The Pulpit Commentary — John — Volume 1 — Section 370

Vers. 22-27.-The human Judge upon the Divine throne. Many Are the offices which it is nppointed for the Son of mnu to hold. Yet they aro all consistent one with nnotbc,, arnl only n complete view of them can present Christ as he really is, and can elicit towards him all those sentiments which are justly due to him. If he is the S,n-iour of sinners and the F1iend of his people, he is also the Lord of the earth and the Jud,::e of all mankind. I. THE QUALIFICATrONS OF Crm1sT AS JUDGE. As represented by himself, these are two. 1. His Divine ability of knowledge, of authority, of justice, in virtue of his nature as Son of God. This is asserted in the claim he makes in ver. 22 of equality with the Father, and of a. conseqnent right to the sa.me honour which is accorded to the Father, 2. His participation in our human nature implied in the designation" Son of man" in \'er. 27. This true humanity of our Lord ensures that all judgmcnt shall be conducted not only with Divine knowledge and equity, but with human sympathy and con- sideration. ]I. 'l'HE PERSONS OVER WHOM CHRIST EXERCISES HIS JUDICIAL FUNOTIONS. All man• kind must stand at his bar; God bath committed all judgment unto him, and a day is appointed in which God will judge all men by the :Man Christ Jesus. Friends and subjects, enemies and rebels, a.like must receive sentence from his lips. III. 'l'HE PRINCIPLES WHICH nmECT CHRIST'S JUDGMENT. Of these two may be mentioned. 1. The thoughts and intents of the heart are considered as well as out".' ward actions. 2. Vvith respect to those who have been privileged to hear the gospel, the all-important question is-Did they receive or reject the Divine :Mediator, the offer of Divine mercy? IV. THE DISTINCT PERIODS OF CHRIST'S JUDGMENT. 1. There is judgment here and 'IWIJJ, as seems implied in ver. 22. Christ is ever passing judgment upon men, criticizing their character and their action, discriminating between the evil and the good, making allowance for human infirmities on the one hand, and for human endeavours on the other. It is well for us that Christ judges his people now; that when necessary he has a controversy with them; that he has words of reproach for the unfaithful, and words of encouragement for the depressed; that he chastens his people in kindness and with purposes of love. It is for them to submit themselves to their Lord, to bow before his chastising hand, to profit by his correction. 2. There is judgment hereafter. Life has to be coll6idcred, not only in detail, but as a whole. When it is finished, then is the time for it to be duly estimated and justly recompensed. Now, our Lord himself assures us that retribution in the life to come is his peculiar work. The anticipation of this process 5hould quicken onr spiritual diligence and solicitude. The sinner may well repent and seek acceptance, so that he may recognize his Saviour upon the j udgmentrseat; and the Christian may well prepare to render in his account "with joy and not with grief."-T. • Ver. 25.-T/ie voice that reaches the dead. The dispute between Jesus and the· unwilling and unbelieving Jews was a dispute as to our Lord's authority, dignity, and power. 'l'he attitude of his enemies constrained the Lord to adopt language the boldest and most uncompromising with regard to himself and his offices. Thus it was that he was led in the course of this discussion to advance his claim of authority over such even as were spiritually dead. . L THE BT.A.TE oF SPIRITUAL DEATH. L Its cause is sin, wicked departure from the God of life. 2. Its toke'fl,8 are-insensibility to spiritual realities, incapacity for spiritual e1e1tion, and unfitness for spiritual society. 3. Its effects are apparent both here in this world, and hereafter in the future state of retribution. II. THE BUM.MONS OF THE SoN OF Gon. 1. It is the summons of One who has life in himself; as is apparent from his power, several times exercised in the course of his ministry, to raise the dead, and even more strikingly from his own glorious resurrection, 2. It is conveyed in a voice in itself authoritative and Divine; and yet a voice of invitation and of promise. lll. THE BEBPONSE OF HEABING AND BEVERENT ATTENTION AND OBEDIENCE, 1. This is by no means universal, being rendered only by those who are awakened by the influences of the Holy Spirit to some susceptibility to the spiritually authoritative tones and language of the Son of God. 2. I, is the hearing of the soul which our on. v. 1-17.J THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. JOHN. 235