A Brighter Day Begins with His Word.

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

SECTION 361

JOHN, CHAP. VI. 409

" He knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him." Sentences like this are found so frequently in tlie Gospels that we are apt to underrate their importance. Yet there are few truths which we shall find it so good for our souls to remember as tlint which is contained in the sente…

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SECTION 362

410 EXPOSITORS THOUGHTS.

all who profess to admire and follow popular preachers, are real Christians. This is far too much forgotten. [This is an hard saying.] This does not mean "hard" in the sense of being " difficult to understand." It is not so much " h;ird to the comprehension," as " hard to the feelings." Park- hurst defines it as " sho…

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SECTION 363

JOHN, CHAP. VI. 411

Socinian can explain. It is a clear assertion of the " pre-exist- ence " of Christ. Some think, as Oishausen and Tholuck, that our Lord only means generally, ''If you are offended and unbelieving, ever, now, while I am with you, how much more will ye be, when I go away." But this is a frigid and unsatisfactory interpr…

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SECTION 364

4:12 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS.

not mean the bodily act of eating any literal flesh, but a ver;y different kind of eating, and a very different sort of flesh." This IS the opinion of Zwing'e, Melaiicthon, Calvin, Bucer, Ecolampa- dius, Pellican, Flacius, Bullinger, ('occeius, Diodati. Piscator, Mus- cuius, Baxt'jr, Lampe, Henry, Scott, Stier, Besser,…

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SECTION 365

JOHN, CHAP. VI. 413

Bentence then might be paraphrased in either of the following ways : — (1.) " The words that I speak to you, received into your hearts and beheved, are the Spirit's influence, the ministration of the Spirit, and the Spirit's means of giving you hfe." This ia RoUock's view. Or else, (2.) " The words that I speak unto yo…

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SECTION 366

EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS.

of all hearts and characters. He was never deceived by crowds and apparent popularity, as His ministers often are. When it says " from the be^^inning," it pi-obably means "from the begin- ning of His ministry, and from the time when the unbelieving ^ many ' before Him first professed to be His disciples." Of course our…

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SECTION 367

JOHN, CHAP. VI. 415

Bixth chapter. They supply a melancholy proof of the hardness and corruption of man's heart. Even when the Son of God was the preacher, many seem to have heard in vain. Let us mark in this passage what an old sin hacksliding is. We read that when our Lord had explained what He meant by " eating and drinking his flesh …

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SECTION 368

416 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS.

that there will always be counterfeit coin wheie there is true money. Let us mark, secondly, in this passage, the noble declara' Hon of faith which the Apostle Peter made. Our Lord had said to the twelve, when many went back, " Will ye also go away ?" At once Peter replied, with character- istic zeal and fervour, " Lo…

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SECTION 369

JOHN", CHAP. VI. 417

after all, " To whom shall we go," if we give up our reli- gion ? Where shall we find such peace, and hope, and solid comfort as in serving Christ, however poorly we serve Him ? Can we better ourselves by turning our back- on Christ, and going back to our old ways ? "We cannot. Then let us hold on our way and persevere…

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SECTION 370

420 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS.

trines of tlie Christian faith. It certainly was so with Peter and the apostles, at this time. (b.) We should also notice, that there is nothing man is so backward to see, as the sacrifice of the death of Christ, the sub- stitution, and the atonement. It is possible to be right about Christ's divinity and Messiahship,…

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Source & 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.