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provide a way the most attractive that can be presented to all men.

34 The people answered him, We have heard out of the law that Christ abideth for ever: and how sayest thou, The Son of man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of man?

'Out of the law.' Out of the Old Testament. 'That Christ.' That the Messiah. 'Abideth for ever." Will remain for ever, or will live for ever. The doctrine of many of them certainly was that the Messiah would not die: that he would reign as a prince for ever over the people. This opinion was founded on such passages of scripture as these: Ps. cx. 4. Dan. ii. 44; vii. 13, 14. Nor did they understand how the fact that he should reign for ever, could be reconciled with the idea of his death. "How sayest thou,' &c. We have understood by the Son of man, the same as the Messiah, and that he is to reign for ever. How can he be put to death? Who is this Son of man?" The Son of man we understand to be the Messiah spoken of by Daniel, who is to reign for ever. To him, therefore, you cannot refer when you say that he must be lifted up, or must die.

35 Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.

"The light with you.' He tells them, that they ought to improve the opportunity while they had it, to listen to his instructions, to inquire with candour, and thus to forsake their false notions respecting the Messiah. "The light,' ch. i. 4. It is probable that they understood this as denoting the Messiah. See ch. viii. 12; ix. 4. 'Walk,' &c., ch. xi. 9. Whatever you have to do, do it while you enjoy this light. Make good use of your privileges before they are removed. 'Lest darkness.' Lest God should take away all your mercies: remove all light and instruction from you, and leave you to ignorance, blindness, and wo. God leaves a sinner to darkness and misery when he has long rejected the gospel. For he,' &c. See ch. xi. 10.

36 While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them.

'Believe in the light.' That is, in the Messiah, who is the Light of the world. 'That ye may be children,' &c. That ye may be the friends and followers of the Messiah. Note, Matt. i. 1. See John viii. 12. Eph. v. 8. Did hide himself from them,' ch. viii. 59.

He went out to Bethany, where he commonly passed the night, Luke xxi. 37.

37 But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him :

'So many miracles.' This refers to all his miracles wrought in view of the nation, in healing the sick, opening the eyes of the blind, raising the dead, &c. Though Jesus had given the most undeniable proof of his being the Messiah, yet the nation did not believe on him. 'Before them.' Before the Jewish nation. They believed not.' The Jewish nation did not believe as a nation, but rejected him.

38 That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed?

'The saying. The word of Isaiah, or that which Isaiah said. This occurs in Isaiah liii. 1. Might be fulfilled. This does not mean that the pharisees rejected Christ in order that the prophecy of Isaiah should be fulfilled, but that by their rejection of him it was fulfilled. His message was despised by the nation, and he himself put to death. In this way it was completely fulfilled. Our report. Our speech, our message. That is, few or none have received the message. The arm of the Lord.' The arm is a symbol of power, as it is the instrument by which we execute our purposes. It is put for the power of God, Isa. li. 9; lii. 10. In this place, it clearly denotes the power displayed by the miracles of Christ. 'Revealed.' Made known, seen, understood. Though the power of God was displayed, yet the people did not see and understand it.

39 Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again,

'They could not.' See Mark vi. 5. The words can and could are often used in the Bible to denote the existence of such obstacles as make a result certain, or to affirm that while one thing exists, another thing cannot follow. Thus, John v. 44, "How can ye believe who receive honour one of another," &c. That is, while this propensity to seek for honour exists, it wil. effectually prevent your believing. Thus, Gen. xxxvii. 4, the brethren of Joseph "could not speak peaceably with him." That is, while their hatred continued so strong, the other result would follow. See also Matt. xii. 34. Rom. viii. 7. John vi. 60. Amos iii. 3. In this case it means that there was some obstacle, or difficulty that made it certain that while it existed, they would a r

believe. What that was, is stated in the next verse, and while that blindness of mind, and that hardness of heart existed, it was impossible that they should believe, for the two things were incompatible. But this determines nothing about their power of removing that blindness, or of yielding their heart to the gospel. It simply affirms that while one exists the other cannot follow. Augustine says on this place, "If I be asked why they could not believe? I answer without hesitation, because they would not: because God foresaw their evil will, and he announced it beforehand by the prophet." Said again.' See Isa. vi. 9, 10.

40 He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.

'He hath blinded their eyes.' God knew that this would be the result; it was to be the effect of the message. It is this effect, or result, to which the evangelist refers in this place. He states that God did it; that is, he did it in the manner mentioned in Isaiah, for we are limited to that in our interpretation of the passage. In that case it is clear that the mode specified is not a direct agency on the part of God in blinding the mind-which we cannot reconcile with any just notions of the Divine character -but suffering the truth to produce a regular effect on sinful minds, without putting forth any positive supernatural influence ⚫ to prevent it. The effect of truth on such minds is to irritate, to enrage, and to harden, unless counteracted by the grace of God. See Rom. vii. 8, 9, 11. 2 Cor. ii. 15, 16. And as God knew this, and knowing it, still sent the message, and suffered it to produce the regular effect, the evangelist says, "He hath blinded their minds," &c., thus retaining the substance of the passage in Isaiah without quoting the precise language. That they should not see,' &c. This does not mean that it was the design of God, but that this was the effect of their rejecting the message. See note on Matt. xiii. 14, 15.

41 These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him.

'When he saw his glory,' Isa. vi. 1-10. Isaiah saw the Lord (in Hebrew, Jehovah) sitting on a throne, and surrounded with the seraphim. By his 'glory' is meant the visible manifestation of him, the shechinah, or visible cloud that was a representation of God, and that rested over the mercy-seat. This was regarded as equivalent to seeing the Lord. And John here expressly applies this to the Lord Jesus Christ. John affirms that it was the glory of the Messiah that Isaiah saw, and yet Isaiah affirms that it was Jehovah. And from this, the inference is irresistible that John

regarded Jesus as the Jehovah whom Isaiah saw.

The name Jehovah is never in the scriptures applied to man, or angel, or to any creature. It is a peculiar incommunicable name of God. This passage is, therefore, conclusive proof that Christ is equal with the Father. 'Spake of him.' Of the Messiah. The con

nexion requires this interpretation.

42 Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue:

'The chief rulers.' Some of the members of the sanhedrim. 'Because of the pharisees.' The pharisees were a majority of the counci!. Put out of the synagogue.' Excommunicated. See note, ch. ix. 22.

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43 For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.

"The praise of men.' The approbation of men. They had that kind of faith which is so common among men a speculative acknowledgment that religion is true, but an acknowledgment which leads to no self-denial, which shrinks from the active duties of piety, and fears man more than God. Nevertheless, it was no unimportant proof that Jesus was the Messiah, that any part of the great council of the Jews were even speculatively convinced of it. And it shows that the evidence could not have been slight when it constrained them to admit that the lowly and poor man of Nazareth was the long-expected Messiah of their nation. 'Did not confess him.' Did not openly avow their belief that he was the Messiah.

44

Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me.

'Jesus cried, and said.' Jesus saw their unbelief, and proceeded to state the consequence of believing on him, and of rejecting him and his message. 'Believeth not on me.' That is, not on me alone, or his faith does not terminate on me. Compare Matt. x. 20. Mark ix. 37. Jesus uniformly represents the union between himself and God as so intimate that there could not be faith in him unless there was also faith in God. See ch. v. 17, 20, 36; x. 25, 37; viii. 38.

45 And he that seeth me seeth him that sent me. This verse is a strong confirmation of his Of no man could it be affirmed that he who And yet Jesus spoke of himself in this mancourse, and it shows that he had a conscious

'Seeth me,' &c. equality with God. saw him, saw God. ner as a matter of

ness that he was Divine, and that it was the natural and proper way of speaking. Compare ch. v. 17.

46 I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.

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A light into the world,' ch. viii. 12; i. 9; iii. 19. 'Abide in darkness.' In gross and dangerous errors. Darkness is put for error, as well as for sin, ch. iii. 19. 1 John i. 5.

47 And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.

'I judge him not,' &c., ch. viii. 15. This was not his present purpose, to condemn men. He would come to condemn the guilty at a future time. At present he came to save them.

48 He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.

'He that rejecteth me,' Luke x. 16. The word' rejecteth' means despiseth, or refuseth to receive me. 'Hath one.' That is, he needs not my voice or me to condemn him. He will carry his own condemnation with him, even should I be silent. His own conscience will condemn him. And the words which I have spoken will be remembered, and will condemn him, if there were nothing further. The conscience of the sinner will concur with the sentence of Christ in the great day, and he will go to eternity self-condemned. It is this which will make the pains of hell so intolerable. By the word that Christ has spoken, the doctrines of his gospel, and the messages of mercy, the sinner shall be judged. Every man will be judged by that message, and every man will be condemned according to the frequency and clearness with which the rejected message has been presented to his mind, Matt. xii. 41.

49 For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.

'Of myself,' ch. vii. 16-18.

50 And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak.

'Is life everlasting.' Is the cause or source of everlasting life. He that obeys the commandment of God shall obtain everlasting life; and this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his only begotten Son, 1 John iii. 23. We see here the

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