The Pulpit Commentary — John — Volume 1 — Section 495

cover bore a Manichman, GnOBtio eene&-- neighbourly love; but these very Jews had, "those who are essentially of a Divine in the height of thie controversy, accused origin and epirit11al nature," are absolutely him of being a " Galilman," and it ie nl)t <lilrerent from thoee who aro of the peychio probable that they used the term otherwioo or hylio no.ture. Thus they out away all than as a soubriquet of scorn. Edereheim force from the moro.l reproof which followe. (loc. cit., ii. 174, 175) would translate into Othere insist tho.t here J csus epeake of the Aramaic the language here cited, and finds regenorated mo.n, the true child of God, who in its form Shomrrmi the real interpretation of hae power to believe, who has come to the its meaning. Bhomrrm ie, according to him, Fo.ther, being predeetinatecl unto eternal life. used in rabbinical writing for .A.shmedai, and Even thie interpretation doee not leave eufll- in the cabbalists ie used for Sammael or ciontly ample play to the human freedom, and Satan. Arabian traditions are brought in the personal self-responsibility, which per- to confirm this interpretation of the speech, vades the teaching of the gospel. Elsewhere which he regards ae equivalent to "Thou art be epeaks of those who o.re "of the truth " a child of the devil," thus retorting· upon and "hear his voice," of "those whom the Jeeus the charge that they were doing the Fo.ther drnws" to him by the very love works of their father, the devil. The one and grace which he, the Son, lavishes upon expression is thought by Edereheim equiva- them (see notes,:ch. vi. 37, 4i; xviii. 37; lent to that which follows, thou haat a daemon; xvii. 6, 9, 11). He also speaks of those who and hie explanation is thought to cover our come to him being given to him. He is Lord's silence respecting it. In our opinion here contemplating this wide claee, who are this is far-fetched and unnatural. Christ's scattered through all time and places, with silence is better justified by his refusal to eueceptible minds capable of hearing freely, regard such a term as conveying oppro- and believing when they hear, the words of hrium. Ho had risen above the distinction God. For this cause ye hear them not, of race, and could afford to despise the because ye are not of God; i.e. seeing that ye taunt. In eh. vii. 20 (see note) a similar do not hear the words of God, it ie evident charge had been made by the angry Jews. that ye are not of God. They are not ex- The Lord is accused of being mastered by cluded from becoming BO by any irreversible some dmmon, who is perverting bis mind fate, but their present obtuseness of spiritual and confusing his speech. Some further perception, their refusal to accept trnth on force ie added to the charge from the lan- its clearest exposition, shows that they are guage of the Talmud, •Jebamoth,' foL 47, a: not bom of God ; they are not being " R. N achmo.n, son of Isaac, said to a Sa- drawn to him by inworking of the Father's maritan, 'Thou art a Cuthite, and testimony grace. The very form of the expression from thy mouth has no validity.'" was once more meant to touch their con- Ver. 49.-To this lesus answered, in calm science. and patient remonstrance, I have not a Ver. 48.-But it brought from them a dmmon. No strange or evil power haunts shout of derision and a burst of scornful me; I am perfectly clear in my conscious- mockery. The Jews answered and said unto ness. Once before, when accnsed of com- him, Say we not well that thou a.rt a Sa- plicity with Beelzebub, he hod retorted maritan, and hast a chemon 1 They imagine wilh awful solemnity, and an appeal to the that the bare charge that they, the leaders conscience of his enemies and to the patent of Israel, o.re "not of God," and that they facts of his own warfare with all the king- reveal the fact by their inability to hear the dom of Satan. It is interesting to observe words of God then sounding in their ears, the.t he takes 110 notice of the charge, " Thou was flat heresy, a gross lack of patriotism, art a Se.maritan." If the above suggestion and proved that, in his lofty self-aiSertion, cf Edersheim were accepted, tile silence he wo.s no better than a Sam!lritan-the would be explained; but it was more pro- most hated of their neighliours. They re- bably occasioned by Christ's unwillingness turn a harsh tu-quoque to our Lord's refusal to repudiate fellowship with this persecuted to odmit their Abrahamic descent, and his natione.lity. The parable of the good Sa- condemnation of their utter moral dissimi- maritan was probably delivered about this larity from their putative father. Tile sen- time. Here he simply repudiated the second tence, "a Samo.ritan art thou I" is singu- charge, and added, But I honour my Father, larly insulting in its tone !Ind form. We in declaring tho.t these words of his would cnnnot me"'lsure the exact amount of insult be acceptable to you if you were of God (ver. they cond?nsed iuto thie word, whether it be 47), and (the .:al strengthens the contrast of heresy, or alienation fi om Israel, or accu- between the two cle.us&1 ralher than between sation of impure descent. It is remarkable the" I" and "you ")-and, while I am doing thu.t onr Lord hod shown specio.l kindness honour to my Father, ye are dishonouring to Samo.rito.ns (eh. iv.), and hnd made in his me ; for you are casting these reproaches p!lrable " the gooq Samu.rit11n " the type or upan me, refusing mr offers of mercy, free- ,TOJqf, • z,  870 THE OOS'PE'L AOOOlft'OtNU: TO S'l'. JOl'IN. [oa. vm. 1-89,