The Pulpit Commentary — John — Volume 1 — Section 276

we have eeeo." Man believes, for he must here walk by faith, not by sight; but Jesus i;ces. He has seen beRven, and knows all heavenly realities by immediate intuition. 3. It is truth to be openly <kdared. 11 We speak . . . we test.Hy.;, Jesus aud his disciples are witnesses to the trut.h. 4. Yet ie @as re:fecfA!d by the rabbinical teachers. 11 And ye receive not our testimony." (1) The Pharisees II rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized by him [John] " (Luke vii. 30). The acceptance of John's work involved the acceptance of that of Jesus. (2) Our Lord desires Nicodemus to break with his party. II. FAITH IS NEEDED FOR THE RECEPTION OF THIS NEW TEAOHING. "If I told you eArthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe if I tell you of heavenly things?" There is an evident contrast between two classes of truths. 1. Earthly things. (1) These were not things touching worldly interests, much less carnal things. (2) But things within the sphere of man's knowledge and appreciation, affecting the life of the soul. The new birth itself, though "a heavenly thing," has its life and manifestation on earth. The earthly things are the elements of spiritual knowledge, having their test in the moral sense, and in their fitness to supply the spiritual wants of men. (3) The moral fitness of the gospel is one main guarantee of its Divinity. · 2. Heavenly things. These are the secrets of Heaven which are to be received on the word of Christ. The knowledge of earthly things will initiate us into the knowledge of heavenly things. Evidently our Lord classes amoug heavenly things the revelation he makes in the following verses respecting the Person and work of Jesus Christ; , III. THE AUTHOR OF THE NEW TEACHING. "And no man bath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man who is in heaven." Jesus knows heavenly things because heaven is his native home. 1. These words imply tlUl Incarnation qf the Son of God; for they imply his pre-existence. 2. They imply his possession of two natures in one Person ; for he who is the Son of man· as to his human nature, is in heaven in his Divine nature. 3. They imply that during his human life he received an immediate intuition of heavenly things. 4. They imply that heaven is a place as well as a state. Vere. 14, 15.-The revelation of the Divine plan of salvatiM. Redemption is the essential content of revelation. The Incarnation carries with it the necessity of the Crucifixion. J. THE NATURE OF THE OLD TESTAMENT SYMBOL BEBE PRESENTED TO OUR VIEW. "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up." 1. This refers to the last miracle wrought by Moses on the borders of the promised land. (Numb. xxL 7.) 2. The Israelites were to see in it the sovereign hand of (i od, and not to ascrwe the efficacy of the cu,·e to the mere outward symbol-the brazen serpent-apart from Divine power. 3. They were to see in the whole incident, not a mere effective comparison, but a preparatory type-a figure of " good things to come," exhibiting (1) the punishment of sin, (2) and the image of a vicarious dispensation. "Bv his stripes we are healed" (Isa. llii 6). • • II. THE womr OF CHRIST. "Even so must the Son of man be lifted up." 1. Con- sider the meaning of this expression. (1) It does not signify that he was to be exalted in the siuht of men in the preaching of the gospel. (2) Nor does it signify his exa:lta~ tion to heaven. (3) But his being lifted up on the cross. This is the commentary of the apostle himself: "This he said, signifying what death he s~o~ld die" (~h. xii. 33). The cross was to be the step to the throne. 2. There was a Divine necessity/or the death of Christ. "The Son of man must be lifted up." (1) The Divine prophecies must be fulfilled. (2) The justice of God demanded the sacrifice. Sin can no more exist without punishment than it can exist without hatefulness. The justice of God is as manifest as bis grace in the death of his Son. (3) The love of God was the grand motive for this sacrifice. (4) The necessity of Christ's death is attested by many passages of Scripture (Heb. vii. 29; viii. 3; ix. 7, 12, 22). III. THE DESIGN OF THE cBUCIFIXION OF CHRIST. " That whosoever· believeth in him should have eternal life." Mark the various points of comparison between the type and the anti type. 1. Tlie poison of the serpeJ!l,s _in the wilderness represents the d~adl'fl nature of Bin. That poison was death ; so em 1s death. 2. Tlie gaze of the stricken Israelites an.11wer, to the look of/ciith. "There was life in a look." (1) Faith is the  ou. m. 1-36.] 'l'HE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO S'l'. JOHN.