The Pulpit Commentary — John — Volume 2 — Section 184

own trnthfulneBB and freedom from i~J.- whom 1 (or, the individuau 10110m) I ohoee for <f>r•a, 2 Cor. i. 17-20; he be.secl it on God'a o.postles-(in eh. vi. the ea.me statement Is own faithfulnOBB t.o promise). me.de with less definiteness, "He.ve I not Yer. lti.-The Verily, verily rev<'ale the cho~en you twelve, Bnd one of you," cto. ?) ~olemnitv with which our Lord touchod the Jude.a nmong them-but. It is difficult to frC'qucnt.iy quoted aphorism (Matt. x. 24; follow this constmction, R.nd to uccltle 011 Luke vi. 40; a.nd a.g,tin eh. xv. 20). The the o.ntithesis to this disjunctive. (I) Wo eeI"l'llnt-the ela.ve-is not greater tha.n his may ndd, this has happened ( TovTo -yl-yov,,.)- lord; you have nlrcadv called me Lord. a.nd i.e. this choice has b, en overruled, nuu so fo I am; neither is ( one that is sent) an in its issues corresponded with the Divine apostle greater than he that sent him on his purpose ('lva)-so t1u:tt t11e Scripture mig11t be i:rrn t ru issi on. Therefore If I, your Lord fu{fi,lled, He that eateth my bread,• or, bread. a1Hi Teacher, have set forth this principle of with me, hath lifted. hi, hoel against me; (2) eelf-ab11c.~lltin'.2:' scn;oe, a fortiori should ye we tnay ta.kc the Yva 7rA7Jpw8ff as a pnron- in Jove sen·e one another, tbe greatest should thcsis, and link the &>..A' with the quoto.tion, rcnJer c1·cn menial eervioo to the humblest; "Re that eateth," eto.; or (3) we may, he that would be :first to him tl1a.t ie the last, with Jlleycr, SUP.pose that E{<A<{&.µ.11v a/JTovs, and each to nll This is one of the essential "I ohose them,' is mentally involved here: mnrks. e.n<l ever will be, of the mind tha.t was "I chose them, a.nd Judas among them (1va), in Christ Jesus (<".omp. ll'[att. x. 23, 24, where in order that the Scripture," etc. This con- an analogous phrase justifies the disciples nection would suggest o. destiny and purpose in expecting and fleeing from persecution- which Christ lmowingly corresponded with, a stc1, in which they would simply be follow- harmonizing his plan with the Divine o.nd ing their Lord's e:i.ample; of. a. very difierent prophetio programme. Emphasis must be use of the proverb in Luke vi. 40, wheri, it le.id upon the l1t~fi,Eu8a1. It refers to is used to warn a blind man from e.ssum.ing Christ's choice of apostles, not to the eternal the office of a guide, a.nd the resemble.nee of election to salvo.tion. This interpreto.tion the character, eto., between the Teacher a.nd oorresponds more closely ..nth the text, disciple). though it savours of o. fatalism foreign to Yer. 17.-Ifye lmow these things, blessed the Scripture. There is, however, a 'true are ye if ye do them. Knowing a.nd doing sense in whioh the evil-disposed man is so are often pcriloUBly divorced ( cf. Matt. vii. placed that, if he will sin, he must sin 21, etc. ; Luke "L 46 ; :rii 47 ; o.nd J o.s. i. 25). a.long certain well-defined lines. The forty- The sublime principle by itself mo.y be first psalm, from which the quotation is something, but if it be never put int.o practice, me.de, is not strictly Messianic; it is de- the last greo.t beatitude is forfeited. Mere scriptive of the idea.I Sufferer, the holy but ad.mirntiou of a.n ethice.l or a. Christio.n outraged man, whose melancholy condition principle degenerating into a. heartless o.nd is sure to be characterized by treachery fruitless ceremony is ho.rdening to the heart among his fo.miliar friends. Christ implies o.nd deadening to the coueoience. The BBD1e tha.t, if he were to fulfil this portro.iture, then truths hn.d been taught independently of this bitter dreg would be put into hie cup; parable and symbol, in Matt. mii 8-12; e.nd so he humanly me.de this ohoice, i.e. he xx.28. took steps which in their tenderness of love might ho.Ye saved Judas from the worst, but Yers. 18-30.-2. ~ e:uluncm of ~ which were reo.lly po.rt of o. Divine plan /aillileu disciple. This paragraph draws which would vindicate his own foresight the circle of his cleo.nsed ones, of those who and the method of Divine government. A full understanding of the forarnlo. in Matthew accept him BB Master a.nd Lord in the fullest and John, fva;, -ypa#) 'll'A?/pw6fi, will save us sense, mOl'e closely about lrim. But the from putting into these words a hopeless proceeding is tragic in the extreme ; one of fatalism. Notice thnt the LXX. reads,this the twelve chosen 11.11 apostlEll! is a traitor in passe.ge differently, and is not so closely disguise. The foot-washiDg ha.a been an 1 T.R. and R. T. both read oOs, with A, D, awful i.risufficiency in his case. He must r, 11, o.nd other uncials and Lo.tin versions; depart bofore the greatest depth of the but Tischendorf (8th edit.), Westcott and MaBt.er'e love a.nd truth C&Il be revealed. Hort, 'l'regelles, e.ud Alford reo.d Tivar, with N, B, C, L, M, and 33, with Origen, Ver. 18.-1 apeak not concerning you all. laying greo.ter empha.sis on the individuality There is one who, though he knows these in each case. • thingl!, will not do them, ill now indisposed • Mou, with B, 0, L, ia read by Westcott to see o.ny Divineness in the act and spirit and Hort, R.T.; but µ.U lµ.ov is preferred by of love which I am luying down as e. 'l'ischendorf (8th edit.), with N, A, D, the funds.mental lnw of my kingdom. J know Vulgate, etc. <JII, xm. 1-88.J THE GOSPEL .ACCORDING TO ST. JOHN. rnt