not limited to the mimculous bealings, to testimony in R<ldition to that of the works, mu!Uplicntion of brend and wine, and resur- but the neeertion that they are the vvice of reotion from tho de11d. The whole of bis the Father-in a sense the very form of !he work, from his b11ptiem and tempt11tion to Father, for the c:onviction of those who might hie own resurrection from thn deed, wl\8 his if they would come to him. If the airrb, fnov. This wus mndo up of a.II the eelf- must be retained, I think that we must rovelntion of his life, of nil hie coneecmlion suppose our Lord referring to the whole of nnd sympathy, of all hie chnraoter, of nil the those objective manifestations of the Father's resuscitlltion of dead soul~, of all the joy he will and mind concerning Christ which were wns pouring into broken hearts, and nll the outside of hie own act or work ; and all that life he was evoking in moribund humo,nity. shining through his face, the.t whispering " These works the.t I e.m doing bear witness through his word of what was the eternal concerning me, that the Fnther he.th eent Father's face nnd voice, and plainly distin- me." They are of such a che.ro.cter that he guished from the work of the Son ; e.g. the confidently declares about them that they angels' song, the miraculous providence proclaim his Divine commission. The entire which protected his childhood, the opening work, reaching special expression in certain of heaven at bis baptism, the Divinity which typical acts and deeds, wne g-reo.ter them the attended him and which made his ministry verbal testimony which John bnre to his so strange and strong an influence. Nor mission. All thut John said was true, but could he who had the whole of his life Christ's " works" prove it. before him fail to be conscious of further Vere. 87, 88.-'.l'he witness of the FathBT testimonies from heaven and from Provi- furthBT elucidated. (See ver. 32.) dence which, though unrecorded, would Ver. 87.-And the Father (himself'), who continue to set their seal upon his ch:uacter sent me, (he) hath bome witness oonoerning and work. We must never forget that our me. If the" himself" be the genuine reading Lord himself was a revelation of the Soo. (and it is defended by Godet, M'Clelle.n, and But the revelatien of the Son in his fp'Ya. Meyer), there would seem to be 11, specinl or was accompanied throughout with another direct and e.dditionnl form of the Father's manifestation-that of the Father. The glory testimonv. And severe.I ancient and modem of the Lord shone round about him. Never- oritics (Chrysostom, Bengel, Paulus, Godet) theless, a difficulty fa conceded as arising have seen in it 11, reference to the special ont of the nnsusoeptibility and limited "voice nnd she.pa" which were heo.rd nnd opportunities of bis bearers. Never have seen by Johno.nd Jesus e.t the baptism, when ye heard a voice of him, or seen a form of heaven was opened, when a voice from him. These voices and these sounds need heaven proclaimed him to be the well-beloved opened ears and unscaled eyes. You (says and only begotten Son of God, and when Christ) have not heard that which you the Spi.t-it of God descended as e. dove and might have heard. Yon have not seen 11bode upon him. This testimony was only that which you might have seen. On 11, given to the world through the consciousneBS eubseq nent occasion he said to one of ~ and word of John, who, after. receiving it, disciples, "Have I been so long time bore record that this was the Sou of God. with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Meyer and many others, rather following the Philip? He that hath seen me bath seen suggestion of De W ette that the in ward the l!'ather. How sayest thou, then, Show drawing of the Futher to the Son wns that us the Father?" So that there was,indeed, to which the Lord referred,, would thus the condition of adequate revelation of the complete the testimony of the "works." Father provided for the disci pies in the life This testimony, then, which is cited ago.inst of Christ, in the ministry of the Son of the the challenge, "Thou bearest witness con- Father. Moreover, it for exceeded the vision 1
cerning thyself," would be a purely sub- of God which was grunted to po.trie.rchs ant.I jective one. Westcott thinks it rnfers to prophets under the Old Testament dispen- the whole of the Old Testament ministry sation. Doubtless the voice of Jehovah hud and prophetic nnd typical anticipation of been heard (Exod. xx. 19; Deut. iv. 12), the Christ, culminating in John the Baptist. the face of Jehovah had been seen (Gen. This particular series of testimonies is re- xxxii. 80; Exod. xxiv. 10; Numb. xii. S; ferred to in vers. 89 and 47, eto. Moulton, Deut. v. 4, 24). Isaiah sa.w the glory of the who rejects the aOTbs, sees no new, no direct, .Angel of the Lord (vi.; cf. eh. xii. -l:l), and Ezekiel likewise by the river of Cheblll' I 1 The a~Tor is omitted, and <Kewor substi- (iii. 23). Nevel'theless, the evangelist, on the tuted for it, by Tischendorf (8th edit.),R.T., credit of the great utterance before us, bas Westcott nnd Hort, and Tregelles, on the laid down, as the very climax of the pro- o.utbority of ~. B, L (Lis generolly a satellite logue, "No man he.th seen God at o.ny timo of ~. Il), while nil other uncials, oureives. (.,.w,ron); the only begotten Son, who is in and nu!T)11ro11s F~thers preserve the aiiTdt, -:.·· the bosolll ot" the F~the~, lie b!\th decliu-ell 222 'l'HE GOSPEL AOCORDING TO ST. JOHN. [on. v. 1-4T,