11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more. "Neither do I condemn thee.' This is evidently to be taken in the sense of judicial condemnation, or of passing sentence as a magistrate. For, this was what they had arraigned her for. It was not to obtain his opinion about adultery, but his condemnation of this woman. As he claimed no civil authority, he said that he did not exercise it, and should not condemn her to die. In this sense the word is used in the previous verse, and this is the only sense which the passage demands. 'Go, and sin no more. You have sinned. You have been detected and accused. The sin is great. But I do not claim power to condemn you to die, and as your accusers have left you, my direction to you is, that you sin no more.

12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. 'I am the light of the world." See note on ch. i. 4, 9.

13 The pharisees therefore said unto him, Thou bearest record of thyself; thy record is not true.

Thou bearest record of thyself.' Thou art a witness for thyself, or in thy own case. See ch. v. 31. The law required two witnesses in a criminal case, and they alleged that as the only evidence which Jesus had was his own assertion, it could not be entitled to belief. Is not true.' Is not worthy of belief.

14 Jesus answered and said unto them, Though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true; for I know whence I came, and whither I go; but ye cannot tell whence I come, and whither I go.

'Jesus answered,' &c. To this objection Jesus replied by saying, first, that the case was such, that his testimony alone ought to be received, and secondly, that he had the evidence given him by his Father. My record.' My evidence, my testimony. For I know whence I came-but ye,' &c. As he came from heaven, as he knew his Father's will, as he had seen and known the eternal world, and the counsels of his Father, so his testimony was worthy of confidence. As they had not seen and known these things, they were not qualified to judge. An ambassador from a foreign court knows and is competent to testify of the will and purposes of the sovereign who sent him. The court to which he is sent has no way of judging, but by his testimony, and he is therefore competent to bear witness in the case. All that can be demanded is. that he give his credentials that he

is appointed; and this Jesus had done both by the nature of his doctrine and his miracles.

15 Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man.

'After the flesh. According to appearance; according to your carnal and corrupt mode; not according to the spiritual nature of the doctrines. 'I judge no man.' Jesus came not to condemn the world, ch. iii. 17. They were in the habit of judging rashly and harshly of all. But this was not the purpose or disposition of Jesus. This expression is to be understood as meaning that he judged no one after their manner.

16 And yet if I judge, my judgment is true: for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me.

And yet if I judge.' He was not limited, or forbidden to do it, nor restrained by any fear that his judgment would be erroneous. 'My judgment is true.' Is worthy to be regarded. 6 For I am not alone.' I concur with the Father who hath sent me. He came to do his Father's will; he was commissioned by him, and his judgment would coincide with all that God had purposed or revealed.

17 It is also written in your law, that the testimony of two men is true.

'In your law.' Deut. xvii. 6; xix. 15. Compare Matt. xviii. 16. This related to cases in which the life of an individual was involved. Jesus says, that if in such a case the testimony of two men were sufficient to establish a fact, his own testimony, and that of his Father, ought to be esteemed ample evidence in the case of religious doctrine. Two men.' If two men could confirm a case, the evidence of Jesus and of God ought not to be deemed insufficient. Is true.' In Deuteronomy 'established.' This means the same thing.

18 I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me.

'I am one that bear witness of myself.' In human courts a man is not allowed to bear witness of himself, because he would be biassed. But in the case of Jesus it was otherwise. When one has no party ends to serve; when he is willing to deny himself; when he makes great sacrifices, and when by his life he gives every evidence of sincerity, his own testimony may be admitted as evidence of his motives and designs. In an argument on moral subjects, about the will and purpose of him who sent him, it would not be right to reject the testimony of one who gave so many proofs that he came from God. 'The Father -beareth witness of me.' By the voice from heaven at his baptism, and by the miracles which Jesus wrought, as well as by the prophecies of the Old Testament.

19 Then said they unto him. Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, Ye neither know me, nor my Father: ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also.

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'Where is thy Father? This question was doubtless asked in derision. Jesus had often given them to understand that by his Father he meant God, ch. v. vi. 'If ye had known me,' &c. If you had listened to my instructions, and had received me as the Messiah, you would also at the same time have been acquainted with God. Jesus gave no heed to their cavi; he was not irritated by their contempt; he preserved his dignity, and gave them an answer worthy of the Son of God. We should meet the cavils and sneers of sinners in the same manner. We should not render railing for railing, but in meekness instruct those that oppose themselves, if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth, 2 Tim. ii. 25.

20. These words spake Jesus in the treasury, as he taught in the temple: and no man laid hands on him, for his hour was not yet come.

'The treasury.' See note, Matt. xix. 12. His hour was not yet come.' The time for him to die had not yet arrived, and God restrained them, and kept his lite

21 Then said Jesus again unto them, I go my way, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins: whither I go ye cannot come.

I go my way.' See note, ch. vii. 33. Ye shall die in your sins. That is, you will seek the Messiah; you will desire his coming; but the Messiah that you expect will not come, and as you have rejected me, the true Messiah, and there is no other Saviour, you must die in your sins. All those who reject the Lord Jesus must die unforgiven. They must perish. Where God is, they cannot come. Where he is, is heaven. Where he is not, with his favour and mercy, there is hell; and the sinner that has no Saviour must be wretched for ever.

22 Then said the Jews, Will he kill himself? because he saith, Whither I go, ye cannot come.

'Will he kill himself?" Self-murder was esteemed then, as it is now, one of the greatest crimes; and it is not improbable that they asked this question with mingled hatred and contempt. 'He is a deceiver; he has broken the law of Moses; he is mad; and it is probable he will go and kill himself.' If this was their meaning, we see the wonderful patience of Jesus in enduring the contradiction of sinners.

23 And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I

am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world.

'Ye are from beneath.' It means you are of the earth, or are influenced by earthly, sensual, and corrupt passions, such as are opposed to heaven, and have their origin in earth or in hell. I am from above. From heaven. My views are heavenly, and my words should have been so interpreted. 'Ye are of this world.' You think and act like the corrupt men of this world. "I am not of this world.' My views are above their earthly and corrupt notions. You are governed by the mad passions of men, and can think only of these. We see here how difficult it is to excite carnal men to the contemplation of heavenly things. They interpret all things in a low and corrupt sense, and suppose all others to be governed by motives like their own.

24 I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.

"That I am he.' That I am the Messiah.

25 Then said they unto him, Who art thou? And Jesus saith unto them, Even the same that I said unto you from the beginning.

'Who art thou?" As Jesus did not expressly say in the previous verse that he was the Messiah, they professed still not to understand him. In great contempt, therefore, they asked him who he was? As if they had said, 'Who art thou that undertakest to threaten us in this manner?" We cannot but admire the patience with which all this was borne, and the calmness with which Christ answered them. 'Even the same,' &c. What he had professed to them was, that he was the light of the world, ver. 12; that he was the bread that came down from heaven; that he was sent by his Father, &c. From all this they might easily gather that he claimed to be the Messiah. The beginning." From his first discourse with them, or uniformly from the first.

26 I have many things to say and to judge of you: but he that sent me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of him.

'I have many things to say.' There are many things which I might say, to reprove and expose your pride and hypocrisy. And to judge of you. To reprove in you. There are many things in you which I might condemn. But He that sent me is true.' The meaning of this verse may be thus expressed, 'I have indeed many things to say blaming or condemning you. have already said many such things, and there are many more that I might say. But I speak only those things which God has

commanded. I speak not of myself. Let it not be thought, therefore, that my judgment is rash or harsh; it is such as is commanded by God.'

27 They understood not that he spake to them of the Father.

They doubtless understood that he meant to speak of God, but they were unwilling to acknowledge that he really came from God. 28 Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.

'When ye have lifted up.' When you have crucified. See note, ch. iii. 14; also ch. xii. 32. The Son of man.' See note, Matt. viii. 19, 20. 'Then shall ye know.' Then shall you have evidence or proof. 'That I am he.' Am the Messiah, whom I have professed to be. 'And that I do nothing of myself.' That is, you shall have proof that God has sent me. This proof was furnished by the miracles that attended the death of Jesus, and chiefly by his resurrection from the dead.

29 And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.

'Is with me.' In working miracles, &c. Those things that please him.' See Matt. iii. 17. Phil. ii. 8. Isa. liii. 10-12. 2 Pet. i. 17. Luke iii. 22. Matt. xvii. 5. His undertaking the work of redemption was pleasing to God, and he had the consciousness that in executing it he did those things which God approved. It is a small matter to have men opposed to us, if we have God in our favour. Compare Heb. xi. 5.

30 As he spake these words, many believed on him. 'Many believed on him.' Such was the convincing nature and force of the truths which he presented, that they believed that he was the Messiah, and received his doctrine, while many became more obstinate and hardened under it. The same sun that hardens the clay, softens the wax.'-Clarke.

31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;

'If ye continue in my word.' If you continue to obey my commandments, and receive my doctrines. Then are ye,' &c. This is the true test of christian character, John xiv. 21. See 1 John ii. 4; iii. 24. 2 John 6. Jesus cautions them against too much confidence. They were just converted, converted under a