PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels — St. John — Volume 3
Ryle, J. C. (John Charles), 1816–1900 · 220,804 words · 484 reading sections
MARK 1.50
LUKE. 2 vols 3. JOHN. 3 vols 4.5© " Rev. J. C. Ryle is among the writers of tlie present age "whose works will have a permanent value. He takes time to mature his thoughts, and spares no toil necessary to the collec- tion of the most valuable materials. His ' Expository Thoughts ' are the result of years of patient a…
155 wordsSECTION 2PREFACE.
The volume now in the reader's hands completes a work which I began sixteen years ago, entitled " Expos- itory Thoughts on the Gospels." By the good hand of God that work is now finished. For this I desire to be deeply thankful. " Better is the end of a thing than the beginning of it." (Eccles. vii. 8.) In concluding …
596 wordsSECTION 3PREFACE. yjj
other schools than my own. I am more and more con- vinced every year I live, that there are many Christians whose hearts are right in the sight of God, while their heads are very wrong. I am more and more convinced, that the differences between schools of religious thought are frequently more nominal than real, more ve…
978 wordsSECTION 4X PEEFACE.
they are not the pillar of cloud and fire. I advise my younger readers to remember that. Use your own judgment prayerfully and diligently. Use commenta- ries; but be a slave to none. Call no man master.* It only remains for me now to express my regret, that the completion of my "Expository Thoughts on the Gospels " ha…
493 wordsSECTION 5TABLE OF CONTENTS.
John. * page XIII. 1 — 5. Christ's patient and continuing love, — the deep corruption of some profes- sprs .... . , 1 — 4 6 — 15. Peter's ignorance, — plain practical les- sons,— deep spiritual lessons . 12 — 16 16 — 20. Christians should not be ashamed to imi- tate Christ, — uselessness of knowledge without pract…
157 wordsSECTION 6CONTENTS. JOHN. PAGE
12 — 17. Works that Cliristians may do, — ^things tliat prayer may obtain, — promise of the Comforter .... 66—70 18 — ^20. Christ's second coming, — Christ's .life the life of His people, — perfect knowledge not attained till second advent of Christ 74—77 21 — ^26. Keeping Christ's commandments the best test of lov…
199 wordsSECTION 7CONTENTS. JOHN.
16 — 24. Christ's absence a sorrow to believers, — Christ's second coming a joy to believ- ers,— duty of prayer in Christ's ab-…
22 wordsSECTION 8PAGE
sence 149—153 25' — 33. Importance of knowing the Father, — Christ's kindness to those who have weak grace, — believers ignorant of their own hearts, — Christ the true source of peace .... 158 — 163 X"VII. 1 — 8. Christ's office and dignity, — Christ's gra- cious account of His people . . 167- -170 9 — 16. Christ'…
187 wordsSECTION 9JOHN. PAGE
28 — 37. Scripture fulfilled in every part of the crucifixion, — It is finished, — reality of Christ's death .... 314—318 38 — 42. Some Christians little known, — some end better than they begin . . . 333—338 XX. 1 — 10. Those love Christ most who have got most from Him, — diflerent tempera- ments of believers, — m…
179 wordsSECTION 10JOHN XIII. 1—5.
1 Now before the feast of the passover, -when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should de- part out of this world unto the Fa- ther, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end. 2 And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to bet…
264 wordsSECTION 112 EXPOSITOEY THOUGHTS.
wards His 2')eople. It is written that " having loved His own which were in the world, He loved them untc the end." Knowing perfectly well that they were about to forsake Him shamefully in a very few hours, in full view of their approaching display of weakness and in- firmity, our blessed Master did not cease to have l…
329 wordsSECTION 12JOHN, CHAP. XIII. 3
passions are a well that is never exhausted. His love is " a love that passeth knowledge." Let no man be afraid of beginning with Christ, if he desires to be saved. The chief of sinners may come to Him with boldness, and trust Him for pardon with con- fidence. This loving Saviour is One who delights to "receive sinner…
310 wordsSECTION 134 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS.
we see this very man possessed by the devil, and rush- ing headlong to destruction. On all the coasts of England there is nofsuch a bea- con to warn sailors of danger as Judas Iscariot is to warn Christians. He shows us what length a man may go in religious profession, and yet turn out a rotten hypocrite at last, and …
319 wordsSECTION 14JOHN, CHAP. XIII. 5
lory remarks before entering into the substance of the thir- teenth chapter. A careful reader of the four Gospels can hardly fail to re- mark that in St. John's account of the last six days of our Lord's ministry, many things mentioned by Matthew, Mark, and Luke, are entirely omitted. The parables of the two sons, — …
503 wordsSECTION 156 EXPOSITOEY THOUGHTS.
be a witness forever against the growing tendency of Chris- tians to make an idol of the sacraments. Even from the begin- ning there seems to have been a disposition in the Cliurch to malie Cliristianitv a religion of forms and ceremonies rather than of heart, and to exalt outward ordinances to a place which God never …
998 wordsSECTION 163 EXPOSITOKY THOUGHTS.
warn them plainly and gently before leaving them for ever All this appears in our Lord's dealing with Judas in this chapter. 2. — [A?i.d supper being ended.'] These words would have been more literally rendered, " while supper was going on," or, " sup- per being in progress." That this is the true meaning seems clear …
474 wordsSECTION 17JOHN, CHAP. XIII. 9
The personality of Satan, and his old character as the father of all wickedness, are forcibly brought out here. The word rendered " put " is literally " cast." This graphic- ally describes the way in which Satan works. He casts into the heart of those he tempts the seeds of evil. The heart is tlie seed plot which he s…
513 wordsSECTION 1810 EXPOSITOEY THOUGHTS.
going back to God, — knowing all the dignity and majesty of His person and oifice, He yet condescended to perform tlie most menial oifice, and to minister like a servant to His disci- ples. Either view is good sense and good divinity, and admissible as a fair interpretation of the words. For myself I prefer the latter…
736 wordsSECTION 19JOHN XIII. 6—15.
6 Then cometh he to Simon Pe- ter : and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet ? 7 Jesus aus-wered and said unto him, What I do thou kuowest not now ; but thou shalt know here- after. 8 Peter saith unto him, tliou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.…
212 wordsSECTION 2012 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS.
- The verses we have now read conclude the story of our Lord's washing the feet of His disciples, the nighu before He was crucified. It is a story full of touching interest, which for some wise reason no Evangelist records except St. John. The wonderful condescension of Christ, in doing such a menial action, can hardly…
688 wordsSECTION 2114: EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS.
made in the likeness of men : and being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself." (1 Pet. v. 5 ; Luke xviii. 14 ; Phil. ii. 5 — 8.) Well would it be for the Church if this very simple truth was more remembered, and real humility was not so sadly rare. Perhaps there is no sight so displeasing in God's eyes as a se…
344 wordsSECTION 22JOHN, CHAP. XIII. 15
this passage. Like Him, let us be humble and loving towards all. We should notice, lastly, in this passage, the deep spiritual lessons whicJi, lie beneath its surface. They are three in number, and lie at the veryroot of religion, though we can only touch them briefly. For one thing, we learn that all need to be wash…
330 wordsSECTION 23IQ EXPOSITOKY THONGIITS.
cleansed and justified, we have reason to be on our guard. Baptism and Churchman ship are no proof that we are right in the sight of God. iNoTES. John xiii. 6—15. C. — \ Then cometh Jig to Simon Peter i\ Whetlier our Lord began with Simon Peter, is not quite clear from the words before us. The word " then," however, …
967 wordsSECTION 24;^3 EXPOSITOEY THOUGHTS.
ble, zealous, ardent, witli more love than knowledge, and more feeling than spiritual discernment, lie is horrified at the very idea of " having no part in Christ." Anything rather than that ! Not seeing clearly the deep meaning of His Master's words, and still sticking to a carnal, literal interpretation of the word "…
473 wordsSECTION 25JOHN, CHAP. XIII. ;|^9
verse, as well as in the seventli and eighth. There is far more in many of His sayings, we may believe, than has ever yet been discovered. It is striking to observe that even of His poor, weak, erring disciples Jesus says, " Ye are clean." Bullinger observes that the words of the Lord's Prayer. " Forgive us our tresp…
432 wordsSECTION 2620 EXPOSITOKY THOUGHTS.
other tilings, to teacli the need of special preparation for that blessed ordinance, is an interesting* thought, and worth consid- eration. It certainly seems our Lord's last action before He gave the bread and wine. [He said.. .know ye what...done.,.you.'] This question was meant to stir up in the disciples' minds in…
479 wordsSECTION 27JOHN, CHAP. XIII. 21
very same tiling tliat He did ? Or did he only mean tliat we are to imitate the spirit of his action ? The Church of Rome, it is well-known, puts a literal sense on our Lord's language. Once every year, about Easter, the head of the Romish Church publicly washes the feet of certain poor persons got ready for the occas…
492 wordsSECTION 2822 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS.
ing to play the part and do tlie work of a Cliristiau to the poor than to our equals. How entirely the passage overthrows the claim of mere talk- ing, head-learned professors of sound doctrine, to be accounted true Christians, it is needless to show. Doctrinal orthodoxy, without practical love and humility, is utterly…
149 wordsSECTION 29JOHN XIII. 16—20.
16 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than liis lord ; neither he thtit is sent greater than he that sent him. 17 If ye know these things, hap- py are ye if ye do them. 18 I speak not of you all : I know whom I have chosen ; but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that e.'iteth bread with…
237 wordsSECTION 30JOHN, CHAP. XIII. 23
There seeras little doubt that our Lord's all-seeing eye saw a rising unwillingness in the minds of the Apos- tles to do such menial things as they had just seen Him do. Puffed up with their old Jewish expectation of thrones and kingdoms in this world, secretly self-satis- fied with their own position as our Lord's fri…
339 wordsSECTION 3124: EXPOSITOET THOUGHTS.
py in His service if they were content with a barren head-knowledge of duty, and did not live according to their knowledge. The lesson is one which deserves the continual re- membrance of all professing Christians. Nothing is more common than to hear people saying of doctrine or duty, — "We know it, we know it;" while…
326 wordsSECTION 32JOHN, CHAP. XIII. 25
We are taught, for another thing, in these verses, the 2'>erfect knowledge wJdch Christ has of all Ills peoj^le. lie can distinguish between false profession and true grace. The Church may be deceived, and rank men as Apostles who are nothing better than brethren of Judas Lscariot. But Jesus is never deceived, for He c…
316 wordsSECTION 3325 EXPOSITOKY THOUGHTS.
ment. It ought to cheer and hearten all who lay them- selves out to do good, and specially to do good to the fallen and the poor. Work of this kind gets little praise from men, and they who give themselves up to it are often regarded as miserable enthusiasts, and meet with much opposition. Let them however work on, and…
917 wordsSECTION 3428 EXPOSITOKY THOUGHTS.
AMtophel. Tlie nintli verse here quoted says, "Mine own familiar friend, wliicli did eat of my bread, hatli lifted up his heel against me." The expression implies the act of one who like a stubborn and vicious horse, suddenly turns round against his master and kicks at him. " This," our Lord says, " is about to be fulf…
498 wordsSECTION 35JOHN, CHAP. XIII.
29 wasliing one another's feet, and think it is meant to remind them that even they are Christ's ambassadors. I prefer the view already given, that the words are meant to clieer and comfort the disciples. Though not all were faithful, the true- hearted ones were Christ's commissioned ambassadors. Stier says. " The wh…
90 wordsSECTION 36JOHN XIII. 21—30.
21 "When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit, and testi- fied, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall be- tray me. 22 Tlien the disciples looked one on another, doubting of whom he spake. 23 Now there was leaning on Je- sus' bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved. 24 Simon P…
994 wordsSECTION 3732 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS.
within his heart a crop of wicked habits. Happy is he who really believes that there is a devil, and believing, watches and prays daily that he may be kept from his temptations. Let us mark, lastly, in these verses, the extreme hardness which comes over the heart of a backsliding professor of religion. This is a thing…
331 wordsSECTION 38JOHN, CHAP. XIII. 33
most, and cries most frequently, " Hold Thou me up, and I shall be safe." (Psalm cxix. 117 ; Prov. xxviii. 14.) Notes. John xiii. 21—30. 21. — [When Jesus had thus said. 1 This would be more literally- rendered, " had said these things," referring to all He had just been saying. There seems to be a kind of break or …
463 wordsSECTION 3934 EXPOSITOEY THOUGHTS.
bear a tvorld's sins, in my own "body on the tree ; and painful as it is to say, the first step in the history of my passion shall be my betrayal by one of yourselves." Let us note our Lord's thorough foreknowledge of all the de- tails of His sufferings, as well as of the great fact that He was about to be killed. 22…
460 wordsSECTION 40JOHN, CHAP. XIII. 35
wardness and zeal of Peter come out strikingly in this verse. None seem so excited by our Lord's announcement as lie is. None is so anxious to know of wliom our Lord can be speaking. He cannot wait silently like the others. He makes a sign to John to ask privately who it can be. A fisherman by early training, like John…
474 wordsSECTION 4136 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS.
that from tliis moment Satan got full and entire possession of the haart of Judas. Up to this time he was in it, but now he possessed it. The word "then" is emphatically given in the Greek, but omitted by our translators. It should be, " After the Supper, then Satan entered into him." Let us note the reality, persona…
899 wordsSECTION 4238 EXPOSITOKY THOUGHTS.
ey. Bullinger even thinks that he must have been a man re- markable for wisdom, prudence, economy, and faithfulness. The supposition of some, that Jesus told Judas to " buy the things needed against the feast," shows clearly that our Lord did not work miracles in order to procure the necessaries re- quired by Himself …
726 wordsSECTION 43JOHN XIII. 31—38.
81 Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. 32 If God be glorified in him, God shall also glorify him in himself, and Bball straightway glorify him. 33 Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, "W…
210 wordsSECTION 4440 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS.
with His eleven faithful disciples. The traitor, Judas Iscariot, had left the room, and gone out to do bis wicked deed of darkness. Freed from his painful company, our Lord opens His heart to His little flock more fully than He had ever done before. Speaking to them for the last time before His passion. He begins a dis…
668 wordsSECTION 4542 EXPOSITOEY THOUGHTS.
ment, not because it bad never been given before, but because it was to be more honored, to occupy a higher position, to be backed by a higher example than it ever had been before. Above all, it was to be the test of Christianity before the world. " By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love o…
342 wordsSECTION 46JOHN, CHAP. XIII. 43
in that very night he would " deny Him thrice." And we all know how the matter ended. The Master was right, and Peter was wrong. Let it be a settled principle in our religion, that there is an amount of weakness in all our hearts, of which we have no adequate conception, and that we never know how far we might fall if…
358 wordsSECTION 4744 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS.
[Wow is the Son of Man glorified, etc., etc.] This is a deep Baying, and not least so because both the verbs are in the past tense. Literally rendered in each case, the verb should be " has been glorified." This is not an uncommon mode of speech. The glorification is so near, so certain, so complete, that it is spoken …
524 wordsSECTION 48JOHN, CHAP. XIII. 4.5
If the Son, on the one hand, specially glorifies the Father's attributes of holiness, justice, and mercy, by satisfying all His demands with His own precious blood on the cross, so, on the other hand, the Father specially glorifies the Son, by exalting Him above all Kings, raising Him from the dead, and giving Him a na…
454 wordsSECTION 4946 EXPOSITOEY THOUGHTS.
[Yet a little wMle 1 am with you.] This seems to mean, " I am only staying a very little longer with you. The time is short. The hour approaches when we must part. Give me your best attention while I talk to you for the last time before I go." [Ye sJiall seek Me.] It is not quite clear what this means. Of course it ca…
511 wordsSECTION 50JOHN, CHAP. XIII. ^^
WIiv did our Lord call love a " new " commandment? Tliis is a rather difficult question, and has called forth great variety of opinions. One thing only is very clear. Jesus did not mean to say that " love " was a grace peculiar to the Gospel, and was nowhere taught in the law of Moses. To say this, is a mark of great i…
506 wordsSECTION 5148 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS.
Let us note what a heavy condemnation this verse pronounces on sectarianism, bigotry, narrow-mindedness, party-spirit, strife, bitterness, needless controversy between Christian and Chris- tian. Let us note how far from satisfactory is the state of those who are content with sound doctrinal opinions, and orthodox corr…
478 wordsSECTION 52JOHN, CHAP. XIV. 4.9
haps, that lie could stand to tliem. But he did not know his own heart. There was more feeling than principle in his decla- ration. He did not see all that was in himself. Let us note the mischief of self ignorance. Let us pray for humility. Let us beware of over-confidence in our own courage and steadfastness. Pride …
251 wordsSECTION 53JOHN XIV. 1—3.
1 Let not your heart be troub- led : ye believe in God, believe also in me. 2 In ray father's house are many mausions : if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and re- ceive you unto myself : that where I am, there ye ma…
152 wordsSECTION 5450 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS.
Heart-trouble is the commonest thing in the world. No rank, or class, or condition is exempt from it. No bars, or bolts, or locks can keep it out. Partly from inward causes and partly from outward, — partly from the body and partly from the mind, — partly from what we love and partly from what we fear, the journey of l…
1,000 wordsSECTION 55JOHN, CHAP. XIV. 53
Another cheering word is this, — " I will come again and receive you unto myself." Christ will not wait for believers to come uj) to Him, but will come down to them, to raise them from their graves and escort them to their heavenly home. As Joseph came to meet Jacob, so will Jesus come to call His people togetliei and …
374 wordsSECTION 5654 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS.
nouncement tliat He sliould only be a little time longer with them, and that at last they could not come with Him, — and partly by the warning addressed to Peter, that he would deny his Master thrice. For all these reasons this little company of weak believers was disquieted and cast down and anxious. Their gracious Ma…
500 wordsSECTION 57JOHN, CHAP. XIV. 55
we must never forget that true faith admits of gro-wth and de- grees. There is a wide gulf between little and great faith. Ferus remarks that our Lord does not say " Believe my divin- ity," but. Believe personally in Me. Toletus observes that our Lord here teaches that Jewish faith was somewhat distinct from Christia…
447 wordsSECTION 5856 EXPOSITOEY THOUGHTS.
Lightfoot's idea, that our Lord meant to teach the passing away of the Jewish economy, and the admission of all nations into heaven by faith in Christ, seems fanciful. [7/* it were not so. ..told you.] This is a gracious way of assur- ing the disciples that they might have confidence that what their Lord said was true…
494 wordsSECTION 59JOHN, CHAP. XIV.
67 pensation. Tlie Greek word rendered " I will come," is in the present tense, and the same that is used Id Rev. xxii, 20 : " I come quickly." The first and second advents are the two great events to which the minds of all Christians should be directed. This is Cvril's view of the passage, and Bishop Hall's. {That l…
160 wordsSECTION 60JOHN XIV. 4—11.
4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. 5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest ; and how can we know the way ? 6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life : no man Cometh unto the Father, but by me. 7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also : and from…
270 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.