The Pulpit Commentary — John — Volume 1 — Section 504

wickedness, 11nd takes plee.sure in sin. 2. Ever.y sinner has a ~ter, u,ho has dominion. over hi:m, and gives wages to Ms se,·vants. "'l'he wa_ges of sin is death''. (Rom. vi. 22), because he obeys it in the lusts thereof. 3. Pcrfectf1·eedom is onl~ to be en;'oyed in perf~ct ha_rmony with the Divine will, inn.smuch 118 slavery to sm implies e. false relst10mhip to God. 4. Mark the contrasted situations of the servant and the Son. "And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: the Son e.bideth ever,ll (1) .As Abraham's seed, the Jews would remember how Isaac, the son. ot t)ie free-woman, remained in the house as the heir of promise, while Ishmael, as the son of the bond- woman, was cast out. Our Lord adheres to the lines of ancient hisoory, so as tci m11rk the distinction between Jews who failed to recognize the privilege of sons, nnd those wbo were as sons introduced into ,the true spiritual freedom of Abraham's seed. (2) Yet he points to himself as the true Enfranchiser of the sle.ve. "lf the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." He only could place the slave op. a. new footing in the household. It is Christ who gives us true freedom (Ga.I. v. 1). It is true freedom, because it ii; freedom (a) from guilt and condemnation; (b) from the dominion of sin; (c) from the accusing voice of the Law; (d) from the darkness of ignorance and error; (e) it is freedom of access to God at all times (Eph. ii. 18); (/) it holds out the expectation of the glorious liberty of sons of God hereafter (Rom. viii. 21). , . , V ers. 37-47.-The spiritual parentage of the faithless Jews. Jesus does not deny their legitimate de~cent from Abraham. Truth must be conceded to an aq~ersar:r, lJ .:' I. THEIR MORAL PARENTAGE CAlIKOT BE TRACED TO .ABRAHAM. "But ye seGk to kill me, because my Word makes no progress in you." 1, Our Lord <X!'fl,Ce_<l,es -that his Word had somehaw made an entrance, but national prejudices hind11red _its, thorollgh acceptance in heart as well as mind. 2. The e~planatio'{I, of the resista:nce given, to. the full power ef the truth. " ~ for me, I speak tha.t which I have seell: w,1th the Fatbe~ ; and ye do the things which ye have heard from your fe.tber." • (1) Christ· re,veals tha Father's mind and will, as he is the Word, coming forth from the bosom of tlie iincrea~a: Godhead. The Son's knowledge is (a) perfect and (b) direct. (2) T)le Jews d,erivec1 their knovcledge, as well as evil impulses, from the devil (a) The qevil is active~f engageq in misleading those who have accepted the truth even intellectually. (b) ?:'~ unstable nature is very open to evil guidance. .. lL THE PEBSISTENCY OF THE JEWISH CL.All[ TO A PURE .AJ3BAHAMIO DESl:JENT, "Abraham is our father." 1. The Jews already claimed an interest in the .Abrahamic inheritance. " We be Abraham's seed." They now claimed the dignity and security of a personal relationship. 2. We are all too prone (a) to pride _9ur~lves on our external privileges, (b) and it is a danger to souls to rely upon them. III. 'THE PRAC'l'ICAL TEST APPLIED TO THIS CLAIM. .. If.ye were Abre.h3:fil!s .chµdren, ye would do the works of Abraham." 1. The child is supposed to bear. the ~tM~r;i? stamp of the father's character. Moral descent is inconsistent with contrari~tY,C of. action. Abraham was rem~.rkable (1) for his docile acceptance of Divine cqmmanJ, (2) and for his reverence for those angelic messengers who conveyed it. 2. The Jews practically repudiated their .Abra'hamic relationship by their conduct. " But now y~ seek to k,ill me, a Man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard from God." 'l'here was an evil gradation in their conduct. (1) They sought to kill Jesu,s, an innocent Man; (2) a Man di,,inely commissioI!ed to impart the truth to them; One who was more than a prophet. (3) The truth being not of man, but of God, aud therefore challenging universal and unquestioning assent. IV. OUR LoBD ABSEBTs A DIFFERENT PARENTAGE FOR TIIE JEws. "Ye do. the det:ds of vour father." The Jews begin to discern that a spiritual father is meant, and accordingiy shift their ground to meet the new contention of our I,,ord. 1, Tit~ Je;ws claim a Divine fatherlwod. "We are not born of fornication; we have .\mt one Fa.th~.r, God." (1) They expressly repudiate any implied imputation of idol3:~ry. . 'l'h~;y P.ad stood apart for ages from the polytheism of the Geotiles. (2) Th~re;;is /J, to½94 ~f pride in the assertion of their relation to one Father, even God. Isra_el '\f,11, ca.Ue(l Q:od s BOU. his fustborn. To Israel belonged "the adoption" (Rom. iv. 2)r: ~- (J'IW Lord 'ITW.nifesu the groundlasness of their claim. . '.' If God were your Fat~r, ye wollld _love me." (1) Spiritual affinity would nece¥itate this love to the Father's Son and tha Father's Prophet. Love to Christ ia always implanted in rege~ration. Love ia one of ea. vm. 1-69.J THE GOSPEL .ACCORDING TO ST, JOHN. 379