world." None could truly say this but One, who knew that He was very God. No Prophet or Apostle ever said it.
(c) We should note how our Lord says that He is " the light of the world." He is not for a few only, but for all mankind. Like the sun He shines for the benefit of all, though all may not value or use His light.
(d) We should note the man to whom the promise is made. It is to him " that followeth Me." To follow a leader if we are blind, or ignorant, or in the dark, or out of the way, requires trust and confidence. This is just what the Lord Jesus requires of sinners who feel their sins and want to be saved. Let them commit themselves to Christ, and He will lead them safe to heaven. If a man can do nothing for himself, he cannot do better than trust another and follow him.
(e) We should note the thing promised to him who follows Jesus, — viz., deliverance from darkness and possession of light. This is precisely what Christianity brings to a believer. He feels, and sees, and has a sense of possessing something he had not before. God " shines into his heart and givesl ight." He is " called out of darkness into marvellous light." (2 Cor. iv. 4—6 ; 1 Pet. ii. 9.)
Melancthon thinks that this verse is only a brief summary of what our Lord said, and must be regarded as the text or key- note of a long discourse.
Bullinger remarks how useful it is to commit to memory and store up great sentences and maxims of Christ, like this verse.
13.— [Tlie Pharisees... said unto him.] These "Pharisees were probably some of the multitude who had come together to hear our Lord's teaching, and not those who brought the woman taken in adultery to Hiin. The Pharisees were a powerful and widely spread sect, and members of their body would be found in every crowd of hearers, ready to raise objections and find fault with anything our Lord said, wherever they thought there was an opportunity.
{Thou barest record of thyself.] This would be more literally rendered, " thou dost witness about thyself."
[Thy record is not true.] This means, — " thy testimony is not trustworthy, and deserving of attention." The Pharisees evi- dently could not mean "thy testimony is false." They only meant that it was an acknowledged principle among men that a man's testimony to his own character is comparatively worth- less. Our Lord Himself had admitted this on a former occa- sion, when he said before the council, — " If I bear witness of myself my witness is not true." (John v. 31.) Solomon had said, — "Let another praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips." (Prov. xxvii. 2.)
14. — [Jesus answered... though I bear record... true.] Our Lord