The Pulpit Commentary — John — Volume 1 — Section 270

be rntirrlv roalizC'd when, after the rl'sur- representation simply an artistio endcnvour reotion and the PC'l'ond advent, the rapture on the part of a second century falsal'itta to of fellowship "ith his Bride will be com- show that John's disciples were absorbed plekd. But the Baptist recognized that his into the Catholic Churoh, are joined here mm "ork '-11.S finished when the Mes~bh by Bengel, De Wette, Westcott, Moulton, had been introduoed to those who under• and Edersheim, who see no diffioulty in stood something of his cle.ims, when the the introduction of these sentiments, which kingdom mta at hand, when there were correspond with those of the Epistles of many who eought and found their Lord. John, o.s an nppendix of the evangelist, , er. 30.-He must-by a Di vine neC'essity and not a reminiscence of the teaching of of thin/!!! (cf. vers. 7, 14; eh. ix. 4; x.16; the Baptist. The reasons in favour of this xx. 9 ; Rev. i. 1), he must-increase; nugment view are that the ideas and phraseology in power and following and great joy. He a.re said to be for in ndvanee of John the must win eventually e.11 hearts. His enemies Baptist's theological position, o.nd certainly must become the footstool of his feet. His reflect the later teaching of the Master. is the beginning of an eternal blessedness. We will consider some of these seriatim, I must decrease; not become annihilated, but cannot o.ecept the argument o.s final. though through the very completion of the Hengstenberg, Meyer, Godet, Alford, Lange, purpose of my calling of God, my scope even Renan, do not yield to the positions must, by the nature of the case, become thus assumed, nor will they admit any narrower nnd smaller. Some have felt the word of the Bo.ptist here uttered to be in- improb.lbility of the great prophet, the consistent with the known doctrine oT the ascetic reformer, acquiescing so patiently forerunner; whereas they urge that the in the diminution of his influence or the simple communication to John of the sub- nrtue.l cessation of the primary importance stance of our Lord's discourse to Nicodemus of his career. Yet this is in complete is adequate explanation of the similarities harmony with John's repeated and con- between the two, It me.y be admitted tho.t tinuous recognition of the prepe.l'lltory and some subjective colouring from the e.postle's transitorv nature of his own work. He own mind may have been tre.nsfused by him cannot lay down his commission, but he into his report of both discourses, which we knows that, like prophetism, priesthood, cannot doubt (whatever may be ea.id o.bout Ne.zarite asceticism, and the like, it will be theGe.lilrean ministry) were conducted in the merged in the grander life of which he was Aramaic tongue. Weiss makes the pertinent the herald. The ministers of the New Tes- suggestion that we cannot think that John tament all take up the snme note of Divine the son of Zebedee heo.rd the finnl testimony pmi.se and of self-depletion as they prepare of the Baptist. It may ee.sily hnve been the way of the Lord to human hearts. They communicated to the circle a.round Jesus by hide themselves behind the greater glory of Andrew and some other disciple of the two their Lord. "However considerable their masters. This may o.ccount for the appear- powers, they are serviceable only e.s they nnce throughout the discourse of more contribute to the glory, and succeed in un- Johnnnine language than usual. If we veiling the face, of their Lord. There is a ce.nnot, or may not, make these simple Johannine message still required to disturb hypotheses, then we too should be disposed the fleshly equanimity and to break up the to think tho.t the subjective element had narcotized sleep of the unbeliever. The so predominated as almost to hide the stem spirit of rebuke and warning is still historic quality of the whole of this swanlike indispensable ; yet the voice of him that song of the Old 'l'estament dispensation. cries, "Repent I" knows that his voice may But the hypotheses seem to he highly fade away into faint echoes and stillness, so probe.ble and extremely nature.I, and the soon as the promises of redemption and sal- coherence of the passage with what has vation are uttered by the Divine Lord. gone before to be obvious and complete. When the absolution of grace gives the kiss The discourse contrasts the entire prophetic of peace to the broken-hearted, the morning ministry with that of the Son of God (vers. 31, star fades into the dawning of the day. 32), which then sets forth the menus of ap- Vers. 31-36.--A large number of com- propriating the Di vine gift of the Son of God mentators of all schools hold that the (vers. 33--35), and predicts the awful issues remaining verses of this chapter give us tl).e of rejecting the supreme claims of the Divine reflections of the evangelist rather than a Lord (ver. 36). The teaching is in accord continuous discourse of the Baptist. Strauss, with Old Teste.ment doctrine, illumiried, as we W eiue, Reuss, and Bretschneider, who me.ke lee.m the.t John's was, by special visions, and the supposed proof of this Johannine appen- by communications to him of the signifies.nee dix to the Baptist's words an evidence of of the Lord's uttered words. It is quite inhmoricity throughout the Gospel, e.nd the inelevant, if not abeurd, to soy the.t suoh a 110hool of Baur, which flnda in the entire testimony of the forerunner II1akes the 001\·,  olI. 111. 1-36.] 'l'RE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. JOHN. 133