everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life

'Heareth,' in this place, evidently means to receive in a proper manner; to suffer it to make its proper impression on the mind; to obey. The word 'hear' is often used in this sense, Matt. xi. 15. John viii. 47. Acts iii. 23. Many persons outwardly hear the gospel, who neither understand nor obey it. My word.' My doctrine, my teaching. On him that sent me.' On the Father, who, in the plan of redemption, is represented as sending his Son to save men. See John iii. 17. Faith in God who sent his Son is here represented as being connected with everlasting life. But there can be no faith in him who sent his Son, without faith also in him who is sent. The belief of one of the true doctrines of religion is connected with, and will lead to, the belief of all. 'Hath everlasting life.' Religion is life. The christian lives with God, and feels and acts as if there was a God—the happiness of heaven is living unto God-being sensible of his presence, and glory, and power, and rejoicing in them. There shall be no more death there, Rev. xxi. 4. This life, or this religion, whether on earth or in heaven, is the same-the same joys extended and expanded for ever. Hence, when a man is converted, it is said that he has everlasting life; not merely shall have, but is already in possession of, that life or happiness which shall be everlasting. It is life begun, expanding, ripening for the skies. He has already the inheritance-that inheritance which is everlasting. Shall not come into condemnation.' He was by nature under condemnation. See John iii. 18. Here it is declared that he shall not return to that state, or he will not be again condemned. This promise is sure, John x. 28. But is passed from death unto life.' Has passed over from a state of spiritual death to the life of the christian. The words ' is passed' would be better expressed by 'has passed.' It implies that he has done it voluntarily; that none compelled him; and that the passage is made unto everlasting life.

25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.

"The hour.' The time. 'Is coming.' Under the preaching of the gospel, as well as in the resurrection of the dead. Now is.' It is now taking place. Sinners were converted under his ministry, and brought to spiritual life. 'The dead.' Either the dead in sins, or those that are in their graves. The language of the Saviour will apply to either. Language, in the scriptures, is often so used as to describe two similar events. The renewal of the heart, and the raising of the dead at the judgment, are here described in similar language-because they so far resemble

each other, that the same language will apply to both. "The voice of the Son of God.' The voice is that by which we give command. Jesus raised up the dead by his command; he spoke, or commanded it to be done, Mark v. 41. Luke vii. 14. John xi. 43. So it is by his command that those who are dead in sins are quickened, or made alive, ver. 21. And so at the day of judg ment the dead will be raised by his command, ver. 28. Shall live.' Shall be restored to life.

26 For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;

is

God is the source of all life. He is thence called the 'living God,' in opposition to idols, which have no life, Acts xiv. 15. Josh. iii. 10. 1 Sam. xvii. 26. Jer. x. 10. See also Isa. xl. 18-31. 'In himself.' This means, that life in God, or his existence, not derived from any other being. Our life is derived from God, Gen. ii. 7. All other creatures derive their life from him, Ps. civ. 29, 30. But God is underived. He always existed as he is, Ps. xc. 2. He is unchangeably the same, James i. 17. Of course no being can take away his existence or his happiness. He has in himself an infinite source of happiness; and no other being, no change in his universe, can destroy it. 'So. In a manner like his. It corresponds to the first as,' implying that one is the same as the other; life in the one is the same, and possessed in the same manner, as in the other. Hath he given. This evidently does not refer to the manner in which the second Person of the Trinity exists; for the power and authority of which Christ here speaks is that which he exercises as Mediator. In regard to his Divine nature, it is not affirmed here that it is in any manner derived. Nor does the fact that God is said to have given him this power prove that he was inferior in his nature, or derived. It has reference merely to office. As Mediator, he may be said to have been appointed by the Father. To have life.' That is, the right or authority of imparting life to others, whether dead in their graves or in their sins. In himself.' There is much that is remarkable in this expression. It is in him as it is in God. He has the control of it, and can exercise it as he will. This wonderful commission he bore from God, to raise up the dead where he pleased, to convert sinners when and where he pleased; and finally to raise up all the dead, and pronounce on them an eternal doom according to the deeds done in the body. None could do this but he who had the power of creation, equal to the Father; and the power of searching all hearts, equal to the omniscience of God.

27 And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.

The word 'authority,' here (commonly rendered power) implies

all that is necessary to execute judgment, all the physical power to raise the dead, and to investigate the actions and thoughts of the life, and all the moral right or authority to sit in judgment on the creatures of God, and to pronounce their doom. To execute judgment.' To do judgment—that is, to judge. He has appointment to do justice, and to see that the universe suffers no wrong, either by the escape of the guilty, or by the punishment of the innocent. 'Because he is the Son of inan.' The phrase, Son of man,' here, seems to be used in the sense of 'because he is a man,' or because he has human nature. It is remarked, here, that the word 'Son' has not the article before it in the original. 'Because he is a son of man'-i. e., because he is a man. It would seem, from this, that there is a propriety that one in our nature should judge us. What this propriety is we do not certainly know. It may be, 1. Because it is proper that one who has experienced our infirmities, and possesses our nature, may be supposed by those who are judged to be better qualified than one in a different nature. 2. Because it is to decide between man and God, and it is proper that in the Judge our feelings, and nature, and views, should be represented, as well as those of God. 3. Because Jesus has all the sentiments of compassion we could ask; because he has shown his disposition to befriend us by giving his life; and it can never be alleged by those who are condemned that their Judge was a distant, cold, and unfriendly being.

28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,

'Marvel not.' Do not wonder or be astonished at this. "The nour is coming.' The time is approaching, or will be. All that are in the graves.' All the dead, of every age and nation. They are described as in the graves; though many have turned to their native dust, and perished from human view, yet God sees them, and can re-gather their remains and raise them up to life. 'Shall hear his voice.' He will restore them to life, and command them to appear before him. This is a most sublime description; and this will be a wonderful display of almighty power. None but God can see all the dead: none but he can remould their frames; and none else can command them to return to life.

29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

'Shall come forth." Shall come out of their graves. This was the language Christ used when he raised Lazarus, John xi. 43, 44. They that have done good.' That is, they who are righteous,

they who have shown that they were the friends of Christ. See Matt. xxv. 34-36. 'Resurrection of life.' Religion is often calied life, and everlasting life. See note, ver. 24. In the resurrection the righteous shall be raised up to the full enjoyment and perpetual possession of that life. The union of the favour of God, of the enjoyment of himself and of his works, of the society of the angels and of the redeemed, and a freedom from sickness, and sin, and dying, shall constitute the life of the just in the resurrection. The resurrection of damnation.' The word 'damnation' means the sentence passed by a judge-judgment, or condemnation. Those who have done evil shall be raised up to be condemned, or damned. This shall be the object of raising them up; this the sole design. It is elsewhere said that they shall then be condemned to everlasting punishment, Matt. xxv. 46, and that they shall be punished with everlasting destruction, 2 Thess. i. 8, 9. 2 Peter ii. 9. There is no account of redemption in hell-no Saviour, no Holy Spirit, no offer of mercy.

30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.

'Of mine own self.' See ver. 19. The Messiah, as the Mediator, does nothing without the concurrence and the authority of God. Such is the nature of the union subsisting between the Persons of the Godhead. 'As I hear, I judge.' To hear' expresses the condition of one who is commissioned, or instructed. See John viii. 26-28. Jesus here represents himself as commissioned, taught, or sent of God. When he says, 'as I hear,' he refers to the things the Father had showed him, ver. 20. That is, he came to communicate the will of God. I judge.' I determine, or decide. This was true respecting the institutions and doctrines of religion, and it will be true respecting the sentence he will pass on all mankind at the day of judgment. He will decide on their destiny according to what the Father wills and wishes-that is, according to justice. 'Because I seek,' &c. He came not to aggrandize himself, but he came to do the Divine will. Of course his decision would be impartial and unbiassed, and there is every security that it is according to truth. See Luke xxii. 42.

31 If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not

true.

'If I bear witness of myself.' If I have no other evidence than my own testimony about myself. My witness.' My testimony. Is not true. The word, true,' here, means worthy of belief, or established by suitable evidence. See Matt, xxii, 16.

Luke xx. 21. John viii. 13, 17. The law of Moses required two witnesses, Deut. xvii. 6. Though what Jesus said was true, ch. viii. 13, 17, yet he admitted it was not sufficient testimony alone to claim their belief. They had a right to expect that his statement would be confirmed by other evidence that he came from God. This evidence he gave in the miracles which he wrought.

32 There is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true.

'There is another.' That is, God. See ver. 36.

33 Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth.

'Ye sent unto John.' See ch. i. 19. 'He bare witness,' &c. See ch. i. 26, 29, 36. This testimony of John ought to have satisfied them. His evidence was impartial and satisfactory. On this Jesus might have rested the proof that he was the Messiah, but he was willing also to adduce evidence of a higher order.

34 But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say, that ye might be saved.

'I receive not testimony from man.' I do not depend, for proof of my Messiahship, on the testimony of men. 'But these things,' &c. This testimony of John I adduce that you might be convinced. You sent to make inquiry, and he gave you a candid and satisfactory answer. Had you believed that, you would have believed in the Messiah, and been saved. Men are often dissatisfied with the very evidence of the truth of religion which they sought, and on which they professed themselves willing to rely.

35 He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light.

It is probable that John had been cast into prison before this. 'Light. A teacher is often called a light, because he guides or illuminates the minds of others, Rom. ii. 19. Thou art confident that thou art a guide to the blind, a light to them that sit in darkness.' John viii. 12; xii. 46. Matt. v. 14. A burning.' A lamp lit up, that burns with a steady lustre. 'Shining.' Not dim; not indistinct. His doctrines were clear, distinct, consistent. "Ye were willing.' As they had at one time admitted John to be a prophet, so Jesus might with great propriety adduce his testimony in his favour. For a season.' For a time. They did it, as many others do, while he was popular, and it was the fashion to follow him. To rejoice in his light. To rejoice in