saying he will never die. In short, Thou makest Thyself greater than Abraham, for Abraham could not escape death, while keeping Thy saying enables a man to escape death. To talk in this way is a plain" proof that thou art mad."
The phrase " to have a devil," in this place can hardly mean anything but "to be mad or crazy."
The Jews, it will be observed, do not quote our Lord's words correctly. He had said, " shall never see death." They report Him as saying, " shall never taste of death.*' Whether this was a wilful perversion of His words is rather difficult to decide. Some think that the Jews intentionally exaggerated the promise, and put "taste" for " see," in order to magnify the offence our Lord had committed. Others think that the difference means nothing, and that it only shows how thoroughly the Jews misunderstood our Lord, and thought that He referred to nothing but bodily death.
Here, as elsewhere, we may remark how ready the Jews were to pervert and warp our Lord's meaning, and to put a carnal and gross sense on spiritual language.
53.— [Art thou greater, etc.?~\ The question in this verse shows that our Lord had again succeeded in arousing the curiosity of the Jews, and stirring them to inquire about His nature and person. — "Who art Thou that talkest in this way? Whom dost Thou make Thyself? To say that those who keep Thy saying shall never die is to make Thyself superior to Abraham and the prophets, who are all dead. Who and what art Thou? Art thou really some one greater than Abraham? "
Chrysostom observes that the question of the Jews reminds us of the Samaritan woman's question: "Art thou greater than our father Jacob? " (John iv. 12.)
64.— [If I honour my self... nothing, etc.'] Our Lord's meaning in this verse seems to be as follows : " If at auy time I take to myself and claim honour, such honour would be worthless. He who puts honour on Me, and commissions Me to say that keep- ing My saying shall deliver a man from death, is My Father in heaven, — that very Being whom you profess to call your God. It is your own God, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who has put such honour on Me, that life or death turn on keeping My sayings, and believing on Me."
Here, as elsewhere, we should mark the carefulness with which our Lord disclaims all self-exaltation, and desire for glory and honour from man. If, in claiming for Himself to hold the keys of life and death, He seemed to claim honour, He care- fully reminds the Jews that it is an honour put on Him by the Father in heaven, even by their own God. He desired no honour independent of Him, or in rivalry to Him.
When our Lord says, " My Father honoureth Me," the ex-