PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels — St. John — Volume 1
Ryle, J. C. (John Charles), 1816–1900 · 191,919 words · 370 reading sections
JOHN, CHAP. III. 119
ignorant of the matters handled in this chapter, is to be in the broad way which leadeth to destruction. We should notice, firstly, in these verses, what a weak 2nd feeble heginning a man may m,aJce in religion^ and yet finally prove a strong Christian. We are told of a certain Pharisee, named Nicodemus, who feeling c…
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the most steadfast. Judas Iscariot was an apostle when Nicodemns was just groping his way slowly into full light, Yet afterwards, when Nicodemns was boldly helping to bury bis crucified Saviour, Judas Iscariot had betrayed Him, and hanged himself! This is a fact which ought not to be forgotten. We should notice, secon…
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This change of heart is rendered absolutely necessary to salvation by the corrupt condition in which we are ah, without exception, born. " That which is bom of the flesh is flesh." Our nature is thoroughly fallen. The carnal inind is enmity against God. (Rom. viii. V.) We come into the world without faith, or love, or …
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lie had just heard. He graciously helped his wondering mind by an illustration drawn from "the wind." A more beautiful and fitting illustration of the work of the Spirit it is impossible to conceive. There is much about the wind that is mysterious and inexplicable. " Thou canst not tell," says our Lord, " whence it co…
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our Lord is speaking. He that lacks these marks, is yet dead in trespasses and sins. (John v. 1 ; iii. 9 ; ii. 29 ; iii. 14; V. 4 ; V. 18.) And noAV let us solemnly ask ourselves, Whether we know anything of the mighty change of which we have been reading? Have we been born again? Can any marks of the new birth be see…
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position, and certainly a famous religious teacher. See the IDth verse. 2. — [The same came...hy night] The fact here recorded appeals tc me to show that Nicodemus was influenced by the fear of man, and was afraid or ashamed to visit Jesus by day. — The view maintained by some, that we ought not to blame him for comin…
473 wordsSECTION 127JOHN, CHAP. III. 125
[Thou art a teacher come from God.] This cautious sentence is an instructive indication of the state of Nicodeinus' mind. He was naturally a timid, hesitating, slow-moving man. That Jesus was somebody remarkable, he m- as convinced by His miracles. That He might possibly be the Messiah, had probably crossed his mind, a…
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gifts or graces from Grod, beyond those ordinnrily given to men, Tiius 1 Sam. xvi 18; iii. 19; and xviii. 12—14. 3. — [Jesvs answered.] Tiie question has often been asked, "To what did our Lord answer?" No question was put to him. What is the connecting hnk between the words of Nicodemus, and the solemn statement cont…
481 wordsSECTION 129JOHN, CHAP. III. 127
heaven, or from God. It is so translated in this cbapfer, (verse* 31,) and in four other places in the New Testament. (John xix. 11 ; James i. 17; iii. 15, 17.) In one other place, (Galat. iv. 9,) it is " again." Many commentators in every age, as Origen, Cyril, Theophylact, Bullinger, Lightfoot, Erasmus, Bengel, have …
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change of heart inseparably connected with baptism. — This again is an unsatisfactory interpretation. For one tjiing, it seems improbable, that the first truth which (>ur Lord would propound to an inquiring Pharisee, would be the necessity of baptism. He certainly never did so on any other occasion. — For another thing…
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comprehend." Otliers think that it means, "he cannot enter, enjoy, partake of^ or posses'^" Tlie last I believe to be the true meaning of the expression. The first is truth, but not the truth of the text. The second ib confirmed by the language used in the fifth verse, and is a common form of speech of which there are …
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f mien he is old.] This expression seems to indicate that Nicoderaus himself was an old man when this conversation took place. If this be so, it is only fair, in judging his case, to make some allowance for the slowness with which old age receives new opiniors, and. specially in the things of religion. At the same time…
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water," our Lord meant to defend both John's baptism and Hig own, and to show their value. This is the view of the text which is maintained by some few of the best Roman Cathohc writers, such as Rupertus and Ferus, — by almost all the English Reformers, and by many excellent commentators down to the present day. It is …
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commentators, I feel a natural desire to give the reasons of my opinion at full length, and I think that the importance of the subject in the present day justifies me in doing so. In giving theee reasons I must decline entering into questions which are not directly before me. The value of the sacrament of baptism, — th…
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" Thou art in the gall of bitterness and the bond of iniquity, — thy heart 'S not right in the sight of God, — thou hast neither part nor Ijt in this matter." (Acts viii. 21 — 23.) The assertion, therefore, that '•' water " must mean baptism, is a mere gratuitous assumption, and must fall to the ground. (c.) Thirdly, …
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does no good at all. — I see no possibility of avoiding tlu'sc con- sequences, however little some pei sons who hold the inseparability of baptism and regeneration may intend them. Happily I have the comfort of thinking that there is an utter want of logic in some hearts which have much grace. (e.) Fifthly, if " born …
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they are given in vain. But I have felt it due to iryself, in maintaining an opinion about a most important text which is not commonly held, to state fully my reasons, and to show that my opinion is not hghtly maintained. Before leaving this subject, I think it right, in self-defence, to say something about the fact, …
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remarks of Hooker, which are so frequently thrown in the teeth of those who take the view of "water and the Spirit," which I do, are a curious instance of the coolness witli which a great man can soihetimes draw an illogical conclusion in his own favour, from some bioad general premise. He lays down the general princip…
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139 Spirit!" — For another thing, it seems to me very strange to speak of the Holy Ghost as *' blowing," and to speak of the "sound" of the Holy Ghost, or of that "sound" being heard by Nicodemus. I can see no difficulty whatever in the expression, " The wind bloweth where it listeth." It is common in the Bible to pe…
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hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the Ught, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God. name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved d…
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the Spirit of God." (1 Cor. ii. 14.) Happy is he who haa been taught to prove all things by Scripture, and to call no man master upon earth. (1 Thess. v. 21 ; Matt, xxiii. 9.) These verses show us, secondly, the original source froin which man's salvation springs. That source is the love of God the Father. Our Lord sa…
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servedly, but it is only through the one channel cf Christ's redemption. He that rejects Christ cuts himself off from God's love, and will perish evedastingly. — On the other hand, we must beware of narrow and contracted opinions. We must not hesitate to tel] any sinner that God loves him. It is not true that God cares…
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The brazen serpent, lifted up in the camp of Isrj^el, brought health and cure within the reach of all who were bitten by serpents. Christ crucified, in like manner, brought eternal life within reach of lost mankind. Chiist has been lifted up on the cross, and man looking to Him by faith may be sayed. The truth before …
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poor, and yet remain unpardoned, and lose our souls. — But if we will only come to Christ as guilty sinners, and believe on Him, our sins shall at once be forgiven, and our iniqui- ties shall be entirely put away. Without faith there is no salvation ; but through faith in Jesus, the vilest sinner may be saved. If we w…
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the work of the Spirit. — Thirdly, he had shown tlie necessity of the new birth, from the natural corruption of man. — Fourthly, He had illustratea the work of the Spirit a second time by tho instance of the " wind." And yet now, after all that our Lord has said, this learned Pharisee seems utterly in the dark, and ask…
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saying that He and the two other Persons in the Trinity " speak what they have seen." The meaning of the sentence appears to be this, *' I declare with authority, and bear witness to truths, which from all eternity I have known and seen, as God in union with the Father and the Holy Ghost. I do not speak (as all merely…
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13. — [And no man hath ascended, (£c.] This verse, according to my view, contains the first " heavenly thing " which our Lord dis- plays to Nicodemus. But the sentence is undeniably a difficult one, and commentators differ widely as to its meaning. Some think, as Calvin. Masculus, Bullinger, Hutcheson, Poole, Quesnel,…
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translate " wliicli is," do not, both here and in chap. i. 18, poini to that peculiar name of Jehovah, which was doubtless familiar to jSTicodemus, " The ever existing One ; the Uving One " It is the same phrase which forms part of Christ's name in Revela- tion, 'Him which is." (Rev. i. 4.) Much cf the difficulty of t…
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Christ crucified, is our sin liaid upon Him, and Him counted as a sinner, and treated as a sinner, and punished as a sinner, for our redemption. In fact we see on the cross our sins punished, crucified, borne, and carried by our Redeemer. (d.) Finally, as the one way by which Israehtes obtained relief from the brazen …
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in which the benefits of Kis crucifixion become our own. In interpreting the verse, we should carefully remember that the comparison of the serpent lifted up in the wilderness must be carried through to the end of the sentence. The Son of man must be lifted up on the cross, that whosoever believeth on Him, or looks to …
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but the reception of a title to heaven. It has been well remark- ed, that the Old Testament generally promised only " length of dajs," but the Gospel promises "everlasting life." 10. — [For God so loved the worldj <fcc.] Our Lord, in this verse, shews Nicodemus another " heavenly thing." — Nicodemus pro- bably thought…
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harsh and narrow view of God's character, and fairly lays Christiar.ity open to the modern charges brought against it as cruel and unjust to the ungodly. If Grod takes no thought for any but his elect, and cares for none beside, how shall God judge the world ? — I believe in the electing love of God the Father as stro-…
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creature infected with sin, in such manner as hatred may be attributed to Q-od. But for all this He so generally loved man- kind, fallen in Adam, that He hath given His only begotten Son^ that what sinner soever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. And this everlasting life is so provided for m…
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[^That he gave his only hegotten Sonl The gift of Christ, be it here noted, is the result of God's love to the world, and not the cause. To say that Go. I loves us because Christ died for us, is wretched theology indeed. But to say that Christ came into the world in consequence of the love of God, is scriptural truth. …
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never telh men to look at these questions, but commands them to beheve. Salvation, it always teaches, does not turn on the point, " did Christ die for me ?" but on the point, " do I believe on Christ ?" If men do not '^ have eternal life," it is never because God did not love them, or because Christ was not given for t…
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deafly be interpreted with some qualification. It would contra- dict other plain texts of Scripture, if we took it to mean, "God sent His Son into the world, that all the world might finally be saved through Him, and none be lost." In fact, our Lord Him- self declares in the very next verse, " that he that beiieveth no…
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Himself, and the consequence of believing, within four verses. It shows the immense importance of faith in the sinner's justi- fication. It is that one thing, without which eternal life cannot be had. — It shows the amazing graciousness of the Gospel, and its admirable suitableness to the wants of human nature. — A man…
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and ruinous to the soul as unbelief. In one sense it is the only unpardonable sin. All other sins may be forgiven, however many and great, and a man may stand complete before God. But if a man will not believe on Christ, there is no hope for him ; and if he persists in his unbelief he cannot be saved. Nothing is so pro…
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is the true account of it." The following elliptical expresRiona are somewhat similar, and all found in St. John's 1st Epistle. " This is the promise," " this is the love of Grod," " this is the victory," " this is the confidence." (1 John ii. 25. — t. 4, 14.) [That light is come into the world.] It is a question in t…
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the light." He cannot really love Christ and the Gospel, and will not honestly, and with his whole heart, seek Christ by faith and embrace His Go=^pel, until he is renewed The reason of this is, that every unconverted person shrinks from having his ungodhness exposed. He does not wish his wicked way-* to be discovered…
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whose heart is honest, the man who is truly converted, however weak and ignorant, and whose heart and actions are consequently true and right in the sight of God. Tlie phrase is frequently found in St. Joljn's writings. (S-'e John xviii. 37 ; 1 Tohn i. G— 8; ii. 4; iii. 19; 2 John i. ; 3 Jolm iii. 4.) Every such peison…
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helped to bury Christ, he made it manifest to all Israel that " his deeds were wroa-ht in God." Let it be noted, that the two verses which conclude our Lord's address to Nicodemus are a most instructive test of the sincer ty and reality of persons who appear anxious inq[uirer3 in religion. If they are honest and true …
448 wordsSECTION 163JOHN III. 22—36.
22 After these tliiDgs came Je- sus and his disciples into the land of Judsea; and there he tarried -with them, and baptized. 23 And John also was baptizing in ^non near to Salim, because there was much water there: and they came, and were baptized. 24 For John was not yet cast into prison. 25 Then there arose a que…
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Jesus began to attract more attention than that of their master. " They came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold the same baptizeth, and all men come to him." The spirit exhibited in this complaint, is unhappily too comn)on in the Churches of Ch…
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therefore not presume to find fault, when others have more acceptance than ourselves. *' A man can receive nothing except it be given him from heaven." He goes on to remind his followers of his repeated declaration, that one greater than himself was coming ; — " I said, I am not the Christ." He tells them that his offi…
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majesty of Christ. He speaks of Him as '* the bride- groom" of the Church, — as " him that cometh from above," — as " him whom God hath sent," — as "him to whom the Spirit is given without measure," — as Him " whom the Father loves," and into " whose hands all things are given," — ^to believe in whom is life everlastin…
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tions to be fulfilled, no price to be paid, no weaving years of probation to be passed, before a sinner can be accepted with God. Let him only believe on Christ, and he is at once forgiven. Salvation is close to the chief of sinners. Let him only repent and believe, and this day it is his own. By Christ all that believ…
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nar.ces by h's ministers, accordinj^ to His institution, is as His own work. The disciples' baptizing is called His baptizing." The questions have often been raised, "In what name was this baptism administered?" " Was it a baptism that needed tj be repeated after the day of Pentecost ?" — The most probab'e answer to t…
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25. — [There arose.. .quefition... disciples. ..Jews.. .purifying.'] The nature and partimlnrs of this dispute must be left to conjecture. We can only form an idea of it from the context. It seems proba- ble that it was a dispute between the unbelieving Jews and the disciples of John the Baptist, about the comparative …
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surpiise and partly complaint. In any case it show^s how little the balk of John's disciples understood that Jesus was really the Messiah promised in the prophecies. If they hid und-rstoo 1 it, they would surely neither have been surprised nor annoyed at Him for baptizing and becoming popular. They would rather have ex…
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illustration is one which specially requires to be handled wilti reverence, decency, and discretion. The "bride," in the ver^e, signifies the whole company of believers, the Lamb's wile. (Rev. xxi. 9.) The " bridegroom " ia the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. The "friend of the bridegroom'' means John the Baptist, and all …
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saw the successful progress of his mission, and seeing and hear- ing this "rejoiced." The whole verse is a most instructive picture of a true minis- ter's work and character. He is a friend of Christ, and is ordained in order to promote a union between Christ and souls. (2 Cor. ii. 2.) He must rigidly adhere to that o…
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portion as they grow in knowledge and faith, and se( Christ Him- self more clearly. As churches decay and fall awaj , they think less of Christ and more of their ministers. As churches revive and receive spiritual life, they think less of ministers and more of Christ. To a decaying church the sun is going down, and the…
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ceding the one now before us, and that the words "He that Cometh from above" begin the comment of John toe EvangeHst. I cannot for a moment admit this idea to be correct. I see no necessity for it. The whole passage runs on naturally, a.^ the language of John the Baptist, to the end of the chapter, i see nothing unsuit…
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that very few believe on him. Great as he is, and deserving c/f far more reverence than myself, you have yet to learn, that e\ei he is really beheved on by few'. The crowds who follow him are. unhappily, not true believers. The temporary popularity Avhich attends his ministry, is as worthless as that which attended my …
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The whole sentence is peculiar, and requires careful interpieta- tion. The object of John the Baptist is to show once more the infinite superiority of the Lord Jesus over himself or any other man. To all others, even to the most eminent prophets and apostles, God gives the Holy Spirit " by measure," Their gifts and gra…
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some to maintain that the second clause of the verse is only a general statement, " God is not a God who gives the Spirit by mea ure." But all the best commentat(jrs, from Augustine down- wards, hold the view of our translators, that it is Christ who is signified, and that " unto Him" ought to be supplied in any transl…
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keys of death and hell in His hand, and to Him a' one men must go, if they want anything for their souls. Calvin observes on this verse, " The love here spoken of is that peculiar love of God, which beginning with ihe Son flowa from Him to all the creatures. For that love, with which, embracing His Son, He embraces us…
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Let it be a settled principle in our minds that the first and chief business of the Church of Christ is to preach the Gospel. The words of St. Paul ought to be constantly remembered, — " Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the Gospel." (1 Cor. i. 17.) When the Gospel of Christ is faithfully and fully preached …
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what is said about our JOord^s human nature. We read that Jesus was " weaned with his journey." We learn from this, as well as many other expressions in the Gospels, that our Lord had a body exactly like our own. When " the Word became flesh," He took on Him a nature like our own in all things, sin only excepted. Like…
359 wordsSource & rights
Public-domain historical edition (1857). Text from OCR of an original Internet Archive scan; OCR may contain recognition errors.
Project Gutenberg source record →
Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.