The Pulpit Commentary — John — Volume 1 — Section 209

tragic death on the cross we have the most striking and convincing illustration of the love of God to a guilty worlcl. 4. Perfect in tl,e scope of his revelation. "He declared God "-as much as God wished and man required. Less would not do; more would be unnecessary and perhaps injurious. While curiosity is not satisfied, the wants of faith aro met; so that God can now be known, "which is life eternal." III. CHRIST AB TIIE ONLY PERFECT REVEALER OF Goo. "No man hath seen God,'' etc. 1. To declare God fully he must be seen. A foll vision of him no man ever had, not even Moses, therefore could not fully declare him. Man's knowle<lge of God nt best is limited and imperfect, and therefore incapable of being the medium of the full and essential revelation of God to the world. 2. Christ alone saw God, and he i.~ the only perfect Revealer of him. His position is unique. He stands alone. He occupied n position in relation to God which no other one could occupy-" the Only Begotten," etc. 3, His revelation is infinitely valuable. Because: (1) Supremely important. All knowledge is valuable, but, compared with the knowledge of God, every other knowled"e falls into insignificance. Our eternal well-being hangs upon it. (2) Most reliable. It comes from the highest source, through the highest and most suitable medium, and in the most intelligible aud convincing manner. (3) It is most rare. It is a revelation which we could never get in any other way or from any other source-a revelation which God nlone could give, and could only give through his Son. LESSONS. 1. We should hold Jesus in the highest esteem as the Ilevealer of God to us. No one else could reveal him as he did. We should magnify his grace in making known to us, at an infinite sacrifice, his Father's character, will, and purposes. 2. The gospel is an absolute truth. For what is it but :the Son's revelation of the Father?- what he had seen and heard and experienced of him, and been sent to declare: his gracious purposes of grace towards the fallen human family? 3. .As such the gospel should be ctccep/ed in implicit faith and burning gratitude. To reject is the greatest sio; to receive is the most urgent duty. "It is a faithful saying, and worthy of all accepta- tion," etc.-B. 'l'. Vers. 19-23.-The Jewish deputation and tlte Baptist. Notice- I. THE DEPUTA'l'ION's QUESTION. "Who art thou?" This implies: 1. That a spirit ·of inquiry had been awakened. Whether from curiosity, officialism, or jealousy, it was ·there. It is better to be questioned from any motive than not to be questioned at all. It is better for the questioners themselves. That is a very dull age or person that asks ·no questions. Asking is the conclition of receh·ing. It is better for the one questione<l, especinlly if he be a public man-a teacher with a truth, or a herald with a message. It proves that his presence and efforts awake attention. This was the case with the Baptist now. It gladdened his heart that a deputation came and questioned him. It proved that his voice had begun to stir the land and awake the spirit of inquiry. 2. That there was a prevalent expectation at the time fo1· the appearance of a great 7;ersonage. Some expecting the Messiah, some Elijah, some the prophet, and all expecting some great one to appear. 'l'ime somehow had reached its fulness; it !,ad been in travail for some time, and a birth was naturally expected. Ancient prophecy also nursed the expectation, and there was a. deeply felt need for the fulfilment and for the appearance of a Deliverer. There is a close connection between want ancl expectation, and between both and inquiry. So that when the Baptist began to burn in the wilderness, the spirit of the a.ge soon caught the flame, and the country was ablaze with inquiry from different motives. 3. .A high compliment is paid to Jolin and his ministry, whether meant or not. Especially by the first form of the inquiry, •• Art thou the Christ?" No one would ask n ta.per, "Art thou the sun?'' but one would be tempted to ask the question of the moon or the morning star. John would doubtless be satisfied with the simple q ue£tion, " Who art thou?" and drop it there and listen to the reply ; for how many come and go nnd a.et on the stage of time without exciting the simple question, "Who art thou?" Dut John succeeded soon in eliciting this question, not from the thought- less crowd, but from the montal and moral princes of the nation, and they ask him, "Art thou the Christ?" John was such a shining light that it was pardonable to mistake him for n moment for the Light of the world. 'l'he herald partook so much of the majesty of the coming King that it was natural to suspect that he might be the King himself. All this was befitting aud natural. 4. Great persistency and demana  70 'l'IIE GOSrEL ACCORDING TO S1'. JOHN, [en. 1. 1-51.