The Pulpit Commentary — John — Volume 1 — Section 99

1viii. 11 with Mr1tt. xxvi. 29; o.nd eh. 1viii. 20 with Mo.tt. xxvi. 55; anrl eh. xviii. 37 with Mo.tt. xxvil. 11. (4) The subtle indications of identity of character are not less wonderful.1 (a) The delicate &enRitiueness of Christ to the special and varied interests of those with whom he comes into contact meets UH throughout the synoptist narrativo; e.g. in taking children to his arms, just when others would drive them away; his pitying the mothers in the approaching siege of Jerusalem; his touching the loathsome leper; the language to the woman with the issue of blood, "Daughter, be of good comfort;" his taking the father and mother of the maiden into the room where he was about to raise her from the clca,1, with" Give her something to eat;" the" Weep not" to the widow of Nain; the arranging of the five thousand in companies of fifty; the" Suffer ye thus far" in the healing of Malchus ;-are all illustrations that might be multiplied. But in the Fourth Gospel we have his language to tho woman of Samaria, "Go, call thy husband; " his phrase to the impotent man, and the woman taken in adultery, " Go, sin no more;" the circumstance that he " found" the excommunicated once-blind beggar in the misery to which he had been brought by his loyalty; his coming to tbe grave of Lazarus with groans and tears of sympathy; the "Loose him, and let him go,'' of the same narrat.ive; the soothing of the perturbed spirits of the apostles with "lt is I; be not afraid ; " his sympathy even with the perturbations of Pilate; the " Woman, behold thy son," uttered from the cross. (b) The tact of Jesus, not only in bis beneficence, but in his controversial method, ancl his self-defence. In the synoptic Gospels he always, not only parried a blow, but made it the occasion of unveiling some great lessons. Thus, e.g., when the Sadducees wished to raise a scornful laugh about the future life, he lifted the question into a higher region; when his disciples were accused of sabbath-breaking, he quoted Hosea's " I will have mercy, and not sacrifice." The way in which he loolced his reproach ie repeatedly referred to by Mark. The manner in which he vindicated his own honour in doing acts of kindnPss on the sabbath was extremely remarkable, as he uniformly directed his malicious opponents to consider some great principle which they might be willing to ignore, but could not gainsay. In precisely the same way be vindicated his claim to heal the impotent man (eh. v.17) by the sublime assertion, "My Father worketh hitherto, and I work;" i.e. these gracious energies are always going on. As in Matthew he appeals to the profanation of the temple by the priests, so he refers in John to the circumcision of children on the sabbath day, with a similar intent. So the "look of Jesus" is commemorated in the Fourth Gospel as well as by Mark. "The Lord loolced on Simon," and gave him the name of "Cephas." The marvellous influence which his mere presence exerted 011 his adversaries is emphatically recorded in Luke's account of his reception at Nazareth, but is more than once repeated in the Fourth Gospel (eh. vii 44-46; viii. 59; x. 31; :i..viii. 6). Such a characteristic trait is not a casual coincidence. (c) The humane motives of his miracles are abundantly conspicuous, not only in the synoptists, but also in the Fourth Gospel. The multiplication of the bread is common to both, but the transformation of the water into wine and his consideration of the villagers' need correspond with the care with which he would pay Peter's tribute money, and with the fact that he provided a repast for his disciples after the resurrection. 'l'he length of the suffering of the iufirm woman (synoptists) corresponds with that of the impotent man (cb. v.), as a predisposing cause of his bounty. The reason given for bis walking on the sea in John is allied to the whole teaching of the synoptists, "He saved others ; himself he could not eave." (d) Certain idiosyncrnsies of style which are quite inimitable proclaim the identity of the great Prophet and Teacher. It is true that Renan and others have professed to feel so great a difference in passing from the discourse in Matthew, the parable groups and the "delicious sentences" of the synoptic account, to the controversial and sustained exposition and lengthened nrguments of the Fourth Gospel, that they dispute the verisimilitude of the lntter. But is the contrast of style so great? In the sermon on the mount there ls the series of contrnsts between the Lord's own ethical judgrnents and 1 On this subjoot, see G. A. Chl\dwiok, D.D., • Christ bearing Witness to Himself,' In whom I am here greatly indebted.  Cl: JNTRODUC'l'ION 'L'O