cannot come whore I go, and will die in your sins. Unless your hearts are changed, and you learn to be of one mind with Me, you are totally unmeet for heaven, and must at last die in your sins."
The expressions "from beneath" and "from above" nrc strong figurative phrases, intended to put in contrast earth and heaven. (See Col. iii. 1, 2.) The Greek phrases literally ren- dered would be, — " Ye are from the things beneath : I am from the things above.
The expression " of this world " means bound up with, and inseparably connected by, tastes, aims, and affections, with this world, and nothing else but this world. It is the character of one utterly dead and graceless, who looks at nothing but the world, and lives for it. It is a character utterly at variance with that of our Lord, who was eminently " not of this world;" and therefore those who were of this character were incapable of union and friendship with Him.
Let it be noted that what our Lord says of Himself here is the very same thing that is said of His true disciples elsewhere. If a man has grace he is " not of this world." (See John xv. 19; xvii. 16; and 1 John iv 5.) Christ's living members always have more or less of their Master's likeness in this respect. They are always more or less separated from and distinct from this world. He that is thoroughly worldly has the plainest mark of not being a member of Christ and a true Christian.
Theophylact observes that the strange notion of the Apollina- rian heretics, that our Lord's body was not a real human body, but came down from heaven, was built on this verse for one of its reasons. But, as he remarks, they might as well saj^ the Apostles had not common human bodies, since the same thing is said of them — " not of this world."
24.— [I said therefore, etc.'} This verse seems elliptical, and must be filled up in some such manner as this: " It is because you are thoroughly earthly and of this world, that I said, Ye cannot come where I go. You are not heavenly minded, and cannot go to heaven, but must go to your own place. The end will be that you will die in your sins. Not believing in Me as the Mes- siah, you cut yourselves off from all hope, and must die in your sins. This, in short, is the root of all your misery — your un- belief."
Let it be noted that unbelief is the thing that specially ruins men. All manner of sin may be forgiven. But unbelief bars the door against mercy. (Mark xvi. 26, and John iii. 36.)
Let it be noted that unbelief was the secret of the Jews being so thoroughly " of the world." If they would only have be- lieved in Christ, they would have been " delivered from this present evil world." The victory that overcomes the world is
JOHN, chap. vnr. 95
faith. Once believing on a heavenly Saviour a man has a por- tion and a heart in heaven. (Gal. i. 4 ; 1 John v. 4, 5.)
Let it be noted that there is nothing hard or uncharitable in warning men plainly of the consequences of unbelief. Never to speak of hell is not acting as Christ did.
The expression "believe not that I am He" would be more literally rendered " believe not that I am." Hence some think that our Lord refers to the great name, well known to the Jews, under which God revealed Himself to Israel in Egypt, — " Say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent you." ^Ex. iii. 14.)
Augustine remarks that "the whole unhappiness of the Jews was not that they had sin, but to die in sins." He also observes : "In these words, Except ye believe that I am, Jesus meant nothing short of this, Except ye believe that I am God, ye shall die in your sins. It is well for us, thank God, that He said ex- cept ye believe, and not except ye understand."
Quesnel remarks: "It is a mistaken prudence to hide these dreadful truths from sinners, for fear of casting them into de- spair by the force of God's judgments. We ought, on the con- trary, to force them, by the sight of clanger, to throw themselves into the arms of Christ, the only refuge for sinners."
25. — [Then said they,. . Who art thou?'] This question cannot have been an honest inquiry about our Lord's nature and origin. Our Lord had spoken so often of His Father,— for instance, in the fifth chapter, when before the council, — that the Jews of Jerusalem must have kuown well enough who and what He claimed to be. It is far more likely that they hoped to elicit from Him some fresh declaration which they could lay hold on, and make the ground of an accusation. Anger and malice seem at the bottom of the question — " Who art thou that sayest such things of us? Who art thou that undertakest to pronounce such condemnation on us? "
Ecolampadius thinks the question was asked sarcastically.— " Who art thou, indeed, to talk in this way ? "
[And Jesus saith...even the same... beginning.'] — Our Lord's reply here seems so guarded and cautious, that it increases the probability of the Jews' question being put with a malicious intention. He knew their thoughts and designs, and answered them by reminding them what He had always said of Himself: " Why ask Me who I am? You know well what I have always said of Myself. I am the same that I said to you from the beginning. I have nothing new to say."
Scott thinks it simply means, " I am the same that I told you at the beginning of this discourse, — the Light of the World."
There is an undeniable difficulty and obscurity about the sen- tence before us, and it has consequently received three different