JOHN CHAPTER 1 1 THESSALONIANS 1:1 The Divinity of Christ. 1 THESSALONIANS 1:6 The mission of John, and end of Christ's coming. 1 THESSALONIANS 1:14 The incarnation of the Word. 1 THESSALONIANS 1:15 Christ's superior dignity witnessed by John, and evinced by his gracious dispensation. 1 THESSA... [ Continue Reading ]
These words of the evangelist are a further confirmation and explication of what the evangelist had said before; asserting the eternity of the Son, and his relation to the Father, and oneness of essence with the Father. Whether the evangelist, forewarned by the Spirit of God, did add this repetition... [ Continue Reading ]
OLBGrk; ALL THINGS WERE MADE BY HIM: the Divine nature and eternal existence of the Lord Christ, is evident from his efficiency in the creation of the world: what the evangelist here calleth _all things, _ the apostle to the Hebrews, HEBREWS 1:2, calleth _the worlds; _ and St. Paul, COLOSSIANS 1:16,... [ Continue Reading ]
IN HIM WAS LIFE; in this Word was life corporal, spiritual, eternal; it was in him as in the fountain. Some understand this of corporal life, both in the first being and preservation of it; it is certain that this is in Christ, for he _upholdeth all things by the word of his power,_ HEBREWS 1:3 ACTS... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LIGHT SHINETH IN DARKNESS: he had said before, that life was in Christ, in him as in the fountain; and the life in him was the light of men, giving light to men. Now this light which was in him had its emanations (as light in the sun); _and the darkness, _ that is, men of dark minds, (the abstra... [ Continue Reading ]
THERE WAS A MAN SENT FROM GOD; not the Christ, not an angel, but _a man; _ yet one, than whom (as our Saviour saith) there had not risen a greater amongst those that were born of women. He did not come of his own head, but was _sent; _ for it was he of whom it was written, ZECHARIAH 3:1, _Behold, I... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SAME CAME FOR A WITNESS: John was called a _messenger_ to denote his authority; a _witness, _ to denote his work, which is the work of every true minister of the gospel. John was the first witness, and witnessed a thing wholly unknown (before him) to the generality of the world; for though the s... [ Continue Reading ]
HE WAS NOT THAT LIGHT: John the Baptist was a light, as all saints are _light in the Lord,_ EPHESIANS 5:8; nay, in a peculiar sense our Saviour beareth him witness, that he _was a burning and shining light_; but he was not that Light before mentioned, 1 THESSALONIANS 1:5, that _shineth in darkness;... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT WAS THE TRUE LIGHT: _true_ is sometimes opposed to what is false, EPHESIANS 4:25; sometimes to what is typical and figurative, 1 THESSALONIANS 1:17; sometimes to what is not original, and of itself: in opposition to all these Christ is the _true Light; _ he who alone deserved the name of light,... [ Continue Reading ]
HE WAS IN THE WORLD; he was in the place called _the world, _ and amongst the men of the world; for so the term _world_ is often taken, 1 THESSALONIANS 16:28 2 PETER 3:6. Christ, before he came in the flesh, was in it; filling both the heavens and the earth, and sustaining it by the word of his powe... [ Continue Reading ]
HE CAME UNTO HIS OWN; Christ came into the world, which being made by him, was in the most proper sense his own; or, to the Israelites, which were as his own house, land, and possession, PSALMS 85:1 1 THESSALONIANS 16:32. The Greek word is in the plural number, and used in the places before mentione... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT AS MANY AS RECEIVED HIM; though the generality of those amongst whom Christ came received him not in the manner before expressed, yet some did own him, believed in him and submitted to him; and to as many as thus received him, not into their houses only, but into their hearts, TO THEM GAVE HE PO... [ Continue Reading ]
WHICH WERE BORN, NOT OF BLOOD; not of the blood of men and women; or, not of the blood of Abraham (which was the boast of the Jews, _We have Abraham to our Father_). NOR OF THE WILL OF THE FLESH; nor from the lusts of the flesh. NOR OF THE WILL OF MAN; nor from a power in man's will, or men's free a... [ Continue Reading ]
THE WORD WAS MADE FLESH; the Son of God, called _the Word, _ for the reasons before specified, was made truly man, as _flesh_ often signifieth in holy writ, GENESIS 6:12 PSALMS 65:2 ISAIAH 40:5,6; not a vile, despicable, mortal man. The evangelist rather saith he was made flesh, than he was made man... [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN BARE WITNESS OF HIM, AND CRIED, SAYING: John was not he, but only a witness to him; and he continueth to bear witness (the verb is in the present tense); nor did he give an obscure or cold testimony, but an open, and plain, and fervent testimony, according to the prophecies, his testimony was t... [ Continue Reading ]
AND OF HIS FULNESS HAVE ALL WE RECEIVED; of that plenty of grace which Christ hath, (who hath not the Spirit given him _by measure,_ 1 THESSALONIANS 3:34, as other saints have, ACTS 2:4,6,8), we who by nature are void of grace, whether taken for the favour of God, or gracious habits, have received,... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THE LAW WAS GIVEN BY MOSES; the law, moral and ceremonial, came not by Moses, but was given by Moses as God's minister and servant; that law by which no man can be justified, ROMANS 3:28. In this was Moses's honour, of whom you glory, 1 THESSALONIANS 5:45. God indeed made an eminent use of him,... [ Continue Reading ]
NO MAN HAS SEEN GOD AT ANY TIME; no man hath at any time seen the essence of God with his eyes, 1 THESSALONIANS 4:24; nor with the eyes of his mind understood the whole counsel and will of God, MATTHEW 11:27 ROMANS 11:34. Moses indeed saw the image and representation of God, and had a more familiar... [ Continue Reading ]
John's former testimony was more private to the common people; this testimony was given to a public authority. THE JEWS (most probably the rulers of the Jews, who made up their sanhedrim, or great court, answering a parliament with us, for the cognizance of false prophets belonged to them) SENT PRIE... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE CONFESSED; he being asked openly and plainly, professed, AND DENIED NOT; and did not dissemble nor halt in his speech. These negatives are in Scripture often added to affirmatives, to exclude all exceptions, JOB 5:17 PSALMS 40:10. _But confessed:_ he did not tell them once so, but again and a... [ Continue Reading ]
John was at Bethabara when these messengers came to him, 1 THESSALONIANS 1:28. They asked him if he were @ELIAS. The Jews had not only an expectation of the Messias, but of Elias to come as a messenger before him, according to the prophecy, ZECHARIAH 4:5; as appeareth, MATTHEW 17:10 MARK 9:11; of wh... [ Continue Reading ]
Hitherto John had given them only a negative answer, and told them who he was not; he was neither Christ, nor the Elias, nor that prophet they expected; neither any of the old prophets risen from the dead; nor any prophet at all in a strict sense (as were the prophets of the Old Testament): they pre... [ Continue Reading ]
We had the same, SEE POOLE ON "MATTHEW 3:3", SEE POOLE ON "MARK 1:3". Chemnitius thinks, that John chose rather to preach and fulfil his ministry in the wilderness, than in the temple; to make an illustrious difference between himself, who was but the Lord's messenger, and whose office was but to pr... [ Continue Reading ]
Who these Pharisees were hath been before explained in our notes on MATTHEW 3:7. They were of the strictest sect of the Jewish religion, ACTS 26:5. The greatest part of their councils was made up of those of this sect, as may be learned from ACTS 23:1. They were the men most zealous for and tenaciou... [ Continue Reading ]
The Pharisees themselves would allow the Messiah, or Elias, or a prophet, to make any additions to or alterations in the worship of God, but none else: hence it is they ask, by what authority he baptized, if he were none of these? From whence we may learn, that although they might have some umbrage... [ Continue Reading ]
OLBGrk; This was no strict answer to their question, which was not, how, but why he baptized? But proper replies are often called answers in Scripture, though not apposite to the question. I BAPTIZE WITH WATER; I baptize you with mere water: BUT THERE STANDETH ONE AMONG YOU, WHOM YE KNOW NOT; but t... [ Continue Reading ]
John the Baptist had before told them, _He that cometh after me is preferred before me,_ SEE POOLE ON "1 THESSALONIANS 1:15". He now repeateth those words; and it is observable, that the three other evangelists all put this passage before the history of Christ's coming to him to be baptized. So as i... [ Continue Reading ]
OLBGrk; The evangelist had before told us what was done, these words tell us where. Some ancient writers will have the place to have been Bethany; but they seem not to have so well considered 1 THESSALONIANS 11:18, where Bethany is said to have been but fifteen furlongs from Jerusalem, and conseque... [ Continue Reading ]
OLBGrk; THE NEXT DAY; the most think, the day following that day when the messengers from Jerusalem had been examining the Baptist. Heinsius thinks it was the same day, and saith, the Hellenists usually so interpret en epaupion, for meta tauta, after these things; but the former sense is more genera... [ Continue Reading ]
And (saith he) this is he of whom I said, (as 1 THESSALONIANS 1:15), He cometh after me in order of time and ministry, but is more excellent than I am. SEE POOLE ON "1 THESSALONIANS 1:15".... [ Continue Reading ]
This verse is best expounded by 1 THESSALONIANS 1:33, where the same words are repeated, _I knew him not; _ and it is added, _but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, &c._ Lest any should think that Christ and John had compacte... [ Continue Reading ]
Saith John, According to the revelation which I had, when I received my extraordinary commission to baptize, so it fell out to me, I did see, when he was baptized, the heaven opening, and a representation of the Spirit of God (for no man can see God and live) descending. The form of the representati... [ Continue Reading ]
AND I KNEW HIM NOT; I was a stranger to him; I knew him in a sense, when I leaped in my mother's womb, upon his mother's coming to see my mother, LUKE 1:41; but that (as impressions made upon infants use to do) wore off. I had some impression upon me at that time when he came towards me to be baptiz... [ Continue Reading ]
But when I saw that, I could not but believe, and also bear an open testimony to the world, that this man was not mere man, but the eternal Son of that God, who sent me to baptize with water; reserving still to himself the Divine power of blessing that holy sacrament, and conferring the Holy Ghost i... [ Continue Reading ]
Ver. 35,36. THE NEXT DAY AFTER that the messengers who came from Jerusalem had been with John, JOHN STOOD, AND TWO OF HIS DISCIPLES; whether he was preaching or no it is not said; but John standing with them, saw Christ walking, whence, or whither, is not said; but as a good man is always taking opp... [ Continue Reading ]
SEE POOLE ON "1 THESSALONIANS 1:35... [ Continue Reading ]
God blessed the verbal testimony that John had given so far, that they stood in no need of any miracle to confirm it, but upon their hearing John SPEAK, THEY FOLLOWED JESUS: as yet, not as his apostles; for their call to that office was afterward (as we shall hear); nor yet, so as no more to depart... [ Continue Reading ]
Christ, as he walked, turning him, and seeing two men following him, inquires of their end, what they sought; to teach us, in all our religious motions and actions, to do the like; for the end will contribute much to specify the action, and to make it good or bad. They gave him that honourable title... [ Continue Reading ]
Our Lord discerning the end of their following him to be sincere and good, invites them to COME AND SEE where his lodging was; for he elsewhere telleth us, that he had not a house wherein to hide his head. THEY CAME AND SAW HIS LODGINGS; where, or of what nature they were, we are not told, but we ne... [ Continue Reading ]
Concerning the call of this Andrew to the apostleship, SEE POOLE ON "MATTHEW 4:18". SEE POOLE ON "MATTHEW 4:19". SEE POOLE ON "MARK 1:16". SEE POOLE ON "MARK 1:17". That was at another time, and in another manner: Christ here only invited them to come and see where he lodged.... [ Continue Reading ]
It should seem that both the disciples (after their converse with Christ at the place where he lodged) went together to look for Peter, Andrew's brother. Andrew first found him, and tells him (with great joy) that he and that other disciple had _found the Messiah, _ prophesied of by Daniel, and in t... [ Continue Reading ]
OLBGrk; Andrew having found his brother Simon, conducts him to Jesus. Andrew, and Simon, and Philip were citizens of Bethsaida, 1 THESSALONIANS 1:44, which was a city of Galilee; how near to the place where John baptized, or Christ lodged, we cannot say. Probably Simon was one of John's disciples, a... [ Continue Reading ]
All this while Christ seemeth to have been in Judea, which was the most famous province. The day after Peter had thus been with him, he had a mind to go _into Galilee; _ out of that he designed to choose his disciples; and that being the country where he had been educated, he designed in a more spec... [ Continue Reading ]
This Philip was a citizen of Bethsaida (the word signifies in the Hebrew, The house of fruits, or of huntsmen). Andrew and Peter (mentioned before) both of them lived there. It was one of those cities where Christ did _most of his mighty works,_ MATTHEW 11:20.... [ Continue Reading ]
Philip having himself discovered Christ, is not willing to eat his morsels alone, but desires to communicate his discovery to others; he finds (whether casually, or upon search, is not said) one Nathanael, he was of Cana in Galilee, 1 THESSALONIANS 21:2. (The name is a Hebrew name, signifying, The g... [ Continue Reading ]
The words of Philip begat a prejudice in Nathanael, as to what he said. It was prophesied, MICAH 5:2, that the Messiah should come out of Bethlehem. So, 1 THESSALONIANS 7:41,42, some of the people said, _Shall Christ come out of Galilee? Hath not the Scripture said, That Christ cometh of the seed of... [ Continue Reading ]
_ They are not all Israel, which are of Israel,_ ROMANS 9:6. _For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: but he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit,_ ROMANS 2:28,29. Christ seeing Nathana... [ Continue Reading ]
Nathanael wonders how Christ should know him, having not been of his familiar acquaintance. Christ tells him he saw him under the fig tree, before ever Philip called him. That was a very hot country, wherein people sought shadowy places; hence we read of sitting under their own vines and fig trees,... [ Continue Reading ]
The term _Rabbi, _ which Nathanael here giveth to Christ, is of the same significance with Rabban, and _Rabboni,_ 1 THESSALONIANS 20:16, Rabban, Rabhi, Rabbi, all which signify Master, and my Master; a name which in that age they usually gave their teachers, as a title of honour, MATTHEW 23:7,8, tit... [ Continue Reading ]
Christ encourages the beginnings of faith in the souls of his people, and magnifies Nathanael's faith from the revelation which he had, which was but imperfect; for Christ had said no more, than that he had seen him under the fig tree before Philip called him. He tells him that he should SEE GREATER... [ Continue Reading ]
These things he ushers in with a _Verily, verily, _ and declareth them spoken not to Nathanael alone, but _unto you; _ viz. all you that are my disciples indeed, who are (like Nathanael) true Israelites, in whom there is no guile. For the terms, Amen, Amen, (by us translated, VERILY, VERILY), some o... [ Continue Reading ]