The Pulpit Commentary — John — Volume 2 — Section 10

1o thP prnphptfr rank and even Messianic What did he to thee T how opened he tb..lae clnims c,f Jp~n•. by indueing him to reeant. eyea t They 80Ught to draw from him the Give glory to God, PAid thev. M&ny hnvo explicit proof thnt Jesus had b1,,lrnn the nr/!"<l (P<>e Calvin, De Wetto,' Lange LUcke, sabbRth, or possihly to entangle him in nn<l Mc~·cr) thot this is only a eol!'mn' form of some different statement. The fn11t of the nd_iurAtion, whioh corresponds with Josh. vii. supernatural change is pmctically 11onceded l !l ; EZJ'I\ x. 11 ; 3 Eedraa ix. 8, and w&e a to the obstinacy of the man's reiter-ated de- hypocritiMI appea.l to the man to eat hie ole.ration, and the identification of his person own words on oath ; and Godet urges, "They by others. Westcott here differs from the demanded the.t this guilty assertion, 'He is mRjority of recent expositors, and supposes a Prophet,' Phould be blotted out bv the that the II questions suggest thnt they were controry one, • He is e, sinner.' " Moulton willing to believe if the facts were not deci- says, "A formula used when a criminal who sive ago.inst belief.'' Bnt the answer of the was thought to be concealing the troth was man proves that he saw the cunning of his being urged t-0 make a full confession.'' nntngonists, and was irritated by their con- Lu1ho.rdt, Lampe, a.nd others rightly observe spicuous design to twist the infinite benefit tho.t this adjuration theory, though it suits thnt he had received into the material of a. Josh. vii. 19, does not fit l Sa.m. vi. 5 or Jer. chnrge age.inst his Benefactor. xii. 16, aud that the Pharisees rather wished Ver. 27.-B:e answered them, I told you the man to give glory direct to God,and not to &lready, and ye did not hear (the Ita.lic Ver- Jesus. They implied that their action was sions and the Vulge.te here omit the nega- dictated by zeal for the honour of God, and tion, which De Wette says would be easier tempted the ma.n to discla.im the mediation of comprehension ; but as it ste.nds, the sen- of Divine grace through ihe lips and nt the tence is equiva.lent to II you h11.d no ears, you will of Jesus. They add, We know (o'l6aµ•v) took no heed, if yon hnd alrea.dy listened to r.bsolutely, on theologic grollllds beyond the the simple facts"): wherefore would ye hear comprehension of the poor ma.n, a.nd we ca.n it &gain 1 You will pe.y no more heed now sustain it with all the weight of our tre.di- than then; or do ye want to transform it tion and cnstom-we kn01JJ that this Kan is iuto a chnrge? There is another o.lterna.- a sinner. They give no reference, and do tive, stated in either humble plea.ding or not condescend to particnle.rs. They wonld uonicnl retort, accordfog ns we interpret overawe the man with tbeu assumption of the 1Ccd. The next question is either, (I) superior 1.""llowledge. (Luthardt) Would you also be his disciples, Ver. 25.-Re therefore answered (a.nd like the many multitudes who are shouting said'), Whether he be a sinner-using the his praise? Is that your bent? surely not I words of " the Jews" uonica.lly-I know or (2) it may mean, Is it possible that it is. not. You assert it, but the facts of my in your mind, not only to :find out o.11 about experience are altogether of a. different kind. the how of this grent miracle, but also f.o be- I do not lcnow, as yon ee.y tha.t you do. come his disciples 1 Neither of these inter- The Jews reason from foregone prejudices; prete.tions is perfectly consistent with his the healed ma.n has no such evidence, no taunt, "ye did not hear.'' Therefore (3) such grounda--he adds in immortal words, (Bengel) the most ne.turRl mea.ning is, Would One thing I know with invincible conviction, ye also, as well &s myself, the poor beggar, that whereas I was blind (De Wette says become his disoiples 1 (so Westcott, Moulton, there is no ntoed t.o regard the t:,,, as an itnper- &nd Lange). The poor mnn was roused, fect participle, and the present suggests the uonical, and ready, notwithstanding the whole career of the man from buth till that threa.t of the great excommunication hang, memorable morning), now I see. The plain ing over him, to announce his own disciple, contii&tent testimony of the man triumphs ship to any extent and &t any risk. over their logic, which songht to bewilder Ver. 28.-They reviled him, and said, 1 his jndgment. The language which a deeply felt experience can alwa.ys bring against the (8th edit.) &nd R.T., on the authority of N•, a priori demonstrations of the inBufliciency B, D, K, L, and versions. t,,,, is found in A, r, of the evidence of Divine revelation. I was t,,,, A. The omission of ..-cl.11.111 does not stand blind ; now I see the face of God in nature, on quite the same ground, for it rests on the kingdom of God all around me, the fact N*, B, D, and numerous versions, while it of my own forgiveness. the dawning of a occurs in 11t•, A, X, r, and many other brighter day. uncia.ls. 1 Tregelles, Tischendorf (~tb edit.), and Ve:r. 26.-Ther said therefore to him,• Godet, with N", D, L, and important cur, 1 t(, A, B, D, L, omit Ka:l f71rf11, with si\'es, but not R,T., omit the Kai before Tischendorf (8th edit.), R.T., T.regelles, and ill.o,S&p1Juav; they also omit oi: nfter lll.01- W esicott and Hort. 8&P7Jcrav, the ree.ding of T.B., t( , B, and 69, • O~v is here substituted by TiBchendorf and severe.I Father& on. ix. 1-41.] THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. JOHN. 11