The Pulpit Commentary — John — Volume 1 — Section 428

partinga often on earth, and painful social separation■ by dist~nce and death; but of all sad separations, the saddest is the separation of the soul from Christ-of an old disciple from his Master. 2. A sad loss to them, not to Jo.sus. (1) They lost whaC they had gained. We can scaroely think that they could have beeu with Jesus without being som~what ~nefited. Some of them, we may conjecture, were almost Christians, but in lea nag Christ they lost all, even what they bad; much of their best ener~ies were wa.i;tt>d. (2) They lost what they might have gained. What they had from Jesus was nothing to what they might have. ,vhat he had done for them was only introductory t.n what he would do. They Jort him on the thrl'shold of the temple of trnth and salva- t~on, and thus lost the best society, the divinest ministry, their only Deliverer, and the inestimable blessings arising from union with him. Wbnt a sad loss I 3. A sad retrogressio11,. They went back. (1) To go back f1·om 0/wist is to go back from all good. For he is the incarnation of goodness, the exhaustless Treasury of all spiritual blessings, and the only Saviour of the soul. To go back from him is to recede from the standard of moral excellency, and the centre of redemptive help and grace, (2) To giJ back from him is to go on towards all evil and its consequences. Man cannot be spiritually stationary; a.nd in the opposite direction of Christ there is only evil-the cold breath of infidelity, the darkness of spiritual death, and the terrible whirl winds of despair and misery. (3) To go back from Christ is one of the worst symptoms of the soul. While man clings to Christ there is some hope of him; but when be tea.re a.way from him, he manifests a sinfnl force which breaks through the mightiest moral power which can be bronght to bear on him, and his character seems fixed and his destiny decided. We speak of going back in the world, but this is the saddest going back of all-to go back from Christ. "Many of his disciples went back;" but Christ went on in his eternal course of benevolence, redemption, and glory. LESSONS. 1. What ought to attract people to Christ often drive$ them away from him. It was so here. 2. There are crises in the Christian ministry and in the lives of dillciples which sevei·e1y test their Ohri.stian character and attachment to Christ. "From that hour," etc. 3. There are many who will follow JesU8 while _everything runs smoothly, but leave him at the least offence or dijficuJ,ty. They will not stand the_ .test. 4. Those who leave Jesus early rather than follow him under a false profession are better off than those who follow on thus to the last. These disciples who left him now were better than Judas, who continued to the bitter end. 5. Ie is better not to follow .Tems at ail than, after following awhi1e, turn back again. They are worse at the end than the beginning-more difficult of recovery, And the recollection of their time with Jesus will only be the painful memory of better days, brighter hopes, nobler possibili- ties, which mnst enhance their misery.-B. T. Vera. 67-69.-The departure of~ many consolidating the few, Notice- L J ESUB' QUESTION. "Will ye also," etc.? This implies: 1. His regai·d for the freedom of the Wi,1[. Christ does not destroy, nor even interfere with, the freedom of the human will, but ever preserves and respects it. He ever acknowledges the sovereignty of the hnman soul and will. 2. TJ;at it was his wish that each disciple should d~idefor him- sel,f. "Will ye," etc.? (1) The personality ef religious decision. Religion is personal. Every religious act must be personal, and is ever judged as such. (2) The importance of religions decision, "Will ye," etc.? A most important question to them in its immediate and remote issues. Their destiny hangs upon it. (3) The urgency of imme- diate decision. If they had a wish to leave him, the sooner the better. The question of our relationship to Christ cannot be settled too soon. It demands immediate consid.?ra- tion. 3. That it was not his wish to retain them against their will. (1) This would be against the principle of hi,s own life. (2) It would be against the principle of all spiritual life. (3) And aga~nst the great prj,nciple of ~is kin_gdom, wh(ch • is '!illing obedience and voluntary service. Whatever 1s done to him against the will, or without its hearty concurrence, bas no virtue, no spiritual value. All his true soldiers are volun- teers. Unwilling service must lead to separation sooner or later. 4. His independency of them. (1) He UJ not dishM,rtened by the great departure. Many went back. He was doubtless grieved with this, with their want of faith and gratitnde, but was not disheartened. (2) He is independent of even hiB most intim?te followe~•· "~ill ye," etc.? If even they had the will to go away, he could afford lt, One IIllght thmk that 0B, VI, 1-71.] THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO B'f. ,JOHN. 297