The Pulpit Commentary — John — Volume 2 — Section 317

he m~t intimRte, inspiring, and pure, and their &cq11Rintance perfect. 4-. Th• warmut frimrlship. What must be the mutual friendship of the Father of love with the Son of his love? lt most be the wRrmest, intensest, Aweetest, and most delightful. The pure~t and mOBt loving human fiiendships fade before this. 6. The moat dignified and gloriom position. "From the Father." The most glorious position in the universe. His position was equal with that of the etem1ll Father, bis glory was as resplendent his throne as majestic, hi~ sceptre as universal, and his throne as dignified. 6. J. Divine procession. It is difficult, in human langu1tge, to describe the Divine move- ments, and to add anything in explanation to the simple statement of our Lord, which to him was quite plain. "I came out," etc. But there must be a special movement of the Divine nature on the part of the Son, a coming out from the Father, a partial but temporary separation, and a procession of him whose goings forth have been from of old. IT. WHITHER HE OAME. As we see the :first movement of the eternal Son, we are inclined to ask whither will he go? Doubtless to one of th~ largest planets, in one of the most glorious systems in the universe. No; but he came into the world. He was in the world before, but now came to it, and came into it in a usu11l, natural way, by birth. This implies: 1. .A great distance. From the Father into the world. The r hysioal diRtance must be great, but the moral distance greater still. From the )ivine to the human, from the sphere of Divine glory, purity, and life, to the sphere of shame, sin, sorrow, and death. The distance was infinite, and the journey was Ion"', 2. .A great change. There is a change of air, from the pure air of the Father's presen;e to the fonl air of this world. A change of sceneries, of society, of associations, of relationships. The old ones were only partially left, but new ones were formed. A new nature was assumed ; new conditions, circumstances, and employments under- taken. The nature of the creature was assumed by the Creator, the nature of the sinner was assume<l by Divine purity, and the nature of weakness was assumed by infinite power. The Son of God became the Son of man, the form of God was exchanged for the form of a servant, and the Lord of heaven became the tenant of this wretch<-'CI, insignificant, and rebellious world. What a change I What a change from the throne to the manger, from the crown to the crosR, from the society of the Father and angels to that of the rebellious children of the Fall, from the sweet music of heaven to the malignant execrations of earth I 8. .A great missioo. "Am come into the world." 'l'his suggests that he came as an Ambassador; and the very fact that he came from the Father into the world proves that he came upon a most important mission- a mission which deeply affected the very heart of the King, the honour of hie throne, and the well-being of his subjects. His important mission was to effect reconciliation between earth and heaven ; to condemn sin and save the sinner; to conquer for ever the prince of this world and the powers of darkness, and create a new heaven and a new earth. His mission affected not merely this world, but the whole universe. 4. .A great, sacrifir.e. This was required to meet the demands of justice and law, and the need of the world. And hie mission was a sacrifice from beginning to end; from the :first movement, the coming ont from the Father, the coming into the world, his life in it, and his departure from it through the ignominious death of the orose,-all this was an infinite sacrifice sufficient to answer the purposes of Divine lov':I involved in the mission of the Son in the world. 5. .A great fact. What is this? That the Son of God was incarnate in this world, and it includes all the great facts of his earthly history, which are summed up here in one, " Am come into the world." Thie is the greatest in this world's history-the fact of the greatest glory, interest, and consequences in all its annals. It has made this world a centre of interest, meditation, and wonder for all the intelligent universe. 6. .A great responsibility. If the Son of God was in this world, and for it lived and died in order to bring it into allegiance with heaven, in the face of ,rucn a condescension, expense, and sacrifice, its responsibility is infinite. III. WHITHER HE WENT. I. Be left the world. (1) His stay here was not intended w be lung. When he came, he came only for a short time. He was a pilgrim in the iand rather than a permanent resident. He came as an Ambassador, to perform a special work, and hie hard work bespoke a short stay. (2) He accomplished his work I.ere. He came to the world, not to enjoy, but to work ; not to rest, but to toil ; not to live, bnt rather to die. He worked hard, and :finished his work early; then he left ou. xvi. 1-33.J THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. JOHN. 327