The Pulpit Commentary — John — Volume 1 — Section 290

ma.kes its sa1va.tion very hopeyful. "For God sent not," etc. In view of this, In spit a of the world's sin and terrible unbelief, we see infinite possibilities of its salvation. H is now a glorious possibility. Shall it become a practical fact? '!'his is the Divino purpose. Shall it fail? God has answered, it shall not fail on his part. Let the world answer. CoNOLUSION. 1. What God did to the world was in.finitely more difficult than what 1ie might have done. He could easily punish it, but to save it cost him infinite sacri- fice. 2. What M did, when contrasted with what he might have done, standsfortl1 as a brilliarit illustration of Ms grace and a monument of his love. 3. What he did will be a greater condemnatwn ·of the impenitent world than what he might have done. It has placed the world under obligations and responsibilities which neither time nor eternity can obliterate. The punishment of love will be more severe than the punishment of justice. 4. W7uit M did will bring greater glory to his Name. He will be infinitely more glorious in the anthems of a saved world than he would have been in the wails of a lost one.-B. T. Vers. 25-30.-The Bridegroom'sfrund true to tM last. Notice-- I. THE DISCIPLES' COMPLAINT. It is the embodiment of a blind and angry zeal. And as such : 1. It is ever disparaging in its language. "He that was with thee beyond Jordan." They address their own master as" Rabbi," but speak of Jesus as" he that was," et.c., as if he had no name ; and, if he had, it was not worth mentioning compared with their master's. The memory of angry zeal is very short, and its respect for sup- posed opponents or rivals is shorter still. 2. It is ever contradictory in its language. "To whom thou hast borne witness." 'l'his part of their complaint contradicts the whole; for, had they reflected a little, they would :find that the present actions of Jesus were in perfect harmony with John's past testimony. Blind zeal is ever contradictory, contradicting truth, God, the ministry, and even itself. 3. It is ever inaccurate' in its language.. "Behold, the same baptizeth." This was virtually true, but literally false. It was a hearsay mistake of the Pharisees, which the evangelist had to correct. Neither cruel opposition nor angry zeal is over-careful about the niceties of truth and accuracy of statement. To hear a thing is quite enough for its purpose. 4. It is ever e:r,aggerating in its language. "And all men come to him." Would this were true I He invited all, a.nd they ought to come. Doubtless Jesus was more popular now than Jolm. The popular flow was towards him; but that all men came to him was an exaggeration, ss proved by the evangelist's statement, "And no man receiveth his testimony." Jealous zeal is ever exaggerating. It sees a crowd in a few, and sometimes only a few in a large crowd. There is a vast difference between its reports and those of calm and unbiased truth. 5. It is ever calculated to do much harm. It was calcu- lated, in this instance, to prejudice John against Jesus, and create in his breast a spirit of jealousy and rivalry, especially if we consider the plausibility of the complaint. (1) It is expressed in a plausi"ble l,anguage and manner. He to whom thou barest witness has set up in opposition against thee. Behold, he baptizeth in the very place where thou used to baptize; and this, after all, is his treatment to thee for thy favour and friend- ship. (2) It is made by warm friends. His old disciples, in an enthusiastic and kind spirit and from good motives. And this will go very far to influence most teachers. (3) It is made in a 11ery critical period. John's position was altogether unique and mysterious. His popularity was now on the wane, aud he was but a man. And such a complaint made at such a period was calculated strongly to tempt him to doubt and melancholy, if not to a spirit of rivalry and jealousy. And what an incal- culable harm would this be I It would be a source of joy to infidelity and atheism through ages, and most damaging to the gospel, if its first great herald gave way in the hour of temptation, proved unworthy of his mission, and unfaithful to his trur.t. IL JoHN's TRIUMPHANT DEFENOE. He stood firm as a rock and majestically calm in the sudden and sweeping storm. His character as the forerunner of the Messiah never shone more brightly than on this occasion, and, being his last public testimony to Jesus, it reaches a glorious climax and a grand peroration. His defence reveals: 1. The ,pi,ri,tuaUty of his pril}(l,te conceptions. (1) He looks at heaven ss the source of spiritual gift,. "A man can receive nothing," etc. This is the starting-point o( his noble defence. Before the breath of jealousy, the suggestions of rivalry, and the storma of OH, m. 1-30.] THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. JOHN. 15.'3