The Pulpit Commentary — John — Volume 1 — Section 102

The synoptists record the claim of our Lord to be the Bridegroom of the true th<'ooracy, lo fake the place which Jchm·nh does in haiah, Hosea, and Ezekiel (eee MRtt. ix. 14, 15, and parallels; Mark ii. 19, 20; Luke. v. 34, etc.). Moreover, some 01 his most striking parables, which compare the kingdom to a marriage of the king's son (11btt. xxii. 1-14; xxv. 1-13), show in undisguised manner that his Person, bis mi~~ion, his call, his offer of friendship, constitute such a union between heaven o.nd Pnrt.b, between G0<l Rnd man, as was effected in his incarnation. The Go~pel of Matthew in particnlar is explicit in representing our Lord as "Son of r.:tRn," as corning in bis glory to "gather bis elect from the four winds," etc. (Matt. x,i. 27; xxiv. 30, 31), to judge the quick and dead, and to gather before his tribunal all nations, to determine as "King" their eternal destiny (Matt. xxv, 31-36). "Come unt-0 me" is his synonym for acquittal from self-reproach. "Depart from me" is the verdict of eternal doom. Luke's Gospel records the triumphant vindication ,,f bis transcendental and supreme claims to determine the destiny of souls, in his lan~age to the dying robber (Luke xxiii. 39-43). Matthew gives the most complete assertion of his claim to be " the Son of the living God," and to have "all power in heaven and earth" (Matt. xxvi. 63-66; xxviii. 18-20). Perplexing and b:iffling as the Fourth Gospel would be without the facts and testi- monies of the synoptists, it seems to us that the synoptists themselves would be equally difficult to understand without such further testimony to the supreme claims of our Lord a.~ are found in the Fourth Gospel. The narratives of the synoptists would be more difficult to faith than they are if we bad been left to frame any hypothesis we pleased as to the manner of the Man whom winds and seas obeyed; who asserted bis purpose to judge mankind; who claimed to forgive sin, and to he eternally omnipresent in the subsequent history of his Church; who assumed a place in the very Godhead itself, by issuing the baptismal formula; whom angels and devils worshipped as the Holy One; before whom wild beasts shrank abashed (Mark i. 13); who represents himself as occupying a higher place in the theocracy than Abraham, Moses, David, Solomon, or Elijah., than the temple or the sabbath; who walked on the sea, healed the leper, ar,d raised the dead; who, after himself suffering the agony of death, was once more clothed with surpassing majesty as the Personal Victor over death; who made known in resurrection of life, and by taking possession of an eternal throne, the new and final idea of man's existence. If we were discussing the veritable facts concerning the Person of our Lord, we might feel bound here to meet the numerous attempt~ to belittle or reduce to ordinary dimensions of humanity some or all of these details ; but we are not called to do so here and now, We are replying to an objection brought against the Fourth Gospel, based on the different tone of tbis document in dealing with the Person of our Lord from that found in the synoptists. Our reply is-all that is peculiar to the Fourth Gospel is found in a germinant form, and moreover displayed in the miracles, parables, discourses, and events of the first three Gospels. (5) The portraitures of the Fowrth Gospel. 'l'bere are certain individuals whose features are sketched in the Fourth Gospel, but concerning whom tbe synoptists are silent. For instance, Natha11airs name occurs in the first and twenty-first chapters of John, and a stroke or two of vivid soul-revelation are supplied, '!"here is, however, little difficulty in believing that he is none other than the Bartholomew of the synoptic acoount, "one of the twelve," brought in the lists of the apostles into juxtaposition with Philip and Thomas. As such Nathanael appears in the Fourth Gospel. 'l'be word Bar-Tolmai is a mere patronymic, and no true name, and the identification of the names need occasion no difficulty. Nicodemus, a Jerusalem magnate, a secret disciple, and one who is introduced three times in the narrative (eh. iii. 1; vii. 50; xi:x:. 39), is a feature of Christ's social rela- tions wLich is not without difficulty. '!'here are, however, several considerations whioh deserve attention. The synoptists represent Jesus, as the legitimate heir to the throne ofDavid,as on visiting terms with the wealthy Galilrean Pharisees (Luke vii.36),as having a secret friend in the person of Joseph of Arimathaia (Luke xxii, 51 ; cf. eh, xix. 38), and a welcome at the house of" the chief among the publicans" (Luke xix. 2). Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward, must not be forgotten (Luke viii, 8), nor the reverence manifcstt:d towards him by the Roman centurion of Ce.pernaurn (Luke vii.; Matt. viii.).  THE GOf1PEL ACCORDING TO ST. .JOHN. cxiti