain what they desired,
(<450931>Romans
9:31.) Many understand it as referring to the person of the Messiah, because the
Jews, reduced to extremities, in vain implored a Redeemer. But for my own part,
I explain it as merely denoting the groans of distress uttered by the wicked,
when, compelled by necessity, they look in some manner towards
God.
And shall not find
me. When they seek him, they do
not seek him; for unbelief and obstinacy — by shutting up their hearts, as
it were — hinders them from approaching to God. They would desire, indeed,
that God should aid them, and should be their Redeemer, but, by impenitence and
hardness of heart, they obstruct their path. We have a very striking example
f190
in Esau, who, on account of having lost his birthright, not only is oppressed
with grief, but groans and gnashes his teeth, and breaks out into furious
indignation,
(<012738>Genesis
27:38;
<581217>Hebrews
12:17.) But yet so far is he from the right way of seeking the blessing, that,
at the very time when he is seeking it,
f191
he renders himself more unworthy of it. In this manner God usually punishes the
contempt of his grace in the reprobate, so that, either afflicted by severe
punishments, or oppressed by a conviction of their misery, or reduced to other
extremities, they complain, and cry, and howl, but without reaping any
advantage; for, being always like themselves, they nourish within their hearts
the same cruelty which they formerly displayed, and do not go to God, but rather
wish that he were changed, since they cannot destroy him. Hence let us learn
that we ought to receive Christ without delay, while he is still present with
us, that the opportunity of enjoying him may not pass away from us; for if the
door be once shut, it will be vain for us to try to open it.
Seek the Lord, says
Isaiah, while he may be found; call upon him, while he is near,
(<235506>Isaiah
55:6.)
We ought therefore to go to God early, while the
time of his good pleasure lasts, as the prophet speaks,
(<234908>Isaiah
49:8;) for we know not how long God will bear with our negligence. In these
words, where I am, you cannot
come, he employs the present tense
instead of the future, where I shall be, you shall not be able to
come.
35.
Whither will he
go? This was added by the Evangelist,
for the express purpose of showing how great was the stupidity of the people.
Thus not only are wicked men deaf to hear God’s instruction, but even
dreadful threatenings are allowed by them to pass by in mockery, as if they were
listening to a fable. Christ spoke expressly of the Father, but they remain
fixed on the earth, and think of nothing else than a departure to distant
countries.
Will he go to the dispersion of the
Greeks? It is well known that the Jews
gave the name of
Greeks to all nations beyond the sea;
but they do not mean that Christ will go to the uncircumcised nations, but to
the Jews, who were dispersed through the various countries of the world. For the
word dispersion would not apply to those who are natives of the place,
and who inhabit their native soil, but applies well to the Jews, who were
fugitives and exiles. Thus Peter inscribes his First Epistle
parepidh>moiv
diaspora~v, to the strangers of the
dispersion, that is, to the strangers who are scattered
f192
through Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and
Bithynia,
(<600101>1
Peter 1:1;) and James salutes the twelve tribes
ejn th~|
diaspora~|, in the dispersion, that
is, scattered abroad,
(<590101>James
1:1.) The meaning of the words therefore is, “Will he cross the sea, to go
to Jews who dwell in a world unknown to us?” And it is possible that they
intended to teaze Christ by this mockery. “If this be the Messiah, will he
fix the seat of his reign in Greece, since God has assigned to him the land of
Canaan as his own habitation?” But however that may be, we see that the
severe threatening which Christ had uttered did not at all affect
them.
|
JOHN
7:37-39
|
|
37. Now on the last day, which was the
greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood, and exclaimed, saying, If any man
thirst, let him come to me, and drink. 38. He who believeth in me, as the
Scripture saith, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. 39
But this he spoke of the Spirit which they who believed in him were to
receive. For the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet
glorified.
|
37.
On the last day. The first thing that
ought to be observed here is, that no plots or intrigues of enemies terrified
Christ, so as to cause him to desist from his duty; but, on the contrary, his
courage rose with dangers, so that he persevered with greater firmness. This is
proved by the circumstance of the time, the crowded assembly, and the freedom he
used in exclaiming, while he knew that hands were stretched out on
all sides to seize him; for it is probable that the officers were at that time
ready to execute their commission.
We must next observe, that nothing else than the
protection of God, on which he relied, enabled him to stand firm against such
violent efforts of those men, who had every thing in their power. For what other
reason can be assigned why Christ preached on the most public day of the
festival, in the midst of the temple, over which his enemies enjoyed a quiet
reign, and after that they had prepared a band of officers, but because God
restrained their rage? Yet it is highly useful to us, that the Evangelist
introduces Christ exclaiming aloud,
Let all who thirst come to
me. For we infer from it that the invitation
was not addressed to one or two persons only, or in a low and gentle whisper,
but that this doctrine is proclaimed to all, in such a manner that none may be
ignorant of it, but those who, of their own accord shutting their ears, will not
receive this loud and distinct cry.
If any man
thirst. By this clause he exhorts all to
partake of his blessings, provided that, from a conviction of their own poverty,
they desire to obtain assistance. For it is true that we are all poor and
destitute of every blessing, but it is far from being true that all are roused
by a conviction of their poverty to seek relief. Hence it arises that many
persons do not stir a foot, but wretchedly wither and decay, and there are even
very many who are not affected by a perception of their emptiness, until the
Spirit of God, by his own fire, kindle hunger and thirst in their hearts.
It belongs to the Spirit, therefore, to cause us to desire his
grace.
As to the present passage, we ought to observe,
first, that none are called to obtain the riches of the Spirit but those who
burn with the desire of them. For we know that the pain of
thirst
is most acute and tormenting, so that the very
strongest men, and those who can endure any amount of toil, are overpowered by
thirst.
And yet he invites the thirsty rather than the hungry, in order to
pursue the metaphor which he afterwards employs in the word water and the
word
drink,
that all the parts of the discourse may agree with each other. And I have no
doubt that he alludes to that passage in Isaiah, All that thirst, come
to the waters,
(<235501>Isaiah
55:1.) For what the Prophet there ascribes to God must have been at length
fulfilled in Christ, as also that which the blessed Virgin sung,
that
those who are rich and
full he sendeth empty
away,
(<420153>Luke
1:53.)
He therefore enjoins us to come direct to himself, as
if he had said, that it is he alone who can fully satisfy
the
thirst of all, and that all who seek
even the smallest alleviation of their thirst anywhere else are mistaken, and
labor in vain.
And let him
drink. To the exhortation a promise is
added; for though the word —
let him
drink — conveys an
exhortation, still it contains within itself a promise; because Christ testifies
that he is not a dry and worn-out cistern, but an inexhaustible fountain, which
largely and abundantly supplies all who will come to drink. Hence
it follows that, if we ask from him what we want, our desire will not be
disappointed.
38.
He who believeth in me. He now points
out the manner of coming, which is, that we must approach, not with the feet,
but by faith; or rather, to come is nothing else than to
believe, at least, if you define accurately the word
believe; as we have already said that we believe in
Christ, when we embrace him as he is held out to us in the Gospel, full of
power, wisdom, righteousness, purity, life, and all the gifts of the Holy
Spirit. Besides, he now confirms more plainly and fully the promise which we
lately mentioned; for he shows that he has a rich abundance to satisfy us to the
full.
Out of his belly shall flow rivers
of living water. The metaphor appears,
no doubt, to be somewhat harsh, when he says that
rivers of living water shall flow
out of the belly of believers; but there
can be no doubt as to the meaning, that they who believe shall suffer no want of
spiritual blessings. He calls it
living
water, the fountain of which never grows
dry, nor ceases to flow continually. As to the word
rivers
being in the plural number, I interpret it as denoting the diversified
graces of the Spirit, which are necessary for the spiritual life of the soul. In
short, the perpetuity, as well as the abundance, of the gifts and graces of the
Holy Spirit,
f193
is here promised to us. Some understand the saying — that
waters flow out of the
belly of believers — to mean, that
he to whom the Spirit has been given makes a part to flow to his
brethren, as there ought to be mutual communication between us. But I consider
it to be a simpler meaning, that whosoever shall believe in Christ shall have a
fountain of life springing up, as it were, in himself, as Christ said
formerly,
He who shall drink of
this water shall never
thirst,
(<430414>John
4:14;)
for while ordinary drinking quenches thirst only for
a short time, Christ says that by faith we draw the Spirit, that he may become
a fountain of water
springing up into everlasting
life.
Still he does not say that, on the first day,
believers are so fully satisfied with Christ, that ever afterwards they neither
hunger nor thirst; but, on the contrary, the enjoyment of Christ kindles a new
desire of him. But the meaning is, that the Holy Spirit is like a living and
continually flowing fountain in believers; as Paul also declares that he is
life in us,
(<450810>Romans
8:10,) though we still carry about, in the remains of sin, the cause of death.
And, indeed, as every one partakes of the gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit,
according to the measure of his faith, we cannot possess a perfect fullness of
them in the present life. But believers, while they make progress in faith,
continually aspire to fresh additions of the Spirit, so that the first-fruits
which they have tasted carry them forward to perpetuity of life. But we are also
reminded by it, how small is the capacity of our faith, since the graces of the
Spirit scarcely come into us by drops, which would flow like rivers,
if we gave due admission to Christ; that is, if faith made us capable of
receiving him.
As the Scripture
saith. Some confine this to the former
clause, and others to the latter clause; for my own part, I extend it to the
entire scope of the discourse. Besides, Christ does not here, in my opinion,
point out any particular passage of Scripture, but produces a testimony drawn
from the ordinary doctrine of the Prophets. For whenever the Lord, promising an
abundance of his Spirit, compares it
to living
waters, he looks principally to the
kingdom of Christ, to which he directs the minds of believers. All the
predictions of living
waters, therefore, have their
fulfillment in Christ, because he alone hath opened and displayed the hidden
treasures of God. The reason why the graces of the Spirit are poured out on him
is,
that we may all draw out
of his fullness,
(<430116>John
1:16.)
Those persons, therefore, whom Christ so kindly and
graciously calls, and who wander in every direction, deserve to perish
miserably.
39.
But this he spoke of the
Spirit. The word
water
is sometimes applied to the
Spirit on account of its purity, because
it is his office to cleanse our pollutions; but in this and similar passages
this term is employed in a different acceptation, which is, that we are
destitute of all the sap and moisture of life, unless when the Spirit of God
quickens us, and when he waters us, as it were, by secret vigor. Under one part
he includes the whole;
f194
for under the one word
water
he includes all the parts of life. Hence we infer also, that all who have
not been regenerated by the Spirit of Christ ought to be reckoned dead, whatever
may be the pretended life of which they boast.
For the Holy Spirit was not yet
given. We know that the Spirit is
eternal; but the Evangelist declares that, so long as Christ dwelt in the world
in the mean form of a servant, that grace of the Spirit, which was poured out on
men after the resurrection of Christ, had not been openly manifested. And,
indeed, he speaks comparatively, in the same manner as when the New Testament is
compared to the Old. God promises his Spirit to his elect and believers,
f195
as if he had never given him to the Fathers. At that very time, the disciples
had undoubtedly received the first-fruits of the Spirit; for whence comes faith
but from the Spirit? The Evangelist, therefore, does not absolutely affirm that
the grace of the Spirit was not offered and given
f196
to believers before the death of Christ, but that it was not yet so bright and
illustrious as it would afterwards become. For it is the highest ornament of the
kingdom of Christ, that he governs his Church by his Spirit; but he entered into
the lawful and — what may be called — the solemn possession of his
kingdom, when he was exalted to the right hand of the Father; so that we need
not wonder if he delayed till that time the full manifestation of the
Spirit.
But one question still remains to be answered. Does
he mean here the visible graces of the Spirit, or the regeneration which is the
fruit of adoption? I answer: The Spirit, who had been promised at the coming of
Christ, appeared in those visible gifts, as in mirrors; but here the question
relates strictly to the power of the Spirit, by which we are born again in
Christ, and become new creatures. That we lie on earth poor, and famished, and
almost destitute of spiritual blessings, while Christ now sits in glory at the
right hand of the Father, and clothed with the highest majesty of government,
ought to be imputed to our slothfulness, and to the small measure of our
faith.
|
JOHN
7:40-44
|
|
40. Many of the multitude, therefore, having
heard this sermon, said, This is truly a Prophet.
f197
41. Others said, This is the Christ. And others said, But will Christ
come out of Galilee? 42. Doth not the Scripture say that Christ will come
from the seed of David, and from the town of Bethlehem, where David dwelt?
43. There was therefore a difference of opinion in the multitude on
account of him. 44. And some of them wished to seize him, but no man laid
hands on him.
|
40.
Many of the
multitude. The Evangelist now relates
what fruit followed from this last sermon of our Lord Jesus Christ; namely, that
some thought one thing and some another, so that a difference of opinion
arose among the people. It ought to be observed that John does not
speak of the open enemies of Christ, or of those who were already filled with
deadly hatred
f198
against sound doctrine, but of the common people, among whom there ought to have
been greater integrity. He enumerates three classes of them.
He is truly a
Prophet. The first acknowledged that
Jesus was truly a
Prophet, from which we infer that they
did not dislike his doctrine. But, on the other hand, how light and trifling
this confession was, is evident from the fact, that, while they approve of the
Teacher, they neither understand what he means, nor relish what he says; for
they could not truly receive him as a Prophet, without, at the
same time, acknowledging that he is the Son of God and the Author of their
salvation. Yet this is good in them, that they perceive in Christ something
Divine, which leads them to regard him with reverence; for this willingness to
learn might afterwards give an easy opening to faith.
41.
Others said, He is the Christ. The
second have a more correct opinion than the first; for they plainly acknowledge
that he is the Christ; but the third
f199
rise up against them, and hence proceeds the debate. By this example we are
warned that we ought not to think it strange in the present day, if men are
divided among themselves by various controversies. We learn that Christ’s
sermon produced a schism, and that not among Gentiles who were strangers to the
faith, but in the midst of the Church of Christ, and even in the chief seat of
the Church. Shall the doctrine of Christ be blamed on that account, as if it
were the cause of disturbances? Nay rather, though the whole world were in
commotion, the word of God is so precious, that we ought to wish that it were
received, at least by a few. There is no reason, therefore, why our consciences
should be distressed, when we see those who wish to be accounted the people of
God fighting with each other by contrary opinions.
Yet it ought also to be observed that divisions do
not properly draw their origin from the Gospel; for there can be no firm
agreement among men except in undoubted truth. As to the peace maintained among
those who know not God, it arises more from stupidity than from true agreement.
In short, of all the differences which spring up, when the Gospel is preached,
the cause and seed formerly lay concealed in men; but when they are awakened, as
it were, out of sleep, they begin to move, just as vapours are produced by
something else than the sun, although it is not till the sun arises that they
make their appearance.
But will Christ come out of
Galilee? That they may not be thought to
reject Christ on insufficient grounds, they fortify themselves by the testimony
of Scripture; and though they do violence to this passage, by turning it
improperly against Christ, still they have some appearance of truth. In this
point only they are in the wrong, that they make Christ a Galilean. But whence
arises this ignorance but from contempt? For if they had taken the trouble to
inquire, they would have seen that Christ was adorned with both titles; that he
was born in Bethlehem, and that he was the son of David.
But such is our natural disposition; in matters of little consequence we are
ashamed of being indolent, while, in the mysteries of the heavenly kingdom, we
slumber without any concern. It is likewise of importance to observe, that those
men are diligent and industrious in seeking an excuse for turning aside from
Christ, but, at the same time, are astonishingly slow and dull in receiving
sound doctrine. In this manner, out of the Scriptures themselves, which lead us
by the hand to Christ, men frequently make obstacles for themselves, that they
may not come to Christ.
44.
Some of them wished to seize
him. By these words the Evangelist
means, that they not only despised Christ, but that their wicked rejection of
him was accompanied by cruelty and eagerness to do him injury; for superstition
is always cruel. That their efforts were unavailing, we ought to ascribe to the
providence of God; for since Christ’s hour was not yet come,
as has been formerly said, guarded by the protection of his Father, on which
he relied, he surmounted all dangers.
|
JOHN
7:45-53
|
|
45. So the officers came to the chief priests
and Pharisees, and they said to them, Why have you not brought him? 46. The
officers answered, Never man spoke like this man. 47. The Pharisees
therefore answered them, And are you also seduced? 48. Hath any of the
rulers, or of the Pharisees, believed in him? 49. But this multitude, who
know not the law, are accursed. 50. Nicodemus said to them, (he who came
to him by night, for he was one of them,) 51. Doth our law judge a man
before it hath heard him, and knoweth what he doth? 52. They answered and
said to him, Art thou also of Galilee? Search and see, that no Prophet hath
arisen out of Galilee. 53. And every man went to his own
house.
|
45.
So the officers came. Here we may see
how blind is the arrogance of men. To such an extent do they admire and adore
the greatness which renders them eminent, that they have no hesitation in
trampling under foot morality and religion. If any thing happen contrary to
their wish, they would willingly mingle heaven and earth; for when these haughty
and wicked priests
f200
ask, why Christ was not brought, they magnify their power so
greatly as if nothing ought to oppose their command.
46.
Never man spoke like this
man. Those officers acknowledge that
they are subdued and vanquished by the word of Christ, and yet they do not on
that account repent or give due honor to the word. If it be true, that never
man spoke like this man, why did not the Divine power, which they
were compelled to feel, touch their hearts in such a manner as to cause them to
devote themselves wholly to God? But it was necessary that the prediction of
Isaiah should thus be accomplished:
he will prostrate the
wicked by the breath of his
mouth,
(<231104>Isaiah
11:4.)
Nay more, we shall afterwards see how those who were
attempting to put him to death, overwhelmed by the voice of Christ alone, and as
if they had been struck down with mallets, fell backwards,
(<431806>John
18:6.) Let us, therefore, learn that the doctrine of Christ possesses such power
as even to terrify the wicked; but as this tends to their destruction, let us
take care that we be softened, instead of being broken. Even in the present day,
we see many persons who too much resemble those officers, who are reluctantly
drawn into admiration of the doctrine of the Gospel, and yet are so far from
yielding to Christ, that they still remain in the enemy’s camp. There are
others even worse, who, for the sake of obtaining favor with the wicked, employ
all the opprobrious terms which they can find for basely slandering that
doctrine, which, notwithstanding, they acknowledge to be from God, because they
are convinced of it in their hearts.
f201
47.
And are you also
seduced? While they reprove their
officers, they endeavor, at the same time, to keep them in subjection. For by
these words they mean, that it would be unreasonable and unbecoming that they
should not remain steady, though the whole people should revolt. But we must see
on what argument they rest, when they so haughtily insult
Christ.
48.
Has any of the rulers, or of
the Pharisees, believed in him?
“He has none on his side,” they say, “but low and ignorant
men; the
rulers, and every person of distinction,
are opposed to him.” They expressly name
the
Pharisees, because they had a reputation
above others, both for knowledge and holiness, so that they might be said to be
the princes of the people. This objection appears to have some plausibility; for
if the rulers and governors of the Church do not retain their authority, it is
impossible that any thing shall ever be properly done, or that the good order of
the Church shall long continue. We know what are the fierce passions of the
common people; in consequence of which the most frightful disorder must follow,
when every man is allowed to do what he pleases. The authority of those who rule
is therefore a necessary bridle for preserving the good order of the Church;
and, accordingly, it was provided by the Law of God that, if any question or
controversy should arise, it should be submitted to the decision of the High
Priest,
(<051708>Deuteronomy
17:8.)
But they err in this respect, that, while they claim
for themselves the highest authority, they are unwilling to submit to God. It is
true that God conferred the power of judgment on the high priest, but God did
not intend that the high priest should decide, except according to his Law. All
the authority that is possessed by pastors, therefore, is subject to the word of
God, that all may be kept in their own rank, from the greatest to the smallest,
and that God alone may be exalted. If pastors who honestly and sincerely
discharge their duty, claim authority for themselves, this glorying will be holy
and lawful; but when the mere authority of men is supported, without the
authority of God’s word, it is vain and useless boasting. But it often
happens that wicked men rule in the Church; and therefore we must beware of
giving any authority to men, as soon as they depart from the word of
God.
We see that nearly all the prophets were tormented by
this kind of annoyance; for, in order to bury their doctrine, men continually
brought against them the magnificent titles of Princes, of Priests, and of the
Church. Provided with the same armor, Papists in the present day rage not less
fiercely than did the adversaries of Christ and of the Prophets in former times.
It is a horrible blindness, indeed, when a mortal man is not ashamed to oppose
himself to God; but to such a pitch of madness does Satan carry those who set a
higher value on their own ambition than on the truth of God. Meanwhile, it is
our duty to cherish such a reverence for the word of God as shall extinguish all
the splendor of the world, and scatter its vain pretensions; for miserable would
be our condition, if our salvation depended on the will of princes, and far too
unsteady would our faith be, if it were to stand or fall according to their
pleasure.
49.
But this
multitude. The first part of their pride
was, that, relying on the title of Priests, they wished to subject all to them
in a tyrannical manner. The next is, that they despise others as men of no
estimation, as those who excessively flatter themselves are always disposed to
abuse others, and an immoderate love of ourselves is accompanied by contempt of
the brethren. They pronounce the whole populace to be
accursed;
and why? It is no doubt alleged by them that the people do not know the
law; but another reason, which they concealed, was, that they thought
that there was no holiness but in their own rank. In like manner, the Popish
priests in our own day pretend that none but themselves deserve to be called the
Church; and all others, whom they call the laity, they despise as if they were
profane persons. But to throw down such madness of pride, God prefers the mean
and despised to those who hold the highest authority and power. And it ought to
be observed that they here boast of knowledge, not that which
instructs men in religion and the fear of God, but such as they possessed while,
with magisterial pride, they gave forth their responses, as if they alone had
been qualified to interpret the law. It is undoubtedly true, that all who have
not been instructed in the law of God are accursed, because by the
knowledge of it we are truly sanctified. But this knowledge is not confined to a
few who, swelled with false confidence, wish to exclude themselves from the rank
of other men, but belongs in common to all the children of God, that all, from
the smallest even to the greatest, may be united in the same obedience of
faith.
50.
Nicodemus said to
them. The Evangelist describes
Nicodemus as a neutral man, who does not venture to undertake in good
earnest the defense of sound doctrine, and yet cannot endure to have the truth
oppressed.
He who came to Jesus by
night. This circumstance is mentioned by
the Evangelist, partly to the praise, and partly to the disgrace, of
Nicodemus.
If he had not loved the doctrine of Christ, he would never have dared to
meet the rage of wicked men; for he knew that, if any of them but opened his
mouth, he would be immediately exposed to dislike and to danger. When,
therefore, he ventures to throw out one word, however feeble it may be, some
small spark of godliness shines from his heart; but in not defending Christ
openly, he manifests excessive timidity. Thus the Evangelist means that he has
still a hankering after the concealment of the night, and is not a true disciple
of Christ. He says that he once came to Jesus by night, but
remained openly among his enemies, and kept his place in their
camp.
This ought to be the more carefully observed,
because there are many in the present day who plead that they resemble
Nicodemus, and hope that, by assuming this mask, they will mock God with
impunity. Granting what they ask, that there is no difference between them and
Nicodemus, what assistance, pray, do they derive from such an example? Nicodemus
says that Christ ought not to be
condemned until he be heard; and the
same thing might be said of a robber or an assassin; for it is a well-known and
proverbial sentiment, that it is better to acquit the innocent than to condemn
the guilty. Besides, in his attempts to release the person of Christ, he leaves
and abandons the doctrine. What shall we find here that is worthy of a believer
or a Christian?
f202
Thus the seed of the gospel, which afterwards bore fruit, was still concealed
and choked in him. We shall apply this example far more profitably to another
purpose, that the Lord frequently causes the doctrine, which seemed to have
perished, gradually to take a concealed root, and, after a long period, to put
forth some bud, first like an untimely plant, afterwards lively and vigorous;
just as the faith of Nicodemus acquired new and sudden vigor from the death of
Christ.
52.
Art thou also from Galilee? They say
that all who favor Christ are
from
Galilee, and this is spoken
reproachfully, as if he could not have any person among his followers except
from the small and unknown corner of
Galilee.
f203
The extreme violence to which they are excited against Nicodemus, shows with
what furious hatred they burned against Christ; for he had not avowedly
undertaken to defend Christ, but had only said that
he ought not to be condemned
before he was heard. Thus among the
Papists in our own day, no man can show the slightest token of candour that the
Gospel may not be oppressed, but immediately the enemies fly into a passion, and
exclaim that he is a heretic.
53.
And every man went to his own house. Now
follows an astonishing close of the transaction. If any one take into account
what was the reign of the priests at that time, with what rage they were
excited, and how vast was their retinue, and, on the other hand, if he consider
that Christ was unarmed and defenceless, and that there was no body of men to
protect him, the conclusion must be, that it was all over with him a hundred
times. When so formidable a conspiracy is dissolved of its own accord, and when
all those men, like waver of the sea, break themselves by their own violence,
who will not acknowledge that they were scattered by the hand of God? But God
always continues to be like himself; and therefore, whenever he pleases, he will
bring to nothing all the efforts of enemies, so that, while they have everything
in their power, and are ready and prepared to execute their design, they will
depart without having done their work. And we have often found that, whatever
contrivances our enemies have made to extinguish the Gospel, yet by the amazing
kindness of God, it immediately fell powerless to the ground.
CHAPTER 8
|
JOHN
8:1-11
|
|
1. But Jesus went to the mountain of Olives.
2. And early in the morning he again came to the temple, and all the
people came to him; and sitting down, he taught them 3. And the scribes
and Pharisees bring to him a woman caught in adultery, and placing her in the
midst, 4. They say to him, Master, this woman was caught in the very act,
while she was committing adultery. 5. Now in the law Moses commanded us
to stone such persons; but what sayest thou? 6. Now they said this,
trying him, that they might have ground for accusing him. But Jesus, casting
down his eyes,
f204
wrote with the finger on the ground. 7. And as they persisted in asking
him, he lifted up his eyes,
f205
and said to them, He who is without sin amongst you, let him first cast a stone
at her. 8. And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. 9.
And having heard that, and being reproved by their conscience, they went out one
by one, beginning at the eldest even to the last; so that Jesus was left alone,
and the woman who stood in the midst. 10. And Jesus, lifting up his eyes,
having seen nobody but the woman, said to her, Woman, where are thy accusers?
Hath no man condemned thee? 11. She said, No man, Lord. Jesus answered
her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.
|
3.
And the scribes and Pharisees bring to him.
It is plain enough that this passage was unknown anciently to the Greek
Churches; and some conjecture that it has been brought from some other place and
inserted here. But as it has always been received by the Latin Churches, and is
found in many old Greek manuscripts, and contains nothing unworthy of an
Apostolic Spirit, there is no reason why we should refuse to apply it to our
advantage. When the Evangelist says that
the scribes brought to him a
woman, he means that it was done by an
agreement among them, in order to lay traps for Christ. He expressly mentions
the
Pharisees, because they were the chief
persons in the rank of
scribes.
In adopting this pretense for slander, they display enormous wickedness, and
even their own lips accuse them; for they do not disguise that they have a plain
commandment of the Law, and hence it follows that they act maliciously in
putting a question as if it were a doubtful matter. But their intention was, to
constrain Christ to depart from his office of preaching grace, that he might
appear to be fickle and unsteady. They expressly state that adulteresses are
condemned by Moses,
(<032010>Leviticus
20:10,) that they may hold Christ bound by the sentence already given by the
Law, for it was not lawful to acquit those whom the Law condemned; and, on the
other hand, if he had consented to the Law, he might be thought to be somewhat
unlike himself.
6.
And Jesus stooping down. By this
attitude he intended to show that he despised them. Those who conjecture that
he wrote this or the other thing, in my opinion, do not understand his
meaning. Nor do I approve of the ingenuity of Augustine, who thinks that in this
manner the distinction between the Law and the Gospel is pointed out, because
Christ did not write on tables of stone,
(<023118>Exodus
31:18,) but on man, who is dust and earth. For Christ rather intended, by doing
nothing, to show how unworthy they were of being heard; just as if any person,
while another was speaking to him, were to draw lines on the wall, or to turn
his back, or to show, by any other sign, that he was not attending to what was
said. Thus in the present day, when Satan attempts, by various methods,
to draw us aside from the right way of teaching, we ought disdainfully to pass
by many things which he holds out to us. The Papists teaze us, to the utmost of
their power, by many trifling cavils, as if they were throwing clouds into the
air. If godly teachers be laboriously employed in examining each of those
cavils, they will begin to weave Penelope’s web;
f206
and therefore delays of this sort, which do nothing but hinder the progress of
the Gospel, are wisely disregarded.
7.
He who is without sin among you. He said
this according to the custom of the Law; for God commanded that the witnesses
should, with their own hands, put malefactors to death, according to the
sentence which had been pronounced on them; that greater caution might be used
in bearing testimony,
(<051707>Deuteronomy
17:7.) There are many who proceed rashly to overwhelm their brother by perjury,
because they do not think that they inflict a deadly wound by their tongue. And
this very argument, had weight with those slanderers, desperate as they were;
for no sooner do they obtain a sight of it, than they lay aside those fierce
passions with which they were swelled when they came. Yet there is this
difference between the injunction of the Law and the words of Christ, that in
the Law God merely enjoined that they should not condemn a man with the tongue,
unless they were permitted to put him to death with their own hands; but here
Christ demands from the witnesses perfect innocence, so that no man ought to
accuse another of crime, unless he be pure, and free from every fault. Now what
he said, at that time, to a few persons, we ought to view as spoken to all, that
whoever accuses another, ought to impose on himself a law of innocence;
otherwise, we do not pursue wicked actions, but rather are hostile to the
persons of men.
In this way, however, Christ appears to take out of
the world all judicial decisions, so that no man shall dare to say that he has a
right to punish crimes. For shall a single judge be found, who is not conscious
of having something that is wrong? Shall a single witness be produced who is not
chargeable with some fault? He appears, therefore, to forbid all witnesses to
give public testimony, and all judges to occupy the judgment-seat. I reply: this
is not an absolute and unlimited prohibition, by which Christ forbids sinners to
do their duty in correcting the sins of others; but by this word he only
reproves hypocrites, who mildly flatter themselves and their vices, but are
excessively severe, and even act the part of felons, in censuring others. No
man, therefore, shall be prevented by his own sins from correcting the sins of
others, and even from punishing them, when it may be found necessary, provided
that both in himself and in others he hate what ought to be condemned; and in
addition to all this, every man ought to begin by interrogating his own
conscience, and by acting both as witness and judge against himself, before he
come to others. In this manner shall we, without hating men, make war with
sins.
9.
And being reproved by their conscience.
Here we perceive how great is the power of an evil conscience. Though those
wicked hypocrites intended to entrap Christ by their cavils, yet as soon as he
pierces their consciences by a single word, shame puts them to flight. This is
the hammer with which we must break the pride of hypocrites. They must be
summoned to the judgment-seat of God. Though it is possible that the shame, with
which they were struck before men, had greater influence over them than the fear
of God, still it is a great matter that, of their own accord, they acknowledge
themselves to be guilty, when they thus fly away as if they were confounded. It
is immediately added,
Beginning from the eldest even to
the last. Our attention is drawn to this
circumstance, that, according as each of them surpassed the others in honorable
rank, he was the more quickly moved by his condemnation. And would to God that
f207
our scribes, who in the present day sell their labors to the Pope
to make war with Christ, had at least as much modesty as those men; but they are
so destitute of shame that, while they have rendered themselves infamous by
every detestable crime, they glory in the fact that they are permitted to be as
abominable as they choose, without being punished. We ought also to observe how
widely this conviction of sin, by which the scribes were affected, differs from
true repentance. For we ought to be affected by the judgment of God in such a
manner, that we shall not seek a place of concealment to avoid the presence of
the Judge, but rather shall go direct to Him, in order to implore his
forgiveness.
Jesus was left
alone. This was brought about by the
Spirit of wisdom, that those wicked men, having gained nothing by tempting
Christ, went away. Nor is there any reason to doubt that we shall succeed in
defeating all the contrivances of our enemies, provided that we permit ourselves
to be governed by the same Spirit. But it frequently happens that they gain an
advantage over us, because, not attending to their snares, we are not careful to
take advice, or rather, trusting to our own wisdom, we do not consider how much
we need the government of the Holy Spirit. He says that Christ remained
alone;
not that the people, whom he was formerly teaching, had left him, but
because all the scribes, who had brought the adulteress, gave him
no farther annoyance. When it is said that
the
woman remained with Christ, let us learn
by this example that there is nothing better for us than to be brought, as
guilty, to his tribunal, provided that we surrender ourselves mildly and
submissively to his government.
11.
Neither do I condemn
thee. We are not told that Christ
absolutely acquitted the woman, but that he allowed her to go at liberty. Nor is
this wonderful, for he did not wish to undertake any thing that did not belong
to his office. He bad been sent by the Father to gather the lost
sheep,
(<401006>Matthew
10:6;) and, therefore, mindful of his calling, he exhorts the woman to
repentance, and comforts her by a promise of grace. They who infer from this
that adultery ought not to be punished with death, must, for the same reason,
admit that inheritances ought not to be divided, because Christ refused to
arbitrate in that matter between two brothers,
(<421213>Luke
12:13.) Indeed, there will be no crime whatever that shall not be exempted from
the penalties of the law, if adultery be not punished; for then the door will be
thrown open for any kind of treachery, and for poisoning, and murder, and
robbery. Besides, the adulteress, when she bears an unlawful child, not only
robs the name of the family, but violently takes away the right of inheritance
from the lawful offspring, and conveys it to strangers. But what is worst of
all, the wife not only dishonors the husband to whom she had been united, but
prostitutes herself to shameful wickedness, and likewise violates the sacred
covenant of God, without which no holiness can continue to exist in the
world.
Yet the Popish theology is, that in this passage
Christ has brought to us the Law of grace, by which adulterers are freed from
punishment. And though they endeavor, by every method, to efface from the minds
of men the grace of God, such grace as is every where declared to us by the
doctrine of the Gospel, yet in this passage alone they preach aloud the Law of
grace. Why is this, but that they may pollute, with unbridled lust, almost every
marriage-bed, and may escape unpunished? Truly, this is the fine fruit
f208
which we have reaped from the diabolical system of celibacy, that they who are
not permitted to marry a lawful wife can commit fornication without restraint.
But let us remember that, while Christ forgives the sins of men, he does not
overturn political order, or reverse the sentences and punishments appointed by
the laws.
Go, and sin no
more. Hence we infer what is the design
of the grace of Christ. It is, that the sinner, being reconciled to God, may
honor the Author of his salvation by a good and holy life. In short, by the same
word of God, when forgiveness is offered to us, we are likewise called to
repentance. Besides, though this exhortation looks forward to the future, still
it humbles sinners by recalling to remembrance their past life.
|
JOHN
8:12-14
|
|
12. Therefore Jesus spoke again to them,
saying, I am the light of the world; he who followeth me shall not walk in
darkness, but shall have the light of life. 13. The Pharisees therefore
said to him, Thou testifiest concerning thyself, thy testimony is not true.
f209
14. Jesus answered, and said to them, Though I testify concerning myself,
my testimony is true:
f210
for I know whence I came, and whither I go; but you know not whence I come, and
whither I go.
|
12.
I am the light of the
world. Those who leave out the former
narrative, which relates to the adulteress,
f211
connect this discourse of Christ with the sermon which he delivered on the last
day of the assembly. It is a beautiful commendation of Christ, when he is called
the light of the
world; for, since we are all blind by
nature, a remedy is offered, by which we may be freed and rescued from darkness
and made partakers of the true
light. Nor is it only to one person or
to another that this benefit is offered, for Christ declares that he is
the light of the whole
world; for by this universal statement
he intended to remove the distinction, not only between Jews and Gentiles, but
between the learned and ignorant, between persons of distinction and the common
people.
But we must first ascertain what necessity there is
for seeking this light; for men will never present themselves to
Christ to be illuminated, until they have known both that this world is
darkness, and that they themselves are altogether blind. Let us therefore know
that, when the manner of obtaining this light is pointed out to us in Christ, we
are all condemned for blindness, and everything else which we consider to be
light
is compared to darkness, and to a very dark night. For Christ does not speak
of it as what belongs to him in common with others, but claims it as being
peculiarly his own. Hence it follows, that out of Christ there is not even a
spark of true light. There may be some appearance of brightness,
but it resembles lightning, which only dazzles the eyes. It must also be
observed, that the power and office of illuminating is not confined to the
personal presence of Christ; for though he is far removed from us with respect
to his body, yet he daily sheds his light upon us, by the doctrine of the
Gospel, and by the secret power of his Spirit. Yet we have not a full definition
of this light, unless we learn that we are illuminated by the Gospel and by the
Spirit of Christ, that we may know that the fountain of all knowledge and wisdom
is hidden in him.
He who followeth
me. To the doctrine he adds an
exhortation, which he immediately afterwards confirms by a promise. For when we
learn that all who allow themselves to be governed by Christ are out of danger
of going astray, we ought to be excited to follow him, and, indeed, by
stretching out his hand — as it were — he draws us to him. We ought
also to be powerfully affected by so large and magnificent a promise, that they
who shall direct their eyes to Christ are certain that, even in the midst of
darkness, they will be preserved from going astray; and that not only for a
short period, but until they have finished their course. For that is the meaning
of the words used in the future
tense, he shall not walk
in darkness, but shall have the light of
life. Such is also the import of this
latter clause, in which the perpetuity of
life
is stated in express terms. We ought not to fear, therefore, lest it leave
us in the middle of the journey, for it conducts us even to life.
The genitive of
life, in accordance with the Hebrew
idiom, is employed, instead of the adjective, to denote the effect; as if he had
said, the life-giving
light. We need not wonder that such
gross darkness of errors and superstitions prevails in the world,
in which there are so few that have their eyes fixed on
Christ.
13.
The Pharisees therefore
said. They adduce as an objection what
is commonly said, that no man ought to be trusted, when speaking in his own
cause. For a true testimony is put for “what is lawful and
worthy of credit.” In short, they mean that it is of no use for him to
speak, unless he bring proof from some other quarter.
14.
Though I testify concerning
myself. Christ replies, that his
testimony possesses sufficient credit and authority, because he is not a private
person belonging to the great body of men, but holds a very different station.
For when he says, that he knoweth
whence he came, and whither he goeth, he
thus excludes himself from the ordinary rank of men. The meaning therefore is,
that every man is heard with suspicion in his own cause, and it is provided by
the laws, that no man shall be believed, when he speaks for his own advantage.
But this does not apply to the Son of God, who holds a rank above the whole
world; for he is not reckoned as belonging to the rank of men, but has received
from his Father this privilege, to reduce all men to obedience to him by a
single word.
I know whence I
came. By these words he declares that
his origin is not from the world, but that he proceeded from God, and therefore
that it would be unjust and unreasonable that his doctrine, which is Divine,
should be subjected to the laws of men. But as he was at that time clothed with
the form of a servant, in consequence of which they despised him on account of
the mean condition of the flesh, he sends them away to the future glory of his
resurrection, from which his Divinity, formerly hidden and unknown, received a
clear demonstration. That intermediate condition, therefore, ought not to have
prevented the Jews from submitting to God’s only ambassador, who had been
formerly promised to them in the Law.
But you know not whence I came, and
whither I go. He means that his
glory is not at all diminished by their unbelief. Again, as he has given the
same testimony to us, our faith ought to despise all the reports and slanders of
wicked men; for it cannot be founded upon God without rising far above the
loftiest pride of the world. But in order that we may perceive the majesty of
his Gospel, we ought always to direct our eyes to the heavenly glory of
the Son of God,
f212
and to hear him speaking in the world, so as to remember
whence he
came, and what authority he now
possesses, after having discharged his embassy. For as he humbled himself for a
time, so now he is highly exalted
f213
at the right hand of the Father, that every knee may bow to him,
(<502910>Philippians
2:10.)
|
JOHN
8:15-20
|
|
15. You judge according to the flesh; I judge
no man. 16. And if I judge, my judgment is true;
f214
for I am not alone, but I and the Father, who hath sent me. 17. It is
even written in your law, that the testimony of two men is true. 18. I am
one who testify concerning myself, and the Father who hath sent me testifieth
concerning me. 19. They said therefore to him, Where is thy Father? Jesus
answered, You neither know me nor my Father. If you had known me, you would have
known my Father also. 20. These words Jesus spoke in the treasury,
teaching in the temple; and no man seized him, because his hour was not yet
come.
|
15.
You judge according to the
flesh. This may be explained in two
ways; either that they judge
according to the wicked views of the
flesh, or that they
judge
according to the appearance of the
person. For the
flesh sometimes denotes the outward
appearance of a man; and both meanings agree well with this passage, since
wherever either the feelings of the flesh prevail, or a regard to the
person regulates the judgment, neither truth nor justice dwells. But I think
that the meaning will be more certain, if you contrast the flesh with
the Spirit, understanding his meaning to be, that they are not
lawful and competent judges, because they have not the Spirit for their
guide.
I judge no
man. Here, too, commentators differ.
Some distinguish it thus, that
he does not
judge as man. Others refer it to the
time, that while he was on earth, he did not undertake the office of a
Judge. Augustine gives both expositions, but does not decide
between them. But the former distinction cannot at all apply. For this sentence
contains two clauses, that Christ
does not
judge, and that
if he judge, his judgment
is solid and just, because it is divine.
As to the former clause, therefore, in which he says that
he does not
judge, I confine it to what belongs
peculiarly to this passage. For in order the more fully to convict his enemies
of pride, he employs this comparison, that they unjustly assume the liberty to
judge,
and yet cannot condemn him, while he merely teaches and abstains from
performing the office of a
judge.
16.
And if I
judge, He adds this correction, that he
may not appear entirely to surrender his
right. If I
judge, says
he, my judgment is
true, that is, it is entitled to
authority. Now the authority arises from this consideration, that he does
nothing but according to the commandment of the Father.
For I am not
alone. This phrase amounts to an
affirmative, that he is not one of the ordinary rank of men, but that he must be
considered along with the office which was assigned to him by the Father. But
why does he not rather make an open assertion of his Divinity, as he might truly
and justly have done? The reason is, that as his Divinity was concealed under
the veil of the flesh, he brings forward his Father, in whom it was more
manifest. Still, the object of the discourse is, to show that all that he does
and teaches ought to be accounted Divine.
17.
Even in your law it is
written. The argument might, at first
sight, appear to be weak, because no man is received as a witness in his own
cause. But we ought to remember what I have already said, that the Son of God
f215
ought to be excluded from the ordinary number of other men,
f216
because he neither is a private individual, nor transacts his own private
business. As to his distinguishing himself from his Father, by doing so he
accommodates himself to the capacity of his hearers, and that on account of his
office, because he was at that time a servant of the Father, from whom,
therefore, he asserts that all his doctrine has proceeded.
19.
Where is thy
father? There can be no doubt whatever,
that it was in mockery that they inquired about his Father. For
not only do they, with their wonted pride, treat contemptuously what he had said
about the Father, but they likewise ridicule him for talking
loftily about his Father, as if he had drawn his birth from
heaven. By these words, therefore, they mean that they do not value so highly
Christ’s Father, as to ascribe any thing to the Son on his
account. And the reason why there are so many in the present day who, with
daring presumption, despise Christ, is, that few consider that God has sent
him.
You neither know me nor my
Father. He does not deign to give them a
direct reply, but in a few words reproaches them with the ignorance in which
they flattered themselves. They inquired about
the
Father; and yet when they had the Son
before their eyes, seeing, they did not see,
(<401313>Matthew
13:13.) It was therefore a just punishment of their pride and wicked
ingratitude, that they who despised the Son of God, who had been familiarly
offered to them, never approached to the Father. For how shall any
mortal man ascend to the height of God, unless he be raised on high by the hand
of his Son? God in Christ condescended to the mean condition of men, so as to
stretch out his hand; and do not those who reject God, when he thus approaches
to them, deserve to be excluded from heaven?
Let us know that the same thing is spoken to us all;
for whoever aspires to know God, and does not begin with Christ, must wander
— as it were — in a labyrinth; for it is not without good reason
that Christ is called the image of the Father, as has been already said. Again,
as all who, leaving Christ, attempt to rise to heaven, after the manner of
the giants,
f217
are destitute of all right knowledge of God, so every man who shall direct his
mind and all his senses to Christ, will be led straight to the Father. For on
good grounds does God declare that,
by the mirror of the
Gospel, we clearly behold God in the person of Christ,
(<470318>2
Corinthians 3:18.)
And certainly it is an astonishing reward of the
obedience of faith, that whosoever humbles himself before the Lord Jesus,
f218
penetrates above all the heavens, even to those mysteries which the angels
behold and adore.
20.
These words spoke Jesus in
the treasury. The treasury was a part of
the temple where the sacred offerings were laid up. It was a much frequented
place, and hence we infer that this sermon was delivered by Christ amidst a
large assembly of men, so that the people had less excuse. The Evangelist
likewise holds out to us the astonishing power of God in this respect, that they
were constrained to endure Christ openly
teaching in the
temple, though but lately they sought to
seize him, and put him to death. For since they held an undisputed sway
in the
temple, so that they ruled there with
the fierceness of tyrants, they might have banished Christ from it by a single
word. And when he ventured to take upon himself the office of a teacher, why do
they not instantly lay violent hands on him? We see then that God caused men to
hear him, and guarded him by his protection, so that those savage beasts did not
touch him, though they had their throats opened to swallow him.
f219
The Evangelist again mentions his hour, that we may learn that it
is not by the will of men, but by the will of God, that we live and
die.
|
JOHN
8:21-24
|
|
21. Jesus therefore spake again to them, I go,
and you shall seek me, and you shall die in your sin. Whither I go, you cannot
come. 22. The Jews therefore said, Will he kill himself? Because he
saith, Whither I go, you cannot come. 23. Then he said to them, You are
from beneath, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world.
24. Therefore I said to you, that you shall die in your sins; for if you do
not believe that I am, you shall die in your sins.
|
21.
I
go. Perceiving that he is doing no good
among these obstinate men, he threatens their destruction; and this is the end
of all those who reject the Gospel. For it is not thrown uselessly into the air,
but must breathe the odour either of life or of death, (2
Corinthians 2:16.) The meaning of these words amounts to this. “The
wicked will at length feel how great loss they have suffered by rejecting
Christ, when he freely offers himself to them. They will feel it, but it will be
too late, for there will be no more room for repentance.” And to alarm
them still more by showing them that their judgment is near at hand, in the
first place, he says that he will soon go away, by which he
means that the Gospel is preached to them only for a short time, and that if
they allow this opportunity to pass away, the accepted time and the days
appointed for salvation
(<234908>Isaiah
49:8;
<470602>2
Corinthians 6:2) will not always last. Thus also, in the present day, when
Christ knocks at our door, we ought to go immediately to meet him, lest he be
wearied by our slothfulness and withdraw from us. And indeed we have learned, by
many experiments in all ages, how greatly this departure of Christ is to be
dreaded.
And you shall seek
me. We must first ascertain in what
manner the persons now spoken of sought Christ; for if they had
been truly converted, they would not have sought him in vain; because he
has not falsely promised that, as soon as a sinner groans, he will be ready to
assist him. Christ does not mean, therefore, that they sought him by the
right way of faith, but that they sought him, as men, overwhelmed
by the extremity of anguish, look for deliverance on every hand. For unbelievers
would desire to have God reconciled to them, but yet they do not cease to fly
from him. God calls them; the approach consists in faith and repentance; but
they oppose God by hardness of heart, and, overwhelmed with despair, they
exclaim against him. In short, they are so far from desiring to enjoy the favor
of God, that they do not give him permission to assist them, unless he deny
himself, which he will never do.
In this manner, however wicked the scribes were, they
would willingly have applied to themselves the redemption which had been
promised by the hand of the Messiah, provided that Christ would transform
himself, to suit their natural disposition. Wherefore, by these words Christ
threatens and denounces to all unbelievers, that, after having despised the
doctrine of the Gospel, they will be seized with such anguish, that they shall
be constrained to cry to God, but their howling will be of no avail; because, as
we have already said, seeking, they do not seek. And this
is still more plainly expressed in the next clause, when he says,
you shall die in your
sin; for he shows that the cause of
their destruction will be, that they were disobedient and rebellious to
the very last. What is the nature of
their
sin we shall presently
see.
22.
Will he kill himself? The scribes
persevere not only in fearless scorn, but likewise in effrontery; for they
ridicule what he had said, that they cannot follow whither he shall
go; as if they had said, “If he
kill
himself, we acknowledge that we
cannot accompany him, because we do not choose to do so.” They regarded
Christ’s absence as a matter of no moment, and thought that in all
respects they would gain a victory over him; and so they bid him begone wherever
he pleases. Shocking stupidity! But thus does Satan infatuate the reprobate,
that, intoxicated with more than brutal indifference,
f220
they may throw themselves into the midst of the flame of the wrath of God. Do we
not in the present day behold the same rage in many who, having stupified their
consciences, insolently play off their jests and buffoonery on every thing that
they hear about the dreadful judgment of God? Yet it is certain that this is an
affected or sardonic smile, for they are pierced inwardly with unseen wounds;
but all on a sudden, like men bereft of their senses, they burst out into
furious laughter.
23.
You are from beneath, I am from above.
As they did not deserve that he should teach them, he wished only to strike
them with reproofs conveyed in few words, as in this passage he declares that
they do not receive his doctrine, because they have an utter dislike of the
kingdom of God. Under the words,
world
and
beneath, he includes all that men
naturally possess, and thus points out the disagreement which exists between his
Gospel and the ingenuity and sagacity of the human mind; for the Gospel is
heavenly wisdom, but our mind grovels on the earth. No man, therefore, will ever
be qualified to become a disciple of Christ, till Christ has formed him by his
Spirit. And hence it arises that faith is so seldom found in the world, because
all mankind are naturally opposed and averse to Christ, except those whom he
elevates by the special grace of his Holy Spirit.
24.
You shall die in your
sins. Having formerly employed the
singular number, in your sin, he now resorts to the plural
number, in your
sins; but the meaning is the same,
except that in the former passage he intended to point out that unbelief is the
source and cause of all evils. Not that there are no other sins but unbelief,
f221
or that it is unbelief alone which subjects us to the condemnation of eternal
death before God, as some men too extravagantly talk; but because it drives us
away from Christ, and deprives us of his grace, from which we ought to expect
deliverance from all our sins. That the Jews reject the medicine with obstinate
malice, is their mortal disease; and hence it arises that the slaves of Satan do
not cease to heap up sins on sins, and continually to bring down upon
themselves fresh condemnations. And, therefore, he immediately adds,
—
If you do not believe that I
am. For there is no other way for lost
men to recover salvation, but to betake themselves to Christ. The phrase,
that I am, is emphatic; for, in order to make the meaning
complete, we must supply all that the Scripture ascribes to the Messiah, and all
that it bids us expect from him. But the sum and substance is — the
restoration of the Church, the commencement of which is the light of faith, from
which proceed righteousness and a new life. Some of the ancient writers have
deduced from this passage the Divine essence of Christ; but that is a mistake,
for he speaks of his office towards us. This statement is worthy of observation;
for men never consider sufficiently the evils in which they are plunged; and
though they are constrained to acknowledge their destruction, yet they neglect
Christ, and look around them, in every direction, for useless remedies.
Wherefore we ought to believe that, until the grace of Christ be manifested to
deliver us, nothing but a boundless mass of all evils reigns perpetually in us.
f222
|
JOHN
8:25-29
|
|
25. Then they said to him. Who art thou? Jesus
said to them, From the beginning,
f223
because I also speak to you.
f224
26. I have many things to speak and judge of you; but he who hath sent me
is true, and I speak to the world those things which I have heard from him.
27. They knew not that he spoke to them of the Father. Jesus therefore
said to them, 28. When you shall have exalted the Son of man, then shall
you know that I am, and that I do nothing of myself; but as the Father hath
taught me, I speak. 29. And he who hath sent me is with me. The Father
hath not left me alone, because I always do the things which please
him.
|
25.
From the beginning. They who translate
the words th<n
ajrch<n, as if they had been in the nominative
case, I am the beginning,
f225
and as if Christ were here asserting his eternal Divinity, are greatly
mistaken. There is no ambiguity of this sort in the Greek, but still the Greek
commentators also differ as to the meaning. All of them, indeed, are agreed that
a preposition must be understood; but many give to it the force of an adverb, as
if Christ had said, “This ought first
(th<n
ajrch<n) to be observed.” Some too
— among whom is Chrysostom — render it continuously thus: The
beginning, who also speak to you, I have many things to say and
judge of you. This meaning has been put into verse by Nonnus.
f226
But a different reading is more generally adopted, and appears to be the true
one. I interpret th<n
ajrch<n, from the beginning; so
that the meaning, in my opinion, is this: “I did not arise suddenly, but
as I was formerly promised, so now I come forth publicly.” He
adds,
Because I also speak to
you; by which he means that he testifies
plainly enough who he is, provided that they had ears. This word,
o]ti
because, is not employed merely to assign a reason, as if Christ
intended to prove that he was from the beginning, BECAUSE he
now speaks; but he asserts that there is such an agreement between
his doctrine and the eternity which he has spoken of, that it ought to be
reckoned an undoubted confirmation of it. It may be explained thus:
“According to the beginning, that is, what I have formerly
said, I now, as it were, confirm anew;” or, “And truly what I now
also speak, is in accordance with the conditions made in all ages, so as to be a
strong confirmation of it.”
In short, this reply consists of two clauses; for,
under the word
beginning,
he includes an uninterrupted succession of ages, during which God had made a
covenant with their fathers. When he says that he also speaks, he
joins his doctrine with the ancient predictions, and shows that it depends on
them. Hence it follows that the Jews had no other reason for their ignorance,
than that they did not believe either the Prophets or the Gospel; for it is the
same Christ that is exhibited in all of them. They pretended to be disciples of
the Prophets, and to look to the eternal covenant of God; but still they
rejected Christ, who had been
promised from the
beginning, and presented himself before
them.
26.
I have many things to say
and judge of you. Perceiving that he is
in the position of one who sings to the deaf, he pursues his discourse no
farther, but only declares that God will defend that doctrine, which they
despise, because he is the Author of it. “If I wished to accuse
you,” says he, “your malice and wickedness supply me with ample
materials; but I leave you for the present. But my Father, who committed to me
the office of a teacher, will not fail to fulfill his promise; for he will
always vindicate his word against the wicked and sacrilegious contempt of
men.” This saying of Christ is of the same import with that of
Paul,
If we deny him, he
remaineth faithful, he cannot deny
himself,
(<550213>2
Timothy 2:13.)
In short, he threatens the judgment of God against
unbelievers, who refuse to give credit to his word; and he does so on this
ground, that God must inevitably defend his truth. Now this is the true firmness
of faith, when we believe that God is alone sufficient to establish the
authority of his doctrine, though the world should reject it. All who, relying
on this doctrine, serve Christ faithfully, may fearlessly accuse the whole world
of falsehood.
And I speak to the world those
things which I have heard from him. He
says that he utters nothing which he has not received from the Father; and this
is the only confirmation of a doctrine, when the minister shows that what he
speaks has proceeded from the Father. Now we know that Christ sustained, at that
time, the office of a minister; and, therefore, we need not wonder, if he
demands that men listen to him, because he brings to them the commandments of
God. Besides, by his example he lays down a general law for the whole Church,
that no man ought to be heard, unless he speak from the mouth of God. But while
he lays low the wicked arrogance of those men who take upon themselves to speak
without the word of God, faithful teachers, who know well the nature of their
calling, are fortified and armed by him with unshaken firmness, that, under the
guidance of God, they may boldly bid defiance to all mortals.
27.
They did not know that he
spoke to them about the Father. Hence we
see how stupid those men are whose understandings are possessed by Satan.
Nothing could be more plain than that they were summoned to the judgment-seat of
God. But what then? They are altogether blind. This happens daily to other
enemies of the Gospel; and such blindness ought to instruct us to walk with
fear.
f227
28.
When you shall have exalted
the Son of man. Offended at that
stupidity which the Evangelist has described, Christ again declares that they do
not deserve that he should open his mouth to speak to them any more.
f228
“You now,” says he, “have all your senses — as it were
— fascinated, and, therefore, you understand nothing of all that I say;
but the time will yet come, when you shall know that a Prophet of God has lived
among you, and has spoken to you.” This is the manner in which we ought to
deal with wicked men; we ought expressly to summon them to the judgment-seat of
God. But this knowledge, which Christ speaks of, comes too late, when the
reprobate and unbelievers,
f229
dragged to punishment, reluctantly acknowledge that God, to whom they ought
mildly to have given honor and reverence, is their Judge. For he does not
promise them repentance, but declares that, after they have been struck with new
and unexpressed horror at the wrath of God, they will be aroused from that sleep
in which they now repose. Thus Adam’s eyes were opened, so that,
overwhelmed with shame, he sought in vain for places of concealment, and
ultimately was convinced that he was ruined. Yet that knowledge of Adam, which
was in itself useless, turned to his advantage through the grace of God; but the
reprobate, being overwhelmed with despair, have their eyes opened only for this
purpose, that they may perceive their destruction. To this kind of knowledge God
conducts them in a variety of ways. Sometimes it happens that, constrained by
heavy afflictions, they learn that God is angry with them; sometimes, without
any outward punishment, he inwardly torments them; and, at other times, he
permits them to sleep until he call them out of the world.
By the term
exalt
Christ points out his own death. He mentions his death, in order to warn
them that, though they destroy him according to the flesh, they will gain
nothing by it; as if he had said, “Now you treat me with haughty scorn,
while I speak to you; but ere long your wickedness will proceed farther, even so
far as to put me to death. Then will you triumph, as if you had gained your
wish, but within a short time you shall feel, to your utter ruin, how widely my
death differs from destruction.” He employs the word
exalt,
in order to vex them the more. Their intention was to plunge Christ into the
lowest hell. He tells them that they will be completely disappointed, and that
the event will be altogether contrary to what they thus expect. He may, indeed,
have intended to allude to the outward form of his death, that he was to be
lifted up on the cross; but he looked chiefly to the glorious result of it,
which soon afterwards followed, contrary to the expectation of all. True,
indeed, in the cross itself he gained a splendid triumph over Satan,
before God and the angels, by blotting out the hand-writing of sin, and
cancelling the condemnation of death,
(<510214>Colossians
2:14;) but it was only after that the Gospel had been preached, that this
triumph began to be made known to men. The same thing which happened shortly
afterwards — that Christ rose out of the grave, and ascended to heaven
— is what we ought daily to expect; for, notwithstanding all the
contrivances of wicked men to oppress Christ in his Church, not only will he
rise in spite of them, but he will turn their wicked efforts into the means of
promoting the progress of his kingdom.
That I
am. I have already stated that this does
not refer to Christ’s Divine essence, but to his office; which appears
still more clearly from what follows, when he affirms that he does nothing but
by the command of the Father; for this means, that he was sent by God, and that
he performs his office faithfully.
And that I do nothing of
myself. That is, I do not put myself
forward, to attempt anything rashly. Again, the word
speak,
refers to the same thing, that is, to the office of teaching; for when
Christ wishes to prove that he does nothing but by the commandment of the
Father, he says that he speaks as he has been taught by Him. The meaning
of the words, therefore, may be summed up thus: In the whole of these
proceedings, which you condemn, no part is my own, but I only execute what God
has enjoined upon me; the words which you hear from my mouth are his words, and
my calling, of which He is the Author, is directed by him alone. Let us
remember, however, what I have sometimes mentioned already, that these words are
accommodated to the capacity of the hearers. For, since they thought that Christ
was only one of the ordinary rank of men, he asserts that whatever in him is
Divine is not his own; meaning that it is not of man or by man; because the
Father teaches us by him, and appoints him to be the only Teacher of the Church;
and for this reason he affirms that he has been taught by the
Father.
29.
And he who hath sent me is
with me. He again boasts that God, under
whose guidance and authority he does every thing, will assist him, so that he
shall not labor in vain and to no purpose, as if he had said, that the power of
the Spirit of God accompanies his ministry. All faithful teachers ought to be
endued with the same confidence, so as to entertain no doubt that the hand of
God will be near them, when, with a pure conscience, they discharge such a
ministry as he demands. For God does not furnish them with his word, in order
that they may strike the air with an idle and useless sound, but makes his word
successful by the secret efficacy of his Spirit, and at the same time guards
them by his protection, that, when their enemies shall have been subdued, they
may remain invincible against the whole world. And, indeed, if they judge of
themselves and their own powers, they must give way every hour; so that the only
method of pursuing is, to be convinced that they are supported by the hand of
God.
Because I do always the things
which please him. We must observe the
reason why Christ declares that God is on his side, and that he will never be
deprived of his assistance. It is, because he is regulated entirely by his will,
and serves him in sincerity. For this is what he means by the word
always,
that he does not obey God only in part, but is entirely and unreservedly
devoted to his service. Wherefore, if we desire to enjoy the same presence of
God, our whole reason must be subjected to his authority; for if our senses hold
the government in any degree, all our exertions will be fruitless, because the
blessing of God will not be on them. And though for a time we may be delighted
with the joyful prospect of success, yet the final result will be
dismal.
The Father hath not left me
alone. By these words, he indirectly
complains of the treachery of his nation, in which he found scarcely any that
gave him their support. Yet he shows that he reckons this alone to be abundantly
sufficient, that he has God to protect him. Such is the courage with which we
ought to be animated in the present day, that we may not give way on account of
the small number of believers; for, though the whole world be opposed to his
doctrine, still we are not alone. Hence, too, it is evident how
foolish is the boasting of the Papists, who, while they neglect God, proudly
boast of their vast numbers.
|
JOHN
8:30-38
|
|
30. While he spoke these things, many believed
on him. 31. Jesus therefore said to the Jews who believed on him, If you
continue in my word, you shall be truly my disciples. 32. And you shall
know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. 33. They answered, We
are Abraham’s seed, and never were enslaved to any one; how then sayest
thou, You shall be free? 34. Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say
to you, That every man who committeth sin is the slave of sin.
f230
35. And the slave
f231
remaineth not always in the house, but the son remaineth always. 36. If
the Son then shall make you free, you shall be truly free. 37. I know
that you are the seed of Abraham, but you seek to kill me, because my word
dwelleth not in you.
f232
38. I speak what I have seen with my Father, and you do what you have
seen with your father.
|
30.
While he spoke these
things. Though the Jews, at that time,
almost resembled a dry and barren soil, yet God did not permit the seed of his
word to be entirely lost. Thus, contrary to all hopes, and amidst so many
obstructions, some fruit appears. But the Evangelist inaccurately gives the name
of faith to that which was only a sort of preparation for
faith. For he affirms nothing higher concerning them than that
they were disposed to receive the doctrine of Christ, to which also the
preceding warning refers.
31.
If you continue in my
word. Here Christ warns them, in the
first place, that it is not enough for any one to have begun well, if their
progress to the end do not correspond to it; and for this reason he exhorts to
perseverance in the faith those who have tasted of his doctrine. When he says
that they who are firmly rooted in his word, so as to continue
in him, will truly be his disciples, he means that many
profess to be disciples who yet are not so in reality, and have no right
to be accounted such. He distinguishes his followers from hypocrites by this
mark, that they who falsely boasted of faith give way as soon as they have
entered into the course, or at least in the middle of it; but believers
persevere constantly to the end. If, therefore, we wish that Christ should
reckon us to be his disciples, we must endeavor to persevere.
32.
And you shall know the truth. He says,
that they who have arrived at some knowledge of it
shall know the
truth. True, those whom Christ addresses
were as yet uneducated, and scarcely knew the first elements, and therefore we
need not wonder if he promises them a more full understanding of his doctrine.
But the statement is general. Wherefore, whatever progress any of us have made
in the Gospel, let him know that he needs new additions. This is the reward
which Christ bestows on their perseverance, that he admits them to greater
familiarity with him; though in this way he does nothing more than add another
gift to the former, so that no man ought to think that he is entitled to any
reward. For it is he who impresses his word on our hearts by his Spirit, and it
is he who daily chases away from our minds the clouds of ignorance which obscure
the brightness of the Gospel. In order that the truth may be fully revealed to
us, we ought sincerely and earnestly to endeavor to attain it. It is the same
unvarying truth which Christ teaches his followers from the beginning to the
end, but on those who were at first enlightened by him, as it were with small
sparks, he at length pours a full light. Thus believers, until they have been
fully confirmed, are in some measure ignorant of what they know; and yet it is
not so small or obscure a knowledge of faith as not to be efficacious for
salvation.
The truth shall make you
free. He commends the knowledge
of the Gospel from the fruit which we derive from it, or — which is the
same thing — from its effect, namely, that it restores us to
freedom. This is an invaluable blessing. Hence it follows, that
nothing is more excellent or desirable than the knowledge of the Gospel. All men
feel and acknowledge that slavery is a very wretched state; and
since the Gospel delivers us from it, it follows that we derive from the
Gospel the treasure of a blessed life.
We must now ascertain what kind of liberty is here
described by Christ, namely, that which
sets us
free from the tyranny of Satan, sin, and
death. And if we obtain it by means of the Gospel, it is evident from this that
we are by nature the slaves of sin. Next, we must ascertain what is the
method of our deliverance. For so long as we are governed by our sense and by
our natural disposition, we are in bondage to sin; but when the Lord
regenerates us by his Spirit, he likewise makes us free, so that,
loosed from the snares of Satan, we willingly obey righteousness. But
regeneration proceeds from faith, and hence it is evident that freedom proceeds
from the Gospel.
Let Papists now go and proudly vaunt of their
free-will, but let us, who are conscious of our own slavery, glory in none but
Christ our Deliverer. For the reason why the Gospel ought to be reckoned to have
achieved our deliverance is, that it offers and gives us to Christ to
be freed from the yoke of sin. Lastly, we ought to observe, that freedom
has its degrees according to the measure of their faith; and therefore Paul,
though clearly made free, still groans and longs after perfect
freedom,
(<450724>Romans
7:24.)
33.
We are Abraham’s
seed. It is uncertain if the Evangelist
here introduces the same persons who formerly spoke,
f233
or others. My opinion is, that they replied to Christ in a confused manner, as
usually happens in a promiscuous crowd; and that this reply was made rather by
despisers than by those who believed. It is a mode of expression very customary
in Scripture, whenever the body of a people is mentioned, to ascribe generally
to all what belongs only to a part.
Those who object that they are
Abraham’s
seed, and have always been free,
easily inferred from the words of Christ that freedom was promised to
them as to people who were slaves. But they cannot endure to have
it said that they, who are a holy and elect people, are reduced to
slavery. For of what avail was the adoption and the
covenant,
(<450904>Romans
9:4,) by which they were separated from other nations, but because they were
accounted the children of God? They think, therefore, that they are insulted,
when freedom is exhibited to them as a blessing which they do not yet
possess. But it might be thought strange that they should maintain that they
never were
enslaved, since they had been so
frequently oppressed by various tyrants, and at that time were subjected to the
Roman yoke, and groaned under the heaviest burden of slavery; and
hence it may be easily seen how foolish was their boasting.
Yet they had this plausible excuse, that the unjust
sway of their enemies did not hinder them from continuing to be
free
by right. But they erred, first, in this respect, that they did not consider
that the right of adoption was founded on the Mediator alone; for how comes it
that Abraham’s
seed is
free,
but because, by the extraordinary grace of the Redeemer, it is exempted from
the general bondage of the human race? But there was another error less
tolerable than the former, that, though they were altogether degenerate, yet
they wished to be reckoned among the children of
Abraham,
and did not consider that it is nothing else than the regeneration of the
Spirit that makes them lawful children of Abraham. And indeed, it
has been too common a vice in almost all ages, to refer to the origin of the
flesh the extraordinary gifts of God, and to ascribe to nature those remedies
which Christ bestows for correcting nature. Meanwhile, we see how all who,
swelled with false confidence, flatter themselves on their condition drive away
from them the grace of Christ. And yet this pride is spread over the whole
world, so that there is scarcely one person in a hundred who feels that he needs
the grace of God.
34.
Every man who committeth sin
is the slave of sin. This is an argument
drawn from contrary things. They boasted that they were free. He proves that
they are the slaves of
sin, because, being enslaved by the
desires of the flesh, they continually sin. It is astonishing that men are not
convinced by their own experience, so that, laying aside their pride, they may
learn to be humble. And it is a very frequent occurrence in the present day,
that, the greater the load of vices by which a man is weighed down, the more
fiercely does he utter unmeaning words in extolling free-will.
Christ appears to say nothing more here than what was
formerly said by philosophers, that they who are devoted to their lusts are
subject to the most degrading slavery. But there is a deeper and
more hidden meaning; for he does not argue what evil men bring on themselves,
but what is the condition of human nature. The philosophers thought that any man
is a slave by his own choice, and that by the same choice he returns to
freedom. But here Christ maintains, that all who are not delivered
by him are in a state of slavery, and that all who derive the
contagion of sin from corrupted nature are slaves from their birth. We
must attend to the comparison between grace and nature, on which Christ here
dwells; from which it may be easily seen that men are destitute of freedom,
unless they regain it from some other quarter. Yet this slavery is
voluntary, so that they who necessarily sin are not compelled to
sin.
35.
Now the slave remaineth not
in the house always. He adds a
comparison, taken from the laws and from political law, to the effect that a
slave, though he may have power for a time, yet is not the heir of
the house; from which he infers that there is no perfect and durable
freedom, but what is obtained
through the
Son. In this manner he accuses the Jews
of vanity, because they hold but a mask instead of the reality; for, as to their
being Abraham’s offspring, they were nothing but a
mask. They held a place in the Church of God, but such a place as Ishmael, a
slave, rising up against his freeborn brother, usurped for a
short time,
(<480429>Galatians
4:29.) The conclusion is, that all who boast of being
Abraham’s
children have nothing but an empty and
deceitful pretense.
36.
If then the Son shall make
you free. By these words he means
that the right of freedom belongs to himself alone, and that all others,
being born slaves, cannot be delivered but by his grace. For what
he possesses as his own by nature he imparts to us by adoption, when we are
ingrafted by faith into his body, and become his members. Thus we ought to
remember what I said formerly, that the Gospel is the instrument by which we
obtain our freedom. So then our freedom is a benefit
conferred by Christ, but we obtain it by faith, in consequence of which also
Christ regenerates us by his Spirit. When he says that they
shall be truly
free, there is an emphasis on the word
truly;
for we must supply the contrast with the foolish persuasion by which the
Jews were swelled with pride, in like manner as the greater part of the world
imagine that they possess a kingdom, while they are in the most wretched
bondage.
37.
I know that you are Abraham’s seed.
I explain this as said by way of concession. Yet at the same time he
ridicules their folly in glorying in so absurd a title, as if he had said:
“Granting that on which you flatter yourselves so much, still what avails
it that those men are called the
children of Abraham, who are enraged
against God and his ministers, and who are actuated by such wicked and
detestable hatred of the truth, that they rush headlong to shed innocent
blood?” Hence it follows that nothing is farther from their true character
than what they wished to be called, because they have no resemblance to
Abraham.
You seek to kill me, because my
word has no place in you. He
means that they are not merely murderers, but are driven to such rage by
hatred of God and his truth, which is far more heinous; for such an enormity
does not merely extend to men, but likewise dishonors God. He says, that they
cannot receive his words, because through malice they keep their
minds shut, so that they cannot admit anything wholesome.
38.
I speak what I have seen with
my Father. He had already made frequent
mention of his Father; and now, by an argument drawn from contrary
things, he infers that they are enemies to God, and are the children of the
devil, because they oppose his doctrine. “For my
part,” says he, “I bring nothing forward, but what I have learned
from my Father. How comes it then that the word of God excites you to such fury,
but because you have an opposite father?” He says that he
speaks, and they do, because he discharged the
office of a teacher, while they labored strenuously to extinguish his doctrine.
At the same time, he protects the Gospel against contempt, by showing that it is
not wonderful if it be opposed by the children of the devil.
Instead of you do, some render it,
DO YOU what you have seen with
your father; as if Christ had said,
“Come, show that you are the children of the devil, by opposing me; for
I speak nothing but what God has commanded.”
|
JOHN
8:39-42
|
|
39. They answered, and said to him, Abraham is
our father. Jesus saith to them, If you were Abraham’s children, you would
do the works of Abraham. 40. But now you seek to kill me, a man who have
spoken to you the truth which I have heard from God: Abraham did not this.
41. You do the works of your father. They said therefore to him, We were not
born of fornication; we have one Father, who is God. 42. Jesus said to
them, If God were your Father, you would love me: for I proceeded and came from
God, for I did not proceed from myself, but he sent me.
|
39.
Abraham is our
father. This altercation shows plainly
enough how haughtily and fiercely they despised all Christ’s reproofs.
What they continually claim and vaunt of is, that they are
Abraham’s
children; by which they do not simply
mean that they are the lineal descendants of
Abraham,
but that they are a holy race, the heritage of God, and the children of God.
And yet they rely on nothing but the confidence of the flesh. But carnal
descent, without faith, is nothing more than a false pretense. We now understand
what it was that so greatly blinded them, so that they treated Christ with
disdain, though armed with deadly thunder. Thus the word of God, which might
move stones, is ridiculed in the present day by Papists, as if it were a fable,
and fiercely persecuted by fire and sword; and for no other reason but that they
rely on their false title of “the Church,” and hope that they will
be able to deceive both God and man. In short, as soon as hypocrites have
procured some plausible covering, they oppose God with hardened obstinacy, as if
he could not penetrate into their hearts.
If you were the children of
Abraham, you would do the works of Abraham.
Christ now distinguishes more plainly between the bastard and degenerate
children of
Abraham, and the true and lawful
children;
f234
for he refuses to give the very name to all who do not resemble
Abraham.
True, it frequently happens that
children
do not resemble, in their conduct, the parents from whom they are sprung;
but here Christ does not argue about carnal descent, but only affirms that they
who do not retain by faith the grace of adoption are not reckoned among
the children of
Abraham before God. For since God
promised to the seed of Abraham that he would be their God,
saying,
I will establish my covenant between me
and thee, and thy seed after thee, in their generations, for an everlasting
covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee,
(<011707>Genesis
17:7,)
all unbelievers, by rejecting this promise, excluded
themselves from the family of Abraham.
The state of the question therefore is this: Ought
they to be accounted
Abraham’s
children who reject the blessing offered
to them in the word, so that, notwithstanding of this, they shall be a holy
nation, the heritage of God, and a royal priesthood?
(<021906>Exodus
19:6;
<290302>Joel
3:2.) Christ denies this, and justly; for they who are the children of the
promise must be born again by the Spirit, and all who desire to obtain a place
in the kingdom of God ought to be new creatures. Carnal descent from Abraham
was not indeed useless, and of no value, provided that the truth were added
to it. For election dwells in the seed of
Abraham,
but it is free, so that all whom God sanctifies by his Spirit are accounted
heirs of life.
40.
But now you seek to kill
me. He proves from the effect, that they
are not the children of God, as they boasted, because they oppose God. And,
indeed, is there any thing in Abraham that is more highly commended than
the obedience of faith?
f235
This then is the mark of distinction, whenever we are required to distinguish
between his children and strangers; for empty titles, whatever estimation they
may procure before the world, are of no account with God. Christ therefore
concludes again, that they are the children of the devil, because they hate with
deadly hatred
f236
true and sound doctrine.
41.
We were not born of
fornication. They claim no more for
themselves than they did formerly, for it was the same thing with them to be
Abraham’s children and to be God’s
children. But they erred grievously in this respect, that they
imagined that God was bound to the whole seed of Abraham. For they reason thus:
“God adopted for himself the family of Abraham; therefore, since we are
Abraham’s descendants, we must be the children of God.” We now see
how they thought that they had holiness from the womb, because they were sprung
from a holy root. In short, they maintain that they are the family of God,
because they are descended from the holy fathers. In like manner, the Papists in
the present day are exceedingly vain of an uninterrupted succession from the
fathers. By sorceries of this description Satan deceives them, so that they
separate God from his word, the Church from faith, and the kingdom of heaven
from the Spirit.
Let us know, therefore, that they who have corrupted
the seed of life are at the farthest remove from being the children of God,
though, according to the flesh, they are not bastards, but pretend a right to
the plausible title of the Church. For let them go about the bush as much as
they please, still they will never avoid the discovery that the only ground of
their arrogant boasting is, “We have succeeded the holy fathers;
therefore, we are the Church.” And if the reply of Christ was sufficient
for confuting the Jews, it is not less sufficient now for reproving the Papists.
Never indeed will hypocrites cease to employ the name of God falsely, with most
wicked effrontery; but those false grounds of boasting, on which they plume
themselves, will never cease to appear ridiculous in the eyes of all who shall
abide by the decision of Christ.
42.
If God were your Father,
you would love me. Christ’s
argument is this: “Whoever is a child of God will acknowledge his
first-born Son; but you hate me, and therefore you have no reason to boast, that
you are God’s children.” We ought carefully to
observe this passage, that there is no piety and no fear of God where Christ is
rejected. Hypocritical religion, indeed, presumptuously shelters itself under
the name of God; but how can they agree with the Father who disagree with his
only Son? What kind of knowledge of God is that in which his lively image is
rejected? And this is what Christ means, when he testifies that he came from the
Father.
For I proceeded and came from
God. He means that all that he has is
divine; and therefore it is most inconsistent that the true worshippers of God
should fly from his truth and righteousness. “I did not come,” says
he, “of myself. You cannot show that anything about
me is contrary to God. In short, you will find nothing that is either earthly or
human in my doctrine, or in the whole of my ministry.” For he does not
speak of his essence, but of his office.
|
JOHN
8:43-45
|
|
43. Why do you not understand my language,
that you cannot hear my word? 44. You are of your father the
devil, and you wish to execute the desires of your father. He was a murderer
from the beginning, and he did not remain in the truth, because there is no
truth in him. 45. And because I tell the truth, you do not believe
me.
|
43.
Why do you not understand my
language? In this passage, he reproaches
the Jews with their obstinacy, which was so great, that they could not even
endure to hear him speak. Hence he infers, that they are actuated and
hurried away by diabolical rage. Some make a distinction here between
language and speech, as if speech had a more
extensive meaning; but I do not see it;
f237
and besides, it would not be appropriate that the word which means less should
be placed first. Many point this verse in such a manner as to make the question
close with the word language;
f238
as if the question consisted only of these words,
Why do you not understand my
language? So that the reason is
immediately assigned, Because you
cannot hear my word. But I think that it
ought rather to be read in immediate connection, as if he had said,
“What is the reason why my speech appears to you barbarous and
unknown, so that I gain nothing by speaking to you, and so that you do not even
deign to open your ears to receive what I say?” In the former clause,
therefore, he reproves their stupidity; in the latter, he reproves their
obstinate and ungovernable hatred of his doctrine; and he afterwards assigns a
reason for both, when he says, that they are sprung from the
devil. For by putting the question, he intended to take out of their
hands what was the subject of their continual boasting, that they are led by
reason and judgment to oppose him.
44.
You are of your father the
devil. What he had twice said more obscurely,
he now expresses more fully, that they are the devil’s
children. But we must supply the contrast, that they could not
cherish such intense hatred to the Son of God, were it not that they had for
their father the perpetual enemy of God. He calls them children of the
devil, not only because they imitate him, but because they are led by
his instigation to fight against Christ. For as we are called the children of
God, not only because we resemble him, but because he governs us by
his Spirit, because Christ lives and is vigorous in us, so as to conform us to
the image of his Father; so, on the other hand, the devil is said to be
the
father or those whose
understandings he blinds, whose hearts he moves to commit all unrighteousness,
and on whom, in short, he acts powerfully and exercises his tyranny; as in
<470404>2
Corinthians 4:4;
<490202>Ephesians
2:2, and in other passages.
The Manicheans foolishly and ineffectually abused
this passage to prove their absurd tenets. For since, when Scripture calls us
the children of God, this does not refer to the transmission or origin of the
substance, but to the grace of the Spirit, which regenerates us to newness of
life; so this swing of Christ does not relate to the transmission of substance,
but to the corruption of nature, of which man’s revolt was the cause and
origin. When men, therefore, are born children of the devil, it must not be
imputed to creation, but to the blame of sin. Now Christ proves this from the
effect, because they willingly, and of their own accord, are disposed to
follow the devil.
He was a murderer from the
beginning. He explains what are those
desires, and mentions two instances, cruelty and falsehood; in which the Jews
too much resembled Satan. When he says that the devil
was a
murderer, he means that he contrived the
destruction of man; for as soon as man was created, Satan, impelled by a wicked
desire of doing injury, bent his strength to destroy him. Christ does not mean
the
beginning of the creation, as if God
implanted in him the disposition to do injury; but he condemns in Satan the
corruption of nature, which he brought upon himself. This appears more clearly
from the second clause, in which he says,
He did not remain in the
truth. For though those who imagine that
the devil was wicked by nature, endeavor to make evasions, yet these words
plainly state that there was a change for the worse, and that the reason why
Satan was a liar was, that he revolted from the truth. That
he is a liar, arises not from his nature having been always
contrary to truth, but because he fell from it by a voluntary fall. This
description of Satan is highly useful to us, that every person for himself may
endeavor to beware of his snares, and, at the same time, to repel his violence
and fury; for
he goeth about as a
roaring lion, seeking whom he may
devour,
(<600508>1
Peter 5:8,)
and has a thousand stratagems at his command for
deceiving. So much the more ought believers to be supplied with spiritual arms
for fighting, and so much the more earnestly ought they to keep watch with
vigilance and sobriety. Now, if Satan cannot lay aside this disposition, we
ought not to be alarmed at it, as if it were a new and uncommon occurrence, when
errors exceedingly numerous and varied spring up; for Satan stirs up his
followers like bellows, to deceive the world by their impostures. And we need
not wonder that Satan puts forth such strenuous efforts to extinguish the light
of truth; for it is the only life of the soul. So, then, the most
important and most deadly wound for killing the soul is falsehood.
As all who have eyes to see perceive, in the present day, such a picture of
Satan in Popery, they ought, first, to consider with what enemy they carry on
war, and, next, to betake themselves to the protection of Christ their Captain,
under whose banner they fight.
Because the truth is not in
him. This statement, which immediately
follows the other, is a confirmation a posteriori, as the phrase
is; that is, it is drawn from the effect. For Satan hates the truth, and
therefore cannot endure it, but, on the contrary, is entirely covered with
falsehoods. Hence Christ infers, that he is entirely fallen from the truth, and
entirely turned away from it. Let us not wonder, therefore, if he daily exhibits
the fruits of his apostacy.
When he speaketh
falsehood. These words are generally
explained as if Christ affirmed that the blame of
falsehood
does not belong to God, who is the Author of nature, but, on the contrary,
proceeds from corruption. But I explain it more simply, that it is customary
with the devil to speak
falsehood,
and that he knows nothing but to contrive corruptions, frauds, and
delusions. And yet we justly infer from these words, that the devil has this
vice from himself, and that, while it is peculiar to him, it may likewise be
said to be accidental; for, while Christ makes the devil to be the contriver of
lying, he evidently separates him from God, and even declares him
to be contrary to God. For he is a liar, and the father of it.
The word father has the same object as the preceding statement; for
the reason why Satan is said to be
THE FATHER of
falsehood is, because he is estranged
from God, in whom alone truth dwells, and from whom it flows as from the only
fountain.
45.
But because I speak the
truth. He confirms the preceding
statement; for, since they have no other reason for opposing, but because truth
is hateful and intolerable to them, they show plainly that they are the children
of Satan.
|
JOHN
8:46-50
|
|
46. Which of you convicteth me of sin? And if
I speak truth, why do you not believe me? 47. He who is of God heareth
the words of God; you hear them not, because you are not of God. 48. The
Jews therefore answered, and said to him, Do we not say well, that thou art a
Samaritan, and hast a devil? 49. Jesus answered, I have not a devil, but
I honor my Father, and you have dishonored me. 50. But I seek not my own
glory; there is one who seeketh it, and judgeth of it.
f239
|
46.
Which of
you? This question proceeds from perfect
confidence; for, knowing that they could not justly bring any reproach against
him, he glories over his enemies, as having obtained a victory. And yet he does
not say that he is free from their slanders; for, though they had no reason for
reproaching, still they did not cease to pour out slanders on Christ; but he
means that no crime dwells in him. And such is the import of the Greek word
ejle>gcein,
as the Latins use coarguere, (to convict,) when a
person is held convicted of the fact.
Which of you Convicteth me of
sin? Yet those who think that Christ
here asserts his complete innocence, because he alone surpassed all men, so far
as he was the Son of God, are mistaken. For this defense must be restricted to
what belongs to the passage, as if he had asserted that nothing could be brought
forward to show that he was not a faithful servant of God. In like manner Paul
also glories that he is not conscious of any crime
(<460404>1
Corinthians 4:4;) for that does not extend to the whole life, but is only a
defense of his doctrine and apostleship. It is away from the subject, therefore,
to speculate, as some do, about the perfection of righteousness which belongs to
the Son of God alone; since the only object which he has in view is, to give
authority to his ministry, as appears more clearly from what follows; for he
again adds immediately afterwards,
If I speak truth, why do you not
believe me? From which we infer that
Christ is rather defending his doctrine than his person.
47.
He who is of
God. As he has a full right to take this
for granted, that he is the ambassador of the heavenly Father, and that he
discharges faithfully the office which has been committed to him, he kindles
into greater indignation against them; for their impiety was no longer
concealed, since they were so obstinate in rejecting the word of God. He had
showed that they could not bring forward any thing which he had not taught as
from the mouth of God. He concludes, therefore, that they have nothing in common
with God, for they do not hear the words of God;
f240
and, without saying any thing about himself, he charges them with being at war
with God. Besides, we are taught by this passage, that there is not a more
evident sign of a reprobate mind, than when one cannot endure the doctrine of
Christ, even though, in other respects, it shone with angelic sanctity; as, on
the contrary, if we embrace that doctrine cheerfully, we have what may be called
a visible seal of our election. For he who has the word enjoys God himself; but
he who rejects it excludes himself from righteousness and life. Wherefore, there
is nothing which we ought to fear so much as to fall under that dreadful
sentence.
48.
Do we not say
well? They show more and more how
greatly they are stupified by Satan; for, though they are fully convicted, still
they are enraged, and are not ashamed to show that they are utterly desperate.
f241
Besides, though they bring a double reproach against Christ, still they wish to
do nothing more than to say in a few words, that he is a detestable man, and
that he is actuated by a wicked spirit. The Jews reckoned the Samaritans
to be apostates and corrupters of the Law; and therefore, whenever they
wished to stamp a man with infamy, they called him
a
Samaritan. Having no crime more heinous,
therefore, to reproach Christ with, they seize at random, and without judgment,
this vulgar taunt. To express it in a few words, we see that with effrontery
they curse him, as men are wont to do when, infuriated like enraged dogs, they
cannot find any thing to say.
49.
I have not a
devil. He passes by the first charge,
and clears himself only of the second. Some think that he did so, because he
disregarded the insult offered to his person, and undertook only the defense of
the doctrine. But they are mistaken, in my opinion; for it is not probable that
the Jews were so ingenious in distinguishing between the life and the doctrine
of the Lord Jesus.
f242
Besides, the dislike of this name arose, as we have said, from this
circumstance, that the Samaritans, being perverse and degenerate
observers of the Law, had debased it by many superstitions and corruptions, and
had polluted the whole worship of God by foreign inventions. Augustine flies to
allegory, and says that Christ did not refuse to be called a
Samaritan, because he is a true guardian of his flock. But
Christ’s intention appears to me to have been different; for since the two
reproaches cast upon him had the same object, by refuting the one, he refutes
the other; and, indeed, if the matter be duly considered, they insulted him more
grievously by calling him a
Samaritan than by calling him a
demoniac. But, as I have already said, Christ satisfies himself with
a simple refutation, which he draws from what is contrary, when he asserts that
he labors to promote the honor of his Father; for he who duly and sincerely
honors him must be guided by the Spirit of God, and must be a faithful servant
of God.
You have dishonored
me. This clause may be explained, as if
it were a complaint of Christ, that he does not receive the honor due to him on
account of his promoting the glory of God. But I think that he looks much
higher, and connects the glory of the Father with his own, in this manner.
“I claim nothing for myself which does not tend to the glory of God; for
his majesty shines in me, his power and authority dwells in me; and therefore,
when you treat me so disdainfully, you pour contempt on God himself.” He
immediately adds, therefore, that God will revenge this insult. For they might
have alleged that he was ambitious, if he had not testified that it was not from
any personal feelings of a carnal nature that he cared about the honor or
contempt showed to himself, but so far as the honor or contempt of God is
concerned. Besides, though we are at a great distance from Christ, let every man
be fully convinced that, if he be sincerely desirous to promote the glory of
God, he will find that God has secured for him abundant commendation; for we
shall always find that saying to be true,
Those who honor me, I
will render
honorable,
(<090230>1
Samuel 2:30.)
If men not only despise, but even load him with
reproaches, let him calmly wait till the day of the Lord come.
|
JOHN
8:51-55
|
|
51. Verily, verily, I say to you, If any man
keep my word, he shall never see death. 52. The Jews said therefore to
him, Now we know that thou hast the devil,
f243
Abraham is dead, and the Prophets, and thou sayest, If any man keep my word, he
shall never taste of death. 53. Art thou greater than our father Abraham,
who is dead? The Prophets also are dead. Whom makest thou thyself? 54.
Jesus answered, If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing; it is my Father who
glorifieth me, of whom you say that he is your God. 55. And you know him
not, but I know him; and if I say that I do not know him, I shall be a liar like
you; but I know him, and keep his word.
|
51.
Verily, verily, I say to you. Christ
unquestionably knew that some persons in that multitude were curable, and that
others of them were not opposed to his doctrine. For this reason, he intended to
terrify the wicked whose malice was desperate, but to do so in such a manner as
to leave ground of consolation for the good, or to draw to him those who were
not yet ruined. Whatever dislike of the word of God, therefore, may be
entertained by the greatest part of men, yet the faithful teacher ought not to
be wholly employed in reproving the wicked, but ought also to impart the
doctrine of salvation to the children of God, and endeavor to bring them to
sound views, if there be any of them who are not perfectly incurable. In this
passage, therefore, Christ promises eternal life to his disciples, but demands
disciples who shall not only prick up their ears, like asses, or profess with
the mouth that they approve of his doctrine, but who shall keep his doctrine as
a precious treasure. He says that they shall never see death; for,
when faith quickens the soul of a man, death already has its sting extracted and
its venom removed, and so cannot inflict a deadly wound.
52.
Now we
know. The reprobate persist in their
stupidity, and are not moved by promises any more than by threatenings; so that
they can neither be led nor drawn to Christ. Some think that they slanderously
torture his words, by using the
expression, taste of
death, which Christ had not used; but
this appears to me to be groundless. I rather think that both of the phrases,
to taste of death and to see death, were used by the
Hebrews in the same sense; namely, to die. But they are false
interpreters in this respect, that they apply the spiritual doctrine of Christ
to the body. No believer shall see death, because believers,
having been born again of incorruptible seed,
(<600123>1
Peter 1:23,) live even when they die; because, united to Christ their Head, they
cannot be extinguished by death; because death is to them a passage into
the heavenly kingdom; because
the Spirit, dwelling in
them, is life on account of righteousness,
(<450810>Romans
8:10,)
until he swallow up all that remains of death. But
those men, being carnal, cannot perceive any deliverance from death, unless it
appear manifestly in the body. And it is a disease too common in the world, that
the greatest part of men care almost nothing about the grace of Christ, because
they judge of it only by their carnal perception. That the same thing may not
happen to us, we must arouse our minds, that they may discern spiritual life in
the midst of death.
53.
Art thou greater than our
father Abraham? This is another offense,
that they endeavor to obscure the glory of Christ by the splendor of
Abraham
and of the saints. But as all the stars are thrown into the shade by the
brightness of the sun, so all the glory that is to be found in all the saints
must fade away before the incomparable brightness of Christ. They act unjustly
and absurdly, therefore, in contrasting the servants with the Lord; and they
even act improperly towards Abraham and the Prophets, by abusing
their name in opposition to Christ. But this wickedness has prevailed in almost
every age, and prevails even in the present day, that wicked men, by mangling
the works of God, make him appear to be contrary to himself. God glorified
himself by the Apostles and Martyrs; the Papists frame idols for themselves out
of the Apostles and Martyrs, that they may occupy the place of God; and do they
not, in this manner, manufacture engines out of the very favors of God, to
destroy his power? For how little remains for God or for Christ, if the saints
have all that the Papists so lavishly bestow upon them! Wherefore, we ought to
know that the whole order of the Kingdom of God is destroyed, unless Prophets,
Apostles, and all that can be called Saints, be placed far below Christ, that he
alone may hold the highest rank. And, indeed, we cannot speak of the Saints more
respectfully than when we place them below Christ. But the Papists, though they
may deceive the ignorant by boasting that they are faithful admirers of the
Saints, offer an insult both to God and to them, because, by assigning to them a
lofty station, they reduce Christ to a level with them. And, indeed, they are
doubly in the wrong, because they prefer the Saints to Christ in doctrine; and
because, by clothing themselves with the spoils of Christ, they deprive him of
almost all his power.
54.
If I glorify
myself. Before replying to that unjust
comparison, he begins by saying that he does not seek his own
glory, and thus meets their slander. If it be objected, that Christ also
glorified himself, the answer is easy, that he did so, not as man, but by the
direction and authority of God. For here, as in many other passages, he
distinguishes between himself and God, by way of concession. In short, he
declares that he desires no glory whatever but what has been given him by the
Father. We are taught by these words that, when God glorifies his Son, he will
not permit the world to hate or despise him
f244
with impunity.
Meanwhile, those voices sounding from heaven, Kiss
the Son,
(<190212>Psalm
2:12,) Let all the angels worship him,
(<580106>Hebrews
1:6,) Let every knee bow to him,
(<502910>Philippians
2:10,) Hear ye him,
(<401705>Matthew
17:5,) Let the Gentiles seek him,
(<451511>Romans
15:11,) and Let all flesh be humbled, ought greatly to encourage
believers to render honor and reverence to Christ. We are also reminded by these
words, that all the honor which men procure for themselves is trivial and
worthless. How blind then is ambition, when we labor so earnestly about nothing!
Let, us continually keep before our eyes that saying of Paul,
Not he who commendeth
himself is approved, but whom God commendeth,
(<471018>2
Corinthians 10:18.)
Besides, as we are destitute of the glory of God, let
us learn to glory in Christ alone, so far as by his grace he makes us partakers
of his glory.
Of whom you say that he is your
God. He pulls off from them the false
mask of the name of God which they were accustomed to employ. “I
know,” he says, “how presumptuously you boast that you are the
people of God; but it is a false title, for you know not God.”
Hence also we learn what is the true and lawful
f245
profession of faith. It is that which proceeds from true knowledge. And whence
comes that knowledge, but from the word? Consequently, all who boast of the name
of God without the word of God are mere liars. Yet to their audacity Christ
opposes the assurance of his conscience; and thus all the servants of God ought
to be prepared in their hearts to be satisfied with this alone, that God is on
their side, though the whole world should rise against him. Thus anciently the
Prophets and Apostles had invincible courage and magnanimity, which stood firm
against the dreadful attacks of the whole world, because they knew by whom they
were sent. But when solid knowledge of God is wanting, there is nothing to
support us.
And if I shall say that I know
him. By this clause, Christ testifies
that the necessity of his office constrains him to speak, because silence would
be a treacherous denim of the truth. This is a remarkable statement, that God
reveals himself to us for this purpose, that we may confess before men the faith
which we have in our hearts, when it is needful. For it ought powerfully to
strike terror into our minds, that they who act hypocritically to please men,
and either deny the truth of God or disfigure it by wicked glosses, not only are
gently reproved, but are sent back to the children of the
devil.
|
JOHN
8:56-59
|
|
56. Your father Abraham exulted to see my day;
and he saw it and rejoiced. 57. The Jews then said to him, Thou art not
yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? 58. Jesus said to them,
Verily, verily, I tell you, before Abraham was, I am. 59. Then they took
up stones to throw at him; but Jesus concealed himself, and went out of the
temple.
|
56.
Your father
Abraham. He grants to them, in words
only, what he formerly took from them, that Abraham is their father.
But he shows how idle is the objection drawn from the name of
Abraham. “He had no other object,” says he,
“during his whole life, than to see my kingdom flourish. He longed for me
when I was absent, you despise me when I am present.” What Christ here
asserts concerning Abraham alone, applies to all the saints. But this doctrine
has greater weight in the person of Abraham, because he is the father of the
whole Church. Whoever then desires to be reckoned in the number of the godly,
let him rejoice, as he ought to do, in the presence of Christ, for which Abraham
ardently longed.
Exulted to see my
day. The word
exult
expresses a vehement zeal
f246
and ardent affection. We must now supply the contrast. Though the knowledge of
Christ was still so obscure, Abraham was inflamed by so strong a desire, that he
preferred the enjoyment of it to everything that was reckoned desirable. How
base then is the ingratitude of those who despise and reject him, when he is
plainly offered to them? The word
day does not, in this passage, denote
eternity, (as Augustine thought,) but the time of Christ’s kingdom, when
he appeared in the world clothed with flesh, to fulfill the office of
Redeemer.
But a question now arises, How did Abraham behold,
even with the eyes of faith, the manifestation of Christ? For this appears not
to agree with another statement of Christ,
Many kings and prophets
desired to see the things which you see, and yet did not see them,
(<421024>Luke
10:24.)
I reply, faith has its degrees in beholding Christ.
Thus the ancient prophets beheld Christ at a distance, as he had been promised
to them, and yet were not permitted to behold him present, as he made himself
familiarly and completely visible, when he came down from heaven to
men.
Again, we are taught by these words that, as God did
not disappoint the desire of Abraham, so he will not now permit
any one to breathe after Christ, without obtaining some good fruit which shall
correspond to his holy desire. The reason why he does not grant the enjoyment of
himself to many is — the wickedness of men; for few desire him.
Abraham’s joy testifies that he regarded the knowledge of
the kingdom of Christ as an incomparable treasure; and the reason why we are
told that he rejoiced to see the day of Christ is, that we may know that
there was nothing which he valued more highly. But all believers receive this
fruit from their faith, that, being satisfied with Christ alone, in whom they
are fully and completely happy and blessed, their consciences are calm and
cheerful. And indeed no man knows Christ aright, unless he gives him this honor
of relying entirely upon him.
Others explain it to mean, that Abraham, being
already dead, enjoyed the presence of Christ, when he appeared to the world; and
so they make the time of desiring and the time of seeing to be
different. And indeed it is true, that the coming of Christ was manifested to
holy spirits after death, of which coming they were held in expectation during
the whole of their life; but I do not know if so refined an exposition agrees
with Christ’s words.
57.
Thou art not yet fifty
years old. They endeavor to refute
Christ’s saying, by showing that he had asserted what was impossible, when
he who was not yet fifty years of
age makes himself equal to Abraham, who
died many centuries before. Though Christ was not yet thirty-four years of age,
yet they allow him to be somewhat older, that they may not appear to be too
rigid and exact in dealing with him; as if they had said, “Thou certainly
wilt not make thyself so old, though thou wert to boast that thou art already
fifty years of
age.” Consequently, those who
conjecture that he looked older than he actually was, or that the years
mentioned in this passage are not solar years, in either case labor to no
purpose. The notion of Papias, who says that Christ lived more than forty years,
cannot at all be admitted.
58.
Before Abraham was. As unbelievers judge
only from the appearance of the flesh, Christ reminds them that he has something
greater and higher than human appearance, which is hidden from the senses of the
flesh, and is perceived only by the eyes of faith; and that, in this respect, he
might be seen by the holy fathers, before he was manifested in the flesh. But he
uses different verbs. Before
Abraham WAS,
f247
or, Before Abraham
WAS BORN,
f248
I AM.
f249.
But by these words he excludes himself from the ordinary rank of men, and claims
for himself a power more than human,
f250
a power heavenly and divine, the perception of which reached from the beginning
of the world through all ages.
Yet these words may be explained in two ways. Some
think that this applies simply to the eternal Divinity of Christ, and compare it
with that passage in the writings of Moses, I am what I am,
(<020314>Exodus
3:14.) But I extend it much farther, because the power and grace of Christ, so
far as he is the Redeemer of the world, was common to all ages. It agrees
therefore with that saying of the apostle, Christ yesterday, and
to-day, and for ever,
(<581308>Hebrews
13:8.) For the context appears to demand this interpretation. He had formerly
said that Abraham longed for his day with vehement desire; and as this seemed
incredible to the Jews, he adds, that he himself also existed at that time. The
reason assigned will not appear sufficiently strong, if we do not understand
that he was even then acknowledged to be the Mediator, by whom God was to be
appeased. And yet the efficacy which belonged, in all ages, to the grace of the
Mediator depended on his eternal Divinity; so that this saying of Christ
contains a remarkable testimony of his Divine essence.
We ought also to observe the solemn form of an oath,
Verily,
verily. Nor do I disapprove of the
opinion of Chrysostom, that the present tense of the verb is emphatic; for he
does not say, I was, but
I
am; by which he denotes a condition
uniformly the same from the beginning to the end. And he does not say, Before
Abraham WAS, but, Before Abraham WAS MADE; which implies that Abraham
had a beginning.
59.
Then they took up
stones. There is reason to believe that
they did this, as if Christ ought to be stoned according to the injunction of
the Law,
(<032416>Leviticus
24:16.) Hence we infer how great is the madness of inconsiderate zeal; for they
have no ears to know the cause, but they have hands ready to commit murder. I
have no doubt that Christ rescued himself by his secret power, but yet under the
appearance of a low condition; for he did not intend to make a clear display of
his Divinity without leaving something for human infirmity. Some copies have the
words, And so Jesus passed through the midst of them; which
Erasmus justly considers to have been borrowed from the Gospel by
<420430>Luke
4:30. It deserves notice also, that the wicked priests and scribes, after having
banished Christ,
in whom dwelleth all the
fullness of the
Godhead,
|(<510209>Colossians
2:9,)
retain possession of the outward temple; but they are
greatly deceived, when they think that they have a temple in which God does not
dwell. Such is the course now pursued by the Pope and his followers. After
having banished Christ, and in this manner profaned the Church, they foolishly
glory in the false disguise of a Church.
CHAPTER 9
|
JOHN
9:1-5
|
|
1. And Jesus, passing by, saw a man blind from
his birth. 2. And his disciples asked him, saying, Rabbi, who hath
sinned, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? 3. Jesus
answered, Neither did this man sin, nor his parents; but that the works of God
may be displayed in him. 4. I must work the works of him who sent me,
while it is day; the night cometh, when no man can work. 5. While I am in
the world, I am the light of the world.
|
1.
Jesus saw a man
blind. In this chapter, the Evangelist
describes the restoration of sight to the blind man, at the same time mingling
doctrine, to point out the fruit of the miracle.
From his
birth. This circumstance gives an
additional display of the power of Christ; for blindness, which he
had brought from his mother’s womb, and which he had endured till he
arrived at the age of a man, could not be cured by human remedies. This gave
occasion to the disciples to propose a question, Of whose sin was this the
punishment?
2.
Rabbi, who hath sinned,
this man, or his parents? In the first place,
as Scripture testifies that all the sufferings to which the human race is liable
proceed from sin, whenever we see any person wretched, we cannot prevent the
thought from immediately presenting itself to our minds, that the distresses
which fall heavily upon him are punishments inflicted by the hand of God. But
here we commonly err in three ways.
First, while every man is ready to censure others
with extreme bitterness, there are few who apply to themselves, as they ought to
do, the same severity. If my brother meets with adversity, I instantly
acknowledge the judgment of God; but if God chastises me with a heavier stroke,
I wink at my sins. But in considering punishments, every man ought to begin with
himself, and to spare himself as little as any other person. Wherefore, if we
wish to be candid judges in this matter, let us learn to be quick in discerning
our own evils rather than those of others.
The second error lies in excessive severity; for no
sooner is any man touched by the hand of God, than we conclude that this shows
deadly hatred, and we turn small offenses into crimes, and almost despair of his
salvation. On the contrary, by extenuating our sins, we scarcely think that we
have committed very small offenses, when we have committed a very aggravated
crime.
Thirdly, we do wrong in this respect, that we
pronounce condemnation on all, without exception, whom God visits with the cross
or with tribulation.
f251
What we have lately said is undoubtedly true, that all our distresses arise from
sin; but God afflicts his own people for various reasons. For as there are some
men whose crimes he does not punish in this world, but whose punishment he
delays till the future life, that he may inflict on them more dreadful torments;
so he often treats his believing people with greater severity, not because they
have sinned more grievously, but that he may mortify the sins of the flesh for
the future. Sometimes, too, he does not look at their sins, but only tries their
obedience, or trains them to patience; as we see that holy Job — a
righteous man, and one that feareth God,
f252
is miserable beyond all other men; and yet it is not on account of his sins that
he is sore distressed, but the design of God was different, which was, that his
piety might be more fully ascertained even in adversity. They are false
interpreters, therefore, who say that all afflictions, without any distinction,
are sent on account of sins; as if the measure of punishments were equal, or as
if God looked to nothing else in punishing men than to what every man
deserves.
Wherefore, there are two things here that ought to be
observed: that
judgment begins, for the
most part, at the house of
God,
(<600417>1
Peter 4:17;)
and, consequently, that while he passes by the
wicked, he punishes his own people with severity when they have offended, and
that, in correcting the sinful actions of the Church, his stripes are far more
severe. Next, we ought to observe that there are various reasons why he afflicts
men; for he gave Peter and Paul, not less than the most wicked robbers, into the
hands of the executioner. Hence we infer, that we cannot always put our finger
on the causes of the punishments which men endure.
When the disciples, following the common opinion, put
the question, what kind of sin it was that the God of heaven punished, as soon
as this man was born, they do not speak so absurdly as when they ask if
he sinned before he was born. And yet this question, absurd as it is, was
drawn from a common opinion which at that time prevailed; for it is very evident
from other passages of Scripture, that they believed the transmigration
(metemyu>cwsiv)
of which Pythagoras dreamed, or that souls passed from one body into another.
f253
Hence we see that the curiosity of men is an exceedingly deep labyrinth,
especially when presumption is added to it. They saw that some were born lame,
some squint-eyed, some entirely blind, and some with a deformed body; but
instead of adoring, as they ought to have done, the hidden judgments of God,
they wished to have a manifest reason in his works. Thus through their rashness
they fell into those childish fooleries, so as to think that a soul, when it has
completed one life, passes into a new body, and there endures the punishment due
on account of the life which is already past. Nor are the Jews in the present
day ashamed to proclaim this foolish dream in their synagogues, as if it were a
revelation from heaven.
We are taught by this example, that we ought to be
exceedingly careful not to push our inquiries into the judgments of God beyond
the measure of sobriety, but the wanderings and errors of our understanding
hurry and plunge us into dreadful gulfs. It was truly monstrous, that so gross
an error should have found a place among the elect people of God, in the midst
of which the light of heavenly wisdom had been kindled by the Law and the
Prophets. But if God punished so severely their presumption, there is nothing
better for us, in considering the works of God, than such modesty that, when the
reason of them is concealed, our minds shall break out into admiration, and our
tongues shall immediately exclaim, “Thou art righteous, O Lord, and thy
judgments are right though they cannot be comprehended.”
It is not without reason that the disciples put the
question, Did his parents sin? For though the innocent son is not
punished for his father’s fault, but
the soul which hath
sinned shall itself die,
(<261820>Ezekiel
18:20,)
yet it is not an empty threatening, that the Lord
throws the crimes of the parents into the bosom of the children,
and
revenges them to the
third and fourth
generation,
(<022005>Exodus
20:5.)
Thus it frequently happens that the anger of God
rests on one house for many generations; and, as he blesses the children of
believers for the sake of their fathers, so he also rejects a wicked offspring,
destining the children, by a just punishment, to the same ruin with their
fathers. Nor can any man complain, on this account, that he is unjustly punished
on account of the sin of another man; for, where the grace of the Spirit is
wanting, from bad crows — as the proverb says
f254
— there must be produced bad eggs. This gave reason to the apostles to
doubt if the Lord punished, in the son, some crime of his
parents.
3.
Neither did this man sin, nor his parents.
Christ does not absolutely say that
the blind man, and his
parents, were free from all blame; but
he declares that we ought not to seek the cause of the blindness in sin. And
this is what I have already said, that God has sometimes another object in view
than to punish the sins of men, when he sends afflictions to them. Consequently,
when the causes of afflictions are concealed, we ought to restrain curiosity,
that we may neither dishonor God nor be malicious towards our brethren.
Wherefore, Christ assigns another reason. This man, he says, was born
blind, —
That the works of God might be
manifested in him. He does not, say a single
work, but uses the plural number,
works;
for, so long as he was blind, there was exhibited in him a
proof of the severity of God, from which others might learn to fear and to
humble themselves. It was afterwards followed by the benefit of his cure and
deliverance,
f255
in which the astonishing goodness of God was strikingly displayed. So then
Christ intended, by these words, to excite in his disciples the expectation of a
miracle; but at the same time reminds them in a general manner, that this must
be abundantly exhibited on the theater of the world, as the true and lawful
cause, when God glorifies his name. Nor have men any right to complain of God,
when he makes them the instruments of his glory in both ways, whether he shows
himself to be merciful or severe.
4.
I must work the works of him who hath sent
me. He now testifies that he has been
sent for the purpose of manifesting the kindness of God in giving sight to
the blind man. He borrows also a comparison from the ordinary custom of life;
for, when the sun is risen, man rises to labor, but the night is allotted to
repose, as it is said,
The sun riseth; man goeth
forth to his work, and to his labor, till the evening
(<19A422>Psalm
104:22, 23.)
He therefore employs the word
Day
to denote the time which the Father had fixed, during which he must finish
the work assigned him; in the same manner as every man who has been
called to some public office ought to be employed in what may be called his
daily task, to perform what the nature of his office demands. Hence too
we ought to deduce a universal rule, that to every man the course of his life
may be called his
day.
Wherefore, as the short duration of the light ought to excite laborers to
industry and toil, that the darkness of the night may not come on them by
surprise, ere their exertions are well begun, so, when we see that a short
period of life is allotted to us, we ought to be ashamed of languishing in
idleness. In short, as soon as God enlightens us by calling us, we ought to make
no delay, that the opportunity may not be lost.
5.
While I am in the world,
I am the light of the world. I consider
this to have been added, by way of anticipation; for it might have been thought
strange that Christ should speak of his time of working as limited, as if there
were danger that the night should come upon him by surprise, as it does on other
men. Thus, while he makes a distinction between himself and others, still he
says that his time of working is limited. For he compares himself to the sun
which, though it illuminates the whole earth by its brightness, yet, when it
sets, takes away the day along with it. In this manner he states that his death
will resemble the setting of the sun; not that his death extinguishes or
obscures his light, but that it withdraws the view of it from the world. At the
same time, he shows that, when he was manifested in flesh, that was truly the
time of the day-light of the world. For though God gave light in all ages, yet
Christ, by his coming, diffused a new and unwonted splendor. Hence he infers
that this was an exceedingly fit and proper time, and that it might be said to
be a very bright day, for illustrating the glory of God, when God intended to
make a more striking exhibition of himself in his wonderful
works.
But here arises another question. After the death of
Christ, the power of God shone more illustriously, both in the fruit of the
doctrine and in miracles; and Paul applies this strictly to the time of his own
preaching, that
God, who from the beginning of the world
commanded the light to shine out of darkness, at that time shone in the face of
Christ by the Gospel,
(<470406>2
Corinthians 4:6.)
And does Christ now give less light to the world than
when he was in the presence of men, and conversed with them? I reply, when
Christ had finished the course of his office, he labored not less powerfully by
his ministers than he had labored by himself, while he lived in the world. This
I acknowledge to be true; but, first, it is not inconsistent with what he had
said, that he was bound to perform, in his own person, what had been enjoined on
him by the Father, and at the time when he was manifested in the flesh for that
purpose. Secondly, it is not inconsistent with what he said, that his bodily
presence was the true and remarkable day of the world, the lustre
of which was diffused over all ages. For whence did the holy fathers in ancient
times, or whence do we now, desire light and day, but because the
manifestation of Christ always darted its rays to a great distance, so as to
form one continued day? Whence it follows, that all who have not Christ for
their guide grope in the dark like the blind, and wander about in confusion and
disorder. Yet we must hold by this meaning of the words, that, as the sun
discovers to our view the lovely spectacle of earth and heaven, and the whole
arrangement of nature, so God has visibly displayed the chief glory of his works
in his Son.
|
JOHN
9:6-12
|
|
6. Having said this, he spat on the ground,
and made clay of the spittle, and anointed the eyes of the blind man with the
day, 7. And said to him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, which, being
interpreted, means Sent. He went, therefore, and washed, and came seeing.
8. Then the neighbors, and they who had formerly seen him, and that he
was a beggar, said, Is not this he who sat and begged? 9. Some said, This
is he. And others, He is like him. But he said, I am he. 10. They said,
therefore, to him, How were thine eyes opened? 11. He answered and said,
A man, who is called Jesus, made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said to me,
Go into the pool of Siloam, and wash; and after I had gone and washed, I saw.
12. They said, therefore, to him, Where is he? He said, I know
not.
|
6.
He spat on the
ground. The intention of Christ was, to
restore sight to the blind
man, but he commences the operation in a
way which appears to be highly absurd; for, by
anointing his eyes with
clay, he in some respects doubles the
blindness.
Who would not have thought either that he was mocking the wretched man, or
that he was practising senseless and absurd fooleries? But in this way he
intended to try the faith and obedience of
the blind
man, that he might be an example to all.
It certainly was no ordinary proof of faith, that
the blind
man, relying on a bare word, is fully
convinced that his sight will be restored to him, and with this conviction
hastens to go to the place where he was commanded. It is an illustrious
commendation of his obedience, that he simply obeys Christ, though there are
many inducements to an opposite course. And this is the trial of true faith,
when the devout mind, satisfied with the simple word of God, promises what
otherwise appears incredible. Faith is instantly followed by a readiness to
obey, so that he who is convinced that God will be his faithful guide calmly
yields himself to the direction of God. There can be no doubt that some
suspicion and fear that he was mocked came into the mind of
the blind
man; but he found it easy to break
through every obstruction, when he arrived at the conclusion that it was safe to
follow Christ. It may be objected that
the blind
man did not know Christ; and, therefore,
could not render the honor which was due to him as the Son of God. I acknowledge
this to be true; but as he believed that Christ had been sent by God, he submits
to him, and not doubting that he speaks the truth, he beholds in him nothing but
what is Divine; and, in addition to all this, his faith is entitled to the
greater commendation, because, while his knowledge was so small, he devoted
himself wholly to Christ.
7.
Go, wash in the pool of Siloam.
Unquestionably, there was not, either in the clay, or in
the water of
Siloam, any power or fitness for curing
the eyes; but Christ freely made use of those outward symbols, on various
occasions, for adorning his miracles, either to accustom believers to the use of
signs, or to show that all things were at his disposal, or to testify that every
one of the creatures has as much power as he chooses to give them. But some
inquire what is meant by the
clay composed of dust and
spittle, and they explain it to have been a figure of Christ,
because the dust denotes the earthly nature of the flesh,
and the
spittle, which came from his mouth,
denotes the Divine essence of the Word. For my part, I lay aside this allegory
as being more ingenious than solid, and am satisfied with this simple view, that
as man was at first made of clay, so in restoring the eyes Christ
made use of clay, showing that he had the same power over a part
of the body which the Father had displayed in forming the whole man. Or,
perhaps, he intended to declare, by this sign, that it was not more difficult
for him to remove the obstruction, and to open the eyes of
the blind
man, than to wash away clay from
any man whatever; and, on the other hand, that it was as much in his power to
restore sight to the man as it was to
anoint his eyes with
clay. I prefer the latter
interpretation.
As to
the pool of
Siloam, he perhaps
ordered the blind
man to
wash in
it, in order to reprove the Jews for not
being able to discern the power of God when present; as Isaiah reproaches the
men of his time, that they
despise the waters of
Siloam, which flow softly,
(<230806>Isaiah
8:6,)
and prefer rapid and impetuous streams. This was also
the reason, I think, why Elisha ordered Naaman the Syrian to go and
wash in Jordan,
(<120510>2
Kings 5:10.) This pool, if we may believe Jerome, was formed by
waters which flowed at certain hours from Mount Zion.
Which, if you interpret it, means
Sent. The Evangelist purposely adds the
interpretation of the word
Siloam;
because that fountain, which was near the temple, daily reminded the Jews of
Christ who was to come, but whom they despised when he was exhibited before
them. The Evangelist, therefore, magnifies the grace of Christ, because he alone
enlightens our darkness, and restores sight to the blind. For the condition of
our nature is delineated in the person of one man, that we are all destitute of
light and understanding from the womb, and that we ought to seek the cure of
this evil from Christ alone.
Let it be observed that, though Christ was present
then, yet he did not wish to neglect signs; and that for the sake of reproving
the stupidity of the nation, which laid aside the substance, and retained only
an empty shadow of signs. Besides, the astonishing goodness of God is displayed
in this respect, that he comes of his own accord to cure the blind man, and does
not wait for his prayers to bestow help. And, indeed, since we are by nature
averse to him, if he do not meet us before we call on him, and anticipate by his
mercy us who are plunged in the forgetfulness of light and life, we are
ruined.
8.
Then the neighbors, and those who had formerly seen him. The blind
man was known not only to
the
neighbors, but to all the inhabitants of
the town, having been wont to sit and beg at the gate of the temple; and the
common people look more readily at such persons than at others. This
circumstance — of the man being known — contributed to make
many people acquainted with the fame of the miracle. But, as impiety is
ingenious in obscuring the works of God, many thought that it was not the same
man, because a new power of God openly appeared in him. Thus we find that the
more brightly the majesty of God is displayed in his works, the less credit do
they obtain among men. But the doubts of those men aided in proving the miracle,
for, in consequence of those doubts, the blind man celebrated more highly the
grace of Christ by his testimony. It is not without good reason, therefore, that
the Evangelist brings together all those circumstances which seemed to exhibit
more clearly the truth of the miracle.
11.
And after I had gone and
washed. So happy a result of obedience
warns us to surmount every obstacle, and to proceed courageously wherever the
Lord calls us, and not even to entertain a doubt that every thing which we
undertake by his authority, and under his guidance, will have a prosperous
issue.
|
JOHN
9:13-17
|
|
13. They bring to the Pharisees him who
formerly had been blind. 14. Now it was the Sabbath when Jesus had made
the clay, and opened his eyes. 15. The Pharisees also, therefore, asked
him again, how he had received his sight. And he said to them, He put clay on
mine eyes, and I washed, and I see. 16. Wherefore some of the Pharisees
said, This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the Sabbath. Others said,
How can a man who is a sinner do these signs? And there was a division among
them. 17. They say to him who had been formerly blind,
f256
What sayest thou of him, for having opened thine eyes? And he said, He is a
Prophet.
|
13.
They bring to the
Pharisees. The following narrative shows
that wicked men are so far from profiting by the works of God, that, the more
they are urged by their power, so much the more are they constrained to pour out
the venom which dwells within their breasts. The restoration of sight to the
blind man ought undoubtedly to have softened even hearts of stone; or, at least,
the Pharisees ought to have been struck with the novelty and greatness of the
miracle, so as to remain in doubt for a short time, until they inquired if it
were a divine work; but their hatred of Christ drives them to such stupidity,
that they instantly condemn what they are told that he has
done.
The Evangelist mentions
the
Pharisees; not that other sects were
favorable to Christ, but because this sect was more zealous than the rest in
maintaining the present condition. Hypocrisy is always proud and cruel. Being
swelled with a false opinion of their holiness, they were chiefly wounded by the
doctrine of the Gospel, which condemned all their counterfeit righteousnesses;
and above all, they fought for their power and kingdom, under the pretense of
endeavoring to maintain the Law.
When the Evangelist says that the multitude
brought the blind man to the
Pharisees, it is difficult to determine
with what disposition or with what intention they did so. Scarcely an individual
among them could then be ignorant of the inveterate hostility
of the
Pharisees to Christ; and therefore it is
possible that many flatterers, in order to obtain their favor, purposely
attempted to conceal the glory of the miracle. Yet I think it is probable that
the greater part of the people, suspending their judgment, as usually happens,
determined to refer to the arbitration and decision of those who held the
government. But wilfully shutting their eyes, while the sun is shining, they
bring darkness on themselves to obscure its light. It is a foolish superstition
of the common people that, under the pretense of honoring God, they adore the
wicked tyrants of the Church, and despise God himself, both in his word and in
his works, or, at least, do not deign to look at him.
14.
Now it was the
Sabbath. Christ purposely selected
the Sabbath-day, which must have given ground of offense to the
Jews. He had already found, in the case of the paralytic, that this work was
liable to slander. Why then does he not avoid the offense — which he could
easily have done — but because the defense malignantly undertaken by men
would tend to magnify the power of God? The Sabbath-day serves as a
whetstone to sharpen them, to inquire more eagerly into the whole matter. And
yet what advantage do they reap from a careful and earnest examination of the
question but this, that the truth of the Gospel shines more brightly? We are
taught by this example that, if we would follow Christ, we must excite the wrath
of the enemies of the Gospel; and that they who endeavor to effect a compromise
between the world and Christ, so as to condemn every kind of offenses, are
altogether mad, since Christ, on the contrary, knowingly and deliberately
provoked wicked men. We ought to attend, therefore, to the rule which he lays
down, that they who are blind, and leaders of the blind,
(<401514>Matthew
15:14,) ought to be disregarded.
15.
The Pharisees also asked
him. The people had already heard this
confession from the mouth of the blind man; and now the Pharisees also are made
witnesses of it, who might have objected that a report had been groundlessly
circulated by the common people, and had been as groundlessly believed. And,
first, leaving out of view the question as to the fact, they dispute only about
the law of the case; for they do not deny that Christ restored sight to the
blind man, but they find a crime in the circumstance of the time when it was
done, and assert that it is not a work of God, because it violated
the
Sabbath. But we ought first to inquire
if a work of God was a violation of the Sabbath. And what hinders them from
seeing this, but that, in consequence of having been blinded by sinful motives
and by malice, they see nothing? Besides, they had already been abundantly
instructed by Christ, that the benefits which God bestows on men are not more
inconsistent with the Sabbath than circumcision; and the words of the Law enjoin
men to abstain from their own works only, and not from the works of God,
(<022008>Exodus
20:8; 23:12.) When they take for granted an error which has been so frequently
refuted, it must be imputed to obstinate malice; or at least there is no other
reason why they go wrong but because they choose to go wrong.
Thus the Palmists do not cease to bring forward, with
hardened effrontery, their idle and foolish slanders, which have been answered a
hundred times. What, then, must we do with them? When an opportunity occurs, we
must endeavor, as far as lies in our power, to oppose the wicked attempts of
those who, actuated by false zeal, reproach and slander the gospel. If no
defense, however just, shut their mouth, we have no reason to be discouraged,
but ought to trample under foot, with boldness and magnanimity, that eagerness
to slander by which they wish to oppress us. They take up maxims which we
readily grant to them, that we ought not to listen to those who revolt from the
Church, and break up the unity of the faith. But they pass by, and pretend not
to have observed — that which ought to form the principal subject of
inquiry, and which we have explained clearly in many passages — that
nothing can be farther removed from the Church than the Pope with all his band;
that a medley composed of lies and impositions, and stained by so many
superstitious inventions, is widely distant from the purity of faith. But with
all their furious arrogance, they will never hinder the truth, which has been so
frequently and so firmly maintained by us, from being at length successful. In
like manner, the Pharisees brought against Christ a plausible maxim,
That he who does not keep the Sabbath is not from God; but they
unjustly and falsely asserted that the work of God is a violation of the
Sabbath.
16.
How can a man who is a sinner do these
things? The word
sinner
is employed here, as in many other passages, to denote a person of immoral
conduct and a despiser of God.
Why doth your Master eat
with publicans and sinners?
(<410216>Mark
2:16.)
That is, “Why doth your Master eat with men of
ungodly and wicked lives, whose baseness is stamped with universal
infamy?” For from the violation of the Sabbath the enemies of Christ
inferred that he was a profane person, and destitute of all religion. Those who
stand neutral and judge more candidly, on the other hand, conclude that he is a
good and religious man, because God has endued him with remarkable power to work
miracles. And yet the argument does not appear to be quite conclusive; for God
sometimes permits false prophets to perform some miracles, and we know that
Satan, like an ape, counterfeits the works of God so as to deceive the
incautious.
Suetonius relates that, when Vespasian was in
Alexandria, and was seated on his tribunal to dispense justice in the open
court, a blind man requested him to anoint his eyes with spittle, and said that
one Serapis
f257
had pointed out to him that cure in a dream; that Vespasian, being unwilling to
expose himself to contempt without any good reason, was slow and reluctant to
comply; but that, when his friends urged him on all sides, he granted to the
blind man what he asked, and that in this way his eyes were instantly opened.
Who would reckon Vespasian among the servants of God on that account, or adorn
him with the applause of piety? I reply, among good men and those who fear God,
miracles are undoubted pledges of the power of the Holy Spirit; but it happens
by a just judgment of God, that Satan deceives unbelievers by false miracles, as
by enchantments. What I have just now quoted from Suetonius I do not reckon to
be fabulous; but I rather ascribe it to the righteous vengeance of God, that the
Jews, having despised so many and so illustrious miracles of Christ, were at
length — as they deserved to be — sent away to Satan. For they ought
to have profited in the pure worship of God by the miracles of Christ; they
ought to have been confirmed by them in the doctrine of the Law, and to have
risen to the Messiah himself, who was the end of the Law. And undoubtedly
Christ, by giving sight to the blind man, had clearly proved that he was the
Messiah.
They who refuse to acknowledge God in his works make
this refusal, not only through indifference, but through malicious contempt; and
do they not deserve that God should give them up to the delusions of Satan? Let
us then remember that we ought to seek God with a sincere disposition of heart,
that he may reveal himself to us by the power of his Spirit; and that we ought
to lend our ears submissively to his word, that he may clearly point out true
prophets by miracles that are not delusive. Thus shall we profit, as we ought to
do, by miracles, and not be exposed to the frauds of Satan.
As to the men themselves, though they act commendably
in this respect, that they speak with reverence about the miracles in which the
power of God is displayed, still they do not bring forward a sufficiently strong
argument, to prove that Christ ought to be reckoned a Prophet of God. And even
the Evangelist did not intend that their answer should be regarded as an oracle.
He only exhibits the wicked obstinacy of the enemies of Christ, who maliciously
pick a quarrel with what they cannot but acknowledge to be the works of God,
and, when warned, do not even attend to them for a short time.
And there was a division among
them. A schism is a highly pernicious
and destructive evil in the Church of God; and how comes it then that Christ
sows the occasion of discord among the very teachers of the Church? The answer
is easy. Christ had no other object in view than to bring all men to God the
Father, by stretching out his hand to them. The division arose from the
obstinate malice
f258
of those who had no disposition to go to God. All who do not yield obedience to
the truth of God, therefore, rend the Church by schism. Yet it is better that
men should differ among themselves, than that they should all, with one consent,
revolt from the true religion.
f259
Wherefore, whenever differences arise, we ought always to consider their
source.
17.
They say to him who had been
blind. The more diligently they inquire,
the more impressively does the truth of God appear; for they act as if one were
endeavoring to extinguish a strong flame
f260
by his breath. Thus, when we see wicked men contrive all that they can to crush
the truth of God, we have no reason to be afraid, or to be excessively anxious
about the result, for all that they can gain in this way will be to cause its
light to burn with greater brightness.
What sayest thou of
him? When they ask the blind man what is
his opinion, they do so, not because they wish to abide by his judgment, or set
any value on it, but because they hope that the man, struck with fear, will
reply according to their wish. In this respect the Lord disappoints them; for
when a poor man disregards their threatenings, and boldly maintains that Christ
is a Prophet, we ought justly to ascribe it to the grace of God; so that this
boldness is another miracle. And if he so boldly and freely acknowledged Christ
to be a Prophet, though he did not as yet know that the Lord Jesus
f261
was the Son of God, how shameful is the treachery of those who, subdued by fear,
either deny him, or are silent respecting him, though they know that he sitteth
at the right hand of the Father, and that he will come thence to be the Judge of
the whole world! Since this blind man did not quench a small spark of knowledge,
we ought to endeavor that an open and full confession may blaze forth from the
full brightness which has shone into our hearts.
|
JOHN
9:18-23
|
|
18. But the Jews did not believe respecting
him, that he had been blind and had received his sight, until they called the
parents of him who had received his sight. 19. And they asked them,
saying, Is this your son who, you say, was born blind? How then doth he now see?
20. His parents answered and said, We know that this is our son, and that
he was born blind. 21. But how he now seeth, we know not; or who hath
opened his eyes, we know not; he is of age, ask him, he will speak of himself.
22. These things said his parents, because they feared the Jews; for the
Jews had already determined that, if any man confessed that he was the Christ,
he should be thrown out of the synagogue. 23. On this account his parents
said, He is of age, ask him.
|
18.
But the Jews did not
believe. There are two things here which
ought to be observed; that they
do not believe that a miracle has been
performed, and that, being wilfully blinded through a perverse hatred of Christ,
they do not perceive what is manifest. The Evangelist tells us
that they did not
believe. If the reason be asked, there
can be no doubt that their blindness was voluntary. For what prevents them from
seeing an obvious work of God placed before their eyes; or, after having been
fully convinced, what prevents them from believing what they already know,
except that the inward malice of their heart keeps their eyes shut? Paul informs
us that the same thing takes place in the doctrine of the Gospel; for he says
that it is not hidden or obscure, except to the
reprobate,
whose understandings the
god of this world hath
blinded,
(<470403>2
Corinthians 4:3, 4.)
Warned by such examples, let us learn not to bring
upon ourselves those obstacles which drive us away from the faith. By
the
Jews, the Evangelist means that part of
them which held the government of the people.
19.
Is this your
son? Not having succeeded in the former
way, they now attempt another; but the Lord not only defeats their attempts in a
wonderful manner, but turns them even to an opposite purpose. They do not merely
put a single question, but cunningly put a multitude of questions involved in
each other, with the view of preventing a reply. But out of a variety of
entangled and captious questions, the parents of the blind man select
only the half, to which they reply:
20.
We hnow that this is our son,
and that he was born blind. Hence it
follows that he does not see naturally, but that his eyes have been miraculously
opened; but this latter point — that his sight had been miraculously
restored — they pass by, because it would give offense. By their silence
they show their ingratitude; for, having received so distinguished a gift of
God, they ought to have burned with desire to celebrate his name. But, struck
with terror, they bury the grace of God, as far as lies in their power, with
this exception, that they substitute in their room, as a witness, their son,
who will explain the whole matter as it happened, and who will be heard with
less prejudice, and will be more readily believed. But though they prudently
avoid danger, and continue this middle path, of testifying indirectly about
Christ by the mouth of their son, yet this does not prevent the Holy Spirit from
condemning their cowardice by the mouth of the Evangelist, because they fail to
discharge their own duty. How much less excuse then will they have, who, by
treacherous denial, utterly bury Christ, with his doctrine, with his miracles,
with his power and grace!
22.
The Jews had
determined. This passage shows that the
custom of excommunication is ancient, and has been observed in all ages; for
excommunication was not then for the first time invented, but it was a custom
which had been anciently used against apostates and despisers of the Law, and
was turned against the disciples of Christ. We learn, therefore, that the
practice of excommunication arose out of the most ancient discipline of the
Church. We learn also that it is a crime which has not been of recent origin,
and has not been peculiar to a single age, that wicked and unbelieving
f262
men should corrupt the holy ordinances of God by their deeds of sacrilege. God
determined, from the beginning of the world,
f263
that there should be some form of correction, by which rebels should be
restrained. The priests and scribes not only abused this power in a tyrannical
manner to oppress innocent men; but at length they basely attacked God himself
and his doctrine. The truth of Christ being so powerful that they were not able
to put it down by law, or by a regular course of proceedings, they launched the
thunders of excommunications to crush it.
The same thing has also been done with the Christian
people; for it is impossible to express the barbarous tyranny which the
pretended bishops have exercised in enslaving the people, so that no man dared
to whisper; and now we see with what cruelty they throw this dart of
excommunication against all who worship God. But we ought to believe that
excommunication, when it is violently applied to a different purpose by the
passions of men, may safely be treated with contempt. For when God committed to
his Church the power of excommunicating, he did not arm tyrants or executioners
to strangle souls, but laid down a rule for governing his people; and that on
the condition that he should hold the supreme government, and that he should
have men for his ministers. Let the pretended bishops then thunder as they think
fit, by their empty noises they will not terrify any but those who wander about
in doubt and uncertainty, not having yet been instructed, by the voice of the
Chief Shepherd, what is the true fold.
In short, nothing can be more certain than that those
who, we see, are not subject to Christ are deprived of the lawful power of
excommunicating. Nor ought we to dread being excluded by them from their
assembly, since Christ, who is our life and salvation, is banished from it. So
far are we from having any reason to dread being thrown out, that, on the
contrary, if we desire to be united to Christ, we must, of our own accord,
withdraw from the synagogues of Satan. Yet though the ordinance of
excommunication was so basely corrupted in the ancient Church, still Christ did
not intend that it should be abolished by his coming, but restored it to its
purity, that it might be in full vigor amongst us. Thus, though at the present
day there prevails in Popery a base profanation of this holy discipline, yet,
instead of abolishing it, we ought rather to give the utmost diligence to
restore it to its former completeness. There never will be so good order the
world, that even the holiest Laws of God shall not degenerate into corruption,
through the fault of men. Assuredly, it would give too much power to Satan, if
he could reduce to nothing every thing that he corrupts. We would then have no
Baptism, no Lord’s Supper, and, in short, no religion; for there is no
part of it which he has left uncontaminated by its pollutions.
|
JOHN
9:24-33
|
|
24. A second time, therefore, they called the
man who had been blind, and said to him, Give glory to God; we know that this
man is a sinner. 25. Therefore he answered and said, Whether he be a
sinner, I know not; one thing I know, that though I was blind, I now see.
26. Again, therefore, they said to him, What did he to thee? How did he
open thine eyes? 27. He answered them, I told you already, and you did
not hear; why do you wish to hear it again? Do you wish also to become his
disciples? 28. Then they upbraided him, and said, Be thou his disciple;
as for us,
f264
we are the disciples of Moses. 29. We know that God spoke to Moses; but
as for this man, we do not know whence he is. 30. The man answered, and
said to them, Certainly this is wonderful, that you do not know whence he is,
and yet
f265
he hath opened mine eyes. 31. Now we know that God heareth not sinners;
but if any man be a worshipper of God, and do his will, him he heareth.
32. Never before was it heard
f266
that any man opened the eyes of him who had been born blind. 33. If this
man were not from God, he could do nothing.
|
24.
A second time, therefore,
they called the man who had been blind.
There can be no doubt that they were constrained by shame to call the blind
man, whom they had previously found to be too firm and steady. In this way, the
more fiercely they struggle against God, the more numerous are the cords which
they put about their neck,
f267
and the more strongly do they bind themselves. Besides, they put the questions
in such a manner as to endeavor to make the man say what they wish. It is a
plausible preface, indeed, when they exhort him to
give glory to
God; but immediately afterwards they
strictly forbid him to answer according to the conviction of his mind; and
therefore, under the pretense of the name of God, they demand from him servile
obedience.
Give glory to
God. Though this adjuration may be
referred to what is connected with the present cause, that the blind man should
not obscure the glory of
God by ascribing to man the benefit
which he had received, yet I rather agree with those who think that it was a
solemn form, which was wont to be employed when an oath was administered to any
person. For in those very words does Joshua adjure Achan, when he wishes to draw
from him a true confession of having taken away the accursed thing,
(<060719>Joshua
7:19.) By these words they reminded him that no slight insult is offered to God,
when any person, in His name, commits falsehood. And, indeed, whenever we are
called to swear, we ought to remember this preface, so that truth may not be
less highly valued by us than the
glory of God. If this were done, the
sacredness of an oath would be viewed in a very different light. Now, since the
greater part of men — not considering that they deny God, when they invoke
His name for upholding a falsehood — rashly and daringly rush forward to
swear, the consequence is, that every place is full of perjuries. Meanwhile, we
see how hypocrites, though they pretend to have the greatest reverence for God,
are guilty not only of hypocrisy, but of insolent mockery; for they at the same
time express a wish that the blind man should wickedly swear according to their
direction, with open contempt of God. Thus God drags to light their wicked
designs, whatever attempts they may make to give them a plausible appearance, or
to conceal them by hypocritical pretences.
25.
Whether he be a sinner, I
know not. The blind man appears not to
have been at all prevented by fear from giving a sincere testimony. For there is
no reason to believe that he had any doubts about Christ, as his words seem to
imply; but I rather think that he spoke ironically, in order to wound them more
deeply. He had already confessed that Christ was a Prophet, (verse
17.) Perceiving that he gains nothing by doing so, he suspends his judgment
about the person, and brings forward the fact itself, so that, while he makes
this admission in their favor, he is not free from ridiculing
them.
26.
Again, therefore, they said
to him. When we see wicked men so
delighted in performing their own base actions, we ought to be ashamed of our
slothfulness, in acting with such coolness about the affairs of Christ. Though
they search on all sides to obtain grounds of slander, the Lord defeats their
attempts, in a remarkable manner, by the unshaken firmness of the blind man; for
not only does he persist in his opinion, but he freely and severely reproaches
them, that after having abundantly ascertained and known the truth, they
endeavor to bury it by their continual inquiries. He charges them also with
wicked hatred of Christ, when he says,
Do you also wish to become his
disciples? For he means that, though
they were a hundred times convinced, they are so strongly prejudiced by wicked
and hostile dispositions, that they will never yield. It is an astonishing
display of freedom, when a man of mean and low condition, and especially liable
to be reproached on account of his poverty, fearlessly provokes the rage of all
the priests against himself. If that which was nothing more than a small
preparation for faith gave him so much boldness, when he came to the struggle,
what excuse can be pleaded by great preachers of the Gospel, who, though they
are beyond the reach of darts, are silent as soon as danger is threatened? This
question is likewise ironical; for he means that they are prompted by malice,
and not by a sincere desire of the truth, to press him so earnestly to reply as
to this fact.
f268
28.
Then they upbraided
him. It is probable that all the
reproaches which were prompted by the violence of their rage and indignation
were eagerly cast upon him; but there was this one reproach among men, that they
called him an apostate from the Law. For, in their opinion, he could not be a
disciple of Christ without revolting from the Law of Moses; and they expressly
represent these two things as inconsistent with each other. It is a very
plausible pretence, that they are afraid of revolting from the doctrine of
Moses. For this is the true rule of piety, that we ought to listen to the
prophets, by whom we certainly know that God has spoken; that our faith may not
be carried about by any doctrines of men. From this principle they deduce their
certainty as to the Law of Moses; but they lie when they say that they are
the disciples of
Moses, for they have turned aside from
the end of the Law. Thus hypocrites are wont to tear God in pieces,
f269
when they wish to shelter themselves under his name. If Christ be the soul of
the Law, as Paul tells us,
(<451004>Romans
10:4,) what will the Law be when separated from him, but a dead body? We are
taught by this example, that no man truly hears God, unless he be an attentive
hearer of his word, so as to understand what God means and
says.
29.
As for this man, we know not whence he is.
When they say so, they refer not to his country or the place of his birth,
but to the prophetical office. For they allege that they have no knowledge of
his calling, so as to receive him as having proceeded from God.
30.
Certainly this is
wonderful. He indirectly reproves them
for remaining unmoved by a miracle so illustrious, and for pretending that they
did not know Christ’s calling; as if he had said, that it was highly
improper that such a testimony of Divine power should be held in no estimation,
and that the calling of Christ, so proved and attested, should obtain no credit
among them. And, in order to show more clearly their stupidity or malice, he
magnifies the excellence of the miracle from this consideration, that, as far as
the memory of men reaches, none was ever heard to say that such a thing
was done by a man. Hence it follows that they are malicious and ungrateful,
because they voluntarily shut their eyes on a manifest work of God. He infers
from this, that Christ was sent by God, because he is endued with so great power
of the Spirit of God, to procure credit for himself and for his
doctrine.
31.
Now we know that God heareth
not sinners. Those who think that the
man spoke this, in accordance with the opinion of the people, are mistaken; for
the word sinner, in this passage, as in another which lately
occurred, means an ungodly and immoral person. It is the uniform doctrine of
Scripture, that God does not listen to any but those who call upon him with
truth and sincerity. For while faith alone opens the door to us to go to God, it
is certain that all wicked men are excluded from approaching to him; and he even
declares that he detests their prayers,
(<202809>Proverbs
28:9,) as he abhors their sacrifices,
(<201508>Proverbs
15:8.) It is by a special privilege that he invites his children to himself; and
it is the Spirit of adoption alone that crieth out in our
hearts, Abba, Father,
(<450815>Romans
8:15;
<480406>Galatians
4:6.) In short, no man is properly disposed to pray to God, unless his heart be
purified by faith. But wicked men profane the sacred name of God by their
prayers, and therefore they deserve rather to be punished for this sacrilege,
than to obtain any thing for salvation. Accordingly, the blind man does not
reason inconclusively, that Christ has come from God, because God lends a
favorable ear to his prayers.
|
JOHN
9:34-41
|
|
34. They answered, and said to him, Thou wast
altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out.
35. Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him, he said
to him, Dost thou believe in the Son of God? 36. He answered and said,
Who is he, Lord, that I should believe in him? 37. And Jesus said to him,
Thou hast both seen him, and it is he who talketh with thee. 38. And he
said, Lord, I believe; and he worshipped him. 39. Then Jesus said, For
judgment am I come into this world, that they who see not may see, and that they
who see may become blind. 40. Some of the Pharisees, who were with him,
heard these things, and said to him, And are we blind also? 41. Jesus
said to them, If you were blind, you would not have sin;
f270
but now you say, We see: therefore your sin remaineth.
|
34.
Thou wast altogether born in
sins. They alluded, I doubt not, to his
blindness; as proud men are wont to teaze those who have any distress or
calamity; and, therefore, they continually insult him, as if he had come out of
his mother’s womb, bearing the mark of his
sins.
For all the scribes were convinced in their hearts, that souls, after having
finished one life, entered into new bodies, and there suffered the punishment of
their former crimes. Hence they conclude that he who was born blind was, at that
very time, covered and polluted by his sins.
This undeserved censure ought to instruct us to be
exceedingly cautious, not always to estimate the sins of any person by the
chastisements of God; for, as we have already seen, God has various ends to
accomplish, by inflicting calamities on men. But not only do those hypocrites
insult the wretched man; they likewise reject disdainfully his warnings, though
they are holy and good; as indeed it very frequently happens that one cannot
endure to be taught by him whom he despises. Now, since we ought always to hear
God, by whomsoever he may talk to us, let us learn not to despise any man, that
God may find us always mild and submissive, even though he employ a person
altogether mean and despicable to instruct us. For there is not a more dangerous
plague than when pride stops our ears, so that we do not deign to hear those who
warn us for our profit; and it frequently happens that God purposely selects
vile and worthless persons to instruct and warn us, in order to subdue our
pride.
And they cast him
out. Though it is possible that those
haughty Rabbis
f271
cast him, with violence, out of the temple, yet I think that the
Evangelist has a different meaning, that they excommunicated him;
and thus the casting of him out would have the semblance of law. This
agrees better also with what follows; for if they had only
cast him
out in a disdainful and furious manner,
it would not have been of so great importance as to make it probable that the
report of it would reach Christ.
35.
Jesus heard that they had
cast him out. From this circumstance I
conjecture that they proceeded to it in a solemn manner, as an affair of great
importance, By this example, we are taught how trivial and how little to be
dreaded are the excommunications of the enemies of Christ. If we are cast out
from that assembly in which Christ reigns, it is a dreadful judgment which
is executed against us, that we are delivered to Satan,
(<460505>1
Corinthians 5:5,) because we are banished from the kingdom of the Son of God.
But so far are we from having any reason to dread that tyrannical judgment by
which wicked men insult the servants of Christ, that, even though no man should
drive us out, we ought of our own accord to flee from that place in which Christ
does not preside by his word and Spirit.
And having found
him. If he had been allowed to remain in
the synagogue, he would have been in danger of becoming gradually alienated from
Christ, and plunged in the same destruction with wicked men. Christ now meets
him, when he is no longer in the temple, but wandering hither and hither;
receives and embraces him, when he is cast out by the priests; raises him
up from the ground, and offers to him life, when he has received the sentence of
death. We have known the same thing by experience in our own time; for when Dr
Martin Luther,
f272
and other persons of the same class, were beginning to reprove the grosser
abuses of the Pope, they scarcely had the slightest relish for pure
Christianity; but after that the Pope had thundered against them, and cast
them out of the Roman synagogue by terrific bulls, Christ stretched out his
hand, and made himself fully known to them. So there is nothing better for us
than to be at a very great distance from the enemies of the Gospel, that Christ
may approach nearer to us.
Dost thou believe on the Son of
God? He speaks to a Jew, who had been
from his infancy instructed in the doctrine of the Law, and had learned that God
had promised the Messiah. This question, therefore, has the same meaning as if
Christ had exhorted him to follow the Messiah and to devote himself to him;
though he employs a more honorable name than they were wont at that time to
employ, for the Messiah was reckoned to be only the son of David,
(<402242>Matthew
22:42.)
36.
Who is he, Lord, that I may
believe in him? From this reply of the
blind man it is evident that, though he had not yet attained any clear or
certain knowledge of Christ, still he was obedient and ready to receive
instruction; for these words mean, “As soon as he is pointed out to me, I
am ready to embrace him.” But it ought to be observed that the blind man
desires to be instructed by Christ as a Prophet; for he was already convinced
that Christ had been sent by God, and therefore he does not at random place
reliance on his doctrine.
37.
Thou hast both seen
him. By these words of Christ the blind
man could not be carried higher than to a very small and cold portion of faith.
For Christ does not mention his power, or the reason why he was sent by the
Father, or what he has brought to men. But what principally belongs to faith is,
to know that, by the sacrifice of his death, atonement has been made for our
sins, and we are reconciled to God; that his resurrection was a triumph over
vanquished death; that we are renewed by his Spirit, in order that, being dead
to the flesh and to sin, we may live to righteousness; that he is the only
Mediator; that the Spirit is the earnest of our adoption; in short, that in him
is found every thing that belongs to eternal life. But the Evangelist either
does not relate the whole of the conversation which Christ held with him, or he
only means that the blind man professed his attachment to Christ, so that
henceforth he began to be one of his disciples. For my own part, I have no doubt
that Jesus intended to be acknowledged by him as the Christ, that from this
beginning of faith he might afterwards lead him forward to a more intimate
knowledge of himself.
38.
And he worshipped
him. It may be asked, Did the blind man
honor or worship Christ as God?
f273
The word which the Evangelist employs
(prose>kunhsei)
means nothing more than to express respect and homage by bending the knee, or by
other signs. For my own part, certainly, I think that it denotes something rare
and uncommon; namely, that the blind man gave far more honor to Christ than to
an ordinary man, or even to a prophet. And yet I do not think that at that time
he had made such progress as to know that Christ was God manifested in the
flesh. What then is meant by worship? The blind man, convinced
that Jesus was the Son of God, nearly lost the command of himself,
and, in rapturous admiration, bowed down before him.
39.
For judgment am I come into
this world. The word judgment
cannot be understood, in this passage, to denote simply the punishment which
is inflicted on unbelievers,
f274
and on those who despise God; for it is made to include the grace of
illumination. Christ, therefore, calls it
judgment,
because he restores to proper order what was disordered and confused; but he
means that this is done by a wonderful purpose of God, and contrary to the
ordinary opinion of men. And, indeed, human reason considers nothing to be more
unreasonable than to say, that they who see are made blind by the light
of the world. This then is one of the secret judgments of God, by which he casts
down the pride of men. It ought to be observed, that the blindness which
is here mentioned, does not proceed so much from Christ as from the fault of
men. For by its own nature, it does not strictly
blind
any man, but as there is nothing which the reprobate desire more earnestly
than to extinguish its light, the eyes of their mind, which are diseased through
malice and depravity, must be dazzled by the light which is exhibited to them.
In short, since Christ is, by his own nature, the light of the world,
(<430812>John
8:12,) it is an accidental result, that some
are made
blind by his coming.
But again it may be asked, Since all are universally
accused of blindness, who are they that see? I
reply, this is spoken ironically by way of concession, because unbelievers,
though they are blind, think that their sight is uncommonly acute and powerful;
and elated by this confidence, they do not deign to listen to God. Besides, out
of Christ the wisdom of the flesh has a very fair appearance, because the world
does not understand what it is to be truly wise. So then, they see,
says our Lord Jesus Christ,
f275
who, deceiving themselves and others under a foolish confidence in their wisdom,
are guided by their own opinion, and reckon their vain imaginations to be great
wisdom.
f276
Such persons, as soon as Christ appears in the brightness of his Gospel,
are made
blind; not only because their folly,
which was formerly concealed amidst the darkness of unbelief, is now discovered,
but because, being plunged in deeper darkness by the righteous vengeance of God,
they lose that small remnant of I know not what light which they formerly
possessed.
It is true that we are all born blind,
but still, amidst the darkness of corrupted and depraved nature, some sparks
continue to shine, so that men differ from brute beasts. Now, if any man, elated
by proud confidence in his own opinion, refuses to submit to God, he will seem
— apart from Christ — to be wise, but the brightness of Christ will
strike him with dismay; for never does the vanity of the human mind begin to be
discovered, until heavenly wisdom is brought into view. But Christ intended, as
I have already suggested, to express something more by these words. For
hypocrites do not so obstinately resist God before Christ shines; but as soon as
the light is brought near them, then do they, in open war, and — as it
were, with unfurled banner,
f277
— rise up against God. It is in consequence of this depravity and
ingratitude, therefore, that they become doubly blind, and that
God, in righteous vengeance, entirely puts out their eyes, which were formerly
destitute of the true light.
We now perceive the amount of what is stated in this
passage, that Christ came into the world to give sight to the blind,
and to drive to madness those who think that they are wise. In the first
part of it, he mentions illumination,
that they who see not may
see; because this is strictly the cause
of his coming, for he did not come to judge the world, but rather to
save that which was lost,
(<401811>Matthew
18:11.) In like manner Paul, when he declares that he has vengeance prepared
against all rebels, at the same time adds, that this punishment will
take place
after that believers
shall have fulfilled their
obedience,
(<471006>2
Corinthians 10:6.)
And this vengeance ought not to be limited to the
person of Christ, as if he did not perform the same thing daily by the ministers
of his Gospel.
We ought to be the more careful that none of us,
through a foolish and extravagant opinion of his wisdom, draw down upon himself
this dreadful punishment. But experience shows us the truth of this statement
which Christ uttered; for we see many persons struck with giddiness and rage,
for no other reason but because they cannot endure the rising of the Sun of
righteousness. Adam lived, and was endued with the true light of understanding,
while he lost that divine blessing by desiring to see more than was allowed him.
Now if, while we are plunged in blindness and thus humbled by the Lord,
we still flatter ourselves in our darkness, and oppose our mad views to heavenly
wisdom, we need not wonder if the vengeance of God fall heavily upon us, so that
we are rendered doubly blind This very punishment was formerly inflicted
on the wicked and unbelievers
f278
under the Law; for Isaiah is sent to blind the ancient people,
that
seeing they may not see:
blind the heart of this people, and shut their ears,
(<230609>Isaiah
6:9.)
But in proportion as the brightness of the divine
light is more fully displayed in Christ than in the Prophets, so much the more
remarkably must this example of blindness have been manifested and
perceived; as even now the noon-day light of the Gospel drives hypocrites to
extreme rage.
40.
Some of the Pharisees heard. They
instantly perceived that they were smitten by this saying of Christ, and yet
they appear not to have belonged to the worst class; for the open enemies had so
strong an abhorrence of Christ that they did not at all associate with him. But
those men submitted to listen to Christ, yet without any advantage, for no man
is qualified to be a disciple of Christ, until he has been divested of self, and
they were very far from being so.
Are we also
blind? This question arose from
indignation, because they thought that they were insulted by being classed with
blind
men; and, at the same time, it shows a haughty contempt of the grace of
Christ accompanied by mockery, as if they had said, “Thou canst not rise
to reputation without involving us in disgrace; and is it to be endured that
thou shouldst obtain honor for thyself by upbraiding us? As to the promise thou
makest of giving new light to the blind, go hence and leave us
with thy benefit; for we do not choose to receive sight from thee on the
condition of admitting that we have been hitherto
blind.”
Hence we perceive that hypocrisy has always been full of pride and of venom.
The pride is manifested by their being satisfied with themselves, and
refusing to have any thing taken from them; and the venom, by
their being enraged at Christ and arguing with him, because he has pointed out
their wound, as if he had inflicted on them a grievous wound. Hence arises
contempt of Christ and of the grace which he offers to them.
The word
also
is emphatic; for it means that, though all the rest be
blind,
still it is improper that they should be reckoned as belonging to the
ordinary rank. It is too common a fault among those who are distinguished above
others, that they are intoxicated with pride, and almost forget that they are
men.
41.
If you were
blind. These words may be explained in
two ways; either, that ignorance would, in some degree, alleviate their guilt,
if they were not fully convinced, and did not deliberately fight against the
truth; or, that there was reason to hope that their disease of ignorance might
be cured, if they would only acknowledge it. The former view is supported by the
words of Christ,
If I had not come and
spoken to them, they would have no sin,
(<431522>John
15:22.)
But as it is added in this
passage, but now you say you
see, in order that the points of
contrast may correspond to each other, it appears to be more consistent to
explain them to mean, that he is blind who, aware of his own blindness,
seeks a remedy to cure his disease.
f279
In this way the meaning will be, “If you would acknowledge your disease,
it would not be altogether incurable; but now because you think that you are in
perfect health, you continue in a desperate state.” When he says that
they who are blind have no sin, this does not excuse ignorance, as
if it were harmless, and were placed beyond the reach of condemnation. He only
means that the disease may easily be cured, when it is truly felt; because, when
a blind man is desirous to obtain deliverance, God is ready to assist
him; but they who, insensible to their diseases, despise the grace of God, are
incurable.
CHAPTER 10
|
JOHN
10:1-6
|
|
1. Verily, verily, I say to you, He who
entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth by another way, is a
thief and a robber. 2. But he who entereth by the door is the shepherd of
the sheep. 3. To him the porter openeth, and the sheep hear his voice,
and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. 4. And having
put out his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him; for they
know his voice. 5. But they will not follow a stranger, but will flee
from him; for they know not the voice of strangers. 6. Jesus spoke this
parable to them; but they did not understand what those things were which he
spoke to them.
|
1.
Verily, verily, I say to
you. As Christ had to do with scribes
and priests, who were reckoned pastors of the Church, it was necessary that they
should be divested of the honor of this title, if he wished his doctrine to be
received. The small number of believers might also diminish greatly the
authority of his doctrine. He therefore contends that we ought not to reckon, in
the number of shepherds or of sheep, all who outwardly
claim a place in the Church. But we shall never be able, by means of this mark,
to distinguish the lawful
shepherds
from the reprobate, and the true
sheep
from the counterfeit, if all have the same
object, and beginning, and end.
This warning has been highly useful in all ages, and
in the present day it is especially necessary. No plague is more destructive to
the Church, than when wolves ravage under the garb of
shepherds.
We know also how grievous an offense it is, when bastard or degenerate
Israelites pretend to be the sons of the Church, and, on this pretense, insult
believers. But in the present day, there is nothing by which weak and ignorant
persons are more alarmed, than when they see the sanctuary of God occupied by
the greatest enemies of the Church; for it is not easy to make them understand,
that it is the doctrine of Christ which the
shepherds
of the Church so fiercely resist. Besides, as the greater part of men are
led into various errors by false doctrines, while the views and expectations of
each person are directed to others, scarcely any person permits himself to be
conducted into the right path.
We must therefore, above all things, guard against
being deceived by pretended
shepherds
or counterfeit
sheep,
if we do not choose, of our own accord, to expose ourselves to wolves
and thieves. The name of “The Church” is highly
honorable, and justly so; but the greater the reverence which it deserves, so
much the more careful and attentive ought we to be in marking the distinction
between true and false doctrine. Christ here declares openly, that we ought not
to reckon as
shepherds
all who boast of being such, and that we ought not to reckon as sheep all
who boast of outward marks. He speaks of the Jewish Church, but what he says
applies equally well to our own. We ought also to consider his purpose and
design, that weak consciences may not be alarmed or discouraged, when they
perceive that they who rule in the Church, instead of pastors or
shepherds, are hostile or opposed to the Gospel; and that they may
not turn aside from the faith, because they have few fellow-disciples, in
listening to Christ, among those who are called Christians.
He who entereth not by the
door. It is useless, I think, to
scrutinize too closely every part of this parable. Let us rest satisfied with
this general view, that, as Christ states a resemblance between the Church and a
sheepfold,
in which God assembles all his people, so he compares himself to a
door,
because there is no other entrance into the Church but by himself. Hence it
follows that they alone are good
shepherds
who lead men straight to Christ; and that they are truly gathered into the
fold of Christ, so as to belong to his flock, who devote themselves to
Christ alone.
But all this relates to doctrine; for,
since
all the treasures of
wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Christ,
(<510203>Colossians
2:3,)
he who turns aside from him to go elsewhere neither
keeps the road nor enters by the
door. Now, whoever shall not despise
Christ or his instructor will easily rid himself of that hesitation which keeps
so many in a state of perplexity, what is the Church, and who are they to whom
we ought to listen as
shepherds.
For if they who are called shepherds attempt to lead us away from Christ, we
ought to flee from them, at the command of Christ, as we would flee from
wolves or thieves; and we ought not to form or maintain
intercourse with any society but that which is agreed in the pure faith of the
Gospel. For this reason Christ exhorts his disciples to separate themselves from
the unbelieving multitude of the whole nation, not to suffer themselves to be
governed by wicked priests, and not to allow themselves to be imposed upon by
proud and empty names.
3.
To him the porter
openeth. If by the word
Porter
f280
any one choose to understand God, I do not object; and Christ even appears
expressly to contrast the judgment of God with the false opinion of men in
approving of pastors, as if he had said, “There are others, indeed, whom
the world generally applauds, and on whom it willingly confers honor; but God,
who holds the reins of government, does not acknowledge or approve of any but
those who lead the sheep by this road.”
He calleth his own sheep by
name. I consider this as referring to
the mutual consent of faith; because the disciple and the teacher are united
together by the one Spirit of God, so that the teacher goes before, and the
disciple follows. Some think that it denotes the intimate knowledge which every
shepherd
ought to have of each of his flock, but I do
not know if this rests on solid grounds.
4.
Because they know his voice. Though he
speaks here of ministers, yet, instead of wishing that they should be
heard, he wishes that God should be heard speaking by them;
for we must attend to the distinction which he has laid down, that he alone is a
faithful pastor or
shepherd
f281
of the Church, who conducts and governs his sheep by the direction of
Christ. We must attend to the reason why it is said that
the sheep
follow; it is, because
they
know how to distinguish
shepherds
from wolves by the
voice. This is the spirit of
discernment, by which the elect discriminate between the truth of God and the
false inventions of men. So then, in
the
sheep of Christ a knowledge of the truth
goes before, and next follows an earnest desire to obey, so that they not only
understand what is true, but receive it with warm affection. And not only does
he commend the obedience of the faith, because the sheep assemble submissively
at the
voice of the shepherd, but also because
they do not listen to the voice of
strangers,
and do not disperse when any one cries to them.
6.
This
parable. This is the reason why, proudly
vaunting of their wisdom, they rejected the light of Christ; for in a matter not
very obscure they are exceedingly dull of apprehension.
But they did not understand what
things they were which he spoke to them.
In this clause the Greek manuscripts differ. Some copies might be literally
rendered, they did not understand
what he said. Another reading, which I
have followed, is more full, though it amounts to the same meaning. The third
reading is, that they did not
know that he who spoke of himself was the Son of
God; but this is not much
approved.
|
JOHN
10:7-10
|
|
7. And Jesus again said to them, Verily,
verily, I say to you, that I am the door of the sheep. 8. All who have
entered before me are thieves and robbers; but the sheep did not hear them.
9. I am the door. If any man enter by me, he shall be saved, and shall go
in and out, and find pasture. 10. The thief cometh not but to steal, and
to kill, and to destroy; I am come, that they may have life, and that they may
have it more abundantly.
|
7.
I am the
door. If this explanation had not been
added, the whole discourse would have been allegorical. He now explains more
clearly what was the chief part of the parable when he declares that
he is the
door. The amount of what is stated is,
that the principal point of all spiritual doctrine, on which souls are fed,
consists in Christ. Hence also Paul, one of the shepherds,
says:
I reckon nothing to be
worth knowing but Jesus
Christ,
(<460202>1
Corinthians 2:2.)
And this mode of expression conveys the same meaning
as if Christ had testified that to him alone we must all be gathered together.
Therefore, he invokes and exhorts all who desire salvation to come to him. By
these words, he means that in vain do they wander about who leave him to go to
God, because there is but one open
door,
and all approach in any other way is prohibited.
8.
All who came before
me. The words
pa>ntev
o[soi may be literally rendered,
ALL AS MANY AS came before
me. They who restrict this expression to
Judas the Galilean, and such persons, depart widely, in my opinion, from
Christ’s meaning; for he contrasts all false doctrine, in general, with
the Gospel, and all false prophets with faithful teachers. Nor would it even be
unreasonable to extend this statement to the Gentiles, that all who, from the
beginning of the world, have professed to be teachers, and have not labored to
gather
sheep
to Christ, have abused this title for destroying souls. But this does not at
all apply to Moses and the Prophets, who had no other object in view than to
establish the kingdom of Christ. For it ought to be observed, that a contrast is
here made between the words of Christ and those things which are opposed to
them. But so far are we from discovering any contradiction between the Law and
the doctrine of the Gospel, that the Law is nothing else than a preparation for
the Gospel. In short, Christ testifies that all the doctrines, by which the
world has been led away from him, are so many deadly plagues; because, apart
from him, there is nothing but destruction and horrible confusion. Meanwhile, we
see of what importance antiquity is with God, and in what estimation it ought to
be held by us, when it enters, as it were, into a contest with Christ. That no
man may be moved by the consideration, that there have been teachers, in all
ages, who gave themselves no concern whatever about directing men to Christ,
Christ expressly states that it is of no consequence how many there have been of
this description, or how early they began to appear; for it ought to be
considered that there is but one door, and that they who leave it,
and make openings or breaches in the walls, are thieves.
But the sheep did not hear
them. He now confirms more clearly what
he had already spoken more obscurely and in the figure of an allegory, that they
who were led out of the way by impostors did not belong to the Church of God.
This is said, first, that when we see a great multitude of persons going astray,
we may not resolve to perish through their example; and, next, that we may not
waver, when God permits impostors to deceive many. For it is no light
consolation, and no small ground of confidence, when we know that Christ, by his
faithful protection, has always guarded his
sheep,
amidst the various attacks and crafty devices of wolves and robbers, so that
there never was one of them that deserted him.
f282
But here a question arises, When does a person begin
to belong to the flock of the Son of God?
f283
For we see many who stray and wander through deserts during the greater part of
their life, and are at length brought into the fold of Christ. I reply, the word
sheep
is here used in two ways. When Christ says
afterwards, that he has other sheep besides, he includes all the elect of
God, who had at that time no resemblance to
sheep.
At present, he means
sheep
which bore the shepherd’s mark. By nature, we are at the greatest
possible distance from being sheep; but, on the contrary, are born
lions, tigers, wolves, and bears,
f284
until the Spirit of Christ tames us, and from wild and savage beasts forms us to
be mild
sheep.
Thus, according to the secret election of God, we are already
sheep
in his heart, before we are born; but we begin to be
sheep
in ourselves by the calling, by which he gathers us into his fold. Christ
declares that they who are called into the order of believers are so firmly
bound together, that they cannot stray or wander, or be carried about by any
wind of new doctrine.
It will perhaps be objected, that even those who had
been devoted to Christ frequently go astray, and that this is proved by frequent
experience, and that it is not without good reason that Ezekiel ascribes it to
the good Shepherd, that he gathers the scattered sheep,
(<263412>Ezekiel
34:12.) I readily acknowledge that it frequently happens, that they who had
belonged to the household of faith are, for a time, estranged; but this is not
at variance with Christ’s statement, for, so far as they go astray, they
cease, in some respects, to be
sheep.
What Christ means is simply this, that all the elect of God, though they
were tempted to go astray in innumerable ways, were kept in obedience to the
pure faith, so that they were not exposed as a prey to Satan, or to his
ministers. But this work of God is not less astonishing, when he again
gathers the
sheep which had wandered for a little,
than if they had all along continued to be shut up in the fold. It is always
true, and without a single exception, that
they who go out from us
were not of us, but that they who were of us remain with us to the end,
(<620219>1
John 2:19.)
This passage ought to strike us with the deepest
shame; first, because we are so ill accustomed to the voice of our
Shepherd, that there are hardly any who do not listen to it with
indifference; and, next, because we are so slow and indolent to follow him. I
speak of the good, or of those who are at least passable; for the greater part
of those who boast that they are Christ’s disciples kick fiercely against
him. Lastly, as soon as the voice of any stranger has sounded in our
ears, we are hurried to and fro; and this lightness and unsteadiness
sufficiently shows how little progress we have hitherto made in the faith. But
if the number of believers is smaller than might be desired, and if out of this
small number a large proportion be continually dropping off, faithful teachers
have this consolation to support them, that the elect of God, who are
Christ’s
sheep,
listen to them. It is our duty, indeed, to labor diligently, and to strive
by every possible method, that the whole world may be brought, if possible, into
the unity of the faith; but let us, in the meantime, be well satisfied with
belonging to the number.
9.
If any man enter by
me. The highest consolation of believers
is, that when they have once embraced Christ, they learn that they are out of
danger; for Christ promises to them salvation and happiness. He afterwards
divides it into two parts.
He shall go in and out, and find
pasture. First, they shall go safely
wherever they find necessary; and, next, they shall be fed to the full. By
going in and out, Scripture often denotes all the actions of the
life, as we say in French, aller et venir, (to go and
come,)
f285
which means, to dwell. These words, therefore, present to us a
twofold advantage of the Gospel, that our souls shall find pasture in it, which
otherwise become faint and famished, and are fed with nothing but wind; and,
next, because he will faithfully protect and guard us against the attacks of
wolves and robbers.
10.
The thief cometh
not. By this saying, Christ — if
we may use the expression — pulls our ear, that the ministers of Satan may
not come upon us by surprise, when we are in a drowsy and careless state; for
our excessive indifference exposes us, on every side, to false doctrines. For
whence arises credulity so great, that they who ought to have remained fixed in
Christ, fly about in a multitude of errors, but because they do not sufficiently
dread or guard against so many false teachers? And not only so, but our
insatiable curiosity is so delighted with the new and strange inventions of men,
that, of our own accord, we rush with mad career to meet thieves and wolves. Not
without reason, therefore, does Christ testify that false teachers, whatever may
be the mildness and plausibility of their demeanour, always carry about a deadly
poison, that we may be more careful to drive them away from us. A similar
warning is given by Paul,
See that no man ROB you
through vain
philosophy,
(<510208>Colossians
2:8.)
I am
come. This is a different comparison;
for Christ, having hitherto called himself
the
door, and declared that they who bring
sheep to this door are true shepherds, now assumes the
character of a shepherd, and indeed affirms that he is the only
shepherd. Indeed, there is no other to whom this honor and title
strictly belongs; for, as to all the faithful shepherds of the Church, it
is he who raises them up, endows them with the necessary qualifications, governs
them by his Spirit, and works by them; and therefore they do not prevent him
from being the only Governor of his Church, or from holding the distinction of
being the only Shepherd. For, though he employs their ministry,
still he does not cease to fulfill and discharge the office of a shepherd
by his own power; and they are masters and teachers in such a manner as not
to interfere with his authority as a Master. In short, when the term shepherd
is applied to men, it is used, as we say, in a subordinate sense; and Christ
shares the honor with his ministers in such a manner, that he still continues to
be the only shepherd both of themselves and of the whole
flock.
That they may have
life. When he says
that he is come, that the
sheep may have life, he means that they
only who do not submit to his staff and crook
(<192304>Psalm
23:4) are exposed to the ravages of wolves and thieves; and — to give them
greater confidence — he declares that
life
is continually increased and strengthened in
those who do not revolt from him. And, indeed, the greater progress that any man
makes in faith, the more nearly does he approach to fullness
of
life, because the Spirit, who is life,
grows in him.
|
JOHN
10:11-15
|
|
11. I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd
giveth his life for the sheep. 12. But the hireling, and he who is not
the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and
leaveth the sheep, and fleeth, and the wolf teareth them, and scattereth the
sheep. 13. The hireling fleeth, because he is a hireling, and careth not
for the sheep. 14. I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am
known by mine. 15. As the Father knoweth me, I also know the Father, and
I lay down my life for the sheep.
|
11.
The good shepherd giveth his
life for the sheep. From the
extraordinary affection which he bears towards the
sheep,
he shows how truly he acts towards them as a
shepherd;
for he is so anxious about their salvation, that he does not even spare his
own life. Hence it follows, that they who reject the guardianship of so kind and
amiable a shepherd are exceedingly ungrateful, and deserve a hundred
deaths, and are exposed to every kind of harm. The remark of Augustine is
exceedingly just, that this passage informs us what we ought to desire, what we
ought to avoid, and what we ought to endure, in the government of the Church.
Nothing is more desirable than that the Church should be governed by good and
diligent shepherds. Christ declares that
he is the good
shepherd, who keeps his Church safe and
sound, first, by himself, and, next, by his agents. Whenever there is good
order, and fit men hold the government, then Christ shows that he is actually
the shepherd. But there are many wolves and thieves who, wearing
the garb of shepherds, wickedly scatter the Church. Whatever name
such persons may assume, Christ threatens that we must avoid
them.
12.
But the
hireling. By
hirelings
we are to understand those who retain the pure doctrine, and who proclaim
the truth, as Paul says, to serve a purpose rather than from pure zeal. Though
such persons do not serve Christ faithfully, yet we ought to hear them; for
Christ wished that the Pharisees should be heard, because they sat in
Moses’ seat,
(<402302>Matthew
23:2;) and, in like manner, we ought to give such honor to the Gospel, as not to
shrink from its ministers, though they be not good men. And as even the
slightest offenses render the Gospel distasteful to us, that we may not be
hindered by such false delicacy, let us always remember what I have formerly
suggested, that if the Spirit of Christ does not operate so powerfully in
ministers, as to make it plainly evident that he is their shepherd,
we suffer the punishment of our sins, and yet our obedience is
proved.
And he who is not the
shepherd. Though Christ claims for
himself alone the name of a
shepherd,
yet he indirectly states that, in some respects, he holds it in common with
the agents by whom he acts. For we know that there have been many, since the
time of Christ, who did not hesitate to shed their blood for the salvation of
the Church; and even the prophets, before his coming, did not spare their own
life. But in his own person he holds out a perfect example, so as to lay down a
rule for his ministers. For how base and shameful is our indolence, if our life
is more dear to us than the salvation of the Church, which Christ preferred to
his own life!
What is here said about
laying down life for the
sheep, may be viewed as an undoubted and
principal mark of paternal affection. Christ intended, first, to demonstrate
what a remarkable proof he gave of his love toward us, and, next, to excite all
his ministers to imitate his example. Yet we must attend to the difference
between them and him. He laid
down his life as the price of
satisfaction, shed his blood to cleanse our souls, offered his body as a
propitiatory sacrifice, to reconcile the Father to us. Nothing of all this can
exist in the ministers of the Gospel, all of whom need to be cleansed, and
receive atonement and reconciliation to God by that single sacrifice. But Christ
does not argue here about the efficacy or benefit of his death, so as to compare
himself to others, but to prove with what zeal and affection
f286
he is moved towards us, and, next, to invite others to follow his example. In
short, as it belongs exclusively to Christ to procure life for us by his death,
and to fulfill all that is contained in the Gospel, so it is the universal duty
of all pastors or shepherds, to defend the doctrine which
they proclaim, even at the expense of their life, and to seal the doctrine of
the Gospel with their blood, and to show that it is not in vain that they teach
that Christ has procured salvation for themselves and for
others.
But here a question may be put. Ought we to reckon
that man a
hireling, who, for any reason whatever,
shrinks from encountering the wolves? This was anciently debated as a practical
question, when tyrants raged cruelly against the Church. Tertullian, and others
of the same class, were, in my opinion, too rigid on this point. I prefer
greatly the moderation of Augustine, who allows pastors to flee on the condition
that, by their flight, they contribute more to the public safety than they would
do by betraying the flock committed to their charge. And he shows that this is
done, when the Church is not deprived of well-qualified ministers, and when the
life of the pastor in particular is so eagerly sought, that his absence
mitigates the rage of enemies. But it the flock — as well as the pastor
— be in danger,
f287
and if there be reason to believe that the pastor flees, not so much from a
desire to promote the public advantage as from a dread of dying, Augustine
contends that this is not at all lawful, because the example of his flight will
do more injury than his life can do good in future. The reader may consult the
Epistle to Bishop Honoratus, (Ep. 108) On this ground it was lawful for Cyprian
to flee, who was so far from shuddering at death, that he nobly refused to
accept the offer of saving his life by a treacherous denial of his Master. Only
it must be held that a pastor ought to prefer his flock, or even a single sheep,
to his own life.
Whose own the sheep are
not. Christ appears here to make all
shepherds besides himself to be, without exception, hirelings;
for, since he alone is shepherd, none of us have a right to
say that the sheep which he feeds are his own. But let us remember
that they who are guided by the Spirit of God reckon that to be their own
which belongs to their Head; and that not in order to claim power for
themselves, but to keep faithfully what has been committed to their charge. For
he who is truly united to Christ will never cease to take an interest in that
which He valued so highly. This is what he afterwards says:
13.
The hireling
fleeth. The reason is,
because he careth not for the
sheep, which means, that his heart is
not moved by the scattering of the flock, because he thinks that it does not at
all belong to him. For he who looks to the hire, and not to the
flock, though he may deceive others, when the Church is in a state of
tranquillity, yet when he comes into the contest, will give proof of his
treachery.
14.
And I know my sheep, and am
known by mine. In the former clause, he
again holds out his love towards us; for knowledge proceeds from love,
and is accompanied by care. But it means also that he utterly disregards all who
do not obey the Gospel, as he repeats in the second clause, and confirms what he
had formerly said, that — on the other hand — he is known by the
sheep.
15.
As the Father knoweth
me. It is unnecessary, and is not even
expedient, that we should enter into those thorny questions, How is it that the
Father knows his Wisdom? For Christ simply declares that, so far as he is the
bond of our union with God, he is placed between Him and us; as if he had said,
that it is no more possible for him to forget us, than that he should be
rejected or disregarded by the Father. At the same time, he demands the duty
which we mutually owe to him, because, as he employs all the power which he has
received from the Father for our protection, so he wishes that we should be
obedient and devoted to him, as he is wholly devoted to his Father, and refers
everything to him.
|
JOHN
10:16-18
|
|
16. And I have other sheep, which are not of
this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice, and there shall
be one fold and one shepherd. 17. On this account the Father loveth me,
because I lay down my life, that I may take it again. 18. No man taketh
it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have
power to take it again. This commandment have I received from my
Father.
|
16.
And I have other sheep. Though some
refer this indiscriminately to all, both Jews and Gentiles, who were not yet
disciples of Christ, yet I have no doubt that he had in his eye the calling of
the Gentiles. For he gives the appellation
fold
to the assemblage of the ancient people, by which they were separated from
the other nations of the world, and united into one body as the heritage of God.
The Jews had been adopted by God in such a manner, that he surrounded them with
certain enclosures, which consisted of rites and ceremonies, that they might not
be confounded with unbelievers, though the door of the fold was the
gracious covenant of eternal life confirmed in Christ. For this reason he calls
those sheep which had not the same mark, but belonged to a different
class, other
sheep. In short, the meaning is, that
the pastoral office of Christ is not confined within the limits of Judea, but is
far more extensive.
Augustine’s observation on this passage is
undoubtedly true, that, as there are many wolves within the Church, so
there are many sheep without. But this is not applicable, in every
respect, to the present passage, which relates to the outward aspect of the
Church, because the Gentiles, who had been strangers for a time, were afterwards
invited into the kingdom of God, along with the Jews. Yet I acknowledge that
Augustine’s statement applies in this respect, that Christ gives the name
of
sheep
to unbelievers, who in themselves were the farthest possible from being
entitled to be called
sheep.
And not only does he point out, by this term, what they will be, but rather
refers this to the secret election of God, because we are already God’s
sheep, before we are aware that He is our shepherd. In like
manner, it is elsewhere said that we were enemies, when he loved
us,
(<450510>Romans
5:10;) and for this reason Paul also says that we were known by God,
before we knew him,
(<480409>Galatians
4:9.)
Them also I must
bring. He means that the election of God
will be secure, so that nothing of all that he wishes to be saved shall perish.
f288
For the secret purpose of God, by which men were ordained to life, is at length
manifested in his own time by the calling, — the effectual calling, when
he regenerates by his Spirit, to be his sons, those who formerly were begotten
of flesh and blood.
But it may be asked, How were the Gentiles brought to
be associated with the Jews? For the Jews were not under the necessity of
rejecting the covenant which God made with their fathers, in order to become
Christ’s disciples; and the Gentiles, on the other hand, were not under
the necessity of submitting to the yoke of the Law, that, being ingrafted in
Christ, they might be associated with the Jews. Here we must attend to the
distinction between the substance of the covenant and the outward appendages.
For the Gentiles could not assent to the faith of Christ in any other way than
by embracing that everlasting covenant on which the salvation of the world was
founded. In this manner were fulfilled the predictions,
Strangers shall speak the
language of Canaan,
(<231918>Isaiah
19:18.)
Again,
Ten men of the Gentiles
shall take hold of the cloak of one Jew, and say, We will go with you,
(<380823>Zechariah
8:23.)
Again,
Many nations shall come,
and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
(<230204>Isaiah
2:4;
<330402>Micah
4:2.)
Abraham was also called
a father of many nations,
(<011705>Genesis
17:5;
<450417>Romans
4:17,) because they shall come from the East and from the West, who shall sit
down with him in the kingdom of God,
(<400811>Matthew
8:11.)
As to ceremonies, they are the middle wall of
partition, which, Paul informs us, hath been thrown down,
(<490214>Ephesians
2:14.) Thus, we have been associated with the Jews in the unity of the faith, as
to the substance; and the ceremonies were abolished, that there might be nothing
to prevent the Jews from stretching out their hand to us.
And there shall be one
fold
f289
and one shepherd. That is, that all the
children of God may be gathered and united
f290
into one body; as we acknowledge that there is one holy universal Church,
f291
and there must be one body with one head.
There is one God, says Paul, one faith,
one baptism. Therefore we ought to be one, as we are called into one
hope,
(<490404>Ephesians
4:4, 5.)
Now though this flock appears to be divided
into different
folds,
yet they are kept within enclosures which are common to all believers who
are scattered throughout the whole world; because the same word is preached to
all, they use the same sacraments, they have the same order of prayer, and every
thing that belongs to the profession of faith.
And they shall hear my
voice. We must observe the way in which
the flock of God is gathered. It is, when all have one shepherd,
and when his voice alone
f292
is heard. These words mean that, when the Church submits to Christ
alone, and obeys his commands, and hears
his
voice and his doctrine,
f293
then only is it in a state of good order. If Papists can show us that there is
any thing of this sort among them, let them enjoy the title of The Church, of
which they vaunt so much. But if Christ is silent there, if his majesty is
trodden under foot, if his sacred ordinances are held up to scorn, what else is
their unity but a diabolical conspiracy, which is worse and far more to be
abhorred than any dispersion? Let us therefore remember that we ought always to
begin with the Head. Hence also the Prophets, when they describe the restoration
of the Church, always join David the king with God; as if they said, that there
is no Church where Christ does not reign, and that there is no kingdom of God,
but where the honor of shepherd is granted to Christ.
17.
On this account the Father
loveth me. There is, indeed, another and
a higher reason why the Father
loveth the Son; for it was not in vain
that a voice was heard from heaven,
This is my beloved Son,
in whom the good-pleasure of God dwells,
(<400317>Matthew
3:17; 17:5.)
But as he was made man on our account, and as the
Father delighted in him, in order that he might reconcile us to himself, we need
not wonder if he declares it to be the reason
why the Father loveth
him, that our salvation is dearer to him
than his own life. This is a wonderful commendation of the goodness of God to
us, and ought justly to arouse our whole souls into rapturous admiration, that
not only does God extend to us the love which is due to the only-begotten Son,
but he refers it to us as the final cause. And indeed there was no necessity
that Christ should take upon him our flesh, in which he was beloved,
but that it might be the pledge of the mercy of his Father in
redeeming us.
That I may take it
again. As the disciples might be deeply
grieved on account of what they had heard about the death of Christ, and as
their faith might even be greatly shaken, he comforts them by the hope of his
resurrection, which would speedily take place; as if he said, that he would not
die on the condition of being swallowed up by death, but in order that he might
soon rise again as a conqueror. And even at the present day, we ought to
contemplate the death of Christ, so as to remember, at the same time, the glory
of his resurrection. Thus, we know that he is life, because, in
his contest with death, he obtained a splendid victory, and achieved a noble
triumph.
18.
No man taketh it from
me. This is another consolation, by
which the disciples may take courage as to the death of Christ, that he does not
die by constraint, but offers himself willingly for the salvation of his flock.
Not only does he affirm that men have no power to put him to death, except so
far as he permits them, but he declares that he is free from every violence of
necessity. It is otherwise with us, for we are laid under a necessity of dying
on account of our sins. True, Christ himself was born a mortal man; but this was
a voluntary submission, and not a bondage laid upon him by another. Christ
intended, therefore, to fortify his disciples, that, when they saw him shortly
afterwards dragged to death, they might not be dismayed, as if he had been
oppressed by enemies, but might acknowledge that it was done by the wonderful
Providence of God, that he should die for the redemption of his flock. And this
doctrine is of perpetual advantage, that the death of Christ is an expiation for
our sins, because it was a voluntary sacrifice, according to the saying of
Paul,
By the obedience of one
many were made
righteous,
(<450519>Romans
5:19.)
But I lay it down of
myself. These words may be explained in
two ways; either that Christ divests himself of life, but still remains what he
was, just as a person would lay aside a garment from his body, or, that he dies
by his own choice.
This commandment have I received
from my Father. He recalls our attention
to the eternal purpose of the Father, in order to inform us that He had such
care about our salvation, that he dedicated to us his only-begotten Son great
and excellent as he is;
f294
and Christ himself, who came into the world to be in all respects obedient to
the Father, confirms the statement, that he has no other object in
view than to promote our benefit.
|
JOHN
10:19-30
|
|
19. A division therefore arose again among the
Jews on account of those sayings. 20. And many of them said, He hath a
devil, and is mad: why do you hear him? 21. Others said, These are not
the words of a demoniac. Can a devil open the eyes of the blind? 22. And
it was the feast of Dedication at Jerusalem, and it was winter. 23. And
Jesus was walking in the temple in Solomon’s porch. 24. The Jews
then surrounded him, and said to him, How long dost thou keep our soul in
suspense? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly. 25. Jesus answered
them, I have told you, but you do not believe. The works which I do in my
Father’s name testify of me. 26. But you do not believe, because
you are not of my sheep, as I said to you. 27. My sheep hear my voice,
and I know them, and they follow me. 28. And I give them eternal life,
and they shall never perish, nor shall any one wrest them out of my hand.
29. My Father, who gave them to me, is greater than all; and none can
wrest them out of my Father’s hand. 30. I and my Father are
one.
|
19.
A division therefore arose
again. The advantage gained by
Christ’s discourse was, that it procured him some disciples; but as his
doctrine has also many adversaries, hence arises
a
division, so that they are split into
parties, who formerly appeared to be one body of the Church. for all, with one
consent, professed that they worshipped the God of Abraham and complied with the
Law of Moses; but now, when Christ comes forward, they begin to differ on his
account. If that profession had been sincere, Christ, who is the strongest bond
of charity, and whose office it is to gather those things which are scattered,
would not break up their agreement. But Christ, by the light of his Gospel,
exposes the hypocrisy of many who, while they had nothing but a false and
hypocritical pretense, boasted that they were the people of
God.
Thus, the wickedness of many is still the reason why
the Church is troubled by
divisions,
and why contentions are kindled. Yet those who disturb the peace, throw the
blame on us, and call us Schismatics; for the principal charge which the Papists
bring against us is, that our doctrine has shaken the tranquillity of the
Church. Yet the truth is, that, if they would yield submissively to Christ, and
give their support to the truth, all the commotions would immediately be
allayed. But when they utter murmurs and complaints against Christ, and will not
allow us to be at rest on any other condition than that the truth of God shall
be extinguished, and that Christ shall be banished from his kingdom, they have
no right to accuse us of the crime of schism; for it is on themselves, as every
person sees, that this crime ought to be charged. We ought to be deeply grieved
that the Church is torn by divisions arising among those who profess the
same religion; but it is better that there are some who separate themselves from
the wicked, to be united to Christ their Head, than that all should be of one
mind in despising God. Consequently, when schisms arise, we ought to inquire who
they are that revolt from God and from his pure doctrine.
20.
He hath a
devil. They employ the most offensive
reproach which they can devise, in slandering Christ, that all may shudder at
the thought of hearing him. For wicked men, that they may not be forced to yield
to God, in a furious manner, and with closed eyes, break out into proud contempt
of him, and excite others to the same rage, so that not a single word of Christ
is heard in silence. But the doctrine of Christ has sufficient power in itself
to defend it against slanders. And this is what believers mean by their
reply,
21.
These are not the words
of a demoniac. It is as if they demanded
that men should judge from the fact itself; for the truth, as we have said, is
strong enough to maintain itself. And this is the only protection of our faith,
that wicked men will never be able to hinder the power and wisdom of God, and
his goodness also,
f295
from shining in the Gospel.
22.
And it was the feast of
Dedication. The Greek word
(ejgkai>nia)
which we have translated
dedication,
f296
properly signifies renovations; because the temple, which had
been polluted, was again consecrated by the command of Judas Maccabaeus; and at
that time it was enacted that the day of the new dedication or
consecration should be celebrated every year as a festival, that the
people might recall to remembrance the grace of God, which had put an end to the
tyranny of Antiochus. Christ appeared in the temple at that time,
according to custom, that his preaching might yield more abundant fruit amidst a
large assembly of men.
23.
And Jesus was walking in
the temple, in Solomon’s porch.
The Evangelist gives to
Solomon’s
porch the designation
of the
temple; not that it was the sanctuary,
but only an appendage to the temple. Nor does he mean the ancient
porch which was built by Solomon, which had been altogether
destroyed by the Chaldeans, but that which the Jews — perhaps immediately
after their return from the Babylonish captivity — built after the pattern
of the ancient porch, and gave it the same name, that it might be
more highly honored; and Herod afterwards built a new temple.
24.
The Jews therefore surrounded
him. This was undoubtedly a cunning attack on
Christ, at least on the part of those with whom the scheme originated. For the
common people might, without any fraud, desire that Christ would openly declare
that God had sent him to be a deliverer; but a few persons, by trick and
stratagem, wished to draw this word from him amidst the crowd, that he might be
killed by a mob, or that the Romans might lay hands on him.
How long dost thou keep our soul in
suspense? By complaining of being
kept in
suspense, they pretend that they are so
ardently desirous of the promised redemption, that their minds are eagerly and
incessantly occupied by the expectation of Christ. And this is the true feeling
of piety, to find nowhere else than in Christ alone, what will satisfy our
minds, or give them true composure; as he himself says,
Come to me, all you who
labor and are heavy laden, and I will refresh you, and your souls shall find
rest,
(<401128>Matthew
11:28, 29.)
Therefore, those who come to Christ ought to be
prepared in the same manner as those men pretend to be. But they are wrong in
accusing Christ, as if he had not hitherto confirmed their faith; for it was
entirely their own fault that they had not a full and perfect knowledge of him.
But this is always the case with unbelievers, that they choose rather to remain
in doubt than to be founded on the certainty of the word of God. Thus, in our
own day, we see many who voluntarily shut their eyes, and spread the clouds of
their doubt, in order to darken the clear light of the Gospel. We see also many
light spirits, who fly about in idle speculations, and never find, throughout
their whole life, a permanent abode.
Tell us
plainly. When they demand that Christ
shall declare himself freely, or openly and boldly, their meaning
is, that he may no longer convey his meaning indirectly, and in a circuitous
manner. Thus they charge his doctrine with obscurity, which, on the contrary,
was abundantly plain and distinct, if the men who heard it had not been deaf.
Now this history warns us, that we cannot avoid the artifices and slanders of
wicked men, if we are called to preach the Gospel. Wherefore, we ought to be on
the watch, and not to be surprised at it as a new thing, when the same thing
happens to us as to our Master.
25.
I have told
you. Our Lord Jesus
f297
does not conceal that he is the Christ, and yet he does not teach them as if
they were willing to learn, but rather reproaches them with obstinate malice,
because, though they had been taught by the word and works of God, they had not
yet made any progress. Accordingly, that they do not know him, he imputes to
their own fault, as if he said: “My doctrine is easily enough
understood, but the blame lies with you, because you maliciously resist
God.”
The works which I
do. He speaks of his
works,
in order to convict them of being doubly obstinate; for, besides the
doctrine, they had a striking testimony in his miracles, if they had not been
ungrateful to God. He twice repeats the words, You do not believe,
in order to prove that, of their own accord, they were deaf to doctrine, and
blind to works; which is a proof of extreme and desperate malice. He says that
he did the works in the name of
his Father; because his design was, to
testify the power of God in them, by which it might be openly declared that he
came from God.
26.
Because you are not of my
sheep. He assigns a higher reason why
they do not believe either in his miracles or in his doctrine. It is, because
they are reprobate. We must observe Christ’s design; for, since they
boasted of being the Church of God, that their unbelief may detract nothing from
the authority of the Gospel, he affirms that the gift of believing is a
special gift. And, indeed, before that men know God, they must first
be known by him, as Paul says,
(<480409>Galatians
4:9.) On the other hand, those to whom God does not look must always continue to
look away from him. If any one murmur at this, arguing that the cause of
unbelief dwells in God, because he alone has power to make sheep;
I reply, He is free from all blame, for it is only by their voluntary malice
that men reject his grace. God does all that is necessary to induce them to
believe, but who shall tame wild beasts?
f298
This will never be done, till the Spirit of God change them into
sheep. They who are wild will in vain attempt to throw on God the
blame of their wildness, for it belongs to their own nature. In short, Christ
means that it is not wonderful, if there are few who obey his Gospel, because
all whom the Spirit of God does not subdue to the obedience of faith are wild
and fierce beasts. So much the more unreasonable and absurd is it, that the
authority of the Gospel should depend on the belief of men; but believers ought
rather to consider, that they are the more strongly bound to God, because, while
others remain in a state of blindness, they are drawn to Christ by the
illumination of the Spirit. Here, too, the ministers of the Gospel have
ground of consolation, if their labor be not profitable to all.
27.
My sheep hear my voice. He proves by an
argument drawn from contraries, that they are not sheep, because
they do not obey the Gospel. For God effectually calls all whom he has elected,
so that the sheep of Christ are proved by their faith. And, indeed, the
reason why the name of sheep is applied to believers is, that they
surrender themselves to God, to be governed by the hand of the Chief Shepherd,
and, laying aside the fierceness of their nature, become mild and teachable. It
is no small consolation to faithful teachers, that, though the greater part of
the world do not listen to Christ, yet he has his
sheep whom he knows, and
by whom he is also known. Let them do
their utmost to bring the whole world into the fold of Christ; but when they do
not succeed according to their wish, let them be satisfied with this single
consideration, that they who are sheep will be gathered by their agency.
The rest has been already explained.
28.
And they shall never
perish. It is an inestimable fruit of
faith, that Christ bids us be convinced of our security when we are brought by
faith into his fold. But we must also observe on what foundation this certainty
rests. It is because he will be a faithful guardian of our salvation, for he
testifies that our salvation is in
his
hand. And if this were not enough, he
says that they will be safely guarded by the power of his Father.
This is a remarkable passage, by which we are taught that the salvation of
all the elect is not less certain than the power of God is invincible. Besides,
Christ did not intend to throw this word foolishly into the air, but to give a
promise which should remain deeply axed in their minds; and, therefore, we infer
that the statement of Christ is intended to show that the elect are absolutely
certain of their salvation. We are surrounded, indeed, by powerful adversaries,
and so great is our weakness, that we are every moment in imminent danger of
death; but as He who keeps what we have committed to him
(<550112>2
Timothy 1:12) is greater or more powerful than all, we have
no reason to tremble as if our life were in danger.
Hence, too, we infer how mad is the confidence of the
Papists, which relies on free-will, on their own virtue, and on the merits of
their works. Widely different is the manner in which Christ instructs his
followers, to remember that, in this world, they may be said to be in the midst
of a forest, surrounded by innumerable robbers, and are not only unarmed and
exposed as a prey, but are aware that the cause of death is contained in
themselves, so that, relying on the guardianship of God alone, they may walk
without alarm. In short, our salvation is certain, because it is in the hand
of God; for our faith is weak, and we are too prone to waver. But God, who
has taken us under his protection, is sufficiently powerful to scatter, with his
breath alone, all the forces of our adversaries. It is of great importance for
us to turn our eye to this, that the fear of temptations may not dismay us; for
Christ even intended to point out the way in which sheep are made to live
at ease in the midst of wolves.
And none can wrest them out of my
Father’s hand. The word
and,
in this passage, means therefore. For, since the power of God
is invincible, Christ infers that the salvation of believers is not exposed to
the ungovernable passions of their enemies, because, ere they perish, God must
be overcome, who has taken them under the protection of
his hand.
30.
I and my Father are one. He intended to
meet the jeers of the wicked; for they might allege that the power of God did
not at all belong to him, so that he could promise to his disciples that it
would assuredly protect them. He therefore testifies that his affairs are so
closely united to those of the Father, that the Father’s assistance will
never be withheld from himself and his sheep. The ancients made a
wrong use of this passage to prove that Christ is
(oJmoou>siov)
of the same essence with the Father. For Christ does not argue about the unity
of substance, but about the agreement which he has with the Father, so that
whatever is done by Christ will be confirmed by the power of his
Father.
|
JOHN
10:31-36
|
|
31. Then the Jews again took up stones to
stone him. 32. Jesus answered them, Many good works I have shown you from
my Father. For which of those works do you stone me? 33. The Jews
answered him, We stone thee not for the sake of a good work, but for blasphemy,
and, because thou, being a man, makest thyself God. 34. Jesus answered
them, Is it not written in your Law, I said, You are gods? 35. If it
called them gods, to whom the word of God was addressed, and Scripture cannot,
be broken, 36. Do you say that I, whom the Father sanctified and sent
into the world, blaspheme, because I said, I am the Son of God?
|
31.
Then the Jews again took up
stones. As true religion, in maintaining
the glory of God, burns with its own zeal which the Spirit of God directs, so
unbelief is the mother of rage, and the devil hurries on the wicked in such a
manner, that they breathe nothing but slaughter. This result shows with what
intention they put the question to Christ; for the open confession, of which
they pretended to be desirous, instantly drives them to madness. And yet, though
they are hurried along, with such violence, to oppress Christ, there can be no
doubt that they assigned some plausible reason for their judgment, as if they
were acting according to the injunction of the Law, by which God commands that
false prophets shall be stoned, (Deuteronomy 13:5.)
32.
Many good works I have shown you. Here
Christ not only says that they have no reason for their cruelty, but accuses
them of ingratitude, in making so unjust a requital for God’s favors. Nor
does he only state that he has done them a service by one or two works, but that
in many ways he has been kind to them. Next, he upbraids them with being
ungrateful, not only to himself, but rather to God, when he says that he is the
minister of the Father, who openly manifested his power, that it might be known
and attested to them. For when he says that
the good
works
were from the
Father, he means that God was the Author
of them. The meaning may be thus summed up, “God intended to make known to
you, by me, distinguished benefits; he has conferred them upon you by my hand.
Banish me as much as you please, I have done nothing that does not deserve
praise and good-will. In persecuting me, therefore, you must show your rage
against the gifts of God.” But the question has greater force to pierce
their consciences than if he had made a direct assertion.
33.
We stone thee not for a good
work. Though wicked men carry on open
war with God, yet they never wish to sin without some plausible pretense. The
consequence is, that when they rage against the Son of God, they are not content
with this cruelty, but bring an unprovoked accusation against him, and
constitute themselves advocates and defenders of the glory of God. A good
conscience must therefore be to us a wall of brass, by which we boldly repel the
reproaches and calumnies with which we are assailed. For whatever plausibility
may adorn their malice, and whatever reproach they may bring on us for a time,
if we fight for the cause of God, he will not refuse to uphold his truth. But as
the wicked never want pretences for oppressing the servants of God, and as they
have also hardened impudence, so that, even when vanquished, they do not cease
to slander, we have need of patience and meekness, to support us to the
end.
But for
blasphemy. The word
blasphemy,
which among profane authors denotes generally every kind of reproach,
Scripture refers to God, when his majesty is offended and
insulted.
Because thou, being a man, makest
thyself God. There are two kinds of
blasphemy,
either when God is deprived of the honor which belongs to him, or when
anything unsuitable to his nature, or contrary to his nature, is ascribed to
him. They argue therefore that Christ is a blasphemer and a sacrilegious
person, because, being a mortal man, he lays claim to Divine
honor. And this would be a just definition of
blasphemy,
if Christ were nothing more than a man. They only err in this, that they do
not design to contemplate his Divinity, which was conspicuous in his
miracles.
34.
Is it not written in your
Law? He clears himself of the
crime charged against him, not by denying that he is the Son of God, but by
maintaining that he had justly said so. Yet he adapts his reply to the persons,
instead of giving a full explanation of the fact; for he reckoned it enough for
the present to expose their malice. In what sense he called himself the Son of
God he does not explain fully, but states indirectly. The argument which he
employs is not drawn from equals, but from the less to the
greater.
I said, You are
gods. Scripture gives the name of
gods
to those on whom God has conferred an honorable office. He whom God has
separated, to be distinguished above all others, is far more worthy of this
honorable title. Hence it follows, that they are malicious and false expounders
of Scripture, who admit the first, but take offense at the second. The passage
which Christ quotes is in
<198206>Psalm
82:6,
I have said, You are
gods,
and all of you are children
of the Most High;
where God expostulates with the kings and judges of
the earth, who tyrannically abuse their authority and power for their own sinful
passions, for oppressing the poor, and for every evil action. He reproaches them
that, unmindful of Him from whom they received so great dignity, they profane
the name of God. Christ applies this to the case in hand, that they receive the
name of
gods,
because they are God’s ministers for governing the world. For the same
reason Scripture calls the angels gods, because by them the glory
of God beams forth on the world. We must attend to the mode of
expression:
35.
To whom the word of God
was addressed. For Christ means that
they were authorized by an undoubted command of God. Hence we infer that empires
did not spring up at random, nor by the mistakes of men, but that they were
appointed by the will of God, because he wishes that political order should
exist among men, and that we should be governed by usages and laws. For this
reason Paul says, that all who
resist the power are
rebels against God, because there is no power but what is ordained by God,
(<451301>Romans
13:1, 2.)
It will, perhaps, be objected, that other callings
also are from God, and are approved by him, and yet that we do not, on that
account, call farmers, or cowherds, or cobblers, gods. I reply,
this is not a general declaration, that all who have been called by God to any
particular way of living are called gods; but Christ speaks of
kings, whom God has raised to a more elevated station, that they may rule and
govern. In short, let us know that magistrates are called gods,
because God has given them authority. Under the term
Law,
Christ includes the whole doctrine by which God governed his ancient Church;
for since the prophets were only expounders of the Law, the Psalms are
justly regarded as an appendage to the Law. That
the Scripture cannot be
broken means, that the doctrine of
Scripture is inviolable.
36.
Whom the Father hath
sanctified. There is a sanctification
that is common to all believers. But here Christ claims for himself
something far more excellent, namely, that he alone was separated from all
others, that the power of the Spirit and the majesty of God might be displayed
in him; as he formerly said, that him hath God the Father sealed,
(<430627>John
6:27.) But this refers strictly to the person of Christ, so far as he is
manifested in the flesh. Accordingly, these two things are joined, that he has
been sanctified and sent into the
world. But we must also understand for
what reason and on what condition he was sent. It was to bring
salvation from God, and to prove and exhibit himself, in every possible way, to
be the Son of
God.
Do you say that I
blaspheme? The Arians anciently tortured
this passage to prove that Christ is not God by nature, but that he possesses a
kind of borrowed Divinity. But this error is easily refuted, for Christ does not
now argue what he is in himself, but what we ought to acknowledge him to be,
from his miracles in human flesh. For we can never comprehend his eternal
Divinity, unless we embrace him as a Redeemer, so far as the Father hath
exhibited him to us. Besides, we ought to remember what I have formerly
suggested, that Christ does not, in this passage, explain fully and distinctly
what he is, as he would have done among his disciples; but that he rather dwells
on refuting the slander of his enemies.
|
JOHN
10:37-42
|
|
37. If I do not the works of my Father,
believe me not. 38. But if I do,
f299
though you believe not me, believe the works; that you may know and believe that
the Father is in me, and I in him. 39. Therefore they sought again to
seize him, but he escaped
f300
out of their hands. 40. And again he went away beyond Jordan, to the
place where John first baptized, and abode there. 41. And many came to
him, and said, John indeed did no miracle; but all that John spoke about this
man was true. 42. And many believed on him there.
|
37.
If I do not the works. Lest the Jews
might reply that it was in vain for him to boast of sanctification,
and of all that depended on it, he again draws their attention to his
miracles, in which there was a sufficiently evident proof of his Divinity. This
is in the shape of a concession, as if he had said, “I do not wish you to
be bound to give me credit on any other condition than that you see the fact
plainly before your eyes.
f301
You may safely reject me, if God has not openly given testimony to
me.”
The works of my
Father. He gives them this name, because
those works were truly Divine, and because so great power shone in them, that
they could not be ascribed to a man.
38.
But if I
do. He shows that they are held plainly
convicted of unbelieving and sacrilegious contempt, because they render no
reverence or honor
f302
to what are undoubtedly the works of God. This is a second concession, when he
says, “Though I allow you to doubt of my doctrine, you cannot deny, at
least, that the miracles which I have performed are from God. You therefore
openly reject God, and not a man.”
That you may know and
believe. Though he places knowledge
before faith, as if faith were inferior to it, he does so, because he
has to do with unbelieving and obstinate men, who never yield to God, until they
are vanquished and constrained by experience; for rebels wish to know
before they believe. And yet our gracious God indulges us so
far, that he prepares us for faith by a knowledge of his works.
But the knowledge of God and of his secret wisdom comes after
faith, because the obedience of faith opens to us the door
of the kingdom of heaven.
That the Father is in me, and I in
him. He repeats the same thing which he
had said before in other words, I
and my Father are one. All tends to this
point, that in his ministry there is nothing contrary to his Father.
“The Father, he says, is in me; that is,
Divine power is manifested in me.”
And I am in my
Father; that is, “I do nothing but
by the command of God, so that there is a mutual connection between me and my
Father.” For this discourse does not relate to the unity of essence, but
to the manifestation of Divine power in the person of Christ, from which it was
evident that he was sent by God.
39.
Therefore they sought again
to seize him. This was undoubtedly that
they might drive him out of the temple, and immediately stone him; for their
rage was not at all abated by the words of Christ. As to what the Evangelist
says, that he escaped out of
their hands, this could not be
accomplished in any other way than by a wonderful exertion of Divine power. This
reminds us that we are not exposed to the lawless passions of wicked men, which
God restrains by his bridle, whenever he thinks fit.
40.
He went away beyond
Jordan. Christ passed
beyond
Jordan, that he might not have to fight
continually without any advantage. He has therefore taught us, by his example,
that we ought to avail ourselves of opportunities, when they occur. As to the
place of his retreat, the reader may consult the observations which I have made
at Chapter 1, verse 28.
f303
41.
And many came to
him. This large assembly shows that
Christ did not seek solitude, in order to cease from the discharge of his duty,
but to erect a sanctuary of God in the wilderness, when Jerusalem, which was his
own abode and dwelling-place,
f304
had obstinately driven him out. And indeed this was a dreadful vengeance of God,
that, while the temple chosen by God was a den of robbers,
(<240711>Jeremiah
7:11;
<402113>Matthew
21:13,) the Church of God was collected in a despised place.
John indeed did no
miracle. They infer that Christ is more
excellent than John, because he has distinguished himself by so
many miracles, while John did not perform a single miracle. Not
that we ought always to judge from
miracles,
but that
miracles,
when united with doctrine, have no small weight, as has already been
repeatedly mentioned. Their argument is defective; for they compare Christ with
John, but they express only one part of the comparison. Besides, they take for
granted, that John was an eminent prophet of God, and that he was endued with
extraordinary grace of the Holy Spirit. They justly argue, therefore, that
Christ ought to be preferred to John, because it was only by the fixed
Providence of God that it was brought about that
John,
though in other respects a very great prophet, yet was not honored by
performing any miracle. Hence they conclude, that this was done on
Christ’s account, that he might be more highly esteemed.
But all that John
said. It appears that this was not
spoken by themselves, but was added by the Evangelist, in order to show that
there were two reasons which induced them to believe in Christ. On the one hand,
f305
they saw that the testimony which John had given to him was true; and, on the
other hand,
f306
the miracles of Christ procured for him greater authority.
CHAPTER 11
|
JOHN
11:1-10
|
|
l. Now one named Lazarus, of Bethany, the
village of Mary and her sister Martha, was sick. 2. And it was that Mary
who anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose
brother Lazarus was sick. 3. The sisters therefore sent to him, saying,
Lord, lo, he whom thou lovest is sick. 4. And Jesus, having heard this,
said, This sickness is not to death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of
God may be glorified by it. 5. Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister,
and Lazarus. 6. Having therefore heard that he was sick, he then remained
two days in the place where he was. 7. And after this he saith to his
disciples, Let us go into Judea again. 8. The disciples say to him, The
Jews but lately sought to stone thee, and dost thou go thither again? 9.
Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk by day,
he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world. 10. But if
any man walk by night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in
him.
|
1.
And one named Lazarus was sick. The
Evangelist passes on to another narrative, which contains a miracle eminently
worthy of being recorded. For not only did Christ give a remarkable proof of his
Divine power in raising Lazarus, but he likewise placed before our eyes a lively
image of our future resurrection. This might indeed be said to be the latest and
concluding action of his life, for the time of his death was already at hand. We
need not wonder, therefore, if he illustrated his own glory, in an extraordinary
manner, in that work, the remembrance of which he wished to be deeply impressed
on their minds, that it might seal, in some respects, all that had gone before.
There were others whom Christ had raised from the dead, but he now displays his
power on a rotting corpse. But the circumstances which tend to magnify the glory
of God in this miracle shall be pointed out in their proper place and
order.
Lazarus of Bethany, the village of
Mary and her sister Martha. The probable
reason why this circumstance is mentioned is, that
Lazarus
had not acquired so great celebrity among believers as his sisters had; for
these holy women were accustomed to entertain Christ with their hospitality, as
is evident from what is related by the Evangelist Luke,
(<421038>Luke
10:38.) It is really too ridiculous a blunder, to suppose that Monks, and such
fry as the Papists have, made this small town or village a
castle.
2.
It was that Mary who
anointed the Lord. It is a similar
display of ignorance, to imagine that this
Mary, the sister of
Lazarus, was that woman of wicked and
infamous life, who is mentioned by Luke,
(<420737>Luke
7:37.) This mistake was occasioned by the anointing; as if it were
not evident enough that Christ was anointed on various occasions, and even at
different places. The woman who
was a sinner, of whom Luke gives an
account, anointed
Christ at Jerusalem, where he dwelt; but Mary
afterwards
anointed
him at Bethany, which was her own village. The past tense employed by the
Evangelist, who ANOINTED, must be referred, not to the time of the
occurrence which he is now relating, but to the time when he wrote; as if he had
said, “It was this Mary who afterwards poured on the head of Christ the
ointment, on account of which a murmuring arose among the
disciples,”
(<402607>Matthew
26:7.)
3.
Lo, he whom thou lovest
is sick. The message is short, but
Christ might easily learn from it what the two sisters wished; for, under this
complaint, they modestly state their request that he would be pleased to grant
them relief. We are not forbidden, indeed, to use a longer form of prayer; but
our principal object ought to be, to pour into the bosom of God all our cares,
and every thing that distresses us, that he may afford deliverance. Such is the
manner in which the women act towards Christ: they plainly tell him their
distress, in consequence of which they expect some alleviation. We ought also to
observe that, from Christ’s
love,
they are led to entertain a confident hope of obtaining assistance,
he whom thou
lovest; and this is the invariable rule
of praying aright; for, where the love of God is, there deliverance is
certain and at hand, because God cannot forsake him whom he
loveth.
4.
Now Jesus, having heard
this, said, This sickness is not to death.
He intended by this reply to free his disciples from anxiety, that they
might not take it amiss, when they saw him giving himself so little concern
about the danger of his friend. That they might not be alarmed, therefore, about
the life of Lazarus, he declares that the disease is not deadly, and even
promises that it will be an additional occasion of promoting his own glory.
Though Lazarus died, yet as Christ soon afterwards restored him to life, he now
declares, looking to this result, that the disease is not to
death.
But for the glory of
God. This clause is not contrasted with
death,
as if it were an argument that would always hold; for we know that, even
though the reprobate die, the glory of God is not less strikingly displayed in
their destruction than in the salvation of believers. But Christ strictly meant,
in this passage, the glory of
God, which was connected with his
office. The power of God, which was displayed in the miracles of Christ, was not
fitted to strike terror, but was kind and gentle. When he says that there is no
danger of death, because he intends to display in it his own
glory
and the glory of his Father, we ought to inquire for what purpose, and with
what intention, he was sent by the Father; which was, to save, and not to
destroy.
For the glory, of God, that the Son
of God may be glorified. This expression
is highly emphatic; for we learn from it that God wishes to be acknowledged in
the person of his Son in such a manner, that all the reverence which he requires
to be given to his own majesty
f307
may be ascribed to the Son. Hence we were told formerly,
He who doth not honor the
Son doth not honor the
Father,
(<430523>John
5:23.)
It is in vain for Mahometans and Jews, therefore, to
pretend to worship God; for they blaspheme against Christ, and even endeavor, in
this manner, to rob God of himself.
5.
And Jesus loved Martha
and her sister, and Lazarus. These two
things appear to be inconsistent with each other, that Christ
remains two
days beyond Jordan, as if he did not
care about the life of Lazarus, and yet the Evangelist says, that Christ
loved him and his sisters; for, since
love
produces anxiety, he ought to have hastened immediately. As Christ is the
only mirror of the grace of God, we are taught by this delay on his part, that
we ought not to judge of the love of God from the condition which we see before
our eyes. When we have prayed to him, he often delays his assistance, either
that he may increase still more our ardor in prayer, or that he may exercise our
patience, and, at the same time, accustom us to obedience. Let believers then
implore the assistance of God, but let them also learn to suspend their desires,
if he does not stretch out his hand for their assistance as soon as they may
think that necessity requires; for, whatever may be his delay, he never sleeps,
and never forgets his people. Yet let us also be fully assured that he wishes
all whom he loves to be saved.
7.
And after this, he saith
to his disciples. At length he now shows
that he cared about Lazarus, though the disciples thought that he had forgotten
him, or, at least, that there were other matters which he reckoned of more
importance than the life of Lazarus. He therefore enjoins them to cross the
Jordan, and go to
Judea.
8.
Rabbi, the Jews but
lately sought to stone thee. When the disciples
dissuade him from going, they do so, not so much perhaps on his account as on
their own, for each of them is alarmed about himself, as the danger was common
to all. Avoiding the cross, and being ashamed to own it, they allege —
what is more plausible — that they are anxious about their Master. The
same thing happens every day with many. For they who, through a dread of the
cross, shrink from the performance of their duty, eagerly seek excuses to
conceal their indolence, that they may not be thought to rob God of the
obedience due to him, when they have no good cause to do so.
9.
Are there not twelve hours in the day?
This passage has been explained in various ways. Some have thought the
meaning of these words to be, that men sometimes adopt a new and different
resolution every hour. This is very far from Christ’s meaning; and indeed
I would not have reckoned it worthy of being mentioned, had it not been that it
has passed into a common proverb. Let us therefore be satisfied with the simple
and natural meaning.
First, Christ borrows a comparison from Day and
Night. For if any man perform a journey in the dark, we need not wonder if he
frequently stumble, or go astray, or fall; but the light of the sun by day
points out the road, so that there is no danger. Now the calling of
God is like the light of day, which does not allow us to mistake our road or to
stumble. Whoever, then, obeys the word of God, and undertakes nothing but
according to his command, always has God to guide and direct him from heaven,
and with this confidence he may safely and boldly pursue his journey. For, as we
are informed,
Whosoever walketh in his ways hath
angels to guard him, and, under their direction, is safe, so that he cannot
strike his foot against a stone,
(<199111>Psalm
91:11.)
Relying on this protection, therefore, Christ
advances boldly into Judea, without any dread of being stoned; for there is no
danger of going astray, when God, performing the part of the sun, shines on us,
and directs our course.
We are taught by these words, that whenever a man
allows himself to be guided by his own suggestions, without the calling of God,
his whole life is nothing else than a course of wandering and mistake; and that
they who think themselves exceedingly wise, when they do not inquire at the
mouth of God, and have not his Spirit to govern their actions, are blind men
groping in the dark; that the only proper way is, to be fully assured of our
divine calling, and to have always God before our eyes as our guide.
f308
This rule of regulating our life well is followed by a confident expectation of
a prosperous result, because it is impossible that God shall not govern
successfully. And this knowledge is highly necessary to us; for believers can
scarcely move a foot to follow him, but Satan shall immediately interpose a
thousand obstructions, hold out a variety of dangers on every side, and
contrive, in every possible way, to oppose their progress. But when the Lord
invites us to go forward, by holding out, as it were, his lamp to us, we ought
to go forward courageously, though many deaths besiege our path; for he never
commands us to advance without at the same time adding a promise to encourage
us, so that we may be fully convinced, that whatever we undertake agreeably to
his command will have a good and prosperous issue. This is our chariot, and
whoever betakes himself to it will never fail through weariness; and even though
the obstacles were so formidable that we could not be conveyed through them by a
chariot, yet, furnished with these wings, we shall always succeed, till we reach
the goal. Not that believers never meet with any adversity, but because adverse
occurrences are aids to their salvation.
It amounts to this, that the eyes of God will always
be attentive to guard those who shall be attentive to his instructions. Hence we
learn also that, whenever men overlook and disregard the word of God, and
consequently indulge themselves foolishly, and undertake whatever they think
right, the whole course of their life is accursed by God, and vengeance is
always ready to punish their presumption and their blind passions. Again, Christ
here divides the day into
twelve
hours, according to ancient custom; for
though the days are longer in summer and shorter in winter,
f309
yet they had always twelve hours
of the day, and twelve of the
night.
|
JOHN
11:11-17
|
|
11. He spoke these things, and after this he
saith to them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth, but I go that I may awake him.
12. Then his disciples said, Lord, if he sleepeth, he will recover.
13. Now Jesus spoke of his death; but they thought that he spoke of the
repose of sleep. 14. Then Jesus, therefore, said to them plainly, Lazarus
is dead. 15. And I rejoice, on your account, that I was not there, that
you may believe. But let us go to him. 16. Then Thomas, who is called
Didymus,
f310
said to his fellow-disciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him.
17. Jesus therefore came, and found that he had been already four days in
the tomb.
|
11.
Our friend Lazarus
sleepeth. Having formerly asserted that
the disease was not deadly, that his disciples may not be too much distressed at
seeing what they did not expect, he now informs them also that Lazarus is dead,
and excites a hope of his resurrection. It is a proof of amazing ignorance, that
they believe that Christ spoke about sleep; for, though it is a
metaphorical form of expression, still it is so frequent and common in
Scripture, that it ought to have been familiarly known to all the
Jews.
12.
If he sleepeth, he will
recover.
f311
Replying that sleep will have a salutary effect on Lazarus, they thus
endeavor indirectly to dissuade Christ from going thither. And yet they do not
craftily or deceitfully turn aside Christ’s words to suit their own
purpose, on the pretense of not understanding what he said;
f312
but, thinking that he spoke about sleep, they gladly seize this opportunity of
avoiding danger. Augustine, and many writers since his time, speculate about the
word
sleep,
alleging that the reason why it is applied to death is, because it is as
easy for God to raise the dead to life, as it is for us to perform the customary
act of awaking those who are asleep. But that nothing of this sort came into the
mind of Christ, may be inferred from the constant use of the term in Scripture;
and since even profane writers usually apply this word Sleep to
Death,
f313
there was unquestionably no other reason why it came into use, but because a
lifeless corpse lies without feeling, just as the body of a man who is in a
profound sleep. Hence, also, sleep is not inappropriately called the
image of death, and Homer calls it
the brother of
death,
(kasi>gnhtov
qana>touu.) Since this word denotes only the
sleep of the body, it is prodigiously absurd to apply it — as some
fanatics have done — to souls, as if, by being deprived of understanding,
they were subject to death.
But I go to awake
him. Christ asserts his own power, when
he says that he will come to awake Lazarus; for, though, as we have said,
the word sleep
does not express the facility of the
resurrection, yet Christ shows that he is Lord of death, when he
says, that he awakes those whom he restores to life.
14.
Then Jesus told them plainly,
Lazarus is dead. The goodness of Christ
was astonishing, in being able to bear with such gross ignorance in the
disciples. And indeed the reason why he delayed, for a time, to bestow upon them
the grace of the Spirit in larger measure, was, that the miracle of renewing
them in a moment might be the greater.
15.
And I rejoice, on your
account, that I was not there. He means
that his absence was profitable to them, because his power would have been less
illustriously displayed, if he had instantly given assistance to Lazarus. For
the more nearly the works of God approach to the ordinary course of nature, the
less highly are they valued, and the less illustriously is their glory
displayed. This is what we experience daily; for if God immediately stretches
out his hand, we do not perceive his assistance. That the resurrection of
Lazarus, therefore, might be acknowledged by the disciples to be truly a Divine
work, it must be delayed, that it might be very widely removed from a human
remedy.
We ought to remember, however, what I formerly
observed, that the fatherly kindness of God towards us is here represented in
the person of Christ. When God permits us to be overwhelmed with distresses, and
to languish long under them, let us know that, in this manner, he promotes our
salvation. At such a time, no doubt, we groan and are perplexed and sorrowful,
but the Lord rejoices on account of our benefit, and gives a twofold display of
his kindness to us in this respect, that he not only pardons our sins, but
gladly finds means of correcting them.
That you may
believe. He does not mean that this was
the first feeble commencement of faith in them, but that it was a confirmation
of faith already begun, though it was still exceedingly small and weak. Yet he
indirectly suggests that, if the hand of God had not been openly displayed, they
would not have believed.
16.
Then
Thomas. Hitherto the disciples had
endeavored to hinder Christ from going.
Thomas
is now prepared to follow, but it is without
confidence; or, at least, he does not fortify himself by the promise of Christ,
so as to follow hint with cheerfulness and composure.
Let us go, that we may die with
him. This is the language of despair,
for they ought to have entertained no fears about their own life. The phrase,
with
him, may be explained as referring
either to Lazarus or to Christ. If we refer it to Lazarus, it will be ironical,
as if Thomas had said, “Of what use will it be to go thither, unless it be
that we cannot discharge the duty of friends in any other manner than by seeking
to die along with
him?” Yet I greatly prefer the
other meaning, that Thomas does not refuse to die with Christ.
But this, as I have said, proceeds from inconsiderate zeal; for he ought
rather to have taken courage from faith in the promise.
|
JOHN
11:18-27
|
|
18. Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about
fifteen furlongs. 19. And many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary,
to comfort them concerning their brother. 20. When Martha, therefore,
heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him; but Mary sat at home.
21. Martha then said to Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother
would not have died. 22. But I know that even now, whatsoever thou shalt
ask of God, God will give it thee. 23. Jesus saith to her, Thy brother
shall rise again. 24. Martha saith to him, I know that he shall rise
again in the resurrection at the last day. 25. Jesus said to her, I am
the resurrection and the life; he who believeth in me, though he were dead,
shall live. 26. And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.
Believest thou this? 27. She saith to him, Yes, Lord, I believe
that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the
world.
|
18.
Now Bethany was near
Jerusalem. The Evangelist diligently
follows out all that contributes to the certainty of the narrative. He relates
how near Jerusalem was to the village of Bethany, that no one may
be astonished that, for the purpose of comforting the sisters, many friends came
from Jerusalem, whom God intended to be witnesses of the miracle. For, though
the desire of performing an office of kindness was their inducement to go, yet
they were assembled there, by a secret decree of God, for another purpose, that
the resurrection of Lazarus might not remain unknown, or that the witnesses
might not be only those who belonged to the family. Now it is a convincing proof
of the base ingratitude of the nation, that this striking demonstration of
Divine power at a well-known place, amidst a vast crowd of men, and near the
gates of the city, and which might almost be said to be erected on a stage,
instantly vanishes from the eyes of men. We should rather say that the Jews, by
maliciously shutting their eyes, intentionally do not see what is before their
eyes. Nor is it a new or uncommon occurrence, that men who, with excessive
eagerness, continually gape for miracles, are altogether dull and stupid in the
consideration of them.
About fifteen
furlongs. This distance between the two
places was somewhat less than two thousand paces, or, two miles;
for the Stadium, or furlong, contains six hundred
feet; that is, one hundred and twenty-five paces.
f314
19.
To comfort them concerning
their brother. This was, no doubt, the
object which they had in view, but God had another object to accomplish, as we
have stated. It is evident from what is here mentioned, that the house of
Lazarus and his sisters was greatly respected and honored. Again, as it is
natural that the death of friends should occasion grief and mourning to men,
this duty, which the Evangelist mentions, ought not to be blamed, unless on this
ground, that sinful excess, which prevails in this and in other departments of
life, corrupts what is not in itself sinful.
20.
Martha having heard that
Jesus was coming. Martha travels beyond
the village, as we shall afterwards see, not only perhaps on account of the
reverence which she bore to Christ, but that she might meet him more secretly;
for his danger was fresh in his recollection, and the rage of enemies had not
well subsided, which had been a little abated by Christ’s departure into
Galilee, but might, on their hearing of his arrival, break out anew with greater
violence.
21.
Lord, if thou hadst been
here. She begins with a complaint,
though in doing so she modestly expresses her wish. Her meaning may be expressed
thus — “By thy presence thou mightst have delivered my brother from
death, and even now thou canst do it, for God will not refuse thee any
thing.” By speaking in this manner, she gives way to her feelings, instead
of restraining them under the rule of faith. I acknowledge that her words
proceeded partly from faith, but I say that there were disorderly passions mixed
with them, which hurried her beyond due bounds. For when she assures herself
that her brother would not have died, if Christ had been present, what ground
has she for this confidence? Certainly, it did not arise from any promise of
Christ.
The only conclusion therefore is, that she
inconsiderately yields to her own wishes, instead of subjecting herself to
Christ. When she ascribes to Christ power and supreme goodness, this proceeds
from faith; but when she persuades herself of more than she had heard Christ
declare, that has nothing to do with faith;
f315
for we must always hold the mutual agreement between the word and faith, that no
man may rashly forge anything for himself, without the authority of the word of
God. Besides, Martha attached too much importance to the bodily presence of
Christ. The consequence is, that Martha’s faith, though mixed up and
interwoven with ill-regulated desires, and even not wholly free from
superstition, could not shine with full brightness; so that we perceive but a
few sparks of it in these words.
23.
Thy brother shall rise
again. The kindness of Christ is
amazing, in forgiving those faults of Martha which we have mentioned, and in
promising her, of his own accord, more than she had ventured plainly and
directly to ask.
24.
I know that he shall rise
again. We now see Martha’s
excessive timidity in extenuating the meaning of Christ’s words. We have
said that she went farther than she had a right to do, when she fabricated a
hope for herself out of the feelings of her own mind. She now falls into an
opposite fault; for when Christ stretches forth his hand, she stops short, as if
she were alarmed. We ought, therefore to guard against both of these extremes.
On the one hand, we must not, without the authority of God’s word, drink
in empty hopes, which will prove to be nothing but wind; and, on the other hand,
when God opens his mouth, it is not proper that he should find our hearts either
blocked up, or too firmly closed. Again, by this reply, Martha intended to
ascertain more than she ventured to expect from the words of Christ, as if she
had said: “If you mean the last resurrection, I have no doubt that
my brother will be raised again
at the last day, and I comfort myself
with this confident expectation, but I do not know if you direct my attention to
something greater.”
25.
I am the resurrection and the
life. Christ first declares that he
is the resurrection and the
life, and then he explains, separately
and distinctly, each clause of this sentence. His first statement is, that he
is the resurrection, because the restoration from death to life
naturally comes before the state of life. Now the whole human race is plunged in
death; and, therefore, no man will be a partaker of life until he is risen from
the dead. Thus Christ shows that he is the commencement of life, and he
afterwards adds, that the continuance of life is also a work of his grace. That
he is speaking about spiritual life, is plainly shown by the exposition which
immediately follows,
He who believeth in me, though, he
were dead, shall live. Why then is
Christ the resurrection? Because by his Spirit he regenerates the
children of Adam, who had been alienated from God by sin, so that they begin to
live a new life. On this subject, I have spoken more fully under
<430521>John
5:21 and 24;
f316
and Paul is an excellent interpreter of this passage,
(<490205>Ephesians
2:5, and
<490508>Ephesians
5:8.) Away now with those who idly talk that men are prepared for receiving the
grace of God by the movement of nature. They might as well say that the dead
walk. For that men live and breathe, and are endued with sense, understanding,
and will, all this tends to their destruction, because there is no part or
faculty of the soul that is not corrupted and turned aside from what is right.
Thus it is that death everywhere holds dominion, for the death of the soul is
nothing else than its being estranged and turned aside from God.
f317
Accordingly, they who believe in Christ, though they were formerly dead, begin
to live, because faith is a spiritual resurrection of the soul, and — so
to speak — animates the soul itself that it may live to God; according to
that passage,
The dead shall hear the
voice of the Son of God, and they who hear shall live
(<430525>John
5:25.)
This is truly a remarkable commendation of faith,
that it conveys to us the life of Christ, and thus frees us from
death.
26.
And whosoever liveth, and
believeth in me. This is the exposition of the
second clause, how Christ is the life; and he is so, because he
never permits the life which he has once bestowed to be lost, but
preserves it to the end. For since flesh is so frail, what would become of men,
if, after having once obtained life, they were afterwards left to themselves?
The perpetuity of the life must, therefore, be founded on the power of
Christ himself, that he may complete what he has begun.
Shall never
die. The reason why it is said that
believers never
die is, that their souls, being born
again of incorruptible seed,
(<600123>1
Peter 1:23,) have Christ dwelling in them, from whom they derive perpetual
vigor; for, though
the body be subject to
death on account of sin, yet the spirit is life on account of righteousness,
(<450810>Romans
8:10.)
That the outward man daily decays in them is
so far from taking anything away from their true life, that it
aids the progress of it, because the inward man is renewed from day to
day,
(<470416>2
Corinthians 4:16.) What is still more, death itself is a sort of emancipation
from the bondage of death.
Dost thou believe
this? Christ seems, at first sight, to
discourse about spiritual life, for the purpose of withdrawing the mind of
Martha from her present desire. Martha wished that her brother should be
restored to life. Christ replies, that he is the Author of a more
excellent life; and that is, because he quickens the souls of
believers by divine power. Yet I have no doubt that he intended to include both
favors; and therefore he describes, in general terms, that spiritual life which
he bestows on all his followers, but wishes to give them some opportunity of
knowing this power, which he was soon afterwards to manifest in raising
Lazarus.
27.
Yes,
Lord. To prove that she believes what
she had heard Christ say about himself, that he is the resurrection and the
life, Martha replies, that
she believes that he is the
Christ, and the Son of God; and indeed
this knowledge includes the sum of all blessings; for we ought always to
remember for what purpose the Messiah was promised, and what duty the prophets
ascribe to him. Now when Martha confesses that it was he who was to come into
the world, she strengthens her faith by the predictions of the
prophets. Hence it follows, that we ought to expect from him the full
restoration of all things and perfect happiness; and, in short, that he was sent
to erect and prepare the true and perfect state of the kingdom of
God.
|
JOHN
11:28-38
|
|
28. Having said these things, she went away,
and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Master is here, and calleth for
thee. 29. As soon as she heard it, she immediately arose, and came to
him. 30. Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was in the
place where Martha met him. 31. Then the Jews, who were with her in the
house, and comforted her, perceiving that Mary suddenly arose and went out,
followed her, saying, She goeth to the tomb, to weep there. 32. Mary
therefore, having come where Jesus was, and having seen him, fell at his feet,
saying to him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother would not have died.
33. Jesus therefore, when he saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with
her also
f318
weeping, groaned in his spirit, and was troubled, 34. And said, Where
have you laid him? They say to him, Lord, come and see. 35. Jesus
wept. 36. The Jews therefore said, Behold how he loved him?
f319
37. And some of them said, Could not this man, who opened the eyes of the
blind, have caused that even this man should not die? 38. Then Jesus,
again groaning within himself, came to the tomb. Now it was a cave, and a stone
was placed on it.
|
28.
And called Mary, her
sister. It was probably at the request
of Martha, that Christ remained on the outside of the village, that he might not
enter into so great an assembly of people; for she dreaded the danger, because
Christ had but lately escaped with difficulty from instant death. Accordingly,
that the rumor about his arrival might not spread farther, she makes it known
privately to her sister.
The Master is
here. The word
Master
shows in what estimation Christ was held among those pious women. Though
they had not hitherto profited so much as they might have done, still it was a
great matter that they were entirely devoted to him as his disciples; and
Mary’s sudden departure, to come and meet him, was a proof that she
regarded him with no ordinary reverence.
31.
Then the Jews who were with
her. Though Martha was permitted by
Christ to return home for the purpose of withdrawing her sister from the
numerous assembly, yet Christ had another design in view, which was, that the
Jews might be witnesses of the miracle. True, they have no thought of it, but it
was no new thing that men should be led, as it were in darkness, and by the
secret providence of God, where they did not intend to go. They think that Mary
is going to the
tomb, according to the custom of those
who seek excitements of their grief. For it is a very prevalent disease, that
husbands deprived of their wives, parents deprived of their children, and, on
the other hand, wives deprived of their husbands, and children deprived of their
parents or other relatives and friends, are eager to increase their grief by
every possible method. It is also customary to resort to various contrivances
for this purpose. The affections of men are already sufficiently disordered; but
it is still worse,
f320
that they inflame them by new excitements, that they may rush against God with
greater ardor and violence. It was their duty to dissuade Mary from going, that
the sight of the tomb might not give fresh occasion for her grief; yet they do
not venture to apply so harsh a remedy, but even themselves contribute to the
excess of her grief, by accompanying her to the tomb. Thus it frequently
happens, that they who treat too gently the excesses of their friends do them
little good by their consolations.
32.
She fell at his
feet. From her falling down at his
feet we learn that Christ was honored in that house beyond the ordinary
custom of men. For, though it was customary to throw themselves down on the
ground in the presence of kings and great men, yet as Christ had nothing about
him, according to the flesh, that was royal or magnificent, it was for a
different purpose that Mary fell down at his feet. Indeed, she
would not have done so, if she had not been convinced that he was the Son of
God.
Lord, if thou hadst been
here. Though she appears to speak of
Christ respectfully, yet we have lately pointed out what is faulty in these
words; for the power of Christ, which filled heaven and earth, ought not to have
been limited to his bodily presence.
33.
He groaned in his
spirit. If Christ had not been excited
to compassion by their tears, he would rather have kept his countenance unmoved,
but when, of his own accord, he conforms to those mourners, so far as to weep
along with them,
f321
he gives proof that he has sympathy,
(sumpa>qeia.)
For the cause of this feeling is, in my opinion, expressed by the Evangelist,
when he says that Christ saw Mary and the rest weeping. Yet I have
no doubt that Christ contemplated something higher, namely, the general misery
of the whole human race; for he knew well what had been enjoined on him by the
Father, and why he was sent into the world, namely, to free us from all evils.
As he has actually done this, so he intended to show that he accomplished it
with warmth and earnestness. Accordingly, when he is about to raise Lazarus,
before granting deliverance or aid, by
the groaning of his
spirit, by a strong feeling of grief,
and by tears, he shows that he is as much affected by our
distresses as if he had endured them in his own person.
But how do
groaning
and trouble of
mind belong to the person of the Son of
God? As some reckon it absurd to say that Christ, as one of the number of human
beings, was subject to human passions, they think that the only way in which he
experienced grief or joy was, that he received in himself those feelings,
whenever he thought proper, by some secret dispensation. It is in this sense,
Augustine thinks, that the Evangelist says that
he was
troubled, because other men are hurried
along by their feelings, which exercise dominion, or rather tyranny, to
trouble their minds. He considers the meaning therefore to be, that
Christ, though otherwise tranquil and free from all passion, brought groaning
and grief upon himself of his own accord. But this simplicity will,
in my opinion, be more agreeable to Scripture, if we say that the Son of God,
having clothed himself with our flesh, of his own accord clothed himself also
with human feelings, so that he did not differ at all from his brethren, sin
only excepted. In this way we detract nothing from the glory of Christ, when we
say that it was a voluntary submission, by which he was brought to resemble us
in the feelings of the soul. Besides, as he submitted from the very
commencement, we must not imagine that he was free and exempt from those
feelings; and in this respect he proved himself to be our brother, in order to
assure us, that we have a Mediator, who willingly pardons our infirmities, and
who is ready to assist those infirmities which he has experienced in
himself.
It will perhaps be objected, that the passions of men
are sinful, and therefore it cannot be admitted that we have them in common with
the Son of God. I reply, there is a wide difference between Christ and us. For
the reason why our feelings are sinful is, that they rush on without restraint,
and suffer no limit; but in Christ the feelings were adjusted and regulated in
obedience to God, and were altogether free from sin. To express it more fully,
f322
the feelings of men are sinful and perverse on two accounts; first, because they
are hurried along by impetuous motion, and are not regulated by the true rule of
modesty; and, secondly, because they do not always arise from a lawful cause,
or, at least, are not directed to a lawful end. I say that there is excess,
because no person rejoices or grieves, so far only as is sufficient, or as God
permits, and there are even some who shake themselves loose from all restraint.
The vanity of our understanding brings us grief or sadness, on account of
trifles, or for no reason whatever, because we are too much devoted to the
world. Nothing of this nature was to be found in Christ; for he had no passion
or affection of his own that ever went beyond its proper bounds; he had not one
that was not proper, and founded on reason and sound judgment.
To make this matter still more clear, it will be of
importance for us to distinguish between man’s first nature, as it was
created by God, and this degenerate nature, which is corrupted by sin. When God
created man, he implanted affections in him, but affections which were obedient
and submissive to reason. That those affections are now disorderly and
rebellious is an accidental fault; that is, it proceeds from some other cause
than from the Creator.
f323
Now Christ took upon him human affections, but without
(ajtaxi>a)
disorder; for he who obeys the passions of the flesh is not obedient to God.
Christ was indeed troubled and vehemently agitated; but, at the same
time, he kept himself in subjection to the will of the Father. In short, if you
compare his passions with ours, they will differ not less than pure and clear
water, flowing in a gentle course, differs from dirty and muddy
foam.
The example of Christ ought to be sufficient of
itself for setting aside the unbending sternness which the Stoics demand; for
whence ought we to look for the rule of supreme perfection but from Christ? We
ought rather to endeavor to correct and subdue that obstinacy which pervades our
affections on account of the sin of Adam, and, in so doing, to follow Christ as
our leader, that he may bring us into subjection. Thus Paul does not demand from
us hardened stupidity, but enjoins us to observe moderation
in our mourning, that we
may not abandon ourselves to grief, like unbelievers who have no hope
(<520413>1
Thessalonians 4:13;)
for even Christ took our affections into himself,
that by his power we may subdue every thing in them that is
sinful.
36.
Behold, how he loved
him! The Evangelist John here describes
to us two different opinions which were formed about Christ. As to the former,
who said, Behold, how he loved
him! though they think less highly of
Christ than they ought to have done, since they ascribe to him nothing but what
may belong to a man, yet they speak of him with greater candor and modesty than
the latter, who maliciously slander him for not having hindered Lazarus from
dying. For, though they applaud the power of Christ, of which the former said
nothing, yet they do so, not without bringing against him some reproach. It is
evident enough from their words, that the miracles which Christ had performed
were not unknown to them; but so much the more base is their ingratitude, that
they do not scruple to complain, because now, in a single instance, he abstained
from working. Men have always been ungrateful to God in the same manner, and
continue to be so. If he does not grant all our wishes, we immediately launch
into complaints: “Since he has been accustomed to aid us hitherto, why
does he now forsake and disappoint us?” There is here a twofold disease.
First, though we rashly desire what is not expedient for us, yet we wish to
subject God to the perverse desires of the flesh. Secondly, we are rude in our
demands, and the ardor of impatience hurries us before the
time.
38.
Jesus therefore again
groaning within himself. Christ does not
approach the sepulcher as an idle spectator, but as a champion who prepares for
a contest; and therefore we need not wonder that he
again
groans; for the violent tyranny of
death, which he had to conquer, is placed before his eyes. Some explain this
groan to have arisen from indignation, because he was offended at that unbelief
of which we have spoken. But another reason appears to me far more appropriate,
namely, that he contemplated the transaction itself rather than the men. Next
follow various circumstances, which tend to display more fully the power of
Christ in raising Lazarus. I refer to the time of four days,
during which the tomb had been secured by a stone,
which Christ commands to be removed in presence of all.
|
JOHN
11:39-44
|
|
39. Jesus saith, Remove the stone. Martha, the
sister of him who was dead, saith to him, Lord, he already stinketh, for this is
the fourth day. 40. Jesus saith to her, Did I not tell thee that, if thou
believe, thou shalt see the glory of God? 41. They therefore removed the
stone from the place where he who was dead lay. And Jesus again lifted up his
eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. 42. And I
knew that thou hearest me always, but, on account of the multitude around me, I
said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. 43. Having spoken
these words, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. 44. And he
who had been dead came forth, bound hand and foot with bandages, and his face
was wrapped in a napkin. Jesus saith to them, Loose him, and let him
go.
|
39.
Lord, he already
stinketh. This is an indication of
distrust, for she promises herself less from the power of Christ than she ought
to have done. The root of the evil consists in measuring the infinite and
incomprehensible power of God by the perception of her flesh. There being
nothing more inconsistent with life than putrefaction and offensive smell,
Martha infers that no remedy can be found. Thus, when our minds are
preoccupied by foolish thoughts, we banish God from us, if we may be allowed the
expression, so that he cannot accomplish in us his own work. Certainly, it was
not owing to Martha, that her brother did not lie continually in
the tomb, for she cuts off the expectation of life for him, and, at the same
time, endeavors to hinder Christ from raising him; and yet nothing was farther
from her intention. This arises from the weakness of faith. Distracted in
various ways, we fight with ourselves, and while we stretch out the one hand to
ask assistance from God, we repel, with the other hand, that very assistance, as
soon as it is offered.
f324
True, Martha did not speak falsely, when she said, I know that
whatsoever thou shalt ask from God he will give thee; but a confused
faith is of little advantage, unless it be put in operation, when we come to a
practical case.
We may also perceive in Martha how various are
the effects of faith, even in the most excellent persons. She was the first that
came to meet Christ; this was no ordinary proof of her piety; and yet she does
not cease to throw difficulties in his way. That the grace of God may have
access to us, let us learn to ascribe to it far greater power than our senses
can comprehend; and, if the first and single promise of God has not sufficient
weight with us, let us, at least, follow the example of Martha by giving our
acquiescence, when he confirms us a second and third time.
40.
Did not I tell
thee? He reproves Martha’s
distrust, in not forming a hope sufficiently vigorous from the promise which she
had heard. It is evident from this passage, that something more was said to
Martha than John has literally related; though, as I have suggested, this very
thing was meant by Christ, when he called himself the resurrection and the
life. Martha is therefore blamed for not expecting some Divine
work.
If thou
believe. This is said, not only because
faith opens our eyes, that we may be able to see the power of God shining in his
works, but because our faith prepares the way for the power, mercy, and goodness
of God, that they may be displayed towards us, as it is said, Open thy mouth
wide, and I will fill it,
(<198110>Psalm
81:10.) In like manner, unbelief, on the other hand, hinders God from
approaching us, and may be said to keep his hands shut. On this account it is
said elsewhere, that Jesus
could not perform any
miracle there on account of their unbelief,
(<401358>Matthew
13:58.)
Not that the power of God is bound by the caprice of
men, but because, as far as they are able, their malice opposes the exercise of
that power, and therefore they do not deserve that it should be manifested to
them. Frequently, indeed, does God overcome such obstacles; but yet, whenever he
withdraws his hand, so as not to assist unbelievers, this is done because, shut
up within the narrow limits of their unbelief, they do not allow it to
enter.
Thou shalt see the glory of
God. Observe, that a miracle is called
the glory of
God, because God, displaying in it the
power of his hand, glorifies his name. But Martha, now satisfied with
Christ’s second declaration, permits the stone to be removed. As yet she
sees nothing, but, hearing the Son of God, not without a good reason, give this
order, she willingly relies on his authority alone.
41.
And Jesus again raised his
eyes. This was the token of a mind truly
prepared for prayer; for before any one calls on God aright, he must be brought
into communication with him, and this can only be done when, raised above the
earth, he ascends even to heaven. True, this is not done by the eyes; for
hypocrites, who are plunged in the deep filth of their flesh, appear to draw
down heaven to them by their stern aspect; but what they only pretend to do must
be sincerely accomplished by the children of God. And yet he who raises his
eyes to heaven ought not, in his thoughts, to limit God to heaven; for He is
present everywhere, and fills heaven and earth,
(<242324>Jeremiah
23:24.) But as men can never free themselves from gross imaginations, so as not
to form some low and earthly conception about God, unless when they are raised
above the world, Scripture sends them to heaven, and declares that heaven is
the habitation of God,
(<236601>Isaiah
66:1.)
So far as relates to the eyes, it is not a custom
that must be perpetually observed, so that without it prayer is not lawful; for
the publican, who prays with his face cast down to the ground, does not the
less, on this account, pierce heaven by his faith,
(<421813>Luke
18:13.) Yet this exercise is profitable, because men are aroused by it to seek
God; and not only so, but the ardor of prayer often affects the body in such a
manner that, without thinking of it, the body follows the mind of its own
accord. Certainly, we cannot doubt that, when Christ raised his eyes to
heaven, he was carried towards it with extraordinary vehemence.
Besides, as all his thoughts were with the Father, so he also wished to bring
others to the Father along with him.
Father, I thank
thee. He begins with
thanksgiving, though he has asked nothing; but though the
Evangelist does not relate that he prayed in a form of words, yet there can be
no doubt whatever that, before this, there was a prayer, for otherwise it could
not have been heard. And there is reason to believe that he prayed amidst those
groanings which the Evangelist mentions; for nothing could be more absurd
than to suppose that he was violently agitated within himself, as stupid men are
wont to be. Having obtained the life of Lazarus, he now thanks the
Father. By saying that he has received this power from the
Father, and by not ascribing it to himself, he does nothing more than
acknowledge that he is the servant of the Father. For,
accommodating himself to the capacity of men, he at one time openly proclaims
his Divinity, and claims for himself whatever belongs to God; and, at another
time, he is satisfied with sustaining the character of a man, and yields to
the Father the whole glory of Divinity. Here both are admirably brought
together by the Evangelist in one word, when he says that the Father heard
Christ, but that he gives thanks, that men may know that
he was sent by the
Father, that is, that they may
acknowledge him to be the Son of God. The majesty of Christ being incapable of
being perceived in its true elevation, the power of God, which appeared in his
flesh, gradually raised to this elevation the gross and dull senses of men. For
since he intended to be wholly ours, we need not wonder if he accommodates
himself to us in various ways; and as he even allowed himself to be emptied
(<502007>Philippians
2:7) for us, there is no absurdity in saying that he abases himself on our
account.
42.
And I knew that thou hearest me always.
This is an anticipation, lest any one should think that he did not stand so
high in favor with the Father, as to be able easily to perform as
many miracles as he chose. He means, therefore, that there is so great an
agreement between him and the Father, that the Father refuses him nothing; and
even that he had no need to pray, because he only executed what he knew that the
Father had enjoined; but in order that men may be more fully assured that this
is truly a divine work, for this reason he called on the name of the Father. It
will perhaps be objected, Why then did he not raise all the dead? The reply is
easy. A certain fixed limit was assigned to miracles by the purpose of God, so
far as he knew to be sufficient for confirming the Gospel.
43.
He cried with a loud
voice. By not touching with the hand,
but only crying with the voice, his Divine power is more fully
demonstrated. At the same time, he holds out to our view the secret and
astonishing efficacy of his word. For how did Christ restore life to the dead
but by the word? And therefore, in raising Lazarus, he exhibited a visible token
of his spiritual grace, which we experience every day by the perception of
faith, when he shows that his voice gives life.
44.
Bound hand and foot with
bandages. The Evangelist is careful to
mention the
napkin and
bandages,
in order to inform us that Lazarus went out of the tomb, in the same manner
that he was laid in it. This mode of burying is retained to the present day by
the Jews, who cover the body with a shroud, and wrap the head separately in a
handkerchief.
Loose him, and let him
go. To magnify the glory of the miracle,
it only remained that the Jews should even touch with their hands that Divine
work which they had beheld with their eyes. For Christ might have removed the
bandages with which Lazarus was bound, or made them to give way of
themselves; but Christ intended to employ the hands of the spectators as his
witnesses.
The Papists act an excessively ridiculous part, by
endeavoring to draw auricular confession from this passage. They say,
“Christ, after having restored Lazarus to life, commanded his
disciples to loose
him; and therefore it is not enough for
us to be reconciled to God, unless the Church also pardon our sins.” But
whence do they conjecture that the disciples were enjoined to loose
Lazarus? On the contrary, we may infer that the order was given to the Jews,
in order to take from them every ground of doubt or hesitation.
|
JOHN
11:45-52
|
|
45. Many therefore of the Jews, who had come
to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him. 46.
But some of them went away to the Pharisees, and told them what Jesus had done.
47. Then the chief priests and Pharisees assembled the council, and said,
What do we? for this man doth many miracles. 48. If we let him go on
thus, all will believe on him; and the Romans will come, and will take away our
place and nation. 49. But one of them, named Caiaphas, who was the high
priest of that year, said to them, You know nothing at all, 50. Nor
consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people,
and that the whole nation should not perish. 51. Now this he spoke, not
of himself, but being the high priest of that year, he prophesied that Jesus
would die for the nation; 52. And not for that nation only, but that he
might assemble, in one body, the children of God who were scattered
abroad.
|
45.
Many therefore of the Jews
believed on him. Christ did not permit
the miracle which he had wrought to be without fruit, for by means of it he drew
some persons to the faith. For we ought to understand that miracles have a
twofold use. They are intended either to prepare us for faith, or to confirm us
in faith. The former is here denoted by the Evangelist; for he means that those
of whom he speaks regarded Christ with admiration and reverence, so as to submit
to be his disciples; otherwise the bare miracle could not have been sufficient
to produce faith. Accordingly, by the word
believe
we must not suppose anything else to be meant than a willingness to embrace
the doctrine of Christ.
46.
But some of them went away to
the Pharisees. In those who accuse
Christ we behold detestable ingratitude, or rather horrible rage, from which we
infer how blind and mad is their impiety. The resurrection of Lazarus ought
undoubtedly to have softened even hearts of stone; but there is no work of God
which impiety will not infect and corrupt by the bitterness of its poison. So
then, before men can profit by miracles, their hearts must be purified; for they
who have no fear of God, and no reverence for him, though they saw heaven and
earth mingled, will never cease to reject sound doctrine through obstinate
ingratitude. Thus you will see in the present day many enemies of the Gospel,
like fanatics, fighting with the open and visible hand of God. And yet they
demand miracles from us, but it is for no other purpose than to show that, in
stubborn resistance, they are monsters of men. As to the report being carried to
the Pharisees rather than to any others,
f325
it is because, in proportion to their hypocrisy, they were more fierce in
opposing the Gospel. For the same reason he soon afterwards makes express
mention of them, when he relates that
the
council was assembled. They were indeed
a part of the priests, but are specially named by the Evangelist,
because they served the purpose of bellows to kindle the rage of the whole
council.
47.
Then the chief priests and
the Pharisees assembled the council. Not
less monstrous is the blindness of the priests, which is here
described. If they had not been exceedingly stupid and brutish, they would at
least have been impressed with some reverence for Christ, after so striking a
demonstration of his Divine power. They now assemble deliberately and
intentionally to bury the glory of God, at the sight of which they are
constrained to be astonished. True, they do not openly proclaim that they wish
to make war with God, but as they cannot extinguish Christ but by overturning
the power of God, they unquestionably fight against that power openly by
presumption and sacrilege. Infidelity indeed is always haughty, and despises
God, but does not all at once break out to such an extent as to raise its horns
against God. But when men have long struggled against God, the result at which
they ultimately arrive is, that they endeavor to ascend above heaven, after the
manner of the giants,
f326
without any dread of the Divine majesty;
f327
for they acknowledge that Christ doth many miracles. And whence
proceeds his great power? They therefore openly prepare to crush the power of
God, which shines in the miracles of Christ. Yet God is not unemployed; but
though he wink at them for a time, he laughs at their foolish arrogance, till
the time come for executing his wrath, as it is said,
(<190204>Psalm
2:4, 12.)
What do
we? By these words they accuse
themselves of sloth, as if they said that it is on account of their doing
nothing, that Christ continues to make advances, because by active exertion they
may stop his progress. Such is the confidence of wicked men, by which they lay
claim to everything, as if it were in their power to do as they please, and as
if even the result of the work depended on their wishes. And if the whole
be duly weighed, they here employ their own industry as a shield against the
Divine power, as if by perseverance they could vanquish God.
48.
If we let him alone
thus. What if they do not let him
alone? In that case, as we have already said, they are fully
convinced that it lies in their power to block up Christ’s path, so that
he shall go no farther, provided that they earnestly strive against him. If
Christ had been some impostor, their duty would have been to employ their
exertions, that he might not lead away the sheep from the Lord’s flock;
but by confessing his
miracles,
they make it sufficiently evident that they do not care much about God,
whose power they so boldly and disdainfully despise.
The Romans will
come. They cloak their wickedness by a
plausible disguise, their zeal for the public good. The fear that chiefly
distressed them was, that their tyranny would be destroyed; but they pretend to
be anxious about the temple and worship of God, about the name of the nation,
and about the condition of the people. And what is the object of all this? For
they do not appear to seek pretences of this nature in order to deceive. They
are not haranguing the people, but are holding in secrecy a private consultation
among themselves. Being all aware that they are guilty of the same treachery,
why do they not openly bring forward their plans and opinions? It is because
impiety, though gross and manifest, is almost always accompanied by hypocrisy,
and thus wraps itself in indirect evasions or subterfuges, so as to deceive
under the semblance of virtue. Their chief design undoubtedly was, to hold out
some appearance of gravity, moderation, and prudence, so as to practice
imposition upon others; but it may readily be believed that, when they pretended
to have just ground for persecuting Christ, they were themselves deceived by
that poor disguise. Thus hypocrites, though their conscience reproves them
within, are afterwards intoxicated by vain imaginations, so that in sinning they
appear to be innocent. Yet they evidently contradict themselves; for at first
they confessed that Christ did many miracles, and now they dread
the Romans, as if there had not been abundantly sufficient protection in the
power of God, which showed itself to be present by those
miracles.
The Romans will
come. The Evangelist means, that the
chief object of their consultation was, to guard against imminent danger.
“If the Romans,” they say, “knew that any
innovation was made in public matters, there is reason to fear that they would
send an army to ruin our nation, together with the temple and worship of
God.” Now it is wicked to consult about guarding against dangers, which we
cannot avoid, unless we choose to depart from the right path. Our first inquiry
ought to be, What does God command and choose to be done? By this we ought to
abide, whatever may be the consequence to ourselves. Those men, on the other
hand, resolve that Christ shall be removed from the midst of them, that no
inconvenience may arise by allowing him to proceed, as he has begun. But what if
he has been sent by God? Shall they banish a prophet of God from among them, to
purchase peace with the Romans? Such are the schemes of those who
do not truly and sincerely fear God. What is right and lawful gives them no
concern, for their whole attention is directed to the
consequences.
But the only way to deliberate in a proper and holy
manner is this. First, we ought to inquire what is the will of God. Next, we
ought to follow boldly whatever he enjoins, and not to be discouraged by any
fear, though we were besieged by a thousand deaths; for our actions must not be
moved by any gust of wind, but must be constantly regulated by the will of God
alone. He who boldly despises dangers, or, at least, rising above the fear of
them, sincerely obeys God, will at length have a prosperous result; for,
contrary to the expectation of all, God blesses that firmness which is founded
on obedience to his word. Unbelievers, on the other hand, are so far from
deriving any advantage from their precautions, that, the more timorous they are,
the more numerous are the snares in which they entangle
themselves.
In this narrative the form and character of our own
age are strikingly delineated. They who are desirous to be regarded as prudent
and cautious have continually this song in their mouth: “We must consult
the public tranquillity; the reformation which we attempt is not unaccompanied
by many dangers.” After having raised this unfounded dislike against us,
they find no better expedient than to bury Christ, for the purpose of obviating
every annoyance. As if such wicked contempt of the grace of God could actually
have a prosperous issue, when, in order to allay disturbances, they
contrive this remedy, that the doctrine of salvation shall be abolished. On
the contrary, what wicked men dread will happen; and though they may obtain what
they expect, still it is a most unworthy recompense, to appease the world by
offending God.
Will take away our
place. It is uncertain whether they mean
the temple or their country. They thought that their salvation depended on both;
for, if the temple was destroyed, there would be no more sacrifices, or public
worship of God, or calling on his name. If, therefore, they cared any
thing about religion, they must have been anxious about the temple. It was of
great importance, on the other hand, for upholding the condition of the Church,
that they should not again be led away out of their own land. They still
remembered the captivity into Babylon, which was an awfully severe vengeance of
God. It was also a common proverb among them — which is frequently to be
found in the Law — that it was in some respects a casting them off, if the
Lord thrust them out of that land. Hence they conclude that, unless Christ be
destroyed, the Church will not be safe.
49.
Then one of them, named
Caiaphas. It was a short consultation,
for
Caiaphas
did not allow them to hesitate long. He holds out that there is but one way
of purchasing safety, and that is, to slay an innocent man. To what a pitch of
wickedness do men proceed, who, destitute of the fear of God, form their plans
rather from the judgment of their flesh than from the word of God, and who
confidently believe that they will derive advantage from that which is not
permitted by the Author of every blessing. For what Caiaphas meant may be thus
expressed. “They must provoke the wrath of God, in order that they may be
happy and prosperous.” Wherefore, let us learn never to separate what is
useful from what is lawful, since we ought not to expect any prosperity or
success but from the blessing of God, which is promised not to wicked and
rebellious persons, who ask assistance from the devil, but to believers who
sincerely walk in their ways,
(<199111>Psalm
91:11.) And yet there was some plausibility in this argument, for the public
advantage ought always to have the preference. But — as I have already
said — a people is no better protected by the unjust death of an innocent
man, than the whole body of a man is protected, when you only cut his throat, or
pierce his breast with a sword.
Who was the high priest of that
year. He does not call him
the high priest of that
year, as if he meant that the office was
annual, and lasted only for a year; but because it had become a gift that could
be purchased with money, and was conveyed to various persons contrary to the
injunction of the Law. God did not intend that this dignity should be terminated
but by the death of him who held it;
f328
but, in consequence of trouble and confusion in public affairs, the Romans
frequently changed the priests according to their fancy.
51.
Now he spoke this, not of
himself. When the Evangelist says that
Caiaphas did not speak this of
himself, he does not mean that Caiaphas
— like one who was mad, or out of his senses — uttered what he did
not understand; for he spoke what was his own opinion. But the Evangelist means
that a higher impulse guided his tongue, because God intended that he should
make known, by his mouth, something higher than what occurred to his mind.
Caiaphas, therefore, might be said, at that time, to have two
tongues; for he vomited out the wicked and cruel design of putting Christ to
death, which he had conceived in his mind; but God turned his tongue to a
different purpose, so that, under ambiguous words, he likewise uttered a
prediction. God intended that the heavenly oracle should proceed from the high
priest’s seat, that the Jews might have less excuse. For, though not one
person in the whole assembly had his conscience moved, yet they afterwards
perceived that their insensibility was not entitled to forgiveness. Nor did the
wickedness of Caiaphas prevent his tongue from being the organ of the Holy
Spirit, for God looked at the priesthood which he had instituted rather
than at the person of the man. And this was the reason which I glanced at, that
a voice uttered from a lofty place might be more distinctly heard, and might
have greater reverence and authority. In the same manner, God intended to bless
his people by the mouth of Balaam, on whom he had bestowed the spirit of
prophecy.
But it is highly ridiculous in the Papists to infer
from this that we ought to reckon as an oracle whatever the Roman
high
priest may think fit to pronounce.
First, granting what is false, that every man who is a high priest is
also a prophet, still they will be under the necessity of proving that the Roman
high priest is appointed by the command of God; for the
priesthood was abolished by the coming of one man, who is Christ, and we
no where read that it was afterwards enjoined by God that any one man should be
the ruler of the whole Church. Granting to them, in the second place, that the
power and title of high priest was conveyed to the Bishop of Rome, we
must see of what advantage it was to the priests that they accepted the
prediction of Caiaphas. In order to concur in his opinion, they
conspire to put Christ to death. But far from us be that kind of obedience which
drives us to horrid apostacy by denying the Son of God. With the same voice
Caiaphas blasphemes and also prophesies. They who follow his suggestion despise
the prophecy, and adopt the blasphemy. We ought to guard against
the same thing happening to us, if we listen to the Caiaphas of Rome; for
otherwise the comparison would be defective. Besides, I ask, Must we conclude
that, because Caiaphas once prophesied, every word uttered
by the high priest is always a prophecy? But soon
afterwards Caiaphas condemned as blasphemy
(<402665>Matthew
26:65) the most important article of our faith. Hence we conclude, that what the
Evangelist now relates was an extraordinary occurrence, and that it would be
foolish to adduce it as an example.
That Jesus would
die. First, the Evangelist shows that
the whole of our salvation consists in this, that Christ should assemble us
into one; for in this way he reconciles us to the Father, in whom
is the fountain of life,
(<193609>Psalm
36:9.) Hence, also, we infer, that the human race is scattered and estranged
from God, until the children of God are assembled under Christ their Head. Thus,
the communion of saints is a preparation for eternal life, because all whom
Christ does not gather to the Father remain in death, as we shall see again
under the seventeenth chapter. For the same reason Paul also teaches that Christ
was sent, in order
that he might gather
together all things which are in heaven and in earth,
(<490110>Ephesians
1:10.)
Wherefore, that we may enjoy the salvation brought by
Christ, discord must be removed, and we must be made one with God and with
angels, and among ourselves. The cause and pledge of this unity was the death of
Christ, by which he drew all things to himself; but we are daily gathered
by the Gospel into the fold of Christ.
52.
And not for that nation
only. The Evangelist means that the
reconciliation effected by Christ is also extended to the Gentiles. But how
comes it that they who, in consequence of being wretchedly scattered and
wandering, became the enemies of God, are here called the children of
God? I answer, as has been already said, God had in his breast
children, who in themselves were wandering and lost sheep, or
rather who were the farthest possible from being sheep, but, on the contrary,
were wolves and wild beasts. It is therefore by election that he reckons as
the children of God, even before they are called, those who at
length begin to be manifested by faith both to themselves and to
others.
|
JOHN
11:53-57
|
|
53. From that day, therefore, they consulted
to put him to death. 54. Therefore Jesus no longer walked openly among
the Jews, but retired to a country near the wilderness, into a city which is
called Ephraim, and there dwelt with his disciples. 55. Now the passover
of the Jews was at hand, and many of that country went up to Jerusalem before
the passover, to purify themselves. 56. They therefore sought Jesus, and
said among themselves, while they stood in the temple, What think you? will he
not come to the feast? 57. Now the chief priests
f329
and Pharisees had issued an order, that if any one knew where he was, he would
show it, that they might seize him.
|
53.
They consulted to put him to
death. The Evangelist relates that
Christ again fled, knowing that his enemies sought him with so great rage. Yet
let us remember that he did not fly in order to withdraw from his Father’s
calling; for he had no other intention than to present himself to undergo
voluntary death at the time which God had appointed. This
consultation, which the Evangelist mentions, related not so much
to slaying Christ as to find out some method of crushing him. They had already
determined to put him to death; it only remained to advise in what way they
could carry their resolution into effect.
54.
Which is called
Ephraim. As to the name of the town
which is mentioned here, I think that either it was pronounced at that time in a
corrupted manner, or it was entirely new. For we know how greatly the language
was changed after the captivity into Babylon, and likewise how different was the
appearance of the country; so that we need not be surprised that some places are
mentioned, which in ancient times were altogether unknown.
And there he dwelt with his
disciples. By calling them disciples
of Christ, he means not those who had received his doctrine, but
those who were his constant companions, and who were wont to live under the same
roof.
55.
Many from that country went
up to Jerusalem. It was not absolutely
enjoined that they should purify
themselves before sacrificing the passover;
and, therefore, the Evangelist does not say that all came, but
many. No unclean person, indeed, was permitted to eat; but I say
that this sanctification was undertaken voluntarily and from their own
inclination, so that others were not forbidden to eat, though they had not been
prepared by such a ceremony before the day of the feast.
56.
They therefore sought
Jesus. The design of the Evangelist is,
to show how extensively the fame of Christ was diffused through the whole of
Judea; for they who assemble in the temple, from whatever quarter they come, are
eager to seek Christ, and are employed in holding conversations among themselves
concerning him. It is true that they seek him after a human fashion, but
yet, in seeking him, they discover that it is the tyranny of the priests
which prevents him from appearing openly.
FOOTNOTES
ft1
Clarke’s Biblical Cabinet, volumes 44 and 45.
ft2
(“Ascavoir que l’Evangile, et ceux qui y veulent adherer, ont yei
leur retraitte,”) — (namely, that the gospel, and those who wish to
abide by it, have their retreat here)
ft3
The French version adds “a ce qu’elle ne flottast plus parmi les
traditions des hommes;” — “that it might no longer be tossed
about among; the traditions of men.”
ft4
“Nous qui taschons de remettre l’estat de l’Eglise a son
entier;” — “we who endeavor to restore the Church to her
original condition.”
ft5
“Dieu par sa grace nous a restitue.”
ft6
The French copy adds: “afin qu’on n’en juge point a
l’aventure, ni a, credit;” — “that they may not judge of
it at random, or on trust.”
ft7
In the concluding sentence, the more amplified form of the French version has
been followed. — Ed.)
ft8
“On scait assez que le mot, d’Evangile signifie entre les Grees
toutes bonnes nouvelles;” — “it is well known that the word
Gospel in Greek denotes any kind of good news.”
ft9
“Pource qu’il est dit Estoit, et non pas N’este;”
— “Because it is said Was, and not Has been.
ft10
“Les Theologiens Sorbonistes.”
ft11
The reader will find our Author’s views of the Holy Trinity very fully
illustrated in the Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book I. Chap.
13., and will be at a loss whether to admire most the marvelous acuteness, or
the sobriety of judgment, by which the whole discussion is pervaded. —
Ed.
ft12
“Que c’estoit je ne scay quel Dieu qui avoit este cree, et eu
commencement;”— “That there was I know not what God who had
been created, and had a beginning.”
ft13
The difference of readings lies wholly in the punctuation, and the dispute is,
whether the words o{
ge>gonen shall form the conclusion of the Third,
or the commencement of the Fourth verse. CALVIN expresses his concurrence with
the majority of manuscripts, which connect the words in question with the Third
verse thus Kai< cwri<v
aujtou~ ejge>neto oujde< e{n o{ ge>gonen,
and without him was not any thing made, (or, more literally, as well as
more emphatically,) and without him was NOT ONE THING made WHICH WAS
MADE. Other manuscripts, certainly of no great authority, connect them with the
Fourth verse: Kai< cwri<v
aujtou~ ejge>neto oujde< e{n O ge>gonen ejn aujtw~| zwh<
h+|n. And without him was not one thing
made. WHAT WAS MADE was in him life. The preference given by our
Author rests on grounds which can scarcely be questioned. —
Ed.
ft14
“Pour (porter) tesmoignage;” — “to bear
testimony.”
ft15
“Nais de sangs, ou, de sang;” —
“born of bloods, or, of blood.”
ft16
“Heraut et ambassade de la grace de Dieu;” — “Herald and
ambassador of the grace of God.”
ft17
Le nom de Jean, qui signifie Grace;” — “The name John,
which signifies Grace.
ft18
For the meaning of the name John, derived from the Hebrew
Jehohannan, the reader may consult our Author’s Commentary on
the Harmony of the Three Evangelists, vol. i. page 15. — Ed.
ft19
D’une vanterie aveuglee; c est a dire, n’entendans pas ce
qu’ils disoyent;” — “by a blind vaunting; that is, not
understanding what they said.”
ft20
“Et par ceci derechef est refutee l’imagination des Papistes de
laquelle j’ai parle, a scavoir que Dieu donne aux hommes une possibilite,
seulement d’estre faits enfans siens;” —, “and here
again is refuted the notion of the Papists which I spoke of, namely, that God
gives to men bare possibility of becoming His children”
ft21
Here our Author, either from choice or from inadvertency, has adopted the phrase
of blood, instead of What he followed in his version of the Text, (see
page 35,) of bloods — the literal, though not idiomatic, rendering
of ejx
aiJma>twn, which is itself of rare occurrence,
but not without classical authority. — Ed.
ft22
“Car sous la chair et la partie inferieure tout l’homme est
comprins;” “for under the flesh, and the lower part, the
whole man is included.”
ft23
“Est deduit d’un mot qui signifie Tabernacles, c’est a dire,
tentes et avillons;” — “is derived from a word which signifies
Tabernacles, that is, tents and pavilions.”
ft24
This must have been a slip of memory on the part of our Author; for the phrases
applied to Stephen are different, though parallel. He is called a man
FULL OF faith and of the Holy Ghost,
(<440605>Acts
6:5;) FULL OF faith and power,
(<440608>Acts
6:8;) and FULL OF the Holy Ghost,
(<440755>Acts
7:55.) — Ed.
ft25
“Jean rend (ou, a rendu) tesmoignage de luy.”
“John gives (or, gave) testimony of
him.”
ft26
“Plus excellent que moy, ou, premier que moy;” —
“more excellent than I, or, before
me.”
ft27
“En usant du verbe du temps present, a scavoir, Rend tesmoignage,
et on pas, Rendoit;” — “by using the verb in the
present tense, GIVETH testimony, and not GAVE
testimony.”
ft28
Qu’il n’a point parle entre ses dents, et communique la chose comme
en secret a peu de gens;” — “that he did not speak between his
teeth, and communicate the matter, as it were secretly, to a few
persons.”
ft29
“Que la Loy n’a eu ne l’un ne l’autre;” —
“that the Law had neither the one nor the other.”
ft29A
The points of agreement and of difference between the Old and New Testaments are
copiously illustrated by our Author in the Institutes of the Christian
Religion, Book II. chap. 10.11 — Ed.
ft30
“Enveloppemens de figures et ceremonies.”
ft31
C’est ici aussi (ou, c’est done ci) le
tesmoignage;” — “this is also (or, this is
therefore) the testimony.”
ft32
“Es-tu Prophete, ou, le Prophete?” — “Art thou a
Prophet, or, the Prophet?”
ft33
“De celuy qui crie au desert.”
ft34
“Sinon de preparer les Juifs a donner audience a Christ, et estre ses
disciples.”
ft35
“Que le temps estoit venu.”
Ft36
See page 49.
ft36A
“Par oracle; c’est a dire, advertissement ou revelation de
Dieu.”
ft37
See Harmony of the Three Evangelists, volume 1 page 92, n. 2; and page
142, n. 2.
ft38
“Tu crois, ou, crois-tu?” — “Thou
believest, or, believest thou?”
ft39
“Rondeur et syncerite,.”
ft40
“Canteleux et frauduleux.”
ft41
“De la gloire celeste.”
ft42
“Tertio die;” — “trois jours
apres.”
ft43
“En la vierge Marie.”
ft44
“De bosongner et desployer sa virtue Divine.”
ft45
“a son Fils.”
ft46
The exact size of the firkin cannot be easily ascertained. If
metrhth<v
be here used by the Evangelist as a purely Greek
word, we must conclude it to be an Attic measure, which was nearly equal to nine
English gallons. If, again, it be placed here as a substitute for the Hebrew
word
tb,
(Bath,) as the Septuagint has done in
<140405>2
Chronicles 4:5, it will probably be rated at seven gallons and a half. —
Ed.
ft47
“De ce pays de Savoye;” — “of this country,
Savoy.”
ft48
“Qu’ils avoyent entre leurs reliques de ces cruches, esquelles
Christ avoit fait ce miracle en Cana, et en monstroyent.”
ft49
“Quel signe, ou, miracle?” — “What sign? or, What
miracle?”
ft50
“I1 ne faut pas pourtant quitter la tout par desespoir, ne mespriser ce
que nous n’entendons pas tout incontinent.”
ft51
“I1 les cognoissoient tous,”
ft52
Our Author’s views of the etymology of the term are fully stated and
examined, Harmony, volume 1 page 281; but it cannot be supposed that this
Commentary on the Gospel by John, which appeared in the year 1553, makes
reference to the Harmony, which did not appear till 1555. The priority of
the date (1548) of the Commentary on the Epistle to the Philippians more
naturally sends us to consult that passage, in which Paul says that he was a
Pharisee, (3:5.) — Ed.
ft53
“De sa grandeur et reputation.”
ft54
“Qui signific Maistre.”
ft55
“L’oyant seulement comme en pensant ailleurs, et sans en tenir grand
conte:” — “merely listening to it as if he were thinking of
something else, and without caring much about it.”
ft56
“Qui imaginoit que los ames apres la mort de leurs corps cntroyent dedans
des autres corps.”
ft57
Monstrent bien qu’ils n’en entendent rien.”
ft58
“Pour l’amour de nous.”
ft59
“Car personne n’est monte;” — “For no one hath
ascended.”
ft60
“Sur toutes manieres de gens.”
ft61
“Faites selon Dieu;” — “ done according to
God.”
ft62
“Et apparence exterieure.”
ft63
“De baptesmes et lavemens.”
ft64
“Que Dieu avoit instituez.”
ft65
“C’est une parole de gens envieux.”
ft66
“Et parle de la terre, ou, comme issu de terre;”
— “and speaketh of the earthy or, as having proceeded
from the earth.”
ft67
“Au marchepied de Christ.”
ft68
“C’est a dire, ne determine point certaine
personne.”
ft69
“Et que Donne soit mis pour et
donne.”
ft70
“Qui ne croit point au Fils, ou, qui desobeit au
Fils” — “who believeth not in the Son,
or, who disobeyeth the Son.”
ft71
“Et qui reprouve ce que nous disons ou faisons.”
ft72
“Ceste eau vive;” — “ this living
water.”
ft73
“Si en lieu de Et, nous mettons A scavoir, ou
quelque autre mot semblable.”
ft74
“Tout ainsi que la terre, pour apporter fruict, sera menuisee et amollie
par le soc de la charrue.”
ft75
“Qui ont la grace de bien enseigner.”
ft76
“Par les playes et punitions de Dieu.”
ft77
“Une fausse imitation, et mal reiglee, ou
inconsideree.”
ft78
“A depuis ordonne et commande une autre conduite et maniere de faire,
qu’ils ont a suyvre.”
ft79
“C’est a dire, des ceremonies.”
ft80
“Des figures de la Loy.”
ft81
“Pour exprimer la cause pourquoy il se haste de faire la
besogne.”
ft82
“C’est a dire, de corruptions.”
ft83
“Ou, Jesus avoit rendu tesmoignage” —
“or, Jesus had testified.”
ft84
“Apres qu’ils eussent veu;” —
“after that they had seen.”
ft85
“Ainsi qu’estoyent les, Juifs.”
ft86
“Commune, et qui etoit passee en proverbe.”
ft87
“Lequel l’a traduit par un mot Latin Regulus, qui
signifie un petit Roy.”
ft88
“Quelque gentil-homme.”
ft89
“Par l’Empereur;” — “by the
Emperor.”
ft90
“Qu’ils facent premierement des
ntiraclcs?”
ft91
“Et qui avoyent les membres secs;” “and who had the limbs
withered.”
ft92
“Par intervalles, ou, en certain temps;” —
“at intervals, or, at a certain
time.”
ft93
The French version runs thus: “combion que du temps d’Elisee il y
eust plusieurs de ladres, toutesfois nul d’eux ne fut nettoye sinon Naaman
Syrien;” — “though in the time of Elisha there were many
lepers, yet not one of them was cleansed except Naaman a
Syrian,”
(<120514>2
Kings 5:14;
<420427>Luke
4:27.)
ft94
“Car Jesus s’estoit escoule de la multitude qui estoit en ce
lieu-la;” — “for Jesus had withdrawn from the multitude which
was in that place.”
ft95
“Que nous aurions bien meritee.”
ft96
“Quand ils disent qu’il n’est pas possible d’endurer
plus grand mal, et que Dieu ne leur en scauroit envoyer
davantage.”
ft97
“Il est bien vray que la ceremonie du Sabbath estoit une partie des ombres
de la Loy.”
ft98
“Quand on s’employe a oeuvres de Dieu.”
ft99
“Le Repos de Dieu.”
ft100
“Pource qu’il est (ou, entant qu’il est)
le Fils de l’homme;” — “because he is (or,
in so far as he is) the Son of man.”
ft101
“Des contempteurs de Dieu et incredules;” “with despisers of
God and unbelievers.”
ft102
“Sans le pardon que Dieu fait a ses fideles.”
ft103
“I1 sera son protecteur et garent contre tous
adversaires.”
ft104
“Rien que leur propre malice.”
ft105
“Pource qu’ils marchent les premiers, portans le flambe au devant
les autres pour les guider.”
ft106
“Aucuns s’abusent.”
ft107
“Si nous voulons avoir cognoissance de Christ.”
ft108
In transposing the two portions of the exposition of this verse, I have followed
the French version of our Author, who, having observed that his observations on
the first clause of this verse were placed last, restored the clauses to their
natural order. — Ed.
ft109
“Que nous sommes sourds quand Dieu parle.”
ft110
“Une simplicite innocente et sans malice.”
ft111
“Et ne sentant rien en soy-mesme sur quoy il se puisse
appuyer.”
ft112
The wars of the Giants held a conspicuous place in the ancient mythology,
and in the popular belief. Not to mention the poets, whose imaginations were
kindled by such topics, they are formally introduced by Cicero, in a
philosophical treatise, though only for the purpose of instructing his readers
to “despise and reject these fables.” “The gods,” says
he, “as the fables relate, were not without wars and battles; and that not
only as in those described by Homer, when some of the gods were ranged on the
one side, and some on the other side, of two opposing armies; but even, as in
the case of the Titans and Giants, they carried on their
own battles. Such things (he adds) are said, and are very foolishly believed,
and are full of absurdity and downright silliness.” — (De Nat.
Deorum, lib. 2.) The daring presumption and utter discomfiture of the
Giants, in their fabulous wars, are sometimes alluded to by Calvin,
and other Christian writers, in describing the wickedness and folly of man, who
stretcheth out his hand against God, and strengtheneth himself against
the Almighty,
(<181525>Job
15:25.) — Ed.
ft113
“Pour rembarrer les Papistes de leur baston mesme.”
ft114
“Du titre desquels ils se couvrent faussement et
meschamment.”
ft115
“Contre contempteurs.”
ft116
“Pour le suyvre.”
ft117
The value of the old French coins passed through so many changes, that all
reasoning about them must be involved in uncertainty; but, so far as we have
been able to ascertain, the value of a carolus of Tours, in
CALVIN’S time, was nearly that of a penny sterling, and the denier
was the tenth part of it, or nearly a modern centime of Paris.
“Four times the carolus, with two deniers,”
would thus be 4 and 1/5 pence sterling, and, multiplying that by 200, we
have three pounds, ten shillings. Again, taking the
franc (as Cotgrave rates it) at two shillings, 35 francs are
also equal to three pounds, ten shillings. This is, at
least, a curious coincidence, and the reader may compare it with a computation
made from the livre Parisis, (Harmony, volume 2.
page 234, n. 2.) It would appear, however, that BUDAEUS and CALVIN had estimated
the denarius at little more than half its real value, which was
sevenpence halfpenny sterling, taking silver at five shillings per ounce;
so that two hundred denarii would be equal to six pounds, five
shillings sterling. — Ed.
ft118
“Quatorze (fourteen) sols Tournois.” According to Cotgrave, the
“sol Tournois is the tenth part of our shilling, or one part in six
better than our penny.” — Ed.
ft119
“Sesquituronicum;” — “un denier Tournois et
maille;” — “one and a half denier of
Tours.”
ft120
“Mesme en son humanite, et entant qu’il a pris nostre
chair.”
ft121
“De poissons sans sausse.”
ft122
“En toutes creatures qui servent a nostre
nouriture.”
ft123
“Ils voyent Jesus cheminant sur la mer, s’approchant de la nasselle,
dont ils eurent peur.” — “They see Jesus walking on the sea,
and approaching the ship, at which they were afraid.”
ft124
“Le salut a este acquis aux hommes;” — “salvation was
obtained for men.”
ft125
“En une ardeur de zele inconsidere et temeraire.”
ft126
“La grande puissance.”
ft127
“Par leurs folles inventions.”
ft128
On our Savior’s retirement into the mountain to pray, our Author has made
very interesting and profitable observations. Harmony of the
Evangelists, volume 2. page 237. — Ed.
ft129
“Par basteau ou navire.”
ft130
Our Author quotes inaccurately the measurement given by Josephus, whose words
are: “Now this lake of Gennesareth is so called from the country,
adjoining to it. Its breadth is forty furlongs, and its length one hundred
and forty.” — Wars of the Jews, III. 10. 7.
— Ed.
ft131
“Mais estans agitez de tempeste.”
ft132
“Ce qui eust este propre pour leur monstrer sa puissance, en ce
qu’il estoit la venu par miracle.”
ft133
“Sans regarder a rien de meilleur.”
ft134
“A fin qu’il ne semble que Christ vueille de soy-mesme et
d’une authorite privee s’attribuer quelque
chose.”
ft135
“Que ce n’est pas une chose facile et commune a
chacun.”
ft136
“Qui est comme le seau ou cachet de Dieu.”
ft137
“Ils n’entendent point ce qu’ils disent, et parlent sans
certain but.”
ft138
“Proram et puppim,” literally, “stem and stern,” a Latin
idiom for the whole. The Author’s French version (ed. 1558)
renders the clause, “il ne se faut point esbahir s’il constitue en
elle la fin et le commencement;” — “we must not be astonished
if he makes it to be the end and the beginning;” and in ed. 1564, it runs
thus, “ce n’est pas merveille que la foy est tout ce que Dieu
requiert;” — “it is not wonderful that faith is all that God
requires.”
ft139
“Quelle oeuvre fais-tu?” — “What work doest
thou?”
ft140
“Moyse ne vous a point donne le pain du ciel; mais mon Pere vous donne le
vray pain du ciel.” — “Moses gave you not the bread of heaven;
but my Father giveth you the true bread of heaven.”
ft141
“Et ce en la prenant avec les qualitez qu’ils luy attribuoyent, et
selon leur sens.”
ft142
“Pain de Dieu.”
ft143
“Qu’elles ayent en elles naturellement.”
ft144
“C’est a dire, quand il nous fait ce bien de nous
appeler.”
ft145
“Or ne nous est-il permis de rompre l’ordre et la suite du
commencement avec la fin, puis que Dieu par son conseil l’a ainsi ordonne
et voulu que cela allast d’un fil.”
ft146
“Un sacrilege horrible.”
ft147
“Quiconque donc a ouy mon Pere, et a appris.”
ft148
“De la petitesse de Christ, et de sa humaine condition;” —
“at the meanness of Christ, and of his human
condition.”
ft149
“Prenant nostre chair.”
ft150
“Tant nous sommes mal adroits a faire nostre profit des choses, et les
prendre de la sorte qu’il faut.”
ft151
“Que nuls ne sont tirez sinon ceux qui le veulent
estre.”
ft152
“Qu’il n’y en a pas un de tous les eleus de Dieu qui ne viene
a estre participant de la foy.”
ft153
“C’est a dire, ne pensoyent plus haut que ce
monde.”
ft154
“Il nous escoule et vient a estre mis en oubli.”
ft155
“Laquelle seule fait que nous tirons vie de ce
pain.”
ft156
“De manger la chair de Christ.”
ft157
“Un juste despit que Christ a conceu.”
ft158
“C’est a dire, la Cene.”
ft159
“De la chair de Christ.”
ft160
“Tous les fideles.”
ft161
“De la maniere perpetuelle et ordinaire de manger la chair de Christ, qui
se fait par la foy seulement.”
ft162
“Comme nn seau et confirmation.”
ft163
“Il a dresse l’enseigne de nostre justice comme un memorial
magnifique de sa victoire.”
ft164
“Ceux-la donc ne sont pas bons et droicts expositeurs du mystere de la
Cene.”
ft165
“Ceste parole est dure, ou, rude;” — “this
saying hard, or, harsh.”
ft166
“En vraye humilite.”
ft167
“Estranges et incroyables.”
ft168
“La ou il n’y a que le beau plein chemin.”
ft169
“Pour dire a la verite.”
ft170
“De se scandalizer.”
ft171
“Comme s’il estoit dit, La chair seule et par soy ne profite de
rien.”
ft172
“Tant aigu soit il.”
ft173
“Inconsiderement, ou a la volee.”
ft174
“Il ne peut eviter.”
ft175
A tous transgresseurs.”
ft176
“Determine au conseil de Dieu.”
ft177
“De nos parens.”
ft178
“Le titre de Mere de Christ.”
ft179
“De se mettre en chemin pour aller a la feste.”
ft180
“Les cousins de nostre Seigneur Jesus Christ.”
ft181
“De quitter et renoncer le Fils de Dieu.”
ft182
“Comme un abysme de confusion et disordre;” — “as a gulf
of confusion and disorder.”
ft183
“Entre la faussete et la verite.”
ft184
“Les scribes le haissoyent mortellement.”
ft185
“Que la cour du Pape est remplie
d’Epicuriens.”
ft186
“An jour de Repos.”
ft187
The difficulty is obviated by reading the words
dia<
tou>to, (with Scholz, Bloomfield, and others,)
as the conclusion of the 21st, and not as the commencement of the 22nd verse;
kai< pa>ntev Qauma>zete
dia< tou>to, and you all wonder AT IT,
or, on this account. Our Author, with his usual sagacity, has, in
this instance, also anticipated the results of modern criticism; for his French
version, which contains his latest views, runs thus: “J’ay fait une
oeuvre, et vous en estes tous emerveillez, ou, et vous estes
esmerveillez de cela. Moise vous a donne la Circoncision.”
— “I have done one work, and you are all astonished at it,
or, and you are all astonished at that. Moses gave you
Circumcision.” It is remarkable that, while a modern French
version copies CALVIN’S rendering very closely, et vous en etes tous
etonnes, (and you are all astonished at it,) the
translator has overlooked the force of
dia<
tou>to, for en (at it) is
marked by him in Italics, as a supplement. — Ed.
ft188
“An jour de Repos.”
ft189
“Vers ceux qui sont espars entre les Grecs.”
ft190
“Un fort bel exemple.”
ft191
“Quand il la cherche.”
ft192
“Aux estrangers qui estes espars.”
ft193
“Des dons et graces du Sainct Esprit.”
ft194
“Sous une partie il comprend le tout.”
ft195
“A ses eleus et fideles.”
ft196
“Offerte et donnee.”
ft197
“Cestuy-ci est veritablement Prophete, ou, le
Prophete.” — “This is truly a Prophet,
or, the Prophet.”
ft198
“De mortelle haine.”
ft199
“Les troisiemes.”
ft200
“Ces orgueilleur et mechans sacrificateurs.”
ft201
“Laquelle toutesfois ils confessent estre de Dieu, d’autant
qu’ils en sont conveincus en leurs coeurs.”
ft202
“D’un homme fidele et Chrestien.”
ft203
“De ce petit coin incognee de Galilee.”
ft204
“S’enclinant en bas.” — “Stooping
down.”
ft205
“Il se dressa.”
ft206
“Ce sera toujours a recommencer;” — “they will always
have to begin anew.” Dropping the classical allusion, our Author has thus
conveyed the meaning to his countrymen in plain terms. All who have read
Homer’s Odyssey will remember Penelope, the wife of Ulysses,
and especially that part of her history to which CALVIN refers, that what she
wove during the day she unravelled during the night, and thus accomplished her
resolution that she should be daily employed in weaving, and yet that her web
should not be finished till after her husband’s return. Penelopes telam
texere, to weave Penelope’s web, was a proverbial
expression, which the Romans borrowed from the Greeks. —
Ed.
ft207
“Pleust a Dieu que.”
ft208
“Voyla la beau fruict.”
ft209
“Ton tesmoignage n’est pas vrai; c’est a
dire, n’est point digne de foy.” —
“Thy testimony is not true; that is, is not worthy of
credit.”
ft210
“Mon tesmoignage est vray; c’est a dire, digne de
foy.” — “My testimony is true; that is,
worthy of credit.
ft211
“De la femme adultere.”
ft212
“Du Fils de Dieu.”
ft213
“Aussi maintenant est-il haut eleve.”
ft214
“Mon jugement est vray; c’est a dire, digne de
foy.” — “My judgment is true; that is,
worthy of credit.”
ft215
“Le Fils de Dieu.”
ft216
“Du nombre commun des autres hommes.”
ft217
See page 223, n. 1.
ft218
“Quiconque s’humilie devant le Seigneur
Jesus.”
ft219
“Combien qu’ils eussent leurs gueules ouvertes pour
l’engloutir.”
ft220
“Enyvrez d’une stupidite plus que brutale.”
ft221
“Non pas qu’il n’y a point d’autres pechez que
l’incredulite.”
ft222
“Il n’y a qu’un amas infini de tous maux qui regne
continuellement en nous.”
ft223
“Ou, ce dont je vous parle des le commencement;” —
“or, what I tell you from the
beginning.”
ft224
“Ou, comme aussi je vous en parle;” — “or,
as also I speak of it to you.”
ft225
Ceux qui traduisent, “Je suis le commencement.”
ft226
He refers to Nonnus, a Greek writer, who rendered into hexameter verse the
Gospel by John. The passage stands thus:
Ti>v su<
pe>leiv kai< Cristo<v ajni>acen, o{tti par
uJmi~n
Ex ajrch~v ajo>rizon
e]cwn nh>riqma
dika>zein
Kai<
lale>ein
Who art thou? and Christ cried
aloud, WHAT (I SAY) TO YOU FROM THE BEGINNING, having an
innumerable multitude of things to say and judge. So far as
relates to th<n
ajrch<n, Nonnus appears to agree with
Calvin; for he renders it
ejx
ajrch`v, from the beginning. —
Ed.
ft227
“A cheminer en crainte.”
ft228
“Qu’il ouvre plus sa bouche pour leur dire
rein.”
ft229
“Les reprouvez et infideles.”
ft230
“Il est serf de peche.”
ft231
“Le serf.”
ft232
“Pource que ma parole n’a point de lieu en vous;” —
“because my word hath no place in you.”
ft233
“Ceux-la mesmes parlans, qui parloyent auparavant.”
ft234
“Entre les enfans d’Abraham qui sont bastars et forlignans, et le
vrais et legitimes.”
ft235
“Et de faict, y a-il chose qu’on puisse plustost louer en
Abraham?”
ft236
“Ils haissent de haine mortelle.”
ft237
“Aucuns font ici difference entre Langage et Parole, pource que la parole
emporte plus, mais je n’y en voy point.”
ft238
“En ce mot Langage.”
ft239
“Il y a qui la cherche, et qui en juge.”
ft240
“Ils n’oyent point les paroles de Dieu.”
ft241
“Neantmoins, ils sont enragez, et n’ont pointe honte de se monstrer
du tout desesperez.”
ft242
“Du Seigneur Jesus.”
ft243
“Que tu as le diable.”
ft244
“En haine et mespris.”
ft245
“La vraye et legitimo profession.”
ft246
“Un vehement zele.”
ft247
“Avant qu’Abraham fust.”
ft248
“Priusquam Abraham nasceretur.”
ft249
pri<n Abraa<m
gene>sqai, ejgw> eijmi. Our
Author’s idea, to which he merely alludes, appears to be that, instead of
saying, ejgw<
ejgeno>mnh, or,
ejgw<
gi>nomai, Christ purposely said,
ejgw>
eijmi, because the verb
eijmi~,
standing contrasted with
gene>sqai,
would convey the idea of underived existence. —
Ed.
ft250
“Une vertu plus qu’humaine.”
ft251
“Par croix ou tribulation.”
ft252
“Homme juste, et craignaut Dieu.”
ft253
“Que les ames passoyent d’un corps eu
l’autre.”
ft254
“Comme dit le proverbe.”
ft255
De sa guairison et delivrance.”
ft256
“Ils disent derechef a l’aveugle;” — “they say
again to the blind man.”
ft257
“Un certain Serapis.”
ft258
“De la malice obstinee.”
ft259
“De la vraye religion.”
ft260
“Une grande flamme.”
ft261
“Le Seigneur Jesus.”
ft262
“Les infideles.”
ft263
“Des le commencement du monde.”
ft264
“Quant a nous.”
ft265
“Et toutesfois.”
ft266
“Il ne fut jamais ouy.”
ft267
“Tant plus de lags se mettent-ils au Col.”
ft268
“Quand ils le pressent si instamment a respondre sur ce
faict.”
ft269
“De deschirer Dieu par pieces.”
ft270
“Vous n’auriez point de peche;” — “you would have
no sin.”
ft271
“Ces Rabbins orgueilleux.”
ft272
“Le Docteur Martin Luther.”
ft273
“Si l’aveugle a honore ou adore Christ comme
Dieu.”
ft274
“Aux infideles.”
ft275
“Ceux voyent, dit nostre Seigneur Jesus Christ.”
ft276
“Pour une grande sagesse.”
ft277
“Et comme a enseigne desployee.”
ft278
“Les mechans et infideles.”
ft279
“Pour guairir son mal.”
ft280
“Si par ce mot de Portier.”
ft281
The word pastor signifies shepherd, but, for the sake of
the reader, who may not be aware of its etymology, it has been found necessary,
in some cases, to employ both of the words, especially where the figure holds so
prominent a place in the discussion. — Ed.
ft282
“En sorte qu’il n’y en a pas eu une seule qui l’ait
laisse.”
ft283
“Du troupeau du Fils de Dieu.”
ft284
“Lions, tygres, loups, et ours.”
ft285
A phrase in Scottish law, denoting a full right to occupy a house or any
property, is, free ish (issue) and entrance, or, in other
words, a right to go out and to come in, as the occupant
pleases. — Ed.
ft286
“De quel zele et affection.”
ft287
“Que s’il y a danger aussi bien pour les brebis que pour la personne
du pasteur.”
ft288
“Rien de tout ce qu’il veut estre sauve.”
ft289
So it runs in the French version, “Et il y aura une bergerie et
un Pasteur.” But in the Latin original, our Author, either
through choice or inadvertency, has altered the translation, by substituting
grex (flock) for ovile, (fold.) “Et fiet unus
grex;” — “and there shall be one
flock.” — Ed.
ft290
“Assemblez et unis.”
ft291
“Une saincte Eglise universelle.”
ft292
“Sa voix seule.”
ft293
“Sa voix et sa doctrine.”
ft294
“Aussi grand et excellent qu’il peut estre.”
ft295
“Et aussi sa boute”
ft296
“Le mot Grec pour lequel nous avons mis Dedicace.”
ft297
“Nostre Seigneur Jesus.”
ft298
“Mais qui apprivoisera des bestes sauvages?”
ft299
“Et si je les fay;” — “and if I do
them.”
ft300
“Mais il eschappa.”
ft301
“Sinon que vous voyez le faict evident devant vos
yeux.”
ft302
“Aucune reverence ni honneur.”
ft303
See page 62 of this volume.
ft304
“Qui estoit le propre siege et habitation de
celuy.”
ft305
“D’un coste.”
ft306
“D’autrepart.”
ft307
“A sa majeste.”
ft308
“Quand nous avons tousjours Dieu devant nos yeux pour nostre
guide.”
ft309
“Combien que les jours soyent plus grands en este, et plus petits en
hyver.”
ft310
“Adonc Thomas, qui est a dire Gemeau;” — “then Thomas,
which means Twin.”
ft311
“Il sera guairi.”
ft312
“Comme faisans semblant de n’entendre point ce que Christ
dit.”
ft313
“Et mesmers veu que les autheurs profanes transferent coustumierement ce
mot de Dormir a la Mort.”
ft314
The Roman Passus, or pace — measured from the spot where
either foot was planted to the spot where the same foot was planted after two
ordinary steps — was five feet; so that the Mille, or
thousand paces, contained five thousand feet, rather less than an English
mile; and the Stadium, or furlong, which
contained, as CALVIN states, “one hundred and twenty-five paces,”
was equal to six hundred and twenty-five feet. —
Ed.
ft315
“Cela n’a rien de commun avec la foy.”
ft316
See pp. 200 and 204 of this volume.
ft317
“N’est autre chose qu’estre estrange et detourne de
Dieu.”
ft318
“Aussi.”
ft319
“Voyez comme il l’aimoit!” — “see how he loved
him!”
ft320
“Mais voyci le pis.”
ft321
“Quand de son bon gre il se conforme a ces pleurans, jusques pleurer avec
eux.”
ft322
“Pour mieux dire.”
ft323
“C’est a dire, venant d’ailleurs que du
Createur.”
ft324
“Ceste mesme aide, si tost qu’il nous la
presente.”
ft325
“Plustost qu’a quelques autres.”
ft326
See page 223, n. 1.
ft327
“De la Divine majeste.”
ft328
“Par la mort de celuy qui l’avolt.”
ft329
“Les principaux sacrificateurs.”