The Pulpit Commentary — John — Volume 1 — Section 195

Vers. 10-13.-Gltrist refected and accepted. It is related by an ancient historian that an Eastern tribe were so afflicted by the blazing and intolerable heat of the sun, that they were accustomed, when the :i:reat luminary arose in the morning, to assail him with their united and vehement curses. It is hard to believe that, the benefits of sunlight being so obvious as they are, any should be found other than glad and grateful for the shining ot' the orb of day. "'l'he light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun." The rising of the Sun of Righteousness, however, was, we know, hailed in very different manners by different classes of men; as in these verses is very strikingly pointed out by the inspired evangelist. The sume diversity obtuins to this day amoug the hearern of the gospel of Christ. There are still those who reject and those who receive the Saviour. I. CHRIST REJECTED. 1. By whom~ The evangelist speaks, first generally, and then specially, upon this point. (1) '!'he world at large is said to have refused the offered blessing-to have been insensible to the cha.racter, and incredulous as to tho claims, of Immanuel. This is the more surprising because the world is full of witnesses to the Divine Word; because it was actufl.lly made by him; because his natural attri- butes are displayed in the physical universe, his moral purposes in providence, his righteous law in conscience. (2) Moro particularly it is said that his own people, i.e. the Jewish natiou, disclaimed their Messiah. This is the more surprising because the Hebrew race was, as it were, a Church, based upon the expectation of his coming ; because they possessed prophecies regarding him; because they were familiar witl1 sacrifices, types, and institutions, all of which· in some way witnessed to him. Especially it is surprising when we remember that the Jews wero entrusted with the oracles ot God, which might have prepared them to receive the perfect Divine revelation. 2. J.n what way 1 (1) 'l'hey "knew him not." Some-both Jews and Gentiles-never paid nny attention to Jesus, to his discourses, his mighty works, hw holy and benevolent chamcter. Some simply indulged an idle curiosity, in gazing upon his works or listening to his discourses, And others, less inattentive, yet never really comprehended tho spiritual purpose of his mission, the spiritual 8ignifica.nce of his teaching. (2) They "received him not;" e.g. tho inhabitants of Nazareth thrust him out of their city l Tllo Gorgu.senes besought him to depart from their borders! A certain vi\lagc> in Samaria  66 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. JOHN. [on, I, 1-51.