I work. The Jews sought to take his life. 257 xlvii. John worketh hitherto, and solemn council, for the cure he had wrought SECT. on the sabbath-day, he took the opportunity of declaring at large the dignity of his person, the evidence of his mission and the absolute neces- v. 17. sity of faith in him to their eternal salvation"; while, in reply to the malicious charge which they brought against him, he answered them as follows: My heavenly Father, in the administration of his providential kingdom, worketh continually, from the beginning of the world even till now; and upon sabbath-days, as well as others, he exerts that unremitting and unwearied energy which is the life of the creation: and, in like manner, I also work, in obedience to the intimations of his will and in subserviency to his glory. And in this very action I have given you so visible a proof that I am directed and assisted by him, that you ought humbly to acquiesce in it, without presuming to cavil at what is so evidently Divine, or to limit the majesty of heaven by those rules which he has prescribed to his creatures. 18 Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father; making himself equal with God. But upon hearing this suggested by our Lord 18 in vindication of himself, they were so far from yielding to the argument, that, for this very reason, the resentment of his adversaries was increased; and being therefore more incensed against him than before, the rulers of the Jews endeavoured the more eagerly to put him to death, because (as they imagined) he had not only violated the sabbath, but had now also gone so far as even to have called God his own Father, in so peculiar and appropriating a sense as in effect to make himself equal with God; while he thus argued his own right to work on the sabbath-day, from God's working upon it; though this was evidently no argument with respect to mankind in general, nor had ever been pleaded by the greatest of the prophets in such a view. Before their most solemn council.] I here follow Mr. Fleming's opinion (in his Christology, Vol. II. p. 296) which seems to be confirmed by ver. 33; and there appears a great deal of additional propriety and beauty in the discourse when it is considered in this view. He took the opportunity of declaring at large the dignity of his person, &c.] Christ had hinted at several of these things in his conference with Nicodemus (John iii. 13-21, sect. xxvi.) who had probably reported them to his brethren. But he here Jesus expatiates more largely on some; and, c Called God his own Father.] This is the dov. The whole nation of the Jews thought God their Father (John viii. 41.) and they could not therefore have accounted it blasphemy to have used the phrase, had they not interpreted it in so high and appropriating a sense. d The 258 SECT. xlvii. John All that did was in conjunction with the Father. himself, but what he doeth the Son likewise. Jesus therefore, to explain the matter more 19 Then answered fully to them, and to leave them yet more in- Jesus, and said unto them, Verily, verily, excusable in their malicious opposition to him, I say unto you, The V. 19. answered and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say Son can do nothing of and do most faithfully and solemnly seeth the Father do; unto you, declare, That the Son of God, great and glorious for what things soever as he is, now acts in an avowed subjection to he doeth, these also the authority of the Father and can do nothing of himself, in pursuance of any distinct schemes or separate interest of his own, unless he see the Father doing it or perceive him intimating it as his pleasure that it should be done : for whatsoever are the things that he (that is, the Father) doeth, even these likewise doeth the Son in a most intimate conjunction with him ; at all times cheerfully complying with his purposes and esteeming it his honour always to be employed in his 20 service. For the Father loveth the Son, and that with so entire an affection, that he sheweth loveth the Son, and him all things that he himself doeth, letting him that himself doeth: into the secret of his councils, and teaching him and he will shew him in the most wonderful and Divine manner to act greater works than these, that ye may in prosecution of them; and he will shew, or marvel. point out to him far greater works than these which he has hitherto performed; which shall hereafter be accomplished by him, that you may all be filled with wonder, though you will not The Son can do nothing of himself.] I cannot forbear mentioning a remarkable note of the learned Elsner (Observ. Vol. I. p. 307, & seq.), in which he shews by a great variety of instances, that the later heathen writers seem to have ascribed to Minerva, as the daughter of Jupiter, many things which our sacred scriptures speak of Christ as the Son of God. e Unless he see the Father doing it.] Whether our Lord here means in the general, unless he see it to be correspondent to the Father's scheme; or whether be refers to any peculiar Divine impulse which he sometimes felt upon his mind, leading him to exert his miraculous power in this or that instance, I cannot certainly determine: but rather incline to the latter, which might also be comprehended in ver. 17.-The particle avn, which is exactly the same in signification with un, is here also used in a less proper sense. See the note on John xvii. 12. sect. clxxix. and compare John viji. 38, sect. civ. f Sheweth him all things that he himself doeth,] The editors of the Prussian Testament say, that the word duxrow, which we have rendered sheweth, signifies here to be 20 For the Father sheweth him all things teach or form to any thing; as a master forms his scholar to do what he himself doeth, and teaches him the secrets of his art or profession but I cannot acquiesce in this sense, as expressing the whole meaning of the phrase. It rather refers to the ample and comprehensive knowledge which the Son has of the whole plan of the Father's councils, in all their mutual relations and dependances; whereas the prophets and the apostles too, had, in comparison of this, but very limited and contracted views. Compare Isa. xl. 10, where it is said (as we have no room to doubt) of Christ, and probably in this sense-his work is before him-Dr. Whitby refers aur to the Son; and understands it as if it had been said, Whatever the Son doeth, is by the direction of the Father: but I think the genius of the Greek language would not in that sense have a'lowed the repetition of av, but it would ra ther have been said, παγία α ποιεί δεικνυα any aw: not to insist upon it, that the sense in which I have explained it is much nobler, and not so nearly the same with what Christ had said in the preceding verse. Reflections on the modesty and gentleness of Christ. li. 279 Mark 21 And in his name triumphant over all opposition. And this gen- SECT. shall the Gentiles trust. tle and gracious administration shall charm mankind in so sensible and irresistible a manner, that the Gentiles shall confide in his illustrious XII. 21. name; and distant, yea barbarous nations, shall seek their refuge and salvation in his grace; though Israel may ungratefully reject him, and therefore be justly abandoned by God." IMPROVEMENT. XI. 17 SURELY face does not more exactly answer to face in water Mat. than the character of Christ drawn by the prophet to his temper and conduct as described by the evangelists. How should Zion rejoice, and the daughter of Jerusalem shout, that such a King cometh unto her, meek and having salvation! (Zech. ix. 9.) Let us with pleasure trace his gentle administration, and with a cheerful confidence commit our souls to so kind and so faithful a hand : far from breaking, he will strengthen the bruised reed; far from 20 quenching the smoking flax, he will rather blow it up into a flame. How well does it become the disciples of Christ, and especially how well does it become his ministers, to imitate what was so amiable in their Lord, and not to despise the day of small things! Let us not strive nor cry; but, laying aside all unnecessary con- 19 tentions and angry debates, let us receive one another as Christ hath received us (Rom. xv. 7), and, avoiding all vain ostentation, let us silently and meekly attend, each of us, to the discharge of his proper office. So may we hope that the cause of religion XII. 20 will go on successfully around us, and that righteousness will in Mat. due time be brought forth to complete victory over all opposition, and, by its own genuine influences, be happily established in the earth. The Gentiles trust in a Redeemer's name, and the British Isles are numbered among those that wait for his law. May our souls with humble submission bow themselves to receive it, and observe it with such faithful care and obedient regards, that our example, wherever it is seen, may promote the reception of it among those that as yet are strangers to it! And the Gentiles shall confide in his name.] Isaiah's saying, chap. xlii. 4. The les shall wait for his law, is illustrated SECT. and explained by this correspondent phrase, Kk 2 a In 260 25 Verily, verily, I y unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God; and they that hear, shall He has this power of judging, as the Son of man. SECT. former offences; but is passed from that state of xlvii. death in which men naturally are, to a state of John life, security and felicity. Think not this an V. 24. incredible assertion; for verily, verily, I say unto 25 you, and in the strongest terms renew the important declaration ", That the season cometh, and is now just at hand, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear [it] shall immediately live; for within these few months there shall be some dead bodies raised to life by the word of his power (See Mark v. 41. Luke vii. 14. John xi. 43. and compare Mat, xxvii. 52, 53), and many souls that are dead in sin shall, by his grace, be quickened and made 26 spiritually alive. For as the Father has live. 26 For as the Father originally and essentially life in himself, so he has hath life in himself, so also given to the Son, that he should, for these hath he given to the purposes of glorious and Divine operation, have self. Son to have life in him a principle of life in himself to be communicated 27 unto whom he will. (See i. Cor. xv. 45.) And 27 And hath given he has given him authority, not only to quicken cute judgment also, him authority to exemen now, but also to execute final judgment, because he is the Son because he is the Son of man; and as he has of man. voluntarily humbled himself to so lowly a form (see Phil. ii 5-11), God will accomplish to him all those glorious predictions which represent him as possessed of universal and perpetual dominion and coming in the clouds of heaven in that day when the judgment is set and the books are opened. (See Dan. vii. 9—14. Phil. ii. 8, 9. and Heb. xii. 2.) 28 coming, in the which are in the And therefore, wonder not at this which I 28 Marvel not at have now declared concerning the resurrection this; for the hour is of a few, shortly to be expected; for the hour is all that coming in which all that are dead and buried now, graves shall hear his and all that shall then be lying in the graves, voice, though mouldered away and consumed there, 29 shall hear his voice, And shall come forth out h Renew the important declaration.] These repetitions of this solemn asseveration are by no means vain, considering the vast importance of the truth; and how incredible it would appear, that he who stood before them in so humble a form, was in reality the Lord of Life, and the universal Judge. See note g on John i. 51, p. 129. i Some dead bodies raised to life, and many souls made spiritually alive.] I express it thus ambiguously, because I am something doubtful, whether it may not refer to the conversion of sinners by Christ's of 29 And shall come forth, ministry, rather than the resurrection of a few by his miraculous power. It is well known, sinners are often represented in scripture as deed (Mat. viii. 22. Eph. ii. 1. v. 14. 1 Tim. v. 6. and Jude, ver. 12), and if the expression of axxoavles, is to be taken, as we render it, with the most literal exact. ness, for they that hear, or they, and they alone, that so attend unto the voice of Christ as to believe in him-it will then limit it to this sense; which seems also favoured by ver. 24, where death plainly signifies a state of sin and condemnation. k I seek done good, unto the re rection of damnation. Reflections on the dignity of Christ. 261 SECT. xlvii. John forth, they that have of the dust, they that have done good, to the resursurrection of life, and rection of eternal life, and they that have done evil, they that have done to the resurrection of final damnation. See to it evil, unto the resur- therefore, that you shew a due regard to him V. 29. before whom you yourselves are to stand; and do not rashly condemn a Person from whose lips you are to receive your decisive sentence. Not 30 that any corrupt bias of partial resentment will and my judgment is be brought into the proceedings of that day, or just; because I seek into any of my conduct; for I can of myself do not mine own will, nothing, but now act by a delegated power as ther which hath sent the minister of a righteous God and therefore 30 I can of mine own self do nothing; as I hear, I judge; but the will of the Fa me. as I hear, I judge, pronouncing according to the IMPROVEMENT. WITH What humble prostration of soul should we bow before Ver. the Lord Jesus Christ while we read such words as these! Though 19, 20 he appeared under the form of a servant; and as man and mediator, confessed a holy subjection to his Father and his God; yet is he his own, his only-begotten Son, the Son whom he loves, whom he honours, whom he commands all men to honour even as himself, and to whom such power and authority are committed, that he is the principle of life and the administrator of judgment. Let us 23 adore the wisdom of such a contrivance, that he who humbled himself thus low, should be so highly exalted. Let us labour to secure 26 an interest in him; treating him with that submission, duty and 27 obedience, which becomes at once the divinity of his nature and the dignity of his office, May we be enabled by Divine grace so to hear the voice of his 25 gospel, that we may arise to a life of holy obedience; that we may another day hear him with joy calling forth our sleeping dust, and 28 arise to the resurrection of life; while those that have despised and rejected him, shall find themselves the helpless prisoners of his justice, and with reluctance and terror come forth to the resurrection of damnation! SECT. I seek not any distinct will or separate 10. Mat. xxvi. 39. and note h on Mat, xii. interest of my own.] This limitation the 7. sect. xlix. sense evidently requires. See Heb. x. 9, |