The Pulpit Commentary — John — Volume 2 — Section 285

3. Want of adeqvate knowledge of 1tim. This would be " valid excnse. Dut this they could not plcRd. He not only sent the Baptist to herald his immedie.te coming, nut came himself in person, and spoke to them, taught daily in their streets and eyM- goguee, a,•Riled bimel'lf or every opportnnity to addreBB them in the most homely and cltmr language ae to bis Divine origin Rnd miesion as the Son of God 11.nd their Messiah. And be teugbt "Ill! One having authority;" and it was the testimony of all his unpreju- diced hearers, "Never mRn spake like thia Man." 4. Want of ad,equate proofs of his claims. Although his teaching was full, clear, and Divine, yet, without the further evidence of miMLOles, there would be a legitimate excuse. Jesus allowe this. "U I had not done," etc. 'l'hey demanded a sign. This demand was most fully and readily grant.ed: (1) In ~nch works of power and mercy as ,io other man had ever before per• fOlf"med. 'l'hcy professed to believe Moses and the prophets on the evidence of miraolee ; but their miracles were very few in number, and inferior in quality as compared with tbOl!C performed by him whom they rejected. (2) In euch works of power and mercy as toere in perfect keeping with -hu; claims and character as their Messiah and Saviour. There W:11! a perfect correspondence between his te..1.ching and his works. He suited the word to the deed, and the deed to the word. His testimony was complete. (3) In such worke of power and mercy as ckarly revealed him and the Father-revealed him n.s the Son of God, and God as his l<'atber. His works were so Divine that even they themselves could not deny their supernatural character; but, rather than admitting their natural conclusion, attributed them to a demon. So transparently Divine were hi8 works, that in their light, not only he as the Divine Son could be seen, but also his Di l'ine Father; still they malignantly rejected both. 5. Want of natural abi'lity to com- prelumd t1u evidences qf his claims. The deaf have a sufficient excuse for not hearing, and the blind for not seeing. The want of common intelligence and natural ability would be an excnse for intellectual and moral unbelief. But they could not plead this, neither did they. And when onr Lord hinted at their moral blindness they were greatly insulted, and asked with contempt, ".A.re we also blind?" Our Lord tacitly accepts their explanation, but pointed them to the inevitable consequence, "Your sin remaineth." They were entirely responsible, 11t1d claimed it. It was not because they could not, but because they would not. 6. Any really objectumable qu,a,lities in his character or con- duct. They would be justified in rejecting a cruel tyrant, a vile impostor, or a vicious teacher; but they had none of these excuses in the least degree. Not only they had no reason to hate him, but the strongest reasons possible to love and welcome him with· delight. His character wa11 divinely transparent, and his life absolutely pure. Hie discourses were pregnant with life and light, and his words and actions full nf grace andi truth. His conduct towards all was invariably respectful and tenderly kind, and even to his most inveterate foes he WBB most patient, indulgent, and forgiving. There was no cause for hatred in him. It must have been entirely in them; and his experience was that of the psalmist, recorded in their Scripture, "They hated me without a cause.n They could not fu.J.d an excuse for their sin, neither could Jesus find one. In spite of his ten-ible indictment against them, he seems to be in search of an excuse for them. "If I had not come," etc.; "but now," etc. Ail far as they were concerned, ho almost wished he had not come and spoken to them. He who prayed on the cross, "'Father, forgive,"' etc., wae ever ready to find the least legitimate excuse for sinners, and even for his most inveterate foes; but in this case could find none. There was none, and there is none. LEssoNB. 1. The gospel, tDith f'tgard to tM f'ejecter, of Cfhrist, rei,eal, a terrioly cmrupt state qf the heart. The gospel does not cause sin, but reveals it, and in rela- tion t.o tbe disobedient occasions the gteatest guilt,. Jt would be b1;1ttey for tl1em not t.o have enjoy,-d iqi light. 2. With regard to it,. f'{Jjecters, it reveals a terrible power of tli£ corrupt W1,1), to resist tM Divinest,evi,d,ence and reject !he mqst'lovjng,_''ivertures o/ He,Q,f}ffi, a, 'IDell 1J11 Us own niphest good. 3. .Althoug/1, it, wwf,~ .be far ~e,ter '/or the dfs~ obedumt if (Jhritlt l,ad ,-,ot = and spp¾en, to tliem,, ye,t tP,O§f _?pho sig/1 for and are f'eady to receive hiuJ, 04'e fWt deprived of Mm on tl.is ac!X)unt, Shall not the sun rise because m.aoy evB-doers prefer darkness, and may avail themselves of but little of it,a light? .And shall Jesus keep away because many will 'disobey, and even he.to him 7 No; let him come and save. 4. The world', awful responsibility under the gospel. TLc responsibility of increa8ing light and grace. Our destiny hangs upon our rcc1Jiving on. xv. 1-27.] THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. ,JOHN. 295