Some suppose that these Gentiles were of Phonicia or Syria; or perhaps inhabitants of Decapolis, near to the lake of Gennesareth and Bethsaida: and therefore they addressed themselves to Philip, who was of the latter city, and probably known to them. The latter Syriac calls them Arameans or Syrians. The Vulgate, and several copies of the Ilala, call them Gentiles. Sir, we would see Jesus.] We have heard much concerning him, and we wish to see the person of whom we have heard such strange things. The final salvation of the soul, often originates, under God, in a principle of simple curiosity. Many have only wished to see or hear a man, who speaks much of Jesus, his miracles, and his mercies; and in hearing, have felt the powers of the world to come, and have become genuine converts to the truths of the Gospel. Verse 22. Andrew and Philip tell Jesus.]|| How pleasing to God is this union, when the ministers of the Gospel agree and unite together to bring souls to Christ. But where self-love prevails, and the honour that comes from God is not sought, this union never exists. Bigotry often ruins every generous sentiment among the different denominations of the people of God. Verse 23. The hour is come, that the Son of man, &c.] The time is just at hand, in which the Gospel shall be preached to all nations, the middle wall of partition broken down, and Jews and Gentiles united in one fold. But this could not be till after his death and resurrection, as the succeeding verse teaches. The disciples were the first-fruits of the Jews; these Greeks, the first-fruits of the Gentiles. Verse 24. Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die] Our Lord compares himself to a grain of wheat; his death to a grain sown and decomposed in the ground; his resurrection to the blade which springs up from the dead grain: which grain thus dying, brings forth an abundance of fruit. I must die to be glorified; and unless I am glorified, I cannot establish a glorious church of Jews and Gentiles upon earth. In comparing himself thus to a grain of wheat, our Lord shows us, X the multiplication of gram.. A. D. 29. ССП. 1. of man should be glorified. A. M. 4033. 24 Verily, verily, I say unto An. Olymp. you, Except a corn of wheat cen fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. 25 He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world, shall keep it unto life eternal. y Matt. 10. 39. & 16. 25. Mark 8. 35. Luke 9. 24. & 17.33. 3. The mystery of his death, which we must credit, without being able fully to comprehend; as we believe the dead grain multiplies itself, and we are nourished by that multiplication, without being able to comprehend how it is done. The greatest philosopher that ever existed could not tell how one grain became thirty, sixty, a hundred, or a thousand-how it vegetated in the earth-how earth, air and water, its component parts, could assume such a form and consistence, emit such odours, or produce such tastes. Nor can the wisest man on earth tell how the bodies of animals are nourished by this produce of the ground; how wheat, for instance, is assimilated to the very nature of the bodies that receive it! and how it becomes flesh and blood, nerves, sinews, bones, &c. All we can say is, the thing is so: and it has pleased God that it should be so, and not otherwise. So there are many things in the person, death, and sacrifice of Christ, which we can neither explain nor comprehend. All we should say here is, It is by this means that the world was redeemed-through this sacrifice men are saved: it has pleased God that it should be so, and not otherwise. Some say "our Lord spoke this according to the philosophy of those days, which was by no means correct." But I would ask, bas ever a more correct philosophy on this point appeared? Is it not a physical truth, that the whole body of the grain dies, is converted into fine earth, which forms the first nourishment of the embryo plant, and prepares it to receive a grosser support from the surrounding soil; and that nothing lives but the germ, which was included in this body, and which must die also, if it did not receive from the death or putrefaction of the body of the grain, nourishment, so as to enable it to unfold itself? Though the body of our Lord died, there was still the germ, the quickening power of the divinity, which reanimated that body, and stamped the atonement with infinite merit. Thus the merit was multiplied, and through the death of that one person, the man Christ Jesus united to the eternal WORD, salvation was procured for the whole world. Never was a simile more appropriate, nor an illustration more happy or successful. 1. The cause of his death :-the order of God, who had rated the redemption of the world at Verse 25. He that loveth his life] See on. this price; as in nature he had attached the Matt. x. 39. Luke xiv, 26. I am about to give multiplication of the corn, to the death, or de-up my life for the salvation of men; but I shall composition of the grain. 2. The end of his death :-the redemption of a lost world; the justification, sanctification, and glorification of men: as the multiplication of the corn, is the end for which the grain is sown and dies. 578 speedily receive it back with everlasting 26 If any man serve me, let An. Olymp. him follow me; and where CCII. 1. I am, there shall also my servant be; if any man serve me, him will my Father honour. a 27 Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour. Ch. 14. 3. & 17. 24. 1 Thess. 4. 17.- Matt. 26. 38, 39. Luke Verse 26. If any man serve me] Christ is a master in a twofold sense; 1. To instruct men. 2. To employ and appoint then their work. He who wishes to serve Christ must become 1. His disciple or scholar, that he may be taught; 2. His servant, that he may be employed by To such a person a twoand obey his master. fold promise is given: 1. He shall be with Christ, in eternal fellowship with him; and 2. He shall be honoured by the Lord: he shall have an abundant recompense in glory; but how great, eye hath not seen, ear heard, nor bath it entered into the heart of man to conceive. Be How similar to this is the saying of Creeshna (an incarnation of the supreme God, according to the Hindoo theology) to his disciple Arjoon! "If one whose ways were ever so evil, serve me alone, he soon becometh of a virtuous spirit, is as respectable as the just man, and obtaineth eternal happiness.-Consider this world as a finite and joyless place, and serve me. of my mind, my servant, my adorer, and bow down before me.-Unite thy soul unto me, make me thy asylum, and thou shalt go unto me." And again: "I am extremely dear to the wise man, and he is dear to me-I esteem the wise man even as myself, because his devout spirit dependeth upon me alone as his ultimate resource." Bhagvat Gheeta, pp. 71 and 82. The rabbins have an extravagant saying, viz. "God is more concerned for the honour of the just man, than for his own." As a man, Verse 27. Now is my soul troubled] Our blessed Lord took upon him our weaknesses, that he might sanctify them to us. he was troubled at the prospect of a violent death. Nature abhors death: God has implanted that abhorrence in nature, that it might become a principle of self-preservation: and it is to this that we owe all that prudence and caution, by which we avoid danger. When we see Jesus working miracles which demonstrate his omnipotence, we should be led to conclude that he was not man were it not for such passages as these. The reader must ever remember that it was essentially necessary that he should be man; for without being such, he could not have died for the sin of the world. And what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour] Και τι είπω; Πατες σωσον με εκ της @gas voice from heaven. 28 Father, glorify thy A. M. 4033. name. C A. D. 29. a voice from heaven, saying, 29 The people therefore that stood 12. 50. Ch. 13. 21.-b Luke 22. 53. Ch. 18. 37.- Matt 3.17. stead of why or how.-The sense of our Lord's words is this: "When a man feels a fear of a sudden or violent death, it is natural to him to cry out, Father, save me from this death! for he hopes that the glory of God and his welfare, may be accomplished some other way, less dreadful to his nature: but why should I say so, seeing for this very purpose, that might die this violent death for the sins of mankind; I am come into the world, and have almost arrived at the hour of my crucifixion." Verse 28. Father, glorify thy name.] By the name of God is to be understood himself in all his attributes; his wisdom, truth, mercy, justice, holiness, &c. which were all more abundantly glorified by Christ's death and resurrection (i. e. shown forth in their own excellence) than they had ever been before. Christ teaches here a lesson of submission to Some the divine will. Do with me what thou wilt, so that glory may redound to thy name. MSS. read, Father, glorify my name: others, glorify thy Son. Then came there a voice from heaven, &c.] The following is a literal translation of Cal met's note on this passage, which he has taken from Chrysostom, Theodoret, Theophylact, and others: "I have accomplished my eternal designs on thee. I have sent thee into the world to make an atonement for the sin of the world, and to satisfy my offended justice. I Thou shalt shed thy will finish my work. blood upon the cross. My glory is interested in the consummation of thy sacrifice. But in procuring my own glory, I shall procure thine. Thy life and thy death glorify me: I have glorified thee by the miracles which have accompanied thy mission: and I will continue to glorify thee at thy death, by unexampled prodigies, and thy resurrection shall be the completion of thy glory and of thy elevation." Christ was glorified, 1st. By the prodigies which happened at his death. 2. In his resurrection. 3. In his ascension, and sitting at the right hand of God. 4. In the descent of the Holy Ghost on the apostles, and 5. In the astonishing success with which the Gospel was accompanied, and by which the kingdom of Christ has been established in the world. 2 Cor. ii. 14. Verse 29. The people-said that it thundered: others-an angel spake to him.] Bishop Pearce says, probably there was thunder as well as a voice, as in Exod. xix. 16, 17. and some perTRUTH which may be paraphrased thus: sons who were at a small distance, might hear And why should I say, Father, save me from this hour? when for this cause I am come to this the thunder without hearing the voice: while hour. The common version makes our bless- others heard the voice too: and these last said, "an angel hath spoken to him." ed Lord contradict himself here, by not attendWetstein supposes that the voice was in the ing to the proper punctuation of the passage, and by translating the particle 7, what, in-language then in use among the Jews: which 579 Christ shows the meaning A. M. 4033. ST. JOHN. 30 Jesus answered and An. Olymp. said, "This voice came not CCII. 1. because of me, but for your sakes. 31 Now is the judgment of this world: d Ch. 11. 42.-e Matthew 12. 29. Luke 10. 18. Chap. 14. 30. & 16. 11. Acts 26. 18. 2 Corinthians 4.4. Eph. the Greeks, not understanding, took for thunder; the others, the Jews, who did understand it, said it was the voice of an angel. In Rev. vi. 1. the voice of one of the living creatures is compared to thunder; and in chap. x. 3. the voice of an angel is compared to seven thunders. 'The voice mentioned was probably very loud, which some heard distinctly, others indistinctly; hence the variety of opinion. Verse 30. This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes.] Probably meaning those Greeks, who had been brought to him by || Philip and Andrew. The Jews had frequent opportunities of seeing his miracles, and of being convinced that he was the Messiah; but these Greeks who were to be a first-fruits of the Gentiles, had never any such opportunity. For their sakes, therefore, to confirm them in the faith, this miraculous voice, appears to have come from heaven. Verse 31. Now is the judgment of this world] The judgment spoken of in this place, is applit ed by some to the punishment which was about to fall on the Jewish people for rejecting Christ. -And the ruler or prince, agxer, of this world, is understood to be Satan, who had blinded the eyes of the Jews, and hardened their hearts, that they might not believe on the Son of God: but his kingdom, not only among the Jews, but in all the world, was about to be destroyed by the abolition of idolatry, and the vocation of the Gentiles. The epithet yn sar ha-ólam, prince of this world, is repeatedly applied to the devil, or to Sammael, who is termed the angel of death. The Jews fabled, that into the hands of this chief, God had delivered all the nations of the earth, except the Israelites. See Lightfoot. The words are understood by others, as addressed to these believing Greeks, and to have the following meaning, which is extremely different from the other. "In a short time, (four or five days afterward,) ye shall see what sort of a judgment this world passes. I, who am its ruler and prince, shall be cast out, shall be condemned by my own creatures, as an impious and wicked person, but do not be discouraged though I be lifted up on the cross, and die like a malefactor, nevertheless I will draw all men unto myself. The Gospel of Christ crucified, shall be the grand agent in the hand of the Most High, of the conversion and salvation of a ruined world." But see on chap. xiv. 30. and xvi. 11. Verse 32. I-will draw all men unto me.] After I shall have died and risen again, by the preaching of my word and the influence of my spirit, I shall attract and illuminate both Jews and Gentiles. It was one of the peculiar characteristics of the Messiah, that unto him should the gathering of the people be, Gen. xlix. 10. And probably our Lord refers to the prophecy, Isai. xi. 10. which peculiarly belonged to the Gentiles. "There shall be 580 of the voice from heaven. now shall the prince of this A. M. 4033. world be cast out. A. D. 29. An. Olymp. Cen. 1. 32 And I, if I be lifted from the earth, will draw & all men unto me. 2. 2. & 6. 12.-f Chap. 3. 14. & 8. 28.- Romans 5. 18. Hebrews 2. 9. of the people, to it shall the GENTILES seek, a root of Jesse which shall stand for an ENSIGN and his rest shall be glorious." There is an allusion here to the ensigns or colours of commanders of regiments, elevated on high places, where the pavilion of their general was, and on long poles, that the people might see so flock to his standard. several versions, and many of the fathers, Instead of avras, the Codex Beza, another, Anglo-Saxon, le teo calle hing to me rylfon, I will read arra, all men, or all things; so the draw all things to myself. But arra may be here the accusative singular, and signify all men. of gold, which he could at any time let down Παντες δ' εξαπτεσθε θεοι, πασαι το θεαίναι. κ.τ.λ. between heaven and earth; or in other words, As sometimes justice was represented under the emblem of a golden chain, and in some cases attached to the emperor's apartment, and the such a chain was constructed, one end other hanging within reach; that if any person the chain, and by shaking it give the king were oppressed he might come and lay hold on notice that he was oppressed; and thus claimed Christ signifies his death. A. D. 29. CCII. 1. CHAP. XII. A. M. 4033. 33 This he said, signifying h Ch. 18. 32.-i Psa. 89. 36, 37. & 110. 4. Isaiah 9. 7. & 53. 8. Ezek. 37. 25. Daniel 2. 44. & 7. 14, 27. Micah 4. 7. kCh. 1. 9. & 8. 12. & 9. 5. Verse 46. protection from the fountain of justice and power. In the Jehangeer Nameh, a curious account of this kind is given, which is as follows. The first order which Jehangeer issued on his accession to the throne (which was A. H. 1014. answering to A. D. 1605.) was for CHAIN of the construction of the GOLDEN justice. It was made of pure gold, and measured thirty yards in length, consisting of sixty links, and weighing in the whole, four Hindostany maunds, (about four hundred pounds avoirdupois.) One end of the chain was suspended from the royal bastion of the fortress of Agra, and the other fastened in the ground near the side of the river. The intention of this was, that if the officers of the courts of law were partial in their decisions, or dilatory in the administration of justice, the injured parties might come themselves to this chain, and making a noise by shaking the links of it, give notice that they were waiting to represent their grievances to his majesty. Hist. of Hindostan, p. 96. Calcutta, 1788. Such a communication, prayer and faith establish between the most just and most merciful God, and the wretched and oppressed children of men. "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will O thou that hearest draw all men unto me." prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come! Psal. Ixv. 2. Verse 34. We have heard out of the law] That is, out of the Sacred Writings. The words here are quoted from Psal. cx. 4. but the Jews called every part of the Sacred Writings by the name, The Law, in opposition to the words or sayings of the scribes. See on chap. x. 34. That Christ abideth forever] There was no part of the law nor of the Scripture, that said, the Messiah should not die: but there are several passages that say as expressly as they can, that Christ must die, and die for the sin of the world too. See especially Isai. liii. 1, &c. Dan. ix. 24, 27. But as there were several passages that spoke of the perpetuity of his reign, as Isai. ix. 7. Ezek. xxxvii. 25. Dan. vii. 14. they probably confounded the one with the other, and thus drew the conclusion. The Messiah cannot die: for the Scripture bath said, his throne, kingdom, and reign shall be eternal. The prophets, as well as the evangelists and apostles, speak sometimes of the divine, sometimes of the human nature of Christ: when they speak of the former, they show forth its glory, excellence, omnipotence, omniscience, and eternity; when they speak of the latter, they show forth its humiliations, afflictions, sufferings, and death. And those who do not make the proper distinction be, m The Jews cavil. A. D. 29. An. Olymp. Walk while ye have the light, A. M. 4033. 1 Jer. 13. 16. Ephes. 5. 8.-- Ch. 11. 10. 1 John 2. 11. tween the two natures of Christ, the human and Verse 35. Yet a little while is the light with Instead of μεθ' υμων, with you; εν υμιν, among you, is the reading of BDL. seventeen others: Coptic, Gothic, Slavonic, Vulgate, Itala, Cyril, Nonnius, and Victorinus. Griesbach has received it into the text. The meaning of both is nearly the same. Lest darkness come upon you] Ye have a good part of your journey yet to go; ye cannot travel safely but in the daylight-that light take you not, or in it ye shall stumble, fall, and is almost gone-run, that the darkness overperish! Reader, is thy journey near an end? There may be but a very little time remaining to thee -Oh, run, fly to Christ, lest the darkness of death overtake thee, before thy soul have found redemption in his blood! Verse 36. Children of light] Let the light, the truth of Christ, so dwell in and work by you, that ye may be all light in the Lord. That as truly as a child is the produce of his own parent, and partakes of his nature; so ye may be children of the light, having nothing in you but truth and righteousness. Did hide himself from them.] Either by rendering himself invisible, or by suddenly mingling with the crowd, so that they could not it means no more than that he withdrew from perceive him. See chap. viii. 59. Probably them, and went to Bethany as was his custom, 581 -The Jews would not believe, and ST. JOHN. 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. 39 Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again, P Isaiah 53. 1. Romans 10. 16.- Isaiah 6. 9, 10. Matt. a little before his crucifixion; and concealed himself there during the night, and taught publicly every day in the temple. It was in the night-season that they endeavoured to seize upon him, in the absence of the multitude. Verse 37. Yet they believed not on him] Though the miracles were wrought for this very purpose, that they might believe in Christ, and escape the coming wrath, and every evidence given that Jesus was the Messiah, yet they did not believe; but they were blinded by their passions, and obstinately hardened their hearts against the truth. Verse 33. That the saying of Esaias] Or, Thus the word of Isaiah was fulfilled. So I think a (commonly rendered that,) should be translated. For it certainly does not mean the end the Pharisees had in view by not believing; nor the end which the prophet had in view in predicting the incredulity of the Jews; but simply, such a thing was spoken by the prophet, concerning the Jews of his own time, and it had its literal fulfilment in those of our Lord's time. Our report] The testimony of the prophets, concerning the person, office, sufferings, death, and sacrifice of the Messiah. See Isai. li. 1, &c. The arm of the Lord] The power, strength, and miracles of Christ. Verse 39. Therefore they could not believe] Why? Because they did not believe the report of the prophets concerning Christ; therefore they credited not the miracles which he wrought, as a proof that he was the person foretold by the prophets, and promised to their fathers. Having thus resisted the report of the prophets, and the evidence of Christ's own miracles; God gave them up to the darkness and hardness of their own hearts, so that they continued to reject every overture of divine mercy; and God refused to heal their national wound, but on the contrary, commissioned the Romans against them; so that their political existence was totally destroyed. The prophecy of Isaiah was neither the cause nor the motive of their unbelief: it was a simple prediction, which imposed no necessity on them to resist the offers of mercy. They might have believed, notwithstanding the prediction, for such kinds of prophecies always include a tacit condition; they may believe, if they properly use the light and power which God has given them. Such prophecies also are of a general application-they will always suit somebody, for in every age persons will be found who resist the grace and spirit of God, r so fulfil a prophecy of Isaiah. A. D. 29. 40 He hath blinded their A. M. 4033. eyes, and hardened their heart; An Olymp that they should not see with CCH 1. their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them. 41 These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him. 42 Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but t because of the Pharisees they did not 13. 14. Isaiah 6. 1.- Chap. 7. 13. & 9. 22. like these disobedient Jews. However, it appears that this prediction belonged especially to these rejectors and crucifiers of Christ: and if the prophecy was infallible in its execution, with respect to them, it was not because of the prediction that they continued in unbelief, but because of their own voluntary obstinacy; and God foreseeing this, foretold it by the prophet. Should I say, that they could not believe, means they would not believe, I should perhaps offend a generation of his children; and yet I am pretty certain the words should be so understood. However, that I may put myself under cover from all suspicion of perverting the meaning of a text which seems to some to be spoken in favour of that awful doctrine of unconditional reprobation, the very father of it shall interpret the text for me. Thus then saith St. AUGUSTIN: Quare autem non POTERANT, si a me quæratur, cilo respondeo; Quia, NOLEBANT: MALAM quippe eorum VOLUNTATEM prævidit Deus, et per prophetam prænunciavit. "If I be asked why they COULD not believe? I immediately answer, Because THEY WOULD NOT. And God having foreseen their BAD WILL, foretold it by the prophet." Aug. Tract. 53. in Joan. Verse 40. And I should heal them.] This verse is taken from Isai. vi. 9. and perhaps refers more to the judgments that should fall upon them as a nation, which God was determined should not be averted; than it does to their eternal state. To suppose that the text meant that God was unwilling that they should turn unto him, lest he should be obliged to save them; is an insupportable blasphemy. Verse 41. When he saw his glory] Isai. vi. 1, &c. I saw Jehovah, said the prophet, sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphimand one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is Jehovah, God of hosts; the whole earth shall be full of his glory! It appears evident from this passage, that the glory which the prophet saw, was the glory of Jehovah: John, therefore, saying here, that it was the glory of Jesus, shows that he considered Jesus to be Jehovah. See Bp. Pearce. Two MSS. and a few versions have eu, and you r avrov, the glory of God, or of his God. Verse 42. Among the chief rulers-many believed on him] We only know the names of two of them, Nicodemus, and Joseph of Arimathea. But they did not confess him] Or it: they were as yet weak in the faith, and could not bear the reproach of the cross of Christ, |