The Pulpit Commentary — John — Volume 2 — Section 241

govemmeat aa~ th~ will _or God for tb&t etnte or riiscord which is the experience or the ant.ur~ _thRt 1s nhenatoo from the eternal Huie~ of nil. •ro be right with God is the first coad1t1on or human peace. Sncb concord it 1e the work of the Redeemer to bring nhout. 3. This peace is both a bequest and a gift of Christ.. It is a lo~ncy because it was depeadcnt upon the Lord's departure, and the subsequent cstabh.sh~ent of a Epiri~ual dispensation. It is a gift, bec.'luee apart from the Saviour's provision there was no means by which this blc.•sing migh~ be secured an~ ~njoycd. The peace in questiou ls not to be earned by any effort or sacnfice of ours; 1t 1s the· bestowmont of the infinite love and grace of the Di'"ine Mediat.or. 4. This gift is essentially his who bestows it. '!·he peace which he enjoys he also imparts. 'l'hat peace which flows from obedience and submission to the Divioe will was naturally the proper possession of the Son of God; and it is that same peace which Jesus conveys to the heart thnt trusts nnd rests in Lim. 6. The peace of Christ is all--sufficicnt. In plenitude and in porpctuity it is alo:;e, "The world can neither give nor take, Nor onn they comprchead, The peace or God which Christ has brought-- The peo.ce which knows no end." T. Ycrs. 29-31.-.Anticipation. Before giving the signal for removing, Jesus in spirit glances forward. What docs he see in the immediate future? l. THE FUT17.II.E SHALL YERIFY HIS WORDS, AND 60 STRENGTHEN BIS DISCIPLES' FAil"H. Be had explicitly foretold his death, his resurn'Ction and ascension, and the outpouring of the Holy S1,irit. They did not disbelieve him, but they ,vere slow to grasp the pur- port of his words. Fulfilment should render his predictions plain, and should confirm the feeble faith of those who through strong faith were to do their work as his witnesses to the world. lI. 'JEE FUTURE 6liALL BBING ON TBE CONFLICT BETWEEN JESUS A.ND THE POWER OF E\IL-A CONFLICT WHICH MUST ISSUE IN VICTOBY FOR CHRIST A.ND BIS PEOPLE.· The prince of this world had before now assailed the Prince of Light, but had departed for a season. Dut the hour of the power of darkness was at baud. An absorbing conflict was about to take place, in which the adversary of God and men shoultl find nothing in him on which to lay hold, aad in which Christ should certainly overcome. I.II. THE FUTUEE SHALL UNFOLD TO THE WORLD CHRIST'S RELATION TO THE FATHER. It should be seen that what Jesus did and suffered was one long act of affectionate obedience to God. This deep significance of the facts which occurred at the close of the Redeemer's ministry was hidden from the world ; but the eyes of men should bo opened to discern it. And for the benefit or all time it should be seen that love and obedience are migl,tier than sin, than Satan, than death.-T. T'er. L-Faith banishir;gfe.ar. We have here- L FAlTH SPECIA..LLY ENJOL"ED. 1 . .A.s to its Objects-God and Christ. (1) 'l'hese are its proper and l,igl,est Objects. Faith must have an object. God and Christ are the J.lroper Objects of faith. It cannot ascend higher, and must not remain lower, than this. Faith in the Father and Son, in the Creator and Saviour. This alone is worthy of an immortal and responsible spirit. 'fhis is the basis of true religion, the elemen.t of spiritual progress, the foundation of Christian character, and is alone capable of era wing out the soul into perfection. (2) Faith is enjoined in both personally. It is llOt, "Believe in something about God or about Christ, n but" Believe in both personally." It is most important to realize the personality of the Divine Being as he is in his ,spiritual, eternal, and infinite existence, or as manifested in the flesh, so that our ideas of him may not ev,1porate into vague generalities; hence faith is directed to a personal God and a personal Christ. (3) Fahh is enjoined in botli f-9.ually. "Delieve in God, believe al.so," etc. This is a ~trong, but by no means uncommon, circumstantial E:Vidence of the Divinity of our Lord. This equal demand of faith inevitably and unquestionably indicates equality of nature, authority, and honour. On the supposi- tiun that Christ was a mere :roan, to couple himself thus with the supreme Deing as the ObjC:.Ct of huma!l. faith, would be nothing leBB tban. a wilful misdirection and blasphemy. 011. xiv. 1-31.J 'l'IIE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. JOHN. 249