The Pulpit Commentary — John — Volume 2 — Section 325

J, TBJB rROM:ll!E WAB LARGELY FULFILLED IN THE IDNIBTRY OF' THE APOSTLES THEM• Sl_!:L\"ES AFT~n _PEN?-"EoosT. They knew all the_ facts of ou_r Lord's history already-his b1rlli of R nrpn, his death on the cross, and his resurrection and ascension into glory. Hut ~ey were not le~t to th~mselves to interpret these f~ts and explain their spiritunl meamng. Far from 1t; their eyes were opened, and their understandings guided from above. They and the Apostle Paul, who was ere long to be added to their company had the mighty work entrusted to them or explaining to all ages the true signilicanc~ of the mission of Christ in the flesh. They were inspired to do this. A wisdom not their own was given to them. They were no longer " fools and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets had spoken." Formerly they had been like children; now they were men of full age, and became the authoritative heralds and expounders of the gospel. Paul was fully conscious of this when he said, "God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, bath shined in our hearts," etc. (2 Cor. iv. 6). It is important to observe the order, so to say, of the Spirit's revelations concerning Christ. The great outstanding fact,s, as just noted, of our Lord's manifestation to men are (1) his incarnation; (2) his cross; (3) his crown. It is around these that all the doctrines of the faith are clustered; out of these facts they may be said to grow. From the very first-that is to say from Pentecost-the Holy Spirit bore a certain witness concemina them all. But in what order did he bring them int.o prominence? Which did he first show forth in light and glory t.o the eyes of men ? Plainly it was not the birth of Christ, but his exaltation to the right hand of God. This was the great and urgent theme of Pentecost and of the days which immediately followed (see the Book of Acts). The words of the Apostle Peter," God bath made that same Jesus whom ye have cruci- fied both Lord and Christ,"-these words were the beginning of the ministry of the Holy Spirit. And then, as time went on, the full meaning of the cross was unfolded, and the Apostle Paul, who, above all things, preached Ohrist crucified, was inspired to declare it as no one else had done. And, last of all, the deep mystery of Christ's incar- nation, how" the Word was made :flesh, and dwelt among us,"-that in its tum was chiefly explored by the beloved disciple John. Thus, through the illumination of the same Spirit, the crown shed its light npon the cross, and the cross and the crown shed their unit.ed light on the cradle. The ripe fruit, the imperishable record of all this, is to be fonnd in the Scriptures of the New Testament. How did the Spirit of truth glorify Jesus in guiding and inspiring their human authors I What a revelation <lo they contain of the Person and work, the mind and heart, of the Holy One, never to be superseded by any newer Testament so long as the world lasts I !L THIB PBOM:IBE HAS BEEN FURTHER FULFILLED IN THE SUBSEQUENT HISTORY AND LIFE OF THE CHUBCJL It was by no means exhausted when the eye-witnesses and first minist.ere of the Word had gone to their rest, leaving behind them the memory of their oral teaching and the Books of the New 'l'estament. So far from this, it has ever been by the Spirit of truth that the voice of Christ, even in the Scriptures, has continued to be audible and mighty, and that his presence in any of the means of grace has be"n realized. We are warned that the letter killeth; and, alas I there have been Churches whose candlestick has been removed ont of its place. But in each living Christian community there are men whose lips and hearts are touched by fire from God's altar, that they may interpret the gospel to their own times and their own brethren. Like honseholders, they bring forth out of their treasures things new and old. By their spoken words, by their written treatises, perhaps by their hymns of faith and hope, they declare afresh to those around them the unsearchable riches of Christ. In its essence and substance their message is still the same-" That which was from the beginning;" in its form and expression it varies with the aspects of providence and the problems of human life. In Christ are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, and the aae will never come when these treasures shall be exhausted, or the Spirit's ministry ~f revelation shall cease. " The world will come to an end when Christianity shall have spoken its last word" (Vinet). Great, indeed, is the responsibility of Chris- ti.an pastors and teachers, called as they are to be fellow-workers with God, 'fhe means of grace, the lively oracles, are commiUed especially to their trust. It is theirs to trim the lampB of life in a dark world; it is theirs to feed the :flock of Christ, t.o stand by the wells of salvation and draw water for every one that is athirst. And who is suffi- cient for theae thin~? But it is the Master's work, and here is the promise which he on. xvr. 1-33.] 'l'HE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. JOHN. 335