ciated, (as Gen. xxiv. 27. 49.] observes, "that though God had manifested many instances of favour and faithfulness in the Old Testament; yet that in his Son were laid up all the treasures of them for the salvation of the human race." And the apostle Paul has shewn, that both before the law, and during the time it was in force, certain evangelical principles had been recognised, unknown to the law. Rom. iv. 5—9.

The word full, in the last clause, signifies the unusual superabundant measure, the unlimited degree, of the qualities or characteristics specified. This meaning of the word is very common. See Act. ix. 36. "This woman was FULL of good works and almsdeeds which she did." See also Act. vi. 3. 1 Chron. xxiii. 1. The plenitude of divine qualifications, with which the great instrument of salvation was invested, was commensurate to the magnitude of the undertaking to be accomplished. Accordingly, we are told, that "God gave not the spirit by measure unto him”—with the addition of the following explanation" The Father loveth the Son, and has given all things into his hand." Joh. iii. 34. 35. Similar also is the import of Paul's language: "In whom [i. e. Christ] are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.........For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily." Col. ii. 3. 9.

I

VERSE THE FIFTEENTH.

John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after mep is preferred before me,¶ for he was before me.r

n At his baptism John witnessed in the most public manner. • This is the person whose divine mission I predicted, before I saw him.

P He who shortly followeth me. a Has obtained a higher rank than I.

r For his character was greatly superior to mine.

COMMENTARY.

"John bare witness of him, and cried, saying."-The evangelist here anticipates the testimony of the baptist, by giving a brief part of it; but in the subsequent historical account it is more fully exhibited, v. 19—28. This verse is to be regarded as a parenthetical sentence, the beginning of the next verse being evidently connected with the end of the last; and it is not easy to assign a satisfactory reason for introducing it here, except it be in confirmation of what was just said of the glory, grace and truth belonging to the character of "the only-begotten Son": or, perhaps, it may be for more distinctly identifying "the word become flesh" with the Son of God-the Messiah-to whom John gave a specific attestation, as he had been divinely commissioned.

The word "cried" imports that John gave his testimony in a public and explicit manner. This, indeed, was essential to his office as the Forerunner of the Messiah. The same mode of speaking is used by Paul of the prophet Isaiah: Rom ix. 27. "Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, &c." And the phraseology is illustrated by a subsequent passage in the same epistle,

(x. 20. 21.) "But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not, &c.........But to Israel he saith, I have stretched forth my hands, &c."

"This was he of whom I spake, &c."-To me this appears an irreverent way of speaking of the assumed "filial Godhead"; and it is a mode which I do not believe the baptist would have adopted, if he had known and believed Jesus to be the "very God." And surely it is very unlikely, if the Trinity were at all times a fundamental article of religion, and if that person to whom he bore witness were an essential element or portion of the Trinity, that John should say repeatedly that "he knew him not." See v. 31. 33. *

"He that cometh after me."-John said this, as being the immediate forerunner of Christ, according to the prophecy of Malachi : (iii. 1.) "Behold, I will send my Messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord [adun] whom ye seek shall suddenly come to his temple, even the angel [messenger] of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD [Jehovah]† of hosts." Paul, in speaking of the same subject, simply expresses himself, like the evangelist, without the remotest allusion to other notions since associated. Act. xix. 4. "John verily

* A single incidental inference like the above may not appear to have much weight; but in the perusal of the New Testament, remarks of this kind accumulate to an almost incredible number.

†The reader will take notice, that the LORD, Jehovah, is here manifestly distinguished from the Lord, adun, (Lord in a subordinate sense,) who was to be the angel, or messenger, of the covenant.

baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ."

"For he is preferred before me."-These words plainly import the higher character of the divine commission and destination of Christ. If there could be any doubt entertained on this head, we might refer to passages where the same meaning is expressed in different words, and which preclude all misapprehension. See v. 27. of this ch. "He it is, who coming after me, is preferred before me, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose." iii. 30. "He must increase, but I must decrease." Mark i. 7. "There cometh one mightier than I after me."

"For he was my superior": [Пgwros μov nv]—The literal meaning of gwros is first or foremost; but it is also frequently used concerning superiority of rank, office or character. Its connection here, as we must infer from the purport of the last paragraph, proves that it ought to be understood in the latter sense. If it was simply meant to be said, that Jesus was before John, it would be literally contrary to what was said before— "He that cometh after me." Nor does priority of existence necessarily import precedence of rank or office ;the notion here meant to be asserted. It is not therefore the meaning of the evangelist that Jesus existed before John in relation to time, but in regard to his destination to a higher rank and dignity :-" while I decrease, he must increase." This interpretation may be confirmed by ample proof.

See Mark x. 31. "And many first [gwro] shall be last,* and last first." v. 43. 44. "But whosoever will be great (μɛyas) among you, shall be your minister [diaxovos, servant;] and whosoever of you will be the chiefest [gros, first,] shall be the servant of all." Mark ix. 34. 35. "For by the way they had disputed among themselves who should be the greatest [μsiv.] And he sat down, and called the twelve and saith unto them, 'If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and the servant of all.'" In the parallel passage in Luke (iii, 16.) the expression is free from all ambiguity: "I indeed baptize you with water, but one mightier [16xUgoregos] than I cometh. By a similar analogy, younger is put for inferior or least: Luke xxii. 26. "But he that is greatest [iv] among you, let him be as the younger." In the Acts (xvii. 4.) yuvaıxwv Twv TgWTW is correctly translated in the common version" of the chief women." On Rom. i. 16., where πρωτον is used adverbially, Chrysostom observes, ταξεως εστι το πρώτος : that is, the word πρωτος means the precedence of order. 1 Tim. i. 15.-" That Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief [gwros.]"+ Luke xix. 47. "But the chief priests and the scribes, and the chief of the people sought to destroy him." The high-or chief-priest is called isgeus & πgwros,

* The meaning of the word saxaros, last, is regulated by the same analogy with gwros: so that the sentiment is-Many higher shall become lower, and many lower shall be advanced higher. Ignatius, in the ep. to the Trallians, сар. xiii. says, "Of which I am not worthy to be mentioned, being the last of all of them." [εoxαTOS TAVTWV.] + In the next verse, ev εμoi πgwrw, should not have been translated "in me first," but "in me the chief of sinners."