The Pulpit Commentary — John — Volume 2 — Section 247

lovin: disciples. (2) As his Gift. to thom fo con.~quence of <Jh,;,t',praYfr, "l will pray the Fat.her, and he shall !tivo," et.a. Thore is M inseparablo connection betweou the Fnther's ~ifts e.nd tho Son's prayel"II. When the 80!1 pr~ys tho Father gi~s, and giveR becnuse he prays and whet he pr11.ys for. What an rnosllmable hleSBing to tho disciples is the intercOl'llion of the ol~ect of their love I (3) As his additional Gift to them It is not that the Spirit is given instead of Christ, but is given- in e.dditioa to him. It ie anot.her instalment of Didne love. 'l'he Father gave the Son, e.nd t.hia, ono would think was as much as even infinite bonevolonce could afford to give. llu~ this was only th~ bea:inning of his munifi('ence. Here is "another," and there ,viii be anothor and another @till. 2. Tht Holy Spirit in ,o,ne ef his special charactcristia,, (1) Aa a OoTTtforter, an ..tdeocate, or a Helper. It was some of tho special functionB of the Spirit-~ comfort to i~t.eroed~ for and in, and hell? ~liovers. And theso were tho special purposes of th~ preo101111 Gift. (2) .As the Spira ef tru.lh. Its Source and El!Senco, its very Spirit, and the Revealer of truth to the soul. Christ was " the Truth," its incarnation and out- ward exprl'S5ion. 'l'ho Holy Spirit is its inward Revealer, and who can reveal and coin- municatc truth to the Spirit of man as well u the Spirit of Truth himself? (3) This was ,pecia]ly Nl[Uired by the disciples now, a.ad required by disciples at all times; e.nd one was already sick at the prospect of the Lord's departure, They would imroedintely and through life meet with inward and outward troubles, and they required consolation and help. They would, through ignorance and weakness, be exposed to errors and mistakes, and they required inward guidance and light; and tbese are promised. "He shall gi.ve you another Comfort.er, even the Spirit," eto. 'l'here is a most fasoinatin" correspondence between the Father's Gift and the disciples' need. 3.. The Bpirit ~ l.,"1Wwn to them, but not so to the 1DOrld.. On the part of the world there was e. terrible inability to receive him-inability arising from spiritue.l blindness and, agnosticism, The world only receives whe.t it can see and handle. It walks by sight and sense, there- fore cannot receive the "Spirit of truth." But it was not so with the disciples. The .Spirit is promised to them: (1) As a present Acquaintance. "Ye know him; for he abideth," etc. Not a stranger is introduced to them, but one at least partially known. The Spirit was known to and actually with them in Christ and his teacbing; They were prepared t.o receive him, not as the world. (2) In his closer fellowshi,p.-_ • "And shall be in you." In the Person and life of Christ he was rathel,' without them;- but in his special advent he would he within them-in the heart., will, conscience-, and reason. (3) In his permanent indwelling. ".And shall be in you and with yoo for ever," as their ever-present Light, Help, and Comfort. · LES801IB. L Love " the peat law of Ck rut, ki,:.gdom. It is established on this. There ill no compulsion, no carnal weapons_; bat he reigns through Jove, and he is the only King whose subjects, without an exception, love passionately. 2,- Loving ~ llJ mm u most apiritually enridJ.i.ng. It insures the rich~ blessings and the most powerful spiritual a.,,crencies; for the prayers of Christ and the gifts of the Father are not made at random. but made to loving and obedient souls. 3. The aupreme t"mporlar.a ef possasiT1 g lovr: to Chrir.t. Where this is present all besides will· naturally wd inel"ita.bly follow. "If ye love me,n etc.-B. T. Vers.. 1S-2L-.7le comfort. of Ch.ri&t. Notice some of the comforts left by Jesus to his disciples. "I will not leave you desolate ror, • orphans,' or,• comfortle88 '],nimply- ing that he w9uld leave them some suitable and substantial comforts.. . . L THE @ll:FOBT OF BIB OONTO."Uous COMDTG UNTO -THE:M, "I come unto you." l. Thu was re,a,/ly the case, in spite .of so,ne uppea1·~ to tl1e contrary, They thought -ihat he would leave entirely and fiir ever by death. This was a miBtake; and Christ is very careful to correct it. "I come unto you," Many of our troubles and Borrows arise from our mistaken notions of things. '!'hinge 1Lre not always what they Beem. 'l'he ,disciples thought that Christ was going away from them by death, while in fact he was oominu unto them, spiritually nearer to them in sympathy and fellowship. On the cro56 a~d in the gral'e he was c9miag wito them; and he was. coming D'3arcr and i.earer unto them in all the trials 1Jnd da,ngerd of afttr-life. And thus he comes unto all believers, even when they think Ul~t he leav('S them.. 2. TI.is was literally -tl,.~ aue at l,is re11urredwn. He came unto them, and they embraced their risen Lord. a 17,is wa, •peciallr the oase ffl the Day of Pe11tecv1t. Wheu his pr.omise of tho Spirit <!H. xtv. 1-31.] THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. JOHN. 255 - - - ·------------------------------ WRS fulfilled, and in the fulfilment of this promise, they J'llaliiied the prellf,nce of Christ more than ever; Bnd, instead of the outwnrd Christ, they benoeforth enjoyed him in thorn ee n Divine power, light, and inspiration. "Christ in you, the Hope of glory." 4. This will befully the case at the last day. He ever comes in hie Word, in his Spirit, in the dieponantione or providence, in the shadows and sunshine of life, and especially in the gloom of deBth, and el\ch coming is a. source of comfort and joy; but his great ,coming at the last ·dny will crown all, and ewallo1v every other coming in itself, and will perfect the mutual fellowship for ever. II. THE C_Ol!FORT OF A CO>ITINUOUS VISION OF JEBU8. 1. Tim is denud to the w01·ld. " Yet a little while, nnd the world seetb· me no more." The world had seen him out- wnrdly. But even this vision would be soon withdrl\Wn. There ie an undertone of sadness in his nnnouncement of this. The best opportunity the world ever had would -soon be lost for ever. The world cannot see the spiritual and eternal; only the material ond outward, Only this it saw of Jesus; but even this was about to be with- drawn. 2. Tliia vision is granted to the disciples. "But ye see me." He assures them 11ot·merely that he would continue to come unto them, but thl\t they would continue to see him-see him even afLer hie departure ; and if not, it would be their own fault. They had professed- to have the power of spiritnal vision, faith, which they doubtless had, and they had been well stretigthcned by his teaching and miracles. Now it was about to.be tried, Bnd he had no doubt of the ultimate success. Material a.nd circum- stantial .changes cannot entirely intercept the vision of faith. '£here may be an eclipse, but not total; and if.total, it will not continue long enough to be specially noticed. It wns so now in the case of-the disciples with regard to their impending triaL After the terrible but brief gloom, "the Sun of Righteousness" appeared to faith brighter than 1i:ver. So clear a.nd fu:11 was the vision to the disciples that they could see nothing else_ It- filled their horizon with his presence and glory. They saw him in every object around and Bbove them-in the gloom of earth and in the glory of heaven ; saw him in all the circumstances and trials of life and in the sufferings of death, in nature, provi- dence and redemption. Christ, in fact, was-their" all in alL" . : UL THE COHFQRT OF A CONTINUOUS LIFB. 1. The life of Jesus. " l live." Christ's ijfe was continue>us. It is true that he really died, but it was the act of bis own will He was the Prisoner of death, bu.t only for a short time, and that by his own permission. By reason of the fulness of life in him, he could well afford to ignore death.. He lived in death, and through death he attained his mediatorial life in its glory. Death was made by him to serve life. The disciples were afraid that would be his final end ; but this fear is dispelled by the announcement," I live." Of the truth of this they had ample proofs in due time. What a comfort it is to believers to know that their pious dead are still living, Bnd especially to know that their Redeemer liveth ! They are not orphans. 2. Their_ life. ' 1 And ye shall live also." Ne:!.t to their concern for his life was that for their own. 'l'hey were afraid that his death would involve their death, and.they would naturally and sadly ask-What will become of us, of our fond hopes. dreams, and aspiratiCJns? They are set at rest by the statement, ".And ye shall live also." 3. Their.life a., united with his. "Because I ·live," etc-. We have here: (1) The nature of tl,eir life. A life like that of Jesus; a Divine and spiritual life, different from and superior to the physical and its circumstances. They are directed to the spiritual nature of their life as a sourco of consolation. (2) The infinite cause of lheir 1.ife. It is a great source of comfort to have an adequate reason for an important statement such as the one mado here by our LCJnl, "Ye shall live also." One would naturally ask- Why and how is this? It appears strange, if not impossible. There is. sufficient answer in the statement of Jesus, "Because I live," etc. Physical life is. dependent upon the life ,and will of God; and spiritual life by fa.ith is entirely dependent on tho life of Christ as its Divine Source, its efficient and meritorious Cause, its infinite Support and Guarantee. (3) The perfect cel'tainty and safety '?f ,heir life. In the. degree they would believe in tho life of Jesus thoy would realize their own, and have con.6.t..lcnce in its safety. 'l'he life of faith is as certain BDd safe .as that Divine life from which it cmanl\tee,. and by which 1t is protected Bnd supported. Safe in all the trials and clangers orlife,and even in death itself. It is" hid with Christ in God.n (4) The endless continuance of their life. "Ye shall live also." 'l'he cravings and aspirations of lmmortality are fully satisfied in the life of Jesus. There is no room for any foar with 256 TIIE GOSPEL AOOORDING TO ST. JOllN. [oa. xtv.1-81.