The Pulpit Commentary — John — Volume 1 — Section 447

whioh follows, ne well ns the quotation of Another word, "Grecian " or " llollonist," these worde in ob. xiii. 33, prove that this is used for the Jew, who bad adopted Greek wne not his moaning. (2) Augustine and ideas, hnbits, and speech. Who.tevcr may otllC'rs imagine penit-ential seek"ing when it be the strict meaning of thot word (see would be too lo.te. This is not justified by Roberts's 'Discussions on the Gospels,' ond the oonn<1etion. Tho limito.tion of the day other works, whero that writer seoks to of grt1<'e for seeking souls is not the theme est" blish the Greek-speaking peculin.rity of of this acldress, and it is, eave undC'r specie.I nil Palt>stinian Jews, and limits the word to <'ircumstnnces, no t.eaching of the New Greek ideas rather than to Greek speech), Testnment. (3) The ideas of Hengstenborg the word "Greek" is the autithcsis to nncl others, l!O largely built on the grent texts "Jew" in every respect. The Dispersion ('Toiv in Prov. i. 28 and Amos viii. 12, show that 'E;l.>.,\vow) mo.y meo.n (I) tbe Jewish disper- the Mellsi1th would be sought by them when sion among the Greeks beyoud the limits of they had utt-erly rejected Jesus. We do not Palestine (2 l\Inco. i. 27). It is o.lso found beliPvc th1tt a genuine scnrch for the Lord in Josephus for the outcast of Israel (see will ever be disappointed, but a vicious and LXX. Ps. cxlvi. 2; er. Jas. i. 1; 1 Pet. i. 1). rnin search may be possible when the There was a wide " dispersion " in Baby- opportunity for due npproo.ch ho.s gone by lon and Syria, throughout Per~io., Egypt, for e'<"er. }foments, catastrophes, did arri'<"e Asia Minor, and Cyprus, even in Achaia, in their tragic history when they had pas- Mo.cedonin, and Italy. The Dispersion was sionate]'" desired, but in vain, to see one of tbe Greater lsroel. Most intimate relations the da vs of the Son of msin. The indi'<"i<l uo.ls subsisted between these scattered Israelites who t'urned to him found the veil which and their political e.nd ecclesiastical centre concealed him to.ken away (2 Oor. iii. 16). in the metropolis. Often those at the The nation as a whole wns blinded ; they greatest distnnce from the temple were the crucified their King, the Lord of glory; and most pMsionately loyal and patriotic. But they brought uttermost extinction on them- for the Messiah to commence a prophetic selves as a nation. " They sought their career o.mong them, after having been .re- Messiah in vain" (WeiBll). Where I am- pudiated by the great council of the nation, in the glory in which I dwell, and to which was a bitter saroaem. But (2) the "Disper- I belong, o.nd to which I am now inviting sion" mo.y rerer to the wide scattering of '<"ou-yon cannot oome. "The door will be the Greeks themselves, the natural antithesis shut; " you ";u not "have known the day to God's covenanted people. Now (1) is cer- of your nsito.tion." "How often would I tainly a very awkward and unique rendering have gathered you, but ye would not I" The of the genitive, and (2) applies the " disper- seeking cannot be the search of penitence, sion" in o. peculiar sense not elsewhere nsed. but of unavailing despair. You have the Alford says the word means the land where opportunity now. In a little while I go, the Jews are scattered. Still, (2) appears to and then you will find it impossible to me a fair rendering of the words, espeoio.Ur, follow me. as it is followed by " and teach the Greeks. ' Ver. 35.-The 1ewa therefore BBid among Nothing could more adequately express the themselves, Whither will this Man go,• that utt.er scorn of the Jewish mind for a pseudo- we ah.all not :find him 1 With their murderous Messiah who, failing with his own people, designs they are blinded even to the mean- e.nd here in the courts of the Lord's house, ing of his words. They pretend that he would tum to the Gentiles. Such a be.re we.e not making any reference to their supposition wollld bring utter discomfiture, sworn purpose of rejecting his claims. They as they thought, upon his claims. What a would not lift their thongbts to that eternal forecast they made in their malicious su~- glory in which he would soon, by their own gestions I Long before John reported thJS execrable acts, be enshrouded. They could speech he himself had tnken up his seat not grosp the eternal life involved in the in Ephesus. In all the great cities of the aooeptance of the Father's revelation in empire it was a.vowed on both sides that him. They are resolved to put ironical and "in Christ Jesus there was neither Jew confusing meaning into his words, to pour nGr Greek." Had nvi Jesus already given an air of contempt over his reply; and to indication of this laxity o.s to the privilege,; insert veritable though unco11Scious prophecy of Israel : " Many shall come," eto. (Matt. of their own into his words. Will he go I to viii.11)? Had he not referred to the ministry the Dil!pemon (of)--Or, among-the Greeb, of Elijah and Elisha severally to the Byro- e.nd tee.oh the Greeb 1 The word "Greek" Phcenician and the Syrian (Luke iv. 25- ie, throughout the New Testament, the 27)? Had he not shown culpable lenienoy to Gentile, the Pago.n ,rorld, at that time IIO the hat.ea So.me.ritan? Surely they meant largely Greek in speech, if not iII raoe. to suggest the uttermost treason to the traditions of Israel, when they thus chose to • See note, ver. 33. put a meaning int.o bis words. Like Caiaphu Clll, vu. 1-68.) THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. JOHN. 8l7