(a) It may be applied solely and entirely to the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. It would then be a special declaration of the Father to the Son : " I have glorified my name in Thy incarna- tion, Thy miracles, Thy words, Thy works. I will yet glorify it again in Thy voluntary suffering for mankind, Thy death, Thy resurrection, and Thy ascension."
Lightfoot thinks there is a special reference to our Lord's conflict with the devil. "I have glorified my name in the vic- tory Thou formerly didst obtain over Satan's temptation in the wilderness. I will glorify my name again, in the victory Thou shalt have in this conflict also."
(6) It may be applied to the whole course of God's dealings with creation from the beginning. It would then be a declara- tion of the Father: "I have continually glorified my name in all the dispensations which have been, — before the flood, in the days of the patriarchs, in the time of Moses, under the law, under the judges, under the kings. I will yet glorify it once more at the end of this dispensation, by finishing up the types and figures, and accomplishing the work of man's redemp- tion."
Which of these views is the true one, I cannot pretend to decide. Either makes excellent divinity, and is reasonable and consistent. But we have no means of ascertaining which is correct. If I have any opinion on the point, I lean to the second view.
29. — [The people therefore, etc. ~] This verse apparently is meant to describe the various opinions of the crowd which stood around our Lord, about the voice which spoke to Him. Some, who were standing at some little distance, and were not listen- ing very attentively, said it thundered. Others, who were standing close by, and paying great attention, declared that an invisible being, an angel, must have spoken. Both parties en- tirely agreed on one point. Something uncommon had hap- pened. An extraordinary noise had been heard, which to some sounded like thunder, and to others like words. But nobody said they heard nothing at all.
That the voice must have been very loud, seems proved by the supposition that it was " thunder." That the reality and existence of angels formed part of the popular creed of the Jews, seems proved by the readiness of some to take up the idea that a« angel had spoken.
Some think that the Greeks before mentioned, not knowing the Hebrew language in which probably the voice spoke, fancied the voice was thunder, and the Jews of the crowd thought it an angel's voice.
80. — [Jesus answered... This voice. ..not.. .me. ..your sakes.~\ In this verse our Lord tells the Jews the purpose of this miraculous voice. It was not for His sake,— to comfort Him and help Him,'