Зображення сторінки
PDF
ePub

Matt. xii.
29. Luke
x. 18. ch.
xiv. 30: xvi.
11. Acts
xxvi. 18.
2 Cor.
Eph. ii. 2:
vi. 12.

I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again. 29 The b people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that itch. xi. 42. thundered: others said, An angel spake to him. 30 Jesus answered and said, 'This voice came not d because of me, but for your sakes. 31 Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. 32 And I, a if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto b render, multitude. c render, hath spoken.

d render, for 'Voice' can no otherwise be understood, than as a plain articulate sound, miraculously spoken, heard by all, and variously interpreted. So all the ancients, and the best of the modern expositors. On the saying of the crowd (ver. 29) has been built the erroneous and unworthy notion, that it was only thunder, but understood by the Lord and the disciples to mean as here stated. I have glorified it] In the manifestation hitherto made of the Son of God, imperfect as it was (see Matt. xvi. 16, 17); in all Old Testament type and prophecy; in Creation; and indeed before the world was made. The word again here implies no mere repetition, but an intensification, of the glorification a yet once more: and this time fully and finally. 29.] Some heard words, but did not apprehend their meaning; others a sound, but no words. I should rather believe this difference to have been proportioned to each man's inner relation to Christ, than fortuitous.

30.] The voice had been heard by those, who did not apprehend its meaning, as thunder. But the words, this voice, could not by any possibility have been said to them, if it had only thundered. Our Lord does not say that the assurance was not made for His sake:-He had prayed, and His prayer had been answered:-but that it had not been thus outwardly expressed for His, but for their sake. This is likewise true in the case of all testimonies to Him; and especially of those two other voices from heaven,-at His Baptism and His Transfiguration. Those addressed

in the words, for your sakes, are the
whole multitude, not merely the disciples.
All heard, and all might have understood
the voice: see ch. xi. 42.
31.] All
this is a comment on the declaration, that
the hour was come, ver. 23: and now a
different side of the subject is taken up,
and one having immediate reference to the
occasion: viz. the drawing of the Gentile
world to Him.
Now... now] He
speaks of Himself as having actually en-

my

sake.

[ocr errors]

b

r. iv. 4.

ach. iii. 14:

viii. 28.

Rom. v. 18.

Heb. ii. 9.

the

tered the hour of His passion, and views
the result as already come.
judgment of this world is not, as Chrysos-
tom, Augustine, and others think, the
deliverance of this world from the devil ;'
-nor, decision concerning this world,'
who is to possess it (Bengel):--but (see ch.
xvi. 11) judgment, properly so called, the
work of the Spirit who was to come, on
the world, of which it is said that "the
whole world lieth in wickedness (the wicked
one)," 1 John v. 19. the prince of

this world] The "prince of the age" of
the Jews, Satan, the "god of this world"
of 2 Cor. iv. 4: see also Eph. ii. 2; vi. 12.
Observe it is shall be cast out, not "is
cast out," because the casting out shall be
gradual, as the drawing in the next verse.
But after the death of Christ the casting
out began, and its firstfruits were, the
coming in of the Gentiles into the Church.

32. if I be lifted up] See the references. Here there is more perhaps implied than in either of those places: viz. the Death, with all its consequences. The Saviour crucified, is in fact the Saviour glorified; so that the exalting to God's right hand is set forth by that uplifting on the Cross. There is a fine touch of pathos, corresponding to the feeling of ver. 27, in the words, if I be lifted up. The Lord Jesus, though knowing that the lifting up would really take place, yet in the weakness of His humanity, puts Himself into this seeming doubt, 'if it is so to be:' cf. Matt. xxvi. 42. All this is missed by the shallow and unscholarlike rendering "when I shall be lifted up," which the original will not bear. will draw all men unto me] By the diffusion of the Spirit in the Church manifested in the preaching of the Word mediately, and the pleading of the Spirit immediately. Before the glorification of Christ, the Father drew men to the Son (see ch. vi. 44 and note), but now the Son Himself to Himself. Then it was "no man can come except the Father draw him:" now the Son draws

c ch. xviii. 89. e me.

d Ps. lxxxix.

36, 37: cx. 4. Isa. ix. 7: liii. 8.

Ezek. xxxvii.

44: vii. 14,

27. Mic.

iv. 7.

e ch. i. 9: viii.

12: ix. 5. 46.

Jer. 16.

33 This he said, signifying what death he should 34 The people answered him, We have heard ff out of the law that 8 Christ abideth for ever: and how

die.

25. Dan. ii. sayest thou, The Son of man must be lifted up? who is this Son of man? 35 h Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. f Walk while ye have the light, i lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth. 36 While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may h Luke xvi. 8. h1 be the children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and i did hide himself from them.

Eph. v. 8. g ch. xi. 10.

1 John ii. 11.

Eph. v. 8.

1 Thess. v. 5.

John

10, 11.

i ch. viii. 59: xi. 54.

37 But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him: 38 that the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake,

e render, myself.

frender, by what manner of death: see ch. xix. 32, xxi. 19.

ff render, multitude.

8 render, the Christ.

h render, Jesus therefore.

[blocks in formation]

66

you.
the light, i. e. 'Myself:'-see
ch. vii. 33; viii. 12; ix. 4, 5.
This
reference to the light is an easy tran-
sition from their question, if, as above
supposed, Ps. lxxxix. 36 was alluded to:
'His (David's) seed shall endure for ever,
and his throne as the sun before Me."
Walk] i. e. 'make use of the Light,
do your work in it, and by it. knoweth
not whither he goeth] Has no guide nor
security, no principle to lead him.
36.] It is by believing on the Light; that
men become sons of Light: see ch. i. 12.

all. And, to Himself, as thus uplifted, indeed can only be done while it is with thus exalted;-the great object of Faith: see ch. xi. 52. 33. by what manner of death] The words here can hardly point to more than the external circumstances of His death. Some have found in the expression the whole consequences and character of His Death; but see ch. xviii. 32. St. John does not say that this was all that the "lifting up" meant, but that it was its first and obvious reference. 34.] In such passages as Ps. lxxxix. 36, and perhaps cx. 4; Dan. vii. 13, 14. the law must be taken in its wider sense, as including the whole of the Old Testament: see ch. x. 34. The actual words, the Son of man must be lifted up, had not been on this occasion used by Jesus; but in His discourse with Nicodemus, ch. iii. 14, and perhaps in other parts of His teaching which have not been recorded. who is this Son of man?] They thought some other Son of Man, not the Messiah, was meant; because this lifting up (which they saw implied taking away) was inapplicable to their idea of the Messiah, usually known as the Son of Man.

35.] He does not answer them, but enjoins them to make use of the time of His presence yet left them. while

does not exactly express the sense of the conjunction in the original: it is rather, walk, according to your present state of privilege in possessing the Light: which

Our Lord probably went on this occasion to Bethany, Luke xxi. 37. 37-50.] FINAL JUDGMENT ON THE UNBELIEF OF THE JEWS. 37-43.] The Evangelist's judgment on their unbelief (37-41), and their half-belief (42, 43). I do not regard these verses as forming the conclusion to the narrative of the public ministry of the Lord, on account of vv. 44-50 (where see note): but doubtless the approaching close of that ministry gives occasion to them, and is the time to which they refer. 37. they believed not] i. e. the generality did not ;they did not, as a people: see ver. 42.

38.] On the words that the saying of Esaias might be fulfilled see note Matt. i. 22: beware of understanding them to mean merely "so that the saying of Esaias was fulfilled," which the original

Rom. x. 16.

Matt. xiii.

14.

Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath Isa. liii. 1. the arm of the Lord been revealed? 39 m Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again, 401 He 1 Isa. vi. 9, 10. 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. 41 m These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and m Isa. vi. 1. spake of him.

[ocr errors]

ix. 22.

42 Nevertheless Pamong the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did nch. vii. 13: not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: 43° for they loved the praise of men more than och. v. 44. the praise of God.

1 Pet. i. 21.

44 t Jesus cried and said, P He that believeth on me, P Mark ix. 87. believeth not on me, but on him that sent me. 45 And

m render, For this cause.

n render, And.

• read and render, because he saw his glory: and he spake of him. P render, even of the rulers.

¶ better, it not expressed in the original. rrender, the glory that is of men. render, the glory that is of God.

will not bear.

39.] For this cause refers to the last verse, and because sets forth the reason more in detail: see ch. v. 16: 1 John iii. 1: Matt. xxiv. 44. they could not believe] i. e. it was otherwise ordained in the divine counsels. No attempt to escape this meaning (as "they would not believe," Chrysostom and others) will agree with the prophecy cited ver. 40. But the inability, as thus stated, is coincident with the fullest freedom of the human will: compare "Ye have no mind to come to Me," ch. v. 40. Then, in what follows, a more special ground is alleged why they could not believe-see above. 40.] The pro

phecy is freely cited, after neither the Hebrew nor the LXX, which is followed in Matt. xiii. 14 f. What God bids the prophet do, is here described as done, and by Himself: which is obviously implied in the Hebrew text. 41. because he saw] "This apocalyptic vision was the occasion of that prophecy." Meyer. his glory: i. e. the glory of Christ. Evangelist is giving his judgment,-having (Luke xxiv. 45) had his understanding opened to understand the Scriptures,that the passage in Isaiah is spoken of Christ. And indeed, strictly considered, the glory which Isaiah saw could only be

The

render, But Jesus.

that of the Son, Who is the brightness (shining forth) of the glory of the Father, Whom no eye hath seen. The last clause is independent of "because," and contains another assertion,-and he spake concerning Him. 42.] For example, Nicodemus, Joseph, and others like them. On the putting out of the synagogue, see note, ch. ix. 22. 43.] is a reference to ch. v. 44. 44-50.] Proof of the guilt of their unbelief, from the words of Jesus Himself. It was by the older Commentators generally thought, that these verses formed part of some other discourse delivered at this period. But this is improbable, from no occasion being specified, -from ver. 36,-and from the form and contents of the passage, and its reference to the foregoing remarks of the Evangelist. I take it-with almost all modern Commentators-to be a continuation of those remarks, substantiating them by the testimony of the Lord Himself. The words are taken mostly, but not altogether, from discourses already given in this Gospel. 44, 45.] On the close connexion with the Father, see ch. v. 24, 38; viii. 19, 42; xiv. 10. The words are in logical sequence to ver. 41, in which the Evangelist has said that the glory of Jehovah and His glory were the same.

q ch. xiv. 9. r ver. 35, 36.

ch. iii. 19: viii. 12: ix. 5, 39.

sch. v. 45:

viii. 15, 26.

t ch. iii. 17.

u Luke x. 16.

19. Mark

9 he that u seeth me u seeth him that sent me.

46 r I am

come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness. 47 And if any man hear my words, and I believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.

S

48 u He

that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one

x Deut. xvii. that judgeth him : the word that I same shall judge him in the last day.

xvi. 16.

y ch. viii. 38: Σίν. 10.

z Deut. xviii. 18.

a ch. xii. 23: xvii. 1, 11.

[ocr errors]

have spoken, the 49 For I a 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. 50 And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak.

XIII. 1 Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which

u render, beholdeth.

* render, may not remain in the darkness.
y read, keep them not.

[blocks in formation]

46.] See ver. 35; ch. viii. 12; ix. 5. The may not remain in the darkness here implies that all are originally in darkness, -as the same kind of expression in ch. iii. 36. 47.] See ch. iii. 17; v. 45; viii. 15. 48.] See ch. iii. 18, also v. 45 ff., and Heb. iv. 12. 49.] See ch. v. 30; vii. 16, 17, 28, 29; viii. 26, 28, 38. On the Father giving the Son commandment, ch. x. 18.

There does not appear to be any real difference here, though many have been suggested, between the words say and speak. note), 68.

50.] See ch. vi. 63 (and

his commandment is, results in, not as a means merely, but in its accomplishment and expansion, eternal life: see ch. iii. 15; v. 24; vi. 40.

Thus all who do not believe are without excuse; -because Jesus is not come, and speaks not, of Himself, but of the Father, Whose will and commandment respecting Him is, that He should be and give, Life to all. They who reject Him, reject Life, and (ch. iii. 19) prefer darkness to Light. CHAP. XIII.-XX.] Third division of the Gospel. JESUS AND HIS OWN.

XIII-XVII.] HIS LOVE, AND THE FAITH OF HIS OWN. XIII. 1-30.] HIS LOVE IN HUMILIATION. 1-11. His condescension in washing their feet.

z render, spake.
bomit.
d

render, Jesus knowing.

On the chronological difficulties, see notes on Matt. xxvi. 17, and ch. xviii. 28. There can be no reasonable doubt that this meal was the same as that at which the Lord's Supper was instituted, as related in the three Evangelists. The narrative proceeds without any break until ch. xvii. 26, after which our Lord and the disciples go to Gethsemane. 1. before the feast of the passover] How long, is not said: but probably, a very short time; -not more than one day at the most ;see ch. xviii. 28 and note. The words belong to the whole narrative following, not to knowing or having loved. knowing] The view with which our Lord washed His disciples' feet, is shewn by the repetition of this word in verses 1, 3, and by the mention of His love for His disciples. The connexion is:- Jesus loved His own even to the end (of His life in the flesh), and gave them in the washing of their feet a proof of His love; and to this act He was induced by the knowledge that He must soon leave this world; and although this knowledge was united (ver. 3) with the highest consciousness of His divine mission and speedy glorification, yet this latter did not prevent Him from giving this proof of His self-humiliating love' (De Wette). his own which

were in the world, [he] loved them unto the end. 2 And

supper being ended, the devil having now put into the b ver. 27. heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him;

с

с

xxviii. 18.

ch.5 xv. 27. Heb. deh. viii. 42: be xxi.

xvii. 2. Acts ii. 36. 1 Cor.

ii. 8.

xvi. 28.

3 [ Jesus] knowing that the Father had given all things e Matt. xi. 27: into his hands, and that he was come from God, and kwent to God; 4e he riseth from supper, and m laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself, 5 After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded. 60 Then cometh he to Simon Peter and Peter saith unto him, Lord, 'dost thou wash fsee Matt. iii. my feet? 7 Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do

e omit.

27. Phil. ii. 7,8.

14.

[blocks in formation]
[blocks in formation]

were in the world] See ch. xvii. 11. 2.] The sense is not, as A.V., supper being ended,' for (ver. 12) He reclined again, and in ver. 26, the supper is still going on :-but, supper having begun or having been served. See this shewn from the usage of the original in my Greek Test.

The verse may be otherwise read and rendered, The devil having by this time suggested (to Judas) that Judas Iscariot the son of Simon (i. e. that he) should betray Him. Judas had before this covenanted with the Sanhedrim to betray Him, Matt. xxvi. 14 and parallel places, which must here be meant by the devil having put it into his heart :-the thorough self-abandonment to Satan which led to the actual deed, being designated ver. 27.

St. Luke (xxii. 3).expresses the steps of his treasonable purpose otherwise,- meaning the same. The fact is here stated, to enhance the love which Jesus shewed in the following action. 3.] See above. He did what follows with a full sense of the glory and dignity of His own Person. "The prefatory mention of His glory is as it were a protestation, lest it should be thought that the Lord did any thing beneath His dignity in washing the disciples' feet." Bengel. 4. laid aside

[ocr errors]

his garments] viz. those which might hinder the act of washing." Bengel. He put Himself into the ordinary dress of a servant. Or, which is far more probable, on the deepest grounds, did He not humble Himself so far as literally to divest Him

krender, was going. m render, layeth.

render, So he cometh.

self, and gird Himself merely, as the basest of slaves? 5.] the bason, viz. the vessel usually at hand for such purposes. The context seems to shew that He had washed the feet of one or more before the incident of the next verse: were it not so, the words, "began to wash," might merely express His doing something unusual and unlooked for. 6. And so (the so taking up the narrative again after the word began, as if it were said, in pursuance of this intention') He comes to Simon Peter; not first, as some have maintained, both with and without reference to the primacy of Peter :-for that would be hardly consistent (see on the preceding verse) with the context, which seems to require that the washing should have begun and been going on, before He came to Peter. art Thou washing (intending to wash) my feet?] He thinks the act unworthy of the Lord; even as many think that great act of Love to have been, which was typified by it. word my is not emphatic. The having his feet washed is a matter of course: it is the Person who is about to do it that offends him. 7.] Hitherto our Lord had been silent. He emphasizes the I and thou, but so as to set forth Himself as the Master, Peter as the disciple, not wholly cognizant of His will and purpose, and therefore more properly found in subjection to it. What I do] i. e. (1) this washing itself, as a lesson of humility and love, ver. 14. (2) Its symbolical meaning,

The

« НазадПродовжити »