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 Lord, as God, knew all things "from the beginning" of the world. But it does not seem necessary to suppose that this is meant here.
Rollock remarks our Lord's example of patient teaching and preaching to all without exception, though He knew that many did not and would not beUeve. He poinis out what a pattern it is to ministers. Christ knew exactly who would beUeve. Minis- ters do not know.
[ WJio should hetray him.] We should not fail to notice in this expression our Lord's marvellous patience in allowing one whom He knew to be about to betray Him to be one of His Apostles. It was doubtless meant to teach us that false profession must be expected everywhere, and must not surprise us. How much we ought to tolerate and put up wit^h, if our Lord tolerated Judas near him ! The pain and sorrow which the foreknowledge of the conduct of Judas must have caused to our Lord's heart, is a circumstance in our Lord's sufferings which ought not to be forgotten. 65. — [And he said. Therefore said I, etc., etc.] The connection of this verse seems to be as follows : — " There are some of you that believe not, and that is the reason why I said to you, that no man can come to me unless the Father gives him grace to come, and draws his heart to me. The Father has not given you grace, and drawn you to me, and therefore you do not believe."
JOHN YL 66— n.
66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.
67 Tlieu said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away ?
08 Tlien Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go ? thou hast the words of eternal Ufe.
69 And we believe and are sure
that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.
10 Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil ?
11 He spake of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon : for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve.
These verses form a sorrowful conclusion to the famous discourse of Christ which occupies the greater part of the