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7

The Calvin Hew Translatotns,

INSTITUTED A.D. 1843,

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y

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ON THE

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOLIN.

VOLUME I.

THE CALVIN TRANSLATION SOCIETY,

INSTITUTED IN MAY M.DCCC.XLIII.

FOR THE PUBLICATION OF TRANSLATIONS OF TITE WORKS OF
JOHN CALVIN.

COMMENTARY

ON THE

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN.

BY JOHN CALVIN.

A NEW TRANSLATION, FROM THE ORIGINAL LATIN,

BY THE REV, WILLIAM PRINGLE.

VOLUME FIRST.

EDINBURGH:
PRINTED FOR THE CALVIN TRANSLATION SOCIETY.

M.DCCC.XLVII.

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THE TRANSLATOR’S PREFACE.

COMMENTARIES ON THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN are
numerous, and some of them are written with great learning
and ability. Rarely has a separate and extended interpreta-
tion been given to any of the other three Gospels, which are,
_ indeed, so closely interwoven with each other, that it is searce-
ly possible to expound one of them in a satisfactory manner,
without bringing the whole into one view, comparing parallel
passages, accounting for apparent contradictions, and supply-
ing the omissions of each narrative, to such an extent as to
produce what shall be in substance, though not always in
form, a HArMoNy OF THE THREE EVANGELISTS.

Few of these difficulties meet the expositor of JoHN’s Gos-
pel, in which the slender thread of narrative—auntil it reaches
the period of the last sufferings of our Saviour—does little
more than connect long discourses, which He delivered to the
multitude and to his disciples. Whatever opinion may be
formed as to the theory of the elder Tittmann, that Joun
wrote his work for the express purpose of proving the supreme
Divinity of Christ, we cannot avoid being struck with the fact,

that the miracles which he sclects are distinguished by pecu-

6 THE TRANSLATORS PREFACE.

har grandeur, and that the discourses which he relates con-
tain the most abundant and delightful exhibitions of the glory
of the Son of God, and of the nature of his mediatorial office,
which our great Master was pleased to make during his per-

sonal ministry.

Lampe, Hutcheson, and Tittmann, are better known, and
more highly esteemed, in this country than any other Com-
mentator on JOHN that could be named. The three quarto
volumes of Lampe are a monument of judicious toil, and pre-
sent such stores of philological, historical, and theological
learning as ought never to be mentioned but with respect
and gratitude. Though not free from the faults of the Coc-
ceian School, of which his miscellaneous treatises afford some
unhappy proofs, his Commentary displays generally such cau-
tion and judgment, that it deserves to be not only consulted,
but perused throughout, and carefully studied. Hutcheson
wanted both the acuteness and the industry requisite for the
successful elucidation of the Holy Scriptures, but is justly ad-
mired for the copiousness, variety, and excellence of his prac-
tical observations.

Tittmann’s Meletemata Sacra in Evangelium Joannis, now
happily rendered accessible to the English reader,’ must be
regarded as one of the most valuable contributions of modern
times to biblical interpretation. Accurate scholarship, elegant
and flowing language, deep reverence for the inspired volume,
and a warmth of affectionate piety closely resembling that
of the disciple whom Jesus loved, have gained for that work a
reputation which is likely to increase. To the reader who
is chiefly desirous to ascertain the meaning of Scripture, and
who willingly dispenses with what serves no other purpose
than illustration, Tittmann’s exposition of the first four Chap-

1 Clarke’s Biblical Cabinet, vols. xliv. and’xly.

-_

THE TRANSLATOR’S PREFACE, 7

ters of Joun’s Gospel will be highly acceptable ; though it
must be acknowledged that the remaining portion of the work
—not executed till towards the close of the life of the venera-
ble author—is somewhat less attractive, and, if it has been pre-
pared with equal care, yet, in consequence of extreme unwill-
ingness to bring forward explanations which had been already
given, it will sometimes disappoint one who only dips into
an occasional passage, and has not made himself familiar
with the profound views unfolded in the earlier pages.

These and other eminent writers have been deeply indebted
to Catyin’s Commentary on Joun’s GosPeEL, but have left
its claims to the attention of all classes of readers as strong
and urgent as ever. Where they differ from him, they often
go astray, and where they agree with him, they generally fall
below the instructive power of his own pen; for few can
equal his clear and vigorous statements. When he places in
a just light

as he frequently does—those texts which had
been wrested for the confutation of heretics, none but eager
and unscrupulous controversialists will complain. Every
honourable mind will admire the unbending integrity of our
Author, which, even in the defence of truth, disdains to em-
ploy an unlawful weapon, and devoutly bows to the dictates

of the Holy Spirit.

The present Work brings under review some of the most
intricate questions in theology; and in handling them he is
not more careful to learn all that has been revealed than to
avoid unauthorized speculation. They who know the diffi-
culty of the path will the more highly appreciate so skilful a
guide, who advances with a firm step, points out the bypaths
which have misled the unwary, conducts us to scenes which
we had not previously explored, and aids us in listening to a

Divine voice which says, This ts the way, walk ye in it.

8 THE TRANSLATOR’S PREFACE.

In the Harmony oF THE THREE EVANGELISTS, the
reader is so constantly referred to this Commentary, which
appeared two years sooner, that the benefit of the former
cennot be fully reaped, unless the latter be at hand. The
Author’s references are sometimes vague, but the Translator
has endeavoured to discover and point out the page in which
the desired information may be cbtained.

Wik.

AUCHTERARDEN, 10th Apyil, 1847.

a

RRA

THE

HOLY GOSPEL OF IESUS CHRIST,

ACCORDING TO

SAINT JOHN,

WITH

THE COMMENTARIE OF
M. IOHN CALUINE:

FAITHFULLY TRANSLATED OUT OF LATINE INTO ENGLISH

BY

CHRISTOPHER FETHERSTONE,
STUDENT IN DIUINITIE.

VOL. "1. A

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Imprinted at London by Thomas Dawfon —
for Thomas Adams. 1610.

TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE

THE LORD ROBT. DVDLEY, EARLE OF LEYCESTER,

BARON OF DENBIGH, MAISTER OF THE HORSE TO THE QUEENE'S MAIESTIE,
KNIGHT OF THE NOBLE ORDER OF THE GARTER, AND ONE OF THE
QUEENE'S MAIESTIE’S MOST HONORABLE PRIUIE COUNSEL,
CHANCELOUR OF THE MOST FAMOUS VNIUERSITIE
OF OXFORD, CHRISTOPHER FETHERSTONE
WISHETH ENCREASE OF SPIRITUALL
GIFTES, LONG LIFE, HAPPY
DAYES, AND ENCREASE
OF HONOUR.

Ir is an old saying, (Right Honorable,) and no lesse true
then olde, that saleable wines neede no iuie bush, which pro-
uerb importeth thus much, that thinges which are of them-
selues good & comendable haue not any, at leaste no greate
need of commendation. If, therefore, I should with fine
filed phrases, with gay geason woords, with straunge exam-
ples, and notable hystories, compound some long Prologue
and tedious Preface in commendation of this most excellent
work and Commentarie of that famous member and faithfull
Doctour of God’s Church, Maister Iohn Caluine, I might
cause your Honour to suspect the fondnesse thereof: I my
selfe should seeme to doubte of the goodnesse thereof: and,
finally, minister occasion to many to condemne me of folly.
Omitting, therefore, that which is needlesse, I descend ynto
that which is needefull: to wit, to excuse my selfe of arro-
gancie wherof some may accuse me, in that I dare presume
to dedicate ynto your Honour this my translation, ynto whom
Lam altogether vnknowne. The loade stone, as men say,
writers do testifie and experience doth teach, hath in it selfe

12 THE EPISTLE DEDICATORY.

such power, force, and vertue, that it draweth iron vnto it
though it be farre distant; right so, vertue doth drawe men
vnto it, and the reporte thereof causeth men to loue those
whome they haue not seene, and to reuerence those of who
they haue onely heard, which thing, sithence it is so, there is
no cause why I shoulde either be accused of arrogancie or
condemned of impudencie for approching so boldly vnto your
Honour, and for suffering this my translation to appeare in
your name. For your friendes confesse, and your foes can-
not iustly denie, that God hath placed in your noble breast
great aboundance of most heroicall vertues, I omit to speake
of that rare report of your vnfeigned religion which resoundeth
euery where, and redoundeth to your prayse. I should be
tedious if I should set downe particularly the most vndoubted
testimonies of your faithfulnesse toward your dread Souer-
aigne: I should seeme to flatter if I would extoll that godly
magnanimitie wherwith the Lord hath endued you to main-
taine his truth, to defend the realm, to subdue those proud
aspirmg Papists. That great and earnest care which your
Honour hath alwaies had, and euen now hath, to support the
poore ministers of the Word and Gospell of Iesus Christ in
God’s cause, and in good causes, hath in it selfe sufficient
force to enforce not onely me, but all thankfull heartes, by
word and writing, to bewray all thankfulnesse and dutiful-
nesse towards your good Honor, as this, so that singular lib-
eralitie vsed at all times by your Lordship towards my friends,
hath caused me, in dedicating of this booke to your Honour,
to testifie some parte of my thankfull minde in their behalfe.
And heere I am to craue pardon of you, whiche I hope I
shall easily obtaine, for that I haue not behaued my selfe
finely as I might though faithfully as I ought in this my
worke. And thus, fearing prolixitie, I conclude, praying
vnto the Lorde God of heauen and earth, that King of Kinges
and Lorde of Lordes, that he will graunt vnto your Honour
and to the rest (whom he hath placed in the like degree of
dignitie) his Holy Spirite, that Spirite of wisdome and vnder-
standing, that you may thereby be so directed that all your
thoughts, woordes, and workes, may tend to the setting
foorth of God’s glory, the maintenance of true religion, the

THE EPISTLE DEDICATORY. 13

preseruation of the realme. So shall England haue wealth,
be voide of woe, enioy solace, be free from sorrow, possesse
plentie, nor tast of pouertie, inherite pleasure, and not see
paine. Which God graunt.

Your Honour’s most humble and obedient,

CHRISTOPHER FETHERSTONE,

TO THE READER,

BEING instantly requested (gentle reader) by my godly zeal-
ous friendes, to enterprise the translating of this most learned
Commentarie of M. Iohn Caluine, and being perswaded ther-
vnto by many godly reasons, whereof God’s glory and the
profite of nis Church should be the cheife, I could not nor
would not refuse to take that charge vp on me, vnlesse I should
haue forgotten my dutie towardes God, his Church, and my
friendes ; and now, forasmuch (gentle reader) as the princi-
pal recompence of my paines shal be that profit which thon
shalt reape by the reading of this my translation, I beseech
thee refuse not to take some paines in reading the same. I
haue not stuft it full of strage words deriued of the Latine,
which might no lesse molest thee then if they continued La-
tine as they were. I haue not racked the phrases to make
them runné smoothly to please daintie eares, and so digressed
from the truth and meaning of the authour; but, so much as
possible I could, I haue translated worde for worde, which
the learned by conference shall wel perceive. Long time
haue the godly desired to haue this worke published in the
English tongue, and seeing they haue their desire now, my
request vuto them is to accept of my paines herein. I dare
not, good reader, presume so farre vypon mine owne skill as
to saye that there is no faultes committed heerein, but [ am
earnestly to desire thee rather courteously to amend them
then curiously to condemne me for them. And thus, trust-
ing to thy curtiesie, I committe thee to the tuition of the
Almightie, who so direct thee by his Spirite, that by read-
ing thou maiest profite.

Thine in the Lorde,

CHRISTOPHER F &THERSTONE.

THE AUTHOR’S EPISTLE DEDICATORY.

TO THE

TRULY HONOURABLE AND ILLUSTRIOUS LORDS,

THE SYNDICS AND COUNCIL OF GENEVA,

JOHN CALVIN

SUPPLICATES FROM THE LORD THE SPIRIT OF WISDOM AND FIRMNESS,
AND A PROSPEROUS ADMINISTRATION.

I NEVER call to remembrance that saying of Christ, in which
he sets so high a value on the duty of receiving strangers
with kindness as to reckon it done to himself, without con-
sidering, at the same time, the extraordinary honour which
he has been pleased to confer on you, by making your city
the resort, not of one or a few individuals, but of his Church
at large. Among heathen countries hospitality was always
commended, and was even accounted one of the principal
virtues ; and, accordingly, when they intended to denounce
any people as barbarians and savages of the lowest stamp,
they called them a@£éwvc, or—which means the same thing—
inhospitable. But far higher praise is due to you that, in
these troublesome and unhappy times, the Lord has appointed
you to be the persons whose support and protection should be
solicited by godly and inoffensive men banished and driven
from their native countries by the wicked and cruel tyranny
of Antichrist. And not only so, but he has also dedicated to

16 EPISTLE DEDICATORY.

his name a sacred dwelling-place among you, where his wor-
ship may be maintained in purity.

Whoever attempts, in the slightest degree, openly to in-
vade, or secretly to take from you, these two advantages,
not only labours to deprive your city of its brightest orna-
ments, but beholds its existence and safety with an envious
eye. For though the kind offices which are here performed
towards Christ and his scattered members excite the barking
of wicked men against you, still you ought to look upon
yourselves as abundantly compensated by this single consi-
deration, that angels bless you from heaven, and the children
of God bless you from every quarter of the world; so that
you may boldly despise the foul slander of those men who are
not restrained either by scruples of conscience, or by shame,
from pouring out more outrageous insults on God himself
than on you,—nay, who, when they wish to calumniate you,
begin with blaspheming God. Though this very occasion !
kindles the rage of many people against you, yet you have no
reason to dread any danger arising from it, so long as their
fury shali be counteracted by the protection of His hand who
hath promised that He will be the faithful Guardian of those
cities in which the doctrine of His Gospel shall remain, and
in which godly men, whom the world cannot endure, shall be
permitted to dwell. I say nothing as to its being unneces-
sary to give yourselves any uneasiness about conciliating this
class of enemies; for there is no man that is hostile to you
for the sake of the Gospel, who would not desire to see you
ruined or oppressed on other grounds. But granting that
there were no other reason why you are hated by the avowed
enemies of sound doctrine, than because they see you em-
ployed in defending it, still, disregarding their stratagems
and threatenings, you ought resolutely to defend those two
impregnable bulwarks, the purity of religious worship, and a
godly anxiety to maintain the Church which Christ has placed
under the shelter of your wings.

So far as relates to the slanders which are thrown at us

* (“ Ascavoir que l’Evangile, et ceux qui y veulent adherer, ont yci
leur retraitte,”)—(‘‘ namely, that the Gospel, and those who wish to
abide by it, have their retreat here.”’)

EPISTLE DEDICATORY. 17

by the Pope’s hired brawlers—that we have apostatized from
the Church, because we have withdrawn from subjection to
the See of Rome—TI wish it were as much in our power to
protest with unshaken confidence before God and the angels,
that we are at the greatest possible distance from that filthy
puddle, as we can easily and readily defend ourselves from
the crime which they are in the habit of laying to our charge.
They boast, indeed, of the name of the Catholic Church,
though no part of the whole doctrine of the Law and the
Gospel has been permitted by them to remain free from
shameful corruptions, though they have profaned the whole
worship of God by the filth of their superstitions, and have
not scrupled to debase all the ordinances of God by their
inventions. Nay more, so Catholic—so universal—is the mass
of errors by which they have overturned the whole of reli-
gion, that it would be enough to destroy and swallow up the
Church a hundred times over. We can never, therefore, ex-
tol, in terms so lofty as the matter deserves, the unbounded
goodness of God, by which we have miraculously escaped
- from that destructive whirlpool, and have fixed the anchor of
our faith on the firm and everlasting truth of God. And,
indeed, this Commentary will itself, I trust, be a sufficient
proof that Popery is nothing else than a monster formed out
of the innumerable deceptions of Satan, and that what they
call the Church is more confused than Babylon.

Yet I will candidly acknowledge—what is actually true—
that we are not at a sufficient distance from that filthy pit,
the contagion of which is too widely spread. Antichrist com-
plains that we have fallen away from him ; but we? are com-
pelled to groan that too many of the pollutions with which
he has infected the whole world remain amongst us. God
has graciously restored to us * uncontaminated purity of doc-
trine, religion in its primitive state, the unadulterated wor-
ship of God, and a faithful administration of the Sacraments,

1 The French version adds: ‘‘% ce qu’elle ne flottast plus parmi les
traditions des hommes ;”—“ that it might no longer be tossed about among
the traditions of men.”

* Nous qui taschons de remettre l’estat de I’Eglise a son entier ;”—
‘* we who endeavour to restore the Church to her original condition.”

5 “Dieu par sa grace nous a restitué.”

18 EPISTLE DEDICATORY.

as they were delivered to us by Christ. But the principal
cause which hinders us from attaining that reformation of
conduct and of life which ought to exist is, that very many
persons, remembering that unbridled licentiousness in which
the Papists indulge in opposition to the command of God,
cannot become accustomed to the yoke of Christ. Accord-
ingly, when our enemies, in order to excite against us un-
founded dislike among the ignorant, raise a vexatious outcry
that we have broken all discipline, their calumny is abun-
dantly refuted (even though we should remain silent) by this
single consideration, that at home we have no contest more
severe than about—what is considered, at least, by many
people to be—our excessive severity. But since you are the
most competent witnesses for myself and my colleagues, that
we are not more rigid and severe than the claim of duty de-
mands and even compels us to be, as we freely submit to the
decision of your conscience respecting us; so, on the other
hand, you will easily perceive at a glance the singularly
ridiculous impudence of our enemies on this subject.

I shall now say a few words about myself as an individual.
Though I trust that my numerous writings will be a suffi-
cient attestation to the world in what manner I have taught
this Church, yet I have thought that it would be of very
great importance for me to draw up a special record on this
subject inscribed with your name ; for it is highly necessary
that the kind of doctrine which you acknowledge to be taught
by me should be exhibited to the view of all! Now though,
in all the books which I have hitherto published, it has been
my endeavour that you and the people under your charge
should derive advantage from them even after my death, and
though it would be highly unbecoming that the doctrine
which has emanated from your city to foreign nations should
yield fruit extensively, but be neglected in the place of its
abode, yet I trust that this Commentary, which is especially
dedicated to you, will take a firmer hold of your memory.
For this purpose I pray to God to inscribe it so deeply with
His own finger on your hearts that it may never be obliterated

! The French copy adds: ‘‘ afin qu’on n’en juge point a laventure, ni
a eredit ;"—‘' that they may not judge of it at random, or on trust.”

3

EPISTLE DEDICATORY. 19

by any stratagem of Satan; for to Him does it belong to
crown my labour with success, who has hitherto given me such
courage as to desire nothing more than to watch faithfully
over the safety of you all. Farther, as I freely acknowledge
before the world that I am very far from possessing the care-
ful diligence and the other virtues which the greatness and
excellence of the office requires in a good Pastor, and as I
continually bewail before God the numerous sins which
obstruct my progress, so I venture to declare that I am not
without an honest and sincere desire to perform my duty.
And if, in the meantime, wicked men do not cease to annoy
me, as it is my duty—by well-doing—to refute their slanders,
so it will belong to you to restrain those slanders by the exer-
cise of that sacred authority with which you are invested.
Wherefore, my Illustrious and highly honoured Lords, I
recommend you to the protection of our good God, entreat-
ing Him to give you always the spirit of prudence and virtue
for governing aright, and to make your administration pros-
perous, so that His name may be thereby glorified, and that
the result may be happy for you and yours.'

GENEVA, Ist January, 1553.

1 In the concluding sentence, the more amplified form of the French
version has been followed.— Eu,

THE ARGUMENT

TO THE GOSPEL OF JOHN.

THE meaning of the Greek word «iayyAsv (Gospel) is well
known.' In Scripture it denotes, by way of eminence, (xa+’
2Eox7i%,) the glad and delightful message of the grace exhi-
bited to us in Christ, in order to instruct us, by despising
the world and its fading riches and pleasures, to desire with
our whole heart, and to embrace when offered to us, this
invaluable blessing. ‘The conduct which we perceive in irre-
ligious men, who take an extravagant delight in the empty
enjoyments of the world, while they are little, if at all,
affected by a relish for spiritual blessings, is natural to us all.
For the purpose of correcting this fault, God expressly
bestows the name Gospel on the message which he orders to
be proclaimed concerning Christ ; for thus he reminds us
that nowhere else can true and solid happiness be obtained,
and that in him we have all that is necessary for the perfec-
tion of a happy life.

Some consider the word Gospel as extending to all the
gracious promises of God which are found scattered even in
the Law and the Prophets. Nor can it be denied that,
whenever God declares that he will be reconciled to men,
and forgives their sins, he at the same time exhibits Christ,
whose peculiar office it is, wherever he shines, to spread

' “On scait assez que le mot d’Evangile signifie entre les Grees toutes
bonnes nouvelles ;”—‘‘ it is well known that the word Gospel denotes in
Greek any kind of good news.”

THE ARGUMENT. Hl

abroad the rays of joy. I acknowledge, therefore, that the
Fathers were partakers of the same Gospel with ourselves, so
far as relates to the faith of a gratuitous salvation. But as
it is the ordinary declaration made by the Holy Spirit in the
Scriptures, that the Gospel was first proclaimed when Christ
came, let us also adhere to this mode of expression; and let us
keep by that definition of the Gospel which I have given, that
it is a solemn publication of the grace revealed in Christ. On
this account the Gospel is called the power of God to salvation
to every one who believeth, (Rom. i. 16,) because in it God
displays his righteousness. It is called also an embassy, by
which he reconciles men to himself, (2 Cor. v. 20;) and as
Christ is the pledge of the mercy of God, and of his fatherly
love towards us, so he is, in a peculiar manner, the subject
of the Gospel.

Hence it came that the histories which relate that Christ
appeared in the flesh, and died, and was raised from the
dead, and at length was taken up into heaven, have pecu-

liarly obtained the name Gospel. For although, for the
_ reason already stated, this word means the New Testament,
yet the name which denotes the whole has come, by general
practice, to stand for that part of it which declares that
Christ was manifested to us in the flesh, and died, and rose
from the dead. But as the bare history would not be
enough, and, indeed, would be of no advantage for salvation,
the Evangelists do not merely relate that Christ was born,
and that he died and vanquished death, but also explain for
what purpose he was born, and died, and rose again, and
what benefit we derive from those events.

Yet there is also this difference between them, that the
other three are more copious in their narrative of the life and
death of Christ, but John dwells more largely on the doc-
trine by which the office of Christ, together with the power
of his death and resurrection, is unfolded. They do not,
indeed, omit to mention that Christ came to bring salvation
to the world, to atone for the sins of the world by the sacri-
fice of his death, and, in short, to perform every thing that
was required from the Mediator, (as John also devotes a por-
tion of his work to historical details;) but the doctrine,

ye THE ARGUMENT.

which points out to us the power and benefit of the coming
of Christ, is far more clearly exhibited by him than by the
rest. And as all of them had the same object in view, to
point out Christ, the three former exhibit his body, if we
may be permitted to use the expression, but John exhibits
his soul. On this account, I am accustomed to say that this
Gospel is a key to open the door for understanding the rest ;
for whoever shall understand the power of Christ, as it is
here strikingly portrayed, will afterwards read with advan-
tage what the others relate about the Redeemer who was
manifested.

John is believed to have written chiefly with the intention
of maintaining the Divinity of Christ, in opposition to the
wicked blasphemies of Ebion and Cerinthus; and this is
asserted by Eusebius and Jerome, in accordance with the
general opinion of the ancients. But whatever might be his
motive for writing at that time, there can be no doubt what-
ever that God intended a far higher benefit for his Church.
He therefore dictated to the Four Evangelists what they
should write, in such a manner that, while each had his own
part assigned him, the whole might be collected into one
body ; and it is our duty now to blend the Four by a mutual
relation, so that we may permit ourselves to be taught by all
of them, as by one mouth. As to John being placed the
fourth in order, it was done on account of the time when he
wrote; but in reading them, a different order would be more
advantageous, which is, that when we wish to read in
Matthew and the others, that Christ was given to us by the
Father, we should first learn from John the purpose for
which he was manifested.

COMMENTARY

ON THE

HOLY GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST

ACCORDING TO JOHN.

COMMENTARY

ON THE

HOLY GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST

ACCORDING TO JOHN.

CHAPTER I.

1. In the beginning was the Speech, and the Speech was with God, and
the Speech was God. 2. He was in the beginning with God. 3. All
things were made by him, and without him was not any thing made that
was made. 4. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5. And
the light shineth in darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

1. In the beginning was the Speech. In this introduction
he asserts the eternal Divinity of Christ, in order to inform
us that he is the eternal God, who was manifested in the flesh,
(1 Tim. iii. 16.) The design is, to show it to have been
necessary that the restoration of mankind should be accom-
plished by the Son of God, since by his power all things
were created, since he alone breathes into all the creatures
life and energy, so that they remain in their condition; and
since in man himself he has given a remarkable display both
of his power and of his grace, and even subsequently to the
fall of man has not ceased to show liberality and kindness
towards his posterity. And this doctrine is highly necessary
to be known; for since apart from God we ought not at all

VOL. I. B

26 COMMENTARY ON THE

to seek life and salvation, how could our faith rest on Christ,
if we did not know with certainty what is here taught? By
these words, therefore, the Evangelist assures us that we do
not withdraw from the only and eternal God, when we be-
lieve in Christ, and likewise that life is now restored to the
dead through the kindness of him who was the source and
cause of life, when the nature of man was still uncorrupted.

As to the Evangelist calling the Son of God the Speech,
the simple reason appears to me to be, first, because he is the
eternal Wisdom and Will of God; and, secondly, because he
is the lively image of His purpose ; for, as Speech is said to be
among men the image of the mind, so it is not inappropriate
to apply this to God, and to say that He reveals himself to
us by his Speech. The other significations of the Greek
word Aéyos (Logos) do not apply so well. It means, no
doubt, definition, and reasoning, and calculation; but I am
unwilling to carry the abstruseness of philosophy beyond the
measure of my faith. And we perceive that the Spirit of
God is so far from approving of such subtleties that, in
prattling with us, by his very silence he cries aloud with
what sobriety we ought to handle such lofty mysteries.

Now as God, in creating the world, revealed himself by
that Speech, so he formerly had him concealed with himself,
so that there is a twofold relation ; the former to God, and
the latter to men. Servetus, a haughty scoundrel belonging
to the Spanish nation, invents the statement, that this eternal
Speech began to exist at that time when he was displayed in
the creation of the world, as if he did not exist before his
power was made known by external operation. Very differ-
ently does the Evangelist teach in this passage ; for he does
not ascribe to the Speech a beginning of time, but says that he
was from the beginning, and thus rises beyond all ages. I am
fully aware how this dog barks against us, and what cavils
were formerly raised by the Arians, namely, that zn the be-
ginning God created the heaven and the earth, (Gen. i. 1,)
which nevertheless are not eternal, because the word begin-
ning refers to order, instead of denoting eternity. But the
Evangelist meets this calumny when he says,

And the Speech was with God. If the Speech began to be

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 27

at some time, they must find out some succession of time in
God ; and undoubtedly by this clause John intended to dis-
tinguish him from all created things. For many questions
might arise, “ Where was this Speech? How did he exert
his power? What was his nature? How might he be
known?’ The Evangelist, therefore, declares that we must
not confine our views to the world and to created things ;
for he was always united to God, before the world existed.
Now when men date the beginning from the origin of heaven
and earth, do they not reduce Christ to the common order
of the world, from which he is excluded in express terms by
this passage? By this proceeding they offer an egregious
insult not only to the Son of God, but to his eternal Father,
whom they deprive of his wisdom. If we are not at liberty
to conceive of God without his wisdom, it must be acknow-
ledged that we ought not to seek the origin of the Speech any
where else than in the Eternal Wisdom of God.

Servetus objects that the Speech cannot be admitted to
have existed any earlier than when Moses introduces God as
speaking. As if he did not subsist in God, because he was
not publicly made known: that is, as if he did not exist
within, until he began to appear without. But every pretence
for outrageously absurd fancies of this description is cut off
by the Evangelist, when he affirms without reservation, that
the Speech was with God ; for he expressly withdraws us from
every moment of time.

Those who infer from the imperfect tense of the verb‘
which is here used, that it denotes continued existence, have
little strength of argument to support them. Was, they say,
is a word more fitted to express the idea of uninterrupted
succession, than if John had said, Has been. But on matters
so weighty we ought to employ more solid arguments; and,
indeed, the argument which I have brought forward ought to
be reckoned by us sufficient; namely, that the Evangelist
sends us to the eternal secrets of God, that we may there
learn that the Speech was, as it were, hidden, before he re-
vealed himself in the external structure of the world. Justly,

1 “Pource qu'il est dit Estoit, et non pas N’esté ;”—“' Because it is
said Was, and not Has been.”

28 COMMENTARY ON THE

therefore, does Augustine remark, that this beginning, which
is now mentioned, has no beginning; for though, in the order
of nature, the Father came before his Wisdom, yet those who
conceive of any point of time when he went before his Wis-
dom, deprive him of his glory. And this is the eternal gene-
ration, which, during a period of infinite extent before the
foundation of the world, lay hid in God, so to speak—which,
for a long succession of years, was obscurely shadowed out
to the Fathers under the Law, and at length was more fully
manifested in flesh.

I wonder what induced the Latins to render 6 Aéyos by
Verbum, (the Word;) for that would rather have been the
translation of +) gjuc. But granting that they had some
plausible reason, still it cannot be denied that Sermo (the
Speech) would have been far more appropriate. Hence it is
evident, what barbarous tyranny was exercised by the theo-
logians of the Sorbonne,’ who teazed and stormed at Eras-
mus in such a manner, because he had changed a single word
for the better.

And the Speech was with God. We have already said that
the Son of God is thus placed above the world and above all
the creatures, and is declared to have existed"before all ages.
But at the same time this mode of expression attributes to
him a distinct personality from the Father ; for it would have
been absurd in the Evangelist to say that the Speech was
always with God, if he had not some kind of subsistence
peculiar to himself in God. This passage serves, therefore,
to refute the error of Sabellius ; for it shows that the Son is
distinct from the Father. I have already remarked that we
ought to be sober in thinking, and modest in speaking, about
such high mysteries. And yet the ancient writers of the
Church were excusable, when, finding that they could not in
any other way maintain sound and pure doctrine in opposi-
tion to the perplexed and ambiguous phraseology of the
heretics, they were compelled to invent some words, which
after all had no other meaning than what is taught in the
Scriptures. They said that there are three Hypostases, or

1“ Les Theologiens Sorbonistes.’

4
«

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 29

Subsistences, or Persons, in the one and simple essence of
God. The word ixécracs (Hypostasis) occurs in this sense
in Heb. i.3, to which corresponds the Latin word Substantia,
(substance,) as it is employed by Hilary. The Persons (ra
xesowra) were called by them distinct properties in God, which
present themselves to the view of our minds; as Gregory
Nazianzen says, “I cannot think of the One (God) without
having the Three (Persons) shining around me.”?

And the Speech was God. That there may be no remaining
doubt as to Christ’s divine essence, the Evangelist distinctly
asserts that he is God. Now since there is but one God, it
follows that Christ is of the same essence with the Father,
and yet that, in some respect, he is distinct from the Father.
But of the second clause we have already spoken. As to the
unity of the divine essence, Arius showed prodigious wicked-
ness, when, to avoid being compelled to acknowledge the
eternal Divinity of Christ, he prattled about I know not what
imaginary Deity ;? but for our part, when we are informed
that the Speech was God, what right have we any longer to
call in question his eternal essence ?

2. He was in the beginning. In order to impress more
deeply on our minds what had been already said, the Evan-
gelist condenses the two preceding clauses into a brief sum-
mary, that the Speech always was, and that he was with God ;
so that it may be understood that the beginning was before all
time.

3. All things were made by him. Having affirmed that the
Speech is God, and having asserted his eternal essence, he now
proves his Divinity from his works. And this is the practical
knowledge, to which we ought to be chiefly accustomed ; for

1 The reader will find our Author’s views of the Holy Trinity very fully
illustrated in the Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book I. Chap. xiii.,
and will be at a loss whether to admire most the marvellous acuteness,
or the sobriety of judgment, by which the whole discussion is pervaded.—
Ed.

2 Que cestoit je ne scay quel Dieu qui avoit este creé, et eu com-
mencement ;’—‘* That there was I know not what God who had been
created, and had a beginning.” _ ,

30 COMMENTARY ON THE

the mere name of God attributed to Christ will affect us
little, if our faith do not feel it to be such by experience. In
reference to the Son of God, he makes an assertion which
strictly and properly applies to his person. Sometimes,
indeed, Paul simply declares that all things are by God, (Rom.
xi. 36;) but whenever the Son is compared with the Father,
he is usually distinguished by this mark. Accordingly,
the ordinary mode of expression is here employed, that the
Father made all things by the Son, and that all things are by
God through the Son. Now the design of the Evangelist is,
as [ have already said, to show that no sooner was the world
created than the Speech of God came forth into external
operation ; for having formerly been incomprehensible in his
essence, he then became publicly known by the effect of his
power. ‘There are some, indeed, even among philosophers,
who make God to be the Master-builder of the world in such
a manner as to ascribe to him intelligence in framing this
work. So far they are in the right, for they agree with
Scripture; but as they immediately fly off into frivolous
speculations, there is no reason why we should eagerly desire
to have their testimonies; but, on the contrary, we ought to
be satisfied with this inspired declaration, well knowing that
it conveys far more than our mind is able to comprehend.
And without him was not any thing made that was made.
Though there is a variety of readings in this passage, yet for
my own part, I have no hesitation in taking it continuously
thus : not any thing was made that was made; and in this almost
all the Greek manuscripts, or at least those of them which
are most approved, are found to agree; besides, the sense
requires it. ‘Those who separate the words, which was made,
from the preceding clause, so as to connect them with the
following one, bring out a forced sense: what was made was
in him life; that is, lived, or was sustained in life. But they

i The difference of readings lies wholly in the punctuation, and the dis-
pute is, whether the words ¢ y¢yovev shall form the conclusion of the Third,
or the commencement of the Fourth verse. CALVIN expresses his con-
currence with the majority of manuscripts, which connect the words in
question with the Third verse thus: Kai xaeic avrod eyévero ovd! Ey o
yeyovev, and without him was not any thing made, (or, more literally, as
well as more emphatically,) and without him was NOT ONE THING made—

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 31

will never show that this mode of expressionis, in any instance,
applied to creatures. Augustine, who is excessively addicted
to the philosophy of Plato, is carried along, according to
custom, to the doctrine of zdeas; that before God made the
world, he had the form of the whole building conceived in
his mind; and so the Life of those things which did not yet
exist was in Christ, because the creation of the world was
appointed in him. But how widely different this is from the
intention of the Evangelist we shall immediately see.

I now return to the former clause. This is not a faulty
redundancy, (wzgirrodoyia,) as it appears to be; for as Satan
endeavours, by every possible method, to take any thing from
Christ, the Evangelist intended to declare expressly, that of
those things which have been made there is no exception what-
ever.

4. In him was life. Hitherto he has taught us, that by
the Speech of God all things were created. He now attributes
to him, in the same manner, the preservation of those things
which had been created ; as if he had said, that in the creation
of the world there was not merely displayed a sudden exer-
cise of his power, which soon passed away, but that it is
manifested in the steady and regular order of nature, as he is
said to uphold all things by the word or will of his power, (Heb.
i. 3.) This hfe may be extended either to inanimate creatures,
(which ive after their own manner, though they are devoid
of feeling,) or may be explained in reference to living creatures
alone. It is of little consequence which you choose ; for the
simple meaning is, that the Speech of God was not only the
source of life to all the creatures, so that those which were
not began to be, but that his “fe-giving power causes them to
remain in their condition; for were it not that his continued
inspiration gives vigour to the world, every thing that Lives
would immediately decay, or be reduced to nothing. In a

WHICH WAS MADE. Other manuscripts, certainly of no great authority,
connect them with the Fourth verse: Kal ywels wired eyevero ovde Ey
‘O yévyovey ey autre Can iv. And without him was not one thing made.
WHat WAS MADE was in him life. The preference given by our Author
rests on grounds which can scarcely be questioned.—d.

304 COMMENTARY ON THE

word, what Paul ascribes to God, that in him we are, and
move, and live, (Acts xvii. 28,) John declares to be accom-
plished by the gracious agency of the Speech; so that it is
God who gives us life, but it is by the eternal Speech.

The life was the light of men. The other interpretations,
which do not accord with the meaning of the Evangelist, I
intentionally pass by. He speaks here, in my opinion, of that
part of fe in which men excel other animals; and informs
us that the life which was bestowed on men was not of an
ordinary description, but was united to the light of under-
standing. He separates man from the rank of other crea-
tures ; because we perceive more readily the power of God
by feeling it in us than by beholding it at a distance. Thus
Paul charges us not to seek God at a distance, because he
makes himself to be felt within us, (Acts xvii. 27.) After
having presented a general exhibition of the kindness of
Christ, in order to induce men to take a nearer view of it, he
points out what has been bestowed peculiarly on themselves ;
namely, that they were not created like the beasts, but hay-
ing been endued with reason, they had obtained a higher
rank. As it is not in vain that God imparts his light to their
minds, it follows that the purpose for which they were
created was, that they might acknowledge Him who is the
Author of so excellent a blessing. And since this light, of
which the Speech was the source, has been conveyed from him
to us, it ought to serve as a mirror, in which we may clearly
behold the divine power of the Speech.

« 5. And the light shineth in darkness. It might be objected,
that the passages of Scripture in which men are called blind
are so numerous, and that the blindness for which they are
condemned is but too well known. For in all their reasoning
faculties they miserably fail. How comes it that there are
so many labyrinths of errors in the world, but because men,
by their own guidance, are led only to vanity and hes? But
if no Light appears in men, that testimony of the divinity of
Christ, which the Evangelist lately mentioned, is destroyed ;
for that is the third step, as I have said, that in the life of
men there is something more excellent than motion and

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 33

breathing. The Evangelist anticipates this question, and
first of all lays down this caution, that the light which was
originally bestowed on men must not be estimated by their
present condition ; because in this corrupted and degenerate
nature light has been turned into darkness. And yet he
affirms that the light of understanding is not wholly extin-
guished ; for, amidst the thick darkness of the human mind,
some remaining sparks of the brightness still shine.

My readers now understand that this sentence contains two
clauses ; for he says that men are now widely distant from
that perfectly holy nature with which they were originally
endued ; because their understanding, which ought to have
shed dight in every direction, has been plunged in darkness,
and is wretchedly blinded ; and that thus the glory of Christ
may be said to be darkened amidst this corruption of nature.
But, on the other hand, the Evangelist maintains that, in the
midst of the darkness, there are still some remains of light,
which show in some degree the divine power of Christ. The
Evangelist admits, therefore, that the mind of man is blinded;
so that it may justly be pronounced to be covered with dark-
ness. For he might have used a milder term, and might have
said that the light is dark or cloudy; but he chose to state
more distinctly how wretched our condition has become since
the fall of the first man. ‘The statement that the hight shineth
in darkness is not at all intended for the commendation of
depraved nature, but rather for taking away every excuse for
ignorance.

And the darkness did not comprehend it. Although by that
small measure of light which still remains in us, the Son of
God has always invited men to himself, yet the Evangelist
says that this was attended by no advantage, because seeing,
they did not see, (Matth. xiii. 13.) For since man lost the
favour of God, his mind is so completely overwhelmed by the
thraldom of ignorance, that any portion of light which
remains in it is quenched and useless. This is daily proved
by experience; for all who are not regenerated by the Spirit
of God possess some reason, and this is an undeniable proof
that man was made not only to breathe, but to have under-
standing. But by that guidance of their reason they do not

34 COMMENTARY ON THE

come to God, and do not even approach to him; so that all
their understanding is nothing else than mere vanity. Hence
it follows that there is no hope of the salvation of men, unless
God grant new aid; for though the Son of God sheds his
light upon them, they are so dull that they do not comprehend
whence that light proceeds, but are carried away by foolish
and wicked imaginations to absolute madness.

The Light which still dwells in corrupt nature consists chiefly
of two parts ; for, first, all men naturally possess some seed
of religion; and, secondly, the distinction between good and
evil is engraven on their consciences. But what are the
fruits that ultimately spring from it, except that religion
degenerates into a thousand monsters of superstition, and
conscience perverts every decision, so as to confound vice
with virtue? In short, natural reason never will direct men
to Christ; and as to their being endued with prudence for
regulating their lives, or born to cultivate the liberal arts and
sciences, all this passes away without yielding any advantage.

It ought to be understood that the Evangelist speaks of
natural gifts only, and does not as yet say any thing about
the grace of regeneration. For there are two distinct powers
which belong to the Son of God: the first, which is mani-
fested in the structure of the world and the order of nature ;
and the second, by which he renews and restores fallen
nature. As he is the eternal Speech of God, by him the world
was made; by his power all things continue to possess the
life which they once received; man especially was endued
with an extraordinary gift of understanding ; and though by
his revolt he lost the light of understanding, yet he still sees
and understands, so that what he naturally possesses from
the grace of the Son of God is not entirely destroyed. But
since by his stupidity and perverseness he darkens the light
which still dwells in him, it remains that a new office be
undertaken by the Son of God, the office of Mediator, to
renew, by the Spirit of regeneration, man who had been
ruined. Those persons, therefore, reason absurdly and incon-
clusively, who refer this Zight, which the Evangelist mentions,
to the gospel and the doctrine of salvation.

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 35

* 6. There was a man sent by God, whose name was John. 7. He came
for a testimony,! that he might testify of the light ; that by him all might
believe. 8, He was not that light, but that he might testify concerning
the light. 9. The true light was that which enlighteneth every man who
cometh into the world. 10. He was in the world, and the world was made
by him, and the world knew him not. 11. He came into his own, and his
own received him not. 12. But as many as received him, to them gave
he power to become the sons of God; namely, to those who believe in
his name; 13. Who were born not of bloods,? nor of the will of the flesh,
nor of the will of man, but of God.

6. There was aman. The Evangelist now begins to dis-
course about the manner in which the Son of God was mani-
fested in flesh; and that none may doubt that Christ is the
eternal Son of God, he relates that Christ was announced by
John the Baptist, as his herald. For not only did Christ
exhibit himself to be seen by men, but he chose also to be
made known by the testimony and doctrine of John; or
rather, God the Father sent this witness before his Christ,
that they might more willingly receive the salvation offered
by him.

But it might at first sight appear ridiculous that Christ
Should receive testimony from another, as if he needed it;
while, on the contrary, he declares that he does not seek testi-
mony from man, (John v. 34.) The answer is easy and
obvious, that this witness was appointed, not for the sake of
Christ, but for our sake. Ifit be objected that the testimony
of man is too weak to prove that Christ is the Son of God,
it is likewise easy to reply, that the Baptist is not adduced
as 2 private witness, but as one who, having received authority
from God, sustained the character rather of an angel than of
aman. Accordingly, he receives commendation not for his
own virtues, but for this single circumstance, that he was the
ambassador of God. Nor is this at variance with the fact,
that the preaching of the gospel was committed to Christ,
that he might be a witness to himself; for the design contem-
plated by the preaching of John was, that men might attend
to the doctrine and miracles of Christ.

Sent by God. He does not say so for the purpose of

- dog Pour (porter) tesmoignage ;”—“ to bear testimony.”
““Nais de sangs, ou, de sang ;’—“* born of bloods, or, of blood.”

36 COMMENTARY ON THE

confirming the baptism of John, but only mentions it in
passing. This circumstance is not sufficient to produce
certainty, since many run of their own accord, and boast that
God has sent them; but the Evangelist, intending afterwards
to speak more fully about this witness, reckoned it enough, for
the present, to say in a single word, that John did not come
but by the command of God. We shall afterwards see how
he himself affirms that God is the Author of his ministry.
We must now recollect—what I formerly noticed—that what
is asserted about John is required in all the teachers of the
Church, that they be called by God; so that the authority
of teaching may not be founded on any other than on God
alone.

Whose name was John. He states the name, not only for
the purpose of pointing out the man, but because it was given
to him in accordance with what he really was. There is no
room to doubt that the Lord had reference to the office to
which he appointed John, when he commanded by the angel
that he should be so called, that by means of it all might
acknowledge him to be the herald of divine grace.’ For
though the name yan ? (Jehohannan) may be taken in a
passive signification, and may thus be referred to the person,
as denoting that John was acceptable to God ; yet for my own
part, I willingly extend it to the benefit which others ought
to derive from hin.*

7. He came for a testimony. The end of his calling is
briefly noticed ; which was, that he might prepare a Church
for Christ, as, by inviting all to Christ, he shows plainly
enough that he did not come on his own account.

8. He was not that light. So far was John from needing
commendation, that the Evangelist gives this warning, lest

1 ‘¢ Heraut et ambassade de la grace de Dieu ;’—‘‘ Herald and ambas-
7 fon %”? =)
sador of the grace of God.
2Te nom de Jean, qui signifie Grace ;’—‘‘ The name John, which

signifies Grace.”
3 For the meaning of the name John, derived from the Hebrew Jeho-
hannan, the reader may consult our Author’s Commentary on the Harmony

of the Three Evangelists, vol. 1. p. 15.—Ed.

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 37

his excessive brightness might obscure the glory of Christ.
For there were some who gazed so eagerly upon him that
they neglected Christ ; just as if a person, enraptured with
beholding the dawning of the day, would not deign to turn
his eyes towards the sun. In what sense the Evangelist
employs the word light we shall immediately see. All the
godly, indeed, are light in the Lord, (Eph. v. 8,) because, in
consequence of their being enlightened by his Spirit, they
not only see for themselves, but likewise direct others by
their example to the way of salvation. The apostles likewise
are peculiarly called light, (Matth. v. 14,) because they go
before, holding out the torch of the Gospel, to dispel the
darkness of the world. But here the Evangelist speaks of
him who is the only and eternal source of illumination, as he
immediately shows more clearly.

9. The true light was. The Evangelist did not intend to
— contrast the true light with the false, but to distinguish Christ
from all others, that none might imagine that what is called
light belongs to him in common with angels or men. The
distinction is, that whatever is luminous in heaven and in earth
borrows its splendour from some other object ; but Christ is
the light, shining from itself and by itself, and enlightening
the whole world by its radiance ; so that no other source or
cause of splendour is anywhere to be found. He gave the
name of the true light, therefore, to that which has by nature
the power of giving light.

Which enlighteneth every man. The Evangelist insists
chiefly on this point, in order to show, from the effect which
every one of us perceives in him, that Christ is the light. He
might have reasoned more ingeniously, that Christ, as the
eternal light, has a splendour which is natural, and not brought
from any other quarter; but instead of doing so, he sends us
back to the experience which we all possess. For as Christ
makes us all partakers of his brightness, it must be acknow-
ledged that to him alone belongs strictly this honour of being
called light.

This passage is commonly explained in two ways. Some
restrict the phrase, every man, to those who, having been

38 COMMENTARY ON THE

renewed by the Spirit of God, become partakers of the life-
giving light. Augustine employs the comparison of a school-
master who, if he happen to be the only person who has a
school in the town, will be called the teacher of all, though
there be many persons that do not go to his school. They
therefore understand the phrase im a comparative sense, that
all are enlightened by Christ, because no man can boast of
haying obtained the “ght of life in any other way than by his
grace. But as the Evangelist employs the general phrase,
every man that cometh into the world, I am more inclined to
adopt the other meaning, which is, that from this light the
rays are diffused over all mankind, as I have already said.
For we know that men have this peculiar excellence which
raises them above other animals, that they are endued with
reason and intelligence, and that they carry the distinction
between right and wrong engraven on their conscience.
There is no man, therefore, whom some perception of the
eternal ight does not reach.

But as there are fanatics who rashly strain and torture
this passage, so as to infer from it that the grace of illumina-
tion is equally offered to all, let us remember that the only
subject here treated is the common light of nature, which is
far inferior to faith; for never will any man, by all the
acuteness and sagacity of his own mind, penetrate into the
kingdom of God. It is the Spirit of God alone who opens
the gate of heaven to the elect. Next, let us remember that
the light of reason which God implanted in men has been so
obscured by sin, that amidst the thick darkness, and shocking
ignorance, and gulf of errors, there are hardly a few shining
sparks that are not utterly extinguished.

10. He was in the world. He accuses men of ingratitude,
because of their own accord, as it were, they were so blinded,
that the cause of the light which they enjoyed was unknown
to them. This extends to every age of the world; for before
Christ was manifested in the flesh, his power was everywhere
displayed; and therefore those daily effects ought to correct
the stupidity of men. What can be more unreasonable than
to draw water from a running stream, and never to think

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 39

of the fountain from which that stream flows ? It follows that
no proper excuse can be found for the ignorance of the world
in not knowing Christ, before he was manifested in the flesh ;
for it arose from the indolence and wicked stupidity of those
who had opportunities of seemg Him always present by his
power. The whole may be summed up by saying, that
never was Christ m such a manner absent from the world, but
that men, aroused by his rays, ought to have raised their eyes
towards him. Hence it follows, that the blame must be im-
puted to themselves.

11. He came into his own. Here is displayed the absolutely
desperate wickedness and malice of men; here is displayed
their execrable impiety, that when the Son of God was mani-
fested in flesh to the Jews, whom God had separated to him-
self from the other nations to be His own heritage, he was
not acknowledged or received. This passage also has re-
ceived various explanations. For some think that the Evan-
gelist speaks of the whole world indiscriminately ; and cer-
tainly there is no part of the world which the Son of God
may not lawfully claim as his own property. According to
them, the meaning is: “ When Christ came down into the
world, he did not enter into another person’s territories, for the
whole human race was his own inheritance.” But I approve
more highly of the opinion of those who refer it to the Jews
alone; for there is an implied comparison, by which the
Evangelist represents the heinous ingratitude of men. The
Son of God had solicited an abode for himself in one nation;
when he appeared there, he was rejected; and this shows
clearly the awfully wicked blindness of men. In making this
statement, the sole object of the Evangelist must have been
to remove the offence which many would be apt to take in
consequence of the unbelief of the Jews. For when he was
despised and rejected by that nation to which he had been
especially promised, who would reckon him to be the Re-
deemer of the whole world? We see what extraordinary
pains the Apostle Paul takes in handling this subject.

Here both the Verb and the Noun are highly emphatic.
He came. The Evangelist says that the Son of God came to

40) COMMENTARY ON THE

- that place where he formerly was ; and by this expression he
must mean a new and extraordinary kind of presence, by
which the Son of God was manifested, so that men might
have a nearer view of him. Jnto his own. By this phrase
the Evangelist compares the Jews with other nations; be-
cause by an extraordinary privilege they had been adopted
into the family of God. Christ therefore was first offered to
them as his own household, and as belonging to his empire
by a peculiar right. To the same purpose is that complaint
of God by Isaiah: The ox hnoweth his owner, and the ass his
master’s crib, but Israel knoweth me not, (Isa. i. 3;) for though
he has dominion over the whole world, yet he represents him-
self to be, in a peculiar manner, the Lord of Israel, whom he
had collected, as it were, into a sacred fold.

12. But to as many as received him. That none may be
retarded by this stumbling-block, that the Jews despised and
rejected Christ, the Evangelist exalts above heaven the godly
who believe in him; for he says that by faith they obtain this
glory of being reckoned the sons of God. The universal
term, as many, contains an implied contrast; for the Jews
were carried away by a blind vaunting,' as if they exclusively
had God bound to themselves. The Evangelist declares that
their condition is changed, because the Jews have been re-
jected, and their place, which had been left empty, is occu-
pied by the Jews; for it is as if he transferred the right of
adoption to strangers. This is what Paul says, that the
destruction of one nation was the life of the whole world,
(Rom. xi. 12;) for the Gospel, which might be said to have
been banished from them, began to be spread far and wide
throughout the whole world. They were thus deprived of
the privilege which they enjoyed above others. But their
impiety was no obstruction to Christ ; for he erected else-
where the throne of his kingdom, and called indiscriminately
to the hope of salvation all nations which formerly appeared
to have been rejected by God.

1“T)yune vanterie aveuglee; c’est a dire, n’entendans pas ce qu’ils
disoyent ;”—“ by a blind vaunting ; that is, not understanding what they
~< »
said.

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 41

He gave them power. The word zfovcia here appears to me
to mean a right, or claim; and it would be better to translate
it so, in order to refute the false opinions of the Papists ; for
they wickedly pervert this passage by understanding it to
mean, that nothing more than a choice is allowed to us, if we
think fit to avail ourselves of this privilege. In this way they
- extract free-will from this phrase; but as well might they
extract fire from water. ‘There is some plausibility in this at
first sight; for the Evangelist does not say that Christ makes
them sons of God, but that he gives them power to become
such. Hence they infer that it is this grace only that is
offered to us, and that the liberty to enjoy or to reject it is
placed at our disposal. But this frivolous attempt to catch
at a single word is set aside by what immediately follows;
for the Evangelist adds, that they become the sons of God, not
by the will which belongs to the flesh, but when they are born
of God. But if faith regenerates us, so that we are the sons
of God, and if God breathes faith into us from heaven, it
plainly appears that not by possibility only, but actually—as
we say—is the grace of adoption offered to us by Christ.
And, indeed, the Greek word ¢Zousim is sometimes put for
atinos, (a claim,) a meaning which falls in admirably with
this passage.

The circumlocution which the Evangelist has employed
tends more to magnify the excellence of grace, than if he had
said in a single word, that all who believe in Christ are made
by him sons of God. For he speaks here of the unclean and
profane, who, having been condemned to perpetual ignominy,
lay in the darkness of death. Christ exhibited an astonish-
ing instance of his grace in conferring this honour on such
persons, so that they began, all at once, to be sons of God;
and the greatness of this privilege is justly extolled by the
Evangelist, as also by Paul, when he ascribes it to God,
who is rich in mercy, for his great love with which he loved us,
(Eph. ii. 4.) But if any person shall prefer to take the word
power in its ordinary acceptation, still the Evangelist does not
mean by it any intermediate faculty, or one which does not
include the full and complete effect ; but, on the contrary,
means that Christ gave to the unclean and the uncircum-

VOL, I. C

42 COMMENTARY ON THE

cised what appeared to be impossible; for an imeredible
change took place when out of stones Christ raised up children
to God, (Matth. iii. 9.) The power, therefore, is that fitness
(ixavrns) which Paul mentions, when he gives thanks to God,
who hath made us FIT (or MEET) to be partakers of the inherit-
ance of the saints, (Col. i. 12.)

Who believe in his name. He expresses briefly the manner
of receiving Christ, that is, believing in him. Having been
ingrafted into Christ by faith, we obtain the right of adop-
tion, so as to be the sons of God. And, indeed, as he is the
only-begotten Son of God, it is only so far as we are mem-
bers of him that this honour at all belongs to us. Here again
the notion of the Papists about the word power is refuted.’
The Evangelist declares that this power is given to those who
already believe. Now it is certain that such persons are in
reality the sons of God. They detract too much from the
value of faith who say that, by delieving, a man obtains nothing
more than that he may become a son of God, if he chooses ;
for instead of a present effect they put a power which is held
in uncertainty and suspense.

The contradiction appears still more glarig from what
immediately follows. The Evangelist says that those who
believe are already born of God. It is not, therefore, a mere
liberty of choice that is offered, since they obtain the privilege
itself that is in question. Although the Hebrew word py
(Name) is sometimes used to denote power, yet here it
denotes a relation to the doctrine of the Gospel; for when
Christ is preached to us, then it is that we believe in him.
I speak of the ordinary method by which the Lord leads us
to faith; and this ought to be carefully observed, for there
are many who foolishly contrive for themselves a confused
faith, without any understanding of doctrine, as nothing is
more common among the Papists than the word believe,
though there is not among them any knowledge of Christ

1“ Et par ceci derechef est refutee Vimagination des Papistes de
laquelle j'ai parlé, & scavoir que Dieu donne aux hommes une possibilité
seulement d’estre faits enfans siens;”—‘‘ and here again is refuted the
notion of the Papists which I spoke of, namely, that God gives to men a

bare possibility of becoming his children.”

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 43

from hearing the Gospel. Christ, therefore, offers himself to
us by the Gospel, and we receive him by faith.

13. Who were born not of blood Some think that an
indirect reference is here made to the preposterous confidence
of the Jews, and I willingly adopt that opinion. They had
continually in their mouth the nobleness of their lineage, as
if, because they were descended from a holy stock, they were
naturally holy. And justly might they have gloried in their
descent from Abraham, if they had been lawful sons, and not
bastards ; but the glorying of faith ascribes nothing whatever
to carnal generation, but acknowledges its obligation to the
grace of God alone for all that is good. John, therefore, says,
that those among the formerly unclean Gentiles who believe
in Christ are not born the sons of God from the womb, but
are renewed by God, that they may begin to be his sons.
The reason why he uses the word dlood in the plural number
appears to have been, that he might express more fully a long
succession of lineage; for this was a part of the boasting
among the Jews, that they could trace their descent, by an
uninterrupted line, upwards to the patriarchs.

The will of the flesh and the will of man appear to me to
mean the same thing; for I see no reason why flesh should
be supposed to signify woman, as Augustine and many
others explain it. On the contrary, the Evangelist repeats
the same thing in a variety of words, in order to explain it
more fully, and impress it more deeply on the minds of men.
Though he refers directly to the Jews, who gloried in the
flesh, yet from this passage a general doctrine may be ob-
tained : that our being reckoned the sons of God does not
belong to our nature, and does not proceed from us, but
because God begat us WILLINGLY, (James i. 18,) that is, from
undeserved love. Hence it follows, first, that faith does not
proceed from ourselves, but is the fruit of spiritual regenera-
tion; for the Evangelist affirms that no man can believe,

1 Here our Author, either from choice or from inadvertency, has
adopted the phrase of blood, instead of what he followed in his version of
the Text, (see page 35,) of bloods—the literal, though not idiomatic, render-

ing of 22 wiweéray, which is itself of rare occurrence, but not without
classical authority.— Ed.

44 COMMENTARY ON THE

unless he be begotten of God; and therefore faith is a
heavenly gift. It follows, secondly, that faith is not bare or
cold knowledge, since no man can believe who has not been
renewed by the Spirit of God.

It may be thought that the Evangelist reverses the natural
order by making regeneration to precede faith, whereas, on
the contrary, it is an effect of faith, and therefore ought to
be placed later. I reply, that both statements perfectly
agree; because by faith we receive the incorruptible seed,
(1 Pet. i. 23,) by which we are born again to a new and divine
life. And yet faith itself is a work of the Holy Spirit, who
dwells in none but the children of God. So then, in various
respects, faith is a part of our regeneration, and an entrance
into the kingdom of God, that he may reckon us among his
children. The illumination of our minds by the Holy Spirit
belongs to our renewal, and thus faith flows from regenera-
tion as from its source ; but since it is by the same faith that
we receive Christ, who sanctifies us by his Spirit, on that
account it is said to be the beginning of our adoption.

Another solution, still more plain and easy, may be offered ;
for when the Lord breathes faith into us, he regenerates us by
some method that is hidden and unknown to us; but after
we have received faith, we perceive, by a lively feeling of
conscience, not only the grace of adoption, but also newness
of life and the other gifts of the Holy Spirit. For since faith,
as we have said, receives Christ, it puts us in possession, so
to speak, of all his blessings. Thus so far as respects our
sense, it is only after having believed—that we begin to be the
sons of God. But if the inheritance of eternal life is the
fruit of adoption, we see how the Evangelist ascribes the
whole of our salvation to the grace of Christ alone; and,
indeed, how closely soever men examine themselves, they
will find nothing that is worthy of the children of God,
except what Christ has bestowed on them.

14, And the Speech was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we
beheld his glory, the glory as of the only-begotten of the Father, ) full of
grace and truth.

14. And the Speech was made flesh. The Evangelist shows

¢

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 45

what was that coming of Christ which he had mentioned ;
namely, that having been clothed with our flesh, he showed
himself openly to the world. Although the Evangelist touches
briefly the unutterable mystery, that the Son of God was
clothed with human nature, yet this brevity is wonderfully
perspicuous. Here some madmen amuse themselves with
foolish and trivial subtleties of this sort: that the Speech is
said to have been made flesh, because God sent his Son into
the world, according to the conception, which he had formed
in his mind ; as if the Speech were I know not what shadowy
image. But we have demonstrated that that word denotes
a real hypostasis, or subsistence, in the essence of God.

The word Flesh expresses the meaning of the Evangelist
more forcibly than if he had said that he was made man. He
intended to show to what a mean and despicable condition
the Son of God, on our account, descended from the height
of his heavenly glory. When Scripture speaks of man con-
temptuously, it calls him flesh. Now, though there be so wide
a distance between the spiritual glory of the Speech of God
and the abominable filth of our flesh, yet the Son of God
stooped so low as to take upon himself that flesh, subject to
so many miseries. The word flesh is not taken here for
corrupt nature, (as it is often used by Paul,) but for mortal
man; though it marks disdainfully his frail and perishing
nature, as in these and similar passages: for he remembered
that they were FLESH, (Ps. xxviii. 39;) all FLESH 2s grass,
(Isa. xl. 6.) We must at the same time observe, however,
that this is a figure of speech in which a part is taken for the
whole ; for the lower part includes the whole man.' It was
therefore highly foolish in Apollinaris to imagine that Christ
was merely clothed with a human body without a soul; for
it may easily be proved from innumerable passages, that he
had a soul as well as a body ; and when Scripture calls men
flesh, it does not therefore deprive them of a soul.

The plain meaning therefore is, that the Speech begotten
by God before all ages, and who always dwelt with the

' “Car sous la chair et la partie inferieure tout "homme est comprins ;”
—“for under the flesh, and the lower part, the whole man is included.”

46 COMMENTARY ON THE

Father, was made man. On this article of faith there are two
things chiefly to be observed. The first is, that two natures
were so united in one Person in Christ, that one and the same
Christ is true God and true man. The second is, that the
unity of person does not hinder the two natures from remain-
ing distinct, so that his Divinity retains all that is peculiar to
itself, and his humanity holds separately whatever belongs to
it. And, therefore, as Satan has made a variety of foolish
attempts to overturn sound doctrine by heretics, he has al-
ways brought forward one or another of these two errors;
either that he was the Son of God and the Son of man in so
confused a manner, that neither his Divinity remained entire,
nor did he wear the true nature of man; or that he was
clothed with flesh, so as to be as it were double, and to have
two separate persons. Thus Nestorius expressly acknow-
ledged both natures, but imagined two Christs, one who was
God, and another who was man. Eutyches, on the other
hand, while he acknowledged that the one Christ is the Son of
God and the Son of man, left him neither of the two natures,
but imagined that they were mingled together. And in the
present day, Servetus and the Anabaptists invent a Christ
who is confusedly compounded of two natures, as if he were
a Divine man. In words, indeed, he acknowledges that Christ
is God ; but if you admit his raving imaginations, the Divi-
nity is at one time changed into human nature, and at another
time, the nature of man is swallowed up by the Divinity.

The Evangelist says what is well adapted to refute both
of these blasphemies. When he tells us that the Speech was
made flesh, we clearly infer from this the unity of his Person ;
for it is impossible that he who is now a man could be any
other than he who was always the true God, since it is said
that that God was made man. On the other hand, since he
distinctly gives to the man Christ the name of the Speech, it
follows that Christ, when he became man, did not cease to
be what he formerly was, and that no change took place in
that eternal essence of God which was clothed with flesh. In
short, the Son of God began to be man in such a manner
that he still continues to be that eternal Speech who had no
beginning of time.

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 47

' And dwelt. Those who explain that the flesh served, as it
were, for an abode to Christ, do not perceive the meaning of
the Evangelist; for he does not ascribe to Christ a perma-
nent residence amongst us, but says that he remained in it, as
a guest, for a short time. For the word which he employs
(éoxqvwoev) is taken from ¢abernacles.' He means nothing else
than that Christ discharged on the earth the office which had
been appointed to him; or, that he did not merely appear for
a single moment, but that he conversed among men until he
completed the course of his office.

Among us. It is doubtful whether he speaks of men in
general, or only of himself and the rest of the disciples who
were eye-witnesses of what he says. For my own part, I
approve more highly of the second view, for the Evangelist
immediately adds :

And we beheld his glory. For though all men might have
beheld the glory of Christ, yet it was unknown to the greater
part on account of their blindness. It was only a few, whose
eyes the Holy Spirit opened, that saw this manifestation of
glory. In a word, Christ was known to be man in such a
manner that he exhibited in his Person something far more
noble and excellent. Hence it follows that the majesty of
God was not annihilated, though it was surrounded by flesh;
it was indeed concealed under the low condition of the flesh,
but so as to cause its splendour to be seen.

As of the only-begotten of the Father. The word as does not,
in this passage, denote an inappropriate comparison, but rather
expresses true and hearty approbation; as when Paul says,
Walk as children of light, he bids us actually demonstrate by
our works that we are the children of light. The Evangelist
therefore means, that in Christ was beheld a glory which was
worthy of the Son of God, and which was a sure proof of
his Divinity. He calls him the Only-begotten, because he is the
only Son of God by nature; as if he would place him above
men and angels, and would claim for him alone what belongs
to no creature.

* “ Est deduit d’un mot qui signifie Tabernacles, c’est 4 dire, tentes et
pavillons ;’—‘ is derived from a word which signifies Tabernacles, that
1s, tents and pavilions.”

48 COMMENTARY ON THE

Full of grace. There were, indeed, other things in which
the majesty of Christ appeared, but the Evangelist selected
this instance in preference to others, in order to train us to
the speculative rather than the practical knowledge of it;
and this ought to be carefully observed. Certainly when
Christ walked with dry feet upon the waters, (Matth. xiv. 26;
Mark vi. 48; John vi. 19,) when he cast out devils, and
when he displayed his power in other miracles, he might be
known to be the only-begotten Son of God; but the Evan-
gelist brings forward a part of the approbation, from which
faith obtains delightful advantage, because Christ demon-
strated that he actually is an inexhaustible fountain of grace
and truth. Stephen, too, is said to have been full of grace,
but in a different sense; for the fulness of grace in Christ is
the fountain from which all of us must draw, as we shall have
occasion shortly afterwards to explain more fully.

Grace and truth. This might be taken, by a figure of
speech, for true grace, or the latter term might be explana-
tory, thus: that he was full of grace, which is truth or per-
fection; but as we shall find that he immediately afterwards
repeats the same mode of expression, I think that the meaning
is the same in both passages. This grace and truth he after-
wards contrasts with the Law ; and therefore I interpret it as
simply meaning, that the apostles acknowledged Christ to be
the Son of God, because he had in himself the fulfilment of
all things which belong to the spiritual kingdom of God;
and, in short, that’ in all things he showed himself to be the
Redeemer and Messiah; which is the most striking mark by
which he ought to be distinguished from all others.

15. John testifieth? of himself, and cried, saying, This is he of whom I
spoke; who, coming after me, was preferred to me, for he was more
excellent than I. 16. Andout ofhis fulness have weall received, and grace

1 This must have been a slip of memory on the part of our Author; for
the phrases applied to Stephen are different, though parallel. He is
called @ man FULL oF faith and of the Holy Ghost, (Acts vi. 5;) FULL
oF faith and power, (Acts vi. 8 ;) and FULL oF the Holy Ghost, (Acts vii,

55.)—Ed.

2‘ Jean rend (ow, a rendu) tesmoignage de luy ;’—‘‘ John gives (or, gave)
testimony of him.”

3 Plus excellent que moy, ow, premier que moy ;’—“ more excellent

than I, or, before me.”

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 49

for grace. 17. For the law was given by Moses; grace and truth came
by Jesus Christ. 18. No man hath ever seen God: the only-begotten Son
himself, who is in the bosom of the Father, hath declared him.

15. John testifieth. He now relates what was the preaching
of John. By using the verb ¢estifieth (waervec?) in the present
tense,’ he denotes a continued act, and certainly this doctrine
must be continually in force, as if the voice of John were
continually resounding in the ears of men. In the same
manner he afterwards uses the word cry, to intimate that
the doctrine of John was in no degree obscure or ambiguous,
and that he did not mutter among a few men,” but openly,
and with a loud voice, preached Christ. The first sentence
is intended to convey the statement, that he was sent for the
sake of Christ, and therefore that it would have been un-
reasonable that he should be exalted, while Christ was lying
low.

This is he of whom I spoke. By these words he means that

_ his intention was, from the beginning, to make Christ known,

and that this was the design of his publicdiscourses; as, indeed,
there was no other way in which he could discharge his office
as ambassador than by calling his disciples to Christ.

Who, coming after me. Though John the Baptist was older
than Christ by a few months, yet he does not now speak of
age; but as he had discharged the office of prophet for a
short period before Christ appeared in public, so he makes
himself the predecessor with respect to time. With respect,
therefore, to public manifestation, Christ came after John the
Baptist. The words which follow might be literally ren-
dered, he was made before me, for he was before me; but the
meaning is, that Christ was justly preferred to John, because
he was more excellent. He therefore surrenders his office to
Christ, and—as the proverb runs—* delivers to him the torch,”
or gives way to him as his successor. But as he arose later
in the order of time, John reminds his hearers that this is no

1“ En usant du verbe du temps present, a scavoir, Rend tesmoignage, et
non pas, Rendoit ;’—‘‘ by using the verb in the present tense, GIVETH fes-
timony, and not GAVE testimony.”

2“ Quwiln’a point parlé entre ses dents, et communiqué la chose comme
en secret 4 pen de gens ;”—“‘ that he did not speak between his teeth, and
communicate the matter, as it were secretly, to a few persons.”

50 COMMENTARY ON THE

reason why he should not be preferred to himself, as his rank
deserved. Thus, all who are superior to others, either in the
gifts of God or in any degree of honour, must remain in their
own rank, so as to be placed below Christ.

16. And out of his fulness. He begins now to preach about
the office of Christ, that it contains within itself an abundance
of all blessings, so that no part of salvation must be sought
anywhere else. True, indeed, the fountain of life, righteous-
ness, virtue, and wisdom, is with God, but to us it is a hidden
and inaccessible fountain. But an abundance of those things
is exhibited to us in Christ, that we may be permitted to
have recourse to him ; for he is ready to flow to us, provided
that we open up achannel by faith. He declares in general,
that out of Christ we ought not to seek any thing good,
though this sentence consists of several clauses. First, he
shows that we are all utterly destitute and empty of spiritual
blessings; for the abundance which exists in Christ is intended
to supply our deficiency, to relieve our poverty, to satisfy our
hunger and thirst. Secondly, he warns us that, as soon as
we have departed from Christ, it is in vain for us to seek a
single drop of happiness, because God hath determined that
whatever is good shall reside in him alone. Accordingly, we
shall find angels and men to be dry, heaven to be empty, the
earth to be unproductive, and, in short, all things to be of no
value, if we wish to be partakers of the gifts of God in any
other way than through Christ. Thirdly, he assures us that
we shall have no reason to fear the want of any thing, pro-
vided that we draw from the fulness of Christ, which is in
every respect so complete, that we shall experience it to be
a truly inexhaustible fountain ; and John classes himself with
the rest, not for the sake of modesty, but to make it more
evident that no man whatever is excepted.

It is indeed uncertain whether he speaks generally of the
whole human race, or means only those who, subsequently to the
manifestation of Christ in the flesh, have been made more fully
partakers of his blessings. All the godly, no doubt, who lived
under the law, drew out of the same fulness ; but as John
immediately afterwards distinguishes between different periods,

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. SA

it is more probable that here he especially recommends that
rich abundance of blessings which Christ displayed at his
coming. For we know that under the Law the gifts of God
were more sparingly tasted, but that when Christ was mani-
fested in flesh, they were poured out, as it were, with a full
hand, even to satiety. Not that any of us has obtained a
greater abundance of the grace of the Spirit than Abraham
did, but I speak of God’s ordinary dispensation, and of the
way and manner of dispensing. John the Baptist, that he
may the more freely invite his disciples to come to Christ,
declares that in him is laid up for all an abundance of the bless-
ings of which they are destitute. And yetif any one choose
to extend the meaning farther, there will be no absurdity
in doing so; or rather, it will agree well with the strain
of the discourse, that all the fathers, from the beginning of
the world, drew from Christ all the gifts which they possessed ;
for though the law was given by Moses, yet they did not
- obtain grace by it. But I have already stated what appears
to me to be the preferable view; namely, that John here
compares us with the fathers, so as to magnify, by means of
that comparison, what has been given to us.

And grace for grace. In what manner Augustine explains
this passage is well known: that all the blessings which God
bestows upon us from time to time, and at length life ever-
lasting, arenot granted as the reward due to ourmerits, but that
it proceeds from pure liberality that God thus rewards former
grace, and crowns his own gifts in us. This is piously and
judiciously said, but has nothing to do with the present pass-
age. The meaning would be more simple if you were to take the
word for (évz/) comparatively, as meaning, that whatever graces
God bestows on us, proceed equally from the same source.
It might also be taken as pointing out the final cause, that
we now receive grace, that God may one day fulfil the work
of our salvation, which will be the fulfilment of grace. For
my own part, I agree with the opinion of those who say that
we are watered with the graces which were poured out on
Christ ; for what we receive from Christ he does not bestow
upon us as being God, but the Father communicated to him
what would flow to us as through a channel. This is the

52 COMMENTARY ON THE

anointing with which he was anointed, that he might anoint
us all along with him. Hence, too, he is called Christ,
(the Anointed,) and we are called Christians.

17. For the Law was given by Moses. This is an anticipa-
tion, by which he meets an objection that was likely to arise ;
for so highly was Moses esteemed by the Jews that they could
hardly receive anything that differed from him. The Eyan-
gelist therefore shows how far inferior the ministry of Moses
was to the power of Christ. At the same time, this comparison
sheds no small lustre on the power of Christ; for while the
utmost possible deference was rendered to Moses by the Jews,
the Evangelist reminds them that what he brought was
exceedingly small, when compared with the grace of Christ.
It would otherwise have been a great hinderance, that they
expected to receive from the Law what we can only obtain
through Christ.

But we must attend to the antithesis, when he contrasts
the law with grace and truth ; for his meaning is, that the law
wanted both of them.’ The word Truth denotes, in my
opinion, a fixed and permanent state of things. By the word
Grace I understand the spiritual fulfilment of those things,
the bare letter of which was contained in the Law. And
those two words may be supposed to refer to the same thing,
by a well-known figure of speech, (hypallage;) as if he had
said, that grace, in which the truth of the Law consists, was
at length exhibited in Christ. But as the meaning will bein
no degree affected, it is of no importance whether you view
them as united or as distinguished. This at least is certain,
that the Evangelist means, that in the Law there was nothing
more than a shadowy image of spiritual blessings, but that
they are actually found in Christ; whence it follows, that if
you separate the Law from Christ, there remains nothing in it
but empty figures. For this reason Paul says that the
shadows were in the law, but the body is in Christ, (Col. ii. 17.)
And yet it must not be supposed that anything was exhibited

1“ Que la Loy n’a eu ne l’un ne l'autre ;”’—** that the Law had neither
the one nor the other.”

—

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 53

by the Law in a manner fitted to deceive ; for Christ is the
soul which gives-life to that which would otherwise have
been dead under the law. But here a totally different question
meets us, namely, what the law could do by itself and without
Christ ; and the Evangelist maintains that nothing perma-
nently valuable is found in it until we come to Christ. This
truth consists in our obtaining through Christ that grace
which the lew could not at all bestow; and therefore I take
the word grace in a general sense, as denoting both the un-
conditional forgiveness of sins, and the renewal of the heart.
For while the Evangelist points out briefly the distinction
between the Old and New Testaments,! (which is more fully
described in Jer. xxxi. 31,) he includes in this word all that
relates to spiritual righteousness. Now this righteousness
consists of two parts; first, that God is reconciled to us by
free grace, in not imputing to us our sins ; and, secondly, that
he has engraven his /aw in our hearts, and, by his Spirit,

- renews men within to obedience to it; from which it is evident
that the Law is incorrectly and falsely expounded, if there are
any whose attention it fixes on itself, or whom it hinders from
coming to Christ.

18. No man hath ever seen God. Most appropriately is
this added to confirm the preceding statement ; for the know-
ledge of God is the door by which we enter into the enjoy-
ment of all blessings; and as it is by Christ alone that God
makes himself known to us, hence too it follows that we ought
to seek all things from Christ. This order of doctrine ought
to be carefully observed. No remark appears to be more
common than this, that each of us receives, according to the
measure of his faith, what God offers to us; but there are few
who think that we must bring the vessel of faith and of the
knowledge of God with which we draw.

When he says that no man hath seen God, we must not
understand him to refer to the outward perception of the
bodily eye: for he means generally, that as God dwells in

1 The points of agreement and of difference between the Old and
New Testaments are copiously illustrated by our Author in the Jnstitutes
of the Christian Religion, Book IT. chap. x. xi.—Ed.

54 COMMENTARY ON THE

énaccessible light, (1 Tim. vi. 16,) he cannot be known but
in Christ, who is his lively image. This passage is usually
explained thus: that as the naked majesty of God is con-
cealed within himself, he never could be comprehended, ex-
cept so far as he revealed himself in Christ; and therefore
that it was only in Christ that God was formerly known to
the fathers. But I rather think that the Evangelist here
abides by the comparison already stated, namely, how much
better our condition is than that of the fathers, because God,
who was formerly concealed in his secret glory, may now be
said to have rendered himself visible; for certamly when
Christ is called the lively image of God, (Heb. i. 3,) this
refers to the peculiar privilege of the New Testament. In
like manner, the Evangelist describes, in this passage, some-
thing new and uncommon, when he says that the only-begot-
ten Son, who was in the bosom of the Father, hath made known
to us what was formerly concealed. He therefore magnifies
the manifestation of God, which has been brought te us by
the gospel, in which he distinguishes us from the fathers, and
shows that we are superior to them; as also Paul explains
more fully in the Third and Fourth chapters of the Second
Epistle to the Corinthians. For he maintains that there is
now no longer any vail, such as existed under the Law, but
that God is openly beheld in the face of Christ.

If it be thought unreasonable that the fathers are deprived
of the knowledge of God, who have the prophets daily going
before them and holding out the torch, I reply, that what is
ascribed to us is not simply or absolutely denied to them, but
that a comparison is made between the less and the greater,
as we say; because they had nothing more than little sparks
of the true light, the full brightness of which daily shines
around us. If it be objected, that at that time also God was
seen face to face, (Gen. xxxii. 30; Deut. xxxiv. 10,) I main-
tain that that sight is not at all to be compared with ours ;
but as God was accustomed at that time to exhibit himself
obscurely, and, as it were, from a distance, those to whom he
was more clearly revealed say that they saw him face to face.
They say so with reference to their own time; but they did
not see God in any other way than wrapped up in many folds

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 55

of figures and ceremonies.'| That vision which Moses ob-
tained on the mountain was remarkable and more excellent
than almost all the rest; and yet God expressly declares,
thou shalt not be able to see my face, only thou shalt see my back,
(Exod. xxxiii. 23 ;) by which metaphor he shows that the time
for a full and clear revelation had not yetcome. It must also
be observed that, when the fathers wished to behold God,
they always turned their eyes towards Christ. I do not only
mean that they beheld God in his eternal Speech, but also
that they attended, with their whole mind and with their
whole heart, to the promised manifestation of Christ. For
this reason we shall find that Christ afterwards said, Abraham
saw my day, (John viii. 56;) and that which is subordinate
is not contradictory. It is therefore a fixed principle, that
God, who was formerly invisible, hath now made himself
visible in Christ.

When he says that the Son was in the bosom of the Father,
the metaphor is borrowed from men, who are said to receive
into their bosom those to whom they communicate all their
secrets. The breast is the seat of counsel. He therefore
shows that the Son was acquainted with the most hidden
secrets of his Father, in order to inform us that we have the
breast of God, as it were, laid open to us in the Gospel.

19. And this is? the testimony of John, when the Jews sent Priests and
Levites to Jerusalem, to ask him, Who art thou? 20. And he confessed,
and denied not; he confessed, I say, I am not the Christ. 21. They
then asked him, What art thou then? Art thou Elijah ? And he said, I am
not. Art thou a Prophet?? And he answered, No. 22. They said
therefore to him, Who art thou, that we may give an answer to those who
sent us? What sayest thou of thyself? 23. He saith, I am the voice of
him who crieth in the wilderness,‘ Prepare the way of the Lord, as said the
prophet Isaiah.

19. And this is the testimony. Hitherto the Evangelist has
related the preaching of John about Christ; he now comes
down to a more illustrious testimony, which was delivered to

1 « Enveloppemens de figures et ceremonies.”

2 “C'est ici aussi (ou, c’est donc ci) le tesmoignage ;”—“ this is also
(or, this is therefore) the testimony.”

’ “ Ks-tu Prophete, ou, le Prophete2?”—‘ Art thou a Prophet, or, the
Prophet ?”

* “De celuy qui crie au desert.”

56 COMMENTARY ON THE

the ambassadors of the Priests, that they might convey it to
Jerusalem. He says, therefore, thatJohn openly confessed for
what purpose he was sent by God. The first inquiry here is, for
what purpose the Priests put questions to him. It is generally
believed that, out of hatred to Christ, they gave to John an
honour which did not belong to him; but this could not be
the reason, for Christ was not yet known to them. Others
say that they were better pleased with John, because he was
of the lineage and order of the priesthood ; but neither do I
think that this is probable; for since they expected from
Christ all prosperity, why did they voluntarily contrive a false
Christ? I think, therefore, that there was another reason
that induced them. It was now a long time since they had
the Prophets ; John came suddenly and contrary to expecta-
tion ; and the minds of all were aroused to expect the Messiah.
Besides, all entertained the belief that the coming of the
Messiah was at hand.

That they may not appear to be careless about their duty,
if they neglect or disguise a matter of so great importance,
they ask John, Who art thou? At first, therefore, they did
not act from malice, but, on the contrary, actuated by the
desire of redemption, they wish to know if John be the Christ,
because he begins to change the order which had been cus-
tomary in the Church. And yet I do not deny that ambition,
and a wish to retain their authority, had some influence over
them; but nothing certainly was farther from their intention
than to transfer the honour of Christ to another. Nor is
their conduct in this matter inconsistent with the office which
they sustain; for since they held the government of the
Church of God, it was their duty to take care that no one
rashly obtruded himself, that no founder of a new sect should
arise, that the unity of faith should not be broken in the
Church, and that none should introduce new and foreign
ceremonies. It is evident, therefore, that a report about
John was widely spread and aroused the minds of all; and
this was arranged by the wonderful Providence of God, that
this testimony might be more strikingly complete.

20. And he confessed, and denied not. ‘That is, he confessed

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 57

openly, and without any ambiguity or hypocrisy. The word
confess, in the first instance, means generally, that he stated
the fact as it really was. In the second instance, it is re-
peated in order to express the form of the confession. He
replied expressly, that he was not the Christ.

21. Art thou Elijah? Why do they name Elijah rather
than Moses? It was because they learned from the predic-
tion of Malachi, (iv. 2, 5,) that when the Messiah, the Sun of
Righteousness, should arise, Elijah would be the morning star
to announce his approach. But the question is founded ona
false opinion which they had long held; for, holding the
opinion that the soul of a man departs out of one body into
another, when the Prophet Malachi announced that Elijah
would be sent, they imagined that the same Elijah, who lived
under the reign of king Ahab, (1 Kings xvii. 1,) was to come.
It is therefore a just and true reply which John makes, that
he is not Elijah ; for he speaks according to the opinion which
they attached to the words ; but Christ, giving the true inter-
pretation of the Prophet, affirms that John is Elijah, (Matth.
xi. 14; Mark ix. 13.)

Art thou a Prophet? Erasmus gives an inaccurate explana-
tion of these words by limiting them to Christ; for the addi-
tion of the article (6 gog4rns, the prophet) carries no emphasis in
this passage; and the messengers afterwards declare plainly
enough, that they meant a different prophet from Christ ; for
they sum up the whole by saying, (ver. 25,) if thou art neither
the Christ, nor Elijah, nor a Prophet. Thus we see that they
intended to point out different persons. Others think that
they inquired if he was one of the ancient prophets; but
neither do I approve of that exposition. Rather do they by
this term point out the office of John, and ask if God had
appointed him to be a prophet. When he replies, J am not,
he does not for the sake of modesty tell a lie, but honestly
and sincerely detaches himself from the company of the pro-
phets. And yet this reply is not inconsistent with the
honourable attestation which Christ gives him. Christ
bestows on John the designation of prophet, and even adds
that he is more than a prophet, (Matth. xi. 9;) but by these

VOL. I. D

58 COMMENTARY ON THE

words he does nothing more than demand credit and authority
for his doctrine, and at the same time describes, in lofty terms,
the excellence of the office which had been conferred on him.
But in this passage John has a different object in view, which
is, to show that he has no special message, as was usually the
case with the prophets, but that he was merely appointed to
be the herald of Christ.

This will be made still more clear by a comparison. All
ambassadors—even those who are not sent on matters of great
importance—obtain the name and authority of ambassadors,
because they hold special commissions. Such were all the
Prophets who, having been enjoined to deliver certain pre-
dictions, discharged the prophetic office. But if some weighty
matter come to be transacted, and if two ambassadors are
sent, one of whom announces the speedy arrival of another
who possesses full power to transact the whole matter, and if
this latter has received injunctions to bring it to a conclusion,
will not the former embassy be reckoned a part and appendage
of the latter, which is the principal ? Such was the case with
John the Baptist, to whom God had given no other injunc-
tion than to prepare the Jews for listening to Christ, and
becoming his disciples... That this is the meaning, will still
more fully appear from the context; for we must investigate
the opposite clause, which immediately follows. Zam not a
prophet, says he, but a voice crying in the wilderness. The dis-
tinction lies in this, that the voice crying, that a way may be
prepared for the Lord, is not a prophet, but merely a subor-
dinate minister, so to speak ; and his doctrine is only a sort
of preparation for listening to another Teacher. In this way
John, though he is more excellent than all the prophets, still
is not a prophet.

23. The voice of him who crieth. As he would have been
chargeable with rashness in undertaking the office of teaching,
if he had not received a commission, he shows what was the
duty which he had to perform, and proves it by a quotation

1 ** Sinon de preparer les Juifs & donner audience a Christ, et estre ses
disciples.”

a

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 59

from the Prophet Isaiah, (xl. 3.) Hence it follows that he
does nothing but what God commanded him to do. Isaiah
does not, indeed, speak there of John alone, but, promising
the restoration of the Church, he predicts that there will yet
be heard joyful voices, commanding to prepare the way for the
Lord. Though he points out the coming of God, when he
brought back the people from their captivity in Babylon, yet
the true accomplishment was the manifestation of Christ in
flesh. Among the heralds who announced that the Lord was
at hand, John held the chief place.

To enter into ingenious inquiries, as some have done, into
the meaning of the word Voice, would be frivolous. John is
called a Voice, because he was enjoined to cry. It is ina
figurative sense, undoubtedly, that Isaiah gives the name
wilderness to the miserable desolation of the Church, which
seemed to preclude the return of the people; as if he had
said, that a passage would indeed be opened up for the
captive people, but that the Lord would find a road through
regions in which there was no road. But that visible wilder-
ness, in which Jobn preached, was a figure or image of the
awful desolation which took away all hope of deliverance. If
this comparison be considered, it will be easily seen that no
torture has been given to the words of the prophet in this
application of them ; for God arranged everything in such a
manner, as to place before the eyes of his people, who were
overwhelmed with their calamities, a mirror of this prediction.

24. Now those who were sent were of the Pharisees. 25. Therefore
they asked him, and said to him, Why then dost thou baptize, if thou art
not the Christ, nor Ehjah, nor a Prophet? 26. John answered them,
saying, I baptize with water; but one standeth in the midst of you, whom
you know not. 27. It is he who, coming after me, is preferred to me;
whose shoe-latchet I am not worthy to loose. 28. These things were
done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.

24. Were of the Pharisees. He says that they were Pharisees,
who at that time held the highest rank in the Church ; and he
says so in order to inform us, that they were not some contemp-
tible persons of the order of the Levites, but men clothed
with authority. This is the reason why they raise a question
about his baptism. Ordinary ministers would have been

60 COMMENTARY ON THE

satisfied with any kind of answer; but those men, because
they cannot draw from John what they desired, accuse him
of rashness for venturing to introduce anew religious observ-
ance.

25. Why then dost thou baptize? By laying down those
three degrees, they appear to form a very conclusive argu-
ment: if thou art not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor a prophet ;
for it does not belong to every man to institute the practice
of baptism. The Messiah was to be one who possessed all
authority. Of Elijah who was to come, they had formed
this opinion, that he would commence the restoration both of
the royal authority and of the Church. The prophets of
God, they readily grant, have a right to discharge the office
committed to them. They conclude, therefore, that for John
to baptize is an unlawful novelty, since he has received from
God no public station. But they are wrong in not acknow-
ledging him to be that Elijah who is mentioned by Malachi,
(iv. 5;) though he denies that he is that Elijah of whom
they foolishly dreamed.

26. I baptize with water. This ought to have been abun-
dantly sufficient for the correction of their mistake, but a
reproof otherwise clear is of no advantage to the deaf; for,
when he sends them to Christ, and declares that Christ is
present, this is a clear proof not only that he was divinely
appointed to be a minister of Christ, but that he is the true
Elijah, who is sent to testify that the time is come! for the
renovation of the Church. There is a contrast here which
is not fully stated; for the spiritual baptism of Christ is not
expressly contrasted with the external baptism of John, but
that latter clause about the baptism of the Spirit might easily
be supplied, and shortly afterwards both are set down by the
Evangelist.

This answer may be reduced to two heads: first, that John
claims nothing for himself but what he has a right to claim,
because he has Christ for the Author of his daptism, in which

1 “* Que le temps estoit venu.”

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 61

consists the truth of the sign; and, secondly, that he has
nothing but the administration of the outward sign, while the
whole power and efficacy is in the hands of Christ alone.
Thus he defends his baptism, so far as its truth depends on
anything else ; but, at the same time, by declaring that he
has not the power of the Spirit, he exalts the dignity of Christ,
that the eyes of men may be fixed on him alone. This is the
highest and best regulated moderation, when a minister
borrows from Christ whatever authority he claims for himself,
in such a manner as to trace it to him, ascribing to him alone
all that he possesses.

It is a foolish mistake, however, into which some people
have been led, of supposing that John’s baptism was different
from ours ; for John does not argue here about the advantage
and usefulness of his baptism, but merely compares his own
person with the person of Christ. In like manner, if we were
inquiring, at the present day, what part belongs to us, and
what belongs to Christ, in baptism, we must acknowledge
that Christ alone performs what baptism figuratively repre-
sents, and that we have nothing beyond the bare administra-
tion of the sign. There is a twofold way of speaking in
Scripture about the sacraments; for sometimes it tells us that
they are the laver of regeneration, (Titus iii. 5;) that by them
our sins are washed away, (1 Peter iii. 21;) that we are in-
grafted into the body of Christ, that our old man is crucified, and
that we rise again to newness of life, (Rom. vi. 4, 5, 6;) and,
in those cases, Scripture joins the power of Christ with the
ministry of man; as, indeed, man is nothing else than the hand
of Christ. Such modes of expression show, not what man
can of himself accomplish, but what Christ performs by man,
and by the sign, ashis instruments. But as there is a strong
tendency to fall into superstition, and as men, through the
pride which is natural to them, take from God the honour
due to him, and basely appropriate it to themselves; so
Scripture, in order to restrain this blasphemous arrogance,
sometimes distinguishes ministers from Christ, as in this
passage, that we may learn that ministers are nothing and
ean do nothing.

One standeth in the midst of you. He indirectly charges

62 COMMENTARY ON THE

them with stupidity, in not knowing Christ, to whom their
minds ought to have been earnestly directed; and he always
insists earnestly on this point, that nothing can be known
about his ministry, until men have come to him who is the
Author of it. When he says that Christ standeth in the
midst of them, it is that he may excite their desire and their
exertion to know him. The amount of what he says is, that
he wishes to place himself as low as possible, lest any degree
of honour improperly bestowed on him might obscure the
excellence of Christ. It is probable that he had these sen-
tences frequently in his mouth, when he saw himself immo-
derately extolled by the perverse opinions of men.

27. Who coming after me. Tere he says two things ; first,
that Christ was behind him in the order of time; but, secondly,
that he was far before him in rank and dignity, because the
- Father preferred him to all. Soon after he will add a third
statement, that Christ was preferred to all others, because he
is in reality more exalted than all-others.

28. These things were done in Bethabara. The place is
mentioned, not only to authenticate the narrative, but also to
inform us that this answer was given amidst a numerous
assembly of people; for there were many who flocked to
John’s baptism, and this was his ordinary place for baptizing.
It is likewise supposed by some to be a passage across Jordan,
and, from this circumstance, they derive the name, for they
interpret it the house of passage; unless, perhaps, some may
prefer the opinion of those who refer to the memorable
passage of the people, (Jos. iii, 13,) when God opened up a
way for them in the midst of the waters, under the direction
of Joshua. Others say that it ought rather to be read Beth-
araba. Instead of Bethabara, some have inserted here the name
Bethany, but this is a mistake; for we shall afterwards see
how near Bethany wasto Jerusalem. The situation of Beth-
abara, as laid down by those who have described the country,
agrees best with the words of the Evangelist ; though I have
no wish to dispute about the pronunciation of the word.

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 63

29. The next day, John seeth Jesus coming to him, and saith, Behold
the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world! 30. This is
he of whom I said, After me cometh a man who was preferred to me, be-
cause he was more excellent than I. 31. And I knew him not; but in
order that he might be manifested to Israel, therefore I came baptizing
with water. 32. And John testified, saying, I saw the Spirit descending
like a dove from heaven, and it remained upon him. 83. And I knew him
not ; but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, Upon whom
thou shalt see the Spirit descending and remaining on him, it is he who
baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. 34. I saw therefore, and testified, that he
is the Son of God.

29. The next day. There can be no doubt that John had
already spoken about the manifestation of the Messiah; but
when Christ began to appear, he wished that his announce-
ment of him should quickly become known, and the time was
now at hand when Christ would put an end to John’s
ministry, as, when the sun is risen, the dawn suddenly dis-
appears. After having testified to the priests who were
sent to him, that he from whom they ought to seek the truth
and power of baptism was already present, and was convers-
ing in the midst of the people, the next day he pointed him
out to the view of all. For these two acts, following each
other in close succession, must have powerfully affected their
minds. This too is the reason why Christ appeared in the
presence of John.

Behold the Lamb of God. The principal office of Christ is
briefly but clearly stated; that he takes away the sins of the
world by the sacrifice of his death, and reconciles men to God.
There are other favours, indeed, which Christ bestows upon
us, but this is the chief favour, and the rest depend on it;
that, by appeasing the wrath of God, he makes us to be
reckoned holy and righteous. For from this source flow all
the streams of blessings, that, by not imputing our sins, he
receives us into favour. Accordingly, John, in order to
conduct us to Christ, commences with the gratuitous forgive-
ness of sins which we obtain through him.

By the word Lamb he alludes to the ancient sacrifices of
the Law. He had to do with Jews who, haying been accus-
tomed to sacrifices, could not be instructed about atonement
for sins in any other way than by holding out to them a
sacrifice. As there were various kinds of them, he makes

64 COMMENTARY ON THE

one, by a figure of speech, to stand for the whole; and it is
probable that John alluded to the paschal Jamb. It must be
observed, in general, that John employed this mode of ex-
pression, which was better adapted to instruct the Jews, and
possessed greater force ; as in our own day, in consequence
of baptism being generally practised, we understand better
what is meant by obtaining forgiveness of sins through the
blood of Christ, when we are told that we are washed and
cleansed by it from our pollutions. At the same time, as the
Jews commonly held superstitious notions about sacrifices, he
corrects this fault in passing, by reminding them of the object
to which all the sacrifices were directed. It was a very wicked
abuse of the institution of sacrifice, that they had their con-
fidence fixed on the outward signs; and therefore John,
holding out Christ, testifies that he is the Lamb of God; by
which he means that all the sacrifices, which the Jews were
accustomed to offer under the Law, had no power whatever
to atone for sins, but that they were only figures, the truth
of which was manifested in Christ himself.

Who taketh away the sin of the world. He uses the word
sin in the singular number, for any kind of iniquity ; as if he
had said, that every kind of unrighteousness which alienates
men from God is taken away by Christ. And when he says,
the sin OF THE WORLD, he extends this favour indiscrimin-
ately to the whole human race; that the Jews might not
think that he had been sent to them alone. But hence we
infer that the whole wor/d is involved in the same condemna-
tion; and that as all men without exception are guilty of
unrighteousness before God, they need to be reconciled to
him. John the Baptist, therefore, by speaking generally
of the sin of the world, intended to impress upon us the con-
viction of our own misery, and to exhort us to seek the remedy.
Now our duty is, to embrace the benefit which is offered to
all, that each of us may be convinced that there is nothing
to hinder him from obtaining reconciliation in Christ, provided
that he comes to him by the guidance of faith.

Besides, he lays down but one method of taking away sins.
We know that from the beginning of the world, when their
own consciences held them convinced, men laboured anxiously

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOIN. 65

to procure forgiveness. Hence the vast number of propi-
tiatory offerings, by which they falsely imagined that they
appeased God. I own, indeed, that all the spurious rites of
a propitiatory nature drew their existence from a holy origin,
which was, that God had appointed the sacrifices which
directed men to Christ; but yet every man contrived for
himself his own method of appeasing God. But John leads
us back to Christ alone, and informs us that there is no other
way in which God is reconciled to us than through his
agency, because he alone takes away sin. He therefore
leaves no other refuge for sinners than to flee to Christ; by
which he overturns all satisfactions, and purifications, and
redemptions, that are invented by men; as, indeed, they are
nothing else than base inventions framed by the subtlety of
the devil.

The verb aigew (to take away) may be explained in two
ways; either that Christ took upon himself the load which
weighed us. down, as it is said that he carried our sins on the
tree, (1 Pet. ii. 24;) and Isaiah says that the chastisement of our
peace was laid on him, (Isa. liii. 5 ;) or that he blots out sins.
But as the latter statement depends on the former, I gladly
embrace both; namely, that Christ, by bearing our sins,
takes them away. Although, therefore, sin continually dwells
in us, yet there is none in the judgment of God, because
when it has been annulled by the grace of Christ, it is not
imputed to us. Nor do I dislike the remark of Chrysostom,
that the verb in the present tense—é a7ewy, who taketh away—
denotes a continued act; for the satisfaction which Christ
once made is always in full vigour. But he does not merely
teach us that Christ takes away sin, but points out also the
method, namely, that he hath reconciled the Father to us by
means of his death; for this is what he means by the word
Lamb. Let us therefore learn that we become reconciled to
God by the grace of Christ, if we go straight to his death,
and when we believe that he who was nailed to the cross is
the only propitiatory sacrifice, by which all our guilt is re-
moved.

30. This is he of whom I said. He comprehends every

66 ~ COMMENTARY ON THE

thing in a few words, when he declares that Christ is the per-

son who, he said, was to be preferred to him ; for hence it fol-
lows that John is nothing more than a herald sent on his
account; and hence again it is evident that Christ is the
Messiah. Three things are here stated ; for when he says
that a man cometh after him, he means that he himself was
before him in the order of time, to prepare the way for
Christ, according to the testimony of Malachi, Behold, I send
my messenger before my face, (Mal. iii. 1.) Again, when he
says that he was preferred to himself, this relates to the glory
with which God adorned his Son, when he came into the
world to fulfil the office of a Redeemer. At last, the reason
is added, which is, that Christ is far superior in dignity to
John the Baptist. That honour, therefore, which the Father
bestowed upon him was not accidental, but was due to his
eternal majesty. But of this expression, he was preferred to
me, because he was before me, I have already spoken.’

31. And I knew him not. That his testimony may not be
suspected of having been given either from friendship or
favour, he anticipates such a doubt, by affirming that he had
no other knowledge of Christ than what he had obtained by
divine inspiration. The meaning, therefore, amounts to this,
that John does not speak at his own suggestion, nor for the
favour of man, but by the inspiration of the Spirit and the
command of God.

I came baptizing with water ; that is, I was called and ap-
pointed to this office, that I might manifest him to Israel ;
which the Evangelist afterwards explains more fully, and
confirms, when he introduces John the Baptist, testifying
that he had no knowledge of Christ but what he had
obtained by oracle; that is, by information or revelation
from God.? Instead of what we find here, Z came to baptize,
he there states expressly (ver. 33) that he was sent; for it is
only the calling of God that makes lawful ministers, because
every person who, of his own accord, thrusts himself forward,
whatever learning or eloquence he may possess, is not entitled

1 See p. 49.
* “Par oracle ; c’est 4 dire, advertissement ou revelation de Dieu.”

|
|
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GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JONN. 67

to any authority, and the reason is, that he is not authorised
by God. Now since it was necessary that John, in order
that he might lawfully baptize, should be sent by God, let it
be inferred from this, that it is not in the power of any man
whatever to institute sacraments, but that this right belongs
to God alone, as Christ, on another occasion, in order to
prove the baptism of John, asks 7f zt was from heaven, or from
men, (Matth. xxi. 25.)

32. I saw the Spirit descending like a dove. This is nota
literal but a figurative mode of expression; for with what
eyes could he see the Spirit? But as the dove was a certain
and infallible sign of the presence of the Spirit, it is called the
Spirit, by a figure of speech in which one name is substituted
for another; not that he is in reality the Spirit, but that he
points him out, as far as human capacity can admit. And
this metaphorical language is frequently employed in the
sacraments ; for why does Christ call the bread his body, but
because the name of the thing is properly transferred to the
sign? especially when the sign is, at the same time, a true
and efficacious pledge, by which we are made certain that the
thing itself which is signified is bestowed on us. Yet it must
not be understood that the dove contained the Spirit who fills
heaven and earth, (Jer. xxiii. 24,) but that he was present
by his power, so that John knew that such an exhibition was
not presented to his eyes in vain. In like manner, we know
that the body of Christ is not connected with the bread, and
yet we are partakers of his body.

A question now arises, why did the Spirit at that time ap-
pear in the form of a dove? We must always hold that there
is a correspondence between the sign and the reality. When
the Spirit was given to the apostles, they saw cloven tongues
of fire, (Acts ii. 3,) because the preaching of the gospel was
to be spread through all tongues, and was to possess the
power of fire. But in this passage God intended to make a
public representation of that mildness of Christ of which
Isaiah speaks in lofty terms, The smoking flax he will not
quench, and the bruised reed he will not break, (Isa. xlii. 3.) It
was then, for the first time, that the Spirit was seen descending

68 COMMENTARY ON THE

on him; not that he had formerly been destitute of him, but
because he might be said to be then consecrated by a solemn
rite. For we know that he remained in concealment, during
thirty years, like a private individual, because the time for
his manifestation was not yet come; but when he intended
to make himself known to the world, he began with his bap-
tism. At that time, therefore, he received the Spirit not only
for himself, but for his people; and on that account his de-
scent was visible, that we may know that there dwells in
him an abundance of all gifts of which we are empty and
destitute. This may easily be inferred from the words of the
Baptist; for when he says, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit
descending, and remaining on him, it is he who baptizeth with the
Spirit, his meaning is, that the reason why the Spirit was be-
held in a visible form, and remained on Christ, was, that he
might water all his people with his fulness. What it is to
baptize with the Spirit I have already noticed in a few words;
namely, that he imparts its efficacy to baptism, that it may
not be vain or useless, and this he accomplishes by the power
of his Spirit.

33. Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending. Here a
difficult question arises ; for if John did not know Christ, why
does he refuse to admit him to baptism? Toa person whom
he did not know he would not say, J ought rather to be baptized
by thee,(Matth. iii. 14.) Some reply, that he knew him to such
an extent as to regard him with the reverence due to a dis-
tinguished Prophet, but was not aware that he was the Son of
God. [But this is a poor solution of the difficulty, for every
man ought to obey the calling of God without any respect of
persons. No rank or excellence of man ought to prevent us
from doing our duty, and therefore John would have shown
disrespect to God and to his baptism, if he had spoken in this
manner to any other person than the Son of God. It follows
that he must have previously known Christ.

In the first place, it ought to be observed, that the Anow-
ledge here mentioned is that which arises from personal and
long acquaintance. Although he recognizes Christ whenever
he sees him, still it does not cease to be true that they were

in

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOLIN. 69

not known to each other according to the ordinary custom of
men, for the commencement of his knowledge proceeded from
God. But the question is not yet fully answered; for he
says that the sight of the Holy Spirit was the mark by which
he was pointed out to him. Now he had not yet seen the
Spirit, when he had addressed Christ as the Son of God.
For my own- part, I willingly embrace the opinion of those
who think that this sign was added for confirmation, and that
it was not so much for the sake of John as for the sake of us
all. John indeed saw it, but it was rather for others than
for himself. Bucer appropriately quotes that saying of Moses,
This shall be a sign to you, that after three days journey, you
shall sacrifice to me on the mountain, (Exod. iii. 12.) Undoubt-
edly, when they were going out, they already knew that
God would conduct and watch over their deliverance ; but
this was a confirmation a@ posteriori, as the phrase is ; that is,
from the event, after it had taken place. In like manner,
this came as an addition to the former revelation which had
been given to John.

34. I saw and testified. LHe means that what he declares
is not doubtful ; because God was pleased to make him fully
and thoroughly acquainted with those things of which he was
to be the witness to the world; and it is worthy of notice,
that he testified that Christ was the Son of God, because he

who gives the Holy Spirit must be the Christ, for to no other

belongs the honour and the office of reconciling men to God.

35. The next day John was again standing, and two of his disciples ;
36. And looking at Jesus walking, he said, Behold the Lamb of God!
37. And those two disciples heard him speak, and followed Jesus. 38.
And Jesus turning, and looking at them following him, saith to them, What
do you seek? And they said to him, Rabbi, (which, if you interpret it, is
explained Master,) where dwellest thou? 39. He saith to them, Come
and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and remained with him that
day; for it was about the tenth hour.

36. Behold the Lamb of God! ence appears more clearly
what I have already stated, that when John perceived that
he was approaching the end of his course, he laboured inces-
santly to resign his office to Christ. His firmness too gives

70 COMMENTARY ON THE

greater credit to his testimony. But by insisting so earnestly,
during many successive days, in repeating the commendation
of Christ, he shows that his own course was nearly finished.
Here we see also how small and low the beginning of the
Church was. John, indeed, prepared disciples for Christ, but
it is only now that Christ begins to collect a Church. He
has no more than two men who are mean and unknown, but
this even contributes to illustrate his glory, that within a
short period, without human aid, and without a strong hand,
he spreads his kingdom in a wonderful and incredible manner.
We ought also to observe what is the chief object to which
John directs the attention of men; it is, to find in Christ the
forgiveness of sims. And as Christ had presented himself to
the disciples, for the express purpose that they might come
to him, so now, when they come, he gently encosvages and
exhorts them: for he does not wait until they first address
him, but asks, What do you seek? This kind and gracious
invitation, which was once made to two persons, now belongs
to all. We ought not therefore to fear that Christ will with-
draw from us, or refuse to us easy access, provided that he
sees us desirous to come to him; but, on the contrary, he will
stretch out his hand to assist our endeavours. And how will
not he meet those who come to him, who seeks at a distance
those who are wandering and astray, that he may bring them
back to the right road ?

38. Rabbi. This name was commonly given to persons of
high rank, or who possessed any kind of honour. But the
Evangelist here points out another use of it which was made
in his own age, which was, that they addressed by this name
the teachers and expounders of the word of God. Although,
therefore, thosetwo disciples do not yet recognize Christ as the
only Teacher of the Church, yet, moved by the commendation
bestowed on him by John the Baptist, they hold him to be a
Prophet and Teacher, which is the first step towards receiving
instruction.

Where dwellest thou? By this example we are taught that
from the first rudiments of the Church we ought to draw such
a relish for Christ as will excite our desire to profit ; and next,

’

li

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 71

that we ought not to be satisfied with a mere passing look,
but that we ought to seek his dwelling, that he may receive
us as guests. For there are very many who smell the gospel
at a distance only, and thus allow Christ suddenly to disap-
pear, and all that they have learned concerning him to pass
away. And though those two persons did not at that time
become his ordinary disciples, yet there can be no doubt that,
during that night, he instructed them more fully, so that they
soon afterwards became entirely devoted to him.

39. It was about the tenth hour; that is, the evening was
approaching, for it was not more than two hours till sunset.
The day was at that time divided by them into twelve hours,
which were longer in summer and shorter in winter. But
from this circumstance we infer that those disciples were so
eagerly desirous to hear Christ, and to gain a more intimate
knowledge of him, that they gave agitts lye no concern about
anight’s lodging. On the contrary, we are, for the most part,
very unlike them, for we imcessantly delay, because it is not

convenient for us to follow Christ.

40. Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, was one of those who heard John
speak and followed him. 41. He first findeth his own brother Simon,
and saith to him, We have found the Messiah, which is, being interpreted,
the Christ. 42. He brought him therefore to Jesus; and Jesus, looking
at him, said, Thou art Simon, the son of Jonah; thou shalt be called
Cephas, which i is, being interpreted, Peter.

40. Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. The design of the
Evangelist, down to the end of the chapter, is to inform us
how gradually the disciples were brought to Christ. Here
he relates about Peter, and afterwards he will mention Philip
and Nathanael. The circumstance of Andrew immediately
bringing his brother expresses the nature of faith, which does
not conceal or quench the light, but rather spreads it in every
direction. Andrew has scarcely a spark, and yet, by means
of it, he enlightens his brother. Woe to our indolence, there-
fore, if we do not, after having been fully enlightened,
endeavour to make others partakers of the same grace. We
may observe in Andrew two things which Isaiah requires from
the children of God; namely, that each should take his

72 COMMENTARY ON THE

neighbour by the hand, and next, that he should say, Come,
let us go up into the mountain of the Lord, and he will teach us,
(Isa. ii. 3.) For Andrew stretches out the hand to his
brother, but at the same time he has this object in view, that
he may become a fellow-disciple with him in the school of
Christ. We oughi also to observe the purpose of God, which
determined that Peter, who was to be far more eminent, was
brought to the knowledge of Christ by the agency and
ministry of Andrew; that none of us, however excellent, may
refuse to be taught by an inferior; for that man will be
severely punished for his peevishness, or rather for his pride,
who, through his contempt of a man, will not deign to come
to Christ.

41. We have found the Messiah. The Evangelist has inter-
preted the Hebrew word Messiah (Anointed) by the Greek
word Christ, in order to publish to the whole world what was
secretly known to the Jews. It was the ordinary designation
of kings,’ as anointing was observed by them as a solemn rite.
But still they were aware that one King would be anointed
by God, under whom they might hope to obtain perfect and
eternal happiness ; especially when they should learn that the
earthly kingdom of David would not be permanent. And as
God raised their minds, when subdued and weighed down by
various calamities, to the expectation of the Messiah, so he
more clearly revealed to them that his coming was at hand.
The prediction of Daniel is more clear and forcible than all
the rest, so far as relates to the name of Christ; for he does
not, like the earlier Prophets, ascribe it to kings, but appro-
priates it exclusively to the Redeemer, (Dan. ix. 25, 26.)
Hence this mode of expression became prevalent, so that when
the Messiah or Christ was mentioned, it was understood that
no other than the Redeemer was meant. Thus we shall find
the woman of Samaria saying, the Messiah will come, (John iy.
25) which makes it the more wonderful that he who was so
eagerly desired by all, and whom they had constantly in their
mouths, should be received by so small a number of persons.

1 See Harmony of the Three Evangelists, vol. i. p. 92, n. 2; and p. 142,

n: 2:

os

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 73

42. Thou art Simon. Christ gives a name to Simon, not
as men commonly do, from some past event, or from what is
now perceived in them, but because he was to make him Peter,
(a stone.) First, he says, Thou art Simon, the son of Jonah.
He repeats the name of his father in an abridged form ; which
is common enough when names are translated into other lan-
guages; for it will plainly appear from the last chapter that
he was the son of Johanna or John. But all this amounts to
nothing more than that he will be a very different person
from what he now is. For it is not for the sake of honour
that he mentions his father; but as he was descended from a
family which was obscure, and which was held in no estima-
tion among men, Christ declares that this will not prevent
him from making Simon a man of unshaken courage. The
Evangelist, therefore, mentions this as a prediction, that
Simon received a new name. I look upon it as a prediction,
not only because Christ foresaw the future stedfastness of
faith in Peter, but because he foretold what he would give to
him. He now magnifies the grace which he determined after-
wards to bestow upon him; and therefore he does not say that
this is now his name, but delays it till a future time.

Thou shalt be called Cephas. All the godly, indeed, may
justly be called Peters, (stones,) which, having been founded
on Christ, are fitted for building the temple of God; but he
alone is so called on account of his singular excellence. Yet
the Papists act a ridiculous part, when they substitute bim
in the place of Christ, so as to be the foundation of the
Church, as if he too were not founded on Christ along with
the rest of the disciples; and they are doubly ridiculous when
out of a stone they make him a head. For among the rhap-
sodies of Gratian there is a foolish canon under the name of
Anacletus, who, exchanging a Hebrew word for a Greek one,
and not distinguishing the Greek word xegaur7 (hephale) from
the Hebrew word Cephas, thinks that by this name Peter
was appointed to be Head of the Church. Cephas is rather
a Chaldaic than a Hebrew word; but that was the customary
pronunciation of it after the Babylonish captivity. There is,
then, no ambiguity in the words of Christ; for he promises
what Peter had not at all expected, and thus magnifies his

VOL. I. E

74 COMMENTARY ON THE

own grace to all ages, that his former condition may not lead
us to think less highly of him, since this remarkable appel-
lation informs us that he was made a new man.

43. The next day Jesus wished to go into Galilee, and found Philip, and
said to him, Follow me. 44. Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of
Andrew and Peter. 45. Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith to him, We
have found Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph, of whom Moses in the
Law, and the Prophets write. 46. Nathanael said to him, Can any good
thing come out of Nazareth? Philip said to him, Come and see.

43. Follow me. When Philip was inflamed by this single
word to follow Christ, we infer from it how great is the effi-
cacy of the word of God; but it does not appear indiscrimin-
ately in all, for God addresses many without any advantage,
just as if he struck their ears with a sound which vanished
into air. So then the external preaching of the word is in
itself unfruitful, except that it inflicts a deadly wound on the
reprobate, so as to render them inexcusable before God.
But when the secret grace of God quickens it, all the senses
must be affected in such a manner that men will be prepared
to follow wherever God calls them. We ought, therefore,
to pray to Christ that he may display in us the same power
of the Gospel. In the case of Philip, there was no doubt a
peculiarity about his following Christ ; for he is commanded
to follow, not like one of us, but as a domestic, and as a
familiar companion. But still the calling of all of us is illus-
trated by this calling of Philip.

44. Was of Bethsaida. The name of the city appears to
have been mentioned on purpose, that the goodness of God
to the three Apostles may be more illustriously displayed.
We know how severely, on other occasions, Christ threatens
and curses that city, (Matth. xi. 21; Luke x. 13.) Accord-
ingly, when God brought into favour with him some out of
a nation so ungodly and wicked, we ought to view it in the
same light as if they had been brought out of the lowest hell.
And when Christ, after having drawn them out of that deep
gulf, honours them so highly as to make them Apostles, it is
a distinguished favour and worthy of being recorded.

-

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. (i)

45. Philip findeth Nathanael. Though proud men despise
these feeble beginnings of the Church, yet we ought to per-
ceive in them a brighter display of the divine glory, than if
the condition of the kingdom of Christ had been in every
respect, from the outset, splendid and magnificent; for we
know to how rich a harvest this small seed afterwards grew.
Again, we see in Philip the same desire of building which
formerly appeared in Andrew. His modesty, too, is remark-
able, in desiring and seeking nothing else than to have others
to learn along with him, from Him who is a Teacher common
to all.

We have found Jesus. How small was the measure of
Philip’s faith appears from this circumstance, that he cannot
utter a few words about Christ without mingling with them
two gross errors. He calls him the son of Joseph, and says,
that Nazareth was his native town, both of which statements
were false ; and yet, because he is sincerely desirous to do
good to his brother, and to make Christ known, God ap-
proves of this instance of his diligence, and even crowns it
with good success. Each of us ought, no doubt, to endeay-
our to keep soberly within his own limits; and, certainly, the
Evangelist does not mention it as worthy of commendation
in Philip, that he twice disgraces Christ, but relates that his
doctrine, though faulty and involved in error, was useful,
because it nevertheless had this for its object, that Christ
might be truly known. He foolishly says that he was ¢he son
of Joseph, and ignorantly calls him a native of Nazareth, but
yet he leads Nathanael to no other than the Son of God who
was born in Bethlehem, (Matth. ii. 1,) and does not contrive
a false Christ, but only wishes that they should know him as
he was exhibited by Moses and the Prophets. We see, then,
that the chief design of doctrine is, that those who hear us
should come to Christ in some way or other.

There are many who engage in abstruse inquiries about
Christ, but who throw such darkness and intricacy around
him by their subtleties that fhey can never find him. The
Papists, for example, will not say that Christ is the son of
Joseph, for they distinctly know what is his name; but yet
they annihilate his power, so as to hold out a phantom in the

76 COMMENTARY ON THE

room of Christ. Would it not be better to stammer ridicu-
lously, like Philip, and to hold by the true Christ, than by
eloquent and ingenious language to introduce a false Christ ?
On the other hand, there are many poor dunces in the pre-
sent day, who, though ignorant and unskilled in the use of
language, make known Christ more faithfully than all the
theologians of the Pope with their lofty speculations. This
passage, therefore, warns us that, if any unsuitable language
has been employed concerning Christ by ignorant and un-
learned men, we ought not to reject such persons with disdain,
provided they direct us to Christ ; but that we may not be
withdrawn from Christ by the false imaginations of men, let
us always have this remedy at hand, to seek the pure know-
ledge of him from the Law and the Prophets.

46. Can any good thing come out of Nazareth? At first,
Nathanael refuses, the place of Christ’s nativity (as described
by Philp) having given him offence. But, first of all, he is
deceived by the inconsiderate discourse of Philip; for what
Philip foolishly believed Nathanael receives as certain. Next,
there is added a foolish judgment arising from hatred or
contempt of the place. Both of these points ought to be
carefully observed by us. This holy man was not far from
shutting out against himself all approach to Christ. Why
was this? Because he rashly believes what Philip spoke
incorrectly about Christ; and next, because his mind was
under the influence of a preconceived opinion that xo good
thing could come out of Nazareth. If then we are not carefully
on our guard, we shall be liable to the same danger ; and Sa-
tan labours every day, by similar obstacles, to hinder us from
coming to Christ; for he has the dexterity to spread many
falsehoods, the tendency of which is to excite our hatred or
suspicion against the Gospel, that we may not venture to
taste it. And next, he ceases not to try another method,
namely, to make us look on Christ with contempt; for we
see how many there are who take offence at the degradation
of the cross, which appears both in Christ the Head and in
his members. But as we can hardly be so cautious as not

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 77

to be tempted by those stratagems of Satan, let us at least
remember immediately this caution :

Come and see. Nathanael allowed his twofold error to be
corrected by this expression which Philip uttered. Follow-
ing his example, let us first show ourselves to be submissive
and obedient ; and next, let us not shrink from inquiry, when
Christ himself is ready to remove the doubts which harass
us. Those who read these words not as a question, but as
an affirmation, Some good thing may come out of Nazareth, are
greatly mistaken. For, in the first place, how trivial would
such an observation be? And next, we know that the city
Nazareth was not at that time held in estimation; and
Philip’s reply shows plainly enough that it was expressive of
hesitation and distrust.

47. When Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, he saith of him, Behold,
one truly an Israelite, in whom there is no deceit. 48. Nathanael saith
to him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said to him,
Before Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig-tree, I saw
thee. 49. Nathanael answered and said to him, Rabbi, thou art the Son
of God, thou art the King of Israel. 50. Jesus answered and said to
him, Because I said to thee, I saw thee under the fig-tree, thou believest ;!
thou shalt see greater things than these. 51. Then he said to him, Verily,
verily, I say to you, Hereafter you shall see heaven opened, and the angels
of God ascending and descending on the Son of man.

47. Behold, one truly an Israelite. It is not on Nathanael’s
own account that Christ bestows on him this commendation,
but under his person he holds out a general doctrine. For,
since many who boast of being believers are very far from
being actually believers, it is of great importance that some
mark should be found for distinguishing the true and genuine
from the false. We know how haughtily the Jews gloried
in their father Abraham, and how presumptuously they
boasted of the holiness of their descent; and yet there was
scarcely one in a hundred among them who was not utterly
degenerate and alienated from the faith of the Fathers. For
this reason, Christ, in order to tear the mask from hypocrites,
gives a short definition of a true Israelite, and, at the same
time, removes the offence which would afterwards arise from

1 “Tu crois, ou, crois-tu 2”—‘* Thou believest, or, believest thou?”

18 - COMMENTARY ON THE

the wicked obstinacy of the nation. For those who wished
to be accounted the children of Abraham, and the holy peo-
ple of God, were shortly afterwards. to become the deadly
enemies of the Gospel. That none may be discouraged or
alarmed by the impiety which was generally found in almost
all ranks, he gives a timely warning, that of those by whom
the name of Israelites is assumed there are few who are true
tsraelites.

Again, as this passage contains a definition of Christianity,
we must not pass by it slightly. To sum up the meaning of
Christ in a few words, it ought to be observed that deceit is
contrasted with uprightness and sincerity ;! so that he calls
those persons sly? and deceitful who are called in other parts
of Scripture double in heart, (Psal. xii. 2.) Nor is it only that
gross hypocrisy by which those who are conscious of their
wickedness pretend to be good men, but likewise another
inward hypocrisy, when men are so blinded by their vices that
they not only deceive others but themselves. So then it is
integrity of heart before God, and uprightness before men,
that makes a Christian; but Christ points out chiefly that
kind of deceit which is mentioned in Psal. xxxil. 2. In this
passage &An0a¢ (truly) means something more than certainly.
The Greek word, no doubt, is often used as a simple affirma-
tion ; but as we must here supply a contrast between the fact
and the mere name, he is said to be truly, who is zn reality
what he is supposed to be. -

48. Whence knowest thou? ‘Though Christ did not intend
to flatter him, yet he wished to be heard by him, in order to
draw forth a new question, by the reply to which he would
prove himself to be the Son of God. Nor is it without a
good reason that Nathanael asks whence Christ knew him ; for
to meet with a man of such uprightness as to be free from all
deceit is an uncommon case, and to know such purity of heart
belongs to God alone. The reply of Christ, however, appears
to be inappropriate ; for though he saw Nathanael under the
Jig-tree, it does not follow from this that he could penetrate

1 “ Rondeur et syncerité,” 2 * Canteleux et frauduleux.”

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 79

into the deep secrets of the heart. But there is another
reason ; for as it belongs to God to know men when they are
not seen, so also does it belong to Him to see what is not
visible to the eyes. As Nathanael knew that Christ did not
see him after the manner of men, but by a look truly divine,
this might lead him to conclude that Christ did not now speak
asaman. The proof, therefore, is taken from things which
are of the same class; for not less does it belong to God to sce
what lies beyond our view than to judge concerning purity
of heart. We ought also to gather from this passage a useful
doctrine, that when we are not thinking of Christ, we are
observed by him; and it is necessary that it should be so,
that he may bring us back, when we have wandered from the
right path.

49. Thou art the Son of God. That he acknowledges him
to be the Son of God from his divine power is not wonderful ;
but on what ground doeshe call him King of Israel? for the two
things do not appear to be necessarily connected. But Na-
thanael takes a loftier view. He had already heard that he
is the Messiah, and to this doctrine he adds the confirmation
which had been given him. He holds also another principle,
that the Son of God will not come without exercising the
office of King over the people of God. Justly, therefore, does
he acknowledge that he who is the Son of God is also King of
Israel. And, indeed, faith ought not to be fixed on the
essence of Christ alone, (so to speak,) but ought to attend to
his power and office ; for it would be of little advantage to
know who Christ is, if this second point were not added,
what he wishes to be towards us, and for what purpose the
Father sent him. The reason why the Papists have nothing
more than a shadow of Christ is, that they have been careful
to look at his mere essence, but have disregarded his Aingdom,
which consists in the power to save.

Again, when Nathanael calls him A7ng of Israel, though his
kingdom extends to the remotest bounds of the earth, the
confession is limited to the measure of faith. For he had not
yet advanced so far as to know that Christ was appointed to be
King over the whole world, or rather, that from every quarter

80 COMMENTARY ON THE

would be collected the children of Abraham, so that the whole
world would be the Zsrael of God. We to whom the wide
extent of Christ’s kingdom has been revealed ought to go
beyond those narrow limits. Yet following the example of
Nathanael, let us exercise our faith in hearing the word, and
let us strengthen it by all the means that are in our power ;
and let it not remain buried, but break out into confession.

50. Jesus answered. He does not reprove Nathanael as if
he had been too easy of belief, but rather approving of his
faith, promises to him and to others that he will confirm it
by stronger arguments. Besides, it was peculiar to one man
that he was seen under a fig-tree by Christ, when absent and at
a distance from him; but now Christ brings forward a proof
which would be common to all, and thus—as if he had broken
off from what he originally intended—instead of addressing
one man, he turns to address all.

51. You shall see heaven opened. They are greatly mistaken,
in my opinion, who anxiously inquire into the place where,
and the time when, Nathanael and others saw heaven opened ;
for he rather points out something perpetual which was
always to exist in his kingdom. I acknowledge indeed, that
the disciples sometimes saw angels, who are not seen in the
present day ; and I acknowledge also that the manifestation
of the heavenly glory, when Christ ascended to heaven, was
different from what we now behold. But if we duly consider
what took place at that time, it is of perpetual duration; for
the kingdom of God, which was formerly closed against us,
is actually opened in Christ. A visible instance of this was
shown to Stephen, (Acts vii. 55,) to the three disciples on
the mountain, (Matth. xvii. 5,) and to the other disciples at
Christ’s ascension, (Luke xxiv. 51; Acts i. 9.) But all the
signs by which God shows himself present with us depend
on this opening of heaven, more especially when God com-
municates himself to us to be our life.

Ascending and descending on the Son of man. This second
clause refers to angels. They are said to ascend and descend,
so as to be ministers of God’s kindness towards us; and

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 81

therefore this mode of expression points out the mutual inter-
course which exists between God and men. Now we must
acknowledge that this benefit was received through Christ,
because without him the angels have rather a deadly enmity
against us than a friendly care to help us. They are said to
ascend and descend ON THE SON OF MAN, not because they
minister to him, but because—in reference to him, and for his
honour—they include the whole body of the Church in their
friendly regard. Nor have I any doubt that he alludes to the
ladder which was exhibited to the patriarch Jacob in a dream,
(Gen. xxviii. 12;) for what was prefigured by that vision is
actually fulfilled in Christ. In short, this passage teaches us,
that though the whole human race was banished from the
kingdom of God, the gate of heaven is now opened to us, so
that we are fellow-citizens of the saints, and companions of the
angels, (Eph. ii. 19;) and that they, having been appointed
to be guardians of our salvation, descend from the blessed
rest of the heavenly glory’ to relieve our distresses.

CHAPTER II.

1. Three days after,” there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the
mother of Jesus was there. 2. And Jesus also was invited, and his dis-
ciples, to the marriage. 3. And when the wine fell short, the mother of
Jesus saith to him, They have no wine. 4. Jesus saith to her, What have
I to do with thee ? my hour is not yet come. 5. His mother saith to the
servants, Do whatever he shall bid you. 6. And there were there six
water-pots of stone, placed according to the Jewish custom of cleansing,
containing each of them about two or three baths. 7. Jesus saith to them,
Fill the water-pots with water. And they filled them to the brim. 8.
And he saith to them, Draw out now, and carry to the master of the
feast ; and they carried. 9. And when the master of the feast had tasted
the water which was made wine, (and knew not whence it was, but the
servants who drew the water knew,) the master of the feast calleth the
bridegroom, 10. And saith to him, Every man at first sets down good
wine ; and when men have drunk freely, then that which is worse; but
thou hast kept the good wine till now. 11. This beginning of miracles
did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and displayed his glory, and his disciples
believed on him.

1“ Te la gloire celeste.” 2‘ Tertio die ;”"—“ trois jours apres.”

82 COMMENTARY ON THE

°

1. There was a marriage in Cana of Galilee. As this narra-
tive contains the first miracle which Christ performed, it
would be proper for us, were it on this ground alone, to con-
sider the narrative attentively; though—as we shall afterwards
see—there are other reasons which recommend it to our notice.
But while we proceed, the various advantages arising from it
will be more clearly seen. The Evangelist first mentions
Cana of Galilee, not that which was situated towards Zare-
phath (1 Kings xvii. 9; Obad. 20; Luke iv. 26) or Sarepta,
between Tyre and Sidon, and was called the greater in com-
parison of this latter Cana, which is placed by some in the
tribe of Zebulun, and by others in the tribe of Asher. For
Jerome too assures us that, even in his time, there existed a
small town which bore that name. ‘There is reason to believe
that it was near the city of Nazareth, since the mother of
Christ came there to attend the marriage. From the fourth
chapter of this book it will be seen that it was not more than
one day’s journey distant from Capernaum. That it lay not
far from the city of Bethsaida may also be inferred from the
circumstance, that three days after Christ had been in those
territories, the marriage was celebrated—the Evangelist tells
us—in Cana of Galilee. ‘There may have been also a third
Cana, not far from Jerusalem, and yet out of Galilee; but I
leave this undetermined, because I am unacquainted with it.

And the mother of Jesus was there. It was probably one
of Christ’s near relations who married a wife; for Jesus is
mentioned as having accompanied /is mother. From the fact
that the disciples also are invited, we may infer how plain
and frugal was his way of living; for he lived in common
with them. It may be thought strange, however, that a
man who has no great wealth or abundance (as will be made
evident from the scarcity of the wine) invites four or five
other persons on Christ’s account. But the poor are readier
and more frank in their invitations; because they are not,
like the rich, afraid of being disgraced, if they do not treat
their guests with great costliness and splendour; for the poor
adhere more zealously to the ancient custom of haying an
extended acquaintance.

Again, it may be supposed to show a want of courtesy,

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 83

that the bridegroom allows his guests, in the middle of the
entertainment, to be in want of wine; for it looks like a man
of little thoughtfulness not to have a sufficiency of wine for
his guests. I reply, nothing is here related which does not
frequently happen, especially when people are not accustomed
to the daily use of wine. Besides, the context shows, that
it was towards the conclusion of the banquet that the wine
fell short, when, according to custom, it might be supposed
that they had already drunk enough; for the master of the
feast thus speaks, Other men place worse wine before those who
have drunk enough, but thou hast kept the best till now. Besides,
Ihave no doubt that all this was regulated by the Provi-
dence of God, that there might be room for the miracle.

3. The mother of Jesus saith to him. It may be doubted if
she expected or asked any thing from her Son, since he had
not yet performed any miracle ; and it is possible that, with-
out expecting any remedy of this sort, she advised him to
give some pious exhortations which would have the effect
of preventing the guests from feeling uneasiness, and at
the same time of relieving the shame of the bridegroom. I
consider her words to be expressive of (cvu7radeia) earnest
compassion ; for the holy woman, perceiving that those who
had been invited were likely to consider themselves as having
been treated with disrespect, and to murmur against the
bridegroom, and that the entertainment might in that way
be disturbed, wished that some means of soothing them
could be adopted. Chrysostom throws out a suspicion that
she was moved by the feelings of a woman to seek I know
not what favour for herself and her Son; but this conjecture
is not supported by any argument.

4. Woman, what have I to do with thee? Why does Christ
repel her so rashly? I reply, though she was not moved by
ambition, nor by any carnal affection, still she did wrong in
going beyond her proper bounds. Her anxiety about the
inconvenience endured by others, and her desire to have it
in some way mitigated, proceeded from humanity, and ought
to be regarded as a virtue; but still, by putting herself for-

84 COMMENTARY ON THE

ward, she might obscure the glory of Christ. Though it
ought also to be observed, that what Christ spoke was not so
much for her sake as for the sake of others. Her modesty
and piety were too great to need so severe a chastisement.
Besides, she did not knowingly and willingly offend; but
Christ only meets the danger, that no improper use may be
made of what his mother had said, as if it were in obedience
to her command that he afterwards performed the miracle.

The Greek words (Ti 240) xai ooi;) literally mean, What to
me and to thee? But the Greek phraseology is of the same
import with the Latin—Quid tibi mecum? (what hast thou to
do with me?) The old translator led many people into a
mistake, by supposing Christ to have asserted, that it was
no concern of his, or of his mother’s, if the wine fell short.
But from the second clause we may easily conclude how far
removed this is from Christ’s meaning; for he takes upon
himself this concern, and declares that it belongs to him to
do so, when he adds, my hour is not yet come. Both ought to be
joined together—that Christ understands what it is necessary
for him to do, and yet that he will not act in this matter at
his mother’s suggestion.

It is a remarkable passage certainly ; for why does he
absolutely refuse to his mother what he freely granted after-
wards, on so many occasions, to all sorts of persons? Again,
why is he not satisfied with a bare refusal ? and why does he
reduce her to the ordinary rank of women, and not even deign
to call her mother? This saying of Christ openly and mani-
festly warns men to beware lest, by too superstitiously
elevating the honour of the name of mother in the Virgin
Mary,’ they transfer to her what belongs exclusively to God.
Christ, therefore, addresses his mother in this manner, in
order to lay down a perpetual and general instruction to all
ages, that his divine glory must not be obscured by exces-
sive honour paid to his mother.

How necessary this warning became, in consequence of
the gross and disgraceful superstitions which followed after-
wards, is too well known. For Mary has been constituted

1 “Wn la vierge Marie.”

ee

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 85

the Queen of Heaven, the Hope, the Life, and the Salvation
of the world ; and, in short, their fury and madness proceeded
so far that they stripped Christ of his spoils, and left him
almost naked. And when we condemn those horrid blas-
phemies against the Son of God, the Papists call us malignant
and envious; and—what is worse—they maliciously slander us
as deadly foes to the honour of the holy Virgin. As if she
had not all the honour that is due to her, unless she were
made a Goddess ; or as if it were treating her with respect,
to adorn her with blasphemous titles, and to substitute her
in the room of Christ. The Papists, therefore, offer a griev-
ous insult to Mary when, in order to disfigure her by false
praises, they take from God what belongs to Him.

My hour is not yet come. He means that he has not
hitherto delayed through carelessness or indolence, but at
the same time he states indirectly that he will attend to the
matter, when the proper time for it shall arrive. As he
reproves his mother for unseasonable haste, so, on the other
hand, he gives reason to expect a miracle. ‘The holy Virgin
acknowledges both, for she abstains from addressing him
any farther; and when she advises the servants to do what-
ever he commands, she shows that she expects something
now. But the instruction conveyed here is still more exten-
sive, that whenever the Lord holds us in suspense, and delays
his aid, he is not therefore asleep, but, on the contrary,
regulates all His works in such a manner that he does
nothing but at the proper time. Those who have applied
this passage to prove that the time of events is appointed by
Fate, are too ridiculous to require a single word to be said
for refuting them. The hour of Christ sometimes denotes
the hour which had been appointed to him by the Father ;
and by fis time he will afterwards designate what he found
to be convenient and suitable for executing the commands
of his Father; but in this place he claims the right to take
and choose the time for working and for displaying his Divine
power.’

1 “ De besongier et desployer sa virtue Divine.”

56 COMMENTARY ON THE

5. Eis mother saith to the servants. Here the holy Virgin
gives an instance of true obedience which she owed to her
Son,' when the question related, not to the relative duties of
mankind, but to his divine power. She modestly acquiesces,
therefore, in Christ’s reply; and in like manner exhorts others
to comply with his injunctions. I acknowledge, indeed, that
what the Virgin now said related to the present occurrence,
and amounted to a declaration that, in this instance, she had
no authority, and that Christ would do, according to his own
pleasure, whatever he thought right. But if you attend
closely to her design, the statement which she made is still
more extensive; for she first disclaims and lays aside the
power which she might seem to have improperly usurped ;
and next, she ascribes the whole authority to Christ, when
she bids them do whatever he shall command. We are taught
generally by these words, that if we desire any thing from
Christ, we will not obtain our wishes, unless we depend on
him alone, look to him, and, in short, do whatever he com-
mands. On the other hand, he does not send us to his
mother, but rather invites us to himself.

6. And there were there six water-pots of stone. According
to the computation of Budeus, we infer that these water-
pots were very large; for as the metreta? (werenrjc) contains
twenty congit, each contained, at least, a Seztier of this
country.’ Christ supplied them, therefore, with a great
abundance of wine, as much as would be sufficient for a ban-
quet to a hundred and fifty men. Besides, both the number
and the size of the water-pots serve to prove the truth of the
miracle. If there had been only two or three jars, many might
have suspected that they had been brought from some other
place. Ifin one vessel only the water had been changed into

1‘) son Fils.”

2 The exact size of the firkin cannot be easily ascertained. If werenry:
be here used by the Evangelist as a purely Greek word, we must conclude
it to be an Attic measure, which was nearly equal to nine English gallons.
If, again, it be placed here as a substitute for the Hebrew word py, (Bath,)
as the Septuagint has done in 2 Chron. iv. 5, it will probably be rated
at seven gallons and a half:-—Hu.

* “ De ce pays de Savoye ;’—" of this country, Savoy.”

|

ee a

&

ee eee

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 87

wine, the certainty of the miracle would not have been so obvi-
ous, or so well ascertained. It is not, therefore, without a good
reason that the Evangelist mentions the number of the water-
pots, and states how much they contained.

It arose from superstition that vessels so numerous and so
large were placed there. They had the ceremony of washing,
indeed, prescribed to them by the Law of God; but as the
world is prone to excess in outward matters, the Jews, not
satisfied with the simplicity which God had enjoined, amused
themselves with continual washings; and as superstition is
ambitious, they undoubtedly served the purpose of display,
as we see at the present day in Popery, that every thing
which is said to belong to the worship of God is arranged
for pure display. There was, then, a twofold error: that
without the command of God, they engaged in a superfluous
ceremony of their own invention; and next, that, under the
pretence of religion, ambition reigned amidst that display.
Some Popish scoundrels have manifested an amazing degree
of wickedness, when they had the effrontery to say that they
had among their relics those water-pots with which Christ
performed this miracle in Cana, and exhibited some of them ;!
which, first, are of small size, and, next, are unequal in size.
And in the present day, when the light of the Gospel shines
so clearly around us, they are not ashamed to practise those
tricks, which certainly is not to deceive by enchantments,
but daringly to mock men as if they were blind; and the
world, which does not perceive such gross mockery, is evi-
dently bewitched by Satan.

7. Fill the water-pots with water. The servants might be
apt to look upon this injunction as absurd; for they had
already more than enough of water. But in this way the
Lord often acts towards us, that his power may be more
illustriously displayed by an unexpected result ; though this
circumstance is added to magnify the miracle ; for when the
servants drew wine out of vessels which had been filled with
water, no suspicion can remain.

*“ Quills avoyent entre leurs reliques de ces cruches, esquelles Christ
avoit fait ce miracle en Cana, ect en monstroyent.”

88 COMMENTARY ON THE

8. And carry to the master of the feast. For the same
reason as before, Christ wished that the flavour of the wine
should be tried by the master of the feast, before it had been
tasted by himself, or by any other of the guests; and the
readiness with which the servants obey him in all things
shows us the great reverence and respect in which he was
held by them. The Evangelist gives the name of the master
of the feast to him who had the charge of preparing the
banquet and arranging the tables ; not that the banquet was
costly and magnificent, but because the honourable appella-
tions borrowed from the luxury and splendour of the rich are
applied even to the marriages of the poor. But it is won-
derful that a large quantity of wine, and of the very best
wine, is supplied by Christ, who is a teacher of sobriety. I
reply, when God daily gives us a large supply of wine, it is
our own fault if his kindness is an excitement to luxury ;
but, on the other hand, it is an undoubted trial of our
sobriety, if we are sparing and moderate in the midst of
abundance; as Paul boasts that he had learned to hnow both
how to be full and to be hungry, (Phil. iv. 12.)

11. This beginning of miracles. The meaning is, that this
was the first of Christ’s miracles; for when the angels
announced to the shepherds that he was born in Bethlehem,
(Luke ii. 8,) when the star appeared to the Magz, (Matth. ii.
2,) when the Holy Spirit descended on him in the shape of a
dove, (Matth. iii. 16; Mark i. 10; John i. 32,) though these
were miracles, yet, strictly speaking, they were not performed
by him; but the Evangelist now speaks of the miracles of
which he was himself the Author. For it is a frivolous and
absurd interpretation which some give, that this is reckoned
the first among the miracles which Christ performed in Cana
of Galilee ; as if a place, in which we do not read that he ever
was more than twice, had been selected by him for a display
of his power. It was rather the design of the Evangelist
to mark the order of time which Christ followed in the
exercise of his power. For until he was thirty years of age,
he kept himself concealed at home, like one who held no public
office. Having been consecrated, at his baptism, to the dis-

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 89

charge of his office, he then began to appear in public, and to
show by clear proofs for what purpose he was sent by the
Father. We need not wonder, therefore, if he delayed till

this time the first proof of his Divinity. It is a high honour

given to marriage, that Christ not only deigned to be present
at a nuptial banquet, but honoured it with his first miracle.
There are some ancient Canons which forbid the clergy to
attend a marriage. The reason of the prohibition was, that
by being the spectators of the wickedness which was usually
practised on such occasions, they might in some measure be
regarded as approving of it. But it would have been far
better to carry to such places so much gravity as to restrain
the licentiousness in which unprincipled and abandoned men
indulge, when they are withdrawn from the eyes of others.
Let us, on the contrary, take Christ’s example for our rule ;
and let us not suppose that any thing else than what we read
that he did can be profitable to us.

And manifested his glory ; that is, because he then gave a
striking and illustrious proof, by which it was ascertained that
he was the Son of God; for all the miracles which he exhibited
to the world were so many demonstrations of his divine
power. The proper time for displaying his glory was now
come, when he wished to make himself known, agreeably to
the command of his Father. Hence, also, we learn the end
of miracles ; for this expression amounts to a declaration that
Christ, in order to manifest his glory, performed this miracle.
What, then, ought we to think of those miracles which obscure
the glory of Christ ?

And his disciples believed on him. If they were disciples, they
must already have possessed some faith; but as they had
hitherto followed him witha faith which was not distinct and
firm, they began at that time to devote themselves to him,
so as to acknowledge him to be the Messiah, such as he had
already been announced to them. The forbearance of Christ
is great in reckoning as disciples those whose faith is so small.
And indeed this doctrine extends generally to us all; for the
faith which is now full grown had at first its infancy, nor is
it so perfect in any as not to make it necessary that all to a
man should make progress in believing. Thus, they who now

VOL. I. F

90 COMMENTARY ON THE

believed may be said to begin to believe, so far as they daily
make progress towards the end of their faith. Let those who
have obtained the first-fruits of faith labour always to make
progress. These words point out likewise the advantage of
miracles ; namely, that they ought to be viewed as intended
for the confirmation and progress of faith. Whoever twists
them to any other purpose corrupts and debases the whole
use of them; as we see that Papists boast of their pretended
miracles for no other purpose than to bury faith, and to turn
away the minds of men from Christ to the creatures.

12. After this he went down to Capernaum, he, and his mother, and his
brethren, and his disciples: and he remained there not many days. 13.
And the passover of the Jews was at hand; therefore, Jesus went up to
Jerusalem. 14. And found in the temple some who sold oxen, and sheep,
and doves, and money-changers also sitting. 15. And having made a
whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep ‘and oxen,
and threw down the money of the changers, and overturned the tables;
16. And said to those who sold doves, Take those things hence; do not
make my Father’s house a house of merchandise. 17. ” And his disciples
remembered that it was written, The zeal of thy house hath eaten me up.

12. He went down to Capernaum. The Evangelist passes
to an additional narrative; for having resolved to collect a
few things worthy of remembrance which the other three had
left out, he states the time when the occurrence which he is
about to relate took place; for the other three also relate
what we here read that Christ did, but the diversity of the
time shows that it was a similar event, but not the same. On
two occasions, then, did Christ cleanse the temple from base
and profane merchandise ; once, when he was beginning to
discharge his commission, and another time, (Matth. xxi. 12;
Mark xi. 15; Luke xix. 45,) when he was about to leave the
world and go to the Father, (John xvi. 28.)

To obtain a general view of the passage, it will be necessary
briefly to examine the details in their order. That oxen, and
sheep, and doves, were exposed to sale in the temple, and that
money-changers were sitting there, was not without a plausible
excuse. For they might allege that the merchandise trans-
acted there was not irreligious, but, on the contrary, related
to the sacred worship of God, that every person might obtain,
without difficulty, what he might offer to the Lord; and,

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 91

certainly, it was exceedingly convenient for godly persons to
find oblations of any sort laid ready to their hand, and in this
way to be freed from the trouble of running about in various
directions to obtainthem. We are apt to wonder, therefore,
why Christ was so highly displeased with it. But there are two
reasons which deserve our attention. First, as the Priests
abused this merchandise for their own gain and avarice, such
a mockery of God could not be endured. Secondly, whatever
excuse men may plead, as soon as they depart, however
slightly, from the command of God, they deserve reproof and
need correction. And this is the chief reason why Christ
undertook to purify the temple; for he distinctly states that
the temple of God is not a place of merchandise.

But it may be asked, Why did he not rather begin with
doctrine? For it seems to be a disorderly and improper
method to apply the hand for correcting faults, before the
remedy of doctrine has been applied. But Christ had a
different object in view: for the time being now at hand when
he would publicly discharge the office assigned to him by the
Father, he wished in some way to take possession of the
temple, and to give a proof of his divine authority. And that
all might be attentive to his doctrine, it was necessary that
something new and strange should be done to awaken their
stuggish and drowsy minds. Now, the temple was a sanctuary
of heavenly doctrine and of true religion. Since he wished
to restore purity of doctrine, it was of great importance that
he should prove himself to be the Lord of the temple. Besides,
there was no other way in which he could bring back sacrifices
and the other exercises of religion to their spiritual design
than by removing the abuse of them. What he did at that
time was, therefore, a sort of preface to that reformation which
the Father had sent him to accomplish. In a word, it was
proper that the Jews should be aroused by this example to
expect from Christ something that was unusual and out of
the ordinary course; and it was also necessary to remind
them that the worship of God had been corrupted and per-
verted, that they might not object to the reformation of those
abuses.

And his brethren. Why the brethren of Christ accompanied

92 COMMENTARY ON THE

him, cannot be determined with certainty, unless, perhaps, they
intended to go along with him to Jerusalem. The word
brethren, it is well known, is employed, in the Hebrew language,
to denote cousins and other relatives.

13. And the passover of the Jews was at hand; therefore Jesus
went up to Jerusalem. The Greek words x«/ év287, may be
literally rendered, AND he went up; but the Evangelist has
used the copulative AND instead of therefore ; for he means
that Christ went up at that time, in order to celebrate the
passover at Jerusalem. There were two reasons why he did
so; for since the Son of God became subject to the Law on
our account, he intended, by observing with exactness all the
precepts of the Law, to present in his own person a pattern
of entire subjection and obedience. Again, as he could do
more good, when there was a multitude of people, he almost
always availed himself of such an occasion. Whenever, there-
fore, we shall afterwards find it said that Christ came to
Jerusalem at the feast, let the reader observe that he did so,
first, that along with others he might observe the exercises of
religion which God had appointed, and, next, that he might
publish his doctrine amidst a larger concourse of people.

16. Make not my Father's house a house of merchandise. At
the second time that he drove the traders out of the Temple,
the Evangelists relate that he used sharper and more severe
language ; for he said, that they had made the Temple of God
a den of robbers, (Matth. xxi. 13;) and this was proper to be
done, when a milder chastisement was of no avail. At pre-
sent, he merely warns them not to profane the Temple of
God by applying it to improper uses. The Temple was
called the house of God; because it was the will of God that
there He should be peculiarly invoked ; because there He dis-
played his power; because, finally, he had set it apart to spirit-
ual and holy services.

My Fathers house. Christ declares himself to be the Son
of God, in order to show that he has a right and authority to
cleanse the Temple. As Christ here assigns a reason for what
he did, if we wish to derive any advantage from it, we must

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 93

attend chiefly to this sentence. Why, then, does he drive the
buyers and sellers out of the Temple? It is that he may
bring back to its original purity the worship of God, which
had been corrupted by the wickedness of men, and in this
way may restore and maintain the holiness of the Temple.
Now that temple, we know, was erected, that it might be a
shadow of those things the lively image of which is to be
found in Christ. That it might continue to be devoted to
God, it was necessary that it should be applied exclusively to
spiritual purposes. or this reason he pronounces it to be
unlawful that it should be converted into a market-place ; for
he founds his statement on the command of God, which we
ought always to observe. Whatever deceptions Satan may
employ, let us know that any departure—however small—
from the command of God is wicked. It wasa plausible and
imposing disguise, that the worship of God was aided and
promoted, when the sacrifices which were to be offered by
believers were laid ready to their hand; but as God had
appropriated his Temple to different purposes, Christ disre-
gards the objections that might be offered against the order
which God had appointed.

The same arguments do not apply, in the present day, to
our buildings for public worship ; but what is said about the
ancient Temple applies properly and strictly to the Church,
for it is the heavenly sanctuary of God on earth. We ought
always, therefore, to keep before our eyes the majesty of God,
which dwells in the Church, that it may not be defiled by any
pollutions ; and the only way in which its holiness can remain
unimpaired is, that nothing shall be admitted into it that is
at variance with the word of God.

17. And his disciples remembered. It is to no purpose that
some people teaze themselves with the inquiry how the
disciples remembered a passage of Scripture, with the meaning
of which they were hitherto unacquainted. For we must
not understand that this passage of Scripture came to their
remembrance at that time; but afterwards, when, having
been taught by God, they considered with themselves what
was the meaning of this action of Christ, by the direction of

=

94 COMMENTARY ON THE

the Holy Spirit this passage of Scripture occurred to them.
And, indeed, it does not always happen that the reason of
God’s works is immediately perceived by us, but afterwards,
in process of time, He makes known to us his purpose.
And this is a bridle exceedingly well adapted to restrain our
presumption, that we may not murmur against God, if at
any time our judgment does not entirely approve of what he
does. We are at the same time reminded, that when God
holds us as it were in suspense, it is our duty to wait for
the time of more abundant knowledge, and to restrain the
excessive haste which is natural to us; for the reason why
God delays the full manifestation of his works is, that he
may keep us humble.

The zeal of thy house hath eaten me up. The meaning is,
that the disciples at length came to know, that the zeal for
the house of God, with which Christ burned, excited him to
drive out of it those profanations. By a figure of speech, in
which a part is taken for the whole, David employs the
name of the temple to denote the whole worship of God ;
for the entire verse runs thus: the zeal of thy house hath eaten
me up, and the reproaches of them who reproached thee have
fallen on me, (Psa. lxix. 9.) The second clause corresponds
to the first, or rather it is nothing else than a repetition
explaining what had been said. The amount of both clauses
is, that David's anxiety about maintaining the worship of
God was so intense, that he cheerfully laid down his head
to receive all the reproaches which wicked men threw against
God; and that he burned with such zeal, that this single
feeling swallowed up every other. He tells us that he him-
self had such feelings; but there can be no doubt that he
described in his own person what strictly belonged to the
Messiah.

Accordingly, the Evangelist says, that this was one of the
marks by which the disciples knew that it was Jesus who
protected and restored the kingdom of God. Now observe
that they followed the guidance of Scripture, in order to
form such an opinion concerning Christ as they ought to
entertain; and, indeed, no man will ever learn what Christ
is, or the object of what he did and suffered, unless he has

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOUN. 95

been taught and guided by Scripture. So far, then, as each
of us shall desire to make progress in the knowledge of
Christ, it will be necessary that Scripture shall be the
subject of our diligent and constant meditation. Nor is it
without a good reason that David mentions the house of
God, when the divine glory is concerned; for though God
is sufficient for himself, and needs not the services of any,
yet he wishes that his glory should be displayed in the
Church. In this way he gives a remarkable proof of his
love towards us, because he unites his glory—as it were, by
an indissoluble link—with our salvation.

Now as Paul informs us that, in the example of the head,
a general doctrine is presented to the whole body, (Rom.
xv. 3,) let each of us apply to the invitation of Christ, that—
so far as lies in our power—we may not permit the temple of
God to be in any way polluted. But, at the same time, we
must beware lest any man transgress the bounds of his call-
ing. All of us ought to have zeal in common with the Son
of God; but all are not at liberty to seize a whip, that we
may correct vices with our hands; for we have not received
the same power, nor have we been intrusted with the same
commission.

18, The Jews then answered and said to him, What sign? showest
thou to us, that thou doest these things? 19. Jesus answered and said
to them, Destroy this temple, and I will raise it up in three days. 20. The
Jews therefore said, Forty and six years was this temple in building ; and
wilt thou raise it up in three days? 21. But he spoke of the temple of
his body. 22. When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples
remembered that he had said this to them; and they believed the Scrip-
ture, and the word which Jesus had spoken.

18. What sign showest thou to us? When in go large an
assembly no man laid hands on Christ, and none of the
dealers in cattle or of the money-changers repelled him by
violence, we may conclude that they were all stunned and
struck with astonishment by the hand of God. And, there-
fore, if they had not been utterly blinded, this would have
been a sufficiently evident miracle, that one man against a

1“ Quel signe, ou, miracle ?”—“ What sign? or, What miracle?”
ba) a] ? bo) b]

96 COMMENTARY ON THE

great multitude, an unarmed man against strong men, an
unknown man against so great rulers, attempted so great an
achievement. For since they were far stronger, why did
they not oppose him, but because their hands were loosened
and—as it were—broken ?

Yet they have some ground for putting the question; for
it does not belong to every man to change suddenly, if any
thing is faulty or displeases him in the temple of God. All
are, indeed, at liberty to condemn corruptions; but if a pri-
vate man put forth his hand to remove them, he will be
accused of rashness. As the custom of selling in the temple
had been generally received, Christ attempted what was
new and uncommon; and therefore they properly call on
him to prove that he was sent by God; for they found their
argument on this principle, that in public administration it
is not lawful to make any change without an undoubted
calling and command of God. But they erred on another
point, by refusing to admit the calling of Christ, unless he had
performed a miracle ; for it was not an invariable rule that
the Prophets and other ministers of God should perform
miracles; and God did not limit himself to this necessity.
They do wrong, therefore, in laying down a law to God by
demanding a sign. When the Evangelist says that THE
JEWS asked him, he unquestionably means by that term the
multitude who were standing there, and, as it were, the
whole body of the Church ; as if he had said, that it was not
the speech of one or two persons, but of the people.

19. Destroy ths temple. This is an allegorical mode of
expression ; and Christ intentionally spoke with that degree
of obscurity, because he reckoned them unworthy of a direct
reply ; as he elsewhere declares that he speaks to them in par-
ables, because they are unable to comprehend the mysteries
of the heavenly kingdom, (Matth. xii. 13.) But first he
refuses to them the sign which they demanded, either because
it would have been of no advantage, or because he knew
that it was not the proper time. Some compliances he oceca-
sionally made even with their unreasonable requests, and
there must have been a strong reason why he now refused.

till

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 97

Yet that they may not seize on this as a pretence for excus-
ing themselves, he declares that his power will be approved
and confirmed by a sign of no ordinary value ; for no greater
approbation of the divine power in Christ could be desired
than his resurrection from the dead. But he conveys this
information figuratively, because he does not reckon them
worthy of an explicit promise. In short, he treats unbe-
lievers as they deserve, and at the same time protects himself
against all contempt. It was not yet made evident, indeed,
that they were obstinate, but Christ knew well what was
the state of their feelings.

But it may be asked, since he performed so many miracles,
and of various kinds, why does he now mention but one?
I answer, he said nothing about all the other miracles, First,
because his resurrection alone was sufficient to shut their
mouth: Secondly, he was unwilling to expose the power of
God to their riditule ; for even respecting the glory of his
resurrection he spoke allegorically : Thirdly, I say that he
produced what was appropriate to the case in hand; for, by
these words, he shows that all authority over the Temple
belongs to him, since his power is so great in building the
true Temple of God.

This temple. Though he uses the word temple in accom-
modation to the present occurrence, yet the body of Christ
is justly and appropriately called a temple. The body of
each of us is called a tabernacle, (2 Cor. v. 4; 2 Pet. i.
13,) because the soul dwells in it; but the body of Christ
was the abode of his Divinity. For we know that the Son
of God clothed himself with our nature in such a manner
that the eternal majesty of God dwelt in the flesh which he
assumed, as in his sanctuary.

The argument of Nestorius, who abused this passage to
prove that it is not one and the same Christ who is God and
man, may be easily refuted. He reasoned thus: the Son of
God dwelt in the flesh, as in a temple; therefore the natures
are distinct, so that the same person was not God and man.
But this argument might be applied to men; for it will fol-
low that it is not one man whose soul dwells in the body as
in a tabernacle; and, therefore, it is folly to torture this form

98 COMMENTARY ON THE

of expression for the purpose of taking away the unity of
Person in Christ. It ought to be observed, that our bodies
also are called temples of God, (1 Cor. iii. 16, and vi. 19; 2
Cor. vi. 16,) but it is in a different sense, namely, because
God dwells in us by the power and grace of his Spirit ; but
in Christ the fulness of the Godhead dwells bodily, so that
he is truly God manifested in flesh, (1 Tim. iii. 16.)

L will raise it up again. Here Christ claims for himself the
glory of his resurrection, though, in many passages of Scrip-
ture, it is declared to be the work of God the Father. But
these two statements perfectly agree with each other ; for, in
order to give us exalted conceptions of the power of God,
Scripture expressly ascribes to the Father that he raised up
his Son from the dead; but here, Christ in a special manner
asserts his own Divinity. And Paul reconciles both. Jf
THE Sprriv oF Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in
you, he that rased up Christ from the dead shall also quicken
your mortal bodies by HIS SpiRiv that dwelleth in you, (Rom.
vil. 11.) While he makes the Spirit the Author of the resur-
rection, he calls Him indiscriminately sometimes the Spirit of
Christ, and sometimes the Spirit of the Father.

20. Korty and six years. The computation of Daniel
agrees with this passage, (Dan. ix. 25;) for he reckons seven
weeks, which make Forty-nine years; but, before the last of
these weeks had ended, the temple was finished. The time
described in the history of Ezra is much shorter; but, though
it has some appearance of contradiction, it is not at all at vari-
ance with the words of the Prophet. For, when the sanc-
tuary had been reared, before the building of the temple was
completed, they began to offer sacrifices. The work was
afterwards stopped for a long time through the indolence of
the people, as plainly appears from the complaints of the Pro-
phet Haggai, (i. 4;) for he severely reproves the Jews for
being too earnestly engaged in building their private dwell-
ings, while they left the Temple of God in an unfinished
state.

But why does he mention that temple which had been de-
stroyed by Herod about forty years before that time? For

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOUN. 99

the ¢emple which they had at that time, though it had been
built with great magnificence and at a vast expense, had been
completed by Herod, contrary to the expectation of men, as
is related by Josephus, (Ant. Book xv. chap. xi.) I think
it probable that this new building of the temple was reckoned
as if the ancient temple had always remained in its original
condition, that it might be regarded with greater veneration ;
and that they spoke in the usual and ordinary manner, that
their fathers, with the greatest difficulty, had scarcely built
the temple in Forty-six years.

This reply shows plainly enough what was their intention
in asking a sign; for if they had been ready to obey, with
reverence, a Prophet sent by God, they would not have so
disdainfully rejected what he had said to them about the con-
firmation of his office. They wish to have some testimony
of divine power, and yet they receive nothing which does
not correspond to the feeble capacity of man. Thus the
Papists in the present day demand miracles, not that they
would give way to the power of God, (for it is a settled
principle with them to prefer men to God, and not to move
a hair’s breadth from what they have received by custom and
usage ;) but that they may not appear to have no reason for
rebelling against God, they hold out this excuse as a cloak
for their obstinacy. In such a manner do the minds of un-
believers storm in them with blind impetuosity, that they
desire to have the hand of God exhibited to them, and yet
do not wish that it should be divine.

When therefore he was risen from the dead. This recollec-
tion was similar to the former, which the Evangelist lately
mentioned, (ver. 17.) The Evangelist did not understand
Christ when he said this; but the doctrine, which appeared
to have been useless, and to have vanished into air, after-
wards produced fruit in its own time. Although, therefore,
many of the actions and sayings of our Lord are obscure for
a time, we must not give them up in despair, or despise that
which we do not all at once understand.! We ought to

1 “T] ne faut pas pourtant quitter la tout par desespoir, ne mespriser
ce que nous n’entendons pas tout incontinent.”

100 COMMENTARY ON THE

observe the connection of the words, that they believed the
Scripture, and the word which Jesus had spoken ; for the Evan-
gelist means that, by comparing the Scripture with the word
of Christ, they were aided in making progress in faith.

23. And when he was in Jerusalem at the passover, many believed in
his name, beholding the signs which he performed. 24. But Jesus
himself did not confide in them, because he knew them all,! 25. And
needed not that any should testify of man; for he knew what was in man.

23. Many believed. The Evangelist appropriately con-
nects this narrative with the former. Christ had not given
such a sign as the Jews demanded; and now, when he
produced no good effect on them by many miracles—except
that they entertained a cold faith, which was only the sha-
dow of faith—this event sufficiently proves that they did not
deserve that he should comply with their wishes. It was,
indeed, some fruit of the signs, that many believed in Christ,
and in his name, so as to profess that they wished to fol-
low his doctrine ; for name is here put for authority. This
appearance of faith, which hitherto was fruitless, might
ultimately be changed into true faith, and might be a useful
preparation for celebrating the name of Christ among others;
and yet what we have said is true, that they were far from
having proper feelings, so as to profit by the works of God,
as they ought to have done.

Yet this was not a pretended faith by which they wished
to gain reputation among men; for they were convinced
that Christ was some great Prophet, and perhaps they even
ascribed to him the honour of being the Messiah, of whom
there was at that time a strong and general expectation.
But as they did not understand the peculiar office of the
Messiah, their faith was absurd, because it was exclusively
directed to the world and earthly things. It was also a cold
belief, and unaccompanied by the true feelings of the heart.
For hypocrites assent to the Gospel, not that they may
devote themselves in obedience to Christ, nor that with
sincere piety they may follow Christ when he calls them,

' “T] Jes cognoissoient tous.”

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 101

but because they do not venture to reject entirely the truth
which they have known, and especially when they can find
no reason for opposing it. For as they do not voluntarily,
or of their own accord, make war with God, so when they
perceive that his doctrine is opposed to their flesh and to
their perverse desires, they are immediately offended, or at
least withdraw from the faith which they had already em-
braced.

When the Evangelist says, therefore, that those men be-
lieved, 1 do not understand that they counterfeited a faith
which did not exist, but that they were in some way con-
strained to enrol themselves as the followers of Christ; and
yet it appears that their faith was not true and genuine,
because Christ excludes them from the number of those on
whose sentiments reliance might be placed. Besides, that
faith depended solely on miracles, and had no root in the
Gospel, and therefore could not be steady or permanent.
Miracles do indeed assist the children of God in arriving at
the truth ; but it does not amount to actual believing, when
they admire the power of God so as merely to believe that it
is true, but not to subject themselves wholly to it. And,
therefore, when we speak generally about faith, let us know
that there is a kind of faith which is perceived by the under-
standing only, and afterwards quickly disappears, because it
is not fixed in the heart; and that is the faith which James
calls dead; but true faith always depends on the Spirit of
regeneration, (James ii. 17, 20, 26.) Observe, that all do not
derive equal profit from the works of God; for some are led
by them to God, and others are only driven by a blind
impulse, so that, while they perceive indeed the power of
God, still they do not cease to wander in their own imagi-
nations.

24. But Christ did not rely on them. Those who explain
the meaning to be, that Christ was on his guard against
them, because he knew that they were not upright and faith-
ful, do not appear to me to express sufficiently well the
meaning of the Evangelist. Still less do I agree with what
Augustine says about recent converts. The Evangelist

102 COMMENTARY ON THE

rather means, in my opinion, that Christ did not reckon
them to be genuine disciples, but despised them as volatile
and unsteady. It is a passage which ought to be carefully
observed, that not all who profess to be Christ’s followers
are such in his estimation. But we ought also to add the
reason which immediately follows :

Because he knew them all. Nothing is more dangerous than
hypocrisy, for this reason among others, that it is an exceed-
ingly common fault. There is scarcely any man who is not
pleased with himself; and while we deceive ourselves by
empty flatteries, we imagine that God is blind like ourselves.
But here we are reminded how widely his judgment differs
from ours; for he sees clearly those things which we cannot
perceive, because they are concealed by some disguise ; and
he estimates according to their hidden source, that is, accord-
ing to the most secret feeling of the heart, those things which
dazzle our eyes by false lustre. This is what Solomon says,
that God weighs in his balance the hearts of men, while they
flatter themselves in their ways, (Prov. xxi. 2.) Let us remem-
ber, therefore, that none are the true disciples of Christ but
those whom He approves, because in such a matter He alone
is competent to decide and to judge.

A question now arises: when the Evangelist says that
Christ knew them all, does he mean those only of whom he
had lately spoken, or does the expression refer to the whole
human race? Some extend it to the universal nature of
man, and think that the whole world is here condemned for
wicked and perfidious hypocrisy. And, certainly, it is a true
statement, that Christ can find in men no reason why he
should deign to place them in the number of his followers ;
but I do not see that this agrees with the context, and there-
fore I limit it to those who had been formerly mentioned.

25. For he knew what was in man. As it might be doubted
whence Christ obtained this knowledge, the Evangelist an-
ticipates this question, and replies that Christ perceived
every thing in men that is concealed from our view, so that
he could on his own authority make a distinction among
men. Christ, therefore, who knows the hearts, had no need

—

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 103

of any one to inform him what sort of men they were. He
knew them to have such a disposition and such feelings, that
he justly regarded them as persons who did not belong to
him.

The question put by some—whether we too are authorized
by the example of Christ to hold those persons as suspected
who have not given us proof of their sincerity—has nothing
to do with the present passage. There is a wide difference
between him and us; for Christ knew the very roots of the
trees, but, except from the fruits which appear outwardly,
we cannot discover what is the nature of any one tree. Be-
sides, as Paul tells us, that charity is not suspicious, (1 Cor.
xiii. 5,) we have no right to entertain unfavourable suspicions
about men who are unknown to us. But, that we may not
always be deceived by hypocrites, and that the Church may
not be too much exposed to their wicked impostures, it be-
longs to Christ to impart to us the Spirit of discretion.

CHAPTER III.

1, Now there was a man of the Pharisees, called Nicodemus, a ruler
among the Jews. 2. He came to Jesus by night, and said to him,
Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God, for no man can
do these signs which thou doest, unless God be with him. 3. Jesus an-
swered and said to him, Verily, verily, I say to thee, Unless a man be
born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 4. Nicodemus saith to
him, How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter again into
his mother’s womb and be born? 5. Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I
say to thee, Unless a man be born of water, and of the Spirit, he cannot

_ enter into the kingdom of God. 6. That which is born of flesh is flesh ;
and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

1. Now there was a man of the Pharisees. In the person
of Nicodemus the Evangelist now exhibits to our view how
vain and fleeting was the faith of those who, having been
excited by miracles, suddenly professed to be the disciples
of Christ. For since this man was of the order of the Pharisees,
and held the rank of a ruler in his nation, he must ave been
far more excellent than others. The common people, for the

104 COMMENTARY ON THE

most part, are light and unsteady ; but who would not have
thought that he who had learning and experience was also
a wise and prudent man? Yet from Christ’s reply it is evi-
dent, that nothing was farther from his design in coming
than a desire to learn the first principles of religion. If he
who was a ruler among men is less than a child, what ought
we to think of the multitude at large? Now though the
design of the Evangelist was, to exhibit, as in a mirror, how
few there were in Jerusalem who were properly disposed to
receive the Gospel, yet, for other reasons, this narrative is
highly useful to us; and especially because it instructs us
concerning the depraved nature of mankind, what is the pro-
per entrance into the school of Christ, and what must be the
commencement of our training to make progress in the hea-
venly doctrine. For the sum of Christ’s discourse is, that,
in order that we may be his true disciples, we must become
new men. But, before proceeding farther, we must ascertain
from the circumstances which are here detailed by the Evan-
gelist, what were the obstacles which prevented Nicodemus
from giving himself unreservedly to Christ.

Of the Pharisees. This designation was, no doubt, regarded
by his countrymen as honourable to Nicodemus ; but it is not
for the sake of honour that it is given to him by the Evangelist,
who, on the contrary, draws our attention to it as having pre-
vented him from coming freely and cheerfully to Christ.
Hence we are reminded that they who occupy a lofty station
in the world are, for the most part, entangled by very dan-
gerous snares ; nay, we see many of them held so firmly bound,
that not even the slightest wish or prayer arises from them
towards heaven throughout their whole life. Why they were
called Pharisees we have elsewhere explained ;' for they
boasted of being the only expounders of the Law, asifthey were
in possession of the marrow and hidden meaning of Scripture ;

1 Our Author’s views of the etymology of the term are fully stated and
examined, Harmony, vol. i. p. 281; but it cannot be supposed that this
Commentary on the Gospel by John, which appeared in the year 1553,
makes references to the Harmony, which did not appear till 1555. The
priority of the date (1548) of the Commentary on the Epistle to the Philip-
pians more naturally sends us to consult that passage, in which Paul says
that he was a Pharisee, (8, 5.)—Ed.

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 105

and for that reason they called themselves DW", (Perushim.)
Though the Essenes led a more austere life, which gained
them a high reputation for holiness ; yet because, like hermits,
they forsook the ordinary life and custom of men, the sect of
the Pharisees was on that account held in higher estimation.
Besides, the Evangelist mentions not only that Nicodemus was
of the order of the Pharisees, but that he was one of the rulers
of his nation.

2. He came to Jesus by night. From the circumstance of
his coming by night we infer that his timidity was excessive:
for his eyes were dazzled, asit were, by the splendour of his own
greatness and reputation.! Perhaps too he was hindered by
shame, for ambitious men think that their reputation is utterly
ruined, if they have once descended from the dignity of
teachers to the rank of scholars; and he was unquestionably
puffed up with a foolish opinion of his knowledge. In short,
as he had a high opinion of himself, he was unwilling to lose
any part of his elevation. And yet there appears in him
some seed of piety; for hearing that a Prophet of God had
appeared, he does not despise or spurn the doctrine which
has been brought from heaven, and is moved by some
desire to obtain it,—a desire which sprung from nothing else
than fear and reverence for God. Many are tickled by an
idle curiosity to inquire eagerly about any thing that is new,
but there is no reason to doubt that it was religious principle
and conscientious feeling that excited in Nicodemus the
desire to gain a more intimate knowledge of the doctrine of
Christ. And although that seed remained long concealed
and apparently dead, yet after the death of Christ it yielded
fruit, such as no man would ever have expected, (John xix.
39.)

Rabbi, we know. The meaning of these words is, “‘ Master,
we know that thou art come to be a teacher.” But as learned
men, at that time, were generally called Masters, Nicodemus
first salutes Christ according to custom, and gives him the
ordinary designation, Rabbi, (which means Master,”) and after-

1 “ De sa grandeur et reputation.”

2 * Qui signifie Maistre.”

VOL. I. G

106 COMMENTARY ON THE

wards declares that he was sent by God to perform the office
of a Master. And on this principle depends all the authority
of the teachers in the Church ; for as it is only from the word
of God that we must learn wisdom, we ought not to listen to
any other persons than those by whose mouth God speaks.
And it ought to be observed, that though religion was greatly
corrupted and almost destroyed among the Jews, still they
always held this principle, that no man was a lawful teacher,
unless he had been sent by God. Butas there are none who
more haughtily and more daringly boast of having been sent
by God than the false prophets do, we need discernment in
this case for trying the spirits. Accordingly Nicodemus adds:

For no man can do the signs which thou doest, unless God be
with him. It is evident, he says, that Christ has been sent
by God, because God displays his power in him so illustriously,
that it cannot be denied that God is with him. He takes for
granted that God is not accustomed to work but by his
ministers, so as to seal the office which he has intrusted to
them. And he had good grounds for thinking so, because
God always intended that miracles should be seals of his
doctrine. Justly therefore does he make God the sole Author
of miracles, when he says that no man can do these signs, unless
God be with him; for what he says amounts to a declaration
that miracles are not performed by the arm of man, but that
the power of God reigns, and is illustriously displayed in them.
In a word, as miracles have a twofold advantage, to prepare
the mind for faith, and, when it has been formed by the word,
to confirm it still more, Nicodemus had profited aright in the
former part, because by miracles he recognizes Christ as a
true prophet of God.

Yet his argument appears not to be conclusive; for since
the false prophets deceive the ignorant by their impostures
as fully as if they had proved by true signs that they are
the ministers of God, what difference will there be between
truth and falsehood, if faith depends on miracles? Nay,
Moses expressly says that God employs this method ¢o try if
we love him, (Deut. xiii. 3.) We know, also, the warning of
Christ, (Matth. xxiv. 14,) and of Paul, (2 Thess. ii. 9,) that
believers ought to beware of lying signs, by which Anti-

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 107

christ dazzles the eyes of many. I answer, God may justly
permit this to be done, that those who deserve it may be
deceived by the enchantments of Satan. But I say that
this does not hinder the elect from perceiving in miracles
the power of God, which is to them an undoubted confirma-
tion of true and sound doctrine. Thus, Paul boasts that his
apostleship was confirmed by signs, and wonders, and mighty
deeds, (2 Cor. xii. 12.) To whatever extent Satan may, like
an ape, counterfeit the works of God in the dark, yet when
the eyes are opened and the light of spiritual wisdom shines,
miracles are a sufficiently powerful attestation of the presence
of God, as Nicodemus here declares it to be.

3. Verily, verily, I say to thee. The word Verily (dujv) is
twice repeated, and this is done for the purpose of arousing
him to more earnest attention. For when he was about to
speak of the most important and weighty of all subjects, he
found it necessary to awaken the attention of Nicodemus,
who might otherwise have passed by this whole discourse in
a light or careless manner.’ Such, then, is the design of the
double affirmation.

Though this discourse appears to be far-fetched and almost
inappropriate, yet it was with the utmost propriety that
Christ opened his discourse in this manner. For as it is
useless to sow seed in a field which has not been prepared
by the labours of the husbandman, so it is to no purpose to
scatter the doctrine of the Gospel, if the mind has not been
previously subdued and duly prepared for docility and obe-
dience. Christ saw that the mind of Nicodemus was filled
with many thorns, choked by many noxious herbs, so that
there was scarcely any room for spiritual doctrine. This
exhortation, therefore, resembled a ploughing to purify him,
that nothing might prevent him from profiting by the doc-
trine. Let us, therefore, remember that this was spoken
to ene individual, in such a manner that the Son of God
addresses all of us daily in the same language. For which

1 “ Loyant seulement comme en pensant ailleurs, et sans en tenir grand
conte :”—“ merely listening to it as if he were thinking of something else,
and without caring much about it.”

108 COMMENTARY ON THE

of us will say that he is so free from sinful affections that he
does not need such a purification? If, therefore, we wish to
make good and useful progress in the school of Christ, let
us learn to begin at this point.

Unless a man be born again. That is, “So long as thou
art destitute of that which is of the highest importance in
the kingdom of God, I care little about your calling me
Master ; for the first entrance into the kingdom of God is, to
become a new man.” But as this is a remarkable passage,
it will be proper to survey every part of it minutely.

To sEE the kingdom of God is of the same meaning as to
ENTER INTO the kingdom of God, as we shall immediately
perceive from the context. But they are mistaken who
suppose that the kingdom of God means Heaven ; for it rather
means the spiritual life, which is begun by faith in this world,
and gradually increases every day according to the continued
progress of faith. So the meaning is, that no man can be
truly united to the Church, so as to be reckoned among the
children of God, until he has been previously renewed. This
expression shows briefly what is the beginning of Chris-
tianity, and at the same time teaches us, that we are born
exiles and utterly alienated from the kingdom of God, and that
there is a perpetual state of variance between God and us,
until he makes us altogether different by our being born
again ; for the statement is general, and comprehends the
whole human race. If Christ had said to one person, or to
a few individuals, that they could not enter into heaven, unless
they had been previously born again, we might have supposed
that it was only certain characters that were pointed out,
but he speaks of all without exception ; for the language is
unlimited, and is of the same import with such universal
terms as these: Whosoever shall not be born again cannot enter
into the kingdom of God.

By the phrase born again is expressed not the correction of
one part, but the renovation of the whole nature. Hence it
follows, that there is nothing in us that is not sinful ; for if
reformation is necessary in the whole and in each part, cor-
ruption must have been spread throughout. On this point
we shall soon have occasion to speak more largely. Erasmus,

4

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 109

adopting the opinion of Cyril, has improperly translated the
adverb dvadex, from above, and renders the clause thus: unless
a man be born FROM ABOVE. The Greek word, I own, is
ambiguous ; but we know that Christ conversed with Nico-
demus in the Hebrew language. There would then have
been no room for the ambiguity which occasioned the
mistake of Nicodemus, and led him into childish scruples
about a second birth of the flesh. He therefore understood
Christ to have said nothing else than that a man must be born
AGAIN, before he is admitted into the kingdom of God.

4, How can a man be born when he is old? Though the
form of expression which Christ employed was not contained
in the Law and the Prophets, yet as renewal is frequently
mentioned in Scripture, and is one of the first principles of
faith, it is evident how imperfectly skilled the Scribes at that
time were in the reading of the Scriptures. It certainly was
not one man only who was to blame for not knowing what
was meant by the grace of regeneration; but as almost all
devoted their attention to useless subtleties, what was of
chief importance in the doctrine of piety was disregarded.
Popery exhibits to us, at the present day, an instance of the
same kind in her Theologians. For while they weary out
their whole life with profound speculations, as to all that
strictly relates to the worship of God, to the confident hope
of our salvation, or to the exercises of religion, they know
no more on these subjects than a cobbler or a cowherd knows
about the course of the stars; and, what is more, taking
delight in foreign mysteries, they openly despise the true
doctrine of Scripture as unworthy of the elevated rank which
belongs to them as teachers. We need not wonder, there-
fore, to find here that Nicodemus stumbles at a straw ; for
it is a just vengeance of God, that they who think themselves
the highest and most excellent teachers, and in whose estima-
tion the ordinary simplicity of doctrine is vile and despicable,
stand amazed at small matters.

5. Unless a man be born of water. This passage has been
explained in various ways. Some have thought that the

110 COMMENTARY ON THE

two parts of regeneration are distinctly pointed out, and
that by the word Water is denoted the renunciation of the
old man, while by the Spirit they have understood the new
life. Others think that there is an implied contrast, as if
Christ intended to contrast Water and Spirit, which are pure
and liquid elements, with the earthly and gross nature of
man. Thus they view the language as allegorical, and sup-
pose Christ to have taught that we ought to lay aside the
heavy and ponderous mass of the flesh, and to become like
water and air, that we may move upwards, or, at least, may
not be so much weighed down to the earth. But both
opinions appear to me to be at variance with the meaning of
Christ.

Chrysostom, with whom the greater part of expounders
agree, makes the word Water refer to baptism. The mean-
ing would then be, that by baptism we enter into the
kingdom of God, because in baptism we are regenerated by
the Spirit of God. Hence arose the belief of the absolute
necessity of baptism, in order to the hope of eternal life.
But though we were to admit that Christ here speaks of
baptism, yet we ought not to press his words so closely as to
imagine that he confines salvation to the outward sign ; but,
on the contrary, he connects the Water with the Spirit, because
under that visible symbol he attests and seals that newness
of life which God alone produces in us by his Spirit. It
is true that, by neglecting baptism, we are excluded from
salvation; and in this sense I acknowledge that it is neces-
sary; but it is absurd to speak of the hope of salvation as
confined to the sign. So far as relates to this passage, I
cannot bring myself to believe that Christ speaks of baptism ;
for it would have been inappropriate.

We must always keep in remembrance the design of
Christ, which we have already explained; namely, that he
intended to exhort Nicodemus to newness of life, because he
was not capable of receiving the Gospel, until he began to
be anew man. It is, therefore, a simple statement, that we
must be born again, in order that we may be the children of
God, and that the Holy Spirit is the Author of this second
birth. For while Nicodemus was dreaming of the regenera-

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. _ 111

tion (rarryyevectu) or transmigration taught by Pythagoras,
who imagined that souls, after the death of their bodies,
passed into other bodies,! Christ, in order to cure him of
this error, added, by way of explanation, that it is not in
a natural way that men are born a second time, and that it is
not necessary for them to be clothed with a new body, but
that they are born when they are renewed in mind and heart
by the grace of the Spirit.

Accordingly, he employed the words Spirit and water to
mean the same thing, and this ought not to be regarded as a
harsh or forced interpretation ; for it is a frequent and com-
mon way of speaking in Scripture, when the Spirit is mentioned,
to add the word Water or Fire, expressing his power. We
sometimes meet with the statement, that it is Christ who
baptizeth with the Holy Ghost and with fire, (Matth. iu. 11;
Luke iii. 16,) where fire means nothing different from the
Spirit, but only shows what is his efficacy in us. As to the
word water being placed first, it is of little consequence; or
rather, this mode of speaking flows more naturally than the
other, because the metaphor is followed by a plain and direct
statement, as if Christ had said that no man is a son of God
until he has been renewed by water, and that this water is
the Spirit who cleanseth us anew, and who, by spreading his
energy over us, imparts to us the vigour of the heavenly life,
though by nature we are utterly dry. And most properly
does Christ, in order to reprove Nicodemus for his ignorance,
employ a form of expression which is common in Scripture ;
for Nicodemus ought at length to have acknowledged, that
what Christ had said was taken from the ordinary doctrine
of the Prophets.

By water, therefore, is meant nothing more than the inward
purification and invigoration which is produced by the Holy
Spirit. Besides, it is not unusual to employ the word and
instead of that 7s, when the latter clause is intended to ex-
plain the former. And the view which I have taken is sup-
ported by what follows; for when Christ immediately proceeds
to assign the reason why we must be born again, without

* “ Qui imaginoit que les ames apres la mort de leurs corps entroyent
dedans des autres corps.”

a1? COMMENTARY ON THE

mentioning the water, he shows that the newness of life which
he requires is produced by the Spirit alone; whence it follows,
that water must not be separated from the Spirit.

6. That which is born of the flesh. By reasoning from con-
iraries, he argues that the kingdom of God is shut against
us, unless an entrance be opened to us by a new birth,
(rariyyevecia.) For he takes for granted, that we cannot
enter into the kingdom of God unless we are spiritual. But
we bring nothing from the womb but acarnal nature. There-
fore it follows, that we are naturally banished from the
kingdom of God, and, having been deprived of the heavenly
life, remain under the yoke of death. Besides, when Christ
argues here, that men must be born again, because they are
only flesh, he undoubtedly comprehends all mankind under
the term flesh. By the flesh, therefore, is meant in this place
not the body, but the soul also, and consequently every part
of it. When the Popish divines restrict the word to that
part which they call sensual, they do so in utter ignorance
of its meaning;! for Christ must in that case have used an
inconclusive argument, that we need a second birth, because a
part of us is corrupt. But if the flesh is contrasted with the
Spirit, as a corrupt thing is contrasted with what is uncor-
rupted, a crooked thing with what is straight, a polluted
thing with what is holy, a contaminated thing with what is
pure, we may readily conclude that the whole nature of man
is condemned by a single word. Christ therefore declares
that our understanding and reason is corrupted, because it is
carnal, and that all the affections of the heart are wicked and
reprobate, because they too are carnal.

But here it may be objected, that since the soul is not
begotten by human generation, we are not born of the flesh, as
to the chief part of our nature. This led many persons to
imagine that not only our bodies, but our souls also, descend
to us from our parents; for they thought it absurd that
original sin, which has its peculiar habitation in the soul,
should be conveyed from one man to all his posterity, unless

1 ‘* Monstrent bien qu’ils n’en entendent rien.”

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 113

all our souls proceeded from his soul as their source. And
certainly, at first sight, the words of Christ appear to convey
the idea, that we are flesh, because we are born of flesh. I
answer, so far as relates to the words of Christ, they mean
nothing else than that we are all carnal when we are born ;
and that as we come into this world mortal men, our nature
relishes nothing but what is flesh. He simply distinguishes
here between nature and the supernatural gift; for the
corruption of all mankind in the person of Adam alone did
not proceed from generation, but from the appoimtment of
God, who in one man had adorned us all, and who has in
him also deprived us of his gifts. Instead of saying, there-
fore, that each of us draws vice and corruption from his
parents, it would be more correct to say that we are all alike
corrupted in Adam alone, because immediately after his revolt
God took away from human nature what He had bestowed
upon it.

Here another question arises ; for it is certain that in this
degenerate and corrupted nature some remnant of the gifts
of God still lingers ; and hence it follows that we are not in
every respect corrupted. The reply is easy. The gifts
which God hath left to us since the fall, if they are judged
by themselves, are indeed worthy of praise; but as the
contagion of wickedness is spread through every part, there
will be found in us nothing that is pure and free from every
defilement. That we naturally possess some knowledge of
God, that some distinction between good and evil is engraven
on our conscience, that our faculties are sufficient for the
maintenance of the present life, that—in short—we are in so
many ways superior to the brute beasts, that is excellent in
itself, so far as it proceeds from God; but in us all these
things are completely polluted, in the same manner as the
wine which has been wholly infected and corrupted by the
offensive taste of the vessel loses the pleasantness of its good
flavour, and acquires a bitter and pernicious taste. For such
knowledge of God as now remains in men is nothing else than
a frightful source of idolatry and of all superstitions; the
judgment exercised in choosing and distinguishing things is
partly blind and foolish, partly imperfect and confused ; all

— es.

114 COMMENTARY ON THE

the industry that we possess flows into vanity and trifles ;
and the will itself, with furious impetuosity, rushes headlong
to what is evil. Thus in the whole of our nature there re-
mains not a drop of uprightness. Hence it is evident that
we must be formed by the second birth, that we may be
fitted for the kingdom of God; and the meaning of Christ’s
words is, that as a man is born only carnal from the womb
of his mother, he must be formed anew by the Spirit, that he
may begin to be spiritual.

The word Spirit is used here in two senses, namely, for
grace, and the effect of grace. For in the first place, Christ
informs us that the Spirit of God is the only Author of a pure
and upright nature, and afterwards he states, that we are
spiritual, because we have been renewed by his power.

7. Wonder not that I said to thee, You must be born again. 8. The
wind bloweth where it pleaseth, and thou hearest its voice; but knowest
not whence it cometh, nor whither it goeth: so is every one that is born
of the Spirit. 9. Nicodemus answered, and said to him, How can these
things be? 10. Jesus answered, and said to him, Thou art a teacher of
Israel, and knowest you not these things? 11. Verily, verily, I say to
thee, We speak what we know, and testify what we have seen; and you
receive not our testimony. 12. If I have told you earthly things, and
you believe not, how shall you believe if I tell you heavenly things?

7. Wonder not. This passage has been tortured by com-
mentators in various ways. Some think that Christ reproves
the gross ignorance of Nicodemus and other persons of the
same class, by saying that zt ts not wonderful, if they do not
comprehend that heavenly mystery of regeneration, since even
in the order of nature they do not perceive the reason of
those things which fall under the cognizance of the senses.
Others contrive a meaning which, though ingenious, is too
much forced: that “as the wind blows freely, so by the regen-
eration of the Spirit we are set at liberty, and, having been
freed from the yoke of sin, run voluntarily to God.” Equally
removed from Christ’s meaning is the exposition given by
Augustine, that the Spirit of God exerts his power according
to his own pleasure. A better view is given by Chrysostom
and Cyril, who say that the comparison is taken from the
wind, and apply it thus to the present passage: “ though its
power be felt, we know not its source and cause.” While I

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 115

do not differ greatly from their opinion, I shall endeavour to
explain the meaning of Christ with greater clearness and
certainty.

I hold by this principle, that Christ borrows a comparison
from the order of nature. Nicodemus reckoned that what he
had heard about regeneration and a new life was incredible,
because the manner of this regeneration exceeded his capacity.
To prevent him from entertaining any scruple of this sort,
Christ shows that even in the bodily life there is displayed
an amazing power of God, the reason of which is concealed.
For all draw from the air their vital breath ; we perceive the
agitation of the air, but know not whence it comes to us or
whither it departs. If in this frail and transitory life God acts
so powerfully that we are constrained to admire his power,
what folly is it to attempt to measure by the perception of
our own mind his secret work in the heavenly and superna-
tural life, so as to believe no more than what we see? Thus
Paul, when he breaks out into indignation against those who
reject the doctrine of the resurrection, on the ground of its
being impossible that the body which is now subject to putre-
faction, after having been reduced to dust and to nothing,
should be clothed with a blessed immortality, reproaches them
for stupidity in not considering that a similar display of the
power of God may be seen in a grain of wheat ; for the seed
does not spring until it has been putrefied, (1 Cor. xv. 36, 37.)
This is the astonishing wisdom of which David exclaims, O
Lord, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made
them all, (Psa. civ. 24.) They are therefore excessively
stupid who, having been warned by the common order of
nature, do not rise higher, so as to acknowledge that the hand
of God is far more powerful in the spiritual kingdom of
Christ. When Christ says to Nicodemus that he ought not
to wonder, we must not understand it in such a manner as if
he intended that we should despise a work of God, which is
so illustrious, and which is worthy of the highest admiration ;
but he means that we ought not to wonder with that kind of
admiration which hinders our faith. For many reject as
fabulous what they think too lofty and difficult. In a word,
let us not doubt that by the Spirit of God we are formed

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116 COMMENTARY ON THE

again and made new men, though his manner of doing this
be concealed from us.

8. The wind bloweth where it pleaseth. Not that, strictly
speaking, there is will in the blowing, but because the agita-
tion is free, and uncertain, and variable ; for the air is carried
sometimes in one direction and sometimes in another. Now
this applies to the case in hand ; for if it flowed in a uniform
motion like water, it would be less miraculous.

So is every one that is born of the Spirit. Christ means that
the movement and operation of the Spirit of God is not less
perceptible in the renewal of man than the motion of the air
in this earthly and outward life, but that the manner of it is
concealed ; and that, therefore, we are ungrateful and mali-_ ,
cious, if we do not adore the inconceivable power of God in
the heavenly life, of which we behold so striking an exhibition
in this world, and if we ascribe to him less in restoring the
salvation of our soul than in upholding the bodily frame.
The application will be somewhat more evident, if you turn
the sentence in this manner: Such is the power and efficacy
of the Holy Spirit in the renewed man.

9. How can these things be? We see what is the chief
obstacle in the way of Nicodemus. Every thing that he
hears appears monstrous, because he does not understand
the manner of it; so that there is no greater obstacle to us
than our own pride; that is, we always wish to be wise
beyond what is proper, and therefore we reject with diaboli-
cal pride every thing that is not explained to our reason ; as
if it were proper to limit the infinite power of God to
our poor capacity. We are, indeed, permitted, to a certain
extent, to inquire into the manner and reason of the works
of God, provided that we do so with sobriety and reverence ;
but Nicodemus rejects it as a fable, on this ground, that he
does not believe it to be possible. On this subject we shall
treat more fully under the Sixth Chapter.

10. Thou art a teacher of Israel. As Christ sees that he
is spending his time and pains to no purpose in teaching so

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOIIN. 117

proud a man, he begins to reprove him sharply. And
certainly such persons will never make any progress, until
the wicked confidence, with which they are puffed up, be
removed. This is, very properly, placed first in order ; for
in the very matter in which he chiefly plumes himself on
his acuteness and sagacity, Christ censures his ignorance.
He thought, that not to admit a thing to be possible would
be considered a proof of gravity and intelligence, because
that man is accounted foolishly credulous who assents to
what is told him by another, before he has fully inquired
into the reason. But still Nicodemus, with all his magisterial
haughtiness, exposes himself to ridicule by more than childish
hesitation about the first principles. Such hesitation, cer-
tainly, is base and shameful. For what religion have we,
what knowledge of God, what rule of living well, what hope
of eternal life, if we do not believe that man is renewed by
the Spirit of God? There is an emphasis, therefore, in the
word these; for since Scripture frequently repeats this part
of doctrine, it ought not to be unknown even to the lowest
class of beginners. It is utterly beyond endurance that any
man should be ignorant and unskilled in it, who professes to

be a teacher in the Church of God.

11. We speak what we know. Some refer this to Christ
and John the Baptist ; others say that the plural number is
used instead of the singular. For my own part, I have no
doubt that Christ mentions himself in connection with all
the prophets of God, and speaks generally in the person of
all. Philosophers and other vain-glorious teachers frequently
bring forward trifles which they have themselves invented ;
but Christ claims it as peculiar to himself and all the servants
of God, that they deliver no doctrine but what is certain.
For God does not send ministers to prattle about things
that are unknown or doubtful, but trains them in his school,
that what they have learned from himself they may after-
wards deliver to others. Again, as Christ, by this testimony,
recommends to us the certainty of his doctrine, so he enjoins
on all his ministers a law of modesty, not to put forward
their own dreams or conjectures—not to preach human

118 COMMENTARY ON THE

inventions, which have no solidity in them—but to render a
faithful and pure testimony to God. Let every man, there-
fore, see what the Lord has revealed to him, that no man
may go beyond the bounds of his faith; and, lastly, that no
man may allow himself to speak any thing but what he has
heard from the Lord. It ought to be observed, likewise,
that Christ here confirms his doctrine by an oath, that it
may have full authority over us.

You receive not our testimony. This is added, that the
Gospel may lose nothing on account of the ingratitude of
men. Tor since few persons are to be found who exercise
faith in the truth of God, and since the truth is everywhere
rejected by the world, we ought to defend it against con-
tempt, that its majesty may not be held in less estimation,
because the whole world despises it, and obscures it by
impiety. Now though the meaning of the words be simple
and one, still we must draw from this passage a twofold
doctrine. The first is, that our faith in the Gospel may not
be weakened, if it have few disciples on the earth; as if
Christ had said, Though you do not receive my doctrine, it
remains nevertheless certain and durable; for the unbelief
of men will never prevent God from remaining always true.
The other is, that they who, in the present day, disbelieve
the Gospel, will not escape with impunity, since the truth
of God is holy and sacred. We ought to be fortified with
this shield, that we may persevere in obedience to the
Gospel in opposition to the obstinacy of men. ‘True indeed,
we must hold by this principle, that our faith be founded on
God. But when we have God as our security, we ought,
like persons elevated above the heavens, boldly to tread the
whole world under our feet, or regard it with lofty disdain,
rather than allow the unbelief of any persons whatever to
fill us with alarm. As to the complaint whieh Christ makes,
that his testimony is not received, we learn from it, that the
word of God has, in all ages, been distinguished by this
peculiar feature, that they who believed it were few; for
the expression—yow receive not—belongs to the greater num-
ber, and almost to the whole body of the people. There is

oye oe

—

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 119

no reason, therefore, that we should now be discouraged, if
the number of those who believe be small.

12. If I have told you earthly things. Christ concludes
that it ought to be laid to the charge of Nicodemus and
others, if they do not make progress in the doctrine of the
Gospel ; for he shows that the blame does not lie with him, that
all are not properly instructed, since he comes down even to
the earth, that he may raise us to heaven. It is too common a
fault that men desire to be taught in an ingenious and witty
style. Hence, the greater part of men are so delighted with
lofty and abstruse speculations. Hence, too, many hold the
Gospel in less estimation, because they do not find in it
high-sounding words to fill their ears, and on this account
do not deign to bestow their attention on a doctrine so low
and mean. But it shows an extraordinary degree of wicked-
ness, that we yield less reverence to God speaking to us,
because he condescends to our ignorance; and, therefore,
when God prattles to us in Scripture in a rough and popular
style, let us know that this is done on account of the love
which he bears to us.'| Whoever exclaims that he is offended
by such meanness of language, or pleads it as an excuse for
not subjecting himself to the word of God, speaks falsely ;
for he who cannot endure to embrace God, when he ap-
proaches to him, will still less fly to meet him above the
clouds.

Earthly things. Some explain this to mean the elements
of spiritual doctrine ; for self-denial may be said to be the
commencement of piety. But I rather agree with those who
refer it to the form of instruction ; for, though the whole of
Christ’s discourse was heavenly, yet he spoke in a manner so
familiar, that the style itself had some appearance of being
earthly. Besides, these words must not be viewed as refer-
ring exclusively to a single sermon; for Christ’s ordinary
method of teaching—that is, a popular simplicity of style—is
here contrasted with the pompous and high-sounding phrases
to which ambitious men are too strongly addicted.

1 ** Pour amour de nous.”

1]

120 COMMENTARY ON THE

13. And! no one hath ascended to heaven but he who came down
from heaven, the Son of man who is in heaven. 14. And as Moses lifted
up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up ;
15. That whosoever believeth in him may not perish, but have eternal
life. 16. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten
Son; that ee age believeth in him may not perish, but may have
eternal life. . For God hath not sent his Son into the world to con-
demn the ae but that the world may be saved by him. 18. He who
believeth in him is not condemned; but he who believeth not is con-
demned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only-
begotten Son of God.

13. No one hath ascended to heaven. Ue again exhorts
Nicodemus not to trust to himself and his own sagacity,
because no mortal man can, by his own unaided powers, enter
into heaven, but only he who goes thither under the guidance
of the Son of God. For to ascend to heaven means here, “ to
have a pure knowledge of the mysteries of God, and the
light of spiritual understanding.” For Christ gives here the
same instruction which is given by Paul, when he declares
that the sensual man does not comprehend the things which are
of God, (1 Cor. ii. 163) and, therefore, he excludes from di-
vine things all the acuteness of the human understanding,
for it is far below God.

But we must attend to the words, that Christ alone, who
is heavenly, ascends to heaven, but that the entrance is closed
against all others. For, in the former clause, he humbles us,
when he excludes the whole world from heaven. Paul enjoins
those who are desirous to be wise with God to be fools with them-
selves, (1 Cor. i. 18.) There is nothing which we do with
ereater reluctance. For this purpose we ought to remember,
that all our senses fail and give way when we come to God;
but, after having shut us out from heaven, Christ quickly
proposes a remedy, when he adds, that what was denied to
all others is granted to the Son of God. And this too is the
reason why he calls himself the Son of man, that we may not
doubt that we have an entrance into heaven in common with
him who clothed himself with our flesh, that he might make
us partakers of all blessings. Since, therefore, he is the
Father’s only Counsellor, (Isa. ix. 6,) he admits us into those
secrets which otherwise would have remained in concealment.

e

1 ‘Car personne n’est monté ;”—‘' For no one hath ascended.”

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 121

Who is in heaven. It may be thought absurd to say that
he is in heaven, while he still dwells on the earth. If it be
replied, that this is true in regard to his Divine nature, the
mode of expression means something else, namely, that while
he was man, he was in heaven. It might be said that no
mention is here made of any place, but that Christ is only
distinguished from others, in regard to his condition, because
he is the heir of the kingdom of God, from which the whole
human race is banished; but, as it very frequently happens,
on account of the unity of the Person of Christ, that what
properly belongs to one nature is applied to another, we
ought not to seek any other solution. Christ, therefore, who
ts in heaven, hath clothed himself with our flesh, that, by
stretching out his brotherly hand to us, he may raise us to
heaven along with him.

14. And as Moses lifted up the serpent. He explains more
clearly why he said that it is he alone to whom heaven is
opened ; namely, that he brings to heaven all who are only
willing to follow him as their guide ; for he testifies that he
will be openly and publicly manifested to all, that he may
diffuse his power over men of every class.!. To be Lifted up
means to be piaced in a lofty and elevated situation, so as to
be exhibited to the view of all. This was done by the
preaching of the Gospel; for the explanation of it which
some give, as referring to the cross, neither agrees with the
context nor is applicable to the present subject. The simple
meaning of the words therefore is, that, by the preaching of
the Gospel, Christ was to be raised on high, like a standard
to which the eyes of all would be directed, as Isaiah had fore-
told, (Isa. ii. 2.) As a type of this Lifting up, he refers to
the brazen serpent, which was erected by Moses, the sight of
which was a salutary remedy to those who had been wounded
by the deadly bite of serpents. The history of that trans-
action is well known, and is detailed in Numbers xxi. 9.
Christ introduces it in this passage, in order to show that he
must be placed before the eyes of all by the doctrine of the

1 “Sur toutes manieres de gens.”
VOL. I. H

122 COMMENTARY ON THE

Gospel, that all who look at him by faith may obtain salva-
tion. Hence it ought to be inferred that Christ is clearly
exhibited to us in the Gospel, in order that no man may
complain of obscurity; and that this manifestation is com-
mon to all, and that faith has its own look, by which it per-
ceives him as present; as Paul tells us that a lively portrait
of Christ with his cross is exhibited, when he is truly preached,
(Gal. iii. 1.)

The metaphor is not inappropriate or far-fetched. As it
was only the outward appearance of a serpent, but contained
nothing within that was pestilential or venomous, so Christ
clothed himself with the form of sinful flesh, which yet was
pure and free from all sin, that he might cure in us the
deadly wound of sin. It was not in vain that, when the
Jews were wounded by serpents, the Lord formerly prepared
this kind of antidote; and it tended to confirm the discourse
which Christ delivered. For when he saw that he was
despised as a mean and unknown person, he could produce
nothing more appropriate than the lifting up of the serpent, to
tell them, that they ought not to think it strange, if, con-
trary to the expectation of men, he were Jifted up on high
from the very lowest condition, because this had already
been shadowed out under the Law by the type of the serpent.

A question now arises: Does Christ compare himself to
the serpent, because there is some resemblance ; or, does he
pronounce it to have been a sacrament, as the Manna was?
For though the Manna was bodily food, intended for present
use, yet Paul testifies that it was a spiritual mystery, (1 Cor.
x. 3.) Iam led to think that this was also the case with
the brazen serpent, both by this passage, and the fact of its
being preserved for the future, until the superstition of the
people had converted it into an idol, (2 Kings xviii. 4.) If
any one form a different opinion, I do not debate the point
with him.

16. For God so loved the world. Christ opens up the first
cause, and, as it were, the source of our salvation, and he
does so, that no doubt may remain; for our minds cannot
find calm repose, until we arrive at the unmerited love of

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 123

God. As the whole matter of our salvation must not be
sought any where else than in Christ, so we must see whence
Christ came to us, and why he was offered to be our Saviour.
Both points are distinctly stated to us: namely, that faith
in Christ brings life to all, and that Christ brought life,
because the Heavenly Father loves the human race, and
wishes that they should not perish. And this order ought
to be carefully observed; for such is the wicked ambition
which belongs to our nature, that when the question relates
to the origin of our salvation, we quickly form diabolical
imaginations about our own merits. Accordingly, we ima-
gine that God is reconciled to us, because he has reckoned
us worthy that he should look upon us. But Scripture
everywhere extols his pure and unmingled mercy, which sets
aside all merits.

And the words of Christ mean nothing else, when he
declares the cause to be in the love of God. For if we wish
to ascend higher, the Spirit shuts the door by the mouth of
Paul, when ke informs us that this love was founded on the
purpose of his will, (Eph. i. 5.) And, indeed, it is very
evident that Christ spoke in this manner, in order to draw
away men from the contemplation of themselves to look at
the merey of God alone. Nor does he say that God was
moved to deliver us, because he perceived in us something
that was worthy of so excellent a blessing, but ascribes the
glory of our deliverance entirely to his love. And this is still
more clear from what follows; for he adds, that God gave
his Son to men, that they may not perish. Hence it follows
that, until Christ bestow his aid in rescuing the lost, all are
destined to eternal destruction. This is also demonstrated
by Paul from a consideration of the time; for he loved us,
while we were still enemies by sin, (Rom. v. 8,10.) And,
indeed, where sin reigns, we shall find nothing but the wrath
of God, which draws death along with it. It is mercy,
therefore, that reconciles us to God, that he may likewise
restore us to life.

This mode of expression, however, may appear to be at
variance with many passages of Scripture, which lay in
Christ the first foundation of the love of God to us, and
show that out of him we are hated by God. But we ought

124 COMMENTARY ON THE

to remember—what I have already stated—that the secret
love with which the Heavenly Father loved us in himself is
higher than all other causes; but that the grace which he
wishes to be made known to us, and by which we are
excited to the hope of salvation, commences with the recon-
ciliation which was procured through Christ. For since he
necessarily hates sin, how shall we believe that we are loved
by him, until atonement has been made for those sins on
account of which he is justly offended at us? Thus, the
love of Christ must intervene for the purpose of reconciling
God to us, before we have any experience of his fatherly
kindness. But as we are first informed that God, because
he loved us, gave his Son to die for us, so it is immediately
added, that it is Christ alone on whom, strictly speaking,
faith ought to look.

He gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on
him may not perish. This, he says, is the proper look of
faith, to be fixed on Christ, in whom it beholds the breast of
God filled with love: this is a firm and enduring support, to
rely on the death of Christ as the only pledge of that love.
The word only-begotten is emphatic, (gugaurimd»,) to magnify —
the fervour of the love of God towards us. For as men are

ot easily convinced that God loves them, in order to remove
fi doubt, he has expressly stated that we are so very dear
to God that, on our account, he did not even spare his only-
begotten Son. Since, therefore, God has most abundantly
testified his love towards us, whoever is not satisfied with
this testimony, and still remains in doubt, offers a high insult
to Christ, as if he had been an ordinary man given up at
random to death. But we ought rather to consider that, in
proportion to the estimation in which God _ holds his only-
begotten Son, so much the more precious did our salvation
appear to him, for the ransom of which he chose that his
only-begotten Son should die. To this name Christ has a
right, because he is by nature the only Son of God; and he
communicates this honour to us by adoption, when we are

ingrafted into his body.
: That whosoever believeth on him may not perish. It isa
remarkable commendation of faith, that it frees us from

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 125

everlasting destruction. For he intended expressly to state
that, though we appear to have been born to death, un-
doubted deliverance is offered to us by the faith of Christ ;
and, therefore, that we ought not to fear death, which other-
wise hangs over us. And he has employed the universal
term whosoever, both to invite all indiscriminately to partake
of life, and to cut off every excuse from unbelievers. Such
is also the import of the term World, which he formerly
used ; for though. nothing will be found in the world that is
worthy of the favour of God, yet he shows himself to be
reconciled to the whole world, when he invites all men with-
out exception to the faith of Christ, which is nothing else
than an entrance into life.

Let us remember, on the othér hand, that while /ife is]
promised universally to all who believe in Christ, still faith is
not common to all. For Christ is made known and held
gut to the view of all, but the elect alone are they whose
eyes God opens, that they may seek him by faith. Here,
too, is displayed a wonderful effect of faith; for by it we
receive Christ such as he is given to us by the Father—that
is, as having freed us from the condemnation of eternal
death, and made us heirs of eternal life, because, by the
sacrifice of his death, he has atoned for our sins, that nothing
may prevent God from acknowledging us as his sons. Since,
therefore, faith embraces Christ, with the efficacy of his death
and the fruit of his resurrection, we need not wonder if by
it we obtain likewise the life of Christ.

Still it is not yet very evident why and how faith bestows
life upon us. Is it because Christ renews us by his Spirit,
that the righteousness of God may live and be vigorous in
us; or is it because, having been cleansed by his blood, we
are accounted righteous before God by a free pardon? It is
indeed certain, that these two things are always joined to-
gether; but as the certainty of salvation is the subject now
in hand, we ought chiefly to hold by this reason, that we
live, because God loves us freely by not imputing to us our
sins. For this reason sacrifice is expressly mentioned, by
which, together with sins, the curse and death are destroyed.
I have already explained the object of these two clauses,

126 COMMENTARY ON THE

which is, to inform us that in Christ we regain the posses-
sion of life, of which we are destitute in ourselves; for in
this wretched condition of mankind, redemption, in the order
of time, goes before salvation.

17. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the
world. It is a confirmation of the preceding statement ; for
it was not in vain that God sent his own Son tous. He
came not to destroy ; and therefore it follows, that it is the
peculiar office of the Son of God, that all who believe may
obtain salvation by him. There is now no reason why any
man should be in a state of hesitation, or of distressing
anxiety, as to the manner in which he may escape death,
when we believe that it was the purpose of God that Christ
should deliver us from it. The word world is again repeated,
that no man may think himself wholly excluded, if he only
keep the road of faith.

The word judge (xgivw) is here put for condemn, as in
many other passages. When he declares that he did not
come to condemn the world, he thus points out the actual
design of his coming; for what need was there that Christ
should come to destroy us who were utterly ruined?
We ought not, therefore, to look at any thing else in
Christ, than that God, out of his boundless goodness,
chose to extend his aid for saving us who were lost; and
whenever our sins press us—whenever Satan would drive us
to despair—we ought to hold out this shield, that God is
unwilling that we should be overwhelmed with everlasting
destruction, because he has appointed his Son to be the sal-
vation of the world.

When Christ says, in other passages, that he 7s come to judg-
ment, (John ix. 39;) when he is called a stone of offence,
(1 Pet. ii. 7;) when he is said to be set for the destruction of
many, (Luke ii. 834:) this may be regarded as accidental, or
as arising from a different cause; for they who reject the
grace offered in him deserve to find him the Judge and
Avenger of contempt so unworthy and base. A striking
instance of this may be seen in the Gospel; for though it is
strictly the power of God for salvation to every one who be-

a

Ce ALOUD 2 Py BE

Lieveth, (kom. i. 16,) the ingratitude of many causes it to
become to them death. Both have been well expressed by
Paul, when he boasts of having vengeance at hand, by which
he will punish all the adversaries of his doctrine, after that the
obedience of the godly shall have been fulfilled, (2 Cor. x. 6.)
The meaning amounts to this, that the Gospel is especially,
and in the first instance, appointed for believers, that it may
be salvation to them; but that afterwards believers will not
escape unpunished who, despising the grace of Christ, chose
to haye him as the Author of death rather than of life.

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 127

18. He who believeth in him is not condemned. When he }
so frequently and so earnestly repeats, that all believers are
beyond danger of death, we may infer from it the great ,
necessity of firm and assured confidence, that the conscience
may not be kept perpetually in a state of trembling and
alarm. He again declares that, when we have believed, there
is no remaining condemnation, which he will afterwards ex-
plain more fully in the Fifth Chapter. The present tense—
is not condemned—is here used instead of the future tense—
shall not be condemned—according to the custom of the He-
brew language; for he means that believers are safe from
the fear of condemnation.

But he who believeth not is condemned already. This means
that there is no other remedy by which any human being
can escape death; or, in other words, that for all who reject
the life given to them in Christ, there remains nothing but
death, since life consists in nothing else than in faith. The
past tense of the verb, zs condemned already, (j6n xéxeiras,)
was used by him emphatically, (gugariméis,) to express more
strongly that all unbelievers are utterly rumed. But it
ought to be observed that Christ speaks especially of those
whose wickedness shall be displayed in open contempt of
the Gospel. For though it is true that there never was any
other remedy for escaping death than that men should be-
take themselves to Christ, yet as Christ here speaks of the
preaching of the Gospel, which was to be spread throughout
the whole world, he directs his discourse against those who

>

128 - ° COMMENTARY ON THE

deliberately and maliciously extinguish the hght which God
had kindled. y

19. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world;
and men loved darkness rather than light ; for their works were evil.
20. For whosoever doeth what is evil hateth the light, and cometh not to
the light, that his works may not be discovered. 21. But he who doeth
truth cometh to the light, that his works may be made manifest, that
they are done in God.

19. And this is the condemnation. He meets the murmurs
and complaints, by which wicked men are wont to censure—
what they imagine to be—the excessive rigour of God, when
he acts towards them with greater severity than they ex-
pected. All think it harsh that they who do not believe in
Christ should be devoted to destruction. That no man may
ascribe his condemnation to Christ, he shows that every man
ought to impute the blame to himself. The reason is, that
unbelief is a testimony of a bad conscience; and hence it is
evident that it is their own wickedness which hinders un-
believers from approaching to Christ. Some think that he
points out here nothing more than the mark of condemnation ;
but, the design of Christ is, to restrain the wickedness of
men, that they may not, according to their custom, dispute
or argue with God, as if he treated them unjustly, when he
punishes unbelief with eternal death. He shows that such a
condemnation is just, and is not liable to any reproaches, not
only because those men act wickedly, who prefer darkness to
light, and refuse the light which is freely offered to them, but
because that hatred of the light arises only from a mind that
is wicked and conscious of its guilt. A beautiful appearance
and lustre of holiness may indeed be found in many, who,
after all, oppose the Gospel; but, though they appear to be
holier than the angels, there is no room to doubt that they
are hypocrites, who reject the doctrine of Christ for no other
reason than because they love their lurking-places by which
their baseness may be concealed. Since, therefore, hypocrisy
alone renders men hateful to God, all are held convicted,
because were it not that, blinded by pride, they delight in

1 “ Waites selon Dieu ;”—‘‘ done according to God.”

>
GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 129

their crimes, they would readily and willingly receive the
doctrine of the Gospel.

20. For whosoever doeth what is evil. The meaning is, that
the light is hateful to them for no other reason than because
they are wicked and desire to conceal their sins, as far as lies
in their power. Hence it follows that, by rejecting the
remedy, they may be said purposely to cherish the ground
of their condemnation. We are greatly mistaken, therefore,
if we suppose that they who are enraged against the Gospel
are actuated by godly zeal, when, on the contrary, they ab-
hor and shun the light, that they may more freely flatter
themselves in darkness.

21. But he who doeth truth. This appears to be an improper
and absurd statement, unless you choose to admit that some
are upright and true, before they have been renewed by the
Spirit of God, which does not at all agree with the uniform
doctrine of Scripture; for we know that faith is the root
from which the fruits of good works spring. To solve this
difficulty, Augustine says, that to do truth means “ to acknow-
ledge that we are miserable and destitute of all power of
doing good ;” and, certainly, it is a true preparation for faith,
when a conviction of our poverty compels us to flee to the
grace of God. But all this is widely removed from Christ’s
meaning, for he intended simply to say that those who act
sincerely desire nothing more earnestly than light, that their
works may be tried ; because, when such a trial has been made,
it becomes more evident that, in the sight of God, they
speak the ¢ruth and are free from all deceit. Now it would
be inconclusive reasoning, were we to infer from this, that
men have a good conscience before they have faith; for
Christ does not say that the elect believe, so as to deserve
the praise of good works, but only what unbelievers would
do, if they had not a bad conscience.

Christ employed the word truth, because, when we are
deceived by the outward lustre of works, we do not consider
what is concealed within. Accordingly, he says, that men
who are upright and free from hypocrisy willingly go into

130 COMMENTARY ON THE

the presence of God, who alone is the competent Judge of
our works. For those works are said to be done in God or
according to God, which are approved by Him, and which are
good according to His rule. Hence let us learn that we
must not judge of works in any other way than by bringing
them to the light of the Gospel, because our reason is wholly
blind.

22. After these things came Jesus, and his disciples, into the land of
Judea, and there he remained with them and baptized. 23. And John
also was baptizing in Enon, near Salim ; because there were many waters
there. They came therefore and were baptized. 24. For John was not
yet cast into prison. 25. A question then arose between the disciples of
John and the Jews about purifying. 26. And they came to John, and
said to him, Rabbi, he who was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou
gavest testimony, lo, he baptizeth, and all men come to him. 27. John
answered and said, A man cannot receive any thing, unless it be given to
him from heaven. 28. Yourselves are witnesses to me, that I said, I am
not Christ, but was sent before him.

22. After these things came Jesus. It is probable that
Christ, when the feast was past, came into that part of Judea
which was in the vicinity of the town non, which was
situated in the tribe of Manasseh. The Evangelist says that
there were many waters there, and these were not so abundant
in Judea. Now geographers tell us, that these two towns,
Enon and Salim, were not far from the confluence of the
river Jordan and the brook Jabbok; and they add that
Scythopolis was near them. From these words, we may
infer that John and Christ administered baptism by plung-
ing the whole body beneath the water; though we ought
not to give ourselves any great uneasiness about the outward
rite, provided that it agree with the spiritual truth, and with
the Lord’s appointment and rule. So far as we are able to
conjecture, the vicinity of those places caused various reports
to be circulated, and many discussions to arise, about the
Law, about the worship of God, and about the condition of
the Church, in consequence of two persons who administered
baptism having arisen at the same time. For when the
Evangelist says that Christ baptized, I refer this to the com-
mencement of his ministry ; namely, that he then began to
exercise publicly the office which was appointed to him by

el

—_

the Father. And though Christ did this by his disciples,
yet he is here named as the Author of the baptism,
without mentioning his ministers, who did nothing but in
his name and by his command. On this subject, we shall
have something more to say in the beginning of the next
Chapter.

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. ses

25. A question then arose. Not without a good reason
does the Evangelist relate that a question arose from the
disciples of John; for just in proportion as they were ill-
informed about doctrine, they are so much the more eager
to enter into debate, as ignorance is always bold and pre-
sumptuous. If others had attacked them, they might have
been excused; but when they themselves, though unfit to
maintain the contest, voluntarily provoke the Jews, it is a
rash and foolish proceeding. Now the words mean, that
“the question was raised by them ;” and not only were they
to blame for taking up a matter which they did not under-
stand, and speaking about it rashly and beyond the measure
of their knowledge; but another fault—not less than the
former—was, that they did not so much intend to maintain
the lawfulness of Baptism as to defend the cause of their
master, that his authority might remain unimpaired. In
both respects, they deserved reproof, because, not under-
standing what was the real nature of Baptism, they expose
the holy ordinance of God to ridicule, and because, by sinful
ambition, they undertake to defend the cause of their master
against Christ.

It is evident, therefore, that they were astonished and
confounded by a single word, when it was represented to
them that Christ also was baptizing ; for while their attention
was directed to the person of a man, and to outward ap-
pearance,' they gave themselves less concern about the
doctrine. We are taught, by their example, into what
mistakes those men fall who are actuated by a sinful desire
to please men rather than by a zeal for God; and we are
likewise reminded that the single object which we ought to

1 “ Et apparence exterieure,”

32 COMMENTARY ON THE

have in view and to promote by all means is, that Christ
alone may have the pre-eminence.

About purifying. The question was about purifying ;° for
the Jews had various baptisms and washings! enjoined by
the Law; and not satisfied with those which God had ap-
pointed,” they carefully observed many others which had
been handed down from their ancestors. When they find
that, in addition to so great a number and variety of purify-
ings, a new method of purifying is introduced by Christ and
by John, they look upon it as absurd. J

26. Lo whom thou gavest testimony. By this argument
they endeavour either to make Christ inferior to John, or
to show that John, by doing him honour, had laid him under
obligations ; for they reckon that John conferred a favour
on Christ by adorning him with such honourable titles. As
if it had not been the duty of John to make such a procla-
mation, or rather, as if it had not been John’s highest dignity
to be the herald of the Son of God. Nothing could have
been more unreasonable than to make Christ inferior to
John, because his testimony was highly favourable ; for we
know what John’s testimony was. The expression which
they use—all men come to Christ—is the language of envious
persons,® and proceeds from sinful ambition; for they are
afraid that the crowd will immediately forsake their master.

27. A man cannot receive any thing. Some refer these
words to Christ, as if John accused the disciples of wicked
presumption in opposition to God, by endeavouring to de-
prive Christ of what the Father had given to him. They
suppose the meaning to be this: “That within so short a
time he has risen to so great honour, is the work of God ;
and therefore it is in vain for you to attempt to degrade him
whom God with his own hand has raised on high.” Others
think that it is an exclamation into which he indignantly
breaks forth, because his disciples had hitherto made so little

1“ De baptesmes et lavemens.” 2“ Que Dieu avoit instituez.”
3‘ C’est une parole de gens envieux.”

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 133

progress. And certainly it was excessively absurd that they
should still endeavour to reduce to the rank of ordinary men
him who, they had so often heard, was the Christ, that he
might not rise above his own servants; and, therefore, John
might justly have said that it is useless to spend time in
instructing men, because they are dull and stupid, until they
are renewed in mind.

But I rather agree with the opinion of those who explain
it as applying to John, as asserting that it is not in his
power, or in theirs, to make him great, because the measure
of us all is to be what God intended us to be. For if even
the Son of God took not that honour to himself, (Heb. v. 4,)
what man of the ordinary rank would venture to desire more
than what the Lord has given him? This single thought,
if it were duly impressed on the minds of us all, would be
abundantly sufficient for restraining ambition; and were
ambition corrected and destroyed, the plague of contentions
would likewise be removed. How comes it then, that every
man exalts himself more than is proper, but because we do
not depend on the Lord, so as to be satisfied with the rank
which he assigns to us?

28. You are witnesses tome. John expostulates with his
disciples that they did not give credit to his statements. He
had often warned them that he was not the Christ; and,
therefore, it only remained that he should be a servant and
subject to the Son of God along with others. And this
passage is worthy of notice; for, by affirming that he is not
the Christ, he reserves nothing for himself but to be subject
to the head, and to serve in the Church as one of the rest,
and not to be so highly exalted as to obscure the honour of
the Head. He says that he was sent before, to prepare the
way for Christ, as kings are wont to have heralds or fore-
runners.

29. He who hath the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the
bridegroom, who standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth exceedingly on
account of the bridegroom’s voice. This my joy, therefore, is fulfilled.
30. He must increase, but I must decrease. 81. He who cometh from

Pot COMMENTARY ON THE

above is above all ; he who is from the earth is of the earth, and speaketh!
of the earth: he who cometh from heaven is above all. 32. And what
he hath seen and heard, this he testifieth, and no man receiveth his
testimony. 33. But he who receiveth his testimony hath sealed that God
is true. 34. For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God, for
God giveth not the Spirit by measure.

29. He who hath the bride. By this comparison, he con-.

firms more fully the statement, that it is Christ alone who is
excluded from the ordinary rank of men. For as he who
marries a wife does not call and invite his friends to the
marriage, in order to prostitute the bride to them, or, by
giving up his own rights, to allow them to partake with
him of the nuptial bed, but rather that the marriage, being
honoured by them, may be rendered more sacred; so
Christ does not call his ministers to the office of teaching,
in order that, by conquering the Church, they may claim
dominion over it, but that he may make use of their faithful
labours for associating them with himself. It is a great and
lofty distinction, that men are appointed over the Church,
to represent the person of the Son of God. They are, there-
fore, like the friends whom the bridegroom brings with him,
that they may accompany him in celebrating the marriage ;
but we must attend to the distinction, that ministers, being
mindful of their rank, may not appropriate to themselves
what belongs exclusively to the bridegroom. ‘The whole
amounts to this, that all the eminence which teachers may
possess among themselves ought not to hinder Christ from
ruling alone in his Church, or from governing it alone by his
word,

This comparison frequently occurs in Scripture, when the
Lord intends to express the sacred bond of adoption, by
which he binds us to himself. For as he offers himself to be
truly enjoyed by us, that he may be ours, so he justly claims
from us that mutual fidelity and love which the wife owes to
her husband. This marriage is entirely fulfilled in Christ,
whose flesh and bones we are, as Paul informs us, (Eph. vy. 30.)
The chastity demanded by him consists chiefly in the obe-

1 “Et parle de la terre, ow, comme issu de terre;’—‘‘ and speaketh of
the earth, or, as having proceeded from the earth.”

FRAN i =

=
/

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 135

dience of the Gospel, that we may not suffer ourselves to be
led aside from its pure simplicity, as the same Apostle teaches
us, (2 Cor. xi. 2, 3.) We must, therefore, be subject to
Christ alone, he must be our only Head, we must not turn
aside a hair’s-breadth from the simple doctrine of the Gospel,
he alone must have the highest glory, that he may retain the
right and authority of being a bridegroom to us.

But what are ministers to do? Certainly, the Son of God
calls them, that they may perform their duty to him in con-
ducting the sacred marriage ; and, therefore, their duty is, to
take care, in every way, that the spowse—who is committed
to their charge—may be presented by them as a chaste virgin
to her husband; which Paul, in the passage already quoted,
boasts of having done. But they who draw the Church to
themselves rather than to Christ are guilty of basely violating
the marriage which they ought to have honoured. And the
greater the honour which Christ confers on us, by making us
the guardians of his spouse, so much the more heinous is our
want of fidelity, if we do not endeavour to maintain and
defend his right.

This my joy therefore is fulfilled. He means that he has
obtained the fulfilment of all his desires, and that he has
nothing further to wish, when he sees Christ reigning, and
men listening to him as he deserves. Whoever shall have
such affections that, laying aside all regard to himself, he
shail extol Christ and be satisfied with seeing Christ honoured,
will be faithful and successful in ruling the Church; but,
whoever shall swerve from that end in the slightest degree
will be a base adulterer, and will do nothing else than corrupt
the spouse of Christ.

30. He must increase. John the Baptist proceeds farther ;
for, having formerly been raised by the Lord to the highest
dignity, he shows that this was only for a time, but now that
the Sun of Righteousness (Mal. iv. 2) has arisen, he must give
way; and, therefore, he not only scatters and drives away
the empty fumes of honour which had been rashly and igno-
rantly heaped upon him by men, but also is exceedingly
careful that the true and lawful honour which the Lord had

136 COMMENTARY ON THE

bestowed on him may not obscure the glory of Christ. Ac-
cordingly, he tells us that the reason why he had been hitherto
accounted a great Prophet was, that for a time only he was
placed in so lofty a station, until Christ came, to whom he
must surrender his office. In the meantime, he declares that
he will most willingly endure to be reduced to nothing, pro-
vided that Christ occupy and fill the whole world with his
rays ; and this zeal of John all pastors of the Church ought
to imitate by stooping with the head and shoulders to elevate
Christ.

31. He who cometh from above. By another comparison he
shows how widely Christ differs from all the rest, and how
far he is above them; for he compares him to a king or
distinguished general, who, speaking from his lofty seat, ought
to be heard with reverence for his authority, but shows that
it is enough for himself to speak from the lowest footstool of
Christ.t In the second clause the old Latin translation has
only once the words, zs of the earth ; but the Greek manuscripts
agree in repeating the words twice. I suspect that ignorant
men considered the repetition to be superfluous, and therefore
erased it ; but the meaning is: he who ts of earth gives evi-
dence of his descent, and remains in an earthly rank according
to the condition of his nature. He maintains that it is peculiar
to Christ alone to speak from above, because he came from
heaven.

But it may be asked, Did not John also come from heaven,
as to his,calling and office, and was it not therefore the duty
of men to hear the Lord speaking by his mouth? For he
appears to do injustice to the heavenly doctrine which he
delivers. J reply, this was not said absolutely, but by com-
parison. If ministers be separately considered, they speak as
from heaven, with the highest authority, what God commanded
them; but, as soon as they begin to be contrasted with
Christ, they must no longer be anything. ‘Thus the Apostle,
comparing the Law with the Gospel, says, Since they escaped
not who despised him that spoke on earth, beware lest you despise

1 « Au marchepied de Christ.”

him who is from heaven, (Heb. xii. 25.) Christ, therefore,
wishes to be acknowledged in his ministers, but in such a
manner that he may remain the only Lord, and that they
may be satisfied with the rank of servants; but especially
when a comparison is made, he wishes to be so distinguished
that he alone may be exalted.

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 137

32. And what he hath seen and heard. John proceeds in the
discharge of his office; for, in order to procure disciples for
Christ, he commends Christ’s doctrine as certain, because he
utters nothing but what he has received from the Father.
Seeing and hearing are contrasted with doubtful opinions, un-
founded rumours, and every kind of falsehoods; for he means
that Christ teaches nothing but what has been fully ascer-
tained. But some one will say that little credit is due to
him who has nothing but what he has heard. I reply, this
word denotes that Christ has been taught by the Father, so
that he brings forward nothing but what is divine, or, in
other words, what has been revealed to him by God.

Now this belongs to the whole person of Christ, so far as
the Father sent him into the world as His ambassador and
interpreter. He afterwards charges the world with ingrati-
tude, in basely and wickedly rejecting such an undoubted
and faithful interpreter of God. In this way he meets the
offence which might cause many to turn aside from the faith,
and might hinder or retard the progress of many ; for, as we
are accustomed to depend too much on the judgment of the
world, a considerable number of persons judge of the Gospel
by the contempt of the world, or at least, where they see it
everywhere rejected, they are prejudiced by that event, and
are rendered more unwilling and more slow to believe. And,
therefore, whenever we see such obstinacy in the world, let
this admonition hold us in constant obedience to the Gospel,
that it is truth which came from God. When he says that
NO MAN receiveth his testimony, he means that there are very
few and almost no believers, when compared with the vast
crowd of unbelievers.

33. But he who receiveth his testimony. Here he exhorts
VOL. I. I

138 COMMENTARY ON THE

and encourages the godly to embrace boldly the doctrine of
the Gospel, as if he had said that there was no reason why
they should be ashamed or uneasy on account of their small
number, since they have God as the Author of their faith,
who alone abundantly supplies to us the place of all the rest.
And, therefore, though the whole world should refuse or
withhold faith in the Gospel, this ought not to prevent good
men from giving their assent to God. They have something
on which they may safely rest, when they know that to believe
the Gospel is nothing else than to assent to the truths which
God has revealed. Meanwhile, we learn that it is peculiar
to faith to rely on God, and to be confirmed by his words;
for there can be no assent, unless God have, first of all, come
forward and spoken. By this doctrine faith is not only
distinguished from all human inventions, but likewise from
doubtful and wavering opinions; for it must correspond to
the truth of God, which is free from all doubt, and therefore,
as God cannot lie, it would be absurd that faith should waver.
Fortified by this defence, whatever contrivances Satan may
employ in his attempts to disturb and shake us, we shall
always remain victorious.

Hence, too, we are reminded how acceptable and precious
a sacrifice in the sight of God faith is. As nothing is more
dear to him than his truth, so we cannot render to him more
acceptable worship than when we acknowledge by our faith
that He is true, for then we ascribe that honour which truly
belongs to him. On the other hand, we cannot offer to him
a greater insult than not to believe the Gospel; for he cannot
be deprived of his truth without taking away all his glory
and majesty. His truth is in some sort closely linked with
the Gospel, and it is his will that there it should be recognized.
Unbelievers, therefore, as far as lies in their power, leave to
God nothing whatever; not that their wickedness overthrows
the faithfulness of God, but because they do not hesitate to
charge God with falsehood. If we are not harder than stones,
this lofty title by which faith is adorned ought to kindle in
our minds the most ardent love of it; for how great is the
honour which God confers on poor worthless men, when they,
who by nature are nothing else than falsehood and vanity,

a

are thought worthy of attesting by their signature the sacred
truth of God ?

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 139

34. For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God.
He confirms the preceding statement, for he shows that we
have actually to do with God, when we receive the doctrine
of Christ ; because Christ proceeded from none else than from
the Heavenly Father. It is, therefore, God alone who speaks
to us by him; and, indeed, we do not assign to the doctrine
of Christ ail that it deserves, unless we acknowledge it to be
divine.

For God giveth not the Spirit by measure. This passage is
explained in two ways. Some extend it to the ordinary
dispensation in this manner: that God, who is the inexhaus-
tible fountain of all benefits, does not in the least degree
diminish his resources, when he largely and plentifully bestows
his gifts on men. They who draw from any vessel what they
give to others come at last to the bottom; but there is no
danger that any thing of this sort can happen with God, nor

will the abundance of his gifts ever be so large that he cannot
go beyond it, whenever he shall be pleased to make a new
exercise of liberality. This exposition appears to have some
plausibility, for the sentence is indefinite; that is, it does not
expressly point out any person."

Bat I am more disposed to follow Augustine, who explains
that it was said concerning Christ. Nor is there any force
in the objection, that no express mention is made of Christ
in this clause, since all ambiguity is removed by the next
clause, in which that which might seem to have been said
indiscriminately about many is limited to Christ. For these
words were unquestionably added for the sake of explanation,
that the Father hath given all things into the hand of his Son,
because he loveth him, and ought therefore to be read as placed
in immediate connection. The verb in the present tense—
giveth—denotes, as it were, a continued act; for though Christ
was all at once endued with the Spirit in the highest perfec-
tion, yet, as he continually flows, as it were, from a source,

i “ C’est a dire, ne determine point certaine personne.”

140 - COMMENTARY ON THE

and is widely diffused, there is no impropriety in saying that
Christ now receives him from the Father. But if any one
choose to interpret it more simply, it is no unusual thing that
there should be a change of tenses in such verbs, and that
giveth should be put for hath given.

The meaning is now plain, that the Spirit was not given
to Christ by measure, as if the power of grace which he pos-
sesses were in any way limited; as Paul teaches that to every
one ts given according to the measure of the gift, (Eph. iv. 7,) so
that there is no one who alone has full abundance. For while
this is the mutual bond of brotherly intercourse between us,
that no man separately considered has every thing that he
needs, but all require the aid of each other, Christ differs
from us in this respect, that the Father has poured out upon
him an unlimited abundance of his Spirit. And, certainly,
it is proper that the Spirit should dwell without measure in
him, that we may all draw out of his fulness, as we have seen
in the first chapter. And to this relates what immediately
follows, that the Father hath given all things into his hand ; for
by these words John the Baptist not only declares the excel-
lence of Christ, but, at the same time, points out the end and
use of the riches with which he is endued; namely, that Christ,
having been appointed by the Father to be the administrator,
he distributes to every one as he chooses, and as he finds to
be necessary; as Paul explains more fully in the fourth
chapter of the Epistle to the Ephesians, which I lately quoted.
Although God enriches his own people in a variety of ways,
this is peculiar to Christ alone, that he has all things in his
hand.

35. The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand.
36. He who believeth in the Son hath eternal life ; but he who believeth
not in the Son? shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him.

35. The Father loveth the Son. But what is the meaning
of this reason ? Does he regard all others with hatred ? The
answer is easy, that he does not speak of the common love

1 “Et que Donne soit mis pour et donné.”
* «« Qui ne croit point au Fils, ou, qui desobert au Fils ;-—“ who believeth
not in the Son, or, who disobeyeth the Son.”

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 141

with which God regards men whom he has created, or his
other works, but of that peculiar love which, beginning with
the Son, flows from him to all the creatures. For that love
with which, embracing the Son, he embraces us also in him,
leads him to communicate all his benefits to us by his hand.

36. He who believeth in the Son. This was added, not only
to inform us that we ought to ask all good things from Christ,
but likewise to make us acquainted with the manner in which
they are enjoyed. He shows that enjoyment consists in faith ;
and not without reason, since by means of it we possess
Christ, who brings along with him both righteousness and
life, which is the fruit of righteousness. When faith in
Christ is declared to be the cause of life, we learn from it
that /ife is to be found in Christ alone, and that in no other
way do we become partakers of it than by the grace of Christ
himself. But all are not agreed as to the way in which the
life of Christ comes to us. Some understand it thus: “as
by believing we receive the Spirit, who regenerates us in
order to justification, by that very regeneration we obtain

- salvation.” For my own part, though I acknowledge it to

be true, that we are renewed by faith, so that the Spirit of
Christ governs us, yet I say that we ought first to take into
consideration the free forgiveness of sins, through which we
are accepted by God. Again, I say that on this all our con-
fidence of salvation is founded, and in this it consists ; because
justification before God cannot be reckoned to us in any
other way than when he does not impute to us our sins.

But he who believeth not in the Son. As he held out life in
Christ, by the sweetness of which he might allure us, so now
he adjudges to eternal death all who do not believe in Christ.
And, in this way, he magnifies the kindness of God, when he
warns us, that there is ne other way of escaping death,
unless Christ deliver us; for this sentence depends on the
fact, that we are all accursed in Adam. Now if it be the
office of Christ to save what was lost, they who reject the
salvation offered in him are justly suffered to remain in
death. We have just now said that this belongs peculiarly
to those who reject the gospel which has been revealed to

142 COMMENTARY ON THE

them; for though all mankind are involved in the same de-
struction, yet a heavier and double vengeance awaits those
who refuse to have the Son of God as their deliverer. And,
indeed, it cannot be doubted that the Baptist, when he
denounced death against unbelievers, intended to excite us,
by the dread of it, to the exercise of faith in Christ. It is
also manifest that all the righteousness which the world
thinks that it has out of Christ is condemned and reduced
to nothing. Nor is any one enabled to object that it is
unjust that those who are otherwise devout and holy should
perish, because they do not believe ; for it is folly to imagine
that there is any holiness in men, unless it have been given
to them by Christ.

To see life is here put for “ enjoying life.” But to express
more clearly that no hope remains for us, unless we are
delivered by Christ, he says that the wrath of God abideth on
unbelievers. Though I am not dissatisfied with the view
given by Augustine, that John the Baptist used the word
abideth, in order to inform us that, from the womb we were
appointed to death, because we are all born the children of
wrath, (Eph. ii. 3.) At least, I willingly admit an allusion of
this sort, provided we hold the true and simple meaning to
be what I have stated, that death hangs over all unbe-
lievers, and keeps them oppressed and overwhelmed in such
a manner that they can never escape. And, indeed, though
already the reprobate are naturally condemned, yet by their
unbelief they draw down on themselves a new death. And
it is for this purpose that the power of binding was given to
the ministers of the gospel; for it is a just vengeance on the
obstinacy of men, that they who shake off the salutary yoke
of God should bind themselves with the chains of death.

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 143

CHAPTER IV.

1. When, therefore, the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that
Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John, (2. Though Jesus
himself did not baptize, but his disciples,) 3. He left Judea, and de-
parted again into Galilee. 4, And it was necessary that he should pass
through Samaria. 5. He came, therefore, into the city of Samaria, which
is called Sichar, near a field which Jacob gave to his son Joseph. 6.
And Jacob's well was there; and Jesus, fatigued by the journey, was
thus sitting on the well, for it was about the sixth hour, 7. A woman
came from Samaria to draw water. Jesus saith to her, Give me to drink.
8. For the disciples had gone into the city to buy food. 9. The Samari-
tan woman saith to him, How dost thou, who art a Jew, ask drink from
me, who am a Samaritan woman? For the Jews hold no intercourse

with the Samaritans.

1. When, therefore, the Lord knew. The Evangelist, in-
tending now to give an account of the conversation which
Christ had with a Samaritan woman, begins with explaining
the cause of his journey. Knowing that the Pharisees were
ill-disposed towards him, he did not wish to expose himself
to their anger before the proper time. This was his motive
for setting out from Judea. The Evangelist thus informs us
that Christ did not come into Samaria with the intention of
dwelling there, but because he had to pass through it on his
way from Judea to Galilee; for until, by his resurrection, he
should open up the way for the gospel, it was necessary that
he should be employed in gathering the sheep of Israel to
which he had been sent. That he now favoured the Sama-
ritans with his instruction was an extraordinary and almost
accidental occurrence, if we may be allowed the expression.

But why does he seek the retirement and lurking-places
of Galilee, as if he were unwilling to be known, which was
highly to be desired? I reply, he knew well the proper way
to act, and made such use of the opportunities of usefulness
that he did not allow a moment to be lost. He wished,
therefore, to pursue his course with regularity, and in such
a manner as he judged to be proper. Hence too we hear
that our minds ought to be regulated in such a manner that,
on the one hand, we may not be deterred by any fear from
going forward in duty ; and that, on the other hand, we may

144 COMMENTARY ON THE

not too rashly throw ourselves into dangers. All who are
earnestly desirous to pursue their calling will be careful to
maintain this moderation, for which they will steadily follow
the Lord even through the midst of deaths; they will not
rush into them heedlessly, but will walk in their ways. Let
us, therefore, remember that we must not advance farther
than our calling demands.

That the Pharisees had heard. The Pharisees alone are
mentioned by the Evangelist as having been hostile to
Christ ; not that the other scribes were friendly, but because
this sect was at that time in the ascendant, and because they
were filled with rage under the pretence of godly zeal. It
may be asked, Did they envy Christ that he had more dis-
ciples, because their stronger attachment to John led them to
promote his honour and reputation? The meaning of. the
words is different ; for though they were formerly dissatisfied
at finding that John collected disciples, their minds were still
more exasperated, when they saw that a still greater number
of disciples came to Christ. From the time that John avowed
himself to be nothing more than the herald of the Son of
God, they began to flock to Christ in greater crowds, and
already he had almost completed his ministry. Thus he
gradually resigned to Christ the office of teaching and bap-
tizing.

2. Though Jesus himself baptized not. He gives the desig-
nation of Christ’s Baptism to that which he conferred by the
hands of others, in order to inform us that Baptism ought
not to be estimated by the person of the minister, but that
its power depends entirely on its Author, in whose name,
and by whose authority, it is conferred. Hence we derive a
remarkable consolation, when we know that our baptism has
no less efficacy to wash and renew us, than if it had been
given by the hand of the Son of God. Nor can it be doubted
that, so long as he lived in the world, he abstained from
the outward administration of the sign, for the express pur-
pose of testifying to all ages, that Baptism loses nothing of
its value when it is administered by a mortal man. In short,
not only does Christ baptize inwardly by his Spirit, but the

=
, .

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 145

very symbol which we receive from a mortal man ought to
be viewed by us in the same light as if Christ himself displayed
his hand from heaven, and stretched it out to us. Now if
the Baptism administered by a man is Christ’s Baptism, it
will not cease to be Christ’s Baptism whoever be the minis-
ter. And this is sufficient for refuting the Anabaptists, who
maintain that, when the minister is a wicked man, the bap-
tism is also vitiated, and, by means of this absurdity, disturb
the Church ; as Augustine has very properly employed the
same argument against the Donatists.

5. Which is called Sichar. Jerome, in his epitaph on Paula,
thinks that this is an incorrect reading, and that it ought to
have been written Sichem ; and, indeed, the latter appears to
have been the ancient and true name; but it is probable that,
in the time of the Evangelist, the word Sichar was already
in common use. As to the place, it is generally agreed that
it was a city situated close to Mount Gerizzim, the inhabit-
ants of which were treacherously slain by Simeon and Levi,
(Gen. xxxiy. 25,) and which Abimelech, a native of the place,
afterwards razed to its foundations, (Judges ix. 45.) But the
convenience of its situation was such that, a third time, a
city was built there, which, in the age of Jerome, they called
Neapolis. By adding so many circumstances, the Apostle
removes all doubt; for we are clearly informed by Moses
where that field was which Jacob assigned to the children of
Joseph, (Gen. xlviii. 22.) It is universally acknowledged,
also, that Mount Gerizzim was near to Shechem. We shall
afterwards state that a temple was built there; and there can
be no doubt that Jacob dwelt a long time in that place with
his family.

And Jesus, fatigued by the journey. He did not pretend
weariness, but was actually fatigued; for, in order that he
might be better prepared for the exercise of sympathy and
compassion towards us, he took upon him our weaknesses, as
the Apostle shows that we have not a high priest who cannot
be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, (Heb. iv. 15.) With
this agrees the circumstance of the time; for it is not won-
derful that, being thirsty and fatigued, he rested at the well

146 COMMENTARY ON THE

about noon; for as the day, from sunrise to sunset, had twelve
hours, the sixth hour was Noon. When the Evangelist says
that he sat THUS, he means that it was the attitude of a man
who was fatigued.

7. A woman came from Samaria. When he asks water
from the woman, he does it not merely with the intention of
obtaining an opportunity to teach her; for thirst prompted
him to desire to drink. But this cannot hinder him from
availing himself of the opportunity of instruction which he
has obtained, for he prefers the salvation of the woman to
his own wants. Thus, forgetting his own thirst, as if he
were satisfied with obtaining leisure and opportunity for con-
versation, that he might instruct her in true godliness, he
draws a comparison between the visible water and the spiritual,
and waters with heavenly doctrine the mind of her who had
refused him water to drink.

9. How dost thou, who art a Jew? This is a reproach, by
which she retorts upon him the contempt which was generally
entertained by his nation. Zhe Samaritans are known to
have been the scum of a people gathered from among
foreigners. Having corrupted the worship of God, and in-
troduced many spurious and wicked ceremonies, they were
justly regarded by the Jews with detestation. Yet it cannot
be doubted that the Jews, for the most part, held out their
zeal for the law as a cloak for their carnal hatred; for many
were actuated more by ambition and envy, and by displeasure
at seeing the country which had been allotted to them
occupied by the Samaritans, than by grief and uneasiness
because the worship of God had been corrupted. There was
just ground for the separation, provided that their feelings
had been pure and well regulated. For this reason Christ,
when he first sends the Apostles to proclaim the Gospel, for-
bids them to turn aside to the Samaritans, (Matth. x. 5.)

But this woman does what is natural to almost all of us;
for, being desirous to be held in esteem, we take very ill to
be despised. This disease of human nature is so general, that
every person wishes that his vices should please others. If

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 147

any man disapproves of us, or of any thing that we do or say,’
we are immediately offended without any good reason. Let
any man examine himself, and he will find this seed of pride
in his mind, until it has been eradicated by the Spirit of God.
This woman, therefore, knowing that the superstitions of her
nation were condemned by the Jews, now offers an insult to
them in the person of Christ.

For the Jews hold no intercourse with the Samaritans. These
words I consider to have been uttered by the woman. Others
suppose that the Evangelist added them for the sake of
explanation, and, indeed, it is of little consequence which
meaning you prefer. But I think it more natural to believe
that the woman jeers at Christ in this manner: “ What? Is it
lawful for you to ask drink from me, when you hold us to be
so profane?” If any prefer the other interpretation, I do not
dispute the point. Besides, it is possible that the Jews carried
their abhorrence of the Samaritans beyond proper bounds ;
for, as we have said that they applied to an improper purpose
a false pretence of zeal, so it was natural for them to go to
excess, as almost always happens with those who give way to
wicked passions.

10. Jesus answered and said to her, If thou knewest the gift of God,
and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink, thou wouldst have asked
of him, and he would have given thee living water. 11. The woman saith
to him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep ; whence,
therefore, hast thou living water ?2 12. Art thou greater than our father
Jacob, who gave us the well, and himself drank of it, and his children, and
his cattle? 13. Jesus answered and said to her, Every one that drinketh
of this water will thirst again; 14. But he who drinketh of the water which
I shall give him will never thirst ; but the water, which I shall give him,
shall be in him a well of water springing up into eternal life. 15. The
woman saith to him, Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, and
may not come hither to draw.

10. Jesus answered. Christ now, availing himself of the
opportunity, begins to preach about the grace and power of
his Spirit, and that to a woman who did not at all deserve
that he should speak a word to her. This is certainly an

1 “« Et qui reprouve ce que nous disons ou faisons.”
2 “ Ceste eau vive ;”—* this living water.”

148 COMMENTARY ON THE

astonishing instance of his goodness. For what was there in
this wretched woman, that, from being a prostitute, she sud-
denly became a disciple of the Son of God? Though in all
of us he has displayed a similar instance of his compassion.
All the women, indeed, are not prostitutes, nor are all the
men stained by some heinous crime; but what excellence can
any of us plead as a reason why he deigned to bestow on us
the heavenly doctrine, and the honour of being admitted into
his family? Nor was it by accident that the conversation
with such a person occurred ; for the Lord showed us, as in
a model, that those to whom he imparts the doctrine of sal-
vation are not selected on the ground of merit. And it appears
at first sight a wonderful arrangement, that he passed by so
many great men in Judea, and yet held familiar discourse
with this woman. But it was necessary that, in his person,
it should be explained how true is that saying of the Prophet,
LI was found by them that sought me not ; I was made manifest
to them that asked not after me. I said to those who sought me
not, Behold, here I am, (Isa. |xv. 1.)

If thou knewest the gift of God. These two clauses, If thou
knewest the gift of God, and, who it is that talketh with thee, I
read separately, viewing the latter as an interpretation of the
former. For it was a wonderful kindness of God to have
Christ present, who brought with him eternal life. The
meaning will be more plain if, instead of and, we put namely,
or some other word of that kind,! thus: Jf thou knewest the
gift of God, NAMELY, who it is that talketh with thee. By these
words we are taught that then only do we know what Christ
is, when we understand what the Father hath given to us in
him, and what benefits he brings to us. Now that knowledge
begins with a conviction of our poverty; for, before any one
desires a remedy, he must be previously affected with the
view of his distresses. Thus the Lord invites not those who
have drunk enough, but the thirsty, not those who are satiated,
but the hungry, to eat and drink. And why would Christ
be sent with the fulness of the Spirit, if we were not empty ?

Again, as he has made great progress, who, feeling his

1 “Si en lieu de Et, nous mettons A scavoir, ou quelque autre mot
~~ ”
semblable.

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 149

deficiency, already acknowledges how much he needs the aid
of another; so it would not be enough for him to groan under
his distresses, if he had not also hope of aid ready and prepared.
In this way we might do no more than waste ourselves with
grief, or at least we might, like the Papists, run about in
every direction, and oppress ourselves with useless and un-
profitable weariness. But when Christ appears, we no longer
wander in vain, seeking a remedy where none can be obtained,
but we go straight to him. The only true and profitable
knowledge of the grace of God is, when we know that it is
exhibited to us in Christ, and that it is held out to us by his
hand. In like manner does Christ remind us how efficacious
is a knowledge of his blessings, since it excites us to seek
them and kindles our hearts. Jf thou hnewest, says he, thou
wouldst have asked. ‘The design of these words is not difficult
to be perceived ; for he intended to whet the desire of this
woman, that she might not despise and reject the life which
was offered to her.

He would have given thee. By these words Christ testifies
that, if our prayers be addressed to him, they will not be
fruitless; and, indeed, without this confidence, the earnest-
ness of prayer would be entirely cooled. But when Christ
meets those who come to him, and is ready to satisfy their
desires, there is no more room for sluggishness or delay. And
there is no man who would not feel that this is said to all of
us, if he were not prevented by his unbelief.

Living water. Though the name Water is borrowed from the
present occurrence, and applied to the Spirit, yet this meta-
phor is very frequent in Scripture, and rests on the best
grounds. For we are like a dry and barren soil; there is no
sap and no vigour in us, until the Lord water us by his
Spirit. In another passage, the Spirit is likewise called
clean water, (Heb. x. 22,) but in a different sense; namely,
because he washes and cleanses us from the pollutions with
which we are entirely covered. But in this and similar pass-
ages, the subject treated of is the secret energy by which
he restores life in us, and maintains and brings it to perfec-
tion. There are some who explain this as referring to the
doctrine of the Gospel, to which I own that this appellation

150 COMMENTARY ON THE

is fully applicable ; but I think that Christ includes here the
whole grace of our renewal; for we know that he was sent
for the purpose of bringing to us a new life. In my opinion,
therefore, he intended to contrast water with that destitution
of all blessings under which mankind groan and labour.
Again, living water is not so called from its effect, as life-
giving, but the allusion is to different kinds of waters. It is
called Living, because it flows from a Living fountain.

11. Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with. As the Samaritans
were despised by the Jews, so the Samaritans, on the other
hand, held the Jews in contempt. Accordingly, this woman
at first not only disdains Christ, but even mocks at him. She
understands quite well that Christ is speaking figuratively,
but she throws out a jibe by a different figure, intending to
say, that he promises more than he can accomplish.

12. Art thou greater than our father Jacob? She proceeds
to charge him with arrogance in exalting himself above the
holy patriarch Jacob. “ Jacob,” she says, “ was satisfied with
this well for his own use and that of his whole family: and
hast thou a more excellent water?” How faulty this com-
parison is, appears plainly enough from this consideration,
that she compares the servant to the master, and a dead man
to the living God ; and yet how many in the present day fall
into this very error? The more cautious ought we to be not
to extol the persons of men so as to obscure the glory of
God. We ought, indeed, to acknowledge with reverence
the gifts of God, wherever they appear. It is, therefore,
proper that we should honour men who are eminent in piety,
or endued with other uncommon gifts; but it ought to be in
such a manner that God may always remain eminent above
all—that Christ, with his Gospel, may shine illustriously, for
to him all the splendour of the world must yield.

It ought also to be observed that the Samaritans falsely
boasted of being descended from the holy Fathers. In like
manner do the Papists, though they are a bastard seed, arro-
gantly boast of the Fathers, and despise the true children of
God. Although the Samaritans had been descended from

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 151

Jacob according to the flesh, yet, as they were altogether
degenerated and estranged from true godliness, this boasting
would have been ridiculous. But now that they are Cutheans
by descent, (2 Kings xvii. 24,) or at least collected out of
the profane Gentiles, they still do not fail to make false pre-
tensions to the name of the holy Patriarch. But this is of
no avail to them; and such must be the case with all who
wickedly exult in the light of men, so as to deprive them-
selves of the light of God, and who have nothing in common
with the holy Fathers, whose name they have abused.

13. Every one that drinketh of this water. Though Christ
perceives that he is doing little good, and even that his in-
struction is treated with mockery, he proceeds to explain
more clearly what he had said. He distinguishes between
the use of the two kinds of water; that the one serves the
body, and only for a time, while the power of the other gives
perpetual vigour to the soul. For, as the body is liable to
decay, so the aids by which it is supported must be frail and
transitory. That which quickens the soul cannot but be
~ eternal. Again, the words of Christ are not at variance with
the fact, that believers, to the very end of life, burn with
desire of more abundant grace. For he does not say that,
from the very first day, we drink so as to be fully satisfied,
but only means that the Holy Spirit is a continually flowing
fountain; and that, therefore, there is no danger that they
who have been renewed by spiritual grace shall be dried up.
And, therefore, although we thirst throughout our whole life,
yet it is certain that we have not received the Holy Spirit
for a single day, or for any short period, but as a perennial
fountain, which will never failus. Thus believers thirst, and
keenly thirst, throughout their whole life; and yet they have
abundance of quickening moisture; for however small may
have been the measure of grace which they have received, it
gives them perpetual vigour, so that they are never entirely
dry. When, therefore, he says that they shall be satisfied,
he contrasts not with Desire but only with Drought.

Shall be a fountain of water springing up into eternal life.
These words express still more clearly the preceding state-

152 COMMENTARY ON THE

ment ; for they denote a continual watering, which maintains
in them a heavenly eternity during this mortal and perishing
life. The grace of Christ, therefore, does not flow to us for
a short time, but overflows into a blessed immortality; for
it does not cease to flow until the incorruptible life which it
commences be brought to perfection.

15. Give me this water. This woman undoubtedly is suf-
ficiently aware that Christ is speaking of spiritual water; but
because she despises him, she sets at naught all his promises,
for so long as the authority of him who speaks is not acknow-
ledged by us, his doctrine is not permitted to enter. Indi-
rectly, therefore, the woman taunted Christ, saying, “ Thou
boastest much, but I see nothing: show it in reality, if thou
canst.”

16. Jesus saith to her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither. 17. The
woman answered, and said to him, I have not a husband. Jesus said to
her, Thou hast well said, I have not a husband; 18. For thou hast had
five husbands, and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband; in this
thou hast told the truth. 19. The woman saith to him, Sir, I see that
thou art a Prophet. 20. Our fathers worshipped in this mountain ; and
you say that Jerusalem is the place where we ought to worship. 21.
Jesus saith to her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh when you shall
not worship the Father either in this mountain or in Jerusalem.

16. Call thy husband. This appears to have no connection
with the subject ; and, indeed, one might suppose that Christ,
annoyed and put to shame by the impudence of the woman,
changes the discourse. But this is not the case; for when
he perceived that jeers and scoffs were her only reply to
what he had said, he applied an appropriate remedy to this
disease, by striking the woman’s conscience with a conviction
of her sin. And it is also a remarkable proof of his compas-
sion that, when the woman was unwilling of her own accord
to come to him, he draws her, as it were, against her will.
But we ought chiefly to observe what I have mentioned, that
they who are utterly careless and almost stupid must be
deeply wounded by a conviction of sin; for such persons will
regard the doctrine of Christ as a fable, until, being summoned
to the judement-seat of God, they are compelled to dread as
a Judge him whom they formerly despised. All who do not

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 153

scruple to rise against the doctrine of Christ with their scoff-
ing jests must be treated in this manner, that they may be
made to feel that they will not pass unpunished. Such too
is the obstinacy of many, that they will never listen to Christ
until they have been subdued by violence. Whenever then
we perceive that the oil of Christ has no flaveur, it ought to
be mixed with wine, that its taste may begin to be felt. Nay
more, this is necessary for all of us; for we are not seriously
affected by Christ speaking, unless we have been aroused by
repentance. So then, in order that any one may profit in
the school of Christ, his hardness must be subdued by the
demonstration of his misery, as the earth, in order that it may
become fruitful, is prepared and softened by the ploughshare,*
for this knowledge alone shakes off all our flatteries, so that we
no longer dare to mock God. Whenever, therefore, a neglect
of the word of God steals upon us, no remedy will be more
appropriate than that each of us should arouse himself to the
consideration of his sins, that he may be ashamed of himself,
and, trembling before the judgment-seat of God, may be
humbled to obey Him whom he had wantonly despised.

17. Ihave not a husband. We do not yet fully perceive
the fruit of this advice, by which Christ intended to pierce
the heart of this woman, to lead her to repentance. And,
indeed, we are so intoxicated, or rather stupified, by our self
love, that we are not at all moved by the first wounds that
are inflicted. But Christ applies an appropriate cure for this
sluggishness, by pressing the ulcer more sharply, for he openly
reproaches her with her wickedness; though I do not think
that it is a single case of fornication that is here pointed out,
for when he says that she has had five husbands, the reason of
this probably was, that, being a froward and disobedient wife,
she constrained her husbands to divorce her. I interpret the
words thus : “ Though God joined thee to lawful husbands,
thou didst not cease to sin, until, rendered infamous by nu~
merous divorces, thou prostitutedst thyself to fornication.”

> “Tout ainsi que la terre, pour apporter fruict, sera menuisee et
amollie par le soc de la charrue.”

VOL, I. K

154 COMMENTARY ON THE

19. Sir, I perceive that thou arta Prophet. The fruit of the
reproof now becomes evident; for not only does the woman
modestly acknowledge her fault, but, being ready and prepared
to listen to the doctrine of Christ, which she had formerly
disdained, she now desires and requests it of her own accord.
Repentance, therefore, is the commencement of true docility,
as I have already said, and opens the gate for entering into
the school of Christ. Again, the woman teaches us by her
example, that when we meet with any teacher, we ought to
avail ourselves of this opportunity, that we may not be un-
grateful to God, who never sends Prophets to us without, as
it were, stretching out the hand to invite us to himself. But
we must remember what Paul teaches, that they who have
grace given to them to teach well! are sent to us by God;
for how shall they preach unless they are sent? (Rom. x. 15.)

20. Our fathers. It isa mistaken opinion which some hold,
that the woman, finding the reproof to be disagreeable and
hateful, cunningly changes the subject. On the contrary,
she passes from what is particular to what is general, and,
having been informed of her sin, wishes to be generally in-
structed concerning the pure worship of God. She takes a
proper and regular course, when she consults a Prophet, that
she may not fall into a mistake in the worship of God. It is
as if she inquired at God himself in what manner he chooses
to be worshipped ; for nothing is more wicked than to contrive
various modes of worship without the authority of the word
of God.

It is well known that there was a constant dispute between
the Jews and the Samaritans about the true rule of worship-
ping God. Although the Cutheans and other foreigners,
who had been brought into Samaria, when the ten tribes
were led into captivity, were constrained by the plagues and
punishments of God? to adopt the ceremonies of the Law, and
to profess the worship of the God of Israel, (as we read,
2 Kings xvii. 27;) yet the religion which they had was imper-

1 « Qui ont la grace de bien enseigner.”
9

2 «Par les playes et punitions de Dieu.”

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 155

fect and corrupted in many ways; which the Jews could not
all endure. But the dispute was still more inflamed after
that Manasseh, son of the high priest John, and brother of
Jaddus, had built the temple on mount Gerizzim, when
Darius, the last king of the Persians, held the government of
Judea by the hand of Sanballat, whom he had placed there
as his lieutenant. For Manasseh, having married a daughter
of the governor, that he might not be inferior to his brother,
made himself a priest there, and procured for himself by bribes
as many apostles as he could, as Josephus relates, (Ant. XI.
vii. 2, and viii. 2.)

Our fathers worshipped in this mountain. The Samaritans
at that time did, as we learn from the words of the woman,
what is customary with those who have revolted from true
godliness, to seek to shield themselves by the examples of the
Fathers. It is certain that this was not the reason which
induced them. to offer sacrifices there, but after that they had
framed a false and perverse worship, obstinacy followed, which
was ingenious in contriving excuses. I acknowledge, indeed,
that unsteady and thoughtless men are sometimes excited by
_ foolish zeal, as if they had been bitten by a gad-fly, so that
when they learn that any thing has been done by the Saints,
they instantly seize on the example without any exercise of
judgment.

A second fault is still more common, that they borrow the
deeds of the Fathers as a cloak to their errors,—and this may
be easily seen in Popery. But as this passage is a remark-
able proof how absurdly they act who, disregarding the com-
mand of God, conform to the examples of the Fathers, we
ought to observe in how many ways the world commonly
sins in this respect. For it frequently happens that the
majority, without discrimination, follow those persons as
Fathers who are least of all entitled to be accounted Fathers.
Thus in the present day we perceive that the Papists, while
with open mouth they declaim about the Fathers, allow no
place for Prophets and Apostles, but, when they have men-
tioned a few persons who deserve to be honoured, collect a
vast group of men like themselves, or at least come down to
more corrupt ages in which, though there did not yet prevail

156 COMMENTARY ON THE

so gross a barbarism as now exists, yet religion and the purity
of doctrine had greatly declined. We ought, therefore, care-
fully to attend to the distinction, that none may be reckoned
Fathers but those who were manifestly the sons of God; and
who also, by the eminence of their piety, were entitled to
this honourable rank. Frequently, too, we err in this re-
spect, that by the actions of the Fathers we rashly lay down
a common law; for the multitude do not imagine that they
confer sufficient honour on the Fathers, if they do not exclude
them from the ordinary rank of men. Thus, when we do
not remember that they were fallible men, we indiscriminately
mingle their vices with their virtues. Hence arises the worst
confusion in the conduct of life; for while all the actions of
men ought to be tried by the rule of the Law, we subject the
balance to those things which ought to be weighed by it; and,
in short, where so much importance is attached to the imita-
tion of the Fathers, the world thinks that there can be no
danger in sinning after their example.

A third fault is—a false, and ill-regulated, or thoughtless
imitation ;' that is, when we, though not endued with the
same spirit, or authorised by the same command, plead as
our example what any of the Fathers did; as for instance, if
any private individual resolved to revenge the injuries done
to brethren, because Moses did this, (Exod. ii. 12 ;) or if any
one were to put fornicators to death, because this was done
by Phinehas, (Num. xxv. 7.) That savage fury in slaying
their own children originated, as many think, in the wish of
the Jews to be like their father Abraham, as if the command,
Offer up thy son Isaac, (Gen. xxii. 2,) were a general com-
mand, and not rather a remarkable trial of a single man.
Such a false imitation (xax02ja/a) is generally produced by
pride and excessive confidence, when men claim more for
themselves than they have a right to do; and when each
person does not measure himself by his own standard. Yet
none of these are true imitators of the Fathers, most of them
are apes. That a considerable portion of ancient monachism
flowed from the same source will be acknowledged by those

1 * Une fausse imitation, et mal reiglee, ou inconsideree.”

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 157

who shall carefully examine the writings of the ancients.
And, therefore, unless we choose to err of our own accord,
we ought always to see what spirit each person has received,
what his calling requires, what is suitable to his condition,
and what he is commanded to do.

Closely allied to this third fault is another, namely, the
confounding of times, when men, devoting their whole atten-
tion to the examples of the Fathers, do not consider that the
Lord has since enjoined a different rule of conduct, which
they ought to follow.' To this ignorance ought to be ascribed
that huge mass of ceremonies by which the Church has been
buried under Popery. Immediately after the commencement
of the Christian Church, it began to err in this respect, be-
cause a foolish affectation of copying Jewish ceremonies had
an undue influence. The Jews had their sacrifices ; and that
Christians might not be inferior to them in splendour, the
ceremony of sacrificing Christ was invented: as if the condi-
tion of the Christian Church would be worse when there
would be an end of all those shadows by which the bright-
ness of Christ might be obscured. But afterwards this fury
broke out more forcibly, and spread beyond all bounds.

That we may not fall into this error, we ought always to
be attentive to the present rule. Formerly incense, can-
dies, holy garments, an altar, vessels, and ceremonies of this
nature, pleased God; and the reason was, that nothing is
more precious or acceptable to Him than obedience. Now,
since the coming of Christ, matters are entirely changed.
We ought, therefore, to consider what he enjoins on us under
the Gospel, that we may not follow at random what the Fathers
observed under the Law; for what was at that time a holy
observation of the worship of God would now be a shocking
sacrilege.

The Samaritans were led astray by not considering, in the
example of Jacob, how widely it differed from the condition
of their own time. The Patriarchs were permitted to erect
altars everywhere, because the place had not yet been fixed
which the Lord afterwards selected; but from the time that

1 « A depuis ordonné et commandé une antre conduite et manuicre de

faire, qu’ils ont a suyvre.”

158 COMMENTARY ON THE

God ordered the temple to be built on mount Zion, the free-
dom which they formerly enjoyed ceased. For this reason
Moses said, Hereafter you shall not do every one what appears
right in his own eyes, but only what I command you, (Deut. xii.
8, 14;) for, from the time that the Lord gave the Law, he
restricted the true worship of himself to the requirements of
that Law, though formerly a greater degree of liberty was
enjoyed. A similar pretence was offered by those who wor-
shipped in Bethel; for there Jacob had offered a solemn
sacrifice to God, but after that the Lord had fixed the place
of sacrifice at Jerusalem, it was no longer Bethel, the house of
God, but Bethaven, the house of wickedness.

We now see what was the state of the question. The
Samaritans had the example of the Fathers for their rule: the
Jews rested on the commandment of God. This woman,
though hitherto she had followed the custom of her nation,
was not altogether satisfied with it. By worship we are to
understand here not any kind of worship, (for daily prayers
might be offered in any place,) but that which was joined
with sacrifices, and which constituted a public and solemn
profession of religion.

21. Woman, believe me. In the first part of this reply, he
briefly sets aside the ceremonial worship which had been
appointed under the Law; for when he says that the hour zs
at hand when there shall be no peculiar and fixed place for
worship, he means that what Moses delivered was only for a
time, and that the time was now approaching when the parti-
tion-wall (Eph. ii. 14) should be thrown down. In this
manner he extends the worship of God far beyond its former
narrow limits, that the Samaritans might become partakers
of it.

The hour cometh. Ue uses the present tense instead of the
future ; but the meaning is, that the repeal of the Law is
already at hand, so far as relates to the Temple, and Priest-
hood, and other outward ceremonies. By calling God Father,
he seems indirectly to contrast Him with the Fathers whom
the woman had mentioned, and to convey this instruction,
that God will be a common Futher to all, so that he will

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 159

be generally worshipped without distinction of places or
nations.

22. You worship what you know not, we worship what we know, for
salvation is from the Jews. 23. But the hour cometh, and now is, when
the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth ; for
the Father seeketh such to worship him. 24. God is a Spirit, and they
who worship him ought to worship in spirit and in truth. 25. The woman
saith to him, I know that the Messiah will come, who is called Christ ;
therefore, when he shall come, he will tell you all things. 26. Jesus saith
to her, It is I who talk with thee.

He now explains more largely what he had briefly glanced
at about the abolition of the Law; but he divides the sub-
stance of his discourse into two parts. In the former, he
charges with superstition and error the form of worshipping
God which had been used by the Samaritans, but testifies
that the true and lawful form was observed by the Jews.
And he assigns the cause of the difference, that from the word
of God the Jews obtained certainty as to his worship, while
the Samaritans received nothing certain from the mouth of
God. In the second part, he declares that the ceremonies
hitherto observed by the Jews would soon be at an end.

22. You worship what you know not, we worship what we know.
This is a sentence worthy of being remembered, and teaches
us that we ought not to attempt any thing in religion rashly
or at random ; because, unless there be knowledge, it is not
God that we worship, but a phantom or idol. All good in-
tentions, as they are called, are struck by this sentence, as by
a thunderbolt ; for we learn from it, that men can do nothing
but err, when they are guided by their own opinion without
the word or command of God. For Christ, defending the
person and cause of his nation, shows that the Jews are widely
different from the Samaritans. And why ?

Because salvation is from the Jews. By these words he
means that they have the superiority in this respect, that
God had made with them a covenant of eternal salvation.
Some restrict it to Christ, who was descended from the
Jews; and, indeed, since all the promises of God were con-
Jirmed and ratified in him, (2 Cox. i. 20,) there is no salvation

160 COMMENTARY ON THE

but in him. But as there can be no doubt that Christ gives
the preference to the Jews on this ground, that they do not
worship some unknown deity, but God alone, who revealed
himself to them, and by whom they were adopted as his
people ; by the word salvation we ought to understand that
saving manifestation which had been made to them concern-
ing the heavenly doctrine.

But why does he say that it was from the Jews, when it
was rather deposited with them, that they alone might enjoy
it? He alludes, in my opinion, to what had been predicted
by the Prophets, that the Law would go forth from Zion, (Isa.
i. 3; Mic. iv. 2,) for they were separated for a time from the
rest of the nations on the express condition, that the pure
knowledge of God should flow out from them to the whole
world. It amounts to this, that God is not properly wor-
shipped but by the certainty of faith, which cannot be pro-
duced in any other way than by the word of God. Hence
it follows that all who forsake the word fall into idolatry ;
for Christ plainly testifies that an idol, or an imagination of
their own brain, is substituted for God, when men are igno-
rant of the true God; and he charges with ignorance all to
whom God has not revealed himself, for as soon as we are
deprived of the light of his word, darkness and blindness
reign.

It ought to be observed that the Jews, when they had
treacherously set aside the covenant of eternal life which
God had made with their fathers, were deprived of the trea-
sure which they had till that time enjoyed; for they had not
yet been driven out of the Church of God. Now that they
deny the Son, they have nothing in common with the Father ;
for whosoever denieth the Son hath not the Father, (1 John ii.
23.) The same judgment must be formed concerning all who
have turned aside from the pure faith of the Gospel to their
own inventions and the traditions of men. Although they
who worship God according to their own judgment or human
traditions flatter and applaud themselves in their obstinacy,
this single word, thundering from heaven, lays prostrate all
that they imagine to be divine and holy, Vou worship what
you do not know. It follows from this that, if we wish our

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOUN. 161

religion to be approved by God, it must rest on knowledge
obtained from His word.

23. But the hour cometh. Now follows the latter clause,
about repealing the worship, or ceremonies,’ prescribed by
the Law. When he says that the hour cometh, or will come,
he shows that the order laid down by Moses will not be per-
petual. When he says that the hour is now come, he puts an
end to the ceremonies, and declares that the time of reforma-
tion, of which the Apostle speaks, (Heb. ix. 10,) has thus
been fulfilled. Yet he approves of the Temple, the Priest-
hood, and all the ceremonies connected with them, so far as
relates to the past time. Again, to show that God does not
choose to be worshipped either in Jerusalem or in mount
Gerizzim, he takes a higher principle, that the true worship
of Him consists in the spirit; for hence it follows that in all
places He may be properly worshipped.

But the first inquiry which presents itself here is, Why,
and in what sense, is the worship of God called spiritual?
To understand this, we must attend to the contrast between
the spirit and outward emblems, as between the shadows and
the truth. The worship of God is said to consist in the
spirit, because it is nothing else than that inward faith of
the heart which produces prayer, and, next, purity of con-
science and self-denial, that we may be dedicated to obe-
dienee to God as holy sacrifices.

Hence arises another question, Did not the Fathers wor-
ship Him spiritually under the Law? I reply, as God is
always like himself, he did not from the beginning of the
world approve of any other worship than that which is spiri-
tual, and which agrees with his own nature. This is abun-
dantly attested by Moses himself, who declares in many pass-
ages that the Law has no other object than that the people
may cleave to God with faith and a pure conscience. But
it is still more plainly declared by the Prophets when they
attack with severity the hypocrisy of the people, because they
thought that they had satisfied God, when they had performed

1 “ C’est A dire, des ceremonies.”

162 COMMENTARY ON THE

the sacrifices and made an outward display. It is unnecessary
to quote here many proofs which are to be found everywhere,
but the most remarkable passages are the following :—Psalm
l., Isaiah i., lviii., Ixvi., Micah v., Amos vii. But while the
worship of God under the Law was spiritual, it was envel-
oped in so many outward ceremonies, that it resembled
something carnal and earthly. For this reason Paul calls
the ceremonies flesh and the beggarly elements of the world,
(Gal. iv. 9.) In like manner, the author of the Epistle to
the Hebrews says that the ancient sanctuary, with its appen-
dages, was earthly, (Heb. ix. 1.) Thus we may justly say
that the worship of the Law was spiritual in its substance,
but, in respect of its form, it was somewhat earthly and car-
nal; for the whole of that economy, the reality of which is
now fully manifested, consisted of shadows.

We now see what the Jews had in common with us, and
in what respect they differed from us. In all ages God
wished to be worshipped by faith, prayer, thanksgiving,
purity of heart, and innocence of life; and at no time did he
delight in any other sacrifices. But under the Law there
were various additions, so that the spirit and truth were con-
cealed under forms and shadows, whereas, now that the vail
of the temple has been rent, (Matth. xxvii. 51,) nothing is hid-
den or obscure. There are indeed among ourselves, in the
present day, some outward exercises of godliness, which our
weakness renders necessary, but such is the moderation and
sobriety of them, that they do not obscure the plain truth of
Christ. In short, what was exhibited to the fathers under
figures and shadows is now openly displayed.

Now in Popery this distinction is not only confounded, but
altogether overturned; for there the shadows are not less
thick than they formerly were under the Jewish religion.
It cannot be denied that Christ here lays down an obvious
distinction between us and the Jews. Whatever may be the
subterfuges by which the Papists attempt to escape, it is
evident that we differ from the fathers in nothing more than
outward form, because while they worshipped God spiritually,
they were bound to perform ceremonies, which were abolished
by the coming of Christ. ‘Thus all who oppress the Church

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 163

with an excessive multitude of ceremonies, do what is in their
power to deprive the Church of the presence of Christ. I do
not stop to examine the vain excuses which they plead, that
many persons in the present day have as much need of those
aids as the Jews had in ancient times. It is always our duty
to inquire by what order the Lord wished his Church to be
governed, for He alone knows thoroughly what is expedient
for us. Now it is certain that nothing is more at variance
with the order appointed by God than the gross and singu-
larly carnal pomp which prevails in Popery. The spirit was
indeed concealed by the shadows of the Law, but the masks
of Popery disfigure it altogether; and, therefore, we must not
wink at such gross and shameful corruptions. Whatever
arguments may be employed by ingenious men, or by those
who have not sufficient courage to correct vices—that they
are doubtful matters, and ought to be held as indifferent—
certainly it cannot be endured that the rule laid down by
Christ shall be violated.

The true worshippers. Christ appears indirectly to reprove
the obstinacy of many, which was afterwards displayed; for
-we know how obstinate and contentious the Jews were, when
the Gospel was revealed, in defending the ceremonies to
which they had been accustomed. But this statement has
a still more extensive meaning; for, knowing that the world
would never be entirely free from superstitions, he thus sepa-
rates the devout and upright worshippers from those who were
false and hypocritical. Armed with this testimony, let us not
hesitate to condemn the Papists in all their inventions, and
boldly to despise their reproaches. For what reason have
we to fear, when we learn that God is pleased with this plain
and simple worship, which is disdained by the Papists, be-
cause it is not attended by a cumbrous mass of ceremonies ?
And of what use to them is the idle splendour of the flesh,
by which Christ declares that the Spirit is quenched? What
it is to worship God in spirit and truth appears clearly from
what has been already said. It is to lay aside the entangle-
ments of ancient ceremonies, and to retain merely. what is
spiritual in the worship of God; for the ¢ruth of the worship
of God consists in the spirit, and ceremonies are but a sort of

164 COMMENTARY ON THE

appendage. And here again it must be observed, that truth
is not compared with falsehood, but with the outward addi-
tion of the figures of the Law;' so that—to use a common
expression—it is the pure and simple substance of spiritual
worship.

24. God is a Spirit. This is a confirmation drawn from
the very nature of God. Since men are flesh, we ought not
to wonder, if they take delight in those things which corre-
spond to their own disposition. Hence it arises, that they
contrive many things in the worship of God which are full
of display, but have no solidity. But they ought first of all
to consider that they have to do with God, who can no more
agree with the flesh than fire with water. This single con-
sideration, when the inquiry relates to the worship of God,
ought to be sufficient for restraining the wantonness of our
mind, that God is so far from being like us, that those things
which please us most are the objects of his loathing and ab-
horrence. And if hypocrites are so blinded by their own pride,
that they are not afraid to subject God to their opinion, or
rather to their unlawful desires, let us know that this modesty
does not hold the lowest place in the true worship of God, to
regard with suspicion whatever is gratifying according to the
flesh. Besides, as we cannot ascend to the height of God, let
us remember that we ought to seek from His word the rule
by which we are governed. This passage is frequently quoted
by the Fathers against the Arians, to prove the Divinity of
the Holy Spirit, but it is improper to strain it for such a
purpose ; for Christ simply declares here that his Father is of
a spiritual nature, and, therefore, is not moved by frivolous
matters, as men, through the lightness and unsteadiness of
their character, are wont to be.

25. The Messiah is about to come. Although religion among
the Samaritans was corrupted and mixed up with many errors,
yet some principles taken from the Law were impressed on
their minds, such as that which related to the Messiah. Now

1“ Des figures de la Loy.”

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 165

it is probable that, when the woman ascertained from Christ’s
discourse that a very extraordinary change was about to take
place in the Church of God, her mind instantly recurred to
the recollection of Christ, under whom she hoped that all
things would be fully restored. When she says that the
Messiah is about to come, she seems to speak of the time as
near at hand; and, indeed, it is sufficiently evident from many
arguments, that the minds of men were everywhere aroused
by the expectation of the Messiah, who would restore the
affairs which were wretchedly decayed, or rather, which were
utterly ruined.

This, at least, is beyond all controversy, that the woman
prefers Christ to Moses and to all the Prophets in the office
of teaching ; for she comprehends three things in a few words.
First, that the doctrine of the Law was not absolutely perfect,
and that nothing more than first principles was delivered in
it; for if there had not been some farther progress to be
made, she would not have said that the Messiah will tell us all
things. There is an implied contrast between him and the
Prophets, that it is his peculiar office to conduct his disciples

to the goal, while the Prophets had only given them the
earliest instructions, and, as it were, led them into the course.
Secondly, the woman declares that she expects such a Christ
as will be the interpreter of his Father, and the teacher and
instructor of all the godly. Lastly, she expresses her belief
that we ought not to desire any thing better or more perfect
than his doctrine, but that, on the contrary, this is the farthest
object of wisdom, beyond which it is unlawful to proceed.

I wish that those who now boast of being the pillars of the
Christian Church, would at least imitate this poor woman, so
as to be satisfied with the simple doctrine of Christ, rather
than claim I know not what power of superintendence for
putting forth their inventions. For whence was the religion
of the Pope and Mahomet collected but from the wicked
additions, by which they imagined that they brought the
doctrine of the Gospel to a state of perfection? As if it
would have been incomplete without such fooleries. But
whoever shall be well taught in the school of Christ will ask
no other instructors, and indeed will not receive them.

166 COMMENTARY ON THE

26. It is I who talk with thee. When he acknowledges to
the woman that he is the Messiah, he unquestionably presents
himself as her Teacher, in compliance with the expectation
which she had formed; and, therefore, I think it probable,
that he proceeded to give more full instruction, in order to
satisfy her thirst. Such a proof of his grace he intended to
give in the case of this poor woman, that he might testify to
all that he never fails to discharge his office, when we desire
to have him for our Teacher. There is, therefore, no danger
that he will disappoint one of those whom he finds ready to
become his disciples. But they who refuse to submit to him,
as we see done by many haughty and irreligious men, or who
hope to find elsewhere a wisdom more perfect—as the Maho-
metans and Papists do—deserve to be drivenabout by innumer-
able enchantments, and at length to be plunged in an abyss
of errors. Again, by these words, “ Z who talk with thee am
the Messiah, the Son of God,” he employs the name Messiah
as a seal to ratify the doctrine of his Gospel; for we must
remember that he was anointed by the Father, and that the
Spirit of God rested on him, that he might bring to us the
message of salvation, as Isaiah declares, (1x1. 1.)

27. And, in the meantime, his disciples came, and wondered that he
talked with the woman. But no man said, What seekest thou, or why
talkest thou with her? 28. The woman, therefore, left her pitcher, and
went away into the city, and said to the men, 29. Come, and see a man
who hath told me all things that I ever did: is not this the Christ? 30.
They went out of the city, therefore, and came to him. 31. In the mean-
time his disciples asked him, saying, Master, eat. 32. But he said to
them, [have food to eat which you know not. 33. The disciples, therefore,
said among themselves, Hath any man brought him any thing to eat?
34. Jesus saith to them, My food is, to do the will of him who sent me,
and to finish his work.

27. His disciples came, and wondered. That the disciples
wondered, as the Evangelist relates, might arise from one of
two causes; either that they were offended at the mean con-
dition of the woman, or that they reckoned the Jews to be
polluted, if they entered into conversation with the Samari-
tans. Now though both of these feelings proceeded from a
devout reverence for their Master, yet they are wrong in
wondering at it as an improper thing, that he deigns to

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 167

bestow so great honour on a woman who was utterly despised.
For why do they not rather look at themselves? They
would certainly have found no less reason to be astonished,
that they who were men of no note, and almost the off-
scourings of the people, were raised to the highest rank of
honour. And yet it is useful to observe what the Evangelist
says—that they did not venture to put a question; for we
are taught by their example that, if any thing in the works
or words of God and of Christ be disagreeable to our feel-
ings, we ought not to give ourselves a loose rein so as to
have the boldness to murmur, but ought to preserve a modest
silence, until what is hidden from us be revealed from heaven.
The foundation of such modesty lies in the fear of God and
in reverence for Christ.

28. Therefore the woman left her pitcher. This circum-
stance is related by the Evangelist to express the ardour of
her zeal; for it is an indication of haste, that she leaves her
pitcher, and returns to the city. And this is the nature of
faith, that when we have become partakers of eternal life,

_we wish to bring others to share with us; nor is it possible

that the knowledge of God shall lie buried and inactive in
our hearts without being manifested before men, for that
saying must be true: I believed, and therefore I will speak,
(Psalm exvi. 10.) The earnestness and promptitude of the
woman are so much the more worthy of attention, that it
was only a small spark of faith that kindled them; for
scarcely had she tasted Christ when she spreads his fame
throughout the whole city. In those who have already made
moderate progress in his school, sluggishness will be highly
disgraceful. But she may appear to deserve blame on this
account, that while she is still ignorant and imperfectly
taught, she goes beyond the limits of her faith. I reply, she
would have acted inconsiderately, if she had assumed the
office of a teacher, but when she desires nothing more than
to excite her fellow-citizens to hear Christ speaking, we will
not say that she forgot herself, or proceeded farther than she
had aright todo. She merely does the office of a trumpet
or a bell to invite others to come to Christ.

681 COMMENTARY ON THE

29. See aman. As she here speaks doubtfully, she might
appear not to have been greatly moved by the authority of
Christ. I reply, as she was not qualified to discourse about
such high mysteries, she endeavours, according to her feeble
capacity, to bring her fellow-citizens to permit themselves to
be taught by Christ. It was a very powerful stimulant
which she employed to excite them, when she knew, by a
sign which was not obscure or doubtful, that he was a pro-
phet ; for, since they could not form a judgment from his doc-
trine, this lower preparation was useful and well adapted to
them. Having, therefore, learned that Christ had revealed
to the woman things which were hidden, they infer from it
that he is a Prophet of God. This having been ascertained,
they begin to attend to his doctrine. But the woman goes
farther ; for she bids them inquire if he be not the Messiah,
being satisfied if she could only persuade them to seek, of
their own accord, what she had already found in Christ ; for
she knew that they would find more than she promised.

Who told me all things that ever I did. Why does she tell
a lie, by saying that Christ told her all things? I have already
shown that Christ did not reprove her fora single instance of
fornication, but that he placed before her, in a few words, many
sins of her whole life. For the Evangelist has not minutely
recorded every sentence, but states generally that Christ, in
order to repress the woman’s talkativeness, brought forward
her former and present life. Yet we see that the woman,
kindled by a holy zeal, does not spare herself, or her reputa-
tion, to magnify the name of Christ: for she does not scruple
to relate the disgraceful passages of her life.

32. I have food to eat which you know not. It is wonderful
that, when he is fatigued and hungry, he refuses to eat; for
if it be said that he does this for the purpose of instructing
us, by his example, to endure hunger, why then did he not
do so always? But he had another object than to say that
we ought simply to refuse food; for we must attend to this
circumstance, that his anxiety about the present business
urges him so strongly, and absorbs his whole mind, so that
it gives him no uneasiness to despise food. And yet he does

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 169

not say that he is so eager to obey the commands of his
Father, that he neither eats nor drinks. He only points out
what he must do first, and what must be done afterwards;
and thus he shows, by his example, that the kingdom of
God ought to be preferred to all the comforts of the body.
God allows us, indeed, to eat and drink, provided that we
are not withdrawn from what is of the highest importance ;
that is, that every man attend to his own calling.

It will perhaps be said, that eating and drinking cannot
but be avocations which withdraw some portion of our time
that might be better employed. ‘This I acknowledge to be
true, but as the Lord kindly permits us to take care of our
body, so far as necessity requires, he who endeavours to
nourish his body with sobriety and moderation does not fail
to give that preference which he ought to give to obedience
to God. But we must also take care not to adhere so firmly
to our fixed hours, as not to be prepared to deprive ourselves
of food, when God holds out to us any opportunity, and, as
it were, fixes the present hour. Christ, having now in his
hands such an opportunity which might pass away, embraces

- it with open arms, and holds it fast. When the present duty

enjoined on him by the Father presses him so hard that he
finds it necessary to lay aside every thing else, he does not
scruple to delay taking food ; and, indeed, it would have been
unreasonable that, when the woman left her pitcher and ran
to call the people, Christ should display less zeal. In short,
if we propose it as our object not to lose the causes of life on
account of life itself, it will not be difficult to preserve the
proper medium; for he who shall place it before him as the
end of life to serve the Lord, from which we are not at liberty
to turn aside even for the immediate danger of death, will
certainly reckon it to be of more value than eating and
drinking. The metaphor of eating and drinking is so much
the more graceful on this occasion, that it was drawn sea-
sonably from the present discourse.

34. My food is to do the will of him who sent me. He means
not only that he esteems it very highly, but that there is
VOL. I. L

170 COMMENTARY ON THE

nothing in which he takes greater delight, or in which he is
more cheerfully or more eagerly employed; as Dayid, in
order to magnify the Law of God, says not only that he
values it highly, but that it is sweeter than honey, (Psalm xix.
10.) If, therefore, we would follow Christ, it is proper not
only that we devote ourselves diligently to the service of God,
but that we be so cheerful in complying with its injunctions
that the labour shall not be at all oppressive or disagreeable.

That I may finish his work. By adding these words, Christ
fully explains what is that will of the Father to which he is
devoted ; namely, to fulfil the commission which had been
given to him. Thus every man ought to consider his own
calling, that he may not consider as done to God what he
has rashly undertaken at his own suggestion. What was
the office of Christ is well known. It was to advance the
kingdom of God, to restore to life lost souls, to spread the
light of the Gospel, and, in short, to bring salvation to the
world. The excellence of these things caused him, when
fatigued and hungry, to forget meat and drink. Yet we
derive from this no ordinary consolation, when we learn that
Christ was so anxious about the salvation of men, that it gave
him the highest delight to procure it; for we cannot doubt
that he is now actuated by similar feelings towards us.

35. Do you not say, There are yet four months, and harvest will come?
Lo, I say to you, Lift up your eyes, and look at the fields, for they are
already white for harvest. 36. And he who reapeth receiveth reward,
and gathereth fruit into life eternal; that both he that soweth, and he
that reapeth, may rejoice together. 37. For in this is the saying true,
That there is one who soweth, and another who reapeth. 38. 1 sent you
to reap that on which you did not labour; other men laboured, and you
have entered into their labours.

35. Do you not say? He follows out the preceding state-
ment; for, having said that nothing was more dear to him
than to finish the work of the Father, he now shows how ripe
it is for execution ; and he does so by a comparison with the
harvest. When the corn is ripe, the harvest cannot bear
delay, for otherwise the grain would fall to the ground and
be lost; and, in like manner, the spiritual corn being now
ripe, he declares that there must be no delay, because delay

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 171

is injurious. We see for what purpose the comparison is
employed ; it is to explain the reason why he hastens to per-
form his work.’ By this expression, Do you not say? he
intended indirectly to point out how much more attentive
the minds of men are to earthly than to heavenly things; for
they burn with so intense a desire of harvest that they care-
fully reckon up months and days, but it is astonishing how
drowsy and indolent they are in gathering the heavenly
wheat. And daily experience proves that this wickedness
not only is natural to us, but can scarcely be torn from our
hearts; for while all provide for the earthly life to a distant
period, how indolent are we in thinking about heavenly
things? Thus Christ says on another occasion, Hypocrites,
you discern by the face of the sky what sort of day to-morrow

will be, but you do not acknowledge the time of my visitation,
(Matth. xvi. 3.)

36, And he who reapeth receiveth reward. How diligently
we ought to devote ourselves to the work of God, he proves
by another argument; namely, because a large and most
excellent reward is reserved for our labour; for he promises
that there will be fruct, and fruit not corruptible or fading.
What he adds about fruit may be explained in two ways;
either it isan announcement of the reward, and on that suppo-
sition he would say the same thing twice in different words ;
or, he applauds the labours of those who enrich the kingdom
of God, as we shall afterwards find him repeating, I have
chosen you, that you may go and bear fruit, and that your fruit
may remain, (John xy. 16.) And certainly both considera-
tions ought greatly to encourage the ministers of the word,
that they may never sink under the toil, when they hear that
a crown of glory is prepared for them in heaven, and know
that the fruit of their harvest will not only be precious in the
sight of God, but will also be eternal. It is for this purpose
that Scripture everywhere mentions reward, and not for the
purpose of leading us to judge from it as to the merits of
works ; for which of us, if we come to a reckoning, will not be

' “ Pour exprimer la cause pourquoy il se haste de faire la besogne.”

72 COMMENTARY ON THE

found more worthy of being punished for slothfulness than of
being rewarded for diligence? ‘To the best labourers nothing
else will be left than to approach to God in all humility to
implore forgiveness. But the Lord, who acts towards us
with the kindness of a father, in order to correct our sloth,
and to encourage us who would otherwise be dismayed,
deigns to bestow upon us an undeserved reward.

This is so far from overturning justification by faith that
it rather confirms it. For, in the first place, how comes it
that God finds in us any thing to reward, but because He
has bestowed it upon us by his Spirit? Now we know that
the Spirit is the earnest and pledge of adoption, (Eph. i. 14.)
Secondly, how comes it that God confers so great honour on
imperfect and sinful works but because, after having by free
grace reconciled us to himself, He accepts our works without
any regard to merit, by not imputing the sins which cleave
to them? The amount of this passage is, that the labour
which the Apostles bestow on teaching ought not to be
reckoned by them hard and unpleasant, since they know that
it is so useful and so advantageous to Christ and to the
Church.

That he who soweth, and he who reapeth, may rejoice together.
By these words Christ shows that the fruit which the Apos-
tles will derive from the labours of others cannot give just
ground of complaint to any person. And this additional
statement deserves notice ; for if in the world the groans of
those who complain that the frat of their labour has been
conveyed to another do not hinder the new possessor from
cheerfully reaping what another has sown, how much more
cheerful ought the reapers to be, when there is mutual con-
sent and mutual joy and congratulation ?

But, in order that this passage may be properly understood,
we must comprehend the contrast between sowing and reaping.
The sowing was the doctrine of the Law and the Prophets;
for at that time the seed thrown into the soil remained, as it
were, in the blade; but the doctrine of the Gospel, which
brings men to proper maturity, is on that account justly
compared to the harvest. For the Law was very far from
that perfection which has at length been exhibited to us in

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 173

Christ. To the same purpose is the well-known comparison
between infancy and manhood which Paul employs, when he
says, that the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth not from a
servant, though he be lord of all, but is under tutors and governors
until the time appointed by the father, (Gal. iv. 1,2.) In short,
since the coming of Christ brought along with it present sal-
vation, we need not wonder if the Gospel, by which the door
of the heavenly kingdom is opened, be called the harvest of
the doctrine of the Prophets. And yet it is not at all incon-
sistent with this statement, that the Fathers under the Law
were gathered into God’s barn; but this comparison must be
referred to the manner of teaching; for, as the infancy of the
Church lasted to the end of the Law, but, as soon as the
Gospel had been preached, it immediately arrived at manhood,
so at that time the salvation began to ripen, of which the
sowing only had been accomplished by the Prophets.

But, as Christ delivered this discourse in Samaria, he ap-
pears to extend the sowing more widely than to the Law and
the Prophets; and there are some who interpret these words
as applying equally to the Jews and to the Gentiles. I ac-
knowledge, indeed, that some grains of piety were always
scattered throughout the whole world, and there can be no
doubt that—if we may be allowed the expression—God sowed,
by the hand of philosophers and profane writers, the excellent
sentiments which are to be found in their writings. But, as
that seed was degenerated from the very root, and as the corn
which could spring from it, though not good or natural, was
choked by a huge mass of errors, it is unreasonable to suppose
that such destructive corruption is compared to sowing. Be-
sides, what is here said about uniting in joy cannot at all
apply to philosophers or any persons of that class.

Still, the difficulty is not yet solved, for Christ makes
special reference to the Samaritans. I reply, though every-
thing among them was infected by corruptions, there still was
some hidden seed of piety. For whence does it arise that,
as soon as they hear a word about Christ, they are so eager
to seck him, but because they had learned, from the Law and ©
the Prophets, that the Redeemer would come? Judea was
indeed the Lord’s peculiar field, which he had cultivated by

174 COMMENTARY ON THE

the Prophets, but, as some small portion of seed had been
carried into Samaria, it is not without reason that Christ says
that there also it reached maturity. If it be objected that
the Apostles were chosen to publish the Gospel throughout
the whole world, the reply is easy, that Christ spoke in a
manner suited to the time, with this exception, that, on account
of the expectation of the fruit which already was nearly ripe,
he commends in the Samaritans the seed of prophetic doctrine,
though mixed and blended with many weeds or corruptions.*

37. For in this is the saying true. This was a common
proverb, by which he showed that many men frequently re-
ceive the fruit of the labour of others, though there was this
difference, that he who has daboured is displeased at seeing
the fruit carried away by another, whereas the Apostles have
the Prophets for the companions of their joy. And yet it
cannot be inferred from this, that the Prophets themselves
are witnesses, or are aware, of what is now going on in the
Church; for Christ means nothing more than that the Pro-
phets, so long as they lived, taught under the influence of
such feelings, that they already rejoiced on account of the
fruit which they were not permitted to gather. The com-
parison which Peter employs (1 Peter i. 12) is not unlike;
except that he addresses his exhortation generally to all be-
lievers, but Christ here speaks to the disciples alone, and, in
their person, to the ministers of the Gospel. By these words
he enjoins them to throw their labours mto a common stock,
so that there may be no wicked envy among them; that those
who are first sent to the work ought to be so attentive to the
present cultivation as not to envy a greater blessing to those
who are afterwards to follow them; and that they who are
sent, as it were, to gather the ripe fruit, ought to be employed
with equal cheerfulness in their office; for the comparison
which is here made between the teachers of the Law and of
the Gospel may likewise be applied to the latter, when viewed
in reference to each other.

‘*C’est a dire, de corruptions.”

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 175

_ 39. And many Samaritans out of that city believed in him on account
of the saying of the woman, who testified, I told you all things that ever
Idid. 40. When the Samaritans, therefore, came to him, they entreated
him to remain with them; and he remained two days. 41. And many
more believed on account of his word; 42. And said to the woman, We
no longer believe on account of thy speech; for we ourselves have heard,
and know, that this is actually the Christ, the Saviour of the world. 43.
And after two days he departed, and went away into Galilee. 44. For
Jesus himself testified,! that a Prophet hath no honour in his own country.
45. And when he came into Galilee, the Galileans received him, who had
seen? all that he did in Jerusalem on the feast-day; for they had also come
to the feast-day.

39. And many Samaritans out of that city believed. The
Evangelist here relates what was the success of the woman’s
announcement to her citizens, from which it is evident that
the expectation and desire of the promised Messiah had no
small vigour among them. Now, the word believe is here
used inaccurately, and means that they were induced by the
woman’s statement to acknowledge Christ to be a Prophet.
It is, in some respects, a commencement of faith, when minds
are prepared to receive the doctrine. Such an entrance to
faith receives here the honourable appellation of fazth, in order
to inform us how highly God esteems reverence for his word,
when he confers so great honour on the docility of those who

have not yet been taught. Now, their faith manifests itself

in this respect, that they are seized with a desire to profit,
and, for that reason, desire that Christ should remain with
them.

41. And many more believed. From what followed it is
evident that Christ’s compliance with their wish was highly
proper; for we see how much fruit was reaped from the éwo
days which he granted to their request. By this example we
are taught that we ought never to refrain from working, when
we have it in our power to advance the kingdom of God; and
if we are afraid that our readiness in complying may be liable
to unfavourable reports, or may often prove to be useless, let
us ask from Christ the Spirit of counsel to direct us. The
word believe is now used in a different sense; for it means not

1“ Ou, Jesus avoit rendu tesmoignage ;”—*‘ or, Jesus had testified.”
2 Apres qwils eussent veu ;”—* after that they had seen.”

176 COMMENTARY ON THE

only that they were prepared for faith, but that they actually
had a proper fazth.

42. On account of thy speech. Though I have followed
Erasmus in rendering this word by oratio, (speech,) because
loquela, which the ancient interpreter uses, is a barbarous
term; yet I wish to warn my readers that the Greek word
rAuria has the same meaning with the Latin word loquentia,
that is, talk, or talkativeness; and the Samaritans appear to
boast that they have now a stronger foundation than a woman’s
tongue, which is, for the most part, light and trivial.

We believe. This expresses more fully the nature of their
faith, that it has been drawn from the word of God itself, so
that they can boast of having the Son of God as their
Teacher ; as, indeed, it is on his authority alone that we can
safely rely. ‘True, indeed, he is not now visibly present, so
as to speak to us mouth to mouth; but, by whomsoever we
happen to hear him, our faith cannot rest on any other than
on himself. And from no other source proceeds that know-
ledge which is likewise mentioned; for the speech which
comes from the mouth of a mortal man may indeed fill and
satisfy the ears, but will never confirm the soul in calm con-
fidence of salvation, so that he who has heard may be entitled
to boast that he knows. In faith, therefore, the first thing
necessary is, to know that it is Christ who speaks by his
ministers; and the next is, to give him the honour which is
due; that is, not to doubt that he is true and faithful, so that,
relying on so undoubted a guarantee, we may rely safely on
his doctrine.

Again, when they affirm that Jesus is the Christ and the
Saviour of the world, they undoubtedly have learned this from
hearing him. Hence we infer that, within to days, the
sum of the Gospel was more plainly taught by Christ than
he had hitherto taught it in Jerusalem. And Christ testified
that the salvation, which he had brought, was common to the
whole world, that they might understand more fully that it
belonged to them also; for he did not call them on the
ground of their being lawful heirs, as the Jews were,! but

1 * Ainsi qu’estoyent les Juifs.”

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 177

taught that he had come to admit strangers into the family
of God, and to bring peace to those who were far off, (Eph.
ii. 17.) ;

44, For Jesus himself testified. The apparent contradiction
which strikes us here at first sight, has given rise to various
interpretations. There is an excess of subtlety in the expla-
nation given by Augustine, that Christ was without honour
among his own countrymen, because he had done more good
among the Samaritans in éwo days only than he had done, in
a long time, among the Galileans; and because, without
miracles, he gained more disciples in Samaria than a great
number of miracles had gained him in Galilee. Nor am I
satisfied with the view of Chrysostom, who understands Christ’s
country to be Capernaum, because he dwelt there more fre-
quently than in any other place. I rather agree with Cyril,
who says that he left the city of Nazareth, and departed into
a different part of Galilee; for the other three Evangelists
mention Nazareth, when they relate this testimony of Christ.
The meaning might indeed be that, while the time of full

‘manifestation was not yet come, he chose to remain concealed

in his native country, as in a more obscure retreat. Some,
too, explain it to mean, that he remained two days in Samaria,
because there was no reason why he should hasten to go to a
place where contempt awaited him. Others think that he
went straight to Nazareth, and immediately left it; but, as
John relates nothing of this sort, I do not venture to yield to
that conjecture. A more correct view of it is, that when he
saw himself despised in his native city Nazareth, he rather
withdrew to another place. And, therefore, it immediately
follows (ver. 46) that he came into the town of Cana. What
is next added—that the Galileans received him—was a token
of reverence, not of contempt.

A Prophet hath no honour in his own country. I have no
doubt that this saying was common, and had passed into a
proverb ;' and we know that proverbs are intended to be a
graceful expression of what commonly and most frequently

' “Commune, et qui etoit passee en proverbe.”

178 COMMENTARY ON THE

(2xi +d ror) happens. In such cases, therefore, it is not neces-
sary that we should rigidly demand uniform accuracy, as if
what is stated in a proverb were always true. It is certain
that prophets are usually more admired elsewhere than in their
own country. Sometimes, too, it may happen, and in reality
does happen, that a prophet is not less honoured by his coun-
trymen than by strangers; but the proverb states what is
common and ordinary, that prophets receive honour more
readily in any other place than among their own countrymen.

Now this proverb, and the meaning of it, may have a two-
fold origin; for it is a universal fault, that those whom we
have heard crying in the cradle, and whom we have seen
acting foolishly in their boyhood, are despised by us through-
out their whole life, as if they had made no progress, since
they were boys. To this is added another evil—envy, which
prevails more among acquaintances. But I think it probabie
that the proverb arose from this circumstance, that Prophets
were so ill-treated by their own nation; for good and holy
men, when they perceived that there was in Judea so great
ingratitude towards God, so great contempt of his word, so
great obstinacy, might justly utter this complaint, that no-
where are the Prophets of God less honoured than in their
own country. Ifthe former meaning be preferred, the name
Prophet must be understood generally to denote any teacher,
as Paul calls Epimenides a prophet of the Cretians, (Tit. i.
12.)

45. The Galileans received him. Whether or not this honour
was of long duration we have not the means of determining ;
for there is nothing to which men are more prone than for-
getfulness of the gifts of God. Nor does John relate this
with any other design than to inform us that Christ performed
miracles in presence of many witnesses, so that the report of
them was spread far and wide. Again, this points out one
advantage of miracles, that they prepare the way for doctrine ;
for they cause reverence to be paid to Christ.

46. Jesus therefore came again into Cana of Galilee, where he had
turned the water into wine. And there was a certain courtier, whose son
was diseased, in Capernaum. 47. When he heard that Jesus had come

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 179

from Judea into Galilee, he went away to him, and entreated him to go
down and cure his son; for he was near death. 48. Jesus therefore said
to him, Unless you see signs and wonders, you will not believe. 49. The
courtier himself said to him, Sir, come down ere my child die. 50. Jesus
said to him, Go, thy son liveth. The man believed the word which Jesus
had spoken to him, and went away. 51. And while he was still going
down, his servants met and informed him, saying, Thy son liveth. 52.
Then he asked them at what hour he recovered ; and they said to him,
Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him. 53. The father there-
fore knew that it was the same hour at which Jesus had said to him, Thy
son liveth. And he believed, and all his house. 54. This second miracle
did Jesus again, when he had come out of Judea into Galilee.

46. And there was a certain courtier. This is a more correct
rendering, though Erasmus thinks differently, who has trans-
lated Baciduxés by a Latin word, Regulus, which means a little
king.’ I acknowledge indeed that, at that time, they gave
the name of Reguli (or, little kings) to those who are now called
Dukes, or Barons, or Earls; but the state of Galilee at that
time was such that there could be no person of that rank
dwelling in Capernaum. I think that he was some nobleman’
of the court of Herod; for there is some plausibility in the
opinion of those who think that he was sent by Cesar.* This
is expressly mentioned by the Evangelist, because the rank
of this personage made the miracle the more illustrious.

47. When he had heard that Jesus had come. When he
applies to Christ for aid, this is some evidence of his faith ;
but, when he limits Christ’s manner of granting assistance,
that shows how ignorant he was. For he views the power of
Christ as inseparably connected with his bodily presence,
from which it is evident, that he had formed no other view
concerning Christ than this,—that he was a Prophet sent
by God with such authority and power as to prove, by the
performance of miracles, that he was a minister of God.
This fault, though it deserved censure, Christ overlooks, but
severely upbraids him, and, indeed, all the Jews in general,
on another ground, that they were too eager to behold
miracles.

i = Lequel l’a traduit par un mot Latin Regulus, qui signifie un petit
oy.”

* * Quelque gentil-homme.”

* “ Par ’Empereur ; ”—‘‘by the Emperor.”

180 COMMENTARY ON THE

But how comes it that Christ is now so harsh, who is wont
to receive kindly others who desire miracles? There must
have been at that time some particular reason, though un-
known to us, why he treated this man with a degree of
severity which was not usual with him; and perhaps he looked
not so much to the person as to the whole nation. He saw
that his doctrine had no great authority, and was not only
neglected but altogether despised ; and, on the other hand,
that all had their eyes fixed on miracles, and that their whole
senses were seized with stupidity rather than with admiration.
Thus, the wicked contempt of the word of God, which at
that time prevailed, constrained him to make this complaint.

True, indeed, some even of the saints sometimes wished to
be confirmed by miracles, that they might not entertain any
doubt as to the trnth of the promises ; and we see how God,
by kindly granting their requests, showed that he was not
offended at them. But Christ describes here far greater
wickedness ; for the Jews depended so much on miracles,
that they left no room for the word. And first, it was ex-
ceedingly wicked that they were so stupid and carnal as to
have no reverence for doctrine, unless they had been aroused
by miracles ; for they must have been well acquainted with
the word of God, in which they had been educated from their
infancy. Secondly, when miracles were performed, they were
so far from profiting aright, that they remained in a state of
stupidity and amazement. ‘Thus they had no religion, no
knowledge of God, no practice of godliness, except what con-
sisted in miracles.

To the same purpose is that reproach which Paul brings
against them, the Jews demand signs, (1 Cor. i. 22.) For he
means that they were unreasonably and immoderately attached
to signs, and cared little about the grace of Christ, or the
promises of eternal life, or the secret power of the Spirit, but,
on the contrary, rejected the Gospel with haughty disdain,
because they had no relish for any thing but miracles. I
wish there were not many persons in the present day affected
by the same disease ; but nothing is more common than this
saying, “ Let them first perform miracles,' and then we will

1 Quils facent premierement des miracles.”

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 181

lend an ear to their doctrine ;” as if we ought to despise and

disdain the truth of Christ, unless it derive support from some
other quarter. But though God were to overwhelm them by
a huge mass of miracles, still they speak falsely when they
say that they would believe. Some outward astonishment
would be produced, but they would not be a whit more atten-
tive to doctrine.

49. Sir, come down, ere my child die. Since he perseveres
in asking, and at length obtains what he wished, we may con-
clude that Christ did not reprove him in such a manner as if
he intended altogether to reject him, and refused his prayers ;
but that he rather did so for the purpose of correcting that
fault which obstructed the entrance of true faith. And we
ought to remember—what I have formerly stated—that this
was a general reproof of a whole people, and was not pecu-
liarly addressed to one individual. In this manner, what-
ever is improper, or distorted, or superfluous, in our prayers,
must be corrected or removed, that dangerous obstructions
may be taken out of the way. Now courtiers are usually
fastidious and haughty, and do not willingly submit to be
treated with harshness; but it deserves notice, that this
man, humbled by his necessitous case, and by the dread of
losing his son, does not burst into a passion, or murmur,
when Christ speaks to him roughly, but passes by that reproof
in modest silence. We find the same things in ourselves ;
for we are astonishingly delicate, impatient, and fretful until,
subdued by adversities, we are constrained to lay aside our
pride and disdain.

50. Thy son liveth. The first thing that strikes us here is,
the astonishing kindness and condescension of Christ, that he
bears with the man’s ignorance, and stretches his power
beyond what had been expected. He requested that Christ
would come to the place and cure his son. He thought it
possible that his son could be freed from sickness and disease,
but not that he could be raised up after he was dead; and
therefore he urges Christ to make haste, that his son’s
recovery may not be prevented by his death. Accordingly,

182 COMMENTARY ON THE

when Christ pardons both, we may conclude from it how
highly he values even a small measure of faith. It is worthy
of observation that Christ, while he does not comply with
his desire, grants much more than he had requested; for he
testifies as to the present health of his son. Thus it fre-
quently happens that our Heavenly Father, while he
does not comply with our wishes in every particular, pro-
ceeds to relieve us by unexpected methods, that we may
learn not to prescribe to him in anything. When he says,
Thy son liveth, he means that he has been rescued from the
danger of death.

The man believed the word which Jesus had spoken to him.
Having come with the conviction that Christ was a prophet
of God, he was on that account so much disposed to believe,
that, as soon as he had heard a single word, he seized it and
fixed it in his heart. Though he did not entertain all the
respect that he ought for the power of Christ, yet a short
promise suddenly awoke new confidence in his mind, so that
he believed the life of his son to be contained in a single
word of Christ. And such is the promptitude with which
we ought to receive the word of God, but it is very far from
producing always so immediate an effect on the hearers. For
how many will you find that profit as much by many sermons
as this man, who was halfaheathen, profited by hearing a single
word? So much the more ought we to labour with zeal to
arouse our sluggishness, and, above all, to pray that God
would touch our hearts in sucha manner, that we may not be
less willing to believe than He is ready and gracious to
promise.

51. While he was still going down. ere is described the
effect of faith, together with the efficacy of the word; for as
Christ, by a word, restores to life this child who was just
dying, so in one moment the father, by his faith, regains his
son safe and sound. Let us therefore know that, whenever
the Lord offers his benefits to us, his power will always be
ready to accomplish whatever he promises, provided that the
door be not shut against him by our unbelief. It does not
always happen, I acknowledge, and even is not frequent or

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 183

ordinary, that God instantly displays his arm for giving us
assistance; but whenever he delays, he has always a good
reason, and one that is highly advantageous to us. This at
least is certain, that so far is he from delaying unnecessarily,
that he rather contends with the obstacles which we throw in
the way; and, therefore, when we do not see his immediate
aid, let us consider how much of concealed distrust there is
in us, or at least how small and limited our faith is. And we
ought not to wonder if He is unwilling to allow his benefits
to be lost, or to throw them at random on the ground, but
chooses to bestow them on those who, by opening the bosom
of their faith, are ready to receive them. And though he
does not always assist his people in the same manner, yet in
no instance will the faith of any one be fruitless, or hinder us
from experiencing the truth of what the Prophet says, that
the promises of God, even when they seem to delay, are in
reality making great haste. Though it tarry, wait for it;
because it will surely come, tt will not tarry, (Hab. ii. 3.)

52. Therefore he inquired at them. That this courtier
asked his servants at what time his son began to recover,
was done by a secret impulse from God, that the truth of
the miracle might be rendered more conspicuous. For by
nature we have an exceedingly wicked disposition to extin-
guish the light of the power of God, and Satan labours, by
various means, to hide the works of God from our view; and,
therefore, in order that they may obtain from us that praise
which is due to them, they must be made so manifest that
no room is left for doubt. Whatever then may be the in-
gratitude of men, still this circumstance does not permit so
illustrious a work of Christ to be ascribed to chance.

53. And he believed, and his whole house. It may appear
absurd that the Evangelist should mention this as the com-
mencement of faith in that man, whose faith he has already
commended. Nor can it be supposed that the word believe
—at least in this passage—relates to the progress of faith.
But it must be understood that this man, being a Jew and
educated in the doctrine of the Law, had already obtained

184 COMMENTARY ON THE

some taste of faith when he came to Christ; and that he
afterwards believed in the saying of Christ was a particular
faith, which extended no farther than to expect the life of
his son. But now he began to delieve in a different manner ;
that is, because, embracing the doctrine of Christ, he openly
professed to be one of his disciples. Thus not only does he
now believe that his son will be cured through the kindness
of Christ, but he acknowledges Christ to be the Son of God,
and makes a profession of faith in his Gospel. His whole
family joins him, which was an evidence of the miracle; nor
can it be doubted that he did his utmost to bring others
along with him to embrace the Christian religion.

CHAPTER V.

1. After these things there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up
to Jerusalem. 2. And there was in Jerusalem, at the sheep-market, a
pool, which is called in Hebrew Bethesda, having five porches. 3. In
these lay a great multitude of diseased, blind, lame, withered,! waiting
for the motion of the water. 4. For an angel went down, at intervals,?
into the pool, and troubled the water. Whosoever went down first after
the troubling of the water was cured of whatever disease he formerly had.
5. Now there was a man there, who had passed thirty and eight years in
infirmity. 6. When Jesus saw this man lying, and knew that he had
now been a long time diseased, he saith to him, Dost thou wish to be cured?
7. The diseased man answered him, Sir, I have no man to let me down into
the pool, when the water is troubled; but while I am coming, another
goeth down before me. 8. Jesus saith to him, Arise, carry thy bed, and
walk. 9. And immediately that man was cured, and carried his bed, and
walked. And the Sabbath was on that day.

1. There was a feast of the Jews. Though the Evangelist
does not expressly state what feast this was, yet the probable
conjecture is that he means Pentecost, at least if what is
here related took place immediately after that Christ came
into Galilee. For immediately after the Passover he set
out from Jerusalem, and, as he was passing through Samaria,

1 “Et qui avoyent les membres secs; ‘* and who had the limbs
withered.”

2 « Par intervalles, ou, en certain temps ;’—*‘ at intervals, or, at a cer~
tain time.”

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 185

he reckoned four months to the harvest; having entered
Galilee he cured the courtier’s son. The Evangelist adds
that the feast came afterwards; and, therefore, the order of
time leads us to conclude that we ought to understand it to
be Pentecost; though I do not dispute about that matter.
Now Christ came to Jerusalem to the feast, partly because at
that time, on account of the great multitude of people who
were assembled, he had the opportunity of publishing his
doctrine more extensively, and partly because it was neces-
sary that he should be subject to the Law, that he might
redeem us from the bondage of the Law, as we have already
explained on former occasions.

2. There was in Jerusalem, at the sheep-market, a pool.
The circumstance of the place is added, from which we learn
that the miracle was not concealed or known toa few persons
only ; for the jive porches show that the place was celebrated
for the great number of persons who resorted to it, and this
was also implied in its vicinity to the temple. Besides, the
Evangelist expressly says that many diseased persons lay there.
- With respect to the meaning of the name, the learned justly
reject the fanciful opinion of Jerome, who, instead of
Bethesda, makes it Betheder, and interprets it to mean the
house of the flock ; for here mention is made of a pool, which
was near the sheep-market. 'Those who read it Bethesda, as
meaning @ place of fishing, have no reason on their side.
There is greater probability in the opinion of those who
explain it to be a place of pouring out; for the Hebrew word
“WS (Eshed) signifies flowing out; but the Evangelist, as
was then the ordinary way of speaking, pronounced it Esda.
For I think that the water was conveyed into it by conduits,
that the priests might draw out of it; unless perhaps the
place received its name from the circumstance that the water
was poured into it by means of tubes. It was called the sheep- -
market, in my opinion, because the beasts which were to be
offered in sacrifice were taken there.

3. In these lay a great multitude. It is possible that diseased
persons lay in the porches to ask alms when the people were
VOL, I. M

186 COMMENTARY ON THE

passing there who were going into the temple to worship ;
and there, too, it was customary to purchase the beasts which
were to be offered in sacrifice. Yet at each feast God cured
a certain number, that, in this way, he might recommend the
worship prescribed in the Law and the holiness of the temple.
But might it not appear foolish to believe, while we read
of nothing of this kind having been done at a time when
religion was in the most flourishing condition, and even since
in the age of the Prophets miracles were not performed but
on extraordinary occasions, that when the affairs of the nation
were so decayed and almost ruinous, the power and grace of
God were displayed with more than ordinary lustre? I reply,
there were, in my opinion, two reasons. As the Holy Spirit,
dwelling in the Prophets, was a sufficient witness of the
divine presence, religion at that time needed no other con-
firmation; for the Law had been sanctioned by abundantly
sufficient miracles, and God ceased not to express, by innu-
merable testimonies, his approbation of the worship which he
had enjoined. But about the time of Christ’s coming, as
they were deprived of the Prophets and their condition was
very wretched, and as various temptations pressed upon them
on every hand, they needed this extraordinary aid, that they
might not think that God had entirely left them, and thus
might be discouraged and fall away. For we know that
Malachi was the last of the Prophets, and, therefore, he closes
his doctrine with this admonition, that the Jews may remem-
ber the Law delivered by Moses, (Mal. iv. 4,) until Christ
appear. God saw it to be advantageous to deprive them of
the Prophets, and to keep them in suspense for a time, that
they might be inflamed with a stronger desire for Christ, and
might receive him with greater reverence, when he should be
manifested to them. Yet, that testimonies might not be
wanting to the temple and sacrifices, and to the whole of that
worship by which salvation should be made known to the
world, the Lord retained among the Jews this gift of healing,
that they might know that there was a good reason why God
separated them from the other nations. For God, by cur-
ing the diseased, showed plainly—as by an arm stretched out
from heaven—that he approved of this kind of worship which

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 187

they derived from the injunction of the Law. Secondly, I
have no doubt that God intended to remind them by these
signs that the time of redemption was approaching, and that
Christ, the Author of salvation, was already at hand, that the
minds of all might be the better aroused. I think that signs,
in that age, served this twofold purpose ; first, that the Jews
might know that God was present with them, and thus might
remain steady in their obedience to the Law; and, secondly,
that they might earnestly hope for a new and unwonted
condition.

Of lame, blind, withered. For the purpose of informing us
that the diseases cured by our Lord were not of an ordinary
kind, the Evangelist enumerates some classes of them; for
human remedies could be of no avail to the lame, blind, and
withered. It was indeed a mournful spectacle, to see in so
large a body of men so many kinds of deformities in the
members; but yet the glory of God shone more brightly
there than in the sight of the most numerous and best disci-
plined army. For nothing is more magnificent than when
an unwonted power of God corrects and restores the defects
of nature; and nothing is more beautiful or more delightful
than when, through his boundless goodness, he relieves the
distresses of men. For this reason the Lord intended that
this should be a splendid theatre, in which not only the in-
habitants of the country, but strangers also, might perceive
and contemplate His majesty ; and, as I have already sug-
gested, it was no small ornament and glory of the temple,
when God, by stretching out his hand, clearly showed that
He was present.

4. For an angel went down. It was, no doubt, a work
peculiar to God to cure the sick ; but, as He was accustomed
to employ the ministration and agency of angels, so He com-
manded an angel to perform this duty. For this reason the
angels are called principalities or powers, (Col. i. 16;) not that
God gives up his power to them, and remains unemployed in
heaven, but because, by acting powerfully in them, he mag-
nificently shows and displays his power. It is, therefore,
wicked and shameful to imagine any thing as belonging to the

188 COMMENTARY ON THE

angels, or to constitute them the medium of communication
between us and God, so as to obscure the glory of God, as if
it were at a great distance from us, while, on the contrary,
he employs them as the manifestations of his presence. We
ought to guard against the foolish speculations of Plato, for
the distance between us and God is too great to allow us to
go to the angels, that they may obtain favour for us; but, on
the contrary, we ought to come direct to Christ, that, by his
guidance, protection, and command, we may have the angels
as assistants and ministers of our salvation.

At intervals. God might have at once, in a single moment,
cured them all, but, as his miracles have their design, so they
ought also to have their limit; as Christ also reminds them
that, though there were so many that died in the time of
Elisha, not more than one child was raised from the dead,
(2 Kings iv. 32;)! and that, though so many widows were
famished during the time of drought, there was but one whose
poverty was relieved by Elijah, (1 Kings xvii. 9; Luke iv.
25.) Thus the Lord reckoned it enough to give a demon-
stration of his presence in the case of a few diseased persons.
But the manner of curing, which is here described, shows
plainly enough that nothing is more unreasonable than that
men should subject the works of God to their own judgment ;
for pray, what assistance or relief could be expected from
troubled water? But in this manner, by depriving us of our
own senses, the Lord accustoms us to the obedience of faith.
We too eagerly follow what pleases our reason, though con-
trary to the word of God; and, therefore, in order to render
us more obedient to him, he often presents to us those things
which contradict our reason. Then only do we show our
submissive obedience, when we shut our eyes, and follow the
plain word, though our own opinion be that what we are
doing will be of no avail. We have an instance of this kind
in Naaman a Syrian, whom the prophet sends to Jordan, that
he may be cured of his leprosy, (2 Kings v. 10.) At first,

1 The French version runs thus: ‘‘ combien que du temps d’Elisee il y
eust plusieurs de ladres, toutesfois nul d’eux ne fut nettoyé sinon Naaman
Syrien ;”—“‘ though in the time of Elisha there were many lepers, yet not one
of them was cleansed except Naaman a Syrian,” (2 Kings y. 14; Luke iv.

97.)

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 189

no doubt, he despises it as a piece of mockery, but afterwards
he comes actually to perceive that, while God acts contrary
to human reason, he never mocks or disappoints us.

And troubled the water. Yet the troubling of the water was
a manifest proof that God freely uses the elements according
to his own pleasure, and that He claims for himself the result
of the work. For it is an exceedingly common fault to ascribe
to creatures what belongs to God alone; but it would be the
height of folly to seek, in the troubled water, the cause of the
cure. He therefore holds out the outward symbol in such a
manner that, by looking at the symbol, the diseased persons
may be constrained to raise their eyes to Him who alone is
the Author of grace.

5. And there was a man there. The Evangelist collects
various circumstances which prove that the miracle may be
relied on as certain. The long duration of the disease had
taken away all hope of its being cured. This man complains
that he is deprived of the remedy of the water. He had
frequently attempted to throw himself into the water, but
without success; there was no man to assist him, and this
causes the power of Christ to be more strikingly displayed.
Such, too, was the import of the command ¢0 carry his bed,
that all might plainly see that he was cured in no other way
than by the agency of Christ ; for when he suddenly rises up
healthy and strong in all the members in which he was for-
merly impotent, so sudden a change is the more fitted to
arouse and strike the minds of all who beheld it.

6. Wilt thou be made whole? He does not inquire about
it, as if it were a doubtful matter, but partly in order to kindle
in the man a desire of the favour which was offered to him,
and partly to quicken the attention of the witnesses who were
present, and who, if they had been thinking of something else,
might not have perceived the miracle, as frequently happens
in sudden occurrences. For these two reasons, therefore, this
preparation was necessary.

7. LT have no man. This diseased man does what almost

190 COMMENTARY ON THE

all of us are wont to do; for he limits the assistance of God
according to his own thought, and does not venture to promise
to himself any thing more than he conceives in his mind.
Christ forgives his weakness, and in this we have a mirror of
that forbearance of which every one of us has daily experience,
when, on the one hand, we keep our attention fixed on the
means which are within our reach, and when, on the other
hand, contrary to expectation, he displays his hand from
hidden places, and thus shows how far his goodness goes be-
yond the narrow limits of our faith. Besides, this example
ought to teach us patience. Thirty-eight years were a long
period, during which God had delayed to render to this poor
man that favour which, from the beginning, He had deter-
mined to confer upon him. However long, therefore, we
may be held in suspense, though we groan under our distresses,
let us never be discouraged by the tediousness of the length-
ened period; for, when our afflictions are long continued,
though we discover no termination of them, still we ought
always to believe that God is a wonderful deliverer, who, by
His power, easily removes every obstacle out of the way.

9. And it was the Sabbath. Christ was well aware how
great offence would immediately arise, when they saw a man
walk along laden with burdens; for the Law expressly forbids
to carry any burden whatever on the Sabbath-day, (Jer. xvii.
21.) But there were two reasons why Christ, disregarding
this danger, chose to make such an exhibition; first, that the
miracle might be more extensively known; and, secondly, that
he might give occasion, and, as it were, open up the way for
the beautiful discourse which he delivered immediately after-
wards. Of so great importance was the knowledge of that
miracle, that he found it to be his duty to despise boldly the
offence taken by the people, particularly because he had at
hand a just defence, by which, though he did not pacify the
ungodly, he abundantly refuted their calumnies. We ought
therefore to observe this rule, that though the whole world
kindle into rage, we ought to proclaim the glory of God and
celebrate His works, so far as His glory requires that they
should be made known. Nor ought we to be uneasy or

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 191

discouraged, though our labours should not be immediately
successful, provided that we keep in view the object which I
have stated, and do not go beyond the limits of our office.

10. The Jews therefore said to him who had been cured, It is the Sab-
bath ; it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed. 11. He answered them,
He who made me whole said to me, Carry thy bed and walk. 12. They
therefore asked him, Who is that man who said to thee, Carry thy bed
and walk? 13. And he who had been cured knew not who he was; for
Jesus had withdrawn himself, because there was a crowd in that place.!
14. After these things, Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him,
Lo, thou art made whole, sin no more, lest something worse befall thee.
15. The man went away, and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had
made him whole. 16. And for that reason the Jews persecuted Jesus,
and sought to slay him, because he did these things on the Sabbath-day.

10. Lt is the Sabbath. It was the duty of all to maintain
the sanctity of the Sabbath, and, therefore, they justly and
properly accuse the man. But, when the excuse offered by
the man does not satisfy them, they already begin to be in
fault ; for, when the reason was known, he ought to have
been acquitted. It was a violation of the Sabbath, as we
have said, to carry a burden; but Christ, who laid the burden
on his shoulders, discharges him by his own authority. We
are therefore taught by this example to avoid every rash
judgment, until the reason of each action be fully known.
Whatever contradicts the word of God deserves to be con-
demned without hesitation ; but, as it frequently happens that
there are mistakes in this matter, we ought first to inquire
modestly and calmly, that our decision may be sound and
sober. For since the Jews, prejudiced by wicked dispositions,
have not patience to inquire, they shut the door against
judgment and moderation; but, if they had allowed them-
selves to be taught, not only would the offence have been
removed, but they would have been conducted still farther,
with great advantage, to the knowledge of the Gospel.

We now see how far the Jews were in the wrong. It is,
because they do not admit a reasonable defence. The defence
is, that he who had been cured replies that he does nothing
but by the command of him who had power and authority to

1 “ Car Jesus s’estoit escoulé de la multitude qui estoit en ce lieu-la ;”
—‘for Jesus had withdrawn from the multitude which was in that place.”

192 COMMENTARY ON THE

command; for, though he did not yet know who Christ was,
yet he was convinced that he had been sent by God, because
he had received a proof of his divine power, and learns from
it that Christ is endued with authority, so that it must be his
duty to obey him. But this appears to be worthy of reproof,
that a miracle turns him aside from obedience to the Law.
I confess, indeed, that the argument which the man employs
in contending with them is not sufficiently strong, but the
others are faulty on two accounts, that they neither consider
that this is an extraordinary work of God, nor suspend their
judgment until they have heard a Prophet of God who is
furnished with the word.

13. And he who had been cured knew not who he was. Christ
certainly did not intend that the glory of so great a work
should pass away, but he intended that it should become
generally known before that he acknowledged himself to be
the Author of it. He therefore withdrew for a little, that
the Jews might have it in their power to judge of the fact
itself, without reference to any person. And hence we learn
that the cure of this man cannot be ascribed to his faith, since,
even after having been cured, he does not acknowledge his
Physician; and yet, when he was ordered, he carried his
bed, which appears to have been done by the guidance of
faith. For my own part, as I do not deny that there was in
him some secret movement of faith, so I say that it is clear
from what follows, that he had no solid doctrine or clear light
on which he could rely.

14. After these things Jesus found him. These words show
still more clearly that, when Christ concealed himself for a
time, it was not in order that the remembrance of the kind-
ness which he had conferred might perish, for he now appears
in public of his own accord; only he intended that the work
should first be known, and that he should afterwards be
declared to be the Author of it. This passage contains a
highly useful doctrine; for when Christ says, lo, thou art
made whole, his meaning is, that we make an improper use of
the gifts of God, if we are not excited to gratitude. Christ

Sa
4

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 193

does not reproach the man with what he had given him, but
only reminds him that he had been cured in order that, re-
membering the favour which he had received, he might all
his life serve God his Deliverer. Thus, as God by stripes
instructs and spurs us on to repentance, so he invites us to it
by his goodness and forbearance ; and, indeed, it is the uni-
versal design both of our redemption and of all the gifts of
God, to keep us entirely devoted to Him. Now this cannot
be done, unless the remembrance of the past punishment
remain impressed on the mind, and unless he who has obtained
pardon be employed in this meditation throughout his whole
life.

This admonition teaches us also, that all the evils which
we endure ought to be imputed to our sins; for the afflictions
of men are not accidental, but are so many stripes for our
chastisement. First, then, we ought to acknowledge the hand
of God which strikes us, and not to imagine that our dis-
tresses arise from a blind impetuosity of fortune; and next
we ascribe this honour to God, that, since He is a Father full
of goodness, He does not take pleasure in our sufferings, and

therefore does not treat us more harshly than he has been

offended by our sins. When he charges him, sin no more, he
does not enjoin him to be free from all sin, but speaks com-
paratively as to his former life; for Christ exhorts him
henceforth to repent, and not to do as he had done before.
Lest something worse befall thee. If God does not succeed
in doing us good by the stripes with which he gently chastises
us, as the kindest father would chastise his tender and delicate
children, He is constrained to assume a new character, and a
character which, so to speak, is not natural to Him. He
therefore seizes the whip to subdue our obstinacy, as He
threatens in the Law, (Lev. xxvi. 14; Deut. xxviii. 15; Ps.
xxxii. 9;) and indeed throughout the Scriptures passages of
the same kind are to be found. Thus, when we are incess-
antly pressed down by new afflictions, we ought to trace this
to our obstinacy ; for not only do we resemble restive horses
and mules, but we are like wild beasts that cannot be tamed.
There is no reason to wonder, therefore, if God make use of
severer punishments, to bruise us, as it were, by mallets, when

194 COMMENTARY ON THE

moderate punishment is of no avail; for it is proper that they
who will not endure to be corrected should be bruised by
strokes. In short, the use of punishments is, to render us
more cautious for the future. If, after the first and second
strokes, we maintain obstinate hardness of heart, he will strike
us seven times more severely. If, after having showed signs
of repentance for a time, we immediately return to our natural
disposition, he chastises more sharply this levity which proves
us to be forgetful, and which is full of sloth.

Again, in the person of this man it is of importance for us
to observe with what gentleness and condescension the Lord
bears with us. Let us suppose that the man was approach-
ing old age, in which case he must have been visited by
disease in the very prime of life, and perhaps had been
attacked by it from his earliest infancy; and now let us
consider how grievous to him must have been this punishment
continued through so many years. It is certain that we cannot
reproach God with excessive severity in causing this man to
languish, and to be half-dead, for so long a period ; and, there-
fore, when we are punished more lightly, let us learn that
it is because the Lord, in his infinite goodness, moderates
the extreme rigour of the punishments which we would have
well deserved.’ Let us also learn that no punishments are
so rigorous and severe, that the Lord cannot make additions
to them whenever he pleases. Nor can it be doubted that
wretched men, by their wicked complaints, often draw down
upon themselves dreadful and shocking tortures, when they
assert that it is not possible to endure heavier distresses, and
that God cannot send them any thing more.? Are not these
things hidden among my treasures? saith the Lord, (Deut.
xxxli. 34.) We ought also to observe how slow we are in
deriving benefit from God’s chastisements; for if Christ’s
exhortation was not superfluous, we may learn from it that
the soul of this man was not yet fully purified from every
vice. Indeed, the roots of vices are too deep in us to be
capable of being torn out in a single day, or in a few days ;

1 “ Que nous aurions bien meritee.”
2 Quand ils disent qu’il n’est pas possible d’endurer plus grand mal,
et que Dieu ne leur en scauroit envoyer davantage.”

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 195

and the cure of the diseases of the soul is too difficult to be
effected by remedies applied for a short time.

15. The man went away. Nothing was farther from his
intention than to make Christ an object of their hatred, and
nothing was farther from his expectation than that they would
rage so furiously against Christ. His intention, therefore,
was pious ; for he wished to render to his Physician the
honour which was justly due to him. The Jews, on the
other hand, show their venom, not only in aceusing Christ
of having violated the Sabbath, but in breaking out into
extreme cruelty.

17. But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I
work. 18, For this reason, therefore, the Jews sought the more to kill
him, because he not only broke the Sabbath, but likewise called God his
Father, making himself equal with God. 19. Jesus then answered, and
said to them, Verily, verily, I say to you, The Son eannot do any thing
of himself but what he hath seen the Father do; for whatsoever things
he doeth, those also doeth the Son likewise.

17. My Father worketh hitherto. We must see what kind
of defence Christ employs. He does not reply that the Law
about keeping the Sabbath was temporary, and that it ought
now to be abolished; but, on the contrary, maintains that
be has not violated the Law, because this is a divine work.
It is true that the ceremony of the Sabbath was a part of the
shadows of the Law,} and that Christ put an end to it by his
coming, as Paul shows, (Col. 1. 16;) but the present ques-
tion does not turn on that point. For it is only from their
own works that men are commanded to abstain; and, accord-
ingly, cireumcision—which is a work of God, and not of men
—is not at variance with the Sabbath.

What Christ insists upon is this, that the holy rest which
was enjoined by the Law of Moses is not disturbed when we
are employed in works of God.? And for this reason he
excuses not only his own action, but also the action of the
man who carried his bed; for it was an appendage, and—as

1 “1 est bien vray que la ceremonie du Sabbath estoit une partie des
ombres de la Loy.”
# “ Quand on s’employe & oeuvres de Dieu.”

196 COMMENTARY ON THE

we might say—a part of the miracle, for it was nothing else
than an approbation of it. Besides, if thanksgiving and the
publication of the divine glory be reckoned among the works
of God, it was not a profanation of the Sabbath to testify the
grace of God by feet and hands. But it is chiefly concern-
ing himself that Christ speaks, to whom the Jews were more
hostile. He declares that the soundness of body which he
has restored to the diseased man is a demonstration of his
divine power. He asserts that he is the Son of God, and
that he acts in the same manner as his Father.

What is the use of the Sabbath, and for what reasons it
was enjoined, I do not now argue at greater length. It is
enough for the present passage, that the keeping of the Sab-
bath is so far from interrupting or hindering the works of
God, that, on the contrary, it gives way to them alone. For
why does the Law enjoin men to abstain from their own
works, but in order to keep all their senses free and occupied
for considering the works of God? Consequently, he who
does not, on the Sabbath, allow a free course and reign to
the works of God, is not only a false expounder of the Law,
but wickedly overturns it.

If it be objected, that the example of God is held out to
men, that they may rest on the seventh day, the answer is
easy. Men are not conformed to God in this respect, that
He ceased to work, but by abstaining from the troublesome
actions of this world and aspiring to the heavenly rest. The
Sabbath or rest of God,' therefore, is not idleness, but true
perfection, which brings along with it a calm state of peace.
Nor is this inconsistent with what Moses says, that God put
an end to his works, (Gen. ii. 2;) for he means that, after
having completed the formation of the world, God conse-
crated that day, that men might employ it in meditating on
his works. Yet He did not cease to sustain by this power
the world which he had made, to govern it by his wisdom,
to support it by his goodness, and to regulate all things ac-
cording to his pleasure, both in heaven and onearth. In six
days, therefore, the creation of the world was completed, but

' * Le Repos de Dieu.”

a

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 197

the administration of it is still continued, and God incessantly
worketh in maintaining and preserving the order of it; as
Paul informs us, that in him we live, and move, and are, (Acts
xvii. 28 ;) and David informs us, that all things stand so long
as the Spirit of God upholds them, and that they fail as soon
as he withdraws his support, (Psal. civ. 29.) Nor is it only
by a general Providence that the Lord maintains the world
which He has created, but He arranges and regulates every
part of it, and more especially, by his protection, he keeps
and guards believers whom he has received under his care and
guardianship.

And Iwork. Leaving the defence of the present cause,
Christ now explains the end and use of the miracle, namely,
that by means of it he may be acknowledged to be the Son of
God; for the object which he had in view in all his words and
actions was, to show that he was the Author of salvation.
What he now claims for himself belongs to his Divinity, as
the Apostle also says, that he upholdeth all things by his power-
ful will, (Heb. i. 3.) But when he testifies that he is God,
it is that, being manifested in the flesh, he may perform the
office of Christ; and when he affirms that he came from
heaven, it is chiefly for. the purpose of informing us for what
purpose he came down to earth.

18. For this reason, therefore, the Jews sought the more to
slay him. This defence was so far from allaying their fury
that it even enraged them the more. Nor was he unacquainted
with their malignity and wickedness and hardened obstinacy,
but he intended first to profit a few of his disciples who were
then present, and next to make a public display of their in-
curable malice. By his example he has taught us that we
ought never to yield to the fury of wicked men, but should
endeavour to maintain the truth of God, so far as necessity
demands it, though the whole world should oppose and mur-
mur. Nor is there any reason why the servants of Christ
should take it ill that they do not profit all men according
to their wish, since Christ himself did not always succeed ;
and we need not wonder if, in proportion as the glory of
God is more fully displayed, Satan rages the more violently
in his members and instruments.

198 COMMENTARY ON THE

Because he not only had broken the Sabbath. When the
Evangelist says that the Jews were hostile to Christ, because
he had broken the Sabbath, he speaks according to the opinion
which they had formed ; for I have already showed that the
state of the case was quite the contrary. The principal
cause of their wrath was, that he called God his Father. And
certainly Christ intended that it should be understood that
God was his Father in a peculiar sense, so as to distinguish
himself from the ordinary rank of other men. He made him-
self equal to God, when he claimed for himself continuance
in working; and Christ is so far from denying this, that he
confirms it more distinctly. This refutes the madness of the
Arians, who acknewledged that Christ is God, but did not
think that he is equal to the Father, as if in the one and
simple essence of God there could be any inequality.

19. Jesus therefore answered. We see what I have said,
that Christ is so far from vindicating himself from what the
Jews asserted, though they intended it as a calumny, that
he maintains more openly that it is true. And first he insists
on this point, that the work which the Jews cavilled at was
a divine work, to make them understand that they must fight
with God himself, if they persist in condemning what must
necessarily be ascribed to him. This passage was anciently
debated in various ways between the orthodox Fathers and
the Arians. Arius inferred from it that the Son is inferior
to the Father, because he can do nothing of himself. The
Fathers replied that these words denote nothing more than
the distinction of the person, so that it might be known that
Christ is from the Father, and yet that he is not deprived of
intrinsic power to act. But both parties were in the wrong.
For the discourse does not relate to the simple Divinity of
Christ, and those statements which we shall immediately see
do not simply and of themselves relate to the eternal Word
of God, but apply only to the Son of God, so far as he is
manifested in the flesh.

Let us therefore keep Christ before our eyes, as he was
sent into the world by the Father to be a Redeemer. The
Jews beheld in him nothing higher than human nature, and,

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 199

therefore, he argues that, when he cured the diseased man,
he did it not by human power, but by a Divine power which
was concealed under his visible flesh. The state of the case
is this. As they, confining their attention to the appearance
of the flesh, despised Christ, he bids them rise higherand look at
God. The whole discourse must be referred to this contrast,
that they err egregiously who think that they have to do with
a mortal man, when they accuse Christ of works which are
truly divine. This is his reason for affirming so strongly that
in this work, there is no difference between him and his Father.

20. For the Father loveth the Son, and showeth him all things which
he doeth ; and he will show him greater works than these, that you may
wonder. 21. For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them ;
so also the Son quickeneth whom he will. 22. For the Father judgeth
no man, but hath committed all judgment to the Son; 23. That all men
may honour the Son, as they honour the Father: he who honoureth not
the Son honoureth not the Father who sent him. 24. Verily, verily, I
say to you, That he who heareth my word, and believeth in him who sent
me, hath eternal life, and shall not come into condemnation, but hath
passed from death to life.

20. For the Father loveth the Son. Every body sees how

harsh and far-fetched is the exposition of this passage which

is given by the Fathers. “God,” they say, “loves himself
in the Son.” But this statement applies beautifully to Christ
as clothed with flesh, that he is beloved by the Father.
What is more, we know that it is by this excellent title that
he is distinguished both from angels and from men, This is
my beloved Son, (Matth. iii. 17.) For we know that Christ
was chosen, that the whole love of God might dwell in him,
and might flow from him to us as from a full fountain. Christ
is loved by the Father, as he is the Head of the Church. He
shows that this love is the cause why the Father does all
things by his hand. For when he says that the Father
SHOWETH ¢o him, this word must be understood to denote
communication, as if he had said, “‘ As the Father hath given
to me his heart, so he hath poured out his power on me, that
the Divine glory may shine in my works, and—what is more
—that men may seek nothing Divine but what they find in

”

me.” And, indeed, out of Christ it will be in vain to seek
the power of God.

200 COMMENTARY ON THE

He will show him greater works than these. By these words
he means that the miracle, which he had performed in curing
the man, was not the greatest of the works enjoined on him
by the Father; for he had only given in it a slight taste of
that grace of which he is properly both minister and Author;
namely, to restore life to the world.

That you may wonder. By adding these words, he indi-
rectly charges them with ingratitude in despising so illus-
trious a demonstration of the power of God; as if he had
said, “ Though you are dull and stupid, yet the works which
God shall afterwards perform by me will draw you, however
reluctantly, into admiration.” Yet this appears not to have
been fulfilled, for we know that seeing, they saw not; as Isaiah
also says that the reprobate are blind amidst the light of
God. I reply, Christ did not now speak of their disposition,
but only threw out a suggestion as to the splendour of the
demonstration which he would soon afterwards give that he
was the Son of God.

21. For as the Father raiseth up the dead. Here he gives a
summary view of the nature of the office which had been
given to him by the Father; for though he appears to specify
one class, yet it is a general doctrine in which he declares
himself to be the Author of “fe. Now life contains within
itself not only righteousness, but all the gifts of the Holy
Spirit, and every part of our salvation. And certainly this
miracle must have been so remarkable a proof of the power
of Christ, as to yield this common fruit ; that is, to open a
door to the Gospel. We ought also to observe in what
manner Christ bestows /ife upon us; for he found us all dead,
and therefore it was necessary to begin with a resurrection.
Yet, when he joins the two words, ravseth up and quickeneth,
he does not use superfluous language ; for it would not have
been enough that we were rescued from death, if Christ did
not fully and perfectly restore fe to us. Again, he does not
speak of this life as bestowed indiscriminately on all; for he
says that he giveth life to whom he will; by which he means
that he specially confers this grace on none but certain men,
that is, on the elect.

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JONN. 201

22. For the Father judgeth no man. He now states more
clearly the general truth, that the Father governs the world
in the person of the Son, and exercises dominion by his hand;
for the Evangelist employs the word judgment, agreeably to
the idiom of the Hebrew language, as denoting authority and
power. We now perceive the amount of what is stated here,
that the Father hath given to the Son a kingdom, that he
may govern heaven and earth according to his pleasure. But
this might appear to be very absurd, that the Father, surren-
dering his right to govern, should remain unemployed in
heaven, like a private person. The answer is easy. This is
said both in regard to God and to men; for no change took
place in the Father, when he appointed Christ to be supreme
King and Lord of heaven and earth; for he is in the Son,
and works in him. But since, when we wish to rise to God,
all our senses immediately fail, Christ is placed before our
eyes as a lively image of the invisible God. There is no
reason, therefore, why we should toil to no purpose in explor-
ing the secrets of heaven, since God provides for our weakness
by showing himself to be near in the person of Christ ; but,

on the other hand, whenever the inquiry relates to the goy-
ernment of the world, to our own condition, to the heavenly
guardianship of our salvation, let us learn to direct our eyes
to Christ alone, as all power is committed to him, (Matth.
xxvii. 18,) and in his face God the Father, who would
otherwise have been hidden and at a distance, appears to us
so that the unveiled majesty of God does not swallow us up
by its inconceivable brightness.

23. That all men may honour the Son. This clause sufhi-
ciently confirms the suggestion which I threw out a little ago,
that when it is said that God reigns in the person of Christ,
this does not mean that he reposes in heaven, as indolent
| kings are wont to do, but because in Christ he manifests his
| power and shows himself to be present. For what else is the
| meaning of these words, that all men may honour the Son, but

that the Father wishes to be acknowledged and worshipped
| in the Son? Our duty, therefore, is to seek God the Father
) in Christ, to behold his power in Christ, and to worship him
VOL. I. N

202 COMMENTARY ON THE

in Christ. For, as immediately follows, he who honoureth not
the Son deprives God of the honour which is due to him. Ail
udmit that we ought to worship God, and this sentiment,
which is natural to us, is deeply rooted in our hearts, so that
no man dares absolutely to refuse to God the honour which
is due to him; yet the minds of men lose themselves in going
out of the way to seek God. Hence so many pretended
deities, hence so many perverse modes of worship. We shall
never, therefore, find the true God but in Christ, nor shall
we ever worship Him aright but by Aissing the Son, as David
tells us, (Ps. ii. 12 ;) for, as John elsewhere declares, He who
hath not the Son hath not the Father, (1 John ii. 23.)

Mahometans and Jews do indeed adorn with beautiful
and magnificent titles the God whom they worship; but we
ought to remember that the name of God, when it is sepa-
rated from Christ, is nothing else than a vain imagination.
Whoever then desires to have his worship approved by the
true God, let him not turn aside from Christ. Nor was it
otherwise with the Fathers under the Law; for though they
beheld Christ darkly under shadows, yet never did God re-
veal himself out of Christ. But now, since Christ has been
manifested in the flesh and appointed to be King over us,
the whole world must bend the knee to him, in order to obey
God; for the Father having made him sit at his nght hand,
he who forms a conception of God without Christ takes away
the half of him.

24. He that heareth my word. Here is described the way
and manner of honouring God, that no one may think that it
consists solely in any outward performance, or in frivolous
ceremonies. For the doctrine of the Gospel seems as a
sceptre to Christ, by which he governs believers whom the
Father has made his subjects. And this definition is emi-
nently worthy of notice. Nothing is more common than a
false profession of Christianity ; for even the Papists; who
are most inveterate enemies of Christ, do in the most pre-
sumptuous manner boast of his name. But here Christ
demands from us no other honour than to obey his Gospel.
Hence it follows, that all the honour which hypocrites bestow

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 203

on Christ is but the kiss of Judas, by which he betrayed his
Lord. Though they may a hundred times call him King,
yet they deprive him of his kingdom and of all power, when
they do not exercise faith in the Gospel.

flath eternal life. By these words he likewise commends
the fruit of obedience, that we may be more willing to ren-
der it. For who ought to be so hardened as not to submit
willingly to Christ, when the reward of eternal life is held
out to him? And yet we see how few there are whom

Christ gains to himself by so great goodness. So great is

our depravity that we choose rather to perish of our own

accord than to surrender ourselves to obey the Son of God,
that we may be saved by his grace. Both, therefore, are here
included by Christ—the robe of devout and sincere worship
which he requires from us, and the method by which he
restores us to life. For it would not be sufficient to under-
stand what he formerly taught, that he came éo raise the dead,
unless we also knew the manner in which he restores us to
life. Now he affirms that life is obtained by hearing his
_ word, and by the word hearing he means faith, as he imme-
diately afterwards declares. But faith has its seat not in the
ears, but in the heart. Whence faith derives so great power,
we have formerly explained. We ought always to consider
what it is that the Gospel offers to us; for we need not won-
der that he who receives Christ with all his merits is recon-
ciled to God, and acquitted of the condemnation of death ;
and that he who has received the gift of the Holy Spirit is
clothed with a heavenly righteousness, that he may walk in
newness of life, (Rom. vi. 6.) The clause which is added,
believeth on him who sent him, serves to confirm the authority
: of the Gospel: when Christ testifies that it came from God,
and was not invented by men, as he elsewhere says that what
he speaks is not from himself, but was delivered to him by the
Father, (John vii. 16; xiv. 10.)

And shall not come into condemnation. There is here an
implied contrast between the guilt to which we are all natu-
| rally liable, and the unconditional acquittal which we obtain
through Christ; for if all were not liable to condemnation,
what purpose would it serve to free from it those who believe

204 COMMENTARY ON THE

in Christ? The meaning therefore is, that we are beyond
the danger of death, because we are acquitted through the
erace of Christ; and, therefore, though Christ sanctifies and
regenerates us, by his Spirit, to newness of life, yet here he
specially mentions the unconditional forgiveness of sins, in
which alone the happiness of men consists. or then does a
man begin to live when he has God reconciled to him; and
how would God love us, if he did not pardon our sins ?

But hath passed. Some Latin copies have this verb in the
future tense, WILL PASS from death to life; but this has arisen
from the ignorance and rashness of some person who, not
understanding the meaning of the Evangelist, has taken more
liberty than he ought to have taken; for the Greek word
psraceenxe (hath passed) has no ambiguity whatever. There
is no impropriety in saying that we have already passed from
death to life; for the incorruptible seed of life (1 Pet. i. 23)
resides in the children of God, and they already sit in the
heavenly glory with Christ by hope, (Col. iii. 3,) and they
have the kingdom of God already established within them,
(Luke xvi. 21.) For though their life be hidden, they do
not on that account cease to possess it by faith; and though
they are besieged on every side by faith, they do not cease
to be calm on this account, that they know that they are in
perfect safety through the protection of Christ. Yet let us
remember that believers are now in life in such a manner that
they always carry about with them the cause of death; but
the Spirit, who dwells in us, is Zife, which will at length
destroy the remains of death ; for it is a true saying of Paul,
that death ts the last enemy that shall be destroyed, (1 Cor. xv.
26.) And, indeed, this passage contains nothing that relates
to the complete destruction of death, or the entire manifes-
tation of life. But though life be only begun in us, Christ
declares that believers are so certain of obtaining it, that they
ought not to fear death; and we need not wonder at this,
since they are united to him who is the inexhaustible foun-
tain of life.

25. Verily, verily, I say to you, That the hour cometh, and now is,
when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear
shall live, 26. For as the Father hath life in himself, so also hath he

. ba
1 Ps

given to the Son to have life in himself. 27. And he hath given him
power to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.' 28.
Wonder not at this; for the hour cometh when all who are in the graves
shall hear his voice, 29. And they who have done good shall go forth
to the resurrection of life; and they who have done evil, to the resurrec-
tion of condemnation.

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 205

25. Verily, verily. When the Evangelist represents the
Son of God as swearing so frequently in reference to our sal-
vation, hence we perceive, first, how eagerly he desires our
welfare, and next, of how great importance it is that the
faith of the Gospel should be deeply fixed and thoroughly
confirmed. The statement has indeed some appearance of
being incredible, when we are told that this is the effect of
the faith of which Christ speaks; and therefore he confirms
by an oath that the voice of his Gospel has such power of
giving life that it is powerful to raise the dead. It is generally
agreed that he speaks of spiritual death; for those who refer
it to Lazarus, (John xi. 44,) and to the widow’s son at Nain,
(Luke vii. 15,) and similar instances, are refuted by what
follows. First, Christ shows that we are all dead before he
quickens us; and hence it is evident what the whole nature

of man can accomplish towards procuring salvation.

When the Papists wish to set up their free-will, they com-
pare it to the Samaritan whom the robbers had left half-dead
on the road, (Luke x.30;) as if by the smoke of an allegory they
could darken aclear statement, by which Christ declares that
we ave fully condemned to death. And indeed as we have been,
since the revolt of the first man, alienated from God through
sin, all who do not acknowledge that they are overwhelmed
with everlasting destruction do nothing else than deceive
themselves by empty flatteries. I readily acknowledge that
in the soul of man there remains some remnant of life; for
understanding, and judgmeat, and will, and all our senses,
are so many parts of life; but as there is no part which rises
to the desire of the heavenly life, we need not wonder if the
whole man, so far as relates to the kingdom of God, is ac-
counted dead. And this death Paul explains more fully when

1 “Pource quwil est (ou, entant qvil est) le Fils de l'homme; ”—
‘because he is (07, in so far as he is) the Sou of man.”

206 COMMENTARY ON THE

he says, that we are alienated from the pure and sound rea-
son of the understanding, that we are enemies to God, and
opposed to his righteousness, in every affection of our heart ;
that we wander in darkness like blind persons, and are given
up to wicked lusts, (Eph. i. 1; iv.17.) Ifa nature so cor-
rupted has no power to desire righteousness, it follows that
the life of God is extinguished in us.

Thus the grace of Christ is a true resurrection from the
dead. Now this grace is conferred on us by the Gospel ;
not that so much energy is possessed by the external voice,
which in many cases strikes the ears to no purpose, but be-
cause Christ speaks to our hearts within by his Spirit, that
we may receive by faith the life which is offered to us. For
he does not speak indiscriminately of all the dead, but means
the elect only, whose ears God pierces and opens, that they
may receive the voice of his Son, which restores them to life.
This twofold grace, indeed, Christ expressly holds out to us
by his words, when he says, The dead shall hear the voice of the
Son of God, and they who hear shall live ; for it is not less con-
trary to nature that the dead should hear, than that they should
be brought back to the life which they had lost; and there-
fore both proceed from the secret power of God.

The hour cometh, and now is. He thus speaks of it as a
thing which had never before happened ; and, indeed, the
publication of the Gospel was a new and sudden resurrection
of the world. But did not the word of God always give life
tomen? This question may be easily answered. The doc-
trine of the Law and the Prophets was addressed to the
people of God, and consequently must have been rather
intended to preserve in life those who were the children of
God than to bring them back from death. But it was other-
wise with the Gospel, by which nations formerly estranged
from the kingdom of God, separated from God, and deprived

of all hope of salvation, were invited to become partakers of
life.

26. Hor as the Father hath life in himself. He shows whence
his voice derives such efficacy ; namely, that he is the foun-
tain of dife, and by his voice pours it out on men; for Life

-_

would not flow to us from his mouth, if he had not in himself
the cause and source of it. God is said to have life in himself,
not only because he alone lives by his own inherent power,
but because, containing in himself the fulness of life, he
communicates Jife to all things. And this, indeed, belongs
peculiarly to God, as it is said, With thee is the fountain of life,
(Ps. xxxvi. 9.) But because the majesty of God, being far
removed from us, would resemble an unknown and hidden
source, for this reason it has been openly manifested in
Christ. We have thus an open fountain placed before us,
from which we may draw. The meaning of the words is
this: “God did not choose to have life hidden, and, as it
were, buried within himself, and therefore he poured it into
his Son, that it might flow to us.” Hence we conclude, that
this title is strictly applied to Christ, so far as he was mani-
fested in the flesh.

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 207

27. And hath given him power. He again repeats that the
Father hath given him dominion, that he may have full
power over all things in heaven and in the earth. The word

_ e£ousia here denotes authority. Judgment is here put for rule
and government, as if he had said, that the Father had
appointed him to be King, to govern the world, and exercise
the power of the Father himself.

Because he is the Son of man. ‘This reason, which is im-
mediately added, deserves particularly to be observed, for it
means that he comes forth to men, adorned with such mag-
nificence of power, that he may impart to them what he has
received from the Father. Some think that this passage
contains nothing else than what is said by Paul, that Christ,
having been in the form of God, emptied himself by taking upon
him the form of a servant, and humbled himself even to the death
of the cross; and therefore God hath exalted him, and given him
a name more illustrious than any name, that every knee may
bow before him, (Philip. ii. 7-10.) But for my own part, I
regard the meaning as more extensive: that Christ, so far as
he is man, was appointed by the Father to be the Author of
life, that it may not be necessary for us to go far to seek it ;
for Christ did not receive it for himself, as if he needed it,

208 COMMENTARY ON THE

but in order to enrich us by his wealth. It may be summed
up thus: “ What had been hidden in God is revealed to us
in Christ as man, and life, which was formerly inaccessible,
is now placed before our eyes.” There are some who separate
this argument from its immediate connection, and join it to
the following clause ; but this is a forced interpretation, and
is at variance with Christ’s meaning.

28. Wonder not at this. We may be apt to think that he
reasons inconclusively, in drawing from the last resurrection
a confirmation of what he had said; for it is not an instance
of greater power to raise up bodies than to raise up minds.
I reply, it is not from the fact itself that he makes a com-
parison between the greater and the less, but from the
opinion of men; for, being carnal, they admire nothing but
what is outward and visible. Hence it arises that they pass
by the resurrection of the soul with little concern, while the
resurrection of the body excites in them greater admiration.
Another effect produced by this gross stupidity of ours is,
that those things which are perceived by the eyes have a
more powerful influence in producing faith than those which
can be received by faith alone. As he mentions the last day,
that limitation—and now is—is not again added, but he
simply declares that the time will one day arrive.

But another objection springs up; for though believers
expect the resurrection of bodies, yet they cannot rely on
their knowledge of it, so as to conclude that souls are now
rescued from death, because bodies will one day rise out of
the graves. And among ungodly men,' what would be reck-
oned more ridiculous than to prove a thing unknown (to use
a common phrase) by a thing less known? I reply, Christ
here boasts of his power over the reprobate, so as to testify
that the Father has committed to him the full restoration of
all things ; as if he had said, “ What I now tell you that I have
commenced, I will one day finish before your eyes.” And,
indeed, when Christ now, by the voice of his Gospel, quickens
souls which had been sunk in perdition, it is a sort of pre-

“Des contemptcurs de Dieu et incredules ;"—* with despisers of God
and unbelievers.”

Se te

ao

-

paration for the last resurrection. Again, as he includes the
whole human race, he immediately makes a distinction be-
tween the elect and the reprobate. This division shows that
the reprobate, as they are now summoned by the voice of
Christ to come to judgment, will also, by the same voice, be
drage¢ed and brought to appear at his tribunal.

But why does he mention those only who are shut up in
graves, as if others would not be partakers of the resurrection,
whether they have been drowned, or devoured by wild beasts,
or reduced to ashes? The answer is, that as the dead are
commonly buried, by the figure of speech called synecdoche,
he employs a part to denote all who are already dead. And
this is more emphatic than if he had said simply, the dead;
for those whom death already deprived of life and light the
grave withdraws, as it were, from the world.

Shall hear his voice. The voice of the Son means the sound
of the trumpet, which will sound at the command by the power
of Christ, (Matth. xxiv. 31; 1 Cor. xv. 52.) For though an
angel will be a herald or forerunner, (1 Thess. iv. 16,) this does

_not hinder what is done by the authority of the Judge, and as
it were in his own person, from being ascribed to himself.

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 209

29. And they who have done good. He points out believers
by good works, as he elsewhere teaches that a tree is known by
tts fruit, (Matth. vii. 16; Luke vi. 44.) He praises their good
works, to which they have begun to devote themselves since
they were called. For the robber, to whom Christ on the cross
(Luke xxiii. 42) promised life, and who had allhis life been given
up to crimes, expresses a desire to do good with his latest breath ;
but as he is born again a new man, and from being the slave of

) sin begins to be a servant of righteousness, the whole course of
| his past life is not taken into account before God. Besides,
the sins themselves, on account of which believers every day
subject themselves to condemrfation, are not imputed to them.
For without the pardon which God grants to those who be-
lieve in Him,! there never was a man in the world of whom
we can say that he has lived well; nor is there even a single

} “ Sans le pardon que Dicu fait a ses fideles.”

210 COMMENTARY ON THE

work that will be reckoned altogether good, unless God par-
don the sins which belong to it, for all are imperfect and cor-
rupted. Those persons, therefore, are here called doers of
good works whom Paul calls earnestly desirous or zealous of
them, (Tit. ii. 14.) But this estimate depends on the fatherly
kindness of God, who by free grace approves what deserved
to be rejected.

The inference which the Papists draw from those passages
—that eternal life is suspended on the merits of works—may
be refuted without any difficulty. For Christ does not now
treat of the cause of salvation, but merely distinguishes the
elect from the reprobate by their own mark ; and he does so
in order to invite and exhort his own people to a holy and
blameless life. And indeed we do not deny that the faith
which justifies us is accompanied by an earnest desire to
live well and righteously; but we only maintain that our
confidence cannot rest on any thing else than on the mercy
of God alone.

30. I can do nothing of myself; as I hear, I judge, and my judgment
is just ; because I seek no my own will, but the will of my Father who
sent me. 31. IfI testify concerning myself, my testimony is not true.
32. There is another who testifieth concerning me, and I know that the
testimony which he testifieth concerning me is true.

30. I can do nothing of myself. It would be superfluous
here to enter into abstruse reasonings, whether the Son of
God can do any thing of himself or otherwise, so far as relates
to his eternal Divinity; for he did not intend to keep our
minds employed about such trifles. Consequently there was
no reason why the ancients should have given themselves
so much anxiety and distress about refuting the calumny of
Arius. That scoundrel gave out that the Son is not equal to
the Father because he can do nothing of himself. The holy
men reply, that the Son justly, claims for himself all that can
be ascribed to the Father, from whom he takes his com-
mencement, with respect to his person. But, in the first
place, Christ does not speak of his Divinity simply, but warns
us that, so far as he is clothed with our flesh, we ought not
to judge of him from the outward appearance, because he has

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 211

something higher than man. Again, we ought to consider
with whom he has to deal. His intention was, to refute the
Jews who were endeavouring to contrast him with God. He
therefore affirms that he does nothing by human power, be-
cause he has for his guide and director God who dwells in
him.

We ought always to keep in remembrance that, whenever
Christ speaks concerning himself, he claims only that which
belongs to man; for he keeps his eye upon the Jews, who
erroneously said that he was merely one of the ordinary rank
of men. For the same reason, he ascribes to the Father
whatever is higher than man. The word judge belongs pro-
perly to doctrine, but is intended also to apply to the whole
of his administration, as if he had said, that he acts by the
Father’s direction in all things, that the Father's will is his rule,
and therefore that He will defend him against all adversaries.’

And my judgment is just. He concludes that his actions
and sayings are beyond the risk of blame, because he does
not allow himself to attempt anything but by the command
and direction of the Father; for it ought to be regarded as
beyond all controversy that whatever proceeds from God
must be right. This modesty ought to be held by us as the
first maxim of piety, to entertain such reverence for the word
and works of God, that the name of God would alone be
sufficient to prove their justice and rectitude ; but how few
are to be found who are ready to acknowledge that God is
just, unless they are compelled to do so! I acknowledge,
indeed, that God demonstrates his righteousness by experi-
ence; but to limit it to the perception of our flesh, so as to
have no opinion respecting it but what our own mind sug-
gests, is wicked and daring impiety. Let us, therefore, set
it down as certain and undoubted, that whatever is from
God is right and true, and that it is impossible for God not
to be true in all his words, just and right in all his actions.
We are likewise reminded that the only rule for acting well
is, to undertake nothing but by the direction and command-
ment of God. And if after this the whole world should rise

1 Tl sera son protecteur et garent contre tous adversaires.”

Ble COMMENTARY ON THE

against ‘us, we shall still have this invincible defence, that he
who follows God cannot go astray.

Because I seck not my own will. He does not here make
his own will and that of his Father to clash with each other,
as if they were contrary things, but only refutes the false
opinion which they entertained, that he was impelled by
human presumption rather than guided by the authority of
God. He affirms, therefore, that he has no disposition which
is peculiar to himself and separate from the command of the
Father.

31. If I testify concerning myself. He does not here take
any thing away from the credit due to his testimony, which
he elsewhere asserts in strong terms, but he speaks by way
of concession ; for Christ, having been in other respects most
abundantly supported, consents that they should not believe
his word. “If my testimony concerning myself,” says he,
“is suspected by you according to the ordinary custom of
men, let it go for nothing.” Now we know that what any
man asserts about himself is not reckoned to be true and
authentic, although in other respects he speak truth, because
no man is a competent witness in his own cause. Though it
would be unjust to reduce the Son of God to this rank, yet
he prefers to surrender his right, that he may convince his
enemies by the authority of God.

33. You sent to John, and he gave testimony to the truth. 84. But
I receive not testimony from man; but these things I say that you may
be saved. 35. He was a burning and shining lamp, and for a time you
were willing to amuse yourselves in his light. 36. But I have greater
testimony than that of John; for the works which my Father gave me to
perform, the very works which I do, testify concerning me that the Father
hath sent me.

33. You sent to John. Before producing the testimony of
God, he presses them with the answer of John, from which
they could not honourably withhold their belief. For of
what use was it to send to him, if they did not intend to
abide by his words? They send to him as a Prophet of God,
and thus they pretend that his word will be regarded by them
as an oracle. Now, though this implies another admission

a_i:

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 213

in their favour, still Christ openly brings against them this
charge, that nothing but their own malice! hinders them
from believing. And, therefore, we see that this circum-
stance is highly appropriate to the matter in hand, namely,
that they sent to John, and—as if their motive had been a
desire to learn—inquired at him who was the Messiah, and
yet paid no attention to his reply.

34, I receive not testimony from men. Yet it was not in
vain that God chose Christ to be a witness to him, and
Christ himself declares, on another occasion, that the disci-
ples will be his witnesses. You shall be witnesses to me, both in
Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the
uttermost part of the earth, (Acts i. 8.) I reply, Christ avails
himself of the testimony of John, not because he needs it, but
so far as it is advantageous to us to receive from it some con-
firmation. Men borrow testimony from one another, because
they cannot dispense with that assistance. The case is dif-
ferent with God and Christ. For if philosophers assert that
virtue has no need of foreign aid, what has man in himself to
_ lend support to the truth of God? And Christ immediately
adds, that he produces the Testimony of Johnon their account:
these things I say that you may be saved. By this statement he
means that it is not so much from a regard to himself as from
a desire to promote the advantage of men, that he raises up
the heralds of his Gospel by whom he testifies to us concern-
ing his will. In this we see also a striking proof of his won-
derful goodness, by which he regulates all things for our
salvation. It is therefore our duty, on the other hand, to

strive that the great care which he bestows in saving us may
not be fruitless.

35. He was a burning and shining lamp. When he calls
John a burning lamp, this proves their ingratitude; for it
follows that they are only blind, because they choose to be
80, since God kindled a lamp before their eyes. The mean-
ing of the words therefore is, “ God did not intend that you

' “Rien que leur propre malice.”

214 COMMENTARY ON THE

should go astray ; for he appointed John to be a damp, that
he might direct you by his brightness ; and, therefore, when
you do not acknowledge me to be the Son of God, this arises
from voluntary error.” This is followed by another reproach,
that not only did they shut their eyes, and thus obstruct the
entrance of the light which was offered to them, but they
intentionally abused it for the purpose of crushing Christ.
For when they were ready to applaud John beyond what he
justly deserved, this arose from a wicked and treacherous
design not to give way to the Son of God.

And you were willing to amuse yourselves in his light. ‘This
wicked abuse of the heavenly light Christ elegantly compares
to foolish mirth; as if the head of a family were to light a
lamp for his servants by night, that they might perform the
duties which he had enjoined on them, but they, instead of
doing so, employed it for debauchery and every kind of
licentiousness. By these words Christ accuses the Jews, and
at the same time conveys to all of us a warning that, when
God sends faithful teachers to guide us in the right way, we
should take care not to abuse them by wandering in every
direction. How useful this warning is, the experience of all
ages shows. God undertakes to direct men, throughout the
whole course of their life, to the final goal, and sends his
prophets to be their guides. Yet such is the madness of the
folly of men that, instead of walking, they prefer to indulge
in wanton dancing, without making any progress; so light
and unsteady are they that, despising and rejecting his con-
tinued guidance, they are hurried away by the sudden
impulses of their passions.

For a time, or, for an hour. By this term he reproves
them for their folly in thinking that wickedness of a transi-
tory nature and short duration can extinguish the light of
God. ‘Thus in our own day all those faithful teachers whom
God has given to his Church as burning lamps are applied by
the Papists to a contrary purpose; as if their intention were,
by looking at the light, to dazzle their eyes. And not only
do they abuse the lamps for extinguishing the light of God,
but they often indulge in foolish gaiety amidst the darkness,
as when they rise against the pure doctrine of the Gospel, and

——rr

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 215

glory in the foolish sayings of their noisy declaimers. But
what Christ here asserts concerning John, Paul declares to
be common to all believers, because, having the word of life,
they ought to give light to the world, like torches. But
Christ shows that it belongs strictly to the Apostles and
ministers of the Gospel to go before others and hold out the
torch to guide them ;! for though we are all blind, and in the
midst of darkness, God shines upon us by the light of his
word. But here he peculiarly adorns John the Baptist with
this honourable designation, because by his ministry God
shone on his Church with much greater brightness.

36. But I have greater testimony than that of John. After
haying showed that, in the person of John, the Jews had
wickedly corrupted the gift of God, he now repeats a second
time what he had said, that he has no need of the testimony
of man, as if he had not enough of himself; although, per-
ceiving that they held his person in contempt, he sent them
to his Father, according to his custom.

For the works which the Father hath given me to do. He
holds out to view two things, by which he was proved to be
the Son of God. “ My Father,” says he, “ attests by miracles
that I am his Son; and before I came into the world, he
gave abundant testimony to me in the sacred writings.” Let
us always remember what object he has in view. He wishes
to be recognized as the Messiah promised by God, that he
may be heard, and, therefore, he maintains that he is now
manifested to be such a person as Scripture describes him.
It may be asked, Are miracles sufficient to prove this; for
similar miracles had been already performed by the Prophets ?
I reply, those miracles which God performed by the agency
of the Prophets did not go beyond the purpose for which
they were intended, namely, to show that they were the
ministers of God, because they could in no other way obtain
the authority due to their office. But God intended to ex-
alt his Son more highly, and this purpose of God ought to
be regarded by us as the design of miracles. Therefore, if

1 “ Pource qu’ils marchent les premiers, portans le flambe au devant
les autres pour les guider.”

216 COMMENTARY ON THE

the Jews had not been prejudiced by malice and voluntarily
shut their eyes, Christ might easily have proved to them by
his miracles who and what he was.

37. And the Father who hath sent me, himself hath testified concerning
me; you have never heard his voice, or seen his shape. 88. And you
have not his word abiding in you; for whom he hath sent, him you be-
lieve not. 39. Search the Scriptures ; for you think that you have eternal
life in them: and they are they which testify concerning me. 40. And
you will not come to me, that you may have life.

37. And the Father who hath sent me. To limit this state-
ment, as some have done,' to the voice which was heard at
his baptism, (Matth. i. 17,) is a mistake ; for he says in the
past tense, that the Father (wzwagrienze) testified, in order to
show that he did not come forward as an unknown person,
because the Father had long ago distinguished him by such
peculiar marks that, bringing them along with him, he might
be recognized. I,explain, therefore, that God testified con-
cerning his Son, whenever in past times he held out to the
ancient people the hope of salvation, or promised that the
kingdom of Israel would be fully restored. In this manner
the Jews must have formed an idea of Christ from the Pro-
phets, before he was manifested in the flesh. When having
him before their eyes, they despise and therefore reject him,
they show plainly that they have no relish for the Law, with
which Christ also reproaches them; and yet they boasted of
their knowledge of the Law, as if they had been brought up
in the bosom of God.

You have never heard his voice. After having complained
that they do not receive him, Christ breaks out in still more
severe language against their blindness. When he says that
they had never heard the voice of God, or seen his shape, these
are metaphorical expressions, by which he intends to state
generally that they are utterly estranged from the knowledge
of God. For as men are made known by the countenance
and speech, so God utters his voice to us by the voice of the
Prophets, and, in the sacraments, takes, as it were, a visible
form, from which he may be known by us according to our

1 Aucuns s’abusent.”

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 217

feeble capacity. But he who does not recognize God in his
lively image, plainly shows by this very fact that he worships
no Deity but what he has himself contrived. For this rea-
son Paul says, that the Jews had a vail placed before their
eyes, that they might not perceive the glory of God in the
face of Christ, (2 Cor. iii. 14.)

38. And you have not his word abiding in you. This is the
true way of profiting, when the word of God takes root in us,
so that, being impressed on our hearts, it has its fixed abode
there. Christ affirms that the heavenly doctrine has no place
among the Jews, because they do not receive the Son of
God, on whom it everywhere bestows commendation. And
justly does he bring this reproach against them; for it was
not in vain that God spake by Moses and the Prophets.
Moses had no other intention than to invite all men to go
straight to Christ; and hence it is evident that they who
reject Christ are not the disciples of Moses. Besides, how
ean that man have the word of life abiding in him who drives
from him the life itself? How can that man keep the doc-
_trine of the Law who destroys the soul of the Law, as far as
lies in his power? For the Law without Christ is empty
and has no solidity. Just in proportion, therefore, as any
man knows Christ, is the proficiency which he has made in
the word of God.

39. Search the Scriptures. We have said that the statement
which Christ formerly made—that he has the Father for a
witness in heaven—refers to Moses and the Prophets. Now
follows a clearer explanation; for he says that that testimony
is to be found in the Scriptures. He again reproves them for
their foolish boasting, because, while they acknowledged that
they had life in the Scriptures, they perceived nothing in them
but the dead letter. For he does not absolutely blame them
for seeking life in the Scriptures, since they were given to us
for that end and use, but because the Jews thought that the
Scriptures gave them life, while they were widely opposed to
its natural meaning, and—what is worse—while they quenched
the light of Zife which was contained in them; for how can

VOL. I. Oo

218 COMMENTARY ON THE

the Law bestow life without Christ, who alone gives life to
it?

Again, we are taught by this. passage, that if we wish to
obtain the knowledge of Christ,| we must seek it from the
Scriptures ; for they who imagine whatever they choose con-
cerning Christ will ultimately have nothing instead of him
but a shadowy phantom. First, then, we ought to believe
that Christ cannot be properly known in any other way than
from the Scriptures ; and if it be so, it follows that we ought
to read the Scriptures with the express design of finding
Christ in them. Whoever shall turn aside from this object,
though he may weary himself throughout his whole life in
learning, will never attain the knowledge of the truth; for what
wisdom can we have without the wisdom of God? Next, as
we are commanded to seek Christ in the Scriptures, so he
declares in this passage that our labours shall not be fruitless ;
for the Father testifies in them concerning his Son in such a
manner that He will manifest him to us beyond all doubt.
But what hinders the greater part of men from profiting is,
that they give to the subject nothing more than a superficial
and cursory glance. Yet it requires the utmost attention,
and, therefore, Christ enjoins us to search diligently for this
hidden treasure. Consequently, the deep abhorrence of Christ
which is entertained by the Jews, who have the Law con-
stantly in their hands, must be imputed to their indolence.
For the lustre of the glory of God shines brightly in Moses,
but they choose to have a vail to obscure that lustre. By
the Scriptures, it is well known, is here meant the Old Testa-
ment; for it was not in the Gospel that Christ first began to
be manifested, but, having received testimony from the Law
and the Prophets, he was openly exhibited in the Gospel.

40. And you will not come to me. He again reproaches
them that it is nothing but their own malice that hinders
them from becoming partakers of the life offered in the
Scriptures ; for when he says that they will not, he imputes
the cause of their ignorance and blindness to wickedness and

1 “Si nous voulons avoir cognoissance de Christ.”

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 219

obstinacy. And, indeed, since he offered himself to them so
graciously, they must have been wilfully blind; but when
they intentionally fled from the light, and even desired to
extinguish the sun by the darkness of their unbelief, Christ
justly reproves them with greater severity.

41. Treceive not glory from men. 42. But I know you, that you have
not the love of God in you. 43. I come in the name of my Father, and
you do not receive me; if another come in his own name, him you will
receive. 44. How can you believe, who receive glory from each other,
and seek not the glory which cometh from God alone? 45. Think not
that I shall accuse you to the Father ; it is Moses in whom you trust, that
accuseth you. 46. For if you believed Moses, you would also believe me ;
for he wrote concerning me 47. But if you do not believe his writings,
how shall you believe my words?

41. Treceive not glory from men. He proceeds in his re-
proof; but that he may not be suspected of pleading his own
eause, he begins by saying that he does not care for the glory
of men, and that it gives him no concern or uneasiness to see
himself despised ; and, indeed, he is too great to depend on the
opinions of men, for the malignity of the whole world can
take nothing from him, or make the slightest infrmgement on
his high rank. He is so eager to refute their calumny that
he exalts himself above men. Afterwards, he enters freely
into invectives against them, and charges them with contempt
and hatred of God. And though, in regard to honourable
rank, there is an immense distance between Christ and us,
still we ought boldly to despise the opinions of men. We
ought, at least, to guard most zealously against being excited
to anger, when we are despised; but, on the contrary, let us
learn never to kindle into indignation, except when men do
not render to God the honour due to Him. Let our souls
be burned and tortured by this holy jealousy, whenever we
see that the world is so ungrateful as to reject God.

42. That you have not the love of God in you. The love of
God is here put for all religious feelings; for no man can love
God without beholding him with admiration and submitting
entirely to his authority; as, on the other hand, when the
love of God does not prevail, there can be no desire to obey
him. That is the reason why Moses gives this as the sum-

220 COMMENTARY ON THE

mary or recapitulation (dvaxeparaiwos) of the Law: thou shalt
love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul,
and with all thy might, (Deut. vi. 5.)

43. I have come in my Father's name. The false prophets
do indeed boast of this title, as the Pope, in the present day,
boasts with open mouth that he is Christ’s Deputy or Vicar ;
and under this very disguise has Satan deceived wretched
men from the beginning. But Christ here means the reality,
and not a hypocritical pretence; for when he testifies that he
has come zn his Father's name, he means not only that the
Father has sent him, but that he faithfully executes the com-
mission which he has received. By this mark he distinguishes
the lawful teachers of the Church from spurious and pretended
teachers. This passage, therefore, teaches that we ought
boldly to reject all who exalt themselves, and, in their own
name, claim authority over souls; for he who is desirous to
be reckoned a servant of God ought to have nothing separate
from God. Now, if the whole doctrine of the Pope be ex-
amined, even the blind will see that he has come in his own
name.?

If another come in his own name, him you will receive. That
the Jews do not love God, and have no reverence for him,
Christ proves by this argument, that they will eagerly receive
the false prophets, while they refuse to obey God; for he
takes for granted, that it is a sign of a wicked and ungodly
mind, when men disregard truth and willingly assent to false-
hoods. If it be objected that this is generally done rather
through ignorance than through malice, the answer is easy.
No man is exposed to the impostures of Satan, except so far
as, through some wicked disposition, he prefers falsehood to
truth. For how comes it that we are deaf when God speaks,”
and that Satan finds us ready and active, but because we are
averse to righteousness, and of our own accord desire iniquity ?
Though it ought to be observed that here Christ speaks

1 In transposing the two portions of the exposition of this verse, I
have followed the French version of our Author, who, having observed
that his observations on the first clause of this verse were placed last, re-

stored the clauses to their natural order.—Ed.
2 “ Que nous sommes sourds quand Dieu parle.”

—

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 221

chiefly of those whom God peculiarly enlightened, as he be-
stowed on the Jews this privilege, that, having been instructed
in his Law, they might keep the right way of salvation. It
is certain that such persons lend an ear to false teachers for
no other reason than because they wish to be deceived. Ac-
cordingly, Moses says that, when false prophets arise, this is
intended to prove and try the people ¢f they love the Lord their
God, (Deut. xiii. 3.) In many persons, no doubt, there
appears to be an innocent and guileless simplicity,’ but their
eyes are undoubtedly blinded by the hypocrisy which lurks
within their minds. For it is certain that God never shuts
the door to those who knock, (Matth. vii. 8,) never disap-
points those who sincerely pray to him, (Isa. xlv. 19.) Justly,
therefore, does Paul ascribe it to the vengeance of God, when
the power of deceiving is given to Satan, that they who have
rejected the truth, and taken pleasure in unrighteousness, may
believe a lie, and says that they perish who did not receive the
love of the truth, that they might be saved, (2 Thess. ii. 9, 12.)
In this manner is discovered the hypocrisy of many who,
devoted to the impostures and wicked superstitions of the

_ Pope, burn with envenomed rage against the Gospel; for if

they had hearts disposed to the fear of God, that fear would
likewise produce obedience.

44, How can you believe? As it might be thought harsh
to say that those who were from their childhood the trained
disciples of the Law and the Prophets, should be charged
with such gross ignorance and declared to be enemies of the
truth, and as this might even be thought to be incredible,
Christ shows what it is that hinders them from believing. It
is because ambition has deprived them of sound judgment;
for he speaks, in a peculiar manner, to the priests and scribes,
who, swelled with pride, could not obey God. This is a re-
markable passage, which teaches that the gate of faith is shut
against all whose hearts are preoccupied by a vain desire of
earthly glory. For he who wishes to be somebody in the
world must become wandering and unsteady, so that he will

1 * Une simplicité innocente et sans malice.

222 COMMENTARY ON THE

have no inclination towards God. Never is a man prepared
to obey the heavenly doctrine, until he is convinced that his
principal object, throughout his whole life, ought to be, that
he may be approved by God.

But it may be thought that the wicked confidence, by
which hypocrites exalt themselves in the presence of God, is
a greater obstacle than worldly ambition; and we know that
this was also a disease with which the scribes were deeply
infected. The answer is easy ; for Christ intended to tear from
them the false mask of sanctity, by which they deceived the
ignorant multitude. He therefore points, as with the finger,
to the grosser vice, by which it may be made manifest to all
that nothing is farther from their true character than what
they wished to be reckoned. Besides, though hypocrisy
exalts itself against God, still, in the world and before men,
it is always ambitious ; nay, more, it is this vanity alone that
swells us with false presumption, when we rely more on our
own judgment, and that of others, than on the judgment of
God. He who in reality presents himself before God as his
Judge, must, of necessity, fall down humbled and dismayed,
and finding nothing in himself on which he can place reliance.’
So, then, in order that any man may seek glory from God
alone, he must be overwhelmed with shame, and flee to the
undeserved mercy of God. And, indeed, they who look to
God see that they are condemned and ruined, and that no-
thing is left to them in which they can glory but the grace
of Christ. The desire of such glory will always be attended
by humility.

So far as relates to the present passage, Christ’s meaning
is, that there is no other way in which men can be prepared
for receiving the doctrine of the Gospel, than by withdrawing
all their senses from the world, and turning them to God
alone, and seriously considering that it is with God that they
have to do, that, forgetting the flatteries by which they are
accustomed to deceive themselves, they may descend into
their own consciences. We need not wonder, therefore, if
the Gospel in the present day find so few persons willing to

'« Et ne sentant rien en soy-mesme sur quoy il se puisse appuyer.”

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 223

be taught, since all are carried away by ambition. Nor need
we wonder if many apostatize from the profession of the
Gospel, for they are hurried away by their own vanity and
fly off. So much the more earnestly ought we to seek this
one thing, that, while we are mean and despised in the eyes
of the world, and even overwhelmed within ourselves, we
may be reckoned among the children of God.

45. Think not that I shall accuse you to the Father. This is
the way in which we ought to deal with obstinate and hard-
ened persons, when they learn nothing by instruction and
friendly warnings. They must be summoned to the judg-
ment-seat of God. There are few persons, indeed, who
openly mock God, but there are very many who, believing
that God, whom they oppose as enemies, is gracious to them,
amuse themselves at their ease with empty flatteries. Thus,
in the present day, our Giants,! though they wickedly trample
under foot the whole doctrine of Christ, haughtily plume
themselves on being the intimate friends of God. For who
will persuade the Papists that Christianity exists anywhere
else than among them? Such were the scribes, with whom
Christ is here disputing. Though they were the greatest
despisers of the Law, yet they boasted of Moses in lofty
terms, so that they did not hesitate to make use of him as a
shield in opposing Christ. If he had threatened that he
would be a powerful and formidable adversary to them, he
knew that this would have been treated with the utmost

1 The wars of the Giants held a conspicuous place in the ancient mytho-
logy, and in the popular belief. Not to mention the poets, whose imagi-
nations were kindled by such topics, they are formally introduced by
Cicero, in a philosophical treatise, though only for the purpose of instruct-
ing his readers to “ despise and reject these fables.” ‘‘ The gods,” says
he, “as the fables relate, were not without wars and battles ; and that not
only as in those described by Homer, when some of the gods were ranged
on the one side, and some on the other side, of two opposing armies ;_ but
even, as in the case of the Titans and Giants, they carried on their own
battles. Such things (he adds) are said, and are very foolishly believed,
and are full of absurdity and downright silliness."—(De Nat. Deorum,
lib. ii.) The daring presumption and utter discomfiture of the Giants, in
their fabulous wars, are sometimes alluded to by Calvin, and other Chris-
tian writers, in describing the wickedness and folly of man, who stretcheth
out his hand against God, and strengtheneth himself against the Almighty,
(Job xv. 25.)—Ed.

224. - COMMENTARY ON THE

contempt ; and, therefore, he threatens that an accusation,
drawn up by Moses, will be preferred against them.

Moses, in whom you trust. ‘There are some who think, that
Christ here points out the distinction between his own office
and that of Moses, because it belongs to the Law to convict
men of being unbelievers. ut this is a mistake; for Christ
did not intend that, but only intended to shake off the con-
fidence of hypocrites, who falsely boasted of entertaining
reverence for Moses ; just as if a person in the present day,
in order to foil the Papists with their own weapon,! were to
say, that they will find no enemies more decidedly opposed
to them than the holy doctors of the Church, under whose
authority they falsely and wickedly take shelter.? Let us
also learn from it, that we ought not to glory in the Scrip-
tures without a good reason; for if we do not honour the Son
of God by the true obedience of faith, all whom God hath
raised up to be his witnesses will rise up against us as
accusers at the last day. When he says, that they ¢rust in
Moses, he does not accuse them of superstition, as if they
ascribed to Moses the cause of their salvation; but his mean-
ing is, that they do wrong in relying on the protection of
Moses, as if they had him to defend their wicked obstinacy.

46. For if you believed Moses, you would also believe me. He
shows why Moses will be their aceuser. It is because they
do not reject his doctrine. We know that it is impossible to
offer a greater insult to the servants of God than when their
doctrine is despised or reproached. Besides, those whom the
Lord has appointed to be ministers of his word, ought to be
ready to defend it against despisers;* and therefore, he gave
to all his prophets a twofold commission, that they might
teach and instruct for the salvation of believers, and that, one
day, they might confound the reprobate by their testimony.

Lor he wrote concerning me. When Christ says, that Moses
wrote concerning him, this needs no long proof with those who
acknowledge that Christ is the end and soul of the Law.

1‘¢ Pour rembarrer les Papistes de leur baston mesme.”
2 Tu titre desquels ils se couvrent faussement et meschamment.”
3 ** Contre contempteurs.”

se

GOSPEL ACCORDING 'TO JOHN. 225

But if any person be not satisfied with this, and desire to
have the passages pointed out to him, I would advise him,
first, to read carefully the Epistle to the Hebrews, with which
also agrees Stephen’s sermon, in the seventh chapter of the
Acts of the Apostles; and, next, to observe the quotations
which Paul applies to his purpose. I acknowledge, indeed,
that there are few in which Moses expressly mentions Christ;
but what was the use of the tabernacle, and sacrifices, and
all the ceremonies, but to be figures drawn in conformity to
that first pattern which was showed to him in the mountain?
(Exod. xxv. 40; Heb. viii. 5.) Thus, without Christ, the
whole ministry of Christ vanishes. Again, we see how he
continually reminds the people of the covenant of the Fathers
which had been ratified in Christ, and even how he makes
Christ to be the principal subject and foundation of the cove-
nant. Nor was this unknown to the holy Fathers, who had
always their eyes fixed on the Mediator. To treat the subject
more largely, would be inconsistent with the brevity at which
I aim.

47. But if you do not believe his writings. Christ appears
here to claim less authority for himself than for Moses; and
yet we know that heaven and earth have been shaken by the
voice of the Gospel, (Heb. xii. 26.) But Christ accommo-
dates his discourse to those to whom he speaks; for the
authority of the Law was, beyond all controversy, held sacred
among the Jews; and thus it was impossible that Christ
should be inferior to Moses. To the same purpose is the
contrast between writings and words; for he shows their un-
belief to be more aggravated, because the truth of God,
recorded in an authentic form, has no authority with them.

226 COMMENTARY ON THE

CHAPTER VI.

1. Afterwards, Jesus went across the sea of Galilee, which is called (the
sea) of Tiberias. 2. And a great multitude followed him, because they
had seen his miracles, which he performed on those who were diseased.
3. And Jesus went up into a mountain, and there sat down with his dis-
ciples. 4. And the passover, a feast of the Jews, was at hand. 5. Jesus
therefore, lifting up his eyes, and seeing that a great multitude came to
him, saith to Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that those men may eat?
6. (Now he said this, trying him; for he himself knew what he would do.)
7. Philip answered him, Two hundred denarii of bread is not sufli-
cient for them, that each of them may take a little. 8. One of his disci-
ples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, saith to him, 9. There is here a
boy, who hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes; but what are these
among so many? 10. And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. (Now
there was much grass in that place.) The men therefore sat down, in
number about five thousand. 11. And Jesus took the loaves, and, having
given thanks, distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those
who had sat down, and likewise of the fishes, as much as they wished. 12.
And after they were satisfied, he said to his disciples, Gather the fragments
which are left, that nothing may be lost. 13. They therefore gathered,
and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five loaves which were
left by those who had eaten.

1. Afterwards, Jesus went. Although John was accustomed
to collect those actions and sayings of Christ, which the other
three Evangelists had omitted, yet in this passage, contrary to
his custom, he repeats the history of a miracle which they had
related. But he does so for the express purpose of passing
from them to Christ’s sermon, which was delivered next day
at Capernaum, because the two things were connected; and
therefore this narrative, though the other three Evangelists
have it in common with him, has this peculiarity, that it is
directed to another object, as we shall see. The other Evangel-
ists (Matth. xiv. 138; Mark vi. 32; Luke ix. 10) state that
this happened shortly after the death of John the Baptist,
oy which circumstance of time they point out the cause of
Christ’s departure; for when tyrants have once imbrued
their hands in the blood of the godly, they kindle into greater
cruelty, in the same manner as intemperate drinking aggra-
vates the thirst of drunkards. Christ therefore intended to
abate the rage of Herod by his absence. He uses the term,

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 227

Sea of Galilee, as meaning the lake of Gennesareth. When
he adds that it was called the Sea of Tiberias, he explains
more fully the place to which Christ withdrew ; for the whole
lake did not bear that name, but only that part of it which
lay contiguous to the bank on which Tvberias was situated.

2. And a great multitude followed him. So great ardour in
following Christ arose from this, that, having beheld his power
in miracles, they were convinced that he was some great
prophet, and that he had been sent by God. But the Evan-
gelist here omits what the other three relate, that Christ
employed a part of the day in teaching and in healing the
sick, and that, when the sun was setting, his disciples re-
quested him to send away the multitudes, (Matth. xiv. 13, 14;
Mark vi. 34, 35; Luke ix. 11, 12;) for he reckoned it
enough to give the substance of it in a few words, that he
might take this opportunity of leading us on to the remaining
statements which immediately follow.

Here we see, in the first place, how eager was the desire
of the people to hear Christ, since all of them, forgetting
_ themselves, take no concern about spending the night zn a
desert place. So much the less excusable is our indifference,
or rather our sloth, when we are so far from preferring the
heavenly doctrine to the gnawings of hunger, that the
slightest interruptions immediately lead us away from medi-
tation on the heavenly life. Very rarely does it happen that
Christ finds us free and disengaged from the entanglements
of the world. So far is every one of us from being ready to
follow him to a desert mountain, that scarcely one in ten can
endure to receive him, when he presents himself at home in
the midst of comforts. And though this disease prevails
nearly throughout the whole world, yet it is certain that no
man will be fit for the kingdom of God until, laying aside
such delicacy, he learn to desire the food of the soul so ear-
nestly that his belly shall not hinder him.

But as the flesh solicits us to attend to its conveniences,
we ought likewise to observe that Christ, of his own accord,
takes care of those who neglect themselves in order to follow

228 COMMENTARY ON THE

him.) For he does not wait till they are famished, and ery
out that they are perishing of hunger, and have nothing to
eat, but he provides food for them before they have asked it.
We shall perhaps be told that this does not always happen,
for we often see that godly persons, though they have been
entirely devoted to the kingdom of God, are exhausted and
almost fainting with hunger. I reply, though Christ is pleased
to try our faith and patience in this manner, yet from hea-
ven he beholds our wants, and is careful to relieve them, as
far as is necessary for our welfare; and when assistance is
not immediately granted, it is done for the best reason, though
that reason is concealed from us.

3. Jesus therefore went up into a mountain. Christ unques-
tionably sought a place of retirement till the feast of the Pass-
over; and therefore it is said that he sat down on a mountain
with his disciples. Such was undoubtedly the purpose which
he formed as man; but the purpose of God was different,
which he willingly obeyed. Although, therefore, he avoided
the sight of men, yet he permits himself to be led by the
hand of God as into a crowded theatre; for there was a
larger assembly of men 2 a desert mountain than in any popu-
lous city, and greater celebrity arose from the miracle than
if it had happened in the open market-place of Tiberias. We
are therefore taught by this example to form our plans in
conformity to the course of events, but in such a manner that,
if the result be different from what we expected, we may
not be displeased that God is above us, and regulates every-
thing according to his pleasure.

5. He saith to Philip. What we here read as having been
said to Philip alone, the other Evangelists tell us, was said to
all. But there is no inconsistency in this; for it is probable
that Philip spoke according to the opinion entertained by all,
and, therefore, Christ replies to him in particular; just as
John, immediately afterwards, introduces Andrew as speak-

t « Pour le suyvre.”

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 229

ing, where the other Evangelists attribute the discourse to
all alike. Perceiving that they have no conception of an
extraordinary remedy, he then arouses their minds, which
may be said to be asleep, so that they may, at least, have
their eyes open to behold what shall be immediately exhibited
to them. The design of all that is alleged by the disciples
is, to persuade Christ not to detain the people; and, perhaps,
in this respect they consult their private advantage, that a
part of the inconvenience may not fall upon themselves.
Accordingly, Christ disregards their objections, and proceeds
in his design.

7. Two hundred denarii. As the denarius, according to the
computation of Budeus, is equal to four times the value of
a carolus and two deniers of Tours, this sum amounts to
thirty-five francs, or thereby.’ If you divide this sum among
five thousand men, each hundred of them will have less than
seventeenpence sterling? If we now add about a thousand of
women and children, it will be found that Philip allots to each
person about the sixth part of an English penny,’ ¢o buy a

_ little bread. But, as usually happens in a great crowd, he

probably thought that there was a greater number of people
present ; and as the disciples were poor and ill supplied with
money, Andrew intended to alarm Christ by the greatness of

1 The value of the old French coins passed through so many changes,
that all reasoning about them must be involved in uncertainty; but, so
far as we have been able to ascertain, the value of a carolus of Tours, in
Catyin’s time, was nearly that of a penny sterling, and the denier was
the tenth part of it, or nearly a modern centime of Paris. ‘‘ Four times
the carolus, with two deniers,” would thus be 44 pence sterling, and, mul-
tiplying that by 200, we have three pounds, ten shillings. Again, taking
the franc (as Cotgrave rates it) at two shillings, 35 francs are also equal
to three pounds, ten shillings. ‘This is, at least, a curious coincidence, and
the reader may compare it with a computation made from the livre Parisis,
(Harmony, vol. ii. p. 234, n. 2.) It would appear, however, that Bupaus
and Caryn had estimated the denarius at little more than half its real
value, which was sevenpence halfpenny sterling, taking silver at five shil-
lings per ounce; so that two hundred denarii would be equal to six pounds,
five shillings sterling.—Ed.

2 “* Quatorze (fourteen) sols Tournois.” According to Cotgrave, the
** sol Tournois is the tenth part of our shilling, or one part in six better
than our penny.”’—Ed.

3 ¢ Sesquituronicum ;”—‘‘ un denier Tournois et maille ;”—‘‘ one and
a half denier of Tours.”

230 COMMENTARY ON THE

the sum, meaning that they were not wealthy enough to
entertain so many people.

10. Make the men sit down. That the disciples were not
sooner prepared to cherish the hope which their Master held
out, and did not remember to ascribe to his power all that
was proper, was a degree of stupidity worthy of blame; but
no small praise is due to their cheerful obedience in now
complying with his injunction, though they know not what
is his intention, or what advantage they will derive from
what they are doing. The same readiness to obey is mani-
fested by the people ; for, while they are uncertain about the
result, they all sit down as soon as a single word of command
has been pronounced. And this is the trial of true faith,
when God commands men to walk, as it were, in darkness.
For this purpose let us learn not to be wise in ourselves, but,
amidst great confusion, still to hope for a prosperous issue,
when we follow the guidance of God, who never disappoints
his own people.

11. After having given thanks. Christ has oftener than
once instructed us by his example that, whenever we take
food, we ought to begin with prayer. For those things
which God has appointed for our use, being evidences of his
infinite goodness and fatherly love towards us, call on us to
offer praise to Him; and thanksgiving, as Paul informs us, is
a kind of solemn sanctification, by means of which the use of
them begins to be pure to us, (1 Tim. iv. 4.) Hence it
follows, that they who swallow them down without thinking
of God, are guilty of sacrilege, and of profaning the gifts of
God. And this instruction is the more worthy of attention,
because we daily see a great part of the world feeding them-
selves like brute beasts. When Christ determined that the
bread given to the disciples should grow among their hands,
we are taught by it that God blesses our labour when we are
serviceable to each other.

Let us nowsum up the meaning of the whole miracle. It has
this in common with the other miracles, that Christ displayed
in it his Divine power in union with beneficence. It is alsoa

a

confirmation to us of that statement by which he exhorts us
to seek the kingdom of God, promising that all other things shall
be added to us, (Matth. vi. 33.) For if he took care of those
who were led to him only by a sudden impulse, how would
he desert us, if we seek him with a firm and steady purpose ?
True, indeed, he will sometimes allow his own people, as I
have said, to suffer hunger; but he will never deprive them
of his aid; and, in the meantime, he has very good reasons
for not assisting us till matters come to an extremity.
Besides, Christ plainly showed that he not only bestows
spiritual life on the world, but that his Father commanded
him also to nourish the body. For abundance of all blessings
is committed to his hand, that, as a channel, he may convey
them to us; though I speak incorrectly by calling him a
channel, for he is rather the living fountain flowing from the
eternal Father. Accordingly, Paul prays that all blessings
may come to us from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus
Christ, in common, (1 Cor. i. 3;) and, in another passage, he
shows that in all things we ought to give thanks to God the
Father, through our Lord Jesus Christ, (Eph. v. 20.) And
not only does this office belong to his eternal Divinity, but
even in his human nature, and so far as he has taken upon
him our flesh,! the Father has appointed him to be the dis-
penser, that by his hands he may feed us. Now, though we
do not every day see miracles before our eyes, yet not less
bountifully does God display his power in feeding us. And
indeed we do not read that, when he wished to give a supper
to his people, he used any new means; and, therefore, it
would be an inconsiderate prayer, if any one were to ask that
meat and drink might be given to him by some -unusual
method.

Again, Christ did not provide great delicacies for the
people, but they who saw his amazing power displayed in that
supper, were obliged to rest satisfied with barley-bread and
fish without sauce.? And though he does not now satisfy
Jive thousand men with five loaves, still he does not cease to feed

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 231

1 “*Mesme en son humanité, et entant qu'il a pris nostre chair.”
2 *« De poissons sans sausse.”’

232 COMMENTARY ON THE

the whole world in a wonderful manner. It sounds to us, no
doubt, like a paradox, that man liveth not by bread alone, but
by the word which proceedeth out of the mouth of God, (Deut.
vill. 3.) For we are so strongly attached to outward means,
that nothing is more difficult than to depend on the provi-
dence of God. Hence it arises that we tremble so much, as
soon as we have not bread at hand. And if we consider
every thing aright, we shall be compelled to discern the
blessing of God in all the creatures which serve for our
bodily support ;1 but use and frequency lead us to undervalue
the miracles of nature. And yet, in this respect, it is not so
much our stupidity as our malignity that hinders us; for
where is the man to be found who does not choose to
wander astray in his mind, and to encompass heaven and
earth a hundred times, rather than look at God who presents
himself to his view ?

13. And filled twelve baskets. When four thousand men were
fed by seven loaves, Matthew relates that the number of baskets
filled with fragments was exactly the same with the number
of the loaves, (Matth. xv. 37.) Since, therefore, a smaller
quantity is sufficient for a greater number of men, and since
the quantity left is nearly double, hence we see more clearly
of what value is that blessing of God, against the sight of
which we deliberately shut our eyes. We ought also to
observe, in passing, that though Christ commands them to
fill the baskets for illustrating the miracle, yet he likewise
exhorts his disciples to frugality, when he says, Gather the
fragments which are left, that nothing may be lost; for the
increase of the bounty of God ought not to be an excitement
to luxury. Let those, therefore, who have abundance, remem-
ber that they will one day render an account of their immo-
derate wealth, if they do not carefully and faithfully apply
their superfluity to purposes which are good, and of which
God approves.

14. Those men, therefore, when they saw the miracle which Jesus had
performed, said, This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world

1 «En toutes creatures qui servent 4 nostre nouriture.”

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 233

15. And when Jesus knew that they would come and take him by force, to
make him aking, he again withdrew alone into a mountain. 16. And when
it was evening, his disciples went down to the sea. 17. And having
entered into a ship, they came across the sea into Capernaum ; and it
was now dark, and Jesus had not come to them. 18. And the sea arose
by means of a great wind that blew. 19. When therefore they had rowed
about five-and-twenty or thirty furlongs, they see Jesus walking on the
sea; and when he approached the ship,! they were terrified. 20. But he
saith to them, It is I, be not terrified. 21. They were willing, therefore,
to receive him into the ship ; and immediately the ship reached the place
to which they were going.

14. Those men, therefore. The miracle appears to have
been attended by some advantage, that they acknowledge
the author of it to be the Messiah ; for Christ had no other
object in view. But immediately they apply to a different
and improper purpose the knowledge which they have ob-
tained concerning Christ. And it is a fault extremely com-
mon among men, to corrupt and pervert his truth by their
falsehoods, as soon as he has revealed himself to them; and
even when they appear to have entered into the right path,
they immediately fall away.

15. To make him a king. When those men intended to
give to Christ the title and honour of king, there was some
ground for what they did. But they erred egregiously in
taking upon themselves the liberty of making a hing; for
Scripture ascribes this as peculiar to God alone, as it is said,
I have appointed my hing on my holy hill of Zion, (Ps. ii. 6.)
Again, what sort of kingdom do they contrive for him? An
earthly one, which is utterly inconsistent with his person.
Hence let us learn how dangerous it is, in the things of God,
to neglect His word, and to contrive anything of our own
opinion ; for there is nothing which the foolish subtlety of
our understanding does not corrupt. And what avails the
pretence of zeal, when by our disorderly worship we offer a
greater insult to God than if a person were expressly and
deliberately to make an attack on his glory?

We know how furious were the efforts of adversaries to

a be Ils voyent Jesus cheminant sur la mer, s’approchant de la nasselle,
dont ils eurent peur.”—‘‘ They see Jesus walking on the sea, and approach-
ing the ship, at which they were afraid.”

VOL. I. P

234 COMMENTARY ON THE

extinguish the glory of Christ. That violence, indeed,
reached its extreme point when he was crucified. But by
means of his crucifixion salvation was obtained for the world,!
and Christ himself obtained a splendid triumph over death
and Satan. If he had permitted himself to be now made a
king, his spiritual kingdom would have been ruined, the
Gospel would have been stamped with everlasting infamy,
and the hope of salvation would have been utterly destroyed.
Modes of worship regulated according to our own fancy, and
honours rashly contrived by men, have no other advantage
than this, that they rob God of his true honour, and pour
upon him nothing but reproach.

And take him by force. We must also observe the phrase,
take by force. They wished to take Christ by force, the Evan-
gelist says; that is, with impetuous violence they wished to
make him a king, though against his will. If we desire,
therefore, that he should approve of the honour which we
confer upon him, we ought always to consider what he re-
quires. And, indeed, they who venture to offer to God hon-
ours invented by themselves are chargeable with using some
sort of force and violence towards him; for obedience is the
foundation of true worship. Let us also learn from it with
what reverence we cught to abide by the pure and simple
word of God; for as soon as we turn aside in the smallest
degree, the truth is poisoned by our leaven, so that it is no
longer like itself. They learned from the word of God that
he who was promised to be the Redeemer would be a hing;
but out of their own head they contrive an earthly kingdom,
and they assign to him a kingdom contrary to the word of
God. Thus, whenever we mix up our own opinions with
the word of God, faith degenerates into frivolous conjectures.
Let believers, therefore, cultivate habitual modesty, lest
Satan hurry them into an ardour of inconsiderate and rash
zeal,” so that, like the Giants, they shall rush violently against
God, who is never worshipped aright but when we receive
him as he presents himself to us.

+“ Le salut a esté acquis aux hommes ;”—“ salvation was obtained for
men.”

2“ En une ardeur de zele inconsideré et temeraire.”

~awew

ate BE +

—

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 235

It is astonishing that five thousand men should have been
seized with such daring presumption, that they did not hesi-
tate, by making a new hing, to provoke against themselves
Pilate’s army and the vast power! of the Roman empire;
and it is certain that they would never have gone so far, if
they had not, relying on the predictions of the Prophets,
hoped that God would be on their side, and, consequently,
that they would overcome. But still they went wrong in
contriving a kingdom of which the Prophets had never spoken:
So far are they from having the hand of God favourable to
aid their undertaking that, on the contrary, Christ withdraws.
That was also the reason why wretched men under Popery
wandered so long in gross darkness—while God was, as it
were, absent—because they had dared to pollute the whole
of his worship by their foolish inventions.”

16. His disciples went down. Christ undoubtedly intended
to conceal himself until the crowd should disperse. We know
how difficult it is to allay a popular tumult. Now, if they
had openly attempted to do what they had intended, it

_would have been no easy matter afterwards to wipe off the

stain which had once been fixed upon him. Meanwhile, he
spent all that time in prayer, as the other Evangelists
(Matth. xiv. 23; Mark vi. 46) relate; probably, that God
the Father might repress that folly of the people.’
As to his crossing the lake in a miraculous manner, it is
intended to profit his disciples by again confirming their
faith. The advantage extended still farther; for next day
all the people would easily see that he had not been brought
thither by a boat or ship,‘ but that he had come by his own
power; for they blockaded the shore from which he had to
set out, and would scarcely have been drawn away from it,
if they had not seen the disciples cross to a different place.

17. It was now dark. John passes by many circumstances

1 “Ta grande puissance.” * “ Par leurs folles inventions.”

8 On our Saviour’s retirement into the mountain to pray, our Author
has made very interesting and profitable observations. Harmony of the
Evangelists, vol. ii. p. 237.—Ed,

# “ Par basteau ou navire.”

236 COMMENTARY ON THE

which the other Evangelists introduce; such as, that for
several hours they struggled with a contrary wind; for it is
probable that the storm arose immediately after the night
began to come on; and they tell us that Christ did not
appear to his disciples till about the fourth ~vatch of the
night, (Matth. xiv. 28; Mark vi. 48.) Those who conjec-
ture that they were still about the middle of the lake when
Christ appeared to them, because John says that they had
then advanced about twenty-five or thirty furlongs, are led into
a mistake by supposing that they had sailed to the farther or
opposite bank; for Bethsaida, near which town, Luke tells
us, the miracle was performed, (Luke ix. 10,) and Capernaum,
which the ship reached, (John vi. 16,) were situated on the
same coast.

Pliny, in his fifth book, states that this lake was six miles
in breadth, and sixteen in length. Josephus (in the third
book of the Wars of the Jews) assigns to it one hundred
furlongs in length, and forty in breadth ;' and as eight fur-
longs make one mile, we may easily infer how little the one
description differs from the other. So far as relates to the
present sailing, my opinion is, that they did not go over so
great a space by direct sailing, but through being driven
about by the tempest.? However that may be, the Evan-
gelist intended to show that, when Christ presented himself
to them, they were in the utmost danger. It may be thought
strange that the disciples should be tormented in this man-
ner, while others had nothing to disturb them in sailing;
but in this manner the Lord often makes his people fall into
alarming dangers, that they may more plainly and familiarly
recognize him in their deliverance.

19. They were terrified. The other Evangelists explain
the cause of that fear to have been, that they thought that it
was an apparition, (Matth. xiv. 26; Mark vi. 49.) Now it

* Our Author quotes inaccurately the measurement given by Josephus,
whose words are: ‘* Now this lake of Gennesareth is so called from ihe
country adjoining to it. Its breadth is forty furlongs, and its length one
hundred and forty.”— Wars of the Jews, III. x. 7.—Ed.

2 * Mais estans agitez de tempeste.”

—_—

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 237

is impossible not to be seized with consternation and dread,
when an apparition is presented before our eyes; for we con-
_ clude that it is either some imposture of Satan, or some bad
omen which God sends us. Besides, John here holds out
to us, as in a mirror, what kind of knowledge of Christ
we may obtain without the word, and what advantage may
be reaped from that knowledge. For if he present a simple
demonstration of his divinity, we immediately fall into our
imaginations, and every person forms an idol for himself
instead of Christ. After we have thus wandered in our
understanding, this is immediately followed by trembling
and a confused terror of heart. But when he begins to speak,
we then obtain from his voice clear and solid knowledge, and
then also joy and delightful peace dawn upon our minds.
For there is great weight in these words:

20. Itis I: be not terrified. We learn from them that it

is in Christ’s presence alone that we have abundant grounds
of confidence, so as to be calm and at ease. But this belongs
exclusively to the disciples of Christ ; for we shall afterwards
_ see that wicked men were struck down by the same words,
_It is I, (John xviii. 6.) The reason of the distinction is,
that he is sent as a Judge to the reprobate and unbelievers
for their destruction; and, therefore, they cannot bear his
presence without being immediately overwhelmed. But
believers, who know that he is given to them to make pro-
pitiation, as soon as they hear his name, which is a sure
pledge to them both of the love of God and of their salva-
tion, take courage as if they had been raised from death to
life, calmly look at the clear sky, dwell quietly on earth,
and, victorious over every calamity, take him for their shield
against all dangers. Nor does he only comfort and encourage
them by his word, but actually removes also the cause of the
terror by allaying the tempest.

22. Next day, the multitude standing on the other side of the sea,
when they saw that there was no other ship there but only that into which
his disciples had entered, and that Jesus had not entered into the ship
with his disciples, but that his disciples had gone away alone; 23. And
other ships came from Tiberias, near the place where they had eaten bread,

238 - COMMENTARY ON THE

after that the Lord had given thanks. 24. When therefore the multitude
saw that Jesus was not there, nor his disciples, they also entered into the
ships, and came to Capernaum, seeking Jesus. 25. And having found
him on the opposite side of the sea, they said to him, Rabbi, when camest
thou hither ?

22. Next day. Were the Evangelist relates circumstances
from which the multitude might conclude that Christ had
gone across by divine power. There had been but one ship ;
they see it go away without Christ; next day, ships come
from other places, by which they are conveyed to Capernaum ;
and there they find Christ. It follows that he must have been
conveyed across in a miraculous manner. There is an intricacy
and apparent confusion (dvaxéAovdov) in the words, but still the
meaning of them is plain enough ; for, in the 22d verse,John
says that there had been but one ship, and that all saw it leave
the shore and that place, and that it had not Christ as a
passenger; and, in the 23d verse, he adds that ships came
from Tiberias, by which the multitude passed over, which
had remained on the shore, blockading, as it were, every out-
let, that Christ might not escape.

23. Near the place where they had eaten bread. The meaning ™
of the words is doubtful; for they may be explained, either
that Tiberias was near the place where Christ had fed them with
five loaves, or that the ships reached the shore which was
near and below that place. I approve more highly of the
latter exposition ; for Bethsaida, near which Luke states that
the miracle was performed, is half-way between Tiberias and
Capernaum. Accordingly, when ships came down from that
place, which was farther up the lake, they sailed along that
shore on which the multitude were standing; and there can
be no doubt that they came to land for the purpose of taking
in passengers.

After that the Lord had given thanks. When John again
mentions that Christ gave thanks, it is not a superfluous
repetition ; for he means that Christ obtained by prayer that
those few loaves were sufficient for feeding so many people;
and as we are cold and indolent in prayer, he presses upon
us the same thing a second time.

25. On the other side of the sea. We have already said that
Capernaum was not situated on the opposite shore; for
Tiberias is situated on that part of the lake where it is
broadest, Bethsaida follows next, and Capernaum lies near
the lowest part, not far from where the river Jordan issues
from the lake. Now, when John places it on the other side of
the lake itself, we must not understand him as if its position
were directly across, but because, at the lower extremity, the
lake made a large winding, and, on account of the bay that
intervened, it was impossible to go by land without a very
circuitous journey. The Evangelist therefore says, on the
other side of the sea, adopting the mode of expression used by
the common people, because the only direct and ordinary
mode of conveyance was by a boat.

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 239

26. Jesus answered them, and said, Verily, verily, I say to you, You seek
me, not because you saw miracles, but because you ate of the loaves, and
were satisfied. 27. Labour for food, not that which perisheth, but the
food which endureth to eternal life, which the Son of man shall give to
you; for him hath God the Father sealed. 28. They said therefcre to
him, What shall we do, that we may work the works of God? 29. Jesus
answered and said to them, This is the work of God, that you may believe
in him whom he hath sent.

26. Jesus answered them. Christ does not reply to the
question put to him, which would have been fitted to show
to them his power in having come thither by a miracle.’ But,
on the contrary, he chides them for throwing themselves for-
ward without consideration; for they were not acquainted
with the true and proper reason of what he did, because they
sought in Christ something else than Christ himself. The
fault which he complains of in them is, that they seek Christ
for the sake of the belly and not of the miracles. And yet
it cannot be denied that they looked to the miracle; nay
more, the Evangelist has already told us that they were ex-
cited by the miracles to follow Christ. But because they
abused the miracles for an improper purpose, he justly re-
proaches them with having a greater regard to the belly than
to miracles. His meaning was, that they did not profit by
the works of God as they ought to have done; for the true

1 “ Ce qui eust esté propre pour leur monstrer sa puissance, en ce qu'il
estoit ld venu par miracle.’

240 ' COMMENTARY ON THE

way of profiting would have been to acknowledge Christ as
the Messiah in such a manner as to surrender themselves to
be taught and governed by him, and, under his guidance, to
aspire to the heavenly kingdom of God. On the contrary,
they expect nothing greater from him than to live happily and
at ease in this world. This is to rob Christ of his chief power ;
for.the reason why he was given by the Father and revealed
himself to men is, that he may form them anew after the
image of God by giving them his Holy Spirit, and that he
may conduct them to eternal life by clothing them with his
righteousness.

It is of great importance, therefore, what we keep in view
in the miracles of Christ; for he who does not aspire to the
kingdom of God, but rests satisfied with the conveniences of
the present life, seeks nothing else than to fill his belly. In
like manner, there are many persons in the present day who
would gladly embrace the gospel, if it were free from the
bitterness of the cross, and if it brought nothing but carnal
pleasures. Nay, we see many who make a Christian pro-
fession, that they may live in greater gaiety and with less re-
straint. Some through the expectation of gain, others through
fear, and others for the sake of those whom they wish to
please, profess to be the disciples of Christ. In seeking
Christ, therefore, the chief point is, to despise the world and
seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness, (Matth. vi. 33.)
Besides, as men very generally impose on themselves, and
persuade themselves that they are seeking Christ in the best
manner, while they debase the whole of his power, for this
reason Christ, in his usual manner, doubles the word verily,
as if by the oath he intended to bring to light the vice which
lurks under our hypocrisy.

27. Labour for food, not that which perisheth. He shows to
what object our desires ought to be directed, namely, to
eternal life ; but because, in proportion as our understandings
are gross, we are always devoted to earthly things, for this
reason he corrects that disease which is natural to us, before
he points out what we ought to do. The simple doctrine
would have been, “ Labour to have the incorruptible food ;”

but, knowing that the senses of men are held bound by
earthly cares, he first enjoins them to be loosed and freed
from those cords, that they may rise to heaven. Not that
he forbids his followers to labour that they may procure
daily food ; but he shows that the heavenly life ought to be
preferred to this earthly life, because the godly have no other
reason for living here than that, being sojourners in the world,
they may travel rapidly towards their heavenly country.

Next, we ought to see what is the present question ; for,
since the power of Christ is debased by those who are devoted
to the belly and to earthly things, he argues what we ought
to seek in him, and why we ought to seek it. He employs
metaphors adapted to the circumstances in which his sermon
was delivered. If food had not been mentioned, he would
have said, without a figure, “* You ought to lay aside anxiety
about the world, and strive to obtain the heavenly life.” But
as those men were running to their fodder like cattle, without
looking to anything better,’ Christ presents his sermon in a
metaphorical dress, and gives the name of food to everything
that belongs to newness of life. We know that our souls are

_ fed by the doctrine of the gospel, when it is efficacious in us
by the power of the Spirit; and, therefore, as faith is the life
of the soul, all that nourishes and promotes faith is compared
to food.

Which endureth to eternal life. This kind of food he calls
incorruptible, and says that it endureth to eternal life, in order
to inform us that our souls are not fed for a day, but are
nourished in the expectation of a blessed immortality ; be-

| cause the Lord commences the work of our salvation, that he
) may perform it till the day of Christ, (Philip. i. 6.) For this
! reason we must receive the gifts of the Spirit, that they may
be earnests and pledges of eternal life. For, though the
reprobate, after having tasted this food, frequently reject it,
so that it is not permanent in them, yet believing souls feel
that enduring power, when they are made partakers of the
power of the Holy Spirit in his gifts, which is not of short
duration, but, on the contrary, never fails.

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 241

1 “ Sans regarder 4 rien de meilleur.”

942 COMMENTARY ON THE

It is a frivolous exercise of ingenuity to infer, as some do,
from the word labour or work, that we merit eternal life by
our works; for Christ metaphorically exhorts men, as we
have said, to apply their minds earnestly to meditation on
the heavenly life, instead of cleaving to the world, as they
are wont to do; and Christ himself removes every doubt,
when he declares that it is he who giveth the food ; for what
we obtain by his gift no man procures by his own industry.
There is undoubtedly some appearance of contradiction in
these words; but we may easily reconcile these two state-
ments, that the spiritual food of the soul is the free gift of
Christ, and that we must strive with all the affections of our
heart to become partakers of so great a blessing.

For him hath God the Father sealed. He confirms the preced-
ing statement, by saying that he was appointed to us for that
purpose by the Father. The ancient writers have misinter-
preted and tortured this passage, by maintaining that Christ
is said to be sealed, because he is the stamp and lively image
of the Father. For he does not here enter into abstruse
discussions about his eternal essence, but explains what he has
been commissioned and enjoined to do, what is his office in
relation to us, and what we ought to seek and expect from
him. By an appropriate metaphor, he alludes to an ancient
custom ; for they sealed with signets what they intended to
sanction by their authority. Thus Christ—that it may not
appear as if he claimed anything of himself, or by private
authority '—declares that this office was enjoined on him by
the Father, and that this decree of the Father was mani-
fested, as if a seal had been engraven on him. It may be
summed up thus: As it is not every person who has the
ability or the right? to feed souls with incorruptible food,
Christ appears in public, and, while he promises that he will
be the Author of so great a blessing, he likewise adds that
he is approved by God, and that he has been sent to men
with this mark, which is, as it were, God’s seal or signet.*

1% A fin qu’il ne semble que Christ vueille de soy-mesme et d’une
authorité privee s’attribuer quelque chose.”

2 + Que ce n’est pas une chose facile et commune a chacun.”

3 ++ Qui est comme le seau ou cachet de Dieu.”

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 243

Hence it follows that the desire of those who shall present
their souls to Christ, to be fed by him, will not be disap-
pointed. Let us know, therefore, that life is exhibited to us
in Christ, in order that each of us may aspire to it, not at
random, but with certainty of success. We are, at the same
time, taught that all who bestow this praise on any other
than Christ are guilty of falsehood before God. Hence it is
evident that the Papists, in every part of their doctrine, are
altogether liars; for as often as they invent any means of
salyation in the room of Christ, so often do they—by erasing,
as it were, the impression which has been made—spoil and
deface, with wicked presumption and base treachery, this seal
of God, which alone is authentic. That we may not fall into
so dreadful a condemnation, let us learn to keep pure and
entire for Christ all that the Father has given to him.

28. What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?
The multitude understood well enough that Christ had ex-
horted them to aim at something higher than the conveni-
ences of the present life, and that they ought not to confine
their attention to the earth, since God calls them to more
valuable blessings. But, in putting this question, they are
partly mistaken by not understanding the kind of labour ;
for they do not consider that God bestows upon us, by the
hand of the Son, all that is necessary for spiritual life. First,
they ask what they ought to do; and next, when they use the
expression, the works of God, they do not understand what
they say, and talk without any definite object.’ In this
manner they manifest their ignorance of the grace of God.
And yet they appear here to murmur disdainfully against
Christ, as if he were accusing them groundlessly. “ Dost
thou suppose,” say they, “that we have no solicitude about
eternal life? Why, then, dost thou enjoin us to do what is
beyond our power?” By the works of God we must under-
stand those which God demands, and of which he approves.

29. The work of God is this. They had spoken of works.

1 “ Tls n’entendent point ce qu’ils disent, et parlent sans certain but.”

244 COMMENTARY ON THE

Christ reminds them of one work, that is, faith ; by which he
means that all thatmen undertake without fazth isvain and use-
less, but that fazthalone is sufficient, because this alone does God
require from us, that we believe. For there is here an implied
contrast between faith and the works and efforts of men; as
if he had said, Men toil to no purpose, when they endeavour
to please God without faith, because, by running, as it were,
out of the course, they do not advance towards the goal.
This is a remarkable passage, showing that, though men tor-
ment themselves wretchedly throughout their whole life, still
they lose their pains, if they have not faith in Christ as the
rule of their life. Those who infer from this passage that
faith is the gift of God are mistaken; for Christ does not
now show what God produces in us, but what he wishes
and requires from us.

But we may think it strange that God approves of nothing
but fazth alone; for the love of our neighbour ought not to be
despised, and the other exercises of religion do not lose their
place and honour. So then, though faith may hold the
highest rank, still other works are not superfluous. The reply
is easy ; for faith does not exclude either the love of our
neighbour or any other good work, because it contains them
all within itself. | Faith is called the only work of God, because
by means of it we possess Christ, and thus become the sons of
God, so that he governs us by his Spirit. So then, because
Christ does not separate faith from its fruits, we need not
wonder if he make it to be the first and the ne

That you believe in him whom he hath sent. at is the
import of the word believe, we have explained under the
Third Chapter. It ought always to be remembered that, in
order to have a full perception of the power of faith, we must
understand what Christ is, in whom we believe, and why he
was given to us by the Father. It is idle sophistry, under

1 “ Proram et puppim,” literally, “‘ stem and stern,” a Latin idiom for
the whole. ‘The Author’s French version (ed. 1558) renders the clause,
‘il ne se faut point esbahir s’il constitue en elle la fin et le commence-
ment ;”—‘‘ we must not be astonished if he makes it to be the end and the
beginning ;” and in ed. 1564, it runs thus, ‘ce n'est pas merveille que la
foy est tout ce que Dieu requiert ;’—“ it is not wonderful that faith is all
that God requires.”

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 245

the pretext of this passage, to maintain that we are justified
by works, if faith justifies, because it is likewise called a work.
First, it is plain enough that Christ does not speak with strict
accuracy, when he calls faith @ work, just as Paul makes a
comparison between the law of faith and the law of works,
(Rom. iii. 27.) Secondly, when we affirm that men are not
justified by works, we mean works by the merit of which men
may obtain favour with God. Now faith brings nothing to
God, but, on the contrary, places man before God as empty
and poor, that he may be filled with Christ and with his
grace. It is, therefore, if we may be allowed the expression,
a passive work, to which no reward can be paid, and it
bestows on man no other righteousness than that which he
receives from Christ.

30. They said therefore to him, What sign doest thou then, that we
may see and believe thee? What dost thou work?! 31. Our fathers
ate manna in the wilderness, as it is written, He gave them bread of
heaven to eat, (Exod. xvi. 15; Ps. Ixxviii. 24.) 32. Jesus therefore
said to them, Verily, verily, I say to you, Moses gave you not bread from
heaven, but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.? 33. For
the bread of God is this which hath come down from heaven, and giveth
life to the world.

30. What sign doest thou? 'This wickedness abundantly
proves how truly it is said elsewhere, This wicked generation
seeheth a sign, (Matth. xii. 39.) They had been at first
drawn to Christ by the admiration of his miracles or signs,
and afterwards, through amazement at a new sign, they
acknowledged Christ to be the Messiah, and, with that con-
viction, wished to make him a king; but now they demand a
sign from him, as if he were a man unknown to them. Whence
came such sudden forgetfulness, but because they are ungrate-
ful to God, and, through their own malice, are blind to his
power, which is before their eyes? Nor can it be doubted
that they treat disdainfully all the miracles which they had
already beheld, because Christ does not comply with their wishes,

' * Quelle ceuvre fais-tu? ”—‘* What work doest thou ?”

2 “ Moyse ne vous a point donné le pain du ciel ; mais mon Pere vous
donne le vray pain du ciel.”—‘* Moses gave you not the bread of heaven ;
but my Father giveth you the true bread of heaven.”

246 COMMENTARY ON THE

and because they do not find him to be what they imagined
him to be. If he had given them expectation of earthly
happiness, he would have been highly applauded by them ;
they would undoubtedly have hailed him as a Prophet, and
the Messiah, and the Son of God; but now, because he
blames them for being too much addicted to the flesh, they
think that they ought not to listen to him any more. And
in the present day, how many are there who resemble them!
At first, because they promise to themselves that Christ will
flatter their vices, they eagerly embrace the gospel, and call
for no proof of it; but when they are called to deny the
flesh and to bear the cross, then do they begin to renounce
Christ and ask whence the gospel came. In short, as soon
as Christ does not grant their prayers, he is no longer their
Master.

31. Our fathers ate manna in the wilderness. 'Thus we see
that Christ put his finger on the sore, when he told them
that they came like brute beasts to fill their belly; for they
discover this gross disposition, when they demand a Messiah
by whom they are to be fed. And as to the magnificent
terms in which they extol the grace of God in the manna,
they do this cunningly, in order to bury the doctrine of
Christ, by which he condemned them for immoderate desire
of corruptible food ; for they contrast with it the magnificent
title bestowed on the manna, when it is called heavenly bread.
But when the Holy Spirit bestows on the manna the hon-
ourable appellation of the bread of heaven, (Ps. Ixxviii. 24,) it
is not with this intention, as if God fed his people, like a
herd of swine, and gave them nothing more valuable; and,
therefore, they are without excuse, when they wickedly re-
ject the spiritual food of the soul, which God now offers to
them.

32. Verily, verily, I say to you, Moses gave you not bread
from heaven. Christ appears to contradict what was quoted
from the psalm, but he speaks only by comparison. The
manna (39) is called the bread of heaven, but it is for the
nourishment of the body; but the bread which ought truly

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 247

and properly to be reckoned heavenly, is that which gives

‘spiritual nourishment to the soul. Christ therefore makes a

contrast here between the world and heaven, because we
ought not to seek the incorruptible life but in the kingdom
of heaven. In this passage, ¢ruth is not contrasted with
shadows, as is often done elsewhere; but Christ considers
what is the ¢rue life of man, or, in other words, what it is
that makes him different from brute beasts, and excellent
among the creatures.

My Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. When he
adds these words, the meaning is, “ The manna which Moses
gave to your fathers did not bring heavenly life, but now
heavenly life is truly exhibited to you.” True, it is the Father
whom he calls the giver of this bread, but he means that it is
given byhisownhand. Thus the contrast relates, not to Moses
and God, but to Moses and Christ. Now, Christ represents
his Father rather than himself as the Author of this gift, in
order to procure for himself deeper reverence; as if he had
said, * Acknowledge me to be the minister of God, by whose
hands he wishes to feed you to eternal life.” But, again,
this appears to be inconsistent with the doctrine of Paul,
who calls the manna—spiritual food, (1 Cor. x.3.) I reply,

Christ speaks according to the capacity of those with whom

he has to deal, and this is not uncommon in Scripture. We
see how yariously Paul speaks about circumcision. When
he writes about the ordinance, he calls it the seal of faith,
(Rom. iy. 11;) but when he has to contend with false
apostles, he calls it rather a seal of cursing, and that by tak-
ing it with the qualities which they ascribed to it, and
according to their opinion.!. Let us consider what was the
objection made against Christ, namely, that he did not prove
himself to be the Messiah, if he did not supply his followers
with bodily food. Accordingly, he does not inquire what it
was that was prefigured by the manna, but maintains that
the bread with which Moses fed their bellies was not true
bread.

' “Et ce en la prenant avec les qualitez qu’ils luy attribuoyent, et selon
leur sens,”

248 COMMENTARY ON THE

33. For the bread of God. Christ reasons negatively from
the definition to the thing defined, in this manner: “ The
heavenly bread is that which hath come down from heaven to give
life to the world. In the manna there was nothing of this sort ;
and, therefore, the manna was not the heavenly bread.” But,
at the same time, he confirms what he formerly said, namely,
that he is sent by the Father, in order that he may feed men
in a manner far more excellent than Moses. True, the manna
came down from the visible heaven, that is, from the clouds ;
but not from the eternal kingdom of God, from which life
flows to us. And the Jews, whom Christ addresses, looked
no higher than that the bellies of their fathers were well
stuffed and fattened in the wilderness.

What he formerly called the bread of heaven, he now calls
the bread of God; not that the bread which supports us in
the present life comes from any other than God, but because
that alone can be reckoned the bread of God‘ which quickens
souls to a blessed immortality. This passage teaches that
the whole world is dead to God, except so far as Christ
quickens it, because life will be found nowhere else than in
him.

Which hath come down from heaven. In the coming down
from heaven two things are worthy of observation ; first, that
we have a Divine life in Christ, because he has come from
God to be the Author of life to us; secondly, that the
heavenly life is near us, so that we do not need to fly above the
clouds or to cross the sea, (Deut. xxx. 12, 13; Rom. x. 6-8 ;)
for the reason why Christ descended to us was, that no man
could ascend above.

34. They said therefore to him, Lord, give us always this bread. 35.
Jesus said to them, I am the bread of life; he that cometh to me shall
never hunger, and he that believeth in me shall never thirst. 36. But I
have told you that you have also seen me and do not believe. 37. All
that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me
I will not cast out; 88. For I came down from heaven, not to do my
own will, but the will of him who sent me. 39. And this is the will of the
Father who sent me, that of all that he hath given me I should lose nothing,
but should raise it up again at the last day. 40. And this is the will of
him who sent me, that whosoever seeth the Son, and believeth in him,
sbaJl have everlasting life, and I will raise him up at the last day.

1 Pain de Dieu.”

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 249

34. Give us always this bread. There is no doubt that
they speak ironically, to accuse Christ of vain boasting, when
he said that he was able to give the bread of life. Thus
wretched men, while they reject the promises of God, are not
satisfied with this evil alone, but put Christ in their room, as
if he were chargeable with their unbelief.

35. I am the bread of life. First, he shows that the bread,
which they asked in mockery, is before their eyes ; and, next,
he reproves them. He begins with doctrine, to make it more
evident that they were guilty of ingratitude. There are two
parts of the doctrine; for he shows whence we ought to seek
life, and how we may enjoy it. We know what gave occasion
to Christ to use those metaphors; it was because manna and
daily food had been mentioned. But still this figure is better
adapted to teach ignorant persons than a simple style. When
we eat bread for the nourishment of the body, we see more
clearly not only our own weakness, but also the power of
divine grace, than if, without bread, God were to impart a
secret power to nourish the body itself. Thus, the analogy
which is traced between the body and the soul, enables us to
perceive more clearly the grace of Christ. _For when we

‘learn that Christ zs the bread by which our souls must be fed,
this penetrates more deeply into our hearts than if Christ
simply said that he zs our life.

It ought to be observed, however, that the word bread does
not express the quickening power of Christ so fully as we
feel it; for bread does not commence /ife, but nourishes and
upholds that life which we already possess. But, through
the kindness of Christ, we not only continue to possess life,
but have the beginning of life, and therefore the comparison
is partly inappropriate; but there is no inconsistency in this,
for Christ adapts his style to the circumstances of the dis-
course which he formerly delivered. Now the question had
been raised, Which of the two was more eminent in feeding
men, Moses or Christ himself? This is also the reason why
he calls it bread only, for it was only the manna that they
objected to him, and, therefore, he reckoned it enough to
contrast with it a different kind of bread. The simple doctrine

VOL. I. Q

250 COMMENTARY ON THE

is, “ Our souls do not dive by an intrinsic power, so to speak,
that is, by a power which they have naturally in themselves,’
but borrow life from Christ.”

He who cometh to me. He now defines the way of taking
this food ; it is when we receive Christ by faith. For it is
of no avail to unbelievers that Christ is the bread of life,
because they remain always empty; but then does Christ
become our bread, when we come to him as hungry persons,
that he may fill us. To come to Christ and to believe mean, in
this passage, the same thing; but the former word is intended
to express the effect of faith, namely, that it is in consequence
of being driven by the feeling of our hunger that we fly to
Christ to seek life.

Those who infer from this passage that to eat Christ is faith,
and nothing else, reason inconclusively. I readily acknow-
ledge that there is no other way in which we eat Christ
than by believing ; but the eating is the effect and fruit of faith
rather than faith itself. For faith does not look at Christ
only as at a distance, but embraces him, that he may become
ours and may dwell in us. It causes us to be incorporated
with him, to have life in common with him, and, in short, ¢o
become one with him, (John xvii. 21.) It is therefore true
that by faith alone we eat Christ, provided we also understand
in what manner faith unites us to him.

Shall never thirst. This appears to be added without any
good reason ; for the office of bread is not to quench thirst, but
to allay hunger. Christ therefore attributes to bread more
than its nature allows. I have already said, that he employs
the word bread alone, because it was required by the com-
parison between the manna and the heavenly power of Christ,
by which our souls are sustained in life. At the same time,
by the word dread, he means in general all that nourishes us,
and that according to the ordinary custom of his nation.
For the Hebrews, by the figure of speech called synecdoche,
use the word bread for dinner or supper; and when we ask
from God our daily bread, (Matth. vi. 11,) we include drink
and all the other parts of life. The meaning therefore is,

1 “ Qu’elles ayent en elles naturellement.”

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 251

“ Whoever shall betake himself to Christ, to have life from
him, will want nothing, but will have in abundance all that
contributes to sustain life.”

36. But I have told you. He now reproves them for wick-
edly rejecting the gift of God, which is offered to them.
Now, that man is chargeable with wicked contempt of God,
who rejects what he knows that God has given him. If
Christ had not made known his power, and plainly showed
that he came from God, the plea of ignorance might have
alleviated their guilt; but when they reject the doctrine of
him whom they formerly acknowledged to be the Lord’s
Messiah, it is extreme baseness. It is no doubt true, that
men neyer resist God purposely, so as to reflect that they
have to do with God; and to this applies the saying of Paul,
They would never have crucified the Lord of glory, if they had
known him, (1 Cor. ii. 8.) But unbelievers, because they
willingly shut their eyes against the light, are justly said to
see that which immediately vanishes from their sight, because
Satan darkens their understandings. This, at least, is beyond
all controversy, that when he said that they saw, we must
not understand him to mean his bodily appearance, but rather

‘that he describes their voluntary blindness, because they.

might have known what he was, if their malice had not pre-
vented them.

37. All that the Father giveth me. 'That their unbelief may
not detract anything from his doctrine, he says, that the cause
of so great obstinacy is, that they are reprobate, and do not
belong to the flock of God. His intention, therefore, in dis-
tinguishing here between the elect and the reprobate is, that
the authority of his doctrine may remain unimpaired, though
there are many who do not believe it. For, on the one hand,
ungodly men calumniate and utterly despise the word of God,
because they are not moved by reverence for it; and, on the
other hand, many weak and ignorant persons entertain doubts
whether that which is rejected by a great part of the world
be actually the word of God. Christ meets this offence, when
he affirms, that all those who do not believe are not his own,

252 COMMENTARY ON THE

and that we need not wonder if such persons have no relish
for the word of God, but that it is embraced by all the child-
ren of God. In the first place, he says, that all whom the
Father giveth him come to him; by which words he means, that
faith is not a thing which depends on the will of men, so that
this man and that man indiscriminately and at random be-
lieve, but that God elects those whom he hands over, as it
were, to his Son; for when he says, that whatever is given
cometh, we infer from it, that all do not come. Again, we
infer, that God works in his elect by such an efficacy of the
Holy Spirit, that not one of them falls away; for the word
give has the same meaning as if Christ had said, “Those
whom the Father hath chosen he regenerates, and gives to
me, that they may obey the Gospel.”

_ And him that cometh to me I will not cast out. This is added
for the consolation of the godly, that they may be fully per-
suaded that they have free access to Christ by faith, and
that, as soon as they have placed themselves under his pro-
tection and safeguard, they will be graciously received by
him. Hence it follows, that the doctrine of the Gospel will
be salutary to all believers, because no man becomes a dis-
ciple of Christ who does not, on the other hand, feel and
experience him to be a good and faithful teacher.

38. For I came down from heaven. This is a confirmation
of the preceding statement, that we do not seek Christ in
vain. For faith is a work of God, by which he shows that
we are his people, and appoints his Son to be the protector
of our salvation. Now the Son has no other design than to
fulfil the commands of his Father. Consequently, he will
never reject those whom his Father hath sent. Hence, finally,
it follows, that faith will never be useless. As to the distine-
tion which Christ makes between his own will and the will
of the Father, in this respect, he accommodates himself to
his hearers, because, as the mind of man is prone to distrust,
we are wont to contrive some diversity which produces hesi-
tation. ‘To cut off every pretence for those wicked imagina-
tions, Christ declares, that he has been manifested to the

7s’

a

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 253

world, in order that he may actually ratify what the Father
hath decreed concerning our salvation.

39. And this is the will of the Father. He now testifies,
that this is the design of the Father, that believers may find
salvation secured in Christ ; from which again it follows, that
all who do not profit by the doctrine of the Gospel are repro-
bate. Wherefore, if we see that it turns to the ruin of many,
we have no reason to despond, because those men willingly
draw down the evil on themselves. Let us rest satisfied with
this, that the Gospel will always have power to gather the
elect to salvation.

That I should lose none of it. That is, “That I should not
suffer it to be taken from me or perish ;” by which he means,
that he is not the guardian of our salvation for a single day,
or for a few days, but that he will take care of it to the end,
so that he will conduct us, as it were, from the commence-
ment to the termination of our course; and therefore he men-
tions the last resurrection. This promise is highly necessary
for us, who miserably groan under so great weakness of the
flesh, of which every one of us is sufficiently aware; and at
every moment, indeed, the salvation of the whole world might

- beruined, were it not that believers, supported by the hand of

Christ, advance boldly to the day of resurrection. Let this,
therefore, be fixed in our minds, that Christ has stretched
out his hand to us, that he may not desert us in the midst of
the course, but that, relying on his goodness, we may boldly
raise our eyes to the last day.

There is also another reason why he mentions the resurrec-
tion. It is because, so long as our life is hidden, (Colos. iii.
3,) we are like dead men. For in what respect do believers
differ from wicked men, but that, overwhelmed with afflic-
tions, and like sheep destined for the slaughter, (Rom. viii. 36,)
they have always one foot in the grave, and, indeed, are not far
from being continually swallowed up by death? Thus there
remains no other support of our faith and patience but this,
that we keep out of view the condition of the present life, and
apply our minds and our senses to the last day, and pass

254 COMMENTARY ON THE ~

through the obstructions of the world, until the fruit of our
faith at length appear.

40. And this ts the will of him who sent me. He had said
that the Father had committed to him the protection of our
salvation; and now he likewise describes the manner in
which it is accomplished. The way to obtain salvation,
therefore, is to obey the Gospel of Christ. This point he had,
indeed, glanced at a little before, but now he expresses more
fully what he had spoken somewhat obscurely. And if it is
the will of God that those whom he has elected shall be saved,
and if in this manner he ratifies and executes his eternal
decree, whoever he be that is not satisfied with Christ, but
indulges in curious inquiries about eternal predestination,
such a person, as far as lies in his power, desires to be saved
contrary to the purpose of God. The election of God is in
itself hidden and secret; the Lord manifests it by calling,
that is, when he bestows on us this blessing of calling us. !

They are madmen, therefore, who seek their own salvation
or that of others in the whirlpool of predestination, not keep-
ing the way of salvation which is exhibited to them. Nay
more, by this foolish speculation, they endeavour to overturn
the force and effect of predestination ; for if God has elected
us to this end, that we may believe, take away faith, and elec-
tion will be imperfect. But we have no right to break through
the order and succession of the beginning and the end, since
God, by his purpose, hath decreed and determined that it
shall proceed unbroken.” Besides, as the election of God, by
an indissoluble bond, draws his calling along with it, so when
God has effectually called us to faith in Christ, let this have
as much weight with us as if he had engraven his seal to
ratify his decree concerning our salvation. For the testi-
mony of the Holy Spirit is nothing else than the sealing of
our adoption, (Rom. viii. 15.) To every man, therefore, his
faith is a sufficient attestation of the eternal predestination

1 * C’est a dire, quand il nous fait ce bien de nous appeler.”

2“ Or ne nous est-il permis de rompre l’ordre et la suite du commence-
ment avec la fin, puis que Dieu par son conseil I’a ainsi ordonné et-voulu
que cela allast d’un fil.”

—— ——eE

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 255

_of God, so that it would be a shocking sacrilege! to carry

the inquiry farther ; for that man offers an aggravated insult
to the Holy Spirit, who refuses to assent to his simple
testimony.

Whosoever seeth the Son, and believeth in him. He uses the
words, see and believe, in contrast with what he had formerly
said ; for he had reproached the Jews with not beheving, even
though they saw, (ver. 36.) But now, speaking of the sons
of God, with the feeling which they have of the power of
God in Christ, he joins the obedience of faith. Moreover,
these words show that faith proceeds from the knowledge of
Christ; not that it desires anything beyond the simple word
of God, but because, if we trust in Christ, we must perceive
what he is, and what he brings to us.

41. The Jews therefore murmured concerning him, because he said, I
am the bread which have come down from heaven. 42. And they said,
Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know?
How therefore doth he say, I have come down from heaven? 43. Jesus
therefore answered, and said to them, Murmur not among yourselves.
44. No man can come to me, unless the Father, who hath sent me, draw
him ; and I will raise him up at the last day. 45. It is written in the
Prophets, And they shall be all taught by God ; whosoever therefore hath
heard my Father, and hath learned,? cometh to me.

41. The Jews therefore murmured concerning him. The
Evangelist explains the cause of the murmuring to have
been, that the Jews were offended at the mean condition of
Christ’s human nature,*? and did not perceive in him any
thing Divine or heavenly. Yet he shows that they had a

twofold obstruction. One they had framed for themselves

out of a false opinion, when they said, Zs not this Jesus, the son
of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? Another arose
from a wicked sentiment, that they did not think that Christ
was the Son of God, because he came down to men clothed
with our flesh. But we are guilty of excessive malignity, if
we despise the Lord of glory because on our account he
emptied himself, and took upon him the form of a servant,

1« Un sacrilege horrible.”

2 ** Quiconque donc a ouy mon Pere, et a appris.”

8 “ De la petitesse de Christ, et de sa humaine condition ;”—“ at the
meanness of Christ, and of his human condition.”

* “ Prenant nostre chair.”

256 COMMENTARY ON THE

(Philip. ii. 7;) for this was rather an illustrious proof of his
boundless love towards us, and of his wonderful grace. Be-
sides, the Divine majesty of Christ was not so concealed
under the mean and contemptible appearance of the flesh, as
not to give out the rays of his brightness in a variety of
ways; but those gross and stupid men wanted eyes to see
his conspicuous glory.

We, too, sin daily in both of these ways. First, it is a
great hinderance to us, that it is only with carnal eyes that
we behold Christ; and this is the reason why we perceive
in him nothing magnificent, for by our sinful views we per-
vert all that belongs to him and to his doctrine, so unskilful
are we to profit by them, or to view them in the proper
light.t. Secondly, not satisfied with this, we adopt many
false imaginations, which produce a contempt of the Gospel.
Nay, there are even many who frame for themselves monsters,
that they may make them a pretence for hating the Gospel.
In this manner the world deliberately drives away the grace
of God. Now the Evangelist expressly names the Jews, in
order to inform us that the murmuring proceeded from those
who gloried in the title of faith and of the Church, that we
may all learn to receive Christ with reverence, when he comes
down to us, and that, in proportion as he comes nearer to us,
we may more cheerfully approach to him, that he may raise
us to his heavenly glory.

43. Murmur not among yourselves. He throws back on
them the blame of the murmuring, as if he had said, “ My
doctrine contains no ground of offence, but because you are
reprobate, it irritates your envenomed breasts, and the reason
why you do not relish it is, that you have a vitiated taste.”

44, Noman can come to me, unless the Father, who hath sent
me, draw him. He does not merely accuse them of wicked-
ness, but likewise reminds them, that it is a peculiar gift of
God to embrace the doctrine which is exhibited by him ;
which he does, that their unbelief may not disturb weak

1 “ Tant nous sommes mal adroits 4 faire nostre profit des choses, et les
prendre de la sorte qu’il faut.”

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN, 257

minds. For many are so foolish that, in the things of God,
they depend on the opinions of men; in consequence of
which, they entertain suspicions about the Gospel, as soon as
they see that it is not received by the world. Unbelievers,
on the other hand, flattering themselves in their obstinacy,
have the hardihood to condemn the Gospel because it does
not please them. On the contrary, therefore, Christ declares
that the doctrine of the Gospel, though it is preached to all
without exception, cannot be embraced by all, but that a
new understanding and a new perception are requisite ; and,
therefore, that faith does not depend on the will of men, but
that it is God who gives it.

Unless the Father draw him. To come to Christ being here
used metaphorically for believing, the Evangelist, in order to
carry out the metaphor in the apposite clause, says that
those persons are drawn whose understandings God en-
lightens, and whose hearts he bends and forms to the obe-
dience of Christ. The statement amounts to this, that we
ought not to wonder if many refuse to embrace the Gospel ;
because no man will ever of himself be able to come to
Christ, but God must first approach him by his Spirit; and
hence it follows that all are not drawn, but that God bestows
this grace on those whom he has elected. True, indeed, as
to the kind of drawing, it is not violent, so as to compel men
by external force; but still it is a powerful impulse of the
Holy Spirit, which makes men willing who formerly were
unwilling and reluctant. It is a false and profane assertion,
therefore, that none are drawn but those who are willing to
be drawn,! as if man made himself obedient to God by his
own efforts ; for the willingness with which men follow God
is what they already have from himself, who has formed their
hearts to obey him.

45. It is written in the Prophets. Christ confirms by the
testimony of Isaiah what he said, that no man can come to
him, unless he be drawn by the Father. He uses the word
prophets in the plural number, because all their prophecies had

* * Que nuls ne sont tirez sinon ceux qui le veulent estre.”

258 COMMENTARY ON THE

been collected into one volume, so that all the prophets might
justly be accounted one book. The passage which is here
quoted is to be found in Isaiah, (liv. 13,) where, speaking of
the restoration of the Church, he promises to her, sons taught
by the instruction of God. Hence it may easily be inferred,
that the Church cannot be restored in any other way than
by God undertaking the office of a Teacher, and bringing
believers to himself. The way of teaching, of which the
prophet speaks, does not consist merely in the external voice,
but likewise in the secret operation of the Holy Spirit. In
short, this teaching of Ged is the inward illumination of the
heart.

And they shall be all taught by God. As to the word all,
it must be limited to the elect, who alone are the true
children of the Church. Now it is not difficult to see in
what manner Christ applies this prediction to the present
subject. Isaiah shows that then only is the Church truly
edified, when she has her children taught by God. Christ,
therefore, justly concludes that men have not eyes to behold
the light of life, until God has opened them. But at the same
time, he fastens on the general phrase, all; because he argues
from it, that all who are taught by God are effectually drawn,
so as to come; and to this relates what he immediately adds,

Whosoever therefore hath heard my Father. The amount of
what is said is, that all who do not believe are reprobate and
doomed to destruction ; because all the sons of the Church
and heirs of life are made by God to be his obedient disciples.
Hence it follows, that there is not one of all the elect of God
who shall not be a partaker of faith in Christ... Again, as
Christ formerly affirmed that men are not fitted for believing,
until they have been drawn, so he now declares that the
grace of Christ, by which they are drawn, is efficacious, so
that they necessarily believe.

These two clauses utterly overturn the whole power of
free will, of which the Papists dream. For if it be only when
the Father has drawn us that we begin to come to Christ,
there is not in us any commencement of faith, or any prepar-

1 “Qu’il n’y en a pas un de tous les eleus de Dieu qui ne viene & estre
participant de la foy.”

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 259

ation for it. On the other hand, if all come whom the Father
hath taught, He gives to them not only the choice of believing,
but faith itself. When, therefore, we willingly yield to the
guidance of the Spirit, this is a part, and, as it were, a seal-
ing of grace; because God would not draw us, if He were
only to stretch out his hand, and leave our will in a state of
suspense. But in strict propriety of language He is said to
draw us, when He extends the power of his Spirit to the full
effect of faith. They are said to hear God, who willingly
assent to God speaking to them within, because the Holy
Spirit reigns in their hearts.

Cometh to me. He shows the inseparable connection that
exists between him and the Father. For the meaning is,
that it is impossible that any who are God’s disciples shall
not obey Christ, and that they who reject Christ refuse to
be taught by God ; because the only wisdom that all the elect
learn in the school of God is, to come to Christ; for the
Father, who sent him, cannot deny himself.

46. Not that any man hath seen the Father, but he who is from God;
he hath seen the Father. 47. Verily, verily, I say to you, He who be-
lieveth in me hath eternal life. 48. Iam the bread of life. 49. Your
fathers ate manna in the wilderness, and are dead. 50. This is the bread

_ which hath come down from heaven, that any man may eat of it, and not

die. 51. I am the living bread which hath come down from heaven; if
any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever ; and the bread which I shall
give is my flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.

46. Not that any man hath seen the Father. As he has
hitherto magnified the grace of his Father, so now he earn-
estly directs believers to himself alone. For both must be
joined together ; that no knowledge of Christ can be obtained,
until the Father enlighten by his Spirit those who are by
nature blind; and yet that it is in vain to seek God, unless
Christ go before ; for the majesty of God is so lofty, that the
senses of men cannot reach him. Nay, more, all that know-
ledge of God which men may think that they have attained
out of Christ will be a deadly abyss. When he says that he
alone hath known the Father, he means that it is an office
which belongs peculiarly to himself, to manifest God to men,
who would otherwise have been concealed.

260 COMMENTARY ON THE

47. He who believeth in me. This is an explanation of the
former statement. For we are taught by these words that
it is when we believe in Christ that God is made known to
us; for then do we begin to see, as in a mirror, or as in a
bright and lively image, God who was formerly invisible.
Accursed then be every thing that is declared to us concern-
ing God, if it do not lead us to Christ. What it is to believe
in Christ I have already explained; for we must not imagine
a confused and empty faith, which deprives Christ of his
power, as the Papists do, who believe in Christ just as far as
they think fit. For the reason why we obtain life by faith
is, that we know that all the parts of our life are contained
in Christ.

The inference which some draw from this passage—that to
believe in Christ is the same thing as to eat Christ, or his flesh
—is not well founded. For these two things differ from each
other as former and latter; and in like manner, to come to
Christ and to drink him, for coming to him is first in order. I
acknowledge that Christ is not eaten but by faith; but the
reason is, because we receive him by faith, that he may dwell
in us, and that we may be made partakers of him, and thus
may be one with him. To eat him, therefore, is an effect or
work of faith.

- 48. Tam the bread of life. Besides what he formerly said,
that he is the life-giving dread, by which our souls are nour-
ished, in order to explain it more fully, he likewise repeats
the contrast between this dread and the ancient manna,
together with a comparison of the men.

49. Your fathers ate manna in the wilderness, and are dead.
He says that the manna was a perishing food to ther fathers,
for it did not free them from death. It follows, therefore,
that souls do not find anywhere else than in him that food
by which they are fed to spiritual life. Besides, we must
keep in remembrance what I formerly stated, that what is
here said does not relate to the manna, so far as it was a
secret figure of Christ; for in that respect Paul calls it spiritual
food, (1 Cor. x. 3.) But we have said that Christ here

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 261

accommodates his discourse to the hearers, who, caring only
about feeding the belly, looked for nothing higher in the
manna. Justly, therefore, does he declare that their fathers
are dead, that is, those who, in the same manner, were devoted
to the belly, or, in other words, who thought of nothing
higher than this world.1. And yet he invites them to eat,
when he says that he has come, that any man may eat ; for
this mode of expression has the same meaning as if he said,
that he is ready to give himself to all, provided that they are
only willing to believe. That not one of those who have once
eaten Christ shall die—must be understood to mean, that the
life which he bestows on us is never extinguished, as we stated
under the Fifth Chapter.

51. Lam the living bread. He often repeats the same thing,
because nothing is more necessary to be known; and every
one feels in himself with what difficulty we are brought to
believe it, and how easily and quickly it passes away and is
forgotten.” We all desire life, but in seeking it, we foolishly
and improperly wander about in circuitous roads; and when
it is offered, the greater part disdainfully reject it. For who
is there that does not contrive for himself life out of Christ ?
- And. how few are there who are satisfied with Christ alone!
It is not a superfluous repetition, therefore, when Christ
asserts so frequently that he alone is sufficient to give life.
For he claims for himself the designation of bread, in order
to tear from our hearts all fallacious hopes of living. Having
formerly called himself the bread of life, he now calls himself
the living bread, but in the same sense, namely, life-giving bread.
—W hich have come down from heaven. He frequently mentions
his coming down from heaven, because spiritual and incorrup-
tible life will not be found in this world, the fashion of which
passes away and vanishes, but only in the heavenly kingdom
of God.

Tf any man eat of this bread. Whenever he uses the word
eat, he exhorts us to faith, which alone enables us to enjoy

1 “ C’est & dire, ne pensoyent plus haut que ce monde.”
2 “Tl nous escoule et vient a estre mis en oubli.”

262 COMMENTARY ON THE

this bread, so as to derive life from it.!_ Nor is it without
good reason that he does so, for there are few who deign to
stretch out their hand to put this bread to their mouth; and
even when the Lord puts it into their mouth, there are few
who relish it, but some are filled with wind, and others—like
Tantalus—are dying of hunger through their own folly, while
the food is close beside them.

The bread which I shall give is my flesh. As this secret
power to bestow life, of which he has spoken, might be re-
ferred to his Divine essence, he now comes down to the
second step, and shows that this life is placed in his flesh, that
it may be drawn out of it. It is, undoubtedly, a wonderful
purpose of God that he has exhibited “fe to us in that flesh,
where formerly there was nothing but the cause of death.
And thus he provides for our weakness, when he does not
call us above the clouds to enjoy life, but displays it on earth,
in the same manner as if he were exalting us to the secrets
of his kingdom. And yet, while he corrects the pride of
our mind, he tries the humility and obedience of our faith,
when he enjoins those who would seek iife to place reliance
on his flesh, which is contemptible in its appearance.

But an objection is brought, that the flesh of Christ cannot
give life, because it was liable to death, and because even
now it is not immortal in itself; and next, that it does not
at all belong to the nature of flesh to quicken souls. I reply,
though this power comes from another source than from the
flesh, still this is no reason why the designation may not ac-
curately apply to it; for as the eternal Word of God is the
fountain of life, (John i. 4,) so his flesh, as a channel, conveys
to us that life which dwells intrinsically, as we say, in his Di-
vinity. And in this sense it is called life-giving, because it
conveys to us that life which it borrows for us from another
quarter. This will not be difficult to understand, if we con-
sider what is the cause of life, namely, righteousness. And
though righteousness flows from God alone, still we shall not
attain the full manifestation of it any where else than in the

1 “ Laquelle seule fait que nous tirons vie de ce pain.”

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 263

flesh of Christ ; for in it was accomplished the redemption of
man, in it a sacrifice was offered to atone for sins, and an
obedience yielded to God, to reconcile him to us; it was also
filled with the sanctification of the Spirit, and at length, hay-
ing vanquished death, it was received into the heavenly glory.
It follows, therefore, that all the parts of life have been placed
in it, that no man may have reason to complain that he is
deprived of life, as if it were placed in concealment, or at a
distance.

Which I shall give for the life of the world. The word give
is used in various senses. The first giving, of which he has
formerly spoken, is made daily, whenever Christ offers him-
self tous. Secondly, it denotes that singular gzving which
was done on the cross, when he offered himself as a sacrifice
to his Father; for then he delivered himself up to death for
the life of men, and now he invites us to enjoy the fruit of
his death. For it would be of no avail to us that that sacri-
fice was once offered, if we did not now feast on that sacred
banquet. It ought also to be observed, that Christ claims
for himself the office of sacrificing his flesh.’ Hence it ap-
pears with what wicked sacrilege the Papists pollute them-
selves, when they take upon themselves, in the mass, what

- belonged exclusively to that one High Priest.

52. The Jews therefore debated among themselves, saying, How can
this man give us his flesh to eat? 53. Jesus therefore said to them,
Verily, verily, I say to you, Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man,
and drink his blood, you have not life in you. 54. He who eateth my
flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up
at tke last day. 55. For my flesh is truly food, and my blood is truly
drink. 56. He who eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in
me, and lin him. 57. As the living Father hath sent me, and I live on
account of my Father; and he who eateth me, even he shall live for
my sake. 58. This is the bread which hath come down from heaven;
not as your fathers ate manna, and are dead; he who eateth this bread
shall live for ever.

52. The Jews therefore debated among themselves. He again
mentions the Jews, not by way of honour, but to reproach
them with their unbelief, because they do not receive the
well known doctrine concerning eternal life, or, at least, do
not inquire modestly into the subject, if it be still obscure
and doubtful. For when he says that they debated, it is a sign

264 COMMENTARY ON THE

of obstinacy and contempt ; and those who dispute so keenly
do, indeed, block up against themselves the road to the know-
ledge of the truth. And yet the blame imputed to them is not
simply that they inquired into the manner; for the same
blame would fall on Abraham and the blessed Virgin, (Gen.
xv. 2; Luke i. 34.) Those persons, therefore, are either led
astray through ignorance, or are deficient in candour, who,
without taking into account the hardihood and eagerness to
quarrel, which alone the Evangelist condemns, direct all their
outcry against the word how ; as if it had not been lawful for
the Jews to inquire about the manner of eating the flesh of
Christ. But it ought rather to be imputed to sloth than
ascribed to the obedience of faith, if we knowingly and will-
ingly leave unsolved those doubts and difficulties which are
removed for us by the word of the Lord. Not only is it
lawful, therefore, to inquire as to the manner of eating the flesh
of Christ, but it is of great importance for us to understand
it, so far as it is made known by the Scriptures. Away, then,
with that fierce and obstinate pretence of humility, “ For my
part, I am satisfied with that single word of Christ, when he
declares that his flesh is truly food: to all the rest I willingly
shut my eyes.” As if heretics would not have equal plausi-
bility on their side, if they willingly were ignorant that Christ
was conceived by the Holy Ghost, because, believing that he
is the seed of Abraham, they make no farther inquiry. Only
we ought to preserve such moderation about the secret works
of God, as not to desire to know anything more than what
he determines by his word.

53. Verily, verily, I say to you. The just resentment
which Christ felt,?, when he saw his grace rejected with
such haughty disdain, constrained him to employ this
oath. For he does not now make use of simple doctrine,
but likewise mingles threatenings for the purpose of striking
terror. He denounces eternal perdition against all who re-
fuse to seek life from his flesh; as if he had said, “If you
hold my flesh in contempt, rest assured that there remains

1 «Pe manger la chair de Christ.”
2 ‘Un juste despit que Christ a conceu.”

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOIN. 265

for you no other hope of life.’ The vengeance that awaits
all despisers of the grace of Christ is, that with their pride
they miserably perish; and the reason why they must be
urged with plainness and severity is, that they may not con-
tinue to flatter themselves. Jor if we threaten with death
those diseased persons who refuse to take medicines, what
must we do with wicked men, when they strive, as far as
lies in their power, to destroy /ife itself?

Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man. When he says,
the flesh of the Son of man, the expression is emphatic; for he
reproves them for their contempt, which arose from perceiv-
ing that he resembled other men. The meaning therefore
is: “ Despise me as much as you please, on account of the
mean and despicable appearance of my flesh, still that despic-
able jlesh contains life; and if you are destitute of it, you
will nowhere else find any thing else to quicken you.”

The ancients fell into a gross error by supposing that little
children were deprived of eternal life, if they did not dispense
to them the eucharist, that is, the Lord’s Supper ;’ for this
discourse does not relate to the Lord’s Supper, but to the
uninterrupted communication of the flesh of Christ,’ which we
obtain apart from the use of the Lord’s Supper. Nor were

the Bohemians in the right, when they adduced this passage

to prove that all without exception ought to be admitted to
the use of the cup. With respect to young children, the
ordinance of Christ forbids them to partake of the Lord’s
Supper; because they are not yet able to know or to cele-
brate the remembrance of the death of Christ. The same
ordinance makes ¢he cup common to all, for it commands us
all to drink of it, (Matth. xxvi. 27.)

54. He who eateth my flesh. This is a repetition, but is
not superfluous; for it confirms what was difficult to be
believed, That souls feed on his flesh and blood, in precisely the
same manner that the body is sustained by eating and drink-
ing. Accordingly, as he lately testified that nothing but
death remains for all who seek life anywhere else than in /is

1 C’est a dire, la Cene.” 2 « De la chair de Christ.”
VOL. I. R

266 COMMENTARY ON THE

Jlesh, so now he excites all believers’ to cherish good hope,
while he promises to them Ufe in the same flesh.

And I will raise him up at the last day. It ought to be ob-
served, that Christ so frequently connects the resurrection with
eternal life, because our salvation will be hidden till that day.
No man, therefore, can perceive what Christ bestows on us,
unless, rising above the world, he places before his eyes the
last resurrection. From these words, it plainly appears that
the whole of this passage is improperly explained, as applied
to the Lord’s Supper. For if it were true that all who pre-
sent themselves at the holy table of the Lord are made par-
takers of his flesh and blood, all will, in like manner, obtain
life ; but we know that there are many who partake of it to
their condemnation. And indeed it would have been foolish
and unreasonable to discourse about the Lord’s Supper, be-
fore he had instituted it. It is certain, then, that he now
speaks of the perpetual and ordinary manner of eating the
flesh of Christ, which is done by faith only.? And yet, at
the same time, I acknowledge that there is nothing said here
that is not figuratively represented, and actually bestowed on
believers, in the Lord’s Supper; and Christ even intended
that the holy Supper should be, as it were, a seal and con-
firmation * of this sermon. This is also the reason why the
Evangelist John makes no mention of the Lord’s Supper;
and therefore Augustine follows the natural order, when, in
explaining this chapter, he does not touch on the Lord’s
Supper till he comes to the conclusion; and then he shows
that this mystery is symbolically represented, whenever the
Churches celebrate the Lord’s Supper, in some places daily,
and in other places only on the Lord’s day.

55. For my flesh is truly food. He confirms the same state-
ment by other words, ‘As the body is weakened and con-
sumed by the want of food, so the soul, if it be not fed with
heavenly bread, will soon perish with hunger.” For when he

1 “ Tous les fideles.”

2 “De la maniere perpetuelle et ordinaire de manger la chair de Christ,
qui se fait par la foy seulement.”

3 “ Comme un seau et confirmation.”

j |

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 267

declares that his flesh is truly food, he means that souls are
famished, if they want that food. Then only wilt thou find
life in Christ, when thou shalt seek the nourishment of life
in his flesh. Thus we ought to boast, with Paul, that we
reckon nothing to be excellent but Christ crucified ; because,
as soon as we have departed from the sacrifice of his death, we
meet with nothing but death ; nor is there any other road that
conducts us toa perception of his Divine power than through
his death and resurrection. Embrace Christ, therefore, as
the Servant of the Father, (Isa. xlii. 1,) that he may show
himself to thee to be the Prince of life, (Acts iii. 15.) For
when he emptied himself, (Philip. ii. 7,) in this manner we were
enriched with abundance of all blessings ; his humiliation and
descent into hell raised us to heaven; and, by enduring the
curse of his cross, he erected the banner of our righteousness
as a splendid memorial of his victory.!. Consequently, they
are false expounders of the mystery of the Lord’s Supper,’
who draw away souls from the flesh of Christ.

And my blood is truly drink. But why does Christ mention
his blood separately, when it is included in the word flesh ?
I reply, he did so in condescension to our weakness. For
when he expressly mentions food and drink, he declares that

the life which he bestows is complete in every respect, that

we may not imagine to ourselves a life which is only half or
imperfect ; as if he had said, that we shall want nothing
that belongs to life, provided that we eat his flesh and drink
his blood. Thus also in the Lord’s Supper, which corresponds
to this doctrine, not satisfied with the symbol of the bread,
he adds also the cup, that, having in him a twofold pledge, we
may learn to be satisfied with him alone; for never will a
man find a part of life in Christ, until he has entire and com-
plete life in him.

56. He who eateth my flesh. This is another confirmation ;
for while he alone has life in himself, he shows how we may

1 “Tl a dressé l’enseigne de nostre justice comme un memorial mag-
nifique de sa victoire.”

* “* Ceux-la donc ne sont pas bons et droicts expositeurs du mystere de
la Cene.”

268 COMMENTARY ON THE

enjoy it, that is, by eating his flesh; as if he had affirmed that
there is no other way in which he can become ours, than by
our faith being directed to his flesh. For no one will ever
come to Christ as God, who despises him as man ; and, there-
fore, if you wish to have any interest in Christ, you must
take care, above all things, that you do not disdain his
flesh.

Dwelleth in me, and I in him. When he says that he dwell-
eth in us, the meaning is the same as if he had said, that the
only bond of union, and the way by which he becomes one
with us, is, when our faith relies on his death. We may like-
wise infer from it, that he is not now speaking of the outward
symbol, which many unbelievers receive equally with be-
lievers, and yet continue separated from Christ. It enables
us also to refute the dream of those who say, that Judas re-
ceived the body of Christ as well as the other apostles, when
Christ gave the bread to all; for as it is a display of ignorance
to limit this doctrine to the outward sign, so we ought to
remember what I have formerly said, that the doctrine which
is here taught is sealed in the Lord’s Supper. Now, it is
certain, in the first place, that Judas never was a member of
Christ ; secondly, it is highly unreasonable to imagine the
Jesh of Christ to be dead and destitute of the Holy Spirit ;
and, lastly, it is a mockery to dream of any way of eating the

Jlesh of Christ without faith, since faith alone is the mouth—
so to speak—and the stomach of the soul.

57. As the living Father hath sent me. Hitherto Christ has
explained the manner in which we must become partakers of
life. He now comes to speak of the principal cause, for the
first source of life is in the Father. But he meets an objec-
tion, for it might be thought that he took away from God
what belonged to him, when he made himself the cause of
life. He makes himself, therefore, to be the Author of life,
in such a manner, as to acknowledge that there was another
who gave him what he administers to others.

Let us observe, that this discourse also is accommodated to
the capacity of those to whom Christ was speaking ; for it is
only with respect to his flesh that he compares himself to the

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 269

Father. For though the Father is the beginning of dife, yet
the eternal Word himself is strictly Wife. But the eternal
Divinity of Christ is not the present subject ; for he exhibits
himself such as he was manifested to the world, clothed with
our flesh.

T also live on account of the Father. This does not apply to
his Divinity simply, nor does it apply to his human nature
simply and by itself, but it is a description of the Son of God
manifested in the flesh. Besides, we know that it is not un-
usual with Christ to ascribe to the Father every thing Divine
which he had in himself. It must be observed, however, that
he points out here three degrees of life. In the first rank is
the living Father, who is the source, but remote and hidden.
Next follows the Son, who is exhibited to us as an open foun-
tain, and by whom life flows to us. The third is, the life
which we draw from him. We now perceive what is stated
to amount to this, that God the Father, in whom life dwells,
is at a great distance from us, and that Christ, placed between
us, is the second cause of life, in order that what would
otherwise be concealed in God may proceed from him to us.

58. This is the bread which came down from heaven. He
returns to the comparison between the manna and his flesh,
with which he had begun; for it was necessary that he should
close the sermon in this manner: “ There is no reason why
you should prefer Moses to me, because he fed your fathers
in the wilderness; since I supply you with far more excellent
food, for I bring heavenly lite with me.” For—as was for-
merly said—the bread is said to have come down from heaven,
because it has nothing earthly or corruptible in its nature,
but breathes the immortality of the kingdom of God. They
who were only bent on feeding the belly, did not find such
virtue in the manna; for while the manna had a twofold use,
the Jews, with whom Christ is now disputing, beheld in it
nothing else than bodily food. But the life of the soul is not
fading, but makes continual progress until the whole man is
renewed.

270 COMMENTARY ON THE

59. He spoke these things in the synagogue, while he was teaching in
Capernaum. 60. Many of his disciples, therefore, having heard it, said,
This is a harsh saying;! who can hear it? 61. But Jesus knowing in
himself that his disciples murmured at it, said to them, Doth this offend
you? 62. What if you shall see the Son of man ascend to where he
was before? 63. It is the Spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth
nothing. The words which I speak to you are spirit and life. 64. But
there are some of you who do not believe. For Jesus knew from the
beginning who they were that did not believe, and who he was that would
betray him.

59. He spoke these things in the synagogue. John points out
the place, that we may know that there were many present,
and likewise, that a sermon was delivered as on a weighty
and important subject. But it immediately follows that out
of so great a multitude there were scarcely to be found a
very few who profited by it; and—what is worse—it proved
to be the occasion of desertion to many who professed to be
disciples of Christ. If the Evangelist had said that only
some of them were offended, that ought to have been ac-
counted monstrous ; but when they rise up in crowds and con-
spire together against him, what name shall we give to such an
action? Let this narrative then be deeply impressed on our
minds, that we may never murmur against Christ when he
speaks; and if in the present day we perceive any thing of
this kind in others, let not their pride disturb our faith.

60. This is a harsh saying. On the contrary, it was in
their hearts, and not in the saying, that the harshness lay.
But out of the word of God the reprobate are thus accus-
tomed to form stones to dash themselves upon, and when,
by their hardened obstinacy, they rush against Christ, they
complain that his saying is harsh, which ought rather to
have softened them. For whoever shall submit with true
humility? to the doctrine of Christ will find nothing in it
harsh or disagreeable; but to unbelievers, who oppose them-
selves with obstinacy, it will be a hammer which breaketh the
rocks in pieces, as the Prophet calls it, (Jer. xxii. 29.) But
since the same hardness is natural to us all, if we judge of
the doctrine of Christ according to our feelings, his words

1 “ Geste parole est dure, ou, rude ;”— this saying is hard, or, harsh.”
2 « En vraye humilitée.”

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 271

will be just so many strange and incredible’ statements. All
that remains for us, therefore, is, that every one commit him-
self to the guidance of the Spirit, that he may inscribe on
our hearts what otherwise would never have even entered
into our ears.

Who can hear it? Here we see the awful wickedness of
unbelief; for they who impiously and basely reject the doc-
trine of salvation, not satisfied with excusing themselves,
have the hardihood to put the Son of God in their room as
if he were guilty, and to declare that he is unworthy of being
heard. Thus, in the present day, Papists not only reject the
Gospel in a daring manner, but likewise break out into horrid
blasphemies, that it may not be thought that they have no good
reason for opposing God. And, indeed, since they desire
darkness, we need not wonder if Satan deceives them by
strange monsters, where there is nothing but the open high-
way.” But that which they, through their rage and fury,
cannot endure will not only be tolerable to modest and teach-
able persons, but will support and comfort them. Yet the
reprobate, by their obstinate slanders, will do nothing more
than bring down on themselves more dreadful condemnation.

61. But Jesus knowing. Christ knew, indeed, that the
offence which the reprobate had taken up could not be re-
moved; for, to tell the truth,’ the doctrine does not so much
wound them as it exposes the putrid ulcer which they
inwardly nourished in their hearts. But he wished by all
methods to try if there were not one of those who were
offended that was not yet beyond the reach of cure, and to
stop the mouths of the rest. By putting the question, he
means that they have no reason to be offended,* or, at least,
that the ground of offence does not lie in the doctrine it-
self. Thus we ought to repress the wickedness of those
who, urged on by nothing but the rage of mastiff dogs,
slander the word of God; and thus too we ought to chastise
the folly of those who inconsiderately attack the truth.

1 «* Estranges et incroyables.”
2 « 73 ’ = eee wR
La ou il n’y a que le beau plein chemin.
3“ Pour dire a la verité.” 4 “ De se scandalizer.”

272, COMMENTARY ON THE

Knowing in himself. He says that Jesus knew im himself,
because they had not yet declared openly what gave them
uneasiness, but secretly murmured and groaned within them-
selves, and, therefore, he anticipates their open complaints.
If it be objected, that the nature of those complaints was not
difficult to understand, because in express terms they rejected
the doctrine of Christ, I acknowledge that the words which
John has formerly related are plain enough; but still I say
that, like persons who are disgusted at any thing, they whis-
pered those words to each other in low murmurs. For if
they had spoken to Christ, there would have been better
ground of hope, because the way would have been opened
up for teaching them; but now, when they indulge in secret
murmurings, they shut up against themselves the way to gain
instruction. So then, when we do not immediately perceive
the Lord’s meaning, there is nothing better than to go
straight to him, that he may solve all our difficulties.

Doth this offend you? Christ appears here to increase the
offence instead of removing it; but if any person examine
very closely the ground of offence, there was in the following
statement what ought to have pacified their minds.

62. What if you shall see the Son of man ascend to where he
was before? The mean and despicable condition of Christ
which they saw before their eyes, while, clothed with flesh, he
was not at all different from other men, prevented them from
submitting to his Divine power ; but now—by withdrawing,
as it were, the veil—he calls them to behold his heavenly
glory, as if he had said, “ Because I converse among men
without honour, I am despised by you, and you recognise in
me nothing that is Divine; but ere long God will adorn me
with splendid power, and, withdrawing me from the con-
temptible state of mortal life, will raise me above the
heavens.” For, in the resurrection of Christ, so great was
the power displayed by the Holy Spirit, that it plainly
showed Christ to be the Son of God, as Paul also shows,
(Rom. i. 4.) And when it is said, Thou art my Son, to-day
have I begotten thee, (Ps. ii. 7,) the resurrection is brought
forward as a proof from which that glory of Christ ought to

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 273

be acknowledged, and his ascension to heaven was the com-
pletion of that glory. When he says that he was formerly in
heaven, this does not apply strictly to his human nature, and
yet he speaks of the Son of man; but since the two natures
in Christ constitute one person, it is not an unusual way
of speaking to transfer to one nature what is peculiar to the
other.

63. It is the Spirit that quickeneth. By these words Christ
shows the reason why the Jews did not profit by his doctrine
to be, that, being spiritual and quickening, it does not find
ears well prepared. But as this passage has been variously ex-
pounded, it will be of importance first to ascertain the natural
meaning of the words ; from which it will be easy to perceive
Christ’s intention. When he affirms that the flesh profiteth
nothing, Chrysostom improperly, in my opinion, refers it to
the Jews, who were carnal. I readily acknowledge that in
heavenly mysteries the whole power of the human mind is
utterly unavailing ; but the words of Christ do not bear that
meaning, if they be not violently tortured. Equally forced
would be that opinion, as applied to the apposite clause ;
namely, it is the illumination of the Spirit that quickeneth.
Nor do I approve of the views of those who say, that the flesh
of Christ profiteth, so far as he was crucified, but that, when
it is eaten, it isof no advantage to us; for, on the contrary,
we must eat it, that, having been crucified, it may profit.

Augustine thinks that we ought to supply the word only,
or by itself, as if it had been said, “ The flesh alone, and by
itself, profiteth not,’ because it must be accompanied by the
Spirit. ‘This meaning accords well with the scope of the
discourse, for Christ refers simply to the manner of eating.
He does not, therefore, exclude every kind of usefulness, as
if none could be obtained from his flesh ; but he declares
that, if it be separated from the Spirit, it will then be useless.
For whence has the flesh power to quicken, but because it is
spiritual? Accordingly, whoever confines his whole atten-
tion to the earthly nature of the flesh, will find in it nothing

*“ Comme s'il estoit dit, La chair seule et par soy ne profite de rien.”

274 COMMENTARY ON THE

but what is dead; but they who shall raise their eyes to the
power of the Spirit, which is diffused over the flesh, will learn
from the actual effect and from the experience of faith, that
it is not without reason that it is called quickening.

We now understand in what manner the flesh is truly food,
and yet i profiteth not. It is food, because by it life is pro-
cured for us, because in it God is reconciled to us, because
in it we have all the parts of salvation accomplished. It
profiteth not, if it be estimated by its origin and nature ; for
the seed of Abraham, which is in itself subject to death,
does not bestow life, but receives from the Spirit its power to
feed us ; and, therefore, on our part also, that we may be truly
nourished by it, we must bring the spiritual mouth of faith.

As to the sentence breaking off in so abrupt a manner, it
is probable that this was done because Christ saw that it
was necessary to act in this manner towards unbelievers.
By this clause, therefore, he suddenly closed the sermon,
because they did not deserve that he should speak to them
any longer. Yet he did not overlook those who are godly
and teachable; for they have here, in a few words, what
may abundantly satisfy them.

The words which I speak to you. ‘This is an allusion to the
preceding statement, for he now employs the word Spirit in
a different sense. But as he had spoken of the secret power
of the Spirit, he elegantly applies this to his doctrine, because
it is spiritual; for the word Sprit must be explained to mean
spiritual. Now the word is called spiritual, because it calls
us upwards to seek Christ in his heavenly glory, through the
guidance of the Spirit, by faith, and not by our carnal per-
ception ; for we know that of all that was said, nothing can be
comprehended but by faith. Anditisalso worthy of observation,
that he connects life with the Spirit. He calls his word Zfe,
from its effect, as if he had called it quickening; but shows that
it will not be quickening to any but those who receive it spirit-
ually, for others will rather draw death from it. To the
godly, this commendation bestowed on the Gospel is most
delightful, because they are certain that it is appointed for
their eternal salvation; but at the same time, they are re-
minded to labour to prove that they are genuine disciples.

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 275

64. But there are some of you who do not believe. He again
imputes blame to them, because, being destitute of the Spirit,
they wickedly corrupt and debase his doctrine, and thus turn
it to their ruin. For otherwise they might have objected:
“You boast, indeed, that what you speak is quickening, but
we experience nothing of that nature.” He therefore says,
that by themselves it is prevented ; for unbelief, as it is always
proud, will never understand any thing in the words of Christ,
which it despises and disdains. Wherefore, if we wish to profit
at all under this Teacher, let us bring minds well disposed to
listen to him; for if the entrance to his doctrine be not opened
up by humility and reverence, our understandings are harder
than stones, and will not receive any part of sound doctrine.
And therefore, when in the present day we see so few people
in the world profiting by the Gospel, we ought to remember
that this arises from the depravity of men. For how many
will you find who deny themselves, and truly submit to
Christ? As to his saying only that there were SOME who did
not believe, though almost all of them were liable to this charge,
his reason for doing so appears to have been that, if there
were any who were not yet beyond the possibility of cure,
they might not cast down their minds in despair.

For Jesus knew from the beginning. The Evangelist added
this, that none might think that Christ formed an opinion at
random about his hearers. Many professed to belong to his
flock, but a sudden apostacy exposed their hypocrisy. But
the Evangelist says that their treachery, even while it was
unknown to others, was well known to Christ. And this is
stated, not so much on his account, as that we may learn not
to form a judgment except on subjects which we have
thoroughly investigated; for as to their being known to
Christ from the beginning, this was peculiar to his Divinity.
It is otherwise with us; for since we do not know the hearts,
we ought to delay forming a judgment, until impiety be
manifested by outward signs, and thus the tree be known by
its fruits, (Matth. vii. 16.)

65. And he said, Therefore have I told you that no man can come to
me, unless it be given to him by my Father. 66. From that time many

276 COMMENTARY ON THE

of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. 67. Jesus
therefore said to the twelve, Do you also wish to go away? 68. Simon
Peter therefore answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast
the words of eternal life. 69. And we have believed and known that
thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. 70. Jesus answered them,
Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil? 71. Now he
spoke of Judas Iscariot, son of Simon; for it was he that would betray
him, although he was one of the twelve.

65. Therefore have I told you. We again states that faith
is an uncommon and remarkable gift of the Spirit of God,
that we may not be astonished that the Gospel is not received
in every place and by all. For, being ill qualified to turn to
our advantage the course of events, we think more meanly of
the Gospel, because the whole world does not assent to it.
The thought arises in our mind, How is it possible that the
ereater part of men shall deliberately reject their salvation ?
Christ therefore assigns a reason why there are so few be-
lievers, namely, because no man, whatever may be his acute-
ness,! can arrive at faith by his own sagacity; for all are blind,
until they are illuminated by the Spirit of God, and therefore
they only partake of so great a blessing whom the Father
deigns to make partakers of it. If this grace were bestowed
on all without exception, it would have been unseasonable
and inappropriate to have mentioned it in this passage ; for
we must understand that it was Christ’s design to show that
not many believe the Gospel, because faith proceeds only
from the secret revelation of the Spirit.

Unless it be given him by my Father. He now uses the word
give instead of the word which he formerly used, draw; by
which he means that there is no other reason why God draws,
than because out of free grace he loves us; for what we
obtain by the gift and grace of God, no man procures for
himself by his own industry.

66. From that time many of his disciples went back. The
Evangelist now relates what trouble was the consequence of
that sermon. It is a dreadful and monstrous thing, that so
kind and gracious an invitation of Christ could have alien-
ated the minds of many, and especially of those who had

1 'Tant aigu soit il.”

a

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. S77

formerly professed to belong to him, and were even his
ordinary disciples. But this example is held out to us for a
mirror, as it were, in which we may perceive how great is
the wickedness and ingratitude of men, who turn a plain road
into an occasion of stumbling to them, that they may not
come to Christ. Many would say that it would have been
better that a sermon of this kind should never have been
preached, which occasioned the apostacy of many. But we
ought to entertain a widely different view; for it was then
necessary, and now is daily necessary, that what had been
foretold concerning Christ should be perceived in his doctrine,
namely, that he is the stone of stumbling, (Isa. viii. 14.)

We ought, indeed, to regulate our doctrine in such a manner
that none may be offended through our fault ; as far as pos-
sible, we ought to retain all; and, in short, we ought to take
care that we do not, by talking inconsiderately or at random,’
disturb ignorant or weak minds. But it will never be possi-
ble for us to exercise such caution that the doctrine of Christ
shall not be the occasion of offence to many; because the
reprobate, who are devoted to destruction, suck venom from
the most wholesome food, and gall from honey. The Son of
God undoubtedly knew well what was useful, and yet we see
- that he cannot avoid? offending many of his disciples. What-
ever then may be the dislike entertained by many persons
for pure doctrine, still we are not at liberty to suppress it,
Only let the teachers of the Church remember the advice
given by Paul, that the word of God ought to be properly divided,
(2 Tim. ii. 15;) and next let them advance boldly amidst all
offences. And if it happen that many apostatize, let us not
be disgusted at the word of God, because it is not relished
by the reprobate; for they who are so much shaken by the
revolt of some that, when those persons fall away, they are
immediately discouraged, are too delicate and tender.

And walked no more with him, When the Evangelist adds
these words, he means that it was not a complete apostacy,
but only that they withdrew from familiar intercourse with
Christ ; and yet he condemns them as apostates. Hence we

1 “ Tnconsiderément, ou A la volee.” 2 + T] ne peut eviter.”

278 COMMENTARY ON THE

ought to learn that we cannot go back a foot breadth, with-
out being immediately in danger of falling into treacherous
denial of our Master.

67. Jesus therefore said to the twelve. As the faith of the
apostles might be greatly shaken, when they saw that they
were so small a remnant of a great multitude, Christ directs
his discourse to them, and shows that there is no reason why
they should allow themselves to be hurried away by the
lightness and unsteadiness of others. When he asks them if
they also wish to go away, he does so in order to confirm their
faith ; for, by exhibiting to tnem himself, that they may
remain with him, he likewise exhorts them not to become the
companions of apostates. And, indeed, if faith be founded
on Christ, it will not depend on men, and will never waver,
though it should see heaven and earth mingling. We ought
also to observe this circumstance, that Christ, when deprived
of nearly all his disciples, retains the twelve only, in like manner
as Isaiah was formerly commanded to bind the testimony and
seal the law among the disciples, (Isa. viii. 16.) By such ex-
amples, every one of the believers is taught to follow God,
even though he should have no companion.

68. Simon Peter therefore answered him. Peter replies here
in the name of all, as he does on other occasions; because all
of them were of the same mind, except that in Judas there
was no sincerity. This reply contains two clauses; for Peter
first states the reason why he cheerfully adheres to Christ,
along with his brethren; namely, because they feel that his
doctrine is wholesome and quickening; and, secondly, he
acknowledges ‘that to whomsoever they might go, if they left
Christ, there remained for them nothing but death.

Thou hast the words of eternal life. When he says the words
of life, by the phrase of life, he means quickening, using the
genitive case instead of the adjective, which is a very com-
mon mode of expression among the Hebrews. It is a re-
markable commendation bestowed on the Gospel, that it
administers to us efernal life, as Paul testifies, that it is the
power of God for salvation to every one who believeth, (Rom. i.

hens

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 279

16.) True, the Law also contains life, but because it de-
nounces against all transgressors' the condemnation of
eternal death, it can do nothing but kill. Widely different
is the manner in which Uf is offered to us in the Gospel, that
is, when God reconciles us to himself through free grace, by
not imputing our sins, (2 Cor. v.19.) It is no ordinary asser-
tion that Peter makes concerning Christ, when he says that
he has the words of eternal life; but he ascribes this to
Christ as belonging to him alone. Hence follows the second
statement which I glanced at a little ago, that as soon as they
have gone away from Christ, there remains for them every-
where nothing but death. Certain destruction, therefore,
awaits all who, not satisfied with that Teacher, fly to the in-
ventions of men.

69. And we have believed and known. The verbs are in the
past tense, but they may be changed into the present tense,
we believe and know, but it makes little difference in the mean-
ing. In these words Peter gives a brief summary of faith.
But the confession appears to have nothing to do with the
matter in hand, for the question had been raised about eating
the flesh of Christ. I reply, although the twelve did not at

once comprehend all that Christ had taught, yet it is enough

that, according to the capacity of their faith, they acknow-
ledge him to be the Author of salvation, and submit them-
selves to him in all things. The word believe is put first, be-
cause the obedience of faith is the commencement of right
understanding, or rather, becausé faith itself is truly the eye
of the understanding. But immediately afterwards knowledge
is added, which distinguishes faith from erroneous and false
opinions ; for Mahometans and Jews and Papists delieve, but
they neither know nor understand any thing. Knowledge is
connected with faith, because we are certain and fully con-
vinced of the truth of God, not in the same manner as human

sciences are learned, but when the Spirit seals it on our
hearts.

1“ A tous transgresseurs.”

280 COMMENTARY ON THE

70. Jesus answered them. Since Christ replies to all, we
infer from it that all spake by the mouth of Peter. Besides,
Christ now prepares and fortifies the eleven apostles against
a new offence which was already at hand. It was a powerful
instrument of Satan for shaking their faith, when they were
reduced to so small a number, but the fall of Judas might
take away all their courage; for since Christ had chosen that
sacred number, who would ever have thought that any portion
of the whole number could be torn away? That admonition
of Christ may be interpreted thus: “ You twelve alone re-
main out of a large company. If your faith has not been
shaken by the unbelief of many, prepare for a new contest ;
for this company, though small, will be still diminished by one
man.”

Have not I chosen you twelve? When Christ says that he
has CHOSEN or ELECTED ¢welve, he does not refer to the eternal
purpose of God; for it is impossible that any one of those
who have been predestinated to life shall fall away; but,
having been chosen to the apostolic office, they ought to have
surpassed others in piety and holiness. He used the word
chosen, therefore, to denote those who were eminent and dis-
tinguished from the ordinary rank.

And one of you is a devil. He unquestionably intended, by
this name, to hold up Judas to the utmost detestation ; for
they are mistaken who extenuate the atrocity implied in the
name, and indeed we cannot sufficiently execrate those who
dishonour so sacred an office. Teachers who faithfully dis-
charge their office are called angels. They should seek the law
at his mouth, for he is THE ANGEL of the Lord of Hosts, (Mal.
ii. 7,) Justly, therefore, is he accounted a devil, who, after
having been admitted to so honourable a rank, is corrupted
through his treachery and wickedness. Another reason is,
that God allows more power and liberty to Satan over wicked
and ungodly ministers, than over other ordinary men; and
therefore, if they who were chosen to be pastors are driven
by diabolical rage, so as to resemble wild and monstrous
beasts, so far are we from being entitled, on that account, to
despise the honourable rank to which they belong, that we

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 281

ought rather to honour it the more, when the profanation of
it is followed by so fearful a punishment.

71. He spoke of Judas. Although Judas had a bad con-
science, still we do not read that he was at all moved.
Hypocrites are so stupid that they do not feel their sores,
and in the presence of men they have such hardened effront-
ery, that they do not scruple to prefer themselves to the very
best of men.

CHAPTER VII.

1. And after these things Jesus walked in Galilee; for he did not
wish to walk in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill him. 2. And the
setting up of tabernacles, a feast of the Jews, was at hand. 3. His
brethren therefore said to him, Depart hence, and go away into Judea,
that thy disciples also may see the works which thou dost. 4. For no
man doth any thing in secret, and seeketh to become known; if thou dost
these things, show thyself to the world. 5. For even his brethren did
not believe in him. 6. Jesus therefore said to them, My time is not yet
come, but your time is always ready. 7. The world cannot hate you, but
me it hateth, because I testify of it that its works are evil. 8. Go you up

to this feast. I go not up yet to this feast, because my time is not yet
completed.

1. Jesus walked in Galilee. The Evangelist appears not
to pursue a continued narrative, but to select out of what
occurred at different times those events which were worthy
of being related. He says that Christ sojourned for a time
in Galilee, because he could not remain in safety anywhere
among the Jews. If any person think it strange that Christ
sought a place of concealment, who, by the mere act of his
will, could break and render powerless all the efforts of his
enemies, it is easy to reply, that he remembered the commis-
sion which he had received from the Father, and determined
to confine himself within the limits which belonged to him
as man; for, having taken upon him the form of a servant, he
emptied himself, till the Father exalted him, (Philip. ii. 6-8.)

If it be objected that, as he knew the time of his death,

which had been foreordained and determined in the purpose
VOL. I. S

282 COMMENTARY ON THE

of God,! he had no reason for avoiding it, the former solution
applies here also ; for he conducted himself as a man who was
liable to dangers, and, therefore, it was not proper that he
should throw himself at random into dangerous situations.
In encountering dangers, it is not our business to inquire
what God has determined respecting us in his decree, but
what he commands and enjoins on us, what our office requires
and demands, and what is the proper method of regulating
our life. Besides, while Christ avoided dangers, he did not
turn aside a hairsbreadth from the course of duty; for to
what purpose would life be maintained and defended, but that
we may serve the Lord? We ought always to take care,
therefore, that we do not, for the sake of life, lose the reasons
for living. When a small and despised corner of Galilee
grants a lodging to Christ, whom Judea cannot endure, we
learn from it that piety and the fear of God are not always
to be found in the chief places of the Church.

2. Now a feast of the Jews was at hand. ‘Though I do not
affirm it, yet it is probable that this happened during the
second year after Christ’s baptism. As to this feast, which
the Evangelist mentions, it is not necessary at present to say
much. For what purpose and use it was enjoined, Moses
shows, (Lev. xxiii. 34.) It was, that by this annual cere-
mony the Jews might call to remembrance, that their fathers
lived forty years in tabernacles, when they had no houses,
that they might thus celebrate the grace of God displayed
in their deliverance. We have formerly said that there were
two reasons why Christ came to Jerusalem during this feast.
One was, that, being subject to the Law, in order to
redeem us all from its bondage, he wished to omit no part
of the observation of it; and the other was, that, amidst a
numerous and extraordinary assemblage of people, he had a
better opportunity of advancing the Gospel. But now the
Evangelist relates that Christ kept himself in retirement at
Galilee, as if he did not intend to come to Jerusalem.

1 ¢¢ Determiné au conseil de Dieu.”

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 283

3. His brethren therefore said to him. Under the word
brethren the Hebrews include all cousins and other relations,
whatever may be the degree of affinity. He says that they
mocked at Christ, because he shunned to be seen or known,
and concealed himself in a mean and despised district of
Judea. There is reason to doubt, however, if they were
excited by ambition to desire that Christ should obtain
celebrity. But granting this, still it is evident that they
ridicule him, because they do not think that his conduct is
rational and judicious; and they even upbraid him with folly,
because, while he wishes to be something, he wants confi-
dence in himself, and does not venture to appear openly
before men. When they say, that thy disciples also may see,
they mean not only his domestics, but all those whom he
wished to procure out of the whole nation; for they add,
“Thou wishest to be known by all, and yet thou concealest
thyself.”

4. If thou dost these things ; that is, if thou aspirest to such
greatness that all may applaud thee, direct towards thee the
eyes of all. And they add, show thyself to the world, using
the word world, as contrasted with the small number of per-
sons among whom he was spending his time without honour.
We might also draw from it another meaning. “ Jf thou
dost these things, that is, since thou art endued with so great
power as to procure reputation for thyself by miracles, do not
throw them away ; for all that has been given to thee by God
thou spendest here to no purpose, because there are none to
bear thee testimony, or to hold thee in just estimation.”
Hence we perceive how great is the indolence of men in
considering the works of God; for the relations of Christ
would never have spoken in this manner, if they had not—
as it were—trampled under foot the manifest proofs of his
Divine power, which they ought to have beheld with the
greatest admiration and reverence. What is here told us
concerning Christ happens in daily experience, that the
children of God suffer greater annoyance from their near
relations than from strangers; for they are instruments of
Satan which tempt, sometimes to ambition, and sometimes

284 COMMENTARY ON THE

to avarice, those who desire to serve God purely and faith-
fully. But such Satans receive a vigorous repulse from
Christ, who thus instructs us by his example, that we ought
not to yield to the foolish wishes of brethren or relations."

5. For even his brethren did not believe in him. Hence we
infer how small is the value of carnal relationship; for the
Holy Spirit stamps with a perpetual mark of infamy the
relations of Christ, because, though convinced by the testi-
monies of so many works, they did not even then believe.
Therefore, whosoever wishes to be thought to be in Christ, as Paul
says, let him be a new creature, (2 Cor. v. 17; Gal. vi. 153)
for they who dedicate themselves wholly to God obtain the
place of father, and mother, and brethren to Christ, and all
others he utterly disavows, (Matth. xii. 50.) So much the
more ridiculous is the superstition of Papists, who, disregard-
ing everything else in the Virgin Mary, extol her only on the
ground of relationship, bestowing on her the title of the
Mother of Christ,’ as if Christ himself had not reproved the
woman who exclaimed from the midst of the crowd, Blessed
is the womb that bore thee, and the breasts that suckled thee ;
for Christ replied, Nay, rather, blessed are they who hear the
word of God, (Luke xi. 27, 28.)

6. My time is not yet come. There are some who errone-
ously interpret this as referring to the time of his death, for
it denotes the tme of his setting out on the journey to go to
the feast. He assures them that, in this respect, he differs
from his relations. They may freely and without danger
appear, at all hours, before the world, because the world is
friendly and favourable to them; but he is in dread of his
person, and justly, because the world is his mortal enemy.
By these words he means that they do wrong in giving ad-
vice on a matter which they do not understand.

7. The world cannot hate you. When he says that the
world cannot hate them, he reproves them for being altogether

1 “ De nos parens.” 2 “Le titre de Mere de Christ.”
3 “ De se mettre en chemin pour aller & la feste.”

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 285

‘earnal; for peace with the world can only be purchased by a
wicked consent to vices and to every kind of wickedness.
But me it hateth, because I testify. The world here denotes
men who are not born again, who retain their natural disposi-
tion; and accordingly he declares that all who have not yet
been regenerated by the Spirit are Christ’s adversaries.
And why? Because he condemns their works. And if we
acquiesce in the decision of Christ, we are under the neces-
sity of acknowledging that the whole nature of man is so
sinful and wicked, that nothing right, or sincere, or good,
can proceed from it. This is the only reason why any of us
is pleased with himself, so long as he is in his natural state.
Because i testify of it, that its works are evil. When Christ

says that the world hateth him on this account, he means that
the Gospel cannot be faithfully preached without summoning
the whole world, as guilty, to the judgment-seat of God, that
flesh and blood may thus be crushed and reduced to nothing,
according to that saying, When the Spirit shall come, he will
reprove the world of sin, (John xvi. 8.) We learn from it
also, that so great is the pride natural to men, that they
flatter and applaud themselves in their vices; for they would
not kindle into rage, when they are reproved, were it not

that they are blinded by excessive love of themselves, and
on that account flatter themselves in their sins. Even among
the vices of men, the chief and most dangerous is pride and
arrogance. The Holy Spirit alone softens us, so as to endure
reproofs patiently, and thus to offer ourselves willingly to be
slain by the sword of the Church.

9. And having said these things, he remained in Galilee. 10. And
when his brethren had gone up, then he also went up to the feast, not
openly, but, as it were, in secret. 11. The Jews therefore sought him
at the feast, and said, Where is he? 12. And there was much murmur-
ing concerning him among the crowds; for some said, He is a good man,
and others said, No, but he seduceth the multitude. 13: Yet no man
spoke openly about him for fear of the Jews.

9. He remained in Galilee. The Evangelist here places
before our eyes the cousins of our Lord Jesus Christ,! who,

' “ Les cousins de nostre Seigneur Jesus Christ.”

286 COMMENTARY ON THE

in compliance with ordinary customs, pretend to worship
God, but yet are on friendly terms with unbelievers, and
therefore walk without any alarm. On the other hand, he
places before our eyes Christ himself, who, hated by the world,
comes secretly into the city, till the necessity arising out of
his office compels him to show himself openly. But if there
be nothing more wretched than to be separated from Christ,
accursed be that peace which costs so high a price as to leave
and abandon the Son of God.'

11. The Jews therefore sought him. Here we ought to con-
sider what was the condition of the Church. For the Jews, at
that time, gaped for the promised redemption like hungry
men; yet, when Christ appears to them, they remain in sus-
pense. Hence arose that murmuring and that variety of
opinions. That they whisper secretly is an indication of the
tyranny which the priests and scribes exercised over them.
It is a shocking exhibition, indeed, that this Church, which
was at that time the only Church on earth, is here repre-
sented to us as a confused and shapeless chaos. They who
rule, instead of pastors, hold the people oppressed by fear
and terror, and throughout the whole body there is shameful
desolation and lamentable disorder. By the Jews he means
the common people, who, having been accustomed for two
years to hear Christ, inquire about him, because he does not
appear according to his custom. For when they say, Where
is he? they describe a man whom they knew, and yet that
word shows that they had not yet been earnestly moved, and
that they always remained in doubt and suspense.

12. And there was much murmuring. He means that,
wherever men were collected in crowds, as usually happens
in large assemblies, they held secret conversations about
Christ. The diversity of opinion, which is here related,
proves that it is not a new eyil, that men should differ in their

1“ De quitter et renoncer le Fils de Dieu.”
2 «Comme un abysme de confusion et disordre;”’—“‘ as a gulf of con-
fusion and disorder.”

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 287

opinions about Christ, even in the very bosom of the Church.
And as we do not hesitate to receive Christ, who was formerly
condemned by the greater part of his own nation, so we ought
to be armed with the same kind of shield, that the dissensions
which we see daily may not disturb us. Again, we may per-
ceive how great is the rashness of men in the things of God.
In a matter of no importance, they would not have taken so
great liberty, but when the question relates to the Son of
God and to his most holy doctrine, they immediately hasten
to give judgment respecting it. So much the greater mode-
ration ought we to maintain, that we may not thoughtlessly
condemn our life with the eternal truth of God. And if the
world holds us for impostors, let us remember that these are
the marks and brands of Christ, provided that we show, at
the same time, that we are faithful. This passage shows
likewise that in a great multitude, even when the whole body
is ina state of confusion, there are always some who think
aright ; but those few persons, whose minds are well regulated,
are swallowed up by the multitude of those whose under-
standings are bewildered.

13. Yet no man spoke openly of him for fear of the Jews. By
_ the Jews he here means the rulers, who had the government
in their hands. They burned with such hatred against Christ,
that they did not permit a word to be uttered on either side.
Not that they were displeased at any reproaches which were
heaped upon him, but because they could discover no better
expedient than that his name should be buried in oblivion.
Thus the enemies of the truth, after having found that they
gain nothing by their cruelty, desire nothing more than to
suppress the remembrance of him, and this object alone they
strive to attain. ‘That all were silent, being subdued by fear,
was a proof of gross tyranny, as I have already said; for as
unbridled licentiousness has no place in a_ well-regulated
Church, so when all freedom is held oppressed by fear, it is
a most wretched condition. But the power of our Lord
Jesus Christ shone forth with greater and more wonderful
brightness, when—causing himself to be heard amidst armed
foes, and amidst their furious resentment, and under so for-

288 COMMENTARY ON THE

midable a government—he openly maintained and asserted
the truth of God.

14. And about the middle of the feast, Jesus went up into the temple,
and taught. 15. And the Jews wondered, saying, How doth this man
know letters, since he did not learn them? 16. Jesus answered them,
and said, My doctrine is not mine, but that of him who sent me. 17. If
any man wish to do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, if it be of God,
or if I speak from myself. 18. He who speaketh from himself seeketh
his own glory; but he who seeketh the glory of him who sent him is
true, and there is no unrighteousness in him. 19. Did not Moses give
you the law, and not one of you keepeth the law? Why do you seek
to lull me?

14. Jesus went up into the temple. We now see that Christ
was not so much afraid as to desist from the execution of his
office ; for the cause of his delay was, that he might preach
to a very large assembly. We may sometimes, therefore,
expose ourselves to dangers, but we ought never to disregard
or omit a single opportunity of doing good. As to his teach-
ing in the temple, he does so according to the ancient ordinance
and custom ; for while God commanded so many ceremonies,
he did not choose that his people should be occupied with
cold and useless spectacles. That their usefulness might be
known, it was necessary that they should be accompanied
by doctrine; and in this manner, external rites are lively
images of spiritual things, when they take their shape from
the word of God. But almost all the priests being at that
time dumb, and the pure doctrine being corrupted by the
leaven and false inventions of the scribes, Christ undertook
the office of a teacher ; and justly, because he was the great
High Priest, as he affirms shortly afterwards, that he attempts
nothing but by the command of the Father.

15. And the Jews wondered. Those who think that Christ
was received in such a manner as to be esteemed and honoured
are mistaken; for the wonder or astonishment of the Jews
is of such a nature, that they seek occasion from it to despise
him. For such is the ingratitude of men that, in judging of
the works ef God, they always seek deliberately an occasion
of falling into error. If God acts by the usual means and in
the ordinary way, those means which are visible to the eyes

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 289

are—as it were—veils which hinder us from perceiving the
Divine hand ; and therefore we discern nothing in them but
what is human. But if an unwonted power of God shines
above the order of nature and the means generally known,
we are stunned ; and what ought to have deeply affected all
our senses passes away as a dream. For such is our pride,
that we take no interest in any thing of which we do not
know the reason.

How doth this man know letters? It was an astonishing
proof of the power and grace of God, that Christ, who had
not been taught by any master, was yet eminently distin-
guished by his knowledge of the Scriptures; and that he,
who had never been a scholar, should be a most excellent
teacher and instructor. But for this very reason the Jews
despise the grace of God, because it exceeds their capacity.
Admonished by their example, therefore, let us learn to exer-
cise deeper reverence for God than we are wont to do in the
consideration of his works.

16. My doctrine is not mine. Christ shows that this cir-
cumstance, which was an offence to the Jews, was rather a
ladder by which they ought to have risen higher to perceive
the glory of God; as if he had said, “ When you see a
teacher not trained in the school of men, know that I have
been taught by God.” For the reason why the Heavenly
Father determined that his Son should go out of a mechanic’s
workshop, rather than from the schools of the scribes, was,
that the origin of the Gospel might be more manifest, that
none might think that it had been fabricated on the earth,
or imagine that any human being was the author of it. Thus
also Christ chose ignorant and uneducated men to be his
apostles, and permitted them to remain three years in gross
ignorance, that, having instructed them in a single instant,
he might bring them forward as new men, and even as angels
who had just come down from heaven.

Butthat of him who sent me. Meanwhile, Christ shows whence
we ought to derive the authority of spiritual doctrine, from God
alone. Andwhen he asserts that the doctrine of his Father is not
his, he looks to the capacity of the hearers, who had no higher

290 COMMENTARY ON THE

opinion of him than that he was a man. By way of conces-
sion, therefore, he allows himself to be reckoned different
from his Father, but so as to bring forward nothing but what
the Father had enjoined. The amount of what is stated is,
that what he teaches in the name of his Father is not a doc-
trine of men, and did not proceed from men, so as to be cap-
able of being despised with impunity. We see by what
method he procures authority for his doctrine. It is by
referring it to God as its Author. We see also on what
ground, and for what reason, he demands that he shall be
heard. It is, because the Father sent him to teach. Both
of these things ought to be possessed by every man who takes
upon himself the oftice of a teacher, and wishes that he should
be believed.

17. If any man wish to do his will. He anticipates the
objections that might be made. For since he had many
adversaries in that place, some one might readily have mur-
mured against him in this manner: “ Why dost thou boast
to us of the name of God? For we do not know that thou
hast: proceeded from him. Why, then, dost thou press upon
us that maxim, which we do not admit to thee, that thou
teachest nothing but by the command of God?” Christ,
therefore, replies that sound judgment flows from fear
and reverence for God; so that, if their minds be well
disposed to the fear of God, they will easily perceive if what
he preaches be true or not. He likewise administers to them,
by it, an indirect reproof; for how comes it that they cannot
distinguish between falsehood and truth,’ but because they
want the principal requisite to sound understanding, namely,
piety, and the earnest desire to obey God?

This statement is highly worthy of observation. Satan
continually plots against us, and spreads his nets in every
direction, that he may take us unawares by his delusions.
Here Christ most excellently forewarns us to beware of ex-
posing ourselves to any of his impostures, assuring us that if
we are prepared to obey God, he will never fail to illuminate

1 ‘¢ Entre la fausseté et la verité.”

ee

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 291

us by the light of his Spirit, so that we shall be able to dis-
tinguish between truth and falsehood. Nothing else, there-
fore, hinders us from judging aright, but that we are unruly
and headstrong; and every time that Satan deceives us, we
are justly punished for our hypocrisy. In like manner Moses
gives warning that, when false prophets arise, we are tried and
proved by God; for they whose hearts are right will never be
deceived, (Deut. xiii. 3.) Hence it is evident how wickedly
and foolishly many persons in the present day, dreading the
danger of falling into error, by that very dread shut the door
against all desire to learn; as if our Saviour had not good
ground for saying, Knock, and it shall be opened to you, (Matth.
vii. 7.)

On the contrary, if we be entirely devoted to obedience to
God, let us not doubt that He will give us the spirit of discern-
ment, to be our continual director and guide. If others choose
to waver, they will ultimately find how flimsy are the pre-
tences for their ignorance. And, indeed, we see that all who
now hesitate, and prefer to cherish their doubt rather than,
by reading or hearing, to inquire earnestly where the truth
of God is, have the hardihood to set God at defiance by
general principles. One man will say that he prays for the

‘dead, because, distrusting his own judgment, he cannot ven-

ture to condemn the false doctrines invented by wicked men
about purgatory ; and yet he will freely allow himself to com-
mit fornication. Another will say that he has not so much
acuteness as to be able to distinguish between the pure doc-
trine of Christ and the spurious contrivances of men, but yet
he will have acuteness enough to steal or commit perjury. In
short, all those doubters, who cover themselves with a veil of
doubt in all those matters which are at present the subject of
controversy, display a manifest contempt of God on subjects
that are not at all obscure.

We need not wonder, therefore, that the doctrine of the
Gospel is received by very few persons in the present day,
since there is so little of the fear of God in the world. Besides,
these words of Christ contain a definition of true religion ;
that is, when we are prepared heartily to follow the will of

292 COMMENTARY ON THE

God, which no man can do, unless he has renounced his own
views.

Or if I speak from myself. We ought to observe in what
manner Christ wishes that a judgment should be formed
about any doctrine whatever. He wishes that’ what is from.
God should be received without controversy, but freely
allows us to reject whatever is from man; for this is the only
distinction that he lays down, by which we ought to distin-
guish between doctrines.

18. He who speaketh from himself. Hitherto he has showed
that there is no other reason why men are blind, but because
theyare not governed by the fear of God. He now puts another
mark on the doctrine itself, by which it may be known whether
it is of God or of man. For every thing that displays the
glory of God is holy and divine; but every thing that con-
tributes to the ambition of men, and, by exalting them,
obscures the glory of God, not only has no claim to be
believed, but ought to be vehemently rejected. He who
shall make the glory of God the object at which he aims will
never go wrong; he who shall try and prove by this touch-
stone what is brought forward in the name of God will never
be deceived by the semblance of right. We are also re-
minded by it that no man can faithfully discharge the office
of teacher in the Church, unless he be void of ambition, and
resolve to make it his sole object to promote, to the utmost
of his power, the glory of God. When he says that there 2s
no unrighteousness in him, he means that there is nothing
wicked or hypocritical, but that he does what becomes an
upright and sincere minister of God.

19. Did not Moses give you the Law? 'The Evangelist does
not give a full and connected narrative of the sermon delivered
by Christ, but only a brief selection of the principal topics,
which contain the substance of what was spoken. The
scribes mortally hated him,! and the priests had been kin-
dled into rage against him, because he had cured a paralytic ;

1 “ Les scribes le haissoyent mortellement.”

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 293

and they professed that this arose from their zeal for the
Law. To confute their hypocrisy, he reasons, not from the
subject, but from the person. All of them having freely
indulged in their vices, as if they had never known any law,
he infers from it that they are not moved by any love or zeal
for the Law. ‘True, this defence would not have been sufhi-
cient to prove the point. Granting that—under a false pretence
—they concealed their wicked and unjust hatred, still it does
not follow that Christ did right, if he committed any thing
contrary to the injunction of the Law; for we must not
attempt to extenuate our own blame by the sins of others.
But Christ connects here two clauses. In the former, he
addresses the consciences of his enemies, and, since they
proudly boasted of being defenders of the Law, he tears from
them this mask; for he brings against them this reproach,
that they allow themselves to violate the Law as often as
they please, and, therefore, that they care nothing about the
Law. Next, he comes to the question itself, as we shall
afterwards see; so that the defence is satisfactory and com-
plete in all its parts. Consequently, the amount of this
clause is, that no zeal for the Law exists in its despisers.
Hence Christ infers that something else has excited the

Jews to so great rage, when they seek to put him to death.

In this manner we ought to drag the wicked from their con-
cealments, whenever they fight against God and sound doc-
trine, and pretend to do so from pious motives.

Those who, in the present day, are the fiercest enemies of
the Gospel and the most strenuous defenders of Popery, have
nothing more plausible to urge in their behalf than that they
are excited by ardour of zeal. But if their life be narrowly
examined, they are all filled with base crimes, and openly
mock at God. Who knows not that the Pope’s court is
filled with Epicureans?! And as to Bishops and Abbots,
have they as much modesty as to conceal their baseness,
that some appearance of religion may be observed in them ?
Again, as to monks and other brawlers, are they not aban-
doned to all wickedness, to uncleanness, covetousness, and

1“ Que la cour du Pape est remplie d’Epicuriens.”

294 COMMENTARY ON THE

every kind of shocking crimes, so that their life cries aloud
that they have altogether forgotten God? And now that
they are not ashamed to boast of their zeal for God and
the Church, ought we not to repress them by this reply of
Christ ?

20. The multitude answered, and said, Thou hast a devil; who seeketh
to kill thee? 21. Jesus answered, and said to them, I have done one
work, and you all wonder. 22. Therefore Moses gave you circumcision,
not because it is of Moses, but of the fathers, and on the Sabbath you cir-
cumcise aman. 23. Ifa man receives circumcision on the Sabbath, that
the law of Moses may not be broken, are you offended at me, because I
have completely cured a man on the Sabbath? 24. Judge not according
to the appearance, but judge right judgment.

20. Thou hast a devil. The meaning is, “ Thou art mad ;”
for it was a customary phrase among the Jews, who had been
trained to the doctrine that, when men are excited to rage,
or when they have lost sense and reason, they are tormented
by the devil. And, indeed, as gentle and moderate chastise-
ments are God’s fatherly rods, so when He treats us with
greater harshness and severity, He appears not to strike us
with his own hand, but rather to employ the devil as the
executioner and minister of his wrath. Again, the multitude
reproach Christ with simplicity; for the common people were
not acquainted with the intentions of the priests. Those
foolish men, therefore, ascribe it to madness, when Christ
complains that they are endeavouring to put him to death.
We learn from it that we ought to be exceedingly cautious
not to form an opinion about subjects which we do not under-
stand ; but, if it ever happens that we are rashly condemned
by ignorant men, mildly to digest such an affront.

21. I have done one work. Now, leaving their persons, he
begins to speak of the fact; for he proves that the miracle
which he performed is not inconsistent with the Law of God.
When he says that he has done one work, the meaning is, that
it is only of a single crime that he is held guilty, or that it is
only fora single work that he is blamed, whichis, that he cured
a man on the day of Rest ;' but that they, on every day of

* “ Au jour de Repos.”

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 295 :

Rest, do many works of the same, or a similar description, .
and do not reckon them criminal ; for not a day of Rest passed

on which there were not many infants circumcised in Judea.

By this example he defends his action, although he does not

merely argue from what is similar, but draws a comparison

between the greater and the less. There was this similarity

between circumcision and the cure of the paralytic, that both

were works of God; but Christ maintains that the latter is

more excellent, because the benefit of it extends to the whole

man. Nowif he had merely cured the man of bodily disease,

the comparison would not have been applicable; for cireum-

cision would have greater excellence as to the cure of the

soul. Christ, therefore, connects the spiritual advantage of
the miracle with the outward benefit granted to the body;

and on this account he justly prefers to circumcision the entire

cure of a man.

There might also be another reason for the comparison,
namely, that the sacraments are not always attended by
power and efficacy, while Christ wrought efficaciously in
curing the paralytic. But I prefer the former exposition, that
the Jews maliciously and slanderously blame a wor, in which
the grace of God shines more illustriously than in circumei-

- sion, on which they bestow so much honour that they think

the Sabbath is not violated by it. And you all wonder. The
wonder, of which he speaks, means that what Christ had done
caused this murmur, because they thought that he had ven-
tured to do more than was lawful.

22. Therefore Moses gave you circumcision. The particle
therefore appears to be unsuitable; and, accordingly, some
take dia robro (on this account, or therefore) in the sense of
bic rd, (because ;) but the Greek syntax is unfavourable to
their opinion. I explain it simply as meaning, that circum-

1 The difficulty is obviated by reading the words 0:2 rovro, (with Scholz,
Bloomfield, and others,) as the conclusion of the 21st, and not as the
commencement of the 22d verse ; «ai ravres davwalere O1a@ rovTo, and
you all wonder AT IT, or, on this account. Our Author, with his usual saga-
city, has, in this instance, also anticipated the results of modern criticism ;
for his French version, which contains his latest views, runs thus: ‘“ J’ay

296 COMMENTARY ON THE

cision was enjoined in such a manner that the practice of that
symbolical rite was necessary even on the Sabbath-day. There-
fore, says he; that is, it has in this manner been sufficiently
demonstrated to them, that the worship of the Sabbath is not
violated by the works of God. And although Christ accommo-
dates the instance of circumcision to the present subject, yet
he immediately makes use of a correction, when he says, that
Moses was not the first minister of circumcision. But it was
enough for his purpose, that Moses, who so rigidly demanded
the keeping of the Sabbath, commanded that infants should
be circumcised on the eighth day, even though it should fall
on the day of Rest.

24, Judge not according to the appearance. Having con-
cluded his defence, he likewise administers a reproof on this
ground, that they are carried away by wicked dispositions,
and do not form a judgment according to the fact and the
matter in hand. Ctrcumcision was properly held by them in
reverence ; and when it was performed on the Sabbath-day,
they knew that the Law was not violated by it, because the
works of God agree well with each other. Why do they not
arrive at the same conclusion as to the work of Christ, but
because their minds are preoccupied by a prejudice which
they have formed against his person? Judgment, therefore,
will never be right, unless it be regulated by the truth of the
fact ; for as soon as persons appear in public, they turn their
eyes and senses on them, so that the truth immediately
vanishes. While this admonition ought to be observed in all
causes and affairs, it is peculiarly necessary when the question
relates to the heavenly doctrine; for there is nothing to
which we are more prone than to dislike that doctrine on
account of the hatred or contempt of men.

fait une cuvre, et vous en estes tous emerveillez, ow, ef vous estes esmer-
veillez de cela. Moise vous a donne la Circoncision.”—‘‘ I have done one
work, and you are all astonished at it, 07, and you are all astonished at that.
Moses gave you Circumcision.” It is remarkable that, while a modern
French version copies CALVIN’s rendering very closely, et vous en étes tous
étonnés, (and you are all astonished at it,) the translator has overlooked the
force of 0:2 tovro, for en (at it) is marked by him in Italics, as a supple-
ment.—d.
1 “ Au jour de Repos.”

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JONN. 297

25. Sonie of the inhabitants of Jerusalem therefore said, Is not this he
whom they seek to kill? 26. And, lo, he speaketh boldly, and they say
nothing to him. Do the rulers actually know that this is truly the Christ ?
27. But we know whence this man is; but when Christ shall come, no
man will know whence he is. 28. Jesus therefore exclaimed in the temple,
teaching and saying, You both know me, and you know whence I am ;
and I did not come of myself, but he who sent me is true, whom you know
not. 29. But I know him, for I am from him, and he hath sent me.
30. Therefore they sought to seize him; but no man laid hands on him,
because his hour was not yet come.

25. Some of the inhabitants of Jerusalem ; that is, those to
whom the rulers had communicated their plots, and who
knew how much Christ was hated ; for the people at large—
as we saw lately—looked upon this as a dream, or as mad-
ness. Those persons, therefore, who knew with what in-
veterate rage the rulers of their nation burned against Christ,
have some reason for wondering that, while Christ in the
temple not only converses openly but preaches freely, the
rulers say nothing to him. But they err in this respect, that
in a miracle altogether Divine they do not take into account
the providence of God. Thus carnal men, whenever they
behold any unusual work of God, do indeed wonder, but no
consideration of the power of God ever enters into their
mind. But it is our duty to examine more wisely the works

of God; and especially when wicked men, with all their

contrivances, do not hinder the progress of the Gospel so
much as they would desire, we ought to be fully persuaded that
their efforts have been rendered fruitless, because God, by
interposing his word, has defeated them.

27. But we know whence this man is. Here we see not only
how great is the blindness of men, when they ought to judge
about the things of God, but this vice is almost natural to
them, to be ingenious in contriving what may hinder them
from arriving at the knowledge of the truth. It is frequently,
indeed, from the craft of Satan that offences arise, which
cause many to turn away from Christ; but though the road
were plain and smooth, every man would contrive an offence
for himself. So long as the rulers were opposed to Christ,
their unbelief would of itself have kept back this multitude ;
but when that obstacle has been removed, they contrive a new

VOL. I. fh

298 COMMENTARY ON THE

reason for themselves, that they may not come to the faith.
And even though it were proper that they should be influ-
enced by the example of their rulers, they are so far from
following what is right, that they willingly stumble at the
first step. Thus it frequently happens, that men who had
begun well fall away quickly, unless the Lord conduct them
to the very end of their career.

But when Christ shall come. The argument by which they
obstruct their own progress is this: “The Prophets have
testified that the origin of Christ will be unknown. Now
we know whence this man is, and therefore we cannot reckon
him to be the Christ.” Hence we are reminded how pernicious
it is to mangle the Scriptures, and even Christ himself, so as
not to admit more than the half of him. God promised that
the Redeemer would be of the seed of David; but he fre-
quently claims this office as peculiar to himself; therefore,
he must have been God manifested in the flesh, that he
might be the Redeemer of his Church. Thus Micah points
out the place where Christ would be born. Out of thee,
Bethlehem, he says, a Prince shall come, to govern my people.
But, immediately afterwards, he speaks of another going forth
which is far loftier, and then he says that it is hidden and
secret, (Micah y. 2.) Yet those wretched men, when they
perceived in Christ nothing but what is liable to contempt,
draw the absurd conclusion, that he is not the person who
had been promised. On the mean condition of Christ in
the flesh let us therefore learn to look in such a manner,
that this state of humiliation, which is despised by wicked
men, may raise us to his heavenly glory. Thus Bethlehem,
where the man was to be born, will be to us a door by which
we may enter into the presence of the eternal God.

28. Jesus therefore exclaimed in the temple. He bitterly re-
proaches them for their rashness, because they arrogantly
flattered themselves in a false opinion, and in this manner
excluded themselves from a knowledge of the truth; as if he
had said, “ You know all things, and yet you know nothing.”
And, indeed, there is not a more destructive plague than
when men are so intoxicated by the scanty portion of know-

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 299

ledge which they possess, that they boldly reject every thing
that is contrary to their opinion.

You both know me, and you know whence I am. This is
ironical language. With the false opinion which they had
formed concerning him, he contrasts what is true; as if he
had said, “ While you have your eyes fixed on the earth, you
think that every part of me is before your eyes; and there-
fore you despise me as mean and unknown. But God will
testify that I have come from heaven ; and though I may be
rejected by you, God will acknowledge that I am truly his
own Son.”

But he who hath sent me is true. He calls God true in the same
sense that Paul calls him faithful. Ifwe are unbelievers, says he,
he remaineth faithful, he cannot deny himself, (2 ‘Tim. ii. 13.)
For his object is to prove, that the credit due to the Gospel is
not in the smallest degree diminished by the utmost exertions
of the world to overthrow it; that though wicked men may
attempt to take from Christ what belonged to him, still he
remains unimpaired, because the truth of God is firm and is
always like itself. Christ sees that he is despised; but so
far is he from yielding, that, on the contrary, he boldly repels
the furious arrogance of those who hold him in no estimation.
With such unshaken and heroic fortitude all believers ought
to be endued; nay, more, our faith will never be solid or
lasting, unless it treat with contempt the presumption of
wicked men, when they rise up against Christ. Above all,
godly teachers, relying on this support, ought to perse-
vere in maintaining sound doctrine, even though it should
be opposed by the whole world. Thus Jeremiah appeals to
God as his defender and guardian, because he is condemned
as an impostor: Thou hast deceived me, O Lord, says he, and
I was deceived, (Jer. xx. 7.) Thus Isaiah, overwhelmed on
all sides by calumnies and reproaches, flies to this refuge, that
God will approve his cause, (Isa. 1. 8.) Thus Paul, oppressed
by unjust judgments, appeals against all to the day of the
Lord, (1 Cor. iy. 5,) reckoning it enough to have God alone
to place against the whole world, however it may rage and
storm.

Whom you know not. Ue means that it is not wonderful

300 - COMMENTARY ON THE

that he is not known by the Jews, because they do not know
God; for the beginning of wisdom is, to behold God.

29. But I know him. When he says that he knoweth God,
he means that it is not without good grounds that he has
risen to so great confidence; and by his example he warns
us not to assume lightly the name of God, so as to vaunt of
Him as the patron and defender of our cause. For many
are too presumptuous in boasting of the authority of God;
and, indeed, it is impossible to imagine greater readiness and
boldness in rejecting the opinions of all men, than is to be
found among fanatics who give out their own inventions as
the oracles of God. But we are taught by these words of
our Lord Jesus Christ that we ought especially to beware
of proud and foolish confidence ; and that, when we have
fully ascertained the truth of God, we ought boldly to resist
men. And he who is fully aware that God is on his side has
no reason to dread the charge of being insolent, in trampling
under foot all the haughtiness of the world.

Because I am from him, and he hath sent me. Some distin-
guish these two clauses in this manner. They refer the former
clause—I am from him—to the Divine essence of Christ ;
and the latter clause—he hath sent me—to the office enjoined
on him by the Father, for the sake of executing which he
took upon him the flesh and human nature. Though I do
not venture to reject this view, still I do not know if Christ
intended to speak so abstrusely. I readily acknowledge that
Christ’s heavenly descent may be inferred from it, but it
would not be a sufficiently strong proof of his eternal
Divinity against the Arians.

30. Therefore they sought to seize him. They had no want
of will to do him mischief; they even made the attempt, and
they had strength to do it. Why, then, amidst so much
ardour, are they benumbed, as if they had their hands and
feet bound? The Evangelist replies, because Christ’s hour
was not yet come; by which he means that, against all their
violence and furious attacks, Christ was guarded by the pro-
tection of God. And at the same time he meets the offence

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 301

of the cross; for we have no reason to be alarmed when we
learn that Christ was dragged to death, not through the
ceaprice of men, but because he was destined for such a sacri-
fice by the decree of the Father. And hence we ought to
infer a general doctrine ; for though we live from day to day,
still the time of every man’s death has been fixed by God.
It is difficult to believe that, while we are subject to so many
accidents, exposed to so many open and concealed attacks
both from men and beasts, and liable to so many diseases, we
are safe from all risk until God is pleased to call us away.
But we ought to struggle against our own distrust; and we
ought to attend first to the doctrine itself which is here
taught, and next, to the object at which it aims, and the
exhortation which is drawn from it, namely, that each of
us, casting all his cares on God, (Psal. lv. 22; 1 Pet. v. 7,)
should follow his own calling, and not be led away from the
performance of his duty by any fears. Yet let no man go
beyond his own bounds ; for confidence in the providence of
God must not go farther than God himself commands.

$1. And many of the multitude believed in him, and said, When Christ
shall come, will he do more miracles than this man doth? 32. The
Pharisees heard the multitude muttering these things concerning him ;

_ and the Pharisees and priests sent officers to seize him. 33. Jesus, there-

fore, said to them, Yet a little while am I with you, and I go to him who
hath sent me. 34. You shall seek me, and shall not find me; and where
I am, you cannot come. 35. The Jews, therefore, said among them-
selves, Whither will he go, that we shall not find him? Willhe go to those
who are scattered among the Greeks,! and teach the Greeks? 36. What
is this saying which he hath spoken, You shall seek me, and shall not find
me, and whither i go, you cannot come ?

31. And many of the multitude believed in him. We might
have thought that Christ preached to deaf and altogether
obstinate persons; and yet the Evangelist says that some
fruit followed. And, therefore, though some may murmur,
and others scorn, and others slander, and though many dif-
ferences of opinion may arise, still the preaching of the Gos-
pel will nct be without effect ; so that we must sow the seed,
and wait with patience until, in process of time, the fruit
appear. The word believe is here used inaccurately, for they

1 “ Vers ceux qui sont espars entre les Grees.”

302 COMMENTARY ON THE

depended more on miracles than they relied on doctrine, and
were not convinced that Jesus was the Christ; but as they
were prepared to listen to him, and showed themselves willing
to receive instruction from him as their Teacher, such a pre-
paration for faith is called faith. When the Holy Spirit
bestows so honourable a designation on a small spark of good
disposition, it ought to encourage us, so as not to doubt that
faith, however small it may be, is acceptable to God.

32. The Pharisees heard. Hence it appears that the Pha-
risees, like persons set on the watch, were anxious on all
occasions not to permit Christ to be known. In the first
instance the Evangelist calls them only Pharisees, and next
he adds to them the priests, of whom the Pharisees were a
part. There can be no doubt that, as they wished to be
reckoned the greatest zealots for the Law, they opposed
Christ more bitterly than all the other sects; but finding that
their unaided exertions were not sufficient to oppress Christ,
they committed the affair to the whole order of the priests.
Thus they who, in other respects, differed among themselves
now conspire together, under the guidance of Satan, against
the Son of God. Meanwhile, since the Pharisces had such
ardent zeal and such incessant toil for defending their tyranny
and the corrupt state of the Church, how much more zeal-
ous ought we to be in maintaining the kingdom of Christ!
The Papists in the present day are not less mad or less eager
to extinguish the Gospel; and yet it is monstrously wicked
that their example does not, at least, whet our desires, and
cause us to labour with greater boldness in the defence of
true and sound doctrine.

33. Yet a little while am I with you. Some think that this
sermon was addressed to the assembly of the people who
were present, and others, that it was addressed to the officers
who had been sent ¢o seize Christ. But for my own part, I
have no doubt that Christ particularly addresses his enemies,
who had taken counsel to destroy him; for he ridicules their
efforts, because they will be utterly ineffectual, wntil the time
decreed by the Father le come. And at the same time, he

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 303

reproaches them for their obstinacy, because they not only
reject, but furiously oppose, the grace which is offered to
them ; and threatens that ere long it will be taken from them.
When he says, J am with you, he rebukes their ingratitude,
because, though he had been given to them by the Father,
though he had come down to them from the heayenly glory,
though, by calling them to be his familiar associates, he de-
sired nothing more than to assist them, still there were few
who received him. When he says, Yet a little while, he warns
them that God will not long endure that his grace should be
exposed to such shameful contempt. Yet he also means,
that neither his life nor his death is placed at their disposal,
but that his Father has fixed a time, which must be fulfilled.

I go to him who hath sent me. By these words he testifies
that he will not be extinguished by his death, but, on the
contrary, when he shall have laid aside his mortal body, will
be declared to be the Son of God by the magnificent triumph
of his resurrection ; as if he had said, “ Labour as much as you
please, yet you will never hinder my Father from receiving
me into his heavenly glory, when I have discharged the em-
bassy which he has committed to me. Thus not only will
my rank remain undiminished after my death, but a more
- excellent condition is then provided for me.” Besides, we
ought to draw from it a general admonition; for as often as
Christ calls us to the hope of salvation by the preaching of
the Gospel, he is present with us. For not without reason
is the preaching of the Gospel called Christ’s descent to us,
where it is said, he came and preached peace to those who were
Jar off, and to those who were near, (Eph. ii.17.) If we accept
the hand which he holds out, he will lead us to the Father;
and so long as we must sojourn in the world, not only will
he show himself to be near us, but will constantly dwell in
us. And if we disregard his presence, he will lose nothing,
but, departing from us, will leave us altogether strangers to

God and to life.

34. You shall seek me. They sought Christ, to put him to
death. Here Christ alludes to the ambiguous signification of
the word seek, for soon they shall seek him in another manner ;

304 COMMENTARY ON THE

as if he had said, “ My presence, which is now irksome and
intolerable to you, will last for a short time; but ere long
you shall seek me in vain, for, far removed from you, not only
by my body, but also by my power, I shall behold from heaven
your destruction.” But here a question may be put, of what
nature was this seeking of Christ? For it is plain enough
that Christ speaks of the reprobate, whose obstinacy in re-
jecting Christ had reached the utmost point. Some refer it
to doctrine, because the Jews, by foolishly pursuing the right-
eousness of works, did not obtain what they desired, (Rom. ix.
31.) Many understand it as referring to the person of the
Messiah, because the Jews, reduced to extremities, in vain
implored a Redeemer. But for my own part, I explain it as
merely denoting the groans of distress uttered by the wicked,
when, compelled by necessity, they look in some manner
towards God.

And shall not find me. When they seek him, they do not
seek him; for unbelief and obstinacy—by shutting up their
hearts, as it were—hinders them from approaching to God.
They would desire, indeed, that God should aid them, and
should be their Redeemer, but, by impenitence and hardness
of heart, they obstruct their path. We have a very striking
example’ in Esau, who, on account of having lost his birth-
right, not only is oppressed with grief, but groans and gnashes
his teeth, and breaks out into furious indignation, (Gen.
xxvil. 838; Heb. xii. 17.) But yet so far is he from the
right way of seeking the blessing, that, at the very time
when he is seeking it,” he renders himself more unworthy of
it. In this manner God usually punishes the contempt of
his grace in the reprobate, so that, either afflicted by severe
punishinents, or oppressed by a conviction of their misery,
or reduced to other extremities, they complain, and cry, and
howl, but without reaping any advantage ; for, being always
like themselves, they nourish within their hearts the same
cruelty which they formerly displayed, and do not go to God,
but rather wish that he were changed, since they cannot
destroy him. Hence let us learn that we ought to receive

“Un fort bel exemple.” ** Quand il Ja cherche.”

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 305

Christ without delay, while he is still present with us, that
the opportunity of enjoying him may not pass away from us;
for if the door be once shut, it will be vain for us to try to
open it. Seek the Lord, says Isaiah, while he may be found ;
call upon him, while he is near, (Isa. ly. 6.) We ought there-
fore to go to God early, while the time of his good pleasure
lasts, as the prophet speaks, (Isa. xlix. 8 ;) for we know not
how long God will bear with our negligence. In these words,
where Iam, you cannot come, he employs the present tense
instead of the future, where I shall be, you shall not be able to
come.

35. Whither will he go? This was added by the Evangelist,
for the express purpose of showing how great was the
stupidity of the people. Thus not only are wicked men deaf
to hear God’s instruction, but even dreadful threatenings are
allowed by them to pass by in mockery, as if they were
listening to a fable. Christ spoke expressly of the Father,
but they remain fixed on the earth, and think of nothing else
than a departure to distant countries.

Will he go to the dispersion of the Greeks? It is well known
that the Jews gave the name of Greeks to all nations beyond

the sea; but they do not mean that Christ will go to the

uncircumcised nations, but to the Jews, who were dispersed
through the various countries of the world. For the word
dispersion would not apply to those who are natives of the
place, and who inhabit their native soil, but applies well to
the Jews, who were fugitives and exiles. Thus Peter inscribes
his First Epistle rageridjuoz dsaorogtis, to the strangers of the
dispersion, that is, to the strangers who are scaitered' through
Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, (1 Pet. i.1;)
and James salutes the twelve tribes év +7 d:aorvgd, in the disper-
sion, that is, scattered abroad, (James i. 1.) The meaning of
the words therefore is, “ Will he cross the sea, to go to Jews
who dwell in a world unknown to us?” And it is pos-
sible that they intended to teaze Christ by this mockery.
“Tf this be the Messiah, will he fix the seat of his reign in

** Aux estrangers qui estes espars.”

306 COMMENTARY ON THE

Greece, since God has assigned to him the land of Canaan
as his own habitation?” But however that may be, we see
that the severe threatening which Christ had uttered did
not at all affect them.

37. Now on the last day, which was the greatest day of the feast, Jesus
stood, and exclaimed, saying, If any man thirst, let him come to me, and
drink. 38. He who believeth in me, as the Scripture saith, out of his
belly shall flow rivers of living water. But this he spoke of the Spirit
which they who believed in him were to receive. For the Holy Spirit was
not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

37. On the last day. The first thing that ought to be ob-
served here is, that no plots or intrigues of enemies terrified
Christ, so as to cause him to desist from his duty; but, on
the contrary, his courage rose with dangers, so that he per-
severed with greater firmness. This is proved by the cireum-
stance of the time, the crowded assembly, and the freedom he
used in exclaiming, while he knew that hands were stretched
out on all sides to seize him; for it is probable that the officers
were at that time ready to execute their commission.

We must next observe, that nothing else than the protec-
tion of God, on which he relied, enabled him to stand firm
against such violent efforts of those men, who had every
thing in their power. For what other reason can be
assigned why Christ preached on the most public day of the
festival, in the midst of the temple, over which his enemies
enjoyed a quiet reign, and after that they had prepared a
band of officers, but because God restrained their rage? Yet
it is highly useful to us, that the Evangelist introduces
Christ exclaiming aloud, Let all who thirst come to me. For
we infer from it that the invitation was not addressed to one
or two persons only, or in a low and gentle whisper, but that
this doctrine is proclaimed to all, in such a manner that none
may be ignorant of it, but those who, of their own accord
shutting their ears, will not receive this loud and distinct ery.

Tf any man thirst. By this clause he exhorts all to partake
of his blessings, provided that, from a conviction of their own
poverty, they desire to obtain assistance. For it is true that
we are all poor and destitute of every blessing, but it is far
from being true that all are roused by a conviction of their

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 307

poverty to seck relief. Hence it arises that many persons
do not stir a foot, but wretchedly wither and decay, and there
are even very many who are not affected by a perception of
their emptiness, until the Spirit of God, by his own fire,
kindle hunger and thirst in their hearts. It belongs to the
Spirit, therefore, to cause us to desire his grace.

As to the present passage, we ought to observe, first, that
none are called to obtain the riches of the Spirit but those
who burn with the desire of them. For we know that the
pain of thirst is most acute and tormenting, so that the very
strongest men, and those who can endure any amount of toil,
are overpowered by thirst. And yet he invites the thirsty
rather than the hungry, in order to pursue the metaphor
which he afterwards employs in the word water and the word
drink, that all the parts of the discourse may agree with each
other. And I have no doubt that he alludes to that passage
in Isaiah, All that thirst, come to the waters, (Isa. lv. 1.) For
what the Prophet there ascribes to God must have been at
length fulfilled in Christ, as also that which the blessed
Virgin sung, that those who are rich and full he sendeth empty
away, (Luke i. 53.) He therefore enjoins us to come direct
to himself, as if he had said, that it is he alone who can fully

satisfy the thirst of all, and that all who seek even the smallest
alleviation of their thirst anywhere else are mistaken, and
Jabour in vain.

And let him drink. To the exhortation a promise is added ;
for though the word—/et him drink—conveys an exhortation,
still it contains within itself a promise; because Christ testi-
fies that he is not a dry and worn-out cistern, but an inex-

haustible fountain, which largely and abundantly supplies all
: who will come to drink. Hence it follows that, if we ask
: from him what we want, our desire will not be disappointed.
:

38. He who believeth in me. He now points out the man-
ner of coming, which is, that we must approach, not with the
feet, but by faith; or rather, to come is nothing else than ¢o
| believe, at least, if you define accurately the word believe ; as
we have already said that we believe in Christ, when we
embrace him as he is held out to us in the Gospel, full of

308 COMMENTARY ON THE

power, wisdom, righteousness, purity, life, and all the gifts of
the Holy Spirit. Besides, he now confirms more plainly and
fully the promise which we lately mentioned; for he shows
that he has a rich abundance to satisfy us to the full.

Out of his belly shall flow rivers of living waters The meta-
phor appears, no doubt, to be somewhat harsh, when he says
that rivers of living water shall flow out of the belly of believers ;
but there can be no doubt as to the meaning, that they who
believe shall suffer no want of spiritual blessings. He calls
it ving water, the fountain of which never grows dry, nor
ceases to flow continually. As to the word rivers being in
the plural number, I interpret it as denoting the diversified
graces of the Spirit, which are necessary for the spiritual life
of the soul. In short, the perpetuity, as well as the abun-
dance, of the gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit,’ is here
promised to us. Some understand the saying—that waters
Jlow out of the belly of believers—to mean, that he to whom
the Spirit has been given makes a part to flow to his
brethren, as there ought to be mutual communication be-
tween us. But I consider it to be a simpler meaning, that
whosoever shall believe in Christ shall have a fountain of life
springing up, as it were, in himself, as Christ said formerly,
He who shall drink of this water shall never thirst, (John iv.
14;) for while ordinary drinking quenches thirst only for a
short time, Christ says that by faith we draw the Spirit, that
he may become a fountain of water springing up into everlast-
ang life.

Still he does not say that, on the first day, believers are so
fully satisfied with Christ, that ever afterwards they neither
hunger nor thirst; but, on the contrary, the enjoyment of
Christ kindles a new desire of him. But the meaning is,
that the Holy Spirit is like a living and continually flowing
fountain in believers; as Paul also declares that he ts Life in
us, (Rom. viii. 10,) though we still carry about, in the re-
mains of sin, the cause of death. And, indeed, as every one
partakes of the gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit, according
to the measure of his faith, we cannot possess a perfect fulness

1 Des dons et graces du Sainct Esprit.”

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 309

of them in the present life. But believers, while they make
progress in faith, continually aspire to fresh additions of the
Spirit, so that the first-fruits which they have tasted carry
them forward to perpetuity of life. But we are also re-
minded by it, how small is the capacity of our faith, since
the graces of the Spirit scarcely come into us by drops,
which would flow like rivers, if we gave due admission to
Christ ; that is, if faith made us capable of receiving him.

As the Scripture saith. Some confine this to the former
clause, and others to the latter clause; for my own part, I
extend it to the entire scope of the discourse. Besides,
Christ does not here, in my opinion, point out any particular
passage of Scripture, but produces a testimony drawn from
the ordinary doctrine of the Prophets. For whenever the
Lord, promising an abundance of his Spirit, compares it to
living waters, he looks principally to the kingdom of Christ,
to which he directs the minds of believers. All the predic-
tions of living waters, therefore, have their fulfilment in Christ,
because he alone hath opened and displayed the hidden trea-
sures of God. The reason why the graces of the Spirit are
poured out on him is, that we may all draw out of his fulness,
(John i. 16.) Those persons, therefore, whom Christ so
kindly and graciously calls, and who wander in every direc-
tion, deserve to perish miserably.

39. But this he spoke of the Spirit. 'The word water is some-
times applied to the Spirit on account of its purity, because
it is his office to cleanse our pollutions; but in this and
similar passages this term is employed in a different accepta-
tion, which is, that we are destitute of all the sap and
moisture of life, unless when the Spirit of God quickens us,
and when he waters us, as it were, by secret vigour. Under
one part he includes the whole ;* for under the one word water
he includes all the parts of life. Hence we infer also, that
all who have not been regenerated by the Spirit of Christ
ought to be reckoned dead, whatever may be the pretended
life of which they boast.

1 Sous une partie il comprend le tout.”

310 COMMENTARY ON THE

For the Holy Spirit was not yet given. We know that the
Spirit is eternal; but the Evangelist declares that, so long
as Christ dwelt in the world in the mean form of a servant,
that grace of the Spirit, which was poured out on men after
the resurrection of Christ, had not been openly manifested.
And, indeed, he speaks comparatively, in the same manner
as when the New Testament is compared to the Old. God
promises his Spirit to his elect and believers,’ as if he had
never given him to the Fathers. At that very time, the
disciples had undoubtedly received the first-fruits of the
Spirit ; for whence comes faith but from the Spirit? The
Evangelist, therefore, does not absolutely affirm that the
grace of the Spirit was not offered and given? to believers
before the death of Christ, but that it was not yet so bright
and illustrious as it would afterwards become. For it is the
highest ornament of the kingdom of Christ, that he governs
his Church by his Spirit; but he entered into the lawful and
—what may be called—the solemn possession of his king-
dom, when he was exalted to the right hand of the Father ;
so that we need not wonder if he delayed till that time the
full manifestation of the Spirit.

But one question still remains to be answered. Does he
mean here the visible graces of the Spirit, or the regeneration
which is the fruit of adoption? I answer: The Spirit, who
had been promised at the coming of Christ, appeared in those
visible gifts, as in mirrors; but here the question relates
strictly to the power of the Spirit, by which we are born
again in Christ, and become new creatures. That we lie on
earth poor, and famished, and almost destitute of spiritual
blessings, while Christ now sits in glory at the right hand of
the Father, and clothed with the highest majesty of govern-
ment, ought to be imputed to our slothfulness, and to the
small measure of our faith.

40. Many of the multitude, therefore, having heard this sermon, said,
This is truly a Prophet. 41. Others said, This is the Christ. And

1“ A ses eleus et fideles.” 2 “ Offerte et donnee.”
3 * Cestuy-ci est veritablement Prophete, ou, le Prophete.”—“ This is
truly a Prophet, or, the Prophet.”

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 311

others said, But will Christ come out of Galilee? 42. Doth not the
Scripture say that Christ will come from the seed of David, and from the
town of Bethlehem, where David dwelt ? 43. There was therefore a dif-
ference of opinion in the multitude on account of him. 44. And some of
them wished to seize him, but no man laid hands on him.

40. Many of the multitude. The Evangelist now relates
what fruit followed from this last sermon of our Lord Jesus
Christ; namely, that some thought one thing and some
another, so that a difference of opinion arose among the people.
It ought to be observed that John does not speak of the
open enemies of Christ, or of those who were already filled
with deadly hatred! against sound doctrine, but of the com-
mon people, among whom there ought to have been greater
integrity. He enumerates three classes of them.

He is truly a Prophet. The first acknowledged that Jesus
was truly a Prophet, from which we infer that they did not
dislike his doctrine. But, on the other hand, how light and
trifling this confession was, is evident from the fact, that,
while they approve of the Teacher, they neither understand
what he means, nor relish what he says; for they could not
truly receive him as a Prophet, without, at the same time,
acknowledging that he is the Son of God and the Author of
their salvation. Yet this is good in them, that they perceive

in Christ something Divine, which leads them to regard him

with reverence ; for this willingness to learn might afterwards
give an easy opening to faith.

41. Others said, He is the Christ. The second have a more
correct. opinion than the first ; for they plainly acknowledge
that he is the Christ ; but the third’ rise up against them,
and hence proceeds the debate. By this example we are
warned that we ought not to think it strange in the present
day, if men are divided among themselves by various contro-
versies. We learn that Christ’s sermon produced a schism,
and that not among Gentiles who were strangers to the faith,
but in the midst of the Church of Christ, and even in the
chief seat of the Church. Shall the doctrine of Christ be
blamed on that account, as if it were the cause of disturban-

1 “Pe mortelle haine.” 2 « Tes troisiemes.”

312 COMMENTARY ON THE

ces? Nay rather, though the whole world were in commo-
tion, the word of God is so precious, that we ought to wish
that it were received, at least by a few. There is no reason,
therefore, why our consciences should be distressed, when
we see those who wish to be accounted the people of God
fighting with each other by contrary opinions.

Yet it ought also to be observed that divisions do not pro-
perly draw their origin from the Gospel; for there can be no
firm agreement among men except in undoubted truth. As
to the peace maintained among those who know not God, it
arises more from stupidity than from true agreement. In
short, of all the differences which spring up, when the Gospel
is preached, the cause and seed formerly lay concealed in
men; but when they are awakened, as it were, out of sleep,
they begin to move, just as vapours are produced by some-
thing else than the sun, although it is not till the sun arises
that they make their appearance.

But will Christ come out of Galilee? That they may not
be thought to reject Christ on insufficient grounds, they
fortify themselves by the testimony of Scripture; and though
they do violence to this passage, by turning it improperly
against Christ, still they have some appearance of truth.
In this point only they are in the wrong, that they make
Christ a Galilean. But whence arises this ignorance but from
contempt? For if they had taken the trouble to inquire,
they would have seen that Christ was adorned with both
titles; that he was born in Bethlehem, and that he was the
son of David. But such is our natural disposition; in mat-
ters of little consequence we are ashamed of being indolent,
while, in the mysteries of the heavenly kingdom, we slumber
without any concern. It is likewise of importance to ob-
serve, that those men are diligent and industrious in seeking
an excuse for turning aside from Christ, but, at the same
time, are astonishingly slow and dull in receiving sound doc-
trine. In this manner, out of the Scriptures themselves,
which lead us by the hand to Christ, men frequently make
obstacles for themselves, that they may not come to Christ.

43. Some of them wished to seize him. By these words the

ao

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 313

Evangelist means, that they not only despised Christ, but
that their wicked rejection of him was accompanied by
cruelty and eagerness to do him injury; for superstition is
always cruel. That their efforts were unavailing, we ought
to ascribe to the providence of God ; for since Christ’s hour
was not yet come, as has been formerly said, guarded by the
protection of his Father, on which he relied, he surmounted
all dangers.

45. So the officers came to the chief priests and Pharisees, and they
said to them, Why have you not brought him ? 46. The officers answered,
Never man spoke like this man. 47. The Pharisees therefore answered
them, And are you also seduced? 48. Hath any of the rulers, or of the
Pharisees, believed in him? 49. But this multitude, who know not the
law, are accursed. 50. Nicodemus said to them, (he who came to him
by night, for he was one of them,) 51. Doth our law judge a man before
it hath heard him, and knoweth what he doth? 52. They answered and
said to him, Art thou also of Galilee? Search and see, that no Prophet
hath arisen out of Galilee. 53. And every man went to his own house.

45. So the officers came. Here we may see how blind is the
arrogance of men. To such an extent do they admire and
adore the greatness which renders them eminent, that they
have no hesitation in trampling under foot morality and reli-
gion. If any thing happen contrary to their wish, they
- would willingly mingle heaven and earth; for when these
haughty and wicked priests! ask, why Christ was not brought,
they magnify their power so greatly as if nothing ought to
oppose their command.

46. Never man spoke like this man. Those officers acknow-
ledge that they are subdued and vanquished by the word of
Christ, and yet they do not on that account repent or give
due honour to the word. If it be true, that never man spoke
like this man, why did not the Divine power, which they
were compelled to feel, touch their hearts in such a manner
as to cause them to devote themselves wholly to God? But
it was necessary that the prediction of Isaiah should thus be
accomplished : he will prostrate the wiched by the breath of his
mouth, (Isa. xi. 4.) Nay more, we shall afterwards see how

1 “ Ces orgueilleur et mechans sacrificateurs.”
VOL. I. U

314 COMMENTARY ON THE

those who were attempting to put him to death, overwhelmed
by the voice of Christ alone, and as if they had been struck
down with mallets, fell backwards, (John xvii. 6.) Let us,
therefore, learn that the doctrine of Christ possesses such
power as even to terrify the wicked; but as this tends to
their destruction, let us take care that we be softened, in-
stead of being broken. Even in the present day, we see
many persons who too much resemble those officers, who are
reluctantly drawn into admiration of the doctrine of the
Gospel, and yet are so far from yielding to Christ, that they
still remain in the enemy’s camp. There are others even
worse, who, for the sake of obtaining favour with the wicked,
employ all the opprobrious terms which they can find for
basely slandering that doctrine, which, notwithstanding, they
acknowledge to be from God, because they are convinced of
it in their hearts.!

47. And are you also seduced? While they reprove their
officers, they endeavour, at the same time, to keep them in
subjection. For by these words they mean, that it would
be unreasonable and unbecoming that they should not re-
main steady, though the whole people should revolt. But
we must see on what argument they rest, when they so
haughtily insult Christ.

48. Has any of the rulers, or of the Pharisees, believed in him ?
“‘HTe has none on his side,” they say, “ but low and ignorant
men; the rulers, and every person of distinction, are opposed
to him.” They expressly name the Pharisees, because they
had a reputation above others, both for knowledge and
holiness, so that they might be said to be the princes of the
people. This objection appears to have some plausibility ;
for if the rulers and governors of the Church do not retain
their authority, it is impossible that any thing shall ever be
properly done, or that the good order of the Church shall
long continue. We know what are the fierce passions of the
common people ; in consequence of which the most frightful

1“ Vaquelle toutesfois ils confessent estre de Dieu, d’autant qu’ils en
sont conveincus en leurs cours.”

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOUN. 315

disorder must follow, when every man is allowed to do what
he pleases. The authority of those who rule is therefore a
necessary bridle for preserving the good order of the Church ;
and, accordingly, it was provided by the Law of God that,
if any question or controversy should arise, it should be sub-
mitted to the decision of the High Priest, (Deut. xvii. 8.)

But they err in this respect, that, while they claim for
themselves the highest authority, they are unwilling to sub-
mit to God. It is true that God conferred the power of
judgment on the high priest, but God did not intend that
the high priest should decide, except according to his Law.
All the authority that is possessed by pastors, therefore, is
subject to the word of God, that all may be kept in their
own rank, from the greatest to the smallest, and that God
alone may be exalted. If pastors who honestly and sincerely
discharge their duty, claim authority for themselves, this
glorying will be holy and lawful; but when the mere
authority of men is supported, without the authority of God’s
word, it is vain and useless boasting. But it often happens
that wicked men rule in the Church; and therefore we must
beware of giving any authority to men, as soon as they
depart from the word of God.

We see that nearly all the prophets were tormented by
this kind of annoyance; for, in order to bury their doctrine,
men continually brought against them the magnificent titles
of Princes, of Priests, and of the Church. Provided with the
same armour, Papists in the present day rage not less fiercely
thar. did the adversaries of Christ and of the Prophets in
former times. It is a horrible blindness, indeed, when a
mortal man is not ashamed to oppose himself to God; but to
such a pitch of madness does Satan carry those who set a
higher value on their own ambition than on the truth of God.
Meanwhile, it is our duty to cherish such a reverence for the
word of God as shall extinguish all the splendour of the
world, and scatter its vain pretensions; for miserable would
be our condition, if our salvation depended on the will of
princes, and far too unsteady would our faith be, if it were
to stand or fall according to their pleasure.

316 COMMENTARY ON THE

49. But this multitude. The first part of their pride was,
that, relying on the title of Priests, they wished to subject
all to them in a tyrannical manner. The next is, that they
despise others as men of no estimation, as those who exces-
sively flatter themselves are always disposed to abuse others,
and an immoderate love of ourselves is accompanied by con-
tempt of the brethren. They pronounce the whole populace
to be accursed; and why? It is no doubt alleged by them
that the people do not know the law ; but another reason, which
they concealed, was, that they thought that there was no
holiness but in their own rank. In like manner, the Popish
priests in our own day pretend that none but themselves
deserve to be called the Church ; and all others, whom they
call the laity, they despise as if they were profane persons.
But to throw down such madness of pride, God prefers the
mean and despised to those who hold the highest authority
and power. And it ought to be observed that they here
boast of knowledge, not that which instructs men in religion
and the fear of God, but such as they possessed while, with
magisterial pride, they gave forth their responses, as if they
alone had been qualified to interpret the law. It is undoubt-
edly true, that all who have not been instructed in the law
of God are accursed, because by the knowledge of it we are
truly sanctified. But this knowledge is not confined to a few
who, swelled with false confidence, wish to exclude them-
selves from the rank of other men, but belongs in common
to all the children of God, that all, from the smallest even to
the greatest, may be united in the same obedience of faith.

50. Nicodemus said to them. The Evangelist describes
Nicodemus as a neutral man, who does not venture to under-
take in good earnest the defence of sound doctrine, and yet
cannot endure to have the truth oppressed.

He who came to Jesus by night. This circumstance is men-
tioned by the Evangelist, partly to the praise, and partly to
the disgrace, of Nicodemus. If he had not loved the doctrine
of Christ, he would never have dared to meet the rage of
wicked men; for he knew that, if any of them but opened
his mouth, he would be immediately exposed to dislike and

b
a

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 317

to danger. When, therefore, he ventures to throw out one
word, however feeble it may be, some small spark of godli-
ness shines from his heart; but in not defending Christ
openly, he manifests excessive timidity. Thus the Evangelist
means that he has still a hankering after the concealment of
the night, and is not a true disciple of Christ. He says that
he once came to Jesus by night, but remained openly among
his enemies, and kept his place in their camp.

This ought to be the more carefully observed, because
there are many in the present day who plead that they re-
semble Nicodemus, and hope that, by assuming this mask,
they will mock God with impunity. Granting what they
ask, that there is no difference between them and Nicodemus,
what assistance, pray, do they derive from such an example?
Nicodemus says that Christ ought not to be condemned until he
be heard; and the same thing might be said of a robber or an
assassin; for it is a well-known and proverbial sentiment,
that it is better to acquit the innocent than to condemn the
guilty. Besides, in his attempts to release the person of
Christ, he leaves and abandons the doctrine. What shall we
find here that is worthy of a believer or a Christian?! Thus
the seed of the gospel, which afterwards bore fruit, was still

concealed and choked in him. We shall apply this example

far more profitably to another purpose, that the Lord fre-
quently causes the doctrine, which seemed to have perished,
gradually to take a concealed root, and, after a long period,
to put forth some bud, first like an untimely plant, after-
wards lively and vigorous; just as the faith of Nicodemus
acquired new and sudden vigour from the death of Christ.

52. Art thou also from Galilee? They say that all who
favour Christ are from Galilee, and this is spoken reproach-
fully, as if he could not have any person among his followers
except from the small and unknown corner of Galilee.2 The
extreme violence to which they are excited against Nico-
demus, shows with what furious hatred they burned against
Christ ; for he had not avowedly undertaken to defend Christ,

1 «T)’un homme fidele et Chrestien.”
2 “De ce petit coin incognee de Galilee.”

318 COMMENTARY ON THE

but had only said that he ought not to be condemned before he
was heard. Thus among the Papists in our own day, no man
can show the slightest token of candour that the Gospel may
not be oppressed, but immediately the enemies fly into a
passion, and exclaim that he is a heretic.

53. And every man went to his own house. Now follows an
astonishing close of the transaction. If any one take into
account what was the reign of the priests at that time, with
what rage they were excited, and how vast was their retinue,
and, on the other hand, if he consider that Christ was un-
armed and defenceless, and that there was no body of men to
protect him, the conclusion must be, that it was all over with
him a hundred times. When so formidable a conspiracy is
dissolved of its own accord, and when all those men, like
waves of the sea, break themselves by their own violence,
who will not acknowledge that they were scattered by the
hand of God? But God always continues to be like himself;
and therefore, whenever he pleases, he will bring to nothing
all the efforts of enemies, so that, while they have everything
in their power, and are ready and prepared to execute their
design, they will depart without having done their work.
And we have often found that, whatever contrivances our
enemies have made to extinguish the Gospel, yet by the
amazing kindness of God, it immediately fell powerless to
the ground.

CHAPTER VIII.

1. But Jesus went to the mountain of Olives. 2. And early in the
morning he again came to the temple, and all the people came to him ;
and sitting down, he taught them. 8. And the scribes and Pharisees
bring to him a woman caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst,
4. They say to him, Master, this woman was caught in the very act, while
she was committing adultery. 5. Now in the law Moses commanded us
to stone such persons; but what sayest thou? 6. Now they said this,
trying him, that they might have ground for accusing him. But Jesus,
casting down his eyes,} wrote with the finger on the ground. 7. And as
they persisted in asking him, he lifted up his eyes,? and said to them, He

1 “S'enclinant en bas.”—‘‘ Stooping down.” 2 “Tl se dressa.”

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 319

who is without sin amongst you, let him first cast a stone at her. 8. And
again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. 9. And having heard
that, and being reproved by their conscience, they went out one by one,
beginning at the eldest even to the last ; so that Jesus was left alone, and
the woman who stood in the midst. 10. And Jesus, lifting up his eyes,
having seen nobody but the woman, said to her, Woman, where are thy
accusers? Hath no man condemned thee? 11. She said, No man, Lord.
Jesus answered her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin ne more.

3. And the scribes and Pharisees bring to him. It is plain
enough that this passage was unknown anciently to the Greek
Churches; and some conjecture that it has been brought from
some other place and inserted here. But as it has always been
received by the Latin Churches, and is found in many old
Greek manuscripts, and contains nothing unworthy of an Apos-
tolic Spirit, there is no reason why we should refuse to apply
it to our advantage. When the Evangelist says that the
scribes brought to him a woman, he means that it was done by an
agreement among them, in order to lay traps for Christ. He
expressly mentions the Pharisees, because they were the chief
persons in the rank of scribes. In adopting this pretence for
slander, they display enormous wickedness, and even their
own lips accuse them; for they do not disguise that they
have a plain commandment of the Law, and hence it follows
that they act maliciously in putting a question as if it were a
doubtful matter. But their intention was, to constrain Christ
to depart from his office of preaching grace, that he might
appear to be fickle and unsteady. They expressly state that
adulteresses are condemned by Moses, (Lev. xx. 10,) that they
may hold Christ bound by the sentence already given by the
Law, for it was not lawful to acquit those whom the Law con-
demned; and, on the other hand, if he had consented to the
Law, he might be thought to be somewhat unlike himself.

6. And Jesus siooping down. By this attitude he intended
to show that he despised them. Those who conjecture that
he wrote this or the other thing, in my opinion, do not under-
stand his meaning. Nor do I approve of the ingenuity of
Augustine, who thinks that in this manner the distinction
between the Law and the Gospel is pointed out, because
Christ did not write on tables of stone, (Exod. xxxi. 18,) but
on man, who is dust and earth. For Christ rather intended,

320 COMMENTARY ON THE

by doing nothing, to show how unworthy they were of being
heard ; just as if any person, while another was speaking to
him, were to draw lines on the wall, or to turn his back, or to
show, by any other sign, that he was not attending to what
was said. Thus in the present day, when Satan attempts, by
various methods, to draw us aside from the right way of
teaching, we ought disdainfully to pass by many things which
he holds out to us. The Papists teaze us, to the utmost of
their power, by many trifling cavils, as if they were throwing
clouds into theair. Ifgodly teachers be laboriously employed
in examining each of those cavils, they will begin to weave
Penelope’s web;! and therefore delays of this sort, which do
nothing but hinder the progress of the Gospel, are wisely
disregarded.

7. He who is without sin among you. He said this accord-
ing to the custom of the Law; for God commanded that the
witnesses should, with their own hands, put malefactors to
death, according to the sentence which had been pronounced
on them; that greater caution might be used in bearing tes-
timony, (Deut. xvii. 7.) There are many who proceed
rashly to overwhelm their brother by perjury, because they
do not think that they inflict a deadly wound by their tongue.
And this very argument had weight with those slanderers,
desperate as they were; for no sooner do they obtain a sight
of it, than they lay aside those fierce passions with which they
were swelled when they came. Yet there is this difference
between the injunction of the Law and the words of Christ,
that in the Law God merely enjoined that they should not
condemn a man with the tongue, unless they were permitted
to put him to death with their own hands; but here Christ

1“ Ce sera toujours 4 recommencer ;”—“ they will always have to begin
anew.” Dropping the classical allusion, our Author has thus conveyed
the meaning to his countrymen in plain terms. All who have read
Homer’s Odyssey will remember Penelope, the wife of Ulysses, and espe-
cially that part of her history to which CALvIN refers, that what she
wove during the day she unravelled during the night, and thus accom-
plished her resolution that she should be daily employed in weaving, and
yet that her web should not be finished till after her husband’s return.
Penelopes telam texere, to weave Penelope's web, was a proverbial expres-
sion, which the Romans borrowed from the Greeks.—Ed.

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 321

demands from the witnesses perfect innocence, so that no man
ought to accuse another of crime, unless he be pure, and free
from every fault. Now what he said, at that time, to a few
persons, we ought to view as spoken to all, that whoever
accuses another, ought to impose on himself a law of inno-
cence; otherwise, we do not pursue wicked actions, but rather
are hostile to the persons of men.

In this way, however, Christ appears to take out of the
world all judicial decisions, so that no man shall dare to say
that he has a right to punish crimes. For shall a single
judge be found, who is not conscious of having something
that is wrong? Shall a single witness be produced who is
not chargeable with some fault? He appears, therefore, to
forbid all witnesses to give public testimony, and all judges
to occupy the judgment-seat. I reply: this is not an absolute
and unlimited prohibition, by which Christ forbids sinners to
do their duty in correcting the sins of others; but by this
word he only reproves hypocrites, who mildly flatter them-
selves and their vices, but are excessively severe, and even
act the part of felons, in censuring others. No man, there-
fore, shall be prevented by his own sins from correcting the
sins of others, and even from punishing them, when it may
be found necessary, provided that both in himself and in others
he hate what ought to be condemned ; and in addition to all
this, every man ought to begin by interrogating his own con-
science, and by acting both as witness and judge against
himself, before he come to others. In this manner shall we,
without hating men, make war with sins.

9. And being reproved by their conscience. Here we perceive
how great is the power of an evil conscience. Though those
wicked hypocrites intended to entrap Christ by their cavils,
yet as soon as he pierces their consciences by a single word,
shame puts them to flight. This is the hammer with which
we must break the pride of hypocrites. They must be
summoned to the judgment-seat of God. Though it is
possible that the shame, with which they were struck before
men, had greater influence over them than the fear of God,
still it is a great matter that, of their own accord, they

322 COMMENTARY ON THE

acknowledge themselves to be guilty, when they thus fly
away as if they were confounded. It is immediately added,

Beginning from the eldest even to the last. Our attention is
drawn to this circumstance, that, according as each of them sur-
passed the others in honourable rank, he was the more quickly
moved by his condemnation. And would to God that! our
scribes, who in the present day sell their labours to the Pope
to make war with Christ, had at least as much modesty as
those men; but they are so destitute of shame that, while
they have rendered themselves infamous by every detestable
crime, they glory in the fact that they are permitted to be as
abominable as they choose, without being punished. We
ought also to observe how widely this conviction of sin, by
which the scribes were affected, differs from true repentance.
For we ought to be affected by the judgment of God in such
a manner, that we shall not seek a place of concealment to
avoid the presence of the Judge, but rather shall go direct
to Him, in order to implore his forgiveness.

Jesus was left alone. This was brought about by the Spirit
of wisdom, that those wicked men, having gained nothing by
tempting Christ, went away. Nor is there any reason to
doubt that we shall succeed in defeating all the contrivances
of our enemies, provided that we permit ourselves to be
governed by the same Spirit. Butit frequently happens that
they gain an advantage over us, because, not attending to
their snares, we are not careful to take advice, or rather,
trusting to our own wisdom, we do not consider how much
we need the government of the Holy Spirit. He says that
Christ remained alone; not that the people, whom he was
formerly teaching, had left him, but because all the scribes,
who had brought the adulteress, gave him no farther annoy-
ance. When it is said that the woman remained with Christ,
let us learn by this example that there is nothing better for
us than to be brought, as guilty, to his tribunal, provided
that we surrender ourselves mildly and submissively to his
government.

2 “ Pleust & Dieu que.”

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 323

11. Neither do I condemn thee. We are not told that Christ
absolutely acquitted the woman, but that he allowed her to go
at liberty. Nor is this wonderful, for he did not wish to
undertake any thing that did not belong to his office. He had
been sent by the Father to gather the lost sheep, (Matth. x. 6;)
and, therefore, mindful of his calling, he exhorts the woman
to repentance, and comforts her by a promise of grace. They
who infer from this that adultery ought not to be punished
with death, must, for the same reason, admit that inheritances
ought not to be divided, because Christ refused to arbitrate
in that matter between two brothers, (Luke xii. 13.) Indeed,
there will be no crime whatever that shall not be exempted
from the penalties of the law, if adultery be not punished ;
for then the door will be thrown open for any kind of treachery,
and for poisoning, and murder, and robbery. Besides, the
adulteress, when she bears an unlawful child, not only robs
the name of the family, but violently takes away the right of
inheritance from the lawful offspring, and conveys it to
strangers. But what is worst of all, the wife not only dis-
honours the husband to whom she had been united, but
prostitutes herself to shameful wickedness, and likewise
violates the sacred covenant of God, without which no holi-

“ness can continue to exist in the world.

Yet the Popish theology is, that in this passage Christ has
brought to us the Law of grace, by which adulterers are freed
from punishment. And though they endeavour, by every
method, to efface from the minds of men the grace of God,
such grace as is every where declared to us by the doctrine
of the Gospel, yet in this passage alone they preach aloud
the Law of grace. Why is this, but that they may pollute,
with unbridled lust, almost every marriage-bed, and may
escape unpunished? ‘Truly, this is the fine fruit! which we
have reaped from the diabolical system of celibacy, that they
who are not permitted to marry a lawful wife can commit
fornication without restraint. But let us remember that,
while Christ forgives the sins of men, he does not overturn

1 “ Voyla la beau fruict.”

324 COMMENTARY ON THE

political order, or reverse the sentences and punishments
appointed by the laws.

Go, and sin no more. Hence we infer what is the design
of the grace of Christ. It is, that the sinner, being recon-
ciled to God, may honour the Author of his salvation by a
good and holy life. In short, by the same word of God, when
forgiveness is offered to us, we are likewise called to repent-
ance. Besides, though this exhortation looks forward to the
future, still.it humbles sinners by recalling to remembrance
their past life.

12. Therefore Jesus spoke again to them, saying, I am the light of the
world ; he who followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the
light of life. 13. The Pharisees therefore said to him, Thou testifiest con-
cerning thyself, thy testimony is not true.t 14. Jesus answered, and said
to them, Though I testify concerning myself, my testimony is true: ? for I
know whence I came, and whither I go; but you know not whence I
come, and whither I go.

12. Lam the light of the world. Those who leave out the
former narrative, which relates to the adulteress,* connect
this discourse of Christ with the sermon which he delivered
on the last day of the assembly. It is a beautiful commenda-
tion of Christ, when he is called the light of the world ; for,
since we are all blind by nature, a remedy is offered, by which
we may be freed and rescued from darkness and made par-
takers of the true ight. Nor is it only to one person or to
another that this benefit is offered, for Christ declares that
he is the light of the whole world; for by this universal state-
ment he intended to remove the distinction, not only between
Jews and Gentiles, but between the learned and ignorant,
between persons of distinction and the common people.

But we must first ascertain what necessity there is for seek-
ing this Zight; for men will never present themselves to Christ
to be illuminated, until they have known both that this world
is darkness, and that they themselves are altogether blind.

1 “Ton tesmoignage n’est pas vrai; c’est & dire, n'est point digne de
foy.”—‘t Thy testimony is not true; that is, is not worthy of credit.”

2 “ Mon tesmoignage est vray ; c'est a dire, digne de foy.”—* My testi-
mony is true ; that is, worthy of credit.”

3 “ De la femme adultere.”

as

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 325

Let us therefore know that, when the manner of obtaining
this light is pointed out to us in Christ, we are all condemned
for blindness, and everything else which we consider to be
light is compared to darkness, and to a very dark night. For
Christ does not speak of it as what belongs to him in common
with others, but claims it as being peculiarly hisown. Hence
it follows, that out of Christ there is not even a spark of true
light. There may be some appearance of brightness, but it
resembles lightning, which only dazzles the eyes. It must
also be observed, that the power and office of illuminating is
not confined to the personal presence of Christ ; for though
he is far removed from us with respect to his body, yet he
daily sheds his light upon us, by the doctrine of the Gospel,
and by the secret power of his Spirit. Yet we have not a
full definition of this light, unless we learn that we are illu-
minated by the Gospel and by the Spirit of Christ, that we
may know that the fountain of all knowledge and wisdom is
hidden in him.

He who followeth me. To the doctrine he adds an exhorta-
tion, which he immediately afterwards confirms by a promise.
For when we learn that all who allow themselves to be governed
by Christ are out of danger of going astray, we ought to be

excited to follow him, and, indeed, by stretching out his hand

—as it were—he draws us to him. We ought also to be
powerfully affected by so large and magnificent a promise,
that they who shall direct their eyes to Christ are certain
that, even in the midst of darkness, they will be preserved
from: going astray; and that not only for a short period, but
until they have finished their course. For that is the mean-
ing of the words used in the future tense, he shall not walk in
darkness, but shall have the light of life. Suchis also the import
of this latter clause, in which the perpetuity of life is stated
in express terms. We ought not to fear, therefore, lest it
leave us in the middle of the journey, for it conducts us even
to hfe. The genitive of life, in accordance with the Hebrew
idiom, is employed, instead of the adjective, to denote the
effect ; as if he had said, the Life-giving light. We need not
wonder that such gross darkness of errors and superstitions

326 COMMENTARY ON THE

prevails in the world, in which there are so few that have their
eyes fixed on Christ.

13. The Pharisees therefore said. They adduce as an ob-
jection what is commonly said, that no man ought to be
trusted, when speaking in his own cause. For a true testimony
is put for “what is lawful and worthy of credit.” In short,
they mean that it is of no use for him to speak, unless he
bring proof from some other quarter.

14. Though I testify concerning myself. Christ replies, that
his testimony possesses sufficient credit and authority, because
he is not a private person belonging to the great body of
men, but holds a very different station. For when he says,
that he knoweth whence he came, and whither he goeth, he thus
excludes himself from the ordinary rank of men. The mean-
ing therefore is, that every man is heard with suspicion in his
own cause, and it is provided by the laws, that no man shall
be believed, when he speaks for his ownadvantage. But this
does not apply to the Son of God, who holds a rank above
the whole world; for he is not reckoned as belonging to the
rank of men, but has received from his Father this privilege,
to reduce all men to obedience to him by a single word.

I know whence I came. By these words he declares that his
origin is not from the world, but that he proceeded from God,
and therefore that it would be unjust and unreasonable that
his doctrine, which is Divine, should be subjected to the laws
of men. But as he was at that time clothed with the form
of a servant, in consequence of which they despised him on
account of the mean condition of the flesh, he sends them
away to the future glory of his resurrection, from which his
Divinity, formerly hidden and unknown, received a clear de-
monstration. That intermediate condition, therefore, ought
not to have prevented the Jews from submitting to God’s
only ambassador, who had been formerly promised to them
in the Law.

But you know not whence I came, and whither I go. He
means that his glory is not at all diminished by their un-
belief. Again, as he has given the same testimony to us, our

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. ore

faith ought to despise all the reports and slanders of wicked
men; for it cannot be founded upon God without rising far
above the loftiest pride of the world. But in order that we
may perceive the majesty of his Gospel, we ought always to
direct our eyes to the heavenly glory of the Son of God,’ and
to hear him speaking in the world, so as to remember whence
he came, and what authority he now possesses, after having
discharged his embassy. For as he humbled himself for a
time, so now he is highly exalted? at the right hand of the
Father, that every knee may bow to him, (Philip. ii. 10.)

15. You judge according to the flesh ; Ijudge no man. 16. And if I
judge, my judgment is true ;* for I am not alone, but I and the Father,
who hath sent me. 17. It is even written in your law, that the testi-
mony of two men is true, 18. I am one who testify concerning my-
self, and the Father who hath sent me testifieth concerning me. 19.
They said therefore to him, Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, You
neither know me nor my Father. Ifyou had known me, you would have
known my Father also. 20. These words Jesus spoke in the treasury,
teaching in the temple; and no man seized him, because his hour was
not yet come.

15. You judge according to the flesh. This may be explained
in two ways; either that they judge according to the wicked
views of the flesh, or that they judge according to the appear-

ance of the person. For the flesh sometimes denotes the

outward appearance of a man; and both meanings agree well
with this passage, since wherever either the feelings of the
flesh prevail, or a regard to the person regulates the judg-
ment, neither truth nor justice dwells. But I think that the
meaning will be more certain, if you contrast the flesh with
the Spirit, understanding his meaning to be, that they are
not lawful and competent judges, because they have not the
Spirit for their guide.

I judge no man. Here, too, commentators differ. Some
distinguish it thus, that he does not judge as man. Others
refer it to the time, that while he was on earth, he did not
undertake the office of a Judge. Augustine gives both

1“ Du Fils de Dieu.”

2 « Aussi maintenant est-il haut elevé.”

3 Mon jugement est vray ; c’est & dire, digne de foy.” —“ My judgment
is true ; that is, worthy of credit.”

328 COMMENTARY ON THE

expositions, but does not decide between them. But the
former distinction cannot at all apply. For this sentence
contains two clauses, that Christ does not judge, and that
if he judge, his judgment is solid and just, because it is divine.
As to the former clause, therefore, in which he says that he
does not judge, I confine it to what belongs peculiarly to this
passage. Tor in order the more fully to convict his enemies
of pride, he employs this comparison, that they unjustly
assume the liberty to judge, and yet cannot condemn him,
while he merely teaches and abstains from performing the
office of a judge.

16. And if I judge. Ue adds this correction, that he may
not appear entirely to surrender his right. Jf I judge, says
he, my judgment is true, that is, it is entitled to authority.
Now the authority arises from this consideration, that he
does nothing but according to the commandment of the
T‘ather.

For Iam not alone. This phrase amounts to an affirmative,
that he is not one of the ordinary rank of men, but that he
must be considered along with the office which was assigned
to him by the Father. But why does he not rather make an
open assertion of his Divinity, as he might truly and justly
have done? ‘The reason is, that as his Divinity was con-
cealed under the veil of the flesh, he brings forward his
Father, in whom it was more manifest. Still, the object of
the discourse is, to show that all that he does and teaches
ought to be accounted Divine.

17. Even in your law tt ts written. The argument might,
at first sight, appear to be weak, because no man is received
as a witness in his own cause. But we ought to remember
what I have already said, that the Son of God’ ought to be
excluded from the ordinary number of other men,” because
he neither is a private individual, nor transacts his own private
business. As to his distinguishing himself from his Father,
by doing so he accommodates himself to the capacity of his

1 «Te Fils de Dieu.” 2 «T)u nombre commun des autres hommes.”’

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 329

hearers, and that on account of his office, because he was at
that time a servant of the Father, from whom, therefore, he
asserts that all his doctrine has proceeded.

19. Where is thy Father? There can be no doubt what-
ever, that it was in mockery that they inquired about Ais
Father. For not only do they, with their wonted pride, treat
contemptuously what he had said about the Father, but they
likewise ridicule him for talking loftily about Ais Father, as if
he had drawn his birth from heaven. By these words, there-
fore, they mean that they do not value so highly Christ’s
Father, as to ascribe any thing to the Son on his account.
And the reason why there are so many in the present day
who, with daring presumption, despise Christ, is, that few
consider that God has sent him.

You neither know me nor my Father. THe does not deign to
give them a direct reply, but in a few words reproaches them
with the ignorance in which they flattered themselves. They
inquired about the Father ; and yet when they had the Son
before their eyes, seeing, they did not see, (Matth. xiii. 13.)
It was therefore a just punishment of their pride and wicked
ingratitude, that they who despised the Son of God, who
had been familiarly offered to them, never approached to the
Father. For how shall any mortal man ascend to the height
of God, unless he be raised on high by the hand of his Son ?
God in Christ condescended to the mean condition of men,
so as to stretch out his hand; and do not those who reject
God, when he thus approaches to them, deserve to be
excluded from heaven ?

Let us know that the same thing is spoken to us all; for
whoever aspires to know God, and does not begin with
Christ, must wander—as it were—in a labyrinth; for it is not
without good reason that Christ is called the image of the
Father, as has been already said. Again, as all who, leaving
Christ, attempt to rise to heaven, after the manner of the
giants,‘ are destitute of all right knowledge of God, so every
man who shall direct his mind and all his senses to Christ,

1 See.p. 223, n. 1.
VOL. I. X

330 COMMENTARY ON THE

will be led straight to the Father. For on good groundg does
God declare that, by the mirror of the Gospel, we clearly behold
God in the person of Christ, (2 Cor. iii. 18.) And certainly it
is an astonishing reward of the obedience of faith, that who-
soever humbles himself before the Lord Jesus,’ penetrates
above all the heavens, even to those mysteries which the
angels behold and adore.

20. These words spoke Jesus in the treasury. The treasury
was a part of the temple where the sacred offerings were laid
up. It was a much frequented place, and hence we infer
that this sermon was delivered by Christ amidst a large
assembly of men, so that the people had less excuse. The
Evangelist likewise holds out to us the astonishing power of
God in this respect, that they were constrained to endure
Christ openly teaching in the temple, though but lately they
sought to seize him, and put him to death. For since they
held an undisputed sway in the temple, so that they ruled
there with the fierceness of tyrants, they might have banished
Christ from it by a single word. And when he ventured to
take upon himself the office of a teacher, why do they not
instantly lay violent hands on him? We see then that God
caused men to hear him, and guarded him by his protection,
so that those savage beasts did not touch him, though they
had their throats opened to swallow him.? The Evangelist
again mentions fis hour, that we may learn that it is not by
the will of men, but by the will of God, that we live and die.

21. Jesus therefore spake again to them, I go, and you shall seek me,
and you shall die in your sin. Whither I go, you cannot come. 22. The
Jews therefore said, Will he kill himself? Because he saith, Whither I go,
you cannot come. 23. Then he said to them, You are from beneath, I
am from above ; you are of this world, Iam not of this world. 24. There-
fore I said to you, that you shall die in your sins; for if you do not believe
that I am, you shall die in your sins.

21. I go. Perceiving that he is doing no good among
these obstinate men, he threatens their destruction ; and this
is the end of all those who reject the Gospel. For it is not

1 “ Quiconque s’humilie devant le Seigneur Jesus.”
2 « Combien qu’ils eussent leurs gueules ouvertes pour l’engloutir.”

ay 4

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 331

thrown uselessly into the air, but must breathe the odour either
of life or of death, (2 Cor. ii. 16.) The meaning of these words
amounts to this. “The wicked willat length feel how great loss
they have suffered by rejecting Christ, when he freely offers
himself to them. They will feel it, but it will be too late, for
there willbe no more room for repentance.” And to alarm them
still more by showing them that their judgment is near at
hand, in the first place, he says that he will soon go away, by
which he means that the Gospel is preached to them only
for a short time, and that if they allow this opportunity to
pass away, the accepted time and the days appointed for salvation
(Isa. xlix. 8; 2 Cor. vi. 2) will not always last. Thus also,
in the present day, when Christ knocks at our door, we ought
to go immediately to meet him, lest he be wearied by our sloth-
fulness and withdraw from us. And indeed we have learned,
by many experiments in all ages, how greatly this departure
of Christ is to be dreaded.

And you shall seek me. We must first ascertain in what man-
ner the persons now spoken of sought Christ; for if they had
been truly converted, they would not have sowg/t him in vain ;
because he has not falsely promised that, as soon as a sinner
groans, he will be ready to assist him. Christ does not
mean, therefore, that they sought him by the right way of
faith, but that they sought him, as men, overwhelmed by the
extremity of anguish, look for deliverance on every hand.
For unbelievers would desire to have God reconciled to them,
but yet they do not cease to fly from him. God calls them;
the approach consists in faith and repentance; but they oppose
God by hardness of heart, and, overwhelmed with despair,
they exclaim against him. In short, they are so far from
desiring to enjoy the favour of God, that they do not give
him permission to assist them, unless he deny himself, which
he will never do.

In this manner, however wicked the scribes were, they
would willingly have applied to themselves the redemption
which had been promised by the hand of the Messiah, pro-
vided that Christ would transform himself, to suit their
natural disposition, Wherefore, by these words Christ
threatens and denounces to-all unbelievers, that, after having

wae COMMENTARY ON THE

despised the doctrine of the Gospel, they will be seized with
such anguish, that they shall be constrained to ery to God,
but their howling will be of no avail; because, as we have
already said, seeking, they do not seek. And this is still more
plainly expressed in the next clause, when he says, you shall
die in your sin; for he shows that the cause of their destruc-
tion will be, that they were disobedient and rebellious to the
very last. What is the nature of their sin we shall pre-
sently see.

22. Will he kill himself? The scribes persevere not only
in fearless scorn, but likewise in effrontery ; for they ridicule
what he had said, that they cannot follow whither he shall go ;
as if they had said, “If he Azll himself, we acknowledge that
we cannot accompany him, because we do not choose to do
so.” They regarded Christ’s absence as a matter of no
moment, and thought that in all respects they would gain a
victory over him; and so they bid him begone wherever he
pleases. Shocking stupidity! But thus does Satan infatuate
the reprobate, that, intoxicated with more than brutal indif-
ference,! they may throw themselves into the midst of the
flame of the wrath of God. Do we not in the present day
behold the same rage in many who, having stupified their
consciences, insolently play off their jests and buffoonery on
every thing that they hear about the dreadful judgment of
God? Yet it is certain that this is an affected or sardonic
smile, for they are pierced inwardly with unseen wounds ; but
all on a sudden, like men bereft of their senses, they burst
out into furious laughter.

3. You are from beneath, Iam from above. As they did
not deserve that he should teach them, he wished only to
strike them with reproofs conveyed in few words, as in this
passage he declares that they do not receive his doctrine,
because they have an utter dislike of the kingdom of God.
Under the words, world and beneath, he includes all that men
naturally possess, and thus points out the disagreement which

1 « Enyvrez d’une stupidité plus que brutale.”

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 330

exists between his Gospel and the ingenuity and sagacity of
the human mind; for the Gospel is heavenly wisdom, but
our mind grovels on the earth. No man, therefore, will ever
be qualified to become a disciple of Christ, till Christ has
formed him by his Spirit. And hence it arises that faith is so
seldom found in the world, because all mankind are naturally
opposed and averse to Christ, except those whom he elevates
by the special grace of his Holy Spirit.

24, You shall die in your sins. Having formerly employed
the singular number, i your sin, he now resorts to the plural
number, zx your sins; but the meaning is the same, except
that in the former passage he intended to point out that
unbelief is the source and cause of all evils. Not that there
are no other sins but unbelief! or that it is unbelief alone
which subjects us to the condemnation of eternal death before
God, as some men too extravagantly talk; but because it drives
us away from Christ, and deprives us of his grace, from which
we ought to expect deliverance from all our sins. That the
Jews reject the medicine with obstinate malice, is their mor-
tal disease; and hence it arises that the slaves of Satan do

not cease to heap up sins on sins, and continually to bring

down upon themselves fresh condemnations. And, there-
fore, he immediately adds,—

Tf you do not believe that I am. For there is no other
way for lost men to recover salvation, but to betake them-
selves to Christ. The phrase, that Iam, is emphatic; for,
in order to make the meaning complete, we must supply all
that the Scripture ascribes to the Messiah, and all that it
bids us expect from him. But the sum and substance is—
the restoration of the Church, the commencement of which
is the light of faith, from which proceed righteousness and a
new life. Some of the ancient writers have deduced from this
passage the Divine essence of Christ; but that is a mistake,
for he speaks of his office towards us. This statement is
worthy of observation ; for men never consider sufficiently
the evils in which they are plunged; and though they are

' “ Non pas qu’il n’y a point d’autres pechez que lincredulite.”

334 COMMENTARY ON THE

constrained to acknowledge their destruction, yet they
neglect Christ, and look around them, in every direction, for
useless remedies. Wherefore we ought to believe that, until
the grace of Christ be manifested to deliver us, nothing but
a boundless mass of all evils reigns perpetually in us.

25. Then they said to him, Who art thou? Jesus said to them,
From the beginning, because I also speak to you. 26. I have many
things to speak and judge of you; but he who hath sent me is true, and [
speak to the world those things which I have heard from him. 27. They
knew not that he spoke to them of the Father. Jesus therefore said to
them, 28. When you shall have exalted the Son of man, then shall you
know that I am, and that I do nothing of myself; but as the Father hath
taught me, I speak. 29. And he who hath sent meis with me. The Father
hath not left me alone, because I always do the things which please him.

25. From the beginning. They who translate the words
ry dex, as if they had been in the nominative case, Tam the
beginning, + and as if Christ were here asserting his eternal
Divinity, are greatly mistaken. There is no ambiguity of
this sort in the Greek, but still the Greek commentators also
differ as to the meaning. All of them, indeed, are agreed
that a preposition must be understood; but many give to it
the force of an adverb, as if Christ had said, “This ought
Jirst (nv dexiv) to be observed.” Some too—among whom is
Chrysostom—render it continuously thus: The beginning, who
also speak to you, I have many things to say and judge of you.
This meaning has been put into verse by Nonnus.° But a
different reading is more generally adopted, and appears to

>

be the true one. I interpret r7y deyiy, from the beginning ;

1 “T] n’y a qu’un amas infini de tous maux qui regne continuellement
en nous.”
2 “ Ou, ce dont je vous parle dés le commencement ;’—* or, what I tell you
Jrom the beginning.”
3“ Ou, comme aussi je vous en parle ;’— or, as also I speak of it to you.”
4 Ceux qui traduisent, ‘‘ Je suis le commencement.”
° He refers to Nonnus, a Greek writer, who rendered into hexameter
verse the Gospel by John. The passage stands thus :
Tic ov réasis; noel Xosords avinyev, oT 74 Tae veiy
“DS zeexns, dooilov exav vneibuc dinalery
Kai anwagery.
Who art thou? and Christ cried aloud, Wuar (1 sAy) To YoU FROM THE
BEGINNING, having an innumerable multitude of things to say and judge. So
far as relates to ryy d&exyv, Nonnus appears to agree with Calvin; for he
renders it ¢ aexgs, from the beginning.—Ed.

etme

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 335

so that the meaning, in my opinion, is this: “TI did not arise
suddenly, but as I was formerly promised, so now I come
forth publicly.” He adds,

Because I also speak to you; by which he means that he
testifies plainly enough who he is, provided that they had
ears. This word, ér:, because, is not employed merely to
assign a reason, as if Christ intended to prove that he was
From the beginning, BECAUSE he now speaks ; but he asserts that
there is such an agreement between his doctrine and the
eternity which he has spoken of, that it ought to be reckoned
an undoubted confirmation of it. It may be explained thus :
“ According to the beginning, that is, what I have formerly said,
T now, as it were, confirm anew ;” or, “ And truly what I now
also speak, is in accordance with the conditions made in all
ages, so as to be a strong confirmation of it.”

In short, this reply consists of two clauses ; for, under the
word beginning, he includes an uninterrupted succession of
ages, during which God had made a covenant with their
fathers. When he says that he also speaks, he joins his
doctrine with the ancient predictions, and shows that it
depends on them. Hence it follows that the Jews had no
other reason for their ignorance, than that they did not

believe either the Prophets or the Gospel; for it is the same

Christ that is exhibited in all of them. They pretended to
be disciples of the Prophets, and to look to the eternal
covenant of God; but still they rejected Christ, who had
been promised from the beginning, and presented himself
before them.

26. Ihave many things to say and judge of you. Perceiving
that he is in the position of one who sings to the deaf, he
pursues his discourse no farther, but only declares that God
will defend that doctrine, which they despise, because he is
the Author of it. “If I wished to accuse you,” says he,
“ your malice and wickedness supply me with ample materials;
but I leave you for the present. But my Father, who com-
mitted to me the office of a teacher, will not fail to fulfil his
promise; for he will always vindicate his word against the
wicked and sacrilegious contempt of men.” ‘This saying of

336 COMMENTARY ON THE

Christ is of the same import with that of Paul, If we deny
him, he remaineth faithful, he cannot deny himself, (2 Tim. ii. 13.)
In short, he threatens the judgment of God against unbe-
lievers, who refuse to give credit to his word; and he does
so on this ground, that God must inevitably defend his
truth. Now this is the true firmness of faith, when we
believe that God is alone sufficient to establish the authority
of his doctrine, though the world should reject it. All who,
relying on this doctrine, serve Christ faithfully, may fearlessly
accuse the whole world of falsehood.

And I speak to the world those things which I have heard from
him. He says that he utters nothing which he has not re-
ceived from the Father; and this is the only confirmation of
a doctrine, when the minister shows that what he speaks
has proceeded from the Father. Now we know that Christ
sustained, at that time, the office of a minister; and, there-
fore, we need not wonder, if he demands that men listen to
him, because he brings to them the commandments of God.
Besides, by his example he lays down a general law for the
whole Church, that no man ought to be heard, unless he
speak from the mouth of God. - But while he lays low the
wicked arrogance of those men who take upon themselves to
speak without the word of God, faithful teachers, who know
well the nature of their calling, are fortified and armed by
him with unshaken firmness, that, under the guidance of
God, they may boldly bid defiance to all mortals.

27. They did not know that he spoke to them about the Father.
Hence we see how stupid those men are whose understand-
ings are possessed by Satan. Nothing could be more plain
than that they were summoned to the judgment-seat of God.
But what then? They are altogether blind. This happens
daily to other enemies of the Gospel; and such blindness
ought to instruct us to walk with fear.’

28. When you shall have exalted the Son of man. Offended
at that stupidity which the Evangelist has described, Christ

1 «* A cheminer en crainte.”

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. aol

again declares that they do not deserve that he should open
his mouth to speak to them any more.' ‘ You now,” says
he, “have all your senses—as it were—fascinated, and, there-
fore, you understand nothing of all that I say; but the time
will yet come, when you shall know that a Prophet of God
has lived among you, and has spoken to you.” This is the
manner in which we ought to deal with wicked men 32 we
ought expressly to summon them to the judgment-seat of
God. But this knowledge, which Christ speaks of, comes
too late, when the reprobate and unbelievers,’ dragged to
punishment, reluctantly acknowledge that God, to whom
they ought mildly to have given honour and reverence, is
their Judge. For he does not promise them repentance, but
declares that, after they have been struck with new and

unexpressed horror at the wrath of God, they will be aroused

from that sleep in which they now repose. Thus Adam’s
eyes were opened, so that, overwhelmed with shame, he
sought in vain for places of concealment, and ultimately was
convinced that he was ruined. Yet that knowledge of Adam,
which was in itself useless, turned to his advantage through
the grace of God; but the reprobate, being overwhelmed
with despair, have their eyes opened only for this purpose,

‘that they may perceive their destruction. To this kind of

knowledge God conducts them in a variety of ways. Some-
times it happens that, constrained by heavy aftlictions, they
learn that God is angry with them; sometimes, without any
outward punishment, he inwardly torments them; and, at
other times, he permits them to sleep until he call them out
of the world.

By the term exalt Christ points out his own death. He
mentions his death, in order to warn them that, though they
destroy him according to the flesh, they will gain nothing by
it; as if he had said, “‘ Now youtreat me with haughty scorn,
while I speak to you; but ere long your wickedness will
proceed farther, even so far as to put me to death. Then
will you triumph, as if you had gained your wish, but within

1 “ Qu’il ouvre plus sa bouche pour leur dire rien.”
2 ‘+ Les reprouvez et infideles.”

338 COMMENTARY ON THE

a short time you shall feel, to your utter ruin, how widely
my death differs from destruction.” He employs the word
exalt, in order to vex them the more. Their intention was
to plunge Christ into the lowest hell. He tells them that
they will be completely disappointed, and that the event will
be altogether contrary to what they thus expect. He may,
indeed, have intended to allude to the outward form of his
death, that he was ¢o be lifted up on the cross; but he looked
chiefly to the glorious result of it, which soon afterwards fol-
lowed, contrary to the expectation of all. True, indeed, zn
the cross itself he gained a splendid triumph over Satan, before
God and the angels, by blotting out the hand-writing of sin, and
cancelling the condemnation of death, (Col. ii. 14;) but it
was only after that the Gospel had been preached, that this
triumph began to be made known to men. The same thing
which happened shortly afterwards—that Christ rose out of
the grave, and ascended to heaven—is what we ought daily to
expect; for, notwithstanding all the contrivances of wicked
men to oppress Christ in his Church, not only will he rise in
spite of them, but he will turn their wicked efforts into the
means of promoting the progress of his kingdom.

ThatIam. I have already stated that this does not refer
to Christ’s Divine essence, but to his office; which appears
still more clearly from what follows, when he affirms that he
does nothing but by the command of the Father; for this
means, that he was sent by God, and that he performs his
office faithfully.

And that I do nothing of myself. 'That is, I do not put
myself forward, to attempt anything rashly. Again, the
word speak, refers to the same thing, that is, to the office of
teaching ; for when Christ wishes to prove that he does no-
thing but by the commandment of the Father, he says that
he speaks as he has been taught by Him. ‘The meaning of
the words, therefore, may be summed up thus: In the whole
of these proceedings, which you condemn, no part is my
own, but I only execute what God has enjoined upon me;
the words which you hear from my mouth are his words, and
my calling, of which He is the Author, is directed by him
alone. Let us remember, however, what I have sometimes

aed

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 339

mentioned already, that these words are accommodated to
the capacity of the hearers. For, since they thought that
Christ was only one of the ordinary rank of men, he asserts
that whatever in him is Divine is not his own; meaning that
it is not of man or by man; because the Father teaches us
by him, and appoints him to be the only Teacher of the
Church; and for this reason he affirms that he has been taught
by the Father.

29. And he who hath sent me is with me. He again boasts
that God, under whose guidance and authority he does every
thing, will assist him, so that he shall not labour in vain and
to no purpose, as if he had said, that the power of the Spirit
of God accompanies his ministry. All faithful teachers ought
to be endued with the same confidence, so as to entertain no
doubt that the hand of God will be near them, when, with
a pure conscience, they discharge such a ministry as he
demands. For God does not furnish them with his word, in
order that they may strike the air with an idle and useless
sound, but makes his word successful by the secret efficacy of
his Spirit, and at the same time guards them by his protec-
tion, that, when their enemies shall have been subdued,
they may remain invincible against the whole world. And,
indeed, if they judge of themselves and their own powers,
they must give way every hour; so that the only method of
pursuing is, to be convinced that they are supported by the
hand of God.

Because I do always the things which please him. We must
observe the reason why Christ declares that God is on his
side, and that he will never be deprived of his assistance. It
is, because he is regulated entirely by his will, and serves
him in sincerity. For this is what he means by the word
always, that he does not obey God only in part, but is entirely
and unreservedly devoted to his service. Wherefore, if we
desire to enjoy the same presence of God, our whole reason
must be subjected to his authority; for if our senses hold
the government in any degree, all our exertions will be fruit-
less, because the blessing of God will not be on them. And

340 COMMENTARY ON THE

though for a time we may be delighted with the joyful pro-
spect of success, yet the final result will be dismal.

The Father hath not left me alone. By these words, he
indirectly complains of the treachery of his nation, in which
he found scarcely any that gave him their support. Yet he
shows that he reckons this alone to be abundantly sufficient,
that he has God to protect him. Such is the courage with
which we ought to be animated in the present day, that we
may not give way on account of the small number of believers;
for, though the whole world be opposed to his doctrine, still
we are not alone. Hence, too, it is evident how foolish is the
boasting of the Papists, who, while they neglect God, proudly
boast of their vast numbers.

30. While he spoke these things, many believed on him. 31. Jesus
therefore said to the Jews who believed onhim, If you continue in my word,
you shall be truly my disciples. 32. And you shall know the truth, and
the truth shall make you free. 33. They answered, We are Abraham’s
seed, and never were enslaved to any one; how then sayest thou, You
shall be free ? 34. Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say to you, That
every man who committeth sin is the slave of sin.! 35. And the slave ?
remaineth not always in the house, but the son remaineth always. 36.
Tf the Son then shall make you free, you shall be truly free. 37. I know
that you are the seed of Abraham, but you seek to kill me, because my
word dwelleth not in you.? 38. I speak what I have seen with my Father,
and you do what you have seen with your father.

30. While he spoke these things. Though the Jews, at that
time, almost resembled a dry and barren soil, yet God did
not permit the seed of his word to be entirely lost. Thus,
contrary to all hopes, and amidst so many obstructions, some
fruit appears. But the Evangelist inaccurately gives the
name of faith to that which was only a sort of preparation for
faith. For he affirms nothing higher concerning them than
that they were disposed to receive the doctrine of Christ, to
which also the preceding warning refers.

31. Ifyou continue in my word. Were Christ warns them,
in the first place, that it is not enough for any one to have

1“ T] est serf de peché.” 2 “ Le serf.’
3“ Pource que ma parole n’a point de lieu en vous ;”—** because my
word hath no place in you.”

;
;
:
;
=

Shy a ea aan

=

Ai

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 341

begun well, if their progress to the end do not correspond to
it; and for this reason he exhorts to perseverance in the
faith those who have tasted of his doctrine. When he says
that they who are firmly rooted in his word, so as to continue
in him, will truly be his disciples, he means that many profess
to be disciples who yet are not so in reality, and have no right
to be accounted such. He distinguishes his followers from
hypocrites by this mark, that they who falsely boasted of
faith give way as soon as they have entered into the course, or
at least in the middle of it ; but believers persevere constantly
to the end. If, therefore, we wish that Christ should reckon
us to be his disciples, we must endeavour to persevere.

32. And you shall know the truth. Ue says, that they who
have arrived at some knowledge of it shall know the truth.
True, those whom Christ addresses were as yet uneducated,
and scarcely knew the first elements, and therefore we need
not wonder if he promises them a more full understanding
of his doctrine. But the statement is general. Wherefore,
whatever progress any of us have made in the Gospel, let
him know that he needs new additions. This is the reward
_which Christ bestows on their perseverance, that he admits
them to greater familiarity with him; though in this way he
does nothing more than add another gift to the former, so
that no man ought to think that he is entitled to any reward.
For it is he who impresses bis word on our hearts by his
Spirit, and it is he who daily chases away from our minds
the clouds of ignorance which obscure the brightness of the
Gospel. In order that the truth may be fully revealed to us,
we ought sincerely and earnestly to endeavour to attain it.
It is the same unvarying truth which Christ teaches his fol-
lowers from the beginning to the end, but on those who were
at first enlightened by him, as it were with small sparks, he
at length pours a full light. Thus believers, until they have
been fully confirmed, are in some measure ignorant of what
they know; and yet it is not so small or obscure a knowledge
of faith as not to be efficacious for salvation.

The truth shall make you free. He commends the know-
ledge of the Gospel from the fruit which we derive from it,

342 COMMENTARY ON THE

or—which is the same thing—from its effect, namely, that it
restores us to freedom. This is an invaluable blessing.
Hence it follows, that nothing is more excellent or desirable
than the knowledge of the Gospel. All men feel and acknow-
ledge that slavery is a very wretched state; and since the
Gospel delivers us from it, it follows that we derive from the
Gospel the treasure of a blessed life.

We must now ascertain what kind of liberty is here de-
scribed by Christ, namely, that which sets us free from the
tyranny of Satan, sin, and death. And if we obtain it by
means of the Gospel, it is evident from this that we are by
nature the slaves of sin. Next, we must ascertain what is
the method of our deliverance. For so long as we are
governed by our sense and by our natural disposition, we are
in bondage to sin; but when the Lord regenerates us by his
Spirit, he likewise makes us free, so that, loosed from the
snares of Satan, we willingly obey righteousness. But re-
generation procceds from faith, and hence it is evident that
freedom proceeds from the Gospel.

Let Papists now go and proudly vaunt of their free-will,
but let us, who are conscious of our own slavery, glory in
none but Christ our Deliverer. For the reason why the
Gospel ought to be reckoned to have achieved our deliver-
ance is, that it offers and gives us to Christ to be freed from
the yoke of sin. Lastly, we ought to observe, that freedom
has its degrees according to the measure of their faith; and
therefore Paul, though clearly made free, still groans and longs
after perfect freedom, (Rom. vii. 24.)

33. We are Abraham’s seed. It is uncertain if the Evan-
gelist here introduces the same persons who formerly spoke,'
or others. My opinion is, that they replied to Christ ina
confused manner, as usually happens in a promiscuous crowd ;
and that this reply was made rather by despisers than by
those who believed. It isamode of expression very custom-
ary in Scripture, whenever the body of a people is mentioned,
to ascribe generally to all what belongs only to a part.

1 “ Ceux-la mesmes parlans, qui parloyent auparavant.”

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 343

Those who object that they are Abraham’s seed, and have
always been free, easily inferred from the words of Christ that
freedom was promised to them as to people who were slaves.
But they cannot endure to have it said that they, who are a
holy and elect people, are reduced to slavery. For of what
avail was the adoption and the covenant, (Rom. ix. 4,) by which
they were separated from other nations, but because they
were accounted the children of God? They think, therefore,
that they are insulted, when freedom is exhibited to them as a
blessing which they do not yet possess. But it might be
thought strange that they should maintain that they never
were enslaved, since they had been so frequently oppressed
by various tyrants, and at that time were subjected to the
Roman yoke, and groaned under the heaviest burden of
slavery ; and hence it may be easily seen how foolish was
their boasting.

Yet they had this plausible excuse, that the unjust sway
of their enemies did not hinder them from continuing to be
free by right. But they erred, first, in this respect, that they
did not consider that the right of adoption was founded on
the Mediator alone; for how comes it that Abraham’s seed is
free, but because, by the extraordinary grace of the Redeemer,

it is exempted from the general bondage of the human race ?
But there was another error less tolerable than the former,
that, though they were altogether degenerate, yet they wished
to be reckoned among the children of Abraham, and did not
consider that it is nothing else than the regeneration of the
Spivit that makes them lawful children of Abraham. And
indeed, it has been too common a vice in almost all ages, to
refer to the origin of the flesh the extraordinary gifts of God,
and to ascribe to nature those remedies which Christ bestows
for correcting nature. Meanwhile, we see how all who,
swelled with false confidence, flatter themselves on their con-
dition drive away from them the grace of Christ. And yet
this pride is spread over the whole world, so that there is
scarcely one person in a hundred who feels that he needs the
grace of God.

34. Kvery man who committeth sin is the slave of sin. This

344 COMMENTARY ON THE

is an argument drawn from contrary things. They boasted
that they were free. He proves that they are the slaves of
sin, because, being enslaved by the desires of the flesh, they
continually sin. It is astonishing that men are not convinced
by their own experience, so that, laying aside their pride,
they may learn to be humble. And it is a very frequent oc-
currence in the present day, that, the greater the load of vices
by which a man is weighed down, the more fiercely does he
utter unmeaning words in extolling free-will.

Christ appears to say nothing more here than what was
formerly said by philosophers, that they who are devoted to
their lusts are subject to the most degrading slavery. But
there is a deeper and more hidden meaning ; for he does not
argue what evil men bring on themselves, but what is the
condition of human nature. The philosophers thought that
any man is a slave by his own choice, and that by the same
choice he returns to freedom. But here Christ maintains,
that all who are not delivered by him are in a state of slavery,
and that all who derive the contagion of sin from corrupted
nature are slaves from their birth. We must attend to the
comparison between grace and nature, on which Christ here
dwells ; from which it may be easily seen that men are desti-
tute of freedom, unless they regain it from some other quar-
ter. Yet this slavery is voluntary, so that they who neces-
sarily sin are not compelled to sin.

35. Now the slave remaineth not in the house always. He
adds a comparison, taken from the laws and from political
law, to the effect that a slave, though he may have power for
a time, yet is not the heir of the house; from which he infers
that there is no perfect and durable freedom, but what is ob-
tained through the Son. In this manner he accuses the Jews
of vanity, because they hold but a mask instead of the reality ;
for, as to their being Abraham’s offspring, they were nothing
but a mask. They held a place in the Church of God, but
such a place as Ishmael, a slave, rising up against his free-
born brother, usurped for a short time, (Gal. iv. 29.) The
conclusion is, that all who boast of being Abraham’s children
have nothing but an empty and deceitful pretence.

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 345

36. If then the Son shall make you free. By these words he
means that the right of freedom belongs to himself alone, and
that all others, being born slaves, cannot be delivered but by
his grace. For what he possesses as his own by nature he
imparts to us by adoption, when we are ingrafted by faith
into his body, and become his members. Thus we ought to
remember what I said formerly, that the Gospel is the instru-
ment by which we obtain our freedom. So then our freedom
is a benefit conferred by Christ, but we obtain it by faith, in
consequence of which also Christ regenerates us by his Spirit.
When he says that they shall be truly free, there is an em-
phasis on the word ¢ruly ; for we must supply the contrast
with the foolish persuasion by which the Jews were swelled
with pride, in like manner as the greater part of the world
imagine that they possess a kingdom, while they are in the
most wretched bondage.

37. I know that you are Abraham’s seed. I explain this as
said by way of concession. Yet at the same time he ridicules
their folly in glorying in so absurd a title, as if he had said:
“ Granting that on which you flatter yourselves so much,
still what avails it that those men are called the children of
Abraham, who are enraged against God and his ministers,
and who are actuated by such wicked and detestable hatred
of the truth, that they rush headlong to shed innocent blood?”
Hence it follows that nothing is farther from their true char-
acter than what they wished to be called, because they have
no resemblance to Abraham.

You seeh to hill me, because my word has no place in you. He
means that they are not merely murderers, but are driven to
such rage by hatred of God and his truth, which is far more
heinous; for such an enormity does not merely extend to
men, but likewise dishonours God. He says, that they cannot
receive his words, because through malice they keep their
minds shut, so that they cannot admit anything wholesome.

38. I speak what I have seen with my Father. Ue had
already made frequent mention of his Father; and now, by
an argument drawn from contrary things, he infers that they

VOL. I. x

346 COMMENTARY ON THE

are enemies to God, and are the children of the devil, because
they oppose his doctrine. “ For my part,” says he, “I bring
nothing forward, but what I have learned from my Father.
How comes it then that the word of God excites you to such
fury, but because you have an opposite father?” He says that
he speaks, and they do, because he discharged the office of a
teacher, while they laboured strenuously to extinguish his
doctrine. At the same time, he protects the Gospel against
contempt, by showing that it is not wonderful if it be opposed
by the children of the devil. Instead of you do, some render
it, Do you what you have seen with your father ; as if Christ
had said, “ Come, show that you are the children of the devil,
by opposing me; for I speak nothing but what God has com-
manded.”

89. They answered, and said to him, Abraham is our father. Jesus
saith to them, If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works
of Abraham. 40. But now you seek to kill me, a man who have spoken
to you the truth which I have heard from God: Abraham did not this.
41. You do the works of your father. They said therefore to him, We
were not born of fornication; we have one Father, who is God. 42.
Jesus said to them, If God were your Father, you would love me; for
I proceeded and came from God, for I did not proceed from myself, but
he sent me.

39. Abraham is our father. This altercation shows plainly
enough how haughtily and fiercely they despised all Christ’s
reproofs. What they continually claim and vaunt of is, that
they are Abraham’s children; by which they do not simply
mean that they are the lineal descendants of Abraham, but
that they are a holy race, the heritage of God, and the children
of God. And yet they rely on nothing but the confidence
of the flesh. But carnal descent, without faith, is nothing
more than a false pretence. We now understand what it
was that so greatly blinded them, so that they treated Christ
with disdain, though armed with deadly thunder. Thus the
word of God, which might move stones, is ridiculed in the
present day by Papists, as if it were a fable, and fiercely per-
secuted by fire and sword; and for no other reason but that
they rely on their false title of “the Church,” and hope that
they will be able to deceive both God and man. In short,

———.

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 347

as soon as hypocrites have procured some plausible covering,
they oppose God with hardened obstinacy, as if he could not
penetrate into their hearts.

Tf you were the children of Abraham, you would do the works
of Abraham. Christ now distinguishes more plainly between
the bastard and degenerate children of Abraham, and the
true and lawful children ;' for he refuses to give the very
name to all who do not resemble Abraham. ‘True, it fre-
quently happens that children do not resemble, in their con-
duct, the parents from whom they are sprung; but here
Christ does not argue about carnal descent, but only affirms
that they who do not retain by faith the grace of adoption
are not reckoned among the children of Abraham before God.
For since God promised to the seed of Abraham that he
would be their God, saying, I will establish my covenant
between me and thee, and thy seed after thee, in their generations,
Jor an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy
seed after thee, (Gen. xvii. 7,) all unbelievers, by rejecting this
promise, excluded themselves from the family of Abraham.

The state of the question therefore is this: Ought they to
be accounted Abraham’s children who reject the blessing
offered to them in the word, so that, notwithstanding of this,
they shall be a holy nation, the heritage of God, and a royal
priesthood ? (Exod. xix. 6; Joel ii. 2.) Christ denies this,
and justly ; for they who are the children of the promise
must be born again by the Spirit, and all who desire to obtain
a place in the kingdom of God ought to be new creatures.
Carnal descent from Abraham was not indeed useless, and
of no value, provided that the truth were added to it. For
election dwells in the seed of Abraham, but it is free, so that

all whom God sanctifies by his Spirit are accounted heirs of
life.

40. But now you seek to kill me. He proves from the effect,
that they are not the children of God, as they boasted,
because they oppose God. And, indeed, is there any thing

' “Entre les enfans d’Abraham qui sont bastars et forlignans, et le
vrais et legitimes.”

348 COMMENTARY ON THE

in Abraham that is more bighly commended than the obe-
dience of faith?! This then is the mark of distinction, when-
ever we are required to distinguish between his children and
strangers; for empty titles, whatever estimation they may
procure before the world, are of no account with God. Christ
therefore concludes again, that they are the children of the
devil, because they hate with deadly hatred? true and sound
doctrine.

41. Wewere not born of fornication. They claim no more
for themselves than they did formerly, for it was the same
thing with them to be Abraham’s children and to be God's
children. But they erred grievously in this respect, that they
imagined that God was bound to the whole seed of Abra-
ham. For they reason thus: “God adopted for himself the
family of Abraham; therefore, since we are Abraham’s
descendants, we must be the children of God.” We nowsee
how they thought that they had holiness from the womb,
because they were sprung from a holy root. In short, they
maintain that they are the family of God, because they are
descended from the holy fathers. In like manner, the Papists
in the present day are exceedingly vain of an uninterrupted
succession from the fathers. By sorceries of this description
Satan deceives them, so that they separate God from his
word, the Church from faith, and the kingdom of heaven from
the Spirit.

Let us know, therefore, that they who have corrupted the
seed of life are at the farthest remove from.being the children
of God, though, according to the flesh, they are not bastards,
but pretend a right to the plausible title of the Church. For
let them go about the bush as much as they please, still they
will never avoid the discovery that the only ground of their
arrogant boasting is, “ We have succeeded the holy fathers ;
therefore, we are the Church.” And if the reply of Christ was
sufficient for confuting the Jews, it is not less sufficient now
for reproving the Papists. Never indeed will hypocrites cease

1 “ Et de faict, y a-il chose qu’on puisse plustost louér en Abraham 7”
2 “ Tls haissent de haine mortelle.”

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 349

to employ the name of God falsely, with most wicked effron-
tery; but those false grounds of boasting, on which they
plume themselves, will never cease to appear ridiculous in
the eyes of all who shall abide by the decision of Christ.

42. If God were your Father, you would love me. Christ’s
argument is this: “ Whoever is a child of God will acknow-
ledge his first-born Son; but you hate me, and therefore you
have no reason to boast, that you are God’s children.” We
ought carefully to observe this passage, that there is no piety
and no fear of God where Christ is rejected. Hypocritical
religion, indeed, presumptuously shelters itself under the
name of God; but how can they agree with the Father who
disagree with his only Son? What kind of knowledge of
God is that in which his lively image is rejected? And this
is what Christ means, when he testifies that he came from
the Father.

For I proceeded and came from God. Ue means that all
that he has is divine; and therefore it is most inconsistent
that the true worshippers of God should fly from his truth
and righteousness. “I did not come,” says he, “of myself.
You cannot show that anything about me is contrary to
God. In short, you will find nothing that is either earthly
or human in my doctrine, or in the whole of my ministry.”
For he does not speak of his essence, but of his office.

43. Why do you not understand my language, that you cannot hear
my word? 44. You are of your father the devil, and you wish to execute
the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and
he did not remain in the truth, because there is no truthinhim. 45. And
because I tell the truth, you do not believe me.

43. Why do you not understand my language? In this pass-
age, he reproaches the Jews with their obstinacy, which was
so great, that they could not even endure to hear him speak.
Hence he infers, that they are actuated and hurried away by
diabolical rage. Some make a distinction here between Jan-
guage and speech, as if speech had a more extensive meaning ;
but I do not see it;! and besides, it would not be appropriate

1 “ Aucuns font ici difference entre Langage et Parole, pource que la
parole emporte plus, mais je n’y en voy point.”

350 COMMENTARY ON THE

that the word which means less should be placed first. Many
point this verse in such a manner as to make the question
close with the word language ;! as if the question consisted
only of these words, Why do you not understand my language ?
So that the reason is immediately assigned, Because you cannot
hear my word. But I think that it ought rather to be read in
immediate connection, as if he had said, “ What is the reason
why my speech appears to you barbarous and unknown, so
that I gain nothing by speaking to you, and so that you do
not even deign to open your ears to receive what I say ?”” In
the former clause, therefore, he reproves their stupidity; in
the latter, he reproves their obstinate and ungovernable
hatred of his doctrine ; and he afterwards assigns a reason for
both, when he says, that they are sprung from the devil. For
by putting the question, he intended to take out of their
hands what was the subject of their continual boasting, that
they are led by reason and judgment to oppose him.

44, You are of your father the devil. What he had twice
said more obscurely, he now expresses more fully, that they
are the devil's children. But we must supply the contrast,
that they could not cherish such intense hatred to the Son of
God, were it not that they had for their father the perpetual
enemy of God. He calls them children of the devil, not only
because they imitate him, but because they are led by his
instigation to fight against Christ. For as we are called the
children of God, not only because we resemble him, but be-
cause he governs us by his Spirit, because Christ lives and is
vigorous in us, so as to conform us to the image of his Father ;
so, on the other hand, the devil is said to be the father ot
those whose understandings he blinds, whose hearts he moves
to commit all unrighteousness, and on whom, in short, he acts
powerfully and exercises his tyranny; as in 2 Cor. iv. 4;
Eph. ii. 2, and in other passages.

The Manicheans foolishly and ineffectually abused this
passage to prove their absurd tenets. For since, when
Scripture calls us the children of God, this does not refer to

1 Wn ce mot Langage.”

A
4

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 351

the transmission or origin of the substance, but to the grace
of the Spirit, which regenerates us to newness of life ; so this
saying of Christ does not relate to the transmission of sub-
stance, but to the corruption of nature, of which man’s revolt
was the cause and origin. When men, therefore, are born
children of the devil, it must not be imputed to creation, but
to the blame of sin. Now Christ proves this from the effect,
because they willingly, and of their own accord, are disposed
to follow the devil.

He was a murderer from the beginning. Ue explains what
are those desires, and mentions two instances, cruelty and
falsehood; in which the Jews too much resembled Satan.
When he says that the devil was a murderer, he means that
he contrived the destruction of man; for as soon as man was
created, Satan, impelled by a wicked desire of doing injury,
bent his strength to destroy him. Christ does not mean the
beginning of the creation, as if God implanted in him the dis-
position to do injury; but he condemns in Satan the corrup-
tion of nature, which he brought upon himself. This appears
more clearly from the second clause, in which he says,

He did not remain in the truth. For though those who
imagine that the devil was wicked by nature, endeavour to
make eyasions, yet these words plainly state that there was
a change for the worse, and that the reason why Satan was
a liar was, that he revolted from the truth. That he is a Liar,
arises not from his nature having been always contrary to
truth, but because he fell from it by a voluntary fall. This
description of Satan is highly useful to us, that every person
for himself may endeavour to beware of his snares, and, at
the same time, to repel his violence and fury; for he goeth
about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour, (1 Pet.
y. 8,) and has a thousand stratagems at his command for
deceiving. So much the more ought believers to be supplied
with spiritual arms for fighting, and so much the more
earnestly ought they to keep watch with vigilance and
sobricty. Now, if Satan cannot lay aside this disposition,
we ought not to be alarmed at it, as if it were a new and
uncommon occurrence, when errors exceedingly numerous
and varied spring up; for Satan stirs up his followers like

a4 COMMENTARY ON THE

bellows, to deceive the world by their impostures. And
we need not wonder that Satan puts forth such strenuous
efforts to extinguish the light of ¢ruth; for it is the only life
of the soul. So, then, the most important and most deadly
wound for killing the soul is falsehood. As all who have eyes
to see perceive, in the present day, such a picture of Satan
in Popery, they ought, first, to consider with what enemy
they carry on war, and, next, to betake themselves to the
protection of Christ their Captain, under whose banner
they fight.

Because the truth is not in him. This statement, which
immediately follows the other, is a confirmation a posterior?,
as the phrase is; that is, it is drawn from the effect. For
Satan hates the truth, and therefore cannot endure it, but, on
the contrary, is entirely covered with falsehoods. Hence
Christ infers, that he is entirely fallen from the truth, and
entirely turned away from it. Let us not wonder, therefore,
if he daily exhibits the fruits of his apostacy.

When he speaketh falsehood. ‘These words are generally
explained as if Christ affirmed that the blame of falsehood
does not belong to God, who is the Author of nature, but, on
the contrary, proceeds from corruption. But I explain it
more simply, that it is customary with the devil to speak
falsehood, and that he knows nothing but to contrive corrup-
tions, frauds, and delusions. And yet we justly infer from
these words, that the devil has this vice from himself, and
that, while it is peculiar to him, it may likewise be said to be
accidental; for, while Christ makes the devil to be the con-
triver of lying, he evidently separates him from God, and
even declares him to be contrary to God. For he is a har,
and the father of it. The word father has the same object as
the preceding statement; for the reason why Satan is said to
be THE FATHER of falsehood is, because he is estranged from
God, in whom alone truth dwells, and from whom it flows as
from the only fountain.

45. But because I speak the truth. Ue confirms the pre-
ceding statement; for, since they have no other reason for

7

GOSPEL ACCORDING T0 JOHN. 353

opposing, but because truth is hateful and intolerable to them,
they show plainly that they are the children of Satan.

46. Which of you econvicteth me of sin? And if I speak truth, why
do younot believe me? 47. He who is of God heareth the words of God ;
you hear them not, because you are not of God. 48. The Jews therefore
answered, and said to him, Do we not say well, that thou art a Samaritan,
and hast a devil? 49. Jesus answered, I have not a devil, but I honour
my Father, and you have dishonoured me. 50. But I seek not my own
glory ; there is one who seeketh it, and judgeth of it.’

46. Which of you? This question proceeds from perfect
confidence ; for, knowing that they could not justly bring
any reproach against him, he glories over his enemies, as
haying obtained a victory. And yet he does not say that he
is free from their slanders; for, though they had no reason
for reproaching, still they did not cease to pour out slanders
on Christ ; but he means that no crime dwells in him. And
such is the import of the Greek word éAéyze, as the Latins
use coarguere, (to convict,) when a person is held convicted of
the fact. Which of you CONVICTETH me of sin? Yet those
who think that Christ here asserts his complete innocence,
because he alone surpassed all men, so far as he was the Son
of God, are mistaken. For this defence must be restricted

to what belongs to the passage, as if he had asserted that

nothing could be brought forward to show that he was not a
faithful servant of God. In like manner Paul also glories
that he is not conscious of any crime, (1 Cor. iv. 4;) for that
does not extend to the whole life, but is only a defence of his
doctrine and apostleship. It is away from the subject, there-
fore, 1o speculate, as some do, about the perfection of righte-
ousness which belongs to the Son of God alone; since the
only object which he has in view is, to give authority to his
ministry, as appears more clearly from what follows; for he
again adds immediately afterwards, Jf I speak truth, why do
you not believe me? From which we infer that Christ is rather
defending his doctrine than his person.

47, He who is of God. As he has a full right to take this

'* Tl y a quila cherche, et qui en juge.”

354 COMMENTARY ON THE

for granted, that he is the ambassador of the heavenly Father,
and that he discharges faithfully the office which has been
committed to him, he kindles into greater indignation against
them; for their impiety was no longer concealed, since they
were so obstinate in rejecting the word of God. He had
showed that they could not bring forward any thing which
he had not taught as from the mouth of God. He concludes,
therefore, that they have nothing in common with God, for
they do not hear the words of God;! and, without saying
any thing about himself, he charges them with being at war
with God. Besides, we are taught by this passage, that
there is not a more evident sign of a reprobate mind, than
when one cannot endure the doctrine of Christ, even though,
in other respects, it shone with angelic sanctity ; as, on the
contrary, if we embrace that doctrine cheerfully, we have
what may be called a visible seal of our election. For he
who has the word enjoys God himself; but he who rejects
it excludes himself from righteousness and life. Wherefore,
there is nothing which we ought to fear so much as to fall
under that dreadful sentence.

48. Do we not say well? They show more and more how
greatly they are stupified by Satan ; for, though they are fully
convicted, still they are enraged, and are not ashamed to
show that they are utterly desperate.?_ Besides, though they
bring a double reproach against Christ, still they wish to do
nothing more than to say in a few words, that he is a detest-
able man, and that he is actuated by a wicked spirit. The
Jews reckoned the Samaritans to be apostates and corrupters
of the Law; and therefore, whenever they wished to stamp
aman with infamy, they called him a Samaritan. Having
no crime more heinous, therefore, to reproach Christ with,
they seize at random, and without judgment, this vulgar
taunt. To express it in a few words, we see that with effron-
tery they curse him, as men are wont to do when, infuriated
like enraged dogs, they cannot find any thing to say.

1 “T]s n’oyent point les paroles de Dieu.”
2 « Neantmoins, ils sont enragez, et n’ont pointe honte de se monstrer
du tout desesperez.”

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN 655

49. I have not a devil. He passes by the first charge, and
clears himself only of the second. Some think that he did
so, because he disregarded the insult offered to his person,
and undertook only the defence of the doctrine. But they are
mistaken, in my opinion; for it is not probable that the Jews
were so ingenious in distinguishing between the life and the
doctrine of the Lord Jesus. Besides, the dislike of this
name arose, as we have said, from this circumstance, that
the Samaritans, being perverse and degenerate observers of
the Law, had debased it by many superstitions and corrup-
tions, and had polluted the whole worship of God by foreign
inventions. Augustine flies to allegory, and says that Christ
did not refuse to be called a Samaritan, because he is a true
guardian of his flock. But Christ’s intention appears to me
to have been different ; for since the two reproaches cast upon
him had the same object, by refuting the one, he refutes the
other; and, indeed, if the matter be duly considered, they
insulted him more grievously by calling him @ Samaritan
than by calling him a demoniac. But, as I have already said,
Christ satisfies himself with a simple refutation, which he
draws from what is contrary, when he asserts that he labours
to promote the honour of his Father; for he who duly and
sincerely honours him must be guided by the Spirit of God,
and must be a faithful servant of God.

You have dishonoured me. 'This clause may be explained,
as if it were a complaint of Christ, that he does not receive
the honour due to him on account of his promoting the glory
of God. But I think that he looks much higher, and con-
nects the glory of the Father with his own, in this manner.
*Y claim nothing for myself which does not tend to the glory
of God; for his majesty shines in me, his power and autho-
rity dwells in me; and therefore, when you treat me so dis-
dainfully, you pour contempt on God himself.” He imme-
diately adds, therefore, that God will revenge this insult.
For they might have alleged that he was ambitious, if he had
not testified that it was not from any personal feelings of a
carnal nature that he cared about the honour or contempt

1 “Du Seigneur Jesus.”

356 COMMENTARY ON THE

showed to himself, but so far as the honour or contempt of
God is concerned. Besides, though we are at a great dis-
tance from Christ, let every man be fully convinced that, if
he be sincerely desirous to promote the glory of God, he will
find that God has secured for him abundant commendation ;
for we shall always find that saying to be true, Those who
honour me, I will render honourable, (1 Sam. ii. 30.) If men
not only despise, but even load him with reproaches, let him
calmly wait till the day of the Lord come.

51. Verily, verily, I say to you, If any man keep my word, he
shall never see death. 52. The Jews said therefore to him, Now we
know that thou hast the devil.!. Abraham is dead, and the Prophets, and
thou sayest, If any man keep my word, he shall never taste of death. 53.
Art thou greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? The Prophets
also are dead. Whom makest thou thyself? 54. Jesus answered, If I
glorify myself, my glory is nothing ; it is my Father who glorifieth me, of
whom you say that he is your God. 55. And you know him not, but I
know him; and if I say that I do not know him, I shall be a liar like you ;
but I know him, and keep his word.

51. Verily, verily, I say to you. Christ unquestionably
knew that some persons in that multitude were curable, and
that others of them were not opposed to his doctrme. For
this reason, he intended to terrify the wicked whose malice
was desperate, but to do so in such a manner as to leave
ground of consolation for the good, or to draw to him those
who were not yet ruined. Whatever dislike of the word of
God, therefore, may be entertained by the greatest part of
men, yet the faithful teacher ought not to be wholly employed
in reproving the wicked, but ought also to impart the doc-
trine of salvation to the children of God, and endeavour to
bring them to sound views, if there be any of them who are
not perfectly incurable. In this passage, therefore, Christ
promises eternal life to his disciples, but demands disciples
who shall not only prick up their ears, like asses, or profess
with the mouth that they approve of his doctrine, but who
shall keep his doctrine as a precious treasure. He says that
they shall never see death ; for, when faith quickens the soul of

1 “ Que tu as le diable.”

—

ss

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 357

a man, death already has its sting extracted and its venom
removed, and so cannot inflict a deadly wound.

52. Now we know. The reprobate persist in their stupidity,
and are not moved by promises any more than by threaten-
ings; so that they can neither be led nor drawn to Christ.
Some think that they slanderously torture his words, by
using the expression, taste of death, which Christ had not
used; but this appears to me to be groundless. I rather
think that both of the phrases, to taste of death and to see death,
were used by the Hebrews in the same sense ; namely, éo die.
But they are false interpreters in this respect, that they apply
the spiritual doctrine of Christ to the body. No believer
shall see death, because believers, having been born again of
incorruptible seed, (1 Pet. i. 23,) live even when they die; be-
cause, united to Christ their Head, they cannot be extin-
guished by death; because death is to them a passage into
the heavenly kingdom; because the Spirit, dwelling in them,
is life on account of righteousness, (Rom. viii. 10,) until he
swallow up all that remains of death. But those men, being
carnal, cannot perceive any deliverance from death, unless it
appear manifestly in the body. And it is a disease too com-
mon in the world, that the greatest part of men care almost
nothing about the grace of Christ, because they judge of it
only by their carnal perception. That the same thing may
not happen to us, we must arouse our minds, that they may
discern spiritual life in the midst of death.

53. Art thou greater than our father Abraham? This is
another offence, that they endeavour to obscure the glory of
Christ by the splendour of Abraham and of the saints. But
as all the stars are thrown into the shade by the bright-
ness of the sun, so all the glory that is to be found in all the
saints must fade away before the incomparable brightness of
Christ. They act unjustly and absurdly, therefore, in con-
trasting the servants with the Lord; and they even act
improperly towards Abraham and the Prophets, by abusing
their name in opposition to Christ. But this wickedness
has prevailed in almost every age, and prevails even in the

358 COMMENTARY ON THE

present day, that wicked men, by mangling the works of God,
make him appear to be contrary to himself. God glori-
fied himself by the Apostles and Martyrs; the Papists frame
idols for themselves out of the Apostles and Martyrs, that
they may occupy the place of God ; and do they not, in this
manner, manufacture engines out of the very favours of God,
to destroy his power? For how little remains for God or
for Christ, if the saints have all that the Papists so lavishly
bestow upon them! Wherefore, we ought to know that the
whole order of the Kingdom of God is destroyed, unless
Prophets, Apostles, and all that can be called Saints, be
placed far below Christ, that he alone may hold the highest
rank, And, indeed, we cannot speak of the Saints more
respectfully than when we place them below Christ. But
the Papists, though they may deceive the ignorant by boast-
ing that they are faithful admirers of the Saints, offer an
insult both to God and to them, because, by assigning to
them a lofty station, they reduce Christ to a level with them.
And, indeed, they are doubly in the wrong, because they
prefer the Saints to Christ in doctrine; and because, by
clothing themselves with the spoils of Christ, they deprive
him of almost all his power.

54. If I glorify myself. Before replying to that unjust
comparison, he begins by saying that he does not seek his own
glory, and thus meets their slander. If it be objected, that
Christ also glorified himself, the answer is easy, that he did
so, not as man, but by the direction and authority of God.
For here, as in many other passages, he distinguishes between
himself and God, by way of concession. In short, he declares
that he desires no glory whatever but what has been given
him by the Father. Weare taught by these words that,
when God glorifies his Son, he will not permit the world to
hate or despise him! with impunity.

Meanwhile, those voices sounding from heaven, Kiss the
Son, (Ps. il. 12,) Let all the angels worship him, (Heb. i. 6,)
Let every knee bow to him, (Philip. ii. 10,) Hear ye him, (Matth.

1 *¢ En haine et mespris.”

0

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 359

xvii. 5,) Let the Gentiles seek him, (Rom. xv. 11,) and Let ail
Jlesh be humbled, ought greatly to encourage believers to ren-
der honour and reverence to Christ. We are also reminded
by these words, that all the honour which men procure for

_ themselves is trivial and worthless. How blind then is ambi-
tion, when we labour so earnestly about nothing! Let us con-
tinually keep before our eyes that saying of Paul, Not he who
commendeth himself is approved, but whom God commendeth, (2
Cor. x. 18.) Besides, as we are destitute of the glory of God,
let us learn to glory in Christ alone, so far as by his grace
he makes us partakers of his glory.

Of whom you say that he is your God. He pulls off from
them the false mask of the name of God which they were ac-
customed to employ. “Iknow,” he says, “how presumptuously
you boast that you are the people of God; but it is a false
title, for you know not God.” Hence also we learn what is the
true and lawful’ profession of faith. It is that which proceeds
from true knowledge. And whence comes that knowledge,
but from the word? Consequently, all who boast of the name
of God without the word of God are mere liars. Yet to
their audacity Christ opposes the assurance of his conscience;
and thus all the servants of God ought to be prepared in their
hearts to be satisfied with this alone, that God is on their
side, though the whole world should rise against him. Thus
anciently the Prophets and Apostles had invincible courage
and magnanimity, which stood firm against the dreadful
attacks of the whole world, because they knew by whom they
were sent. But when solid knowledge of God is wanting,
there is nothing to support us.

And if I shall say that I know him. By this clause, Christ
testifies that the necessity of his office constrains him to
speak, because silence would be a treacherous denial of the
truth. This is a remarkable statement, that God reveals
himself to us for this purpose, that we may confess before
men the faith which we have in our hearts, when it is need-
ful. For it ought powerfully to strike terror into our minds,
that they who act hypocritically to please men, and either deny

1 “ La vraye et legitimo profession.”

360 : COMMENTARY ON THE

the truth of God or disfigure it by wicked glosses, not only
are gently reproved, but are sent back to the children of the
devil.

56. Your father Abraham exulted to see my day; and he saw it and
rejoiced. 57. The Jews then said to him, Thou art not yet fifty years
old, and hast thou seen Abraham? 58. Jesus said to them, Verily, verily,
I tell you, before Abraham was, [am. 59. Then they took up stones to
throw at him; but Jesus concealed himself, and went out of the temple.

56. Your father Abraham. He grants to them, in words
only, what he formerly took from them, that Abraham ts their
father. But he shows how idle is the objection drawn from
the name of Abraham. “ He had no other object,” says he,
“during his whole life, than to see my kingdom flourish.
He longed for me when I was absent, you despise me when
I am present.” What Christ here asserts concerning Abra-
ham alone, applies to all the saints. But this doctrine has
greater weight in the person of Abraham, because he is the
father of the whole Church. Whoever then desires to be
reckoned in the number of the godly, let him rejoice, as he
ought to do, in the presence of Christ, for which Abraham
ardently longed.

Exulted to see my day. The word exult expresses a vehe-
ment zeal’ and ardent affection. We must now supply the
contrast. Though the knowledge of Christ was still so
obscure, Abraham was inflamed by so strong a desire, that
he preferred the enjoyment of it to everything that was
reckoned desirable. How base then is the ingratitude of
those who despise and reject him, when he is plainly offered
to them? The word day does not, in this passage, denote
eternity, (as Augustine thought,) but the time of Christ’s
kingdom, when he appeared in the world clothed with flesh,
to fulfil the office of Redeemer.

But a question now arises, How did Abraham behold, even
with the eyes of faith, the manifestation of Christ? For this
appears not to agree with another statement of Christ,
Many kings and prophets desired to sce the things which you see,
and yet did not see them, (Luke x. 24.) I reply, faith has its

1 * Un vehement zele.”

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 361

degrees in beholding Christ. Thus the ancient prophets
beheld Christ at a distance, as he had been promised to them, ~
and yet were not permitted to behold him present, as he
made himself familiarly and completely visible, when he came
down from heaven to men.

Again, we are taught by these words that, as God did not
disappoint the desire of Abraham, so he will not now permit
any one to breathe after Christ, without obtaining some good
fruit which shall correspond to his holy desire. The reason
why he does not grant the enjoyment of himself to many is—
the wickedness of men; for few desire him. Abraham’s joy
testifies that he regarded the knowledge of the kingdom of
Christ as an incomparable treasure; and the reason why we
are told that he rejoiced to see the day of Christ is, that we
may know that there was nothing which he valued more
highly. But all believers receive this fruit from their faith,
that, being satisfied with Christ alone, in whom they are fully
and completely happy and blessed, their consciences are calm
and cheerful. And indeed no man knows Christ aright,
unless he gives him this honour of relying entirely upon him.

Others explain it to mean, that Abraham, being already
dead, enjoyed the presence of Christ, when he appeared to

- the world; and so they make the time of desiring and the

time of seeing to be different. And indeed it is true, that the
coming of Christ was manifested to holy spirits after death,
of which coming they were held in expectation during the
whole of their life ; but I do not know if so refined an expo-
sition agrees with Christ’s words.

57. Thou art not yet fifty years old. 'They endeavour to
refute Christ’s saying, by showing that he had asserted what
was impossible, when he who was not yet fifty years of age
makes himself equal to Abraham, who died many centuries
before. Though Christ was not yet thirty-four years of age,
yet they allow him to be somewhat older, that they may not
appear to be too rigid and exact in dealing with him; as if
they had said, “ Thou certainly wilt not make thyself so old,
though thou wert to boast that thou art already jifty years of
age.” Consequently, those who conjecture that he looked

VOL. I. Z

362 COMMENTARY ON THE

older than he actually was, or that the years mentioned in
this passage are not solar years, in either case labour to no
purpose. The notion of Papias, who says that Christ lived
more than forty years, cannot at all be admitted.

58. Before Abraham was. As unbelievers judge only from
the appearance of the flesh, Christ reminds them that he has
something greater and higher than human appearance, which
is hidden from the senses of the flesh, and is perceived only
by the eyes of faith; and that, in this respect, he might be
seen by the holy fathers, before he was manifested in the
flesh. But he uses different verbs. Before Abraham was,*
or, Before Abraham WAS BORN,’ I AM.’ But by these words
he excludes himself from the ordinary rank of men, and
claims for himself a power more than human,‘ a power hea-
venly and divine, the perception of which reached from the
beginning of the world through all ages.

Yet these words may be explained in two ways. Some
think that this applies simply to the eternal Divinity of
Christ, and compare it with that passage in the writings of
Moses, Iam what I am, (Exod. iii. 14.) But I extend it much
farther, because the power and grace of Christ, so far as he
is the Redeemer of the world, was common to all ages. It
agrees therefore with that saying of the apostle, Christ yes-
terday, and to-day, and for ever, (Heb. xii. 8.) For the con-
text appears to demand this interpretation. He had formerly
said that Abraham longed for his day with vehement desire ;
and as this seemed incredible to the Jews, he adds, that he
himself also existed at that time. The reason assigned will
not appear sufficiently strong, if we do not understand that
he was even then acknowledged to be the Mediator, by whom
God was to be appeased. And yet the efficacy which be-
longed, in all ages, to the grace of the Mediator depended

1“ Avant qu’Abraham fust.”

ait Priusquam Abraham nasceretur.”

3 rely ABoudu yevecbas, eyo cit. Our Author’s idea, to which he
merely alludes, appears to be that, instead of saying, eva Ev Evouny,
or, fya yivowes, Christ purposely said, iyo eiws, because the verb eiget,
sti anding contrasted with vevecdcs, would convey the idea of underived
existence.—Ed.

4“ Une vertu plus qu’humaine.”

——

eben.

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOIN. 363

on his eternal Divinity; so that this saying of Christ contains
a remarkable testimony of his Divine essence.

We ought also to observe the solemn form of an oath,
Verily, verily. Nor do I disapprove of the opinion of Chry-
sostom, that the present tense of the verb is emphatic ; for
he does not say, I was, but I am; by which he denotes a
condition uniformly the same from the beginning to the end.
And he does not say, Before Abraham was, but, Before Abra-
ham WAS MADE; which implies that Abraham had a beginning.

59. Then they took up stones. There is reason to believe
that they did this, as if Christ ought to be stoned according
to the injunction of the Law, (Lev. xxiv. 16.) Hence we
infer how great is the madness of inconsiderate zeal; for they
have no ears to know the cause, but they have hands ready
to commit murder. I have no doubt that Christ rescued
himself by his secret power, but yet under the appearance of
a low condition; for he did not intend to make a clear dis-
play of his Divinity without leaving something for human
infirmity. Some copies have the words, And so Jesus passed
through the midst of them; which Erasmus justly considers to

aye been borrowed from the Gospel by Luke, (iv. 30.) It

deserves notice also, that the wicked priests and scribes, after
having banished Christ, in whom dwelleth all the fulness of the
Godhead, (Colos. ii. 9,) retain possession of the outward
temple; but they are greatly deceived, when they think that
they have a temple in which God does not dwell. Such is
the course now pursued by the Pope and his followers. After
haying banished Christ, and in this manner profaned the
Church, they foolishly glory in the false disguise of a Church.

CHAPTER IX.

_1. And Jesus, passing by, saw a man blind from his birth. 2. And his
disciples asked him, saying, Rabbi, who hath sinned, this man, or his pa-
rents, that he was born blind? 3. Jesus answered, Neither did this man
sin, nor his parents; but that the works of God may be displayed in him.
4, I must work the works of him who sent me, while it is day; the night
cometh, when no man can work. 5. While I am in the world, I am the
light of the world.

364 COMMENTARY ON THE

1. Jesus saw a man blind. In this chapter, the Evangelist
describes the restoration of sight to the blind man, at the
same time mingling doctrine, to point out the fruit of the
miracle. From his birth. This circumstance gives an addi-
tional display of the power of Christ ; for blindness, which he
had brought from his mother’s womb, and which he had en-
dured till he arrived at the age of a man, could not be cured
by human remedies. This gave occasion to the disciples to
propose a question, Of whose sin was this the punishment ?

2. Rabbi, who hath sinned, this man, or his parents? In the
first place, as Scripture testifies that all the sufferings to
which the human race is liable proceed from sin, whenever
we see any person wretched, we cannot prevent the thought
from immediately presenting itself to our minds, that the dis-
tresses which fall heavily upon him are punishments inflicted
by the hand of God. But here we commonly err in three
ways.

First, while every man is ready to censure others with ex-
treme bitterness, there are few who apply to themselves, as
they ought to do, the same severity. If my brother meets
with adversity, I instantly acknowledge the judgment of God ;
but if God chastises me with a heavier stroke, | wink at my
sins. But in considering punishments, every man ought to
begin with himself, and to spare himself as little as any other
person. Wherefore, if we wish to be candid judges in this
matter, let us learn to be quick in discerning our own eyils
rather than those of others.

The second error lies in excessive severity ; for no sooner
is any man touched by the hand of God, than we conclude
that this shows deadly hatred, and we turn small offences
into crimes, and almost despair of his salvation. On the con-
trary, by extenuating our sins, we scarcely think that we
have committed very small offences, when we have committed
a very aggravated crime.

Thirdly, we do wrong in this respect, that we pronounce
condemnation on all, without exception, whom God visits with
the cross or with tribulation! What we have lately said is

1 ¢ Par croix ou tribulation.”

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 365

undoubtedly true, that all our distresses arise from sin; but
God afflicts his own people for various reasons. For as there
are some men whose crimes he does not punish in this world,
but whose punishment he delays till the future life, that he
may inflict on them more dreadful torments; so he often
treats his believing people with greater severity, not because
they have sinned more grievously, but that he may mortify the
sins of the flesh for the future. Sometimes, too, he does not
look at their sins, but only tries their obedience, or trains
them to patience ; as we see that holy Job—a righteous man,
and one that feareth God,! is miserable beyond all other men ;
and yet it is not on account of his sins that he is sore dis-
tressed, but the design of God was different, which was,
that his piety might be more fully ascertained even in adver-
sity. They are false interpreters, therefore, who say that all
afflictions, without any distinction, are sent on account of
sins; as if the measure of punishments were equal, or as if
God looked to nothing else in punishing men than to what
every man deserves.

Wherefore, there are two things here that ought to be ob-
served: that judgment begins, for the most part, at the house of
God, (1 Pet. iv. 17;) and, consequently, that while he passes
_ by the wicked, he punishes his own people with severity when
they have offended, and that, in correcting the sinful actions
of the Church, his stripes are far more severe. Next, we
ought to observe that there are various reasons why he afflicts
men; for he gave Peter and Paul, not less than the most
wicked robbers, into the hands of the executioner. Hence
we infer, that we cannot always put our finger on the causes
of the punishments which men endure.

When the disciples, following the common opinion, put the
question, what kind of sin it was that the God of heaven pun-
ished, as soon as this man was born, they do not speak so ab-
surdly as when they ask 7f he sinned before he was born. And
yet this question, absurd as it is, was drawn from a common
opinion which at that time prevailed; for it is very evident
from other passages of Scripture, that they believed the trans-

1 “ Homme juste, et craignant Dieu.”

366 COMMENTARY ON THE

migration (wereuixwos) of which Pythagoras dreamed, or
that souls passed from one body into another.! Hence we
see that the curiosity of men is an exceedingly deep labyrinth,
especially when presumption is added to it. They saw that
some were born lame, some squint-eyed, some entirely blind,
and some with a deformed body; but instead of adoring, as
they ought to have done, the hidden judgments of God, they
wished to have a manifest reason in his works. Thus through
their rashness they fell into those childish fooleries, so as to
think that a soul, when it has completed one life, passes into
a new body, and there endures the punishment due on ac-
count of the life which is already past. Nor are the Jews in

the present day ashamed to proclaim this foolish dream in

their synagogues, as if it were a revelation from heaven.

We are taught by this example, that we ought to be
exceedingly careful not to push our inquiries into the judg-
ments of God beyond the measure of sobriety, but the
wanderings and errors of our understanding hurry and plunge
us into dreadful gulfs. It was truly monstrous, that so gross
an error should have found a place among the elect people of
God, in the midst of which the light of heavenly wisdom had
been kindled by the Law and the Prophets. But if God
punished so severely their presumption, there is nothing
better for us, in considering the works of God, than such
modesty that, when the reason ‘of them is concealed, our
minds shall break out into admiration, and our tongues shall
immediately exclaim, “ Thou art righteous, O Lord, and thy
judgments are right, though they cannot be comprehended.”

It is not without reason that the disciples put the question,
Did his parents sin? For though the innocent son is not
punished for his father’s fault, but the soul which hath sinned
shall itself die, (Ezek. xviii. 20,) yet it is not an empty
threatening, that the Lord throws the crimes of the parents
into the bosom of the children, and revenges them to the third
and fourth generation, (Exod. xx. 5.) Thus it frequently
happens that the anger of God rests on one house for many
generations; and, as he blesses the children of believers for

1 + Que les ames passoyent d’un corps en l’autre.”

ys. -.

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOLIN. 367

the sake of their fathers, so he also rejects a wicked offspring,
destining the children, by a just punishment, to the same
ruin with their fathers. Nor can any man complain, on this
account, that he is unjustly punished on account of the sin of
another man; for, where the grace of the Spirit is wanting,
from bad crows—as the proverb says'—there must be pro-
duced bad eggs. This gave reason to the apostles to doubt
if the Lord punished, in the son, some crime of his parents.

3. Neither did this man sin, nor his parents. Christ does not
absolutely say that the blind man, and his parents, were free
from all blame; but he declares that we ought not to seek the
cause of the blindness in sin. And this is what I have already
said, that God has sometimes another object in view than to
punish the sins of men, when he sends afflictions to them.
Consequently, when the causes of afflictions are concealed,
we ought to restrain curiosity, that we may neither dishonour
God nor be malicious towards our brethren. Wherefore,
Christ assigns another reason. This man, he says, was born
blind,—

That the works of God might be manifested in him. He does
not say a single work, but uses the plural number, worhs ; for,

so long as he was blind, there was exhibited in him a proof of
the severity of God, from which others might learn to fear
and to humble themselves. It was afterwards followed by the
benefit of his cure and deliverance,? in which the astonish-
ing goodness of God was strikingly displayed. So then
Christ intended, by these words, to excite in his disciples the
expectation of a miracle; but at the same time reminds them
in a general manner, that this must be abundantly exhibited
on the theatre of the world, as the true and lawful cause,
when God glorifies his name. Nor have men any right to
complain of God, when he makes them the instruments of
his glory in both ways, whether he shows himself to be
merciful or severe.

4, Imust work the works of him who hath sent me. He now

1“ Comme dit le proverbe.”
2‘ De sa guairison et delivrance.”

368 COMMENTARY ON THE

testifies that he has been sent for the purpose of manifesting
the kindness of God in giving sight to the blind man. He
borrows also a comparison from the ordinary custom of life;
for, when the sun is risen, man rises to labour, but the night
is allotted to repose, as it 1s said, The sun riseth; man goeth
Sorth to his work, and to his labour, till the evening, (Ps. civ.
22, 23.) He therefore employs the word Day to denote the
time which the Father had fixed, during which he must
finish the work assigned him; in the same manner as every
man who has been called to some public office ought to be
employed in what may be called his dazly task, to perform
what the nature of his office demands. Hence too we ought
to deduce a universal rule, that to every man the course of
his life may be called his day. Wherefore, as the short dura-
tion of the light ought to excite labourers to industry and
toil, that the darkness of the night may not come on them
by surprise, ere their exertions are well begun, so, when we
see that a short period of life is allotted to us, we ought to
be ashamed of languishing in idleness. In short, as soon as
God enlightens us by calling us, we ought to make no delay,
that the opportunity may not be lost.

5. While Iam in the world, Iam the light of the world. I
consider this to have been added, by way of anticipation ; for
it might have been thought strange that Christ should speak
of his time of working as limited, as if there were danger that
the night should come upon him by surprise, as it does on
other men. Thus, while he makes a distinction between
himself and others, still he says that his time of working is
limited. For he compares himself to the sun which, though
it illuminates the whole earth by its brightness, yet, when it
sets, takes away the day along with it. In this manner he
states that his death will resemble the setting of the sun;
not that his death extinguishes or obscures his light, but that
it withdraws the view of it from the world. At the same
time, he shows that, when he was manifested in flesh, that
was truly the time of the day-light of the world. For though
God gave light in all ages, yet Christ, by his coming, diffused
a new and unwonted splendour. Hence he infers that this

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 369

was an exceedingly fit and proper time, and that it might be
said to be a very bright day, for illustrating the glory of God,
when God intended to make a more striking exhibition of
himself in his wonderful works.

But here arises another question. After the death of
Christ, the power of God shone more illustriously, both in the
fruit of the doctrine and in miracles; and Paul applies this
strictly to the time of his own preaching, that God, who from
the beginning of the world commanded the light to shine out of
darkness, at that time shone in the face of Christ by the Gospel,
(2 Cor. iv. 6.) And does Christ now give less light to the
world than when he was in. the presence of men, and con-
versed with them? I reply, when Christ had finished the
course of his office, he laboured not less powerfully by his
ministers than he had laboured by himself, while he lived in
the world. This I acknowledge to be true; but, first, it is
not inconsistent with what he had said, that he was bound
to perform, in his own person, what had been enjoined on
him by the Father, and at the time when he was manifested
in the flesh for that purpose. Secondly, it is not inconsistent
with what he said, that his bodily presence was the true and
remarkable day of the world, the lustre of which was diffused

over all ages. For whence did the holy fathers in ancient

times, or whence do we now, desire ght and day, but be-
cause the manifestation of Christ always darted its rays to a
great distance, so as to form one continued day? Whence it
follows, that all who have not Christ for their guide grope in
the dark like the blind, and wander about in confusion and
disorder. Yet we must hold by this meaning of the words,
that, as the sun discovers to our view the lovely spectacle of
earth and heayen, and the whole arrangement of nature, so
God has visibly displayed the chief glory of his works in his
Son.

6. Having said this, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spit-
tle, and anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay, 7. And said
to him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, which, being interpreted, means
Sent. He went, therefore, and washed, and came seeing. 8. Then the
neighbours, and they who had formerly seen him, and that he was a
beggar, said, Is not this he who sat and begged? 9. Some said, This
is he. And others, He is like him. But he said, Iam he, 10. They

370 COMMENTARY ON THE

said, therefore, to him, How were thine eyes opened? 11. He answered
and said, A man, who is called Jesus, made clay, and anointed mine eyes,
and said to me, Go into the pool of Siloam, and wash; and after I had
gone and washed, I saw. 12. They said, therefore, to him, Where is he ?
He said, I know not.

6. He spat on the ground. The intention of Christ was, to
restore sight to the blind man, but he commences the opera-
tion in a way which appears to be highly absurd; for, by
anointing his eyes with clay, he in some respects doubles the
blindness. Who would not have thought either that he was
mocking the wretched man, or that he was practising sense-
less and absurd fooleries? But in this way he intended to
try the faith and obedience of the blind man, that he might
be an example to all. It certainly was no ordinary proof of
faith, that the blind man, relying on a bare word, is fully con-
vinced that his sight will be restored to him, and with this
conviction hastens to go to the place where he was com-
manded. It is an illustrious commendation of his obedience,
that he simply obeys Christ, though there are many induce-
ments to an opposite course. And this is the trial of true
faith, when the devout mind, satisfied with the simple word
of God, promises what otherwise appears incredible. Faith
is instantly followed by a readiness to obey, so that he who
is convinced that God will be his faithful guide calmly yields
himself to the direction of God. There can be no doubt that
some suspicion and fear that he was mocked came into the
mind of the blind man; but he found it easy to break through
every obstruction, when he arrived at the conclusion that it
was safe to follow Christ. It may be objected that the blind
man did not know Christ; and, therefore, could not render
the honour which was due to him as the Son of God. I
acknowledge this to be true; but as he believed that Christ
had been sent by God, he submits to him, and not doubting
that he speaks the truth, he beholds in him nothing but
what is Divine; and, in addition to all this, his faith is
entitled to the greater commendation, because, while his
knowledge was so small, he devoted himself wholly to Christ.

7. Go, wash in the pool of Siloam. Unquestionably, there
was not, either in the clay, or in the water of Stloam, any

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. orl

power or fitness for curing the eyes; but Christ freely made
use of those outward symbols, on various occasions, for adorn-

*ing his miracles, either to accustom believers to the use of
signs, or to show that all things were at his disposal, or to
testify that every one of the creatures has as much power as
he chooses to give them. But some inquire what is meant
by the clay composed of dust and spittle, and they explain
it to have been a figure of Christ, because the dust denotes
the earthly nature of the flesh, and the spittle, which came
from his mouth, denotes the Divine essence of the Word.
For my part, I lay aside this allegory as being more inge-
nious than solid, and am satisfied with this simple view, that
as man was at first made of clay, so in restoring the eyes
Christ made use of clay, showing that he had the same power
over a part of the body which the Father had displayed in
forming the whole man. Or, perhaps, he intended to declare,
by this sign, that it was not more difficult for him to remove
the obstruction, and to open the eyes of the blind man, than
to wash away clay from any man whatever ; and, on the other
hand, that it was as much in his power to restore sight to the
man as it was to anoint his eyes with clay. I prefer the latter
interpretation.

As to the pool of Siloam, he perhaps ordered the blind man
to wash in it, in order to reprove the Jews for not being able
to discern the power of God when present; as Isaiah re-
proaches the men of his time, that they despise the waters of _
Siloam, which flow softly, (Asa. viii. 6,) and prefer rapid and
impetuous streams. This was also the reason, I think, why
Elisha ordered Naaman the Syrian to go and wash in Jordan,
(2 Kings vy. 10.) ‘This pool, if we may believe Jerome, was
formed by waters which flowed at certain hours from Mount
Zion.

Which, if you interpret it, means Sent. The Evangelist pur-
posely adds the interpretation of the word Svloam; because
that fountain, which was near the temple, daily reminded the
Jews of Christ who was to come, but whom they despised
when he was exhibited before them. The Evangelist, there-
fore, magnifies the grace of Christ, because he alone enlightens
our darkness, and restores sight to the blind. For the con-

317644 COMMENTARY ON THE

dition of our nature is delineated in the person of one man,

that we are all destitute of light and understanding from the

womb, and that we ought to seek the cure of this evil from®
Christ alone.

Let it be observed that, though Christ was present then,
yet he did not wish to neglect signs; and that for the sake
of reproving the stupidity of the nation, which laid aside the
substance, and retained only an empty shadow of signs.
Besides, the astonishing goodness of God is displayed in this
respect, that he comes of his own accord to cure the blind
man, and does not wait for his prayers to bestow help. And,
indeed, since we are by nature averse to him, if he do not
meet us before we call on him, and anticipate by his merey
us who are plunged in the forgetfulness of light and life, we
are ruined.

8. Then the neighbours, and those who had formerly seen him.
The blind man was known not only to the neighbours, but to
all the inhabitants of the town, having been wont to sit and
beg at the gate of the temple; and the common people look
more readily at such persons than at others. This circum-
stance—of the man being known—contributed to make many
people acquainted with the fame of the miracle. But, as
impiety is ingenious in obscuring the works of God, many
thought that it was not the same man, because a new power
of God openly appeared in him. ‘Thus we find that the more
brightly the majesty of God is displayed in his works, the
less credit do they obtain among men. But the doubts of
those men aided in proving the miracle, for, in consequence
of those doubts, the blind man celebrated mere highly the
grace of Christ by his testimony. It is not without good
reason, therefore, that the Evangelist brings together all
those circumstances which seemed to exhibit more clearly
the truth of the miracle.

11. And after I had gone and washed. So happy a result
of obedience warns us to surmount every obstacle, and to
proceed courageously wherever the Lord calls us, and not
even to entertain a doubt that every thing which we under-

}

h
}

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 373

take by his authority, and under his guidance, will have a
prosperous issue.

13. They bring to the Pharisees him who formerly had been blind. 14.
Now it was the Sabbath when Jesus had made the clay, and opened his
eyes. 15. The Pharisees also, therefore, asked him again, how he had re-
ceived his sight. And he said to them, He put clay on mine eyes, and I
washed, and I see. 16. Wherefore some of the Pharisees said, This man
is not of God, because he keepeth not the Sabbath. Others said, How
can a man who is a sinner do these signs? And there was a division
among them, 17. They say to him who had been formerly blind,! What
sayest thou of him, for having opened thine eyes? And he said, He is a
Prophet.

13. They bring to the Pharisees. The following narrative
shows that wicked men are so far from profiting by the works
of God, that, the more they are urged by their power, so
much the more are they constrained to pour out the venom
which dwells within their breasts. The restoration of sight
to the blind man ought undoubtedly to have softened even
hearts of stone; or, at least, the Pharisees ought to have
been struck with the novelty and greatness of the miracle, so
as to remain in doubt for a short time, until they inquired if
it were a divine work; but their hatred of Christ drives them
to such stupidity, that they instantly condemn what they are
told that he has done.

The Evangelist mentions the Pharisees; not that other sects
were favourable to Christ, but because this sect was more
zealous than the rest in maintaining the present condition.
Hypocrisy is always proud and cruel. Being swelled with a
false opinion of their holiness, they were chiefly wounded by
the doctrine of the Gospel, which condemned all their coun-
terfeit righteousnesses ; and above all, they fought for their
power and kingdom, under the pretence of endeavouring to
maintain the Law.

When the Evangelist says that the multitude brought the
blind man to the Pharisees, it is difficult to determine with
what disposition or with what intention they did so. Scarcely
an individual among them could then be ignorant of the in-
veterate hostility of the Pharisees to Christ ; and therefore it

1“ Tls disent derechef 4 Vaveugle ;”’—‘‘ they say again to the blind man.”

3o74 COMMENTARY ON THE

is possible that many flatterers, in order to obtain their fa-
vour, purposely attempted to conceal the glory of the miracle.
Yet I think it is probable that the greater part of the people,
suspending their judgment, as usually happens, determined to
refer to the arbitration and decision of those who held the
government. But wilfully shutting their eyes, while the sun
is shining, they bring darkness on themselves to obscure its
light. It is a foolish superstition of the common people that,
under the pretence of honouring God, they adore the wicked
tyrants of the Church, and despise God himself, both in his
word and in his works, or, at least, do not deign to look at
him.

14. Now it was the Sabbath. Christ purposely selected the
Sabbath-day, which must have given ground of offence to the
Jews. He had already found, in the case of the paralytic,
that this work was liable to slander. Why then does he not
avoid the offence—which he could easily have done—but
because the defence malignantly undertaken by men would
tend to magnify the power of God? The Sabbath-day serves
as a whetstone to sharpen them, to inquire more eagerly into
the whole matter. And yet what advantage do they reap from
a careful and earnest examination of the question but this,
that the truth of the Gospel shines more brightly ? We are
taught by this example that, if we would follow Christ, we
must excite the wrath of the enemies of the Gospel; and that
they who endeavour to effect a compromise between the
world and Christ, so as to condemn every kind of offences,
are altogether mad, since Christ, on the contrary, knowingly
and deliberately provoked wicked men. We ought to attend,
therefore, to the rule which he lays down, that they who are
blind, and leaders of the blind, (Matth. xv. 14,) ought to be
disregarded.

15. The Pharisees also ashed him. The people had already
heard this confession from the mouth of the blind man; and
now the Pharisees also are made witnesses of it, who might
have objected that a report had been groundlessly circulated
by the common people, anc) had been as groundlessly be-

|

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 375

lieved. And, first, leaving out of view the question as to the
fact, they dispute only about the law of the case; for they
do not deny that Christ restored sight to the blind man, but
they find a crime in the circumstance of the time when it was
done, and assert that it is not a work of God, because it vio-
lated the Sabbath. But we ought first to inquire if a work of
God was a violation of the Sabbath. And what hinders them
from seeing this, but that, in consequence of having been
blinded by sinful motives and by malice, they.see nothing ?
Besides, they had already been abundantly instructed by
Christ, that the benefits which God bestows on men are
not more inconsistent with the Sabbath than circumcision ;
and the words of the Law enjoin men to abstain from their
own works only, and not from the works of God, (Exod. xx.
8; xxill. 12.) When they take for granted an error which
has been so frequently refuted, it must be imputed to obsti-
nate malice; or at least there is no other reason why they
go wrong but because they choose to go wrong.

Thus the Papists do not cease to bring forward, with har-
dened effrontery, their idle and foolish slanders, which have
been answered a hundred times. What, then, must we do
with them? When an opportunity occurs, we must endeavour,

as far as lies in our power, to oppose the wicked attempts of

those who, actuated by false zeal, reproach and slander the
gospel. If no defence, however just, shut their mouth, we
haye no reason to be discouraged, but ought to trample under
foot, with boldness and magnanimity, that eagerness to slan-
der ky which they wish to oppress us. They take up maxims
which we readily grant to them, that we ought not to listen
to those who revolt from the Church, and break up the unity
of the faith. But they pass by, and pretend not to have
observed—that which ought to form the principal subject of in-
quiry, and which we have explained clearly in many passages—
that nothing can be farther removed from the Church than
the Pope with all his band; that a medley composed of lies
and impositions, and stained by so many superstitious inven-
tions, is widely distant from the purity of faith. But with
all their furious arrogance, they will never hinder the truth,
which has been ao frequently and so firmly maintained by

376 COMMENTARY ON THE

us, from being at length successful. In like manner, the
Pharisees brought against Christ a plausible maxim, That he
who does not keep the Sabbath is not from God; but they un-
justly and falsely asserted that the work of God is a viola-
tion of the Sabbath.

16. How can a man who is a sinner do these things? The
word sinner is employed here, as in many other passages, to
denote a person of immoral conduct and a despiser of God.
Why doth your Master eat with publicans and sinners ? (Mark
ii. 16.) That is, “ Why doth your Master eat with men of
ungodly and wicked lives, whose baseness is stamped with
universal infamy?’ For from the violation of the Sabbath
the enemies of Christ inferred that he was a profane person,
and destitute of all religion. Those who stand neutral and
judge more candidly, on the other hand, conclude that he is
a good and religious man, because God has endued him with
remarkable power to work miracles. And yet the argument
does not appear to be quite conclusive ; for God sometimes
permits false prophets to perform some miracles, and we
know that Satan, like an ape, counterfeits the works of God
so as to deceive the incautious.

Suetonius relates that, when Vespasian was in Alexandria,
and was seated on his tribunal to dispense justice in the open
court, ablind man requested him to anoint his eyes with spittle,
and said that one Serapis? had pointed out to him that cure
in a dream; that Vespasian, being unwilling to expose him-
self to contempt without any good reason, was slow and
reluctant to comply; but that, when his friends urged him
on all sides, he granted to the blind man what he asked, and
that in this way his eyes were instantly opened. Who would
reckon Vespasian among the servants of God on that account,
or adorn him with the applause of piety? I reply, among
good men and those who fear God, miracles are undoubted
pledges of the power of the Holy Spirit; but it happens by
a just judgment of God, that Satan deceives unbelievers by
false miracles, as by enchantments. What I have just now

Ep uN certain Serapis.”

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JONIN. ort

quoted from Suetonius I do not reckon to be fabulous; but
I rather ascribe it to the righteous vengeance of God, that
the Jews, having despised so many and so illustrious miracles
of Christ, were at length—as they deserved to be—sent
away to Satan. For they ought to have profited in the pure
worship of God by the miracles of Christ ; they ought to have
been confirmed by them in the doctrine of the Law, and to
have risen to the Messiah himself, who was the end of the
Law. And undoubtedly Christ, by giving sight to the blind
man, had clearly proved that he was the Messiah.

They who refuse to acknowledge God in his works make
this refusal, not only through indifference, but through
malicious contempt; and do they not deserve that God
should give them up to the delusions of Satan? Let us
then remember that we ought to seek God with a sincere
disposition of heart, that he may reveal himself to us by the
power of his Spirit; and that we ought to lend our ears sub-
missively to his word, that he may clearly point out true
prophets by miracles that are not delusive. Thus shall we
profit, as we ought to do, by miracles, and not be exposed to
the frauds of Satan.

As to the men themselves, though they act commendably
in this respect, that they speak with reverence about the
miracles in which the power of God is displayed, still they
do not bring forward a sufficiently strong argument, to prove
that Christ ought to be reckoned a Prophet of God. And
even the Evangelist did not intend that their answer should
be regarded as an oracle. He only exhibits the wicked
obstinacy of the enemies of Christ, who maliciously pick a
quarrel with what they cannot but acknowledge to be the
works of God, and, when warned, do not even attend to them
for a short time.

And there was a division among them. A schism is a highly
pernicious and destructive evil in the Church of God; and
how comes it then that Christ sows the occasion of discord
among the very teachers of the Church? ‘The answer is
easy. Christ had no other object in view than to bring all
men to God the Father, by stretching out his hand to them.

VOL, I. 2A

378 COMMENTARY ON THE

The division arose from the obstinate malice’ of those who
had no disposition to go to God. All who do not yield
obedience to the truth of God, therefore, rend the Church by
schism. Yet it is better that men should differ among them-
selves, than that they should all, with one consent, revolt from
the true religion.” Wherefore, whenever differences arise, we
ought always to consider their source.

17. They say to him who had been blind. The more dili-
gently they inquire, the more impressively does the truth of
God appear; for they act as if one were endeavouring to
extinguish a strong flame*® by his breath. Thus, when we
see wicked men contrive all that they can to crush the truth
of God, we have no reason to be afraid, or to be excessively
anxious about the result, for all that they can gain in this
way will be to cause its light to burn with greater brightness.

What sayest thou of him? When they ask the blind man
what is his opinion, they do so, not because they wish to abide
by his judgment, or set any value on it, but because they
hope that the man, struck with fear, will reply according to
their wish. In this respect the Lord disappoints them; for
when a poor man disregards their threatenings, and boldly
maintains that Christ is a Prophet, we ought justly to ascribe
it to the grace of God; so that this boldness is another
miracle. And if he so boldly and freely acknowledged
Christ to be a Prophet, though he did not as yet know that
the Lord Jesus* was the Son of God, how shameful is the
treachery of those who, subdued by fear, either deny him, or
are silent respecting him, though they know that he sitteth
at the right hand of the Father, and that he will come thence
to be the Judge of the whole world! Since this blind man
did not quench a small spark of knowledge, we ought to
endeavour that an open and full confession may blaze forth
from the full brightness which has shone into our hearts.

18. But the Jews did not believe respecting him, that he had been
blind and had received his sight, until they called the parents of him who

1“ De la malice obstinee.” 2 “ De la vraye religion.”
3 « Une grande flamme.” = ‘ Le Seigneur Jesus.”

I 6 ain 1 te Ba

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 379

had received his sight. 19. And they asked them, saying, Is this your son
who, you say, was born blind? How then doth he now see? 20. His
parents answered and said, We know that this is our son, and that he was
born blind. 21. But how he now seeth, we know not ; or who hath opened
his eyes, we know not; he is of age, ask him, he will speak of himself.
22. These things said his parents, because they feared the Jews; for the
Jews had already determined that, if any man confessed that he was the
Christ, he should be thrown out of the synagogue. 23. On this account
his parents said, He is of age, ask him.

18. But the Jews did not believe. There are two things here
which ought to be observed; that they do not believe that a
miracle has been performed, and that, being wilfully blinded
through a perverse hatred of Christ, they do not perceive
what is manifest. The Evangelist tells us that they did not
believe. If the reason be asked, there can be no doubt that
their blindness was voluntary. For what prevents them from
seeing an obvious work of God placed before their eyes ; or,
after having been fully convinced, what prevents them from
believing what they already know, except that the inward
malice of their heart keeps their eyes shut? Paul informs us
that the same thing takes place in the doctrine of the Gospel ;
for he says that it is not Aédden or obscure, except to the re-
probate, whose understandings the god of this world hath blinded,

(2 Cor. iv. 3, 4.) Warned by such examples, let us learn

not to bring upon ourselves those obstacles which drive us
away from the faith. By che Jews, the Evangelist means that
part of them which held the government of the people.

19. Is this your son? Not having succeeded in the former
way, they now attempt another; but the Lord not only de-
feats their attempts in a wonderful manner, but turns them
even to an opposite purpose. They do not merely put a
single question, but cunningly put a multitude of questions
involved in each cther, with the view of preventing a reply.
But out of a variety of entangled and captious questions, the
parents of the blind man select only the half, to which they

reply :

20. We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind.
Hence it follows that he does not see naturally, but that his

380 COMMENTARY ON THE

eyes have been miraculously opened; but this latter point—
that his sight had been miraculously restored—they pass by,
because it would give offence. By their silence they show
their ingratitude; for, having received so distinguished a gift
of God, they ought to have burned with desire to celebrate
his name. But, struck with terror, they bury the grace of
God, as far as lies in their power, with this exception, that
they substitute in their room, as a witness, their son, who will
explain the whole matter as it happened, and who will be
heard with less prejudice, and will be more readily believed.
But though they prudently avoid danger, and continue this
middle path, of testifying indirectly about Christ by the
mouth of their son, yet this does not prevent the Holy Spirit
from condemning their cowardice by the mouth of the Evan-
gelist, because they fail to discharge their own duty. How
much less excuse then will they have, who, by treacherous
denial, utterly bury Christ, with his doctrine, with his mira-
cles, with his power and grace!

22. The Jews had determined. This passage shows that the
custom of excommunication is ancient, and has been observed
in all ages; for excommunication was not then for the first
time invented, but it was a custom which had been anciently
used against apostates and despisers of the Law, and was
turned against the disciples of Christ. We learn, therefore,
that the practice of excommunication arose out of the most
ancient discipline of the Church. We learn also that it is a
crime which has not been of recent origin, and has not been
peculiar to a single age, that wicked and unbelieving’ men
should corrupt the holy ordinances of God by their deeds of
sacrilege. God determined, from the beginning of the world,?
that there should be some form of correction, by which rebels
should be restrained. The priests and scribes not only abused
this power in a tyrannical manner to oppress innocent men ;
but at length they basely attacked God himself and his doc-
trine. The truth of Christ being so powerful that they were
not able to put it down by law, or by a regular course of pro-

wv

1 ‘6 Les infideles.” 2% Des le commencement du monde.”

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 381

ceedings, they launched the thunders of excommunications
to crush it.

The same thing has also been done with the Christian
people ; for it is impossible to express the barbarous tyranny
which the pretended bishops have exercised in enslaving the
people, so that no man dared to whisper; and now we see
with what cruelty they throw this dart of excommunication
against all who worship God. But we ought to believe that
excommunication, when it is violently applied to a different
purpose by the passions of men, may safely be treated with
contempt. For when God committed to his Church the
power of excommunicating, he did not arm tyrants or execu-
tioners to strangle souls, but laid down a rule for governing
his people ; and that on the condition that he should hold
the supreme government, and that he should have men for
his ministers. Let the pretended bishops then thunder as
they think fit, by their empty noises they will not terrify any
but those who wander about in doubt and uncertainty, not
having yet been instructed, by the voice of the Chief Shep-
herd, what is the true fold.

In short, nothing can be more certain than that those who,
we see, are not subject to Christ are deprived of the lawful
power of excommunicating. Nor ought we to dread being
excluded by them from their assembly, since Christ, who is
our life and salvation, is banished from it. So far are we
from having any reason to dread being thrown out, that, on
the contrary, if we desire to be united to Christ, we must, of
our own accord, withdraw from the synagogues of Satan.
Yet though the ordinance of excommunication was so basely
corrupted in the ancient Church, still Christ did not intend
that it should be abolished by his coming, but restored it to
its purity, that it might be in full vigour amongst us. Thus,
though at the present day there prevails in Popery a base
profanation of this holy discipline, yet, instead of abolishing
it, we ought rather to give the utmost diligence to restore it
to its former completeness. There never will be so good
order the world, that even the holiest Laws of God shall
not degenerate into corruption, through the fault of men.
Assuredly, it would give too much power to Satan, if he could

382 COMMENTARY ON THE

redace to nothing every thing that he corrupts. We would
then have no Baptism, no Lord’s Supper, and, in short, no
religion; for there is no part of it which he has left uneonta-
minated by its pollutions.

24, A second time, therefore, they called the man who had been blind,
and said to him, Give glory to God; we know that this man is a sinner.
25. Therefore he answered and said, Whether he be a sinner, I know not ;
one thing I know, that though f was blind, I now see. 26. Again, there-
fore, they said to him, What did he to thee? How did he open thine
eyes? 27. He answered them, I told you already, and you did not hear ;
why do you wish to hear it again? Do you +k also to beeome his dis-
ciples? 28. Then they upbraided him, and said, Be thou his diseiple ; as
for us,! we are the diseiples of Moses. 29. We know that Ged spoke to
Moses ; but as for this man, we do not know whenee he is. 30. The mam
answered, and said to them, Certainly this is wonderfal, that you do not
know whence he is, and yet? he hath opened mine eyes. 31. Now we
know that God heareth not sinners; but if any man be a worshipper of
God, and do his will, him he heareth. 32. Never before was it heard®
that any man opened the eyes of him who had been born blind. 33. If
this man were not from God, he could do nothing.

24. A second time, therefore, they called the man who had
been blind. There can be no doubt that they were constrained
by shame to call the blind man, whom they had previously
found to be too firm and steady. In this way, the more
fiercely they struggle against God, the more numerous are
the cords which they put about their neck,* and the more
strongly do they bind themselves. Besides, they put the
questions in such a manner as to endeavour to make the man
say what they wish. It is a plausible preface, indeed, when
they exhort him to give glory to God; but immediately after-
wards they strictly forbid him to answer according to the
conviction of his mind; and therefore, under the pretence of
the name of God, they demand from him servile obedience.

Give glory to God. Though this adjuration may be referred
to what is conneeted with the present cause, that the blind
man should not obscure the glory of God by asembing to man
the benefit which he had received, yet I rather agree with
those who think that it was a solemn form, which was wont
to be employed when an oath was administered to any per-

1 “ Quant & nous.” 2 «Et toutesfois.” 3 ‘I ne fut jamais ouy.”
4 « Tant plus de lags se mettent-ils au col.”

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 383

son. For in those very words does Joshua adjure Achan,
when he wishes to draw from him a true confession of having
taken away the accursed thing, (Josh. vii. 19.) By these
words they reminded him that no slight insult is offered to
God, when any person, in His name, commits falsehood.
And, indeed, whenever we are called to swear, we ought to
remember this preface, so that truth may not be less highly
valued by us than the glory of God. If this were done,
the sacredness of an oath would be viewed in a very different
light. Now, since the greater part of men—not considering
that they deny God, when they invoke His name for uphold~
ing a falsehood—rashly and daringly rush forward to swear,
the consequence is, that every place is full of perjuries.
Meanwhile, we see how hypocrites, though they pretend to
have the greatest reverence for God, are guilty not only of
hypocrisy, but of insolent mockery; for they at the same
time express a wish that the blind man should wickedly
swear according to their direction, with open contempt of
God. Thus God drags to light their wicked designs, what-
ever attempts they may make to give them a plausible
appearance, or to conceal them by hypocritical pretences.

25. Whether he be a sinner, I know not. The blind man
appears not to have been at all prevented by fear from giving
a sincere testimony. Yor there is no reason to believe that
he had any doubts about Christ, as his words seem to imply ;
but I rather think that he spoke ironically, in order to wound
them more deeply. He had already confessed that. Christ
was a Prophet, (ver. 17.) Perceiving that he gains nothing
by doing so, he suspends his judgment about the person, and
brings forward the fact itself, so that, while he makes this
admission in their favour, he is not free from ridiculing them.

26. Again, therefore, they said to him. When we see wicked
men so delighted in performing their own base actions, we
ought to be ashamed of our slothfulness, in acting with such
coolness about the affairs of Christ. Though they search on
all sides to obtain grounds of slander, the Lord defeats their
attempts, in a remarkable manner, by the unshaken firmness

384 COMMENTARY ON THE

of the blind man; for not only does he persist in his opinion,
but he freely and severely reproaches them, that after having
abundantly ascertained and known the truth, they endeavour
to bury it by their continual inquiries. He charges them
also with wicked hatred of Christ, when he says,

Do you also wish to become his disciples? For he means
that, though they were a hundred times convinced, they are
so strongly prejudiced by wicked and hostile dispositions,
that they will never yield. It is an astonishing display of
freedom, when a man of mean and low condition, and espe-
cially liable to be reproached on account of his poverty, fear-
lessly provokes the rage of all the priests against himself. If
that which was nothing more than a small preparation for
faith gave him so much boldness, when he came to the strug-
gle, what excuse can be pleaded by great preachers of the
Gospel, who, though they are beyond the reach of darts, are
silent as soon as danger is threatened? This question is
likewise ironical; for he means that they are prompted by
malice, and not by a sincere desire of the truth, to press him
so earnestly to reply as to this fact.!

28. Then they upbraided him. It is probable that all the
reproaches which were prompted by the violence of their
rage and indignation were eagerly cast upon him; but there
was this one reproach among men, that they called him an
apostate from the Law. For, in their opinion, he could not
be a disciple of Christ without revolting from the Law of
Moses; and they expressly represent these two things as
inconsistent with each other. It is a very plausible pre-
tence, that they are afraid of revolting from the doctrine
of Moses. For this is the true rule of piety, that we ought
to listen to the prophets, by whom we certainly know that
God has spoken; that our faith may not be carried about by
any doctrines of men. From this principle they deduce their
certainty as to the Law of Moses; but they lie when they
say that they are the disciples of Moses, for they have turned
aside from the end of the Law. Thus hypocrites are wont

* “ Quand ils le pressent si instamment 4 respondre sur ce faict.”

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 385

to tear God in pieces,! when they wish to shelter themselves
under his name. If Christ be the soul of the Law, as Paul
tells us, (Rom. x. 4,) what will the Law be when separated
from him, but a dead body? Weare taught by this example,
that no man truly hears God, unless he be an attentive hearer
of his word, so as to understand what God means and says.

29. As for this man, we know not whence he is. When they
say so, they refer not to his country or the place of his birth,
but to the prophetical office. For they allege that they have
no knowledge of his calling, so as to receive him as having

proceeded from God.

30. Certainly this is wonderful. He indirectly reproves
them for remaining unmoved by a miracle so illustrious, and
for pretending that they did not know Christ’s calling; as if
he had said, that it was highly improper that such a testimony
of Divine power should be held in no estimation, and that
the calling of Christ, so proved and attested, should obtain no
credit among them. And, in order to show more clearly their
stupidity or malice, he magnifies the excellence of the miracle
from this consideration, that, as far as the memory of men
- reaches, none was ever heard to say that such a thing was
done by a man. Hence it follows that they are malicious and
ungrateful, because they voluntarily shut their eyes on a
manifest work of God. He infers from this, that Christ was
sent by God, because he is endued with so great power of
the Spirit of God, to procure credit for himself and for his
doctrine.

31. Now we know that God heareth not sinners. Those who
think that the man spoke this, in accordance with the opinion
of the people, are mistaken; for the word sinner, in this
passage, as in another which lately occurred, means an ungodly
and immoral person. It is the uniform doctrine of Scripture,
that God does not listen to any but those who call upon him
with truth and sincerity. For while faith alone opens the

1 “ De deschirer Dieu par pieces.’

386 COMMENTARY ON THE

door to us to go to God, it is certain that all wicked men are
excluded from approaching to him ; and he even declares that
he detests their prayers, (Prov. xxviii. 9,) as he abhors their
sacrifices, (Prov. xv. 8.) It is by a special privilege that he
invites his children to himself; and it is the Spirit of adoption
alone that crieth out in our hearts, Abba, Father, (Rom. vii. 15 ;
Gal. iv. 6.) In short, no man is properly disposed to'pray to
God, unless his heart be purified by faith. But wicked men
profane the sacred name of God by their prayers, and there-
fore they deserve rather to be punished for this sacrilege,
than to obtain any thing for salvation. Accordingly, the
blind man does not reason inconclusively, that Christ has
come from God, because God lends a favourable ear to his
prayers.

34. They answered, and said to him, Thou wast altogether born in
sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out. 35. Jesus heard
that they had cast him out, and having found him, he said to him, Dost
thou believe in the Son of God 7 2? 86. He answered and said, Who is he,
Lord, that I should believe in him? 37. And Jesus said to him, Thou hast
both seen him, and it is he who talketh with thee. 38. ‘And he said,
Lord, I believe ; and he worshipped him. 39. Then Jesus said, For
judgment am I come into this world, that they who see not may see,
and that they who see may become blind. 40. Some of the Pharisees,
who were with him, heard these things, and said to him, And are we
blind also? 41. Jesus said to them, If you were blind, you would
not have sin;' but now you say, We see: therefore your sin remaineth.

34. Thou wast altogether born in sins. They alluded, I
doubt not, to his blindness; as proud men are wont to teaZe
those who have any distress or calamity ; and, therefore, they
continually insult him, as if he had come out of his mother’s
womb, bearing the mark of his sims. For all the scribes
were convinced in their hearts, that souls, after having
finished one life, entered into new bodies, and there suffered
the punishment of their former crimes. Hence they con-
clude that he who was born blind was, at that very time,
covered and polluted by his sins.

This undeserved censure ought to instruct us to be exceed-
ingly cautious, not always to estimate the sins of any person

1“ Vous n’auriez point de peché ;’—* you would have no sin.”

a Pun

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 387

by the chastisements of God; for, as we have already seen,
God has various ends to accomplish, by inflicting calamities
on men. But not only do those hypocrites insult the
wretched man ; they likewise reject disdainfully his warnings,
though they are holy and good; as indeed it very frequently
happens that one cannot endure to be taught by him whom
he despises. Now, since we ought always to hear God, by
whomsoever he may talk to us, let us learn not to despise any
man, that God may find us always mild and submissive, even
though he employ a person altogether mean and despicable to
instruct us. For there is not a more dangerous plague than
when pride stops our ears, so that we do not deign to hear
those who warn us for our profit; and it frequently happens
that God purposely selects vile and worthless persons to
instruct and warn us, in order to subdue our pride.

And they cast him out. Though it is possible that those
haughty Rabbis? cast him, with violence, out of the temple,
yet I think that the Evangelist has a different meaning, that
they excommunicated him ; and thus the casting of him out would
have the semblance of law. This agrees better also with what
follows; for if they had only cast him out in a disdainful and
furious manner, it would not have been of so great import-
ance as to make it probable that the report of it would reach
Christ.

35. Jesus heard that they had cast him out. From this cir-
cumstance I conjecture that they proceeded to it in a solemn
manner, as an affair of great importance, By this example,
we are taught how trivial and how little to be dreaded are
the excommunications of the enemies of Christ. If we are
cast out from that assembly in which Christ reigns, it is a
dreadful judgment which is executed against us, that we are
delivered to Satan, (1 Cor. v. 5,) because we are banished
from the kingdom of the Son of God. But so far are we
from having any reason to dread that tyrannical judgment by
which wicked men insult the servants of Christ, that, even
though no man should drive us out, we ought of our own

1 “ Ces Rabbins orgueilleux.”

388 COMMENTARY ON THE

accord to flee from that place in which Christ does not pre-
side by his word and Spirit.

And having found him. If he had been allowed to remain
in the synagogue, he would have been in danger of becoming
gradually alienated from Christ, and plunged in the same de-
struction with wicked men. Christ now meets him, when he
is no longer in the temple, but wandering hither and hither;
receives and embraces him, when he is cast out by the priests;
raises him up from the ground, and offers to him life, when
he has received the sentence of death. We have known the
same thing by experience in our own time; for when Dr
Martin Luther,’ and other persons of the same class, were
beginning to reprove the grosser abuses of the Pope, they
scarcely had the slightest relish for pure Christianity ; but
after that the Pope had thundered against them, and cast them
out of the Roman synagogue by terrific bulls, Christ stretched
out his hand, and made himself fully known to them. So
there is nothing better for us than to be at a very great dis-
tance from the enemies of the Gospel, that Christ may ap-
proach nearer to us.

Dost thou believe on the Son of God? He speaks to a Jew,
who had been from his infancy instructed in the doctrine of
the Law, and had learned that God had promised the Mes-
siah. This question, therefore, has the same meaning as if
Christ had exhorted him to follow the Messiah and to devote
himself to him; though he employs a more honourable name
than they were wont at that time to employ, for the Messiah
was reckoned to be only the son of David, (Matth. xxii. 42.)

36. Who is he, Lord, that 1 may believe in him? From this
reply of the blind man it is evident that, though he had not
yet attained any clear or certain knowledge of Christ, still
he was obedient and ready to receive instruction; for these
words mean, “ As soon as he is pointed out to me, I am ready
to embrace him.” But it ought to be observed that the blind
man desires to be instructed by Christ as a Prophet; for he
was already convinced that Christ had been sent by God,
and therefore he does not at random place reliance on his
doctrine.

1“ Le Docteur Martin Luther.”

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 389

37. Thou hast both seen him. By these words of Christ the
blind man could not be carried higher than to a very small
and cold portion of faith. For Christ does not mention his
power, or the reason why he was sent by the Father, or what
he has brought to men. But what principally belongs to faith
is, to know that, by the sacrifice of his death, atonement has
been made for our sins, and we are reconciled to God; that
his resurrection was a triumph over vanquished death; that
we are renewed by his Spirit, in order that, being dead to
the flesh and to sin, we may live to righteousness ; that he is
the only Mediator; that the Spirit is the earnest of our adop-
tion ; in short, that in him is found every thing that belongs
to eternal life. But the Evangelist either does not relate the
whole of the conversation which Christ held with him, or he
only means that the blind man professed his attachment to
Christ, so that henceforth he began to be one of his disciples.
For my own part, I have no doubt that Jesus intended to be
acknowledged by him as the Christ, that from this beginning
of faith he might afterwards lead him forward to a more inti-
mate knowledge of himself.

38. And he worshipped him. It may be asked, Did the blind

' man honour or worship Christ as God?+ The word which

the Evangelist employs (agocéxuvycey) means nothing more
than to express respect and homage by bending the knee, or
by other signs. For my own part, certainly, I think that it
denotes something rare and uncommon; namely, that the
blind man gave far more honour to Christ than to an ordinary
man, or even to a prophet. And yet I do not think that at
that time he had made such progress as to know that Christ
was God manifested in the flesh. What then is meant by
worship? The blind man, convinced that Jesus was the Son
of God, nearly lost the command of himself, and, in rapturous
admiration, bowed down before him.

39. For judgment am I come into this world. The word
judgment cannot be understood, in this passage, to denote
simply the punishment which is inflicted on unbelievers,’ and

1 « Si ’avengle a honoré ou adoré Christ comme Dieu.”
2“ Aux infideles.”

390 COMMENTARY ON THE

on those who despise God; for it is made to include the
grace of illumination. Christ, therefore, calls it judgment,
because he restores to proper order what was disordered and
confused ; but he means that this is done by a wonderful
purpose of God, and contrary to the ordinary opinion of men.
And, indeed, human reason considers nothing to be more un-
reasonable than to say, that they who see are made blind by the
light of the world. This then is one of the secret judgments
of God, by which he casts down the pride of men. It ought
to be observed, that the blindness which is here mentioned,
does not proceed so much from Christ as from the fault
of men. For, by its own nature, it does not strictly blind
any man, but as there is nothing which the reprobate desire
more earnestly than to extinguish its light, the eyes of their
mind, which are diseased through malice and depravity, must
be dazzled by the light which is exhibited to them. In short,
since Christ is, by his own nature, the light of the world,
(John viii. 12,) it is an accidental result, that some are made
blind by his coming.

But again it may be asked, Since all are universally
accused of blindness, who are they that see? I reply, this is
spoken ironically by way of concession, because unbelievers,
though they are blind, think that their sight is uncommonly
acute and powerful; and elated by this confidence, they do
not deign to listen to God. Besides, out of Christ the
wisdom of the flesh has a very fair appearance, because the
world does not understand what it is to be truly wise. So
then, they see, says our Lord Jesus Christ,’ who, deceiving
themselves and others under a foolish confidence in their
wisdom, are guided by their own opinion, and reckon their
vain imaginations to be great wisdom.* Such persons, as
soon as Christ appears in the brightness of his Gospel, are
made blind ; not only because their folly, which was formerly
concealed amidst the darkness of unbelief, is now discovered,
but because, being plunged in deeper darkness by the
righteous vengeance of God, they lose that small remnant of
I know not what light which they formerly possessed.

'“ Ceux voyent, dit nostre Seigneur Jesus Christ.”
2“ Pour une grande sdgesse.”

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 391

It is true that we are all born dkind, but still, amidst the
darkness of corrupted and depraved nature, some sparks con-
tinue to shine, so that men differ from brute beasts. Now,
if any man, elated by proud confidence in his own opinion,
refuses to submit to God, he will seem—apart from Christ—
to be wise, but the brightness of Christ will strike him with
dismay ; for never does the vanity of the human mind begin
to be discovered, until heavenly wisdom is brought into view.
But Christ intended, as I have already suggested, to express
something more by these words. For hypocrites do not so
obstinately resist God before Christ shines; but as soon as
the light is brought near them, then do they, in open war,
and—as it were, with unfurled banner,!—rise up against God.
It is in consequence of this depravity and ingratitude, there-
fore, that they become doubly blind, and that God, in
righteous vengeance, entirely puts out their eyes, which were
formerly destitute of the true light.

We now perceive the amount of what is stated in this
passage, that Christ came into the world to give sight to the
blind, and to drive to madness those who think that they are
wise. In the first part of it, he mentions illumination, that

_ they who see not may see ; because this is strictly the cause of

his coming, for he did not come to judge the world, but rather
to save that which was lost, (Matth. xviii. 11.) In like manner
Paul, when he declares that he has vengeance prepared against
all rebels, at the same time adds, that this punishment will
take place after that believers shall have fulfilled their obedience,
(2 Cor. x. 6.) And this vengeance ought not to be limited
to the person of Christ, as if he did not perform the same
thing daily by the ministers of his Gospel.

We ought to be the more careful that none of us, through
a foolish and extravagant opinion of his wisdom, draw down
upon himself this dreadful punishment. But experience shows
us the truth of this statement which Christ uttered; for we
see many persons struck with giddiness and rage, for no other
reason but because they cannot endure the rising of the Sun
of righteousness. Adam lived, and was endued with the true

1 “ Et comme a enseigne desployee.”

392 COMMENTARY ON THE

light of understanding, while he lost that divine blessing by
desiring to see more than was allowed him. Now if, while

we are plunged in blindness and thus humbled by the Lord, ©

we still flatter ourselves in our darkness, and oppose our mad
views to heavenly wisdom, we need not wonder if the ven-
geance of God fall heavily upon us, so that we are rendered
doubly blind. This very punishment was formerly inflicted
on the wicked and unbelievers! under the Law; for Isaiah is
sent to blind the ancient people, that seeing they may not see :
blind the heart of this people, and shut their ears, (Isa. vi. 9.)
But in proportion as the brightness of the divine light is
more fully displayed in Christ than in the Prophets, so much
the more remarkably must this example of blindness have
been manifested and perceived; as even now the noon-day
light of the Gospel drives hypocrites to extreme rage.

40. Some of the Pharisees heard. 'They instantly perceived
that they were smitten by this saying of Christ, and yet they
appear not to have belonged to the worst class; for the open
enemies had so strong an abhorrence of Christ that they did
not at all associate with him. But those men submitted to
listen to Christ, yet without any advantage, for no man is
qualified to be a disciple of Christ, until he has been divested
of self, and they were very far from being so.

Are we also blind? This question arose from indignation,
because they thought that they were insulted by being classed
with dlind men; and, at the same time, it shows a haughty
contempt of the grace of Christ accompanied by mockery, as
if they had said, “ ‘Thou canst not rise to reputation without
involving us in disgrace; and is it to be endured that thou
shouldst obtain honour for thyself by upbraiding us? As to the
promise thou makest of giving new light to the blind, go hence
and leave us with thy benefit ; for we do not choose to receive
sight from thee on the condition of admitting that we have
been hitherto blind.” Hence we perceive that hypocrisy has
always been full of pride and of venom. The pride is mani-
fested by their being satisfied with themselves, and refusing

1 ‘¢ Les mechans et infideles.”

na Bice ne.

ne

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 393

to have any thing taken from them; and the venom, by their
being enraged at Christ and arguing with him, because he
has pointed out their wound, as if he had inflicted on them a
grievous wound. Hence arises contempt of Christ and of the
grace which he offers to them.

The word also is emphatic; for it means that, though all
the rest be blind, still it is improper that they should be
reckoned as belonging to the ordinary rank. It is too com-
mon a fault among those who are distinguished above others,
that they are intoxicated with pride, and almost forget that
they are men.

41. If you were blind. These words may be explained in
two ways; either, that ignorance would, in some degree, alle-
viate their guilt, if they were not fully convinced, and did
not deliberately fight against the truth; or, that there was
reason to hope that their disease of ignorance might be cured,
if they would only acknowledge it. The former view is sup-
ported by the words of Christ, Jf I had not come and spoken
to them, they would have no sin, (John xv. 22.) But as it is
added in this passage, but now you say you see, in order that

_the points of contrast may correspond to each other, it ap-

pears to be more consistent to explain them to mean, that he
is blind who, aware of his own blindness, seeks a remedy to
cure his disease! In this way the meaning will be, “If you
would acknowledge your disease, it would not be altogether
incurable ; but now because you think that you are in perfect
health, you continue in a desperate state.” When he says
that they who are blind have no sin, this does not excuse igno-
rance, as if it were harmless, and were placed beyond the
reach of condemnation. He only means that the disease may
easily be cured, when it is truly felt; because, when a blind
man is desirous to obtain deliverance, God is ready to assist
him; but they who, insensible to their diseases, despise the
grace of God, are incurable.

1“ Pour guairir son mal.”

VOL.-1. 2B

394 COMMENTARY ON THE

CHAPTER X.

1. Verily, verily, I say to you, He who entereth not by the door into the
sheepfold, but climbeth by another way, is a thief anda robber. 2. But
he who entereth by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3. To him the
porter openeth, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calleth his own sheep
by name, and leadeth them out. 4. And having put out his own sheep,
he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him ; for they know his voice.
5. But they will not follow a stranger, but will flee from him; for they
know not the voice of strangers. 6. Jesus spoke this parable to them ;
but they did not understand what those things were which he spoke to
them.

1. Verily, verily, I say to you. As Christ had to do with
scribes and priests, who were reckoned pastors of the Church,
it was necessary that they should be divested of the honour
of this title, if he wished his doctrine to be received. The
small number of believers might also diminish greatly the
authority of his doctrine. He therefore contends that we
ought not to reckon, in the number of shepherds or of sheep,
all who outwardly claim a place in the Church. But we shall
never be able, by means of this mark, to distinguish the law-
ful shepherds from the reprobate, and the true sheep from the
counterfeit, if all have the same object, and beginning, and
end.

This warning has been highly useful in all ages, and in the
present day it is especially necessary. No plague is more
destructive to the Church, than when wolves ravage under
the garb of shepherds. We know also how grievous an offence
it is, when bastard or degenerate Israelites pretend to be the
sons of the Church, and, on this pretence, insult believers.
But in the present day, there is nothing by which weak and
ignorant persons are more alarmed, than when they see the
sanctuary of God occupied by the greatest enemies of the
Church; for it is not easy to make them understand, that it
is the doctrine of Christ which the shepherds of the Church
so fiercely resist. Besides, as the greater part of men are led
into various errors by false doctrines, while the views and
expectations of each person are directed to others, scarcely

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOEN. 395

any person permits himself to be conducted into the right
path.

We must therefore, above all things, guard against being
deceived by pretended shepherds or counterfeit sheep, if we do
not choose, of our own accord, to expose ourselves to wolves
and thieves. The name of “The Church” is highly honourable,
and justly so; but the greater the reverence which it de-
serves, so much the more careful and attentive ought we to
be in marking the distinction between true and false doctrine.
Christ here declares openly, that we ought not to reckon as
shepherds all who boast of being such, and that we ought not
to reckon as sheep all who boast of outward marks. He
speaks of the Jewish Church, but what he says applies equally
well to our own. We ought also to consider his purpose and
design, that weak consciences may not be alarmed or dis-
couraged, when they perceive that they who rule in the
Church, instead of pastors or shepherds, are hostile or opposed
to the Gospel; and that they may not turn aside from the
faith, because they have few fellow-disciples, in listening to
Christ, among those who are called Christians.

FTe who entereth not by the door. It is useless, I think, to
scrutinize too closely every part of this parable. Let us rest

~ satisfied with this general view, that, as Christ states a re-

semblance between the Church and a sheepfold, in which God
assembles all his people, so he compares himself to a door,
because there is no other entrance into the Church but by
himself. Hence it follows that they alone are good shepherds
whe lead men straight to Christ; and that they are truly
gathered into the fold of Christ, so as to belong to his flock,
who devote themselves to Christ alone.

But all this relates to doctrine; for, since all the treasures
of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Christ, (Col. ii. 3,) he
who turns aside from him to go elsewhere neither keeps the
road nor enters by the door. Now, whoever shall not despise
Christ or his instructor will easily rid himself of that hesita-
tion which keeps so many in a state of perplexity, what is
the Church, and who are they to whom we ought to listen as
shepherds, For if they who are called shepherds attempt to
lead us away from Christ, we ought to flee from them, at the

396 COMMENTARY ON THE

command of Christ, as we would flee from wolves or thieves ;
and we ought not to form or maintain intercourse with any
society but that which is agreed in the pure faith of the
Gospel. For this reason Christ exhorts his disciples to
separate themselves from the unbelieving multitude of the
whole nation, not to suffer themselves to be governed by
wicked priests, and not to allow themselves to be imposed
upon by proud and empty names.

3. To him the porter openeth. If by the word Porter’ any
one choose to understand God, I do not object; and Christ
even appears expressly to contrast the judgment of God with
the false opinion of men in approving of pastors, as if he had
said, “There are others, indeed, whom the world generally
applauds, and on whom it willingly confers honour; but
God, who holds the reins of government, does not acknow-
ledge or approve of any but those who lead the sheep by this
road.”

He calleth his own sheep by name. I consider this as re-
ferring to the mutual consent of faith; because the disciple
and the teacher are united together by the one Spirit of God,
so that the teacher goes before, and the disciple follows. Some
think that it denotes the intimate knowledge which every
shepherd ought to have of each of his flock, but Ido not know
if this rests on solid grounds.

4. Because they know his voice. ‘Though he speaks here of
ministers, yet, instead of wishing that they should be heard,
he wishes that God should be heard speaking by them; for
we must attend to the distinction which he has laid down,
that he alone is a faithful pastor or shepherd? of the Church,
who conducts and governs his sheep by the direction of
Christ. We must attend to the reason why it is said that
the sheep follow ; it is, because they know how to distinguish

1 “Si par ce mot de Portier.”

* The word pastor signifies shepherd, but, for the sake of the reader,
who may not be aware of its etymology, it has been found necessary, in
some cases, to employ both of the words, especially where the figure holds
so prominent a place in the discussion.—Fd.

er

en

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 397

shepherds from wolves by the voice. This is the spirit of dis-
cernment, by which the elect discriminate between the truth
of God and the false inventions of men. So then, in the sheep
of Christ a knowledge of the truth goes before, and next
follows an earnest desire to obey, so that they not only
understand what is true, but receive it with warm affection.
And not only does he commend the obedience of the faith,
because the sheep assemble submissively at the voice of the
shepherd, but also because they do not listen to the voice of
strangers, and do not disperse when any one cries to them.

6. This parable. This is the reason why, proudly vaunt-
ing of their wisdom, they rejected the light of Christ; for in
a matter not very obscure they are exceedingly dull of ap-
prehension.

But they did not understand what things they were which he
spoke to them. In this clause the Greek manuscripts differ.
Some copies might be literally rendered, they did not under-
stand what he said. Another reading, which I have followed,
is more full, though it amounts to the same meaning. The
third reading is, that they did not know that he who spoke of
_ himseif was the Son of God; but this is not much approved.

7. And Jesus again said to them, Verily, verily, I say to you, that Iam
the door of the sheep. 8. All who have entered before me are thieves and

robbers ; but the sheep did not hear them. 9. Iam the door. If any
man enter by me, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find
pasture. 10. The thief cometh not but to steal, and to kill, and to de-
stroy; I am come, that they may have life, and that they may have it more
abundantly.

7. Iam the door. If this explanation had not been added,
the whole discourse would have been allegorical. He now
explains more clearly what was the chief part of the parable
when he declares that he ts the door. The amount of what is
stated is, that the principal point of all spiritual doctrine, on
which souls are fed, consists in Christ. Hence also Paul, one
of the shepherds, says: I reckon nothing to be worth knowing but
Jesus Christ, (1 Cor. 11. 2.) And this mode of expression
conveys the same meaning as if Christ had testified that to
him alone we must all be gathered together. Therefore, he

398 COMMENTARY ON THE

invokes and exhorts all who desire salvation to come to him.
By these words, he means that in vain do they wander about
who leave him to go to God, because there is but one open
door, and all approach in any other way is prohibited.

8. All who came before me. The words zévreg éoos may be
literally rendered, ALL, AS MANY AS came before me. They
who restrict this expression to Judas the Galilean, and such
persons, depart widely, in my opinion, from Christ’s mean-
ing; for he contrasts all false doctrine, in general, with the
Gospel, and all false prophets with faithful teachers.
Nor would it even be unreasonable to extend this statement
to the Gentiles, that all who, from the beginning of the
world, have professed to be teachers, and have not laboured
to gather sheep to Christ, have abused this title for destroy-
ing souls. But this does not at all apply to Moses and the
Prophets, who had no other object in view than to establish
the kingdom of Christ. For it ought to be observed, that a
contrast is here made between the words of Christ and those
things which are opposed to them. But so far are we from
discovering any contradiction between the Law and the doc-
trine of the Gospel, that the Law is nothing else than a pre-
paration for the Gospel. In short, Christ testifies that all
the doctrines, by which the world has been led away from
him, are so many deadly plagues; because, apart from him,
there is nothing but destruction and horrible confusion.
Meanwhile, we see of what importance antiquity is with God,
and in what estimation it ought to be held by us, when it
enters, as it were, into a contest with Christ. That no man
may be moved by the consideration, that there have been
teachers, in all ages, who gave themselves no concern what-
ever about directing men to Christ, Christ expressly states
that it is of no consequence how many there have been of
this description, or how early they began to appear; for it
ought to be considered that there is but one door, and that
they who leave it, and make openings or breaches in the walls,
are thieves.

But the sheep did not hear them. He now confirms more
clearly what he had already spoken more obscurely and in
the figure of an allegory, that they who were led out of the

ee —"

a

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOIN. 399

way by impostors did not belong to the Church of God. This
is said, first, that when we see a great multitude of persons
going astray, we may not resolve to perish through their exam-
ple; and, next, that we may not waver, when God permits im-
postors to deceive many. For it is no light consolation, and
no small ground of confidence, when we know that Christ, by
his faithful protection, kas always guarded his shecp, amidst
the various attacks and crafty devices of wolves and robbers,
so that there never was one of them that deserted him.'

But here a question arises, When does a person begin to
belong to the flock of the Son of God?? For we see many
who stray and wander through deserts during the greater
part of their life, and are at length brought into the fold of
Christ. I reply, the word sheep is here used in two ways.
When Christ says afterwards, that he has other sheep besides,
he includes all the elect of God, who had at that time no
resemblance to sheep. At present, he means sheep which
bore the shepherd’s mark. By nature, we are at the greatest
possible distance from being sheep; but, on the contrary, are
born lions, tigers, wolves, and bears,’ uniil the Spirit of
Christ tames us, and from wild and savage beasts forms us
to be mild sheep. Thus, according to the secret election of
God, we are already sheep in his heart, before we are born;
but we begin to be sheep in ourselves by the calling, by which
he gathers us into his fold. Christ declares that they who
are called into the order of believers are so firmly bound
together, that they cannot stray or wander, or be carried
about by any wind of new doctrine.

It will perhaps be objected, that even those who had been
devoted to Christ frequently go astray, and that this is proved
by frequent experience, and that it is not without good reason
that Ezekiel ascribes it to the good Shepherd, that he gathers
the scattered sheep, (Eizek. xxxiv. 12.) I readily acknowledge
that it frequently happens, that they who had belonged to
the household of faith are, for a time, estranged; but this is
not at variance with Christ’s statement, for, so far as they go
astray, they cease, in some respects, to be sheep. What

1 “ En sorte qu’il n’y en a pas eu une seule qui I’ait laissé.”
2 “ Du troupeau du Fils de Dieu.” 3 ‘ Lions, tygres, loups, et ours.”

400 COMMENTARY ON THE

Christ means is simply this, that all the elect of God, though
they were tempted to go astray in innumerable ways, were
kept in obedience to the pure faith, so that they were not
exposed as a prey to Satan, or to his ministers. But this
work of God is not less astonishing, when he again gathers
the sheep which had wandered for a little, than if they had
all along continued to be shut up in the fold. It is always
true, and without a single exception, that they who go out
JSrom us were not of us, but that they who were of us remain with
us to the end, (1 John ii. 19.)

This passage ought to strike us with the deepest shame ;
first, because we are so ill accustomed to the voice of our
Shepherd, that there are hardly any who do not listen to it
with indifference; and, next, because we are so slow and
indolent to follow him. I speak of the good, or of those who
are at least passable; for the greater part of those who boast
that they are Christ’s disciples kick fiercely against him.
Lastly, as soon as the voice of any stranger has sounded in
our ears, we are hurried to and fro; and this lightness and
unsteadiness sufficiently shows how little progress we have
hitherto made in the faith. But if the number of believers
is smaller than might be desired, and if out of this small
number a large proportion be continually dropping off, faith-
ful teachers have this consolation to support them, that the
elect of God, who are Christ’s sheep, listen to them. It is
our duty, indeed, to labour diligently, and to strive by every
possible method, that the whole world may be brought, if
possible, into the unity of the faith; but let us, in the mean-
time, be well satisfied with belonging to the number.

9. If any man enter by me. The highest consolation of
believers is, that when they have once embraced Christ, they
learn that they are out of danger; for Christ promises to
them salvation and happiness. He afterwards divides it into
two parts.

He shall go in and out, and find pasture. First, they shall go
safely wherever they find necessary ; and, next, they shall be
fed to the full. By gong in and out, Scripture often denotes
all the actions of the life, as we say in French, aller et venir,

pe Sia —

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 401

(to go and come,)' which means, to dwell. These words,
therefore, present to us a twofold advantage of the Gospel,
that our souls shall find pasture in it, which otherwise become
faint and famished, and are fed with nothing but wind; and,
next, because he will faithfully protect and guard us against
the attacks of wolves and robbers.

10. The thief cometh not. By this saying, Christ—if we may

- use the expression—pulls our ear, that the ministers of Satan

may not come upon us by surprise, when we are in a drowsy
and careless state ; for our excessive indifference exposes us,
on every side, to false doctrines. For whence arises credulity
so great, that they who ought to have remained fixed in
Christ, fly about in a multitude of errors, but because they
do not sufficiently dread or guard against so many false
teachers? And not only so, but our insatiable curiosity is
so delighted with the new and strange inventions of men,
that, of our own accord, we rush with mad career to meet
thieves and wolves. Not without reason, therefore, does
Christ testify that false teachers, whatever may be the mild-
ness and plausibility of their demeanour, always carry about

a deadly poison, that we may be more careful to drive them

away from us. A similar warning is given by Paul, See that
no man ROB you through vain philosophy, (Coloss. ii. 8.)

I am come. This is a different comparison; for Christ,
having hitherto called himself the door, and declared that
they who bring sheep to this door are true shepherds, now
assumes the character of a shepherd, and indeed affirms that
he is the only shepherd. Indeed, there is no other to whom
this honour and title strictly belongs ; for, as to all the faith-
ful shepherds of the Church, it is he who raises them up,
endows them with the necessary qualifications, governs them
by his Spirit, and works by them; and therefore they do not
prevent him from being the only Governor of his Church, or
from holding the distinction of being the only Shepherd. For,
though he employs their ministry, still he does not cease to

1 A phrase in Scottish law, denoting a full right to occupy a house or
any property, is, free ish (issue) and entrance, or, in other words, a right
to go out and to come in, as the occupant pleases.-— Ed.

402 COMMENTARY ON THE

fulfil and discharge the office of a shepherd by his own power ;
and they are masters and teachers in such a manner as not to
interfere with his authority as a Master. In short, when the
term shepherd is applied to men, it is used, as we say, in a
subordinate sense; and Christ shares the honour with his
ministers in such a manner, that he still continues to be the
only shepherd both of themselves and of the whole flock.

That they may have life. When he says that he zs come, that
the sheep may have life, he means that they only who do not
submit to his staff and crook (Psalm xxiii. 4) are exposed to
the ravages of wolves and thieves; and—to give them greater
confidence—he declares that life is continually increased and
strengthened jn those who do not revolt from him. And,
indeed, the greater progress that any man makes in faith, the
more nearly does he approach to fulness of fe, because the
Spirit, who is “fe, grows in him.

11. I am the good shepherd ; the good shepherd giveth his life for the
sheep. 12. But the hireling, and he who is not the shepherd, whose own
the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and
fleeth, and the wolf teareth them, and scattereth the sheep. 13. The hire-
ling fleeth, because he is a hireling, and careth not for the sheep. 14. I
am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known by mine. 15.
As the Father knoweth me, I also know the Father, and I lay down my
life for the sheep.

11. The good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. From
the extraordinary affection which he bears towards the sheep,
he shows how truly he acts towards them as a shepherd ; for he
is so anxious about their salvation, that he does not even
spare his own life. Hence it follows, that they who reject
the guardianship of so kind and amiable a shepherd are ex-
ceedingly ungrateful; and deserve a hundred deaths, and are
exposed to every kind of harm. The remark of Augustine
is exceedingly just, that this passage informs us what we
ought to desire, what we ought to avoid, and what we ought
to endure, in the government of the Church. Nothing is
more desirable than that the Church should be governed by
good and diligent shepherds. Christ declares that he zs the
good shepherd, who keeps his Church safe and sound, first, by
himself, and, next, by his agents. Whenever there is good

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 403

order, and fit men hold the government, then Christ shows
that he is actually the shepherd. But there are many wolves
and thieves who, wearing the garb of shepherds, wickedly
scatter the Church. Whatever name such persons may as-
sume, Christ threatens that we must avoid them.

12. But the hireling. By hirelings we are to understand
those who retain the pure doctrine, and who proclaim the
truth, as Paul says, to serve a purpose rather than from pure
zeal. Though such persons do not serve Christ faithfully,
yet we ought to hear them; for Christ wished that the Pha-
risees should be heard, because they sat in Moses’ seat, (Matth.
xxiii. 2;) and, in like manner, we ought to give such honour
to the Gospel, as not to shrink from its ministers, though
they be not good men. And as even the slightest offences
render the Gospel distasteful to us, that we may not be hin-
dered by such false delicacy, let us always remember what I
have formerly suggested, that if the Spirit of Christ does
not operate so powerfully in ministers, as to make it plainly
evident that he is their shepherd, we suffer the punishment of
our sins, and yet our obedience is proved.

And he who is not the shepherd. Though Christ claims for
himself alone the name of a shepherd, yet he indirectly states
that, in some respects, he holds it in common with the agents
by whom he acts. For we know that there have been many,
since the time of Christ, who did not hesitate to shed their
blood for the salvation of the Church ; and even the prophets,
before his coming, did not spare their own life. But in his own
person he holds out a perfect example, so as to lay down a
rule for his ministers. For how base and shameful is our
indolence, if our life is more dear to us than the salvation of
the Church, which Christ preferred to his own life !

What is here said about laying down life for the sheep, may
be viewed as an undoubted and principal mark of paternal
affection. Christ intended, first, to demonstrate what a re-
markable proof he gave of his love toward us, and, next, to
excite all his ministers to imitate his example. Yet we must
attend to the difference between them and him. He laid
down his life as the price of satisfaction, shed his blood to

404 COMMENTARY ON THE

cleanse our souls, offered his body as a propitiatory sacrifice,
to reconcile the Father to us. Nothing of all this can exist
in the ministers of the Gospel, all of whom need to be cleansed,
and receive atonement and reconciliation to God by that
single sacrifice. But Christ does not argue here about the
efficacy or benefit of his death, so as to compare himself to
others, but to prove with what zeal and affection! he is moved
towards us, and, next, to invite others to follow his example.
In short, as it belongs exclusively to Christ to procure life
for us by his death, and to fulfil all that is contained in the
Gospel, so it is the universal duty of all pastors or shepherds,
to defend the doctrine which they proclaim, even at the ex-
pense of their life, and to seal the doctrine of the Gospel with
their blood, and to show that it is not in vain that they teach
that Christ has procured salvation for themselves and for
others.

But here a question may be put. Ought we to reckon
that man a hireling, who, for any reason whatever, shrinks
from encountering the wolves? ‘This was anciently debated
as a practical question, when tyrants raged cruelly against
the Church. ‘Tertullian, and others of the same class, were,
in my opinion, too rigid on this point. I prefer greatly the
moderation of Augustine, who allows pastors to flee, on the
condition that, by their flight, they contribute more to the
public safety than they would do by betraying the flock com-
mitted to their charge. And he shows that this is done,
when the Church is not deprived of well-qualified ministers,
and when the life of the pastor in particular is so eagerly
sought, that his absence mitigates the rage of enemies. But
it the flock—as well as the pastor—be in danger,’ and if there
be reason to believe that the pastor flees, not so much from
a desire to promote the public advantage as from a dread of
dying, Augustine contends that this is not at all lawful, be-
cause the example of his flight will do more injury than his
life can do good in future. The reader may consult the
Epistle to Bishop Honoratus, (Ep. cviii.) On this ground it

1 « De quel zele et affection.”
2 “ Que s’il y a danger aussi bien pour les brebis que pour la personne
du pasteur.”

'
ne —
Eee eee

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 405

was lawful for Cyprian to flee, who was so far from shudder-
ing at death, that he nobly refused to accept the offer of
saving his life by a treacherous denial of his Master. Only,
it must be held that a pastor ought to prefer his flock, or
even a single sheep, to his own life.

Whose own the sheep are not. Christ appears here to make
all shepherds besides himself to be, without exception, hirelings ;
for, since he alone is shepherd, none of us have a right to say
that the sheep which he feeds are his own. But let us re-
member that they who are guided by the Spirit of God reckon
that to be their own which belongs to their Head; and that
not in order to claim power for themselves, but to keep faith-
fully what has been committed to their charge. For he who
is truly united to Christ will never cease to take an interest
in that which He valued so highly. This is what he after-
wards says : :

13. The hireling fleeth. ‘The reason is, because he careth not
for the sheep, which means, that his heart is not moved by the
scattering of the flock, because he thinks that it does not at
all belong to him. For he who looks to the Aire, and not to
the flock, though he may deceive others, when the Church is
in a state of tranquillity, yet when he comes into the contest,
will give proof of his treachery.

14. And I know my sheep, and am known by mine. In the
former clause, he again holds out his love towards us; for
knowledge proceeds from love, and is accompanied by care.
But it means also that he utterly disregards all who do not
obey the Gospel, as he repeats in the second clause, and con-
firms what he had formerly said, that—on the other hand—
he is known by the sheep.

15. As the Father knoweth me. It is unnecessary, and is
not even expedient, that we should enter into those thorny
questions, How is it that the Father knows his Wisdom ?
For Christ simply declares that, so far as he is the bond of
our union with God, he is placed between Him and us; as if
he had said, that it is no more possible for him to forget us,

406 _ COMMENTARY ON THE

than that he should be rejected or disregarded by the Father.
At the same time, he demands the duty which we mutually
owe to him, because, as he employs all the power which he
has received from the Father for our protection, so he wishes
that we should be obedient and devoted to him, as he is
wholly devoted to his Father, and refers everything to him.

16. And I have other sheep, which are not of this fold: them also I
must bring, and they shall hear my voice, and there shall be one fold and
one shepherd. 17. On this account the Father loveth me, because I lay
down my life, that I may take it again. 18. No man taketh it from me,
but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have
power to take it again. This commandment have I received from my
Father.

16. And I have other sheep. ‘Though some refer this indis-
criminately to all, both Jews and Gentiles, who were not yet
disciples of Christ, yet I have no doubt that he had in his
eye the calling of the Gentiles. For he gives the appella-
tion fold to the assemblage of the ancient people, by which
they were separated from the other nations of the world, and
united into one body as the heritage of God. The Jews had
been adopted by God in such a manner, that he surrounded
them with certain enclosures, which consisted of rites and
ceremonies, that they might not be confounded with unbe-
lievers, though the door of the fold was the gracious covenant
of eternal life confirmed in Christ. For this reason he calls
those sheep which had not the same mark, but belonged to a
different class, other sheep. Inshort, the meaning is, that the
pastoral office of Christ is not confined within the limits of
Judea, but is far more extensive.

Augustine’s observation on this passage is undoubtedly
true, that, as there are many wolves within the Church, so
there are many sheep without. But this is not applicable, in
every respect, to the present passage, which relates to the
outward aspect of the Church, because the Gentiles, who had
been strangers for a time, were afterwards invited into the
kingdom of God, along with the Jews. Yet I acknowledge
that Augustine’s statement applies in this respect, that Christ
gives the name of sheep to unbelievers, who in themselves
were the farthest possible from being entitled to be called

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 407

sheep. And not only does he point out, by this term, what.
they will be, but rather refers this to the secret election of
God, because we are already God’s sheep, before we are aware
that He is our shepherd. In like manner, it is elsewhere
said that we were enemies, when he loved us, (Rom. v. 103)
and for this reason Paul also says that we were known by God,
before we knew him, (Gal. iv. 9.)

Them also I must bring. He means that the election of
God will be secure, so that nothing of all that he wishes to
be saved shall perish.! For the secret purpose of God, by
which men were ordained to life, is at length manifested in
his own time by the calling,—the effectual calling, when he
regenerates by his Spirit, to be his sons, those who formerly
were begotten of flesh and blood.

But it may be asked, How were the Gentiles brought to
be associated with the Jews? For the Jews were not under
the necessity of rejecting the covenant which God made with
their fathers, in order to become Christ’s disciples; and the
Gentiles, on the other hand, were not under the necessity of
submitting to the yoke of the Law, that, being ingrafted in
Christ, they might be associated with the Jews. Here we

_ must attend to the distinction between the substance of the
covenant and the outward appendages. For the Gentiles
could not assent to the faith of Christ in any other way than
by embracing that everlasting covenant on which the salva-
tion of the world was founded. In this manner were fulfilled
the predictions, Strangers shall speak the language of Canaan,
(Isa. xix. 18.) Again, Ten men of the Gentiles shall take hold
of the cloak of one Jew, and say, We will go with you, (Zech.
vii. 23.) Again, Many nations shall come, and say, Come, and
let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, (Isa. ii. 4; Mic. iv. 2.)
Abraham was also ealled a father of many nations, (Gen. xvii.
5; Rom. iv. 17,) because they shall come from the East and
from the West, who shall sit down with him in the kingdom of
God, (Matth. viii. 11.) As to ceremonies, they are the middle
wall of partition, which, Paul informs us, hath been thrown
down, (Eph. ii. 14.) Thus, we have been associated with

1“ Rien de tout ce qu’il veut estre sauvé.”

408 COMMENTARY ON THE

the Jews in the unity of the faith, as to the substance; and
the ceremonies were abolished, that there might be nothing
to prevent the Jews from stretching out their hand to us.

And there shall be one fold’ and one shepherd. That is, that
all the children of God may be gathered and united? into
one body ; as we acknowledge that there is one holy univer-
sal Church,* and there must be one body with one head.
There is one God, says Paul, one faith, one baptism. Therefore
we ought to be one, as we are called into one hope, (Eph. iv. 4, 5.)
Now though this lock appears to be divided into different
folds, yet they are kept within enclosures which are common
to all believers who are scattered throughout the whole
world ; because the same word is preached to all, they use
the same sacraments, they have the same order of prayer,
and every thing that belongs to the profession of faith.

And they shall hear my voice. We must observe the way in
which the flock of God is gathered. It is, when all have one
shepherd, and when his voice alone* is heard. ‘These words
mean that, when the Church submits to Christ alone, and
obeys his commands, and hears his voice and his doctrine,’
then only is it in a state of good order. If Papists can show
us that there is any thing of this sort among them, let them
enjoy the title of The Church, of which they vaunt so much.
But if Christ is silent there, if his majesty is trodden under
foot, if his sacred ordinances are held up to scorn, what else
is their unity but a diabolical conspiracy, which is worse and
far more to be abhorred than any dispersion? Let us there-
fore remember that we ought always to begin with the Head.
Hence also the Prophets, when they describe the restoration
of the Church, always join David the king with God; as if
they said, that there is no Church where Christ does not
reign, and that there is no kingdom of God, but where the
honour of shepherd is granted to Christ.

1 So it runs in the French version, ‘ Et i y aura une bergerie et un
Pasteur.” But in the Latin original, our Author, either through choice or
inadvertency, has altered the translation, by substituting grex (flock) for
ovile, (fold.) ‘“ Et fiet unus grex ;’—‘ and there shall be one flock.” —Ed.

2 + Assemblez et unis.” 3“ Une saincte Eglise universelle.

4 ** Sa voix seule.” 5 Sa voix et sa doctrine.”

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOUN. 409

17. On this account the Father loveth me. There is, indeed,
another and a higher reason why the Father loveth the Son;
for it was not in vain that a voice was heard from heaven,
This is my beloved Son, in whom the good-pleasure of God dwells,
(Matth. iii. 17; xvii. 5.) But as he was made man on our
account, and as the Father delighted in him, in order that he
might reconcile us to himself, we need not wonder if he
declares it to be the reason why the Father loveth him, that our
salvation is dearer to him than his own life. This is a won~
derful commendation of the goodness of God to us, and ought
justly to arouse our whole souls into rapturous admiration,
that not only does God extend to us the love which is due to
the only-begotten Son, but he refers it to us as the final cause.
And indeed there was no necessity that Christ should take
upon him our flesh, in which he was beloved, but that it might
be the pledge of the mercy of his Father in redeeming us.

That I may take it again. As the disciples might be deeply
erieved on account of what they had heard about the death of
Christ, and as their faith might even be greatly shaken, he
comforts them by the hope of his resurrection, which would
speedily take place; as if he said, that he would not die on
the condition of being swallowed up by death, but in order
that he might soon rise again as a conqueror. And even at the
present day, we ought to contemplate the death of Christ, so
as to remember, at the same time, the glory of his resurrec-
tion. Thus, we know that he is life, because, in his contest
with death, he obtained a splendid victory, and achieved a
noble triumph.

18. No man taketh it from me. This is another consolation,
by which the disciples may take courage as to the death of
Christ, that he does not die by constraint, but offers himself
willingly for the salvation of his flock. Not only does he
affirm that men have no power to put him to death, except
so far as he permits them, but he declares that he is free from
every violence of necessity. It is otherwise with us, for we
are laid under a necessity of dying on account of our sins.
True, Christ himself was born a mortal man; but this was a
voluntary submission, and not a bondage laid upon him by
another. Christ intended, therefore, to fortify his disciples,

VOL. I. 2 C

410 COMMENTARY ON THE

that, when they saw him shortly afterwards dragged to death,
they might not be dismayed, as if he had been oppressed by
enemies, but might acknowledge that it was done by the
wonderful Providence of God, that he should die for the
redemption of his flock. And this doctrine is of perpetual
advantage, that the death of Christ is an expiation for our
sins, because it was a voluntary sacrifice, according to the
saying of Paul, By the obedience of one many were made
righteous, (Rom. v. 19.)

But I lay it down of myself. These words may be explained
in two ways; either that Christ divests himself of life, but
still remains what he was, just as a person would lay aside a
garment from his body, or, that he dies by his own choice.

This commandment have I received from my Father. He
recalls our attention to the eternal purpose of the Father, in
order to inform us that He had such care about our salvation,
that he dedicated to us his only-begotten Son, great and
excellent as he is; and Christ himself, who came into the
world to be in all respects obedient to the Father, confirms
the statement, that he has no other object in view than to
promote our benefit.

19. A division therefore arose again among the Jews on account of those
sayings. 20. And many of them said, He hath a devil, and ismad: why
do you hear him ? 21. Others said, These are not the words of a demoniac.
Can a devil open the eyes of the blind? 22. And it was the feast of
Dedication at Jerusalem, and it was winter. 23. And Jesus was walking
in the temple in Solomon’s porch. 24. The Jews then surrounded him,
and said to him, How long dost thou keep our soul in suspense? Ifthou
be the Christ, tell us plainly. 25. Jesus answered them, I have told you,
but you do not believe. The works which I do in my Father’s name
testify of me. 26. But you do not believe, because you are not of my
sheep, as I said to you. 27. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them,
and they follow me. 28. And I give them eternal life, and they shall
never perish, nor shall any one wrest them out of my hand. 29. My
Father, who gave them to me, is greater than all ; and none can wrest
them out of my Father’s hand. 30. I and my Father are one.

19. A division therefore arose again. ‘The advantage gained
by Christ’s discourse was, that it procured him some disciples;
but as his doctrine has also many adversaries, hence arises a
division, so that they are split into parties, who formerly
appeared to be one body of the Church. For all, with one

1“ Aussi grand et excellent qu’il peut estre.”

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 411

consent, professed that they worshipped the God of Abraham
and complied with the Law of Moses ; but now, when Christ
comes forward, they begin to differ on his account. If that
profession had been sincere, Christ, who is the strongest
bond of charity, and whose office it is to gather those things
which are scattered, would not break up their agreement.
But Christ, by the light of his Gospel, exposes the hypocrisy
of many who, while they had nothing but a false and hypo-
critical pretence, boasted that they were the people of God.

Thus, the wickedness of many is still the reason why the
Church is troubled by divisions, and why contentions are
kindled. Yet those who disturb the peace, throw the blame
on us, and call us Schismatics; for the principal charge which
the Papists bring against us is, that our doctrine has shaken
the tranquillity of the Church. Yet the truth is, that, if
they would yield submissively to Christ, and give their sup-
port to the truth, all the commotions would immediately be
allayed. But when they utter murmurs and complaints
against Christ, and will not allow us to be at rest on any
other condition than that the truth of God shall be extin-
guished, and that Christ shall be banished from his kingdom,
they have no right to accuse us of the crime of schism; for
it is on themselves, as every person sees, that this crime ought
to be charged. We ought to be deeply grieved that the
Church is torn by divisions arising among those who profess
the same religion; but it is better that there are some who
separate themselves from the wicked, to be united to Christ
their Head, than that all should be of one mind in despising
God. Consequently, when schisms arise, we ought to inquire
who they are that revolt from God and from his pure
doctrine.

20. He hath a devil. They employ the most offensive
reproach which they can devise, in slandering Christ, that
all may shudder at the thought of hearing him. For wicked
men, that they may not be forced to yield to God, in a
furious manner, and with closed eyes, break out inte proud
contempt of him, and excite others to the same rage, so that
not a single word of Christ is heard in silence. But the

412 COMMENTARY ON THE

doctrine of Christ has sufficient power in itself to defend it
against slanders. And this is what believers mean by their

reply,

21. These are not the words of a demoniac. It is as if they
demanded that men should judge from the fact itself; for the
truth, as we have said, is strong enough to maintain itself.
And this is the only protection of our faith, that wicked men
will never be able to hinder the power and wisdom of God,
and his goodness also,' from shining in the Gospel.

22. And it was the feast of Dedication. The Greek word
(¢yxaina,) which we have translated dedication, properly sig-
nifies renovations ; because the temple, which had been pol-
luted, was again consecrated by the command of Judas
Maccabeeus; and at that time it was enacted that the day of
the new dedication or consecration should be celebrated every
year as a festival, that the people might recall to remembrance
the grace of God, which had put an end to the tyranny of
Antiochus. Christ appeared in the temple at that time, ac-
cording to custom, that his preaching might yield more abun-
dant fruit amidst a large assembly of men.

23. And Jesus was walking in the temple, in Solomon’s porch.
The Evangelist gives to Solomon’s porch the designation of
the temple; not that it was the sanctuary, but only an append-
age to thelemple. Nor does he mean the ancient porch which
was built by Solomon, which had been altogether destroyed
by the Chaldeans, but that which the Jews—perhaps imme-
diately after their return from the Babylonish captivity—
built after the pattern of the ancient porch, and gave it the
same name, that it might be more highly honoured; and
Herod afterwards built a new temple.

24. The Jews therefore surrounded him. This was undoubt-
edly a cunning attack on Christ, at least on the part of those

1 Et aussi sa bonté.”
* “Le mot Grec pour lequel nous avons mis Dedicace.”

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 413

with whom the scheme originated. For the common people
might, without any fraud, desire that Christ would openly
declare that God had sent him to be a deliverer; but a few
persons, by trick and stratagem, wished to draw this word
from him amidst the crowd, that he might be killed by a
mob, or that the Romans might lay hands on him.

How long dost thou keep our soul in suspense? By complain-
ing of being kept in suspense, they pretend that they are so
ardently desirous of the promised redemption, that their
minds are eagerly and incessantly occupied by the expecta-
tion of Christ. And this is the true feeling of piety, to find
nowhere else than in Christ alone, what will satisfy our
minds, or give them true composure ; as he himself says, Come
to me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will
refresh you, and your souls shall find rest, (Matth. xi. 28, 29.)
Therefore, those who come to Christ ought to be prepared in
the same manner as those men pretend to be. But they are
wrong in accusing Christ, as if he had not hitherto confirmed
their faith ; for it was entirely their own fault that they had
not a full and perfect knowledge of him. But this is always
the case with unbelievers, that they choose rather to remain
in doubt than to be founded on the certainty of the word of
God. Thus, in our own day, we see many who voluntarily
shut their eyes, and spread the clouds of their doubt, in order
to darken the clear light of the Gospel. We see also many
light spirits, who fly about in idle speculations, and never
find, throughout their whole life, a permanent abode.

Tell us plainly. When they demand that Christ shall
declare himself freely, or openly and boldly, their meaning is,
that he may no longer convey his meaning indirectly, and in
a circuitous manner. Thus they charge his doctrine with
obscurity, which, on the contrary, was abundantly plain and
distinct, if the men who heard it had not been deaf. Now
this history warns us, that we cannot avoid the artifices and
slanders of wicked men, if we are called to preach the Gospel.
Wherefore, we ought to be on the watch, and not to be sur-
prised at it as a new thing, when the same thing happens to
us as to our Master.

414 COMMENTARY ON THE

25. [have told you. Our Lord Jesus! does not conceal
that he is the Christ, and yet he does not teach them as if
they were willing to learn, but rather reproaches them with
obstinate malice, because, though they had been taught by
the word and works of God, they had not yet made any pro-
gress. Accordingly, that they do not know him, he imputes
to their own fault, as if he said: “ My doctrine is easily
enough understood, but the blame lies with you, because you
maliciously resist God.”

The works which I do. He speaks of his works, in order to
convict them of being doubly obstinate; for, besides the
doctrine, they had a striking testimony in his miracles, if they
had not been ungrateful to God. He twice repeats the
words, You do not believe, in order to prove that, of their own
accord, they were deaf to doctrine, and blind to works; which
is a proof of extreme and desperate malice. He says that he
did the works in the name of his Father; because his design was,
to testify the power of God in them, by which it might be
openly declared that he came from God.

26. Because you are not of my sheep. We assigns a higher
reason why they do not believe either in his miracles or in his
doctrine. It is, because they are reprobate. We must
observe Christ’s design; for, since they boasted of being the
Church of God, that their unbelief may detract nothing from
the authority of the Gospel, he affirms that the gift of behev-
ing is a special gift. And, indeed, before that men know God,
they must first be known by him, as Paul says, (Gal. iv. 9.)
On the other hand, those to whom God does not look must
always continue to look away from him. If any one murmur
at this, arguing that the cause of unbelief dwells in God,
because he alone has power to make sheep; I reply, He is
free from all blame, for it is only by their voluntary malice
that men reject his grace. God does all that is necessary to
induce them to believe, but who shall tame wild beasts ?2
This will never be done, till the Spirit of God change them

' “ Nostre Seigneur Jesus.”
? “ Mais qui apprivoisera des bestes sauvages ?”

c=)

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOIN. 415

into sheep. They who are wild will in vain attempt to throw
on God the blame of their wildness, for it belongs to their own
nature. In short, Christ means that it is not wonderful, if
there are few who obey his Gospel, because all whom the Spirit
of God does not subdue to the obedience of faith are wild
and fierce beasts. So much the more unreasonable and
absurd is it, that the authority of the Gospel should depend
on the belief of men; but believers ought rather to consider,
that they are the more strongly bound to God, because, while
others remain in a state of blindness, they are drawn to Christ
by the illumination of the Spirit. Here, too, the ministers of
the Gospel have ground of consolation, if their labour be
not profitable to all.

27. My sheep hear my voice. He proves by an argument
drawn from contraries, that they are not sheep, because they
do not obey the Gospel. For God effectually calls all whom
he has elected, so that the sheep of Christ are proved by their
faith. And, indeed, the reason why the name of sheep is
applied to believers is, that they surrender themselves to
God, to be governed by the hand of the Chief Shepherd, and,
laying aside the fierceness of their nature, become mild and
teachable. It is no small consolation to faithful teachers,
that, though the greater part of the world do not listen to
Christ, yet he has his sheep whom he knows, and by whom he
is also known. Let them do their utmost to bring the whole
world into the fold of Christ ; but when they do not succeed
according to their wish, let them be satisfied with this single
consideration, that they who are sheep will be gathered by
their agency. The rest has been already explained.

28. And they shall never perish. It is an inestimable fruit
of faith, that Christ bids us be convinced of our security
when we are brought by faith into his fold. But we must
also observe on what foundation this certainty rests. It is
because he will be a faithful guardian of our salvation, for he
testifies that our salvation is in his hand. And if this were
not enough, he says that they will be safely guarded by the

416 COMMENTARY ON THE

power of his Father. This is a remarkable passage, by which
we are taught that the salvation of all the elect is not less
tertain than the power of God is invincible. Besides, Christ
did not intend to throw this word foolishly into the air, but
to give a promise which should remain deeply fixed in their
minds; and, therefore, we infer that the statement of Christ
is intended to show that the elect are absolutely certain of
their salvation. We are surrounded, indeed, by powerful
adversaries, and so great is our weakness, that we are every
moment in imminent danger of death; but as He who keeps
what we have committed to him (2 Tim. i. 12) is greater or
more powerful than all, we have no reason to tremble as if
our life were in danger.

Hence, too, we infer how mad is the confidence of the
Papists, which relies on free-will, on their own virtue, and on
the merits of their works. Widely different is the manner
in which Christ instructs his followers, to remember that, in
this world, they may be said to be in the midst of a forest,
surrounded by innumerable robbers, and are not only un-
armed and exposed as a prey, but are aware that the cause
of death is contained in themselves, so that, relying on the
guardianship of God alone, they may walk without alarm. In
short, our salvation is certain, because it is in the hand of
God; for our faith is weak, and we are too prone to waver.
But God, who has taken us under his protection, is sufficiently
powerful to scatter, with his breath alone, all the forces of
our adversaries. It is of great importance for us to turn our
eye to this, that the fear of temptations may not dismay us;
for Christ even intended to point out the way in which sheep
are made to live at ease in the midst of wolves.

And none can wrest them out of my Father's hand. The
word and, in this passage, means therefore. For, since the
power of God is invincible, Christ infers that the salvation
of believers is not exposed to the ungovernable passions of
their enemies, because, ere they perish, God must be over-
come, who has taken them under the protection of his hand.

30. Land my Father are one. He intended to meet the
jeers of the wicked; for they might allege that the power of

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 417

God did not at all belong to him, so that he could promise to
his disciples that it would assuredly protect them. He there-
fore testifies that his affairs are so closely united to those of
the Father, that the Father’s assistance will never be with-
held from himself and his sheep. The ancients made a wrong
use of this passage to prove that Christ is (éwoobos) of the
same essence with the Father. For Christ does not argue
about the unity of substance, but about the agreement which
he has with the Father, so that whatever is done by Christ
will be confirmed by the power of his Father.

31. Then the Jews again took up stones to stone him. 32. Jesus an-
swered them, Many good works I have shown you from my Father. For
which of those works do you stone me? 33. The Jews answered him,
We stone thee not for the sake of a good work, but for blasphemy, and,
because thou, being a man, makest thyself God. 34. Jesus answered
them, Is it not written in your Law, I said, You are gods? 385. If it called
them gods, to whom the word of God was addressed, and Scripture cannot
be broken, 386. Do you say that I, whom the Father sanctified and sent
into the world, blaspheme, because I said, I am the Son of God ?

31. Then the Jews again took up stones. As true religion,
in maintaining the glory of God, burns with its own zeal
which the Spirit of God directs, so unbelief is the mother of
_ rage, and the deyil hurries on the wicked in such a manner,
that they breathe nothing but slaughter. This result shows
with what intention they put the question to Christ ; for the
open confession, of which they pretended to be desirous, in-
stantly drives them to madness. And yet, though they are
hurried along, with such violence, to oppress Christ, there
can be no doubt that they assigned some plausible reason for
their judgment, as if they were acting according to the in-
junction of the Law, by which God commands that false
prophets shall be stoned, (Deut. xiii. 5.)

32. Many good works I have shown you. Here Christ not
only says that they have no reason for their cruelty, but
accuses them of ingratitude, in making so unjust a requital for
God’s favours. Nor does he only state that he has done them
a service by one or two works, but that in many ways he has
been kind to them. Next, he upbraids them with being un-
grateful, not only to himself, but rather to God, when he

418 COMMENTARY ON THE

says that he is the minister of the Father, who openly mani-
fested his power, that it might be known and attested to them.
For when he says that the good works were from the Father, he
means that God was the Author of them. The meaning may
be thus summed up, “ God intended to make known to you,
by me, distinguished benefits; he has conferred them upon you
by my hand. Banish me as much as you please, I have done
nothing that does not deserve praise and good-will. In per-
secuting me, therefore, you must show your rage against the
gifts of God.” But the question has greater force to pierce
their consciences than if he had made a direct assertion.

33. We stone thee not for a good work. Though wicked men
carry on open war with God, yet they never wish to sin
without some plausible pretence. The consequence is, that
when they rage against the Son of God, they are not content
with this cruelty, but bring an unprovoked accusation against
him, and constitute themselves advocates and defenders of
the glory of God. A good conscience must therefore be to
us a wall of brass, by which we boldly repel the reproaches
and calumnies with which we are assailed. For whatever
plausibility may adorn their malice, and whatever reproach
they may bring on us for a time, if we fight for the cause of
God, he will not refuse to uphold his truth. But as the
wicked never want pretences for oppressing the servants of
God, and as they have also hardened impudence, so that,
even when vanquished, they do not cease to slander, we have
need of patience and meekness, to support us to the end.

But for blasphemy. The word blasphemy, which among
profane authors denotes generally every kind of reproach,
Scripture refers to God, when his majesty is offended and
insulted.

Because thou, being a man, makest thyself God. There are
two kinds of blasphemy, either when God is deprived of the
honour which belongs to him, or when anything unsuitable to
his nature, or contrary to his nature, is ascribed to him.
They argue therefore that Christ is a blasphemer and a sacri-
legious person, because, being a mortal man, he lays claim to
Divine honour. And this would be a just definition of d/as-

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 419

phemy, if Christ were nothing more than a man. They only
err in this, that they do not design to contemplate his Divin-
ity, which was conspicuous in his miracles.

34. Is it not written in your Law? He clears himself of the
crime charged against him, not by denying that he is the
Son of God, but by maintaining that he had justly said so.
Yet he adapts his reply to the persons, instead of giving a full
explanation of the fact; for he reckoned it enough for the
present to expose their malice. In what sense he called him-
self the Son of God he does not explain fully, but states in-
directly. The argument which he employs is not drawn
from equals, but from the less to the greater.

I said, You are gods. Scripture gives the name of gods to
those on whom God has conferred an honourable office. He
whom God has separated, to be distinguished above all others,
is far more worthy of this honourable title. Hence it follows,
that they are malicious and false expounders of Scripture,
who admit the first, but take offence at the second. The
passage which Christ quotes is in Psalm lxxxii. 6, L have said,
You are gods, and all of you are children of the Most High ;

where God expostulates with the kings and judges of the

earth, who tyrannically abuse their authority and power for
their own sinful passions, for oppressing the poor, and for
every evil action. He reproaches them that, unmindful of
Him from whom they received so great dignity, they profane
the name of God. Christ applies this to the case in hand,
that they receive the name of gods, because they are God’s
ministers for governing the world. For the same reason
Scripture calls the angels gods, because by them the glory of
God beams forth on the world. We must attend to the mode
of expression :

35. To whom the word of God was addressed. For Christ
means that they were authorized by an undoubted command
of God. Hence we infer that empires did not spring up at
random, nor by the mistakes of men, but that they were ap-
pointed by the will of God, because he wishes that political
order should exist among men, and that we should be go-

420 COMMENTARY ON THE

verned by usages and laws. For this reason Paul says,
that all who resist the power are rebels against God, because
there is no power but what ts ordained by God, (Rom. xiii. 1,
2.) It will, perhaps, be objected, that other callings also
are from God, and are approved by him, and yet that we do
not, on that account, call farmers, or cowherds, or cobblers,
gods. I reply, this is not a general declaration, that all who
have been called by God to any particular way of living are
called gods ; but Christ speaks of kings, whom God has raised
to a more elevated station, that they may rule and govern.
In short, let us know that magistrates are called gods, because
God has given them authority. Under the term Law, Christ
includes the whole doctrine by which God governed his
ancient Church; for since the prophets were only expounders
of the Law, the Psalms are justly regarded as an appendage
to the Law. That the Scripture cannot be broken means, that
the doctrine of Scripture is inviolable.

36. Whom the Father hath sanctified. ‘There is a sanctifica-
tion that is common to all believers. But here Christ claims
for himself something far more excellent, namely, that he
alone was separated from all others, that the power of the
Spirit and the majesty of God might be displayed in him;
as he formerly said, that him hath God the Father sealed,
(John vi. 27.) But this refers strictly to the person of
Christ, so far as he is manifested in the flesh. Accordingly,
these two things are joined, that he has been sanctified and
sent into the world. But we must also understand for what
reason and on what condition he was sent. It was to bring
salvation from God, and to prove and exhibit himself, in every
possible way, to be the Son of God.

Do you say that I blaspheme? The Arians anciently tor-
tured this passage to prove that Christ is not God by nature,
but that he possesses a kind of borrowed Divinity. But this
error is easily refuted, for Christ does not now argue what
he is in himself, but what we ought to acknowledge him to
be, from his miracles in human flesh. For we can never com-
prehend his eternal Divinity, unless we embrace him as a
Kiedeemer, so far as the Father hath exhibited him to us.

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 421

Besides, we ought to remember what I have formerly sug-
gested, that Christ does not, in this passage, explain fully
and distinctly what he is, as he would have done among his
disciples; but that he rather dwells on refuting the slander
of his enemies.

37. If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. 38. But if I
do,' though you believe not me, believe the works; that you may know
and believe that the Father isin me, and Lin him. 39. Therefore they
sought again to seize him, but he escaped? out of their hands. 40. And
again he went away beyond Jordan, to the place where John first bap-
tized, and abode there. 41. And many came to him, and said, John in-
deed did no miracle ; but all that John spoke about this man was true.
42. And many believed on him there.

37. If I do not the works. Lest the Jews might reply that
it was in vain for him to boast of sanctification, and of all that
depended on it, he again draws their attention to his miracles,
in which there was a sufficiently evident proof of his Divinity.
This is in the shape of a concession, as if he had said, “Ido
not wish you to be bound to give me credit on any other con-
dition than that you see the fact plainly before your eyes.’
You may safely reject me, if God has not openly given testi-

_ mony to me.”

The works of my Father. Ue gives them this name,
because those works were truly Divine, and because so great
power shone in them, that they could not be ascribed toa
man.

38. But if Ido. Weshows that they are held plainly con-
victed of unbelieving and sacrilegious contempt, because they
render no reverence or honour‘ to what are undoubtedly the
works of God. This is a second concession, when he says,
“Though I allow you to doubt of my doctrine, you cannot
deny, at least, that the miracles which I have performed are
from God. You therefore openly reject God, and not a

man.
That you may know and believe. Though he places know-

1 « Bt si je les fay ;’—“ and if I do them.” 2 “ Mais il eschappa.”
8 “ Sinon que vous voyez le faict evident devant vos yeux.”
4 « Aucune reverence pi honneur.”

422 COMMENTARY ON THE

ledge before faith, as if faith were inferior to it, he does so,
because he has to do with unbelieving and obstinate men,
who never yield to God, until they are vanquished and con-
strained by experience ; for rebels wish to know before they
believe. And yet our gracious God indulges us so far, that he
prepares us for faith by a knowledge of his works. But the
knowledge of God and of his secret wisdom comes after
faith, because the obedience of faith opens to us the door of
the kingdom of heaven.

That the Father is in me, and I in him. THe repeats the
same thing which he had said before in other words, I and
my Father are one. All tends to this point, that in his
ministry there is nothing contrary to his Father. “ The Father,
he says, zs in me; that is, Divine power is manifested in me.”

And Iam in my Father ; that is, “1 do nothing but by the
command of God, so that there is a mutual connection be-
tween me and my Father.” For this discourse does not
relate to the unity of essence, but to the manifestation of
Divine power in the person of Christ, from which it was
evident that he was sent by God.

39. Therefore they sought again to seize him. This was
undoubtedly that they might drive him out of the temple,
and immediately stone him; for their rage was not at all
abated by the words of Christ. As to what the Evangelist
says, that he escaped out of their hands, this could not be
accomplished in any other way than by a wonderful exertion
of Divine power. This reminds us that we are not exposed
to the lawless passions of wicked men, which God restrains
by his bridle, whenever he thinks fit.

40. He went away beyond Jordan. Christ passed beyond
Jordan, that he might not have to fight continually without
any advantage. He has therefore taught us, by his example,
that we ought to avail ourselves of opportunities, when they
occur. As to the place of his retreat, the reader may con-
sult the observations which I have made at Chapter I., verse
28.1

! See p. 62 of this volume.

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 423

41. And many came to him. This large assembly shows
that Christ did not seek solitude, in order to cease from the
discharge of his duty, but to erect a sanctuary of God in the
wilderness, when Jerusalem, which was his own abode and
dwelling-place,! had obstinately driven him out. And indeed
this was a dreadful vengeance of God, that, while the temple
chosen by God was a den of robbers, (Jer. vii. 11; Matth.
xxi. 13,) the Church of God was collected in a despised
place.

John indeed did no miracle. They infer that Christ is
more excellent than John, because he has distinguished him-
self by so many miracles, while John did not perform a single
miracle. Not that we ought always to judge from miracles,
but that miracles, when united with doctrine, have no small
weight, as has already been repeatedly mentioned. Their
argument is defective; for they compare Christ with John,
but they express only one part of the comparison. Besides,
they take for granted, that John was an eminent prophet of
God, and that he was endued with extraordinary grace of the
Holy Spirit. They justly argue, therefore, that Christ ought
to be preferred to John, because it was only by the fixed
_ Providence of God that it was brought about that John,
though in other respects a very great prophet, yet was not
honoured by performing any miracle. Hence they conclude,
that this was done on Christ’s account, that he might be
more highly esteemed.

But all that John said. It appears that this was not spoken
by themselves, but was added by the Evangelist, in order to
show that there were two reasons which induced them to
believe in Christ. On the one hand,’ they saw that the testi-
mony which John had given to him was true; and, on the
other hand,* the miracles of Christ procured for him greater
authority.

1 “ Qui estoit le propre siege et habitation de celuy.”
2 «“ D’un costé.” 3 “ T)’autrepart.”

424 COMMENTARY ON THE

CHAPTER XI.

1. Now one named Lazarus, of Bethany, the village of Mary and her
sister Martha, was sick. 2. And it was that Mary who anointed the Lord
with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus
was sick. 3. The sisters therefore sent to him, saying, Lord, lo, he whom
thou lovest is sick. 4. And Jesus, having heard this, said, This sickness is
not to death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glori-
fied by it. 5. Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus. 6.
Having therefore heard that he was sick, he then remained two days in the
place where he was. 7. And after this he saith to his disciples, Let us go
into Judea again. 8. The disciples say to him, The Jews but lately sought
to stone thee, and dost thou go thither again? 9. Jesus answered, Are
there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk by day, he stum-
bleth not, because he seeth the light of this world. 10. But if any man
walk by night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him.

1. And one named Lazarus was sick. The Evangelist passes
on to another narrative, which contains a miracle eminently
worthy of being recorded. For not only did Christ give a
remarkable proof of his Divine power in raising Lazarus, but
he likewise placed before our eyes a lively image of our future
resurrection. ‘This might indeed be said to be the latest and
concluding action of his life, for the time of his death was
already at hand. We need not wonder, therefore, if he illus-
trated his own glory, in an extraordinary manner, in that work,
the remembrance of which he wished to be deeply impressed
on their minds, that it might seal, in some respects, all that
had gone before. There were others whom Christ had raised
from the dead, but he now displays his power on a rotting
corpse. But the circumstances which tend to magnify the
glory of God in this miracle shall be pointed out in their
proper place and order.

Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha.
The probable reason why this circumstance is mentioned is,
that Lazarus had not acquired so great celebrity among be-
lievers as his sisters had; for these holy women were accus-
tomed to entertain Christ with their hospitality, as is evident
from what is related by the Evangelist Luke, (x. 38.) It is
really too ridiculous a blunder, to suppose that Monks, and

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 425

such fry as the Papists have, made this small town or village
a castle.

2. It was that Mary who anointed the Lord. It is a similar
display of ignorance, to imagine that this Mary, the sister of
Lazarus, was that woman of wicked and infamous life, who
is mentioned by Luke, (vii. 37.) This mistake was occa-
sioned by the anointing; as if it were not evident enough that
Christ was anointed on various occasions, and even at differ-
ent places. The woman who was a sinner, of whom Luke
gives an account, anointed Christ at Jerusalem, where he
dwelt; but Mary afterwards anointed him at Bethany, which
was her own village. The past tense employed by the Evan-
gelist, who ANOINTED, must be referred, not to the time of
the occurrence which he is now relating, but to the time
when he wrote ; as if he had said, “It was this Mary who
afterwards poured on the head of Christ the ointment, on ac-
count of which a murmuring arose among the disciples,”

(Matth. xxvi. 7.)

3. Lo, he whom thou lovest is sick. The message is short,

_but Christ might easily learn from it what the two sisters

wished ; for, under this complaint, they modestly state their
request that he would be pleased to grant them relief. We
are not forbidden, indeed, to use a longer form of prayer;
but our principal object ought to be, to pour into the bosom
of God all our cares, and every thing that distresses us, that
he may afford deliverance. Such is the manner in which the
women act towards Christ: they plainly tell him their dis-
tress, in consequence of which they expect some alleviation.
We ought also to observe that, from Christ’s Jove, they are
led to entertain a confident hope of obtaining assistance, he
whom thou lovest ; and this is the invariable rule of praying
aright; for, where the love of God is, there deliverance is
certain and at hand, because God cannot forsake him whom
he loveth.

4, Now Jesus, having heard this, said, This sickness is not to
death. He intended by this reply to free his disciples from
VOL. I. 2D

426 COMMENTARY ON THE

anxiety, that they might not take it amiss, when they saw
him giving himself so little concern about the danger of his
friend. That they might not be alarmed, therefore, about
the life of Lazarus, he declares that the disease is not deadly,
and even promises that it will be an additional occasion of
promoting his own glory. Though Lazarus died, yet as Christ
soon afterwards restored him to life, he now declares, looking
to this result, that the disease is not to death.

But for the glory of God. ‘This clause is not contrasted
with death, as if it were an argument that would always hold ;
for we know that, even though the reprobate die, the glory of
God is not less strikingly displayed in their destruction than
in the salvation of believers. But Christ strictly meant, in
this passage, the glory of God, which was connected with his
office. The power of God, which was displayed in the
miracles of Christ, was not fitted to strike terror, but was
kind and gentle. When he says that there is no danger of
death, because he intends to display in it his own glory and
the glory of his Father, we ought to inquire for what pur-
pose, and with what intention, he was sent by the Father;
which was, to save, and not to destroy.

For the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified.
This expression is highly emphatic ; for we learn from it that
God wishes to be acknowledged in the person of his Son in
such a manner, that all the reverence which he requires to be
given to his own majesty’ may be ascribed to the Son.
Hence we were told formerly, He who doth not honour the Son
doth not honour the Father, (John v. 23.) It is in vain for
Mahometans and Jews, therefore, to pretend to worship God ;
for they blaspheme against Christ, and even endeavour, in
this manner, to rob God of himself.

5. And Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.
These two things appear to be inconsistent with each other,
that Christ remains two days beyond Jordan, as if he did not
care about the life of Lazarus, and yet the Evangelist says,
that Christ loved him and his sisters ; for, since love produces

1 «¢ A sa majesté.”

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOTIN. 427

anxiety, he ought to have hastened immediately. As Christ
is the only mirror of the grace of God, we are taught by this
delay on his part, that we ought not to judge of the love of
God from the condition which we see before our eyes. When
we have prayed to him, he often delays his assistance, either
that he may increase still more our ardour in prayer, or that
he may exercise our patience, and, at the same time, accustom
us to obedience. Let believers then implore the assistance of
God, but let them also learn to suspend their desires, if he
does not stretch out his hand for their assistance as soon as
they may think that necessity requires ; for, whatever may
be his delay, he never sleeps, and never forgets his people.
Yet let us also be fully assured that he wishes all whom he
loves to be saved.

7. And after this, he saith to his disciples. At length he now
shows that he cared about Lazarus, though the disciples
thought that he had forgotten him, or, at least, that there
were other matters which he reckoned of more importance
than the life of Lazarus. He therefore enjoins them to cross
the Jordan, and go to Judea.

8. Rabbi, the Jews but lately sought to stone thee. When the
disciples dissuade him from going, they do so, not so much
perhaps on his account as on their own, for each of them is
alarmed about himself, as the danger was common to all.
Avoiding the cross, and being ashamed to own it, they allege
—what is more plausible—that they are anxious about their
Master. The same thing happens every day with many.
For they who, through a dread of the cross, shrink from the
performance of their duty, eagerly seek excuses to conceal
their indolence, that they may not be thought to rob God of
the obedience due to him, when they have no good cause to
do so.

9. Are there not twelve hours in the day? This passage has
been explained in various ways. Some have thought the
meaning of these words to be, that men sometimes adopt a
new and different resolution every hour. This is very far

428 COMMENTARY ON THE

from Christ’s meaning; and indeed I would not have reck-
oned it worthy of being mentioned, had it not been that it
has passed into a common proverb. Let us therefore be
satisfied with the simple and natural meaning.

First, Christ borrows a comparison from Day and Night.
For if any man perform a journey in the dark, we need not
wonder if he frequently stumble, or go astray, or fall; but
the light of the sun by day points out the road, so that there
is no danger. Now the calling of God is like the light of
day, which does not allow us to mistake our road orto stumble.
Whoever, then, obeys the word of God, and undertakes no-
thing but according to his command, always has God to guide
and direct him from heaven, and with this confidence he may
safely and boldly pursue his journey. For, as we are in-
formed, Whosoever walketh in his ways hath angels to guard him,
and, under their direction, is safe, so that he cannot strike his foot
against a stone, (Ps. xci. 11.) Relying on this protection,
thérefore, Christ advances boldly into Judea, without any
dread of being stoned; for there is no danger of going astray,
when God, performing the part of the sun, shines on us, and
directs our course.

We are taught by these words, that whenever a man allows
himself to be guided by his own suggestions, without the
calling of God, his whole life is nothing else than a course of
wandering and mistake ; and that they who think themselves
exceedingly wise, when they do not inquire at the mouth of
God, and have not his Spirit to govern their actions, are
blind men groping in the dark; that the only proper way is,
to be fully assured of our divine calling, and to have always
God before our eyes as our guide.’ This rule of regulating
our life well is followed by a confident expectation of a pros-
perous result, because it is impossible that God shall not
govern successfully. And this knowledge is highly necessary
to us; for believers can scarcely move a foot to follow him,
but Satan shall immediately interpose a thousand obstruc-
tions, hold out a variety of dangers on every side, and con-
trive, in every possible way, to oppose their progress. But
when the Lord invites us to go forward, by holding out, as

‘ “Quand nous avons tousjours Dieu devant nos yeux pour nostre guide, ”

ee. the reat nt

ee

nn

. GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 429

it were, his lamp to us, we ought to go forward courageously,
though many deaths besiege our path ; for he never commands
us to advance without at the same time adding a promise to
encourage us, so that we may be fully convinced, that what-
ever we undertake agreeably to his command will have a
good and prosperous issue. This is our chariot, and whoever
betakes himself to it will never fail through weariness ; and
even though the obstacles were so formidable that we could
not be conveyed through them by a chariot, yet, furnished
with these wings, we shall always succeed, till we reach the
goal. Not that believers never meet with any adversity,
but because adverse occurrences are aids to their salvation.
It amounts to this, that the eyes of God will always be
attentive to guard those who shall be attentive to his instruc-
tions. Hence we learn also that, whenever men overlook
and disregard the word of God, and consequently indulge
themselves foolishly, and undertake whatever they think
right, the whole course of their life is accursed by God, and
vengeance is always ready to punish their presumption and
their blind passions. Again, Christ here divides the day into
twelve hours, according to ancient custom; for though the
_ days are longer in summer and shorter in winter, yet they
had always twelve hours of the day, and twelve of the night.

11. He spoke these things, and after this he saith to them, Our friend
Lazarus sleepeth, but I go that I may awake him. 12. Then his disciples
said, Lord, if he sleepeth, he will recover. 13. Now Jesus spoke of his
death ; but they thought that he spoke of the repose of sleep. 14. Then
Jesus, therefore, said to them plainly, Lazarus is dead. 15. And I re-
joice, on your account, that I was not there, that you may believe. But
let us goto him. 16. Then Thomas, who is called Didymus,? said to his
fellow-disciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him. 17. Jesus
therefore came, and found that he had been already four days in the tomb.

11. Our friend Lazarus sleepeth. Having formerly asserted
that the disease was not deadly, that his disciples may not
be too much distressed at seeing what they did not expect,
he now informs them also that Lazarus is dead, and excites
a hope of his resurrection. It is a proof of amazing ignor-

1 ‘‘ Combien que les jours soyent plus grands en esté, et plus petits en

hyver.”
2 “ Adonc Thomas, qui est 4 dire Gemeau ;”—‘‘ then Thomas, which

means Twin.”

430 COMMENTARY ON THE

ance, that they believe that Christ spoke about s/eep ; for,
though it is a metaphorical form of expression, still it is so
frequent and common in Scripture, that it ought to have
been familiarly known to all the Jews.

12. If he sleepeth, he will recover." Replying that sleep will
have a salutary effect on Lazarus, they thus endeavour
indirectly to dissuade Christ’ from going thither. And yet
they do not craftily or deceitfully turn aside Christ’s words
to suit their own purpose, on the pretence of not understand-
ing what he said ;? but, thinking that he spoke about sleep,
they gladly seize this opportunity of avoiding danger.
Augustine, and many writers since his time, speculate about
the word s/eep, alleging that the reason why it is applied todeath
is, because it is as easy for God to raise the dead to life, as it is
for us to perform the customary act of awaking those who are
asleep. But that nothing of this sort came into the mind of
Christ, may be inferred from the constant use of the term in
Scripture ; and since even profane writers usually apply this
word Sleep to Death,’ there was unquestionably no other
reason why it came into use, but because a lifeless corpse lies
without feeling, just as the body of a man who is in a pro-
found sleep. Hence, also, sleep is not inappropriately called
the image of death, and Homer calls it the brother of death,
(xasiyyyros buvirov.) Since this word denotes only the sleep
of the body, it is prodigiously absurd to apply it—as some
fanatics have done—to souls, as if, by being deprived of
understanding, they were subject to death.

But I go to awake him. Christ asserts his own power, when
he says that he will come to awake Lazarus; for, though,
as we have said, the word sleep does not express the facility
of the resurrection, yet Christ shows that he is Lord of death,
when he says, that he awakes those whom he restores to life.

14. Then Jesus told them plainly, Lazarus is dead. The

‘Tl sera guairi.’
“ Comme faisans Fone de n’entendre point ce que Christ dit.”

‘* Et mesmes veu que les autheurs profanes transferent coustumiere-
ment ce mot de Dormir a la Mort.”

1
2

o

~~

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 431

goodness of Christ was astonishing, in being able to bear
with such gross ignorance in the disciples. And indeed the
reason why he delayed, for a time, to bestow upon them the
grace of the Spirit in larger measure, was, that the miracle of
renewing them in a moment might be the greater.

15. And Irejoice, on your account, that I was not there. He
means that his absence was profitable to them, because his
power would have been less illustriously displayed, if he had
instantly given assistance to Lazarus. For the more nearly
the works of God approach to the ordinary course of nature,
the less highly are they valued, and the less illustriously is
their glory displayed. This is what we experience daily ; for
if God immediately stretches out his hand, we do not per-
ceive his assistance. That the resurrection of Lazarus, there-
fore, might be acknowledged by the disciples to be truly a
Divine work, it must be delayed, that it might be very
widely removed from a human remedy.

We ought to remember, however, what I formerly ob-
served, that the fatherly kindness of God towards us is here
represented in the person of Christ. When God permits us
to be overwhelmed with distresses, and to languish long
under them, let us know that, in this manner, he promotes
our salyation. At such a time, no doubt, we groan and are
perplexed and sorrowful, but the Lord rejoices on account of
our benefit, and gives a twofold display of his kindness to us
in this respect, that he not only pardons our sins, but gladly
finds means of correcting them.

That you may believe. He does not mean that this was the
first feeble commencement of faith in them, but that it was
a confirmation of faith already begun, though it was still
exceedingly small and weak. Yet he indirectly suggests
that, if the hand of God had not been openly displayed, they
would not have believed.

16. Then Thomas. Hitherto the disciples had endeavoured
to hinder Christ from going. Thomas is now prepared to
follow, but it is without confidence ; or, at least, he does not
fortify himself by the promise of Christ, so as to follow him
with cheerfulness and composure.

432 COMMENTARY ON THE

Let us go, that we may die with him. This is the language
of despair, for they ought to have entertained no fears about
their own life. The phrase, with him, may be explained as

referring either to Lazarus or to Christ. If we refer it to
Lazarus, it will be ironical, as if Thomas had said, “ Of what
use will it be to go thither, unless it be that we cannot dis-
charge the duty of friends in any other manner than by seek-
ing to die along with him?’ Yet I greatly prefer the other
meaning, that Thomas does not refuse to die with Christ.
But this, as I have said, proceeds from inconsiderate zeal ;
for he ought rather to have taken courage from faith in the
promise.

18. Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs. 19.
And many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary, to comfort them
concerning their brother. 20. When Martha, therefore, heard that Jesus
was coming, she went to meet him; but Mary sat at home. 21. Martha
then said to Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother would not
have died. 22. But I know that even now, whatsoever thou shalt ask of
God, God will give it thee. 23. Jesus saith to her, Thy brother shall
rise again, 24, Martha saith to him, I know that he shall rise again in
the resurrection at the last day. 25. Jesus said to her, I am the resur-
rection and the life ; he who believeth in me, though he were dead, shall
live. 26. And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.
Believest thou this? 27. She saith to him, Yes, Lord, I believe that
thou art the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world.

18. Now Bethany was near Jerusalem. The Evangelist
diligently follows out all that contributes to the certainty of
the narrative. He relates how near Jerusalem was to the
village of Bethany, that no one may be astonished that, for
the purpose of comforting the sisters, many friends came
from Jerusalem, whom God intended to be witnesses of the
miracle. For, though the desire of performing an oftice of
kindness was their inducement to go, yet they were assem-
bled there, by a secret decree of God, for another purpose,
that the resurrection of Lazarus might not remain unknown,
or that the witnesses might not be only those who belonged to
the family. Now it is a convincing proof of the base ingrati-
tude of the nation, that this striking demonstration of Divine
power at a well-known place, amidst a vast crowd of men,
and near the gates of the city, and which might almost be
said to be erected on a stage, instantly vanishes from the eyes

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 433

of men. We should rather say that the Jews, by maliciously
shutting their eyes, intentionally do not see what is before
their eyes. Nor is it anew or uncommon occurrence, that
men who, with excessive eagerness, continually gape for |
miracles, are altogether dull and stupid in the consideration
of them.

About fifteen furlongs. This distance between the two
places was somewhat less than two thousand paces, or, two .
miles; for the Stadium, or furlong, contains six hundred feet ;
that is, one hundred and twenty-five paces.!

19. Yo comfort them concerning their brother. This was, no
doubt, the object which they had in view, but God had
another object to accomplish, as we have stated. It is evi-
dent from what is here mentioned, that the house of Lazarus
and his sisters was greatly respected and honoured. Again,
as it is natural that the death of friends should occasion grief
and mourning to men, this duty, which the Evangelist men-
tions, ought not to be blamed, unless on this ground, that
sinful excess, which prevails in this and in other depart-
ments of life, corrupts what is not in itself sinful.

20. Martha having heard that Jesus was coming. Martha
travels beyond the village, as we shall afterwards see, not
only perhaps on account of the reverence which she bore to
Christ, but that she might meet him more secretly; for his
danger was fresh in his recollection, and the rage of enemies
had not well subsided, which had been a little abated by
Christ’s departure into Galilee, but might, on their hearing
of his arrival, break out anew with greater violence.

21. Lord, if thou hadst been here. She begins with a com-
plaint, though in doing so she modestly expresses her wish.
Her meaning may be expressed thus—“ By thy presence thou

1 The Roman Passus, or pace—measured from the spot where either
foot was planted to the spot where the same foot was planted after two
ordinary steps—was five feet ; so that the Mille, or thousand paces, con-
tained five thousand feet, rather less than an English mile; and the Sta-
dium, or furlong, which contained, as CALVIN states, ‘‘ one hundred and
twenty-five paces,” was equal to six hundred and twenty-five feet.— Ed.

434 COMMENTARY ON THE

mightst have delivered my brother from death, and even
now thou canst do it, for God will not refuse thee any thing.”
By speaking in this manner, she gives way to her feelings,
instead of restraining them under the rule of faith. Lacknow-
ledge that her words proceeded partly from faith, but I say
that there were disorderly passions mixed with them, which
hurried her beyond due bounds. For when she assures her-
self that her brother would not have died, if Christ had been
present, what ground has she for this confidence? Certainly,
it did not arise from any promise of Christ.

The only conclusion therefore is, that she inconsiderately
yields to her own wishes, instead of subjecting herself to
Christ. When she ascribes to Christ power and supreme
goodness, this proceeds from faith ; but when she persuades
herself of more than she had heard Christ declare, that has
nothing to do with faith;' for we must always hold the
mutual agreement between the word and faith, that no man
may rashly forge anything for himself, without the authority
of the word of God. Besides, Martha attached too much
importance to the bodily presence of Christ. The conse-
quence is, that Martha’s faith, though mixed up and inter-
woven with ill-regulated desires, and even not wholly free
from superstition, could not shine with full brightness; so
that we perceive but a few sparks of it in these words.

23. Thy brother shall rise again. The kindness of Christ
is amazing, in forgiving those faults of Martha which we have
mentioned, and in promising her, of his own accord, more
than she had ventured plainly and directly to ask.

24. I know that he shall rise again. We now see Martha’s
excessive timidity in extenuating the meaning of Christ’s
words. We have said that she went farther than she had a
right to do, when she fabricated a hope for herself out of the
feelings of her own mind. She now falls into an opposite
fault ; for when Christ stretches forth his hand, she stops
short, as if she were alarmed. We ought therefore to guard

1 “ Cela n’a rien de commun avee la foy.”

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 435

against both of these extremes. On the one hand, we must
not, without the authority of God’s word, drink in empty
hopes, which will prove to be nothing but wind ; and, on the
other hand, when God opens his mouth, it is not proper that
he should find our hearts either blocked up, or too firmly
closed. Again, by this reply, Martha intended to ascertain
more than she ventured to expect from the words of Christ,
as if she had said: “ If you mean the last resurrection, I
have no doubt that my brother will be raised again at the last
day, and I comfort myself with this confident expectation,
but I do not know if you direct my attention to something
greater.”

25. Iam the resurrection and the life. Christ first declares
that he is the resurrection and the life, and then he explains,
separately and distinctly, each clause of this sentence. His
first statement is, that he zs the resurrection, because the
restoration from death to life naturally comes before the state
of life. Now the whole human race is plunged in death;
and, therefore, no man will be a partaker of life until he is
risen from the dead. Thus Christ shows that he is the com-
- mencement of life, and he afterwards adds, that the continu-
ance of life is also a work of his grace. That he is speaking
about spiritual life, is plainly shown by the exposition which
immediately follows,

He who believeth in me, though he were dead, shalllive. Why
then is Christ the resurrection? Because by his Spirit he
regenerates the children of Adam, who had been alienated
from God by sin, so that they begin to live a new life. On
this subject, I have spoken more fully under Chapter v. 21
and 24;1 and Paul is an excellent interpreter of this passage,
(Eph. ii. 5, and v. 8.) | Away now with those who idly talk
that men are prepared for receiving the grace of God by the
movement of nature. They might as well say that the dead
walk. For that men live and breathe, and are endued with
sense, understanding, and will, all this tends to their destruc-
tion, because there is no part or faculty of the soul that is

‘See pp. 200 and 204 of this volume.

436 COMMENTARY ON THE

not corrupted and turned aside from what is right. Thus it
is that death everywhere holds dominion, for the death of the
soul is nothing else than its being estranged and turned aside
from God.‘ Accordingly, they who believe in Christ, though
they were formerly dead, begin to live, because faith is a
spiritual resurrection of the soul, and—so to speak—animates
the soul itself that it may live to God; according to that
passage, Zhe dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and
they who hear shall live, (John v. 25.) Thisis truly a remark-
able commendation of faith, that it conveys to us the life
of Christ, and thus frees us from death.

26. And whosoever liveth, and believeth in me. This is the
exposition of the second clause, how Christ is the life ; and he
is so, because he never permits the life which he has once be-
stowed to be lost, but preserves it to the end. For since
flesh is so frail, what would become of men, if, after having
once obtained life, they were afterwards left to themselves ?
The perpetuity of the Life must, therefore, be founded on the
power of Christ himself, that he may complete what he has
begun.

Shall never die. The reason why it is said that believers
never die is, that their souls, being born again of zncorruptible
seed, (1 Pet. i. 23,) have Christ dwelling in them, from whom
they derive perpetual vigour; for, though the body be subject
to death on account of sin, yet the spirit is life on account of
righteousness, (Rom. vii. 10.) That the outward man daily
decays in them is so far from taking anything away from their
true life, that it aids the progress of it, because the mward
man is renewed from day to day, (2 Cor. iv. 16.) What is still
more, death itself is a sort of emancipation from the bondage
of death.

Dost thou believe this? Christ seems, at first sight, to dis-
course about spiritual life, for the purpose of withdrawing the
mind of Martha from her present desire. Martha wished
that her brother should be restored to life. Christ replies,
that he is the Author of a more excellent life; and that is,

N’est autre chose qu’estre estrangé et detourné de Dieu.”

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOIN. 437

because he quickens the souls of believers by divine power.
Yet I have no doubt that he intended to include both favours;
and therefore he describes, in general terms, that spiritual life
which he bestows on all his followers, but wishes to give them
some opportunity of knowing this power, which he was soon
afterwards to manifest in raising Lazarus.

27. Yes, Lord. To prove that she believes what she had
heard Christ say about himself, that he is the resurrection and
the life, Martha replies, that she believes that he is the Christ, and
the Son of God ; and indeed this knowledge includes the sum
of all blessings; for we ought always to remember for what
purpose the Messiah was promised, and what duty the pro-
phets ascribe to him. Now when Martha confesses that it
was he who was to come into the world, she strengthens her
faith by the predictions of the prophets. Hence it follows,
that we ought to expect from him the full restoration of all
things and perfect happiness ; and, in short, that he was sent
to erect and prepare the true and perfect state of the kingdom
of God.

e

28. Having said these things, she went away, and called Mary her
sister secretly, saying, The Master is here, and calleth for thee. 29. As
soon as she heard it, she immediately arose, and came to him. 30. Now
Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was in the place where
Martha met him. 381. Then the Jews, who were with her in the house,
and comforted her, perceiving that Mary suddenly arose and went out,
followed her, saying, She goeth to the tomb, to weep there. 52. Mary
therefore, having come where Jesus was, and having seen him, fell at his
feet, saying to him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother would not
have died. 33. Jesus therefore, when he saw her weeping, and the Jews
who came with her also! weeping, groaned in his spirit, and was troubled,
34. And said, Where have you laid him? They say to him, Lord, come
and see. 35. Jesus wept. 36. The Jews therefore said, Behold how he
loved him !? 37. And some of them said, Could not this man, who opened
the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not die ?
38. Then Jesus, again groaning within himself, came to the tomb. Now
it was a cave, and a stone was placed on it,

28. And called Mary, her sister. It was probably at the
request of Martha, that Christ remained on the outside of the

1“ Aussi.” 2 “Voyez comme il l’aimoit ! ”—‘‘ see how he loved him !”

438 COMMENTARY ON THE

village, that he might not enter ito so great an assembly of
people ; for she dreaded the danger, because Christ had but
latély escaped with difficulty from instant death. Accord-
ingly, that the rumour about his arrival might not spread
farther, she makes it known privately to her sister.

The Master is here. The word Master shows in what esti-
mation Christ was held among those pious women. Though
they had not hitherto profited so much as they might have
done, still it was a’great matter that they were entirely devoted
to him as his disciples ; and Mary’s sudden departure, to come
and meet him, was a proof that she regarded him with no
ordinary reverence.

31. Then the Jews who were with her. Though Martha
was permitted by Christ to return home for the purpose of
withdrawing her sister from the numerous assembly, yet
Christ had another design in view, which was, that the Jews
might be witnesses of the miracle. True, they have no
thought of it, but it was no new thing that men should be
led, as it were in darkness, and by the secret providence of
God, where they did not intend to go. They think that
Mary is going to the tomb, according to the custom of those
who seek excitements of their grief. or it is a very preva-
lent disease, that husbands deprived of their wives, parents
deprived of their children, and, on the other hand, wives
deprived of their husbands, and children deprived of their
parents or other relatives and friends, are eager to increase
their grief by every possible method. It is also customary
to resort to various contrivances for this purpose. The
affections of men are already sufficiently disordered; but it
is still worse,' that they inflame them by new excitements,
that they may rush against God with greater ardour and
violence. It was their duty to dissuade Mary from going,
that the sight of the tomb might not give fresh occasion for
her grief; yet they do not venture to apply so harsh a remedy,
but even themselves contribute to the excess of her grief, by
accompanying her to the tomb. Thus it frequently happens,

1“ Mais voyci le pis.”

j
9
%
4

Se ee a Tee eee Te eS eT ee

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOIIN. 439

that they who treat too gently the excesses of their friends
do them little good by their consolations.

32. She fell at his feet. From her falling down at his feet
we learn that Christ was honoured in that house beyond the
ordinary custom of men. For, though it was customary to
throw themselyes down on the ground in the presence of
kings and great men, yet as Christ had nothing about him,
according to the flesh, that was royal or magnificent, it was for
a different purpose that Mary fell down at his feet. Indeed,
she would not have done so, if she had not been convinced
that he was the Son of God.

Lord, if thou hadst been here. Though she appears to speak
of Christ respectfully, yet we have lately pointed out what is
faulty in these words; for the power of Christ, which filled
heaven and earth, ought not to have been limited to his bodily
presence.

33. He groaned in his spirit. If Christ had not been excited
to compassion by their tears, he would rather have kept his
countenance unmoved, but when, of his own accord, he con-
forms to those mourners, so far as to weep along with them,!
he gives proof that he has sympathy, (cowrddsa.) For the
cause of this feeling is, in my opinion, expressed by the
Evangelist, when he says that Christ saw Mary and the rest
weeping. Yet I have no doubt that Christ contemplated
something higher, namely, the general misery of the whole
human race; for he knew well what had been enjoined on
him by the Father, and why he was sent into the world,
namely, to free us from all evils. As he has actually done
this, so he intended to show that he accomplished it with
warmth and earnestness. Accordingly, when he is about to
raise Lazarus, before granting deliverance or aid, by the
groaning of his spirit, by a strong feeling of grief, and by
tears, he shows that he is as much affected by our distresses
as if he had endured them in his own person.

But how do groaning and trouble of mind belong to the

1 “Quand de son bon gré il se conforme & ces pleurans, jusques
pleurer avec eux.”

440 COMMENTARY ON THE

person of the Son of God? As some reckon it absurd to say
that Christ,as one of the number of human beings, was subject
to human passions, they think that the only way in which he
experienced grief or joy was, that he received in himself those
feelings, whenever he thought proper, by some secret dispen-
sation. It is in this sense, Augustine thinks, that the Evan-
gelist says that he was troubled, because other men are
hurried along by their feelings, which exercise dominion, or
rather tyranny, to ¢rouble their minds. He considers the
meaning therefore to be, that Christ, though otherwise tran-
quil and free from all passion, brought groaning and grief upon
himself of his own accord. But this simplicity will, in my
opinion, be more agreeable to Scripture, if we say that the
Son of God, having clothed himself with our flesh, of his own
accord clothed himself also with human feelings, so that he
did not differ at all from his brethren, sin only excepted. In
this way we detract nothing from the glory of Christ, when
we say that it was a voluntary submission, by which he was
brought to resemble us in the feelings of the soul. Besides,
as he submitted from the very commencement, we must not
imagine that he was free and exempt from those feelings;
and in this respect he proved himself to be our brother, in
order to assure us, that we have a Mediator, who willingly
pardons our infirmities, and who is ready to assist those
infirmities which he has experienced in himself.

It will perhaps be objected, that the passions of men are
sinful, and therefore it cannvt be admitted that we have them
in common with the Son of God. I reply, there is a wide
difference between Christ and us. For the reason why our
feelings are sinful is, that they rush on without restraint, and
suffer no limit ; but in Christ the feelings were adjusted and
regulated in obedience to God, and were altogether free from
sin. To express it more fully,’ the feelings of men are sinful
and perverse on two accounts ; first, because they are hurried
along by impetuous motion, and are not regulated by the true
rule of modesty ; and, secondly, because they do not always
arise from a lawful cause, or, at least, are not directed to a

1 ¢ Pour mieux dire.”

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JONN. 441

lawful end. I say that there is excess, because no person
rejoices or grieves, so far only as is sufficient, or as God per-
mits, and there are even some who shake themselves loose
from all restraint. The vanity of our understanding brings
us grief or sadness, on account of trifles, or for no reason
whatever, because we are too much devoted to the world.
Nothing of this nature was to be found in Christ ; for he had
no passion or affection of his own that ever went beyond its
proper bounds; he had not one that was not proper, and
founded on reason and sound judgment.

To make this matter still more clear, it will be of import-
ance for us to distinguish between man’s first nature, as it
was created by God, and this degenerate nature, which is
corrupted by sin. When God created man, he implanted
affections in him, but affections which were obedient and
submissive to reason. That those affections are now disor-
derly and rebellious is an accidental fault ; that is, it proceeds
from some other cause than from the Creator." Now Christ
took upon him human affections, but without (draZiax) dis-
order; for he who obeys the passions of the flesh is not
obedient to God. Christ was indeed troubled and vehemently
agitated; but, at the same time, he kept himself in subjec-
- tion to the will of the Father. In short, if you compare his
passions with ours, they will differ not less than pure and
clear water, flowing in a gentle course, differs from dirty and
muddy foam.

The example of Christ ought to be sufficient of itself for
setting aside the unbending sternness which the Stoics
demand; for whence ought we to look for the rule of
supreme perfection but from Christ? We ought rather to
endeayour to correct and subdue that obstinacy which per-
vades our affections on account of the sin of Adam, and, in
so doing, to follow Christ as our leader, that he may bring us
into subjection, Thus Paul does not demand from us hardened
stupidity, but enjoins us to observe moderation zn our mourn-
ing, that we may not abandon ourselves to grief, ke unbelievers
who have no hope, (1 Thess. iv. 13;) for even Christ took our

1“ C’est A dire, venant d’ailleurs que du Createur.”
VOL. I. 2E

442 COMMENTARY ON THE

affections into himself, that by his power we may subdue
every thing in them that is sinful.

36. Behold, how he loved him! The Evangelist John here
describes to us two different opinions which were formed
about Christ. As to the former, who said, Behold, how he
loved him! though they think less highly of Christ than they
ought to have done, since they ascribe to him nothing but
what may belong to a man, yet they speak of him with
ereater candour and modesty than the latter, who maliciously
slander him for not having hindered Lazarus from dying.
For, though they applaud the power of Christ, of which the
former said nothing, yet they do so, not without bringing
against him some reproach. It is evident enough from their
words, that the miracles which Christ had performed were
not unknown to them; but so much the more base is their
ingratitude, that they do not scruple to complain, because
now, in a single instance, he abstained from working. Men
have always been ungrateful to God in the same manner,
and continue to be so. If he does not grant all our wishes,
we immediately launch into complaints: ‘ Since he has been
accustomed to aid us hitherto, why does he now forsake and
disappoint us?” ‘There is here a twofold disease. First,
though we rashly desire what is not expedient for us, yet we
wish to subject God to the perverse desires of the flesh.
Secondly, we are rude in our demands, and the ardour of
impatience hurries us before the time.

38, Jesus therefore again groaning within himself. Christ
does not approach the sepulchre as an idle spectator, but as
a champion who prepares for a contest; and therefore we
need not wonder that he again groans ; for the violent tyranny
of death, which he had to conquer, is placed before his eyes.
Some explain this groan to have arisen from indignation,
because he was offended at that unbelief of which we have
spoken. But another reason appears to me far more appro-
priate, namely, that he contemplated the transaction itself
rather than the men. Next follow various circumstances,
which tend to display more fully the power of Christ in

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 443

raising Lazarus. I refer to the time of four days, during
which the tomb had been secured by a stone, which Christ
commands to be removed in presence of all.

59. Jesus saith, Remove the stone. Martha, the sister of him who was
dead, saith to him, Lord, he already stinketh, for this is the fourth day.
40. Jesus saith to her, Did I not tell thee that, if thou believe, thou shalt
see the glory of God? 41. They therefore removed the stone from the
place where he who was dead lay. And Jesus again lifted up his eyes, and
said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. 42. And I knew that
thou hearest me always, but, on account of the multitude around me, I
said it, that they may believe that thouhast sent me. 43. Having spoken
these words, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. 44. And
he who had been dead came forth, bound hand and foot with bandages,
and his face was wrapped ina napkin. Jesus saith to them, Loose him,
and let him go.

39. Lord, he already stinketh. This is an indication of
distrust, for she promises herself less from the power of
Christ than she ought to have done. The root of the evil
consists in measuring the infinite and incomprehensible power
of God by the perception of her flesh. There being nothing
more inconsistent with life than putrefaction and offensive
smell, Martha infers that no remedy can be found. Thus,
when our minds are preoccupied by foolish thoughts, we
banish God from us, if we may be allowed the expression,
so that he cannot accomplish in us his own work. Certainly,
it was not owing to Martha, that her brother did not lie
continually in the tomb, for she cuts off the expectation of
life for him, and, at the same time, endeavours to hinder
Christ from raising him ; and yet nothing was farther from
her intention. This arises from the weakness of faith.
Distracted in various ways, we fight with ourselves, and
while we stretch out the one hand to ask assistance from
God, we repel, with the other hand, that very assistance, as
soon as it is offered.' True, Martha did not speak falsely,
when she said, I know that whatsoever thou shalt ask from God
he will give thee; but a confused faith is of little advantage,
unless it be put in operation, when we come to a practical
case.

We may also perceive in Martha how various are the effects

1“ Ceste mesme aide, si tost qu’il nous la presente.”

444 COMMENTARY ON THE

of faith, even in the most excellent persons. She was the
first that came to meet Christ; this was no ordinary proof of
her piety; and yet she does not cease to throw difficulties in
his way. That the grace of God may have access to us, let
us learn to ascribe to it far greater power than our senses
can comprehend ; and, if the first and single promise of God
has not sufficient weight with us, let us, at least, follow the
example of Martha by giving our acquiescence, when he
confirms us a second and third time.

40. Did not I tell thee? Ue reproves Martha’s distrust, in
not forming a hope sufficiently vigorous from the promise
which she had heard. It is evident from this passage, that
something more was said to Martha than John has literally
related ; though, as I have suggested, this very thing was
meant by Christ, when he called himself the resurrection and the
life. Martha is therefore blamed for not expecting some
Divine work.

If thou believe. This is said, not only because faith
opens our eyes, that we may be able to see the power of God
shining in his works, but because our faith prepares the way
for the power, mercy, and goodness of God, that they may
be displayed towards us, as it is said, Open thy mouth wide,
and I will fill it, (Ps. 1xxxi. 10.) In like manner, unbelief, on
the other hand, hinders God from approaching us, and may
be said to keep his hands shut. On this account it is
said elsewhere, that Jesus could not perform any miracle there
on account of their unbelief, (Matth. xiii. 58.) Not that the
power of God is bound by the caprice of men, but because,
as far as they are able, their malice opposes the exercise of
that power, and therefore they do not deserve that it should
be manifested to them. Trequently, indeed, does God over-
come such obstacles; but yet, whenever he withdraws his
hand, so as not to assist unbelievers, this is done because,
shut up within the narrow limits of their unbelief, they do
not allow it to enter.

Thou shalt see the glory of God. Observe, that a miracle
is called the glory of God, because God, displaying in it the
power of his hand, glorifies his name. But Martha, now

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN, 445

satisfied with Christ’s second declaration, permits the stone
to be removed. As yet she sees nothing, but, hearing the Son
of God, not without a good reason, give this order, she
willingly relies on his authority alone.

41. And Jesus again raised his eyes. This was the token of
a mind truly prepared for prayer; for before any one calls on
God aright, he must be brought into communication with
him, and this can only be done when, raised above the earth,
he ascends even to heaven. ‘True, this is not done by the
eyes; for hypocrites, who are plunged in the deep filth of
their flesh, appear to draw down heaven to them by their
stern aspect ; but what they only pretend to do must be sin-
cerely accomplished by the children of God. And yet he
who raises his eyes to heaven ought not, in his thoughts, to
limit God to heaven; for He is present everywhere, and ills
heaven and earth, (Jer. xxiii. 24.) But as men can never free
themselves from gross imaginations, so as not to form some
low and earthly conception about God, unless when they are
raised above the world, Scripture sends them to heaven, and
declares that heaven is the habitation of God, (Isa. Ixvi. 1.)

So far as relates to the eyes, it is not a custom that must
be perpetually observed, so that without it prayer is not law-
ful; for the publican, who prays with his face cast down to
the ground, does not the less, on this account, pierce heaven
by his faith, (Luke xviii. 13.) Yet this exercise is profitable,
because men are aroused by it to seek God; and not only so,
but the ardour of prayer often affects the body in sucha
manner that, without thinking of it, the body follows the
mind of its own accord. Certainly, we cannot doubt that,
when Christ raised his eyes to heaven, he was carried towards
it with extraordinary vehemence. Besides, as all his thoughts
were with the Father, so he also wished to bring others to
the Father along with him.

Father, I thank thee. He begins with thanksgiving, though
he has asked nothing; but though the Evangelist does not
relate that he prayed in a form of words, yet there can be no
doubt whatever that, before this, there was a prayer, for
otherwise it could not have been heard. And there is reason

446 COMMENTARY ON THE

to believe that he prayed amidst those groanings which the
Evangelist mentions ; for nothing could be more absurd than
to suppose that he was violently agitated within himself, as
stupid men are wont to be. Having obtained the life of
Lazarus, he now thanks the Father. By saying that he has
received this power from the Father, and by not ascribing it
to himself, he does nothing more than acknowledge that he is
the servant of the Father. For, accommodating himself to
the capacity of men, he at one time openly proclaims his
Divinity, and claims for himself whatever belongs to God;
and, at another time, he is satisfied with sustaining the char-
acter of a man, and yields to the Father the whole glory of
Divinity. Here both are admirably brought together by the
Evangelist in one word, when he says that the Father heard
Christ, but that he gives thanks, that men may know that he
was sent by the Father, that is, that they may acknowledge
him to be the Son of God. The majesty of Christ being in-
capable of being perceived in its true elevation, the power of
God, which appeared in his flesh, gradually raised to this
elevation the gross and dull senses of men. For since he in-
tended to be wholly ours, we need not wonder if he accom-
modates himself to us in various ways; and as he even allowed
himself to be emptied (Philip. i. 7) for us, there is no absurd-
ity in saying that he abases himself on our account.

42. And I knew that thou hearest me always. This is an
anticipation, lest any one should think that he did not stand
so high in favour with the Father, as to be able easily to per-
form as many miracles as he chose. He means, therefore,
that there is so great an agreement between him and the
Father, that the Father refuses him nothing; and even that
he had no need to pray, because he only executed what he
knew that the Father had enjoined; but in order that men
may be more fully assured that this is truly a divine work, for
this reason he called on the name of the Father. It will per-
haps be objected, Why then did he not raise all the dead?
The reply is easy. A certain fixed limit was assigned to
miracles by the purpose of God, so far as he knew to be suf-
ficient for confirming the Gospel.

2 eb eed

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 417

43. He cried with a loud voice. By not touching with the
hand, but only crying with the voice, his Divine power is more
fully demonstrated. At the same time, he holds out to our
view the secret and astonishing efficacy of his word. For
how did Christ restore life to the dead but by the word?
And therefore, in raising Lazarus, he exhibited a visible token
of his spiritual grace, which we experience every day by the
perception of faith, when he shows that his voice gives life.

44. Bound hand and foot with bandages. The Evangelist
is careful to mention the napkin and bandages, in order to
inform us that Lazarus went out of the tomb, in the same
manner that he was laid in it. This mode of burying is re-
tained to the present day by the Jews, who cover the body
with a shroud, and wrap the head separately in a handker-
chief.

Loose him, and let him go. To magnify the glory of the
miracle, it only remained that the Jews should even touch
with their hands that Divine work which they had beheld
with their eyes. For Christ might have removed the bandages
with which Lazarus was bound, or made them to give way
of themselves ; but Christ intended to employ the hands of
the spectators as his witnesses.

The Papists act an excessively ridiculous part, by endea-
youring to draw auricular confession from this passage. They
say, ‘‘ Christ, after having restored Lazarus to life, com-
manded his disciples to loose him; and therefore it is not
enough for us to be reconciled to God, unless the Church
also pardon our sins.” But whence do they conjecture that
the disciples were enjoined to loose Lazarus? On the con-
trary, we may infer that the order was given to the Jews, in
order to take from them every ground of doubt or hesitation.

45. Many therefore of the Jews, who had come to Mary, and had seen
the things which Jesus did, believed on him. 46. But some of them went
away to the Pharisees, and told them what Jesus had done. 47. Then
the chief priests and Pharisees assembled the council, and said, What do
we? for this man doth many miracles. 48. If we let him go on thus,
all will believe on him ; and the Romans will come, and will take away
our place and nation. 49. But one of them, named Caiaphas, who was
the high priest of that year, said to them, You know nothing at all,
50. Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for

448 COMMENTARY ON THE

the people, and that the whole nation should not perish. 51. Now this
he spoke, not of himself, but being the high priest of that year, he pro-
phesied that Jesus would die for the nation; 52. And not for that nation
only, but that he might assemble, in one body, the children of God who
were scattered abroad.

45. Many therefore of the Jews believed on him. Christ did
not permit the miracle which he had wrought to be without
fruit, for by means of it he drew some persons to the faith.
For we ought to understand that miracles have a twofold
use. They are intended either to prepare us for faith, or to
confirm us in faith. The former is here denoted by the
Evangelist; for he means that those of whom he speaks
regarded Christ with admiration and reverence, so as to
submit to be his disciples ; otherwise the bare miracle could
not have been sufficient to produce faith. Accordingly, by
the word believe we must not suppose anything else to be
meant than a willingness to embrace the doctrine of Christ.

46. But some of them went away to the Pharisees. In those
who accuse Christ we behold detestable ingratitude, or rather
horrible rage, from which we infer how blind and mad is
their impiety. The resurrection of Lazarus ought undoubt-
edly to have softened even hearts of stone; but there is no
work of God which impiety will not infect and corrupt by
the bitterness of its poison. So then, before men can profit
by miracles, their hearts must be purified; for they who have
no fear of God, and no reverence for him, though they
saw heaven and earth mingled, will never cease to reject
sound doctrine through obstinate ingratitude. Thus you will
see in the present day many enemies of the Gospel, like
fanatics, fighting with the open and visible hand of God.
And yet they demand miracles from us, but it is for no other
purpose than to show that, in stubborn resistance, they are
monsters of men. As to the report being carried to the
Pharisees rather than to any others,' it is because, in propor-
tion to their hypocrisy, they were more fierce in opposing
the Gospel. or the same reason he soon afterwards makes
express mention of them, when he relates that the council was

1 “ Plustost qu’a quelques autres.”

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 449

assembled. They were indeed a part of the priests, but are
specially named by the Evangelist, because they served the
purpose of bellows to kindle the rage of the whole council.

47. Then the chief priests and the Pharisees assembled the
council. Not less monstrous is the blindness of the priests,
which is here described. If they had not been exceedingly
stupid and brutish, they would at least have been impressed
with some reverence for Christ, after so striking a demonstra-
tion of his Divine power. They now assemble deliberately
and intentionally to bury the glory of God, at the sight of
which they are constrained to be astonished. ‘True, they
do not openly proclaim that they wish to make war
with God, but as they cannot extinguish Christ but by
overturning the power of God, they unquestionably fight
against that power openly by presumption and sacrilege.
Infidelity indeed is always haughty, and despises God, but
does not all at once break out to such an extent as to raise
its horns against God. But when men have long struggled
against God, the result at which they ultimately arrive is,
that they endeavour to ascend above heaven, after the man-
ner of the giants,! without any dread of the Divine majesty ;?
for they acknowledge that Christ doth many miracles. And
whence proceeds his great power? They therefore openly
prepare to crush the power of God, which shines in the
miracles of Christ. Yet God is not unemployed ; but though
he wink at them for a time, he laughs at their foolish arro-
gance, till the time come for executing his wrath, as it is
said, (Ps. ii. 4, 12.)

What do we? By these words they accuse themselves of
sloth, as if they said that it is on account of their doing no-
thing, that Christ continues to make advances, because by
active exertion they may stop his progress. Such is the
confidence of wicked men, by which they lay claim to every-
thing, as if it were in their power to do as they please, and
as if even the result of the work depended on their wishes.

1.See p. 223, n. 1. 2“ De la Divine majesté.”

450 COMMENTARY ON THE

And if the whole be duly weighed, they here employ their
own industry as a shield against the Divine power, as if by
perseverance they could vanquish God.

48. If we let him alone thus. What if they do not let him
alone? In that case, as we have already said, they are fully ~
convinced that it lies in their power to block up Christ’s path,
so that he shall go no farther, provided that they earnestly
strive against him. If Christ had been some impostor, their
duty would have been to employ their exertions, that he
might not lead away the sheep from the Lord’s flock; but by
confessing his miracles, they make it sufficiently evident that
they do not care much about God, whose power they so
boldly and disdainfully despise.

The Romans will come. ‘They cloak their wickedness by a
plausible disguise, their zeal for the public good. The fear
that chiefly distressed them was, that their tyranny would be
destroyed; but they pretend to be anxious about the temple
and worship of God, about the name of the nation, and about
the condition of the people. And what is the object of all
this? For they do not appear to seek pretences of this nature
in order to deceive. They are not haranguing the people,
but are holding in secrecy a private consultation among them-
selves. Being all aware that they are guilty of the same
treachery, why do they not openly bring forward their plans
and opinions? It is because impiety, though gross and mani-
fest, is almost always accompanied by hypocrisy, and thus
wraps itself in indirect evasions or subterfuges, so as to de-
ceive under the semblance of virtue. ‘Their chief design un-
doubtedly was, to hold out some appearance of gravity,
moderation, and prudence, so as to practise imposition upon
others; but it may readily be believed that, when they pre-
tended to have just ground for persecuting Christ, they were
themselves deceived by that poor disguise. Thus hypocrites,
though their conscience reproves them within, are afterwards
intoxicated by vain imaginations, so that in sinning they
appear to be innocent. Yet they evidently contradict them-
selves ; for at first they confessed that Christ did many mira-

soe

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 451

cles, and now they dread the Romans, as if there had not
been abundantly sufficient protection in the power of God,
which showed itself to be present by those miracles.

The Romans will come. The Evangelist means, that the
chief object of their consultation was, to guard against im-
minent danger. “If the Romans,” they say, “knew that any
innovation was made in public matters, there is reason to
fear that they would send an army to ruin our nation, together
with the temple and worship of God.” Now it is wicked to
consult about guarding against dangers, which we cannot
avoid, unless we choose to depart from the right path. Our
first inquiry ought to be, What does God command and
choose to be done? By this we ought to abide, whatever
may be the consequence to ourselves. Those men, on the
other hand, resclve that Christ shall be removed from the
midst of them, that no inconvenience may arise by allowing
him to proceed, as he has begun. But what if he has been
sent by God? Shall they banish a prophet of God from
among them, to purchase peace with the Romans? Such are
the schemes of those who do not truly and sincerely fear
God. What is right and lawful gives them no concern, for

_ their whole attention is directed to the consequences.

But the only way to deliberate in a proper and holy manner
is this. First, we ought to inquire what is the will of God.
Next, we ought to follow boldly whatever he enjoins, and
not to be discouraged by any fear, though we were besieged
by a thousand deaths; for our actions must not be moved by
any gust of wind, but must be constantly regulated by the
will of God alone. - He who boldly despises dangers, or, at
least, rising above the fear of them, sincerely obeys God, will
at length have a prosperous result ; for, contrary to the ex-
pectation of all, God blesses that firmness which is founded
on obedience to his word. Unbelievers, on the other hand,
are so far from deriving any advantage from their precautions,
that, the more timorous they are, the more numerous are the
snares in which they entangle themselves.

In this narrative the form and character of our own age
are strikingly delineated. They who are desirous to be re-
garded as prudent and cautious have continually this song in

452 COMMENTARY ON THE

their mouth: “We must consult the public tranquillity ; the
reformation which we attempt is not unaccompanied by many
dangers.” After having raised this unfounded dislike against
us, they find no better expedient than to bury Christ, for the
purpose of obviating every annoyance. As if such wicked
contempt of the grace of God could actually have a prosper-
ous issue, when, in order to allay disturbances, they contrive
this remedy, that the doctrine of salvation shall be abolished.
On the contrary, what wicked men dread will happen; and
though they may obtain what they expect, still it is a most
unworthy recompense, to appease the world by offending
God.

Will take away our place. It is uncertain whether they
mean the temple or their country. They thought that their
salvation depended on both; for, if the temple was destroyed,
there would be no more sacrifices, or public worship of God,
or calling on his name. If, therefore, they cared any thing
about religion, they must have been anxious about the temple.
It was of great importance, on the other hand, for upholding
the condition of the Church, that they should not again be
led away out of their own land. They still remembered the
captivity into Babylon, which was an awfully severe ven-
geance of God. It was also a common proverb among them
—which is frequently to be found in the Law—that it was in
some respects a casting them off, if the Lord thrust them out
of that land, Hence they conclude that, unless Christ be
destroyed, the Church will not be safe.

49. Then one of them, named Caiaphas. It was a short
consultation, for Cazaphas did not allow them to hesitate long.
He holds out that there is but one way of purchasing safety,
and that is, to slay an innocent man. ‘To what a pitch of
wickedness do men proceed, who, destitute of the fear of God,
form their plans rather from the judgment of their flesh than
from the word of God, and who confidently believe that they
will derive advantage from that which is not permitted by
the Author of every blessing. For what Caiaphas meant
may be thus expressed. “They must provoke the wrath of
God, in order that they may be happy and_ prosperous.”

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOTIN. 453

Wherefore, let us learn never to separate what is useful from
what is lawful, since we ought not to expect any prosperity
or success but from the blessing of God, which is promised
not to wicked and rebellious persons, who ask assistance from
the devil, but to believers who sincerely walk in their ways,
(Ps. xci. 11.) And yet there was some plausibility in this
argument, for the public advantage ought always to have the
preference. But—as I have already said—a people is no
better protected by the unjust death of an innocent man, than
the whole body of a man is protected, when you only cut his
throat, or pierce his breast with a sword.

Who was the high priest of that year. He does not call him
the high priest of that year, as if he meant that the office was
annual, and lasted only for a year; but because it had become
a gift that could be purchased with money, and was conveyed
to various persons contrary to the injunction of the Law.
God did not intend that this dignity should be terminated
but by the death of him who held it;' but, in consequence
of trouble and confusion in public affairs, the Romans fre-
quently changed the priests according to their fancy.

51. Now he spoke this, not of himself. When the Evangelist

says that Caiaphas did not speak this of himself, he does not
mean that Caiaphas—like one who was mad, or out of his
senses—uttered what he did not understand; for he spoke
what was his own opinion. But the Evangelist means that
a higher impulse guided his tongue, because God intended
that he should make known, by his mouth, something higher
than what occurred to his mind. Cazaphas, therefore, might
be said, at that time, to have two tongues; for he vomited
out the wicked and cruel design of putting Christ to death,
which he had conceived in his mind; but God turned his
tongue to a different purpose, so that, under ambiguous words,
he likewise uttered a prediction. God intended that the
heavenly oracle should proceed from the high priest’s seat,
that the Jews might have less excuse. For, though not one
person in the whole assembly had his conscience moved, yet

1 «Parla mort de celuy qui l’avoit.”

454 COMMENTARY ON THE

they afterwards perceived that their insensibility was not
entitled to forgiveness. Nor did the wickedness of Caiaphas
prevent his tongue from being the organ of the Holy Spirit,
for God looked at the priesthood which he had instituted
rather than at the person of the man. And this was the
reason which I glanced at, that a voice uttered from a lofty
place might be more distinctly heard, and might have greater
reverence and authority. In the same manner, God intended
to bless his people by the mouth of Balaam, on whom he had
bestowed the spirit of prophecy.

But it is highly ridiculous in the Papists to infer from this
that we ought to reckon as an oracle whatever the Roman
high priest may think fit to pronounce. First, granting what
is false, that every man who is a high priest is also a prophet,
still they will be under the necessity of proying that the
Roman high priest is appointed by the command of God ; for
the priesthood was abolished by the coming of one man, who
is Christ, and we no where read that it was afterwards en-
joined by God that any one man should be the ruler of the
whole Church. Granting to them, in the second place, that
the power and title of high priest was conveyed to the Bishop
of Rome, we must see of what advantage it was to the priests
that they accepted the prediction of Caiaphas. In order to
concur in his opinion, they conspire to put Christ to death.
But far from us be that kind of obedience which drives us to
horrid apostacy by denying the Son of God. With the same
voice Caiaphas blasphemes and also prophesies. They who
follow his suggestion despise the prophecy, and adopt the
blasphemy. We ought to guard against the same thing hap-
pening to us, if we listen to the Cataphas of Rome; for other-
wise the comparison would be defective. Besides, I ask,
Must we conclude that, because Cazaphas once prophesied,
every word uttered by the high priest is always a prophecy ?
But soon afterwards Caiaphas condemned as blasphemy
(Matth. xxvi. 65) the most important article of our faith.
Hence we conclude, that what the Evangelist now relates
was an extraordinary occurrence, and that it would be foolish
to adduce it as an example.

That Jesus would die. First, the Evangelist shows that the

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 455

whole of our salvation consists in this, that Christ should
assemble us into one; for in this way he reconciles us to the
Father, in whom is the fountain of life, (Ps. xxxvi.9.) Hence,
also, we infer, that the human race is scattered and estranged
from God, until the children of God are assembled under
Christ their Head. Thus, the communion of saints is a pre-
paration for eternal life, because all whom Christ does not
gather to the Father remain in death, as we shall see again
under the seventeenth chapter. For the same reason Paul
also teaches that Christ was sent, in order that he might gather
together all things which are in heaven and in earth, (Eph. i, 10.)
Wherefore, that we may enjoy the salvation brought by
Christ, discord must be removed, and we must be made one
with God and with angels, and among ourselves. The cause
and pledge of this unity was the death of Christ, by which
he drew all things to himself; but we are daily gathered by
the Gospel into the fold of Christ.

52. And not for that nation only. The Evangelist means
that the reconciliation effected by Christ is also extended to
the Gentiles. But how comes it that they who, in conse-
quence of being wretchedly scattered and wandering, became
the enemies of God, are here called the children of God? |
answer, as has been already said, God had in his breast child-
ren, who in themselves were wandering and lost sheep, or
rather who were the farthest possible from being sheep, but,
on the contrary, were wolves and wild beasts. It is therefore
by election that he reckons as the children of God, even before
they are called, those who at length begin to be manifested
by faith both to themselves and to others.

53. From that day, therefore, they consulted to put him to death. 54.
Therefore Jesus no longer walked openly among the Jews, but retired
to a country near the wilderness, into a city which is called Ephraim,
and there dwelt with his disciples. 55. Now the passover of the Jews
was at hand, and many of that country went up to Jerusalem before the
passover, to purify themselves. 56. They therefore sought Jesus, and
said among themselves, while they stood in the temple, What think you ?
will he not come to the feast ? 57. Now the chief priests! and Pharisees

had issued an order, that if any one knew where he was, he would show it,
that they might seize him.

1 “Les principaux saerificateurs.”

455 COMMENTARY ON TIE

53. They consulted to put him to death. The Evangelist
relates that Christ again fled, knowing that his enemies sought
him with so great rage. Yet let us remember that he did
not fly in order to withdraw from his Father’s calling; for
he had no other intention than to present himself to undergo
voluntary death at the time which God had appointed. This
consultation, which the Evangelist mentions, related not so
much to slaying Christ as to find out some method of crush-
ing him. They had already determined to put him to death;
it only remained to advise in what way they could carry their
resolution into effect.

d4. Which is called Ephraim. As to the name of the town
which is mentioned here, I think that either it was pro-
nounced at that time in a corrupted manner, or it was
entirely new. For we know how greatly the language was
changed after the captivity into Babylon, and likewise how
different was the appearance of the country; so that we need
not be surprised that some places are mentioned, which in
ancient times were altogether unknown.

And there he dwelt with his disciples. By calling them dis-
ciples of Christ, he means not those who had received his
doctrine, but those who were his constant companions, and
who were wont to live under the same roof.

55. Many from that country went up to Jerusalem. It was
not absolutely enjoined that they should purify themselves
before sacrificing the passover; and, therefore, the Evangelist
does not say that all came, but many. No unclean person,
indeed, was permitted to eat; but I say that this sanctifica-
tion was undertaken voluntarily and from their own inclina-
tion, so that others were not forbidden to eat, though they
had not been prepared by such a ceremony before the day of
the feast.

56. They therefore sought Jesus. The design of the Evan-
gelist is, to show how extensively the fame of Christ was
diffused through the whole of Judea; for they who assemble
in the temple, from whatever quarter they come, are eager

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOJIN. 457

to seek Christ, and are employed in holding conversations
among themselves concerning him. It is true that they seek
him after a human fashion, but yet, in seeking him, they dis-
cover that it is the tyranny of the priests which prevents him
____ from appearing openly. ,

_<

END OF VOLUME FIRST.

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