The Pulpit Commentary — John — Volume 2 — Section 46

this muoh, he might have joined the greRt and the best researches into what is called ma.jority, nnd been their Head and Chief, "the physical cause of the death of Christ " o.nd left hie work to be commented on hy (see Dr. 8troud's valuable work on that others. But suoh n coneummntion would have subject), all confirm the voluntnry natnre of foll en for short of the true and sufficing object our Lord's suffering and death. "To cover of the Fllther'e love. Christ declares that this incomparable privilc"'e with a veil of the very end of his denth was bis resurrec- humility, he thought g~ to call it a tion from <lenth. In retaking his life, he ia command. The .Father's mandate waa, nble to continue, on perfectly different terms, Thou she.It die or not die, thou shalt rise the shepherding of bis people; he becomes again or not riae again, according to the free in the highest sense, tbo grant Shepherd, the promptings of thy Jove" (Godet). It was, good Shepherd, the nrchetypnl, and the however, the Father's appointment thnt veritable Shepherd of the flock of God. Christ should freely exercise this stupendous Ver. 18.-No one taketh I it awa.y from consequence of his perfect obedience. So me, but I lay it down of myself. Should that all the assurances tuat God raised him the aorist be the true reading, then the whole from the <lead are confirmed by the mode in of the Incarnation mu,t he.ve been regarded which he speaks of his Divine right. by the Lord as already accomplished, as a Vers. 19-21.-(b) Tke twofoW, effeet of completed fact. The ooB,lr, "no one"- this declaration. neither God, nor me.n, nor evil spirit-tal<eth. Vera. 19, 20.-There a.rose I a division it, i.e. my life, away from me, from myself, age.in e.mong the Jews because of these words. in the exercise of my sovereign will, in the And me.ny of them were saying, He bath a full consciousness of spontaneity. I am dlllmon, and is mad; why hear ye him 1 laying it down, not in consequence of my The division among the Jews had repeatedly impotence before the powers of darkness, taken place. In eh. vii. 12, 30, 31, 40, 41, but "from myself." This proceeding is in and ix. 8, £1, 16, we see different stages of perfect he.rmony with the will of God the the hostility and different aspects of opinion. Father; but it is Christ's free act notwitb- They reached a similar point of expression ste.Illling, 11nd of e.ll things the most worthy in eh. vii. 20; viii. 48. With bitter me.cluess of the Fntber's love (cf. hero eh. v. 30~ the Pharisees charged the Lord with being which appears at first to be in contradiction under the power of a "dmmon,'' and with with the statement of this verse ; but the consequent raving, i.e. with irrationality closing words of the verse rectify the im- and even evil motive. By this means "the pression ; see also eh. vii. 28 ; viii. 28). Jews" sought to dissuade the people from Christ justifies his extraordinary claim to auy attention to such AO')'ous (sermones, lay down and after his death (retaining Vulgnte), discourses. They would not hnve then the full possession of his Personality), done this if the impression on some had to reassnme the life which for a while, in not been conspicuous and overpowering. submission to the doom on hlllDa.n nature, " Why bear ye him?" This was not the he had resolvecl to sacrifice. He says, I have first time such division had occurred, nnd (lcoucrlo.v) right---0r, power e.nd authority hence the 1rcfA.w, again ( see notes, eh. viii. combined-to lay it down, e.nd right to take 48). Some were listening with cager, be- it again. This oomma.ndment received I wildering excitement. They knew not what from my l!'a.ther. I have power to do both to think. Their DW!cent faith is rebuked these things. No other has ever put forth by the authori tie~. such o. claim, and the discharge of it " from Ver. 21.-There was a twofold reply; himself," i.e. spontaneously, is stated to be one dJ'e.wn from their own experience. in consequence of nn ~VTo/1.f,, nn appoint- Others said, These (j,f,µa-rca; verba, Vulgate) ment, an orclinnncc, he had received from the sayings-" things said "-are not those of Father. The Divine purpose was realized one who is possessed by a diemon. Their in his perfect freedom and his perfect and majestic calm, their conscious strength, the absolute fulfilment of the Father's will. strange thrill they sent through humnn The narrative of the agony in the garden, hearts, u.nd wliich we feel to this hour, dis- given by the synoptists, confirms the blend- criminate them from the scream of the ing of his own freedom with the Divine maufao, with which some of the more order; but the language of this Gospel ( eh. e.stouuding stntements taken by tliemselves xvili. 6 (cf. Matt. xxvi. 53), and xi.x. 11), might hu.ve suggested comparison. They give a.nother argument drawn from the 1 Tho R.T. here places in the margin ijpu,; it is the re11ding of ~•, A. D. It is 1 The oav is omitted by Tischendorf (8th not accepted by the Revisers, nor by edit.), R.T., Tregelles, e.nd Westeott and Tisohendorf (8th edit.), nor by Tregelles; Hort, on the u.uthority of ll(, B, L, X, thou~h but Westcott e.nd Hort insert it in the text, it is supported by A, r, .11., A, and versio~ 11utting aJpE1 in the margin. • o.nd F11thllrs, 18 THE GOSPEL ACOORDING TO ST. JOHN, [011, x. 1--42.