The Pulpit Commentary — John — Volume 2 — Section 14

l'ri>sp<'l). Nowhere does our Lord more Meyer, eto.), hut tho pmotically blind-the op,•nly Rdmit that h<' \V&s the Christ, the Sou µ~ fjJ,.nrov-ru, those who aro sitting iu do.rk- of God. The disoiplee scarcely rise beyond ness, wit~ tho capacity for eight, but not tho ihe climax of this revelation even on the opportumty; who cnnuot, as a matter of night of the PMsion. The man's faith WRB fuct, apart from the revele.tion of now light, waiting for its Objeot, aud the vision oomes see the faoe of God: tho be.bes to whom tho to his unsealed spiritual vision. Lord of heaven and ee.rth bas been plell9od Ver. 38.---And he 118.id, Lord, I believe- to unveil himself (see MC1tt. xi. 25): tho the Kyrw menus more than in Yer. 36-and poor in spirit, who do uot but now mo.y see he worahipped him. The verb ,rpoo-Kvv,w the kingdom, o.nd the pure in heart ready is used by John for homage paid to Goo. to behol~ their God. So fe.r tl.10 Kp'iµa. (oh. iv. 20; xii. 20; and twenty-three times declares itself to bo a blessed oonsummation in the Revelation, e.111"8.ys in the sense of -sight to the blind, oleansing to the leper "wor:,hip"). This prostration, whennopra.yer lifo to the dood. Even the man born blind was offered, no forgiveness asked, but a. suns himself in the heaven of the Saviour's simple aot of faith exercised, wa.s nothing smile. The Light of the world shines upon less the.n the highest homa..,"ll the mo.n could them, and they see, But Ohrist's ooming pay. The e.dore.tion of this ma.n is a fitting brings out also the cho.racter of those, nnd clime.x to the scene (eh.viii. 59), and a.ntici- pronounces judgment on those, who say of pntes the.t of Thomas (eh. xx. 28). The themselves, "We see;" "We he.ve never higher signifioa.noe of the Sonship dawned been in bonde.ge;" "We need no repent- upon him in the unee.rthly tone and manner ance;" "Abraham. is our father;" "\Ve of the Lord. These scenes, a.nd the offer of know the Le.w; " "Who (nevertheless) do Dh-ine homage unrebu.ked by Jesus a.nd not come to the Light ; " who are not "of the uncommented upon by the evangelist, are truth;" and the beaming of bis une.pprecie.ted among the most potent arguments for the glor-y invol vee in their oe.se, that those belief of the Church in the Divine nature of who see might beoome blind (Tvtpll.ol), ince.- the Lord. pe.ble of seeing. Those who have the know- Vers. 39-41.-(b) The bUndne,u of those ledge of the Law, "the wise and prudent" wlw are satisfied with their twilight. (Luke :z:. 21), who boast their freedom, their , er. 39.-The sight of the man, enlight- knowledge, their o.dvan!Bges, their profes- ened a.nd prostrate in adoring gratitude, led sion, may, nay do, by resolute turning awa.y Jesus, iu the face of the bystanders, with from " the Light of this world," lose their Pharisees e.mong them (ver. 40), to declare power of spiritual vision. But the unso- the general effeots which would follow from phisticated, needy, even the publicans and bis entire self-manifestation (so Meyer, harlots, consciously sitting in the region of Godet). Westcott says." Not to e.ny one or the shadow of death, do by faith and repent- group, but e.e interpreting the scene before ance find that the great Light has uno.wares him." A sublime monologue. .And 181118 shone upon them. said, I came for judgment. Not ,cplua,, to Ver. 40.-Those of the Pharisees who were execute jud,,ament, but as ,q,lµ.a. with a view with him. Thie expreeeion does not simply io bring about a judicial decision on the mea.n who were near him at that moment, morel condition of mankind (see notes on but who were to a. certain extent siding with eh. iii 17, 18; v. 22, 23; viiL 11, 15, 16) as him (eh. viii 30, 31), while criticizing and a matter of fact. "Thie is the Kpluis, that rejecting bis message; who were incensed men love darkness ra.ther than light." Christ with him for promising to them "freedom" ea.me to save--that was hie supreme purpose; and sonehip, and whose faith in hie claims but to the Son is given the whole ,cp!uu, and we.a of the most superfioie.l and vacillating "-P'I'-" will follow the revelation of the Son of kind. These wavering, self-satisfied Phe.ri- God. He is the Touchstone of humanity. sees heard these things, and they said to What men think of Christ is the question him, Are we blind also 1 Many commentators, which decides in every age their mora.l who ca.11 o.ttention to the contra.et between the condition before God. Into this world of Tvtpl\.ol e.nd µf, /jll.l1rovr<s of ver. 39, think that sin and et.rife, of croBBing lights and strange the speakers who made use of this word did del usion.s, of ignore.nee and superstition ( •is not dr11w the distinction, o.nd meant nothing -rov ,couµov is difl"erent when -rovrov is added; more tha.n µ¾, /Jll.frovns by their use of see eh. viiL 23 ; xi 9; xii 25, 31 ; xiii 1 : Tv,Pll.o!. But this is unsatisfactory ; whato,er xvi. 11; :z:viii. 36)-not the world a.s the mere it means in the one olause, it ought to mean cosmos, or the sphere of creative e.otivity, in the other. There is a difference between nor even the whole of humanity e.s eh. iii 16, "~ing blind" and being "the blind." but humanity viewed in its 11epa.mtion from They ask wheth~r they are blind also). i.e. e.s grace, and in all its need--in order that they blind as those who have, aooording to uhriid:'s who aee not might aee ; i.e. not those who own dictum, become so. They seem to admit :u;ierely feel that they cannot see (e.s Liicke, that some who ho.ve the power of sight h1m1 oa, 1:1, 1-41.] 'fHE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO 8T. JOHN. 15