The Pulpit Commentary — John — Volume 1 — Section 268

t.hc mult.ih1,1Ps nttc-stro tho hold thou lutdst (1) Those who ho.ve limited the mentRl on their nffed,inns-to whom thou hast borne reference to John him~elf. "l\ly function is, testimonit>s-tho m1m 'll'ho rec('ived thy as I am about .to explRin, I\ subordinRto one," homR~e, hut who admitted nlso thy ol!tims, '' I have received that and nothing else from nbnut whom tllou didst utter such strong heaven." "I cn.nuot mo.ke myself into the thing. of unspeakahlo import-behold, he Bridegroom of the Churoh, or the Light of is now thy rivo.l in populnr esteem; this tho world, or the Bnptizor with tho Holy mo.n is be.ptizing, and-with a pard01mble Ghost." "I have received tho.t only which exl\gg<'mtion, they a-0.d--311 men Rre coming is given nnd Msigned to me by God." (So unto him. He is e<'lipsing thee; he seems Bengel, Calvin, Hengstenbcrg, and at one to usurp the high and unique position which time Godct.) (2) 'fhose who reg<trd it as hRd been a.«sumed by thyself. Serious being I\ distinct reference to Christ, Rnd as que~tions these, which must loo<l to a com- a vindication of Jesus from the complaint of plete disruption among the disciples of John's own disciples. The high activity and John. Before exe.mining the reply of John present position of Jesus is declared by John to the query, it is well to observe that John to have been conferred on Christ "from had been wo.11,-ing in the blinding and heaven." Ho would not, could not, have bewildering light of new ideas; that the taken it upon l1imself apart froni the Divine Fourth Gospel brings us into contact with order. (So Godet, Meyer, Watkins, Thoma.) John at the moment where the synoptic (3) Those who refer it t.o both "John and narrative draws its portrniture to a con- Jesus;" i.e. accept it as the general principln, clusion; and yet the Fourth Gospel, quite applicablo with equal force to them both. e.s firmly as the synoptists, shows that the Intense man that he was, John felt justified fresh light which had dawned on John had in referring the entire function and mission not induced him to forego the preparatory of both the Christ and his forerunner to the mission on which his heart was set, and the will, predestination, and bestowment of zeal of which he.d consumed him. If the Heaven. (So Wettstein, Lange, Lut!Jardt, perplexity arises-How could John have Liicke, Westcott, Geilrie, Moulton.) This borne such ample testimony to Jesus o.nd is surely the most obvious and rational not o.t once have followed in his train? we interpretation. Perhaps "heaven"· is not :reply that the language of John in Matt. exactly identical with" God," but may point iii. H is jnst as difficult t.o reconcile with to the whole of the providential circum- the message from the prison. Thoma stances, to the Di vine resources, t.o the admits that this fact corresponds with the inheritnnce of effects from more remote question, " Art thou he that should come, antecedents in the Divine will; but it is or look we for o.nother?" In like manner, difficult to press this distinotion in all cases. Hebmism itself within the bosom of the Ver. 28.-Ye yourselves (cf. 1 These. iv. Church maintained a place after all its 9 for similar emphatic pronoun) bear me purpose had been fulfilled. The destruction witness-you will do it readily, if I of the temple e.nd of the Jewish state was challenge you, for my testimonies were fre- necessary to abolish the force of the Hebrew quent and varied (in faot, the synoptists and tendency to ritualism of place and symbol the fourth evangelist a.re equally explicit even in the heart of Christ's disciples. hcre)-that I said, I am not the Messiah Many of the mighty powers of the 'll'Or!d, if (eh. i. 20; Matt. iii. 11, 12; Luke iii. 15-17). they had not possessed an energy and This nunouncement, me.de with great pub- vitality which refused to snccnrnb when licity at Bethany, was the basis of the their work was really done, would never present remonstrance; and the words which have done that work at all. follow strongly sustain John's reference to Vera. 27-32.--{2) The eartldy and hea'Defl.1y the Divine predestine.lion in his own oe.se commission. and that of Jesus (a.u.' liT1 may point baok Ver. 27.-J'ohn 11.DBWered and said, A man to the diseourse of John, or may simply can receive nothing-neither office, function, indicate transition to the second statement). faculty, nor life--work, in the kingdom of But that I am one sent (on a specie.I mission) God-cept it has hen given him from before him. He boldly implies, "This is heaven. 'l'he saying is broad, general, more than I have already testified concern- comprehensive, sustaining. It is not the ing 'the Christ;' and my plo.ce is not at his glorification of success, but an explanation side, not following in his train. I am 'a of ihe ground of high service. All good voice;' my work is continuously to break up service, all high faculty, all holy mission; e. way for him. I am here still, ma.king tho all sacred duty, are assigued to us by Heaven. mountains low, and filling up the valleys for "No man taketh this honour unto himself, the approach of the great King." A mo.u unless he be called of God." Comment.a.tore can receive nothing in the shape of life- l1e.ve ranged themselves iut.o three groups work except tho.t whieh is assigned to him a,; to the primary application of the words. 1 out of heaven. ea. 111. 1-36.] 'rHE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. JOHN. 131