PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
The Pulpit Commentary — John — Volume 1
Henry Robert Reynolds [1825-1896] · 515,280 words · 526 reading sections
The Pulpit Commentary — John — Volume 1 — Section 181
first timo with the title of Rabbi, or tencher greater things than these. There aho.11 bo -Thou nrt the Son of God, Nothing is vouchea.fccl e. fuller, cleFLrer revelation of more obvious tbnn that this is the reflection what I e.m, which ehrill pour new o.nrl of the tc"timony of the Baptist. " The Son deeper meanin2: i…
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fosth· ref,,rrecl tn-the union between h!"RVen eimplci paraphmsis for "man" in his wonk- nnd ·enrth. bl'lwecn God find mRn, which ness, nnd often in his depression 11nd sin. 1lRwnecl liken ,-j,ion of fl beUer time upon The 'Ilook of Hcnoch,' in numerous plo.ces, the old pRt,rinrcbRI life. ThRt "'hich mtB the identif…
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seeing thnt, as Bon or rnnn, he gave himself m11inerl open." The nies of ee.rth, the for a ransom, o.nd wo.s ne one that serveth, answers of heaven, Rre like e.ngPls evermore nnd presented his flesh nnd hlood e.s the ascending and descending on the Word- epirituo.l food of e.11 tho.t live ;-the synthetic made-tlesh. It…
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one wi'.th him. "And the Word was with God." Coleridge remarks upon the significance of the prepositi{ln (1rpos) as implying that the Word was "with God," not in the sense of coexistence, or local proximity, or communion, but of mysterious relation with God. The prep0sition implies that the Word was with God, before h…
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Jews only. (4) May there not be an allusion, in the use of the two terms "life" and "light," to the tree of life and the tree of knowledge in Paradise? IV. THE CONFLICT BETWEEN LIGHT AND DARKNESS. "And the Li"'ht shineth in darkness; and the darkness apprehended it not." This points to the p;riod of the fall of man. L…
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Yers. 10, 11.-The donb7e rejection of tke Light. I. THE FIRST REJECTION. "He Wll.S in the world, and the worlrl was made by him, ancl the world knew him uot." The~e words describe the world's unbelief before bis incRrnation. 1. He was here invisibly, tho_ugh the wurld ltad no eyes to see him. In him" all things live, a…
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deRcent from Abraham, or from human parents in ·lirect de8cent, from the patriarch. 'l'he apostle says that believers are born: (1) "Not of blood." We speak of physical descent by this term, ns blood is the sent of natural Ii fe. (2) "Nor of the will of the flesh," as a factor in natural birth. (3) "Nor of the will of …
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Ver. 15.-The testimony of John tl;e Baptist. I. THE IDENTIFICATION OF THE Jl!Essua. "This was be of whom I spake." 'fhus he was the true forerunner of Christ. IL THE TRUE POSITION OF THE MESSIAH IN RELATION TO THE BAPTIST, " He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for be was before me." 1. There is here a reco…
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Son (lleb. iii. 6); (b) the Law could not justify,-it "worked wrath" (Rom. iv. 15); (c) the inferiority of the Law is implied in its useful pedagogic function, for" it was the schoolmaster to lead us to Christ" (Gal. iii. 24); (rl) it imposed a heavy yoke of service. (:.!) Yet we a.re not to infer that, under the dispe…
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'.' God se~ding Elij~b the prophet before the great and terrible dl\y of the Lord" (?!fol, II'. 5). 1 he depunes thought, " If this is not tbe Christ, perhl\ps he iA his forerunner Elijah." How could he say be was not Elias when c'i1rist himself BI\YR elMwlwre' "This is EliRs" (Matt. xi. 14)? The answer 'or John is,…
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1·emoved by the Racrlfice. "The sin of the world." (1) It iR the Rin, not the sins. (rt) '!'his does not signify original sin as tho root-sin of the world; but sin in the ma 8 s regarded in its unity as the common guilt and corruption of the world. (b) It doe~ not refer merely lo the punishment of sin, for the Lamb …
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clwellest thou?" They de11ired a private interview that they might have a deeper insight into his character and mission. 'l'hey sought a Person rather than a gift. 2. The Lord fitlly gratifies their desfre, and satisfies all their hopes. " Come and see." (1) The interview we.s not postponed till the day after, 'l'he…
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disciples to himself. While Peter was drawn to him by Andrew, Philip was "founrl" by Christ himself without any human intervention,ju8t as he finds all who are honeetly seeking after the way of life. 3. The comma;nd of Ghrist is urgent. "Follow me.'' There is no preface, or promise, or explanation. The command implie8:…
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HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Ver. 9.-Tlie Divine daybreak. The evangelist writes as one who loves admires and venerates him of whom it is his office to inform his fellow-men. He bas one great ~gure to portray, one great n!me to exalt, one great heart to unfold. His language 1s i;uch as would not be befittIDg were h…
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Vers. 10-13.-Gltrist refected and accepted. It is related by an ancient historian that an Eastern tribe were so afflicted by the blazing and intolerable heat of the sun, that they were accustomed, when the :i:reat luminary arose in the morning, to assail him with their united and vehement curses. It is hard to believe …
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refused to recei~e him I Chorazin and Bethsaida were upbraided by him bec1mse of their unbelief and their rejection of his claims I Over Jerusalem Jesus wept, on account of the iMt.tention of the people of the metropolis to bis solemn warnings and gracious entreRties ! 3. For whr,t reasons ~ (1) His humility was an …
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John and his colleagues bore witness thnt they recognized their Master's "gl0ry." Why is such lnngnnge used? Why his "glory"? He was a peasant woman's Son, nnd remained in the condition of life to which he was born. There was nothing in bis garb, his appearance, bis neaociations, the outward circumstances of his lot, w…
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whose popular power was manifest from the multitude of his adherents and admirers. ln these circum~tanccs, John's first duty was to give an unequivocal answer to the i11quir3· of the Jews. Tbis inquiry was pointed and particular. Was Jobn Elias, again visiting the people who revered him lt8 one of their holiest and …
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I. THE 0IR0UMSTAN0EB WHIOH LED TO TTIIS INTERVIEW. 1. 'l'he educational and spiritual preparation of these guests. Andrew and John were disciples of the fore- runner, the Baptist. Like many of the susceptible and ardent spirits of the period, they had been attracted by John's remarkable and impressive personality, and …
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impulse wns t-0 make those ilcarcst to him partake his joy. He thought of his brother Simon-that noble, eager, affectionate nature, that came afterwards to be consecrated to the friend~hip anrl the service of the Christ. A brother's insight divined that news l!Uch as that he had to communicate would awaken emotions …
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secure Hs highest good. But hunger is not enough to secure our satisfaction; there must be bread to corre8pond with, to supply, the want. So the heart may yearn to little purpose unless the Divine heart of the Savionr respond to the yearn in 0a. Now, Jesus is willing to be found, and, indeed, came to earth in order tha…
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all the depths of this interview and conversation. Dut Jesus knew all, and Nnthan11ol felt. the omniscience of the Being he now began to understand. IV. BoLD A YOW AL OF DIBCIPLE~Rir. The process in the scholar's mind WM swift, but not rash or unwarrnnted. His confession was full and rich, but not extravagant. 'l'o Na…
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ls written in I\ VI\St, an open book-a book which tbe intelligent, and those capable of to.king I\ wirlo survey of human affairs, are at liberty to read. Secular historir1ns have traced the influence of Christianity upon society, upon the code of morals, upon slRvery, upon WRr, upon the position of womRn in society, up…
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would be great condescension on his pa.rt to look even with any delight on such II worhl as <1urs, but infinitely more to live in it, and live under the poorest e.nd n1ost harassing conditi~ns: not in a palace, rolling in wealth e.nd luxury, but born in o. stable; wandering from place to place, weary e.nd homeless; p…
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ofo.ny low; for "thoworld was m~de," otc. 3. This/act accounts to some extent/or hi.~ visit. In every world, as tho production or his creative power and wisdCJm, ho takes the deepest interest, end he is responsible for all the possible resnlts of its existence, and all its possible requirements were taken into account …
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a part.icular nation. This \\·ns a necessity, an1l according to pre-arrangement, The Jewish 11ation wore bis own people: (1) By a Divine and sovereign choice. '!'hoy wcro chosen out or the nations of the earth to bo the recipients of God's spcch1l revelations of his will, the objects of his special care and protecti…
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own-by thoso who it might be expected would receive him with uatol,1 cnth11sia,m. Dettor ha re~ected by st~rmgers _nad spurned by professed foes,-t.his won!rl b•J expectc<l; but to be reJectcd by his own IS apparently more than he can bear. And not satisfied with leaving him an outcast In his own world, they banish …
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clernRl disgrace and ruin-from shRring the fate of tboso who rejected him. 5. We fihould be infinit&y m-0re thankful, to the Savioui· that he did not leave the world in dug,u;t and vengeance when rejected by Ms own. But inspired by infinite love, ho turned his face to tbo l\'orld at large, stood by tbo minority, and…
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tragic death on the cross we have the most striking and convincing illustration of the love of God to a guilty worlcl. 4. Perfect in tl,e scope of his revelation. "He declared God "-as much as God wished and man required. Less would not do; more would be unnecessary and perhaps injurious. While curiosity is not satisfi…
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in_ thefr i11q11fr!/· They_ as~ i1;t every shape ~nd form, and nsk again and iigain ; and in this th~y nrc "·or~hy of mutation by all mqmrers for truth. If your first question fails, ask agnm nnd agtun. How many have not been admitted to tho temple of truth and the hean'n of life because they only timidly knocked at…
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wildcrncse, God's old pioneering hernlde had voices like thunder. Now tho wilderness ton great extent is transformed into a garden, and the voice becomes na.turally more suppressed. 'l'he Dn.ptist wns a special herald with a special messa"e 0 ~ the world's wilderness, nnd he had a voice like a trumpet. (4) .Awful lon…
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r, ~l!ty, K ntlianacl "·as a true descendant of Jacob, and even Ruporior to his itlustrioue ~pmtual ancestors-" an Israelite indeed." llis character was distinguished by: 1. Genuine de'.•ot'.·on.. 'l'his made him an Ismclite indeed, a genuine heir of the title c?nfe1;ed on. Ins 11lustrio~s ancestor-" a prince of God…
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own Image as in a glass, and Nathanael could see in Jesus the Son of God and the King of mon. II. Ills OIIARAOTER IN REI,ATION TO JEBUB. 1. It was such as to attract the admirinq attention of Jesus, Philip was quick in thought and motion with regarJ to Nathanael. He ro.n to inform and invite him; but Jesus was before …
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the Word:" so rnns the first verse in thA Gospel of John. Thie rceemblanco prompt9 us t-0 look for ot.her resem blancos. "God said, Let there bo light: and there was light:" so runs the third verse of the Book of Genesis. And then we perceive that John correspondingly, would lead his readers to think of tbo greatest…
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oapncity, They did not give him even a provisional reception WI such time as his claim could be examined; for such seems the force of rrapb..a{Jov. They were prejudiced ngninst him from the very first. Every word and act were twisted against him. What candour there is in these admissions of John I Christianity fears …
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make it plain that be is a gracious Being. We ne1Jd no formal command to worship him. '\"Ve nrc instinctively drawn to our knees in his presence, He carries tho e~senco of his commandments charactered in his gracious face. Thus by considering all the ten commandme11ts, we should get illustrations of the grace and truth…
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also of many who were mere strangers. Interest in natural kinsmen wonld soon be merged in the wider interest a Christian must feel in humanity at large. Peter was Androw'e first gift to Jesus, and he may have been the easiest. To bring a human being into real, loving contact with Jesus is not an easy thing; but what a …
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EXPOSITION. object of it was to convey to his disciplea, to CHAPTER n men who knew that he WM the Messiah, Ver. 1-ch. iii. 2.-4. The testimony of the Son of God, the Lamb of God, some- lii!Jn,s to the glory of the Word made fleih. thing of the power which he had for meet- Vers. 1-12.-{l) The.first sign, the begin- …
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nro so immensumbly beneath him that he far ns to any that the interesting diacoarso can neither augment their earthly exhile.- of Jesus during the rcpe.Ht inclined the rntion nor tnko part in sncb carnal and guests to believe that, though their thirst muncfane considemtionR. Snoh ideas may had been quenched with pure w…
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the form of the Wisdom or Logoe fesliml of Ver. 1.-0n the third de.:, there wa1 a rrov. ix. nnd Ecclus. i. 16-18 e.nd xxiv. marriage in Ce.na 1 of Ge.Wee, and the l ~25. The Logos is here the symposi- mother of 1esua wa.a there. Should the sup- nreh, Rnd the fc,11,st corresponds -with the posed discovery of Dethabar…
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rising ground four milos n.nd a half north- -either from this cause, or from the poverty Ol\st of Nn.znreth, ontl the remnins of o of the hosts, whose willingness and welcomfl Grook churoli n.re still to bo seen there. were lrLrger than their means, or by reits<m 'J'ho site is not inooneietent with the con- of an advan…
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11n wine," ii hrr0mcs llingnlA.tly iuterosting water would be supplied to o.11 those whCI t.0 observe the method of onr Lord. The ooine to him; wheu the blood ho wouhl shed reque,t for a •npply of additionRl eolRoo and would be II Divino stream, olen.r o.s oryslnl, refreshment tMII eomplied with. The sug- for the rc…
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4; lltmlo.y, in his tmmlntion of 'Mishna,' Ver. 7.-Jena 10.ith to them, l'il.l the § 17, cnnmerli.tes cnrlhenwe.re e.nd other water-pots with water. And they filled them material as le.wful). It is interesting the.t to the brim. They hod, therefore, been these stone jo.rs are still use<l in this very emptied already fo…
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~tt'mation. At. firat the ordor must havo M much 11s this. They lmew the pll\in fact aeem('(I like folly, I\S when Mosee oa.lled on that it was not I\ wine-vat or wine-ce.ek, but I~rn.el to "go fnrw1trd" into the Reel Sea, a water-jar, from which they hnd clrnwn in nr RA when ,Tesus ~Rid to the pn,r1tlytio, order to…
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thot this monifeetotion of the power of the paeee.ge which unveil the glory of the Divine Lord wus uot, in his opinion, the coming of love and power now wrought in ma.n. A his "hour." Stro.nge reticence is observed, point of connection with the synoptic but this is adcled- Gospels is that they too record Christ' d …
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the remainB of 1hc vrry synagogue built by previoua clnim. To this, however, it is re- the Roman centurion, and one <'ertl\inly plied thRt John, the son of Zcbedee nnd de.ting bnck to 1.he Herodie.n e.ge. TeU-Huni, Salome, may have been his no!lr relntivc, if or "tho Mound of Hftm," is an ee.sy corrup- Snlome were the …
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Leee" in the ov11ngelic nnrrative (Mark xv. the Evangelist Matthew hnd not a vestige in 40), If the "cousin theory " holds, this him of that adoration of virginity, or Mari- must havo been the caeo. Finally," coneins '' olatry, which has !eel ecclesiastical historiam, would ho.rdly so persistently have been and comment…
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of an ee.rly oonllid of Jesus wit.h t.he e.utho- anothcr, e.nd combine to refute the idyllio rities at Jerusalem, and tlmt they forget, in reproduction of the public ministry, which their eagerness to demonstrate the nuti- Ronan e.nd mo.ny others hnve attempted t.o ,Tewish che.moter of the Johnnnine Christ, fashion,…
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smo.11 (Ko>..o/:l&s, oquivo.lont to "muti!Bted ") Lord simply assumed the role of o.ny and coin used for purposes of exchange. The every Hebrew prophet. The Talmud enjoins enJRller the ooin tho better, BB the minute the sanctity fc,r which the Saviour plea.de, difforoncos of weight of the foreign coine Ho called the te…
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and 118.id to him. Thnt which the disriplC'a of Christ. Tho Lord meant," sCLy they, "a.a thought nt the very time is here reoordc>d follows : • Persist in your IRwlcss, irreverent, bv one who nlfoota at least to know their unbelieving treatment of tho templo, cmd so inmost minds o.ud most oonfidentinl medite.• destr…
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One holior and " greater than the templo." Nis11n, A.u.c. 731-735 and 735-736. The God ie manifeeted in the glory of tho.t holy forty-sixth year after this would make life, nnd man ie set forth also in Christ's the Passover at which this speech was perfect high-priestly npproe.ch to and com- delivered-the spring of A.u…
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l'onsriou~nc-Rs tlu~t ho <'RD SR.y, "I Rnd th11 whiob nnticipato tho glorious reign nnd vio- FRthc-r ue onC':" rmd (oh. x. 17, 1~) "I will tory of the Uhrist and the extension of his IRy dnwn my life that I mRy te.ke it RgBin " kingdom, when ooupled with those whioh (c-r. Eph. iv. 8-10). portrayed the sorrows of Mes…
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1piril.1ml rechm1fftof "the rich young mnn," assume, 11s tl1ey would hnve liker] him to of "the lBwyor," and of the story of PC1ul, do, o.n. immerlinto and outwnrrl i\Te••iahship himself IL PhBrieee, when fln!llly convinced of poht,co.l revolt. He did not hreo.k the tlmt he needed a new crootion and IL epirituBl brn…
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VII. TnERE IB NOTHING mcoNBIBTENT WITH TIIE CHARACTER OF CmnBT IN HIB m:rr,1r.NJSIIINO TIIE SUPPLY 011' WINE. Those who maintain that the wine crefLted by mirnolo was unformented, an<l, therefore, unintoxicating, onght to know: 1. That there is no such thing as unfermemted wine. 2. That it is no more inconsistent with …
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ported by the public opinion of Jerusalem, and might have crushed this zealot on tho spot. Yet our Lord prooeeds with the utmost deliberation to the work of purifying the temple with the "whip of cords" in his hand, not wielded as an instrument of offence but as a symbol of authority. He has, no doubt, the conscious…
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HOMILIES BY V .ARIOUS AUTHORS. Vers. 1-11.-Jesus and social life. Public men are sometimes anxious with regard to a first appearance, that it should be upon a scene, in society, and with accompani- ments worthy of themselves or of their own conceptions of themselves. Jesus proved his superiority to human vanity and we…
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11parL from family life; and it is not e. good sign of the morals of n community when men's social enjoyments are disconnected from virtuous women and from holy homes. ~t is unirnr~aHy ackno_wledged that Christ has exalted wonmn to hor rightful and rntcnd~ pos1t10n; and 1t has not genera.Hy been considered how largely …
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Vers. 1-11.-Je.ms and nature. In recording this incident, the evan"'elist tells his story with beautiful simplicity, and as if scarcely conscious that it contains what is marvellous and supernatural. It doubtless seemed to him so natural that J esns should have acted as be did, that he wrote without drawing any especia…
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I. D1nNE ESPOUSALS, Then shall it be proclllimod, •• 'l'he marriage of the Lamb ie con1e." Il. Co1'.GE~lAL SOCIETY. The mother and brethren of tho Lord, the disciples, the happy p1m, the Joyous guests, figure the assembly and Church of the Firstborn. Ill. Ai'FNDANT PROVISION. As Jesus secured an ample supply for wa…
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Ver. 5.-" Wnatlloever he saith unto YO'U, do it." As his mother knew Jesus the best, so she reverenced him the most. She had reason for thinking and for speaking 88 she did regarding her Divine Son. In the words she addressed to the serv:rnts at t.he house where the wedding-feast was celebrated, her estimation of Jesus…
943 wordsSource & rights
Public domain historical Pulpit Commentary. Source page identifies the volume as Public Domain; text extracted from its historical PDF.
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Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.