{(:) Although in the Fourth Gospel the word A670S is applied to the Son of God in the Pro- logue only, the same doctrine pervades the whole book. ' \Ve beheld his glory' {V^) is shown to be true by the record which follows. In the Synoptics, Jesus seems, to speak most of His own mH'stry pr ^ '>, xnen ; here He rather speaks of xii.,i.,eiiand His relations to the Father. There He frequently distinguishes Himself from His dis- ciples in His relations to the Father ; here He takes the same attitude more decisively. He declares Himself the Son of God (o-^ 9*^"^' etc.), the Son in a unique sense (3^''- ^^ 519-22 g^c.). Distinct from all others there exist the Father and the Son (335. 36 5i9-22)_ The Father is the Source of the Son's being and action {5^^-^). He does works in the Son ; the Father and the Son know one another (10" 855). They love one another (5^" H^i 15«) ; they abide in one another (8"'^ 14^°- 'i). They are one, eV ( 103" 17"- 21- 22). As the Father has life in Himself, He has given to the Son life in Himself (5-^). So to see or to reject the Son is to see or reject the Father (§19 149 i5^i-24)_ Men must render similar honour to the Father and to the Son (5-^). The Son existed before He came into the world : He was before Abraham (8=*), He was glorified with the Father before the Avorld existed (17^): He came from heaven and returns to heaven (6''-). The Father sent Him into the Avorld (S'*') to fulfil a certain mission (5'^ 14^1 etc.), to speak, judge, and act in His Name (S''" 103--37).
But the chief object for which the Son came was to save the world (3^^) and to give it eternal life (316. 36 414 etc. ). And Jesus is Himself the life ( 14«), and came that men might have it more abund- antly (10i«). He is also the light of the world (S's 812 j.2^(i), because He teaches men to know God and His Son, and this knowledge is eternal life (I7-'^). Jesus is therefore the Mediator of the life and the light of God for men. How are they to re- ceive it ?
We receive eternal life by attaching ourselves to the Person of Jesus Christ. We must believe on Him (S'"). We must obey the Son if we are to escape from the wrath of the Father (3^). We must believe His claim or die in our sins (8^^). AVe must abide in Him, as the branches in the vine, and abide in His love as He abides in His Father's love (15'-i»). Other conditions of salvation remind us of our Lord's teaching in the Synoptics. It is necessary to be born again of water and the Spirit
(3^'"), and to eat His flesh and drink His blood (6-^2-w).
The last injunction reminds us that the Divine life which is in Jesus becomes available for the Christian by virtue only of His death. It is some- times held that Jesus is represented in this Gospel as saving men by revealing to them the truth about God, a revelation made in His own Person. But it cannot be said with justice that the media- torial Avork of Je.sus in this Gospel is only of this prophetic nature. St. John records a great deal about the death of Jesus which implies that the death has a propitiatory character in the Gospel as well as in the First E])istle. In 1-^ the Baptist describes our Lord as the Lamb that taketh aA\ ay the sin of the world. This must have a sacrificial meaning, for only by sacrifice could a lamb be con- ceived as taking aAvay sin. In three passages (3" g28 12^-') our Lord speaks of Himself being ' lifted up.' Men will look to Him for life as the Lsraelites looked to the brazen serpent Avhich Moses uplifted in the wilderness. Again, after He has been lifted up by the Jews, they will know that He is the Messiah. Lastly, He says, 'I, if I l)e lifted up from the earth, Avill draw all men unto myself ' ; the Cross, followed by the Ascension, Avill be the means of attracting Gentile as well as Jew. So He is the Good Shepherd, Avhose very vocation it is to lay down His life for the sheep (10"). His laying- it down is Avholly voluntary, but it is God's purpose and His own for His earthly life (lO^'^). St. Jolui regards Caiaphas as unconsciously prophesying that Christ Avould die for the well-being and the union of all God's children (IP-). In 12-^ He dreads the appointed ' hour ' or crisis, which He neverthe- less knoAvs to be the hour a\ hen He Avill be glorified (12-^), this glory being the manifestation of His character in the great passage from His trial and death to His Ascension (cf. 17^). He ascends to heaven by the way of the cross ; and this ascent shows, as nothing else can, Avhat He is. He also compares Himself in 12-^ to a grain of Avheat Avliich bears fruit only if it dies, otherwise ' it abideth by itself alone.' Here our Lord makes His Avhole influence depend upon His death ; because He is to perish, He Avill be the source of life to others. ' Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends' (15*^^ His death is therefore the fullest revelation of His love. And in 17'^ He sanctified Himself, deliberately dedicated Himself to the Father in death, that so He might establish for men a dedicated relationshiii Avith God.