The Pulpit Commentary — John — Volume 1 — Section 446

to some extent of hie Moesinnio olnime. no proof of it. The Pharisees an,J pri~sts 1-lH was moro than a mere Prophet to them, were ofton e.t enmity, but there were sevoml or LeBder, 11,11 ie obvions from the tone of the occasions daring our Lord's ministry when speech whloh follows: And they said (were they combined against II common foe. The BBying to one another), wbile othore, perhaps, Pharisees h11d been hie most steo.dy opponents so soon ne the1 bad taken bis side, began in Galileo. The ciir:htb 11nd ninth cbnptere to urge his chums on those that doubted- of M11tthew, with pnmllel pe.,..11ges, reveal When the Ohrilt shall oome, will he do more the growing 11nimosity of their demeo.nonr, 1igna than those I whioh this Man hath done l • e.nd tbeir disposition to misunderstRnrl, to 'fhe omission of 'foln-0,11 makes the qneHtion oppose, anrl to crush every great self-revelB- refer to the entire group of signs which hnd tion made by him. Their chiefs were in been alreody performed, anrl not confine Jerusalem, and doubtless formed a powerful i~elf to the prooeedings of Jesus in Jen1s11- elemeut in the great council. The formality lem. They ox pected Messiah to give proof of tliis session of the council mfl.y be reason- of hie Divine oommi88ion (cf. MBtt. :xi. 4, 5, ably questioned. There hEL<l. been orders 20-25). He.a not J csus satisfied nil reason- given for the arrest, which they he.d only to able olnims? The question wns like flro in put at any time, if they de.red, into immediate touchwood. A conflagration might nt e.ny operation. moment burst from tho excituble throng Ver. 33.-J'eSUB therefore said. 1 We a.re which no 'decision of the Sanhedrin could left in doubt to whom he addressed these repress. Something must e.t once be dono to weighty words, prob11bly to the entire group e.llo.y the excitement. In the orowd which of friende e.nd foes. Yet a little while am I wo.e pressing the claims of Jesus were many with yon (six months would bring ronnd the Plle.risees, an immensely larger element in fast P11Bsover). The movement had not the population than the chief priests, and e;;eaped him. It is 118 though be had said, therefore more likely e.t once to bring such " I see all that will happen. This is my information to the central religions authority. dee.th-stroggle with those whom I e.m sent Ver. 82.-The Pharisees• heard the mul- to teach and s11ve. For a little while only titude (generally) murmuring these thinga will the possibility of approach to me for ooncerning him ; repeating the language of life and peace be continued. Yon have those who believed, comparing their expec- taken steps to shorten my career. Yon tations with the reality. They seem to he.ve would even now silence me." And I go• IIIlto occasioned a hasty e.nd informal session of him that sent me. I 'am going; you a.re the Sanhedrin, e.nd .we ree.d tb11t the ohief hurrying me back to the Father who sent prieeta and the Pharisees • sent oflloers- me on this commission of inatrnction e.nd of servan ts "clothed with legal authority," life-giving. This was in e. sensa enigmotical and therefore intimating a decision alr011dy e.nd puzzling. It might beo.r other meanings come to in the supreme council (cf. eh. xi. the.n the one which we now see it to h11ve 53 ; :xviii, 8, 12 ; :xix. 6 ; Acts v. 22, 26)- borne. It is quite extre.vagnnt of Reuss to to seize him ( of. this description of the describe the misunderstandings of Christ's Sanhedrin in Me.tt. xxi. 45 ; xxvii. 62). hearers as 11n intolerable contrudiction. We The" chief priests "-e. phrnse oftl'n occur- are not so ready or able to underst11nd 11ny ring in the writings of Luke, and here for the of our Lord's words in e.11 their fulness even first time in this Gospel-cannot be confined now. to the official " high priest," but may in- Ver. 84.-Ye shall seek me, and shall not clude the ex-high priests, perhaps the heads find me, Many interpretations e.re given of of the twenty-four courses of priests 1md the this. (1) Origcn e.nd Grotius refer it to e. chiefs of the priestly pnrty, though there is hostile search fur him which wonltl not be groti.fied; but the whole story of the arrest 1 Toiln,v of T.R. is omitted by N, B, and si:x other uncials, forty cursives, e.nd nume- 1 The aJn!s of T.R. has no authority rous vel'Bions, by Westcott nnd Hort, R.T., beyond 'l' e.nd some few cursives to SllBtain Tisohendorf (Stl.1 edit.), and Godet. • it. • 'E,ro!110-•-e.n instnnoe of the aorist whioh 1 •or,,.c:1,.ai. Westcott calls attention to the oloe.rly includes the past time up to the three Greek words used in this connection for p1·escnt moment e.s a completed whole. "go:" ''l'rd")'.,, denoting the simple person11l 1 K, M, V, n, add otv, N, D, 11dd a~, 11fter a.et of going l\we.y (eh. viii. H, 21; xiii. 3, f/1toua-a11; not 11ooepted by modern editord. 83, 86; xiv. 4, 2S; :xvi. 5, 10, 16, T.R.); 1ropev- • T.n., with later uncials, plo.ce o/ +ap,- oµa,, denoting purposeful going to accomplish a-a,o, before ol apx1<p<1s; but N, D, D, with e. specific end (ver. 35; eh. xiv. 3, 12, 2S; xvi. eight other uncinls 11nd numerous versions, 7, 2S); d.,r•pxoµai, indicating simple separa- give ol clpx.,p••s first, to the obvious advan- tion ( eh. vi. 6S : xvi. 7). Tfl.ke also eh. xvi. tage of the souse. So Tisohendorf (8th edit.), 7-10, where the three worus are brought WtititcoU and Hort, R.T., Godot, eto. into strilriug juxt,,positiou.  318 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. JOHN. [011. vn. 1-68,