The Pulpit Commentary — John — Volume 1 — Section 207

own-by thoso who it might be expected would receive him with uatol,1 cnth11sia,m. Dettor ha re~ected by st~rmgers _nad spurned by professed foes,-t.his won!rl b•J expectc<l; but to be reJectcd by his own IS apparently more than he can bear. And not satisfied with leaving him an outcast In his own world, they banish him hence by a cruel death. What will he do? Will he be disheartened, leave with disgust, and hurl on the world the thunderbolts of ven11:eance? No; but etanrls his gronnd, aarl. tries his fortune among strangers, according to ancient prophecy, " He shall not fail, nor be dis- couraged," etc. ,. III. As RECEIVED DY SOME. "But as many as received him,'' etc. He was received by a minority-a small but noble minority. With regard to the few who receiverl. him we s<?e: 1. The independency and courage of their CO'Tlduct. They receiverl. him, though rejected by the majority, which included the most educated and influential. It is ono thing to swim with the tide, but another to swim a,zainst it. It is easy to go with the popular current, but difficult to go against it. This requires a great inde- pendency of action and decision of character. Those who received Jesus at this time did this-they received "tho Despised and Rejected of men." They accepted the Stone rejected, and rejected of the builders. 'fhis involved admirable independency of condact and courage of conviction. 2. The reward of their conduct. "But as many as received him, to them gave he power," etc. (1) The closest relationship to God. His children: children first, then sons; the seed first, then the ripe frnit. (2) The hifjhest honour that men can enJoy. Children of God. (3) This is tlie gift of (Jhrist. "To them gave he power," etc. This word means more than power; it means right as well -power first, then right. Men had neither to sonship, but Christ gave both. The fact is patent-he gave the power. The title is good-he gave the right. (4) This is the gift of Christ consequent upon receiving him. "But as many as received him, to them," etc. .And to none else. But to as many as received him he gave the power. There ,vas not a single failure, not a single exception. 'l'hey received the Son of God, and became themselves the children of God in consequence. They were not disappointed, but had reasons to be more than satisfied with their choice, and more than proud of their unexpected and Divine fortune. If Jesus were disappointed in his own, those who received him were not disappointed in Jesus-only on the best side; for" to them gave he power," etc. 3. The explanation of their conduct. How did they receive him while the majority rejected him? How came they possessed of such a high honour- to become the children of God? The answer is, "They believed on his Name." It was by faith. We see: (1) The discerning power of fai'.th. Faith has a discerning power; it can see through the visible to the invisible, through the immediate present to the distant future, In this instance, faith saw through the outward the inward; through the physical it saw the Divine; through the outward humiliation and poverty it discovered a Divine presence. In "the Man of sorrows" faith saw the Son of Goel, and in "the Despisecl and Rejected of men" the Saviour of the world. (2) The receptiv6 power of faith. Jesus was received by faith. Faith saw, recognized, and consequently received, him as the Messiah. God speaks, faith listens; God offers, faith accepts. (3) The regenei-ative and transforming power of faith. "They became the sons of God." How? By the given power of Jesus in connection with faith. Christ gave himself as a Divine Seed; faith received, appropriated, aud nursed him so as to result in a Divine regeneration and birth. Faith transforms its object into its possessor; so that the believer in the Son of God becomes the son of God himself. 'l'his is a. Divine process from beginning to end, in which faith-a Divine gift-plays a prominent part. (4) Faith in Christ produced the same result in all. ".As many as received him," etc. No matter ns to position, education, or character. CoNCLUSIONB, 1. The minority are often right, and the majority wrrmg. It was so on the plain of Dura, in Babylon, and so hero. 2. The minority, generally, are the first to accept great trutns; the majority reject them. Think of scientific, reforming and redemptive tmt.hs. The Jewish nation rejected the Saviour; a few received him. 3. It is better to ba with tlie minority when right, than with the majority when wrong. 'l'hey have truth and right, nnd will ultimfltely win all to their way of think- ing. The fow that received Jesus are fast gaining ground. The Saviour of the minority will soon be the Saviour of all. 4. We should be very thankful to the minoritg for receiving the Saviour. Humanly speaking, they saved tho world from  6S Tim GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. JOUN. [on. 1. 1-51.