The Pulpit Commentary — John — Volume 1 — Section 355

the Light (eh. i. 8). The glory or his beoause the 0110 _flashes for tho twinkling of nppeamnce was a derived or kindled illu- nn eye, comforts m the moment during which mil:rntion (e£. Matt~ vi. 22; 2 Pot. i. 19). it shines; while the othor, liko tho shining (It is not against this inferenoe that in of the sun, burns overmore, e.ud leads to Rev. :ni. 23 the Lnmb is the Lamp of the eternal rest." New Jerusnlem.) The houPohold lamp or Ver. 3li.--('y) The witne,s of the worlte. torch, when kindled, bums with more or loss But the witneas whioh I ho.ve is greater 1 brilliance, but bums itselr out, exho.uste than [thnt] of John. The testimony of John imelf. One may walk in the light of it, was memornble nnd noteworthy in many re- see the way one should take, discharge spects. If the people hnd nccepted it., they duties that would otherwise be impossible, would have admitted the Divine authority of avoid perils that might without the lamp One who wo.s "mightier" than John. Tho prove disastrous or destructive; but the synoptic Gospels show that Jesus mo.de a. capacity of tho torch is soon reduced to similar o.ppea.l t.o the oonscienoe of his oritics a minimum. Bengel, Stier, Alford, think on a Inter occasion (Matt. xxi. 25, and that tho celebrated passage in Ecclus. parallels). Though John's be.ptism wo.s xlviii. 1 mav be referred to: "Then stood "from heaven," o.nd though John's testimony up Elijah tlie prophet liko o.s o. fire, and bis wns "great,'' yet thnt which accompanied word burned ns a ln.mp." This is not im- the ministry of Jesus wns "greater" still. possible, though it would stand alono o.e The words of John were not merely John's n distinct reference in the Gospels to any words, or they woultl hnve been valuelesa. apoeryphnl book. • Lange has given o. long Moreover, '' the testimony that I have" is series of the lamp and fire symbols of the in itself convincing; it has a Divine, e.elf- Old Te-Stament; the group of events in evideneing force, which, o.dded to my word, which the Lord appea1ed in flames of fire confirms e.nd establishes my .claim. Tho nnd clouds of glory, from Exod. iii. to lllal. proof or illustration of this· is as follows : iii. 2, affirming John to be" tho fie.me-signal For the works whioh the Father he.th given ofMessie.h, the la.st Old Testament form of the me the.t I should bring them to completion, pillo.r of fire and candlestick of the temple, the very works, which I am doing, bear therefore the lo.mp at once :flaming and witness ooncerning me, that the Father hath 6hining." More than this, and more to the sent me. The works of Christ are hie point, we find the.t, under the figure of lamps normal o.ctivities-the deeds which express of fire, the messengers of God, the activities the nature e.nd compass of his will, o.nd of the Church, were repea.t.edly set forth indicate the qualities of his Person. They (cf. Matt. v. H-16; xxv. 1-8; Rev. i 20; would be 'T<pa:ra 11nd Ba{,µ.aTa, should any Phil. ii. 15). John was tM burning l,amp, other perform such things or live on such not the archetypal Light. Ye desired for a platform of exalted activity. They are a season to rejoioe in bill light. Many his " works." This term is often used for interpretations have been suggested, such the special manifest11tions of his o.llio.nce o.s the exultation of a wedding-party in the with the BUperno.turnl, Divine realm (oh. brief light of the t.orch-bearer, announc- vii. 3; ix. 3; :x. 25, 32, etc.; xiv. 10; :xv. ing the approach of the bridegroom ; or the 24). They are in their fnlness 11nd summa- dancing of ephemerides in the glitter of a tion the tp-ya., of the Lord (eh. iv. 34; xvii. lamp. The metaphor is lost in the solemn 4). They are, moreover, "given" to him to memory of the high gratification for a season " do" or to "finish." This idea is frequently which the popufations of J udiea, Galit'ee, and expressed. "All things o.re given into his tl,e wilderness he.d manifested on the appari- hand" (eh. iii. 35), 1111 judgment is given tion of the great prophet. The universal him to execute ( eh. v. 22, 27). The F1tther acclaim soon subsided. The leaders of the he.th g~ven him self-existence_ .<ver. 26; e_f. people fell be.ck when they heard John's eh. :xv1i. 2, 6, 9, 12, 24; xvm. 9). It 1s call to repentance. Publicans and harlots impossible to dissociate these "works" from pressed into the kingdom before the scribes those great miracles which ought to com- and Pharisees. " The generation of vipers•• mand assent to his claims, even if, o.lns I his did to John" who.tsoeverthey listed." The bare words are not sufficiently con vinoing. secular power hushed his voice and crushed John's Gospel makes numerous references the me.n. " For a B0&11on" only did they to these proofs of the Di vino commission, listen to hie word !>r respond to I,is challenge. these illustrations as well as evidences of His great teetimeny, though given to him his right to speak. But the "works" are by God, and by no means proceeding from 1 Alford, Lo.chmnnn, and Tregelles read his mere human consciousness, had been in the main unheeded. Wiinsche quotes from here p.El(,,w, with A, B, E, G, etc. MEl(w 'Sot&,' fol. 21, a, "Bab bi Menahem said that ie the ree.ding of N, H, K, L, S, U, eto., e.nd Solomon (Prov. vi 23) compares • prayer' is preferred by 'fischendorf (8th edit.), R.T,, with • lamp,' and •teaching' with 'light,' We,icott o.nd Hort.  an. v. 1-47.J 1'IIE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. JOUN.