The Pulpit Commentary — John — Volume 1 — Section 359

Goo ! " 'l'hC' rC'ligious world listened eagerly Almighty God; the "opinion" which 11 for 11ome e<'ho "f the tmmpet-peals of Sinai. absolutely true nnd is not mingled or con• It desire,! a king _greAter thAn Solomon, a laminated with any flattering fictions. '1.'he prophci m"re temble than Elijah. When minds which deliberately ignore this highest he came with the real glory-robes of the and only true source of glory, 11.nd substituto lo\'e of God, and with the majesty of the for it the glory of the ignornnt plnudits e.nd Name ~f the Lord, there was widespread unreal e.pproval, nnd uuhesitnting homnge <l1sapJ>01!1tmcnt and cruel rejection of hie of the clique to which they belong, nro in a corum1sst0n. Should another oome in hill moral condition inca.paoitating them to be- own (proper, peculiar) n1U11e, that is, with no lieve in tho Christ. How should they? Hmv t.e~timony from heaven, seeking "honour oan they? It is not possible for that man to (~&!a., glory) from men," crenting 11. sove- believe Christ a.t all whoso mind is so be- reignty by enlisting the "oices of men, fogged, whose moral judgments are BO dis• compromising with evil, making no warfare locntcd. "The only God (1rapil Toil µ&vin again~t the power of the world, allowing ®•oii)" (see eh. :nil. 3; Rom. xvi. 26; 1 the legitimncy of the throne of the prince Tim. vi. 15). Tho use of this epithet in tho of this world ;-should he come in his own Fourth Gospel is of singulnr value. l\Iore- name, al:i.s I him (that one) ye will receive. over, in this very connection the Son is so '!'he cng,,.mess on the part of the Jews to exalted above the world, and the Father find the :Messiah has led them to accept in comes so close to mnn in Christ, thnt we can- some sort no fewer than isi:i:ty-four false not wonder thnt Gnosticism aud Arianism Christs (Schudt, 'Jiidische :r.Ierkwiirdig- rapidly evolved e. Ditheism of great peril to keit,' ,i. 27-30; Dengel and l\Ieyer). Nor the conscience. The Lord, notwithstanding must the Christian Clrnrch take the flattering the lifting of his humanity lo the throne or unction that it is free from this charge. The universal judgrnent, and the lifting of his teacher that can utilize to the widest extent Sonship into the boso1n of God, on more than the fe.shiouahle worldliness, and can mingle oneoccnsion reminds hie hearers of the unity, the pungont human condiment with the the solity, of Almighty God. • princely food of the King's ba.nqueting- Ver. 45.-Think not, he added, with one house, is he who at the present hour meets concluding a.nd sweeping exposition of with the loudest response and the readiest their relation to the old coveue.nt and to, reception. There is solemn warning here for himself-Think not, a.s ye might be disposed statesman and author, artist aud preacher. to do, that I will accuse you to (JJefore ; sea; Ver. 44.-How ca.n ye believe, seeing that Syrie.o k'dom) the Father (not referring ye reoeive glory one from &nother, &nd ye to the judgment-do.y, where he will e.ppear seek not the glory that cometh from the only ns Judge, but now), o.s One in intimate a.nd God 1 The difficulties of faith in himself awful relation with the Father, or as One multiply as he proceeds. First, he insisted whose words have set up 11. stnnda.rd which. ilui.t be ha.d searched their hearts, and found is much loftier or severer tbo.n that which there none of that elementary" love of God" you a.re prepared to allow. He he.s charged which is the prime condition of knowledge them already with having missed the deepest or faith. Then he showed that an apprecia- teaching of their own Scriptures, with fas- tion on their pa.rt of the type of character tening on the letter rather than on the spirit nntithetic to his own,i.e.oftheman who comes of the Divine Word ; that, though the prime in his own name and seeks his glory from article of their creed wa.s the docb'ine of'' the, men, must blind them to that which is most only God," they ha.d no love of God, no e.ppre- characteristic of himself. They will receive cia.tion of God as the only Source of worthy the prophet, the pseudo-Christ, for the very glory, and therefore neither faith nor know- reason that makes his own mission BO unpa- ledge. They were snapping up worthless latable. He strikes rigLt a.cross their taste, pretenders, a.nd drinking the flattery of men their pa.esion, their prejudice. He now lays rather than the approval of God. 'l'hey were down a new or modified statement of one of blind to the glory and deaf to the voice of the prime conditions of spiritual faith. There the Father, and so would not come to him is a universal desire for ~&£a, glory, of some for life. These sad facts need not be, will sort. TLe original meaning of a&{a here not be, pressed against them, seeing that allllost forces itself into the text. .6o{a is there is e. primary accusation ulready laid. "opinion," thought, and the good opinion He that ( or, there ia one that) aoouseth you, which one person may entertain with refer- l\loees, on whom ye have set your hope (cf. 2 ence to o.nothei:. The glory of a Greek Cor. i 10); Moees himself, in that very Lo.w citizen was the good opinion of his fellow-citi- which you are now ma.king the ground of zens or fellow-countrymen. God'e "glory" the rejection of my claims-Moses is your is the nnivcrea.ljudgment of a.II intelligences, accuser; Moses a.ppeare against you. "This," including his own concerning himself. The say11 Lange, "ie the le.et and mightieet highel!t " glory " of uia.u ill the approvq,l of 11troke," ":f,llenchqs ina.iti111e aptu, o,d ooq, OH. v. l-'17.J THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. JOHN. 225