If Mary really had sons after the birth of our Lord, it cer- tainly seems strange that our Lord should commend her to the care of John, on the cross, and not to her own sons, His half- brethren. That at the latter part of His ministry He had some " brethren" who were not Apostles, but believed, is clear from Acts i. 14. But whether they were the " brethren " of the text before us, we have no means of ascertaining.
[Depart... go into Judcea, that thy disciples, etc.~\ This recom- mendation, as well as the next verse, looks like the advice of men who as yet were not convinced of our Lord's Messiahship. The expression "that Thy disciples may see," seems also to indicate that the speakers were not yet of the number of our Lord's disciples. The language is that of bystanders looking on, waiting to see how the question is to be settled, before they make up their own minds. It is as though they said, — " Make haste, rally a party round Thee, show some public proof that Thou art the Christ, and gather adherents." The " works " here mentioned must evidently mean miracles. This speech seems to imply that our Lord had a party of disciples in Judaea and at Jerusalem. Many, it should be remembered, " believed on Him" at the first passover he attended. (John ii. 23.)
4. — [For there is no man, etc.] This sentence is a kind of prover- bial saying. Every one knows that if a man seeks to be known openly, it is no use to do his work secretly.
[If thou do these things, show thyself to the icorld.~\ There seems to be a latent .sneer about this sentence. " If Thou really art doing miracles to prove Thyself the Messiah, do not con- tinue to hide Thyself here in Galilee. Go up to Jerusalem, and do miracles there," That the speakers said this from an honest zeal for God's glory, and a sincere desire to have our Lord known by others as well as themselves, is a view that I cannot think probable.
Some think that the words "If Thou doest," mean "since Thou doest," and see a parallel in Coloss. iii. 1, — where " if" does not imply any doubt whether the Colossians were " risen with Christ." Lampe thinks it means, "if Thou really and truly, not illusively, doest miracles."
The false standard of an unconverted man is very manifest in this and the preceding verse. Such an one has no idea of waiting for man's praise and favour, and being content without it if it does not come. He thinks that a religion should have the praise of the world, and labour to get it. The man of God remembers that true religion does not " cry, nor strive," nor court publicity.
5. — [For neither... brethren believe.'] These words appear to me to admit of only one meaning. They mean, that these brethren of our Lord had at present no faith at all. They did not yet believe that Jesus was the Christ. They had no grace. They