The Pulpit Commentary — John — Volume 1 — Section 454

faithful testimon~· against its evil. He had roused its antagonism by his rebukes of Pharisaic hypocrisy and wickedness. •• This is the condemnation, that light is come into the world; and men have loved darkness rather th1m light, because their deeds nre eviL" The works were evil, {a) because they were done, not according to Divine command, but according to the trarl.i tion of the elders ; (ll) because they were done from a wrong principle, not from faith and love; ('l') because they were done with n wrong motive, not the glory of God, but "to be seen of men." 2. He commands his brothers tc go up to the f003t. " Go ye up unto this feast: for me, I go not up to this feast, because my time is not yet fully come." (1) He urges his brethren to go up, as it wae a matter of necessary Jewish observance. (2) He signifies certainly that he will not accompany them, like one going to the feast. .And he does not go up with his brethren. (3) His going up will be as a" prophet" (ver. 14) appearing suddenly in the temple. (4) The emphasis that he lays on "this feast n implies that he is not going up in the sense which the proposal of his brethren might suggest---as if his Messianic entry into J erus&lem were to occur at the Feast of Tabernacles, and not at the Feast of the Pass- over. It was true, in any case, that his "time was not yet fully come," not in allusion to the two or three days' interval between their going and his coming, but to the time of his death. 3. Our Lord's secret departure for Jerusalem. "When he had said these words unto them, he abode in Galilee. But when his brethren were gone up to the feast, then went he also up." The passage does not say that he went up to the feast at all. Contrast the privacy of this journey with the publicity of his solemn final entry into Jerusalem (eh. xii 12). Yers. 11-13.-Inquiries and speculati()'fl,8 ccncerning <Jhrist. His entry was so private as to be almost unnoticed. I. THE ANXIETY OF THE HOSTILE JEWS TO DISCOVER HIM. "Then the Jews sought him at the feast, and said, Where is he ? " 1. The question may have been asked partly through curiosity and partly from hostility, for it implies that a plot already existed for his destruction. 2. Mark the contemptuo'US form of the question. "Where is he?" His name is not mentioned, as if to say, "Where is this fellow?" But the very form of the question implies that he was widely known, and present to all minds at Jeru- salem. II. THE DIVERGENCE OF OPINION 00NCERNING Hlll AMONG THE W0RSIDPPERS AT THE FEAST. " And there was much murmuring among the multitudes concerning him." As if men were afraid to speak out their inward thoughts. Mark the contrast here as elsewhere between those who are drawn to him and those who are repelled from him. 1. Mark the form of the favourable judgment vpon him. "Some said, He is a good :Ma.n." They tested his principles by his deeds. As one who "went about every day doing good," he appeared as the Author of deeds that spoke of goodness and kindness and love. 2. Mark theform of the unfavourablejudgment 'UpOn him. "Others said, Nay; but he deceiveth the people." He rejected Moses' Law, despised the sabbath, made himself equal with God. This judgment sets at nought the argument from Christ's· personal life. It is a judgment against the facts. 3. Mark the pressure of ojficiat opinion 'Upon the who'le peop'le. "Howbeit no man spake openly of him for fear of the J ewi;." (1) Authority had not yet formally determined the question of Christ's claims. (2) The fear of man, " that bringeth a snare," has a strong hold upon people with undecided convictions. Vers. 14-18.-J'USt~tion of his doctrine. JesUB appeared suddenly in the temple, and began at once to instruct the people. I. ASTONISHMENT 011' THE JEWS AT HlS TEACHING. "And the Jews were astonished, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?" 1. They were asumiil-.ed at the manner of hi, teaching. " He spake as never man spake ; " he "spak.c! a,:; One having authority, and not as the scribes;" thus" the common people heard him gladly." These passages give an idea of the manner and effect of his t.eaching. 2. They wsre aswnuhed at the matter of hia teachfng. He had not,_ they thought, been trained in any rabbinic school, yet he seemed to understand the htera- tllre of his countrymen-which w11& essentially theoloipcal--quite as well as their &J'proved rllligious guid& CH, vn. 1-63.] THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. JOHN. 326