The Pulpit Commentary — John — Volume 1 — Section 186

Yers. 10, 11.-The donb7e rejection of tke Light. I. THE FIRST REJECTION. "He Wll.S in the world, and the worlrl was made by him, ancl the world knew him uot." The~e words describe the world's unbelief before bis incRrnation. 1. He was here invisibly, tho_ugh the wurld ltad no eyes to see him. In him" all things live, and move, and ha,•e their being." The revelation of himself has been continuous since man was made. The Life h11.S always been the Light of men. He was and has ever been in the world. 2. The world's ignorance is all the more remarkable because " tlie world was made by him:" The '_VOrld did not see the evidences of boundless skill aud beauty all around. It IS a precious thought to the believer that the Creator of the world is his Friend. "It is my Father's house. It is my Brother's handiwork." 3. The mystery of the 'll}OrW:s ignorance. "The world knew him not." "'l'he world by wisdom knew not Goa." The Apostle Paul found an altar to the" Unknown God" at Athens. What a satire on man's privileges! This darkest page in the world's history may well sadden us every time we read it, II. THE SEC01''l> REJECTION. "He came unto his own, and his own received him not." I. Israel, was the home of our Lord. Its land, its cities, its temple, were all his own property, and were originally granted by himself. Israel was "his inheritance." 2. Hit; people, the Jews, were not left to interpret the light of nature, conscience, and hi-story as they could. Light first broke upon them when ii broke upon Abraham, but it was only a preparation for the Incarnation, which is the central fact in the world'M higtory-the pivot on which its history turns. 3. His own people rejected him. They "received him not." This is stronger than the statement that the world did not know him. 'l'he Jews were more guilty than the Gentiles in their rejection of the Redeemer, because they were of those "who see, and therefore their sin remaineth" (eh. ix. 41), "The God invoked by the nation appears in his temple, and is crucified by his own worshippers." Vers. 12, 13.-The grace of adoption. '!'he Jews might boast themselves of being children of Abraham, but Christ gives his disciples the far higher privilege of being sons of God. L THE NATURE OF THE BIGHT OR PRIVILEGE ENJOYED BY TRUE BELIEVERS, "As many as received him, to them gave he the right to become the children of God." 1. It is-m.ore than crea.tion-sonship. It is more than the relationship of God as a Father to all men as rational and moral creatures ; that sonship belongs to all men by virtue of their birth. 2. It is more than the restoration to man of his original relation with God "before the FaJ,l. 3. It is a new relation, involvir,g a new filial standing and a new filial character, and has for its blessings freedom of access to God, deep fellowship with him, a sure interest in his fatherly care and discipline, and a. well-grounded hope of enjoying the inheritance of sons. 4. It originates in the free grace of God ; for we are " pre- destinated to the adoption of sons" (Eph. i. 5). "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God" (1 John iii, 1, 2). We are said to "receive the adoption of sons" (Gal. iv. 5). lI. THE <-'OKNECTION OF .ADOPTION WITH THE PERSON AND MEDIATION OF JEBUB CHRIST. Though the Father adopts (1 John iii. 1), it is the Son through whom we become sons of God. In virtue of his Mediatorship he gives the right to it. God predestinates us" to the adoption of sons by Jesus Christ" (Eph. i. 5, 6). II]. THE ADOPTION IS EFFECTED BY BEOENEBATION ON Goo's SIDE, AND BY FAITH oN MATS SIDE. Faith is the first and immediate effect of regeneration. Faith may be mentioned before reaeneration, because it is, so to speak, that element which is nearest to man and that el;ment by which man has his first point of contact with Christ; but there ~n be no faith till it be given by God's Spirit in regeneration (Phil. i. 29). 1. Regeneration i8 'Tl«eBsarily connected with the entrance of sinners into ev(Jngelical 1;ons/i,i,p. "Which were bom, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." The Jews might believe that they were sons of God by 011, I, 1-51.] THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. JOHN. 47