Chapter XXIV (continued, part 6)
I (' have I been') born, and to this end caiuel—('am I come')—into the world, that I may bear witness to the truth— Ilis birlli expresses His manhood; His coming into
the world. His existence before assuming humanity: The truth, tlien, here aflirraed, though Pilate would catch
little of it, was, that His Incarnation was expressly in order
to the a-ssumplion of Royally in our nature. Yet, instead of saying, He came to be a king, which is His meaning, He says He came to testify to the truth. Why this? Because,
in such circumstances it required a nol)le courage not to
flinch from His royal claims; and our Lord, conscious that
Jle was pulling /ortli that courage, gives a turn to His con-
Ver. 1-lfi. Jesus before Pilate—ScouRfiED—Treated WITH other Severities and Insults—Delivered Up, AND Led away to be Crucified. 1-3. Pilate took .Jesus ai»d scourged him — in hope of appeasing tliem. See on Mark 15. 15. "And the soldiers led him away into the palace, and they call the whole band" (Mark 15. Ifi)—the body of the military cohort stationed there—to take part
fessiou expressive of it. It is to this that Paul alludes, in
tliose remarkable words to Timothy: "I charge thee be-
fore God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ
Jesus, wlio, in the presence of I'oiitius Pilate, witnessed
the good confession." (1 Timothy C. i;{.) Tliis one act of our Lord's life, His courageous witness-bearing before the governor, selected as an encouraging example of tlie
in the mock coronation now to be enacted, the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put It on his head—in mockery of a regal crown, and they put on him a purple rolic—in mockery of the imperial purple ; first "stripping him" (Matthew 27. 28) of His own outer garment. The rolie may have been the "gorgeous" one in which Herod arrayed and sent Him back to Pilate (I>uke 23. 11).' "And they put a reed into his right hand" (Malthew 27.
fidelity wliich Timothy ought to display. As the Lofd
(says Olsuausen beautifully] owned Himself i/ie iS'od of Ood before tlie most exalted theocratic council, so He confessed His reg(d dignity in presence of the representa-
tive of tlie highest political authority on earth. Every one that is of tlie truth heareth my voice—Our Lord here not only ailirms tliat His word bad in itaself-evidcn-
clng, self-recommending power, but ginitiy insinuated the
29)— in mockery of the regal sceptre. "And they bowed the kn<-R before him" (Matthew '27.29). and 8ai«l, Hall, King of the .Jews !—doing Him derisive homage, in the form used on approaching the emperors. "And tliey spit upon 1 1 im, and took the reed and smote Him on the head" (Malttiew '27.30). The best comment on these all'ectiiig de-
true secret of the growth and grandeur of His kingd(mi—HK A Kingdom of tiiutii, in its highest sense, into whicli all
souls who have learned to live and count all things but
loss for the trutli are, by a most heavenly attraction, drawn as into their proper element; thk Kino of whom
Jesus is, fetching tln in In and ruling them by His <'aptivatlng power over their hearts. Pilate saitli unto Ilim,
tails is to coDcr //ic/o.cc. 4, 5. Pilate went forlh again, and saiih, Behold I bring Cam bringing,' i. e., gning to
Wliiit is truth 1—7. ri., 'Thou stirrest the question of
bring) hlin forth to you, Vl»<«t y« may know 1 liad 110
questions, wlucli tiie thoughtful of every age have asked,
Jexus Ddh-ered to be Crucified. JOHN XIX. His Crucifixion and Death.
by the Romans), in the Hebrew, Gabbatha—from Its being raised. It was tlie preparation i.e., the day before the Jewish sabbath, and about tlie sixth hour The true reading here is probablj', 'the t?iird hour'—or 9
fault In Ulm—niul, by scourging him and allowing tlie SoUUors to make sport of him, have gone as far to meet your exasperation as can l}e expected from a juilge. .Tesiis
tlierefore came forth, wearing the crown of thorns, •nd the pnrple robe. And Pilate snith unto them, Behold the man!—Tliere is no reason to tliinlt: that con-
A. M.—which agrees best with the whole series of events, as well as with the other Evangelists, he saltli to the Jews, Behold your King !—Having now made up his mind to .yield to them, he takes a sort of quiet revenge on them by this irony, which he knew would sting them. This only reawakens their cry to despatcli Him. Crucify your king! We have no king but Ciiesar—' Some of those who thus cried died miserably in rebellion against Crosar forty years afterwards. But it suited their present
tempt dictated (his speech. There was clearly a struggle in
the breast of this wretched man. Not only was he reluc-
tant to surrender to mere clamour an innocent man, but a
feelinir of anxiety about His mysterious claims, as is plain from what follows, was beginning to rack his breast, and
the object of his exclamation seems to have been to ?j!oi e
iheir pity. But, be hix meaning what it may, those three words have been eagerly appropriated by all Christendom, ami enshrined for ever in its heart, as a sublime expressi<m of its calm, rapt admiration of its suffering Lord. 0, 7. When tlie chief priests saw him, they cried out—their fii-ndish rage kindling afresh at tlie siglit of Him—criK-ify film, einclf.v him—See on Mark lo. 14. Pilate saith unto them. Take ye him, and crucify him ; for I find no fault In him—as if this would relieve him of the responsibility of the deed, who, by surrendering Him. incurred it all! The Jews answered him. We have a law, and by our I.tw he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of CJod—Their criminal charges having conie to notliing, tliey give up that point, and as Pilate was throwi ng the whole responsibility upon them,
purpose.' [AI.PORD.] Then delivered he him therefore unto them to be crucified, etc.—See on Mark 15. 1.").
17-.30. CliUCIFIXION AND DrATH OF THE LORD JeSUS.
17. And he bearing l»is cross—See on Luke 23. 2(i—vrent forth— C'f. Hebrews 13. 11-13, " without the camp ;" " without the gate." On arriving at the place, " they gave Him vinegar to drink mingled with gall (wine mingled with myrrh, Mark 15. 23), and when He had tasted thereof. He would not drink," Mattliew 27. 34. This potion was stupefying, and given to criminals just before execution, to deaden the sense of pain.
" Vill high the bowl, and epice it well, ami pour
The dews oblivions : for the Cross is sharp, The Cross is sharp, and tie
tliey retreat into their own .Jewish law, by which, as claiming equality with God (see on ch. 5. 18 and 8. h'.)). He ought to die; insinuating that it was Pilate's dut.v, even as civil governor, to protect their law from such insult. 8-11. When Pilate heard this saying, he was the more afraid—the name "Sox of God," the lofty sense evidently attached to it by His .lewish accusers, the dialogue he hail already held with Him, and the dream of his wife (Matthew 27. 19), all working together in the breast of tt)e wretched man. and went again Into the judgment-hall, and saitlt to .Tesus, Whence ai-t thou ? —beyond nil doubt a question relating not to His ?nmiou but to His personal nririin. Jesus gave him no answer He had said enough ; the time for answering such a que.s-
Is tenderer than a lamb." [Keble.]
But otir Lord wcndd die with evei-y faeuUy clear, and in full
sensibilily to all His sufferinys.
"Thou wilt feel all, that Thou may'st pity all
And rather would'st Thou wrestle with strong pain,
Than overcloud Thy soul,
So clear in agony. Or lose one glimpse of Heaven before tlie time, 0 most entire and perfect Sacrifice, Renewed in every pulse," &c.—[KEBT.E.]
18. they crucified him, and two others with hlin "malefactors" (fjuke 23. 33), "thieves" (rather 'robbers,' Matthew 27. .38; Mark 15.27). On either side one and Jesus In the midst—a hellish expedient, to hold Him up as the worst of the three. But in this, as in many other of their doings, " the Scripture was fulfilled, which saith (Isaiah 53. 12), And he was numbered with the trangressors"— (Mark 15.28) — though the prediction reaches deeper. "Then said Jesus— ' probably while being nailed to the Cross' [Olsiiau.sen], Father, forgive them, for they KNOW NOT WHAT THEY Do" (Luke '23. 34)—and again the Scripture was fulfilled which said, "And He made inteicessiou for the transgressors" (Isaiah .5.3. 12), though this also reaches deeper. .See Acts .3. 17 ; 13. 27; and cf. 1 Timothy 1. 13. Often have we occasion to observe how our Lord is the first to fulfil His own precepts—thus furnisaing the right interpretation and the perfect Model of them. (See on Matthew 5. 44.) How quickly was it seen in "His martyr Stephen," that though He had left the earth in Person, His Spirit remained behind, and Himself could, in some of His brightest lineaments, be reproduced in His disciples! (Acts 7. 60.) And what does the world in every ageowe to these few words, spoken whei-e eind a.5they were spoken ! 19-ii'i, Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross, Jesus of IVazareth, the King of the Jews . . . and
tioj) was past ; the weak and wavering governor is already on the point of giving way. Then saith Pilate unto him, Vpeakest thou not to me 1—The "me" is the empliatic word in the question. He falls back upon the
priila of nfllrc. which doubtless tended to blunt tlie workings of his conscience, knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee I —«ai<l to work upon him at once l;y fetir and by hope. Thou couldst (rather 'shouldst') have no power at all against me—neither to crucify, nor to relejise, nor to do anytliing what'^ver against me. [Benrei,.] e-vcept it xvere (' unless it had been') given thee from .Tbove q. d., 'Thou thinkest too much of thy power, Pilate: against Me
that power is none, save wliat is meted out to thee by special Divine appointment, for a special end.' therefore he that delivered me unto thee (Caiaphas, to wit but he only as representing the Jewish authorities as a body) hath the greater sin—as having better opportuni-
ties and more knowledge of such matters. 13-16. And from henceforth—particularly this speech, which seems to have filled him with awe, and redoubled his anxiety. Pilate sought to release him i. e.. to gain their consent to it, for he could have done it at once on his authority, but tlie Jews cried—seeing their advantage, and not slow to profit by It. If thou let this man go, thou art not Cucsar's friend, Ac.—
it was written In Hebrew—or S.yro-Chaldaic, the language of the country—and Greek—the current language —and Latin—the official language. These were the chief languages of the earth, and this secured that all spectators should be able to read it. Stung by this, the Jewisli ecclesiastics entreat that it may be so altered as to express, not His real dignity, but His false claim to it. But Pilate thought he had yielded quite enough to them ; and having intended expressly to spite and insult them by this title, for having got him to act against his own sense of justice, he peremptorily refused them. And thus, amidst tliecon-
' This was equivalent to a threat of impeachment, which we know was much <lreaded by such officers as the procurators, especially of the character of Pilate or Felix. It also consummates the treachery and disgrace of the Jewish rulers, who were willing, for
the. purpose of destroying .Tesus, to afTe'ct a zeal for the supremacy of a foreign prince.' See r. 1.5. [WEnsTEK and Wilkinson.] When Pilate heard that, he brought Jesus forth, and sat down In (' upon') the Judgmentscat—that he might pronounce sentence against the Prisoner, on this charge, the m')re solemnly—in a place called the Pavement (a tesseluted paveineiit, much used
flicting passions of men, was proclaimed, In the chief tongues of mankind, from the Cross Itself and in circumstances which threw upon it a lurid yet grand light, the
The Soldiers Cast Lots /or Christ's Garments. JOHN XIX. lie Commcndclh His Mother to John.
of Isracl,t\\<2 Chosen, the»S'f») of Ood," the soldiers, to whom
truth which drew the Magi tollis manger, and will yet he owned by all thu world! !43, then tike soldiers, «-Jk«n lliey liHd criicitied •Jesus, tooit Ikis garments, and made four part^; to every soldier—of the lour who nailed llim to the cross, and wliose perquisite they were, a part, and also Ills eoat— the Roman tunic, or elo^.e-^ittlll^ vest. >vitliout seam, woven from tUe top tlironglioiii—
all such phraseology was mere Jewisli Jargon, make sport of Him as a pretender to royalty ("kino of the Jews"), an office and dignity whicli it lielonged to tliem to comprehend. " The thieves also, wliich were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth," Matthew 27. 4-1 ; Mark 15.32, Not both of them, however, as some commentators unnaturally think we must understand tliese words; a.s If some sudden change came over the penitent one, wliicli turned him from an unfeeling railer into a trembling petitioner. The plural "thieves" need not denote more tlian the quarter or class whence came this last and crudest taunt q. d., 'Not only did scoffs proceed from the passei'S-by, the ecclesiastics, the soldiery, but even from Hla
' perliaps denoting considerable skill and labour us necessary to produce such a garment, tue work probably of one or more of tlie women wlio ministered in such things unto him, Luke S. 3.' [Webster and Wilkinson.] Let us not rend it, but cast lots Aviiose it sUall be, tliat tlte Scripture mlglit be fulAlled wliieU saitli, Tliey parted iny raiment amon^ them ; and for my vesture tliey did cast lots, &c.—Fsalm 22. 18. That a prediction so exceedingly specific — distinguisliing one piece of dress from
fellow-sufferers,' a mode of speaking whieli no one would think necessarily meant both of them. Cf. Matthew 2. 20, " They Me dead which souglit the ciiild's life," meaning Herod; and Mark 9. 1, " There be some standing here," where it is next to certain tliat only John, the youngest and last survivor of the apostles, is meant. And is it conceivable that this penitent thief should have first himself reviled tlie Saviour, and then, on his views of Christ suddenly changing, he should have turned upon hisfellow-suflererand fellow-reviler, and rebuked him not only with dignified sharpness, but in the language of astonishment that lie should be capable of such conduct? Besides, there is a deep calmness in all that he utters, extremely unlike what we should expect from one who was the subject of a mental revolution so sudden and total. On the scene itself, see on Luke 23. 29-43. a.^i-ii?. Now there stood by the cross of Je$<is his mother, and hlg mother's sister, Mary, wife of Cleopltas—This sliould be read, as in margin," Clopas," the same as "Alpheus," Matthew 10.3. The "Cleopas" of Luke 24. IS was a different person. When Jesus saw his motlter, aiul the disciple whom he loved, standing by, he sni<i to hla mother, WoMAN, Behold thy son ! Then saith he to the fiisclple, BEHOLD THY MOTHER .'—What forgetfuluess of self, what filial love, and to the "mother" and "sou" what parting words! front that hour . . . took her to his own home—or, home witli him; for his father Zcliedee and his mother Salome were both alive, and the latter here present (Mark 15. 40). See on Matthew 13. 55. Now occurred the supernatural darfrness, recorded by all the other Kvangelists, but not here. "Now from the 6th hour (12, noon) there was darkness over all the land unto the 9tli hour," Matthew 27. 45. No ordinary eclipse of the sun could have occurred at this time, it being then
otliers, and announcing that while those should be parted amongst several, Chat should be given by lot to one person —that such a prediction should not only be fulfilled to llie
letter, but by a party of heathen milit^iry, without interference from either the friends or the enemies of the Crucified One, is surely worthy to be ranked among tlie wonders of this all-wonderful scene. Now come the mockeries, and from four different quarters: — (1.) "And they that passed 6^ reviled him, waggir.g their heads" in ridicule. Psalm 22. 7; ltJ9. 25; cf. Jeremiah 18. 16; Lamentations 2.
15. "Ah!" ' Ha,' an exclamation here of derision. "Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildesl it in tliree da.ys, save thyself and come down from the cross," Matthew 27.
39, 40; Mark 15. 29,30. 'It is evident that our Lord's saying, or rather tills perversion of it (for He claimed not to de-
stroy, but to rebuild the temple destroyed by them) had greatly exasperated the feeling wliich the priests and Pharisees had contrived to excite against Him. It is referred to as the principal fact brouglit out in evidence against Him on the trial (cf. Acts ti. 13, H), as an oll'cnce for which He deserved to suffer. And it is veiy remarkable tliat now, while it was receiving its real fnlfilmenl, it should be man's more public and more impressive by the insulting proclamation of His enemies. Hence the importance attached to it after the resurrection, ch. 2. 22.' [Web.ster and Wilkinson.] (2.) " Likewise also chief
priests, mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said. He saved others, himself he cannot save." There was a deep
trutli in this, as in other taunts ; for both He could not do, having "come to give His life a ransom for many." No doubt this added an unknown sting to the reproacli. "If he be the king of Israel, let him now come down from tlie
Cross, and we will believe him." J^o, they would not; for those who resisted the evidence from the resurrection of Lazarus, and from His own resurrection, were beyond the reach of any amount of merely external evidence. "He trusted in God that He would deliver him; let him deliver him now if he will liave him (or 'delight in him,'
full moon, and this oliscuration lasted ahowl twelve times the length of any ordinary eclipse. Cf. Exodus lu. 21, 23. Beyond doubt, tlie Divine intention of the portent was to invest this darkest of all tragedies with a gloom expressive of its real character. "And aliout the ninth hour Jesus d ied, Eli, Eli, lama samactiiani . . . My God, my God, wliy hast thou forsaken mef" Matthew 27. 4(). As the darkness commenced at the (ith hour, the second of the Jewisli hours of prayer, so It continued till the 9th hour,
cf. Psalm 18. 19; Deuteronomy 21. 11); for he said, I am the Son of God," Matthew 27. 41-t3. We tliank you, O ye chief priests, scribes, and elders, for this triple testimony, unconsciously borne by you, to our Christ: first to His habitual trust in God, as a feature in His character so marked and palpable tliat even ye found upon it your impotent taunt ; next, to His identity with the Nuffcrer nf the 22d Psalm, wliose very words (u. 8) ye unwittingl,v appropriate, thus serving yourselves heirs to the dark oftlce and impotent malignity of Messiah's enemies; and again, to the true sense of tliat august title which lie took to Himself, "The Son op God," whicli he rightly Interpreted at the very first (see on ch. h. IS) as a claim to that oneness of nature with Him, and dearness to Him, which a son has to his father. (.!.) "And tlie soldiers also mocked him, coming to him and offering him vinegar, and saying. If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself," Luke 2.'!. Sfi, 37. Tiiey insultingly offer to share with Him their own vinegar, or sour wine, the usual drink of Uoman soldiers, it being about the time Of their midday meal. In the taunt of the soldiers we nave one of \\\qso undesigned coincidences wMch so strikingly verify tliese historical records. While the ecclesias-
the hour of the evening sacrifice, incieasiiig probably in depth, and reaching its dee2>est gloom, at the 'moment of this mysterious cry, when the fiame of the one great " Evening Sacrifice" was burning fiercest. The words were made to His hand. They are the opening words of a Psalm (the
22(1) full of the last " sufferings of Christ and the following glories" (1 Peter 1. II). " Fatheii," was the cry in the first prayerwhicli Heulteredon the cross, fur matters had not then come to the worst. "Eather" was llie cry of His last prayer, for matters had then passeil their worst. But at this crisis of His sufferings, "P'athi r" does not issue from his lips, for the light of a Father's countenaneo was then mysteriously eclipsed. Hi! falls back, however, on a title expressive of His offlciiil relation, which, though lower and more distant in itself, yet when grasjied in pure and naked faith was niiglit,v In Its chiims, and rich in psalniodic associat ions. And what deep earnest" ness Is conveyed by the redoubling of this title! But as
for the cr.v itself, it will never be fully comprehended. An absolute desertion Is not Indeed to lie Miought of ; but a total eclip.se of the felt seijse of God's presence It cer-
tics deride Him for calling Himself " llie Vlirisl, the King
Chrial Yie.ldeUt up (he ijhost. JOHN XIX. He is Jiuried by Joseph and Nkodemw,
the ghost!" v. 30. What is finished ? The Law Is fulfilled as never before, nor since, in His " obedience unto death, eventhedeath of the cross;" Messianic prophecy is accomplished ; Redemption is completed; "He hath finished the transgression, and made reconciliation for iniquity, and brought in everlasting righteousness, and sealed up the vision and prophecy, and anointed a holy of holies;" He has inaugurated the kingdom of God and given birth to a new world.
talnly expresses. It expresses surprinf, a-s under the experience of something not only 7iever be/ore knoum, but
inexplicable on the footing whicli hnd till then subsisted between ITim and God. It u a niieslion ir!iich the lost cannot
utter. They are forsaken, but they know why. Jesus is forsaken, but does not knoiv and demands to know why. It is thus the cry of conscious innocence, but of innocence unavailing to draw down, at tliat moment, the least token of approval from the unseen Judse—innocence who.se only recognition at that moment lay in the thick .surrounding gloom which but reflected the horror of great darkness that invested his own spirit. There was indeed a cause for
31-42. Burial of Christ. 31-37. The preparation— sabbath eve. tliat the bodies should not remain—over night, against the Mosaic law. Deuteronomy 21. 22, 23. on the sabbath day, for that day was an high (or ' great') day—the first day of unleavened bread, and, as concurring with an ordinary sabbaith, the most solemn season of the ecclesiastical year. Hence their peculiar jealousy lest the law should be infringed, besought Pilate that their legs might be broken— to hasten their death, which wa3 done in .such cases with clubs. But when they came to
it, and He knew It too—the " why" must not be pressed so
far a.s to exclude this. ITe must taste this bitterest of the wages of sin "Who did vm sin." But that is not the point now. In Him there was no cause at all (ch. It. SO), and He takes refuge in the glorious fact. When no ray from above shines in upon Him, He strikes a li;^ht out of His own breast. If God will not own Him, He shall own Himself. On the rock of His unsullied allegiance to Heaven He
.Testis, and saw that lie was dead already—There being in His case elements of suffering, unknown to the malefactors, which might naturally hasten His death, lingering though it always was in such cases, not to speak of Jim previous sufferings, they brake not his legs—a fact —of vast importance, as showing that the reality of His death was visible to those whose business it was to see to
will stand, till the light of Heaven returns to His spirit.
And it is near to comi". Whilst He is yet speaking, the fierceness of the ilnme is beginning to abate. One incident and insult more, and the experience of one other predicted element of suffering, and the victory Is His. The incident, and the insult springing out of it, is the misunderstanding of the cry, lor we can hardly suppose that it was anything else. "Rome of them that stood there, when they heard that, said. This man calleth for Ellas," Matthew 27. 47. 28-30. After this, Jcsiis knowing that all thlusfs were now accomplished i. e., the moment for the fulfilment of the last of them; for there was one other small particular, and the time v.'as come
it. The other Divine purpose served by it will appear presently. But one of tlie soldiers—to make assurance of the fact doubly sure—with a spear pierced his side making a wound deep and wide, as indeed is plain from ch. 20. 27, 29. Had life still remained, it must have fled now—and forthwith came thereout blood and water
'It is now well known that the effect of long-continued and intense agony is frequently to produce a secretion of a colourless lymph within the pericardium (the membrane enveloping the heart), amounting in many cases to a very considerable quantity.' [Webster and AVii.kin-
for that too, in consequence of the burning thirst which the fpvere<l state of His frame occasioned fPsalm 22. 15). that the Scrlptttre (Psalm (in. 21) might be fultilled, saith, I thirst—Now there was set a vessel full of vinepar 'see on the offer of the soldiers" vinegar, above); and they—"one of them," Matlliew 27. 4S—lille«l a sponge ^rith vinegar, and put It npon (a stalk of) hyssop, and put it to his month—Though a stalk of this plant does not exceed eighteen Inches in length, it would suffice, as the fret of crucified persons were not raised higher. "The rest said, Let be" i. e.,as would spem, 'Slop that officious service'—" let us see whether Ellas will come to save him," Matthew 27.49. This was the last cruelty He was to suffer, but It was one of the most unfeeling. "And when Jpsus had cried with a loud voice," Luke 23. 46. This "loud voice," noticed by three of the Evangelists, does not imply, as some able interpreters contend, that our liOrd's strength was so far from being exhausted that He needed not to die then, and surrendered up His life sooner than Nature required, merely because it was the appointed time. It was indeed the appointed time, but time that He should be "crucified through v:enl~ness" (2 Corinth inns 13. 4), and Nature was nowreaeliing its utmost exhaustion. But Just a-s even His own dying saints, particularly the martyrs of Jesus, have sometimes had such gleams of coming glory immediately before breathing their liist, as to Impart to them a strength to utter their feelings which has amazed the bystanders, so this mighty voice of the expiring Redeemer was nothing else but the exultant spirit of the Dying Victor, receiving the fruit of His travail Just about to be embrace<l, and nerving the organs of utterance to an ecstatic expression of its sublime feelings (not so much in the 7'TOmcrf(a?e/,v following words of tranquil surrender, in Luke, as in the final shout, recorded only by .lohn): "Father, into thy hands I COMMEND MY SPIRIT!" Luke 2-'!. 40. Yes, the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth. . His soul has emerged from it,s mysterious horrors; " God" is heard no more, but in unclouded light He yields sublime into His Father's hands the infinitely precious spirit—using here also the words of those matchless Psalms (31.5) which were ever on his lips. 'As the Father receives the spirit of Jesus, so Jesus receives those of the faithful.' Acts 7.
.SON.] And he that saw it bare record (' hath borne witness'), and his witness is true, and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe—This solemn way of referring to his own testimony in this matter has no reference to what he says in his Epistle about Christ's "coming by water and blood" (see on I John 5. 6), but ia intended to call attention both to the fulfilment of Scripture in these particulars, and to the undenialjle evidence he was thus furnishing of the reality of Christ's death, and consequently of His resurrection ; perhaps also to meet the growing tendency, in the Asiatio churches, to deny the reality of our Lord's body, or that "Jesus Christ is come in tli^ flesh." (1 John 4. 1-3.) that the Scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken—The reference is to the paschal lamb, as to which this ordinance v/as stringent. Exodus 12.46; Numbers 9. 12. (Cf. 1 Corinthians 5. 7.) But though we are to see here the fulfilment of a very definite typical ordinance, we shall, on searching deeper, see in
it a. remarkable Divine interposition to protect the sacred body of Christ from the least indignity after He had finished the work given Him to do. Every imaginable indignity had been permitted before that, up to the moment of his death. But no sooner is that over than an Unseen hand is found to have provided against the clubs of the rude soldiers coming in contact with that temple of the Godhead. Very ditferent from such violence was that spear-Otrust, for which not only doubting Thomas would thank the soldier, but intelligent believers in every age, to whom the certainty of their Lord's death and resurrection is tlie life of their whole Christianity. And again another Scripture saith. They shall look on him whom they pierced The quotation is from Zechariah 12. 10; not taken as usual from the Septuagint (the current Greek version), which here is all wrong, but direct from the Hebrew. And there
is a remarkable nicety in the choice of the words employed both by the prophet and the Evangelist for "piercing." The word in Zechariah meanfi \o thrust through with spear. Javelin, sword, or any such weapon. Jn that sense
GO. [Bengel.] And now comes the expiring mighty shout,
It is used In all the ten places, besides this, where It la found. How suitable this was to express the action of
'It IS finished! and He bowed His head and gave up
Chi-ia^s Burial in the Garden. JOHN XX. Mary's Visit to ihe Scpv^chre,
own friends had the least reason to think that the spark of life was still in Him, would they have done this? But even if one could conceive them mistaken, could any one have lain thus enveloped for the period during which He was in the grave, .and life still remained? Inipossilde. When, therefore. He wallced forth from the tomb, we can say with the most absolute certainty, "Now is ehrist risen from the dead, and become the first-fruits of them that slept !" (1 Corinthians 15. 20.) No wonder that the learned and the barbarians alike were preparijd to die for the name of the Lord Jesus; lor such evidence was to the unsophisticated resistless. (No mention is made of awyui^iiij; in this operation. No doubt it was a hurried proceeding, for fear of interruption, an<l because it was close on the sabbatli, the women seem to have set this as thl-ir proper
the Roman soldier, is manifest ; and our Evangelist uses the exactly corresponding word, wliich tiie HepLuagint certainly does not. Very (Jifferent is tJie other word tor "pierce" in Fsalm 22. 16, " They pierced my liands and my feet." The •word tliere used is one signifying to <(ore as with an awl or hammer. How striking are tliese small niceties ! 3840. Josepli €>f Arlmathea— " a rich man" (Matthew 27.
57), thus liilfilliug Isaiah 5.'!. 9; "an honourable counsellor
(a member of the Sanhedrim, and of good condition), whicli also waited for the kingdom of God" (Mark 15. 43), a devout expectant of Messiali's kingdom; " a good man and a just, the same had not consented to the counsel and deed of them" (Luke 2:^. 50, 51— lie had gone the length, perhaps, of dissenting and protesting in open council against the condemnation of our Lord); "who also him-
self was Jesus' disciple" (Matthew 27. 57). being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly, for fear of the Jews—" He went in boldly unto Pilate" (Mark 15. 4:5)—^lY., ' having taken courage went in,' or 'had the boldness to go in.' Mark alone, as his manner is, notices the boldnesx which
task "as soon as the sabbath should be past" (Mark Hi. 1). But as the Lord graciously held it as undesignedly anticipated by Mary at Bethany (Mark 11. 8), so this was probably all the anointing, in the strict sense of it, wlilch He received.) 41, 44. Now in tlte place wiiere he was crucifted tiiere was a g.irden, and in the garden a new sepulclire—The choice of this tomb was, on t/ieir part, dictated by the double circumstance that it was so uear at hand, and by its belonging to a friend of Ihe Lord ; and as tiiere was need of haste, even they wouUl be struck with the providence which thus supplied it. "Tiiere laid they Jesus therefore, because of the Jews' preparation-day, lor the sepulclire was nigh at hand." But there was one recommendation of it which probably would not strike them ; but God had it in view. Not its being " hewn out of a rock" (Mark 15. -16), accessible only at the entrance, which doubtless would impress them with its security and suitableness. But it was "a new sepulchre" (v. -11), "wlierein never man before was laid" (Luke 2.1. 5:}); and Matthew (27. 60) says that Joseph laid Him "in hix onn new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock"—iloubtless for his owu use, though the Lord had higher use fur it. Thus as He rode into Jerusalem on an a.ss " u hereon never man before had sat," so now He shall lie in a tomb wherein never man before had lain, that from these specimens it. may be seen that in all things He was "separate fkom SINNERS."
this required. The act would without doubt identify him for the first time with the disciples of Christ. Marvellous
it certainly is, that one who while Jesus was yet alive merely refrained from condemning Him, not having the courage to espouse his cause by one positive act, sliould, now that He was dead, and His cause apparently dead with Him, summon up courage to go in personally to the Roman governor and ask permission to take down and Inter the body. But if this be the tirst instance, it is not the last, that a seeminijty dead Clirist has wakened a symjMthy which a living one had failed to evoke. The heroimi of faith is usually kindled by desperate circumstances, and is not seldom displayed by those who before were the most timid, and scarce known as disciples at all. "And Pilate marvelled
If he were"—rather 'wondered that he was' "already dead." "And calling the centurion, he asked him whether he had been any while deail " — Pilate could hardly credit what Joseph had told him, that He had been dead "some time," and, before giving up the body to His friends, would learn how the fact stood from the centurion, wliose business it was to oversee the execution. "And when he knew it of the centurion," that it was as Joseph h.ad said, " he gave"—rather ' made a gift of " the body to Joseph;" struck, possibl)', with the rank of the petitioner and the dignified boldness of the petition, in contrast with the spirit of the other party and the low rank to which he had been led to believe all the followers of Christ belonged. Nor would he be unwilling to sliow that he was not going to carry tliis Ijlaek affair any farther. But, whatever were l^late's motives, two most blesse<l objects were thus secure<l: (1.) The reality of our Lord's death was attested by the party of all others most competent to decide on it, and certainly free from all bias —the olMcer in attendance—in full reliance on whose testimony Pilate surrendered the body: (2.) The dead Redeemer, thus delivered out of the hands of His enemies, Bnd committed by the supreme political authority to the care of His friends, was thereby protected from all further
Ver. 1-18. Mary's Visit to the Sepulchre, axd Return TO IT WITH Peter and John—Her Risen Lokd Appears to Her. 1, 2. The lirst day cometh Mary Magdalene ea»-ly, &c.—See on Mark 16. 1—1; and Matthew
28. 1, 2. She riutneth and contetii to Simon Peter, and to the otlier disciple whom Jesus loved, and saith unto tliein, Tliey have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre—Dear disciple! thy dead Lord is to thee "The Lord" still. 3-10. Peter therefore went fortli, and that other disciple, and came llrst to the sepulclire, &c.—These particulars have a singular air of artless truth about them. Mary, in her grief, runs to the two apostles who were soon to be so closely associated in proclaiming the Saviour's resurrection, and they, followed by Mary, hasten to see with their own eyes. The j-ounger disciple outruns the elder; love haply supplying swifter wings. He stoops, he gazes in, but enters not the open sepulchre, held back probably by a I'everentlal fear. The bolder Peter, coming up, goes in at once, and is rewarded with bright evidence of what had happened, seetik the linen clothes lie ('lying') and the napkin, that wag about his head, not lying with the linen clotlies— loosely, as if hastily thrown down, and iiidicalive of a hurried and disorderly removal — but wrapped (or 'folded') together in a place by itself—showing with what grand tranquillity "the Living One" had walki!d forth from "the dead" (Ijuke 21.5). 'Doubtless Ihe two attendant angels [v. 12) did this service for tlie Rising One, the one disposing of the linen clothes, the otlu'r of the napkin.' [Bknoel.] Tlion went in that other disciple which came first to Ihe sepulchre—The repetilion of this, In eonnecrtion wilh his not having gone in till after Peter, seems to show that at t he moment of penning these words the advantjigc? whicli tjiicli of these lovinj!
hulignities; a thing most befitting indeed, now that His work was done, but impossible, so far as we can see, if His enemies had bec-n at liberty to do with Him as they pleased. How wonderful are even the minutest features of this matchless History! also Nlcodcinus (which mt Ihe tirst eamc to Jesus by nigiit)— ' Th is remark correKponds to tliesecrcsy of Joseph's disciplesliip, just noticed, and calls attention to the similarity of their previous character and conduct, and the remarkable change wiiieh had now taken pliice.' [Webstek and Wilkinson.] brought inyrrli i<ii(l aloes, about an hunilreil pounds welglit—an immense quantity, betokening the greatness of their love, but part of it probably intended :\s a layer
for the spot on which ( he body was to lie. (See 2 Chronicles
Hi. 11.) [Mi':yI':i(.J tlien took titey tite body of Jesus, and wound it In linen clotlies with the spiers, as tlic Hiiinner of tlie Jews is to bury—the mixed and pul-
vei-|/,ed myrrh and aloes shaken Into the tolds, iiud the entire body, thus swathed, wrapt In an outer cdvering of
"clean linen cloth' (Matthew 27. oU.) Had the Lord's 168
Jesw Appeareth to Mary. JOHN XX. Se Appears also to the Dimpies.
How dost thou raise these titles with thyself! At first they were thy servants; then disciples; a little before thy death, tliey were thy friends ; now, al ter tliy resurrection, they were thy brethren. But oh, mercy without measure how wilt tliou, how canst thou call them bretliren whom, in thy last parting, thou foundest fugitives? Did they not run from thee? Did not one of them rather leave his inmost coat behind him than not be quit of tlieu? And yet thou sayest, 'Go, tell my brethren ! It is not iu the power of the sins of our Infirmity to uiibrotlier us.' [Bishop Hall.] I ascend unto my Father and your Fatlier, and [toj my <xod and your God—woi ils of incomparable glory! Jesus had called God habitually His Father, and on one occasion, in His darkest moment. His
disciples had of the other was present to his mind, and be saw and believed—Probably he means, though he
does not aiy, that he believed in his Lord's resurrection more immediately and certainly than Peter. For as yet tbey knew (t. e., understood) not the Scripture tUat Ue must rise again from tlie dead, &c.—In other words, they believed iu His resurrection at first, not because they were prepared by Scripture to expect it; bat facts carried resistless conviction of it in the first instance to
their minds, and furnished a key to the Scripture predic-
tions of it. 11-15. But Mary stood wltUout at tlie sepulchre weeping, &c.—Brief was the stay of those two
men. But Mary, arriving perhaps by another direction
after they left, lingers at the spot, weeping for her nrissing
God. But both are here united, expressing that full-orbed relationship which embraces in its vast sweep at once Himself and His redeemed. Yet, note well. He says not,
CiOrd. As she gazes through her tears on ttie open tomb, she also ventures to stoop down and look into it, when
lo! " two angels In white" (as from the world of light, and
0«J' Father and owr God. All the deepest of the Church fathers were wont to call attention to this, as expressly designed to distinguish between what God is to Him and to us His Father essentially, ours not so: our God essen-
Bee on Matthew 28.3) appear to her In a "sitting" pos-
ture, 'as having finished some business, and awaiting some one to impart tidings to.' [Bengei,.] one at tUe head, and the other at the feet where the body of Jesus had lain—not merely proclaiming silently tlie entire charge they had had of the body of Christ [quoted in LuTHARDTj, but rather, possibly, calling mute attention
tially. His not so : His God only in connection with us : our
God only in connection with Him. 18. Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that He had spoken these things unto hei —To a woman was this honour given to be the first that saw the risen Redeemer, and that woman was not His mother. (See on Mark 16. 9.)
to the narrow space within which the Lord of glory had contracted Himself; as if they would say. Come, see within what limits, marked ofi" by the interval here between us two, tfie Lord lay ! But she is in tears, and these
19-23. Jesus Appears to the Assembled Disciples 19-33. The same day at evening, tlie lirst day of the week, the doors being siiut where tSic disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus—plainly not by the ordinary way of entrance-and saith, Peace b« unto you—not the mere wish that even His own exalted peace might be theirs (ch. 14. 27), but conveying it into their hearts, even as He "opened their understandings to understand their Scriptures" (Luke 24. 45). And when he had so said, he showed them his hands and Ills i^ide— not only as ocular and tangible evidence of the reality of His resurrection (see on Luke 24. 37-43), but as through "the power of that resurrection" dispensing all His peace to men. Then were the disciples glad wlicn they saw the lK>rd. Then said Jesus—prepared now to listen to Him in a new character. Peace be unto you. As my Fatf»er hatli sent me, so send I you, &c.—See on ch. 17. 18. he breathed on them—a symbolical conveyance to them of the Spirit, and saith. Receive ye the Holy Ghost—an earnest and first-fruits of the more copious Pentecostal effusion, whosoever sins ye remit they arc remitted unto tliem, &c.—In any literal and authoritative sense this
suit not the scene of so glorious an Exit. They are going
to point out to her the incongruity. Woman, why weepest thou?—You would think the vision too much
for a lone woman. But absorbed in the one Object of her affection and pursuit, she speaks out her grief without
fear. Because, <tc. g. d.. Can I choose but weep, when "they have taken away," &c., repeating her very words to Peter and John. On this she turned herself and saw Jesus Himself standing beside her, but took Him for the gardener. Clad therefore in some such style He must have been. But if any ask, as too curious interpreters
do, whence He got those habiliments, we answer [with OLSUArrsEjf and Luthardt] where the two angels got
theirs. Ifor did the voice of His first words discover Him —"Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou?" He will try her ere he tell her. She answers not the stranger's question, but comes straight to her point with him. Sir, If thou have home him hence—borne tvhomf Bhe says not. She can think only of One, and thinks others must undersUind her. It reminds one of tlie question of the Spouse, "Saw ye him whom my soul loveth?" (Song of Solomon 3. 3.) tell me where thou hast laid him, and X will take him away—Wilt thou, dear fragile woman ? But it is the language of sublime aflectiou, that tliinks itself fit for anything If once in possession of its Object. It is enough. Like Joseph, He can no longer restrain Himself. (Genesis 45. 1.) 16, 17. Jesus saith unto her, Mary :—It is not now the distant, though respectful, "Woman." It Is the oft-repeated name, uttered, no doubt, witli all the wonted manner, and bringing a rush of unutterable and overpowering associations with it. She turned herself, and salth to him, Rabboni I—But that single word of transported recognition was not enough for woman's full heart. Not knowing the change which had passed upon Him, she hastens to express by her action what words failed to clothe; but she is checked. Jesus saith unto her. Touch me not, for I am not yet ascended to my Father—Old familiari-
power was never exercised by one of the apostles, and plainly was never understood by themselves as possessed by them or conveyed to them. (See on Matthew 16. ]9.) The power to intrude upon the relation between men and God cannot have been given by Christ to His ministers in any but a ministerial or declarative sense—as the authorized interpreters of His word, while in the actings of His ministers, the real nature of the power committed to them is seen in the exercise of church discipline.
24-29. Jesus again Appears to the Assembled Disciples. 24, 25. But Thomas (see on ch. 14. 16) was not witik them when Jesus came—why, we know not, tliough we are loth to think [wltlj Stier, Alfokd ami LuTHAltDT] it was intentional, from sullen despondency. The fact merely is here stated, as a loving apology for his slowness of belief. We have seen the Lord—This way of speaking of Jesus (as v. 20 and 21. 7), so suited to his resurrection-state, was soon to become the prevailing style. Except I see In his hands the print of tite nails, and put my finger Into the print of the nails, and thrnst my hand Into his side, I will not believe—The very form of this speech betokens the strength of the unbelief. 'It
ties must now give place to new and more awful yet sweeter approaches; but for these the time has not come yet. This seems the spirit, at least, of these mysterious words, on which much difference of opinion has obtained, and not much that is satisfactory said. But go to my brethren—(Cf. Matthew 28. 10; Hebrews 2. 11, 17.) That ho had still our Humanity, and therefore "is not ashamed lo call us brethren," is Indeed grandly evidenced by these words. But It Is worthy of most reverential no-
is not. If I shall sec I shcdl believe, but. Unless I shall see I will not believe; nor does he expect to see, although the others tell him they had.' [Bengei,.] How Christ Him-
self viewed this state of mind, we know from Mark 16. 14, " He upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart because they believed not them which had seen
tice, that we nowhere read of any one who presumed to call Him Brother. "My brethren:" Blessed Jesus, who are these ? Were they not thy followers 7 3'ea, thy forsakers
IVte Inci'cdtdity and Confession of Thomas. JOHN XXI. Cliris(s Third Appearance to Hix Disciples,
Him after He was risen." But whence spratit; tliis pertinacity of resistance iu such minds? Not certainly from reluctance to believe, but as in Nathanael (see on eh. 1. -16) from mere dread of mislake in so vital a matter. 3G-^9. And after elglit days i. e., on the 8th, or first day of tne preceding week. Tliey probably met every day during the preceding week, but their Lord designedly reserved His second appearance amongst them till tlie recurrence of His resurrection-day, tliat He might thus inaugurate the delightful sanctities of the Lord's Day (Revelation
selves to their secular employment, they would be unprepared to expect Him. Children—This term would not necessarily identify Him, being not unusual from any superior; but when they did recognize Plim, they would
feel it sweetly like Himself, have ye any meat I—
' provisions,' ' supplies,' meaning ^i?t. they answered, No— This was in His wonted style, making them tell their case, and so the better prepare them for what was coming, he said unto them. Cast the net on tlie right side of the ship—no doubt, by this very specific direction, intending to reveal to tliem His knowledge of the deep and power over it. 7-11. that disciple whom Jesus loved, said. It
1. 10). tlie disciples were witliiii, and Tlaoinns with them . . . Jesus stood In tlic midst, und saltli, Peace be tuito yon. Tlien saltU lie to Tlioinas, litacli Uitlier
is the Lord—again having the advantage of his brotlier in quickness of recognition (see on ch. 20.8), to be followed by an alacrity in Peter all his own. he was naked—his vest only on, worn next the body, cast himself into the sea — the shallow part, not more than a hundred yards from the water's edge (v. 8); not meaning therefore to swim, but to get sooner to Jesus than in the full boat wliich they could hardly draw to shore, the other disciples came in a little ship — by ship, they saw (' see') a Are of coals, and llgh laid thereon, and bread— By comparing this with 1 Kings 19. (j, and similar passages, the unseen agency by which Jesus made this provision will appear evident. Jesus salth unto tliem. Bring of the fish ye have €^augllt—Observe the double supply thus provided—His and theirs. The meaning of this will perhaps appear presently. Peter went up—into the boat ; went aboard, and drew the net to land full of great flslies, an hundred and iltty and thiee ; and for all tliere were so many, yet was not the net broken—The manifest reference here to the former miraculous draught, Luke 5. 1-H, furnishes the key to tliis .scene. There the draught was symbolical of the success of their future minisiry: While "Peter and all that were with him were astonished at the draught of the fishes which they had taken, Jesus said unto him, Fear not, from henceforth thou shalt catch men." Nay, when first called, in the act of "casting their net into the sea, for they were fishers," the same symbolic reference was made to their secular occupation : " Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." (Matthew 4. IS, 19.) Here, then, if but the same symbolic I'eference be kept In view, the design of the whole scene will, we think, be clear. T:he multitude and the size of the fishes //icy caught symbolically foreshadowed the vast success of their now fast approaching ministry, and this only as a beginning of successive draughts, through the agency of a Christian ministry, till, "as the waters cover the sea, the earth should be full of the knowledge of the Lord." And whereas, at the first mir.iculous draught, the net " was breaking" through the weight of what it contained—expressive of the dijfflculty with which, after they had "caught men," they would be able to retain, or keep them from escaping back into the tctw-^d—while here, "for all they were so many, yet was not the net broken," are we not reminded of such sayings as these (chap. 10. 28): "I give unto my sheep eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of my hand?" [Luthakdt.] But it is not through the agency of a Christian ministry that all true disciples are gathered. Jesus Himself, by unseen methods, gathers some, who afterwards are recognized by the constituted fishers of men, and mingle with the fruit of their labours. And are not these symbolized by that portion of our Galilean repast which the fishers found, la some unseen way, made ready to their hand? I'i-l*. None durst ask him, 'Who art thou, knowing it was the Lord—Implying that they would have liked llirn Just to say, "It is 1;" but having such convincing evidence they were afraid of being "upbraided for their unbelief and haidiiess of heart" if they ventured to put (he (juestlon. Jesus takcth [the] bread, and giveth thriti, and
. , . behold . . , put it into my side, and be not faith-
less, Imt believing—'There is something rliythmical in these words, and tliey are purposely couched in the words of Thomas himself, to put him to shame.' [Luthardt.] But with what condescension and gentleness is tliis done! Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God:—That Thomas did not do what Jesus invited him to do, and what he liad made the condition of his believing, seems plain from v. 29 (" Because thou hast seen me thou hast believed"). He is overpowered, and the glory of Christ now breaks upon him in a flood. His exclamation surpasses all that had been yet uttered, nor can it be surpassed by anything thatever will be uttered in earth or heaven. On the -striking parallel in Nathanael, see on ch. 1.49. Tlie Socinian invasion of the supreme divinity of Clnist here manifestly taught—as if it were a mere call upon God inaUt of astonisliment—is beneath notice, save for the profanity it charges upon this disci-
ple, and the straits to which it shows themselves reduced, because thon liast seen me thou hast believed—words of measured commendation, but of indirect and doubt-
less painfully-felt rebuke: q.d., 'Thou hast indeed believed; it is well: itisoulyon the evidence of thj' senses, and after peremptorily refusing all evidence siiort of
that.' Blessed they that have not seen and yet liave believed—'Wonderful indeed, and ricli in blessing for us who have not seen Him, is this closing word of the Gos-
pel.' [Alford.]
SO, 31. First Close of this Gospel. The connection of these verses witii the last words of v. 29 is beautiful: q.d., 'And in<leed, as the Lord pronounced them blessed who not having seen Him have yet believed, so for that one end have the whole contents of this Gospel been recorded, that all who read it may believe on Him, and believing, have life in that blessed name.' many other slg^is—miracles. But these are written—as sufficient specimens, the Christ, the Son of God—the one His
offleial the other Hi.s personal title, believing, may have life—See on ch. 6. 51-54.
Ver. l-'23. Suppi-ementaky Particulars. [That this chapter was added by another hand has been asserted, against clear evidence to tlie contrary, by some late
critics, chiefly because the Evangelist had concluded his part of the work with ch. 20. 30, 31. But neither in the Epistles of the New Testament, nor In otlier good authors, is it unusual to insert supplementary matter, and so have more than one conclusion.] 1, H. Jesus slitowed
(' manifested') himself again, and on this wise he manifested himself—This way of speaking shows tliat alter His resurrection He appeared to them but occusioiuUly, imexpccledlj/, and in a way quite unearthly, though yet really and corpm-eally. Nathanael—See on Matthew 10.3. 3-6. Peter saith unto them, I go atishing—See on Luke
5. 11. that night cauglkt nothing—as at tlie first miraculous draught (see on Luke 5.5); no doubt so ordered tliat the miracle might strike tliein the more by contrast. Tlie same principle Is seen In operation throughout much of Christ's ministry, and is indeed a great law of Uod's spiritual procedure with His people. Jesus stood—Cf. ch. 20.
[tliej flsh likewise—See on Luke 24. 30. This is the third lime that Jesus showed himself ('was manifested') to his disciples—his assembled disciples; for if we reckon His appearances to Individual disciples, they were more. 15-17. When they had dined, Jesus salth—Silence appears to have reigned during the meal; uubrokou on
19, 213. but the disciples knew not it was JesusI'erhaps tliero had been some considerable interval since the
laat manifestation, and having agreed to betake them170
Peter Commanded to Feed the Sheep. JOHN XXL TJce Final Close of John's Goxjiel.
upon him by dying for ms Miister. And, indeed, bryond doubt, this prediction was intinded to follow up his triple restoration:—'Yes, Simon, tliou shall not only feed my. lambs, and tVed my sheep, but after a long career of such service, sh.ilt be counted worthy to die for the name of the Lord Jesus.' And when he had spoken this, he saltli unto htm, Follow me—By thus connecting the
part., that by their mute observation of Him tlity might have their assurance of His identity the more confirmed mid ontheirs, from reverential shrinking to speali till He
did. Sliiton, son of Joiia.^, lovest tliou me more tUan thciiel—referring lovingly to those sad words of Peter, Shortly before denying his Lord, "Though all men shall b« o<l'eniled because of tliee, yet will I never be ofTended" (Matthew 20. 83), and intending by this allusion to bring the whole BC>!ue vividly before his »nind and put him to shame. Yea,Ijord; tlion Uaowcst that 1 love tliee—He adds not, "'nore than these," but preti.fes a touching appeal to ths Saviour's own omniscience for the truth of
utterance of tliis prediction with tlie invitation to follow Him, the Evangelist would indicate the deeper sense in which the cull was understood, not merely to go along with him at that moment, but to come after Him, " taking up hii eroxx." iiO,til. Peter, tuiiilng altout showing that he followed immediately as directed, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following ; whicit also leaned on Jesus' l>reast at [the] supper, and said, Lord, which is he thnt betrayeththeel—The livangelist makes these allusions to the peculiar familiarity to which he had been admitted on the most memorable of all occasions, perhaiKS lovingly to account for Peter's somewhat forward question about him to Jesus; which is the rather probable, as it was at Peter's suggestion that he put the question about the traitor which he here recalls (ch. 18.24,
his protestation, which makes it a totally different kind
of speech fiom his former, he saltli unto liim, Feed my lambs—It Is surely wrong to view this term as a mere diminullve of affection, and as meaning the same tiling as " the siieep." [Wkbster and Wilkinson.] It is much more according to usage to understand by tlie "lambs" young ami tender disciples, whether in age or Christian standing (Isaiah 40. 11 ; 1 John 2. 12, 13), and by the " sheep" the more mature. Shall we say [with many] that Peter was here reinstated iu office? Not exactly, since he was not actually excluded from it. Butaftersuch conduct as
25). Peter saith to Jesus, Lord, and wliat [shall] this man [do]?—'What of this man?' or, How shall it fare with liLin? H'i, tt'i. Jesus saith to him. If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to theel follow thou me—From the fact that John alone of the Twelve survived the destruction of Jerusalem, and so witnessed the commencement of that series of events which belongs to " the last days," many good Interpreters think that this is a virtual prediction of fact, and not a mere suppositloji. But this is very doubtful, and it seems more natural to consider our Lord as intending togive?iopoi'iZit;e indicdti^ of John's fate at all, but to signify that this was a matter whicli belonged to the Master of both, who would disclose or conceal it as He thought proper, and that Peter's part was to mind his own affairs. Accordingly, in "follow thou me," the word "thou" is emphatic. Observe the absolute disposal of human life which Christ claims : " jy / tvili that he tarry till I come," itc. Then went this saying abroad among tlie brethren, that that disciple should not die— into which they the more easily fell from the prevalent expectation that Christ's second coming was then near at hand, yet Jesus said not unto liim. He shall not die—The Evangelist is jealous for His Master's honour, which his death might be thought to compromise if such a misunderstanding should not be corrected.
his, the deep wound which the lumour of Christ had received, the stain brought on his oltice, the damage done
to his high standing among his brethren, and even his own comfort, iu prospect of the great work before him, required some such renewal of his call and re-establisliment of his position as this. lie saItU to him the second time . . . Lovest thou me, &c.—In this repetition of tlie question, though the wound was meant to be re-opened, the words " more than these" are not repeated; for Christ
is a tender as well as skilful Physician, and Peter's silence on that point was confession enough of his sin and folly. On Peter's repeating his protestation in the same words, our Lord rises higher In the manifestation of His restoring grace. Feed (or 'keep') my sUeep—It has been observed that the word here is studiously changed, from one signifying simply to feed, to one signifying to 'tend' as a shepherd, denoting the abiding exercise of that vocation, and in its highest functions, hesalth unto lilm the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest tliou met Peter was grieved because he said tlie tliird time, &c.— This was the Physician's deepest incision into the wound, while yet smarting under the two former probings. Not
till now would Peter discern the object of this succession of thrusts. The third time reveals it all, bringing up Buch a rush of dreadful recollections before his view, of his " thrice denying that he knew Him," that he feels it to the quick. It was fitting that he should; it was meant that he should. But this accomplished, the painful dialogue concludes with a delightful "Feed my sheep;" as
24, 25. Final CLasE of this Gospel. This is the disciple wliicli testifietli of these things, and wrote these things—thus identifying the author of this book with all that it says of tliis disciple—we know that his testimony is true—Cf. cli. 10. 35. And there are many other things which Jesus did—Cf. ch. 20. 30, 31. if written every one, I suppose—an expression used to show that what follows is not to be pressed too far. even tlie world itself would not hold tlie books, &c.—not a 7nere hyper* bolical expression, unlike the sublime simplicity of this writer, but intended to let his reader know that, even now that he had done, he felt his materials so far from being exhausted, that he was still running over, and could multiply "Gospels" to almost any extent within the strict limits of what "Jesus did." But In the limitation of these matchless Histories, in point of number, there is as much of that Divine wisdom wliich has presided over and pervades the living oracles, as In their varietj/ and fulness.
if He should say, 'Now, Simon, tlie last speck of the cloud which overhung thee since that night of nights is dispelled: Henceforth thou art to me and to my work as
if no such scene had ever happened.' 18, 19. When thou wast young—embracing the whole period of life to the verge of old age. thou girde«lst thyself, and walkedst whither timu wouldest—wast thine own master, \vhen old tliou Shalt stretch foi-th thine hands— to be bound for execution, though not necessarily meaning wi a Clots. There is no reason, however, to doulit the very early tradition that Peter's death was by crucifixion. This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God—not, therefore, a mere prediction of
ILe manner of his death, but of the lumour to he conferred
TIte Miracles of Christ. JOHN. The Parables of Chnat.
CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE OF THE MIRACLES OF CHRIST.
On the order of some of our Lord's Miracles and Parables, the data being scanty, considerable difference obtaint.
Where WRonanT.
Whire Recorded.
MlBACLIB.
John 2. 1-11. John -2. 13-lT. John 4. 46-54. Luke 5 1-11. • Matt. 8. 2-t ; Mark 1. 40-45 ; Lake 5. 12-15. Matt. 8. 5-13 ; Luke 7. 1-10. Luke 7. 11-17. Mark 1. 21-28 ; Luke 4. 31-37, Matt. 8. 14, 15 ; Mark 1. 29-.31 ; Luke 4. 3S, 39. Matt. 9. -2-8 ; Mark 2. 1-12 ; Luke 5. 17-26. John 5. 1-10. Matt. 12. 10-14 ; Mark 3. 1-6; Luke 6. 6-11. Matt. 12. 22-24 ; Luke 11. 14. Matt. 8. 23--27 ; Mark 4. 35-41 -, Luke 8. 23-25. Matt. 8. 28-34 ; Mark 5. 1-20.
Cana Jerusalem Cana Sea of Galilee Capernaum Capernaum Nain , Capernaum Capernaum Capernaum Jerusalem Galilee Galilee
Water made wine Traders cast out of the temple Nobleman's son healed
First niiraculons draught of fishes Irfper healed - Centurion's servant healed "Widow's sou raised to life Demoniac healed Peter's mother-in-law healed. Paralytic healed Impotent man healed Man with withered hand healed Blind and dumb demoniac healed Tempest stilled Demoniacs dispossessed Jalrus' daughter raised to life Issue of blood healed Two blind men restored to eight, Dumb demoniiic healed Five thousand miraculously "fed
Sea of Galilee Gadara Capernaum ) Near Capernaum J Capernaum Capernaum Dccapolis Sea of Galilee Coasts of Tyre and Sidon. Decapolis Decapolis
Matt. 9. 18-26 ; Mark 5. 22-24 ; Luke 8. 41-56.
9. 27-31,
Matt. Matt. Jtatt. Matt. Matt. Mark
9. 32-34.
14. 13-21; Mark 6.31-14;
Luke 9. 10-17 ; John 6. 5-14. John 6. 15-21.
14. 22-33; Mark 6.45-.V2;
•Tcsus walks on the sea Syro-phneniciau's daughter healed,... Deaf and dumb man healed Four ihousanil fed Blind man restored to sight Demoniac ami lunatic boy healed Miraculous provision of tribute The eyes of one born blind opened Woman, of 18 years' infirmity, cured. Dropsical man healed Ten lepprs cleanscii Lazarus raised to life Two blind beggars re^ftored to sightBarren fig tree blighted „ Buyers and sellers again cast out Malc hus' ear healed Second dniught of fishes
15. 21-28 ; Mark 7. 24-30.
7, 31-,37.
15. 32-39 ; Mark 8, 1-9.
Jlatt. Mark Matt. Matt. .John Luke Luke Luke John Matt. Matt. Luke Malt. John
, Bethsaida Near Ca-sarea Philippi Capernaum Jerusalem [Perea.l [Perea.J Borders of Samaria Bethany Jericho Bethany , Jerusalem Gethsemane Sea of Galilee
8. 2-2-26. Mark 9. 14-29
Luke 9. 37-43 17.14-21; 17.24-27.
9. 1-41. 13.1(>-17.
14. 1-6, 17.11-19,
11. 1-46.
Mark 10. 46-52 ; Luke 18, 35-4S. Mark 11, 1-2-24,
20. 29-34
2I.1'2, 13, 18,19; 19. 45, 46. 26. 51-.'i4 ; Mark 14. 47-49 ; Lnke 22. 50, 51 ; John 18. 10, IL
•21, 1-14.
CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE OF THE PARABLES OF CHRIST.
Where Spokes.
Where Recorded.
Parables,
Luke 7. 40-13. Matt. 12. -29 ; Mark 3. 27 ; Luke 11, 21, 22, Matt, 12, 4;i-45 ; Luke 11. '24-26, Matt. 13, 3-9, 18-23 ; Mark 4, 3-9, 14-20 ; Luke 8, 6-8, 11-16. Matt. 13. 24-30, 36-43, Matt. 13. 31, 32 ; Mark 4, 30-32 ; Luke 13, 18, 19. Mark 4, 26-'.'9. Matt. 1.3, ,•?;!; Luke 13,20, 21. Matt. 13. 44. Matt, 13. 45, 46, Matt. 13, 47-50. Matt. IS. -21-35, Luke 10. -29-37, Luke n.bS. Luke 12, 16-21. Luke 13. r)-9. Luke 14,15--24. Matt. 18. 1-2-14 ; Luke 15.3-7. Luke 15. 8-10. Luke 15. 11-32. John 10. 1-18.
The two debtors The strong man armed The unclean spirit The sower The tares and wheat The mustard seed The seed growing secretly The leaven , The hid treasure The pearl of great price The draw net - The unmerciful servant The good Samaritan The friend at midnight The rich fool « , The barren fig tree The great supper '£he lost shu(!p The lost piece of money The jirndigiil son The good shepherd The unjust steward _ The rich man and I.a/.aru9 , The pnifitalde servants The importunate widow The Pharisees and publicans The labourers in the vineyard-. The pounds The two sons The wicked husbandmen The marriage of the king's son. The ten virgins The talents
[Capernaum,] Galileo Galilee Sea-shore of Galilee Sea-shore of Galileo. Sea-shore of Galilee. Sea-shore ()f Galilee. Sea-shore of OaMee. Sea-shore of Galilee. Sea-shore of Galilee. Sea-shore of Galilee. Caperoamn Near Jerusah'm Near Jerusalem Galilee Galilee
Porea , Perea Porea Perea Jerusalem
Luke 16. 1-8, Luke 16. 19-31. Luke 17. 7-10. Luke 18. 1-8, Luke 18,9-14, Malt. -211, 1-16. Luke 19.11--27. Malt. 21.-2S-32. Matt, -21. 3:j-44; Mark 12.1-12, Luke 20, 9-18, Matt, -22. 1-14. Malt. -25, 1-13, Matt. 25. 14-30,
Perea Perea Perea Perea Perea Perea Joi ieho Jerusalem J(4rusalem Jerusalem Mount of Olives Mount of Olives
/iiiroduction. ACTS. hitrodviction
THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES.
This book is to the Gospels what the fruit is to the tree that bears it. In the Gospels we see the corn of wheat falling into the ground and dying : in the Acts we see it bringing fortli much fruit (John 12. 24). There we see Christ purchasing tlif Church with His own blood: here we see the Cliureh, so purchased, rising into actual existence; first among the Jews of Palestine, and next among the surrounding Gentiles, until it gains a footing in the great capital of the ancient world—sweeping majestically from Jerusalem to Rome. Nor is this book of less value as an Introduction to the Epistles which follow it, than as a Sequel to the Gospels which precede it. For wlthont this history the Epistles of the New Testament—presupposing, as they do, the historical circumstances of the parties addressed, and deriving from these so much of their freshness, point, and force—would in no respect be what they now are, and would in a number of places be scarcely intelligible.