Ver. 17.-The incessancy of Divine ministry. Healing is work. The sabbath is for rest. Thus the Jews, in their rigid formality, objected against Jesus that, in restoring the infirm and sick man to health and vigour, he had transgressed the Law, because he had wrought the cure upon the sabbath day. The calumnies and per~ecutions of his enemies were met on the part of Christ by these simple and significant words: "My Father worketh even until now, and I work." '!'here is no pause in the Creator's beneficence, none in the Saviour's ministrations. l. HERE IS TEACHING UPON THE REf,ATION 01!' THE FATHER AND THE SoN. The Jews were quick to discern the claim implicitly contained in the language of Jesus. He was "making himself equal with God." This he did, both by speaking thus of his "Father," and by asserting of himself what was true of no mere man, but of God only. I IJ. HERE 18 TEACllING UPON THE UNINTERMITTmG COlITINUITY 01!' THE DIVINE OPERATIONS. Christ gives no countenance to the very common notion that God created the universe, as a mechanic may a machine, leaving it when wouni\ up to no its work, with no enArgy exercised, no interest t1hown, no interference takir,g place on the part 23S THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO 81'. JOHN. [olI. v. 1-4:'f.
of the CreRtor. God is c,·cr working. In Rll the laws of nature, in all the move- ments of society, ~·e are justified in tracing his ever-present and most beneficent hand. Ill. HERE IS TEACHING UPON TlIE PARAMOUNT AUTHORITY OF 'l'IIE LORD CHRIST. Whnt dignity is there in the assertion of our Master, "I work" I He camo to this earth in order to work; his lifo among men was a life of toil. "I must,'' said he, "work the works of him that sent me, while it is day." Especially did he work iu tho vanquishing of human ills, and in the promotion of human purity and well-being. His work was not only wise; it was effective, Satan worked; Clirist counter-worked, Christ ,..-orked with Divine efficiency. IV. HERE IS TEACHING UPON THE RELATION BETWEEN CHRIST AND MEN'S VIEWS AND PRACTICES WITH REFERENCE TO RELIGION. The Jews cavilled and quibbled, made much of trifles, were strict in ceremonial observances. How did the Lord and Saviour act in view of Jewish formalities? "I work! "-such was his reply, his rebuke. They might talk and find fault, they might forget the sufferer and the sinner in their exalta- tion of the Law. The Lord showed them a more excellent way, when he quietly but assiduously did the work for which he came into the world. V, HERE IS TEACHING UPON THE NATURE OF THE CHURCH'S MINISTRY, If tho Father and the Son concur in working, and if their work is incessant, what must be the vocation of the representatives of Christ, the servan~ of God? Surely their ministry must needs be one of toil. And if even the sabbath was a suitable occasion for the performance of a miracle of healing and of mercy, can Christians put the Lord's day to a better use than they do when they spend its hours in seeking the salvation of mankind ?-T.
Ver. 18.-0.lfenr,s with Christ. It might have been expected that a Saviour so com- passionate and so beneficent as, even from an ordinary human point of view, Jesus undoubtedly was, would have met with a warm and grateful reception. Especially, it might have been expected, would his own countrymen, the neighbours and acquaint- ances of those who were benefited by his kindness, have encompassed him with honour, confidence, and affection. But it was not so; and Jesus was not surprised, for he well knew what human nature is. Again and again in the Gospel narrative do we meet with statements regarding the offence taken at Jesus by the Jews, and the hostility they cherished towards him. L THE OFFENCE WAS USUALLY TAKEN WITH BOME WORD SPOKEN BY JESUS wm01i HAD A PECULIAB PRECIOUSNESS, OR WITB SOME DEED THAT DESERVED ESPECIAL HONOUR, 'l'hose who in their life and work moved upon familiar lines, who fell in with the prejudices of their country and their times, escaped censure and comm.anded confidence. But the discourses of Jesus were paradoxical, and the deeds of Jesus were novel and surprising. It was when he said something altogether above the spiritual level of his contemporaries, when he wrought some work worthy of God himself, that the hostility and malice of the Jews was aroused. And if any one will observe upon what grounds the unbelievers of our own time take offence at Christ, he will find that the "scandal," the stone of stumbling, is something deserving of admiration and of reverence. lL OFFENCE WAS TA.KEN WITH JESUS BECAUSE HE WOULD NOT CONDESCEND TO THEIR PETTY AND FORMAL NOTIONB OF RELIGION. The sabbath was a divinely instituted ordinance, and one obviously beneficial and beautiful. But the Jews confounded the means with the end, and attached a superstitious sanctity to the seventh day. Jesus was the Lord of the sabbath, and held that the day was hallowed by the perform- ance of a deed of mercy and helpfulness. This was a view alien from the formal and ceremonial ha bits of the Jewish leaders. 'I'he ways of Jesus were too high, too spiritua~ for these narrow-minded hypocrites, and accordingly they were offended with him. Ill. OFFENCE WAS TAKEN WITH JESUS BECAUSE HIS OPPONENTS COULD NOT RISE TO HIS GLORIOUS BUT JUST REPRESENTATION OF HIS OWN NATURE AND MISSION, The claim which Jesus made to identity of purpose and to closest intimacy of nature with the Divine Father should have awakened in the minds of the Jews, at least, a spirit of inquiry, and have suggested, at least, the hope that in this gracious Being God might be visiting and redeeming hls people. This, however, was far from being the case Oil. V. 1-47.] THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. JOHN. 233