The next paragraph extends from ii. 23 to ili. 21, and contains (1) a brief description of the general result of Christ’s manifestation in Jerusalem (ii. 23-25), and (2) a longer description of an- instance of the kind of faith and inquiry which were produced by this manifesta- tion and of the manner in which Christ met it.—Ver. 23. Time, place, and cir- cumstance are again given, ὡς δὲ ἦν ἐν τοῖς ᾿Ιεροσολύμοις ἐν τῷ πάσχα ἐν ἑορτῃ. The last clause is added with a reference to ver. 13. Then the feast was near, now it had arrived. We are to hear what happened while Jesus resided in Jerusalem during the feast.—odXot ἐπίστευσαν els τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ, which can scarcely mean less than that they believed He was the Messiah. Nicodemus, however, seems willing only to admit He is ‘‘a teacher come from God”. ‘Their belief was founded on the miracles they saw.—@ewpotvres αὐτοῦ τὰ σημεῖα ἃ ἐποίει, seeing day by day the signs He was doing, and of which John relates none. This faith, resting on miracles, is in this Gospel never com- mended as the highest kind of faith,
20-—25. bf iy en
αὐτοῦ, θεωροῦντες αὐτοῦ τὰ σημεῖα ἃ énoie.
EYAr I EAIUN
70!
24. αὐτὸς δὲ 6x Lk. xvi. ταν εἰς.
. A a 4 Ιησοῦς οὐκ * ἐπίστευεν ἑαυτὸν αὐτοῖς, διὰ τὸ αὐτὸν γινώσκειν πάντας * y xvi. 30 ;
see Bur-
25. καὶ ὅτι οὗ χρείαν εἶχεν 7 ἵνα τὶς µαρτυρήσῃ περὶ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ' ton, 216.
αὐτὸς γὰρ " ἐγίνωσκε τί ἦν ἐν τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ.
III. τ. Ἡν' δὲ
αὐτῷ, ἄρχων τῶν Ιουδαίων. 2. οὗτος ἦλθε πρὸς τὸν ᾿Ιησοῦν καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ, “ Ῥαββὶ, οἴδαμεν ὅτι ἀπὸ Θεοῦ ἐλήλυθας διδᾶσ- καλος: “οὐδεὶς γὰρ ταῦτα τὰ σηµεῖα δύναται ποιεῖν ἃ σὺ ποιεῖς,
cp. Thayer. αι ΤΠ. in EFGH.
although it is by no means despised. It is what Luther calls ‘‘ milk faith” and may grow into something more trust- worthy. Accordingly, although Jesus had at once committed Himself to the men who were attracted without miracle by His personality and the testimony of the Baptist, to these αὐτὸς ᾿Ιησοῦς οὐκ ἐπίστευεν ἑαυτὸν, “ Jesus on His part did not commit Himself”. It is necessary to consider not only whether we have faith in Christ but whether Christ has faith in us. Thoroughgoing confidence must always be reciprocal. Christ will commit Himself to the man who thoroughly commits himself to Him. The reason of this reserve is given in a twofold expression : positive, διὰ τὸ αὐτὸν γινώσκειν πάντας, “because He Him- self knew all men”’; negative, καὶ ὅτι ov χρείαν εἶχεν ἵνα τὶς µαρτυρήσῃ περὶ τοῦ ἀνθρώπον, ‘and because He had πο need that any one should witness concerning man”. Holtzmann, following Winer, thinks that the article is inserted because reference is made to the individual with whom Jesus had on each occasion to do. This seems quite unnecessary. 6 ἄνθρωπος is here, as in A.V., ‘“‘man,” the ordinary generic use of the article. The reason for this again is given in the closing words, αὐτὸς γὰρ . . . ‘‘ For He Himself knew what was in man,” knew human nature, the motives, governing ideas, and ways of man. This know- ledge was’ not supernatural. Westcott has an important note on this point, in which he points out that John describes the knowledge of Jesus “ both as relative, acquired ᾖ(γινώσκειν) and absolute, possessed (eiSévat)”. Each constitutes a higher degree of the kind of know- ledge found among men. _ Reynolds says: ‘‘ There are many other indica- tions of this thought mastery, which the evangelists appear to regard as proofs of divine power; so that I think the real significance of the passage is an ascrip-
"ἄνθρωπος ἐκ τῶν Φαρισαίων, Νικόδημος " ὄνομα
b Jobi.1; ερ. Chi 6.
zi Sam.
σος. 2 Sam. xiv 17. Mt.
ix. 4. 1 * yuxtos, α --τις, Μι
XVii, 14, etc.; with τις, Mt. XVill. 12. Jo. v. 5;