The chief priests and Pharisees CHAP. XI.

counsel against him.

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47 Then gathered the A. M. 4033. chief priests and the Pharisees An. Olymp. a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles.

48 If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation.

49 And one of them, named "Caiaphas, being the high priest that same

e Chap. 12. 19. Acts 4. 16.-d Luke 3. 2. Chap. 18. 14. Acts 4. 6.

Annas and his son-in-law Caiaphas, who were the high priests here mentioned. See chap. xviii. 13, 24.

What do we?] This last miracle was so clear, plain, and incontestable, that they were driven now to their wit's end. Their own spies had come and borne testimony of it. They told them what they had seen, and on their word, as being in league with themselves against Jesus, they could confidently rely.

limbs were not swathed together, as is the constant case with those who are embalmed, but separately; so that he could come out of the tomb at the command of Christ, though he could not walk freely, till the rollers were taken away. But some will have it that he was swathed exactly like a mummy, and that his coming out in that state was another miracle. But there is no need of multiplying miracles in this case: there was one wrought which was a most Sovereign proof of the unlimited power and Verse 48. All men will believe on him] If we goodness of God. Several of the primitive permit him to work but a few more miracles fathers have adduced this resurrection of Laza-like these two last, (the cure of the blind man, rus as the model, type, proof, and pledge of the general resurrection of the dead.

Loose him, and let him go.] He would have ,the disciples and those who were at hand take part in this business, that the fullest conviction might rest on every person's mind concerning the reality of what was wrought. He whom the grace of Christ converts and restores to life, comes forth at his call, from the dark dismal grave of sin, in which his soul has long been buried; he walks, according to the command of Christ, in newness of life; and gives, by the holiness of his conduct, the fullest proof to all his acquaintance that he is alive from the dead.

Verse 45. Many of the Jews-believed on him.] They saw that the miracle was incontestable; and they were determined to resist the truth no longer. Their friendly visit to these distressed sisters, became the means of their conversion. How true is the saying of the wise man, It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to the house of feasting, Eccl. vii. 2. God never permits men to do any thing, through a principle of kindness to others, without making it instrumental of good to themselves. He that watereth shall be watered also himself, Prov. xi. 25. Therefore, let no man withhold good, while it is in the power of his hand to do it. Prov. iii. 27.

Verse 46. But some of them went their ways] Astonishing! some that had seen even this miracle, steeled their hearts against it; and not only so, but conspired the destruction of this most humane, amiable, and glorious Saviour! Those who obstinately resist the truth of God, are capable of every thing that is base, perfidious, and cruel.

Verse 47. Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council] The Pharisees, as such, had no power to assemble councils; and therefore only those are meant who were scribes or elders of the people, in conjunction with

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and the resurrection of Lazarus) he will be universally acknowledged for the Messiah; the people will proclaim him king, and the Romans, who can suffer no government here but their own, will be so irritated, that they will send their armies against us, destroy our temple, and utterly dissolve our civil and ecclesiastical existence. Thus, under the pretence of the public good, these men of blood hide their hatred against Christ, and resolve to put him to death. To get the people on their side, they must give the alarm of destruction to the nation; if this man be permitted to live, we shall be all destroyed! their former weapons will not now avail. On the subject of keeping the sabbath, they had been already confounded, and his last miracles were so incontestable, that they could no longer cry out, He is a deceiver.

Both our place and nation.] Literally this place, TOV TOTOV but that the temple only is understood, is clear from Acts vi. 13, 14. 2 Macc. i. 14. ii. 18. iii. 18. v. 16, 17. x. 7. where it is uniformly called the place, or the holy place, because they considered it the most glorious and excellent place in the world. When men act in opposition to God's counsel, the very evils which they expect thereby to avoid, will come upon them. They said, If we do not put Jesus to death, the Romans will destroy both our temple and nation. Now it was because they put him to death, that the Romans burnt and razed their temple to the ground, and put a final period to their political existence. See Matt. xxii. 7. and the notes on chap. xxiv.

Verse 49. Caiaphas being the high priest that same year] By the law of Moses, Exod. xl. 15. the office of high priest was for life, and the son of Aaron's race always succeeded his father. But at this time the high priesthood was almost annual: the Romans and Herod put down and raised up whom they pleased, and when they pleased, without attending to any other rule than merely that the person put in this office

ST. JOHN.

Christ's death. A. M. 4033. year, said unto them, Ye || but being high priest that year, A. M. 4033. An. Olymp. know nothing at all, he prophesied that Jesus should An. Olymp. die for that nation;

Children of God that were scattered abroad.] Probably John only meant the Jews who were dispersed among all nations since the conquest of Judea by the Romans; and these are called the dispersed: chap. vii. 35. and James i. 1. and it is because he refers to these only, that he terms them here the children of God, which was an ancient character of the Jewish people: see Deut. xxxii. 5. Isai. xliii. 6. xlv. II. Jer. xxxii. 1. Taking his words in this sense, then his meaning is this-that Christ was to die, not only for the then inhabitants of Judea, but for all the Jewish race wheresoever scattered; and that the consequence would be, that they should be all collected from their various dispersions, and made one body. This comports with the predictions of St. Paul: Rom. xi. 1–32. This probably is the sense of the passage; and though, Which victim, the poet informs us, was Palinu-according to this interpretation, the apostle may

Christ retires to Ephraim ;

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CHAP. XI.

53 Then from that day | An. Olymp. forth they took counsel togeCCII. 1. ther for to put him to death. 54 Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews; but went thence unto a country near to the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim, and there continued with his disciples. 55 ¶ And the Jews' passover was nigh at hand and many went out of the country up to Jerusalem before the

h Ch. 4. 1, 3. & 7. 1.-i See 2 Chron. 13. 19.-k Matt. 26. 17. Mark 14. 12. Luke 22. 1. Ch. 2. 13. & 5. 1. & 6. 4.

seem to confine the benefits of Christ's death to the Jewish people only, yet we find, from the passage already quoted from his first epistle, that his views of this subject were afterward very much extended; and that he saw, that Jesus Christ was not only a propitiation for their sins, (the Jews) but for the sins of the whole world: see his first Epistle, chap. ii. ver. All the truths of the Gospel were not revealed at once, even to the apostles themselves.

2.

Verse 53. They took counsel together] ZuveBouxUGATO, they were of one accord in the business; and had fully made up their minds on the subject; and they waited only for a proper opportunity to put him to death.

Verse 54. Walked no more openly] Пagenoia, he did not go as before through the cities and villages, teaching, preaching, and healing the sick.

Near to the wilderness] Some MSS. add, of Samphourein, or Samphourim, or Sapfurim.

A city called Ephraim] Variously written in the MSS. Ephraim, Ephrem, Ephram, and Ephratha. This was a little village, situated in the neighbourhood of Bethel; for the Scripture, 2 Chron. xiii. 19. and Josephus, War, b. iv. c. 8. s. 9. join them both together. Many believe that this city or village was the same with that mentioned, 1 Macc. v. 46. 2 Macc. xii. 27. Joshua gave it to the tribe of Judah : Josh. xv. 9. and Eusebius and Jerom say it was about twenty miles north of Jerusalem.

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the Jews seek him.

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passover to purify themselves. A. M. 4033.
56 Then sought they for An. Olymp.
Jesus, and spake among them-
selves, as they stood in the temple,
What think ye, "that he will not come
to the feast?

57 Now both the chief priests and the
Pharisees" had given a commandment,
that, if any man knew were he were,
he should show it, that they might take
him.

1 Chap. 11. 7.-m Chap. 7. 11.-n Isaiah 1. 15. Rom. 3. 15.
2 Tim. 4. 3.

scribed in the law. Many of the country people, in the time of Hezekiah, committed a trespass 19. Those mentioned in the text wished to by not attending to this: see 2 Chron. xxx. 18, avoid this inconvenience.

Verse 56. Then sought they for Jesus] Probably those of Ephraim, in whose company Christ is supposed to have departed for the feast, but having staid behind, perhaps at Jericho, or its vicinity, the others had not missed him till they came to the temple, and then inquired among each other whether he would not attend the feast. Or, the persons mentioned in the text might have been the agents of the high priest, &c. and hearing that Christ had been at Ephraim, came and inquired among the people that came from that quarter, whether Jesus would not attend the festival, knowing that he was punctual in his attendance on all the Jewish solemnities.

Verse 57. Had given a commandment] Had given order; evrov, positive order, or injunction, and perhaps with a grievous penalty, that no one should keep the place of his residence a secret. This was their hour, and the power of darkness; and now they are fully determined to take away his life. The order here spoken of was given in consequence of the determination of the council, mentioned ver. 48-53.

CHRIST'S Sympathy and tenderness, one of the principal subjects in this chapter, has already been particularly noted on ver. 33. His eternal power and godhead are sufficiently manifested in the resurrection of Lazarus.

And there continued] Calmet says, following Toynard, that he staid there two months, from the twenty-fourth of January till the twenty-The whole chapter abounds with great and fourth of March.

important truths, delivered in_language_the most impressive and edifying. In the whole of our Lord's conduct in the affair of Lazarus and his sisters, we find majesty, humanity, friendship, and sublime devotion, blended in the most intimate manner, and illustrating each other by their respective splendour and excellence. In every act, in every word, we see God manifested in the FLESH-Man in all the amiableness and charities of his nature; GoD in the plenitude of his power and goodness. How sublime is the lesson of instruction conveyed by the words Jesus wept! the heart that feels them not, must be in the gall of bitterness, and bond of iniquity, and consequently lost to every

Verse 55. The Jews' passover was nigh at hand] It is not necessary to suppose that this verse has any particular connexion with the preceding. Most chronologists agree that our Lord spent at least two months in Ephraim. This was the last passover which our Lord attended; and it was at this one that he suffered death for the salvation of a lost world. As the passover was nigh, many of the inhabitants of Ephraim and its neighbourhood, went up to Jerusalem, some time (perhaps seven or eight days, for so much time was required to purify those who had touched the dead) before the feast, that they might purify themselves; and not eat the passover otherwise than pre-generous feeling.

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Christ is anointed by Mary;

ST. JOHN.

Judas murmurs at ul.

CHAPTER XII.

Jesus sups in the house of Lazarus, and Mary anoints his feet, 1-3. Judas Iscariot finds fault, and reproves her, 4-6. Jesus vindicates Mary, and reproves Judas, 7, 8. The chief priests consult to put Lazarus to death, because that through him many believed on Jesus, 9-11. He enters Jerusalem in triumph: the people meet him, and the Pharisees are troubled, 12-19. Greeks inquire after Jesus, 20-22. Our Lord's discourse on the subject, 23-26. Speaks of his passion, and is answered by a voice from heaven, 27, 28. The people are astonished at the voice, and Jesus explains it to them, and foretells his death, 29-33. They question him concerning the perpetuity of the Messiah, and he instructs them, 34-36. Many believe not; and in them the saying of Isaiah is fulfilled, 37-41. Some of the chief rulers believe, but are afraid to con fess him, 42, 43. He proclaims himself the light of the world, and shows the danger of rejecting his words, 44-50.

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HEN Jesus, six days be- || was filled with the odour of A M. 4033

THE

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to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead.

2 There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him.

a Ch. 11. 1, 43.-b Matthew 26. 6. Mark 14. 3. NOTES ON CHAPTER XII.

Verse 1. Six days before the passover] Reckoning the day of the passover to be the last of the six. Our Lord came on our sabbath, the first day of the Jewish week, to Bethany, where he supped; and on the next day he made his public entry into Jerusalem: ver. 12. Calmet thinks that this was about two months after the resurrection of Lazarus, on the 9th of Nisan, (March 29) in the thirty-sixth year of our Lord's age. It has been observed before, that Calmet adds three years to the common account.

Verse 3. Then took Mary a pound of ointment] See the note on Matt. xxvi. 7. see also Mark xiv. 3. It does not seem the most likely that this was the same transaction with that mentioned above. Some think that this was, notwithstanding that before is said to have been, at the house of Simon the leper. The arguments pro and con, are largely stated in the notes at the end of Matt. xxvi. to which I beg leave to refer the reader.

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4 Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, which should betray him,

5 Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?

6 This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.

7 Then said Jesus, Let her alone

Luke 10. 38, 39. Ch. 11. 2.-d Ch. 13. 29.

ix. c. iv. s. 5. speaking of the ten lepers that went into the Syrian camp, he says, finding the Syrians fled, They entered into the camp, and ate, and drank; and having STOLEN away (8αsagav) garments, and much gold, they hid them without the camp. See the objections to this translation answered by Kypke, and the translation itself vindicated. See also Pearce in loc. Wakefield, Toup. Em. ad. Suid. p. iii. p. 203. If stealing were not intended by the evangelist, the word itself must be considered as superfluous for when we are told that he had the bag, we need not be informed that he had what was in it. But the apostle says he was a thief; and because he was a thief, and had the common purse in his power, therefore he stole as much as he conveniently could, without subjecting himself to detection. And as he saw that the death of Christ was at hand, he wished to secure a provision for himself, before he left the company of the apostles. I see that several copies of the old Itala version understood the word in this sense, and therefore have translated the word by, auferebat, exportabal-look away, carried away. Jerom, who professed to mend this version, has in this place, (as well as in many others) marred it, by rendering asaCar, by portabat.

Verse 5. Three hundred pence] Or denarii: about 97. 13s. 9d. sterling; reckoning the denarius at 72d. One of my MSS. of the Vulgate, (a MS. of the 14th century) reads, cccc denarii. Verse 6. Not that HE cared for the poor] There should be a particular emphasis laid on the word he, as the evangelist studies to show the most determined detestation to his conduct. And bare what was put therein.] Or rather, as some eminent critics contend, And stole what was put in it. This seems the proper meaning of Basa; and in this sense it is used chap. xx. 15. If thou hast STOLEN him away-u ou •Ba52025 autor. In the same sense the word is used by Josephus, Ant. b. xii. c. v. s. 4. where, speaking of the pillage of the temple by Antiochus, he says, Ta oxun Tou Ou Basarai, He carried off, or STOLE, also the vessels of the Lord. See also Ant. b. viii. c. ii. s. 2. where the harlot Verse 7. Let her alone; against the day of says before Solomon, concerning her child, my burying hath she kept this.] Several MSS. Βαςάσασα δε τουμον εκ των γονάτων προς αυτήν and versions read thus : Αφες αυτήν, ένα με την μεταφέρει She STOLE away my child out of my ημέραν του ενταφιασμού μου, τηρηση Let her bosom, and removed it to herself. And ibid. b. || alone, THAT she may keep it to the day of my

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The γλωσσοκομον, which we translate bag, meant originally the little box or sheath, in which the tongues or reeds used for pipes were carried; and thus it is interpreted by Pollux in his Onomasticon; and this is agreeable to the etymology of the word. The Greek word is used in Hebrew letters by the Talmudists, to signify a purse, scrip, chest, coffer, &c. As our Lord and his disciples lived on charity, a bag or scrip was provided to carry those pious donations, by which they were supported. And Judas was steward and treasurer to this holy company.

Jesus enters Jerusalem; certain CHAP. XII. of the Greeks desire to see him.

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A. M. 4033. against the day of my bury-
An. Olymp. ing hath she kept this.
CCIL 1. 8 For the poor always ye
have with you; but me ye have not
always.

9 Much people of the Jews therefore knew that he was there: and they came not for Jesus' sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he had raised from the dead.

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10 But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death;

11 Because that by reason of him, many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus.

12 On the next day, much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem,

13 Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, * Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel, that cometh in the name of the Lord.

14 And Jesus when he had found a

e Matt. 26.11. Mark 14. 7.-f Ch. 11. 43, 44.- Luke 16. 31. Ch. 11. 45. Verse 18.- Matthew 21. 8. Mark 11. 8. Luke 19. 35, 36, &c.-k Psa. 118. 25, 26.

embalming. This is the reading of BDLQ. four others, Arabic, Coptic, Ethiopic, Armenian, latter Syriac in the margin, Slavonic, Vulgate, all the Itala but one; Nonnus, Ambrosius, Gaudentius, and Augustin. This reading, which has the approbation of Mill, Bengel, Griesbach, Pearce, and others, intimates, that only a part of the ointment was then used, and that the rest was kept till the time that the women came to embalm the body of Jesus: Luke xxiv. 1. See the notes on Matt. xxvi. 12, 13.

Verse 9. Much people of the Jews] John, who was a Galilean, often gives the title of Jews, to those who were inhabitants of Jerusalem.

Verse 10. Consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death] As long as he lived, they saw an incontestable proof of the divine power of Christ: therefore they wished to put him to death, because many of the Jews who came to see him through curiosity, became converts to Christ through his testimony. How blind were these men, not to perceive that he who had raised him after he had been dead four days, could raise him again, though they had slain him a thousand times!

Verse 12. On the next day] On what we call
Monday.

Verse 13. Took branches] See on Matt. xxi.
1, &c. and Mark xi. 1-6. where this transac-
tion is largely explained.

Verse 16. Then remembered they, &c.] After the ascension of Christ, the disciples saw the meaning of many prophecies which referred to Christ; and applied them to him, which they had not fully comprehended before. Indeed it VOL. 1. ( 37 )

young ass, sat thereon; as it A. M. 4033.
is written,

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15 Fear not, daughter of CCI.1. Sion: behold, thy King cometh, sitting on an ass's colt.

16 These things" understood not his disciples at the first: but when Jesus was glorified, P then remembered they that these things were written of him, and that they had done these things unto him.

17 The people therefore that was with him, when he called Lazarus out of his grave, and raised him from the dead, bare record.

18 For this cause the people also met him, for that they heard that he had done this miracle.

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19 The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, Perceive ye how ye prevail nothing? behold, the world after him. is gone

20 ¶ And there were certain Greeks among them," that came up to worship at the feast:

21 The same came therefore to Philip,

1 Matthew 21. 7.-m Zech. 9. 9.-n Luke 18. 34.-0 Ch. 7. 39.-p Chap. 14. 26.-r Verse 11.- Chap. 11. 47, 48.- Acts Acts 8. 27. 17. 4. u 1 Kings 8. 41, 42.

is only in the light of the New Covenant, that the Old is to be fully understood.

Verse 17. When he called] It appears that these people who had seen him raise Lazarus from the dead, were publishing abroad the miracle, which increased the popularity of Christ, and the envy of the Pharisees.

Verse 19. Ye prevail nothing] Either by your threatenings or excommunications.

The world is gone after him.] The whole mass of the people are becoming his disciples. This is a very common forin of expression among the Jews; and simply answers to the French, tout le monde, and to the English every body; the bulk of the people. Many MSS. versions, and fathers, add ones, the WHOLE world. As our Lord's converts were rapidly increasing; the Pharisees thought it necessary to execute without delay, what they had purposed at their first council. See chap. xi. 35.

Verse 20. Certain Greeks] There are three opinions concerning these. 1. That they were proselytes, of the gale or covenant, who came up to worship the true God at this feast. 2. That they were real Jews, who lived in Grecian provinces, and spoke the Greek language. 3. That they were mere Gentiles, who never knew the true God; and hearing of the fame of the temple, or the miracles of our Lord, came to offer sacrifices to Jehovah, and to worship him according to the manner of the people of that land. This was not an unfrequent case: many of the Gentiles, Romans, and others, were in the habit of sending sacrifices to the temple at Jerusalem. Of these opinions the reader may choose, but the first seems best founded.

Verse 21. The same came therefore to Philip]

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