The Pulpit Commentary — John — Volume 1 — Section 155

,ntelligo, ancl cognosco (Eph. iii. HI), though Hebraic revelation. He we.a "more the.n a in this l!ltter seneo it is mostly used in the prophet." No one greater than he had middle voice. (2) When the o.post]e,in greater ever been born of woman, and his functions det!lil and more immediate reference to the in these several pe.rticule.rs are strongly individual illustmtions he gives of the rela.- impressed upon that disciple who here tion of the darkness to tho light, says in loses his own individuality in the strength vers. 10, 11, 'o 1<orrµos 11bTbv ob1< ('Y•"'• and OI of his Master's teaching. Through thjs fS,01 11hbv ob 1r11pl>..11fJo• ; though slightly very "man sent from God" the apostle had different words are used, yet the return upon been prepared to see and persona.II y receive the thought in these parallel sentences is too the Logos incarnate. His personality obvious to be overlooked. The non-suscep- gathered up for our author a.II that there tibility of the darkness, tho positive resi~t- was in the past of definite revelation, while ance it makes to the action of light, finds its Jesus filled up all the pre,sent and the strongest illustration in the more dedned futnre. First of e.ll, he tree.td the mission regions o.nd narrower sphere of the coming of the Baptist e.s representative of all that of the Logos to the world, o.nd in his special wonderful past. mission to his own people. In this view Ver. 7.-This man came (historic, ;\Me) .Alford, Bengel, Soho.ff, Godet, Luthardt, for witness, that he might bear witness Tholuck, Meyer, Ewald, coincide, though oonoeruing the Light. The entire pr0- the suggestion of Origen and Chrysostom, phetic dispensation is thus characterized. and in later years of Schulthess, Westcott, That which the Baptist did, Me.lo.chi, Ise.ie.h, etc., has been powerfully urged. 'fhe broad, Elijah, Hosea, Moses, had done in their day. general fact is stated, not excluding the He came, and by penetrating insight and exceptions on which the evangelist himself burning word, by flashes of moral revelation afterwards enlarges, If the darkness had and intense earnestness, "bare witness con- "apprehended" the light, it would no more cerning the Light" which was ever shining be darkness. The melancholy fact is that into the darkness. ffis aim and theirs was the corruption in the world has been, for the to prevent the forces of darkness from sup- most part, impervious to the light alike of pressing or absorbing the light. He came nature, of life, of conscience, e.nd even of to sting the apathy and di.sturb the self- revelation. Hence, says Bengel, "the occa- complacency of the darkness. He came to sion for the Incarnation." This is exe.ggere.- interpret the fact of the Light which we.a tion, because the whole record of the incarnate shining but not apprehended; and so did Word is a continuous story of the resistance all the prophetic ministry of which he was of the darkness to the light. the latest and most illustrious exponent. Vers. 6-13.-(4) The gene'i'al manifesta- He came to assert the meaning for man of tion of the revealing Logos. all God's perfections; to call conscience Vers. 6-8.-(a) The prophetic dispensa- from its death-sleep; to draw distinctions of tion. tremendous significance between more.I a.nd Ver. 6.-There wns a man, sent from ( npa ceremonial obedience; to exalt obedience 0eov) God, whose ne.me was John. Observe above sacrifice, and works meet for repent- the contrast between the l"(<VETo of John's ance above Abre.hamio privilege; to wa.rn appearance and the ,1v of the Logos, be- by lurid threa.tenings of a fiery wrath and tween the" man" John sent from God e.nd a terrible curse which wonld fa.ll on the the (Aoro::ll ::llAPi:! ErENETO)" Word became disobedient, though consecrated, people. In flesh" of ver. 14. At this point the evan- this he we.s but the last of a goodly fellow- gelist touches on the temporal mission and ship of prophets who bore witnes~ to the effulgence vf the true Light in tile Incarna- Light of life which ha.d its being in the tion; yet this paragraph deals with far more Eternal Logos of God. He came, as they general characteristics nnd wider ranges of all had come, with a view of producing thought than the earthly ministry of Christ results far greater than, a.s a matter of fact, on which he is about to enlarge. First of they have actually achieved. He ea.me to all, he dee.ls with the testimony of John in bear snch testimony that all through him, its widest sense; nfterwards he enlarges i.e. by the force of his appeal or by the upon it in its striking detail. Consequently, fierce glow thus ce.st upon the perils and we think that "the me.n," "John," is, when follies of the hour, might believe-might first introduced, refwred to in his repre- re11lize the full significance of the Light sentative cihe.r11oter rather than his historical which they had hitherto refused to accept. position. The teaching of the prophets e.nd The greatness of this expectation corre- synoptiste shows that " John" was rather sponds with the hope which the ministry the llXponent of the old covenant than th_e of Jesus failed also to realize (Matt. xi. h11rbinger of the new. He was the embodi- 9-14). The splendid ministry of this ment of the iJea of prophet, priest. 11nd "burning 1111d shining lamp" might, it ascetio of the patrill.l'Oha.l, MoBl\i~ and latest would seem, have brought all Israel Ml 12 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. JOHN. [on. r. 1-31.