John 14:30-31

John 14:30

Consider:

I. Christ as meeting the prince of this world. (1) The prince of this world comes as an accuser. When the willing Surety took our place, and submitted to the treatment which we deserved, the prince of this world could lay nothing to His charge. He could find no fault in Him, either personally or as our substitute, in His character or in His finished work. (2) The prince of this world comes, not only as an accuser, but as a ruler and lord, claiming dominion over all the world. Still, the Lord says, the prince of this world has nothing in Me. He may be this world's prince, but he is not Mine. I owe him no allegiance; nor can he, by any minister of his, have any power against Me, except it be given him from above. I give no heed to his suggestions or to his threats. It is not his will that I do, but the will of Him who sent Me; and if that will appoint a Cross, better far a Cross from the Father than a hundred crowns from the prince of this world.

II. The Christian as meeting the prince of this world. (1) He comes to accuse. In this matter let the Father alone deal with you, as having something in you. Fall into His hands. Let Christ's willing endurance of the Father's righteous sentence of death for sin become yours. Be ye crucified with Christ. Be ye partakers in His passion, in His cross. Let the Father search and judge and condemn you. That sets you free from every other accuser. (2) The prince of this world comes to claim you as subject to himself. But his title is now null and void, for prince of the world though he be, he has no natural, no original, no legitimate right to be your prince. His right can be only a right of conquest on his part, or of consent on your part, or both. But on neither of these grounds has he anything in you now.

R. S. Candlish, The Gospel of Forgiveness,p. 67.