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
834 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS.
pected to accompany the appearance of any prophet or messen- ger from God. Here was a mighty miracle, and at once tha minds of all who saw it were excited. \This is of a truth that prophet, etc.] This meant that " pro- phet like unto Moses," whom all welj-instructed Jews expected to appear, and for whose speedy appear…
96 wordsSECTION 302JOHN YI. 15—21.
15 When Jesus therefore per- ceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a moun- tain himself alone. 16 And when even was now come, his disciples went down unto the sea, 17 And entered into a ship, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was now dark, and Jesus…
613 wordsSECTION 303836 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS.
anxiety, and danger, the change was very great ! But Christ knew it, and Christ appointed it, and it was working for their good. Trial, we must distinctly understand, is part of the diet which all true Christians must expect. It is one of the means by which their grace is proved, and by which they find out what there …
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fixity of the " laws of nature," as if they were above God Himself, and could never be suspended. It is well to be reminded sometimes by such miracles as that before us, that these so-called " laws of nature " are neither immu- table nor eternal. They had a beginning, and will one day have an end. Let all true Christi…
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the norfh-west shore of the lake of Galilee, and the point where the disciples embarked was on the noith-east shore. To reach Capernaum they would pass the point where the Jordan ran into che lake, and leave that point and the town of Bethsaida on their fight hand. The place where the miracle was wrought was not at Bet…
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last. Thomson, the American traveller, says, — "My experienca in this region enabled me to sympathize with the disciples in their long night's contest with the wind. — I have seen the face of the lake like a huge boiling caldron. The wind howled down the valleys from the north-east and east with such fury that no effor…
491 wordsSECTION 307JOHN, CHAP. VI. 841
present on the occasion would have used. In a dark niofht they could not possibly have spoken with precise accuracy. John waa there himself, and knew that excessive accuracy is sometiiies suspicious, and looks like a made-up story. John ii, 6 is a simi- lar expression. Bengel says, " The Holy Spirit knew, and oould ha…
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happened, given by two witnesses, Matthew and John, who were actually present on the occasion, and by another writer, — viz., Mark, who was intimate with that very Peter who walked on the water himself. If tlie disciples were " in the midst of the sea," and two or three miles from shore, how could they possibly have s…
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tljat our Lord and His disciples reached the shore in ' the land of Genesaret," is quite reconcileable with St. John's account. The " land of Genesaret" was a plain, on the north-west coast of the Lake of Galilee, extending from Magdala at the south, to Capernaum at the north. In leaving this passage, I call the reade…
310 wordsSECTION 310JOHN VL 22—27.
22 The day following, when the people which stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was none other boat there, save that one whereiuto his disciples were enter- ed, and that Jesus went not with his disciples into the boat, but that his disciples were gone away alone ; 23 (Howbeit there came other boats from …
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gently for the loaves and fishes, " not to labour for the meat that perisheth." It was a remarkable sayhig, and demands explanation. Our Lord, we may be sure, did not mean to encourage idleness. It would be a great mistake to suppose this Labour was the appointed lot of Adam in Paradise. Labour was ordained to be man'…
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in rich abundance in Him. But he that would have it must diligently seek it. How are we to labour ? There is but one answer. We must labour in the use of all appointed means. "We must read our Bibles, like men digging for hidden treasure. We must wrestle earnestly in prayer, like men contending with a deadly enemy for…
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and api^ointed, and commissioned by God tlie Father for this very purpose. Like Joseph in the Egyptian famine, it is His office to be the Friend, and Almoner, and Reliever of a sinful world. He is far more willing to give than man is to receive. The more sinners apply to Him, the better ]Ie is pleased. And now, as we …
407 wordsSECTION 314JOHN, CHAP. VI. 849
means the multitude, or some of them, whom Jesus had fed on tlie north-east shore of the lake, and whom the disciples had L ft standing near the banks when they embarked, belore our Lord sent them away. Matthew and Mark both mention that our Lord first made the disciples embark, and then sent the mul- titude away, and …
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follows as one unbroken discourse, all spoken at one time with- out breaks or pauses, except such as arise from the remarks of the people who heard our Lord, there can be no doubt where our Lord was. The fiflj-ninth verse settles the question. '' These things said he in the synagogue as he taught in Capernaum.'' — But …
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sifting and examination. We may be sure that all is not gold that glittei.-J, and that many a professor is rotten at heart. It was so even under our Lord's ministry, and much more now. Augustine remarks how seldom " Jesus is sought for the sake of Jesus." Our Lord's perfect knowledge of the S3cret springs of men's act…
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The whole verse is a strong proof that however carnal and wicked men may be, we should never hesitate to offer to them freely and fully the salvation of the Gospel. Bad as the motives of these Jews were, we see our Lord, in the same breath, first exposing their sin, and then showing them their remedy. The figure of sp…
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which is the grand want of human nature. Mercy and grace, pardon of sin and a new heart, are the two great gifts which alone can fill the soul, and once given are never taken away, but endure for ever. Both here and in many other places, we must always remember, that " meat ' did n^t mean exclusively " flesh" in the da…
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testimony which the Father had borne to the Son's MessiaLship. This also is Suicer's view, and Alford's. Stier remarks, " This seahng is not to be understood merely of miracles, but of the stamp of divinity which was impressed upon His wliole hfe and teaching." This is Poole's view, and Hutcheson's. It has been thoug…
422 wordsSECTION 320JOHN YI. 28—34.
28 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that "we might work the works of Grod? 29 Jesus answered and said unto them. This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath Bent. 30 They said therefore unto him, "What sign showest thou then, that we may see, and beUeve thee? what dost thou work ? 31 Our f…
377 wordsSECTION 321856 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS.
at during His earthly ministry, was man's "unbelief." (Mark vi. 6.) We shall do well to i emember this, if we ever try to do good to others in the matter of religion. We must not be cast down because our words are not believed, and our efforts seem thrown away. We must not complain of it as a strange thing, and suppos…
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purchase heaven. Bui jOur Lord did mean that faith in Himself, as the onljr.jSayiour, is the first act of the soul which God requires^J^t A sinner's hands. Till a man believes on Jesus, and rests on Je«us as a lost sinner, he is nothing. — Our Lord did mean that faith in Himself is that act of the soul which specially …
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the Messiah whom He had sent, and whom they saw before them. When our Lord calls faith " the work of God," we must not suppose He means here, that it is the work of His Spirit, and His gift. This is undoubtedly true, but not the truth of the text. He only means that believing is '' the work that pleases God," and is m…
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for something to convince them, and fancying that if they were convinced, they would be different men in reliorion. The plain truth is, that it is want of heart, not want of evidence, that keeps people back from Christ. The Jews had signs, and evidences, and proofs of Christ's Messiahship in abundance, but they would n…
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lies. They believed them, and spoke of tnem, as historical facts. We never need be ashamed of being on their side. Let us observe the acquaintance with Scripture which the Jews exhibit. They quote the seventy-eighth Psalm (ver. 24, 25), as a sujBQcient proof of tfhe fact they had just mentioned. A certain knowledge of…
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the bread that was given you was not that true bread which endures to everlasting hfe." [Bui my Father giveth you the true hread from heaven.'] The use of the present tense should be noticed in this sentence. The idea seems to be, '' What Moses could not give you, even the true bread which feeds the soul, my Father do…
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was itself a thing which could not bene£t the soul. Christ waa the true spiritual food of which the manna was the type. Ex- amples of " true " in this sense may be seen in John i. 9 ; xv. 1 ; Heb. viii. 2 ; ix. 24. 33. — [The hreacl of God is that, etc.] At first sigiit, this verse seems to mean, that '' Ciirist comin…
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world, and provided eternal life for every member of Adaiil*a family who would eat of it, whether Jew or Gentile. We should mark, again, what a strong argumenf these worda supply in favour of the doctrine of Christ being God's gift to alL That all the world has not life from Christ, and does not believe in Him, is und…
448 wordsSECTION 329JOHN VI. 35—40.
35 And J 3SUS said unto them, I am the bread of life : he that cometh to me shall never hunger ; and he that beheveth on me shall never thirst. 36 But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not. 37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. …
402 wordsSECTION 330368 EXPOSITOKY THOUGHTS.
like bread. It is food both for the Queen and the paujier. So is it with Christ. He is just the Saviour that meets the wants of every class. — Bread is food that we need daily. Other kinds of food we take, perhaps, only occasionally. But we want bread every morning and evening in our lives. So is it with Christ. There …
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place him in the number of His dear children, and give him everlasting life. These are golden words indeed ! They have smoothed down many a dying pillow, and calmed many a troubled conscience. Let them sink down deeply into our memo- ries, and abide there continually. A day w^ill come when flesh and heart shall fail, …
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Let the true Christian feed on the truths contained in this passage, and thank God for them. Christ the Bread of life, — Christ the Receiver of all who come to Him, — Christ the Preserver of all believers, — Christ is for every man who is willing to believe on Him, and Christ is the eternal possession of all who so bel…
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(d.) Le: UF! note that true believers sliall never be altogether cast off and forsaken of God. The man that comes to Christ shall " never hunger nor thirst." The text is one among many proofs of the perseverance of the saints. (e.) Let us note, finally, liow simple are the terms of the Go.-^pel. It is but coming and b…
513 wordsSECTION 334VI. 373
right to be surprised if we find like unbelief now. Men may actually see Christ with their bodily eyes and have no faith. 37.— [All that the Father giveth me shall come to me.] The con- nection of this verse with the preceding one seems to be this : " Your unbelief does not move me or surprise me. I foresaw it, and ha…
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Ferus says, " Cleaving to Christ by faith, thou art sure of thy predestination." We learn fom these words the irresistible power of God's electing grace. All who are given to Christ shall come to Him. No obstacle, no difficulty, no power of the world, the flesh, and the devil, can prevent them. Sooner or later they wi…
1,009 wordsSECTION 33637(3 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS.
39. — l^TMs is the Father's luill ivliich hath sent me.] In this versa' and the following, Christ explains fully what was the Father's will concerning the Son's mission into the world. It was that He should receive all and lose none, that any one might come to Him, and that no comer should be lost. It is a cheering and…
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humblest believer shall be raised again by Christ at the first resur- rection, and eternally glorified, just as certainly as the oldest saint in the family of God. Stier remarks, " This raising up at the last day, twice empha- tically affirmed, points out to us the final goal of salvation, and preserving power; after …
274 wordsSECTION 338JOHN VI. 41—51.
41 The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven. 42 And they said, Is not this Je- sus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that he saith, I came down from heaven ? 43 Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves.…
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for us, — of Christ's death being the corner-stone of our hope, — of Christ's poverty being our riches, — and you will, find they hate these things with a deadly hatred. Tiuly the offence of the cross is not yet ceased ! We learn, for another thing, from this passage, man's natural helplessness and inability to repent…
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has a title to heaven, which death and hell and Satan can- not overthrow. Happy are they that know this truth ! It is an essential part of the good news of the Gospel. After all, the great point we have to consider is whether we believe. What shall it profit ns that Christ has died for sinners, if we do not believe on…
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in the speake- Stier, I am a^Yare, calls this idea "highly arti- ficial" But I cannot see any force in the objection, and 1 see much difficulty in any other view. Cyril remarks that a readiness to murmur seemed to be here- ditary with the Jews. From the days when they murmured in the wilderness, it was always the same…
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wliicli you seem totally blind : and that is, man's need of God's grace in order to believe on me. You are never likely to believe until you acknowledge your ovrn corruption, and ask for grace to draw your souls to me. I am aware that it needs something more than argument and reasoning to make any one believe in me. Yo…
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(c.) Last, but not least, it is the doctrine of experience. The longer ministers of the GTospel live, the more do they find that theie is something to be done in every heart which neither preaching, teaching, arguing, exhorting, or means of grace can do. When all has been done, God must " draw," or there is no iTuit. —…
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a child by offering him nuts. — But there is this wide differ- ence, that both the sheep and the child have a natural taste and inclination for the thing offered. Man, on the contrary, has none at all. God's first act is to give man a will to come to Christ. As the 10th Article of the Church of England says, we need ''…
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the instrumentality of His Word. The man that neglects the public preaching and private reading of God's Word, has no right to expect that God will draw him. The thing is possible, but highly improbable. (e.) We must never allow ourselves or others to waste time in trying to find out, as a firsD question in religion, …
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47. — [VeHIy, verily. ..He that helieveth on me...N/e.] In this vers* our Lord returns to the main tliread of his discourse, which had been interrupted at the 40th verse. He now speaks out much more clearly and plainly about Himself, dropping all reserve, and revealing Himself as the object of faith, openly and without…
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future tense seems to me a conclusive proof that " my flesh " cannot mean only " my incarnation." The " giving " was about to take place, but had not taken place yet. It could only be His death. When our Lord says, "I will give my flesh," it appears to me that He can only mean, " I will give it to die, to suller, to b…
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Christ's ieath, and that nothinc? can make them intelligible and instructive but the doctrine of Christ's vicarious death, and satis- feiction on the cross as our Substitute.…
27 wordsSECTION 349JOHN VL 52—59
drink eth my blood, dwelleth in me and I in him. 57 As the living Father hath sent me, and I hve by the Father : so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. 58 This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead : he that eateth of this bread shall hve for ever. 59 The…
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not looked closely into the subject. But it is an opinion which is supported by three weighty reasons. — For one thing, a literal " eating and drinking " of Christ's body and blood would have been an idea utterly revolting to all Jews, and flatly contradictory to an often-repeated precept of their law. — For another th…
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over-lamb, in the night when the first-born were slain, so there is no life for the sinner who does not eat the flesh of Christ and drink His blood. We may learn that faith in Christ's atonement unites us by the closest possible bonds to our Saviour, and entitles us to the highest privileges. Our souls shall find full…
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to understand that His flesh and blood were to be the means of life and deliverance from the wrath to come to smners. To a Jewish ear therefore there would be nothing so entirely new and strange in the sentence as at first S'gbt may appear to us. The thing that would startle them no doubt would be our Lord's assertion …
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my flesh and drinketh my blood, — that is, eats the sacrjimenta' bread and drinks the sacramental wine, — has eternal life." Here is precisely what the natural heart of man likes ! He likes to go to heaven by formally using ordinances. This is the very way in w^iich millions in the Romish Church have made and are makin…
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spoke of His death, and of the oflfering of His whole body in sacrifice on the cross. The body of the sin-offering was just aa essential a part of the sacrifice as the blood. (See Lev. iv. 1 — 12.) So also the body of the passover Iamb had to be eaten, as well aa the blood sprinkled. The " flesh and blood " are both me…
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and the believer's soul, as there is between a man's food and it man's body. 57. — [As the living Father, etc.] This verse explains the intimate union between Christ and the true believer, by a far higher and more mysterious figure than that of the union of our food and our body. The illustration used, is drawn from t…
490 wordsSECTION 356JOHN, CHAP. VI. 405
that is, " I live because the Father hves." Schleusner and Park- hurst say much the same. The ^' hring- Father " is a remarkable phrase. It is hke th6 "Uving God." (John vi. 69. Acts xiv. 15. Rom. ix. 26. 2 Cor. xxxiii. 6, 9. 1 Thess. i. 9. 1 Tim. vi. 17 ) It must mean the Futher who is the source of life, who '* hath…
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teach the true doctrine of the Lord's supper, as the third was intended to teach, the truth about baptism. — My own opinion is flatly contrary. I hoM that in neither chapter are the sacra- ments referred to at all. I beheve that the third chapter was intended to counteract erroneous views about baptism, by teach- ing t…
248 wordsSECTION 358JOHN YL 60—65.
60 Many therefore of his disci- ples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it ? 61 "When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them. Doth this oflfend you? 62 What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before ? 63 It is the Spirit th…
193 wordsSECTION 359JOHN, CHAP. VI. 407
Murmurs and complaints of this kind are very common. It must never surprise us to hear them. They have been, they are, they will be as long as the world stands. To some Christ's sayings appear hard to understand. To others, as in the present case, they appear hard to believe, and harder still to obey. It is just one of…
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autlioi* of spiritual life in man's souL By His agency it is fir&t imparted, and afterwards sustained and kept up. If the Jews thought He meant that man could have spiritual life by bodily eating or drinking, they were greatly mis- taken. Our Lord says, " The flesh profiteth nothing." By this He means that neither His…
319 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.